Diverse Paper-cut Art of Hebei

Paper-cut, known as the most common folk art in China, can date back to the Shang and Zhoudynasties when Chinese ancestors engraved flower patterns on gold and silver spangles and cut leathers as decorations. The extant earliest unearthed paper-cut works were made during the Southern and Northern dynasties （420 - 589 AD）. The five pieces of paper-cut excavated from the three tombs of the period were all made of yellow paper.     

Chinese Paper Cut Appears in Western Modern Dance

Modern dance ＂Hunting for Nora＂,adapted form the great drama ＂A Doll＇s House＂by Henrik lbsen at Bejing International Dance Season last December,fascinated the udience with its novel stage setting featuring Chinese paper cut.This bold innovation to integrate Chinese folk art with Western avant-garde dance drama has proved to be a big success,with strong visual appeals and fresh cultural significance.The 27 huge paper cuttings for the stage setting,designed by Qiao Xiaogung,professor with the Ceneral Art Academy of China,has been collected by Theatre Ibsen,nd the paper-cut portrait of Ibsen he created has been permanently displayed in the theatre.     

Silk Tapestry with Cut Designs

Kesi, or cut silk, refers to silk tapestry with cut designs, and is a unique Chinese traditional silk weaving technique. Archaeological evidence indicates that silk tapestries with cut designs were produced in China as early as the Tang Dynasty [618-907]. From the bags for daily use in the Tang Dynasty to the emperor＇s dragon-patterned gowns in the Ming Dynasty,     

Designer Brings Cultural Awareness to Fashion

The appointment was delayed. I didn‘t want to disturb Hu Xiaodan when I saw he was so busy with his work. Sporting a crew cut and lightweight casual clothes, he looked more like a university professor than the ““““the pride of Chinese fashion designers““““. It was hard to picture him as the cenfroversial figure in the circle of fashion design, and he spoke with quiet conviction about his dedication to ““““borrowing““““ ideas from the Chinese culture.     

We Are Destined to Have This Type of Literature

Over the past decade or so, the topic of world literature and Chinese literature has been frequently discussed and seminars on the topic held quite often. It would be impossible twenty years ago. After keeping closed and backward for quite a long time, China has adopted the policy to open its door to the outside world. As a result, Chinese economy has seen rapid growth and economic globalization has changed Chinese people＇s mindset and way of thinking, and Chinese literature as well.     

Nantong''''s Kites

In US Space Museum in Washington D.C. is displayed a Chinese kite, with a line of explanation - "The earliest aircraft of mankind is Chinese kite and rocket." Chinese kite is composed of two distinctive schools: northern style and southern style. And the Nantong-style kite represents a unique genre among southern style kites. In the late Qing Dynasty, Nantong was dubbed as one of China's four major bases of kite making - the other three were Beijing, Tianjin and Weifang. Nantong people…     

Ode to Joy： Beijing＇s Axis Line Rebuilt

The evolution of Beijing into a world capital has been largely based on a clearly defined plan, of which the most outstanding feature is its axis line design that dates back to the Yuan Dynasty 800 years ago. The city‘s growth and modern development have both extended the axis line and brought significant changes to the     

Lecture Series on Chinese Archeological Discoveries Fascinates French Audiences

Lecture series on Chinese archeological discoveries took place in China Culture Center in Paris late November, 2006, as part of the center＇s lecture program aiming to respond to French people＇s growing interest in Chinese culture. Diverse subjects such as archeological discoveries, heritage conservation, Chinese history and civilization as well as traditional ways to enhance bodycare, all attracted the French audience to come. So far, this lecture program has made itself a brand name of the culture center as a primary means to spread Chinese culture and information and provide French people with training on the Chinese language.[第一段]     

Deng Yuanpo＇s Impressionistic Flower-and-Bird Painting

As a painter specialized in Chinese traditional flower-and- bird painting in impressionistic manner, Deng Yuanpo highlights use of line and ink to create paintings in an elegant and lively style.     

