donutsweeper (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
donutsweeper) wrote2022-01-22 06:58 pm
donutsweeper) wrote2022-01-22 06:58 pm
Entry tags:
Historical Chinese Clothing (and much, much more) Resources
hair/headware/etc:
Hats, a history
斗笠/Douli (conical hat)
Video demonstrating how to wear a futou (幞头) with English subtitles (headwear/headwrap that was most popular during the Sui and Tang dynasties)
Headwear: Guan, Jin, Accessories and a list with terms and diagrams
Introduction to Traditional Chinese Hair Ornaments
Fa Shi/发饰 (a brief overview of hair ornaments)
Categories of Traditional Chinese Hair Accessories incredibly detailed article with pictures and descriptions and discussions
Tradition of China — Hair Ornament Culture
The Buyao (步摇), the step-swayer hairpin, and its transformation through the eras
The History of Ancient Chinese Official Hats – Wu Sha Mao from its beginnings in the Sui and Tang Dynasty through the Qing dynasty
Haircuts and History a little about the tradition of cutting children's hair (but not adults) in different eras.
Pre-Qing dynasty hairstyles for men including children's hair and examples of what NIF did right and what some period dramas have done wrong
Traditional Ancient Chinese Hairstyles History male and female, from earliest records through Qing Dynasty
Politics of Men’s Hair in Chinese History (a condensed timeline) Antiquity-Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty and After Revolution of 1911-1912.
Song Dynasty Ladies’ Hairstyle Collection infographic
Illustrations of historical Qing dynasty hairstyles & accessories infographic (women's hair)
Hairstyles of Tang Dynasty Women 618-907
Chinese hanfu hairstyle tutorials for girls. (video, no era specified)
Traditional Chinese Hair Jewelry – Ming Style Diji & Tiaopai
The Mìlí and Wéimào veiled hats of the Sui and Tang dynasty (and a post on Miansha/面纱 (veils) and how they're not historically accurate for ancient China)
Noble Manchurian Women's Headdresses of the Qing Dynasty 1644-1912
Ear Muffs of the Qing Era
Women's Hairstyles and Headgear of the Qing Era post 1 and post 2.
general clothing info:
A look at National Museum of China's Ancient Chinese Costume Culture Exhibition
Evolution of Chinese Clothing and Cheongsam from 221 BCE to modern era, and a review/breakdown of it with lots of pictures and sources to back up their opinions.
A bit about the cheongsam and qipao and its (mostly unknown) origin and whether or not it should be considered hanfu (tumblr post with multiple responses, each adding more information)
A Brief Summary of Hanfu Development in Ancient China set of 10 infographics
Guide to Traditional Chinese Clothing - Hanfu- info includes: basic feature of the Hanfu; its shape & style; different wearing scenes; and in different dynasties.
Hanfu for Dummies: Index of how-to tutorials tutorials include guides for the Aoqun (襖裙), standup collar, Shenyi (white tie), Shuhe (cross-collared top), Yesa and Tieli (曳撒 and 貼里, variations on the large pleated skirt), Jade Belt, hanfu maintenance, and the curves of the hanfu (emphasis is on how to make them yourself but as a result explains all the pieces and their parts well)
Wedding Hanfus a brief guide through history
Commentary on social classes and fashion in different times
A Very General Post About Skirts in Hanfu historical and modern
丧服/Sangfu (Mourning Clothes) and information on Wufu/五服, the Five Mourning Grades of Confucianism
A brief look at funeral attire
Mourning and Mourning Attire
Interesting post on average duration of fashion trends in ancient China
Research Tips and Commentary on Studying Chinese Fashion (a breakdown on where things may go wrong and how to try to get things right)
era specific clothes:
Hanfu History | The Development of Chinese Robe System (from the pre-Qin to Qing Dynasty)
The Restoration of Traditional Chinese clothing/Hanfu of Qin Dynasty (tumblr post with link to youtube video)
The Restoration of Traditional Chinese clothing/Hanfu and weapons of Qin Dynasty with comparisons to the terra-cotta warriors
Traditional Chinese clothes, hanfu How to wear hanfu of Song Dynasty style
Tang Era Winter Wear
Chinese hanfu tutorial–how to wear ruqun(襦裙) How to tie it in the Tang dynasty style
The order of wearing a man’s Tang hanfu (short video)
Banbi (半臂) Jacket Very detailed article about the Tang Dynasty short-sleeved jacket including extant examples from the Yuan Dynasty
The restoration of traditional Chinese clothing/Hanfu in the Tang Dynasty
The Restoration of Traditional Chinese clothing/Hanfu of Jin Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty Hanfu
Ming Dynasty skirts
Making a mamianqun (馬面裙; lit. horse face skirt) (short video)
Clothes of the Ming Dynasty Created specifically for The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty but very good for general overview of clothes for the general era (AO3 work)
Various overgarments of the Ming dynasty: the Bijia/比甲 (sleeveless jacket worn by women), Zhaojia/罩甲 (long vest worn by men) and the Banbi/半臂 (half-sleeve jacket)
Clothing during the Ming Dynasty (including coats, formal attire and more)
Men’s Hanfu traditional Ming style dressing (short video)
The Yèsā (曳撒) and Tiēlǐ (貼里) Imperial Ming garments for males
The differences between TieLi 贴里 and YeSa 曳撒
Guide to Traditional Chinese Clothing – Hanfu (begun late Ming and early Qing dynasties) huge post, lots of terminology and descriptions
Attire of a Qing Official 1614-1912
The Brief History of Qing Dynasty Clothing
Fashion Changes During the Qing Dynasty and can you still call the clothes hanfu
Abridged History of Qing Dynasty Han Women’s Fashion: part 1 (Late Ming & Shunzhi Era), part 2 (Kangxi Era), part 3 (Late Kangxi & Yongzheng Eras), part 4 (Qianlong Era ½), and part 5 (late Qianlong and Jiaqing Eras)
Men’s Clothing Changes During the Ming and Qing Dynasties
Women’s Clothing Changes During the Ming and Qing Dynasties
History of Chinese standing collars Ming & Qing dynasties
Women's Winter Wear During the Republican Era
The Westernization of Men's Wear near the end of the Republican Era
History of Chinese standing collars Republican era (1912-1949)
History of the Qipao & Cheongsam Fashion - Republic of China period (1911-1949)
Fashion Illustrator: Ye Qianyu for Ling Long Magazine 1931-33 part 1 and part 2 (scanned copies of the magazine along with English commentary)
History of Chinese standing collars post republican era
Abridged history of early 20th century Chinese womenswear: 1890's & 1900's, 1910's, 1920's (silhouette), 1920's (design details), 1920's (hair, makeup and accessories), 1930's (silhouette and design), 1930's (hair, makeup and accessories), 1940's, 1950's & 1960's (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau & friends) and 1950's (mainland China)
undergarments:
Recreation of underwear discovered in Zhao Ma's Tomb Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BCE), demonstrated by a model (men's)
Recreation of hanfu underpants and how they were worn demonstrated by a model (men's)
History of Ancient Chinese Underwear from the Han dynasty (women's)
Chinese Hanfu tutorial: How to wear pants and two types of underwear in Song Dynasty
Yuejing Dai (月经带, menstrual belt) examples from the Southern Song, Tang and Song dynasties and the Republican Era
The Hezi the Tang undergarment (women's)
Details about the hezi (women's)
Wearing the Hezi (women's)
Different Hanfu undergarments (male and female)
Easter Style Han Trousers (and photos showing how to put on)
Zhong Yi (中衣,underpants) and Xie Yi (褻衣, Underwear)
Tang Dynasty Women's Undergarments
Ming Dynasty emperor undergarments
Ming Style Trousers (and photos showing how to put on)
1920s Chinese Women's undergarments
makeup:
Painted Eyebrow Trends in Tang Dynasty 618-907
traditional Chinese makeup
Collection of Ancient Chinese Makeup Style (Each Dynasty)
What is Traditional Chinese Makeup?
