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Puer tea (普洱茶) Pu'er, Pu-erh, Puer, Po Lei or Bolay is a variety of post-fermented tea produced in Yunnan province, China. Post-fermentation is a tea production style in which the tea leaves undergo a microbial fermentation process after they are dried and rolled. This is a Chinese specialty and is sometimes referred to as dark tea. There are a few different provinces, each with a few regions, producing dark teas of different varieties. Those produced in Yunnan are generally named Pu'er, referring to the name of Pu'er county which used to be a trading post for dark tea during imperial China... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puer_tea

In Beijing’s Liulichang Street, a historic cultural quarter over 300 years old, people often practice 地书 (dishu), or “ground calligraphy.” Using large brushes with sponge tips, they write Chinese characters on the pavement with water. The strokes shimmer for a moment before evaporating in the sun, leaving no trace. This tradition began in the 1980s and has become a beloved morning ritual, especially among older residents. It’s more than art — it’s gentle exercise, mental focus, and social interaction. Writers often reproduce classical poetry or philosophical sayings from memory, following traditional calligraphy rules. The act is meditative yet communal: people gather, chat, and exchange thoughts on technique and meaning. Liulichang dates back to the Ming dynasty, named after a famous coloured-glaze factory that once produced tiles for palaces and temples. Later, it became a centre for scholars and imperial exam candidates. Today, the street is lined with antique shops, bookstores, and art studios. Watching dishu here feels natural — a living tradition in a place long devoted to literacy and aesthetics. For Western visitors, it offers a quiet, authentic glimpse into daily Chinese life: no performance, no commerce, just the fleeting grace of expression in water and sunlight.

The Chinese ribbon dance, a spectacle of colour and motion, is one of the most graceful expressions of East Asian artistry to reach European audiences. Originating more than two millennia ago in the Han Dynasty, it combines myth, philosophy, and theatre in a single, flowing performance. Dancers move with long silk ribbons that catch the air like brushstrokes in motion, forming billowing shapes reminiscent of clouds or the delicate lines in ancient scroll paintings. The ribbons, traditionally dyed in vivid reds, golds, and blues, symbolise joy, vitality, and the link between humanity and nature. The choreography often draws from classical depictions of celestial nymphs and gods, suggesting weightless flight and divine playfulness. Beyond its aesthetic allure, the dance embodies cultural values of harmony, discipline, and balance—themes that resonate deeply with the natural philosophy of Daoist thought. For Western observers, it can be likened to a fusion of ballet’s elegance with the storytelling depth of masque theatre. Its symbolism even extends along the historic Silk Road, the very network that once united China and Europe through trade and culture. Today, the ribbon dance continues to mesmerise international audiences as a timeless celebration of movement, history, and the human imagination.​​