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.     

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＂.     

Ancient Buddhist Sculpture Embodies Chinese and Tibetan Wisdom

On the occasion of the International Museum Day on May 18, the Ten Best Museum Exhibitions of the Year were released, a competition sponsored by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China and co-organized by Chinae Museum Association, Xi＇an Municipality and China Heritage News. The exhibition ＂Buddhist Sculpture Masterpieces of Ancient China＂ by the Capital Museum in Beijing won the ＂Best Production ＂ award.     

Grand Songs of Dong Ethnic Minority

On a weekend of June, 2005, a special concert took place in Beijing which was jointly presented by folk singers from Dong ethnic minority of southwest Guizhou Province and Norway. A young boy standing on a stilted tower looked into the distance and thought of his first lover days when they kept each other＇s company all the time, laboring in the farmland and doing housework at home together. ＂My dear, where are you？＂ the boy cried with deep sentiments and sorrowful singing betrayed his strong love. The lingering and melodious music of ＂the Stilted Tower＂ moved all the audiences.     

Refined and Elegant： Masterpieces of Suzhou-style Embroidery

＂Birds Perching at Winter Sweet＂ is an exquisite embroidery work, The work features a vigorous and straight trunk of the winter sweet, shone by plum blossoms and with a pair of birds perching at the branches. The embroidered work was based on one of the ink paintings by Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty [960-1127] which is now collected in the Palace Museum in Taipei. The emperor is an accomplished artist skilled in painting and calligraphy.     

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.＂     

Master Embroiderers Dedicated to Solitary Pursuit of Art

Hefang Street in Hangzhou, capital city of southeast Zhejiang Province, is full of hustle and bustle, with a multitude of shops and crowds of visitors. Walk around the street corner and you will get to a quiet alley named ＂Anrong Alley＂ where Chen Shuiqin＇s embroidery studio is based. In this two-storey building, I met Ms. Chen and her disciples Yu Zhiyin and Jin Jiahong. They were embroidering on cloth attentively. The small studio was almost occupied by embroidery screens. On the window side is a row of wooden embroidery frames. Several girls coming to learn embroidery skills from different places around the country were busy with their works.     

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,     

SHANGHAI FILM FEST HIGHLIGHTS ASIAN YOUNG TALENTS

The 10th Shanghai International Film Festival （SIFF） was rounded off at Shanghai Grand Theatre on June 24, 2007. The full list of winners from Jin Jue Award was announced at the awarding ceremony and the closing ceremony with all the eight awards in their proper places. The international judges, together with film and TV stars, distinguished guests from home and abroad awarded the prizes to the winners. ＂Flight of the Red Balloon＂, the closing film led the 10th Shanghai International Film Festival to a successful conclusion.     

Gao Xiaohua： Painting the Truth of Life

As an initiator of ＂Wounded Art＂, a representative of ＂Rural Realism＂ and one of the founders of the ＂Sichuan School of Painting＂, Gao Xiaohua has unarguably been recognized as one of the leading artists in contemporary Chinese art history. In 1978 his oil painting entitled ＂Why＂ daringly broke the political taboo and boldly raised the touchiest social question with awesome guts. Therefore his name and his painting become everlasting in Chinese art history. In 1982 he had another great success of completing his oil painting entitled ＂Rush to the Train＂, which is highly praised as the contemporary version of ＂Riverside Scenery on Pure Brightness Festival＂, one of the greatest Chinese classical painting. He focuses on everyday life of general public with stunning realness and sensation. It becomes an epitome Red Crag＂ and ＂Chongqing on a Bomb-site＂. He demonstrates his open mind, lofty ideal and strong sense of historical and social responsibility nowadays when the domestic art market is booming up in an unprecedented manner.     

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.     

Dynasty Painting：A Vigorous Art

An exhibition on rubbings from Han Dynasty painting masterpieces,,entitled ＂A Vigorous Art＂, was held in May in the Military Museum of Chinese People＇s Revolution in Beijing. The masterful exhibits illustrated the vigorous and bold aspect of the Chinese culture, demonstrating no traces of feminism, frailty or conservativeness.     

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）.     

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.     

Significant History Depicted in Bronze Statues

The State Fine Arts Creation Program on Subjects of Significant History, co-launched by the Ministry of Cu ture and the M n stry of F nance, a ms tocater to increasing demands on culture and arts and cultivate and promote the national spirit of Chinese people by creating outstanding works of fine arts that bear both artistic appeal and the spirit of the time. This program was inaugurated in early 2005 and the final list was released in 2007, with 115 entries including 40 traditional Chinese paintings, 55 oil paintings and 20 sculptures.     

Books Released to Celebrate Anniversary of China-France Relations

In celebration of the 50th anniver- sary of China-France diplomatic relations and on the occasion of Chinese President Xi Jinpin＇s state visit to France, Guangming Daily and China International Publishing Group co-organized the voting for ＂ten most influential French books in China＂ and ＂ten most influential Chinese books in France＂. On March 25, a ceremony was held to announce the voting result. Nominated books on the list include French books ＂The Spirit of Laws＂,     

A New Landmark in Paradise on Earth--A Huge Landscape Bronze Statue Unueiled in Hangzhou

On October 21, 2008, a huge bronze statue, entitled ＂King of Qian Shoots Arrows toward River Tide＂, was unveiled in the new riverside district of Hangzhou, a city dubbed as ＂paradise on earth＂. This huge statue ensemble bears a spectacular and vigorous appearance, adding a new landmark to the riverside landscape on the south bank of River Qiantang.     

Shanghai Arts Festival Brings Together Chinese and International Stars

Shanxi folk dance ＂A Handdful of Wild Juiubes＂ opened the 8th China Shanghai International Arts Festiwd on October 17, Zhang Jigang＇s new Shanxi ballet romance is permeated with local flavor, and was honored as ＂poetic perfection of love in the land of Shanxi＂. This is the first time that the festival has broken with tradition and hrought in repertoire from another province as the opening performance.     

Yan Zheng： 50 Years of Art Collections

＂Bosom Friends Yan Zheng Exhibition on 50 Years of Collections from Artists＂hosted by China Arts Foundation and Center of International Cultural Exchange of Ministry of Culture and organized jointly by Poly Art Museum and Shenzhen Wangye Museum was opened in Poly Art Museum days ago. This exhibition was a continuation of the ＂Yan Zheng Exhibition of Painting Collections＂ in 1980 in Beijing.