Chinese Class - Dingcun Museum of Folk Customs

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Dingcun Museum of Folk Customs

The Dingcun Museum of Folk Customs, a regional specialized folklore museum in China, reflects the living custom of the Han people in southern Shanxi Province. The museum is located in the south of Xiangfen County of Shanxi Province. It began construction in 1984 and was opened to the public on
November 10, 1985.

The museum houses 33 residential houses arranged in three groups -- the north courtyard, middle courtyard and south courtyard, which were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). The oldest house dates back to the Reign of Emperor Wanly of the Ming Dynasty (1593). The houses feature
the typical layout ofSiheyuan(quadrangle) facing south. The building complex and various carvings are all excellent works of Ming and Qing residential architectural art. They represent the traditional life style and residential building design of the Han nationality.

The museum boasts over 10,000 pieces of collections, including pottery, furniture, costume, farm tools, transportation tools, textiles, folk art and unearthed relics. There are several folklore displays with different themes related to the Han nationality living in southern Shanxi at the end of
the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and the begging of the Republic of China, including the Display of Seasons and Festivals, the Display of Customs and Etiquettes, the Display of Folk Art and the Display of Production and Life. The six Qing houses with an exhibiting area of 2,700 square meters display
over 2,400 cultural relics of folklore. Besides, the museum deploys displays on special topics such as Dingcun Culture, Dingcun Neolithic Age Culture, and Paintings and Crockery. The museum has also collected and compiled brochures such asSelected Traditional Folk Songs and Interesting Slang of
Dingcun VillageandSelected Folk Couplets of Dingcun Village.

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Learn Chinese online - Lu Xun Museum in Beijing

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Library>Museum>Celebrities

Lu Xun Museum in Beijing

www.luxunmuseum.com.cn

Located near Fuchengmen in the northwestern part of Beijing, the Lu Xun Museum in Beijing is a memorial of historical celebrities. The museum, built in October 1956, takes up an area of 12,000 square meters, of which 1,000 square meters is for the basic display of Lu Xun's life.

The museum boasts a collection of 21,842 pieces of cultural relics, of which 1,290 are of the first class. The main exhibits include manuscripts, letters, journals, photographs and other personal objects. The most important exhibits on display are the scrollSelf-Mockery Poemthat Lu Xun sent to Liu
Yazi as a gift and Liu Yazi later sent to Mao Zedong, more than 2,200 pages of Lu Xun's notes to ancient books, Lu Xun's collection of over 140,000 books, and some stone-engraving paintings of the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), more than 6,000 pieces of rubbings of the past dynasties collected by him,
and so on.

The museum is split into two sections -- Lu Xun's former residence where he lived from 1924-1926, and a large exhibition hall. Lu Xun's former residence is a cultural site under the protection of Beijing government, and is an important part of the museum. It was officially opened to the public in
1949.

The exhibition hall features the basic display of Lu Xun's life, which displays Lu Xun's contributions to the undertaking of modern revolutionary literature, the new woodcut movement and the modern thoughts and cultures in his lifetime.

Publications of the museum includeManuscripts of Lu Xun and the Catalogue of His Books,Chinese Modern Woodcarvings Collected by Lu Xun,Photos of Lu Xun's Life,Lu Xun Museum, and100 Anniversary of Lu Xun's Birth, etc.

Lu Xun (1881-1936) was regarded as the founder of modern Chinese writing and was a revered scholar and teacher. He played an important role of the anti-imperialist May the Fourth Movement in 1919, and his greatest legacy was leading the revolution of simplified Chinese script.

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Pnyin - Double Ninth Festival

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Library>Culture ABC>Food & Drinks>Festival Food

Double Ninth Festival

The Double Ninth Festival, also namedChong YangFestival, falls on the ninth day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, hence it gets name of Double Ninth Festival. On this day, people would like to drink chrysanthemum wine and have chrysanthemum cakes.

The chrysanthemum is a plant often used as a Chinese herbal medicine. People in ancient times believed that, in addition to detoxifcation, chrysanthemum could drive away evil spirits and prevent one from getting a chill in late autumn. So, making and drinking chrysanthemum could be traced back
many centuries, and it became the traditional food on Double Ninth Festival, to avoid evil spirits and misfortunes. Besides, the Chinese word for wine isJiu, a homonym of the Chinese word for long, symbolizing longevity.

Another special food for this festival is chrysanthemum cakes. The Chinese word for cake isGao, a homonym of the Chinese word for high, symbolizing progress and promotion at work and in daily life and improvement in life year by year. In addition, mountains are high, so eating cakes can take the
place of going for a climb -- by a stretch of the imagination.

