Heritage of Middle Kingdom, UNESCO, Contemporary Chinese Culture: News & Images

[samsara]

Chinese museum demands return of antiques from US

CULTURE By Zhang Ruijun, China Global Television Network (2017-01-16)

A museum in Shaanxi Province has asked for the return of two horse bas reliefs illegally sold overseas and displayed at a US museum currently.

In its official WeChat public account, the Zhaoling Museum made its announcement last Wednesday, demanding the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology to return two pieces of "Zhaoling Liujun" (the six stone horses of Zhao Mausoleum).

Bas Relief of “Quanmaogua” “Curly” / official website of University of Pennsylvania Museum Photo

The six stone horse reliefs, commissioned by Emperor Taizong (reign 627-649 CE) of the Tang Dynasty (618- 907 CE), were presumably completed in 649 CE, the time of his death.

In 636 CE, Emperor Taizong selected a mountain, northwest of the capital, Chang’an (now Xi’an), to bury his Empress and to serve as his own necropolis. He ordered images of his six favorite horses, selected from military victories that secured him the crown, to be carved in stone.

He named and composed a laudatory poem for each one. Upon his death, the six stone horse reliefs were placed along the east and west sides of the “spirit path” at the North Gate, the back exit of the tomb complex named Zhaoling or Zhao Mausoleum.

Bas Relief of “Saluzi” or “Autumn Dew” / official website of University of Pennsylvania Museum Photo

The six stone horse reliefs were removed from the Mausoleum in two groups between 1913 and 1917. Four remain in China at the Beilin Museum in Xi’an. The other two were sold illegally and came to the Penn Museum as a loan in 1918. They were later purchased by Eldridge R. Johnson, an entrepreneur who donated them to the Museum in 1921.

In the Zhaoling Museum statement, it says returning the two antiques to China “is most reasonable” as Penn Museum “has long been dedicated to global cultural heritage protection.”

The stone reliefs have a unique place in Chinese art and sculptural history, with its realistic depiction and exquisite carving techniques, which bear historical significance among the greatest Chinese monarchs.

Location of Zhaoling or Zhao Mausoleum, the Tomb of Emperor Taizong (Li Shimin) of Tang Dynasty,
reigned 627-649 CE, in the former capital city of many dynasties, Chang’an (now Xi’an)​

http://news.cgtn.com/news/3d677a4d3367544d/share_p.html

 

[TaiShang]

Canada returns cultural relics and fossils to China
(People's Daily Online) 16:52, January 19, 2017


Photo shows a fossil estimated to be 220 million years old. (Chinanews.com/provided by Department of Canadian Heritage)

The Canadian government turned over illegally exported cultural relics and fossils to Chinese representatives in Ottawa, Canada on Jan. 18, 2017. Many officials and museum workers from both sides attended the handover ceremony. Canada has returned a number of fossils since 2010.

Photo shows building components of a temple from the 19th century. (Chinanews.com/provided by Department of Canadian Heritage)

 

[TaiShang]

Paintings of North Korean leaders and other Socialist Realism art find favor with Chinese collectors

(Global Times) 09:02, January 20, 2017

Images/painting samples here.

"This is Mount Kumgang, a very saintly theme for North Korean artists," the museum guide introduced pointing at an oil landscape work at an exhibition held by the Motang International Museum of Arts, a private gallery famous for North Korean art.

Stroked in thick pigment, the painted mountains shone under the sunlight causing the entire painting to take on a lively air.

On January 10, the Beijing-based museum kicked off a retrospective exhibition of artworks by Hong Sung-chul, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century in North Korean art history.

Prior to the exhibition, the museum had just finished its first biennale dedicated to Korean painting, during which four portraits of famous leaders received a lot of attention. A popular theme for North Korean art, it is rare for such content to be exhibited outside the country.

"Although their work looks similar to Chinese paintings, North Korean artists combine more Western techniques and pursue a 3D effect when it comes to perspective and presentation of light and shadow," Ma Chunguang, curator of Motang Museum, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"North Korean art has historical significance in that these works present the brand of an era. As the political development of the nation continues, these artworks will be considered part of North Korea's cultural heritage in the future."

Turning to North Korea

During the year 2016, China showed an increasing interest in art from around the world. Several high-profile acquisitions have many in the industry paying close attention to Chinese collectors when it comes to art auctions in 2017.