Huadian – A Special Hanfu Makeup for Female and more on the Hudaian
Lip Makeup Through the Eras
Men's beauty practices in imperial China (douyin video reposted to tumblr with English subs)
shoes:
History of Traditional Chinese Hanfu Shoes
Han Dynasty Shoes and Ruqun
The Secret of the Chinese Ancient Hanfu Shoe Tip
Qixie (旗鞋) Qing dynasty shoes
belts, jewerly, waist ornaments, and other accoutrements:
A general overview of the most common dài/带 (belts)
Yaopei/腰佩 (waist wear)
Preliminary research on Hanfu buttons Qing, Tang and Ming dynasties (translated page)
Ming style buttons
Some thoughts on Chinese pankou/frog closures/knots
Chinese Knots info and infographic tutorials
Nailguards
Information on the Hebao/荷包 "a purse-like traditional Chinese accessory"
Information on the Pibo/披帛 "The thin, long scarf worn with hanfu, wrapped around the arms and behind the back"
Panbo/襻膊 (cloth strips use to tie sleeves higher and out of the way)
The wearing of earrings in different eras
Xiangquan/项圈 and Yingluo Xiangquan/璎珞项 (necklaces)
Information on Huwan/护腕 (wrist guards) and the slightly simplified Bangshoudai/绑手带 (hand wraps)
How to wear wrist guards (short video)
Chinese Pendant Accessories brief look at Yu Pei (jade pendant), Chang Ming Suo (longevity lock), Jin Bu (decoration), Xiang Nang (sachet), He Bao (hanging bag), Dai Gou (belt hook), Huo Lian (lighter) and more
History of the oil paper umbrella 油紙傘|yóuzhǐsǎn and a video on a slightly modernized way of making it
armor:
An illustrated timeline of Chinese armor infographic
Traditional Chinese and Byzantine armour components A brief introduction and analysis
Ming, Qing and Japanese armour components A brief introduction and analysis
Infographics with breakdown of armor pieces for the Tang Warrior, Tang Noble and Tang General
Ming Dynasty armor infographic
weapons:
Chinese Swords Collection I- info and pictures - part 1 and part 2 - Tang dao(唐刀), Yi dao(仪刀), Zhang dao(障刀), Heng dao(横刀), and Mo dao(陌刀); Tang dynasty
Chinese Swords Collection II- info and pictures - Ming dao(明刀); Ming dynasty
Chinese Swords Collection Ⅲ info and pictures - Qing dao(清刀), Qing dynasty
Swords and sabres of the Ming Dynasty
Bows of the Ming Dynasty
Matchlock firearms of the Ming Dynasty
A typology of Chinese sabers (Ming and Qing dynasty, info on the changdao {長刀, "long saber"} and the yāodāo {腰刀, "waist-worn saber"}, blade curvature, blade profile and more)
Telling Chinese polearms apart: a quick visual guide
Glossary of Chinese saber terminology (as translated from 18th and early 19th century sources)
Construction of the Qing dynasty long spear
Spears of the Qing dynasty
Qing bow glossary
Measurements of a Qing zhànjiàn (戰箭) (war arrow)
The 13 Edged Weapons of the Green Standard Army (Qing dynasty)
Demonstrating the rope dart (繩標 | shengbiao) (weibo vid reposted to tumblr with english subs)
fighting manuals and techniques:
Ming Archery Techniques (descriptions and photos, based on Ming Dynasty archery teacher Gao Ying's methods)
PDF of Gao Ying's manual (in both English and original Chinese)
China Archery Culture general information and drawings of postures and techniques
List of sword fighting techniques and terms
Brennan Translations: Translations of Chinese martial arts manuals translations of manuals for everything from archery to boxing to various martial arts and also lots of different weapon usages. Dates range from 1560-1971.
Demonstrating some wushu skills (strikes and punches, short video)
non-clothing/fighting resources:
astronomy and the sky:
The Chinese Night Sky: Stars, Constellations and Mansions - article with maps, explanations and history
History of Astronomy in China - article with information dating back to the Warring States period (475–221 BC) (wayback machine link)
The Chinese Sky - article with maps, charts and many explanations and terms (wayback machine link)
The Dunhuang Star Atlas article about the oldest manuscript star atlas known today from any civilisation (from circa AD 700), a scanned copy of the map itself, its translation into English, and a 'comprehensive' study of it. (wayback machine links)
Ancient Chinese constellations - academic paper with the various star names
Hong Kong Space Museum's Pages on Constellations and Myths Chinese Starlore, Zodiacal Constellations, and English-Chinese Glossary of Chinese Star Regions, Asterisms and Star Names
The Chinese Sky Map - a detailed map based of information from the book 'The Chinese Sky During the Han'
buildings and architecture and furniture
Ancient Chinese Bath Culture (info from the Shang Dynasty (1700 to 1027 BC) through Ming Dynasty)
Did the ancient city have a sewer system?
Advanced drainage System in the Ancient Beijing
The ancient urban water system construction of China: The lessons from history for a sustainable future (research paper with some good photos from excavations)
Pitched Roof in Chinese Architecture, and Hierarchies (different roof designs and how one's status determined their home's roof, wayback machine link)
Siheyuan - Chinese Courtyards - history, layout and terminology of the traditional Chinese compound
Classical Courtyard Houses of Beijing: Architecture as Cultural Artifact research paper with numerous photos, layouts and illustrations and terminology
Various architecture information posts: Chinese Quadrangle a traditional residential house in North China, which appeared in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Diaojiaolou a dwelling popular among several of the ethnic minority communities throughout southern China in the mountainous areas, Fujian Tulou or Earthen Structure a dwelling built by the Hakka and Hoklo people in the mountainous regions of southern Fujian (developed between the 11th-13th C, reaching its peak during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (17th-18th C), Qilou or Tong Lau an architectural that became hugely popular throughout many regions in southern China, such as Guangdong province, Fujian province, Macau, and Hong Kong, during the late 19th century.
The Feng Shui Luban Calculator (some background information and an online calculator)
Art and Archeology of Ancient China: A Teachers Guide General overview of various eras (wayback machine link)
Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Science's resource page with links (mostly) in English on various archeological topics, excavations and more.
Padlocks in China General information on the history of them, the technology of, and different types found in different time periods in China (starting from the Jin era, 265–420 AD).
Cabinets and clothes storage (wayback machine link)
Sitting devices in ancient China (douyin video reposted to tumblr with English subs)
calendar terms and telling time:
The 24 Solar Terms List and information on the 24 solar terms including their dates in 2022 and its history and origin, another page with similar information presented in a slightly different format, and a tumblr post with info and infographics.
Conversion between Western and Chinese Calendar (Yearly calendar, from 722 BCE to the present)
Chinese-Western Calendar Conversion Table (with information based on the different dynasties and regions)
Chinese Zodiac Hour Calculator (the hours, and months, and their meanings)
Pseudo Period Accurate Terms for Time in Ancient China (wayback machine link)
Measuring days within the month
The Scent Of Time: A Study of the Use of Fire and Incense for Time Measurement pdf of article written in 1963 (seems very well researched, but warning for outdated language)
erotica (historical, NSFW):
Bertholet Collection Paintings, carvings, panels, figurines, etc with brief amounts of information plus titles of books for more research
Sotheby's Gardens of Pleasure: Sex In Ancient China Gallery
food and how its eaten:
古人吃点啥 - What did the ancients eat youtube playlist of recipes curated from various ancient sources, English subbed
Macrosticks - a website whose "mission is to raise awareness globally on the use of chopsticks." Interesting articles like The Art and Science of Chopsticking and Ten Thousands Ways to Use Chopsticks, etc
funeral customs, mourning rites and ancestral worship:
Mourning rites in Ancient China
Chinese Funeral Customs
Ancestor Worship in Ancient China
Chinese Ancestor Worship : A Practice and Ritual Oriented Approach to Understanding Chinese Culture (online pdf of book, original thesis can be read here)
general Chinese history, maps and measurements:
A Brief Chinese Dynasties Chronology
The History Of China links for information on each dynasty and era as well as sometimes specific achievements or reforms.
The territory of the dynasties of China (interactive gif showing the change from the Zhou dynasty to today)
How maps create nations article with several historic maps
Complete Map of All Under Heaven Unified by the Great Qing - a detailed look at the map first created by Huang Qianren (黃千人) in 1767 and its later editions.
PDF excerpt from Mapping China's World: Cultural Cartography in Late Imperial Times by Richard J. Smith, Early World Maps in China section containing numerous maps from as early as the 8th Century.
Map of the Chinese Railway network, 1909
Chinese Weights and Measures - modern and historical terms for distance, area, volume and weight with easy to use converters for each.
