Made in Ancient China

China Plus

4.2 (19)
HISTORY

Tracing how China's timeless creations journey across borders and centuries, shape cultures, and connect worlds along the way. Have thoughts or questions about the episodes? We'd love to hear from you. Contact: li.yi@cgtn.com

12/04/2025

Ink and ideas: how paper changed everything

For centuries, papermaking has reshaped how human beings think, believe, create and live. While we depend on paper every single day, we rarely stop to wonder – how and where did it all begin?

11 min
12/04/2025

Rice in rituals and celebrations

Rice goes far beyond the dinner table. Apart from being comfort food for many, it has shaped cultures, rituals and celebrations, connecting communities with pride and joy across the world. Let’s explore the diverse facets of rice in this episode.

8 min
12/04/2025

From ancient paddies to your plate: the journey of rice

Did you know that half of the world’s population eats at least a bowl of rice every single day? This episode takes you on a journey to find out how one tiny grain took sprout in ancient China and became a staple on tables around the globe.

7 min
12/04/2025

From a symbol of wealth to fashion muse: the many lives of silk

The art of silk-making was born in ancient China, but its journey certainly didn’t end there. In this episode, we find out how silk has been transformed, adapted, and cherished across the globe.

11 min
12/04/2025

Silk: the thread that weaved across East and West

Silk began as a humble thread in ancient China, but soon became a global obsession. We share in this episode how this delicate fabric journeyed across continents, formed one of the world’s most important trade routes and stitched together civilizations along the way.

11 min
12/04/2025

How tea brewed trade, taxes, and wars

Tea has never been just a beverage, but power, profit, and politics brewed in a porcelain cup. In this episode, we dive into the more dramatic side of tea: how it fueled empires, sparked conflicts and even wars. From calm teahouses to stormy harbors, from poetry to protest - this is the story of how one gentle leaf managed to stir the world like no diplomat ever could. Special thanks to Le Suna, Deputy Director and Research Curator of China National Tea Museum, whose expertise in the history of tea has greatly enriched this episode.

11 min
12/04/2025

The global trade of the "green gold" – tea

Thanks to the dedication across generations, races and continents, tea – a humble leafy plant, managed to travel across lands and oceans and become the essence of a shared ritual around the world. From ancient caravans to royal courts, from the misty mountains of Yunnan to the bustling ports of London, this is the story of how tea conquered the globe - one sip at a time. Special thanks to Le Suna, Deputy Director and Research Curator of China National Tea Museum, whose expertise in the history of tea has greatly enriched this episode.

12 min
12/04/2025

Tea: the "super drink" for ancient people

Tea is the most consumed beverage on Earth after water, and it has been loved for centuries. But tea is more than just a pleasant drink. It has served as medicine, inspired rituals, philosophy, and poetry. It sparked trade routes, shaped empires… even stirred up revolutions. So how did tea travel beyond its origin in the ancient time and grow into something so significant? Special thanks to Le Suna, Deputy Director and Research Curator of China National Tea Museum, whose expertise in the history of tea has greatly enriched this episode.

13 min
12/03/2025

Introducing Made in Ancient China

Join us on Made in Ancient China and discover how ideas born millennia ago became some of the world’s greatest treasures, and made their way across borders and centuries, shaping cultures and connecting worlds along the way. Contact: li.yi@cgtn.com

1 min

9 Episodes

4.2

out of 5

19 Ratings

Tracing how China's timeless creations journey across borders and centuries, shape cultures, and connect worlds along the way. Have thoughts or questions about the episodes? We'd love to hear from you. Contact: li.yi@cgtn.com

Creator

China Plus
Years Active

2K
Episodes

9
Rating

Clean
Copyright

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