New Year elements in China's traditional culture
Zodiac stamps for Year of the Dog
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201801/10/WS5a55b3aba3102e5b17371e2c.html
A customer shows a first day cover with the newly issued zodiac stamp in Xicheng district of Beijing, capital of China, Jan 5, 2018. China Post issued a set of special zodiac stamps for the Year of Dog with two different designs Friday. The Year of Dog, or Chinese traditional lunar New Year of this year, starts from Feb 16. [Photo/Xinhua]
Recently, China issued a set of zodiac stamps to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dog. The theme for this round of zodiac stamps is "happy family", and the new stamps depict Chinese domestic dogs. The year 2018 marks Chinese "Wu Xu Year", the Year of the Dog. In fact, not only zodiac stamps, elements of Chinese New Year can be found in many forms of Chinese folk arts.
China Post says the first stamp depicts a male dog with its chin up and its eyes straight ahead. Its two ears point upward, while its hind legs are forcefully thrust against the ground, ready to pounce on any intruders.
The second stamp shows a brown bitch lovingly gazing at its puppy. The black puppy holds its head up high and tries to stand straight. The mother and the puppy stand side by side, demonstrating maternal love.
The two stamps are connected, signifying a peaceful, harmonious family, and a prosperous, flourishing nation.
Dog-themed art from around the world
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201801/09/WS5a5422d9a31008cf16da5ede.html
2018 marks the Year of the Dog according to the Chinese zodiac. Dogs are lovely, loyal and kind, and their image is thought to have auspicious meaning. Artists from different countries have created a variety of dog-themed art. Let's take a look.
Malta kicks off Happy Chinese New Year celebrations
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201801/19/WS5a6161e0a3106e7dcc1354e5.html
A news conference for the 2018 Happy Chinese New Year in Valletta was held Jan 12 in the China Cultural Center in Malta, kicking off this year's celebrations for the Chinese Lunar New Year in the country.
Wang Yanjun, director of the China Cultural Center in Malta, briefed the audience on the 2018 Happy Chinese New Year in Valletta, a major event co-organized by the China Cultural Center and Valletta Local Council.
Wang said with the joint efforts of both nations, the celebrations during Chinese Lunar New Year have developed into one of Valletta’s annual events, contributing to the mutual understanding and cultural communication between China and Malta.
During the celebration, 18 major activities will be staged, including livestreaming, exhibitions, film screenings, a parade, a temple fair, a Chinese ancient poetry reading and other festival celebrations by Chinese artists.
On Feb 13, the Malta Carnival, with an outstanding history of 483 years, will welcome its first Chinese art troupe, the Zhejiang Wu Opera Troupe, to give performances for the Maltese people.
The Chinese Zodiac Creativity Exhibition , an event featuring woodblock printing, paper-cutting and shadow play about the 12 Chinese zodiac animals attracted a lot of local visitors on Jan 12.
Foreign students try out Chinese New Year customs
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201801/15/WS5a5c15eca3102c394518f3d6.html
International students at Jiangsu University visited local communities to experience Spring Festival culture. Students from countries such as the Netherlands, Ghana, Tajikistan and Tanzania learned from Chinese tutors the skills of Chinese calligraphy and paper-cutting.
Vivid paper-cuttings ring in the New Year
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201801/02/WS5a4b289da31008cf16da4a99.html
A folk artist shows her paper-cuttings featuring dogs to celebrate the Year of the Dog. [Photo/IC]
Jianzhi, or traditional Chinese paper-cutting, often has a heavy emphasis on Chinese characters symbolizing the Chinese zodiac animals.
Listed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists, Chinese paper-cutting remains popular in contemporary China, especially during special events such as the Chinese New Year or weddings.
Here are exquisite paper-cuttings to celebrate the Year of the Dog.
Folk artist creates long scroll of dog-themed paper-cuts
http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201801/23/WS5a66ae68a3106e7dcc13601c.html
The 79-year-old folk artist Zhang Fangchun, from Linyi city of Shandong province, has spent four months in creating a paper-cutting scroll titled "100 dogs celebrating the Spring Festival". The scroll, 10 meters long and 0.6 meters wide, portrays vivid dogs in different postures and facial expressions in high artistic quality.