Tumblr posts by niteshade925 documenting visits to various museums and historic sites around China: Shaanxi History Museum, Qin and Han Dynasties Branch -Part 1 - Part 1 - Political Structure, Laws, and Military, Part 2 - Daily Life, Societal Structure, and Culture, Part 3 – Innovations and Philosophies; Shaanxi Archaeology Museum/陕西考古博物馆 -Part 5 - Tang dynasty, Song dynasty, and later, Part 4 - Sui and Tang dynasties, Part 3 - Qin dynasty to Sui dynasty, Part 2 - Shang and Zhou dynasty, Part 1 - Neolithic to pre-Qin dynasty; Daci'en Temple/大慈恩寺 and the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda/大雁塔 History, Scenery, Temple and Architecture; Beilin Museum (includes photos and info of the Jingyun Bell) (more at the tag for their trip here)
grave/tomb robbing in China
Of tombs, traps and the intrepid article about the traps and terminology grave robbers supposedly use
A grave robber's world an article about the tomb raiding 'craft'
lgbtq (historical):
Commentary on how homosexuality was perceived in Ming and Qing novels (tw: homophobia, pedophilia)
Historic terms for lesbians
Chinese symbolism for lesbians
References and Allusions to Male Same-Sex Relations in Chinese Literature
In Han Dynasty China, Bisexuality Was the Norm (jstor article)
‘X也’and ‘Ta’: The gradual rise of gender-neutral pronouns in Chinese - article about the gender neutral history of 他 (tā), rise of 她 as a female pronoun and the recent use of X也 as a nonbinary pronoun. (wayback machine link)
Mandarin Monday: Queer Vocab From Chinese History (wayback machine link)
magic, myth, monsters, and folklore:
Demons, Monsters, And Ghosts Of The Chinese Folklore
Some creatures from 'The Classic of the Mountains and Seas' (tumblr post)
Chinese Bestiary (semi detailed blog post)
A Chinese Bestiary: Strange Creatures from the Guideways through Mountains and Seas by Richard E. Strassberg (archive.org scanned book, DLs available)
Yao and Mo: Demons and Devils! (blog post with definitions, etymology and information)
Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio- Herbert Allen Giles' 1880 English translation of Pu Songling's collection of classical Chinese stories (scanned copy with commentary about the translation or Project Gutenberg's ebook version)
shén shòu神兽, mythological animals in chinese culture for references and inspiration - "part Ⅰ: nine offsprings of loong🐲🐉" (very detailed tumblr post)
88 Chinese Mythical Creatures to Know About (blog post)
jiaguwen 甲骨文, oracle bone inscriptions
Oracle Bone, Shang Dynasty (<4 min video by two art historians from the Shanghai Museum, youtube link)
Oracle Bones - their history and use and the early Chinese script found on them (worldhistory.org)
How to Read the Bones Like a Scapulimancer An article about scapulimancy, divination by shoulder bone and its history, by Jacob Mikanowski (jstor article)
The 'Science' of the Ancestors: Divination, Curing, and Bronze-Casting in Late Shang China by David N. Keightley (Asia Major journal article, jstor link)
Shang Divination and Metaphysics by David N. Keightley (Philosophy East and West journal article, jstor link)
Divination - A New Perspective by Omar Khayyam Moore (American Anthropologist journal article, jstor link)
Deities and Ancestors in Early Oracle Inscriptions by Robert Eno (11 page PDF from Princeton University Press)
medicine and poison:
Wikibooks' Traditional Chinese Medicine Project (currently incomplete but with information on acupuncture, herbs, herb usage and medical terms and more)
Early Chinese Medical Literature: The Mawangdui Medical Manuscripts - translation of medical manuscripts that had been buried in 168 BC and unearthed in 1973 (internet archive, PDF, and the wiki about the texts)
Moxibustion in ancient China - an external therapy using burning moxa stick or cone to produce a warm sensation and moxa smoke on the acupoint (The National Center for Biotechnology article).
Pain, poison, and surgery in fourteenth-century China (blog post)
An Introduction to the Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold-Induced Disorders) (excerpts, in English, from a medicine text compiled 220 AD)
Healing with Poisons: Potent Medicines in Medieval China by Yan Liu (book, available to be read for free online, amazon also has a free kindle version)
Toxic Cures: Poisons and Medicines in Medieval China also by Yan Liu (Doctoral dissertation, downloadable PDF)
Poison or cure? Traditional Chinese medicine shows that context can make all the difference article by Yan Liu
Hiding in Plain Sight-ancient Chinese anatomy - article that includes numerous terms and images on meridians and more (American Association for Anatomy article)
music/crafts/dance:
Classic Chinese Music - played by traditional chinese instruments + some info on various styles (tumblr post with youtube links)
Instruments: Dizi (info and video) and Introduction to the Dizi (short informational video)
Introduction to the Erhu (short informational video)
Introduction to the Pipa (short instructional video)
A first person perspective on different lunzhi (輪指; circular fingers), a technique on the pipa (short video)
Introduction to the GuZheng (short instructional video, youtube link)
Origins of the Qin (very detailed, also delving into history and its earliest origins)
Writers Guide: The Guqin (AO3 work)
Let's Talk About the Guqin (info and a video)
Ming Dynasty Qin from The Metropolitan Museum of Art with information about the artifact and the instrument in general.
China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater 中国歌剧舞剧院 playlist for 8 different (mostly percussion) instruments.
自得教你学民乐【Learning Chinese Instruments With Zide】 (playlist, currently dizi, guqin, guzheng, pipa, and percussion but still being added to)
A Brief History of Chinese Opera (a brief look at its history and development through time and different versions still existing today)
Kunqu Opera brief overview of Kunqu Opera and its 600 year old history.
An Orchide in Bloom: China Kun Qu Opera (unesco video)
Preserving and Revitalising 昆曲 (Kunqu Opera) on the World Stage
The Fascinating Conventions of Peking Opera very detailed overview of Peking (also called Beijing) Opera and its 160 year old history
Peking Opera (chinadaily.com article)
Peking Opera (unesco video)
Cantonese performing art (article about Cantonese Opera and how it grew from and differs from other Chinese Operas)
1919 postcard sets depicting a Peking Opera artist Mei Lanfang in various “dan” (female) roles/costumes one and two. Gif set of Mei Lanfang demonstrating chinese opera gestures
Video showing the backstage changing process of an Chinese opera performance (with English translation/descriptions) for an unnamed actor and opera and for the opera 群借华 (Qun Jie Hua) by actor Chang Dong (常东)
A dan (旦; female role) Chinese opera actor talking about the shoes and walking styles in Chinese opera. (video with with English translation/descriptions)
Videos of a Chinese opera performer painting on Liǎnpǔ (脸谱), opera makeup, for the goat/sheep zodiac and one for 徐延昭 (Xu Yanzhao), an imperial official from 二进宫 (Second Entry Into the Palace), a traditional opera based on a drum ballad.
Chinese Dance — Ancient Art Form Across Time and Space information on its origin, dragon dance, lion dance, and more.
An Introduction to Chinese Embroidery
History of Chinese Shadow Play (wayback machine link)
Features of Shadow Puppet Show (wayback machine link)
Chinese Shadow Puppetry
Notes on Letter Formats based on Letters & Epistolary Culture in Early Medieval China (dreamwidth post)
Decoding Tea Culture in the Song Dynasty
Tea During The Tang Dynasty
Teapots and their quality a short video comparison
Incense Lore
Fragrance from China
Book care in different eras
Newspapers of the Song Dynasty - Information on 朝报 (cháo bào, court paper), 小报 (xiǎobào, illegal paper) and the history of printing (yìnshuā, 印刷)
Bookbinding examples from the late-Tang and Five Dynasties period (AD 907-960) including Butterfly binding (hudie zhuang), Stitched binding (xian zhuang), The Chinese pothi (fanjia zhuang), Whirlwind binding (xuanfeng zhuang), Concertina binding (jingzhe zhuang) and Wrapped-back binding (baobei zhuang) (wayback machine link)
police, forensics and law:
What's Chinese Legal System? (blog post, part of the China Legal System series)
What is the Court System Like in China (blog post, part of the China Legal System series)
What Are the Main Laws in China? (blog post, part of the China Law in One Minute series)
How Many Crimes Are Punishable by Death in China? (blog post, part of the China Law in One Minute series)
The Chinese Police Organization at Home and Abroad (PDF)
Police rank insignia of the People's Republic of China (wiki page)
Policing Modern China (scholarly paper, either DL pdf or open in browser)
Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China (Posted by The Congressional-Executive Commission on China as retrieved from the Fujian Provincial People's Government)
For the Foreigner: A Guide to China’s Criminal Legal System (PDF put together by a law firm)
An Introduction to Criminal Law Terms in English and Chinese (+ Glossary) focused on Australian and British law but has useful terms and delves some into how it differs from Chinese law.
A Look into Cybercrime in China: Infringement of Privacy as a Crime (blog post)
A history of forensic medicine in China (pdf of article from Cambridge University Press)
The Chinese Nail Murders: forensic medicine in Imperial China (pdf of article from Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine)
random items of interest
The Curse of Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingles with the West- The first feature film made with an all-Chinese American cast and an all-Chinese American company, it was filmed circa 1916 or 1917, never released and long thought lost. Two reels of an estimated total of seven or eight survived and were restored and can be watched on youtube here. Gifset here and a interesting breakdown of the fashions it contains here.
