Until the Song dynasty [960-1279 AD] the Chinese name for Ginkgo was ‘duck foot’ 鴨腳, referring to the shape of its leaves. The kernel was called ‘duck foot seed’ 鴨腳子. The name was changed to ‘silver apricot’ 銀杏 for the purpose of presentation to the imperial ruler, having been determined that ‘silver’ was auspicious […]
The name barefoot doctor refers to farmers who would work barefoot in the rice paddies, and who, along with an idealistic young population instituted by Mao Zedong, brought rudimentary health care to Chinese living in the countryside. With only basic medical and pharmacological training, the grass-roots healthcare movement was able to tend to common illnesses, […]
The history of Chinese cooking goes deep into history and is marked by both variety and change. The archeologist and scholar Zhāng Guāngzhí says “Chinese people are especially preoccupied with food,” and “food is at the center of, or at least it accompanies or symbolizes, many social interactions.” Over the course of history, he says, […]