An Intro to the Chinese Zodiac Posted by sasha on Feb 12, 2018
One tradition associated with the Spring Festival that almost everyone knows about is the Chinese zodiac (生肖 – shēng xiào), a 12-year mathematical cycle that relates each year to an animal. Of course, there’s an interesting story in Chinese folklore that explains the order of the animals: As the story goes, the gods decided to have a…
Spring Festival in Videos Posted by sasha on Feb 8, 2018
The Spring Festival is fast approaching, and millions upon millions of people in China are in a mad rush to get home to celebrate. Trains are packed, the dumplings are ready, and hong bao are stuffed with lucky money for lucky kids. It’s a chaotic and exciting time in China as we get ready to…
Chinese Vocabulary for Spring Festival Posted by sasha on Feb 6, 2018
The Spring Festival is the grandaddy of ’em all when it comes to Chinese holidays, and it goes on for fifteen whole days. Everyone is busy getting ready for the celebrations and trying to make it home. The worst thing that can happen in China is not making it back home for the New Year…
Get Familiar with the Chinese Verb 熟悉 Posted by Ayana on Feb 5, 2018
China is my second home, a home full of adventures and new experiences. Every city and village I visit tell a new story. Every mountain has a new route to explore. Every food stall is a delicious feast. One of the Chinese verbs I use quite often to describe my Chinese experiences is熟悉 (shúxī). It…
10 Posts for Spring Festival Posted by sasha on Feb 1, 2018
Spring Festival (春节 – chūn jié) is far and away the most important Chinese holiday. In the lead-up to the Chinese New Year, the biggest mass migration on planet Earth takes place as people rush to get home to their loved ones. There are huge feasts, massive parades, and more fireworks than you can possibly…
Getting Ready for Spring Festival Posted by sasha on Jan 31, 2018
There’s a lot to do when getting ready for Spring Festival. In the run up to the New Year, people decorate their house, stock up on fireworks, and prepare a massive dinner. It’s an exciting time full of food, family, and firecrackers. The festive celebration winds down on the 15th day with the Lantern Festival…
Taking the Beijing Subway Posted by sasha on Jan 29, 2018
When it comes to getting around Beijing, you just can’t beat the subway. The traffic on the city’s busy streets can be horrendous, making traveling by bus or taxi painfully slow. Head underground and you’ll seriously cut the commute time. Just try to avoid the subway during rush hour if you can, as it can…