Puppets get people hooked at Fujian festival

It was a fiesta for puppets - those artful creatures that come to joyful life and overcome language barrier.

A fateful knock at the door

As the epitome of classical music in China, Beethoven has figured prominently in concert programs, but also in China's political landscape, uniting and dividing those who found themselves along aesthetic and political lines.

Wang tries to make the clarinet fashionable

Wang Tao is among a handful of clarinetists in China who are now making a mark.

Israel on the horizon

Experienced Chinese travelers, who have already seen a lot of the US and major European countries, are now seeking places a bit off the beaten track. Yang Feiyue reports.

Music train in US draws fans from all over

Stacey Nakasone had a choice to make: fly from her home in Los Angeles to Japan to learn more about taiko drums or take a 80-kilometer train ride in Vermont.

Desperation, money drive patients abroad

With globalization of healthcare and celebrities seeking medical help outside China, more Chinese are realizing that they have another option

'Super-agers' study may reveal secrets to staying young

Mary Helen Abbott, 77, paints her lips bright pink, still smokes the occasional cigarette, keeps up on all the gossip at the retirement home and wears a short skirt to fitness class.

Determined to be original

As a veteran tattooist who used to work with Paul Booth - a world renowned tattoo master from the United States - Shen Weiguo has established himself as one of the best in Shanghai with his bold and exquisite designs.

Finding joy in jewelry

A Beijing exhibition showcases new styles in alternative pieces, Sun Yuanqing reports.

Shoe show draws inspiration from Silk Road

The ancient Silk Road has inspired all kinds of art. Chinese luxury footwear brand Sheme recently presented a collection of women's shoes inspired by it, paying tribute to Chinese traditional culture.

Fashion briefs

Lebanon revisted

Emerging from renovation, a Middle Eastern eatery reopens in Sanlitun with a well-remembered menu and a few new additions, including a famous wine from the Bekaa Valley. Mike Peters reports.