Chinese paper cutting and paper folding

     In my last blog posts, I wrote something about art and Chinese traditions. Here, I am going to combine these two topics, that is, Chinese paper cutting and paper folding. Have you ever tried paper cutting and paper folding? Oh, maybe the last time was in kindergarten. So, why not grab some paper and activate your fingers?

1. Paper cutting

     Paper cutting is also called jianzhi in Chinese, is a kind of folk art widely used on traditional holidays and special ceremonies. Every year before Spring Festival, my grandmother usually makes some " Window Flowers" which mean good luck to decorate the house. She also cut some Chinese characters in represent of benediction for my uncle when he got married. I am not very good at paper cutting. What I can do is just some basic patterns. But my friend Pippin is much better at paper cutting than me. She made some simple but beautiful paper cuttings today. Scissors or knives are used for paper cutting, as well as colored paper. It is better to use very thin paper for complicated patterns.

     Look at these picturec, she cut a Chinese character"喜喜" (xi). It is a good wish for someone who is getting married.

       I watched several videos on YouTube. Here, I link two of them. The first one is an introduction, and the second one tells more details about paper cutting in some rural areas. Actually, I was unfamiliar with some of the traditions and customs before watching it. Some of the traditions are interesting and unique.


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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRPSOAQ2iIk&feature=related

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-ufZ5LPzYY

     After watching the second video, I feel both proud and sad. I am proud of our brilliant culture, however, the great art is missing. Most of the people who can master this great art are old people, and many have already passed away. I am afraid of losing this great art which has a history of thousands of years. I do not want to see it only in the museums.

2. Paper folding

     There was a time when folding paper cranes was very popular in my middle school. Every girl had a pile of square colored paper, and a big box for cranes. I had a big biscuit box for paper cranes and stars.

     This is a paper lily, isn't it beautiful?

     I tried to take a good picture of a paper crane flying in the sky, however, I failed...The instructions can be easily found on the Internet. Maybe you have already done better than my friend. I think doing some easy paper folding and paper cutting is a good way for a rainy day, when you do not want to go out.

     Finally, I also find that this is a tour of finding my childhood's memories, because the paper crane and paper flower reminds me of my school life and my friends. Being too much focused on the future can easily make us tired. So, why not spend a quiet afternoon on these childhood's activities? This is a good way to relax, and find something you treasure in life.

Pike Place Market

      Before I came here, I was told that Pike Place Market and the Space Needle are the two must-go places in Seattle. The Pike Place market impressed me greatly with its special stands and stalls. 

     My friends and I went to Downtown Seattle just a few days after we came here. At first glance, I was shocked because it was crowded with so many people, especially tourists. Immediately, I thought of some crowded and chaotic markets with strange smells of fish, and I hated these places. "Again, a boring place for tourists", I told my friends. However, as I stepped inside, I changed my mind. There were so many interesting things to see! The craft stalls were a mixture of global culture, in which I found some irresistible African carved wooden masks! Various kinds of flowers made me feel as if in a wonderland. I also took several photos of some fruit and vegetables that I had never seen before. Jumping from this stall to another stall, I was like a little kid in an amusement park. I did not want to leave...

   

 I had never seen these before.

Plastic beer bottles-can you imagine?

The bronze pig, the market's unofficial mascot   

     Now,let's come to the old pictures.
 (This is the link:http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/curtis&CISOPTR=1042&CISOBOX=1&REC=11)

     Dated back to 1912, Pike Place Market was once much smaller than it is now.There was only one very simple building in the photo. Vendors were busy loading and preparing the goods on the undeveloped tracts. I think these vendors were also farmers who grew vegetables, fruit, and grains. Although the early Pike Place Market was just like an ordinary market from the photo without the unique craft stalls and interesting buskers, I find a well dressed lady buying some groceries in the picture. From that, we can probably assume that it might have been a popular place for the local people. Living in a time without modern entertainment and technology, walking around the market might have been a good choice in free time.

     I am happy to see Pike Place Market is developing without losing its original function. I think it is a good place not only for tourists but also for local people to buy fresh goods and a good place to spend their free time.

Lost in an Art World

      My friend and I moved to a new home last week. Yes, it is more than a house, it is home. Before moving, we lived with a host family for nearly two months. Now, we are sharing a house with an artist and her two little kids. I am living in a house filled with art work, and this makes me excited! The house was built in the 1980s, however, it is very fancy. I really enjoy my current life, which is filled with art. Let me take you on a tour on an exploration through this fantastic art world!

  

This is what I am seeing from my room. My host mom built the house on the left with her family.

     I like the nicely decorated lights! They are unique!

     She and her kids made the paper crane together. Look at the photos at the top!

     She likes painting and decorating everything. She can change waste into art work! The picture above shows a big painted plastic bottle (left). I would never have imagined that garbage could be made into beautiful art work!

     A hen and a cock. They are made of used buttons and clothing. I think their tails are made of fragments of curtains. They are really interesting, aren't they?

Part of the living room is a painting area. Different kinds of  painting bushes can be found here.

          So much interesting stuff for needlework! Before I came here, I just thought these fragments were a waste. But now, I am considering using them to embroider a pillow cover.

      Finally, a shot of the garden. The garden is very big and it has many different kinds of trees and flowers. This spring, I will learn how to do yard work! Have you noticed the interesting face hanging on the tree?                                                                   
     There are so many interesting and unique crafts, paintings, and other kinds of art work in my new house, and they are everywhere. I am lost in an art world! In China, there is a saying"Art exists in life."  Indeed, we can create art no matter who we are or where we are. We can use everything to make our lives better. We all have the talents to turn waste into wonder. Life can be made better and more enjoyable by using just a small bit of creativity.                                                                                                 

First Spring Festival Abroad, Traditional Food.

