Shows
The ContextClimate Special 1: Why NewsChina Puts 0ut Special Issue on China-US Climate CoopToday, we’re launching our new series of podcasts on China-US Climate Cooperation. Our 20-episode series will feature climatology experts and policy makers from both countries and cover everything from carbon dioxide capture facilities to the establishment of national parks. 2025-04-0409 min
The ContextXuanzang: Return of the PilgrimToday, we’re going to continue our talk about Xuanzang taking a closer look at his stay in India, his odyssey on the way home, and how his translations of the Buddhist sutras and the records of his travels in Central and South Asia have been of inestimable value to Buddhism, as well as to world history and archaeology.2022-11-0412 min
The ContextXuanzang: The Solitary PilgrimFor any overseas college student who wants to study China, one of the ideal texts for their first course is the 16th-century novel Journey to the West because this rousing adventure story can also be read as historical fiction, political satire, and religious allegory. Scholars worldwide have found it incredibly useful for unpacking the complexities of Chinese history, language, politics, economics, and thought.One of the great classics of Chinese literature, the 100-chapter Journey to the West is believed to have its historical basis in the epic pilgrimage of the iconic monk Xuanzang.In the...2022-10-3112 min
The ContextLion Grove Garden: Between Reality and Illusion“Heaven has paradise. Earth has Suzhou and Hangzhou.” This old Chinese saying is inspired by the natural beauty of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province and Hangzhou in neighboring Zhejiang Province, both located along China’s southeastern coast. The painting we’re going to discuss captures the scenery at a famous park in Suzhou. The famous Classical Gardens of Suzhou were added to UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List in 1997. Throughout Chinese history, the gardens have been toured by senior officials, dignitaries, and many great men of letters. Today, we are going to introduce you to this painting tha...2022-10-2714 min
The ContextMing Admiral Zheng He: Seven Epic VoyagesA hundred years before Columbus and his fellow Europeans began to make their way to the New World, a Chinese fleet sent out by the Ming Emperor of China had already ventured into the uncharted waters of the western Pacific and Indian oceans. Over a period of almost three decades in the early 15th century, admiral Zheng He and his armada made seven epic voyages. His fleet, which consisted of giant treasure ships loaded with the empire’s finest porcelains, lacquerware, silk and the like, sailed to India, Arabia and east Africa, visiting more than 30 Asian and Afr...2022-10-2013 min
The ContextMing Admiral Zheng He: Mysteries Behind the ExploitsMore than 600 years ago, a formidable Chinese navy ruled the seas along China’s eastern and southern coastlines extending its superiority throughout the Indian Ocean, from Southeast Asia to the Persian Gulf and East Africa. Between the period from 1405 to 1433, China’s Ming Dynasty launched seven voyages led by Admiral Zheng He to explore these vast regions, known to the Chinese as the Western Oceans.In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’re going to unravel the mysteries left by Zheng He, which are considered to be one of the great wonders of the...2022-10-1314 min
The ContextBunian Tu: Emperor Taizong Receiving the Tibetan EnvoyKnown in English as Emperor Taizong Receiving the Tibetan Envoy, the painting Bunian Tu depicts a meeting between Tang Emperor Taizong and Gar Tongtsen Yulsung, a special envoy sent by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo to propose a marriage alliance with the Tang in the year 640. What it doesn’t show is how much bad blood there had been in the years leading up to this historically significant moment. Today, we’re going to talk about this traditional Chinese painting that has, despite its understated solemnity, endured the kind of tumultuous life you might see depicted in one of the...2022-10-0514 min
The ContextThe Great Relic Relocation: An Historic MigrationIn 1931, following the September 18th Incident in China, the Japanese occupied three provinces in Northeast China, including Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. It wasn’t long afterward that they turned their attention to Beijing, with an eye firmly set on the large collection of priceless cultural artifacts housed at the Palace Museum, located in heart of the city. Having failed an earlier attempt at looting the cultural relics back in 1894, during the first Sino-Japanese War, they came better prepared this time. The future of China’s most prominent museum and its vast collection was balanced on a knife edge....2022-09-2915 min
The ContextOrigins Project: All Points of OriginToday we’ll have the second installment of our two-part feature where we discuss a nationwide archaeological project that challenges previous notions of Chinese civilization through scientific evidence to better understand all those ancient ruins left behind.2022-09-2615 min
The ContextOrigins Project: Truth from LegendThe “Origins Project" is a decades-long, multi-disciplinary research endeavor that aims to trace the development of Chinese civilization. The project involves some 400 scholars from across China and nearly 70 scientific research institutes, universities and local archaeological institutions. The project gives Chinese researchers opportunities to explore alternative approaches not only to decode China’s prehistory, but also to redefine the concept of civilization itself. In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’re going to talk about the development of Chinese civilizaion and how myths and legends shape its narrative.2022-09-2214 min
The ContextTang Monk Jianzhen: Journey to the EastWhen the first round of the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in Wuhan of central China’s Hubei Province in early 2020, many countries recognized its inherent risk to global health and began donating gloves, masks, hazmat suits – sending whatever they could to help combat the virus. Among the supplies sent from Japan were shipments from the organization that administers the HSK, otherwise known as the Chinese proficiency test, there in Japan.What they didn’t expect was that the Chinese phrase written on the exterior of those relief boxes would go viral on Chinese social media. The lines read...2022-09-1913 min
The ContextTianqi Explosion: The Mystery of Beijing’s Big BangEquivalent to an atomic bomb in terms of its destructive power, the Tianqi Explosion is considered one of three major mysteries in recorded history yet to be solved. If you’re into solving puzzles, the others two are a 3,600-year-old event called Mound of the Dead that occurred in ancient India and Russia’s Tunguska Event that occurred in 1908. Today, we’re going to tell some stories concerning a cataclysmic explosion that turned much of Beijing to rubble nearly 400 years ago. Historians estimate that over 20,000 people were killed or injured, but the mystery of what happened has yet to...2022-09-1615 min
The ContextMazu: Chinese Goddess of the SeaThe tempestuous nature of the sea is a thing of legend – not only legend, but of gods. Just mention God of the Sea to a westerner, and you’ll conjure up images of Poseidon, reputed to be one of the most bad-tempered, moody and greedy of the Olympian gods. By contrast, the Chinese Goddess of the Sea is Mazu, a kind and compassionate lady watching over sailors, fishermen, and travelers.Today, we’re going to introduce Mazu, the most influential goddess of the sea in China, who is at the heart of a host of beliefs and custom...2022-09-1312 min
