The Context: Recent Episodes
NewsChina
NewsChina explores the perspectives driving today’s China and its people with a deep dive into the histories that shaped them.
Today, we’ll talk about Tianyi Post Office, the pioneering remittance and postal agency that connected overseas Chinese communities across Southeast Asia with their families in China, creating a vital network of letters, money, and trust long before the advent of modern banking and communications.
Today, we’ll talk about the Yongle Encyclopedia, a monumental Chinese text dating from the Ming dynasty, and provide you with a fascinating narrative detailing its six-hundred-year journey, tragic dispersal, and ongoing global recovery.
Today, we’ll tell the bittersweet story of Pearl S. Buck, the American Nobel laureate who lived in China for the first half of her life at the turn of the last century and how the complications of a war-torn world made it impossible to return to the home she loved and vociferously advocated.
Today, we’ll talk about a new exhibition at the National Museum of China that tells the story of history’s ‘most spoiled child’, a girl whose tomb was sealed with her grandmother’s curse. And curiously, it seems that curse still held power after a thousand years.
Today, we’ll talk about Li Qingzhao, China’s greatest female poet, whose extraordinary life of love, loss, and resilience inspired some of the most beautiful verses in Chinese literature.
Today, we’ll talk about an American woman who devoted nearly a century building bridges between cultures and preserving the paper gods, folk beliefs, and everyday spiritual life of old Beijing before they disappeared from memory.
Today, we’ll talk about how a Dutch diplomat who first reached China during WWII transformed ancient Chinese courtroom tales into globally popular detective fiction, bridging cultures and reshaping the image of Di Renjie for modern audiences.
Today, we’ll talk about a new museum in the Philippines that brings to life the golden age of trans-Pacific sailing ships and the link to a Chinese port at the heart of this far-reaching maritime network, creating the first true global economy.
Today, we’ll talk about the pioneering educator Zhang Boling and how he built a private education system in modern China while navigating war, politics, and shifting ideologies, leaving behind a complex yet enduring legacy as a patriotic educator.
Today, we’ll talk about an extraordinary stateswoman from the Ming Dynasty whose wisdom and courage ended nearly 200 years of border warfare, and how this remarkable female leader reveals Chinese values about peace and harmony among various ethnic groups.
Today, we’ll talk about a surprising discovery at Yinxu that suggests Shang dynasty kings may have raised tigers, elephants, and other wild animals in a kind of royal “zoo” more than 3,000 years ago.
Today, we’ll talk about the legendary Epang Palace Ruins and how modern archaeology has revealed that this iconic symbol of imperial excess was likely never completed or burned, thus reshaping our understanding of the rise and fall of the Qin dynasty.
Today, we’ll talk about a Chinese stone tablet that informs readers about early US-China connections, revealing the mutual respect and admiration that bridged oceans long before the days of official diplomacy.
Today, we’ll talk about Mulan, a legendary heroine who has inspired the world for over 1,500 years by disguising herself as a man to take her elderly father’s place in the army, rising to become a celebrated general, and ultimately choosing family over fame.
Today, we’ll talk about a rare bronze ritual vessel from the Shang dynasty decorated with the striking image of a tiger devouring a human, and how this powerful motif reveals ancient Chinese beliefs about nature, sacrifice, shamanism, and the mysterious connection between humans, animals, and the spirit world.
Today, we’ll talk about the Italian Jesuit painter Giuseppe Castiglione, who crossed cultural boundaries to serve three Qing emperors and created a groundbreaking fusion of European realism and Chinese court painting, most famously represented by his masterpiece One Hundred Horses.
Today, we’ll talk about Liu Haisu, whose life and work over nearly a century helped to pioneer modern art education in China and forge a bold new path that blended Chinese tradition with Western artistic innovation.
Today, we’ll talk about a mysterious 3,000-year-old bronze vessel from China that once traveled as part of a noblewoman’s dowry, revealing how marriage, wealth, and political alliances shaped the lives of families and even states in ancient Chinese society.
Today, we’ll talk about the Hall of Mental Cultivation, a modest courtyard in Beijing’s Forbidden City that served for nearly two centuries as the living quarters and political nerve center of Qing emperors, where the rise, transformation, and eventual decline of China’s last imperial dynasty quietly unfolded.
Today, we’ll talk about a newly opened museum that rose from the very earth containing evidence of a complex interplay between military conquest, ethnic integration, and flourishing culture during some of China’s most dynamic historical periods.
Niuheliang: The Ancient Discovery That Pushed China’s Civilization Back 1,000 Years
Today, we’ll talk about Niuheliang, an ancient remote landscape north of the Great Wall that’s rediscovery transformed our understanding of China’s earliest civilization by challenging the long-held belief that it had emerged only from the great river valleys.
For a long time, the story of Chinese civilization seemed settled. According to conventional wisdom, its origins lay firmly in the great river valleys of central China, especially along the Yellow River and the Yangtze River. It was there, scholars believed, that agriculture first flourished, settlements grew into cities, writing emerged, and early states took shape. Regions beyond these river basins, particularly the lands north of the Great Wall, were usually treated as marginal zones, places influenced by the center rather than sources of innovation themselves.
That narrative began to change slowly and unevenly during the twentieth century, and one of the most powerful challenges to it emerged from an unexpected place: a remote, wind-swept landscape in western Liaoning Province in northeast China, known today as Niuheliang.
The first attempts to understand the ancient past of this region were marked by ambition and frustration. In the early 1930s, 26-year-old Liang Siyong, a young Chinese archaeologist trained in the United States, returned home determined to apply modern archaeological methods to China’s prehistoric past. At the time, archaeology in China was still in its infancy. Scholars were beginning to move away from relying solely on ancient texts and were turning instead to the material evidence buried underground. This shift reflected a broader intellectual belief that history had to be reconstructed from tangible remains rather than inherited narratives.
Liang Siyong set his sights on northeastern China, an area that had attracted the attention of foreign researchers who reported traces of Neolithic cultures scattered across hills and riverbanks. These early clues suggested that the region might hold answers to questions about China’s earliest societies. Yet conditions on the ground were unforgiving. Disease outbreaks blocked travel routes, extreme cold froze the soil solid, and bandit activity made long journeys dangerous. Even when excavation was possible, it was often cut short by weather or logistics.
Political events soon brought all such efforts to an abrupt end. In 1931, the Japanese invasion of northeastern China plunged the region into war and occupation. Archaeological research ceased almost overnight. For years afterward, the ancient cultures of the northeast remained largely inaccessible, their secrets buried once more beneath earth, snow, and silence.
In the decades that followed, only scattered individuals continued to pay attention to this neglected region. A few local educators and amateur researchers conducted small surveys in their spare time, recording pottery fragments and stone tools, and occasionally publishing brief reports. Some even speculated that major discoveries might one day emerge from places like Niuheliang. But their voices were easily drowned out by the turmoil of war and the predominance of established academic assumptions. The idea that a highly developed prehistoric culture might have flourished north of the Great Wall remained, at best, a fringe possibility.
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, archaeology entered a new phase. Systematic excavations expanded, and major sites from the central plains reinforced the belief that Chinese civilization had a single core. Although prehistoric cultures in the north were increasingly recognized and given names, they were still often described as regional or peripheral, developing under the influence of more advanced societies farther south. Jade objects found in private collections and museums hinted at a so
Today, we’ll talk about a magnificent bronze artifact from ancient China whose elegant design and innovative casting techniques reveal how craftsmen responded creatively to climate change, resource shortages, and shifting artistic tastes more than 2,500 years ago.
Today, we’ll talk about Mao Yisheng, China’s pioneering bridge engineer, who devoted his life to building bridges that carried a nation toward modernity, and how his most famous bridge over the Qiantang River became a powerful symbol of science, sacrifice, and national survival.
Today, we’ll talk about artifacts from a Warring States-era royal tomb that reframe the story of a kingdom in decline to one of a magnificent and resilient culture, despite its struggles on the cusp of China’s imperial unity.
Today, we’ll talk about how China’s ancient cave murals were cut from desert walls, scattered across the world, and painstakingly reunited through scholarship, art, and digital restoration.
Today, we’ll talk about the little-known murals of Pilu Temple, painted by folk artists in northern China during the Ming dynasty. These murals bring together gods, ghosts, sages, and common folk to create some of the most imaginative visions of the Chinese spiritual world.
Today, we’ll talk about how the hidden murals of Beijing’s Fahai Temple, created by Ming Dynasty court painters nearly 600 years ago, combine extraordinary craftsmanship, lavish use of gold, and a long history of protection to form one of the most overlooked masterpieces in world art.
Today, we’ll talk about a Yuan dynasty handscroll depicting two contrasting horses that uses artful realism and moral allegory to rebuke corruption and celebrate integrity, while also revealing how Chinese paintings are able to express political ethics across the centuries.
Today, we’ll talk about how the monumental Daoist murals of Yongle Palace, which were created amid war, transformed Chinese religious art, and later survived an unprecedented relocation to become one of China’s greatest cultural treasures.
Today, we’ll talk about an important Ming Dynasty port that became a cradle of globalization. Yuegang, in Fujian Province, started as a smuggling hub but was later developed into the only legally sanctioned port for private overseas trade during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Today, we’ll talk about how Dunhuang’s murals, which are layered with faith, art, and cross-cultural exchange, preserve a thousand-year visual history of China and the Silk Road.
Today, we’ll talk about the walls that once carried China’s greatest paintings, and the long journey of an art form shaped by faith, power, and time.
Today, we’ll talk about a digital project that recounts the creation of the most comprehensive book collection in Chinese history and the efforts to protect it from the ravages of war.
Today, we’ll continue to explore modern scientific advances and ongoing research that deepen understanding of Tang-era structures, emphasizing the importance of sustained study and cultural heritage preservation.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about the historic quest to rediscover and preserve China’s Tang Dynasty wooden architecture, highlighting key discoveries, early investigations, and the challenges posed by time and restoration.
In this second half of our feature on Liao-era architecture, we’ll uncover how the lesser-known Gaoyuan Temple and other Liao structures embody cultural continuity, meticulous craftsmanship, and the enduring legacy of China’s architectural heritage.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about how two very distinct Liao-era temples reveal the ingenuity, grandeur, and spiritual vision of ancient Chinese wooden architecture.
Today, we’ll talk about one of the world’s most perfectly preserved settlements, which offers valuable insights into ancient urban planning, construction techniques and the vibrant religious and cultural exchanges along the Silk Road.
Today, we’ll talk about the evolution of archery rites in ancient China that became understood through a bronze artifact in the shape of an arrow-pierced turtle, highlighting how archery transformed from a martial art essential for kings into a politically significant ritual.
Today, we’ll talk about how a tradition of learning and openness in an ancient county in Fuzhou helped to shape the ideas of key figures in the development of education in modern China.
Today, we’ll talk about the life of Xiao Qian, a Chinese writer, war correspondent, translator and cultural ambassador whose words bridged China and the world across wars, revolutions, and a century of change.
Today, we’ll talk about one of the most intriguing archaeological discoveries in recent Chinese history – the long-lost imperial tombs of the Southern Song dynasty, hidden for centuries beneath quiet tea fields in Zhejiang Province.
Today, we’ll talk about the Zhaozhou Bridge, a 1,400-year-old stone arch masterpiece that revolutionized global bridge engineering and withstood floods, earthquakes, and wars to remain a timeless symbol of human ingenuity.
Today, we’ll talk about Empress Dowager Feng, a formidable woman whose intelligence, political acumen, and unwavering determination allowed her to guide her empire through turbulent times, leaving a lasting legacy in Chinese history.
Today, we’ll talk about King Gesar, the world’s longest epic that has been passed down orally among Tibetans for over a thousand years, and these days, the story has been recognized for its invaluable historic qualities and mysterious cultural inheritors.
Today, we’ll talk about a new museum in Fujian Province that shines a spotlight on major discoveries linking the roots of Austronesian people to the Chinese mainland.
Today, we’ll talk about the Dujiangyan irrigation system, a 2,200-year-old Chinese marvel of engineering that tamed a violent river using nature’s own forces, transforming a flood-ravaged plain into a prosperous “Land of Abundance”.
Today, we’ll talk about the Eagle-shaped Pottery Ding, a prehistoric vessel that reveals the advanced artistry, spiritual beliefs, and enduring cultural legacy of ancient Chinese civilization.
Today, we’ll talk about a pair of owl-shaped wine vessels unearthed in the tomb of Fu Hao, China’s first female general, as well as the cultural significance of owls throughout Chinese history.
Today, we’ll talk about recent archaeological findings in Tibet, or Xizang - the so-called “rooftop of the world”. The new discoveries are helping to unravel the mystery of prehistoric Chinese ancestors’ migration patterns and how they were able to adapt to extreme environments.
Today, we’ll talk about Zhu Xi whose words once guided China’s emperors. Today, Zhu Xi’s Neo-Confucian ideas on knowledge and virtue are inspiring new perspectives worldwide on the moral order of life itself.
Today, we’ll talk about Pingyao Ancient City in Shanxi Province – a 2,800-year-old city that continues to thrive today maintaining a vibrant culture that weaves together ancient architecture, photography, and a unique story about the city’s pioneering role in China’s banking history.
Today, we’ll continue to talk about how the Forbidden City transformed into the Palace Museum. Specifically, we’ll introduce Ma Heng, the longest-serving director of the Palace Museum, whose leadership during key historical events preserved the Forbidden City as China’s largest museum.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about the transformation of the Forbidden City into the Palace Museum, focusing on China’s last emperor Puyi’s expulsion in 1924, the Qing imperial family’s financial struggles, and the founding of the museum in 1925.
Today, we’ll talk about a millennium-old tomb complex in northwest China that has received global recognition for its outstanding testament to a vanished dynasty even though its historical records and tangible architectural legacy has largely been lost to time.
Today, we’ll talk about Aniko, a young genius from Nepal whose journey across the Himalayas in the 13th century significantly influenced Chinese art, architecture, and the cultural friendship between China and Nepal.
Today, we’ll continue to explore the daily life, social structure, and the mysterious decline of Yan’s capital and uncover how a once-thriving city was abandoned within centuries, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with both ritual practice and historical upheaval.
Today, we’re going to talk about the Xiling Seal Art Society. From clandestine meetings to smuggling priceless artifacts, China’s most exclusive and enigmatic academic society has carried on the spirit of seal art through wars and revolutions for over a century.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about the archaeological discoveries at the Liulihe site, which have unveiled the origins of the Western Zhou Yan capital, revealing its royal tombs, dual city walls, and the influential role of the Duke of Shao in establishing this early urban center.
