• In 221 BC Emperor Qin unified the six states
• He founded China's first unified dynasty
• But the northern border was not at peace
• 
  
• The Xiongnu cavalry came and went like the wind
• They stole treasures
• They captured the people
• Villages cried in the flames
• 
  
• In 215 BC Emperor Qin made a decision
• To end the northern threat once and for all
• 
  
• He appointed General Meng Tian as commander
• To lead an army of three hundred thousand
• Against the Xiongnu
• 
  
• Meng Tian knew well
• The Xiongnu cavalry was fast and mobile
• To defeat them
• He had to be even faster
• 
  
• On the day of departure
• Meng Tian mounted his warhorse
• And raised the command flag high
• 
  
• Three hundred thousand soldiers marched north
• Warhorses galloped
• Dust filled the air
• Their spirit like a rainbow
• 
  
• The cavalry rode day and night
• With the speed of lightning
• They raided the Xiongnu camp
• 
  
• Before the Xiongnu could react
• The Qin cavalry was already upon them
• 
  
• In this battle
• Meng Tian recaptured the Hetao region
• The Xiongnu fled north in panic
• And dared not return for decades
• 
  
• Later generations used four words to describe this battle
• Ma Dao Cheng Gong Instant Success
• 
  
• The warhorse arrives
• And victory follows
• 
  
• Today
• These four words have become the finest blessing
• For everyone about to begin their journey

• There was a tiger in the forest
• He was the king of all beasts
• Every animal ran away when they saw him
• 
  
• One day the tiger was hungry
• He searched everywhere for prey in the forest
• A fox jumped out from the bushes
• The tiger pounced forward
• And pinned the fox down with one paw
• 
  
• The fox was terrified
• But he quickly calmed down
• His eyes darted around and he thought of a plan
• 
  
• The fox lifted his head and said loudly
• How dare you eat me
• I was sent by the Emperor of Heaven to rule over all beasts
• If you eat me you will be defying the will of Heaven
• 
  
• The tiger froze
• He looked at the fox half believing and half doubting
• 
  
• The fox said
• You don't believe me
• Then follow me for a walk
• And see if all the animals in the forest are afraid of me
• 
  
• The tiger thought for a moment and agreed
• 
  
• The fox walked in front
• Head high chest out strutting proudly
• The tiger followed behind
• Step by step watching closely
• 
  
• They walked deep into the forest
• A wild rabbit saw them and ran away as fast as it could
• A young deer saw them and turned to flee
• A wild boar saw them and dived into the bushes
• A monkey saw them and scrambled up the tree
• 
  
• The tiger was stunned by what he saw
• He thought to himself this fox is truly powerful
• All the animals are afraid of him
• 
  
• The fox turned around and said with a smile
• Now do you believe me
• I am the king of all beasts
• 
  
• The tiger nodded and let the fox go
• The fox proudly slipped into the bushes
• 
  
• But the tiger didn't know
• Those animals weren't afraid of the fox
• They were afraid of the tiger following behind him
• 
  

• More than two thousand three hundred years ago after the Shang and Zhou dynasties before Qin unified the six states
• The land of China experienced over five hundred years of war
• The first three hundred years was called the Spring and Autumn Period
• The last two hundred years was called the Warring States Period
• 
  
• In the middle of the Warring States Period there was a boy named Meng Ke
• He was born in the State of Zou
• Which is today's Zoucheng in Shandong Province
• 
  
• When he was three years old his father passed away
• His mother raised him alone
• The family was poor with only a few acres of land
• 
  
• They lived next to a cemetery
• Every morning funeral processions passed by their door
• Meng Ke leaned by the window watching people in mourning clothes
• He imitated them kneeling on the ground
• Hands clasped together crying loudly
• He grabbed a handful of earth learning to scatter it into the sky
• 
  
• When his mother returned from the fields she saw this
• The basket in her hand fell to the ground
• She ran over and held Meng Ke tightly in her arms
• She thought to herself if this goes on what will my child become
• 
  