Since nine is the highest odd digit, people take two of them together to signify longevity. Therefore, the ninth day of the ninth month has become a special day for people to pay their respects to the elderly and a day for the elderly to enjoy themselves. It has also been declared China's Day for
the Elderly.

Origin

The festival is based on the theory ofYinandYang, the two opposing principles in nature.Yinis feminine, negative principle, whileYangis masculine and positive. In ancient times people believed that all natural phenomena could be explained by this theory. Numbers were also related to this theory.
Even numbers belonged toYinand odd numbers toYang. The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is a day when the twoYangnumbers meet. So it is calledChong Yang.Chongmeans double in Chinese.Chong Yanghas been an important festival since ancient times.

Legend

It is hard to say when these customs were created. But there are many stories which are closely related. As recorded in a historical book of the sixth century, in ancient times, there lived a man named Huan Jing. He was learning the magic arts from Fei Changfang, who had become an immortal after
many years of practicing Taoism. One day, the two were climbing a mountain. Fei Changfang suddenly stopped and looked very upset. He told Huan Jing, On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, disaster will come to your hometown. You must go home immediately. Remember to make a red bag for each one
of your family members and put a spray of dogwood on every one. Then you must all tie your bags to your arms, leave home quickly and climb to the top of a mountain. Most importantly, you must all drink some chrysanthemum wine. Only by doing so can your family members avoid this disaster.

On hearing this, Huan Jing rushed home and asked his family to do exactly as his teacher said. The whole family climbed a nearby mountain and did not return until the evening. When they got back home, they found all their animals dead, including chickens, sheep, dogs and even the ox. Later Huan
Jing told Fei Changfang about this. Fei said the poultry and livestock died in place of Huan Jing's family, who escaped disaster by following his instructions.

Since then, climbing a mountain, carrying a spray of dogwood and drinking chrysanthemum wine became the traditional activities of the Double Ninth Festival, to avoid evil spirits and misfortunes.

A Day for Outing

The festival is held in the golden season of autumn, at harvest-time. The bright clear weather and the joy of bringing in the harvest make for a festive happy atmosphere. The Double Ninth Festival is usually perfect for outdoor activities. Many people go hiking and climbing in the countryside,
enjoying Mother Nature's final burst of color before she puts on her dull winter cloak. Some will carry a spray of dogwood.

Therefore, it is now considered the last outing of the year before the onset of winter, for people to go climbing to get some exercise as well as enjoy the autumn scenery.

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Learn Chinese - Mid-Autumn Festival: Moon Cake

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Library>Culture ABC>Food & Drinks>Festival Food

Mid-Autumn Festival: Moon Cake

People in different parts of China have different ways to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. But one traditional custom has definitely remained and is shared by all the Chinese. This is eating the festive specialty: cakes shaped like the moon.

Moon Cake is the ubiquitous fare at any celebration of this traditional festival, not only because of its delicious taste and charming looking, but also for the cultural and artistic connotation. Nowadays, moon cakes with their various flavors and delicate packaging actually have become a kind of
artwork. People can also get artistic pleasure while enjoying the food.

Moon cakes are round pastries that are about an inch in height. Inside, they are filled with lotus seeds, red bean paste, orange peel, melon seeds, ham, dried flower petals, and salted duck's egg yolk. The surface of the food is patterned with clouds, the moon, and the rabbit.

It symbolizes the reunions of families and couples. The exchanging of gifts during the mid autumn festival is one of the hospitable custom and lovers would also give moon cakes as presents to show their passions.

The custom of eating moon cakes can be dated back to thousand of years ago, boasting a close relationship with Chinese culture and history. In Chinese ancient literary history, a considerable number of poets and intellectuals created many classic poems and articles about the Mid-Autumn Festival
and Moon Cakes. In Chinese fairy tales, there lived on the moon the fairy Chang'er, a wood cutter named Wu Gang and a jade rabbit which is Chang'er's pet. In the old days, people paid respect to the fairy Chang'er on the Mid-Autumn Festival.

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Chinese Speaking - Academy of Arts of China

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Library>Institutions>Central Affiliated

Academy of Arts of China

Address: No.17 West Qianhai Street, Western District, Beijing

Post Code: 100009

Tel: (86-10) 66181554 Fax: (86-10) 66181855

Academy of Arts of China
The predecessor of the Academy of Arts of China (AAC) was the Local Opera Research Institute founded in 1951 and turn into Music Research Institute and Art Research Institute shortly after. Its present name was given in 1980. It is under the Ministry of Culture.

