Culture
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Diamonds Used to Polish Sapphire-Rich Stone in China, 2500 BC
2005-02-15
Researchers have uncovered strong evidence that the ancient Chinese used diamonds to grind and polish ceremonial stone burial axes as long as 6,000 years ago -– and incredibly, did so with a level of skill difficult to achieve even with modern polishing techniques. The finding, reported in the February issue of the journal Archaeometry, places this earliest known use of diamond worldwide thousands of years earlier than the gem is known to have been used elsewhere. -
The Golden Frog
2005-02-11In ancient China, a pharmacist would typically dig a pit in the ground so that the medical pot could be easily balanced. While the servant was digging in the ground, a frog suddenly leaped out of the dirt. It had golden skin and a red Chinese character, “Wu”, on its back. The servant dared not hide this strange incident from the Emperor, so he told the Emperor what he had seen. -
“Plum Blossom in Snow” will Premiere at the Gothenburg Movie Festival
2005-02-01
The documentary “Plum Blossom in Snow” is about how Falun Gong practitioners are treated in contemporary China. A man’s tragic fate is narrated by his wife and daughter after he was killed for his belief in Falun Gong. The movie will be shown in Hagatheater, the city museum, during the Gothenburg movie festival between the 28th of January and the 5th of February 2005. -
Common Areas in Eastern and Western Culture: The Truth Will Emerge
2004-12-18William Shakespeare, the 16th century literary giant, spoke these words in his play The Merchant of Venice, “Truth will come to light. Murder cannot be hid for long,” It means that the truth of every event will eventually emerge. "Murder will out," a phrase first used in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales but noticed as far back as the ancient Greeks, means that the crime always shows itself. -
Stories from Ancient China: The Honesty of Meng Xin
2004-11-30During his tenure in office, Meng Xin was free from corruption. When he lost his official post, he became very poor and had difficulty feeding his family each day. His only possession was an old ox. One day while he was gone, his nephew tried to sell the ox to buy some food. As the sale agreement was drafted, Meng Xin happened to return home and found out about the deal when he saw the ox buyer. He told the buyer: “This ox is sick and is unable to do even light labour. It will be useless to you.” When he finished talking, he turned around and punished his nephew by whipping him with a stick twenty times. -
A German Website on the Legend of the Swastika Symbol
2004-10-24A website in four languages about the Swastika symbol is now open to the public. It explains the ancient history of the Swastika symbol and the Falun Gong “Law Wheel” design in detail. The Swastika symbol traces back to more than 1700 B.C. according to historic records. Recent excavations show that the history of America’s use of the Swastika symbol goes back about 80,000 years. -
The Story of Su Dongpo who Wrote: Being Childlike and Guileless Are My Teachers
2004-10-19Su Shi (1036 -1101), also known as Su Dongpo, is one of the few figures in Chinese history who were masters of multiple artistic and literary disciplines. He was a great writer, artist and calligrapher. His calligraphy style was based on the traditional script styles but evolved into a new and original style. He along with Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu, and Cai Xiang are known as the “Four Greatest Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty.” Out of the four, he is considered the best. -
Amazing Discoveries in Ancient Dyes, Inks and Pigments
2004-10-03
The German artifact preservation experts’ discovery raised many new questions in the field of archaeology: “How did the ancient Chinese people produce BaCuSi4O and BaCuSi2O6? Transportation limited information exchange in ancient times. Thus, dyes were prepared from materials found in nature in each region. Moreover, today’s people were not able to produce BaCuSi2O6 with modern technology until just a couple decades ago. How could Chinese people possibly have the technology to produce BaCuSi2O6 in 200 B.C.?” -
Origin of a Chinese idiom: A White Cloud at One Moment May Look Like a Grey Dog the Next Moment
2004-09-26
He enjoyed reading books and writing poems in his spare time. However, his wife could not bear a life in poverty and left him. Many people made uncharitable remarks about him, but Du Fu wrote a poem to comfort him. “A white cloud at one moment may look like a grey dog in the next moment. Things in life can change in a most unpredictable manner. It is but the natural course of life.” -
The Chinese Idiom of Zhongnan Mountain Shortcut
2004-09-15Sima Chengzhen left home to become a Taoist priest when he was 21 years old. He travelled extensively over famous mountains and great rivers. Later he dwelled in Tiantai Mountain in seclusion cultivating Taoism. He became well known and people called him “Taoist among the White Clouds.” Several emperors of the Tang Dynasty offered him high positions in their courts and he rejected all their offers. -
Stories form Ancient China: Accounts of the Tang Dynasty Master Craftsman Ma Daifeng
2004-09-05The mountain had wonderful and remarkable peaks and ridges. The inside of the mountain was hollow and could hold three dou (1 dou equals 10 litres) of wine. A number of “ponds” were arranged around the mountain, and their purpose was to hold wine. Other mountains surrounded the ponds. In the ponds of wine were “lotus plants”. The flowers and leaves of the lotus plants were made of cast iron. The flowers looked like they were blooming and the leaves like they were unfolding. -
A Poem from the Tang Dynasty: Visiting the Incense Storing Temple
2004-08-23Not knowing where the temple was,I travelled miles on cloudy hills, Through ancient pines, no good tracks,Toward bells sounding across deep gorges. -
Stories From Ancient China: Ancient Science and Technology of the Tang Dynasty
2004-07-20Records in an ancient book called, "Travel News", tell us that at the beginning of Emperor Tang Xuan Zhong’s Kai Yuan rule, someone repaired the emperor’s travel vehicle in the palace. Daifeng Ma was an accomplished craftsman of the Eastern Sea region. He rebuilt and repaired such items as the lead carriages, drums for recording the journeys’ mileage, and birds for indicating wind directions. These items were made more delicately than those of even more ancient times. -
Stories From Ancient China: The Consequences of Ruling with Either Violence or Virtue
2004-07-18King Li was very pleased with the result, and gloated to Zhao, “I can make all criticism against me disappear. Now no one has the temerity to speak against my rule anymore.” Zhao replied, “You haven't stopped public opinion, rather you have just stopped your people from expressing it openly to you.” He cautioned King Li, “The consequence of blocking the voice of the people is worse than that of blocking a river from flowing.” King Li still would not listen. Threatened by the King’s terror, the people of Zhou were afraid to talk. -
Stories from Ancient China: Han Zhihe An Ingenious Craftsman Who Created Flying Mechanical Birds
2004-07-14Han Zhihe was originally from Japan. He later moved to China during the period of Emperor Xianzong of the Great Tang Dynasty and worked as a security guard in the Chinese royal court. He was also an excellent mechanical engineer who could create mechanical birds carved out of wood. He created phoenixes, cranes, crows, and magpies, all in wood, that would drink, eat, chirp and warble just like real birds.
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