Do you have friends whose grace and quiet power could give Meryl Streep a run for her money? Well now you can give them the respect they deserve with the popular new address “御姐” (y&ji0;), which means“a true lady.” 御姐 stands in stark contrast to a popular term for cute young girls “萝莉” (lu5l#), a variation of Lolita that can carry the same

sexual connotations as those explored by Nabokov. 御 (y&) literally refers to dominant things or people, so by adding the character 姐, this phrase has come to refer to women who typify feminine grace and power. You might have also heard of “女强人” (n)qi1ngr9n), literally “power women,” or those heavily focused on their careers. However, 御姐 is more concerned with temperament than material status. Women seldom refer to themselves as 御姐; rather, they attain this status by being mature, confident, flirtatious and elegant. If youre lucky enough to have someone tell you “你真有御姐范儿。” (N@ zh8n y6u y&ji0; f3nr, You really have the style of a true lady), youre likely a paragon of modern style and poise. As for those still reluctant to grow up and leave their girlish youth behind, just remember this idiom: “萝莉诚可贵，御姐价更高” (Lu5l# ch9ng k0gu#,y&ji0; ji3 g-ng g`o)—a Lolita is rare, but a true lady is more precious.

QUFU

10.24

QUFU CONFUCIUS CULTURE FESTIVAL

As the birthplace of Confucius, the walled city of Qufu (曲阜) retains the right to host the great philosophers birthday celebrations. And unsurprisingly, as the founder of one of the key Chinese philosophical doctrines, the festivities are more ostentatious than mere cake and candles. The festival in southwest Shandong Province is one of the largest to commemorate the ideologist, educator and founder of Confucianism, featuring reconstructions of original rituals and a grand ceremony showpiece. Visitors can watch further performances at two of Qufus UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Temple of Confucius and the Cemetery of Confucius. While there, you can visit the cave in Mount Ni, 30 kilometers southeast of the city, where a baby Confucius was allegedly abandoned by his mother for being too ugly. Beware though: Qufu is a bustling hub of tourists at the best of times and the festival brings even more crowds. So if it all gets too much, try to remember one of the masters maxims: “When anger rises, think of the consequences.”– JIM NORTON

ALL OVER CHINA

9.30

MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL

The 15th day in the eighth month of the lunar calendar is the MidAutumn Festival (中秋节), or “Mooncake Festival”in China. A variety of customs surround the holiday, from lighting lanterns to wearing pomelo rinds and moon-gazing, but stuffing your face with mooncakes is likely to top the bill. Stamped with traditional imprints like clouds, moons and rabbits, most are filled with lotus seeds, red-bean paste or dried flower petals, and so are not to everyones taste. Still, even these taste better than the revolutionary exhortations that were baked into the cakes in the 14th century by Han Chinese cooks eager to encourage seditious activity against their Mongol overlords. Fortunately, modern-day mooncakes have been reinvented to satisfy even the pickiest palate, with delectable centers ranging from pineapple or strawberry to branded delights like H?agen-Dazs ice cream, while gourmets can opt for fillings such as dried monkfish. Whichever flavor you choose, the festival is a time for reunions, so make sure you share your treats with friends and loved ones. – MARIE CAHALANE

SHANGHAI

9.30- 10.6

SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FIREWORKS FESTIVAL

Born of 12th century China, fireworks are now a universally welcome means of marking an event, not least in China, where theyre also believed to dispel bad luck and ward off evil spirits. But why wait for the excuse of marking an occasion when you can celebrate fireworks for themselves? Dubbed“the symphony of fire,”the Shanghai International Music Fireworks Festival does just that. During the course of the three-day festival, a series of intricate firework programs are set to music to conjure a kaleidoscopic extravaganza in the skies above Century Park, Pudong. Since 2000, it has been an annual event coinciding with Chinas National Day on October 1 and is part of the Shanghai Tourism Festival. Set over three nights—falling this year on September 30, and October 3 and 6—six international pyrotechnic groups will compete to impress. Ultimately, the competition aims to show off firework products and performances of light and sound, but bystanders are treated to a theater of the skies spread across six highly choreographed shows. – M.C.

PINGYAO

9.19-25

PINGYAO INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL

As an exceptionally wellpreserved example of a Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.) city with a population of merely 50,000, youd be forgiven for thinking that the walled city of Pingyao(平遥) in Shanxi Province is an odd setting for an international photography festival. Yet, for the last 11 years, artists have flocked here to display their photos in disused factories, warehouses, temples, the historic magistrates office and on literally any other wall space that they can find. Alongside local Chinese contributors, photographers have come from as far as Brazil and Australia, with works on topics as diverse as the 2009 Iraq drought, life in Bangladesh and black-andwhite portraits of Tanzanian albinos. Leave your suits and cocktail dresses at home for this one––many of the exhibition buildings are in varying states of dilapidation, with some lacking even a roof. But the chance of a little dirt or downpour wont keep away the thousands of tarparmed photographers set to attend this years festivities, making PIP one of the most talked about festivals of its kind. – JOE DORAN (杜乔)