1 . Out- of- hours: an introduction to China

200ct 2022-17 Dec 2022

Journey through the extraordinary cultures of China in this special guided tour before the Museum opens to the public.

In the Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery of China, you will gain an insight into the development of Chinese history and culture from 5000 BC to the present day.

In a beautifully refurnished space which has recently re-opened, this introductory tour will give you a deep appreciation for the magnificent objects on display featuring Tang dynasty tomb figures buried around AD 728 and beautiful Ming dynasty blue-and-white porcelain (瓷器).

Gallery on this tour:

• Room 33: China (Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery)

Booking information

• The tour will begin at 9:00 and will last for 60 minutes.

• Please meet at the Main entrance on Great Russell Street (WC1B 3DG) at 8:50 with your email confirmation.

• This tour is limited to a maximum of 20 places per session. If you would like to bring a group of 10 or more people or arrange a special out-of-hours tour, please email traveltradebookings@britishmuseum.org to discuss your options.

• To ensure a safe and enjoyable visit, face coverings are required for the protection of yourself and others. Please be considerate of people and exercise social distancing where you can — especially in smaller spaces. Hand sanitizer (洗手液) stations can be found throughout the Museum and we recommend washing your hands regularly.

• All measures are subject to change in accordance with government guidelines (Opens in new window) and Museum regulations. Further information can be found in our FAQs section.

Meeting point:

Main entrance — Great Russell Street (WC1B 3DG)

Price:

• £33

• £16 (Ages 5-15 years)

• Free tor under 5s and disabled visitors’ assistant (no booking required)

The minority of Red Yao is one of the ethnic minorities in China, living in north of Guilin. Guangxi Region, especially on Longji Rice Terraces(梯田). One of the     1    (big)Yao festivals is the Clothes Drying Festival, which falls     2     the sixth day of the sixth lunar month. In practice, women lay out all their traditional costumes under the sun. This serves the double purposes of disinfection and allowing the ladies to show off     3     they have. If it rains, they will spread their costumes indoors,     4    (leave)the door open.

That day, local Yao people took their clothes outside their house to dry and seek fortune. Later,     5    (dress)in their treasured costumes, they showcased how to make traditional clothes, performed group weddings and gave other unique performances as a way     6    (attract)tourists.

Yao people in the area     7    (observe)the festival for centuries. Tradition has it that the celebration ceremony is held between the famous terraced rice     8    (field)in this area.

The celebration continues into night     9     reaches its height when the people light up their doorways under the starry sky. In addition, fireworks are set off.

The celebration varies     10    (slight)from place to place. In Guiping County nearby, Yao people stand in squares waving their hands to the sun and express their admiration at dusk.

5 . Four European Festivals You Don’t Want to Miss in 2023

Berck-sur-Mer Kite Festival

For over two decades,more than half a million visitors have come to watch the splendid display of kites flying over the seaside town of Berck-sur-Mer. Taking place every March or April,the festival sees giant dragons, whales, and various cartoon characters in the skies over the sandy beach. The festival also plays host to the International Kite Championships of the World every two years. During this time, experts from all over the world compete against the wind and each other.

Cannes Film Festival

Film lovers will no doubt want to head to the world’s most famous movie festival, the Cannes Film Festival. The red-carpet event was created by a French Minister of Education and Fine Arts. He wanted to establish an international cultural event in France to rival(与……抗衡)the Venice Film Festival. And it’s safe to say, he succeeded. More than 30, 000 professionals, such as directors, actors and actresses from all over the world attend the annual festival.

Menton Lemon Festival

Held over two weeks in February, the Lemon Festival celebrates all things concerning lemons in the city of Menton. More than 200. 000 visitors come to watch the colorful floats(花车)and sculptures created from lemons and oranges. During the daytime, parades of fruit-covered floats make their way through the streets as wind musicians and drummers entertain the crowd.

Nice Carnival

I am honored to give a presentation about Chinese culture to international students at your invitation.

Sincerely yours,

Li Hua

A new chain of coffee shops has sprung up in the city of Wuxi, East China’s Jiangsu province, themed on the ancient Huishan clay figurine (泥人) culture—with a few modern adaptations. The Nanimomo Cafe chain has expanded     1     (rapid) since May last year and now has 11     2     (branch) in operation. The coffee shops display     3     range of figurines and related creative cultural products. In addition     4     drinking coffee, visitors can choose whether     5     (have) a go at making clay sculptures on site.

Huishan clay figurines are made from the black clay found at the foot of Huishan Mountain in Wuxi. They are said to have a     6     (record) history of more than 400 years. And they     7     (list) among the first batch (批) of China’s national intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) in 2006. In Wuxi dialect, Huishan clay figurines are pronounced nanimomo. The two most famous     8     (tradition) figurines are A Fu and A Xi, meaning “good fortune” and “joy”, and the factory has designed and produced several new figurines, such as Nani and Momo,    9     are more modern and attractive to young consumers. There are also several cute and colorful characters,    10     (carry) different types of food for which Wuxi is famous: spare ribs (排骨), peaches and steamed buns.

Beginning on March 21 and ending on April 4, Chunfen, or Spring Equinox, as the name     1     (indicate), begins when the day and the night are of equal     2     (long). During this period, the sun’s position in the sky moves northwards, marking a     3     (gradual) longer day in the Northern Hemisphere and a longer night in the Southern Hemisphere. In the two weeks, Chinese traditionally like to head out to fly kites or play a game in which they try to balance an egg to make     4     stand up.

There are many     5     (attract) customs that have been passed down in different places across China over the centuries to celebrate this unique day. At first, it     6     (use)by ancient farmers to mark the beginning of the sowing season and farm work, at the same time welcoming the season of spring. As time passed, customs     7     (surround) Chunfen produced various activities such as dragon dances and waist drum performances.

    8     the Spring Equinox right around the corner, crowds of people from around the country have been heading to Anren, a small county in Hunan Province,     9     (take) part in ceremonies to memorialize China’s “Divine Farmer” Shennong and pray for a good harvest.

There are also some celebrations that are seen in most places around China, some of     10     have even made their way overseas.