Huagudeng

Huagudeng (literally Flower Drum Lantern), imbued with the rich countryside flavor of the Huaihe River Valley, is popular in more than 20 nearby cities and counties of Anhui, Henan, Shandong and Jiangsu provinces. Having originated in the Huaihe River Valley, the Flower Drum Lantern is a comprehensive folk art form that combines dancing, singing, gong and drum beating, martial arts and acrobatics.The Flower Drum Lantern emerged during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and became popular in the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), with its vigorous and racy style.

The Flower Drum Lantern is most distinct in Huainan, Fengtai, Bangbu in Anhui Province, the three centers of this art form, thdue to the geography of the Huaihe River. Since the Huaihe River is located to the south of the Yellow River and north of the Yangtze River, performances here are tinged with a touch of the boldness of the northern people, as well as the gentleness typical of people in southern China.The male player, called "the drum-shelf", somersaults vigorously through the performance. The actress, called "cymbidium", sings and dances with handkerchiefs, fans and umbrellas.

At night, they usually perform on the lantern-lit squares in the countryside; which is why it's called the "Flower Drum Lantern".Dancing, the major element of the Flower Drum Lantern consists of "Dachang", "Xiaochang" and "Pangu". Dachang is a group dance; Xiaochang is a narrative dance of two or three dancers; and Pangu shows a good combination of dancing, martial arts and technical skill. Xiaochang is the core part of the Flower Drum Lantern.

The Flower Drum Lantern features very rich dance movements -- to date, more than 500 kinds of steps have been established. The dance has a unique style, which is at once bold and unrestrained, sincere and exquisite. The dancers' rich postures, unique skills and joyous and thrilling gong and drum accompaniments all express strong local flavor and fascinating artistic charm.The dance moves mostly reflect work and daily life. Its songs come from the folk tunes of the people who live on the banks of the Huaihe River. The tunes are especially capable of expressing emotions -- either lively and beautiful, or aggrieved and depressed.

Accompanying musical instruments include a big gong, cymbals, a flower drum and a small gong. The main props for performances include an umbrella, folding fan, and handkerchief.The music is the soul of the performance. The drums, gongs and songs enjoy unique artistic value. Its style is the reflection of the folk's characters along the river: simple, vigorous, open-minded and optimistic.The Flower Drum Lantern contains wide and profound social implications, and is a rich and varied song and dance art that, with all its armor, boldness, humor and wit, embodies the straightforwardness and optimism of people living along the Huaihe River.

Whenever the Spring Festival arrives, the dancing teams of each village and rural area compete with each other in rushing off to dance in the temples and at the fairs. Sometimes there is one team, at times there are dozens of teams dancing there, which creates a grand gala with a strong taste of rustic folklore.

Travel Tips for a Winter Tour of Huangshan

With the weather becoming colder and colder , the tour of climbing Mount Huang is popular now. For the winter scenery of Mount Huang is unique from other mountains , then the best season for tour in Mount Huang is the winter . However , the weather and the tips for the winter tour in Mount Huang are the points we should pay attention to before the trip.

Tips about the weather of Mt. Huangshan

It doesn’t snow every day in Mt. Huangshan in winter. If you want to visit Mt. Huangshan and also Hong Village and Xidi, you may decide which place to go first depending on the weather forecast. Generally speaking, it will snow as soon as the cold wave comes. The period from November to May the next year is the perfect time to enjoy the sea of the clouds on Mt. Huangshan. Especially after the rain or snow, it is suddenly clear, and the sea of clouds becomes colored at sunrise and at sunset. Mt. Huangshan’s winter lasts long. It snows from November to March the next year. The period from December to February the next year is the best holiday season. Even it doesn’t snow in winter, Mt. Huangshan is still beautiful. You may not feel cold under the blue sky. The lowest temperature reaches minus ten centigrade degrees in Mt. Huangshan in winter. The hotels on the top of Mt. Huangshan, such as the West Sea Hotel and the North Sea Hotel provide free down jackets for customers to enjoy the sunrise and sunset. Besides, bringing windproof hats and gloves along with is necessary. Mt. Huangshan is misty for almost 200 days in a year. A lot of customers missed the amazing sunrise because of the weather. It rains less in winter, so the probability to see the sunrise is much higher than that in other seasons.

