Every year, from the 15th to the 18th day of the lunar month of March, the girls in the Miaozhai Village, situated by the Dou Shui River     1     Wuzhishan City and Baoting County meet,     2     (happy) celebrate the traditional Sister Festival.

During these days, following the age-old customs of the Heinan Miao people, they have a special meal known as the “Sister Rice”. It     3     (make) by girls picking wildflowers and leaves from the mountains, dyeing (给……染色) the rice different colors,     4     steaming (蒸) it. After     5     (enjoy) the rice, they join young men in special clothes for sports activities by the river.

Legend has it that the festival originated from the following story: A long time ago, many girls lived by the Dou Shui River. Due to its remote location, it was difficult for them     6     (meet) people from other places, and as a result, they remained unmarried. Later they came up with a     7     (wonder) idea. In March, each girl contributed some rice and invited girls and young men from other areas for a meal. During the meal, they did various lively     8     (activity): some sang and danced, some raced horses, some played drums, and a few even did bullfighting. Over time, the local girls and the visiting young men developed deep friendships, which eventually led     9     lifelong partnerships.

Since then, the village     10     (continue) the tradition, celebrating the Sister Festival every year.

The 2023 Chinese Bridge Calligraphy and Painting Contest lasted for six months,     1     (attract) 1, 084 contestants from 86 countries     2     a total of 1, 146 calligraphy and painting works.

According to experts, the award winning calligraphy works this year mirrored many Chinese classic elements with more     3     (expressive) and creativity, compared to the winners of last year's contest,

“I feel honored to be the judge again and also     4     (delight) to find that the entries for this year have been such a breakthrough. From their progress, you can     5     (definite) see the authors must have spent a lot of time and energy learning traditional Chinese culture, ” commented one of the judges.

At the closing ceremony, Zhang Bo, professor from Beijing Language and Culture University, gave high praise of the achievement of overseas Chinese teaching,     6     played a significant role in cultural exchanges. He said the quality of the entries resulted from the contestants' years of study, as well as     7     guidance and assistance of overseas Chinese teaching behind them.

The experts suggested watching the videos about the contestants on the website. “Through these videos, we can see their daily practice and creation process,     8     we can also feel their understanding and love for Chinese culture from their introductions. The creative process of calligraphy and painting     9     (have) a visual appreciation similar to dance. It is our hope that these videos     10     (share) on social media will encourage more people to develop a love for Chinese culture.”

Thirty cultural relics have been returned to the Chinese mainland from Taiwan thanks to the joint efforts of people on both sides     1     the Strait.

They,     2     (transfer) to the National Cultural Heritage Administration on Monday, marked the     3     (large) return of lost relics to the mainland from Taiwan in recent years. Thirteen of the returned pieces, including the heads of broken Buddhist images,     4     (show) at a donation ceremony at the National Museum of China in Beijing on Monday. Wu Chih-yang, co-president of the association, confirmed that the returned relics were collected by “warmhearted people” from overseas     5     then gathered by the association. Wu said, “Donation of these items is more than     6     exchange of cultural heritage across the Strait. Cultural     7     (communicate) has always played a crucial role in     8     (strengthen）our links.” Sammy Yang, vice-chancellor of Taipei's Shih Hsin University, said a preliminary (初步的) assessment in Taiwan two years ago     9     (indicate) a high degree of similarity in the artistic styles, materials and craftsmanship of some of the painted sculptures with others in Shanxi province.

Analysis of cutting marks on some head statues led to the guess     10     they may have been stolen about 30 years ago, considering some statues were cut and stolen from a Shanxi temple in an identical way in 1993. They were later found and returned from Taiwan in 1999.

Art Nova 100 has returned to its regular venues near Beijing’s Wangfujing commercial area, offering a more diverse program this year. It’s     1    , annual celebration launched 13 years ago to promote and support artists. Exhibitions are     2     (current) taking place at the Guardian ArtCenter and Longfu Plaza in Dongcheng district, as. well as at the Rong Art space in Haidian district. They showcase recent works of       3     (emerge) artists and foster connections within the historic city center and       4     (it) surrounding university neighborhoods.

Each year, the exhibitions serve as a platform, spotlighting the     5     (innovate) creations of young artists. And they also provide opportunities       6     potential collectors and sponsors to engage with and support these rapidly growing talents.

A new     7     (add) to this year’s program is a creative section, which links shops located in the hutong alleyways run by artists, designers, and other individuals. The aim of this is       8     (enhance) attendees’ experiences by demonstrating     9     art can be integrated into their lives, inspiring new ways of living.

The activities     10     (continue) throughout the following holiday week, offering compelling opportunity for art enthusiasts and the community at large to engage with and be inspired by the burgeoning creativity showcased at Art Nova 100.

Shadow puppetry—also called shadow play—     1     (get) its start thousands of years ago in China and India. This unique form of storytelling is the     2     (old) type of puppetry in the world so far.

    3     is placed between a light and a screen is a vividly—shaped shadow puppet. Moving it creates the illusion(错觉) of a moving image on the screen.     4     experienced puppeteer can make figures appear to walk, fight and dance.

The first shadow puppets were likely made out of animal hides (兽皮). Their strength and     5     (flexible) allowed the puppeteer to move the puppet easily to create the desired effects. Today, a wide variety of materials are accessible     6     people. You might see shadow puppets made out of paper, plastic, wood or cloth. There’s no end to how creative puppeteers can be when     7     (make) puppets.

Shadow puppets are usually constructed in     8     (whole) separate pieces that are then put together with strings or wires. The strings or wires are usually attached to long rods (杆) that the puppeteer will use     9     (control) the movement of the puppet.

