The lantern fair in Zigong, Southwest China’s Sichuan province, has     1     history of more than 1,000 years.     2     (mark) the Year of the Dragon, many of the lanterns feature the Chinese sign of the zodiac (生肖)     3     the show, but there are also a wide variety of other lantern designs to meet different needs. Visitors     4     prefer traditional lanterns can find lanterns with flowers and birds, and legendary figures, while lanterns with modern     5     (pattern) such as cultural trends and online games are gaining popularity among young people.

In addition to the elegant craftsmanship, modern technologies such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence have also been used to make the lanterns     6     (nice) and more vivid. The lantern show is also accepting the concept of     7     (environment) protection. A set of lanterns recreating the famous Chinese statue “Bronze Calloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow” from the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220AD) was created by     8     (use) 21 different kinds of waste materials, including tires, and plastics to form     9     (they) outside decorations.

This year’s show will run until July 30. The sets of lanterns     10     (update) to keep up with other traditional Chinese festivals, such as the Qingming Festival and the Dragon Bout Festival. Visitor s can also enjoy folk arts, and Chinese music performances during their lantern-viewing tours.

The Year of the Dragon is a significant and auspicious year in Chinese culture. Chinese people believe     1     the people born in the Year of the Dragon will be blessed     2     strength, success, and good luck throughout their lives. This mythical creature is often associated with power wisdom, and protection.

In Chinese astrology, the Dragon is the fifth animal of the zodiac cycle     3     (compose) of 12 different animals. Those     4     were born in the Year of the Dragon are believed to inherit the dragon’s extraordinary qualities. They are known to be ambitious, confident,     5     (courage)and full of energy.

The dragon is an important figure in many Chinese festivals and celebrations. During the Chinese New Year, dragon dances     6     (perform) to chase away evil spirits     7     bring good fortune for the coming year. These dances involve a group of performers carrying a long dragon made of silk, paper and bamboo. The dragon moves in synchronization to the     8     (beat) of drums and cymbals, creating an impressive and vibrant spectacle.

The Year of the Dragon is also a time for family reunions and traditional feasts. People decorate their homes with red lanterns and paper cutouts,     9     (symbol) happiness and good luck. Fireworks light up the sky, and people exchange red envelopes containing money as     10     gesture of well-wishes.

In conclusion, the Year of the Dragon is a time of great significance in Chinese culture.

5 . Born in Wuzhen in Zhejiang, Qian Lihuai has a unique bond with bamboo and whether it’s in the form of indoor bamboo bonsai or backyard bamboo groves, the material is an essential element in his home.

Qian grew up in the village known for its bamboo weaving and after studying industrial design at the Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, he began to develop an interest in the technique, learning how to do it himself.

He also traveled widely in Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces to learn local bamboo weaving techniques. “The variations are quite large in amount across the regions, and bamboo weaving comes in a wide arrange of forms. It’s sometimes used to make agricultural tools, sometimes to make daily necessities, and sometimes for artistic purposes.” Qian said. “In Wuzhen, each place focuses on producing a specific item. For instance, our village’s distinguishing feature is in making bamboo trays especially for raising silkworms.”

During a visit to a traditional basket maker in Shengzhou, Zhejiang, Qian saw that instead of using nails to fasten the basket together, the craftsman used a slanting (倾斜的) cut on the bamboo to create a precise fit that caused the joint to not be noticed. “I rarely encounter such a level of craftsmanship. He even creates small molds and modifies tools himself to improve the weaving process,” Qian says.

During his visits, he was moved by the dedication of the weavers to their craft. These experiences inspired him to return to his hometown of Wuzhen and throw himself into the bamboo weaving industry in 2013.

Bamboo techniques he has developed or improved are now widely used in everything from home furnishings to clothing, part of a growing trend toward replacing the use of plastic with bamboo, that demonstrates a continuity of the traditional Chinese culture in which bamboo has long been cherished as a topic for arts and a material for daily objects that we use in our home.

Hanfu came to the public stage in 2018. Now this then led to the emergence of guochao, which basically means     1     (nation) trend.

The social media has definitely taken hanfu from a Gen Z niche hobby (Z世代的小众爱好) to a passionate consumer-driven market.

Zhong May, a Hanfu enthusiast said that she     2     (get) very positive feedback and her movements went along with each hanfu     3     she wore. Obviously, we have to be slow and reserve all these different things. Hanfu has become     4     art form, so a lot of people mix and match it     5     modern things.”

Cai Shangwei, the director of the center of culture industry in Sichuan University, explains that complex and profound social and cultural     6     (factor) have contributed to the rise of hanfu. But in the end, it all comes down to decades of stable     7     (develop) in China. As our country enters an era of prosperity, our cultural confidence gets     8     (boost).

Since young people enjoy buying fashion items to express their identity, hanfu meets the psychological need of the young generation to stay stylish and unique. Moreover, the design of hanfu is very     9     (visual) appealing and elegant, like a fairy.     10     (vote) by more and more young consumers as a favorable style, hanfu is gaining strong momentum (势头) to stay on trend.