THERE are many anecdotes and tales about Chinese fans in historical records, novels, and legends.

DATING back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and peaking in the Northern Song (960-1127) and Jin (1115-1234) periods, Ding ware is famed for its thin clay body, pure white glaze

ALONE holding an oil-paper umbrella, I wander along a long and solitary lane in the rain. Hoping to encounter a girl like a bouquet of lilacs, gnawed by anxiety and resentment,” quoted from A Lane in the Rain by Dai Wangshu, a famous Chinese poet in the 20th century.

It is a thanksgiving for the Tu people, which happens after the autumn harvest, and is full of entertainment and folk dancing.

Since ancient times, the Korean ethnic minority has always had great respect for the elderly, both within their family and in their social circle. The 60th birthday is celebrated ceremoniously, and the banquet is a big event for the whole community.

THE Yao people are one of China’s oldest ethnic groups. They live mainly in 130-plus counties across southern China, including Hunan, Guangdong, Yunnan, and Jiangxi provinces. The largest population is concentrated in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

COMPARED to sabers, rapiers or cutlasses that are more commonly seen in the West, Chinese swords are distinct in their look, and more importantly, rich connotation of culture.