Culture
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In the late Tang dynasty, a tomb robbery took place in a certain place. As the case remained unsolved for a long time, the local authorities came under considerable pressure. Eventually, they apprehended a ‘suspect’ and subjected him to brutal torture to extract a confession. Unable to endure the torment, the ‘suspect’ ultimately confessed under…
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In the late Eastern Han dynasty, there was a man named Xun Jubo. He had travelled from afar to visit a friend who was gravely ill, only to find the Xiongnu army attacking the city. The residents all fled. His friend said to him, ‘I may well die at any moment, you must leave at…
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The Duku Highway, hailed as “China’s most beautiful highway,” traverses diverse landscapes including deserts, snow-capped mountains, canyons, grasslands, and wetlands. Built by the military over ten years starting in 1974, the highway’s treacherous terrain resulted in the loss of a soldier for every three kilometers, ultimately claiming the lives of 168 soldiers. Chen Jungui was…
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During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang dynasty, Wu Bao’an, a native of Hebei, served as a county magistrate in Suizhou, but had not been promoted for a long time. His fellow townsman, Guo Zhongxiang, was prime minister’s nephew. At that time, a rebellion broke out in the south, and Guo Zhongxiang went with…
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Wu Xun (1838–1896) lost his father in childhood and could not afford education. Later, whilst working as a labourer, he was cheated out of three years’ wages by his employer due to his illiteracy, an experience that deeply traumatised him. He set himself the grand ambition of “establishing a charity school for the poor” and…
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Ba Zi (八字), also known as the Four Pillars of Destiny, originates from ancient China, is believed to largely determine one’s fate. It is a method that uses the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches to accurately record the year, month, day, and hour. It consists of eight characters: the Year Stem and Branch, the Month…