Culture

  • Stories from History: Promoting Those Who Speak Frankly for Honest Advice and Less Flattery

    During the Yongle period of China’s Ming Dynasty, there was a newly appointed official of the Emperor’s court. His name was Gao Wenya. One day, without knowing the official edict, he spoke frankly about the Emperor Jianwen and used forbidden words without restraint. When the imperial supervisor Chen Ying heard what Gao Wenya said, he sought an audience with the emperor to determine Gao Wenya’s punishment.
  • Traditional Chinese Culture: The Great Way of Learning in Ancient China

    In 2011, a professor at a forum in Davos, Switzerland talked about China's failing education system. Higher education institutions and students can be found everywhere in China today, but no master-level talent emerges. On the contrary, academic cheating is common practice, many teachers are not virtuous, and students have high academic grades but without substance. What's the reason behind this? We will find the answer when we compare the education system of ancient China to today's China.
  • Abide by Tao, Promote Kindness, Use Virtue to Administer the Country Well

    Wen and Jing were emperors during the Han Dynasty. Their administrations promoted kindness, and they governed the country with virtue. This government kept a peaceful and orderly world. This society was prosperous, and its citizens lived happy and peaceful lives.
  • The History of Chinese Herbs and Falun Dafa

    Chinese herbs originated from Shen Nong who was known as the “Buddha of Medicine” in Chinese history. In ancient times in China, people did not know how to treat their illnesses when they were sick. Shen Nong used a divine stick to turn hundreds of blades of grass into different herbs. He taught people how to use the herbs and classified them by their tastes and characteristics.
  • How Far Away are Those Myths From Us?

    The reason why I use myths as examples is just to remind people that many myths throughout the ages and from many regions deliver a similar message—that is, a warning from the gods to human beings. I hope everyone can understand that myths are not far away from us, but, in fact, right beside us.
  • Tales from the Practice of Medicine: Ganlan Water – Water Raised up a Thousand Times

    From this case, we can see that Ganlan water was not the key to curing the old man’s illness, neither was the oxygen in the water. It was because of the son’s filial piety. The ancients thought highly of filial piety. They regarded it as a virtue that human beings should have. A sincere and kind heart really can change one’s environment.
  • Germany: Awaiting the Divine Performing Arts World Tour!

    The Divine Performing Arts company 2009 World Tour hopes to surpass its 2008 achievements.The tour celebrates the mysterious splendour of classical Chinese dance and music inspired by the legends, the values and the spirit of traditional Chinese culture. The amazing performances spans the time from 5,000 years ago up to today and ranges from the beauty of nature to the rendition of societal grievances. The show encompasses themes such as virtue, compassion and boldness of heart from China's god-inspired culture.
  • Traditional Values Include Respect for Spiritual Teachers

    Confucius praised him by saying, "Yan Hui is truly extraordinary. He only eats one bowl of rice and one bowl of soup for each meal, lives in a simple room and bears hardships that others cannot bear. He remains focused and studies persistently. He is truly great!"
  • One Benefits from Modesty and Is Ruined by Complacence

    Virtuous rulers in Chinese history respected Heaven, complied with morality, acted humbly, respected others, restrained their conduct, and advocated kindness. They were role models of morality. Consequently, they were blessings to their subjects.
  • Confucianism and Daoism Are of the Same Origin – the Guodianchu Scroll Is the Discovery of the Millennium

    People always believed that Confucianism and Daoism were conflicting philosophies. From the Guodianchu Scroll’s article “Lao Zi,” we can see that both are from the same origin, and their ideas support one another. Lao Zi himself didn’t criticize Confucianism, but clearly supported and agreed with the concepts of holiness, benevolence, righteousness, etiquette, filial piety, and compassion.
  • Confucius Discussing the Fate of a Nation

    Confucius said, "During King Zhou's period of the Shang Dynasty, near the city wall of the capital there was a little bird that gave birth to a big bird. The King consulted a soothsayer about it. The soothsayer said, 'Whenever a small thing gives birth to a big thing, it means that the nation will unify the land and the nation shall become more and more prosperous.' The King thus became very complacent."
  • Stories from Ancient China: What the Ancients Believed about Obscene Thoughts

    In China during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 A.D), Ji Xiaolan was well-known official and the chief editor of Si Ku Quan Shu [note: collection of books compiled during Qing dynasty]. He wrote a book called Yue Wei Cao Tang Biji (reference English translation: The Thatched Study of Close Scrutiny) in which he recorded many fantastic stories he had heard or personally experienced. One of the stories is detailed here.
  • Natural and Eternal Music from Heaven

    "Good, kind music will benefit its audience and steer them toward morality. Bad music will cause its audience to lose self-control and steer them toward degeneration. Music must be created to spread morality. One must never perform bad music that will ruin people's morality!"
  • Music, the Blossoming of Virtue

    There are many kinds and many levels of music. Only those tones that resonate in alignment with the Tao can be referred to as music. When inferior music goes against natural laws, allowing unrestrained human nature or desire, it will lead to the degeneration of a person or the destruction of a nation. On the other hand, tones that resonate at high levels are consistent with heavenly laws. When people listen to such music, their minds are lifted and nourished, leading towards virtuousness.
  • Different Understandings of Loss and Gain

    One day, Confucius went to the county where Kong Mie was the magistrate. It was Spring, a busy season for farming. However, there were some deserted fields with downcast farmers standing nearby. Confucius asked them, "Why are you not farming?" The farmers replied, " We were ordered not to farm as a punishment because we were not able to pay enough taxes the past six months." Confucius became unhappy when he heard this.