How are you? Have you started a good new week?

I started this letter at 7:18am Sunday morning. I can just continue it right now.

Because of the health problem, instead of going to paint from the nature with my tutors and classmates together in some mountains, I went to paint in Beijing Botanical Garden since Tuesday and I planned to work there at the same time when my classmates in the mountains.

Unfortunately, just worked in Beijing Botanical Garden for 2 days, I had to go to the hospital and be required to infuse some medicine for 3 days.

Anyway, as soon as I could, I kept learning Chinese Ancient Gongbi Painting in the classroom. Until today, Oct 24, 2011, I have completed 3 Song Dynasty Gongbi Paintings since I came to Chinese National Academy of Arts on Oct 7, 2011.

With this letter, I would like to share the last 2 ones with you and hope to bring you a big smile.

According to the actual situation in Chinese National Academy of Arts, I have partially adjusted my original work plan. Since there is no the condition here for me to work on my comprehensive art works ? I have no the condition to play music and I have no the emotion to translate or to sing anything at this time yet, I am now mainly improving my painting skills and the English level, after all, except poetry and music, bilingualism (English and Chinese) and painting are 2 of the 4 most important elements of my comprehensive art.

So, after going to 2 post stations and 2 newspaper delivery offices, I have had a China Daily in English. Every night, except reading Bible, I read newspaper in English and read aloud some articles in English by following the broadcasters of TV station.

Instead of thinking of pull out of the school as I had thought many times, I am going to keep studying as much as possible…

Luckily, during the time I was fighting with the sickness, trying to adapt myself to the changing conditions, I have gotten so much help from so many good people:

-- When I lost my road in the streets, Mr. Yang Guangyin who was the monitor of my class in CAFA stopped his painting from the nature at once and to “ Save “ me and then to help me to buy the painting tools here or there. :- )

-- When I was sick, Mr. Wang Weibao who is one of my former classmates and Mr. Yang Guangyin came to see me with fruit.

-- When I needed to subscribe to a China Daily in a post station, with so much patience, a friendly taxi driver drove me here or there, and then I have had a newspaper in English.

-- In some cold evenings, no matter how late I came back from the classroom, the couple of wife and husband in the Sichuan Restaurant next to my home would cook a bowl of soup for me to warm my stomach, while their baby daughter calls me "aunt" with her lovely voice.

-- Every noon, a local mobile restaurant car keeps offer me a disk of fish since they knew that I am from the south of China and fish is my favorite food.

-- Every time, when my tutors are not in the school, Mr. Pen Mingli who is a famous Chinese Goingbi artist becomes my tutor, as the monitor of portrait class, as soon as he goes through our classroom, he comes in and to comment my painting and offers me some good ideas.

My last two Chinese Gongbi paintings were completed by his good help.

-- Every time, as soon as Mr. Wu Tong who is the director of the three classes goes into my classroom, he would see my works carefully and gives me some good directions.

At the same time, my family members, my brother and sister have offered me so much actual help.

-- My brother is decorating the house in Wuxi by the Tai Lake for me and he said, this is the little " Nest " for you. As soon as you feel tired, come back to have a rest.

-- My sister has even sent some gloves, electric blanket to me via the post station, because in her mind, I am an elder sister who does not know how to look after myself.

Something most touched me was that my former music teacher ? Mrs. Ma Xuan came to accompany me to see a doctor and to make the first infusion. Then she " Force " me to cook some hot water and to drink the boil water...

So, now, when I write here, I do feel that my heart is full of the appreciation and warm, my heart has been in peace totally. Even though I am not sure whether my health can support my study or not, I am going to do my best to adapt myself to the changing conditions, to improve myself while to overcome the sickness.

I really hope someday, I can offer what I have learned and studied in the hard situation in Beijing, to those teenagers and more people who are interested in Chinese culture and arts...

How about you? Have you had anything special to share this week?

I am just a student on Art of Painting, Music, English and Management, to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do a few things with what I have learned to make this little web site to be an Electronic Bridge of Inter-Art & Cross - Culture Exchange, Chinese Language Learning & Friendship Making. To help the others while to improve myself.

I would like to appreciate you for your understanding, directions, supports and help.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or leave your message on Message Board.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Oct 24, 2011(Chinese Time)