Azaleas in spring. Lotuses in summer. Hibiscuses in autumn.
Eight fairies in water. Three whites of Taihu Lake. Mandarin flying squirrel fish.
It's only fair that we should pay homage to one of the most ancient of Chinese deities in a food column devoted to a culture largely incubated in the territory he reigns over - the kitchen.
Gu Ying was once a paraglider, winning gold medals in national competitions. But now she is a wildlife photographer, taking photos of endangered species.
Her work has inspired Oscar-winning director Ang Lee and she is considered one of the most important Chinese writers of the 20th century, but Eileen Chang has yet to make a major impact in the West.
Hollywood's young-adult thriller Nerve does not have Chinese stars or scenes shot in China, but it is making waves in China - the world's largest internet market, where half the population is online - thanks to its internet celebrities.
Dozens of students at Tsinghua University are practicing yoga in a stadium, following demonstrations by a teacher onstage.
In my capacity as a film critic, I was invited to several events at the end of 2016 - not only because it was a busy season for new releases, but because a furor had been raised over the nature of film criticism.
Imagine a park that has no barrier from the surrounding neighborhood, nothing to prevent you stepping right off the sidewalk into the park from any direction.
Mark Twain said, "I was born modest; not all over, but in spots."