2 . Beijing Opera is a kind of Chinese opera.    1    . With its fascinating and artistic accompanying music, singing and costumes, Beijing Opera is China’s national opera.Full of Chinese cultural facts, the opera presents the audience with an encyclopedia (百科全书) of Chinese culture, as well as unfolding stories, beautiful paintings, nice costumes, graceful gestures and martial arts.    2    , and it is popular among Chinese people, especially seniors.

The Peking Opera band mainly consists of an orchestra and percussion (打击乐) band.    3    while the latter provides the right atmosphere for battle scenes.The commonly used percussion instruments include castanets (响板), drums and bells.

    4    . Its main melodies originated from Xipi and Erhuang in Anhui and Hubei respectively and, over time, absorbed music and arias from other operas and musical arts such as the historic Qinqiang as well as being very strongly influenced by Kunqu, the form that preceded it as court art.Techniques from many other local operas were incorporated into Beijing Opera.

It is believed that Beijing Opera gradually came into being after 1790.    5    . Beijing Opera underwent fast development during the reign of Emperor Qianlong and the Empress Dowager Cixi under the imperial patron, eventually becoming more accessible to the common people.

In 1828, some famous Hubei troupes came to Beijing. They often jointly performed in the stage with Anhui troupes. The combination gradually formed Beijing opera’s main melodies.

4 . Britain is divided into different areas. Britain is one of the most diverse nations in Europe with over 250 different languages being spoken in London alone. With such a various culture, adapting to it can be a challenge for anyone.     1    .

Forget the stereotypes (陈旧观念). Many of the long-formed stereotypes simply have nothing to do with Britain today. Don’t think that everyone enjoys drinking tea or beer. Abandoning some old ideas of people and culture will allow you to be more open-minded and easily get into the culture.

    2    . Britain is made up of different regions that have their different traditions and languages. Understanding different cultures will help you avoid making mistakes.

Get used to small spaces. Like all European nations, Britain does not have the luxury of space. Houses, apartments and cars are all smaller.     3    .

    4    . Always apologize for knocking into someone, even if it is his fault. Respect people’s personal space and always wait in line. Bill Bryson’s book Notes from a Small Island is filled with useful tips.

Accept the jokes.     5    . Kidding, teasing, and “taking the mick” are all ways to describe making fun of someone but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Playing tricks on someone is a common way to show affection. As Britons usually put it, “You never make fun of someone you don’t like.”

7 . 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.”

8 . 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.

9 . What is heritage? The word can be difficult to define. Heritage is always something that is passed down by families or other groups for many years.    1     It can also be the customs, traditions, and values shared by groups of people. One way to think about heritage is to break it down into three groups. These are the tangible(有形的), the natural, and the intangible.

    2     It can include many human-made objects that hold cultural value. Some examples are national monuments and works of art. Many ancient sites are also part of this group. On a smaller scale, a family home can be part of an individual’s heritage.

Many parts of the natural world are also important to cultural heritage. This can include bodies of water, plant life, landforms and more. One example is the Nile River.    3     Efforts to protect natural heritage are key in many cultures.

The intangible group includes any part of cultural heritage that you can’t feel through touch. Maybe you’ve read about forms of dance, like Flamenco dancing. You might know about the music of Mariachi Bands or holidays like Eid. These are all examples of intangible heritage.     4    

Exploring your own heritage can be fun. It can help you learn about yourself, your family, and your ancestors. But it’s also important to learn about the heritage of others.     5     It can also lead you to find things you may have in common with others!

10 . Living in a different country can be a culture shock for many people, so make sure you know about the food, customs and culture of the place you are planning on moving to.     1    . Here is some of my experience of moving from Spain to the UK.

    2    

The first thing that I did when I got out of the airport was to cross the road, but I looked the wrong way! In the UK the cars drive on the lefthand side of the road whereas in Spain they drive on the right. I almost got run over because I was still thinking I was in Spain. You have to be very careful when you move to another place.

Drink water

    3    . In the UK the filtering (过滤) of the water means that you can drink straight from the tap. On my first night back I forgot that I could drink water from the taps and spent the night wishing I had a bottle of water. When I woke up, I realized how silly I had been.

Time is different

If we are going for a proper night out at the weekend in Spain we might not meet until 10 or 11 pm at night or even later sometimes. This means we might not actually get home until 5 or 6 o’clock the following morning.     4    !

Greet everyone with a kiss

In the UK most men use a handshake to greet other men.     5    . Women may be greeted with a handshake, a hug or a kiss on the cheek, depending on the situation. In Spain, among my friends, everyone is greeted with a kiss on both cheeks and maybe a quick hug.