Chinese Fine Food (1) --- La Mian

We all know that Italian pasta is Garfield's favorite food, which is also the favorite of many people, but do you know La Mian, a type of hand-made or hand-pulled Chinese noodle is also very delicious?

Lanzhou La mian

Actually, when speaking of noodle, Chinese noodles have to be mentioned, and the world's oldest noodles was discovered by an archaeologist in Qinghai China.

Today in China, maybe many foreigners are very familiar with the "Lanzhou La mian" which can be caught at streets here and there, but does anyone know how "La mian" is made of?

There are several styles of twisting the dough but they all employ the same concept: a piece of dough is repeatedly stretched and folded onto itself in order to align the glutens and warm up the dough for stretching.

This dough is then pulled to about an arm span's length. The puller then makes a loop with the dough, joining the two ends into one clump of dough, and inserts his fingers into the loop to keep the strand from sticking to itself. Doing this, the pull has doubled the length of the dough while fractioning its thickness. This process is repeated several times until the desired thickness and quantity is achieved.

Daoxiao mian

The category of Lanzhou La mian is also includes "Daoxiao mian"（a type of knife-sliced noodles), and "Pao mo" (a type of steamed bread dipped in soup) as well.

He Fen (Thick rice noodle)

At the same time, Chinese noodle is also includes thick rice noodle ("He fen" in Chinese pronunciation), rice vermicelli or thin rice noodles("Mi fen" in Chinese pronunciation), and cellophane noodles or sweet potato vermicelli ("Fen si" in Chinese pronunciation).

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

The Mid-Autumn Festival in China is Coming soon！

Every year the day on August 15 of Chinese lunar calendar is the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival in China. At that time the season comes to mid-autumn of the year, so it is called Mid-Autumn Festival.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

In China's Lunar Calendar, the year is divided into four seasons, each season is divided into three parts as ‘Meng’, ‘Zhong’ and “Ji”, so the Mid-Autumn is also known as Middle Autumn or ‘Zhong-Qiu’ pronounced in Chinese.

The moon on August 15th in Chinese lunar calendar is always more fuller and more bright than that in other months, so it is also known as "the Eve of Month", "August Festival". On this night, people looking up at the bright moon just like a fine jade, also like a disc in the sky, will naturally look forward to family reunion. Emigres far away from home will also used to express their thick homesick to their family members and hometown on the moon. Therefore, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as "Reunion Festival".

Since ancient times Chinese people has the custom of "Worshipping the goddess of the moon at the end of Autumn". In the Zhou dynasty, every year in the night of Mid-Autumn people will hold ceremonies of ‘Welcome Coldness’ and ‘Worship The Goddess of the Moon”, at the ceremony, a big size of incense table will settles, moon cakes, watermelons, apples, dates, plums, grapes and other offerings will placed on the table, among which, moon cakes and watermelons are necessary. And the watermelon should be cutted into lotus shape.

In the moon light, the statue of goddess of the moon will be placed toward the direction of the moon, with burning candles, the whole family will worship the moon one by one, then the housewife of the family will cut out the reunion moon cake into several parts. The number of divided moon cake parts always has been calculated before, which covers all members of the family, includes ones at home, and the members outside home. More or less is not allowed, and the size of parted moon cakes should be same.

Moon Cakes

As said in a legend that in ancient times there was an ugly girl named ‘Wu Yan”, who was accustomed to worship the goddess of the moon piously during her childhood, when she has grown up, she was been selected to enter the palace for her outstanding characters and virtues, but as for her ugly appearance she had not been favored by the emperor for a long time.

Later on the night of August 15 one year, when she worshipping the moon, the emperor seen her in the moon light and found her is very beautiful, then chose her as his queen, which is the origin of the custom of worshipping moon at the mid-autumn.

Fairy Chang-e, who is living in the moon, was known for her beauty, so young girls worship moon will willing to "look like the goddess of Chang’e, face as bright moon."

Fairy Chang-e - The Goddess of The Moon

During the Tang Dynasty of ancient China, the custom of admiring and enjoying the glorious full moon on the Mid-Autumn Festival is quite popular. On the night of August 15 in Chinese lunar calendar, peoples in the whole city, no matter they are poor or rich, old or young, will all wear on adult clothing, burn incenses and worship moon and tell out their wishes, and pray for blessing of the goddess of the moon.

