chinese history, chinese idioms, chinese literature, conflict resolution, cultural wisdom, diplomacy, eastern philosophy, historical figures, leadership qualities, political philosophy, proverbs and sayings, statecraft, strategic patience, tolerance, zhuge liang

Lessons from Ancient Chinese Statesmen: Tolerance Brings Blessings

The ancient Chinese placed great emphasis on self-cultivation and moral development, believing that tolerance was a form of wisdom. A generous spirit and a kind-hearted approach to others not only accumulated good deeds, but also attracted good fortune and improved the character of others. Leading with composure and tolerance During the era of the Three ...

Tatiana Denning

Illustration of Jiang Wan, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Shu during China's Warring States Period.

Zhuge Liang’s Strategy: Winning Wars and Hearts with Trustworthiness

In traditional Chinese philosophy, the character for “trustworthiness” (信) is composed of the characters for “person” (人) and “speech” (言). This emphasizes that trustworthiness is a combination of one’s actions and words. It serves as the bedrock of personal integrity and the cornerstone upon which societies and nations are built. Lacking this quality, neither an ...

Mikel Davis

Illustration of Chinese statesman, strategist, and engineer Zhuge Liang who lived during the Eastern Han Dynasty.

How Zhuge Liang’s Feather Fan Was Made

The ancient book Three Kingdoms by Sanguo Yanyi (三國演義) depicts the periods of the Three Kingdoms, where Zhuge Liang is pictured as the commander swaying a feather fan. Zhuge Liang was a Chinese politician, military strategist, writer, engineer, and inventor. He served as the chancellor and regent of the state of Shu Han during the ...

Emma Lu

A feather fan.

A Brilliant Army Strategy: Outwitting 150,000 Enemies Using a Lute

When it comes to defeating 150,000 soldiers, you might think that a large force made up of at least an equal number of soldiers would be required. But a Chinese General named Zhuge Liang (181 to 234) took care of this task with a musical instrument — a lute. The lute strategy Liang lived during ...

Max Lu

A Chinese lute.

Genius and Beauty: What Zhuge Liang Valued

Zhuge Liang was an ancient Chinese military strategist during the Three Kingdoms era of China, 220-280. His parents passed away when he was very young. He then moved to Long Zhong, approximately 13 kilometers away from Xiangyang, Hubei, China, with his uncle. Zhuge Liang was talented, tall, and very handsome. Despite these attributes, he was ...

Helen London

The Summer Palace in Beijing.

The Beauty of Zhuge Liang’s Ugly Wife

In China, Zhuge Liang’s wisdom and talent as a military strategist are well known. He had a strong build and stood eight feet tall. Needless to say, he easily captured people’s attention. Nonetheless, when he married Huang Yueying, everyone began to question his taste because she was very homely. She was the daughter of Liang’s ...

David Jirard

Zhuge Liang.