Search results for Chinese Imperial Culture

‘Stamp boy’: sealing passion of China emperor criticised for harming artistic integrity

As one of the most frequently portrayed Chinese emperors in modern costume dramas, Qing dynasty Emperor Qianlong is also renowned for his obsessive habit of impressing seals onto h...

What was Qing dynasty’s imperial yellow jacket, what it symbolised, why it mattered

In ancient China, ordinary people were not allowed to wear yellow as it symbolised the imperial power, apart from one exception: the emperor’s yellow jacket. Magua is a style of ja...

China tells C-dramas to end idolization of looks and apply Xi Jinping Thought on Culture

China urges TV dramas to reject idolization of appearance, focus on acting and story quality, and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Culture

Ancient China laws punished men for crying; people with messy handwriting forced to drink ink

Ancient China’s legal system was never only about crime and punishment. It was also a mechanism of imperial control, used to protect the throne, discipline officials and regulate s...

Why Japan’s Culture of Cleanliness Traces Back to China’s Tang Dynasty

From Buddhist temples to Shinto shrines to modern school cleaning duties, the philosophy that sweeping is spiritual practice traveled from 7th-century China to Japan to Taiwan

Ming Dynasty Master Qiu Ying’s ‘Spring Morning in the Han Palace’ — A Masterpiece of Chinese Court Painting

Qiu Ying: a professional painter who rose from poverty to the top of Chinese art Qiu Ying (c. 1494–1552), courtesy name Shifu and sobriquet Shizhou, was born in Taicang, Jiangsu pr...

Why China Never Captured the Indian Imagination

Their customs, norms, language, food and music are different. They have radically different approaches to politics, ideas, and religion too.

China’s Five Sacred Creatures and What They Actually Meant

The dragon: lord of transformation, emblem of imperial power The Shuowen Jiezi, the Han dynasty’s great etymological dictionary compiled around 100 CE, describes the dragon as “the...

Ancient China elites used water fans, ice to cool down in summer; folks had bamboo pillows

In ancient China, summer heat could be deadly long before the advent of air conditioning. To survive it, people resorted to remedies ranging from imperial ice sculptures and water-...

Ancient Chinese Wedding Rituals the Modern World Left Behind

Walk into almost any Chinese wedding today and you will see white gowns, Western style vows, and a bouquet toss, customs that now feel ordinary even though they were once entirely...

Hanfu Photo Tourism: The Viral Formula Powering China’s Cultural Travel Boom

In China’s ancient capitals, dressing up in traditional Hanfu for photos isn’t just a trend—it’s boosting local economies and bringing cultures together.

Facts About Chinese History That Make it the Craziest Civilization

How China Became the First Airtight Empire

Beijing rewrote two slogans before it sealed the country – once to rewrite history, once to prewrite the future.

A Tang spring that survived an emperor’s flight

A visitor standing before The Court Lady Guoguo’s Spring Outing does not first see history. They see movement. There is no palace. No riverbank. No flowering tree. No painted sprin...

Cosmic order, political authority: the messaging in temple setting for Trump’s China visit

From Obama’s evening chats on Yingtai island in the grounds of Zhongnanhai to Trump’s tea reception in the Forbidden City, historic settings have long formed a symbolic backdrop to...

China’s ‘most pampered child’ interred in palace-like coffin with treasures 1,400 years ago

Some 1,400 years ago, a young girl, celebrated as China’s “most pampered child,” was laid to rest in a palace-like stone coffin, surrounded by her grandmother’s affection and a wea...

Traditions

A woman poses for photos while wearing traditional Hanfu clothing in Beijing, the third day of a five-day national May Day holiday. — AFP

The Rise of “New Chinese–Style” Theme Parks: From Cultural Roots to a New Narrative in China’s Cultural Tourism

China’s new Chinese-style theme parks are transforming the tourism industry by turning cultural heritage and film IP into immersive, participatory experiences that redefine how vis...

Culture

A child participates in the "Piu Sik" parade on the island of Cheung Chau during its annual Bun festival in Hong Kong. — AFP

Beijing state banquet sets the table for Trump-Xi reset

Chinese state dinners feature Huaiyang cuisine, known for subtle flavours and refined dishes

Chinese Audiences in Canada Praise Shen Yun, Call for Return to Traditional Values in China

Chinese audience members across Canada say Shen Yun offers a rare glimpse of authentic traditional culture, praising its artistry and message while expressing hopes for a return to...

Order, character and time preserved in China’s classical furniture

The first time one truly stands before a Ming-style horseshoe-back armchair, a quiet misperception arises. It does not feel like an antique. It feels like a piece of modern design...