This series selects distinct Jiangsu cultural relics which are the most representative and have the most symbolic meanings. It contains simple but profound illustrated texts that analyze the connotations of Jiangsu culture’s history and reality, while highlighting the humanistic contributions of Jiangsu. This series introduces the origin, development, current status, and unique cultural values of Jiangsu symbols. It enables the reader to have a basic and usable understanding of these symbols. It can be considered a great and portable ‘Guide to Jiangsu Culture’.

Phoenix Publishing and Media Group (PPMG)

　　Phoenix Publishing and Media Group (PPMG) is China’s largest all-round publishing group. Engaged in the fields of publishing, printing, distribution and logistics, film and television, hotels, cultural real estate, financial investment, artwork management, and cultural trade. The group was selected as “a leader in the national cultural system reform” in 2012. It has been among China’s Top 30 Cultural Enterprises for nine consecutive years, and ranked 6th among the World’s Top 50 Publishers in 2015 according to The Global Ranking of the Publishing Industry.

　　So far, PPMG has set up cooperation relationships with well-known publishing organizations from more than 30 countries and regions in the world, and opened overseas branches in UK, US, Canada, Chile, Australia and Singapore. It is PPMG’s objective to develop into a leading innovative cultural company, a strategic investor in the national cultural industry and a giant in the global publishing industry.

　　Contacts:

　　Phoenix Publishing & Media Inc

　　Address:1 Hunan Road, Nanjing 210009, China

　　Tel : 86-25-51883376

　　Fax: 0086-25-51883376

　　Email: [email protected]

　　Chinese Culture Translation and Studies Support Network(CCTSS)

　　6th Floor, Building A, Zonghelou,Beijing Language and Culture University, 15 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District,Beijing, 100083, P. R. China

　　Tel：86-10-82300038

　　Email：[email protected]

　　Wu Ballad

　　Wu ballad, or Jiangnan (A region south of the Yangtze River) folk songs, mainly consist of poems, legends, tales and scenes of daily life derived from farming activities in the four seasons. It’s not only an oral tradition still alive in the Wu region, but also valuable resource for dialect study.

　　Blue Calico

　　The Blue Calico represents the collective wisdom of the Chinese nation, and its eight-hundred-year old history shows the creativity of the nation and the sustainability of traditional culture.“Nantong Indigo Blue Cloth Dyeing and Finishing Skills” has been included in the first collection national intangible cultural heritages.

　　Donghai Crystal

　　The crystal is a magnificent creation by heaven and earth, generously gifted by the nature to Donghai County. Thus, Donghai has become the well-known capital of crystal, who embrace profound cultural origins, and possess the rich crystal culture of Jiangsu.

　　The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum

　　The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is the tomb in which Zhu Yuanzhang, Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and the Empress Ma are buried. It lies at the southern foot of Purple Mountain, being the largest imperial mausoleum in Nanjing and in ancient China.

　　Huishan Clay Figurines

　　This is an introduction to the Huishan clay figurines from various aspects including legends and historical development, magical clay, local customs, varied expressions of clay figurines, and the great masters who have created the Huishan clay figurines throughout history.

　　Suzhou Gardens

　　The Suzhou Gardens refer to the landscape and garden architecture in private gardens within Suzhou. The gardens have a history over 2,500 years. Currently, 60 gardens have been preserved and 19 are open to the public.

　　Su Embroidery

　　Suzhou Embroidery refers to the embroidery produced in Suzhou, the center of the Jiangnan region. It is one of the most distinctive cultural symbols in Jiangsu Province, known as the most celebrated of Chinese embroideries.

　　Yixing Zisha

　　Yixing Zisha is a pottery technique invented and developed in Yixing. With this technique, craftsmen use the Yixing purple clay as the base raw material in order to produce purple clay pottery pieces through inlaying, molding, modifying and burning.

　　Nanjing Cloud-Brocade

　　Nanjing Cloud-Brocade is a great representation of ancient Chinese silk weaving techniques, and the most representative of three well-known brocades made in ancient China. Based on the history of Nanjing Cloud-Brocade as well as the development of weaving techniques, this book attempts to provide a simple but in-depth introduction to the traditional pursuit of Chinese to decoration and their symbolic meanings.

　　Kun Opera

　　Kun Opera, also called Kunqiang, Kunshanqiang, or Kunju, originated from Kunshan, Jiangsu Province at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty. It was one of the traditional operas in China, characterized by the indigenous music, dance, and dialects of Kunshan, and is the oldest among the various traditional operas in China.

　　Huaiyang Cuisine

　　The Huaiyang Cuisine is a well-known cooking style of the regions surrounding the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River. It has a long history, starting from the Spring and Autumn Period, prevailing during Sui and Tang Dynasties, and flourishing during Ming and Qing Dynasties.

　　Nanjing City Wall

　　The Ming emperor Zhu Yuanzhang built Nanjing’s City Walls to defend his capital in the mid-14th century. It features unique design concept, remarkable technology and a majestic view. It is a technical masterpiece of complex city wall construction engineered for military defense.