• The next day his mother packed their few clothes
• Holding Meng Ke's small hand she left this home
• 
  
• They moved next to a busy market
• Every day the market was filled with noise
• Butchers waved their knives and shouted
• Merchants boasted about their goods at the top of their lungs
• Meng Ke imitated the butchers waving a small twig
• He mimicked the merchants' tone bargaining with the air
• 
  
• His mother heard this from inside her brow furrowing deeper
• At night she watched Meng Ke sleeping
• She sighed softly
• She thought to herself this place is not suitable for a child to grow up either
• 
  
• Before dawn his mother packed their bags again
• Holding Meng Ke's small hand she set off once more
• 
  
• This time they moved next to a school palace
• A school palace was an ancient school
• There students learned the Six Arts rites music archery charioteering calligraphy and mathematics
• 
  
• Every morning the sound of reading came from the school palace
• Meng Ke stood outside the wall standing on tiptoe
• He saw a group of students in long robes
• Following their teacher bowing saluting and reading
• 
  
• He imitated their movements
• Hands clasped bowing respectfully
• Mumbling words he didn't understand
• His eyes shining with light
• 
  
• His mother stood at the door watching all this
• The corners of her mouth slowly rose
• She knew this time she had found the right place
• 
  
• Mencius' mother moved three times not for her child to become an official or get rich
• But hoping he would become a person of virtue
• Environment shapes a person this was her simplest belief
• 
  
• Later people wrote this story into books
• The Three Character Classic says
• In ancient times Mencius' mother chose the right neighborhood
• If the child didn't study she cut the loom
• 
  
• When Meng Ke grew up he became one of the greatest thinkers in Chinese history
• People honored him as Mencius
• He inherited and developed Confucius' thoughts
• He was called the Second Sage second only to Confucius
• 
  
• He proposed the theory of original goodness believing human nature is inherently good
• He advocated benevolent governance saying the people are most important the state is second the ruler is least important
• His thoughts were compiled into the book Mencius
• Becoming one of the Four Books of Confucian classics
• 
  
• He once wrote
• Without compass and square one cannot make circles and squares
• 
  
• And the one who set the first rule for him
• Was precisely that mother who moved three times

• In the late Eastern Han Dynasty
• an autumn afternoon
• Sunlight filtered through the courtyard paulownia trees
• casting dappled shadows on the stone pavement
• 
  
• Four year old Kong Rong
• sat reading under the corridor
• He wore simple clean clothes
• His eyes showed a calmness beyond his age
• 
  
• Just then
• Father brought a plate of fresh pears
• The golden pears still glistened with water droplets
• shining brightly in the autumn sun
• 
  
• The brothers immediately gathered around
• The eldest brother reached for the biggest one
• The second brother wouldn't be outdone
• Everyone wanted to pick a plump sweet pear
• 
  
• Little Kong Rong stood outside the crowd
• He didn't push
• He didn't grab
• He just watched quietly
• 
  
• When the commotion died down
• only large and small pears remained on the plate
• He slowly stepped forward
• 
  
• His small hand
• gently picked up the smallest one
• Then silently retreated to the side
• 
  
• Father saw this
• and felt a trace of confusion in his heart
• He put down the fruit plate
• knelt down beside Kong Rong
• 
  
• My child
• why didn't you choose a big one
• 
  
• Little Kong Rong looked up
• his eyes as clear as an autumn lake
• He said earnestly
• 
  
• I am the youngest
• so I should eat the smallest pear
• My brothers are older than me
• so they should enjoy the big ones
• 
  
• Father was slightly stunned
• then asked again
• 
  
• But
• your little brother is even younger than you
• why didn't you give it to him
• 
  
• Kong Rong lowered his head
• looked at the small pear in his hand
• then raised his head again
• his gaze firm
• 
  
