BEIJING, May 5 ( tasteallchina ) -- The National Library of China (NLC) has started collecting representative works from the country's major documentary directors, the library announced at a recent screening event. Three documentaries by celebrated director Zhang Yiqing, including one focusing on life inside a boarding kindergarten, are among the first batch of such documentaries included in the library's archives. The NLC attaches great importance to the collection of audio and video works that document reality, as well as the services relating to those works, said Huo Ruijuan, deputy director of the NLC. The library will continue to systematically collect representative documentaries from directors, establish a system of such works, and invite more documentary directors to communicate with the audience on the cultural value of their works, Huo said, adding that it will provide better and more comprehensive services on audiovisual works for the readers.

An aerial drone photo shows contestants participating in a dragon boat race at a fishing port in Lianjiang County, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 11, 2024. The dragon boat race at sea has a long history in Lianjiang. The eight-day event from the first day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar has become a well-known cultural activity to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, also called Duanwu Festival. ( tasteallchina /Jiang Kehong) Contestants participate in a dragon boat race at a fishing port in Lianjiang County, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 11, 2024. The dragon boat race at sea has a long history in Lianjiang. The eight-day event from the first day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar has become a well-known cultural activity to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, also called Duanwu Festival. ( tasteallchina /Jiang Kehong) Contestants gather to participate in a dragon boat race at a fishing port in Lianjiang County, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 11, 2024. The dragon boat race at sea has a long history in Lianjiang. The eight-day event from the first day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar has become a well-known cultural activity…

BEIJING, June 8 ( tasteallchina ) -- In May, Axin and his mother embarked on a journey spanning nearly 9,000 kilometers from their home in Guizhou Province, the hinterland of southwest China, to London. With them, they took a selection of intricate and captivating embroidery works, a heritage art of the Miao ethnic people. The craftsmanship of Miao embroidery shown by the mother-son duo, donned in the traditional dress of the Miao, enthralled visitors at the 10th London Craft Week. Axin, a designer who infuses Miao elements into his fashion line, and his mother, a master embroiderer with five decades of needlework dedication, embody a broader narrative: an age-old craft from China's remote mountains gaining modern appeal, even international acclaim, with innovative minds. The Miao ethnic people have long expressed their rich cultural heritage through needle and thread, turning garments into "books on the body." This form of art was recognized in 2006 with its inclusion on China's inaugural national list of intangible cultural heritage. For years, Guizhou, home to a significant Miao population, has prioritized preserving this heritage art by promoting it as an industry. Through efforts ranging from support for entrepreneurship and training and management of embroiderers to…

Xie Zhenwei explains the features of a Shabu-Kiln celadon censer as primary school students listen in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Weng Xinyang)  Originated in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and flourished in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), the Shabu Kilns are considered as transitional kilns during the development of southern celadon industry from Yue Kilns to Longquan Kilns. Xie Zhenwei, a young porcelain artisan and a native of Shabu Township, has been making efforts to reproduce the celadon wares in the style of Shabu Kilns, which is characterized by exquisite carved patterns. To achieve his goal, Xie learned techniques from Yue Kilns and Longquan Kilns and kept using local materials. At present, Xie has successfully made celadon wares like censer, jug and powder boxes, in the style of Shabu Kilns. He also set up a workshop to display the culture of this art. Xie Zhenwei (L) makes a point as students graduated from a technician college look on during a visit in a relic site of an ancient kiln in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Weng Xinyang) Xie Zhenwei applies glaze to…

