The Palace Museum＇s Collection of Purple Clay Teapots

Zisha [purple clay] teapots are made from natural clay only produced in Yixing, Jiangsu Province, Teapots made from purple clay have greater density than ceramic objects and better ventilation properly than porcelains,Thus, they are recognized as ideal choice for brewing up tea, Yixing＇s purple clay teapots are not only utensils with practical functions,     

Beauty of Yixing Purple Sand Clay Teapots

Yixing clay is a type of clay from the region near the city of Yixing in Jiangsu Province, China. Its use dates back to the Song Dynasty [960-1279] when purple clay was firstmined around Lake Taihu in China. From the 1 7th century on, the ware was commonly exported to Europe. The finished stoneware, which is used for teaware and other small items, are usually red or brown in color. They are known as purple sand ware, and are typically unglazed. The clays used for Yixing wares are very cohesive and can be formed by slip molding,     

Lu Junjie＇s Purple Sand Pottery Art： Breakthroughs and Innovations

The exhibition on Lu Junjie＇s purple sand pottery art, held in the National Art Museum of China, offers viewers a rare opportunity to learn about explorations and innovations that the artist has made in this traditional form of art. His masterpieces present us a miraculous picture on the art of purple sand pottery and help us better understand his efforts in creating Innovative artworks by integrating traditions with modern concepts and techniques,     

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.     

Zhang Lucheng＇s Ink Painting

Painting requires skills. A painting without basic skills in design and layout will not be a good painting. But for a painter,the equally important or the more important is his life experience. Without true feelings, a painting is just a sentimental twaddle. Zhang Lucheng, a professional painter serving in Xinjiang Military Area in northwest China has lived in the vast prairie at the foot of the Tianshan Mountain since he graduated from fine arts academy.     

Yunnan Jianshui Purple Pottery Text and photo by Li Cuiyu

Chinese＂Four Most Famous Potteries＂ include Jiangsu Yixing purple clay pottery, Guangxi Qinzhou Gouxing pottery, SichuanRongchang pottery and Yunnan Jianshui purple pottery. Compared with the popularity of Yixing purple clay pottery, Yunnan Jianshui purple pottery seems to be ＂raised in secret and not known by the outside world＂, and until now it still contains the essence of various traditional artistries.     

Historic Monuments of Martial Sage Guan Yu

Guan Yu is one of the most prominent figures in Chi- nese traditional culture andrevered as ＂Martial Sage＂, enjoying the equal status as Confucius who is hailed as ＂Literary Sage＂. Sacrificial practices showing respect for Guan Yu have always been carried out since ancient times and have had broad and far-reaching impacts on the sphere of the Oriental Civilization and in particular, the Chinese community worldwide.     

An Amateur＇s Bold Breakthrough in Clay

In the mewly opened handicrafts shop Tang Dynasty Pavilion,I was shown a group of exquisite clay characters form the famous drama tea House,they were so delicately made that I was instantly fascinated,I thought such skillful works must be the creations of some renowend scu ptor;to my surprise,the shop owner     

＂The Colors of Water＂： Miao Xiaolong＇s Modem Dance Concert

In China＇s dancing arena today where most dancers pursue hasty success, it is truly rare to prepare a dance concert for as long as seven years. And more amazingly,the whole production is planned and presented by merely one person who choreographs and directs the dance concert, designs all costumes, stage settings and lighting as well as dances its leading part. But Miao Xiaolong made it. Several months ago, this young talented teacher at the dancing department of the Music School of Shanghai Normal University presented his dance concert ＂The Colors of Water＂ in Shanghai.     

Clayman Zhang：A Miracnlous Miniature Clay Art

Zhang Wanquan,a native from southern Zhejiang Province,came to the port city Tianjin to make a living on casting pen containers and flower stands.His son zhang Mingshan.talented and adroit,followed him to learn how to make articles in his childhood.The other day jinior zhang showed the clay animals he made on     

Yi People＇s Tiger Dance

The tiger dance is a primitive type of dance popular in Shuangbai County, Chuxiong Prefecture, southwest Yunnan Province. This indigenous dance contains elements of religion, literature, society and folklore and is practiced to ward off evils and disasters and anticipate auspicious signs and good fortune. Dating back to the Neolithic Age, the tiger dance has been handed down from generation to generation and is now enshrined as the valuable heritage of Yi ethnic group.     

