From Heaven to Hell: The Cultural Evolution of Owls in Ancient China

Today, we’ll talk about a pair of owl-shaped wine vessels unearthed in the tomb of Fu Hao, China’s first female general, as well as the cultural significance of owls throughout Chinese history.

Today, we’ll talk about recent archaeological findings in Tibet, or Xizang - the so-called “rooftop of the world”. The new discoveries are helping to unravel the mystery of prehistoric Chinese ancestors’ migration patterns and how they were able to adapt to extreme environments.

Today, we’ll talk about Zhu Xi whose words once guided China’s emperors. Today, Zhu Xi’s Neo-Confucian ideas on knowledge and virtue are inspiring new perspectives worldwide on the moral order of life itself.

Today, we’ll talk about Pingyao Ancient City in Shanxi Province – a 2,800-year-old city that continues to thrive today maintaining a vibrant culture that weaves together ancient architecture, photography, and a unique story about the city’s pioneering role in China’s banking history.

Today, we’ll continue to talk about how the Forbidden City transformed into the Palace Museum. Specifically, we’ll introduce Ma Heng, the longest-serving director of the Palace Museum, whose leadership during key historical events preserved the Forbidden City as China’s largest museum.

In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about the transformation of the Forbidden City into the Palace Museum, focusing on China’s last emperor Puyi’s expulsion in 1924, the Qing imperial family’s financial struggles, and the founding of the museum in 1925.

Today, we’ll talk about a millennium-old tomb complex in northwest China that has received global recognition for its outstanding testament to a vanished dynasty even though its historical records and tangible architectural legacy has largely been lost to time.

Today, we’ll talk about Aniko, a young genius from Nepal whose journey across the Himalayas in the 13th century significantly influenced Chinese art, architecture, and the cultural friendship between China and Nepal.

Today, we’ll continue to explore the daily life, social structure, and the mysterious decline of Yan’s capital and uncover how a once-thriving city was abandoned within centuries, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with both ritual practice and historical upheaval.

Today, we’re going to talk about the Xiling Seal Art Society. From clandestine meetings to smuggling priceless artifacts, China’s most exclusive and enigmatic academic society has carried on the spirit of seal art through wars and revolutions for over a century.