China's three-day New Year's Day holidays, which ended on Monday, saw a consumer market boom with bustling travel and spending activities across the country, according to various data on Monday, offering more vivid displays of sustained vitality and vast potential in China's consumption market, the biggest driver for economic growth. The busy scenes across China - from a square in Southwest China's Chongqing packed with New Year's Eve revelers to record numbers of ice and snow enthusiasts in Harbin in Northeast China's Heilongjiang - all pointed to a solid start for China's economic recovery in 2024, particularly the rebound in consumption, analysts said on Monday. Meanwhile, many localities have further stepped up efforts to boost spending, as they doled out consumption vouchers to spur spending, part of a broad national campaign to boost domestic consumption. Amid such efforts, consumption will continue to see a steady recovery in 2024 and will in turn lift the overall economic recovery process, analysts noted. During the three-day holidays, a total of 135 million domestic tourist trips were made, up 155.3 percent year-on-year, and total domestic tourism revenue reached 79.73 billion yuan, jumping, 200.7 percent from the same period in 2023 and 5.6 percent from…

Gabriel de Moraes Neto teaches as students learn martial arts in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, July 6, 2024. Born in 1978, Gabriel de Moraes Neto hails from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is now a martial arts coach based in Nanning, Guangxi. ( tasteallchina /Cao Yiming) Inspired by Bruce Lee's Kung Fu at young age, Gabriel developed an interest in Chinese martial arts and began to receive systematic training in 1999. As his understanding of martial arts and traditional Chinese culture deepened, he named himself "Mo Xiaolong," after Bruce Lee's Chinese name, "Li Xiaolong." In 2008, Gabriel visited Beijing University of Chinese Medicine as an exchange student to study acupuncture while practicing martial arts. To him, Kung Fu embodies traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and physical strengthening, displaying the charm of Chinese culture. After completing his studies, Gabriel returned to Brazil where he opened a school specializing in Kung Fu training and acupuncture courses. In 2011, Gabriel revisited China and met his soulmate in Nanning, whom he married the following year back home in Brazil. In 2016, Gabriel and his wife returned to Nanning and decided to stay and work in China. Soon after their return, Gabriel was…

People show Zongzi, a traditional Chinese food to mark the Dragon Boat Festival, during a party organized by the Chinese Embassy in Iran, in the Iranian capital Tehran, June 5, 2024. More than 50 people attended the party. ( tasteallchina /Shadati) People make Zongzi, a traditional Chinese food to mark the Dragon Boat Festival, during a party organized by the Chinese Embassy in Iran, in the Iranian capital Tehran, June 5, 2024. More than 50 people attended the party. ( tasteallchina /Shadati)

Students practice Baduanjin Qigong during a traditional Chinese medicine lecture at the University of Namibia in Windhoek, Namibia, on Aug. 14, 2023. The Chinese medical team in Namibia on Monday delivered a lecture on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to students from the University of Namibia, enabling them to have a better understanding of the TCM techniques. ( tasteallchina /Chen Cheng)The Chinese medical team in Namibia on Monday delivered a lecture on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to students from the University of Namibia, enabling them to have a better understanding of the TCM techniques.During the lecture at the university's Confucius Institute, the Chinese doctors delved into the intricate details of TCM, in a move meant to enlighten and educate students more on the benefits as an alternative to other modern forms of treatments.The Chinese team explained the uses of techniques like acupuncture and how and why it is administered, and how other techniques are combined to be more effective, like incorporating moxibustion with acupuncture as a natural means of treatment for various ailments.The doctors also zoomed in on the benefits of TCM, saying it is considered to be milder and does not have strong side effects as some other medicine does.During…

Chinese calligraphy (书法), is one of the oldest art forms in human history. The mastery of movement and quality of line work has a history of thousands of years, in which the style and technique have always evolved. Artists like Ouyang Xun, Wang Xizhi, or Ngan Siu-Mui gave calligraphy its graceful character. While for some, the art of strokes is seen as the reflection of one's state of mind, calligraphy is usually associated with relaxation, escape, and spirit. Let's find out to what extent Chinese calligraphy, as a solid core of culture since the age of antiquity, can help us learn to write Chinese. An absolute beginner's guide, which will help you with helpful tips and tricks to learn the Chinese script quickly and efficiently, can be found here! Can you learn to write Chinese with penmanship? Whether as a philosophy of life, as a realization moment of the true presence or as a perfection of the skill of man: Calligraphy is a multifaceted ancient art. The traces of Chinese populations through the centuries of the Xia, Han, or Ming dynasties tirelessly sharpen the quest for calligraphic aesthetics. Just like the art of writing, the writing of Chinese characters is based…

