A Chinese Farmer Grows Ball-like Gourds as Olympic Gifts

July 17, 2008 marked the 88th birthday of Juan Antonio Samaranch, former president of the International Olympic Committee, On July 18,Zha Taishan, a farmer from Wuwei, northwest Gansu Province of China, with the coordination through China Collectors Association, went to Samaranch＇s residence in Barcelona, Spain to celebrate his birthday. Zha offered Samaranch three gourds in the shape of the football, the basketball and the volleyball respectively as his birthday gifts. With seven years of special care and growth, these gourds are innovative products that have obtained six national patents. When he presented the gifts to Samaranch, he felt so excited that he couldn＇t help shedding tears. At the very moment when he hugged with Samaranch, Zha forgot all the hardship and difficulties he had experienced in the past seven years.     

A Hard and Lofty Mission—— The Translation and Publication of the Japanese Edition of ＂ The Panorama of the Great Wall＂

In November 11, 2003, the renowned Chinese writer Zhou Erfu, at age 83 and in the advanced stage of cancer, strenuously wrote a letter to his Japanese friend Yi Kenichiro, inquiring about the translation and publication of the Japanese edition of his novel ＂The Panorama of the Great Wall＂ which reflects the whole period of the Chinese people＇s anti-Japanese war from 1937 to 1945. Yi Kenichiro, with a medium-sized figure, gentlemen-like appearance and unswerving disposition, is a Japanese professor expert in Chinese literature and language. He was then busy with his teaching work and the translation of the Japanese version of Zhou＇s novel. Receiving Zhou＇s letter, he fell into a sad mood and hoped Zhou could be recovered soon and live up to the day when the whole novel was published in Japan.     

Painting and Erasing: A Way of Self Cultivation and Purification

Bian Qing has developed a painting method of his own.He first paints on a canvas with ink so that it is filled with unique black images.These images feature distinctive characteristics.They can be perceived as concrete objects,vague landscapes or simply color blocks with no significant meanings.Then he paints on the canvas with light pigments repeatedly until the original ink images become almost invisible,or in other words,to an extent that he is satisfied with.The original ink images are so blurred and     

Porcelain Collector and Expert Sun Yingzhou

Born of a peasant family, he grew up from an apprentice to a successful antique dealer and great expert in cultural relics. He lived an austere and thrifty life but generously donated all his collections totaling thousands of pieces of ancient treasure to the state. It even took nearly two months for museum staff to inventory his donations, among 25 pieces are identified as state level-A antiques.     

Pinwheels Bring Happiness

Liang's lifetime has been dedicated to pinwheel making and it is said pinwheels that he has crafted can make a hill if put together. Thanks to his pinwheel makers' family and his disposition to have fun, pinwheels have been with Liang in all his life. Liang was born in a family of pinwheel makers in the eastern suburb of Beijing in the early 1930s. Pinwheels that Liang's family made were quite popular in neighborhoods and during the Spring Festival Liang's grandfather sold pinwheels in a tem…     

The Sun Chaser on the Great Wall

It is not dasy to find free time for an interview with ShiXiaotan.especially during the summer vacation when he is even busier than usual.Shi Xiaotan is a teacher at Beijing Post and Telecom University and likes to spend his free time on his favorite hobby-photography.or be more precise.taking pictures of the Great Wall.You may call his dorm room a studio because apart from daily necessities.it is full of photo equipment such as enlargers.knives chemical botties pictures.photography magazines.and of course.a computer.     

A School on Roof

March 23, Wednesday, Wuhan. It was a raining and cloudy day. One month passed but still more than 20 students had yet registered in Lingzhi Elementary School in Jianghan District, Wuhan, capital city of central Hubei Province. Zhu Zhongfan habitually looked out to the stairway of the building. “Whenever a new semester begins, a dozen of students will not come. They either go back to their hometowns or transfer to other school or even drop out.” Zhu, 49 years old, is the headmaster of the school. He began teaching at 19 and founded this school in 1999. Currently, there are 406 registered students, most of which are children of migrant workers from the countryside. As it is extremely hard to find a cheap place for school, Zhu had to locate his school on the roof of a vegetable fair building. Everyday, student‘s reciting of textbooks mixes with shouting of vendors, orchestrating unique symphonic melodies.     

A Master Scholar in His Nineties Cherishes Higher Aspirations

Ji Xianlin, a master scholar at age 95, has dedicated his whole life to the study of Oriental cultures. He is expert in not only modern Western languages but also a number of ancient Oriental languages such as Sanskrit, Veda, Pall, ancient Indian and Tochafian languages. Thanks to his outstanding achievements in Oriental studies and his ＂Collected Works of Ji Xianlin＂ totaling more than lO million Chinese characters, Ji has been reputed as ＂national treasure＂. In his nineties, Ji spends every minute in doing research work, even when he is now nursed in the hospital ward.     

Homesickness in an Idealist＇s Brushwork--Review on the Chinese Paintings of Jing libin

In our time, Jing libin is distinguished. As long as one sedates immersing himself into Libin＇s paintings, he＇ll be touched, When the hubbub night-clubs were stirred with star stripdancers, Jing libin＇s small gallery laid quiet in the outskirt, waiting for white-collar gentlemen to come. He agrees with ＂art copies time but beyond＂. In a long continuous advocating of simple lifestyle, he founded his niche in a pure courtyard with no many commercials. All his endeavors are thanksgivings.     

