The Pass By Bar,a Home away from Home

There is a story behind every tiny detail of the Pass By Bar:the antique wooden plaques,the sunlit courtyard,the bookshelf-lined wall filled with volumes of the Lonely Planet series,and the photos its owner has taken on his travels.     

Janus-Like China

China is neither a "blank sheet of paper" nor an immutable monolith, but an immense living palimpsest upon which the most recent narratives cover but do not erase the underlying strata accumulated through millennia. One of the most significant marks of the Chinese identity, the Chinese writing system, is both hypermodern and antique,     

Kunqu Opera In Nanjing

正Foreigners in China often pursue the passions. One person may collec antique snuff bottles, while anothe may seek out a prized Qing robe. One of th most compelling     

Antique Furniture Reassessed

In the past ten years, the antique furni-ture market has visibly expand-ed from just a few shops in scattered loca-tions to repro antique furni-ture streets lined with shops in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou.     

An Industry Loses Its Shine

LIKE many successful businesspeople, Chen Jufeng,general manager of a tea company in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, finds the best expression of his wealth and taste in antique collecting. With eight years and hundreds of thousands of Yuan spent on his collection, he has acquired confidence in his discernment. Recently Chen Jufeng purchased, for approximately RMB 80,000,     

Connoisseur

Market Value: At the China Guardian 2004 Autumn Auction, this item sold for 4.29 million yuan (US $520,000) - five times its 1995 price of 880,000 yuan. Features: This Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) piece is regarded as a jewel in the crown of antique Chinese furniture. Most extant antique sandalwood and rosewood furniture was created during this period of Chinese history, as pieces made with this material are virtually impossible to find today. Smooth, hard, glossy rosewood was widely used to make furniture in the Ming and early Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. The color of scented rosewood ranges from light yellow to maroon. It has a robust feel and a delicate scent Another kind is narra, a yellowish-brown wood that is less valuable than the scented variety. During the Ming Dynasty rosewood was used to make chairs, tables, chests and beds. To preserve the wood's natural beauty, carvings were kept to a minimum and pieces would be adorned with just a few engravings.     

Wuzhou:Lingnan's Most Memorable City

正THE ancient city of Wuzhou is regarded as the cradle of two provinces.Emperor Taizong(993-997)of the Song Dynasty(960-1279)demarcated the area to the east of Wuzhou as Guangdong,and the western area as Guangxi.Today the city is known for its elegant natural scenery and industry as well as its antique culture.It has been recognized as a National Forest City,a world capital of artificial gemstones and a national model for recycling and green energy.Liang Yusheng,a famous Kung Fu novelist,set one of his stories among the spectacular natural wonders of Wuzhou.Wuzhou is a city built around rivers,and waterways are at the heart of city life.The Xunjiang and the Guijiang     

The Charm of the Dazhaimen Restaurant

The Dazhaimen Restaurant, in Wanliu Xingui Mansion, Wanliu East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, recently opened. The Dazhaimen is regarded as a “living cultural relic” on the western Beijing landscape. Its interior décor is a convergence of architecture and antique furniture from both north and south China. The excellence of the restaurant’s “Zhaimen private cuisine” must be experienced in order truly to be ap-preciated. The Dazhaimen also stages performances of traditional Chinese opera, enjoyed to the ac-companiment of a fragrant, refreshing and constantly replenished cup of tea.     

Unique Curbside Culture

正Street culture has a long and rich history in China.In Beijing,common sights include newspaper and magazine stands,or musicians playing guitars or strange-looking antique instruments.A wide assortment of transactions happen on these curbsides,including the purchases of colorful balloon arrangements,fruit,tea and snacks.In some provinces it is still customary to see middle-aged residents     

The green leaves of Nanjing

August 1989Hot town, summer in the city, with temperatures in the high 30s. Amazingly enough, the heat is bearable because there is plenty of shade. Nanjing is famous for the plane trees that line its streets and avenues. It's a good thing for people like me who have little vegetation on their heads: we don't have to worry about getting sunburnt on top.1989 being a year when nothing much is being done by way of business, I have plenty of time to travel around different parts of China. Nanjing most certainly is one of the nicer destinations among the places I am visiting. One of the most beautiful features of the city is the Zijin Shan (Purple Mountain) right in the middle of it. Few places I have been to can boast of such an attraction. Miles and miles of woodland to climb, and then     

Living Together In Peace

Six decades after its emergence,a set of guiding principles continues to influence global affairs 2014 marks the 60th anniversary of the proclamation of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.Over the past six decades,all generations of the Chinese leadership have regarded the principles as the most valuable diplomatic tradition.They have also become widely accepted by the international community as pivotal norms of international relations.     

MARKET WATCH

China's state-owned enterprises are focusing on the stalwarts of the domestic economy, including the oil, telecommunications and power industries. Although auto sales have seen a period of sluggish demand, luxury car imports have been increasing. Steel mills will drop their prices in the fourth quarter because of excessive sup- ply. China's stock markets, once taking the global lead in share price increases, have become the worst performing markets in the world. Along with the declining stock markets, mainland-listed companies also saw their profits drop in the first half of this year.     

The Past of Old Beijing City

These paintings are my emotional recall of the Old Beijing City. which hasbeen capitals of six China Dynasties. Every time when I am in the modern bustleBeijing. I can't help feeling the primitive simplicity from Hutong and the yard aswell as imaging the Old Beijing. Therefore. I have painted this group of paintings totrace back that past Old Beijing. I have never been there. I do have been there.     

30 Years of Archaeological Research

China's archaeology has achieved remarkable outcomes during the 30 years after the carrying out of the reform and opening up policy. In theoretical research, various archaeological theories and genres have been introduced to China, which have influenced the development of the archaeology of China.     

Dancing in the Park

SINCE moving to Beijing eight months ago, I have noriced countless differences between the culture I grew up with back in England, and the one of the people who surround me now. One of the things that I have particularly no： riced as I have got to know Beijing is the attitude people here have towards exercise. Never before have I seen so many people happy to be keeping fit.     

Why Water Diversion Project Is Still Making Ripples

MANY water projects of a massive scale have achieved fame around the world; few people have not heard of the Aswan Dam in Egypt, the Hoover Dam in the U.S. and the Itaipu Dam where Brazil,     

Doomed to Failure

The most appalling event befalling China recently was the violent riot in Urumqi, capital of the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on the night of July 5. This disrup-tive unrest shocked the whole nation. Alarming scenes have been recorded of the violence. Newspaper photos and TV footage have shown that shops were looted,     

COTECXIN——Tie of Sino-African Friendship

Malaria is one of the most dangerous killers threatening the health of African people and is now still spreading in the countries south of the Sahara. Prevention and treatment of malaria have turned from a health problem to a social, economic and even political problem. Many countries put the elimination of malaria on the agenda of the government,s important work. At present, medicine treatment is the main way for prevention and cure of malaria. The quinine-based drugs that have been used fo…     

MINORITY DEVELOPMENT

China is a culturally rich and diverse country. Throughout the nation, 56 ethnic groups have been identified. And though the majority Han (90.56 percent of the population) dominate, the rest of the ethnicities enrich the country in a variety of ways, be it linguistic, gastronomic, artistic or historic. Yet poverty, illiteracy, as well as lack of educational and medical services have hindered the advancement of these peoples. While ethnic minorities have lagged behind in terms of economic, educational, and societal advancement, the government has pledged to assist in their development, and is attaching greater importance to helping minorities catch up to the dominant culture.