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The Temple of Heaven is one of the most significant heritage sites along Beijing's Central Axis. As the main structure of the Temple of Heaven, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests stands on a three-tiered pedestal made of pure white marble, making it one of the tallest ancient buildings in Beijing.
A Chinese video game, Black Myth: Wukong, has become a global sensation. Its latest trailer has an arresting dialogue: "Use powerful methods, but have a compassionate heart and that's your destiny." This reflects the essence of the game's central character, Sun Wukong, or Wukong, a figure with a strong will, a rebellious streak and persistence.
Yongle porcelain, also called sweet white porcelain, was produced during the Ming Dynasty's Yongle period (1403-1424), and features a special glaze giving a smooth and creamy appearance. This kind of porcelain was described in ancient times as "white like congealed fat, immaculate like piled-up snow," denoting the highest level of ancient Chinese white porcelain.
The abacus, a manually operated counting aid that originated in China, was hailed as "the fifth great invention in China" by Joseph Needham, a renowned British biochemist and historian. Before the advent of Arabic numerals, the abacus was a widely used counting tool globally.
A bronze sun-shaped device, unearthed at the Sanxingdui Ruins in Sichuan province, has a history of more than 3,000 years. The circular device, around 84 cm in diameter, has a protruding center like the sun. Five arms are radially connected to the surrounding halo. The circular hole in the center of the device and five equally spaced circular holes on the halo are all used for fixing purposes.
Among the gold masks unearthed at the Sanxingdui archaeological site, one that covers only half a face holds China's record for the heaviest gold object.
The grand statue of a human figure in bronze, on display at the new Sanxingdui Museum in Sichuan province, southwest China, is the tallest and most complete standing bronze figure in existence.
In ancient times, the military deployed a vehicle equipped with a cabin for observing enemy movements from a high altitude, known as the Nest Car because the cabin was suspended high up on a pole, just like a bird's nest.
The world's earliest wind direction instrument, the copper bird, was invented by Zhang Heng (78-139), a renowned scientist in the Eastern Han Dynasty. It resembles a bird made of copper with a short head and a long tail, placed on a straight pole about 16 centimeters high. When the wind blows, the direction pointed by the bird's head is that of the wind.
The water-powered trip hammer is a grain processing tool that uses the power of running water to grind grains, which was invented in the Western Han Dynasty(202 BC-8 AD).
The dragonbone water lift, a milestone invention first made during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), is a wooden machine used for irrigation.
To solve the problem of grain transportation, Shen Kuo analyzed the proportion between logistics personnel and soldiers during different marching days, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of using livestock and manpower to transport rations. These analyses were documented in his epic book, Dream Pool Essays.
In his book Dream Pool Essays, Shen Kuo documented an intriguing ancient Chinese practice of using cowhide arrow quivers as both storage for arrows and makeshift pillows. When these quivers were placed on the ground, their hollow interiors allowed people to hear faint sounds of individuals and horses several miles away. The underlying spirit of scientific creativity serves as a wellspring of wisdom and inspiration for modern endeavors.
Legend has it that there was a spring in the present day Yanshan county, Jiangxi province, where the water was not sweet but bitter. Local villagers discovered that through boiling this spring water, they could extract gleaming yellow copper. Intrigued, Shen Kuo (1031-1095) traveled to witness this process and documented it in his book Dream Pool Essays.
Shen Kuo utilized the Shouling Tu — the most accurate administrative map in that era — as evidence to demonstrate that the contested mountain was situated south of the Baigou River, firmly establishing it as part of the territory of the Song dynasty. The Shouling Tu, which was drawn by Shen in twelve years, played an important role in defending the territory.
Black tea originated in China and spread to the world. Today, it accounts for more than 80 percent of the global tea market.
For tea enthusiasts, the changing of seasons is a prelude to the much awaited first cup of spring tea. Sipping fresh green tea in early spring seems to physically herald the arrival of the season of blossoms. Among all tea categories, green tea is the first to hit market shelves each year, and the most produced and consumed tea in China, accounting for 50-60 percent of total tea sales.
The Bell and Drum Towers, located at the northern tip of the Beijing Central Axis, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, play a significant role in the city planning of ancient Beijing.
As one of China's top 10 new archaeological discoveries of 2023, the Wangzhuang site, located in Yongcheng city of Henan province, has a total area of about 630,000 square meters.
William N. Brown has called China home for over 30 years. "I'm fortunate to live in a country as beautiful as China, in the vibrant city of Xiamen, and at a university as remarkable as Xiamen University," the 68-year-old American professor at Xiamen University said.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a harvest festival celebrated in Chinese culture. Held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, it falls on September 17 this year according to the Gregorian calendar. On this day, the Chinese believe that the moon is at its brightest and fullest, coinciding with harvest time in the middle of autumn.
