Fashion queen Angelababy releases a series of fashion photos. [Photo/IC]

Fashion queen Angelababy releases a series of fashion photos. [Photo/IC] Fashion queen Angelababy releases a series of fashion photos. [Photo/IC] Fashion queen Angelababy releases a series of fashion photos. [Photo/IC] Fashion queen Angelababy releases a series of fashion photos. [Photo/IC] Fashion queen Angelababy releases a series of fashion photos. [Photo/IC] Fashion queen Angelababy releases a series of fashion photos. [Photo/IC] Fashion queen Angelababy releases a series of fashion photos. [Photo/IC] Fashion queen Angelababy releases a series of fashion photos. [Photo/IC]

Hong Kong actor and singer Shawn Yue announces a surprise wedding with his girlfriend Sarah Wang on Dec 5, 2017. [Photo/Official weibo account of Shawn Yue]

Hong Kong actor and singer Shawn Yue shared a photo from his wedding ceremony on the social media platform Instagram and officially tied the knot Dec 5, 2017.

In the photo, the 36-year-old laughed heartily and his bride Sarah Wang tightly held his arm.

"I just met the right person at the right time. And I would like to thank God for arranging for the best person to appear at the best time," he wrote on Instagram.

In the surprise announcement on Instagram, he also thanked his bride for delighting his life with "positive energy, happiness and laughter".

The 29-year-old bride now works as a model in Taipei city and the couple were rumored to be in a relationship since late last year.

It is said that Yue had met Wang when he was filming Love off the Cuff, the sequel to his mega-hit films Love in a Puff in 2010 and Love in the Buff in 2014 with actress and singer Miriam Yeung.

The trilogy revolves around the love story of Cherie and Jimmy, two smokers who met at an outdoor smoking area subsequent to the ban of all indoor smoking in Hong Kong, and is regarded as one of the most classic romantic movie series.

Poster of Love off the Cuff [Photo/Mtime]

The couple released their beautiful wedding photos. [Photo/IC]

The couple released their beautiful wedding photos. [Photo/IC]

The couple released their beautiful wedding photos. [Photo/IC]

The trilogy is regarded as one of the most classic romantic movie series.[Photo/Mtime]

[Photo/VCG]

As our calendar is flipped close to the last page, we can catch the scent of the end of the year. But one mood booster is that Christmas is around the corner, and though it is originally a Western festival, its allure still ripples throughout the world.

As the number of foreign expats increases in China, the capital, Beijing, has evolved into a metropolitan area rich in cultural diversity that celebrates a wide array of different traditions. Since the beginning of December, Christmas decorations can be seen in many streets around the city, hotels hold Christmas lighting ceremonies, Christmas-related products are featured in shopping malls and all the twinkling lights and festive glitter have created a merry and celebratory mood.

The St. Regis Hotel in Beijing holds a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Nov 30, 2017.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The St. Regis Hotel in Beijing holds a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Nov 30, 2017.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A store in Beijing has a section selling Christmas decorations, Nov 26,2017.[Photo/VCG] The CBD district in Beijing is illuminated by Christmas-themed lights, Nov 28, 2017.[Photo/VCG] The always popular traditional Christmas fair at the German Embassy in Beijing, drew over 6,000 visitors, including these people at the BMW booth, Dec 2, 2017.[Photo/VCG] A child poses for a photo on a Christmas-themed light display featuring reindeer and a coach in Beijing, Dec 2, 2017.[Photo/VCG] A Christmas tree lighting ceremony is held at the Westin Beijing, Financial Street, Dec 1, 2017.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] The St. Regis Hotel in Beijing holds a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Nov 30, 2017.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A shopping mall in Beijing prepares for Christmas and the New Year with festive, bright displays, Nov 23, 2017.[Photo/IC]

Puyuan town in Zhejiang province's Tongxiang city is bustling with people involved in woolen business. [Photo by Gao Erqang/China Daily]

Individual stores or plazas are filled with shops selling woolen clothing, everywhere you go in Puyuan in Zhejiang province. Yang Feiyue reports.

A town that does not have big sheep-raising tradition or wool trade has managed to grow into the nation's biggest wool clothing production site.

Everywhere you go in Puyuan in Zhejiang province's Tongxiang city, individual stores or plazas filled with shops selling woolen clothing and other textile products are in evidence.

Approximately 6,000 wool clothing producers have settled in the 64-square-kilometer town, and they supply up to 70 percent of all the woolen clothing in the country, says Qian Juanting, a senior official with the Puyuan government.

Puyuan's wool industry began to take shape in 1976 when a local cooperative bought three manual flat knitting machines.

Locals found making wool clothing lucrative in the early 1980s, and family workshops soon sprung up.

Then, people began to set up shop on the streets and peddle their products, which served as a prototype for today's big-scale wool products market.

The number of wool clothing companies was 373 in 1988, and that of individual business was 259.

They could produce 2.7 million pieces of clothing annually, which has made Puyuan the home of China's wool clothing production.

Chen Jiangen from Yonglian village in Puyuan was one of the first that joined the army of wool clothing dealers back then.

He left his village home and came to Puyuan's downtown area to look for opportunities that year.

He soon settled into the wool clothing business.

"People around me were either producing the wool clothing or selling it," he says.

Chen then began to learn to make the wool clothing.

"My aunt and her husband both worked at a local wool clothing plant, and they had an idle weaving machine at home. So, I began to try my hand," says Chen.

"I learned from an experienced worker who worked with my aunt, and took apart clothes that failed to meet standards and remade them from scratch," he says.

Chen then bought his first box of yarn with a loan of 3,000 yuan ($454) and managed to make 50 pieces of clothing.

He would visit hotels and sell his products to guests, most of whom were textile buyers from northeastern China on their way to Shanghai.

Chen sold his first batch of clothes in a week and raked in a 300 yuan profit. That was several times the amount one could make in an entire month.

Chen was then motivated to invest more in his business.

He rented three two-story houses for clothing production in 1992. This was when locals began to turn their houses facing the street into shops.

The next year, he bought his first shop with 3,000 yuan. The shop still exists today.

Chen did not look back, and his business has expanded over the years.

The small place supplies up to 70 percent of all woolen clothing in the country. [Photo by Gao Erqang/China Daily] He rented a 1,000-square-meter workshop in 1997, and bought 1.67 hectares of land in 2004, where he built a new plant. His business peaked in 2003, when he had 300 employees and could produce 50 million pieces of wool clothing. Chen also opened a factory shop at the Puyuan wool clothing innovation park in 2015, as the local government sought to promote industrial tourism. The shop would receive 10,000 to 20,000 tourists a day during peak season, he says. Chen is one of the 200 brands that are in the innovation park. It was built in 2013 to showcase the culture and development of Puyuan. Roughly 50 of the brands have their own retail shops there. The brands used to have only production plants and engage in wholesales business, but were encouraged to open outlets in the park to boost retail sales and, more importantly, to showcase their products and promote their brands. But the shop decoration has to meet certain standards, says Mo Fan, general manager of the Huaxin Industrial Group, which built the park. "Now, more brands are also working to open shops," says Mo. The park is also aiming to bring in local culture. "We hope visitors who come (to the park) also learn about the history of Puyuan." To date, a culture demonstration center has been built at the park. Sightseeing belt has been in place. Most of the wool products are sold at close to wholesales prices. So far, most tourists come from neighboring cities, including Hangzhou, Ningbo and Shanghai, says Mo. Meanwhile, a tourism town is under construction and involves an investment of 10 billion yuan. It will cover an area of 160 hectares and features a water town. It is expected to open in 2019. Chen says the park will grow popular. "This is just the beginning. More visitors will come when all the ongoing projects are completed," he says. Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn

Wang Kai acts as Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong in the show. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

A large-scale cultural exploration program National Treasure made its debut on Channel 3 of China Central Television on Sunday night.

In the first episode, the Palace Museum in Beijing showcases three treasures: a stone drum, painting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains by Wang Ximeng and Large Vase with Variegated Glazes. Famous actors Wang Kai, Li Chen and Tony Leung played roles of national treasure keepers, along with other actors, and narrated the treasures' legendary life journey and shared their stories with these treasures.

During the TV show, the nine major museums in China – the Palace Museum, Shanghai Museum, Nanjing Museum, Hunan Provincial Museum, Henan Museum, Shaanxi History Museum, Hubei Provincial Museum, Zhejiang Provincial Museum and Liaoning Provincial Museum – will each present three national treasures across its episodes.

As a cultural variety show, the National Treasure is dedicated to showcase the background stories of national treasures, and fuses various art forms including studio variety show, documentary and drama. Each treasure in the show will be presented by "national treasure keepers" acted by celebrities and common people, to tell their stories with the collections, interpreting their historical mystery. The show aims to inspire the ancient Chinese civilization and make the national treasures "come alive".

Hong Kong actor Tony Leung, who called himself a "half Forbidden City man", spent much time in the Palace Museum when shooting the film Reign Behind a Curtain in which he played Emperor Xianfeng. This time, he is the keeper of the 2,300-year-old stone drum and acts as famous statesman Sima Guang in Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) in the TV show.

Wang Kai, performing as Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Emperor Qianlong in the show, presented the historical background of Large Vase with Variegated Glazes, which has the most complicated craftsmanship in the history of Chinese imperial porcelain.

Li Chen, acting as Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), tells the history of Wang Ximeng's precious painting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains, which is rarely seen as each unfolding of the painting will have some mineral pigments peeled off.

Li Chen acts as Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty in the show. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Large Vase with Variegated Glazes from Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/dpm.org.cn] A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains by Wang Ximeng. [Photo/dpm.org.cn] A stone drum from the Palace Museum's collection. [Photo/dpm.org.cn]

The Chinese characters read: The eight-point austerity rules are changing China for the better.

The top discipline watchdog of the Communist Party of China has launched 16 emojis themed on the eight-point austerity rules, quickly becoming a hit on the internet, Beijing News reported on Monday.

Each emoji promotes a specific idea, for example, opposing formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance, opposing privileges, or reducing the number of meetings.

The emojis were published on Sunday morning on the official website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Ministry of Supervision.

Soon after the collection went online, they were reposted by many mainstream news portals and read by millions of readers. They can now be downloaded free of charge on China’s most popular messaging tool WeChat, thepaper.cn reported.

The launch was meticulously timed to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the eight-point rules, an official with the CCDI website told Beijing News.

In response to a question about the reason for using emojis, the official said that they want to make good use of the popular online tool since emojis could spread widely among internet users. “This is our effort to innovate the way to convey serious subjects to readers.”

The official also said that there’s still room for the emojis to be improved in both quantity and quality. "They are far from covering all aspects of the eight-point rules due to the limited number."

The eight-point rules were issued by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Dec 4, 2012, aiming to reduce bureaucracy, extravagance and undesirable work practices of Party members.

The Chinese characters read: Forbid improper allocation and use of official vehicles.

The Chinese characters read: Establish a good family tradition with filial piety, loyalty, integrity and honesty.

The Chinese characters read: Formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance.

The Chinese characters read: Streamline red tape.

The Chinese characters read: Forbid traveling at public expense.

The Chinese characters read: Be held responsible for nonfeasance and inaction.

The Chinese characters read: Beware the metamorphosis of formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance.

The Chinese characters read: Privilege.

The Chinese characters read: Consolidate and implement the eight-point austerity rules.

The Chinese characters read: Halt visits to private clubs that run against rules.

The Chinese characters read: Ban high-cost entertainment and workouts that run against rules.

The Chinese characters read: Special purchases for Spring Festival and buying fireworks at public expense.

The Chinese characters read: Specific measures for the eight-point austerity rules; in-depth, practical, in detail, accurate, efficient; improvement of surveys and research.

The Chinese characters read: Streamline meetings

The Chinese characters read: Recify having banquets at public expense.

Saxophone Syncopators [Photo provided to China Daily]

Slovak saxophone quartet Saxophone Syncopators made their debut show in China by performing at the capital's Minzu Theater on Dec 1.

With a repertoire including Mozart's The Magic Flute Overture, The Marriage of Figaro Overture and French composer Jean Françaix's Suite For Saxophone Quartet, the band concluded their performance with a new piece based on popular Chinese folk song Jasmine Flowers.

The quartet consists of alto- and C-melody saxophonist Pavol Hoďa, alto-saxophonist Frederika Babuliakova, tenor saxophonist Jan Gasparek and baritone saxophonist Ladislav Fanzowitz. The four musicians met four years ago when Fanzowitz had the idea of starting the quartet.

Fanzowitz, who is also a classically trained pianist, graduated from the Bratislava State Conservatory and finished his doctoral degree in 2010. He picked up the saxophone about seven years ago. Drawn to the sound of the instrument, he formed the quartet to "perform the authentic musical style of ragtime in arrangements for four saxophones".

"We play the oldest ragtime and hot jazz from 1912 to 1920 in the original arrangements for four saxophones following the footsteps of the saxophone ensembles from this period, such as the Six Brown Brothers, Joe Thomas Saxotette, and the Hollis Saxophone Quintet," Fanzowitz says. "To achieve the most authentic and accurate sound, we use original period instruments from the 1920s."

During the concert, music from the quartet was integrated with the paintings by the late Chinese artist Hu Hong, whose colorful ink paintings were projected on a screen to form the backdrop for the performance.

The show's organizer Qiu Xingying said the idea of combining the music performance with Hu's paintings was to pay homage to the artist, who died from a heart attack early this year aged 66.

This April, Hungarian composer and violinist Zoltan Szekely performed in Beijing, who also played using by paintings by Hu as a backdrop.

Combo photo taken on Nov 29, 2017 shows the shell paintings created by teachers and students of Huyun Middle School in Huyun township of Wannian county, East China's Jiangxi province. Shell painting, derived from the local pearl culture, is now a form of folk art widely taught at many local schools. [Photo/Xinhua]

A student dispays her shell painting at Huyun Middle School in Huyun township of Wannian county, East China's Jiangxi province, Nov 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Teacher Huang Zengxin (R) teaches a student shell painting at Huyun Middle School in Huyun township of Wannian county, East China's Jiangxi province, Nov 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Teacher Huang Zengxin (2nd R) teaches students shell painting at Huyun Middle School in Huyun township of Wannian county, East China's Jiangxi province, Nov 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Students choose shells with their teacher Huang Zengxin at Huyun Middle School in Huyun township of Wannian county, East China's Jiangxi province, Nov 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Teacher Huang Zengxin teaches students shell painting at Huyun Middle School in Huyun township of Wannian county, East China's Jiangxi province, Nov 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Tung Chee-hwa (first right), vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, and Shan Jixiang (center), director of the National Palace Museum, viewed the Silk Road Landscape Map at the donation ceremony, Nov 30, 2017. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

The Palace Museum received the painting Silk Road Landscape Map, which was donated by Xu Rongmao, founder and chairman of Hong Kong Shimao Group, during a ceremony in the Palace Museum Nov 30. Xu bought the painting for $20 million from a Japanese collector.

The more than 30-meter-long Silk Road Landscape Map, which was created in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), depicts a vast landscape from Jiayuguan Pass in Northwest China's Gansu province to Tianfang city, now the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

This painting is filled with a large amount of geographical information. It serves as proof that China already had a clear understanding of the world geography, especially along the Silk Road, before Western maps were introduced to China.

Staff members place the painting on a work table in the cultural relic restoration division of the Palace Museum, Nov 30, 2017. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily] Tung Chee-hwa (center), vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, and Shan Jixiang, director of the National Palace Museum, observe the watch repairmen in the cultural relic restoration division before the donation ceremony, Nov 30, 2017. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily] Shan Jixiang, director of the National Palace Museum, presents the donation certificate to Xu Rongmao at the donation ceremony, Nov 30, 2017. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

An exhibition on 17th-century Chinese qinghua porcelain held at Guardian Art Center. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Guardian Education Center has launched an international-education platform to offer short- and long-term courses on art history, collecting, archaeology and business in Beijing.

The center is affiliated with Guardian Culture Group, which also owns China Guardian Auction, one of the country's leading art auctioneers.

It will launch a course on Chinese archaic bronze wares in May 2018. The class is created in cooperation of the Art Institute of Chicago's museum, which boasts an extensive Asian art collection, and SOAS University of London, one of the world's leading institutions on the study of Asian cultures.

The center will also offer a course on modern Chinese painting and its market in March 2018.

The group has offered various programs to strengthen relationships among academic institutions and collectors since it opened its new headquarters in Beijing's Wangfujing in September.

The building hosts talks and exhibitions of classical and contemporary realistic Chinese paintings, ancient furniture and 17th-century blue porcelain.

An exhibition on imperial objects at Guardian Art Center. [Photo provided to China Daily] An exhibition on classic Chinese paintings at Guardian Art Center. [Photo provided to China Daily] An exhibition on classic Chinese paintings at Guardian Art Center. [Photo provided to China Daily] An exhibition on classic Chinese paintings at Guardian Art Center. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Apollo [Photo provided to China Daily]

Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929), a noted French sculptor, painter and educator, spent some 15 years assisting Auguste Rodin in his studio. He was chiefly influenced by Rodin's artistic views while he also explored his own style, finding inspiration in classical Greek and Romanesque art.

A dozen of Bourdelle's representative works, including sculptures, oil paintings, watercolors and drawings, as well as some of his old photographs, are now on show at the Tsinghua University Art Museum through April 30. The works are from the collection of the Bourdelle Museum in Paris.

The exhibition, titled Antiquity into Future, shows how Bourdelle introduced the strength, architectural grandeur and nobility of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture into 20th century art. He also infused his works with a modern visual taste by which he sought to create artworks that were “more profound, penetrating, refreshing and perfect” than in the past.

The sculptures on show include several of his masterpieces, such as Apollo, The Dying Centaur and Hercules the Archer.

A sculpture by Antoine Bourdelle. [Photo provided to China Daily] A sculpture by Antoine Bourdelle. [Photo provided to China Daily] The Dying Centaur [Photo provided to China Daily]

Sacred Shaoshan Mountain [Photo provided to China Daily]

The 1970s and '80s saw ink-brush master Li Keran (1907-89) pushing his creation of landscapes to a peak. Three of his paintings which were created during this period of time will be auctioned at Poly's major autumn sales from Dec 16 to 20 in Beijing.

One is Sacred Shaoshan Mountain painted in 1974. It depicts the former residence of late chairman Mao Zedong at the foot of Shaoshan Mountain in Hunan province, where he spent his childhood and teenage years. It was sold for 124.2 million yuan ($18.8 million) at a Beijing auction in 2012.

The second painting is Huangshan Mountain which Li produced in 1979 after a trip to several places of natural grandeur, including Huangshan Mountain in Anhui province, Huashan Mountain in Shaanxi province and the Three Gorges along the Yangtze River.

Huangshan Mountain [Photo provided to China Daily]

The third painting is Spectacular Scenery in which Li used only ink to depict a serene landscape of pine trees and boats cruising on a river.

This year marks Li's 110th birth anniversary, and to mark the event an exhibition will be open at the National Museum of China in Beijing on Nov 30, showing works he created in the last decade of his life. The works are from the collection of the Li Keran Art Foundation.

Chinese model Liu Wen [Photo/IC]

In the latest release of the World’s Highest Paid Models of 2017 by Forbes, an American business magazine well-known for its lists and rankings, Chinese model Liu Wen remains at the No. 8 position with an amazing income of 42.94 million yuan ($6.5 million).

Liu was still the only Asian model named on the top 10 list. In 2017, in addition to participating in plenty of fashion parties and shows, she also became the first Chinese model to ever appear on the front cover of American Vogue for its 125th anniversary.

It’s worthwhile noticing that, for the first time since 2002, Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen had not crowned the list, coming in second place with a mammoth $17.5 million this year.

The new top-earning model is American Kendall Jenner with $20 million. She has a huge following of 85 million on the social media platform Instagram and was dubbed the "Social Media Model" by Harper's Bazaar.

Now, let’s take stock of the top 10 income leaders of 2017.

No.1 Kendall Jenner, $22 million

No.2 Gisele Bundchen,$17.5 million

No.3 Chrissy Teigen, $13.5 million

No.4 Adriana Lima, $10.5 million

No.5 (tie) Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, $9.5 million

No.5 (tie) Gigi Hadid, $9.5 million

No.7 Karlie Kloss, $9 million

No.8 Liu Wen, $6.5 million

No.9 Bella Hadid, $6 million

No.10 Ashley Graham, $5.5 million

No.1 Kendall Jenner, $22 million [Photo/IC]

No.2 Gisele Bundchen,$17.5 million [Photo/IC] No.3 Chrissy Teigen, $13.5 million [Photo/IC] No.4 Adriana Lima, $10.5 million [Photo/IC] No.5 (tie) Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, $9.5 million [Photo/IC] No.5 (tie) Gigi Hadid, $9.5 million [Photo/IC] No.7 Karlie Kloss, $9 million [Photo/IC] No.9 Bella Hadid, $6 million [Photo/IC] No.10 Ashley Graham, $5.5 million [Photo/IC]

Zhu Yue (2nd right) and his team pose in front of their homemade Airbus A320 jet plane at an open space in Kaiyuan, Northeast China's Liaoning province, Nov27, 2017.[Photo/IC]

Six young men have spent around $120,000 (800,000 yuan) creating a frame reminiscent of the Airbus 320 using hammers and electric welding machines in Kaiyuan, Northeast China's Liaoning province, according to Shenyang Evening News.

With little knowledge of mechanics, the six amateur aircraft makers turned more than 40 metric tons of iron into a 37-meter-long and 36-meter-wide frame, much like those used to build the Airbus 320, within less than one year.

The young men encountered several setbacks in their efforts to obtain measurement data from an Airbus model. At first, they tried to use computers to zoom in on the model, but the model was too small to produce accurate data. Later, they hired a company to do three-dimensional measurements on the model, but errors still occurred, which kept them revising the data.

"When welding the engine, we were stumped. It took us a lot of effort to weld the 200 pieces of sheet iron. Luckily, we made it," said Zhu Yue, who once worked as a motorcycle repairman.

Zhu also said when the "Airbus 320" is finished, it could be used either as a wedding venue or a theme restaurant where staff could dress like flight attendants.

View of the homemade Airbus A320 jet plane.[Photo/IC] A member of Zhu Yue's team welds the body of their homemade Airbus A320 jet plane.[Photo/IC] Zhu Yue (left) and his friends work on their homemade Airbus A320 jet plane.[Photo/IC] Zhu Yue works on the wings of his homemade Airbus A320 jet plane.[Photo/IC]

Chinese actor Tu Men (left), kisses actress Kara Wai's hand with their awards for media for Best Leading Actor and Actress respectively at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. The Golden Horse awards are one of the Chinese film industry's biggest annual events. [Photo/IC]

Here is the list of awards winners:

Best Feature Film:The Bold

Best Director: Wen Yan, Angels Wear White

Best Leading Actor: Tu Men, Old Beast

Best Leading Actress: Kara Wai, The Bold

Best Supporting Actor:  Chen Zhusheng, Alifu

Best Supporting Actress: Wen Qi, The Bold

Best New Director: Huang Hsinyao, The Great Buddha+

Best New Performer: Ruima Xidan, Missing Johnny

Best Original Screenplay: Zhou Ziyang, Old Beast

Best Screenplay Adaptation: Huang Hsinyao, The Great Buddha+

Best Animation Feature: Have a Nice Day

Best Documentary: That Room

Best Short Film: Babes' Not Alone

Actress Kara Wai wins the Best Leading Actress award at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Dee Hsu and Kevin Tsai preside over the the 54th Golden Horse Awards ceremony held in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Chinese director Ang Lee and American actress Jessica Chastain attend the presentation ceremony of the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Actress Ariel Lin attends the presentation ceremony of the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Singer Jolin Tsai performs at the presentation ceremony of the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Singer JJ Lin performs at the presentation ceremony of the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Actor Huang Bo and hostess Matilda Tao attend the presentation ceremony of the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Actresses Ma Sichun (left) and Zhou Dongyu pose on the red carpet at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Actress Zhou Dongyu poses on the red carpet at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Actress Shu Qi poses on the red carpet at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Dee Hsu poses on the red carpet at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Actress and singer Ella Chen poses on the red carpet at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Actress Qin Hailu poses on the red carpet at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Actress Sylvia Chang poses on the red carpet at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Actress Kara Wai poses on the red carpet at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Actress Kuo Shu-yao poses on the red carpet at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC] Actress Ma Sichun poses on the red carpet at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. [Photo/IC]

Participants pose for pictures at the recent cosplay-themed half-marathon in Xiamen city's Jimei district in Fujian province.[Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]

Ready? Dressed? Go!

A man dressed as a leopard won the recent half-marathon in Xiamen city's Jimei district.

Wang Xiaokan, clad in the big-cat costume, was the final runner of his victorious four-person team against 33 other teams at the cosplay-themed race in the city in Fujian province in late November.

The leopard dashed like a cheetah across the finish line in 1:11:15. "We mostly love running," Wang says.

"But the dressing-up part is certainly interesting. So, we signed up to find out. It turned out to be fun."

The 33-year-old says his team designed their costumes to resemble the animated film, The Croods.

The 21-kilometer track covered Jimei's major scenic sites, such as the Xiamen Horticulture Expo Garden, Xinglinwan's "landscape avenue" and the aquatic sports center.

The competition's four stops respectively staged cosplay parties, dancing, singing and bands.

They were designed more as temptations to stay in one place rather than milestones to reach.

Participants pose for pictures at the recent cosplay-themed half-marathon in Xiamen city's Jimei district in Fujian province.[Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]

Xiamen launched a day tour for runners from out of town to experience the city before and after the event.

The city has developed tourism destinations with automobile and animation themes. Plans call for the construction of sports parks.

"We want runners and their families to experience the culture of Jimei and Xiamen through events like these," Jimei's deputy head Huang Ying says.

The district will soon develop two- and three-day travel routes, she says.

About four out of five marathon runners came from outside Jimei.

Many joined because of the costume theme, Huang says.

The district hosts other events like the cross-Straits dragon boat culture festival, a cross-country automobile race and a yacht competition.

"Visitor numbers surge every time we host such events," Huang says.

The district received 10 million visits in 2016, an increase of 35 percent year-on-year.

So, runners��be they tortoises or hares��can start prepping their costumes for next year's cosplay marathon.

[Photo provided to China Daily]

In one of Beijing-based ink painter Kang Chunhui's works, titled Respect, she depicts in the middle of the paper a nest above which rests a mother bird and below which, there are three of her chicks with their mouths wide open.

She draws the twining vines that form the bird's nest in the way that they look much like blood vessels. She explains that she compares the nest to a woman's womb, by which she hopes the audience can reflect the source of all creatures and the energies that make life circulate.

This idea is also at the heart of Kang's solo exhibition at Beijing's Today Art Museum through Sunday. Roots of All Life shows more than 20 paintings including Respect.

The exhibition demonstrates Kang's technique of traditional gongbi style of ink painting which delimit the subjects in a meticulous way.

Some of the works on show are from a series themed on the 24 Solar Terms and show her fascination with flowers of all kinds.

Kang lives in a courtyard on the outskirts where she grows various plants. And she says she likes visiting botanical gardens and greenhouses.

[Photo provided to China Daily] [Photo provided to China Daily] [Photo provided to China Daily] [Photo provided to China Daily] [Photo provided to China Daily] [Photo provided to China Daily] [Photo provided to China Daily] [Photo provided to China Daily] [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chinese oracle-bone inscriptions [Photo/unesco.org]

Chinese oracle-bone inscriptions were recently included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

Oracle-bone inscriptions are the earliest documental evidence found in China, excavated from the Yin ruins in Anyang city, Central China's Henan province. These artifacts provide records of divinations and prayers to the gods from people in the late Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC). Over time, oracle-bone inscriptions developed into modern-day Chinese characters, showing the continuous evolution of Chinese civilization. Oracle bones serve as important materials for studying the long-standing and brilliant Chinese civilization and the nature of state and society in early China.

The Memory of the World Programme, established by UNESCO in 1992, aims to rescue the gradually aging, worsening, and disappearing documentary heritage in the world, to strengthen protection and utilization, and to raise public awareness of the significance of documentary heritage. The program takes place every two years, and last time, China's submission of "Archives of the Nanjing Massacre" was included in the Memory of the World Register in 2015. So far, China already has 10 examples of documentary heritage inscribed on the Memory of the World Register.

Chinese oracle-bone inscriptions [Photo/unesco.org] Chinese oracle-bone inscriptions[Photo/unesco.org] Chinese oracle-bone inscriptions[Photo/unesco.org]

A visually-impaired student touches a replica of a relic at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nov 22, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The moment the fingers of Jin Guangliang came into contact with the taut strings of a Tang Dynasty (618-907) zither (a replica), he felt that his own heartstrings were being plucked. And as water dipped from a boat-shaped porcelain jar into a basin, making a slight pounding sound, it also knocked on the hearts of those standing nearby. The jar is a replica of a piece from China's Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), used as a water holder in one's study.

On Wednesday, more than 200 teenagers from the Zhejiang Provincial School for Visually-Impaired Students visited Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, where they tried to feel the history of the country, led by their own senses and a curiosity as precious as the antiques.

Visually-impaired students touch replicas of relics at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nov 22, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Visually-impaired students touch replicas of relics at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nov 22, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Visually-impaired students touch replicas of relics at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nov 22, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Visually-impaired students touch replicas of relics at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nov 22, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Visually-impaired students touch replicas of relics at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nov 22, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Visually-impaired students touch replicas of relics at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nov 22, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Visually-impaired students learn history at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nov 22, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Visually-impaired students touch replicas of relics at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nov 22, 2017.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Visually-impaired students touch a musical instrument at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nov 22, 2017.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A woman shows a book she just borrowed online. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

From sharing bicycle to sharing car, China's sharing economy has now swept into the book industry. Alipay, an online payment platform under Alibaba, has launched express delivery of borrowing books and sharing bookshelf services in five cities earlier this year, according to Chinanews.com.

Sanxiaokou Xinhua Bookstore in Hefei city of Anhui province, which declared itself as the "first sharing bookstore in the world", opened to the public in July this year. The reader has to download an app and pay 99 yuan ($15) online as deposit, then he can borrow two books with a total value of less than 150 yuan by scanning the QR code. If the reader returns the books within 10 days, it will be free of charge, or one yuan will be charged for each day after expiration.

Besides, the bookstore also has "reading scholarship", with the registered customers receiving one yuan reward each time if they return books on schedule. If the customer reads 12 books in three months, he will be returned 8 percent of the deposit money as reward. During the first month of the bookstore's operation, the number of books being borrowed and returned reached nearly 80,000.

In addition, banks are also involved in the sharing economy, with two branches of China Everbright Bank in Beijing opening book borrowing services this year. Users can borrow books after registering through the official WeChat account and paying the deposit.

"Whether through selling books, sharing books or some other way, as long as books are being read, they have achieved their values. Culture can be delivered in different forms," said a woman surnamed Huang, who is a book-lover and likes the sharing book mode. "Compared with borrowing books from libraries, the large bookstores update their shelves more frequently and are more professional, so readers can enjoy their favorite books more easily."

A staff member in a bookstore helps a reader with book borrowing service.  [Photo/Chinanews.com] "On the other hand, some books are quite expensive and readers might wish to only look up a few things without paying the full price. Then sharing book system can easily solve this problem," Huang added.   However, there is still no specific definition of "sharing book", and many problems need to be resolved in the actual operation. Some experts claim that some alleged "sharing book" mode is just a gimmick, the same stuff with a new label. San Shi, a writer, publisher and publishing marketing expert, thinks that, from the perspective of business mode, the nowadays "sharing book" is no difference with book borrowing service of some small bookstores that already existed long before. "As many public libraries are free of charge to borrow books, while the 'sharing bookstore' has deposit and fine system, then the 'sharing' can't be correctly defined here." "Some people claim that, the 'sharing bookstore' is only a concept, just like the previous 'flowing bookstall' on the street, which can also be labeled as 'sharing'." For "sharing bookstore", the most important thing is to make sure that it is profitable. Huang said that bookstore is not library, so only by making sure its profitability can "sharing book" better developed. Huang suggested that more services could be added for "sharing bookstores", such as customized book selection, improving the dining and environment of the bookstores. San Shi believes that "sharing book" or "sharing bookstore" is a new business attempt in the book industry and the public should give it a chance. "It is a long way to go, for 'sharing book' and 'sharing bookstore'." A customer reads a book in a bookstore. [Photo/Chinanews.com] A customer reads a book in a bookstore. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Poster of 2017 EU-China Literary Festival [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The first EU-China Literary Festival was held in Beijing on Tuesday. By inviting 28 award-winning authors from the European Union and China, the festival sets out to promote cultural exchanges between the two sides and give insights into the lives, works, and unique character of their literary traditions.

As an integral part of the two-year-long Experience Europe initiative, a series of literary events will be held in Beijing and Chengdu, capital of Southwest Chuina's Sichuan province. Topics, such as literary ways and means, the writers' lives, diversity of writing forms and literary media in the digital age will be discussed among writers and between writers and book readers.

The event provides Chinese audiences with a valuable opportunity to witness how diversity plays into story formation and how the interplay of two cultures produces even more richness and complexity in these authors' works.

"The eight prominent European authors selected to represent their countries at this historic event hail from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, and Slovakia, and we are proud to be joined by some wonderful writers from all across China. In both Beijing and Chengdu, the festival will involve a series of literary events and discussions where authors can exchange ideas, engage with readers and audiences, and celebrate the diversity of European and Chinese culture," EU Ambassador to China Hans Dietmar Schweisgut said.

EU Ambassador to China Hans Dietmar Schweisgut delivers the speech at the festival. [Photo by Zhang Xingjian/chinadaily.com.cn]

"Over the coming 18 months, the second and third EU-China Literary Festival will be arranged with a view to welcoming authors from all the EU member states to China, and to connecting with Chinese authors and audiences in different regions of the country," the ambassador added.

Lu Min, winner of prestigious awards, including the Zhuang Zhongwen Literary Award and the People's Literary Award, and one of the Chinese authors participating in the festival's activities, shared her thoughts. "Writing to me, it requires more than solitude, yet writers need to blend and to be stirred. I am very much looking forward to meeting the eight authors visiting from Europe, for in the face of a complex and fascinating world we have a common view finder: literature," Lu said.

Belgian writer and actress Isabelle Wery, who is the winner of the European Union Prize for Literature, said, "Europe and China have two different literary worlds. If authors can come together to discuss not just how to write books, but how books are going to be written in the future, I am really excited to hear what the Chinese writers have to say."

"I like travelling in my life. During each journey, I can find new inspirations for my life and my work, and I like to share my experience in the journey with Chinese readers in the coming events," Wery added.

Belgian writer and actress Isabelle Wery [Photo by Zhang Xingjian/chinadaily.com.cn]

Other literary talents at the event included A Yi, a Chinese short story author and winner of People's Literature Short Stories' award for Top Twenty Literary Giants of the Future and Paolo Colagrande, author of Fideg, one of the top 10 Italian novels at the Festival du Roman of Cuneo-Chambery.

A special highlight is an online contest launched by the European Union Delegation prior to the Festival, where curious readers submitted their questions to the authors. With Lu Min as judge, two winners were selected to attend the launch reception of the 2017 Literary Festival and to chat with their favorite authors in person.

Sculptures are on display at the Wanlin Art Museum in Wuhan University, in Wuhan city, Hubei province, Nov 19, 2017. [Photo/IC]

The 2017 Fifth Hubei Fine Arts Festival and also Third Hubei International Contemporary Arts Festival is currently underway aCt the Wanlin Art Museum in Wuhan University. A total of 80 different exhibitions will be staged in Wuhan city during the event, covering contemporary ink painting, oil painting, pottery, art installation, sculpture and multi-media. The number of exhibited works, created by 678 artists from home and abroad, will total 1,542. The festival will run through December.

A sculpture is on display at the Wanlin Art Museum in Wuhan University, in Wuhan city, Hubei province, Nov 19, 2017. [Photo/IC]

A sculpture is on display at the Wanlin Art Museum in Wuhan University, in Wuhan city, Hubei province, Nov 19, 2017. [Photo/IC]

A sculpture is on display at the Wanlin Art Museum in Wuhan University, in Wuhan city, Hubei province, Nov 19, 2017. [Photo/IC]

A sculpture is on display at the Wanlin Art Museum in Wuhan University, in Wuhan city, Hubei province, Nov 19, 2017. [Photo/IC] Sculptures are on display at the Wanlin Art Museum in Wuhan University, in Wuhan city, Hubei province, Nov 19, 2017. [Photo/IC] Visitors enjoy meat-like art pieces at the Wanlin Art Museum in Wuhan University, in Wuhan city, Hubei province, Nov 19, 2017. [Photo/IC] A sculpture is on display at the Wanlin Art Museum in Wuhan University, in Wuhan city, Hubei province, Nov 19, 2017. [Photo/IC]

Zhang Yimou takes the chairman seat to lead the 3rd CFDG Yound Director Support Program. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Film director Zhang Yimou has been appointed chairman of the third China Film Directors' Guild Young Director Support Program, according to the organizers.

The China Film Directors' Guild launched the annual program to help young directors raise money and recruit casts in 2015.

Feng Xiaogang, the director who's known for a series of commercially successful hits, was the first chairman in 2015. In the following year, the chairman's seat was handed to Jia Zhangke, an internationally recognized director known for arthouse dramas like Mountains May Depart.

Speaking about his new role, Zhang says he will share his views with young talent in a video clip released at the program's launch in Beijing on Nov 16.

He recalled that he was 37 years old when he directed his first movie, Red Sorghum, which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin film festival in 1988.

The program stipulates that applicants should be younger than 38.

This year, the program will offer new incentives for winners, including an acting class, inviting celebrities to coach as mentors and providing professional training.

Wang Hongwei, the head of the program committee, said the previous winners have benefited from the platform.

"Two films are being shot now and eight are preparing for the filming," said Wang.

Ye Qian, a winner from last year, also showed up at the launch ceremony and unveiled his film, Koali & Rice, which is supported by the guild.

The movie about the catering culture in East China's Fujian province stars Kuei Ya-lei, an award-winning Taiwan actress.

Xu Zheng, an actor-turned director, cited two recent hits by young directors — Mr Zhu's Summer and To Kill a Watermelon — to encourage young talent to create original works.

Actor-turned director Xu Zheng shares his experience with young talent to encourage them to participate the program. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Britain's University of Huddersfield will develop a collaboration project with Fujian Normal University to boost bilateral educational development. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Britain's University of Huddersfield will develop a collaboration project with Fujian Normal University to boost bilateral educational development.

Under the partnership, the British university will send its faculty members to offer normal and art programs for undergraduate and postgraduate students at its Chinese counterpart.

The joint program is scheduled to kick off next year and all Chinese students will be able to apply.

"At the moment, we’re talking about developing and setting up joint colleges with Chinese institutions," said Andrew Mandebura, director of international development.

The university in northern England has formed partnership with nearly 190 education facilities so far in China, including Tsinghua and Peking universities.

"I think as the global influence and power of China develops in the future, it is not only Chinese students given opportunities to study in the UK, but also for UK students to be able to learn about China," Mandebura said.

"We've seen the number of Chinese students coming through rise significantly as a result of the massive growth in these programs in recent years," he added.

Founded in 1841, the university has seen the number of international students triple over the past decade, with Chinese students contributing to 50 percent of the growth, Mandebura said.

The university currently has around 3,000 students from all over the world, including around 2,000 students from China.

Britain's University of Huddersfield will develop a collaboration project with Fujian Normal University to boost bilateral educational development. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A giant bronze drum is seen in Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county, Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Nov 19, 2017. The drum, which is 6.68 meters in diameter, 2.86 meters tall and weighs 50 tons, was designed by a local artist named Wei Qichu who continues the Zhuang people's traditional bronze drum casting techniques. It took seven months for 30 workers to make the drum, which is said to be the world's largest. [Photo/China News Service]

A giant bronze drum is seen in Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county, Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Nov 19, 2017. [Photo/China News Service] A giant bronze drum is seen in Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county, Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Nov 19, 2017. [Photo/China News Service] A giant bronze drum is seen in Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county, Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Nov 19, 2017. [Photo/China News Service]

Owing to its spectacular performance and over 500 years of history, the dance has won several international awards. It was also honored as an intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou province.

Wulixiang Restaurant's signature dishes include (clockwise from top left) eight treasures stuffed duck, drunken chicken, stuffed-and-fried crab, and scallion oil noodles. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A Beijing restaurant specializing in old Shanghai cuisine is reviving interest in disappearing dishes deemed too difficult to prepare. Li Yingxue reports.

Some traditional Shanghai dishes can often be difficult to find at restaurants even in Shanghai, but luckily they are enjoying something of a renaissance at one restaurant in Beijing.

"Wulixiang", a phrase in the local Shanghai dialect which means home, is exactly what founder and chef Zhu Haifeng has called his restaurant.

With more than 20 years' experience in the kitchen, the Shanghai chef started Wulixiang as a private kitchen in Xiezuo Hutong four years ago, to bring a taste of the lanes and alleyways of authentic old Shanghai to Beijing.

With only one waitress to help with serving, Zhu took care of the entire cooking process, from shopping at markets to developing the menus. His meticulous selection of ingredients and precise cooking skills soon garnered him many fans.

"I was happy to be busy cooking all day, but then I realized that my dream of reviving Shanghai cuisine would hardly come true if I continued running a small kitchen," Zhu says.

In August this year, Wulixiang restaurant opened on the ground floor of Pacific Century Place, in the center of Sanlitun. The new restaurant, with a 40-seat dining room, is equipped with three private dining rooms, along with a dedicated bar and wine cellar.

"In the face of so much creativity and innovation in today's restaurant scene, many old dishes are being forgotten," says the 45-year-old.

"I want to make sure that these dishes are passed down to the next generation, no matter how intricate the cooking methods are, or how specific the ingredients."

Now with a cooking team handpicked by Zhu, he has more time to focus on researching and experimenting with old Shanghai dishes.

The newly opened Wulixiang Restaurant in Beijing's Sanlitun area specializes in old Shanghai cuisine. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Stuffed river snails is a traditional delicacy at Wulixiang, but it's getting hard to find even in Shanghai because the dish is so time-consuming to prepare.

It's a complex dish where the snail meat is removed from the shell, diced, and mixed with minced pork leg and seasonings, before being returned to the shell and then gently steamed.

Eight treasures stuffed duck is another traditional dish that used to appear on Shanghai dinner tables. Wulixiang's version uses the most traditional Shanghai-style cooking method - a whole deboned duck stuffed with a mixture of eight high-quality ingredients, including sticky rice, lotus seeds, ham, chicken, dried scallops, dried shiitake mushrooms, and bamboo shoots - is first roasted before it's steamed.

The complicated boning, stuffing and steaming process can take three to four hours, but the gamy scent of the roasted duck and the rich, savory smells of the stuffing ingredients make it worth the wait.

The duck dish has to be pre-ordered because it takes so much time to prepare, as do many other dishes like deboned pig trotters, steamed crab scented with rice wine, and fish head soup in a clay pot.

Some dishes on the regular menu also show Zhu's skill and love for home-cooked Shanghai cuisine.

Sizzling eel is always the signature dish of dinner at Wulixiang, as the oil sizzles with fragrance as it is poured onto the freshly cooked strips of wild-caught eel. It is rich but not oily, as the oil merely coats the eel.

Hairy crab, which Zhu gets from Taihu Lake in Jiangsu province, can be cooked in a variety of ways in the chef's hands, but steaming is the best way to preserve its natural flavor. But flour-coated or stuffed-and-fried crab dishes both have rich flavors, Zhu says.

Soup with shredded chicken, ham and bamboo is a test of any chef 's knife skills, as each of the ingredients has to be sliced into equally-sized thin strips. Also, the light but richly flavored broth is another test of the chef's patience.

"We use hens over three years old, duck, pork leg and pork ribs and cook them together for eight hours," Zhu says. "And then we put minced chicken into the soup for another two to three hours to make the soup clear."

"I believe we could adjust the cooking methods used in traditional dishes a little, but we have to retain the original techniques. No single step can be missed out," says Zhu.

To make the dishes authentically Shanghai-flavored, Zhu purchases the ham and shrimp roes from Shanghai, and some ingredients and vegetables chosen for his Beijing menu are also transported from his hometown.

On Oct 28, Zhu organized a culinary course at Wulixiang to teach his customers how to cook two signature dishes in Shanghai cuisine - scallion oil noodles and drunken chicken.

"I want to present to our customers the culture of traditional Chinese food," he says.

Feng Yiran, 24, a Shanghai cuisine lover, joined Zhu's class. "I've tried to make scallion oil noodles at home, but I failed," Feng says. "After chef Zhu showed us how to properly boil the noodles and create the scallion oil, I think I will be able to nail it next time."

"The trick is to get the right proportion between the scallions and the oil."

Feng also tried Zhu's signature dishes. "The dishes and the environment at Wulixiang remind me of what I ate and experienced in Shanghai," Feng says.

Shanghai cuisine has not entered the mainstream in the capital's dining scene, but Zhu believes there is no need to alter the flavor to appeal to northern tastes. "Good food isn't separated by region. If you cook it the right way, everyone will enjoy it."

A staff member takes care of white tiger cubs at the Taiyuan Zoo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

This year, Taiyuan Zoo in Shanxi province prepared for a white tiger breeding peak. As the park's white tigers are raised with artificial feeding, tiger mothers have no nurturing experience. Thus Taiyuan Zoo set up a "White Tiger Kindergarten". According to zookeeper Ren Xigui, now there are six tiger babies in the kindergarten. Daily food is provided according to the cubs' ages. The two-month-old tiger baby eats three meals a day for milk, while the rest eat two meals a day, enjoying fresh beef.

A staff member takes care of white tiger cubs at the Taiyuan Zoo.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A white tiger is seen at the Taiyuan Zoo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A white tiger is seen at the Taiyuan Zoo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A white tiger is seen at the Taiyuan Zoo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A staff member takes care of a white tiger cub at the Taiyuan Zoo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A staff member takes care of a white tiger cub at the Taiyuan Zoo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

People wait to view terracotta warriors during a press preview at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) in Richmond, Virginia, the United States, on Nov 15, 2017. Titled "Terracotta Army: Legacy of the First Emperor of China", the exhibition features more than 130 artifacts, including 10 life-size terracotta warriors. The exhibition will be at VMFA from Nov 18 to March 11, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

A little lighthouse in Qingdao is portrayed in artwork by Liu Ping in Qingdao, Shandong province, on Nov 14, 2017. [Photo by Wang Haibin/Asianewsphoto]

Liu Ping, an art teacher from a primary school in Qingdao city of Shandong province, has created a new series of propylene leaf paintings, which fuses landscapes of the coastal city with leaves to portray a fairytale world. Liu has created more than 200 leaf-themed artworks using different painting techniques.

A creative leaf painting by Liu Ping is showcased in Qingdao, Shandong province.[Photo by Wang Haibin/Asianewsphoto]

Creative leaf painting by Liu Ping are showcased in Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo by Wang Haibin/Asianewsphoto]

A creative leaf painting by Liu Ping is showcased in Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo by Wang Haibin/Asianewsphoto]

A creative leaf painting by Liu Ping is showcased in Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo by Wang Haibin/Asianewsphoto] Students show leaf paintings created by their teacher Liu Ping in Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo by Wang Haibin/Asianewsphoto]

While the earliest common use of pingfeng dated back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), the furniture piece flourished in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) royal palace, which had more than 290 varieties. Screens were placed on desks, walls and the ground. A variety of exquisite screens can be seen in the list of relics below.

A red sandalwood-framed folding screen embedded with jade and flower paintings, from the Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A Qing Dynasty red sandalwood-framed hanging screen shaped like a gourd and embedded with jade. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A round jasper table screen from the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A red sandalwood-framed table screen embedded with a glass painting, from the Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A red sandalwood-framed folding screen embedded with glass oil paintings, from the Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A Qing Dynasty hanging screen with painted flowers and embedded jade. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A red sandalwood-framed screen embedded with dyed ivory, willow and swallow paintings from the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] X A double-sided red sandalwood-framed table screen embedded with bamboo, flower and bird paintings from the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A red carved screen from the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A red sandalwood-framed screen embedded with ivory, flower and bird paintings from the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A Qing Dynasty hardwood table screen inlaid with mother-of-pearl and a landscape painting. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A Qing Dynasty rosewood-framed table screen embedded with a glass mirror. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] An embedded enamel hanging screen featuring a painting of court figures, from the Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

Zhang Chongsheng, a master of straw art, uses common wheat straws to create works of art in Jinan, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

Wheat is a staple food in North China, and wheat straw is generally used as a natural fertilizer or to feed livestock. But 67-year-old Zhang Chongsheng turns wheat straw into works of art in Jinan, East China's Shandong province.

Zhang has created art from straw for more than 40 years. Due to his artistic achievements, Zhang was certified as a "folk master of arts and crafts" and straw art was listed as intangible cultural heritage in Jinan.

Zhang Chongsheng shows his art. [Photo/IC]

Zhang Chongsheng also uses straws to create calligraphy art. [Photo/IC]

A work created by Zhang Chongsheng, a master of straw art in Jinan, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

A work created by Zhang Chongsheng, a master of straw art in Jinan, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

A work created by Zhang Chongsheng, a master of straw art in Jinan, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

A work created by Zhang Chongsheng, a master of straw art in Jinan, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

A work created by Zhang Chongsheng, a master of straw art in Jinan, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

A ring decorated with a porcelain bead is on display at a factory of Cihai ceramic company in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi province on Nov 12. As the first maker of porcelain jewelry in Jingdezhen, the company has been dedicated to turning ceramic residues into exquisite beadwork. It took 10 years for the company to improve manufacturing techniques and produce glossy beads hard enough to use in jewelries. Jingdezhen, or Jingde town, formerly known as the "Porcelain Capital" of China, is one of China's most famous cultural and historic cities. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Rings decorated with porcelain beads is on display at a factory of Cihai ceramic company in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi province on Nov 12. [Photo/Chinanews.com] Cihai porcelain company bustles with workers producing porcelain beads to be used on jewelries in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi province on Nov 12, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com] Cihai porcelain company bustles with workers producing porcelain beads to be used on jewelries in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi province on Nov 12, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com] Cihai porcelain company bustles with workers producing porcelain beads to be used on jewelries in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi province on Nov 12, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com] Cihai porcelain company bustles with workers producing porcelain beads to be used on jewelries in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi province on Nov 12, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com] Porcelain beads produced by Cihai porcelain company in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi province on Nov 12, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com] Porcelain earrings are on display at a factory of Cihai ceramic company in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi province on Nov 12. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Jiang Jing's oil painting. [Photo by Li Hongrui/chinadaily.com.cn]

With the passing of the 19th solar term known as the Start of Winter, the coldest season of the year is upon us.

As always, winter means blowing winds, falling leaves and a world dressed in simple black and gray.

On the streets of Beijing, only curled Chinese roses and their withered red petals can remind people of the past colorful seasons.

Yet, the colors of spring can be found once again.

They are in painter Jiang Jing's art, featured at her recent exhibition titled Lyric Suite.

On her canvases, there's a half dream and half real world. A little horse stands on flowers in a bright green world. Red colors infuse pink and rosy ones. A little girl cuddles a horse.

Jiang Jing's oil painting. [Photo by Li Hongrui/chinadaily.com.cn] A dream spanning 10 years

"The exhibition includes two series -- one is about a dream, the other plants and flowers," Jiang said. "They are inspired by emotions and feelings."

In a black cashmere overcoat and gray boots, the 42 year-old painter still wore a teenage girl's shy smile when she spoke with China Daily Website.

Jiang just held her solo exhibition, Star and Moon Island, in October.

"The works displayed last month are very different from the ones here," the artist said, "They are more rational, and I used many dark colors, such as blue, black and white."

The paintings being showcased, however, are more soft and feminine, with plenty of red, pink, bright green and yellow.

According to Jiang, there is a story behind each work.

"The dream series is about a little girl's dream. The girl dreams of a little horse and they enjoy a period of happiness," the artist said.

"When she wakes up, she finds a wooden horse lying on a table. Yet compared to the horse in her dream, the wooden one looks more unreal to her."

The series about this dream took Jiang 10 years to finish.

Jiang Jing's oil painting. [Photo by Li Hongrui/chinadaily.com.cn]

Spring colors shine with vitality and softness

Another series about plants and flowers is also a colorful feast for the eyes.

"For this series, the two colors I used most are pinkish red and yellow-green," Jiang said.

Such colors, blended together, bring out the healthy beauty and mild character of Mother Nature.

The curator of the exhibition, Susan W. Radovic, said Jiang's paintings have a gentle quality by using nuanced colors to bring a fresh, lyrical and feminine feeling to her works.

"Jiang Jing deconstructs the patches of colors to create spaces," Radovic said. "The longer you watch the paintings, the more you become aware of the very subtle use of shapes and colors to create a special effect. It is like looking at the world with eyes half closed, like a dream picture."

Jiang Jing's oil painting. [Photo by Li Hongrui/chinadaily.com.cn]

Feeling good as a woman

Though such works have a strong feminine tone, Jiang said in a 2008 interview that great artists should create works without distinctive gender features.

However, when being asked if she still had the same idea now, the artist holds a different view.

"At that time, I was still young and felt confused about my gender identity, especially as a woman. I didn't want my work to be judged by my gender," Jiang said, "Now, I've become mature and feel good being a female artist."

To her, the more important thing is to paint and freely express her inner feelings.

Femininity didn't hold her back creatively. Instead it accentuates her works, as they were praised by artist Zhu Jiuyang as "expressing a spiritual sensitivity."

Jiang Jing's oil painting. [Photo by Li Hongrui/chinadaily.com.cn]

Like the plants and flowers that elegantly prosper in her paintings, Jiang seems to be enjoying her present life.

The artist said she looks like a tree, will never cease growing up and still feels curious about the world.

"The world is a garden that has been waiting for me to become mature," Jiang said.

If you go

Nov 11-30. Shang Ba Art Gallery, 1/F, Shang 8 Culture Group Building. Yard 3, Xiadianjia Chaoyang district, Beijing.

Jiang Jing's oil painting. [Photo by Li Hongrui/chinadaily.com.cn] Jiang Jing's oil painting. [Photo by Li Hongrui/chinadaily.com.cn] Painter Jiang Jing. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Jiang Jing's solo exhibition Lyric Suite was unveiled at the Shang Ba Art Gallery, Beijing, Nov 11, 2017. [Photo by Li Hongrui/chinadaily.com.cn]  Two visitors at Jiang Jing's solo exhibition Lyric Suite at the Shang Ba Art Gallery, Beijing, Nov 11, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Jiang Jing (middle) introduces her paintings to visitors at her solo exhibition at the Shang Ba Art Gallery, Beijing, Nov 11, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Curator of the exhibition Susan W. Radovic (first from left) and visitors pose for a photo at Jiang Jing's exhibition, Nov 11, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]  Artists and guests pose for photo at Jiang Jing's exhibition, Nov 11, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A visitor watches Chinese children's paintings at the King Abdullah Cultural Centre in Zarqa, Jordan, on Nov 12, 2017. The activities of the Chinese Cultural Week started in Jordan's Zarqa governorate on Sunday on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Jordan and China. [Photo/Xinhua]

The activities of the Chinese Cultural Week started in Jordan's Zarqa governorate on Sunday.

The activities, held at the King Abdullah Cultural Centre in Zarqa, were launched on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Jordan and China.

Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Pan Weifang said the cultural week provides an opportunity for the residents of Zarqa governorate to get acquainted with the Chinese culture and historic ties.

He said a Chinese cultural centre will also be open in Amman soon, noting that the Chinese cultural week is held in partnership between the ministries of culture in Jordan and China.

The Chinese cultural attache at the embassy stressed on the importance of the cultural week, adding that the ties between the two sides are strategic.

He stressed on the need for such activities to deepen ties in all areas.

Hazaa Barri, secretary general of the Ministry of Culture of Jordan, said several activities including a children paintings exhibition, a photo exhibition and a Chinese films show will be held over the next seven days.

Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Pan Weifang (1st L, front) introduces the pictures on display at the King Abdullah Cultural Centre in Zarqa, Jordan, on Nov 12, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

A visitor looks at a painting on display at the exhibition In Pursuit of Harmony - An Exhibition of Chinese Traditional Cultural Lifestyle in Brussels, Nov 2, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

An exhibition showcasing traditional Chinese culture and ways of living is being held at the China Cultural Center in Brussels.

Titled In Pursuit of Harmony - An Exhibition of Chinese Traditional Cultural Lifestyle, the cultural event covers paintings and calligraphies, workshops and lectures, narrating the time-honored "four areas of elegance" in traditional Chinese life: viewing paintings, smelling incense, tasting tea and arranging flowers.

A total of 29 works of art are on display, presenting China's vast landscapes in paintings, calligraphies and stone sculptures. In a workshop set up on the sidelines of the exhibit, visitors also have a chance to try Chinese tea and enjoy Chinese incense.

Speaking at the opening ceremony Nov 2, Xiang Shihai, councilor of the Chinese embassy in Brussels, said the event is a rare opportunity for locals to learn about age-old Chinese culture and to appreciate the art of living among elite Chinese in ancient times.

The exhibition runs through Nov 29.

People watch demonstrations of Chinese incense. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

A visitor looks at tea sets on display at the exhibition. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

People listen to lectures about traditional Chinese culture. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

The prize-winning fondant cake Wu Zetian created by Zhou Yi for the UK's Cake International competition, Nov 4, 2017. [Photo/Sina Weibo account of Zhou Yi]

A Chinese style fondant cake created by patissier Zhou Yi recently won a big round of applause as well as the First International Best prize at Cake International, the world's largest cake competition held in the UK.

It portrays young Wu Zetian, the only officially recognized empress regnant throughout Chinese history, sitting in front of a folding screen surrounded by exquisite interior designs.

"I originally wanted to create a Chinese emperor figure, then I thought adding some feminine quality to this image might be great," Zhou said. "That's how I came up with the Wu Zetian idea."

The features of the character are so lifelike one can actually count her eyelashes. All the intricate parts, including the incense burner, palace lantern and picture scrolls, are handmade and edible.

According to Zhou, implementing a design with sugar and flour is a lengthy process of trial and error.

"Some parts were remade eight times just because the result was not quite what I wanted," Zhou said. "You need to build every single component over and over again until you find the perfect fit."

Zhou learnt traditional Chinese techniques of food carving and dough modeling in his earlier years. After he became a patissier, he started to integrate Chinese food crafts with Western cake making.

"To create something new and fresh, that's what impressed the jury of Cake International," Zhou said.

He hopes more young people in China will learn about this exciting vocation through him. "Let people know more about China, and China the world."

The prize-winning fondant cake Wu Zetian created by Zhou Yi for the UK's Cake International competition, Nov 4, 2017. [Photo/Sina Weibo account of Zhou Yi] Details of the prize-winning fondant cake Wu Zetian created by Zhou Yi for the UK's Cake International competition, Nov 4, 2017. [Photo/Sina Weibo account of Zhou Yi] Details of the prize-winning fondant cake Wu Zetian created by Zhou Yi for the UK's Cake International competition, Nov 4, 2017. [Photo/Sina Weibo account of Zhou Yi] Details of the prize-winning fondant cake Wu Zetian created by Zhou Yi for the UK's Cake International competition, Nov 4, 2017. [Photo/Sina Weibo account of Zhou Yi] The prize-winning fondant cake Wu Zetian created by Zhou Yi for the UK's Cake International competition, Nov 4, 2017. [Photo/Sina Weibo account of Zhou Yi]

A matchmaking advertisement is seen on a bus in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan province, on Aug 8, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

A human resources website along with an online matchmaking platform released a report on single professionals' dating needs Thursday, showing "programmer" is the job which has the highest rate of singles in China.

The report was published online by Zhaopin.com, one of China's leading recruitment websites, and Zhenai.com, an online dating platform. It conducted an online sample survey and received a total of 12,102 effective samples.

According to the report, 27 percent of single professionals would leave the first-tier cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, for their hometowns due to staying single for a long time. And five percent are willing to give up love to stay in major cities.

The report indicated busier jobs can influence marriage and love status. The top three jobs having highest singles rates are technician, financial staff and sales positions, jobs with little leisure time in the public's eyes.

The data also showed almost 64 percent of professionals think their marriage and love status would matter when finding jobs.

What the interviewers were interested in hearing from interviewees most included their reasons for being single, when they would want to get married and basic information of their ideal matches, the survey said.

Story of Su San is staged in Shanghai, Oct 28, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Peking Opera, with a history of more than 200 years, is one of China's major traditional art forms. Combining instrumental music, vocal performances, mime, dance and acrobatics, it has been inscribed into the UNESCO Intangible World Heritage list since 2010.

It features four main types of performers, called sheng (male role), dan (female role), jing (painted-face male role) and chou (clown).

Peking Opera uses simple stage settings and props, which usually are just a couple of chairs and tables. To represent big items, such as boats or mountains, it relies on stage performances instead of actual installations.

For costumes and headdresses, Peking Opera performers use bright and contrasting colors, which are strictly based on the rank, occupation and lifestyle of different characters. Their faces are painted with elaborate make-up, also indicating a character's social status and personality.

The list of Peking Opera classics is too long to enumerate. Here, you can have a glimpse of 10 selected masterpieces and get ready to fall in love with them!

The Drunken Concubine is staged in Beijing, Dec 3, 2016. [Photo/IC] 1. The Drunken Concubine The Drunken Concubine is almost a one-person show. Set in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), it portrays one of China's legendary beauties, Yang Yuhuan. Yang, as the emperor's favorite concubine, arranges a banquet one night and waits for the emperor to come. But after knowing she's been stood up because the emperor chose another concubine over her, Yang decides to drink alone. Master Mei Lanfang once gave an outstanding performance of Yang's various stages of intoxication, her jealousy and bitterness, and her intention to forget all the unhappiness. For the video link, click here. Monkey King is staged in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nov 29, 2009. [Photo/IC] 2. Monkey King The play derived from the Chinese classical novel Journey to the West, centering on a mythological figure named Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King. Sun Wukong is a monkey born from a stone who then obtains supernatural powers through Taoist practices. After rebelling against the gods and being jailed under a mountain by the Buddha, he is later sent to protect Xuanzang the monk on a pilgrimage for Buddhist scriptures. For the video link, click here. Farewell My Concubine is staged in Beijing, Feb 7, 2015. [Photo/IC] 3. Farewell My Concubine Based on real events from more than 2,000 years ago, the opera recounts a famous tragic love story set in the transitional period between the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). Xiang Yu, the king of Western Chu, is battling with rebel leader Liu Bang, founder of the Han Dynasty, for control of the empire. The night before their final battle, Xiang's troops are outnumbered and surrounded by Liu's army. King Xiang hears Liu's troops singing Western Chu songs, suggesting his homeland has already been subjugated. Seeing the king is in deep despair, his concubine Yu performs a sword dance to show her devotion to him. Fearful of being a burden to the king during the ultimate battle, Yu commits suicide with the king's sword right after the dance. For the video link, click here. A River All Red is staged in Jilin, Jilin province, May 14, 2016. [Photo/VCG] 4. A River All Red A River All Red tells the story of Yue Fei, a hero who fought against invading troops during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). Yue is one of the most famous generals in China's history and a legend of resolute loyalty to his country and allegiance to his people. The opera opens with Yue's heroic battle against enemies from the north, which leads to his imprisonment, caused by the aspersion of Qin Hui, a treacherous court official. Many details of the opera are derived from official historical records of the Southern Song Dynasty. In the end, Yue is killed by Qin, but other patriotic generals carry out his will and save the country. For the video link, click here. Unicorn Trapping Purse is staged in Beijing, April 8, 2017. [Photo/VCG] 5. Unicorn Trapping Purse Unicorn Trapping Purse, written by Wen Ouhong in 1937, is the representative work of Peking Opera master Chen Yanqiu. According to ancient Chinese tradition, families need to prepare a lot of jewelry to ensure a bride is well provided for and will have promising sons. In this story, the big treasure purse is called "unicorn trapping purse". Xue Xianglin, the heroine, uses her treasure to do many good deeds. In the end, she and her family are also lifted out of crisis by an anonymous supporter. For the video link, click here. White Snake Legend is staged in Beijing, May 14, 2016. [Photo/VCG] 6. White Snake Legend White Snake Legend is based on a traditional Chinese legend that has been adapted in many plays, TV shows and films. It tells a love story between a beautiful woman, Bai Suzhen, who was a white snake but was transformed into a human, and a young man named Xu Xian. The story is now counted as one of China's four great folktales, the others being Lady Meng Jiang, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, and The Cowherd and the Weaving Maid (Niulang Zhinu). For the video link, click here. The Ruse of the Empty City is staged in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, April 14, 2010. [Photo/VCG] 7. The Ruse of the Empty City The Ruse of the Empty City is a very famous story from the Chinese novel The Romance of Three Kingdoms. The whole play consists of three parts: Lost of Jie-Ting Pass, Empty City Strategy, and Execution of Ma Su. The empty city strategy is one of the many examples demonstrating military chancellor Zhuge Liang's incredible resourcefulness. It means to open the gate of a poorly-armed city and meet the powerful enemy with unexpected composure. The suspicious leader of the opposing army, Sima Yi, judging from Zhuge's calmness, concludes the city is a trap with a huge army hidden inside. Sima turns back and the city is saved. For the video link, click here. Female Generals of the Yang Family is staged in Shanghai, April 2, 2017. [Photo/IC] 8. Female Generals of the Yang Family Female Generals of the Yang Family is a historical saga based on a military family from the early Song Dynasty (960–1279). Written by composer Du Mingxin, the stories recount the unflinching loyalty and the remarkable bravery of these female generals as they come to the battlefield and protect their homeland. The opera is set during the war between the Northern Song Dynasty and the Kingdom of Western Xia, after the death of the Song general, Yang Zongbao. Yang Zongbao's 100-year-old grandmother, She Saihua, along with Mu Guiying and other widows of the Yang family, lead the Song army to resist the invaders. For the video link, click here. Wild Boar Forest is staged in Beijing, Jan 21, 2012. [Photo/VCG] 9. Wild Boar Forest Wild Boar Forest draws from Water Margin by Shi Nai'an, one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature. In the 1940s, performing artist Li Shaochun made quite a few adaptations of the original script and brought it to the stage in Shanghai. Set in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the story tells how Lin Chong, trainer of 800,000 imperial guards, is framed and nearly assassinated during his exile. Lin is saved by his sworn brother Lu Zhishen, after which they go to Liangshan Marsh and join the insurgent force. For the video link, click here. The Phoenix Returns Home is staged in Shanghai, Oct 29, 2016. [Photo/VCG] 10. The Phoenix Returns Home The Phoenix Returns Home is a romantic farce. It was first performed by Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang in 1929 and is now one of the most popular Peking Operas. It tells the humorous story of a senior court minister who retires and returns to his hometown with his two daughters. The elder daughter, Xueyan, is a plain and ordinary woman, while the younger one is beautiful and elegant. The opera is a tale of love, manipulation and mistaken identity. For the video link, click here.

A video recording from Xinhua showing Arabella Kushner, US President Donald Trump's granddaughter, singing Chinese songs and reciting Chinese literary classics caused another internet sensation in China Wednesday night.

In the video clip, Arabella, wearing a traditional embroidered Chinese dress, greets President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan.

The six-year-old sings two songs Our Fields, Beautiful Fields, and My Good Mom. The former, written in 1953 and adored by Chinese teenagers for decades, expresses one's love and affection for the motherland and nature. The latter is a popular nursery rhyme widespread in China.

She also displayed knowledge about Chinese literature by reciting Three Character Classic, a Confucianist volume to educate young children, and two ancient poems of Li Bai, Watching the Fall of Lushan Mountain, and Departing from White King City at Dawn.

Xi spoke highly of the child's Mandarin abilities and said her performance deserved an "A Plus". He said Arabella was already a star in China and hoped she would visit China one day.

Numerous media websites and netizens reposted the video. It has received 2.3 million clicks on Sina Weibo, China's popular social media platform, as of press time.

"What a talented and smart girl she is!" Weibo user Yumeiren said. "I hope she can make more contributions to fostering China-US friendship in the future."

"Bravo, kiddo!" Alvin Valeriano said on Youtube. "Good ambassador of goodwill, you are Arabella. JIA YOU!"

Earlier this year, during President Xi's visit to the United States, Arabella has already performed for the president and his wife at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on April 6. Standing alongside her parents, Arabella sang Jasmine, a Chinese folk song with her brother Joseph.

Following are two ancient poems recited by Arabella Kushner.

Watching the Fall of Lushan Mountain

Sunlight streaming on incense

Stone kindles a violet smoke,

Far off I watch the waterfall

flunge to the long river,

Flying waters descending

straight three thousand feet,

Till I think the Milky Way has tumbled

from the ninth height of Heaven.

Departing from White King City at Dawn

At dawn I left the walled city of White King,

Towering among the many-colored cloud;

And came down stream in a day

One thousand li to Jiangling.

The screams of monkeys on either bank

Had scarcely ceased echoong in my ear

When my skiff had left behind it

Ten thousand ranges of hills.

A villager arranges tiger-head shoes in her store in Sanbeizhang village of Renxian county, North China's Hebei province, Nov 7, 2017. It's still customary in many rural areas to dress infants in embroidered tiger-head shoes with the hope that they will become as robust and dynamic as tigers. [Photo/Xinhua]

A villager makes tiger-head shoes for sale in Sanbeizhang village of Renxian county, North China's Hebei province, Nov 7, 2017. It's still customary in many rural areas to dress infants in embroidered tiger-head shoes with the hope that they will become as robust and dynamic as tigers. [Photo/Xinhua] A villager puts tiger-head shoes on the shelf in Sanbeizhang village of Renxian county, North China's Hebei province, Nov 7, 2017. It's still customary in many rural areas to dress infants in embroidered tiger-head shoes with the hope that they will become as robust and dynamic as tigers. [Photo/Xinhua] A villager makes tiger-head shoes for sale in Sanbeizhang village of Renxian county, North China's Hebei province, Nov 7, 2017. It's still customary in many rural areas to dress infants in embroidered tiger-head shoes with the hope that they will become as robust and dynamic as tigers. [Photo/Xinhua] A villager airs the newly-made patterns for tiger-head shoes in Sanbeizhang village of Renxian county, North China's Hebei province, Nov 7, 2017. It's still customary in many rural areas to dress infants in embroidered tiger-head shoes with the hope that they will become as robust and dynamic as tigers. [Photo/Xinhua]

Shanghai Hengyuanxiang (HYX) Drama Development Company, the producer of Shimmer, and Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment sign a deal on Nov 6 to bring the production to Broadway. [Photo/Xinhua]

The original production Shimmer has become the first Chinese musical to have an open-ended run in Broadway starting in 2019.

Shanghai Hengyuanxiang (HYX) Drama Development Company, the producer of Shimmer, and Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment signed a deal on Nov 6 to bring the production to Broadway.

The musical will also begin its open-ended run in Shanghai in 2019.

Shimmer, which tells a story about Jews who fled to Shanghai to escape Nazi persecution during World War II, premiered at the Shanghai Culture Square in 2015. Five days later, the musical was chosen as the opening show for the 17th China Shanghai International Arts Festival. In December last year, it was presented at the Edison Ballroom in Times Square.

Directed by Xu Jun, Shimmer is a bilingual musical and performed in both English and Mandarin.

"It's a milestone for Shimmer in its goal to further spread its influence to the world," said Chen Zhongwei, president of Shanghai HYX Drama. "In the next two years, our team will polish the story and the performance to Broadway standards, providing the audience with the highest level of musical art."

The musical will also be presented in 2019 to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US.

"Through this drama, the audience can feel the charm of Chinese culture," said Sean Stein, consul general of the Consulate General of the United States in Shanghai.

"With this play being shown on Broadway in the future, the ties between the Chinese people and Americans will be firmly strengthened."

A file photo of Shimmer. [Photo/VCG] A file photo of Shimmer. [Photo/VCG] A file photo of Shimmer. [Photo/VCG]

A painting on display at the China Art Museum in Shanghai on Oct 28, 2017. A total of 96 artworks created by artists born in or based in Shanghai are being showcased at the museum to mark the 96-year-old history of the Communist Party of China and to commemorate the 19th National Congress which took place earlier this month. Titled From Shikumen to Tian'anmen, the exhibition runs through Nov 20. [Photo/VCG]

People look at paintings on display at the China Art Museum in Shanghai on Oct 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

An art installation on display at the China Art Museum in Shanghai on Oct 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

People look at a painting on display at the China Art Museum in Shanghai on Oct 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

A sculpture on display at the China Art Museum in Shanghai on Oct 28, 2017, to mark the 96-year-old history of the Communist Party of China. [Photo/VCG]

Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org]

An exhibition featuring Chinese master painter Liu Haisu's 101 works was unveiled at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing on Nov 3.

Born in 1896 in Jiangsu province, Liu devoted himself to creating Chinese-style oil paintings and traditional ink paintings.

The artist had a strong emotional attachment to Huangshan Mountain and went there 10 times.

"The mountain is my favorite place. Its great view has been imprinted in my mind deeply. Even I am old, when I think of it, I can touch its vigor and beauty," the artist once said.

In his paintings, large clouds and rocks portray the colorful and splendid scenery of Huangshan Mountain. Liu passed away in 1994. When he was young, he toured Europe and had a special interest in impressionism and fauvism.