Art Brings Us Together

uring his short stay in Chengdu, I was lucky to catch a chance of meeting Mr. Lee Paoltmg, Secretary-General of the Sculptural Association of Taiwan. The main purpose of his trip was to invite some sculptors from Mainland to attend an intemational camp of iron A sculpture in Taiwan nextyear. Continually surrounded by various disturbing noises, he impressively remained calm and quiet. There＇s something elegant and sophisticated in his charm of manner. Mr. Lee appeared to be a real gentleman -- modest, kind, considerate and extremely polite. Standing in front of his unfinished work, a distorted, twisted and screwing.up banana, at a very simple roadside workshop, he spoke in his soft tone, in an absolutely undemonstrative way, ＂I am stable exteriorly but interiorly I am not.＂ —— Perhaps, that makes sense.     

Protect Ancient Books to Carry Forward Chinese Civilization

As one of the oldest civilizations in the world, China boasts numerous ancient books which have not only witnessed the evolution of Chinese culture but also sustained the spirit of Chinese nation. However, a large number of existing ancient books, due to lack of efficient protection, are now aging, being destroyed or even lost. It is an urgent task for the government to rescue and protect those valuable ancient books in a comprehensive manner.[第一段]     

Ceramic Artist Gao Feng：In Pursuit of Glory of Life

In the beginning of his career, Gao Feng served as an apprentice in a ceramic workshop, doing errands for his masters. With several months of practicing and training, he acquainted himself with every process of ceramic making and developed interest in this profession dealing with clay and fire, One year later, he was transferred to the ceramic studio of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. At that time, except Jingdezhen and a few other ceramic sites in frontier areas, the technique of ceramic throwing had been generally replaced by machine molding and infilling.     

Ding Xiaoyang： Let＇s Make More DVs

On May 9,2004, Ding Xiaoyang‘s DV work “W2‘s Last Summer“ won“The Best Documentary“ at the 11th Film Festival for University Students in Beijing. “I attended the festival on the behalf of myself.“ declared Ding Xiaoyang. Nevertheless, the senior of Sichuan University majoring in directing has actually brought honor not only to himself, but also to his university, and even the city of Chengdu.     

The Modern Artistry of Ting Shao Kuang

TING Shao Kuang,a Chinese-American artist,is famousfor his modem heavy-colorpainting.Born In Chenggu County,Shaanxi Province,in 1939,he stu-died sketch and watercolor In themiddle school attached to the Cen-tral Academy of Fine Arts from1955 to 1957 in Beijing,then en-tered the Central Institute of Artsand Crafts to study decorative paint-ing,graduating in 1962 with excel-lent grades.During his study in theinstitute he won the appreciation ofnoted artists Zhang Ting,ZhangGuangyu and Pang Dongqin andwas deeply influenced by their theo-ry of color and line.The sevenyears‘training laid a solid founda-tion for his art career.     

Wu Guangzhong：A Legend of the Art Market

A Leading Artist in the Art Market Wu Guanzhong is a big name in the history of Chinese contemporary art.In 1978, he held his first solo exhibition in the then Central Institute of Art and Design at age 59. Since then, he has amazed the art market with one miracle after another.     

The Handshake Across the Vastest Ocean of the World—The Exhibition of Journeys to Peace and Cooperation

““““““““““““““““In July 1971, my father Richard Nixon, the then U.S. President, declared that he would visit China at the invitation of Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai of the People‘s Republic of China. The news astonished the world and changed the direction of history, because since 1949, the United States had had no diplomatic relations with the People‘s Republic of China. It was difficult for most people to believe that these two countries could overcome the ideological and political disparities to come together. On February 21, 1972, when my father set out on his journey for peace, he was very excited. As he stepped out of Air Force I, he decided to stretch out his hand first to Premier Zhou Enlai before he set on Chinese soil.““““““““““““““““- Julie Nixon Eisenhower, daughter of former U.S. President Richard Nixon     

Bai Ming Patches Up Fragments of Civilization

In the 1980s, he exchanged his grandfather＇s curio collections for a color TV set, a refrigerator and a cassette recorder, the three popular luxuries of the time. He called himself a ＂spendthrift＂ of his family then. In the 1990s, he dug for ceramic fragments in the demolishment site in Ping＇an Avenue and therefore gained the nickname ＂Fragment Bai＂. In 2000, he co founded ＂Mu Ming Tang＂, a museum to display ancient ceramic fragments, and obtained a new title,     

French Choreographer Roland Petit： I Have Deep Affection for China

Though in his eighties, he soon became energetic when entering the rehearsal room. His sharp eyesight and high-spirited gestures impressed all in presence. He used his heart to create immortal dances that are cherished as valuable asset of the mankind.     

Beauty of Ice and Snow on Canvas

Late September 2006, at the invitation of the Cultural Ministry of Belarus, a four-person delegation from northeast China＇s Heilongjiang Province visited Minsk, capital city of Belarus, to present China Ice and Snow Painting Exhibition at Belarus National Museum of History and Culture as part of China Culture Day co- sponsored by the cultural ministries of the two countries. The exhibition displayed 54 painting masterpieces by Yu Zhixue, founder of ice and snow painting, and his students. All the maior media organizations in Belarus reported the exhibition and Belarus Culture Daily gave an exclusive interview of Yu Zhixue. The Deputy Cultural Minister of Belarus was so impressed by the painting styles of Yu that he shook Yu＇s hands excitingly and highly praised Yu＇s works. A renowned Belarus painter said that ＂Trees with Crystal-White ice＂, donated by Yu to Belarus National Museum of History and Culture, would become an everlasting memory of the city of Minsk.     

The Moving Forbidden City： Hu Xiaodan＇s Creative Fashion Works

At Dusseldorf Fashion Exposition in Germany in 1996, the only invited Chinese designer Hu Xiaodan captured attention of world top designers with his creative and exquisite production of Forbidden City attires and was considered the world‘s most avant-garde designer of the year. For the first time,Chinese national flag was raised at this world-class exposition to honor the accomplishments of Chinese designers and fashion creations.