Your Guide to all things Chinese

We've beefed up our description of the ancient classics of Chinese literature whose origins go back well beyond 2,500 years ago.

We've added a short description of Mohism, the religion founded by Mozi. It is a refreshingly positive philosophy based on universal love and friendship. It has a message close to Christianity and yet it pre-dates it by 400 years.
“When all the people of the world love one another, then the strong will not over-power the weak, the many will not oppress the few, the wealthy will not despise the poor, the honored will not disdain the humble, the cunning will not deceive the simple...

William Alexander's portrait of the official Qiao Renjie who accompanied the 1794 British embassy.
The impressive civil administration of dynastic China was a model that other countries sought to emulate. Open appointment on scholastic merit allowed a job as an official to become most family's dream. Read how the system evolved over two thousand years...

We have been keeping busy on extending the web site. We have added a large index of objects that may have a hidden meaning in Chinese art work of all kinds: painting, embroidery, porcelain and film. Symbols such as bats, bees, butterflies, birds are...