The exhibition will run until Nov 26.

Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's traditional ink painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's oil painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's oil painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's oil painting. [Photo/namoc.org] Liu Haisu's oil painting. [Photo/namoc.org]

People watch the closing concert at the Youth Orchestra Festival in New Zealand on Oct 23, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

A free public orchestral concert was performed by a group of young musicians in Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui in New Zealand on Oct 23 to conclude a long weekend of the Youth Orchestra Festival and to promote cultural exchanges among young people.

The closing concert, co-hosted by the China Cultural Center in New Zealand and the Manawatu Youth Orchestra, featured local orchestras, including the Manawatu Youth Orchestra, Kapiti Youth Orchestra and Wellington Youth Sinfonietta, and involved a Chinese repertoire.

The concert was performed by around 90 young musicians aged 9 to 19 and encompassed Russian, European and Chinese styles to reflect the cultural diversity of the orchestra members. The repertoire included Dance of the Yao People – a Chinese classic, Three Kazakh Dances, and Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.

The concert drew some 300 audience members. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

As a first-time co-organizer of the 20-year-old orchestral concert, Guo Zongguang, director of the China Cultural Center in New Zealand, expressed his enthusiasm for the potential of more of these events to build people-to-people connections between China and New Zealand.

Jeff McNeill, president of the Manawatu Youth Orchestra, said it was thanks to the support of the China Cultural Center that so many of the young musicians were able to attend the weekend festival and play alongside their counterparts from other orchestras. "A number of our players have a Chinese cultural background and it is great to use the festival to explore the Chinese orchestral repertoire.”

Students perform at the closing concert of the Youth Orchestra Festival on Oct 23, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Students perform at the closing concert of the Youth Orchestra Festival on Oct 23, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Students perform at the closing concert of the Youth Orchestra Festival on Oct 23, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Students perform at the closing concert of the Youth Orchestra Festival on Oct 23, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Jeff McNeill, president of the Manawatu Youth Orchestra, speaks at the concert on Oct 23, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Guo Zongguang, director of China Cultural Center in New Zealand, speaks at the closing concert of the Youth Orchestra Festival on Oct 23, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] A performer reads music during the closing concert of the Youth Orchestra Festival. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

When the hot dog becomes the famous painting Girl with a Pearl Earring. [Photo/IC and Mtime]

Just imagine -- when your favorite hot dogs become artwork, would you like to have a try?

One talented food artist makes sure every dog has its day, as he turns regular hot dogs into pop culture references.

Erik Vernieuwe has converted standard hot dogs into E.T., Daft Punk, Geri Halliwell, Wonder Woman and many other references that are instantly recognizable.

Each tasty masterpiece takes between 15 and 45 minutes to create, and to date the artist has made more than 160 works.

When the hot dog becomes American actress Marilyn Monroe. [Photo/IC and Mtime] When the hot dog becomes the heroine Wonder Woman. [Photo/IC and Mtime] When the hot dog becomes the super hero Batman. [Photo/IC and Mtime] When the hot dog becomes the movie poster for American Beauty. [Photo/IC and Mtime] When the hot dog becomes English singer Geri Halliwell, better known as Ginger Spice, a member of Spice Girls. [Photo/IC and Mtime] When hot dogs look like characters in the film The Shining. [Photo/IC and Mtime] When the hot dog becomes Wally from the comic book series Where’s Wally. [Photo/IC] When hot dogs become Daft Punk, a French electronic music duo. [Photo/IC] When hot dogs become the Rockettes, a dance company with leading dancers. [Photo/IC] When the hot dog becomes the cover the album Nevermind by American rock band Nirvana. [Photo/IC] When hot dogs become a group of unknown creatures in the film Alien. [Photo/IC and Mtime] When the hot dog becomes Robocop. [Photo/IC and Mtime]

Yan Wei (left) runs with a volunteer guide in a marathon in Tai'an, Shandong province, in April. [Photo provided to China Daily]

He has completed 14 full marathons in two years and Yan Wei, a visually-impaired runner, just wants to keep going. Fang Aiqing reports.     

Yan Wei, a 30-year-old blind man from Gaomi, Shandong province, is thrilled. He has just covered the 42.2-kilometer distance in a marathon in Longkou, a coastal city in Shandong province, on Sunday, beating his personal record, with a new time of 3 hours, 15 minutes and 58 seconds.

While running, he heard the sound of sea as the race route hugged the coast.

He had two guides to help him－and Yan was tethered to him with a safety rope.

It was Yan's 14th full marathon.

Yan is also known as the first blind runner from the Chinese mainland to finish the Boston Marathon in the United States, the world's oldest annual marathon and one of the six major marathon events in the world.

Yan, who lost his sight when he was a few months old due to a tumor, started running two years ago, after learning that volunteers were available to assist visually-impaired runners at the 2015 Beijing Marathon.

Yan (center) was the first blind runner from the Chinese mainland to finish the Boston Marathon. Cheng Yi (left) and Cai Shiyin (right) are volunteers from the nonprofit Running in the Dark.[Photo provided to China Daily]

When he started training with the help of his sister and parents, he could run only for 2 or 3 km at a time.

But soon he improved so much that his sister had to ride a bike to stay ahead of him and guide him during training.

It took him just four months to be ready for his first full marathon.

Yan attributes his quick progress to the physical strength gained through a daily exercise regimen that included more than 10,000 jump rope repetitions.

Since then, he has only upped his pace.

According to Yan, ideally, he would like to run 200 km per month.

"I feel uncomfortable if I do not run for two days in a row," says Yan.

But his training is subject to the availability of running guides. And it is becoming harder for Yan to find running guides for marathons now, because there are few guides who can run faster than him.

His guides typically need to be in better physical condition than him and have faster personal times than he does.

Shu Hao, an experienced marathon runner, was one of Yan's running guides for this year's Beijing Marathon.

Speaking of how they paired up for the Beijing event, Shu says: "I first met Yan during the Boston Marathon (in April)."

Yan runs a massage parlor in his hometown, Gaomi in Shandong province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

As for Yan, instead of trying to prove himself every time he runs, he has now moved to enjoy the process. He now smiles more often as he enjoys the process of running and this is reflected in the media coverage he receives.

In September, Yan completed his third Beijing Marathon in 3 hours 40 minutes despite being tripped up during the race.

Yan thought he could have done better, but admitted that he had eaten too much the night before and was also suffering from gastrointestinal discomfort.

As for breaking boundaries, Yan is now finding ways to make it more comfortable for him when it comes to running while ignoring conventional norms followed by visually-impaired runners.

Speaking about Yan's other strengths, Shu says that he is impressed not only by his confidence and determination to train, but also the proficiency with which Yan operates his mobile phone.

The internet is a key channel for Yan to learn about the world and the new technologies he uses greatly facilitate his daily life.

For now, Yan has installed screen readers on his phone and computer. And with the devices he can "read" at least three times faster than typical radio and television announcers.

He also shops online and buys most of his running gear on the e-commerce platform Taobao. Yan also takes screen-shots of his race and training data and sends them to his friends.

Besides, he is able to fix most of the problems that occur on his computer.

The marathoner keeps up his physical strength with daily exercise regimen. [Photo provided to China Daily]

In recent years, Yan has turned his attention from books on social sciences, nonfiction and traditional Chinese culture to philosophy.

As he puts it, he has moved from masterpieces of great philosophers like Plato, Kant and Feng Youlan and learned to live his life more positively.

Cheng Yi, a volunteer of Running in the Dark, a nonprofit running group that provides professional running training for the visually impaired, has guided Yan in four marathon races. He is impressed with Yan's mindset.

"He is very optimistic and rarely thinks negatively," says Cheng.

Yan earns his living as a masseur.

And after seven years of working in Hangzhou and Beijing, he returned to his hometown, Gaomi, and opened his own massage parlor.

He sees himself as having persistence.

"I am keen on improving myself in things that really matter to me," says Yan.

Contact the writer at fangaiqing@chinadaily.com.cn

Artist Xue Qiaoping shows "teeth playing". [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Paint a face red, add several long teeth in the mouth, and stare at people with blinking eyes.

This is not a performance for this past Halloween.

It is "teeth playing",  a stunt in the old opera Ninghai Pingdiao that originated in Zhejiang province toward the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The teeth used in the opera, long and sharp, were tusks of male pigs that weigh over 200 kilograms. The average length of each tooth is about 8 centimeters.

During the performance, an artist needs to put several such teeth in the mouth and shows them to express the role's emotions while singing and speaking lines.

This doesn't sound like the kind of skill a young woman could master.

However, post-80s female artist Xue Qiaoping excels at this feat, and can have at least 10 tusks in her mouth. As one of the young inheritors of the performance, she overcame many obstacles to learn "teeth playing".

"The tusks were very sharp and they broke my mouth and gums during the practice. During that time, I couldn't eat and drink as usual. But I chose to go on with it," Xue said, recalling her experience when she first started learning.

To improve her skills, Xue had tusks in her mouth all the time except when eating and sleeping.

Despite the difficulties, she didn't give up, while the other seven learners couldn't bear and quit.

In the past 10 years, she came to master the skill to perform with 10 teeth. This is the highest level an artist can have in teeth playing.

In 2006, Ninghai Pingdiao was listed in the first group of National Intangible Cultural Heritage elements.

Xue said she was part of the young generation inheriting the skills, and it was an obligation that made her proud of herself.

Now, another six young inheritors from a special inheritance training class can also play teeth after four years of learning. Some can perform with as many as eight tusks.

An artist performs "teeth playing". [Photo/IC] An artist performs "teeth playing". [Photo/IC] An artist performs "teeth playing". [Photo/IC]

A skeleton and some burial objects are found near Changzhuang Reservoir in Zhengzhou, Henan province, Oct 27, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

A total of 73 ancient tombs were discovered near Changzhuang Reservoir in Zhengzhou, the capital city of Henan province, and archaeologists preliminarily concluded that the tombs' owners dated back from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 BC) to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220). Just six months ago, more than 40 tombs were already found nearby during a municipal construction.

According to archaeologists, several mysteries confused them during this excavation. Some tombs are found empty without skeletons. Some unearthed skeletons are not complete, with the skull missing, the upper body missing or lower parts of the body missing. Also, traces of metal binding are visible on some legs.

A skeleton is found near Changzhuang Reservoir in Zhengzhou, Henan province, Oct 27, 2017. [Photo/VCG] An archaeologist works at the excavation site in Zhengzhou, Henan province, Oct 27, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Some burial objects are found near Changzhuang Reservoir in Zhengzhou, Henan province, Oct 27, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Archaeologists work at the excavation site in Zhengzhou, Henan province, Oct 27, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Foreign scholars including Dutch Svetlana Kharchenkova (first left) visit the China Ceramics Museum in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, as part of the 2017 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists. [Photo by Lan Jian/For China Daily]

A program for young Sinologists is helping academics from all over the world gain a deeper understanding of the country. Xu Lin reports.     

At a workshop in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, Polina Tsoncheva is carefully pinching clay on a spinning potter's wheel, molding it into a plate.

"It's such an indelible memory! The city is world-famous for its pottery and ceramics, and I get to see the process of how Chinese craftsmen make them," says the assistant professor who teaches Chinese and translation at St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, in Bulgaria.

Tsoncheva was on a four-day field trip to Jiangxi's Jingdezhen, Wuyuan and Sanqing Mountain as part of a cultural experience. They visited old villages, ancient porcelain kiln sites and watched traditional operas.

It was part of the recent three-week 2017 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists in Beijing, in which 27 Sinologists from 26 countries participated. With an average age of 36, their research fields include the Chinese language, history and politics.

The Ministry of Culture and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences co-founded the annual project in Beijing in 2014. This year, it was held in four cities－Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an and Zhengzhou－with a total of 120 participants.

"Young Sinologists can not only enhance their academic level, but also explore Chinese culture and society," says Zhu Qi, deputy director of the international liaison department of the Ministry of Culture.

"It was the most wonderful three weeks, at least in my last 10 years," says Tsoncheva. "After listening to the lectures given by Chinese scholars in Beijing, interesting ideas for my future research have come to my mind."

She wants to delve into the history of Tongwen Guan, or the School of Combined Learning. Founded in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the government school taught foreign languages and scientific subjects. In 1902, it was merged with the Imperial University of Peking, which is now Peking University.

"The school was established due to the demands of translators and interpreters. Studying foreign languages allows one to meet different people and learn about the culture, history and traditions of other countries," she says.

She also wants to further her study tracing the earliest time when Chinese literature entered Bulgaria and how it influenced Bulgarian literature. She discovered that in the 19th century, poems by Tang Dynasty (618-907) poets, such as Li Bai and Du Fu, were translated into Bulgarian from Russian or German versions.

"They didn't know Chinese, but their translations capture the Chinese spirit," she says.

Nigerian Tochukwu Innocent Okeke (right) shopping for souvenirs in Wuyuan, Jiangxi province. [Photo by Lan Jian/For China Daily] Expanding worldviews

Many years ago, Bulgarians knew little about China and they had limited access to information about the country. Tsoncheva's parents, who were born in the middle of 20th century, never visited China but they have been interested in Chinese culture and read books about China.

She recalls that when she first heard a Bulgarian speaking Chinese in university, it sounded different from any other language she had heard before.

"It was like a song. I liked it at once and from that time on I was determined to speak it at least as good as that," she says.

After studying Chinese in Bulgaria for four years, she came to the Beijing Language and Culture University in 2001 for a one-year program to further her Chinese.

"China is changing rapidly. Thanks to globalization, we're learning from each other's cultures in a dynamic process that also changes us," she says.

"I'm trying to transfer my endless curiosity and love for China and the Chinese language to all my students, making them eager to learn more and expand their worldview."

Ana Jovanovic couldn't agree more.

"Every time I come to China, I see a lot of changes because China has made developments in every field," says Jovanovic, docent at the faculty of philology, University of Belgrade, Serbia.

"Many foreigners are interested in traditional Chinese art and music. In Serbia, there are more performances today by Chinese performers and music troupes (than years before). It's great to see these shows outside of China."

Jiangxi boasts various traditional operas, and during her stay in the province, she enjoyed an opera about the legend of the White Snake－a love story between a man and the spirit of a snake.

"It's amazing for us to see the local operas and know about the local culture via the field trip to villages," says Jovanovic, who has translated two books by Nobel Prize laureate Mo Yan into Serbian.

According to her, from the 1950s to 1970s, Chinese novels, including works of Lu Xun (1881-1936), were translated from intermediate languages such as English and French. But starting from the 1980s, some Chinese novels were translated directly from Chinese.

A young Sinologist learns to play the musical instrument erhu in Wuyuan, Jiangxi.[Photo by Lan Jian/For China Daily] Scholarly interactions

Svetlana Kharchenkova, a lecturer from the Leiden University Institute for Area Studies, in the Netherlands, believes the Visiting Program for Young Sinologists is an excellent program for young scholars and PhD students.

"It's an intensive program with varied activities. It's important to interact with Chinese scholars who are in similar research areas. For example, we can read and discuss each other's work to develop further research," she says.

She is now writing a book about the development of the contemporary Chinese art market.

"The market didn't exist about 30 years ago, but now it's flourishing. I'm interested in these questions－how the market and the institutions were established? How did the auction houses and galleries emerge?" she says.

The visit to Jingdezhen also gave her inspiration, as she visited the art zone and porcelain studios there. She also enjoyed climbing the Sanqing Mountain, because the picturesque views reminded her of the traditional Chinese painting about landscapes.

"Imagine if we lived here, we would have the inspiration to make beautiful artworks, too. No wonder China has such wonderful traditional culture," she says.

She started to learn the Chinese language in 2000. Four years later, she made her first visit to China, studying Chinese at Peking University for a year.

"The internet was not so developed at that time. It was so much fun to meet Chinese people and see Chinese characters everywhere," she recalls.

She worked in Beijing from 2006 to 2008, witnessing the fast development of the capital before the Olympic Games, such as the further construction of the subway and the Beijing National Stadium.

[Photo provided to China Daily] Journeys of discovery

"The program allows China to market itself. It's like a melting pot of different cultures. Young Sinologists from all over the world come to see what's going on here, rather than read textbooks about it," says Tochukwu Innocent Okeke, a lecturer from the department of history and diplomatic studies at the University of Abuja, Nigeria.

Like others, he appreciates the opportunity to interact with Chinese scholars, so they can get firsthand information about China.

"It helps me open my heart more so I can connect with China in a more profound way," he says.

"I'm happy about being able to read books in the library of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences because outside China it's not easy to find such a rich collection. I also met many professors and our talks have given me more insights about my research focus."

When he was pursuing his PhD several years ago in Wuhan, Hubei province, he found the history of China-Africa relations could be traced back at least to the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when Emperor Yongle sent his admiral Zheng He on seven expeditions to the Indian and Pacific oceans.

"Now the visiting program has stirred my interest in the topic again. I want to know about the ancient relationship between China and Africa, especially during the Ming Dynasty. I want to know about Zheng's statecraft and diplomacy," he says.

Like him, other young Sinologists also benefited greatly from talking to Chinese scholars.

"Chinese professors give me precious suggestions about my research on agriculture. I want to figure out what lessons African countries can learn from China. One of the challenges between China and Africa is that there is little research in the area," says Gedion Jalata from Ethiopia, the program manager for Africa-China Dialogue Platform at Oxfam International.

"Since reform and opening-up was launched in 1978, China has lifted more than 700 million people out of poverty. We're planning to have scholars and policymakers discuss this at our dialogue platform, so African countries can learn from China's experience to reduce poverty," he says.

Contact the writer at xulin@chinadaily.com.cn

A poster of Gong Shou Dao [Photo/Sina Weibo]

Chinese e-commerce tycoon Jack Ma has confirmed he is to make his debut next month in a kung fu film alongside action stars such as Jet Li and Donnie Yen.

Titled Gong Shou Dao, which means the art of guard and defense, the 20-minute movie, which will not be seen in cinemas, is set to be released on November 11.

"That night ... that dream," Ma wrote in a post attached the movie's poster on China's microblogging platform Weibo on Saturday, without giving any details of the plot.

Jet Li, the movie's executive producer, told Sina, one of China's leading Internet-based media groups, "We all have the same dream to use the movie to promote traditional Chinese culture and pay a tribute to the predecessors in the field of Chinese kung fu."

Other big names among the film's crew include action stars Jet Li, Donnie Yen, Wu Jing and Sammo Hung Kam-bo, boxing star Zou Shiming, Thai actor Tony Jaa and retired Mongolian sumo champion Asashoryu Akinori.

Ma, the executive chairman of the Alibaba Group, has long expressed interest in traditional Chinese culture, especially kung fu, and has practiced tai chi for many years.

A poster of Gong Shou Dao [Photo/Sina Weibo]

Jack Ma practices tai chi on M‍ay 10, 2013, in front of the tai chi house he set up with actor Jet Li. [File Photo/Sina Weibo]

A variety of adorable cats participate in the Yunnan First CFA International Cat Show in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Oct 29, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

The Yunnan First CFA International Cat Show was held in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, on Oct 29. A total of 111 adorable cats attended the contest, which attracted numerous visitors.

A cute Maine coon cat waits to come on stage at the Yunnan First CFA International Cat Show in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Oct 29, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

A Singapura cat is one of many felines at the Yunnan First CFA International Cat Show in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Oct 29, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

A cat interacts with its owner at the Yunnan First CFA International Cat Show in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Oct 29, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

A pet owner holds two cats at the Yunnan First CFA International Cat Show in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Oct 29, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

A cat and a boy exchange looks at the Yunnan First CFA International Cat Show in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Oct 29, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Visitors mill about the floor at the Yunnan First CFA International Cat Show in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Oct 29, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

[Photo/CGTN]

Believe it or not, beautiful colors can be made from humble food waste and one group of youngsters in Hong Kong have grabbed a business opportunity right out of the trash can by turning thrown away food into dye.

In 2013, Eric Cheung and Winnie Ngai founded their company Dyelicious, the first kitchen trash workshop in the city.

They can create red from wood, yellow from onion and ginger, blue from purple cabbage and gray tones from tea.

"Nature is the big source of our raw material. Every single piece of material could be raw material for our color testing, such as coffee grounds, soy dregs and even leaves," said Winnie.

With a lack of information to refer to, the team spent five years researching how to get the right colors from food waste.

[Photo/CGTN] Their office is actually a small laboratory. Sometimes, they spend a whole day boiling or "cooking", adding sugar, vinegar, and salt among other ingredients. In doing so, an orange peel can be turned into orange dye and a rotten pineapple might be turned into a beautiful yellow color. At the beginning, Eric and Winnie were always laughed at by local vegetable vendors when they asked for their waste. But when the sellers saw the results of their upcycling, they became more supportive. Over the past five years, Dyelicious has turned more than six tons of food waste into dyes for dresses, scarves and handicrafts, turning the old saying of "one man's trash is another man's treasure" into a reality. Hong Kong disposes of a staggering 15,000 tons of solid trash every day and over one third of that is food waste. Turning the food into dye is a small step in alleviating food waste woes, but it's at least a beginning. [Photo/CGTN] Dyelicious sells the dyed products and teaches people how to DIY their own colorful clothes and handicrafts. While running the business is definitely not easy, the group says it's worthwhile. "We have thought of giving up. Our experiments have failed many times. And we don't have a stable income. Rent is so high. We feel a lot of pressure. But we are continuing our efforts, hoping to bring some change to society," said Eric. The waste problem is a pressing issue in Hong Kong, as the city's landfills are expected to be full in a mere two to three years. Winnie and Eric are trying to make a small step to change society and are hoping to gain big improvements for environmental protection in the city.

A 2,140-meter long table banquet was held in Danzhai county, Guizhou province during the Double Ninth Festival on October 28, 2017. Some 21,433 people, including local villagers and tourists, took part in the banquet. The local Miao and Dong ethnic groups have an over 1,000-year-old tradition of celebrating festivals with long table banquets. [Photo/China News Service]

A 2,140-meter long table banquet was held in Danzhai county, Guizhou province during the Double Ninth Festival on October 28, 2017. Some 21,433 people, including local villagers and tourists, took part in the banquet. The local Miao and Dong ethnic groups have an over 1,000-year-old tradition of celebrating festivals with long table banquets. [Photo/China News Service] A 2,140-meter long table banquet was held in Danzhai county, Guizhou province during the Double Ninth Festival on October 28, 2017. Some 21,433 people, including local villagers and tourists, took part in the banquet. The local Miao and Dong ethnic groups have an over 1,000-year-old tradition of celebrating festivals with long table banquets. [Photo/China News Service] A 2,140-meter long table banquet was held in Danzhai county, Guizhou province during the Double Ninth Festival on October 28, 2017. Some 21,433 people, including local villagers and tourists, took part in the banquet. The local Miao and Dong ethnic groups have an over 1,000-year-old tradition of celebrating festivals with long table banquets. [Photo/China News Service] A 2,140-meter long table banquet was held in Danzhai county, Guizhou province during the Double Ninth Festival on October 28, 2017. Some 21,433 people, including local villagers and tourists, took part in the banquet. The local Miao and Dong ethnic groups have an over 1,000-year-old tradition of celebrating festivals with long table banquets. [Photo/China News Service] A 2,140-meter long table banquet was held in Danzhai county, Guizhou province during the Double Ninth Festival on October 28, 2017. Some 21,433 people, including local villagers and tourists, took part in the banquet. The local Miao and Dong ethnic groups have an over 1,000-year-old tradition of celebrating festivals with long table banquets. [Photo/China News Service]

Chinese model Du Juan wearing a pink cashmere sweater with puff sleeve attends an event in Shanghai on Oct 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Often associated with Disney princesses-style or Shakespearean heroines, wedding dresses or royal costumes, puffed sleeves have undergone many transformations in size and shape over the years.

In the 2018 Spring/Summer fashion season, puffed sleeves have made a comeback in formal fashion.

However, this time, puffed sleeves are not limited to ball gowns and other formal wears. They have slipped into fashion insiders’ daily style.

T-shirts, cardigans, dresses, and even windbreakers characterized by puckering the fabric at the shoulder create the latest style of puff sleeves.

Chinese actress Zhang Jingchu wearing a black dress with puff sleeve poses for fashion magazine. [Photo/IC] Street snaps of fashion talents with puff sleeve-style clothing. [Photo/IC] Street snaps of fashion talents with puff sleeve-style clothing. [Photo/IC] Street snaps of fashion talents with puff sleeve-style clothing. [Photo/IC] Street snaps of fashion talents with puff sleeve-style clothing. [Photo/IC] Street snaps of fashion talents with puff sleeve-style clothing. [Photo/IC] Street snaps of fashion talents with puff sleeve-style clothing. [Photo/IC] Street snaps of fashion talents with puff sleeve-style clothing. [Photo/IC] Street snaps of fashion talents with puff sleeve-style clothing. [Photo/IC and VCG]

Ma Weidu, antique collector and dealer. [Photo/INVESTEC RHINO LIFELINE]

Despite the brutality of poaching, many antique collectors still value rhino horn over live animals.

Such tainted products should be banned from sale in any form, says leading Chinese antique dealer Ma Weidu.

In September, Ma endorsed a new campaign against the rhino horn trade launched jointly by nonprofit organizations WildAid, the African Wildlife Foundation and National Geographic's Traveler magazine in China.

"Despite the fact that ivory has been appreciated by the Chinese since the Shang Dynasty more than 3,000 years ago, and rhino horn items since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), prices were never ramped up in the domestic market," Ma says.

Unfortunately, major auction houses outside China have been selling rhino horn artifacts at extremely high prices, encouraging poaching and smuggling and pushing the rhinoceros closer to extinction.

Injured rhinos and rhino orphans at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre in South Africa. [Photo/INVESTEC RHINO LIFELINE]

"Ivory and rhino horn products from any period should be banned from public trade and auction," Ma says.

A scholar and founder of Guanfu Museum, one of the country's first private museums of antiques, Ma has pledged to stop buying any item made of ivory or rhino horn and to advocate for people to stop using, trading or buying wildlife products.

"It is more important to save endangered species while we can than to collect relics after the animals have disappeared completely," Ma says.

Rhinos are endangered primarily due to poaching for their horns, which are used in medicine and for carving. Rhino populations have plummeted 95 percent in the last 40 years.

However, scientists have proved that rhino horn has no medicinal value, and advances in biotechnology make it possible to create substitutes for any animal product, so there simply is no excuse for failing to protect wildlife, especially species in grave danger like the rhino, he says.

Ma Weidu (right) visits South Africa as part of a campaign against poaching. [Photo/INVESTEC RHINO LIFELINE]

In September, he visited South Africa to see firsthand wild rhinos in their natural habitat and those injured or orphaned by poachers, and to participate in an anti-poaching demonstration.

"I never imagined I would touch a rhino. It's an incredibly moving experience to see such a powerful animal so completely vulnerable."

South Africa has seen a spike in rhino poaching since 2008. Last year more than 1,000 were killed illegally.

"It is going to take a long time to change centuries of deeply held beliefs and entrenched Chinese culture," says Ma.

"But we are committed to this cause and the important role of telling people in China that rhino horn has no magical qualities and to stop buying it."

The campaign video has been available on TV, online, at airports and other media in China and via Xinhua's CNC channel abroad since early October.

China's top-down efforts to crack down on rhino horn poaching and smuggling are effective in curbing the illegal trade, says Steve Blake, chief representative of WildAid in Beijing. WildAid estimates only 25,000 rhinos survive and they are being killed faster than they can reproduce.

[Photo/INVESTEC RHINO LIFELINE]

It is estimated that three rhinos are killed every day, and the western black rhino is already extinct.

Since 2012, China has made building ecological civilization a development priority, with the protection of its fauna and flora, including wildlife, a crucial element, says Blake.

From 2013 to 2016, China organized and led worldwide cooperation against rhinoceros horn smuggling alongside international law enforcement agencies, conservation groups and authorities from other countries and regions.

The anti-smuggling bureau of China's General Administration of Customs last year filed 1,223 criminal cases involving wildlife trafficking, arrested 2,196 suspects, and broke up more than 200 criminal gangs in China and abroad, according to the Animal Welfare Institute.

The administration organized and participated in numerous national and international operations to combat wildlife crimes.

[Photo/INVESTEC RHINO LIFELINE]

With more stringent legislation and law enforcement, black market prices for rhino horn are about a third of what they once were, says Peter Knights, founder and CEO of WildAid.

All sales of rhino horn have been illegal in China since 1993, and it has been removed from the traditional Chinese medicine handbook. Since 2011, all rhino horn items have been banned from auction house sales as well.

"China－the authorities and the public－has been playing an important part in eradicating the brutal yet complex rhinoceros horn trade," says Blake.

African Wildlife Foundation trustee Gordon Cheng wants more global efforts to stop the rhino horn trade.

"We hope our program can help to convey the right messages for existing collectors and users, and most importantly for younger generations in Asia and around the world," Cheng says.

Ma Weidu. [Photo/INVESTEC RHINO LIFELINE]

Tourism is hugely important for protecting rhinos, says Yu Hui, of Traveler magazine. "They are one of the flagship wildlife species in Africa, and tourism to view them generates revenue for local communities and conservation efforts."

"Encouraging our tourists to visit the natural habitat, to be an eyewitness to the animals in their own homes and to influence people around us to care for these endangered species, will provide a greater experience and help the local economy," says Yu.

In September, Traveler magazine in Beijing launched its Travel for Earth program, focusing on ecotourism and highlighting rhino tourism. Jiang Yiyan, a young Chinese actress, starred in a photographic exhibition alongside the last living male northern white rhino. The species with just three surviving animals will inevitably die out.

"I felt so sad when I embraced him and felt his warmth. He was gentle and friendly, huge and yet so vulnerable," Jiang said then.

She urged the Chinese public to join the battle against the rhino horn trade by supporting ecotourism in African reserves. "I hope our children will have the chance to see a living rhino."

Many countries also have their own special days or festivals to honor senior citizens. For example, China's Chongyang Festival, or Double Ninth Festival, is an annual festival to show respect and care for the aged.

As the Chongyang Festival is Saturday, let's take a look at how some countries celebrate Seniors' Day around the world.

The 93-year-old woman Zhang Xiuzhu wears a new hat for the Chongyang Festival. [Photo/Xinhua]

China:

Since the Chongyang Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, and double ninth was pronounced the same as the word to signify "forever" - both are "Jiu Jiu" - Chinese people consider it a symbol of longevity, which carries a blessing for health and longevity for the elderly. China has designated the Chongyang Festival as "a festival for the elderly" since 2012.

Elderly people work out with wooden dumbbells to celebrate Japan's Respect for the Aged Day, in Tokyo, Japan, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] Japan: The third Monday in September each year is the annual Respect for the Aged Day in Japan. During this day, various activities are held to show care for the elderly, such as arranging health examinations, renovating houses, presenting gifts and providing comforts. The elderly will take part in activities, according to their hobbies. A banquet is held to celebrate the Mothers' Day in Souel, the Republic of Korea, May 7, 2013. [Photo/IC] The Republic of Korea: ROK established May 8 as its Mothers' Day in 1956, and then the day was made into Parents' Day in 1973. It's a major festival in the country. On this day, children always make greeting cards and prepare flowers and gifts for their parents. Children also salute their parents in a traditional manner during visits and then present the flowers and gifts. After that, they will sit with their parents for a talk. The photo shows a happy family living in Virginia, USA. [Photo/IC] United States: The first Sunday after Labor Day (which is the first Monday in September) was set as National Grandparents Day in 1978, when Jimmy Carter was president. On this day, many communities in the US will hold various activities for the elderly. As Americans love traveling, many seniors also will plan a trip together. Santa Claus Kevin Fast, 50, with his wife Suzanne, 47, on the sleigh in Canada. [Photo/IC] Canada: Seniors' Day, which is called Laughter Day, falls on June 21 each year in Canada. On this day, children may not present precious souvenirs or delicious food to the seniors, instead they bring humor and laughter, as for Canadians, laugher is the best present for older people. Polish 105-year-old athlete Stanislaw Kowalski competes in a race. [Photo/IC] Poland: Poland also has Grandparents Festival, with the Grandmother Festival on Jan 21 and the Grandfather Festival on Jan 22. On these two days, students in kindergartens and primary schools will invite their grandparents to school and children will give them gifts to show respect. In addition, young parents will take their children to visit their grandparents. Older men in Athens of Greece. [Photo/IC] Greece: Seniors' Day in Greece falls in the autumn. Each year an auspicious day will be chosen as Seniors' Day in Crete during the autumn. On this day, people will prepare performances for the elderly to express their best wishes and some seniors also will come on stage to perform with the young people. Customized sports are organized for the elderly and running is the most popular activity. No matter the running speed, no one quits. Some older couples even make it to the end while supporting each other. Seniors' Day in other countries: Chile: Oct 15, and a whole week in mid-October is Seniors' Week. Democratic People's Republic of Korea: May 8 France: The last Sunday in October Egypt: The last Sunday in March Belgium: Nov 9-16 Hungary: Nov 11 Russia: Dec 7 Singapore: Feb 2 Iran: Jan 7 UK: March 5 India: April 7 Thailand: May 5 Vietnam: Aug 8 Related: Dunhuang murals show ancient traditions of Chongyang Festival Nationwide activities to mark Seniors' Day

Customers dine on lyurou huoshao at Wang Xinxin's restaurant in Milan. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A burger stuffed with donkey meat is a hit at a Milan restaurant opened by a man from North China's Hebei province who wants to promote Chinese traditional food worldwide.

Wang Xinxin, born in 1985 in Baoding, opened a restaurant selling lyurou huoshao, the donkey stuffed burger, in Milan's Chinatown in late September, according to a report by Yanzhao Metropolis Daily.

During the past month, the restaurant has become increasingly popular among local residents and is always crowded during peak meal times.

The burgers are 5 euros ($6) each and the restaurant receives more than 150 customers each day from 10 am to 10 pm.

"People here like to eat them, just like Chinese people," Wang said, adding that given its popularity, he is planning to open another restaurant in the US.

Wang's hometown, Baoding, is home to lyurou huoshao, burgers with salty, well-braised donkey meat minced and stuffed into a baked wheat bread called shaobing.

According to Wang, the specialty originated during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and is healthy, low in fat and high in protein.

Together with a bowl of millet congee, lyurou huoshao is a favorite Chinese breakfast meal.

Wang's family has sold the food for more than three decades in Baoding.

After he took over the business in 2013, Wang started to expand it and opened seven chain restaurants in Beijing, most of which are popular.

"After the success in Beijing, I wanted to sell it in foreign countries and let foreigners enjoy our delicious traditional specialty," Wang said.

So far, he has finished exploring options in the US and said he will open a similar restaurant in Los Angeles by the end of the year.

Customers dine on lyurou huoshao at Wang Xinxin's restaurant in Milan. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Chinese artists perform face-changing of the Sichuan Opera during the opening ceremony of the 2nd Afro-Chinese Arts and Folklore Festival in Cairo, Egypt, on Oct 25. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese artists perform face-changing of the Sichuan Opera during the opening ceremony of the 2nd Afro-Chinese Arts and Folklore Festival in Cairo, Egypt, on Oct 25. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese artists perform face-changing of the Sichuan Opera during the opening ceremony of the 2nd Afro-Chinese Arts and Folklore Festival in Cairo, Egypt, on Oct 25. [Photo/Xinhua] A Chinese artist performs face-changing of the Sichuan Opera during the opening ceremony of the 2nd Afro-Chinese Arts and Folklore Festival in Cairo, Egypt, on Oct 25. [Photo/Xinhua]

He Jiang, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology postdoctoral fellow. [Photo provided to China Daily]

When He Jiang started to tell one of his Harvard professors about growing up in rural China, the professor suggested he write down his story. He, the first Chinese to deliver a Harvard University commencement address, has now published that memoir.

Written in Chinese, the book is titled Zouchu Zijide Tiankong (Walking Out a Way of My Own) and runs to 200,000 characters. It records the different aspects of rural life in China at the end of 20th century. The book's English version will be published in the United States shortly.

What inspired He to write the book were his occasional chats with noted historian Niall Ferguson, a professor at Harvard, about five years ago.

After listening to a lecture by Ferguson, He wanted to share his thoughts on the rise of China's economy and the changes in Chinese society. He told Ferguson that he was born in a traditional village in China, later relocated to town for middle school, and then went to college in Hefei, the capital of Anhui province, before heading to Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Ferguson said He's unique experiences were like "a miniature version of the Industrial Revolution" .

With that support, He began to collect stories about the village he grew up in from his early memories.

"When stitching them together, a panorama of rural life will unfold," He says.

"This is a story of migration and generosity, of the humanism, which makes life socially valid, and it is a tale of how a family produced a remarkable son whose efforts went on to make effective his vision of scientific truth," Kevin McGrath, professor of American poetry at Harvard University, writes in the book's foreword.

He, now a 29-year-old postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, grew up in a small village with limited educational opportunities.

He graduated in 2009 from the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei－one of China's top universities－with a bachelor's degree, and was accepted into Harvard's PhD program on a full scholarship the same year.

In January, He made the 2017 Forbes "30 under 30" list of promising entrepreneurs, innovators and "game-changers" in the healthcare category.

Forbes described He "as a farmer in a village with no cars, electricity, or running water. His ramshackle school once collapsed in a rainstorm. As a postdoc at Harvard, he used a new technology called single-virus tracking, super-resolution imaging to understand more about how influenza infects cells, and discovered human genes with strong anti-viral effects. He's now applying the same techniques to neurons and white blood cells. His other passion: getting science and medicine to places they aren't reaching, like his own village, where his mother once treated his spider bite with fire."

He says the book contains a lot of meaning.

Chinese author He Jiang and his book Zouchu Zijide Tiankong (Walking Out a Way of My Own). The book's English version will be published shortly in the US in novel format. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"It's not just a memoir about myself, but about my family and the rural life I lived in the village.

"With the modernization of China, some traditional lifestyles have fallen by the wayside. People living in the city may have a sense of curiosity and alienation about country life," He says.

"So by writing this book, I answered two simple questions: How did country folks live a life? And what is the real rural life?

"I hope the rural life and people I wrote about in the stories could arouse the nostalgia of those who are rural-to-urban migrants and might be able to record the era that is now closing."

He atypically wrote the draft in English. "Because translating English into Chinese would be easier," He says.

After finishing the draft, He translated it into Chinese himself. Editors in China and the US advanced the draft in different directions.

The prose style of the draft has been kept for the Chinese version; for the English version, "the book will be adapted into a novel in consideration of American readers' preference, which will be published as a co-written novel", says He.

In May 2016, the biochemistry PhD delivered a speech representing Harvard's 13 graduate and professional schools at the commencement.

"After only five years, I changed, the people I mentioned in my stories changed, and the rural life in China changed," He says.

"For those who know only the China of present-day Beijing and Shanghai, He Jiang's memoir is a vivid introduction to the (almost) lost world of rural China," writes Ferguson.

"His own story is an inspiring one of academic ascent, from his father's farmyard to Harvard Yard. But it is his vivid portrayal of the life he left behind that I most admire. Although a scientist by training, He is a memoirist of great skill, whose light and yet affecting touch put me in mind of the young Chekhov."

McGrath says: "He Jiang has accomplished a most spectacular and wonderful memoir that will soon become a cultural classic, telling of how it is that education changes lives."

"The book is a beautifully rendered account of a rural childhood and the mystery of human ambition; it speaks of how a young man became one of the leading research scientists in our postmodern world," McGrath writes.

A girl jogs for losing weight. [Photo/VCG]

Nanjing Agricultural University in East China has opened a weight-loss class in an effort to rein in the rising obesity rate.

The course was initiated by Zhou Quanfu, a PE teacher of the school, in 2015. It requires students to maintain a strict diet and do exercises like sit-ups and jogging.

Zhou said 60 percent of a student's grade will be determined by his or her weight loss. If a student sheds 7 percent of weight, he or she will pass the course.

Only those with a body mass index of over 28 or body fat of more than 30 percent can sign up for the course.

Zhou said he initiated the course after a survey five years ago revealed that 13 percent of the fresh and sophomore students were overweight.

"For all the variety of sports available at the PE class, these students are unable to play them unless they lose some weight," said Zhou.

The effect of the course has been felt as 179 students who have finished it have shed an average of around 5 kg.

"After I shed some weight, I began feeling more spirited and slept better," said Wu Xiuyang, a sophomore who has lost 25.5 kg since joining the class one year ago.

The obesity rate in China's youth has increased rapidly in recent years. In 2014, overweight rate among 7-year-old students was 12.2 percent, compared with 2.1 percent in 1985.

The rise is due to high-calorie diet and lack of exercise, according to a research of the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

[Photo/CGTN]

The annual Fashion Awards, a major international overhaul in the industry, has revealed on Monday its potential winners for this year's event.

Hosted by the British Fashion Council (BFC) and Swarovski, this year's awarding ceremony is expected on Dec 4 in London's iconic Royal Albert Hall.

Among the few surprises of the nominees this year is that Supreme has been nominated for the first time in the urban luxe brand category, alongside Rihanna's Fenty x Puma.

In the Model of the Year category, newbie Kaia Gerber is a front runner amongst others. For the second time, Bella Hadid goes head-to-head with her sister Gigi Hadid for this title, also against Adwoa Aboah and Winnie Harlow.

The Designer of the Year nominees also comprises stalwarts and newcomers.

Lady Gaga appeared at 2016 Fashion Awards event. [Photo/fashionawards.com] Alessandro Michele with Gucci, J.W. Anderson with Loewe, Maria Grazia Chiuri with Dior, Phoebe Philo with Celine and Raf Simons with Calvin Klein were shortlisted as nominees for this category. "These designers and brands were chosen from hundreds of international names, and they represent the most creative talent and innovative businesses of the year," said Natalie Massenet, the chairman of the BFC. As announced by the BFC on Monday, 2,000 members across the fashion industry in fields ranging from media to retail cast their votes for this year's swath of honorees. The Fashion Awards are an annual celebration of fashion excellence, recognizing the exceptional individuals and brands that have made remarkable contributions to the global industry. Winners of 2016 Fashion Awards announced. [Photo/fashionawards.com] Here is the full list of nominees for the Fashion Awards 2017 Model of the Year: Adwoa Aboah, Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid, Kaia Gerber and Winnie Harlow Urban Luxe Brand: Fenty Puma by Rihanna, Gosha Rubchinskiy, Off-White, Supreme and Vetements Business Leader: Adrian Joffe for Dover Street Market, Guram Gvasalia for Vetements, Jose Neves for Farfetch, Marco Bizzarri for Gucci and Ruth and Tom Chapman for Matchesfashion.com British Emerging Talent - Menswear: Ben Cottrell and Matthew Dainty for Cottweiler, Charles Jeffrey for Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, Henry Holland for House of Holland, Phoebe English for Phoebe English Man and Samuel Ross for A-Cold-Wall* British Designer of the Year - Womenswear: Christopher Kane for Christopher Kane, Erdem Moralioglu for Erdem, Jonathan Anderson for JW Anderson, Roksanda Ilincic for Roksanda and Sarah Burton OBE for Alexander McQueen Donations held during 2016 Fashion Awards. [Photo/fashionawards.com] British Emerging Talent - Womenswear: Faustine Steinmetz for Faustine Steinmetz, Matty Bovan for Matty Bovan, Michael Halpern for Halpern, Natalia Alaverdian for A.W.A.K.E and Rejina Pyo for Rejina Pyo British Designer of the Year - Menswear: Christopher Bailey MBE for Burberry, Craig Green for Craig Green, Grace Wales Bonner for Wales Bonner, Jonathan Anderson for JW Anderson and Martine Rose for Martine Ros Accessories Designer of the Year: Alessandro Michele for Gucci, Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent, Demna Gvasalia for Balenciaga, Jonathan Anderson for Loewe and Stuart Vevers for Coach Designer of the Year: Alessandro Michele for Gucci, Jonathan Anderson for Loewe, Maria Grazia Chiuri for Dior, Phoebe Philo for Céline and Raf Simons for Calvin Klein

Lost in Thailand, Chinese Zodiac and Painted Skin: The Resurrection are among the top three domestic films by box office receipts in 2012. [Photo/Mtime]

In 2012, the Chinese comedy film, Lost in Thailand, grossed more than 1.27 billion yuan ($191 million) at the Chinese box-office, representing the first movie in China to earn over a billion yuan, and overtaking Titanic, which earned around 975 million yuan in a decade.

In 2017, the film phenomenon, Wolf Warrior 2, achieved huge success both at the box office and in public praise.

It broke numerous box office records both at home and aboard, scoring 5.68 billion yuan by the end of Oct 22, the single highest-grossing film in the history of Chinese cinema and the first Chinese film to squeeze into the all-time box office worldwide (ranked 55th).

The performance of the Chinese box offices from 2012 to 2017 has been amazing, but that's just part of the booming film industry in China.

Now, in chronological order, let's take a look at what we have seen in movie theaters for the past five years.

The year 2012 is a significant time for the domestic movie market. If we have to describe the year in key words, it should be "fast development".

Patrons watch a 3D IMAX movie at a theater of Wanda cinema run by Dalian Wanda Group Co. in Beijing, China, Monday, May 21, 2012. The Chinese conglomerate, Dalian Wanda Group Co. announced Monday it will buy major US cinema chain, AMC Entertainment Holdings, for $2.6 billion to create the world's biggest movie theater operator. [Photo/IC]

Soaring box office and screens

According to official statistics from China's State Administration of Press Publication, Radio, Film and Television, China gained a total box office of 17.07 billion yuan in 2012, a 30 percent increase over the same period the previous year.

In that figure, 8.27 billion yuan in box office receipts was from domestic films, accounting for 48.46 percent of the total.

Twenty-one Chinese films boasted box office revenues of over 100 million yuan. Residents of Guangdong province, Beijing and Jiangsu province are among the top three for the burgeoning purchasing power of movie tickets.

In 2010, following the United States and India, China had the third largest film industry by the number of feature films produced annually.

In 2012, the country had become the second-largest market in the world by box office receipts and is expected to become the largest theatrical market in 2019, according to the movie news portal mtime.com.

Cinema was introduced in China in 1896. By the end of 2012, over 10,000 (13,118) screens have been utilized in Chinese cinemas, a 39 percent increase year-on-year. In 2016, the number reached 41,179, accounting for around one fourth of the total in the world.

Among all the screens in the Chinese mainland, 85 percent of them are 3-D screens, providing better viewing experiences for most Chinese movie-goers.

Screens shows a steady increase in quantity from 2009 to 2016 [Photo/Mtime]

Poster of Lost in Thailand [Photo/Mtime]

Lower budget brings higher yields

Undoubtedly, Lost in Thailand was one of the most profitable domestic films in 2012.

As a successful case for getting a higher ROI (Return on Investment) index, a performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment, the film took just 60 million yuan for pre-production, investment and marketing, with over 1.2 billion yuan at the box office, according to the film director Xu Zheng.

The same kind also goes to Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf: Adventures on The Dragon's Trail, I Love Big Big Wolf and Blood Stained Shoes.

"The huge success of Lost in Thailand is not occasional. The qualified script, proper movie theater schedule, word of mouth and efficient marketing all contributed to its position as the 'film of the year'," said He Lei, a professor of literature at Anhui Normal University.

Poster of Untitled Remembering 1942 Project [Photo/Mtime]

Huge investment faces more risks

On the contrary, the Chinese highly expected blockbusters, Untitled Remembering 1942 Project, An Inaccurate Memoir and Design of Death, disappointed the film makers with gloomy box office receipts.

"Big names, grand production or fantastic visual effects are not the must-have factors for a successful film. Chinese movie-goers pay more attention to the quality, theme, and story line of a certain film," movie critic Zhang Xiaobei said.

"Also, under the attack of Hollywood blockbusters, it is not an easy task to win the fierce competition for box office receipts. Given the scale of the Chinese movie market, most producers would be better off focusing on elements that appeal to the home audience," Zhang added.

Ten popular Chinese movies in the year 2012 [Photo/Mtime]

Acrobuffos [Photo provided to China Daily]

Musicals, dance and concerts, among other performances by art troupes from 11 countries, including Russia, the United States, France and Denmark, are being staged at the ongoing New Classic Arts Festival at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center in Beijing through December. The festival started on Oct 20, with shows by the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theater.

Highlights will include performances by YL Male Voice Choir, formerly the Helsinki University Chorus, the oldest Finnish language choir, on Nov 11, featuring works from Jean Sibelius, Juuso Vanonen and Veljo Tormis; the clown-act duo from the US, Acrobuffos, which will bring the circus-style show Air Play on Nov 18; the Russian National Ballet's Kostroma, a folklore-inspired show, on Nov 24; and Germany's Familie Floz that will present Teatro Delusio (The Stage) over Dec 21-24.

In addition, the well-known musicals Jersey Boys and The Producers will also be staged during the festival.

In its second year, the annual festival also holds workshops and seminars to enable audiences to get close to the participating artists.

YL Male Voice Choir [Photo provided to China Daily]

Two contestants perform poetry reading and Chinese calligraphy at the talent show of the 10th Chinese Proficiency Competition in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Oct 19. [Photo/Xinhua]

International secondary school students from 96 countries joined the talent show round of the 10th Chinese Proficiency Competition, a global event held by Confucius Institute Headquarters, on Thursday.

Contestants displayed their skills and passion for Chinese music, dance, calligraphy and other artistic forms.

The event, organized every year, selects students with outstanding Chinese language ability from around the world to attend the finals in China.

From Oct 17 to 28, all the students will be able to participate in a series of cultural activities at Chinese schools, host families and local enterprises besides the formal competitions rounds.

Two contestants perform Chinese crosstalk at the talent show of the 10th Chinese Proficiency Competition in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Oct 19. [Photo/Xinhua] A contestant plays the diabolo, or Chinese yo-yo, at the talent show of the 10th Chinese Proficiency Competition in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Oct 19. [Photo/Xinhua] A contestant gives a dance performance at the talent show of the 10th Chinese Proficiency Competition in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Oct 19. [Photo/Xinhua] A contestant plays the Chinese zither, or guzheng, at the talent show of the 10th Chinese Proficiency Competition in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Oct 19. [Photo/Xinhua] A contestant performs kung fu at the talent show of the 10th Chinese Proficiency Competition in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Oct 19. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese animations are shown at the International Market of Communications Programmesin in Cannes, France on Oct 17, 2017. [Photo/CCTV.com]

12 Chinese animation companies attended a promotional meeting titled "Perception of China — focusing on original Chinese animations" at the International Market of Communications Programmes in in Cannes, France on Oct 17. More than 20 original Chinese animations were highlighted at the meeting.

The International Market of Communications Programmes is part of the Cannes Television Festival, the largest and most influential international market for audiovisual and digital products. A variety of TV plays, animations and shows brought by more than 100 Chinese exhibitors debuted at the grand event. Among them, original Chinese animations were a hit.

Chinese animations were highly praised by producers from different countries. Several Chinese animation companies signed cooperation agreements with foreign counterparts on site.

American CK International Entertainment contracted to distribute the animation GG Bond. "It is the first time we have cooperated with a Chinese company. Chinese animations have met global standards, with a wealth of talent," CK International CEO Alfred Kahn said. "The Chinese animation industry is going through rapid development. It is expected to find a broader market through cooperation with global counterparts."

Wu Xiaobo, a Chinese doctor, assists with two in-flight medical emergencies while travelling recently to and from the US. [Photo/Screenshot from CCTV]

A Chinese doctor on board a United Airlines flight is being hailed as a hero after saving the life of a passenger who possibly suffered a stroke mid-flight, reports the Beijing Youth Daily.

Wu Xiaobo, a thoracic surgery doctor with the People's Hospital of Wuxi, was flying to Los Angeles on Sept 29, 2017, when a fellow passenger fell unconscious and began vomiting.

Responding to an in-flight announcement for a doctor, Wu heeded the call, determining the man in his 50s likely suffered a stroke.

"Cerebral infarction patients may suffer another stroke, and possibly die, if they don't receive timely treatment," said Wu.

Wu Xiaobo (Right) helps assist a female passenger who passes out on his China Eastern flight on Oct 10, 2017. [Photo/Screenshot from CCTV]

He recommended an emergency landing, and two hours later, helped escort the stricken passenger off the flight in San Francisco.

And this wasn't the last time the doctor was called upon to help out a fellow air traveler.

Heading back to China on the same trip, Wu Xiaobo helped assist a female passenger who passed out on his China Eastern flight on Oct 10.

The young lady fainted, but managed to regain consciousness with the help of the doctor.

Asked about the incidents, a humble Wu Xiaobo is being quoted by the Beijing Youth Daily as saying simply that it's "what a doctor is supposed to do."

A group of craftsmen cast clay mode of a large-size porcelain in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on Oct 18, 2017. [Photo/IC]

Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province has been well-known for its fine porcelain for over 1,000 years. The process of making fine porcelain often undergoes five key steps, such as casting clay mold. Highly accomplished skills are needed to create large-size porcelains.

In 2006, the craft of making Jingdezhen's ceramics was listed in the first group of the National Intangible Cultural Heritages.

A group of craftsmen cast clay mode of a large-size porcelain in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on Oct 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] A group of craftsmen cast clay mode of a large-size porcelain in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on Oct 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] A group of craftsmen cast clay mode of a large-size porcelain in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on Oct 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] A group of craftsmen cast clay mode of a large-size porcelain in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on Oct 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] A group of craftsmen cast clay mode of a large-size porcelain in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on Oct 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] A group of craftsmen cast clay mode of a large-size porcelain in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on Oct 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] A group of craftsmen cast clay mode of a large-size porcelain in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on Oct 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] A group of craftsmen cast clay mode of a large-size porcelain in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on Oct 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] A group of craftsmen cast clay mode of a large-size porcelain in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on Oct 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] A group of craftsmen cast clay mode of a large-size porcelain in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on Oct 18, 2017. [Photo/IC]

Shanghai University of International Business and Economics [Photo provided to China Daily]

SHANGHAI－A Shanghai university has opened China's first international school to train the country's future trade negotiators.

The Shanghai University of International Business and Economics inaugurated the School of Trade Negotiations, China's first trade negotiation school, on Oct 11.

The honorary dean of the school is Zhou Hanmin, a renowned national political adviser and law expert in Shanghai.

The school will produce graduates in five areas, which cover national representatives specializing in bilateral or regional agreement negotiations, national representatives for multilateral negotiations in international organizations, negotiators employed by international organizations, international dispute mediators and arbitrators, as well as lawyers specializing in international law.

Sixteen years after China joined WTO, the country has transformed from a mere follower of international trade rules to one of the rule-makers, Zhou says.

"China urgently needs professional talent with a global vision, who are familiar with China's national conditions and adept in foreign languages, international rules and negotiation skills," he says.

There are 450 Chinese employees in organizations affiliated to the United Nations, accounting for only 1 percent of the total employees, and many of them only hold entry-level positions.

Shanghai University of International Business and Economics [Photo provided to China Daily]

Australian Nicholas James Vujicic gives motivational speeches and shares ideas on social media to inspire worldwide audiences. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Australian Nicholas James Vujicic was born with a rare disorder that left him without any arms or legs.

But Vujicic, 35, has not let his condition stop him from living a full life. The motivational speaker has been traveling across the world to inspire people with his story of not losing hope, caring for others and achieving what they set out to do.

Vujicic's experience is also touching more Chinese lives. For the past decade, he has given speeches in seven cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, Guangdong province. Vujicic even maintains an account on Chinese micro-blogging website Sina Weibo to stay engaged with his fans and offer his inspiring ideas through video clips.

"Through this way, I can see what Chinese people, especially those who are still quite young, are facing now, and their thoughts," says Vujicic.

He has posted more than 50 videos since May, based on topics raised by his fans, including methods of coping with stress during high school exams. The latest efforts have helped add to the millions of views that his posts attract worldwide.

"It's great to interact with people," says Vujicic. "That's one of the good things about technology. You can make a difference from a distance but really make it feel close."

In September, he spoke in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Shenyang and Chengdu.

"This is my 11th trip to China," he says. "Some Chinese audiences are reserved while others can get quite excited. One thing that I love about Chinese audiences is that everyone listens."

When he was in Shanghai speaking to 25,000 people in a stadium earlier this year, everyone was full of energy the whole time he spoke, he says.

Australian Nicholas James Vujicic gives motivational speeches and shares ideas on social media to inspire worldwide audiences. [Photo provided to China Daily]

During the last few minutes of his speech, Vujicic had everyone stand up and repeat with him, "I will do my best to love myself and everyone else, and to dream big".

"I understand sometimes it is hard for Chinese people to talk to one another or say out loud, even to themselves, their love and thanks," he says. "I want the audience to remember that special interaction, and if only one person is impacted, my job is done."

During his speeches this year, Vujicic was also surprised to see a group of performers with disabilities dancing on stage and sharing their skills and talent.

"I am happy to know other people who have overcome disabilities and obstacles. They can show the young people in China that they can overcome difficulties as well."

Vujicic, born in Melbourne, Australia, is one of seven known surviving individuals in the world who live with tetra-amelia syndrome. He was born with the toes of one foot fused. After an operation, he could use them like fingers to grab, turn a page, or perform other functions. He is now able to use his foot to operate an electric wheelchair, a computer and a mobile phone. He has traveled to 67 countries to give speeches.

Australian Nicholas James Vujicic gives motivational speeches and shares ideas on social media to inspire worldwide audiences. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Vujicic lives with his wife, Kanae, whom he married in 2012, in southern California. They have two sons and are expecting twin girls.

His first book, Life Without Limits: Inspiration for a Ridiculously Good Life, was published seven years ago and has since been translated into more than 30 languages. He also has a motivational DVD, Life's Greater Purpose.

Contact the writer at caochen@chinadaily.com.cn

Poster of Where Has Time Gone [Photo/Mtime]

An anthology of short films, jointly made by directors from each of the BRICS countries, will be released nationwide in China Thursday.

The feature, named Where Has Time Gone, consists of five parts, each by a different director, said the Chinese director Jia Zhangke in Beijing Monday.

The four directors working alongside Jia were Walter Salles from Brazil, Aleksey Fedorchenko from Russia, Madhur Bhandarkar from India, and Jahmil X.T. Qubeka from South Africa.

In the anthology, Jia's story is about a couple who want to have a second child. Salles shows the aftermath of a dam collapse. Bhandarkar tells the friendship between an old man and an orphan. Fedorchenko depicts a couple living in a valley. Qubeka sets his part in the future.

"The emotions from all five stories can be shared by anyone in any country," said Jia, adding that the film would be a successful demonstration of the deep communication and cooperation in the film industry among BRICS countries.

Poster of Where Has Time Gone [Photo/Mtime] Poster of Where Has Time Gone [Photo/Mtime]

Folk artist Xie Ruifang from Linyi city of Shandong province shows her paper-cutting creation on Oct 15, 2017. [Photo by Fang Dehua/Asianewsphoto]

To celebrate the upcoming 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, folk artists around China have made various handicrafts, such as paper-cuttings, egg engravings and gourd pyrography, themed around the event to showcase their talents.

Lei Wenbin, a citizen from Neijiang city of Sichuan province, has created many eggshell paintings themed around the 19th CPC National Congress, Oct 15, 2017. [Photo/IC]

A group of handicrafts portraying a monkey band is made by folk artist Zhang Zhenwu from Kaifeng of Henan province, to celebrate the 19th CPC National Congress, Sept 26, 2017. [Photo/IC]

A group of rare stones themed around the 19th CPC National Congress are on show during an exhibition in Xiangyang city, Hubei province, on Oct 14, 2017. [Photo/IC] Folk artist Ji Zhenshan from Shandong province works on a gourd pyrography work themed around the 19th CPC National Congress on Oct 15, 2017. [Photo/IC] Yang Xiangdong, a seal cutting artist from Anyang city of Henan province, shows his creation, a 19-meter-long seal cutting titled "Red heart goes to the CPC forever" on Sept 19, 2017. It took nine months to finish the artwork. [Photo/IC] Folk artist Lu Zhongshi from Anqing of Anhui province works on an egg engraving themed around the 19th CPC National Congress on Oct 14, 2017. [Photo/IC] Painter Lu Yan paints the large flower basket enscribed with Chinese characters meaning "Embracing the 19th CPC National Congress" at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing on Oct 13, 2017. [Photo/IC] Folk artist Dong Tailing from Shanxi province has spent more than a month to create a 3.4-meter-long and 0.7-meter-wide papercutting work to celebrate the 19th CPC National Congress, Oct 15, 2017. [Photo/IC] Folk artist Zhang Naicang from Linyi city of Shandong province has engraved many paper-cuttings themed around the 19th CPC National Congress made for hanging on doors. [Photo by Fang Dehua/Asianewsphoto]

A Chinese traveler dives into the sea of Palau. He is one of an increasing number of tourists who choose to travel after the National Day holiday week to take advantage of lower prices and quality tours. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Travel fever may have subsided with the end of the National Day holiday week, but for those who have saved up their paid vacation, the best is yet to come.

Lin Limiao has booked a weeklong trip to Japan for the second week of November.

"I didn't go out during the holiday to avoid the crowds," the Beijing resident says. "I save my traveling for after the holiday."

Lin paid a little more than 1,200 yuan ($182) for his round trip flight tickets between Beijing and Nagoya, a flight that would have cost more than 4,000 yuan during the holiday period.

"The hotel I booked is 300-400 yuan ($46-$61) a night, a third of what it would have cost," Lin says.

Lin is one of an increasing number of travelers who are choosing to take time off and travel after the Golden Week holiday to take advantage of lower prices and quality tours.

Prices of outbound travel packages generally tend to fall 10-30 percent after seasonal holidays, according to Beijing Utour International Travel Service, a major travel operator.

"We've seen more people taking trips between mid-to-late October and January over the years," says Li Mengran, Utour's publicity officer.

Middle-aged people and seniors used to make up the mainstay of the post-holiday travel army, but an increasing number of young people born in the 1980s and '90s have joined their ranks, thanks to the advent of paid vacation, Li explains.

Southeast Asia, Japan, Singapore, Europe and Australia have witnessed the largest drop in prices, which makes them ideal destinations for post-holiday travelers, according to Utour.

For example, an 11-day trip to Spain and Portugal currently organized by the travel agency has fallen 8,800 yuan to 11,000 yuan, and a nine-day trip to the United States during the year-end shopping discount season now costs less than 10,000 yuan.

Domestic travel costs have also declined across the board.

Hotel prices in Beijing and Shanghai have generally dropped by 30 percent, and those in Fujian province's Xiamen and Sanya in Hainan province have fallen about 50 percent, says Chen Xiaotian, a senior executive in charge of accommodation with online travel giant Ctrip.

Many popular domestic flight costs have been cut by 30-40 percent, with other routes seeing reductions of up to 60 percent.

"This year has seen the hottest post-holiday travel," Chen says.

The post-holiday group travel market has increased by 20 percent compared to the same period last year, while the number of individual travelers has grown by 40 percent, according to Ctrip.

Bookings through Ctrip to Yunnan's Lijiang, Xiamen and Sanya witnessed a more than 40 percent rise, while those to Vietnam, Europe and the Philippines have increased by 50 percent.

Those benefits have turned Lin into an off-season travel veteran.

He has planned to take his next break from home before Spring Festival.

"I'll find a quiet place with few people then for sure," he says.

Lou Lou [Photo/Official weibo account of Lou Banniang]

A round face, white fur, fatty body — but more importantly, a full set of funny poses — pushed a cat to stardom on Chinese internet.

Lou Lou, an instant online celebrity with over 680,000 fans on Sina Weibo, the Chinese answer to Twitter and one of the country's major social media outlets.

Its facial expressions have been adapted into emojis and widely used on the internet. "You may not know the cat's name, but you must have seen its emojis," says Lou Banniang, the cat's owner.

Sadly, Lou Lou died of a heart attack on Oct 14, leading to a wave of despair among quite a few online users.

"I cannot accept the fact that Lou Lou has gone forever, and my favorite emojis cannot update any more," Weibo user Xiao Pihai_223 said.

"One of the necessities in my life is watching each and every move of Lou Lou. It looks like an angel to me, and it has now gone back to paradise," added Pai Dadui, another user.

The cat first gained public attention last year, thanks to a short video recording its naughty yet interesting movements in the bathing process, and a clip that has been viewed millions of times.

It is just so-so. [Photo/Official weibo account of Lou Banniang]

In addition to emojis, Lou Lou's image has appeared on pillows, cups, clothes and cartoons. People may feel sorry about the death of such a cute cat, but also are surprised by the animal's power and influence.

"Cat culture seems to have exploded over the past few years, from millions of funny cat videos being shared all over social media, to cats becoming internet famous and celebrities in their own right. It would be a strange week indeed if I wasn't sent multiple links by friends to cat-related articles," said Abi Purser, director of Longcroft Luxury Cat Hotel Group.

Throughout human history, cats have been our best friends, just like dogs. They make fantastic company as pets, make us laugh with their inquisitive nature and ridiculous antics, and are independent enough to amuse themselves while we're at work, welcoming us when we get home by rolling about at our feet.

Lou Lou's fans make comics on the cat. [Photo/Weibo]

According to the White Paper on Pet Industry in China in 2017, in Britain, a total of 1.4 million photos of selfies are uploaded to the internet every day, but photos with cats dwarf that number at 3.8 million.

In China's largest question and answer community Zhihu, cat –related topics number 18,000, while dog-oriented topics are up to 90,000.

I am looking at you! So what! [Photo/Official weibo account of Lou Banniang] I'm extremely worried! [Photo/Official weibo account of Lou Banniang] Mom, I am so hungry!!! [Photo/Official weibo account of Lou Banniang] My nerves are stretched to the breaking point. [Photo/Official weibo account of Lou Banniang] I want to eat, but I'm afraid of getting fat. [Photo/Official weibo account of Lou Banniang] Who do you think you are! [Photo/Official weibo account of Lou Banniang] I am sick of it and just want to be myself. [Photo/Official weibo account of Lou Banniang]

Veteran chef Ma Wenbin from Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province, demonstrates the skill to make lanzhou lamian. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The beef noodle soup in Lanzhou in northwestern China has a history that goes back more than 100 years ago.

Now the typical Chinese dish has an ambition to get into Italy, a country known for its pasta.

In a recent culinary event jointly held by Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province, and Italy embassy in Beijing, a veteran Chinese chef showed off the dazzling skills of turning a dough into diverse sizes of noodles.

Besides, an Italian chef also showcased the complicated process of cooking pasta.

Organizers say the event wants to exchange culinary cultures between the two countries, and to raise the reputation of Lanzhou noodle soup to Italians.

So far, the Lanzhou beef noodle soup has been reaching out to more than 20 countries, such as the United States, France and South Korea, and is expected to reach more like Italy, according to the Chinese organizers.

US scientist Earl Plummer is both a contributor to and witness of China's rapid development in quantum physics. He has worked closely with Chinese experts and institutes over the past decade. [Photo provided to China Daily]

US physicist Earl Plummer sees a bright future for China's further progress in science. Liu Xiangrui reports.

Next-generation electronic devices are receiving attention worldwide, and Earl Plummer says, he is happy that a decadelong collaboration with Chinese organizations has contributed to the sector's growth in the country.

Plummer, a professor at the Louisiana State University, specializes in the study of quantum phenomenon, and his research in the development of advanced observation methods, such as that for tunneling spectroscopy, have enjoyed international recognition.

Quantum physics is a field that relates to the study of atoms and subatomic particles.

The 77-year-old scientist from the United States has published more than 400 writings on his research that are frequently quoted by other scholars.

He has been both a member of the US National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Plummer's exchanges with Chinese scholars began early in his career. A considerable percentage of his PhD students and postdoctoral fellows in the US were Asians. Half of them have returned to Asia, primarily China, he says. This exchange created lifelong partnerships between him and Chinese scholars.

In 2000, he was invited through a former Chinese friend to be the chief scientific adviser for the then newly founded International Center for Quantum Structures at the Institute of Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Since then, he and other distinguished international researchers have also been invited to come to China once a year to advise and collaborate with the institute.

Thanks to his active coordination and support, ICQS also brought together a good number of top young Chinese scientists, many of whom have now become leading figures in the academic community, laying a solid foundation for advancing the country's research capabilities in such fields.

ICQS became such a success that it was later used as a model by some top Chinese universities and the collaborations have also been expanded to include other universities in the US, too.

"I have never seen in my career a program that was so successful as this," Plummer says.

According to him, the cooperation has benefitted both sides on the long run, especially young scientists from both countries.

"In the beginning, the benefit was primarily for the Chinese, but as time went by we (US collaborators) truly benefited," he adds.

His connection with and fostering of scientific leaders in China has assured a constant stream of talented scholars working in his US laboratory.

He has also had the chance to win sufficient funds for his research programs in China and has been able to build or use world-class equipment that are not available in the US.

"It (the collaboration) has really grown, and the interaction gets stronger every year," says Plummer.

US scientist Earl Plummer is both a contributor to and witness of China's rapid development in quantum physics. He has worked closely with Chinese experts and institutes over the past decade. [Photo provided to China Daily]

He has made great efforts in bringing practical science-related experiences and traditions from the West to China, but also urged Chinese institutes, including the Institute of Physics, to create their own methods to develop science, according to Guo Jiandong, a professor at the institute and a former student of Plummer.

"He is a leading figure in the field of condensed matter physics internationally. His advice and support have been very helpful not only for me personally but also for the enhancement of science as a whole in China," says Guo.

In recent years, Plummer has made annual visits to China, staying about a month each time, collaborating with Chinese scientists, giving lectures and workshops and participating in the cultivation of talent.

He has made efforts to help the Chinese Academy of Sciences build a talent pool of professionals with an international vision.

He has also expanded the cooperation to more Chinese organizations.

For example, he has served as a foreign adviser at the High Magnetic Field Laboratory under the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science in East China's Anhui province.

"I intend to make it (collaboration with China) grow in the future," says Plummer.

He says he has observed China's progress in science and is glad that the Chinese Academy of Sciences is placing emphasis on fostering creativity among Chinese students in various institutes.

Plummer believes that the future of science in China lies with young people, and suggests that the "government should identify the really talented people, and give them the resources to shine".

Over the years, he has been making efforts to deepen the collaboration between Chinese institutions and his US university both in research and talent nurturing.

He has guided an international team with members mainly from the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the team has published nearly 30 papers in international journals, including Science. The program has helped nurture many young scholars.

His university in the US has established a dual-degree program, which allows Chinese students from two partner institutes in China to study in the US and vice versa. The program will expand to five or six Chinese universities in the next couple of years, Plummer says.

In September, he was given the Friendship Award by the Chinese government. The award is the highest honor given to foreigners who have made important contribution to China's social and economic development. Plummer also won the 2016 CAS Award for International Scientific Cooperation.

Contact the writer at liuxiangrui@chinadaily.com.cn

View of Pixian thick broad-bean sauce at a factory in Pidu district, Chengdu city, Southwest China's Sichuan province, Oct 11, 2017. [Photo/IC]

With the Szechuan Sauce causing a craze in the US, its raw material, Pixian thick broad-bean sauce, has also become a hot item online. Some people claimed that the much-touted Szechuan Sauce at McDonald's in US is Pixian bean sauce added with sugar.

Currently, the First Level Thick Broad-bean Sauce and Red Oil Pixian Thick Broad-bean Sauce are most popular bean sauces overseas, occupying 80 percent of the total export.

Among different brands of Pixian bean sauce, the Juancheng thick broad-bean sauce has been exported to more than 40 countries and regions, such as Japan, US and New Zealand.

Shaofenghe, which still sticks to the traditional manual way of making bean sauce, is the originator of Pixian bean sauce. During recent years, Shaofenghe company is also paying more attention to the international market.

The flavor of Pixian bean sauce exported to foreign countries is almost the same as the sauce available in domestic market. According to Juancheng thick broad-bean sauce company, if foreign customers have special requirements, some adjustments will be made but the original flavor will remain unchanged.

Pixian thick broad-bean sauce, a national-level intangible cultural heritage, is a specialty from Pidu district (previously Pixian county) in Chengdu of Sichuan province.

Related: McDonald's limited Szechuan Sauce leads to chaos, again 

A worker makes Pixian thick broad-bean sauce at a factory in Pidu district, Chengdu city, Southwest China's Sichuan province, Oct 11, 2017. [Photo/IC]

View of Pixian thick broad-bean sauce at a factory in Pidu district, Chengdu city, Southwest China's Sichuan province, Oct 11, 2017. [Photo/IC]

A worker makes Pixian thick broad-bean sauce at a factory in Pidu district, Chengdu city, Southwest China's Sichuan province, Oct 11, 2017. [Photo/IC]

A worker makes Pixian thick broad-bean sauce at a factory in Pidu district, Chengdu city, Southwest China's Sichuan province, Oct 11, 2017. [Photo/IC]

Uyghur actress Dilraba Dilmurat [Photo/IC]

Uygur faces are finding their way to movie screens, phones, and billboards across China.

Members of the ethnic minority group have facial features that Chinese brands have deemed “attractive,” creating opportunities for talented Uygurs to break into the entertainment business as singers, models and TV stars.

One of the most famous Uyghur stars may be Dilraba Dilmurat, an actress who starred in the popular series Swords of Legends, and who played the lead role in the drama The King’s Woman.