Book review: Chinese Wallpaper in Britain and Ireland (2017) by Emile de Bruijn (tumblr post with many scans from said book)
Flora of China "brief descriptions, identification keys, essential synonymy, phenology, provincial distribution in China, brief statements on extra-Chinese distribution, and remarks regarding the circumscription of problematic taxa" of China's many plant species in common English/Latin name, Chinese and Pinyin. Also, Chinese Plant Names and Moss Flora of China.
The South-Pointing Chariot (指南车)- a mechanical compass, information about it (here and here) and video of building a modern recreation of it (part one and part two)
Cats in China--History (Part 1) and (Part 2)
random royalty/status related informational links:
Hierarchy of the Chinese Harem
Titles for royals, royal's spouses, consorts, concubines and more
Qing Dynasty titles for princes' wives and concubines
discussion on an emperor’s mother's title (in relation to NIF but general information as well)
Honorifics in the Qing Dynasty (the emperor, his family, nobility and some general ones)
Ethnic Differences in Court Dress During the Qianlong Period (Qing dynasty)
Nirvana in Fire through the socioeconomic lens - a look at rank and social class and the nine-rank selection system/九品中正制 during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (410-581) (although specific to NIF, also contains general info)
Title and Names in Historic Chinese Dramas Different types of names (register, courtesy, etc), Names of emperors (era, temple, posthumous names) and Qing dynasty consort tradition.
honorifics, rank and translation problems (in historic Chinese dramas with examples from Legend of Ruyi and NIF)
Terms of address (terms people of various rank use to address themselves when speaking to people of other ranks)
naming resources:
Chinese Names + Naming Resources. Also, from the same blog: Reading Chinese Names: Female Names, Reading Chinese Names: Male Names, Reading Chinese Names: Surnames, Reading Chinese Names: The Most Common Names and A closer look at Chinese names.
Chinese Surname Ranking Analysis (comparison between locations and how they reflect the national average as well as mainland China compared to Taiwan and Hong Kong)
Mandarin Chinese Character Name Generator (names plus their translation)
How to name your Chinese characters (common names and their translations)
Chinese naming conventions (examples are for MDZS characters, but gives general info. 2nd chapter of an AO3 work, 1st chapter is familial and sect relationship terms)
So You Want to Name a Sino: A Guide to Not Making a Fucking Fool of Yourself
A twitter thread on Chinese nicknames and another thread building off that (must be logged into twitter to read)
What can we tell from the evolution of Han Chinese names? article with amazing interactive graphics of both male and female names broken down by decade (1930s-2000s) including explanations on how they relate to history of the time and also a search to see how unique a name is.
Most Popular Chinese Names (Trends in 2023 and Across the Decades)
relationship terms:
Master Chart for Familial Relationships with comparisons of modern to historical terms as well as “technically made up but grammatically correct” terms for same sex partners and their relations.
Tumblr post with familial terms and terminology
"Quick translation of a Particular Guideline for homosexual relationship terms in Chinese" - dreamwidth post and same information reblogged on tumblr
Terms of address including marital relations (chart to determine terms for within "your martial arts family"; for the same information written out in a grid rather than image format see here)
Honorifics and Titles For Your Wuxia/Xianxia Fic (tumblr post)
Video comparing how northerners and southerners refer to people (modern terms)
Various LGBTQA Mandarin Words
slang and NSFW terms:
Chinese Internet Slang (numbers)
DIY Chinese Penis Euphemisms (anatomical and slang terms used for penis, tumblr post)
How many different ways are there to say "fuck" in Chinese? (brief discussion on different terms, tumblr post)
Chinese language (calligraphy, dictionaries, scripts, sign language, etc) informational posts/resources:
calligraphy and script styles:
An Introduction to Chinese Calligraphy (short instructional video, youtube link)
Chinese Calligraphy, an Introduction (tumblr post)
Chinese Brush Strokes
Chinese Brushstrokes Vocabulary
Traditional chinese handicraft, ink making 制墨 (video)
Making Huizhou inksticks (徽墨) (video)
China’s Calligraphic Arts a brief look at oracle bone script, seal script, clerical script, running script, cursive script, standard script and the four treasures of a scholar’s studio (The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian art, wayback machine link)
China Online Museum brief descriptions of oracle bone, seal, clerical, cursive, running, and standard scripts and info on master calligraphers with links to their work.
Chinese Calligraphy numerous articles about its history in China, the different scripts, cultural background and influences, etc.
中国手语 Chinese Sign Language:
Wikipedia overview (basic info about the difference between Northern and Southern CSL and how they differ from Hong Kong SL, Taiwanese SL, etc)
Learn CSL playlist on youtube (English subs, shows both ASL and CSL)
手語教學 ~ 01 (CSL lesson 1, one hour, enough english presented to follow) and 手語教學 ~ 02 (lesson 2, 14 minutes)
pinyin fingerspelling chart (image)
Chinese Sign Language List (terms in Chinese and English, shown in UAE sign and CSL)
Signs of the Times: Why Chinese Sign Language Users Struggle to Understand Each Other
Expressing negation in Chinese sign language (thesis, pdf of final paper here)
Nothing about us without us: Deaf education and sign language access in China (scholarly article, pdf)
dictionaries:
Chinese - English Dictionary "including pronunciation, extra large Chinese characters (JPG images) and stroke order animations"
Yabla's Chinese English Pinyin Dictionary (site also has vocabulary flashcards)
MDBG's Word Dictionary (site also has translation abilities; can be used to look up a word by drawing it with your mouse but works best if the stroke order is correct)
Talking Chinese English Dictionary (PurpleCulture has numerous other Chinese language tools available; can be used to look up a word by drawing it with your mouse)
qhanzi "Input Chinese characters via handwriting. Draw a hanzi in the pale blue box."
etymology (字源):
Chinese Etymology - etymological info on 15k+ hanzi, also has information on oracle, bone, and seal script
Chinese telegraph code
Chinese Telegraphic Codebooks and Cryptography (article by Columbia University with some pictures of books from their collection)
A History of China’s Telecommunications Industry, Part 1: The Telegraph and the First Telephones
Chinese Telegraphic Code Book for Mainland China - 大陆标准电报码
Wikipedia article 'Chinese telegraph code'
Language Log: Chinese Telegraph Code (CTC)
Chinese Commercial/Telegraphic Code Lookup (converts text into CTC)
Chinese Telegraph Code (CTC), or A Brief History of Chinese Character Code (CCC)
Brief Article on CTC and Encryption
Learning your 爱比西s: Translating Chinese into Morse code! (video)
fandom focused links:
Wuxia 101 - the guide for people who have never seen Wuxia. (AO3 work, contains general information and specific Word of Honor examples)
The meaning of “jianghu” 江湖 (tumblr post, wayback machine link)
A Guide to Chinese Terminology (tumblr post with terms for and brief explanations for: people within families and sects, time, the five elements, religion and philosophy, sworn brotherhood, and more, wayback machine link)
The meaning of 青山不改 绿水长流 后会有期 - a common saying in wuxia, especially seen in The Untamed's ending (wayback machine link)
Glossary of Terms in Wuxia, Xianxia & Xuanhuan Novels
MyWuxia "the encyclopedia for Wuxia fans genre."
How are acupoints used in Wuxia stories?
Immortal Mountain "Insight into the World of Chinese Fantasy Novels" (blog)
Exiled Rebels' Chinese Slang Glossary
Chinese pronunciation resources + tips (aimed at podficcers, general info and links to fandom specific ones)
websites with interesting content:
Harvard's Chinese Rubbings Collection and Chinese and Japanese scroll facsimiles
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art Collection (books, catalogues and guides, some can be downloaded as pdfs, some only available for looking at online)
East Asian Studies blog a site with translations of some Chinese poetry with a complete breakdown of each line with the original Chinese, the pinyin, the word for word translation and then a poetic translation
Chinese Poems "This site presents Chinese, pinyin and English texts of poems by some of the greatest Chinese poets. Most of the featured authors are from the Tang dynasty, when culture in China was at its peak, but writers from other periods are also included."
Tumblr user fwoopersongs's CHI to ENG poetry translations
*All links are to English languages sources or translated into English pages
*Please comment to let me know if any links included here no longer work. And my goal was to have as complete a resource list as possible so if there are any other links that should be included please share them so they can be added.
