中国文化之园林艺术

幸运女孩

Garden design was an art in China.  One of the most common ways to make a Chinese home more elegant was to develop one or more compounds into a garden with plants, rocks, and garden buildings. Gardens were especially appreciated for their great beauty and naturalness. In time, garden design came to be regarded as a refined activity for the well-heeled and well-educated.[/M]It may be useful to note that what we are calling a garden in China is somewhat different from its counterpart in western Europe or the United States. It is not an expanse of green with incidental buildings, but rather an area in which buildings surround arrangements of rocks, plants and water; without these buildings, the Chinese garden is not a garden. The architectural elements themselves are decorative and structure how one views the scenery. Good views are many and intimate in scale, in contrast with the sweeping vistas and mathematically ordered plantings of European gardens of the same period. The enclosure of the entire compound by walls or other natural barriers marks this area off as a special precinct for private enjoyment.
Gardens were an important part of the homes of the elite long before Ming times, but reached their fullest development in the late Ming in the Jiangnan area, which comprised the southeastern part of China south of the Yangtze River, including the densely-populated cultural centers of Yangzhou, Hangzhou, and Suzhou. These gardens served multiple purposes for their owners. They were extensions and developments of a family's property; they added cultural value by providing a pleasurable environment for private relaxation and entertaining friends and colleagues. In some cases they also contained a productive agricultural portion in the form of orchards or fields for cash crops that could support the needs of a large extended family. But most gardens were luxury items that demonstrated and enhanced the status of their owners.
As you look at the images in this section, keep in mind the following questions:
How does the garden relate to the courtyard-style home in terms of structure and design?
What differences between the house and garden made the garden a desirable addition to the elegant home?
What types of activities or events were more likely to take place in the garden as opposed to the house, and why?
How did the ways to make homes more elegant and impressive differ in China and Europe?

幸运女孩

Quotations:"Be still like a mountain and flow like a great river." Lao Tse."Without going out of your door, You can know the ways of the world. Without peeping through your window, you can see the Way of Heaven. The farther you go, The less you know. Thus, the Sage knows without traveling, Sees without looking, And achieves without struggle." Lao Tse."Different Chinese philosophers, writing probably in 5-4 centuries B.C., presented some major ideas and a way of life that are nowadays known under the name of Taoism, the way of correspondence between man and the tendency or the course of natural world." Alan Watts, from his book: "Tao: The Watercourse Way.""We believe in the formless and eternal Tao, and we recognize all personified deities as being mere human constructs. We reject hatred, intolerance, and unnecessary violence, and embrace harmony, love and learning, as we are taught by Nature. We place our trust and our lives in the Tao, that we may live in peace and balance with the Universe, both in this mortal life and beyond." Creed of the Reform Taoist Congregation 1"For more than two thousand years, Daoism has evolved in close interaction with the other major traditions of China--Confucianism, Buddhism, ethnic creeds, and popular religion--and adapted many of their features. To the present day, Daoism consists of a multiplicity of beliefs and practices, and continues to develop, as it has for the past millennia, through the interaction between differentiation and integration--the move to change in accordance with political, cultural, and economic developments versus the urge to create stability through belief systems, lineage lines, rituals, and myths." From the Amazon.com review of the book "Daoist Identity: History, lineage and ritual.

History of Taoism:Tao (pronounced "Dow") can be roughly translated into English as path, or the way. It is basically indefinable. It has to be experienced. It "refers to a power which envelops, surrounds and flows through all things, living and non-living. The Tao regulates natural processes and nourishes balance in the Universe. It embodies the harmony of opposites (i.e. there would be no love without hate, no light without dark, no male without female.)"
The founder of Taoism is believed by many to be Lao-Tse (604-531 BCE), a contemporary of Confucius. (Alternative spellings: Lao Tze, Lao Tsu, Lao Tzu, Laozi, Laotze, etc.). He was searching for a way that would avoid the constant feudal warfare and other conflicts that disrupted society during his lifetime. The result was his book: Tao-te-Ching (a.k.a. Daodejing). Others believe that he is a mythical character.
Taoism started as a combination of psychology and philosophy but evolved into a religious faith in 440 CE when it was adopted as a state religion. At that time Lao-Tse became popularly venerated as a deity. Taoism, along with Buddhism and Confucianism, became one of the three great religions of China. With the end of the Ch'ing Dynasty in 1911, state support for Taoism ended. Much of the Taoist heritage was destroyed during the next period of warlordism. After the Communist victory in 1949, religious freedom was severely restricted. "The new government put monks to manual labor, confiscated temples, and plundered treasures. Several million monks were reduced to fewer than 50,000" by 1960. During the cultural revolution in China from 1966 to 1976, much of the remaining Taoist heritage was destroyed. Some religious tolerance has been restored under Deng Xiao-ping from 1982 to the present time.  
Taoism currently has about 20 million followers, and is primarily centered in Taiwan. About 30,000 Taoists live in North America; 1,720 in Canada (1991 census). Taoism has had a significant impact on North American culture in areas of "acupuncture, herbalism, holistic medicine, meditation and martial arts..."

