The Story of Henan Province
Season 2
Dragon Boat Festival Special
We Are All From Henan
Episode 6
Chinese Aesthetics
What is Chinese Aesthetics?
Why is the Song dynasty known as the peak era of Chinese aesthetics?
How do the aesthetic thoughts and pursuits during the Song dynasty influence us?
The famous historian Chen Yinke once said: “The culture of the Chinese nation has evolved over thousands of years and was at its peak during the Song dynasty.” Why did he say so? How does Song culture influence us today? How do the aesthetic thoughts and pursuits during the Song dynasty inspire us?
In this episode, let’s follow the archaeologist Lim Kah Hoe back to the Song dynasty and experience the peak era of aesthetics in ancient China.
Episode 5
Cracking the Secret Bones
How exactly does the oracle bone inscriptions prove past history?
Is there any other writing in China that is older than the oracle bone script?
How did the ancient Chinese make and interpret the characters on the oracle bones?
The earliest form of Chinese characters was oracle bone script. It developed into bronze script, seal script, clerical script, and regular script as well as semi-cursive script we are using nowadays. It is the only pictogram in the world that is still used on a large scale.
As the earliest known writing system in China, how was it created? Besides recording and conveying messages, what kind of function do these 3,000-year-old characters have?
In this episode, let’s follow the archaeologist Lim Kah Hoe and travel back to Shang dynasty when the oracle bones were prevalent, and unravel its little-known secrets.
Episode 4
Strive Together
Flood myths are common all over the world?
Maybe it is true that Yu controlled the flood?
Is Yu human or god?
“The Great Flood of Gun-Yu” is one of the Chinese legends that we have heard since childhood. Flood myths are actually found in the legends of the origins of different ethnic groups around the world.
What are they about? Is the great flood that destroyed the world real?
In this episode, let’s follow the archaeologist Lim Kah Hoe to relearn the truth of Yu and the legend of the Great Flood.
Episode 3
The Centre of Heaven and Earth – The Mystery of Ancient Chinese Cosmology
What is “The Centre of Heaven and Earth”?
Didn’t the thirteen stick monks save Prince of Tang?
Why is Mount Song a sacred site of Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism?
What is the relationship between the Centre of Heaven and Earth and ancient Chinese cosmology?
“Zhong” means middle or centre. The terms “Zhongguo”, “Zhongyuan”, “Zhongtu” are actually derived from the key concept of ancient Chinese cosmology.
Where is the Centre of Heaven and Earth? What impact did it have on ancient China?
In this episode, let’s follow the archaeologist Lim Kah Hoe to go back to the past and uncover the mystery of “The Centre of Heaven and Earth”.
Episode 2
Martial Arts & Shaolin Temple
Is “Yijinjing” real?
Episode 1
Sutra of Forty-two Chapters
Is the “Sutra of Forty-two Chapters” related to the transmission of Buddhism to China?
Are Sanzang and Bajie real?
Buddhism has a history of nearly two thousand years in China. It is one of the two major religions in Chinese history, and it has exerted a great influence on the development of Chinese culture and philosophy.
How was Buddhism introduced into China? Why did religions that originated in India flourish in China?
In this episode, let’s follow the archaeologist Lim Kah Hoe to learn the past and present of Chinese Buddhism.
CNY Special
Back to the Song dynasty – CNY celebration
Was CNY a holiday during the Song dynasty?
What was in the Song people’s CNY shopping list?
How did the Song people wish New Year’s greetings?
As we mentioned in the previous episode, the economy was strong and the industries were prosperous in the Song dynasty. Moverover, it was very lively during the festival.
So how did the Song people celebrate the New Year a thousand years ago? In this episode , let’s follow the archaeologist Lim Kah Hoe back to the Song dynasty and have an extraordinary Chinese New Year.
Season 1
Episode 3
The National Treasure
Episode 4
Cao Cao Mausoleum
When did Cao Cao start being portrayed as a villain?
Is Xigaoxue Tomb in Anyang, Henan the tomb of Cao Cao?
The archaeological team was accused of fraud and what is it all about?
“An able statesman in a time of peace, a crafty hero in a time of chaos”, a statement describing Cao Cao who held the emperor as hostage to command the lords. In popular culture, Cao Cao is always portrayed as a scheming careerist and cruel general. But is this true story of Cao Cao in history?
In 2009, the archaeological community announced the discovery of Cao Cao’s tomb, but it caused controversy on the Internet and even had been questioned for faking. What is the whole story? In this episode, let’s follow the archaeologist Lim Kah Hoe to reacquaint ourselves with this extraordinary man – Cao Cao.
Episode 5
Luoyang, the Capital of Divine Land
Why was Luoyang called the divine capital?
Luoyang is the centre of the world?
Why did Empress Wu move the capital to Luoyang?
Luoyang, an ancient city with a long history, has witnessed the rise and fall of Chinese dynasties throughout the history of China.
If you would like to know the ups and downs of past and present, just have a look at Luoyang City.”
In this episode, let’s follow the archaeologist Lim Kah Hoe to see the past and present of the city.
Episode 6
A Dream of Splendour Past – Kaifeng, the Eastern Capital
What is the relationship between Bao Qingtian and Kaifeng? Actually “Along the River during the Qingming Festival” isn’t a painting ?
Why was its economy strong even though the country was considered weak during the Song Dynasty?
As the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, Kaifeng, its economy and industries were prosperous. It was the most prosperous commercial metropolis in the world at that time.
So how did the people of Northern Song, who lived in the imperial capital, live? The famous Northern Song Dynasty painting “Along the River during the Qingming Festival” is actually not a painting. What does that mean then?
In this episode, let’s follow the archaeologist Lim Kah Hoe back to the Northern Song Dynasty, walking around Kaifeng and learning the rise and fall of the dynasty.