Mikel Davis

Pingyang, the Princess Warrior of the Tang Dynasty

In the annals of history, princesses are often envisioned as delicate figures adorned in finery, far removed from the harsh realities of battle. Yet Princess Pingyang, the sister of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, shatters this stereotype, standing tall as a warrior heroine of her era. In the year A.D. 617, the father of ...

Mikel Davis

Illustration of Princess Pingyang, the princess warrior of China's Tang Dynasty.

A Mother’s ‘Revenge’: Turning Adversity Into Strength

In a small village, there lived a family that was often at the mercy of their neighbors’ hostility. The father, a gentle soul, was frequently bullied by the villagers, leaving the mother and family to fend off the aggression as best they could. The most severe of these bullies were the neighbors across the street, ...

Mikel Davis

Man's hand reaching out to the horizon where the sun is rising over a field with rolling hills.

Lu Zongdao and Meng Xin: Stories of Unwavering Honesty in Ancient China

During the time when Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty was still the crown prince, Lu Zongdao played a crucial role as his tutor. Despite his esteemed position, Lu Zongdao faced the challenge of poverty, notably lacking in suitable wine vessels at home. This limitation led him to a humble yet creative solution: Whenever friends ...

Mikel Davis

AI-generated illustration of a Chinese scholar sitting in a garden studying an open book.

Reincarnated Love: The Remarkable Reunion of Zhu Haichun and His Wife

During the Qing Dynasty, in Chongqing, Sichuan, a young prodigy named Zhu Haichun captured the town’s admiration. By age 8, he had mastered 13 Confucian classics, and by fourteen, he was celebrated for passing the provincial imperial examinations. Despite being a promising young man, Zhu Haichun remained indifferent to the many marriage proposals facilitated by ...

Mikel Davis

A pair of wedding rings on the branch of a tree in bloom in spring.

Lin Xiangru: Master of Diplomacy in the Warring States Era

The Spring and Autumn and the Warring States Period (770–221 B.C.) was a golden age in ancient Chinese history. Not only did it produce many schools of thought that had a profound impact on future generations, but it also produced many outstanding military figures. Among them, there was Lin Xiangru, a famous statesman and diplomat ...

Mikel Davis

AI-generated image showing a Chinese minister carrying a precious piece of jade to present it to the ruler at court.

Pipa Master Tang Yingzeng’s Tale

In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Tang Yingzeng, who was from Pizhou, was exceptionally skilled at playing the pipa, a traditional Chinese lute, so people called him Tang Pipa. Because his family was poor, he couldn’t afford to get married, leaving him and his mother to rely solely on each other. Tang was ...

Mikel Davis

Painting from the Tang Dynasty era of a flying heavenly maiden with a pipa.