幸运女孩

Rat ( 1912 - 1924 - 1936 - 1948 - 1960 - 1972 - 1984-…… )
You are imaginative, charming, and truly generous to the person you love. However, you have a tendency to be quick-tempered and overly critical. You are also inclined to be somewhat of an opportunist. Born under this sign, you should be happy in sales or as a writer, critic, or publicist. Some Rats: Charlotte Bronte, Truman Capote, Catherine I, Mata Hari, Wolfgang Mozart, William Shakespeare, George Washington.
Ox ( 1913 - 1925 - 1937 - 1949 - 1961 - 1973 - 1985-…… )
A born leader, you inspire confidence from all around you. You are conservative, methodical, and good with your hands. Guard against being chauvinistic and always demanding your own way. The Ox would be successful as a skilled surgeon, general, or hairdresser. Some Oxen: NapoleonBonaparte, Walt Disney, Clark Gable, Richard Nixon, Rosa arks, Sylvia Porter, Vincent Van Gogh.
Tiger ( 1914 - 1926 - 1938 - 1950 - 1962 - 1974 - 1986-……）
You are sensitive, emotional, and capable of great love. However, you have a tendency to get carried away and be stubborn about what you think is right; often seen as a "Hothead" or rebel. Your sign shows you would be excellent as a boss, explorer, race car driver, or matador. Some Tigers: Judy Blume, Emily Bronte, Emily Dickinson, Isadora Duncan, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Mary Harris (Mother) Jones, Barbara McClintock, Marilyn Monroe, Marco Polo, Beatrix Potter.
Rabbit ( 1915 - 1927 - 1939 - 1951 - 1963 - 1975 - 1987-……)
Dragon ( 1916 - 1928 - 1940 - 1952 - 1964 - 1976 - 1988-…… )
Full of vitality and enthusiasm, the Dragon is a popular individual even with the reputation of being foolhardy and a "big mouth" at times. You are intelligent, gifted, and a perfectionist but these qualities make you unduly demanding on others. You would be well-suited to be an artist, priest, or politician. Some Dragons: Louisa May Alcott, SusanB. Anthony, Joan of Arc, Pearl Buck, Sigmund Freud, Theodore Seuss Geisel, John Lennon, Florence Nightingale, Pat Schroeder, Mae West.
Snake ( 1917 - 1929 - 1941 - 1953 - 1965 - 1977 - 1989-…… )
Rich in wisdom and charm, you are romantic and deep thinking and your intuition guides you strongly. Avoid procrastination and your stingy attitude towards money. Keep your sense of humor about life. The Snake would be most content as a teacher, philosopher, writer, psychiatrist, and fortune teller. Some Snakes: Clara Barton, Liz Claiborne, Charles Darwin, Mary Baker Eddy, Elizabeth I, Fannie Farmer, Anne Frank, Mahatma Gandhi, Ellen Goodman, Carole King, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Edgar Allen Poe.
Horse ( 1918 - 1930 - 1942 - 1954 - 1966 - 1978 - 1990-…… )
Your capacity for hard work is amazing. You are your own person-very independent. While, intelligent and friendly, you have a strong guard againstbeing egotistical. Your sign suggests success as an adventurer, scientist, poet, or politician. Some Horses: Louisa May Alcott, Chopin, Davy Crockett,Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Sandra Day O'Connor, Rembrandt, Teddy Roosevelt.
Goat ( 1919 - 1931 - 1943 - 1955 - 1967 - 1979 - 1991-……）
Except for the knack of always getting off on the wrong foot with people, the Goat can be charming company. You are elegant and artistic but the first to complain about things. Put aside your pessimism and wory and try to be less dependent on material comforts. You would be best as an actor, gardener, or beachcomber. Some Goats: Rachel Carson, Michelangelo, Mark Twain, Rudolph Valentino, Barbara Walters, Orville Wright.
Monkey ( 1920 - 1932 - 1944 - 1956 - 1968 - 1980 - 1992-…… )
You are a very intelligent and a very lever wit. Because of your extraordinary nature and magnetic personality, you are always well-liked. The Monkey,however, must guard against begin an opportunist and distrustful of other people. Your sign promises success in any field you try. Some Monkeys:Julius Caesar, Bette Davis, Annie Oakley, Eleanor Roosevelt, Betsy Ross, Diana Ross, Elizabeth Taylor, Harry S. Truman, Leonardo da Vinci, Alice Walker.
Rooster ( 1921 - 1933 - 1945 - 1957 - 1969 - 1981 - 1993-……）
The Rooster is a hard worker; shrewd and definite in decision making, often speaking his mind. Because of this, you tend to seem boastful to others.
You are a dreamer, flashy dresser, and extravagant to an extreme. Born under this sign you should be happy as a restaurant owner, publicist, soldier, or world traveler. Some Roosters: Virginia Apgar, Catherine the Great, Amelia Earhart, Rudyard Kipling, Groucho Marx, Peter Ustinov.
Dog ( 1910 - 1922 - 1934 - 1946 - 1958 - 1970 - 1982-…… )
The Dog will never let you down. Born under this sign you are honest, and faithful to those you love. You are plagued by constant worry, a sharp tongue, and a tendency to be a fault finder, however. You would make an excellent businessman, activist, teacher, or secret agent. Some Dogs: Cher, Winston Churchill, Bill Clinton, Dorothea Dix, Benjamin Franklin, George Gershwin, Jane Goodall, Herbert Hoover, Shirley McLaine, Golda Meir, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Socrates.
Boar ( 1911 - 1923 - 1935 - 1947 - 1959 - 1971 - 1983-…… )
You are a splendid companion, an intellectual with a very strong need to set difficult goals and carry them out. You are sincere, tolerant, and honest but by expecting the same from others, you are incredibly naive. Your quest for material goods could be your downfall. The Boar would be best in the arts as an entertainer, or possibly a lawyer. Some Boars: Lucille Ball, Ernest Hemingway, Mahalia Jackson, Albert Schweitzer, Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Chinese Lunar Calendar
Background and Concept The Chines animal signs are a 12-year cycle used for dating the years. They represent a cyclical concept of time, rather than the Western linear concept of time. The Chinese Lunar Calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, and is constructed in a different fashion than the Western solar calendar. In the Chinese calendar, the beginning of the year falls somewhere between late January and early February. The Chinese have adopted the Western calendar since 1911, but the lunar calendar is still used for festive occasions such as the Chinese New Year. Many Chinese calendars will print both the solar dates and the Chinese lunar dates.

