China Society 中国协会 China-Gesellschaft

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文化与科学技术中国协会

The China Society for Culture, Science and Technology

China-Gesellschaft für Kultur, Wissenschaft und Technik
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Die China-Gesellschaft widmet sich der Weiterentwicklung deutsch-chinesischer Beziehungen und setzt sich für eine Vertiefung des gegenseitigen Verst?ndnisses zwischen Deutschland und China in einem globalen Kontext ein. Die Hauptziele der Gesellschaft sind (1) die Verbreitung des Wissens und die Verbesserung der Bildung mit Bezug auf China, (2) die F?rderung des Interesses der Menschen in China an Deutschland und seiner Kultur sowie (3) die Weiterentwicklung des kulturellen und wissenschaftlichen Austausches zwischen Deutschland und China.

文化与科学技术中国学会致力于发展德中关系，强化全球环境下德中两国间的相互理解。本协会的宗旨是：（一）传播有关中国的知识，扩展对中国的了解；（二）促进中国人对德国及其文化的兴趣；（三）促进中德间的合作与友谊以及两国科学与文化交流进一步的发展。

The China Society is dedicated to the enhancement of German-Chinese relationships and committed to deepening mutual understanding between Germany and China in a global context. The Society’s main objectives are (1) to promote learning and advance education with regard to China, (2) to promote the study of Germany and its culture by Chinese people and (3) to further cultural and scientific exchanges between Germany and China.

Sichuan Opera

Sichuan opera is a style of Chinese opera that originated in China's southwestern Sichuan Province. Today's Sichuan opera is a relatovely recent synthesis of five historic melodic styles. Chengdu is the main home of Sichuan opera. Notable characteristics include quick mask changes, or "face-changing", with masks ranging in color from blue and green to black, red, and yellow. These masks depict emotions such as fear, tension, relaxation, slyness, desperation, and outrage. A performer changes his mask multiple times in the blink of an eye.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

The Chengdu Panda Base, located in Chengdu, Sichuan, is a nonprofit, government-funded breeding and research institute for giant and red pandas. Since its founding in 1987, the base has aimed to become a world-class research facility, conservation education center, and international educational tourism destination where vistors can observe pandas and their offspring. The base has partnered with many organizations worldwide to improve methods of conserving giant pandas.

Du Fu and His Sculptures by Wu Weishan

The renowned contemporary sculptor Wu Weishan originated the concept of modern Chinese "freehand sculpture" and pioneered the theory of "expressive sculpture". This style features both realism and abstraction, capturing the subject's character and spirit while representing its essence. He has created approximately 500 sculptures of notable Chinese historical and cultural figures, including the famous Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu (712-770). Wu's impressionistiic sculptures of Du Fu are on display at the Du Fu Thatched Cottage Park in Chengdu.

Du Fu and His Thatched Cottage in Chengdu

Du Fu (712-770) is considered one of China's greatest poets. His traditional Confucian education made him highly erudite and intimately acquainted with the literary tradition of the past. Du Fu experienced many hardships because he lived durng turbulent times. He witnessed war, was separated from his family, and experienced poverty. These experiences are reflected in his writing about family, friendship, and human suffering. It was in his small, simple hut in Chengdu that Du Fu wrote more than 200 poems that are regarded today as masterpieces of realist poetry.

Sichuan Cuisine

Sichuan cuisine is a culinary style that originates from Sichuan Province in southwestern China. It is renowned for its fiery heat, resulting from the liberal use of chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and other pungent spices. Sichuan cuisine boasts a variety of flavors and cooking methods. Its flavors range from hot and sweet to sour and salty to tongue-numbing. Popular dishes include kung pao chicken, fish flavored shredded pork, ma po tofu, Sichuan hot pot, dan dan noodles, and sliced pork in hot chili oil.

Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu

In 2001, archaeologists unearthed a major site containing the ruins of the 3000-year-old Shu Kingdom in Chengdu's western suburbs. The site was the center of an ancient civilization in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The Jinsha Site Museum features the most abundant gold and jade artifacts, as well as the densest collection of ivory, of any site dating back to the same period. The museum includes the excavation site and beautiful displays of many of the uncovered objects, which were created between 1200 and 600 BCE.

Sanxingdui Archaeological Site

The Sanxingdui site, located about 40 km north of Chengdu, appears to have been the center of an extensive kingdom (c. 2050-1250 BCE), possibly the ancient Kingdom of Shu. The objects found there are in a style that is distinct from those found farther north. The bronze masks discovered at Sanxingdui have exaggerated facial features and dignified facial expressions. They may have been used to honor ancestors or gods.

