
How a Daoist Movement Emerged Out of Han Dynasty Chaos
As the Han empire crumbled and the Yellow Turban Rebellion sought to overthrow imperial rule, the “Way of the Five Pecks of Rice” quietly planted the roots of a durable Daoist movement

Chinese Trees and Their Meanings
Symbolism of eight common trees in Chinese culture

Yak of All Trades: Tibetan New Year with Herders on the Plateau
A New Year celebration on the plateau showcases modern Tibetan herding culture

The Extraordinary Life of a Professional Mourner
How a professional mourner has spent 40 years helping families grieve for their deceased loved ones

The Last Shamans of the Changbai Mountains
In Jilin province, shamans adapt ancient beliefs to the modern context

Dancing for the Dead: Stumbling Across a Tujia Funeral
A chance encounter with the Tujia ethnic group’s funeral practices in south-central China

Into the Heavens
A growing number of monasteries allow serious students to ascend to spiritual nirvana—even if only temporarily

Up the Mountains
As millennials tire of city life, the humble hermit makes a comeback

Grim Fairy Tales
Vampires, ghosts, and were-beasts: How foreign demonologists catalogued China’s homegrown horrors
