Chinese speakers tend to use “spear and shield”     1    (describe) anything that’s contradictory. Actually, now the Chinese phrase for “contradiction”     2    (call) Mao Dun or “spear and shield”.

Nearly 2, 000 years ago, there was a man living in the State of Chu. One day, he went to a market to sell spears and shields—two most common     3    (weapon) at that time. When a small crowd gathered around the seller to look at his goods, the man     4    (decide) to advertise his shields first. He said, “Please look at my shields. They are certainly the     5    (strong) ones you can ever find in the world.”

Then some of the potential buyers came closer to have a careful examination of the shields,     6     they couldn’t see anything special about them. The seller then moved on to brag about his spears. “Now please have a good look at my spears. They are the sharpest weapons     7    have ever been produced. So, no matter how firm a shield is, my spears will pierce (刺穿) through it     8    (easy).” After listening to the seller’s pitch, a man stepped forward and said, “You just told us that your shields are the strongest in the world and then you claim your spears are the sharpest. How about     9    (use)your spears on your shields?” The seller was unable to respond.

So today, instead of saying “you are contradicting yourself”, Chinese will say “you are attacking your shield     10     your own spear”.

An exhibition of zodiac (生肖) sculptures,     1     (call) Peak Life and Water, opened in Chengdu, Southwest China’s Sichuan Province on Saturday.

The 12 zodiac signs are     2     (traditional) used in Chinese culture to mark each year. Each zodiac sign also corresponds to twelve hours in the day. In addition     3     the traditional calendar function, the 12 zodiac signs are also a kind of folk custom and culture,     4     reflects Chinese people’s understanding of the year.

Each sculpture     5     (base) on a single zodiac animal. For example, the tiny golden birds     6     (stand) on the head of an ox remind visitors of birds settling on an ox, chewing the worms they have just captured. In another, a monkey balances     7     golden peach on the head. For the dragon sculpture, a golden and glorious ball floats in front of the intimidating dragon.

The expressions of these zodiac sculptures are vivid but calm. Some of them seem to be resting, content in their mediation. Only the snake has     8     (it) eyes open. If you see a snake’s eyes are closed, that     9     (mean) it is in hibernation (冬眠). The elegant and exquisite modelling has delighted visitors so much that even before the opening ceremony of the exhibition, some collectors expressed a desire     10     (buy) the sculptures.

Since its first appearance in Paris in mid-December, the Yuyuan Garden Lantern Show     1     (attract) huge crowds to admire its fine designs and     2     (color) lights during the cold winter nights at the 163-year-old Jardin d’Acclimatation amusement park.

It is the first time that the lantern show,     3     national intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) item in Shanghai, has been held outside China.

The show, which opened on Dec.15 in Paris at the same time as the one that opened in Shanghai’s Yuyuan Garden,     4     (be) among events celebrating the     5     (sixty) anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations. It also welcomes the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism. The show will run through Feb. 25.

According to the event’s organizer Yuyuan Inc., 3,000 online tickets     6     (buy) up in a day, with additional ones being sold in-person.

At the brightly lit double dragon-shaped gate, long lines     7     visitors can be seen at the entrance.

    8     (theme) on “Classic of Mountains and Seas”,     9     shares the name of the ancient Chinese mythology (神话) Shan Hai Jing, the event comprises 60 large Chinese lantern sets and 2,000 traditional lanterns,     10     (allow) visitors to appreciate the breathtaking art of Chinese lanterns and broader Chinese culture.

China is known as Xia for its grand etiquette (礼仪) culture, and known as Hua for its beautiful attire (衣裳). With the     1     (change) in society, economic development, and cultural development, clothing has evolved over thousands of years. However, while the forms may have been changed, the essence (本质)     2     (remain) constant.

