ChinaDaily[971011-8]

[Chinese News]

China Daily

97 / 10 / 11 /

***************************************************************************
1. Mt Tai promises visitors exciting route to heaven
2. Sanya wedding fest to lure travellers
3. Tourism prospers in Mao's village
4. Notes (Page 5, Date: 10/11/97)
5. What's on (Page 6, Date:10/11/97)
6. [INLINE]
***************************************************************************

Mt Tai promises visitors exciting route to heaven
AS it becomes cooler and cooler, travellers turn their eyes to the
mountains, instead of flocking to the coastal resorts.
Mt Tai, near Taian in East China's Shandong Province, is a major
destination for many tourists.
The mountain's imposing peaks, and the culture of the people who
live there, lure about 4 million visitors annually from home and
abroad.
Mt Tai is not just a place for relaxation. Some go there for
excitement and some for cultural refreshment. And some go there as
pilgrims.
Rising 1,545 metres above sea level and covering 426 square
kilometres, the mountain, with mist and clouds encircling its
peaks, was known as the "five sacred mountains" in ancient China.
Ascending, one will be delighted to see crystal-clear creeks
flowing through valleys. Here, there are dreamlike waterfalls.
Also one will surely be captivated by the powerful and stunning
rock formations.
The stones look like huge bridges, spears or pillars, all
decorated in various colours.
Old cypresses and pines thrive among grotesquely shaped boulders.
According to local legend, there are about 10,000 trees more than
one century old and at least 3,300 trees aged from 300 to more
than 1,000 years.
On a fine day, you can spot the ribbon-like golden image of part
of the Yellow River, when standing atop the mountain, or other
spectacular phenomena like sunrises, sunsets, seas of mist and
clouds at the peaks, as rays of sunlight pierce the multi-hued
clouds in the mornings and afternoons.
Zhang Heyong, a senior photographer with the Shandong Pictorial
Press, said: "It demands your time, patience, energy, and artistic
tastes. And to capture its beauty on photos requires more.
"The scenery on the mountain changes with every passing hour,
every day, every season."
There are four routes to the mountain's peak: the east, the west,
the middle and the north, which is newly developed.
It usually takes one more than three hours to climb the 6,666
stone steps on the east path. (A record was set on September 7,
1997, when Cao Changhai, a contestant of the 11th Taishan
International Mountain Climbing Festival, reached the top within
57.55 minutes.)
But if you're afraid to go through this kind of torture, don't
worry. You can ride cable cars over the middle and the north
paths.
Sitting leisurely in the car, you can get a superb view of the
elegant, spacious mountain landscape.
Despite its natural beauty, Mt Tai wins its fame mainly for being
a gigantic, open showcase of ancient Chinese culture.
As a symbol of traditional Chinese culture, it was listed as one
of the world's natural heritages by Unesco in November 1987.
Flanking both sides of the zigzagging middle route are 2,200
inscriptions on cliffs or stelae, left by feudal emperors,
luminaries, calligraphers or great scholars, all writing in praise
of the mountain's majesty.
In ancient China, the East is believed to be the birthplace of all
things on the earth.
Mt Tai looks out over the North China Plain towards the Yellow Sea
in the east and the Yellow River in the west.
For its unique geographical location, Mt Tai was regarded as a
sacred mountain for breeding new life. And it is also considered a
natural altar where the ancient rulers could communicate with the
gods.
The mountain path, therefore, is the road to heaven.
About 72 kings or emperors in history are said to have travelled
to the mountain from afar, conferring titles of honour or holding
sacrificial ceremonies to worship heaven as they are supposed to
be the "descendants of heaven."
But according to historical records, Emperor Qinshihuang of the
Qin Dynasty (211-206 BC) was the first to begin the pilgrimage to
the mountain.
Details of Emperor Qinshihuang's visit to the mountain are
missing, but his prime minister, Li Si, set up a stone tablet with
a eulogy to the emperor, the remaining version of the inscription
is exhibited at the Dai Temple in Taian at the foot of the
mountain.
Starting from the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), sacrificial
ceremonies on the mountain were recorded in minute detail.
The locals restage the Song and Qing dynasties' ceremonies, in
keeping with the historical documents, during the Taishan
International Mountain Climbing Festival, held annually September
6-8 since 1987.
The ceremonies are now held in the Dai Temple instead of the
highest peak, where they originally took place to greet the
curious visitors.
Buddhists and Taoists also flocked to the mountain. Among the
shrines they built is Bixiaci Temple, a residence for Taoists, and
Puzhao Monastery for Buddhists.
Mt Tai has also found its way into lots of legendary stories and
historical records.
Drawing more than 4 million tourists each year, Taian, situated
along the Beijing-Shanghai Railway and 65 kilometres south of
Jinan, capital of Shandong Province, offers a wide range of hotels
and facilities to the visitors.
Passenger trains to Taian are available almost every day and it's
only a nine-hour ride from Beijing.
Taian is now connected by both railways, and trips by bus is also
an option for visitors from Beijing. A new international airport
will be built soon in Taian.
All these conditions will make a climb to heaven a little bit
easier.
_____________________________________________________________

