After the Ming Dynasty, Kungfu from the south and the north was introduced in succession and local Kungfu masters absorbed each’s essences to establish their own independent sect. Kungfu of this sect is simple, useful and powerful, featuring abundant Continue Reading

   Wumu, or ebony, is botanically related to the Ebenacea family. It has a fine closed grain which is very brittle, and the color can be pure black to black and brown. Because it grows as a small-diameter tree, it Continue Reading

   No early references to hongmu have yet been discovered; however, the equivalent southern Chinese term ‘suanzhi’ appears during the middle Qing period—its literal meaning, ‘sourwood’ describes the pungent odor emitted when it is worked. Most of the dark heavily Continue Reading

   Chinese Confucianism survived its suppression during the Qin Dynasty partly due to the discovery of a trove of Confucian classics hidden within the walls of a scholar’s residence. Right after the Qin, the new Han Dynasty approved of Confucian Continue Reading

   Commonly termed zhazhen or zhajing, this furniture-making wood is associated with the mulberry species. Furniture made from zhazhen wood is commonly found in the Subei region of Jiangsu. The wood is dark reddish-brown and layered with coffee-colored tissue; it Continue Reading

   Although this aspect of tradition has changed significantly because the Cultural Revolution, when Chairman Mao set loyalty to the government above loyalty to family, and upset the formerly rigid structure of family members and home life, filial obligation nevertheless Continue Reading

   Chinese Elm (lang yu (U. parviflora)) is more concentrated in the southern tropical regions, but is also found throughout Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei. Its coffee-colored heartwood may also relate to the furniture-making wood popularly called Purple Elm (ziyu). This timber Continue Reading

Chinese religion is just not an organized, unified program of beliefs and practices. It has no headquarters, no leadership, no denominations and no founder. Rather, “Chinese religion” can be a common term utilized to describe the complex interaction of different Continue Reading

   Muqam Art of Xinjiang of China is a general reference to all the Muqams of various kinds popular in Uygur areas in Xinjiang. It is a large-scale comprehensive art form consisting of opera, dance and music, represented by 12 Continue Reading

Islam is one of the world’s three most important religions, was transmitted from Arabia to China in the mid-7th century A. D. Over many centuries, diplomats and traders built a bridge of economic and cultural exchanges connecting the two major Continue Reading