The Twelve Animal Signs
Background Information
In the United States, the years are dated from the birth of Jesus Christ, for example, 1977 means 1,977 years after the birth of Christ. This represents a linear perception of time, with time proceeding in a straight line from the past to the present and the future. In traditional China, dating methods were cyclical, cyclical meaning something that is repeated time after time according to a pattern. A popular folk method which reflected this cyclical method of recording years are the Twelve Animal Signs. Every year is assigned an animal name or "sign" according to a repeating cycle: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar. Therefore, every twelve years the same animal name or "sign" would reappear.
A cultural sidelight of the animal signs in Chinese folklore is that horoscopes have developed around the animal signs, much like monthly horoscopes in the West have been developed for the different moon signs, Pisces, Aries, etc. For example, a Chinese horoscope may predict that a person born in the Year of the Horse would be, "cheerful, popular, and loves to compliment others". These horoscopes are amusing, but not regarded seriously by the Chinese people.
The animal signs also serve a useful social function for finding out people's ages. Instead of asking directly how old a person is, people often ask what is his or her animal sign. This would place that person's age within a cycle of 12 years, and with a bit of common sense, we can deduce the exact age. More often, though, people ask for animal signs not to compute a person's exact numerical age, but to simply know who is older among friends and acquaintances.
Legend
According to Chinese legend, the twelve animals quarreled one day as to who was to head the cycle of years. The gods were asked to decide and they held a contest: whoever was to reach the opposite bank of the river would be first, and the rest of the animals would receive their years according to their finish.
All the twelve animals gathered at the river bank and jumped in. Unknown to the ox, the rat had jumped upon his back. As the ox was about to jump ashore, the rat jumped off the ox's back, and won the race. The pig, who was very lazy, ended up last. That is why the rat is the first year of the animal cycle, the ox second, and the pig last.
Zodiac Chart: The rotating cycle of twelve animal signs was a folk method for naming the years in traditional China. The animal signs for one another in an established order, and are repeated every twelve years. 1976 was the Year of the Dragon, and 1977 was the year of the Snake.

幸运女孩

Chinese Dumpling
Chinese dumplings or Jiaozi, with meat and vegetable fillings, is a traditional Chinese Food, which is essential during holidays in Northern China. Chinese are Masters in the Art of Making Dumplings.

History
The history of jiaozi dates back to ancient times, some 500-600 years ago. As the Spring Festival marks the start of a new year, people choose to eat jiaozi to connote their wishes for good fortune in the new year. China has been perfecting the art of dumpling making since the Sung dynasty.

Fillings
There is no set rule as to what makes dumping fillings. They can be anything from vegetables, meat to seafood. Whatever the fillings, the wrapping skill needs to be exquisite to make jiaozi look attractive.

Shape and variety
Chinese dumplings may be round or crescent-shaped, boiled or pan-fried. The filling may be sweet or savory; vegetarian or filled with meat and vegetables. Of course, all this variety can be confusing.
As China is a country with a vast territory, there are great difference in various regions in ways of making jiaozi or even serving it. For example, dumplings wrappers are made with a rolling stick in most areas of Beijing and Hebei Provinces, whereas in some parts of Shanxi Province and inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, wrappers are hand- pressed.

How to make Chinese dumplings?
To make Chinese dumplings, first of all, chop the meat into pieces and mash them, then add salt, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, scallions, Chinese cabbage and MSG if you like. Mix thoroughly the ingredients; add two spoonful of water if necessary.
In a big bowl, add water to flour gradually. Mix and knead by hand to form soft dough, then cover it with towel and put it aside for about an hour. Then scatter some dry flour on the board, knead and roll it into a sausage---like dough about 5 centimeters in diameter, then chop it into small pieces. Press each piece with your hand and get a pancake. Finally, to hold the pancake with your palm and put the filling in the center and wrap into half-moon shaped and seal the edges.
The next step is easy. Put the dumpling into boiling water, when it is well cooked, it is ready to be served. Before eating, you need to prepare some small dishes to contain the mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil or pepper oil [to your own taste.

Ways of serving
Ways of serving Chinese dumplings also vary from place to place. Generally, Chinese dumplings are boiled in clear water and served dry with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic or pepper oil if one likes them hot. In some parts of the Northeast China, however, dumplings are boiled in broth together with vermicelli made from bean starch, and served together. Chinese dumplings and culture

New Year's Food
Chinese dumpling is one of the most important foods in Chinese New Year. Since the shape of Chinese dumplings is similar to ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots, they symbolize wealth. Traditionally, the members of a family get together to make dumplings during the New Year's Eve. They may hide some coins in one of the dumplings. The person who fined the coin will likely have a good fortune in the New Year. Chinese dumpling is also popular in other Chinese holidays or festivals, so it is part of the Chinese culture or tradition.
Family Link
Making dumplings is really a team work. Usually family members will join the work. Most ChineseTo starte to make dumplings when they was a kid in family, they know how to make dumplings.Especially good at making dumplings, particularly making skins, which is the hardest part of making dumplings.
Sending Off Friends
Chinese dumpling is often the food for sending off friends or family members away. I guess this is another tradition.

