Chichen Itza is an ancient site sitting in Yucatan State, Mexico, in Central America. This site has been listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Chichen Itza was an extremely important religious site for 1,000 years for the ancient Maya people. The Maya civilization began before 2000 BC and lasted until 1697 when Spain took away their last remaining city. The Maya people lived in southeastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western parts of Honduras and EI Salvador.

From around 600 to 1050 AD, in Chichen Itza, people were able to buy things that were difficult to find. This was thanks to its port, Isla Cerritos, which allowed the city to trade through water. In the 10th century, it became the capital of the area from central Yucatan to the north coast.

The ancient city of Chichen Itza was well planned in design. The pyramids and temples were built in groups, with paved walkways in between. People have found over 80 of these walkways all over the site. The main building groups are the Great North Platform, the Old Chichen, plus the Ossario and Central Groups.

At the center of the site is a castle in a pyramid shape. In Spanish, it's called EI Castilo, which means the castle. But its real name is the Temple of Kukulkan and it actually sits on top of a much older temple. On the 20th of March and the 22nd of September, the sun's rays create a strange shadow across the Temple of Kukulkan. It looks just like a snake slithering down the pyramid staircase. And in fact, the temple is named after the Maya feathered snake god, Kukulkan.

“The grass looks greener on the other side of the fence.” That’s an old saying in English. It means that other places often look better, more interesting than the place where you live. “Let’s go to KFC for dinner and then watch some Japanese cartoons!” We all know it: more and more Chinese kids love American and Japanese food and movies. Some people worry that young Chinese are beginning to feel that way. They see young Chinese ignoring (忽视) Chinese culture and, instead, buying Japanese cartoon books, watching Korean soap operas and even celebrating western holidays.

Foreign books and soap operas are good, but Chinese writers and actors are just as good. As for holidays, Christmas is nice, but it can never have the meaning for Chinese that the Spring Festival has, and the West has nothing to compare with the Mid-Autumn Festival. China has lots of cool things in its culture: calligraphy, Beijing Opera, quick meals on the streets. And let’s not forget the part of Chinese culture I like best: its friendliness. Not all countries are as warm as China.

It’s good to enjoy other cultures and learn from them, but they can never replace your own culture. It’s good to look on the other side of the fence, but make sure you take a good long look. You will find that the grass isn’t always greener.

Although some people become worried about that, I don’t think they should. Will we get more powerful without learning from other countries? Will Chinese people live more happily without American fast food? Besides, it’s fun to learn about different cultures. Chinese kids can learn about other cultures and have fun, but they also need to learn more about their own culture. Be proud of Chinese culture and of being Chinese!

Shaanxi kuaiban is a traditional Chinese form of storytelling in the Shaanxi dialect to the rhythm of bamboo clappers. It can be performed by a group or solo. The art form can be traced back to the late Qing Dynasty (1644—1911). At first, the art was used by farmers to share their knowledge and earn money. But now, more people perform Shaanxi kuaiban on different occasions—for example, at festival celebrations, parties and art shows.

Yang Jinlong, 45, is an experienced Shaanxi kuaiban artist. He first learned the art at the age of 9. Before that, he often went with his father, an amateur performer, to watch kuaiban performances.

“As a young boy, I was attracted to the art form because many of the stories are about heroes. The performer tells stories while playing kuaiban, and it's easy for the audience to remember the stories since all the lines rhyme,” Yang said.

He has practiced Shaanxi kuaiban for more than 30 years. Since 2003, he has been teaching the art form to young people. At 9 am on weekdays, he drives to primary and middle schools in Xi'an and teaches students about Shaanxi kuaiban until about 6 pm. Then, he returns home to prepare classes for the next day. On the weekends, he teaches for six hours each day at art education institutions in Xi'an.

Yang has made some adaptations to the art form to relate more to students. When he tells modern stories, Yang abandons the traditional gown and wears a suit. He also integrates many pop elements like tap dance, ballet, jazz dance and the rhythm of popular music into kuaiban performances. His stories focus on more trendy topics, like stories of heroes who have worked to alleviate poverty, as well as the Chinese Olympic team.

“Art education is important for students in China. Just as many students learn to play Western musical instruments like the piano and violin, there are many people learning traditional Chinese folk arts, including Shaanxi kuaiban. They are committed and passionate,” Yang said.