Tips about climbing the Mt. Huangshan in winter

In winter, it is extremely cold. Please make sure your gloves are thick enough to keep your hands warm. In this way, when you are holding the riders, your hands will not be frozen stiff. After the snowfall, each steps of Huangshan Mountain are covered with beautiful snow. Our tour guides will provide you with skidproof spiked shoes for free. The spiked shoes are worn outside your own shoes, so it is convenient and doesn’t influence the effect to keep your feet warm. It is suggested that customers bring a small night bag along with in case that too many things consume your When climbing mountain, customers may bow a little and go along a route shaped like the English letter "Z", which can save much strength. Please buy enough necessity especially foods before climbing mountain.

Tips about safety Every day, there are workers cleaning the paths of Huangshan Mountains. The paths are very clean. Even after snowfall, the workers will clean up snow in time. Visitors do not need to worry about slippery, but a pair of comfortable hiking shoes is a must. There are lights along the two sides of the paths. When customers go to see sunrise or sunset, even it is dark; you do not need to worry about your safety. As is known to all, the front Huangshan Mountain is dangerous, while the back Huangshan Mountain is elegant. Elderly people may climb the Huangshan Mountain by cable car. For people who’d like hiking, they may climb the Huangshan Mountain step by step, going across the Walking Fairy Land Bridge or the West Sea Grand Canyon. In winter, in case of risk, visitors had better climb the mountain by cable car. In winter, the ponds on the mountain are frozen. In order to prevent fire, the workers dig a hole (convenient to take water) on the ice in case of emergency.

Other tips

The beautiful sunrise is very famous in Huangshan winter. The best places to see sunrise are the Dawn Pavilion, the Refreshing Terrace, the Lion Peak, the Bright Summit, the Beginning-to-Believe-It Peak, the White Goose Ridge, the Jade Screen Peak, the Lotus Peak, and the Celestial Peak. Visitors may choose the best place according to the hotel they stay. The staff in hotels update the sunrise time every day. It is convenient for visitors to adjust time at any moment. In winter, it is bitterly cold and misty on the top of Mt. Huangshan.

In view of the safety of customers, from December 1st to February 28th each year, the Celestial Capital Peak is closed. Besides, the newly-created dream scenic area – the West Sea Grand Canyon will open or close according to the actual weather. The journey on the mountain depends on personal physical strength, so our tour guides will properly adjust the journey on the mountain according to customers’ strength. If you are a photography lover, do not forget your camera.

Huangshan in winter is extremely beautiful. Taking photos in huangshan Mountain is different from that in other places. Please see clearly where you stand, especially in some narrow paths. On arriving at Huangshan, we will provide you with a map of Huangshan Mountain for free. It is convenient for you to know every part of Mt. Huangshan perfectly.

Dragon and Phoenix

The dragon and the phoenix are the principal motifs for decorative designs on the buildings, clothing and articles of daily use in the imperial palace. The throne hall is supported by columns entwined by gilded dragons, the central ramps on marble steps were paved with huge slabs carved in relief with the dragon and phoenix, and the screen walls display dragons in brilliant colors. The names in the Chinese language for nearly all the things connected with the emperor or the empress were preceded by the epithet “dragon” or “phoenix”; thus, “dragon seat” for the throne, “dragon robe” for the emperor's ceremonial dress, “dragon bed” for him to sleep on, and “phoenix carriage”, “phoenix canopies” and so on for the imperial processions. The national flag lf China under the Qing Dynasty was emblazoned with a big dragon. The earliest postage stamps put out by China were called “dragon-heads” because they showed a dragon in their designs. Even today the dragon is sometimes adopted as the symbol of Chinese exhibitions held abroad or the cover designs of books on China printed by foreign publishers. “The Giant Dragon of the East” is becoming a sobriquet for the country.Belief in the dragon, and drawings of the imaginary animal, can be traced back to primitive society when certain prehistoric tribes in China adopted the dragon among other totems as their symbol and guardian god. Some of the recently unearthed bronze vessels of the Yin Dynasty, which existed more than 3,000 years ago, are decorated with sketches of dragons of a crude form. Earliest legends in China described the dragon as a miraculous animal with fish scales and long beards, As time went on, it became more and more embellished in the minds of the people acquiring the antlers of the deer, the name of the horse and the claws of the eagle---in short, appropriating the distinctive features of other creatures until it became with we see today everywhere in the palace.The Chinese phoenix, likewise, exists only in legends and fairy tales. Sovereign of all birds, it has the head of the golden pheasant, the beak of the parrot, the body of the mandarin duck, the wings of the roc, the feathers of the peacock and the legs of the crane; gloriously beautiful, it reigns over the feathered in a tomb of the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.) near Changsha in Hunan Province.The dragon and the phoenix often served in classical art and literature as metaphors for people of high virtue and rare talent or, in certain combinations, for matrimonial harmony of happy marriage, as an important part of folk arts, dragon lanterns, dragon boats, dragon and phoenix dances are still highly popular on festivals among the people of all localities.