Research and Resource Collected Links Masterpost
Hats, a history
斗笠/Douli (conical hat)
Video demonstrating how to wear a futou (幞头) with English subtitles (headwear/headwrap that was most popular during the Sui and Tang dynasties)
Headwear: Guan, Jin, Accessories and a list with terms and diagrams
Introduction to Traditional Chinese Hair Ornaments
Fa Shi/发饰 (a brief overview of hair ornaments)
Categories of Traditional Chinese Hair Accessories incredibly detailed article with pictures and descriptions and discussions
Tradition of China — Hair Ornament Culture
The Buyao (步摇), the step-swayer hairpin, and its transformation through the eras
The History of Ancient Chinese Official Hats – Wu Sha Mao from its beginnings in the Sui and Tang Dynasty through the Qing dynasty
Haircuts and History a little about the tradition of cutting children's hair (but not adults) in different eras.
Pre-Qing dynasty hairstyles for men including children's hair and examples of what NIF did right and what some period dramas have done wrong
Traditional Ancient Chinese Hairstyles History male and female, from earliest records through Qing Dynasty
Politics of Men’s Hair in Chinese History (a condensed timeline) Antiquity-Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty and After Revolution of 1911-1912.
Song Dynasty Ladies’ Hairstyle Collection infographic
Illustrations of historical Qing dynasty hairstyles & accessories infographic (women's hair)
Hairstyles of Tang Dynasty Women 618-907
Chinese hanfu hairstyle tutorials for girls. (video, no era specified)
Traditional Chinese Hair Jewelry – Ming Style Diji & Tiaopai
The Mìlí and Wéimào veiled hats of the Sui and Tang dynasty (and a post on Miansha/面纱 (veils) and how they're not historically accurate for ancient China)
Noble Manchurian Women's Headdresses of the Qing Dynasty 1644-1912
Ear Muffs of the Qing Era
Women's Hairstyles and Headgear of the Qing Era post 1 and post 2.
general clothing info:
A look at National Museum of China's Ancient Chinese Costume Culture Exhibition
Evolution of Chinese Clothing and Cheongsam from 221 BCE to modern era, and a review/breakdown of it with lots of pictures and sources to back up their opinions.
A bit about the cheongsam and qipao and its (mostly unknown) origin and whether or not it should be considered hanfu (tumblr post with multiple responses, each adding more information)
A Brief Summary of Hanfu Development in Ancient China set of 10 infographics
Guide to Traditional Chinese Clothing - Hanfu- info includes: basic feature of the Hanfu; its shape & style; different wearing scenes; and in different dynasties.
Hanfu for Dummies: Index of how-to tutorials tutorials include guides for the Aoqun (襖裙), standup collar, Shenyi (white tie), Shuhe (cross-collared top), Yesa and Tieli (曳撒 and 貼里, variations on the large pleated skirt), Jade Belt, hanfu maintenance, and the curves of the hanfu (emphasis is on how to make them yourself but as a result explains all the pieces and their parts well)
Wedding Hanfus a brief guide through history
Commentary on social classes and fashion in different times
A Very General Post About Skirts in Hanfu historical and modern
丧服/Sangfu (Mourning Clothes) and information on Wufu/五服, the Five Mourning Grades of Confucianism
A brief look at funeral attire
Mourning and Mourning Attire
Interesting post on average duration of fashion trends in ancient China
Research Tips and Commentary on Studying Chinese Fashion (a breakdown on where things may go wrong and how to try to get things right)
era specific clothes:
Hanfu History | The Development of Chinese Robe System (from the pre-Qin to Qing Dynasty)
The Restoration of Traditional Chinese clothing/Hanfu of Qin Dynasty (tumblr post with link to youtube video)
The Restoration of Traditional Chinese clothing/Hanfu and weapons of Qin Dynasty with comparisons to the terra-cotta warriors
Traditional Chinese clothes, hanfu How to wear hanfu of Song Dynasty style
Tang Era Winter Wear
Chinese hanfu tutorial–how to wear ruqun(襦裙) How to tie it in the Tang dynasty style
The order of wearing a man’s Tang hanfu (short video)
Banbi (半臂) Jacket Very detailed article about the Tang Dynasty short-sleeved jacket including extant examples from the Yuan Dynasty
The restoration of traditional Chinese clothing/Hanfu in the Tang Dynasty
The Restoration of Traditional Chinese clothing/Hanfu of Jin Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty Hanfu
Ming Dynasty skirts
Making a mamianqun (馬面裙; lit. horse face skirt) (short video)
Clothes of the Ming Dynasty Created specifically for The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty but very good for general overview of clothes for the general era (AO3 work)
Various overgarments of the Ming dynasty: the Bijia/比甲 (sleeveless jacket worn by women), Zhaojia/罩甲 (long vest worn by men) and the Banbi/半臂 (half-sleeve jacket)
Clothing during the Ming Dynasty (including coats, formal attire and more)
Men’s Hanfu traditional Ming style dressing (short video)
The Yèsā (曳撒) and Tiēlǐ (貼里) Imperial Ming garments for males
The differences between TieLi 贴里 and YeSa 曳撒
Guide to Traditional Chinese Clothing – Hanfu (begun late Ming and early Qing dynasties) huge post, lots of terminology and descriptions
Attire of a Qing Official 1614-1912
The Brief History of Qing Dynasty Clothing
Fashion Changes During the Qing Dynasty and can you still call the clothes hanfu
Abridged History of Qing Dynasty Han Women’s Fashion: part 1 (Late Ming & Shunzhi Era), part 2 (Kangxi Era), part 3 (Late Kangxi & Yongzheng Eras), part 4 (Qianlong Era ½), and part 5 (late Qianlong and Jiaqing Eras)
Men’s Clothing Changes During the Ming and Qing Dynasties
Women’s Clothing Changes During the Ming and Qing Dynasties
History of Chinese standing collars Ming & Qing dynasties
Women's Winter Wear During the Republican Era
The Westernization of Men's Wear near the end of the Republican Era
History of Chinese standing collars Republican era (1912-1949)
History of the Qipao & Cheongsam Fashion - Republic of China period (1911-1949)
Fashion Illustrator: Ye Qianyu for Ling Long Magazine 1931-33 part 1 and part 2 (scanned copies of the magazine along with English commentary)
History of Chinese standing collars post republican era
Abridged history of early 20th century Chinese womenswear: 1890's & 1900's, 1910's, 1920's (silhouette), 1920's (design details), 1920's (hair, makeup and accessories), 1930's (silhouette and design), 1930's (hair, makeup and accessories), 1940's, 1950's & 1960's (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau & friends) and 1950's (mainland China)
undergarments:
Recreation of underwear discovered in Zhao Ma's Tomb Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BCE), demonstrated by a model (men's)
Recreation of hanfu underpants and how they were worn demonstrated by a model (men's)
History of Ancient Chinese Underwear from the Han dynasty (women's)
Chinese Hanfu tutorial: How to wear pants and two types of underwear in Song Dynasty
Yuejing Dai (月经带, menstrual belt) examples from the Southern Song, Tang and Song dynasties and the Republican Era
The Hezi the Tang undergarment (women's)
Details about the hezi (women's)
Wearing the Hezi (women's)
Different Hanfu undergarments (male and female)
Easter Style Han Trousers (and photos showing how to put on)
Zhong Yi (中衣,underpants) and Xie Yi (褻衣, Underwear)
Tang Dynasty Women's Undergarments
Ming Dynasty emperor undergarments
Ming Style Trousers (and photos showing how to put on)
1920s Chinese Women's undergarments
makeup:
Painted Eyebrow Trends in Tang Dynasty 618-907
traditional Chinese makeup
Collection of Ancient Chinese Makeup Style (Each Dynasty)
What is Traditional Chinese Makeup?
