The Art of Bookplate in China

A bookplate is usually a small print or decorative label pasted to a book to indicate its owner. As a form of higher art, bookplates are praised as ＂gems on paper＂ or ＂pearls in print＂. First appearing in the 1 5th century, bookplates are collected as timehonored artworks. In Europe, collecting and appreciating bookplates is recognized as one of qualifications for intellectuals. In China, bookplates have gained increasing popularity among collectors thanks to the upgraded aesthetic level of Chinese people.     

Facelift of Ningbo＇s Bund

“Bund” derives from an Anglo-Indian word for an embankment along a muddy waterfront. In the late 19^th century after Shanghai was forced to open to Western colonists, the Bund became the site of some of the earliest foreign settlements and now is known as one of the most recognizable architectural symbols of Shanghai. But the Bund is not a feature exclusive to Shanghai. Similar styles of architecture also appear in other coastal or river cities in China, such as Wuhan,Guangzhou, Chengdu and Fuzhou.     

TEMPLES OF MATSU IN GUIZHOU

Matsu, or the Goddess of Sea is widely worshipped in coastal areas of China and temples are built in these areas to enshrine statues of Matsu or Heavenly Queen. But it is quite interesting that there are quite a few Matsu temples in the inland province of Guizhou. Among these temples, the Heavenly Queen temple in Zhenyuan County is the largest, best-preserved and finest-built one and proclaimed as a site under the province-level protection.     

Ou-style Embroidery： Part of Brilliant Chinese Traditions

Wenzhou, located in the southeast province of Zhejiang, is known as a ＂hometown of craftsmanship＂, with such distinctive folk craft arts as Ou-style embroidery, Huangyang wood carving and fine-patterned paper carving. Ou-style embroidery is indigenous to the valley of the Ou River in Wenzhou, celebrated as a unique craft art of Zhejiang. This type of embroidery is highly decorative with distinctive local characteristics.     

Facelift of Ningbo''''s Bund

"Bund" derives from an Anglo-Indian word for an embankment along a muddy waterfront. In the late 19th century after Shanghai was forced to open to Western colonists, the Bund became the site of some of the earliest foreign settlements and now is known as one of the most recognizable architectural symbols of Shanghai. But the Bund is not a feature exclusive to Shanghai. Similar styles of architecture also appear in other coastal or river cities in China, such as Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Fuzhou. And few people know that Ningbo Bund even enjoys a much longer history than Shanghai Bund. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Ningbo was a starting point of the Silk Road on the sea and one of the three major foreign trade ports; the other two were Yangzhou and Guangzhou. In the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Ningbo, Guangzhou and Quanzhou were the     

A Mysterious Blue Box：＂Water Cube＂ for Beijing Olympics

The National Aquatics Center, or more popularly known as ＂Water Cube＂, stands on the opposite of ＂Bird＇s Nest＂ in the Olympic Green. This miraculous building features a mysterious transparent blue appearance and an innovative structure, perfectly mixing architectural concepts and cutting-edge technologies. Based on the traditions of Chinese culture and architectural design, Water Cube stands out in a simplistic and streamlined form, creating a harmonious co-existence with Bird＇s Nest while distinguishing itself from the grandeur of the latter. The building＇s design is inspired by the traditional concept of Chinese philosophy, ＂integral unity and harmony between the round heaven and the square earth＂, which are respectively represented by Bird＇s Nest and Water Cube. While meeting functional needs for international competitions, this square blue box is considered an outstanding example integrating traditional culture with modern functional facilities.     

Chinese Fengshui and Architecture

In 1996, Southeast University opened courses on architecture and fengshui and the textbook Basics of the Book of Change compiled by Prof. Li Shicheng from the Physics Department of the university was widely received. In big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, it has been a public secret today that geomancers are invited to practice geomancy when a real estate development project is launched, a new shop is opened, or someone rents or buys an apartment. From September 9 to 11, 2…     

New Name Card for an Old City：The Suzhou Library

At the mention of Suzhou, people usually think of bridges spanning flowing water, elegant classical gardens, rich Wu culture, soft silk, a unique dialect, and even poems of the Tang Dynasty. All these characteristics are like name cards of the city, precisely identifying this special place. The 21st century has added a new name to the list, the Suzhou Library, which stands as a perfect blend of modern technology and traditional architectural design.     

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.     

Chinese Doucai Porcelain

Doucai is a variety of decorative porcelain formed by the combination of underglaze blue-and-white and overglaze decoration. Before firing, the contour of the pattern should be sketched on the base with blue-and-white, and some paffs should be filled with blue-and- white too. Then the painted base should be sent into the kiln and fired into blue-and- white porcelain, on which the blank of the previously-sketched pattern should be filled with paints of various colors. And then it should be fired again in the low-temperature kiln with oxiding flame about 800 degrees Celsius. As the underglaze blue-and-white and the overglaze decoration seem to contend for beauty, it is called ＂Doucai＂ （literally, compete for color）.     

