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The recent National Day holiday has spotlighted the term “culture + tourism” as a key driver for various attractions across the country. Red tourism, visits to ancient towns, and museum outings have all surged in popularity. Historical cultural districts, intangible cultural heritage performances, and innovative cultural experiences are emerging regularly, each showcasing the modern allure of Chinese culture in unique ways. This trend isn’t new; it has deep roots and is palpable in many aspects of daily life. It draws from the past, rich in history and tradition, while closely connecting to contemporary times.

One prominent goal is to “bring to life the cultural relics housed in museums, the heritage displayed across vast lands, and the ancient texts written in old books.”

Vibrant culture may manifest differently for each individual; it could be a historic cultural district, a well-preserved village, a stunning intangible heritage performance, or an elegant traditional gown. Over the past few years, significant progresses have been made in projects like the Chinese Civilization Exploration and Archaeology China, focusing on the overall protection and dynamic inheritance of historical cultural districts and villages. To date, around 139,000 ancient texts and special collection documents have been released as digital resources. This ongoing quest for the “codes” of civilization clarifies the threads of Chinese culture, guiding its legacy and development. The popularity of poetry, the rising interest in cultural museums, and the innovation in cultural products have all flourished. More and more people are curating their own “home museums” using cultural creative products, adorning themselves in designs inspired by classic styles from places like Mogao Caves and Sanxingdui, thus embracing the essence of national trends in fashion. The enthusiasm for traditional culture remains high as it weaves into daily life, enriching personal experiences.

“Our ancestral culture, a treasure passed down through generations, must be held close, modernized, and celebrated.”

Since last year, the small city of Jingdezhen has suddenly gained attention, drawing roughly 60,000 individuals, known as “Jing Drift,” who flock here to “play with clay.” They are not just seeking a relaxed lifestyle but are also exploring new entrepreneurial paths. Jingdezhen’s artistic vibe has captured the spotlight on various platforms, showcasing the limitless creativity of artisans and the vast potential of ceramics. Similarly, in Caoxian, with a mature garment-making industry, the surge of traditional Chinese cultural trends and the rise of e-commerce have transformed the local market, paving the way for the flourishing “Hanfu economy.” Today, over 2,000 Hanfu businesses and 14,700 online stores operate, employing nearly 100,000 people. These traditional crafts passed down by ancestors are like treasures waiting to be reimagined into something extraordinary.

“Artistic expression is the clarion call of the times, reflecting and shaping the aesthetic spirit of an era.”

In recent years, a colorful range of Chinese stories have emerged in various art forms, incorporating a plethora of contemporary elements. The Yue opera adaptation of “New Dragon Gate Inn” has captivated audiences from the 90s and 00s; dance dramas like “Dream of the Red Chamber” and “Only This Green” continue to attract attention; and the standalone game “Black Myth: Wukong” has taken cultural confidence to the international stage, combining alluring historical sites with Eastern philosophy.

At every major film release period, domestic films consistently top the box office, with popular hits emerging each season. This year’s National Day box office reached 2.1 billion yuan, with domestic films accounting for approximately 95.87% of the total, at 2 billion yuan. Homegrown creators are shifting away from merely catering to Western perceptions of “Oriental elements,” focusing instead on producing works that genuinely reflect the contemporary spirit of China. Films like “The Volunteer Army 2” resonate with national and ethnic responsibility, while “The Wandering Earth,” cloaked in a sci-fi narrative, still embodies the spirit of resilience. The emotional connections and resonance these works foster with audiences are what give domestic productions their unique competitive edge, uniting us in our collective advancement.

“Chinese-style modernization cannot be separated from the inheritance and promotion of outstanding traditional culture.” Today’s Chinese culture is both trendy and stylish, seamlessly blending with the zeitgeist, embracing cutting-edge technology and art, and radiating renewed vitality. It permeates every corner of life, nourishing the spirit of the Chinese people.

Today, our Cultural China tour takes us to Wuhan, where we find the Panlongcheng site, the most significant and richest archaeological site from the early Shang Dynasty, located in the Yangtze River basin.

