China has nearly 5,000 years of    1     (record) history. However, the history of Chinese furniture is even longer than    2     of its writing, which can be traced back to the Hemudu Culture more than 7,000 years ago.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, most of the furniture was hand-made using high-quality wood     3     raw materials, which are now rare and expensive. Ordinary people often use wood such as pine, elm, and beech, but the quality between the woods    4     (differ) greatly.

The most delicate aspect of Chinese classical furniture is the structural part of the furniture-mountains-and-treetops (榫卯) work. Combining pieces of wood together,    5     (use) nothing more than the wood itself, is a    6     (basic) essential skill of all carpenters (木匠) in ancient China. It was first discovered in the wooden structure of the Hemudu site    7     the ancestors lived more than 7,000 years ago. This structure is the wisdom of the Chinese working people and fully represents the     8     (create) and artistry (艺术性) of humanity.

Ancient Chinese     9     (philosophy) have been expressed in traditional Chinese furniture. For example, Confucianism emphasizes gentleness and moderation.     10     (achieve) that, skilled carpenters properly matched the curves and straight lines of the furniture.

Every year in China, a day is set aside to honour, and show respect for, the elders and senior citizens in the entire nation. As China has more than 297 million people     1     (age) 60 and over, according to the latest statistics, this day     2     (grow) in popularity over the years.

In the early 1980s, the Chinese government declared that the Chongyang Festival would be the day     3     we celebrate the lives of China’s elder citizens. Of course, showing respect and admiration to     4     old is a Chinese tradition     5     (date) back to ancient times, and therefore the people easily and readily support this day. On this day, the government and local communities hold     6     (variety) activities for the elders, like free hair-cuts, cultural performances and health-care consultations.

However, respect for the elders should     7     (keep) in mind firmly and not restricted to one special day only. According     8     historical records, elders over 70 years old enjoyed special treatment and anyone not showing respect to them would be punished, which proves that respecting the elders was set in law back then.

Apparently, respect for the elders is the     9     (found) of the Chinese moral system. Today, throughout China, we find many examples of young people     10     (carry) on this tradition of respect.

Chinese calligraphy is an artistic practice of writing Chinese characters, often with a brush and ink on xuan paper. The evolution of Chinese calligraphy     1     (begin) alongside the earliest Chinese characters discovered to date. Over time, calligraphy gradually took shape as a form of art rather than     2     mere means of record. The five major styles of script, running, cursive (草书), official, seal (篆书) and regular, were born from such calligraphy.

Calligraphy is a demanding and     3     (advance) art. The type of brush, quantity of ink and quality of paper can all alter the output. From brush direction to speed of writing, every twist and turn of the wrist     4     (calculate). Structure of individual characters and spatial layout as a whole determine its quality. Moreover, it is said that the emotions and philosophy of the writer are     5     (direct) reflected on calligraphy.

Calligraphy is refined art. Lan Ting Xu (The Orchid Pavilion Preface),     6     was created by Wang Xizhi during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420), is one of the most celebrated     7     (masterpiece) of Chinese calligraphy. Its elegance and expressive brushwork make it significant in Chinese literature. However, calligraphy is also     8     reach, like the spring festival couplets on the doors of folks,    9     (represent) aesthetic (审美的) appreciation for the Chinese.

Where there is Chinese language, there is Chinese calligraphy,    10     where there is calligraphy, there is beauty. The artistry is still highly valued today, for it is more than just writing, it is living heritage.

Dunhuang, an oasis (绿洲) in the Taklamakan Desert, used to be a major stop along the Silk Road, but is now mainly a fascinating tourist destination.

Those who have     1     intense interest in Dunhuang’s colorful history will be attracted by the Mogao Caves, one of the city’s main attractions. The entrance to each cave     2     (block) by a locked door, which can only be opened by expert guides. Behind these doors are caves of all sizes —from very small to absolutely huge. The caves contain thousands of     3     (price) manuscripts and silk paintings, which,     4     their discovery, drew much attention to the area.

Also, there are few things as special as walking across the desert oasis at sunrise.     5     (catch) this incredible scene, you must rise early. It’s bitterly cold. But as the sunrises atop the golden dunes (沙丘) and paints a     6     (true) picturesque scene, all your efforts pay off. Sunset is a popular time for a camel ride. Get off the camels     7     walk up a rather steep dune overlooking Crescent Lake. From this position,     8     (regard) as the best one, the incredible sunset is awe-inspiring.

No trip to Dunhuang is complete without visiting the Dunhuang Museum,     9     it is possible to put all of the city’s historical sites into proper historical context. The museum is expansive,     10     (contain): many original artworks. Here, you are bound to be amazed by Dunhuang’s rich culture.

Located near a wide stretch of cornfields in Xinjia village is a museum     1     (feature) Mahu Opera, a traditional art of the Manchu ethnic group in Northeast China. Developed on a site     2     (former) used as a primary school, this museum has five exhibition rooms with nearly2,000 objects on display, including costumes, instruments and books, most of     3     were donated by Wang Songlin, a local inheritor (继承人) of intangible cultural heritage. “By exhibiting them in the village, I hope to let more people know about     4     traditional art.” said Wang.

Besides those     5     (significance) cultural artifacts related to Mahu Opera, other old objects in the museum also reflect the history of this village. “I never thought these old items could be used. They     6     (ignore) for a long time since they were no longer used.” said a villager in Xinjia.

In Xinjia village, with a population of only about 2,800, there are now five museums     7     (build) near local residences. Museums not only function     8     cultural center s for villagers in rural regions, helping them know more about the past and record local history, but can encourage tourists from cities     9     (visit) such regions.

“Through the     10     (construct) of museums, we aim to deliver a better living environment and also higher incomes to villagers,” said Sun Ying, Party chief of Xinjia village.

Over 400 pieces or sets of Dehua white porcelain (德化白瓷) are on display in the National Museum of China in Beijing, with the exhibition     1     (run) from Aug 26 for three months.

Dehua white porcelain is famous for its pure white color. According to Chen Chao,     2     artist dedicated to porcelain research, Dehua porcelain is     3     (extraordinary) pure and white because the kaolin (高岭土) in Dehua county in Fujian has a low percentage of iron,     4     (make) the porcelain stainless (无瑕的) like white jade.

Sitting in Quanzhou city,     5     the ancient Maritime Silk Road started, Dehua white porcelain       6     (sell) well at home and abroad since the Song Dynasty (960-1279). In 2006, Dehua white porcelain was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.

    7     the past glories, Dehua craftsmen (工匠) never stop refining (精进) their skills. One     8     (impress) skill is “the eggshell technique” (薄胎技艺). Chen said that it is just one of the     9     (achievement) that Chinese porcelain craftsmen have made on the long path of innovation.

“Combining traditional Chinese artistic skills with modern disciplines (学科), we will create even more outstanding works     10     (increase) the cultural confidence of the Chinese people.” said Chen.