Tea Production in China

A new tea plant Production in China must grow for five years before its leaves can be picked and, at 30 years of age, it will be too old to be productive. The trunk of the old plant must then be cut off to force new stems to grow out of the roots in the coming year. By repeated rehabilitation in this way, a plant may serve for about l00 years.

For the fertilization of tea gardens, soya-bean cakes or other varieties of organic manure are generally used, and seldom chemical fertilizers. When pests are discovered, the affected plants will be removed to prevent their spread, and also to avoid the use of pesticides.

The season of tea picking depends on local climate and varies from area to area. On the shores of the West Lake in Hangzhou, where the famous green tea Longjing (Dragon Well) comes from, picking starts from the end of March and lasts through October, altogether 20-30 times from the same plants at intervals of seven to ten days. With a longer interval, the quality of the tea will deteriorate.

The new leaves must be parched in tea cauldrons. This work, which used to be done manually, has been largely mechanized. Top-grade Dragon Well tea, however, still has to be stir-parched by hand, doing only 250 grams every half hour. The tea-cauldrons are heated electrically to a temperature of about 25 C or 74 F. It takes four pounds of fresh leaves to produce one pound of parched tea.

The best Dragon Well tea is gathered several days before Qingming (Pure Brightness, 5th solar term) when new twigs have just begun to grow and carry "one leaf and a bud." To make one kilogram (2.2 lbs) of finished tea, 60,000 tender leaves have to be plucked. In the old days Dragon Well tea of Chinese tea this grade was meant solely for the imperial household; it was, therefore, known as "tribute tea".

For the processes of grinding, parching, rolling, shaping and drying other grades of tea various machines have been developed and built, turning out about 100 kilograms of finished tea an hour and relieving the workers from much of their drudgery.

[ Source : from chinaculture.org ]

Five Friendlies mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

The name Friendlies has been abandoned as the organization committee for the 2008 Beijing Olympics silently changed the English name of the Games' five mascot dolls last week.fuwa, beijing olympics, 2008 beijing The organization committee decided to adopt the name "Fuwa",which is a literal, pinyin translation of its Chinese name and is more frequently used in China.

However, the organization committee played down the name change,replacing all Friendlies to Fuwa on its official site, but without releasing a formal announcement to inform the public of the switch.Sources within the organization committee said they received an internal notice about the change last week but don't want to amplify it for fear of affecting the sales of Olympic commodities.

Li Yanjun, a Legal Affairs Department official,that they have finished all the legal processes needed for the change but don't think there's a need to emphasis it.Li also said the decision was made considering a variety of reasons but did not want to comment on them.You may know about the background and many unfavorable comments concerning the mascots' former name across the web, but I won't comment on them,Li said.I'm not in the position to make it clear if the change was prompted by this.

A report published last week on China Radio International (CRI)revealed the name change and listed the reasons why the Friendlies name should be changed.Firstly, Friendly is somewhat an ambiguous name, which could refer both to friendly people and friendly matches,"a Dr.Li from Lanzhou University was quoted as saying on the site. Secondly, the term Friendlies has a similar pronunciation to 'friendless' and thirdly, the spelling of Friendlies could be split as 'friend lies'.

Laura Fitch,a Canadian who works in China as news editor, welcomed the change, saying the name Friendlies sounds a little bit childish and "doesn't really have a meaning.

[ Source :from chinadaily.com.cn ]

China Bid of the Olympic Games

Hosting the 2008 Olympic Games not only can help spread the Olympic Spirit, but also can be helpful to upgrade the status of the hosting country, improve the population quality and develop the economy. This is why so many countries bid for the Games every time.China has a population accounting for one fifth of the world's total population. Therefore, it is a matter of course for China to bid for the Olympic Games.In early 1945, when China had just won the Anti-Japanese War, the first Chinese Olympic commissioner Wang Zhengyan, Chinese gymnasts Yuan Dunli and Dong Shouyi lodged a request to hold the 15th Olympic Games in 1952. The action created a big stir in China.

Since the reforms and opening-up, China's overall national strength has increased substantially and the population quality has also been greatly improved. China has held the Asian Games, the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled and other large-scale international sports competitions. China has accumulated lots of experience. Now it is time for China to host the Olympic Games. With the concern and support of the Chinese Party and leaders, Beijing bid for the 2000 Olympic Games in 1991. However, for some reasons and the obstructions from some countries, Sydney in Australia gained only more than two votes than China and won the bid finally. China lost the bid, but its participation made the world get a further understanding of China and also helped China to know the world better.

The first failure of the bid didn't reduce the Chinese people's eager of hosting the Games. In 1999, due to the reason of last failure and sufficient preparation this time, Chinese Olympic Games Committee agreed on Beijing's request of hosting the 2008 Olympic Games. The mayor of Beijing himself sent the application to the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland.