Cultural Differences in China

By being aware of some of the differences you lessen the impact of culture shock and you make your life considerably easier. Here is a list of some of the more overt cultural differences of Western culture in relation to Chinese culture:

Food Etiquette

Food etiquette in China is differnet from other culture. Watch what they do. You will be amazed. Slurping and reaching for food is totally acceptable as it removing food from one's mouth and putting it on the table. Note that playing with chopsticks and making faces at the food (no matter how disgusted you might be) is not acceptable. Showing this emotion is considered a loss of face. Also note that going "dutch" is seen as unfriendly. If you offer to pay for everyone's meal it will develop your relationship with him or her or them, even though they may not let you actually pay.

Crowds

We might as well address the one thing you HAVE to get used to. People. Ands lots of them. If you choose to travel or go out you will be exposed to crowds. On public holidays the masses of people will become readily apparent as you shop with 1.5 billion Chinese. Don't expect people to wait in line/queues. There is very little sense of personal space.

Visiting a Person's House

If invited to a Chinese person's house, which will happen, always take a gift of fruit or flowers. A pre-made basket of fruit costs about 30RMB. A bag of oranges or a bunch of flowers only costs a couple of Chinese RMB. Red flowers are good to take. White flowers are only used at funerals. I always have a supply of indian candy smoked salmon that I bring along with me as a "gift from home" which always goes over a treat. It's a lot more expensive that 30RMB. Learn more about the food culture and symbolism in China in the Food in China section Smoking Smoking is seen as a manly thing and very few think of it as a health threat or as offensive. Often people will smoke in restaurants with little or no regard for smoking or non-smoking sections. Chinese men constantly offer cigarettes and alcohol to other men. The type of cigarettes a person smokes establishes a class system. To decline an offer of a cigarette or alcohol say gently, "Wo bu hui. Xie xie." Tipping Today, attitudes towards tipping are changing. Although the practice is not officially recognized, tips are now frequently offered to and accepted by travel guides, tour bus drivers, porters and waiters in top-class hotels and restaurants. However, tipping is still not expected in most restaurants and hotels. Consumer taxes are included in price tags on goods but big hotels and fine restaurants may include a service charge of 10% or more.

Physical Contact/Holding Hands in Public

Chinese are not big on public displays of affection, you will rarely if ever see couples kissing or making out in public. Shake hands but refrain from hugging, kissing, winking, patting or making physical contact. As a "friend", you will find that men will hold hands with men and women will hold hands with women and walk on the street. This may be "weird" in the west, but it is a common, friendly practice for young people/adults in China. You may even have a friend of the same sex try to hold your hand at some point. It's a very weird feeling.

Eye Contact

In Western countries one expects to maintain eye contact when we talk with people. This is a norm we consider basic and essential. This is not the case among the Chinese. On the contrary, because of the more authoritarian nature of the Chinese society, steady eye contact is viewed as inappropriate, especially when subordinates talk with their superiors. Chinese students are not brought up to maintain constant eye contact with their teachers. Eye contact is sometimes viewed as a gesture of challenge or defiance. When people get angry, they tend to maintain steady eye contact. Otherwise, they keep talking looking elsewhere or nonchalant. Also, try to avoid physical contant and eye contact with the opposite sex.

