18.08.11

SILK in SUZHOU

mulberry leaves: the only food of the silkworms


Silkworms:
An economically important insect, being the primary producer of raw silk
The Burn-Test:
Which one is made out of silk?
The shiny, rose shirt on the right or the white moderately shiny shirt on the left?
Silk burns but doesn't melt. So obviously the shiny rose shirt melted during the burn-test and is just a cheap alternative offered in the fake-market.
A worker seperates the double cocoons (used for blankets) and the simple ones.
After cooking the simple cocoons in hot water a worker pulls out the raw filament.
Raw Silk:
Smoooooooooooth, but not smooth enough...
Raw Silk...
ever thought of silk extensions?
Double cocoon:
A worker washes the cocoon and seperates it form the worms.
Afterwards she covers a semi-circle with it. This procedure is repeated 8 times since 8 is the Chinese number of luck. The silk on the semi-circle is very tearproof. Even the strongest bodybuilder couldn't chop a whole in it.
Four women pull hundreds of the dry double cocoon silk in a blanket-size. 
And these are the N°1 silkfactory scarfs:


13.08.11

108 sufferings

Chinese people believe that everyone has 108 sufferings in his life. For example an injury or a break up. Therefore on Chinese New Year's day the bell in the confucius temple rings 108 times. (3times makes it too for tourists;)


Weihuashu

This is a chinese tree which carries golden flowers in spring. Sitting under this tree when it blooms symbolizes wealth, fortune and prosperity for Chinese people.

17.07.11

Hong Kong

H-> happy people
O-> overwhelming atmosphere
N-> nice view
G-> genius architecture


K-> kind-hearted character
O-> wOOlOOmOOlOO (!!)
N-> noted history
G-> georgeous plants




Details are comming up soon!

16.07.11

BAOZI包子







包子


Jeden morgen esse ich einen Baozi zum Frühstück und bin schon Stammkundin bei meinem Baoziladen. Dazu kauf ich noch eine Sojamilch, ein Apfel und ein Ei. 

荠菜肉包



梅干菜肉包



鲜肉包



辣肉包



香菇青菜包



酸辣咸包



麻辣粉丝包



萝卜丝包
lou2bosi1bao1
radish

豆沙包
dou4sha1bao1
sweet bean paste

芝麻包
zhi1mabao1
sesame seed

高庄馒头
gao1zhuang1man2tou2
steamed bun

  淡馒头



松香甜糕
song1xiang1tian2gao1
sweet pudding

  油花





















13.06.11

Cloisonné









Beijing is the cradle of cloisonne technique. Cloisonné is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects.  
(Compartments: cloisons in French)

When doing the cloisonne, firstly, use the red coppery to make the body, secondly, stick the pattern on the bronze body by oblate and thin brass wires, then fill the inlay pattern by enamel glaze material in different colors, the last procedure is the firing over and over, polishing and gilding.


07.06.11

Short glimpse in Chinese history

Today I have studied Chinese History, which is very interesting... The most impressing fact for me was that the Chinese were centuries ahead of us:
For example the Chinese industrial revolution started in the 11th century whereas in Europe it started in the 18th. Furthermore the first Chinese encyclopaedia appeared when Jesus was in his twenties. Diderot and d’Alembert needed thousandsevenhundred years to catch up.

Well let’s consider the most beautiful facts of Chinese History in a nutshell:
 
500                                    First porcelain
690-705                              Wu Zetian first empress (Tang-Dynasty)
705                                    Li Bai Poet was born
750                                    Tang-Silver
1101-1125                          Huizong emperor 
1154                                  First Paper money
1250                                  A Mongol Chevalier 
1400                                  Jade, Porcelain, Silk,Tea (Ming-Dynasty)

(that’s not the end of course but I’d like to end with the Ming Dynasty – my favourite dynasty)

Dynasty-Overview
There are a lot more actually but  these ones you gonna remember for sure...
Han                                      206 BC – 220 AC
Tang                                     618      -907
Song                                     960      -1279
Yuan                                     1279    -1368 
(beginning with the lead of Dschingis Khan’s grandson Kublai)
MING                                    1368     -1644
Qing                                     1644     -1911

What happened to the next dynasty? I would have named it Meihua Dynasty by the way. Well in the Meihua Dynasty … I rather not call it Meihua dynasty, because this time was not as Meihua as it should have be…

Wilted Empire                            -west colonization
                                                -Taiping Revolt
                                                -Opiumwars (1840-42) / (1856-60)
                                                -Last emperor child Pu Yi (-1912)
                                                -Warlords

…. have to learn French now ( oral graduation exam on Wednesday) haha, gonna continue after that….