Historical story

During the early Warring States period, King Hui of the state of Chu wished to restore Chu's former dominance. He expanded his army with plans to attack the state of Song. King Hui greatly valued a master craftsman of the time, a man from the state of Lu named Gongshu Ban—later known as Lu Ban.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Ban Chao assisted his elder brother Ban Gu in compiling the "Book of Han." However, he believed that a true man's ambition should not be confined to writing and scholarship.

During the reign of Emperor Qi Gao (Xiao Daocheng), an extraordinary calligraphy contest took place within the imperial palace. One of the contestants was Emperor Xiao Daocheng himself. Originally a general of the imperial guard, Xiao somehow developed a passion for calligraphy.

In 1728, Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty established the "Zhengyin Shuguan" (Correct Pronunciation Academy) to promote Beijing Mandarin nationwide. He issued an edict ordering Fujian and Guangdong provinces to adopt the common language of the Han Chinese (formerly known as "Guanhua" or "official speech"), and stipulated that "candidates for the imperial examinations—juren (provincial graduates), shengyuan (scholars), gongjian (tribute students), and tongsheng (juvenile students)—who are not proficient in Guanhua shall not be permitted to take the exams."

Yang Jian (541–604), a Han Chinese from Huayin, Hongnong Commandery (present-day Huayin County,Shaanxi Province), was the founding emperor of the Sui Dynasty and the fourteenth-generation descendant of Yang Zhen, Grand Marshal of the Han Dynasty.

The Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty brought national economic prosperity and cultural advancement. Surrounded by various ethnic minorities who greatly admired this flourishing civilization, many sent envoys to establish friendly relations, pledging allegiance and offering tribute.

Empress Wu, constantly replacing crown princes and emperors like a revolving lantern, aimed to become emperor herself. She posthumously honored her five generations of ancestors, established ancestral temples in her hometown, appointed her maternal relatives to important official positions, and demoted officials who opposed her, such as Xu Jingye and Luo Binwang.

When it comes to Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, most people are familiar with him. The folk tale "The Cat Who Switched the Crown Prince" involves his mother, and it was Emperor Renzong who had spittle from the famous official Bao Zheng land on his face.

Emperor Wu of Han's interest in lychee was clearly much greater than his interest in sharks. This was naturally due, on one hand, to the delicious taste of lychee, and perhaps, on the other hand, also related to the account in the "Biographies of Immortals" (Lie Xian Zhuan) stating: "Those who eat its flowers and fruit become lychee immortals."

Zaoyang was not only the place where Liu Xiu grew up, but also where he rose to prominence. It was from here that Liu Xiu established the Eastern Han Dynasty. In Zaoyang, Liu Xiu underwent a transformation from a member of the imperial clan and an official's son, to a commoner living in poverty.