In China, as you probably know, education matters a lot. It is a very stressful and labor-intensive experience for Chinese students, who are closely monitored by their parents, anxious to see their prized 宝贝 bǎo bèi (meaning baby)be certified with high honors and go on to holding excellent positions in well-off companies. As such, getting your diploma is quite a big deal in China, both for parents and graduates. So much so the period between June and July is called 毕业季 bì yè jì graduation season in China!

Let’s learn some of the key words and expressions related to the Chinese graduation period and the Chinese school system so you can celebrate the best times you spent at high-school or university with your Chinese classmates.

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The period around Chinese graduations is an occasion to commemorate the best moments spent at the university. But before they can celebrate, students in China must take exams. The GaoKao might be over for high schoolers, but university and college students are most likely still knee-deep in their thesis…

Final ordeal before graduation: the dissertation!

In the Chinese higher education system, to be able to graduate, you need to do a 毕业论文 bì yè lùn wén graduation dissertation. It’s the last step before getting a diploma and being able to put your books away. I’m sure a lot of Chinese students getting ready to be certified are completely focused on their dissertation right now.

At times like these, you often hear people saying:

你的毕业论文写完了吗？ Nǐ de bì yè lùn wén xiě wán le ma? Have you finished your graduation dissertation?

Once they’ve finished their 论文 lùnwén thesis, students have to face the terrible 毕业答辩 bì yè dá biàn graduation dissertation defense. During this defense, you must submit your thesis. After all these tasks, undergraduates and graduates finally get their precious bì yè zhèng diploma.

If you’re around a campus at that time, in China, you’ll hear delighted students exclaim:

我终于拿到我的毕业证啦！ Wǒ zhōng yú ná dào wǒ de bì yè zhèng la! I finally got my diploma!

A pretty cool thing during 毕业季 in China is that students that do a really good job during their entire study year,are awarded an 优秀毕业生 yōu xiù bì yè shēng outstanding graduate title. 优秀 yōuxiù means excellent and 毕业生 bìyè shēng means graduate(s).

After the stressful period of defending a dissertation and obtaining one’s diploma, the degree celebrations in China are the perfect opportunity for the students to let go and celebrate all the hard work they put in. The event is full of special events and activities that grads must take part on, starting with, of course, a ceremony.

How is the Chinese graduation celebrated?

The fun starts with the Chinese graduation ceremony

A Chinese graduation ceremony is the first order of business for many educational institutions, once the exams and dissertations are over. Each university carefully prepares their 毕业典礼 bì yè diǎn lǐ graduation ceremony. It’s a time for congratulatory speeches, to honor the outstanding graduates and to give all the degree holders a chance to shine, as they can put on shows to showcase their talents. 毕业典礼 is also the grads’ chance to thank their teachers and spend one last time with their classmates and professors. It’s a very memorable event for everyone, and you may overhear someone say:

毕业典礼令人十分难忘。 Bì yè diǎn lǐ lìng rén shí fēn nán wàng. The graduation ceremony is very unforgettable.

As unforgettable this event is, everyone wants their little souvenir. What about pictures? Everyone could pin it in their room and remember this graduation ceremony for ages!

Say “cheese”

If there’s one thing every Chinese degree holder can’t wait to do, it’s the 毕业照 bì yè zhào graduation photo. If you check Chinese social networks such as Weibo, Wechat, and QQ right now, you’ll run into all sorts of photos.

Guangzhou University Students Graduate Wearing Qipao

These past few years, the trend for postgraduates in Chinese universities has been to wear 传统服饰 chuáng tǒng fú shì Chinese traditional costumes in their photos, such as 旗袍 Qípáo or 学士服 xué shì fú academic dress.

After the mandatory graduation pictures, graduates and teachers have the opportunity to say goodbye to each other during a delicious farewell meal.

Make sure you have no regrets during the farewell dinner

For some, it’s not only the end of the school year but it’s also the end of their student life and the time to find and embrace a new career. Therefore, before leaving your student life for good, properly celebrating their diplomas is a must! The last thing we want to introduce you to is the famous 散伙饭 sàn huǒ fàn farewell dinner party.

This meal represents the last perk of being a student; it will be their last memory of the school years and marks the end of studies celebrations. The farewell dinner party also the last opportunity for degree holders to exchange email addresses, phone numbers with c before leaving each other. This dinner also represents the last chance to dare to say or to do things before student life ends. If they secretly love someone, don’t you think it’s the right time for them to declare their love before leaving each other?

Icing on the cake: go on a graduation trip!

After all these ceremonies, awards and farewell dinners, some lucky former students go on a well-deserved bì yè lǚ xíng graduation trip before entering the job market. A good way to remember forever your last moments as an undergraduate forever, this trip can also be the occasion for the postgraduates to celebrate all their years of hard work and prepare for a new start! So before going on a trip and leaving the educational institutions forever, don’t forget to say goodbye:

永别了，我的母校！ Yǒngbiéle, wǒ de mǔxiào! Farewell, my college!

Final words:

Whether you’re going to pass your exams or one of your Chinese friends is, you’ve got now all the vocabulary in Chinese you need to talk about the graduation season. After seeing how the students graduate in universities in China, don’t you think it’s really close to the Western way of celebrating the end of the school year?
How do you celebrate it in your country? Let us know below in the comments!