While the biggest buyers mainly focused on classic Chinese literati and big Western names, a group of collectors looked to North Korea, a mysterious land in the eyes of many Chinese.

"The first time I saw a North Korean painting, I was touched by its pure and tranquil temperament," Ma recalled. At the end of 2010, he bought the first painting of what would become a large collection of North Korean paintings, a lifelike tiger drawn by top ranking artist Kim Chul.

Kim works for the Mansudae Art Studio, the largest and most famous art production complex in North Korea. So far, the Mansudae Art Museum located in Beijing's 798 Art District is the only museum that the North Korean government has invested in overseas.

In April 2016, Ma became the exclusive partner of White Tiger, a state-owned art studio in North Korea. Motang employees also told the Global Times that the museum is also collaborating with Mansudae.

Taking on the market

Having worked in the art investment industry for more than 10 years, Ma thinks highly of North Korean art's market potential in China.

"Compared to most contemporary art works, North Korean paintings are easy to understand. Additionally, for some middle-aged Chinese, these paintings can bring back memories," Ma said.

Inheriting the art style of Soviet paintings, which is almost extinct in Russia and China nowadays, all North Korean art adopts an extreme socialist realism style.

Another factor is the relatively low price of these paintings. North Korean art has not been oversold.

Cui Xing, a folk art collector based in Dandong, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, just purchased a large amount of paintings by artists from the Mansudae Art Studio with the help of his friends.

Cui told the Global Times that the price of North Korean paintings so far is still inexpensive. "It's like the price of Chinese art during the 1970s and 1980s."

At present, Cui owns more than 100 North Korean paintings. According to him, some of the more expensive pieces in his collection are worth more than 100,000 yuan ($14,593), but the majority of them will only sell for several thousand or even a hundred yuan.

"The price of a thing depends on the wealth of the nation it belongs to. They [North Korean paintings] are experiencing the same thing that Chinese paintings went through," Cui said.

Unmatched skill

Although the prices of North Korean paintings remain low for now, that is sure to change because the "special conditions of the state" contribute to the high skill of North Korean artists.

"Most North Korean artists have received a good art education. They have high professional standards," Ma said. "Objectively speaking, they deserve to be sold at a higher price."

According to a September report by China News Weekly, in North Korea each artist has their own one-room studio. These studios have such ideal artificial lighting that windows are covered by curtains, while the walls are also soundproofed. This type of environment prevents many artists from being effected from external disturbances.

As all art institutions are state-owned in North Korea, the creation of art doesn't have to worry about pressures from the market, which has contributed to a more simple aesthetic in paintings.

"They don't need to worry about housing or living expenses. The government arranges all of this so they can focus on the creation of art," a Motang Museum employee told the Global Times.

 

[ahojunk]

Teacher introduces skills of window paper-cutting to children
2017-01-18 08:53 Xinhua Editor:Xu Shanshan

Children show window paper-cuttings made with teachers in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 17, 2017. Children learn paper-cutting under the guidance of window paper-cutting artists to experience Chinese tranditional culture and enrich lives in vacation in Hefei. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)

A teacher introduces skills of window paper-cutting to children in Hefei City, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 17, 2017. Children learn paper-cutting under the guidance of window paper-cutting artists to experience Chinese tranditional culture and enrich lives in vacation in Hefei. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)

 

[ahojunk]

Chinese papercutting overseas in Canada.

========
Workshop held in Toronto to show art of Chinese papercutting
2017-01-20 15:47 Xinhua Editor:Xu Shanshan

At a Chinese papercutting workshop in Toronto, Canada, Jan. 19, 2017. The workshop was held in Toronto Thursday to show the art of Chinese papercutting and demonstrate basic techniques to the public. (Xinhua/Zou Zheng)

A participant shows his papercutting work at a Chinese papercutting workshop in Toronto, Canada, Jan. 19, 2017. The workshop was held in Toronto Thursday to show the art of Chinese papercutting and demonstrate basic techniques to the public. (Xinhua/Zou Zheng)

A participant shows his papercutting work at a Chinese papercutting workshop in Toronto, Canada, Jan. 19, 2017. The workshop was held in Toronto Thursday to show the art of Chinese papercutting and demonstrate basic techniques to the public. (Xinhua/Zou Zheng)

A girl shows her papercutting work at a Chinese papercutting workshop in Toronto, Canada, Jan. 19, 2017. The workshop was held in Toronto Thursday to show the art of Chinese papercutting and demonstrate basic techniques to the public. (Xinhua/Zou Zheng)

 

[TaiShang]

'Bonnie Bears 4' to dominate kids market in holidays
By Zhang Rui
China.org.cn, January 22, 2017

​

A poster of "Bonnie Bears: Entangled Worlds." [Photo / China.org.cn]


The fourth installment of "Bonnie Bears" franchise is set to sweep the children's market during the Spring Festival.

