Qipao, a traditional dress for females in China, is generally considered as one of the perfect examples of traditional Chinese costumes. Though     1     (debate) by experts about the exact time of its occurrence, it is generally believed     2     Qipao originated from a type of Manchurian female garment in the Qing Dynasty. It developed and was popularized soon during the Republican Period. Under the influence of     3     (celebrity) in Shanghai and even politicians of the time, it reached its peak in the 1930s and 1940s.

Qipao, which is usually made     4     satin, brocade (锦缎), silk or cotton, mainly     5     (feature) a stand-up collar, Chinese knotted buttons, the left lapel (翻领) over the right, a tight-fitting waist and hemmed slits (开衩) on both sides. Two major styles of modern Qipao     6     (establish) in the progression, namely the Shanghai style and the Beijing style. The former,     7     (absorb) western elements of design and tailoring, leads the fashion trend.

Wearing Qipao, a natural result of women’s pursuit of intellectual     8     (free), carries a symbolic sense of promoting gender equality. Later on, the priority of Qipao shifted from a     9     (politics) expression to decorative emphasis. Till today, it is not just a symbol of fashion     10     a timeless classic, an irreplaceable cultural heritage in the fashion world.

How is everything going? I am more than delighted that you take an interest in Chinese.

Yours,

Li Hua

China will become the guest country of honor for the 37th International Kite Festival in Berck-sur-Mer from April 20 to 28. It is the first time that the festival     1     (introduce) the concept of guest countries since its establishment in 1987.

During the nine-day event, the China Cultural Center in Paris will join hands     2     Weifang City in Shandong Province—known as the “kite capital of the world”, to showcase the most authentic Chinese kite art and cultural experience to the audience. Various cultural activities will take center stage,     3     (involve) kite competitions, cultural performances and     4     (workshop) on intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产).

The International Kite Festival in Berck-sur-Mer is the largest and most     5     (influence) kite-themed event in France. In addition to regular kite displays, this year’s festival will debut the international kite stunt competition,     6     (call) “The World Kite Cup Berck-sur-Mer”. Kite-flying masters from ten countries and regions will compete for the world champion title in a showdown of skills and     7     (create).

    8     (kick) off the festival on April 20, a 100-meter-long dragon kite will take flight, followed by     9     series of activities, like dragon and lion dance performances, martial arts demonstrations, a tea ceremony, calligraphy exhibitions     10     traditional Chinese folk music performances.

The Student Union

The    1     (tradition) Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. The 24 solar terms,     2     (determine) by changes in the sun’s position in the zodiac during the year, were first used in China and now are followed in many other parts of the world. In China, the 24 solar terms     3     (create) thousands of years ago to guide agricultural production.

Rain Water this year starts     4     Feb19 and ends on Mar4. Rain Water     5     (signal) the increase in rainfall and rise in temperature. With its     6     (arrive), lively spring-like scenery starts blossoming.

Rain Water is     7     (common) regarded as the best time of the year to eat fresh bamboo shoots. And according to the Book of Songs, the cooking of bamboo shoots in China dates back to over 2,000 years ago.

According to     8     old Chinese saying, the rainfall in spring is as precious as oil. In northern China, the spring drought is common and the rainfall of this season is really low,     9     accounts for only 10 to 15 percent of annual average rainfall. Therefore, Rain Water is considered as a key period for irrigation(灌溉) when the day gets     10     (warm) and rainfall increases.