Yu (屿) is the Chinese pinyin for a wonderful island. In the bustling city of Guangzhou, a culinary gem named Yu has recently ascended to the prestigious ranks of the Michelin Guide, securing its first star. Behind this remarkable achievement stands May, an elegant and accomplished woman with a background in oil painting and a decade of experience in the culinary industry. Her journey from an art school graduate to a Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur is a tale of determination, passion, and a bit of rebellious spirit. The Bold and Brave Path of a Chef Had May followed the path laid out by her parents, both art teachers, she would likely be working in the arts today. Instead, she pursued a different route. May's upbringing in an art-centric household led her to study fine arts and graduate in oil painting. However, upon completing her studies, she embarked on her stubborn and brave rebellious phase. Without formal culinary training, May audaciously approached Michelin-starred restaurants, eager to learn and compete. Financial constraints did not deter her ambition to further her culinary education. She entered high-stakes cooking competitions, earning full scholarships and honing her skills. With a fearless attitude, she established her own…

Suzhou can be considered one of the most exquisite cities in the whole of China, and the Suzhou gardens are the most vivid embodiment of this refinement. Throughout history, Suzhou has had a total of 802 gardens, and the praise of being a "city of half gardens and pavilions" is by no means an empty phrase. It is not so much that Suzhou provides a dwelling place for gardens, but rather that the gardens spread throughout the entire city have created a Suzhou city steeped in the gentle language of the Wu dialect. So what exactly are Suzhou gardens? They serve as a window to China's aesthetic facing the world, and with the completion of the Chinese-style courtyard Mingxuan in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1980, modeled after the Master of the Nets Garden's Dianchunyi, it spreads aesthetic elements unique to China to the world. In spring, Suzhou gardens become sea of flowers, undoubtedly the most beautiful time of the year for gardens. The early magnolias in March, the wisteria at the end of March, and the peonies in late April, with flowers of various colors blooming in succession, adorn the Suzhou gardens as sea of flowers. Even those…

Recently, the term "crispy youths" has become a buzzword, which, as the name suggests, refers to individuals with fragile bodies that "break easily." According to data from the National Cancer Registry Center, the incidence of cancer among young people (aged 20 to 39) has increased by nearly 80% in recent years. Cases of overwork and sudden deaths among young people are not uncommon. In September 2023 alone, an emergency department in Zhengzhou received more than 1,700 patients aged between 18 and 25, with conditions ranging from trauma, abdominal pain, chest tightness, to hyperventilation syndrome. Sub-health conditions among young people have become a common phenomenon. Searching social media for the keyword "crispy college students" reveals a variety of incidents involving accidental injuries and "sudden illnesses." The protagonists are often the bloggers themselves who post videos or images, while comment sections are filled with stories shared by fellow peers about their own "crispy" experiences. As a result, young people have started exploring health preservation, particularly in the realm of "traditional Chinese medicine," showing signs of a burgeoning trend in TCM health practices. As reported by Chao News, by 5:30 PM on December 12th, a long queue had already formed outside the evening…

