Cui Zhenshuo and Yang Bo discovered that because of the far location of most paper workshops and lifestyles of the paper-making craftsmen, their products are unable to reach the market     1     (easy). Therefore, Cui and Yang came up     2     the idea of establishing their own studio that could serve as a bridge to connect far workshops with buyers to advance     3     (tradition) Chinese handmade paper.

Chu is a kind of tree.     4     (it) bark (树皮) is a common material that was used in papermaking in ancient times. Han Yu, a famous     5     (write) during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) called paper Mr. Chu in his work Biography of Mao Ying. Since then, it     6     (use) as a nickname (昵称) for paper by Chinese scholars. In 2019, Cui and Yang named their own studio “I am Mr. Chu.”, and they focused on     7     (run) it.

Du Weisheng, an expert in the restoration (修复) of ancient books at the National Library of China, told them that, in     8     1990s, many Chinese paper relics needed to be repaired with handmade paper that allowed people to find information on various paper styles.

The two began to create the series of handmade paper products from 2021. Each volume is made up of thirty types of handmade paper, each of     9     is sourced from its place of origin. At present, two volumes of the series have been produced, and they plan     10     (make) ten volumes.

4 . Oliver’s journey with tai chi began in her early 20s, when she was suffering from a back injury, which left her lying in bed for six months.

“As an active youngster at that time, I couldn’t bear resting in bed,” she explained. “My muscles became wasted and stiff(僵直的) for lack of use, and I was often in a lot of pains. So, I felt that some physical exercise would help.”

She then discovered tai chi when she spotted by chance a poster advertising classes and decided to try the mysterious and exotic(异国的) sport. Oliver was immediately struck by the gentle and beautiful movements of tai chi, and to her delight, found that her occasional pains disappeared after years of practice.

“It not only helps me improve physical strength, but also provides me with many mental benefits, such as improved mood and focus, and less anxiety and depression,” she added.

To further understand tai chi and the Chinese philosophy behind it, Oliver decided to begin a journey to China. In 2005, Oliver established the Double Dragon Alliance Cultural Center, which acts as a bridge for foreign people seeking to gain a better understanding of Chinese culture. The center supports kung fu masters in teaching martial arts(武术) and organizes events for people to experience various aspects of Chinese culture.

Apart from her tai chi classes, Oliver now serves as the director of the British Cultural Center at Shanghai University. Reflecting on her work, Oliver said, “For quite many years, my work is actually like a cultural bridge. If you don’t have someone in the middle who is appreciative of all the cultures and have the desire to connect people, then it’s hard for them to get to know each other. I hope I can be the bridge to bring people close together. We need to foster mutual understanding among cultures to promote peaceful relations and friendship across the globe.”

6 . Major Snow, the 21st solar term of the year, begins this year on Dec 7 and ends on Dec 20, marking the start of the season. It begins when the sun reaches the celestial longitude (天文经度) of 255° and ends when it reaches 270°     1    , so it is named Major Snow.

By the start of Major Snow, most of China has already seen the start of winter.     2    . At this time of year, the snow gradually settles in the Yellow River Basin. In far north there is heavy snow; while in the south, it is mild with less rainfall.

    3    . Snow adds warmth and wetness to the winter wheat, preventing dry air in winter. It can also store and lock in water needed for the following year, and it kills off bacteria and pests which decreases the risk of disease.

During Major Snow, people often eat jujube cakes, made from red jujube dates (枣) which are rich in vitamin C, protein, calcium, iron, vitamins and other nutrients.     4    . Jujube dates not only replenish (补充) the spleen and stomach, but also protect the liver, increase muscle strength, and are said to be anti-aging. Because of their affordable price and high nutritional content, jujube cakes are popular all over China at this time of year.

In some areas, cured meats become a specialty product, as a way to store meat over the winter months. As the saying goes, small snow seals the ground, heavy snow seals the river.     5    .

Major Snow is an excellent season for people to replenish their bodies. There is another saying, “Replenishing your body in winter means you will be strong enough to fight a tiger in early spring.”

7 . Hanfu, traditional Chinese costumes and a cultural carrier, has gained more attention from foreigners living in China.

“I can’t believe I’ve been in China for three years and I’ve never tried on hanfu,” Stephanie Stone, a reporter at China Daily, said in an interview she hosted. For her first hanfu experience, she went out and met Jongmay Urbonya, who is a US hanfu lover as well as a key internet opinion leader. Looking at all of the hanfu in a hanfu store, Urbonya said, “This is my dream for my future life and my life now.”

As a foreigner wearing hanfu, Stone raised a question: If someone is not ethnically(种族) Chinese, would it be a little offensive(冒犯的)to Chinese people seeing her wear this symbolic Chinese-style costume?