The ContextChalice of Eternal Stability: Rise and Fall of an EmpireAt the recently held cultural relic exhibition entitled “The Making of Zhongguo – Origins, Developments and Achievements of Chinese Civilization” at China’s Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, many of the exhibits were taken from the collection of the museum itself, and a significant proportion of those were related to Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, which lasted from 1644 to 1911. The exhibition featured antiques collected by the emperor, including some items he himself used regularly. There were also several items that were custom-made especially for him throughout his reign, which lasted from 1735 to 1796.Today, we’re going t...2022-09-0810 min
The ContextHoumuwu Ding: A Great ReputationEarlier this year, residents in Beijing noticed a subtle shift taking place in the subway – on signs, the English word “station” has been replaced with “Zhan”, the Chinese pinyin. In some cases, English station names such as Olympic Park and Terminal 2 of the Capital International Airport have become “Aolinpike Gongyuan” and “Er Hao Hangzhanlou”, and thank goodness their English translations are still listed in brackets.This “pinyinization” campaign has caused a stir online, with many netizens questioning the rationale behind such substitutions, since foreign visitors who don’t speak Chinese are unlikely to understand anything written in pinyin. Some joked that...2022-09-0512 min
The ContextBronze Water Basin: Awash with Love“I want to give my love an unforgettable gift. The question is what?” This is a challenge many guys face but few get right. Perhaps they can draw some inspiration from a young official that lived some 27 hundred years ago. He came up with a stunning piece of art that not only was likely a hit with his lady, but also the world for generations to come. Instead of the gold or silver one would expect, his gift was a cast bronze wash basin. Today, we are going to talk about an ancient bronze...2022-08-3111 min
The ContextAncient Trade Root: How the Sweet Potato got to ChinaImagine for a moment what life might be like if 16th-century sailors and explorers hadn’t introduced potatoes to Europe. How different would your dinner look? More importantly, would your ancestors have survived? The discovery of the potato and its introduction to the continent’s colonial powerhouses by the likes of Sir Walter Raleigh or Christopher Columbus – depending on what history books you read – was pivotal. Potatoes provided a stable, easily cultivated food source that prevented famine and improved nutrition among the poorest in society. Coincidentally, at around the same time, on a different side of the wor...2022-08-2909 min
The ContextSpring Excursion: Unrolling the Epic Journey of a Chinese TreasureTo this day, there are altogether 195 designated historical artifacts on the list of the National Cultural Heritage Administration that can never leave Chinese soil. Among them, 20 are paintings, a genre most susceptible to gradual damage with the passage of time. Luckily for visitors to the cultural relic exhibition entitled “The Making of Zhongguo – Origins, Developments and Achievements of Chinese Civilization” held recently at China’s Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, they had a chance to take a closer look at the most treasured of them all – Zhan Ziqian’s Spring Excursion (展子虔游春图) which ranks number one on the aforementioned...2022-08-2512 min
The ContextShaolin Warrior Monks: Larger than LifeFour decades ago, a retired national martial arts champion debuted in a movie about how Shaolin monks saved a Tang emperor from a warlord. The movie, called Shaolin Temple, was an overnight success. This big-screen blockbuster not only propelled its leading actor Jet Li from a mere martial arts master to a full-fledged movie star, but it also made “Shaolin” a household word around the world.The Shaolin Temple is arguably the most famous Buddhist temple in China, renowned for its Kungfu warrior monks. With amazing feats of strength, flexibility, and endurance of pain, the Shaolin monks have...2022-08-2211 min
The ContextJade Dragon: The Origin of a Chinese TotemIn 1971, Zhang Fengxiang, a farmer in the Ongniud Banner in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region happened to dig out an “iron hook” while planting trees near his home. He immediately gave it to his four-year-old brother to play with. The child tied a rope to the artifact and dragged it along the ground for fun. Eventually, the “rust” on its surface chipped off to reveal the shiny and translucent jade underneath.It is China’s First Jade Dragon, one of the most representative artifacts of Hongshan culture and the earliest prototype of the Chinese dragon. 2022-08-1912 min
The ContextAncient Tea-Horse Road: Heroic ChapterFor more than 13-hundred years, this treacherous and winding path that meanders through the mountains and valleys of southwest China has been trod by human feet and horse hoofs helping to bridge the Chinese hinterland with the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Along this unpaved and rugged commercial passage, livestock and commodities flowed back and forth: tea, salt and sugar flowed into Tibet, while horses, furs and other local products flowed out. This ancient trade route, which first appeared during the Tang Dynasty, came to be known as the Tea Horse Road. And it lasted until the 1960s – yes, the 1960s – when high...2022-08-1508 min
The ContextAncient Tea-Horse Road: Road WarriorsFor more than 13-hundred years, this treacherous and winding path that meanders through the mountains and valleys of southwest China has been trod by human feet and horse hoofs helping to bridge the Chinese hinterland with the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Along this unpaved and rugged commercial passage, livestock and commodities flowed back and forth: tea, salt and sugar flowed into Tibet, while horses, furs and other local products flowed out. This ancient trade route, which first appeared during the Tang Dynasty, came to be known as the Tea Horse Road. And it lasted until the 1960s – yes, the 1960s – when high...2022-08-1108 min
The ContextSmall Seal, Grand HistoryToday, we’re going to talk about how a small seal from the Western Jin Dynasty has born witness to the ups and downs of the Qiang people and the gradual integration of northwestern minorities that helped to build the great Chinese nation of today. 2022-08-0813 min
The ContextTea Contest: Steep CompetitionThe 40-episode costume drama series A Dream of Splendor, starring A-list actress Liu Yifei, has gathered hundreds of millions of views since it began streaming in June.Today, we’re going to talk about how a popular TV drama highlights the tea contests that emerged during the Tang Dynasty, flourished in the Song and helped inspire tea culture in Japan.2022-08-0412 min
The ContextTea Culture: From the Same SeedsChina is home to a long-established and flourishing tea culture. In many ways, Japanese culture is fundamentally influenced by China. In its earliest form, Japanese tea practice was no more than a duplicate of Chinese tea culture, but over time, it gradually took on its own features, leading to the formation of the uniquely Japanese “way of tea”.Today we will introduce how the Japanese tea ceremony – or chadō （茶道）, the way of tea – first originated from China before evolving into something quite different from Chinese tea culture.2022-08-0114 min
The ContextJataka of the Deer King: A Buddhist Tale Told the Chinese WayFew would have imagined that visitors would throng to a museum to partake of the beauty of a mural, despite it being a replica, at an exhibition on Chinese civilization earlier this year at the Palace Museum, or popularly known the Forbidden City, in Beijing.The mural or its replica is not beautiful in the visual sense. A mural from the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, northwest China’s Gansu Province, it has lost its original luster due to 1,500 years of wear and tear in the dim and dark cave, and the changing climate. So the replica of th...2022-07-2912 min
