THE Uygur people mostly live in the oasis of the Tarim Basin south of the Tianshan Mountains in northwestern China. In their long history, this ethnic group has developed a unique clothing style based on its religion and culture, which is known for rich colors, designs and patterns of elegant simplicity. The Uygur people are great lovers of nature, and pay much attention to what they wear. As a result, elements of nature, especially flora, are the inspiration of the designs of traditional Uygur costumes.

IF we were to discuss locations of historical artifacts and origins of famous people, the city of Jinan would probably not make it onto the list of big name cities like Beijing, Nanjing, or Xi’an. In terms of natural beauty like towering and magnificent mountain landscapes, Jinan also cannot be compared with the cities like Chongqing, nor in terms of water-oriented scenery could it be compared with Harbin, Hangzhou, or Suzhou.

THE word “Kuitou” in Peking Opera is the technical term for various kinds of hats and headpieces worn by various characters in traditional Chinese opera. Usually the headpiece worn by an individual represents their designated identity, and in Peking Opera, performers wear different kinds of headdresses depending on the occasion and character they are performing. More than just meeting the requirements of acting, it also reveals an aspect of traditional Chinese culture. During the peak period of Peking Opera’s popularity, there were over 500 different kinds of headdresses worn by actors. They were not merely just a costume but also exquisite pieces of handiwork.

WHERE shall I start? How about the biting midsummer sun in Xinjiang? How about my lack of geographical awareness of this Chinese region? Xinjiang is close to Central Asia. And as such, although it is mostly a Uygur region – with more than 10 million Uygur people – it is also home to multiple ethnic groups: the Kazakhs, the Mongols, the Kyrgyz, the Hui, the Tajik, the Daur, the Xibe, the Tatars, the Manchus, and the Uzbeks. During my trip traveling along the Silk Road, I tried my best to meet with Uygurs.

YUNNAN is located in the mountainous areas of southwest China, and its beautiful landscape is home to 26 ethnic groups, with ethic minority groups making up a third of the population. Among them, the Bai ethnic group is the third largest in the province, behind the Yi and Hani. The Bai people have their own original folk opera called Baiju.

A zip line, two snow-capped mountains, and three rivers running in parallel make up the scenery along the Nujiang River in southwest China.

AT nine o’clock every evening in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, while the remaining rays of daylight are still lingering along the western horizon, Hu Jing and her mother walk around the community hand in hand. They follow the same route they have taken again and gain. When they meet familiar neighbors, they stop and happily greet each other, just like any ordinary family in China.

After sweeping several roads and returning to her rented bungalow, Wang Hao was in need of some rest. She had been up since dawn. As she closed her eyes, the crying of the neighbor’s child pierced through the thin walls and shattered her moment of peace. Lying in bed, she thought about how it was time to visit her husband Li Bing again, and found it even more difficult to sleep. Li had been hospitalized for several months, without any sign of improvemnet. Wang was so worried that she sat up, staring at the gray window for a while. Then she remembered Li’s wish of having the furniture rearranged. She got up slowly, tears streaming down her face, and began to move the furniture about.

THE China-developed app Tik Tok has emerged as a world beater, becoming the most downloaded app on Apple’s Store for five consecutive quarters as of May 2019. The app that features sharing short personalized fun videos has repeatedly topped the list of downloads in Japan, the U.S., Thailand, Indonesia, India, Germany, France, and Russia.

FILM is likened by some to a window on multi-faceted human conditions; by others to a mirror which reflects people’s souls. Chinese films are such windows and mirrors through which one can know the status of Chinese people and feel their yearnings and dreams.

THE 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations should have made 2019 an important year for joint commemoration and renewed cooperation. Regrettably however, the U.S. has taken a series of actions to obstruct and suppress China in trade, science, and technology, and has been meddling in a series of issues concerning China’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. The U.S. actions not only undermined the mutual trust that the two sides built over four decades, but also swayed global stability and development.

FOOD security is a main cornerstone of national security and development. In China, it’s a top priority for the government. By dramatically increasing grain production and modernizing the food industry, China has secured the baseline of enjoying grain self-sufficiency. Producing a quarter of the world’s grain output with less than 10 percent of the world’s arable land, and feeding one fifth of the world’s population, China has made a historic achievement with far-reaching impact on food security worldwide.

AS artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly widely applied in more realms of human society, including political affairs, finance, manufacturing, education, medical care, and transport, it is bringing about revolutionary changes to our lives.

IN November 2019, more than 120 pieces of art work combining art and modern science and technology on the theme of “AS-Helix: the Integration of Art and Science in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” created by nearly 200 artists from more than 20 countries and regions were presented at the Fifth International Art and Science Works Exhibition held at the National Museum of China in Beijing. These works displayed the artists’ multiple explorations in the field of artificial intelligence, including topics such as the boundary of human cognition, the artistic paradigm of technological innovation, and the collaborative innovation of technology and art, and showed the appeal of the era of “art and science.”