honesty, song dynasty, tea house

An Honest Tea House Owner

There was once a small tea house in Beijing during the Song Dynasty whose business was very prosperous. One day, a man named Li visited the tea house with one of his old friends, and because it was very hot, Li took off his overcoat and put a small bag of gold on the table. However, he ...

Max Lu

A steaming cup of oolong tea sits on a board with tea making accessories.

Your Character Is Defined by How You React

Life inevitably brings unexpected events. If we carefully examine our past life to date, we may notice that we have undoubtedly encountered unexpected situations. During these times, our behavior often reflects our true character. The following stories depict how people act given unexpected events and how this reflects their character. Employing self-reflection My friend Vivian ...

Emma Lu

Car stopped on sidewalk.

Your State of Mind Impacts Your Health

Scientists have observed that our moral state of mind affects our health. For example, people who lack patience age faster while people with a loving heart tend to be healthier, and honest people are even better off. Your state of mind impacts aging The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) published a study in January ...

Emma Lu

Man holding helium-filled balloons at the beach in the shape of a heart.

Life Lessons: This Businessman Adopted More Than a Daughter

Life lessons come in many forms. On a cold winter’s night 30 years ago, a businessman came to a hospital in Washington, D.C. looking for his wife’s lost purse. The purse contained US$100,000 in cash and a trade secret, so he was extremely anxious about the loss. Upon arriving at the hospital, he saw a thin, ...

Max Lu

A hospital emergency room entrance.

Is a Half-Truth More Cowardly Than a Lie?

“A half-truth is the most cowardly of lies.” – Mark Twain With the onset of the digital revolution and various social media personalities and pages claiming to know the “truth,” it does not take too much time for half-truths to become lies. We have come across many such instances where we know the full story ...

Raven Montmorency

A half-truth equals a lie.

The Importance of Having Good Character

Great people are usually judged by their good character and having good character means that you have such admirable traits as honesty, responsibility, and courage. It is beneficial for you to have good character. Being honorable and honest in the work you do and in your relations with others are essential in your life. The general ...

Tatiana Denning

Dwight Eisenhower in his jeep.

A Blessed Person Has These 8 Uplifting Characteristics and Much More

Life’s journey is rich and varied, bringing both beautiful moments and untold hardships. If you can face all of life with a good and sunny heart, if you are proactive, calm, and unafraid, then you are a truly blessed person and many blessings will be freely given to you. 8 characteristics of a blessed person ...

Emma Lu

The heart of a blessed person.

A Tale of Immediate Reward for Virtue and Doing a Good Deed

It is said that a person is rich and prosperous for a reason. Accumulation of virtue, in this life or from previous lives, can be exchanged into wealth and prosperity. This is a true story from the Qing Dynasty of immediate reward for having virtue and doing a good deed. In the Shunzhi era, an elderly ...

Tatiana Denning

A hoard of Chinese coins.

Character Is the Most Valuable Thing in a Person’s Life

Character is the victor’s laurel crown and the glory of life. Keep your character and then you will keep the greatest wealth. Honesty and integrity are part of good character Our recognition of a person often starts with honesty and trusting the person’s character. If a person is unable to win others’ trust, it is ...

Helen London

Plants growing in a pond.