Sui Yiyang, who hails from Chengde, Hebei came to Beijing in 2007 to study how to play the instrument.But by the end of 2008, he began to be interested in making it.Sui Yiyang started out wanting to learn to play the guqin, but he now crafts the instruments with his own hands.
Experienced guqin makers like Sui Yiyang should know the sweet spot for the tuning. (Photo/China Daily)
The Wenqu Academy of Classical Learning located in Guangqumen, in Beijing's Dongcheng district, is an oasis of calm in a noisy neighborhood. It is also the place, where Sui Yiyang, a young guqin maker, produces the traditional Chinese music instrument.
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Sui Yiyang, who hails from Chengde, Hebei came to Beijing in 2007 to study how to play the instrument.But by the end of 2008, he began to be interested in making it.Sui Yiyang started out wanting to learn to play the guqin, but he now crafts the instruments with his own hands.
The Wenqu Academy of Classical Learning located in Guangqumen, in Beijing's Dongcheng district, is an oasis of calm in a noisy neighborhood. It is also the place, where Sui Yiyang, a young guqin maker, produces the traditional Chinese music instrument.
As he began to study the subject more deeply, he discovered the traditional way of making the guqin and how it is done today.
All materials are carefully sourced, and the production process is in accordance with the highest standards of the Tang Dynasty (618-907).Sui has produced only four instruments in the past two and a half years.
Sui likes collecting antique radios. He loves things that records history. (Photo/China Daily)
At first, Sui, who had his own business, regarded his interest in the instrument as a hobby.But as he fell more deeply in love with it, he decided to become a full-time guqin maker.
Making guqin takes patience and care. (Photo/China Daily)
As he began to study the subject more deeply, he discovered the traditional way of making the guqin and how it is done today.
For Sui, who follows the traditional route, it takes around 20 months to transform a batch of wood into an instrument.
Sui likes collecting antique radios. He loves things that records history. (Photo/China Daily)
All materials are carefully sourced, and the production process is in accordance with the highest standards of the Tang Dynasty (618-907).Sui has produced only four instruments in the past two and a half years.
Sui rides a shared bike in the street. (Photo/China Daily)
Sui likes collecting antique radios. He loves things that records history. (Photo/China Daily)
But this is because he relies only on his hands to produce the instruments.Sui, who is in his early 30s, has delivered two "guqin appreciation" lectures at the Poly Museum and the National Museum, respectively, and won acclaim for his presentations.His instruments are keenly sought by collectors at home and abroad.
GILFORD, N.H. (AP) — A costumed skier races down a slope, hits a pond and hydroplanes halfway across. He pirouettes and then plunges into the icy water before jumping up and waving to the cheering crowd.
It's the wacky spring tradition of pond skimming, and it's happening this month at ski resorts across the country. It's often held to celebrate the last day of the skiing season before the chairlifts close until the following winter.
Among the resorts holding pond skimming events this weekend are Snowbasin in Utah and Winter Park in Colorado. Mountains in New England and California have already held events or have them scheduled for later in the month. The tradition dates back decades, made famous by the late filmmaker Warren Miller who began documenting the annual Mt. Baker Slush Cup in Washington state in the 1950s.
These days, most resorts make their own ponds with plastic sheeting and water about 3 feet (1 meter) deep. The idea is that skiers and snowboarders try to gain enough downhill momentum to skim clear across a pond. People ski in pajamas, dressed as movie characters, holding fishing rods or shirtless.
During the pond skim at Gunstock Mountain Resort in New Hampshire this month, Dan Nutton made one of the most spectacular splashes of the day. His skis dug into the water early, propelling him through the air with his arms held out like Superman before he hit the water. Hard.
“It was a little bit rough coming into the corner there, and then we hit a bump and I was going a little bit slow,” he explained with a grin. “So, I navigated incorrectly, and I made a mistake.”
Gunstock ended up making its pond longer and more challenging this year after too many skiers stayed dry at last year's event.
“We actually do enjoy it sometimes when they don’t make it — it gets the crowd more excited and it’s a little more fun,” said Tom Day, the resort's general manager, who is retiring after more than four decades in the ski business. “We’re going out with a bang. It’s a beautiful day. We’ve got the music on the deck, and we’ve got the barbecue, burgers going on.”
Many skiers and snowboarders showed their prowess by zipping right across the pond. Edward Murphy, dressed in a bright green costume, wasn't one of them. He said he realized about halfway across that he wasn't going to make it.
“I decided to reach out and grab some water," he said.
“Feels great,” he added. “Diving into spring.”
A skier participates in a pond skimming event at Gunstock Mountain Resort, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Gilford, N.H. The wacky spring tradition is happening this month at ski resorts across the country and is often held to celebrate the last day of the skiing season. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
A skier participates in a pond skimming event at Gunstock Mountain Resort, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Gilford, N.H. The wacky spring tradition is happening this month at ski resorts across the country and is often held to celebrate the last day of the skiing season. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
A skier dressed as a Teletubbie participates in a pond skimming event at Gunstock Mountain Resort, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Gilford, N.H. The wacky spring tradition is happening this month at ski resorts across the country and is often held to celebrate the last day of the skiing season. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
A snowboarder participates in a pond skimming event at Gunstock Mountain Resort, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Gilford, N.H. The wacky spring tradition is happening this month at ski resorts across the country and is often held to celebrate the last day of the skiing season. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
