The Chinese August Moon Festival is a very important holiday in Chinese culture. It falls on the 15th day of the 8th month on the lunar calendar. It happens in late September or early October on our calendar. This is the day when the moon is the fullest and brightest of the year. This holiday takes place after harvest time in China, so it can be compared to the Thanksgiving holiday in the United State. The Cake of Reunion is another name for the moon cakes. Made by wheat flour dough and stuffed with a wide variety, sweet or salty, moon cakes are both the must-eat food and major gift items around the Moon Festival.
An Old Chinese legend explains that a beauty named Chang' e was married to a master archer, Ho Yi, who saved the world from burning by shooting down nine of the ten blazing suns with his bow and arrows. As a reward, he was given a magic potion that would let him live forever. One day Chang'e noticed a glow coming from a corner in her palace. She discovered the magic potion and drank it. She then immediately felt as light as a bird and started to fly in sky until she reached the moon. She has been considered the Moon Lady ever since. Because Chang' e is kind and her heart is full of happiness and love, people say that if you look up at the moon on the night of the August Moon Festival and make a wish to Chang'e, she will try her best to make all of your wishes come true.
Chinese people celebrate the Moon Festival together with their families and friends. They eat meals that include moon cakes. At night they go outside to look at lantern exhibitions and make a wish to the Moon Lady.
An Old Chinese legend explains that a beauty named Chang' e was married to a master archer, Ho Yi, who saved the world from burning by shooting down nine of the ten blazing suns with his bow and arrows. As a reward, he was given a magic potion that would let him live forever. One day Chang'e noticed a glow coming from a corner in her palace. She discovered the magic potion and drank it. She then immediately felt as light as a bird and started to fly in sky until she reached the moon. She has been considered the Moon Lady ever since. Because Chang' e is kind and her heart is full of happiness and love, people say that if you look up at the moon on the night of the August Moon Festival and make a wish to Chang'e, she will try her best to make all of your wishes come true.
Chinese people celebrate the Moon Festival together with their families and friends. They eat meals that include moon cakes. At night they go outside to look at lantern exhibitions and make a wish to the Moon Lady.
Transition Band 前进乐团
Transition are a three piece British rock band creating music that touches the soul - a fusion of eastern and western musical influence! Their roots are in Bristol, U.K, but they combine this rock foundation with Asian rhythm and melody, producing music that inspires audiences from both sides of the globe.
Transitionʼs three years living and performing in Taiwan had a profound effect on their lives and music, especially their song-writing. Their first mandarin song ʻSorry My Chinese Isnʼt so Goodʼ became an instant youtube hit. It gathered over a million views, and is now an anthem for all foreigners learning Chinese!
Transition are a three piece British rock band creating music that touches the soul - a fusion of eastern and western musical influence! Their roots are in Bristol, U.K, but they combine this rock foundation with Asian rhythm and melody, producing music that inspires audiences from both sides of the globe.
Transitionʼs three years living and performing in Taiwan had a profound effect on their lives and music, especially their song-writing. Their first mandarin song ʻSorry My Chinese Isnʼt so Goodʼ became an instant youtube hit. It gathered over a million views, and is now an anthem for all foreigners learning Chinese!
Dim sum is a style of Cantonese cuisine prepared as small bite-sized portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates. Dim sum has its roots in travelers on the ancient Silk Road needing a place to rest. Long time ago, Dim sum use to be just drinking tea. Now dim sum is usually served in a trolley and many restaurants start serving dim sum in the morning. Family members and friends like to eat dim sum to reconnect. It is not usually eaten by romantic couples. Chicken feet and tripe are the most popular dim sums for Chinese people. Most of the dim sum are steamed or fried. Many places offer food such as egg tart, pudding, sweet bean buns as dessert.
