Culture

The History of the Pomegranate

2003-05-18

Zhang Qian asked her, “Young lady, why did you not stay in An Shi and instead follow us all the way back here?” The young lady answered in tears, “I do not seek wealth or fame. I simply wish to repay you for the favour of watering me. I was not able to be with you for the entire trip because of the ambush by the Huns.” Then she turned into a pomegranate tree with fiery red blossoms and green leaves. Zhang Qian suddenly realized what had happened and described for Emperor Wu the pomegranate tree in front of his house that he had watered in An Shi.

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A Look At China’s Semi-Divine Civilisation

2003-05-17

Located in the mystical Far East, China was the legendary home of gods, and thus carried the title of “Divine Land.” As descendants of gods, the Chinese people have, since ancient times, believed that they inhabited a land that was in the centre of the world. Therefore, they called China the Middle Kingdom (or Zhong Guo in Chinese). Over its long history, China has nurtured a civilisation that continues to flourish in glory and wisdom.

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Revered Mountains and Ancient Temples: Mount Heng, the Mountain of Longevity

2003-05-16

According to Shu Yi Ji, the Southern Mountain was transformed from the right arm of Pan Gu, the legendary Chinese god who created the universe. According to The Book of Astronomy (Xingu King), the Southern Mountain corresponds to the Zhen star contained in a cluster of twenty-eight stars. There is a tiny star next to this cluster of stars, known as the Chang Sha star. Because the Chang Sha star is believed to rule the life span of all men on earth, and Mount Heng is located in the Chang Sha region according to the ancients, Mount Heng is naturally associated with longevity.

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A Short Story about Quisqualis Fruit

2003-05-12

Legend has it that Shi Jun Zi (quisqualis fruit) was named after an ancient Chinese medical doctor with a surname Guo and first name Shi Jun. This quisqualis fruit was renowned for destroying parasites and removing stagnant food in a person’s digestive system...

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The Legend Of The Chinese Wolfberry

2003-05-10

“The Bao Shou herb store recorded an elixir that promotes longevity. A bizarre barefooted man named Zhang passed the formula of this elixir to an elderly person at Yi Shi county, who followed the recipe and lived for over a hundred years. The elderly man could walk extremely fast as if he was flying. His gray hair turned black again. His aged teeth were replaced with new ones... The herb is mellow and can be taken often to eliminate excessive heat in the body, and will also improve vision.”

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Ancient Story: Why Locusts Didn't Enter Zhongmou County

2003-05-09

One year, during the Donghan dynasty, while Zhang was emperor, the Quanjun area in Henan province suffered from heavy locust swarms. Only Zhongmou County was not affected. When Henan Province's top Official Yuan An heard about this, he immediately sent one of his staff members to conduct an investigation in Zhongmou county...

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Ancient Story: Soldiers Suddenly Die for Damaging an Immortal Holy Body

2003-05-08

Throughout history, certain eminent monks have reached such high levels of cultivation that their bodies were filled with a high-energy substance which made their bodies immortal. In Buddhism, such immortal bodies are regarded as holy bodies. The following is a story where two soldiers meet their death as retribution for damaging a holy body.

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Traditional Chinese Dress

2003-05-03

After the height of the Tang dynasty, women's clothing gradually adopted a loose and wide style. During the middle and late Tang dynasty, this style became even more popular; the sleeves of the common woman's costume were often as wide as four chi (about 1.33 m). The women usually wore various corollas, most made of silk gauze. Later on, wearing real flowers, especially tree peony, became popular. One's style of dress indicated one's social status.

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Lotus Dance

2003-04-30

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Tang Dynasty Fashion

2003-04-26

In 618 AD, the Tang dynasty ended China's split status and civil war, which had lasted hundreds of years, and became a very powerful dynasty in terms of economy, politics, and the military. At that time, the silk industry was developing very quickly. In addition, communication between people of different nationalities was very extensive. During the Tang dynasty, ancient Chinese civilisation reached its heyday in the areas of literature, art, medical science, technology, and fashion.

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Chinese Instruments: Gu Zheng

2003-04-24

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Chatting about Chinese Culture: Tao and Techniques

2003-04-12

One of my friends said I was a chauvinist because I centre my life around traditional Chinese culture. I did not deny it. This doesn’t mean that I cannot understand and appreciate other cultures. Every culture has its strengths and values. But my esteem for Chinese culture is actually built up because of its extensiveness and profoundness, its deep connotations and rich inner meanings. Traditionally speaking, the Chinese culture emphasises the soul, despising the external body. Chinese ancients and sages of the past had all reached the thoroughness and essence of things. They had actually grasped the basis.

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The Processing of Chinese Herbs for Medicinal Preparations

2003-04-06

The processing of Chinese herbs significantly influences their healing effects. Processing means using various methods, such as adding heat or moisture or washing and cutting to remove toxicity, after obtaining the raw materials.

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The Story of Famous Physician Wen Zhi

2003-04-01

During the Warring States Period, King Min, ruler of the Qi State suffered from severe depression. The famous physician Wen Zhi was summoned to provide medical treatment, and he graciously obliged. After a detailed medical examination, Wen Zhi told the crown prince, “The King’s depression is definitely curable; however, when his majesty is cured, I will undoubtedly be slain.” The prince was puzzled by his remarks and demanded that Wen Zhi explain.

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Looking at the Author of the “Plum Blossom Poem”

2003-03-24

The author of the “Plum Blossom Poem” (an ancient, well-known Chinese poem commonly thought of as a prophecy) is Shao Yong, a famous scholar in the Northern Song Dynasty who specialised in the study of The Book of Changes. His style name is Raofu, and he was honoured a posthumous title of Kangjie.

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