Today, we’ll continue to talk about the Four-Ram Square Zun from the Shang Dynasty, which stands as a masterpiece of ancient Chinese bronze art, showcasing unparalleled craftsmanship and embodying profound cultural and historical significance.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about the Four-Ram Square Zun, a masterpiece of Shang Dynasty bronze art, which has endured centuries of turmoil and restoration, symbolizing the nation’s ancient cultural heritage and its rebirth in the twentieth century.
Today, we’ll talk about the Potala Palace, a 1,300-year-old architectural and cultural marvel that has served as the spiritual and political heart of Tibetan Buddhism, housing sacred relics, murals, and scriptures that embody the region’s rich heritage and enduring legacy.
On today’s podcast, we’re going to talk about how modern technology and designs, in conjunction with social media, are injecting new energy into the art of traditional Tibetan carpet weaving in order to sustain and promote its cultural legacy.
On today’s podcast, we’ll talk about the ancient art of Tibetan Opera, which had been dwindling but is now reaching new stages of development thanks to greater support from the government as well as audiences.
On today’s podcast, we’re going to talk about ways in which Lhasa’s historical architecture – from its historic temples to some industrial relics – is being carefully repurposed into modern cultural and artistic spaces that blend heritage with innovation.
Today, we’ll talk about Guan Yu, the legendary general whose unwavering loyalty, courage, and righteousness transformed him from a historical figure into an enduring cultural and spiritual icon deeply revered across China and the world.
Today, we continue our series on Sino-US climate cooperation with the second half of our story covering the importance of subnational cooperation between China and various states in the US as a way to mitigate the relative lack of progress at the national level.
Continuing our series on combating climate change, today we’ll present the first half of our story on how climate cooperation between China and the US at the subnational level may prove even more important than originally thought amid the persistent turbulence of the national bilateral relationship.
Today, we’ll talk about how a discovery at a humble flea-market led to the remarkable homecoming of a stolen Buddha’s eye and the high-tech quest to reunite Yungang Grottoes’ lost relics with their ancient statues.
As we continue our series on climate change, today we talk about how that after more than a decade of Sino-US collaboration, a trend called “nearly zero-energy tech” is transforming China’s building sector into a green-energy model for climate progress.
As we continue our series on China-US climate cooperation, today we discuss how China is concentrating its efforts to reduce methane emissions, a powerful greenhouse gas, and opening up to international cooperation, especially with the US.
Today, we’ll talk about how five monumental Buddha statues modeled after Northern Wei emperors were created to protect Buddhism during times of persecution and ensure the dynasty’s legacy endured well into the future.
Today, we continue our series on China-US climate cooperation and look at how the world’s two largest emitters are including carbon capture and storage in their overall strategy to combat climate change. But will their decade-long cooperation unlock solutions or spark new controversies?
Today, we’ll continue our series on Sino-US climate cooperation and introduce how that partnership has entered a new chapter as China embraces one of America’s greatest contributions to ecological and biodiversity protection – the establishment of national parks.
Today, we’ll talk about the Pagoda of Fogong Temple, a towering masterpiece of ancient Chinese architecture, where whispers of history, craftsmanship, and spirituality intertwine, standing resilient against centuries of wind, rain, earthquakes, and wars.
Today, we continue our series on climate cooperation and hear more from climate economist Zou Ji. In this installment, he shares a hopeful outlook on how China and the US can use their unique characteristics to prevent a climate catastrophe while pursuing sustainable development.
Today, we’ll talk about an ancient artifact that served as Marquis Yi of Zeng’s “refrigerator.” Yes, you heard me right. It was a bronze cooling device from the Warring States period, and demonstrates early Chinese cooling technology using ice and clever design to chill food and drinks.
As we continue our series on climate cooperation, we hear from climate economist Zou Ji. Today we’ll share with you his insights on how China and the US must reach consensus on the opportunities presented by low-carbon development and what healthy competition can accomplish in tackling the climate crisis.
Today we’ll talk about Zhang Zhongjing, a pioneering physician of the Eastern Han Dynasty who overcame such challenges as war, famine, and personal adversity to become the “Medical Sage” of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Today, we continue our series on China-US climate cooperation with the second half of NewsChina’s interview with Former US Climate Envoy Todd Stern. This time, he explains how cross-cultural friendship helped push the Paris Agreement forward, and he brings us up to date on the Sunnylands Statement that was announced in 2023.
Today, we’ll tell the story of Zheng Banqiao, a legendary artist and poet known for his humor and unique life philosophy. He used his wit and creativity to inspire generations, demonstrating that a heart full of passion for life can transcend challenges and leave a lasting legacy.
Today, we continue our series on China-US climate cooperation spotlighting Former US Climate Envoy Todd Stern who discusses secret meetings that helped push the Paris Agreement over the finish line, and the necessity of US-China collaboration to overcome challenges in our global transition to a zero-carbon future.
Today, we’ll talk about a newly opened exhibition that rekindled interest in the earliest geographical work to have survived to the present day in China, serving as a treasure trove of the legendary mountains, seas, natural resources, and mystical creatures of ancient China.
Today, we continue our series on China-US Climate Cooperation and discuss how the US’s second withdrawal from the Paris Agreement will affect the momentum of intergovernmental cooperation between China and the US, but we’ll also learn how the two countries still have potential to continue their partnership on climate issues.
Today, we’ll talk about Weifang’s kites which symbolize cultural heritage and craftsmanship, attracting global enthusiasts to its annual International Kite Festival, where traditional techniques and modern innovations continue to soar.
On today’s podcast, we hear from China’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Liu Zhenmin, who expresses his optimism about the future of international cooperation on climate governance, particularly between China and the US.
Today, we’ll talk about the discovery of Qingzhou’s buried Buddhist sculptures at Longxing Temple. Famous for their serenely smiling expressions, these statues unveil a thousand-year legacy of artistic mastery, religious devotion, and cultural preservation.
Today, in part two of our interview with Li Gao, China’s Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment, we’ll talk about the risks and benefits of Sino-US cooperation and the possible role China will play to combat climate change.
Today, we’ll talk about the Yongle Palace which stands as a testament to ancient artistic mastery and religious devotion, while its mid-20th-century relocation highlights China’s remarkable efforts in cultural heritage preservation.
Today, as we continue with our Climate Cooperation series, we’ll hear from China’s Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment who says China will fulfill its international responsibilities on climate issues not only because it’s the right thing to do, but also because it aligns with China’s pursuit of high-quality development.
Today, we’ll talk about the Hanging Temple, a remarkable architectural marvel built into a cliff in Shanxi Province more than 1,500 years ago that embodies a unique blend of religious, cultural, and engineering significance, earning global recognition for its daring design and historical legacy.
Today, we continue our series on China-US Climate Cooperation with the second of a two-part episode on the history of climate deals between China and the US. And we’ll lead off with some positive breakthroughs that occurred over the past dozen years.
Today, we’ll talk about a 2,000-year-old gilt-bronze incense burner known as the Boshan Censer from the Western Han Dynasty, which is currently bridging ancient history with contemporary storytelling due to its connection to the recent blockbuster film Nezha 2.
Today, we continue our series on China-US Climate Cooperation with the first of a two-part episode on the history of climate deals between China and the US. And although these deals have previously weathered political storms, the question is, can they withstand the challenges of the future?
Today, we’ll talk about the recent discovery in Fujian, China of the oldest confirmed Jurassic bird fossil that pushes the timeline of avian evolution further back by 20 million years, providing new insights into the transition from dinosaurs to birds.
As we continue our Friday series on China-US Climate Cooperation, today, we will introduce pioneers in the field of climate science going back to the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and counting up the generations right up till today.
Today, we’ll talk about Mazu, the costal protector and Chinese goddess of the sea who has become a global icon of Chinese heritage, linking millions worldwide through faith, commemoration, and maritime culture.
As we continue our series on China-US climate cooperation, we issue something of a warning, pointing out that we should see ourselves not as the victims of some future climate catastrophe, but rather we should admit that unbridled exploitation of the planet’s resources has made us the harbingers of change.
Just over 1,000 years ago, Sichuan in southwest China issued the world’s first officially backed paper money. Today, we’ll talk about what local conditions spurred this financial revolution, and how traders were able to cash in on the innovation.
Today, we continue our series on China-US climate cooperation and we do so with a bang, pointing out that when it comes to the next extinction-level event on our fragile planet, we, that is, humans, are the meteor – unless we can collectively muster the political will to change course.
Today, we’ll talk about Fujian tulou, an iconic Hakka architectural marvel, which is globally recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, embodying a blend of historical resilience and cultural preservation.
Today, we’re launching our new series of podcasts on China-US Climate Cooperation. Our 20-episode series will feature climatology experts and policy makers from both countries and cover everything from carbon dioxide capture facilities to the establishment of national parks.
Today, we’ll talk about the Qing Dynasty’s royal ice games which played an important role in military training and cultural celebration, generating lasting influence on China’s winter sports heritage.
Today, we’ll continue our discussion of Lin Zexu, whose legacy is defined by his advocacy for modernization and his pivotal role as an early champion of national sovereignty and reform in 19th-century China.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about Lin Zexu, a visionary reformer and steadfast opponent of the opium trade, who played a pivotal role in defending China’s sovereignty and shaping its policies through his unwavering commitment to public health and national defense.
Today, we’ll continue to talk about Sun Yat-sen University, which has been at the forefront of higher education in China, playing a crucial role in the country’s academic development while nurturing leaders who would go on to shape the country’s history.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about Sun Yat-sen University, which stands as a testament to the seamless integration of traditional Chinese values and modern educational reforms, shaping the intellectual landscape of China through its commitment to academic excellence and cultural innovation.
Today, we’ll talk about Lin Yutang, a celebrated writer and lexicographer, who masterfully bridged Eastern and Western cultures through his literary works and his pioneering efforts in compiling a Chinese-English dictionary, leaving an enduring legacy as both a literary figure and a cultural ambassador.
Today, we’ll talk about Lu You, a renowned poet of the Southern Song Dynasty, who devoted his life to the restoration of China’s northern territories, channeling his unfulfilled ambitions into over 9,000 poems that express his deep patriotism and sorrow.
Today, we’ll talk about the pioneering geographer Xu Xiake whose story chronicles his extraordinary 17th-century expeditions across China, where his detailed maps and observations greatly contributed to the country’s geographical knowledge while revealing many of its hidden natural wonders.
Today, we’ll talk about the Fuxi and Nuwa paintings, popular in the burial customs of the ancient kingdom of Gaochang, which reflect the deep cultural and symbolic significance of these two mythological figures in Chinese history, representing creation, harmony, and the balance of Yin and Yang.
Today, we’ll talk about the Spring Festival, which has been inscribed onto UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognizing its rich cultural traditions, social significance, and contribution to family values.
Today, we’ll talk about the Admonitions of the Instructress to the Court Ladies, a story that traces its journey from an imperial harem teaching tool to a priceless cultural treasure, surviving looting, political turmoil, and time, ultimately finding its place in the British Museum where it continues to captivate global audiences.
Today, we’ll talk about Zen Master Yinyuan, a prominent 17th-century Chinese monk, who has profoundly influenced Japan’s Edo-era culture, religion, and society by introducing Obaku Zen Buddhism, fostering enduring cultural exchange between China and Japan.
Today, we’ll talk about a Ming Dynasty treasure that has been re-imagined as a series of creative cultural products, including a popular refrigerator magnet. Combining traditional craftsmanship with modern design, a phoenix coronet has captivated consumers and brought the rich history of the crown closer to the public.
Today, we’ll talk about the growing popularity of Chinese museums which have attracted more visitors through innovative use of technology and providing experiences, causing some to question whether they are losing their educational purpose.
Today, we’ll introduce a somewhat overlooked oasis in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Kuqa, which was located in the ancient state of Qiuci, was an important stop along the Silk Road, and now residents there are revitalizing its outstanding legacy.
Today, we’ll celebrate the 170th anniversary of the birth of Yan Fu, a man who overcame great difficulties early in life and forged on to have a profound impact on modern Chinese thought at the turn of the last century, ultimately becoming known as the Architect of China’s Modern Enlightenment.
Today, we’ll talk about time-honored brand Pien Tze Huang, which is expanding the global presence of TCM by exporting its flagship product to international markets, while also promoting Chinese medical culture on a global scale.
Today, we’ll talk about Wang Tao, a pioneering Chinese journalist and reformist, who founded the Universal Circulating Herald in 1874, marking the first major Chinese-led newspaper advocating modernization and political reform. His exposure to Western ideas profoundly shaped his journalism, leaving a lasting impact on China’s media landscape and reform movements.
Today, we’ll talk about the Weihsien Concentration Camp, where over 2,000 Allied civilian prisoners were interned by Japanese forces during World War II. The site now stands as a vital memorial to the anti-fascist war.
Today, we’ll continue to talk about Wu Yifang’s unwavering commitment to restoring Ginling College as she successfully united alumni to support her vision. And her representation of China at the United Nations highlighted her role as a voice for peace and a bridge between cultures.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about stories of Wu Yifang who emerged as a pioneering figure in women’s education. Her dedication to advancing women’s roles in society left an indelible mark on both education and global diplomacy.
Today, we’re going to talk about a 3000-year-old bronze wine vessel in the shape of a phoenix that has quite literally risen from the ashes of history to become not only the image ambassador for its native province but also a tasty summertime treat.
Today, we’ll introduce a mysterious artifact that may offer insights into ancient cross-cultural exchanges, potentially linking Sanxingdui with far-flung civilizations like Egypt or Mesopotamia. Its unique design and possible connections to sun worship raise intriguing questions about its origins and influence.
Today, we’ll continue to talk about Wu Zetian. Despite achieving the pinnacle of power, her later years were marked by isolation and introspection, as she grappled with the sacrifices made for her reign.
In this first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about Wu Zetian’s ascent from a lowly concubine to the only female emperor in Chinese history. Her remarkable ambition and strategic acumen culminated in her establishment of a new dynasty.
Today, we’ll introduce a set of lacquer screens from the turbulent Northern Wei Dynasty of more than 1,500 years ago. Due to their exquisite craftsmanship and similarity to early Chinese silk paintings, they were some of the first cultural relics prohibited from going abroad for exhibition.
