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阿土勒尔: A Small Sichuan Village Posted by Ayana on May 7, 2018
阿土勒尔 (Ā tǔ lēi ěr) is a remote Chinese village located in the south of Sichuan province. The village is excessively small, with only 72 households (as of 2016), all belonging to the Yi minority, one of the 56 recognized ethnic groups of China. Ā tǔ lēi ěr is located on the shoulder slope of…
A New Chinese Attraction in Malls: Shared Shopping Boyfriends Posted by Ayana on Apr 15, 2018
Chinese malls have found a new way to attract customers, particularly female customers. They offer a new service: a “shared boyfriend” for rental (共享男友gòngxiǎng nányǒu). For merely one Yuan, a visitor can rent a male shopping companion. 共享 gòngxiǎng = to share 男友 nányǒu = boyfriend In January, a vast crowd filled a shopping mall…
Talking about Badminton in Chinese Posted by Ayana on Apr 2, 2018
One of the things I like about China the most is the fact that almost everyone has a badminton racket, and you will easily find someone to play with almost anywhere. Chinese universities hold badminton courts; stationery stores sell shuttlecocks; and if you wish to engage in some physical exercises, chances are that one of…
Chinese Famous Singer Wakin Cahu Posted by Ayana on Mar 5, 2018
周华健 (Zhōuhuájiàn) is a famous Chinese singer (also known by the names Wakin Chau, or Emil Chau). He has sung professionally for more than three decades, in several languages, and is quite popular in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. 华健’s clear voice and romantic songs gained him fans of all ages from diverse…
Get Familiar with the Chinese Verb 熟悉 Posted by Ayana on Feb 5, 2018
China is my second home, a home full of adventures and new experiences. Every city and village I visit tell a new story. Every mountain has a new route to explore. Every food stall is a delicious feast. One of the Chinese verbs I use quite often to describe my Chinese experiences is熟悉 (shúxī). It…
Chinese New Year’s Resolution Posted by Ayana on Jan 1, 2018
Life is composed of many loops. The sun rises and sets every day, Sunday comes every week, the moon revolves the earth every month, and New Year 新年 (xīnnián) comes every 12 months. Our time is a construction of smaller repeated periods; and this reassuring repetition encourages us to keep trying. There is a second…
The History of McDonald’s in China Posted by Ayana on Dec 4, 2017
McDonald’s (麦当劳 Màidāngláo) was a late entrant into the foreign fast food industry in China. KFC, for example, opened in Beijing in 1987, while McDonald’s opened its first outlet in China only three years later. Unlike KFC who opened its first Chinese branch in the capital, Beijing, McDonald’s advanced from the south, opening in Shenzhen…