The animated feature "Bonnie Bears: Entangled Worlds," directed by Lin Huida and Lin Yongchang, performed strong at box offices and raked in more than 20 million yuan in limited advance screenings nationwide on Saturday. It will officially debut during Spring Festival, which falls on January 28 this year.

"Entangled Worlds" producers held a premiere on January 19 with singers Shang Wenjie and Li Qi and comedians Sun Jianhong and Bao Chunlai attending. Directors Lin Huida and Lin Yongchang said at the event that they overcame the challenge of making animated water in the film.

Shang Linlin, general manager of Fantawild Animation Inc., one of the producers of the film, said the new film is better than previous installments in terms of technology, story and character.

The family entertainment is expected to attract many viewers, as there are few choices for children during the holiday film season.

​

Singer Shang Wenjie pose with main characters from "Bonnie Bears: Entangled Worlds" for a photo at premiere event held in Beijing on Jan. 19, 2017. [Photo / China.org.cn]

Singers Shang Wenjie and Li Qi and comedians Sun Jianhong and Bao Chunlai as well as production companies' executives pose for a photo at premiere event held in Beijing on Jan. 19, 2017. [Photo / China.org.cn]

 

[ahojunk]

Foreigners experience Chinese calligraphy in Jilin
2017-01-24 14:58 chinadaily.com.cn Editor: Xu Shanshan

A group of foreigners arrived in Liuhe county, famous for its calligraphy, to experience and learn the art. The activity was one of the events during the "Nourish Yourself within the World, Enjoy Attractions in Tonghua" festival which started Wednesday and ends Saturday in Tonghua city, Northeast China's Jilin province. During the event, a series of activities were held to showcase the traditional culture and celebrate the Spring Festival.

A calligraphy master writes an inscription for the event at a local calligraphy association in Liuhe county, Tonghua city, Jilin province, Jan 21, 2017. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

Foreigners pose with members of the local calligraphy association in Liuhe county, Tonghua city, Jilin province, Jan 21, 2017. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

Calligraphy on display at a local calligraphy association in Liuhe county, Tonghua city, Jilin province, Jan 21, 2017.(Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

A woman from Bangladesh tries her hands on calligraphy at a local calligraphy association in Liuhe county, Tonghua city, Jilin province, Jan 21, 2017. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

A woman from Tunisia tries her hands on calligraphy at a local calligraphy association in Liuhe county, Tonghua city, Jilin province, Jan 21, 2017. (Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn)

A girl from Maldives tries her hands on calligraphy at a local calligraphy association in Liuhe county, Tonghua city, Jilin province, Jan 21, 2017. (Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn)

Abdeljelil Nafti from Tunisia poses with a calligraphy piece at a local calligraphy association in Liuhe county, Tonghua city, Jilin province, Jan 21, 2017. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

 

[ahojunk]

Wuqiang woodblock new year paintings
(Xinhua) 10:04, January 27, 2017

Handicraftsmen confirm orders of Wuqiang woodblock new year paintings on the internet at a studio in Wuqiang County of north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 26, 2017. Wuqiang county is known as the hometown of Chinese woodblock new year painting. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

Handicraftswoman displays a piece of Wuqiang woodblock new year painting at a studio in Wuqiang County of north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 26, 2017. Wuqiang county is known as the hometown of Chinese woodblock new year painting. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

Handicraftswoman prints Wuqiang woodblock new year paintings at a studio in Wuqiang County of north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 26, 2017. Wuqiang county is known as the hometown of Chinese woodblock new year painting. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

 

[ahojunk]

Jiangnan style
The World of Chinese Editor: Yao Lan

Within the heart of Nanjing lies Fuzimiao (夫子庙), a small district named after the Confucius Temple located within it. Aside from being a hotspot for historical sites, it is easily identified by the Jiangnan-style of architecture that lends the area much of its charm, surrounding the Qinhuai River (秦淮河) as it meanders through the district. Visitors need only look at almost any building in the area to see what the architecture entails.