Panlongcheng is an archaeological site that has been preserved for over 300 years, proving that the Xia and Shang Dynasties extended their influence into the Yangtze River region. It serves as a historical testament to the co-development of Yangtze and Yellow River civilizations during the formation of Huaxia culture. Walking through this site, visitors can sense a strong archaeological ambiance, as if the past 3,500 years are being directly connected.

The site isn’t adorned with manicured lawns or artificial gardens; instead, visitors are immersed in a raw, primeval atmosphere. I asked Bian Xiaoyan, a reporter from CCTV, why the park maintains such a wild environment. She explained, “This is because, 3,500 years ago, the ancestors of Panlongcheng thrived in a similar natural landscape, filled with extensive evergreen and deciduous forests.”

The archaeological park has made a significant effort to retain its original ecological scenery, where sunlight glimmers on the reeds, and people stroll along the compacted earth walls of the city. This scene evokes a sense of ancient history while converging with ongoing archaeological discoveries in the area.

Every museum possesses its treasures, and for the Panlongcheng site museum, that treasure is the land itself. Wan Lin, the museum’s director, shared insights about the former site of the palace where the rulers made decisions and resided. This is the earliest example in China of a “front hall and back bedroom” architectural layout, predating the ruins of Yinxu by two to three centuries. He recounted how in 1974 and 1976, faculty and students from Peking University excavated this site, revealing Shang Dynasty relics for the first time.

“The excavation grid measures 5 by 5 meters,” Wan Lin elaborated. “They dug down along these gridlines, and soon, the remains began to unfold before the archaeologists.”

One of the biggest surprises lies within the museum, where visitors can stand face-to-face with the very moment the palace was discovered. A hand-drawn cross-section illustrates the moment it was uncovered, detailing five distinct soil layers. In the fourth quadrant, at coordinates 11 and 19, it captures how archaeologists employed grid digging techniques. This page belongs to the excavation journal of lead archaeologist Yu Weichao. It documents the exact day when the No. 1 palace of Panlongcheng was discovered, with elegant characters narrating new discoveries each day.

Wan Lin noted, “As we gradually uncovered pillar bases, excitement surged among the archaeological team. Some even found it difficult to sleep at night, grabbing flashlights to rush back to the palace area. Everyone viewed the excavation of Panlongcheng as a challenging poem of archaeology.”

Tools like measuring tapes and compasses, though simple, recreate the living conditions of archaeologists in the 1970s and 80s. Despite their rudimentary circumstances, they uncovered palaces, city walls, and noble tombs—evidence that both the Yangtze and Yellow River civilizations share a common cradle of Chinese culture. It’s remarkable how the act of archaeology itself resembles writing a poem about civilization on the earth.

Since its discovery in 1954, archaeological work at the Panlongcheng site has continued. Curators here are all archaeological experts, and the young creators in the exhibition team are graduates of archaeology programs. As a result, the exhibition hall showcases both archaeological achievements and educational displays about the field. For instance, one segment features soil layers that archaeologists extracted from the lakebed before the museum was constructed, vividly illustrating the transformations that have occurred over centuries.

Qiu Chenhui, a museum guide, explained, “At the bottom, we see virgin soil, untouched by human activity. Above it, we encounter the cultural accumulation from the Shang Dynasty, rich with pottery shards. Just a meter higher, we find layers from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, filled with porcelain remnants, mapping the historical activities of our ancestors about three meters below our feet.”

Now, let’s appreciate the archaeological finds at Panlongcheng. This turquoise and gold ornament is recognized as the earliest gold-inlaid item found in China.

This bronze ding (cauldron) is the largest of its kind discovered from that period, with its thinnest wall measuring only 0.2 centimeters.

The bronze mask boasts flowing lines and prominent eye sockets, reminiscent of artifacts from Sanxingdui.

I was struck by the excavation records maintained by the archaeologists, which convey their palpable excitement. Over decades of work, more than 3,000 exquisite artifacts have been unearthed from Panlongcheng.

