Archive for 'Uncategorized'
One Year of Videos (Top 10) Posted by sasha on Jul 27, 2011
You know, they say time flies when you’re having fun. Well, the last year has gone by in a flash, and I’ve had tons of fun writing and producing videos for Transparent Chinese in that time. Throughout the past year, the blog has seen videos about many different aspects of life in China: festivals, traveling…
Left Brain + Right Brain= Middle Language (中文) Posted by Stephen on Jul 22, 2011
Learning Mandarin Chinese or 中文 (Zhōng wén), especially as a native English speaker, is doubly difficult because you’re learning both a new phonetic system called pinyin or 拼音 (pīn yīn) and a new alphabet in the form of characters or 汉字 (Hàn zì). It becomes a lesson in duality as both right and left brain…
再见, 姚明！(Yao Ming’s NBA Retirement) Posted by Stephen on Jul 14, 2011
Father time is undefeated. Just ask Yao Ming’s legs, knees, feet and ankles. After two injury-plagued seasons in which the Chinese All-star Center played only 5 games, and underwent multiple leg and foot surgeries, Yao Ming (姚明) is finally calling it quits, and is reportedly retiring from the NBA. We will miss you, Yao, especially in…
Flying Acrobats (Video) Posted by sasha on Jul 12, 2011
After posting about Beijing’s Flying Acrobats show last night, I decided that words and pictures just weren’t enough to convey the sheer awesome-ness of this performance. As such, I’ve compiled a short highlight video as well… enjoy!
Flying Acrobats Show Posted by sasha on Jul 11, 2011
For tourists visiting Beijing, one of the most entertaining and interesting sights that you can see is the Flying Acrobats show. After you get your munch on at the Wangfujing Night Market (see Steve’s last post), head on over to the Chaoyang Theater (朝阳剧场 – chāo yáng jù chǎng). With two performances every night (5:15-6:25…
WangFuJing Snack Street (王府井小吃街) Posted by Stephen on Jul 7, 2011
If you are feeling adventurous, the WangfuJing Snack Street or 王府井小吃街 (wángfǔjǐngxiǎochījiē) in downtown Beijing is an place to try new and exotic foods. Located just northeast of Tiananmen and the Forbidden Palace, 王府井 is a bustling area of 老北京 (old Beijing) coupled with massive and newly constructed mega-shopping complexes and hotels. For most people…
Fireworks 烟火 (yàn huǒ) Posted by Stephen on Jul 5, 2011
Fireworks or 烟火 (yàn huǒ) are a Chinese invention and are synonymous with celebrations in Chinese culture. The earliest documentation of fireworks dates back to 7th century China where they were first used to frighten away evil spirits with their loud sound (鞭炮/鞭砲 biān pào) and to pray for happiness and prosperity. For any big holiday…