Taking the "jiang" from "Changjiang" (长江, known as the Yangtze River) and mashing it with "nan" for south, you get Jiangnan (江南), a basic description for the area south of the Yangtze where this architectural style originated. It includes Shanghai and the southern parts of Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, along with northern Jiangxi and Zhejiang.

Although many of the buildings in Fuzimiao date back to the Qing Dynasty (1616 – 1911), much of the area was rebuilt in 1985 as part of a restoration project to give the area its historical cred. Well-heeled tourists can look into prices of trips on river-boats; the same goes for hotels in the area, but unlike the river-boats, accommodation can be found cheaper if you book ahead.

But beyond the atmosphere of the bustling crowds, clean white surfaces, clipped terraces, and languid riverboats, a key attraction of the area is its history of romance and intrigue. This location was home to the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai, courtesans whose history has become intertwined with legend to produce some of the most compelling tales of the era.

The question of whether these women were prostitutes is not an easy one to answer; they were regarded as patriotic, beautiful women whose company was desired by men—though precisely what "company" entailed is open to debate. Literary recollections suggest that they provided educated conversation and decoration at social functions, and would later fall in love and in some cases marry.

The tragedies and triumphs of all eight beauties could occupy thousands of words of prose (and have), but none more so than Li Xiangjun (李香 君), who lived in the 17th century and became a key character in the Kunqu opera Peach Blossom Fan (《桃花扇》). The tale is a love story between Li and her lover Hou Fangyu (侯方域) that uses the downfall of the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) as a backdrop. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the way history is used, the tale has become first and foremost one of patriotism, with romance as a key theme.

Hou was a member of a reform movement that aimed to tackle corruption in Nanjing under the Ming, but in the opera, he becomes caught in conflicts and is separated from Li after their betrothal.

Spoiler alert: though she is packed off to marry someone else, she prevents the wedding with a failed suicide attempt. The two protagonists do get together for a while but eventually opt for monastic lives because they decide it's selfish to satiate their own desires amid such chaos.

Visitors to Fuzimiao can stop in at Li Xiangjun's home, where much of her romance with Hou Fangyu no doubt transpired. From the windows and balcony, visitors have views of the Qinhuai River and the tour boats that meander past. While there, make sure you find the out-of-the-way hole in the ground, with a short flight of stairs leading to the pontoon where Li could board the boats coming along the river. Also, take note of the pictures on the walls—aside from stone carvings on the bottom floor depicting romantic scenes from the opera, there are collections of photographs of the various depictions of Li in popular media over the decades.

The area is a popular shopping district, so take some time to wander the stores. For lunch, the vast majority of Nanjingers will tell you that you simply must try the duck's blood and vermicelli soup (鸭血粉丝汤). Originally said to have been created when a lowly commoner accidentally spilled some duck's blood in his soup and found it quite tasty, other versions say it started as blood soup, and the vermicelli was the accidental garnish.

The meal itself is, well, much like a standard noodle dish with a watery soup. The duck's blood forms congealed cubes which one can embrace or reject, depending on one's squeamishness. Ingredients vary from place to place, with some cooks adding all kinds of ingredients from traditional Chinese medicine or duck organs. One thing most cooks can agree on is that the vermicelli ought to be made from sweet potato starch.

For those not interested in duck's blood soup, fear not, the area is rife with restaurants. There are also places specifically geared toward tourist shoppers, so those interested in finding souvenirs and gifts have no excuses.

These shopping streets are also home to the Confucius Temple and Imperial Examination Center. The Confucius Temple, first built in 1034 (though it's been damaged and rebuilt multiple times since), has the world's largest bronze Confucius statue, flanked by two rows of statues depicting Confucius's disciples.

While the temple has its own historical allure, the real historical riches lie at the Jiangnan Examination Hall (江南贡院), now the Jiangnan Examination Museum. This was once China's largest ancient imperial examination center and is one of the few riverside spots not packed to the brim with tourists. It is instead jampacked with fascinating historical tidbits.

