Five Major Religions in China

CHINA is a nation of many religions, the main five ones being Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Roman Catholicism and Christianity (Protestantism). There are also some special religions of some minority nationalities or regional beliefs. Buddhism was introduced into China from India around the First Century, and gradually developed into several sects including the Han-language-family Buddhism, the Tibetan-language-family Buddhism (or Lamaism) and Pali-language-family Buddhism. For all of these sects, recent data reveals there are more than 9,500 Buddhist temples and 170,000 monks     

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Lao Sheng is the latest novel by Chinese writer Jia. pingwa, winnerof the Mao Dun Literature Prize （the most prestigious literature prize in China）. Set in a village in southern Shaanxi Province, the story opens in the early years of the 20th century. Lao Sheng is an immortal professional funeral singer. He has witnessed the changes in lives and the times for more than 100years.     

中国道教的发源地——青城山(英文)

Qingcheng Mountain, 15 kilometers southwest of Dujiangyan in China's Sichuan Province, has 36 peaks, 72 palaces and caves and 108 scenic spots. The scenery is beautiful and its extensive forests make it green all the year around. It is known as the "Fifth Famous Mountain Under Heaven" and "Qingcheng, a Secluded Place Under Heaven". Qingcheng is the birthplace of Taoism. In the year A. D 143, the later year of     

The Invention of“Traces”

THE main figure in the woodcut entitled "Traces" is a fairy maiden taken from a fresco located in the Taoist temple known as Yongle Palace; originally painted by an anonymous artist of the Yuan Dynasty, this supernatural image from Taoism has both an elegant poise and the wisdom of an ordinary woman. The remainder of the woodcut is made up of sections of "A Sightseeing Tour," a painting of scenery from the Tang Dynasty which harmonizes surprisingly well with the fairy. "Traces" reminds us of the spiritual wealth bequeathed to us by the ancient artists. The image of women that it presents reminds us of the Chinese mothers     

Successful Marriage Requires Tolerance

1 THE question of whether or not the concept of marriage goes against human nature will never be resolved because there is nothing more contradictory in the world than so-called human nature. Everyone should ask a more specific question: What do I want most out of my life? If a person wants peaceful life, he or she should get married. If a person wants freedom, he or she should remain single. Can a person have both a peaceful life and freedom? There is such a thing called an open marriage. But marriage is on the threshold of freedom. In reality, perhaps it is easy or difficult to cross that threshold. But the threshold must be there. Without it, the marriage would be totally open, and the union could not be regarded as a marriage. It is essential that in marriage the idea that the concerned     

The Magnificent Majie Storytelling Fair

EVERY Lantern Festival, a storytelling fair is held in Majie, a market town with a population of 5,000, located 15 kilometers south of Baofeng County in Henan Province. The third day of the festival, or the 13th day of the first lunar month, is the most formal part of this fair, hence the name of the "Baofeng 13 Storytelling Fair at Majie." On this day, more than 1,000 Chinese folk artists gather here from all parts of the country. They put up simple stages or booths on the river banks, on mounds or in wheat fields in an area of about two square kilometers. Alone or in pairs, in threes or fives, facing each other or back to back, they tell story after story to the accompaniment of their traditional instruments: suona (a woodwind     

老式床(英文)

These ancient beds shown here usually consist of two parts: a base for the mattress and a frame for hanging a mosquito net. The structure of the bed in the north is more complicated than southern designs, and can include an impressive amount of carved timber. The carvings either depict Beijing opera or folk legends. The bed as a whole is a piece of great artistry. In the Chinese feudal society, women were not allowed to show their faces in public or to participate in important family activities. So the bed became a place where women spent     

A Village of Folk Tales

WUJIAGOU, a small and remote village in Hubei Province, is gaining fame for its Chinese folk tales. With only 878 villagers in 216 households, experts call it "a living fossil of the culture of Hubei Province." Sitting deep in the majestic Wudangshan Mountain, the shrine of Taoism and surrounded by breathtaking scenery, Wujiagou Village has a long history. Closed-off geographically, its villagers live scattered among the valleys. The village oozes local flavors, rich with traditional customs. Villagers gather spontaneously to sing folk songs     

A Wine-Water Container

This exquisite bronze object is a combination wine container and water container. It was excavated from the tomb of Zeng Houyi, a prince of the State of Zeng. The upper part is a wine container, measuring 30. 1 cm tall and the lower part is a water or ice container, measuring 58 cm in diameter. The two parts resemble a     

Going To School With Mother On My Back

Whether a family is happy or not depends much on the way one looks at life. What kind of family is in this article, happy or unhappy? You are sure to get your answer after reading the story of Li Qiang, a first year student from Shaanxi Normal University.     

