Chinasage Diary

Matchmakers

Traditionally marriages were arranged between the parents of the bride and groom; the couple had no choice in the matter. Most families would seek the help of a matchmaker to suggest a suitable match often from the neighboring village. The matchmaker would use astrology to check compatibility. It was considered unlucky for the couple to see each other before their wedding day - indeed it was grounds for calling off the engagement.
Read More

On this day

1949 Republic of China ended 1949 (74 years ago)

Matchmakers

Traditionally marriages were arranged between the parents of the bride and groom; the couple had no choice in the matter. Most families would seek the help of a matchmaker to suggest a suitable match often from the neighboring village. The matchmaker would use astrology to check compatibility. It was considered unlucky for the couple to see each other before their wedding day - indeed it was grounds for calling off the engagement.
Read More

Matchmakers

Traditionally marriages were arranged between the parents of the bride and groom; the couple had no choice in the matter. Most families would seek the help of a matchmaker to suggest a suitable match often from the neighboring village. The matchmaker would use astrology to check compatibility. It was considered unlucky for the couple to see each other before their wedding day - indeed it was grounds for calling off the engagement.
Read More

Flying rat

A bat is a lucky emblem in China mainly because in Mandarin 'bat' fú 蝠 sounds exactly the same as fú 'good fortune' which is written as 褔. Another name for a bat is 天鼠 tiān shǔ 'sky rat'.
Read More

On this day

1954 Mao Zedong became Chairman Chinese Communist Party 1954 (69 years ago)
1954 Mao Zedong became Chairman Peoples Republic of China 1954 (69 years ago)

Flying rat

A bat is a lucky emblem in China mainly because in Mandarin 'bat' fú 蝠 sounds exactly the same as fú 'good fortune' which is written as 褔. Another name for a bat is 天鼠 tiān shǔ 'sky rat'.
Read More

Flying rat

A bat is a lucky emblem in China mainly because in Mandarin 'bat' fú 蝠 sounds exactly the same as fú 'good fortune' which is written as 褔. Another name for a bat is 天鼠 tiān shǔ 'sky rat'.
Read More

On this day

1711 Emperor Qianlong born 1711 (312 years ago)
1881 Lu Xun born at Shaoxing Zhejiang 1881 (142 years ago)

Roman ban

The popularity of Chinese silk in Rome became such a drain on Roman Imperial finances that Emperor Tiberius ➚ issued an edict to ban men wearing silk. In one year over 22,000 pounds of gold was spent on its import. The Egyptian Queen Cleopatra was instrumental in making silk so fashionable with her silken, flowing robes in bright colors.
Read More

Roman ban

The popularity of Chinese silk in Rome became such a drain on Roman Imperial finances that Emperor Tiberius ➚ issued an edict to ban men wearing silk. In one year over 22,000 pounds of gold was spent on its import. The Egyptian Queen Cleopatra was instrumental in making silk so fashionable with her silken, flowing robes in bright colors.
Read More

On this day

1215 Kublai Khan born 1215 (808 years ago)

Hidden cities

Because Chinese towns and cities came under frequent attack through much of their long history each city would have a high wall built around it. Only one or two high buildings would be visible from outside the wall. The city gates would be locked at night. To provide an adequate defense to northern barbarian raiders cities would have walls 18 meters [60 feet] high.
Read More

Hidden cities

Because Chinese towns and cities came under frequent attack through much of their long history each city would have a high wall built around it. Only one or two high buildings would be visible from outside the wall. The city gates would be locked at night. To provide an adequate defense to northern barbarian raiders cities would have walls 18 meters [60 feet] high.
Read More

On this day

690 Empress Wu Zetian becomes Emperor 690 (1,333 years ago)

Hidden cities

Because Chinese towns and cities came under frequent attack through much of their long history each city would have a high wall built around it. Only one or two high buildings would be visible from outside the wall. The city gates would be locked at night. To provide an adequate defense to northern barbarian raiders cities would have walls 18 meters [60 feet] high.
Read More

Hidden cities

Because Chinese towns and cities came under frequent attack through much of their long history each city would have a high wall built around it. Only one or two high buildings would be visible from outside the wall. The city gates would be locked at night. To provide an adequate defense to northern barbarian raiders cities would have walls 18 meters [60 feet] high.
Read More