Elsbeth van Paridon of the Beijing Review expressed her thoughts on this question. According to her, Chinese people are tolerant and open to seeing foreigners wearing hanfu. They see it as a celebration of Chinese culture.As long as you don’t claim(声称) Chinese culture as yours, you may wear it as frequently as you want.

“We have a very nice example of what happened this summer. So basically Dior, they came out with a new skirt. And then the skirt went viral(走红) on Chinese social media with internet users saying ‘Hey, hold your horses! This is not a Dior skirt. It’s called a horse-face skirt’, which dates back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279),”said van Paridon.

“You have to understand that emotional bond is key to the whole hanfu love,” said Urbonya. “Although she does not have a Chinese face, every time she wore hanfu she would be praised by Chinese locals.”

Hanfu has also become an art form, so a lot of people mix and match it with modern accessories(配饰). “The future of hanfu is looking for combination,” said van Paridon.

8 . A Dutch collector who says he bought the Zhang Gong Patriarch—an ancient Buddha statue(佛像)containing the mummified(木乃伊化的)remains of a famous monk—has been ordered to return the stolen relic to its original owners, two villages in Fujian province. The Fujian Provincial High People’s Court announced the order on Wednesday, upholding the original ruling(裁决)made by a lower court about two years ago.

In a ruling in late 2020, the Sanming Intermediate People’s Court demanded that Oscar van Overeem, the Dutch architect and collector who bought the statue, return it to Yangchun and Dongpu villages. For local villagers, the statue is a significant cultural relic that had been at the Puzhao Temple in Sanming, Fujian province, where they could honor and worship it before it was stolen in December 1995, according to the high court. The lawyer for Van Overeem did not comment or give a statement over the ruling.

After further investigation and trial, the high court said on Wednesday that although Van Overeem has said he bought the statue in Amsterdam in 1996, he could not provide a receipt. In March 2015, he allowed the statue to be exhibited at the Hungarian Natural HIistory Museum in Budapest, the high court said.

The high court upheld the lower court’s ruling that the statue was stolen and is an illegally exported cultural relic. The high court added the statue reflects the traditional customs of southern Fujian and has a special meaning for the villagers, and, therefore, should be returned. Lawyers from both sides were present when the ruling was announced on Tuesday. A number of legislators(立法者), political advisers and journalists were also on hand for the ruling.

Lin Kaian, a villager from Yangchun who was present at the court when the ruling was announced on Tuesday, said,“I’m glad to hear the high court ruled in favor of us demanding the return of the statue. We respect the ruling, and we hope the statue will be back with us as soon as possible.”

9 . Culture often refers to things like food, holidays, clothing, and music, but it also goes much deeper than that.     1     So when we meet people from different backgrounds, we can sometimes find that there are big differences in how we see the world, even if we speak the same language.     

One of the best ways to understand others’ cultures is to first examine your own. Do you take your shoes off when you go inside?     2     In Japan, you would never go inside without swapping your outdoor shoes for slippers, whereas in the US, many people don’t bother taking their shoes off when they come in. Therefore, it’s so important to understand your place in the world, which will help you understand other people better too.

    3     When you meet people from a different culture, you can politely ask them about their lives. Seek out books or watch movies by and about people who’re different from you. Additionally, you can immerse (沉浸)yourself in a different culture through travel to understand how different other lifestyles can be.

However, sometimes, learning a lot about a different culture can lead you into a trap. You may think you know much about a culture, which may lead you to show off your knowledge when you meet someone from that background. But it’s a problem to assume that everyone from one particular culture has the same attitudes and experiences. Your assumptions that lead you to pre-judge against others can be harmful.     4    

Differences between us are what make life so interesting. So accept the differences between yourself and your friends from different cultures.     5     In detail, ask questions if your friends are open to it, but also learn how to just silently observe and appreciate the differences that make us unique.

Liu Ruying,     1     grandfather is a huge fan of Peking Opera, has been interested in Peking Opera for much of her young life. Her grandfather is a great influence     2     her. At the age of 8, she     3    (begin) to practice the classic art. It wasn’t easy for a little girl     4    (experience) the difficult training, as performances combine martial arts, dancing and acrobatics(杂技).

“Sometimes I was tired,“ she said. ”I had to balance my studies and other     5    (course) I was interested in, such as dance. But the great charm(魅力) of Peking Opera made me always practice it.”

When Liu got the news that her region would have a cultural exchange with other countries, she had the idea of     6    (introduce) Peking Opera to the world in English. With     7     help of her mother, she took part in the activity after several months of practice.

“I     8    (extreme) love traditional Chinese culture,” she said. “Peking Opera has a long history of about 200 years and     9    (consider) a treasure of our nation. We should let     10    (we) make great efforts to carry forward our culture and protect the cultural diversity of the world.”