Author: AJ @ Cultural Keys

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The Lantern Festival – Spectacular Display at Wenyu River Park!

The final day of Spring Festival, the Lantern Festival (Yuánxiāo jié 元宵节) falls this year on February 24th, the fifteenth day of the celebrations. Although it’s not a public holiday, it is still widely celebrated, especially in southern China and among the diaspora.

This year, we visited two locations in Beijing to see lanterns: Shichahai to see an amazingly long dragon and Wenyu River Park, to see one of the biggest lantern displays there’s ever been in Beijing! Read on to find out more about the origins of Lantern Festival and the lantern displays.

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TRAVEL: Jimingyi, a walled town near Beijing that we bet you’ve never heard of!

Just thirty minutes away from Beijing by high-speed railway, Huailai (怀来) is a small town halfway between the capital and Zhangjiakou. The local government is promoting the numerous vineyards in the area, but there is also a still-hidden gem to be discovered: Jimingyi (鸡鸣驿), a walled former post station. Its name means ‘rooster’s crow post station’ and its main claim to fame is that Emperor Guangxu and his aunt Cixi sheltered there for a night as they fled the Eight Nation Alliance during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. It makes a nice day out from Beijing, especially if you want to see an ancient town that hasn’t become a tourist trap. 

Read on to find out more!

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Cultural Keys’ Hopes for the Year of The Rabbit

January 21st 2023 marked the start of a new Chinese zodiac year, that of the rabbit. A lot of people have made predictions for what the Year of the Rabbit  will bring. In this post, Cultural Keys founder AJ Donnelly makes no predictions, shares no expectations, but simply shares what he personally hopes 2023 will bring.
 
Read on, and let us know in the comments if you agree!
 

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NEWS: Re-emphasis by the Chinese government on the importance of cultural education in schools

In response to online discussion about further promoting traditional Chinese culture in the classroom, the Chinese Ministry of Education (MoE) recently said that education about traditional Chinese culture and cultural confidence is and always has been a high priority for the ministry. New curriculum standards show how foreign language learning can support this. 

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Long Read: How can you benefit from learning more about traditional Chinese culture?

Wherever you are in the world, modern China is increasingly influencing daily life (even though you may not have noticed). So learning more about China, its language and culture, is important. The more you know about the China of the past, the more you can understand and appreciate the China of the present.

But how exactly can you personally benefit by learning about China’s history and traditional culture? Read on to find out our take!

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