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China is the birthplace of tea culture with a long history, having a profound influence on the tea culture in East Asia and even the world. The Japanese tea ceremony originated from China, and the tea utensils from China are collectively called "Karamono Utensils". In the Middle Ages of Japan, the Karamono Utensils were introduced to Japan together with teawhisking method of the Song Dynasty. This paper examines the influence of Karamono Utensils in the formation and development of tea drinking spatial structure, style classification, tea people’s appreciation ability and Japanese utensils, thus maintaining that Karamono Utensils played the following roles in promoting the innovation of tea drinking spatial structure, providing the basis for various classifications of the Japanese tea ceremony, cultivating the aesthetic ability of Japanese tea people, and providing specifications and models for Japanese tea utensils. The crucial role played by Karamono Utensils in the formation of the Japanese tea ceremony profoundly proves the fact that the Japanese tea ceremony is formed by learning from the Chinese tea ceremony, which is another example of the unique charm of Chinese tea culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the lack of research on the embroidery types and needle techniques of the Gaoshan nationality of Taiwan, China, we used the two-dimensional verification method of literature and image analysis, Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator to illustrate their stitching techniques and to summarize the basic application rules of Gaoshan embroidery stitch. The results show that the Gaoshan nationality in Taiwan is closely related to the Han nationality. Since the Qing Dynasty, after the Gaoshan nationality traded with the Han nationality in Chinese mainland, the embroidery utensils of the Gaoshan nationality have been gradually improved. According to the degree of communication with the Han nationality, the embroidery of the Gaoshan nationality is divided into primitive ecological embroidery and immigrated embroidery. The primitive ecological embroidery has a strong primitive and religious atmosphere. The immigrated embroidery has been developed from the integration of Han and Gaoshan ethnic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparison of Sogdian images in China and Central Asia has become a hot topic in academic circles in recent years. However, there is no specific comparison of Sogdian images on burial utensils in the existing studies. Accordingly, the author proposes to compare the images on burial utensils by collecting together the remaining materials as much as possible and making corresponding data tables. First and foremost, this paper focuses on the actual quantity of the remains and gives a table, "Statistics of the Sogdian Burial Utensils with Images", to show this quantity for the first time: there are 30 remains of Sogdian burial utensils in China (26 sarcophagi and four ossuaries) and 23 Sogdian burial utensils in Central Asia (all are ossuaries). Secondly, there are several tables based on remaining materials in this paper, including "Distribution of the Shapes of Sogdian Sarcophagi in China", "Historical Period and Shape of Sogdian Ossuaries in Central Asia", "Religious Images Table of Sogdian Sarcophagi in China", "Table of Religious Image Types of the Sogdian Ossuaries in Central Asia" and "Common Religious Images of the Burial Utensils in China and Central Asia". Thirdly, further analysis shows that there are two image systems. Grounded in the above analysis, this paper comes to conclusions at three levels. Firstly, there are two shapes of burial utensils. Sarcophagi are widely seen in China whilst ossuaries are commonly discovered in Central Asia. As a result, the images on the sarcophagi in China are large in size and wide in narrative themes, whereas those on the ossuaries in Central Asia are small in size, emphasizing important content and narrative themes. All are rich in image representation. Secondly, there are three types of religious images on the burial utensils. The comparison results of image types show the common images in three categories: gods, funeral ceremonies and sacred fire sacrifice. Thirdly, the images on burial utensils have different characteristics regarding religious transmission. Zoroastrianism is dominant in Central Asia, while Zoroastrianism, Chinese mythology and Buddhist images are primary in China and images of tomb owners embodying secularity are also widespread in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Piece mould casting technology, as a hall mark of the central plains of China during the Bronze Age, has attracted scholars'' interest globally. Bronze ritual vessels found in this area were produced in large quantities and generally cast with the moulds composed of three or more sections. This enormous industry certainly required workers to have had professional knowledge to ensure the success of every single cast. Mould making technology was one of its most important parts. This research looks into the microstructure of bronze casting moulds of the Eastern Zhou period, which was a rarely studied topic in previous research. Through comparison with local pottery, it is shown that casting moulds in this period were produced with quite specialized sand-rich material, and clay was only a minor component. It is then discussed how this unique material can be beneficial to the bronze casting process and how this technology was integrated as a crucial part of the Chinese bronze casting system. These analyses might be able to portray mould makers in the ancient bronze foundries as a group of specialized people with their own traditions and professional knowledge. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: These stone tools from Yunxian with other Lower Paleolithic sites in South China, for example, the site Lantian (Shanxi, China) and the site Bose (Guangxi, China), indicates that there are many common characteristics among these industries. There are choppers, chopping-tools, picks, hand-axes, cleavers and scrapers. Long ago we thought that there are not hand-axes in China. In fact, there are lots of hand-axes in China and these hand-axes existed more earlier than those in Europe. The hand-axe appeared in China before 800,000 years old and it barely arrived in Europe before 600,000 years old. The quaternary deposits of the site of Yunxian Hominid (Hubei, China) are at least dated to 800,000 years old. A large quantity of lower Paleolithic material was discovered. The types of the tools are choppers, picks, scrapers, hand-axes and cleavers. The pebbles tools make up the majority of the implements. Small flake tools are relatively rare. The lithic industries comparison of the two regions has help us to know the cultural evolution in China and Europe. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]