Chinese Class - Tian’anmen

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Tian’anmen

( 2008-07-08 )

Climbing up Tian’anmen Gate to take a view of Tian’anmen Square is a dream for many generations of Chinese. Tian’anmen is not simply a gate. It had bore witness to many historical events, and the decline and resurgence of the nation.

Located at the center of Beijing City is Tiananmen Square, where you can visit Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall and see the national flag raising ceremony. Thousands of people come to the Square every day. It is a must place to
visit in Beijing City.

With a total area of 440,000 square meters (880-m-long and 500-m-wide), the Tian'anmen Square, located in the center of Beijing, is the largest of its kind. Over a hundred years, many ceremonies and demonstrations have been held here. The spacious square was originally to demonstrate the majestic
imperial power, walled in on the eastern, western and southern sides, shutting out the common people. It is now an ideal place for people to observe celebratory occasions or fly kites.

Tian'anmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) was built in the 15th century and restored in the 17th century. From imperial days, the yellow glaze-tiled double-eave tower functioned as a rostrum for proclaiming pronouncements to the assembled masses. On October 1, 1949, Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed
the founding of the new China here. The tower has five doors and in front of it are seven bridges spanning a stream. In the past, only the emperor could use the central door and bridge. The gate leads to the imperial city -- the Forbidden City.

Five Star Red Flag -- the Chinese national flag, flies high in the sky above the Square. To see the guard of honor raise the Flag is a must for the tourist visiting Beijing City. You have to get up very early and arrive at the Square before sunrise. Only by doing so can you see the ceremony
clearly as there are crowds of people attending the ceremony every day.

The present Tiananmen Square has become a relaxing place for the common people to fly kites and walk. On holidays, the whole square is covered with fresh flowers.

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Chinese Class - Cuju -- Ancient Chinese Football

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Cuju -- Ancient Chinese Football

( 2008-07-08 )

In the Song Dynasty cuju organizations were set up in large cities called Qi Yun She or Yuan She-- now known as the earliest professional cuju club -- whose members were either cuju lovers or professional performers. Non-professional players had to formally appoint a professional as his or her
teacher and pay a fee before becoming a member. This process ensured an income for the professionals.

Unlike cuju of the Tang Dynasty, only one goal post was set up in the middle of the field during the Song.

There are mainly two ways to play cuju: "Zhu Qiu" and "Bai Da" Zhu Qiu was commonly performed at court feasts celebrating the emperor's birthday or during diplomatic events. This competitive match between two teams consisted of 12-16 players on each side.

Bai Da was the dominant cuju style of the Song Dynasty, attaching much importance to developing personal skills. The goal became obsolete in this method and the playing field was enclosed with thread, with players taking turns to kick the ball within. The number of fouls made by the players
decided the winner. For example, if the ball was not passed far enough to reach the other players, points were deducted. If the ball was kicked too far out, a big deduction was made. Kicking the ball too low or turning at the wrong moment all led to fewer points. Players could touch the ball with
any part of the body except their hands and the number of players ranged anywhere from two to 10. In the end, the player with the highest score would win.

Cuju began its decline during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) due to neglect, and the 2,000-year-old sport finally faded away.

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Pnyin - Violin master comforts quake victims

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Violin master comforts quake victims

Violin virtuoso Anne Sophie Mutter began two days of performances at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Tuesday evening.

Violin virtuoso Anne Sophie Mutter performs at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Tuesday evening, May 27, 2008.

At the debut performance, the German artist began with Bach's "Violin Concerto in E major" and Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," which were specially selected for the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Beijing.

She followed with the "Air on the G String," an adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bach's famous Air by August Wilhelmj. The piece was played slowly and freely, intertwining the song's harmony and melody to express Mutter's sympathy for the Chinese earthquake victims.

The Chinese website Sina quotes Mutter as saying that the May 12th disaster gave her China tour new meaning, thus she hoped that the "Air on the G String" could become a source of help and comfort to those who lost so much after the earthquake.

Mutter was accompanied by Norwegian symphony orchestra, the Trondheim Soloists.

Mutter began her Asian tour in Shanghai on May 25th. After her two days of performances in China's capital city, the tour will continue through June 10th in South Korea and Japan.

Before the tour, Mutter appealed to musicians from around the world to get involved in helping the relief efforts in China.

