He reached down under his greasy T-shirt and pulled out a nine-millimetre cartridge that was attached to a string around his neck.

NEWYORKER: Romance

His chest was white and wet and naked, and he wore around his neck a tiny lead donkey tied by a string.

NPR: Excerpt: 'The Member of the Wedding'

And if you are stuck for an evening outfit as the nights grow chillier, don't forget the allure of a simple black cashmere polo-neck with black pants, accessorized with a single long string of pearls.

WSJ: Tina Gaudoin on Style: The Woolly Logic of Winter Wear

The slow, simple and elegant melodies are performed on distinctive instruments such as a bamboo flute called the dongxiao and a crooked-neck lute played horizontally called the pipa, as well as more common wind, string and percussion instruments.

UNESCO: Culture