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Chinese Paper Cutting or Jianzhi (剪纸) is the first type of paper cutting design, since paper was invented by Cai Lun in theEastern Han Dynasty in China. . Paper cuts are often used as decoration for windows, doors and walls. Window decors are the most and typical paper cuts, which are both appealing and decorative. Paper cutting tools are either a pair of scissors or a carving knife, with which, patterns of flowers, birds , animals, humans, etc. can be cut or carved out of a piece of paper. Starting from the 6th century, paper cutting has always been one of China's most popular traditional art. Jiang su - Yang zhou is one of the first regions to make paper cutting a trend. The theme of Yang zhou Paper Cutting ranges from human figures, flowers, plants, animals, natural sceneries, and famous historic and cultural sites. Many women from countryside are good at paper cutting and make beautiful paper cuts.
Great Wall of China
Rather than being one long continuous wall, the Great Wall of China is made up of a number of different sections. These sections were built by various dynasties over a long period of time from stone and other materials.
Its main purpose was protection against attacks and invasions from the north.
The Great Wall of China stretches around 6300 kilometres (3915 miles) in length. If you measure the length of all the different sections of wall, the distance is more like 22000 kilometres (13670 miles).
The Great Wall of China is the longest structure ever built by humans.
The widest section of the wall is around 9 metres (30 ft).
The highest point of the wall is around 8 metres (26 ft)
The first parts of the wall were built over 2000 years ago.
A large number of workers have lost their lives while building the wall.
Major rebuilding of the Great Wall of China took place during the Ming Dynasty that began in the 14th century. Construction during this time was strong due to the use of stone and brick.
Earlier sections of the wall were made from stone, wood and compacted earth.
Some of the well maintained areas of the wall, such as those near Beijing, are popular tourist destinations.
While some parts of the wall have been preserved or renovated, other parts have been vandalised or destroyed to make way for construction.
Rumours that astronauts can see the Great Wall of China from the Moon with the naked eye are untrue.
Rather than being one long continuous wall, the Great Wall of China is made up of a number of different sections. These sections were built by various dynasties over a long period of time from stone and other materials.
Its main purpose was protection against attacks and invasions from the north.
The Great Wall of China stretches around 6300 kilometres (3915 miles) in length. If you measure the length of all the different sections of wall, the distance is more like 22000 kilometres (13670 miles).
The Great Wall of China is the longest structure ever built by humans.
The widest section of the wall is around 9 metres (30 ft).
The highest point of the wall is around 8 metres (26 ft)
The first parts of the wall were built over 2000 years ago.
A large number of workers have lost their lives while building the wall.
Major rebuilding of the Great Wall of China took place during the Ming Dynasty that began in the 14th century. Construction during this time was strong due to the use of stone and brick.
Earlier sections of the wall were made from stone, wood and compacted earth.
Some of the well maintained areas of the wall, such as those near Beijing, are popular tourist destinations.
While some parts of the wall have been preserved or renovated, other parts have been vandalised or destroyed to make way for construction.
Rumours that astronauts can see the Great Wall of China from the Moon with the naked eye are untrue.
Chinese Zodiac: Long long ago, in the ancient Middle Kingdom which we know as China today, there lived a very wise emperor. The emperor was a very important man who had a lot of things on his mind because he had to take care of all the affairs of the people and creatures that lived in the Middle Kingdom. The emperor was getting older and he was becoming more and more forgetful. He was especially worried about how he was getting the years all mixed up in his mind. He couldn't remember the things that happened in each year.
One day while he was thinking about his problem, the emperor decided to name the years after animals because he loved animals. He felt that 12 would be a good number to pick, and , similar to a clock going round in rotation, the animals would also make a cycle. But he did not know which 12 animals to choose. The emperor was known to be a very fair ruler and did not believe he should choose his favorite animals. After some careful thought, he came up with a brilliant idea.
The next morning he called all animals in the kingdom together and said, "Today we are going to have a great race. The first 12 animals to swim across the River
of Heaven and cross the finish line will have the special honor of having a year named after them!"
Well of course, all the animals were very excited because they all wanted to have a year named after them. The race began and the animals went as fast as they could. When it was time to cross the river, the clever rat knowing that the strong ox was much stronger, climbed on his back to get a free ride across the river. Just as the ox was climbing out of the river, the rat jumped off, hurried across the finish line and took first place.
After the rat, came the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and finally the pig. The race ended. From this day on these 12 animals have had the special honor of having a year named after them.