The ContextTen Ceremonial Utensils: Gaining LegitimacyAfter the Qing Dynasty established its rule over the heartland of China, the region known as Zhongyuan in the lower and middle reaches of the Yellow River centered on the region between Luoyang and Kaifeng in Henan Province, the Manchus fully controlled the country. Although setting up a unified dynasty, there were fewer people and Manchu culture was less developed than in Zhongyuan, which was perceived as the birthplace of Chinese civilization.Today we continue to discuss how Qing Dynasty emperor Qianlong holds Confucius in high esteem in order to stabilize his reign where Han nationality dwell.2022-07-2707 min
The ContextTen Ceremonial Utensils: Cultural ContinuityIn the recent cultural relics exhibition titled “The Making of Zhongguo – Origins, Developments and Achievements of Chinese Civilization” at China’s Palace Museum, otherwise known as the Forbidden City, in Beijing, there were two sets of bronzes. One is the Bronze Chime Bells of Zheng State (806-375 BCE), usually housed at Henan Museum in Zhengzhou, one of the largest sets of chime bells ever unearthed in China. The other is known as Shangzhou Shigong, or the 10 ceremonial utensils of the Shang and Zhou dynasties (c.16th century-256 BCE) to commemorate Confucius, the celebrated thinker, educator and philosopher of the Spring a...2022-07-2507 min
The ContextLuodian Bronze Mirror: Witness to the Belt and RoadLuodian bronze mirrors represent the pinnacle of the art of Chinese bronze mirrors. This is largely because of Emperor Taizong’s (599-649 CE) “historiographical thinking” – exemplified by his famous quote about needing a mirror to correct one’s appearance, understand the rise and fall of a state, and distinguish right from wrong. Today we continue to discuss how the decorated bronze mirrors from the Tang Dynasty bore witness to the ups and downs of the Silk Road.2022-07-2107 min
The ContextLuodian Bronze Mirror: A Reflection of HistoryFamed Chinese Emperor Taizong, second emperor of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) who laid the foundations of the dynasty, has a meaningful statement about the success of governance, recorded in the Old Book of Tang, a history of the dynasty compiled in 945 after it had fallen. “When one uses a bronze mirror, one can adjust the attire. When one uses history as a mirror, one comprehends the rise and fall of a nation. When one uses a person as a mirror, a remonstrator, one sees the success and missteps.” Bronze mirrors have a special political, social and cultural impli...2022-07-1808 min
The ContextLiangzhu Culture: Rewriting HistoryIn the Stone Age, jade represented wealth because of its scarcity and the advanced techniques required to shape it. Among various kinds of recovered jade wares, ritual vessels were the most valuable and symbolized higher social status. Each kind had distinct purposes. Bi (disc), for example, were used in heaven worship rites. Cong (tube), with their taotie motifs, suggest a supreme religious authority. Yue (axe) symbolized military power.Archaeologists have located nearly 100 new Liangzhu cites in recent years, including villages, cemeteries and altars. Bi, cong and yue jades were excavated in most cemeteries for nobility, but they...2022-07-1509 min
The ContextLiangzhu Jade: Dawn of CivilizationMore than 100 priceless relics were displayed at the exhibition “The Making of Zhongguo – Origins, Developments and Achievements of Chinese Civilization” at China’s Palace Museum. Among the treasured objects, two stand out as representative of their kind – jade cong , a tube-like vessel with a square outer section around a circular inner part. One is the Liangzhu jade cong from the Zhejiang Provincial Museum collection. It was displayed at the center of the hall. The other one, owned by the Palace Museum, also originates from Liangzhu culture. To illustrate their importance, they were displayed together with the He Zun, the ol...2022-07-1309 min
The ContextTea Trade: A Thief’s FortuneDemand for trade gave rise to the great geographical exploration and the first wave of globalization. However, disputes and conflicts in cross-border trade soon followed. The tea trade not only played a crucial role in many historic events, it also shaped the development of modern civilization.Tea trade between China and Britain began in the 17th century. In fact, although the Netherlands and Indonesia remained dominant players, the British had purchased tea from Canton, today’s Guangzhou in south China’s Guangdong Province, as early as 1637. In the 18th century, direct tea trade between China and Britain deve...2022-07-1109 min
The ContextThe Ten-Thousand-Mile Tea Road: A Brewing Trade WarToday we continue to discuss the Ten-Thousand-Mile Tea Road by looking at the competition between Russian and British tea merchants as they vied for supremacy in the China market, how the tea road, after a more than two centuries of prosperity, faded into history, and the modern initiatives that hark back to the cultural exchanges of the past.2022-07-0807 min
The ContextThe Ten-Thousand-Mile Tea Road: Taking a Leaf from the History BooksIt was a humble leaf that helped connect the Eurasian continent and opened the door to commercial trade and cultural exchanges between civilizations. This is the tale of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Tea Road.With an entire span of over 13,000 kilometers, the Ten-Thousand-Mile Tea Road stretches all the way from Wuyi Mountain in southeast China’s Fujian Province, via Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia, to Kyakhta in Russia, and then extends further into central Asia and Europe.As another important trade route connecting ancient China and Europe, after the decline of the Silk Road, the Ten-Thousand-Mile Tea Road ex...2022-07-0709 min
The ContextSoul Searchers: the Legend of An Ancient VaseLess glamorous than jade, gold or silver ware, pottery gets less attention at museum exhibitions. Archaeologists, however, argue that pottery is the most important cultural relic for understanding human prehistory.Unlike gold or jade, most ceramics are practical and designed for daily use. Pottery thus can offer a well-rounded view of the era it came from.In the recent Palace Museum exhibition “The Making of Zhongguo – Origins, Developments and Achievements of Chinese Civilization,” a ceramic piece stood out – a painted vase with a human head sculpted at the rim. While viewing this painted vase, one...2022-07-0109 min
The ContextAncient Bronzeware: In the Name of ChinaToday we discuss how the Chinese characters for “China”, Zhongguo, literally meaning Middle Kingdom, appears for the first time more than 3,000 years ago. He Zun, the most eye-catching and prominent example of bronzeware from the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BCE) holds the key to the question. In 1963, a farmer in the city of Baoji, Shaanxi Province, discovered the vessel at a cliff near his home on a rainy evening. The artifact, about one cubic meter in volume, was sticking out from the soil. Unaware of its value and importance, the farmer used it for storing food. Because the v...2022-06-1211 min
The ContextEggshell Pottery: Turning Dust into GloryPolished black pottery is the trademark pottery ware of the Longshan culture, which differs from the previous colored pottery of the Neolithic Yangshao culture from 5,000 to 3,000 BCE. It has also learnt its name – Black Pottery Culture – as an alternative to Longshan as an identifier. The eggshell pottery items they produced are exquisite, dark and bright in appearance, with slender stems and handles. The pottery is highly polished and thin-walled, like an eggshell. The average thickness of an eggshell is 0.5 millimeters, the size of a syringe needle opening. The thinnest part of the black pottery cup is only 0.2 milli...2022-05-0413 min