Fellow Uyghur actress Gulnezer Bextiyar was recently named a Fendi brand ambassador – the first Chinese ambassador for the luxury brand.

Like other Uygurs, both Dilraba and Gulnezer hail from the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region. Located at the northwest edge of China, the region is home to the largest population of Uygurs.

The ethnic group has Turkic roots and speak a language that’s more similar to Turkish than Mandarin. Their script is derived from Arabic and their physical appearances resemble central Asians more than the Han ethnic majority that make up China.

Demand for men and women who share the same Eurasian characteristics as Gulnezer have been on the rise lately according to Dengyang Liu, founder of Fun Models, an online platform that connects models, actors and photographers to Chinese clients.

Though he cautions that Han Chinese still far outnumber the number of Uygur models, many of his Chinese clients are “looking for a face that have some Asian characteristics, but also have some kind of white Europeanness to it.”

What’s driving this demand? For Dengyang, it’s nothing new. He likens it to patterns he’s seen in other Asian countries, especially as cities become increasingly cosmopolitan. “Hong Kong, Taiwan, S. Korea, even Thailand…basically, faces with mixed Eurasian features were used as a symbol of a changing fusion trend in aesthetic standards,” says Dengyang.

Uyghur actress Gulnezer Bextiyar [Photo/IC]

The power of the purse

In many ways, the shift in beauty standards correlates to a rise in purchasing power. Increased disposable income is a calling card for international brands looking to take advantage of the new market.

The brands bring their own standards for beauty, revealing the Western bias in defining beauty, even in local cultures.

China’s first-tier cities have grown at breakneck speed in the past few decades, creating a new generation of Chinese with disposable income and increasing exposure to international standards of beauty.

Consulting firm McKinsey has dubbed this new middle class “Generation 2." Born during China’s period of economic reform and opening up to the world, this generation accounted for nearly 15 percent of urban consumption in 2012. This number is expected to rise to 35 percent in 2022.

According to survey data from McKinsey, the "Generation 2" group of Chinese consumers are the most Westernized to date. [Photo/CGTN]

A 2012 McKinsey survey of this group found that “this generation of Chinese consumers is the most Westernized to date.”

In terms of consumption habits, Generation 2 respondents were more likely to be loyal to brands, view expensive items as “better”, and get satisfaction out items that signify better taste or higher status.

As this generation’s spending habits mirror those found in the West, foreign faces have also become more common in Chinese media.

Chinese audiences are accustomed to seeing “more international-themed faces or stories… even the 'zhibo' video stuff that’s been popular in China in the past two years,” says Dengyang.

We don’t have to look far to see other examples of the same experience. In the past four decades, S. Korea has seen explosive growth, joining the trillion-dollar club of world economies in 2004.

The 1990s spawned K-pop, one of the most influential factors in shaping the country’s beauty standards.

As Patricia Marx from the New Yorker puts it, the K-pop phenomenon “shapes not only what music you should listen to, but what you should look like while listening to it.”

Many of the K-pop stars share similar characteristics: fair skin, double eyelids and a small face. Koreans go to great lengths to replicate these looks, as the country has one of the highest rates of plastic surgery in the world.

Though some argue that these procedures produce beauty results that are universally appealing, these are also the same beauty standards that dominant Western culture.

Latest children's version of The Dream of The Red Chamber. [Photo/Official Weibo Account of Xiao Xigu]

As a series of big screen works shined during the past National Day holiday, a small screen production became a hot topic on social media.

It was a nine-episode TV adaptation of Chinese literature classic, The Dream of the Red Chamber. Although the book has had heaps of TV, film and opera adaptations, the latest one is performed by a group of children aged 6-12 years old.

Despite their young age, the cast skillfully portrayed the characters and won much applause.

Ouyang Fenqiang (left) plays Jia Baoyu in the 1987 TV adaptation of The Dream of the Red Chamber; Shi Xiaosong plays Jia Baoyu in the latest children's version of The Dream of The Red Chamber. [Photo/Mtime, Official Weibo Account of Xiao Xigu]

Released on Oct 1, the TV drama scored 9.3 points out of 10 on Douban, a popular movie rating platform in China.

To many faithful readers of the book, the young actors and actresses brought the characters alive again.

"I was overwhelmed by their perfect acting in the TV drama. I never expected they could play so well. This one is as good as the 1987 TV adaptation," Douban user Weiruoliuxu said.

Chen Xiaoxu (left) plays Lin Daiyu in the 1987 TV adaptation of The Dream of the Red Chamber; Zhou Yangyue plays Lin Daiyu in the latest children's version of The Dream of the Red Chamber. [Photo/Mtime, Official Weibo Account of Xiao Xigu]

The TV version that premiered in 1987 has been praised as the most classic among the adaptations of the book. Directed by Wang Fulin, the 36-episode series took three years to complete.

The latest children's version is in honor of the 30th anniversary of the 1987 work .The cast's costumes and makeup were based on advice from composer Wang Liping and costume designer Shi Yanqin for the 1987 TV adaptation.

Ouyang Fenqiang, who played the leading protagonist, Jia Baoyu, in the 1987 version, also was invited to guide the young actors.

Zhang Li (left) plays Xue Baochai in the 1987 TV adaptation of The Dream of the Red Chamber; Zhong Yifan plays Xue Baochai in the latest children's version of The Dream of the Red Chamber. [Photo/Mtime, Official Weibo Account of Xiao Xigu]

"The acting skill of these young children is excellent; I must give them many praises," the actor posted on his Sina Weibo, Ouyangbaoyu 1987.

The work belongs to a program titled, Xiao Xigu (literally, young artists), which is supported by the Hunan Broadcasting System.

Launched in 2015, the program has reshot a series of classic TV series that are performed by children, including Liu Sanjie, Jiao Yulu, Red Guards on Honghu Lake and The White-haired Girl. Its children's version of Lady White Snake, based on the 1992 namesake TV adaptation, also was a hit on small screen in 2016.

Guo Xiaozhen (left) plays Shi Xiangyun in the 1987 TV adaptation of The Dream of the Red Chamber; Wei Zitong plays Shi Xiangyun  in the latest children's version of The Dream of the Red Chamber. [Photo/Mtime, Official Weibo Account of Xiao Xigu]

The program claims to let children "Learn from Classics, Act in Practice", yet the works played by the young people also triggered many concerns besides countless praises on the internet.

On Zhihu, a popular Chinese Q&A website, a question on the children's version of The Dream of the Red Chamber attracted about 6,000 users and has been viewed more than 3 million times.

Some netizens said such works played by children should be limited, since young people just imitated adults in these productions. Some even connected these children's versions with child exploitation.

Deng Jie (left) plays Wang Xifeng in the 1987 TV adaptation of The Dream of the Red Chamber; Guo Feige plays Wang Xifeng in the latest children's version of The Dream of the Red Chamber. [Photo/Mtime, Official Weibo Account of Xiao Xigu]

"A child should behave like a child, rather than speaking like an adult," a netizen named Guo commented.

Some doubted the young performers could understand the characters and even the essence of the work they played.

However, the original book The Dream of the Red Chamber begins the story when the main characters are still in their childhood and teenage years. The latest TV drama played by these young children is not totally unfaithful to the original work.

Two screenshots from the 1987 TV adaptation (left) and children's version of The Dream of the Red Chamber. [Photo/Mtime, Official Weibo Account of Xiao Xigu] Zhou Yangyue plays Lin Daiyu in the latest children's version of The Dream of the Red Chamber. [Photo/Official Weibo Account of Xiao Xigu] A screenshot of the children's version of The Dream of the Red Chamber. [Photo/Official Weibo Account of Xiao Xigu] A screenshot of the children's version of The Dream of the Red Chamber. [Photo/Official Weibo Account of Xiao Xigu]

Workers take down a sign at the Palace Museum's ticket office in Beijing on Tuesday. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

The Palace Museum in Beijing－China's former imperial palace, or Forbidden City－announced on Tuesday that it has begun to sell entry tickets solely through its online booking system, with few exceptions.

The move is designed "to avoid crowds at the box office, reduce waiting time and provide a more comfortable visiting experience", said Shan Jixiang, director of the museum.

Online ticket booking is available on the official website, www.dpm.org.cn.

To relieve the heavy pressure and safety concerns brought by huge crowds, a daily visitor quota of 80,000 was set in June 2015, and an online ticketing system was launched. On launch day, about 7,500 of the day's 50,000 visitors－about 15 percent－bought tickets online. By 2016, the number had expanded dramatically to 40 percent. As of August, it has mushroomed to 77 percent.

"Because of our promotion, more people are buying tickets online," Shan said. "The online platform also facilitates analysis of big data, which can lead to better service in the future."

Shan said web-only ticket sales worked so well during the recent National Day holiday that a decision was made to make it permanent.

On Oct 2, for example, all 80,000 entry tickets were sold in advance online.

"We thought it was time to formally adopt web-only ticket sales after a long trial," he said, adding that follow-up measures will be taken to solve some remaining problems.

"For example, a huge crowd came to the museum in the morning, but the entrance was virtually deserted in the afternoon," he said.

On average, more than 7,000 people entered the museum between 10 and 10:30 am during the eight-day holiday. The number dropped below 3,000 between 1:30 and 2 pm.

The booking system will provide tickets at different visiting hours to balance the number of visitors throughout the day.

Tuesday marked the 92nd anniversary of the Forbidden City's opening as a public museum. It welcomed 16 million visitors in 2016, topping all museums in the world.

It rolled out its web-only ticketing plan for public comment in May. Some people thought it might be an inconvenience for anybody unfamiliar with internet. But Shan said museum employees carrying a QR code for the ticket-booking system walk around the square near the entrance to help people in need.

One box office window remains－reserved for visitors with special needs, like overseas visitors who do not have Chinese online payment channels.

"We cannot shut our doors to someone merely because they don't know how to buy a ticket online," Shan said.

Beyond ticket sales, digital technology is being used in other ways at the museum. A virtual display of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, residence of the last eight emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), opened on Tuesday in the Duanmen Gallery.

The exhibition uses virtual reality and multimedia to show the interiors of the emperors' residence and interact with visitors. The hall is currently closed for renovation but is scheduled to reopen in 2020.

A scene from Wolf Warrior 2. [Photo/Mtime]

China has selected Wu Jing's action film Wolf Warrior 2 as its entry in the best foreign-language film category at next year's Oscars, reports people.cn.

The film tells the story of a former Chinese special forces agent, as he adventures in Africa and fights against militants and mercenaries.

With more than 5.6 billion yuan ($842 million) at the box office, Wolf Warrior 2 is the highest grossing film of all-time in Chinese cinema history. It is expected to end its run in cinemas on October 28.

A total of 92 films will be up for consideration in the Oscars' foreign language film category, including Mad World and Small Talk representing Hong Kong and Taiwan respectively.

A scene from Twenty Two. [Photo/Mtime]

Chinese documentary Twenty Two will compete for the best documentary award.

Twenty Two looks at the lives of 22 surviving Chinese "comfort women" who were forced into front-line brothels for Japanese troops during World War II.

It is the first documentary in China to achieve more than 100 million yuan at the box office.

Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on January 23, 2018. The awards ceremony will be held on March 4.

The show Sissi and Hungary reveals the life of the legendary queen in the 19th century. The relics on display also show the connection between China and Hungary in olden times. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

An exhibition about the Austro-Hungarian queen is touring China. Wang Kaihao reports. 

Many Chinese who grew up in the 1970s and '80s are familiar with the name Sissi.

That was how Queen Elisabeth (1837-98), a dual monarch of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was commonly known, even among her subjects.

The first film of a trilogy about the queen that was made in Austria, starring Romy Schneider, was shown in China in 1988, when Western films were still rare in Chinese cinemas.

Sissi's real life is now being presented through an exhibition in Beijing, with nearly 150 cultural relics related to her or Hungary loaned from the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest.

The exhibition, Sissi and Hungary: The Magnificent Life of Hungarian Aristocracy in the 17th to 19th Centuries, will run through Jan 3 at the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City.

"Her beauty, her romantic spirit and her tales are known to all," says Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum.

"She sympathized with Hungary and was welcomed and loved by people there."

Sissi played a pivotal role in calming tensions between Hungarians and the ruling Habsburg family since she took the throne in the 1860s, he says.

"Queen Elisabeth is still a popular star in Hungary," says Benedek Vagra, director general of the Hungarian National Museum.

"Due to shared emotions in both countries (Hungary and China), she is a good example to give a brief introduction of Hungarian history to Chinese visitors."

Sissi had a difficult relationship with her mother-in-law, Emperor Franz Joseph I's mother. And she was emotionally detached from royal life at the Habsburg court. So, she spent much of her time living in Budapest and traveled all over Hungary. The queen also gave birth to her last child in Budapest.

"Actually, her real life and marriage were more difficult than what was depicted in the films," Vagra says.

The show Sissi and Hungary reveals the life of the legendary queen in the 19th century. The relics on display also show the connection between China and Hungary in olden times. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

Beyond the queen's old photos, oil paintings, dresses and other daily items, the exhibition also provides a panoramic view of Hungarian aristocracy during her time through such displays as jewelry, dinnerware and religious items.

Vagra points to a few highlighted exhibits. For example, a saddle made in the 18th century enabled women to ride horses sitting on one side. Sissi also used the saddle.

"I think the 'lady's saddle' is quite unique," he says. "It was designed in that way because of the custom that women were demanded to sit 'properly' on horseback."

He also says the Hungarian aristocrats' costumes and armories reflect the country's history.

A replica of the Holy Crown of Hungary, dating back to 1000 AD, is also on display. The item, made of silver gilt, pearl and cloisonne enamels, was used to prove the legitimacy of the monarchy in olden times. The original crown is displayed in the Hungarian Parliament and is heavily guarded.

"It's very important in Hungarian history－not only as a sign of royalty," Vagra says of the crown. "Even though there is no king now, the crown expresses the spirit of a nation and holds the country together."

Hungarians, also known as Magyars, are thought to have first settled in today's Hungary in 896 after migrating from the East. According to one theory, they are descendants of Huns－the Eurasian nomadic people, who possibly had connections with the Xiongnu people from China.

The show Sissi and Hungary reveals the life of the legendary queen in the 19th century. The relics on display also show the connection between China and Hungary in olden times. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

"We are unique in Europe due to our Eastern origin," Vagra says. "The exhibits this time like armories also show some Eastern characteristics."

Szonja Buslig, a cultural counselor at the Hungarian embassy in Beijing, says the exhibition at the Palace Museum reveals a part of the larger cultural cooperation between China and Hungary.

In the Xiongnu city's ruins in Yulin in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, archaeologists from both countries are doing comparative studies on findings there with Hun relics unearthed in Hungary.

Hungarian scholars also recently conducted field research in Shandan county, Gansu province, to look for more evidence of links.

"After a start from such a familiar topic (Sissi), we're planning another major cultural-relic exhibition in China," Buslig says. "It will reveal how our ancestors migrated from the East."

She reveals that Hungary will participate in more projects in an upcoming museum on Xiongnu history in Yulin.

Hungary became the first European country to sign a memorandum of understanding with China on June 6, 2016, on the Belt and Road Initiative.

The show Sissi and Hungary reveals the life of the legendary queen in the 19th century. The relics on display also show the connection between China and Hungary in olden times. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

Buslig says the initiative will create opportunities for closer cultural ties between the two countries.

Under the framework, Vagra says the rich history of Hungarian bronze wares will be shown in China.

He adds that his museum also plans to introduce an exhibition on ancient Chinese civilization in Hungary, which he believes will easily strike an emotional chord in Budapest.

The ongoing exhibition about Sissi was held in Shanghai before it came to Beijing in late September.

It will move to Yunnan and Shaanxi provinces in January.

Contact the writer at wangkaihao@chinadaily.com.cn

If you go

8:30 am-5 pm (the closing time will be 4:30 pm starting from Nov 1), closed Mondays, through Jan 3. Shenwumen Gallery, Palace Museum, 4 Jingshan Qianjie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. Visit www.dpm.org for more information.

Actor-singer Lu Han releases a fashion photo. [Photo/VCG]

Sometimes celebrities' personal revelations can ignite earthquake-sized social media bombs, thanks to the power of the internet.

Lu Han, a popular young actor and singer, abruptly introduced his girlfriend on social media to the public on Sunday, paralyzing servers for a moment due to a huge traffic spike.

He posted a thread on Weibo, China's most popular social platform, saying "Hi everyone, this is my girlfriend @Guan Xiaotong" with a link to her page and her photo. Guan Xiaotong is a well-known young actress whose stardom is rising.

His revelation caused a sudden breakdown of Weibo's server due to the traffic. Ding Zhenkai, a Weibo user who describes himself as a programmer at the site, said he got called to work on the breakdown during his wedding.

He later posted a picture from work, saying "The server is back on and my father-in-law is calling me to drink with him. Look at the trouble Lu did!" In the picture, he is working on a computer wearing a wedding suit and corsage.

The news exploded his fan community. As of 11 am Monday, about 23 hours after Lu posted, his post received 4.72 million likes and 2.25 million comments.

Many people expressed their heartbreak about the news their fantasy idol no longer just belonged to his fans, claiming to unfollow him. However, Lu's followers have increased by 1.45 million.

Some fans refused to accept the news, saying it's a publicity stunt as a new TV show starring Lu and Guan is soon to premiere. But Lu's manager publicly cleared the air to say it's no stunt, and to give them his blessing.

The text of Lu's post, "Hi everyone, this is my girlfriend," with users adding a different picture, has become a trending topic with parodies galore on social media.

Lu, heavily favored by younger generations, has been on the A-list for the last few years.

Last April, Lu posted a picture of him and a postbox in a Shanghai neighborhood, a day before his concert there. The mailbox soon became a social media hit, with fans lining up for 200 to 300 meters to take a picture. Some fans had to queue for a photo until 4 am the next day. The post office even installed antlers, as Lu means "deer" in Chinese, on the box to stay up on the trend.

Guan Xiaotong. [Photo/VCG]

Runners compete on routes through the distinctive Danxia landforms, the Gobi Desert, mountains, valleys and craters in Gansu province's Yumen Moshan National Park. [Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]

Races through Gansu's colorful rock formations, volcanic craters and the Gobi are helping Yumen's tourism dash forward. Yang Feiyue reports.

An ocean of yellow, red and grey mountains cascades before those who stand atop the high ridge - a rim of rock so narrow, there's barely enough stone to stand on.

It's truly a balancing act - especially for the acrophobic.

Roaring winds seem to threaten to throw you over the edge.

But the view is worth the risk. Standing is one thing. Sprinting is another.

As if climbing the peaks of Gansu province's Yumen Moshan National Park wasn't hard at any pace, a growing number of competitive runners are dashing to - and through - this tricky terrain.

[Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]

Nearly 800 participants from 12 countries and regions, including Switzerland, the United States and Italy, competed in cross-country contests in early September.

The races, hosted by Chinese sporting-event organizer Migu Running, were part of the Skyrunner World Series approved by the International Skyrunning Federation.

Runners competed in 60-kilometer, 30-km and 10-km routes through Gansu's distinctive Danxia landforms, the Gobi Desert, mountains, valleys and craters.

"The competition was extremely demanding," says Italian Francesca Canepa, who won the gold medal in the women's 60-km category, clocking in at eight hours and 15 seconds.

Chinese contestants took gold in the men's 60-km and 30-km, and the women's 30-km categories.

"I felt helpless and frustrated when I got lost in the vast Gobi," says Yang Pengsheng, who won the 30-km race, crossing the finish line in three hours, 33 minutes and 18 seconds.

"I couldn't see anyone anywhere. But the view was unforgettable. I eventually found my way and overcame all my negative energy."

The sweeping landscapes' rugged topography is perfect for cross-country competitions, the race's director Etienne Rodriguez says.

The 10-km route was added this year to enhance accessibility.

Runners compete on routes through the distinctive Danxia landforms, the Gobi Desert, mountains, valleys and craters in Gansu province's Yumen Moshan National Park. [Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]

"We wanted to involve the local population and encourage people from Yumen to explore the beauty of the landscape without making it overwhelming," Rodriguez says.

"We were very pleased with the turnout. It's great to see the enthusiasm that transpired on race day."

The second half of the 10-km race passed through narrow sand canyons that change from red, to green, to white, to grey over just a few kilometers.

The 30-km course winds through the back of red canyons, and along ridges and dunes.

The 60-km competition was sloped along stunning ridgelines near an extinct volcano, down to the Gobi's plains and then toward the high mountains on the valley's other side.

The mountainous section begins with a 1,500-meter-high ascent over 8 km, testing competitors' endurance and strength to the fullest.

Runners could view the entire course from the very top - at an altitude of 3,200 meters.

The local government hopes the cross-country event will help tourism.

"It'll put this beautiful, pristine park on the map," Yumen tourism bureau's director Gao Zhengsheng says.

"The Danxia landforms, volcanoes, petrified wood and animal fossils are all worth exploring."

[Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]

The race attracted over 300 professional runners from home and abroad when it debuted last year.

Many returned to the park as visitors after the competition, Gao says.

Yumen has launched five themed routes to attract travelers this year.

They feature petroleum culture, outdoor activities and rafting experiences.

A 20 million yuan ($3 million) annual fund has been earmarked for cultural-tourism development.

Arrivals have increased since the city developed several national-level scenic spots.

Yumen recorded 1.4 million visits in the first six months of 2017, up nearly 18 percent year-on-year. Tourism income exceeded 1 billion yuan, up about 15 percent.

The city received 3 million visits last year, a roughly 27 percent increase over 2015. Tourism income grew 30 percent to 2.6 billion yuan.

Yumen will develop a sports town, and host rafting and auto races, Gao says.

Indeed, a growing number of travelers are discovering it truly is a place to enjoy great outdoor sports in the great outdoors.

A plastic bottle collecting site has been transformed into a wetland. [Photo by Wang Jing/China Daily]

In 2012, tons of recyclable wastes were disposed every day in several waste disposal hubs in Beijing's suburbs. People who worked there usually lived in shacks of few square meters in a dirty and stinky environment.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in November that year, Beijing has adopted measures to clean these disposal hubs so as to echo the national strategy of enhancing ecological civilization.

Seedlings where there was once a digital waste collecting hub. [Photo by Wang Jing/China Daily]

In 2017, China Daily returned to the villages and compared the current situation with photos taken five years ago. Meadows and lines of seedlings have taken the place of the waste areas. New disposal hubs have been built in planned areas outside Beijing and equipped with new technology and infrastructure that makes recycling more eco-friendly and efficient.

With a better environment, the transformation of waste disposal villages will contribute to Beijing's environmental improvement and help get rid of its non-capital functions.

Grass grows where sub-standard housing was located. [Photo by Wang Jing/China Daily]

A former site for collecting digital waste products is now replaced by plants. [Photo by Wang Jing/China Daily] This used to be a collection site for plastic bottles. [Photo by Wang Jing/China Daily] In Dongxiaokou village, Changping district of Beijing, a man is trimming the lawn where there was once a disposal site for air-conditioners. [Photo by Wang Jing/China Daily]

At the center of his neatly arranged sitting room is a small coffee table where a huge pile of art pieces, with some having a Chinese touch, catch the attention of visitors.

Magu, a recovering alcoholic, is now soaking his soul in art to shake off memories of wasted youth in drinking dens that dot Kenya's rural villages and urban slums.

With no wife or children to take care of, Magu who turns 45 next month, now invests all his energy in art hoping to close a sad chapter in his life.

Two months into his recovery journey, Magu who is also a taekwondo fan, says his love for art, especially Chinese art, started in his primary school days when he watched his first film by Jet Li, a renowned Chinese action film actor.

Even though Magu does not expect to make any money from art, the therapy in it is more fulfilling.

Still learning the basics of creating a great piece of art, Magu has focused on paper quilling as materials needed for this type of art are not hard to get and are generally affordable.

"I watch YouTube videos to learn some of the basics of paper quilling. I hope I will soon create one of my pieces. I have a diploma in Graphic Design from Technical University of Kenya and I wish I had nurtured my love for art back when I was still a young man," he says.

According to Fatema Qureishi, the founder of Amathus Arts, an art studio predominantly working in the realm of paper craft in Nairobi's Karen area, though not popular, paper quilling can be a great stress reliever and a great technique to help people like Magu trying to salvage their lives.

"As a professional artist, I would encourage people to learn paper quilling as rolling and scrolling of paper channels the unexpressed energies and releases anxiety and stress. In performing this art, the coordination of hands-eyes movements strengthens the motor-skills. Along with regular practice, one tends to develop a phenomenal creative expression in life," she says.

For Zawadi Robi, paper quilling saved her from depression. Having lost her son and only child in a road accident three years ago, she slipped into depression and lost hope in life.

"During one of my counseling sessions, my therapist urged me to take up an activity that would keep my mind busy and creative and since I have a background in paper craft, I embarked on paper quilling. For the past one year since I started doing it, my situation has really improved. I no longer feel hopeless," she says.

In her early 40s, Zawadi says paper quilling has helped her survive anxiety attacks which mostly strike at night.

"Sometimes I get overly emotional but crafting has brought some balance in my life," she says.

Having been in the paper crafting industry for over 10 years now, Fatema says paper quilling still has some distance to cover before it becomes popular.

According to a report of the Kenya Bureau of National Statistics, Kenya saw a growth of only 4 percent in the creative sector in 2016.

"There is abundant artistic potential in Kenya that waits to be tapped. Take paper quilling as an example, while it is a popular form of art in many parts of the world, it still remains to be relatively unknown in Kenya," Fatema says.

Paper quilling or paper filigree is the art of rolling thin strips of paper into circular shapes that are glued together to make decorative patterns, ornamental artwork and functional pieces.

The craft originated in Europe among religious communities during the Renaissance period where it was used to decorate books and sacred items.

It then became a popular pastime among upper class women before being employed as a decorative technique on furniture and high-value accessories.

]]> 2017-10-06 10:40:31 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-10/05/content_32890447.htm ]]>

Israeli student among growing group of expats hitting the big time with online shows

Canadian foodie Trevor James appears in his online show, The Food Ranger, which he has been uploading to YouTube and Bilibili for four years. Provided to China Daily It's late afternoon on a warm summer day, and crowds of excited young Chinese people are gathered inside a cafe near Zhongguancun, the so-called Silicon Valley of Beijing. Shortly before 5 pm, the place erupts in deafening cheers.

Raz Galor has entered the building.

The 24-year-old Israeli internet star holds up a smartphone to capture the reaction before settling down with about 100 fans for an evening of playing games, signing photos and answering questions.

Galor has been hot property since December when he started hosting a video series called The Foreigners Research Institute. Each episode lasts under five minutes and features on-street interviews with expatriates in China about cultural quirks and the latest trends.

Saul Stollery, a Tsinghua University graduate from the United Kingdom, livestreams to audiences in China using the Inke app. Provided to China Daily

The first video racked up more than 4 million views across multiple social media platforms, including Youku, Sina Weibo and Bilibili. Since then, Galor－known locally as Gao Yousi－has produced over 50 more episodes and gained more than 5 million online followers.

Yet despite his fame, he resists the label of "internet celebrity", or wanghong in Chinese.

"I'm not a wanghong, I'm an entrepreneur," said Galor, who runs a production company with two Chinese partners, and is also a senior at Peking University majoring in international relations.

"Rather than wanghong, who usually generate content from individual opinions, I want to build a platform where a group of people－in my case, foreigners－can share thoughts and experiences," he added.

His profile on the social networking website LinkedIn describes his show as "the largest online video channel for the Chinese audience to understand the young generation of foreigners in China".

'Foreigner 2.0'

To make an episode of the show, Galor and his crew spend two or three days on the streets of Beijing interviewing 30 to 50 foreigners. Only the 10 to 15 who "really say something interesting" make the final cut.

One video featured Lila Kidson, a classmate of Galor from the United States, who talked about Chinglish, which is English influenced by Chinese speakers. The appearance instantly propelled her into the public eye, and her followers on Sina Weibo soared close to 100,000.

Galor said making foreigners famous－including himself－was not his intention, yet he acknowledged that fame is good for business.

After the buzz generated by The Foreigners Research Institute, his production company received 10 million yuan ($1.51 million) in investment from Will Hunting Capital, which has previously financed bike-sharing company Ofo.

Fang Yedun, one of Galor's business partners, is a Peking University graduate and former classmate of Dai Wei, the chief executive of Ofo. He and Galor began thinking about business ideas in 2014 after seeing a surge in startups across Zhongguancun.

Initially they made videos largely about sports. However, they soon discovered the most popular episodes were those in which foreigners talked more generally about Chinese society or food.

With the help of another friend, Fang and Galor decided to switch focus and devised The Foreigners Research Institute, releasing the first episode on Dec 16.

Galor attributes the show's success to the fact it captures the era of "foreigner 2.0", a term he uses to describe the younger generation of expats who, unlike some who arrived in the 1980s and early 1990s, are open to contemporary Chinese society, can speak Mandarin and understand the subtleties of Chinese humor.

His father, Amir, who came to China 15 years ago to start Infinity Equity, the nation's first foreign equity company, belongs to the "foreigner 1.0"generation, Galor said.

Yet there is at least one thing these two generations can agree on－that China is a gigantic market that offers a range of opportunities for any business.

Raz Galor and a member of his crew dress in costume to record an episode of his show. Provided to China Daily Commercial gains

Splendors China, a six-part documentary recently aired by China Central Television, highlighted Galor as an example of the new breed of foreign entrepreneurs that is tapping the vast demand for online content.

Saul Stollery, a Tsinghua University graduate from the United Kingdom, is another example. Last year, he launched a show using Inke, a livestreaming app, in which he sings songs and chats with his audience.

For the past four years, Canadian foodie Trevor James has also been regularly posting a program called The Food Ranger to YouTube and Bilibili in which he travels to Chinese cities to try the local street food. The University of British Columbia graduate got the idea after moving to Sichuan province to enroll in a cookery school.

James' most recent episode, Silk Road Food Trip, in which he visits cities along the ancient Silk Road, has been viewed more than 1.7 million times on Bilibili and has been on the video-sharing site's top 20 list for weeks.

"The rising fame of foreign video bloggers shows that, in China's internet sphere, fan economics is still a dominant force," said Fu Xiaoguang, an associate professor at the Communication University of China.

"From traditional beauty and cosmetic internet celebrities, the fact foreign faces are becoming famous indicates that young fans today choose to watch content that is more culture-related."

Views also mean money. According to data from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, internet celebrities generated more than 58 billion yuan through various revenue streams last year.

"Internet celebrities attract a lot of attention, which can easily translate into cash through online advertising and e-commerce," according to Ding Chenling, the founder of Redbang, a consulting company in Beijing.

Due to its large fan base, The Foreigners Research Institute has received a flood of offers from advertisers, according to Galor. "For the first 30 videos, we had 16 commercial sponsors," he said, adding that the first agreement was signed with Meitu, a company that makes photo-editing apps.

After making inroads in China, Galor and his partners are now looking to expand their brand to a wider audience. Work has already started to recruit employees overseas to share the show on social media in other countries, he said.

This photo taken on Oct 2, 2017 shows mooncakes in Yichang, Hubei province. [Photo/IC]

HEFEI - Mid-Autumn Festival falls on Wednesday this year. For Chinese, the day may not be complete without eating a mooncake with family while gazing at the full moon.

However, mooncakes are high in sugar and fat, not ideal for anyone wanting to loose weight. One mooncake can have over 450 calories - the equivalent of about three bowls of rice.

To find balance between treating yourself and maintaining good health, many brands have started selling smaller mooncakes this year.

Traditionally, a mooncake weighs about 120 to 150 grams, but in the online store of Daoxiangcun, a traditional Beijing-based brand, the biggest mooncake on sale is just 110 grams. Most of its mooncakes are below 85 grams and cost about seven to 10 yuan each (about $1 to $1.5).

"We can try more flavors if the cakes are smaller," said a Beijing customer.

THINNER OUTSIDE

Not only is the size of the mooncakes decreasing, but the packaging is also "shrinking."

About a decade ago, mooncakes were seen as luxury items. Their packaging was like that of high-end jewelry, some even had jade embedded on the boxes. Many were sold together with expensive liquors.

Expensive gift boxes of the small round pastries with, in most cases, sweet filling, became associated with corruption, subtle bribery and extravagance as companies and individuals exchanged them with customers and business partners to build relationships.

In 2005 and 2008 respectively, the central government issued two documents, prohibiting overpackaging of mooncakes. The documents demanded the packaging of the cakes be no more than three layers, and should make up less than 12 percent of the total price.

Five years after the Chinese government established a frugality code rejecting extravagance and excessive formalities among Communist Party members and government workers, lavish mooncake gift sets began to disappear from the market. Mooncakes started to return to their origin as an affordable dessert for family gatherings.

Statistics from Suning.com, an e-commerce platform, showed that the sales volume of mooncake gift sets priced from 200 to 300 yuan ($30 to $45) declined by 17 percent this year, while that for cheaper mooncakes surged by 25 percent.

JD.com, another leading e-commerce company, said that its sales volume of luxury mooncake sets is down 75 percent from last year, while that of regular boxes rose by 21 percent.

At Guangzhou Friendship Store, a salesperson said that many customers prefer to buy mooncakes in bulk, which costs much less than purchasing gift sets.

Wang Fen from Qiaojiashan Bakery, the largest mooncake producer in Jiangxi Province, said that upscale mooncake gift sets priced over 300 yuan contributed less than one percent of their total sales this year.

"As mooncakes are no longer public expenses, there is no market for luxury mooncake gift sets," said Xu Hang from Tianjin-based Nankai University.

Mooncakes that contain pickled Chinese cabbage with bullfrog are on sale in Shanghai, Aug 6, 2017. [Photo/IC]

RICHER INSIDE

Less packaging has not stopped mooncakes filling from becoming richer and diversified. Creative, sometimes unconventional, flavors have appeared in recent years to woo curious young customers.

This year, some brands are selling mooncakes that contain crawfish, pickled Chinese cabbage with bullfrog, or beef with Chinese chili pepper.

Quanjude Fangshan Food Company, a subsidiary of the famous peking duck company China Quanjude Group, put 35 different mooncake sets on the market this year, with duck-meat mooncakes costing 86 yuan per box, according to marketing supervisor Tian Wenhua.

Even home-made mooncakes from a hospital canteen in southwest China's Guizhou Province have attracted huge crowds -- delivery services are waiting at the canteen door to collect freshly-baked mooncakes for passionate food-lovers.

Apart from traditional brands such as Beijing's Daoxiangcun, Xinghualou in Shanghai, and Zhiweiguan in Hangzhou, a Hong Kong brand, Meixin, has won the hearts of young Chinese with its signature salted egg custard mooncakes. Foreign companies, including Oreo, Starbucks and Haagen-Dazs, have also joined the market with their unique mooncake flavors.

Industry insiders said the domestic mooncake market has been in doldrums during the past two years. Major mooncake makers must change their product strategy to supply more high quality and affordable mooncakes in order to sustain their business.

Healthier mooncakes are also gaining popularity. Those that use xylitol instead of sugar are enjoyed by people with diabetes, and many bakeries have started accepting orders to tailor-make mooncakes for customers.

A graduate of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, ordered a box of mooncakes with the school emblem pressed into the mold. Mr. Liu in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, ordered buckwheat mooncakes for his father who suffers from hyperglycemia.

"Our life is getting richer and more colorful, just like the diverse flavors of the mooncakes," said Liu.

Suo Zhanxiang (L) and Suo Zhanhua show a self-made moon cake at Suobutan village of Huzhu Tu autonomous county in Haidong, Northwest China's Qinghai province, Oct 2, 2017. The special mooncake is a traditional food of Tu ethnic group on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Oct 4 this year.[Photo/Xinhua]

Suo Zhanhua makes dough flowers to decorate a big mooncake at Suobutan village of Huzhu Tu autonomous county in Haidong, Northwest China's Qinghai province, Oct 2, 2017. The special mooncake is a traditional food of Tu ethnic group on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Oct 4 this year.[Photo/Xinhua]

On Sept 18, tourists visit the 2017 Cross-Straits Mid-Autumn Lantern show of Kunshan in Zhouzhuang Town, an ancient waterside town in Jiangsu Province. The official starting ceremony was held on Sept 20.[Photo by Yang Lei/Xinhua] Since the National Day holiday is combined with the Mid-Autumn Festival, this year, Golden Week will last from Oct 1 to 8, enabling people to get together with their families, whether staying at home or travelling around. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional Chinese festival for family reunions and enjoying lantern shows. The lighted lanterns are a sign of hope for life. Kunshan, locating in southeast Jiangsu province, has held cross-Straits lantern shows since 2013 to celebrate reunion with Taiwan compatriots. Kunshan has become one of the areas with the most intensive investment from Taiwan. Thousands of Taiwan companies have been set up there since 1990. 2017 is the 30th anniversary since cross-Straits communication restarted. The 2017 Cross-Straits Mid-Autumn Lantern show of Kunshan will be held in Zhouzhuang Town and Huijusi Square at the same time, from Sept 20 to Oct 20, lasting a whole month. There will be four theme areas made up of 120 sets of colored lanterns, illustrating landscapes of Kunshan, Taiwan and Zhouzhuang, plus features of Chinese traditions. Also, there will be a series of activities, including lantern lighting, cross-Straits story shows, art exhibitions, cuisine tastings and lantern riddles.

Tourists wander in Zhouzhuang's alleys lit up with colored lanterns.[Photo by Yang Lei/Xinhua]

Lanterns illuminate a canal in Zhouzhuang.[Photo by Ji Haixin/China Daily]

A boat decorated with colored lanterns in Zhouzhuang.[Photo by Yang Lei/Xinhua]

Colored umbrella lanterns hang over the entrance of Zhouzhuang town.[Photo by Yang Lei/Xinhua]

A set of colored lanterns decorate a canal in Zhouzhuang.[Photo by Yang Lei/Xinhua]

Tourists ride a boat in a canal in Zhouzhuang.[Photo by Yang Lei/Xinhua]

The Beijing Hutongs [Photo/CGTN]

There are two colors that symbolize Beijing. Red is the color of the brick palaces within the Forbidden City and grey is the color of various Siheyuans (courtyard houses) that lie deep inside the Hutongs of Beijing.

Common Beijingers had a very different lifestyle compared to that of aristocrats who lived in palaces. However, long and winding Hutongs correctly portrays the life of the commoners that lived in "Old Beijing."

"There are about 3,600 Hutongs. Some of them have names, and others are nameless." Hidden inside Hutongs are not only the daily lives of common Beijing residents, but also famous historical relics and the past glory of wealthy families.

However, as time flies, many of these Hutongs are beginning to disappear.

Artist Kuang Han [Photo/CGTN]

Artist Kuang Han, uses pencil sketches to recreate the Hutongs of Old Beijing.

Kuang Han was born in Yifeng, Jiangxi Province. After he graduated from the School of Fine Arts at Nanjing Normal University in 1989, he was assigned to live in Beijing. He lived in a Hutong when he first arrived here, and through time nurtured a deep emotional connection with Hutongs.

"Nothing in the world can compare with the culture of the Beijing Hutongs. Any Hutong you walk into, you'll discover the stories that happened and the people that lived there, as far back as the Yuan and Qing Dynasties."

The Beijing Hutongs [Photo/CGTN]

He would cruise through streets and alleys of Beijing in search for poetic sentiment and beauty of daily life. He sketches them with watercolors and pencils. Kuang Han has been recording the changes of Beijing Hutongs for more than a decade now. He has compiled over 3,000 pieces of over 500 Hutongs, and published two artistic collections: The Beijing Hutongs and The Disappeared Hutongs.

"There was a pomegranate tree, a hogwash bucket, a garbage bin, a mop and a broom by the door (of where I lived), so I painted them. That was my first Hutong painting. After I finished it, someone looked at the painting and said, 'Hey, you've made the hogwash bucket pretty.' To me, weaved baskets, goldfish bowls and blooming flowers are all inspiration. I ended up strolling up and down each Hutong, feeling their steady breaths as I did so."

The Beijing Hutongs [Photo/CGTN]

He uses pencils to recreate Hutongs on paper. Many consider his unique thick pencil sketches a splendid expression of Beijing Hutong charm. In the sketches, he blends lines and planes in dark, grey and light colors to create simple aspects of life, like the streets and Hutongs in Beijing City. The thick lines give the sketches a three-dimensional look, an effect commonly found in western oil paintings.

"In 2002, I held two consecutive exhibitions in Beijing. Something unexpected happened during one of the exhibitions: An elderly woman came up to me in tears and said, 'You preserved my house. I don't even have a photo of our house, the house that I lived in.' In all honestly, my art is like a memento for people like her; I was able to help them find their way back home."

Kuang Han carries a camera and his drawing board every day. The weight of the equipment and his callused fingers did not stop him from drawing.

The Beijing Hutongs [Photo/CGTN]

"I will paint and sketch for as long as I can. One day, when I can't anymore, I will search for other forms of expression, but that won't happen today."

The days of Hutong have long gone, but fortunately Kuang Han has continued to document it with his art. He still uses his art to revive the Hutong culture of old Beijing.

According to figures, since 2011, The Beijing Municipal government has published 8 batches of Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level, encompassing a total of 357 Hutongs, including famous ones such as Shijia Hutong, Zongmao Hutong, Weijia Hutong.

Shanghai [Photo/IC]

Japanese Hirasawa Jun swiped his ID to check in at the high-speed rail terminal in Shanghai and got on the train swimmingly.

Having lived in Shanghai since 2014, Hirasawa was the first foreign expat in Lujiazui, part of Shanghai's CBD, to get the new-generation permanent resident permit in September, which looks and functions just like a Chinese ID card.

"I can use it for checking in at railway stations and airports through channels for Chinese residents," said the director of Marubeni (Shanghai) Corp.

To help Shanghai become an international destination for science and technology, the Ministry of Public Security has allowed Shanghai to pilot a simplified procedure for granting expats permanent residence permits.

Foreigners can apply for the permit from the Shanghai Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone or the administration committee of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Senior executives of multinational companies like Hirasawa can enjoy swift processing, which previously took two years, in less than two months, said Xu Dejie, an official with the Oracle Bay, an HR consultancy in Lujiazui.

In addition to the permit service for the business elite, Shanghai has over 1,000 business incubators, which provide services for some 200,000 domestic and foreign entrepreneurs.

Night scenery of Shanghai [Photo/IC]

The Australian Trade and Investment Commission based its business incubator in XNode, a startup accelerator in downtown Shanghai. Daniel Zhan, the commission's Landing Pad project manager, said it assisted Australian companies access the Chinese market.

Australian start-ups are keen to explore China's health, AI, Web of Things, education, science and finance markets, said Zhan.

Half of the start-up businesses served by XNode are from overseas, said founder Zhou Wei.

"XNode has helped aspiring entrepreneurs from 24 countries and regions since it opened in 2015," he said. It has also sourced 30 million US dollars of start-up funding.

Another business incubator Histrong specializes in returned overseas Chinese talent.

"From medical and social insurance to fund sourcing, Histrong gives overseas Chinese entrepreneurs a sense of security of doing business in China," said Zhu Zhenrong who, after living in the US for over 20 years, set up Shanghai Sanoviv Biological Technology Co. Ltd. in June with Histrong's help.

Chinese American Robin Young has lived in Shanghai since 2005. He set up AI firm Seedlink in 2013 to help companies in HR management.

"It's all possible because we started in China. China is growing and has open policies for immigration," Young said.

People study a carved seal at the Guardian Art Center in downtown Beijing. The nine-floor building will host auctions and exhibitions. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A new art building opened in Beijing on Sept 28, just two blocks away from the Forbidden City. The nine-floor Guardian Art Center is a one-stop art facility that will host auctions and exhibitions. It also has a hotel and secure art storage.

The center, which cost more than 2 billion yuan ($303 million), is hosting the fourth edition of Guardian Fine Art Asia in October, which features about 40 galleries, mainly antique dealers, from home and abroad, and the autumn auction of China's leading auctioneer China Guardian Auctions, to be held in December.

Kou Qin, general manager of Guardian Art Center and director of China Guardian, says the opening of the art center is China Guardian's attempt to diversify its art business to attract museums, art dealers, artists and art lovers, instead of only art buyers.

"It shows our confidence in China's art market and cultural scene. China's economy has kept booming for years, and the government is now calling for improvements in culture and art," says Kou.

China's art market surpassed that of the United States in 2016 to become the biggest in the world with a turnover of $4.9 billion, according to the 2016 Global Art Market Annual Report launched by Artprice.

Kou says that the local government has long supported their construction of the art center, which was designed by German architect Ole Scheeren.

Meanwhile, the art center plans to set up branches in different cities across China, a proposal that has been warmly welcomed by local governments, says Kou. The building of its first branch in Suzhou in Jiangsu province－a city that is famous for its traditional Chinese gardens－just finished construction. And its second branch in the coastal city of Sanya in Hainan province is under construction. In total, Kou says it will probably set up about eight branches.

The modern complex of the Guardian Art Center in Beijing, facing the traditional Chinese-style complex of the National Art Museum of China, houses a three-floor space for exhibitions, halls for auctions, an underground art warehouse and a five-star hotel with about 120 rooms.

 "When the elevator opens, our guest can walk from the auction house to their hotel room or the art warehouse," says Kou.

Guests can watch live auctions via the in-house TV and make bids. There's a specially-made safe box in each hotel room, about one-meter wide, for buyers to temporarily store their art purchases.

Apart from auctions, the other major function of the center is to hold the annual Guardian Fine Art Asia, which was set up in 2014 and mainly focuses on antiques.

This year, the art fair, to be held from Oct 25 to 29, has attracted antique dealers from the United States and Europe.

Kou says fairs featuring contemporary art in China are enough in numbers, but ones featuring antiques are rare as they need to be organized based on legal requirements intended to protect the nation's cultural heritage.

The upcoming fair will not only focus on antiques, but also furniture and jewelry.

"We hope the art fair can become China's TEFAF," Kou adds.

The European Fine Art fair is an annual fair of art, antiques and design, and it is considered the best of its kind in the world.

When China Guardian was set up in Beijing 24 years ago, its founder Chen Dongsheng said to media that he hoped his auction house would become China's Sotheby's, one of the world's leading auction houses.

Last year, Chen's insurance company, Taikang Life, purchased a stake in Sotheby's, becoming the auction house's largest shareholder. And China Guardian is the biggest shareholder of Taikang Life.

Deng Liping in front of his shop. [Photo by Tan Xi/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Deng Liping is busy selling mooncakes in his shop as the moon festival, which falls on October 4, is around the corner.

What is unusual with the 36-year-old in Chengdu, Sichuan province, is that he uses his feet to do business.

When he was playing in a military plant age seven, Deng touched a high-voltage power line by accident and lost both arms.

After much practice, he learned to use his feet just like others use their hands.

Since 1997, he has done many different jobs. He started by selling air tickets to buyers. He did that job for four years before opening a travel agency. In 2004, he started running a shop selling food.

The shop sells bacon, sausages before the Spring Festival, zongzi, a pyramid-shaped rice dumpling wrapped in reed leaves, before the Lantern Boat Festival and mooncakes before the moon festival, Deng said.

Business in the shop is thriving. Before the moon festival in 2011, it sold 5 million yuan ($754,387) worth of mooncakes.

Deng is married and has a son.

Deng Liping uses his feet to check WeChat messages. [Photo by Tan Xi/for chinadaily.com.cn] Deng Liping receives a mooncake dispatch bill in his shop. [Photo by Tan Xi/for chinadaily.com.cn] Deng Liping helps move mooncakes to his shop. [Photo by Tan Xi/for chinadaily.com.cn]

An exhibition about Princess Sissi was launched at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Sept 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

2017 must be a remarkable year for Princess Sissi and her Chinese fans. After the 17th Meeting in Beijing Arts Festival opened with Hungarian dance Princess Sissi in April, an exhibition about the princess was launched at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Sept 28.

The event, titled "Princess Sissi and Hungary: Aristocratic Life in 17th–19th Century Hungary", is showcasing 149 pieces from the Hungarian National Museum. It includes oil paintings, gold and silver ware, commemorative coins and clothes.

The Hungarian cultural relics are being showed at the Palace Museum for the first time.

An exhibition about Princess Sissi was launched at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Sept 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG]   Princess Sissi, or Elisabeth Amalia Eugenia von Wittelsbach, became well-known due to the 1955 film Sissi. Her life and experience as Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary in the 19th century have inspired many dramas, animations and musicals. Sissi lived in Hungary longer than any other place and regarded the country as her second home. She learned the Hungarian language and embroidery and also contributed to the construction of Budapest, earning her the nickname "Daughter of Hungary" from Hungarian people at the time. An exhibition about Princess Sissi was launched at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Sept 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG] An exhibition about Princess Sissi was launched at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Sept 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG] An exhibition about Princess Sissi was launched at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Sept 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG] An exhibition about Princess Sissi was launched at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Sept 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG] An exhibition about Princess Sissi was launched at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Sept 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG] An exhibition about Princess Sissi was launched at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Sept 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG] An exhibition about Princess Sissi was launched at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Sept 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG] An exhibition about Princess Sissi was launched at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Sept 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Princess Sissi. [Photo/dpm.org.cn]

[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

The Tang Xianzu International Theater Festival started in Fuzhou, East China's Jiangxi province, on Sept 24, with artists and scholars from China and Britain, the United States, Spain, Singapore and Thailand, among other countries participating in the monthlong event that is being held in the hometown of the renowned playwright of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) after whom it is named.

TNT Theatre Britain, the National Theatre of Albania, Four Seasons Theatre Company and theaters from across China will present shows and take part in forums on culture and innovation.

The annual festival debuted last year.

Tang Xianzu was famous for his four plays, known together as the "four dreams of Linchuan".

Among his plays, the best known is The Peony Pavilion, which tells the tragic story of two lovers — an official's daughter called Du Liniang and a young scholar called Liu Mengmei — and is usually compared with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare and Tang both died in the same year.

The Tang Xianzu International Theater Festival started in Fuzhou, East China's Jiangxi province, on Sept 24, with artists and scholars from China and Britain, the United States, Spain, Singapore and Thailand, among other countries participating in the monthlong event that is being held in the hometown of the renowned playwright of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) after whom it is named. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

The Tang Xianzu International Theater Festival started in Fuzhou, East China's Jiangxi province, on Sept 24, with artists and scholars from China and Britain, the United States, Spain, Singapore and Thailand, among other countries participating in the monthlong event that is being held in the hometown of the renowned playwright of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) after whom it is named. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily] The Tang Xianzu International Theater Festival started in Fuzhou, East China's Jiangxi province, on Sept 24, with artists and scholars from China and Britain, the United States, Spain, Singapore and Thailand, among other countries participating in the monthlong event that is being held in the hometown of the renowned playwright of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) after whom it is named. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

Yoshitomo Nara's colored pencil painting. [Photo provided to China Daily]

An exhibition featuring works that infuse art and design will be for the first time shown at the China International Gallery Exposition held from Friday to Sunday.

The annual art fair, launched in 2004, will return to the National Agriculture Exhibition Center.

Participating galleries this year include home-grown spaces and also the Beijing branches of international galleries, such as Galleria Continua, Tang Contemporary Art and Asia Art Center.

Also there will be international institutes from Seoul, New York and Barcelona.

A section at the fair will be dedicated to solo shows of several artists including Xi Jianjun from China, Park Seung-mo from South Korean and Yokomizo Miyuki from Japan.

An installation titled Babel by Xi Jianjun. [Photo provided to China Daily]

An installation titled Lu Zhishen pours down the Willows, by Li Nu. [Photo provided to China Daily] Chun Kwang Young's mixed medi work Aggregation07-AG055 to be on show. [Photo provided to China Daily] Lee Ufan's painting Frome Point to be on show. [Photo provided to China Daily] Park Seung Mo's installation Maya9273 to be on show. [Photo provided to China Daily] Porcelain works titled It should continue by Liu Xi. [Photo provided to China Daily] Works of Noon Passama. [Photo provided to China Daily]

One of the 14 original dances, Home, will be featured at the National Centre in Beijing for the Performing Arts on Nov 29, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

As the National Young Dancers Development enters its fourth year, 14 original dances from young Chinese artists will be staged in Beijing from Nov 28 to Jan 25, 2018.

About 30 artists will participate in the performance. Two exhibitions on Chinese dancers and an eight-day international dance camp will be held during the period.

This year, the new works will continue to be an infusion of traditional Chinese culture and the Western culture.

Two dances are inspired by customs of Tujia people in Hubei province and cultural ancient statues. Young choreographers try to use dances to explore the relations between the individual and the community, or to show their personal feelings in an emotional attachment.

National Young Dancers Development was jointly sponsored by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Chinese Dancers Association.

It was proposed by the Association in 2014 and aims to lend special support to innovative and talented young dancers. Through establishing platforms, promoting original works and providing opportunities for international communication, the plan is set to give young dancers complete guidance and cultivation.

The Association expects the plan to attract more young dancers to be involved and create a series of high-quality dances, becoming a leading program to increase the talent of China's dance circle.

One of the 14 original dances, Beijing, Hong Kong, will be featured at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Dec 2 to 3, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] One of the 14 original dances, Gazebo, will be featured at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Nov 29, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Stir-fried coral mushroom with roasted bell peppers. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Mushrooms are known as shanzhen in Chinese, which means "delicacies from the mountains". Rich in nutrition and in flavor, edible fungi has long been a delight on Chinese dining tables.

As people around the world develop a taste for mushrooms, more dishes are being created with the fungi in mind.

Yunnan province in Southwest China, thanks to its unique geography and climate, produces most of the high-quality mushrooms for the world.

To highlight the province's contribution to cuisine, Zen5es, a fine dining Cantonese restaurant in Beijing, has created a seasonal menu, bringing fresh mushrooms from the southern forests to local gourmets.

Wayne Wang, executive chef of Zen5es, says he values the balance between flavor and nutrition. Each dish is created to bring the best out of every ingredient.

The menu highlights 8 types of edible fungi, including the well-known matsutake mushroom and the wild cauliflower mushroom, which grows exclusively in Yunnan.

Paired with diverse ingredients like beef, seafood and vegetables, the dishes in Zen5es demonstrate the restaurant's core value - "Eat well".

If you go:

Zen5es, L4, The Westin Beijing Chaoyang, 7 East Third Ring North Road, Chaoyang district, Beijing (010 - 5922 8888)

Contact the writer at liwenrui@chinadaily.com.cn

Fried matsutake mushroom with sea salt and wild rice. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Fried black umbrella mushroom with Australian scallops in XO sauce. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Chicken soup with matsutake mushroom and tofu. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Fried rice with wild cauliflower mushroom and wagyu beef. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Jinlinwan tourism town draws couples to take their wedding photos in the lavender fields. [Photo by Wang Jing/China Daily]

Although it only opened to the public in March last year, Jinlinwan tourism town has attracted 600,000 visitors so far this year, up 50 percent over the same period of last year, with many coming to relax in the hot springs and view the fields of lavender.

"The town used to be a barren wasteland, until we turned it into grassland and introduced flowers and the tourist facilities a few years ago," says Wang Jianwei, vice-general manager of a tourism company that runs the town. "Now families can enjoy camping and barbecues on the grassland and they have access to a gym and can enjoy sports such as basketball, badminton, tennis and horse-riding."

Moreover, Jinlinwan appeals to couples who come here to have their wedding photos taken by professional teams in the picturesque surroundings.

Wang's company and the local government have jointly invested 16.2 billion yuan ($2.46 billion) to develop a 533-hectare love-themed facility for weddings, including a honeymoon hotel, to further tap the lucrative wedding market.

Most of travelers come from Kunming and Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province, thanks to the Shanghai-Kunming high-speed railway that opened at the end of last year and which has helped to bring more visitors from neighboring cities.

The high-speed railway has cut the travel time to half an hour from Qujing to Kunming, one and a half hours to Guiyang, and four hours to Changsha, the capital of Hunan province.

Wang says the town owes its popularity to the local government's support.

"The government has recommended us in various tourism promotion events held in major cities across the country," he adds.

Jinlinwan tourism town draws couples to take their wedding photos in the lavender fields. [Photo by Wang Jing/China Daily]

Jinlinwan is just part of Qujing that is looking to develop the domestic tourism market.

The Qujing government has taken a series of measures to transform the city into an ecological and culture tourism destination in the last few years.

"Qujing has, in fact, many advantages and natural resources that can help develop its tourism industry," says Dong Baotong, mayor of Qujing.

For example, the city's Nizhuhe Canyon offers idyllic beauty and features hovering golden eagles, karst grottos and cliffs.

"We're now building Qujing into a national forest city to upgrade the environment, and will integrate ecological environment with tourism," Dong says. Visitors can enjoy camping and the wonderful outdoor experiences that Qujing has to offer," Dong says.

The city's many local ethic cultures are also being promoted to attract tourists.

In 2016, the city received 17.3 million visits by travelers, almost double the number in 2012, and the income from tourism was 15.3 billion yuan, Dong says.

Many sports facilities have been established and a number of sporting events have been held to spice up the visitor experience.

The world's Iron Man competition was held in August, and various domestic competitions have been staged in Qujing.

Now, a movie studio is under construction, and Dong believes that many fans will come to see the stars, and travel in Qujing in the interim.

Contact the writers through yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn 

[Photo provided to China Daily]

A half marathon for women was held at the Beijing Garden Expo Park on Sept 23.

More than 5,000 people joined the half marathon that was part competition and part entertainment. Chinese contestants swept the top three spots, with Xia Yuyu, a sophomore from Tsinghua University, winning the championship with a prize of 10,000 yuan ($1,517). She clocked in the competition at one hour, 17 minutes and 49 seconds.

The event was hosted by the Chinese Athletic Association, Beijing Women's Federation, Beijing sports bureau and the Fengtai district government.

Held from Sept 16 to 17, the forum was organized by Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University and Beijing Institute of Functional Neurosurgery.

In-depth discussion of functional neurosurgery between representatives from the United States, Germany, France, Canada, Japan, South Korea and China, conducted a detailed review of the field.

Professor Li Yongjie, president of the forum, said the purpose of the forum is to promote the international integration of China's functional neurosurgery.

At present, the concept of precision medicine is being recognized worldwide. Brain science has made breakthrough, so that functional neurological disease diagnosis and treatment are gaining momentum. The great progress of information and engineering technology has made medical development even more powerful: from nerve navigation to robotics, from visual simulation to reality enhancement, from brain-to-machine fusion to artificial intelligence.

Many unimaginable surgery in the past has become a reality. Neuromodulation will be more applicable in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and psychiatric disorders. There will be minimally invasive location and treatment of epileptic foci.

All this will greatly benefit patients and society, and also provide big opportunities for clinical medicine, scientific research and industrial transformation. As a result, there is a greater need for collaboration and co-innovation among different areas globally.

Mark Hallett, chief of the Human Motor Control Section at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, stressed on the mechanism of deep brain electrical stimulation in the treatment of dystonia.

Professor Paul S. Larson from the department of neurological surgery, University of California, San Francisco, introduced the experience of multidisciplinary management of Parkinson's disease and gene therapy for Parkinson's disease.

Ali Rezai, former chairman of the American Society of Neurosurgeons and former chairman of the North American Neuromodulation Society, talked about brain-machine interface and sports function rehabilitation.

Fashion icon Yang Mi poses for the fashion magazine. [Photo/Official Weibo account of Our Street Style]

Fashion icon Yang Mi poses for the fashion magazine. [Photo/Official Weibo account of Our Street Style] Fashion icon Yang Mi poses for the fashion magazine. [Photo/Official Weibo account of Our Street Style] Fashion icon Yang Mi poses for the fashion magazine. [Photo/Official Weibo account of Our Street Style] Fashion icon Yang Mi poses for the fashion magazine. [Photo/Official Weibo account of Our Street Style]

A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC]

A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC] A model walks on the runway during the Moschino fashion show during the Milan fashion week held in Milan, Italy on September 21, 2017. [Photo/IC]

Peking Opera artists perform during the culture talk in Stockholm on Sept 15, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

The veteran Peking Opera artist Yuan Huiqin hosted a culture talk entitled "Charm of Peking Opera" in Stockholm on Sept 15 and St.Petersburg on Sept 11.

The two sessions, as programs of Chinese Culture Talk, were organized by the Bureau for External Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Culture of China, Chinese embassies and local cultural organizations. Members of Chinese embassies, famous sinologists and  those interested in Peking Opera attended the two culture talks.

The host, Yuan Huiqin, is a national class-A artist of China's National Peking Opera Company and a winner of the Plum Blossom Prize. During the talks, she shared the charm of Peking Opera through video display, live performance, personal demonstration and interaction with the audience.

With the help of the local sinologists, her commentary was translated into Swedish and Russian. These words explored the concepts, aesthetic pursuits and artistic features of traditional Chinese operas, which enabled attendees to experience the distinct glamour of Peking Opera.

In addition, young artists from the China National Peking Opera Company performed classic opera selections. During the interaction portion of the talks, amateur actors performed with young artists and the audience tried on costumes and learnt debut postures.

"Charm of Peking Opera" in Stockholm was the second session of the talk series in Sweden. Another talk was held in the Falköping municipality on Sept 14.

A Peking Opera artist performs during the culture talk in St.Petersburg on Sept 11, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

Audiences try on Peking Opera facial makeup after the culture talk. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

Leung Wai-ming sits with students from Yintang Village Middle School, Shuangfeng county, Hunan province. The school is one of 300 in the province that have received books donated by the Reading Dream Program, which Leung launched in 2007.[Photo provided to China Daily]

A former headmaster has spent a decade building libraries to improve the prospects of illiterate children in Hunan province, as Wang Yuke reports from Hong Kong.

The children couldn't read. That was the first thing Leung Waiming, a former headmaster from Hong Kong, noticed when he visited a rural school in Shaoshan, a city in Hunan province, in 2007. What possible future could they expect in the modern technological era? he wondered.

When Leung asked to visit the school library, he was taken to a small room - practically a closet - where books sat on a narrow shelf, covered in dust. He was shocked by the apparent indifference to reading.

Talking to the children, Leung realized they were shy and lacked confidence. He also saw that their futures were not promising, given a learning environment so different from their peers in Hong Kong.

"Can I help the school to make a change? What can I do?" he asked himself. Then he had an idea. He would help build libraries for the rural students.

"I remember when I was in Primary 6," one grateful former student wrote to Leung. "We had our own library and it was the first time I read Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I took to it immediately. That was the happiest time of my childhood ... Now I work. I hope someday to travel the globe, like the hero of Around the World in 80 Days!"

Letters like that are deeply gratifying to Leung because they represent the perfect outcome of a decade spent promoting reading and building libraries at rural schools on the mainland.

Ten years ago, he started the Reading Dream Program to provide hope of a better future for more than 200,000 impoverished children.

So far, the program has built more than 300 school libraries and supplied books for students for whom reading would otherwise have been an unattainable luxury.

Now, in schools where libraries have been established, reading is the norm.

"Children living in poverty are prone to low self-esteem. They consider themselves inferior to others," said Leung, adding that reading means knowledge and growing intelligence, and intelligence gives children self-confidence and equips them for future challenges, whether in their studies or in life.

"I want to see them walking tall, with confidence and dignity," he said.

Many students from these rural schools used to perform badly in regional or local academic rankings. Now, some have risen in scholastic achievement and have been admitted to top regional secondary schools. Leung's contribution has not been lost on parents, either. They take pride in the children's achievements, and some even donate money to the program to help it expand.

Leung, now 58 and approaching retirement, has always wanted the program to move faster, and can barely contain his impatience. "The school year is quite short for a child. I'm pressed for time to make them aware of the benefits of reading," he said.

Some of the books donated by the Reading Dream Program in Ruyi.[Photo provided to China Daily]

A dream blossoms

Leung was headmaster at San Wui Commercial Society School, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, from 1997 until 2007. Then, after 10 years in the job, he resigned and set off for Hunan to visit an acquaintance, a headmaster from Changsha, the capital of Hunan, he had met during an exchange activity in Hong Kong.

They made a chance visit to the school in Shaoshan, which had about 100 students. The classrooms were crudely equipped; the chairs were unstable and the desks were pockmarked with holes. "It was a mess," Leung recalled.

Even worse, lessons seemed to consist of teachers standing at the front of the class and speaking, while students took notes when instructed or gazed out of the window, daydreaming.

"There was no vigor or fun in the classroom," Leung said. During recess, he noticed that some children were barefoot. When he asked why, the headmaster told him, "Because they are rural children."

The children shied away from Leung, but three girls stared at him with what struck him as vacant grins. "Their stares were empty, even though they looked as happy as children in big cities. I couldn't see hope for the future in their eyes," he recalled.

Many other rural schools were much the same. They had no libraries. Some claimed they had, but when Leung checked, he found the doors locked and the scant book collections covered with dust as though they hadn't been touched for years. Moreover, the books were an eclectic mix that appeared to have been collected at random, with the majority unsuitable for elementary students.

He felt obliged to act. "For children, the first 10 years is the golden time for learning and development. A span of 10 years defines a generation. We can't afford to let a generation fail because of poor education," he said.

Before leaving the school in Shaoshan, Leung promised the headmaster, "I will return before Chinese New Year and help you build a new library."

He then spent two days browsing Shaoshan's only bookstore, looking for children's books. He didn't want used volumes; he wanted new ones "because the 'feel' is important to young readers. The smooth texture and the rustling sound of the paper can make them more interested in reading."

Returning to Hong Kong, Leung began drafting a five-year blueprint. He started knocking on the doors of potential sponsors. It was a slow beginning. Few potential donors were impressed because they thought the project was grandiose and unlikely to succeed.

Some of Leung's friends worried about his personal life and wondered if he would have time for himself after taking on such an enormous responsibility. The lack of a stable income was another concern

Success came slowly, but eventually he found three sponsors in Hong Kong and bought 100 pieces of furniture; desks, chairs and bookshelves. A few days before Chinese New Year 1998, he kept his promise and returned to Shaoshan with 30,000 yuan ($4,570) in his pocket.

Leung Wai-ming, founder of the Reading Dream Program.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Reading the runes

Leung established a 30-minute reading session as a compulsory part of the daily routine. There was also work to be done with the teachers, who had to be competent to teach the children how to read independently.

The students received their new study materials eagerly and were soon absorbed in their new books. "Sometimes they frowned. Sometimes they looked sad and nervous, but as they read on I saw their furrowed brows relax. They smiled and even laughed out loud," Leung recalled. "Their expressions of rapt attention lifted my heart. I felt all the effort had been worthwhile."

He began to see a future for the children - of flexible minds, problem-solving skills, the ability to form opinions, expanded creativity and articulate expression. All these can be shaped through reading, he said, adding that the teacher's role is to "ask good questions "as they guide their students' reading development.

After three months, the teachers saw the results: Students who had only been able to give inarticulate accounts of the stories they read could now relate entire narrative arcs in logical sequences, while the more-advanced students offered their own insights when asked. They all became more comfortable when speaking in class.

Leung set about extending the program to other rural schools in Hunan, but many teachers were unhappy. They complained about the extra workload. The compulsory reading sessions were not implemented, and the time set aside for them was reallocated for students to do their homework instead. Leung's confidence was shaken.

"The schools in those poor villages welcomed donations of books, cash and physical items. They were less interested in reading programs that could take a while to bear fruit," he said.

In frustration, Leung visited the school authorities in Shaoshan, where he received a more enthusiastic reception. He began sitting in classrooms across Shaoshan from 8 am until 5 pm, monitoring the reinstated reading sessions and training teachers.

Students read donated books at the Central Primary School, Ruyi county, Hunan.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Loneliness

Away from home, the biggest difficulty he endured was loneliness. When he finished his work, loneliness loomed large and he felt as though he was in the middle of nowhere. "Family and friends were not around. I had nobody to speak to," he said.

Now, he is accustomed to the feeling: "I take a walk and look around, read books or listen to music."

Winter in Hunan was the hardest time in the early days. Leung was a stranger to frequent heavy snowfalls and extremely cold weather. "It's really cold there. My feet were freezing. My toes got numb," he recalled. When he realized the locals wore double layers of pants to keep warm, he followed suit: "For the first time ever, I put on thermal pants and wore two pairs of thick socks."

He didn't eat spicy food in Hong Kong, so he had to adapt to Hunan's fiery cuisine. The schools were hospitable, and they would bring out their best food and liquor. At the time he couldn't bear too much spicy food and was practically teetotal.

"I started to try, out of politeness, and gradually I found myself more comfortable with it," he said.

Fearing his program would be delayed, he kept reminding himself to stay fit: "I can't afford to get sick during my stay in Hunan. I must take care of myself. Eat moderately and keep warm."

Both he and his wife were alone. They have no children, so by spending seven months in Hunan, he knew he was neglecting his wife.

"She would tell me she felt lonely and helpless when she was sick. But she never made a fuss. She just became quiet, which only fueled my anxiety and guilt," he said.

His wife was taken ill with severe stomachaches at night several times, and had to visit the emergency room on her own. In the most serious incident, she needed surgery. "Sadly, I was not with her," Leung said, looking sad.

He also felt for his father and siblings: "My father died when I was heading to Changsha. I should have spent more time with him. He'd had amnesia for many years, and could only recognize two people - me and my oldest sister."

Without a stable income, Leung relies on the support of the sponsors for a "living allowance", as he calls it. "Our family income is half what it was 10 years ago when I was a headmaster in Hong Kong. But it's enough for us to live a comfortable life," he said.

Now, he is desperate to spend more time with his wife and extended family. That wish could be facilitated by a new high-speed rail link between Hong Kong and the mainland, scheduled to open late next year.

At present, he uses the existing rail network as his primary commuting option because it's more flexible than air travel in terms of time, space and cost, and he can use the journey time to work on his laptop.

"Next year, I will be able to catch the high-speed train straight from Hong Kong. It will be much easier," he said. Leung is planning to act as consultant or supervisor and spend more time at home.

He wants to expand the program to more rural schools, so he now trains teachers online.

"I know my wife wants to make a trip to Northern Europe. I've put it in our holiday plan, but only when the job is done and everything has fallen into place. Then, I will really be able to 'go home'," he said.

Huang Yu (top left) holds a show displaying some of his 300-odd pieces in Chengdu in 2016. Now he's working to set up the annual Art Chengdu art fair from next year. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A new generation of Chinese collectors is making its mark. Deng Zhangyu reports.

One of them is launching a major international art fair－touted as the first of its kind in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Another one is behind Artcare, a company providing bespoke services for art collectors. A third is looking to the fifth edition of a celebrity-studded art fair she set up with her husband in Shanghai.

These are just a few among the growing number of young collectors coming to the fore of China's art market. The country's market recorded a turnover of $4.9 billion to surpass that of the United States and take the lead globally, says the 2016 Global Art Market Annual Report, issued by art price database Artprice.

Such collectors as Art Chengdu's Huang Yu, 36; Artcare's 36-year-old Tong Chi Kar, who is from the high-end property company, Tomson Group; and 37-year-old Ying Qinglan, and her husband, David Chau, in Shanghai, are among the leading contributors to China's art market. They not only buy art but also contribute to the contemporary art ecosystem.

"The young collectors who are frequently reported on by media are only the tip of an iceberg. The group increases in size every year. More join in, influenced by their peers, who love to share their art collections with the public," says Li Yanfeng, general manager of the 20th-century and contemporary Chinese art department of auction house China Guardian Auctions.

Unlike their predecessors, who often bought Chinese art at auction houses and shared their purchases with a small circle of friends, younger collectors prefer to spend more on contemporary works at galleries and art fairs, where they can interact with artists and visit various art shows.

The younger generation－many members of which hail from wealthy or art families－share a lot in common, says Li. They are usually well-educated, confident about their tastes and open to all mediums and artists, regardless of nationality.

"They grew up in the internet era. They're eager to share art with others," adds Li.

In recent years, more young Chinese collectors have also set up private museums, displayed personal collections and given speeches about their experience in the field.

"They see art as part of their life. It's a kind of lifestyle to meet their spiritual needs beyond their material riches."

Ying Qinglan represents the new generation of the elite art-collection world in China. She is more open to sharing their ideas with the public and buying works from both home and abroad than her predecessors. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Part of a lifestyle

Tomson Group's vice-chairman Tong professes that his collection is a reflection of his passion and love for art. He tries to spend whatever spare time he has outside of work commitments in Shanghai visiting galleries, art fairs and museums throughout the country and abroad.

"If I'm on a business trip to cities like London and Paris, I'll definitely visit local art museums. In fact, I have been to these museums many times," says Tong. He has a private art space, C+, in the city's downtown area along the Huangpu River. It displays his collections and occasionally invites artists to hold shows.

Tong owns more than 200 pieces of art. They're mainly abstract works by artists born after the 1970s and include paintings, sculptures, installations and videos.

He explains that he loves to buy the works of artists who grew up in his era. He can find emotional links or similar experiences.

He recently bought an abstract painting from Beijing-based artist Qiu Xiaofei and Colombian artist Oscar Murillo.

Works by international artists account for nearly one-fifth of Tong's collection. They include such big names as Tracey Emin and Yves Klein.

Tong spent his teenage years in the United States and was educated in Boston. He once visited a show in high school, featuring Pablo Picasso's works painted during the Spanish master's Blue period when his pieces were rendered with the namesake color. The works had such an impact on Tong that his collections are largely related to the same hue.

Tong started to buy art in 2009, beginning with an oil painting by Chinese artist Zhou Chunya. He could not take his eyes off the painting when he first saw it.