One day while he was thinking about his problem, the emperor decided to name the years after animals because he loved animals. He felt that 12 would be a good number to pick, and , similar to a clock going round in rotation, the animals would also make a cycle. But he did not know which 12 animals to choose. The emperor was known to be a very fair ruler and did not believe he should choose his favorite animals. After some careful thought, he came up with a brilliant idea.
The next morning he called all animals in the kingdom together and said, "Today we are going to have a great race. The first 12 animals to swim across the River
of Heaven and cross the finish line will have the special honor of having a year named after them!"
Well of course, all the animals were very excited because they all wanted to have a year named after them. The race began and the animals went as fast as they could. When it was time to cross the river, the clever rat knowing that the strong ox was much stronger, climbed on his back to get a free ride across the river. Just as the ox was climbing out of the river, the rat jumped off, hurried across the finish line and took first place.
After the rat, came the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and finally the pig. The race ended. From this day on these 12 animals have had the special honor of having a year named after them.
Learn how to count in Chinese from 1-10
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Jiaozi are a kind of Chinese dumpling, commonly eaten across Eastern, Central, Southern and Western Asia. Though considered part of Chinese cuisine, jiaozi are often eaten in many other Asian countries.
Jiaozi typically consist of a ground meat and/or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together or by crimping. Jiaozi should not be confused with wonton, jiaozi have a thicker skin and a relatively flatter, more oblate, double-saucer like shape (similar in shape to ravioli), and are usually eaten with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce (and/or hot chili sauce); while wontons have thinner skin and are usually served in broth. The dough for the jiaozi and wonton wrappers also consist of different ingredients. |
Chinese Ethnic and Folk Dance
Chinese ethnic and folk dance represents a vast and varied assortment of traditional dance styles. Chinese ethnic dance generally refers to the dance forms passed down among the many minority ethnic groups within China. Folk dance, meanwhile, refers to the popular dance styles passed down among the majority Han ethnicity, like the Yang Ge, ribbon, and handkerchief dances. Chinese folk dances almost always serve a specific goal - usually signifying a certain event in the life of the Chinese people. Known for their diverse choreography and brightly colored costumes, China is a nation with a long history of tradition and folklore. Dance fits naturally into Chinese culture, and you will find local dances for each ethnic group, as well as national dances that the majority of Chinese folk dancers know well.
Chinese ethnic and folk dance represents a vast and varied assortment of traditional dance styles. Chinese ethnic dance generally refers to the dance forms passed down among the many minority ethnic groups within China. Folk dance, meanwhile, refers to the popular dance styles passed down among the majority Han ethnicity, like the Yang Ge, ribbon, and handkerchief dances. Chinese folk dances almost always serve a specific goal - usually signifying a certain event in the life of the Chinese people. Known for their diverse choreography and brightly colored costumes, China is a nation with a long history of tradition and folklore. Dance fits naturally into Chinese culture, and you will find local dances for each ethnic group, as well as national dances that the majority of Chinese folk dancers know well.
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Chinese New Year
is an important Chinese festival celebrated at the turn of the traditional lunar calendar. It is also known as the Spring Festival, the literal translation of the modern Chinese name. Chinese New Year started with a monster called "Nian", firecrackers were used to scare away the evil spirit. There is a grand celebration that takes place about fifteen days after the days of the Chinese New Year, this celebration is called Lantern Festival. During the Chinese New Year, children receive money in a red envelope from elders and relatives. Dragon and Lion dances were performed on the streets. There are twelve years apart in a zodiac animal cycle. To celebrate the New Year, people usually put red banner on their door to welcome the spring. People also eat fish to represent abundant. The rule to write Chinese character it is always from top to bottom and left to right...
is an important Chinese festival celebrated at the turn of the traditional lunar calendar. It is also known as the Spring Festival, the literal translation of the modern Chinese name. Chinese New Year started with a monster called "Nian", firecrackers were used to scare away the evil spirit. There is a grand celebration that takes place about fifteen days after the days of the Chinese New Year, this celebration is called Lantern Festival. During the Chinese New Year, children receive money in a red envelope from elders and relatives. Dragon and Lion dances were performed on the streets. There are twelve years apart in a zodiac animal cycle. To celebrate the New Year, people usually put red banner on their door to welcome the spring. People also eat fish to represent abundant. The rule to write Chinese character it is always from top to bottom and left to right...
