Over 30 teams took part in the 2009 Cosplay Competition in Guilin, southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Dec. 25, 2009. They competed for top prizes, best styling, best performance and best property.

Cosplay or costume play is a kind of performance art where participants don costumes and style themselves to  represent a character. Cosplayers are typically fans of Japanese comic books. While this creative event has started in Japan, it has slowly gathered an audience and following in many countries.

Here’s some photos of the contestants of the 2009 Cosplay Competition.

Traditional Chinese shoes are being handmade in Taoshan Township in Hanshan County, east China’s Anhui Province with unique Tiger designs just perfect for 2010 Year of the Tiger.

These cute little Tiger Shoes are being sold in local markets and are in demand since the Chinese Lunar New Year  is drawing near.

Image credit: Xinhua

Unesco’s Cultural Heritage Administration said that the International Council on Monuments and Sites has recommended the inclusion of 40 royal tombs from the Chosun dynasty in the list of World Heritage sites. The final listing will be determined at the 33rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Commission in Seville, Spain on June 22-30.

The tombs are those of 27 Chosun kings and their queens which showcases a rare preservation of an entire royal lineage. If listed, the Chosun tombs will bring Korea’s World Heritage sites to nine, including the Jongmyo Shrine and the Seokguram Grotto.

More of these at The Chosun Ilbo.

I was thinking of what my first post should be and I thought, well, this blog’s name is Chopsticks and I am also a chopsticks aficionado so I might as well start with that.

The dictionary defines chopsticks as “a Chinese eating implement: either a pair of narrow sticks that are held together in one hand and used when eating or preparing East Asian food.”

The chopsticks mainly originated in China and is usually made of bamboo. Used by the elite for a thousand years, chopsticks became popular among the common people of East Asia around 410 BC.

Nowadays, the use of chopsticks is no longer limited to Chinese and East Asians but has spread throughout Asia particularly South East Asia. The spread of Chinese, Japanese and other Asian cuisine to Western shores has also brought the chopsticks-culture to Western people.

A big number of Asians use chopsticks particularly when eating noodles and rice.I personally find eating with chopsticks more satisfying as I tend to eat slower and savor the food so I end up eating less but I feel fuller.

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