There is a famous story about the Daoist Doctor Xue. One day, in the early years of the Qing Dynasty, a gang of robbers ransacked a village. At the time, the roosters crowed, dogs barked, and all the villagers hid. There was a prominent family in town who was well-known for being beneficent. When the ...
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on; and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” — William Shakespeare, “The Tempest” The origins of the pillow are quite fascinating. While the pillow may seem to be a simple concept and a common item that we take for granted, it hasn’t always been the ...
In understanding and learning Chinese characters and writing, it’s best to understand the various strokes used in writing Chinese characters. You also need to understand the individual components that come together to make up each character. Once you have a grasp on these two elements, you will understand how to use most Chinese dictionaries. Chinese ...
When speaking of ancient China and inventions, teaware would certainly be near the top of the list. Teaware, like tea drinking customs, was developed out of the needs, tastes, and trends of people at different times. In order to be able to appreciate teaware — or any works of art — we need to first understand some ...
Whether you are planning to attend a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, or just want to make flavorful Chinese tea at home, there are a few essential factors you should know about Chinese tea culture. Making good Chinese tea requires a careful combination of elements. Water purity, water temperature, tea infusion capability, type of teapot, tea ...
There is a folktale about how in ancient times there was a rich man who was cunning and stingy. One day, he hired a long-term laborer named Idiot Zhang. Though Zhang had such a name, he was really very smart. He calmly accepted being bullied or swindled, and would never do things to harm others. ...
Zeng Guofan said: “A prosperous family consists of harmony, filial piety, diligence, and thrift.” Therefore a harmonious family prospers. Zeng Guofan (26 November 1811–12 March 1872) rose through the government ranks, his family prospered, and he held military power. Guofan was a notable strategist, a skilled administrator, and held himself to the values of nobility ...
老馬識途 means “An old horse knows the way” (老 old, lǎo; 馬 horse, mǎ; 識 know, shí; 途 way, tú). It is an expression for an old hand, one who knows the ropes and can lead you out of problems — one of the many popular Chinese idioms. It is based on a story from the Spring and Autumn ...
The Chinese calendar is also known as the Yin or Xia calendar, or the lunar calendar. Its origins supposedly go back to the year 2100 B.C. to the Xia Dynasty and, according to legend, to Emperor Huang Di. The Chinese Communist Party declared the Chinese calendar as belonging to “The Four Olds” in 1949, and denounced ...
Since ancient times, proper etiquette has been an important part of Chinese culture. Etiquette was considered especially important while dining, and ancient people viewed how one used chopsticks as a reflection of their upbringing and their parents. If you held or used chopsticks in a sloppy, careless, or rough manner, it was taken very seriously, ...
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