(贯穿南北的京杭大运河) 6 min read In the late Spring and Autumn Period (春秋时代), between the 8th and 6th centuries BCE, when China was divided into numerous competing states, King Fuchai of Wu (吴王夫差) made a monumental contribution to China’s long-term nation-building. Beginning in 486 BCE, Fuchai ordered the construction of a canal linking Wu’s capital […]
The Grand Canal—Connecting China’s North and South Read More »
(古代科举制的深远影响) 4 min read Joseph Needham (李約瑟), a British historian of science and editor of the renowned series History of Science and Technology in China (中国科学技术史), posed a famous question: “Between the first century BC and the fifteenth century AD, Chinese civilization was much more efficient than occidental culture in applying human knowledge to
Modern Impacts of the Ancient Keju System Read More »
(印刷术的发明) 5 min read The invention of printing, probably by the 8th century, had a profound impact on the spread of knowledge, literacy, and culture in ancient China. It democratized access to knowledge by making books more affordable and widely available, which in turn fueled the emergence of a large intellectual class and the
The Invention of Printing Read More »
(马可波罗眼中的中国) 5 min read Marco Polo was born into a family of adventurers. In 1271, at the age of sixteen, he accompanied his father and uncle as they departed Venice for the Mongol court during the Yuan Dynasty (元朝). Risking inhospitable deserts infested with bandits, they traveled through Turkey and Iran and reached the
What Marco Polo Saw in China Read More »
(中国文学中的楼阁) 6 min read Certain ancient buildings hold profound significance in Chinese literature as enduring symbols of cultural and historical expression. Among the most celebrated are Yueyang Tower (岳阳楼), Yellow Crane Tower (黄鹤楼), and Tengwang Pavilion (滕王阁). Often referred to as the “Three Great Towers” (三大名楼), they inspired some of the most renowned works
Ancient Towers in Chinese Literature Read More »
(追寻唐诗的足迹) 6 min read The Tang dynasty (唐朝), spanning the 7th to the 9th centuries, marked the golden age of classical Chinese poetry. Even today, Tang poetry remains widely read and memorized by Chinese speakers around the world. The Tang educated-elite maintained a strong tradition of travel—first to sit for the progressively demanding civil
Following the Footsteps of Tang Poetry Read More »
(古代诗歌中的江河) 4 min read China possesses one of the world’s most extensive waterway systems, composed of natural rivers, artificial canals, and interconnected channels. From the Pearl River (珠江) in the south to the Yellow River (黄河) in the north, these waterways have long inspired poetry, serving as both physical settings and sources of metaphorical
River Journeys in Poetry Read More »
(友谊颂歌) 5 min read Friendship is one of the key cardinal relationships emphasized in Confucian ethics. The long-standing tradition among China’s literati of celebrating friendship through poetry reflects the deep value placed on interpersonal bonds. From the Book of Songs (Shijing, 诗经; early 1st millennium BCE) to Tang poetry (Tang shi, 唐诗; 7th–9th centuries
(郑和下西洋的文化遗产) 6 min read Since the first century CE, many regions of South and Southeast Asia have been connected by sea routes known today as the Maritime Silk Road (image below). By the Tang Dynasty (唐朝), between the 7th and 10th centuries, these routes linked seaports such as Guangzhou (广州) in southern China with
Cultural Legacy of Zheng He’s Voyages Read More »
(清末民初的百年奋斗) 10 min read The century following 1840—when Britain launched the First Opium War (鸦片战争)—is often described as China’s Century of Humiliation (百年屈辱). During this period, China endured repeated invasions and plunder: the two Opium Wars (1839–42, 1856–60), the Sino-Japanese War of 1894, the Eight-Nation Alliance’s attack on Beijing in 1900, and the Japanese
China’s Century of Awakening Read More »
