The Golden Chrysanthemum Blossoms Acrobatics is one of the oldest of China¡¯s performing arts. Its combination of skill, danger, humor and creativity has made it famous worldwide. Recently, the best acrobats from across China met in Beijing for the first Chinese Festival of Acrobatic Arts. The most prestigious award for China¡¯s acrobats, ¡°the Golden Chrysanthemum Award¡± was also presented at the festival.
Deep Within A Lane
In Suzhou, very few people in the lane knew what the young woman did. Her neighbours only knew that she was not at home during the day and studied late into the night. Only the postman knew her name was Xu Wenxia and that she was a worker in a cotton mill, because he often delivered to her beautifully written envelopes. There she frowned at and sometimes even tore them into tiny pieces in front of him.Xu Wenxia opened the algebra book on her desk. Yet nothing went in, as she was overwhelmed by a feeling of wretchedness. Such wretchedness had often swept over her recently.
Ancient Bells Recording History
Stepping through the gate of the Great Bell Temple, I was immediately overcome by the tranquil Buddhist chanting and the solemn tolling of the bells. This, combined with the high red walls and towering pine and cypress trees in the courtyard, completely exclude the hustle and bustle of the modern city, creating an oasis for worshippers and visitors.The Temple, built in 1733 during the Qing dynasty, covers an area of 30,000 square metres.Designed meticulously, the magnificent temple was the site where the imperial family prayed to Buddha and held other religious services.
Chongyang Festival
The festival is based on the theory of Yin and Yang, the two opposing principles in nature. Yin is the feminine, negative principle, while Yang is masculine and positive. The ancients believed that all natural phenomena could be explained by this theory. Numbers are related to this theory. Even numbers belong to Yin and odd numbers to Yang. The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is a day when the two Yang numbers meet. So it is called Chongyang. Chong means double in Chinese.Chongyang has been an important festival since ancient times
