(客家人从何而来) 5 min read Throughout history, the Hakka—a subgroup of the Han ethnic majority (汉人)—migrated southward in several waves from northern China to the coastal provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan (福建, 广东, 广西, 海南), as well as to Taiwan (台湾), in order to escape war, poverty, and social upheaval. Shaped by this […]
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(海外华人在抗日战争中的贡献) 5 min read During China’s War of Resistance against Japan, overseas Chinese communities organized on a massive scale to support the struggle. More than 3,900 overseas Chinese groups were established worldwide. They conducted fundraising campaigns, donating money and materials to support frontline troops. For example, in 1942 Chinese communities in New York, Boston,
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(描绘北宋汴京的清明上河图) 5 min read Along the River during the Qingming Festival (清明上河图) is one of the most celebrated masterpieces of traditional Chinese painting. Created during the Northern Song dynasty (北宋) and presented to Emperor Huizong (宋徽宗) in the early 12th century, it is a monumental handscroll measuring 25 × 529 cm. The painting presents
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(山水画中的 “自然模仿艺术”) 4 min read In Chinese art, landscapes (shanshui, 山水, “mountain and water”) express the artist’s inner mind and cultivated spirit rather than literal depictions of specific places. They are valued not only for their beauty but also for their cultural and philosophical depth. The following masterpieces illustrate how landscape art shaped China’s artistic
“Nature Imitates Art” in Chinese Landscape Read More »
(云冈石窟) 5 min read After meeting my good friend and travel companion at Beijing Railway Station, we set off for Datong in Shanxi Province (山西大同). There, we were awed by the Yungang Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its breathtaking grandeur. Carved into a sandstone cliff in the 5th century by the
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(中文字如何形成) 4 min read Chinese characters are logograms: each character is a standalone symbol that represents meaning, rather than being written with letters of an alphabet. Korean and Japanese also use logographic writing systems, whereas the majority of the world’s languages are based on alphabetic systems. Although Chinese characters are often thought to depict
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(二十四节气的步伐) 4 min read Ancient Chinese societies divided the annual solar cycle into 24 time segments, known as “solar terms” (节气), by correlating the sun’s movement with seasonal changes. Passed down from generation to generation, the solar terms have played a significant role in shaping traditional farming practices, food choices, wellness routines, and social
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(龙的传说) 4 min read Long (龙, dragon) is rich in symbolism. It is not a single animal but a composite cosmic creature—with the horns of a deer, the body of a snake, the scales of a carp, and the claws of an eagle. It flies without wings, controls the weather, commands the seas, and
The Legend of Dragon Read More »
(非凡的民间英雄—包拯) 4 min read Chinese history is rich in epoch-making figures such as Confucius (孔夫子), the First Emperor of Qin (秦始皇), Emperor Gaozu of Han (汉高祖), and Kublai Khan (忽必烈). Yet few of them have been enshrined as folk heroes. By contrast, a handful of comparatively humble figures—Bao Zheng (包拯), Mulan (木兰), Zhuge Liang
Bao Zheng—Icon of Justice Read More »
(木兰—享誉全球的文化偶像) 5 min read Sigh after sigh Mulan sadly sighs, (唧唧复唧唧) Facing the door while she weaves. (木兰当户织) Not a hint of the loom-shuttle’s sound, (不闻机杼声) Only the daughter’s sighs. (唯闻女叹息) Ask the daughter who’s in her heart, (问女何所思) Who’s on her mind? (问女何所忆) “No one is in daughter’s heart, (女亦无所思) No one is
Mulan—A Worldwide Cultural Icon Read More »
