A sweet taste for better vision

Ballet dancers in step

National Ballet of China, American Ballet Theater and Boston Ballet are working in a collaboration for the first time to present Swan Lake, choreographed by legendary Russian prima ballerina Natalia Makarova.

World's artists meet in Beijing

The 15th Meet in Beijing Arts Festival is about to hit the capital.

Working to keep Uygur folk tradition alive

Dilnar Abdulla often looks to her hometown, Urumqi, in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, for inspiration.

Setting sail

The Xisha Islands will soon be offered to more cruise passengers following the popularity of the Coconut Princess cruise liner's new 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road route to the archipelago.

Oilers win chance to select once-in-a-generation talent

The Edmonton Oilers won the Connor McDavid sweepstakes.

Messi nets 400th Barcelona goal

Lionel Messi scored the 400th goal of his Barcelona career as the Catalans beat Champions League-chasing Valencia 2-0 at the Camp Nou on Saturday.

Following the rise and fall of Machiavelli

The medieval hamlet of Sant'Andrea in Percussina sits in the Tuscan hills amid rose-covered stone farmhouses and small country chapels surrounded by acres of silver-green olive groves.

If you go

Fly into one of the international airports in Florence. Pisa International Airport Galileo Galilei and Florence Airport Amerigo Vespucci are the two international airports in the region. If you are flying from Beijing/Shanghai, there are no direct flight available. Alternatively, air travelers can fly into Milan or Rome and get transportation from there to Florence, about a three-hour drive by car from either direction.

On the dragon's tail

In 2008, Dror Hurvits identified his two "criteria" for selecting Chinese cities that he deemed fit for a Westerner to settle down in.

Cross-dressing artist awaits big onstage moment

Li Yugang, with exquisite makeup and his short hair combed neatly back, walks into a meeting room at his studio with his entourage trailing behind. He sits as his helpers inform him of his schedule, handing him a cup of warm, lemon-scented water.

Singing from rooftops

Their musical performances pack university auditoriums, though they play no instruments.