Traditional Chinese toys still alive 中国传统民间玩具

PlayStations, Game Boys and iPads have occupied the spare time of many a child in recent decades.

Despite the digital revolution (数字革命, shù zì gé mìng), however, traditional toys (传统玩具, chuán tǒng wán jù) have proved to be everlasting entertainment for kids across the generations.

In China, those toys have always been connected with traditional culture (传统文化, chuán tǒng wén huà). For example, the Han Dynasty-invented lanterns (汉代发明的灯笼, hàn dài fā míng de dēng lóng) symbolise the prosperity of a family in Chinese culture and represent festivity. Shadow puppetry (皮影戏 ,pí yǐng xì) was invented when Emperor Wu of Han (汉武帝, hàn wǔ dì) summoned his officers to bring his beloved concubine back. The humble kite (风筝, fēng zhēng) was initially used as a tool for military communication (军事通信工具, jūn shì tōng xìn gōng jù). Rattle drums (拨浪鼓, bō làng gǔ) first appeared as musical instruments in the warring states period. And for more than 2,000 years, the shuttlecock (毽子, jiàn zi) continues to be wildly popular.

Who ever said heritage was boring?

Source: chinadaily.com.cn

Editor: wanwan