• Precisely because I am the older brother
• I should understand humility even more
• My little brother is young
• and needs to be cared for more
• 
  
• At that moment
• the autumn wind in the courtyard seemed to stand still
• Father looked at this four year old child before him
• his eyes slightly moist
• 
  
• He reached out
• gently stroked Kong Rong's head
• A smile of satisfaction spread across his face
• 
  
• In that smile
• there was pride
• there was warmth
• and wonder at the great wisdom
• hidden in such a small child
• 
  
• This story of an autumn afternoon
• has traveled through a thousand years
• still warming everyone who hears it
• 
  

• In the Northern Song Dynasty seven year old Sima Guang was playing in the courtyard
• The sun was shining several children were chasing and laughing around the rockery
• A butterfly flew by the children ran after it smiling
• 
  
• In a corner of the courtyard there stood a large water vat
• It was filled with water the surface reflecting the blue sky
• 
  
• One child climbed onto the edge of the vat
• He wanted to see farther but his foot slipped
• He fell right into the water
• 
  
• Water splashed everywhere the child was struggling
• His small hands beat desperately at the surface
• His head rose then sank again
• 
  
• The other children turned pale with fright
• They screamed and ran in all directions to find adults for help
• 
  
• Only Sima Guang did not run
• He stood there his mind racing
• The vat was too tall he couldn't reach
• The water was too deep jumping in wouldn't help
• 
  
• He saw a stone on the ground
• A large blue stone beside the rockery
• He rushed over and lifted it with both hands
• 
  
• The stone was heavy his face turned red
• He moved step by step to the vat
• Raised the stone and used all his strength
• 
  
• He smashed it down
• 
  
• With a loud crash the vat broke
• Water gushed out
• The child rolled out with the current onto the ground
• 
  
• He lay there gasping for air
• Soaked through but alive
• 
  
• When the adults arrived they saw the broken vat
• And Sima Guang standing nearby catching his breath
• 
  
• This child would later become
• one of the greatest historians in Chinese history
• He led the compilation of the Zizhi Tongjian
• 
  
• But on that sunny afternoon he was just a seven year old boy
• Who used a stone to save a life

• For four hundred years they have never been tamed
• 
  
• On Assateague Island in the middle of the Atlantic a herd of wild horses still runs free just like their ancestors did
• 
  
• Free to run free to love free to die
• 
  
• No one knew where they came from until a storm revealed the secret
• 
  
• In the sixteenth century a Spanish galleon broke apart in a violent storm
• 
  
• The horses on board jumped into the freezing water and swam and swam until they reached this deserted island
• 
  
• Since then this place has been their kingdom
• 
  
• Paul and Maureen were just an ordinary brother and sister on Chincoteague Island
• 
  
• Every day after school they would climb onto the roof and search through a telescope for a white mare across the sea
• 
  
• She ran like lightning so fast that even the wind couldn't catch her
• 
  
• The islanders called her Phantom
• 
  
• Paul said if I could ride her I would give up ten years of my life
• 
  
• Maureen didn't say a word
• 
  
• She just dropped her pennies one by one into an old tin box
• 
  
• Three years They saved for three whole years
• 
  
• On Pony Penning Day the whole island gathered
• 
  
• The herd was driven into the water a brown river of horses swimming toward the shore
• 
  
• Phantom was the last to enter the water but the first to reach the beach
• 
  
• She shook her white mane and water droplets sparkled like diamonds in the sun
• 
  
• At the auction Paul's hands were shaking
• 
  
• He offered everything they had One hundred and twenty-three dollars
• 
  
• Someone called out one fifty Someone else called out two hundred
• 
  
• Paul lowered his head took Maureen's hand and turned to leave
• 
  
• Right then a commotion erupted behind them
• 
  
• Phantom had broken free
• 
  
• She pushed through the crowd her white body like a bolt of light cutting through the noisy square
• 
  
