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Part 1: Lady Tan and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Go to Tan Yunxian and Traditional Chinese Medicine
  1. Tan Yunxian
  2. Traditional Chinese Medicine
    1. The Four Examinations
    2. The Five Depot Organs
    3. The Five Elements
    4. Pulse-taking
  3. Traditional Chinese Medicinal Herbs
    1. Angelica
    2. Atractylodis
    3. Forsythia
    4. Ginseng
    5. Honey Locust Fruit
    6. Licorice Root
    7. Lovage
    8. Mugwort
    9. Poria Mushroom
    10. Radish Seeds
    11. Rehmannia
    12. White Peony Root
  4. Moxibustion
  5. Small Pox and Variolation

Part 2: Historical Ming China

Go to Historical Ming China
  1. Ming Dynasty
    1. History of the Ming Dynasty
    2. Traditional Hanfu
    3. Makeup and Hair
  2. Imperial Scholars
  3. Imperial Exams
  4. Civil Badges
  5. Military Badges

Part 3: Traditions and Culture

Go to Traditions and Culture
  1. Marriage Bed
  2. Confucius
  3. Forensics and Punishments
    1. The Washing Away of Wrongs
    2. Cangue
    3. Punishments and Tortures
  4. Foot Binding
  5. Concubines and Eunuchs
    1. Concubines
    2. Eunuchs
  6. Weddings
    1. Wedding Costume and Headdress
    2. Three Letters
    3. Six Etiquettes
  7. Child Bearing
    1. Midwives
    2. Childbirth
  8. Funerals
  9. Dragon Boat Festival
  10. Tea

Part 4: People and Places

Go to People and Places
  1. Garden of Fragrant Delights
  2. Humble Administrator’s Garden
  3. Qiao’s Family Compound
  4. Places
    1. Grand Canal
    2. Sampan
    3. Wuxi
    4. Lake Tai
    5. Forbidden City
  5. People
    1. Emperor Hongzhi
    2. Empress Zhang

Bibliography and Gallery

Go to Bibliography and Gallery
  1. Bibliography
  2. Photo and Video Gallery

Bibliography and Sources

Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine:

Journal: “Chinese Medicine During the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 A.D.)”. Chinese Medical Journal, vol 76, issue 2. January 1958.

The Four Examinations:

Source: Wang, L.F. Diagnostic of Traditional Chinese medicine. A newly compiled practical English-Chinese library of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of TCM press, 2002.

Website: Hong Kong Polytechnic University. University Health Services.

Website: Project Concern Hong Kong.

The Five Depot Organs:

Website: Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation: The Five Major Organ Systems.

Website: Institute for Traditional Chinese Medicine: Introduction to the Five Major Organs.

The Five Elements:

Article: Mayer, Beth Ann. “The Five Elements: What Science Has to Say About This Chinese Medicine Theory” Healthline. 18 October 2021.

Website: Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation: Five Element Framework.

Pulse-taking:

Article: “Traditional Chinese Medicine Pulse Diagnosis on a Smartphone Using Skin Impedance at Acupoints: A Feasibility Study”. National Library of Medicine: National Center for Biotechnology Information. 17 August 2020.

Book: Tang, Anson Chui Yan. “Review of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pulse Diagnosis Quantification” from Complementary Therapies for the Contemporary Healthcare, edited by Marcelo Saad and Roberta de Medeiros. 17 October 2012.

Herbs:

Article: “Atractylodes Health Benefits: Chinese Medicine.” TCM Blog.

Article: “In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ginseng Is King of Tonic Herbs.” Smithsonian Folklife Festival. 13 May 2020

Article: “Let’s Talk About The White Peony Root (Bai Shao).” DAO Labs. 13 Aug 2019.

Article: “Lovage (Chuan Xiong).” Chinese Herbs Healing. 2 Dec 2022.

Article: “Poria (Fu Ling).” White Rabbit Institute.

Article: “What is Weeping Forsythia (Forsythia Suspensa)?” All Things Health.

Article: Chen, Yelang. “What is Chinese Mugwort used for?”. Son of China. 29 Jun 2022.

Article: Goldman, Rena. Rehmannia: A Chinese Mystery. Healthline. 10 Oct 2014.

Article: Mao. Chinese Honey Locust. Ask Dr Mao: The Natural Health Search Engine.

Article: Raymond, Alex. “Radish Seeds (Lai Fu Zi) – The Potent Punch Among Chinese Herbs.” DAO Labs. 22 May 2017.

Website: Chinese Licorice Root. All Things Health.