Huadian – A Special Hanfu Makeup for Female and more on the Hudaian
Lip Makeup Through the Eras
Men's beauty practices in imperial China (douyin video reposted to tumblr with English subs)
shoes:
History of Traditional Chinese Hanfu Shoes
Han Dynasty Shoes and Ruqun
The Secret of the Chinese Ancient Hanfu Shoe Tip
Qixie (旗鞋) Qing dynasty shoes
belts, jewerly, waist ornaments, and other accoutrements:
A general overview of the most common dài/带 (belts)
Yaopei/腰佩 (waist wear)
Preliminary research on Hanfu buttons Qing, Tang and Ming dynasties (translated page)
Ming style buttons
Some thoughts on Chinese pankou/frog closures/knots
Chinese Knots info and infographic tutorials
Nailguards
Information on the Hebao/荷包 "a purse-like traditional Chinese accessory"
Information on the Pibo/披帛 "The thin, long scarf worn with hanfu, wrapped around the arms and behind the back"
Panbo/襻膊 (cloth strips use to tie sleeves higher and out of the way)
The wearing of earrings in different eras
Xiangquan/项圈 and Yingluo Xiangquan/璎珞项 (necklaces)
Information on Huwan/护腕 (wrist guards) and the slightly simplified Bangshoudai/绑手带 (hand wraps)
How to wear wrist guards (short video)
Chinese Pendant Accessories brief look at Yu Pei (jade pendant), Chang Ming Suo (longevity lock), Jin Bu (decoration), Xiang Nang (sachet), He Bao (hanging bag), Dai Gou (belt hook), Huo Lian (lighter) and more
History of the oil paper umbrella 油紙傘|yóuzhǐsǎn and a video on a slightly modernized way of making it
armor:
An illustrated timeline of Chinese armor infographic
Traditional Chinese and Byzantine armour components A brief introduction and analysis
Ming, Qing and Japanese armour components A brief introduction and analysis
Infographics with breakdown of armor pieces for the Tang Warrior, Tang Noble and Tang General
Ming Dynasty armor infographic
weapons:
Chinese Swords Collection I- info and pictures - part 1 and part 2 - Tang dao(唐刀), Yi dao(仪刀), Zhang dao(障刀), Heng dao(横刀), and Mo dao(陌刀); Tang dynasty
Chinese Swords Collection II- info and pictures - Ming dao(明刀); Ming dynasty
Chinese Swords Collection Ⅲ info and pictures - Qing dao(清刀), Qing dynasty
Swords and sabres of the Ming Dynasty
Bows of the Ming Dynasty
Matchlock firearms of the Ming Dynasty
A typology of Chinese sabers (Ming and Qing dynasty, info on the changdao {長刀, "long saber"} and the yāodāo {腰刀, "waist-worn saber"}, blade curvature, blade profile and more)
Telling Chinese polearms apart: a quick visual guide
Glossary of Chinese saber terminology (as translated from 18th and early 19th century sources)
Construction of the Qing dynasty long spear
Spears of the Qing dynasty
Qing bow glossary
Measurements of a Qing zhànjiàn (戰箭) (war arrow)
The 13 Edged Weapons of the Green Standard Army (Qing dynasty)
Demonstrating the rope dart (繩標 | shengbiao) (weibo vid reposted to tumblr with english subs)
fighting manuals and techniques:
Ming Archery Techniques (descriptions and photos, based on Ming Dynasty archery teacher Gao Ying's methods)
PDF of Gao Ying's manual (in both English and original Chinese)
China Archery Culture general information and drawings of postures and techniques
List of sword fighting techniques and terms
Brennan Translations: Translations of Chinese martial arts manuals translations of manuals for everything from archery to boxing to various martial arts and also lots of different weapon usages. Dates range from 1560-1971.
Demonstrating some wushu skills (strikes and punches, short video)
non-clothing/fighting resources:
astronomy and the sky:
The Chinese Night Sky: Stars, Constellations and Mansions - article with maps, explanations and history
History of Astronomy in China - article with information dating back to the Warring States period (475–221 BC) (wayback machine link)
The Chinese Sky - article with maps, charts and many explanations and terms (wayback machine link)
The Dunhuang Star Atlas article about the oldest manuscript star atlas known today from any civilisation (from circa AD 700), a scanned copy of the map itself, its translation into English, and a 'comprehensive' study of it. (wayback machine links)
Ancient Chinese constellations - academic paper with the various star names
Hong Kong Space Museum's Pages on Constellations and Myths Chinese Starlore, Zodiacal Constellations, and English-Chinese Glossary of Chinese Star Regions, Asterisms and Star Names
The Chinese Sky Map - a detailed map based of information from the book 'The Chinese Sky During the Han'
buildings and architecture and furniture
Ancient Chinese Bath Culture (info from the Shang Dynasty (1700 to 1027 BC) through Ming Dynasty)
Did the ancient city have a sewer system?
Advanced drainage System in the Ancient Beijing
The ancient urban water system construction of China: The lessons from history for a sustainable future (research paper with some good photos from excavations)
Pitched Roof in Chinese Architecture, and Hierarchies (different roof designs and how one's status determined their home's roof, wayback machine link)
Siheyuan - Chinese Courtyards - history, layout and terminology of the traditional Chinese compound
Classical Courtyard Houses of Beijing: Architecture as Cultural Artifact research paper with numerous photos, layouts and illustrations and terminology
Various architecture information posts: Chinese Quadrangle a traditional residential house in North China, which appeared in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Diaojiaolou a dwelling popular among several of the ethnic minority communities throughout southern China in the mountainous areas, Fujian Tulou or Earthen Structure a dwelling built by the Hakka and Hoklo people in the mountainous regions of southern Fujian (developed between the 11th-13th C, reaching its peak during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (17th-18th C), Qilou or Tong Lau an architectural that became hugely popular throughout many regions in southern China, such as Guangdong province, Fujian province, Macau, and Hong Kong, during the late 19th century.
The Feng Shui Luban Calculator (some background information and an online calculator)
Art and Archeology of Ancient China: A Teachers Guide General overview of various eras (wayback machine link)
Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Science's resource page with links (mostly) in English on various archeological topics, excavations and more.
Padlocks in China General information on the history of them, the technology of, and different types found in different time periods in China (starting from the Jin era, 265–420 AD).
Cabinets and clothes storage (wayback machine link)
Sitting devices in ancient China (douyin video reposted to tumblr with English subs)
calendar terms and telling time:
The 24 Solar Terms List and information on the 24 solar terms including their dates in 2022 and its history and origin, another page with similar information presented in a slightly different format, and a tumblr post with info and infographics.
Conversion between Western and Chinese Calendar (Yearly calendar, from 722 BCE to the present)
Chinese-Western Calendar Conversion Table (with information based on the different dynasties and regions)
Chinese Zodiac Hour Calculator (the hours, and months, and their meanings)
Pseudo Period Accurate Terms for Time in Ancient China (wayback machine link)
Measuring days within the month
The Scent Of Time: A Study of the Use of Fire and Incense for Time Measurement pdf of article written in 1963 (seems very well researched, but warning for outdated language)
erotica (historical, NSFW):
Bertholet Collection Paintings, carvings, panels, figurines, etc with brief amounts of information plus titles of books for more research
Sotheby's Gardens of Pleasure: Sex In Ancient China Gallery
food and how its eaten:
古人吃点啥 - What did the ancients eat youtube playlist of recipes curated from various ancient sources, English subbed
Macrosticks - a website whose "mission is to raise awareness globally on the use of chopsticks." Interesting articles like The Art and Science of Chopsticking and Ten Thousands Ways to Use Chopsticks, etc
funeral customs, mourning rites and ancestral worship:
Mourning rites in Ancient China
Chinese Funeral Customs
Ancestor Worship in Ancient China
Chinese Ancestor Worship : A Practice and Ritual Oriented Approach to Understanding Chinese Culture (online pdf of book, original thesis can be read here)
general Chinese history, maps and measurements:
A Brief Chinese Dynasties Chronology
The History Of China links for information on each dynasty and era as well as sometimes specific achievements or reforms.
The territory of the dynasties of China (interactive gif showing the change from the Zhou dynasty to today)
How maps create nations article with several historic maps
Complete Map of All Under Heaven Unified by the Great Qing - a detailed look at the map first created by Huang Qianren (黃千人) in 1767 and its later editions.
PDF excerpt from Mapping China's World: Cultural Cartography in Late Imperial Times by Richard J. Smith, Early World Maps in China section containing numerous maps from as early as the 8th Century.
Map of the Chinese Railway network, 1909
Chinese Weights and Measures - modern and historical terms for distance, area, volume and weight with easy to use converters for each.