The ContextFrozen in Time: Ancient Winter GamesFrom ancient hunters hitting the slopes to skating soldiers and alcohol-fueled sledding sessions, China’s north has hosted centuries of snow and ice sport.Today, skating, skiing and ice sledding are not only popular in China’s cold north, but across the country. The modern Olympics has taken inspiration from depictions of the Qing Dynasty ice games for the design of the central garden of the Olympic and Paralympic villages in Beijing, bringing the ancient right up to date. 2022-03-0808 minThe ContextCash or Crash: Inflation in Ancient ChinaToday we discuss how unfettered imperial seigniorage broke economies and even dynasties in ancient ChinaInflation is a big concern for consumers and policymakers in major economies today. In the US, the consumer price index rose by 6.8 percent in 2021, the highest in nearly 40 years. In China, although the consumer price index, an indicator of inflation, only saw a mild increase of 0.9 percent in 2021, the producer price index rose by 8.1 percent. This rising cost of manufacturers may get passed on to end consumers in the future. Many cases of severe inflation tax could be found throughout Chinese history. 2022-01-2711 minThe ContextCoal and Petroleum: Vital Resources Long AgoWe are once again reminded of the great importance and value of coal, petroleum and electricity by the recent energy shortage. Just like the air, they seem invisible and therefore neglected, but they have been an indispensable part of our daily life since ancient times. In the country with the world’s largest coal reserves, it is thought that people started using coal over 7,000 years ago in China. It was the use of coal that changed Chinese history. Besides smelting, it burns at the high temperatures needed to make porcelain, in the 6th century it started to fuel China’...2021-12-2415 minThe ContextTrade in Ancient China: Foreign Moguls and Maligned MerchantsAccording to the General Administration of Customs of China, the private sector in China posted 28 percent of year-on-year growth of foreign-trade in the first 10 months of 2021, generating 48.3 percent of China’s total imports and exports. Its growth rate and share both outperformed those of foreign funded enterprises and State-owned enterprises. In 2019, China’s private companies contributed more to foreign trade than foreign-funded businesses for the first time. From 2000 to 2018, more than 49 percent of China’s foreign trade was made by foreign-funded businesses in China, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce.In our previous podcast on November 10, we talked a...2021-11-2615 minThe ContextRoots of Chinese Identity: ShanxiThe torrential rainfall in early October in Shanxi Province put the spotlight on the less-developed region in China’s northwest.People rediscovered Shanxi. An important outcome was the realization that Shanxi is home to so many precious ancient buildings and many are not under national or provincial protection. Those with no or insufficient protection are at risk of collapse. The historical value of Shanxi is not only embedded in the ancient buildings on its land. It takes another intangible rediscovery to understand the unique role that Shanxi played in defining Chinese culture for 5,000 years. It is among the b...2021-11-1717 minThe ContextBusiness People: From a Lost KingdomSince the end of 2020, some Chinese companies have been involved in a series of high-profile cases involving breaches of regulations. The public attitude toward these tech giants has also changed in the past two years. All this contrasts with the image of business people for more than four decades since China adopted its reform and opening-up policy in the late 1970s. Going into business was a very popular choice for a majority of the people. In the 1990s, many civil servants quit to go into business. This was probably the most glorious period for Chinese business people. Fo...2021-11-1012 minThe ContextOld Takes on Giving: Charity in Ancient ChinaA world where the widowed, disabled and anyone in need are all cared for was an ideal envisioned by Confucian scholars during the Warring States period from the fifth to third century BCE. Their writings make up the earliest recorded ideas about charity in China’s history. Government-sponsored charity mainly included disaster relief. This falls far short of modern Western charity, a virtue that has roots in Christian ethics. Buddhist temples provided alms to the poor. This marked the beginning of non-governmental charity in China, including poverty and disaster relief, health care and other programs. Individuals played a grea...2021-11-0309 minThe ContextHidden Dreams of Hermit Scholars: Behind a Crazy LifeOur previous podcast discussed some of the ancient hermits that feature in the Palace Museum’s Figure Paintings Across the Ages exhibition. They gave up political pursuits right from the start and never wavered. But unlike them, most hermit scholars depicted in the exhibition were deeply involved in politics in some way. For Jiang Ziya and the four old men, they lived in seclusion just to wait for the right time to realize their political ambitions. In Jiang Ziya’s case, the lifestyle was even used as a “bait” to “hook” the king. In other cases, living in seclusion was...2021-10-2517 minThe ContextThe Hidden History of Hermit-ScholarsAt the Palace Museum exhibition, a total of 76 paintings include portraits of the most famous hermit-scholars in China’s history. It is the second in a series of four ancient portrait exhibitions by the Palace Museum. Unlike this group of hermits, the other three exhibitions feature figures who either actively sought to make their name in the world, or tried to enjoy life.While paintings of religious figures were similarly used In the West to educate people, there is no such genre of art that focuses on hermit-scholars known for their integrity, talent and sometimes peculiar lifestyle. 2021-10-1711 minThe ContextFarming and Learning: Food for Heart“Globally, around 14 percent of food produced is lost between harvest and retail, while an estimated 17 percent of total global food production is wasted,” according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Food supply is not just an agricultural issue. On September 23, the first UN Food Systems Summit was held in New York. More than 150 countries made a joint commitment on transforming their food system to tackle hunger, poverty, gender equality, biodiversity and climate change. Since 2018, Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival has been celebrated in China’s rural areas on the day of autumnal equinox. 