Eastern Culture Gone West

THE implication of one of British 19th century writer Rudyard Kipling's most famous quotations: "East is East, West is West and never the twain shall meet" is endorsed by contemporary scholar Dr Samuel Huntington in his work The Clash of Civilizations, in which he asserts that future wars will not be between individual states and political unions but between differing civili-zations. Thankfully, there are many valid     

East Asia Rolls On

The economic recovery in East Asia remains unchanged on its upward trajectory despite the earthquake and devastating tsunami in Japan on March 11.Growth in East Asia slowed after a sharp rebound from the global financial crisis but is improving nonetheless.The World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific Economic Update issued on March 21 projects real GDP growth in East Asia will be smaller than that of 2010 in the following two years.Besides future East Asian economic trends,the report also discusses the impact of the Japanese catastrophe.Edited excerpts follow:     

In Harmony

<正>By collaborating with a pianist,a Chinese erhu artist reaches the ears of the world The erhu and the piano,two musica instruments originating from the East and West,nonetheless enjoyed a close dialogue in the Beijing Concert Hall on the night of September 21.The concert was jointly performed by Chinese erhu musician Ma Xiaohu     

Connecting the World

The famous Silk Road is seeking heritage status as the ancient route that pioneered the link between East and West     

Diverse Xinjiang——The Western Regions

Xinjiang is China‘s largest provincial-level administrative region. Covering an area of 1.6 million square kilometers, there are eight countries along its 5,600-kilometer border. According to archaeological findings, human habitation began here in the Neolithic Age, Xinjiang was a main aspect of the Old Silk Road that traversed the region 2,000 years ago, and instrumental in linking the East and West. Migration from Central Asia and intermarriage brought about complex ethnic relationships culminating in the 13 ethnic groups that today inhabit this region of diverse culture and topography,     

Diverse Xinjiang

Xinjiang is China's largest provincial-level administrative region. Covering an area of 1.6 million square kilometers, there are eight countries along its 5,600-kilometer border. According to archaeological findings, human habitation began here in the Neolithic Age. Xinjiang was a main aspect of the Old Silk Road that traversed the region 2,000 years ago, and instrumental in linking the East and West. Migration from Central Asia and intermarriage brought about complex ethnic relationships culminating in the 13 ethnic groups that today inhabit this region of diverse culture and topography.     

World Cultural Heritage Protection in China

ON June 24,at the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) held in Paris,the West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The West Lake is the only lake in China and one of the few lakes in the world that was declared world cultural heritage.     

WANA in 2012 and China’s Relations with Arab Countries

THE year 2012 saw dramatic changes in the WANA(West Asia and North Africa)region,wrought by intertwining conflicts,divisions and regroupings among various forces,each intent on gaining superior development,status and influence.The discussion on the Middle East issue last September in the United Nations General Assembly took the form of stormy debates,albeit weaponless,no less fierce     

About Romania

Geography, population and climateRomania is located in the geographic center of Europe. It neighbors to the East on the Republic of Moldova, the Ukraine, and the Black Sea; to the South on Bulgaria; to the South and South-East on Yugoslavia; to the West on Hungary; and to the North on the Ukraine.It stretches over 236,391 sq km, which ranks it 12th in Europe. 31% of Romania's surface is covered by mountains, 33% by hills and tablelands, and the rest of 36% by plains.The largest plain lies in the South,     

A NEW COOPERATION MODEL

Going back in history, interactions between Xi'an, an ancient Chinese capital in the northwest and the starting point of the Silk Road, and Rome, the end of the ancient trade route, made trade, goods and cultural exchanges flourish between the East and the West Today.     

A Transboundary Trial

正How China’s Kunqu Opera finds its groove on the ballet stageInspiration arose when a mutual friend of Wu Husheng and Zhang Ting proposed the idea and introduced them to each other. After Wu got in touch with Zhang, they immediately clicked and started devising the creation of A Dream of a Floating Life.China's Kunqu Opera and the art that is ballet performing together on the same stage? A feat perhaps far-fetched before, yet, as the world rests on the cusp of change, no longer beyond realization. One might be curious as to what the combination of the two arts, opera and dance, East and West, looks like. A Dream of a Floating Life will provide the answer to that question.     

The Decline and Fall of Shanxi Tycoons

IT was in 1914 that the thriving hubbub of West Street in Pingyao rapidly disappeared, as shops along it, most notably the distinguished Rishengchang, were one by one locked and shuttered. The owner of the draft bank had been arrested and taken into custody in Beijing soon after declaring bankruptcy.     

The Environment： Who Cares？!

As the tide of globalization sweeps into every corner of the planet, many worry that Western cultures and values, bolstered by the overwhelming might of Western economies, might wipe out the great diversity of the world that is rooted in and guards the identities of different peoples and nations. To set up a stage for dialogue between the East and West and to air opinions from both perspectives, we launch Brown Eyes, Blue Eyes. In this regular column the chief executive of Cambridge University Press and a vice director-general of the State Council Information Official will comment on topics of concern to both sides, ranging from education and medical care to sciencce and technology.     

Turkey Turns East

正Turkey shifts its strategic focus to the East and enhances economic and political ties with China Occupying a special geographic position bridging Asia and Europe,Turkey has been playing a flexible role in affairs of both continents.In recent years,Turkey has changed its previous strategy of looking predominately to the West and revalued its cooperation with the East     

Harmony between Man and NatureAn Ecocritical Perspective on the Hezhen Yimakan

正As the global environmental crisis gets more pressing,ecological criticism has become a"distinct school."The ecological world and the relationship between man and nature in many literary works have entered the sightlines of the ecocritics.This paper argues that the rise of ecocriticism theory in the West and in China,eco criticism and in Chinese ethnic literature(in particular folk literature)is part of the same phenomenon.Secondly,the text of the Hezhen epic     

China and Its Neighbors March Onwards Interdependent

DURING the year 2012,China and its neighboring countries entered a somewhat complicated diplomatic environment.Despite challenges,the situation as a whole remained stable.The center of gravity in world economy having shifted from West to East,there are now unprecedented opportunities for Asian countries to rise.     

Discourse Between East and West

The first Chinese-hosted cultural dialogue between the East and the West was held in Nishan, Shandong Province The first Nishan Forum on World Civilizations kicked off on September 26 at Nishan Mountain, 25 km southeast     

Archery in Olympic Games VS Minorities＇ Archery in Chin

Ancient works of art show that the bow and arrow appeared in ancient Egypt around 5,000 years ago. Historians agreed, however, that the bow and arrow was probably invented at least 25,000 years before.Ancient Egyptians used them in warfare and for hunting. The bow and arrow later became standard military equipment for the whole ancient world, from the Mediterranean to the Far East, in Africa     

Special Stamps： Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai

N October 2003, the State Postal Bureau issued a set of five special stamps featuring the Chinese folk legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai.Liang and Zhu are the Rorneo and Juliet of the East, whose tragic love story is known in every Chinese household.The legend goes that Zhu disguised herself as a boy in order to be able to study. The first stamp shows her and Liang, her classmate, on Caoqiao Bridge