“In ancient China, emperors like Huangdi. Yao, and Shun brought peace to the world through their clothing.” Clothing holds     3     significant place in Chinese culture. It is not only used for daily wear,     4     (cover) the body and protect it from cold but also as an instrument of management. In ancient Chinese society, there were strict rules and dress codes about clothing. The presence of clothing distinguished civilization     5     barbarism (野蛮), while changes in color and style     6     (gradual) developed into a form of etiquette. Their design conveyed behavioral norms and     7     (they) patterns were rich in cultural significance. Moreover, ancient attire were also an important carrier of morality. China has always been known as a nation     8     values formal attire and etiquette.

What is the Chinese style? It is something that makes people think of China as soon as they see it. For example, the horse-face skirt, which     9     (favor) by international brands and Chinese people for many years, will continue to be attractive. Chinese clothing, as a classical style. has been known to the world overnight with good opportunities. It’s not just a traditional costume style but also a source of     10     (admire).

The 78th United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution (决议) on Friday, officially     1     (announce) the Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, as a UN floating holiday. Experts said the move shows the     2     (significance) influence of Chinese culture and will contribute     3     the promotion of the Global Civilization Initiative.

The Lunar New Year not only bears the ideas of peace and harmony     4     (value) by Chinese civilization but also carries the common values of humanity such as family harmony and harmonious coexistence between humans     5     nature.

The reason why the Lunar New Year can pass national borders and is increasingly welcomed by many countries     6     (lie) mainly in the rich cultural heritage of China and the driving force of globalization. As the world’s second-largest economy, China’s cultural elements have spread alongside its economic influence. In the trend of globalization, people’s interest in diverse cultures is     7     (gradual) increasing, and the Lunar New Year has become a major means for people     8     (communicate) and connect.

Therefore, the official     9     (recognize) of the Chinese New Year as a UN holiday fully reflects an emphasis on the inheritance and innovation of civilization,     10     will promote exchanges and mutual learning among diverse world cultures and actively embody the UN’s values of diverse and inclusive cultural ideals.

As darkness falls on Chengiyuan village in northwest China, the spotlight shines on 83-year-old Jing Tingyou as his nightly show begins. The skilled shadow puppet (皮影) master takes center stage behind a white curtain, skillfully     1     (move) his puppets. Having devoted over six decades     2     the art of shadow puppetry, Jing is     3     expert in his field. He sets up his stage in a cave house in Gansu province’s Huanxian county. On the left side of the puppet master sits his younger brother, 73-year-old Jing Tingxiao,     4     accompanies him on a four-stringed instrument. They come from Huanxian, the birthplace of Daoqing shadow play, an important form of Chinese shadow puppetry. The Daoqing form     5     (be) more than 10,000 years since its first appearance, which     6     (include) on the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006. The Jing family band, to which the brothers belonged, was established in 1903 and is one of the most prestigious shadow puppet     7     (band) in Huanxian. During its heyday in the 1960s, Daoging shadow puppetry attracted many enthusiasts. However, with films and television series gradually     8     (become) the dominant source of entertainment in the late 1980s, its     9     (popular) became weaker and many performers moved on to other jobs.     10     the Jing brothers kept going and there has been a recent turnaround since Huanxian launched a string of projects to boost the art form. This ancient intangible cultural heritage is finding new vitality.

Birds have been closely related to big harvests in the culture of the Miao ethnic group. The Miao people have loved birds for generations. That’s     1     people see delicate birdcages hanging in front of many households in the Miao villages.

    2     (locate) in the northeast of Danzhai county, Guizhou Province, Kala village is famous for its time-honored cage-weaving craft, which     3     (date) back over 400 years. In 2009, it     4     (list) as a provincial intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou.

Kala birdcages are famous for their remarkable firmness. Each cage is     5     (careful) crafted from the strong moso bamboo and the flexible water bamboo. The former provides hardness, while the latter contributes resilience (韧性) resulting     6     a cage that is durable.