Today, we’ll delve further into how innovations adopted in recent years by museums in Shanxi Province are enhancing the visitor experience, blending history with interactive exploration.
In this first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll be talking about the innovative Taiyuan Northern Qi Dynasty Mural Museum, which has embraced modern technologies including VR and 3D displays to bring its ancient murals to life.
Today, we’ll delve further into the developments regarding the repatriation of looted cultural relics to their respective countries of origin. The ethical considerations surrounding collection practices are gaining prominence, with experts cautioning that essential historical knowledge is at risk of being lost.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about how almost 30 years after a statue containing the 1,000-year-old mummified remains of a Buddhist master was stolen and sold overseas, the people of a small village in Southeast China are still fighting for its return.
Today, we’ll talk about Lee Wai-tong, a pioneering figure in Chinese football who achieved global recognition through his exceptional playing and coaching career. His remarkable journey transformed the perception of Chinese football, leaving a lasting legacy both domestically and internationally.
Today, we’ll continue to talk about the endeavors of underwater archaeologists as they work to salvage the remnants of the Beiyang Fleet warships that were lost in the world’s first large-scale naval battle between steam-powered armored fleets, known as the Battle of the Yellow Sea.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll delve into the courageous resistance displayed by the Beiyang Fleet warships against the Japanese Combined Fleet in the Battle of the Yellow Sea during the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894.
Today, we’ll delve further into Tan Kah Kee’s philanthropic legacy, which resonates most profoundly through his generous donations to education. By establishing schools, funding scholarships, and supporting infrastructure development, he sought to lift Chinese communities out of poverty and backwardness.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about Tan Kah Kee, an overseas Chinese businessman in Singapore who was driven by a deep sense of duty and patriotism, devoting enormous resources to social causes and education in China at a time when the country was ravaged by war and poverty.
Today, we’ll introduce a statesman from the Northern Song Dynasty and a stone stele from his personal study that records his political achievements. Infused with marvelous literary and artistic value, the stele and the study have become a “spiritual home” pursued by literati of future generations.
Today, we’ll embark on a journey to explore the rich tapestry of legends and myths surrounding the mythical Chinese goddess Chang’e who has served as inspiration for the names of China’s recent lunar and Martian probes.
Today, we’ll talk about a unique document that stands as a testament to the scholarly achievements of the past. It’s the mainland’s only surviving top-scorer exam paper, a significant artifact offering a glimpse into the academic excellence and historical legacy of China’s imperial examination system.
Today, we’ll delve into the intricate training processes of ancient book restorers and appraisal experts. These essential guardians are tasked with preserving the vast repositories of ancient books that have survived over the course of China’s history.
Today, we’ll talk about how the 32nd generation descendant of Confucius inherited and advanced traditional Confucianism by unifying the interpretation of Confucian classics during the early Tang Dynasty, becoming a prominent Confucian master of his time.
Today, we’ll talk about the life of a Chinese aerospace engineer, an expert in the field of structural mechanics, who has made groundbreaking contributions to the design of China’s intercontinental ballistic missiles and Long March carrier rockets.
Today, we’ll share some stories about a place called Kuliang. It’s a summer resort in Fuzhou of Southeast China’s Fujian Province that stands as testament to a bygone era when two worlds met and connected through a shared humanity that transcended boundaries.
Today, we’ll continue to talk about the life of Mei Lanfang whose global influence extends far beyond the realm of Peking Opera, leaving an indelible mark on the world stage and cementing his legacy as a cultural ambassador of unparalleled stature.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we will delve into the enduring legacy of Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang. As a cultural icon who resonates across generations, he embodies a spirit of resilience and artistic expression in the face of adversity.
In this second installment of our two-part feature, we’ll talk about Xu Beihong's contribution to horse painting. Through meticulous attention to detail and mastery of form, he elevated horse painting to new heights, becoming renowned as a trailblazer in capturing the majestic beauty and spirit of these noble creatures.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about Xu Beihong, a famed Chinese painter and art educator known for blending traditional Chinese ink techniques with Western realism.
Today, we will continue to talk about how Qi Baishi rose to stardom amid such adversities as poverty and political turmoil. His distinctive style, blending traditional techniques with innovative approaches, captured the essence of nature with vibrant brushstrokes and intricate detail.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about how Qi Baishi, a renowned Chinese painter of the 20th century, emerged from humble origins in central China’s Hunan Province to become a master of traditional Chinese painting.
In this second installment of our two-part feature, we’ll continue to talk about the 20th Century artist Zhang Daqian. With a fearless spirit, he embraced innovation, blending ancient techniques with modern sensibilities to redefine the very essence of Chinese art.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about Zhang Daqian, one of the most acclaimed modern Chinese painters. From the tranquil mountains of his youth to the bustling streets of Shanghai, Zhang carved his destiny with each stroke of his brush.
Today, we’ll recount the life story of a stunningly talented polymath from early 20th-century China. An established artist, teacher and sophisticate in the first half of his life, he completely altered the course of his life at the height of his fame, and has come to be remembered as one of China’s most preeminent, modern Buddhist masters.
In this second installment of our two-part feature, we’ll talk about Yinxu Ruins and the Shang Dynasty, offering a profound meditation on the timeless interplay between past and present, and the enduring spirit of a civilization that continues to inspire and captivate the world.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about the new Yinxu Ruins Museum that displays more cultural relics and embodies the reflections of a new generation of scholars over the past 20 years.
In this second installment of our two-part feature on the renowned statesman Zhou Chu who lived 1,800 years ago, we’ll talk more about his noble qualities and the conspiracy that culminated in his harrowing and untimely demise.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about the tales of Zhou Chu, the foundational inspiration behind the acclaimed film The Pig, the Snake, and the Pigeon, which has emerged as a surprise success in mainland Chinese cinemas.
Today, we’ll tell the story of Chiang Yee, a best-selling author in the UK and US, who remains virtually unknown in his native China. But a new book seeks to elevate the artist and scholar to his rightful place as one of modern China’s earliest “East meets West” cultural ambassadors.
Today, we will talk about an inspirational scriptwriter who, alongside Lin Yutang, is renowned as one of the two best Chinese writers proficient in English writing during the first half of the 20th century. He was also the first Chinese stage director to make his mark on Broadway.
Today, we’ll talk about modern China’s first female architect Lin Huiyin who will finally receive a posthumous degree from the University of Pennsylvania, in recognition of her contribution and dedication to architectural protection and development both in and beyond her country’s borders.
In part 2 of our deep dive into the history of Quanzhou, we’ll talk about the infamous official Pu Shougeng and explore the controversial role he played in shaping the history of Quanzhou as a maritime trade center.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about how an innovatively designed bridge laid the groundwork for a small port on the southeast coast of China to emerge as the center of the country’s maritime trade during the Song and Yuan dynasties.
Today, we’ll talk about the life of China’s first female general in recorded Chinese history as well as her relationship with her husband King Wu Ding in the Shang Dynasty during the second millennium BCE.
Today, we’ll talk about a renowned Buddhist-style temple located in downtown Beijing as well as the Nepalese architect who played a significant role in cultural exchanges between China and Nepal during the Yuan Dynasty.
Today, we’re going to delve deeper into the story of Saint John’s University and its unwavering commitment to knowledge and enlightenment, which continues to reverberate among universities both in the East and the West to this day.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’re going to talk about a the Christian University in Shanghai that granted China’s inaugural bachelor’s degrees and nurtured numerous exceptional people who played pivotal roles in shaping modern China.
Today, we’re going to introduce a man known as “the best painter of the Song Dynasty”. Living in a period of cultural refinement, this 11th-century painter outshined his contemporaries with his seminal style in both figure and horse painting.
Today, we’ll look at the life and times of one of the most revered and prodigious figures in Chinese culture. He was so prolific in so many different fields that he is often considered as a proto-Renaissance man, though he was born four centuries before Leonardo da Vinci.
Today, we will continue to talk about how the renowned painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival stands as a testament to artistic excellence, exemplifying unparalleled and unsurpassed value in the world of art.
Today, we’ll talk about a timeless Chinese painting that vividly portrays the dynamic scenes of urban life during the Song Dynasty, making it a cherished symbol of traditional Chinese culture and history.
Today, we’ll introduce arguably the greatest-ever Chinese poet, who lived more than 1,000 years ago and is survived by over 1,400 poems, which in itself is nothing short of a miracle since he spent most of his life wandering across the country.
Today, we’ll delve into the life of a prominent hydraulic engineer during the Yuan Dynasty, who over 700 years ago played a pivotal role in Beijing’s water management and made an enduring global impact in the field of astronomical observations and calendar systems.
Today, we’ll talk about a UNESCO World Heritage Site developed from the 9th through the 13th centuries in Chongqing. Famed for its unique rock carvings, the site has caught the public’s attention again recently due to its unfortunate connection with climate change.
Today, we’ll talk about how Chinese archaeologists, along with their Central Asian counterparts, are exploring the Silk Road to unlock some of the greatest mysteries of ancient migrations and kingdoms.
Today, we delve into the poignant visit to China by WWII veterans and relatives of the renowned Flying Tigers. This gathering serves as a heartfelt commemoration of their historical achievements, prompting reflection on the future trajectory of China-US relations.
Today, we will explore the commencement of the first group of Chinese students who embarked on their studies in the United States about 150 years ago. Remarkably, many among them emerged as pivotal figures in the pursuit of national liberation and the nation’s journey toward modernity.
Today, we’ll talk about the Pu’er tea forests of Jingmai Mountain in Yunnan Province that have now become the latest UNESCO heritage site in China. Local people are excited but also somewhat anxious about whether the new designation will disrupt the lifestyle they have enjoyed for a thousand years.
In our last podcast, we talked about China’s 1400-year-old inland waterway called the Grand Canal. Today, we’re going to further explore how changes in the Grand Canal’s course over the centuries also changed the course of history.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’re going to discuss how an inland waterway was the key to toppling one strong dynasty while underpinning the prosperity of the next in ancient China.
Today, we will talk about the profound cultural significance that tigers hold in China, where for centuries the mighty beasts have been revered as powerful symbols of strength and protection.
In the post-Covid era with the worst of the pandemic behind us, we all witnessed the vulnerability of the elderly among us, and in today’s podcast we’ll explore how authorities in ancient China addressed the challenges of elderly care and consider its relevance to contemporary society.
Today, we’ll explain how mass migrations have impacted the nation throughout its history. Unlike today, ancient Chinese people didn’t move away from home in large numbers looking for work or education. If they moved at all, more often than not, they were forced to leave.
Today, we’ll discuss the historical efforts of Chinese authorities to boost fertility rates, which has been a key indicator of the nation's strength and vitality throughout Chinese history.
Today, we’ll talk about how extreme floods have exposed a lack of historic preservation in Shanxi Province, home to millions of ancient sites and relics, many of which are abandoned and unprotected.
Today, we’re going to delve deeper into the famous painting A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains with a special focus on the continuous mysteries related to the young painter himself.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll discuss a time-honored masterpiece painted by a remarkably talented individual at the mere age of 18. We’ll also delve into the mysteries and speculations surrounding the artwork itself.
Today, we’ll talk about how authorities are combating the recent surge in tomb robbery and cultural relics trafficking with more trained professionals and revisions to the existing laws.
Today, we’ll talk about the rampant tomb robbery trend that has become increasingly professional, inconspicuous, and run by gangs. Experts say it is crucial to break the illegal chain of excavation and sales to better protect ancient tombs and cultural relics.
Today, we’ll talk about a record-breaking song derived from a nearly 400-year-old collection of short stories that weave together the supernatural and the mundane, delving into a world where ghosts and fox spirits intersect with human desires and disrupting societal norms.
Today, we will delve into a painting masterpiece created nearly a millennium ago that holds the distinction of being the inaugural piece to undergo expert appraisal following the reestablishment of the Chinese Ancient Art Appraisal Group.
Today, we’ll look into the life and times of King Zhou – the most infamous tyrant in Chinese history who was cinematically brought back to life in a much-anticipated summertime blockbuster this year.
Today, we’ll introduce you to the world’s oldest hydrographic station that measured water level changes in the Yangtze River for more than 1,000 years. It’s located in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, and as a precious cultural relic, the site was turned into the world’s first underwater museum.
Today, we’ll tell you about an animated summertime blockbuster that brings to life some of the most iconic figures in Chinese literary history and has revived interest in a Tang Dynasty poet whose name alone can evoke legends.
Today, we’re going to further explore the thousand-year-old painting called Night Revels of Han Xizai. We will also reveal what happened to the disillusioned scholar official after the “spy report” was presented to the emperor, as well as the fortune of the fragile kingdom and the truth about the painting itself.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’re going to tell the story behind a painting during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period from more than 1,000 years ago. Originally intended as a “spy report”, the painting offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the scandalous intrigues of court life.
Today, we’ll tell the life story of an encyclopedic figure at the turn of the 20th century, who was best known for his advocacy for modernization and social reform, as well as his contributions to Chinese literature, philosophy, and political thought.
Today, we’ll talk about Robert Morrison, a 19th-century Protestant missionary who is credited as the initial translator of the Bible into Chinese and compiled the first Chinese-English dictionary – and that was just the beginning.
Today, we’ll talk about a 16th century medical expert who dedicated thirty years of his life to correcting, standardizing, and expanding the practice of herbal medicine in China by writing a medical masterpiece that is still celebrated to this day.
Today, we’ll introduce a popular museum in southwest China’s Sichuan Province that is set to open a new exhibition hall in July to display newly excavated artifacts that offer insights into a civilization that’s more than 3,000-year-old and still shrouded in mystery.
Today, we will continue talking about Chinese shipwrecks but today’s story is a relatively modern one about a steamship packed with refugees fleeing the mainland for Taiwan on the eve of Chinese New Year in 1949 when it collided with a cargo ship, leaving almost no survivors.
Today, we’ll talk about the discovery and exploration of two 500-year-old shipwrecks in the South China Sea as well as some of the history of China’s underwater archaeology and its recent technological advancements.
Today, we’ll introduce a Chinese explorer from more than 2,000 years ago who was the first person to provide the Han empire with a reliable account of the uncharted lands of Central Asia thus paving the way for the development of the Silk Road.
Today, we’ll introduce a brand new museum that was an instant hit when it opened in central China’s Henan Province that boasts over 400 cultural relics and offers a glimpse into the life of one of the most complicated and dubious characters in Chinese history.