• She stopped right in front of the two children
• 
  
• She lowered her head and her warm nose gently touched Maureen's cheek
• 
  
• The whole square fell silent
• 
  
• The old cowboy took off his hat and wiped his eyes
• 
  
• She chose you he said This horse is yours
• 
  
• One year later on a stormy night Phantom gave birth to a foal
• 
  
• He had a golden mane like silk woven from sunlight and a white star on his forehead like a lighthouse at the edge of the sea
• 
  
• Paul held him in his arms and whispered
• 
  
• Your name is Misty You are free and you are ours
• 
  

• Dorothy lived on the Kansas prairie
• There was only gray
• Gray houses
• Gray grass
• Gray sky
• Even the sun was gray and hazy
• 
  
• Her only friend every day was a little black dog named Toto
• She often held Toto and said
• I want to go to a colorful place
• 
  
• That afternoon the sky suddenly turned dark green
• The tornado was coming
• Dorothy held Toto and hid in the house
• The house was lifted into the sky
• 
  
• She felt the house spinning for a long long time
• Then with a loud bang it landed on the ground
• 
  
• Dorothy pushed the door open
• She froze
• 
  
• Before her eyes was bright sunlight
• The grass was green like emeralds
• The flowers were colors she had never seen before
• In the distance stood a castle with a sparkling blue roof
• 
  
• A little person in a silver dress ran over
• You killed the Wicked Witch of the East
• You are our hero
• 
  
• Dorothy looked down
• Beneath the house stuck out a pair of silver shoes
• They were the magic shoes of the East Witch
• 
  
• The Good Witch of the North appeared
• She said
• Go to the Emerald City
• Find the great Wizard of Oz
• He might send you home
• 
  
• Dorothy stepped onto the Yellow Brick Road
• 
  
• She met a Scarecrow hanging on a pole
• He said
• I want a brain
• I'm only stuffed with straw
• 
  
• She met a Tin Man covered in rust
• He said
• I want a heart
• I am empty inside
• 
  
• She met a Lion huge but timid
• He said
• I want courage
• I get scared by my own roar
• 
  
• The four friends walked together
• The Yellow Brick Road sparkled in the sunlight
• 
  
• They finally reached the Emerald City
• The walls were green
• The streets were green
• Even the sky was green
• 
  
• Oz said
• I can grant your wishes
• But first you must kill the Wicked Witch of the West
• 
  
• They set off
• 
  
• The West Witch sent flying monkeys
• They caught Dorothy and locked her in the castle
• 
  
• The witch wanted those silver shoes
• She reached out to touch them
• The silver shoes suddenly shot out lightning
• The witch screamed and melted into a puddle of water
• 
  
• Dorothy returned to the Emerald City
• Oz's secret was revealed
• He was just an ordinary old man using curtains and smoke to trick people
• 
  
• But he said
• What you wanted was always there
• 
  
• The Scarecrow had wisdom
• The Tin Man had love
• The Lion had courage
• 
  
• Dorothy asked
• What about me
• How do I get home
• 
  
• The Good Witch of the South appeared
• She said
• You always had the power to go home
• 
  
• She pointed at the silver shoes
• Click your heels three times
• Say take me home
• 
  
• A silver light flashed
• Dorothy felt herself flying
• 
  
• She opened her eyes
• The Kansas sun shone on her face
• Uncle Henry and Aunt Em stood by her bed
• Toto licked her face
• 
  
• She looked down
• The silver shoes were gone
• But she knew in her heart that it was all real