Chairman Hu Yaobang

Chairman Hu Yaobang was the leader 1982-87 who is remembered principally because his death was the trigger for the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. He was seen as a pragmatic reformer who took China further towards market capitalism than the other leaders were prepared to go. It was Deng Xiaoping who stepped in to remove him from his office as President/Chairman and install more hard-line leadership.
Read More

On this day

1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria 1931 (92 years ago)

Chairman Hu Yaobang

Chairman Hu Yaobang was the leader 1982-87 who is remembered principally because his death was the trigger for the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. He was seen as a pragmatic reformer who took China further towards market capitalism than the other leaders were prepared to go. It was Deng Xiaoping who stepped in to remove him from his office as President/Chairman and install more hard-line leadership.
Read More

China's Armed Services

The active armed services of China numbered 2.3 million in 2016, the largest force in the world, but due to China's huge population it is only 114th on a per capita basis well behind most industrialized nations.
Read More

On this day

1859 Yuan Shikai born 1859 (164 years ago)

Cicadas

For centuries the inclusion of a cicada on artwork has had the meaning of wishing a long life and rebirth. This is because they live a long time (up to 17 years) as grubs below ground and emerge as adult insects as if by magic.
Read More

On this day

1942 Wen Jiabao born 1942 (81 years ago)

China's dispute with India

Relations between the two most populous nations on Earth: China and India have never been great. The shared border runs along the foothills of the Himalayas and was drawn up by the British (the McMahon Line). When the People's Republic was founded in 1949 China wasted no time in ensuring control of Tibet. The Dalai Lama fled into India where he still lives at Tezpur within sight of the Himalayas. The new Communist Chinese government did not honor agreements signed by its Republican forebears and so the exact line of the border became contentious. A war between China and India ran from 20th October to 21 November 1962 and resulted in Chinese victory. China held onto the Aksai Chin area (near Kashmir) while India held on to the N.E.F.A (far east of the border).
Read More

On this day

1368 Mongol dynasty ended 1368 (655 years ago)
1998 Yang Shangkun died 1998 (25 years ago)

Changes and transformations

The very ancient Yi Jing (I Ching) is one the great classics of Chinese literature. Its meaning has been pondered upon for thousands of years. For much of China's dynastic history it was all pervasive, deciding when and who did things. In the full version the method produces two outcomes the 'current' and the 'future' and hence the name 'Book of Changes' as one transforms to the other. There are 64 possible outcomes arranged as six yin or yang lines. The laborious but satisfying traditional method uses fifty yarrow sticks, but for a thousand years three coins can also be used to give a more speedy answer.
Read More

Changes and transformations

The very ancient Yi Jing (I Ching) is one the great classics of Chinese literature. Its meaning has been pondered upon for thousands of years. For much of China's dynastic history it was all pervasive, deciding when and who did things. In the full version the method produces two outcomes the 'current' and the 'future' and hence the name 'Book of Changes' as one transforms to the other. There are 64 possible outcomes arranged as six yin or yang lines. The laborious but satisfying traditional method uses fifty yarrow sticks, but for a thousand years three coins can also be used to give a more speedy answer.
Read More

Changes and transformations

The very ancient Yi Jing (I Ching) is one the great classics of Chinese literature. Its meaning has been pondered upon for thousands of years. For much of China's dynastic history it was all pervasive, deciding when and who did things. In the full version the method produces two outcomes the 'current' and the 'future' and hence the name 'Book of Changes' as one transforms to the other. There are 64 possible outcomes arranged as six yin or yang lines. The laborious but satisfying traditional method uses fifty yarrow sticks, but for a thousand years three coins can also be used to give a more speedy answer.
Read More

On this day

1982 Hu Yaobang no longer Chairman Chinese Communist Party 1982 (41 years ago)
1982 Hu Yaobang became General Secretary Communist Party 1982 (41 years ago)

Green or black?

