Our weekly cultural post
Author: Tong Yao On March 5, China celebrates the “Learn from Lei Feng Day”, involving various community-minded actions where people clean schools, parks and other public spaces. But why is this day so remarkable? Lei Feng was born in Wangcheng, Hunan province, in 1940. His childhood was marked by the Read more…
Author: GeGe Hu China is famous for its tea culture, but wine culture is equally important with its long history and many varieties. The Western drinking culture mainly exists to respect and appreciate wine itself. In China, however, wine is not only about the art of drinking, but also the Read more…
Authors: Diandian Jiang, Stella Hu 恭喜发财 GONG XI FA CAI This is the Chinese Greeting for the new year and it means “wishing you luck and prosperity”. The New Year is the most important and festive among Chinese holidays.It is a traditional 15-day festival that happens between January 21st and Read more…
Authors: Matteo WeiJian Hu, Riccardo Hu If you ever went to a Chinese restaurant or just any shop in Chinatown for whatever reason, you’ve probably already seen this cat figurine placed by the cash register. It is the fortune cat, usually made of ceramic or plastic, and it’s known everywhere Read more…
Author: Alessandro Hu The four great inventions (papermaking, printing, gunpowder, and the compass) greatly promoted the development of politics, economy, and culture in ancient China: they represent ancient China’s outstanding scientific and technological contributions to world civilization. The compass (Warring States Period, 475 B.C. – 221 B.C.) The Sinan (predecessor Read more…
Author: Basile Theaud The term Four Great Inventions of Modern China stems back to the “Four Great Inventions” of Ancient China – papermaking, gunpowder, printing and the compass. The four great inventions of modern China (high-speed rail, mobile payments, bike-sharing and online shopping) are known for having created a new Read more…
Author: Ge Ge Hu In 1974, in Xi’an in central China, a group of farmers left their homes in an attempt to dig a well. During the process, they came across a life-sized human head made of clay. What they found was the first one of more than eight thousand Read more…
Authors: DianDian Jiang, Stella Hu Weddings are memorable occasions that celebrate love and new beginnings in many different cultures. This is especially true in Chinese culture where an individual’s wedding is one of the most important milestones in their young adult life. The “Three Letters and Six Etiquettes” One of Read more…
Authors: Silvia Gramegna, Valentino Zhao Fortress Besieged (围城) is a Chinese satirical novel. The title comes from the French proverb “Marriage is like a fortress besieged: those who are outside want to get in, and those who are inside want to get out”. Published in 1947, Fortress Besieged is the Read more…
Author: Yao Tong Tea drinking has always been a consistent part of Chinese culture. Its origins date back to a legend that tells the story of how Shennong, a humanoid mythical character known as the father of Chinese agriculture and traditional medicine, accidentally discovered tea. He was boiling water to Read more…