To understand contemporary China, one must look back into its past. As one of the world’s oldest civilizations, China’s more than 5,000 years of history are not confined to textbooks and museums; they continue to offer living wisdom today. Its long history was shaped not only by emperors and legendary figures, but also by the countless ordinary people who have lived on this land.
From the complex political struggles during the Three Kingdoms period and the mysterious bronze artifacts unearthed at Sanxingdui, to the lasting influence of Confucianism, which continues to influence Chinese social values and ways of life, China’s history reveals the breadth of human experience, as the ancients learned about the natural world, overcame disaster, dealt with conflict, sought better lives, or simply live out their days while creating arts and poetry and forming philosophical ideas.
Whether it’s the tumultuous Warring States period, lost tales along the ancient Silk Road, crime and punishment in the Ming and Qing dynasties, or the sweeping transformation of modern China, our collection of stories from Chinese history is yours to explore.
For centuries, Chinese funerals demanded living sacrifices to accompany the dead in the afterlife
How “Mandarin Duck and Butterfly,” a romantic literary movement from early 20th century China, became forgotten in the tides of modernization
Centuries before Chanel and Hermès became status symbols, ancient Chinese could tell a person’s rank from the bag they carried
A ceremony at Beijing’s 14th century Confucius temple celebrates a sage's birth based on 2,000-year-old traditions
Mistaken and misrepresented quotes from China’s most famous philosopher
The story of how Chinese punctuation evolved from the Han dynasty to today
These charitable figures from ancient China didn’t forget to give back when they got rich
Ancient Chinese not only had a plethora of alcohol to choose from, but all sorts of games and rituals for drinking it
The longest-lived ruler of the Qing dynasty wrote 43,000 poems in his lifetime, most of them bad
How a low-ranking Han dynasty courtier came to be known as the founder of the Silk Road
Could China take the gold in pot-tossing and horn-clashing?
A joke book compiled by the "Master of Games" showcases Chinese humor from centuries ago
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