Archive for 'Uncategorized'
Cupping (拔罐) Posted by Stephen on Jan 19, 2012
Cupping or 拔罐 (báguànr) is a type of Chinese massage that consists of attaching several hollowed-out glass “cups” to the body. These cups work to massage soft tissue, by pulling and stretching the skin. This occurs through a vacuuming process in which these cups literally adhere to the persons body, “sucking” skin up into the…
Chinese Herbal Medicine (中药) Posted by Stephen on Jan 17, 2012
A cornerstone to Chinese traditional medicine is herbal medicine or 中药 (Zhōng yào). Chinese herbal medicines are made from plants, herbs, and occasionally from the organ meats of a wide range of exotic (and strange) animalia. Medicines are typically constructed from ingredients found in the natural world, and are mixed in accordance Traditional Medicine Theory to stimulate…
Acupuncture (针灸) Posted by Stephen on Jan 15, 2012
Acupuncture or 针灸 (zhēnjiǔ) is one of the the most popular forms of Chinese Traditional Medicine in the mainland, and is well recognized and practiced abroad (even by Western doctors). Acupuncture treats patients by the insertion and manipulation of needles in the body, in an attempt to balance the body’s qi. Acupuncture proponents claim that…
Feng Shui (风水) Posted by Stephen on Jan 13, 2012
Feng Shui or 风水 (fēng shuǐ) is an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to use the laws of both Heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help improve one’s life by receiving positive “qi” (气). Also known as geomancy, this style of Feng Shui is done by reordering and moving furniture, room orientation and even wall/window/door locations to…
Greetings and Salutations! Posted by Stephen on Jan 8, 2012
When beginning to learn mandarin, finding someone to practice speaking with (and endure your tonal deficiencies) is no easy task. Even in China, the wrong pronunciation or a wrong word will leave you with a blank smiling face, and more and more frequently now, a response in English. Here are some greetings and salutations that…
Introduce Myself (自我介绍) Posted by sasha on Jan 6, 2012
When learning a language, one of the first things you need to learn how to do is how to introduce yourself (自我介绍 – zì wǒ jiè shào). Whether you are making friends, chatting with co-workers, or looking for love, you’ll obviously have to be comfortable talking about yourself and sharing basic personal information. As a…
Occupy Wukan, Pt. 1: The Leadup Posted by Stephen on Jan 5, 2012
2011 was a year of revolution. From the Arab Spring to the Occupy Wall Street, mass protesting, rioting and police suppression have marked this past tumultuous year. With economic recovery still slow across the globe, and with breakthroughs in social media and mobile tele-communications, people have grown fed up with “business ass usual” and they’ve…