DON’T MISS

Beijing

3.9-23

Beijing Bookworm Literary Festival 2012

Beijing’s very own literary love-in is bigger and better than ever before， offering a tantalizing program of book talks， performances， panel discussions， film screenings， debates and workshops. Leading lights of this year’s edition include Russian author Gary Shteyngart， of “Absurdistan” fame， China spy thriller king Mai Jia， top Chinese translators including Julia Lovell and Ouyang Yu， as well as a host of other authors and literary figures from 16 different countries. Other highlights include seminars on topics such as the pitfalls of conducting journalism in China， the art of writing memoirs， the true nature of the criminal outcast， sports writing， chick-lit and more. This year’s festival will also feature a Chinese- language program， designed to present international authors to a Chinese audience.

what: The Bookworm’s annual international literary festival

where: Most events are based in the Bookworm itself at Building 4， Nan Sanlitun Road， Chaoyang District， Beijing三里屯南街4號樓. Check the program for details of additional events held in other venues around the city.

Contact: www. beijingbookworm.com， alex@chinabookworm.com– davId green (武劍)

Shandong

4.20-25

International Kite Festival In Weifang

In a widespread account of one of the first instances in recorded history of a kite being flown， legend tells how the Han Dynasty(206BC-220AD) General Han Xin attacked an enemy city under the terrifying shadow of a magnificent dragon kite. Meanwhile， the wily general’s army was busy using the length of the kite string to determine exactly how far they needed to tunnel to breach the city walls， allowing them to emerge unseen and promptly slaughter the hapless defenders. This spring， catch up on how kites have developed in the intervening two millennia at the weifang International Kite Festival， a bonanza of kite-flying mayhem in Shandong Province. The city， one of three in China famed for the artistry of its kitemaking， has been holding the festival since 1984， and teams from over 30 countries usually show up to do battle across the skies. Kite entries range from the super-large(expect a number of dragon-related entries this year) to the super agile， including marionette kites designed to be flown in time with Chinese opera， jazz and other types of music. The festival also offers a chance to visit villages around the city， the weifang Kite Museum and the spectacular opening ceremony. - d.g.

Shanghai

3.22-4.25

Shanghai Peach Blossom Festival

There’s no better way to celebrate the end of winter’s bitter reign than frolicking among the newly bloomed peach blossoms. China abounds with cherry and peach blossom festivals around this time， but one of the best is in the coastal Nanhui District (南匯區(qū)) of Shanghai. Officially a part of Pudong， the picturesque Nanhui is packed with peach trees that attract over 100，000 visitors each year. In addition to enjoying the blossoms， attendees are also treated to traditional ethnic folk music， dancing and acrobatics， along with—weirdly enough—athletic competitions among pigs. Enjoy an afternoon picnic in the orchards， or go on a walking tour and visit some local residents， many of whom open up their homes during the festival.

what: Welcoming spring with peach blossoms and Chinese traditional culture

where: Shanghai Nanhui Peach Blossom Village， 289 Beimen Road， Huinan Zhen， Pudong， Shanghai浦東新區(qū)惠南鎮(zhèn)北門路289號

Contact: http://www. taohuacun.com.cn/- lIz tung (董怡)

Huangshan

4.9-10

Huangshan Mountain Bike Festival

With its stunning peaks and exquisite sunrises， Huangshan is widely renowned as China’s most beautiful mountain range. But this spring， cycling enthusiasts will be heading to Anhui for another reason—the Huangshan Mountain Bike Festival， a three-day extravaganza that will include sightseeing， seminars and 20 and 40 kilometer individual races. Organized by the Chinese Cycling Association (CCA)， CCTV and the Huangshan Municipal Government， the event gathers pro as well as amateur cyclists， and grants cash prizes of up to RMB8，000 to the top 15-20 winners of each race. Between races， enjoy rambling around the nearby villages of Hongcun (宏村) and Xidi (西遞)， both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

what: Racing and exploring the countryside of Huangshan

where: Yixian (黟縣)， Anhui Province

Contact: http://mtb. qiche8.net/index.html- l.t.