During the South-Song dynasty in ancient China, people were accustomed to present moon cakes to each other, as to admire the auspicious connotation of reunion. In some area there will hold many activities as playing grass weaved dragon dance, building pagodas and so on.

Since the Ming and Qing dynasty in ancient China, the custom of celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival is become more popular in folk, there formed many special customs such as burning incenses, tree mid-autumn, light pagoda lights, play sky lights, walking with the moon, playing fire dragon dance and etc. in many local areas in China.

There are many customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival in China, as well as many forms, but all of them are repose trust of people’s infinite love and yearning for a better life.

Today, the custom of playing under the month has been far from popular than which ancient times in China, but the custom of host a banquet to enjoying the full moon is still very popular in China, people are still like to drinking wines to ask after the moon, celebrate the good life, or wish distant relatives good health and happy, share the moon with family members in common.



Now, as the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival in China is coming soon(will fall on September 22), I wish all lovers each other a long life so as to share the beauty of this graceful moonlight, even though miles apart.

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

Introduction of 2010 China World Expo Pavilions X - German Pavilion

German Pavilion at 2010 Shanghai World Expo - Balancity

Theme: Balancity

National Pavilion Day: May 19

Pavilion Area: Around 6,000 Square Meters

Location: Within Zone C of the Expo Site


Pavilion Features:

The theme of the pavilion is "Balancity." It demonstrates the importance of balance between modernization and preservation, innovation and tradition, community and the individual, work and leisure, and between globalization and national identity. Visitors will gradually explore various places typical of a city -- a harbor, a factory, a garden, a park and a depot where exhibits and urban projects from Germany will be on show.

Highlight 1: Metal Sphere



The highlight of the pavilion is a cone-shaped structure housing a revolving metal sphere, three meters in diameter and covered with LEDs, which will be activated by the noise and movement of spectators.

Highlight 2: Virtual Narrators

Germany Pavilion's virtual narrators Jens and Yan Yan will guide visitors to tour the pavilion. According to the plot, Jens, a male mechanics student in a German university, met female Chinese architect student Yan Yan in China. During the following parts of the exhibition, Yan Yan went to German and Jens introduced his lifestyle and the country to her. Visitor will follow the tour of the "narrators" to complete the visit of the pavilion.



Highlight 3: Performance

Visitors will be able to experience the youth culture of Germany. The hip-hop culture is so vigorous that it has gone beyond the national and language barriers, spreading around the world and coming into the Germany Pavilion. Visitors will see the street dance, and a type of "graffiti art" based on the urban culture.Another great show is the vocal percussion, relying on nothing but artists' mouths and microphones in creating wonderful rhythms.

Previous series of 2010 World Expo: Japan Pavilion
Next series of 2010 World Expo: China Pavilion

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

Introduction of 2010 China World Expo Pavilions IX - Japan Pavilion

Japan Pavilion at 2010 Shanghai World Expo - Harmony of the Hearts, Harmony of the Skills

Theme: Harmony of the Hearts, Harmony of the Skills

National Pavilion Day: 12 June

Pavilion Area: Around 6,000 Square Meters

Location: Within Zone A of the Expo site


Pavilion Features:

The Japan Pavilion is a semi-circular structure, covered by a purple membrane material. Several antennae and caves make the pavilion a "breathing organism," which will express the harmony between the human heart and technology. The pavilion has been dubbed "Purple Silkworm Island" by Chinese people.




Highlight 1: Journey through Time

People will experience a journey from ancient times into the future. At the "past zone," the friendship between China and Japan will be highlighted. Historic cases such as a Chinese envoy's visit to Japan in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) and expertise such as Nishijin weaving will be showcased. Japan's modern energy saving and water purification technologies will be exhibited in the "present zone." The exhibition will focus on three topics: water source protection, global warming and the aging problem. The "future zone" will feature a modern opera developed by both Chinese and Japanese directors.

Highlight 2: Opera

The centerpiece of Japan's Expo showcase is an opera about a rare bird that avoided extinction in Japan with the help of China. The crested ibis was declared extinct in Japan in the 1970s. The Chinese government began giving some of its stock to Japan in the 1990s and the birds managed to re-establish themselves in Japan. The opera combines both China's Kunqu opera and Japan's Noh drama to show friendship and exchanges between the two countries.