Bowing

Bowing or nodding is the common greeting; however, you may be offered a handshake. Wait for the Chinese to offer their hand first. Spitting Not one of the most beautiful elements of Chinese culture but definitely a predominant one. Many Westerners are put off by the "horking" and violtent phglem raising efforts of Chinese people. I was most surprised when someone behind me at a traffic light did this big horklike sound (I am only guessing you can imagine this - try it now - saw hawk but now pretend you are gurgling while you say it and clear your throat at the same time. That's what I mean by "hork". Well someone did this behind me and I turned to give him a stink eye and saw that it was one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen in China... wow. Not impressed. Sptting and littering is normal yet frowned upon. Even in a restaurant spitting and littering occurs. It is important to ALWAYS consider where you sit or put your bag down and I highly advise you NOT to walk around barefoot.

Teeth

Not sure where to start here. There is no fluoride in the water. There are few dentists. Teeth are ugly here. Imagine the UK a hundred years ago... teeth are like that. As a result, breath has a tendancy to be rather putrid too. Deal with it.

Good luck Inviting People Home

You are definitely welcome to invite Chinese people to your home. Expect that if you invite them that you will be required to supply everything, just the same as if you invite them to dinner in a rstarant. One thing to remember, it is best NOT to invite a Chinese person to your home country. Travel is not easy for Chinese people. If they want to go to your home country they will bring it up. Age Be prepared to be asked your age, or why your not married or don't have any children. This is not considered prying but rather considerated friendly and expressing interest in your life. Maybe a little prying too.

Chinese Hosts Offering Something

Usually when a Chinese host offers a guest refreshments, if the guest declines, the host will ask again twice. Remember this if you entertain at your place. If someone declines they may really want something so you should really ask a couple more times. It makes it look like you are really concerned with their comfort... I know... Most guys don't have the patience for this sort of stuff. Speak your mind so we can move on to new topics faster... slow down everybody. Life doesn't have to move so fast. Consider this scenario and then watch or participate in a Chinese Tea Ceremony. Quite remarkable.

Animals/"pets" in China

Animals are not treated with kindness in China. Many of our teachers have adopted pets during their stays which is great and humane and all those good things but realize before you judge the Chinese that they have not yet established a "pet culture". Animals are just there. It's hard but try to overlook the unkindness.

Beijing Hutong Art

Like mushrooms after a spring rain, art districts are sprouting up all over Beijing, seeking to capitalize on and revitalize the capital's ancient infrastructure. While 798 Art District and Caochangdi are the city's most well-known examples of urban renewal, Beijing is home to many other sites that remind residents and passersby of the city's industrial past. Launched in April, Hutong Art Zone is one of the most recent newcomers to Beijing's contemporary art scene and offers artists and visitors a glimpse into the myriad ways traditional culture and modern art are giving new life to the city's architectural inheritance. "We differ from 798 Art District in that we are in the center of the city and the traditional view and unique charm of the ancient hutongs are a distinct advantage when compared to other art districts in far-flung suburbs. We are attracting a more comprehensive slice of the cultural industry, including film, performing arts, design, training, advertisement and intellectual property rights law," said Xu Li, a representative from the Hutong Art Zone.

No. 46 Fangjia Hutong

Covering 13,000 square-meters in Beijing's Dongcheng district and capable of housing more than 50 studios, galleries or cafes, No. 46 Fangjia Hutong is one prominent example of the promise of hutong art districts. Once an industrial quarter, the spacious yard is home to workshops, auditoriums and an office building. "I am fascinated with hutongs, because that is where I grew up.

