China＇s Mt. Wutai Joins World Heritage List

Asacred mountain in China that has been witness to centuries of Buddhist history was added to UNESCO＇s World Heritage List during the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee in Seville, Spain on June 6, 2009. The new addition to the heritage list is Mt. Wutai, comprised of five continuous mountains with flat peaks at altitudes of 2,500 to 3,000 meters above sea level. This new addition increased China＇s World Heritage entries to 38, including 27 cultural heritage sites, 7 natural heritage sits and 4 mixed heritage sites.     

Qujiang Cultural Tourism Group Honored as ＂Listed Company of Best Business Model＂

Result for China＇s Listed Company Reputation List 2013 was released on November 29, 2013. The contest was hosted by National Business Daily in partnership with many media outlets as well as more than I00 institutional judges. Xi＇an Qujiang Cultural Tourism Group took the laurel as the ＂listed company of the best business model＂, thanks to its integrated business mode focusing on developing the double industrial chains of culture and tourism. It is the only northwest China-based tourism enterprise claiming the award.     

The Charm of Ink： Rongbaozhai＇s Water Printing on Wood

Water print on wood is one of the types of wood block printing in ancient China. The earliest records on this printing skill appeared in the Sui Dynasty （581-618 AD） and the oldest extant publication by this printing method is ＂Vajra Sutra＂ made in 868 A.D.. Now Rongbaozhai, an old brand name in Beijing, still use this ancient skill to copy calligraphic and painting works by famous masters and even painting master Qi Baishi couldn＇t tell its copy works from authentic ones. This printing skill has been included in the first National List for Intangible Cultural Heritage.     

China's West Lake Added to World Heritage List

<正>The World Heritage Committee inscribed the West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou in southeast China on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. According to ICOMOS’s...     

Ruins of the Bronze Age Inscribed on the World Heritage List

On July 13, Yin Xu, ruins of ancient Shang Dynasty capital ill Anyang City was inscribed on the World ＂Heritage List and became China＇s 33rd World Heritage site.     

Performing Arts Market: Abandon Extravagancy,Back to Normal简

At the end of 2012, the Chinese Government issued the Eight Provisions on how to improve the Party＇s general work methods and relations. 117 early August 2013, .five departments, including the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee issued a joint statement on abandoning extravagancy and advocating thrift on festival gala, which brought a ＂storm＂ to Chinese performing arts market. The number of the government-sponsored festival gala and large-scale performances has dropped sharply. These policies are welcomed and praised by the masses. What kind of influence did 01ese policies bring to the Chinese performing arts markets as well as the art troupes？ How did relevant institutions respond to it？ What is the right direction of Chinese per t~rmance arts ＇future development？ ... Recently, the People＇s Daily published a series on ＂Focusing on Performing Arts＂, which may offer some reference value for art troupes to catch the development trend.     

Sinologists Should Take the Lead in Translating Chinese Works简

The January issue published htternational Sinologists Gathered in Beijing, which briefly introduced the academic profiles of the translators and scholars active in the international sinology field today and the synopsis of their speeches delivered at the Symposium on Sinologists and International Cultural Dialogue. This article allows readers to have a basic understanding of international sinologists. From this issue on, we will select some of their brilliant speeches to entertain readers.     

AN EMBASSY TO CHINA

From 1419 to 1422, a large diplomatic mission consisting of 510 persons and dispatched by Timurid King Shahruh Bahadur paid a visit to the Ming Empire. The delegation member and painter recorded in his diary traditions and customs he saw along his journey and politics, economy, traditions and people of the Ming Dynasty. These notes were later compiled as “An Embassy to China”, which is now referred to as an important historical record for the study of cultural exchange between Central Asia and China of the time. The author, based on this literary work, reviewed that part of history on friendly exchange between China and lran.     

Brick Carving of Linxia; ART ON THE BLADE

Linxia, a Hui autonomous prefecture in northwest Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, is known for its distinctive folksinging called ＂flower＂. This indigenous music form evolved from the combination of folk melodies of ancient Qiang and Han ethnic groups and developed into a mature singing expression with the contribution by many other ethnic minorities. While ＂flower＂ enjoys popularity in northwest China, Linxia attracts more tourists and heritage conservationists alike with the appealing art of brick carving -- now included on the first List of National-level Intangible Cultural Heritage.     

Recent and Forthcoming Events

On September 6th, the Confucius In- stitute Headquarters/Hanban, and Renmin University of China co-hosted the opening of the fourth World Con- ference on Sinology on RUC campus. Vice Premier Liu Yandong attend- ed the opening ceremony and subse- quently welcomed the foreign Sinolo- gists. This conference marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of Con- fucius Institute, with over 200 schol- ars of varying disciplines coming from 38 different countries and regions to discuss and exchange views on Sinol- ogy.     