• In this series Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters today we explore the character for face or noodles
• Nine thousand years ago in the distant Fertile Crescent someone discovered a miraculous seed
• It was the first time humanity found wheat golden wheat stalks shimmering under the sun
• That seed crossed mountains and rivers journeying for six thousand five hundred years before finally arriving in China
• From then on China had a miraculous food and the Chinese named it with this character
• The character for noodles was born three thousand years ago on oracle bone script
• The passage of time has not changed it
• From then on the Chinese table saw thousands and thousands of kinds of noodles
• Northerners love knife-sliced noodles the dough blades flying from the knife into the boiling pot
• Beijingers prefer noodles with soybean paste yellow bean paste and diced pork with cucumber and bean sprouts one bowl fills the stomach
• Wuhan people cannot live without hot dry noodles the fragrance of sesame sauce is the morning greeting every day
• Sichuan people have dan dan noodles the担担 carried the brine through the streets awakening memories across generations
• Jiangnan people have spring sunshine noodles clear broth and white noodles scattered with scallions the gentlest taste of spring
• Every place has its own bowl of noodles
• Every family kitchen hides its own bowl of noodles
• That bowl of noodles might be the hand-rolled noodles mom made getting up before dawn kneading and rolling the dough
• That bowl of noodles might be the spring sunshine noodles grandma made standing at the stove bent over dropping the noodles one by one into the pot
• That bowl of noodles might be the egg noodles mom brought to the bedside when you were sick as a child
• That bowl of noodles might be the last bowl before leaving home and the first bowl upon returning
• That bowl of noodles might be the longevity noodles on your birthday when mom said may your life be long and smooth
• What flavor is the bowl of noodles in your heart
• It is the flavor of mom the flavor of grandma the flavor of home
• It is the dim yellow light the steaming mist hands covered in flour
• A bowl of noodles is a home and this single character is filled with Chinese peoples love for home
• No matter how far you go there is always a bowl of noodles waiting for you to come home

• Long long ago on a quiet country meadow a black foal was born
• His coat shone like the night and a small white star rested on his forehead
• His mother stood beside him looking down with calm steady eyes
• She taught him to be kind and to remember that gentleness was not fear
• The foal grew among grass and sunlight the world felt whole and safe
• He learned to run and to stand still when people came near
• People began to call him Black Beauty a name full of praise and hope
• His first home was Squire Gordons estate
• The people there never spoke in haste
• John the groom cared for him with steady gentle hands
• A young boy often watched quietly from the side
• He learned that human kindness could be learned
• Trust grew naturally in that place
• Black Beauty believed life would always be this way
• Then a quiet unease entered the house
• Mrs Gordon fell ill and had to leave for a warmer land
• Leaving meant farewell and some could not go along
• Black Beauty was led from the stable
• He looked back once not understanding
• The new house was grand and neat
• The new master cared more for looks than feeling
• The mistress loved to be admired
• She ordered a tight rein to hold his head high
• Black Beauty did not know why only that pain slowly grew
• He endured in silence remembering how to be good
• He pulled the carriage steadily though breathing was heavy
• No one noticed his suffering
• One stormy night the stable door was left open
• Hungry and tired he wandered out
• He slipped on wet stones and fell hard
• Pain held him down as rain washed over him
• In the morning only the scars were seen
• The master said he was no longer perfect
• Black Beauty was sold again
• This time he learned to be silent
• He came to London loud and crowded
• His owner Jerry was honest and kind
• Life was hard but never cruel
• Black Beauty felt safe again
• He saw horses beaten in the streets
• He met Ginger once gentle like himself
• Now she was angry and broken
• She said humans break us then blame us
• Black Beauty remembered his mothers voice
• Winter came and Jerry fell ill
• Without work horses are quickly sold
• Black Beauty was sold once more
• This master was harsh and impatient
• Food was poor rest was rare
• His strength slowly left him
• One day he collapsed in the street
• He thought this was the end
• A farrier stopped and looked closely
• He said this is a good horse worn out
• The farrier bought him and gave him care
• Strength returned little by little
• One day a gentleman came to buy a horse
• His eyes rested on the white star
• Memory returned it was Joe
• The boy who learned kindness long ago
• Black Beauty returned to the countryside
• He did not understand human good or evil
• But he remembered how to trust
• And that trust was not wasted

