2 . As Christmas Eve approached, I found myself in New York City, far from my family and friends in Taiwan. I was feeling homesick and lonely, but my Jewish friend, Rachel, who, like me, doesn’t get connected with Christmas due to any religious things, invited me to join her for a dinner in a Chinese restaurant. She explained that it was a tradition for many Jewish people to celebrate this holiday by eating Chinese food on Christmas Eve.

We went to Jing Fong, a fancy restaurant in Chinatown. The place was packed with people, and the atmosphere was lively and festive. We ordered a variety of dishes. Everything was delicious, and I felt grateful to be sharing this experience with Rachel. As we ate, we talked about our families and our cultures. We laughed and joked, and for a moment, I forgot about my homesickness.

A moment later, a group of carolers (唱圣诞歌的人) came into the restaurant, singing Christmas songs. At first, I was puzzled. Why were they singing in a Chinese restaurant? But then I realized that this was part of the magic of New York City. People from all different cultures and backgrounds could come together and celebrate the holidays in their own way. Rachel and I joined in the singing, and soon the whole restaurant was filled with music. It was a beautiful moment, and I felt blessed to be part of it.

What a night! I learned that even when you’re far from home, you can still find joy and connection with others. Rachel and I may come from different cultures, but we shared amazing food, joyful music, and most importantly heartfelt company. And that’s exactly what all the holidays are all about.

In front of a packed hall at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, on Friday, dancer Hao Ruoqi     1     (graceful) moved across the stage as she waved her sword against her opponent. Hao, playing     2     heroine Hua Mulan, was the star of Ningbo Performing Arts Group’s Chinese dance drama Mulan.

Based on the beloved folklore of family devotion, loyalty and love, Mulan tells the tale of a young woman in ancient China who disguises herself as a man     3     (take) her father’s place in the army.

This modern interpretation re-imagines the classic tale of the     4     (distinguish) female Chinese warrior Hua Mulan through remarkable and compelling dance numbers and exquisite music,     5     (explore) the themes of self-identity and empowerment.

Hao, a member of the China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater, said there might be a thousand     6     (version) or Mulan in a thousand people’s eyes, but there are things common to the audience     7     the cultural and geographical differences. “I think the love and peace brought out from Mulan is understandable and acceptable both in China and the United States,” she told China Daily.

Lisa Richards Toney, president and chief executive officer of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, said     8     impressed her was the true warrior spirit that Mulan displayed     9     her love for humanity.

The story of Hua Mulan     10     (inspire) numerous productions in the globe over centuries, including Disney’s 1998 animated film and 2020 live-action movie.

4 . The Brooklyn Museum has accumulated one of the largest and most diverse collections in the United States. Its holdings range from the ancient to the contemporary and include almost all the world’s main cultures, reflecting the long history of art.

The Museum is committed to making its collections accessible to the widest possible audience, and this site is an important part of that process. We intend to continue to expand the number of works of art. We are making every effort to ensure that the information provided about our collection is accurate and up-to-date.

Museum Hours

Monday–Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday-Sunday: 11 am-6 pm

Masks are required.

Suggested Admission

Adults: $ 16

Students 13+: $ 10 (with I.D.)

Age 12 and under: Free

All tickets to the Museum are for timed entry in 15 minutes. We strongly recommend purchasing tickets in advance. A limited number of tickets are reserved for same-day purchase at the Museum each day.

Collection

You'll find a wealth of information about many of the objects in our rich holdings. We hope these pages will inspire you to explore further—both here and in our galleries.

For a variety of reasons, including conservation concerns and the lending of works to other institutions, not all the objects illustrated here are on view at any one time. You can find the location of specific objects by accessing their individual records.

Before coming to China to teach, I wrongly assumed that there would be much     1     (difficult) for me since I couldn’t speak Chinese well. Nevertheless, while it presented some interesting challenges, I cannot stress enough how warm the majority of people I met     2     (be).

Making friends was my big concern     3     first but I soon settled in and became good friends with the fellow teachers. There weren’t many foreigners at the school in     4     I was teaching, but I had plenty of friendly neighbours     5     (keep) me company. They often had me round for dinner!

In China, teachers     6     (normal) get several weeks off for Chinese New Year, so I was fortunate enough to travel a bit. I loved walking along the Great Wall and visiting the Forbidden City.

When it comes to my favourite Chinese food, how can I possibly choose?! Every meal was a feast, especially with the low cost of living which meant eating out wasn’t just something     7     (luxury). While I loved the big crowded dinners with 20+ dishes on the table, I was     8     big fan of the homemade dumplings my friend made for me. I'd strongly consider going back just to taste them again!

Overall, it can't be     9     (good) if you can have the chance to teach in China for some time. I’d absolutely do it again if     10     (give) the chance.

8 . From grand museum openings to music, art and theatre, these are the coolest new things happening anywhere this year.

This townhouse, where the controversial French singer Serge Gainsbourg spent the last 20 years of his life, has been completely closed off to the public since Gainsbourg's death in 1991, but next spring it'll finally open as a museum. The main attraction will be Serge's famously odd living area, with its huge collection of sculptures.

Just 90 minutes by train from Copenhagen, Odense is best known as the birthplace of Christian Andersen, and it's now home to the new HCA Museum. With its biographical exhibits and inanimate projects that come alive, this thoroughly fun museum would have delighted the “Little Mermaid” and “Snow Queen” author himself.

When it finally opens in November 2022, the Grand Egypt Museum will be the biggest museum in the world for a single civilization. Costing $1 billion, this museum will be about the size of the Louvre in Paris. Most importantly, this will be the first time that all 5,000 pieces of King Tut's treasure will be displayed in the same place.

Serbia's second-largest city will wear the crown of European Capital of Culture for the year. Ever fancied checking out of an exhibition in an abandoned pasta factory? The Mlin Cultural Station awaits. Novi Sad's unique architecture and history have long made it a major destination.

9 . In early February, an old stove with rich vivid images (zaotou painting) took center stage at a village Spring Festival gala in Haiyan county, Zhejiang province.     1     . They feature historical and legendary figures, animals and flowers, which are painted in bright colors and have a way of drawing attention from admiring viewers. Zaotou is a part of a kitchen stove in the shape of a square or rectangle, on which are some images showing the beauty of nature and humanity.

    2    . In ancient time, villagers would hire bricklayers (瓦工) to build a mud stove in their new home and then painted pictures on a day of good fortune.     3    . They whitewashed (粉刷) the mud-made stove with lime-water, sketched out the patterns based on the shape of the stove, applied the final coat of paint and even created a three-dimensional effect.

At first, simple tools had been used to produce such art, including a selection of brushes, rulers, and paint. With people’s aesthetic appreciation growing, watercolors were used, mostly red, yellow and blue, the three auspicious (吉祥的) ones to the Chinese people.     4    . No matter what material is available, the stove painting is always symbolic and harbors good wishes for the owners.

Now many people are devoted to the inheritance and popularization of zaotou painting and more and more support has been received from various sides including local authorities.     5     .