Duties and Tasks: Research local operas, plays, music, dances, art, film and TV, photography,quyi(folk art including ballad singing, storytelling, comic dialogues, clapper talks, cross talks, etc.), acrobatics, puppet plays, shadow plays, art of architecture and Marxist artistic theory as well as
history, present situation and development trend of Chinese Culture and art; do comparative research of Chinese and foreign Culture; and train theoretic research personnel in its postgraduate department.

Establishment: Under AAC there is Local Opera Research Institute, Music Research Institute, Art Research Institute, Dancing Research Institute, Play Research Institute,QuyiResearch Institute, Research Institute of Dreams in the Red Mansion, Research Institute of Marxist Artistic Theories, Film and
TV Research Institute, Research Institute of Chinese Culture, Research Institute of Artistic Sciences and Technologies, Postgraduate Department, Data Center, a Cultural and artistic press house and comprehensive research departments. It also edits and publishes magazines includingArt Research,
Artistic Theory and Criticism, Biography Chinese Cultural Pictorial, Research of Dreams in Red Mansion, Observation of Art, Chinese Music, Chinese Culture, Chinese Photographer and Metropolis Film and TV.

Major achievements: Since its establishment, the AAC has finished nearly 80 of its 100 plus research projects, more than 30 of which are state-level ones. The finished ones includeHistory of Chinese Local Operas, General Theory of Chinese Local Operas, History of Chinese Art (12 volumes), Chinese
Musical Relics (12 volumes), Complete Works of Chinese Folk Art (14 volumes), General History of Chinese Dances, History of Chinese Stage Play, History of Chinese Architecture Art, Typology of Art, History of Chinese Temperament, Analysis of Artistic Trend in the New Time, Eastern Nuke Art, Theory
on Grasp of Art, Theory on Art and Culture, Sociology 0f Local Operas, Sociology of Music, Dictionary of Art and Science and Research of Voice Formation in Chinese Singing.It has also made achievements in overseas Cultural research. Meanwhile, it is in charge of 10 artistic annals and books that
are key state artistic and scientific project. The chief editing departments ofAnnals of Chinese Local Operas, Collection of Chinese Operas and Music, Collection of Chinese National and Folk Dances and History of Chinese Quyiare headquartered in the AAC. Of the 10 annals and books, 119 volumes
have been completed and 70 plus volumes have been published. The AAC has published altogether about 500 specialized works, more than 200 translated works and 20 plus kinds of book series.

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Learn Chinese online - Western Jin

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Library>China ABC>History>Introduction>Dynasties

Western Jin

Celadon censer of the Western Jin Dynasty

The Western Jin Dynasty lasted from 265 to 316. In 265, Sima Yan dethroned the Wei Emperor and established the Jin Dynasty, historically known as the Western Jin. Although the Western Jin survived for mere 52 years, it ended the split Three Kingdoms Period and unified China, providing an
opportunity for social and economic development with temporary stability.

The Western Jin continued to adopt the system of nine ranks of officials selected by appointed government officials. With countless drawbacks, the system became the tool of the gentry's monopoly. The emperor also declared economic privileges of officials and lords as lawful.

Celadon basin
During the short reign, the Western Jin underwent 16 years of wars among eight princes known as the Disturbance of the Eight Princes, which reflected the fierce conflicts that existed within the ruling class.

The Western Jin Dynasty witnessed fast economic and cultural development. This period also turned out many classics, such as theMai Jing(Pulse Classic) by the prestigious doctor Wang Shuhe; theYu Gong Mapby geographer Pei Xiu; andSan Guo Zhi(Records of the Three Kingdoms) by Chen Shou. Apart from
the publishing of literary classics, theXuan XueSchool andXian XueSchool, which became popular during the Three Kingdoms Period, also continued to spread.

In 311, the Hun army, led by Liu Cong, occupied Luo Yang, the Western Jin capital, and took Emperor Huaidi prisoner. The Western Jin army supported Emperor Mindi in assuming the throne in Chang'an. Five years later, in 316, the Hun army, now led by Liu Yao, launched an attack on Chang'an. Emperor
Mindi gave up the city, which prompted the end of the Western Jin Dynasty.

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Learning Chinese - Yantai Apple

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Library>China ABC>Geography>Local Products

Yantai Apple

Yantai City, a well-known "land of fruits" in Shandong Province, is China's largest cultivation area of cash apples. The Yantai apple is famous nationwide for its various breeds, huge output and high quality.

