Be forewarned though, this is a festival celebrated by the entire country, and many choose to take advantage of the fantastic (and patriotic) opportunity to see some of China’s most famous sights. If you’re planning to travel domestically, be Continue Reading

   Other ways to celebrate this holiday are by enjoying the nascent spring air. A picnic in the park, or a little kite flying, would be appropriate, and you’ll see the parks around China full of people doing just this.  Continue Reading

   For the Dai, water is purifying. Drenching those around you is one way of extending your goodwill. It’s like saying, “I hope that you have a good year, and (splash)—take that!” – S.K.    In the Western world, New Continue Reading

   – How to get there: take the railway from Guangzhou City to Zhangzhou City, Yongding County and then take a bus to Tulou (less than 25 yuan/person);     Fujian Tulou Fujian Tulou is a type of Chinese rural Continue Reading

   As an outstanding folk art, paper-cut was selected into the intangible cultural heritage list by the UNESCO in 2006. The Chinese government has also designated successors to preserve and carry forward this traditional art.    Yì bǎ jiǎndāo, jǐ Continue Reading

   In ancient times, the lanterns were fairly simple, and only the emperor and noblemen had large ornate ones; in modern times, lanterns have been being embellished with many complex designs. For example, lanterns are now often made in shapes Continue Reading

   Huangmei opera did not involve the traditional opera gestures which often used the sleeves and step movements. It was also not perform    黄梅戏原称黄梅调，又叫采茶调，发源于湖北省黄梅县。 她是安徽省汉族的主要地方戏剧种，发源于以安徽省安庆市为中心的皖江流域（上至皖鄂交界的大别山地区，下至安徽安庆宿松、岳西、太湖、望江、潜山、怀宁、安庆市区、枞阳、桐城以及安徽池州在内的广大皖江流域），并最终以完整的独立剧种的形式诞生于安庆地区、成长于安庆地区、兴盛于安庆地区。 黄梅戏原名黄梅调、怀腔或府调等，现主要流布于安徽省安庆市及其周边地区。 黄梅戏用安庆语言念唱，唱腔淳朴流畅，以明快抒情见长，具有丰富的表现力；黄梅戏的表演质朴细致，以真实活泼著称。 黄梅戏来自于民间，雅俗共赏、怡情悦性，她以浓郁的生活气息和清新的乡土风味感染观众。 黄梅戏是中国五大戏曲剧种之一，影响十分深远,已成为深受全国观众喜爱的著名剧种。 著名作品有：《天仙配》《女驸马》《罗帕记》《赵桂英》《慈母泪》《三搜国丈府》；著名演员有：严凤英、王少舫、张辉、黄新德、吴琼、马兰、韩再芬。 Huangmei opera or Huangmei tone (黃梅戏 or 黃梅调, pinyin: Continue Reading

   Nowadays, when most people talk about Tai Ji Quan, they are usually referring to the Yang style, which has already spread throughout the world and is practiced by millions of people.    太极拳，中国拳术之一，早期曾称为“长拳”、“棉拳”、“十三势”、“软手”。至清朝乾隆年间（公元1736～1796年），山西人王宗岳著《太极拳论》，才确定了太极拳的名称。“太极”一词源出《周易=系词》，含有至高、至极、绝对、唯一的意思。 关于太极拳的起源，众说纷纭，大致有唐朝（公元618～907年）许宣平、宋朝（公元960～1278年）张三峰、明朝（公元1368～1644年）张三丰、清朝（公元1644～1911年）陈王廷和王宗岳等几种不同的说法。但现在多数拳家亦以现传各式太极拳俊源出陈式太极拳之说为本。 太极拳综合吸收了明代名家拳法，特别是戚继光的三十二式长拳，并结合了古代导引、吐纳气功之术和中医经络学说，以及古代阴阳五行学说，以道教、太极八卦等理论为太极拳的哲学基础，综合而成。 太极拳以“棚、捋、挤、按、瘛、肘、靠、进、退、顾、盼、定”等为基本方法。动作徐缓舒畅，要求练拳时正腰、收颚、直背、垂间，有飘然腾云之意境。清代拳师称“拳如大海，滔滔而不绝”。同时，太极拳还很重视练气，所谓“气”，就是修炼人体自身的精神力，这是太极拳作为内家功夫的特点之一。 目前，太极拳有陈式、杨式、孙式、吴式、武式五种流派。明末清初，河南温县陈家沟的老拳师陈王庭初创太极拳，世代相传。河北永年人杨露禅从学于陈家沟陈长兴，并与其子杨健侯、其孙杨澄甫等人在陈式太极拳的基础上，创编发展了“杨式太极拳”。清末河北永年人武禹襄在杨露禅从陈家沟返乡后，深爱其术，从学杨于陈式老架太极拳，后又从陈清平学赵堡架，经过修改，创造了“武式太极拳”。河北完县人孙禄堂，从师李魁垣学形意拳，继而学于李魁垣的师傅郭云深，又从师于程廷华学八卦掌。后又从师郝为真学太极拳，之后参合八卦、形意、太极三家拳术的精义，融合一体而创“孙式太极拳”。 Tai Ji Continue Reading

   Shaolin Kungfu is famous both at home and abroad as a highly-effective method of self-defense and building health. It has quiet internal side and a mighty external side. Combining external and internal, “hard” and “soft” exercises, Shaolin Kungfu involves Continue Reading

   Most of these new creatures have names that are similarly based on puns, if a bit more vulgar. Last year’s biggest hit has a name we could never mention in polite company, but a back-story that’s every bit as Continue Reading