| Do you know ---bamboo? | | Bamboo is one of four favorite plants along with Chinese Plum, orchid and chrysanthemum, the so--called four man of honor (si jun zi) by the chinese. | |
| | Donated relics to help revive image of old Beijing | | Suo Daming is a 16th-generation descendant of a Beijing family which has lived in the city since the beginning of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Now he has finally found an ideal place for a treasured collection of items handed down by his relatives over the past 360 years. That place is the Capital Museum, expected to open a new building displaying collections from Beijing residents to the public this year. The collection Suo presented to the museum includes everyday articles from 100 years ago and coupons to buy rationed oil, food and other goods during the planned economy period between the 1950s and the late 1970s. He also handed over evidence of the old layout of Beijing that has gradually disappeared in recent years with all the new construction. One of the most eye-catching pieces is an old icebox - literally a box containing ice - made of coloured glaze. Suo Yibo, Suo Daming's 85-year-old grandfather, said it was used when he was a boy. "An icebox kept food cool. I remember Beijing had several ice storage centres then and special workers would send blocks of ice to different households everyday. The ice my family used came from a storage... | |
|