In addition to high-ranking noble tombs, evidence of bronze-making workshops was also found. Today, children can engage in simulated archaeological experiences here, while just nearby, archaeologists continue to pen an enduring and evocative poem on the canvas of the Earth.

On October 13, US time, SpaceX conducted its fifth test flight of the “Starship” in Texas, according to various media reports. During this launch, SpaceX successfully captured the Super Heavy rocket as it returned to Earth using the mechanical arm on the launch tower.

When asked about the significance of this fifth test flight, a SpaceX representative noted that it represents a bold challenge: to catch the returning “Super Heavy” rocket using a structure referred to as “Chopsticks,” which is part of the massive launch platform. This approach differs from how SpaceX traditionally retrieves its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.

The “Starship” rocket stands approximately 120 meters tall and has a diameter of about 9 meters. It consists of two main components: a 70-meter-long Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft itself, both designed for reuse. The primary mission of this rocket is to transport people and cargo to Earth’s orbit, the Moon, and even Mars.

So far, “Starship” has undergone four orbital test flights. The first flight in April 2023 ended in an explosion before the separation of the first and second stages. In the second flight in November 2023, both stages successfully separated, but both the booster and spacecraft exploded afterward. The third flight in March 2024 also saw successful separation; however, the booster disintegrated during a landing attempt, and the spacecraft lost communication upon re-entering the atmosphere. In the fourth flight in June 2024, both stages separated as planned, landing in the Gulf of Mexico and the Indian Ocean respectively.

This year marks the 2575th anniversary of Confucius’s birth, and during the National Day holiday, the Palace Museum has launched a significant exhibition titled “On the Path of Greatness: A Special Exhibition on Confucian Culture.” This exhibition features 380 artifacts from both domestic and international sources, inviting visitors to explore the millennia-old wisdom of Confucian culture.

The exhibition’s theme, “On the Path of Greatness,” is derived from the “Book of Rites,” expressing Confucian ideals of establishing a world of shared prosperity and moral integrity. This pursuit not only embodies the classic expression of the Confucian ideal of a “Great Unity” society, but it has also been continually reinterpreted to reflect contemporary realities, showcasing China’s unique understanding and dedication to building a shared future for humanity. The exhibition is divided into three sections: “Tracing the Roots of Confucianism,” “Transforming the World,” and “An Eternal Teacher,” presenting a rich tapestry of archaeological findings, literature, and cultural artifacts that illuminate the historical development of Confucian thought and its profound global influence.

Among the first items on display is the “Confucius Mirror,” unearthed from the Western Han Dynasty’s Haihunhou Tomb. This mirror reveals how people during that era envisioned Confucius, featuring images of him alongside his disciple Yan Hui on its reverse side.

In addition to the “Confucius Mirror,” the exhibition showcases rare artifacts such as pottery shards from the Warnings Cave in Jiangxi Province dating back 20,000 years, which feature symbols reminiscent of the Bagua, and Neolithic pottery that outlines the diverse and unified fabric of Chinese civilization. The exhibition also includes artifacts reflecting the standardization of script after the unification of China under the Qin Dynasty. With Emperor Wu of Han adopting Confucianism as the state ideology, the foundation of Chinese traditional culture was firmly established for the next two millennia. Notably, “On the Path of Greatness: A Special Exhibition on Confucian Culture” will run until January 5 of next year.

The exhibition also highlights valuable artifacts such as a piece from the Osaka Museum of Fine Arts, a scroll attributed to the Tang Dynasty artist Wang Wei, titled “Fusheng Teaching the Classics.” The scroll depicts the story of Fusheng, who hid his treasured “Book of Documents” in the walls of his home during the Qin Dynasty. During the Han Dynasty, as this essential Confucian text was on the verge of being lost, the court sought Fusheng’s help, allowing the preservation of this critical work.