64 percent of Chinese lived in cities...2021-10-0814 minThe ContextMythical Qilin and Bloody Horses: Ancient Animal AmbassadorsOn August 21, the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, DC celebrated the first birthday of panda cub Xiao Qi Ji, which translates to Little Miracle. The zoo had held an online contest where the public could vote on a list of names. He “shared not one but two delicious fruitsicle cakes with his mother, Mei Xiang,” the zoo said on its website. The cub’s birth definitely comes as a little miracle during the Covid-19 pandemic and tensions between China and the US.The first pair of pandas, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing , arrived in the National Zoo in Apri...2021-09-2813 minThe ContextCultural Lions: Ferocious but CuteToday we discuss how a ferocious, exotic beast, lion, has become an auspicious, cute cultural icon in ancient China.The lion originally came from Africa. It trekked from Egypt into Europe and Asia Minor from the Mediterranean, and into the Iranian Plateau and India. There was no human intervention in their migration. There are two sub-spices of Asian lions: Persian lions and Indian lions. When the Silk Road developed in the late 2nd century, lions were imported to China through the Silk Road as a gift from other countries to Chinese emperors. They were raised in emperors’ pal...2021-09-2111 minThe ContextCockfights, Strange Stones and Pampered Cranes: Obsessive Pursuits in Ancient ChinaOn August 30, China announced a policy that restricts the time minors can play online games to three hours a week. The new rules limit those under 18 access to online gaming platforms to one hour from 8 to 9pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and on official holidays. However, on Saturday 8pm that week, many complained they could not log on their accounts for Arena of Valor, a popular game by Tencent. Two hours later, Tencent said that its servers were down and it had already fixed the problem. The company did not explain what had caused the problem. B...2021-09-1312 minThe ContextZhongyuan: the Center of the Chinese CultureIf Wuhan was the place in China that received most attention in 2020, Henan Province has certainly captured its share of attention this year. Henan in history is repeatedly referred to as the “zhongyuan,” or “central plain.” It is the thousands of years of its history as the “zhongyuan” that has created and shaped the land as the symbol of the most glorious – and the most painful memories of China. So where and what is the “zhongyuan?” Geographically, “zhongyuan” in a broad sense includes today’s Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces in China’s northwest, central China’s Henan and the east coast Shandong P...2021-09-0615 minThe ContextEpigraphy: Ancient Markings and Enduring LoveEven if we trace archaeology back to da Vinci and Raphael, there is another related discipline that began much earlier. Epigraphy, the study of ancient inscriptions, was first developed in ancient China. Unlike archaeology, it aimed to challenge and verify interpretations of classical Confucianism texts. A movement similar to the Renaissance blossomed in China during the 9th and 11th century. Leaders of the movement sought inspiration from ancient traditions. Part of their efforts was research of inscriptions on ancient metal and stone artifacts. The most remarkable achievement in Chinese epigraphy was made by a couple at the end of...2021-08-3016 minThe ContextMagic Oxen: Containing FloodsBy August 2, at least 302 people had died and some 50 were registered as missing due to the catastrophic floods that swept through parts of central China’s Henan Province after days of torrential downpours in mid-July. By 7am on August 9, nearly 15 million people in Henan had been affected by the floods. In Europe, about 200 people died in the flood which hit Germany and Belgium also in mid-July. For thousands of years, China suffered from severe floods. Ancient Chinese people dealt with the problem in two ways. One was scientific. They built big hydraulic projects like the Dujiangyan Irrigation Sys...2021-08-2309 minThe ContextA Short History of Archaeology in China: Digs and DreamsAt one time, archaeology was not a place for outsiders. But in recent years, it has captured the public imagination in China with movie blockbusters about tomb raiding like The Lost Tomb and the mysterious new findings of the Sanxingdui excavations. There is even a popular toy that lets children play archaeologist: a box containing a Terracotta warrior replica buried in dirt and tiny excavation tools. You have to clean it with the tools to discover what kind of Terracotta warrior you got. It could be a standing or a kneeling warrior, or even an emperor. Archaeology in...2021-08-1513 minThe ContextAncient Sports: Off Target ArcheryHumans in prehistory period relied on hunting and gathering to survive. When agriculture was developed, hunting became an important sport and entertainment for elites. It often carried military and political significance. 2021-08-0813 minThe ContextGrand Canal: Changing the Course of History The construction of the Hangou canal began in 486 BCE, 1,090 years before Emperor Yang launched his canal project. It became the earliest part of what became the Sui Grand Canal. Its initiator was a ruler who was as ambitious and ill-fated as Emperor Yang. Cities along the Grand Canal also were affected as the length and contour of the canal changed. At 1,800 kilometers long, the Yuan canal is about 800 kilometers shorter than the previous canal. Suzhou and Hangzhou earned the name “paradises on Earth.” Suzhou was the largest city during the Ming. But prosperity also brought disaster to the cities.2021-08-0111 minThe ContextDragon Boats on Grand Canal: The Rule of Water “The same water either supports or overturns boats on it,” Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang in the 7th century, often cited these Confucius’ remarks which compared water to the people and boats to sovereigns. He did this to repeatedly remind himself of the lessons he learned from the fall of the Sui. He founded a golden age in China's history. The Grand Canal witnessed and even underwrote the rise and fall of power and wealth of dynasties, cities and people for thousands of years in ancient China. The first person people think about in connection to the Grand Can...2021-07-2611 minThe ContextThe Apprentices: Opportunity and DiscriminationThere were 200 million skilled workers in China at the end of 2020, only 26 percent of the country’s total workforce. Given this, vocational education has drawn unprecedented attention among policymakers in China, the world’s largest manufacturer. But parents, particularly those in urban areas, are against sending their children to vocational high schools or colleges. The problem is that blue collar jobs are still regarded as beneath white collar jobs because they offer less prospects for promotion or further education -- much like in ancient times. 2021-07-1810 minThe ContextAcademic Success: A Country Pig Chasing City Cabbage Zhang Xifeng, a 17-year-old student at Hengshui High School of Hebei Province, went viral. In his speech on Anhui TV program Super Speaker, Zhang compared himself to a humble “country pig” and shared his ambition to “grab a city cabbage.” While he did not specify what “city cabbage” is, for a young man from a small town, the metaphor likely refers to a well-paid job and a wife from a middle-class family in a larger city. The Hengshui High School he recently graduated from is known for high rate of admission to China’s top universities. The “country pig chasing c...2021-07-1811 minThe ContextPublic Museums and Private Collectors: Historical SealsOne day, more than 2,000 years ago, Emperor Yuan of China’s Western Han dynasty and his concubines were watching animal baiting. Suddenly a black bear jumped out of the enclosure and attacked the spectators. The emperor and his concubines were scared and ran away. But one of the concubines, Feng Yuan did not. She stood right in front of the bear, while two guards tried to stop the bear with their long spears. She later explained to the emperor that she did this to defend him, because fierce beasts would usually stop their attack once they had grabbed one per...2021-07-1113 minThe ContextForgotten HeroineA Chinese woman living in German-occupied Belgium in the 1940s finally succeeded in her mission: an audience with the top Nazi leader in Belgium, General Alexander von Falkenhausen. It was not the first time that Qian Xiuling had met the general, and she was counting on their prior connection to aid her. She told Falkenhausen that 96 people were being held hostage in the Belgian city of Écaussinnes and they would be killed in a few hours by Nazi soldiers in reprisal for a resistance attack on SS o"cers. She pleaded with him to save their lives. 