Zhao Xixu was a high-ranking general of the Chu State during the Warring States Period. He was well known. One day, Chu Xuanwang, the King of the Chu State, asked the officials in the imperial court, “I heard that all the nobility from theNorth are very afraid of Zhao Xixu. Is that true?” No one
From 594 to 622, Prince Shotoku ruled Japan. He certainly lived up to his name, for “sho” means sacred and “toku” means virtue. During his reign, he promoted Buddhism in Japan, so much so that he is popularly known as the founder of Japanese Buddhism. After his death, many even called him “Japan’s Shakyamuni.” A historical figure
Han Xin (韓信) (about 231–196 B.C.) was one of ancient China’s most outstanding generals who made great contributions to the founding of the Han Dynasty (漢朝) (206 B.C.–A.D. 220). A military strategist with a rare genius, he is known for never having suffered a single defeat. Han Xin is considered one of the “Three Heroes
The New Tang Dynasty (NTD) International Piano Competition has announced the details for its sixth competition to be held in New York in 2021. The competition is renowned for its approach to tradition. The unique repertoire includes music only from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods, save for a special piece commissioned especially for the
The New Tang Dynasty International Chinese Vocal Competition presents vocal artists with a challenge they rarely can find elsewhere: to sing Chinese songs in the bel canto style. The unique competition is a true test of a vocalist’s skills. Sponsored by NTD Television, which broadcasts the semifinal and final rounds to an audience that can reach
Shao Yong (A.D. 1011–1077) was a philosopher, poet, and cosmologist of the Northern Song Dynasty. In his youth, he was extraordinarily intelligent and became determined to understand the principles of the evolution of the universe. Although Shao Yong’s name is not very well known to the general public in China due to the Cultural Revolution,
Guan Yunshi was a renowned lyric verse writer in the Yuan dynasty. He was the descendant of an aristocrat of Uygur. His ancestral home was in today’s Jmusaer, Xinjiang Province. His grandfather was a high official with a meritorious record for helping to establish the Yuan dynasty and held the posts as Governor of the
Russian photographer Alexander Khimushin has garnered global attention for his inspired photography while documenting peoples of different cultures around the world. His interest in the indigenous peoples of Siberia, in particular, has for years kept him exploring that extreme, unforgiving region. His stated mission has been to capture the faces of those last vestiges of ancient
What may be an ancient Chinese artifact mysteriously appeared in a small garden next to a pond, on a heavily wooded acreage in a remote and sparsely populated area of Harrison County, Ky. “It was just laying there,” said the finder, recalling the moment two years ago when his quest began to understand what the disc
Once when Emperor Yu*, the founding Emperor of the Xia Dynasty, went out to inspect his kingdom, he saw a criminal being escorted to be punished. He ordered his carriage to stop and asked, “What crime did he commit?” The guards said, “He stole wheat and rice from other people and got caught. We are
Zhang Zhibai lived an uncorrupted and simple life. When he was the prime minister for Emperor Song Ren Zhong, he lived just like an ordinary person. He was very happy and content. Many advised him to change his lifestyle and follow the trend so he would not be criticized as a hypocrite. People around him
Acupuncture is thousands of years old and is one of the five pillars of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Needles are inserted in points on the human body to alleviate illnesses and pain. Philosophical and theoretical bases of acupuncture were formulated 2,000 years ago within the framework of TCM. Central to these is the image of
The Chinese character for “righteousness,” 義 (yì), contains a wide range of meaning associated with morality, including loyalty, justice, and trustworthiness. It is one of the core concepts of traditional Chinese culture. Among the many legends of Chinese historical figures who exemplify righteousness, there is a story about a righteous woman who prevented an invading
Renowned painter Gu Kaizhi (顧愷之) of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (A.D. 317–420), who is esteemed as the father of traditional Chinese painting, had the nickname “Hu tou” (虎頭), or “tiger head.” The reason he was known as “tiger head,” meaning the “leader of tigers,” has to do with one of Gu’s most famous paintings, “Luo
The Chinese saying 一字之師 (yī zì zhī shī), also expressed as 一字師 (yī zì shī), literally means a “teacher of one word,” or “teacher of one [Chinese] character.” It describes a person of skill whose masterstroke completely transformed a piece of writing just by improving or correcting a single word. The saying originates from a
Respecting teachers and cherishing virtues are part of the traditional ethics practiced by the Chinese people. Teachers, who impart morality, knowledge, and values, teach people the proper ways to interact with each other and with society at large. They exemplify virtue. The Classic of Rites was one of the Chinese Five Classics of the Confucian canon.
At my acupuncture clinic, I see a number of patients who work too hard. I see a busy lawyer who sometimes works 70 and 80 hours a week. I work with a woman who is in school and holding down a job at the same time. I also see a number of women who are trying
Acupuncture reduces alcohol cravings in alcoholics. Researchers note that acupuncture is both safe and effective for reducing cravings in alcohol dependent patients. They add that acupuncture is an inexpensive modality of care for the treatment of alcoholism and “produces significant results.” This study breaks from other research on this topic. Prior research focused on National
I have had a number of memorable drinks in my life: a vodka gimlet sipped while gazing at the waters of Crater Lake in Oregon, or some pinot noirs enjoyed at a small vineyard tucked into the Willamette Valley countryside. While alcohol is certainly part of my good memories, the core of these experiences was
This is a story told by Dr Hu Naiwen, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctor. When he was learning acupuncture about 40 years ago, a classmate suddenly said to him one day, “You know, I just learnt a few acupoints, and my toothache is gone!” The “sanjian” acupoint (Sun Mingguo/The Epoch Times) The classmate chanced
