中国传统文化(英文)

Chinese Civilization
Oracle
one of the oldest language in the world
Descendants of the Dragon
Chs common knowledge that China has a long history and glorious['ɡlɔ:riəs] (光荣的 ) history in both arts and traditional crafts. Chinese art, like Chinese literature, goes back many centuries. Early themes were developed from religious[ri'lidʒəs](宗教的) and supernatural (超自然的 )beliefs or from the natural environment and landscape. The arts and crafts are not only the embodiment [im'bɔdimənt](体现) of the people's longing for aesthetic [i:s'θetik](审美的) beauty for themselves and as gifts for others, but also great treasures for China and the rest of the world.
Amazing Land
China
Scenic spots in China
The Imperial Palace The Great Wall
The Huangdi Mausoleum
Taishan
Beautiful China
• China is one of the Four Ancient Civilizations (alongside Babylon, India and Egypt), according to Chinese scholar Liang Qichao (1900). It boasts a vast geographic expanse, 3,600 years of written history, as well as a rich and profound culture. Many aspects of Chinese culture can be traced back many centuries ago. Chinese culture is so diverse and unique, yet harmoniously blended, and presents itself an invaluable asset to the world.
Succeeding（随后的） a group of outstanding Peking Opera actors and actresses, including Mei Lanfang, Cheng Yanqiu, Ma Lianliang, Zhou Xinfang and Du Jinfang, young artists are constantly breathing new life into Peking Opera. The emergence[i‘mə:dʒəns] （展露）of young actors and actresses with beautiful, elegant stage appearances, such as Wang Rongrong and Yu Kuizhi, since the 1990s has demonstrated（证明） that Peking Opera has qualified successors （合格的继承人）
Paper-cuting is a very distinctive
visual art(视觉艺术) of Chinese handicrafts(手工艺) . It originated from(发源于) the 6th century when women used to paste(张贴) golden and silver foil(银箔) cuttings onto their hair at the temples, and men used them in sacred rituals（神圣的仪式）. Later, they were used during festivals to decorate gates and windows. After hundreds of years' development, now they have become a very popular means of decoration among country folk, especially women.
The main cutting tools are simple: paper and scissors[‘sizəz]（剪刀） or an engraving[in’ɡreiviŋ]（雕刻） knife, but clever and deft（灵巧的） craftspeople are remarkably（显著地） good at cutting in the theme of daily life. When you look at items made in this method carefully, you will be amazed by the true to life expressions of the figure‘s sentiment and appearance, or portrayal[pɔ:’treiəl]（描绘） of natural plants and animals‘ diverse gestures（姿 态） . Patterns of chrysanthemum display the curling petals（卷曲的花瓣）, pied magpies（喜鹊） show their tiny feathers and others such as a married daughter returning to her parents' home, or young people paying a New Year call to their grandparents.
A basin with the pattern of human face and fish, Neolithic Age
a pottery from
Yangshao Culture
As time passed, the technique became more and more consummate(至上的 ). Different kinds of pottery appeared in different times and regions. Yangshao Culture, 5,000 - 7,000 years ago to today, developed a technique for painted pottery. Qujialing Culture and Longshan Culture, dating back about 4,000 years ago, were known for their black pottery. During the Shang Dynasty (16th - 11th century BC) bronze vessels grew into somewhat(几分) of a status symbol(社会地位象征) ; common people, though, still used traditional clay pottery. Workshops of grey and white potters took the artistic features of bronze wares(商品) and decorated their articles ornately.
Peking Opera and Local Operas
China boasts（以有…而自豪） more than 300 forms of traditional opera, of which Peking Opera is the most popular. Peking opera was evolved from（由…进化） the Kunqu Opera, an even more ancient art of drama. The latter was listed among the first batch of mankind’s representative works of oral and nonmaterial [,nɔnmə‘tiəriəl]（非物质 的） heritage[’heritidʒ]（遗产） by the UNESCO[ju:‘neskəu]（联合国教科文组织） in May 2001. Peking Opera as a unique art combining singing, music, chanting（念咒） , dancing and martial arts into one, took shape in the early 19th century in Beijing. In the over 200 years of performance practice, Peking Opera has developed characteristic types of meter in music and stylized [’stailaizd] （风格化） movements of performers, as well as more than 1,000 routines（惯例） in the repertoire[‘repətwɑ:]（全部节目） .
Chinese Painting is divided into three genres(流派) figures, landscapes, and birds-and-flowers and each type has its distinctive characteristics. In addition, difficult skills are required to the painters of Chinese painting. The tools used in traditional Chinese painting are paintbrush(毛笔), ink, traditional paint and special paper or silk.
Bathing Horses by Zhao Mengfu (赵孟頫 )
Chinese Pottery may be the oldest artwork（艺术品) of
human beings. As far back as the Neolithic[,ni:əu'liθik] Age(新石器时代) (more than 8,000 years ago), people began mixing(v. 混合) clay and water then baking it until it held its shape. Ancient people attached the word 'pottery' to their discovery and used it to create various vessels(容器) and tools to improve the quality of life. Over the course of thousands of years, pottery became dominant['dɔminənt](支 配的) wares in people's daily life: used to cook, to store things, and to hold cuisine or waters as dishes.