Traditions

The Secret to the 33,000 Centuries-Old Stores in Japan

There are more than 33,000 stores in Japan that have endured for centuries. This is the country with the most time-honored brands in the world, including the world’s oldest hotel, Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan in Yamanashi, which was founded in A.D. 705. There is also the Candy dessert shop Ichimonjiya Wasuke, a company based in Kyoto, ...

Helen London

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan.

Waistcoats and Hanfu: Period Clothing Coming Back in Style

Many people seek new outfits, radically different from all known styles, when they want to project themselves as fashionable. In essence, fashion to them is defined by the rejection of existing styles and the adoption of new, never-seen-before ones. However, there are people who do the reverse — they reject all modern clothing and choose ...

Raven Montmorency

Period clothing.

Traditional Chinese Culture Symbolism: The Phoenix

The phoenix is probably the most iconic mythical bird in human history. Multiple cultures, from the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese, and Arabs, revered the bird. In traditional Chinese culture, the phoenix, referred to as feng huang, was seen as a noble bird that was able to judge the character of human beings and confer blessings ...

Emma Lu

The Chinese phoenix.

The Exquisite Style of Ming Furniture

The Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) is often considered to be the period when the art of furniture-making reached its zenith in China. The furniture of this era was usually made of a single large piece of hardwood. Though simplistic in design when compared to furniture styles from previous periods, Ming furniture stands out with ...

Emma Lu

Ming Dynasty chairs and table.

Don’t Travel to Japan Without Learning These Customs

An island nation full of wonders and promises to its visitors, Japan entices people around the world with its distinct culture and tradition. But before flying to this Asian country, you should educate yourself about its customs and traditions. Their customs are unique and interesting. There’s a right angle to take a bow for a ...

Raven Montmorency

A Japanese restaurant.

What Happens During Ragnarok: The Norse End Times

Fans of Marvel films will be familiar with the word “Ragnarok.” Ragnarok basically refers to the final apocalypse in viking Norse mythology, much like the “End Times” prophesied in the Bible. Ragnarok “The word ‘Ragnarok’ comes from Old Norse Ragnarok, ‘Fate of the Gods.’ In an apparent play on words, some pieces of Old Norse ...

Armin Auctor

Norse mythology's Ragnarok.

An Interesting History of Incense Burning in China

In China, incense holds a special religious significance. Whether it be at Buddhist temples or during ancestral veneration ceremonies, this is always lit. Some of the methods of its preparation also have similarities with the preparation of medications developed in traditional Chinese medicine. History of Chinese incense During the time of the Han Dynasty (206 ...

Emma Lu

Burning incense sticks in China.

How to ‘Speak’ Chinese With Your Body

As far as a Western person visiting China is concerned, a basic knowledge of Chinese body language is necessary to ensure that you understand the gestures people make and do not end up insulting anyone.  Communication is not just about words. The way people move their heads, the gestures they make with their hands, how ...

Emma Lu

A Chinese woman with a smile holding flowers.

Ancient Arts: The History Behind Chinese Cloisonné

Cloisonné is an ancient ceramic and metalwork decoration technique. Though believed to have originated in the West or Middle East, Chinese artisans are well known to have produced some of the world’s best cloisonné works. The term is derived from the French word cloison, which means “partition.” Craftsmen used strips of metal to create partitions ...

Emma Lu

A Chinese cloisonné bowl.

A Chinese Tribe That Makes Clothing From Fish

You most likely have worn clothes made from cotton and wool. But have you ever seen a dress made from fish skins? Such clothing from fish does exist and it is still made by a remote Chinese tribe called the Hezhen. Clothing from fish In the 1990s, the Chinese government launched a census to identify ...

Raven Montmorency

A Hezhen tribe member.