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. […]
In the Song Dynasty, the large-scale commerce in tea and horses between the Chinese dynasties and the Tibetan developed very quickly. The government then required a large number of warhorses to defend against the invading northern nomadic. It established the tea and horse office in charge of the tea and horse trade and set up […]
On the lunar New Year’s Eve which connects and separates the old and new years, families get together for a reunion. All members sit together around a table with tea, pastries and fruits on it. Apple is a must, for it is the symbol of peace and safety. In the north, a bowl of rice […]
In ancient times, Chinese people had a tendency of preferring boys rather than girls. And they think boys should be the person to learn, to work and to do some important thing, while girls should stay at home and learn to look after the family, do some embroidering and making clothes such kind of things. […]
There were customs of “counting the nine-day periods” and “drawing the nine-day periods” among the ancient people. That is, people noted down the passage of the nine-day periods and the relevant weather changes with interesting pictures and poems. Sometimes, a painting of a plum tree with 81 blossoms was hung on the wall, and in […]
In China, the Dragon Boat Festival is one of the most popular, traditional and important festivals. Falling on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, it was also called “Duanwu”. “Duan” means “beginning”, “wu” means five. Therefore, “Duanwu” means “the first fifth day of the fifth lunar month”. At the beginning of the War […]
In recent years, “感恩(gǎn ēn)—showing gratitude and repaying back”. Both if the two characters have the radical “心” at the bottom which means “heart” in Chinese. And so you can see that “感恩” means that you show gratitude from your heart. In China, there are many different items for you to feel gratitude, such as […]