Yantai has a marine climate, with humid air, ample sunlight and appropriate rainfall, which is propitious to the growing of apples. Yantai apple has a cultivation history of over 100 years. In the mid 19th century, it was the US missionaries that first introduced apples into China, and began
cultivation and popularization in Yantai. This is how Yantai apple came into being.

After so many years of cultivation and development, by far, Yantai apple has 100-odd breeds, the most famous of which are Hongxiangjiao Apple, Guoguang Apple, etc.

About 90% of the villages in Yantai have apple orchards, and the planting area totals more than 700,000 mu (1 mu = 1/15 hectare), with an annual output of 500 million kilograms.

Yantai apple abounds in nutrition of fructose, apple acid, vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, and iron etc., and has high curative value, being especially good for kidney, stomach and heart, etc.

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Chinese Class - Law of P.R. China on Protection of Wildlife

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Library>China ABC>Fauna Flora>Introduction and Regulations

Law of P.R. China on Protection of Wildlife

Chapter IV Legal Liability

Article 31 Anyone who illegally catches or kills wildlife under special State protection shall be prosecuted for criminal liability in accordance with the supplementary provisions on punishing the crimes of catching or killing the species of wildlife under special State protection which are rare
or near extinction.

Article 32 If anyone, in violation of the provisions of this Law, hunts or catches wildlife in an area or during a season closed to hunting or uses prohibited hunting gear or methods for the purpose, his or her games, hunting gear and unlawful income shall be confiscated and he or she shall be
fined by the department of wildlife administration; if the circumstances are serious enough to constitute a crime, he or she shall be investigated for criminal liability in accordance with the provisions of Article 130 of the Criminal Law.

Article 33 If anyone, in violation of the provisions of this Law, hunts or catches wildlife without a hunting license or in violation of the prescriptions of the hunting license, his or her game and unlawful income shall be confiscated and he or she shall be fined by the department of wildlife
administration and, in addition, his or her hunting gear may be confiscated and his or her hunting license revoked.

If anyone, in violation of the provisions of this Law, hunts wildlife with a hunting rifle without a license for the rifle, he or she shall be punished by a public security organ by applying mutatis mutandis the provisions of the Regulations on Administrative Penalties for Public Security.

Article 34 If anyone, in violation of the provisions of this Law, destroys in nature reserves or areas closed to hunting the main places where wildlife under special State or local protection lives and breeds, he or she shall be ordered by the department of wildlife administration to stop his or
her destructive acts and restore these places to their original state within a prescribed time limit, and shall be fined.

Article 35 If anyone, in violation of the provisions of this Law, sells, purchases, transports or carries wildlife under special State or local protection or the products thereof, such wildlife and products and his or her unlawful income shall be confiscated by the administrative authorities for
industry and commerce and he or she may concurrently be fined.

If anyone, in violation of the provisions of this Law, sells or purchases wildlife under special State protection or the products thereof, and if the circumstances are serious enough to constitute a crime of speculation or smuggling, he or she shall be investigated for criminal liability according
to the relevant provisions of the Criminal Law.

The wildlife or the products thereof thus confiscated shall, in accordance with the relevant provisions, be disposed of by the relevant department of wildlife administration or by a unit authorized by the same department.

Article 36 If anyone illegally imports or exports wildlife or the products thereof, he or she shall be punished by the Customs according to the Customs Law; if the circumstances are serious enough to constitute a crime, he or she shall be investigated for criminal liability in accordance with the
provisions of the Criminal Law on the crimes of smuggling.

Article 37 If anyone forges, sells or resells or transfers a special hunting and catching license, a hunting license, a domestication and breeding license, or an import or export permit, his or her license or permit shall be revoked and his or her unlawful income shall be confiscated and he or she
may concurrently be fined by the relevant department of wildlife administration or the administrative authorities for industry and commerce.

If anyone who forges or sells or resells a special hunting and catching license or an import or export permit, and if the circumstances are serious enough to constitute a crime, he or she shall be investigated for criminal liability by applying mutatis mutandis the provisions of Article 167 of the
Criminal Law.

