Yingge in Puning
With a history of more than 500 years, the folk art of Yingge is quite popular in Puning, a county in Chaoshan(Chaozhou and Shantou) region, southeast China's Guangdong province. Drawing its material from the story that "Liang Shanbo (a figure in Tale of Water Margin) caused a havoc in Lantern Festival", Yingge is a typical example of cultural exchange and melting.
In August, 1977, the US space detector Voyager One was sent to the universe carrying a special record with various languages and typical music including the melody of "Flowing Water" with Gu Qin (a seven-stringed plucked instrument) played by Chinese musician Guan Pinghu. With the mission of discovering "lives" outside the earth, it also started to seek new "bosom friends" in the universe.
Red Long Mang
Red Long Mang is so far the most dignified theatrical costume which was popular in the Qing Dynasty and the most valuable collection stored by Chinese Institute of Fine Arts.
Guanghe Cha Tower
Built in the late Ming Dynasty, Guanghe Cha Tower has a history of at least 360 years. Located in the city center near Qianmen, it is the earliest theatre in Beijing.
The Cha family built the tower as their private villa in the late Ming Dynasty. The tower later was renamed as Guanghe Theatre.
Mei Lanfang, master of Peking Opera made his first appearance on stage in Guanghe Theatre in 1904 at age 11 and became famous immediately.
In August, 1950, two music experts Yang Yinliu and Cao An interviewed famous folk musician Blind Ah Bing whose real name was Hua Yanjun with the wire recorder. They recorded three melodies played with Erhu including "The Moon over A Fountain" and three melodies with Pipa performed by Ah Bing.
Clay sculpture in Fengxiang
With a history of more than 600 years, clay sculpture in Fengxiang, Shaanxi province, northwest China, drew patterns from ancient stone carving, Spring Festival pictures, paper cuttings and embroidery and had exaggerated forms with bright colors.
The Water-splashing Festival, the New Year's Day on Dai calendar is a traditional festival of Dai people in southwest China's Yunnan province. Local people express their best wishes by splashing water to each other, the more the better.
Paper cutting is one of the most popular folk arts in China and its history can be dated back to the sixth century AD. The paper-cuts can decorate walls, doors and windows, mirrors and even lights and lanterns.
Luo'er tune in Shizhu county
Luo'er tune from Shizhu county, southwest China's Chongqing municipality is regarded as the living fossil of "bamboo poetry" in Tang and Song Dynasties between the 6th and 12th centuries.
The tune usually has seven characters in a line, and what they convey is quite popular, common and of local characteristics.
Peace Drum in Lanzhou
Peace Drum is a unique folk dance in Lanzhou, northwest China and usually involves over one hundred people. With the large number of people and the big drum, the performance can be heard from five kilometers away.
Brocade of Tujia ethnic minority
The brocade of Tujia ethnic minority is hand-woven, and enjoys the fame of one of China's top three brocades including Shu brocade in Sichuan province and Zhuang brocade in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The custom of "Zhua Zhou'er", grabbing test on the occasion of a baby's first birthday was first recorded in the Song Dynasty. Usually a baby was brought to a bed, where articles such as seal, books, four treasures of study, abacus and money were placed. Parents let the baby choose anything he or she liked, from which they predicted their baby's interests, future and profession.
By People's Daily Online