2021-06-2716 minThe ContextAncient Population Policy: Baby Boom ProsperityOn May 31, China announced a further relaxation in its family planning policy, allowing couples to have up to three children. Supportive measures will be formulated to encourage couples to have more children. The announcement came right after the release of the seventh national population census which shows the population is aging and the birth rate is falling. Ancient Chinese dynasties used different ways to boost the fertility rate to ensure they had enough taxes and soldiers. Families also believed that more children would bring wealth and power. The Qin’s system of household registration and taxation was pass...2021-06-2013 minThe ContextAncient Fathers: Absent, FarIn a recent TV series, the two mothers even seem paranoid sometimes, while the two fathers seem normal. This is because they are less involved in their children’s education. There is an ancient Chinese saying that goes, “it’s a father’s fault if he just feeds but does not teach his children.” So this raises the question: did fathers in ancient China take part in their children’s education?2021-06-1410 minThe ContextAncient Migration: Wars and WallsIn 2020, nearly 376 million Chinese people did not live in the cities where they had registered their household information, up by more than 154 million in the 2010 census. This sounds a bit odd when it’s compared to the Chinese tradition of emotionally being attached to one’s homeland where one is born and lives on the land that you farm. In world history, flows of people, either in peaceful or violent ways, have always been both a big factor and a result of fundamental social changes. For example, the Western Roman Empire fell due to incursions by Germanic tribes. Di...2021-06-0613 minThe ContextNowhere Left to Retreat: Elephants, Trees and CapitalsIn May, a herd of 15 wild Asian elephants continued their northern venture in southwest China’s Yunnan Province after their year-long journey from their home in Xishuangbanna Yunnan. Yunnan is th only area of China with wild Asian elephants. But for millennia, the habitat of wild Asian elephants stretched much farther north into China before human encroachment forced them south. An example of human impact on the environment is the widespread use of nanmu （楠木） wood in ancient Chinese architecture. By late 17th century, even Emperor Kangxi, who reigned during China’s longest period of prosperity, could not find a single nanmu...2021-05-3014 minThe ContextChanging Capitals and Canal Course: Xi’an and LuoyangSix out of the top 10 most attractive tourist sites during the 5-day Labor Day holiday in China were historical sites. Three are in Beijing - the Great Wall, the Summer Palace and Yuanmingyuan, or Old Summer Palace. The other three are the Longmen Grottoes in the ancient city of Luoyang in central China, the Ming Dynasty city wall in Xi’an in China’s northwest and the Humble Administrator’s Garden, or Zhuozhengyuan in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, in China’s east. Beijing, Luoyang and Xi’an have something in common – they are all famous for their long history as dynastic ca...2021-05-2216 minThe ContextTigers: Lost in the Wild, Lasting in CultureOn April 23, a wild male Siberian tiger appeared in a village in Heilongjiang Province in China’s northeast. It injured a local woman working on farmland and smashed the window of a passing car. It was later captured by police and forestry authorities. It will remain under a 45-day quarantine check-up before it is released back into the wild. Footage showing how it was captured went viral online. But China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation pushed for the tiger’s immediate release, as 45 days is long enough to make a wild tiger accustomed to captivity. It is yet to b...2021-05-1211 minThe ContextSanxingdui Hair: Unbalanced PowerAmong about 2,000 artifacts and thousands of fragments of relics unearthed in the eight pits of the Sanxingdui Ruins site in Sichuan Province in China’s southwest, bronze masks and figurines have attracted the most attention. They are of unusual appearance, and have particularly protruding eyes. Do they resemble the ancient Shu people of this area, or perhaps people from West Asia or even further away, say, Egypt? Some even say they are images of aliens, a speculation dismissed by scholars. Some possible keys to the secret are not only found on their faces in the front, but als...2021-05-0615 minThe ContextSanxingdui: Silk for SacrificeIn Sanxingdui, it seems that the more artifacts were unearthed, the more questions were raised. Something invisible to the naked eye also caught attention. Silk proteins were found in one of the six newly discovered pits. Silk was probably originally only used in sacrificial rituals, not for clothing. In addition, the life cycle of a silkworm starts with an egg and ends with a moth. For ancient Chinese, it was a magical process that must be explained by supernatural powers and sacred significance. 2021-04-2811 minThe ContextAncient Global Supply Chain: Made-in-China in Maritime Silk RoadTen nesting ivory balls make a big ball. On a fan, there are scenes of European courting couples. On another fan, Qing Dynasty officials are on the road with their entourage. There are porcelain tea sets with a Chinese floral design but with European-style gilt trim. All are delicate. All feature both Chinese and European tastes. These are some of the displays at a recent exhibition on Chinese exports to Europe through the maritime Silk Road during the 18th and 19th century. Major exports from China to Europe along the Maritime Silk Road in the 18th and 19th centuries...2021-04-2109 minThe ContextTranslation: Ancient Bridges Between CulturesChinese parents invest a lot in English language education for their children. English is a major subject in China’s curriculum from primary schools to college. However, Xu Jin （许进）, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the top political advisory body, recently proposed to remove English from the national college entrance exam. One of his reasons is that computers can do a very good job of translation. But can machines replace human link for cultural exchanges? More than 2,000 years ago, a venture of a Chinese diplomatic delegation paved the way for the Silk Road trade between China a...2021-04-1411 minThe ContextWomen’s World in Ancient China: In Rule Books and In RealityRecently Intel removed an online commercial by Yang Li, a controversial stand-up comedian. “Why do some men look so ordinary but are so self-confident (to judge women at will)?” “These are some of things Yang Li said in her shows in the past two years. Many angry men accused her of “instigating a confrontation between men and women.” They called for a boycott against Intel products. But Yang Li’s supporters argued that those men’s reaction proved that Yang Li’s comments about men were right. Women? Girls? Or Goddess? Even how to refer to women has become an increasingly c...2021-04-0614 minThe ContextMasculinity Education in China: Making ‘Manly’ BoysWeak, timid, low in self-esteem, dependent, no appetite for exploration or adventure: This is how some of China’s lawmakers are describing today’s Chinese teenage boys. During the annual Two Sessions in March 2020 and 2021, legislators and political advisors raised concerns about the “feminization” of teenage boys, which garnered lots of media and public attention. The Ministry of Education has since pledged to “foster masculinity” among male students through physical education. The lawmakers’ proposal is partially in response to changing views of masculinity in mainstream culture during a time when slim, makeup-wearing male pop stars dominate TV screens and music stages. ...2021-03-3112 minThe ContextTales of Antiques: Worship, War and WomenWearing ancient Tang Dynasty-style dresses and make-up, 14 plump girls holding ancient musical instruments strike elegant and amusing poses. it is not a conventional dance in which skinny dancers show fancy, standard choreography. The antiques shown on the stage set also attracted a lot of attention. There are special stories about the owners of the antiques over their life of thousands of years. 