On July 13, 2001, in the 112th plenary meeting of International Olympic Committee, Beijing won the bid overwhelmingly and became the hosting country of the 2008 Olympic Games. The Olympic dream of thousands of millions of people came true at last.

[ Source : from chinaculture.org ]

National Wax Museum of China

The National Wax Museum of China preserves the images of famous Chinese and foreign figures from the past and present to show one side of human civilization.A number of skilled sculptors and wax artists work for the museum recreating the likenesses in a historical and subjective manner of a wide variety of famous figures of the past and present.

The exhibits include figures from the ups and downs of the country and her people, such as far-sighted and wise politicians and military figures and revered thinkers and teachers of the past.There are also wax statues of the brightest from the People’s Republic in the field of science and technology alongside Chinese historians and literary giants whose masterpieces have had a great impact on later generations working in the fields of history and literature, plus champion athletes and film and television stars.Also represented in the museum are revolutionary pioneers who gave their lives for the Chinese nation for the cause of Liberation and ordinary citizens who unselfishly gave their lives in the line of duty.The statues bring the characters to life and enhance them due to the great skill of the artists.

The Chinese nation has been around for thousands of years and has produced large numbers of heroes and a civilization that has caught the attention of the world. The entire country has been unanimous in praising the government’s reform and opening up policy, which has scored many great achievements. The really great men are truly found in this age alone. The National Wax Museum of China is constantly working to expand and develop into a great, high-level wax museum.

[ Source : from nationalmuseum ]

National Festival of China 2006 (Republi of China)

The inhabitants of Beijing and the tourists will be able to see during "the week out of gold" of the national Festival the Palate of Potala the railway line Qinghai-Tibet and the Stopping of the three throats. All that, without having to leave the Place Tian' anmen. To achieve this exploit, there did not need to have recourse to a miracle of technology. they are only counterparts of these three sites. Among colourful attractions, one will be able to also see a floor set of themes made up of hundreds of thousands of flowers out of pot and giant statues with the effigy of the 5 mascots of the OJ of 2008.

We tried to combine best techniques of gardening and topics of social topicality , explains Zhou Jianping, vice-director of the Office the Gardening and of the Forestry "This year,one added even more demonstrations.They were never attracting" is delighted it.

The counterpart on a scale of 1/25e of the Palate of Potala placed in front of the Large Palate of the people pays homage to the end of the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet line. A"train" covered with chinese crab apples crosses "the Qinghai-Tibet Plate" and arives at Lhassa Capital of the autonomous area of Tibet,west of China.

We like much these decorations of flowers here. It is one of the most beautiful gifts of birthday and Shanghai city tourit China for our large Republid a tourist of Shandong come especially to the capital with is family for the holidays national festival china 2006.

[ Source : from chine-informations.com ]

Yungang Grottoes Shanxi of China

Datong, situated in the far north of Shanxi Province, covers a total area of 14,112.56 square kilometers, and averages at 700 to 1,400 meters in altitude. The city has a population of 2.848 million, about 60% of which is in rural areas. Datong has ethnic minority groups like Mongolian, Manchu, Tibetan, Hui, Miao, Korean, etc., and the Han people make up 99.6%.

Datong Yungang Grottoes Temple , with a long history and located at a strategic place, was once a capital of the country in ancient times, the capital city of two non-Han Chinese dynasties and a town of military importance in four dynasties. Datong Yungang Grottoes China enjoys convenient transportation and communications travel Temple, and boasts rich mineral resources and solid industrial foundation. It is now an energy and heavy chemical base in China, and is especially famous for coal production, which wins it the name of the capital of coal.

The finest of the city's marvelous natural sites is a magnificent series of Yungang Grottoes China travel built in the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), just west of the city. Yungang Grottoes, Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes and Luoyang Grottoes are called China's three major grottoes, which are of very high artistic value.

The most beautiful landscape in Datong is Hengshan, one of the five holy mountains of Taoism. At the foot of Hengshan Mountain, there is the almost unbelievable Midair Temple of China, which lies against cliffs and stays high up in the air, and is acclaimed as the peak of perfection.

[ Source : from chinaculture.org ]

The Lama Temple of Beijing

In the northeast corner of the old city of Beijing lies a group of buildings with yellow roofs bounded by a red wall. It is the famous Yonghe Palace, or the Lama Temple of China travel Beijing city, covering an area of 66,400 square meters. This temple is listed as significant historical site protected by the national government.

