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Black sheep brings the edge
Art+Culture / Arts
Written by : Shane Qin
Dec 1, 2008
Tags :
Black sheep brings the edge
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| While high-profile exhibitions such as the Guangzhou
Triennial have opened Chinese audiences' eyes to avantgarde
contemporary art, they have little to do with the PRD
art scene, which needs a more accessible, grass-roots platform for
local independent artists to emerge from the underground.
Fortunately, some concerned organizations and individuals
are already working on that, and among them, Guangzhou-based
American sculptor and art teacher Daniel. M. Krause is certainly
worth giving credit to for his effort in making the "Karakul
– Guangzhou's Contemporary Arts Festival" happen. "No matter
where you come from, as long as you're living and making art in
Guangzhou, Karakul is a way letting everybody see these original
works produced here," claims Krause.
Krause, who came to Guangzhou in 1988 for his MFA at the
Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, was supposed to go back to the
States and work in special effects in Hollywood. However, t ... ... |
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An Introduction to Chinese Philosophy
Art+Culture / Books of the Month
Written by : Ernest White
Oct 29, 2008
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An Introduction to Chinese Philosophy
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AUTHOR : Karyn L. Lai AVAILABLE : Now
Chinese philosophy continues to exert a profound
influence on modern China, in ways that are often little understood
by visitors from abroad. Fortunately, help is at hand, for
while Karyn L. Lai's introductory guide to Chinese philosophy is
intended as an undergraduate textbook, it will also be useful for
waiguoren who want to start exploring the country's culture and
history in more depth. It seems easier, of course, to tackle something
like Daoism when it is repackaged as bite-sized chunks
of self-help wisdom or explained with reference to Winnie the
Pooh, but the advantage of a book like Lai's is its rigour and
scope. Although her explanations are sometimes a little dry
and repetitive, in "An Introduction to Chinese
Philosophy" the author manages very successfully
to outline the most important traditions, from
Confucianism and Daoism to Legalism and Mohism, while locating
them within ... ... |
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A Stroll Down Lizhiwan Lu
Feature / Cover Story
Written by : Christine Laskowski
Oct 10, 2008
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| Historically, Xiguan or "Old Guangzhou," located in
Liwan District has been the center of the city's antiques
and handicrafts industry. Many streets in the
district, such as Yuansheng Xijie and Changshou Lu,
have been firmly established in the jade trade since as far back
as the Qing dynasty. However, as the reputation of the district hasgrown
and businesses have expanded over the years, so too has
the demand for additional space.
In response to this, the government of Liwan District, in 1996,
decided to build the Xiguan Curio Center, located on a short
stretch of Lizhiwan Lu. In contrast to the surrounding bazaar
streets, the aim of the center is to provide a special trading zone
for certified antique dealers and handicraftsmen.
The large wooden gate, with a poem inscribed in traditional
characters on the center panel, marks the entrance to the Xiguan
Curio Center. Stepping through, it does feel like a step back in
time -- the red-tiled pagod ... ... |
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Who's up for some wet and wild?
Feature / Features
Written by : Lena Gidwani
Jul 13, 2008
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wild
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While most people don't associate water sports with Guangdong, there are a surprising number of places up north that provide decent aquatic thrills and chills.
A mere 90-minute drive north of Guangzhou (about 70kms) will bring you to the scenic town of Qingyuan, strategically positioned on the Beijiang River at the North tip of the PRD. A very popular tourist area (and commonly referred to as the "green backyard" of the province), Qingyuan boasts a breathtaking combination of mountains and water, reminiscent of the scenery in Guilin. Trek further north towards the clear rivers nestled among the lush peaks and you'll find an action-packed whitewater rafting escapade. Coool.
Ok, so The Colorado River it ain't, and the true adventurer at heart might be a tad disappointed at the 'trickling' speed of the rapids, but it's certainly an activity to get your hear-rate pumping. Expect never-ending torrents of swirling downstream eddies towards ... ... |
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Bordeaux, Napa Valleyand... Shanxi?
Food+Drink (Guangzhou) / Wine Culture
Written by : Elliot Brenchley
Jun 5, 2008
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wine
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| n our last issue, we talked about new versus old world wines, and perhaps the newest of all the new world wines (for such an ancient place) seems to be tricking slowly out of the dry, northern
regions of China.
You've all seen the Great Wall and Dynasty wines on the shelves at 7-11 and, frankly, you have cause to be prejudiced against them. Over-manipulated, sweet and unvaried, domestically grown wines have gone a long way towards creating a negative stereotype for China's wines. All is not lost however, and there are presentable wines on the market representing some of the best of what the
nation has to offer.
That's PRD recently sat down with Judy Leissner, CEO of Grace Vineyards to discuss the challenges that go into making a high-standard wine in China:
Firstly, where exactly do you grow your wines?
