Archive for 'Culture'
Yunnan (云南) Part Four – Kunming (昆明) Posted by sasha on Feb 16, 2012
After a few days of fun in Dali, we headed back to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province. While this city is developing quickly along with the rest of China, it’s still quite easy to get lost in the countryside. We hiked up the Long Insect Mountain and spent the day roaming around cabbage patches…
Chuànér (串儿) Posted by Stephen on Feb 11, 2012
Quite similar to the Middle Eastern style of “kebab”, 串儿 (Chuànér) is a skewer of grilled anything, meant to be eaten without utensils or modesty. To me, 串儿 is more than just a snack, it’s a state of mind, enjoyed by all ages and all walks of life. Synonymous with night-life dining culture, 串儿 is…
Silk Road Cuisine (丝路饭) Posted by Stephen on Feb 6, 2012
Now that we’ve covered traditional Chinese food, I thought I’d sit back and let my stomach do a little reflection on the tastes and textures of food along the Silk Road. Unlike traditional Han Chinese food, Silk Road Cuisine is blend of different cultures and spices from outside China. Because of Buddhist and Muslim influences…
Real Chinese Food – Common Dishes Posted by sasha on Feb 5, 2012
If you hear the words “Chinese food” and think of General Tso’s chicken, crab rangoons, egg rolls, and fortune cookies, then you need to get out of the line at the all-you-can-eat Chinese lunch buffet in Small Town, USA, book yourself a plane ticket, and come to the Middle Kingdom to eat some of the…
Harnessing your Inner Qi: Traditional Medicine Theory Posted by Stephen on Jan 28, 2012
Now that we’ve introduced traditional forms of) Chinese medicine, it’s time to take a look at the theory behind these timeless practices. Traditional Chinese Medicine (中医) is based on Yinyangism (later absorbed by Daoism).From this follows the belief that all parts of the universe (including the human body) are interconnected by correspondence of “qi”, blood, bodily fluids, zang-fu…
Spring Festival Superstitions and Traditions Posted by sasha on Jan 21, 2012
When the Spring Festival rolls around, there’s a lot to be done. As this festival lasts for 15 days, there’s something different for each day, and preparations for the celebration begin weeks before the actual festival. Let’s learn about some of the superstitions and traditions associated with the most important Chinese holiday. Superstitions Leading up…
Beijing (北京) Posted by sasha on Jan 17, 2012
The capital city of China, Beijing has a history dating back thousands of years. Every day, hordes of tourists flock to this ancient city to visit its many landmarks. Take a short video tour of Beijing in this video. 北京是中国的首都 – běi jīng shì zhōng guó de shǒu dū Beijing is China’s capital 天安门广场 –…