White Water Rafting 漂流 In the hot summer months, Gulong Mountain is a good resort to go to. It’s a world filled with beautiful scenes and mystical canyons. There are also waterfalls, underground rivers, karst caves, indigenous vegetations, cliffs, brooks and rugged rocks. It’s like a fairyland on earth. Gulong mountain canyons consist of three sections: the Gulao Canyon, the Xinling Canyon and the Xinqiao Canyon. Rivers wind between canyons, meld with underground rivers, connecting together. The whole canyon is 6.8 km long. It has beautiful scenery, amazing karst caves and vast primary forests. Its uniqueness lies in its underground rivers, creeks and waterfalls.
Category: Chinese customs
The literature of Great Heat /Major heat关于大暑的文学作品
There is a saying about the hot weather in Major Heat that goes, “There is no gentleman in Minor Heat and Major Heat.” It means that people have to take off their clothes due to the extreme heat without worrying about losing face.
What is the Major Heat/Greatheat?什么是大暑?
Major Heat (Dashu in Chinese) is the 12th solar term of the Chinese lunar calendar. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 120° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 135°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 120°. Similar to Minor Heat, Major Heat is also a solar term that reflects the heat of summer. Major Heat means extreme heat. During Major Heat, most parts of China enter the hottest season of the year. It is an important period for the growth of crops. Many natural calamities such as floods, droughts and typhoons also happen frequently in this period.
Three Periods in Chinese Summer
In Chinese summer, ancient Chinese divided it into three periods: slight heat, great heat and the Limit of Heat.
Great Heat /Major Heat大暑
Great Heat/Major Heat
The Double Ninth Festival 重阳节
农历九月初九是重阳节。这是一个很古老的节日，距今已有一千七百多年的历史。The Double Ninth Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. It is a very old festival and has a history of more than 1,700 years.
在中国数字中，一、三、五、七、九为阳数，二、四、六、八为阴数。因此，九月初九被称作重阳或重九。中国古代，重阳节是一个重要的节日，这一天要举行各种活动，如：登高、赏菊、插茱萸、吃重阳糕等。Among Chinese numbers, the numbers one, three, five, seven and nine are thought to be yang (Chinese for masculine or positive) and two, four, six and eight are thought to be yin (Chinese for feminine or negative). Thus, the ninth day of the ninth lunar month is called the Double Yang or Double Ninth. As an important festival in ancient China, the Double Ninth Festival was celebrated by doing various activities, such as climbing a mountain, appreciating chrysanthemums, wearing cornel and eating double ninth cakes.
Chinese Knot 中国结
中国结发源于远古时期，又称盘长结，每一个结都是从头到尾用一根红绳编织而成。当时还没有文字，人们为了记住某些事情，在一根绳上盘上不同的结以示记忆，这就是“结绳记事”。当时，人们用这种方法除了记住生产和生活中的重要事情之外，还是年轻人用于表达爱情的物品。The Chinese knot was originated from the ancient times。It is also known as “woven knot” with each knot woven with one single red rope. There were no Chinese characters. To remember something, people make different knots on a rope to help with their memory. And this was called “keeping records by tying knots”. While helping people remember or record important things in life or production, the knots were also used by young people to express love.
作为一种装饰艺术品，中国结给人以纯朴、吉祥的印象。它内含浓郁的民族乡土气息，外形又很雅致，既体现远古时代的神秘，又体现中国人的灵秀。因此，它成为人们在节日期间室内悬挂，或互相赠送的物件。优美的造型、古色古香的韵味营造出祥和、吉利的气氛。As an artistic decoration, the Chinese knot is simple and auspicious. It emits strong national and rural flavor. With graceful appearance, the Chinese knot carries the mystery of the ancient times and presents the wisdom of Chinese people. As a result, the Chinese knots are now used by people during festivities, who hang them in the room or give them to each other as gifts. The beautiful shape and ancient style jointly generate the lucky and auspicious festive air.
Mei Lanfang 梅兰芳
梅兰芳出身于京剧世家。他8岁学戏，11岁登台。在50多年的舞台生涯中，对京剧旦角的唱腔、念白、舞蹈、音乐、服装、化妆等各方面都有创新和发展，形成了独特的"梅派"艺术风格。梅兰芳和杨小楼、余叔岩并称"三大贤"，又与尚小云、程砚秋、荀慧生一起被誉为"四大名旦"。民间对其有"中国文化名片"之称。Mei Lanfang was born to a family of Peking Opera singers. He began studying Peking Opera at the age of 3. Then, three years later, he began to perform on stage. During the more than half a century's performance, he innovated and developed various aspects of female character type in Peking Opera such as melody, speaking manner, dancing, music, costumes and face-paintings, forming his unique art style of "Mei Style." Mei Lanfang, Yang Xiaolou and Yu Shuyan were honored the "three great performers;" meanwhile, he was one of the "four great female characters in Peking Opera" while the other three were Shang Xiaoyun, Cheng Yanqiu and Xun Huisheng. He was honored as "the name card of the Chinese culture" among the folk.
梅兰芳多次不为赢利地出国演戏，其目的就是要向海外宣扬中国的文化艺术。在他坚持不懈的努力下，国际文艺界逐步认识到中国戏曲的绚丽多彩，博大精深，从而对中国戏曲刮目相看。Mei Lanfang had non-profit performance abroad many times, aiming to promoting Chinese culture arts overseas. Thanks to his persistent efforts, the international art circle gradually recognized colorful Chinese operas with extensive and profound meanings and treated Chinese operas with increased respect.
