See original article on the Robb Report website.  For more information about these magnificent Chinese cities, take a look at our “Destinations” pages.        » Read more »

China’s art community is crossing borders and making a name for itself by hosting a myriad of annual art shows. While private companies and galleries tend to run these shows, the Chinese government has made efforts to support national and international contemporary art within China recently. This fall two major art shows, BolognaFiere Shanghai Contemporary Art Show and Beijing Design Week, innovatively merge China’s knack for inventions with international perspective. Launched in 2007,  » Read more »

China’s contemporary literature scene is going from strength to strength. In 2012, Mo Yan won the Nobel Prize for Literature, putting China firmly on the modern literary map. Literary festivals in Beijing and Shanghai now attract big international names as well as national writers.   Yet, as late as 1950, China’s literacy rate was only 20 percent. When the Communists came to power in 1949 they made raising the literacy rate one of their top priorities.  » Read more »

Taijiquan or taichi, a form of Chinese kung fu, is the embodiment of the Chinese philosophical belief that heaven is round. Practitioners of the martial art of taichi use round, circular movements of the arms and body to create the energy that is needed to defeat their opponents.  Dr. Hao, a taichi expert with a PhD in Traditional Chinese Sports, guides us through some basic taichi movements in the article ‘Taijiquan Movements and the Thought of Circle in Chinese Culture’.  » Read more »

Beating drums urge the rowers on as a multi-colored crowd cheers from the shore. The oarsmen stare straight ahead, sitting within boats with glowing eyes, willing themselves to win and therefore bring luck and good fortune to the cities they represent. Zongzi, or pyramid shaped sticky rice dumplings, are tossed into the water as the Dragon Boats fly to the finish line continuing an almost 2,000 year old tradition. June 20 marks this year’s annual Dragon Boat Festival,  » Read more »