Emma Lu

Enoki, Matsutake, and Other Mushrooms Found in China

When it comes to eating mushrooms, most people in the West largely limit themselves to the button variety. As for the Chinese, they have been eating mushrooms for centuries, and their taste encompasses numerous other varieties as well. In fact, China is the biggest producer and consumer of mushrooms in the world. Here are five ...

Emma Lu

Mushrooms on a counter.

Ancient Rhymes: The History of Tang Poetry

Between A.D. 618 and A.D. 907, China was ruled by the Tang Dynasty. Considered one of the high points of Chinese civilization, the period is also known as the “Golden Age” of Chinese poetry. In 1705, the emperor of China commissioned a collection of Tang poetry, which was eventually published under the name Quan Tangshi and ...

Emma Lu

The Tang era.

Money, Love, and Family: A Chinese Fairy Tale Without a Happy Ending

In 1997, a Chinese couple moved to Canada with big dreams. They became quite successful and eventually ended up making millions. However, their marriage soon started to disintegrate and the couple eventually ended up in what the Supreme Court judged as “unrestrained warfare.” The husband, YZ, and the wife, AC, whose names have been hidden ...

Emma Lu

A Chinese fairy-tale setting.

These Soups Can Benefit the Lungs and Help Control Coughs

Autumn is the season in which the yang energy diminishes while the yin energy increases, along with the effect of pollutants in the air that can cause breathing problems and coughing. The following soups can help to clear and moisturize the lungs. Monk fruit and yellow pear soup Monk fruit can promote fluid production while yellow pear can ...

Emma Lu

Monk fruit.

A Chinese Tea That Costs More Than Gold

Da Hong Pao, also known as Big Red Robe, is a Chinese tea variety that is regarded as the most expensive in the world. Back in 2002, an individual paid around US$28,000 for just 20 grams of this delicacy. An expensive Chinese tea Da Hong Pao has an interesting history. Its cultivation began at the ...

Emma Lu

Tea cups full of tea.

Charitable Acts Can Change One’s Fate for the Good

Fate is predestined. However, helping others and doing charitable acts can alter some negative circumstances. Here is an example that shows how this can happen. There was a businessman in Anhui Province, China. He was in his 30s and married, but he had not been blessed with a child even though he wanted one so ...

Emma Lu

Yellow Mountain in Anhui Province.

Healthcare Community Evolves as Chinese Medicine Gains Recognition

Earlier this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) included traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in its latest version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) list. By doing so, the organization recognized traditional Chinese medicine as a viable treatment process that can be practiced in clinics across the world. However, the move has split the healthcare ...

Emma Lu

Traditional Chinese medicine remedies.

Wind and Its Impact in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the wind is believed to be a major cause of illness. Traditionally considered a yang form of evil, you can determine whether an affliction is caused by wind by looking at the symptoms associated with body movements — like spasms, twitching, and shaking. TCM classifies wind into external and internal. ...

Emma Lu

Traditional Chinese medicine.

Visiting the Xuanzang Buddhist Temple

The Xuanzang Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Nantou County, Taiwan. It was established in 1965 by the local government to honor the famous monk Xuanzang, who is renowned for his 17-year journey to India during the 7th century. The temple Xuanzang Temple is located close to Sun Moon Lake, one of the most ...

Emma Lu

The Xuanzang Temple.

Smart Investing in Jade

Jade has been a highly prized stone in Chinese culture, even more than diamonds, rubies, or emeralds. After the Qing Dynasty fell in 1911, the country was economically stressed for much of the last century, thereby dampening the market. But the rapid economic growth of past decades has created a strong middle class that is ...

Emma Lu

Jade jewelry.