Building Bridges

Zhou Qiankang says the soul of Wuzhen lies in the waterways that have run through the town for centuries.

Landmarks

The Tongji bridge is nearly 30 meters long and 3.5 meters wide.

A regal presence

Chen Shu is hailed by many in China as "the most beautiful woman in cheongsam". Over the past decade, she has been associated with roles in television hits that required her to wear the Mandarin gown popularized in early 20th-century Shanghai.

Buckman collection in spotlight at London auction

The prominent auction houses Sotheby's, Christie's and Bonhams may have all hosted sales during Asian Art in London - an annual 10-day extravaganza ended on Saturday in the British capital - but there is a small auction house that's set to make a big splash among the heavyweights.

Kunming's eternal spring

Stone spires. Karst caves. Wild wetlands.

Prowling an otherworldly underworld

Jiuxiang is a portal to the realm beneath ours - that is, not only below the Earth's surface but also deep into our subconscious.

Bugs, flowers and rodents on your plate

Silkworm chrysalises. Pumpkin blossoms. Bamboo rats.

Raise a toast to San Francisco's military past

Looking for a taste of this city's rich military history? You'll find it, along with some rather good wine, at one of several wineries set up in former military installations.

Arctic farming: Town defies icy conditions with hydroponics

The landscape is virtually treeless around a coastal hub town above Alaska's Arctic Circle, where even summer temperatures are too cold for boreal roots to take hold.

Turning the tide

Few local brands have survived the ups and downs of the Chinese fashion world over the past two decades. Among them is Exception de Mixmind, one of the country's most famed indigenous fashion labels. It celebrated its 20th anniversary with a runway show during China Fashion Week in Beijing in October.

IN BRIEF (Page 18)

Forget glamour, model Lily Cole wants women and girls to pursue tech

As a British supermodel and actress, Lily Cole has lived a life of glamour, but it is her new role as a social entrepreneur using technology to do good that she hopes will inspire women.