Emma Lu

Meet the Pipa, the Chinese Stringed Instrument

The pipa is a plucked 4-string Chinese musical instrument that is easily identifiable by its pear-shaped wooden body. Often called the Chinese lute, the frets on a pipa range from 12 to 26. A video by Shen Yun explores this instrument in detail. The pipa instrument Some people make the mistake of a pipa being similar to ...

Emma Lu

A young woman playing the pipa.

The Intricate Varieties of Chinese Sculpture Styles

Over the course of thousands of years, the mastery of the art of Chinese sculpture was only rivaled by other ancient civilizations like the Greeks, Indians, and Egyptians. 4 different varieties of Chinese sculpture 1. Jade sculpture The Chinese hold jade in very high regard. In fact, jade was seen as being symbolic of Chinese ...

Emma Lu

Chinese jade sculpture.

Water in Chinese Medicine and Thought

Different civilizations have attributed different meanings to the basic elements of the earth. When it comes to water, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) details its ties with human body organs, emotions, etc. In addition, Chinese traditions have also given philosophical, astrological, and psychological meanings to water. Water in TCM Traditional Chinese medicine is based on the ...

Emma Lu

Ripples in a body of water.

The Importance of How to Discipline Your Children

As a parent, you know that disciplining your children is an important and necessary part of raising them. But it’s just as important to pay attention to how you discipline them as it is to why you discipline them. While a child being lazy and irresponsible is certainly detrimental to their development, the most critical ...

Emma Lu

A naughty girl.

Ancient Architecture: The Dule Temple

One of China’s oldest heritage sites is situated in a small town called Jixian more than a hundred kilometers from Tianjin City. The Dule Temple, roughly translated as “Solitary Joy Temple,” claims to be the oldest timber structure in Asia. This ancient Buddhist temple is more than a thousand years old and holds substantial architectural ...

Emma Lu

The Dule Temple.

The Connection Between Ancient China and Somalia

The relationship between China and African countries has been going strong for many years. But there are some connections that date back to ancient times, like the relationship between ancient China and the Somalis of the long-gone Ajuran Empire. Ajuran Empire of Somalia Not much is known about the Ajuran Sultanate. But history tells us ...

Emma Lu

Greater Cape Town, South Africa.

Taoist Tale: A Bowl of Rice

This is a Taoist tale from ancient China about a bowl of rice. Once upon a time, there was a Taoist master who was known for his uncanny ability to solve tricky problems for people. Two young men, who worked together at a certain company, decided to go and see him as they both had ...

Emma Lu

The Taoist yin-yang symbol made from rice.

A Simple Guide to the Flavors of Taoyuan

Have you ever heard of the “Flower Kingdom”? People who have visited it say that this land blooms with culture. And the unparalleled natural vistas are the stuff of dreams. It sounds like a fantasy land, but it’s not. “Flower Kingdom” is a nickname for Taoyuan, a narrow-shaped city located in the northwestern part of ...

Emma Lu

A large bowl of Chinese food.

Kaizen: A Culture of Improvement

The term Kaizen became famous around the world through the works of Masaaki Imai. Born in 1930, Masaaki Imai is responsible for bringing Kaizen to the West with the help of American management and productivity consultants. Along with W. Edwards Deming, Imai argued that quality control should be put more directly in the hands of ...

Emma Lu

Toyota tailights.

Applying Feng Shui to Bedroom Art

If you are planning to place some artwork in your bedroom, you might want to ensure that you follow feng shui principles so that the paintings harmoniously blend in with the room. There are two important things you should consider — the bagua of your home and the type of imagery depicted in the painting. ...

Emma Lu

A bedroom with art.