Chinese calligraphy is a form of calligraphy widely practiced in China and revered in the Chinese cultural sphere, which often includes Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Vietnam. The calligraphic tradition of East Asia originated and developed fromChina. There is a general standardization of the various styles of calligraphy in this tradition. Chinese calligraphy and ink and wash painting are closely related, since they are accomplished using similar tools and techniques. Chinese painting and calligraphy distinguish themselves from other cultural arts because they emphasize motion and are charged with dynamic life. According to Stanley-Baker, "Calligraphy is sheer life experienced through energy in motion that is registered as traces on silk or paper, with time and rhythm in shifting space its main ingredients."[1] Calligraphy has also led to the development of many forms of art in China, including seal carving, ornate paperweights, and inkstones.
Are our kids tough enough?
In a unique experiment, five teachers from China take over the education of fifty teenagers in a Hampshire school to see whether the high-ranking Chinese education system can teach us a lesson.
In a unique experiment, five teachers from China take over the education of fifty teenagers in a Hampshire school to see whether the high-ranking Chinese education system can teach us a lesson.
Century egg or pidan (Chinese: 皮蛋; pinyin: pídàn), also known as preserved egg, hundred-year egg, thousand-year egg, thousand-year-old egg, and millennium egg, is a Chinese preserved food product and delicacy made by preserving duck, chicken or quail eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, quicklime, and rice hulls for several weeks to several months, depending on the method of processing.[1]
Through the process, the yolk becomes a dark green to grey color, with a creamy consistency and strong flavor due to the hydrogen sulfide and ammonia present, while the white becomes a dark brown, translucent jelly with a salty flavor. Some eggs have patterns near the surface of the egg white that are likened to pine branches, and that gives rise to one of its Chinese names, the pine-patterned egg. The century egg has over five centuries of history behind its production. A homeowner discovered duck eggs in a shallow pool of slaked lime that was used for mortar during construction of his home two months before. Upon tasting the eggs, he set out to produce more — this time with the addition of salt to improve their flavor — resulting in the present recipe of the century egg.[4] Pidan can be eaten alone, they can also accompany with tofu or rice porridge. Oftentimes they are served with soy sauce and cilantro. Now, would you eat a thousand years old egg? |
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Panda(Xiong Mao) - There are about 1,000 pandas that live in the world right now. They live in the remote forests of the Si Chuan Province of China. A new born giant panda or a cub weighs about only 4 ounces. That is the size of a stick butter. The cubs has almost no body hair and can not see. Pandas walk with four feet and they eat leaves and stems of the bamboos plants. On average, they spend 12 hours a day eating. A baby giant panda learns to walk when it is about six months old. It begins to eat bamboo and climb trees. A young giant panda leaves its mother when it is 18-24 month old. Unlike most other bears, pandas do not hibernate. When winter approaches, they head down to the lower mountain where temperature is warmer, to continue to eat more bamboo! Female pandas give birth to one or two cubs every two years. The life span of giant pandas in the wild is approximately 20 years. Captive pandas may live to be 25-30 years old. The giant panda has been on the endangered species list since 1990. With just over 1,000 pandas left in the world, scientists are hoping to increase the wild panda population to 5,000 by 2025.
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The Dragon Boat Festival 端午节 (duan wu jie), The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet of the Chu State in ancient China, is greatly respected by people of all times, for both his fine poetry and noble character. It was on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in the year 278 BC after the falling of the Chu State, Qu Yuan gave his life to his beloved motherland by drowning himself in the river. On the Dragon Boat Festival, people usually eat zong zi, hang moxa (leaves) in front of their doorways, and hold dragon boat races. The dragon boat is made of wood, with dragon head and dragon tail decorations on it. Dragon boat racing originally showed people's wish to rescue Qu Yuan from drowning, and gradually became a popular competitive mass sport. In order to keep the fish away from Qu Yuan's body, people would throw rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves into the water to feed the fish. This is how the tradition of eating zong zi (rice dumping wrapped in leaves) around the Dragon Boat Festival. A zong zi is usually made in the shape of a triangular or square lump, wrapped in large bamboo leaves. The ingredients are mostly sticky rice, beans, peanut, egg yolk and pork. Moxa leaves are hung in front of every household during the Dragon Boat Festival in order to expel evil spirits and to relieve people's illness. The sweet scent of the herb, can help purify the air around the house.
