JINAN, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) — Receiving a wedding invitation has become like receiving a bill for young people in China, as they are expected to give cash to the newlyweds.

Having attended more than five weddings in October alone, Chen Dongfang, whose monthly salary is 2,800 yuan (442 U.S. dollars), spent over 3,000 yuan as cash gifts for his friends.

“I could barely survive with my salary. Cash wedding gifts for friends’ weddings are burdensome,” said Chen, who graduated last year and now works at an interior design company in Shandong’s provincial capital of Jinan. Continue Reading

SHIJIAZHUANG, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Chinese acrobatic troupes need to enlarge their domestic market and innovate their performances amid expectations that the art will help China extend its cultural influence, industry insiders said at an ongoing acrobatics carnival.

After a long depression, the domestic acrobatic industry is starting to expand, according to Bian Faji, president of the China Acrobats Association. The domestic market has fared better than overseas markets, which shrunk following the global economic downturn, Bian said Thursday at the 13th China Wuqiao International Acrobatics Carnival currently being held in the northern province of Hebei. Continue Reading

HONG KONG, Oct. 26, 2011 (Xinhua) — Cheng Kwok Fai (R) and Leung Ho Tsun Andy of China’s Hong Kong team compete in Hong Kong Open Windsurfing Championships 2011 in Hong Kong, south China, Oct. 26, 2011. (Photo by Xinhua/Lo Ping Fai)

BEIJING, Oct. 26, 2011 (Xinhua) — Models present creations designed by ZUOAN Hong Jinshan during the ongoing China Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2012, in Beijing, capital of China. A total of 44 shows to showcase creations by over 40 designers are about to be staged during the weeklong fashion event. (Photo by Xinhua/Chen Jianli)

SHANGHAI, Oct. 12, 2011 (Xinhua) — Staff members of France’s National Picasso Museum carry a painting by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso during the preparation of an upcoming art exhibition in Shanghai. Sixty-two masterpieces of Pablo Picasso will be put on display in Shanghai’s World Expo Park from October 18, 2011 to January 10, 2012. (Photo by Xinhua/Ren Long)

BEIJING, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) — China’s railways carried a record total of 67.3 million passengers from Sept. 28 to Oct. 7, as many Chinese went on a travelling spree for the weeklong National Day holiday, the Ministry of Railways (MOR) said Saturday.

The figure was up 5.8 percent over the same period last year, with a daily record of 8.9 million passengers boarding trains on Oct. 1, or National Day, the ministry said. Continue Reading

BEIJING, Oct. 3,2011 (Xinhua) — Peng Shuai of China at the second round of women’s singles against Flavia Pennetta of Italy at 2011 China Open Tennis Tournament in Beijing, China Oct. 3, 2011. Peng Shuai lost 0-2. (Photo by Xinhua/Gong Lei)

CHANGCHUN, Oct. 3, 2011 (Xinhua) — A clown performs with a visitor during an amusing carnival at a movie theme park in Changchun, capital of northeast China’s Jilin Province. (Photo by Xinhua/Wang Haofei)

BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) — World number five Li Na cut a poor figure in the opening round of the China Open on Sunday, slumping to a straight sets defeat to the unknown Romanian qualifier Monica Niculescu.

Li, who broke up with her Danish coach Michael Mortenson after staging a string of disappointing results since being crowned as French Open champion, still fell off the pace on home court under the guidance of his husband coach Jiang Shanand lost 6-4, 6-0 in just one hour and 21 minutes. Continue Reading

ZHOUSHAN, Sept. 24, 2011 (Xinhua) — Sand sculptures of Disney cartoon characters in Zhoushan, east China’s Zhejiang Province. Some 60 sculpture works of Disney figures were showcased. (Photo by Xinhua/Xu Yu)

BOMI, Sept. 24, 2011 (Xinhua) — Bomi County, located in the southeastern part of southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, is famous for its biological diversification and attracts many tourists every year with its glaciers, grand canyons, forests and geological parks. (Photo by Xinhua/Tao Xiyi)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) — Chinese and American musicians jointly held a concert at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday night, kicking off a month-long celebration of Chinese art performances and exhibitions aimed at deepening bilateral cultural exchanges and friendship.

The concert, China-USA: A Celebration of Music, featured Chinese orchestral music, excerpts from contemporary Chinese operas which have won fans around the world, and pieces by world-renowned Italian composer Giacomo Puccini and American composer Leonard Bernstein that have become favorites of Chinese audiences. Continue Reading