Not far away from     1     Tang Yin was born, a special exhibition (展览) featuring the original paintings and calligraphy of the famous master from the Ming Dynasty (1368—1644) was held in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province in April, 2024.

In the exhibition showing the works of Tang, one particular painting stood out as the centerpiece— “two sparrows (麻雀) on a tree”. The masterpiece (杰作) shows the     2     (peace) beauty of spring.

    3     (remember) the 500th anniversary (周年纪念) of Tang’s passing, the Suzhou Bay Museum specially held this exhibition, marking the masterpiece’s     4    (one) public exhibition since 2010.

“It’s considered     5     treasure of our museum, and rightly so. Fewer than 200     6     (piece) by Tang Yin are known to exist. Among these, the works describing flowers and birds are especially valuable, with only two such paintings confirmed to be in     7     (exist) today,” said Ru Yuelai, director of the Suzhou Bay Museum. According to the museum, this masterpiece     8     (find) in the late 1970s once again. It reflects the skills of Song Dynasty (960—1279) artists.

Tang, better known by his name Bohu, was famous     9     his great talents in painting, calligraphy. and poetry. His works     10     (main) reflect the beauty of “Jiangnan”, the attractive region south of the Yangtze River where he was living.

The Yingge dance is a combination of opera, dance and wushu. Typically, the dance     1     (perform) during festivals and celebrations, with dancers wearing colorful costumes and carrying masks, snakes, spears and drums. Its rich history and cultural     2     (significant) have earned it the distinction of being classified as a national intangible cultural heritage (遗产) in China.

On Chinese New Year, a Yingge team     3     (consist) of 16 dancers from the Chaoshan region of Guangdong Province gave a wonderful performance in London. The event provided     4     unique opportunity for UK residents to experience the richness and diversity of Chinese culture.

The dance team’s commitment     5     their craft was evident in their preparation. For over a month, they devoted     6     (they) to perfecting their performance, ensuring every step, every gesture, and every beat was in harmony. The dancers, many of     7     had more than 15 years of performance experience, showed their devotion to preserving this ancient art form.

So far, the Yingge dance     8     (cross) borders, attracting audiences in foreign countries such as Thailand. The celebration of the Spring Festival has become a global phenomenon, with “Spring Festival Parades”     9     (hold) in several countries each year. Nearly one-fifth of the world’s population now celebrates the Chinese New Year in     10     (vary) styles, reflecting the growing influence of Chinese culture worldwide.