Yanjie, Pauline and 

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You may know that the Chinese created lots of inventions that have changed the world during the Chinese dynasties. Paper, gunpowder, and even the printing block are 2 of the 四大发明 sì the 4 great Chinese inventions. But the Chinese didn’t stop at these fantastic inventions! They also created a lot more things without which your life wouldn’t be the same, and you probably don’t even know it! So we put together for you a list of 10 surprising Chinese inventions you didn’t realize were Chinese, ranked from the least to the most surprising.

Ready to see what was invented in China? Prepare to be amazed!

#1 The most fascinating of all the Chinese inventions: the compass

The first item on our list of ancient Chinese inventions is the compass. It’s one of the 四大发明 sì the 4 great Chinese inventions, but people tend to forget about it.

Long before European navigators roamed the seas, the Chinese invented the compass. How was this navigational instrument invented? The Chinese created the compass around the Qin Dynasty era (255 BC – 206 BC), but not for the reasons you’d expect. Long before Navigators used it for navigation, the compass was used by fortune tellers on their boards to make predictions. Interesting use of the compass, don’t you think? The first compasses were made of a spoon-shaped lodestone, a naturally magnetic stone that naturally indicates the South. Later on, the Chinese improved their first compass to create the magnetic needle compass during the 8th century AD, used on water.

The next Chinese invention on our list has changed the world forever and still very much used nowadays. It’s essential to buy new things. Can you guess what it is?

#2 Paper money, the Chinese creation that changed the world

Paper money! The Chinese introduced the first banknotes under the Tang dynasty (618 – 907). The invention of paper money stems from creating the printing block, which made possible the printing of many banknotes. At that time, carrying coins began to be too heavy, and merchants thus decided to create banknotes as a means of currency instead. The banknotes were meant to record how much money the people had in their pockets. Smart, isn’t it?

Nowadays, we use paper money for everything almost everywhere around the world. Even though credit card use now tends to surpass the use of paper money, banknotes are still rocking! Let’s jump to the third Chinese creation that is going to leave you voiceless!

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#3 The smart Chinese invention: the mechanical clock

What time is it? This question is maybe one of the most frequently asked questions each day! Your wristwatch — or your cellphone — is certainly one of your best friends when it comes to telling time. This wouldn’t be possible without the invention of the first mechanical clock by the Chinese. Under the Song dynasty (916 – 1279), 苏颂 Su Song, a well-known official, built a huge clock tower that could tell the hours of the day, the day of the month, and the moon phase and the position of a few stars and planets. Amazing, don’t you think?! How did he do that? Well, he added a chain-driven mechanism to a water-powered clock, and magic happened!

Let’s explore a little bit further the mechanical skills of the Chinese. The next Chinese invention will most likely make you go “wow,” plus it’s all about dragons.

#4 The earthquake detector: the most brilliant Chinese invention

In China, earthquakes are very frequent. When you’re not prepared for them, they can cause severe damage. Under the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD), some Chinese scientists decided to experiment with ways to predict earthquakes. Under the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD), 張衡 Zhang Heng, a famous Chinese inventor, and scientist, invented the first seismograph to detect an earthquake’s movement. Besides being an ingenious Chinese invention, the earthquake detector is also super cool-looking. It’s a colossal urn adorned with 8 dragons, each holding a copper ball. These 8 dragons represented 8 directions: east, south, west, north, southeast, northeast, southwest, and northwest. These dragons faced 8 frogs on a plate below the urn. Each time a seism was about to happen, the dragon in the direction of the earthquake would spit its copper ball inside the frog’s mouth. Are dragons spitting copper balls? I told you it was a cool invention!

OK, now you know that the Chinese were pretty good at creating mechanical engines. But let’s explore sports in China! Everyone knows China’s popular sport: ping pong, but did you know they invented another popular sport?

#5 The Chinese invention you’d never guessed was Chinese: Football

Were you dying to know why earlier I said soccer was not invented in England, but China? Under the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD), people started to play a game called Cuju. It consisted of two teams kicking a ball around to score goals. The rules forbade using hands. Sounds familiar? The main difference was that the number of players was flexible, and men and women composed teams.

As for England, they did not invent the football game, but they brought a lot to modern soccer. According to FIFA, England organized the new games in 1863.

Technology, sports… Chinese inventions certainly are everywhere! What about in your personal daily life? Do you think ancient Chinese inventions are at play there? The answer is yes. Let me tell you about the most surprising creations the Chinese invented and how these became essential when eating.

#6 The Chinese culinary creation you didn’t suspect: the Restaurant Menu

Once again, the Song dynasty has struck! I’d bet you didn’t know about this one! During the Song era, a premodern economic revolution occurred in China, and there was a significant increase in business and trade with the outside world. Many foreign people in business and travelers came to China during that time, but they did not always speak Chinese. To help them, Chief created the first-ever menus in Chinese restaurants.

Speaking of restaurants, its origins in the world remain shrouded in mystery. Some claim that France created the first restaurants ever in Paris, but, before the Mongol invasion even happened, there were already restaurants in China. The competition is still on, and I suggest you read this fantastic post by Nicholas Kiefer on creating the restaurant to learn more.

