Home of the copper drum

    Hechi's copper drum culture goes back as far as the Han Dynasty (206 BC—AD 220){#blank#}1{#/blank#} the people living in the area considered copper drums sacred and Hechi is still one of China's {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(large) copper drum sites. A 2003 survey by cultural heritage departments{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (find) more than 1, 400 copper drums in the area, with at least 1,300 copper drums {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (be) used by local folk artists. In this way, ethnic groups in Hechi have produced a{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (unique) rich and diverse cultural form and customs for festivals, weddings, celebrations, funerals, and religious {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (activity) of local people, with ballads and for rice-planting and frogs. That same year, a copper drum conservation project along the Hongshui River basin joined the Culture Ministry's Top 10 conservation project list for ethnic and folk cultures.

    In 2006, the Zhuang People's Copper Drum Practices{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(add) to the national cultural heritage list by the State Council. In 2008, the Culture Ministry declared Donglan county and{#blank#}8{#/blank#}city of Hechi the “Home of Chinese Copper Drum Art”{#blank#}9{#/blank#} in 2009, its “Copper Drum Practice” became a candidate for the Human Cultural Heritage. There are now more than 2,400 copper drums in the world, at least 1,400 of {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (they) in Hechi, making it a Copper Drum Cultural and Ecological Reserve with recognition across Guangxi.

    There're so many things that{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (farmer) can benefit from. You have a better environment if you live on the farms.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(live) on a farm can give you the peace of mind you've always wanted{#blank#}3{#/blank#} at the same time let you appreciate nature more. You can have a better view{#blank#}4{#/blank#} the sky. You can have fresher foods when you are on the farm. These are just some of the many beautiful things that you can find on a farm.

    Farming{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (know) to be a physical job. It{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (require) a lot of physical work such as planting, watering, harvesting and so on. It is probably a requirement to be{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (physical) fit to be a farmer.

    Farm life is {#blank#}8{#/blank#}good) than city life. On the farms there is fresh air, while in the city there is{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (pollute). The city life is just so busy and noisy. If you want to have a more peaceful environment, move to{#blank#}10{#/blank#} countryside.

    Once there lived a rich man{#blank#}1{#/blank#}wanted to do something for the people of his town.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} first he wanted to find out whether they deserved his help.

    In the centre of the main road into the town, he placed{#blank#}3{#/blank#}very large stone. Then he {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(hide) behind a tree and waited. Soon an old man came along with his cow.

    “Who put this stone in the centre of the road?” said the old man, but he did not try to remove the stone. Instead, with some difficulty he passed around the stone and continued on his way{#blank#}5{#/blank#}man came along and did the same thing; then another came, and another. All of them complained about the stone but not tried to remove {#blank#}6{#/blank#}. Late in the afternoon a young man came along. He saw the stone,{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(say) to himself: “The night{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(be) very dark. Some neighbors will come along later in the dark and will fall against the stone.”

    Then he began to move the stone. He pushed and pulled with all his {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(strong) to move it. How great was his surprise at last!{#blank#}10{#/blank#} the stone, he found a bag of money.