Brief Introduction

Of all the exotic, exciting and ridiculous observations about China, two can be considered as completely reliable: 1) China is ancient, with a culture dating back thousands of years; 2) China is the most populous country in the world (1.2 billion people, accounting for one-fifth of the human race). Chinese peoples of 56 ethnic groups have jointly created Chinese culture -- a culture that once influenced human development far beyond the Chinese borders and which continues to shine even today.

Chinese culture is enchanting; striving for survival and development, the ancient Chinese created a diverse range of art forms, such as grotto and architectural arts, calligraphy, painting, sculpture, handicrafts and folk arts.

This book classifies its contents according to many categories: fine arts, calligraphy, sculpture, music, dance, traditional opera, storytelling and ballads, acrobatics, shadow plays, puppet shows, literature, architecture, modern drama, film, folk customs, traditional arts and crafts, museums, libraries, press and publications, art education and cultural exchanges with foreign countries.

With its fine pictures and vivid descriptions in both Chinese and English, the book takes readers on a tour around China to trace its roots and examine its development from a cultural perspective.