Next time you enter a restaurant and someone gives you a restaurant menu to order food, remember that the Chinese invented them!

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#7 The one you were wrong about: the Fork

I can feel your surprise from here! We all know that the Chinese use chopsticks to eat, but don’t be mistaken; they also invented the forks! The oldest known traces of forks were found in the Qijia ethnic group (2400 BC -1900 BC) and under the Xia dynasty (2100 BC – 1600 BC). Did you know forks were so old? At a later period, the Chinese exported forks to Europe thanks to the Silk Road. As for the Chinese, it is said they chose to replace forks and knives with chopsticks. Isn’t that unexpected?

Forks were invented by the Chinese; I bet you didn’t see that coming, huh?! Let’s move on to another product you can (sometimes) find on your table, which is said to have been created by the Chinese. Cheers!

#8 The Chinese invention that will make you feel dizzy: Alcohol

Yi Di, the wife of a Xia dynasty’s king, 大禹 dà yǔ Yu the Great (around 2000 BC), is said to have created the first-ever alcohol beverage and gave it to her husband. It is said to have tasted like beer. The Shang dynasty (1600 BC – 1066 BC) is also said to have used alcohol during sacrifices.

There are lots of legends around the creation of alcohol, but one thing’s sure, it was made in China! Just like the next Chinese inventions that are going to make you rethink your knowledge of China.

#9 The ancestor of your current toothbrush

Up next on our list of ancient Chinese inventions you didn’t know about, the toothbrush! That’s right, during the Tang dynasty (618 – 907 AD), the Chinese invented the first toothbrush. It was mostly made of pig hairs attached to a handle made of bamboo or bones. Amazing, huh? The modern toothbrush has evolved quite a lot since then, and no one uses pig hairs to brush their teeth anymore, at least I hope not!

The next and last invention coming up is undoubtedly the one that had me saying, “no way, they invented that too?!”. The Chinese didn’t use to kid with hygiene! Ready to find out what the latest invention is?

#10 One of the ancient Chinese inventions you don’t want to live without Toilet paper

Chinese inventions can be astounding sometimes! Have you ever thought about how toilet paper came into existence? It all started around the year 851, during the Tang dynasty when the Chinese invented toilet paper. But during the Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644), the use of toilet paper rose! At the time, toilet paper was made of huge soft fabric sheets, which only the Emperors and their family could use. Then the use of toilet paper spread to the people and Europe via the good old Silk Road!

Final words

Chinese inventions have brought a lot to the modern world as we know it today. Each object has a story, and China had a role to play in many of those stories. Who would have guessed that toilet paper, toothbrushes, football, or mechanical clocks were Chinese inventions? The well-known Chinese dynasties have left a lot to the modern era. If you want to know more about these amazing families, check out our post and timeline about the Chinese dynasties.

Which Chinese invention surprised you the most? Do you know other things the Chinese have invented?

Source Images: english.visitbeijing; dramafever; mfa; farfuturehorizons; pbs; history.cultural-china

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In our previous article, Dragon Boat Festival Part 1, you discovered all the customs around the Dragon Boat Festival, from the food typically eaten during that day to the origins of the boat races. In this Part 2, you’ll discover the cities that are the most well-known for their Dragon Boat Festival in the world. Therefore, you won’t miss this amazing event! All you need is a map and choose the city that is the closest to your home!

First things first, let’s start with the cities in China that have the most amazing Dragon Boat Festival!

Where to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in China

The Dragon Boat Festival is all about boat races. Some races are exceptional! Athletes compete to win the race while Chinese drums are beating. The atmosphere and show are the reasons why you must attend at least one Dragon boat race in your life!
So if you’re currently living or traveling to China, here’s a list of the best places to enjoy the Dragon Boat Festival:

Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival

• The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival (On the weekend of June 10–12.)

• Guizhou Dragon Canoe Festival of the Miao Ethnic People (June 9th)

• Hangzhou Dragon Boat Festival (June 9th)

• Yueyang International Dragon Boat Festival (Starting on June 9th and lasts 7 days)

These 4 cities have the most amazing boat races in China according to visitors and spectators. But China is not the only country to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in Asia. Let me show you other countries that are pretty good at it.

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Attend the boat race all over Asia

The Dragon Boat Festival originates in China and became an official Chinese holiday in 2008. Influenced by China, it is now popular throughout Asia and even across the world. Countries like Canada, Japan, Korea and Singapore also make that day a day of celebration where they each have their own customs.

In Korea

Koreans masquerade during the festival.

In Japan

In Japan, the festival is dedicated to the birth of children and traditionally honored boys. On this day, people will hang up carp flags and models of Japanese Samurai to whisper to their kids a healthy and strong growth.

In Singapore

In Singapore, the Dragon Boat festival is celebrated pretty much like in China: first, they have boat races and they eat 粽子 zòngzi.

Related: Read more about 粽子 Zongzi, the dessert traditionally eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival!

But what about outside Asia? Not to fear, if you’re not in Asia, there are still plenty of places you can go to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. North America is well-known for its important Asian community. Therefore, you’ll find many Asian celebrations there. But still, I was surprised to find not one or two, but dozens of Dragon Boat Festival celebration both in the USA and in Canada. Let me show you the most popular places to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival outside of Asia.