According to Xiong Changyun from the Palace Museum’s Department of Antiquities, Fusheng memorized the 28 chapters of the “Book of Documents” through oral teaching, making it the most important source of this classic text as we know it today. Interestingly, this historical artifact is exhibited for only one month due to its significance. Another highlight consists of three Eastern Han stone scriptures and four from the Three Kingdoms period, which represented the authoritative versions of Confucian classics before the advent of printing.

Xiong noted, “Handwritten manuscripts are prone to errors, so during the Eastern Han period, officials recognized this issue and created the first set of stone inscriptions, establishing an authoritative version of Confucian texts.” Some of these stone scriptures are inscribed in three different scripts: ancient Chinese characters, small seal script, and clerical script, presented in both “品” character and aligned formats.

Xiong explained that these scripts represent three historical periods preceding the Eastern Han: the Warring States (ancient characters), the Qin Dynasty (small seal script), and the Han Dynasty (clerical script), demonstrating the continuity of Confucian classics across different writing styles.

The stone inscriptions, now significantly weathered over the millennia, are resurrected in the exhibit through rubbings that offer glimpses into their past forms. Xiong remarked on the difficulty of matching fragmented characters with their positions in ancient texts, emphasizing that each fragment symbolizes a piece of lost civilization. “These solid stones are challenging to preserve, yet the legacy of Confucianism thrives through the dedication of scholars across generations, keeping it vibrant and present in our lives.”

Confucian culture has continuously evolved alongside other excellent philosophical traditions in the development of the Chinese nation, serving as a vital spiritual resource for its resilience and growth. Moreover, it continues to provide valuable insights for global communication, understanding, and the exchange of civilizations.

Blessing Ibungein Port Harcourt
Stakeholders in Rivers State have been tasked on environmental justice in their various communities and to ensure that sources of climate crisis are maximally reduced.
The task was given by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), yesterday, at a one-day capacity building workshop on environmental monitoring, held in Okrika town, Okrika Local Government Area of the State.
The workshop, which witnessed participants from Ogu/Bolo, Port Harcourt, Fiberesima, Dumo-Ama, Angugu-Biri, Bulome-Biri, Edereme-Biri, Awolome-Biri, Adedeme-Biri, Ngeme-Biri and Amanongo-Biri, focused on educating the people of the area on their right to a healthy and pollution free environment.
THISDAY observed that participants at the workshop were trained on how to build community centered network to advocate for justice and ensure that the Okrika populace gets the good life they yearn for.
Speaking with journalists at the event, the HOMEF Programme Manager, Mr. Stephen Oduware, called for an end to gas flaring, oil pollution which he identified as major challenges confronting the people.
Oduware emphasised the need for a clean-up, remediation and reparation, to cover for the loss and damages the people of the community have experienced and still experiencing.
He explained: “We came to Okrika to have a meeting with the Okrika people, from about 11 communities from the Okrika axis including Ogu/Bolo, to have a capacity sharing and building workshop on environmental monitoring, community solidarity, so as to practically build that community centered network to advocate for justice and for the good life that they yearn for.
“In the course of the meeting, we had sessions where we basically gave out all the elements needed to build community solidarity, integration and responsibilities, and to entrench that common sense of responsibility amongst ourselves as community people.”
“”We went further to have trainings on environmental monitoring, reporting, organising and advocacy, where we highlighted different indicators that monitors should look out for and advocate for.”
Oduware continued that the participants were also trained on how to build an effective network and alliances to carry out advocacy for the betterment of the community, and entrench a sense of that right and Justice that the community so deserve.
“We are asking for three things; the rights of this community people need to be recognised, protected and ultimately, they need to be supported. This community need to thrive again.”
Responding to questions on the needs and challenges identified in Okrika that necessitated the workshop, the HOMEF programme manager said: “We know that this community is on one hand sandwiched by the impact of climate change, sea level rise, coastal erosion and all of that.”
“On the other hand, the impact of oil spills in the community, that alone is a huge challenge and the route to recovery is actually problematic because the communities are not been heard, inspite of the impact they are facing.
“So, we have come here to strengthen ourselves, to tell them that we are with them, including the media, to ensure that that right is preserved, protected and that they have the right to a healthy and pollution free environment.”
The facilitators, Mr. Kentebe Ebiaridor spoke on the importance of oneness in the community and how the community people can leverage on solidarity to be able to achieve things for themselves and for their development.

