How are you? I do hope that you are doing well and enjoy your weekend.

There are some good news in my life recently.

The best news is that after re-learning painting for about 7 years, I got two highest Grade Certificates of Chinese Xieyi Painting and Chinese Gongbi Painting that were given by the Ministry of Culture of China on Jan 5, 2010 -- the Graded Examination Center of China Art Science Technology Research Institute checked some of my art works and they gave me the 10th grade Nov 10, 2009 while they have saved two of my works.

I was so happy that I did not know what I should say when I received the two certificates from my art professor. I just knew that is only a new beginning on my art learning road. I am now an art student and I will be an art student forever.

With the endless appreciation to my current Chinese art teacher -- Mr. Tao and my late first American art teacher ? Mr. Charlie K., with a calm emotion and peaceful heart, I have created 7 little paintings already.

Except throwing 3 of them into the rubbish box, I would like to show you 2 of them with this letter.

Meanwhile, I have translated and sang a Chinese classical poem that is in my new paintings, but I have not sung it in English yet. So, I will show you next weekend, with my own integrated art style with poem, calligraphy, painting, chop, music, language and literature together, as I have been exploring since 2007...

The second good news is that my father flied to Shenzhen to see me with his age of 85. He has been worrying about my health since I had to leave for Shenzhen before my mother passed...

One hand, I was happy to see him; the other hand, I was worrying about his health to fly with his age and the ache in his heart that just lost my mother. So, instead of mentioning anything about my mother, I bought him a new machine of feet massager to make her comfortable, a new special cup to change the quality of his potable water, some Bee Propolis with the natural factors to eat... So that he often says what a happy elder father he is, since all of his children are Xiaoshun (obedient) and considerate vert much...

The third good news is that my cleaning lady ? Mrs He has come back to my life. Even though she has become a grandmother and she cannot come to my home every day as usual, she still tries to help me on the weekend, when her son-in-law is at home...

The last good news is that my chest is not in the ache right now -- my doctors extended my esophageal (gullet) to remove the tumor from my cardia (of stomach), so that I felt ache in my chest when I sang. So, as soon as I sent my father and my sister for Nanning - sister's city at the Shenzhen airport, I re-started my music work that has been stopped for a while. I have re-translated and sang a Chinese folk song in English and in Chinese on Sunday. Anyway, I would like to innovate my music work style -- to explain the lyrics one sentence by sentence, then to show you how to read the sentences and characters in Chinese, according to the wishes of many of my readers…

Meanwhile, I would also like to create a new music column names "Mother's Songs", to order and sing something that my mother had written; to create a new art column names “Art of Painting as a Friendly Bridge”, to collect those paintings that I have sent out as a memory.

In 2009, I completed my short term plan and finished my studying in the US. In 2010, I have entered my middle term plan for the coming 3 years. I will complete my career in the company; while I will continually prepare to be a true artist of painting, music and language. Then I will enter my long term plan for another 8 years -- to travel the world with my art, music and languages as a pure artist… :- )

The future is good, the road is long and wandering, I will go forward with many smiles…

How about you? Have you made your own life or work plan for our new year?


I am just a learner on art of painting, music and English, 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 Culture Exchange, Chinese Language Learning & Friendship making. To help the others while to improve myself.

I would like to appreciate your understanding, directions, supports and hope to get your friendly direction and help.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or shirley004@yahoo.com, or to publish your opinions in the forum.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Sun.,Jan 10, 2010