_Date: 10/11/97_
_Author: Zhu Linyong _
_CopyrightŠ by China Daily_

***************************************************************************

Sanya wedding fest to lure travellers
SANYA, a major tourist attraction in Hainan, the southernmost
province of China, is to hold an international wedding festival in
mid-November.
As many as 300 couples are expected to attend the four-day event,
organized by Sanya Municipal People's Government and Sanya Tourism
Administration.
Apart from newly-weds, long-term husbands and wives, who'd like to
review their wedding vows will also be included.
The event, held between November 18 and 21, will be a combination
of bridal celebration and sightseeing.
In addition to wedding ceremonies, participants will plant
commemorative trees, watch performances by the Li and Miao people
and tour scenic spots such as the Ends of the Earth.
Sanya, known for its tropical scenery, has seen an all-around boom
in tourism in recent years.
About 1.1 million people visited Sanya in the first six months of
the year, a 25-per-cent increase over the same period last year.
The number of overseas tourists almost doubled in the same period,
reaching 60,000.
This autumn, Sanya people will also join in the blessing of
couples from around the world.
"The Ends of the Earth (Tianya Haijiao) is very popular with
people in Southeast Asia," said Li Ping, the festival's Beijing
co-ordinator.
The feedback from some Asian countries provided not only new
evidence for the popularity, but also a promising start for the
festival, Li said.
"So far, 15 couples in Hong Kong and 25 in South Korea have
entered their names for the event," said Cai Shidong, head of the
preparatory group of the festival.
Cannes on the French Riviera, with which Sanya is establishing
close ties, has already decided to send a delegation to the event.
From this year on, the international wedding festival at the Ends
of the Earth will be held annually.
_____________________________________________________________

_Date: 10/11/97_
_Author: Shao Zongwei_
_CopyrightŠ by China Daily_

***************************************************************************

Tourism prospers in Mao's village
CHANGSHA (Xinhua) -- Shaoshan, a small village in Central China's
Hunan Province, has received more than 40 million domestic and
overseas visitors eager to see the hometown of late Chairman Mao
Zedong.
In the 1950s, the first group of foreign journalists from the
former Soviet Union rode to the remote village on horseback. Now,
there is easy access by road or rail.
Mao's former residence has maintained the traditional style of
Chinese village houses of the last century. But opposite it is a
restaurant, bustling with noise and excitement named Mao Jia
Restaurant.
In the dining area, an air conditioner blows beside a bronze
statue of the late Chairman, one of the founding fathers of the
Communist Party of China (CPC) and New China.
Tang Ruiren, owner of the restaurant, said she has opened 13
restaurants across the country since she built the first one 10
years ago. This restaurant, whose name has been registered with
local commercial administrative authorities, receives hundreds of
tourists a day.
There are more than 100 restaurants in Shaoshan, most of them
named after the late Chairman, said village official Mao Yushi, a
deputy of the 15th National Congress of the CPC, which was
convened last month in Beijing.
There are nearly 300 stalls where vendors hawk souvenirs and small
commodities in Shaoshan, which has only 400 households.
Apart from tourists, more than 700 people from elsewhere in the
country operate businesses in the village.
The Memorial Park for Mao Zedong, which cost 46 million yuan ($5.5
million) and opened to visitors last year, has brought in some 11
million yuan ($1.3 million) to date, according to the park's
manager.
In today's Shaoshan, wide-screen colour TV sets, air conditioners,
telephone sets and VCD players have become common possessions of
ordinary villagers.
"Each family in the village now has more money, and wants to make
their houses prettier and more comfortable," said Mao Qiman, who
has made a fortune through interior decoration. He bought a car
worth over 60,000 yuan ($7,230) just several months ago.
Statistics indicate the per capita income in Shaoshan reached
5,200 yuan ($627) last year, making it one of the most prosperous
villages in Central China.
A popular couplet in Shaoshan has reflected the feelings of the
villagers: Never forget Chairman Mao, who brought us liberation,
and thank Deng Xiaoping, who gave us prosperity.
_____________________________________________________________