Today, we are going to talk about a legendary Chinese-American scientist who devoted her life to the study of nuclear and particle physics and made significant contributions to the Manhattan Project.
Today, we’ll talk about the mysterious beginnings of the famed Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang, their unique place in Chinese history, and how an international cast of dubious characters spirited away crates and crates of priceless relics at garage-sale prices in the waning years of the Qing.
Today, we are going to tell the fascinating story of Robert van Gulik, a Dutch diplomat and sinologist whose writings during the mid-20th century offered the war-torn world a deeper more fact-based view of both modern and ancient China.
Today, we’ll introduce you to the 2,000-year-old tomb of Zhao Mo, second ruler of the Southern Yue State, that has been turned into a wildly popular museum in Guangzhou giving visitors insights into the ancient Maritime Silk Road and the state’s twisted relationship with the Han empire.
Today, we are going to tell the story of Yang Jiang, a renowned lady who is remembered by Chinese readers for her translations and witty memoirs that gave a voice to the tragedies and triumphs of modern China.
Today, we are going to talk about a museum to be opened on May 18, which is International Museum Day, and we’re going to shine a spotlight on part of its collection – especially a bone flute from the Neolithic Age that first piped out a tune more than 8,000 years ago.
Today, we are going to talk about a set of chimes from more than 2,400 years ago that reveal the musical theory of ancient China and, in doing so, has unwittingly rewritten global music history. Context.
Today, we are going to talk about how a little orphan boy who lived during the Tang Dynasty rose to become the most renown tea master in Chinese history as well as author of the world’s first comprehensive written account on cultivating, preparing, and drinking tea.
Today, we’re going to talk about a remarkable bronze sword that not only echoes the history of China with its story of political turmoil but also speaks to the amazing skill of ancient craftsman as the national treasure still looked brand new after spending two millennia underground.
Today, we’ll introduce you to the “father of China’s railroad”, Zhan Tianyou, who was chief designer of the first railway designed and built exclusively by Chinese engineers and brought advanced engineering to China by designing 14 railroads during his 31-year career.
Today, we will continue to talk about Dean Lung, the 19th-century Chinese immigrant who donated his life savings to establish Columbia University’s well-known Chinese Studies program as well as his persistent efforts to bridge the two cultures.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we are going to talk about a legendary Chinese immigrant to the west coast of the US in the era of the Gold Rush and how he turned from the servant of an arrogant tycoon into his close companion.
Today, we’re going to talk about the dazzling beauty and complicated story behind a Han Dynasty bronzeware from more than 2,000 years ago that was praised by Henry Kissinger as the world’s earliest eco-friendly lamp for its ingenious design.
Everyone knows “You can’t take it with you,” but that doesn’t keep some people from trying as we’ll learn in today’s podcast that talks about insanely expensive jade burial suits that were sewn with gold thread and found in the largest royal tombs excavated so far from early imperial China over two thousand years ago.
Today we are going to talk about a fortress in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. With an area of just two and a half square kilometers, it may have saved the European and Arab civilizations due to its resistance against the Mongol Empire in China’s Southern Song Dynasty about 800 years ago.
Today, we’re going to talk about the latest blockbuster that debuted during the traditional Spring Festival holiday, which has evoked interest in and admiration for a national hero who lived during the Southern Song Dynasty about 1,000 years ago.
Today, we’re going talk about a 3000-year-old piece of bronzeware from the Western Zhou Dynasty that distinguishes itself with its delicate design and fascinating story of survival through a peasant uprising and the tumultuous warlord era.
Today, we are going to talk about the efforts to renovate the neighborhoods of Beijing’s Central Axis, which have revitalized their historical atmosphere and improved residents’ lives.
Today, we are going to talk about the stories behind the process of Beijing’s campaign for a UNESCO listing of its Central Axis which has picked up the pace after more than a decade of efforts.
Among the cultural relics prohibited from going abroad for exhibition, there are three pieces of blue-green landscape painting. One is the Spring Excursion by Sui Dynasty painter Zhan Ziqian, created in the late 6th century and believed to be the oldest-surviving landscape painting. The second is A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains by Northern Song Dynasty painter Wang Ximeng, created when the painter was only 18 years old and reputed as the “sole moon among stars” of all surviving blue-green landscape works.
The third is what we are going to elaborate on today, Golden Palace amidst Myriad Pines by Southern Song Dynasty painter Zhao Bosu. Currently collected in the Palace Museum in Beijing, it depicts a glittering palace hidden in a dreamy pine forest in the Southern Song capital of Lin’an, which is the present-day Hangzhou in east China’s Zhejiang Province.
China has been building bridges throughout its long and storied history, and many of these bridges are vividly depicted in a variety of literary works and paintings, offering a unique perspective into the lives of the people who built them, which brings us to the subject of today’s podcast – the Zhouqiao Bridge: a single-arch stone bridge with huge beautiful ancient stone murals that reveal the exquisite carving techniques of more than 1,000 years ago.
Today we are going to talk about the excavation of the once-lost Zhouqiao Bridge, which reveals the former opulence of the Northern Song Dynasty’s capital city, as well as the mystery it still holds.
In the 16th century, during the same era that Martin Luther launched the Reformation in Europe, a legendary figure started the Chinese Renaissance on the other side of the earth. 2022 marked the 550th anniversary of the birth of Wang Yangming, the philosopher, military strategist, and educator of the Ming Dynasty, who embodied all the characteristics considered to express the highest standards of human achievement in ancient Chinese culture.
Wang was held in the highest esteem as “the only perfect human being in history” and “a man with three eternities” by a wide range of intellectual and political figures, including Liang Qichao, China’s leading scholar and reformist of the transitional period spanning the latter part of the Qing Dynasty to the early republican era.
No sport in the world stirs as much passion as football. With the dramatic conclusion of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on December 18, football, the world’s favorite sport, once again dominated global headlines. While most people around the world are quite familiar with the global superstars who plied their trade on the pitches of Doha over the past month, comparatively few know that football originated in ancient China.
The game is called cuju 蹴鞠, where cu means kick, and ju refers to a leather ball stuffed with feathers; and in 2004, cuju was recognized by FIFA, football’s governing body, as the world’s earliest form of football.
Today, we’re going to talk about a traditional Chinese painting from the period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. Superb painting skills aside, what’s more interesting is how it contains so many metaphors and mysteries and how it survived the treachery, conspiracy, and power struggles of the following dynasties.
Today we are going to talk about a legendary university in China that existed for less than nine years during China’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. But despite its short existence, it produced a disproportionately large number of top talents, playing a crucial role in China’s independence and development.
Today, we’re going to talk about a traditional Chinese painting of the Northern Song Dynasty from more than 1,000 years ago. Done by an unknown painter and circulated primarily among family members, the portraiture has miraculously stood the test of time and harvested the imprints of a who’s who of historical figures.
Today, we’re going to talk about a complex individual who came to China in the early 1920s as an agricultural explorer. The success of his early work in Yunnan Province and his love for the region led to nearly three decades of expeditions and the creation of an unmatched body of work on the Naxi people and the remote area they inhabit.
Today, we will continue the WWII story about the sinking of the Lisbon Maru and how some courageous Chinese fishermen near the Zhoushan Islands risked their lives to rescue hundreds of drowning British prisoners of war.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of both the establishment of diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level between China and the UK as well as the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan. It is also the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the Lisbon Maru and the heroic rescue that followed.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’re going to talk about the sinking of the Lisbon Maru, a Japanese transport ship carrying more than 1,800 British prisoners of war that was torpedoed by a US submarine off the eastern coast of China during World War II.
In a Chinese linguistic context, the ox is a symbol of diligence, dedication, progress, and strength. For example, a selfless commitment to the good of the people is represented by ruziniu, or “a willing ox to serve the children”. The animal holds a special place in Chinese culture, and, through the nation’s history, has been venerated by politicians, scholars, and artists alike.
Animals have always been a focus of interest for artists, constituting a major genre of Chinese ancient painting. Eminent artists are usually known for portraying a specific creature such as horses, cats, dogs, or fish. When it comes to depicting cattle, there is one artwork that stands above all others.
Today, we are going to talk about a famous painting from the Tang period called Five Oxen that is not only China’s earliest surviving painting on paper but also has its own backstory of political intrigue and intermittent homelessness.
Today, we’re going to talk about a true Renaissance man of the Chinese Ming Dynasty. He was a bureaucrat, agricultural scientist, astronomer, and mathematician; meanwhile, he became the first Chinese to publish translations of European books in China.
This is also the 100th episode of The Context. Over the past two years, we’ve endeavored to provide listeners with an inside account of China’s history and the fascinating stories behind its ancient cultural relics. In the future, The Context will strive to help you have a more complete understanding of China, including the great opportunities the country brings to the world as well as the challenges it faces.
Today, we’re going to continue our talk about Xuanzang taking a closer look at his stay in India, his odyssey on the way home, and how his translations of the Buddhist sutras and the records of his travels in Central and South Asia have been of inestimable value to Buddhism, as well as to world history and archaeology.
For any overseas college student who wants to study China, one of the ideal texts for their first course is the 16th-century novel Journey to the West because this rousing adventure story can also be read as historical fiction, political satire, and religious allegory. Scholars worldwide have found it incredibly useful for unpacking the complexities of Chinese history, language, politics, economics, and thought.
One of the great classics of Chinese literature, the 100-chapter Journey to the West is believed to have its historical basis in the epic pilgrimage of the iconic monk Xuanzang.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’re going to follow the footsteps of this Tang monk from 1,400 years ago, on his arduous journey along the Silk Road, across deserts, over mountains, until he finally arrived at the fountainhead of Buddhism in India.
“Heaven has paradise. Earth has Suzhou and Hangzhou.” This old Chinese saying is inspired by the natural beauty of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province and Hangzhou in neighboring Zhejiang Province, both located along China’s southeastern coast. The painting we’re going to discuss captures the scenery at a famous park in Suzhou.
The famous Classical Gardens of Suzhou were added to UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List in 1997. Throughout Chinese history, the gardens have been toured by senior officials, dignitaries, and many great men of letters.
Today, we are going to introduce you to this painting that was so highly prized by China’s longest-reigning emperor that it may have singlehandedly been somewhat responsible for every traditional Chinese garden you’ve ever seen.
A hundred years before Columbus and his fellow Europeans began to make their way to the New World, a Chinese fleet sent out by the Ming Emperor of China had already ventured into the uncharted waters of the western Pacific and Indian oceans.
Over a period of almost three decades in the early 15th century, admiral Zheng He and his armada made seven epic voyages. His fleet, which consisted of giant treasure ships loaded with the empire’s finest porcelains, lacquerware, silk and the like, sailed to India, Arabia and east Africa, visiting more than 30 Asian and African countries and regions.
Today, we’re going to further explore the seven epic voyages made by China’s maritime legend Zheng He more than 600 years ago, but this time we’re going to talk more about their background – full of power struggles, envy, and treachery.
More than 600 years ago, a formidable Chinese navy ruled the seas along China’s eastern and southern coastlines extending its superiority throughout the Indian Ocean, from Southeast Asia to the Persian Gulf and East Africa. Between the period from 1405 to 1433, China’s Ming Dynasty launched seven voyages led by Admiral Zheng He to explore these vast regions, known to the Chinese as the Western Oceans.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’re going to unravel the mysteries left by Zheng He, which are considered to be one of the great wonders of the ancient world.
Known in English as Emperor Taizong Receiving the Tibetan Envoy, the painting Bunian Tu depicts a meeting between Tang Emperor Taizong and Gar Tongtsen Yulsung, a special envoy sent by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo to propose a marriage alliance with the Tang in the year 640. What it doesn’t show is how much bad blood there had been in the years leading up to this historically significant moment.
Today, we’re going to talk about this traditional Chinese painting that has, despite its understated solemnity, endured the kind of tumultuous life you might see depicted in one of the many costume dramas so popular on Chinese TV these days.
In 1931, following the September 18th Incident in China, the Japanese occupied three provinces in Northeast China, including Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. It wasn’t long afterward that they turned their attention to Beijing, with an eye firmly set on the large collection of priceless cultural artifacts housed at the Palace Museum, located in heart of the city. Having failed an earlier attempt at looting the cultural relics back in 1894, during the first Sino-Japanese War, they came better prepared this time. The future of China’s most prominent museum and its vast collection was balanced on a knife edge.
Today, we are going to take you back almost a century ago and offer you a glimpse at the largest-scale migration of cultural relics from China’s most prominent museum, the Palace Museum, formally the imperial residence at the Forbidden City.
Today we’ll have the second installment of our two-part feature where we discuss a nationwide archaeological project that challenges previous notions of Chinese civilization through scientific evidence to better understand all those ancient ruins left behind.
The “Origins Project" is a decades-long, multi-disciplinary research endeavor that aims to trace the development of Chinese civilization. The project involves some 400 scholars from across China and nearly 70 scientific research institutes, universities and local archaeological institutions. The project gives Chinese researchers opportunities to explore alternative approaches not only to decode China’s prehistory, but also to redefine the concept of civilization itself.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’re going to talk about the development of Chinese civilizaion and how myths and legends shape its narrative.
When the first round of the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in Wuhan of central China’s Hubei Province in early 2020, many countries recognized its inherent risk to global health and began donating gloves, masks, hazmat suits – sending whatever they could to help combat the virus. Among the supplies sent from Japan were shipments from the organization that administers the HSK, otherwise known as the Chinese proficiency test, there in Japan.
What they didn’t expect was that the Chinese phrase written on the exterior of those relief boxes would go viral on Chinese social media. The lines read, “Even though we live in different places, we live under the same sky.” Netizens praised the words as a sign of heartfelt support for China in its struggle to cope with the coronavirus.
Today, we’re going to talk about how this very short poem went a long way toward inspiring a Buddhist monk of the Tang Dynasty to undertake a perilous journey to re-establish the correct precepts and practices of Buddhism in Japan.
Equivalent to an atomic bomb in terms of its destructive power, the Tianqi Explosion is considered one of three major mysteries in recorded history yet to be solved. If you’re into solving puzzles, the others two are a 3,600-year-old event called Mound of the Dead that occurred in ancient India and Russia’s Tunguska Event that occurred in 1908.
Today, we’re going to tell some stories concerning a cataclysmic explosion that turned much of Beijing to rubble nearly 400 years ago. Historians estimate that over 20,000 people were killed or injured, but the mystery of what happened has yet to be solved.
