Culture

An old Chinese proverb says that the reign of every emperor starts when he dons his new robes. The imperial robes of the last Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) lend legitimacy to this proverb. Clothing was seen […]

Zhang Liang (張良) (around 262–189 B.C.), along with Han Xin and Xiao He, was known as one of the “Three Heroes of the Early Han Dynasty (漢朝三傑).” He was a chief military strategist, minister, and […]

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (漢朝) (206 B.C.–A.D. 220), also known as Han Wudi, (漢武帝), ruled from 141–87 B.C. as a brave and energetic campaigner. Of all Han Dynasty notables, he earned the highest […]

Liu Xiu was not only known for his exceptional talent in military strategy. He was also known for being an open and honest man who bestowed rewards and punishments in a fair and transparent way. […]

The Qin Dynasty (秦朝) (221–206 B.C.), China’s first imperial dynasty, lasted for only 15 years before it was replaced by the Han Dynasty (漢朝), which lasted more than 400 years (206 B.C.–A.D. 220). The greatest […]

Liu An, the King of Huainan (in today’s Anhui provinces) lived in the Western Han Dynasty. He was keen on practicing Daoism through which he accidentally invented Tofu more than 2,100 years ago. Liu An […]

Yang Zhen was from Huayin County (now in Shanxi Province) in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD). He was well-known for his knowledge and wisdom, but what made him stand out as a respectable figure […]

Fan Zhongyan was a prominent politician and a famed poet and writer during the Northern Song Dynasty (A.D. 970-1127). A saying of his, “Be the first to feel concern for others and the last to […]

A marquis named Jing Hou once paid a visit to the prince of Wei State during the Warring States period of Chinese history (475–221 B.C.). Jing Hou specially dressed up for the occasion, holding a […]

In ancient China, it was quite common for men to be bare-chested during the summer, but of course this was not the case for ladies. So they would wear less layers and sheer fabric inside […]

Liu Zhuang (28-75 AD), the second emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, became known after his demise as Emperor Ming of Han. “Ming” means “understanding” and “bright” in Chinese. It was during his reign (57-75 […]

King Wen succeeded his father King Wu of the state of Chu in 689 BC during the Spring and Autumn period of China. King Wu had been reigning for 51 years, so when King Wen […]

Cao Jie is an obscure character in Chinese history compared to his illustrious great-grandson, the ruler Cao Cao, but he was well-known for his kindness and generosity among his neighbours. According to the “Continuation of […]

The Three Kingdoms period (A.D. 220-280) was a turbulent era in China’s history, with colourful historical figures who jointly personified the notions of fidelity and righteousness in Chinese culture. Among the most prominent characters were […]

Qixiong Ruqun or Chest-High Ruqun (齊胸襦裙) is a typical Tang Dynasty women’s hanfu. This video will show you a step-by-step tutorial on how to wear Qixiong Ruqun. I will also talk about each individual pieces […]

Shao Xinchen lived in the Western Han dynasty of China, he got the top grade in the civil service examinations and was appointed as a local officer. In the reign of Emperor Yuan, between the […]

There is an old saying in China: In a conflict, when you hold your temper, you will avoid a tempest; when you take a step back, you will find the sea and the sky boundless. […]

The Three Character Classic, or San Zi Jing, is the best known classic Chinese text for children. Written by Wang Yinlian (1223–1296) during the Song Dynasty, it has been memorized by generations of Chinese, both […]