Beautiful Chinese Architecture

Architect was never a formal profession in ancient China， but numerous Chinese literati and intellectuals delved deeply into architectural design. Famous Tang Dynasty （618-907） poet Bai Juyi was just one. He believed that a good poem should have a theme， likewise a building. This kind of thinking led ancient Chinese architecture to always have expressive function. Every single component can carry some special meaning， demonstrating the skillful craftsmanship and artistic imagination of the builders.

Chinese architecture not only displays great beauty， but also captures unique Chinese culture with every detail.

Chinese Heritage

September 2021

Emperor’s Spiritual Life

In the past， the back yard of the Forbidden City hosted not only residential palaces for the royal family， but also many facilities to meet their religious needs. Like ordinary people， the royal family also celebrated festivals and birthdays， and worshipped ancestors and gods.

More than 30 independent Buddhist and Taoist temples can be found in the Forbidden City alongside many religious altars and ritual instruments. Historical archives shine light on the daily routines of emperors such as the temples they visited and the gods and Buddha they worshipped， providing a glimpse of their joy， anger， sorrow， and beliefs.

Forbidden City

August 2021

Behind Extreme Weather

This July， record rainfalls hit central China’s Henan Province. Not long ago， devastating flash floods swept through several Western European countries， and heat domes roasted many regions in North America. What is driving the increasingly frequent extreme weather events？

Because of global warming， more extreme heat and intense rainfall events will occur in the coming years， according to a report released in August by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Over the past three decades， China’s annual precipitation has increased by 5.1 millimeters on average every 10 years. Climate change is sneaking into daily life.

Sanlian Lifeweek

September 20， 2021

Better Housing

Housing has always been one of the most basic and important human needs. The State Council Information Office of China held a press conference on the issue of housing on August 31， 2021. The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development emphasized that work should move in the direction of achieving housing for all and stressed that“houses are for living in， not for speculation.”

It was the best possible news for those struggling to secure housing. After years of capital games in real estate， some got rich. China has begun adjusting its policies to make housing fairness reach most people.

New Weekly

September 15， 2021