The tempestuous nature of the sea is a thing of legend – not only legend, but of gods. Just mention God of the Sea to a westerner, and you’ll conjure up images of Poseidon, reputed to be one of the most bad-tempered, moody and greedy of the Olympian gods. By contrast, the Chinese Goddess of the Sea is Mazu, a kind and compassionate lady watching over sailors, fishermen, and travelers.
Today, we’re going to introduce Mazu, the most influential goddess of the sea in China, who is at the heart of a host of beliefs and customs throughout the country’s coastal areas as well as countless Chinese communities around the world.
At the recently held cultural relic exhibition entitled “The Making of Zhongguo – Origins, Developments and Achievements of Chinese Civilization” at China’s Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, many of the exhibits were taken from the collection of the museum itself, and a significant proportion of those were related to Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, which lasted from 1644 to 1911. The exhibition featured antiques collected by the emperor, including some items he himself used regularly. There were also several items that were custom-made especially for him throughout his reign, which lasted from 1735 to 1796.
Today, we’re going to talk about the Chalice of Eternal Stability designed by China’s longest reigning emperor, and its connection to the fortune of the country’s last dynasty.
Earlier this year, residents in Beijing noticed a subtle shift taking place in the subway – on signs, the English word “station” has been replaced with “Zhan”, the Chinese pinyin. In some cases, English station names such as Olympic Park and Terminal 2 of the Capital International Airport have become “Aolinpike Gongyuan” and “Er Hao Hangzhanlou”, and thank goodness their English translations are still listed in brackets.
This “pinyinization” campaign has caused a stir online, with many netizens questioning the rationale behind such substitutions, since foreign visitors who don’t speak Chinese are unlikely to understand anything written in pinyin. Some joked that if the intention is to boost Chinese cultural confidence, we shouldn’t use pinyin but rather the most ancient written language which is seen on oracle bones.
A similar discussion occurred when the National Museum of China was renovated and reopened in 2011. Visitors to the museum found that one of its major highlights, which is the heaviest piece of bronzeware to survive from anywhere in the ancient world, had been renamed from Simuwu Ding to Houmuwu Ding.Today, we’re going to tell some stories concerning the world’s most massive ancient bronze object and the controversy around the name of this magnificent artifact that shows off the supreme bronze craftsmanship of more than 3,000 years ago.
“I want to give my love an unforgettable gift. The question is what?”
This is a challenge many guys face but few get right. Perhaps they can draw some inspiration from a young official that lived some 27 hundred years ago. He came up with a stunning piece of art that not only was likely a hit with his lady, but also the world for generations to come.
Instead of the gold or silver one would expect, his gift was a cast bronze wash basin.
Today, we are going to talk about an ancient bronze washing basin that showed one man’s true devotion to his beloved by combining both art and technology.
Imagine for a moment what life might be like if 16th-century sailors and explorers hadn’t introduced potatoes to Europe. How different would your dinner look? More importantly, would your ancestors have survived?
The discovery of the potato and its introduction to the continent’s colonial powerhouses by the likes of Sir Walter Raleigh or Christopher Columbus – depending on what history books you read – was pivotal. Potatoes provided a stable, easily cultivated food source that prevented famine and improved nutrition among the poorest in society.
Coincidentally, at around the same time, on a different side of the world, a very similar story was unfolding, but instead of the humble tuber we know in the West, it was the introduction to China of the more exotic sweet potato. In China, it goes by different names depending on what region you’re in. The most commonly used monikers are hongshu (red potato) and ganshu (sweet potato).
Today, we’re going to talk about how sweet potatoes made their way to China, and how, as a relatively recent import to this ancient civilization, they became a staple food among the common folk.
To this day, there are altogether 195 designated historical artifacts on the list of the National Cultural Heritage Administration that can never leave Chinese soil. Among them, 20 are paintings, a genre most susceptible to gradual damage with the passage of time.
Luckily for visitors to the cultural relic exhibition entitled “The Making of Zhongguo – Origins, Developments and Achievements of Chinese Civilization” held recently at China’s Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, they had a chance to take a closer look at the most treasured of them all – Zhan Ziqian’s Spring Excursion (展子虔游春图) which ranks number one on the aforementioned list. While it may already be a bit dull in color, its significance cannot be understated.
So, what is it that makes this painting so special?
Four decades ago, a retired national martial arts champion debuted in a movie about how Shaolin monks saved a Tang emperor from a warlord. The movie, called Shaolin Temple, was an overnight success. This big-screen blockbuster not only propelled its leading actor Jet Li from a mere martial arts master to a full-fledged movie star, but it also made “Shaolin” a household word around the world.
The Shaolin Temple is arguably the most famous Buddhist temple in China, renowned for its Kungfu warrior monks. With amazing feats of strength, flexibility, and endurance of pain, the Shaolin monks have created a worldwide reputation as the ultimate Buddhist warriors.
Today, we’re going to talk about how monks at the Shaolin Temple in central China’s Henan Province were trained to become Kungfu masters and fought to turn the wheels of fortune for an empire.
In 1971, Zhang Fengxiang, a farmer in the Ongniud Banner in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region happened to dig out an “iron hook” while planting trees near his home. He immediately gave it to his four-year-old brother to play with. The child tied a rope to the artifact and dragged it along the ground for fun. Eventually, the “rust” on its surface chipped off to reveal the shiny and translucent jade underneath.
It is China’s First Jade Dragon, one of the most representative artifacts of Hongshan culture and the earliest prototype of the Chinese dragon.
For more than 13-hundred years, this treacherous and winding path that meanders through the mountains and valleys of southwest China has been trod by human feet and horse hoofs helping to bridge the Chinese hinterland with the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Along this unpaved and rugged commercial passage, livestock and commodities flowed back and forth: tea, salt and sugar flowed into Tibet, while horses, furs and other local products flowed out. This ancient trade route, which first appeared during the Tang Dynasty, came to be known as the Tea Horse Road. And it lasted until the 1960s – yes, the 1960s – when highways were finally constructed in Tibet.
Today we continue to discuss how an ancient horse trail in China’s mountainous southwest helped to play a key role in defending the nation amid the fires of war.
For more than 13-hundred years, this treacherous and winding path that meanders through the mountains and valleys of southwest China has been trod by human feet and horse hoofs helping to bridge the Chinese hinterland with the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Along this unpaved and rugged commercial passage, livestock and commodities flowed back and forth: tea, salt and sugar flowed into Tibet, while horses, furs and other local products flowed out. This ancient trade route, which first appeared during the Tang Dynasty, came to be known as the Tea Horse Road. And it lasted until the 1960s – yes, the 1960s – when highways were finally constructed in Tibet.
In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’re going to talk about how an ancient horse trail in China’s mountainous southwest helped to develop the local economy by promoting border trade and promoted the cultural development of various ethnic groups in southwest China.
Today, we’re going to talk about how a small seal from the Western Jin Dynasty has born witness to the ups and downs of the Qiang people and the gradual integration of northwestern minorities that helped to build the great Chinese nation of today.
The 40-episode costume drama series A Dream of Splendor, starring A-list actress Liu Yifei, has gathered hundreds of millions of views since it began streaming in June.
Today, we’re going to talk about how a popular TV drama highlights the tea contests that emerged during the Tang Dynasty, flourished in the Song and helped inspire tea culture in Japan.
China is home to a long-established and flourishing tea culture. In many ways, Japanese culture is fundamentally influenced by China. In its earliest form, Japanese tea practice was no more than a duplicate of Chinese tea culture, but over time, it gradually took on its own features, leading to the formation of the uniquely Japanese “way of tea”.
Today we will introduce how the Japanese tea ceremony – or chadō （茶道）, the way of tea – first originated from China before evolving into something quite different from Chinese tea culture.
Few would have imagined that visitors would throng to a museum to partake of the beauty of a mural, despite it being a replica, at an exhibition on Chinese civilization earlier this year at the Palace Museum, or popularly known the Forbidden City, in Beijing.
The mural or its replica is not beautiful in the visual sense. A mural from the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, northwest China’s Gansu Province, it has lost its original luster due to 1,500 years of wear and tear in the dim and dark cave, and the changing climate. So the replica of the mural depicting Jataka of the Deer King must have drawn people’s attention because of a completely different reason.
Today, we talk about how a Jataka tale rendered in the Chinese context in a mural in the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang has blossomed in popular memory across the country, thanks to a popular animation.
After the Qing Dynasty established its rule over the heartland of China, the region known as Zhongyuaninthe lower and middle reaches of the Yellow River centered on the region between Luoyang and Kaifeng in Henan Province, the Manchus fully controlled the country. Although setting up a unified dynasty, there were fewer people and Manchu culture was less developed than in Zhongyuan, which was perceived as the birthplace of Chinese civilization.
Today we continue to discuss how Qing Dynasty emperor Qianlong holds Confucius in high esteem in order to stabilize his reign where Han nationality dwell.
In the recent cultural relics exhibition titled “The Making of Zhongguo – Origins, Developments and Achievements of Chinese Civilization” at China’s Palace Museum, otherwise known as the Forbidden City, in Beijing, there were two sets of bronzes. One is the Bronze Chime Bells of Zheng State (806-375 BCE), usually housed at Henan Museum in Zhengzhou, one of the largest sets of chime bells ever unearthed in China. The other is known as Shangzhou Shigong, or the 10 ceremonial utensils of the Shang and Zhou dynasties (c.16th century-256 BCE) to commemorate Confucius, the celebrated thinker, educator and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BCE).
Today, we discuss how Qing Dynasty emperor Qianlong holds Confucius in high esteem in order to win over men of letters where Han nationality dwell.
Luodian bronze mirrors represent the pinnacle of the art of Chinese bronze mirrors. This is largely because of Emperor Taizong’s (599-649 CE) “historiographical thinking” – exemplified by his famous quote about needing a mirror to correct one’s appearance, understand the rise and fall of a state, and distinguish right from wrong.
Today we continue to discuss how the decorated bronze mirrors from the Tang Dynasty bore witness to the ups and downs of the Silk Road.
Famed Chinese Emperor Taizong, second emperor of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) who laid the foundations of the dynasty, has a meaningful statement about the success of governance, recorded in the Old Book of Tang, a history of the dynasty compiled in 945 after it had fallen. “When one uses a bronze mirror, one can adjust the attire. When one uses history as a mirror, one comprehends the rise and fall of a nation. When one uses a person as a mirror, a remonstrator, one sees the success and missteps.”
Bronze mirrors have a special political, social and cultural implication in the long river of Chinese history. In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we discuss how the decorated bronze mirrors from the Tang Dynasty bore witness to the rise and fall of trade and governance.
In the Stone Age, jade represented wealth because of its scarcity and the advanced techniques required to shape it. Among various kinds of recovered jade wares, ritual vessels were the most valuable and symbolized higher social status. Each kind had distinct purposes. Bi (disc), for example, were used in heaven worship rites. Cong (tube), with their taotie motifs, suggest a supreme religious authority. Yue (axe) symbolized military power.
Archaeologists have located nearly 100 new Liangzhu cites in recent years, including villages, cemeteries and altars. Bi, cong and yue jades were excavated in most cemeteries for nobility, but they vary in size and quantity. The M12 tomb at the highest point of the Fanshan site produced around 500 pieces of jade ritual vessels, including bi, cong and yue – representing a person with sovereign, religious and military power. But who occupied the M12 tomb? A clan leader? A high priest? A chief commander?
Most likely, it was a king.
More than 100 priceless relics were displayed at the exhibition “The Making of Zhongguo – Origins, Developments and Achievements of Chinese Civilization” at China’s Palace Museum. Among the treasured objects, two stand out as representative of their kind – jade cong , a tube-like vessel with a square outer section around a circular inner part.
One is the Liangzhu jade congfrom the Zhejiang Provincial Museum collection. It was displayed at the center of the hall. The other one, owned by the Palace Museum, also originates from Liangzhu culture. To illustrate their importance, they were displayed together with the He Zun, the oldest ancient bronze vessel bearing the characters for China.
Today we discuss how the jade wares from one of China’s earliest civilizations were discovered and used in rites for heaven and earth worship.
Demand for trade gave rise to the great geographical exploration and the first wave of globalization. However, disputes and conflicts in cross-border trade soon followed. The tea trade not only played a crucial role in many historic events, it also shaped the development of modern civilization.
Tea trade between China and Britain began in the 17th century. In fact, although the Netherlands and Indonesia remained dominant players, the British had purchased tea from Canton, today’s Guangzhou in south China’s Guangdong Province, as early as 1637. In the 18th century, direct tea trade between China and Britain developed, culminating in the monopoly on Chinese tea by the British East India Company.
Because China was more politically powerful than the European colonies in the Americas, Africa, India and other regions, coupled with the far distances, Europeans had difficulty setting up colonies there. Instead, they established trade relations with the reigning dynasty, the Qing. But as a closed agricultural empire, China did not have a high demand for Western industrial products. Europeans could only trade the gold and silver it plundered from the Americas for porcelain, silk, and tea.
Today we continue to discuss the Ten-Thousand-Mile Tea Road by looking at the competition between Russian and British tea merchants as they vied for supremacy in the China market, how the tea road, after a more than two centuries of prosperity, faded into history, and the modern initiatives that hark back to the cultural exchanges of the past.
It was a humble leaf that helped connect the Eurasian continent and opened the door to commercial trade and cultural exchanges between civilizations. This is the tale of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Tea Road.
With an entire span of over 13,000 kilometers, the Ten-Thousand-Mile Tea Road stretches all the way from Wuyi Mountain in southeast China’s Fujian Province, via Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia, to Kyakhta in Russia, and then extends further into central Asia and Europe.
As another important trade route connecting ancient China and Europe, after the decline of the Silk Road, the Ten-Thousand-Mile Tea Road exerted its own influence on the world. One example of this is that the pronunciations of the word “tea” in various languages, all derive from ancient Chinese dialects.
Less glamorous than jade, gold or silver ware, pottery gets less attention at museum exhibitions. Archaeologists, however, argue that pottery is the most important cultural relic for understanding human prehistory.
Unlike gold or jade, most ceramics are practical and designed for daily use. Pottery thus can offer a well-rounded view of the era it came from.
In the recent Palace Museum exhibition “The Making of Zhongguo– Origins, Developments and Achievements of Chinese Civilization,” a ceramic piece stood out – a painted vase with a human head sculpted at the rim.
While viewing this painted vase, one can feel instantly a distinct human connection that traverses thousands of years. The Yangshao culture’s concepts of death are yet another contribution to humanity’s search for life’s ultimate meaning.
