Culture

According to Shi Ji (Historical Records), Bian Que was from Zhengdi, Bohai County in the Qi Kingdom. His original name was Qin Yueren. When young, he worked as a hotel manager. A traveler called Chang Sangjun was a frequent guest at Bian Que’s hotel. Bian Que considered Chang Sangjun to be a special man and therefore paid

Bian Que was a famous Chinese medical doctor. When Bian Que was examining a patient, he could to see the root cause of diseases. When Bian Que went to Qi, King Huan treated him as a guest. Bian Que visited King Huan and told him, “You have disease at the level of your muscles. If

Bian Que was a well-known doctor of Chinese medicine who lived long ago. He led quite a colorful life, which can be seen from the selection of stories below. Learning Medical Skills Bian Que worked at a hotel when he was very young. At that hotel, there was a regular by the name of Changsang.

In Chinese medicine, a human body is divided into five systems: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Human organs and tissues correspond to the five elements. The body’s five systems not only automatically self-regulate according to the laws of yin and yang but also coordinate with the five elements from the outside world in order

According to his biography in “The Unauthorized History of the Ming Dynasty,” Li Shizhen was born in Qizhou (today Qichun County in Hubei Province). Li lived from 1518 to 1593 during the Ming dynasty. When Li Shizhen was born, a white deer entered the room. Since his childhood, he thought it had been decreed by

(Continued from Part 4) During times of poverty and difficulty, Sun Simiao always maintained his virtue and held to his principles. This was how he achieved enlightenment and clarity. He also always practiced kindness, which naturally led to favorable outcomes. Following Heavenly Laws and Cherishing Virtue Renowned scholars such as Song Zhiwen, Meng Shen, and

(Continued from Part 3) Sun Simiao is a shining star in the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine. His accomplishments have been commemorated and admired for more than 1,000 years. Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty once praised him: “Opening a trail and paving a path,you are the top master of medicine;Providing assistance to the divine

(Continued from Part 2) As a practitioner of cultivation, Sun Simiao not only possessed miraculous medical skills, he also had high moral values. He treated not only people, he also applied his skills to help non-humans, such as dragons and tigers. Providing a Cure for a Dragon Someone knocked at the door of Sun’s hut

The earliest references to traditional Chinese medicine can be found in the medical classic “Shennong Bencao Jing.” The Yellow Emperor’s classic of internal medicine, “Huangdi Neijing,” is a thorough portrayal of diagnostic and therapeutic methods, including acupuncture. Chinese medicine differs considerably from science-based Western allopathic medicine. Renowned Taiwanese doctor Hu Naiwen explained the basic philosophies

(Continued from Part 1) Examining Meridians Through a Thread Emperor Taizong’s wife, Queen Zhangsun, was once pregnant for more than 10 months and had not gone into labor. She became ill and bedridden. Many imperial physicians were treating her, but her condition failed to improve. Emperor Taizong was visibly worried about this and restless. Following

Sun Simiao (541-682 AD) lived for 142 years until the early Tang Dynasty. He went to school at the age of seven and memorized texts that were more than 1,000 words long each day. By the age of 20, he enjoyed reading the texts of Daoism, Buddhism, and others. Dugu Xin, a well respected general,

In the Chinese culture of the past 5,000 years, the main theme was without doubt of divine connection, and was well preserved. It guides people’s everyday life, viewpoint of the world, and transition of dynasties.  This series focused on manifestation of this main theme during remote ages. They include the Xia Dynasty (about 2070-1600 BC), Shang

In the Chinese culture of the past 5,000 years, the main theme was without doubt of divine connection, and was well preserved. It guides people’s everyday life, viewpoint of the world, and transition of dynasties. This series focused on manifestation of this main theme during remote ages. They include the Xia Dynasty (about 2070-1600 BC), Shang

By Conan Milner Few plants have as fascinating or as long a history as the ginkgo tree. Ginkgo is old. Really old. It comes from the time of the dinosaurs, and has unique features unlike any plant alive today. Botanists consider it a “living fossil.” At least 150 million years ago ginkgo grew all across the

It is often said that life is fleeting, that it passes in the blink of an eye. No matter how beautiful one is, that beauty cannot withstand the ravages of time. Buddhas often say that everything in this world is illusory and unsustainable, and the wise men of the world will not be fooled by

The Han Dynasty was one of the most glorious periods in Chinese history. This article is about Gong Sui, an official of the Han Dynasty who was loyal and generous. Using his wisdom, he pacified rebellions without battles or even soldiers. Loyal to the King In the early Han Dynasty, emperors sometimes appointed royal family

Tolerance and forgiveness are part of traditional Chinese virtue. They are a manifestation of compassion and help to resolve many conflicts as shown in the examples below. No Defense When Being Wronged As a proverb goes, injuries from weapons are relatively easy to endure, while harms caused by rumors are the most difficult to bear.

Han Huang (723-787 AD), a renowned official and artist, lived in the middle era of Tang Dynasty. He had served four emperors including Xuanzong, Suzong, Daizong, and Dezong. As a chancellor, he was respected for his candidacy and honesty. His artwork, Five Oxen, is considered a masterpiece of Chinese painting. Below are two interesting stories

By Maria Zheng And Rosemarie Fruehauf The Chinese calendar is also known as the Yin or Xia calendar, the Moon Calendar. Its origins supposedly go back to the year 2100 BCE, to the Xia Dynasty. According to legend, Emperor Huang Di could be called the founder of it. But during the revolution in 1949, the

Mankind invented calendars to keep track of time. The ancient Chinese calendar is probably among the most complicated calendar systems there are. It remains a mystery even to many Chinese people. There are three types of calendar systems: solar, lunar, and solar-lunar calendars. A solar calendar uses the time it takes for the Earth to