Though Quanzhou was once the greatest port in the world, it is now relatively unknown to the international traveler. Perhaps that was one reason Bill Brown, MBA Professor at Xiamen University, was advised to write a book on the city, and not just by anyone.
Brown and his family moved to Fujian, southern China in the 1980s and, finding China very different from how he expected, he started writing about the fascinating region.
Then there was a meeting with Xi Jinping, then governor of the province.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7696651-bon-cp-china-mystic-quanzhou/
Deng Bin is one of China’s few practitioners of Jin Shan, or Kintsugi in Japanese. It’s the art of fixing broken pottery with lacquer resin dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum.
“The demand from a specific customer group is strong,” Says Deng. “They used to send the broken wares to Japan for repairing, which is rather time consuming and costly. So they were very happy when they found someone in China can do the job.”
People don’t want to throw away the broken wares for many reasons. They might feel attached to them after using them for a long time. Another reason could be that the wares carry some special meaning. Something perhaps passed down from the father or the grandmother. They become reminders of the older generation who’ve passed away.
“Chinese people usually dislike broken things which they regard as useless and of no value,” says Deng. “However when it has been properly restored, the once broken object is reborn and its life is prolonged. That is then considered an immense gift.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7706951-bon-cloud-jin-shan-pottery-repair/
A cartoon character from a Buddhist temple in Beijing has been making waves online. But Xian’er the monk is no ordinary two-dimensional comic strip – he’s a walking, talking, 24-inch high robot who can chant, answer questions and interact with his surroundings.
Xian’er the robot monk is not the first high-tech solution to Buddhist teachings from Longquan Temple. The institution is staffed by monks who operate computers and smart phones along with their prayer beads and singing bowls. His creator, Master Xianfan joined the temple after graduating from China’s most prestigious art school – the Central Academy of Fine Arts
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7847651-bon-cloud-robot-monk/
