Archive for 'Culture'
Musicology (the Chinese Way) Posted by sasha on May 7, 2012
Do you like listening to music? (你喜欢听音乐吗？- nǐ xǐ huan tīng yīn yuè ma) I don’t know about you, but I really like listening to music (我非常喜欢听音乐 – wǒ fēi cháng xǐ huan tīng yīn yuè) Well, what kind of music do you like? (你喜欢什么音乐 – nǐ xǐ huan shén me yīn yuè) To help…
Longmen Grottoes Video Posted by sasha on May 7, 2012
A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000, the Longmen Grottoes outside of Luoyang, Henan province, are one of the best examples of Chinese Buddhist art. Here, over 100,000 statues of Buddha and his disciples are carved into the limestone caves of the Xiangshan and Longmen mountains. It’s an amazing sight, and certainly worth a visit…
Confucius Say Posted by sasha on May 2, 2012
Philosopher, teacher, politician, and much more, Confucius (孔子 – kǒng zǐ) is one of the most revered people in China’s long history. Born Kong Qiu (孔丘 – kǒng qiū) in 551 BC in the city of Qufu (曲阜 – qū fù), he came to be known simple as “Master Kong.” His thoughts were eventually developed…
Hangzhou – Part Three Posted by sasha on Apr 17, 2012
For the last of our Hangzhou series, join me on a trip to the City God Temple, a cruise around the town at night, and a late-night feast. 城隍阁 – chéng huáng gé City God Temple 龙舟 – lóng zhōu dragon boat 中国的历史 – zhōng guó de lì shǐ China’s history 传统的中国 – chuán tǒng…
Chinese Immersion Day Posted by sasha on Apr 11, 2012
Studying a foreign language can be difficult and frustrating at times, but luckily, it can also be tons of fun. Of course, the best way to really study a language is to fully immerse yourself into it. As such, I’m here to help you plan a day full of the Chinese language. From the moment…
Chinese Idioms (Vol. 5) Posted by sasha on Apr 9, 2012
It’s been a while, but it’s time for another installment of Chinese idioms, or 成语 (chéng yǔ). For this edition, we’ll look at three very different animals – a horse, a mantis, and a bird: 按图索骥 – Àn tú suǒ jì – “judge a horse by the book” Once upon a time, in the Spring…
Impression West Lake Posted by sasha on Mar 19, 2012
Every night from March to December, you can catch the amazing Impression West Lake performance in Hangzhou. Taking place on the beautiful West Lake itself, this show has it all: music, lights, elaborate costumes, and a great story. Check out some highlights in this video.