A New Shaoxing Opera Show Has a Modern Twist

In a     1     (special) designed studio theater in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, a captivating world of jianghu is brought to life through a Shaoxing Opera performance.

Six actresses, playing roles from a spirited landlady to skilled swordsmen, spies, and soldiers, deliver a fascinating show     2     (last) 130 minutes. The audience sits very close to the performers, engaging with them and immersing themselves in     3     unique viewing experience.

    4     (adapt) from the 1992 classic wuxia film of the same name, New Dragon Gate Inn, the Shaoxing Opera show successfully captures the interest of a younger audience. Environmental theater changes the relationship between the audience and the stage.     5     (like) the traditional framed stage, the theater is designed as an inn, with the audience becoming more like     6     (guest). According to Xu Yena,     7     acts in the show as Jin Xiangyu, having the audience closer to the cast allows them to appreciate the finer details.

The performers     8     (design) many improvised interactions with the audience since they began to perform, making each performance unique. “Today, we are putting in great efforts to make Shaoxing Opera more     9     (access) and relatable to the younger generation,” Xu added. “This is with the hope     10     operas can become a lifestyle.”

Siheyuan is a special type of building found in China that represents the country’s rich traditions. These buildings     1     (exist) around for a very long time and are mainly located in the northern parts of China. Exploring a Siheyuan allows you     2     (step) back in time and experience the peace and history of ancient China.

Siheyuan has     3     unique layout with a square courtyard in the middle,     4     (surround) by buildings on all four sides. This design provides privacy for the people living there and shows a balance     5     human-made structures and nature.

The main entrance of a Siheyuan     6     (usual) faces south, and the most important rooms are positioned in the north. The courtyards are often decorated with beautiful gardens, plants, and fancy stone carvings,     7     show how much the Chinese appreciate nature and beauty.

Beyond its physical form, Siheyuan represents the Chinese     8     (tradition) way of life and family values. In these buildings, extended families live together,     9     the courtyard becomes a gathering place for family members. This helps to strengthen family bonds and maintain connections between different     10     (generation).

The beginning of March brings some funny weather to China as temperatures rise and rainfall is accompanied by thunder. Welcome to a season     1    (know) as Jingzhe, or the “Awakening of the Insects”.

Falling     2    (usual) on March 5, it is one of the solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar, which used to instruct ancient Chinese people’s daily lives and     3    (farm).

The Chinese classics recorded a time when spring thunder revived insects     4     had been hibernating(冬眠)for the winter. They rise up from the earth, and plenty of other creatures also put in their first     5    (appear) of the year. Soon, peach blossoms     6    (be) in full bloom while orioles will sing from tree branches.”

Chinese farmers attach great importance     7     Jingzhe, since it kicks off spring plowing, one of the     8    (busy) times in the farmlands. With insects buzzing, it is time to protect the crops from these pests. Poultry and livestock also need protecting from diseases.

Spring     9    (consider) the most precious time of the year for agriculture. At     10     beginning of the year, farmers till the soil, giving crops the best possible environment and more nutrition. In the north, irrigation needs to be timely while in the south, it is almost time to plant rice and corn.

9 .     1    The great animal migration across the plains of the Serengeti or the towering pyramids of Egypt are such examples. Every country can be proud of its cultural or natural heritage sites. They have been well protected, so the living people can enjoy them today.     2    We are lucky to have UNESCO to regard protection of heritages as such an important task. It sees heritage as “our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations” as well as “important sources of life and inspiration”.

    3    As a national park and nature reserve, Jiuzhaigou Valley, just north of the Sichuan Province, is home to impressive snow-covered mountains, thick forests alive with wild animals, beautiful waterfalls and blue lakes, which can easily take our breath away.       4    Similarly, standing in the shadow of the Borobudur Temple, as the sun rises over this grand historic building, we are impressed with the effort, determination and intense belief of the people who built it with only primitive tools. It is in places like these that we cannot help but be respectful, come to understand our limitations as human beings, and know that our duty is to protect them for future generations.

Heritage sites not only often provide answers to questions, but also often pose questions to which there are no final answers at the moment.     5     As Cicero remarked, “To know nothing about what happened before you were born is to remain always a child.”

10 . Culture is a broad term that involves the symbols, languages, and materials associated with a society. It includes material elements, such as clothing, technology, and housing as well as nonmaterial elements, such as gestures and behavioral norms. Since culture is so broad and humans experience the world in a wide variety of ways, under a general cultural umbrella often exist many subcultures.

There are a number of subcultures in the United States. If the analogy(类比) of a melting pot is applied to American culture, subcultures might be the individual ingredients in the soup. They are in the same container but have characteristics that distinguish them from one another. Some elements might be similar, and others might provide contrast. Subcultures exist within the dominant culture of a society.

Some of the primary values that define the dominant American culture are individualism, competition, and a hearty work ethic. How is a subculture distinguished from the dominant culture? It is part of the main culture, but its members share one or more common differences. Those differences may be due to shared experiences, customs, traits, or preferences, among other things. 

Some subcultures are identified by certain qualifiers such as shared race and ethnicity. Others may form around hobbies. Some subcultures are cultivated in opposition to elements of the dominant culture. Oppositional subcultures may be called countercultures. Subcultures can be distinct, with specific definitions and rules. Others are flexible with liminal memberships.

Subcultures in America range from the ubiquitous to the obscure. Members of a subculture typically share common beliefs or lifestyles and sometimes incorporate shared clothing styles. Participation in a subculture might be flexible and temporary or strictly observed.  One example of subcultures in America is the punk subculture which developed in the 1970s and continues to evolve. Early participants in punk rock culture rejected mainstream cultural influences, including politics, fashion, and stage rock and disco music. The stereotypical characteristics of them include distressed clothing, studded leather, combat boots, and colorfully dyed hair.