Details of making Chinese dumplings:
Recipes
I have put together a list of recipes of Chinese dumpling.
Filling:
*1 lb. ground pork (or beef)
*6 T. sesame oil
*2 t. sugar
*0.75 t. salt
*0.25 t. pepper
*0.25 lb. cabbage
*1 t. salt
*0.25 lb. chopped green onions
Skin:
*3 c. flour
*0.75 c. cold water
*0.5 c. flour (to prevent sticking during kneading)
soy sauce
water
vinegar (white or rice)
garlic (fresh, chopped fine, or powdered)
ginger (fresh, chopped fine, or powdered)
small bowl with water for dipping

Details of making Chinese dumplings
1. Filling: Mix ground pork, oil, sugar, chop cabbagesalt and pepper until fine. Let sit for 10 minutes; then squeeze out the excess water.
2. Skin: In a bowl, add water to the flour and knead into smooth dough; let it stand for 10 minutes. Roll the dough into a long baton-like roll and cut it into 50 pieces. Use a rolling pin to roll each piece to a thin circle.
3. Combine: Place 1 portion of filling in the center of a dough circle. Fold the circle in half and moisten the edges with water. Use index finger and thumb to bring the sides together. The smooth edge will conform to the decreased length of the pleated edge. Pinch the pleats together then pinch to seal. Place the dumpling on a floured tray and repeat this with the remaining dumplings.
4. Boil: Boil 10 cups of water and add dumplings; gently stir to prevent dumplings from sticking together. Bring to a boil; turn the heat to low and cook for three minutes. When serving, use vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, hot bean paste, etc. as dipping sauces.
5. Serving: Serve the dumplings hot (if you cook them in bamboo baskets you may wish to serve them from it directly at the table) with bowls of soy sauce mixed with red wine vinegar.

幸运女孩

Chinese Calligraphy Introduction Calligraphy, the writing of characters, is an art which has developed over many centuries in China. This unit introduces students to this ancient art through step-by-step instructions on writing Chinese characters. As each character is made up by a series of single brushstrokes, the student will soon learn to recognize these as components of the completed character and the written Chinese language will become much less forbidding.
The exercises in this unit also encourage the students to experience the rhythm and sense of design in Chinese writing, thereby bringing an aesthetic dimension to their understanding of the Chinese language.
A. What is calligraphy?
The word "calligraphy" is originally a Greek word meaning "beautiful writing." We usually associate this word with good penmanship, handwriting that is neat, legible and attractive. In China, however, calligraphy is regarded as an art from in itself and is admired and displayed in museums just as paintings are.
Moreover, calligraphy is often used to decorate articles of everyday use. For instance, when you go to a Chinese restaurant you may notice that the dishes are painted with characters as well as with colorful pictures. Even on the ordinary, everyday level of life, beautiful writing is appreciated.
B. Some Styles of Chinese Calligraphy
Oracle Inscriptions
The earliest known examples of Chinese writing are inscriptions on animal bones and tortoise shells dating from the 13th century B.C. during the Shang dynasty. These inscriptions were the records of divinations made by heating the bones or shells over a fire until cracks appeared on them. Predictions were read form the pattern of the cracks and recorded directly on the bone or shell. The figure below shows an oracle carved on the plastron of a tortoise. Note that the characters are composed of fairly straight lines with sharp endings. (Do you think these features might have something to do with the kind of materials used?)



The Great Seal Style
This term covers a broad range of styles which came into use during the Chou dynasty (1122- 221 B.C.). Compared to the Oracle Style, these characters are more rounded at the corners and show a mixture of thick and thin strokes. Many of the surviving examples of this style, such as the one below, come from inscriptions that were cast on bronze vessels. At the bottom of the first column is the pictograph (picture-word) for "house." The first word in the second column is also a pictograph. It shows "carriage" from a bird's eye view - a compartment with two wheels on either side, joined by an axle.



The Small Seal Style
In 221 B.C. the first unifier and emperor of China ordered that the writing system be standardized and established the writing style of his native state, Ch'in, as the model script of the empire. The round contours of this script, later known as the Small Seal Style, make it similar to the Great Seal Style. However, the lines are all of an even thickness and the characters are very elongated so that they might be imagined to fit neatly into a vertical rectangle.



Clerical Style
During the Han dynasty (207 B.C. - 220 A.D), the Small Seal Style was surpassed in popularity by another script which could be written more quickly and easily with a brush. This style became known as the Clerical Style because more of the samples of this script were found on official documents such as government records of taxes, census records, deeds, etc. Notice the upward tilt at the end of the horizontal strokes which gives each character a fluid quality. This style is the forerunner of the Regular Style which we will look at next.



Regular Style
The Regular Style preserves the Clerical script's precision and modulation of line width but is less formal and heavy in appearance. Note that the horizontal lines generally slope upwards but do not have the final tilt at the end of the stroke which the Clerical Style has. Note also that the vertical lines are kept strictly vertical and do not lean away from the center of the character as in the Clerical Style. As students of calligraphy have traditionally mastered this style before attempting the others, we will also use it as our model in learning to write Chinese.