WHY IS EVERYTHING MADE IN CHINA?
You’ve probably began wondering many years ago why everything you find in a store seems to be made in China or why we import everything from China.
The short answer.
It’s a compilation of labor laws, minimum wage, regulations, and unions that make it impossible for some products to be made here. Because of all of these things, almost everything you find in the United States is now made in China or another country that does not have problems with any of those things.
It used to be that only cheap and low end items were made overseas but because of how inefficient and restricted US businesses have become, we’ve began heavily importing even high-end electronics from over seas. A lot of businesses that used to be US based have actually closed facilities here and re-opened them in another country.
Why do these things have such an impact on business?
Simply because people are in business to make a profit. If you can’t pay the workers and have enough left over to reward the shareholders that took the risk with their investment in the first place, then there isn’t any way to make a business function without subsidies.
You’ve probably began wondering many years ago why everything you find in a store seems to be made in China or why we import everything from China.
The short answer.
It’s a compilation of labor laws, minimum wage, regulations, and unions that make it impossible for some products to be made here. Because of all of these things, almost everything you find in the United States is now made in China or another country that does not have problems with any of those things.
It used to be that only cheap and low end items were made overseas but because of how inefficient and restricted US businesses have become, we’ve began heavily importing even high-end electronics from over seas. A lot of businesses that used to be US based have actually closed facilities here and re-opened them in another country.
Why do these things have such an impact on business?
Simply because people are in business to make a profit. If you can’t pay the workers and have enough left over to reward the shareholders that took the risk with their investment in the first place, then there isn’t any way to make a business function without subsidies.
Chinese Acrobatics have over 2,000 years of history. It is an art form closely related to people's recreational games and traditional sporting activities, as well as other forms of the performing arts of drama, dance and martial arts. Every skill is handed down from generation to generation. Juggling with the feet is most challenging to the acrobat's skills to manipulate their lower torso and the legs. It is mostly performed by a female acrobat lying on a special pedestal. Objects the artist juggles range from something as light as an umbrella, to things such as a jar or wooden table. They can spin them so fast with their feet that the objects often become blurry shadows. Juggling with the head is one that requires great strength and great sense of balance on the part of the performer. This extraordinary skill takes years of training. In general, there are two styles of Chinese acrobatics: martial arts style and circus style. The martial arts feature martial artists who often act out a fighting scene. Circus style shows are more like Western acrobatic shows. The individual performers and groups of acrobats do amazing acts of balancing, juggling, and gymnastics, and they are often amusing. The best acrobatic school in China is called "Wu Qiao School of Acrobatic", for many years, they have produced the best performers.
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Abacus, suan pan is an ancient counting tool. It has been used in China for thousands of years. It is a rectangular frame divided in two parts. It has the sliding beads on wooden sticks. Each stick on the top has two beads. Each beads stands for 5. Each stick on the bottom has five beads. Each bead stands for 1. While counting, one must move the beads up and down, right and left, with fingers.
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Katie's Adoption Story:This is the story of a Chinese girl who was abandoned by her parents at birth and adopted by an American family reunited with them more than two decades later.Kati Pohler grew up in the quiet town of Hudsonville, Michigan, with her adoptive parents and their two sons. She knew there were things about her past that her adoptive parents weren’t telling her given her Asian heritage, but the truth about her adoption was far more shocking than she ever anticipated.
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Sam Lin was born and raised in California. He started violin lesson at age 6 with his dad. Throughout the years, he also learned piano, guitar, drum by himself. He attended UCSD from 2009-2013 with a degree in Communications and Business. After working in the financial area for a short period of time, he felt the call to pursue his music career in Taiwan. He is now a song writer, singer, producer, violinist, guitarist, pianist, drummer. He currently lives in Taiwan as an artist/producer.
