Bronze animal heads on display in Shanghai

A total of 47 national treasures that had once been lost overseas are now on display in the Minhang Museum, Shanghai. Among them, the 【小题1】(notable) ones are five bronze (青铜的) heads of 【小题2】 ox, a tiger, a monkey, a pig and a horse (replica).

According to Shanghai Daily, they are part of the 12 bronze heads at Yuanmingyuan, 【小题3】(order) to be built by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. These 【小题4】(statue) together served as a fountain clock at that time, taking turns to spout (喷射) water every two hours at noon every day, 【小题5】 made for a unique scene in the royal garden.

However, the statues 【小题6】(steal) by British and French soldiers in 1860. After traveling for more than 100 years, seven of them have 【小题7】(final) returned to China.

Carrying such 【小题8】(culture) and historical importance, the statues' display excited many Chinese people. “We wanted to create the opportunity to reunite these animal heads in front of people in modern times. When visitors see the damages on them, they can sense the misery (悲惨) of China during that period of time ... I think this is a chance for all of us 【小题9】(understand) history from a whole new angle,” Xu Di, director of publicity at the museum, 【小题10】(tell) the Global Times.

Located in Shiyan, central China’s Hubei Province, the Wudang Mountains are known for their breathtaking natural landscapes, large ancient temples and Wudang martial arts (武术).

The place 【小题1】 (frequent) appears in various martial arts novels and films. Some scenes in the popular movie The Karate Kid, starring Chinese action star Jackie Chan, 【小题2】 (shoot) at famous places among the mountains such as the Golden Hall and Nanyan Palace .

In December 1994, an ancient building complex (建筑群) at Wudang was listed as 【小题3】 UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the religious 【小题4】 (significant) and architectural achievements of the buildings within the complex.

In recent years, exchanges between Wudang and overseas countries have been 【小题5】 the rise, paving the way for Wudang martial arts 【小题6】 (go) abroad.

Ingo, 52, is one of the foreigners 【小题7】 are interested in tai chi. After joining a tai chi programme and 【小题8】 (get) some knowledge of tai chi in Germany, he came to Wudang into gain a 【小题9】 (deep) understanding of Chinese martial arts and traditional culture. Since then, Ingo 【小题10】 (fly) to Wudang to practise tai chi and other martial arts almost every year.

The site of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes is located in northwest China’s Gansu Province. The Mogao Grottoes, also known as the “Caves of a Thousand Buddhas”, is a shining pearl on the ancient Silk Road, 【小题1】 (combine) painting, sculpture and architecture.

According to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) records, a monk named Lezun saw a thousand Buddhas under showers of golden rays. Thus 【小题2】 (inspire), he began to build a temple, 【小题3】 spans ten dynasties.

For more than a thousand years, 【小题4】 total of 735 caves and 45,000 square meters of murals【小题5】 (create). These murals also show diverse cultures, recording ancient folk customs 【小题6】 historical changes. Therefore, they are also called “An Encyclopedia on the Wall”.

The Mogao Grottoes consist 【小题7】 large grotto temples showcasing paintings, sculptures, architectural designs and murals. 【小题8】 (protect) Dunhuang culture, the Dunhuang Academy has been exploring ways of protecting the cultural heritage through digital technology since the late 1980s.

Through digital 【小题9】 (interact) programs, you can visit the caves and murals online with people from all over the world. Now, the ancient Dunhuang culture 【小题10】 (attract) more and more young people in the digital world.