From penetrating words to images that linger in the mind, Han Kang readers tell us what her work means to them
Jem BartholomewTue 15 Oct 2024 06.32 EDTLast modified on Tue 15 Oct 2024 07.05 EDTShareThe 2024 Nobel prize in literature has been awarded to South Korean novelist Han Kang, 53, whose works include The Vegetarian, The White Book, Human Acts and Greek Lessons.
The Nobel committee praised Han’s “intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life”.
The Guardian asked readers of Han’s books to share what her writing means to them, with dozens getting in touch about their thoughts.
‘I emerge painfully transformed from all of Han Kang’s books’View image in fullscreenMia Kovačić says she emerges ‘painfully transformed from all of Han Kang’s books.’I read The Vegetarian first. I found it subversive, poetic, dark, violent, and genuine. It was something unlike anything I had read before and it seemed to stand in a league of its own.
It’s a deeply feminist book, purely because it’s a deeply human book that deals with a woman breaking with everything she has ever known – her family, her husband, all of society. It was a transformative read and an unpretentiously radical book.
Human Acts was traumatising in its immediacy – it was chilling and violent and I felt like I was there, with those students [during the 1980 student protests]. I emerge painfully transformed from all of Han Kang’s books.
Having raved about her to anyone who would listen, I was really thrilled to see her get this recognition. She is a unique voice that deserves to be heard everywhere in the world. Mia Kovačić, 34, communications director, Paris
‘It made me weep for the power of kindness’View image in fullscreenKatherine Wildman says she devoured The Vegetarian during a train journey in one day.I went to Skiathos, Greece this year and took Greek Lessons with me. I have recommended it to so many people since, saying that nothing happens but everything happens … it made me weep for the power of kindness.
Next was The Vegetarian, which I’ve had on my bookshelf for years. I read that one on the train to London and devoured it in a day. It says everything and everything happens.
Her writing is compelling and urgent and true. It’s a sucker punch and I’m so very glad I found her work. Katherine Wildman, 50, copywriter, near Newcastle
‘It always left intense images in my mind’View image in fullscreenNoah Kim says Han Kang captures the experience of ‘individuals who have fought for their existence’.Han Kang’s works comfort the grief of Korean contemporary history and society. I’ve been soothed by them and influenced by their narratives, which have always left intense images in my mind and affected my writing and drawing. Like the endless darkness and solitude of I Do Not Bid Farewell, or the deprived hopes and misaligned yearnings of Human Acts.
I was in London studying the first time I read The Vegetarian. When I finished the book, I felt as if I’d watched a work of contemporary visual art – it embodied the powerful visualisation of its narrative. It captured me, tightly.
One great strength of her novels is to bring out the intangible lives of little people throughout Korean history and society, their historical and social griefs and agonies that are often disregarded. She captures the voices, and resistance, of vulnerable people – individuals who have fought for their existence. Noah Kim, 33, draws illustrations and writes short stories for children’s books, Seoul, South Korea
View image in fullscreenA book store worker handles books by Han. Photograph: Kin Cheung/AP‘Han Kang’s writing erases distance’View image in fullscreenJenni Reid was deeply affected by Human Acts.I am currently studying Korean and was loaned a copy of Human Acts by my professor. Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down, I read late into the night, straight to the final page.
I had been familiar with the events of 1980 [the Gwangju uprising and brutal repression], but the story, as it shifted from one narrator to the other, affected me deeply. The level of violence perpetrated against the students – the way a nation was terrorised – is something we see repeated often across the world. It is something I fear may unfold in the US.
But there can be a certain distance when we see media reports of events like this. What Han Kang’s writing has done is erase that distance – her words penetrate straight through the heart, and I am left feeling the loss of those children as if they were the classmates of my own son. Jenni Reid, works with children with special needs, Syracuse, New York
‘I was haunted for months afterwards’View image in fullscreenHugo Maio says some scenes haunted him for months afterwards.I was haunted by Han Kang’s Human Acts for months after reading it. I feel it creeping up sometimes, unannounced, and for no discernible reason. There are images in that book that will never leave me, like one scene at the beginning of Human Acts – a horror that immediately casts a shadow over the rest of the book.
For me, what’s special about Han Kang is that the severity of her themes and the raw brutality of the things she writes about are coupled with this intensity of language, this shameless, ceaseless, horrible beauty. She’s a writer who’s unafraid of bringing powerful emotions to the table, whose grasp of measure and proportion is admirable, all in service of evoking the unfathomable, that spontaneous violence that underlies our quotidian and that may be unearthed at any time.
I was jumping with joy for hours after the Swedish Academy’s announcement. There’s always been a dearth of attention to east Asian novels in the west, where a sort of tokenism is often accompanied by lack of any proper interest, particularly for women’s writing, a dearth that has only in recent years started to be redressed. Hugo Maio, 32, PhD researcher studying medieval Portuguese literature, Coimbra, Portugal

