I was born and raised in Shanghai, China and have lived and worked in the United States for over quarter of a century. Trained as a historian in both countries, my main interest is writing on how history is studied and written around the world. But my research has also gone beyond the realm of historiography. I'd like to examine, describe and analyze how ideas, customs and traditions become transferred to other parts of the world and how they are resisted and questioned initially but later accepted and transformed in the new environments. My most recent book on chopsticks is an example. I will continue this pursuit in the years to come with other interesting examples, such as the crops and objects spread around the world via the "Columbian Exchange" following the "Age of Discovery."