What's new (May 29)

Jackie Chan seeks out stars on TV show

Movie star Jackie Chan will host C-Pop Star, a reality TV competition seeking out potential stars. Over 11 episodes from June 26, the weekly show will follow three senior entertainment industry insiders training the wannabe stars. The winners will join the TV drama adapted from Red Sorghum, the novel by China's Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan. Mo is the artistic director for the series.

Kung fu star captures rescue efforts

Kung fu star Wu Jing has directed a short film, My Battlefield, focusing on soldiers who rescued victims of the Lushan earthquake last month. Wu arrived at the town in Sichuan province nine days after the magnitude-7 earthquake hit and spent four days with soldiers and residents there. He captured touching moments between them in the 12-minute film, which can be viewed on M1905.com. Wu, a 39-year-old former professional martial artist, has starred in many films including Mummy: Tomb of Dragon Emperor over his nearly 20-year acting career.

Bringing Chinese art to West Africa

The China Artists Association has taken 40 of its best Chinese paintings to Cote d'Ivoire in its bid to have a greater presence in West Africa. The Step into West Africa exhibition at La Rotonde des Arts, features paintings from Liu Dawei, Wu Changjiang and other contemporary artists. It celebrates the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Cote d'Ivoire. The exhibition is part of CAA's campaign to take Chinese art around the world. It's the organization's first art show in West Africa. The exhibition will run until June 1.

Forum on cultural cooperation held

The Forum on Cultural Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries was recently held in Beijing. Cultural delegations from central and eastern European countries including Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic and Estonia attended the forum, invited by the Chinese Ministry of Culture. Delegates passed Guidelines on Cultural Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries.

Literary critic honored

A memorial to the late literary critic Zhou Ruchang (1918-2012) has been opened at Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing. Zhou was renowned for his extensive scholarship on the classic Chinese novel A Dream of Red Mansions. He is regarded as among the most renowned and influential redologists of the 20th century. Zhou's children have donated a number of cultural relics related to or collected by Zhou to the memorial. The Prince Gong's Mansion was constructed in 1777 with large buildings in the typical Northern Chinese layout and gardens. According to Zhou's research, some scenes in A Dream of Red Mansions were based on Prince Gong's Mansion.

Hui culture honored with new arts center

China Hui Culture and Art Exhibition Center celebrated its opening on May 26 by exhibiting about 150 pieces of Chinese painting, calligraphy and folk handicraft at its establishment in Beijing's Wangfujing area. Some of the exhibits will be auctioned on Friday. Originally from East China's Anhui province, the Hui culture evolved into a unique regional sub-culture, well-known for its rich artistic legacies that still provide sources for research today, such as the Xin'an painting school that was founded by prominent intellectuals of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, and the art of brick, wood and stone sculptures.