Contentment

"Man is but a traveler without origin, so don’t ask where home lies. Contentment is everywhere, for the world is full of floral fragrance," wrote the renowned scholar Lin Yutang, who was born in Pinghe County, Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, China.In his beautiful hometown, there is an enchanting Oolong tea known as Baiya Qilan. It is a rare and precious variety of Oolong tea and a product protected by a national geographical indication, with a very poetic name. Baiya Qilan originated in Pengxi Village, Pinghe County, Zhangzhou, Fujian Province. It is named for its fresh leaves that have white downy tips and the unique orchid aroma of the finished tea. It is one of the five famous teas in Fujian Province alongside Anxi Tieguanyin, Wuyi Rock Tea, Minbei Shuixian, and Yongchun Foshou. The main producing areas of Baiya Qilan are now located in the Qiling Township and Jiufeng Town regions of Pinghe County, near Mount Dacenshan, the highest mountain in southern Fujian with an elevation of 1,544 meters. Snowfall is a rare sight in southern Fujian, except in Pinghe, where even rime ice can be seen on the summit of Mount Dacenshan during snowfall. Pinghe County not only produces tea…

Actors perform during the dance drama "The Exploitation of Nature's Works" ("Tian Gong Kai Wu") in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 1, 2024. (Jiangxi Cultural Performance Group/Handout via tasteallchina ) NANCHANG, July 14 ( tasteallchina ) -- Sounds of labor, such as farming, sericulture, smelting and pulling bellows, blended with the rhythm as dancers joyously depicted the contentment and comfort that ancient people derived from these activities. The dance drama adaptation of the Chinese science classic "The Exploitation of Nature's Works" ("Tian Gong Kai Wu"), commenced its nationwide tour Friday in Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province, bringing to life a nearly 400-year-old masterpiece. The book, compiled by Song Yingxing, a scientist in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), was first published in 1637 during the reign of Emperor Chongzhen. It offers a summary of ancient China's manufacturing and farming techniques, earning recognition as an encyclopedia of science and technology from that time. Known as the world's first comprehensive treatise on agriculture and handicraft production, the pioneering work has since been translated into multiple languages including English, Japanese, French, German and Russian. The eponymous drama, co-produced by Jiangxi Cultural Performance Group and Beijing Dance Academy, is helmed by Chinese filmmaker Lu…