Go see how this festival is celebrated all over the world

The Dragon Boat Festival has also spread to the Western world and is especially popular in North America, where every opportunity to celebrate this festival is seized. If you live in North America, you’ll be happy to learn that you’re very lucky: there  are plenty of cities across the USA and Canada that celebrate this festival with boat races and music shows! Here are a few good addresses you can head to celebrate the festival.

Nanaimo, Canada

Nanaimo, near Vancouver, is probably the most popular place to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in Canada according to spectators. Each year, the foundation Save on Foods organizes the 14th annual Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival, from June 8th to June 10th, and all the funds raised proceed to the Nanaimo Hospital Foundation. Besides the traditional dragon boat race, many activities will take place such as the Shriners pancake breakfast, Nanaimo Farmer’s Market, a candle ceremony and Vancouver Island Brewery beer gardens. So if you live close to Vancouver and want to participate in this generous movement and have the best time of your life, don’t hesitate and head to this festival.

Ottawa, Canada

The Canadians in Ottawa also celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, but this year celebrations will be taking place from June 23rd to June 25th. The Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival has a special aim. This festival is launched by the Tim Horton company in order to raise funds for the local charities. On the first day of the festival, there is an opening ceremony which gathers all the Asian communities and some of their prominent Chinese members. As this festival features Chinese ancient celebrations, you’ll get to enjoy the Lion Dance troupes, drums and of course, also see the typical dragon boat race! The following days, you can attend the music festival, with singers performing on different stages but also pass by the exhibitors and artisans to buy awesome creations.

Denver, USA

The Dragon Boat Festival in Denver is one of the most popular across the USA. The festival starts on July 30th and ends on July 31st. During this event, people celebrate the Pacific Asian culture, especially China through authentic cuisine, shows like the Lion dance, drums, a marketplace of unique and hard-to-find arts and of course, the dragon boat race.

Boston, USA

On the weekend of June 11-12 2016, Boston will be hosting its 37th annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival! It’s the second most popular Dragon Boat Festival in the USA. During the festival, Asian arts and crafts are displayed, Chinese food is served and later the dragon boat race starts.

There are many more places to go to celebrate the Dragon Boart Festival in the US and in Canada, check out which city is the closest to you thanks to this calendar.

Where else is the Dragon Boat Festival celebrated?

You’ll find Dragon Boat Festival celebrations in Spain, Dubai, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Great Britain, Germany, the Philippines and more. Most of these countries don’t celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in June, but on various dates, that can be in April, May, September or even October. So you’d better check the dates before planning to go there. To know all about the dates, head to this page.

Final words

As you see, you don’t need to live in China to attend the Dragon Boat Festival! There are so many other great places in which you can this famous boat race. Check out the dates and don’t miss out on these festivals. Trust me, you’ll have a great experience. This is a good occasion to dive into the Chinese culture and to learn more about the Chinese customs and beliefs. Plus, this is also a good way to practice your Chinese!

If you want to know more about the customs, the type of food the Chinese eat during the Dragon Boat Festival and more, check out the first part in our series of articles on 端午节: Dragon Boat Festival Part 1.

After talking so much about the Dragon Boat Festival,we’re curious: What are your plans for the Dragon Boat Festival? Taste the 粽子and watch the dragon boat competition? And where will you be celebrating it? In all cases, we wish you guys all a Happy Dragon Festival! 端午节快乐!

Pauline and 

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Check out this timeline that suggests a real insight of dynasties of China. All your questions questions about which dynasty has invented this or that will be answered if you take a look at our Chinese dynasties list.

The most legendary of the Chinese dynasties: The Xia 夏朝 xià cháo

The Xia dynasty is the first Chinese Dynasty in the History of China. They ruled from 2100 BC to 1600 BC and laid the foundations for the next 5000 years of China’s evolution. The Xia dynasty is said to descend from the Yellow Emperor, Huángdì, a ancient tribe leader who won many battles. Huángdì was said to be the son of a dragon who has inherited from its powers. The Xia rulers founded by Yu the Great, descendant of Huángdì who was born in 2059, said they had special powers too. Their powers consisted in stopping floods.

Their accomplishments: The Xia dynasty produced cast bronze and had strong armies. But their number one accomplishment was to be the first dynasty ever in ancient China: they created the dynasty succession policy.

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The most creative of the Chinese Dynasties: The Shang 商朝 shāng cháo

The Shang dynasty ruled during the Bronze Age from 1600 B.C to 1066 B.C. The Shangs were the first dynasty to unite a large part of the current China under one Emperor. This dynasty succeeded in domesticating horses, to help them on a everyday basis. Genius!

Their accomplishments: The Shang’s greatest accomplishment is undoubtedly creating the first Chinese writing system. The writing system they developed was composed of over 2000 symbols written on silk, bamboo sticks, stones bronze items and bones. Researchers also found also writings on “Oracle bones” — Feeling perplexed right now by the term? Oracle bones were ox bones and tortoise shells on which symbols were written for divination. Considering the Chinese characters we are now learning and are used throughout China come from these ancient symbols; the Shang undoubtedly deserve to be awarded the “most creative” title of all the Chinese dynasties.

