China has nearly 5,000 years of     1     (record) history. However, the history of Chinese furniture is even longer than     2     of its writing, which can be traced back to the Hemudu Culture more than 7,000 years ago.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, most of the furniture was hand-made using high-quality hardwood     3     raw materials, which are now rare and expensive. Ordinary people often use wood such as pine, elm, and beech, but the quality between the woods     4     (differ) greatly.

Classical furniture is mostly made by hand. Modern machines cannot     5     (complete) replace handwork. The shapes carved by the machine are neat but the lines are rigid and lacking vitality.

The most delicate aspect of Chinese classical furniture is the structural part of the furniture—mortise-and-tenon (榫卯) work. Combining pieces of wood together,     6     (use) nothing more than the wood itself, is a basic skill of all carpenters (木匠) in ancient China. It was first discovered in the wooden structure of the Hemudu site     7     the ancestors lived more than 7,000 years ago. This structure is the wisdom of the Chinese working people and fully represents the     8     (create) and artistry (艺术性) of humanity.

Ancient Chinese     9     (philosophy) have been expressed in traditional Chinese furniture. For example, Confucianism emphasizes gentleness and moderation.     10     (achieve) that, skilled carpenters properly matched the curves and straight lines of the furniture. That’s why Chinese furniture always displays both balance and stability.

Stories     1     (tell) for centuries in all human communities under all kinds of circumstances.

Today, stories are     2     huge part of our societies and culture. Traditionally, stories have been handed down through the generations. In this series, we explore the importance of     3     (tradition) storytelling across various cultures.

For over 1,000 years, professional storytellers have been     4     (establish) figures in the marketplaces and bazaars of China. Their art had a big impact     5     the daily life of the Chinese townspeople,     6     (serve) as the “university” of ordinary people—the place     7     culture and knowledge were communicated in an entertaining and simple way.

The general themes of the stories     8     (fall) into five different categories: history, adventure, comedy, stories about Three Kingdoms and stories about Five Dynasties.

Traditionally, storytelling took place at the temple fairs, in entertainment areas and booths, in teahouses and wine shops. On festive     9     (occasion), a storyteller might be invited to perform in the private homes of the upper classes and even at the court. Storytellers of     10     (low) standing performed in the countryside.