Yours,

Li Hua

Traditional Chinese tea-making    1    (consist) of knowledge, skills, and practices about the management of tea plantations, picking of tea leaves, and the processing, drinking, and sharing of tea. Not only are tea-related customs found across the country, but also they     2    (influence) the rest of the world since ancient times through the ancient Silk Road and trade routes. Teas have pleased and fascinated the world    3    thousands of years. They have finally received top-level global recognition as a     4    (share) cultural treasure of humankind.

By drawing patterns such as bamboos on the surface of a cup of tea, Chabaixi, an ancient Chinese tea trick     1    (go) viral recently. There are a dozen steps, from grinding tea for fine powder, to pouring boiled water, stirring the mixture for thick froth(泡沫), and finally drawing patterns. Clear water it used to put into the cup. When the water     2    (touch) the surface of tea, it turns into a white color and disappears in 20 minutes. The process before drawing is known as “diancha.” The quality of it is crucial to     3     the patterns can be successfully produced later.

Wang was born and grew up in America, but she    1    (build) solid ties with Chinese culture since she was a little girl. She is now riding a new trend: mixing and matching modern clothes with traditional Han dress, or hanfu. She has been posting videos of     2     (she) dressed in hanfu on the Internet, which has attracted many fans on Chinese lifestyle. “I love hanfu. I’ve made many videos,    3    (aim) to help more people learn about it,” Wang told Beijing Review.

In Beijing, hutongs are alleys(小巷) formed by lines of traditional siheyuan. Many neighborhoods were formed by joining one siheyuan to another to form a hutong and then joining one hutong to another. In the dynasty     1     (time), the large siheyuan of high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants often featured     2    (beautiful) carved and painted roof beams and pillars and carefully landscaped gardens. The hutongs they formed were orderly, lined by spacious homes and walled gardens. In contrast to the court life and elite culture     3    (represent) by the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven, the hutongs reflect the culture of grassroots Beijingers. The hutongs are residential neighborhoods which still form the heart of Old Beijing.

8 . American Jake Pinnick comes from a small town called Kewanee.

Pinnick said when he told friends and family he wanted to go to the Wudang Kungfu Academy in China, the response was typical. "It's not a usual thing to say, but it is pretty normal for kids to want to get out of a place like Kewanee. Most kids say something like they want to move to Hollywood and become an actor, " said the 30-year-old. “When I first thought about it, it was daydreaming for myself, too.”

Once he found himself at the academy, Pinnick said fitting in was softened by other foreigners who were in the area and a part of the school. Getting used to the way of life was surprisingly easy given the peaceful nature to it. Pinnick said after a while, he found himself more at home in Wudang than he ever felt back home in Kewanee. Locals were more than welcoming and willing to engage.

“The culture shock wasn't that bad. Surprisingly, I find I have more of that going back to America now... learning the language did take some time, but everyone around the school was familiar with foreigners, so we had a lot of fun speaking broken English and Chinese back and forth at the start.”

After he settled into a routine, Pinnick set about engaging himself in Chinese culture, including Kungfu training. He was also attracted by the philosophical tradition most well-known for the idea of living in harmony with the universe.

Pinnick said he had to go home after the first six months and immediately wanted to return to China, feeling as if it had now become his home more than America, and he had begun a process of rewriting himself as a person overseas.

His life now goes around training, teaching and studying. He graduated from the academy in 2014 and still helps teach there.

Pinnick said the goal is to one day return to America and teach what he has learned. Looking back on his amazing journey, Pinnick said he has grown by leaps and bounds from a small-town American kid who had a daydream he could not shake.

10 . The 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago in China to guide agricultural production. They also reflect China’s rich history through the seasonal festivals, special foods, cultural ceremonies, family gatherings and even healthy living tips that correspond with each solar term.    1    

Rain Water signals the increase in rainfall and rise in temperature. With its arrival, lively spring-like scenery starts blossoming: the river water defreezes, wild geese move from south to north and trees and grass turn green again.

    2    In northern China, the spring drought is common and the precipitation of this season accounts for only 10 to 15 percent of annual average rainfall. At this time of year, farmers begin to plough their fields. It’s the right time to prepare for spring sowing when the day gets warmer.    3    

During Rain Water period, extra care is needed to deal with a returning cold spell and humidity, which is the amount of water in the air.    4    It is strongly advised not to take off the thick coats too early and to keep warm, especially the elderly and children.

The wet and humid weather during Rain Water period is considered harmful for people’s spleen and stomach according to Chinese medical practice.    5    People in Beijing often eat porridge (粥) cooked with a kind of Chinese herb medicine to resist cold and wet weather. Honey, dates and Chinese yam are also very good nourishment (营养) to put in the porridge.