HISTORICAL FIGURES

How a Patriotic Organization Evolved Into a Martial Arts Icon

Because of the popularity of films based on the martial artist’s life story, few can really distinguish the actual history of Huo Yuanjia from fictionalized adaptations

HISTORICAL FIGURES

Shadow Games: The Cunning Art of Espionage in Ancient China

From turning the tides of battle to preventing conflict altogether, spies were an integral part of warfare in ancient China—sometimes unwittingly

HISTORICAL FIGURES

Badass Ladies of Chinese History: Mathematician and Astronomer Wang Zhenyi

This master astronomer and mathematician solved the mystery of lunar eclipses, simplified proofs, and advocated learning for all—male and female

HISTORICAL FIGURES

Four Ancient Chinese Female Scientists History Didn’t Forget

From weaving to medicine to math, these badass scientists left their mark on history, despite the patriarchal obstacles in their path

HISTORICAL FIGURES

Who’s Afraid of the Chinese Ghostbuster?

Scare away spooks with Zhong Kui, a Chinese folk deity renowned for his frightening looks

HISTORICAL FIGURES

Celebrating Confucius’s 2,725th Birthday

A ceremony at Beijing’s 14th century Confucius temple celebrates a sage's birth based on 2,000-year-old traditions

HISTORICAL FIGURES

Things Confucius Never Said

Mistaken and misrepresented quotes from China’s most famous philosopher

HISTORICAL FIGURES

Who Were the Greatest Philanthropists in Chinese History?

These charitable figures from ancient China didn’t forget to give back when they got rich

HISTORICAL FIGURES

Qianlong Emperor: The Worst Poet in Chinese History?

The longest-lived ruler of the Qing dynasty wrote 43,000 poems in his lifetime, most of them bad

HISTORICAL FIGURES

Rediscovering Zhang Qian

How a low-ranking Han dynasty courtier came to be known as the founder of the Silk Road