(中国高等教育一个世纪的自强不息) 6 min read The keju (科举), or imperial examination system, was established during the Sui Dynasty (隋朝) in the 6th century to select civil servants. By the Ming and Qing dynasties (明清), from the 14th to the 19th centuries, the entire intellectual class had become deeply engrossed in these examinations. Every two to […]
A Century-Long Quest to Modernize China’s Higher Education Read More »
(战火中锻造的西南联大) 7 min read In 1937, China’s Peking University (北京大学), Tsinghua University (清华大学), and Nankai University (南开大学) temporarily merged and relocated—first to Changsha in Hunan Province (湖南长沙) and later to Kunming in Yunnan Province (云南昆明). In Kunming, the institution adopted a new name: the National Southwest Associated University (国立西南联合大学), or Xinan Lianda (西南联大) for short.
Forged in the Flames of War—the Story of the National Southwest Associated University Read More »
(海上贸易) 6 min read Ancient China’s maritime trade largely involved an exchange between manufactured goods from China and natural products from Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, and Africa. This network connected the economies of the Eastern Hemisphere for centuries, making China the central manufacturing powerhouse of the premodern world. While the overland
China’s Trading History (2): Maritime Trade Read More »
(鸦片贸易) 5 min read From the mid-16th to the early 19th century, China was the world’s leading manufacturing power and absorbed much of the global silver supply in payment for its exports. European demand for Chinese tea, silk, and porcelain was immense, but because China accepted only silver, Britain’s reserves steadily declined. To reverse
China’s Trading History (3): “Opium Trade” Read More »
(清末民初海归对文学的贡献) 8 min read From the late 19th to the early 20th century, the transition from the Late Qing Dynasty to the Early Republic of China marked a watershed moment in modern Chinese history. Long-standing imperial institutions were increasingly exposed and threatened by Western military power, political systems, and cultural values. In response, a generation
Overseas Returnees from Late Qing to Early Republic of China—Impacts on Literature Read More »
(利玛窦: 促进西学东渐的第一人) 6 min read In the mid-16th century, Jesuits—members of the Society of Jesus of the Catholic Church—first attempted to establish a mission in China. In 1552, St. Francis Xavier reached Shangchuan Island (上川岛), off the southern coast of China near Macau (澳门). That same year marked both the death of Francis Xavier
Sages from the West: the Story of Matteo Ricci and His Fellow Jesuits Read More »
(玄奘的足迹) 4 min read Buddhism had taken root in China soon after its introduction from India in the 1st century CE. In 629, the Buddhist monk Xuanzang (玄奘, 602–664) embarked on a monumental pilgrimage to India. Born Chen Wei (陈祎), he received the Dharma name Xuanzang at his Buddhist ordination. His motivation was not
Following the Footsteps of Xuanzang Read More »
(活生生的中文字) 5 min read Chinese is spoken by more than a billion people, primarily in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and in diaspora communities around the world. Like all living languages, Chinese evolves over time. Over the past three millennia, Chinese writing has taken on new forms, and new words and
Chinese—a Living Language Read More »
(历久不衰的成语故事) 6 min read Chinese idioms (成语) are concise expressions that convey complex ideas, moral lessons, or life philosophies. Idiom stories explain the origins and meanings of these expressions and, in some ways, resemble Aesop’s Fables. They are an integral part of Chinese culture. People who grow up in Chinese-speaking communities are deeply familiar
Enduring Idiom-Stories Read More »
(传统说唱艺术的魅力) 4 min read Oral storytelling has played a significant role in the development and preservation of civilizations worldwide, serving as an essential means of transmitting knowledge, cultural values, and historical narratives to the general public before the advent of mass literacy. This tradition, marked by vast regional diversity, encompasses various forms such as
Oral Traditions of China Read More »