Running Style
As the name suggests, this style allows for more freedom and fluidity in movement. The strokes and dots that are written separately in the Regular Style are joined together in a single sweep of the brush, thus producing a feeling of speed and fluency.


Styles 1 through 4 are called "archaic" styles because they are no longer in use, except for special artistic purposes. Styles 5 and 6 are both in common use today and are called "modern" styles, although historically they have been practiced since the end of the 5th century A.D.

幸运女孩

We know that Confucius was a real person who lived in China during the time 551 - 479 BCE.  He had a tremendous influence on Chinese thought and some scholars have compared him with the western philosopher, Socrates.  We also know that he was political figure with strong opinions on education and philosophy, as well as how people should live their lives.  He is regarded as the founder of the a Ru School of Chinese thought and his teachings are preserved in a collection of works know as the Analects.  The legend of Confucius tells us that his ancestors were once weathly folk who lived in the state of Song.  The family, fleeing political turmoil moved to Lu and became impoverished.  Early accounts of Confucius relate his poverty stricken childhood and how being poor drove him to first seek work at menial jobs, doing accounting for rich farmers and taking care of animals.  Somehow Confucius was able to educate himself and mastered music, among other disciplines.  By the time he was middle-aged, he had begun to teach his philosopy to others.  
His teachings lead to recognition by Duke Ding of Lu when Confucius was about fifty years old and he was tapped as a minister of the court.  The story continues that court rivals forced Confucius, along with his followers into exile.  Confucius had many adventures as he traveled the Chinese states of Wei, Song, Chen, Cai and Chu looking for employment.  The legends have Confucius returning to Lu in 484 BCE and staying there for the remainder of his life, teaching and writing.  He is credited with the classic Chinese texts, the Book of Songs and the Book of Documents, as well as having edited the Spring a Autumn Annals, which record life in the royal court of Lu.  
Confucius was famous for coming up with exactly the right thing to say at the right time.  Some historians portray him as a great sage who probably should have become a king.  Confucius' teachings argue that even though the fate and actions of humans are governed by a supreme being, each person is responsible for his or her own actions.  He taught that we can do little or nothing to "alter our fated span of existence but we alone can determine what we accomplish and what we are remembered for".  While this does not sound radical by today's standards, historians tell us that many of the ideas that Confucius taught were original and new at the time - and were in some cases quite diferent from the ideas and conventions that were traditionally followed.  
The social philosophy that Confucius espoused was based on "ren" - being compassionate and showing love towards others.  He felt that compassionate people were quiet in nature and men or women, of few words.  His social philosophy is basically what we grew up calling “The Golden Rule”, which is simply treating others as you would want to be treated.  Confucius also taught that being respectful of your parents and family was of the utmost importance.  
The political philosophy of Confucius was also radical for the time.  He felt that rulers needed to learn self-discipline and restraint and should rule by example.  He very firmly believed that anyone with responsibility for governing people had the responsibility to treat his or her subjects with love and concern.  Finally, Confucius was a strong supporter of education.  He felt that this was important to all people in all walk of life and that without it, society would eventual decay and the world fall into chaos.  Confucius' philosophy embodied quite a bit of common sense - it is easy to see how his teachings first became so popular and how they continue to be held in high regard in modern times

幸运女孩

Tea Ceremony In modern times, there are three major ways to drink and appreciate tea.
1. Gaiwan (cap-cup) Tea. Drinking tea with a cap-cup is the most prevalent way adopted by imperial family, officials and civilians. The typical illustration can be found in Viewing and Admiring the Moon, a picture drawn by artist Leng Mei living in Emperor Kangxi's reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).