Today we discuss how the Chinese characters for “China”, Zhongguo, literally meaning Middle Kingdom, appears for the first time more than 3,000 years ago. He Zun, the most eye-catching and prominent example of bronzeware from the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BCE) holds the key to the question.
In 1963, a farmer in the city of Baoji, Shaanxi Province, discovered the vessel at a cliff near his home on a rainy evening. The artifact, about one cubic meter in volume, was sticking out from the soil. Unaware of its value and importance, the farmer used it for storing food. Because the vessel was too heavy and inconvenient to carry, he gave it to another farmer when he moved away. Two years later, the new owner sold it to a waste recycling station after encountering financial difficulties.
Polished black pottery is the trademark pottery ware of the Longshan culture, which differs from the previous colored pottery of the Neolithic Yangshao culture from 5,000 to 3,000 BCE. It has also learnt its name – Black Pottery Culture – as an alternative to Longshan as an identifier. The eggshell pottery items they produced are exquisite, dark and bright in appearance, with slender stems and handles. The pottery is highly polished and thin-walled, like an eggshell. The average thickness of an eggshell is 0.5 millimeters, the size of a syringe needle opening. The thinnest part of the black pottery cup is only 0.2 millimeters, which is more than half as thin as an eggshell or the opening.
It can be argued that pottery is the earliest use of chemistry and a milestone for human society. It is reasonable to speculate that the appearance of ceramics as a practical vessel was connected with another significant achievement of human civilization – the agricultural revolution.
From ancient hunters hitting the slopes to skating soldiers and alcohol-fueled sledding sessions, China’s north has hosted centuries of snow and ice sport.
Today, skating, skiing and ice sledding are not only popular in China’s cold north, but across the country. The modern Olympics has taken inspiration from depictions of the Qing Dynasty ice games for the design of the central garden of the Olympic and Paralympic villages in Beijing, bringing the ancient right up to date.
Today we discuss how unfettered imperial seigniorage broke economies and even dynasties in ancient China
Inflation is a big concern for consumers and policymakers in major economies today. In the US, the consumer price index rose by 6.8 percent in 2021, the highest in nearly 40 years. In China, although the consumer price index, an indicator of inflation, only saw a mild increase of 0.9 percent in 2021, the producer price index rose by 8.1 percent. This rising cost of manufacturers may get passed on to end consumers in the future.
Many cases of severe inflation tax could be found throughout Chinese history.
why did ancient Chinese emperors keep using devaluation if it created more problems than it solved? In ancient China, copper was the main material for minting. China was rich in the metal, so there were no shortages to constrain government creation of inflation. By contrast, in many other countries, rare gold and silver were used for coins, which put natural limitations on the government’s minting activities.
So why did China choose to mint with copper, rather than gold or silver in the first place?
We are once again reminded of the great importance and value of coal, petroleum and electricity by the recent energy shortage. Just like the air, they seem invisible and therefore neglected, but they have been an indispensable part of our daily life since ancient times.
In the country with the world’s largest coal reserves, it is thought that people started using coal over 7,000 years ago in China. It was the use of coal that changed Chinese history. Besides smelting, it burns at the high temperatures needed to make porcelain, in the 6th century it started to fuel China’s path toward becoming "the country of porcelain."
Wedgwood, the manufacturer of fine china, luxury porcelain and accessories in the English city of Stoke on Trent, might not be what it is today without Josiah Wedgwood’s cooperation with James Watt by introducing the Watt steam engine to his family business, thus starting a new era of industrialization in the ~~of~~ porcelain business, and enabling Europe to break the Chinese monopoly in this area with the help of technology.
The earliest recorded case of vapor from petroleum burning on a lake surface was more than 3,000 years ago. In the Song dynasty ~~(~~around 1,000 years ago~~)~~, petroleum was used as the raw material for making attacking weapons, produced by specially founded workshops. China also invented probably the world’s earliest flame throwers to equip the army.
The use of petroleum was recorded in detail in two technological encyclopedia works a few hundred years ago. In May 2021, the two ancient Chinese scientists who wrote the works were among the eight Chinese names approved by the International Astronomical Union to have lunar geological features named after them around the area where China’s moon lander the Chang’e-5 touched down in 2020.
According to the General Administration of Customs of China, the private sector in China posted 28 percent of year-on-year growth of foreign-trade in the first 10 months of 2021, generating 48.3 percent of China’s total imports and exports. Its growth rate and share both outperformed those of foreign funded enterprises and State-owned enterprises. In 2019, China’s private companies contributed more to foreign trade than foreign-funded businesses for the first time. From 2000 to 2018, more than 49 percent of China’s foreign trade was made by foreign-funded businesses in China, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce.
In our previous podcast on November 10, we talked about how business people were discriminated against in ancient China. In contrast, foreign merchants were very active in ancient China. This was particularly true for foreign trade.
The torrential rainfall in early October in Shanxi Province put the spotlight on the less-developed region in China’s northwest.People rediscovered Shanxi. An important outcome was the realization that Shanxi is home to so many precious ancient buildings and many are not under national or provincial protection. Those with no or insufficient protection are at risk of collapse.
The historical value of Shanxi is not only embedded in the ancient buildings on its land. It takes another intangible rediscovery to understand the unique role that Shanxi played in defining Chinese culture for 5,000 years. It is among the birthplaces of Chinese culture, and a land where different cultures mingled.
According to some ancient Chinese books, the three legendary leaders of the major tribal alliances, Yao, Shun and Yu the Great, were all based in today’s Shanxi.
Thanks to its special geographic position, Shanxi is the land where the cultures of northern ethnic groups and the zhongyuan mingled through contacts and conflicts in history.
In 325 BCE, 15-year-old King Wuling ascended the Zhao throne. His kingdom was struggling under attacks from other powers and northern ethnic nomads. Fourteen years later, King Wuling learned from the northern ethnic nomads how to build a powerful army. He ordered his people to wear similar clothes to the northern ethnic groups with short sleeves, long pants and leather boots. These clothes were much better on battlefields than the wide robes with long sleeves that zhongyuan people wore. Zhao dignitaries resisted the policy, especially the king’s uncle, who resented absorbing lessons from their enemies. The king visited his uncle and persuaded him. The change was successful, and the Zhao got stronger.
More than 800 years later, an ethnic leader issued the opposite order. In the late fifth century, Tuoba Hong（, known as Emperor Xiaowen of the Xianbei ethnic regime of the Northern Wei (386-534) ordered everyone in his kingdom to wear Han clothes.
Since the end of 2020, some Chinese companies have been involved in a series of high-profile cases involving breaches of regulations. The public attitude toward these tech giants has also changed in the past two years.
All this contrasts with the image of business people for more than four decades since China adopted its reform and opening-up policy in the late 1970s. Going into business was a very popular choice for a majority of the people. In the 1990s, many civil servants quit to go into business.
This was probably the most glorious period for Chinese business people. For thousands of years in ancient China, a businessman, no matter how rich, faced discrimination.
A world where the widowed, disabled and anyone in need are all cared for was an ideal envisioned by Confucian scholars during the Warring States period from the fifth to third century BCE. Their writings make up the earliest recorded ideas about charity in China’s history. Government-sponsored charity mainly included disaster relief. This falls far short of modern Western charity, a virtue that has roots in Christian ethics.
Buddhist temples provided alms to the poor. This marked the beginning of non-governmental charity in China, including poverty and disaster relief, health care and other programs. Individuals played a greater role in charity through donations to temples as Buddhism promoted the idea of karmic behavior.
After Buddhist charities declined, big family clans took up the cause. During the boom of Neo-Confucianism in the 11th century, ancestral worship was encouraged. This created a social network based on family clans. Fan Zhongyan, a prestigious scholar and politician, launched one of China’s first clan-based charities to support poor clan members. The Northern Song government encouraged such organizations, and institutionalized charities previously run by Buddhist temples. They provided government housing to the poor, disabled, elderly, and orphans. The government and clans worked side-by-side yet independently of one another.
This was another step toward modern charity. However, there were still no public organizations to link government and clan-based charity efforts. Also, clan charity institutions were not open to people outside the clans. The rise of a new social group filled the vacuum.
Our previous podcast discussed some of the ancient hermits that feature in the Palace Museum’s Figure Paintings Across the Ages exhibition. They gave up political pursuits right from the start and never wavered. But unlike them, most hermit scholars depicted in the exhibition were deeply involved in politics in some way.
For Jiang Ziya and the four old men, they lived in seclusion just to wait for the right time to realize their political ambitions. In Jiang Ziya’s case, the lifestyle was even used as a “bait” to “hook” the king. In other cases, living in seclusion was the only choice for scholars whose political dreams were shattered.
Why did scholars since the times of the Seven Sages choose to live in seclusion, usually after they lost hope of developing a political career? An important reason was that for about 1,700 years the identity as a scholar had to be officially endorsed, and it was the most important way for a man to realize the dream of either building a better life for his family or serving the country, or both. The identity became a privilege and honor for ancient Chinese scholars.
At the Palace Museum exhibition, a total of 76 paintings include portraits of the most famous hermit-scholars in China’s history. It is the second in a series of four ancient portrait exhibitions by the Palace Museum. Unlike this group of hermits, the other three exhibitions feature figures who either actively sought to make their name in the world, or tried to enjoy life.
While paintings of religious figures were similarly used In the West to educate people, there is no such genre of art that focuses on hermit-scholars known for their integrity, talent and sometimes peculiar lifestyle.
“Globally, around 14 percent of food produced is lost between harvest and retail, while an estimated 17 percent of total global food production is wasted,” according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Food supply is not just an agricultural issue. On September 23, the first UN Food Systems Summit was held in New York. More than 150 countries made a joint commitment on transforming their food system to tackle hunger, poverty, gender equality, biodiversity and climate change.
Since 2018, Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival has been celebrated in China’s rural areas on the day of autumnal equinox. 64 percent of Chinese lived in cities in 2020. It seems that events related to agriculture have no affinity for most Chinese.
However, Chinese civilization originated from and was built on agriculture. This means that agriculture means much more than food supply for Chinese. It shaped and defined the heart and soul of Chinese scholars for thousands of years.
On August 21, the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, DC celebrated the first birthday of panda cub Xiao Qi Ji, which translates to Little Miracle. The zoo had held an online contest where the public could vote on a list of names. He “shared not one but two delicious fruitsicle cakes with his mother, Mei Xiang,” the zoo said on its website.
The cub’s birth definitely comes as a little miracle during the Covid-19 pandemic and tensions between China and the US.
The first pair of pandas, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing , arrived in the National Zoo in April 1972, three months after former US president Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China.
Historically, animals have played significant roles in China’s foreign relations. Sometimes they were gifts, like pandas. Sometimes they started wars.
Another animal that once served as a national gift was the giraffe, as ancients believed it to be a qilin, a mythical and auspicious creature on par with the unicorn in Western cultures. .
Today we discuss how a ferocious, exotic beast, lion, has become an auspicious, cute cultural icon in ancient China.
The lion originally came from Africa. It trekked from Egypt into Europe and Asia Minor from the Mediterranean, and into the Iranian Plateau and India. There was no human intervention in their migration. There are two sub-spices of Asian lions: Persian lions and Indian lions.
When the Silk Road developed in the late 2nd century, lions were imported to China through the Silk Road as a gift from other countries to Chinese emperors. They were raised in emperors’ palaces so few people could see a lion with their own eyes.
Ferocious animals are revered and feared by people. When lions became a magic animal which could eat tigers and bring good luck, their image changed in people’s imaginations, and it evolved so it became different from reality. They became very cute. So how cute are they, and why?
On August 30, China announced a policy that restricts the time minors can play online games to three hours a week. The new rules limit those under 18 access to online gaming platforms to one hour from 8 to 9pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and on official holidays.
However, on Saturday 8pm that week, many complained they could not log on their accounts for Arena of Valor, a popular game by Tencent. Two hours later, Tencent said that its servers were down and it had already fixed the problem. The company did not explain what had caused the problem. But players believed the rush of underage players logging on at the same time crashed the servers.
As in the rest of the world, online gaming addictions among children have become a serious social issue in China. Some children sneak their parents’ debit cards to pay for online games. When denied access to gaming, some children become violent and hurt their parents. Some cases have ended in suicide. There are cases where parents are addicted to games, setting a poor example for their children.
Some questioned the necessity of restricting online gaming, as children’s playtime is not of national importance. But history tells us that games are important to a nation and society as a whole.
As a very popular folk song during the Tang dynasty goes:
“you don’t have to send your son to school; a boy good at cock fighting has a much better future than a well-educated one; look at the boy from the Jia family, he was only 13 years old, but has more wealth and honor than big rich families.”
How could roosters, stones, and even cranes be of any harm? When powerful people indulged in them in excess, they ruined everything, including the power they held.
If Wuhan was the place in China that received most attention in 2020, Henan Province has certainly captured its share of attention this year. Henan in history is repeatedly referred to as the “zhongyuan,” or “central plain.” It is the thousands of years of its history as the “zhongyuan” that has created and shaped the land as the symbol of the most glorious – and the most painful memories of China.
So where and what is the “zhongyuan?” Geographically, “zhongyuan” in a broad sense includes today’s Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces in China’s northwest, central China’s Henan and the east coast Shandong Province, all in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. “Zhongyuan” in a narrow sense refers to the part of Henan today that’s south of the Yellow River, mainly from Luoyang to Shangqiu, about 350 kilometers west of Luoyang. Henan has four ancient capitals, including Luoyang, Kaifeng, Zhengzhou and Anyang, more than any other Chinese province. Among the four, only Anyang is to the north of the Yellow River.
We can see central China’s Henan is the zhongyuan in both the narrow and broad sense. But it is important to note that “zhongyuan” is much more a cultural concept than a geographic location on a map. It played a central role in the history of Chinese civilization and in shaping the core of Chinese culture.
Even if we trace archaeology back to da Vinci and Raphael, there is another related discipline that began much earlier. Epigraphy, the study of ancient inscriptions, was first developed in ancient China. Unlike archaeology, it aimed to challenge and verify interpretations of classical Confucianism texts.
A movement similar to the Renaissance blossomed in China during the 9th and 11th century. Leaders of the movement sought inspiration from ancient traditions. Part of their efforts was research of inscriptions on ancient metal and stone artifacts. The most remarkable achievement in Chinese epigraphy was made by a couple at the end of Northern Song dynasty. The couple’s story is as well-known as their achievements.
