The Water-Slashing Festival of the Dai Nationality, also called “Songkran” in the Dai dialect (meaning “the New Year in June” or “the New Year in the Dai calendar”), is celebrated in the middle of the sixth lunar month (about ten days before or after the Tomb-sweeping Festival) of the Dai calendar. During the time, the […]
Take advantage of the smallest flaw; seize the smallest profit. Make use of a minor mistake of the enemy to gain a minor victory. To lead away a goat one should choose an opportune time, a point at which there is the least chance of any intervention from a third party. If, for example, one […]
Provide the army with an apparent chance, entice it to advance, cut it off from coordination or reinforcement, and place it in an impasse. One gets poisoned at an improper position. This strategy underscores the employment of a “ladder” in an ambush planned to annihilate the enemy. Ladders refer to the means by which the […]
The dragon lantern belongs to the category of festive lantern. It serves both as a visual treat and a dancing device. In both towns and villages in China, especially in the southern region, people perform dragon lantern dances as a traditional custom, from the Chinese New Year to the Lantern Festival. Ancient Chinese people have […]
Bai ethnic minority is typically a minor group in Yunnan China. Their buildings are very special. The traditional Bai ethnic minority folk houses give the city distinctive feel. A typical house is characterized by “3 rooms and a wall screening” and “4 joints and 5 yards”. The first style means that every house has a […]
This popular Chinese saying means that those who hope to keep fit and happy should have few desires and the fewer the better. If one has overly strong desires and always keeps daydreaming, then one would not in a practical manner. Their endless desires would only drive them into even greater restlessness and anguish. In […]
Facial makeups are a special art in Chinese operas which distinctly show the appearances of different roles as well as their dispositions and moral qualities by means of artistic exaggeration combined with truthful portrayal and symbolism. Facial makeups also serve to express praise or condemnation toward the characters. In Beijing Opera, facial makeups are limited […]
The ability to adapt oneself quickly to changing circumstances is a piece of wisdom which Chinese people admire and hold in high respect. This means quick wits to cope with emergencies and resourcefulness to skillfully and calmly avert an embarrassing situation, when one is confronted with a sudden change in circumstances. This wisdom has been […]
The phrase “taking every precaution from the beginning” means to guard against any signs, no matter how small, of an undesirable phenomenon or idea, and prevent such things from growing. It is essential to take timely precautions before something potentially harmful develops into a calamity. Experience shows that a colossal disaster can grow out of […]
In China, dinner on the lunar New-Year’s Eve is the happiest occasion of the Spring Festival. At the family dinner, luxurious dinners are served and people sit around the table to enjoy a family reunion. People not only enjoy the delicacies, but also the merry atmosphere. The dinner includes main courses, cold dishes and desserts. […]