Although shadow puppets can be very creative and elaborate, they also can be very simple. With little       10     no experience, a classroom can put on a simple shadow play with little expense and just a little time.

Qinqiang Opera is a local Chinese opera that mainly thrives (繁荣) in north west China’s Shaanxi Province, as well as its neighboring regions, like Gansu and Qinghai Provinces. It has the most ancient and     1     (large) musical system of all Chinese operas.

    2     (arise) from local folk songs and dance forms in the Yellow River Valley,     3     is the birthplace of Chinese culture, the opera first appeared in the Qin Dynasty.     4     (it) time-honored history has offered Qinqiang Opera a reputation as the forefather     5     Chinese operas.

Its contents usually feature such themes as anti-aggression (反侵略) wars, as well as a number of other     6     (topic) of strong human interest that reflect the characteristics of local people.

Qinqiang Opera is also one of the earliest operatic musical systems to reflect the emotions of human beings.     7     (equip) with a set of performing skills created by the artists, Qinqiang Opera     8     (influence) other operatic forms for long. During the Qing Dynasty, Qinqiang Opera entered Beijing and     9     (direct) affected the formation of Peking Opera. Qinqiang Opera thrived during     10     rule of Emperor Qianlong when Qinqiang troupes (剧团) were distributed throughout the country.

Mamianqun, also known as “Horse-faced Skirt”, is     1     kind of traditional Chinese dress. Actually, the name “Mamianqun” has nothing to do with the animal. There is a theory that the “skirt doors” of Mamianqun     2     (close) look like “Ma Mian”, a kind of structure used for defense on the ancient city walls, so the skirt got the name “Mamianqun”. But this is still a question to be verified.

Mamianqun, dating back     3     the Song Dynasty, had become the most typical style for women by the Ming and Qing dynasties. It became prominent due to     4     (it) use by nobility and the rich as a status symbol. The style of Mamianqun     5     (go) through a series of changes since it emerged. However, the “Ma Mian” structure has always been deeply rooted.

Silk, the most revered (受尊敬的) fabric in ancient China, was the     6     (prefer) material for making a Mamianqun, particularly for the upper class of society. Mamianqun has numerous pleats (褶) on either side,     7     (create) uniquely beautiful and graceful waves when walking. The most attractive aspect is the elegant patterns on the skirt     8     represent people’s beautiful aspirations in Chinese clothing culture, such as the Depiction of Birds Adoring the Phoenix and Prosperity and Blooming Flowers.

Mamianqun, with deep historical roots, has transitioned into modern fashion, where it serves as a bridge between the past     9     present. Nowadays, Mamianqun is gaining increasing     10     (popular) among both Chinese and foreigners.

Everybody dreams, but different cultures have different theories about what dreams are and how they should     1     (interpret). Chinese dream theory is based on ancient texts, beliefs, and traditions, originates from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine,     2     offers very different dream meanings to Western psychologists and theorists.

Dreaming of a baby, on the one hand, can indicate your own     3     (pure) and simplicity, or it can suggest your own fragility and desire to be loved. Do not be afraid if you dream of death. It is not     4     (necessary) a bad thing. Dreaming of a dead person could mean that you want to forget some unpleasant past events and are ready to come out of frustration and welcome     5     new life. Don’t rely too heavily     6     one dream interpretation to assess your character or your future. But do rationally be mindful of any warnings     7     (contain) within your dreams: your subconscious could be calling out to you in your sleep.

Dreams have unstable     8     (characteristic). They are affected by many factors, for example changes in your environment, changes in sleep patterns, negative emotions, psychological pressure, etc. Moreover, Chinese dream theory is only one thought system for     9     (analyze) dreams. Figuring out     10     your dream content relates to can sometimes be a challenge.

Born and raised in a village in Hunan province, Liu Dai’e     1     (introduce) a new technique to the traditional craft of Tujia brocade (锦缎) weaving over the past two years, which in 2006 was named as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Made by skilled weavers and     2     (involve) more than 10 processes, Tujia brocade features over 200classic designs.

Liu, who is     3     her 60s, said: “Only one side of these traditional products is woven with patterns, while     4     other side is left rough. It took me seven years to master the technique of presenting distinctive Tujia     5     (element) on both sides to my complete     6     (satisfy).”

As a national inheritor of the craft, Liu said, “Handwork is present throughout the entire process, and     7     (produce) designs that are more delicate than others, I use one shuttle line, instead of two.”

In 1986, Liu launched a Tujia brocade business with her sisters. She sensed the way in     8     the local brocade industry needed to develop, and took     9     to a high-end customized market. After that, Liu became     10     (intense) aware of the popularity of products featuring traditional designs made from materials such as silk and wool.

Shu embroidery (刺绣), also     1     (call) “Chuan embroidery”, is one of the four famous embroidery     2    (style) in China.

It     3     (enjoy) a high reputation as “a treasure of Sichuan” ever since the Han Dynasty. The technique of Shu embroidery reached     4     (it) peak during the Song Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, many embroidery workshops were set up.

After     5     founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Shu embroidery technique was     6     (great) improved and it developed various new kinds. Shu embroidery is famous     7     its superb workmanship, smooth and bright in quality. It has strong expression and artistic effect. The features     8     (say) to be fine and smooth needlework, simple and elegant colors, graceful and easy lines and the traditional Chinese paintings’ style. The needling characteristics lie in the even stitches (针法), bright threads, closeness     9     softness in quality. The embroidery takes locally-produced colorful cloth and threads as the materials.

The unique designs on Shu embroidery include flowers, birds, landscapes, fish, and human figures. Relevant products include curtains, wedding dresses, skirts, bedding and so on. It mainly employs the themes of     10     (happy).