By August 2, at least 302 people had died and some 50 were registered as missing due to the catastrophic floods that swept through parts of central China’s Henan Province after days of torrential downpours in mid-July. By 7am on August 9, nearly 15 million people in Henan had been affected by the floods. In Europe, about 200 people died in the flood which hit Germany and Belgium also in mid-July.
For thousands of years, China suffered from severe floods. Ancient Chinese people dealt with the problem in two ways. One was scientific. They built big hydraulic projects like the Dujiangyan Irrigation System in today’s Sichuan Province which has been in operation for more than 2,000 years, and still works today. It made the Chengdu Plain a land of plenty. The other is superstition. They believed that animals, typically the ox, had magic powers that enabled them to contain floods.
This belief, or expectation that something magic can overwhelm evil has a long history.
At one time, archaeology was not a place for outsiders. But in recent years, it has captured the public imagination in China with movie blockbusters about tomb raiding like The Lost Tomb and the mysterious new findings of the Sanxingdui excavations. There is even a popular toy that lets children play archaeologist: a box containing a Terracotta warrior replica buried in dirt and tiny excavation tools. You have to clean it with the tools to discover what kind of Terracotta warrior you got. It could be a standing or a kneeling warrior, or even an emperor.
Archaeology involving excavation, scientific research and modern techniques started in the West only 150 years ago, and was brought to China about 90 years ago.
Like in the West, archaeology in China was also the shared dream and passion of a businessman and a group of scholars, a dream that was also fed by Western-led expeditions in China.
Humans in prehistory period relied on hunting and gathering to survive. When agriculture was developed, hunting became an important sport and entertainment for elites. It often carried military and political significance.
The construction of the Hangou canal began in 486 BCE, 1,090 years before Emperor Yang launched his canal project. It became the earliest part of what became the Sui Grand Canal. Its initiator was a ruler who was as ambitious and ill-fated as Emperor Yang.
Cities along the Grand Canal also were affected as the length and contour of the canal changed. At 1,800 kilometers long, the Yuan canal is about 800 kilometers shorter than the previous canal. Suzhou and Hangzhou earned the name “paradises on Earth.” Suzhou was the largest city during the Ming. But prosperity also brought disaster to the cities.
“The same water either supports or overturns boats on it,” Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang in the 7th century, often cited these Confucius’ remarks which compared water to the people and boats to sovereigns. He did this to repeatedly remind himself of the lessons he learned from the fall of the Sui. He founded a golden age in China's history. The Grand Canal witnessed and even underwrote the rise and fall of power and wealth of dynasties, cities and people for thousands of years in ancient China. The first person people think about in connection to the Grand Canal is Emperor Yang of the Sui dynasty about 1,400 years ago. The Grand Canal was his project. But it was also in a city on the Grand Canal and largely because of the Grand Canal that he lost his empire and his life.
Zhang Xifeng, a 17-year-old student at Hengshui High School of Hebei Province, went viral. In his speech on Anhui TV program Super Speaker, Zhang compared himself to a humble “country pig” and shared his ambition to “grab a city cabbage.” While he did not specify what “city cabbage” is, for a young man from a small town, the metaphor likely refers to a well-paid job and a wife from a middle-class family in a larger city. The Hengshui High School he recently graduated from is known for high rate of admission to China’s top universities.
The “country pig chasing city cabbage” speech saw both praise and criticism online. Some said they understood and appreciated the boy’s ambitions to rise in the ranks of society through hard work, while others expressed concerns that his attitude tacitly glorifies achieving one’s goals by any means necessary, comparing him to Julien Sorel, the ferociously ambitious protagonist in Stendhal’s 1830 novel “The Red and the Black”.
China has a very long tradition of attaching great importance to academic success. But is climbing the social ladder the only purpose and indicator of academic success in ancient Chinese society?
There were 200 million skilled workers in China at the end of 2020, only 26 percent of the country’s total workforce.
Given this, vocational education has drawn unprecedented attention among policymakers in China, the world’s largest manufacturer. But parents, particularly those in urban areas, are against sending their children to vocational high schools or colleges. The problem is that blue collar jobs are still regarded as beneath white collar jobs because they offer less prospects for promotion or further education -- much like in ancient times.
One day, more than 2,000 years ago, Emperor Yuan of China’s Western Han dynasty and his concubines were watching animal baiting. Suddenly a black bear jumped out of the enclosure and attacked the spectators. The emperor and his concubines were scared and ran away. But one of the concubines, Feng Yuan did not. She stood right in front of the bear, while two guards tried to stop the bear with their long spears. She later explained to the emperor that she did this to defend him, because fierce beasts would usually stop their attack once they had grabbed one person. The emperor was very grateful.
About 400 years later during the Eastern Jin dynasty, Chinese artist Gu Kaizhi drew a picture showing the moment that Feng faced the bear without any fear. He also drew another 11 pictures, each about a woman known for her virtue. He did this to illustrate a book on preaching to women how to behave well. The 12 pictures of the 12 women are collectively titled the Admonitions Scroll, which is the first ancient traditional Chinese painting we know today. Gu Kaizhi is one of the greatest artists in China’s history. He paid a lot of attention to the demeanor and spirit of the people in his pictures. This theory and practice had a far-reaching influence on Chinese artists.
None of Gu’s authentic work remains today. One of the two copies that people today can see is a reproduction by an unknown artist during the Southern Song dynasty between the early 12th and late 13th century. It was on display at a painting exhibition from May 1 to June 25 at the Palace Museum in Beijing. All of the 55 exhibits were used to educate royal members in ancient China.
The other copy is an earlier, better reproduction during the Tang dynasty kept at the British Museum. Two reproductions of another Gu Kaizhi masterpiece, the Nymph of the Luo River, are also part of the most precious collections of the Palace Museum and the British Museum.
The British Museum and the Palace Museum are the world’s largest museums if they are measured by different standards. The British Museum’s collection holds over 8 million objects, more than any other museum in the world. The Palace Museum is built on an area of 1.12 million square kilometers, larger than any other museum in the world.
Early collections at the two museums mainly came from private collectors. Sir Hans Sloane, a physician, donated his collection of 71,000 items to his country when he died in 1753, on the condition that 20,000 pounds would be paid to his heirs and a free public museum was built. The British Museum opened to the public six years later in 1759.
Nearly half of the Qing’s royal collection of calligraphy and paintings which were created before the Yuan dynasty came from a wealthy man called Xiang Yuanbian who was born in 1525, during the Ming dynasty.
A Chinese woman living in German-occupied Belgium in the 1940s finally succeeded in her mission: an audience with the top Nazi leader in Belgium, General Alexander von Falkenhausen. It was not the first time that Qian Xiuling had met the general, and she was counting on their prior connection to aid her. She told Falkenhausen that 96 people were being held hostage in the Belgian city of Écaussinnes and they would be killed in a few hours by Nazi soldiers in reprisal for a resistance attack on SS o"cers. She pleaded with him to save their lives.
On May 31, China announced a further relaxation in its family planning policy, allowing couples to have up to three children. Supportive measures will be formulated to encourage couples to have more children. The announcement came right after the release of the seventh national population census which shows the population is aging and the birth rate is falling.
Ancient Chinese dynasties used different ways to boost the fertility rate to ensure they had enough taxes and soldiers. Families also believed that more children would bring wealth and power.
The Qin’s system of household registration and taxation was passed down to nearly all dynasties in the following 2,000 years. Having children at a young age and large families was encouraged, especially in the aftermath of a long period of social unrest and changes in dynasties.
In late 18th century, China's population reached more than 300 million during the Golden Age of the last dynasty Qing. But people were struggling in povery.
History proves that the quality and well-being of the population matter more than its size.
In a recent TV series, the two mothers even seem paranoid sometimes, while the two fathers seem normal. This is because they are less involved in their children’s education.
There is an ancient Chinese saying that goes, “it’s a father’s fault if he just feeds but does not teach his children.” So this raises the question: did fathers in ancient China take part in their children’s education?
In 2020, nearly 376 million Chinese people did not live in the cities where they had registered their household information, up by more than 154 million in the 2010 census. This sounds a bit odd when it’s compared to the Chinese tradition of emotionally being attached to one’s homeland where one is born and lives on the land that you farm.
In world history, flows of people, either in peaceful or violent ways, have always been both a big factor and a result of fundamental social changes. For example, the Western Roman Empire fell due to incursions by Germanic tribes.
Did ancient Chinese move en masse? If they did, why? And did their migration also result from and change the society at that time?
In May, a herd of 15 wild Asian elephants continued their northern venture in southwest China’s Yunnan Province after their year-long journey from their home in Xishuangbanna Yunnan. Yunnan is th only area of China with wild Asian elephants. But for millennia, the habitat of wild Asian elephants stretched much farther north into China before human encroachment forced them south.
An example of human impact on the environment is the widespread use of nanmu （楠木） wood in ancient Chinese architecture. By late 17th century, even Emperor Kangxi, who reigned during China’s longest period of prosperity, could not find a single nanmu tree for the biggest hall of his palace The Forbidden City.
Partly due to the ecological degradation in the once fertile Shaanxi area in the northwest, China's political, economic and cultural center shifted to the south since the end of the Tang dynasty in early 10th century. As a result, in late 14th century, Xi'an lost its chance of restoring its glory.
Six out of the top 10 most attractive tourist sites during the 5-day Labor Day holiday in China were historical sites. Three are in Beijing - the Great Wall, the Summer Palace and Yuanmingyuan, or Old Summer Palace. The other three are the Longmen Grottoes in the ancient city of Luoyang in central China, the Ming Dynasty city wall in Xi’an in China’s northwest and the Humble Administrator’s Garden, or Zhuozhengyuan in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, in China’s east.
Beijing, Luoyang and Xi’an have something in common – they are all famous for their long history as dynastic capitals. If we add up the length of time Chinese cities served as a capital to different dynasties, Luoyang comes out top, followed by Xi’an and Beijing. Luoyang and Xi’an lost their glory as capitals more than 1,000 years ago.
How did Luoyang and Xi’an rise to dominate as choices for dynastic capitals? And what prompted their decline? Changes in environment, especially water resources, is a major reason.
On April 23, a wild male Siberian tiger appeared in a village in Heilongjiang Province in China’s northeast. It injured a local woman working on farmland and smashed the window of a passing car. It was later captured by police and forestry authorities. It will remain under a 45-day quarantine check-up before it is released back into the wild. Footage showing how it was captured went viral online. But China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation pushed for the tiger’s immediate release, as 45 days is long enough to make a wild tiger accustomed to captivity. It is yet to be confirmed where the tiger came from, as the area it was found borders China and Russia. There are no more than 4,000 wild tigers around the world, with about 30 tracked in China annuall. Tigers have played significant roles in Chinese culture for thousands of years.
Among about 2,000 artifacts and thousands of fragments of relics unearthed in the eight pits of the Sanxingdui Ruins site in Sichuan Province in China’s southwest, bronze masks and figurines have attracted the most attention. They are of unusual appearance, and have particularly protruding eyes. Do they resemble the ancient Shu people of this area, or perhaps people from West Asia or even further away, say, Egypt? Some even say they are images of aliens, a speculation dismissed by scholars.
Some possible keys to the secret are not only found on their faces in the front, but also from behind. There are two hairstyles. In one style, the hair is kept upright by hairpins. In the other style, the hair is in braids which either go down the back of head or are in buns on top of the head. Some researchers believe the bronze figures with hairpins are theocratic authorities, while those with braids are secular authorities. These hairstyles may also provide clues to a riddle that has puzzled scholars for a long time: why for thousands of years the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River was the center of the Chinese civilization with diversified origins?
In Sanxingdui, it seems that the more artifacts were unearthed, the more questions were raised. Something invisible to the naked eye also caught attention. Silk proteins were found in one of the six newly discovered pits. Silk was probably originally only used in sacrificial rituals, not for clothing. In addition, the life cycle of a silkworm starts with an egg and ends with a moth. For ancient Chinese, it was a magical process that must be explained by supernatural powers and sacred significance.
Ten nesting ivory balls make a big ball. On a fan, there are scenes of European courting couples. On another fan, Qing Dynasty officials are on the road with their entourage. There are porcelain tea sets with a Chinese floral design but with European-style gilt trim. All are delicate. All feature both Chinese and European tastes. These are some of the displays at a recent exhibition on Chinese exports to Europe through the maritime Silk Road during the 18th and 19th century. Major exports from China to Europe along the Maritime Silk Road in the 18th and 19th centuries included porcelain, tea, silk, paintings, fans, ivory carving, lacquer ware and silverware. Many exhibits are from European collections, and they reflect what products European collectors valued most. It is interesting to find out that there was a similar global supply chain for European luxuries as today, and that China’s role in this chain was similar to today. But it was cheap Chinese product that finally had the biggest influence on China and the West.
Chinese parents invest a lot in English language education for their children. English is a major subject in China’s curriculum from primary schools to college. However, Xu Jin （许进）, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the top political advisory body, recently proposed to remove English from the national college entrance exam. One of his reasons is that computers can do a very good job of translation. But can machines replace human link for cultural exchanges?
More than 2,000 years ago, a venture of a Chinese diplomatic delegation paved the way for the Silk Road trade between China and the West. But nothing was possible without the bravery and loyalty of the interpreter and guide of the delegation, Tangyi Fu, a former Hun soldier. After Buddhism was introduced into China, it was a Persian translator that brought the real teachings of the religion to the Chinese public. In the 16th and 17th century, a Chinese scientist not only translated, but also practiced Western science and technology. His achievements are still remembered today.
Recently Intel removed an online commercial by Yang Li, a controversial stand-up comedian. “Why do some men look so ordinary but are so self-confident (to judge women at will)?” “These are some of things Yang Li said in her shows in the past two years. Many angry men accused her of “instigating a confrontation between men and women.” They called for a boycott against Intel products. But Yang Li’s supporters argued that those men’s reaction proved that Yang Li’s comments about men were right. Women? Girls? Or Goddess? Even how to refer to women has become an increasingly controversial issue. China has a very long tradition that requires women to stay at home and look after their families so their husbands and sons can focus on their careers. But still some women managed to push the boundaries of their world as much as possible. Today more and more Chinese women have a good education, they want to be respected as an equal gender, not a tag representing consumerism and valued by age or looks.