Moxibustion:

Article: Deng, Hongyong, and Shen, Xueyong. “Moxibustion in Early Chinese Medicine and Its Relation to the Origin of Meridians: A Study on the Unearthed Literatures”. National Library of Medicine: National Center for Biotechnology Information. 19 Feb 2017.

Small Pox:

Article: Carter, James. “How a cataclysmic plague marked the end of Ming China” The China Project: Society and Culture. 30 Dec 2020.

Bibliography and Sources

Historical Ming Dynasty China

Ming Dynasty History:

Article: Cartwright, Mark. Ming Dynasty. World History Encyclopedia. 6 Feb 2019.

Clothing:

Wikipedia: Ruqun. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruqun)

Wikipedia: Qixiong Ruqun. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qixiong_ruqun)

YouTube Playlist: How to Wear Hanfu | Traditional Chinese Clothing. channel: Five Thousand Years. 9 Videos. 11 Jan 2022.

YouTube Video: Make a Horse Face Skirt Handed Down Ming and Qing Dynasties, Feel the Beauty of the East! channel: 鲁磊 LuLei. 29 Aug 2022.

Hair and makeup:

Article: Donglei Li, Hui’e Liang & Adele Zhang (2022) Flaunting and Consumption: Women’s Headdress in the Ming Dynasty of China, Fashion Theory, 26:3, 383-398, DOI: 10.1080/1362704X.2021.1972631 5 Oct 2021.

YouTube Video: Make natural lipstick with flowers 用鲜花给自己做了套胭脂，原来古代的胭脂眉黛膏是这样做出来的 channel: 李子柒 Liziqi. 12 Sep 2017.

Imperial Scholars:

Wikipedia: Imperial Scholars. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scholar-official)

Imperial Examinations:

Article: Cartwright, Mark. “The Civil Service Examinations of Imperial China.” World History Encyclopedia. 8 Feb 2019.

Article: Theobald, Ulrich. “The Chinese Imperial Examination System.” China Knowledge.de: An Encyclopædia of Chinese History, Literature and Art. 26 Nov 2011

Source: “Ming Dynasty Examinations” by Mark Cartwright, Ancient History Encyclopedia

Wikipedia: Imperial Examinations. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_examination#Ming_dynasty)

Civil and Military Badges:

Source: Rank and Style: Power Dressing in Imperial China. USC Pacific Asia Museum.

Source: “Ming Dynasty Rank Badges” by Henny Scott, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Source: QING-DYNASTY RANK BADGES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. Umma Exchange.

Bibliography and Sources

Traditions and Cultures

Marriage Bed:

Article: Li, Carrie. “The Age of Elegance: Ming Dynasty Furniture.” Sotheby’s. 25 September 2020.

Article: Red, Pagoda. Chinese Beds: Rooms Within Rooms. Medium. 4 April 2010.

Confucius:

Article: Chin, Annping. Confucius: Chinese Philosopher. Britannica. 20 July 1998.

Article: Rattini, Kristin Baird. “Who Was Confucius?” National Geographic. 26 March 2019.

Forensics and Torture:

Article: Chin, Annping. Confucius: Chinese Philosopher. Britannica. 20 July 1998.

Article: Jiahui, Sun. “Death by Flaming Shoes and Hundred Cuts: Disturbing Methods in Ancient Chinese Torture.” The World of Chinese. 8 April 2023.

Article: Minh, Le Thanh. Washing Away of Wrongs-The First Forensic Science Book Ever Written in the World. WorldKings.org: World Records Union.

Article: Seaver, Carl. “The History of Punishment and Torture in Ancient China.” History Defined. 22 July 2022.

Image Gallery: Images of Cangue. Granger Historical Picture Archive.

Website: Chinese Torture 酷刑 Kù xíng. Chinasage.

Wikipedia: Cangue. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cangue)

Wikipedia: The Five Punishments. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Punishments)

Foot Binding:

Website: Main Types of Chinese Lotus Shoes. Textile Research Centre Leiden.

Concubines and Eunuchs:

Article: Cartwright, Mark. “Eunuchs in Ancient China” World History Encyclopedia. 27 July 2017.

Article: Graham-Harrison, Emma. “China’s last eunuch spills sex secrets” Reuters. 16 March 2019.

Article: Parkes, Veronica. “The Ming Dynasty Concubines: A Life of Abuse, Torture and Murder for Thousands of Women.” Ancient Origins. 2 July 2018.

Article: Mingren, Wu. “The Fascinating Life of a Chinese Eunuch in the Forbidden City” Ancient Origins. 5 August 2020.

