Chinese New Year celebrated with fireworks over New York's Hudson River

A dazzling fireworks show, marking the first major global celebrations of the Chinese Lunar New Year, took place here Tuesday evening over the Hudson River.

The 20-minute fireworks display was the first large-scale fireworks display ever in the United States, to commemorate the Chinese Lunar New Year, which officially falls on Feb. 19 and is said to be celebrated by approximately one out of every six people in the world.


"It was fabulous! It's extraordinary beautiful," said Susan King, who works for a non-government organization promoting teaching exchange between China and the United States and was invited to watch the fireworks in the Consulate-General of China in New York.

"The music was lovely. It's exciting to be able to come here to watch the celebration of the Chinese New Year. We feel very honored to be here for that," she said.

Titled "Harmonious China," the fireworks display commenced at 7:30 p.m. local time (0030 Wednesday), utilizing three-barges on the Hudson River, nearly equaling the scope of the iconic Macy's Independence Day Fireworks Spectacular.

Artistic director of the event Huang Jiancheng said he hopes to express the joy through the fireworks.

Yu Ding, dean of Arts Administration and Education Institute, Chinese Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), said that he hopes the tradition of lighting fireworks during the Chinese New Year will bring New Yorkers happiness and joy, and deliver Chinese wonderful blessings to the United States and the rest of the world.

Viewing was possible along the Hudson River from both Midtown Manhattan and New Jersey sides, and there was also a live accompanying music broadcast on three local radio stations, featuring special music composed by Guan Xia, director of the China National Symphony Orchestra.

The fireworks display was divided into four thematic and emotional chapters -- starting with "Great Jubilance," followed by "The Return of Spring," then "Illumination of Stars and the Moon," and concluding with a powerful "Universal Celebration."

The fireworks kick off a week of Lunar New Year events at cultural institutions around New York City as part of "Happy Chinese New Year: Fantastic Art China," including a public art exhibition at Lincoln Center, a lighting display of the Empire State Building and other events hosted by US and Chinese partners.
  Source:Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
18/2/15
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Related:

• China warns of festival air pollution caused by fireworks

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China to ban use of Tibetan sky burial for tourism. (Some travel agents have shown disrespect to the tradition)

China has set out to make a new law to regulate the traditional Tibetan practice of sky burial, which involves feeding bodies of the dead to birds. Official sources in Tibet have indicated that the use of sky burial sites as tourist attraction may be banned.
"It will be the first time for Tibet to regulate sky burials using legislation, which shows respect and offers protection to the millennium-old tradition," the official media quoted Samdrup, an official with the standing committee of the regional People's Congress.

The Regional People's Congress of Tibet, the local legislature, recently passed a bill to better regulate sky burials, covering issues like management of the site, environmental protection and qualification of ritual hosts. The purpose is to "better protect sky burials".

Chinese government has stopped the use of burial sites for tourism on several occasions in the past three decades, but the local officials have allowed it from time to time for developing tourism, sources said.

State media said that the traditional ritual has become controversial after tourists guides began leading tour groups to view the ceremony. There have been complaints that some travel agents have shown disrespect to the tradition. Tibetans and Mongolians cut bodies of the dead, and feed them to vultures and other predatory birds. It is regarded an act of generosity and a ritual that allows the soul to ascend to heaven.

The Tibetan government issued a provisional rule in 2005 that banned sightseeing, photographing and video recording at such burial sites, or publishing reports and pictures describing the rituals.

The law has been violated extensively as thousands of tourists crowd around the burial sites to watch the traditional practice. Even some monks are known to be involved in guiding tourists to the burial sites for collecting donations for their shrines. 
   http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/China-to-ban-use-of-Tibetan-sky-burial-for-tourism/articleshow/46004209.cms
   24/1/15---
Related:

• China accelerates tourism development in Tibet

• Tibetans enjoy splashing fun on bathing festival

• Double threat for Tibet (Climate change and human development are jeopardizing the plateau’s fragile environment.)

• Tibet's intangible heritage well-protected, says official

China approves new railway in Tibet

China has approved construction of a railway linking Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region to Nyingchi in its east, local authorities said Friday.

