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Ancient Snitches: How China’s Emperors Encouraged Informants
From Wu Zetian to Emperor Yongzheng, China’s imperial rulers were obsessed with people conspiring against the throne and came up with various systems to encourage informers
China’s Long Road to Abolishing Slavery
Legal, social, and cultural barriers to ending China’s forced labor tradition
Shadow Games: The Cunning Art of Espionage in Ancient China
From turning the tides of battle to preventing conflict altogether, spies were an integral part of warfare in ancient China—sometimes unwittingly
Dice, Dominoes, and Deadly Games of Chance: Gambling in Ancient China
Discover how ancient Chinese gambled...sometimes with history-altering effects
Squawking Through History: Parrots in Chinese Literature and Verse
From “Prime Minister Parrot” to the “Green-Coated Messenger,” parrots have been feisty feathered friends for centuries in Chinese literature
How Prophecies Were Key to Maintaining Power in Ancient China
How rulers and would-be rulers used and manipulated prophetic texts
How Ancient Chinese Got Their Hair Cut
Hair was almost sacred to some ancient Chinese, and hairdressers eventually cashed in
Ancient China’s Favorite Poisons
Tales of treachery behind four toxins from Chinese history
How Did Ancient Chinese Mourn the Deceased?
On Qingming Festival, here’s a look at some ancient Chinese mourning rituals, from costume and diet, to mourning periods and wedding bans
How Ancient Chinese Seniors Spent Their Retirement
Retirement from working wasn’t always bliss for ancient Chinese officials
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