(魏晋墓砖画的生活写照) 4 min read In the vast desert 20 kilometers northeast of the city of Jiayuguan (嘉峪关)—which shares its name with the western terminus of the Great Wall—lies a complex of more than 1,400 underground tombs decorated with painted bricks from the Wei and Jin Dynasties (魏晋), dating from the 3rd to the 5th […]
A Window into the Daily Life in the Wei-Jin Period Read More »
(永乐宫传世之宝) 4 min read Construction of the Yongle Palace (永乐宫), a Daoist temple (道观), started in 1247 during the early Yuan Dynasty to worship Lü Dongbin (吕洞宾, born 796), one of Daosim’s Eight Immortals (八仙). The construction, including the creation of the murals inside the temple, took a total of 110 years and the
Timeless Treasures of the Yongle Palace Read More »
(中西合璧的香港美食) 5 min read Hong Kong—a British colony between 1842 and 1997—has retained its international image since it was handed back to China. Given the city’s multicultural influence, it is no surprise that some of its foods, even dishes that seem indigenous, are actually a fusion between east and west. At the center of
Post Template Ver 2 Read More »
(中西合璧的香港美食) 5 min read Hong Kong—a British colony between 1842 and 1997—has retained its international image since it was handed back to China. Given the city’s multicultural influence, it is no surprise that some of its foods, even dishes that seem indigenous, are actually a fusion between east and west. At the center of
East Meets West in Hong Kong Read More »
(北京中轴线的历史痕迹) 4 min read Just inside the north side of Beijing’s former city wall stand the Drum Tower and the Bell Tower (opening image), both built in 1272 during the Yuan dynasty (元朝). Together, the two towers offer panoramic views of central Beijing. Looking directly south from the Drum Tower, the line of sight
Beijing’s Central Axis Read More »
(中国古代佛窟) 4 min read According to a national survey, China has 2,155 cave-temple sites, most of which are Buddhist, though some are Daoist. Buddhist cave art constitutes a major component of traditional Chinese sculpture and painting. The construction of these cave temples was not driven primarily by artistic self-expression, but by karma—the Buddhist belief
Ancient Cave Temples of China Read More »
(长治久安的西安) 5 min read Chang’an (长安, meaning “lasting peace”), today’s Xi’an (西安), has a glorious past as the capital of several ancient Chinese dynasties. The region’s fertile soil and proximity to the Wei River (渭河)—the largest tributary of the Yellow River (黄河)—enabled it to sustain a large population for several millennia. The area
Xi’an—the City of Lasting Peace Read More »
(清代的御花园) 5 min read Qing-dynasty (清朝, 1644–1912) imperial gardens—such as the Mountain Resort in Chengde (避暑山庄), Yuanmingyuan (圆明园), and Yiheyuan (颐和园, also known as the Summer Palace)—are culturally significant because they represent microcosms of the Qing Empire. They showcase Chinese aesthetic traditions while embodying the interaction of nature, human design, and geopolitics. Although each
Imperial Gardens of the Qing Dynasty Read More »
(传统住宅的建筑风格) 5 min read Shaped by China’s vast geography, varied climate, ethnic diversity, and long-standing cultural traditions, traditional Chinese homes exhibit remarkable architectural diversity. Six representative styles are highlighted below. From north to south, they are the siheyuan (四合院), yaodong (窑洞), Anhui style (徽派), Hakka tulou (客家土楼), Cantonese style (粤派), and qilou (骑楼) homes.
Architectural Styles of Traditional Homes Read More »
丝路行旅—从西安至敦煌) 7 min read The ancient Silk Road was not a single road, but a network of trade routes connecting China with Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Europe. Our Silk Road journey traced the Chinese section of this network, traveling westward from Xi’an (西安) through Lanzhou (兰州), Jiayuguan (嘉峪关), Dunhuang (敦煌), Ürümqi (乌鲁木齐), and
Modern Travelers on the Ancient Silk Road (1): From Xi’an to Dunhuang Read More »
