Chinese painting is one of the     1    (old) continuous artistic traditions in the world. The materials     2    ( use) in Chinese paintings, the brush, ink or pigment, paper or silk, etc, have determined     3    (it) character and development over thousands of years.

Chinese paintings are     4    (close) related to Zen(禅宗) and Taoist ideals of total concentration on the act of the very moment,    5    the harmony between man and nature. They do not attempt to get the actual physical appearance of a     6    subject, but rather its essential nature. A Chinese appearance of painting has different perspectives (视角); every area of it is interesting. Landscapes are often painted from a viewpoint above the scene, so that many     7    (area) can be seen at once. In large scenes or landscapes, your eyes are meant     8    (travel) along a visual path     9    one area to another.

There are three main subjects of Chinese paintings: human figures, landscapes, and birds and flowers. After Chinese painters     10    (expose) to Western art during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, they began to develop new styles, which combined traditional Chinese painting with Western impressionism.

Dunhuang, located in Northwest China’s Gansu Province, is an important stop on the ancient Silk Road. What does Dunhuang look like today?

From Dec. 5th to 8th, the micro-variety show,     1     (title) “The Dunhuang You Don’t Know”, was released on social media platforms. Since the show released, the video series     2     (receive) millions of views online.

The show,     3     was produced by the art program center of the China Media Group, focused     4     the modern way of lives in Dunhuang, showcasing the inheritance and development of traditional Chinese culture. Dunhuang is renowned for     5     (it) numerous natural and cultural heritages. From the renowned Mogao Grottoes to the Crescent Spring, Chinese people are familiar with Dunhuang’s magnificent beauty. Yet, the micro series takes the audience on a journey     6     (discover) the uncovered, vivid and energetic modern lives of Dunhuang. The show guided viewers through the Mogao Grottoes and related exhibitions,     7     (provide) insights into the historical and cultural significance behind     8     fine pictures on the walls.

In recent years, with the rise in the     9     (popular) of the guochao trends, contemporary artists have transformed Dunhuang’s age-old art into creative cultural products. In this video series, the distinctive beauty of Dunhuang has     10     (real) captured people’s attention.

Dough sculpture (面塑), also known as dough (面团) flowers,     1     (date) back to the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220). Across north China     2     the folk art is widely spread, people take dough works as religious offerings and wedding gifts.

“The dough is made of wheat starch (淀粉), glutinous rice flour and honey,” said Liu Zenghui, a dough sculpture inheritor (继承人) in Binzhou, Shandong Province. Liu started to learn dough sculpture at an early age. His works center on     3     (hero) of ancient Chinese myths and classics. Each figure,     4     the shape, hair to the muscles and looks, is so vivid and eye-catching.

Watching Liu work is     5     visual delight. After he first shapes the colorful dough into a simple outline, it     6     (attach) to a small stick. With a knife, thread, and toothpicks, he then refines it and eventually creates a lifelike and visually     7     (strike) dough sculpture. “You can’t be too careful to control the knife, because once there is a wrong cut, you need to start all over again. Concentration is fundamental (基础的),     8     ensures minimal (最少的) noise and disturbance.” Liu said in his quiet workshop.

Also, Liu is glad to be invited     9    (give) lectures at schools. “Making the traditional art accessible to children     10    (mean) not only fun but a way to keep it alive,” he said.

A Stone Age bird sculpture uncovered in China could be a “missing link” in our understanding of prehistoric art. Dating back almost 13,500 years, the sculpture is now the oldest known example of three-dimensional art in East Asia.

Described     1     being in “an exceptional state of preservation,” the sculpture     2    (find) at an archeological site in Lingjing, Henan Province. It was hand-carved from burned animal bone. Researchers say the sculpture depicts (刻画) a bird on a base, pointing to deliberate marks     3     the creature’s eyes and bill (嘴) would be. It is believed that the bird’s oversized tail was made     4    (prevent) the sculpture from leaning forward when     5    (lay) on a surface. This discovery identifies a(n)     6    (origin) artistic tradition and pushes back by more than 8,500 years the representation of birds in Chinese art. The sculpture differs     7    (technologic) from other sculptures found in Western Europe and Siberia, and it could be the missing link     8    (trace) the origin of Chinese statues back to the early part of the Stone Age. Li Zhanyang, who led     9     study, has contributed to other archeological findings in Lingjing, including various ancient     10    (tool) and two skulls belonging to an extinct species of early humans.