China is an ancient multinational country, with a long history and brilliant culture. For thousands of years, many abundant forms of traditional performing arts have been formed under the wisdom and industriousness of workers. Each art form has various styles and schools, including opera, puppetry, Chinese shadow, acrobatics, and quyi. Chinese traditional performing arts are important representatives of the national spirit, showing the quintessence of ancient culture, and some of them are registered in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Opera China's opera, enjoyed incomparable fame, is known as one of the world's three ancient dramatic cultures, the others being Greece's tragicomedy and India's brahman drama. It is an art form of long history, originating from primitive song and dance. With steady development, it has become a complete system in the Song and Jin dynasties. It is composed of literature, music, dance, fine arts, wushu, and acrobatics, nearly 360 kinds. As it evolves and innovates in the long run, the five most distinguished types of operas appear: Beijing opera, Yue opera, Huang Mei opera, Pingju opera, and Yu opera. History of opera In primitive society, original singing and dancing arise in the tribes. In fact, the ancient tradition…

If your journey to visit ancient sites began with the hanging sculptures in Shanxi, then the rest of your itinerary is bound to be somewhat lacking in surprises, because your starting point is truly too high. As one of the most indispensable highlights of a trip through Shanxi, the hanging sculptures offer you a sense of awe and emotion that is difficult to come by at other locations. It is an immensely magical experience. Just a step away from entering the hall, there is a feeling of entering a dazzling and astonishing world. These gracefully suspended deities and Buddhas make you feel as though you have stepped into the magnificent Buddhist fairyland described by ancient people, no matter which direction you face. They lean slightly, as if gazing, yet also seem to be simply resting there. Being among them, your eyes are filled with shimmering colors. Hanging sculptures are a very unique form of sculpture. Drawing inspiration from more ancient reliefs, people unlocked figures from two-dimensional images, giving rise to extraordinary sacred scenes of deities and Buddhas. They are different from colored sculptures and not like frozen brushstrokes; these Buddha niches on the walls display an almost lifelike posture. In…

Chinese martial arts in the West are mistakenly called Shaolin Kung Fu, Chinese Kung Fu generic name for kung fu or Gong fu means skill and can refer to the skill of a calligrapher or pianist as well as that of a martial arts expert. Although it is unknown when they were introduced into the country, China has the largest number and most colorful variety of fighting styles, including drunkard's boxing and praying mantis style. Kung Fu is usually divided into two types of schools: internal (neijia) and external (waija). The former usually emphasize inner power or qi, and employ evasion and softness to unbalance the opponent; the waija school seeks to defeat the attacker with physical power and strength. Kung Fu makes use of numerous weapons, such as the spear, sword, stick and whip, and even teaches defense with everyday objects such as fans, umbrellas or stools. Origins of Kung Fu Kung Fu comes from man's struggle in ancient times with wild animals and warfare between tribes. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), the Book of Odes devoted some terms to describe the initial form of the martial art. The Book of Rites (Western Han…

When we talk about Chinese art, we refer to all the art produced during millennia by the Chinese civilization, which throughout the centuries remained isolated from the rest of the cultures. Because of this isolation, its style, its way of understanding art, underwent very few changes from antiquity to the 20th century. From the beginning of Chinese history, the main materials and one of the essential beginnings of this art were unknowingly created. These materials are jade and bronze. Furthermore, with these materials and the technical knowledge of this culture, the artistic forms characteristic of this type of art were gradually characterized. However, the works made in this type of art were decorated depending on the social hierarchy in which the artist was, and with this different theory of Chinese art were created, these theories are Confucianism and Taoism. In the field of arts, Chinese art stood out, not only in architecture and sculpture, but porcelain and silk, both used to manufacture sumptuary items. Another type of art, which we could include within the decorative arts, is the development of traditional furniture, this type of art evolved from simplicity to complexity and was closely linked to the lifestyle and economic…

