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Sing-song girls (also known as flower girls) is an English term for the courtesans in nineteenth century China.<br/><br/> Although generally concubines or courtesans, people in Shanghai called the women who performed in sing-song houses 'xian sheng' in Wu dialect. The term was pronounced 'sing-song' in English and the young women always sang to entertain the customers; thus Westerners called them Sing-Song girls. The word xian sang in this case is a polite term used to refer to an entertainer.
Chopsticks (singular: chopstick) are shaped pairs of equal length sticks used as the traditional eating utensils of various East Asian countries. Chopsticks originated in ancient China, and are traditionally used in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. They can also be found in some areas of Tibet and Mongolia that are close to Han Chinese populations. In Southeast Asia they are used for eating noodles in countries, such as Thailand, with a substantial Overseas Chinese population.<br/><br/>Chopsticks are smoothed and frequently tapered, and are commonly made of bamboo, plastic, wood, or stainless steel. They are less commonly made from porcelain, silver, ivory or jade. Chopsticks are held in the dominant hand, between the thumb and fingers, and used to pick up pieces of food.
Suzhou, the city of canals and gardens, was called the ‘Venice of the East’ by Marco Polo. An ancient Chinese proverb states: <i>‘In Heaven there is Paradise; on Earth there is Suzhou’</i>.<br/><br/> The city’s love affair with gardens dates back 2,500 years and continues still. At the time of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) there were 250 gardens, of which about a hundred survive, although only a few are open to the public.
Chopsticks are short tapered sticks used in pairs of equal length, which are used as the traditional eating utensils of China, Mongolia, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. Generally believed to have originated in ancient China, they can also be found in some areas of Tibet and Nepal that are close to Han Chinese populations, as well as areas of Thailand, Laos and Burma which have significant Chinese populations.<br/><br/> Chopsticks are most commonly made of wood, bamboo or plastic, but are also made of metal, bone, ivory. Chopsticks are held in the dominant hand, between the thumb and fingers, and used to pick up pieces of food.
The long and winding road along Vietnam's coastline connecting the country's important cities and towns has borne witness to many twists and turns in her recent history. Built in the 18th century by Vietnamese foot soldiers and mandarins, it was called the Mandarin Road. The most important section ran between Hanoi and Hue, at different times the two imperial capitals.