With the growing     7     (aware) of wildlife protection, the population of people who hunt and raise birds has been decreasing, so has been the need for birdcages. Wang Qiu, a 35-year-old inheritor, decided to combine closely art with everyday life,     8     (meet) the needs of a broader range of consumers. Wang designs and makes everyday items, from bookshelves and lampshades to graceful earrings in     9     shape of Kala birdcages. As a member of the younger generation, Wang Qiu injects vigor (活力) into the centuries-old craft. She hopes more people learn about the fascinating skills of Kala village     10     the splendid culture of the Miao people.

In early June of 2023, Wang Pushi, a young man with a background in Kunqu Opera and also the lead singer of a rock band,     1     (amaze) his audience with a performance at “Youth π Plan”, a music competition show. With its energetic rhythm and beat, the     2     (combine) of ancient and modern melodies, and poetic yet bold lyrics, Wang’s song titled “Ming Song”     3     (skillful) mixed the power of rock with the elegance of Kunqu Opera.

    4     (study) traditional Chinese opera for 11 years, Wang joined the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre in 2014. Apart from Kunqu Opera, he has been interested in rock music from     5     early age. In 2019, Wang formed a rock band called “Xian Ke” with two friends,     6     he serves as the lead singer and guitarist. He said the band’s name came from a line in “The Book of Songs” that means persistence and devotion. So far, the band has created 45 songs, with one single     7       (reach) over a hundred million plays.

Wang expressed his hope     8     through their music, more young people will become familiar     9     and develop a love for Kunqu Opera. He hopes to promote their songs overseas and perform more exceptional Kunqu Opera on international stages, thus challenging the stereotypes (刻板印象)       10       (associate) with Chinese traditional music.

Luo Yan and his wife and son have settled in a big city. The Spring Festival is coming, so they travel back for the holiday, for     1    (they) dream of “three generations under the same roof”.

    2     the big city is far away from their hometown, the high-speed train has made it much more convenient for them to go back home. During the five-hour trip, they chatted excitedly with each other, their minds full of       3     (think) about their sweet home.

    4     their arrival, they find their home has been specially decorated by his parents for the joyous occasion. Everything represents joy, luck and     5     (happy).

At five o’clock on the Eve, the dinner table is already covered with white china plates and bowls, full of all sorts of dishes: chicken, duck, pork, fish and vegetables. The three generations sit around     6     table to enjoy the delicious food happily. Indeed, the whole family could not be     7     (happy) to be together. Despite the cold outside, their happy faces fill the air with warmth while merry     8    (laugh) rings throughout the house.

After dinner, the whole family are going to stay up late on the New Year’​s Eve. They gather around the television to watch the Spring Festival Gala, while ating snacks and       9     (chat) with each other about the past, the present and the future.

As midnight     10     (approach), Luo Yan takes his parents, wife and son outside to set off firecrackers, wishing all the best.

As one of the three major drinks in the world, tea is also the most consumed drink after water on earth. Since tea trees     1     (discover) thousands of years ago, the drink has become closely integrated with daily life and has developed into     2     unique culture.

How could such a little leaf from nature generate such great power? An ongoing exhibition     3     (focus) on tea culture manages     4     (explorer) the answer by offering visitors a comprehensive view of the drink.

The World of Tea: Special Exhilition of Tea Culture takes place at the Wu Men Exhibition Hall of the Palace Museum from September 2 to November 30 in Beijing. It displays 555 items       5     (attach) to tea culture, many of     6     are representative collections of 30 cultural institutions and museums at home and abroad.

Furthermore, it also provides insights into a cultural phenomenon’s origins, evolution and     7     (remark) achievements while emphasizing how it has acted as a unifying thread connecting diverse regions and fostering the integration of various ethnic groups. Using tea as a medium, it displays the essence of Chinese tea culture, and also embodies the Chinese philosophical     8     (pursue) of unity between heaven and humanity.

Wang Guangyao, director of the show and also a researcher at the Palace Museum, says, “We want our audience to     9     (complete) lose themselves in the show by setting     10       interaction spaces.”