北(běi) The original form of the character “北” resembles two people with their backs to each other. The original meaning of it was “back” (背bèi). In the past, losing a battle was known as “败北(bài běi) ”. This is because, when soldiers fled after suffering a defeat, they had their backs to the enemy. When […]
The scientist Lu Ji came from Huating of Wu County in the State of Wu from the Three Kingdoms Period, the location of which is Songjiang in Shanghai at present. At the age of 6, he accompanied his father Lu Kang to Jiujiang to pay a visit to Yuan Shu, who then received them with […]
Antenatal betrothals meant that parents on both sides got their children engaged before were born. It was the ultimate embodiment of the parental authority. This kind of marriage had many disadvantages. Sima Guan (1019-1086), a scholar in the Song Dynasty, once analyzed it in his book “The Family Codes”, “By the time the betrothed came […]
Actually, in ancient China when matchmaker is a necessary part of a marriage, matchmakers were mixed group of people. Alongside with official matchmakers, the majority of matchmakers were married women who worked as peddlers or who worked in service industries such as fruit sellers, tailors, needle sellers, jewellery sellers, barbers, nannies, brokers, creditors and restaurant […]
Gingko, also being known as maidenhair tree, is a kind of deciduous tree as well as ornamental plant, which is 30-40 meters’ high. Ginkgo (silver apricot) and maidenhair (white fruit) are both named after the color of its fruits. The shapes of ginkgo leaves are very special, like small fans. In the late autumn, these […]
When the “cold food “Festival on earth is a controversial issue from the ancient times to the present. It is said in the record of Liang Zonglin in “Jing Chu Sui Shi Ji”, the 100th day after winter solstice use to be called the “cold food “Festival. And the “cold food “Festival occurs exactly right […]
In Chinese culture, fengshui is very important. With the help of the record of historical document, we have inferred and concluded the two features of choosing living places developing during the Xia, Shang, Zhou Dynasty. These two features are: first, the promotion of the technology, second the eager to predict the future has pushed forward […]
If you study Chinese in China, you will find that most of the modern house in China have constructed with the western concepts of archeology. What’s more, there is another outstanding feature for the modern Chinese house. That is most of the houses in modern city are constructed focusing on the variety of the special […]
With the development of Chinese culture, more and more foreigners urge to study Chinese in China. Majority of them intend to learn Chinese in China because of the Confucius and the thoughts of Confucian School. On this account, most of them have general knowledge about Confucius before they go to study Mandarin in China. For […]
Jiaozi is one of the traditional Chinese cuisines deeply enjoyed by Chinese people, as well as one of the symbols of Chinese elements. As to the origin of Jiaozi, here is a short story to be shared by people, who are interested in Chinese culture and would like to study Chinese in China. During the […]