On chinadaily.com.cn
Culture: Folk art helps illuminate Hunan
As a pioneering area that focuses on China’s intangible cultural heritage, the Yuhua District of Folk Art and Heritage in Changsha, Hunan province, was established on Sept 20, covering more than 600 square meters. The district has more than 300 cultural heritage programs, and over 200 cultural inheritors have set up their booths. As an intangible cultural heritage,
bianlian, or face-changing in English, is a method used in Chinese opera, to reveal an opera character’s inner thoughts and feelings. Shadow play performances, where illuminated puppet figures are manipulated by three to five artists using a transparent white cloth screen, are also hugely popular.
Film: The Last Mile on a road to success
The Last Mile, based on the true stories of poverty alleviation efforts in Yibin, Sichuan province, has resonated with audiences who have had similar experiences in rural areas. Set in an isolated village in southern Yibin, the film follows Li Shuanghong, a young man who rallies locals to build a road that will connect the village to the outside world. In an effort to shake off the stereotypical depiction of such films, The Last Mile injects humor into the plight of its protagonists. For two months, the film crew toured five poverty-stricken towns and villages to interview locals, accumulating anecdotal material from which to develop a script, said the director, Li Wei, at the movie’s opening ceremony in Yibin on Nov 15.
Regional: HR service park set for Guangzhou
Guangzhou will establish a human resources industrial park and will take the opportunity to create a talent pool for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The park will have human resource services on the banks of the Pearl River, with Tianhe Talent Base and Pazhou Internet Innovation Zone as the dual core. It will strive to build the Guangzhou Human Resource Service Industry Park into a major center in China and Southeast Asia as well as for Belt and Road countries.
Forum: World’s most fun and affordable cities
Time Out’s City Life Index, a survey of 15,000 people in 32 global cities, highlights which cities promise the most fun and excitement. The survey, conducted by Tapestry Research, questioned residents on a variety of aspects of city life. It ranked cities in categories across food, drink, culture, friendliness, affordability, happiness, and livability. Here are some recommended, most affordable, friendly, and fun cities in the world: Barcelona residents take part in a cultural activity 71 times a year on average — second only to Mexico City. The Spanish city is also home to some of the most dedicated restaurant-goers in the world. Philadelphia residents crowned their city the most affordable in the world, as well as one of the most enjoyable to live in. Residents also have one of the quickest commutes at just 24 minutes, on average. Residents of Edinburgh know how to have fun — they’re big drinkers, with 24 hangover days a year.