In the thousands of years of Chinese civilization, there were not only the conquests and games between emperors and generals, but also the brilliant and practical institutions and mechanisms created by professionals and low-level clerks. The author Ma Boyong has distilled six wonderful stories from local histories and ancient texts to form the book "The Great Ming Dynasty Under the Microscope". The storyline is full of reversals, the number of characters and relationships, as well as the richness of the detailed descriptions, while adding to the difficulty of the drama adaptation. Because the historical evolution is completely different from the concentrated competition in the drama. In the original, Shuai Jiamo (帅嘉谟) in the silk tax case is considered the male lead, but he just appears occasionally. He is more like Ye Wenjie in "Three-Body", who ignited the fuse for this whole affair.   01 Smart Adaptation of the Original In the drama, the silk tax case was preserved, but the main characters have richer personalities. During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, a citizen of Renhua County, Jin'an Prefecture, Shuai Jia Mo (帅家默, played by Zhang Ruoyun. In the drama, the names of the characters are replaced, but the…

In China's long history, there have been countless thousands of distinguished generals and military strategists, and even today, their noble deeds and achievements are still often talked about. In this article, we will introduce Bai Qi to you. Bai Qi was a very famous general in the state of Qin during the Warring States period and his military successes laid a good foundation for the later unification of China by Emperor Qin Shihuang. According to historical records he won more than 70 battles, and never lost one. In his lifetime his troops killed over a million soldiers. Bai Qi (白起; 332 BC – 257 BC), also known as Gongsun Qi (公孫起), was a military general of the state of Qin (秦) during the Warring States period (战国时代) of China. Born in Mei (present-day Mei County, Shaanxi), Bai Qi served as commander of the Qin army for over 30 years, being responsible for the deaths of over one million people, earning him the nickname Ren Tu (人屠 lit. manslayer'). According to the historical book Shiji (史記) he captured more than 73 cities from six other enemy states, and to date no records have been found to show that Bai suffered a single…

The rise of the hanfu market restored traditional festivals back to former hustle and bustle. Lighting lanterns, pasting couplets, wearing hanfu, and singing ancient poems, built a bridge between ancient and modern times and seized the young people’s hearts. Hanfu brings feelings of nostalgia, ancestor worship, and gratitude to modern people. At the same time, hanfu production, sales, makeup, and supporting service markets have risen, and hanfu element immersive experience marketing is also in the stage of vigorous development.   Traditional culture in the costume The West Lake cruise ship with rabbit lanterns is swaying in the lake, and several tourists in hanfu complement with beautiful scenery, which is pretty much in line with the feeling of crossing Hangzhou, a thousand-year-old city. Many young people are immersive in it. "When I watched costume dramas as a child, I often put on a bed sheet to imitate a robe, and now wearing hanfu is more like a dream come true." Yan Peishan, who studied in Italy, said, "Earlier, I played erhu on stage in hanfu and won a lot of praise. It turns out that there are not only cheongsams in China, but also beautiful hanfu." Hanfu does not only refer…

The Definition of Auspicious Costume Ji Fu (吉服, auspicious costume) was a new classification of clothing formed in the Ming Dynasty, referring to the clothing used for various auspicious occasions such as seasonal festivals, weddings, birthdays, and banquets. In the Qing Dynasty, it became a specialized category within the clothing system. Traditional Ji Fu refers to the clothing used for auspicious ceremonies (major rituals, etc.). With the development of the times and the increase in festivals and celebrations, there was a need for a special auspicious costume for all kinds of festive occasions, so the Ming dynasty referred to a more formal dress than the everyday casual dress for rituals and all kinds of auspicious occasions as the auspicious costume. Although not found in the system, the term "Ji Fu" was repeatedly used in various political books and literary works. During the Ming dynasty, the auspicious costume was not a single standard style, but the same style as the regular and casual hanfu costumes, such as Yuan Ling Pao, Zhi Shen, Yi San, Tie Li, Dao Pao, Ao Qun, etc. The color was mostly in festive colors such as red, for example, the officials used to wear a red round…