Highlight 3: Cutting-edge Technologies

Japanese companies will highlight cutting-edge technologies at the pavilion, including a machine that can turn sewage into drinking water, floorboards that can generate electricity when walked on as well as intelligent robots and the country's most advanced vehicles. Several robots will play violins for visitors,etc.

Previous series of 2010 World Expo: France Pavilion
Next series of 2010 World Expo: German Pavilion

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

Chinese Valentine's Day - The Qixi Festival is Coming!

The traditional Qixi Festival in China is coming soon (will fall on August 16), the Qixi Festival is also called as the Chinese Valentine’s day, the Chinese Valentine's Day falls on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. In China, this day is also known as "The Begging Festival".



Festival Origin: The seventh daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, the Weaving Maid, and an orphaned cowherd were separated by the Emperor; the girl was forced to move to the star Vega and the cowherd, to the star Altair. They were only allowed to meet on the magpie bridge over the Milky Way once a year on the day of seventh day of seventh lunar month - Chinese Valentine's Day.

The "Begging” custom of Qixi is a time-honored custom in China, on this day young girls will not only beg for wonderful needlework skills, but also begging for a good marriage.

On that night, unmarried girls prayed to the Weaving Maid star (Vega) for the special gift. When the star Vega was high up in the sky, girls performed a small test by placing a needle on the water's surface: If the needle did not sink, the girl was considered to be ready to find a husband. Once a year, on this day, girls could wish for anything their hearts desired.



So I wonder on the day of ‘Qixi’ this year, how many grils will pray silently under the stars?

In truth, as said to praying for a marriage, I wonder that is depends on the predestination, if you two are predestined to be together, so no matter what happened you two will meet, fall in love and been together finally.

Now, here, I wish All shall be well, and Jack shall have Jill!

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

China's 'Barbie' - Fisimi

China's 'Barbie' - Fisimi

Chinese Name: Fu Xi Mei

English name: Fisimi

Fisimi is origin from English ‘fifty-six’ and the first two letters of Chinese pinyin ‘minzu’, which means China’s 56 nationalities.

"Fu Xi Mei" is the Chinese connotations of Fisimi, they are beautiful emissaries to convey blessings and share good luck.

China's has 56 nationalities, and each nation has its unique culture and charm, the magnificent cultural heritage shall be shared by all mankind. At all times, the world is excavating the Chinese element and ethnic culture themes, but only a few of Chinese ethnic names were mentioned in the world. Culture owned by the 56 Chinese nationalities is one of the most wonderful group cultures, Fisimi national culture series collection with affinity of Fisimi in black hair, share the diverse cultural treasures with a long history existed in China’s five thousands years with the whole world.

Fisimi collections are all handmade by minority artists, accessories are all classic national apparels made through hundreds of pieces, as well as hundreds of working procedures, and the craftsmanship such as mixed color combination involved in the production process is extremely difficult. And The variety of national boots wore by Fisimis itself has very complex craftwork, especially they were be made into a coin size, which is a type of craftsmanship with more highly difficulty, measure the special beauty within one inch, itself is a artwork. So each Fisimi is sold for a very expensive price, the retail price for each Fisimi is about 1,000 – 3,000 YUAN RMB.

Fisimi series national culture collections, with a blueprint of China's 56 ethnic groups, there are six patterns initially as following:

Fisimi of Han Nationality (Sold for RMB 2199)

Fisimi of Tibetan Nationality (Sold for RMB 2999)

Fisimi of Zhuang Nationality (Sold for RMB 1199)

Fisimi of Korean Nationality (Sold for RMB 1588)

Fisimi of Tujia Nationality (Sold for RMB 1688)

Fisimi of Naxi Minority (Sold for RMB 2199)

So far, there are 30 Fisimis have been produced, which are represent 30 different ethnic groups of China, and the other 26 pieces will come out in sequence in the next three years.

In addition to this series, other series of Fisimi is also in schedule, for example, bride, flight attendants and other different status of Limited edition Fisimi series.

Fisimi of Educated Youth

Initially Fisimi were used faces of Chinese girls as the design prototype by European team, whose hair were all imported from Japan, eyes are all made by blown process artificially and imported from Germany. The production team said that it represented the inclusiveness of the Chinese culture, and the same time ensured the perfect tiptop level of Fisimi.

I believe Fisimi will become an ambassador of Chinese culture, pass on Chinese history and culture to the whole world, as well as act as a bridge between China and other countries.

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China