China Opens the World＇s Highest Railway

After fiver years of construction, the world＇s highest and longest plateau railroad, Qinghai-Tibet Raihvav, officially came into operation on July 1, 2006. The 1956-kilometer-long railway, starting from Xining in Qinghai Province and ending in Lhasa in Tibet Autonomous Region, runs through Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. With an area of 2.3 million square kilometers, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau accounts for a quarter of the country＇s total territory and most parts of it stand above an elevation of 2,300 meters. The plateau is known as the ＂third pole of the globe＂ and Qinghai- Tibet Railway is thus called ＂Heavenly Road＂.     

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.     

A Legendary Painter：In commemoration of ZhangDaqian＇s 110th anniversary

Zhang Daqian is celebrated as a legendary Chinese painter of international renown in the 20th century, With extraordinary skills, he is considered the most outstanding artist in carrying forward the traditions of Chinese ink painting. Zhang began to stand out in the 1920s and obtained a leading status in the then painting arena in the 1930s His replicas of ancient master artists＇ paintings are so superb that they can be hardly distinguished from original works. Mr. Xu Jichuan, a prestigious collector, recalled an interesting experience as evidence to highlight Zhang＇s unparalleled ability to replicate ancient painting masterpieces.     

FORM WITHOUT CONTENT： Lin Zhaohua＇s Drama Practice in the 1990s

＂In essence, art is an ability to express one＇s feeling to others and this ability is expressed by materializing a proper form for some feeling.＂ This aggressive motto by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche has been venerated as a guiding principle by experimental artists. Drama experiments done by Lin Zhaohua in the 1990s, in some sense, have testified to the definition that drama is a living text. Lin, as an experimental drama director, has not only planned but also presented this living text on the stage.     

Clayman Zhang:A Miraoulous Miniature Clay Art

Zhang Wanquan,a native fromsouthern Zhejiang Province,came tothe port city Tianjin to make a livingon casting pen containers and flowerstands.His son Zhang Mingshan,talented and adroit,followed him tolearn how to make articles in hischildhood.The other day junior Zhangshowed the clay animals he made onthe market and to his surprise,they     

BETWEEN REALITY AND ABSTRACTION：Zhan Wang＇s Contemporary Sculpture

Zhan Wang is a pioneering artist in China＇s contemporary sculpture circle.Born in 1962 in Beijing, he graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts and currently works as associate fellowship with the Institute of Sculpture Creation and Research under the academy. From 1990, Zhan began creating surrealistic sculptures. He began worldng on ＂The Mao Suit＂ series from 1993 and devoting himself to experimental art from 1994. In 1995, Zhan founded a studio with two other artists, aiming to explore relationships between art and society. Based on this studio, he presented two experimental exhibitions - ＂Development Plans＂ and ＂Women ＆ Sites＂. From 1995, Zhan began replicating Chinese classical rockery stones and completed a series of works of stainless steel rockery stone and floating stone. Zhan＇s creations highlight the integration between ideas and objects, with an attempt to transform pure handicraft techniques into conceptual behaviors. In 1998, Zhan released his thesis entitled ＂Conceptual Sculpture： Materialized Ideas＂. From 2000, he began doing experiments on composite art independently. Zhan＇s sculpting works have been collected by many art museums and private collectors, including Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA as well as Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.     

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.     

Tang Yijie： China＇s Top Philosopher and Master of Chinese Learning

Tang Yijie was born in Tanjin on February 16, 1927. He graduated from the Department of Philosophy of Peking University, in 1951. He successively served as professor and advisor to Ph.D. candidates at Peking University＇s Philosophy Department, vice chairman of China Oriental Culture Society, vice chairman of China Society on the Studies of Yan and Huang Culture, and vice chairman of Chinese Confucius Society. In 1983, he worked at Harvard University as visiting scholar. In 1986, he was engaged as research jellow by New York State University. in 1990, he was conferred with honorary doctor by McMaster University of Canada. In 2006, he was conferred with honorary doctor by Kansai University of Japan. He served as guest projessor at University of Oregon, McMaster University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Melbourne University respectively.     

Chen Lusheng＇s Painting Reminiscent of Beauty of South China

I didn＇t expect that Lusheng could create so refined paintings, He seems to be busy always, traveling around the globe and working day and night. But he has never complained, Instead, he is a patient person with an orderly mind,