Archive for September, 2011
Chinese Instruments: gǔqín (古琴) Posted by Stephen on Sep 8, 2011
“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” –Confucius Stillness of mind in seven strings. Harmony and heartbreak dance like fingers over a fretboard. That is the gǔqín or 古琴, in a nutshell. This string-plucked, Chinese musical instrument of the zither family is similar to a western harp, and is famous for its hallmark vibrato…
Chinese Instruments: èr hú or Chinese Violin (二胡) Posted by Stephen on Sep 6, 2011
The èr hú (二胡) is a two-stringed, bowed musical instrument affectionately called the “Chinese violin” or “Chinese two-stringed fiddle” by westerners. If you have ever taken a walk down a crowded Chinese street, waited for a train in the subway, or enjoyed a weekend stroll through the park, you’ve undoubtedly heard the ear-piercing cry of the er hu. Love it…
Chinese Numbers 0-1000 Posted by sasha on Sep 6, 2011
When learning a new language, one of the most important things is to get the numbers down. Whether you’re telling a new acquaintance how old you are, figuring out bus routes, ordering food in a restaurant, paying for a taxi, or bargaining in a local market, you’ll be totally lost without a firm grasp of…