Why you should still write and send postcards

Are postcards still relevant in the selfie (自拍)generation? Surprisingly, yes! Postcards are a thoughtful way of showing a person that you care even while far away. 【小题1】. But here are a few reasons it is still considered good practice to send postcards.

Show your care

【小题2】 It will take you only a few minutes to write a message and a second to send it. But postcards are different, show effort and thoughtfulness. You need to find the right one, as well as handwriting your message and then send it to the person you love by slow mail. Imagine the time and effort you have to put in simply means the recipient is someone you really care about.

Record your travels

You may use postcards as keepsakes of your travels. They can also double as your travel journal. 【小题3】. You can create a scrapbook (剪贴簿)of all the postcards you have collected from your travels.

Get one back

A postcard is a pleasant surprise. It is a fun gesture that brings great joy to others. 【小题4】.

If you and your friends agree to send each other postcards, you can build up a great collection of amazing memories.

Last a lifetime

Postcards are unique and one of a kind, so they are great for safekeeping. Digital photos can get lost. 【小题5】. They are something you can look back to in the future and be able to share with others as well.

A 1969 letter has been found down the back of a sofa.

The sheet was discovered by Peter Beckerton, while he was repairing an old piece of furniture for a customer. It is dated February 23, 1969, and appears to be written by an 11-year-old girl.

In the letter the schoolgirl writes: “In 1969 the telephone was a square box thing with a resiver [sic] on top of it. But now it is still a resiver [sic], but you can see the people you are talking to, for there is a screen where you can see the people. It is a bit like a television."

Peter said, “When I found it I couldn’t believe it. Looking at it today she’s got a lot of her predictions (预测) kind of right—but in her childish way she thought it would all happen in ten years. I just wanted to share it in the hope that maybe the author might see it and recognize it.”

The letter is unnamed but comes complete with a teacher’s corrections and comments in red pen—including the comment “Good”.

It begins: “The year is 1980. Here I am twenty-one years of age. I remember when I was 11 years old and I was at school ...; things have changed since then. For instance, television has changed. In 1969 it was a square box with buttons in front of it. Now it is a big screen with buttons on your chair arm to switch it on and off.”

The schoolgirl imagines that she is a married bank worker. She says in times past she would have “prepared tea” ready for her husband to come home. But she adds: “Now all we have is a piece of chewing gum (口香糖). You may think that we have not enough to eat but you are wrong. You chew this gum and you can feel the food going down. You can also taste it. There is no messy washing-up to do afterwards.”

She imagines that the doors of their home are “electric” and opened and closed by pressing a button.

Embroidery(刺绣)is an important art form in Chinese culture.People often embroider handkerchiefs,bed covers,tablecloths and dresses.Shu embroidery is one of the most famous embroidery styles in China.It's known for its strong expression and smooth needlework.

The characteristics are greatly influenced by geographical environment,customs and cultures.Called the“Land of Abundance”,Sichuan province is rich in grain production.The people of this area also enjoy a slow lifestyle.So when embroidering,they are usually patient and willing to spend time pursuing the form’s complexity and elegance.This could also be a reason why Shu embroidery was listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage in 2006.

Making beautiful Shu embroidery products is never easy.

It requires superb workmanship.Meng Dezhi,59,was born to a family of embroiderers.She was one of the most talented employees at the Chengdu Shu embroidery factory.Even so,the long and repetitive nature of the process often challenges her.And in winter,when her hands and feet are freezing,things become more difficult.But her love for the work has encouraged Meng to continue.Even for an experienced master like Meng,finishing a piece requires several days or even a few months.

“These experiences may sometimes discourage me,but the love for Shu embroidery always gives me motivation to continue,”said Meng.

Meng has also popularized the culture of Shu embroidery when the tradition was at risk of declining.

Many cheap products are made by modern machines.In 2005,the factory Meng worked in was forced to close.To make a living and pass along the traditional technique,Meng rented a   small space of 10 square meters to teach Shu embroidery skills to the kids and young people.

“In the early days,I set up the company just for survival,but now I really feel that I have the responsibility to pass on Shu embroidery skills to young people.”“It is like sowing a seed—who knows which of them will become an inheritor(继承人)or guardian of our culture in the future?”she told China Daily.