Ethical Emperor Repents for His Sins by Following Heaven’s Will

A self-punishment decree allowed ancient Chinese emperors to reflect upon themselves and confess their faults to the people. This was a form of repentance for their wrongdoings. The legacy left by traditional Chinese culture can be said to be the contributing factor to respecting and following the will of Heaven, pursuing the unity of nature ...

Emma Lu

Aerial view of a few spotted clouds and the shining sun on the horizon.

Finding Your Essential Self: The Ancient Philosophy of Zhuangzi Explained

Zhuangzi – also known as Zhuang Zhou or Master Zhuang – was a Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BCE. He is traditionally credited as the author of the ancient Taoist masterpiece bearing his name, the Zhuangzi. The work of Zhuangzi has been described as “humorous and deadly serious, lighthearted and morbid, precisely ...

Troy Oakes

Illustration of Zhuang Zhou, author of one of the foundational texts of Daoism.

Great Writing Comes From the Heart

Significant literary works can evoke a multitude of emotions yet can also nourish people’s hearts. But how does one create great books or articles? And how does a writer find the inspiration to create them? To find the answers to these questions, we asked Chinese-language columnist Wang Guanming from The Epoch Times, who began writing for the ...

Emma Lu

A smartphone with The Epoch Times app.

The Future Is Revealed Through the Quality of Your Thoughts

People need to be responsible for their behavior and thoughts. A compilation of Chinese poetry known as The Classic of Poetry, or sometimes translated as the Book of Songs or the Book of Odes (詩; Shī), is the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry from the 11th to the 7th centuries B.C. One poem says: ...

Helen London

Yin and yang symbol above a Chinese character on a circular tile.

Discoveries From China’s Bronze Age

One of the greatest discoveries from China’s Bronze Age occurred in 1939 when a bronzeware piece from the Shang Dynasty, dated to be more than 3,000 years old, was found in Anyang City, Henan Province. It is known as the Simuwu ding. An Emperor’s ceremonial cauldron A “ding” is a tripod or 4-legged ceremonial cauldron. It is ...

Emma Lu

Tourist visit the famous Simuwu ding bronze tripod in the National Museum of China.

Preserving Traditional Songs of South Korean Diver Women

South Korea has many beautiful tourist spots and Jeju Island is certainly among them. This island is known for haenyeo, or women divers. Haenyeo is a Korean word that means “sea women.” The traditional songs of South Korean diver women are famous and some people are keen on preserving them. On many days, along the coast ...

Emma Lu

A female korean diver emerges from the sea in a wetsuit carrying nets full of seafood she caught.

The Huizhou Merchants and Their Way of Doing Business

The Huizhou merchants, also known as Hui merchants, were one of the merchant societies in the six counties under the Huizhou Prefecture during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, also known as the “Hui Gang.” They were highly respected and known for their “Confucian way” of doing business. The Legend of the Huizhou merchants The Huizhou ...

Hermann Rohr

Huizhou merchants doing business.

7 Icons of Traditional Chinese Culture

Chinese culture is over 5,000 years old and has impacted the entire world in many different ways. 7 icons of traditional Chinese culture 1. The spirit of the tea ceremony Chinese tea, such as Xi Hu Long Jing (West Lake Dragon Well) and Yunnan Pu’er, have long been world-famous due to their superior color and flavor. ...

Billy Shyu

Clay teapot and cups sit on a wooden tray on top of a table next to the scenic waterways in Xitang, one of China's watertowns.

8 Cardinal Virtues in People’s Lives

The 8 Cardinal Virtues refer to 忠 (zhōng), 孝 (xiào), 仁 (rén), 愛 (ài), 信 (xìn), 義 (yì), 和 (hé), and 平 (píng), which are the criteria that Confucius left for people to follow. They are regarded by the Chinese as the moral foundations of society. Failing to behave according to these moral standards, you would not ...

Billy Shyu

A statue of Conficius.