We love to paint, it's empowering and joyful but where did Chinese Brush painting come from? Why Calligraphy? Considered to be an art form of the highest order in the East! In fact, two of the subjects, Bamboo and the Chinese Orchid were the first painted subjects and...

What is more addicting for a Chinese Brush painter than the collecting of Mood Seals. The wonderful shapes that enhance your work, the captivating sayings carved so skillfully into the stones. I've lost count on how many I now have but my lust is somewhat satiated by...

My most precious memory of China is of our sweet Ellie Lynn ministering to my poor feet. After hobbling thru the Forbidden City and then the trudge to Tiananmen Square, they were beyond any capacity for carrying me further. Ellie did her best to talk me thru the long...

By CharlesEnding our overnight trip to the top of the magic 'Yellow Mountain', we descended by stairs and then cable cars to make a bus trip to Hong Cun Village where 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' was filmed. On the way, we stopped to examine a roadside Water...

In unpacking and sorting out the jumble of papers I discovered this wonderful, most thoughtful commentary that had not been entered and bears no signature. I'm hoping that the writer will let me know so that I can properly credit it to them. NanTiananmen Squareby...

The Chinese PeopleBy Jeanne DavisYesterday morning I heard Michael say that the Chinese people were the best part of the trip.To me they have been the added bonus to history, culture, magnificent building and restful foot massages.A Chinese woman was quick to remind...

The UmbrellaBy John LynnA cool, rainy day provided me with one of the most memorable events of my tour of China. We had driven some good distance from Guilin to visit an old, rural village that pressed against a river. In earlier times it had been prosperous as a...

The Tea Plantationby Elza GrossOn a rainy morning near Guilin we spent a couple of hours at a charming organic tea plantation where we learned the fine art of brewing tea. For those of us who are used to plunking a tea bag in a cup of boiling water, we had a lot to...

Nan and Ro's Excellent Adventureby Rosanna SchmidgallThe rains fell. And fell. And fell. No one escaped the soaking. Not even Nan, who always has the sun at her beck and call.Fast forward to Guilin and the quest for dry pants and shoes. Ro takes Nan in hand and we...

Yangshou Village in the Rain by Bonnie SchwartzOur adventure in Yangshou Village began in the lobby of the hotel where everyone scrambled to open packed suitcases to take out boots, umbrellas and parkas as we watched the pouring rain bounce several feet in the air and...