Tianjin Surges Forward in the New Millennium

The history of Tianjin Municipality dates back to Emperor Yongle's reign in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In 1860, Tianjin was designated as anopen port city, one the first in China to trade with foreign countries. It furtherdeveloped into one of the modern industrial bases of north China, due to itsposition as the communications hub of the Haihe River and its close proximityto Beijing, the capital of China. Since China's, opening, the city has turned anew page in its history of in…     

The Past Preserved

<正>With a history of several thousand years,central China's Hunan Province boasts a large number of cultural relics.The Hunan Provincial Museum in the provincial capital of Changsha alone houses more than 180,000 ancient artifacts.According to Yu Yanjiao,a researcher with the museum,there are four"must-knows"about Hunan's cultural heritage.Birthplace of rice Hunan's climate and soil are eminently suitable for the growth of rice.In 1995,four rice kernels dating back over 10,000 years were discovered in the archaeological site of Yuchanyan in Daoxian County,Yongzhou,which indicates that wild rice has been grown in the region since ancient times.Archaeological discoveries indicate that there are multiple locations in which wild rice used to be grown in Hunan.In 1988,a large quantity of rice husks mixed in with broken pottery pieces were found in the Pengtoushan Site in Lixian County,Changde City.These rice husks were identified to date back 9,000 years.     

Changing Lives One Community at a Time The Yunnan Institute of Development Tackles One of China''''s Poorest Provinces

BEN Nixon has a decade of experi-ence working with NGOs in develop-ing countries, but the year spentworkmg witn the Yunnan Institute of Development (YID) has been his most rewarding experience to date. During his time as a volunteer this young Australian, who has a degree in rural development and a master's in community development, helped the YID found eight preschools in isolated villages in     

Major Paleontological Finds in China

In October 2009,Chinese scientists confirmed the Zhucheng dinosaur fossil stratum in Shandong Province is the largest and richest in the world discovered to date. The various dinosaur fossils unearthed in Zhucheng further prove dinosaurs are ancestors of birds.     

PEOPLE & POINTS

正RENOWNED SCHOLAR DIESYang Jiang,a well-known Chinese writer,translator and foreign literature scholar,passed away in Beijing on May 25 at the age of 105.Proficient in English,French and Spanish,Yang made a name for herself in the field of translation.Her translation of Don Quixote into Chinese from its original Spanish has been generally regarded as the best version to date.     

Ancient Town in Architectural Layers

T HE famous historical and cultural town of Jingsheng, site of the well-known Wang Family Mansion and mil- lennia-old Zishou Temple, is south of Taiyuan, provincial capital of Shanxi Province. Jingsheng is rich in natural resources as well as cultural relics, despite large numbers of historical sites having been destroyed in an earthquake in the early 14th century. The buildings still standing date back to the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Jingsheng was among the fi rst group of Chinese…     

FOOD FOR LUCK

<正>Locals are given free porridge to mark the Laba Festival on January 27 in Qiankou Township,Huangshan in east China’s Anhui Province.The festival falls on the eighth day of the 12th lunar month every year and dates back to over 1,000 years ago.In ancient times,the Chinese would cook porridge on this day as a tribute to the God of Agriculture.The festival is also intended to celebrate the harvest and pray for blessings in the upcoming year.     

The Middle Dinosaur Kingdom

Dinosaur fossils have been periodically unearthed in various parts of China for more than a century. In 2006, the fossils of the Stegosaur that bear the largest scapulars ever excavated, and of the Mamenchisaurus (the longest dinosaur in Asia) were discovered in Xinjiang. The same year there was a world f irst discovery of fossils of the Dicraeosaurus (a kind of di- plodocoidea) in Lingwu City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The amount of dinosaur fossils discovered in China by 2006 was 1…     

CAFA President Tomur Dawamat Receives GCC Award

Tomur Dawamat,President of the China-Arab Friendship Association (CAFA),has been a tireless worker in the cause of promoting friendship between the Arab world and China.In recognition of his work,a ceremony was held in Beijing on June 15 to confer on him the Gulf Cooperation Council Award.     

A Rising Machinery Star

正In April,the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology published its list of small and medium-sized enterprises with strong brand power in 2013,including Liuzhou OvM Machinery Co.Ltd.Liuzhou OvM Machinery has been a frontrunner in the area of prestressing technology.In recent years,due to decreased international demand and flagging domestic consumption,numerous small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises have been brought to the     

A Lisu EthnicTraditional Wedding

JANUARY 11, 2004, 20th day of the 12th lunar month, was Lisu ethnic minority girl Zhang Zhengxiu's wedding day. Her traditional wedding ceremony was held in her home village in Dechang County, Sichuan Province. The date had been cho-     

Will the ‘China Miracle’ Continue?

<正>China's economic growth rate has been declining since 2010,faling to a six-year low of 7.3 percent in the third quarter of 2014.This has been the longest growth slowdown since the country adopted the reform and opening-up policy in 1978.In an     

Folk Customs

It used to be Miao custom to celebrate New Year on a date of their own calculation, traditionally the day after the winter solstice. But with changing times, in many regions this celebration has been rescheduled to coincide with the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival.     

Indisputable Sovereignty Opposition to China's ocean claim is poorly supported

In recent years,there has been heated debate on China's claims in the South China Sea in international media.Despite massive support for these claims,suspicions are still being harbored.China's stance,they say,is not in line with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).This accusation is groundless.China's claims in the South China Sea,including the sovereignty of the Nansha Islands and the jurisdiction of waters surrounding those islands,are based on historical facts and legal validity,and also have been recognized by many other countries.     

Traditions in Different Regions

Cold Food in Jiexiu Jiexiu in central Shanxi Province is regarded as the cradle of the Qingming Festival.Folk customs during this festival have been well preserved to this day.In 2011,Cold Food in Jiexiu was included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage inventory.In the Spring and Autumn Period,Jie Zitui,a     

The Firm, the Enduring, the Simple and the Modest Are Near to Virtue

EVIDNCE of the lasting influence of the Chinese philosopher Confucius can still been seen around the world.In September 2009 a life-size bronze statue of the scholar was erected at Hermann Park in downtown Houston,     

The Solid Power of Soft Law

HUIZHOU City of Guangdong Province has made in-depth explorations into new ways of building democracy at the grassroots level.In2009 the city rolled out a trial system in its rural and urban areas of casting legal professionals in the roles of deputy directors of village(neighborhood)committees.It has been well received.Parties can now resolve any disputes that may arise through consultations with and the mediations of     

TOURISM INFORMATION

Located in the center of Xi'an City,the remaining city wall has a history of over 600 years,which dates back to 1374-1378.It was built on the basis of the imperial city of Sui(581-618)and Tang (618-907)dynasties.As the most complete ancient military facili- ties still existing in the world,the     

From Backwater to Economic Center

正On October 15, 1981, construction of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone (SEZ) began in the Huli Processing Area for Exporting Goods. In March 1984, the State Council decided to extend the area of the SEZ from 2.5 square km to cover the all of Xiamen Island, including Gulangyu Island, of about 131 square km. Since then, free port policies have been applied in the zone. Later, the State Council approved in     

A Growing Heritage

Two more places in China have been added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites In July, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) voted to place China's giant panda sanctuaries in Sichuan Province and the Yin Xu (ruins of the capital city of the Shang Dynasty, about 1600-1100 B.C.) archaeological site in Henan Province on its list of World Heritage sites, bringing the total number in China to 33, ranking third after Spain and Italy.