2021-03-2315 minThe ContextNorth vs South: A Historical PivotingChina’s economy grew by 2.3 percent year-on-year in 2020. But there is a big imbalance among regions. In the top 10 provinces in terms of total GDP in 2020, only two, Henan and Shandong, are in the north. In the top 10 cities, Beijing is the only northern one. By contrast, in early years of China’s reform and opening-up about 40 years ago, the north contributed more than the south to the national economy. Analysts have noticed that the south has outperformed the north since the 1990s, and the gap has widened since 2013. In history, there was also a process of a southward pivot...2021-03-1515 minThe ContextBright Lights, Big Party: Lantern FestivalIn ancient times, Chinese people had more fun on Lantern Festival than during first few days of Spring Festival, as it was also a time for relaxed social norms. Besides lantern displays, there were many options for amusement, such as variety shows, plays and lantern riddles. Women would mingle in the crowds for a chance to meet suitors. The carnival not only set the stage for romance, but also troubles. Why lanterns and rice balls are so important to the Lantern Festival? They both hold physical and spiritual significance. Some researchers believe the Lantern Festival and its lantern displays...2021-03-0912 minThe ContextEarly China-West Exchanges: A Short HoneymoonLouis XIV sent a six-member delegation to visit China. All were fellows of the French Academy of Sciences. Two of them, Joachim Bouvet and Gerbillon Jean Franois, met Emperor Kangxi and took the place of the elderly Verbiest as Kangxi’s science teacher and adviser. 15 French scientists came to China under the initiative of the two emperors. This means that the originally religious missions by European churches became State-sponsored scientific and cultural exchanges between the two sovereigns. Before that, for thousands of years, China and Europe kept an indirect, material link through trade via the land and maritime Silk Ro...2021-03-0212 minThe ContextEarly China-West Exchanges: Spring FestivalEver since 1912 after the end of China’s last imperial dynasty in 1911, Chinese people have been celebrating the turn of two calendars: One is the Gregorian calendar on January 1, as most people around the world do, and the other on the first day of the lunar calendar. Chinese New Year’s Day changes annually according to the Gregorian calendar. Indeed, the lunar calendar we use today is also a result of the exchange between China and the West. Some say that China’s first calendar was created about 4,000 years ago during the Xia Dynasty. It is still called...2021-02-1414 minThe ContextChivalry (II): Dreams of Martial Arts MagicThe xia that possess martial arts skills are called wuxia, “wu” meaning “martial arts”. These fictional figures first appeared in a unique genre of literature from the Tang dynasty called “legend novels”. They usually feature youxia. Similar to the later ronin of feudal Japan, youxia are wandering warriors that travel the world and live by their own moral code. However, unlike the ronin, many possessed magical kungfu abilities. Some were immortal swordsmen. These novels featured legendary figures and storylines based in mythology. Wuxia's jianghu world took shape in Ming and Qing literature. Readers are more attracted to the jianghu world for the...2021-02-0511 minThe ContextChivalry (I): A Humble Beginning in Ancient ChinaOn November 14, 2020, Stephen Ellison, the newly appointed British consul-general in Chongqing, was visiting a nearby tourist attraction when he saw a young woman drowning in the river. Without hesitation, he dived in and saved her life. The video clip of his brave action went viral and he received copious praise. He was presented with the Chongqing Special Award for Justice and Courage and 50,000 yuan ($7,600) by The Chongqing Foundation for Justice and Courage. He donated the money to a local charity. Justice and courage are probably the core of Chinese values with a long history, referred to...2021-01-3113 minThe ContextOpen Doors to Isolation: A Merchant’s TaleFor most of its history, China was not isolationist. For nearly 1,500 years up to the 14th century, China was a major trading nation. Maritime trade boomed during the Southern Song and Yuan dynasties from the early 12th century to late 14th century, making the Southern Song the wealthiest of all Chinese dynasties. So why did China’s last two dynasties, the Ming and Qing, turn their backs on openness and the wealth it brought? Why did they shift to a strict policy of isolation? People today have good reason to criticize the narrow-minded ruling class of t...2021-01-2111 minThe ContextChina’s Ancient Maritime Trade: Small Dynasty, Big BusinessFor most of time since the establishment of the Ming Dynasty in the second half of the 14th century till the early 1980s, trading with the rest of the world was banned or restricted in China. By contrast, right before Ming’s closed door policy, China had already been involved in an enormous maritime trade for hundreds of years. And before it explored trade on the sea, its trade with Europe via West Asia and the Arabian Peninsula on the Silk Road had been going on for hundreds of years. The Southern Song was a smaller, weaker dynasty than the...2021-01-1215 minThe ContextBaby Booms in Ancient China: Families and BeyondChina’s total fertility rate has been below 2.1 for nearly three decades, the necessary number of children born to every woman to maintain current population levels. Families valued having children more in ancient China than today. As a Chinese saying goes: “emperors love their eldest son most, while ordinary people love their youngest son most.” In addition, The link between prosperity and population is prevalent in Chinese history. In ancient China, prioritizing agriculture provided incentive to have more children. And how changes in genetics and environment affect human fertility has been an increasingly important focus of study over the past 20...2021-01-0512 minThe ContextElderly Care in Ancient China: the Honor of Being OldAnything in today’s toolbox for care for the elderly can be found in ancient China. The question is how old was regarded as old enough to be entitled to State-guaranteed elderly care measures. The consensus among researchers is that a typical family consisted of about five members since the Warring States period between the 5th and 3rd centuries. It was not as big as people think. Imperial rulers were implementing a tax policy contradictory with the values they themselves advocated. The taxation system was disintegrating families. The longest history of any non-government charity organization in China was the 800 years...2020-12-2914 minThe ContextMr Dongpo: Of Poems and Pork No other scholar in China’s history has had such a deep influence on popular culture as Su Dongpo, one of the brightest stars in the vast galaxy of China’s literary past. Indeed, if you only have time to learn about one ancient Chinese scholar, Su Shi is the right choice. Why is he loved so much? He was both admired and hated in his time. But for about 1,000 years, Su’s attitude toward life has been admired by Chinese intellectuals. For both scholars and ordinary people, he is a real person who can always find the fun and mean...2020-12-2015 minThe ContextMoney and Lending in Ancient China: Copper TalksThe anticipated listing and the unexpected suspension put the microloan business of Alibaba's fintech arm Ant Group in the media spotlight. Chinese people seem to have long impressed the world for their preference for saving. Their enthusiasm for borrowing is apparently a new phenomenon. But did ancient Chinese borrow? If they did, how? Why was the "square hole the big brother" so important for more than 2,000 years in China? How can ancient rich people keep 10 million copper coins in their house? 