Let’s Go and See the Outside World!

Two decades ago, traveling abroadwas just a dream for most of Chinesepeople; only those with relatives livingabroad could go abroad in the name of“visiting relatives”. In 1988, Thailandbecame China’ first outbound traveldestination. Now, Chinese travelersappear at every corner of the world,wherever in Champs-Elysees in Paris,Colosseum in Rome, Pyramids in Egyptor the snow mountain in Swiss. I stillrecall that I was often asked if I wereJapanese when I traveled abroad a dozenof years a…     

Chinese Tea Rich in Cultural Traditions

Chinese tea is not merely a beverage variety but also bears rich cultural traditions. Like pastries associated with Chinese traditional festivals, Chinese tea embodies cultural elements that bring it with lingering charms and added values. The famous modem drama ＂Teahouse＂ is a perfect example. Perhaps because I was born and grew up in Beijing, I like reading literature about Beijing, in particular, litera .ry works by Lao She. He is one of the greatest writers in modern China who was born of a poor Manchurian family in Beijing. He worked and lived in UK and USA for nearly ten years and committed suicide in 1966 when the Cultural Revolution broke out.     

CHARM OF SUZHOU EMBROIDERY

On a sunny day in the end of 2007 I was invited for a visit to Suzhou Embroidery. Research Institute. Led by Ms. Zhang, the institute＇s artistic director, I entered through a moon-shaped gate in a traditional style and an elegant classical Suzhou-style garden was unfolded in front of me. Quiet paths, luxuriant plants, winding corridors, all are filled with fascinating charm, like a scene in a traditional Chinese ink painting. The garden is called ＂Huanxiu Resort＂ where the embroidery institute is based. At that moment,     

An Expedition to the “Wind Devil Castle”

Several years ago there was a frenzy of expedtions to the west,especially to the areas like kekexili in Qinghai,the north tibet plateau,and the Taklamakan desert.Today,however,Wuerhe in the northwest part of the Zhungeer basin in Xinjiang is attracting the attention of tourists and expiorers from home and abroad.In this area there is not only the famous Genghis Khan mountain range with its natural emerald-colored scenery,but more importantly,at the heart of the desert stands a mysterious “castle”.     

Rao Zongyi： The Revival of Chinese Culture in the 21st Century

Rao Zongyi, a master scholar in the studies o（Chinese culture and history, said that the 21st centu-ry sees the ever-increasing influence of Oriental academic ideas and artistic aes- thetics on the West. In fact, not long ago, professor Rao was conterred with the ti- tle of foreign academician by the French Academy, an event which stirred the cultural and arts community of Europe. As the first Asian scholar awarded with this honor, Rao said,“I am 97 years old. But I don＇t think I＇m old at all. Painter Liu Haisu climbed the Yellow Mountain at 93, and I will follow his suit.”     

Sweet Candies, Amiable Spring Festival

In the memory of every Chinese,the Spring Festival deposits abundant beauties:a lively scene with lanterns and streamers,an endless parade of delicious food,or a little toy of childhood memories.When I was a child,I visited a Sugar Painting Exhibition at Beihai Park in Beijing.I was amazed by the exquisitely made flowers and birds,and charmingly nave animals;and every kid was totally captured by a huge solid dragon settling in the central exhibition hall.Truly,that winter deeply impressed me with the vivid sugar dragon and the fragrance     

Sydney Fascinated by Chinese New Year Parade

Every year Sydney celebrates Chinese New Year, the most spectacular event outside Asia. The 2008 celebration lasted three weeks, attracting nearly one million visitors. On the morning of February 10, nearly 100,000 local residents and foreign tourists crowded along George Street in the downtown of Sydney, waiting with eagerness for the grand parade by performers from the northwest province of Shaanxi, China. Yang Zhangying, a 71 -year-old lady who emigrated from Shanghai more than ten years ago, dressed in a red mandarin gown, arrived at the City Hall in the early morning. She said with excitement, ＂I wear this dress only on grand and commemorative occasions.＂ At 11 a.m., Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney, in a red Tang-style dress,     

Government Sets up the Stage and Enterprises Put on the ShowSeminar on Introducing Chinese PerformiNg Arts to the US

The Seminar on Introducing Chinese Performing Arts to the US sponsored by the Bureau for External Cultural Relationsof Ministry of Culture was held in Beijing. It was attended by representatives of such leading cultural institutions as China National Peking Opera Company, National Theatre of China, China Arts andEntertainment Group and heads of many famous performing arts companies. Representatives of this seminar remarked that the content of this meeting was concrete, practical and inspiring.This is a move by the Ministry of Culture to encourage and support Chinese culture to go abroad under the strategy of＂Chinese culture going global＂.     