"I buy art according to my instincts. Works must touch my heart and move me," says Tong.

His busy work schedule means he has had to cancel several flights he booked for Switzerland's Art Basel and other major art events outside China.

In May, Tong set up his Artcare company in Beijing to offer art-related services, such as insurance, transportation and storage facilities, as well as consultations and projects to cooperate with artists.

"It's like services for my own collection," Tong says jokingly.

The idea behind Artcare actually stemmed from his online and offline conversations with collector friends, who made him realize there was a demand for such services.

Tong loves to share his passion for art online. He often posts his visits to art exhibitions on his Sina Weibo micro blog, where he has about 330,000 followers.

"Art is a lifestyle. It's part of my life, and I'd like to share it with others," he says.

Young art collectors Tong Chi Kar represents the new generation of the elite art-collection world in China. He is more open to sharing their ideas with the public and buying works from both home and abroad than his predecessors. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Clear idea of collection

Unlike Tong's expressed use of instinct to buy art, Huang Yu adopts a systematic approach. He has definite ideas on what to buy and has more than 300 pieces, mostly conceptual works and videos.

Last year, Huang held a show of his collection in his hometown, Chengdu. The exhibit was followed by a forum involving young Chinese collectors. Huang wanted to provide a platform for them to exchange ideas.

Huang was born in a wealthy family. His mother is a successful businesswoman and has a museum in Chengdu.

Huang was fascinated with auto racing and became a racer in his early 20s. In 2003, he was hooked on bodybuilding and won a competition. However, these short-term interests soon gave way to his love of art.

In 2003, he headed to Beijing and founded an auction house with his elder brother. For several years, he bought only antiques－ancient Chinese paintings and porcelain－just like his parents' generation.

Huang went to Shanghai's China Minsheng Bank in 2008 and helped launch the first art fund in Asia. He applied to work at the Minsheng Contemporary Art Museum Shanghai when it was still in the planning stages. The move helped spur his purchases of contemporary art, which now account for a large part of his collection.

Huang learned art history at the museum and went to galleries, fairs and auction houses to buy art. He bought about 100 pieces of contemporary art within two years. He also bought emerging international artists' works, mainly for investment.

"I rarely sell pieces from my collections. I separate the investment part clearly from my collections," says Huang.

After years in the field, Huang says he better understands the development of contemporary Chinese art. He knows which artists should be in his collection and why. He buys works by those who possess a critical footprint in art history, such as Yang Fudong, Liu Xiaodong and Ding Yi.

"I hope to conduct a world tour of my own collection, specific to a certain art form, such as video," he says.

Huang is a Buddhist. His mother influenced his religious beliefs. His house still contains many Buddha sculptures.

He spends half his time on art and the rest on his business, which is involved in the cultural, entertainment and investment sectors. His aim is to list the company in Hong Kong.

He travels frequently for business and to expand his collection. He owns a high-end club in Chengdu to display his collections and share them with his friends, many of whom are from the financial sector.

Huang's Art Chengdu fair next year will work with 30 galleries worldwide to showcase works that appeal to young people.

"I often feel tired and want to sleep for a day," says Huang.

"But I feel my energy return very quickly when I think about art."

Stellar draw

Ying Qinglan has been featured in fashion and lifestyle magazines, which complements her familiarity with the celebrity scene.

She is the co-founder of Art021, a popular annual art fair in Shanghai that attracts a stellar crowd. Ying is also a celebrity collector of sorts in her circle of friends, many of whom are from the fashion scene.

Ying organized an art award for young Chinese artists, supported by luxury car brand Porsche in late August.

The Shanghai native says she still has a lot to learn and needs time to set up her collection systematically and at her own pace.

"For me, collecting art is actually a humble and private affair," says Ying, adding that she owns several hundred works.

Ying's mother worked in a government culture department and has many connections with art circles. She also buys artwork, mainly figurative paintings.

Ying's first purchase followed in the footsteps of her mother. She bought an oil portrait of herself. In 2012, she bought a painting by influential Chinese artist Zhang Enli in Switzerland, and that inspired her passion to collect more.

She frequently attends gallery exhibitions and fairs. She frequently flies overseas for shows.

"Visiting shows is a kind of lifestyle that I share with my friends. We often go together," says Ying. Friends from the fashion and entertainment fields, whom she has influenced to collect art, include celebrity model Xi Mengyao, who has catwalked for lingerie label Victoria's Secret.

Ying says she loves to meet artists. She even appeared in a work by emerging video artist Cheng Ran. Her experience studying abroad has also fueled her interest in international pieces.

"My mother's generation seldom bought works by foreign artists. But we're from the younger generation and go beyond such borders because of our exposure," she says.

Her collection is also largely inspired by her collector husband, Chau, who has a degree in art history from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. The couple co-founded art fair Art021, and their C.C. Foundation handles their artwork. Still, the husband and wife have separate collections, reflecting their personal tastes.

"I'm independent and try to develop my own style," says Ying.

Apart from art, she runs a beauty center in Shanghai, offering plastic surgery and skincare services. The center is now cooperating with Tongji University on cell regeneration.

She regularly posts her collections and social activities online, and has garnered nearly 270,000 followers on Sina Weibo.

"I'm really happy when I help more people take part in art," she says.

Contact the writer at dengzhangyu@chinadaily.com.cn

Actors perform the immersive melodrama Encore Dunhuang in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo/China.org.cn]

The immersive melodrama drama, Encore Dunhuang, enthralled audience members in Dunhuang in Northwest China's Gansu province on Monday, taking them on a journey back through time to learn about the city's 2,000-year-old history and the age-old Silk Road culture.

Dunhuang, most famous for the Mogao Caves, was an important stop along the ancient Silk Road - a trade route that was used to transport goods between East and West. The second Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo is being held in the city from Sept 20-21.

Unlike traditional shows, where people are seated and watch what's played on stage, the 90-minute immersive theater piece invites spectators to walk through four different rooms in a timetravel-like performance, experiencing key moments in the history of the city.

Dancers perform during the immersive melodrama, Encore Dunhuang, in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The immersive show is directed by famous Chinese director Wang Chaoge, a co-director of the opening ceremony at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Encore Dunhuang debuted at the first Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo in September 2016. Over the past year, the show has been performed in the city over 700 times, reaching over 350,000 people.

At a news conference to mark the one-year anniversary of the show's debut on Monday, Wang was named "Honorary Citizen" of Dunhuang by local government to honor her contributions to the city's brand image.

Director Wang Chaoge (right) is named "Honorary Citizen of Dunhuang" at a news conference marking the one-year anniversary of drama, Encore Dunhuang, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Dancers perform during the immersive melodrama, Encore Dunhuang, in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Actors perform during the immersive melodrama, Encore Dunhuang, in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo/China.org.cn] Dancers perform during the immersive melodrama, Encore Dunhuang, in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Dancers perform during the immersive melodrama, Encore Dunhuang, in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Dancers perform during the immersive melodrama, Encore Dunhuang, in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo/China.org.cn]

An artwork based on Vincent van Gogh's painting Sunflower is created on a piece of land in Qinhuangdao city, Hebei province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo/IC]

A large piece of artwork imitating Vincent van Gogh's masterpiece Sunflower is on display in Dongxuzhuang village, Duzhuang town, Haigang district, Qinhuangdao city, Hebei province.

The piece occupies an area of around 40 mu (2.7 hectares), and is created using six kinds of grass flowers such as maidenhair, red grass, green grass and begonia.

Combining world famous painting with natural landscape, the work celebrates the Second Conference of Hebei Tourism Industrial Development which opened on Sunday.

An artwork based on Vincent van Gogh's painting Sunflower is created on a piece of land in Qinhuangdao city, Hebei province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo/IC]

An artwork based on Vincent van Gogh's painting Sunflower is created on a piece of land in Qinhuangdao city, Hebei province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] A visitor takes photo of the work portraying Vincent van Gogh's painting Sunflower in Qinhuangdao city, Hebei province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] Visitors walk past the work portraying Vincent van Gogh's painting Sunflower in Qinhuangdao city, Hebei province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo/IC] An artwork based on Vincent van Gogh's painting Sunflower is created on a piece of land in Qinhuangdao city, Hebei province, Sept 18, 2017. [Photo/IC]

During 2017 Greece and China have organized several events to promote cultural exchange between the two peoples along cooperation in many other areas.[Photo/Xinhua]

"We are proud hosting this treasure of Chinese culture," Nicholas Theocarakis, chairman of the Athens Concert Hall, told Xinhua after watching Female Generals of the Yang Family, a classic masterpiece of Beijing Opera.

Artists from China National Peking Opera Company won the admiration and the warm applause of the Greek audience through their performance Sunday night at the concert hall, one of the most impressive venues of its kind in Greece and the world.

The electrifying performance was part of a series of events staged this year for the 2017 Greece-China Year of Cultural Exchanges and Culture Industry Cooperation.

It was the first time ever that the play was hosted in Greece with Greek subtitles.

The story of the strong and courageous Chinese women who safeguarded their homeland after their husbands, sons and fathers were killed heroically in battle moved the Greek spectators.

The impressive costumes and scenery, as well as the flawless singing, dancing and martial arts and acrobatics performance were also praised by the audience.

Like Theocarakis, spectators said they appreciated the exemplary sample of the Beijing Opera which is included since 2010 in UNESCO's world Intangible Cultural Heritage list and are eager to learn more about Chinese culture.

"I think the artists were excellent. We do not often have the chance to watch such events. I look forward to learning more (about Chinese culture) through such shows and events," Vassiliki Ligri told Xinhua.

Ligri and her friend who bought the tickets for the show were also impressed with the colorful Chinese traditional costumes used in opera which were put on display at the Athens Concert Hall on Sunday. "Female Generals of the Yang Family is a very attractive piece of traditional Beijing Opera. It features Sheng (male role), Dan (female role), Jing (painted face), Chou (clown) -- all the four main type of characters in Beijing Opera, fully representing the opera's artistically charming," Liu Yupu, deputy director of China National Peking Opera Company told Xinhua.

"Greece is the birthplace of European civilization while China is one of the four ancient civilizations, thus I think it is our obligation to bring the quintessence of Chinese culture to the Greek audience," Liu said.

Zou Xiaoli, Chinese ambassador to Greece thanked the artists for overcoming the barriers of culture, language and nation, contributing greatly to the Greece-China Year of Cultural Exchanges

During 2017 Greece and China have organized several events to promote cultural exchange between the two peoples along cooperation in many other areas.

China is the honored country in the recently held 82nd Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) which is the largest on terms of participants and visitors in the past decade, according to the Greek organizers.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras hailed Sino-Greek cooperation during the opening of China's pavilion at TIF in the northern city port of Thessaloniki.

Addressing the event, he praised China's Belt and Road initiative, reiterated Greece's strong support and underlined the key role Chinese investments hold in Greece's efforts to overcome the debt crisis and restore growth.

"We will quickly move forward, and via the collaboration with Chinese enterprises and Chinese investments here, to transform Greece into an international transport, trade and energy hub," the Greek prime minister said.

Egypt recently decided to return 13 old bank notes to China, the Beijing News reported on Sept 11. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Egypt recently decided to return 13 old bank notes to China, the Beijing News reported on Sept 11.

The Xinhua News Agency released photos of an exhibition of the same notes from Cairo.

Most of the bank notes are from the early 20th century, Shi Yuewen, the cultural counselor at the Chinese embassy in Cairo, told the media. They were found earlier this year by Egyptian officials.

The earliest note in the series is from 1901 and shows the image of a mining company in Northeast China. The other note was released by the Chinese Soviet Republic, a revolutionary government led by Mao Zedong in the 1930s, when the country was under Kuomintang rule.

"The items were found to have been illegally exported due to the absence of certification, and they deserved to be returned to China," Shi says.

The two countries held a transfer ceremony in late August, and Shi says the notes are on the way home.

In 2010, China and Egypt signed an agreement to jointly fight the smuggling of cultural relics. Returning the bank notes is the first time Egypt is giving Chinese cultural relics back to China.

China has similar agreements with 20 countries.

"The Egyptian cultural relic administration did a really good job with its fast action and firm attitude," Shi says.

Compared with the bank notes that were illegally exported in recent times, a more pressing issue is that many Chinese cultural relics have been lost over the decades.

Though an international convention was reached in 1970 to prevent the illicit import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property, its validity for those taken away before that year is unclear.

"Both China and Egypt are victims of international crimes on cultural relics," Ali Ahmed Ali Farhan, the director-general of the repatriation department of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, told the paper in an earlier interview.

"We face the same problem: It's difficult to repatriate objects stolen before 1970. We are ready to cooperate with China that shares the problem," he said.

"When we make allies, we can move together for the modification of current laws."

Tourists and monks attend a ceremony of gratitude at the Grand Hall of the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai on Sunday. The hall was moved 31 meters north and raised 1 meter.[Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

Work to move the Grand Hall of Shanghai's Jade Buddha Temple 31 meters north and raise it 1 meter from the place it has stood for almost century was completed on Sunday.

The temple was first built in 1882 on the outskirts of Shanghai. It is named for the two jade Buddha statues it houses. Destroyed by fire, it was reconstructed in 1918 at its current downtown location.

Abbots of the temple decided to relocate the saffron-painted Grand Hall three years ago because of safety concerns and to protect the wooden structure. The temple welcomes about 2 million visitors a year, and daily visitors on occasions such as Chinese New Year Eve can top 100,000.

A special ceremony attended by monks, abbots and thousands of Buddhist faithful was held on Sunday morning to celebrate the successful relocation of the hall after two weeks of work.

The 2,000-metric-ton structure was moved together with three clay Buddha sculptures and other relics it contained.

"The challenge was like walking and carrying a tray of tofu to a destination," said Lan Wuji, founder of Evolution Shift, the company behind the project, which also handled the relocation of Shanghai Music Hall in 2003.

People prepare bricks that will be used in the new foundation of the Grand Hall of the Jade Buddha Temple. The blue cylinder is one of the hydraulic jacks used to lift the structure.[Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

Lan said because the temple was built much earlier and there were no schematics, its move was a much more difficult job than the relocation of the music hall.

It was later found, through radar technology, that the foundation of the Grand Hall was made from rocks glued together with a mixture of lime and glutinous rice, rather than cement or steel.

Ten rails were created along which the hall was moved to its new site at a speed of 3 centimeters per minute. Forty-six hydraulic jacks were placed under the foundation to lift the entire structure off the ground.

Around 20,000 bricks will be used to fill the gap below the structure, as it is now 1 meter higher than before. Members of the public can pay 200 yuan ($30) to have their name inscribed on one of the bricks before the end of September, when they will be inserted.

After the new foundation is complete, a bell and drum tower, as well as a hall dedicated to Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy, will be added to the Grand Hall to complete the temple's function and architectural style, a typical Buddhist temple in East China.

The whole renovation is expected to be finished in the first part of next year.

Tourists and monks attend a ceremony of gratitude at the Grand Hall of the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai on Sunday. The hall was moved 31 meters north and raised 1 meter.[Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

Tourists and monks attend a ceremony of gratitude at the Grand Hall of the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai on Sunday. The hall was moved 31 meters north and raised 1 meter.[Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

Models present creations during the recently concluded New York Fashion Week. [Photo/Agencies]

With London Fashion Week kicking off on Friday, here are 10 top trends New York offered this season. Jennie Matthew reports.

New York Fashion Week wrapped up on Wednesday in an explosion of glowing colors, greater inroads into diversity, designers still pondering the point of the runway and younger talent given a chance to shine.

As the global style bandwagon now flits to Europe, with London Fashion Week kicking off on Friday before moving onto Milan and Paris, here are 10 top trends New York offered this season:

1990s throwback

Tom Ford kicked off the week by going back to his Gucci heyday, mining for inspiration the decade that made him famous. There were plenty of low-slung pants, hip-grazing cut-out bodysuits and boxy jackets.

Italian label GCDS also went for low-slung and bodysuits, while Oscar de la Renta and Victoria Beckham showed oversized jackets.

Oh, and 1990s supermodel Cindy Crawford officially passed the baton to the next generation－her 16-year-old daughter Kaia Gerber made her runway debut for the Calvin Klein, Alexander Wang and Marc Jacobs.

Models present creations during the recently concluded New York Fashion Week. [Photo/Agencies]

Under boob

New York may be primarily a commercial market that luxuriates in wearable fashion, and above all, sales－but side boob has been tabloid fodder for years and designers were not afraid to be daring.

Spring/summer is the season for under boob－tops so short they just graze the nipple, revealing plenty of flesh underneath. See Chromat and Victor Barragan. GCDS took it a step further by even showing nipple. Jackets were opened to reveal side boob at Vicky Zhang.

Rainbow colors

Collections were a riot of every color from the rainbow－hot pink paired with red: the color combo of the season for the brave Tom Ford shopper. Marc Jacobs went orange, green and psychedelic.

Spain's luxury pret-a-couture label Depolzo luxuriated in green, pale pink and bright yellow. Yellow was a statement color at Carolina Herrera and also Ralph Lauren, in tulle with a black biker jacket.

Check mate

Fine check－or the graphpaper look as Victoria Beckham told AFP－is having a moment. See Rosie Assoulin, Public School, Christian Siriano, Monse and Calvin Klein among others.

Stripe right

Traditionally the preserve of old-fashioned pajamas, blue was the color of choice for vertical stripes. Seen at Rosie Assoulin, Zero + Maria Cornejo, Phillip Lim, Sies Marjan, Monse and Jason Wu.

Flamenco

With flamenco an ultimate and timeless summer fantasy, there were flounces and ruffles galore for a flirty, sensuous look. See Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta, Phillip Lim and Jeremy Scott.

Models present creations during the recently concluded New York Fashion Week. [Photo/Agencies]

Politics

Disgust with Donald Trump continues to bubble over in New York and resonates well with the largely female clientele of luxury fashion labels－not to mention a Democrat-voting, diverse group of designers.

Tory Burch offered an ode to happiness to escape troubled times. Retailer alice + olivia had a model pose in front of a feminist wall and offered a Super Woman clutch.

Raf Simons, whose show for Calvin Klein was the week's stand out, meditated on the American dream meets American horror.

Rihanna-favorite Matthew Adams Dolan says that in times of "relentless civil unrest and widening political divides", he reimagined a "working wardrobe for an inclusive and celebratory generation".

Diversity

Continuing a theme, perhaps snubbing their nose at Trump's assault on minorities, the notoriously snooty world of fashion is starting to relax is rules of membership.

Plus-size models are having a moment in the sun, see Ashley Graham walking for Prabal Gurung and Michael Kors, not to mention plus-size only collections from Addition Elle and Chromat.

Giving others a chance

With Raf Simons the lone standout and the departure of established trend setters Rodarte, Proenza Schouler, Thom Browne and Altuzarra to Paris, it gave editors, bloggers and buyers time to check out shows several confessed they would never have bothered to see otherwise.

One was Mexican-born Victor Barragan, 25, who got a packed house for his third New York show, offering an original take on what it means to be masculine/feminine, the female body and defying conventions.

End of the runway

A hot topic of conversation for some time, an increasing number of designers are searching for something different. Ralph Lauren unveiled his collection out of town alongside his collection of racing cars.

Duchess of Cambridge favorite Jenny Packham, who next year celebrates her eponymous evening label's 30th anniversary, ditched the runway in favor of a photographic and video campaign to be released on Thursday.

"I got what I wanted really and I just felt it needed a bit more integrity really," she says.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Liang Xiaoping's exhibition opens at the Overseas Chinese History Museum in Beijing, Sept 15. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

An exhibition of calligraphy and poems by Liang Xiaoping, a pioneering Australian Chinese artist, greet art lovers in Beijing on Sept 15 at the Overseas Chinese History Museum.

With her versatility and devotion, Liang has gained achievements in calligraphy, poetry and academics over the past 30 years. She is also the first Chinese-Australian artist to exhibit at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia.

Her artworks have toured in the United States, the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. Many celebrities, including former First Lady of Australia Annita Keating and Liang Yusheng, a top Chinese novelist of the Wuxia (martial arts and chivalry) genre, study calligraphy with her.

This exhibit features more than 300 pieces, among which are three renditions of the Thousand Character Text, an ancient Chinese poem containing 1,000 different characters, and her poetry dedicated to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games written on a 32-panel folding screen.

The palindrome poem by Liang Xiaoping, written on a 32-panel folding screen, is on display at the Overseas Chinese History Museum in Beijing starting Sept 15. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Liang Xiaoping's "Ballet of Ink and Brush" style echoes traditional Chinese calligraphy. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

One of the defining features of Liang's work is her long-held passion for palindrome poems. This unique writing style means a poem can be read forward and backward, with both readings making perfect sense.

Visitors can also see 30 types of traditional calligraphy and the "Ballet of Ink and Brush" pencraft created by Liang herself.

"I have gained so much pleasure from calligraphy," Liang said. "It's my calling to introduce traditional Chinese art forms to the world."

If you go:

9 am – 5 pm, through Oct 24 (closed on Mondays). Overseas Chinese History Museum, Caoyuan Hutong, Dongcheng district. Tel: 010-6409-3039.

[Photo/Xinhua]

Your mother was right: The condition of your teeth depends on your dietary and oral hygiene habits, not your genes, according to a new study out Wednesday that looked at the role that genes and the oral microbiome play in the formation of cavities.

"Limiting sugar consumption and acid buildup in the mouth have been part of the dogma of the dental community for some time," said senior author Karen Nelson, president of the J. Craig Venter Institute, whose study was published in the US journal Cell Host & Microbe.

"This work introduces specific taxa of bacteria that can be acquired through the environment and that have the ability to induce cavities," Nelson said.

For a long time, Streptococcus bacteria in the mouth have been linked to the formation of cavities.

In the new study, the investigators took a closer look at specific taxa that are important by profiling the oral microbiomes of 485 twin pairs -- 280 fraternal twins and 205 identical twins -- between the ages of five and 11.

Identical and fraternal twins are a popular method used to separate the role of heritability versus the environment. Identical twins result from one egg that' s been split in two at some time during early pregnancy, whereas fraternal twins result from two separate eggs.

"We decided to focus on children because we hypothesized two things -- that the oral microbiome rapidly changes with age, and also that child twin pairs are likely to have a shared environment," Nelson explained. "This allowed us to better control the influence of shared and unique environments."

Their results showed that identical twins had oral microbiomes that were more similar to each other than those of fraternal twins, indicating that there is genetic contribution to which kinds of bacteria are likely to be present in the mouth.

However, the taxa that were linked most closely to heritability were not the ones that play a role in cavity formation, they noted.

In addition, they found that the heritable strains of bacteria decrease in abundance as people get older, whereas the ones linked to the environment increase.

"An important additional finding was the link between certain bacterial species and sugar consumption," the team said.

"Bacteria that were associated with fewer cavities were in lower abundance in twins who had a lot of added sugar in their food and drinks. In contrast, bacteria that are more common in children who consume a lot of sugar were associated with having more cavities."

The team planned to continue studying the twins over repeat visits to examine changing patterns in the oral microbiome. They are also looking at functional differences in the oral microbiomes of identical and fraternal twin pairs that have various states of oral health.

Professor Ge Jianxiong talks about traditional Chinese culture at the National Library in Beijing, Sept 12. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Ge Jianxiong, a senior professor and doctoral tutor at the Fudan University in Shanghai, shared his view on the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese culture with 27 international sinologists at the National Library in Beijing on Sept 12.

As one of China's leading scholars of historical studies, Ge has been committed to researches on historical geography, Chinese history, population history, migration history and cultural history for over the past three decades.

He is also a well-known public intellectual in China, and writes several popular columns and blogs in mainstream Chinese media about globalization and China's role in world affairs.

For him, traditional culture refers to the stable mainstream culture existing within a certain geographical area for a considerable amount of time.

It fits right in with that particular society, which makes it inevitably incompatible with the modern world.

"China has been undergone tremendous transformations during the past 30 years," Ge said. "The world is evolving in a speed we could never imagine before."

He said he believes these changes - social, economic, technological and cultural - place great challenges on the inheritance of traditional culture.

In light of the current circumstances, he proposed four principles for preserving traditional culture, which include keeping cultural traditions as they were, protecting all traditions without discrimination, cultivating a cultural consciousness among Chinese people and eliminating the financial pressure of inheriting traditional culture.

"People may worry that some backward traditional values will cause a negative influence in the society," Ge said.

"However, history needs to be remembered, both good and bad," he added. "That's why the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland was built, to draw lessons from the past."

As for the innovation of traditional Chinese culture, he described the strategy as skimming the cream and absorbing the quintessence.

"There is still so much we can learn from our cultural inheritance and innovate," he said.

"Creative transformation is the way to include traditional Chinese culture into future civilization of mankind."

Li Wenrui contributed to this story.

[Photo provided to China Daily]

A Chinese scientist aims to unlock the secrets of 2-D material. Xing Yi reports.

For more than a decade, Chinese physicist Zhang Yuanbo has been hunting for 2-D material in our 3-D world.

Zhang, 39, is one of the early scientists who tried to extract and analyze graphene, a carbon allotrope in the form of an atomic scale.

Graphene is hundreds of times stronger than steel.

Pioneering work on it won the Nobel Prize and opened the door to a whole new world of physics researching 2-D material.

"Scientists have since found more than 200 2-D materials," says Zhang, who works in Fudan University in Shanghai.

"The field is very active. Almost all the universities that I know pursue some kind of research related to it."

Graphene is a good conductor of electricity and the best conductor of heat among all known materials.

It is almost transparent, yet its structure is so dense even a gas atom cannot pass through it.

Zhang and his team are at work in the lab, which he took two years to set up at Fudan University, after he completed his postdoctoral studies in the United States. [Photo by Xing Yi/China Daily]

Graphene and other 2-D materials are composed of known elements but they exhibit different features.

Zhang, through his collaboration with other scientists in China, managed to pin down phosphorene, a 2-D material made up of phosphorus atoms.

It is a natural semiconductor and has the potential of replacing silicon to make the microchips in computers and smartphones even smaller.

In 2014, academic journal Nature Nanotechnology published a research paper on phosphorene written by Zhang and his partners.

But there is much work to be done before phosphorene can be mass-produced, says Zhang.

Born in 1978 in a village in Xinyang, Henan province, Zhang took part in a national physics competition in high school.

He clinched the first prize in his province and that got him into Peking University.

When Zhang completed college in 2000, he was admitted to Columbia University for his PhD studies.

In 2002, he got to know his adviser Philip Kim, who was a new professor at Columbia. Kim introduced him to the field of 2-D material.

According to Zhang, Kim told him that research had been done on both carbon atoms in the shape of nanoballs and nanotubes, which are zero and one-dimensional, but little research has been done on the 2-D form of carbon.

"That sounded like exciting research to me," says Zhang.

Their first task was acquiring such a form of carbon.

Zhang found out that layers of graphite, the naturally occurring crystalline carbon, are like a stack of playing cards - different layers would slip away from each other if they were "pushed" aside.

Just like writing with a pencil, the graphite layers left on paper were the traces being left behind.

Following that line of reasoning, Zhang set up some nano pencils and tried to "write down" a few single layers of graphite.

Physicist Zhang Yuanbo, one of the early scientists who tried to extract and analyze graphene, a carbon allotrope, works in his laboratory at Fudan University in Shanghai. Photo by Xing Yi / China Daily

Before Zhang and Kim could separate graphene in this way, University of Manchester researchers Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, who were working in the same field, succeeded and published their paper in 2004.

Their method applied the use of adhesive tape, to "peel off" the thin layers, and their discovery helped them win the Nobel Prize in physics in 2010.

Zhang himself continued to study graphene and other 2-D materials.

After earning his doctorate at Columbia, Zhang went for post-doctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2006.

Five years later, he returned to China through its Young Thousand Talents program, which recruits young scientists overseas to work and teach in the country.

"I chose Fudan University because I found that it gave me much freedom in research, and the relationship between colleagues is very good," recalls Zhang.

Zhang took two years to set up the laboratory. The university also did not pressure him to publish papers, an approach he felt was conducive for young researchers.

"Scientists need time to develop and explore - too much evaluation on publishing papers will stifle their creativity," he says.

There are now many laboratories in China that are also good enough to compete with their US counterparts, adds Zhang.

During his student days, going abroad seemed to offer the best option for aspiring scientists who wanted to further their studies, but "the situation has changed", he says.

"In the past, some might have said that scientists who returned to the motherland 'sacrificed their good life and research abroad'. But that is not the case now."

To help further address the tendency to place more value on researchers who have earned their degrees abroad, "we should also give homegrown researchers equal opportunity in applying for funds", he says.

A tattoo artist is working on creating a pattern on a visitor's arm during a tattoo expo held this month in Shanghai. [Photo by DOMINIC MORGAN/CHINA DAILY]

Chinese are getting inked up in record numbers as the social stigma attached to body art fades in the country. Dominic Morgan reports in Shanghai.

It was not just the number of people, but also the diversity of people in the room that was striking.

Just a few years ago, a tattoo expo in Shanghai would have been a niche event at best－assuming the organizers would even have been able to get a license to hold it.

But over Sept 1-3, tens of thousands crammed into the Shanghai International Fashion Center to attend the Tattoo Extreme & Body Art Expo.

When Taiwan-based Tattoo Extreme magazine organized its first expo in Shanghai in 2015, it attracted around 5,000 visitors.

This year, more than double that number came just on Sept 2, according to Chen Hsiao-yung, the magazine's events officer.

Despite the event's "extreme" pretensions, this was far from a hard-core crowd, the curious students and couples clutching Starbucks cups far outnumbering the goths and punks in the hall.

Such a sight is all the more surprising when you consider that tattoos were banned in China as late as the 1970s, and that the People's Liberation Army only started accepting tattooed recruits in 2011.

But as the expo showed, social norms are changing fast in China.

Zhuo Danting, founder of Shanghai Tattoo studio. [Photo by DOMINIC MORGAN/CHINA DAILY]

In the past, most Chinese parents assumed that a tattoo would seriously harm their child's career prospects due to the connotations with delinquency and criminality.

Yet on Sept 3, many people had even brought their children along to the expo.

Zuo Hong, a real estate manager, happily discussed his ambitions to send his son, Christian, to study in the United Kingdom while the 8-year-old practiced drawing a crucifix design in the expo's tattoo school.

"When he grows up, he can choose his own lifestyle," says Zuo.

Spancer Zhang, a 26-year-old tattoo artist at the Tien Tattoo studio in Tianjin, says that her parents had been similarly relaxed when she told them about her new career 18 months ago.

"They've been very supportive," she says.

Zhuo Danting, owner of the renowned Shanghai Tattoo studio, says that she had noticed a huge shift in her customers' attitudes since she began her career.

A tattoo design by Wenmofang studio. [Photo by DOMINIC MORGAN/CHINA DAILY]

"Fifteen years ago, when people were getting tattoos, moms would say, 'I want to get a tattoo, but I'm afraid that when my kids grow up, they'll see my tattoo and think that's weird,'" says Zhuo. "But right now, not so much. Sometimes they bring their kids to the shop and say, 'wait for me!'"

These changes have led to a huge spike in demand for tattoos. When Zhuo founded Shanghai Tattoo in 2006, there were fewer than 10 studios in the city. Today, there are 125 listed on online directory Dianping alone.

As tattoos become increasingly common, it is also leading to a number of awkward encounters, according to Zhuo.

"Sometimes some things happen that are really funny. Like people come to the shop and say, 'I'm really worried that my boss will kick me out (if they find out that I'm getting a tattoo),'" says Zhuo, laughing.

"But actually, when they're getting the tattoo, they find that their boss is getting a tattoo here, too! That happens a lot."

[Photo provided to China Daily]

If you're too busy to purchase goods in person, online shopping is an ideal choice. As China's largest e-commerce platform, Taobao has just about everything you could imagine. Make your shopping that much easier with these top tips.

General

First and foremost, keep your expectations in check. The quality tends to match the price, so if you only look for products with the cheapest price tag, you probably won't get a satisfactory purchase.

When you find your desired product, be patient and keep searching, because you can generally find the same products in different Taobao shops. If you don't know which one to choose, select one at an average price – usually it will help you weed out poor-quality products.

Language

Taobao is only in Chinese and most of the sellers don't speak English. If Chinese isn't your forte, ask a friend for help or use a translation tool, although the latter may cause more confusion than is worthwhile.

Sizing

Prepare a ruler and pay attention to the size, quality, colour, stock and shipping information provided by the seller. If you can't find the information or it isn't clear enough, you'll have to contact the seller through Aliwangwang – a live-chat program for Taobao.

Images

Check if what's shown is an image of the actual product. Some sellers will make it clear that it is, but for others, you'll be able to tell from the photography style and the models. If there are detailed images, you can see the level of quality and craftsmanship.

Other images are just for reference. The real product won't be as good as the images.

You can go to the "Feedback" section to see images posted by other buyers.

Payment

Hong Kong buyers can pay by Visa, Mastercard, Tap & Go, Octopus, Alipay Purchase Card, PPS and more.

Shipping

In urgent cases, or if the product is fragile or expensive and has a seven-day return policy, you can use a courier such as SF Express to ship to Hong Kong.

If it's not a rush and you don't have plans to return the product, it's best to use the group shipping option. By combining all your purchases from Taobao together and shipping to Hong Kong in one go, it's much cheaper than SF Express.

Tools

Use the "Find Similar" and "Find Same Design" functions. Through these, you’ll find different shops using the same product images and that are located close to each other, which likely means they have the same vendor. Then, you can choose the shop with the highest rating and the best feedback.

Detailed seller ratings over the past six months should have lots of red words and red arrows – that means the shop's rating is better than its counterparts.

Use Aliwangwang to communicate with the sellers and keep records of your dealings. If there's any disagreement or problems in future, Taobao officials will only acknowledge the Aliwangwang record.

Check feedback from previous buyers. Start with the bad and average reviews, and then go to the good ones. Chinese buyers generally leave very direct reviews; sometimes you can even find them arguing in the feedback section about the product quality. If there are no reviews, check the seller’s overall rating and make your decision based on that.

View questions or concerns left by previous buyers about a particular product in the "Ask Others" section. You can even ask your own questions and see if you can get replies from previous buyers.

A guest uses virtual reality goggles to view a panda-themed promotional video at the United Nations World Tourism Organization's 22nd General Assembly in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Monday.[Photo by Hao Fei/For China Daily]

Poverty reduction using new models praised; travel sector grows to 11% of nation's economy

China is a good example of how a country can develop a healthy tourism industry, industry insiders said.

"China is one of the best examples of how tourism can be prioritized to show its potential, with themes such as rural poverty reduction," said Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

The organization is holding its 22nd General Assembly in Chengdu, Sichuan province, this week. It is the second time the biennial meeting has been held in China. It ends on Saturday.

Major topics include smart tourism, tourism and sustainable development, and the Belt and Road Initiative and tourism cooperation. The World Tourism Alliance will be set up during the meeting with the aim of deepening tourism cooperation among members and facilitating sustainable development of the industry worldwide.

China has been the top source of tourism spending, and is the fourth-most-visited country, he said. It also has the largest domestic tourism market, with 4.4 billion trips inside China and tourism income reaching $600 billion last year.

[Photo by Hao Fei/For China Daily]

According to Li Jinzao, director of the China National Tourism Administration, the country's tourism revenue grew 13.6 percent year-on-year in 2016, and now accounts for 11 percent of the national economy.

Rifai added that more than 1,000 participants, including 74 minister-level officials, from 130 countries and regions are attending the meeting.

The assembly is also expected to play a positive role in guiding and supporting the recovery of Jiuzhaigou, a well-known scenic spot in Sichuan, which was hit by a magnitude-7.0 earthquake in early August.

Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, minister of tourism in the Republic of Seychelles, an island archipelago in the Indian Ocean, said China has maintained good relations in terms of tourism cooperation. He said that five years ago Seychelles had only 500 visitors from China. Last year, 15,000 people visited.

With cooperation from the assembly, the country hoped the number could reach 30,000 by 2020, Loustau-Lalanne said, adding that he would like to expand cooperation to include tourism promotion and marketing, and the training of people in the tourism industry.

 

]]> 2017-09-12 07:57:42 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-09/10/content_31869571.htm ]]>

TV show The Rap of China [Photo/VCG]

China’s first ever rap reality show “The Rap of China” is coming to an end on Saturday evening. With many looking forward to the unveiling of the champion of the season, the legendary figure “HipHopMan” MC Jin’s return is also highly anticipated by the fans.

Ahead of the final event, MC Jin, also known as Jin Au-Yeung, talked about his understanding of hip-hop culture and his experiences in pursuing his dream of becoming a rapper to CGTN’s program The Point.

Similar to his lyrics, he was never the one who chose hip-hop. It was hip-hop that “pulled him in.”

While recalling his encounter with hip-hop music, Jin said he started as a fan in his teenage years, and at the beginning, he even wrote down the lyrics of hip-hop music line by line when listening to the radio or watching TV programs.

“By 16, already in my mind, I saw my journey, even in a very young and naive way, I saw I’m gonna be a rap star,” said the rapper, who could not hold back his passion for the music form.

Starting then, he gradually grew up to be one of the best Asian rappers in the US, and made a big break while participating in “Freestyle Friday” on BET's 106 & Park show, winning the weekly rap battle seven times in a row.

Jin became the first Asian-American rapper signed by a major record label and the winner of lots of competitions and battles in the US.

But mastering rap in English and Cantonese obviously is not his final destination. After accepting the invitation from “The Rap of China” by iQIYI, he started to rap in Mandarin Chinese, even though using a language that he is not familiar with might mean risks or even losing the competition.

PG One, pop starin the TV show The Rap of China [Photo/VCG]

Jin, however, never eyes rapping in Chinese as a weakness in himself. “Embrace the challenge,” he said. “The victory’s amazing, but what I really treasure is the defeat,” said Jin while talking about his early experience of wins and losses.

He views his journey with “The Rap of China” more as a period of enchantment, than just a competition to win. While speaking of his elimination on the reality show, he said “getting eliminated on ‘The Rap of China’ is the most amazing thing,” coming only after his marriage and the birth of his son.

Jin said hip-hop culture is like overcoming the difficulties in life. There are always things that are not ideal in someone's living environment, such as how to make a living, how to survive or how to take care of his or her child.

And it seems that hip-hop culture has inspired Jin in some way. Talking about China’s hip-hop culture, Jin said that “anything is possible.”

“Everything in life has a perspective,” he said, responding to the doubts of whether it is possible to rap in Chinese, a language with four tones, and whether the growing trend of China's hip-hop culture will die out after the show.

Speaking of the future, Jin said he is confident in the culture. With or without “The Rap of China,” as long as there are people who continue to know about the culture, “hip-hop lives forever.”

 

 

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City wall in Nanjing city, Jiangsu province [Photo/CGTN]

In historical Chinese cities like Nanjing and Xi’an, the ancient city walls stand downtown, forming a spectacular combination of the past and the present, of a historical relic and the modern metropolis.

A remnant of the country’s thousands of years of history, they attract tourists from around the globe.

However, according to Yang Guoqing, expert of the Nanjing City Wall Protection Management Center, the city walls are slowly disappearing.

A meeting on September 18 will focus on preserving these walls – many from the Ming and Qing dynasties – by applying for them to be a part of World Heritage Sites.

“To some extent, the move is just a starting point, and the main focus is to help the local governments protect the city walls, which are already on the brink of disappearance,” said He Yun’ao, director of the Cultural and Natural Heritage Research Center at Nanjing University.

City wall in Nanjing city, Jiangsu province [Photo/CGTN]

Living history: ancient city walls

As a cradle of civilization, China’s first city wall was built some 6,000 years ago during the Neolithic Age. As an indispensable part of the ancient Chinese cities, the city walls served as part of the defense systems as well as the architectural experience. It also had political symbolic significance.

In the ancient times, each city's walls were made of different layers varying in scale and form. There were strict rules for the height, width, as well as the number of gates and towers depending on whether the city was the capital, a provincial capital or a county.

The study of these ancient walls have allowed experts to decipher traditional Chinese cultures and history.

“For instance, the city wall of Nanjing. Nanjing’s city walls were not built following the traditional shape of a square. Instead, it was built in accordance with astronomy,” said Yang.

“Originally, the ancient Nanjing city wall had 13 gates, each representing a constellation. The main palace was located at the center of the Plough, and that is why the rulers at that time preferred to fill the lake to build the palaces,” said Yang.

According to Yang, Nanjing’s city wall is a mixture of Taoism which was just taking off at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the special geographic location of the city.

City Wall in Xi'an city, Shaanxi province [Photo/CGTN]

The past and present of the city walls

There are at least 6,000 ancient Chinese cities which used to have city walls, but only 10 still have relatively intact walls, according to He Yun’ao. Though the existing city walls are fragile, he added.

Weather and erosion have led to the damage of the city walls, but the primary causes for deterioration are the rapid development of modern cities and the lack of awareness for protecting these walls.

“In the past, there are always people who want to tear them down, and replace them with a more modern building, or to remove them to pave a road. Many have not realized that they are priceless relics,” said He.

“By making the walls a World Heritage Site, we hope that the remaining city walls could be well preserved,” said He Yun’ao.

The program was jointly launched by eight cities which still have intact ancient city walls, with several other cities poised to join.

The application work started in 2006, and now the city walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties have already entered the tentative list.

“In cities like Nanjing and Xi’an, the ancient city walls standing at the hearts of rapidly developed modern cities has formed unique comparisons between the classic cities and the modern ones, the inspirations they brought for the cities’ residents are irreplaceable,” said He.

City Wall in Xi'an city, Shaanxi province [Photo/CGTN]

]]> 2017-09-11 10:38:14 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-09/08/content_31754582.htm An expo showcasing hundreds of time-honored Chinese brands opened in Shandong province on Sept 1.

The three-day event brought together more than 100 brands from around the country, including 240 Shandong-based brands.

Shandong's government hosted it to answer the central government's call to revive time-honored brands nationwide. The expo promoted tradition and innovation.

Over 60,000 people visited. More than 5,000 products were displayed.

On-site and online activities generated over 21 million yuan ($3.21 million) in sales.

Century-old enterprises' leaders delivered keynote speeches and shared experiences at a forum.

There were more than 10,000 time-honored brands when New China was founded in 1949.

About 1,100 time-honored brands are currently accredited by the Ministry of Commerce, and 71 listed companies own 156 of them.

]]> 2017-09-08 09:56:32 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-09/08/content_31754545.htm ]]>About 2 percent of kids aged 14 to 16 years old in the United States report high-intensity drinking, drinking 10 or more drinks in a row in the last two weeks, a University of Michigan (UM) study shows.

UM associate professor Megan Patrick and colleagues reported in the study that about 1.2 percent of 8th graders reported high-intensity drinking while 3.1 percent of 10th-graders reported the same level of drinking. Extrapolating across the US population, it would mean about 40,000 8th-grade students and 113,000 10th-grade students use alcohol in this way.

The study uses data collected during 2016 from nationally representative samples of 8th- and 10th-graders, including 32,873 students from 252 schools.

The study also found that boys tend to participate in high-intensity drinking than girls, about 2.3 percent compared to 1.7 percent. High-intensity drinking was significantly higher among kids who had ever used marijuana or cigarettes.

For those who used marijuana, 8.1 percent drank heavily, compared to 0.5 percent who didn't use marijuana. About 9.8 percent of those who had smoked cigarettes reported high-intensity drinking, compared to 0.9 percent who had never smoked.

"High-intensity drinking is obviously concerning because this type of consumption raises adults' blood alcohol concentrations to at least four times the legal limit for driving," said Patrick. "Adolescents who engage in high-intensity drinking are at great risk for severe and life-threatening consequences of their alcohol use, such as drinking to the point of losing consciousness."

The study is the first to report the prevalence of this type of drinking among young adolescents, and has been published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

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Eclipse of the Aerocene Explorer, a performance in Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia in 2016 [Photo provided to China Daily]

A large space in a three-storey red-brick building, located in southeast Berlin near the river Spree, is home to nearly 100 spiders. Each of them comfortably rests in its own tiny framed cube – including some that live underwater in small tanks. They work hard as they weave their webs in various shapes and forms. But they're not intended to catch bugs for food; rather, they're to produce artworks that question the way humans live.

Welcome to the "spider lab" inside the studio of Argentinian artist Tomás Saraceno, who's renowned for taking inspiration from spiders and their habitat in creating unique artworks. His works allow audiences to reflect on the environment and the possibility of finding a sustainable way of living in and beyond our planet, where scientists have recently warned that humans only have another 30 years to take effective action in saving ourselves from the "sixth mass extinction".

"We [humans] are small in relation to other species living on Planet Earth, but we are part of this cosmic web – something that is bigger than our planet," says Saraceno during our meeting in his Berlin studio. "The idea of these complex spiderwebs helps us understand that we are part of this cosmic web." That philosophy is at the heart of Saraceno's art practices, which involve ongoing research that draws from the natural sciences, astrophysics and engineering. He describes himself as an artist who "lives and works in and beyond Planet Earth" in his biography – and he's not exaggerating.

Our Interplanetary Bodies at the Asia Culture Center, 2017 [Photo provided to China Daily] Born in Argentina in 1973, Saraceno was trained in architecture before he became an artist. His knowledge in that area, compounded by his passion for the origins of the cosmos and the structure of space-time, has given birth to artworks that are one of a kind, in collaboration with some of the world's most famous scientific institutions, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since 2008, Saraceno has been researching spiders and their behaviour in weaving their habitats in his "spider lab". He was the first in the world to scan, reconstruct and reimagine spiderwebs, and owns a collection of the only three-dimensional renditions of these unique woven spatial habitats. This year, Saraceno has taken his work on spiderwebs further with a new large-scale work titled Cosmic Dust Installation, featured in his first solo exhibition in South Korea, Our Interplanetary Bodies, which is now showing at the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju until March 25, 2018. Rooftop with Water, Berlin, 2015 [Photo provided to China Daily] The artist says the work is a choreography of spiders' dances on their webs, the movement of the dust and their interaction with humans. "It's a music concert between the dust, the spiders and our breath," he says, with audible excitement. The installation contains a large installation of spiderwebs produced by the Nephila genus, more commonly known as golden silk orb-weavers. According to Saraceno, these are "social spiders" – meaning they build new structures on top of existing webs, rather than destroying them. "It's like me going to your house," he explains. "This is built by different spiders with different degrees of social ability. They collaborate to build these webs." Saraceno says that during the exhibition, the spider in her habitat and the sound of her movement is amplified through a microphone, which generates vibration of the dust. Audiences can listen to the sounds of the spider and admire the movement of the dust projected on a large wall. "You can hear a cosmic concert," he says. Tomás Saraceno introduces his Aerocene project at the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju, South Korea [Photo provided to China Daily] Can humans actually learn how to live like spiders? Saraceno tried to answer this question with his Cloud Cities series, which is a concept of a modular city floating above the clouds. One of the works, On the Roof: Cloud City, was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; currently, the large-scale interactive installation In Orbit, a net structure containing five air-filled spheres suspended some 25 metres above the ground, allowing people to climb on them like spiders, is on long-term display at the K21 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Along the lines of Cloud Cities are his famous floating sculptures of the Aerocene project. Saraceno says that these sculptures are propelled by sunlight, which are prototypes for the way humans can travel in the future – without burning fossil fuels or any other forms of energy that damage the earth. Nine gigantic spherical sculptures have been brought to Asia for Our Interplanetary Bodies. "What I like about Aerocene is that it's a choreography of movement," explains the artist. "We get the heat from the sun and I speculate about the idea of being able to travel around the world with this heat. In future, it's not about burning anymore."

]]> 2017-09-07 14:19:33 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-09/07/content_31701052.htm ]]>

A sculpture displayed at the exhibition at the National Art Museum of China, Sept 6, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn]

 

The First National Exhibition of Sculpture featuring 590 sculptures was unveiled at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing on Sept 6.

The pieces are from 316 different artists, displaying the achievements of Chinese sculptors in the past 100 years.

Through three-dimensional scanning and printing technology, the relief on the Monument to the People's Heroes was also featured at the exhibition.

About 30 statue heads, once prepared for the clay sculpture Anger of Serf that was finished in 1974, were brought to the exhibition from Tibet.

The exhibition will run through Sept 17.

A sculpture displayed at the exhibition at the National Art Museum of China, Sept 6, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn] Sculptures displayed at the exhibition at the National Art Museum of China, Sept 6, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn] Sculptures displayed at the exhibition at the National Art Museum of China, Sept 6, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn] A sculpture displayed at the exhibition at the National Art Museum of China, Sept 6, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn] A sculpture displayed at the exhibition at the National Art Museum of China, Sept 6, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn] The relief on the Monument to the People's Heroes was featured at the exhibition, Sept 6, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn] A sculpture displayed at the exhibition at the National Art Museum of China, Sept 6, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn] Sculptures displayed at the exhibition at the National Art Museum of China, Sept 6, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn]

]]> 2017-09-07 14:11:06 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-09/06/content_31660269.htm ]]>

Using computers to do homework and study has become a routine for students in cities all over the world. [Photo provided to China Daily]

In middle school, Junior Alvarado often struggled with multiplication and earned poor grades in math, so when he started his freshman year at Washington Leadership Academy, a charter high school in the US capital, he fretted that he would lag behind.

But his teachers used technology to identify his weak spots, customize a learning plan just for him and coach him through it. As Junior started sophomore geometry, he was more confident of his skills.

"For me personalized learning is having classes set at your level," Junior, 15, says in between lessons. "They explain the problem step by step. It wouldn't be as fast; it will be at your pace."

As schools struggle to raise high school graduation rates and close the persistent achievement gap for minority and low-income students, many educators tout digital technology in the classroom as a way forward. But experts caution that this approach still needs more scrutiny and warn schools and parents against being overly reliant on computers.

The use of technology in schools is part of a broader concept of personalized learning that has been gaining popularity in recent years. It's a pedagogical philosophy centered around the interests and needs of each individual child as opposed to universal standards.

The Education Department poured $500 million into personalized learning programs in 68 school districts serving a half million students in 13 states plus the District of Columbia. Large organizations have also invested in digital tools and other student-centered practices.

At Washington Leadership Academy, educators rely on software and data to track student progress and adapt teaching to enable students to master topics at their own speed. Sophomores used special computer programs to take diagnostic tests in math and reading, and teachers then used that data to develop individual learning plans.

"The digital tool tells us we have a problem to fix with these kids right here and we can do it right then and there. We don't have to wait for the problem to come to us," says Joseph Webb, founding principal of the school, one of 10 schools to win a $10 million grant in a national competition aimed at reinventing US high schools.

Math teacher Britney Wray says that in her previous school she was torn between advanced learners and those who lagged behind significantly. She says often she wouldn't know if a student was failing a specific unit until she started a new one.

In comparison, the academy's technology gives Wray instant feedback on which students need help and where.

Still, most researchers say it is too early to tell if personalized learning works better than traditional teaching.

A recent study by the Rand Corp found that personalized learning produced modest improvements: A 3 percentile increase in math and a smaller, statistically insignificant increase in reading compared with schools that used more traditional approaches. Some students also complained that collaboration with classmates suffered because everybody was working on a different task.

Some teachers are skeptical. Marla Kilfoyle, executive director of the Badass Teachers Association, an education advocacy group, agrees that technology has its merits, but insists that no computer or software should ever replace the personal touch, motivation and inspiration teachers give their students.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

]]> 2017-09-06 08:03:13 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-09/06/content_31660240.htm ]]>

Consumption of these unsaturated fats has been linked with lower risk of cardiovascular disease and other health benefits.[Photo/Xinhua]

Metabolically healthy obese adults consuming a diet high in unsaturated fat and low in saturated fat may be able to decrease their total cholesterol by 10 points, a study of the University of Illinois (UI) shows.

Nutrition scientists at UI analyzed the findings of eight randomized controlled trials to investigate the impact of diets that provided similar amounts of calories, but high amounts of either saturated or unsaturated fats, on the blood lipid levels and body composition of overweighted and obese adults.

Compared with their counterparts, subjects who ate greater amounts of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats reduced their total cholesterol by more than 10 milligrams per deciliter.

However, reductions in these individuals' low-density lipoprotein (LDL), commonly called the "bad cholesterol," and triglyceride concentrations were marginal, said lead author Bridget A. Hannon, a graduate research assistant at the university.

Regardless of the amount of saturated or unsaturated fat they consumed, only those subjects who followed calorie-restricted diets lost weight, the UI scientists found.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, commonly called the "good fats," are found in foods such as olive, sunflower and canola oils; nuts and seeds; and avocados. Consumption of these unsaturated fats has been linked with lower risk of cardiovascular disease and other health benefits. While saturated fats, usually found in animal products, butter and dairy products, have been linked to weight gain and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Obesity has been linked with more than 20 different diseases, and lowering one's total cholesterol by as little as 10 points can be clinically beneficial, preventing the onset or progression of many of these conditions, UI scientists found.

Even if people who are metabolically healthy but overweight have not yet developed any of the weight-related comorbid diseases or conditions such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease, "we know that metabolic health, in the context of obesity, is a transient state that may not persist over time, and these individuals are at increased risk of developing different comorbidities," said co-author Sharon V. Thompson, a registered dietitian and pre-doctoral fellow at the university.

Statistics show that more than 60 percent of adults in the U.S. are obese or overweight, placing them at greater risk of weight-related diseases including high cholesterol and stroke.

The study, published recently in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, is believed to be the first to examine the effects of replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats in the diets of more than 660 metabolically healthy individuals who were overweight or obese.

 

]]> 2017-09-06 10:32:00 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-09/05/content_31610672.htm ]]>

Photo taken on Sept 4, 2017 shows the scenery of the Hunhe River in Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The autumn falls on the Hunhe River and creates a beautiful natural painting. [Photo/Xinhua]

Photo taken on Sept 4, 2017 shows the scenery of forests along the Hunhe River in Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The autumn falls on the Hunhe River and creates a beautiful natural painting. [Photo/Xinhua] Photo taken on Sept 4, 2017 shows the wetland along the Hunhe River in Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The autumn falls on the Hunhe River and creates a beautiful natural painting. [Photo/Xinhua] Photo taken on Sept 4, 2017 shows the scenery of the Hunhe River in Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The autumn falls on the Hunhe River and creates a beautiful natural painting. [Photo/Xinhua] Photo taken on Sept 4, 2017 shows sheep graze on the wetland along the Hunhe River in Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The autumn falls on the Hunhe River and creates a beautiful natural painting. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-09-05 10:02:58 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-09/05/content_31610638.htm ]]>

Editor's note:

With the BRICS Summit on in coastal Xiamen, East China's Fujian province, here's a reminder of the city's signature foods that attendees will be tucking into. From fried oysters and satay noodles to wontons and local worm jelly, get ready for a mouthwatering list!

1. Fried oysters

The fresh, smooth and tender hailijian, or fried oysters, scrambled with eggs. [Photo/VCG] 2. Rice dumplings stuffed with meat Rouzong, or rice dumplings stuffed with meat, are usually served with local satay sauce and coriander. [Photo/VCG] 3. Worm jelly The crisp tusundong, a worm jelly, is known as a good source of nutrients including protein and amino acid. A local seafood rarely seen in China's inland areas, the treat is usually teamed with satay sauce and coriander. [Photo/VCG] 4. Satay noodles The satay noodles of Xiamen are a blend of local shrimp noodles and Indonesian satay noodles. The satay soup is boiled with satay sauce, seafood, pork and different veggies. [Photo/VCG] 5. Ginger duck Duck is believed to be able to relieve the inner heat of the human body and boost the immune system in traditional Chinese medicine. The tasty ginger duck is braised with sesame oil, ginger, rice liquor, dried chili, sugar, veggies, among other ingredients. [Photo/VCG] 6. Peanut soup The sweet and refreshing peanut soup originated in Quanzhou and later became well-known across the province. [Photo/VCG] 7. Paste noodles Paste noodles, a popular morning dish, combine thread-like noodles, shrimps and clams. Soak it up using deep-fried dough sticks like the locals do. [Photo/VCG] 8. Wontons The tender bianshi is also a morning treat - a kind of local wonton filled with minced pork and fish. [Photo/VCG] 9. Five-spice meat rolls Wuxiangjuan, or five-spice meat rolls, is popular not just in Fujian but also in Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. It’s made with food materials including minced pork, onion, dried bean curd skin, Chinese five-spice powder, sugar and salt. [Photo/VCG] 10. Char-grilled oysters Fresh oysters become tastier and crisp after being char-grilled on open fire. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-09-05 09:33:35 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-09/04/content_31562616.htm ]]>

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova delivers a speech at the ceremony in Gulangyu Island, Xiamen city, Fujian province on Monday. [Photo/gmw.cn]

China's Gulangyu Island was issued a certificate of the world heritage site by the UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova on Monday, making China the country with the most world heritage sites worldwide. The moment was celebrated with a photo exhibition themed on world cultural heritage in the five BRICS countries, which also accompanied a folk concert at Gulangyu Island, Xiamen city of Fujian province.

Gulangyu Island joined UNESCO's world cultural heritage list at the 41st United Nations World Heritage Committee meeting on July 8, as China's 52nd world heritage site.

The photo taken on Aug 5 shows the sandbeach of Gulangyu Island. [Photo/Xinhua]

The photo taken on Aug 7 shows the historical buildings in Gulangyu. [Photo/Xinhua]

The photo taken on Aug 2, 2016 show an aerial view of Gulangyu Island. [Photo/Xinhua]

Gulangyu, the small sea island off the coast of Xiamen in Fujian province, boasts many 19th-century buildings as it was once clustered with Western religious groups, international institutions and foreign consulates. [Photo/Xinhua]

A father and his son take a rest in Gulangyu island in Xiamen city, Southeast China's Fujian province, Aug 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

The photo taken on Aug 15, 2017 shows a historical building in Gulangyu. [Photo/Xinhua]

The photo taken on July 25, 2017 shows the historical buildings in Gulangyu. [Photo/Xinhua]

The photo taken on May 18, 2017 shows the scenic spot of Sunlight Rock in Gulangyu. [Photo/Xinhua]

The photo taken on Aug 15, 2017 shows visitors enjoy a street performance in Gulangyu. [Photo/Xinhua] The photo taken on June 26, 2017 shows the historical buildings in Gulangyu. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-09-04 11:20:25 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-09/01/content_31438636.htm ]]>

Tubbat is devoted to planting trees in the desert in his hometown in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. [Photo by Yuan Hui/China Daily]

Tubbat rises with the sun and hops on his motorbike to ride 30 kilometers to tend to a saxual forest that was once desert.

The 65-year-old and his wife, Tosontsagaan, have spent 15 years beating back the desert in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Tubbat treats each saxaul－a nearly leafless tree which grows in sandy soil－like his child. He waters them and continues to plant more every spring.

He has planted more than 50,000 saxauls on a plot about the size of 133 soccer fields.

Tubbat is a villager in Inner Mongolia's Ejin Banner, where the Badain Jaran Desert, one of China's four biggest deserts, is located.

At the beginning of the last century, Ejin was a picturesque place with lakes, grasslands and forests.

"When I was a child, there were lakes, saxaul forests and animals. And it rained a lot," says Tubbat.

Sand storms devoured the green land. Herders had to move.

Tubbat decided to devote to planting trees in 2002, after he retired from his job as a government official. Tosontsagaan supported his decision.

Since then, they have been planting trees, carrying water and building fences.

They did all this for free and even spent most of their retirement fund.

"Many people did not understand why I did this. They called me an idiot. They don't know the happiness I feel when I see the land turn green again," says Tubbat.

Carrying water is his greatest difficulty. They initially carried it themselves. They later used donkeys.

But more water was needed as they planted more trees. So, the couple then transformed a motorbike that can accommodate 48 barrels of water at a time.

Four years ago, Tosontsagaan had a stroke and couldn't continue planting trees. So, she stayed at home and did housework, giving Tubbat time to continue their dream of making the desert green again.

"My wife's support gives me energy," says Tubbat.

Tubbat was one of the first young people in his hometown to go to college in the 1970s. After graduation, he got a job with CCTV in Beijing.

But he chose to work with the local government to serve his hometown.

The couple has three children, who live in cities.

Their 38-year-old daughter initially refused to support Tubbat's decision.

But she changed her attitude after seeing her parents' happiness. She believes it's worthwhile.

Tubbat has also built a 10-km green fence in the desert to counter sandstorms.

"Our children want us to live in a city. But this is not the right time. I want to grow more trees," he says.

Tubbat is happy many locals have begun to plant trees after hearing his story.

Some have even visited him to learn how to plant saxaul in the desert.

"A tree is a water pump. It can bring rain and animals," he says.

"I want to be a tree, to grow up in the desert and block the sand until I die."

 

]]> 2017-09-01 09:13:27 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-09/01/content_31438635.htm ]]>

Bao Jie (center) with his team of researchers at Tsinghua University in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Imagine you're trying to know if the apple you bought two weeks ago is still good.

Now, imagine you can scan it with your phone and it'll tell you.

Tsinghua University professor Bao Jie has developed a small spectrometer that can literally identify bad apples in the bunch.

It can also diagnose skin disease and detect air pollution, among other functions.

Spectrometers measure changes in light when it interacts with matter in ways that detect more than the naked eye. They've long been used in research, but their size had previously hampered their applications for daily use.

Bao's team developed one as small as a coin. It may cost only a few dollars once mass produced.

"Everyone will have a 'third eye' to see hidden realities," the 34-year-old scientist says.

They were able to shrink the device using quantumdot nanotechnology.

Quantum dots, which were discovered in the early 1980s, are semiconductor crystals that are just a few nanometers in size. They absorb different light wavelengths when their size changes.

Bao got the idea of using this feature to create miniature spectrometers when he was doing post-doctoral research with Moungi Bawendi at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States from 2010 to 2013.

"Bawendi is one of the leading researchers of quantum dots, but he hadn't looked into such applications before," Bao says. "So I proposed my idea. He supported it."

Before he went to MIT, Bao earned a bachelor's degree at Tsinghua University and his doctorate in chemistry at Brown University between 2006 to 2010.

He returned to Tsinghua in 2014 through the country's Young Thousand Talents program that recruits young experts from overseas.

The research paper Bao and Bawendi co-authored was published by the academic journal Nature in July 2015. "Most current microspectrometers rely on interference filters and interferometric optics that limit their photon efficiency, resolution and spectral range," the editor's note reads. "Jie Bao and Moungi Bawendi have developed an efficient, cost-effective microspectrometer that overcomes many of these limitations ... and points to possible application in space exploration, surgical and clinical 'lab-on-a-chip' settings."

Bao has also worked with Tel Aviv University's Michael Gozin Group to develop an artificial nose based on the quantum-dot spectrometer. It'll give more accurate and quantitative olfactory information than police dogs or master sommeliers.

The scientist says that what impressed him most about his experiences in the US is that students have more freedom to choose classes and research fields, while Chinese education was still rigid 10 years ago.

He uses this approach with his Tsinghua students. Bao's PhD student Sun Si says: "He didn't test my knowledge but rather my passion when he interviewed me."

Li Simin, Bao's doctoral student, says: "Bao encourages us to find our own interests in research and life."

She recalls Bao once told her and other students the story of Steve Jobs. Completing a PhD is a process of connecting the dots in life－what you have studied before will finally assist your research, Bao says.

Bao learned how to hold a gun steady when he joined a marksmanship club as a sophomore. He later used this experience to assemble the mini spectrometer's prototype, which required arranging about 200 quantum dots on a small microchip.

He's working with a team of over 30 researchers to optimize and mass produce the device.

"I am not satisfied with going from zero to one," Bao says.

"I want to do things from zero to 99. There's always room for improvement."

]]> 2017-09-01 09:09:38 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/31/content_31390681.htm ]]>

Terry Crossman patrols streets in Beijing's Xicheng district as a public security volunteer.[Photo/VCG]

Terry Crossman has spent 20 years in the city he now calls home

Wearing his bright red armband and speaking fluent Mandarin, from a distance 62-year-old Gao Tianrui could be taken for any regular Chinese man.

But on closer inspection, things are not quite what they seem: Gao's real name is Terry and he is from the United States. Having lived in Beijing for more than 20 years, Terry Crossman has finally fulfilled his Chinese dream: becoming a public security volunteer. Life as a "Xicheng Dama" has even made him an online celebrity.

Xicheng Dama are volunteers, usually women in late middle-age, who roam the streets of downtown Beijing's Xicheng district. And now Crossman has joined their club.

In video footage that recently went viral, Crossman said that he initially saw the group as busybodies, but his opinion changed once he was on the inside.

"Gradually I saw that it is a good thing for retired seniors to come out and help others," he said.

In the footage, he is seen giving tourists directions, getting water for a baby and even helping a neighbor sell yogurt.

"I like helping others," he said. "I live in the hutong and my neighbors and I usually help each other ... This is where I live, where my friends are and where I call home."

Crossman became interested in Chinese culture as a teenager when he read the Tao Te Ching by Laozi.

Crossman prepares to launch a patrol in a hutong.[Photo/VCG]

At 18, he took a cargo ship to Taiwan to learn Chinese. On the ship the captain suggested that he should have a Chinese name.

"He named me Gao Tianrui, based on the pronunciation of my English name," he said.

After Taiwan he worked in several places, including New York, Singapore and a 12-year stint in Hong Kong.

Crossman first came to the Chinese mainland in 1981, when he went to Shanghai and Suzhou in Jiangsu province.

"Wherever I went, I had at least 30 people following me, asking about Hong Kong, how much I earned and how I felt about the victory of the Chinese women's volleyball team," he said. In 1981, the Chinese women's volleyball team won the world championship for the first time.

His first visit to Beijing was six years later on business. "There were few cars and lots of bicycles on the roads."

Crossman and his family moved to Beijing in 1997, when the traffic was heavier and the city busier. "There were only two subway lines, with no air conditioning," he said.

Since then he has lived and worked in Beijing.

His parents separated when he was young, and he lived in many different places in the US, so he never felt like he had a regular home there.

Crossman patrols a hutong in Beijing.[Photo/VCG]

"I had no hometown in the United States," he said. "Your home is where your things are. In this sense, Beijing is my home."

Crossman can make traditional Beijing bean-paste noodles, and when he goes to a restaurant, he orders dumplings, mashed eggplant and fermented bean curd, a traditional Beijing dish.

He can often be found chatting with local people, especially taxi drivers.

"I am more familiar with the lives of taxi drivers than most Beijingers," he said. "When I see their license numbers, I can tell how many years they have worked."

With the taxi drivers, he cannot resist talking about politics, sport and the economy.

"They are so knowledgeable," he said. "I learned many Chinese NBA words from them."

During his leisure time, Crossman teaches people English. Currently he is helping employees at a cafe near his home, telling them how to say useful words such as "set meal" and "discount".

In March, Crossman met Liu Xiaoxia. Liu is in charge of a volunteer organization named Lanlifang (Blue Cube) and helped Crossman get into volunteering.

"I was afraid of foreigners in the past because some of them had a bias against China," Liu said. "Lao Gao was different. He is warmhearted and jovial." She calls Crossman Lao Gao, his Chinese nickname.

Liu was making a video to promote her organization, and invited Crossman to join in.

Crossman at his home in Beijing.[Photo/VCG]

From then on, Crossman decided to become a volunteer.

"He asked me to give him a red armband," Liu said.

The armband is the symbol of the volunteers, and Crossman is proud of his.

"If I become a volunteer, I can make more friends," he said. "I feel special with the armband."

However, the seemingly carefree Crossman had one big problem: His visa expired and his company no longer had an office in Beijing, leaving him unable to get a new work visa.

Crossman applied for a student visa and enrolled in a Chinese language course, but that visa will expire next month.

Crossman does not want to leave Beijing.

When he first came to the city there were just two subway lines, by the end of last year it was home to 18 lines with 288 stations.

Crossman finds it hard to say if he prefers the new or the old Beijing.

"In different periods I had different lives: married life, life with children and life alone," he said. "Now I just enjoy living here."

Crossman at his home in Beijing.[Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-08-31 08:54:06 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/31/content_31390668.htm ]]>

Two artists from China's Jiangsu province perform Kunqu Opera in Cambridge University in the UK. [Photo/people.cn]

Being an important worldwide platform to protect and carry forward Kunqu Opera, the Global Kunqu Opera Digital Museum opened at Cambridge University in the UK on August 25. According to the university, the museum will see cultural exchange between China and Britain, which will strengthen bonds.

The world’s first Chinese and English bilingual museum aims to study Kunqu Opera through cooperation between King’s College of Cambridge University and Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture. The museum has been included in Cambridge Rivers Project (CRP). After being implemented for more than 30 years, CRP has a complete set of analysis and study methods, which enable more people to know better about Kunqu Opera and promote exchange in operas.

The museum aims to collect, sort out and display cultural relics and video data related to Kunqu Opera preserved in various countries. Cambridge has set up a work team of 30 people and has translated related materials of more than 300,000 words. To date, the museum has more than 370 objects, over 100 performing and teaching video clips and 70-plus research books, with a total of 6 trillion bytes, or 6 terabytes of information.

Musical instruments, clothing, props and other collections preserved in Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology have been integrated with collections provided by Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture. More collections from British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum as well as in Europe and America will also be gathered.

Smart exhibition has been realized. It utilizes virtual reality (VR) technology to create multiple 360-degree real-scene effect for display in theaters, stages and gardens. High-definition 3D technology is also used to enlarge, rotate exhibit pictures. A batch of precious videos of Kunqu Opera performers in the 20th century has been successfully repaired with the help of the latest digital scan and repair technology.

The museum also serves as the Kunqu portal for global viewers. Cambridge University will endeavor to offer information on Kunqu Opera performances all around the world in the future.

On the opening day of the museum, King’s College also held a preview called “Kunqu Opera in the Eyes of International Artists”. Exhibitions of this activity originated from two performances of Kunqu opera in Cambridge in 2015 and 2016. University of Cambridge invited artists from Asia, Europe, Africa, South America and other countries to conduct impromptu painting themed by Kunqu Opera during the performances. Their artworks will be displayed at Jiangsu Art Museum at the end of 2017.

]]> 2017-08-31 14:53:00 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/30/content_31342140.htm ]]>

Wan Erchun, 30, blends pigments as he prepares to create a painting in his home in Xibao village of Nanfan town, Jiangxian county of Yuncheng city, North China's Shanxi province, Aug 29, 2017. Wan, suffering hand and feet deformities, determined to turn the direction of his fate by starting an effort to learn traditional Chinese art skills since 2005 and has now mastered Chinese painting, calligraphy and seal engraving. [Photo/Xinhua]

Wan Erchun, 30, creates a calligraphy artwork in his home in Xibao village of Nanfan town, Jiangxian county of Yuncheng city, North China's Shanxi province, Aug 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Wan Erchun, 30, blends pigments as he creates a painting in his home in Xibao village of Nanfan town, Jiangxian county of Yuncheng city, North China's Shanxi province, Aug 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Wan Erchun, 30, presents a painting he created in his home in Xibao village of Nanfan town, Jiangxian county of Yuncheng city, North China's Shanxi province, Aug 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Wan Erchun (L), 30, presents a calligraphy artwork he created in his home in Xibao village of Nanfan town, Jiangxian county of Yuncheng city, North China's Shanxi province, Aug 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-08-30 15:47:15 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/30/content_31342118.htm ]]>

(From left to right) Models including He Sui, Liu Wen and Xi Mengyao are seen going to fittings for the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Midtown on August 26, 2017 in New York City. [Photo/VCG]

 The annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show will take place in Shanghai in November this year, marking the first time that the ultra-glam annual affair will take place in Asia.

Directed by Hamish Hamilton, a handful of veteran Angels, including Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo, Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldridge, Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes, Josephine Skriver, Lais Ribeiro, Martha Hunt, Romee Strijd, Sara Sampaio and Stella Maxwell have confirmed they will show off latest fashion trend this time in China.

The highlight of this year's show for Chinese must be the six Chinese models including He Sui, Liu Wen, Xi Mengyao, Ju Xiaowen, Xie Xin and Estelle Chen, a French model of Chinese descent, who will be involved in it, the most that have ever participated.

On the official website,  it has put forward the slogan, "Ni Hao, Shanghai", saying that, "From its iconic skyline to its major fashion cred, China's vibrant, modern metropolis makes the perfect backdrop for the world's sexiest runway."

The new fashion show venue reflects the brand's aim to appeal to Chinese consumers and there are plans to expand in the nation's "fast-growing market," according to the official Victoria's Secret website.

Renowned as the "Oscar Awards in fashion circles," the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which will consist of a red carpet fashion show, model briefing, looks behind the scenes and superstar performances, will be broadcast in more than 190 countries and areas.

Now, let's take a closer look at some iconic moments from the show's stage made by Chinese Angels.