They never rehearse. Their music is borderline indescribable. And their live shows have become the stuff of legend. Now on their 29th album, Bleed, the trio look back on creating a career from thin air
Get our weekend culture and lifestyle emailAndrew StaffordFri 11 Oct 2024 19.00 EDTLast modified on Fri 11 Oct 2024 19.20 EDTShareThey were the overnight sensation 30 years in the making. In 2017, a review appeared in the New York Times: “My obsession with the Necks, the greatest trio on Earth”. It followed the LA Times, which called them “among the world’s greatest forces in music”. The Washington Post, in 2020, was slower to catch on, describing one of their songs as “umpteen metric tons of bouncing-clinking stuff being discarded into an abyss of stairs” (complimentary, of course).
It’s a good thing they’re smart enough not to pay attention to any of it. The Necks’ music is so ephemeral that no one can be expected to respond the same way. There are no set lists. No expectations. And definitely no requests. There is only trust: that the three of them will quite literally make it up as they go along.
It was in 1986 that bassist Lloyd Swanton, percussionist Tony Buck and pianist Chris Abrahams, all seasoned players, coalesced around Abrahams’ description of their basic principle: “What if we just, you know, played music?” On Friday, they released Bleed, their 29th album (including live recordings, which – being improvised – are as unique as the rest).
Originally, the Necks were an entirely private project. There were around eight months of “rehearsals” at the University of Sydney’s music department with no thought of playing live, until the person who allowed them access to the room invited them to perform at an afternoon concert series.
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Their early shows weren’t exactly ecstatically received. “People falling asleep wasn’t that unusual,” Abrahams says. “I remember … we’d finish a set and several people were actually lying on their backs.”
View image in fullscreen‘We wanted to pursue the idea of being entirely in the moment’: the Necks on making it up, live. Photograph: Nabeeh SamaanReally, the Necks were just inviting the audience to enter the same zone they were aiming for: a trance, where the instruments appeared to play them, instead of the other way around. They soon hit upon the closest they’d ever get to a formula – one of them would start (though no one knew who), then the others would enter. By degrees, a piece would take shape.
Now, Swanton says, “we can do it in our sleep, though I hope it doesn’t sound like that”. The challenge, early on, was to get themselves into the necessary mental state to fall back on that original principle: to just play. “We wanted to pursue the idea of being entirely in the moment.”
Sarah Blasko: ‘I’m still a recovering Christian. I had to remodel my brain to be here and enjoy life’Read moreAll are virtuosos. Jim Moginie, who has played with Abrahams both solo and with Midnight Oil (for whom Abrahams was briefly a touring member), calls him as “probably the premier piano player in this country. We were using about one per cent of his brain with what we were doing.”
There’s an alchemy that happens live, Moginie says: “It’s not jazz, it’s something else. It’s improvised music, and the fact that they make it up every night – that’s part of the brinkmanship of it, isn’t it? They’re straddling the tightrope, the spotlight’s on them and you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“Something else” might be the only way to label the Necks. Their own Bandcamp describes them as “not entirely avant-garde, nor minimalist, nor ambient, nor jazz”. Swanton smiles: “It’s not that unusual to have trouble describing music in words; that’s kind of inherent in the act of making music and sharing it.”
View image in fullscreenHow to categorise a band like the Necks? ‘I don’t mind being thought of as all of the above, or none of the above.’ Photograph: Camille WalshAbrahams, for his part, is unfussed. “I have no problem with people categorising us however they see fit. Every listener has the right to interpret what we do however they feel, and it’s a human need to categorise and to put a name to things. I don’t mind being thought of as all of the above, or none of the above.”
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That doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of musical reference points for what the Necks do. The atmospheric stillness and slow build of Miles Davis’s fusion breakthrough In a Silent Way comes to mind. So too the ambient works of Brian Eno, who invited the Necks to perform as part of a supergroup including himself and Underworld’s Karl Hyde in 2009.
The Necks review – a magical mystery tour de forceRead moreBut no group of musicians has created an entire career out of thin air in quite the same way. The Necks don’t rehearse: “Even before we were performing live, I wouldn’t call it rehearsing, because we had nothing to rehearse towards,” Swanton says. Recordings are a little fussier, technically speaking, but still, nothing is preconceived.
There was just one occasion in their career, Swanton says, when he experienced stage fright. Percussionist Tony Buck had relocated to Berlin, and the group hadn’t played for a year. “We’d started to get a bit of a reputation, and we were about to go on stage in front of a room full of hundreds of people. I was just quietly questioning myself, can we actually do this?”
View image in fullscreen‘Can we play this much and not get jaded and disillusioned?’: the Necks’ Lloyd Swanton. Photograph: Traianos PakioufakisThey could. And they continue to do so, to the point where the group is more in demand than ever, especially in Europe and America. Like their music, their career has built by increments. “The question now is, can we play this much and not get jaded and disillusioned? And yet, every time I play with the band, I can’t believe how we just get up there, and out it comes,” Swanton says.
Occasionally, he confesses, he pines for the early days, when it was just the three of them. “I still sometimes feel it’s kind of a shame that we went public, so to speak, and I wonder whether we ought to form another private band, because there’s something very special about that.”
Perhaps. But if the Necks had remained behind closed doors, they would have denied the rest of us something very special too. For now, they’re just making it up as they go.
The Necks’ new album, Bleed, is out now via Northern Spy. They tour across Europe in November and Australia in January and February 2025

