Stupa, Dagoba, Chorten, or Pagoda?

The original purpose of a stupa (the Sanskrit name) was to house the mortal remains of the historical Buddha, and later of other key Buddhist saints. Stupas also served the purpose of commemorating key events in his life, being built at the place of his birth, death…

Buddhism and Lamaism

Buddhism in China is an alien import, at times denounced as a barbarian religion and banned. Arriving via the Silk Routes from Gandhara (modern-day Pakistan and northern India), it gradually spread from oasis to oasis around the Tarim basin, and by 166 CE could count a Hàn emperor among its…

A Better Guide to Běijīng

Originally published as Beijing by Cadogan Guides.

Fun but authoritative, the book is written in the strong voice of someone who loves poking around Beijing’s hutongs, buzzing with pleasure at each new find… old China hands will even learn a thing or two…

The Ends of the Eunuchs

After his abdication, the Xuāntǒng emperor Pǔyí was left with the enormous financial burden of the Imperial…

The Two Palace Museums

How most of the emperors’ greatest treasures came to be in Taipei

It is surprising that any of the vast collection of art objects and antiquities assembled haphazardly by the emperors over many hundreds of years actually survived into the 21st century. The…