ANCIENT HISTORY

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

HISTORY

China’s Long Road to Abolishing Slavery

Legal, social, and cultural barriers to ending China’s forced labor tradition

MODERN HISTORY

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

EDUCATION

The Biggest Teacher’s Pets in Chinese History

Four stories of ancient Chinese pupils who went to great lengths to honor their teachers

ANCIENT HISTORY

The Sorcerers and Soul Stealers that Terrorized Qing China

In 18th century China, evil spirits and sorcerers were a constant menace to the public and the government

LIVING IN CHINA

Where’s the Best Place to Beat the Heat in China?

From ancient times to now, Chinese have had their favorite locations to escape the summer sun

ANCIENT HISTORY

The Russian Refugees Who Made a Home in Qing China

How a priest from today’s Ukraine and a band of Siberian refugees built a Russian Orthodox mission in the heart of the Qing Empire

TRAVEL

On the Tracks of the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway

Yunnan's French colonial connections lives on in the old train station at Bisezhai

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

NEWS

When Diplomacy Is Lost in Translation

Diplomatic translation is never easy, but the task is all the more challenging when established protocols begin to fray