San Francisco Fleet Week 2024 officially kicked off on October 8th at Pier 30-32, led by Mayor London Breed. This week-long event spans from Friday to Sunday and features an exciting air show by the famous U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

Alongside the exhilarating aerial displays, Fleet Week offers a range of educational activities and demonstrations throughout the week. These include disaster simulation exercises, performances by military bands, and showcases of military skills. These initiatives aim to illuminate military capabilities and educate civilians about the crucial role the military plays in disaster response.

Now in its 43rd year since launching in 1981, Fleet Week stands as one of the largest public events of its kind on the West Coast, celebrating the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. This year’s event welcomes several U.S. naval vessels to San Francisco Bay, where they’ll open their doors for public tours, conduct naval flight demonstrations, and participate in rescue exercises, drawing thousands of residents and tourists.

During her opening remarks, Mayor Breed remarked, “Fleet Week is not just a celebration; it’s a wonderful opportunity for us to express gratitude for our military’s service and to strengthen the trust between our military and the community.”

This year’s Fleet Week has invited various military branches, including the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, and California National Guard. Attendees can look forward to seeing advanced amphibious assault ships, Coast Guard patrol boats, and U.S. Navy destroyers on display. These vessels will be available for public tours, giving citizens the chance to engage closely with cutting-edge naval equipment.