Weak, timid, low in self-esteem, dependent, no appetite for exploration or adventure: This is how some of China’s lawmakers are describing today’s Chinese teenage boys. During the annual Two Sessions in March 2020 and 2021, legislators and political advisors raised concerns about the “feminization” of teenage boys, which garnered lots of media and public attention. The Ministry of Education has since pledged to “foster masculinity” among male students through physical education. The lawmakers’ proposal is partially in response to changing views of masculinity in mainstream culture during a time when slim, makeup-wearing male pop stars dominate TV screens and music stages.
What has defined masculinity throughout Chinese history? A quick look and it’s easy to see the concept has been fluid and depends on the period.
Wearing ancient Tang Dynasty-style dresses and make-up, 14 plump girls holding ancient musical instruments strike elegant and amusing poses. it is not a conventional dance in which skinny dancers show fancy, standard choreography. The antiques shown on the stage set also attracted a lot of attention. There are special stories about the owners of the antiques over their life of thousands of years.
China’s economy grew by 2.3 percent year-on-year in 2020. But there is a big imbalance among regions. In the top 10 provinces in terms of total GDP in 2020, only two, Henan and Shandong, are in the north. In the top 10 cities, Beijing is the only northern one. By contrast, in early years of China’s reform and opening-up about 40 years ago, the north contributed more than the south to the national economy. Analysts have noticed that the south has outperformed the north since the 1990s, and the gap has widened since 2013. In history, there was also a process of a southward pivot of China’s economic and cultural centers. Even brutal intervention from the emperor did not stop this process.
In ancient times, Chinese people had more fun on Lantern Festival than during first few days of Spring Festival, as it was also a time for relaxed social norms. Besides lantern displays, there were many options for amusement, such as variety shows, plays and lantern riddles. Women would mingle in the crowds for a chance to meet suitors. The carnival not only set the stage for romance, but also troubles. Why lanterns and rice balls are so important to the Lantern Festival? They both hold physical and spiritual significance. Some researchers believe the Lantern Festival and its lantern displays also have religious origins in Buddhism and Taoism.
Louis XIV sent a six-member delegation to visit China. All were fellows of the French Academy of Sciences. Two of them, Joachim Bouvet and Gerbillon Jean Franois, met Emperor Kangxi and took the place of the elderly Verbiest as Kangxi’s science teacher and adviser. 15 French scientists came to China under the initiative of the two emperors. This means that the originally religious missions by European churches became State-sponsored scientific and cultural exchanges between the two sovereigns. Before that, for thousands of years, China and Europe kept an indirect, material link through trade via the land and maritime Silk Road.
The only legacy in China that still tells people today about the short honeymoon between China and the West during that time are the astronomical instruments built by European missionaries at the royal observatory in Beijing and Western clocks and watches in the Palace Museum.
But the honeymoon had cultural repercussions in Europe. The missionaries’ letters aroused strong interest in Chinese culture among intellectuals in Europe, especially some pioneers of the Enlightenment. They had never been to China. Their thinking about China was mainly informed by the missionary letters.
Ever since 1912 after the end of China’s last imperial dynasty in 1911, Chinese people have been celebrating the turn of two calendars: One is the Gregorian calendar on January 1, as most people around the world do, and the other on the first day of the lunar calendar. Chinese New Year’s Day changes annually according to the Gregorian calendar.
Indeed, the lunar calendar we use today is also a result of the exchange between China and the West.
Some say that China’s first calendar was created about 4,000 years ago during the Xia Dynasty. It is still called the Xia calendar today. Most Chinese historians consider the Xia civilization as China’s first dynasty. During China’s last dynasty, the Qing, the calendar was based in Western astronomy and technology. The introduction and adoption of the technology in calendar making is an amazing story of early exchanges between China and the West.
The xia that possess martial arts skills are called wuxia, “wu” meaning “martial arts”. These fictional figures first appeared in a unique genre of literature from the Tang dynasty called “legend novels”. They usually feature youxia. Similar to the later ronin of feudal Japan, youxia are wandering warriors that travel the world and live by their own moral code. However, unlike the ronin, many possessed magical kungfu abilities. Some were immortal swordsmen. These novels featured legendary figures and storylines based in mythology. Wuxia's jianghu world took shape in Ming and Qing literature. Readers are more attracted to the jianghu world for the way wuxia use their magic kungfu to mete out vigilante justice, their sense of brotherhood and other actions that are otherwise impossible for people in regular society. Jianghu figures sometimes reject mainstream values. Some wuxia figures find pride in not following social norms. Traditional cultural elements attenuate the thrill of fights and weapons, but accentuate the ethereal taste of the stories.
On November 14, 2020, Stephen Ellison, the newly appointed British consul-general in Chongqing, was visiting a nearby tourist attraction when he saw a young woman drowning in the river. Without hesitation, he dived in and saved her life. The video clip of his brave action went viral and he received copious praise. He was presented with the Chongqing Special Award for Justice and Courage and 50,000 yuan ($7,600) by The Chongqing Foundation for Justice and Courage. He donated the money to a local charity.
Justice and courage are probably the core of Chinese values with a long history, referred to as xia (侠), or chivalry. A chivalrous hero is expected to be willing and strong enough to help people where official justice or relief is not accessible. Xia, especially wuxia（武侠）which means xia with martial arts like kung fu, is a very popular part of Chinese culture. It would be too late to wait for the police to come to the rescue of the drowning woman. The 61-year old gentleman did not hesitate to save her life. He was the champion for his age group at the Beijing International Triathlon in 2019, which involved swimming, running and cycling. His willingness and a sort of “kung fu” of saving a stranger in danger no doubt fits the image of a chivalrous person among the Chinese public. Kung fu in modern Chinese is also used as a metaphor, referring to a skill.
Records of chivalrous people in China can be found in books written more than 2,300 years ago. But in the early years they were people that defied the imperial authorities or mainstream values in society. They were marginalized or even cracked down on. They did not have magic kung fu. Their image and the attitude toward them changed later. Given this, over thousands of years, chivalry, as a spirit or a value, is present in different groups in different ways during different times in China’s history. Chivalrous people were real or fictional in the process. It is a story about how people projected their expectations for life and justice on something they could not get in the real world.
For most of its history, China was not isolationist. For nearly 1,500 years up to the 14th century, China was a major trading nation. Maritime trade boomed during the Southern Song and Yuan dynasties from the early 12th century to late 14th century, making the Southern Song the wealthiest of all Chinese dynasties.
So why did China’s last two dynasties, the Ming and Qing, turn their backs on openness and the wealth it brought? Why did they shift to a strict policy of isolation?
People today have good reason to criticize the narrow-minded ruling class of the Ming and Qing. But among their reasons is that the enormous wealth generated from foreign trade also was the downfall of the powerful family, the world’s largest port city, and dynasties that underwrote it.
For most of time since the establishment of the Ming Dynasty in the second half of the 14th century till the early 1980s, trading with the rest of the world was banned or restricted in China. By contrast, right before Ming’s closed door policy, China had already been involved in an enormous maritime trade for hundreds of years. And before it explored trade on the sea, its trade with Europe via West Asia and the Arabian Peninsula on the Silk Road had been going on for hundreds of years. The Southern Song was a smaller, weaker dynasty than the Tang or Northern Song, but it was the richest dynasty in China’s history. It ruled the Yangtze River and Pearl River areas, the most prosperous regions in China. Maritime trade reached its peak in this period, contributing a lot to the prosperity of the dynasty.
China’s total fertility rate has been below 2.1 for nearly three decades, the necessary number of children born to every woman to maintain current population levels. Families valued having children more in ancient China than today. As a Chinese saying goes: “emperors love their eldest son most, while ordinary people love their youngest son most.” In addition, The link between prosperity and population is prevalent in Chinese history. In ancient China, prioritizing agriculture provided incentive to have more children. And how changes in genetics and environment affect human fertility has been an increasingly important focus of study over the past 20 years.
Anything in today’s toolbox for care for the elderly can be found in ancient China. The question is how old was regarded as old enough to be entitled to State-guaranteed elderly care measures. The consensus among researchers is that a typical family consisted of about five members since the Warring States period between the 5th and 3rd centuries. It was not as big as people think. Imperial rulers were implementing a tax policy contradictory with the values they themselves advocated. The taxation system was disintegrating families. The longest history of any non-government charity organization in China was the 800 years operation of the estate built to provide for patriarchal clan members of a famous literati and politician in the Northern Song dynasty.
No other scholar in China’s history has had such a deep influence on popular culture as Su Dongpo, one of the brightest stars in the vast galaxy of China’s literary past. Indeed, if you only have time to learn about one ancient Chinese scholar, Su Shi is the right choice. Why is he loved so much? He was both admired and hated in his time. But for about 1,000 years, Su’s attitude toward life has been admired by Chinese intellectuals. For both scholars and ordinary people, he is a real person who can always find the fun and meaning in life, no matter what comes his way.
The anticipated listing and the unexpected suspension put the microloan business of Alibaba's fintech arm Ant Group in the media spotlight. Chinese people seem to have long impressed the world for their preference for saving. Their enthusiasm for borrowing is apparently a new phenomenon. But did ancient Chinese borrow? If they did, how? Why was the "square hole the big brother" so important for more than 2,000 years in China? How can ancient rich people keep 10 million copper coins in their house?
Do people travel just because they got rich enough to afford a trip? “The world is so big, and I want to look at it,” says a middle school teacher from Central China’s Henan Province, in her letter of resignation in 2015. “A person has to be impulsive twice in their life: to fall head over heals in love and to go on a trip without any hesitation,”said another popular online post in 2016. So do we really need a good reason to travel? For ancient Chinese scholars, they did need a good reason to travel. But the most famous ventures in ancient China happened in the dreams of China's great poet and a young lady in a classic drama.
A group of young women in Shanghai group-bought luxury bags and booking rooms at five-star hotels just to take photos and pass them off as their own purchases on their WeChat feeds. Netizens mocked them as “fake socialites. Young men are doing something similar. A more humble bragging is, for example, complaining the new Lamborghini your husband gifted to you is "too ugly." The girl who started this traces its origins to the Japanese manga The Rose of Versailles, a story based on the flashy Bourbon Dynasty. In ancient China, competition on flaunting upper class lifestyle and taste was once a fad among the elite group. It finally led to the fall of dynasties and powerful political families during that period.
To a large extent, food supply shaped the development of the world’s early civilizations, including those in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and India. In China, food security was a matter of dynastic survival. Geographic isolation and human influence on nature were decisive factors in the flourishing of Chinese civilization and shaping of Chinese politics.
There was a lot of imagination in narratives on rural areas in ancient China. For thousands of years, rural villages have existed. Why would they need to be a part of anyone’s imagination? The 2,000-year plus stable centralized imperial system in China underlies the tradition of focusing on imperial rulers and institutions in historical research. The vague picture and difficult academic research set the stage for an idyllic imagining of ancient villages in China. There is a Western voice in this imagining, and the main pushers of this narrative were European missionaries. For both Western elites disappointed with the modern civilization brought about by the Second Industrial Revolution during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and China's rising middle class today, it is a shangrila-style description of the villages that strikes a deep chord. And based on the illusion of a lack of imperial governance in villages, there is another illusion that a village in ancient China was governed by local influential landed gentry.
“Tragic family of origin”, a term taken from family counseling, has become a hashtag in recent years after stories of conflict between parents and children, either real or depicted in TV and film, shocked the public. Some blame traditional views on education, which prioritize academic success and give rigid authority to teachers and parents. This criticism, however, is possibly a misinterpretation of Chinese traditional ideas about education, either in terms of schooling or family education.
The UK replaced the US as the favorite intended destination of Chinese students in 2019, and the gap was even wider in 2020 due to the tension between China and the US. About 150 years ago, the US was the first country in the world to receive the first government-funded students from China. Their average age was 12. They were sent by the imperial Qing government under an initiative promoted by the first Chinese graduate from the United States, Rong Hong, who was known as Yung Wing in the US. Some of these children became Chinese diplomats, engineers and military officers. One of them, Liang Cheng, became the Qing court’s ambassador to the United States. He was knighted as Sir Chentung Liang Cheng by Great Britain. He initiated and facilitated a project in which some of the reparations paid by the Qing to Western powers for losses over the Boxer Rebellion were used to fund the study of Chinese students in the US and other Western countries.
Today Japan is the host country of the second largest group of Chinese students abroad, second to the US. Japan hosted the largest number of Chinese students abroad between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But Japan used to a student of China. How did it become a teacher of China? Some of the Chinese students, either funded by the imperial Qing government or by themselves, became the major force of overthrowing the Qing and China's imperial system. Why?
The Beidou Satellite Navigation System, the spacecraft Crew Dragon --- while grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic on Earth, humans have made several landmark steps in space in 2020. Many world firsts records of astronomy and sophisticated calendar making systems over thousands of years of history, along with love between a goddess and a human and the fight of the Monkey King against the order in the heaven --- science and humanity are always two sides of the same coin not only in astronomy in China for thousands of years, but also in any science for human today.
Prices of gold and silver skyrocketed in the first half of the year amid uncertainties of the global economic prospect. China has a long history of using gold. But China has never been on gold standard. Instead, silver dominated the country as a national currency for hundreds of years partly due to silver influx from European colonies in the Americas. Silver also brought wars between China and the world powers.
In the first decade of the 20th century, today’s Hankou District of Wuhan became the second-largest port in China, only following Shanghai and exceeding old big ports like Guangzhou and Tianjin in terms of trade volume. Kokichi Mizuno, the Japanese general consulate in Wuhan, described the city as the “Chicago of China” in his book about Hankou published in 1908. An official of China's last dynasty Qing initiated Wuhan's industrialization process which has also underwritten the fall of Qing.
Chinese civilization began in the middle and downstream of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River. Unlike the Nile flooding which brought prosperity, it is troubles related to water, including flooding and conflicts on water supply, that underlies the geographic, political and cultural structure of the earliest Chinese civilizations.
Covid-19 is not the first pandemic that has impacted human society. In the mid 14th century, the black plague in Europe affected the continent’s evolution of politics and religion. In the 17th century, a pandemic outbreak in China impacted the rise and fall of its final two dynasties, the Ming and Qing. And during the process, European missionaries had a tremendous influence.
Every year, millions of students take China’s national college entrance exam for a coveted slot at a top university. Despite the severe competition and its bouts with controversy, many still see the exam as the only avenue to social mobility – a view that finds roots 1,300 years ago in ancient China.