Mikel Davis

The Legend of Qin Liangyu: China’s Female General (Part 1)

Over thousands of years of Chinese history, Qin Liangyu stands out as the only woman to have been officially recognized as a general by the nation. Celebrated by the Ming Dynasty’s Emperor Chongzhen in a poem, she is the only female general recorded in the Twenty-Five Histories, filling the long-standing gap of female representation in ...

Mikel Davis

Chinese painting of famous female general, Qian Liangyu.

Tolerance and Tact: Tales of Eastern Wisdom

Eastern tales, whether from China or Japan, often share deep wisdom through simple stories. These timeless lessons still resonate today. Here are two tales that highlight the value of wisdom and tact. The Zen Master’s reply Along a street lined with cherry blossom trees in Japan, opposite a temple, there was a flower shop. One ...

Mikel Davis

Snow owl winking.

The Grape and the Monk: An Ancient Parable on Shaping One’s Destiny

Throughout history, tales have been told to illuminate the deeper truths of our existence, to guide us when we feel lost, and to remind us of the power that lies within. Such is the ancient parable of Defu, whose name symbolizes fortune, but whose life was marked by anything but. Through an unexpected encounter with ...

Mikel Davis

Two hands holding purple grapes.

The Wise Judgment of Zhao He: An Ancient Chinese Tale of Justice

In ancient China’s governance system, local officials could only exercise authority within their territories. Once they crossed the boundaries of their jurisdiction, they had no permission to handle cases beyond their region. An exemplary official in Jiangyin When Emperor Luzong of the Tang Dynasty had just ascended the throne, Zhao He served as the county ...

Mikel Davis

Pink plum blossom.

Embracing Life’s Detours: Finding Hope in Unexpected Turns

In the ever-evolving tapestry of life, change is the only constant. In his work Touring Shanxi Village, Lu You elegantly conveyed a sentiment about life’s unpredictability. He wrote: “Stream upon stream and hill upon hill, when it appears there is no way ahead, beyond shady willows and bright flowers still, there lies another quiet village ...

Mikel Davis

Yellow road sign with arrows showing the road splits into two directions.

Anna May Wong: A Pioneering Hollywood Star of Asian Descent

On October 24, 2022, the U.S. Mint released a 25-cent coin with President Washington on the front and an Asian-faced Hollywood star on the back. This star is none other than Anna May Wong, known in Chinese as Wong Liu Tsong (黃柳霜). Born on January 3, 1905, Anna May Wong holds the distinction of being ...

Mikel Davis

Publicity photo of American actress Anna May Wong likely commissioned to promote the movie 'Daughter of Shanghai.'

Nature’s Warning Signs: Bizarre Happenings Before the Tangshan Earthquake

On July 28, 1976, at 3:42 a.m. Beijing time, an earthquake 16 kilometers below the ground occurred. It had a force equivalent to 400 times that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. In mere moments, Tangshan, a city of a million residents, was flattened. It seemed like an unforeseen and unstoppable catastrophe, yet nature ...

Mikel Davis

Destroyed buildings and rubble from an earthquake.