_Date: 10/11/97_
_Author: _
_CopyrightŠ by China Daily_

***************************************************************************

Notes (Page 5, Date: 10/11/97)
Old yard opened
TAIYUAN -- An ancient residential yard in Northwest China's Shanxi
Province has reopened to the public after two years of renovation.
The 100-year-old buildings belonged to a family of officials
surnamed Wang, who lived during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The
yard covers 150,000 square metres.
The buildings are located along a hillside in Jingsheng Township
of Lingshi County. Included in the yard is a series of
well-landscaped lawns, pavilions, living quarters, and towers
laced with over 10,000 decorative carvings.
The yard's unique design and delicate architecture have attracted
Chinese experts and foreign tourists.
Hakkas festival
LONGYAN, Fujian Province -- The major birthplace of the Hakkas in
west Fujian will hold the First Fujian-Taiwan Hakkas Cultural
Festival October 14-18.
More than 200 representatives of overseas Hakkas, and some from
Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, are invited.
The activities include Fujian Hakkas folk art show, seminar on
studies of Hakkas in Fujian and Taiwan, a visit to Yongding
earthen buildings, and Hakkas genealogical trees exhibition, each
revealing ancient relations between Taiwan and mainland Hakkas.
The festival will end with a group sacrificial ceremony to Hakkas'
"mother river" -- Tingjiang River, a tributary of Minjiang River.
Folk dance show
MASS entertainment, including a large folk dance show, is being
held until October 15 at Zhongshan Park, Beijing. Performers from
seven ancient capital cities of China -- Anyang, Xi'an, Luoyang,
Kaifeng, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Beijing -- will perform dances of
different dynasties.
Miniature garden
TIANJIN -- Chinese artists have completed the recreation of the
landscape of Beijing's Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace), which was
destroyed 137 years ago during invasions of Beijing by foreign
armed forces.
The miniature Yuanmingyuan will soon be on display in Tianjin.
Some 140 artists spent four years building the miniature version
of the "Garden of Ten Thousand Gardens," whose Renaissance
architecture was destroyed by French and British forces in 1860.
The eight allied powers pillaged and burned the garden a second
time during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900.
By using maps and pictures, drawn by imperial court painters of
the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the artists made 4,198 copies of the
architecture, a 30th the size of the originals.
Artist Liu Zuo, from Langfang, Hebei Province, and his associates
made the large creation out of an unconventional material --
Chinese sorghum straw.
The tiny, delicate buildings and 40 islands, connected by
ornamental bridges around 250 hills, will be seen in the Tianjin
Sports Centre.
Organizers leased 5.3 hectares of land for the 3.8 million yuan
($457,000) exhibition, funded by five companies from Beijing and
Tianjin. (CD-Xinhua)
_____________________________________________________________

