Delicate, lustrous (光亮的), and soft to touch. The ethereal fabric we now call silk has threaded its way throughout China’s history.

One cannot be certain of its origin, but the ancient Chinese people credited their own wisdom to Leizu, wife of the Yellow Emperor (the legendary ancestor of all Chinese people), as     1     inventor of sericulture (养蚕).

Like almost all genres of art on the vast land of China, the style and texture of silk     2    (be) also multifarious. Hangluo satin from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, is well known     3     its airy and sheer texture, while Yunjin brocade (凸花纹织物) from Nanjing, Jiangsu province, a luxurious fabric often     4    (use) for royal garments, represents China’s silk weaving technique at its prime.

Yunjin brocade     5    (make) by hand on giant looms (织布机), in a complex procedure     6     comprises more than a hundred steps. Even the most skilled artisans can only weave a few centimeters a day. Time, patience and deftness all play necessary roles to its heavenly beauty or as its name suggests, its cloud-like splendor.

In the Western Han Dynasty, with diplomat and explorer Zhang Qian     7    (open) up the routes to the western regions, silk graced many     8    (country) in Central Asia, later extending its reach to other parts of Eurasia and beyond. Fittingly, its name marked China’s major international trade routes, the ancient Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road.

In the hands of Chinese artists, the     9    (thin) threads can weave pictures of immense possibilities, and the softest material can go through thousands of years. As one of the many marvels of ancient China, silk is not     10     (mere) a type of textile. It is a cultural icon, and a symbol of elegance and grace.

Why was the ox chosen to be one of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs?

Centuries ago, most people     1     (earn) their living by farming. The ox was used to help plough fields and carry heavy goods.

The ox has long had a significant place in Chinese culture. Ancient Chinese poets and     2     (writer) frequently described the ox in literature. In The book of Songs, the     3     (old) existing collection of Chinese poetry, the animal was mentioned several times in the 305 pieces. The ox     4     (consider) a symbol of diligence (勤奋) and earnestness in Chinese culture. To this day, the phrase “the spirit of the ox” still refers     5     conquering anything that may present itself as a challenge. The spirit is     6     (high) praised and many people follow it as their work rule. When someone makes a great achievement through hard work, people often use “niu”, meaning “awesome”,     7     (describe) him or her.

Oxen seldom bully the weak or fear the strong. They work hard and make sacrifices (牺牲). This is reflected in Lu Xun’s poem In Mockery of Myself,     8     praises the ox’s attitude of     9     (serve) without complaining.

So naturally, those who were born in the year of the ox are often expected to be hard-working, reliable     10     loyal.