The Scholar’s Scroll
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Explore cultural traditions, Chinese folklore, horticulture updates, Lan Su News, and more on our blog.
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Culture Spotlight: Are You a Pluviophile?
Are you a pluviophile? Or, shall we say in Chinese, a 喜雨者 (xǐ yǔ zhě), a lover of rain? Ever since I was little, there was something deeply romantic about a spring rainy day. Rain meant poetry. Rain meant daydreaming. Rain meant curling up with a Chinese period drama and watching the main character girl…
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Culture Spotlight: The Woman Who Reminds Me of Magnolias
Every spring, I find myself waiting for the magnolias at Lan Su like I am waiting for an old friend to return. There is something almost magical about the way they bloom. Before many other trees have fully leafed out, magnolias appear with their glowing blossoms, as if spring has arrived in silk. In and…
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Culture Spotlight: A Lantern-Lit Night with the People You Love
Lantern Festival has always been about more than decorations. It’s about people choosing light, together, right when the year is still new and the nights are still long. We’ve been working hard on the collective experience at Lan Su, not just to show you something beautiful, but to share the stories, the references, and the whys behind it all.
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Hort Tidbit March 2026: The Elegant Orchid 國蘭, Lan Su’s Namesake
Learn about the orchid, Lan Su’s namesake plant. How can you spot a Chinese orchid, and what kind of conditions do they grow best in? Our Curator of Horticulture shares it all!
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Culture Spotlight: Why We Say “Gong Xi Fa Cai”
Looking for Venus’ most recent post? Read A Lantern-Lit Night with the People You Love When I was a kid, the first day of Lunar New Year felt like a joyful little debut. No script, just perfect cues. You slipped into a brand new red outfit, flashed your brightest “I’m here to bring good luck”…
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7 Reasons to Bring Your Kids to Lantern Viewing Evenings
Families will enjoy an inspiring cultural experience with interactive performances, traditional games, and educational activities celebrating Lunar New Year.
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Culture Spotlight: A Small Taste of China’s Blooming Cultural Tourism
Venus Sun reflects on cultural storytelling in modern China, sharing experiences of visiting Xi’an, engaging with history through performance, themed resorts, and hanfu dress-up, transforming literature into immersive experiences.
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Hort Tidbit February 2026: The Flower Goddess of the 2nd Month, Plum Blossom (梅花)
Plum blossoms burst into bloom on leafless branches, Scholar’s Courtyard Looking for Josie’s most recent post? Read the March Hort Tidbit. “The moonlight of a former time, How often has it shone on me?— I play on a flute by the plum tree, Awakening the fair one To pluck a sprig, defying the chill!” Dim Fragrance,…
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Cultural Spotlight: When 25 Years Meets 1000 Years
Happy New Year, friends! With the arrival of 2026, I have found myself doing what many of us do this time of year: reflecting on the past twelve months and asking, “What moments made this year feel meaningful?” There were so many incredible cultural milestones at Lan Su, yet one particular moment keeps rising to…
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Culture Spotlight: China Trip Chapter 2 – 不時不食: Eating with the Season in Suzhou
How is it already just days before Christmas? If you know me, holiday weeks always make me think about food, not just what we eat, but why we eat it. This is the time of year when tables get fuller, schedules get looser, and the fridge becomes a rotating cast of leftovers we swear we’ll deal with tomorrow. When it comes to…