(MASTER OF CRAFTS)CHINA-JIANGXI-JINGDEZHEN-BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN-SHAVING PAINTING-CRAFTSMAN (CN)

(MASTER OF CRAFTS)CHINA-JIANGXI-JINGDEZHEN-BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN-SHAVING PAINTING-CRAFTSMAN (CN)

(231226) -- JINGDEZHEN, Dec. 26, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on Dec. 14, 2023 shows a blue and white porcelain painting created by Luo Xiaocong. Luo Xiaocong, a 59-year-old professor at Jingdezhen Ceramic University, has been dedicated to modern porcelain painting for years. Different from traditional ways for blue and white porcelain painting, a craft known as "Tiqing", or "blue pigment shaving" in English, was created by Luo in inspiration of skills used in woodblock and lacquer paintings. The craft is to splash blue pigment, which is black or brown before firing, on a clay base first to form contours of mountains and clouds, and then use a razor blade to shave off parts of the pigment to form designed patterns. The challenge lies in that it shaves liquid materials rather than solid ones, which requires more skills and patience. After more than 20 years of trying, Luo Xiaocong can now create different patterns according to the thickness of the pigment by only using a razor blade and a grav

U.S. high individual armament rate poses significant threat: expert

STORY: U.S. high individual armament rate poses significant threat: expert DATELINE: Feb. 4, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:32 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of scenes of gun violence in the U.S. 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): CIHAT YAYCI, Retired Turkish admiral 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): CIHAT YAYCI, Retired Turkish admiral 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): CIHAT YAYCI, Retired Turkish admiral STORYLINE: A retired Turkish admiral said the United States, which has a high individual armament rate, poses a significant threat at both the national and international levels. According to the Gun Violence Archive, a website that tracks shootings in the U.S., in the first month of 2023, the country had reported more than 3,800 deaths from gun violence with 52 mass shootings. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): CIHAT YAYCI, Retired Turkish admiral "So this 'disease' can spread anywhere. We must be cautious. Such armament, everyone having a gun at home, igniting internal conflicts in other countries, bears very grav