The most philosophical of the Chinese Dynasties: The Zhou 周朝 zhōu cháo

The Zhou followed The Shang dynasty and also ruled during the Bronze Age, from 1066 B.C to 256 B.C. They’re not very well-known in the Western world, contrary to other more famous dynasties, but they deserve to be more known. It was during the Zhou dynasty that a popular Chinese philosophical movement was created.

Their accomplishment: Chinese philosophies that are still very popular nowadays, such as Confucianism, Taoism and Legalism were developed under the Zhou dynasty. See, the Zhou era was full of conflicts, and many Chinese philosophers therefore emerged during the Zhou era with the aim to restore order and peace to society.

At the origin Confucianism, in its beginning, was all about being committed to one’s family and being filial to one’s family remains a core teaching of the Confucianism movement. Taoism was also about achieving peace, by following the Tao principles.
Legalism, on the other hand, considered people to be born naturally evil and claimed they needed to be punished to restore order and bring piece.
It’s therefore essential to remember the Zhou were fine philosophers in their day. Their teachings are still an essential part of the Chinese way of thinking nowadays.

The builders that unified China: The Qin dynasty 秦朝 qín cháo

The Qin dynasty brought a lot to China. They may have ruled only for a short period, from 255 B.C to 206 B.C, but they still found time to develop and invent many things as well as unify the whole country that was scattered into kingdoms till then. Did you know they built new roads and irrigation systems? These irrigation systems were big improvements, as the Zhengguo Canal and the Lingqu Canal brought lots of water to farms and fields. The Qin dynasty also built an amazing archaeological site you’ve most likely heard of in Xi’an: the famous terracotta army. You can still visit this place nowadays and we strongly recommend it!

Their great accomplishment: The Qin have done a lot for China, but their greatest accomplishment has to be unifying China! After lots of conquests, they finally managed to unify the whole country. How huge and groundbreaking is that!?

The artists: The Han dynasty 汉朝 hàn cháo

Emperor Han Gaozu (256 or 247 – 1 June 195 BC)

The Han dynasty ruled from 206 B.C to 220 A.D. They are one of the best known Chinese dynasties and today yet, the Han Ethnic Group is still the biggest ethnic group in China (92%). Do you want to know why they were most famous for?

Their most amazing accomplishment: You certainly wonder which dynasty has invented paper. Well, it’s the Han dynasty. Don’t be mistaken, this was not the white, thin paper you know today but it was definitely the paper we all use today’ ancestor. At the time, paper was thicker and not particularly white.It was made from pounded and disintegrated hemp fibers. Around 105 A.D, a new kind of paper made of rags, fishnets, wheat stalks and other thick materials was enforced. As it was of a poor quality, it was way cheaper than the first one. The invention of paper made writing a lot easier than have to carve your text on hard surfaces, and led The Han to also invent ink and to write poems. What artists, those Hans!

The most chaotic of the Chinese dynasties: the Jin 晉朝 jìn cháo

Ruling from 265 to 420, many of The Jin rulers were incompetent and plunged the empire in civil wars. The Empire was divided between the members of the family and the civil war between the 9 Princes started. Regicides and abdications marked the decline of this dynasty.

Their accomplishment: There is not much to remember about this dynasty except years and years of chaos and conflicts. Let’s call that, their greatest accomplishment.

The Chinese Gutenbergs: The Sui dynasty 隋朝 suí cháo

The Sui dynasty ruled from 581 to 618 AD. They were known for their love for the arts, poetry and music. Researchers found porcelain pieces dating from the Sui dynasty, so we can easily say they invented porcelain made with jade at that time. The Sui Dynasty wasn’t all about love, poetry and the arts, however. This dynasty also was hugely unpopular because of the taxes they imposed and had to face many discontents and rebellions.

Their greatest accomplishment: The Sui dynasty invented block printing. How smart! The Block printing they invented was used as a mean of typesetting and helped reduce the number of workers. The Sui can easily be dubbed the Chinese Gutenbergs. As you can guess, they used this invention mainly… to print lots of poetry.

The golden Chinese dynasty: The Tang 唐朝 táng cháo

Ruling from 618 to 907, the Tang dynasty is well known for expanding the reach of the Chinese economy through the development of trades routes, especially along the silk road, which was at its peak at that time. They also helped Chinese medicine evolve slowly.

Their two main accomplishments: The Tang dynasty brought a lot to Chinese arts.For example, the first opera troupe appeared under their era. So if you’re a Beijing Opera fan, you have the Tang to thank for.
Another of the Tang’s great accomplishments is the creation of the first Chinese criminal code in 624 AD. The code was was divided into 500 articles dealing with different crimes and penalties such as penal servitude, execution, exile and other punishments. This criminal code served as a basis for later dynastic codes in China but also in all parts of Asia.

The Song dynasty 宋朝 sòng cháo: a dynasty of bankers

The Song dynasty ruled from 960 to 1279. This era was full of conflicts and the Song had to face them all. Two others dynasties were challenging them at that time, but we’ll talk about those later.

Their greatest accomplishment: The Song were the first government in the world to invent and use banknotes. Before banknotes were introduced, the Chinese used a currency made of copper but it lacked practicality. They decided, then, to produce banknotes, which is why they were awarded “the banker” title.

