Totally Legal – Shang Yang’s Ruler

Sinologist Arthur Waley called the Legalists “Realists”—not to be confused with 19th century European art—because they were pragmatic. Like the … More

Finally, Qin puts its dukes up; Dukes hold Qin high

The bulk of Qin lay to the west of the Zhou king’s former capitol, near present-day Xian. Remember, way back … More

Qin Shi Huang’s Warriors – we gotta lotta terra-cotta

I do a double-take out the window as the shuttle zooms by a warehouse. “The place to produce and sell … More

Partition of Jin rummy (Three-card split, Marquesses are Wild)

“I am the son and heir of nothing in particular.” — “How Soon Is Now,” The Smiths With the reign … More

Get Schooled: Warring States style (100 Schools of Thought)

“In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo … More

Origin of the Cold Food Festival

Each year in early April, the Chinese remember the dead on the festival known as Qingming. On this day, families … More

Laozi and Confucius walk into a bar…

They didn’t walk into a bar together, but it’s sobering to think that these two monumental pillars of human thought … More

The Spring and Autumn Period

“Ancient scholars studied for their own improvement. Modern scholars study to impress others.” — Confucius With the benefit of hindsight, … More

False Alarms: No Zhou-King Matter

It went great for the Zhou for a couple hundred years—for the legacy of the Duke of Zhou and his … More

The Duke of Zhou and the Mandate of Heaven

“I must be slipping. It’s been too long since I have dreamt of the Duke of Zhou.” — Confucius When … More