To some extent, it is similar to 798 Art District, but the location is more ideal and the rent here is much cheaper," Yu Jinjin, a workshop owner, said. But the hutong's chief draw is the former tool factory that has been renovated and turned into trendy loft-style galleries, while its hulking boiler room has been turned into a practice studio for the Beijing Modern Dance Company. Though needing to make way for the dance company's energetic dancers, the factory retains its original flavor, adding only a simple stage to the spacious room. "New houses are like test tubes, with the people inside motionless specimens. For this reason, I like older houses with character much better," said Zhang Changcheng, manager for Beijing Modern Dance Company. "Much of Beijing's culture stems from the hutong, which is such an ideal place to combine the traditional and the modern."
Yonghe Gallery Street

Tucked against the hutongs near Beijing's Lama temple, Yonghe Gallery Street is among Dongcheng district's nine newly established Hutong Art Zones. Standing alongside the regal Lama Temple and overlooking Ditan Park, the 5-story building is located right in the center of the city. Surrounded by Guo Zi Jian Imperial Academy, the Confucius Temple and the Dongzhimen Embassy Area, Yonghe Gallery Street is full of Beijing style. Lin Tienmin, an artist from Taiwan, came here to open Lin & Keng Gallery in 2007 and has held eight art exhibitions since. "Although Beijing is an international cosmopolitan hub, what I cherish most is its traditional imperial atmosphere. In addition, the 4-meter-high ceilings in this place are a favorable height for an art gallery," Lin said. "Borrowing the experience of the world's greatest cosmopolitan cities in the West, it its vital for art zones to emerge in the center of the city. I hope Beijing is joining the rank. Since this area is free of charge to the public, the people living in the vicinity have a great chance to visit and enjoy.

It will be a promising place in the near future," said Yang Zhen, manger of the Yonghe Gallery Street project. According to Xu, the Hutong Art Zone is an important part of the Dongcheng creative zone and introduces the concept of "Creative Ecology" and its three principles that people are creative, creativity needs freedom and freedom needs a market.

King David and Genghis Khan: A Comparison on Cultural Anthropology

To be a king, one needs his generals and soldiers to be loyal and be devoted to him, besides God blesses him and he shows understanding of the times. It has no exception at all times and in all countries. The two following stories are about the warriors look for drinks for their masters at the risk of their lives. From the stories, we can learn that it’s both hard to be a king and be a general.It is recorded in “the Old Testament, 2 Samuel” that King David longed to drink the well water from Bethlehem. So his three warriors went to look for the water at the risk of their lives. When they found the water and offered up it to King David, King David did not dare to drink it. He dedicated the water to Jehovah to show his reverence toward God. It’s not easy to be king. In the belief of the Jews, the legitimacy of the judges and the kings come from God. King David devoted himself to Jehovah for God’s Grace and his victory. Jehovah is the only dependence in the hearts of King David and his people. They must serve God all the time without any carelessness.It is recorded in “The Secret History of the Mongols” that one day Genghis Khan got injured in a war, he needed cheese to survive. Zheliemie, one of Genghis Khan’s general, went to the enemy camp to search for cheese at the risk of his life. Zheliemie was almost naked when he went to the enemy camp. He came and went in the enemy camp, found a barrel of cheese, but no one saw him. Just like the warriors look for the water for King David at the risk of his life, Zheliemie also has a dangerous experience during his searching for cheese for his master. It’s also not easy to be a general.People don’t understand why Zheliemie need to be naked to steal things from the enemy camp. At that time, Genghis Khan asked the same question to Zheliemie. Zheliemie answered, “If the enemies catch me, I’ll say to them, ‘I want to surrender to you, but they realized and caught me. They were going to kill me, so they took off my clothes. When there were only my underpants left, I ran away.’ If I say so, being almost naked, they’ll believe me, give me clothes and accept me. So I’ll have a chance to find a horse to come back.” It is also recorded in “The Secret History of the Mongols” that once Genghis Khan was defeated by Jamuqa. Jamuqa killed some followers of Genghis Khan by throwing them into a boiling cauldron. It has yet to be proved whether traitors are taken off their clothes when they are executed in ancient Mongolia, but the answer of Zheliemie is reasonable and logical, because it’s unreasonable to kill someone who is dressed in by throwing him into a boiling cauldron.When the westerns do research, they often won’t neglect some details, and their persistence in the details often brings out surprising result. There is an American historian who studies the history of Mongolia. When he did research on the history of Mongolia, he cared about the part of the streaking, and he was not satisfied with Zheliemie’s answer. So he decided to go to Mongolia for his investigation. He spent five years in Mongolia. In most times, he lived with the most traditional Nomadic Mongols. So he shifted from a historian to an expert in cultural anthropology. He discovered a custom in Mongolia. When a Mongolian goes out of the yurt to relieve himself in the evening, if others run into him, they should avoid looking at him to show their respect to him. Zheliemie went into the enemy camp only wearing his underpants. When the enemies saw him almost naked, they might think one of their person just went to relieve himself and avoided looking at him, rather than no one saw him in the enemy camp. Zheliemie’s appearance is battle fatigues in cultural anthropology, so the enemies turn a blind eye to him, and he successfully stole cheese for Genghis Khan. If Zheliemie went to the enemy camp with arms, he must be killed by the enemies and never come back. Then Genghis Khan can hardly keep himself alive, and the history will be full of countless variables.

