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Cultural Immersion
"Golden Dragon Parade" Welcomes the Spring Festival
On the evening when people bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new, a"golden dragon" rises on the water. At festive times, Yulong Village in Baisha town, Yangshuo county, Guilin, stages a grand Golden Dragon Parade. A signature folk event of Yangshuo, the Golden Dragon Parade embodies the characteristic nightscape of fishing boats aglow on the Lijiang River. As night falls, nearly a hundred bamboo rafts are linked end to end, their lights igniting in sequence to form a sinuous "gol
Wearing Hanfu to Celebrate the "Most Quintessentially" Spring Festival
What is it like to welcome the Spring Festival in Hanfu in ancient villages and towns? The traditional architecture, with its dark tiles and gray bricks, provides an ideal backdrop for the refined elegance of Hanfu; red lanterns and centuries-old streets frame scenes of timeless charm, turning each snapshot into a poetic image. Even more, the rich folk customs of these towns gain deeper ceremonial weight and narrative resonance when experienced in Hanfu. Visitors can pick up a brush to write the character
Fish Lantern Parade fills Chengkan village with holiday joy
As the Spring Festival approaches, Chengkan ancient village in Huizhou district is set to host its lively Fish Lantern Parade once again. This long-standing folk tradition draws visitors from near and far eager to experience it firsthand. Chengkan's Fish Lantern Parade dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). In earlier times, villagers crafted lifelike, fish-shaped lanterns from bamboo frames and paper, parading them through the streets at night to pray for safety and peace. Because the Chinese
Yum Cha—"One Bowl with Two Pieces" and the Art of Lingnan Slow Living
In the Guangdong region, there is a unique culinary custom known as having morning tea. Far more than just a gastronomic event, it is a deeply embedded in the daily social ritual of local people, symbolizing the Cantonese people's characteristic philosophy of buoyant optimism and broad tolerance. What began as the minimalist standard of "one bowl with two pieces"—meaning a bowl of tea with two servings of dim sum to complement the tea—has undergone a dramatic transformation. The tea
The Art of Porcelain-Making in Jingdezhen, Where a Millennium-Old Kiln Meets Global Creativity
Dubbed the "Porcelain Capital of China," Jingdezhen is globally celebrated for its unique porcelain, known for their distinct qualities: "as white as jade, as bright as a mirror, as thin as paper, and as resonant as a chime stone." Remarkably, the city preserves the complete 72-step traditional process of porcelain making, from raw material preparation to the final firing. In 2006, Jingdezhen's handcrafted porcelain techniques were inscribed on China's list of the first batch of Nation
Chagan Lake Winter Fishing—A Legendary Ice Hunt
Flourishing in Qian Gorlos Mongol Autonomous County, Songyuan City, Jilin Province, the Chagan Lake Winter Fishing is a time-honored tradition of fisheries production that faithfully retains original techniques like drilling holes in the ice for net placement and employing horse-drawn winches. This ancient custom not only exemplifies the aquatic hunting culture of the Mongols, who historically settled by water, but also highlights an enduring ecological intelligence—the art of living in harmony with
Kunqu Opera — The "Ancestor of a Hundred Operas"
Originating in the area surrounding Kunshan, Suzhou, Kunqu Opera stands as one of China's most ancient operatic styles. It is a comprehensive art form that integrates literature, music, dance, and drama, renowned globally for its sophisticated lyrics, mellifluous vocal delivery, and subtle, intricate performances. Affectionately termed the "Ancestor of a Hundred Operas," Kunqu was recognized by UNESCO in 2001, when it was proclaimed one of the first batch of the "Masterpieces of the Oral an
The Qinhuai Lantern Festival—World's Number One Lantern Festival
The Qinhuai Lantern Festival, also known as the Jinling Lantern Festival, is a celebrated traditional folk event native to the Nanjing area, hailed as the "World's Number One Lantern Festival." This millennium-old folk celebration artfully blends lantern art, Confucian culture, and the distinctive charm of the Qinhuai area, establishing it as one of the most iconic Chinese New Year traditions in the Jiangnan region. Its cultural significance was officially recognized in 2006 when it was inscribe
Tie-Dyeing—Embroidery Without a Thread
Tie-dyeing, a time-honored textile dyeing and printing craft in China, boasts a history stretching back to the Qin and Han dynasties and flourished during the Tang era. It is lauded as " Embroidery Without a Thread " for its unique patterns created by locally resisting dye through techniques like tying and stitching. In recognition of its cultural significance, the Bai ethnic group's tie-dyeing craft was inscribed on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2006. This ancient craft is e
Datiehua—The Fiery Meteor Shower of the Night Sky
"Datiehua," which translates to "striking iron flowers," a spectacular folk art originating in the provinces of Henan and Shanxi in China, is an ancient tradition with a thousand-year history, tracing its roots back to the Northern Song Dynasty and flourishing during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Initially conceived by blacksmiths for sacrificial rites, this unique craft involves casting molten iron into the night sky, creating a shower of sparks that resemble dazzling constellations, s