Yu Fei： Wuyutai＇s Senior Tea Art Specialist

My interview with Yu Fei, a senior tea art specialist of Wuyutai, took place at the second floor of Wuyutai＇s flagship store at Wangfujing, the most famous shopping street in Beijing. This teahouse is not only a place to drink tea, but also an exhibition space to display the history and tradition of Chinese tea culture. One of the most prominent exhibit is the old signboard made 127 years ago,inscribed with five Chinese calligraphic characters meaning ＂Wuyutai Tea Shop＂.     

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.     

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.     

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     

CHINESE ART ：A GROWING FORCE AT FEFAF 2007

Every March the European Fine Art Fair （TEFAF） takes place in Maastricht, one of the oldest and most historic towns in the Netherlands. For over 30 years it has provided a perfect home for what has become the world＇s leading fine art fair. At TEFAF 2007 the biggest attraction to me is a Chinese artwork. I couldn＇t help rush to the booth where it was exhibited as soon as 1 entered the exhibition hall. A TV station was shooting it which looked so beautiful under the spotlights. ＂It is fantastic!＂ I marveled, with my breath almost stopped.     

ANTIQUES FAIR OPENED TO PROMOTE BOOMING ART

The 1 st Beijing International Chinese Antiques Fairs （BICAF）was held from November 30 to December 4 at the Golden Hall in Beiiing Hotel, Most of pieces on display spent time abroad——some have only recently returned to China while others are still owned by foreign collectors. Nearly 70% of the exhibits were displayed to public for the first time. Antique masterpieces from the Capital Museum and Poly Museum, recentlv recovered from abroad, were showcased in a special area in the exhibition hall in an attempt to promote traditional culture and return of more Chinese antiques from abroad.     

Young sinologists： messengers to spread Chinese culture overseas First session of the 2014 visiting program for young sinologists

The first ＂2014 Young Sinologists Training Program＂ was held from July 2 to 22 in Beijing. Co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and organized by the Center of International Cultural Exchange, the program drew 18 young Sinologists from 15 countries, including the United States, France, India and South Korea. By participating in lectures, seminars and other activities, the participants gained academic inspiration as well as a better understanding of China. At the opening ceremony, Chinese vice cultural minister Ding Wei said, ＂Studies on the 21 st-century China is a compulsory course. Chinese development is closely related with world development and the Chinese Dream connects with dreams of the people from the rest of the world.＂     

Art Information

COLLECTION ＆ AUCTION CHEN DANQING＇S ＂SHEPHERDS＂ HITS RECORD HIGH AUCTION PRICE Chinese oil painter Chert Danqing＇s ＂Chinese Studies Institute＂ was sold at 12 million RMB at Poly Autumn Fair 2007. But the record was only kept for less than 24 hours. On the next evening, his masterpiece ＂Shepherds＂, one of the oil paintings from his ＂Tibet Suite＂, was purchased with the price of 32 million R.MB at another auction fair, setting a world record for his personal works. Chen＇s ＂Tibet Suite＂, a seven-piece oil series created around 1980, made a stir in the art circle in the 1980s and was considered bringing fresh air to China＇s art world suffocated by mediocre realism.     

Communicating through the Eyes,Feelings and Emotions...

When I started working on my ＂Chinese interiors＂ photography proiect in June 2004, about a vear after finishing my ＂Cuban Interiors＂ project, I believed that I could take the same approach in China as in Cuba - photographing people inside their homes, meeting them,getting to know them, positioning them as I, the photographer, saw them inside their homes. And most importantly, speak with these people in their language and blend into their lives for a short period of time.     

A Life Destined for Calligraphy

I was born in the countryside. I had a colorful and joyful childhood although my peasant parents couldn＇t give me an affluent life at that time, My toys were all handmade by myself such as catapults and powder guns. Like many kids of the time, I also liked to dissemble and re-assemble clocks and radios as a means of entertainment. Once I noticed a small bottle of ink with a brush pen in it at the window and showed strong interest in them. Since then, my poor handwriting left over everywhere in my house. My father was tolerant and never scolded at my unrestrained scrawling. That was my first experience in Chinese calligraphy which led me to a life destined for this magic art.     

A Glimpse of Cultural Magazines

<正>Chinese Photographers Volume 1,2014"My photos are for Spiritual Cahmless"—a Dialogue with Jiang Ping Jiang Ping:In the process of creation,photographers tend to experience a stage where they are stuck in their inertial thinking and cannot make breakthroughs,which is especially true when I take photos ofsnow-capped mountains.Every time I was facing a snow mountain,I tried to show its grandeur with my photos.One day when I was leaving the Himalayas,I saw the contours turn into a Iine.     

Harmony Highlights Liang Zi＇s Fashion Collections

The T-shape stage extended from a pure white background,models presented chic creations in brisk steps,and elegance and harmony were manifested in black and white ,That was a scene at the Chinese Fashion Week in Beijing during which designer Liang Zi showed her Spring -Autumn Collections 2006 with the brand of ＂Tangy＂ and the themen of ＂harmony＂.