This Lama temple of Beijing is different from other temples for its uniqueness, in terms of history and contents. It was built in 1694, and was the residence of the Manchu Prince Heze. In 1723, Heze succeeded to the throne as Emperor Yongzheng. In the third year (1725) of Yongzheng's reign, the site was turned into a royal residence, and thus, the green tiles were changed to yellow, for yellow was the imperial color. It was called Yonghe Gong (the Palace of Eternal Harmony). The emperor later converted the palace into a lamasery for monks from Mongolia and Tibet, for both Emperor Yongzheng and his son, Qianlong, were all believers of Lamaism. In 1744, during Emperor Qianlong's reign, it was officially declared a Lama temple of China Travel of Beijing Temple.

The Lama Temple of Beijing preserves over one thousand Buddhist figures and rich classical cultural relics of Buddhism. Besides, it displays a large number of other rare cultural relics, including its three treasures a 18-metre-high statue of Maitreya (the Smiling Buddha) carved out of a single sandalwood trunk the miniature "Mountain of Five Hundred arhats" made of gold, silver, copper, iron and tin; and a shrine made of Nanmu, a precious hardwood with golden veins.There were originally four halls for learning, namely, the Hall of Mathematics, the Hall of Explicating the Scriptures, the Hall of Tantra and the Medicine Hall, and lamas China travel of Beijing in state of temple studied in these halls with a term usually lasting more than 10 years. It took 30 years for lamas to study Buddhism from enrollment to graduation.

[ Source : from chinaculture.org ]

Gong Li to Play in Television Show Miami Vice

Gong Li, a Chinese mainland superstar China actress, was given the OK by Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, to play a major role in a movie version of the classic 1980s television show Miami Vice.Following his best actor Oscar for his portrayal of legendary singer Ray Charles in Ray at last month's Academy Awards, Foxx's new status has earned him the right to decide who stars alongside him - and he is more than happy to have Gong Li aboard.

Gong Li superstar of China starred in Raise the Red Lantern and plays a part in the film rendition of the novel Memoirs of a Geisha, which is currently in postproduction. While she was making Memoirs with Rob Marshall, she came to the attention of Miami Gong Li film Vice creator Michael Mann.Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell will star as ultra-cool undercover cops Ricardo Tubbs and Sonny Crockett in the film.

Foxx said Miami Vice would be a full-out dramatic film with action

Shooting will begin this summer, once Foxx has finished his work on Sam Mendes's movie Jarhead. Ciaran Hinds, currently playing Julius Caesar in the BBC/HBO drama Rome, which is being filmed in Rome, will play another of the Miami Vice detectives.

The Miami Vice TV series in the 1980s is largely remembered for its stylish detectives Sonny Crockett (Donn Johnson) and Ricardo Tubbs (Phillip Michael Thomas), its music and its distinct visuals, but beneath the veneer was a surprisingly dark cop show. The cocaine boom of the 1980s framed many stories about drugs and murder, with Crockett and Tubbs often having to resort to violence in the course of their work. Time magazine once called Miami Vice TV's hottest and hippest cop show.

[ Source : from china.org.cn ]

Halloween Style of China

The month of October 2006 Halloween chinese has come and gone. To me it has always ment the coming and going of seasons. This is the month that warm turns to cold, green turns to gold, and all people celebrate, young or old. Halloween is a great holiday that I always look forward to. I've always made a point to celebrate this holiday and to teach children in whatever country I am in how much fun it can be. Who doesn't like getting candy, carving pumpkins, and dressing up Celebrating this holiday in China was a little bit different. I learned the absolute power, the incredible mass, and the invincible strength that the Chinese possess. I have seen people packed in train staions of china, I've seen streets full of families, but one thing I have never seen is the children of China in action.

I went into my class and tried Halloween china of ded not to rouse the kids too much. I was covered in makeup and dressed like a true vampire as soon as I entered the room the screams and laughter erupted. I watched as the children transformed into candy hungry monsters. The children's eyes all widened, their sugar craving stomachs began to growl. It seemed as if they all became possessed by an overactive, overexcited, super child. There was no turning back now, I closed the door and started the lesson.

Halloween Chinese Style

We were to calmly explain to the children what would happen during the break. On the hour the children were to coolly walk from door to door, knock politely, get their candy, and move on to the next classroom. They were to stay on their floor. No pushing, no shoving, no stomping or stealing. They were to return to their class ten minutes after being let out. To the point rules that are easy to understand. No matter how hard I tried to get their attention I could not break their stare from the clock. As each minute passed they became more and more restless. Whatever I was said to them was no important now, candy was coming, that’s all they cared about.

I nervously watched as the clock ticked one minute closer to break of China Halloween, there were only a few minutes remaining. I ran over the rules one more time and tried to keep them calm. They started to jump out of their seats. Determined to get as much candy as possible their drive was incredible. I tried to block the door. They all began shouting and pushing, they were all against me.

[ Source : From community.travelchinaguide.com ]