The Inkstone

An inkstone (砚，砚台) is literally a stone mortar for the grinding and containment of ink. Traditional Chinese ink was usually solidified into sticks for easier transport and preservation. Even a small amount of water could be applied to the end of a stick of ink, and that end would be ground with the flat surface of the ink stone. A larger quantity of ink could be ground from a small pool of water placed on the inkstone. Water could be stored in a water-holding cavity on the inkstone itself, as was the case for many Song Dynasty (960-1279) inkstones. The water-holding cavity or water reservoir in time became an ink reservoir for later inkstones. Water was usually kept in a ceramic container and sprinkled on the inkstone.The inkstone is Chinese in origin and is used in East Asian calligraphy and painting, and other forms of brush painting. Extant inkstones date from antiquity in China. However, the true age of inkstones began in the Tang Dynasty (618-905) and reached its height in the Song period. Extant Song period inkstones can be of great size and often display a delicacy of carving. Song inkstones can also exhibit a roughness in their finishing. Dragon designs in the Song period often reveal an almost humorous rendition; the dragons often seem to smile. From the subsequent Yuan period, in contrast, dragons display a ferocious appearance. A second great age of inkstone manufacture was during the reign of the Emperor Qianlong (Ch'ien-lung) (1736-1796). The Emperor Qianlong had his own imperial collection of inkstones catalogued into a twenty-four chapter compendium entitled Xiqing yanpu (Hsi-ch'ing yen-p'u). Many of these inkstones are still extant in the Palace Museum collection in Taiwan.For serious calligraphers and painters, a good inkstone is as important as the quality of the ink. An inkstone will affect the quality and texture of the ink that is ground upon it. Four kinds of inkstones are especially noted in inkstone art history and are popularly known as the "Four Famous Inkstones":

The first is Duanshi stone (端石砚) from Duanxi, Guangdong (pictured at top).

Duan stone is a volcanic tuff, commonly of a purple to a purple-red color. There are various distinctive markings such as eyes that were traditionally valued in the stone. A green variety of the stone was mined in the Song period. Duan inkstones are carefully categorized by the mines (k'eng) from which the raw stone was excavated. Particular mines were open only for discrete periods in history. For example, the Mazukeng mine was originally opened in the Qianlong period (1736-1795),　although reopened in modern times.

She stone (歙砚) from She County, Anhui.

This stone is a variety of slate and like Duan stone is categorized by the various mines from which the stone was obtained historically. It is a black color and displays a variety of celebrated gold-like markings. These inkstones likewise date from the late Tang period.

Of great rarity is Tao River stone (洮河砚) from South Gansu. This stone is no longer found today and was gathered from a river bottom in the Song period. The stone is crystalline and like jade. The stone bears distinct markings such as bands of varying shades. This stone can be easily confused with Duan stone of the green variety, but can be distinguished by a careful observation of its crystalline nature.

Chengni ceramic stone (澄泥砚) is a ceramic-manufactured inkstone. This process was begun in the Tang period and is said to have originated in Luoyang, Henan.