The Five is a key number in traditional Chinese philosophy and traditional Chinese medicine(中药zhōngyào), which are related in a comprehensive system emphasizing harmony(the harmony of something is the way in which its parts are combined into a pleasant arrangement) and balance.
Tag: Ancient Chinese
Xiang Ma Jing 相马经
The earliest book on science of animal husbandry in China elaborating the way to tell good horses from the inferior ones is Xiang Ma Jing (Classics of Identifying the Thoroughbred). Xiang Ma Jing(相马经 xiàngmǎjīng) said to be the work of an unknown author in the State of Chu(楚国 Chǔguó) in the late Warring States Period(战国晚期 Zhànguó wǎnqī). The book was later lost. People of later generations could only read from ancient records about the book without knowing its specific contents. In 1973, archaeologists found in Mawangdui Han Tomb No.3(马王堆三号汉墓 mǎwángduī sānhào hànmù) in Changsha(长沙 Chángshā), Hunan(湖南 Húnán) a silk manuscript that was confirmed to be the long lost Xiang Ma Jing. The book contains three chapters in 77 lines, totaling up to over 5200 characters. The first chapter states how Bo Le(伯乐 Bó Lè) identifies a good horse; the second chapter tells how to tell a good horse from its eyes, that is to say, to conduct a comprehensive research on the size, fullness, luster, movement of horse eyes as well as the eyelashes and ocular muscles to judge the physical ability and running speed of a horse; finally, the last chapter serves as an interpretation to Chapter One.
Ancient Chinese Clothing Accessories古代中国衣物配件
China is an ancient country with a very rich heritage（遗产yíchǎn）. The thousands of years of history have laid a rich basis for the lives of its inhabitants（居民jūmín） today. While some of the ancient Chinese myths and cultural traditions have been forgotten or are no longer observed, many of them are still remembered and incorporated into everyday life. Taking a look into the cultural traditions of China can reveal a lot about the way that the people live. One of the most interesting bits of Chinese lore can be found in what is known as the Jade Culture. Jade was a very fashionable emblem of ancient Chinese Culture. From very ancient times, during the Western Zhou Dynasty, jade has been used as a decoration that used to hang from the sash holding the Hanfu (a garment that was a part of the Ancient Chinese Clothing) closed. Jade was important in China not only because of its beauty, but also for its virtue and cultural significance（文化意义wénhuà yìyì）. According to Confucius, jade had 11 virtues, some of which include beauty, purity and grace. Jade is of two types, soft jade, known as nephrite, which is native to China, and hard jade (jadeite) which was imported from Burma starting in the 1200's.
Ancient Chinese Clothing古代中国服饰
The ancient Chinese clothing consisted mostly of robes. While the women wore lengthy tunics that reached the ground, the men wore tunics that reached their knees. The sleeves of the garments were wide, and loose fitting, with sashes being added as ornamentation. Darker shades were preferred over light ones. Lighter coloured clothing was worn more commonly by the common people. The original ancient Chinese clothing was referred to as the Han Chinese clothing. The outfit was called the Hanfu. With the coming of various dynasties, the hanfu underwent a lot of modifications.
Evolution of Female Beauty and Fashion in China中国美女与时尚演变
In ancient China, there were Four Great Beauties－Diaochan, Lady Yang, Xi Shi and Wang Zhaojun [*note] － who were so famed for their beauty that, like Helen of Troy, they could overthrow states and cities(倾国倾城qīngguó qīngchéng). Their beauty has been depicted in countless traditional paintings, but unlike the art that came much later, ancient painting techniques make it hard to tell how accurate these depictions are.
About the Capital Chang’an of Han
The Capital of the Western Han Dynasty Geographical Location: Xi'an, In Shaanxi Province Period: 202BC-8AD
Erlitou Site
Situated in Eerlitou(二里头èrlĭtóu) Village in Yanshi City close to Luoyang City, Henan Province, Eerlitou Site is the relics of the capital of the Xia Dynasty (around 2070-1600BC), the first dynasty in China of ancient times. It consists of three natural villages in Yanshi City – Eerlitou, Gedangtou and Sijiaolou, and covers an area of 4 million square meters. Unearthed from the site are foundational address of large-scale palaces, large-sized workshops for bronze metallurgy, relics of pottery and bone making, as well as architectures in relation to religious worship and over 400 graves, which jointly demonstrate that Erlitou Site was the capital during the reign of four emperors in the Xia Dynasty: Taikang, Kongjia, Dihao and Xiajie, and the political, military, economic and cultural center of the Xia Dynasty.
What is the Heavy Snow？
In the outer reaches of the Yellow River, the ancient Chinese used the phenology calendar, in which five days formed a hou, and three hous formed a solar term. A year was divided into 24 solar terms and 72 hous. Every hou corresponded to a natural phenomenon to explain the change of weather and phonological phenomenon. The hou could be divided into two categories: one was about biological phenomena, animals and plants. The other was about non-living things, such as water or thunder. The phenomena used to characterize the hous depended on the observations of the ancient people, so some of them we today know are false, such as the eagle turning into a turtledove, or the wild bird changing into a clam. In ancient times, however, they played an important role in guiding agricultural activities.
Luoyang from the Eastern Han to Northern Wei
As the Capital city of Eastern Han Dynasty, Kingdom of Cao Wei, Western Jin Dynasty, and Northern Wei Dynasty
Abacus
As a traditional Chinese calculation tool and an important ancient Chinese invention, the abacus is widely used before the invention of Arabic numerals in the world.
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