Our vineyard is located in Taigu, Shanxi Province. Before we built the vineyard, we spent two years looking for vineyard sites across China and believed that Taigu would b ... ... |
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Beating down the dragon
Feature / Features
Written by : Shane Qin
Jun 5, 2008
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dragon boat festival
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| Widely considered a centuries-old folk custom in memory of China's great poet and patriot Qu Yuan (屈原, 340- 221BC), the dragon boat race (赛龙舟) today is widely loved across the nation, and on the Pearl River especially.
The increasing participation of foreign athletes has also taken this ancient Chinese sport to a new and international level. More excitingly, the race will be a performance event at the upcoming 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and officially a competition event of the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou. Awesome stuff!
Luckily, we don't have to wait long for action, since this year's Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Race takes place this month after the Duanwu Festival.
We took the opportunity to join a dragon boat race team during practice training. Yet the team we joined is not just any "regular" outfit. Propped up by some 32 MBA students and exchange students from the prestigious Sun Yat-sen University Lingnan College, it includes locals and f ... ... |
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24 hours around...Guangzhou's temples
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : Cen Jieying
Jun 5, 2008
Tags :
travel
temples
religion
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| The hustle and bustle of the Pearl River Delta can often be
totally overwhelming. That's why we offer this little travel
page – to give you some idea about getting out of the cities
for a long weekend in order to rejuvenate your body and
mind. And, if it's spiritual healing you're after, then the tranquility and
peace of Guangzhou's many temples are a perfect place to melt into
the Great Absolute again. Here's how we did it...
9.45am
Energize yourself, Cantonese style, with a beef rice roll, preserved
egg and pork congee breakfast, together with a couple of deep-fried
twisted dough sticks at Yin Ji (519 Hui Fu East Road), one of the iconic
morning restaurants of Guangzhou.
10.45am
Now visit the Temple of Forgiving. Follow a narrow lane just beside
Yin Ji and arrive in Da Fo Si, or The Grand Buddhist Temple (21 Hui
Xin Zhong Jie, Hui Fu East Rd.) The name of the temple, of course,
indicates tolerance and forgiveness. Originally built by the ... ... |
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The bearable lightness of being
Art+Culture / Arts
Written by : Shane Qin
Jun 5, 2008
Tags :
contemporary arts
sculpture
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| When talking about classic Italian sculpture one can easily visualize epic marble statues from ancient Roman times or Michelangelo's majestic 'David' from the Renaissance Period. But, by late 19th century, sculptors in Italy had already began experimenting with new mediums (with aesthetic meanings) in the hope of breaking new ground.
With advanced materials and technologies invented, Italian contemporary sculpture in the past century has gained a kind of revo- lutionary presentation. However, little of it known by the rest of the world because there were so few Italian artists able to hold decent exhibitions outside the country.
To fill the gap, an ongoing exhibition at Shenzhen's He Xiangning Art Museum, entitled "Subtle Energies of Matter – Italian Contemporary Sculpture International Review", offers the public the opportunity to learn about the development of Italian contemporary sculpture.
It showcases altogether 50 works of 31 Ita ... ... |
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Climb every mountain...
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : Lena Gidwani
May 9, 2008
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| Those who aspire to ascend the 29,028-foot peak of Qomolangma (Mt Everest) this month will have to scupper their plans - at least till 10 May. Its temporary "closure" (for obvious reasons) means that adventurers will have to set their sights on something a little less, um, steep, yet closer to home.
For some two thousand years, the grassy peaks of Guangdong have always inspired scholars, scribes, poets and painters. Yet for the rest of us, who want to see havens of beauty undisturbed by pollution and noise, these glorious natural wonders are only a short drive away. Guangzhou leans against the Jiulian Mountains in the north, Luofu Mountain in the west, Qingyun Mountain in the east, and the Jiulian-Nankun Mountain range in the middle, giving the city extraordinary aesthetic mountainous features. Here's our guide to a walk on the high side…
Lotus Mountain
Escape the daily grind with a visit to Lotus Mountain (Lianhua S ... ... |
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Spring revival
Art+Culture / Art Focus in Guangzhou
Written by : Sammi Zhou
May 7, 2008
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| S pring is not for studying, says a famous Chinese proverb. That's right, especially in sticky, humid Guangzhou. Take a look around: flowers are blooming and birds are singing, yet we all seem in slow motion, tired and a little overworked. See whether the following events can revive your spirit…
Love is the ageless topic for us humans. The Sapphire Arts Space will present "Puppetry: YuYu MiMi" telling of a love story from May 1 to 3, while the Modern Dance Company will also produce a dance called "And I love You So" displaying different faces of love on May 9. Moreover, from May 16-18, the Asphodèles Theater Company will offer a bilingual comedy (Chinese/French), "Arlequin Explores China", in Nan Fang Theatre, featuring a love story filled with vengeance, passion and jealousy.
In the Xinghai Concert Hall, Fu Cong, the son of China's maestro trans ... ... |
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