Dujiangyan Panda Valley

The Dujiangyan Panda Valley, located 60 km nortwest of Chengdu, is home to giant pandas that are gradually being reintroduced to the wild. The Dujiangyan base has a climate and natural environment that are conducive to the well-being of the giant pandas. As part of the Giant Panda Reintroduction Research Center's semi-wild transition experiment, the pandas temporarily live in blockhouse-like dens. They will continue to receive training until researchers confirm that they are ready to return to the wild.

Qinqiang Opera of Northwest China

Qinqiang (Qin's Tune) is a genre of Chinese folk opera that has its origins in the local folk songs and dances of the Yellow River Valley in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Qinqiang includes singing, storytelling, dance and martial arts.

Yisu Society (Yisushe) of Xi'an

The Xi'an Yisu Society is a Qinqiang Opera company founded in 1912 by intellectuals of the Chinese Revolutionary Alliance. The purpose of the Society is to "assist in social education, enlighten the people, and transform social traditions". Since its founding, the troupe has produced more than 500 scripts, such as Three Drops of Blood by the playwright Fan Zidong. The renowned writer Lu Xun paid tribute to the Yisu troupe under the motto "Unique Interpretation of the Ancient Tune".

Terracotta Warrior Army in Shaanxi (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

The Terracotta Army, located 40 km northeast of Xi'an, is a collection of thousands of life-size, originally painted terracotta sculptures (soldiers, horses and chariots), lined up in marching formation and charged with guarding the grand mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first ruler to unite China.

Tianshan Tianchi (Heavenly Lake of Tianshan Mountains) in Xinjiang (UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site)

Tianchi Lake, located about 70 km east of Urumqi, is one of oldest alpine moraine lakes in the world. The lake, with its emerald color serene water, is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Folk tales relate the beautiful scenery to China's famous Daoist mythology of Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the West). The place also still bears witness to the special Kazakh folk culture.

Garden Within a Garden: Xieyu Yuan (Garden of Harmonious Interests) in Qingyi Garden (Summer Palace) in Beijing (UNESCO World Heritage)

The Xiequ Yuan on the East Hill of the Summer Palace was constructed in the 18th century during Qing Emperor Qianlong's reign and has the architectural features of southern China.

Du Fu, Tang Dynasty Poet

Du Fu (712-770) was a poet and politician who lived during the Tang dynasty. He is often referred to as the Sage of Poetry and is widely considered one of the greatest Chinese poets. His poems reflect personal struggles, social issues and political turmoil, offering a realistic and empathetic perspective. Du Fu's works had a significant influence on Chinese and Japanese literary cultures.
?????? Born near Luoyang in Henan, Du Fu came from family of minor scholar-officials. He received an education befitting a future civil servant. This included studying and memorizing the Confucian Classics, a collection of texts covering philosophy, history and poetry.

The Du Fu sculptures depicted below, which were created by Wu Weishan, are on display in Du Fu Park in Chengdu.

Du Fu: Heroic Poems on Study Tours

Between 731 and 735, Du Fu traveled to many places in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas. After failing the imperial civil service examination in Chang'an in 735, he resumed traveling, this time around Shandong and Hebei from 736 to 740. In 744, he befriended the renowned poet Li Bai in Luoyang. Du Fu lived a joyful life, and his poems were high-spirited, energetic, and full of ambition.

Du Fu: Meditating in Chang'an

During his time there, Du Fu tried to realize his political ideals. He wrote poems to gain favor with influential officials and offered his work to the court in hopes of obtaining an official position. During the An Lushan rebellion of 755, he served briefly as a court reminder. As his political ideals began to fade, he started reflecting on people's lives and social reality in his poems.

Du Fu: A Chaotic Life in Qinzhou

The An Lushan rebellion (755-763) devastated Du Fu's life. His last 15 years were marked by almost constant unrest. His largely itinerant life was disrupted by war, famine, and imperial disfavor. In 759, he resigned from his official position and wandered from place to place, living a hard life in Qinzhou (now Gansu Province) and elsewhere. His poems reflected his grief and sadness during this chaotic period.

Du Fu: Expressing Emotions While Living in Kuizhou

Although Du Fu lived in Kuizhou, a remote location in present-day Chongqing, for less than two years (767-768), it was his most productive period. His poetry covered a wide range of topics. His Kuizhou poems are often characterized by themes of isolation, depression, and reflections on mortality and societal collapse.

Du Fu: Twilight Years at Dongting

In 769, Du Fu traveled to the Dongting Lake area. During his twilight years, Du Fu's poems primarily conveyed sorrow for his experiences in old age. His poetic style became more melancholy and dignified. Du Fu died of illness in the Tanzhou area of Hunan (now Changsha) in 770.



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