Shop Signs of Old Beijing

Shop signs were perhaps the most appealing elements of Beijing＇s old shops in the late 19th and early 20th century, even though their architectural styles, furnishings and business operation were also unique. These shop signs were informative and decorative, adding to business prosperity of the old capital.     

Treasure of the Snow-covered Highland

Tibet, known as the“roof of the world”, has long been a destination of pilgrims from around the globe for its unique and mysterious culture. And antiquities and relics excavated from this area, which are testament to the Tibetans' diligence and intelligence, have been an abundant resource of the famous Tibetan culture. About 50,000 years ago , the ancestors of the Tibetans entered the Stone Age. The pottery shown in picture one, a monkey-faced sculpture excavated in Qu Gong, is the remains of the decorative part of a large piece of earthenware. It illustrates the widespread idea that the monkey     

Promote Urban Traditions through Architecture：An Interview with Master Architect Zhanq Jinqiu

Zhang Jinqiu, a celebrated woman architect in contemporary China, is known for her successful designs blending tradition and modernity. With a large number of modern creations featuring distinctive traditional styles designed for the ancient city of Xi＇an as well as many other historical cities in China, Zhang has contributed to diversity of urban planning concepts and made valuable explorations on cultural dimensions of architectural design.     

A Way of Life

"Life is like a card game: the cards you get are a matter of chance; how you play them is up to you." Philosophers and artists all over the world have produced thousands of analogies about the puzzles of life, but this epigram by Indian politician Nehru is especially noteworthy. Eventually, the cards in my hands will be played out. There is one card - life - that will be taken away without warning. Fortunately, it is still in my hands, and I am searching for the best way to play it. I will do so freely and handsomely; meanwhile, I'd like to share my pleasures with those who appreciate my game. This game needs a plan, as well as some dedication.- from Life is a Game by Fu Weici     

Old Colonial Architectures in Tianjin

Tianjin is a low-profile city in the coastal area in north China. Its Western-style mansions in past colonial cessions have long lost glamour and vitality as the North Sea Warlord rule ended in the early 20th century. The city has no grandeur and solemnity as Beijing, no metropolitan prosperity or hubbub as Shanghai, and no hilly and riverside charms as Chongqing. But when you really incorporate yourself into it, you can taste a truly different flavor of the city. On the Five Avenues or J…     

Graphite Carving of Fushun

Fushun,a city in northeast China’s Liaoning province,is known as the capital of coal and enjoys a time-honored history and abundant mineral resources.Graphite is the mineral resource unique to Fushun.Also called black amber or coal jade,graphite is the result from long geographic evolution of cypress,birch and oak trees and lower plants such as moss and algae growing five thousand years ago.Graphite is mixed up in coal seam.It is lighter than coal,with solid texture,fine     

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     

Qianling Mausoleum

The Qianling Mausoleum is located on Mount Liang, six kilometers west to the town of Qianling County, Shaanxi Province and near the city of Xi’an, formerly the Tang capital. This spectacular tomb complex is the best preserved and has never been looted among all the 18 tombs housing the remains of emperors of the Tang Dynasty. The Qianling Mausoleum is now protected as a key site under the state-level conservation.Mount Liang, 76 kilometers west to Xi’an, is a limestone structure. In ancient times, it was a strategically important place where Qin Dynasty     

Shaoxing East Lake： A Miniature Landscape

The East Lake is situated five kilometers to the east of the historic city of Shaoxing. With a wonderful combination of a hill, grottoes and stone bridges, it might pass for a miniature landscape. On a par with the West Lake in Hangzhou and the South Lake in Jiaxing, it is one of the three most famous lakes in southeast Zhejiang Province. Although it is quite small, its delicacy and elegance rank it among the best resorts in Shaoxing.     

NE·TIGER A RISING CHINESE LUXURY BRAND

China＇s booming market and growing consumers of luxury goods have attracted world luxury brand names to come for a new round of gold rush. Flagship stores and outlets of famous brands such as Louis Vuitton and Giorgio Armani are burgeoning in big cities across the country. In this intense struggle for market shares in the world＇s fourth largest economy with the biggest potential population of luxury consumers, a local Chinese brand name is growing fast to become an inevitable rival of those Western heavyweights. From Millionaire Fair to Extravaganza, it has been invited as an equal member to stand amidst world top-class brand names such as Rolls Royce, Cartier and Dior. It is NE.TIGER, a shining fashion brand founded in China and by a Chinese designer. ＂In fact, China has exported numerous luxuries to the rest of the world for hundreds of years, such as silk, porcelain and tea. In the contemporary time, NE.TIGER will continue this glorious tradition and try to be the best example of China＇s high-end brand names,＂ said Zhang Zhifeng, chairman and chief designer of NE·TIGER.