_Date: 10/11/97_
_Author: _
_CopyrightŠ by China Daily_

***************************************************************************

What's on (Page 6, Date:10/11/97)
Solo art show -- Liu Fenghua's one-man show of gouache works is
running at Han's Art Gallery.
Time: 10am-4pm, through October 15.
Place: Han's Art Gallery, Ritan Dongyijie, east of Ritan Park,
Chaoyang District, Beijing.
Tel: 6507-4062.
Sculpture from Africa -- Jean Louis Kotagomba, a young artist from
the People's Republic of Congo will hold a sculpture show from
October 10-22 at the Cathay Art Gallery. Technically, Kotagomba's
18 works blend the traditional abstract African wood-carvings with
modern sculptures.
Time: 9am-4pm, October 10-22.
Place: Cathay Art Gallery, Catic Hotel, 18 Beichen Donglu in Asian
Games Village, Chaoyang District, Beijing.
Tel: 6494-0517.
Oil pipes in paintings -- Xinjiang artist Fu Jianfeng's one-man
show will be held October 14-19 at the China National Art Museum.
Sponsored by Xinjiang Dushanzi Petrochemical Works, the exhibition
features Fu's 30-plus oil paintings under the title of
"Lifeblood."
A native of Xinjiang, Fu has been working with the Cultural Palace
of Dushanzi Petrochemical Works since graduating from the Oil
Painting Department of the Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts in 1985.
Working in the oil fields for many years, Fu has a profound love
for the magnificent oil fields, particularly for the
criss-crossing network of petroleum pipes, regarded as the
"lifeblood of industry."
Pipes have become Fu's favourite theme. Under his brush, the hard,
cold steel pipes are sketched as living beings -- with plenty of
vigour.
Time: 9 am-4 pm, October 14-19.
Place: China National Art Museum, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng
District.
Tel: 6401-2252.
Pottery art show -- Zhu Legeng, an artist from Jiangxi Province's
Jingdezhen, will display his pottery on October 21-26 at the China
National Art Museum.
Sponsored by the Jingdezhen Artists Assn and two other
departments, the exhibition will display Zhu's representative
works in recent years. With peculiar designs and bright colours,
they embody Zhu's bold imagination, powerful creativeness and high
technique.
A native of Jingdezhen, Zhu graduated from the Jingdezhen Pottery
and Porcelain Institute in 1985. He is now associate professor
with the institute.
He is also a member of the China Industrial Art Society and a
member of the Jiangxi Artists Assn. The 45-year-old artist has a
deep love for the "art of clay and flame." Since 1990, he has won
more than 30 prizes at the national pottery and porcelain art
contests.
Time: 9 am-4 pm, October 21-26.
Place: China National Art Museum, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng
District.
Tel: 6275-5730.
Peruvian painter -- Peruvian painter Antonio Maro will hold his
one-man show on October 20-31 at the Beijing Workers Cultural
Palace.
Antonio Maro studied painting in Lima and in Stuttgart, Germany,
with master Willi Baumeister. He has displayed his works in Lima,
Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Bonn, Frankfurt, Madrid, Venice, Monaco
and other cities. He has taken part in various expositions, the
most noteworthy being the Venice biennial.
Time: 9 am-4 pm, October 20-31.
Place: Beijing Workers Cultural Palace (east side of Tian'anmen
Square). Tel:6532-2178.
Master pieces -- In commemoration of Li Luogong's 80th birthday,
an exhibition will be held in Beijing International Art Palace.
Li is a late, famous oil painter, calligrapher and educator.
The exhibit features 60 of his art works, 26 created during the
first half of the century.
Li (1917-92) studied in Japan after graduating from Shanghai
Academy of Fine Arts. He returned to China in 1945 and devoted his
life to his career -- a teacher of art.
Time: 9 am-8 pm, until October 12.
Place: Beijing International Art Palace, 48 Wangfujing Dajie,
Dongcheng District.
Tel: 6512-5063.
Prize-winning photos -- To usher in the 15th World Petroleum
Meeting, held in Beijing on October 12-16, a national exhibition,
featuring 240 prize-winning photos, will be held at the China
National Art Museum.
The photos were selected from 4,000 works presented by the oil
fields throughout the country. From different angles, they focus
on the new and dynamic atmosphere in the old production fields as
