A skywell, or “tian jing” in Chinese, is a typical feature of a traditional home in Southern and Eastern China. They are commonly seen in homes     1     (date) to the Ming and Qing dynasties, which     2     (design) to house different generations of relatives. Despite their varied sizes and designs, these skywells are typically square and located in     3     heart of the house. They serve to allow in light, enhance airflow, and harvest rainwater.

Since decades ago, the government     4     (advocate) green buildings, promoting environmentally-friendly practice. The increased interest towards traditional Chinese architecture is leading to the restoration of historic buildings with skywells     5     modern use. Architects are also looking towards the principles behind skywells while designing new buildings     6     (save) energy. The Dongguan TBA Tower in Guangdong Province, for example, brings natural airflows into every floor with internal “windpipes”    7     function in a similar way to skywells. The aim is to keep the building's temperature     8     (comfort) in all seasons, using only natural airflow.

The fact that skywells still exist today shows     9     clever ancient builders were in using nature's elements to create energy-sufficient and sustainable living spaces. These timeless architectural     10     (wonder) continue to inspire architects in their efforts to find green solutions for cooling homes and buildings.

Being the most splendid and incredible in the world, Chinese gardens are not     1    (simple) a collection of plants and flowers, but a carefully designed space that     2    (combine) nature and culture in perfect harmony.

One of the typical characteristics of Chinese gardens is their use of space. Unlike Western gardens, Chinese gardens work with the natural landscape     3     (create) a smooth transition(过渡) between the built environment and the natural world. This,     4     (achieve) through the use of corridors stretching in the garden, leads the visitors ahead to the next superb view.

Another key feature of Chinese gardens is their consideration for     5    (detail). Every aspect of the garden is carefully considered,     6     the placement of rocks and trees to the design of the buildings and pavilions. These structures are not only functional,         7     serve as works of art.     8     (Wander) around the unique designs can undoubtedly bring much amusement to visitors.

    9     example of the Chinese garden is the Humble Administrator’s Garden in Suzhou, including fountains that contribute to the visible beauty of the garden. The cottage in the garden is an     10     (adore) teapot-shaped building that blesses visitors with its unique design and appeal.

Tai Hang, a modern-looking neighborhood in Hong Kong, is home to the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance,a folk art form that    1    (perform)during the Mid-Autumn Festival for over 100 years.    2    started as a way to rid this fishing village of bad luck has become a cultural treasure.

The dragon is about 70 meters long and weighs more than 200 pounds,with its body     3     (wrap) with pearl grass.More than 70,000 incense sticks(香柱)are lit and strung along the dragon’s back and head to make the“fire”of the fire dragon.At the festival,hundreds of people work    4    turn to parade the burning dragon through the streets of Tai Hang.The     5    (strong)man among the group has    6    honor of supporting the 30-kilogram head. Dozens of performers    7    (move)the dragon smoothly up and down through the air attract rounds of cheers and    8    (applaud)from surrounding crowds.

The inheritors of the dragon dance have set up workshops to demonstrate various aspects of the traditional art from the making techniques to    9    (base)dance skills.In June, 2022,the Hong Kong Tai Hang Fire Dragon Museum was opened    10    (inspire)more people to learn more about this traditional dance culture.

The Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of the Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er gained the World Heritage Site status on September17^th 2023, becoming China’s first World Heritage Site related     1     tea.

The heritage site, located in Lancang Lahu Autonomous County in Pu’er, Yunnan Province,     2     (consist) of five old tea forests and nine ancient villages. Jingmai Mountain is one of the world’s largest ancient tea forest     3     (site) . What most people do not know is     4     Jingmai Mountain is home to more than 1 million tea trees, most of which are over 100 years old.

In the long history, local people developed     5     unique tea growing technique on the basis of fully understanding nature with     6     (they) wisdom. The technique allows small tea trees     7     (grow) under the shades (树荫) of taller trees. It not only creates proper light conditions, but also serves as an effective measure to prevent insect attack,     8     (produce) an ideal environment for tea trees.

Originated in China, tea became popular     9     (global) over time. And Jingmai heritage site stands as a     10       (remark) example of harmonious interactions between humans and the natural environment.

After four days of wonderful performances, the 7th China Quanzhou International Puppet Festival     1     (come) to an end on December 12 in 2023 in Quanzhou, south China’s Fujian Province. The festival,     2     was held in the hometown of Chinese string (线) puppetry (木偶制作艺术), showed the high-level skills of Quanzhou’s puppetry artists, leaving audiences     3     (amaze).

In China, string puppetry is     4     important form of traditional theater that originated in Quanzhou during the Han Dynasty.     5     (actual), having been passed down over thousands of years, more than 700 traditional plays about folk beliefs and customs have been protected.

Each puppet is equipped with 8 to 16 strings, while more complex performances may require up to 36 strings. The strings     6     (divide) into several groups according to human movements, and all the actions are controlled by the hands of the puppetry artists.

To master string puppetry, skilled     7     (way) to perform puppets are not enough. Puppeteers also need to have rich life experiences     8     (understand) the emotional world of the characters to help bring the puppets to life.

On May 20, 2006, Quanzhou string puppetry was added     9     the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list (非物质文化遗产名录).

As the hometown of string puppetry, Quanzhou was also the first city in China to hold an international puppet festival and succeeded in     10     (host) six sessions in 1986, 1990, 2000, 2015, 2017 and 2019.

Wednesday marks “Chu Shu” or the “End of Heat”, the 14th of the 24 Solar Terms recorded by the ancient Chinese people in their lunar calendar. It is a busy harvest season for farmers and also a time to express thanks for blessings     1     (receive).

Most areas across the Chinese territory will cool down during the period of time started with “Chu Shu”, and even people living in southern part of the country, after    2    (grill) for months, could finally take a breath of relief. The weather during this period of time    3    (note) by the large temperature swings between days and nights, so carrying an additional coat is advisable. Signs of the autumn could also be seen everywhere, with leaves starting to fall, grass and trees    4    (begin) to wither.

Contrast to the bleak atmosphere    5    (be) the scenes of the field, where crops are starting to ripen. What is more meaningful to the farmers this solar term is    6    the raining season in most parts of China will soon end. Grand celebrations could be seen    7    (annual) in Xiangshan county of east China’s Zhejiang Province, the South China Sea as well as other coastal areas. Outing with friends and families and enjoying the clear weather are    8    must on the routine of “Chu Shu” weekend.

Taken    9    the fifth great invention of China, the solar terms show the    10    (wise) of Chinese people to live according to the rhythm of the seasons.