There is much in Nanjing City – China’s capital in ancient times – to celebrate the life and achievements of Zheng He, the great explorer, mariner, admiral of the royal fleet and diplomat. Parks and halls abound to remind the present generation of his legacy. Yet it is only fitting that the new 1,600 square […]
Amid a blistering heat wave, the number of orders for late-night snacks in major cities have climbed to more than double the usual levels. A popular online food ordering platform showed the top 10 busiest cities for the midnight snack economy: Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Wenzhou, Guangzhou, Beijing, Wuhan, Fuzhou, Xiamen, and Nanjing, reported 21st Century […]
A Dutchman’s sacrifice has earned him the community’s lasting gratitude. Franciscan priest Aemilianus van Heel died trying to protect his flock from the Japanese army in 1938. His effort earned him a violent death from two shots in the chest and slashed wrists. The villagers buried their protector in the church yard then fled. Today, […]
The city of Qufu held a grand ceremony to celebrate the 2,568th anniversary of its most famous son, ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius. Qufu is Confucius’ hometown. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 BC) founded Confucianism, a school of thought that deeply influenced later generations. He was also the first to set up private schools in […]
The remains of a mummified Buddhist master have been donated to the local government in northern China’s Hebei province. The remains are said to belong to Buddhist master Cixian Sanzang, who lived during the Khitan Empire, or Liao Dynasty (916-1125). From India, he had gone to Khitan to translate sutras. “Underneath the gold foil and […]
Heat waves afflicted China’s north early July while torrential rains lashed its southern region. Twenty one northern provinces saw heat wave temperatures. Shanghai baked in sweltering 40.9 degrees Celsius, the hottest recorded there in 145 years. In Beijing, many stayed indoors over the weekend. In Shaanxi province, residents ordered food delivery rather than cook in […]
Chinese folk art combined with high technology to produce an unusual treat for theater goers last month in Beijing. Zhang Yimou’s stage production of “2047 Apologue” showcased traditional art forms including Shaanxi tunes of small copper bowls, Quanzhou puppet show and Fuzhou drum music, combined with laser displays and other elements of modern technology. “The […]
Wudang and Shaolin are the best-known forms of Chinese kungfu. While Shaolin is superior in boxing techniques, Wudang excels in swordsmanship, which combines both hard and soft moves that change according to the reactions of the challengers. Traditional Chinese kungfu lost its practical value in the past century. However, Wudang is trying to bring the […]
Taller Chinese may have lived in China 5,000 years ago, if archaeological findings in east China are any indication. Graves in Shandong province yielded bones that suggest the humans may have been at least five feet 10 inches to six feet two inches tall and strong. Since 2016, archaeologists have been excavating the ruins of […]
Shanghai is moving further into the digital age by hanging plates with quick response (QR) codes on the outside 10 of its landmark buildings. A QR code is machine-readable, made up of black and white squares that are typically used for storing web addresses and other information. It can be read by a barcode reader […]