2. Chaniang (Mother Tea). This has been the most popular way adopted by ordinary people. In this method, tea is poured from a big pot to several small cups. The typical illustration can be found in A Spring Market in A Time of Peace and Prosperity, drawn by Ding Guanpeng living in Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty.
3. Kung-fu Tea. Developing from the method recorded in Classics of Tea written by Lu Yu of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Kung-fu tea is popular in southern Fujian area and Guangdong Province. In this method, tea is brewed with spring water. When the water is boiling, put Wuyi tea into a Yixing pot and brew it with the boiling water, and then pour warm water over the pot. The specialty of this method is to heat the pot with warm water both inside and outside in order to bring out the best quality of the tea.
Kung-fu Tea        
As one of the tea ceremonies, Kung-fu tea originated from the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Chaozhou Kung-fu tea, popular in Chaoshan area of Guangdong Province and Zhangzhou and Quanzhou area of Fujian Province, is a kind of tea ceremony which combines spirit, ritual, brewing technique, art, and appreciation into one.
Tea sets used in Kung-fu tea are delicate, with special brewing techniques and drinking procedure. This ceremony is not only a pastime but also a social activity to promote friendship and greet guests. The tea set, small and exquisite, usually comprises a pot and three cups, sometimes two or four cups. As for the water, better use spring or well water to brew tea. Kung-fu tea requires a special tea named Oolong, such as Iron Kwan-yin, Asphodel, and Phoenix tea. Oolong is a kind of half-fermented tea, amidst green tea and black tea. Only this kind of tea has the very color, scent and flavor required by Kung-fu tea.
One should use boiling water when brewing Kung-fu tea and bear in mind several key techniques, namely high pour (pour water from a high level), low pour (pour tea into cups as low as possible), scrape off the foam and clean the lid (use the pot lid to brush away the foam floating on the water surface and then wash the lid with warm water), heat the pot and cups, and clear up. Kung-fu tea is famous for its strong taste that is too bitter for the first taste. But once one gets used to its strong taste, she/he will feel unsatisfied with other tea.  
The standard Kung-fu tea requires ten special techniques, namely back fire, shrimp-palp water (water with a temperature near boiling point), present the tea, put the tea, heat the cups, heat the pot, high pour, low pour, scrape off the foam, and clean the lid. Generally, there are four people involved in a Chaoshan Kung-fu tea ceremony, including the host who handles the process. First boil water and put tea into the pot, with an amount of 7/10 pot. Then pour the boiling water into the pot and scrape off the foam with the lid. Use the first brewing tea to wash cups with a purpose of creating a special atmosphere and making guests get the first touch of the tea spirit. After washing the cups, pour in the shrimp-palp water. Here, the tea has already brewed to a perfect state, ready to be served to guests.
Put the four teacups in two rows, close to one another, and pour tea in a circular motion into all the cups at the same time until water in each cup fills 7/10 cup. Here, water in the pot is supposed to be poured out almost completely, with only a few drops left. Then, one needs to hold the teapot above a teacup, secure the lid with one's thumb, accelerate towards the teacup, breaks just above the cup and let gravity draw the last few drops of tea. Repeat that with all the cups. These two rounds of action are known as General Guan Patrols City and Han Xin (also a general) Counts Soldiers among local people in Chaoshan. To be qualified a skillful brewer, the amount and color of the tea in the four cups have be the same. Finally, the host offers the tea to guests with two hands in turn from the oldest to the youngest. The tea-offering order should be first from the most distinguished guest to the guest on the left hand and then to the guest on the right hand and last to the host himself/herself.

幸运女孩

Porcelain
Porcelain, also called 'fine china', featuring its delicate texture, pleasing color, and refined sculpture, has been one of the earliest artworks introduced to the western world through the Silk Road. The earliest porcelain ware was found made of Kaolin in the Shang Dynasty (16th - 11th century BC), and possessed the common aspects of the smoothness and impervious quality of hard enamel, though pottery wares were more widely used among most of the ordinary people. Anyway it was the beginning of porcelain, which afterwards in the succeeding dynasties and due to its durability and luster, rapidly became a necessity of daily life, especially in the middle and upper classes. They were made in the form of all kinds of items, such as bowls, cups, tea sets, vases, jewel cases, incense burners, musical instruments and boxes for stationary and chess, as well as pillows for traditional doctors to use to feel one's pulse.

The development of porcelain in the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220) began to accelerate and before long the artworks were introduced westward. Celadon (like the color of jade) and black porcelain wares were the dominant types at that time. Styles of porcelain had formed and differed based on regions by then. The Yue Kiln in Zhejiang Province, which has enjoyed a good reputation for over 2,000 years up to now, produced delicate and hard celadon porcelain; while the De Kiln became the earliest kiln that baked black porcelain.

During the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), a large number of porcelain wares were in daily use having been substituted for the ones made of gold, silver, jade and other materials. With export, Chinese patterns on these wares also took on more exotic appeal. The Yue and De kiln of Zhejiang Province had features that were the most popular ones, and another one, Xing kiln in Hebei Province was greatly prized for its white porcelain as 'white like snow'. Kilns baking porcelain for the royalty sprang up producing elegant and dainty works.

Stepping into the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), a variety of genres of porcelain appeared and it became a fashion that people showed great interest in purchasing and collecting certain wares suitable to their tastes. Ru, Ding, Ge, Jun and the official kilns had been the representatives of that age. Official kilns advocated concise patterns of decoration; Ru kiln in Hebei Province added treasured agate into glaze so that the color and texture appeared to be uniquely daintily creamy and could be compared with jade. Henan Province had two famous kilns named Jun and Ding kilns. Since the reign of Emperor Huizong who liked art appreciation, porcelain of Jun kiln was kept exclusively for the royal family and common people had no right to collect it no matter how much money they possessed. Since the artisans made their porcelain wares separately, there was no repetition among decorative patterns and colors. Thus this made each porcelain product more precious in its own right. Ding kiln boasted its white porcelain which has a texture as delicate as that of ivory with an adornment of black and purple glaze. Distinctive from the other four kilns which stressed color, this one was quite good at engraving and printing flower patterns. While the Ge Kiln produced porcelain articles with various grains and produced an amount of artworks greater than those of the other four.

Well developed in the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368), the blue and white porcelain (Qinghua Ci), in the main stream of porcelain, was the stylish artistic ware in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and promoted this period to be the most prolific in the field of feudal art. First it painted on the basic body with brush natural cobalt which would be turned blue after being in the forge. Set off by the white glaze and covered by the other level of clear glaze, the blue flowers and other patterns showed their comely charm and were widely welcomed among both refined and popular tastes. With the diversity of cobalt, theme, and style of painting, the blue and white porcelains differed constantly, each being unique.

As we know, the features of porcelain lie in texture of basic body, color of glaze, decorative pattern, shape and style, while porcelain at that time had sublimed to be at the most elegant. The familiar rose porcelain was another highlight that appeared during the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1653 - 1722). The finished article appears more stereoscopic, colorful, gentle and clean. Nearly all the refined colored pigments were utilized like ancient purple, magenta, ochre, emerald, and so on.

