China Cultural Chronicles January 23, 2013

• Taipei's Palace Museum to borrow artifacts from Beijing-based Palace Museum

  Feng Ming-chu (R) hands over an invitation to the Taipei's Palace Museum to Shan Jixiang during a press conference in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 22, 2013. Taipei's Palace Museum will borrow artifacts from the Beijing-based Palace Museum for an exhibition scheduled for October. Feng Ming-chu, director of Taipei's Palace Museum, said during a press conference that she will discuss the request with Shan Jixiang, curator of the mainland-based Palace Museum, during her visit to Beijing. [Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai]

  
• Exhibition of Zhang Tonglu's cloisonne art works held in HK

  Photo taken on Jan. 22, 2013 shows the cloisonne vases made by Artist Zhang Tonglu during an exhibition in south China's Hong Kong. An exhibition of Zhang Tonglu's cloisonne art works was held in Hong Kong on Tuesday, showing 22 pieces of cloisonne works. [Xinhua/Li Peng]

  
• Chinese travelers to Sri Lanka increase by 58 pct in 2012

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  Chinese tourists to sun dappled Sri Lanka has increased by 58 percent in 2012, official data released in Colombo showed on Tuesday, sparking fresh promotions aimed at increasing arrivals from the world's fastest growing economy.

  Chinese arrivals ended the year up by 58.1 percent at 25,781 with December alone seeing 3,605 arrivals, which is an impressive 213.8 percent rise from December 2011. The data was released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

  In 2011 the total number was 16,308.

  Overall East Asia provided the third largest cache of tourists with 132,730 people. Despite the comparatively smaller number the region still had one of the best performance rates increasing by 38 percent from last year.

  Buoyed by the increase in numbers, the Economic Development Ministry headed by the President's brother Basil Rajapaksa has focused on promoting Sri Lanka in China.

  During December SLTDA sponsored a dozen journalists and TV crews from China to visit the scenic island and increase its exposure to Chinese audiences.

  Despite its high value, Sri Lanka is consistently overshadowed by neighbor Maldives that gets almost a quarter of its tourists from China. In 2012 Maldives received 229,551 Chinese tourists, which was a 15.6 percent increase from 2011.

  Sri Lanka's national carrier, SriLankan Airlines has also increased flights to key Chinese cities and opened up services in Chinese as well as launched tourism pages on social media in an attempt to bump up arrivals.

  In total Sri Lanka attracted 1,005,605 arrivals in 2012, which is a 17.5 percent increase.

  Despite the economic downturn Western Europe still provided the highest number of tourists with U.K (114,218), Germany (71,642) and France (56,863) pulling in large crowds of tourists. In total the region was responsible for 373,063 travelers, which is a 18.4 percent increase from 2011.

  Since the end of a three decade war in 2009, Sri Lanka's tourism industry has become a top foreign exchange earner with top hotel chains including Shangri-la, Sheraton and Hyatt being among resorts signing contracts to operate on the island.

  According to the Central Bank earnings from tourism are expected to have increased to 1 billion U.S. dollars, which is a 24 percent increase in 2012.

  The government has set a target of 2.5 million tourists by 2016 that will almost triple earnings and employ half 1 million locals in another three years.

  
• Tourist arrivals in Potala Palace reach 1.01 mln in 2012

  File photo taken on Dec. 10, 2011 shows the total lunar eclipse in the sky above the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region (a photo made from 22 overlaid photos). Statistics showed the tourist arrivals in the Potala Palace reached 1.01 million in 2012, accounting for about one tenth of all tourist arrivals in Tibet in 2012. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)

  
• Suzhou

  Coyolicatzin has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Museo de Suzhou

• Tibetan people, Tibet 2012

  reurinkjan has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Like to see the pictures as LARGE as your screen? Just click on this Slideshow : www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/sets/72157630983897338/s...
  
  If you look in the eyes of Tibetans (man, woman and children), they are always at peace, open, and friendly. It must have something to do with there religion "Buddhism" and state of mind (I think). I also think and have the feel in general it is one big family, they can also laugh about themselves while making a mistake, that says alot about people. Where ever I went in Greater Tibet I had that same experience. For me Tibet is unique and one of a kind.
  As is this nomad man if you look in his eyes!
  
  Latest News on Tibet: www.phayul.com/ Phayul means Homeland in Tibetan