Anyone with a casual awareness of Chinese history knows that for about 1,300 years, the best route to the top for an intellectually-minded individual of modest means was to try his hand at the imperial examination. A good score on the test, which largely assessed knowledge of Confucian wisdom, allowed them to enter the civil service and find a position in government. Plaques throughout the center (with English translations) explain the various exam-related implements on display and even the food that was on offer during the grueling process. Apparently, the exam was so profoundly important it had dishes named after it: care to try the "Principal Graduate" or "Golden Billboard"?

And make no mistake, this was no mere exam.

At the site, you can see the stone boxes by the riverside in which the civil service candidates sat the exam. It is difficult to comprehend the full scale of the misery experienced by these poor young men. These stone boxes were out under the hot sun and the exam took nine days and six nights. The examinees slept in the cells as well, which measured 3 feet long by 4 feet wide, so lying down was out of the question.

"Jiangnan Style" is a story from our newest issue, "Climate Change". To read the whole piece, become a subscriber and receive the full magazine. Alternatively, you can purchase the digital version from the iTunes Store

Article by David Dawson

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[TaiShang]

Classic library restored to its former glory
Shanghai Daily, February 4, 2017

Restoration of the former Shanghai Library in Yangpu District has been completed. [Shanghai Daily]

Restoration of the former Shanghai Library in Yangpu District has been completed.

Officials said yesterday that expansion work would continue to realize the original vision of its architect Dong Dayou (1899-1973).

The exterior of the 80-year-old library on Heishan Road was damaged by decades of weathering and has now been cleaned and repainted.

The yellow glazed tiles on the roof were restored in Yixing in neighboring Jiangsu Province where they were originally manufactured, an official with the district culture bureau said.

Experts have also renovated the iron gate at the library's main hall, known as “the peacock gate” due to its elegant patterns.

The paintings on the ceiling of the 156-square-meter hall have also been restored, helped by finding details of the works in a hidden cabinet in the library.

The paintings on many 1-square-meter panels have traditional Chinese double happiness and lucky symbols as well as intricate corner designs, said Ma Lili, the lead restorer.

A further expansion work will extend the 3,900-square- meter library to 15,000 square meters, following the original design charts created by Dong, who studied at the University of Minnesota and Cornell University. Dong was also renowned for his works on an earlier Shanghai city hall in 1931 and many Spanish-style houses on Wukang Road.

Upon its completion, the restored and expanded building in the Jiangwan area will serve as the Yangpu District Library with about 650,000 book and seating for 650 people.

“If the expansion goes smoothly, the new library will open to public by the end of the year,” an official with the culture bureau told Shanghai Daily yesterday.

It will serve the 1.24 million residents of the district and include an exhibition hall on the history of the library.

The library was built by the then Kuomintang government in 1930s as part of the “Greater Shanghai Plan” to bring the city government and major facilities to the area. It was expected to form part of a new city center along with government buildings, a museum, a stadium, a hospital and TV and radio stations.

The Jiangwan Stadium is still in use today.

However, construction on the library was suspended in 1935 with the start of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Although only partially built, it still opened, before closing a year later.

In its heyday, the library had more than 20,000 books, including 1,300 foreign titles. Most were lost during the war.

After the war, the library was used to detain Japanese prisoners of war. It was then converted into a military headquarters by the Kuomintang government in 1946. Traffic police were later based in the building.

It also served as the school library and dormitory of Tongji Middle School until 2000. Then it lay empty until renovation work started three years ago.

@+4vsgorillas-Apebane

 

[TaiShang]

Baby names with Chinese characteristics
By Lou Chen and Shen Yang
Shanghai Daily, February 4, 2017

Names reflect a nation's changing cultural trend. [Shanghai Daily]

New-born babies bring joy, of course, but also troubles with how to name them. Names matter, Chinese agree, and that is why parents go to great lengths to devise auspicious and fitting names for their children.

"It is better to teach your children a craft, than to give them a thousand pieces of gold; it is better to give them a good name than to teach them a craft," said an advertisement for 99qumingzi.com, a popular website providing naming services for new parents.

Decades ago, Chinese parents cared less about names.

"Probably because their parents did not go to school, some used numeral or 'dog' as given names," says Hu Weining, head of household registration in the Honggutan New District of Nanchang, capital of eastern China's Jiangxi Province. Her team, part of the city police, deals with registration documents for new babies, and she has worked there for 20 years.

