Floating Market

1. A floating market is a market where goods are sold from boats. Originating in times and places where water transport played an important role in daily life, most floating markets operating today mainly serve as tourist attractions, and are chiefly found in Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.

 
The floating market usually sells many types of tropical vegetables, fruits,etc. from a small boat. Produce sold can include Malacca grape, Chinese grapefruit, mangoes, bananas, and coconut. This is also the costliest market.

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What is Shufa

 Chinese calligraphy, also called Chinese brush calligraphy or “shufa”, is a high art form unique to China. Many Asian cultures have originated their own calligraphy styles, but China’s is unequaled because of its beauty, grace, and history. The artistic value of the calligraphy is found in the rhythm and lines. It is an outlet for the artist to practice self-discipline and concentration as well as release his innermost thoughts and emotions. Many Chinese regard it on a level above music, paintings, and statues, and equal to poetry as a form of self-expression.

Today Chinese calligraphy is once again a countrywide discipline and art-form highly appreciated and sought across the world. Anyone can practice it and all that is required is a simple set including: brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Calligraphy is often combined with landscape paintings. Artists paint beautiful backgrounds of mountains, lakes, trees, and bamboo and then write proverbs, sayings, or poems in calligraphy in the foreground. This is where the term "calligraphy painting" comes from. 

Hinamatsuri (Girl's Day or Dolls Day)

Hinamatsuri is celebrated each year on March 3. Platforms covered with a red carpet are used to display a set of ornamental dolls representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian Period. 

The top tier holds two dolls, known as imperial dolls. These are the Emperor holding a ritual baton and Empress holding a fan. The second tier holds three court ladies. The third tier holds five male musicians. Each holds a musical instrument except the singer, who holds a fan. Two ministers may be displayed on the fourth tier. The fifth tier, between the plants, holds three helpers or samurai as the protectors of the Emperor and Empress. 

Families generally start to display the dolls in February and take them down immediately after the festival. Superstition says that leaving the dolls past March 4 will result in a late marriage for the daughter

Some bizarre Asian Foods

1. Chicken Feet

Chicken feet are a part of the chicken that is cooked in many Asian countries such are China, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam. Most of the edible tissue on the feet consists of skin and tendons, with no muscle. This gives the feet a distinct texture different from the rest of the chicken's meat. 

2. Fugu

"Fugu" (blowfish) is famous even among the Japanese as a high class food item. Because it contains poison in its internal organs, only chefs with a special license are allowed to prepare it. 
3. Sannakji (live octopus tentacles)

Sannakji is a a small octopus that has been cut into small pieces and served immediately, usually lightly seasoned with sesame and sesame oil. The nakji pieces are usually still squirming on the plate. It can also be served whole.
4. Blood Pudding

Blood Pudding ot tiết canh  is a traditional dish of blood and cooked meat in northernVietnamese cuisine. The most popular is tiết canh vịt,made from raw duck blood and duck meat. The dish is made from fresh blood from pork, chicken or duck that mixed with meat and herbs. Also, blood pudding is usually served cold with a texture like jelly in order to reduce the strong smell of the fresh blood. 

Traditional Chinese dances

1. Ribbon dance

The Chinese Ribbon Dance is a traditional dance that has been performed for more than a 1000 years.  The Chinese legend has it that Emperor Tang who ruled China from 713-755 AD had a dream that he was in the moon palace with many fairies singing and dancing who were wearing beautiful multicolored long robes.  His dream was turned into a dance with the dancers using long silk ribbons.  Each year the Ribbon Dance is performed at New Year celebrations and harvest festivals.  
2. The Peacock Dance

The peacock dance  is one of the most wide-spread ancient dances of the Dai ethnic group in Yunnan Province on the southwest border of China. The peacock dance is the best-loved dance of the Dai. To the Dai the peacock is a symbol of good luck, happiness, beauty and honesty, so to perform this dance is to present a eulogy of and express good wishes for a happy life. 
3. The Fan Dance

Fans can also be used as props for female dancers. The fan dance originates from the fan performances in ancient psychic conducts and folk-custom activities. The fan dance highlights delicate movements with constantly changing rhythm, which is dynamic and graceful.
4. Bodhisattva

The Thousand-hand Bodhisattva dance just shows that the silent and simple are the most powerful. 12 performers stand in a line, the only thing you can see in front is their aims and the eye-sticker in their hands. They use the extremely simple prop to show big theme– benevolence, the primary spirit of China.

Tea Ceremony

A tea ceremony is a ritualized form of making tea practiced in the East Asian cultural sphere by the Chinese, Japanese,Korean, Taiwanese and Vietnamese tea ceremony. 

The manner in which it is performed, or the art of its performance, is called Tea ceremony. The Japanese tea ceremony  is better known, and was influenced by the Chinese tea ceremony during ancient and medieval times. The Vietnamese tea ceremony, also influenced by its Chinese counterpart, is only performed during a wedding and other religious rituals. One can also refer to the whole set of rituals, tools, gestures, etc. used in such ceremonies as tea culture. 

Japanese Geisha

Geisha are traditional Japanese female entertainers that are trained as professional singers, dancers, and companions for men. The word geisha itself means artist. As artists, geisha are trained to entertain men in either a professional or social gathering.