The farmers: The Liao dynasty 辽朝 liáo cháo

The Liao dynasty ruled from 916 to 1125. Yes, that was partly at the same time as the Song. How was that possible? Well, they fought a lot with the Song dynasty and conquered a few lands in the North: once again the country was divided and the Qin’s great achievements a thousand years before were undone. The Liao kingdom was established by the Khitan tribe, a tribe well-known for their farming capacities.

Their accomplishment: Aside from contributing to divide the country, the Liao was a great farming dynasty and contributed a lot to agricultural methods in China. When they started ruling, the Liao established a new way of living, by expanding crops and growing new types of food such as watermelon and chickpea. They also developed animal farms with sheeps and horses.

The unknown Chinese dynasty: The Jin 金朝 jīn cháo

Jin Dynasty was also founded by an ethnic minority, known as the Nuzhen. The Nuzhen came from the Changpai Mountain area. This dynasty ruled from 1115 to 1234 AD and also overlapped with the Song. As you can guess, they also fought with the Song dynasty for lands. Due to Song’s civil wars, the Jin were victorious.

Their accomplishment: There are no particular accomplishments to note during the Jin dynasty. Perhaps, the Chinese people remain thankful to them for winning over the Song and their bad rulers.

The Mongol Chinese Dynasty: The Yuan 元朝 yuán cháo

Who said all the Chinese dynasties were Chinese? Ruling from 1271 to 1368, the Yuan dynasty is mostly known because of its Mongol origins. The Great Mongol ruler, Genghis Khan and his sons founded the Yuan dynasty in China and introduced Mongol customs and traditions into China.

Their biggest accomplishment: Gunpowder bombs were created under the Yuan dynasty, after China failed in invading Japan. At first, Large barrels of gunpowder would be lit with fire, which led to explosions. They then cleverly reduced the shape of the barrels and bam! Gunpowder bombs were created.

The most famous Chinese dynasty: The Ming 明朝 míng cháo

Emperor Xizong Zhu Youxiao (1605-1627) Ming Dynasty

The Ming is probably the most famous Chinese Dynasty that ruled from 1368 to 1644. Have you ever heard of Ming porcelain vases? Of course you have. Then you’ve heard of the Ming. The Ming dynasty invented the famous white and blue porcelain you see in every Chinese shop. These vases were Ming’s signature but not their only notable accomplishments. The Ming era is marked by its many achievements in machinery, inventing in particular cotton and silk looms.

Their greatest achievement: Guess which dynasty built the Grand Canal? The Ming’s greatest achievement has to be the restorations of the Great Wall and the Grand Canal, both major architectural feats that were repaired by the Ming dynasty. If you go to the Great Wall nowadays, what you’ll see was rebuilt by the Ming dynasty and mostly left untouched since that Ming dynasty.

The last and longest Chinese dynasty: The Qing 清朝 qīng cháo

Often called the last dynasty of China, the Qing, who ruled from 1644 to 1912, were also known as great warriors.

Their biggest accomplishments: The Qing greatly improved soldiers’ equipments, and notably found solutions to military problems they had, such as how to make the armor lighter to move faster, and increasing the use of gunpowder. They also used swords with longer blades to stab enemies easily. They also created the first machine gun that could hold up to 28 bullets. Trust men you did not want to be these guys enemies! Their decline was due to many rebellions.

Final words: 14 great Chinese dynasties

As you can see, the 14 major dynasties of China were all pretty great! They all made contributions to build the China we all know today! Considering the first dynasty started in 2100 B.C, that’s pretty fantastic, don’t you think?

Make sure to keep this timeline close to you when going to China. Now you know everything about the Chinese dynasties and how they brought knowledge, science et technology to China. All the dynasties made a contribution to build the China we all know today! Fantastic!
The Nincha team hopes this guide will help you understand Chinese culture and its traditions better. Bookmark the timeline and the guide so you become a Chinese dynasty expert. And, in case you’re afraid you can’t remember all the dynasties of China, you can use this Chinese dynasties song to remember the order of the greatest Chinese dynasties.

Do you have a fave dynasty? Or one you find particularly cool? Let us know in the comments! And if you have any question or remark about the dynasties and the Chinese timeline, we’re happy to read them below in the comments.

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Lantern Festival marks the last day of the Spring Festival and officially ends the Chinese New Year celebrations. This fun festival is mostly celebrated at nighttime to see the colorful lanterns flying high in the dark sky.In addition to seeing the lanterns flying, during this festival, families gather to attend four other major activities on this special day. Let’s learn the five must-do activities for a happy Lantern Festival so you can join in in the fun!

Shanghai Lantern Festival 2014

The lantern festival activity you have to do: Watching the lanterns

The Lantern Festival was born when a Buddhist Emperor during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 25) gave the order to light lanterns on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month to honor Buddha. Since that day, the 15th day of the first lunar month has remained the day on which the popular Lantern festival is celebrated by all the Chinese!

On this special day, Chinese people like to hang lanterns up on their house and light them. Walking around in China, you’ll see lanterns everywhere, in malls, shops, houses, in parks and in the streets.

These lanterns are mostly either traditionally round or shaped like fishes or dragons. This year you will also see monkeys as it’s the Year of the Monkey!