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Study Chinese - Xinjiang Stone Forests

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Library>China ABC>Fauna Flora>Prehistorical

Xinjiang Stone Forests

In recent years, vast stretches of "Stone Forests" were found in Musaer and Qitai counties, in eastern Junggar Basin, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Researches conducted by scientists indicate that, "Stone Forests" are composed of silicified wood evolved from primary forest 300 million years
ago. There totaled over a thousand trunks of stone trees in the woods -- such a large amount that is rarely seen in the world. The species of trees include Pseudolarix amabilis, larch, metasequoia, spruce, gingko and birch, etc. The longest individual tree has a length of 26 meters, ranking second
in the world.

Silicified wood, also known as stone tree, is a kind of dendrolite. During Jurassic period dated 195-173 million years ago when the earth's climate was universally hot and humid, the area of today's Junggar Basin of Xinjiang was in an environment of lacustrine bogs, surrounded by primary forests
predominated by high and thick gymnospermous plants mixed with abundant fern plants. After long geological evolvement, the organic elements in the tree were completely replaced by mineralized elements, and the tree body became hard and heavy but still in its original appearance.

The district where the distribution of silicified woods is the most concentrated and views are the most spectacular is the "Stone Tree Trench" in the General Gobi in Qitai. The silicified woods here are all indigenous to this region, not transported by external forces. "Stone Trees" are spread
over the mountains, leaning over or upstanding. The bark remains vivid yellow brown with legible fiber and annual growth rings. At first glancing at the thickset trunk, branch roots inserted into the terrane, knurls on the trunks, and tilted sprigs, you cannot tell them from modern woodcutting
fields immediately. The landscape is studded with slices of silicified woods cracked by weathering, mainly in the color of gray and white, and yellow ocher sometimes. The texture of wood chip is clear. Sometimes, you can pick up integral or bifid oval silicified fruit. Bumping two slices of
silicified wood chips together, you can hear clear, crisp and euphonious clash.

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Study Chinese - Asiatic Wild Ass

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Library>China ABC>Fauna Flora>Introduction and Regulations>Class I Animals>Mammalia

Asiatic Wild Ass

With the aliases of Mongolian Wild Ass, Hungry Ass, and Wild Ass, it belongs to the Eqiodae family of Perissodactyla order. Its scientific name is Equus hemionus (Latin) and Asiatic Wild Ass (English).

It belongs to the large-size ungulate. Its appearance is like the mule, and the body length can reach up to 260 centimeters, with shoulder height of about 120 centimeters, tail length of about 80 centimeters, and body weight of about 250 kilograms. Its mouth is slightly slender, and ears are long
and pointed. The tail is slender, with long brownish yellow hair. It has four powerful limbs, and hoofs are smaller than those of horses but slightly bigger than those of home ass. Its nape has short bristle, and cervical backside, shoulder, and back are pale yellow brown. There is a slip of tan
back line extending to caudal basal portion on the middle of the back. Its belly is yellowish white. And color of its chest, the part below the neck and the belly is not obviously different form the color of backside hair.

Belonging to the kind of typical desert animal, it lives in wide prairie, semi-desert and desert belts on tableland at an elevation of about 3,800 meters, with a lifespan of about 25 to 30 years. It is able to endure thirst, feeding on grass genus such as grass family, sedge family and lily
family. In winter it mainly eats snow to avoid thirst. Its yell is similar to that of a home ass, but brief and hoarse. Its oestrous and mating is between August and September. Vying females among the males is impetuous and the winner holds mating right first. Gestation period lasts about 11
months, with one baby per fetus. It grows to sexual maturity at the age of 3 to 4. In 1956, Beijing Zoo began to breed them, and in 1961 the breeding was successful.

Distributed in Asian hinterland, Asiatic Wild Ass is not the ancestor of the present home ass. Home ass originated from African Wild Ass. Asiatic Wild Ass is good at running, and even wolf group cannot catch up with them. But owing to its nature of "curiosity", it frequently follows hunters, and
the bold ones may run up to neighborhood of the tent to pry, giving the poachers an opportunity.

It is distributed in Gansu Province, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The estimated quantity exceeds a hundred thousand heads. It has been listed in Appendix I ofInternational Trade Convention on Endangered Wild Animal and Plant Species.

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Chinese Online Class - A Disappearing Culture

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Info>View

A Disappearing Culture

With 3,000 years of history behind them and only 300,000 of them left in the world, China's Qiang ethnic group is a nationality with an interesting yet little-known culture.

Qiang woman tidies up quilts dug out from the ruins of her village, destroyed by the earthquake

That culture came into the light recently with the opening of a new exhibition at the Cultural Palace of Nationalities of Beijing called Qiang Culture in the Earthquake-hit Areas of Sichuan Province.