Through the development of 4,000 years, now it is still a brilliant art that attracts many people's interest. Collect your favorite porcelain article and place it in your room to enjoy the pleasure of it. The Porcelain Capital, Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province which has been praised for thousands of years, will be certain to satisfy your esthetic appetite

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The  filiation and development of  Wushu(Kongfu)
Wushu(Kongfu) is also called national skill or feat, it is a kind of Chinese traditional sport item. It contains series of actions and many single action to fit kick, strike, tumble, hold, fall, cleave…together in some certain rules. It has wide foundation during the mass, it is an precious and varied culture bequest which Chinese accumulate during the long social practice.
The beginning of Wushu(Kongfu) may come back to primitive society. At that time, men began to fight against the beasts with the primitive tools like sticks as weapons in order to protect themselves and get living things. Later they made weapons with more execution for getting others’ fortune. So more weapons were made and the skills of fight were also improved during the war.
In Yin and Shang Dynasty, some coppery weapons like spears, daggers, halberds, axes, swords broadswords had come out. Meanwhile how to use these weapons appeared, too.
In Chunqiu and War Periods, with the development of ironware and the rising of footmen and cavalrymen, weapons’ handles were changed into short ones, short ones into long ones in the war. Then there were so many kinds of weapons, and the characteristic of attack was more extrusive.  And people also attached importance to it.
     In Qin Dynasty head-fighting and hand-fighting were prevailed. In Han Dynasty the dances of swords and double halberds had come forth. These show that the Wushu(Kongfu) dance had had obvious feat, it had not only actions to attach and protect, but also series of it presented. Many different art styles of genres had come into being.
   In Jin, North and South Dynasties, in the continuous wars bureaucrats and peers wanted to have eosin lives, it affected the lives of different social estates. The practice of Wushu(Kongfu) was taken instead by the absurd heresy. Therefore lore Wushu(Kongfu) stopped.
   In Sui and Tang Dynasty, Wu Shu rose again. In Tang Dynasty the excellent knights were given some corresponding titles according to their skills. Every title had its own standard.
   In Song Dynasty the civilian organization of Wu Shu presented. They practiced on the street and it was full of jollification. In Song Dynasty Wu Shu was mostly taught secretly in one family.
   Ming Dynasty was a developing period for Wushu(Kongfu), different styles of genres came forth, especially in boxing and engineeries. Some works wrote its genres, evolution, action names, characteristic, moving ways and technical theories, some had pictures and verses to show the action clearly. It gave the important basic for the late generation to research Wushu(Kongfu).
   In Qing Dynasty some kinds of boxing had formed such as Shadowboxing, the Eight Diagrams Boxing and the Form and Will Boxing After the PLA was founded ,Wushu(Kongfu) is inherited, cleared up and improved as the bequest of an excellent people. And a large number of associations have been come into existence while our nation also has the special departments to be in charge of the exercise of Wushu(Kongfu) and regards it as a formal competition.

幸运女孩

Paper Cuttings
Paper-Cut

Paper-cut is a very distinctive visual art of Chinese handicrafts. It originated from the 6th century when women used to paste golden and silver foil cuttings onto their hair at the temples, and men used them in sacred rituals. Later, they were used during festivals to decorate gates and windows. After hundreds of years' development, now they have become a very popular means of decoration among country folk, especially women.

The main cutting tools are simple: paper and scissors or an engraving knife, but clever and deft craftspeople are remarkably good at cutting in the theme of daily life. When you look at items made in this method carefully, you will be amazed by the true to life expressions of the figure's sentiment and appearance, or portrayal of natural plants and animals' diverse gestures. Patterns of chrysanthemum display the curling petals, pied magpies show their tiny feathers and others such as a married daughter returning to her parents' home, or young people paying a New Year call to their grandparents.

Although other art forms, like painting, can also show similar scenes, paper cutting still stands out for its charm - exacting lines and ingenious patterns which are all hand-made. To make the three-dimensional scenes pop out visually from the paper, as they are usually in monochrome, engravers must exert their imagination. They must delete secondary parts and compose the main body properly, abstractly and boldly. Though simple, the color then appears charmingly bright.

It is easy to learn about cutting a piece of paper but very difficult to master it with perfection. One must grasp the knife in an upright fashion and press evenly on the paper with some strength. Flexibility is required but any hesitation or wiggling will lead to imprecision or damage the whole image. Engravers stress the cutting lines in several styles. They attempt to carve a circle like the moon, a straight line like a stem of wheat, a square like a brick, and jaggedly like the beard.

People find hope and comfort in expressing wishes with paper cuttings. For example: for a wedding ceremony, red paper cuttings are a traditional and required decoration on the tea set, the dressing table glass, and on other furniture. A big red paper character 'Xi' (happiness) is a traditional must on the newlywed's door. Upon the birthday party of a senior, the character 'Shou' represents longevity and will add delight to the whole celebration; while a pattern of plump children cuddling fish signifies that every year they will be abundant in wealth.

