In ancient China, an artist and his young apprentice are kidnapped and taken into the desert, where their captors' caravan is lost until the artist's carved wooden goldfish points the way to safety.
In ancient China, Chuan and Jing Jing invent a cart that sails on land in order to quickly reach the warlord with an important message from the emperor.
When a hostile army attacks the warlord's palace in ancient China, Chuan and his friend, Jing Jing, find an ingenious way to scare them off using simple kites. Includes instructions for making a kite from a paper bag.
While traveling back to their warlord's palace in ancient China, Chuan and the artist to whom he is apprenticed join a troupe of puppeteers and Chuan learns about puppet proportions. Includes instructions for making a simple sock puppet.
While traveling to an important feast in ancient China, Chuan and his friend Jing Jing devise a water "alarm" clock to make sure their party reaches the emperor's palace before rival warlords. Includes a brief history of water clocks and instructions for making one.
Hoping to avoid punishment for breaking a beautiful tile that was his gift to a Chinese warlord, an artist suggests that the warlord hold a contest to see if anyone can mend it.
A young Chinese boy helps his father count the warlord's vast treasures by using beads threaded on a branch. Includes a brief history of the abacus and instructions for making one.
