What role did jade play in ancient Chinese rituals? In this episode, we delve into an artifact that embodied authority and order in the Yangtze River Delta 5000 years ago and explore its connection to urban planning and state governance in early Chinese society.
Special Thanks:
Zhejiang Provincial Museum
Wu Sihe
Liu Yanfeng
Jan 2025
China’s evolving serpent legacy: Ferocious treasures, from rituals to households
Why has the snake, often feared, been revered in Chinese culture and become one of the 12 zodiac animals? How is it portrayed in artifacts, and what does it symbolize in China compared to other cultures? In this episode, we explore the serpent's evolving meanings in Chinese civil ... Show More
16m 21s
Jan 2025
A ceramic vessel of culture, wine, and poetic spirit
Like the finest wines, the best inspiration for poetry is brewed and vivified, if served in the right vessel. In this episode, we present a phoenix-headed tricolor ceramic wine vessel from the Tang Dynasty, some 1200 years ago. In what ways did it influence the development of Chi ... Show More
13m 53s
Jan 2025
#195 Gift-Giving Taboos 送礼的禁忌
<p>Lunar New Year’s around the corner, so today we’re spilling the tea on gift-giving in China—what’s a hit, what’s a miss, and what’s downright taboo!<br/><br/><b>Membership preview:</b><br/>On Tuesday 28th January MaoMi Chinese+, we’re diving into a thought-provoking topic: why ... Show More
4m 50s
Jan 2025
Ep89 "Why do you love some flavors and not others?"
Why do you like the taste of things that your friend doesn't? Why do kids not like coffee but adults do? What does any of this have to do with smelling people’s armpits, whether women really synchronize their menstruation, whether your culture eats a lot of spicy foods, and how a ... Show More
35m 42s
Feb 2025
Pourquoi la Lune change-t-elle d'apparence ?
Depuis la Préhistoire, la Lune a toujours fasciné notre espèce. Ce qui fascine surtout, et ce qui permet à une partie de l’humanité de mesurer le temps, c’est son cycle. Ça ne vous a sûrement pas échappé, mais la Lune change de forme chaque nuit. En réalité, elle est juste victim ... Show More
2m 32s
Oct 2022
La Chine, empire de la sieste
Après le déjeuner, partout en Chine, c’est partout la même rengaine : stupeur et ronflements. Dans le pays, la sieste - "shui wu jiao" - est un moment sacré, d'ailleurs encouragé par la médecine traditionnelle chinoise. Alors que de nombreuses entreprises sont équipées de salles ... Show More
3m 51s