Green tea is the variety mainly drunk in China, it has a more subtle favor. Milk is not used and it is considered altogether a healthier drink. On the other hand black tea is drunk elsewhere, which has a stronger, more bitter flavor. It used to be grown in China but production moved to British India to avoid Chinese taxes. Green is the fresher tea; it turns black when 'oxidized' by exposure to warm air. The reason black tea is used outside China is that black tea keeps its flavor far longer than green. This was vital when tea was transported by long sea voyage and would take months to arrive, even on the fastest tea clippers.
Read More

On this day

210BCE Emperor Qin Shihuangdi no longer ruler 210BCE (2,234 years ago)
1980 Hua Guofeng no longer Premier PRC 1980 (43 years ago)
1980 Zhao Ziyang became Premier PRC 1980 (43 years ago)

Reginald Johnston

Reginald Johnston is an important figure in the famous Oscar winning The Last Emperor film. As personal tutor and friend to Emperor Puyi (1919-1927) and was probably the most influential westerner to ever serve in China. He came to Hong Kong in 1898 aged 24 and was then appointed to British administered Weihaiwei, Shandong 1906-1919. He became a great scholar of Chinese history and culture; he spoke Chinese fluently. The British government who used him as a spy in the Forbidden City was concerned that he had 'gone native' and had switched his allegiances to Chins.
Read More

On this day

1945 Wang Jingwei Regime ended 1945 (78 years ago)
1976 Mao Zedong died 1976 (47 years ago)
1976 Mao Zedong no longer Paramount Leader 1976 (47 years ago)
1976 Hua Guofeng became Paramount Leader 1976 (47 years ago)

Merger of three cities

The large commercial city of Wuhan on the Yangzi River is a relatively recent creation. The three cities of Wuchang, Hanyang and Hankou were merged in 1926. It stands at the confluence with the Han river (hence Hanyang and Hankou). Hankou was a treaty port dominated by European traders in the 19th century and retains some old buildings from this time period.
Read More

On this day

685 Emperor Xuanzong born 685 (1,338 years ago)
712 Emperor Xuanzong became ruler 712 (1,311 years ago)

Merger of three cities

The large commercial city of Wuhan on the Yangzi River is a relatively recent creation. The three cities of Wuchang, Hanyang and Hankou were merged in 1926. It stands at the confluence with the Han river (hence Hanyang and Hankou). Hankou was a treaty port dominated by European traders in the 19th century and retains some old buildings from this time period.
Read More

On this day

1901 Boxer Rebellion ended 1901 (122 years ago)

Why is China China?

The name we use for the country of China was not chosen by the Chinese people (who use Zhongguo) instead the name was used by travelers many centuries ago. Visitors from overland would first have come across the westernmost kingdom of Qin and it is believed this is the origin of the name used - from over 2,500 years ago.
Read More

Why is China China?

The name we use for the country of China was not chosen by the Chinese people (who use Zhongguo) instead the name was used by travelers many centuries ago. Visitors from overland would first have come across the westernmost kingdom of Qin and it is believed this is the origin of the name used - from over 2,500 years ago.
Read More

First China-UK conflict

Many people may think that the first conflict was in the two Opium Wars 1839-1860. However the first known direct conflict is considerably earlier in 1637. Captain John Weddell behaved more like the someone in 'Pirates of the Caribbean' than a diplomat. He wanted to force the Chinese into trading with Britain using force to break the monopoly of the Portuguese traders at Macau. In August 1637 his four heavily armed ships sailed up the Pearl River towards Guangzhou (Canton) and attacked a Chinese fort killing some Chinese defenders. His ambassadors were then captured by the Chinese and Weddell had to rely on reluctant Portuguese support to extricate himself from this failed attempt at opening trade.
Read More

First China-UK conflict

Many people may think that the first conflict was in the two Opium Wars 1839-1860. However the first known direct conflict is considerably earlier in 1637. Captain John Weddell behaved more like the someone in 'Pirates of the Caribbean' than a diplomat. He wanted to force the Chinese into trading with Britain using force to break the monopoly of the Portuguese traders at Macau. In August 1637 his four heavily armed ships sailed up the Pearl River towards Guangzhou (Canton) and attacked a Chinese fort killing some Chinese defenders. His ambassadors were then captured by the Chinese and Weddell had to rely on reluctant Portuguese support to extricate himself from this failed attempt at opening trade.
Read More

First China-UK conflict

Many people may think that the first conflict was in the two Opium Wars 1839-1860. However the first known direct conflict is considerably earlier in 1637. Captain John Weddell behaved more like the someone in 'Pirates of the Caribbean' than a diplomat. He wanted to force the Chinese into trading with Britain using force to break the monopoly of the Portuguese traders at Macau. In August 1637 his four heavily armed ships sailed up the Pearl River towards Guangzhou (Canton) and attacked a Chinese fort killing some Chinese defenders. His ambassadors were then captured by the Chinese and Weddell had to rely on reluctant Portuguese support to extricate himself from this failed attempt at opening trade.
Read More