Rising Dragon: Ancient Treasures from China

New Exhibit Opening at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

October 6, 2007—February 10, 2008

Reaching across the rich heritage of China’s ancient dynasties, this exhibition features never before seen new acquisitions from the Nelson-Atkins extraordinary Chinese collection. Each object tells a story of the culture, the people and their beliefs that have endured for centuries. Among the finest surviving examples, from nearly seven centuries of China’s past, these works exhibit master craftsmanship in bronze, stoneware, jade and more. A royal palace dragon stands guard, just as it did nearly five hundred years ago, beckoning visitors to discover the treasures of ancient China.

This exhibition will be ticketed.

Wowed by China's Net

The Chinese commitment to the Net is also apparent in the broadband statistics. Government figures show that 162 million people in China have Internet access and 122 million have broadband. That is way more than in the U.S. Even small villages in China now typically have broadband.

Read the article here

China tinkers with smog repair

From Marketplace..
The IOC has warned Beijing that it needs to do something about its pollution problem or risk losing some events during the 2008 Olympics. So the Chinese government forced some 1.3 million cars off the roads in a four-day experiment to clean up the air.

Songs of the Old Days at Chinese Park

by Anthony Kuhn

All Things Considered, September 12, 2007 · At Beijing's Coal Hill Park, older residents gather to sing Mao-era songs and gripe about current day discontents. The Sunday get-togethers are a sort of living oldies radio channel.

Learn more about Coal Hill Park: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/jingshan.htm

Join us on Sunday, September 9th

Please join us for a Near & Far Travel Club reunion, Get-Together, Presentation and Party!

A representative from the tour company will show a presentation on our China tour and our upcoming Portugal tour.

Anyone interested in joining Near & Far on a 2008 tour is also invited to attend. Help spread the word to your friends and family!

Sunday, September 9, 2007, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
The Diastole House (directions)
(The Mary Clark and E.Grey Dimond Scholar's Center)
2501 Holmes Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64108

Schedule:
2 p.m. - Meet and Greet, Sample Dim Sum from Bo Lings Restaurant
3 p.m. - Presentation of "A Public Radio Tour to China" and the "Fado, Food and Festivals of Portugal" tour.

RSVP by September 7^th at noon please!

sarajane@kcur.org
816.235.2884

Chinese Menus, Lost in Translation

Morning Edition, September 3, 2007 · Before hosting the 2008 Olympics, China is trying to clean up English translations on the city's menus. Tourism officials discovered one menu with a dish listed as "steamed crap." Oops. That was supposed to be "steamed carp."

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14136217