By the book
2014-08-13 07:28:24
The National Library of China is the country's top restoration clinic for precious ancient texts. Nearly 20 "book doctors" work at the library, committed to making the valuable documents survive longer. "The fragility of the books leaves little room for the introduction of modern machinery. The methods we use today are almost the same as we used in the old days," says Zhu Zhenbin, 52, who has worked at the library for the past 34 years. The newly established National Museum of Classic Books is a part of the National Library of China, where about 2.6 million copies of old books are stored. "Varieties of paper and binding methods used in ancient Chinese books make the process of restoration more complicated than Western ones," he says. "It is like treating individual patients. It doesn't matter if we do the work slowly but it will be problematic if we lower our standards to accelerate our schedule," Zhu says. "What we do is to make them survive longer." Workers admit that relatively recent issues, such as air pollution, keep popping up. The restoration project also requires people with interdisciplinary knowledge, including in chemistry, the fine arts and ancient Chinese language. The museum will formally open to the public in September.
Artist to sleep on iron wire bed for 36 days
2014-08-13 07:51:10
Zhou Jie started her art project titled "36 Days" on August 9, in which she would live inside an exhibition hall for 36 days.
Neolithic jade relics displayed in Shandong
2014-08-12 07:11:35
About 300 pieces of jade artifacts are now on show at the Shandong Museum, in Jinan, capital city of Shandong province.
Culture Insider: Chinese shadow puppetry
2014-08-13 07:00:00
A shadow puppet play is a form of folk opera that involves cutting animal skin or hard paper into figures and using them in a performance in front of an illuminated backdrop to create the illusion of moving images.
A brush with storytelling
2014-08-12 14:47:32
While portraits at a CAFA show offer intimate glimpses of their subjects, they also reveal the evolution of contemporary oil painting in China.
Chinese group asks Japanese Emperor, gov't to return looted relic
2014-08-12 14:31:52
A Chinese group has asked Japan to return a 1,300-year-old stone stele looted by Japanese soldiers early last century from northeastern China.
Museum in Nanjing displays relics from six dynasties
2014-08-12 13:21:04
Nanjing, as "the ancient capital of six dynasties", has established a museum displaying artifacts from the ancient Wu, Jin, Song, Qi, Liang and Chen dynasties from the early 3rd century to the end of 6th century.
Nobel prize winner Naipaul meets Chinese readers
2014-08-12 10:33:03
Nobel prize laureate V. S. Naipaul met Chinese readers in Shanghai Monday at the launch of the Chinese edition of his novel, A Bend in the River.
2014 Edinburgh int'l book festival stresses dialogue
2014-08-12 10:01:51
The 2014 Edinburgh International Book Festival opened on Saturday under the headline "Let's Talk".
Residents read books at 24-hour bookstore in Beijing
2014-08-12 08:45:07
Residents read books at Sanlian Taofen Bookstore in Beijing, capital of China, at night of Aug. 10, 2014. The 24-hour Sanlian Taofen Bookstore attracted many readers in the hot summer.
German make-up artist creates masterpieces on her eyes
2014-08-11 15:00:23
Svenja Schmitt, a German make-up artist, creates beautiful masterpieces around her own eyes using unusual props.
'European Impression' photo show opens in Beijing
2014-08-11 13:42:53
A one-week landscape photography show entitled "European Impression" started this weekend at the Beijing Museum of Photography.