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China’s Tin City: How the Metal Made Gejiu
The boom, bust, and rebirth of a small Yunnan city built atop mountains of tin
How a Character That Once Referred to Barbarians Now Represents Civility
Learn how the character 文 went from being a term for the uncivilized in ancient China to referring to literature, refinement, and culture in the modern day
Two-Way Communication: How China Adopted Japanese Terms to Discuss Modernity
In the early 20th century, debate raged in China over whether to accept a deluge of Japanese loanwords
Crowning Glory: China’s Floral Headdress Tradition
From the women of Xunpu to ancient emperors, the floral hairpin has been a cherished tradition among both men and women for centuries, serving as decorative ornaments and symbols of authority
Ancient Snitches: How China’s Emperors Encouraged Informants
From Wu Zetian to Emperor Yongzheng, China’s imperial rulers were obsessed with people conspiring against the throne and came up with various systems to encourage informers
Tang Qunying: One of China’s Earliest Feminists
She led an army of women against Qing forces, fought her whole life for women’s rights, and even slapped the country’s top leaders for failing to commit to gender equality—meet Tang Qunying
A Trip in Time: How Did People Travel in Ancient China?
Historian Duan Zhiqian explores road dangers and the emergent travel industry in China’s Ming and Qing eras
China’s Long Road to Abolishing Slavery
Legal, social, and cultural barriers to ending China’s forced labor tradition
Remembering the Deadliest Bridge on the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway
A spectacular 115-year-old railway bridge in Yunnan province stands as a reminder of the Chinese workers who died in its construction
How China’s Imperial Treasures Became a Public Exhibit
Arson, thieving eunuchs, military invasion: the Forbidden City’s journey from imperial palace to public museum was anything but smooth
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