Jin Yong's martial arts novel "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" is a voluminous and difficult for film adaptation. "Sakra (乔峰传)" takes the most central character in the original novel, Qiao Feng, and develops the entire story around his fate and life. With his understanding and creative approach, Donnie Yen has created a new image of Qiao Feng. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es5NAYPdcdI During the Northern Song Dynasty, Qiao Feng, the heroic and chivalrous leader of the Beggar's Gang, was supported by the martial arts world, but was suddenly identified as a Khitan and defected from the family. In Qiao Feng to trace his life, looking for enemies on the way, he and Murong family maidservant girl Azhu acquaintance and mutual affection. They go through several adventures, until Ah Zhu is mistakenly killed by Qiao Feng because of Mrs. Ma's design, and Qiao Feng finally finds out that everything is Murong's plot to restore Yan. Qiao Feng killed Murong Fu, and then took Zhu's last wish and went to the outside of the country.   The Difficulty of Adapting Jin Yong's Wuxia Work The creators of "Sakra", Donnie Yen and Wong Jing, had just previously collaborated on the "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" film series, with Donnie…

Today is the Lantern Festival, the first full moon night of the year in the Chinese Lunar New Year. In the Chinese lunar calendar, the first month of the year is called the month of Yuan (元), and the ancient people called the night Xiao (宵), so it is called the Yuan Xiao (元宵, Lantern Festival), also known as Shang Yuan (上元) and Yuan Xi (元夕). On this night, all activities revolve around lantern. As a specific festival, the Lantern Festival was shaped in Sui, and from Tang to Qing Dynasty, it was continuously grand, gradually forming a festival custom with lanterns as the core. How did people spend the Lantern Festival in the past? Follow The Palace Museum to check out the Lantern Festival customs that inherited for thousands of years.   Rich Traditional Lantern Types Both daily or festival, from the palace to the folk, the ancient people used a wide range of lantern styles, characters, flowers, birds, fish, insects, and so on. The exquisite and chic appearance of the lanterns gives good meaning. During the Lantern Festival, there are some specific categories of lanterns. For example, the Qingcheng lantern is a custom-made palace lantern in the Forbidden…

"A League of Nobleman" (君子盟) is the latest thriller detective drama directed by Yang Fan and Jia Xiaoxiong, starring Jing Boran and Song Weilong, broadcast on January 30, 2023. The drama is adapted from the novel Zhang Gong An (张公案) written by Dafeng Guaguo. It tells the story of Zhang Ping, a simple and upright young man who loves reasoning and investigating, and young gentlemen Lan Jue, who is elegant and gentle Ceremonial Master. They jointly explore and investigating cases, find the true circumstances of Lan's birth, and work together to maintain justice and protect the peace of the people.   Next detective drama classic? Classic detective dramas appeared frequently in the early years. "Young Judge Bao" not only has eye-catching ratings but also makes many classic clips unforgettable to the audience. "Detective Dee" series not only had the highest ratings at that time but also created the most classic image of Di Renjie in the history of TV series. The drama "Judge of Song Dynasty" in 2005 is still a classic in the hearts of many audiences. The series is enough to surpass most ancient costume detective dramas in terms of plot, performance, and theme depth. However, with the…

At the end of 2022, a documentary with only four episodes went online, "Dunhuang and Venice: Above Desert and Sea". Perhaps Marco Polo's visit to China is the only positive encounter between Dunhuang (敦煌) and Venice in history. They reunited with a new look in this documentary. From east to west, from sand to sea, the Silk Road conveys the most wonderful exchange of materials, culture and people.   East Meets West In 1271, Marco Polo set out from Venice for a long journey and crossed 6,400 kilometers of sand and sea. In his travelogue, he noted down a place called sandbank, which was Dunhuang. In the long river of history, the two seemingly completely irrelevant cities have more connections because of the Silk Road. For example, the cotton weaving of Persia appeared in Dunhuang Tang Dynasty documents and also appeared beside the governor of Venice. The pattern of lotus appeared in the Mogao Grottoes and also in the gorgeous clothes of the Madonna. Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan is not only the profoundest sky in Dunhuang frescoes but also the purest blue in Titian's works. Many traders may not travel the entire length of the Silk Road, but one short…

