China—France Culture Year Features Wealth of Events

China and France have for centuries enjoyed friendly relations in the fields of politics, trade and culture. The China-France Culture Year, beginning this October, as the largest Sino-foreign event since the founding of New China, is expected to spark a new round of exchanges between the two cultures.After two years of planning, the China Culture Year is to be inaugurated in France soon this September. With the theme of "Ancient China, Colorful China, Modern China", the event aims to offer a comprehensive view of the     

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.     

Efforts Increased to Combat Crimes against Cultural Property in China

From November 17 to December 4,2010,a national exhibition was held to review China’s efforts in cracking down crimes against cultural property in key areas of China.On display in the Military Museum of the Chinese     

SUNKEN ANCIENT SHIP SALVAGED

Editor＇s words：Over the sweep of history,Chinese people have paid heavy price in their struggles with the ocean.A large number of sunken ships are evidence that testifies to the history of South China Sea as an important maritime passage linking the mainland to the outside world since the Song Dynesty dating back to more than 1000 years.In 1987 the discovery of the sunken Song-Dynasty ship＂South China Sea No.1＂in the border area between Yangjiang and Taishan counties in Guangdong Province is the landmark event for China＇s underwater archeologists.20 years from then on,surveys and excavations done to this ancient ship have witnessed the development of Chinese underwater archeology.With decades of efforts by experts from various fields,the sunken ship was eventually salvaged out of water in 2007 and will be housed in the newly-built Maritime Silk Road Museum in Guangdong...     

MIAO PEOPLE CELEBRATES NEW YEAR BY OFFERING SACRIFICE TO TREES

Miao people is an ethnic group with a long history and mainly dwell in Asian countries like China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. China is the birthplace of Miao ethnic group. They originally dwelled in north China but later moved to the depth of mountains in southwest China in order to escape wars. Today Miao people are mostly distributed in mountainous areas in Hunan,     

PORCERLAIN TRADE OVER THE MARIME SILK ROADS IN THE SONG DYNASTY

Over the sweep of history, oceanic boats have been recognized as proof of the scientific evolution of mankind. During the Song-Yuan period, China had witnessed growing exchanges with other nations. A large number of Chinese emigrated abroad and brought advanced products of China to local people. At the same time, exotic treasures and produces continued to import into China, remarkably promoting the development of China. In the past two decades, sunken boats of ancient China continued to be discovered in Chinese seas, testifying to prosperous maritime trade of past dynasties. ＂South China Sea No. 1＂ and ＂Huaguang Corral＂, discovered in Taishan, Guangdong and Xisha Islands respectively, are the two sunken ships of the Song Dynasty that have attracted nationwide attention of both archeologists and general public alike.     

Magazine Review

Big Push to the Reform
35 years have passed since the policy of reform and opening up was launched in China. The magazine released the feature column of ＂Figures of Reform＂ in this issue, reviewing the practices and experiences of several key economists in the country＇s relbrm process. These featured economists include Du Runsheng, dubbed as ＂father of China＇s rural reform＂, Lin Yifu who proposed the development strategy of comparative advantage, Zhang Zhuoyuan who participated in the drafting of the Tenth Five-Year Plan, Mao Yushi, generally considered to be one of the most controversial intellectuals in China, and Cai Fang, widely called ＂economist speaking for the benefit of the poor＂. All these economists bear strong responsibility for the nation and the people and work hard to pursue truth.     

Festival of China Strengthens US-China Cultural Ties

On the evening of October 1, 2005, dazzling art shows in Eisenhower Stage in Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. kicked off the month-long Festival of China. Both Chinese President Hu Jintao and US President George. W. Bush and his wife sent congratulatory messages to the festival. In his message, Hu said, "The historic charms and growing vitality of Chinese culture, as demonstrated in the Festival of China, will help American people to better know about China and promote exchange and …     

The Source of Human Civilization—Research on Oriental Taiii Culture

ACCORDING to Dr.JosephNeedham,the famous Bri-tish scholar who devotedseveral decades to compiling the24-million-word Science and Civiliza-tion in China,2,000 years ago Chinawas the world leader in science andtechnology.Modern Western scien-tific ideology,he says,originated inChina.What then is the source of civ-ilization in China?Wang Xiyu,au-thor of Elements of the Universe andZhou Yi Jingluo Diagram,believes the     

Art Information

Government and Bank Collaborate to Support Cultural Industries
On March 10, the Ministry of Culture of China （MOC） and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China （ICBC） signed a strategic cooperation agreement in supporting cultural industries. Cultural Minister Cai Wu and ICBC Chairman Jiang Jianqing attended the signing ceremony. According to this agreement, MOC and ICBC will abide by the principle of＂conducting long-term cooperation, supplementing each other＇s advantages and promoting common development＂ in order to encourage the development of cultural industries of China.     