It has attracted particularly large crowds because Beichuan, the only Qiang autonomous county in China, was shaken severely by the earthquake in Sichuan on May 12.

The exhibition, which opened on June 14, presents more than 100 items related with the Qiang culture, including utensils, clothes and musical instruments. The items were collected from other counties that are also inhabited by the Qiang people but were less affected by the earthquake. There are
also around 300 photographs taken by journalists showing the customs, constructions, and living habits of the Qiang people.

An exhibition of Qiang culture held in the Cultural Palace of Nationalities shows the beautiful clothes of the Qiang people

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Chinese Online Class - Beijing Media Hub 'Best Equipped Ever'

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Beijing Media Hub 'Best Equipped Ever'

( 2008-07-09 )

Richard Palfreyman, press chief of the 2000 Sydney Games, media advisor to the 2004 Athens Games and MPC manager of the 2006 Turin Winter Games, the Main Press Center (MPC) where accredited journalists work during the Games, is familiar territory.

Palfreyman said he believes, however, that the Beijing MPC takes the cake.

A man makes a phone call at the Olympic press center on its opening day in Beijing July 8, 2008.

"I think this is the best MPC I've seen. It's certainly the biggest and best planned," Palfreyman, who works closely with the International Olympic Committee, said. "It's probably the best-ever laid-out MPC, and I think Beijing has just cause to be proud of it."

The Beijing Olympic MPC officially opened Tuesday to accredited media. It will, together with the International Broadcast Center (IBC), provide 14-hour services and facilities, news and information until July 25, when it will begin 24-hour operations.

The 62,000 sq m MPC provides the biggest working space in Olympic history. It is located in the central Olympic area in the northern part of the capital, close to main Olympic venues - the Bird's Nest and Water Cube. It is only a 10-minute bus ride away from the Olympic Village.

Australian Palfreyman's glowing evaluation extends beyond the brand-new MPC's convenient location to its high Internet technologies and talented personnel.

As promised by Beijing Games organizers BOCOG, in view of rapid developments in net communication technology the MPC will be installed with unprecedentedly extensive services and high technologies.

The center's equipment includes - for the first time - a plug-and-play IC card on each desk for broadband Internet access; wireless Internet is also available.

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It should not have taken so long, but finally it has arrived. Museums and memorial halls listed as national patriotism education bases will open for free, says a circular jointly issued by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Ministries of Finance and
Culture, and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage on January 23.

In the beginning of 2008, the news of opening more museums, memorial halls and national patriotism education bases for free caused a tremble in the public.

The policy has been welcomed by the people. The Hubei Province Museum began free admission last November, and received 250,000 visitors in the first two months, almost the same as in the whole 2006.

Going to museum has become the hottest choice for spending the week-long holidays since the recent Chinese New Year. Many parents took their children to visit to widen their field of vision.

People cast their accounts. A visitor said to the journalist that in the past the museum tickets of Memorial of Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao cost 65 yuan for their family visit just once. But now the charge is free, so he took 7 family members come here to see the two national giants.

However, who will pay the bill Actually the outlay for free enter museum is a problem for even a superpower –the US still debates over free museums. Usually, governments need to offer lots of financial support to museums. Only The British Museum could get more than 3 billion pounds from
government every year.

China’s central government will offer funding to museums and memorial halls to support their operating expenses amid a drive to encourage more of these venues to offer free admission, according to statement from a senior official.





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Chinese Online Class - Letter from Byron Gong

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Letter from Byron Gong




Dear Sir,

Greetings.

I recently found your website of Chinese Culture a very good source. I am a professor teaching at Soochow University in Taipei Taiwan, and I would plan to quite often use some articles on your website for my course of Introduction to Chinese Culture. Therefore, I'd like to inform you of my use for
educational purposes and hopefully to have your permission. Meanwhile, I do wish I could have more materials from your service. Much grateful to you.

Yours sincerely,

Byron Gong

Dear Mr. Byron Gong,

It is a pleasure to know that our website has been of help for you to introduce Chinese culture in your class. Sharing the same mission in promoting Chinese culture, we are glad to grant you the permission in using the sources of our website for your educational purposes, under the condition that
all the sources are credited. However, if the pictures or articles are to be used for publications, you can mail us and further discuss on that.

We are happy to provide you some further material, but we would like to know what kind of information would be of interest to you.

Thank you again for attention to our website. Any suggestion is welcome, and we would very appreciate your help if you could tell us what contents in our website are of most interest and significance to you and what parts should be give more attention.

Sincerely yours,

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