Chinese Tea Tradition：From Tea Service to Tea Drinking

Tea was first discovered and drunk in China several thousand years ago and over the sweep of Chinese history drinking tea has developed to be part of Chinese culture and a reversible habit of Chinese people.With the spread of Chinese civilization,Chinese tea has been introduced to many countries across     

Li Xiaojie：A Popular Flute Performer in the Army

Li Xiaojie is a young Chinese flute performer and now serves as the Chinese flute solo performer in the Song and Dance ! Ensemble of the General Political Department of People＇s Liberation Army. She was born in Inner Mongolia and had followed her father Li Zhen, a famous Chinese flute performer to learn flute performance since her childhood. In 1983, she was admitted to the middle school affiliated to China Conservatory of Music and received an all-round training of sldlls and styles of northern schools of Chinese flute from Prof. Ma Baoshan. In 1986. Li and her schoolmate Zeng Zhaobin performed a flute duet at the Fourth North China Music Festival, which was known as the first ever bamboo flute performance by female performers in China and widely recognized by the professional circle.     

Sculpture of Tang-Dynasty Polo Adds Oriental Charm to Olympic Green

The group sculpture of Tang-Dynasty polo, located in the No. 7 square in the sunken courtyard in the central section of the Olympic Green in Beijing adds flavor of Chinese classical art to the public space featuring Chinese elements, thanks to its realistic style, spectacular size and refined artistry Standing on the axis line of the Olympic Green, the group sculpture is considered an outstanding public artwork depicting ancient sport.     

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.     

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.     

Fine Paper-Cut of Yueqing

The fine paper-cut, popular in Yueqing, Zhejiang Province, evolves from the paper cutting of the Yuan Dynasty applied to dragon boats and shoes. This folk art genre originated from the tradition of dragon boat lanterns.     

White-skin Paper of Miao Villages

White-skin paper enjoys a special position in the culture of Miao ethnic group. It is used as paper-cut sketches for embroideries and to pack silver adornments and festive apparels of Miao people. It is said that worms will not grow in Miao people＇s festive apparels if they are packed by white-skin paper. On major sacrifice festivals and occasions of Miao people, mascots and objects to ward off evil beings are also made from white-skin paper. Without white-skin paper, Miao culture would lose much of splendor.     

Peking Appliqué——Another Side of Colorful Chinese Handicrafts

PEKING appliqu(?),one of the many handicrafts of China,is an old art-form going backmany centuries.Different materialsare cut out and attached to oneanother to create a single-piece de-coration,much like embroidery.Itshistory can be traced back 2,000years to the Han Dynasty,whenartists would use thin scraps andpatches of silk to piece together aportrait or a depiction of the land-scape.During the Song Dynastyappliqu(?) enjoyed a resurgence andbecame very similar to traditionalembroidery.After the Qing Dynas-ty,appliqu(?) became very popularoutside the emperor＇s court and res-pectable women everywhere tookit up as a pastime,embroidering     

A Package Program Launched to Promote China-UK Cultural Exchange

Royal Shakespeare Company （RSC） recently announced that it planned to translate and pub-lish all works of Shakespeare under the sponsorship of the British Govern- ment in order to attract more Chinese readers. As an exchange, 14 Chinese drama classics will English, providing ish readers to learn be translated into a window for Brit- about Chinese dra-ma traditions. These translation and publication projects are just part of the British Government＇s ambitious Pack- age Program to speed up China-UK exchange and cooperation in the field of culture.     

CHINESE ARMORIAL PORCELAIN

China-Europe trade was first launched by Portuguese fleets which began to navigate in Chinese seas in the 16th century. Numerous Chinese commodities were shipped to Europe, among which Chinese porcelain was particularly favored by European noblemen and merchants as a sign of fortune. In the 17th and 18th century, the fever on Chinese art, triggered out by the French court, brought China-Europe trade growth to an unprecedented height.     

A Safari to the Hometown of Hetian Jade

Hetian jade is considered jade ofhighest grade for its fine quality,pure texture and color of mutton tallow. Jewelry tributes to Chinese emperors from Xinjiang were mostly made of hetian jade. Jade stones above the 5,000-meter snow line on the Kunlun Mountain are always mysterious attractions to travelers from the outside world.