2 . Zhang Zening, a hanfu supporter and lover in Nanjing, East China’s Jiangsu Province, started a surprising journey eight years ago to restore (使复原) this traditional Chinese clothing. Inspired by ancient murals (壁画), Zhang, 41, studied the artistry of hanfu in various museums, changing paintings into touchable and wearable pieces.

Upon graduating from college, Zhang first worked in material research, burying herself in the laboratory, conducting chemical experiments for the study of raw materials. At the time, she was one of the earliest lovers of hanfu in China, frequently organizing various hanfu activities in her spare time. Now as the owner of a hanfu studio, Zhang has worked with women’s re-employment organizations, looking for full-time stay-at-home women with sewing (缝纫) skills. This matched with her need for the production of hanfu.

Around 2015, Zhang began to focus independently on the process of hanfu restoration. In that year, she visited Dunhuang, Northwest China’s Gansu Province where she was attracted by the beautiful murals there, wondering how she could possibly change them into beautiful costumes.

In the past years, she has traveled to more than 10 cities across China, constantly studying murals and conducting research to restore hanfu from different dynasties. She managed to restore more than 50 sets. She referred to different materials including various murals, other cultural relics and literature to make sure that the restoration is as correct as possible. Thanks to her work, many young people wear restored hanfu when they visit museums, and Zhang is excited to see more of them doing so.

Zu Ti of the Jin Dynasty was a man who had with great ambition. When he was young, he had a good friend     1     (name) Liu Kun. They had such a deep friendship     2     they stayed together every day and got up at the same time every morning.

One day, when they were sleeping. Zu Ti heard the rooster crowing (鸡鸣) . He woke up Liu Kun and said, “How about     3     (get) up to play swords (剑) as soon as we heard the rooster crowing from now on?” Liu Kun was still     4     (sleep) . But he agreed with him     5     (joyful) . From then on, they got up and played swords once the rooster began crowing. They kept their word and never gave up no matter     6     cold in winter or hot in summer. Hard work     7     (pay) off. After a long period of hard study and training, they finally became the all-rounder. And they both did excellent jobs to their country.

The idiom “to rise with the rooster” teaches us that with ambition and hard work,     8     (succeed) is possible. When we can discover our shortcomings     9     time, it is not too late to try. But if you are not willing     10     (work) hard, you will not be able to achieve a career after all.

Xi’an, capital city of Shaanxi, served as the capital of 13 dynasties in Chinese history, which in total     1    (last) about 1,100 years. Consequently, the ancient history of Shaanxi is to some degree the ancient history of China. Shaanxi History Museum considers     2     a duty to be a showcase of Chinese ancient civilization.

People call Shaanxi History Museum “Bright Pearl in Ancient Capital and Precious Treasure of China”, for it is an art palace     3    (full) showing Shaanxi history and culture as well as Chinese ancient civilization. Its architectural buildings and exhibits have made it famous as a first-class museum in China     4     it was opened to the public in 1991. It covers     5     total area of 65, 000 square meters.

The basic halls in the museum are divided into three exhibition halls     6     2,000 cultural remains to display the history of ancient times in chronological (编年的) order. The first exhibition hall     7    (locate) on the ground floor while the other two are on the second floor.

While     8    (design) the buildings in Shaanxi History Museum, the great designer used     9    (tradition) palace construction of Tang Dynasty for reference. Adopting symmetry axis (轴对称) layout with main and supporting buildings in order, the complex     10    (architecture) show the unique presence of Tang Dynasty.

The Double Ninth Festival is a special day for older people in China. It started long ago. The festival is on lunar September 9th. On this day, people show love and respect to their grandparents.

There are many ways in which Chinese people express their respect. When an older person enters a room, everyone stands. People are introduced from the oldest to the youngest. When we present a book to an older person, two hands are used. Young people always offer their seats to older people on a crowded subway or bus.

Respecting older people is a tradition in China. That’s because the Chinese know that older people have knowledge and experience that young people can learn. Chinese people are proud of being old.

In Western countries, however, older people seldom think they are old. They are called “seniors” instead of “old people”. They’d rather do everything themselves. Even after retirement (退休) they take up hobbies, part-time jobs and new activities to keep their bodies working well.

Westerners respect their older people, too. Usually, seniors don’t have to buy tickets for trains and buses. They are given discounts (打折) in stores and restaurants.

But Western seniors don’t often live with their children—they live alone. For holidays, the family usually gather at the grandparents’ home, and a great smile and a warm hug for their parents are enough for grown children to show their respect.

6 . Best festival events in San Francisco

The perfect festival event in the Bay Area is waiting for you to celebrate.

Chinese Dumplings(Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, 6: 30 pm-8:30pm)

Tickets: $86+ $6 Fee(General Admission 1)

Location: 152-11 89th Avenue Queens, NY

Discover your passion about Chinese Dumplings in cooking class! Chef Raina will teach traditional shapes and folding techniques to wrap Chinese Dumplings. Receive Additional 15% Discount-Book Direct or Call us Today!

Coffee Festival(Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024)

Tickets: $58+$9.52 Fee

Location: Mason Center Festival Pavilion, 2 Marina Boulevard San Francisco

Get ready for an impressive coffee experience! Enjoy the unique atmosphere! Try the best beans and flavor with a soundtrack provided by live entertainment.

Pet Pictures with a Movie Star(Jan. 27, Feb. 3 & 10, 2024)

Tickets: $20+ $3.18 Fee(1 Pet 1 Picture)

Location: Expert Pet 1649 Ocean Avenue San Francisco

Expert Pet is proud to present a very special event this festival season. A movie star in a fancy dress will be in our shop three days! He shall be here from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Be sure to drop in on time to take your picture with a movie star.

Bone Jour Festival Feast(Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.)

Tickets: $39+ $3.39 Fee

Location: Berber, 1516 Broadway San Francisco

Themed for the Spring Festival Season, enjoy an 8-course Chinese traditional feast. Bring your pet dog for our festival feast. Note: get puppy food for only a $10 add-on!

9 . If you are looking for culturally and globally unique experiences, here are four fascinating festivals that you can try from different corners of the world.

Holi Festival in India

Holi Festival in India is a colorful celebration of the arrival of spring. This festival, which falls in February or March, is celebrated with much enthusiasm and excitement all across the country. During Holi, people smear(涂抹) each other’s faces with brightly colored powders and spray colored water using water guns called pichkaris.

Carnival of Venice in Italy

This is a festival when you can see the streets of Venice flooded with colorful masks and carefully prepared costumes. Participants engage in a series of events ranging from parades and costume contests to masquerade balls(化装舞会). There is a popular event at the carnival, in which a girl in a traditional costume descends a rope from a tower to the square below.

Carnaval de Oruro in Bolivia

This carnival is a visual performance that takes place every year. The carnival features colorful and intricate(复杂精细的) costumes worn by tens of thousands of dancers and musicians who parade through the streets of Oruro over several days. The carnival is devoted to the Virgin of Candelaria, resulting in a fascinating and unique display of cultural heritage and artistic expression.

Day of the Dead in Guatemala

The Day of the Dead is a gift to the loved ones who are dead. The festival is a mixture of traditional Mayan culture and Catholic traditions. It takes place on November 1st and involves flowers, candles, and food offerings for the loved ones who are dead.