Chinese paper cutting art is one of the most representative art forms, most widely used by the people, with the richest historical cultural understanding and distinct characteristics varying from region to region. Although its material - paper, was invented only 2,000 years ago, the culture and connotation and art form of cutout paper is the historical-cultural sediment of Chinese nation from 6,000 or 7,000 years ago from the primitive society to nowadays. Therefore, its cultural value far exceeds the Chinese paper cutting art itself, and has rich connotations of philosophy, aesthetics, archeology, history, ethnology, sociology, and anthropology, which represents a complete system of original Chinese art, modeling system, and color system. The Chinese paper cutting is the carrier of the original Chinese philosophy, it is represented in popular culture.   Types of Chinese paper cutting art There are many kinds of Chinese paper cutting art: for decorations, such as cut-out papers of windows, Kang, cave-house roof, etc., for life utensils, such as cut-out papers of pottery, cylinder, etc., for dress, there are embroidery, flowers of cap, shoes, pillows, etc., for the holidays, there are "bowl with lid" which implies the combination of earth and sky, the propagation of descendants, and…

The sensation of Malatang has taken Tianshui city by storm, leaving the locals perplexed. "No one in Tianshui would have ever imagined that Malatang would be the first to gain such popularity!" A friend from Tianshui subtly hinted at a touch of proud in their assessment of the local Malatang craze. The reason for this lies in the abundance of treasures in this small northwestern city. Malatang restaurants have become "tourist attractions" with long queues, making the people of Tianshui feel somewhat aggrieved on behalf of the Fuxi Temple and the Maijishan Grottoes. Even in terms of souvenirs, aside from the rising popularity of Gangu chili peppers, there are also exquisite products such as Qinan peaches and Huaniu apples. Guided by the influx of visitors, waves of tourists are flocking to Tianshui. However, it can be asserted that "if you come to Tianshui and only eat Malatang, then you have missed out greatly!" Amidst the tantalizing aroma of food and the mist of Maiji Mountain, the panoramic view in the Tianshui area gradually becomes clear. This city was the first stop on the Silk Road heading west from Chang'an, establishing itself as the premier city in northwestern China over a…

In the realm of captivating television dramas, "Longing Heart Season 2" emerges as a beacon of storytelling prowess and artistic depth. Recently announced to premiere exclusively on Jiangsu TV's Happiness Theater platform starting July 8th, the series is poised to continue its spellbinding narrative journey that began with its acclaimed first season. Adapted from Tong Hua's novel of the same name, "Longing Heart" transports viewers to a period of tripartite rivalry among the kingdoms of Xi Yan, Hao Ling, and Chen Rong. At its heart is the protagonist Wang Ji, also known as "Xiao Yao," who endures a century of tumultuous trials only to find solace in the tranquil town of Qingshui, where she becomes known as Wen Xiaoliu. Xiao Yao's cousin, Wang Sunjuan, traverses the vast wilderness in search of her, while Xiaoliu unwittingly saves the life of Tu Shanjing, a noble scion of Qing Qiu, forging a bond that blossoms into romance amid their daily interactions. Later, Xiaoliu becomes acquainted with Xiang Liu through a series of serendipitous encounters, eventually forming a deep bond of camaraderie. The path to reunion with Sunjuan proves fraught with challenges and twists before their eventual recognition. When "Longing Heart Season 1" aired…

In the realm of television drama, the wait for the second season of "Longing Heart" (长相思) has been a topic of anticipation among fans for nearly a year, following the resounding success of its first season. Recently, the official Weibo account of "Longing Heart" announced that Season 2 is scheduled to premiere on July 8th, featuring the original cast. According to a report from Cover News on July 3rd, the series will exclusively debut on Jiangsu TV on the same date. Let's rewind to July 2023 when the entire 39 episodes of "Longing Heart" Season 1 premiered on online streaming platforms. Shortly after its release, the series gained immense popularity, surpassing 33,000 in heat value due to its unique storyline, distinct characters, and high production standards. It became one of the hottest dramas of the summer of 2023. With the announcement of the premiere date for Season 2, glimpses of its standout scenes and climactic moments have already heightened audience expectations through teaser trailers. Particularly poignant scenes, evident from the trailers, showcase the emotional entanglements of the characters. Jiangsu TV has further indicated that they will innovate by airing both seasons consecutively: re-airing Season 1 during daytime slots and premiering…