Customers can now take advantage of the convenience and security of Google Checkout to purchase a wide range of unique, exotic hand-crafted crafts from online retailer Galleria Pangea’s line of merchandise. Google Checkout is an online payment processing service from Google, which provides a means of storing credit and shipping data for easier, secure one-click shopping. Fraud protection is also included in this service.

Galleria Pangea’s current inventory includes over 400 types of items and covers a range of cultures, ethnic groups, and geographic regions. These works of art include intricate batik prints, hand-crafted silver jewelry and hand-carved masks from Nuo ritual, and will be presented with and appropriate deference to their cultural history and creators. The collection of its products cannot be found in a typical Chinatown shop or US storefront, and often require significant explanation to put their history and value in proper context.

Hong Kong director John Woo (Face Off, Broken Arrow) is shooting a Chinese film "Red Cliff". With 80 million dollars of investment, this film will be the most expensive movie in Asian film history.

"Red Cliff" is based on a war from the Three Kingdoms period where Shu and Wu kings joined forces and defeated Wei king, Cao Cao. The movie will be released in 2008 before the Beijing Olympics.

Our previous Beijing Opera video clip also features the same story.

This is a Nuo Mask of Cao Cao, the Wei Kingdom ruler.

The art department of the upcoming FOX TV show "New Amsterdam" has recently chosen Chinese handmade pottery reproductions from GalleriaPangea.com to serve as set decoration. Ms. Christiansen from the art department has worked as the set decorator for many high profile movies such as Man in Black (I&II), The Producers, and Hitch

The pottery reproductions (North Wei Dynasty A.D.386~A.D.534) were hand-created by Gao Yufei, who has been working in the ceramics field in his native Henan Province for over 13 years. Each reproduction design is modeled from the originals that were unearthed from his hometown. Gao uses raw material taken from the same location as the originals to perfect the reproductions authentic look and feel. He also works as a pottery repair expert for the Luoyang Museum in China.

"Our store carries a huge variety of handmade Chinese artworks for home decor purposes," said Galleria Pangea president Jason Yeung, "As this selection shows, our artists' work is truly exceptional in quality and can be used in a wide range of aesthetic considerations."

Thanks to photographer Ms. Liu from Chinaphotographers.org for sharing the photos of Mr. Wei's shadow play performance.

My colleague from our Beijing office told me that it was a great success. The show was packed. It was good to see young faces taking an interest in the ancient art again.

You can find leather puppets just like these used in the show here.

I recently read an article about this fall's fashion on a magazine. The magazine detailed 10 things for this autumn hottest trend. I was happy to see Chinese arts and crafts made #7 on the list. The other items are oversized knitted sweaters, aristocratic coats, high-waists, minis, metallics, bold color evening dresses, platform pumps, flat sole shoes, short boots and gloves.

"Intricate Chinese arts and crafts are cropping up across the international fashion brands. Go for a tube top mini dress with ancient Chinese details"

I have long admired Chinese handmade jewelry and other artworks. I am glad that the beautiful designs are finally getting to the mainstream fashion stage. With 2008 Beijing Olympics just around the corner, I am sure the Chinese style will only get hotter.

Our Beijing opera mask artist, Mr. Duan Guosheng sent us an article about the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Beijing opera mask patterns have been selected to decorate the buses for 2008 Beijing Olympic buses.

According to China Daily:

"One red and black bus is fully covered with opera masks, with a semitransparent jing's mask painted on the front. All the masks were chosen from the classic Chinese novel Romance of Three Kingdoms, combining two main characters' (Guan Yu and Jiang Wei) facial features in Peking opera.

The designer said that Peking opera is one of China's seminal cultural elements and that to choose the opera mask is to combine the traditional Chinese culture with the humanistic Olympics. The red color stands for devotion and loyalty, and the black represents honesty and righteousness. This type of bus will mainly operate in the Olympic activity fields and media village in 2008."

Galleria Pangea has upgraded our shipping system. Our new budget shipping program can ship anything for only $4.99 All the jewelry items will be shipped for free through budget shipping method.

Take advantage of the budget shipping, get your Christmas present now!

Get the word out! Tell your friends about Galleria Pangea and earn up to $20 off your next purchase.

All you have to do is talk to people. E-mail up to five friends about us - and copy the e-mails to us at info@galleriapangea.com - and you'll receive a $5 discount. Tell six or more friends, and we'll up the amount to $10. And if you have a blog, write about us, link to our site, and send us the link for a $20 discount.

The rules are pretty simple: just tell your friends who we are, what we do, and why you think they might be interested in seeing what we have to offer. They don't have to buy anything (although we hope they will)... we just want to let everyone know that we're here and offering something a little different.

We're adding new art all the time, and we already offer a great variety of unique items. This is a great opportunity to help your friends, yourself, and get a quick head start on early holiday shopping.

We just attended our first trade show. We were at Tampa attending the 2008 MSA (Museum Store Association) Expo. Now Galleria Pangea is the proud supplier of The British Museum Education Program, Denver Art Museum Gift Shop and a few botanical gardens throughout the US.

Here is a picture of our booth.

Nearly 15,000 people died in the devastating earthquake that hit China's Sichuan province, the official Xinhua news agency has reported.

More than 25,000 are still trapped in the rubble two days after the 7.9 quake struck, flattening homes, schools and entire villages and cutting roads.

We are still having trouble contacting two of our artists from the Sichuan Province. Here at Galleria Pangea, we are praying for them and all the other people suffering from the earthquake.

Here are two ways we can donate and help the people in need.

Red Cross Society of China

Mercy Corps (U.S.)

Beijing Olympic Games finally opened on August 8, 2008 with a grand opening ceremony. The show took viewers on a tour of Chinese culture and inventions. One of the great moments for me is the count down and "Fou" performance at the very beginning of the show. 2008 performers in unison playing the ancient Chinese percussion instrument, Fou. Fou is the earliest Chinese Music Instrument. Normally made with Chinese clay pottery or Chinese Bronze.

The opening ceremony also features Beijing Opera performed by Puppets and the singing of Kun Opera.

*Ancient Chinese Bronze
*Chinese Musical instrument
*Fou
*Chinese Puppet
*Beijing opera masks