well as the country's landscape and local customs.
The event is being organized by the China Petroleum Photo
Association and China Association of Photographers.
Time: 8:30 am-4 pm, October 21-26.
Place: China National Art Museum, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng
District.
Tel: 6401-2252, 6209-4683.
Hong Kong art '97 -- The Hong Kong Museum of Art is presenting an
exhibition, featuring 85 art works, at the China National Art
Museum.
The exhibition highlights the museum's collections -- covering
water and inks, prints, seal cuttings, sculptures, potteries,
calligraphies, oils, photos and mixed-material art works. Many of
the artists are familiar to mainlanders, while others are being
introduced to Beijing for the first time. In terms of artists,
categories and academic merit, the exhibition provides a
comprehensive overview of the diverse development of Hong Kong art
and the distinctive styles and achievements of Hong Kong artists.
With a 30-year history, the museum is dedicated to the collection
of items related to ancient China, Chinese paintings and
calligraphy, historical pictures and contemporary Hong Kong art.
Time: 9 am-4 pm, until October 19.
Place: 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng District
Tel: 6401-2252.
Abstract vision -- Shanghai artist Qin Yifeng is displaying his
works at the Red Gallery until October 29.
The paintings demonstrate the distinctive abstract style of Qin's
earlier line drawings. He employed strong brush work and a
confident use of acrylic colour on medium- to large-format
canvases.
Qin's mastery of the medium brings to life the rich texture of his
paintings, titled the Linefield Series.
Born in Shanghai in 1962, Qin Yifeng graduated from Shanghai Art
And Crafts College in 1983 and the Shanghai University College of
the Arts 1989, where he now teaches.
Qin has displayed his works in Shanghai, Beijing, Australia and
Japan.
Place: Level 3, China World Hotel, China World Trade Centre, 1
Jianguomen Wai, Beijing
Time: 11am-6pm, daily, until October 29.
Tel: 6505-2266 ext 6821/5729.
Relics show -- Photos and artifacts unearthed from the Qing royal
tombs are featured at the Yongshou Palace, on the northwest side
of the Imperial Palace Museum.
It was customary for Chinese rulers to have their own family
burial ground, where successive emperors and other members of the
royal family were entombed. The largest such cemetery is the
Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty, located at the foot of the
mountain in Zunhua, Hebei Province.
The entire cemetery of 48 square kilometres used to be enclosed by
a wall and heavily guarded like another "Forbidden City." Buried
there are five emperors, 15 empresses, one hundred imperial
concubines and one princess.
The tombs were pillaged and severely damaged by warlords in early
this century. The exhibits were those sorted out by
archaeologists. A very good guide is on site to tell interesting
stories.
Time: 8 am-5 pm, until October 20.
Place: Palace Museum, 4 Jingshan Qianjie, Dongcheng District.
Tel: 6513-2255.
Cultural relics -- The National Museum of Chinese History is
hosting a grand exhibition, featuring the pick of new
archaeological discoveries in China.
The 608 historic relics on display are presented by 101 museums
and cultural relic research units from the country's 31 provinces
and cities.
Most were unearthed in the last four years, almost all being shown
in Beijing for the first time. The priceless exhibits include rare
fossils of homo sapiens, bronze wares, silver and gold ornaments,
bright and colourful porcelains and lacquerwares, silk fabrics,
pottery figurines and stone cuts, as well as gold seals and
inscribed slips and tablets.
Time: 8:30 am-5 pm, until December 31.
Place: National Museum of Chinese History, east of Tian'anmen
Square.
Tel: 6526-6604, 6512-8901.
CONCERTS
Guangzhou pieces -- The Chorus of the China Symphony Orchestra
will perform Guangzhou-style songs, accompanied by the China
Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra.
Sponsored by Guangzhou, the concert will include "Story of
Spring," "Thoughts," "Guangdong Rhythm" and a chorus entitled
"1997."
Time: 7:30 pm, October 12.
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District.
Tel: 6605-5812.
Duo piano -- Yu Yang and Mao Dongli will perform duo Concertos,