Qian Xuesen 钱学森
钱学森于1911年12月11日出生于上海。1914年全家迁居北京。钱学森1934年毕业于交通大学机械工程系，攻读铁道机械工程。 同年在美国麻省理工学院和加利福尼亚理工大学学习。1935年赴美国研究航空工程和空气动力学，1938年获加利福尼亚理工学院博士学位，后留在美国任教并从事火箭研究。Qian Xuesen was born in Shanghai on December 11, 1911. In 1914, his family moved to Beijing. Qian Xuesen studied railway mechanical engineering in Mechanical Engineering Department of Jiaotong University and graduated in 1934. In that year, he went to the United States and studied in Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the California Institute of Technology. In 1935, he studied aerospace engineering and aerodynamics in the United States. In 1938, he earned his doctorate from Caltech. Later, he stayed in the United States to teach and study rocket science.
1950年开始争取回归祖国，当时美国海军次长丹尼·金布尔说："钱学森无论走到哪里，都抵得上五个师的兵力，我宁可把他击毙在美国也不能让他离开。"因此钱学森失去了自由，历经5年于1955年才回到祖国。In 1950, Qian Xuesen tried to go back to China. Then Undersecretary of the Navy Dan Kimball, said, "He's worth five divisions anywhere. I'd rather shoot him than let him leave the country." Thus, Qian Xuesen lost his freedom and could not go back to the motherland until five years later in 1955.
钱学森为中国火箭和导弹技术的发展提出了极为重要的实施方案。1958年4月起，他长期担任火箭导弹和航天器研制的技术领导职务，对中国火箭导弹和航天事业的发展做出了重大贡献。2009年10月31日上午8时6分在北京去世，享年98岁。Qian Xuesen proposed a vitally important implementation plan for China's rocket and missile development. Starting April 1958, he took the leading position in researching technologies of rocket, missile and spacecraft, making great contributions to China's rocket and missile development and spaceflight cause. At 8:06 on the morning of October 31, 2009, Qian Xuesen died in Beijing at the age of 98.
钱学森被誉为"中国航天之父"、"中国导弹之父"、"火箭之王"。他在上世纪40年代已经成为国际航空航天领域内的最为杰出的科学家，并以《工程控制论》的出版为标志在学术成就上实质性地超越了科学巨匠冯·卡门，成为上个世纪整个应用科学领域中最杰出的代表，成为二十世纪众多学科领域的科学群星中最为璀璨的极少数巨星之一。Qian Xuesen was honored as "father of China's spaceflight program," "father of China's missile" and "king of rocket." He became the most outstanding scientist in international spaceflight area in the 1940s. He published Engineering Cybernetics, indicating that he had substantially surpassed Von Karman in academic achievements and becoming the most outstanding representative in applied sciences in the last century. he was one of the most brilliant stars among the many scientific stars in various areas in the 20th Century.
Maned Figure Maker Bai 鬃人白
“北京鬃人”始创于清朝末年，距今已有一百多年的历史，是受皮影戏和京剧影响而产生的，这一独特的绝活结合了京剧文化、物理学和力学的概念。“Beijing Maned Figure” was originated at the end of Qing Dynasty and now has a history of over 100 years. It came into being by borrowing the elements from the Shadow Play and Peking Opera. The distinctive art combines the concepts of Peking Opera culture, physics and mechanics.
鬃人高约9-16厘米，用秫秸杆做身架，外绷彩纸（或色绸）外衣，并絮少许棉花，头和底座采用胶泥脱胎，底座粘一圈约二三厘米长的猪鬃，依据人物故事勾画脸谱，描绘服饰便制作成一个生动的鬃人。只要轻轻敲打铜盘的边，靠猪鬃的弹力，盘中的人物便会舞动起来。老北京也称它为“铜盘人”或“盘中戏”。The maned figure is about 9-16 cm high. The body is made of sorghum straws dressed in costume made of colored paper (or colored silk). The inner side of the body is filled with some cotton. The head and base of the figure use the plaster with the perimeter of the base pasted with 2 to 3 cm-long bristles. The face of the figure can be made into that of different figures in stories. After decorating the costume, it will become a vivid maned figure. Striking the side of the copper plate, the figure on the plate, due to the elastic force produced by bristles, will dance. The Beijing people in the past called it “figure on the copper plate” or “on-plate play”.
为还原这个百年民间工艺的制作过程，记者走访了当下京城惟一制作鬃人的民间艺术家“鬃人白”——“北京鬃人”传承人白大成。To understand how the century-old folk art is made, the journalist interviewed with Mr. Bai Dacheng, who is the only folk artist making the maned figures and the inheritor of “Beijing Maned Figure”.
北京鬃人产生于清代末期。Beijing maned figure was originated at the end of Qing Dynasty.
“鬃人白”师承“王记鬃人”。The maned figure maker Bai learned the skill from the Wang-family maned figure makers.
“鬃人王”、“泥人张”、“面人汤”等等，都是老百姓对民间技艺的一种认证。以前的艺人是通过庙会出售自己的艺术作品，顾客就经常用这种艺术品的名字加上民间艺人的姓作为一种称谓。Such titles as the “Maned Figure Maker Wang”, “Clay Figure Maker Zhang” and “Dough Figure Maker Tang” actually represent the common people’s recognition for folk arts. In the past, the art makers sold their works at the temple fairs. So the customers would name these artists by calling the names of the art and their surnames.
“民间艺术最怕做滥”“The folk art can be ruined by shoddy”
50年坚持“独家制作”道路Over the past 50 years, he has kept on the path of “exclusive production”.
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