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Introduction of Peking (Beijing) OperaPeking opera of China is a national treasure with a history of 200 years. In the 55th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty(1790) ,the four big Huiban opera Troupes entered the capital and combined with Kunqu opera, Yiyang opera, Hanju opera and Luantan in Beijing's thearetical circle of the time. Through a period of more than half a century of combination and integration of various kinds of opera there evolved the present Peking opera, the biggest kind of opera in China, whose richness of repertoire, great number of artists of performance and of audiences, and profound influence are incomparable in China.
Peking opera is a synthesis of stylized action, singing, dialogue and mime, acrobatic fighting and dancing to represent a story or depict different characters and their feelings of gladness, anger, sorrow, happiness, surprise, fear and sadness. In Peking opera there are four main types of roles: sheng (male) dan (young female), jing( painted face,male), and chou (clown, male or female). The characters may be loyal or treacherous, beautiful or ugly, good or bad, their images being vividly manifested.
The repertoire of Peking opera is mainly engaged in fairy tales of preceding dynasties, important historical events, emperors, ministers and generals, geniuses and great beauties, from the ancient times to Yao, Shun, Yu, the Spring and Autumn Period, the Warring States Period and the dynasties of Qin, Han, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing.
The music of Peking opera is that of the "plate and cavity style".Its melody with harmonious rhythms is graceful and pleasing to the ears. The melody may be classified into two groups: "Xipi" and "erhong", guiding pattern, original pattern, slow pattern, quick pattern, desultary pattern being their chief patterns. The performance is accompanied by a tune played on wind instruments, percussion instruments and stringed instruments, the chief musical instruments being jinghu (a two-stringed bowed instrument with a high register), yueqin( a four-stringed plucked instrument with a full-moon-shaped sound box), Sanxian( a three-stringed plucked instrument), suona horn, flute drum, big-gong, cymbals, small-gong, etc.
The costumes in Peking opera are graceful, magnificent, elegant and brilliant, most of which are made in handicraft embroidery. As the traditional Chinese pattern are adopted, the costumes are of a high aesthetic value.
The types of facial make-ups in Peking opera are rich and various, depicting different characters and remarkable images, therefore they are highly appreciated. Moreover there are numerous fixed editions of facial make-up.
Since Mei Lanfang, the grand master of Peking opera, visited Japan in 1919, Peking opera has become more and more popular with people all over the world, and it has made an excellent contribution to cultural exchange between China and the West, to friendly association and to improvement of solidarity.
Peking Opera house of Beijing has been invited to perform in U.S.A., England, France, Germany, Italy (three times), Australia, Japan( four times), Brazil, Turkey, Singapore, South korea and Hongkong (five times). The performances have made an outstanding contribution to Sino-foreign cultural exchange and to the promotion of friendly association of peoples in the world, and were highly appreciated by foreign audiences.
In 1993 Peking Opera House of Beijing as a big Peking opera troupe made a performance visit to Taiwan, pushing the cultural exchange to a new height.
Peking Opera house of Beijing is willing to participate in activities of international cultural exchange and of commercial performances and sincerely hopes that friends in various countries will make contacts with us about cultural exchange and performances.

幸运女孩

A Brief History of Feng Shui

Feng Shui is also known, as Kanyu is the art of placing and situating a building so that it is in harmony with its surroundings. According to Feng Shui cultural and social issues are influenced by natural, metaphysical and cosmological factors. To practically use Feng Shui one needs to understand the influence of cosmology on earth, should have a knowledge of how astronomy and astrology influence the placing of buildings, understand the Confucian classic, understand the weathering process and understand the forces of nature acting on buildings and their surroundings. It is also essential to have knowledge of the magnetic fields and how they influence man, knowledge on how to place buildings in order to tap 'chi' or the energy of the earth, understand the geographical land forms like hill, valleys, flat land etc. One must understand how environmental factors influence buildings externally and internally and must know how to place buildings so that the building has a comfortable physical environment.

The practice of Feng Shui began in the West Han dynasty around the third century BC. Feng Shui believes that the earth is a living thing and has life and energy. The energy or 'chi' of a site depends on its topography and its physical surrounding. A site with revitalizing energy is healthy and a site with bad energy was damaging to those who lived on it. Ever since then it has been incorporated into traditional Chinese architecture and has been followed by the rich and poor alike. In ancient China a city was planned in concentric rectangles surrounded by walls surrounded by lakes, hills, valleys, gardens, courtyards and parks. Chinese tried to ensure that both the natural and the built environment were planned to enhance positive energy. These were then landscaped according to the Taoist ideas of Yin and Yang, void and solid, water and hill.

Buildings were constructed in such a way that they enhanced harmonious relationships between members of the family and between the family and the country. People organized the structures in and around the buildings according to Feng Shui. The left of the building represented Yang or male force and was connected to the forces of heaven and the right of the building represented Yin or the female force and was connected with the energies of the earth. Built areas, sun lit roofs and elevation in the front were considered Yang. Empty areas, shadowed eaves, set back structures and elevations at the back were considered Yin. When a structure was build both the Yin and Yang had to be balanced and if the building leaned towards any one of these principles then there was imbalance and thus improper. Emperors build grand palaces and buildings from the time of the Shang dynasty (1711-1066 BC). Chinese Kings were considered sons of heaven and used to the principles of Feng Shui while building their palaces to create an environment favorable to power. The principles of Feng Shui created harmony between the forces of nature and this influenced man therefore the emperors ensured the principles of Feng Shui were followed when they built their palaces.

These palaces were surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens. These were incomplete without water and hills, a contrast between Yin and Yang, fluidity and solidity. The garden had to be a contrast between openness and closeness and curved and straight lines. The elements of the landscape were placed in such a way that the Yin (negative) and Yang (positive) were in harmony, balance, continuity and balance. These palaces and their gardens are proof of what the practitioners of Feng Shui achieved in ancient China.