Why Do The Miao Apply The Image of Oxen To Their Silver Jewels?
Living in the remote mountainous areas of southwestern China, the Miao ethnic group like and respect oxen. To them, an ox is a lucky animal. They apply the image of oxen to their embroidery, batik, and silver jewels. In the 12-year animal cycles, the year of ox is considered the most prosperous year.
However in many other parts of China, a tiger year is considered a hopeful year. Why do the Miao prefer oxen? Here is a story:
A long, long time ago an ox and a tiger were neighbors in a mountain. They both had great strength. One day they wanted…
Read more on World Travel Guide..Assembling Your Paper Lantern
September 29, 2009 by Cody Scholberg
Filed under China
Paper lanterns usually come disassembled, so you will need to put them together before using them. Do not worry, for this is really easy to do. That being said, do not rush into assembling them as soon as you get your lantern. You should first read the instructions or a guide like this, as they are fragile.
Paper lanterns are usually globe shaped, so their design is fairly simple to work with. The come flat, and they are flat for so long that they like to revert back to this flat state. To prevent them from doing so, an…
Read more on World Travel Guide..Get Easy-To-Use purple clay tea cups In Beijing
August 12, 2009 by Philippe Chavanne
Filed under China
Purple clay from the county of Yixing is considered the best natural material for making tea sets in China. I found one shop near the Beijing Hongkun hotel that has a great selection of these teapots at reasonable prices.
Purple clay teapots are not only excellent at absorbing the flavor and enriching the aroma of your tea, but they also keep the original taste of it.
I paid a visit to the Chayuan Tea City, which is located on the south end of the Maliandao Tea Street. Here, I found some elegant purple clay teapots and cups in a shop…
Read more on World Travel Guide..Beijing Sights Close To Your Hotel: The Temple Of Heaven
August 1, 2009 by Philippe Chavanne
Filed under China
Beijing has been the center of religious worship since the Ming dynasty emperor Yongle made it China’s capital. Of all the temples built to praise supernatural forces, the Temple of Heaven stands as the most impressive.
Governing the worlds largest population, Chinese emperors needed more than just intimidation and an effective government. They had to show their subjects that they had the legitimacy to rule.
As you enter this tremendous temple, a mysterious world once closed off from the average person is now ready to show all its mystery.
Enter from the southern gate. First you’ll see the Hall…
Read more on World Travel Guide..Lamps And Carpets In Beijing
July 24, 2009 by Cathryn Zhang
Filed under China
Take unique and high quality Tibetan carpets back home
In the northeast of Beijing lies an antique market near the Beijing Taiyue Suites Hotel. Yesterday I went there and found a shop carrying Tibetan carpets and classical furniture. Their fantastic carpets can make your home even more lovely.
There are many carpets and tapestries displayed in the shop. I liked their beautiful, exquisite patterns and the natural, fresh colors.
All of the products in this shop are entirely handmade.
Touching a carpet, it’s so soft and warm. If you put one of them in your room, it would be a great…
Read more on World Travel Guide..The Old Smith Smashed His Purple Clay Teapot And Regained His Peaceful Life
June 27, 2009 by Philippe Chavanne
Filed under China
This is a real-life story. A poor ironsmith was unexpectedly offered 25,000 US dollars for his small purple clay teapot! But in the end he made a ‘crazy’ decision. Is he crazy or something? Can we ever understand what he really wanted?
This story is about an old blacksmith who lives in his shop on an old street. As no one needs the iron ware he forged in the old days, he’s turned to selling iron pans, axes, and dog chains. The way he does his business is very old and traditional: He sits behind the door, the goods…
Read more on World Travel Guide..Tips for choosing purple clay teapots
If you already know that a purple clay teapot is needed to bring you a wonderful tea time, the problem is: how do you choose the best teapot for you? This article will show you some basics, and make you an expert when picking a purple clay teapot.
To choose a good, suitable purple clay teapot, you should pay attention to three aspects: how useful it is, the quality of the workmanship, and the quality of the materials used to make it.
Can it get the job done?
1. Suitable capacity: For a tea service for two to five people, a…
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