People choose to design their lanterns according to what they want to praise (zodiac signs, food, flowers,..)

The belief during this festival is by lighting a lantern, you make a wish. So Chinese families light their lanterns and pray for health, fortune, wealth or make even more precise wishes. It is said that if you want your wish to come true, you must walk under a hanging lantern and pray for what you want.

So, at the end of the day, people light their lanterns and watch them fly away in the dark sky, accompanied by fireworks. Releasing the lanterns, which are red for good luck, symbolizes people letting go of their past selves and embracing new identities for the coming year.

What do you do during the Lantern Festival? Guess lantern riddles

Another popular activity during the Lantern Festival is to guess lanterns riddles.

Lantern riddles are called 灯迷 dēng mí in Chinese, where 灯 dēng is a lantern, lamp, or light, and 迷 mí refers to a puzzle, riddle, enigma, or conundrum.

The lanterns’ owners write riddles on small strips of paper they attach to the lantern they have hanging outside their home, so visitors can try to guess and solve the riddle.

If the visitors come up with an answer to the riddle (they are usually pretty tough to guess!), they can take off the paper and give it to the lantern owner. If the visitor guessed the right answer, then they win a little gift, given by the owner.

And this is how you change your casual stroll in the streets into a delightful moment by solving riddles. Fun, right?

What can you watch during the festival? A lion dance

Another popular Lantern Festival custom is to see a lion dance. In a Lion Dance, two people hide under a lion outfit, one manages the head and forelegs, and the other the back and rear legs.

Then, following the beat of musicians often playing gong, cymbals or a drum live, the two people in the lion outfit make the lion dance. Chinese people really enjoy the Lion dance, and it’s easy to see why: the dance is really acrobatic and awe-inspiring. The Chinese also find the Lion Dance very amusing to them as the dancers usually depict a lion’s movement in an exaggerated and comical way.
In a Lion Dance, the lion symbolizes boldness and bravery. The dance carries the meaning that people should be empowering themselves. During this dance, Chinese wish for a happy life and this dance is supposed to bring good luck to those who watch it.

Here’s what a lion dance looks like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb9EE5QCW9w

Other Lantern Festival activties:

Walking on stilts

If lion dances aren’t your thing, you can also go watch acrobats walk around on stilts. During Lantern Festival celebrations, you’ll often see actors walking around on stilts, embodying different characters such as fishermen, monks, clowns. As they walk on stilts, they perform difficult artistic moves and try to be as funny as possible to amuse people.

Eating 元宵 (Yuánxiāo)

元宵 (Yuánxiāo)

Lastly, a big Lantern Festival tradition is to eat 元宵  (Yuánxiāo) and these sticky balls are so yummy you’d be sorry to miss out on this excuse to eat sweet stuff.

`元宵 Yuánxiāo are sticky rice dumplings that can be stuffed with white sugar, brown sugar, sesame seeds, peanuts, walnuts, rose petals, bean paste, and jujube paste, or any combination of two or three ingredients. For Chinese people, the roundness of the dumplings symbolizes the togetherness as it is a great time for family gatherings.

So there you have it, the top 5 activities you need to do to be able to say “I’ve celebrated the Lantern Festival”! Which activity would you rather attend? Have you already been part of the Lantern festival? Share your experience with us!

I, personally, went to Shanghai Lantern Festival and I recommend it! It was enchanting with all the lights, the decors and the colors!

Source photo: Patrick Léger, Hujiang Chinese, Uwishunu
Pauline and

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Happy National Holiday!

Today is China’s National Holiday! It celebrates the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The founding was on October 1st, 1949. The National Holiday celebration kicks off the Golden Week, or 7 days of mandatory vacation throughout the country.

国庆节快乐! Guóqìng jié kuàilè! Happy National Holiday!

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Mid Autumn Festival: how did it all start?

Curious to know more about the origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon festival? Check out this cute and interesting ebook! Caution, flash-haters, this ebook is in flash and can be slow to load in the beginning…making it a good excuse to go chow down on another mooncake while it’s loading!

Enjoy eating yummy 月饼
yuè bǐng – mooncakesas much as Nincha is!

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The best Chinese copies: One Chinese City, Nine European Towns

To get an idea of how the Chinese see and imitate Western architecture, your first stop has to be Shanghai. In 2001, the city launched an ambitious “One City, Nine Towns” plan to develop its suburbs. And then somewhere, somehow, someone decided that each of these towns should be fashioned in a European style.

There’s therefore: Swedish Town (罗店, Luodian New Town)

Does this look Swedish to you? Source: TripleFiveChina

Holland Town (高桥, Gaoqiao New Town)

There’s even a windmill in Holland Town! Photo: Triple Five China

Thames Town (泰晤士小鎮, tài wù shì xiǎo zhèn)

Cobbled streets, cottage-like housing… no doubt, this is meant to look British. Photo credit: Tripe Five China 

Italian Town (浦江, Pujiang New Town)

An Italian town is all about angles and concrete… Photo: Triple Five China

About Best Chinese copies, there’s also Fengcheng New Town, which is supposed to resemble a Spanish city, Anting, which imitates Weimar’s architecture (Germany), Zhujiajiao New Town which mixes European style with the original ancient water town; and then a slew of towns mixing various, non-descript, European styles (Fengjing, Zhoupu and Baozhen). Admittedly, most, if not all, of these new cities are urban failures. They’ve become ghost towns instead of bustling new cities that help relieve population pressure on Shanghai’s city center. But they do make for a picturesque, albeit surreal, excursion.