The skills geisha use to entertain male customers include serving tea, playing instruments, cultural dances, and the art of conversation. As skilled entertainers, Geisha must go through a training program so they can learn the skills needed to entertain. This process can take anywhere from six months to three years.

The Important Role of Dragon in Chinese Culture

 The people of China have a long held belief that they are descendents of the dragon, a tradition that is firmly embedded in their culture and one that is encountered across all aspects of Chinese society and in the minds of its people. Whereas in western cultures the dragon is usually regarded as a symbol of malevolence, in China it is held in high esteem for its dignity and power for good.

There are several different kinds of dragon according to color, which may be yellow, blue, black, white or red. Of these the most highly revered was the yellow one and so each emperor wore a gown decorated with a yellow dragon pattern.

Expolring Singapore

If you are looking for a place with modern buildings and structures but still maintains a fresh and relaxing air in Asia, Singapore is a place to be. Singapore is also known for eclectic street fare, served in hawker centres such as Tiong Bahru and Maxwell Road. Here are some intractions in Singapore that are famous all over the world. 
1. Marina Bay Sand 

It is resort at Marina Bay and complete with facilities. Hotels, casinos, restaurants, clubs, shops and everything that a tourist can expect in a modern city can be found in Marina Bay Sands.

2. Universal Studios Singapore

The Universal Studios Singapore is the first of its kind to open in Southeast Asia. Though not all rides and attractions are complete and ready for service, the park has more than 20 attractions in themed zones including the Lost World, Ancient Egypt, New York, Hollywood, Madagascar and Far Far Away

3. Garden by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay is a huge, colourful, futuristic park in the bay area of Singapore; and has been crowned World Building of the year at the world Architecture Festival 2012. The famous Supertree structures offer an impressive skywalk over the gardens, over-sized seashell-shaped greenhouses recreate chilly mountain climates and there are hundreds of trees and plants to discover, making this destination great fun for both kids and adults. 

4. Chinatown

Chinatown is another Singapore icon; great for shopping (many swear by it as the cheapest souvenirs location in town.), to see all kind of important attractions and trying out authentic Chinese food. There are countless restaurants and hawker food vendors to choose from.

How Korean Wave (Hallyu) affects Asian countries

Hallyu, the Korean wave has swept the world, bringing South Korean culture to all parts of the globe.  Popular Korean music (K-pop) and dramas (K-dramas) are the favorites of millions of people, who follow the groups, musicians, stars, movies and television shows religiously.  For adopted individuals and adoptive parents, Hallyu provides a window into Korean culture, society and language that can be as educational as a trip to Korea. 

More and more people throughout Asia are choosing to watch Korean movies, listen to Korean popular music, follow Korean soap operas, and even travel to Korea to visit sites they have seen in their favorite Korean dramas. 

My Favorite Traditional Asian desserts

1. Sweet Mung been Soup (che dau xanh)

 My favorites were the summertime versions such as chilled chè đậu xanh with sweet, tender mung beans and coconut milk. Mung beans are said to have cooling properties, so this is especially appropriate for hot summer days. It is a sweet soup which is meant for dessert or snack. . This sweet green mung bean soup is great for summer, served either in warm or cold.
2. Mochi Ice cream

Mochi ice cream is a Japanese confection made from mochi with an ice cream filling. Mochi ice cream is now an internationally available food, popular in North America, Europe, and Africa
3. Chinese Almond Cookies

The biscuit is one of the most standard pastries in Canton, Hong Kong, Macau and can also be found in some Chinatown bakery shops overseas.The biscuits are small with no filling by default. They are also crunchy, sometimes crumbling on first bite. 

Introduction to Chinese Zodiac

The Chinese Zodiac is based on a twelve-year cycle, each year in that cycle related to an animal sign. These signs are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. It is calculated according to Chunese Lunar Calendar. You can use the calculator to search for your Chinese zodiac animal sign. Select your Gregorian date of birth, and you'll reveal your date of birth according to the lunar calendar, together with your zodiac sign.

There has been a relationship between human and the 12 zodiacal animals. It is believed that the years represented by the animals affect the characters of people in the same way like the western astrology signs. Click the following signs to know the personalities of persons under different signs. 
Facts like years, strengths, weaknesses, best matches and fortune of 2015 of each sign are introduced.

Vietnamese Water Puppets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxIff980XyM
The link above is a video about Vietnamese Water Puppet show. Water puppetry is a form of folk arts originating in the Red River Delta in the north of Vietnam, dating back in the 11th century. Many town and villages in Vietnam have communal ponds that are perfect stages for these impromptu performances, enhancing the widespread development of the art form. Presently, water puppetry is showed in a pool of water with the water surface being the stage.

Puppets are made of wood and then lacquered to be watertight and endurable. During performances, puppets are controlled via a pole-and string apparatus hidden under the water surface by puppeteers standing in waist-deep water behind the stage.

The theme of the play concentrates on the daily life of rural people and folklores that are imparted from generation to generation, not mention to stories of legends and national history. Above all, water puppetry created a relaxing space for rural citizens in the past; both watching and playing water puppetry was a good way for the local to entertain, escaping from their daily worries and hardworking life.