(From left to right) Models including He Sui, Liu Wen and Xi Mengyao are seen going to fittings for the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Midtown on August 26, 2017 in New York City. [Photo/VCG] Model Estelle Chen is one of the newly-added Chinese faces in this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show held in Shanghai. [Photo/Official weibo account of Estelle Chen] Model Xie Xin is one of the newly-added Chinese faces in this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show held in Shanghai. [Photo/Official weibo account of Xie Xin] Victoria's Secret models Xi Mengyao,He Sui, Ju Xiaowen, Liu Wen and Daniela Braga depart for Paris for the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 27, 2016 in New York City. [Photo/VCG] Victoria's Secret model Xi Mengyao,He Sui, Ju Xiaowen, Liu Wen departs for Paris for the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 27, 2016 in New York City. [Photo/VCG] Victoria's Secret angels Josephine Skriver, Alessandra Ambrosio, Xi Mengyao and He Sui pose in front of the Shanghai Bund. [Photo/VCG] Victoria's Secret angels Josephine Skriver, Alessandra Ambrosio, Xi Mengyao and He Sui pose in front of the Shanghai Bund. [Photo/VCG] Four Victoria's Secret angels Josephine Skriver, Alessandra Ambrosio, Xi Mengyao and He Sui pose at the Victoria's Secret cruise ship.[Photo/VCG] Four Victoria's Secret angels Josephine Skriver, Alessandra Ambrosio, Xi Mengyao and He Sui pose at the Victoria's Secret cruise ship.[Photo/VCG] Victoria's Secret angel He Sui poses at the grand opening of Victoria's Secret Shanghai flagship store on March 8, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Victoria's Secret angel Alessandra Ambrosio attends the grand opening of Victoria's Secret Shanghai flagship store on March 8, 2017, in Shanghai, China. [Photo/VCG] Four Victoria's Secret angels Alessandra Ambrosio (second left), He Sui (left), Josephine Skriver and Xi Mengyao (right) attend the grand opening of Victoria's Secret Shanghai flagship store. [Photo/VCG] Xi Menhyao, Ju Xiaowenand He Sui pose backstage during 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG] Liu Wen and Xi Menhyao pose backstage during 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG] He Sui walks the runway during the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG] He Sui walks the runway during the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG] He Sui walks the runway during the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG] He Sui walks on the runway at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City on November 10, 2015. [Photo/VCG] He Sui walks the runway during the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG] Victoria's Secret model He Sui walks the runway during the 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at Earl's Court exhibition centre on December 2, 2014 in London, England. [Photo/VCG] Liu Wen walks the runway during the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG] Liu Wen walks the runway during the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG] Liu Wen walks the runway during the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG] Model Liu Wen walks the runway at the Victoria's Secret Fashion show in New York City on November 19, 2009. [Photo/VCG] Model Liu Wen walks the runway during the 2010 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory on November 10, 2010 in New York City. [Photo/VCG] Liu Wen walks the runway during the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory on November 7, 2012 in New York City. [Photo/VCG] Model Liu Wen walks the runway during the 2010 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory on November 10, 2010 in New York City. [Photo/VCG] Liu Wen walks the runway during the 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory on November 9, 2011 in New York City. [Photo/VCG] Model Liu Wen walks the runway during the 2010 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory on November 10, 2010 in New York City. [Photo/VCG] Model Xi Mengyao from China walks the runway during the 2015 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at Lexington Avenue Armory on November 10, 2015 in New York City. [Photo/VCG] Victoria's Secret model Xi Mengyao walks the runway during the 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at Earl's Court exhibition centre on December 2, 2014 in London, England. [Photo/VCG] Xi Mengyao walks the runway during the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG] Xi Mengyao walks the runway during the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG] Model Xi Mengyao from China walks the runway during the 2015 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at Lexington Avenue Armory on November 10, 2015 in New York City. [Photo/VCG] Model Xi Mengyao from China walks the runway during the 2015 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at Lexington Avenue Armory on November 10, 2015 in New York City. [Photo/VCG] Victoria's Secret model Xi Mengyao walks the runway during the 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 13, 2013 in New York. [Photo/VCG] Model Qin Shupei walks the runway during the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory on November 7, 2012 in New York City. [Photo/VCG] Ju Xiaowen walks the runway during the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG] Ju Xiaowen walks the runway during the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-08-30 11:05:59 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/29/content_31296367.htm ]]>

Wu Weishan (R) presented a classic Chinese paper-cutting to IOC President Thomas Bach. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

The National Art Museum of China has been given permission by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reproduce a bust of IOC founder Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937), and the reproductions will be presented as gifts to state leaders.

It was announced by IOC President Thomas Bach when he visited the Beijing museum on Sunday.

The production will be modeled after a bust designed by the NAMOC director and sculptor Wu Weishan. It depicts a smiling Coubertin, and Wu donated it to the Olympic Museum in January when he visited IOC's head office in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Bach said during a meeting with Wu that art and sport are languages people don't need to learn because they both come from the heart, and they address the common goal of the future of human but in different ways.

He also said the IOC hopes to intensify the cooperation with the museum in the preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing. And he invited Wu to attend the ceremony to ignite the Olympic flame in Athens at the end of 2011.

Wu presented two gifts to Bach, a classic Chinese paper-cutting and a scroll of Chinese calligraphy, both activities were practiced as sports by ancient Chinese.

Wu said, "As artists and museum administrators, we're obliged to merge the creation of beauty and the Olympic spirits."

IOC President Thomas Bach and Wu Weishan. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

]]> 2017-08-29 17:22:24 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/29/content_31296366.htm ]]>Qixi, or the Seventh Night Festival, nowadays referred to as the "Chinese Valentine's Day", fell on Monday this year.

In bygone days, Qixi was not only a special day for lovers, but also for girls. It is also known as the "Begging for Skills Festival" or "Daughters' Festival".

During the ancient times, on the night of Qixi, girls would worship Niulang the cowherd and Zhinyu the weaver girl, thread seven-hole needles, and observe spider netting, hoping to be more ingenious according to folklore.

Begging for Skills, by Ren Bonian [Photo/Artron.net] The needle and thread for ancient women were not only for needlework, but also carried good intentions. But in modern times needle and thread are getting far away from women's lives and begging for skills is becoming a fading tradition. Many artists are aware of this and are picking up needle and thread deserted by times to make them their authoring tools. Let's take a look at some modern art pieces created by needle and thread. Artist Lin Tianmiao [Photo/Artron.net] In 1999, Chinese artist Lin Tianmiao created her art installations titled The Spread of Twining and Sewing. A reminiscence of the old times' sewing experience inspired her to create the pieces. The Spread of Twining, by Lin Tianmiao [Photo/Artron.net] The Spread of Twining is the first work by Lin as an artist. She inserted 20,000 needles into a mattress and paper pants, and twined bundles of cotton threads into thousands of little string balls in the size of ping-pong, while each needle is threaded with a string, linking to a string ball. In the work Sewing, she twined and wrapped daily tools used by women such as sewing machine, mirror, cooking range, and cradle with white cotton threads. Mending, by Liu Beili [Photo/Artron.net] American-born Chinese artist Liu Beili's artwork Mending features a more soul-stirring scene. With 1,500 scissors hanging down from the ceiling and blades pointed at floors, Liu Beili sit tranquilly below, enjoying needlework. Each visitor was given a piece of white cloth at the entrance to be handed to the artist later, and then Liu stitched them together. As time passed by, the stitched cloth became bigger and covered the ground. In Liu's view, what women do is always considered trivial and easily ignored, so through her artworks, she wants to show that even stitching can be influential. A part of the artwork Mending, by Liu Beili, from 2010 till now. [Photo/Artron.net] A part of Liu Beili's new work After All/Mending the Sky. [Photo/Artron.net] The artwork by Liu Beili showcased at the 2016 Hangzhou Triennial of Fiber Art features dreamlike blue "clouds" suspended in the air, from which numerous needles stick out. Disguise series, 2013 [Photo/Artron.net] Young artist Tian Qi found that handwork brings her a special feeling. "I am an emotional person, but handwork makes me calm down, and I could even enter into a state of unconsciousness and freedom," she said. "Sometimes I may make some unexpected patterns." Though it's arduous, Tian sticks to handmade creation, instead of using sewing machine, as she believes handwork brings sentiment into artworks. 2014 Diary series, 2014, cloth embroidery [Photo/Artron.net] Susanna Bauer's artworks. [Photo/Artron.net] German artist Susanna Bauer is well-known due to her stitching of leaves. She got interested after a complete leaf fell beside her foot and she took it home to try a new way of creation. She was planning to embroider on the leaf to make it a 2D or 3D leaf. After spending a quite long time, she found her own creative way. Debbie Smyth's artworks. [Photo/Artron.net] British artist Debbie Smyth uses modern technique to give new life to old textile craft. She is good at using locating pins and silk threads to create work that looks like a sketch from afar, and numerous nails and twisting threads are visible on closer look. Her work expresses fine, smooth, and calm minds. Rieko Koga works on her art piece. [Photo/Artron.net] Japanese artist Rieko Koga only uses needle, thread and white cloth, and her works are mostly black threads on white cloth. During creation, she didn't opt for traditional embroidery, but made abstract and messy lines. She expresses different themes in her artworks through changing the direction and thickness of the threads, and needle pitch.

]]> 2017-08-29 13:49:40 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/28/content_31244679.htm ]]>

According the legend, mortal cowherd Niulang, fell in love with Zhinu a fairy weaving girl. Their love was forbidden and they were banished to different sides of the Milky Way. Magpies took pity on them and built a bridge they could cross once a year - on the seventh night of the seventh lunar month, known as the Qixi Festival. Many regard it as China's Valentine's Day. In Ningxiang, Central China's Hunan province, singletons echo the legend by holding an Ancient Costume Dating event where suitors dress as Niulang, to parade their best cow past prospective partners in the hope of finding their fairy partner. This year, Qixi festival falls on August 28.[Photo/Chinanews.com]

A herder's cow admires a woman dressed in an ancient costume in Ningxiang, Hunan province, on August 27, 2017.[Photo/Chinanews.com] A single man in ancient costume leads his cow past a line of women in Ningxiang, Hunan province, on August 27, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com] Girls dressed in ancient costume wait for the young men to parade over the bridge with their cows in Ningxiang, Hunan province, on August 27, 2017. [Photo/Chinanews.com] Two prospective partners meet each one another on the bridge in Ningxiang, Hunan province, on August 27, 2017.[Photo/Chinanews.com] Singletons in ancient costume take part in a "Red Thread" activity at the "Ancient Costume Dating" event in Ningxiang, Hunan province, on August 27, 2017. The red thread is supposed to tie lovers together in a united destiny.[Photo/Chinanews.com]

]]> 2017-08-28 16:08:19 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/28/content_31244678.htm ]]>

Derived from portraits of the Door Gods, Chinese New Year painting is regarded as a kind of Spring Festival mascot. It is an old handicraft, going back thousands of years. But it's now facing extinction.

 

]]> 2017-08-28 15:39:05 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/25/content_31124384.htm ]]>

A bird's eye view of a lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on August 23, 2017. The area was rocked by a 7.0-magnitude quake on August 8, causing many to fear that region's breathtaking scenery had been damaged forever. However, as the aerial photos shows, two weeks after the quake the UNESCO World Heritage site is regaining its beauty. [Photo/scol.com.cn]

A bird's eye view of a lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on August 23, 2017. [Photo/scol.com.cn] A bird's eye view of a lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on August 23, 2017. [Photo/scol.com.cn] A bird's eye view of a lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on August 23, 2017. [Photo/scol.com.cn] A bird's eye view of a lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on August 23, 2017. [Photo/scol.com.cn] A bird's eye view of a lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on August 23, 2017. [Photo/scol.com.cn] A bird's eye view of a lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on August 23, 2017. [Photo/scol.com.cn] A bird's eye view of a lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on August 23, 2017. [Photo/scol.com.cn] A bird's eye view of a lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on August 23, 2017. [Photo/scol.com.cn] Related: Revisiting natural wonders of quake-hit Jiuzhaigou Cultural relics damaged during Sichuan earthquake

]]> 2017-08-25 16:47:09 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/25/content_31124312.htm ]]>

The Science Island of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science is home to more than 2,400 scientists from all over the world. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A major Chinese research center is attracting top researchers from around the world. Xing Yi reports in Hefei, Anhui.

A device called a tokamak that holds hydrogen plasma hotter than the core of the sun. Spectrometers that direct lasers to monitor atmospheric pollution. Magnetic-field generators that are tens of thousands of times stronger than a fridge magnet.

These are just some of the mind-boggling projects on the Science Island of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, a branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The island, a 2.65-square-kilometer peninsula surrounded by the Dongpu Reservoir in the northwest of Hefei, Anhui province, is home to 10 research institutes, dozens of key laboratories and more than 2,400 scientists from across the world.

The area boasts a community of its own. A small farmers market opens at 6 am daily. Bus 903 runs every half hour from the peninsula to the city. There is also a school for first to 12th graders, who are greeted by a banner on the gate that reads: "Study with scientists."

First contact

When Wang Junfeng, 48, first heard of Science Island in 2009, he had been doing post-doctoral research in Harvard Medical School for five years.

A stable, high-magnetic field laboratory that was being built on the island piqued his curiosity.

"Nineteen Nobel Prizes have been given to research related to magnetic fields since 1913," says Wang. "It is a key to the treasure chest of new scientific discoveries."

Lush greenery around the Science Island, where some of the country's top research institutes and laboratories are located. [Photo provided to China Daily]

From 1995 to 2001, Wang was earning his doctorate at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Florida, the United States, which currently boasts the strongest magnet on Earth.

The laboratory on Science Island was aiming to usurp that position. The news excited Wang, and he flew to the place to see it with his own eyes.

It just so happened that Kuang Guangli, the director of the High-Magnetic Field Laboratory, was urgently seeking scientists who could make full use of the facility once it was completed. The two of them met.

"Kuang is a charismatic leader," Wang recalls of his first meeting with the director. "And he values talent."

After a long talk with Kuang and a tour around the peninsula, Wang called his wife in Boston that night and told her that he wanted to work on the island.

A month later, Wang returned with his wife and two children.

"I could still remember that day. It was Aug 2, and we flew 13 hours from Boston to Shanghai, carrying 12 pieces of luggage," says Wang.

Two colleagues from the lab picked them up at the airport in Shanghai and drove six hours to Hefei.

It was past midnight when Wang settled down in an apartment rented for them.

Wang Wenchao, molecular biology researcher. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Getting teammates

The high-magnetic field laboratory has two research tracks: life sciences and material physics. Wang was appointed to head the life sciences department shortly after he joined the lab.

Wang needed to put together a team and he soon thought of Liu Qingsong, who went to Harvard Medical School in 2006, two years after Wang.

With his background in chemistry, Liu, 39, did post-doctoral research on medicine at Harvard. He later became a researcher at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Wang told Liu about the lab. Liu organized a group of Chinese scholars to return to China.

In 2010, the group first visited universities in Shanghai. They then boarded a high-speed train to Hefei and headed for Science Island.

"We also met Kuang, and he told us about his return from Germany when he was 32 to build China's own tokamak, the nuclear-fusion installation," says Liu.

"He told us that they worked on it for three years but failed. But they didn't give up and succeeded one year later.

"I was truly inspired by Kuang. And I thought that this is the place to make things happen."

Wang Junfeng, deputy director of the High-Magnetic Field Laboratory. [Photo provided to China Daily]

After returning to Boston, Liu spread the news about Science Island and looked for other candidates whose research fit the lab's life science department.

Liu first told his wife, Liu Jing, who was his classmate in Nankai University in Tianjin.

She was also a post-doctoral researcher of chemical biology at Harvard.

The two went to the US for doctoral studies in 2001, but they were in different universities. They got married in 2009 when they finally settled down in Boston.

"We were apart in different cities for half of the decade in the US, so we didn't plan to separate again," says Liu Jing.

When she knew her husband was serious about moving to Hefei, she started preparing to do so as well.

Liu Qingsong also tracked down his Harvard friends who were in specialized, exciting fields: Zhang Na, an expert on using nuclear magnetic resonance to study RNA molecules; Zhang Xin and Wang Wenchao, a couple researching cell biology; Lin Wenchu, who specializes in cancer research using mouse models; and Ren Tao, who focuses on high-throughput screening for new drugs.

Liu Qingsong told them about the opportunities offered by the lab and received positive responses.

One after another, they all passed the lab interviews and arrived on Science Island by the end of 2015.

The plan at the lab is finally being realized. The areas of focus range from molecular research to drug discoveries and testing.

The scientists are all conducting biological experiments in the high-magnetic field.

The aim is to identify the working mechanisms of some cancers so that effective drugs and therapies can be developed.

Zhang Xin, cell biology researcher. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Maintaining ties

During the 1990s and early 2000s, many students at top Chinese universities were expected to study overseas at some point.

When Zhang Xin and Wang Wenchao studied medical science at Beijing Medical University, which became part of Peking University in 2000, pursuing a doctorate in US or European universities was a major trend.

"At that time, 'foreign countries' was a synonym for 'advanced'," says Zhang Xin. "Only about three students in our class of 26 didn't go abroad."

Zhang Xin and Wang Wenchao got married before they went to study at Indiana University in the US in 2001. After earning their PhDs, they went to do post-doctoral work at different research affiliates of Harvard Medical School.

"Working at Harvard, my path was more or less set," says Wang Wenchao. "But back in China, I saw more possibilities."

They were also afraid that their children might lose touch with their Chinese background if they stayed in the US.

Lin Wenchu, head of the laboratory-animal center. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Students were asked to hold their national flags at an "international day" event at their daughter's school. But Zhang Xin found that her daughter could not identify China's flag.

And when she spoke to her daughter in Chinese at home, the girl would always reply in English.

"Now her Chinese has improved, and she can recite many Chinese poems," says Zhang Xin.

Zhang Na headed for Brigham Young University in Utah in 1996 to earn his master's, before going to Cornell University's Weill Cornell Medicine school in New York for doctoral studies in 1998.

During US presidential elections, he usually found himself debating with people about issues regarding China.

"Presidential nominees always fight for votes by raising unfair arguments about China. So I had to speak up for my country," says Zhang Na.

"For that reason, I always read news about China online. So when I argued, I argued with facts and evidence."

Liu Qingsong, deputy head of the life science department. [Photo provided to China Daily]

New trends

China's rapid economic growth and the broader opportunities offered by its development have become strong pull factors for overseas Chinese students and scholars.

More than 3.22 million Chinese students completed their studies abroad between 1978 and the end of last year, with 2.65 million returning home to find jobs, the Ministry of Education reported in March.

"When I went abroad, the economic gap between China and the US was big," says Ren Tao, who went to University of Nebraska-Lincoln to study microbiology in 1997. "But things change gradually."

Ren later went to work at Harvard Medical School. He noticed more praise for China from his foreign colleagues over the years.

Ren recalls that during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, he projected the live broadcast of the opening ceremony on a conference room wall.

"As Chinese gathered to watch the broadcast, some Americans joined us, and they were amazed by the grand ceremony," says Ren. "We felt so proud of our motherland."

Ren spent 18 years living in the US before returning home in 2015. His time abroad also made him a good cook.

"I had an easy and comfortable life in the US, but I always felt that I didn't make full use of my knowledge," says Ren.

Ren Tao, researcher of high-throughput screening of new drugs. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"So when I learned that mass entrepreneurship and innovation were becoming a trend in China, I was eager to be a part of it."

With the experience he gained in academia and business during his studies in the US, Ren joined Liu Qingsong's team as the manager of their medicine startup founded in 2015.

The company has 20 new potential drugs against diseases, including leukemia, lung cancer and lymphoma. Some are about to enter clinical tests.

"In our 70-strong team, 25 are returnees from abroad," says Ren.

Lin Wenchu received his PhD from the University of Texas in 2006. He worked at Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute before returning to China in 2013.

"Many people thought that my career was stable in the US and asked me why I came back," recalls Lin. "But I always wanted to have my own lab and do my own research, and I got the opportunity here."

Lin, who specializes in cancer research using mouse models, created a laboratory-animal center on Science Island in 2014.

Last year, he set up a company that aims to develop new diagnostic methods and therapeutic strategies for personalized cancer care.

"It's been done in two years, and that would be impossible if I were in the US," says Lin.

He has also recruited two scientists from overseas－one from the US and the other from Germany.

"I post the jobs online and receive applications from around the world," says Lin.

Contact the writer at xingyi@chinadaily.com.cn

Zhang Na, structural biology researcher. [Photo provided to China Daily] Liu Jing, chemical biology researcher. [Photo provided to China Daily]

]]> 2017-08-25 08:13:43 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/24/content_31071691.htm ]]>

Amazon Kindle unveiled a cooperation project with the Palace Museum over the weekend, allowing customers to read a Kindle Paperwhite with a cover design inspired by the Forbidden City. [Photo/People's Daily Online]

The "Kindle Paperwhite X The Forbidden City Culture" edition is now available on Amazon.cn and Alibaba's Tmall. Four different covers are available, themed on talent and study, good luck, longevity, and prosperity. Each package costs 1,266 yuan, while each cover is priced at 388 yuan.

The cover meant to wish one to study seriously uses the Song Dynasty (1127-1279) painting One thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains. The painting, which shows a remote view of rivers and mountains with birds and fishing boats, was one of the collections at the Palace Museum.

For the one wishing longevity, the cover uses the design of clouds and red-crowned cranes of official uniforms during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Similarly, the Qing Dynasty dragon pattern on the rosewood throne on the cover is for good luck, while the cover with the peony patterns from royal concubines' head decorations in the Qing Dynasty symbolizes prosperity.

Amazon Kindle unveiled a cooperation project with the Palace Museum over the weekend, allowing customers to read a Kindle Paperwhite with a cover design inspired by the Forbidden City. [Photo/People's Daily Online]

Amazon Kindle unveiled a cooperation project with the Palace Museum over the weekend, allowing customers to read a Kindle Paperwhite with a cover design inspired by the Forbidden City. [Photo/People's Daily Online] Amazon Kindle unveiled a cooperation project with the Palace Museum over the weekend, allowing customers to read a Kindle Paperwhite with a cover design inspired by the Forbidden City. [Photo/People's Daily Online] Amazon Kindle unveiled a cooperation project with the Palace Museum over the weekend, allowing customers to read a Kindle Paperwhite with a cover design inspired by the Forbidden City. [Photo/People's Daily Online] Amazon Kindle unveiled a cooperation project with the Palace Museum over the weekend, allowing customers to read a Kindle Paperwhite with a cover design inspired by the Forbidden City. [Photo/People's Daily Online] Amazon Kindle unveiled a cooperation project with the Palace Museum over the weekend, allowing customers to read a Kindle Paperwhite with a cover design inspired by the Forbidden City. [Photo/People's Daily Online] Amazon Kindle unveiled a cooperation project with the Palace Museum over the weekend, allowing customers to read a Kindle Paperwhite with a cover design inspired by the Forbidden City. [Photo/People's Daily Online] Amazon Kindle unveiled a cooperation project with the Palace Museum over the weekend, allowing customers to read a Kindle Paperwhite with a cover design inspired by the Forbidden City. [Photo/People's Daily Online] Amazon Kindle unveiled a cooperation project with the Palace Museum over the weekend, allowing customers to read a Kindle Paperwhite with a cover design inspired by the Forbidden City. [Photo/People's Daily Online] Amazon Kindle unveiled a cooperation project with the Palace Museum over the weekend, allowing customers to read a Kindle Paperwhite with a cover design inspired by the Forbidden City. [Photo/People's Daily Online] Amazon Kindle unveiled a cooperation project with the Palace Museum over the weekend, allowing customers to read a Kindle Paperwhite with a cover design inspired by the Forbidden City. [Photo/People's Daily Online]

]]> 2017-08-24 15:30:55 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/24/content_31071690.htm ]]>

Pei Jianping makes a piece of rubbing artwork in Fudian township of Yanshi, Luoyang city, Central China's Henan province, Aug 23, 2017. Pei is recognized in 2012 as the Luoyang city's inheritor of rubbing skills, an intangible cultural heritage. [Photo/Xinhua]

Pei Jianping finishes one of his rubbing artwork in Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan province, Aug 23, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] The tools of Pei Jianping for making rubbing artwork are seen in Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan province, Aug 23, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Pei Jianping makes a piece of rubbing artwork in Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan province, Aug 23, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-08-24 15:28:55 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/23/content_31028633.htm ]]>

Writer Bi Feiyu. [Photo/IC]

The French Ministry of Culture awarded the Order of Arts and Letters to a Chinese writer, Bi Feiyu, at the General Consulate of France in Shanghai on Aug 21.

The order is in recognition of significant contributions to the arts and literature, or the propagation of these fields.

Bi Feiyu was born in 1964 in Xinghua, Jiangsu province.

Consul-general of France Axel Cruau said, in his award presentation speech, Bi Feiyu maintained a close tie with France. In 2003, Bi's novel Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day was introduced and published by Actes Sud of France, which marked the beginning of popularity for Bi's work in France, where he has since published seven works.

In 2004, Bi attended the Paris Book Fair and was rated as "the most popular Chinese writer among French readers".

In 2010, Bi's French-language Planitia then won the Literature Prize of Le Monde.

Moreover, Bi has been active in promoting Sino-French literature exchanges in China. He held multiple activities to share his understandings in literature and French literature's impacts on himself with Chinese and foreign readers.

 

]]> 2017-08-23 15:34:49 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/23/content_31028632.htm ]]>

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong (L) presents trophies to winners of the 11th Special Book Award of China in Beijing, capital of China, Aug 22, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

China recognized 20 foreign translators, writers and publishers for their contributions to introducing Chinese culture to the world on Aug 22.

The Special Book Award of China was awarded to 16 people, and another four received the Special Book Award of China for Young Scholars.

Among the recipients were English translator Paul White, who is known for translating works introducing socialism with Chinese characteristics, and Bulgarian sinologist Petko Hinov, who translated "Dream of the Red Chamber" into Bulgarian.

The Special Book Award of China was set up in 2005. A total of 88 people from 40 countries and regions have received the award.

]]> 2017-08-23 15:17:34 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/22/content_30973473.htm ]]>

Foreign models strut on a catwalk in a fashion show in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region this month. [Photo by Zheng Huansong/Xinhua]

Foreign faces no longer have the edge in the domestic modeling scene.

In the eight years he has spent in China as a professional model, Alexandr Pozhar has witnessed major changes in the domestic industry.

When he first arrived in Shanghai, eight to 10 foreign models usually attended each casting session, but now there are scores of them, according to the 30-year-old Ukrainian-Russian dual national.

"If it's a large-scale casting, maybe 300 models will join the first round of competition. About 20 will then be chosen to go through to the next round, and at the end of the day, after several more rounds, the client will choose the winner," said Pozhar, who has a decade of experience on the catwalk and fashion shoots.

"Most candidates who stand in line for the client just hear 'OK, thanks, bye-bye' within just a few minutes of joining the line."

In addition to capricious clients, Pozhar and his foreign peers face another challenge. They are losing opportunities as a result of many clients' growing preferences for local faces, a result of a growing appreciation of fashion among Chinese customers and the rising international status of domestic models, allied to their distinctive looks which can draw target audiences.

"Foreign models no longer enjoy an absolute advantage over their Chinese counterparts. The line between foreign and domestic models is not so obvious anymore," said Zheng Yi, president of Esee Model Management in Shanghai, one of the largest modeling agencies in China.

"Once living expenses and travel costs are included, there are almost no differences between the incomes the two groups can earn," he said, noting that most young models can make between 10,000 yuan and 20,000 yuan ($1,500-3,000) a month.

However, the new reality hasn't stopped foreign models, including those with vast experience, from coming to China in the hope of finding work in the domestic market, which offers a greater range of opportunities than any other Asian country.

Foreign hopefuls attend a casting session for a company promotion in Shanghai. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

Pozhar said that when he first arrived in China, most agencies had no more than 10 foreign models, but in recent years, the number has tripled.

"A decade ago, winning a modeling contract in another country was like 'Wow! Out of the whole town I'm the one!' However, now it seems that everyone who is young and tall flies overseas to work as a model," he said.

Even though he has worked for several international brands, including Hermes and Christian Dior, Pozhar has often had to compete with younger peers, who are mostly about age 18 and in their best years in terms of looks and body shape.

In some cases, he has endured demanding and unreasonable clients.

"On countless occasions, clients put far too much makeup on my face, which I didn't like at all and spent two days removing. But I cannot lose my temper. If I reject an opportunity, they will still have 100 people to choose from," he said.

There have also been times when he has been hired to model 10 pieces of clothing, but once on set he has been asked to model five more items, without receiving extra pay.

"I have a well-honed figure, so sometimes I am asked to go shirtless, for which I should be paid extra. In most cases I remain silent because I don't want to lose clients or cause trouble," he said.

Models are paid by the hour, so from the time they arrive at a shoot the client and their makeup team urge them to change clothes quickly－usually in about 30 seconds－and rarely communicate about anything else.

Models wait outside their agency ahead of a selection meeting for an ad campaign. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

Changes

When she started modeling in Shanghai four years ago, Wang Mengjia, from Henan province, was often selected for shoots, only to be told later that the client had changed their mind and would use a foreign model. Now, the situation has been reversed.

For many years, Chinese brands believed that they would only be regarded as stylish if they used foreigners in their promotions, but now the number of models from overseas is falling across all campaigns, from commercials for high-end local brands to shows for online stores on Taobao, one of China's most popular retail websites, she said.

According to Zheng, from Esee Model Management in Shanghai, the change is the result of cultural differences. "Some online stores want potential customers to know that their clothes are suitable for everybody, so they choose Chinese models, who are generally sweet, gentle and petite. Female models from overseas are at least 175 cm tall, which can make Chinese customers feel divorced from the product," he said.

Wang said the rising competitiveness of Chinese models can be partly attributed to the fact that they are usually better trained than their foreign counterparts.

"Most Chinese models graduate from modeling schools or join the industry after winning a beauty contest. However, most foreign models enter the profession after being spotted by talent scouts in the street," said the 23-year-old, who came second in the 2015 Miss Universal China contest.

Opportunities

Opportunities may be dwindling for foreign models, but most agree that China offers more chances to work than any other Asian country.

Frenchman Adrien Jacques, who has modeled in a number of European and Asian cities in the past five years, has spent much of the past two years in Shanghai.

"I take more than 10 jobs every three months, and I participate in as many castings as possible every day to win more opportunities," the 22-year-old Parisian said. Last month, he worked on a shoot for a well-known brand of Japanese pomade in Shanghai, a job that offered him more than just money.

"Big brands have outstanding teams of makeup artists, stylists and photographers. I can learn a lot from them during the shooting process. Moreover, working for big brands is a good advertisement for me and will help me win better opportunities in the future," he said, adding that he has urged many of his peers in Paris to work in China.

Financial rewards

Since arriving in Shanghai in 2015, Ukrainian Juliana Romanova has spent most of her time in the city, returning home just once a year.

"I have worked in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, but nowhere brought me money as quickly as the Chinese mainland," the 25-year-old said.

"Even in Tokyo the market was unstable. Sometimes I stayed there for two months but failed to land even a single shoot or show," she said.

Romanova was spotted by a talent scout in the street when she was a university student in Ukraine. She chose to major in teaching English because there were no tuition fees for the course, which reduced the financial burden on her parents, who are not well off.

However, several years ago, she abandoned her plan to become a schoolteacher. "What I earn every month as a model in Shanghai is equivalent to almost a year's income in my home country," she said.

According to Cui Lina, a veteran model agent at the China Bentley Culture Development Co in Beijing, more than 50 percent of foreign models in China come from Russia and Ukraine.

"The pay is attractive to them, and their physical advantage is absolute－girls from those countries are blonde and have long legs," she said.

However, for many models, working in Shanghai is not just about money, but also visibility.

"If a model works on a campaign for a famous brand in France, they will be seen by about 60 million people. However, in China, the number rises to more than 1 billion. The difference is obvious," Romanova said.

Contact the writer at zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn

 

]]> 2017-08-22 08:09:12 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/22/content_30973422.htm ]]>

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Chinese travel company Mafengwo entered into a deal with tourism authorities from four European countries on Aug 19.

They would jointly develop travel guide content for Chinese visitors to Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.

The official tour guidance will cover scenic spots, hotels, traffic and catering.

At the same time, the four countries' tourism authorities will open official accounts on Mafengwo to help its users.

The number of Chinese visitors to Europe grew 65 percent year-on-year for the first six months, the China Tourism Academy said.

In particular, young people in favor of in-depth and individual travel are increasingly going to North Europe, it added.

"We hope to work with Mafengwo to offer more effective official tour guidance for travelers and enable them to experience North Europe the way locals do," Per Holte, chairman, North Europe tourism commission, said in Beijing.

 

]]> 2017-08-22 16:36:52 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/21/content_30932514.htm ]]>

Fang Guoqiang (right), president of the Xin'anyuan Organic Tea Development company, instructs a grower in a field.[Photo by Sun Sheng/For China Daily]

Perched at the source of the Xin'an River, one of China's least-polluted waterways, Youlong village boasts the perfect environment for a tea garden.

The 1,200-year-old village in Huangshan city's Xiuning county in Anhui province - long known for its lush scenery - is a center for the cultivation of organic tea.

One of China's first organic tea planters, Fang Guoqiang, president of Huangshan Xin'anyuan Organic Tea Development, has played a key role in the village's transformation over the past 20 years.

Fang made his fortune cutting and selling wood in Xiuning. Back in 1985, he could earn up to 36,000 yuan ($5,400) a week at a time when most villagers still lived a hand-to-mouth existence.

The turning point came in 1988, when some wealthy businesspeople offered a considerable sum of money for 16 ancient Masson pines in Youlong. The village's Party chief at the time, Zhang Jinzong, fought to protect the trees. The old man's resolve awakened Fang's environmental awareness, and he started thinking more about planting than cutting.

Zhang's firm stance also affected the villagers, who started to see a link between their poverty and the fact that they were always taking from nature and seldom giving anything back.

Fang made friends with an international trader, Li Shengfu, who told him that the village environment was perfect for producing high-quality tea. Fang was inspired.

In 1997, Fang founded his company, which focuses on organic tea planting and processing. He organized local farmers to plant the tea, providing them with technological guidance and subsidies.

"At first, no tea gardens were qualified for organic tea. I spent a lot of time and energy persuading the farmers not to use pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and promised that we would pay higher prices to buy their yields if they followed strict planting rules," Fang said.

[Photo by Sun Sheng/For China Daily]

But his pleas fell on deaf ears. Despite having free organic fertilizers provided by Fang, they still applied chemical fertilizers to boost output, thinking that Fang could not tell the difference.

"I was disappointed. But common sense told me it would take time to change their entrenched planting methods. So I continued to lobby them," he said.

Li helped Fang persuade the farmers to abandon chemical fertilizers and selected some residents as a small inspection team armed with a gong and a drum. If the team found a farmer applying chemical fertilizer or pesticide, they would beat the gong and strike the drum to inform the neighborhood.

The biggest change came with the harvest season, when the farmers found that the price of fresh organic tea was three times that of nonorganic tea, and that its quality could be discerned easily with a test.

The farmers' efforts paid off. In 2006, the average per capita annual income of organic tea planters in Youlong hit 5,000 yuan, double the provincial average.

They then looked to Fang to help them to explore new commercial opportunities. Fang did not let them down.

He began selling Youlong organic tea overseas, and began to seek ways to benefit more farmers beyond Youlong.

He set up an agricultural cooperative that has 2,000 hectares of tea gardens along the Xin'an River, of which more than one-fifth meet the organic agricultural standards of the United States and the European Union, and have won certifications that qualify their crops for those markets.

In 2010, a buyer from Germany visited the tea gardens, and was so impressed by the farmers' rigorous organic planting and the well-preserved natural conditions that he offered them 100,000 euros ($117,600) a year to encourage them to maintain their high standards.

Last year, Fang's cooperative exported organic tea worth $6 million to the US, Germany, the United Kingdom and France.

In 2012, the government initiated an ecological preservation campaign. Subsidies are provided to encourage farmers to replace chemical fertilizers with organic ones. The subsidy covers almost one-third of the cooperative's expenditure on organic fertilizers.

The government's support has buoyed his confidence in the future of the organic tea business. He plans to ensure that all 2,000 hectares of tea gardens meet the requirements of Western markets within 10 years.

 

 

 

]]> 2017-08-21 07:24:06 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/21/content_30932403.htm ]]>

A model presents the shiny qipao in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

 

As a traditional Chinese dress, qipao is like a wonderful blossom in China's bright-colored fashion scene. Because of its unique charm, many women wear it to show their grace.

Now, with the help of state-of-the-art technology, 82 creative sets of technology oriented qipao will highlight the traditional style of Chinese chic at the Edinburgh Art Festival on August 25.

On the theme of “From Shanghai with Love”, the producer of the show, Shanghai-based Donghua University, in cooperation with the University of Edinburgh, sets out to promote Shanghai fashion elements to the world stage this month.

According to the producer, 60 teachers and students from the Donghua University spend six months to design these unique qipao.

"These qipao reflect the beauty of the combination of art and technology, and show off the fashion imagination and creativity of Chinese people," said Bian Xiangyang, director of Shanghai Promotion Center for City of Fashion as well as director of the Shanghai Museum of Textile and Costume of Donghua University.

“Also, Chinese qipao marks the revolution of Chinese clothing civilization from traditional style to modern style, and we hope audiences can appreciate the beauty of our traditional clothes,” he added.

As one of the historic and largest art celebrations in the world, Edinburgh Art Festival enjoys the reputation of Olympics in the art field.

Each year, the festival presents new publicly sited works across the city, opening up new spaces and offering new opportunities to creative fashion elements in the world.

A model presents the shiny qipao in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A model presents the shiny qipao in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A model presents the shiny qipao in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A model presents the shiny qipao in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A model presents the shiny qipao in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A model presents the shiny qipao in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A model presents the shiny qipao in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A model presents the shiny qipao in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A model presents the shiny qipao in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A model presents the shiny qipao in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

]]> 2017-08-21 16:34:38 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/18/content_30806893.htm ]]>

A piece of Suzhou embroidery work displayed at the exhibition, Aug 17, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn]

A series of Suzhou embroidery works featuring Buddha, Bodhisattva and Buddhism text were showcased at Zhejiang Buddhism Academy, Zhejiang province, on Aug 17.

Titled "Endless Joy", the exhibition displayed 39 pieces of embroidered Buddha.

One work, featuring Buddha Shakyamuni's eight steps from birth to nirvana, took seven female embroiders six years to finish. Each period was an independent embroidery piece.

Another embroidery work featuring Tankasri Avalokitesvara, or Water and Moon Kuan-yin, was based on the fresco in Fahai Temple that was built in Beijing in the Ming Dynasty (1638-1644).

Often a simple line on the script needs 1,000 stitches by an embroiderer.

An embroiderer works on a Suzhou embroidery work, Aug 17, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn]

An embroiderer works on a Suzhou embroidery work, Aug 17, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn]

A piece of Suzhou embroidery work displayed at the exhibition, Aug 17, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn]

A Suzhou embroidery work featuring Water and Moon Kuan-yin displayed at the exhibition, Aug 17, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn]

A piece of Suzhou embroidery work displayed at the exhibition, Aug 17, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn]

A piece of Suzhou embroidery work displayed at the exhibition, Aug 17, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn]

]]> 2017-08-18 14:44:19 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/18/content_30806847.htm ]]>

The Mandarin version of the musical The Sound of Music will be staged at Beijing's Poly Theater from Aug 18 to Sept 3. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The Mandarin version of the The Sound of Music will return to Beijing from Aug 18 to Sept 3, after its first tour of the country last year.

Premiered in July 2016, the musical, produced by Seven Ages, a Beijing-based company dedicated to adapting classical Western musicals into Chinese versions, has been staged more than 100 times and attracted over 100,000 people.

The Broadway show, based on the book The Trapp Family Singers, which was written by Maria Von Trapp about her real-life experiences and published in 1949, made its debut in 1959. With music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, it won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

"For Chinese audiences, the story of The Sound of Music is classic. Everyone we have spoken to assures us that the story is very well-known and loved here," says Yang Jiamin, CEO of Seven Ages.

When the Oscar-winning film with the same title was screened in China in the 1970s, the movie, which was released by Twentieth Century Fox in 1964, was very popular, especially its songs, such as Do-Re-Mi and Edelweiss.

The Broadway production and the production by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber both toured China in 2008 and 2014, which expanded its Chinese fan base.

About two years ago, Cheng He, a Tsinghua University graduate and the director of the script of Seven Ages, who is credited with translating such classic Western musical productions as Cats and Mama Mia! into Chinese, translated the script and lyrics of The Sound of Music.

The company's audition of the actors, especially the seven children, attracted nearly 1,000 candidates.

The upcoming tour will see actors, including 11-year-old Beijinger Qiu Jiahao and 5-year-old Liang Xiaoxian, play the seven children in the family.

Fu Zhenhua, a graduate of the Shanghai Theater Academy, and Dang Wenwei, a graduate of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, will play the roles of Captain Georg von Trapp and Maria Rainer.

Joseph Graves, the artistic director of Peking University's Institute of World Theater and Film, who is the director of the Chinese version of the musical and the artistic director of Seven Ages, says: "The approach to working with children is a bit different from working with adults in that they are not used to working long hours, and children have, of course, far less experience (the children in the cast range from 5 to 14 years).

"Children also cannot focus for long, extended rehearsals, and yet they often bring an energy and creativity to the rehearsal process that is inspiring to me as a director and to the adult actors with whom they are working."

Graves, a veteran Broadway director, who has spent most of his adult life acting, directing and writing for theater and films in Britain and the United States, has lived and worked in China since 2002.

"As the story of the Von Trapp family is already so well known in China, we kept very close to the original script," he says.

The first time he saw the musical was at a US cinema when he was about 8 years old. A year or two later, he saw a stage version as well.

"My favorite aspect of this musical is the way it takes a look at various kinds of love we experience as human beings: romantic love, familial love, the love between friends, the love of country, the love of things spiritual and unexplainable. So many different forms of love are explored through the words and gorgeous music. And that is what I like most about The Sound of Music－it really is the sound of love," Graves says.

After Beijing, the musical will be staged in Shenzhen in December and Shanghai next January.

If you go

7:30 pm, Aug 18-Sept 3. Poly Theater, 14 Dongzhimen Nandajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing.

400-028-2577.

]]> 2017-08-18 07:28:57 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/17/content_30761190.htm ]]>

Photo taken in 2008 shows Deqen Yuzhen using a typewriter at the school for blind children in Lhasa, capital of Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region. Deqen Yuzhen, who was born on Sept 14, 1998, is the daughter of a herdsman family in Maqu county, Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Northwest China's Gansu province. Unfortunately, she lost her sight due to a serious illness when she was a baby. She was sent to the school for blind children in Tibet at the age of nine and transferred to blind children's school of Shanghai in 2014. With her gift for singing, she received the attention of Yu Lihong, a professor at Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Professor Yu has been tutoring Deqen Yuzhen on singing ever since. She held a concert of herself this June at Shanghai Conservatory of Music. [Photo/Xinhua]

Deqen Yuzhen listens messages with her cellphone on the prairie of her hometown, Maqu county, Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Northwest China's Gansu province, Aug 13, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Deqen Yuzhen (R front) interacts with students and faculty members at a school in Hezuo city, Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Northwest China's Gansu province, in July of 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] Deqen Yuzhen (2nd L rear) and her family members pose for a family photo on the prairie of her hometown, Maqu county, Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Northwest China's Gansu province, Aug 13, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Deqen Yuzhen and her good friend Sangey Zhoema (R) chat on the prairie of her hometown, Maqu county, Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Northwest China's Gansu province, Aug 13, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Deqen Yuzhen (L) talks to her younger brother at their tent on the prairie of her hometown, Maqu county, Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Northwest China's Gansu province, Aug 13, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] File photo taken in 2009 shows Deqen Yuzhen covered with hadas after performing at a party in the school for blind children at Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua] Deqen Yuzhen (L front) sings with her tutor Professor Yu Lihong at a concert of hers in Shanghai Conservatory of Music, June 26, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-08-17 14:17:12 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/17/content_30761162.htm ]]> 

The Masai Mara National Park in Kenya has become a popular tourist destination.[Photo/VCG]

A hit movie or a TV show not only has the power to change the destiny of the lead actors, but can also put the location of the shoot on tourist map.

Chinese action blockbuster Wolf Warrior 2, which was released at the end of July, has earned 5 billion yuan at the box office by August 15, making it the highest-grossing movie ever in China.

Thanks to the outstanding performance of the movie, a lion park in African prairie where some scenes of the film were shot is in the spotlight.

According to data provided by Tuniu, an online travel agency, a number of people have enquired about tourism spots in Africa, especially Kenya., The Masai Mara National Park in Kenya is on top of the list.

With more Chinese traveling abroad, Africa has gradually become an ideal destination due to factors like favorable visa policies, more flights as well as a rich resource in feature tourism. Now with the movie gaining momentum, Africa-related travel products are set to be in high demand.

Dark hedges in Northern Ireland is one of the shooting locations of Game of Thrones.[Photo/VCG]

Apart from Wolf Warrior 2, the global popularity of the hit American TV drama Game of Thrones, particularly after the season finale arrived in July, has also put some locations where the series were filmed on many travelers' roadmap.

According to a report released by the China Tourism Academy and Ctrip, thanks to the 7th season, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Croatia and Morocco have witnessed a significant growth in the number of tourist arrivals, becoming the dark horses of tourism this summer. Chinese tourist arrivals in Croatia saw a 300% jump, and Spain recorded a 77% surge.

In order to cater to the travel needs of the fans of the TV hit, travel agencies, both home and abroad, have developed the "Game of Thrones" package tours, taking visitors to explore locations in which the drama were shot, like the Ballintoy Harbour and Cushendun in Northern Ireland, volcanic plains and waterfalls in Iceland, etc, all aiming to provide tourists with an immersive "Game of Thrones" experience.　　

A poster of the movie Wolf Warriors 2.[Photo/mtime.com]

View of Old Dubrovnik on the Adriatic Coast, Croatia.The plots and politics of King's Landing were mostly filmed here.[Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-08-17 14:10:47 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/16/content_30704473.htm ]]>The Palace Museum in Beijing has shared a range of photos of its collection of pomegranate-themed relics on micro blog Sina Weibo in celebration of the start of autumn. Autumn is the season for pomegranates which can already be seen on trees in the Forbidden City. Pomegranates symbolize good harvest and many children due to its good yield and many seeds. The pomegranate was commonly used to decorate objects in ancient times, which can be seen in the relics below:

An ivory tea tray decorated with pomegranate flowers. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A pomegranate-shaped box made of red sandalwood, inlaid with dentale. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A wooden handled ruyi (an ornament believed to bring good luck) inlaid with jade and dyed ivory in the shape of a pomegranate. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A bamboo carved box in the shape of a pomegranate. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] Pomegranates made out of grey jade. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A pomegranate-shaped zun (a kind of wine vessel used in ancient times) made out of agate. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A pomegranate-shaped box decorated with asparagus fern patterns. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A pomegranate made out of grey jade. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A blue famile rose vase painted with poems and decorated with pomegranate patterns from the Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A cloisonne enamel pomegranate-shaped bottle decorated with lotus patterns. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A gold-plated copper rectangular basin inlaid with painted enamel, decorated with diancui (dipping blue) corals and pomegranates. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A carved lacquered pot plant decorated with jade pomegranate flowers. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A blue-and-white flat kettle painted with pomegranate flowers. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A pomegranate-shaped stove made out of copper from the Xuande Period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A pomegranate-shaped snuff bottle made out of agate. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] Related: Palace Museum shares lotus-themed relic photos online Leaf-shaped relics adorn the summer

]]> 2017-08-16 11:08:56 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/16/content_30704467.htm ]]>

A still from the film Twenty Two. [Photo/mtime.com]

Documentary movie Twenty Two, which debut on Monday to mark the International Memorial Day for Comfort Women, has had an unexpected increase in sales, according to data released by Maoyan, a major Chinese film database.

Box office sales for the film skyrocketed to 10 million yuan ($1.49 million) in as little as 24 hours, after its release to the public, which then increased to over 30 million yuan as of 3 pm on Wednesday. The number of screenings in theaters showing Twenty Two rose from 1 percent on the premiere day to 10.8 percent on Wednesday.

Director Guo Ke, who started to shoot the film in 2014, posted a message on his social media three years ago, stating his mother was "willing to sell our house to support my shooting of this film". Then three years later, the film, which was almost suspended due to a lack in funds, has attracted the attention of the public.

The popularity of the film may be due to the support of celebrities including Chinese film director Feng Xiaogang, actors Wu Jing and Zhang Xinyi, and the acclaims from the public.

The film has also been rated 8.9 out of 10 on China's popular film reviewing site Douban.

"I prepared my mood before I entered the cinema, as the film was very heart-aching. While what impresses me more is their kindness," a netizen on Douban said.

Su Beiqi, in charge of the promotion of the documentary, said he "never thought it would be like this". He made this comment on his social media page. Su also revealed the advance publicity of the film was very hard, as few people were willing to take this.

A poster for the film Twenty Two. [Photo/mtime.com] Guo also said he did not expect much from the film before its screening. "As a tiny film during the summer release season, we only expect the film would have a small survival space, and the targeted box office was 6 million yuan," he said. "It means that there would be 200,000 people watching the film in the cinemas. "From 1932 to 1945, at least 20,000 Chinese women were forced to be 'comfort women' by the Japanese army." Guo said he believed the meaning of Twenty Two was more important than the box office, and added he would have been satisfied with only 1 percent screenings in theaters. "I am not going to earn one penny from the film," he said. "Except for the cost, the rest of the revenue will all be donated to these women." The 90-minute documentary featured 22 "comfort women" in China, who peacefully shared their take and experience in history. As of July, only nine of the 22 women in the movie are still alive. Guo had shot a short film Thirty Two in 2012, recording comfort woman Wei Shaolan in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, which can be watched online. To watch the short film Thirty Two, here A still from the film Twenty Two. [Photo/mtime.com] A still from the film Twenty Two. [Photo/mtime.com] Crew of Twenty Two pose a photo with women featured in the documentary.[Photo/mtime.com]

]]> 2017-08-16 16:10:00 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/15/content_30660423.htm ]]>

The world’s top solo percussionist Li Biao conducts his band in opening concert at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center on Aug 12. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

A concert called The Rhythm of the Silk Road was held at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center on Aug 12, which marked the opening of the 10th China International Youth Arts Festival. During the concert, the world’s top solo percussionist Li Biao, together with young artists from different countries and regions, held a musical feast.

The festival, organized by China International Culture Association and China Arts and Entertainment Group, will see 115 shows from 36 countries and regions presented in Beijing and other 11 cities in the next three weeks. Apart from concerts, dances, chamber music, operas, and musicals, various artistic activities covering exhibitions, forums as well as art education and training will also be highlights of the festival.

As this year marks the 10th anniversary of the China International Youth Art Festival, Hong Kong art delegations are specially invited to exchange and interact with the young artistic talents in Chinese mainland. In addition, from this year, youth cultural exchange and cooperation of art education will be conducted with member units of “International Theatre Alliance along Silk Road”.

Li Biao and his percussion band perform in opening concert at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center on Aug 12. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

The poster announcing the opening concert The Rhythm of the Silk Road. [Photo/cnr.cn]

]]> 2017-08-15 17:16:09 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/15/content_30660422.htm ]]>

Watermelons are one of the most refreshing foods in summer. However, for artists, the summer fruits are more than just edible. This photo, taken on Aug 13, 2017, shows Hubei-born Chinese man Guan Yunlong carefully crafting patterns of flowers on a watermelon in Xuchang, Central China's Henan province. [Photo/VCG]

Guan's watermelon artworks include flowers, human portraits and cartoon figures. Guan, who learnt carving skills from his grandfather and father on wood and jade ware, has been carving since childhood. [Photo/VCG]

A flower artwork created by Guan Yunlong, Aug 13, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Guan Yunlong carefully crafts patterns of flowers on a watermelon in Xuchang, Central China's Henan province, on Aug 13, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Guan Yunlong carefully crafts patterns of flowers on a watermelon in Xuchang, Central China's Henan province, on Aug 13, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-08-15 10:31:12 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/14/content_30607815.htm ]]>

A visitor looks at people writing Tibetan calligraphy at a creative cultural product exhibition in the China Cultural Center in Nigeria. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Nearly 100 cultural products from Tibet are on display at the China Cultural Center in Nigeria, as part of the events to celebrate the Tibet Cultural Month, China's Tibet Tashi Delek, in the West African country.

A wide range of products are on show, ranging from T-shirts and Tibetan incense to bookmarks and kites. Visitors are also encouraged to interact with Tibetan folk artists in Tibetan calligraphy, painting, weaving, and wood carving.

The exhibition is open for free to the public starting Aug 7 and will last for a week.

 

Nigerians learn to make string of beads during the Tibet Cultural Month in Nigeria. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

Nigerians learn to make string of beads during the Tibet Cultural Month in Nigeria. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Items on display at theTibet Cultural Month in Nigeria. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

]]> 2017-08-14 13:56:28 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/14/content_30607814.htm ]]>

A mother and daughter view an ensemble sculpture at the 2nd Art Exhibition of Young Artists' Works at the National Art Museum of China, Aug 13. [Photo/VCG]

The 2nd Art Exhibition of Young Artists' Works opened at the National Art Museum of China on Aug 13.

The exhibition features nearly l60 paintings and sculptures created by artists around the country.

Wu Weishan, curator of the National Art Museum of China, said he believed this artistic assembly highlighted the spiritual landscape of contemporary young Chinese artists.

"The exhibit is full of vigor and vitality," he said. "Our goal is to encourage young artists to develop a deeper awareness of the national artistic cause and make their own contributions to it."

The exhibition, displayed at hall No 13-17 of the museum, will run until Aug 31.

Two visitors look at a sculpture during the exhibit, Aug 13. [Photo/VCG] A boy examines a sculpture at the exhibit, Aug 13. [Photo/Xinhua] A father takes his daughter to the exhibit, Aug 13. [Photo/Xinhua] An item on display, Aug 13. [Photo/Xinhua] The 2017 Art Exhibition of Young Artists' Works is being held at the National Art Museum of China from Aug 13 to 31. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-08-14 13:47:26 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/11/content_30483231.htm ]]>

A scene from Secrets of China's Forbidden City. [Photo/Screen capture of Secrets of China's Forbidden City]

Untold architectural secrets of the Forbidden City, one of the greatest wonders of the medieval world, have come under the spotlight of BBC Channel 4 documentary, Secrets of China's Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City, the biggest wooden structure on Earth and a place of staggering wealth and power, was built under the order of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The city is spread over 178 acres, 10 time that of France's Palace of Versailles. The city originally housed 900 buildings with 9,999 rooms, just one less than the divine number of 10,000, which was reserved for heaven.

Emperor Yongle. [Photo/Screen capture of Secrets of China's Forbidden City]

How was such an engineering marvel was created in a time when only the most rudimentary tools were available, and how did it survive 600 years of war, upheavals and natural disasters?

Secrets of China's Forbidden City taps in to these questions from visits to its workshops and research labs, with particular focus on two aspects: transportation of materials and how it withstood natural disasters.

A nanmu column used in the Forbidden City. [Photo/Screen capture of Secrets of China's Forbidden City]

Shipping

Nanmu, the rarest of all Chinese woods, was widely used in the construction of the palace for its density and beauty. It is reported that some 10,000 nanmu logs were shipped from forests more than 18,000 km southwest of Beijing. Furthermore, golden floor tiles from 1,000 km south and 18 million bricks, each weighing 24 kg, also had to be transported to the capital, a task that seems unachievable in an unindustrialized world.

Ancient Chinese people had the wisdom to overcome that, through building the Grand Canal.

"The Grand Canal, which is both older and longer than the Panama Canal and the Suez Canal, solved a large problem of canal engineering at the time," said Jim Griffiths, a hydrologist.

Nanmu columns used in the Forbidden City. [Photo/Screen capture of Secrets of China's Forbidden City]

The Grand Canal started from the commercial hub of Hangzhou to the south, passed tributaries of Yangtze and Yellow rivers and reached far north to Beijing. The nanmu logs were floated to Beijing along with a fleet of 20,000 barges with 200 million liters of grain to feed the one million workers each year.

But some materials were unsuitable to be shipped.

The grand staircase (center). [Photo/Screen capture ofSecrets of China's Forbidden City]

Emperor Yongle's grand staircase, a 16-meter-long hand-carved masterpiece that symbolizes his power, weighs more than 300 tons, equivalent to 125 Land Rovers.

The marble used in the staircase had to be transported from a quarry 60 km away, and obviously, no ship could withhold that much weight.

A close shot of the grand staircase. [Photo/Screen capture of Secrets of China's Forbidden City]

Modern science suggests that ancient Chinese people used ice.

Each winter, Beijing freezes. Scientists featured in the documentary speculate that workers put the large marble onto the frozen rivers and added a little bit of water as a lubricant to reduce friction. Calculations suggest that only 180 men were necessary to move a rock weighing more than 300 tons.

A scene from Secrets of China's Forbidden City. [Photo/Screen capture of Secrets of China's Forbidden City]

Earthquakes

Beijing sits in a very active seismic hub.

In its 600 years, the Forbidden City has withstood over 200 devastating quakes, including the deadliest earthquake of the 20th century in Tangshan, which centered around 153 km east of the capital. The Tangshan earthquake in 1976, 7.8 in magnitude, obliterated the city and killed nearly one quarter of a million people in just 15 seconds.

In a stark contrast, the Forbidden City suffered minimal damages.

Experts believe the secrets lie in dougong, an architectural element commonly found in traditional East Asian architecture.

A dougong (highlighted in white). [Photo/Screen capture of Secrets of China's Forbidden City]

A dougong is a complex bracket that supports the huge roof. At first glance, it looks like an elaborate decorative feature. But the unique design is the structural key to every Forbidden City building.

In traditional Chinese architecture, there are no nails or glue, nothing holding it together other than blocks of craftily designed pieces of wood locking against one another, and sheer ingenuity.

A scale model and a shake table used to test the strength of dougong. [Photo/Screen capture of Secrets of China's Forbidden City]

A resident seismologist of the Forbidden City, surnamed Zhou, created a shake table calibrated to the size and weight of a 1:5 scale model of a typical building in the palace to replicate the energy of quakes in increasing magnitude and simulate how much quake forces the architectures can take.

Under a simulated earthquake of magnitude 5, walls around the model pavilion began to crumble but the pavilion stood upright in its complete form. At magnitude 9.5, an energy equivalent to 200 tons of the explosive TNT, the supported columns started to move but did not crack. At 10.1, the highest level tested, the pavilion still stood high.

A simulated model of dougong. [Photo/Screen capture of Secrets of China's Forbidden City]

The secret can be summarized in one word -- flexibility.

The dougong acts like a shock absorber in a car and there's both friction and rotation that absorbs the energy from the earthquake.

Something as simple as a craftily cut piece of wood, that was designed more than 2,000 years ago, reached their zenith in the Forbidden City and protected the impregnable fortress from natural disasters for centuries.

A scene from Secrets of China's Forbidden City. [Photo/Screen capture of Secrets of China's Forbidden City]

The vision of one man may have wanted to steer China into a whole new direction, but it was the genius of the Chinese people that made it possible.

Secrets of China's Forbidden City is a co-production between China Intercontinental Communication Center and BBC.

Related:

Palace Museum brings Forbidden City to life for children

'Masters in the Forbidden City' finally hits the big screen

 

]]> 2017-08-11 14:21:51 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/11/content_30483226.htm ]]>

Musicians Lang Lang (left) and Herbie Hancock perform onstage during the 50th annual Grammy awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb 10, 2008. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Creator of the Grammy Awards announces a touring festival of world-class musicians in China. Chen Jie reports.

Music fans in China can expect to experience world-class live music, with the Recording Academy, creator of the Grammy Awards, announcing that it will hold a Grammy Festival in the country in 2018.

The festival, a touring show featuring Grammy-winning artists, was announced on Aug 3 in Beijing.

"China continues to expand and grow its role as a force in attracting and engaging world artists," says Neil Portnow, 69, chairman and CEO, Recording Academy.

The US-based academy and the Chinese company Bravo Entertainment will hold the festival in China.

"We hope the Grammy Festival not only further elevates the music industry but also engages other industries to create powerful, global intellectual products," he told reporters in Beijing after the event was announced.

"I know some Chinese classical musicians such as Lang Lang, Tan Dun and Wu Tong who won this year's Grammy Awards with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, but we want more young musicians. I know hip-hop and jazz are also growing in China. That's what we want to do－to discover next-generation musicians for different kinds of music, to encourage them there is good future in music industry," he said on Aug 3.

During the news conference in Beijing, a traditional Chinese band gave a drum performance.

Portnow says that if Grammy-winning musicians saw that, they would go: "I want to play with them onstage."

"If you watch the Grammys, you know the favorite thing we like to do is unusual combinations, not predictable, combination of different generations, different genres and so this is perfect to mix up."

But Portnow did not reveal the festival dates for next year.

Neil Portnow (center), chairman and CEO of Recording Academy, and Steven Fock (left), CEO of Bravo Entertainment, attend the Beijing event to announce the launch of the Grammy Festival China. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"My philosophy about something like that is to find wine in its time," he says, adding that the more important thing was to make the festival work out well.

The idea of bringing such a festival to China came in 2008 when Portnow was preparing for the Grammys' 50th anniversary. He says he wanted to do classical music and jazz for the show.

"We don't always do that. But 50th was a big anniversary, so we wanted to do something different," says Portnow, a fan of both classical music and jazz.

He found two interesting pianists among that year's nominees－legendary jazz musician Herbie Hancock and Lang Lang, a popular Chinese classical musician.

"So I talked to Ken Ehrlich, producer and director of the Grammys (in 2008), to discuss how we could combine them," Portnow recalls.

Accompanied by a full orchestra, Hancock and Lang Lang－four hands together－played George Gershwin's repertoire Rhapsody in Blue, with beguiling flair, setting the stage for the fireworks that concluded the show on Feb 10, 2008.

The awards also got the Chinese pianist named as the official ambassador of the Grammys in China.

Lang Lang invited Portnow to watch the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and introduced him to some key people in the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education and musicians, including Yu Long, who is arguably the best-known Chinese conductor in the West.

"We talked about China, music and found (that) we share the same values to bridge cultures," says Portnow.

"Because (Chinese) culture is quite different, it seems for us that it's important to do cultural exchanges, not just for the Grammys but for society and for people to find ways to build bridges. So we started to think about how we could do something here."

Portnow came to China a few times after that and watched the annual Beijing Music Festival, created by Yu.

But bridging culture isn't easy. Making phones is easier because the process is technical, he says.

"When you are making art, it's very open and creative, and it's unpredictable. You have two cultures, two economies, two government systems, different regulations, time change, the distance, all of them make challenges, but anything good is worth doing. It takes work and we are prepared for the work."

The Recording Academy and the local company Bravo Entertainment have established China Music Vision Ltd, a partnership company, to work on the Grammy Festival in the country.

"We need local people who understand China and music, know both business and art," says Portnow.

Chinese people may feel familiar with the Grammy Awards but many don't know that it was the Recording Academy that created the awards in 1957.

"For 60 years, they've worked to help the world musically and culturally. They protect musicians' rights and provide music education in poor communities," says Michael Sun, CEO, China Music Vision Ltd.

"We hope to use the platform to bring more Chinese musicians to the world stage and connect them to the international music community."

The Chinese audience can watch the Grammys on TV, but Bravo Entertainment wanted to go a step further and bring them a live-concert experience with Chinese cultural elements in it, says company CEO Steven Fock.

"We will try to carry on the excellence that the Grammys are known for."

]]> 2017-08-11 08:17:08 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/10/content_30434766.htm ]]>

An exquisite carved wooden box from Qianlong Period of Qing Dynasty is showcased at the exhibition. [Photo/Artron.net]

An exhibit titled "Son of Heaven in the Heyday: Exhibition of the Qianlong Emperor in Qing Dynasty" opened at the West Lake Gallery of Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, South China's Zhejiang province, on Thursday and will last for three months.

Among the exhibits, 168 pieces are from the Palace Museum in Beijing, and the rest from Zhejiang museum. Ranging from the Qianlong Emperor's (1711-99) imperial robes and daily use articles, to his paintings and calligraphy, the items on display narrate the colorful life of the emperor. Emperor Qianlong was the longest reigning emperor in China's history, who reigned from 1736 to 1796.

"Although numerous exhibitions on Emperor Qianlong have been held across the world, this display is the most comprehensive so far," Ma Shengnan, an expert from the exhibition preparatory team at the Palace Museum said. "We hope visitors can experience the whole life of Emperor Qianlong from their perspective."

[Photo/Artron.net]

It is said that Emperor Qianlong preferred West Lake in Hangzhou a lot, and each time he went to Hangzhou, he would live near the West Lake. Two paintings from the exhibition portray the scene of the imperial palace for his short stays at West Lake.

Though Emperor Qianlong visited South China six times, the major part of his life was not spent there. So whenever he missed the West Lake, he would draw it on canvas and write poems dedicated to the lake. "Qianlong loved West Lake so much that whenever he wanted to paint something the landscapes of the West Lake would soon be on the canvas", Ma said.

Emperor Qianlong in court dress. [Photo/zhejiangmuseum.com]

The exhibition hall of the display "Son of Heaven in the Heyday: Exhibition of the Qianlong Emperor in Qing Dynasty". [Photo/Artron.net]

Emperor Qianlong Baths an Elephant, by Ding Guanpeng. [Photo/zhejiangmuseum.com] A white-glazed tureen painted with poems in red color, from Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/zhejiangmuseum.com] A pair of carved lacquered mandarin fans with pedestals from Qing Dynasty, collected by the Palace Museum in Beijing. [Photo/Artron.net] Cloisonne enamel aroma stoves from Qing Dynasty, collected by the Palace Museum in Beijing. [Photo/Artron.net] Emperor Qianlong portrays yulan magnolia and peach flowers in this painting. [Photo/Artron.net] West Lake, by Emperor Qianlong. [Photo/Artron.net] A painting by Zhang Zongcang portrays views of Emperor Qianlong's imperial palace at West Lake. [Photo/Artron.net] An Ode to Ten Views of the West Lake, manuscripts of Emperor Qianlong, collected by the Palace Museum in Beijing. [Photo/Artron.net]

]]> 2017-08-10 13:33:48 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/10/content_30434745.htm ]]>

Haya, an award-winning world music ensemble from China, will perform in Croatia as part of the Croatia Meets China－Silk Road China Ethnic Music Festival. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Five years ago, bassist Huang Yong, who lives in Beijing, toured Croatia with his jazz band. Two things impressed him the most: the beautiful coastal views and the impromptu jamming with local jazz musicians in some of the most popular live-music venues.

He will again perform in Croatia at the Pula Arena on Friday. One of the most famous and popular locations in Pula, the venue is a 2,000-year-old amphitheater where ancient Romans watched gladiator fights. It now hosts some of the finest international musicians.

Instead of performing with his jazz band, the veteran bassist this time is playing with Haya, an award-winning world music ensemble whose musicians are all ethnic Mongolians.

"It will be the first time for the band to perform in Croatia, which is exciting for us," says Zhang Quansheng, the morinkhuur (horse-head fiddle) player of Haya, who founded the band in 2006.

As part of the Croatia Meets China－Silk Road China Ethnic Music Festival, Haya will perform the hits, including Silent Sky and Flying Eagle, which combines traditional Mongolian sounds with other musical elements, especially contemporary music.

"What we make is world music based on Mongolian traditions," Zhang says. "I wanted our music to appeal to not just Mongolians. From our experience of performing abroad, we have achieved that goal."

The band has performed throughout China and in countries, including Sweden, Germany and Canada.

In the Mongolian language, haya means "the edge". It is a metaphor for the nomadic lifestyle that has become rare today.

"We met decades ago at a small bar in Beijing. I was impressed by the band's leading vocalist Daiqing Tana's voice," recalls Huang. "In their music, the band sings about nature, brotherhood, love and ancestors. I believe the audience in Croatia will love the music, which talks about universal topics."

As the director of the Croatia Meets China－Silk Road China Ethnic Music Festival, which marks the 25 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Huang has also invited two other musicians from China to the event, pianist Wu Muye and composer Li Zhihui.

Li, who combines elements of the music of China's ethnic groups with Western contemporary musical elements, will introduce his music, which is inspired by China's landscapes and combines traditional Chinese instruments, such as the bamboo flute and electronic music.

Classical pianist Wu, who graduated from the Paris National Superior Music Institution, will give a solo performance, including Chopin's The Polonaise in A-Flat Major, Op 53 and the Yellow River Piano Concerto, which was rearranged in a collaboration between musicians Yin Chengzhong and Chu Wanghua in 1969 based on the Yellow River Cantata written by composer Xian Xinghai in 1939.

"An important part of the development of China's music scene is the variety. Musicians break conventions and create original sounds and we want to share this with the world," says Huang, adding that he plans to take the festival to other countries next year.

Huang is also the founder of the Beijing Nine Gates Jazz Festival, one of the earliest events devoted to promoting Chinese jazz musicians. The festival, now in its 12th year, will be held in Beijing in October.

 

]]> 2017-08-10 08:02:11 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/09/content_30393134.htm ]]>

A 3D-printed model of the Great Fountain Dashuifa, one of the best known sites at the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, is on display at the former royal garden's first fair of cultural creative products on Aug 8, 2017. The Old Summer Palace, known as Yuanmingyuan in Chinese, was a garden used by Manchu royalty of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), but was burned down by Anglo-French expedition forces in 1860. [Photo/VCG]

More than 50 creative products are being featured at the cultural creative products fair, including furniture decorations, articles of everyday use and 3D-printed structures. The occasion is the debut show of cultural creative products designed by the Old Summer Palace, based on its historical background and cultural relics. [Photo/VCG]

  

A visitor looks at a canvas bag at the cultural creative products fair at Yuanmingyuan in Beijing on Aug 8, 2017. The fair is held during the former royal garden's annual lotus flower festival. [Photo/VCG]

A child uses VR glasses to watch scenic spots that will be restored inside the Old Summer Palace on Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

A 3D-printed model of the Great Fountain Dashuifa, one of the best known sites at the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, is on display at the former royal garden's first fair of cultural creative products on Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-08-09 15:01:12 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/09/content_30393133.htm ]]>

Kites in various shapes fly above the grassland in Kangbao county, Zhangjiakou city, Hebei province, Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

The 5th Kangbao International Grassland Kite Festival opened on Tuesday, and will last for three days. The festival, organized at the Kangba Noel Grassland in Kangbao county of Hebei province, will see a total of 58 teams from Germany, US, New Zealand, Ukraine and China present their skills of flying kites.

A large tiger-shaped kite flies above the grassland in Kangbao county, Zhangjiakou city, Hebei province, Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Kites in various shapes fly above the grassland in Kangbao county, Zhangjiakou city, Hebei province, Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

A player flies a kite on the grassland in Kangbao county, Zhangjiakou city, Hebei province, Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Kites in various shapes fly above the grassland in Kangbao county, Zhangjiakou city, Hebei province, Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Players fly kites on the grassland in Kangbao county, Zhangjiakou city, Hebei province, Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Children fly kites on the grassland in Kangbao county, Zhangjiakou city, Hebei province, Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A child flies a kite on the grassland in Kangbao county, Zhangjiakou city, Hebei province, Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-08-09 11:15:14 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/08/content_30378902.htm ]]>

A worker combs a brush on an ink brush in Shanlian Huzhou Ink Brush Factory in Shanlian of Huzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province, Aug 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Hu Brush, one of the prestigious writing brush types in traditional Chinese writing and painting art, is the main product of the 50 year old factory that produces an annual amount of 600,000 brushes, reporting an annual output of 8 million yuan from both domestic market and other Asian countries.

Wang Xiaohua, a 53-year-old master guides a new worker in Shanlian of Huzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province, Aug 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

A worker carves on an ink brush in Shanlian of Huzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province, Aug 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

A worker makes ink brushes in Shanlian Huzhou Ink Brush Factory in Shanlian of Huzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province, Aug 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

A worker makes ink brushes in Shanlian Huzhou Ink Brush Factory in Shanlian of Huzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province, Aug 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

A worker combs a brush in Shanlian Huzhou Ink Brush Factory in Shanlian of Huzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province, Aug 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

A worker makes ink brushes in Shanlian of Huzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province, Aug 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Workers assemble ink brushes in Shanlian Huzhou Ink Brush Factory in Shanlian of Huzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province, Aug 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] ]]> 2017-08-08 16:18:19 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/08/content_30378901.htm ]]>

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's pumpkin art installations are on display in Fuzhou, Fujian province, August 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

An exhibition featuring 50 pieces of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's artworks is currently underway in Fuzhou, Fujian province. The artist, a world-famous art master, is known for the iconic use of polka dots in her artworks. The exhibition showcasing the largest number of her works nationwide will run through September 17.