She says that in the last two decades better-educated parents have started to care about names and even pay for names for their children.

According to Chinese custom, names that have been used by elder people in the family cannot be used for babies. Young parent do not like their children to share their names with others.

"Uniqueness is the new standard. Many people use complex Chinese characters to differentiate from others," Hu says.

Trying to avoid repeating someone else's name is a difficult task. Since January 1, 2016, China relaxed its one-child policy to allow all married couples to have two children.

Last year, millions of babies were born, and how to name them became a sweet headache.

"It can't be tacky, or strange. It should sound nice, but first and foremost it must be different from others," says Wang Chunhua, a 30-year-old mother who gave birth to a boy in November last year. Her older daughter is seven.

Wang spent weeks going through Chinese dictionaries, looking for a proper and nice enough name for her son. She consulted with her husband and her relatives, and asked them to vote. Finally, she said: "Let's name him Yuxuan (having an imposing appearance), nice meaning, and not common around me."

As it turns out, according to a December report by Qimingtong, a naming service company, in cooperation with Tsinghua University, Yuxuan is a common name. It ranked fourth as the most common names for boys in 2015, according to the report based on the data of 5.4 million babies born that year.

New trend

"Names reflect a nation's changing cultural trend," Hu says.

Thirty years ago, babies were given names like Wei (greatness), Aiguo (patriotism) or Xiuli (gently beautiful), now Chenxi (sun rays) and Haoran (righteousness) are more popular.

In 2015, 4,034 new babies were born in Honggutan, where Hu works. From January to November 2016, there were 4,695 newborns, up 16.38 percent year on year.

Some police districts in China have developed computer systems for registrants to search whether a name has been used and by how many people. Hu's department does not offer such services, but she gives her advice.

"I have repeatedly told parents not to use extremely uncommon characters. Such names are unscannable in banking or social security systems," she says.

Zhang Ruxin, who led the report on names, says people used to have only one Chinese character as a given name, but two-character names were now preferred, mainly to avoid duplicates.

According to the report, 299,025 people, about the population of Iceland, are called Zhang (surname) Wei (given name), the most-used name. The second-ranking Wang Wei is shared by 290,619 people.

Younger parents are more influenced by pop culture, including romance novels and popular TV series. Zixuan, a name which probably has roots in heroines and heroes of TV series, is remarkably overused. It comes in different Chinese characters.

"My boy Zixuan was admitted to the hospital, and there happened to be four Zixuans in the same ward," a mother said.

In Tibet Province, repetition of names is also being shunned. Doje Drolma, a college student from Tibet, said several of her friends had longer names, like Tenzingendenlesh.

In Tibet, babies are often named by high monks, living-Buddhas or the elderly in their families.

Good business

With the second-child boom, business has been good for naming services companies. Duan Lingang, 58, a self-professed name expert based in Jiangxi, founded his business five years ago.

"Back then, there were no orders for months," he says.

Duan improved his proficiency after learning from a master in "I Ching," or "Book of Changes," in Beijing. He charges 600 yuan (US$92) for a name, and writes up to 24 options for parents to select from.

"My reputation spreads through word of mouth. Now I get two to three orders every week," he says.

Duan calculates the baby's five elements — metal, wood, water, fire and earth — from the date and time of birth, before giving names accordingly.

"A baby's name can make up for the element he or she lacks from birth, bringing good fortune," he says.

***

@long_ , @ahojunk , @+4vsgorillas-Apebane , @Jlaw , @samsara

 

[Jlaw]

"Duan calculates the baby's five elements — metal, wood, water, fire and earth — from the date and time of birth, before giving names accordingly."

That should be the proper way to name a baby. Parents naming their kids after a character from TV , novels are too naive.

The name has to flow smoothly and should be powerful. However according to feng shui practitioners, if the name is too powerful and not match the fate of the baby, they will have a troubled life.

 

[cirr]

No. 181 Heishan Road

 

[Jlaw]

beautiful library. need to put this down as one of many places to see in Shanghai

 

[+4vsgorillas-Apebane]

Not a pretty building, looks more like a fortress.

interesting history though, shame about imprisoning the Japs there. Should have just executed all of them.

I worked as an intern at a university library a bit back in 2011. People don't borrow books so much anymore, libraries are more used for computer facilities and access to online databases. I hope that this library embrace technology to enable free computer access and information to the masses.