In 2022, Chinese drama frequently produced wonderful works, history, Xuanhuan, romantic, mystery, even the most discerning viewers can find a drama that suits them. In this article, we have selected eight ancient costume dramas that are among the best in terms of reviews and reputation.   01 The Long River · 天下长河 Details of The Long River Also known as: Tian Xia Chang He Aired: November 11, 2022 Episodes/Duration: 40/45min Period Background: Qing Dynasty Genres: Historical, Political Director: Zhang Ting Main Role: Luo Jin as Kangxi Emperor, Yin Fang as Chen Huang, Huang Zhi Zhong as Jin Fu. Plot Summary of The Long River ”The Long River“ takes the story of water governance in the Kangxi period as the main line. It tells the story of Jin Fu, Chen Huang and other water governance talents who overcome all obstacles to protect the stable water situation of the Yellow River and jointly build dikes that cannot be washed away by floods. Since a huge flood in the 15th year of Kangxi, the young Emperor Kangxi began recruiting river governance talents. Chen Huang, a 24-year-old scholar who just after the failure of the imperial examination, stood out and was good at river governance.…

Since the Chinoiserie style became very popular, Dunhuang culture has naturally become one of the focuses. Many Chinese actresses and hanfu models have tried the Dunhuang flying apsaras. Dunhuang flying apsaras, as the top popular exotic culture, how is it possible to combine grandeur and ebullience in such an ingenious way? It all starts with the Dunhuang murals.   The Origin of Dunhuang Frescoes During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the divisive political situation made people’s lives turbulent. The concept of Buddhism’s compassion and salvation provided comfort to suffering people and developed rapidly. There was a monk on way to the west, passing through Dunhuang and encountered a golden light spectacle, identified as a holy place. He hired the craftsman to dig caves here and carve Buddha statues. Over time, not only the princes and nobles, and even the common people have come to Dunhuang to excavate Buddhist caves, then the scale of the grottoes gradually expanded. Gradually, Dunhuang, located at the west end of the Hexi Corridor, has become a true fertile land for the spread of Buddhism, forged a rich treasure house of art and culture. Grand, magnificent, and surpassingly beautiful, Dunhuang has an unparalleled aesthetic background, known…

Like the dragon, Feng (凤, phoenix) is the most representative of the Chinese totem. As a rumored divine bird, the appearance of the phoenix also gathers the advantages of hundreds of beasts. In the ancient book "Er Ya", Guo Pu noted the image of a phoenix "chicken head, snake neck, swallow chin, turtle back, fishtail, variety of colors, about six feet high." But in the long years, the image of the Chinese phoenix has also been completely different in different times.   Shang and Zhou Dynasties During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, ancient people's primitive totem worship of the phoenix gradually turned into awe of centralized rule. The divine bird phoenix has its special political meaning and has become an auspicious symbol of peace in the world. Phoenix patterns usually only appear in bronzeware and jade decorations, which are the patent of princes and nobles. During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, bronzeware was mostly used in sacrificial ceremonies and had a strict hierarchy. The sacrificial use determines the solemn and majestic overall style of bronzeware, and also affects the choice of pattern decoration on bronzeware. During this period, the phoenix pattern is mainly the image of Kuifeng (夔凤). The overall…

Hey everyone! College applications have been kicking my ass for the past few months so I've been pretty silent for a while, but I'm finally done—which means more hanfu content for you all to see! For those of you who don’t know me, I’m redsugar, or Tangtang (or a bajillion other variants of red and sugar in multiple languages that people have given to me as nicknames)! I’m a gender fluid Taiwanese-American hanfu designer based in the US. I’ve been part of the Newhanfu community for a couple years now and written extensively about my historical research and designs. Today I’m going to give you all a little summary of the designs modeled in our January 2023 model call outing! This includes five out of my eight 2023 Lunar New Year collection, photographed at the Chinese Cultural Garden in San Jose. Special thanks to all the participants for modeling these samples, and hope you guys all had plenty of fun! Let’s get to it then~ 機杼/JIZHU (modeled by 采蘑菇的小姑娘背着一只大狂猪) First up is Jizhu! This is a late Ming Dynasty four-piece set consisting of a 百迭裙/百迭裙/bai3 die2 qun2/hundred-layered skirt, a 立領衫/立领衫/li4 ling3 shan1/standing collar top, a waist tie, and a 比甲/比甲/bi3…