The Matriarchal Society at Lugu Lake

Our journey to Lugu Lake, a beautiful resort in the northwest tip of Yunnan Province, was full of steep mountains and bumpy roads. But the landscape on the way was extraordinary： yellow rape blossoms flourished along roads; the plateau grassland was dotted with many anonymous flowers -- red, purple or yellow; high mountains were permeated by clouds and mists, springs and streams ran down from top of mountains; and goats and yaks grazed leisurelv on mountain slopes in the distance. All those testified to the truth of a popular proverb -- ＂Beautiful landscape is always on the way＂.     

LEARNING CHINESE HAS BECOME ALL THE RAGE IN HUNGARY

Budapest,the capital city of Hungary,is praised as a pearl on River Danube which divides the city into two parts-Buda and Pest.Buda is situated mainly in the hills to the west while Pest lies on the vast plains to the east which extend to the country＇s borders with Romania and former Yugoslavia.Ninc magnificent bridges of diverse styles link the two parts together.     

China Hosts Young Overseas Sinologists

Sinology is an academic discipline on the study of China, Chinese people and Chinese culture. Today, the scope of sinology has widened extensively to establish itself as a knowledge system on the study of Chinese philosophy, history, language, literature, arts, politics, economy and society. Sinology development relies on sinologists and translators who play an indispensible role in helping the rest of the world know more about China.     

A Fascinating Journey to the Old Town of Yuzhou

Yuxian County, called Yuzhou in ancient times, enjoys unique terrains and old traditions. As it borders with the northern province of Shanxi, it shares many cultural and business similarities with Pingyao, an old town of Shanxi inscribed in the World Heritage List. Since it is not far from Beijing, Yuxian has become a frequent destination for travelers from Beijing. The Extraordinary Art of Paper Cut In a paper cut workshop of Yuxian County, I was fortunate to see the whole production …     

A walking Marriage Trile in the Grand Canyon

In his publications on ancient societies and origins of families, American anthropologist L. H. Morgan defines the human society as the matriarchal, the transitional and the patriarchal stages. This notion is also applicable to China. Research on forms of primitive marriage bears valuable significance on future marriage of human kind. And ＇Walking marriage＂ is one of the primitive marriage form still practiced today.     

Cultural Minister Cai Wu Interprets the Spirits of CPC Third Plenary SessionReform of the Cultural System Navigates ＇Unchartered Waters＂

The new central leadership which took office one year ago interpreted the governing concept and reform roadmap of the central government through the Third Plenary Session of the Eighteenth Central Committee of CPC. The Decision on Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reforms adopted on the conference was considered a top-level design, equal to a guideline. What are the meanings behind the various tasks related to the innovation of cultural systems and mechanisms proposed by the document？     

The Power of Culture： a Key Factor UNESCO International Conference of “Culture： Key to Sustainable Development”

UNESCO International Conference of"Culture: Key to Sustainable Development" was held in Hangzhou from May 15 to 17,2013. The Vice Premier Liu Yandong,on behalf of the Chinese government and Chinese people,extended congratulations on the opening of this conference and warm welcome to representatives present. Premier Liu stated in her speech that this conference highlighted problems facing human beings with the theme of"culture:key to sustainable development".     

CULTURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION CALLS FOR GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

A 36-person delegation from the US President＇s Committee on the Arts and the Humanity paid an official visit to China from June 5 to 13 at the invitation of Chinese Cultural Ministry. On June 10, the delegation attended a seminar on the conservation of world heritage sites in Suitcase House in Commune by the Great Wall,a resort hotel in the suburb of Beijing.At the seminar Shan Jixiang,Director-General of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China,delivered a presentation on the trends of cultural heritage conservation in China as wall as China-US exchange and cooperation in the field of cultural heritage conservation.     

Chinese Steelyard Protected as Intangible Cultural Heritage

A Chinese steelyard is the measuring instrument used to measure weight. It uses a weight that moves on the scale stem and changes the ratio of the lever to measure, The steelyard consists of the following parts： an arm, a hook, lifting cords and a weight. The arm is graduated with the weight units. The hook, hanging from one end of the arm, is used to lift up the object to be weighed. Hanging from the other part of the arm is the free-moving weight, attached on a looped string. On the arm is fixed one, two or three lifting cords, placed much closer to the hook than to the other end. Anything to be weighed should be picked up by the hook, while the weigher lifts up the whole steelyard, holding one of the cords. He then slides the weight left or right until he finds a perfect balance of the beam. He then reads the weight from the graduation mark on which the weight-string rests.     

African Extravaganza in Shenzhen

The autumn season in Shenzhen is charming. Cool breeze touches people＇s face and a permeating fragrance of orange osmanthus sways across the skyscrapers, makingthis robust city full of sense of modernity. After 30 years of opening and reform, the city is heading on faster and faster to get into the world fashion. Our story focuses on a 10-day cultural extravaganza hosted by the African artists and their Chinese counterparts in the downtown area, The ongoing ＂Focus on African Culture＂ festival is a true witness of the everlasting friendship between African countries and China.