Herbal remedies have been used in China for millennia with each dynasty classifying and documenting new treatments as they were discovered. Shennong meaning “Divine Farmer,” lived some 5,000 years ago and taught the ancient Chinese agriculture and how to use herbs to treat their ailments. He is credited with inventing the hoe, axe, and plow,
Confucianism teaches that people should deal with each other with good faith, respect, understanding and trust instead of suspicion. Only then can people get along with each other harmoniously. In ancient times, Confucius and his disciples were once trapped in the wilderness bordering the state of Chen and the state of Cai. They had to
Cheng Hao was a scholar in the Northern Song dynasty. He had a strong desire to help others and bring comfort to the common people. No matter where his official post took him, he took good care of the local people as if they were his own relatives. When he held a position in Fugou
During the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1735 A.D. to 1796 A.D.) in the Qing Dynasty, there was a young scholar named Yin Qing in the city of Wuxi. One year, the emperor went to climb a famous mountain called the Tai Mountain and decided to hold an imperial civil service examination there. When he heard
Plagues have often wrecked havoc since ancient times. While some nations perished during these calamities, others survived. Here are some historic accounts from China’s Northern Song Dynasty detailing how people back then dealt with the outbreaks. According to the History of Song, one of the official Chinese historical works, a major plague occurred during the
The Dragon Boat Festival is just around the corner. While you might be craving for your favourite glutinous rice dumplings—be it the simple yet delicious Kee Chang (alkaline rice dumplings) or the ones with savoury salted egg and pork fillings—have you ever wondered why rice dumplings are associated with the Dragon Boat Festival? We’ve all
The Shaanxi Mount Taibai Inscription by Liu Bowen, a series of prophecies from the Ming Dynasty, warns of a terrible calamity that will happen between the years of the Rat and the Pig. Coincidentally, between the years 2019 and 2020, mainland China has had a string of epidemics, including the African swine fever, the bubonic
Do you know that every year in Chinese cosmo-astrology, a Tai Sui is in charge of the fortunes and setbacks of people for the entire year? Tai Sui actually refers to some stars, but has been personified as a deity or god. Do you also know that every year, four Chinese zodiac animals and the
Those born in the year of the Rat are now in the spotlight as we stride into the year 2020, which in the Chinese Zodiac system is the year of the Rat. How does your zodiac animal level up with those born in the year of the Rat (i.e. 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984,
Words of Wisdom aims to highlight important morals, which we feel our readers will benefit from reading. We hope you enjoy this fable. Sometimes, life lessons are hard to learn, and we require a few attempts before finally getting it. A monastery of young monks couldn’t understand their master’s reasoning in his refusal to punish
The father of Japan’s capitalist economy is Shibusawa Eiichi (1840-1931), a highly respected Japanese industrialist. Guided by his study of Confucius’ Analects, Shibusawa brought Western capitalism to Japan, but with a core emphasis on morality and business ethics. In this series, we look at Shibusawa’s philosophy and understanding of Confucius’ teachings, which guided the creation
By Liu Ru The father of Japan’s capitalist economy is Shibusawa Eiichi (1840-1931), a highly respected Japanese industrialist. Guided by his study of Confucius’ Analects, Shibusawa brought Western capitalism to Japan, but with a core emphasis on morality and business ethics. In this series, we look at Shibusawa’s philosophy and understanding of Confucius’ teachings, which
This is the first in a series of articles by an Epoch Times research team describing the foundations of Chinese civilisation, and setting forth the traditional Chinese worldview. The series surveys the course of Chinese history, showing how key figures aided in the creation of China’s divinely-inspired culture. The series preface follows. In ancient times,
弟子规 弟子规，圣人训。首孝弟，次谨信。 泛爱众，而亲仁。有余力，则学文。 父母呼，应勿缓，父母命，行勿懒。 父母教，须敬听，父母责，须顺承。 冬则温，夏则凊，晨则省，昏则定。 出必告，反必面，居有常，业无变。 事虽小，勿擅为，苟擅为，子道亏。 物虽小，勿私藏，苟私藏，亲心伤。 亲所好，力为具，亲所恶，谨为去。 身有伤，贻亲忧，德有伤，贻亲羞。 亲爱我，孝何难，亲憎我，孝方贤。 亲有过，谏使更，怡吾色，柔吾声。 谏不入，悦复谏，号泣随，挞无怨。 亲有疾，药先尝，昼夜侍，不离床。 丧三年，常悲咽，居处变，酒肉绝。 丧尽礼，祭尽诚，事死者，如事生。 At Home, Be Dutiful to My Parents What parents like, make an effort to possess. What parents despise, carefully get rid of. Injury to one’s body brings parents worry. Injury to one’s character brings parents shame. When parents
Aixin-Juelo Xuanye, whose title during his reign was Emperor Kangxi (1654-1722 AD), acceded to the Qing Dynasty imperial throne at the age of eight and ruled for 61 years. The name “Kangxi (康熙)”, which is a combination of the Chinese characters ‘health’ and ‘prosperity’, was derived from the proverb, “Thousands of civilians living in health
The father of Japan’s capitalist economy is Shibusawa Eiichi (1840-1931), a highly respected Japanese industrialist. Guided by his study of Confucius’ Analects, Shibusawa brought Western capitalism to Japan, but with a core emphasis on morality and business ethics. Most of Japanís old, distinguished private schools provide comprehensive education that extends from the secondary school level
The father of Japan’s capitalist economy is Shibusawa Eiichi (1840-1931), a highly respected Japanese industrialist. Guided by his study of Confucius’ Analects, Shibusawa brought Western capitalism to Japan, but with a core emphasis on morality and business ethics. In this series, we look at Shibusawa’s philosophy and understanding of Confucius’ teachings, which guided the creation
There are many wonderful stories from ancient China about gentlemen who possessed great wisdom and moral virtue. Many of these stories remain relevant today, and can teach us useful lessons on how to lead our lives with integrity and compassion, and to be free of worry. Making Integrity and Keeping Promises a Priority Those who
Adapted from Clearwisdom.net Emperor Taizong of Tang (唐太宗 ) ( 598 – 649 AD), personal name Li Shimin, was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty. One of the few truly outstanding emperors in Chinese history, his rule – known as the Zhenguan Era ( 627 – 649 AD) – was a golden age of
Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, one of the most respected emperors in Chinese history, once said, “For anyone who is a part of society, it is essential to be generous. That is, to feel happy when others’ lives go well and to feel sympathetic when others’ lives go downhill. Doing so will be good