Time (print)

“Time” shows a feeling in a twinkling: life is like a poem or a song. it twinkles, undulates and unfolds to offer us beauty, optimism and warmth. Li Xiu. 51. a printmaker of the Yi nationality, is quite familiar with the life of the Yi people. She has produced many works about the Yi because she has lived in her native area of Yunnan Province for many years. Her prints display exquisite compositions, cool and simple colors that evoke a rich, modern flavor. Li graduated in 1968 from the Fine Arts Department of Guangxi Art College. Today she is a senior painter with the Yunnan Art Academy and a council member of the Chinese Artists Association. Story by LIU NAN     

Dahe Quadripod with Human Faces

The ding is an ancient cooking vessel with two loop handles standing on three or four legs. During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the ding was used as a sacrificial vessel. It was also a symbol of power of the ruling class. This ding, a quadripod, is the only relic which has a pattern of human faces among the 10,000 Shang Dynasty bronzeware items unearthed     

Single Parents

FOR some parents the responsibility of bringing up a child is a one person task. Shouldering parental duties of two, single parents not only raise the child, but bring home the bacon as well. This is life for many people—either because of the death of a spouse, divorce, living apart from a spouse, pregnancy without marriage, or abandonment—the parent and child     

北京夜生活——足疗保健(英文)

Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine believe foot massages, or rubbing the acupoints on one's feet, is a good way to relax, ana is a way of curing some diseases. So, here, we provide you with a list of places where you can try the magic therapy.     

A Study of Covariance between Language and Society

I INTRODUCTION
The development of human society is a process of differentiation and integration. The differentiation of the society always brings about the language differentiation; while the integration of the society requires the language integration at all time. As a famous linguist Chen Yuan goes： ＂Language is a variable, and society is another variable. These two variables are influencing each other; interacting each other; restricting each other and changing together. This is what we called CO- VARIANCE.＂ When the society is changing gradually or changing dramatically, language must be changing in pace of the society.     

杜绝浪费,让“小餐桌”带动“大文明”

As the traditional Chinese saying goes:When eating a mouthful of congee or rice,one should bear in mind that its production had not been easy.Thriftiness has always been a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation.Saying no to food waste is a family virtue worth carrying forward.Being thrifty and ending food waste in society requires the joint effort of governments,families,the catering industry-all segments of society.     

The Decline of an Imperial Family

I've called my husband "Lao (Old) Yu" since our marriage in 1964. His full name is Aisin Giorro Yuyan. China's last emperor, Aisin Giorro Puyi, granted Yuyan the title of "crown prince". Yuyan is thus known as the "Last Prince" of the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Puyi had no children and     

Problems and Countermeasures of Town Women's Employment

THE employment of women living in towns is a substantial problem in China. Introduction to Town Women's Employment Issues Today, the Chinese workforce is undergoing tremendous changes. When rural residents poured into the cities or shifted to the local manufacturing and service industries, the number of unemployed people and town-dwellers without a state-run unit increased. The employment of women also has become a serious issue. According to     

Peppery Hot Bean Curd

Peppery Hot Bean Curd is a famous dish that originated in Chengdu,Sichuan Province.Dating back to the year under the reign of Emperor Tongzhi during the Qing Dynasty(1862-1875),a woman chef named Chen created this dish.In Chinese it is called Mapo Bean Curd. Ingredients:Three pieces of bean curd,100 grams lean pork,25 grams green soy beans or garlic     

Yihuang Opera of Jiangxi Province

JIANGXI Province hosts many mountains and rivers. Wherever you stroll on the winding mountain passes or sail along rivers, you will hear a kind of local opera similar to the sounds of Beijing opera. That is Yihuang opera. In fact, Jiangxi is considered a birth-place of Chinese opera. Opera was at its