Mutter, now 45, impressed Herbert von Karajan with her spectacular performance at the Lucerne Festival in 1976. He praised her as "the greatest music prodigy since the young Menuhin" and invited her to the Salzburg Music Festival the following year. Karajan cooperated with her regularly in five
concerts a year.

Editor: Feng Hui

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Learning Mandarin - History exhibition creates a stir

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History exhibition creates a stir

An exhibition on the history and development of Tibet has drawn much public attention since it opened on April 30 at the Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing.

At the opening ceremony of the exhibition

The exhibition comprises two parts: the History of Tibet and Feudal Serfdom in Old Tibet, and New Tibet Changing with Each Passing Day. About 160 objects, more than 400 pictures and audio-visual material are on display, telling of the vicissitudes of Tibet over the past 700 years, and the last
half century in particular.

One display showed that from 1965 -- when the Tibet Autonomous Region was founded -- to 2007, the central government provided nearly 162 billion yuan (23 billion U.S. dollars) in financial support for Tibet, accounting for 93.4 percent of the region's fiscal revenue, and how government projects
helped improve people's lives.

11th Panchen Erdeni Gyaincain Norbu (C) visits the exhibition themed "Tibet, the Past and the Present" in Beijing on May 4.

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Chinese Class - Dan (female)

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Dan (female)

Bai Suzhen

Bai Suzhen was a character in the fairy taleThe Legend of White Snake. Bai Suzhen, the personified snake spirit, married the ordinary person Xu Xian. But the head monk Fa Hai tried for many times to undermine their marriage. Bai Suzhen ended up in being imprisoned under the weight of the Thunder
Peak Pagoda.

Repertoire:The Legend of White Snake

Xiao Qing

Xiao Qing was a character in the fairy tale The Legend of White Snake. A young girl, like Bai Suzhen, was a personified snake spirit. She joined Bai Suzhen in fighting against the head monk Fa Hai, who tried to undermine the marriage between Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian.

Repertoire:The Legend of White Snake

Wang Baochuan

Wang Baochuan, the Prime Minister's daughter, was expelled from the Prime Minister's residence when she insisted in marrying Xue Pinggui, a beggar. Xue Pinggui later served the army in Xiliang while Wang led a lonely life in the cold cave dwelling for eighteen years. Upon receiving his wife's
letter written in blood delivered by dove, he hurried home. When they met at Wujia Slope and the truth was finally revealed, the couple recognized each other and got reunited.

Repertoire: Wujia Slope

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Chinese Class - Two Chinese Books Won Prizes in Leipzig Book Fair

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Two Chinese Books Won Prizes in Leipzig Book Fair

The renowned Leipzig Book Fair came to a close on March 16, 2008. Two Chinese books, AFTER and ANT, won prizes promulgated by German UNESCO Commission.

There were altogether 626 books from 34 countries participating in the competition. The Chinese book, AFTER, published by Tianjin Yangliuqing Fine Art Press, won"THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK" because of its"colorful layout and successful theme selection."The other book, ANT, published by Zhongguo
Jiangsu Art Press won"THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK MAKING SPECIAL AWARD."

The Leipzig Book Fair is a traditional springtime event with a strong appeal to the general public. It offers its visitors a special kind of book experience. This year, Leipzig Book Fai attracted 2300-plus exhibitors from more than 40 countries in the world. The layout of the exhibition had its
own special characteristics. In addition to the traditional book areas, it also added the"old books area," "comic books area,"and"audio-visual area.”

Zhang Genrui, manager of China Books Trade Company, said:"In recent years, foreigners are more and more interested in Chinese books. Our books in this book fair sell very well, especially the language textbook and Chinese culture books"

ANT

Ant came from the studio of Zhu Yingchun, an experienced book designer. The slim volume is quite attractively put together. Illustrations, which make liberal use of white space to provide room for jotting in the margins, depict ants crawling over all kinds of objects, both natural and man-made,
and there are blank pages included at the back for readers to record their own thoughts, which they can then send in to the publishers for inclusion in future editions.

The bilingual text, written by Zhou Zongwei, a professor of education at Nanjing University, uses the life of an ant to provide insights on human life. A line on the cover advises readers in a playful variation on the well-known proverb: "There is profit in interpreting the meaning of the
ant"(译蚁意o亦益矣).

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Chinese Online Class - Exhibits and Installation Instructions

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Exhibits and Installation Instructions

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Exhibits and installation instructions

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