The Blue Angels’ aerial performance remains one of the main highlights of Fleet Week. Each year, this spectacular show attracts tens of thousands of spectators to San Francisco Bay, where the aircraft dive, swoop, and fly in formation, showcasing remarkable flying skills and teamwork. Many attendees specifically come to witness this breathtaking display, excited to experience the thrill of both the stunning visuals and the powerful sounds.

This year’s theme is “Disaster Response and Relief.” To emphasize this focus, organizers have scheduled a large-scale emergency drill simulating an earthquake scenario, demonstrating how the military can provide critical services such as supply transport, medical assistance, and evacuation in emergencies.

For more information about San Francisco Fleet Week, visit fleetweeksf.org.

On September 17, Rong Haisheng, a reporter from China News Service, delved into the significance of the Mid-Autumn Festival for individuals across the Taiwan Strait. “With a cloudless sky over the vast land, the Mid-Autumn Festival is the most complete night,” he remarked, highlighting how many from Taiwan participated in festive gatherings across mainland China. The theme of “reunion” emerged prominently, reflecting a shared longing for closer connections and familial ties among people from both sides.

On the evening of the 12th, Song Tao, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, celebrated the festival with Taiwanese compatriots in Fuzhou, Fujian. In his address, he underscored that celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with family is a cherished tradition among the Chinese, symbolizing love for their homeland and the yearning for family gatherings. He expressed that this sentiment is woven deeply into the cultural DNA of every Chinese person and serves as a motivating force for individuals on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to unite and progress together.

Song’s repeated emphasis on the concept of “reunion” underscored its traditional importance during the Mid-Autumn Festival. In Chinese culture, reunion signifies family harmony and embodies happiness. Whether participating in traditional activities like moon watching, pomelo peeling, and sharing mooncakes, or embracing new customs like barbecuing that have emerged in Taiwan over recent decades, the essence of reunion remains constant in the hearts of people on both sides, despite the evolving traditions.

The drive to foster a sense of reunion has been a continuous effort from the mainland. A year ago, the “Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Supporting Fujian to Explore New Paths for Cross-Strait Integration and Development” was published. Over the past year, there has been an active promotion of the idea of “one family on both sides of the strait,” with actions aimed at advancing integration through exchanges, benefits, and emotional connections. A range of policies designed to benefit Taiwanese residents have made reunions more feasible.

To facilitate travel for Taiwanese people, the “Little Three Links” ferry services have seen a significant increase, rising from 26 weekly trips at the beginning of their reopening to a peak of 182 trips. The Xiamen Exit and Entry Border Inspection Station had predicted that during the recent Mid-Autumn holiday (September 15-17), passenger flow for the “Little Three Links” would exceed 14,000, reflecting a 28% increase in daily traffic compared to the Dragon Boat Festival.

Moreover, the “Fujian Province Archives Protection Regulations on Taiwan Relations” will take effect on October 1, supporting genealogical heritage activities. This regulation enables Taiwanese residents to trace their roots and partake in family reunions using Fujian and Taiwan-related archives.

For many in Taiwan, the Mid-Autumn Festival stands as a significant traditional holiday, second only to the Spring Festival, encapsulating the sentiment: “the moon is full in the sky, and families reunite on earth.” The festive spirit has been lively, with events like the 9th “Business Circle Carnival — Taipei Autumn Festival” and the Chiayi 2024 “Light and Shadow Art Exhibition” embracing Mid-Autumn themes. Additionally, the traditional “Tower Placement” festival, which originates from Fuzhou, has been celebrated in Keelung for several consecutive years, highlighting the importance Taiwanese people place on this festival and affirming the shared cultural heritage between both sides.

The moon of Mid-Autumn symbolizes the hope of reunion. With a shared heritage of blood, history, and culture, individuals across the Taiwan Strait share a collective responsibility for their nation. It is crucial to strengthen cultural confidence, resist any attempts at “de-Sinicization” within Taiwan, and protect, pass on, and promote Chinese culture. There is a strong belief that as people from both sides collaborate, the ultimate great reunion of the Chinese nation will be realized.