A girl stares at a pumpkin art installation by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama in Fuzhou, Fujian province, August 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

A woman poses for a photo with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's polka dot art installations in Fuzhou, Fujian province, August 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A visitor takes a photo of a painting created by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama in Fuzhou, Fujian province, August 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's art installations composed of balls, umbrellas and pumpkins attract visitors in Fuzhou, Fujian province, August 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Visitors pose with the poster of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's exhibition in Fuzhou, Fujian province, August 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-08-08 11:16:33 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/07/content_30364346.htm ]]> The Palace Museum in Beijing has shared a range of photos featuring its collection of tureens with netizens on micro blog Sina Weibo in celebration of summer. While temperatures are high in summer, drinking hot water can also quench your thirst. Tureens are specifically used to sip tea, which can be seen in the list of relics below:

A carved lacquerware tureen, decorated with flower patterns, from the Yongle Period of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A white and iron red tureen, decorated with goldfish patterns, from the Daoguang Period of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A black varnish tureen inlayed with mother-of-pearl, decorated with cloud-dragon patterns, from the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A white tureen, painted with ink-colored patterns of bamboo branches and butterflies, from the Tongzhi Period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] An ivory-colored tureen, decorated with peach and bat patterns, from the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A tureen, decorated with ink-colored drawing of landscape and figures, from the Yongzheng Period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A grey jade tureen decorated with chrysanthemum petal patterns form Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A jade belt tureen from the Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A hawksbill-made tureen, with a silver interior, from the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] Related: Leaf-shaped relics adorn the summer Palace Museum shares lotus-themed relic photos online

]]> 2017-08-07 11:10:40 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/07/content_30364345.htm ]]>

People of the Yi ethnic group perform folk dance in the opening ceremony of the Axi Tiaoyue Folk Festival in Mile city, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Aug 6, 2017. The 8th Axi Tiaoyue Folk Festival or Axi Moon Dance Festival will last through Aug. 15 during which Axi people, a branch of the Yi ethnic group, will hold different kinds of celebrations such as singing, dancing and wrestling. [Photo/Xinhua]

People of the Yi ethnic group perform folk dance in the opening ceremony of the Axi Tiaoyue Folk Festival in Mile city, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Aug 6, 2017. The 8th Axi Tiaoyue Folk Festival or Axi Moon Dance Festival will last through Aug. 15 during which Axi people, a branch of the Yi ethnic group, will hold different kinds of celebrations such as singing, dancing and wrestling. [Photo/Xinhua] People of the Yi ethnic group perform folk dance in the opening ceremony of the Axi Tiaoyue Folk Festival in Mile city, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Aug 6, 2017. The 8th Axi Tiaoyue Folk Festival or Axi Moon Dance Festival will last through Aug. 15 during which Axi people, a branch of the Yi ethnic group, will hold different kinds of celebrations such as singing, dancing and wrestling. [Photo/Xinhua] People of the Yi ethnic group perform folk dance in the opening ceremony of the Axi Tiaoyue Folk Festival in Mile city, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Aug 6, 2017. The 8th Axi Tiaoyue Folk Festival or Axi Moon Dance Festival will last through Aug. 15 during which Axi people, a branch of the Yi ethnic group, will hold different kinds of celebrations such as singing, dancing and wrestling. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-08-07 15:39:03 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/02/content_30337015.htm ]]>

The Shaolin Temple, the cradle of the Chinese kung fu, hosted the first "72 arts of Shaolin" martial arts competition on Sunday. Masters who practice Iron Palm, Stone Lock, Two-Finger Zen and Flying Knife compete for the best title.

 

]]> 2017-08-02 14:41:03 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/02/content_30337014.htm ]]>

Poster of Wolf Warrior 2 [Photo/Mtime]

Chinese military-themed action movie Wolf Warrior 2 has received much attention and positive reviews after it was released in China and oversea markets including Australia and the U.S.

Wolf Warriors 2 was the top film at the worldwide box office over the past weekend, marked by a massive $127 million opening in China. The second-place “Dunkirk” earned $73 million globally.

The Chinese film scored 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, which shows its warm acceptance in America.

Why has Wolf Warrior 2 gained so much popularity? The fierce actions, intriguing story, and characters different in personalities are all reasons for its success.

But most importantly, the film has presented a superhero with distinct individuality and characteristics.

The major actor Wu Jing is also the director of the film, who casted Leng Feng, a soldier serving for China’s Special Forces.

The tough man he played is very different from those handsome young men that we frequently see on the screen.

The highlight of the film is the dedication shown in the efforts from the Chinese embassy and the PLA Navy when evacuating overseas Chinese in the face of conflicts and danger.

The end of the film shows the cover of a Chinese passport accompanied by a short message: "Citizens of the People's Republic of China. When you encounter danger in a foreign land, do not give up! Please remember, at your back stands a strong motherland."

Poster of Wolf Warrior 2 [Photo/Mtime]

]]> 2017-08-02 14:43:18 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/01/content_30322671.htm ]]>

A scene from rehearsals of horse show Troy. [Photo/youth.cn]

With investments of nearly 300 million yuan ($45 million), horse show Troy will premiere at Beijing's National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, on Friday, after preparations of over three years.

Featuring 72 world-famous horses, Troy inserts animal performances into the storyline of Greek mythology The Trojan War.

"We use horses to tell the mythology. That means they are our actors," director Liu Xiao told China News Service.

Species including the Shire horse - the world's largest horse in size, which can dance to rhythms - and the small miniature horses will participate in the performance.

Actors for the show are selected from 12 countries in auditions spanning six months. The performing costumes will also recover the characteristics of ancient Greek clothing, designed by Italian fashion designer Simona Morresi.

 

A scene from the rehearsals. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

 

"The story features different epic characters including the Unicorn, Pegasus, the ancient Greek beauty Helen (the most beautiful woman of Greece and the indirect cause of the Trojan War) and the heroic figure Achilles," Liu said.

"Therefore, it's not only a performance of horses, nor a performance of humans, but a combination of both."

In addition, high technologies, including eight Imax projectors, will be used to enhance the performance effects.

The Trojan War recounts the legendary 10-year conflict between Greece and Troy over a beautiful woman named Helen. The war has become one of the most important events in Greek mythology and has been narrated through many works of Greek literature.

Lily Lei contributed to this story. 

 

]]> 2017-08-01 16:42:31 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-08/01/content_30322670.htm ]]>

The Hubei Chime Bells Orchestra performs at Auckland's Victory Convention Center, July 26, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

 

Following their debut show in Australia, the Chime Bells Orchestra from Central China's Hubei province enchanted over 2,000 in the audience at Auckland's Victory Convention Center on Wednesday.

Led by conductor Zhou Wen, the orchestra transported the audience back in time to some two centuries ago, with a performance on various traditional Chinese instruments, including chime bells, the guzheng (a Chinese zither), erhu (a two-stringed bowed instrument) and pipa (a four-stringed plucked instrument).

According to Qin Desong, head of the orchestra, the chime instruments used in the concert were made based on the ancient Zenghouyi Chime Bells, which date back to over 2,400 years ago.

"The bells were popular in the pre-Qin Dynasty (c. 21st century -221 BC)," Qin said. Aside from creating the sounds of modern pianos, the chime bells are also visually attractive with exquisitely crafted patterns on them, including dragons, phoenixes and flowers.

Qin quoted US musician Yehudi Menuhin as saying, "We can no longer hear any sound from ancient Greek instruments. Only these Chinese bells can still recreate the music back to 2,400 years ago."

Conductor Zhou Wen leads the Hubei Chime Orchestra. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

 

In their encore song, the orchestra performed the famous Auckland love song Pokerakara Ana, using both Western and traditional Chinese instruments, such as cellos, erhu and pipa.

Talking with local media, many New Zealanders said they enjoyed ancient Chinese music and culture.

"This is the first time I'd listened to live music of chime bells. The show was stunning and out of expectations," said Colin Foster in an interview with NCTV, a channel dedicated to Chinese communities in New Zealand and those interested in Chinese culture. Foster added that the sounds of chime bells are quite different from that of Western instruments and that the show was a good way of cultural exchange.

Related:

Traditional music salon kicks off Chinese cultural week in Sydney

 

A singer from the Hubei Chime Orchestra sings at Auckland's Victory Convention Center, July 26, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

A musician from the Hubei Chime Orchestra performs at Auckland's Victory Convention Center, July 26, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

Musicians play the suona, a Chinese double-reed woodwind instrument, at Auckland's Victory Convention Center, July 26, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

The Hubei Chime Orchestra poses for a group photo, July 26, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

]]> 2017-08-01 16:20:01 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/27/content_30274502.htm ]]>

Works by Lu Jinxi, a Jian ware porcelain craftsman, are displayed in a workshop in Jianyang district of Nanping city, Southeast China's Fujian province, July 25, 2017. The jian ware porcelain, flourished in Song Dynasty (960-1279), famous for its golden black glaze with streaks of "hare's fur", is revived in recent decades after 600 years of disappearance of the knowhow of its manufacture. Lu Jinxi, 45, is one of the first craftsmen who rediscovered the long-lost art of the making of the heritage crafts. [Photo/Xinhua]

Lu Jinxi, a jian ware porcelain craftsman, works on a porcelain bowl in a workshop in Jianyang district of Nanping city, Southeast China's Fujian province, July 25, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Lu Jinxi(L), a jian ware porcelain craftsman, works with a young learner in a workshop in Jianyang district of Nanping city, Southeast China's Fujian province, July 25, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Lu Jinxi(L), a Jian ware porcelain craftsman, works with a young learner in a workshop in Jianyang district of Nanping city, Southeast China's Fujian province, July 25, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Lu Jinxi, a jian ware porcelain craftsman, works on a porcelain bowl in a workshop in Jianyang district of Nanping city, Southeast China's Fujian province, July 25, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Lu Jinxi, a jian ware porcelain craftsman, checks a porcelain bowl in a workshop in Jianyang district of Nanping city, Southeast China's Fujian province, July 25, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Lu Jinxi(2nd R), a jian ware porcelain craftsman, talks with young learners in a workshop in Jianyang district of Nanping city, Southeast China's Fujian province, July 25, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Lu Jinxi, a jian ware porcelain craftsman, examines the defective porcelain ware in a workshop in Jianyang district of Nanping city, Southeast China's Fujian province, July 25, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] ]]> 2017-07-27 17:04:01 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/27/content_30274501.htm The Palace Museum in Beijing held a memorial event for Zhang Zhongpei on Tuesday. The renowned archaeologist died of illness on July 5 aged 83.

Born in Changsha, Hunan province, he graduated from Peking University and set up the archaeology department of Jilin University in Changchun, Jilin province, in 1972.

He was director of the Palace Museum, which is also known as the Forbidden City, from 1988 to 1991, and created the foundation for a comprehensive protection of the institution.

Zhang also helped with protection programs of other historical sites in the country.

The memorial was attended by Wang Wei, former head of Archaeology Institute, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Guan Qiang, deputy director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, and Wu Zhenwu, vice-president of Jilin University, who all whom were taught by Zhang at some point in their lives.

]]> 2017-07-27 15:38:37 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/25/content_30244845.htm ]]>

A painting showcased at the exhibition, July 21, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn]

The latest exhibition at the China National Academy of Painting (CNAP), unveiled on July 21, showcased a range of Chinese ink paintings featuring the beauty of Qinghai province.

One of the artworks features a small house and group of people staying in high mountains covered by snow. Another painting portrays a Tibetan woman holding a white hada with a solemn look.

CNAP President Yang Xiaoyang said the artists wanted to present some of the most natural wonders of the world, including great mountains and lakes, and the relations between ethnic people and nature in the province through their works.

Yang addressed the opening ceremony of the exhibit.

"It is a good thing to create new works based on enthusiasm. Yet, a piece of art would lose life and vitality if it were overdone by an artist," he said.

"As to traditional Chinese ink paintings, xuan paper can sometimes give a surprising effect to an artwork. Artists should try to make good use this unique feature while using the paper."

Xuan paper is a specially made soft paper used for Chinese painting and calligraphy.

The event belonged to a program of CNAP, titled "Artists of New China", which was designed to encourage artists in China to create more works, promoting art development through exhibitions and communications.

Painter Zhang Haihong, from Qinghai, said artists should keep the unique local style of Qinghai in their future works.

"We have confidence in our local culture and will show our faith in paintings," he said.

 

A painting showcased at the exhibition, July 21, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn] A painting showcased at the exhibition, July 21, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn] A painting showcased at the exhibition, July 21, 2017. [Photo/art.china.cn]

]]> 2017-07-25 11:00:48 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/25/content_30244844.htm ]]>The Palace Museum in Beijing has shared a range of photos featuring its collection of leaf-shaped relics with netizens on micro blog Sina Weibo, in celebration of summer. The shapes of leaves were commonly used on objects in ancient times, which we can be seen in the list of relics below:

A leaf-shaped green glazed gilded writing-brush washer, from Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

A green glazed famille rose inkstone, in the shape of leaf, from Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

A leaf-shaped blue-and-white writing-brush washer, from Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

A maple leaf-shaped hanging panel painted in green from the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

A leaf-shaped yellow glazed gilded writing-brush washer, from Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

A replicate Ge kiln glazed writing-brush washer, in the shape of leaf, from Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

A grey jade leaf-shaped plate from ancient India. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A gold-plated copper box in the shape of folium artemisiae argyi from the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A leaf-shaped grey jade writing-brush washer, from Qing Dynasty. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] Related: Palace Museum shares lotus-themed relic photos online Palace Museum's peach-themed relics spark appetiteer

]]> 2017-07-25 10:41:00 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/21/content_30208014.htm ]]>

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Theatrical play The Magic Flute, a production of Mozart's opera of the same title by the Komische Oper Berlin and British theater group 1927, is being staged in Beijing from July 21 to 23 at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center.

The show, which has featured an animated film, live action, a silent movie and actors, premiered at the Komische Oper Berlin in 2012 and has been touring the world since then.

Before being brought to Beijing, it was staged in Shanghai and Guangzhou.

The Magic Flute is a two-act opera by Mozart set to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. It premiered in 1791 in Vienna, just two months before the composer's death.

The story is about young prince Tamino being pursued by an evil snake, who then finds himself in the land of the Queen of the Night.

After the queen helps kill the snake, Tamino meets Papageno, the queen's birdcatcher.

Theatrical play TheMagic Flute, a production of Mozart's opera of the same title by the Komische Oper Berlin and British theater group 1927, is being staged in Beijing from July 21 to 23 at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Soon, it is revealed to Tamino that a king, Sarastro, has abducted the queen's beautiful daughter, Pamina.

After seeing her portrait, Tamino falls in love with her.

Later, with the help of a magic flute, given to him by the queen, Tamino and Papageno go on a quest to save Pamina.

Barrie Kosky, the artistic director of Komische Oper Berlin, says he always wanted to do a production of The Magic Flute, but he did not get round to doing it until he met artistic directors Paul Barritt and Suzanne Andrade in 2010.

Animator and illustrator Barritt founded the company 1927 along with writer-actress Suzanne Andrade in 2005.

The company has won acclaim with works, such as Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea and The Animals and Children Took to the Streets.

The Magic Flute marks 1927's first opera.

]]> 2017-07-21 15:19:27 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/21/content_30208013.htm An ancient Poya ethnic songbook a cappella concert wowed the audience on July 19 in Qiubei county, Yunnan province.

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Two leading female singers on stage. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

An ancient Poya ethnic songbook a cappella concert wowed the audience on July 19 in Qiubei county, Yunnan province.

Before the show, the chorus won a gold medal at the 2016 World Choir Games held in Russia, sharing the regional music with the world.

Poya Songbook is an ancient folk song collection written on a piece of hand-woven cloth in hieroglyphic symbols. It originated from Poya village in Yunnan province, Southwest China.

It is the only discovered record in the world which documents songs with hieroglyphics. In 2011, the Poya Songbook was added to the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Each of the 81 symbols in the songbook represents a love song's name which usually corresponds to a natural element such as the moon, stars or rice leaves.

The chorus, made of Poya villagers with various professions, from school teachers to tractor drivers, invests tremendous time and energy to introduce the songs of their village on a much bigger stage.

"Unlike in the old days, now our folk songs have been brought on the international stage," Nong Yingchun, a choir member, said. "We get to perform and win prizes. I feel very lucky and proud."

"We want the world to enjoy Poya music and know about the culture of our people," said Li Yukun, deputy of the Poya Songbook Chorus. "Our plan is to tour around Southeast Asia, and then go to Europe and the United States."

Singers present the 81 hieroglyphics in the Poya Songbook to the audience. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Chorus members sing during the concert. [Photo/Chinanews.com] Two leading female performers make an entrance from the back of the auditorium. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

]]> 2017-07-21 14:53:18 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/20/content_30193562.htm ]]>

Guanfu Museum is an art museum in Beijing. It was among the first private museums in China. [Photo provided to China Daily]

China has issued new rules to strengthen the management of non-state-owned museums, forbidding private museums to distribute property among founders and sponsors when they are shut down.

According to the regulation issued by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, the residual property should be used for the public interest. Other museums with similar services have priority to receive remaining collections.

Non-state-owned museums are required to make public information about their collections, exhibitions, the management and use of assets and donations, according to the rules.

China's non-state-owned museums have undergone what insiders called "unchecked, barbaric growth".

In 2015, the State Council issued a regulation to address problems in private museums, including slack management and supervision, weak infrastructure, improper preservation and the illegal trade of ancient relics.

 

]]> 2017-07-20 13:55:36 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/20/content_30193561.htm ]]> Editor's Note:

As the summer holiday has begun, eight new "Made in China" movies of different genres will debut on the big screen. From them, the Chinese film industry might find a bright future lying ahead.

Wu Kong. [Photo/Mtime]

Wu Kong

Adapted from writer Zeng Yu's Wu Kong's Biography, the film Wu Kong premiered on July 13.

The story is about Sun Wukong, or Monkey King from the ancient Chinese classic literature Journey to the West. Sun Wukong, as an iconic freedom-seeker, has inspired many TV dramas, comics, animation and films.

The latest film adaptation, starring Shawn Yue and Eddie Peng, was directed by Derek Kwok, who co-directed Stephen Chow's top-grossing Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons in 2013.

 

Once Upon a Time. [Photo/Mtime]

Once Upon a Time

The TV drama Once Upon a Time, adapted from a novel of the same name, was a hit since it was released in January this year.

The film version, starring leading actor and actress Yang Yang and Liu Yifei, will premiere on August 4.

The story centers on the romance between two gods Bai Qian and Ye Hua in a mythical world. By post-80s female writer Tang Qi, the original novel is an inspiration from Classics of the Mountains and Seas (Shan Hai Jing), China's mythological collections.

Wolf Warriors II. [Photo/Mtime]

Wolf Warriors II

To military fans that prefer films rich in thrill and tension, Wolf Warriors II might be a must-see this summer.

Directed by Wu Jing, who was also a martial arts star, the film will premiere on July 28. The film is the sequel of the 2015 Wolf Warriors that focuses on China's special troops.

The film also stars actor Wu Gang, who became popular because of a role in the hot TV drama In the Name of People in the spring of 2017.

Brotherhood of Blades II. [Photo/Mtime]

Brotherhood of Blades II

As the prequel of a 2014 film of the same name, the Brotherhood of Blades II premiered on July 19.

In the new movie, protagonist warrior Shen Lian, is still played by Taiwan actor Chang Chen. He is a member of the imperial secret police force Jinyiwei. Shen’s relationship with a mysterious painter causes him problems. Actress Yang Mi played the role of the painter.

Unlike other martial arts films, the 2014 Brotherhood of Blades focuses more on humanity and emotional frustrations. It was also praised for its aesthetic design style.

Dahufa. [Photo/Mtime]

Dahufa

Most people believe animation films are for children. Yet the film Dahufa is China's first animated movie labeled "PG-13".

The story is about a short martial arts master who was born to safeguard the fictional Yiwei State. In the film, this little master goes to rescue the nation's crown prince in a town populated by peanut-headed humanoids.

It has received 8.3 points out of 10 on Douban since it opened in China on July 13.

"Finally, there comes an animation film that can frighten a child to cry," Douban user Huangaima said.

One Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes II. [Photo/Mtime]

One Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes II

Compared to Dahufa, which carries a more serious tone,One Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes II will make people laugh. Gods and goddess from both Chinese and foreign myths unite in the film, including Nyu Wa from China, Zeus from Greece and Odin from Northern Europe.

As a sequel of the 2013 animation film One Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes, the film is adapted from Han Wu's comedy series of the same name. The series became popular since it was released in 2010. It has many independent series as well, such as Gourd Brothers and Great Masters.

The film is set to open across China on August 18.

Tea Pets. [Photo/Mtime]

Tea Pets

3-D animated movie Tea Pets will say hello to young audiences on July 21. The film is director Gary Wang's new movie after the 2016 animation Little Door Gods.

Inspired by tea pets, porcelain figures usually placed on tea trays, the movie is also rooted in traditional Chinese culture and myths.

On the big screen, these different tea pets become alive and enjoy their adventures in the human world.

The Founding of an Army. [Photo/Mtime]

The Founding of an Army

Starring a group of young leading actors, the film is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the establishment of People's Liberation Army. It is also the third work of the "Founding of New China" trilogy. The first two were the 2009 movie The Founding of a Republic and the 2011 film The Founding of the Party.

Liu Ye played the role of Mao Zedong, which was his second time starring as the great founder of New China. Other popular young actors, including Zhu Yawen, Ou Hao and Ma Tianyu, also joined the cast.

The movie will premiere in the Chinese mainland on July 28 and in Hong Kong and Macao on August 3.

]]> 2017-07-20 13:52:41 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/18/content_30160928.htm ]]>

The discovered inscriptions from Emperor Jiaqing in Yuanmingyuan, Beijing, July 14, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Archaeologists recently found Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Emperor Jiaqing's inscriptions on a large stone at Ruyuan Garden, the best preserved garden site at the Yuanmingyuan ruins.

What surprised archaeologists most was that below the inscriptions, two seals were also found, with one featuring an imperial jade seal. Zhang Zhonghua, a head from Beijing Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics, said that it was certain that the inscriptions on the tablet were from Emperor Jiaqing.

As the stone tablet is too large to move, some of the inscriptions are buried underground and beyond recognition. According to historical records, the emperor typically took a boat to get to the Ruyuan Garden.

The largest-scale excavation work at the Yuanmingyuan ruins started in 2013 and will continue until 2020. So far, explorations in 22 scenic spots have been completed and over 50,000 pieces of relics have been discovered.  

The archaeological work of Yuanmingyuan began in 1996, and 50,000 square meters of the garden have been studied in detail thus far. While the whole garden covers an area of 2.4 million sq m, with more than 100 scenic spots.

Yuanmingyuan, also known as the Old Summer Palace, is located on the west side of Beijing and was originally a large imperial garden in the Qing Dynasty. It was ruined by English and French troops after massive looting in 1860.

The discovered seals from Emperor Jiaqing in Yuanmingyuan, Beijing, July 11, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Archaeologists excavate the ruins of Yuanmingyuan, in Beijing, July 14, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

The discovered inscriptions from Emperor Jiaqing in Yuanmingyuan, Beijing, July 14, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Archaeologists excavate the ruins of Yuanmingyuan, in Beijing, July 14, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

The Ruyuan Garden ruins in Yuanmingyuan, Beijing, July 11, 2017. [Photo/VCG] The Ruyuan Garden ruins in Yuanmingyuan, Beijing, July 11, 2017. [Photo/VCG] The archaeological site in Yuanmingyuan, Beijing, July 10, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Related: Over 50,000 relics excavated in Ruins of Yuanmingyuan

]]> 2017-07-18 11:18:35 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/18/content_30160927.htm ]]>

Visitors examine a piece of art by Pablo Picasso at the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, July 17, 2017. From July 17 to 22, authentic pieces by the late Spanish art legend are on display, including oil paintings, sketches, sculptures and porcelain pieces. [Photo/VCG]

A visitor takes a photo of Picasso's pieces on display at the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, July 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

A piece of porcelain by Picasso is on display at the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, July 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

A piece of porcelain by Picasso is on display at the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, July 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

People examine a painting by Picasso at the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, July 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

A work by Picasso is on display at the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, July 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

People examine a porcelain work by Picasso at the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, July 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

 

]]> 2017-07-18 11:11:55 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/17/content_30147124.htm ]]>

The Tang Xianzu International Theater Arts Exchange will be held at Fuzhou, in Jiangxi province, Tang's birthplace, from Sept 24 to the end of October. [Photo by Chen Qiang/China Daily]

The Tang Xianzu International Theater Arts Exchange — a series of programs to pay tribute to Chinese playwright Tang Xianzu and English poet and playwright William Shakespeare — will be held at Fuzhou, in Jiangxi province, Tang's birthplace, from Sept 24 to the end of October.

About 20 performing arts troupes from China and the United Kingdom will perform in Fuzhou, including TNT Theatre Britain, Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theater of Jiangsu Province and the National Peking Opera Company, staging pieces adapted from works of Tang and Shakespeare.

The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) playwright from Fuzhou composed more than 2,000 poems and essays, most of which were written during his later years.

He is best known for four plays — The Peony Pavilion, The Purple Hairpin, Record of the Southern Bough and Record of Handan. They're collectively known as The Four Dreams of Linchuan.

In September 2016, the three-day Third China Fuzhou Tang Xianzu Art Festival was held in Fuzhou, featuring events, including a grand parade at the opening ceremony, the premiere of the musical Tang Xianzu performed by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the opening of the Tang Xianzu Memorial Museum and a stage production, titled A Midsummer Night's Dreaming Under the Southern Bough by the University of Leeds, which combined Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Tang's Record of the Southern Bough.

These two productions are expected to return to the upcoming Tang Xianzu International Theater Arts Exchange.

Meanwhile, the UK's Stratford-on-Avon and China's Fuzhou, the hometowns of William Shakespeare and Tang, signed a memorandum of cooperation at the Linchuan No 1 Middle School in Fuzhou last September.

Zhang Hongxing, mayor of Fuzhou and Chris Saint, leader of the Stratford-on-Avon District Council attended the event.

The idea of commemorating Tang and Shakespeare through the year came from a speech by President Xi Jinping, who, during his visit to Britain in October last year, called on both countries to jointly "celebrate the legacy of these two literary giants to promote interpersonal exchanges and deepen mutual understanding".

 

]]> 2017-07-17 15:17:47 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/17/content_30147123.htm ]]>

Quan Yingsheng's "little monk" series. [Photo/Official Weibo Account of Shanghai Yufo Temple]

Painter Quan Yingsheng's series of little monks always makes people smile.

Each of his ink paintings usually portrays just one little monk. In one piece, a little monk is walking out of the door of a temple. In another, a little monk puts a hat on a Buddha statue in the rain.

It is hard not to feel the quiet joy conveyed by these paintings.

Shanghai Yufo Temple exhibited Quan's works on July 15, showcasing 80 ink paintings of little monks. Quan was also authorized by the temple to paint 18 new paintings of little monks from Yufo Temple.

As a painter specialized in traditional Chinese ink paintings, Quan is also interested in comics, animations and computer games. He tries to recreate Chinese ink paintings through an infusion of modern arts. He came up with the idea for the "little monk" series, based on Zen theory, in 2003.

Quan Yingsheng's "little monk" series. [Photo/Official Weibo Account of Shanghai Yufo Temple] Quan Yingsheng's "little monk" series. [Photo/Official Weibo Account of Shanghai Yufo Temple] Quan Yingsheng's "little monk" series. [Photo/Official Weibo Account of Shanghai Yufo Temple] Quan Yingsheng's "little monk" series. [Photo/Official Weibo Account of Shanghai Yufo Temple] Quan Yingsheng's "little monk" series. [Photo/Weibo Account of Quan Yingsheng] Quan Yingsheng's "little monk" series. [Photo/Weibo Account of Quan Yingsheng] Quan Yingsheng's "little monk" series. [Photo/Weibo Account of Quan Yingsheng] Quan Yingsheng's "little monk" series. [Photo/Weibo Account of Quan Yingsheng] Quan Yingsheng's "little monk" series. [Photo/Weibo Account of Quan Yingsheng] Quan Yingsheng's "little monk" series. [Photo/Weibo Account of Quan Yingsheng] Quan Yingsheng. [Photo/Weibo Account of Quan Yingsheng]

]]> 2017-07-17 10:36:09 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/17/content_30133139.htm

Three contortionists from Mongolia perform in Singapore on Wednesday for Cirque du Soleil's touring show in Asia, which will be introduced to China on Oct 1 in Shanghai. provided to china daily

A decade after Cirque du Soleil debuted in China, the Canadian entertainment company is returning with a much more ambitious plan: to bring a touring show to the country every year in addition to a resident show to be unveiled in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, next year.

The first touring show, Kooza, will open in Shanghai on Oct 1, and will be held six days a week for two months before moving to Beijing and five other Chinese cities, which are still to be decided, according to Daniel Lamarre, CEO of the circus company.

"We will have a very intense presence in China, starting October and lasting forever," said Lamarre, adding that another two shows have been on the schedule to tour in China.

One of them will be Toruk, inspired from James Cameron's blockbuster Avatar, which earned $200 million at the Chinese box office in 2010.

"It was very important to bring a show to China that will be more distinctive than anything else here, where there are more than 10,000 circuses. We thought it (Kooza) is a very good entry to introduce our brand to China, because it is joyful," Lamarre said.

Meaning "box" in Sanskrit, Kooza, first created in 2007, tells the story of an innocent clown embarking on a magical journey inside the world of a circus. It is designated to pay homage to the traditional circus by combining a variety of acrobatic arts including aerial hoops, contortionists and balancing on chairs.

Price of the tickets will range from 475 to 745 yuan ($70 to $110) per person, which Lamarre said will be affordable for the country's burgeoning middle class, the target audience of the show.

Lamarre expects that 200,000 tickets will be sold in each city for the Kooza show.

"We are going to see in the live entertainment world here in the next two to five years what you have seen in the movie business over past five years. China has become the most important market in the movie industry. I think that's what will happen in the live entertainment industry," Lamarre said.

Circuses in China have a long and tangled history. Called maxi in Chinese, meaning stunts on a horse, they are believed to date back more than 2,000 years and largely involve animal performances. Over the past few decades, their popularity has waned with the rise of modern entertainment like TV and the internet.

But Lamarre is confident China's middle class will like the shows of Cirque du Soleil, which are famous for choreographing acrobatic arts connected through emotional and narrative storylines, as much as their Western counterparts, if not more.

"I have been doing lots of research. There are two schools of thoughts (in China about traditional arts). One is that people are looking for Western brands, which is going to be very appealing for Cirque du Soleil. The other is that they want foreign brands to respect their culture," he said.

The touring show, he added, will appeal to the first school of thought, while for the second, the resident show in Hangzhou will be a match, as its content will be a combination of Chinese and Western cultures.

At least 50 percent of the Hangzhou cast will be Chinese. It is also the first time the company will build a permanent theater and host a resident show outside North America. The decision to do so was made after Chinese conglomerate Fosun Group acquired a 25 percent share of the entertainment company in 2015.

China has become the most important market in the movie industry. I think that's what will happen in the live entertainment industry."

]]> 2017-07-17 05:22:35 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/16/content_30133138.htm ]]>

Villagers and visitors watch a local photo exhibition at the Dong village of Xiaoguang in Qiandongnan Miao And Dong autonomous prefecture, Southwest China's Guizhou province, July 13, 2017. More than 50 photos, which showed local customs and the new life of villagers at the Dong village of Xiaoguang, were exhibited here from July 12 to 14. [Photo/Xinhua]

Villagers visit a local photo exhibition at the Dong village of Xiaoguang in Qiandongnan Miao And Dong autonomous prefecture, Southwest China's Guizhou province, July 13, 2017. More than 50 photos, which showed local customs and the new life of villagers at the Dong village of Xiaoguang, were exhibited here from July 12 to 14. [Photo/Xinhua] Villagers visit a local photo exhibition at the Dong village of Xiaoguang in Qiandongnan Miao And Dong autonomous prefecture, Southwest China's Guizhou province, July 13, 2017. More than 50 photos, which showed local customs and the new life of villagers at the Dong village of Xiaoguang, were exhibited here from July 12 to 14. [Photo/Xinhua] Villagers visit a local photo exhibition at the Dong village of Xiaoguang in Qiandongnan Miao And Dong autonomous prefecture, Southwest China's Guizhou province, July 13, 2017. More than 50 photos, which showed local customs and the new life of villagers at the Dong village of Xiaoguang, were exhibited here from July 12 to 14. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-07-16 10:37:44 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/14/content_30121825.htm ]]>

Jiangshan Ruci Duojiao, Guan Shanyue [Photo provided to China Daily]

Of the first-generation Chinese artists who studied abroad in the turn of 20th century, many were natives of Guangdong province, such as Gao Jianfu (1897-1951), co-founder of the Lingnan School of Painting, and Lin Fengmian (1900-91), the master painter who revolutionized Chinese painting with Western techniques.

An ongoing grand exhibition at the National Art Museum of China marks the contribution made by those Guangdong-born artists to the progress of Chinese art in the 20th century.

Destined to Reform, now on at the Beijing museum through July 23, shows more than 500 paintings from dozens of museums, galleries, collectors and families of featured artists.

Highlight paintings include a replica of Jiangshan Ruci Duojiao (Beautiful Landscape of the Motherland) co-created by Guan Shanyue, who was from Guangdong, and his contemporary Fu Baoshi. The original painting was inspired by a poem of late Chairman Mao Zedong and is now housed at the Great Hall of the People.

Protecting the forest, Li Xiongcai. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Lion, He Xiangning [Photo provided to China Daily]

Lotus, Lin Fengmian [Photo provided to China Daily] Madame White Snake, Guan Liang [Photo provided to China Daily] Flames of eastern battlefield, Gao Jianfu [Photo provided to China Daily] An ongoing grand exhibition at the National Art Museum of China marks the contribution made by Guangdong-born artists to the progress of Chinese art in the 20th century. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily] An ongoing grand exhibition at the National Art Museum of China marks the contribution made by Guangdong-born artists to the progress of Chinese art in the 20th century. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily] An ongoing grand exhibition at the National Art Museum of China marks the contribution made by Guangdong-born artists to the progress of Chinese art in the 20th century. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily] An ongoing grand exhibition at the National Art Museum of China marks the contribution made by Guangdong-born artists to the progress of Chinese art in the 20th century. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily] An ongoing grand exhibition at the National Art Museum of China marks the contribution made by Guangdong-born artists to the progress of Chinese art in the 20th century. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

]]> 2017-07-14 15:27:05 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/14/content_30121824.htm ]]>

Archaeologists excavate the Zheng State No 3 pit in Xinzheng city, Central China's Henan province, on July 12. [Photo/VCG]

Three vehicles have been earthed from the Zheng State No 3 pit in Xinzheng city, Central China's Henan province, after five months' excavation. One of the vehicles included a large carriage for ancient high officials or nobles.

The structure of the vehicles unearthed has been clearly outlined after being cleaned by archaeologists, even though each discovery has been buried for more than 2,400 years. The shaft, coach and wheels of the vehicles are easy to recognize, and a horse skull was located nearby. Bronze components in the shape of chopsticks have also been found at the site, which archaeologists believe may have been used to fix the rooves of the vehicles.

A 2.5-meter-long, 1.6-meter-wide vehicle unearthed from the pit was uncovered sporting brown colored chips and mat debris at the vehicle's canvas top, and replicates the largest, most luxurious royal vehicles earthed so far at the ancient Zheng and Han kingdoms site.

The mat debris found on the vehicle has a clear ornamentation, and sports various colors of red, black and brown. According to the archaeologists at the site, the previous discoveries only had oilcloth or a simple mat covered on the top of each vehicle, while the most recent carriage uncovered, with colored mat, was able to update the archaeological record.

In addition, the excavation was open to the public, and featured a large four-side screen display and a 360 degree video recorder installed above the pit.

Archaeologists excavate the Zheng State No 3 pit in Xinzheng city, Central China's Henan province, on July 12. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-07-14 13:47:47 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/13/content_30106593.htm ]]>

Clay artworks created by folk artist Zhong Dongsheng. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Folk artist Zhong Dongsheng began learning the handicraft of making clay figurines since he was 7 years old. Now he's been doing it for more than 50 years. Zhong's clay figurines mainly present the customs and daily lives of people in North China, as well as the ice and snow culture. Zhong's clay artworks have won numerous awards nationwide, which have high cultural and ornamental value.

A cute clay doll dressed in Manchu costume of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) is created by Zhong Dongsheng. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Two clay dolls dressed in Manchu costumes. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Cute clay dolls created by folk artist Zhong Dongsheng. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Clay sculptures created by folk artist Zhong Dongsheng. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Cute clay dolls created by folk artist Zhong Dongsheng. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Clay figurines created by folk artist Zhong Dongsheng. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Clay artworks created by folk artist Zhong Dongsheng on display. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Clay figurines created by folk artist Zhong Dongsheng. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Folk artist Zhong Dongsheng poses with one of his clay sculptures. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

]]> 2017-07-13 16:17:20 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/13/content_30106592.htm ]]>

A still from The Advisor Alliance. [Photo/Mtime]

Among the dynasties in China's 5,000 years of history, the Three Kingdoms, Wei, Shu and Wu dynasties (220-280) were periods that have always attracted a lot of attention.

The historical book The Records of the Three Kingdoms (San Guo Zhi) from the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316) recorded the era. Later Luo Guanzhong from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) wrote a fiction Romance of the Three Kingdoms (San Guo Yan Yi) based on history, which later became one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature.

In modern times, the stories during this period have been adapted into many operas, films, TV series, comics, computer games and even a popular card game called Legend of the Three Kingdoms (San Guo Sha).

Card game Legend of the Three Kingdoms. [Photo/dangdang.com]

Heroes from that period such as warlord Cao Cao and his two sons Cao Zhi and Cao Pi, as well as Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei, Guan Yu and Liu Bei are all well-known characters in China.

Recently, a new internet costume drama The Advisor Alliance based on these characters became a hit. Produced by online video platform Youku, the two-part series was broadcast on the internet, Jiangsu TV and Anhui TV from June 22.

The drama unfolds around Sima Yi, a military counselor who helped Cao Cao and his two sons during the fights among the three kingdoms.

Currently, the first part has received 4 billion hits on Youku and 8.3 points out of 10 on Douban, China's major film and TV review website. A mobile game adapted from the drama was also released on July 6.

A screenshot of The Advisor Alliance. The actor's line is the popular saying "the medicine should not be stopped". [Photo/Mtime]

Called by internet users as a Chinese version of House of Cards, the drama was highly praised for its exciting stories and film style.

Han Zhong, art designer of the series, said most of the money was spent on the sets. They used more than 6,000 costumes and took 20,000 hours to complete the props.

The elaborate drama attracted audiences from all ages.

According to guduomedia.com, an internet media data website, 33 percent of the series' viewers are people aged from 20-29 and 50 percent are 30-39 years old.

A chart from Guduomedia analyzing the age of audiences of The Advisor Alliance and two other TV adaptations of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The blue bar refers to audiences of The Advisor Alliance. [Photo/WeChat Account of Guduomedia]

"The drama beautifully featured many details in history. The acting skills of actors and actresses also highlight the series," 22-year-old student Li Tao from Beijing Institute of Technology said. "The casting is not ideal, though. Some of the actors lack the charisma of the historical figures that they played. For example, actor Li Chen looks too soft for the role Cao Pi."

The drama was also criticized for not faithfully portraying history. The series infused many small events that happened at different points in history, yet featured them in the same period.

And the actors' lines sounded slightly too modern for the roles. For instance "the medicine should not be stopped", a popular saying in recent years, was said in the drama. The original meaning of the saying is: "you are ignorant, please have something to make you clever", and many audiences said the use of it spoiled the mood in the drama.  

Unlike young people who cared more about the plot and set design, the older audiences paid more attention to what they could learn from the drama.

"I learned some ways to deal with things from the drama. Whether you are a high-profile person or a low-key fellow, you must be knowledgeable if you really want to succeed," 58-year-old viewer Daheqidan said.

A still from The Advisor Alliance. [Photo/Mtime] A still from The Advisor Alliance. [Photo/Mtime] A still from The Advisor Alliance. [Photo/Mtime]

]]> 2017-07-13 16:08:43 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/11/content_30078327.htm ]]>Ask anyone their favorite fruit in scorching summer and most would say watermelon! But how about dressing like watermelon? South China's Guangzhou has the answer.

A woman poses with a piece of watermelon shaped like a dress at Guangzhou University Town, South China's Guangdong province, July 7, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Two women pose with watermelon shaped like a dress at Guangzhou University Town, South China's Guangdong province, July 7, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A child poses with watermelon shaped like a dress on Flower City Square in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, July 7, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A baby poses with watermelon shaped like a dress at Guangzhou University Town in South China's Guangdong province, July 7, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A man poses with watermelon shaped like a dress in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, July 7, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Two women pose with watermelon shaped like a dress at Guangzhou University Town, South China's Guangdong province, July 7, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A baby poses with watermelon shaped like a dress at Guangzhou University Town in South China's Guangdong province, July 7, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Two women pose with watermelon shaped like a dress at Guangzhou University Town, South China's Guangdong province, July 7, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-07-11 08:04:26 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/11/content_30078311.htm ]]>

Editor's note: In the run-up to the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress, China Daily is reporting on a number of key projects of national importance that showcase the country's great improvements in crucial fields, such as recent reforms aimed at improving living standards and creating a moderately prosperous society by 2020. This is the second report looking at the effects of reform in the country's rural areas.

A man feeds chickens in a clearing in Wuping. [Photo by LIN SHANCHUAN/XINHUA] The lives of people in one region of Southeast China have been boosted by an unorthodox approach to poverty alleviation that has seen pioneering reform of the collective ownership system for woodland, Hou Liqiang and Hu Meidong report from Wuping county, Fujian province. In 2001, Wuping county, Fujian province, pioneered reform of the collective ownership system for woodland, and reaped great rewards by allocating forestry assets to individual families. The county's experience is now being promoted nationwide and reform is continuing. In the latest round, the county government has been instrumental in establishing village cooperatives that help farmers to secure loans and start businesses related to the forestry sector. Although it is against regulations for cooperatives to offer credit guarantees, some officials are prepared to turn a blind eye and satisfy demand from local residents. In 2015, Zhong Xinwen wanted to expand his plant nursery. However, he owned very few forestry assets so the only way he could obtain a loan was to find four people, including two public servants, who would offer credit guarantees on his behalf. After spending three months visiting all the public servants he knew or had ever been introduced to, Zhong only managed to find one person who was prepared to help. The 51-year-old resident of Yuanding village in Wuping despaired, and was on the verge of abandoning his expansion plans when he heard that a bonding cooperative was being set up in the village that would provide credit guarantees for loan applicants. Zhong was delighted to find that the cooperative made his life easier by arranging a 100,000 yuan ($14,680) loan in less than a week and that only one person would be required to use their forestry assets as collateral for his venture. The money he received allowed Zhong to expand his nursery by nearly 3 hectares, which helped raise his income "by a substantial amount". Zhong Xinwen (middle) signs a loan agreement with the bonding cooperative in Wuping county, Fujian province. [Photo provided to China Daily] Credit guarantees Zhong is one of nearly 300 farmers the cooperative has helped to obtain loans. It was established as a result of a guideline issued by the county government in 2015 that was aimed at encouraging bonding cooperatives to be set up in rural areas. Under the guideline, the Wuping government gives cooperatives 10,000 yuan to cover operating expenses, and the equivalent of 1 to 2 percent of the value of each loan as future funding. The move resulted in the cooperative being set up in Zhong's village as a pilot project. It is the only one in Wuping, although about 10 more have been established in other parts of the province. Using 2 million yuan provided by 22 villagers as security, the cooperative has helped more than 280 farmers obtain bank loans totaling about 40 million yuan, according to Li Dexiong, the cooperative's director general. The security fund has now grown to 6.5 million yuan, and the 22 backers are entitled to a share of the cooperative's profits, depending on their contribution to the fund. As part of a policy to encourage the development of forestry-related businesses, the government also covers 3 percent of any loan that has an annual interest rate of 5 percent or higher, according to Li. Credit guarantees for loan applicants require the approval of a panel composed of five members of the cooperative, who communicate via WeChat. That means there is no need for them to hold meetings, and all information related to applicants is distributed and discussed via a private WeChat message group. China employs a quota system for tree felling. Under the system, farmers can cut down some of their trees 10 years after they have been planted, but a person's entire allocation can only be felled 26 years after planting, which means it takes a long time for the farmers to profit. In light of this time lag, the county government has explored ways to help rural residents to obtain bank loans by using their forestry assets as collateral, allowing them to start businesses related to the forestry industry and provide incomes to tide them over until the time they can begin logging operations. Chen Jianmin, director of the Wuping forestry ownership service center, said his department suggested that the cooperative should be set up and operated by farmers because the residents know their neighbors' credit records and the value of their assets. The model means applicants avoid a number of complicated procedures, including forestry evaluation and credit checks, and shortens the time between applying for a loan and receiving the funds from about 20 days to about three. The greater convenience provided by the cooperative in Yuanding has attracted clients from other villages. Last year, Chi Liangchang from nearby Xianxi village, secured a loan of 200,000 yuan via the cooperative. He used the money to plant more trees, buy fertilizer for his 7 hectares of woodland and expand a factory he owns that produces wooden furniture. The 45-year-old farmer said he was discouraged by the complicated application procedures used by banks, so he opted to apply for a loan via the cooperative. "They helped to prepare the paperwork. I didn't have to do much more than sign the documents. I received the money three days after applying," he said, adding that the extra funds helped to raise his income by more than 100,000 yuan a year. The cooperative has also aided the development of Yuanding's plant nursery, which has expanded to 140 hectares from about 87 hectares in 2015, according to the county government. Li, the director general, said there have been no defaults, and even though two farmers who borrowed money subsequently died, their families repaid the loans and interest on schedule. He added that the cooperative charges the farmers 240 yuan for every 10,000 yuan of funds received. So far, the 22 villagers who provided the security fund have not received dividends because profits are minimal once operating costs have been deducted. Moreover, without official approval for the financing plan, the five members of the panel shoulder all the risks, and they are so concerned about possible problems that they are reluctant to expand its scale and increase profits. A bird's-eye view of part of the forest that covers Wuping.[Photo by LIN SHANCHUAN/XINHUA] Unauthorized access The big problem is that national regulations state the cooperative is not qualified to offer credit guarantees because it has not yet gained the financial authorities' approval to do so. That means the five members of the cooperative's panel are responsible for the credit guarantees it offers, although loans issued via the cooperative are also guaranteed by the security deposit, said Huang Jianzhong, director of the Wuping Hengxing Rural Bank. He added that the bank works with the cooperative because it recognizes the need to support farmers and rural development. Xu Ruhui, director of the forestry ownership reform office at the Fujian Forestry Administration, said his department and the local financial authorities are still discussing the legalization of about 10 village-based cooperatives, similar to the one in Yuanding, across the province. "If the financial authorities say it's a red line that cannot be crossed, we may have to shut them down－that's often the case in reform programs. But I would be happy to take the risk because it is the government's duty to respond to people's demands and formulate ways of satisfying them," he said.

]]> 2017-07-11 08:05:17 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/10/content_30063512.htm ]]>

Xu Qiankai saves an old woman from a train accident. [Photo/thepaper.cn]

A man who risked his own life to save an elderly lady crossing the railway tracks, has had his leg amputated.

When Xu Qiankai, a worker at Rongchang railway station in Chongqing municipality, shunted trains as usual on the afternoon of July 6, he found an old woman crossing the tracks.

Xu signaled the driver to stop the train while whistling to warn the old woman of the danger. However, the woman seemed oblivious to the looming danger and kept moving forward.

Just before the woman was about to be hit by the train, Xu jumped off the moving carriage and pulled her away from the danger. The woman suffered only minor bruise while Xu's right leg was crushed by the train.

After being rushed to hospital, doctors amputated the 29-year-old's injured leg.

Cai Benshan, who was saved from being hit by a moving train, kneels down to pay her gratitude to Xu Qiankai at hospital. [Photo/thepaper.cn]

According to thepaper.cn, Xu has been working in the railway system since 2008 after leaving the army. One of his co-workers described Xu as a humble and warmhearted man, who often uses his spare time to voluntarily work for the railway station.

After the incident, the old woman, Cai Benshan, and her family went to hospital to express their gratitude to Xu. According to local residents, Cai has difficulty in hearing.

Li Yi, the director of Rongchang railway station, said Xu's medical bills will be paid by the station.

Xu is a former soldier. [Photo/thepaper.cn]

 

]]> 2017-07-10 14:12:22 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/10/content_30063099.htm ]]>

Volunteers have work handover in the simulated space "cabin" Yuegong-1 at Beihang University in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Four Chinese volunteers will live in a sealed, self-contained laboratory simulating a moon-like environment, for the next 200 days without any interaction with the outside world as Beijing prepares for its long-term goal of putting humans on the moon.

Their journey started on Sunday.

The lab, called "Yuegong-1" or "Lunar Palace," is a 160-square-meter cabin. It is the first such space developed in China, and the world's third bioregenerative life-support base.

The cabin is located at Beihang University, and the four volunteers follow the footsteps of another group of four who have just finished their initial stay of 60 days.

The "Lunar Palace" consists of a major living space and two plant cultivation modules. The major cabin covers an area of 42 square meters, while each of the plant cabins is 3.5 meters in height and 50 to 60 square meters in area.

The major cabin hosts four bed cubicles, a common room, a washroom, a waste-treatment room and an animal-raising room, according to a report by Xinhua News Agency. The system allows the four wannabe "astronauts" to conduct research, while their basic needs are met.

Human waste will be treated through a bio-fermentation process, and experimental crops and vegetables will be grown with the help of food and waste byproducts.

The lab provided life support to eight people during the 10-hour transition between the two batches on Sunday, as a test of the system's ability of dealing with high-load human activity in a short time.

The experiment, code-named "Yuegong-365," is the second attempt of Beihang University to see how the Bioregenerative Life Support System (BLSS) works in a moon-like environment.

A successful 105-day trial was conducted in 2014.

According to researchers, the program could strengthen China's knowledge and technical know-how, and help the country's scientists understand exactly what will be required for humans to remain on the moon in the medium and long terms.

After the 200-day stay, the third batch will enter and live for another 105 days to accomplish this 365-day experiment.

Four volunteers attend an oath-taking ceremony before they enter the simulated space "cabin" Yuegong-1 at Beihang University in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Volunteers prepare to enter the simulated space "cabin" Yuegong-1 at Beihang University in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

A staff worker monitors the status of volunteers in Yuegong-1 at Beihang University in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Volunteers work at a plant cabin of the simulated space "cabin" Yuegong-1 at Beihang University in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Volunteers make a call in the simulated space "cabin" Yuegong-1 at Beihang University in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-07-10 14:44:22 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/07/content_30038175.htm ]]>

Calligraphy works by Peking Opera masters are on display at Meilanfang Grand Theater in Beijing. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

On July 7, 1937, the China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45) broke out in the southwest outskirts of Beijing.

When the news passed to Singapore, a group of patriotic overseas Chinese volunteered to raise funds to support the fight against Japanese invasion in China. The local war hero Lim Bo-seng initiated the idea of founding the Ping Sheh Singapore Amateur Beijing Opera Society.

Through Peking Opera performances at various locations in Singapore, such as parks, public squares and theaters, the troupe not just raised funds but also informed the public about the war situation in China.

As the first and oldest amateur Peking Opera troupe in Singapore, Ping Sheh Singapore Amateur Beijing Opera Society also performed at cities on the Chinese mainland, which enabled the amateur performers to learn with Peking Opera masters in Beijing during the 1950s and ’60s.

On July 2, James Yeo Huai-seng, chairman of Ping Sheh Singapore Amateur Beijing Opera Society, came to Beijing to donate 19 calligraphy works written by Peking Opera masters, including Mei Lanfang, Zhou Xinfang and Ma Lianliang, to National Peking Opera Company. These calligraphy works are being displayed at an retrospective exhibition held at the Mei Lanfang Grand Theater.

A performance was staged by Peking Opera artists of National Peking Opera Company, including Yu Kuizhi and Li Shengsu, at Mei Lanfang Grand Theater after the ceremony.

Tan Bock-hwee, former president of Ping Sheh Singapore Amateur Beijing Opera Society, also attended the event. The 85-year-old joined the troupe 66 years ago.

"I have been passionate about Peking Opera ever since I came to China to study at the Harbin University of Science And Technology in 1952," Tan recalls.

"The 200-year-old Peking Opera is not just a great performing art onstage but also an art, which contains traditional Chinese virtues and values," says Yeo.

"Although living on different countries, we've maintained a long friendship with Chinese Peking Opera artists," he adds. "The friendship continues. We want to promote Peking Opera among young audience in Singapore by introducing more young Peking Opera artists from China."

]]> 2017-07-07 15:42:20 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/07/content_30038174.htm ]]>

Green Wall by Ma Mingze [Photo provided to China Daily]

Beijing-based oil painter Ma Mingze, 34, captures in her works those instant moments of daily life and conveys a peaceful feeling. While underlying her brushwork, she reveals the confusing and embarrassing sides of life.

Her solo exhibition, Freeze a Moment, to be opened at Parkview Green Art 798, shows dozens of her recent works.

In her creation, Ma questions the role of women in today's society, people's feeling of loss in a digital age and anxieties they find difficult to release at a time of little privacy.

Muteness by Ma Mingze [Photo provided to China Daily]

The Watch isnt' a Timepiece by Ma Mingze [Photo provided to China Daily]

Ink by Ma Mingze [Photo provided to China Daily]

S's Room by Ma Mingze [Photo provided to China Daily]

Wardrobe by Ma Mingze [Photo provided to China Daily]

The Ivory Keys No 2 by Ma Mingze [Photo provided to China Daily]

Magpie by Ma Mingze [Photo provided to China Daily]

Secret by Ma Mingze [Photo provided to China Daily]

Silver Linings by Ma Mingze [Photo provided to China Daily] n runs from July 8 to Aug 20.

]]> 2017-07-07 14:39:41 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/06/content_30022320.htm ]]>

Artists from China and Japan attend the opening ceremony of exhibition Dialogue with Contemporary Japanese Art at the China Cultural Center in Tokyo, June 27, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

 

An exhibition titled Dialogue with Contemporary Japanese Art was launched at the China Cultural Center in Tokyo on June 27, marking the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties and the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China.

The exhibition features 24 pieces of art including paintings, wood prints and art installations. They were created by 12 artists from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Japan.

"Japanese contemporary art is favored by a lot of Chinese. But people from the two countries haven't known enough about each other in this field," Shi Yongjing, director of the China Cultural Center in Tokyo, said at the opening ceremony.

"The China Cultural Center is very willing to create more opportunities for artists from China and Japan to show their works and exchange ideas."

To mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China, the center has also displayed artworks by Hong Kong artists for the first time.

The exhibition runs until July 7.

Japanese artists talk in front of their artworks at the China Cultural Center in Tokyo, June 27, 2017. [Photo/Chinacutlure.org]

Artists from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong take a group photo at the China Cultural Center in Tokyo, June 27, 2017. [Photo/Chinacutlure.org]

People talk in the exhibition hall of the China Cultural Center in Tokyo, June 27, 2017. [Photo/Chinacutlure.org]

]]> 2017-07-06 16:48:14 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/06/content_30022319.htm ]]>

Xiao Xian's calligraphy. [Photo/namoc.org]

An exhibition featuring female calligrapher Xiao Xian's works will be held at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing from July 27 to August 6.

Born in 1902, Xiao learned calligraphy from the noted 20th century Chinese scholar Kang Youwei. Praised as a treasure of contemporary Chinese calligraphy, her style is natural and unrestrained, with an air of elegance and freedom.

After Xiao’s death in 1997, her family donated many of her works to the museum.

This year marks the 115th anniversary of the artist’s birth. The museum wants to remember the calligrapher and promote traditional Chinese culture via the exhibit.

Xiao Xian's calligraphy. [Photo/namoc.org] Xiao Xian's calligraphy. [Photo/namoc.org] Xiao Xian's calligraphy. [Photo/namoc.org] Xiao Xian's calligraphy. [Photo/namoc.org] Xiao Xian's calligraphy. [Photo/namoc.org] Xiao Xian's calligraphy. [Photo/namoc.org]

]]> 2017-07-06 11:06:27 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/05/content_30008859.htm ]]> 

Calligraphy and books on Su Xun, Su Shi and Su Zhe's poems and prose. [Photo/artron.net]

An exhibition featuring 40 calligraphic works from China, the US and Belgium was held in Taipei on Tuesday.

The exhibit was designed to honor Su Dongpo, also known as Su Shi, a Song Dynasty (960-1279) poet who was born in Sichuan province on 1037.

Su's poems were highly praised for their literary merit and influence on later poets. His father, Su Xun, and younger brother, Su Zhe, were also noted as litterateurs who were good at writing prose and poems. The trio was known as the "Three Su" and was listed in the "Eight Great Talents in Tang and Song Dynasties".

According to Chinese folk stories, a Chinese dish, braised Dongpo pork, was created by Su and named after him as well.

Another calligraphy and painting exhibition in honor of the poet was further held in Hainan province, where Su once stayed.

]]> 2017-07-05 16:06:30 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/05/content_30008858.htm ]]>

A Tibetan antelope at the Kekexili Nature Reserve. [Photo/Xinhua]

China is hoping to see two more of its cultural landmarks recognized by UNESCO, with the 41st session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee being held from July 2 to 12 in Krakow, Poland.

East China's famous tourist spot Gulangyu Island is to compete for UNESCO cultural heritage status, while the Kekexili National Nature Reserve is striving for a place on the UNESCO natural heritage list.

With an area of about two square kilometers, Gulangyu is a pedestrian-only island off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian province in Southeast China. Due to its geographic location, the island has acted as a natural barrier to Xiamen, the important gateway city of China since ancient times.

Every year, millions of tourists flock to this small island for its subtropical scenery and historical architecture.

The Kekexili in Northwest China's Qinghai province is a nature reserve with an area of 45,000 square kilometers that encompasses the country's largest uninhabited area. With an average elevation of 4,600 meters above sea level on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, it's home to more than 200 wildlife species including such endangered species as Tibetan antelope.

It was designated as a national nature reserve in 1995.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of China's first inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Since 1987, when six Chinese sites were recognized as world heritage sites, China has had 50 world heritage sites listed by UNESCO, only just second to Italy, which has 51 on the list.

During this year's session, 34 sites have been put forward for inscription on the World Heritage List, including seven natural sites, 26 cultural sites and one mixed site (both cultural and natural).

The UNESCO Committee will also review the conservation statuses of 99 World Heritage sites, as well as the statuses of 55 sites inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

 

]]> 2017-07-05 13:21:52 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/03/content_29980386.htm ]]>Shenzhen metro authorities recently introduced 'women priority' carriages, the first trial in China. But to the embarrassment of many, there were more men than women in the carriages.

According to the Shenzhen metro staff, the first and last carriages of the current lines 1, 3, 4, and 5 are designated as 'women priority' carriages. Slightly different from the ordinary ones, the platform shield doors outside these carriages carry pink logos.

Within a week after the start of the operation, the 'women priority' carriages were crammed with large numbers of male passengers.

The pink logos are usually blocked in the rush hour as passengers pour in, and there are no other notices or reminders in the station.

Shenzhen metro authorities recently introduced 'women priority' carriages, the first trial in China.[Photo/VCG]

Challenge from the public

Prior to the introduction of 'women priority' carriages, the reports said such carriages could effectively reduce sexual harassment on the subway. According to the report, "opinion polls show that 81.9 percent of people think there is sexual harassment on the subway, and 21.6 percent think that sexual harassment frequently occurs. Collisions between passengers are unavoidable, which make passengers feel awkward."

Related: Shenzhen launches 'ladies first' subway cars

But this argument soon sparked controversy. Some internet users pointed out that the fundamental solution to sexual harassment is to strengthen punitive measures, instead of isolating women. There are worries that setting up 'women priority' carriages will affect the overall delivery efficiency of the subway.

With more men using 'women priority' carriages, many have questioned the usefulness of such carriages. A male passenger said he did not notice the carriage was for women until he boarded it. “Everyone finds out that it is for women only after boarding it.” A number of female passengers said there is no time to look for the logo during the rush hour. Many females said they do not plan to take the carriages as there are more men than women in them.

Faced with this situation, people are asking whether 'women priority' carriage can guarantee female passengers' priority right to take subway. And whether men will be punished or dissuaded when they get into the special carriages.

Cultivating respect

According to a staff member of Shenzhen Metro Group, the reason for launching the 'women priority' carriage lies in a proposal submitted during the two sessions of Guangdong province this year by Su Zhongyang, a member of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of CPPCC. Su suggested setting up the 'women priority' carriage to provide women a safer travelling experience. In June 2017, the proposal was adopted by the Shenzhen metro and the Guangzhou metro, both of which have set up 'women priority' carriage on some of the lines.

Shenzhen metro staff said the 'women priority' carriage is not legally binding, and is not aimed at reducing sexual harassment, but to cultivate respect for women, and further improve behavior in Shenzhen.

The staff member said that the 'women priority' carriage is exclusively reserved for females.

]]> 2017-07-03 14:37:46 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-07/03/content_29980232.htm ]]>

A teacher congratulates graduates in the graduation ceremony held Saturday at Sichuan University for Science and Technology in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, July 1, 2017. [Photo by Xiang Yun/for www.chinadaily.com.cn]

Sichuan University for Science and Technology in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, held a graduation ceremony for its 4,726 graduates on Saturday, with participants pledging to contribute to their motherland with technology.

The university, which also has a campus in the Tianfu New Area, China's 11th national-level development area, in Renshou county in Sichuan, is strong in training students with applied technology in Sichuan.

Emulating advanced teaching methods in the world, the university is aimed at becoming a "California Institute of Technology" in the east, according to university president Hao Jianping.

Speaking at the ceremony on Saturday, Hao encouraged all the new graduates to work with the spirit of craftsmen during their lifetimes and contribute to China's technological development when it is implementing the 'Made in China 2025' plan

To rejuvenate themanufacturing sectors, the world's major economies have resorted to different programs and strategies.

The United States has proposed a manufacturing industry renaissance program and Germany has formulated an Industry 4.0 strategy, while China is implementing the 'Made in China 2025' plan to modernize its manufacturing through technological upgrades, knowledge-based industries and environmentally-friendly development.'

]]> 2017-07-03 18:07:01 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/30/content_29954774.htm ]]>

The new conference site of the Second National Congress of the Communist Party of China.[Photo by He Qi/chinadaily.com.cn]

The new conference site of the Second National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai was officially opened to the public on Friday.

The memorial site, which was closed in February for renovations, now has new features such as an LED screen on the ceiling, 3D effects and Augmented Reality (AR) systems that showcase the history and development of the Party. It also boasts a larger exhibition space that can store more historical data.

"Through AR, I got to see the actual setting of the second national congress, including items such as the teacups that were used by the participants. It felt as if I was there with them," said a visitor surnamed Zhu.

The memorial site first opened to the public in 2002. It was not only the place that held the important meeting in 1922, but also the old address of the People's Publishing House – the first secret publishing house of the Party – and the apartment of Li Da, one of the founding members of the Party.

It was also at the Second National Congress of the CPC when the Party's first constitution was made.

You Wei, a publicity official of the site, said that they have gathered suggestions from both citizens and specialists during the renovation process.

Visitors can read the electronic versions of the various Party constitutions by touching a transparent screen behind the display in the Party Constitution Hall.

"We have collected about 1,300 copies of Party constitutions from different times and we will continue to show them to the public," said You.

According to You, some academic research results from recent years are also presented at the site.

He Qi in Shanghai contributed to this story.

The exhibition. [Photo by He Qi/chinadaily.com.cn] People visit the exhibition. [Photo by He Qi/chinadaily.com.cn]

]]> 2017-06-30 17:31:35 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/28/content_29925114.htm ]]>In the summer, fans are indispensable tools that bring us a much needed cool breeze. Fans have a long history in China. It is not only a simple tool, but also carries much cultural significance with close links with bamboo culture and Buddhism. Fans come in different varieties, including feather fans, cattail leaf fans, circular fans, folding fans and sandalwood fans. The fans used in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) royal court were superb in quality and could even be considered fine artworks. Let's take a look at some Qing Dynasty fans in the Palace Museum's collections.

A fan from the Qing Dynasty royal court. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A fan from the Qing Dynasty royal court. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A fan from the Qing Dynasty royal court. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A fan from the Qing Dynasty royal court. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A fan from the Qing Dynasty royal court. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A fan from the Qing Dynasty royal court. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A fan from the Qing Dynasty royal court. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A fan from the Qing Dynasty royal court. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A fan from the Qing Dynasty royal court. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] An ancient fan painted with pomegranate flowers. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

]]> 2017-06-28 10:29:20 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/27/content_29925113.htm ]]>

An expert checks the Set of Bronze Bells with Double-Dragon Knob and Dragon-Cloud Design collection of the Palace Museum, dating from the 52nd year of the Kangxi reign (1713), as crates are opened at the Hong Kong Museum of History.[Photo by Roy Liu / China Daily]

Two major exhibitions of cultural relics reflecting former imperial families' lives will be displayed in Hong Kong as highlights among a series of events to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China.

According to Shan Jixiang, director of Beijing's Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, one exhibition, titled Hall of Mental Cultivation of The Palace Museum: Imperial Residence of Eight Emperors, will open on Wednesday in the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and close Oct 15.

Shan said in Hong Kong on Monday, where he was attending a meeting of leaders from top-tier museums, that the exhibition will display about 230 sets of artifacts with a wide range of varieties, including daily-use articles, personal seals and vases, which panoramically show interiors of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Built in 1537 within the Forbidden City during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it was the residence of the last eight Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) emperors.

Two major exhibitions of cultural relics reflecting former imperial families' lives will be displayed in Hong Kong as highlights among a series of events to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China.[Photo provided to chinadaily.cm.cn]

In 2016, it was displayed in the Capital Museum in Beijing.

"We had some adjustments on the repertoire of exhibits this time," Shan said. "It's to adapt to the structure of exhibition halls. Nevertheless, the choice of exhibits is largely dependent on the Hong Kong exhibition curators' ideas."

The exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum marks the first time these national treasures will be displayed outside Beijing.

The other exhibition, Longevity and Virtues: Birthday Celebrations of the Qing Emperors and Empress Dowagers, will kick off on July 1 in the Hong Kong Museum of History and run through Oct 9.

Once displayed in the Palace Museum in 2015, about 210 sets of relics are gathered again to reflect grand celebrations and the rituals from the Qing Dynasty.

Two major exhibitions of cultural relics reflecting former imperial families' lives will be displayed in Hong Kong as highlights among a series of events to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China.[Photo provided to chinadaily.cm.cn]

Two major exhibitions of cultural relics reflecting former imperial families' lives will be displayed in Hong Kong as highlights among a series of events to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China.[Photo provided to chinadaily.cm.cn]

 

 

 

 

]]> 2017-06-27 07:02:29 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/23/content_29868311.htm ]]>

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Art lovers in Beijing will enjoy the audiovisual feast during the Beijing New Dance Festival from Aug 19 to 27. More than 40 dancers and choreographers from the countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, such as Slovenia, Venezuela, Singapore and Israel, will give performances.

The dance performance 16 by dancers from Plesni Teater Ljubljana in Slovenia, expresses a 16-year-old story of professional and intimate connection of two contemporary dance artists, Rosana and Gregor, who through the speech of dance tell their own life story onstage.

A Spanish dance group called Compania Sharon Fridman will present its most recent project Free Fall. The project tries to explore the unlimited repertoire of movements that occur when a body falls and resists abandoning its vertical state. Falling becomes an inexhaustible starting point from which multiple compositional paths can be drawn.

Free Fall will recruit 20 new members from the public to participate in the performance, regardless of their ages, physical qualities or dancing skills.

The Old Lady Modern dance company from China will stage the work Pond on Aug 25. Through the old women's dream, love, passion and the gratefulness for their life, the dance shows a kind of symbol alluding to all kinds of social circles. The performers try to share the stage of the senior people's real stories, having their voices heard by the public that even though they are fading out from focus of society, they can still be vivid like young people — to love, to live and to take the positive attitude toward the beauty of being old and to maintain the courage to face weakness and even the death.

Besides, the festival will offer some master classes and workshops. With these activities, dance lovers in Beijing can get a chance to follow professional instructions, improve dancing skills and strengthen their artistic sensibilities. A series of Pilates and yoga classes will also be opened to the public in the mornings through the gala.

Art lovers in Beijing will enjoy the audiovisual feast during the Beijing New Dance Festival from Aug 19 to 27. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Art lovers in Beijing will enjoy the audiovisual feast during the Beijing New Dance Festival from Aug 19 to 27. [Photo provided to China Daily] Art lovers in Beijing will enjoy the audiovisual feast during the Beijing New Dance Festival from Aug 19 to 27. [Photo provided to China Daily]

]]> 2017-06-23 15:57:03 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/23/content_29868310.htm ]]>

Customers learn the technique of movable-type printing at a printing workshop in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, June 21, 2017. Custormers can learn the movable-type printing, one of the world's oldest printing techniques invented in China, in the workshop, which was established in Qingdao in 2013 and has 40 branches all over the country. [Photo/Xinhua]

Photo taken on June 21, 2017 shows the printings of movable-type printing at a printing workshop in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua] Photo taken on June 21, 2017 shows the characters of movable-type printing at a printing workshop in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua] Customers learn the technique of movable-type printing at a printing workshop in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, June 21, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Customers learn the technique of movable-type printing at a printing workshop in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, June 21, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Customers learn the technique of movable-type printing at a printing workshop in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, June 21, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-06-23 13:59:41 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/22/content_29851676.htm ]]>

Buried Fashion: Dresses. [Photo/amazon.cn]

"A woman who wears makeup for a person who appreciates her beauty" is an old Chinese saying known by many.

Wearing makeup for an individual, specifically, also determined whether a woman will take care of her appearance.

However, ancient Chinese people are renowned for taking care of themselves, polishing one's appearance and improving their individual character.

As Buddha said in Diamond Sutra, an individual can learn from everything in his life and become a better person.

According to the dated printed book, ancient Chinese people believed if a person did not keep his face clean, dust would deform the skin. The same went for if a person did not keep his thoughts refined, evilness would destroy the mind. One should remember to keep the mind pure when washing his face, as well as keep nerves easy when smoothing his hair.

Inspired by the ancient theory, writers Li Huiqun and Muyanshenchu recently released two new books about ancient Chinese women's makeup, dress and fashion. They were able to share their latest publications with readers at a meeting at the Prince Kung's Mansion on June 17.

The two books took their Chinese names from Qing Ping Diao, a poem written by poet Li Bai from the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).

"Floating clouds remind me of her clothes and peonies for her face", he stated in the text.

One of the books, titled Buried Fashion: Dresses, unraveled the history and change in ancient women's clothing throughout different periods in China. It also introduced the origin of fashion, detailing how a royal's choice in clothing became popular among common people, and vice versa.

For example, a new style dress worn by women in a brothel could later become the favorite of noble women. The author highlighted the change of dynasties, aesthetic appreciation and integration of people, and how they influenced ancient Chinese women's dresses.

A range of makeup women wore in ancient times was also fully put forward in the other publication, titled Buried Fashion: Makeup. It covered the detailed procedure of how ancient Chinese people used to wear makeup.

 

Buried Fashion: Makeup. [Photo/amazon.cn]

]]> 2017-06-22 13:59:21 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/22/content_29851675.htm ]]>

Chinese creative cultural products on display at the China Cultural Center in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 14, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

As part of the cultural activities to promote China's intangible cultural heritages and enhance cultural communications between China and Thailand, a selection of more than 300 creative products from the nation's state-level museums are on display at the China Cultural Center in Bangkok.

The exhibition, titled Creations, opened on June 14 and showcases an array of modern goods with cultural touches, including replicas of cultural relics, daily necessities and souvenirs.

"These cultural products are modern presentations of China's rich historical standing," said Korn Dabbaransi, former deputy prime minister of Thailand at the opening ceremony. "I hope more Thai people will visit the China Cultural Center to get to know more about China's cultural products."

Chen Jiang, cultural councilor of the Chinese embassy in Thailand, said the show covers a fine selection of cultural products across six state museums in China, adding that they were developed to meet the aesthetic taste and living needs of modern people.

Creations converged items from museums including the Palace Museum, the National Museum and the Prince Gong's Mansion. The exhibition will run until June 26.

 

Visitors take photos of cultural products on show at the China Cultural Center in Bangkok on June 14, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

Visitors look at cultural products displayed at the China Cultural Center in Bangkok on June 14, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

Visitors look at cultural products displayed at the China Cultural Center in Bangkok on June 14, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

]]> 2017-06-22 13:58:31 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/19/content_29805687.htm ]]>

Students in uniforms take selfies at a graduation ceremony in the Civil Aviation University of China (CAUC), in North China's Tianjin, June 16, 2017. Around 5,000 students graduated from CAUC on Friday.[Photo/Xinhua]

Students in uniforms attend a graduation ceremony in the Civil Aviation University of China (CAUC), in North China's Tianjin, June 16, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua] Students in uniforms attend a graduation ceremony in the Civil Aviation University of China (CAUC), in North China's Tianjin, June 16, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua] A pair of twin sisters in uniforms attend a graduation ceremony in the Civil Aviation University of China (CAUC), in North China's Tianjin, June 16, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua] Students in baccalaureat gowns attend a graduation ceremony in the Civil Aviation University of China (CAUC), in North China's Tianjin, June 16, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-06-19 07:11:15 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/19/content_29805684.htm ]]>

Li Peizhe writes a letter to his father. [Photo by Li Lan/ provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A bus driver in Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan province, has vowed to spend more time with his 7-year-old son after receiving a poignant Father's Day letter from the boy.

"Dad, you like telling lies, because you often failed to live up to your promises, such as you could not send me to school or celebrate my birthday..." Li Peizhe, a primary school student, wrote to his father, Li Ning, 30.

