The Xi’an Beilin Museum, also know as the “Stele Forest,” boasts an impressive collection of over 1,000 stone stelae, many dating to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). The tablets were often erected at tombs and intricately carved to illustrate the person’s accomplishments and family connections. The collection is housed in a former Confucius Temple and […]
City Guide
Fashion History at Kent State University Museum
During my recent time in Ohio, I had the pleasure of touring the Kent State University Museum. According to U.S. News and World Reports, Kent State University has one of the top 10 fashion programs in the country. Who knew? The on-campus museum is currently exhibiting a wonderful collection called “On The Home Front: Civil […]
Shanghai Street Art: Sculptures That Make You Go Hmmm
When I first arrived in Shanghai, I was very surprised by all the street art I found. Besides the quirky artworks housed in the Jing’an Sculpture Park and the charming rhinoceros family in Jing’an Park, there is an interesting array of sculptures spread all across the city. I’ve found a melting Dali clock in front of […]
Visiting a Shanghai Marriage Market
Every weekend, a gaggle of hopeful parents and grandparents set up a marriage market in Shanghai’s People’s Park with the aspiration of finding the perfect match for their child. But instead of bringing along the lonely suitors, the matchmakers proudly post their children’s resumes for all the world to see. Potential in-laws can search through […]
The Art of Chinese Flower Arranging
The Chinese have long had an appreciation for nature and flower arranging has been considered an art form for centuries. Mom and I had the pleasure of attending a course in this ancient practice during her visit to Shanghai. The day’s lesson focused on the construction of a “bird’s nest” base for an arrangement of […]