A Thousand Whys

We love panda. Panda loves bamboo. We love bamboo. Come on! The love of the Chinese people toward bamboo can't be explained in such a simple mode. Bamboo means so much to the Chinese culture and civilization. As a commodity, it can be easily detected in our daily life, while as a cultural symbol, it has been deeply implanted in the Chinese people's minds.

Chinese people have pursued harmony since ancient times, and the same is true for moderation to music, without emphasizing sharp semitones. The five music notes were connected with the five elements of the nature, and the five main organs of a human body. Meet the world's earliest music therapy.

Angelic, divine, sublime…there are so many words to describe beauty that they make the word beautiful just a bit too common. Here in China, there is a kind of stunning beauty that can "make the fish forget how to swim and birds how to fly." How does it happen? And who is it talking about?

"How's it going?" "Are you all right?" These are how Americans and British people greet each other on a daily basis. Chinese people greet each other, however, by putting forward a question about eating. To find out more about this unique greeting manner and the cultural reason behind it, let's take a listen.

What?! By inserting hair-thin needles to specific acupuncture points, the acupuncturists can restore the flow of “qi”, balance the body’s energy, stimulate healing, and promote relaxation.

Crabs aren’t the most attractive-looking creatures. But the taste of their meat can be irresistible. Have you ever wondered: who was the first person to come up with the brilliant idea that crabs could be eaten? This episode of A Thousand Whys may cause the audience to produce excessive amount of saliva, so listener discretion is advised.

As THE most popular drink of the Chinese people, tea boasts a history almost as long as that of the Chinese civilization. It is something like coffee to westerners that could never be missed or replaced in one's daily life. Let's find out more about how Chinese people love drinking tea and how it has become part of our life.

To answer that, we might as well first talk about something in the ancient Book of Changes. Numbers from 1 to 10 have either yin or yang characteristics.

Smooth and shiny, soft yet strong, silk is considered a symbol of luxury for thousands of years. It frequents runways of fashion weeks, and is the popular choice of royalty and nobility. But did you know that silk was one of the longest kept industrial secrets in the world? Have you ever wondered how silk was invented?

Autumn is here! As nature will soon cast its magic on mountains and woods by adding various charming colors, the weather is also getting colder and colder. In China, especially in the north of country, many people follow such a folk custom called as "pasting the autumn fat" by eating more meat at this time of year. Sounds weird? But don't draw a conclusion so easily until you finish listening to t...

Every year when the summer heat is gone, and the moon is full and bright, it’s time to celebrate. On what the Chinese call the Mid-Autumn Festival or the Moon Festival, the moon is the absolute center of attention. Do you have any idea how much we are fascinated by our cosmic neighbor?

In modern days, people are writing less and less with pens. Instead, the computer and smart phone have taken place to function as the method of conveying or recording information and messages. But in China, there are still quite a large quantity of people practicing the traditional Chinese handwriting, or the Chinese calligraphy. What's the charm and magic behind it? Let's find out more.

Cicadas have a rather short life, but they signify rebirth and immortality in Chinese folklore and art. They’re known for their noisiness, but useful in Chinese medicine in treating ear-ache, sore throat, husky voice, and sick eyes. (Photo by Xie Yanan)

Chinese people are considered to be good at martial arts, or Kung Fu. There is Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li to name just a few of the masters the world may well know. But are all, or most of the Chinese people good at Kung Fu as some may assume?

Ask any Chinese people about his or her favorite flower in summer, you would probably get the same answer - the lotus. It is beautiful, it is fragrant, and it contains some cultural messages that really enchant the Chinese people. You'll surely find out more after listening to this episode.

50 Shades of Qing... greenish blue, blueish black, blackish green...

If you lived in ancient times and wanted to build a house, what materials would you use for the framework? In China, the answer was wood. Why?

For a Chinese person, Sichuan Cuisine means something that can really bring out your great appetites, no matter whether you are a lover of spicy food or not. How could the food coming from a province in southwest China become a knock-out cuisine that has won most stomaches throughout the country? Let's find out with Shen Ting.

Playing with fire, standing for justice, fighting for peace... mythical animals can do a lot that humans are not able to. These glass animals are often seen on the upturn eaves of Chinese imperial buildings. Find out who they are and what they're good at.

The world of numbers is fascinating. While designers are obsessed with the golden ratio 1.618, and mathematicians with Pi 3.1415926, the Chinese people tend to mostly favor the number 8. But why?

Why do the Chinese people love using chopsticks, which look so hard to master for many westerners? Why do they not throw these two sticks away and turn to use fork and knife like many people in the rest of the world? Listen to the show and find out reasons in terms of funtions and cultural connotation contained in chopsticks.

Shirley shares the secret about the one accessory that's also a lifesaver in ancient China.

If you’ve a chance to go to a museum and take a look at the section of the Chinese relics, you’ll be sure find many exhibits of China wares. But have you ever noticed that many of them are in the pattern of blue and white, which is a unique style to differentiate the porcelain works of China from other countries? Why do Chinese people love the pattern of blue and white so much and even give it a n...

You may say this kind of eyes is slanted eyes. We don’t. We say it’s phoenix eyes, and it's considered noble in ancient China. While doctors may say it’s epicanthal fold, and it's good to protect the eyes from extreme sunlight and cold weather. Now the question is: Why are these eyes considered noble?

The stories of the dragon are told in many cultures in the world. Some dread it. Others adore the legendary creature so much that there is popular saying that they are the descendants of the dragon. It’s not the Targaryens. It’s the Chinese we’re talking about. But why?