After expressing his disappointment, the boy wrote that he knew his father's responsibilities and showed his understanding and love for his dad at the end of the letter.

Li Ning is regarded as a "tough guy" on his team, but couldn't hold back his tears when reading the letter.

"No matter how busy I am, I will try to spend more time with him," the father said.

Contact the writer at qixin@chinadaily.com.cn

Li Peizhe poses with his father, Li Ning. [Photo by Li Lan/ provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

]]> 2017-06-19 15:32:37 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/17/content_29782620.htm ]]>

A fantastic view of Huangguoshu Waterfall in Anshun, Guizhou province, which is typical of the karst landform.Photos Provided To China Daily

Natural and cultural attractions to increase locals' incomes and protect the environment, traditions

Huangguoshu Waterfall, located in the Huangguoshu-Tunpu landscape cluster in the city of Anshun in Guizhou province, is known as the greatest waterfall in China.

The local government is currently submitting a bid to UNESCO for the area's nomination as a World Natural and Cultural Heritage site.

Huangguoshu Waterfall is 77.8 meters high and 101 meters wide. It can be viewed from all angles, even from behind the waterfall itself.

The arching rainbow above the pool adds splendid colors to the pure waterscape.

The main body of the waterfall is 67 meters high and 83.3 meters wide. Surrounding the main waterfall are 18 smaller but beautiful waterfalls, including Luositan Waterfall, Silver-Chain Waterfall and Dishuitan Waterfall, making up the Huangguoshu Waterfalls Cluster, spanning more than 100 square kilometers.

It took 100,000 to 500,000 years for such awe-inspiring scenery to develop. It is typical of the karst landform, in which the waterfall is formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks.

Known as the Kingdom of Karst, the formation of the waterfall is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves.

During the erosion process of the rivers, the water constantly infiltrated and corroded the waterbed, resulting in the current majestic waterfall and the deep steep gorges.

Beyond its extraordinary natural scenery and unique landform characteristics, the scenery district of Huangguoshu-Tunpu also comprises anthropological and cultural heritage dating back to the 14th century.

The ancient villages, bridges and military barracks scattered around the Huangguoshu region have kept their original appearances.

The carvings, ritual sites and daily defense systems are wellpreserved, showcasing the lifestyle of the Bouyei ethnic groups inhabiting Guizhou province over the past 600 years. Apart from the Huangguoshu Waterfall, the Huangguoshu-Tunpu landscape cluster also covers the Getu River landscape, according to Xiong Kangning, a professor at Guizhou Normal University.

The Getu River landscape embodies the ancient communities built up by the Miao ethnic group under the natural conditions of special karst landforms.

Their traditions of living in caves, cave burial culture and rock climbing are the living encyclopedia of residents' interactive daily life with nature.

The Getu River has the largest-capacity caves in the world. Its precipitous canyons and caves showcase the characteristics of the karst landform.

"The Huangguoshu-Tunpu landscape cluster retained the integrated image of ancient Jianghuai culture, the cultures of the Miao and Bouyei ethnic groups, which is an outstanding creation of different streams of traditional human cultures in the karst area.

"It provides important evidence for the study of traditional cultures, ancient architecture and lifestyles in the area," Xiong said. In the 1990s, when the Huangguoshu waterfall scenery area first applied for World Natural Heritage site status, the application was unsuccessful because the surrounding buildings and low forest coverage rate of Banbian Street disrupted the natural scenery.

At present, the local government has restarted the application plan after reconstructing Banbian Street and recovering the forest.

In July 2014, a special conference was held by the provincial government to discuss the application for Huangguoshu-Tunpu landscape's nomination as a World Natural and Cultural Heritage site.

After one month, the local government organized a working group to focus on the application. Thereafter, a comprehensive plan was formed with oversight from all levels of government.

"The key point of the application is the unique lifestyles of the Miao and Bouyei ethnic groups in the karst landform, Tunbao culture and architecture, the Miao ethnic traditions of living in caves, as well as water conservation projects in Baotun village," said Zhu Guiyun, deputy Party secretary of Anshun city.

There are plenty of examples in karst regions showcasing the interactions of human and nature. Although human activities can result in rocky desertification under some extreme conditions, some regions have achieved balance through interaction and have evolved into unique cultural scenery, according to Paul Williams, professor at the department of geography and environmental science at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

As part of the next step of the application, the local government is establishing the scientific research and monitoring of the history and culture of the local ethnic groups' relationship with the karst environment.

Recently, they have organized domestic and foreign research organizations to carry out field studies in this area, striving to achieve nomination for a World Natural and Cultural Heritage site by 2020.

Adhering to the belief that our cultural and natural heritage is an irreplaceable source of inspiration, World Heritage is "our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations", according to UNESCO's definition. The Egyptian pyramids, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the baroque cathedrals of Latin America and the Great Wall of China, as well as other unique and diverse places, all make up the world's heritage, according to the organization.

A woman wears traditional Han dress at Tunpu in Anshun. The area still preserves traditions and cultures dating back to 600 years ago such as ancestor worship.

Sunset falls over the mountainous area of the Dragon King's Palace scenic zone in Guizhou.

]]> 2017-06-17 07:21:34 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/16/content_29778782.htm ]]>

A Shaolin monk from India reaps wheat using a sickle at a farm in Dengfeng, Henan province, on June 15. [Photo by Yuan Xiaoqiang/Asianewsphoto]

Monks from the Shaolin Temple have been busy harvesting wheat from their farm. For monks, waving sickle can be like practicing kung fu. After going through processes of reaping, thrashing, bagging and loading, they also enjoy the process and season.

A total of 120 mu, equivalent to eight hectares, of farmland was planted with wheat this year, and the harvest will be expected to generate 50,000 kilograms of the plant. The grain will provide food for monks in the Shaolin Temple, as well as teachers and students in its school, with any extras being given to families in need.

A Shaolin monk from Pakistan is seen reaping wheat at a farm in Dengfeng, Henan province, on June 15.[Photo by Yuan Xiaoqiang/Asianewsphoto]

Shaolin monks collect wheat at a farm in Dengfeng, Henan province, on June 15. [Photo by Yuan Xiaoqiang/Asianewsphoto]

Shaolin monks collect wheat at a farm in Dengfeng, Henan province, on June 15. [Photo by Yuan Xiaoqiang/Asianewsphoto]

A Shaolin monk is busy with harvest at a farm in Dengfeng, Henan province, on June 15. [Photo by Yuan Xiaoqiang/Asianewsphoto]

Shaolin monks engage in threshing at a farm in Dengfeng, Henan province, on June 15. [Photo by Yuan Xiaoqiang/Asianewsphoto]

A Shaolin monk practises kung fu during his rest at a farm in Dengfeng, Henan province, June 15. [Photo/VCG]

A Shaolin monk practices kung fu during his rest at a farm in Dengfeng, Henan province, on June 15. [Photo by Yuan Xiaoqiang/Asianewsphoto] A Shaolin monk carries a bag full of wheat at a farm in Dengfeng, Henan province, June 15. [Photo by Yuan Xiaoqiang/Asianewsphoto]

]]> 2017-06-16 14:19:06 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/16/content_29778781.htm ]]>People from across China have taken part in about 2,000 activities, organized by the Ministry of Culture, as part of the nation's first Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, which launched on June 10.

The range of activities included handicraft competitions, opera and dance performances, bridged people and traditional cultural heritages.

Photos of people around China enjoying the festival have been listed below:

Beijing

The Prince Kung's Mansion launched the 10th intangible cultural heritage performance, starting from June 11, in celebration of the first Cultural and Natural Heritage Day. [Photo/pgm.org.cn]

Sichuan province

On the sixth Chengdu International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, an exhibition featuring traditional wooden bridge crafts attracted many visitors on June 10. [Photo/lishui.gov.cn]

Sichuan province

On the sixth Chengdu International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, a series of silverwares were displayed at a traditional Chinese tableware exhibition on June 10. [Photo/ sc.gov.cn]]

Shanghai

A series of activities promoting Shanghai’s intangible cultural heritage are being held at the Big World, or Da Shi Jie, from June 8 to July 8. Artists perform traditional Chinese music during the event, as shown in the photo, on June 8. [Photo/ ihchina.cn]

Sichuan province

A dough sculptor shows his work and talent at a traditional crafts competition on the sixth Chengdu International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage on June 10. [Photo/ sc.gov.cn]

Zhejiang province

A performance of traditional Chinese music was held in the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, from June 9 to June 11, in celebration of the first Cultural and Natural Heritage Day. [Photo/zjfeiyi.cn]

Henan province

The first traditional craft competition and exhibition was held at the Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, in celebration of the first Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, at Henan province, on June 8. [Photo/Xinhua]

Tibet autonomous region

To celebrate the first Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, a series of performances were held in Tibet from June 10 to June 15. Young children performed traditional Tibetan dances during the event. [Photo/Tibet.cn]

 

]]> 2017-06-16 09:34:28 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/15/content_29765021.htm ]]>

Tableware designs shown at the exhibition in Paris and Brussels. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

An exhibition featuring traditional Chinese tableware designs was held in the China Cultural Centers in Paris and Brussels in May and June.

The showpieces, divided into 15 groups, were displayed along with the documents, pictures and videos about food culture in provinces along the Silk Road.

Made by traditional Chinese crafts and modern digital engraving technique, the designs combined traditional and modern materials, and presented a new look of the old culture.

These designs were previously showed at the EXPO 2015 in Milan and Venice.

Tableware designs shown at the exhibition in Paris and Brussels. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Tableware designs shown at the exhibition in Paris and Brussels. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Tableware designs shown at the exhibition in Paris and Brussels. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Tableware designs shown at the exhibition in Paris and Brussels. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Tableware designs shown at the exhibition in Paris and Brussels. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Tableware designs shown at the exhibition in Paris and Brussels. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Tableware designs shown at the exhibition in Paris and Brussels. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

]]> 2017-06-15 13:57:45 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/15/content_29765020.htm ]]>

A poster that will be displayed at an upcoming Audrey Hepburn show in Shanghai. [Photo/VCG]

From Princess Ann in Roman Holiday, Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's and Eliza Doolittle in My Fairy Lady, Audrey Hepburn's roles in a series of classic movies have helped her win millions of fans worldwide.

Now a collection of Hepburn's personal items and props used in her films will be showcased in Shanghai starting Saturday, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the acting and fashion legend's personal life.

The Always and Forever exhibition will for the first time display the late iconic actress' personal items in China.

The exhibition, planned by her son Luca Dotti, will run at the Shanghai Exhibition Center until September.

 

Workers set up posters that will be on display at the upcoming Audrey Hepburn show in Shanghai. [Photo/VCG]

A thermos that will be showcased at the upcoming Audrey Hepburn show in Shanghai. [Photo/VCG]

Best Actress in a Leading Role Oscar award Hepburn won in 1954. [Photo/VCG]

Medal for the Best Actress in the 1953 BAFTA Film Award. [Photo/VCG]

Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children, 1993. [Photo/VCG]

Sandals worn by Hepburn. [Photo/VCG]

A view of the exhibition center. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-06-15 11:18:09 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/13/content_29729779.htm ]]>

Artists perform a traditional opera during the 6th international intangible cultural heritage festival held in Chengdu in Sichuan province, June 10, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

June 10 marked China's first Cultural and Natural Heritage Day. The festival, whose name was changed in 2016 by the State Council from the former Cultural Heritage Day, is held on the second Saturday of every June.

The event, focusing on the theme of dynamic intangible cultural heritage inheritance this year, is a collective showcase of achievements on intangible cultural heritage protection since the 18th CPC National Congress held in 2012.

Organized by the Ministry of Culture, over 1,700 activities were held nationwide.

Each province and autonomous region had their own activities to promote intangible cultural heritage protection, including a carnival in Shanghai and an intangible cultural heritage exhibition held by Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.

An International Cultural Industry Forum and a Dialogue on the First Cultural and Natural Heritage Day were held at the Great Hall of the People on Saturday.

About 100 government officials, scholars, representatives from enterprises, embassies and 10 countries attended the forum.

The meeting aims to find better ideas and ways to promote traditional Chinese culture and protect China's cultural and natural heritage, and give a boost to the cultural exchanges between China and countries with the backup of the Belt and Road Initiative.

At the forum, Cui Ruzhuo, director of a Chinese ink painting research center affiliated with the Palace Museum Research Institute, said Chinese artists should have strong confidence and faith in Chinese culture. And artists should have more works that can become symbols of Chinese culture.

Wang Yamin, deputy director of the Palace Museum, said creativity is an important engine that can push traditional Chinese culture to keep progressing and refreshing.

The Palace Museum has been a pioneer in the field of creative cultural industry in recent years. Wang said the cultural industry is both an inheritance and an innovation of cultural heritage.

Performers sing during an intangible cultural show held in Shenyang Palace Museum in Shenyang in Liaoning province, June 10, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Performers show traditional lion dance during the 6th international intangible cultural heritage festival held in Chengdu in Sichuan province, June 10, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-06-13 16:01:01 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/13/content_29729778.htm ]]>

Students perform Peking Opera at the Qingdao Grand Theater in Qingdao, Shandong province, June 8, 2017. [Photo Li Lianghai / For China Daily]

As China celebrated its first Cultural and Natural Heritage day, more than 100 students staged a Peking Opera show in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao, Shandong province, on Thursday, to raise public awareness on the inheritance of traditional operas.

Excerpts from 17 Peking operas were reproduced, including the most famous Farewell My Concubine, a 2,200-year-old romance about a hero and his lover, and Ode to the Pear Blossoms. The child performers revived the charm of the time-honored opera plays with singing and exquisite movements on stage.

Earlier this year, China's central government pledged to preserve and develop the country's various traditional opera styles by strengthening the education system. The system covers both school training in traditional opera and training arrangements with professional troupes.

Xie Chuanjiao contributed to this story

Students perform Peking Opera at the Qingdao Grand Theater in Qingdao, Shandong province, June 8, 2017. [Photo Li Lianghai / For China Daily]

A student poses during a Peking Opera show at the Qingdao Grand Theater in Qingdao, Shandong province, June 8, 2017. [Photo Li Lianghai / For China Daily]

Students take a group photo before the opera show on June 8, 2017. [Photo Li Lianghai / For China Daily]

Students perform the Peking Opera Farewell My Concubine at the Qingdao Grand Theater on June 8, 2017. [Photo Li Lianghai / For China Daily]

Students perform Peking Opera at the Qingdao Grand Theater on June 8, 2017. [Photo Li Lianghai / For China Daily] Students perform Peking Opera at the Qingdao Grand Theater on June 8, 2017. [Photo Li Lianghai / For China Daily] Students perform Peking Opera at the Qingdao Grand Theater on June 8, 2017. [Photo Li Lianghai / For China Daily]

]]> 2017-06-13 15:22:30 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/08/content_29677442.htm ]]>

Chinese artists perform dance drama Fen Mo Chun Qiu, Frankfurt, Germany, June 3, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

A Chinese dance drama Fen Mo Chun Qiu, or Life in Opera, was staged in Frankfurt in Germany on June 3-4.

Adapted from writer Lilian Lee's novel of the same name, the drama is one of the activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany.

The drama tells the story about three Peking opera performers and their own struggles in life. Seventy performers from Shanxi province integrated Chinese opera performing skills and modern dance in the drama.

Apart from Chinese opera, acrobatics and martial arts were also added to the dance.

Shi Mingde, Chinese Ambassador to Germany, said there was an increase of cultural exchanges between the two nations and performing arts has being an important field for people from the two countries to communicate.

The drama has also toured Belgium and Switzerland as part of the cultural exchange project Image China, produced by China Arts and Entertainment Group.

Chinese artists perform dance drama Fen Mo Chun Qiu, Frankfurt, Germany, June 3, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Chinese artists perform dance drama Fen Mo Chun Qiu, Frankfurt, Germany, June 3, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Chinese artists perform dance drama Fen Mo Chun Qiu, Frankfurt, Germany, June 3, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] Chinese artists perform dance drama Fen Mo Chun Qiu, Frankfurt, Germany, June 3, 2017. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

]]> 2017-06-08 16:30:11 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/08/content_29677441.htm ]]>

A hermit deep in the mountains. Photo was taken by Zhong Guohua in Qinghai province in 2016. [Photo provided by photoint.net]

Known as the roof of the world, the Tibet Plateau is the highest altitude that humans live.

Generations of Tibetan ethnic group have continued to live in such a harsh environment, with their strong belief in the cycle of life sustaining their existence.

In their daily life, Tibetans pray to gods and show gratitude to Mother Nature.

Photographer Zhong Guohua captures the real life of Tibetans including their religious beliefs, and their relationship with nature, using black-and-white pictures.

A woman makes a pilgrimage to worship at a temple. Photo was taken by Zhong Guohua in Sichuan province in 2016. [Photo provided by photoint.net] Believers listen to exposition of the Buddhist Sutras in the snow. Photo was taken by Zhong Guohua in Sichuan province in 2013. [Photo provided by photoint.net] Nuns repair a roof. Photo was taken by Zhong Guohua in Qinghai province in 2016. [Photo provided by photoint.net] A woman feeds magpies and crows. Photo was taken by Zhong Guohua in Qinghai province in 2016. [Photo provided by photoint.net] Women plough the land. Photo was taken by Zhong Guohua in Qinghai province in 2016. [Photo provided by photoint.net] A woman milks a yak during a snow storm. Photo was taken by Zhong Guohua in Sichuan province in 2014. [Photo provided by photoint.net] Young monks carry water to the temple. Photo was taken by Zhong Guohua in Sichuan province in 2015. [Photo provided by photoint.net] A family ploughs a field to grow potatoes. Photo was taken by Zhong Guohua in Tibet autonomous region in 2015. [Photo provided by photoint.net] Nuns head to a dharma assembly in the temple. Photo was taken by Zhong Guohua in Sichuan province in 2016. [Photo provided by photoint.net] Tibetans throw zanba, roasted qingke barley flour, at each other at a celebration. Photo was taken by Zhong Guohua in Sichuan province in 2017. [Photo provided by photoint.net] Monk dressed as the deer god in a religious ceremony. Photo was taken by Zhong Guohua in Sichuan province in 2010. [Photo provided by photoint.net]

]]> 2017-06-08 15:58:51 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/07/content_29659215.htm ]]>The national college entrance exam was revived in 1977 after a 12-year abolishment. A total of 5.7 million students took part in the exam during the winter of 1977, and about 270,000 of those students successfully enrolled into college.

Liu Feng (R) and Huang Ping recreate a photograph taken 40 years ago, in 1977, and stand in front of their alma mater Sichuan Medical College, renamed the Huaxi campus of Sichuan University in Chengdu. [Photo/VCG] Liu Feng recreates a photo taken in 1977 of her sitting beside a lotus pond at the Huaxi campus of Sichuan University. Liu Feng took the national college entrance exam in 1977 and was enrolled in the Sichuan Medical College, now known as the Huaxi campus of Sichuan University. [Photo/VCG] Huang Ping recreates a photo taken in 1977 of her sitting beside a lotus pond at the Huaxi campus of Sichuan University. Huang also took the national college entrance exam in 1977 and was enrolled in the Sichuan Medical College. [Photo/VCG] Huang Ping and Liu Feng, along with other classmates, pose in front of the Sichuan Medical College during the 1980s. [Photo/VCG] Liu Feng shows a school badge of the Sichuan Medical College. [Photo/VCG] An old photo of a student's admission card for the national college entrance exam in 1977. [Photo/VCG] An old photograph shows Huang Ping's graduation certificate, which was issued by the Sichuan Medical College in 1982. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-06-07 15:17:12 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/07/content_29659214.htm ]]>

Visitors look at Su embroidery at the Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing on June 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

An exhibition showcasing Su embroidery has been unveiled at the Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing, which honors China's intangible cultural heritages.

The exhibit, titled Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Dress Show, invited inheritors of the traditional Chinese handicraft to demonstrate the time-honored techniques in creating embroidery pieces.

Su embroidery, a traditional style of Chinese embroidery in areas around Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, has a history of more than 2,000 years. The technique usually depicts nature and the environment, and features items such as flowers, birds, animals and carefully sculpted gardens.

Su embroidery has become famous for its patterns, elegant colors and variety in stitching.

An embroidered qipao, a traditional Chinese dress for women, displayed at the Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing on June 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Embroidery of a cat displayed at the Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing on June 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

People watch the technique of creating Su embroidery at the Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing on June 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

People watch the technique of creating Su embroidery at the Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing on June 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-06-07 13:58:04 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/04/content_29611141.htm ]]>

Lisa Anne Novelline, author of Piccadilly and the Fairy Polka, introduces her book at a booth during the BookExpo 2017 in New York, the United States, on June 2, 2017. BookExpo, North America's largest gathering of book industry professionals, was held from May 31 to June 2 this year with the participation of about 600 exhibitors from across the world. [Photo/Xinhua]

People visit the BookExpo 2017 in New York, the United States, on June 2, 2017. BookExpo, North America's largest gathering of book industry professionals, was held from May 31 to June 2 this year with the participation of about 600 exhibitors from across the world. [Photo/Xinhua] A publisher talks with staff members at the booth of China's Beijing Publishing Delegation during the BookExpo 2017 in New York, the United States, on June 2, 2017. BookExpo, North America's largest gathering of book industry professionals, was held from May 31 to June 2 this year with the participation of about 600 exhibitors from across the world. [Photo/Xinhua] A woman looks at a book at the booth of China's Confucius Institute during the BookExpo 2017 in New York, the United States, on June 2, 2017. BookExpo, North America's largest gathering of book industry professionals, was held from May 31 to June 2 this year with the participation of about 600 exhibitors from across the world. [Photo/Xinhua] Children's author Jackie Reynolds shows her books Bee Bee's Circus at the Counting Fair and Number Fun Activity Book during the BookExpo 2017 in New York, the United States, on June 2, 2017. BookExpo, North America's largest gathering of book industry professionals, was held from May 31 to June 2 this year with the participation of about 600 exhibitors from across the world. [Photo/Xinhua] People work at the international rights center during the BookExpo 2017 in New York, the United States, on June 2, 2017. BookExpo, North America's largest gathering of book industry professionals, was held from May 31 to June 2 this year with the participation of about 600 exhibitors from across the world. [Photo/Xinhua] Trinka Hakes Noble, signs her book Jimmy's Boa and the Big Splash Birthday Bash for a woman during the BookExpo 2017 in New York, the United States, on June 2, 2017. BookExpo, North America's largest gathering of book industry professionals, was held from May 31 to June 2 this year with the participation of about 600 exhibitors from across the world. [Photo/Xinhua] Book authors sign their books for visitors during the BookExpo 2017 in New York, the United States, on June 2, 2017. BookExpo, North America's largest gathering of book industry professionals, was held from May 31 to June 2 this year with the participation of about 600 exhibitors from across the world. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-06-04 10:06:50 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/04/content_29611140.htm ]]>

Troupers perform dance drama "Daur People" to celebrate the annual Kumule Festival of the Daur ethnic group in Qiqihar city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, June 3, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Troupers perform dance drama "Daur People" to celebrate the annual Kumule Festival of the Daur ethnic group in Qiqihar city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, June 3, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Troupers perform dance drama "Daur People" to celebrate the annual Kumule Festival of the Daur ethnic group in Qiqihar city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, June 3, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Troupers perform dance drama "Daur People" to celebrate the annual Kumule Festival of the Daur ethnic group in Qiqihar city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, June 3, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Troupers perform dance drama "Daur People" to celebrate the annual Kumule Festival of the Daur ethnic group in Qiqihar city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, June 3, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-06-04 09:16:15 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/01/content_29584386.htm ]]>

Students in Linfen Red Ribbon School prepare for the national college entrance exam, May 25, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

For the first time, special test rooms will be set up for students with HIV/AIDS to sit the national college entrance exam, reported Shanxi Evening News on Wednesday.

Sixteen students from the Linfen Red Ribbon School will take the test, also known as gaokao, this month in two test rooms at the school.

"College will be a turning point in their lives. We hope society can be more inclusive and tolerant of them. HIV/AIDS is not scary," said Guo Xiaoping, head of the school, in an earlier report.

The Linfen Red Ribbon School is the country's only school that provides education for children with HIV. The school opened in 2004 as an informal classroom in a vacant ward at Linfen Third People's Hospital and was run by hospital director Guo Xiaoping.

With more HIV-positive children joining in the following years, the informal classroom has expanded to a 6 hectare campus, catering to 33 students. As well as education, the school also covers food and living expenses, and the cost of medical treatment.

Most of the children contracted HIV through mother-to-child transmission and have lost their mother.

In December 2011, the school was approved by local education authority to provide compulsory education.

There are about 654,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in China, according to figures released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Related story: Teaching the children shunned due to HIV

]]> 2017-06-01 15:04:48 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-06/01/content_29584381.htm ]]>

People dressed in DIY costumes parade down the street in the border city of Heihe, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, on June 1, 2017. Nearly 10,000 children, their parents and teachers from China and Russia gathered in Heihe to celebrate Children's Day on June 1.[Photo by Xuan Wen / chinadaily.com.cn]

Children in DIY costumes dance during the Children's Day parade, June 1, 2017.[Photo by Xuan Wen / chinadaily.com.cn] Two girls with painted faces pose for a photo on Children's Day, June 1, 2017.[Photo by Xuan Wen / chinadaily.com.cn] People dressed in DIY costumes pose for photos in the Children's Day parade, June 1, 2017.[Photo by Xuan Wen / chinadaily.com.cn]

]]> 2017-06-01 17:18:22 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/31/content_29567927.htm ]]>

People catch ducks in water in a traditional celebration event during the Dragon Boat Festival, in Tongren city, Southwest China's Guizhou province, May 30, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

People catch ducks in water in a traditional celebration event during the Dragon Boat Festival, in Tongren city, Southwest China's Guizhou province, May 30, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-05-31 09:25:08 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/31/content_29567926.htm ]]>

The leaf-like insect stands on wood in Southwest China's Yunnan province, May 4, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A walking 'leaf' found in New Century Lesser Panda Manor in Pu'er, Yunnan province on May 4 excited scientists who discovered it is a rare insect.

The insect is about 10 cm long. Its exterior has very clear venation on its wide, flat body, which makes it look exactly like a green leaf. The wings look like two leaves.

"This type of stick insect is rarely to be seen in nature and we don't have specific protection or research about it yet," a professor at the Pu'er national park management bureau said.

As masters of disguise in the woods, the insect's main defense is basically blending into the background. They look so much like natural leaves that sometimes they even sway in the wind, so it's very difficult to spot them.

The rare insect crawls on a leaf in Southwest China's Yunnan province, May 4, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] The stick insect crawls on a twig in Southwest China's Yunnan province, May 4, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] The leaf-like insect rests on wood in Southwest China's Yunnan province, May 4, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] The leaf-like insect seems a natural part of a twig in Southwest China's Yunnan province, May 4, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] The insect has a similar appearance to a leaf in Southwest China's Yunnan province, May 4, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

]]> 2017-05-31 20:44:23 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/30/content_29549761.htm ]]>

A Chinese chef (C) shows how to make traditional Chinese food Zongzi, a glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, in Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, on May 29, 2017. Confucius Institute of Middle East Technical University in Ankara held celebrations to mark Chinese Dragon Boat Festival here on Monday. Chinese learners in Ankara gathered to sing Chinese songs, perform Chinese dance and learn to make Zongzi during the celebration. [Photo/Xinhua]

A Chinese chef (1st L) shows how to make traditional Chinese food Zongzi, a glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, in Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, on May 29, 2017. Confucius Institute of Middle East Technical University in Ankara held celebrations to mark Chinese Dragon Boat Festival here on Monday. Chinese learners in Ankara gathered to sing Chinese songs, perform Chinese dance and learn to make Zongzi during the celebration. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese learners from Ataturk Middle School perform fan dance in Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, on May 29, 2017. Confucius Institute of Middle East Technical University in Ankara held celebrations to mark Chinese Dragon Boat Festival here on Monday. Chinese learners in Ankara gathered to sing Chinese songs, perform Chinese dance and learn to make traditional Chinese food Zongzi during the celebration. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-05-30 11:45:28 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/30/content_29549760.htm ]]>

Tasty rice dumplings with local variations in fillings have been a tradition of China's Dragon Boat Festival for centuries. [Photo/VCG]

The Duanwu Festival, otherwise known as the Dragon Boat Festival, was established in remembrance of Qu Yuan, a ministerial scholar and patriotic poet of the state of Chu during the Warring States period (475-221 BC).

Qu Yuan, who died by committing suicide in the Miluo River, was known as a good man. Shortly after he died, the local people, at the time of the event, threw food into the water to distract, and feed, the fish from eating Qu Yuan's body. They also sat on long, narrow paddle boats, known as dragon boats, making sound to scare away the fish.

Traditional celebrations of the Dragon Boat Festival include eating zongzi, drinking realgar wine, and racing dragon boats.

The festival date, reckoned on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on May 30 this year.

You don't have to live in China long to know that the country's most popular foods usually have a good story behind them. That's particularly true of festival foods such as zongzi, the pyramid-shaped steamed glutinous rice packages in bamboo or reed leaves that have been associated with the Dragon Boat Festival for more than a millennium. [Photo/VCG] Zongzi, rice dumplings wrapped in leaves, remain with us today as the traditional way to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. They've been called everything from "Chinese tamales" to "tenderly wrapped packages of pure love". [Photo/VCG] In general, northern Chinese prefer sweet versions of these steamed treats, while southerners like 'em savory. [Photo/VCG] It's not quite that simple, though: In Beijing, it's usual to stuff the glutinous white or purple rice packages with candied or dried jujube, the Chinese red date. Some zongzi are left plain, to be dipped into sugar. [Photo/VCG] Get south of the Yangtze River, however, and creative locals over centuries have added salted egg yolk, ham, braised pork, chestnuts, fragrant mushroom or barbecued pork instead of (or in addition to) "traditional" red-bean paste or Chinese dates. [Photo/VCG] The last require considerable skill in making and tying so that they retain their shapes in the steamers. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-05-30 11:15:13 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/29/content_29543972.htm ]]>

A man who participated in a bubble run, has his face covered with blue bubble, Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, May 28, 2017. Tens of thousands of residents in Shenyang participated in the event. [Photo/VCG] 

A boy enjoys the blue bubble poured over his head in a bubble run held in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, May 28, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Participants enjoy themselves in a bubble run in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, May 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] A woman enjoys herself when participating in a bubble run in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, May 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] A man enjoys himself when participating in a bubble run in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, May 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Participants enjoy themselves in a bubble run in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, May 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Participants enjoy themselves in a bubble run in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, May 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-05-29 08:44:31 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/29/content_29543971.htm ]]>]]>

Aerial photo taken on May 22, 2017 shows roads in Qibainong township in Dahua Yao autonomous county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Guangxi strengthened road construction efforts in poor rural areas in recent years.[Photo/Xinhua]

Aerial photo taken on May 22, 2017 shows roads in Qibainong township in Dahua Yao autonomous county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua] Aerial photo taken on May 22, 2017 shows roads in Qibainong township in Dahua Yao autonomous county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.[Photo/Xinhua] Aerial photo taken on May 22, 2017 shows roads in Qibainong township in Dahua Yao autonomous county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua] Aerial photo taken on May 22, 2017 shows roads in Qibainong township in Dahua Yao autonomous county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua] Aerial photo taken on May 22, 2017 shows roads in Qibainong township in Dahua Yao autonomous county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua] Aerial photo taken on May 22, 2017 shows roads in Qibainong township in Dahua Yao autonomous county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-05-29 07:15:22 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/25/content_29502591.htm ]]> Many students want to learn more about the world first

Students, some in costume, attend a career fair in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, earlier this month. CUI XIAO/CHINA DAILY

With the job market becoming increasingly competitive every year, a growing number of fresh university graduates are opting for "delayed employment".

According to a survey released by online recruiter Zhaopin on Tuesday, about 9.8 percent of the 93,420 graduates who participated in a written survey said they would not begin working right after graduation.

Job consultants at Zhaopin explained that there are more choices for young people born after 1995. Jobs related to personal interests have greater attraction, and they are not willing to give in and take a job they don't like.

At the same time, they are also aware of tensions in the job market, and some have opted to delay job hunting to avoid the competition.

According to Beijing-based education consultancy MyCos, the number of students who have opted for delayed employment - or not starting their career in six months' time - has been growing steadily since 2011.

"Delayed employment is not that intimidating. Chinese university students have learned a lot from books but lack practice. Most of the graduates choosing to delay employment are hoping to increase their social experience," said Guo Sheng, chief executive officer of Zhaopin.

"Some young people who are not faced with a heavy economic burden are simply staying at home, relying on parents. But in general, the majority of university graduates are willing to get a job and work toward their goals. They just want to know more about the world first," he said.

Chen Nuan, 23, majors in product design at the Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts and will graduate this summer. While it is easy for students in this major to land a job, Chen said she is not in a hurry. Her first plan after graduation is to tour Europe.

"I will start up my own business after graduation, and life will be extremely busy then. So the ideal plan is to savor my life first. As the old Chinese saying goes, 'traveling thousands of miles is better than reading thousands of books'. It is especially true for students in my major," she said. "We need more input to refresh our minds and to know people better."

In contrast to some graduates' calm attitude is the grim job market. Statistics provided by the Ministry of Education show the number of new university graduates will reach a record 7.95 million in 2017.

According to Zhaopin, 27.7 percent of the new graduates surveyed had not received an offer as of April - up 2.9 percent year-on-year. Half the respondents said they have received one to three offers, down 5.2 percent from 2016. Meanwhile, only 26.7 percent of the new graduates had signed contracts with employers, down 8.7 percent year-on-year.

]]> 2017-05-25 07:04:35 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/25/content_29502587.htm gaokao]]>]]>

A Beijing Chenjinglun High School student does exercises while she has breakfast in preparation for the national college entrance exam known as the gaokao, May 15, 2017. The gaokao starts on June 7. [Photo/VCG]

A student crams for the gaokao while waiting in line at the dining hall of Beijing Chenjinglun High School, May 15, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Students of Beijing Chenjinglun High School run laps of the playground to keep fit in the lead up to the gaokao, May 15, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A student takes a break from study at Beijing Chenjinglun High School, May 15, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A teacher at Beijing Chenjinglun High School sets up a desk in the corridor to answer senior students' questions, May 15, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Students at Hefei No 8 High School study hard for the gaokao, East China's Anhui province, May 22, 2017. [Photo/VCG] One of the teachers stays behind to answer senior students' questions at Hefei No 8 High School, East China's Anhui province, May 22, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A countdown to the gaokao is written on the blackboard in a classroom of Hefei No 8 High School in East China's Anhui province, May 22, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Tianshui No 3 Middle School students read inspirational words on postcards hung around their campus in Northwest China's Gansu province, May 24, 2017. As the gaokao approaches, a "wish tree" was put up by the school to inspire students to work hard for their college dreams. [Photo/VCG] Postcards with inspiration words from students at Tianshui No 3 Middle School in Northwest China's Gansu province. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-05-25 08:18:51 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/24/content_29486508.htm ]]>

A photo taken on May 18 shows a spacious reading space at the Haining Library, in Haining, Zhejiang province. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn]

The history of the Haining Library in Zhejiang province dates back to 1904, during the reign of Emperor Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It was the first county-level public library in China, which has become known as "the most beautiful basic-level library" in the country.

Throughout its history, the Haining Library has been relocated and renovated several times. Now a brand new library, with an area of 19,900 square meters, opened at the beginning of 2015. The Haining Library has a total of 1.6 million volumes in store and, among them, more than 27,000 volumes are ancient books.

The library, open 365 days a year, has introduced modern facilities to the city, including multiple self-service book borrowing and returning machines, and a book disinfection machine to keep pace with modern times.

The Haining Library also features a fresh and warm atmosphere, with green plants on display, comfortable sofas to sit on, separate parent-child reading rooms and advanced audiovisual facilities available.

"The appearance of the library resembles two horizontal-placed large books," Lyu Guilan, the deputy curator of the Haining Library, said.

Self-service borrowing and returning book machines available in the Haining Library. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] Aside from the main building, the library has three 24-hour self-service libraries, as well as nine book stations, 10 mobile libraries and an automobile library which travels around Haining city. With the services available, members of the library are able to access books at any hour in the 24-hour self-service library by swiping their ID or library cards. So far, more than 2,300 volumes of books, covering all categories can be read either inside the self-service library or at their residential premises by borrowing from the automated machines. Members also have access to a machine for reading electronic books inside the library, and can scan the QR code to download or read books online. Building a "reading city" has always been on the agenda for Haining, as the city has a long history, and brilliant culture since ancient times. Many celebrities were also born in Haining, which include poet Xu Zhimo, scholar Wang Guowei and novelist Jin Yong. Moreover, there are many historical sites in the city, which include the classical palatial architecture Sea God Temple. Lyu Guilan, the deputy curator of the library, introduces a book disinfection machine in the library. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] A reading room for children in the Haining Library. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] A photo, taken on May 18, shows an open-air space located in the center of the Haining Library, in Haining city, Zhejiang province. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] A snapshot of a green corridor, built for the readers to rest their eyes, in the Haining Library. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] A snapshot of a leisure area in the Haining Library. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] An area for reading newspapers in the Haining Library. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] An area, built for reading ancient books, in the Haining Library. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] Another area, built for reading ancient books, in the Haining Library. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] A 24-hour self-service library is located at the Nanguanxiang historical and cultural street in Haining, Zhejiang province. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn]

]]> 2017-05-24 15:46:13 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/24/content_29486507.htm ]]>

The press conference about the upcoming 2017 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day was held at the Ministry of Culture, Beijing, May 23, 2017. [Photo by Li Hongrui/Chinaculture.org]

The Ministry of Culture announced that the upcoming 2017 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day will include over 1,700 activities at a press conference on Tuesday.

Wang Chenyang, deputy director-general of the intangible cultural heritage department under the Ministry of Culture, introduced the theme and important activities for this year's event.

Zhai Deyu, deputy director-general of the Bureau for External Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Culture, and Zhou Siyuan, director-general of the department of culture of Sichuan province, also released details on the 6th International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage that will be held in Chengdu from June 10 to 18.

Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, focusing on the theme of dynamic intangible cultural heritage inheritance, will be held nationwide as a collective showcase of achievements on intangible cultural heritage protection since the 18th CPC National Congress. The festival in Chengdu will feature a series of exhibitions, international forums, competitions and performances.

Organized by the Ministry of Culture, each province and autonomous region will have their own activities to promote intangible cultural heritage protection, including a carnival in Shanghai and an intangible cultural heritage exhibition held by Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.

The ministry will cooperate with China Central Television and China National Radio to create a series of special programs for Cultural and Natural Heritage Day.

Compared to events in previous years, this year's event will focus on the inheritance and promotion of traditional Chinese culture according to President Xi Jinping's speeches. And it will focus on many creative transformations and innovative developments of traditional culture, with more attractive and accessible activities. This event will also engage with more social participants, especially major media outlets that will contribute to the promotion of intangible cultural heritage safeguarding.

In 2006, the second Saturday of every June was marked as Cultural Heritage Day by the State Council. And the name of the festival was officially changed to Cultural and Natural Heritage Day in 2016. The Ministry of Culture has held a series of activities that center on intangible cultural heritage protection on that day in previous years.

]]> 2017-05-24 14:56:00 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/22/content_29450390.htm ]]>

A scene from Walking Past the Future [Photo/Mtime]

Chinese director Li Ruijun's Walking Past the Future film, selected in the "Un Certain Regard" (In some perspective) section of the 70th Cannes Film Festival, drew wide audience's appreciation during its screening Saturday.

Through the movie, Li featured the life of a family from the first generation of migrant workers in China. The parents of the heroine Yang Yaoting had worked in Shenzhen, a metropolis in South China for twenty years. But they lost their jobs due to aging and poor health.

They decided to return to their homeland, a village in Northwest China's Gansu province with their two daughters. However, living in the countryside is not easy as expected. So Yang, the eldest daughter, returns to Shenzhen, and dreams of buying an apartment for her family.

The Chinese director said he was "honored and surprised" to be selected by the festival. For him, the film reflects the other side of Chinese social development by telling a "family and love story", which could touch the audience all over the world.

After the screening, Dany Wolf, American producer, said the film is "different" and "powerful", and he was deeply touched.

Turkish journalist Defne Gursoy Birgun said the film, with a universal concern, is the most human film she has watched in recent years.

She argued that during the post-industrial era, migration from cities to the countryside represented a challenge for all countries.

"I watched all the Chinese films every year (at Cannes Film Festival). Although it is a worldwide film festival, we think the future of the movie and innovative works are in the East," said the journalist.

This is the first time for Li to take part in the Cannes Film Festival, although his works have been selected in many international cinema gatherings. He took part in the 2014 International Festival of Tokyo with film River Road, and in 2012, Venice International Festival with Fly with the Crane.

This year, 18 films are selected for the "Un Certain Regard" section. The awards for the section will be unveiled on May 27.

The 70th Cannes Film Festival runs from May 17 to 28.

A scene from Walking Past the Future [Photo/Mtime]

A scene from Walking Past the Future [Photo/Mtime] A scene from Walking Past the Future [Photo/Mtime]

]]> 2017-05-22 14:01:24 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/22/content_29450389.htm ]]>

The manuscript by Qing Dynasty imperial physician Wang Bichang. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) imperial physician Wang Bichang's manuscript which records 540 kinds of prescriptions, has been valued at 216 million yuan ($31.4 million).

Wang Bichang was born in 1764 and was selected for the Imperial Hospital during the reign of Emperor Jiaqing (1796-1820) in the Qing Dynasty. He spent nine years in office. Before Wang left the Imperial Hospital to return to his hometown, he recorded his medical knowledge in Liao Fu Ji in 1810. Many kinds of difficult and rare diseases were included in Liao Fu Ji, including cancer, tumours, hematuria and hematemesis.

The manuscript was discovered among a pile of scripts by Peng Ling, a director of the China Association of Collectors. Yao Boyue, a professor from Peking University firmly believes that the manuscript is the original written by Wang Bichang, judging from the paper material and handwriting.

Tuo Xiaotang, a former head from China Guardian Auctions, said that in 2007, Ren Xigeng's 50 kinds of secret prescriptions were sold for 2 million yuan, with each prescription valued at 40,000 yuan. Ten years later, the price is estimated to have risen 10 times. If each prescription is estimated at 400,000 yuan, the price of the complete Wang Bichang manuscript could reach 216 million yuan.

The manuscript by Qing Dynasty imperial physician Wang Bichang. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

]]> 2017-05-22 13:24:51 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/21/content_29437307.htm ]]>

A sculpture, titled Xu Zhimo and created by Tan Jianming, is one of many sculptures at the Tide Wonders International Sculpture Park in Haining, Zhejiang province. The photo was taken on May 18, 2017. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn]

The Tide Wonders International Sculpture Park in Haining of Zhejiang province, located along the Qiantang River, has been open to the public since construction, at the park, completed in September last year.

A total of 37 sculptures, scattered across the park, were created by artists from China and abroad, with each piece reflecting the creator's understanding of the tide culture, or even oriental culture, in Haining. Of the 37 sculptures, 35 were selected from the Tide Wonders 2016 The First International Sculpture Exhibition, with the remaining two created by US sculpture artist Bruce Beasley and Chinese artist Shen Wenqiang.

At the park, visitors can view the sculptures while also watching the well-known Qiantang tide.

A sculpture, titled Boat, was created by Pan Song. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] A sculpture, titled China Door God , was created by Zhang Xitong. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] A sculpture, titled Dreaming, was created by Wang Xiaohui. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] A sculpture seen at the Tide Wonders International Sculpture Park in Haining, Zhejiang province, on May 18, 2017. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] Sculptures seen at the Tide Wonders International Sculpture Park in Haining, Zhejiang province, on May 18, 2017. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] A sculpture, titled Playing with Tide, was created by Yan Kun. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] The front entrance of the Tide Wonders International Sculpture Park. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] A sculpture, titled The Trace of Wind, was created by Feng Chongli. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn] A sculpture, titled Wonderful Tide, was created by Italian artist Riccardo Cordero. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn]

]]> 2017-05-21 14:28:14 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/21/content_29437306.htm ]]>

Yoko Morishita, 69, director of Japan's Matsuyama Ballet Troupe, performs during the ballet "White-haired Girl", a ballet adapted from the Chinese opera of the same name, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 19, 2017. The troupe have visited China 15 times since 1958. [Photo/Xinhua]

Yoko Morishita, 69, director of Japan's Matsuyama Ballet Troupe, performs during the ballet "White-haired Girl", a ballet adapted from the Chinese opera of the same name, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 19, 2017. The troupe have visited China 15 times since 1958. [Photo/Xinhua] Yoko Morishita, 69, director of Japan's Matsuyama Ballet Troupe, performs during the ballet "White-haired Girl", a ballet adapted from the Chinese opera of the same name, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 19, 2017. The troupe have visited China 15 times since 1958. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-05-21 09:37:30 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/19/content_29424962.htm ]]>

A set of two imperial celadon and brown jade "Daoguang Yubi" and "Zhengzai Yangmin" seals. [Photo provided to China Daily]

French industrialist Emile Guimet (1836-1918) is known for his assembly of Chinese and Japanese works of art, based on which he founded the Guimet Museum. Now a state institution in Paris, the museum houses part of his collection of East Asian art.

A pair of 19th-century jade seals from that collection will be auctioned in Hong Kong on June 2. They were once used by Qing (1644-1911) Emperor Daoguang, who reigned from 1821 to 1850. They feature a warm and lustrous texture and one bears an inscription saying "handwritten by Emperor Daoguang" and the other saying "the way of governance lives in nurturing people".

The jade seals will be part of a two-day sale by Sotheby's, also including Chinese zisha teapots, ceramics and Buddhist figures.

Another highlight is a copy of Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849)'s most famous woodblock print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), Under The Great Wave off Kanagawa [Photo provided to China Daily]

]]> 2017-05-19 16:34:13 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/19/content_29424961.htm ]]>

Encyclopedia of China (second edition) is on display at a Beijing book fair.[Photo by Zhang Kaixin/For China Daily]

The online version of Encyclopedia of China (third edition), which will be released next year, is not aimed at Wikipedia, as many people assume, says Yang Muzhi, executive editor-in-chief of the encyclopedia.

"Actually, we learned from Wikipedia's advanced experience, such as giving links of the references at the bottom of the web page of an entry. But as an authoritative encyclopedia, the Encyclopedia of China is not an open platform on which any person online can add or delete content," he says.

Yang says in the digital era, readers prefer online versions of printed books because of convenience. The encyclopedia is divided into many volumes and heavy to carry around.

In 2012, the 249-year-old Encyclopaedia Britannica announced the end of its printed version and said it would focus on building digital versions. Now, its online version contains more than 150,000 entries.

Launched in 2001, Wikipedia already has 790,000 entries in more than 280 languages, which "is an amazing work over such a short time", Yang says.

In a media article years ago, Yang wrote that China did not have a modern encyclopedia that presented the overall look of the country's culture or summarized and analyzed existing knowledge systems of natural science and social science of the era. That changed in 1993, when the first edition of the 74-volume Encyclopedia of China came out after 15 years of work by more than 20,600 scholars.

In 2007, the 32-volume second edition came out, revised and recompiled based on the nearly 78,000 entries in the first edition.

Starting in 2011, so far more than 20,000 scholars from higher education institutions and research institutions have joined in the building of the third edition of the encyclopedia.

The printed version will be released after the online version.

"The whole project will involve more than 40,000 scholars in the end," says Liu Hang, deputy editor-in-chief at Encyclopedia of China Publishing House.

Yang says authority is the biggest difference between Encyclopedia of China and Wikipedia.

"Encyclopedia of China is not about providing trendy information for common readers, such as how to eat some vegetables or the effect of a medicine. In that case, people can search Baidu Encyclopedia. We provide systematic academic knowledge - history, the present and the future of disciplines and also interdisciplinary development. It is an advanced reference tool," he says.

"We invite the most notable scholars in their fields to lead the work of building the knowledge systems based on their understanding of the disciplines."

The introduction of the scholars will appear at the end of each entry.

"With enough funding, we would also like to invite Nobel winners in natural sciences to write entries about the award-winning work," Yang says.

Entries like Brexit will not be included in the book because it just happened without an established conclusion.

The online version of the third edition will first come out with more than 300,000 entries according to the plan.

"The online version will form an entry bank for the printed version, which will include more than 60,000 entries," Yang says.

But libraries and research institutions may want to buy the printed version because there are situations when people cannot use the internet or don't have access to a digital tool, Liu says.

Besides, there are people who prefer to read paper books or who cannot read on a screen.

The design concepts for the two versions are also different.

The printed version will be divided into volumes according to disciplines, so that literature, history, philosophy and sociology are compiled in one big category. Before each discipline will be a long entry written by noted scholars of the discipline, so as to give readers a clear idea of it.

"The length can be 30,000 characters for each," Liu says.

But online, readers prefer a shorter length, like less than 1,500 characters, so most entries for the online version will be much shorter and easy to get in a relatively short time.

 

   

 

]]> 2017-05-19 07:34:44 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/18/content_29407887.htm ]]>

Parents receive licenses during a ceremony on May 17, 2017 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

"When I asked my daughter to drink water in the past, I often did so in a commanding manner. But now, I would say 'daddy is tired too. Why don't we drink some water together?'" Ma Xiaomin says. "It's more effective to communicate with kids in this way."

The father of a 3-year-old girl in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province is among the first to graduate from a program launched by the city's Shangcheng district to encourage better parenting.

He and the other nine graduates received a "star parenting license" on Wednesday.

According to Chinanews.com, the first graduates were all born in the 1970s or 1980s. The project, targeting parents of children under 15, establishes a life-long online learning platform for parents to get advice and exchange ideas with each other.

At present, the platform offers more than 180 video courses by renowned experts, usually no longer than 10 minutes.

"Now we have a lot of fragmented time and the short videos are very convenient," Ma Xiaomin said. As a father, he used to feel upset all the time for not knowing how to communicate with his child. Through this platform, he has learnt more about children and spent more quality time with his daughter.

By following the platform's WeChat account, participants can choose courses according to the age of their children and get credits when they finish. After gaining 100 credits, they will receive a one-star license and their rating rises with credits. The top level parents will be rated as five-star parents.

Besides online courses, there are also offline activities.

A survey of parents before they start the program reveals misleading notions in child-rearing and deficiency in education among many parents in the city. For example, nearly 70 percent of the subjects believe scientific knowledge is the most important part of a child's education and only 15 percent give priority to moral training.

"The culture of a household is the root of civilization inheritance in a society and the education of parents is the root for social stability," Kang Zhiyou, deputy director of the civilization office of the Hangzhou government, said. "The project helps to improve the qualities of parents, build a harmonious parent-child relationship and establish good family traditions," he said.

The license is issued jointly by the district authorities of education, civil affairs, family planning and women's federation.

In the future, the project will be expended to other regions to benefit more people and promote a life-long education system, district education director Xiang Haigang said.

]]> 2017-05-18 13:45:59 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/18/content_29407885.htm ]]> In this week's photos from around China, check out China's homemade helicopter ready for its maiden flight, a breathtaking picture taken at one of world's largest dams and kids getting an idea about pregnancy ahead of Mother's Day.

Over 1,000 students from primary and middle schools in Hohhot, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, participate in a traffic exercise on May 16, 2017. The activity was held to raise awareness of traffic safety. [Photo/VCG] A homemade Z-19E armed helicopter is seen in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, May 16, 2017, before its maiden flight. [Photo by Yue Shuhua/Asianewsphoto] A bird's-eye view of the Three Gorges Dam in Yichang, Central China's Hubei province, May 12, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Kids in a kindergarten in Zhujiang, South China's Guangdong province, have balloons put under their t-shirts to get a taste of "pregnancy" on May 12, 2017, ahead of the Mother's Day. [Photo/VCG] A porter at Huangshan Mountain in East China's Anhui province carries a load of rice up the mountain, May 11, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A night aerial view of a flyover in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, May 14, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Security guards participate in a skills contest in Yinchuan, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region, May 16, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A 91-year-old woman washes the face of her child who was disabled by a stroke in Er'shilibu village of Rizhao, East China's Shandong province, May 16, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A farmer reaps oilseed rape in Chaohu, Anhui province, on May 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG] People sleep at a square near a railway station in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan province, May 18, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-05-18 21:44:54 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/17/content_29390399.htm ]]>

Popular online games The Legend of Qin, adapted from a namesake animation series. [Photo/Mtime]

Game enterprises and film and television companies have become two major winners of the top cultural enterprises in the country, according to the latest "National Top 30 Cultural Enterprises" list released on May 11.

Many such enterprises, including China Film, Shanghai Film, Huayi Brothers Media Group, and Perfect World, now rank in the top 30.

Compared to the previous years, listed companies dominate the ranking and their number is rising. The word "listed" now is an important identity of many cultural enterprises.

Since 2008, the "National Top 30 Cultural Enterprises" has been annually released. Companies mainly providing performance services dominated the list in 2008, but now have almost disappeared from the list.

Large press houses, such as China Publishing Group Cooperation and China South Publishing, and Media Group, have featured in the top 30 every year in the past nine years.

The rapidly developing market of game, film and TV accounted for the rising number of companies serving such products.

According China Film News, the total box office of Chinese film industry was to 4.34 billion yuan ($0.72 billion) in 2008. And it increased to 45.7 billion yuan ($7.6 billion) in 2016.

As the spread of internet and smart phones increases, fast growing game industries in China in 2016 recorded 165.5 billion yuan ($27.4 billion) in sales, according to the 2016 Chinese Game Industries Report.

The great popularity of game, film and TV companies has pushed some publishing houses to shift their attention to this expanding field.

]]> 2017-05-17 13:39:48 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/17/content_29390398.htm ]]>

Performers attend a discussion with audience after the performance of experimental Peking opera "Faust" in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017. Experimental Peking opera "Faust" was staged Monday evening in Wiesbaden, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua]

Experimental Peking opera "Faust" was staged Monday evening in the western city of Wiesbaden, starting its premiere tour in Germany.

Co-produced by China National Peking Opera Company and Italy's Emilia Romagna Theater Foundation, the play was performed as part of the International May Festival, a world-known traditional theater festival.

The story was based on a breakthrough adaptation of the Western masterpiece "Faust," written by Johann Wolfgang Goethe more than 200 years ago. The play combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics.

Since its debut in 2015, the opera has been staged over 70 times,triggering warm responses from audience as it offers a creative blend of Western classic with oriental culture as well as presents a perfect cooperation between Chinese artists and performers from Italy and Germany.

"We have come to the homeland of 'Faust' to examine our three years' efforts," said Xu Mengke, co-director of the opera.

"It was a great performance during which I was touched by the actors' and actresses' deep emotion," a German audience told Xinhua after the play, adding that he could well understand the performers' body language although the Chinese dialogue was difficult to catch.

The opera has been added to this year's German-Chinese cultural program, a national event in Germany featuring the theme "China Today" to celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The play will be staged in other cities including Duisburg, Kassel and Saarlouis till the end of May.

Experimental Peking opera "Faust" is performed in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Performers talk after the performance of experimental Peking opera "Faust" in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017. Experimental Peking opera "Faust" was staged Monday evening in Wiesbaden, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Experimental Peking opera "Faust" is performed in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Liu Dake, who plays the role of Faust, and Xu Mengke, who plays the role of Mephistopheles, take a rest during the performance of experimental Peking opera "Faust" in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017. Experimental Peking opera "Faust" was staged Monday evening in Wiesbaden, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Xu Mengke, who plays the role of Mephistopheles, puts on makeup backstage prior to the performance of experimental Peking opera "Faust" in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017. Experimental Peking opera "Faust" was staged Monday evening in Wiesbaden, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Zhang Jiachun, who plays the role of Gretchen, prepares backstage during the performance of experimental Peking opera "Faust" in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017. Experimental Peking opera "Faust" was staged Monday evening in Wiesbaden, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Liu Dake, who plays the role of Faust, puts on makeup backstage prior to the performance of experimental Peking opera "Faust" in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017. Experimental Peking opera "Faust" was staged Monday evening in Wiesbaden, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Zhang Jiachun, who plays the role of Gretchen, waits backstage during the performance of experimental Peking opera "Faust" in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017. Experimental Peking opera "Faust" was staged Monday evening in Wiesbaden, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Experimental Peking opera "Faust" is performed in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Zhang Jiachun, who plays the role of Gretchen, prepares backstage during the performance of experimental Peking opera "Faust" in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017. Experimental Peking opera "Faust" was staged Monday evening in Wiesbaden, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Experimental Peking opera "Faust" is performed in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Xu Mengke, who plays the role of Mephistopheles, prepares backstage during the performance of experimental Peking opera "Faust" in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017. Experimental Peking opera "Faust" was staged Monday evening in Wiesbaden, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Experimental Peking opera "Faust" is performed in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Zhang Jiachun, who plays the role of Gretchen, prepares backstage during the performance of experimental Peking opera "Faust" in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017. Experimental Peking opera "Faust" was staged Monday evening in Wiesbaden, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua] Experimental Peking opera "Faust" is performed in Wiesbaden, west Germany, May 15, 2017, starting its 15-day tour in Germany. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-05-17 10:29:31 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/16/content_29374238.htm Lin Huiyin, which premiered at the Poly Theatre in Beijing on May 11, aims to show the real life of the legendary woman.]]>]]>

Lin Huiyin and her husband Liang Sicheng. [File photo]

Lin Huiyin, born in 1904, is a renowned Chinese architect, poet and writer of the 20th century. She once participated in the design of the national emblem of China and the Monument to the People's Heroes, and wrote the well-known poem You are an April Day.

Her romance with noted poet Xu Zhimo and "Father of Modern Chinese Architecture" Liang Sicheng has become popular stories.Their triumph and love story was adapted into TV drama You are an April Day in 2000.  

A recent opera Lin Huiyin, which premiered at the Poly Theatre in Beijing on May 11, aims to show the real life of the legendary woman.

Originally created by the China National Opera and Drama Theatre, the opera took three years to complete. Soprano Chen Xiaoduo plays Lin and baritone Gao Peng is her husband Liang. They reveal a series of important changes and critical moments in Lin's life via their uplifting voices.

Director Tian Qinxin fuses modern art and oriental aesthetic style in the opera, and allows the storytelling to unravel like a movie.

The theme song, Lian Deng (Lotus Lantern), was released before the opera's premier and won applause.

Jin Peida, composer of the song, said the tune was created based on traditional Chinese music and the Western modern music. It reflects the collision and fusion between the two cultures during Lin's period.

Lin Huiyin (left), Rabindranath Tagore (middle) and poet Xu Zhimo. [Photo/people.cn] Poster for the opera Lin Huiyin. [Photo/Official Weibo account of soprano Chen Xiaoduo] Opera Lin Huiyin. [Photo/Official Weibo account of soprano Chen Xiaoduo]

]]> 2017-05-16 13:55:38 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/16/content_29374237.htm ]]>

Hangzhou is one of the most popular tourist attractions in China with its iconic West Lake views. Now the East Chinese city is kicking off its annual photo festival by showcasing more than 3,000 photographs around the West Lake that were taken by Chinese and international photographers. The exhibition, named Let the World See Your Beauty, runs from May 17 to 21. [Photo/VCG]

A sneak peek of the photos on display for the annual photo festival in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/VCG]

Framed photos are arranged around the West Lake of Hangzhou for the upcoming photo festival. [Photo/VCG]

A man looks at a photo on display for the upcoming photo festival around the West Lake in Hangzhou. [Photo/VCG]

Framed photos are arranged around the West Lake of Hangzhou for the upcoming photo festival. [Photo/VCG] Framed photos are arranged around the West Lake of Hangzhou for the upcoming photo festival. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-05-16 11:07:02 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/12/content_29327228.htm ]]>

Women make grain pictures at a workshop in Shoudong village, Hebei province. [Photo by WANG ZIRUI/FOR CHINA DAILY]

Development of the art form has helped draw tourists and bring prosperity to a rural community

For residents of Shoudong in Hebei province, grain is not just a food staple, but also the material used to make beautiful collages and mosaics, which have brought prosperity to the formerly destitute village.

Shoudong used to be a typical poor village, with most men moving to work in cities, leaving their wives, aging parents and children behind.

Now, through the creation of artwork made from cereals and pulses, women are able to earn an income working from home while taking care of their families.

"I'm proud that the income from my artwork is enough to cover our household expenses. I don't need to ask for financial support from my husband," said Shi Xianqiao, one of the artists.

Grain pictures are made by pasting various kinds of grain, such as wheat, rice and beans, on a hard backboard.

The village of 180 households is home to more than 80 such artists, and not all of them are housewives - some men have returned home, attracted by the profits to be made from the emerging craft.

The monthly income for each artist is about 2,000 yuan ($290), which is a result of them utilizing their spare time when they are not farming or looking after their family.

Residents of Shoudong first started making collages from grain in March 2014, when Zhang Haizeng, from the province's Guantao county, came to teach the craft to the villagers.

Zhang, an art graduate, had been an advertising designer, a welder, a security guard and taxi driver before gluing together his first picture using tree bark, cotton and green beans in 2008.

"I imagined that even if I earned 1 yuan from each picture, I would soon be able to buy an apartment and a car," Zhang recalled.

Unfortunately, his pictures decayed rapidly because the glue he used was not compatible with the grain. He tried using more than 100 different types of glue before finding the perfect solution. But then he realized that while he could make the pictures, he had nowhere to sell them.

"In the following two years, I only sold one piece of my work, and that was to a friend," he said, adding that the picture made him 260 yuan.

In September 2009, an art exhibition in the county changed both his mind and his fate. "I had told my family I would give up making these pictures, when a customer unexpectedly ordered eight pieces of my work at the exhibition," he said, smiling at the recollection.

Making grain collages requires skill and patience. [Photo by WANG ZIRUI/FOR CHINA DAILY]

As his business gradually developed, Zhang sought help from the county government, asking for land to establish a production base for his artwork.

Instead of a workshop in Guantao that he had dreamed of, the government offered him three houses in the rural backwater of Shoudong, free of charge.

"It was a perfect opportunity for rural poverty alleviation," said Xie Jijiong, Party chief of Guantao.

"Not only was the land cheaper in the village, having the factory there made recruiting workers easier."

Zhang's site, which covers 8,000 square meters, makes about 5 million yuan each year, and competitors from other provinces have been attracted to the village, forming an industrial cluster.

Tourists are also drawn to Shoudong, which is now full of cafes, inns and souvenir stalls. Visitors, especially children, are helped to make their own pictures as DIY gifts for their friends and family.

With all this activity, the average per capita income of villagers in Shoudong last year reached 15,000 yuan, helping to alleviate poverty, according to Zhang Furen, Party chief of the village.

Seeing the profit potential in collages, Shi Xianqiao has set up her own studio and is planning to expand her business.

"I plan to invest about 500,000 yuan in a brand-new workspace and office, so the current premises can be used as a family inn," she said.

Xinhua

A visitor inspects grain artwork in Shoudong village.[Photo by WANG ZIRUI/FOR CHINA DAILY]

]]> 2017-05-12 07:29:41 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/12/content_29327212.htm ]]>

A file photo of Tulenov Ruslan. [Photo/CCTV] Tulenov Ruslan, a carrier of "panda blood" - as rhesus negative blood is known in China, has donated more than 5,000 milliliters of blood since he came from Kazakhstan to study in 2009.

Ruslan, 25, usually donates blood twice a year. The volume of blood he has donated equals to all the blood in his body.

President Xi Jinping praised Ruslan in a speech at Nazarbayev University during his visit to Kazakhstan in 2013. Xi said Ruslan has helped relieve the pain of many Chinese patients, embodying the friendship between the two countries.

Ruslan, who is interested in Chinese culture, came to Hainan University in the southern island province of Hainan in 2009 to study Chinese and then joined Beijing's University of Science & Technology in 2016 for postgraduate degree.

"I first donated blood after I a classmate told me that he donated blood twice a year. I too wanted to donate blood as helping others is an important thing to me," he said.

Ruslan, whose Chinese name is Lan Tian (blue sky), said his mother told him many times to help others before he came to China.

When he realized that his blood type was rare in China, he told blood banks that they could give his phone number to patients who were in urgent need of blood.

In 2014, a nine-year-old girl, a victim of a traffic accident, urgently needed blood transfusion in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. When he heard about the case on WeChat Moments, Ruslan left a comment that said "Lan Tian brother wishes to help you."

"I wanted to help her, but I did not know how to find her since I had never been to Guangxi. I asked a friend at a blood bank for help," Ruslan said.

"The friend informed me at around 11 pm that the girl had received blood in Guangxi. If needed, I would have surely gone there," he said.

A file photo of Tulenov Ruslan. [Photo/CCTV]

A file photo of Tulenov Ruslan. [Photo/CCTV]

Li Jianbao, president of Hainan University, praises Tulenov Ruslan for donating blood after the opening ceremony of the university's new semester Sept 11, 2013. [Photo by Huang Yiming/China Daily]

]]> 2017-05-12 14:44:27 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/11/content_29311145.htm ]]>

Chinese nurse Ren Shuangshuang. [Photo/Zhengzhou Evening News]

A post about a Chinese nurse who helped a Japanese student has gone viral on Weibo, a Twitter-like social media platform.

During a vacation in Japan, the 28-year-old nurse rushed to aid a Japanese middle-school student who was having an epileptic seizure on April 18, according to media reports.

Ren Shuangshuang works at Henan Cancer Hospital as a surgical nurse. She encountered the Japanese girl when visiting the famous tourist attraction Senso-ji.

"It was very crowded and a girl fainted," Ren recalled. She immediately approached the girl after the translator for her tour group cried out for help. The girl was twitching and foam was coming out of her mouth. Ren immediately guessed that the girl was having an epileptic seizure.

Ren lay the girl down, unbuttoned her coat and cleaned the foam from around her mouth. She stuffed a wet tissue into the girl's mouth to prevent her from accidentally biting her tongue. The girl eventually regained awareness and tried to sit up to thank Ren, but the nurse told her to lie back down and rest. An ambulance later arrived to transport the girl to a hospital.

Ren's actions were recorded by other tourists and uploaded to social media. Her good deed has been widely lauded.

So far, the post has got more than 12,000 comments and nearly 200,000 thumbs-up. "Good girl! That's what a doctor with good virtues would do. Love has no nationalities," said one of the comments, which received more than 16,000 thumbs-up.

]]> 2017-05-11 11:21:15 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/11/content_29311143.htm ]]>

Liu Zonglin, a 72-year-old farmer who has worked voluntarily for 41 years to protect the Great Wall.[Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Liu Zonglin, a 72-year-old farmer who has worked voluntarily for 41 years to protect the Great Wall, said he would never give up the cause in which he takes so much pride.

Liu was born and has lived in Yushudi village of Chengde in North China's Hebei province, which borders Beijing's Miyun district and is about 150 km from the capital.

At the village sits a section of the Great Wall built in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), which runs 9.88 km across Liu's hometown and a neighboring village.

The section, including 10 towers and one gate, has been badly damaged over time due to natural and human factors.

"I've lived by the Great Wall my whole life, I feel like it's my responsibility to take care of it," said Liu, adding that the Great Wall has been a part of his life since childhood.

When he was a child, Liu would climb up to the towers with his playmates, sometimes to play while other times to help his parents collect tree branches from the mountain.

"It's not the same anymore," Liu said.

"Back in 1970s, villagers didn't understand the historic significance of the Great Wall," he said.

Many villagers stole bricks and stones from the towers and used them to build their houses.

The Great Wall was listed as a World Cultural Heritage in 1987. The sections built in the Ming Dynasty are the most essential and complete part.

To stop the thieves, Liu kept checking the section regularly- about once every other day - and reported to local government officials if he spotted any untoward behavior or fire.

The Great Wall has been a part of Liu's life since childhood.[Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

"I tried my best to stop them and to tell them that protecting the Great Wall rather than destroying it is what we should be doing," Liu said.

His preaching brought him hatred from those villagers who found him boring and officious.

"I don't care, as long as they don't vandalize the precious cultural heritage," Liu said.

"While climbing along the rocky paths that lead to a tower, I also pick up trash and remove weeds to keep the Wall clean," he said.

Liu's action was also opposed by his wife, who wanted him not to waste time and instead focus on cultivating land or feeding cattle, on which they depend on.

"I won't listen to her, because I'm stubborn," Liu said, proudly.

His efforts and persistence have paid off.

People stopped damaging the Great Wall and five more protectors have been recruited by the department for cultural heritage protection of Chengde county, where the village is located.

In 2013, the section was designated as one of the major sites protected at the national level.

The section sees many tourists from Beijing as the section has never been repaired or rebuilt and still retains its original look, Liu said.

He said the Wall in his hometown is being known gradually by more people.

But he wants more.

"I have a dream that the part can be restored to its former glory in the future," Liu said.

A part of the Great Wall, including 10 towers and one gate, has been badly damaged over time due to natural and human factors.[Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Unlike many well-maintained tourist attractions, such as Badaling in Beijing, Shanhaiguan in Qinhuangdao, and Jinshanling in Chengde, the section has been seriously damaged, with only two of its towers in good condition.

This dream of Liu might also come true.

According to the Relics Bureau of Chengde, the city has submitted an application for repairing the section to the nation's top government organ for the preservation of cultural relics - State Administration of Cultural Heritage.

Like Liu, there were 3,400 protectors across the country as of June last year, scattered in 404 counties along the 21,000 km of the Great Wall in China, according to the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.

Most of them are villagers who are familiar with local geographical circumstances and can be efficient in patrolling the Walls, said an official at the Relics Bureau of Chengde, surnamed Du.

About a year ago, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage started to issue official work cards to Great Wall protectors, a move that shows the importance the country is putting on preserving the cultural heritage.

"For regular patrol, the protectors are irreplaceable strength in protecting the Great Wall," said Gu Yucai, deputy head of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.

]]> 2017-05-11 13:32:47 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/10/content_29292758.htm ]]>Editor's note:

Nine years ago, the Wenchuan earthquake that left nearly 90,000 dead or missing killed many children in Yingxiu town. Some women who suffered the tragedy went on to become new mothers later. Here we take a look at some of them and their children.

Left photo was taken in 2013 and right in 2017. [Photos/VCG] Zhang Shijing, 42, Ming Jie, 7

Zhang lives at Yuzixi village in Yingxiu town. She lost a son in the earthquake. He was one of 29 students killed at Yingxiu Primary School. Zhang would sit by the mass grave near Yuzixi village for four hours every day for about two years. She began picking up her life once again only after she gave birth to Ming Jie.

Left photo was taken in 2013 and right in 2017. [Photos/VCG]

Li Xiuhua, 46, Deng Qiqian, 7

Li lost two daughters in the earthquake. Last year, her husband also died in an accident, and she had to close her inn in Yingxiu and move to Dujiangyan for work. In the morning, she first drops her daughter at school and then rushes to her employer's home for work. She picks up her daughter from school in the evening after her employer returns home. The life is tough, but the most difficult days ended when her little girl was born. She said her biggest wish is to bring her daughter up.

Left photo was taken in 2013 and right in 2017. [Photos/VCG] Cai Zhongyu, 44, Shen Qingsen, 6

Cai's family lives in Zhangjiaping village, and she lost her second daughter in the earthquake. Cai used to sell handmade insoles and scarves at the earthquake site of Baihua Bridge after giving birth to a son. But had to give up the work after mudslides occurred at her site. Now, Cai runs an inn with others in Yingxiu.

Left photo was taken in 2013 and right in 2017. [Photos/VCG]

Xia Gaozhen, 45, Wang Wenhao, 6

Xia lost a daughter in the earthquake. She now works on embroidery of Qiang ethnic group at an intangible cultural heritage exhibition hall in Yingxiu. Xia has her daughter's photos in her mobile phone, and looks at them frequently.

Left photo was taken in 2013 and right in 2017. [Photos/VCG]

Cheng Liangfang, 48, He Meilin, 6

Cheng lost her second daughter in the earthquake. Her eldest daughter got married this year, and her third daughter is still at a kindergarten in Yingxiu. A large photo frame, with images of the couple and their three daughters, is placed by the TV.

Left photo was taken in 2013 and right in 2017. [Photos/VCG]

Chen Xiurong, 41, Xu Jianle, 7

Chen lost a daughter in the earthquake. As a tour guide, Chen wears colorful clothes of Qiang ethnic group every morning as she waits for tourists at the exit of highways. She is still unable to hold back her tears when tourists ask her about the earthquake's impact on her. Neighbors say the little girl looks like her lost daughter, and Chen believes the daughter is still with them.

Left photo was taken in 2013 and right in 2017. [Photos/VCG]

Li Zecui, 46, Dong Xiuli, 7

Li lost a son and a daughter in the earthquake. Li blow-dried the daughter's hair and tied up braids for her before a recent performance at school. The girl loves singing and dancing, and Li would like to make her dream come true. Li thinks having the little girl is God's gift.

Left photo was taken in 2013 and right in 2017. [Photos/VCG]

Shang Xingping, 40, Wang Yuxuan (daughter), 8, Wang Ziqian (son), 6

Shang lost two sons in the earthquake. Shang tells others that she has four children, and two are not by her side. Before the earthquake, the lively two sons created a happy life for the family that neighbors admired in Yingxiu. Now the daughter and the son also have brought joy. Shang said whether the children are good in studies or not is not as important as leading a safe and healthy life.