Waltz and the first chapter of "Black and White."
Time: 7:30 pm, October 14.
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District.
Tel: 6605-5812.
Violin concert -- Violinist Hu Kun will perform during a solo
concert, conducted by Menuhin.
Time: 7:30pm, October 17.
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie.
Tel: 6605-5812.
Soviet songs -- A large-scale symphony chorus concert -- featuring
former Soviet songs -- will be presented by the Song and Dance
Troupe under the PLA Political Department.
Zheng Jiang will be the conductor. Cheng Zhi and Wang Xiufen will
lead the songs.
Programmes include "Red Plum Flowers," "Small Path," "Night at the
Suburb of Moscow," "Three Carriages," "Weaving Girls," "Night of
the Port," "Boatmen's Songs," "Song for the Youth League," "Holy
War" and "Toast."
Time: 7:30 pm, October 18.
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie.
Tel: 6605-5812.
Chamber music -- Beijing Aiyue Women's Chamber Music Troupe will
perform during a concert, featuring famous pieces from home and
abroad.
Performing will be flutist Chen Ningfang, violinist Deng Chuan,
cellist Situ Zhiwen and soprano Zhou Xiaoman.
Time: 7:30 pm, October 11.
Place: Art Salon of Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, 48 Wangfujing Dajie.
Tel: 6512-5063 or 6513-3388 ext 1209.
Pianist Wu Tieying -- Pianist Wu Tieying, professor of the Capital
Normal University, will present a solo concert on Thursday night.
It will be in the art salon.
His programme will include Ding Shande's "Xinjiang Dance No 1,"
Chen Peixun's variations on the theme of "Butterfly Lovers," Wu
Zuqiang's "Theme and Variations," Wang Jianzhong's "The
Morningstar Lilies are So Red," Wang Anguo's lusheng (a reed-pipe
wind instrument) and brass-drum and more.
Time: 7:30 pm, October 16.
Place: Art Salon of Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, 48 Wangfujing Dajie.
Tel: 6512-5063 or 6513-3388 ext 1209.
Tea and jazz -- The Wide Angle Jazz Band will perform on the
second floor of Sanwei Bookstore.
Audience members can enjoy hot tea, cold beer and cool jazz at the
teahouse.
Time: 9-11 pm, every Friday.
Saturday night at Sanwei Bookstore is a night for Chinese folk
music. Enchanting Chinese melodies will flow from the Chinese
dulcimer, zither and bamboo flute.
Time: 8:30-10:30 pm, every Saturday.
Place: Sanwei Bookstore, 60 Fuxingmennei Dajie, Xicheng District,
across the street from Cultural Palace of Nationalities.
Tel: 6601-3204
Brazil Piano master -- Amaral Vieira, a piano master from Brazil,
will present a recital on October 11 at the Beijing Concert Hall.
In the recital, Amaral Vieira will perform pieces composed by such
classical master musicians as Bach, Handel and Liszt. He will play
a group of piano pieces composed by himself and other Brazilian
musicians. The activity is sponsored by the China Performing Art
Agency.
This is the third time Amaral Vieira has performed his recital in
Beijing. The last two recitals were in 1994 and 1995.
Time: 2 pm, October 11. Place: Beijing Concert Hall.
Tel: 6605-5812 or 6405-5510
_____________________________________________________________

_Date: 10/11/97_
_Author: _
_CopyrightŠ by China Daily_

***************************************************************************

[INLINE]
[INLINE]

Updated on September 24, 1997

[INLINE]

[INLINE]

_[1]The 15th Party Congress_

_[2]Sep. 12 - Sep.18, 1997_

[INLINE]

[3][LINK] _[4]General Secretary Jiang Zemin's
Report to the 15th Party Congress_
[5][LINK] _[6]New Party Leadership elected,
Top Leaders' Profiles_
[7][LINK] _[8]Communique of 15th CPC Central
Committee's First Plenum_

[INLINE]

Feedback: [9]cd...@chinadaily.net

_Copyright by CBnet Ž, China Daily Information_

References

1. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtg124.html
2. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtg124.html
3. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/report.html
4. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/report.html
5. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb46.html
6. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb46.html
7. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb09.html
8. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb09.html
9. mailto:cd...@chinadaily.net

***************************************************************************