We have just returned from Chengdu where we got up close and personal with China’s national treasure, the giant panda, at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The park is beautifully designed, with groves of bamboo and clever barriers that make it feel as though you are witnessing these rare animals in the […]
Asia
Why is There a Catholic Ming Dynasty Tomb in Shanghai?
The other day I returned to Painter Street to pick up my finished pieces (which turned out great!) On the way, my taxi drove past something that piqued my interest so I returned today to investigate. It turned out to be the tomb of a Ming Dynasty official, replete with a stone gate and statue-lined spirit path leading up to […]
An Architecture Tour of Shanghai’s Former French Concession
Today I joined a walking tour of the former French Concession neighborhood, arguably one of the prettiest areas of the city. I was surprised to learn that although French rule prevailed, very few French people actually lived in the district. The population mostly consisted of Brits, Americans, White Russians and Chinese. Yet Shanghai became known […]
Jing’an Villas: Entrepreneurial Spirit in Shanghai
In 1932, a Chinese tycoon named Zhang Jingjiang built a residential neighborhood in Shanghai which he modeled after the villas of Europe. The land for the housing development was formerly used as horse stables by the British, whose racecourse was just a few kilometers east. The lovely new Jing’an Villa soon became an enclave of […]
A Tough Knot to Crack: The Art of Chinese Knotting
Today I attended a class where I learned how to make jewelry utilizing the ancient Chinese art of knotting. There are different types of knots and many are named after what the shape resembles, such as butterfly and flower. Today’s lesson focused on a double snake knot where two coils are intertwined. Our instructor, who […]