Tumblr posts by niteshade925 documenting visits to various museums and historic sites around China: Shaanxi History Museum, Qin and Han Dynasties Branch -Part 1 - Part 1 - Political Structure, Laws, and Military, Part 2 - Daily Life, Societal Structure, and Culture, Part 3 – Innovations and Philosophies; Shaanxi Archaeology Museum/陕西考古博物馆 -Part 5 - Tang dynasty, Song dynasty, and later, Part 4 - Sui and Tang dynasties, Part 3 - Qin dynasty to Sui dynasty, Part 2 - Shang and Zhou dynasty, Part 1 - Neolithic to pre-Qin dynasty; Daci'en Temple/大慈恩寺 and the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda/大雁塔 History, Scenery, Temple and Architecture; Beilin Museum (includes photos and info of the Jingyun Bell) (more at the tag for their trip here)
grave/tomb robbing in China
Of tombs, traps and the intrepid article about the traps and terminology grave robbers supposedly use
A grave robber's world an article about the tomb raiding 'craft'
lgbtq (historical):
Commentary on how homosexuality was perceived in Ming and Qing novels (tw: homophobia, pedophilia)
Historic terms for lesbians
Chinese symbolism for lesbians
References and Allusions to Male Same-Sex Relations in Chinese Literature
In Han Dynasty China, Bisexuality Was the Norm (jstor article)
‘X也’and ‘Ta’: The gradual rise of gender-neutral pronouns in Chinese - article about the gender neutral history of 他 (tā), rise of 她 as a female pronoun and the recent use of X也 as a nonbinary pronoun. (wayback machine link)
Mandarin Monday: Queer Vocab From Chinese History (wayback machine link)
magic, myth, monsters, and folklore:
Demons, Monsters, And Ghosts Of The Chinese Folklore
Some creatures from 'The Classic of the Mountains and Seas' (tumblr post)
Chinese Bestiary (semi detailed blog post)
A Chinese Bestiary: Strange Creatures from the Guideways through Mountains and Seas by Richard E. Strassberg (archive.org scanned book, DLs available)
Yao and Mo: Demons and Devils! (blog post with definitions, etymology and information)
Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio- Herbert Allen Giles' 1880 English translation of Pu Songling's collection of classical Chinese stories (scanned copy with commentary about the translation or Project Gutenberg's ebook version)
shén shòu神兽, mythological animals in chinese culture for references and inspiration - "part Ⅰ: nine offsprings of loong🐲🐉" (very detailed tumblr post)
88 Chinese Mythical Creatures to Know About (blog post)
jiaguwen 甲骨文, oracle bone inscriptions
Oracle Bone, Shang Dynasty (<4 min video by two art historians from the Shanghai Museum, youtube link)
Oracle Bones - their history and use and the early Chinese script found on them (worldhistory.org)
How to Read the Bones Like a Scapulimancer An article about scapulimancy, divination by shoulder bone and its history, by Jacob Mikanowski (jstor article)
The 'Science' of the Ancestors: Divination, Curing, and Bronze-Casting in Late Shang China by David N. Keightley (Asia Major journal article, jstor link)
Shang Divination and Metaphysics by David N. Keightley (Philosophy East and West journal article, jstor link)
Divination - A New Perspective by Omar Khayyam Moore (American Anthropologist journal article, jstor link)
Deities and Ancestors in Early Oracle Inscriptions by Robert Eno (11 page PDF from Princeton University Press)
medicine and poison:
Wikibooks' Traditional Chinese Medicine Project (currently incomplete but with information on acupuncture, herbs, herb usage and medical terms and more)
Early Chinese Medical Literature: The Mawangdui Medical Manuscripts - translation of medical manuscripts that had been buried in 168 BC and unearthed in 1973 (internet archive, PDF, and the wiki about the texts)
Moxibustion in ancient China - an external therapy using burning moxa stick or cone to produce a warm sensation and moxa smoke on the acupoint (The National Center for Biotechnology article).
Pain, poison, and surgery in fourteenth-century China (blog post)
An Introduction to the Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold-Induced Disorders) (excerpts, in English, from a medicine text compiled 220 AD)
Healing with Poisons: Potent Medicines in Medieval China by Yan Liu (book, available to be read for free online, amazon also has a free kindle version)
Toxic Cures: Poisons and Medicines in Medieval China also by Yan Liu (Doctoral dissertation, downloadable PDF)
Poison or cure? Traditional Chinese medicine shows that context can make all the difference article by Yan Liu
Hiding in Plain Sight-ancient Chinese anatomy - article that includes numerous terms and images on meridians and more (American Association for Anatomy article)
music/crafts/dance:
Classic Chinese Music - played by traditional chinese instruments + some info on various styles (tumblr post with youtube links)
Instruments: Dizi (info and video) and Introduction to the Dizi (short informational video)
Introduction to the Erhu (short informational video)
Introduction to the Pipa (short instructional video)
A first person perspective on different lunzhi (輪指; circular fingers), a technique on the pipa (short video)
Introduction to the GuZheng (short instructional video, youtube link)
Origins of the Qin (very detailed, also delving into history and its earliest origins)
Writers Guide: The Guqin (AO3 work)
Let's Talk About the Guqin (info and a video)
Ming Dynasty Qin from The Metropolitan Museum of Art with information about the artifact and the instrument in general.
China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater 中国歌剧舞剧院 playlist for 8 different (mostly percussion) instruments.
自得教你学民乐【Learning Chinese Instruments With Zide】 (playlist, currently dizi, guqin, guzheng, pipa, and percussion but still being added to)
A Brief History of Chinese Opera (a brief look at its history and development through time and different versions still existing today)
Kunqu Opera brief overview of Kunqu Opera and its 600 year old history.
An Orchide in Bloom: China Kun Qu Opera (unesco video)
Preserving and Revitalising 昆曲 (Kunqu Opera) on the World Stage
The Fascinating Conventions of Peking Opera very detailed overview of Peking (also called Beijing) Opera and its 160 year old history
Peking Opera (chinadaily.com article)
Peking Opera (unesco video)
Cantonese performing art (article about Cantonese Opera and how it grew from and differs from other Chinese Operas)
1919 postcard sets depicting a Peking Opera artist Mei Lanfang in various “dan” (female) roles/costumes one and two. Gif set of Mei Lanfang demonstrating chinese opera gestures
Video showing the backstage changing process of an Chinese opera performance (with English translation/descriptions) for an unnamed actor and opera and for the opera 群借华 (Qun Jie Hua) by actor Chang Dong (常东)
A dan (旦; female role) Chinese opera actor talking about the shoes and walking styles in Chinese opera. (video with with English translation/descriptions)
Videos of a Chinese opera performer painting on Liǎnpǔ (脸谱), opera makeup, for the goat/sheep zodiac and one for 徐延昭 (Xu Yanzhao), an imperial official from 二进宫 (Second Entry Into the Palace), a traditional opera based on a drum ballad.
Chinese Dance — Ancient Art Form Across Time and Space information on its origin, dragon dance, lion dance, and more.
An Introduction to Chinese Embroidery
History of Chinese Shadow Play (wayback machine link)
Features of Shadow Puppet Show (wayback machine link)
Chinese Shadow Puppetry
Notes on Letter Formats based on Letters & Epistolary Culture in Early Medieval China (dreamwidth post)
Decoding Tea Culture in the Song Dynasty
Tea During The Tang Dynasty
Teapots and their quality a short video comparison
Incense Lore
Fragrance from China
Book care in different eras
Newspapers of the Song Dynasty - Information on 朝报 (cháo bào, court paper), 小报 (xiǎobào, illegal paper) and the history of printing (yìnshuā, 印刷)
Bookbinding examples from the late-Tang and Five Dynasties period (AD 907-960) including Butterfly binding (hudie zhuang), Stitched binding (xian zhuang), The Chinese pothi (fanjia zhuang), Whirlwind binding (xuanfeng zhuang), Concertina binding (jingzhe zhuang) and Wrapped-back binding (baobei zhuang) (wayback machine link)
police, forensics and law:
What's Chinese Legal System? (blog post, part of the China Legal System series)
What is the Court System Like in China (blog post, part of the China Legal System series)
What Are the Main Laws in China? (blog post, part of the China Law in One Minute series)
How Many Crimes Are Punishable by Death in China? (blog post, part of the China Law in One Minute series)
The Chinese Police Organization at Home and Abroad (PDF)
Police rank insignia of the People's Republic of China (wiki page)
Policing Modern China (scholarly paper, either DL pdf or open in browser)
Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China (Posted by The Congressional-Executive Commission on China as retrieved from the Fujian Provincial People's Government)
For the Foreigner: A Guide to China’s Criminal Legal System (PDF put together by a law firm)
An Introduction to Criminal Law Terms in English and Chinese (+ Glossary) focused on Australian and British law but has useful terms and delves some into how it differs from Chinese law.
A Look into Cybercrime in China: Infringement of Privacy as a Crime (blog post)
A history of forensic medicine in China (pdf of article from Cambridge University Press)
The Chinese Nail Murders: forensic medicine in Imperial China (pdf of article from Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine)
random items of interest
The Curse of Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingles with the West- The first feature film made with an all-Chinese American cast and an all-Chinese American company, it was filmed circa 1916 or 1917, never released and long thought lost. Two reels of an estimated total of seven or eight survived and were restored and can be watched on youtube here. Gifset here and a interesting breakdown of the fashions it contains here.