Jacques Gernet: Eminent French Sinologist

The 4th World Forum on China Studies(WFCS),featuring the theme of coexistence in harmony:China's integration with the rest of the world,was opened in Shanghai in November 6,2010.Four masters received the Research Contribution Award in China Study.They are Igor Rogachev,former Russian ambassador to China,Mori Kazuko,Japanese leading figure in the study of contemporary China,Jacques Gernet,eminent French sinologist,and Philip A.     

Experimental Art Needs Wider Niche in Modern China

Experimental art in China has unpergone a period of unprecedented development since the 1990s. Part of this is due to the rapid transformation of the country‘s economic system.Meanwhile, China‘s experimental art has integrated itself with the rest of the world, thanks to the swift pace of globalization.     

Getting to Know China： Appreciation of 100 Chinese Characters

Getting to Know China： Appreciation of 100 Chinese Characters is one of the book series ＂Meet China＂ produced by the Ministry of Culture of China in 2013. The book selects 100 Chinese characters that represent Chinese culture to some extent. Targeted at foreign readers most of whom are unfamiliar with Chinese characters, the book elaborates on the meanings of Chinese characters and their cultural connotation concisely and to the point.     

INSIDE THE HOMETOWN OF GIANT PANDA：Diplomatic missions tour to cultural heritage sites in Sichuan

The State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China launched the series program ＂diplomatic missions tour to cultural heritage sites in China＂ in 2006, with an aim to showcase the country＇s rich cultural heritage resources and achievements in heritage protection to the international community. From October 20 to 25, 2007, 17 diplomatic envoys from ten countries as well as international organizations joined the study tour to Sichuan hometown of giant panda. During the five-day visit, they visited several World Heritage sites and appreciated unique folk arts in Sichuan, from mysterious archeological sites in Jinsha to magnificent Leshan giant Buddha, from beautiful Mt. Emei to the ancient irrigation system in Dujiangyan, from years-old liquor workshops to the well-preserved old town in Langzhong, from exquisite Song- Dynasty porcelains to the state-of-art research base for giant panda, from the miraculous face-off stunt of Sichuan opera to the highly skilled art of shadow play. All these attractions have imprinted deep memories in these diplomats＇ minds.     

Philip Alden Kuhn:Prominent American Sinologist

The 4th World Forum on China Studies(WFCS),featuring the theme ofcoexistence in harmony: China’s integration with the rest of the world,was opened in Shanghai on November 6,2010.Four masters received the Research Contribution Award in China Study.They are Igor Rogachev,former Russian ambassador to China,Mori Kazuko,Japanese leading figure in the study of contemporary China,Jacques Gernet,eminent French sinologist,and Philip A.Kuhn,Francis Lee Higginson Professor.This award is a permanent honor granted to th...     

Crossover Integration： Way Out for Private Museums

According to the statistics of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage （SACH）, China private museums totaled 811 as of the end of 2013. The rapidly increasing number of private museums reflects the soaring development of China＇s cultural sector. However, many private museums are not as in smooth water as imagined. According to Ma Shaohua, president of Zhongchuan Institute of Cultural Research, private museums should not wait for government support： instead, they should find a solution of crossover integration in order to achieve sustainable development.     

The Glorious Era Showcased on Canvas

The huge portrait of Deng Xiaoping, respected as the ＂chief architect of China＇s reform and opening up＂, is a landmark standina in the downtown of Shenzhen, the first city embarking on the road to reform and opening up in the late 1970s. In the end of last year, a miniature replica of this famous portrait was installed, accompanied by the slogan ＂adhering to the Party＇s fundamental guideline for at least 100 years＂, in the courtyard of the National Art Museum of China.     

Mao Zedong and His Ideas on Chinese Cultural Exchange with Other Nations

MAO Zedong,a leadingstatesman and ideologistof the twentieth century,rarely went abroad when overseeingaffairs of state in China.He had,nevertheless,a broad knowledge ofmany foreign ideas and civilizations,and saw the wisdom in the ex-change of ideas between China andother countries.He personally in-volved himself in many of theseprojects to further the world’sknowledge of China,her relation-ships with the outside world,mod-     

Art Information

African Culture to Be Promoted in China A series of events will be held around China this year to promote African culture.Performances,exhibitions and symposiums will be held from May to the end of this year in     

Leisure Sports Industry： Once Neglected, Now Booming

For China, a nation that has never held a global sports meet on the scale of the Olympic Games, the full-fledged Olympic economy still seems like a beautiful dream waiting to happen. Every walk of life is hoping to develop itself through the 2008 Olympic Games, which will be held in Beijing. Yet in spite of all the commercial frenzy surrounding the Games, the Chinese people haven‘t forgotten that sports are also leisure activities, which are a way to boost overall health. Thus, a new economic push point is emerging in China in the form of leisure sports.