Archive for 'Culture'
The Middle Kingdom Posted by sasha on Jun 3, 2012
So you want to learn Chinese, huh? Well, if you’re going to learn a language, you might as well learn something about the country, too. I’m going to be ripping off Stephen Colbert and his “Better Know a District” segment a little bit, as I roll out “Better Know a Province,” a new series here…
Xian (西安) – City Wall (城墙) Posted by sasha on May 29, 2012
Xi’an is one of the oldest cities in China, dating back over 3,000 years. One of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, and also the east terminus of the Silk Road, this city is rich in Chinese history and culture. In this short video, stroll along the ancient City Wall, and go around the…
The Summer Palace (颐和园) Posted by Stephen on May 24, 2012
Summer approaches, and with it blows the stifling heat of the western desert winds. In Beijing, temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit daily, which coupled with humidity and miles upon miles of blacktop and concrete, gives you a pretty good idea what a steamed bun, or 包子 (bāo zi) feels like. Luckily, there are a few…
Interesting Chinese Words Posted by sasha on May 19, 2012
When you’re learning a language, it’s almost impossible to directly translate everything into your mother tongue. This is certainly true for native English speakers studying Chinese. Today, I’m going to introduce you to some interesting Chinese words that really require you to think in Chinese, as they cannot be translated directly into English. 东西 (dōng…
Letting it All Hang Out: Bang Ye or 膀爷 (Exposed Stomachs) Posted by Stephen on May 17, 2012
Everyone has their own way of coping with the heat. For most, it involves fleeing to the comfort of air conditioning and electric fans indoors. But what happens when you’re stuck outside in the stifling heat? Most parts of China are in the upper 90s during the July and August months, with debilitating humidity that…
Life in the ‘Jing Posted by sasha on May 12, 2012
When you’re learning a language, a good way to practice is to describe people, things, and places. As such, I’m going to introduce the place where I currently call home – Beijing – to you in a short article in Chinese, with pinyin and English to help. 现在我住在北京。我二零零八年来这里了。那个时候北京有奥运会。我觉得北京的奥运会很有意思。这是我第二次住在北京。我住在这里一共三年了。我想给大家介绍一下北京： (xiàn zài wǒ zhù zài běi jīng…
Luoyang (洛阳) – White Horse Temple (白马寺) Posted by sasha on May 9, 2012
For our second day in Luoyang, we wandered around the Old City and then took a trip out to the White Horse Temple. This is known as the first official Buddhist temple in China, and thus it has a long history and an interesting story behind it. We finished off the day with a stroll…