If you have a chance to talk with a historical figure, who would you like it to be? What would you like to know about the past or share from today? China in the Classics, a new TV show based on Chinese classics started by China Central Television (CCTV) in February, is exploring such possibilities.

In the first episode, the host of the show, Sa Beining, meets ancient Confucian scholar Fu Sheng, who interpreted Shangshu — The Book of Documents. Regarded as one of the five classics of ancient Chinese Confucianism masterpieces, the book records many firsts in the country. Even the expression zhongguo (China) is used there first.

The episode ends with the host bringing Fu to today’s modern society, where the scholar is happy to find children learning the same things he had learned in his childhood. It increased the rating of the series with viewers giving it 9 out of 10 on Douban, a film and TV show reviewing website popular among young people.

The success of China in the Classics doesn’t surprise Shen Haixiong, head of the China Media Group. Shen said in an article in the journal Qiushi, “We are happy to see the program is popular among the public, but we are prouder to find that innovative interpretation of Chinese classics is arousing young people’s interest in Chinese culture.”

Therefore, TV channels have been making bold attempts in recent years to attract today’s younger generations. The Nation’s Greatest Treasures, CCTV’s cultural show in 2017, showcased China’s history and culture through antiques in the top-class museums, and fired up the audience. The treasures include the 3,300-year-old Yinxu Ruins in Henan Province and the 1,300-year-old Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region.

CCTV should make a variety of programs showcasing classics and cultural traditions to appeal to the young generation’s aesthetics, said Zhou, a professor at the School of Arts and Communication, Beijing Normal University.

Are you interested in some holiday information? Welcome to our Festival—Informing Program to get to know some winter festivals!

Diwali

Diwali is a five-day festival of lights celebrated by Indians worldwide in October or November. As part of the festivities, houses, stores and other public places are all decorated with diyas. People celebrate Diwali by cleaning their homes, then leaving the windows and doors of their houses open so that Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, can come in. They dress up in new clothes, exchange gifts, play card games and eat together.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah begins in November or December and lasts for eight days. This Jewish festival celebrates the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem in 165 BC. It's celebrated by lighting one candle each night on a special candleholder. Kids often play games during Hanukkah The most   popular game includes a dreidel, a four—sided spinning top with Jewish letters on each side.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is to celebrate African heritage and culture. It was created in 1966 by Dr Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies and California State University, Long Beach. The festival begins on Dec. 26 and ends on Jan. 1. On each of the nights, the family gathers and a child lights one of the candles on the Kinara (candleholder), and discusses one of the seven principles, which are ideals created by Karenga. People also celebrate Kwanzaa with meals, music, poetry and dancing.

Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls between mid-January and mid-to-late February and usually lasts for fifteen days. People celebrate by cleaning their homes, then decorating with red paper cutouts, lanterns, etc. Fireworks are set off and there are dragon and lion dances. Family members come together to celebrate. Children receive “luck” money, given in red envelopes.

5 things you may not know about Grain Rain

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Grain Rain, as the last term in spring, starts on April 20 and ends on May 4.

Grain Rain originates from the old saying, "Rain brings up the growth of hundreds of grains," which shows that this period of rainfall is extremely important for the growth of crops. The Grain Rain signals the end of cold weather and a rapid rise in temperature. 【小题1】 .

Key time for agriculture

Grain Rain brings a marked increase in temperature and rainfall and the grains grow faster and stronger. It's a key time to protect the crops from insect pests.

【小题2】

Grain Rain falls between the end of spring and the beginning of summer, with infrequent cold air moving to the south and lingering cold air in the north. From the end of April to the beginning of May, the temperature rises much higher than it does in March. With dry soil, an unsteady atmosphere and heavy winds, wild winds and sandstorms become more frequent.

Drinking tea

There is an old custom in southern China that people drink tea on the day of Grain Rain. Spring tea during Grain Rain is rich in vitamins and amino acids, 【小题3】 . It is also said that drinking tea on this day would prevent bad luck.

Eating toona sinensis

People in northern China have the tradition to eat the vegetable toona sinensis during Grain Rain. An old Chinese saying goes ”toona sinensis before the rain is as tender as silk”. The vegetable is nutritious and can help to strengthen the immune system. 【小题4】 .

Grain Rain Festival

The Grain Rain festival is celebrated by fishing villages in the coastal areas of northern China. 【小题5】 . The custom dates back more than 2,000 years ago, when people believed they owed a good harvest to the gods, who protected them from the stormy seas. People would worship the sea and stage sacrifice rites on the Grain Rain festival, praying for a bountiful harvest and a safe voyage for their loved ones.