Left photo was taken in 2013 and right in 2017. [Photos/VCG]

Sun Guo Zhang, 46, Yuan Shiyi, 6

Sun lost a son in the earthquake. Sun never thought she would get pregnancy again. And the daughter has brought back her smile. Sun now runs a small shop. The family is not well off financially, but the couple offers the daughter the best they can.

Left photo was taken in 2013 and right in 2017. [Photos/VCG]

Pan Dongqun, 43, Ye Fukang, 7

Pan lost a son and a daughter in the earthquake. Pan moved to Dujiangyan after the earthquake. The little son likes playing around. Pan had to shout for the boy to return at meal time. Worried about his safety, Pan told him many times and even beat him. Only when Pan was about to cry, the son admitted his fault.

Left photo was taken in 2013 and right in 2017. [Photos/VCG]

Liu Anfang, 46, Liang Jiaxin, 7

Liu lost a daughter in the earthquake. She earned a certificate for senior embroiderer some years ago and works at a factory, having a monthly salary of more than 2,000 yuan ($289.6). Liang is a student at the first grade of primary school. She likes to tell her mother about the interesting things at school. The family lives a satisfactory life.

Left photo was taken in 2013 and right in 2017. [Photos/VCG]

Wang Xiuqun, 47, Li Xueqi, 7

Wang lost a son in the earthquake. Though the mass grave of victims is not far away, Wang did not visit it in the first years after the earthquake, because she could not bring herself to see him buried there. The daughter brings joys to the mother and neighbors. Wang likes to take the daughter with her even at work.

]]> 2017-05-10 13:46:36 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/10/content_29292743.htm ]]>

Volunteers wave after they enter the experiment module at the Lunar Palace 1 laboratory at Beihang University in Beijing, May 10, 2017. [Photo/Asianewsphoto.com]

A ceremony marked the beginning of the Lunar Palace 365 program as volunteers on Wednesday entered an experiment module, the Lunar Palace 1 laboratory at Beihang University in Beijing.

The volunteers will use the Lunar Palace 1 laboratory to carry out a 365-day higher closure comprehensive experiment of bioregenerative life support system with more participants than in an experiment in May 2014. At that time, it took 105 days to complete China’s first long-term high closure integrated experiment.

Eight postgraduate students at Beihang University in Beijing are divided into two groups to enter the module by turns and complete the experiment.

Bioregenerative life support technology is the most advanced closed-loop life support technology in the world and also is one of the 10 key technologies regarding the future of manned deep space exploration at a moon base and Mars base.

Xu Huibin, president of Beihang University, waves to the volunteers inside the capsule at the university in Beijing, May 10, 2017. [Photo/Asianewsphoto.com] Four volunteers make a vow before they enter the experiment module at the Lunar Palace 1 laboratory at Beihang University in Beijing, May 10, 2017. [Photo/Asianewsphoto.com] Volunteers work inside the experiment module at the Lunar Palace 1 laboratory at Beihang University in Beijing, May 10, 2017. [Photo/Asianewsphoto.com] Volunteers pose for a photo before having dinner inside the experiment module at the Lunar Palace 1 laboratory at Beihang University in Beijing, May 10, 2017. [Photo/Asianewsphoto.com] This illustration shows the Lunar Palace 1. [Photo/Asianewsphoto.com]

]]> 2017-05-10 20:22:59 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/08/content_29258180.htm ]]>

The exhibition hall in the Tsinghua University Art Museum. [Photo by Li Wenrui/chinadaily.com.cn]

The opening ceremony of the touring exhibition "From Monet to Soulages: Paths of Modern Western Painting (1800-1980)" as well as the 2017 Croisements ("crossing") Festival kicked off on May 6 at the Tsinghua University Art Museum.

As the most important foreign cultural festival in China, the Croisements has attracted nearly 15 million attendees since it first began. This year, art, music, theater, dance, film and literature activities will be held in over 30 cities across the country.

"Culture plays a vital role in boosting Sino-France relations," Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, the French ambassador to China said. "The Croisements Festival enters its 12th year in 2017, referring to a sense of maturity and the completion of a cycle symbolized by the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac."

"Mutual learning and communication will promote the cultural prosperity of China and France," Feng Yuan, the curator of Tsinghua University Art Museum said. "Chinese artists have been gaining inspiration from western paintings during cultural exchanges, which will go a long way with developing Chinese modern art."

The exhibition presents Western art from the beginning of the 19th century to the second half of the 20th century, gathering pieces by Gustave Courbet, Claude Monet, Henry Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Jean Dubuffet and Pierre Soulages.

51 paintings from the collection of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Saint-Etienne Metropole will be on display covering impressionism, symbolism, cubism, surrealism and abstract art. This is the first time any of these artworks have been exhibited in the Chinese mainland.

The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Saint-Etienne Metropole, known for its collection and display of Western contemporary art, has over 20,000 pieces of art.

The exhibition is divided into six sections to show the confrontation and evolution of different artistic styles.

The artworks are displayed at the Tsinghua University Art Museum in Beijing, followed by the Chengdu Municipal Museum and Wuhan Art Museum.

If you go:

May 7 – August 31. Tsinghua University Art Museum, 30 Shuangqing Road, Haidian district. 010-6278-1012

Ticket: 20-60 yuan ($3 - 9)

Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, the French ambassador to China, delivers the opening speech. [Photo by Li Wenrui/chinadaily.com.cn] A visitor looks at a two-sided oil painting. [Photo by Li Wenrui/chinadaily.com.cn] A visitor takes a picture of Pablo Picasso's Still Life with Jug, Glass and an Orange. [Photo by Li Wenrui/chinadaily.com.cn] Visitors savor the renowned Water Lilies by Claude Monet. [Photo by Li Wenrui/chinadaily.com.cn] Visitors appreciate Yves Tanguy's Hands and Gloves. [Photo by Li Wenrui/chinadaily.com.cn]

]]> 2017-05-08 16:14:02 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/08/content_29258179.htm ]]>

The 5th "Sharing the Beauty: Latin American Contemporary Art Exhibition" opened at the art gallery of the China Millennium Monument in Beijing. [Photo/cri.cn]

The 5th "Sharing the Beauty: Latin American Contemporary Art Exhibition" opened at the art gallery of the China Millennium Monument in Beijing. The event is co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture of China, embassies of Argentina, Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico and Uruguay.

From paintings to installation works, the 74 pieces of artworks on display include the creations of Latin American artists like Pedro Cuevas, Rodrigo Escobar-Vanegas, Ismael Rodríguez, Voroshilov Bazante, and Rita Fisher.

"Sharing the beauty in order to achieve grander beauty," Zhai Yude, deputy director of Foreign Cultural Communication Bureau of the Ministry of Culture said. "China will further deepen the cooperation with Latin American countries, foster open dialogues between the two cultures and enhance mutual understanding among our peoples."

The exhibition will continue till May 10, 2017.

 

 

]]> 2017-05-08 15:56:40 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/04/content_29210355.htm ]]>

A young girl at her hair-pinning ceremony. [Photo/VCG]

National Youth Day, a holiday established by the government in December 1949, is celebrated on May 4 every year. The definition of youth, however, varies from nation to nation. In China, for instance, adulthood for both men and women starts at the age of 18.

By the time most Chinese people reach 18, many have graduated from high school and are preparing for university. So, an individual's 18th birthday generally transforms into a celebration of both adulthood and of the college life which lies ahead.

But this 18-year milestone was not always the case. Chinese ancestors became adults at different ages and stages.

Males in ancient China officially became adult at 20 and females at 15. And big ceremonies were held to mark this "passage to adulthood", with some events tracing their roots to over 2,00-year-old history.

Li Ji, or Book of Rites, a collection of texts describing the social norms, administration, and ceremonial rites of the Zhou Dynasty (c.11 century-256 BC), said the ceremonies signaled the entry of young people into adulthood, their right to get married and their duty to share family responsibilities. Only after the ceremony, the young people could be called "adult ".

For women, the ceremony was called ji li, or hair-pinning ceremony. In the ancient times, only girls from noble families could hold this ceremony. Often the ceremony was held when a girl turned 15 and was engaged, but sometime the function was postponed to her wedding day.

The character "ji" refers to a kind of bamboo-made hair pin. Before the ceremony, a girl would tie her hair in a bun on the top of her head. During the rite, the master of the ceremony would put a hair pin on a girl's beautifully decorated bun, that signaled she was now an adult. The master was often a highly respected married woman and a girl's relative.

These noble women also needed to learn how to be wives after the ceremony. The learning included the proper way to speak and dress and also needlework.

Compared to the simple ceremony for females, the rites, guan li (capping ceremony) for men were more complex.

Before the rite, a boy's family often chose a lucky day and invited many guests. The parents of the male, a master of the ceremony, and an assistant all attended the event. The boy took a bath, had his hair done and then waited in a room.

At the start of the ceremony, the boy's father would give a brief speech first and the boy would come out to meet the guests. Then master would wash hands and put fu tou, a kind of head cap wore by ancient Chinese men, on the boy's head. Then the boy would go back to the room to change into another costume to match the color of the head cap. After that, he would come out and the master would give him a hat. The boy would again go back to the room and change into a dark colored costume for adult men to match the hat. After giving a salute to all the guests, the boy would officially become a "man".

As a key component of Confucian rites, both ceremonies formed the "four rites" along with marriage ceremonies, mourning rites, and sacrificial rituals.

 

A man at his capping ceremony. [Photo/VCG] Hair pins used by ancient Chinese women. [Photo/artron.net]

]]> 2017-05-04 15:27:48 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/04/content_29210354.htm ]]>

Chinese violinist Gao Can [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chinese violinist Gao Can made his debut at the Berliner Philharmonie on May 3, playing pieces that included the Violin Sonata in A Major by Cesar Franck; Violin Sonata No 7 in C minor by Beethoven; 6 Sonatas for Solo Violin by Eugene Ysaye and Carmen Fantasie by Franz Waxman.

He also put three Chinese works on his program list, including Zhou Long's Taiping Drum, Li Zili's The Fishermen's Harvest and Sha Mukun's Pastoral Song, all of which were performed for the first time at the venue.

Born in Chongqing, Gao started studying violin at 4 and came to Beijing to study at the affiliated school of the Central Conservatory of Music under music educator Lin Yaoji.

In 2008, while studying at the Central Conservatory of Music, Gao, 28 then, went to the College-Conservatory of Music of University of Cincinnati as a visiting scholar and later taught there.

Now, besides teaching both at the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati in the US and the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, he also performs internationally.

Chinese violinist Gao Can [Photo provided to China Daily]

]]> 2017-05-04 13:43:50 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/03/content_29192569.htm ]]>

A pregnant woman is having sonogram. [Photo/VCG]

A hospital in Beijing has been ordered to pay 40,000 yuan ($5,800) as compensation for the birth of a disabled baby, after a series of uncertain prenatal checkups, according to The Mirror, a local newspaper on Monday.

The Changping District Court ruled that the hospital, the name of which was not revealed to the public, did not clearly inform the pregnant woman, surnamed Gao, that ultrasound tests were not always 100 percent accurate. Therefore, the hospital should pay 40,000 yuan to cover the costs of bringing up a disabled child.

Gao underwent six ultrasound scans prior to delivery in the hospital in 2012, with all scans showing the fetus was in good condition. However, Gao found her baby's fingers were not developed on its right hand when she gave birth in 2013.

Along with her husband, Gao took her case against the hospital to the Changping District Court, saying the hospital had neither fulfilled its responsibility to make correct antenatal diagnoses or give sufficient medical care. In court, Gao also claimed that the hospital had violated her reproductive rights.

Responding to the accusations, the hospital defended itself by saying that the failure to detect the child's disability was caused by the ultrasound device being incapable of detecting the fingers undeveloped.

However, an appraisal done by the Institute of Forensic Medicine and Science in Beijing refuted the hospital's argument, which says ultrasound technology is likely to detect deformities in the hands or feet of fetuses, but results can be affected by the limitations of some devices.

Having looked up Gao's medical record, the Changping District Court judged the hospital did not fulfill its duty to let the patient know the potential risks that the machine might not be completely accurate, and did not let the patient sign any consent form before accepting the tests. Therefore, the hospital should be liable over its faults in carrying out the ultrasound scans, and pay child support to the couple.

]]> 2017-05-03 09:52:19 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/03/content_29192482.htm ]]>

A person poses next to an aquatic mural in Dianzizhang village, in Shanghe county of Jinan, capital city of East China's Shandong province. [Photo by Zhang Ming/chinadaily.com.cn]

A village at Shanghe county of Jinan, capital city of East China's Shandong province is getting more visitors thanks to lifelike 3D paintings on almost every household's wall.

The 3D murals in Dianzizhang village feature animals, fairies and historical-themed paintings. They have been welcomed greatly by local residents, especially children.

With a total population of 355, Dianzizhang village has 32 people who are now living in poverty.

Since 2016, the local tourism authority has been putting efforts into developing the village into a rural tourism destination in a bid to lift the villagers out of poverty.

A person poses in front of a mural. [Photo by Zhang Ming/chinadaily.com.cn]

Children pose in front of a mural. [Photo by Zhang Ming/chinadaily.com.cn] A person poses in front of a mural. [Photo by Zhang Ming/chinadaily.com.cn] A person poses in front of a mural. [Photo by Zhang Ming/chinadaily.com.cn] Children pose in front of a mural. [Photo by Zhang Ming/chinadaily.com.cn] A person poses in front of a mural. [Photo by Zhang Ming/chinadaily.com.cn] A person poses in front of a mural. [Photo by Zhang Ming/chinadaily.com.cn] A person poses in front of a mural. [Photo by Zhang Ming/chinadaily.com.cn] People pose in front of a mural. [Photo by Zhang Ming/chinadaily.com.cn] Villagers dance through the main street. [Photo by Zhang Ming/chinadaily.com.cn]

]]> 2017-05-03 16:50:59 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/02/content_29173702.htm ]]>

Poster for the film River. [Photo/tibetcul.com]

Tibetan film Cao Yuan de He, or River, premiered in Tokyo, Japan on April 29. This is the first Tibetan language movie to be publicly released abroad.

Directed by Sonthar Gyal from Qinghai province, the film focuses on the relationships between members of a small Tibetan family. The movie is told from the perspective of a little girl Yangchen Lhamo. She keeps on asking her parents questions and misunderstanding their answers. Losing her parent's love because of a newborn baby is the girl's deepest fear.

The film was selected for the Generation section of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival in 2015 and won four nominations at the First National Film Festival.

Gyal wanted to let the world know the real life of Tibetan people through films.

"Different people have different ways to express their emotions and feelings. Since film is a common language, I can use it to present a real Tibetan life. The outside world has given Tibetan people too many tags that are not totally true," Gyal said.

The film will be shown in 11 cities in Japan until June 9, including Osaka, Nagoya and Kobe.

]]> 2017-05-02 15:10:32 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-05/02/content_29173701.htm ]]>

The annual Art Beijing, which is running at the National Agriculture Exhibition Center, has developed into a local, affordable fair with more space devoted to little-known, homegrown galleries, an increased presence of design art and more works by young artists. Photos by Li Shanxian/For China Daily and Provided to China Daily

In the wake of competition from Hong Kong and Shanghai, the 12-year-old Art Beijing fair seeks its own niche with affordable fine art, Lin Qi reports.

Art Beijing, the capital city's long-standing art fair, opened its preview day on Saturday, the hottest April day Beijing has experienced in 66 years. The annual fair that's open at the National Agriculture Exhibition Center until Tuesday attracted fewer VIPs－collectors, dealers and artists eager to have the first glance－for the preview than usual.

The absence of several prominent international galleries' branches in Beijing and a lack of blue-chip works caused a lower attendance of regular visitors.

In its 12th year, Art Beijing has developed into a local, affordable fair. In past years, there were a number of international galleries and pricey works by top-notch artists. This year, there is more space devoted to little-known, homegrown galleries, an increased presence of design art and more works by young artists.

Art Beijing has faced intensified competition since 2013, when the prestigious art-fair brand Art Basel inaugurated its show in Hong Kong, reinforcing the city's status as Asia's art-market capital.

Shanghai was catching up quickly with the launch of Art 021 Contemporary Art Fair in the same year and West Bund Art & Design fair in 2014. Both boast a prominent international presence in terms of galleries and artists. Strong sales were achieved: Transactions exceeding 1 million yuan ($145,100) were not uncommon.

The annual Art Beijing, which is running at the National Agriculture Exhibition Center, has developed into a local, affordable fair with more space devoted to little-known, homegrown galleries, an increased presence of design art and more works by young artists.

Exhibitors adopt a different strategy at Art Beijing. They offer a lot of moderately priced works to attract middle-class buyers.

Dong Mengyang, director of Art Beijing, says the most popular works are generally between 100,000 yuan and 200,000 yuan.

Xia Jifeng, director of Hive Center for Contemporary Art and a regular participant, agrees. Xia, who also chairs Beijing Gallery Association, says works within the price range normally sell quickly at his booth. He says he doesn't bring works that are priced in millions of yuan because "it would be difficult to find buyers" at the fair.

The Hive Center has operated a space in Beijing's 798 art district since 2008 and just opened a space in Shenzhen in March. At Art Beijing, it's showing some 20 figurative and abstract works, mostly by artists in their 20s and 30s. They are priced at no more than 700,000 yuan.

He says five works, including a painting by 41-year-old Tu Hongtao priced at 600,000 yuan, sold shortly after the preview began at 2 pm, and buyers include both familiar and new faces.

He adds that collectors today pay more attention to artists' painting techniques, and they make quick decisions on buying.

The annual Art Beijing, which is running at the National Agriculture Exhibition Center, has developed into a local, affordable fair with more space devoted to little-known, homegrown galleries, an increased presence of design art and more works by young artists.

Giving more exposure to young artists, he says, means more works are offered at affordable prices. That also will attract young collectors, who may thereafter establish a long-term relationship with the artists and the gallery and later mature to become serious collectors.

Xia says the fair has cultivated an increasing number of local "art consumers" who purchase artworks for home decoration. He adds that they spend on original works with investment potential, instead of cheap reproductions from wholesale bases like Shenzhen's Dafen Village.

"People want to learn how to appreciate a quality piece of art," he says.

"Meanwhile, the population of 'professional' collectors (who travel extensively at home and abroad to buy art) is growing, too, and is getting younger."

Art Beijing launched a "Design Beijing" section in 2015 to add appeal to ordinary audiences. French luxury brand Lalique has brought works of its Lalique Art division to the fair for the third consecutive year. It doesn't exhibit in an area dedicated to design art but rather at the fair's main hall for contemporary- and classic-art galleries.

It shows vases and ornaments, including an artist collaboration collection designed by the late Iraqi-born British architect Zaha Hadid.

The annual Art Beijing, which is running at the National Agriculture Exhibition Center, has developed into a local, affordable fair with more space devoted to little-known, homegrown galleries, an increased presence of design art and more works by young artists.

Roger Von Der Weid, Lalique's managing director, says it is seeking collaboration with various Chinese and Japanese artists. "Our goal is to present some Chinese artworks, maybe next year or the year after, to develop our art business around the world, particularly in China."

Art Beijing's evolution has drawn criticism from regular visitors, who believe that a good fair not only sells as many works as possible but also provides some quality works that compete fiercely for the attention of discerning collectors.

Wang Ji, a Beijing collector, has visited Art Beijing for years. He says a lot of works on show are "too decorative" and lack the depth that will grab him for a second look. He says the best works to be seen are by master artists at the booths of Poly and Council auction houses that will be auctioned at upcoming sales.

Huang Xi, who visited Art Basel Hong Kong in March, says it sets a good example of how an high-end art fair has benefited not only rich collectors but also the residents. She says Art Basel has helped to create an atmosphere of appreciating art not only inside the venue but also outside, in the grassroots communities of Hong Kong.

"People buy tickets and bring their children. They want to see good works by good artists of the world, presented by leading international galleries, even though they may not be able to understand the works or afford them.

"The expansion of Art Basel to Hong Kong provides a good chance for mainland art fairs to learn to be more professional. It is not to simply cater to people's tastes. More importantly, it is to show them from the beginning what is the best."

The annual Art Beijing, which is running at the National Agriculture Exhibition Center, has developed into a local, affordable fair with more space devoted to little-known, homegrown galleries, an increased presence of design art and more works by young artists. The annual Art Beijing, which is running at the National Agriculture Exhibition Center, has developed into a local, affordable fair with more space devoted to little-known, homegrown galleries, an increased presence of design art and more works by young artists. The annual Art Beijing, which is running at the National Agriculture Exhibition Center, has developed into a local, affordable fair with more space devoted to little-known, homegrown galleries, an increased presence of design art and more works by young artists.

]]> 2017-05-02 07:17:40 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/30/content_29151271.htm ]]>

People wearing cartoon costumes take part in a parade of the 13th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, April 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Performers take part in a parade of the 13th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, April 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] People greet a cartoon character during a parade of the 13th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, April 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Kids perform Chinese folk story Romance of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai during a parade of the 13th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, April 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] People wearing cartoon costumes take part in a parade of the 13th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, April 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Performers wearing cartoon costumes take part in a parade of the 13th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, April 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] People wearing cartoon costumes take part in a parade of the 13th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, April 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Performers wearing cartoon costumes take part in a parade of the 13th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, April 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] A foreign performer wearing costumes takes part in a parade of the 13th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, April 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-04-30 10:32:05 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/30/content_29151270.htm ]]>

A visitor watches the wood carvings at a cross-strait craftwork expo held in Putian, Southeast China's Fujian province, April 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Visitors view craftworks at a cross-strait craftwork expo held in Putian, Southeast China's Fujian province, April 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Visitors buy pottery products at a cross-strait craftwork expo held Putian, Southeast China's Fujian province, April 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Visitors view wood carvings at a cross-strait craftwork expo held in Putian, Southeast China's Fujian province, April 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Visitors view ceramics at a cross-strait craftwork expo held in Putian, Southeast China's Fujian province, April 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] A visitor takes photos of wood carvings at a cross-strait craftwork expo held in Putian, Southeast China's Fujian province, April 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Visitors view pottery products at a cross-strait craftwork expo held in Putian, Southeast China's Fujian province, April 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-04-30 09:18:45 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/26/content_29101269.htm ]]>

Scooter that Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck rode in the 1953 film Roman Holiday. [File photo]

To faithful fans of Audrey Hepburn, the scooter she rode with Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday still looks stylish today.

Now, the scooter has come to China and is being showed at an exhibition Serie Fuori Serie at the National Museum of China. Opened from April 26, the exhibition features 210 works from 98 Italian designers.

The showpieces were divided into 11 sections according to design to allow people to take in the modern look, historical development and philosophy of Italian creativity.

Recognized as a world leader in design, Italy is home to a series of famous designers and fashion houses, such as designer Ettore Sottsass and brand Gucci and Max Mara. With continuous new expressions, the country's designs are based on classic elegance and modern creativity. They could be displayed in a museum and turn heads on the street at the same time.

Huang Zhenchun, deputy director of the museum said the exhibition provides a platform for cultural exchange between the two nations. The designs from Italy may provide some inspiration to Chinese designers.

The exhibition will run until July 25.

An exhibition Serie Fuori Serie featuring 210 Italian designs was held at the National Museum of China in Beijing on April 25. [Photo/art.china.cn] An exhibition Serie Fuori Serie featuring 210 Italian designs was held at the National Museum of China in Beijing on April 25. [Photo/art.china.cn] An exhibition Serie Fuori Serie featuring 210 Italian designs was held at the National Museum of China in Beijing on April 25. [Photo/art.china.cn] An exhibition Serie Fuori Serie featuring 210 Italian designs was held at the National Museum of China in Beijing on April 25. [Photo/art.china.cn] An exhibition Serie Fuori Serie featuring 210 Italian designs was held at the National Museum of China in Beijing on April 25. [Photo/art.china.cn]

]]> 2017-04-26 14:11:12 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/26/content_29101268.htm ]]>

Brown sugar and ginger tea, which was often used by the Empress Dowager Ci Xi of the Qing Dynasty, is released by the Palace Museum in Beijing, April 23, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Royal food from the Forbidden City is now available for purchase at Tmall, a major Chinese online marketplace, as a part of new steps for the Palace Museum to develop its cultural creative products.

A food tasting event was held at the Baoyun Building in the Palace Museum on Sunday. During the event, the museum announced that its flagship food store "Regard from the Emperor" is officially available online at Tmall, and a series of food made according to ancient recipes during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) are now on sale.

The food products are innovatively themed on the 24 Solar Terms, or the ancient classics. For example, a porridge powder made of lotus seed and ingredients from traditional Chinese medicine is inspired by the 24 Solar Terms. Cookies were created based on the ancient book Hai Cuo Tu, which contains pictures of more than 300 types of deep sea creatures, as drawn by Qing Dynasty painter Nie Huang, along with a record of their biological habits.

Furthermore, the brown sugar and ginger tea, which was often used by the Empress Dowager Ci Xi of the Qing Dynasty, and the Chinese chestnut favored by Emperor Qianlong can also be purchased at the flagship store. Foods served in the palace are always made from high-quality ingredients. For example, the ginger is from the high mountains in Yunnan province, which is organic, and the chestnuts are from Yanshan Mountain in Hebei province, which is where royal chestnuts were grown during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties.

According to Lou Wei, the deputy curator the Palace Museum, the food are all created and produced by time-honored brands like Shou Quan Zhai, and marks an attempt to combine China's traditional food culture with people's online shopping habits.

Chinese chestnuts are released by the Palace Museum in Beijing, April 23, 2017. [Photo/VCG] A food tasting event is held in the Palace Museum in Beijing, April 23, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Diverse kinds of palace food are released by the Palace Museum in Beijing, April 23, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-04-26 13:21:49 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/25/content_29085204.htm ]]>

Gao Junying, 62, shows her 3-meter-long hair on a river in Weihai, East China's Shandong province, April 23, 2017. Gao has kept her hair for 29 years. [Photo/VCG]

Gao Junying, 62, shows her 3-meter-long hair. [Photo/VCG] Gao Junying, 62, shows her 3-meter-long hair. [Photo/VCG] Gao Junying, 62, shows her 3-meter-long hair. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-04-25 07:51:54 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/25/content_29085200.htm ]]>

A Tibetan farmer is seen on his way home after work in Nyantok village of Menba township of Nyalam county, Tibet autonomous region. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

Reconstruction work in the Tibetan villages damaged by a 2015 earthquake in Nepal should be completed this year, according to the Xigaze city government.

Eighteen counties in the Tibet autonomous region were affected when a magnitude-8.1 earthquake struck Nepal on April 25, 2015, with Nyalam, Gyirong, Dingri and Dinggye the worst hit.

"More than 300,000 people (in Tibet) were affected, and more than 11.1 billion yuan ($1.61 billion) has been invested in reconstruction projects," said Basang, vice-mayor of Xigaze, which borders Nepal.

The projects include residential building reconstruction and infrastructure projects related to energy, water conservation, transportation, education, healthcare, cultural heritage and religious sites.

"The reconstruction of 163 villages and 32 special towns is in progress. All villages will have access to basic infrastructure and public services," Basang said.

He said the government also has invited industries to be based in the villages to help provide jobs for residents.

Lhakpa, 73, lives in Gyirong county's Ta village, where most houses either collapsed or were damaged in the 2015 quake. The government agreed to build new homes for all families, and most have now moved into their new homes.

"I never dreamed I would live in such a new house. The old house was uncomfortable in comparison, but it was all I knew," Lhakpa said.

In her old home, the family kept sheep and cows in the yard. It was untidy and smelly, especially in the summer, she said, adding that the animals are kept further away at the new house.

"I want to thank the government. The new house is big and bright, and each family member has their own bedroom," she added.

Nyalam was one of the most severely affected counties, with more than 3,500 collapsed or damaged houses, and a direct economic loss of about 2.8 billion yuan.

Nyima Gyalpo, 40, whose house in Nyantok village was damaged in the quake, said his family moved into a new home built by the government in October.

"We're pleased to live in the new house. We have also asked the local government to add a yard," Nyima Gyalpo said.

"In addition to the new houses, the government is building roads to our village, and all families will soon have running tap water. I want to thank to the government for providing us with a new life."

A Tibetan woman makes yogurt in front of her new home in Nyantok village of Menba township of Nyalam county, Tibet autonomous region. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

A view of newly constructed houses and an eight-kilometer-long under-construction road in the Ta village of Gyirong county, Tibet autonomous region. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

Penpa Dekyi, an evacuee of the Dram township of the Nyalam county, runs a Nepalese-Indian shop with help from local government. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

Primary students in Ta village of Gyirong county, Tibet autonomous region. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

Residents affected by the quake move into new houses built by the government in Ta village of Gyirong county, Tibet autonomous region. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

The scenery of Ta village in Gyirong county after reconstruction of houses. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

Tsamcho, a villager of the Ta village in Gyirong county in her new house built by the government. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

]]> 2017-04-25 11:39:05 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/24/content_29066720.htm ]]>

Readers deliver an excerpt from Dishes on Plate, a winner of a 2017 Wenjin Award, on Sunday.Zhang Yuwei / Xinhua

High-quality books on traditional Chinese culture are being revitalized, judging from the results of the 12th annual Wenjin Awards, China's national-level comprehensive book award to encourage public reading.

The results were released on Sunday, which was World Book and Copyright Day.

Awards from the National Library of China were given to 10 winning books from about 80 finalists chosen by 14 top librarians and scholars. Several preliminary rounds involving media and libraries nationwide whittled down a field of 1,800 books that were published in China last year.

The award, usually excluding novels, has three categories: humanities, popular sciences and children books. Half the winners this year deal with different aspects of traditional Chinese culture - ancient music, architecture, philosophy, astronomy and food.

"Only three winners were translated," said Wang Yusheng, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who has been a judge for the award since 2006. "That shows that the quality of Chinese books is improving."

He said the mixing of social and physical sciences is a trend this year, and the winning children's books were suitable for adult readers.

"Many good children's books have been introduced into China from other countries in recent years. They helped broaden people's horizons and inspired our writing," said Yu Hongcheng, author of the award-winning Dishes on Plate.

"However, it worries me that Chinese children may not have enough self-confidence from a cultural perspective when exposed to a market dominated by translations."

That concern encouraged her to create the picture book, which traces Chinese agrarian culture - starting with rice, a foundation of Chinese cuisine.

Another winner, Xu Gang, author of the popular science book Empire of the Stars, said: "Western signs of the zodiac are popular in China. People sometimes forget that we have our own ancient astronomy."

He added that the old system remains a crucial element in understanding traditional Chinese culture.

"Traditional Chinese culture is often explained in misleading ways," said Lou Yulie, author of winner The Basic Spirit of Chinese Culture. "What matters is not the accumulation of knowledge, but how to use it in modern life. Reading helps this."

"The award strives to stay away from market performance," said Zhou Guoping, a philosophy professor and a judge for the Wenjin Awards. "Reading good books should be pure process."

]]> 2017-04-24 07:42:57 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/24/content_29066719.htm ]]>

Qi Laolao, 64, comes to a fair market to get his mother home using a handcart in Hanyang township, Yongji city in North China's Shanxi province, April 22, 2017. The mother, 84, sells home-produced goose eggs in the market. Qi, who is single, has been living with her since his father died about a decade years ago. [Photo/VCG]

Qi's mother shows a hen's egg and a goose's the family's homebred poultry have produced. [Photo/VCG] Qi Laolao gets his mother home using a handcart. [Photo/VCG] Qi says hi to acquaintances on his way home, who praise him as a good son. [Photo/VCG] Qi Laolao gets his mother home using a handcart. [Photo/VCG] Qi's mother feeds gooses discarded vegetable leaves from the market. She picked those leaves and brought them home. [Photo/VCG] Qi's mother puts the eggs in a bucket carefully. She will sell them when the market opens next time. [Photo/VCG] Qi's mother washes clothes. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-04-24 09:17:32 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/22/content_29048689.htm ]]>

Guests enjoy a calligraphy show at United Nations Chinese Language Day celebration in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 19.[Photo/Xinhua]

"If you can speak Chinese and can write Chinese characters, you can get to know China better," Stephen A. Orlins, an expert on US-China relations, said on Thursday.

Joining UN staff members celebrating the Chinese Language Day, Orlins, who is president of the National Committee on US-China Relations, made the remarks in Chinese at the UN headquarters in New York.

The UN Chinese Language Day has been observed annually on April 20 since 2010 to celebrate the language's overall contribution to the world and to encourage more people to take it up.

This year's celebration includes a calligraphy exhibition by Pang Zhonghua, a well-known pioneer of hard-nib calligraphy in China, martial arts performances and a showcase of cultural customs of the Qiang ethnic group mainly living in China's southwestern province of Sichuan.

The event also provided UN staff members with an opportunity to try Chinese calligraphy with traditional brush, ink and paper.

Martijn Dalhuijsen, a UN staff member who has been learning Chinese for four years, wrote the two characters of the word "China" on a piece of xuan paper, a specially made soft paper used for painting and calligraphy.

Dalhuijsen, who is from the Netherlands, said he has learned traditional Chinese calligraphy through the UN's Chinese language program, and gained a better understanding of Chinese culture in the process.

When he began learning calligraphy, he rushed to write with brush and ink, but his teacher taught him to calm down and meditate for a while before starting to write, Dalhuijsen recalled.

With "peace in (the) heart," the characters can be written more beautifully, he said.

"I have learned much better to appreciate both the meaning and the etymology of the characters," Dalhuijsen said of the importance of writing Chinese in the correct stroke order.

The chosen date for the Chinese Language Day is related to a legend of Chinese characters, too.

Every year, the celebration is held roughly at the same time in April around guyu, which literally means "rain of millet," referring to the sixth of the 24 solar terms created by ancient Chinese to carry out agricultural activities. Chinese people celebrate the day in honor of Cang Jie, a mythical figure who is presumed to have invented Chinese characters about 5,000 years ago.

Legend has it that when Cang Jie created the characters, the deities and ghosts cried and it rained millets.

Nowadays, the Chinese language is the most spoken language around the world. More than 1 billion people speak it as their mother tongue, which means one person in six in the world communicates using Chinese.

Xinhua

 

 

]]> 2017-04-22 06:56:39 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/22/content_29048688.htm The ongoing exhibition on Chinese dance history at the University of Michigan (UM) in the midwest US city of Chicago not only illustrates postwar Chinese dancing, but also tells a different collection story.

The show, held at the UM Hatcher Graduate Library, draws from a wealth in the UM Chinese dance collection, which owes most to a Chinese dance researcher, and a librarian who is meanwhile a performing arts fan.

While the show Chinese Dance: National Movements in a Revolutionary Age, 1945-1965 presents China's dance culture and history in that specific time frame, the exhibits - photos, periodicals, books, performance programs, postcards and mimeographs, among others, mark an intensive and joint efforts over more than three years by Emily Wilcox and Liangyu Fu.

Wilcox, a UM assistant professor, is one of the researchers in the field of Chinese dance studies based in the United States. Over the past decade, She traveled to China for 11 times, visiting Chinese artists' homes, scanning 1,500 rare photos, and recording 300-hour-long interviews with Chinese dancers and choreographers.

It was a lunch chat in the fall of 2013 that gave the origin of the UM Chinese dance collection.

Fu proposed that they work together to create a Chinese dance collection in the library during the meal she invited Wilcox for.

Being then a newly come librarian for China studies, Fu was keen to add a distinction to the collections at the UM Asia Library. As a performing arts fan and someone fascinated by preserving ephemeral materials, Fu was thrilled to learn that Chinese dance is an emerging area for studies.

What's more, the area combines her personal interest with Wilcox's research.

At the same time, being a dancer herself, Wilcox was overjoyed with the idea of having a permanent home for the research materials she had collected for years.

Thanks to their joint efforts, the UM Chinese dance collection now archives more than 1,500 photos scanned from personal collections of leading Chinese dancers in the 1940s, the 1950s and the 1960s, as well as more than 1,000 books, periodicals, photo albums, performance programs, postcards, mimeographs and manuscripts related to Chinese dance during those times.

None of the individual dancers and choreographers Wilcox has selected for the archive hasn't had an impact on the history of Chinese dance. Prior to the creation of the UM collection, there was no well-documented history of their artistic careers in English.

According to her, a feeling of urgency prompted Wilcox to work to preserve as soon as possible their memories, as the Chinese artists were mostly in their seventies or eighties, and some passed away.

The eldest Chinese dancer Wilcox interviewed for the archive is Sheng Jie. Wilcox said that although Sheng was over 90 of age, she could still recall vividly her dancing performances during World War II, which would often be disrupted by Japanese bombings.

Shu Qiao, who played the role of the female heroine in famous dance drama Dagger Society in 1959, impressed Wilcox most.

Shu is also one of the first prominent female choreographers of the Chinese classical and contemporary dance drama.

"I really enjoyed meeting Shu Qiao in person, I went to her apartment in Shanghai couple (of) years ago. I was just so shocked because she was already in her eighties, she just looked like a young person. She smoked all the time. She lived alone. She cracked jokes. She has a great personality," Wilcox told Xinhua.

"We had a really fun time talking all the afternoon in her apartment," she said.

On her part, Fu has amassed more than 1,000 items for the UM Chinese dance collection.

One of the interesting parts of the collection, Fu said, is that many things evidenced cultural exchanges between China and the rest of world in the 1950s and the 1960s, times that many people regard as a seclusive period for China.

"As a native Chinese, I didn't even know there were so many international exchanges in the field of performing arts (during that period) until I started collecting the performance programs," Fu told Xinhua. "They challenged a stereotypical view on that time period."

The performance program display at the current UM show unveils that between 1949 and 1965, state-sponsored Chinese dance delegations visited 53 countries, ranging from Hungary, Poland and Syria to Ghana, Colombia and Brazil. And vintage postcards in the 1950s and 1960s show trips of dance troupes from such countries as Yugoslavia and Britain to China.

Xiaobing Tang, a UM professor of modern Chinese studies, deemed the UM Chinese dance collection as invaluable resources for those who are interested in Chinese culture or dance and performance arts, for academic purposes or not.

Whatsoever, it is now the dream of both Wilcox and Fu to make the collection a world-class one.

Xinhua

]]> 2017-04-22 07:10:10 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/21/content_29035731.htm ]]>

Pei Haozheng's work. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Pei Haozheng from Huazhong Agricultural University amazed audience by his paper art works. The 21-year-old started to learn origami at 11. Now he has won a bronze prize at the International Origami Internet Olympiad.

He said although the art looks easy, it is extremely difficult, especially to create new paper works.

"It often takes several days to finish a work, but the designing part can take a month or longer," Pei said.

 

Pei Haozheng's work. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Pei Haozheng's work. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Pei Haozheng's work. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Pei Haozheng's work. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Pei Haozheng's work. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Pei Haozheng's work. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Pei Haozheng (right). [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

]]> 2017-04-21 15:28:02 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/21/content_29035730.htm ]]> 

Books published by Zhonghua Book Company. [Photo/amazon.cn]

This year World Book Day lands on April 23. To those faithful book lovers, publishing houses are an important element to consider when purchasing books. China has many distinguished publishing companies, and here are five famous for their books and national influence.

Zhonghua Book Company

Originally based in Shanghai, Zhonghua Book Company was established in 1912 and moved to Beijing in 1954. As early as 1937, the company has had 1,000 employees. It specializes in publishing ancient books and classics, such as 13 important Buddhist texts.

Books published by SDX Joint Publishing Company. [Photo/amazon.cn]

SDX Joint Publishing Company

SDX is the abbreviation of the names of three companies established in the 1930s in Shanghai: Shenghuo Book Store, Dushu Press and Xinzhi Book Store. After 1945, the three joined forces and SDX Joint Publishing Company was created in Hong Kong. In March of 1949, the publishing house moved to Beijing. It has published many works by Chinese intellectuals for over half a century.

Books published by People's Literature Publishing House. [Photo/amazon.cn]

People's Literature Publishing House

The publishing house was established in 1951 in Beijing. Writer Zheng Xuefeng was the first general director and chief editor. It aims to publish distinguished Chinese and foreign literature classics.

Books published by YiLin Press. [Photo/amazon.cn]

YiLin Press

In 1988, YiLin Press was established based on an editorial department of the journal YiLin. It mainly publishes popular literature from foreign countries.

 

Dictionaries published by The Commercial Press. [Photo/amazon.cn]

The Commercial Press

Established in Shanghai in 1897, The Commercial Press moved its headquarters to Beijing in 1954. The publishing house is well-known for its dictionaries. China's first modern lexicographical work Ci Yuan, was published by The Commercial Press.

 

]]> 2017-04-21 13:39:05 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/18/content_28985055.htm ]]>

Maxime and Lise discuss the route for cycling in China after fixing their tandem bicycle at Beijing Capital International Airport, April 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Maxime and Lise, a young French couple, are ready to travel across China from Beijing in North to Yunnan province in Southwest on a tandem bicycle in a bid to encourage green travel.

Maxime, 26, works helping herdsmen better raise and take care of their dairy cattle, while his wife Lise, 26, is a speech-language pathologist. The two like sharing their travel stories on Facebook to advocate green travel.

"We choose a tandem bicycle because it makes it easier to communicate with each other about beautiful landscapes we come across during the journey. Besides, bicycling is an economic and environment-friendly way of traveling in comparison to using motors, vehicles and so on," the couple said in a letter to a photographer.

The two said the aim of their journey is to get locals' good ideas on topics such as health, economy, biology, agriculture and politics.

They said they chose to visit China because they often talked about how much of the country is very competitive in developing renewable energy resources.

"We know China is a densely-populated country and will be the leader of the global economy in the future. We want to get a better understanding of the country and its residents. We love the country," they said.

 

Maxime poses with the couple's tandem bicycle at Beijing Capital International Airport, April 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Lise pumps up a flat bicycle tire at Beijing Capital International Airport, April 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Maxime and Lise fix their tandem bicycle at Beijing Capital International Airport, April 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Lise sticks a flag on the bicycle with tape at Beijing Capital International Airport, April 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Maxime adjusts the handle bars of the bicycle at Beijing Capital International Airport, April 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Maxime and Lise pack their luggage at Beijing Capital International Airport, April 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Maxime and Lise pose for a photo at Beijing Capital International Airport, April 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Maxime and Lise fix their tandem bicycle at Beijing Capital International Airport, April 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Maxime and Lise begin their cycling tour in Beijing, April 17, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-04-18 15:14:44 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/18/content_28985054.htm ]]>

An emotional reunion between Wu Jiayu and her long, lost brother Wu Jiayan on CCTV program Waiting for Me broadcast on April 16, 2017. [Photo from web]

A woman in Central China's Hubei province has been reunited with her younger brother, 27 years after he was taken at a railway station and trafficked.

The siblings were reunited on CCTV program Waiting for Me on Sunday ending years of searching which even included getting a DNA test using a sample from their deceased parents.

Current technology is not able to identify relatives using only their own DNA sample. It's the first time in China that DNA taken from the grave has successfully helped connect family members who have lost contact.

In the television program, based on seeking long lost relatives or friends, 31-year-old sister Wu Jiayu said in tears: "My brother, I finally found you. I will take you to the grave of our parents, telling them that you are back. Now they can rest in peace without any regrets."

Wu went missing in the summer of 1990 at Wuchang Railway Station when he was just 2 years old. Wu's father had been planning to take the two children to visit their mother who worked in North China's Shanxi province.

The parents quit their job and left their daughter with her grandparents to hit the road and search for their son.

They traveled many places and wrote of their heartbreak.

"My dear son Yanyan, I have dreamt about you all the time. Where are you indeed? My dear Yanyan, please remember mom's face. Mom is determined to find you," Wu Jiayu read from one of her mother's diaries on the show.

They tried to find their trafficked son for two years, but when their search efforts failed, the couple's grief overwhelmed them and they commit suicide.

Though Wu Jiayu lost her parents at the age of 6, she knows well her parents' unfulfilled wishes. She has kept her parents' diaries and continued to look for her brother.

"Though parents left us forever, our home won't vanish with them," she said.

In 2015, she uploaded her DNA information into the public security official website for locating trafficked or missing children.

Meanwhile, her brother Wu Jiayan, who had been renamed Lin Yihui after being trafficked to East China's Fujian province, was suspicious about the differences in appearance between him and his sisters in the new family. At almost the same time as Wu Jiayu, he added his DNA profile to the site.

Due to the technology barrier, Wu Jiayu faced great ethical pressure as she decided whether to retreive DNA from their parents buried long ago.

With the help of local police, the deceased couple were identified as the birth parents of Lin, the long-disconnected son of the Wu family.

]]> 2017-04-18 15:54:16 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/17/content_28967777.htm ]]>

Tianzhou 1, China's first cargo spacecraft was moved to its launch site at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainanprovince on Monday morning.[Photo provided to China Daily]

The rocket carrying China's first cargo spacecraft, the Tianzhou 1, was moved to its launch site at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province this morning.

The mission, to be carried out between Thursday and Monday, will mark the second launch of the new-generation Long March 7 rocket, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

Starting at 7:30 am, it took about two and a half hours to move the rocket and Tianzhou 1 to the launch site. Engineers will conduct final tests and fuel up the rocket, the agency said.

Tianzhou 1 was transported by sea to the Wenchang center from Tianjin, where it was built, in mid-February. After its launch, the spacecraft will dock with the Tiangong II space lab, which has been in orbit since September.

The cargo ship was developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and is 10.6 meters long and has a diameter of 3.35 meters. Its maximum takeoff weight is about 13 metric tons, which will enable it to carry nearly 6 tons of supplies.

The main goals of the mission are to supply fuel to Tiangong II and to test in-orbit refueling technologies, the agency said. In addition, the cargo ship will ferry more than 10 pieces of scientific equipment.

Tianzhou 1, China's first cargo spacecraft was moved to its launch site at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainanprovince on Monday morning.[Photo provided to China Daily] Tianzhou 1, China's first cargo spacecraft was moved to its launch site at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainanprovince on Monday morning.[Photo provided to China Daily] Tianzhou 1, China's first cargo spacecraft was moved to its launch site at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainanprovince on Monday morning.[Photo/VCG] Tianzhou 1, China's first cargo spacecraft was moved to its launch site at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainanprovince on Monday morning.[Photo provided to China Daily]   Tianzhou 1, China's first cargo spacecraft is moved to its launch site at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainanprovince on April 17, 2017.[Photo by Su Dong/Asianewsphoto] Tianzhou 1, China's first cargo spacecraft is moved to its launch site at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainanprovince on April 17, 2017.[Photo by Su Dong/Asianewsphoto] Tianzhou 1, China's first cargo spacecraft is moved to its launch site at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainanprovince on April 17, 2017.[Photo by Su Dong/Asianewsphoto] Tianzhou 1, China's first cargo spacecraft is moved to its launch site at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainanprovince on April 17, 2017.[Photo by Su Dong/Asianewsphoto]

]]> 2017-04-17 13:56:05 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/17/content_28967776.htm ]]>

Rescuers work at the accident site in Kaiyang county, Southwest China's Guizhou province, April 17, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] GUIYANG -- Thirteen people died and six were injured when a bus plunged into a river in Southwest China's Guizhou province Monday, local authorities said.

The accident occurred around 8:30 am in Kaiyang, an outer county of the provincial capital Guiyang, the county government said in a statement.

The 19-seat bus, traveling from Kaiyang to Weng'an county in Bouyei-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Qiannan, was carrying 19 people when it veered off a bridge on a provincial highway and fell into the river.

The injured are being treated in a local hospital.

Local police are holding several people in custody for questioning.

An investigation is ongoing.

]]> 2017-04-17 17:45:19 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/16/content_28950451.htm ]]>

Hairstylist Wang Xiaojiu makes hair paintings at his hair studio in Jilin, Northeast China's Jilin province, April 13, 2017. Wang Xiaojiu, a 32-year-old hairstylist, began making hair paintings since 2015. More than 150 works have been created by now. [Photo/Xinhua]

Hairstylist Wang Xiaojiu does hair for a customer at his hair studio in Jilin, Northeast China's Jilin province, April 13, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Hairstylist Wang Xiaojiu shows a painting made of hair at his hair studio in Jilin, Northeast China's Jilin province, April 13, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Hairstylist Wang Xiaojiu creates a painting made of hair at his hair studio in Jilin, Northeast China's Jilin province, April 13, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Combined picture shows hairstylist Wang Xiaojiu making a painting made of hair at his hair studio on April 13, 2017 (up) and some of his hair painting works (bottom) in Jilin, Northeast China's Jilin province. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-04-16 10:47:15 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/16/content_28950450.htm ]]>

 

People sprinkle water to each other to celebrate the water-sprinkling festival at a square in Jinghong city, Dai autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China's Yunnan province, April 15, 2017. People sprinkle water to each other to pray for good fortune during the traditional water-sprinkling festival, which is also the New Year festival of the Dai ethnic group. [Photo/Xinhua]

People sprinkle water to each other to celebrate the water-sprinkling festival at a square in Jinghong city, Dai autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China's Yunnan province, April 15, 2017. People sprinkle water to each other to pray for good fortune during the traditional water-sprinkling festival, which is also the New Year festival of the Dai ethnic group. [Photo/Xinhua] People sprinkle water to each other to celebrate the water-sprinkling festival at a square in Jinghong city, Dai autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China's Yunnan province, April 15, 2017. People sprinkle water to each other to pray for good fortune during the traditional water-sprinkling festival, which is also the New Year festival of the Dai ethnic group. [Photo/Xinhua] People sprinkle water to each other to celebrate the water-sprinkling festival at a square in Jinghong city, Dai autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China's Yunnan province, April 15, 2017. [Photo/VCG] People sprinkle water to each other to celebrate the water-sprinkling festival at a square in Jinghong city, Dai autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China's Yunnan province, April 15, 2017. [Photo/VCG] People sprinkle water to each other to celebrate the water-sprinkling festival at a square in Jinghong city, Dai autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China's Yunnan province, April 15, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] People sprinkle water to each other to celebrate the water-sprinkling festival at a square in Jinghong city, Dai autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China's Yunnan province, April 15, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] People sprinkle water to each other to celebrate the water-sprinkling festival at a square in Jinghong city, Dai autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China's Yunnan province, April 15, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] People sprinkle water to each other to celebrate the water-sprinkling festival at a square in Jinghong city, Dai autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China's Yunnan province, April 15, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] People sprinkle water to each other to celebrate the water-sprinkling festival at a square in Jinghong city, Dai autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China's Yunnan province, April 15, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

]]> 2017-04-16 07:01:34 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/12/content_28902417.htm ]]>

Xu Shiyou markets his balloons in Harbin, Heilongjiang province.Liu Yang / For China Daily As the weather warms, 80-year-old Xu Shiyou is finding it easier and easier to sell colored balloons outside a busy shopping mall in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province.

"In the past 10 days, I have been able to earn more than 100 yuan ($14.50) a day. During the three-day Tomb Sweeping Day holiday, I sold more than 100 balloons every day, which brought me more than 200 yuan," he said.

Xu needs the money to buy medicine for his 72-year-old wife, who has heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney stones. "She needs to take the medicine long term and it costs about 1,000 yuan a month," he said. "However, if her condition becomes serious and she has to got to hospital, the cost would be astronomical for us."

In order to save money, Xu buys the cheapest medicine he can for his own pulmonary emphysema, tracheitis and low blood pressure - only spending about 100 yuan per month.

In 2011, the couple moved to Harbin from a village in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, because they believed it would be easier to earn money in the metropolis. They now live in the same small house as their daughter, who doesn't have a steady job.

At first, Xu made money by collecting materials to be recycled. "But I became too old to carry those heavy materials, so I began to sell balloons around shopping malls and night markets in 2013," he said.

For a while he would earn no more than 50 yuan a day selling balloons, until a chance encounter that led to his story becoming widely circulated on social media,

"People have told me that they have come from far and wide just to buy my balloons after learning of my story through WeChat - some have even left me more money than the price of the balloon," Xu said.

"I remember talking to a young girl who looked like a college student at the end of March, she must have been the one who told others my story. I want to say thank you to her for her help, but I haven't seen her since."

Despite leaving home at 8 am every day and standing on the street for up to 12 hours, the smile rarely leaves Xu's face. He enjoys paying his own way, and refuses any help from his children.

"We have two sons and two daughters, but they are not well-off," he said. "Since I have the ability to be self-reliant, I don't want to become a burden on them."

Xu said the happiest thing in his life now is eating dinner with his wife each evening. "Every day my wife will wait for me to have dinner together - in the daytime, we worry about each other, but we can chat over dinner. It is the most wonderful time for us," he said. "We have been married for nearly 60 years and my wife has dedicated her most beautiful years to our family. Therefore, I should and will take care of her."

Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn

 

]]> 2017-04-12 06:49:19 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/12/content_28902416.htm ]]>

Photo taken on April 10, 2017 shows giant panda Xing Ya in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, Southwest China's Sichuan province. Two giant pandas Xing Ya and Wu Wen, left for the Netherlands on Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

A pair of Chinese panda cubs will arrive in the Netherlands on Thursday morning Beijing time and stay there for joint scientific research and breeding for 15 years.

Brought up in the base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in the Wolong National Nature Reserve in Wenchuan county, Sichuan province, Xing Ya, Male, and Wu Wen, female, are both 3 years and 8 months old.

They will board a Dutch plane in the Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, Sichuan province at 2:35 pm on Wednesday and arrive at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at 1:05 am on Thursday.

Xing Ya likes climbing trees while Wu Wen is gentle as a "girl," said Hu Zhengquan, a keeper in the panda center.

"Xing Ya has a big appetite and feasts on 40 kilograms of bamboo, 5 kg of bamboo shoots, 500 grams of carrots and 100 g of apples a day. He can finish his food long before WuWen," Hu said.

Both cubs will live in Ouwehand Zoo in Rhenen, a small city with about 20,000 people in the Netherlands.

Giant panda Xing Ya is transported in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, Southwest China's Sichuan province, April 11, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Dutch zoo, with nearly 500,000 visitors each year, has built the most luxurious panda house in history for the two cubs, according to Qiu Yu, a center representative.

With an investment of nearly 7 million euros ($7.43 million), the panda house named Pandasia covers 9,000 square meters and looks like an ancient Chinese palace. It consists of areas for the cubs to sleep and play, for their future babies to live and a clinic.

The two cubs' five Dutch keepers have been trained in the panda center. The pandas are sure to get used to their new home in the Netherlands, as the species has a strong ability to adapt to new environments, said Zhang Hemin, a leading panda expert in the center.

Residents of Rhenen are waiting eagerly for the arrival of the little superstars.

Cakes with the image of pandas and panda-shaped candies can be found in local pastry shops. Supermarkets and streets are decorated with panda dolls and posters.

"It is the first time two pandas will head for a foreign country from Wolong since the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008," Qiu said.

The magnitude 8.0 earthquake destroyed the base of his center in Wolong. The base has been rebuilt with financial support from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.

The center has established ties for research with 13 zoos in 11 countries, sending 28 pandas abroad, Qiu said.

Photo taken on Nov 2, 2016 shows giant panda Wu Wen in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, Southwest China's Sichuan province. [Photo/Xinhua] Photo taken on April 10, 2017 shows giant panda Wu Wen in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, Southwest China's Sichuan province. [Photo/Xinhua] Photo taken on April 10, 2017 shows giant panda Wu Wen in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, Southwest China's Sichuan province. [Photo/Xinhua] Photo taken on Nov 2, 2016 shows giant panda Wu Wen in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, Southwest China's Sichuan province. [Photo/Xinhua] Combo photos taken on April 10, 2017 shows giant pandas Xing Ya (L) and Wu Wen in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, Southwest China's Sichuan province. [Photo/Xinhua] Passports of giant pandas Xing Ya and Wu Wen. The two pandas will stay in the Netherlands for joint scientific research and breeding for the next 15 years. [Photo/Chinanews.com] Giant panda Xing Ya enjoys food while in quarantine at Wolong National Nature Reserve in Southwest China's Sichuan province, on April 10, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Giant panda Wu Wen walks while in quarantine at Wolong National Nature Reserve in Southwest China's Sichuan province, on April 9, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

]]> 2017-04-12 07:00:44 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/12/content_28902414.htm ]]>Beijing Mobike Technology Co Ltd, one of the leading bike-sharing companies in China, announced the launch of China's first urban mobility open research institute on Wednesday, in a move to promote the construction of smart cities in China.

Relying on Mobike's big data and artificial intelligence platform, the research institute will be backed by 11 institutions and organizations, including the Research Institute of Highway Ministry of Transport, Institute for China Sustainable Urbanization, Tsinghua University, College of Transportation Engineering, Tongji University and Beijing Municipal of City Planning and Design.

Mobike Chief Technology Officer Xia Yiping said the new institute will help the company gain more strength to drive innovations on urban computing.

"We will work closely with those top think tanks and institutes, exploring innovative ways for sustainable urbanization in terms of traffic management, driving green trips, urban planning and so fort

With the support of Mobike's big data and AI platform, "Magic Cube", the company is able to integrate and analyze hundreds of factors, such as geography, time, weather and capacity, to forecast the number of needed bikes in every specific location in the future, said Yin Dafei, chief scientist at Mobike Data Group.

"The platform will offer smart guidance for bike delivery, dispatch, operation and maintenance. Then we can offer better customer services," Yin said.

Mobike has deployed more than 1 million intelligent bikes for registered users from over 150 countries. It has provided over 400 million accumulated rides since its debut in 2016, according to company figures.

 

]]> 2017-04-12 20:58:47 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/07/content_28840995.htm ]]>

The grounds at Foxcombe Hall, built as a home in medieval style, include a woodland and a formal garden with decorative stone walls. [Photo/phbs.pku.edu.cn]

The first Chinese university to own an overseas branch school, Peking University will open its Oxford campus in 2018. The unprecedented expansion has drawn attention from foreign universities and media outlets, with many predicting that the move will promote Chinese academic influence around the world.

According to an official announcement released by Peking University in March, the university's HSBC Business School has acquired a medieval campus in Oxford from the Open University in Britain. This purchase marks the first independent attempt by a Chinese university to build and manage an overseas branch school. Peking University Oxford Center and Shenzhen Oxford Innovation Center will also be built in the near future to serve as a combined platform for innovation and international cooperation on higher education.

The bold move comes as the Chinese government steps up its efforts to build globally-renowned universities that lead the world in teaching quality and research. According to a blueprint released by Chinese authorities in 2016, the country has promised to allocate 2.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product for research and development by 2020, while several Chinese universities are expected to improve their global rankings to attract more talent.

Several foreign media outlets, including the BBC and The Guardian, have reported on the initiative. Some reports speculate that the bold step will improve Chinese universities' international reputation, while others worry that the new Oxford branch may push Chinese ideology on Western students.

In response to doubts, Hai Wen, head of HSBC Business School, told Southcn.com that the fast development of China's economy and scientific expertise means more and more Chinese universities will reach out to the world.

"Our overseas school will focus on China's finance and enterprise management. Foreign students will have the chance to study Chinese culture, economics and history, as well as to visit various enterprises and financial institutions in China. Such opportunities cannot be found in any other foreign universities," said Hai. Hai also noted that several foreign universities have shown great interest in the new Oxford campus, including Oxford University.

According to the official website of Peking University, the Oxford campus will start enrolling students in 2018, with a focus on recruiting students from the UK and other European countries.

 

]]> 2017-04-07 16:34:46 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/07/content_28840994.htm ]]>

China's 24 Solar Terms is a deeply rooted concept that encapsulates the essence of Chinese wisdom.

Now, they are coming alive.

Shi Changhong, a designer in Southwest China's Guizhou province, has re-produced and packaged the character, meaning and elements of each solar term into "moving art" in the form of GIFs.

"I hope that the public can get a better understanding of the 24 Solar Terms in a more plain and straight-forward way through my art and grasp the beauty of traditional Chinese culture," Shi said.

Related:

Special: 24 Solar Terms

]]> 2017-04-07 14:57:43 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/06/content_28825497.htm ]]>

A staff member shows one of the jewellery pieces to be displayed at the exhibition, titled Imperial Splendors: The Art of Jewellery since the 18th Century. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

The Palace Museum in Beijing is set to showcase a range of French jewellery at an exhibition, titled Imperial Splendors: The Art of Jewellery since the 18th Century, which will start on April 10. The display will be held at the tower gallery of the Meridian Gate (Wu Men) in the museum and will be open to the public until July 2, 2017.

More than 300 pieces of jewellery, paintings and various French artworks, from the late 18th century to the early 21st century, will be featured at the exhibition.

Palace Museum curator Shan Jixiang said the exhibition will be special as the artistry on show has been passed down from generation to generation, moving through social changes and fashion evolvement, and viewers will be touched by the "craftsman's spirit" in each piece.

Major exhibits will include the sword used by the Emperor of France, Napoleon, when he ascended the throne, and the diamond crown designed for Empress Marie-Louise, who was Napoleon's second wife and Empress of the French for four years from 1810.

One of the French jewellery pieces to be displayed at the Palace Museum in Beijing. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

One of the crowns to be displayed at the Palace Museum in Beijing. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

A staff member holds a jewellery piece ahead of the upcoming exhibition, Imperial Splendors: The Art of Jewellery since the 18th Century [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] A sword to be exhibited at the Palace Museum in Beijing, as part of the French-themed exhibition. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] Jewellery pieces will shine at the Palace Museum in Beijing. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] Staff prepare French pieces of artwork for the upcoming exhibition, titled Imperial Splendors: The Art of Jewellery since the 18th Century.[Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] The exhibition, Imperial Splendors: The Art of Jewellery since the 18th Century, will run from April 10 until July 2, 2017. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] The exhibition, Imperial Splendors: The Art of Jewellery since the 18th Century, will be held at the Palace Museum in Beijing. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum] Related: Beijing's Palace Museum launches exhibit on ancient Afghan civilization Palace Museum: Ancient cultural gems glow through modern creativity

]]> 2017-04-06 13:49:24 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/06/content_28825496.htm ]]>

Front cover of Death's End, a third novel in Chinese writer Liu Cixin's trilogy Remembrance of Earth's Past. [File photo]

The finalists for the 2017 Hugo Awards, which celebrate the year's best in science fiction or fantasy works, were announced online by Worldcon 75 on Tuesday.

Chinese writer Liu Cixin, who was the first Asian writer to win the award, was nominated again this year for Death's End, a third novel in his trilogy Remembrance of Earth's Past. Liu previously won the award in 2015 for the first book in the trilogy, The Three-Body Problem.

Experienced American science-fiction translator Ken Liu again helped Liu to translate Death's End, as he did on The Three-Body Problem. Ken Liu's English translation was considered a great contribution to Liu Cixin's Hugo-Award winning novel in 2015.

If Liu Cixin wins, Chinese writers will have been recognized by the world's highest sci-fic honor for three consecutive years, following Liu's Best Novel win in 2015 and Chinese writer Hao Jingfang's Folding Beijing as the Best Novelette award recipient last year.

The Three-Body Problem has witnessed great worldwide success and was welcomed by a number of celebrities all around the world, including former US President Barack Obama and George R. R. Martin, author of A Song of Ice and Fire.

The 2017 Hugo Award's final voting process begins this week, and the winners will be announced on Friday, August 11, 2017, at the Hugo Awards Ceremony in Helsinki, capital of Finland.

Related:

Award-winning sci-fi novel adapted for stage

Chinese sci-fi hits peak after success of Three-Body trilogy

]]> 2017-04-06 09:43:48 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/05/content_28792757.htm ]]>WUHAN - Central China's Wuhan has cooperated with a bike-sharing company to build a bike lane in the city to alleviate traffic jams caused by subway construction.

According to the city's traffic control bureau, it has chosen bicycle-sharing giant Mobike to help build a lane for the bikes and designated several parking points along the lane in the Nanhu area.

The bureau said usage of shared bikes has increased significantly, alleviating congestion in the area. The company and city will work together to expand the lanes to other areas.

In less than a year, the leading Shanghai-based bicycle-sharing platform has expanded its service to 36 Chinese cities, as well as Singapore, with over one million bicycles.

 

]]> 2017-04-05 01:54:26 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/05/content_28792756.htm ]]>JIUQUAN - Staff and students from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center honored aerospace martyrs at a cemetery in northwest China's Gobi Desert on Tomb Sweeping Day, which fell on Tuesday.

Sci-tech workers, students and staff of the center visited the Dong Feng revolutionary martyrs' cemetery and paid tribute to more than 700 people who devoted themselves to national defense and sci-tech projects.

Among them was Marshal Nie Rongzhen, who headed research on the country's first atomic bomb and satellite in the 1950s and 1960s.

The center has witnessed 24 firsts in the country's aerospace history, including the successful launch of its first man-made satellite and the first space lab.

Tomb-Sweeping Day, also known as Qingming Festival, is the most important occasion for Chinese to honor their ancestors. The three-day holiday lasts from April 2 to 4.

 

]]> 2017-04-05 00:25:56 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/03/content_28787657.htm ]]>Breaking into the music industry is a challenge for anyone, but British-Chinese composer Ruth Chan says she had more hurdles to jump than most.

Ruth Chan is a successful composer.

Chan has worked as a composer in film and TV and was an assistant to Oscar-nominated Italian film composer Dario Marianelli. After working on short films and fringe shows, she was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company to compose music for the contemporary reimagining of the classic 12th century tale, Snow in Midsummer. It was her first major commission.

"The play is in a very contemporary setting, so the RSC wanted a DJ as well as a composer for this," she said. "One scene is set in a club, we had a techno sound mixed with Chinese elements, such as Beijing Opera. It's a modern fusion and I used a Chinese instrument called an erhu and then used a distortion pedal to make it sound like Jimi Hendrix."

Chan praised the RSC for staging the show.

"There just isn't enough British-Chinese representation in the arts community. It feels as if we are invisible," Chan said. "But the RSC is taking big leaps to change this by casting a predominately East Asian cast."

Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare and home of the RSC, Chan began playing the piano at age 6. Her mother was from Hong Kong and her father from a village in Guangzhou province. Like many British Chinese, they earned their living by running a Chinese takeaway.

Chan recalled: "My parents weren't too keen on me taking up the arts as they wondered if working in this field would make enough money to survive."

She never did want to be a concert pianist, but studied music at Oxford University, where she specialized in orchestration and composition.

"After that, I did a post-graduate degree in composition for screen at the Royal College of Music in London," she said. "While some people accidently fall into this profession, it was something I wanted to pursue."

During her post-graduate course, she was hired as Marianelli's assistant.

"It was a great experience but I was assisting him with his work and I needed to get my own work out there," she said.

Chan started out taking on fringe projects, often for little or no payment.

"In theatre, as a British-Chinese it was very difficult to get a foot in the door, even in non-paid work," she said.

But opportunities came and she was commissioned by British East Asian production groups, including Yellow Earth Theatre and Chinese Arts Space.

"Everyone was in the same boat, so when these companies were given work, they gave me a job too," she said. "As an ethnic Chinese and also a female, it was a struggle to get noticed. I didn't know where to start and I didn't have the right connections, especially with my parent's background, I didn't have the networking or social skills to get into the industry."

Chan's next project is to write a piece for Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale.

 

]]> 2017-04-03 18:14:39 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-04/03/content_28787650.htm ]]>

A child with autism plays basketball in Shanghai on Sunday. CHINA DAILY The country's first basketball team established to help autistic children boost their interpersonal skills and become more integrated with society was founded in Shanghai on World Autism Awareness Day on Sunday.

Twelve children ages 8 to 12 formed the first group of players on the team, and monthly training will be organized for them by the Shanghai-based Children's Hospital of Fudan University, which set up the team.

All the players are boys and Wang Yi, vice-president of the hospital, explained the ratio of boys and girls suffering from autism spectrum disorder is roughly 4 to 1 and boys may be more inclined to sports activities, so their parents signed them up for the team.

China has more than 10 million children who have autism.

Their symptoms include differences and disabilities in areas including social communication skills, motor skills and sometimes intellectual skills as well as usual responses to sensory input, such as unusual sensitivity to sound and light, said Wang, one of the country's leading experts in this field.

She said sports such as basketball, jogging and swimming, are widely acknowledged ways to help autistic children relieve negative emotions and boost their communication skills and self-confidence.

Liu Siyuan, a physical education teacher at a kindergarten in Shanghai, was appointed coach of the team because of his patience and kindness to children.

"I found that they're interested in shooting hoops, but they can only stay focused for about 15 minutes.

"I hope the 12 children can form two small groups and play a game, with the assistance of volunteers, after exercising for some time," Liu said after an hour's training on Sunday.

The basketball team invites eligible autistic children around the country to join in.

 

 

Children with autism play basketball in Shanghai on Sunday. CHINA DAILY

 

A child with autism plays basketball in Shanghai on Sunday. CHINA DAILY

 

A child with autism plays basketball in Shanghai on Sunday. CHINA DAILY

]]> 2017-04-03 06:32:20 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-03/30/content_28747075.htm ]]>

Look at the cute piggy! A cloned pig met the public for the first time in Shenzhen Wildlife Park in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on March 27. The pig, called "GHR cloning pig", is a miniature version of a real pig, and was cloned by Shenzhen Huada Gene Research Institute (BGI) - a world leading genomics research center based in Shenzhen. The park signed a deal with China National GeneBank (CNGB) on Monday to offer strong support to the development of the genetics industry in the country. CNGB, as the country's first national gene bank, was officially put into use in 2016 and is operated by BGI. It is also the world's fourth national-level gene bank. The other three are in the US, Europe and Japan. [Photo by Huo Jianbin/VCG]

The cloned pig (left) goes for a walk on March 27, 2017. [Photo by Huo Jianbin/VCG] The cloned pig (left) stands guard as the real pig answers nature's call March 27, 2017. [Photo by Huo Jianbin/VCG] The cloned pig (left) goes for a walk on March 27, 2017. [Photo by Huo Jianbin/VCG] The cloned pig (left) and the real pig are seen in this photo taken on March 27, 2017. [Photo by Huo Jianbin/VCG]

]]> 2017-03-30 09:51:05 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-03/30/content_28747070.htm ]]>

Chinese actor Lu Yi plays a leading role as an anti-graft official in the TV drama In the Name of the People, built around a fictional corruption case. [Photo/China Daily]

Novelist and scriptwriter Zhou Meisen, 61, has been keeping a close watch in the past few years on news of China's intensified anti-graft drive.

A 56-episode TV series adapted from his latest novel, In the Name of the People, began airing Tuesday on the satellite channel of Hunan TV and video-streaming sites. It is to continue nightly, at least until May 1.

The drama, with an ensemble cast led by veteran actors Lu Yi and Zhang Fengyi, is built around a complex corruption case brought to light by conflicts at a factory in a fictional province.

The novel has been called groundbreaking for depicting a high-level functionary, a deputy State-level official, as a villain.

"As a writer, you should dare to delve into rarely touched sides (of anti-corruption campaigns). Otherwise, you lose the trust of your readers and audience," Zhou said.

The author has some familiarity with officialdom. He was a deputy secretary-general in the city government of Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, in the mid-1990s. He said friends still in that world have helped him write about it.

"I've never considered corrupt officials as demons. They are human. I try to explore their inner conflicts after they fall from high positions," Zhou told Beijing News.

He gained initial fame with his 1983 novella The Sinking Land, and became one of the best-known Chinese writers on the political ecosystem.

But dramatic productions dealing with corruption dropped off the screen starting in 2004 with a change in government policies, dissuading Zhou.

Now, the genre has been revived with the intensified determination of China's central leadership to crack down on corruption, starting with the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012.

Fan Ziwen, deputy director of the Supreme People's Procuratorate's Film and Television Center, repeatedly visited Zhou, persuading him to pick up his pen again in the genre in early 2015.

Zhou visited a prison in Nanjing to interview inmates and also talked to police and procurators who dealt with corruption cases.

Li Lu, an award-winning director, worked on the series with Zhou, who wrote the script. Li convinced investors to agree to a budget of up to 120 million yuan ($17.4 million), double the typical cost of modern dramas.

 

]]> 2017-03-30 06:47:32 http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-03/29/content_28730451.htm ]]>

Two visitors wearing traditional Chinese headgears pose for photos at the "Chinese Headgear in Brussels" photography exhibition in Brussels, Belgium, on March 28, 2017. Chinese artist Guo Dongbo and French artist Benoit began a project in 2015 by taking pictures of people in Brussels wearing traditional Chinese headgears in daily life. The photography exhibition will last until April 21. Headgear is a folk prop used in festive celebrations in China. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese artist Guo Dongbo (L) and French artist Benoit pose for photos at the "Chinese Headgear in Brussels" photography exhibition in Brussels, Belgium, on March 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

A girl puts on a traditional Chinese headgear at the "Chinese Headgear in Brussels" photography exhibition in Brussels, Belgium, on March 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

A visitor wearing a traditional Chinese headgear poses for a photo at the "Chinese Headgear in Brussels" photography exhibition in Brussels, Belgium, on March 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Visitors look at a photograph at the "Chinese Headgear in Brussels" photography exhibition in Brussels, Belgium, on March 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

A visitor takes a photo of a piece of work at the "Chinese Headgear in Brussels" photography exhibition in Brussels, Belgium, on March 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] ]]> 2017-03-29 11:18:17