ancient chinese, artisanal, craftsmanship, hair health, handmade, healing, rehabilitation, tradition, traditional crafts, virtuous living, wood combs

A Story of Healing and Tradition: The Master Craftsman Xianyi Chan

Since he was young, Taiwanese craftsman Xianyi Chan has always been fascinated with wood and woodwork. Together with his brother, from a young age, they started making wood hair clips and hairpins for money. But people asked him: “You are selling us hairpins, but before we put them on, we have to comb our hair. ...

Nathan Machoka

A wood comb.

Embracing Tradition: Celebrating Name Day

If you live outside Europe and Latin American countries, you may not be familiar with a name day celebration. Also called Saint’s Name Day, this is celebrated in many cultures worldwide, where people celebrate their name and its significance. If you want to learn how name days differ from birthdays, which countries celebrate them, and ...

Nathan Machoka

Happy name day.

Christmas Greeting from Nspirement (2023)

As 2023 draws close, we reflect on a year marked by global challenges and transformations. The world has faced a pandemic, conflicts, and environmental crises, yet we’ve also seen the rise of artificial intelligence, fueling creativity and innovation and raising concerns. Embracing unity and tradition Despite our busy lives, Christmas stands as a unifying beacon. ...

Hermann Rohr

Christmas cookies cut in shapes of stars and a christmas tree.

Christmas Bon Bons Are Easy To Make!

Christmas Day lunch in my family is not complete without bon bons. These always bring laughter and joy to everyone sitting at the table. It is also a great icebreaker, and they can help start the conversation rolling. Bon bons are also called crackers because when a person holds one end and another person holds ...

Trisha Haddock

Christmas bon bons set at the table with decorations.

Besenwirtschaften Explained: Learn More About the Broomstick Inns

Many cultures have their unique seasonal practices, and among these are the Besenwirtschaften. While the Besen might not be something you’ve heard before, it comes with an exciting approach and can be something tourists are also welcome to experience. If you want to learn more about the Besen and the meaning behind the peculiar broomstick ...

Mike West

besenwirtschaft

Wealth and Fate: The Salt Merchant’s Ambitious Son

Some individuals amass immense wealth through hard work, talent, opportune moments, or chance. Yet while some are able to retain their wealth, others can’t. Why is this? Is it pure coincidence, or is there an underlying inevitability to it? This can be attributed to the “fortune” predestined in one’s life. Imagine if a person’s life ...

Max Lu

Vintage open chest, coins on a wooden table, and a bright light from inside the chest.

Overcoming Fate: A Chinese Family Reshapes Their Destiny

In the heart of Jiangsu, nestled by the Huai River, lived a man named Zhao. He was the only son in his family lineage and an ominous thread of destiny hung over their lives. This haunting destiny traced back to his great-grandfather, with each generation losing a man to the depths of the river. At ...

Tatiana Denning

The Huai River wetland park.

Learning From History: How the Ancient Chinese Responded to Plagues and Disasters

The recent pandemic is, without a doubt, one of the greatest catastrophes we have experienced in our lifetimes. Yet, in the long annals of Chinese history, numerous accounts exist of plagues and other calamities of similar scale. These instances from antiquity provide us with invaluable insights into how emperors and common folk alike managed to ...

Mikel Davis

Ancient Chinese observing a globe mechanism.

5 Tips for Improving Your Handshake

Handshakes are a basic form of nonverbal communication. Shaking hands is an interactive body language revealing how the other person sees the environment, themselves, and you. For example, handshakes are crucial in making a good first impression or giving a goodbye message.  In simple terms, your handshake can influence how others perceive you. Therefore, you ...

Viena Abdon

Close up of a handshake between two men wearing business suits.