According to the plan approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Lhasa to Nyingchi section of the Sichuan-Tibet railway runs 402 km from Nyingchi to Xierong, a stop on the Lhasa-Xigaze line.

The 32-km section from Xierong to Lhasa will be electrified.

The new Tibet line was one of three rail lines approved by the country's top economic planning body. The other two are from Ordos in the northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to Ji'an in the eastern Jiangxi Province, and from Datong in the northern Shanxi Province to Zhangjiakou in neighboring Hebei Province. The total investment of the three is 250 billion yuan (40 billion US dollars).

The Tibet project will cost 36.6 billion yuan and take seven years to complete. Sate-owned China Railway Corporation will build and operate the line.

The designed speed for passenger trains will be 160 km per hour. The line will have a cargo capacity of 10 million tonnes per year.

"The Lhasa to Nyingchi railway section is conducive to improving the regional road network and transportation capacity to better integrate Tibet with other parts of China," said Yang Yulin, a Tibet railway official.

After completion, the Sichuan-Tibet railway will form a ring with the Qinghai-Tibet railway, which will bring more economic benefit, according to Wang Daiyuan with the Tibet Academy of Social Sciences.

Transport has long been a bottleneck for tourism in Tibet. More tourists will be able to visit Tibet via the Sichuan-Tibet railway, said Wang.

The Qinghai-Tibet railway began operations in 2006, introducing railway transportation into Tibet for the first time in history. The railway links Xining, capital of Qinghai Province, with Lhasa.

In August, a 251 km railway line linked Lhasa and Xigaze, the second city in the region.

Tourist arrivals in Tibet reached 12.9 million last year from 1.8 million in 2005. The region's gross domestic product reached 80 billion yuan in 2013, compared with 34 billion yuan in 2006.

Lines connecting Xigaze with Yadong, Jilung and Nyalam border ports are being planned.
 Source: Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
31/10/14
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Related:

• China accelerates tourism development in Tibet 

• Double threat for Tibet (Climate change and human development are jeopardizing the plateau’s fragile environment.)

• Tibet's intangible heritage well-protected, says official

• China to upgrade transport infrastructures in Tibet (will also build more airports in Tibet)

Simit sellers removed from central Istanbul

Street vendors selling simits, a local savoury pastry enjoyed by all walks of life, have been removed from central spots across Istanbul, with police citing widespread malpractice among unregistered simit sellers.

It is a tradition for many Turks to have simit for breakfast, and street vendors can generally be found at every main street, subway station or any other central point.

However, Tayfun Karaali, the head of the municipal police, said in a statement that the municipality had made such a decision to combat pirate simit sellers.

'Some already had big profits from simit'

“Soon, those simit sellers who are really in need of the job will return,” Karali said, adding that the municipality would help those who need to sell simit to live on for some time.

Ali Yücel, the head of the simit vendors’ chamber, told Hürriyet that the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality had not dealt with the issue for the last four or five years, adding that decisions about who is permitted to sell simit are made by district mayors.

According to Yücel, there are about 8,000 simit vendors across Istanbul, with 250 vendors removed from central spots.
[hurriyetdailynews.com]
22/9/14

Tibetans enjoy splashing fun on bathing festival

Photo:www.tibettravel.com

Crowds of Tibetans, young and old, bathed themselves in the Lhasa River on Saturday despite the early autumn chill on the Tibet Plateau.

"The water is chilly, so start with your feet. The sun is blazing and the water will soon feel warm enough," said 60-year-old Droma to Deyki, a quiet young woman who was hesitating whether to get into the water. "Come on, you can't afford to miss the fun of bathing."

The bathing festival, known in Tibetan as "Karma Rigkyi", is a week-long holiday that falls in the seventh or eighth month of the Tibetan calendar.

This year, the bathing week lasts from Sept. 9 to 15, or the 14th to 20th day in the eighth month of the Tibetan calendar.

The Tibetans traditionally believe the river water, which comes from the melting plateau snow, has healing effects and can wash away diseases.

Ancient literature on Tibetan herbal medicine also describes the water at this particular time as "sweet", "good for the throat and stomach" and "having cleansing and healing effects".