Peking Opera - Watching Peking Operas is popular in China. Among hundreds of opera types in China, Peking Opera has the greatest influence and is there fore regarded as the "National Opera". There are four main character roles in the Peking Opera. Sheng is the leading man's role. Dan is far all female roles. Jing is for painted-face warriors. Chou is for clown-like roles. Each role has its own distinctive costumes, make-up and movements. It is easy to tell wheter the character is good or evil by their painted face. Red is loyal, black is brave, white is mean and green is for monsters. The Peking Opera is performed with melodies and movements. It is accompanied by traditional musical instruments.
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The Sick Road......
Chinese characters are symbols used to write the Chinese and Japanese languages. In the past, other languages like Korean and Vietnamese also used them. The beginning of these characters was at least 3000 years ago, making them one of the oldest continuously-used (meaning it has not fallen out of use) writing systems in the world. In Chinese they are called hanzi (汉字/漢字), which means "Han character". In Japanese they are called kanji and in Korean hanja.
Chinese characters are an important part of East Asian culture. Chinese characters may be considered to be abstract art, because of how the characters are made up of lines and dots. The art of writing Chinese characters is called calligraphy.
Chinese characters are a type of logogram; they mainly represent words instead of sounds. Most earlier Chinese characters were pictographs, which are simple pictures used to mean some kind of thing or idea. Today, very few modern Chinese characters are pictographs, but are a combination of two or more simple characters. There are tens of thousands of Chinese characters, though most of them are only a bit different from each other and only seen in very old texts. Studies in China show that normally three to four thousand characters are used on a daily basis.
Chinese characters are an important part of East Asian culture. Chinese characters may be considered to be abstract art, because of how the characters are made up of lines and dots. The art of writing Chinese characters is called calligraphy.
Chinese characters are a type of logogram; they mainly represent words instead of sounds. Most earlier Chinese characters were pictographs, which are simple pictures used to mean some kind of thing or idea. Today, very few modern Chinese characters are pictographs, but are a combination of two or more simple characters. There are tens of thousands of Chinese characters, though most of them are only a bit different from each other and only seen in very old texts. Studies in China show that normally three to four thousand characters are used on a daily basis.
Pure Brightness Festival, which falls on either April 4, 5, or 6 according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, is traditionally observed as a festival worshiping at ancestral graves, technically known as "Grave-sweeping". It has been a tradition for more than 2,000 years. As it is during a time of sunny spring season, people also like to go outing on that day. Pure Brightness is an important day for remembering ancestors and visiting their graves. On that day, people will come to the grave sites of their deceased kin, clearing out and then placing flowers and food offerings in front of the graves, before taking bows or kneeling down to show respect to the beloved passed away. People also have been planting willow trees as a tradition. Traditional activities around Pure Brightness are spring outing, flying kites, etc..
Qi Pao - a typical dress for the Chinese women, has evolved from the long gown worn by the Manchurian women over 300 years ago. As the Manchurian are always called the Qi People, the clothes they wear, therefore, get the name of Qi Pao. The original Qi Pao worn during the Manchu rule was wide and baggy. The Chinese dress featured a high neck and straight skirt. It covered all of a woman's body except for her head, hands and toes. The qi pao worn today are modeled after ones made in Shanghai in the 1920s. The modern qipao is a one-piece, form-fitting that has high slit on one or both sides. Women can be still seen wearing the elegant qi pao on formal occastions or wedding banquet.
Most of the Qi Pao are made with fine silk. The traditional qi pao has a turtleneck, a front that opens from the right and the dress length down to the ankles with knee-high slits on both sides. It could be worn with either long or short sleeves. Qi Pao is usually made by hand. It should be cut to suit the personality of each individual. Sometime the qi pao has different patterns such as flowers, dragons and phoenix, etc...
Most of the Qi Pao are made with fine silk. The traditional qi pao has a turtleneck, a front that opens from the right and the dress length down to the ankles with knee-high slits on both sides. It could be worn with either long or short sleeves. Qi Pao is usually made by hand. It should be cut to suit the personality of each individual. Sometime the qi pao has different patterns such as flowers, dragons and phoenix, etc...