｜The Trumpet of the Swan

• Mist rises over the lake
• Reeds sway softly in the wind
• 
  
• The swan father draws his wings close
• And guards the nest
• 
  
• Shells crack open
• One by one the cygnets crawl out
• 
  
• The last one lifts his head
• Opens his beak
• But no sound comes
• 
  
• His brothers and sisters cry and splash
• Water sprays onto his face
• 
  
• He can only nod
• Then shake his head
• And draw circles on the water with his wing tip
• 
  
• At night
• He presses his beak to his chest
• And listens to his own heartbeat
• 
  
• The swan father stands in the shallow water
• Looks at him
• For a long time
• Then turns away
• 
  
• The swan father spreads his long wings
• And flies toward the distant human town
• 
  
• In the music shop window
• A row of trumpets shines under the lights
• 
  
• He cuts through the night wind
• Grabs a trumpet in his beak
• And flies away
• 
  
• At dawn
• He returns to the lake
• And gently places the trumpet on the grass
• 
  
• Louis lowers his head to the metal
• In the reflection
• A silent little face appears
• 
  
• He puts his beak into the bell
• Only a broken breath comes out
• 
  
• Again and again he breathes in
• And blows
• Fine ripples spread across the water
• 
  
• The sunset touches the waterline
• The first clear notes
• Fall into the distant reeds
• 
  
• He holds the trumpet to his chest
• Stands up straight
• And lets the wind pass through his feathers
• 
  
• A boy rows closer in a small boat
• A little backpack hangs at the bow
• 
  
• The boy places a writing board and a pencil on the shore
• Then steps back
• And sits to watch him
• 
  
• Louis presses the pencil down with his wing tip
• And slowly writes
• My name is Louis
• 
  
• He pauses
• Then writes
• I cannot call
• I can play the trumpet
• 
  
• On the spring shore
• The white swan Serena
• Preens her feathers among the flowers
• 
  
• Louis parts the water and moves closer
• Lifts the bell
• Toward the sky
• And plays a gentle melody
• 
  
• Serena stops
• Turns her head to listen
• The music makes her feathers look even whiter
• 
  
• She opens her beak
• Lets out a soft call
• And waits for his reply
• 
  
• Louis can only
• Play a brighter phrase
• Then slowly lower the bell
• 
  
• Serena turns and swims away
• Only a long thin wake remains on the water
• 
  
• Louis looks down at the trumpet
• Then looks toward the distant
• Town lights
• 
  
• At night
• He presses the writing board to his chest
• Writes I am sorry
• Writes I will buy it
• 
  
• At dawn
• He carries the trumpet
• Takes flight
• Over roads and rooftops
• Toward the human world
• 
  
• Camp flags rustle in the wind
• Children sit around a campfire
• In a wide circle
• 
  
• Louis steps onto the wooden stage
• Plays toward the firelight
• Notes jump
• One by one into the night
• 
  
• The crowd grows still
• Only the crackle of wood remains
• Then
• Applause falls like rain
• 
  
• A hat is placed before the stage
• Coins drop in
• Clinking one by one
• 
  
• He pours the coins onto the table
• Uses his beak to line them up
• Forming
• A neat straight row
• 
  
• By day
• He practices by the lake
• The trumpet grows brighter
• And his back
• Stands straighter too
• 
  
• At last
• He flies back to the town
• Pushes open the music shop door
• The bell rings softly
• 
  
• He slides the money across the counter
• Raises the writing board
• And writes
• I want to buy this trumpet
• 
  
• The shopkeeper looks at the words
• Then at the swan
• Sets down the receipt
• And solemnly pushes the trumpet back
• 
  
• At dawn
• He returns to the lake
• The receipt tucked beneath his wing
• He plays a gentle and steady melody
• 
  
• Serena swims toward him
• 
  
• The lake grows quiet
• Only the music remains
• 
  
• Louis stands on the shore
• The trumpet against his chest
• The writing board
• Is not lifted again