Life and Leisure

What's new

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-02 14:48

Rare form of women's writing

An international seminar on the preservation of nushu (or women's writing), a century-old intangible cultural heritage from remote Jiangyong county, in southern Hunan province, was held on Aug 28 in Beijing.

The event drew more than 200 scholars from China and Japan, a dozen local seal-cutting and calligraphy artists who practice nushu, and six women from Jiangyong county, who are in their 70s and 80s and well-versed in nushu.

Nushu developed in the 19th century as a way for women in Jiangyong county, who were often discouraged from learning Chinese characters, to express themselves in a male-dominated society.

Local women wrote on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs and composed stories.

Contest promotes culture

The China Cultural Relics Protection Foundation and State Administration of Cultural Heritage launched a photo contest on Aug 30 to promote awareness of cultural heritage among university students.

Comedian and cultural relic enthusiast Wang Gang is a spokesperson for the contest, and has been calling for entries.

More campaigns to get the public better involved in protecting and preserving cultural heritage will follow in coming years, including traditional cultural-inspired fashion design contests, folk art exhibitions, performances of local operas, folk songs and dances, and a television series documenting ancient treasures, says Ma Zishu, deputy head of the foundation.

Exhibit in old warlord's home

Twelve veteran Chinese and Belgian artists will hold a joint art exhibition at No 38 Anshan Avenue in downtown Tianjin, in the former residence of Duan Qirui, a 1920s Chinese warlord. It will run from Sept 4 to Oct 24.

The exhibition, showcasing over 50 paintings by these artists, who are in their 60s and 70s, is co-organized by the Tianjin Historical Architecture Renovation and Design Agency and Belgian city Sint-Niklass, according to curator Raf De Smedt of the Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

Bracelet raises charity funds

In celebration of its one-year presence in China, London-based jewelry brand Links of London has launched a friendship-themed bracelet collection in China.

The company will donate 10 percent of its revenue from the sales of the sterling silver bracelet in Hong Kong, Macao and the Chinese mainland between Aug 26 and July 31, 2011 to the Hong Kong Committee for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), which helps children living with HIV or AIDS in China.

Chinese actress Huang Yi (pictured) and Japanese soccer star Hidetoshi Nakata are goodwill ambassadors for the charity project.

 

China Daily