Welcome to Forums. Some years ago, I bought a course on CD's about the 5,000 years of Chinese history, and though it was many discs, I enjoyed every bit of it. The long history of different ruling factions held together by an underpinning of civil servants that maintained some cultural continuity and coherence over the centuries. China was manufacturing ceramic tableware and exporting it overseas in industrial quantities when most of Europe was still wearing animal skins. Obviously, much "Chinese" food in the U.S. is not much like Chinese food, but we enjoy more authentic food when we can find it. We did dim sum for New Years (U.S. New Years, not Chinese New Years yet to come in February). Your information on pipe smoking in China would be fascinating. I was in a seaport in Taiwan briefly while in the Navy years ago, and we had a longer "rest and recreation" stop in Hong Kong, but my interest goes back to childhood.