2020-12-0714 minThe ContextA Venture with Reasons: Or Without?Do people travel just because they got rich enough to afford a trip? “The world is so big, and I want to look at it,” says a middle school teacher from Central China’s Henan Province, in her letter of resignation in 2015. “A person has to be impulsive twice in their life: to fall head over heals in love and to go on a trip without any hesitation,”said another popular online post in 2016. So do we really need a good reason to travel? For ancient Chinese scholars, they did need a good reason to travel. But the most famous ventu...2020-11-3015 minThe ContextTo Be Rich is Glorious: A Short History of Showing off Wealth in ChinaA group of young women in Shanghai group-bought luxury bags and booking rooms at five-star hotels just to take photos and pass them off as their own purchases on their WeChat feeds. Netizens mocked them as “fake socialites. Young men are doing something similar. A more humble bragging is, for example, complaining the new Lamborghini your husband gifted to you is "too ugly." The girl who started this traces its origins to the Japanese manga The Rose of Versailles, a story based on the flashy Bourbon Dynasty. In ancient China, competition on flaunting upper class lifestyle and taste was once...2020-11-2314 minThe ContextFood Security in Ancient Times: Power of Dinner TablesTo a large extent, food supply shaped the development of the world’s early civilizations, including those in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and India. In China, food security was a matter of dynastic survival. Geographic isolation and human influence on nature were decisive factors in the flourishing of Chinese civilization and shaping of Chinese politics.2020-11-1614 minThe ContextAncient Chinese Villages: An Illusion of Shangrila There was a lot of imagination in narratives on rural areas in ancient China. For thousands of years, rural villages have existed. Why would they need to be a part of anyone’s imagination? The 2,000-year plus stable centralized imperial system in China underlies the tradition of focusing on imperial rulers and institutions in historical research. The vague picture and difficult academic research set the stage for an idyllic imagining of ancient villages in China. There is a Western voice in this imagining, and the main pushers of this narrative were European missionaries. For both Western elites disappointed with the...2020-11-0915 minThe ContextChild Education in Ancient China: Gentlemen and Scholars“Tragic family of origin”, a term taken from family counseling, has become a hashtag in recent years after stories of conflict between parents and children, either real or depicted in TV and film, shocked the public. Some blame traditional views on education, which prioritize academic success and give rigid authority to teachers and parents. This criticism, however, is possibly a misinterpretation of Chinese traditional ideas about education, either in terms of schooling or family education. 2020-11-0109 minThe ContextChinese Students in the US: an unaccomplished missionThe UK replaced the US as the favorite intended destination of Chinese students in 2019, and the gap was even wider in 2020 due to the tension between China and the US. About 150 years ago, the US was the first country in the world to receive the first government-funded students from China. Their average age was 12. They were sent by the imperial Qing government under an initiative promoted by the first Chinese graduate from the United States, Rong Hong, who was known as Yung Wing in the US. Some of these children became Chinese diplomats, engineers and military officers. One of t...2020-10-2416 minThe ContextChinese Students in Japan: RevolutionariesToday Japan is the host country of the second largest group of Chinese students abroad, second to the US. Japan hosted the largest number of Chinese students abroad between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But Japan used to a student of China. How did it become a teacher of China? Some of the Chinese students, either funded by the imperial Qing government or by themselves, became the major force of overthrowing the Qing and China's imperial system. Why? 2020-10-0911 minThe ContextAstronomy in Ancient China: Science & HumanityThe Beidou Satellite Navigation System, the spacecraft Crew Dragon --- while grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic on Earth, humans have made several landmark steps in space in 2020. Many world firsts records of astronomy and sophisticated calendar making systems over thousands of years of history, along with love between a goddess and a human and the fight of the Monkey King against the order in the heaven --- science and humanity are always two sides of the same coin not only in astronomy in China for thousands of years, but also in any science for human today.2020-09-2715 minThe ContextGold, Silver, Wealth and WarPrices of gold and silver skyrocketed in the first half of the year amid uncertainties of the global economic prospect. China has a long history of using gold. But China has never been on gold standard. Instead, silver dominated the country as a national currency for hundreds of years partly due to silver influx from European colonies in the Americas. Silver also brought wars between China and the world powers. 2020-09-1614 minThe ContextWuhan: Rediscovery, RestartIn the first decade of the 20th century, today’s Hankou District of Wuhan became the second-largest port in China, only following Shanghai and exceeding old big ports like Guangzhou and Tianjin in terms of trade volume. Kokichi Mizuno, the Japanese general consulate in Wuhan, described the city as the “Chicago of China” in his book about Hankou published in 1908. An official of China's last dynasty Qing initiated Wuhan's industrialization process which has also underwritten the fall of Qing. 2020-09-0619 minThe ContextFloods Made China’s Early CivilizationsChinese civilization began in the middle and downstream of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River. Unlike the Nile flooding which brought prosperity, it is troubles related to water, including flooding and conflicts on water supply, that underlies the geographic, political and cultural structure of the earliest Chinese civilizations. 2020-08-2814 minThe ContextA Pandemic, A European Missionary and Two Chinese DynastiesCovid-19 is not the first pandemic that has impacted human society. In the mid 14th century, the black plague in Europe affected the continent’s evolution of politics and religion. In the 17th century, a pandemic outbreak in China impacted the rise and fall of its final two dynasties, the Ming and Qing. And during the process, European missionaries had a tremendous influence. 2020-08-2312 minThe ContextImperial Exams and Testing TimesEvery year, millions of students take China’s national college entrance exam for a coveted slot at a top university. Despite the severe competition and its bouts with controversy, many still see the exam as the only avenue to social mobility – a view that finds roots 1,300 years ago in ancient China. 2020-08-0514 min