There are 1,128 time-honored brands in China with an average history of around 140 years, according to statistics issued by the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).

The brands, such as the Beijing-based pharmaceutical company Tongrentang, Chinese medicine maker Yunnan Baiyao, roast duck restaurant chain Quanjude and alcohol retailer Moutai Liquor, imply both Chinese traditional business culture and national history.

Criteria for evaluation of the brands are strict. A company must have been created before 1956, inheriting unique products, techniques or services, and be widely recognized by society.

The brands are distributed in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China, with most in coastal and inland developed areas. For instance, Shanghai has 180 time-honored brands, topping all areas across China, followed by Beijing with 117.

Some brands have been weeded out for reasons such as market competition, a backward marketing approach and lack of innovation, while others are actively adapting to cater for today’s market and consumers.

For example, many time-honored brands have already established their own websites or joined e-commerce platforms to promote and sell their products, which in turn help them attract lots of consumers, said brand expert Yin Jie.

In addition, the Chinese government released supporting policies to advance brand development.

A MOFCOM report indicated that China’s time-honored brands achieved a sales revenue of about 9.03 trillion yuan ($1.41 trillion) in 2016, a year-on-year growth of 6 percent, with a profit of 765.8 billion yuan.

　　新华网（603888）北京8月31日电2017年7月，受原油、铁矿石、煤炭等大宗商品进口量下跌等因素影响，我国与海上丝路沿线国家进出口贸易环比小幅回落，同比仍保持较快增长。宁波航运交易所(www.nbse.net.cn)发布的海上丝路贸易指数(STI)显示：进出口贸易指数报收于117.95点，环比下跌2.84%，同比上涨9.38%；出口贸易指数报收于131.78点，环比下跌1.16%，同比上涨5.46%；进口贸易指数报收于101.67点，环比下跌5.29%，同比上涨15.97%。另外，我国与海丝沿线主要区域进出口贸易中，红海和中东欧地区环比、同比双升；我国与海丝沿线主要运输货类进出口贸易中，散货类下跌较为明显，对东南亚地区液货类出口有所上升。主要区域贸易情况东南亚地区：本月，我国对东南亚地区进出口贸易指数报收于115.84点，环比下跌1.02%，同比上涨11.28%；出口贸易指数报收于121.19点，环比上涨2.97%，同比上涨5.71%；进口贸易指数报收于109.65点，环比下跌5.68%，同比上涨19.31%。南亚地区：本月，我国对南亚地区进出口贸易指数报收于133.90点，环比下跌8.40%，同比上涨8.36%；出口贸易指数报收于150.70点，环比下跌8.11%，同比上涨6.27%；进口贸易指数报收于77.74点，环比下跌10.26%，同比上涨24.12%。中东地区：本月，我国对中东地区进出口贸易指数报收于106.73点，环比下跌6.10%，同比上涨3.33%；出口贸易指数报收于133.46点，环比下跌6.57%，同比上涨3.68%；进口贸易指数报收于89.03点，环比下跌5.64%，同比上涨2.97%。红海地区：本月，我国对红海地区进出口贸易指数报收于154.38点，环比上涨7.15%，同比上涨14.35%；出口贸易指数报收于171.70点，环比上涨3.51%，同比上涨1.77%；进口贸易指数报收于111.64点，环比上涨23. 66%，同比上涨115.35%。中东欧地区：本月，我国对中东欧地区进出口贸易指数报收于171.93点，环比上涨4.33%，同比上涨21.71%；出口贸易指数报收于190.13点，环比上涨4.62%，同比上涨17.26% ；进口贸易指数报收于137.40点，环比上涨3.57%，同比上涨35.16%。主要运输货类贸易情况集装箱类：本月，我国对海上丝路沿线地区集装箱类进出口贸易指数报收于125.67点，环比下跌2.31%，同比上涨9.10%；出口贸易指数报收于138.22点，环比下跌0.34%，同比上涨5.89%；进口贸易指数报收于104.72点，环比下跌6.39%，同比上涨16.91%。散货类：本月，我国对海上丝路沿线地区散货类进出口贸易指数报收于100.26点，环比下跌9.48%，同比上涨10.23%；出口贸易指数报收于102.54点，环比下跌6.73% ，同比上涨0.88%；进口贸易指数报收于97.34点，环比下跌12.95%，同比上涨25.97%。液货类：本月，我国对海上丝路沿线地区液货类进出口贸易指数报收于101.82点，环比下跌0.09%，同比上涨12.69%；出口贸易指数报收于119.31点，环比上涨6.07% ，同比上涨10.57%；进口贸易指数报收于97.37点，环比下跌1.86%，同比上涨13.37%。39%，同比上涨16.91%。散货类：本月，我国对海上丝路沿线地区散货类进出口贸易指数报收于100.26点，环比下跌9.48%，同比上涨10.23%；出口贸易指数报收于102.54点，环比下跌6.73% ，同比上涨0.88%；进口贸易指数报收于97.34点，环比下跌12.95%，同比上涨25.97%。液货类：本月，我国对海上丝路沿线地区液货类进出口贸易指数报收于101.82点，环比下跌0.09%，同比上涨12.69%；出口贸易指数报收于119.31点，环比上涨6.07% ，同比上涨10.57%；进口贸易指数报收于97.37点，环比下跌1.86%，同比上涨13.37%。39%，同比上涨16.91%。散货类：本月，我国对海上丝路沿线地区散货类进出口贸易指数报收于100.26点，环比下跌9.48%，同比上涨10.23%；出口贸易指数报收于102.54点，环比下跌6.73% ，同比上涨0.88%；进口贸易指数报收于97.34点，环比下跌12.95%，同比上涨25.97%。液货类：本月，我国对海上丝路沿线地区液货类进出口贸易指数报收于101.82点，环比下跌0.09%，同比上涨12.69%；出口贸易指数报收于119.31点，环比上涨6.07% ，同比上涨10.57%；进口贸易指数报收于97.37点，环比下跌1.86%，同比上涨13.37%。

Recently I gave a dinner party for some close friends. To add a touch of elegance to the evening, I brought out the good stuff--my white Royal Crown Derby china with the fine blue-and-gold border. When we were seated, one of the guests noticed the beat-up gravy boat I'd placed among the newer, better dinnerware. "Is it an heirloom?" she asked tactfully.

I admit the piece does look rather conspicuous. For one thing, it matches nothing else. It's also old and chipped. But that little gravy boat is much more than an heirloom to me. It is the one thing in this world I will never part with.

The story begins more than 50 years ago, when I was seven years old and we lived in a big house along the Ohio River in New Richmond, Ohio. All that separated the house from the river was the street and our wide front lawn. In anticipation of high water, the ground floor had been built seven feet above grade.

Late in December the heavy rains came, and the river climbed to the tops of its banks. When the water began to rise in a serious way, my parents made plans in case the river should invade our house. My mother decided she would pack our books and her fine china in a small den off the master bedroom.