Hot pot is a Chinese cooking method, prepared with a simmering pot of soup stock at the dining table, containing a variety of East Asian foodstuffs and ingredients. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table, in a manner similar to fondue. Fondue is a Swiss melted cheese dish served in a communal pot over a portable stove heated with a candle or spirit lamp, and eaten by dipping bread into the cheese using long-stemmed forks. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, wontons, egg dumplings, toutu and seafood. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce. Hot pot is thought to have originated in Mongolia 800-900 years ago. The primary ingredient originally was meat (including mutton and horse), and the broth was not spicy. Hot pot subsequently spread throughout China, where distinct regional variations developed and persist to this day. |
The Terra Cotta Warriors - 兵马俑 (bing ma yong)The Terracotta Army is a part of massive burial tomb built for Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. There are over 8,000 life size statues of soldiers buried along with the emperor. Emperor Qin wanted to live forever. He spent much of his life and resources searching for immortality and the "elixir of life". He also spent a huge amount of resources building for himself the largest single tomb built to a leader in the history of the world. He felt this huge army would protect him and help him to keep his power in the afterlife. He died and was buried in 210 BC, over 2,000 years ago. The soldiers of the Terracotta Army are life-size statues. They average around 5 feet 11 inches tall with some soldiers being as tall as 6 foot 7 inches. Despite there being so many statues, no two soldiers are exactly alike. There are soldiers of all ages with different ranks, facial features, and hairstyles. Some of the soldiers look calm, while others look angry and ready to fight.
To build 8,000 life size statues must have taken a large army of workers. Archeologists estimate that over 700,000 craftsment worked on the project for several years. The Terracotta Army was discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974, over 2,000 years after it was covered over during the burial of Emperor Qin. The army was located about a mile from the tomb of the emperor. |
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Hello, Shengzhen !
When it comes to technology, Shenzhen may well be the most fascinating city in the world. It makes the majority of our electronics. It clones the best technology Silicon Valley has to offer with ease. And, these days, Shenzhen buzzes with new ideas and an unrivaled energy that ensure it will play a major role in shaping our collective futures. In this episode of Hello World, journalist Ashlee Vance heads to the spectacle that is Shenzhen to experience it firsthand. The results are equal parts inspiring and disconcerting as tech-fueled entrepreneurs try to navigate an authoritarian regime. |
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清明节(qīng míng jié)- Pure Brightness Festival
Pure Brightness, which falls on April 5th of every year in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. It is traditionally observed as a festival worshiping at ancestral graves, technically known as "Grave-sweeping" (扫墓 sao mu). It has been a tradition for more than 2,000 years. As it is during a time of sunny spring season, people also like to go out on this day (similar to Memorial Weekend is US)
Pure brightness is an important day for remembering ancestors and visiting their graves. Grave-sweeping on the day of Pure Brightness has long been a tradition. On the day, people will come to the grave sites of their deceased kin, clearing out and then placing flowers and food offerings in front of the graves, before taking bows or kneeling down to show respect to the beloved passed away. People have also been planting willow tree next to the grave site as a tradition.
Traditional activities during the Pure Brightness Festival include spring outings, flying kites since the ancient time, which add a touch of optimism to this day of ancestral remembrance.
Pure Brightness, which falls on April 5th of every year in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. It is traditionally observed as a festival worshiping at ancestral graves, technically known as "Grave-sweeping" (扫墓 sao mu). It has been a tradition for more than 2,000 years. As it is during a time of sunny spring season, people also like to go out on this day (similar to Memorial Weekend is US)
Pure brightness is an important day for remembering ancestors and visiting their graves. Grave-sweeping on the day of Pure Brightness has long been a tradition. On the day, people will come to the grave sites of their deceased kin, clearing out and then placing flowers and food offerings in front of the graves, before taking bows or kneeling down to show respect to the beloved passed away. People have also been planting willow tree next to the grave site as a tradition.
Traditional activities during the Pure Brightness Festival include spring outings, flying kites since the ancient time, which add a touch of optimism to this day of ancestral remembrance.