The TV series The Blood of Youth (少年歌行, Shao Nian Ge Xing) is adapted from the novel of the same name. The drama stars Li Hong Yi, Liu Xue Yi, Lin Bo Yang, Ao Rui Peng, Li Xin Ze and Flora Dai, etc. It was broadcast on December 26, 2022. During the journey to Xue Yue City, the young hero Lei Wu Jie mistakenly enters the Xue Luo Villa. His first heroic deed does not go as planned, as he destroys the inn, and also owes the inn boss Xiao Se a debt. In desperation, Lei Wu Jie travels to Xue Luo Villa with Xiao Se. On the way, they happen to meet Tang Lian, who is escorting a gold coffin, and are involved in a huge rivalry between the rivers and lakes, as well as a deep secret hidden in the royal family for many years. Several young heroes with strange origins and a dashing heroic spirit start their adventure. They are pulled by an invisible clue and gradually evolve from ignorance to heroes. "The Blood of Youth" brings together many elements of teenagers, hot blood, martial arts and so on. Where does the protagonist rank in terms of…

China is a developed country with advanced technology but one that treasures and respects ancient traditions. As a college student, studying ancient Chinese history is fascinating. China is the world’s oldest country. Written records date back to 1250 BCE, and the first dynasty in China lasted over 3,500 years. Its long history is filled with all kinds of adventures, challenges and events the world can learn from. Develop a solid grounding in historical research and study Doing historical research will help you to broaden the way you think about historical events and what kind of influence they have on today’s world. You will probably start by learning more about the Paleolithic period in ancient China. Modern humans probably appeared in China about 200,000 years ago. By 5000 BCE, there were village settlements in several regions with fortified walls built around them. It was between 2000 and 1600 BCE that the Bronze Age emerged out of the diverse Neolithic cultures. Get help from an essay writing service The study of history in college can be challenging due to the amount of research you need to do. If you can’t find the time to write essays, essay service EduBirdie has professional writers who…

Recently, a Chinese animation has burst into the list of major platforms in China like an dark horse. It is Yao-Chinese Folktales, a collection of animated works jointly produced by Shanghai Animation Film Studio and Bilibili. It consists of eight independent stories rooted in traditional Chinese culture. At present, it has been broadcast in 3 episodes with more than 45 million views. In the Chinese animation industry, it goes without saying that Shanghai Animation Film Studio has high artistic achievements and a unique style, but because of the changes of the times and talent faults, it has fallen into a dilemma. However, "Yao-Chinese Folktales" seems to indicate that this old brand of film studio is back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLQBCNV7Lak   Monster story collection The theme of Yao-Chinese Folktales is monsters. Monster has a rich meaning in Chinese traditional culture. It is not necessarily just a fierce and grotesque image. It represents the abnormal and unknown, getting along with and fighting with human beings, and may also be another side of human beings. The eight stories vary in style and core. The title of the first episode is Nobody, which tells the story of ordinary little monsters in "Journey to the West", but…

Serious eyes and magnificent scenes make the audience seem to be able to be in the painting. Each painting is powerful and has an impressive presence, and the oriental fantasy narrative is integrated into the painting, which makes people excited. Xiang Yu, the overlord of Western Chu with soaring aspirations. The unruly and uninhibited Monkey King. Tang warriors, who dressed in warrior armor and wore masks in the style of Tang Sancai pottery, guarded the tomb of Li Yuan, the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Xu Zihui, born in Qingdao in 1996, has been in contact with comic strips, sketches and cartoons since childhood, and he has been drawing for 16 years. During his study at the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, he won numerous awards and several heavyweight awards.   Young "veteran artist" Becoming famous at a young age, most people thought he was a genius. But in fact, Xu Zihui's creation in the past few years is also a process of constant transformation. He changes in each bottleneck and doubt, and gains new life in difficulties just as in his painting. During the seven-year undergraduate and master years, the first two years are a learning process,…

