![Emperor Justinian Receiving the First Imported Silkworm Eggs from Nestorian Monks, Plate 2 from "The Introduction of the Silkworm" [Vermis Sericus] ca. 1595](https://china-underground.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Emperor-Justinian-Receiving-the-First-Imported-Silkworm-Eggs-from-Nestorian-Monks-768x580.jpg)
How a few Monks Smuggled Silkworm Eggs into the Byzantine Empire
Ancient Industrial espionage: the story of the Few Monk-spies Who Broke Two Monopolies. As a result of the removal of middlemen (The Silk Road: A … Read more
Suyi Xu: All that is Solid Melts into Air Review
The latest exhibition at the Fou Gallery (September 24 – December 18, 2022) in New York presented the works of contemporary Brooklyn painter Suyi Xu … Read more
Kongkee’s Warring States Cyberpunk, Interview
Interview with the Animation Artist Kongkee Kongkee’s Warring States Cyberpunk follows the soul of the great Chinese poet Qu Yuan from the ancient Chu Kingdom … Read more
Interview with William Han, author of From The Wall To The Water
William Han set out in 2015 to travel the ancient Silk Road from China to Europe, following in the footsteps of Gan Ying, a Chinese … Read more
A short history of the cinema in Taiwan
A brief history of Taiwanese Cinema. Read the article: A short history of the cinema in Taiwan
Supernatural Tales of Ji Yun: Chinese Ghosts Stories
Spirits, Ghosts & Foxes in the stories of Ji Yun Ji Yun (紀昀, 1724-1805), also known as Ji Xiaolan, a senior official of the Qing Dynasty and … Read more
Chiang Kai-shek: Biography & Facts
History and biography of the controversial “generalissimo” Chiang Kai-shek From the revolt against the Beiyang government to dictatorship in Taiwan. Chiang Kai-shek (Jiǎng Jièshí; 蔣中正; … Read more
Interview with Carolyn Lee, author of The Water Rabbit, the Story of a Survival
Carolyn Lee’s story on how surviving a shipwreck gave her the strength to change her life. Carolyn Lee, a British novelist, had a dysfunctional childhood … Read more
15+ Rare Images of The Fall of Liu Shaoqi & the “capitalist roaders” during the Cultural Revolution
During the Cultural Revolution, Liu Shaoqi, an eminent Chinese revolutionary, politician, and theorist, was expelled, imprisoned, and tortured to death The Cultural Revolution was a … Read more
Exploring the Wild Great Wall: Interview with Simone
Discovering the wild Great Wall Simone is an explorer and a lover of travel and photography. In recent years, Simone was fascinated by the East … Read more
Interview with Fashion Designer Guo Pei
A journey into the creative universe of Guo Pei between silhouettes, three-dimensional embroidery, shared cultural heritage, spirituality, and philosophy Born in Beijing, Guo Pei began … Read more
Interview with Urban Explorer and Photographer Greg Abandoned
Greg is an urban explorer and photographer. From 2018 to 2021 he visited some suggestive and evocative abandoned places in China such as space stations, … Read more
A Third Century Chinese Account of the Roman Empire
Roman life is described in translations of The Weilue, a 3rd-century Chinese historical text. Mutual knowledge between the Chinese and Roman empires was very limited. Only … Read more
15 Rare Images of the Tragic Four Pests Campaign to Wipe Out the Sparrow
A series of rare photographs and propaganda posters of the Four Pest Campaign in China (1958-9162). The Four Pests campaign, 除四害, Chú Sì Hài, in … Read more