     The traditional Chinese New Year is the most important festival in China. According to the lunar calendar, the dates vary every year. It is also called the Spring Festival, because it usually starts at the beginning of Spring. Before Spring Festival, there are several days for people to prepare for the big day. Family members clean the house and make some traditional food. My parents usually make Suguo, Tofu Xiang, and dumplings. These are the most famous and unique dishes! Suguo is a special kind of stew. We put fried fish, pork, chicken, cabbage, lotus root slice, and kelp into a big pot, and then stew them for several hours. I still remember my eagerness when I smelled its flavor on New Year's Eve last year! In China, fish means abundant and sufficient, and chicken means lucky and propitious. Suguo stands for people's good wishes for the New Year. As for Tofu Xiang, it is like a small box. The outside is made of tofu, while we put stir-fried vegetables and meat stuffing inside. It is really pretty with cucumber and tomato dressing. This is a photo showing Tofu Xiang. The dumplings in my hometown are also different from other places' dumplings. We use square dumpling wraps, while most parts of China use circle wraps. We call this kind of dumplings Boshan Dumplings. Aren't they like silver ingots?

     In my hometown, it often snows during the Spring Festival. On the eve of the Spring Festival, the family gets together to have a wonderful dinner. Most people watch the Spring Festival Gala on television, while some children prefer to play with firecrackers. The next day, it is really beautiful to see the white world with red fragments of the firecrackers. I like going out with my parents to visit relatives and friends. Sharing stories and happiness makes me feel great.

     This is my first year to spend the Spring Festival abroad. My friends invited me to their house to celebrate the Spring Festival together. We had Hot Pot and dumplings. I like Hot Pot because of its convenience. I have learned that Hot Pot spread from Mongolia to China in the Tang Dynasty, so Chinese Hot Pot has a history of more than 1000 years. There were different kinds of Hot Pot in China. Szechuan and Chongqing are famous for spicy Hot Pot. Northeast China is famous for Manchurian Hot Pot, which is sour flavored. Besides the soup base, pots are different. When I go to a restaurant in China, I can choose big pot or small pot. Small pot is like a big bowl, and I like it. At home, when family gets together, we use a big pot.

It is really easy to make hot pot, and we can put in everything we like! My friends prepared sliced lamb and beef, shrimp, tofu, cabbage, sweet potato, agaric and fish balls. Since we did not have a kind of special sauce, we mixed peanut butter and barbecue sauce instead. First, we added a soup base and water into the pot. Then we put in lamb and beef until it boiled. After that, I threw in tofu and cabbage- yes, threw. I could not wait to taste it, although it was still hot. Using chopsticks reminded me of the time my family and I had Hot Pot together. It is really good to eat Hot Pot in Winter, because it can make me feel warm. Besides, with less oil and sugar, Hot Pot is healthy. But I do not think it is good to drink the Hot Pot soup after it is has boiled for long time. After we finished the vegetables and meat, we cooked dumplings. I really love dumplings! The pity was that I did not make Boshan Dumplings. I think I will try making my special dumplings on the 23rd. On that day, school will hold celebrations for the Lunar New Year.

     Food is an essential part of Chinese culture. With a long history and many nations and tribes, China is also famous for its traditional food. I like cooking different kinds of food. Sometimes, I create some special dishes, or I try to add special ingredients to make some dishes that have special tastes. That night, I used glutinous rice flour to make rice cake. While people in north China enjoy dumplings; southern people like rice cake for Spring Festival. As a result, rice cake is also called Spring Festival Cake. Look at the pictures below, and notice I added cacao powder and Chinese dates. I bought the dates in an Asian super market. Since it was my first time to make rice cake, my friend helped me with some steps. Still, I finished most parts of making the rice cake myself, and I felt great. This time, I just steamed it. In Shanghai, people often stir-fry the sliced rice cake. I am looking forward to trying making the stir-fry rice cake!

   

  I really had a great time at my friends' house. Hot Pot, dumplings, and rice cake all have good meanings in Chinese. New year means a start. I will try my best to do better!

     Happy New Year everyone!

Great time, Sushi making

Do you know how to make sushi? I know! I can make sushi!
----I kept telling everyone.

The happiest thing today is that I went to Sushi Night in Mobius Hall and learned how to make sushi.
I prefer food with natural flavor. I like healthy food, that is to say, I do not like salty or oilly food. As a result, Japanese food is my first choice when I go to a restaurant. I especially love sushi. Salmon and tuna rolls are my favorate. Everyday on my way to school, I pass by a sushi restaurant. Every time I keep looking that restaurant, and move slowly like a crab, although I tell myself to be normal. So as soon as I saw the poster hanging on the wall, I got excited immediately. Never had I felt a week is so long, finally, the day came.
Sushi Night started at 4 pm.By the time we got there, there had been long lines with people holding plates. There were several nice guys standing beside the desks to give us instructions.
It was my turn! I got a pair of gloves and carefully place the seaweed on the top of a sheet of bamboo mat. Then, I spread the rice and pat them a thin layer. I thought they had added some special vinegar into the rice to make it tast better. The rice was sticky, so I was told to wet my fingers. I grabbed some cucumber and carrot along the center of the rice. Adding some small pieces of crab sticks, it looked really colorful. Then it came to the rolling part. I watched them carefully and tried to remember the steps. It appeared to be easy, still, I found the ingredients come out. I might have put too much, I told myself. So I rolled many times to make sure it shaped well. I could not wait to taste it right away! Taking my well-cut sushi, I felt proud because I was praised to do well.
This is my first time to make sushi by myself, and it taste really good! I am looking forward to having a try at home!