Paris, Chateaux and Pyramids, oh my!

After this introduction to China’s copycat movement, it’s time to move on to grander, more bizarre scenes. Because the Best Chinese copies could not exist without a copy of? A little bit of Paris Hangzhou, being only a few hours from Shanghai, can be your next stop. There you’ll discover Tianducheng, which aspires to be, in short, Paris.

Overlooking Tianducheng and the French-themed village park

Tianducheng is a very popular destination for wedding photo ops! Source (and more pictures of Tianducheng): mdnphoto.com

Live like a King

An Eiffel tower, not your thing? Fret not. You can get your French on at Beijing’s full-size Chateau Zhang Lafitte, styled after the original French Chateau Lafitte.

Hard to tell whether this is in France or in China… Source: the whamphyri

You can also find a full-size Versailles replica up north in Harbin. And if you’re near Beijing, do go explore a Chinese wine-maker’s dream Chateau, Chateau Dynasty, which was built by Dynasty Wines in Tianjin. You’ll also find a Pyramid there. Copies of 17th-century Chateaux sure seem popular in China!

Why stop at a building? Let’s duplicate a town!

Italian flair As Italy is well known for its high sense of fashion, Florentia Village, an outlet mall, located between Beijing and Tianjin, entirely fashioned itself after an Italian city. To inspire shoppers to buy more perhaps?

Austrian chalets which will never see winter snow

If you want even more “authentic” architecture, head to the province of Guangdong, where you’ll find a copy of an entire Austrian village, down to the statues. Of course, they didn’t choose any old Austrian village, they went to a UNESCO World Heritage village: Hallstatt. A village from everywhere Lastly, it’s hard to resist mentioning this Jiangsu village, which just went for everything.

This is supposed to be the Sydney Opera House.

To see a hodgepodge of copied buildings, head to Huaxi Village. This village is known because it claims to be the richest village in China and because they choose to recreate a bunch of famous buildings from around the world: the Sydney opera house, the US Capitol, the French Arc de Triomphe, the Forbidden City… A strange choice of public buildings, sure, but in keeping with the Chinese copycat architectural trend witnessed before.

Understanding the architectural copycat movement

If you want to know more about the Best Chinese copies in China, this book explores the reasons and origins of this movement, which has become somewhat of a national pastime. Heard of or seen other striking architectural copies? Let us know!

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In 1644, a dramatic shift in ruling occurred in China. The Manchus took over from the Hans and started the Qing Dynasty. One consequence of this epic battle of dynasties, that is still visible today? A new form of clothing, the Qipao,  – which is what we now associate with China – came to replace the traditional dress of the Han people, the Hanfu. Read on and click through to learn more about the evolution of Chinese clothing throughout the Dynasties.

Ancient Chinese Fashion timeline of Women’s clothing –This week’s infographic was made by Nannaia, in an effort to document the evolution of Chinese Women’s clothing across the ages.

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A battle of Dynasties: Hanfu vs. Qipao

Over the years in China, each new ruling Dynasty was intent on imposing their style to leave a trace. None really dared to revolution the Chinese traditional style of clothing however, until the Qings arrived. T

The Qipaos, not really Chinese?

Qipaos, especially the modern, 1920s Shanghai-inspired, form-fitting Qipaos, are the first type of dresses that spring to mind when one thinks about traditional Chinese clothing. However, this form of dress was actually brought in by the Manchu-ruled Qing Dynasty in the 17th century (1644) and is therefore relatively “new” by Chinese standards. The Qing Dynasty was one of the longest lasting ones in Chinese history (around 300 years), and the last dynasty before China became a republic, which may be why many mistake the Qipao for the Chinese ethnic dress.

The Hanfu, the real leading Ancient Chinese fashion style

The original Chinese traditional dress was, in fact, the Hanfu, 汉服 (literally Han clothing), also know as Hanzhuang (漢裝) or Huafu (華服). The Hanfu is said to have appeared during China’s first Empire, about 5,000 years ago and then remained the outfit of choice in China for the next thousand years (its main appearance remaining more or less same over the years, save for a few  details). Until the Manchus took over, that is.

The Hanfu is even considered to have inspired the Japanese Kimono and the Korean Hanbok. See how similar they can look:

 (Youku link for those who can’t access Youtube)

If you want to know more about the Hanfu origins and style, read this and this introduction to Hanfu clothing. To learn more about the evolution of Chinese clothing across the Dynasties, check this out, which explains in more detail the Hanfu/Qipao transformation and read this, and the infographic artist’s blog for futher explanations on the whys and hows of each Chinese Dynasty’s garments

Reinstating the Hanfu style?

While Chinese actresses often wear Qipaos to world events, a movement started in 2003 to reinstate the Hanfu as China’s traditional outfit. Some are even pushing for daily wear. See here and here for pictures of modern-day Hanfu-wearing.

Which do you like best? The Qipao? The Hanfu? Which would you wear?

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