Weddings:

Article: “How to Prepare a Chinese Hanfu Wedding (Ming-style).” NEWHANFU. 6 March 2021.

Article: “Ming Dynasty Wedding Dress: 明新娘服.” Dragon’s Armory. 23 December 2020.

Article: “Three Letters and Six Etiquettes of Chinese Marriage” Keats: Learn Chinese in China.

Article: Li, Zhang (Staff Reporter) “Traditional Han Chinese Marriage Customs” China Today. 2 March 2016.

YouTube: “鄧麗君 Teresa Teng 上花轎 Getting On The Flowery Sedan Chair” Channel: HKships4TeresaTeng2. 23 July 2021.

Child Bearing:

Article: Callister, Lynn Clark, PhD, RN, FAAN. “Doing the Month: Chinese Postpartum Practices” MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. p. 390. November 2006.

Article: Mulder, Tara. “Midwifery in Modern China” Medium. 12 December 2018.

Wikipedia: Childbirth in China. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childbirth_in_China#Birth_Attendants)

Funerals:

Article: Chinese Funeral Customs. China Culture.

Article: “A Complete Guide to Traditional Chinese Funeral Customs” Dignity Memorial.

Article: Mack, Lauren. Chinese Funeral Traditions. ThoughtCo. 28 January 2020.

Website: Traditional Chinese Funeral Arrangements. BuddhaNet.

Dragon Boat Festival:

Article: Meredith, Anne. “The History and Modern Practice of the Dragon Boat Festival“. Chinese Language Institute (CLI). 27 March 2022.

Website: THE CHINESE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL. China Family Adventure.

Website: Guozhen, Yang and Liu Fang. Paintings About the Dragon Boat Festival. ChinaCulture.org.

Wikipedia: Dragon Boat Festival. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Boat_Festival)

YouTube: Dragon Boat Festival. Channel: Smithsonian Folklife. 14 April 2020.

Bibliography and Sources

People and Places

Garden of Fragrant Delights:

Location: Chinese Garden at the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, CA,

Administrator’s Humble Garden:

Location: Humble Administrator’s Garden – Archetype of Imperial Gardens

Qiao’s Family Compound:

Location: Qiao’s Family Compound (Qiao Jia Dayuan) – The Most Famous Ancient Dwelling in China.

Places:

Article: Allnut, Roger. “Via China’s Grand Canal, Navigating Wuxi’s Historical Sights.” Travel Weekly. 13 October 2010.

Article: Quan, Chris. “Forbidden City: Highlights, Secret of the Name, Facts.” China Highlights. 4 November 2022.

Photo: Sampan on the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang). Wikimedia. September 2002.

Website: Grand Canal. Epic World History: Expanding the World into First Global Age. July 2013.

Website: Tai-Hu (Lake Tai). World Lake Database.

Wikipedia: William Alexander. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Alexander_(painter))

YouTube: Grand Canal on Wuxi. Channel: TravelChinaGuide. 23 May 2012.

YouTube: The Grand Canal – UNESCO World Heritage Site. Channel: World Heritage Journey. 12 December 2019.

YouTube: The Venice of China – the Wuxi Section Ancient Grand Canal – Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal. Channel: CandorBlog. 25 November 2018.

People:

Image: Empress Zhang (中文（中国大陆）：作者已经去世超过200年，作品已经进入公有领域). Wikimedia Commons.

Image: Portrait assis de l’empereur Hongzhi. Wikimedia Commons.

Wikipedia: Emperor Hongzhi. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hongzhi_Emperor)

Wikipedia: Empress Zhang (Hongzhi). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Zhang_(Hongzhi))

YouTube: Empress Zhang – The Hongzhi Emperor’s Only Wife. Channel: The Royal Women. 30 July 2022.

Photo and Video Gallery

This is the inspiration for Lady Tan’s marriage bed, where Lisa played as a little girl. Photo: Patricia Williams
The Chinese Garden at the Huntington in San Marino—one of the inspirations for the Garden of Fragrant Delights.
The Chinese Garden at the Huntington.
The Chinese Garden at the Huntington
The Chinese Garden at the Huntington.
This was Lisa’s first excursion during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Forbidden City 1990
Ticket from Forbidden City 1990
The first time Lisa visited the Forbidden City was in 1990.
You can see the snowy courtyard behind her.

Video

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The Chinese Garden at the Huntington in San Marino where the still photos were taken—one of Lisa’s first excursions during the Covid-19 pandemic.