History Background In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang has crowned emperor. His regime was established with the name of Hongwu and the whole dynasty was named Ming. In the 14th year of Hongwu, the remaining forces of the Yuan dynasty in Yunnan were pacified and ancient China was finally reunified again. Zhu Yuanzhang abandoned the costume system established in the Yuan Dynasty and adopted the system of the Han and Tang dynasties and tried his best to restore the various rituals of the Han people. From the beginning of the Ming Dynasty to the reign of the second emperor Chengzu, the Ming Dynasty had been quite prosperous, and after Chengzu, Emperor Xuanzong and Emperor Yingzong were still able to maintain prosperity. But since then, due to the eunuchs' disorderly administration and the invasion of pirates, the country had been on the way of declining. In 1644, Wu Sangui opened the Shanhai Pass and led the Qing troops into Beijing to fight against Li Zicheng. And after that the Qing troops entered the Central Plains. The Ming dynasty lasted 227 years from the beginning of the Ming dynasty to the death of Emperor Chongzhen who hanged himself.   Ming Dynasty Makeup Features During…

The rabbit has a positive, kind and transcendent meaning in Chinese culture. According to the ancient Chinese zodiac interpretation, the rabbit is a symbol of resourcefulness and luck, and people have a special fondness for the quirky rabbit. Therefore, the New Year's Eve dressing for the Year of the Rabbit should also reflect the innocent, lovely, witty and lively style.   New Year Hanfu Outfit for Female Compared to the mature dignity of the cross collar hanfu, the straight collar costume is undoubtedly more spirited and playful, with a parallel collar and wide cuffs with a white fluffy edge, which is both warm and beautiful, reminding people unconsciously of a white rabbit hiding in a snowdrift. The two white pompoms on the neckline, whether tied up or naturally drooping, add a touch of girlish sweetness and make the heart grow fonder with just a glance. The bunny pattern on the bottom skirt perfectly fits the rabbit element of the New Year, and the main tone of red makes the whole set overflowing with fire enthusiasm and joyful atmosphere. In terms of color choice, in addition to the common New Year's red, you can also choose many other shades, but all…

More than 20 Chinese Wuxia and Xianxia drama series are scheduled to air in 2022, including the highly anticipated "Joy of Life: Season 2" starring Zhang Ruo Yun and Li Qin; "The Longest Promise" starring Xiao Zhan and Ren Min; "The Longest Promise" starring Gong Jun and Dilraba Legend of Anle, starring Dilmurat. There are also several fantasy Xianxia dramas based on exciting Xianxia novels. The following is a list of Chinese Wuxia & Xianxia Drama highlights for 2022, as compiled by Newhanfu.   Joy of Life: Season 2 · 庆余年2 Also known as: Qing Yu Nian 2 Period Background: Alternative reality Genres: Wuxia, Political, Romance, Action, Comedy Main Role: Zhang Ruo Yun as Fan Xian, Li Qin as Lin Wan'er, Chen Dao Ming as Emperor of Qing, Wu Gang as Chen Ping Ping Joy of Life: Season 2 will bring an even more stirring story, as Fan Xian's challenges continue to escalate after the ups and downs of the previous life and death, while many characters from the first season return and new roles will be introduced to the audience.   Sword Snow Stride · 雪中悍刀行 (Aired) Aired: December 15, 2021 Also known as: Xue Zhong Han Dao Xing…

On the evening of November 29, at the 17th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Rabat, Morocco, the "Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China" nominated by China were inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. "Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China" covers the knowledge, skills, and practices of tea plantation management, tea leaf picking, manual processing, drinking, and sharing. Since ancient times, Chinese people have been growing, picking, making, and drinking tea. Using the art of tea making, tea makers have developed six major tea types, namely green, yellow, dark, white, oolong, black teas, and reprocessed tea such as flower-scented teas, and more than 2,000 kinds of tea products to meet the various needs of the people with different colors, aromas, tastes and shapes. https://youtu.be/Oe6kGFmFLnc   1 - The Origin of Chinese Traditional Tea Shennong used tea as an antidote for hundreds of poisons. Shu gave homegrown tea to the emperor of the Zhou Dynasty as a tribute. Since Lu Yu, the Saint of Tea, composed the "The Classic of Tea (茶经)", the status of tea has…