Book review: Chinese Wallpaper in Britain and Ireland (2017) by Emile de Bruijn (tumblr post with many scans from said book)
Flora of China "brief descriptions, identification keys, essential synonymy, phenology, provincial distribution in China, brief statements on extra-Chinese distribution, and remarks regarding the circumscription of problematic taxa" of China's many plant species in common English/Latin name, Chinese and Pinyin. Also, Chinese Plant Names and Moss Flora of China.
The South-Pointing Chariot (指南车)- a mechanical compass, information about it (here and here) and video of building a modern recreation of it (part one and part two)
Cats in China--History (Part 1) and (Part 2)
random royalty/status related informational links:
Hierarchy of the Chinese Harem
Titles for royals, royal's spouses, consorts, concubines and more
Qing Dynasty titles for princes' wives and concubines
discussion on an emperor’s mother's title (in relation to NIF but general information as well)
Honorifics in the Qing Dynasty (the emperor, his family, nobility and some general ones)
Ethnic Differences in Court Dress During the Qianlong Period (Qing dynasty)
Nirvana in Fire through the socioeconomic lens - a look at rank and social class and the nine-rank selection system/九品中正制 during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (410-581) (although specific to NIF, also contains general info)
Title and Names in Historic Chinese Dramas Different types of names (register, courtesy, etc), Names of emperors (era, temple, posthumous names) and Qing dynasty consort tradition.
honorifics, rank and translation problems (in historic Chinese dramas with examples from Legend of Ruyi and NIF)
Terms of address (terms people of various rank use to address themselves when speaking to people of other ranks)
naming resources:
Chinese Names + Naming Resources. Also, from the same blog: Reading Chinese Names: Female Names, Reading Chinese Names: Male Names, Reading Chinese Names: Surnames, Reading Chinese Names: The Most Common Names and A closer look at Chinese names.
Chinese Surname Ranking Analysis (comparison between locations and how they reflect the national average as well as mainland China compared to Taiwan and Hong Kong)
Mandarin Chinese Character Name Generator (names plus their translation)
How to name your Chinese characters (common names and their translations)
Chinese naming conventions (examples are for MDZS characters, but gives general info. 2nd chapter of an AO3 work, 1st chapter is familial and sect relationship terms)
So You Want to Name a Sino: A Guide to Not Making a Fucking Fool of Yourself
A twitter thread on Chinese nicknames and another thread building off that (must be logged into twitter to read)
What can we tell from the evolution of Han Chinese names? article with amazing interactive graphics of both male and female names broken down by decade (1930s-2000s) including explanations on how they relate to history of the time and also a search to see how unique a name is.
Most Popular Chinese Names (Trends in 2023 and Across the Decades)
relationship terms:
Master Chart for Familial Relationships with comparisons of modern to historical terms as well as “technically made up but grammatically correct” terms for same sex partners and their relations.
Tumblr post with familial terms and terminology
"Quick translation of a Particular Guideline for homosexual relationship terms in Chinese" - dreamwidth post and same information reblogged on tumblr
Terms of address including marital relations (chart to determine terms for within "your martial arts family"; for the same information written out in a grid rather than image format see here)
Honorifics and Titles For Your Wuxia/Xianxia Fic (tumblr post)
Video comparing how northerners and southerners refer to people (modern terms)
Various LGBTQA Mandarin Words
slang and NSFW terms:
Chinese Internet Slang (numbers)
DIY Chinese Penis Euphemisms (anatomical and slang terms used for penis, tumblr post)
How many different ways are there to say "fuck" in Chinese? (brief discussion on different terms, tumblr post)
Chinese language (calligraphy, dictionaries, scripts, sign language, etc) informational posts/resources:
calligraphy and script styles:
An Introduction to Chinese Calligraphy (short instructional video, youtube link)
Chinese Calligraphy, an Introduction (tumblr post)
Chinese Brush Strokes
Chinese Brushstrokes Vocabulary
Traditional chinese handicraft, ink making 制墨 (video)
Making Huizhou inksticks (徽墨) (video)
China’s Calligraphic Arts a brief look at oracle bone script, seal script, clerical script, running script, cursive script, standard script and the four treasures of a scholar’s studio (The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian art, wayback machine link)
China Online Museum brief descriptions of oracle bone, seal, clerical, cursive, running, and standard scripts and info on master calligraphers with links to their work.
Chinese Calligraphy numerous articles about its history in China, the different scripts, cultural background and influences, etc.
中国手语 Chinese Sign Language:
Wikipedia overview (basic info about the difference between Northern and Southern CSL and how they differ from Hong Kong SL, Taiwanese SL, etc)
Learn CSL playlist on youtube (English subs, shows both ASL and CSL)
手語教學 ~ 01 (CSL lesson 1, one hour, enough english presented to follow) and 手語教學 ~ 02 (lesson 2, 14 minutes)
pinyin fingerspelling chart (image)
Chinese Sign Language List (terms in Chinese and English, shown in UAE sign and CSL)
Signs of the Times: Why Chinese Sign Language Users Struggle to Understand Each Other
Expressing negation in Chinese sign language (thesis, pdf of final paper here)
Nothing about us without us: Deaf education and sign language access in China (scholarly article, pdf)
dictionaries:
Chinese - English Dictionary "including pronunciation, extra large Chinese characters (JPG images) and stroke order animations"
Yabla's Chinese English Pinyin Dictionary (site also has vocabulary flashcards)
MDBG's Word Dictionary (site also has translation abilities; can be used to look up a word by drawing it with your mouse but works best if the stroke order is correct)
Talking Chinese English Dictionary (PurpleCulture has numerous other Chinese language tools available; can be used to look up a word by drawing it with your mouse)
qhanzi "Input Chinese characters via handwriting. Draw a hanzi in the pale blue box."
etymology (字源):
Chinese Etymology - etymological info on 15k+ hanzi, also has information on oracle, bone, and seal script
Chinese telegraph code
Chinese Telegraphic Codebooks and Cryptography (article by Columbia University with some pictures of books from their collection)
A History of China’s Telecommunications Industry, Part 1: The Telegraph and the First Telephones
Chinese Telegraphic Code Book for Mainland China - 大陆标准电报码
Wikipedia article 'Chinese telegraph code'
Language Log: Chinese Telegraph Code (CTC)
Chinese Commercial/Telegraphic Code Lookup (converts text into CTC)
Chinese Telegraph Code (CTC), or A Brief History of Chinese Character Code (CCC)
Brief Article on CTC and Encryption
Learning your 爱比西s: Translating Chinese into Morse code! (video)
fandom focused links:
Wuxia 101 - the guide for people who have never seen Wuxia. (AO3 work, contains general information and specific Word of Honor examples)
The meaning of “jianghu” 江湖 (tumblr post, wayback machine link)
A Guide to Chinese Terminology (tumblr post with terms for and brief explanations for: people within families and sects, time, the five elements, religion and philosophy, sworn brotherhood, and more, wayback machine link)
The meaning of 青山不改 绿水长流 后会有期 - a common saying in wuxia, especially seen in The Untamed's ending (wayback machine link)
Glossary of Terms in Wuxia, Xianxia & Xuanhuan Novels
MyWuxia "the encyclopedia for Wuxia fans genre."
How are acupoints used in Wuxia stories?
Immortal Mountain "Insight into the World of Chinese Fantasy Novels" (blog)
Exiled Rebels' Chinese Slang Glossary
Chinese pronunciation resources + tips (aimed at podficcers, general info and links to fandom specific ones)
websites with interesting content:
Harvard's Chinese Rubbings Collection and Chinese and Japanese scroll facsimiles
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art Collection (books, catalogues and guides, some can be downloaded as pdfs, some only available for looking at online)
East Asian Studies blog a site with translations of some Chinese poetry with a complete breakdown of each line with the original Chinese, the pinyin, the word for word translation and then a poetic translation
Chinese Poems "This site presents Chinese, pinyin and English texts of poems by some of the greatest Chinese poets. Most of the featured authors are from the Tang dynasty, when culture in China was at its peak, but writers from other periods are also included."
Tumblr user fwoopersongs's CHI to ENG poetry translations
*All links are to English languages sources or translated into English pages
*Please comment to let me know if any links included here no longer work. And my goal was to have as complete a resource list as possible so if there are any other links that should be included please share them so they can be added.
Research and Resource Collected Links Masterpost
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This is so cool and also holy shit that must’ve been a lot of work!
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Please feel free to share the link around to anyone you think might find it helpful!
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https://zuojianyouni.tumblr.com/post/668477899434835968/chinese-internet-slang
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http://www.biblionalia.info/leah/8-tang-dynasty-banbi-jacket/
and classifications of traditional styles of dance - https://www.chinafetching.com/chinese-dance
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