Ancient stories vividly portray the lightweight clothing worn during summer. One tale recounts an encounter     1     an Arabian merchant came across an official wearing a light and soft garment. Astonishingly, the merchant could make out a mole (痣) on the     2     (official) chest through five lavers of clothing. If imagination is too     3     (tax) , let us explore some examples of summer clothing from ancient China.

A sha gown     4     (unearth) from Han Tomb No. 1 at Mawangdui in Changsha. It is the thinnest dress in the world. The plain gown, “thin as a cicada (蝉) wing” and “light as smoke” weighs 49 grams. It is only 25g with the sleeve openings and collar     5     (remove) and can be folded into a matchbox. This piece represents the highest level of early Han     6     fabric manufacture.

Well-suited for the humid southern regions of China, luo has larger holes in the fabric,     7     (make) it more lightweight and breathable. At that time, only officials of fifth rank or higher were permitted to wear garments made of     8     material.

Silk fabrics such as sha and luo were luxurious for common people. However, resourceful individuals discovered a way     9     (utilize) plant fibers for clothing production, significantly reducing the cost of summer garments. Ge, also known as kudzu (野葛) ,     10     Chinese arrowroot (竹芋) , represents the earliest utilization of natural fiber as fabric in China.

In Beijing this weekend, several young ladies in flowing clothes became the center of attention. They invited passers-by     1     (complete) ancient Chinese poems written on a board, and people     2     made it would get a flower. The ladies are hanfu lovers from a club whose aim is to spread the culture of hanfu, a style of clothing     3     (traditional) worn by the Han people. “We     4     (hold) several similar events recently in some big cities,” said Fu Jiamei, one of the activity’s     5     (organizer). “We hope that more people will understand the beauty of hanfu and the culture behind it,” she added.

“The growing popularity of hanfu     6     the young people comes from their increasing interest in traditional Chinese culture and     7     (they) desire to wear something Chinese to show their cultural identity,” said Gao Wenjing,     8     expert at Tsinghua University Art Museum. Gao believes that many young people love hanfu as a result of increased cultural     9     (confident), while the love for hanfu, in turn, helps them to learn more about Chinese culture and history. “This is     10     (meaning),” she said.

As early as a thousand years ago in Kaifeng, China, there were a group of people, in their unique way,    1     (present) art and beauty    2    (exquisite)(精美的). Such craft is known    3    Bian embroidery(刺绣). It is now recognized as a state-level intangible cultural heritage. Bian embroidery    4    (characterize) by simplicity and serenity(宁静), which is considered     5    unique form of artistic    6    (express) of the Song Dynasty. The purest natural colors and delicate stitches (针法) make the embroidery look vivid like a painting if not bring it to life. For each piece of work, embroiderers would integrate many elements into it including fine art, literature and philosophy. The re-creation of the first volume of the work Along the River during the Qingming Festival is the work of    7    (experience) Bian embroiderers(刺绣工) who have long observed the    8    (origin) work Qingming Festival and objects.

    9    took over 20 embroiderers a year working around the clock to complete such a masterpiece. The millennium-old craft still has its charm today. It goes beyond the time, bringing out the fine texture of painting. It can also be a treasure    10    one holds dear.