The Silk Road and Tang Prosperity

THE dance drama, Along the Silk Road, returned to the Beijing stage for the 2003 Chinese New Year celebrations, to as enthusiastic a reception as when it was first performed 24 years ago. Set in the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, the drama celebrates the grotto art of Dunhuang     

Emperor Yongle

DURING its long history Beijing has had several names. The current one was ordained on February 4, 1403 by Emperor Yongle, named Zhu Di (1360-1424), of the Ming Dynasty. It was he who decreed that Beiping "where the dragon soars" be renamed Beijing, or Northern Capital.     

The Mystery of the Song Dynasty Ge Kilns

Styles and shapes of the ceramics produced were strictly defined by the emperor. Their quality was paramount, and even the tiniest flaw meant immediate destruction of a piece, no matter how beautiful.     

“Set Cloud-white Sails and Cross the Surging Seas”- The 600th Anniversary of Zheng He＇s Sea Voyages

THE image of a magnificent fleet setting sail on a voyage of good will is as heart-stirring now as it was 600 years ago.     

Medicine——the Beneficent Vocation

IN ancient times,medical prac-titioners were China’s mostexalted Angels in White,theirlofty office of preservinghuman life inspiring a reverenceotherwise accorded only to deities.     

Ancient Chinese Beauty-Blessings and Curses

CHINA has been home to a myriad of beautiful women throughout the ages, and differing standards of beauty account for its wide aesthetic scope. Some women were lauded for their dancing or singing skills, others for their virtuous nature, and still others for their involvement in political intrigue.     

Traditional Chinese Medicine Tried and True

IT was at the end of 2002,when no one suspected a glob-al epidemic was about to breakout, that SARS claimed itsfirst victims. It soon became apparent thatSARS was a new, highly conta-gious disease. Within a fewmonths, it had spread to more than     

Princess Kong Sizhen

ONE of the many outstanding women in Chinese history is Kong Sizhen - the Han princess who devoted her lite to upholding the 268-year-long Manchu Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Kong Sizhen, daughter of Han general Kong Youde. is immortalized in the name Gongzhufen (tomb of the princess). a district and subway station at the western end of Beijing's Chang'an Avenue. Kong Sizhen was the only woman ever to have been entrusted with the post of chief imperial guard, or to have been given command of troops de fending the southwestern border. Her spirit of self-sacrifice is regarded with similar reverence as that of Joan of Ark of France and Elizabeth I of England.     

The Strong and Wise Women of China＇s Past

T0 be a female depicted in Peking Opera is to represent one of the few heroines of Chinese history. They must possess outstanding morals and politically savvy, be highly educated or martial arts experts. Of these strong women characters the most prominent is Zhong Wuyan.     

Bamboo and the Chinese Spirit

THE bamboo plant, fargesia spathacea, is the staple food of the giant panda anda cultural icon in Chinese history. In sharp contrast to other plants, the bambooonly blossoms every 60 to 80 years, and perishes soon after. It takes one tothree decades for its seeds to grow. In the past 3 million years bamboos haveundergone more than 50,000 extensive blooms. Pandas survived by migrating,but this is no longer an option owing to the sharp decrease of bamboo forests. The lasttwo bloomings of bamboo caused 250 giant pandas to starve to death.