Category Culture

Baoding Balls: History, Benefits, and How To Use Them

April 28, 2025

Baoding balls, also known as Chinese meditation balls, exercise balls, or sometimes Zen meditation balls, are a pair of relatively small balls, each of them small enough to be held in one hand. Baoding balls are typically used by rolling both them (or sometimes, more) repeatedly in the palm of your hand, where the relative positions of the balls are constantly switching. This exercise is intended to improve finger dexterity, relaxation, as well as aiding the recovery of motor skills and muscle strength after injury.

Chinese Traditional Masks (Types – History – Meaning)

April 24, 2025

Today, Chinese masks are usually associated with Chinese New Year or Chinese opera. Those are the two most common occasions when we can see people wearing them. In the past, they had more functions - from scaring evil spirits to celebrating various events. If you were wondering what do all these masks actually mean, you will find the answer to that and many other questions here.

Everything You Need to Know about Chinese Opera

April 20, 2025

In this article, we explore the specificities of Chinese opera, its rich history and everything you need to know about the symbolism involved in this intriguing art form.

Foot Binding in China: A Tradition That Left Its Mark on History and Humanity

April 26, 2025

For centuries, one of the most haunting symbols of beauty in Chinese history was something few would dare to call beautiful today: bound feet. Known as “lotus feet,” this tradition altered the lives—and bones—of millions…

Meet The Four Great Beauties of Ancient China – Part 2 (Diao Chan – Yang Guifei)

April 18, 2025

Diao Chan 貂蟬 is the only Great Beauty who has no historical records. She became a legendary figure after being portrayed as a heroic figure in the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms,"(Aff.link) a famous work of Chinese literature.

Meet The Four Great Beauties of Ancient China – Part 1 (Xi Shi – Wang Zhaojun)

April 18, 2025

A long time ago, in ancient China, there were four beautiful women who are now known as the "Four Great Beauties" 四大美女 (Sì Dà Meĭnǚ). They were said to be the most beautiful ladies in ancient China. Each of them has been the source of an expression used to describe someone of remarkable beauty.

An Old Chinese Fable about The Power of Unwavering Faith

April 11, 2025

This time I will share with you a fable from the book "Leaves From My Chinese Scrapbook "by Henry Balfour (as always, you can find the link to this book at the end of the article). Based on Confucius' teachings, this story focuses on Mr. Fan's son, Tzŭ-hua, and a modest man named Shang Ch'iu-k'ai. Through their story, we learn an important lesson about the power of faith and the influence one person can have on others.

The Fearless Feminist of China: The Life and Legacy of Qiu Jin

April 18, 2025

Qiu Jin was born in 1875, during the final decades of the Qing dynasty—a time of deep unrest in China. Foreign interference, internal rebellions, and the decline of imperial rule created a nation in crisis.…

Hungry Ghost Festival (History, Legends, Activities, and Things to Avoid )

April 6, 2025

The Hungry Ghost Festival is one of the Chinese major festivals that is focused on venerating the ancestors, just like other festivals like the famous Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Festival) and the Double Ninth Festival.The Hungry Ghost Festival is also known as the Zhongyuan Festival (中元節), and is celebrated every 15th day of the 7th month. As with any other Chinese Festivals

Lessons from the Fable of “The Yellow Emperor” and the Secrets of Leadership

March 31, 2025

The stories of great emperors are frequently rich in insights and teachings that transcend time in the history of ancient China's wisdom. One of these stories is the Yellow Emperor fable by Lieh Tzu, about an emperor whose journey from self-indulgence to self-discovery reveals the real meaning of contentment and the way to effective leadership.