Throughout the bathing week, therefore, rivers and streams across the plateau region are filled with bathing crowds who swim, splash and pray for good health.

The bathing festival is often a time for massive cleaning, as some people also do their laundries in the river, including their whole family's clothing to bedding.

It is also a social occasion, as many people bring their tents and picnic and spend a whole day by the river, chatting and flying kites after bathing themselves.

"I like the traditional ways of life despite all the modern lifestyles and entertainment," said Dondrup, a 20-something man. "These centuries-old traditions often bring back sweet memories of my childhood and touch the deepest, softest part of my heart."

Dondrup, a driver, was washing his car with the river water after bathing himself.
Sources: Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
13/9/14

China to upgrade transport infrastructures in Tibet (will also build more airports in Tibet)

China has vowed to further promote the development of transport infrastructures in Tibet to make travels on "the roof of the world" much easier.

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) said in a guideline that China aims to expand highways in the autonomous region to 110,000 kilometers by 2020.

China plans to complete a primary network of railways by then with 1,300 kilometers of rails in operation. The country will also build more airports in Tibet.

Building roads connecting rural areas has become the policy focus. The authorities plans to make sure that by 2020, every village in Tibet has at least one road connecting with the outside.

To that end, the MOT will beef up support to the construction of transport infrastructures in Tibet and make specific plans to ensure the accomplishment of these targets.

Tibet has received about 83 billion yuan ($13 billion) in transport investment during the last 20 years.

In ancient times, it usually took months even years for people living in the country's middle and eastern regions to get to Tibet.

Although airlines, railways and expressways have made travels to Tibet much more convenient, the transport infrastructures in the autonomous region are still outdated.

"The development of transport in Tibet is crucial to China's national security and lasting prosperity in the autonomous region, " said the MOT guideline.
Source:Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
27/7/14
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Traditional Amazon boat-making ....

Watch Video cctv

In the waterways of the Amazon basin, ships and boats are a lifeline connecting isolated communities with more developed areas. And indigenously-made wooden boats continue to be a mainstay of transportation in the region. In Macapa, Brazil, tradesmen still practice traditional ship-building--making the city a hub for the craft.
No giant factories, no complex machines. The Amazon’s traditional wooden boats are built in outdoor workshops like these. Craftsmen here use just their hands and simple tools to build and renovate the vessels.
Marcos Ramos, craftsman, said "I have learnt ship-building from my father since I was very little. I started from simpler techniques when I was eight, and when I reached the age of 16, I was capable of building a ship all by myself."
 

In the waterways of the Amazon basin, ships and boats are a lifeline connecting isolated communities with more developed areas.

From the initial design to the last nail, Marcos and his sons build every ship entirely by themselves. He’s lost count of how many ships he’s made over the last 23 years--his experience and skills have amassed a loyal group of customers in the region.
Jose Souza, local resident, said "He is very talented and his ships have the best quality, everybody knows that. In fact, he constructed this ship together with his family. He built the main frame, one of his sons made the exterior decoration, and his other son finished the varnishing. This boat is the fruit of family collaboration."
Marcos infuses each ship with immense thought and care-the choice of wood is one example.

In the waterways of the Amazon basin, ships and boats are a lifeline connecting isolated communities with more developed areas.

Marcos said "Normally I would pick sucupira or itauba. They are tree species particular to the Amazon forest. Because they are very tenacious and resistant to decay. If I used any other woods, the ship wouldn’t last long before all kinds of problems would emerge."
Although these ships are such an important part of the life in the Amazon, the traditional shipbuilding craft is on the decline.
Marcos says his sons are willing to help for now, but they don’t want to dedicate their lives to the trade. Eventually, they’ll probably leave his workshop, but in the meantime, they’ll help him build this ship-after six months, when it’s finished, it will be sent out to the river, when the flood tide rises and invites the boat to its currents.
.cntv.cn
6/4/13
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Related:

• Marvelous Amazon River....The Pororoca Phenomenon (2VIDEO)

• Spectacular scenes expected from Amazon River tide....The Pororoca Phenomenon (VIDEO)