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The 24 solar terms, also known as the Chinese 24 solar terms or the 24 jiéqì, is a traditional system used in East Asia to divide the solar year into 24 parts. Each solar term corresponds to a particular astronomical event or natural phenomenon that occurs during a specific time of the year.
The history of ...
Dragons are deeply rooted in Chinese culture, as the dragon is one of the most important creatures that can symbolize China. Have you ever heard that Chinese people call themselves “descendants of dragons”? This may sound strange to people in the West, as dragons are normally seen as evil and unlucky in Western culture. Therefore, ...
When you think of going for a stroll in the park, what comes to mind – birds singing? a gentle breeze blowing? swathes of greenery punctuated by plots of brightly colored flowers?
If you’re walking through a park in China, you’ll get all of that… along with a few surprises older generations have waiting for you. ...
Other Chinese expressions for “embarrassment”
1.社会性死亡现场 (shè huì xìng sǐ wáng xiàn chǎng) social death scene
It made her look like a fool in public. She was so humiliated that she didn’t want to see anyone. She just wanted to crawl into a crack on the ground. It was called “social death”.
2.公开处刑 (gōng kāi chǔ ...
Food – the Be-all, End-all
Before they had to stay home all day, many people took easy access to food for granted; these days, however, even though everyone is realizing just how important food is, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy it, too. Eat what you need, but enjoy what you eat!
1. 吃货 (chī huò): n. ...
“光棍节 (guānggùn jié) Singles Day” is an unofficial Chinese holiday (and shopping period) that celebrates bachelors, bachelorettes, and single people in general. Young Chinese people take the opportunity to make the most of being single. Always celebrated on November 11th, the holiday falls on a Wednesday this year.
Its origins stem from the fact ...
As the year embraces September, so too will Chinese people begin to embrace the nearing Mid-Autumn Festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival has evolved from “sacrificing the moon” ceremonies. So the Autumn Equinox in ancient times and has become a precious cultural heritage. To give you an idea of what it’s like: adults usually indulge in moon ...
Autumnal Equinox is the 16th of the 24 solar terms, which is generally from September 22nd to 24th on the Gregorian Calendar. The highest point of the sun continues to move south after the autumnal equinox so that the days are short and the nights are longer in the northern hemisphere while the southern hemisphere ...
The seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar is the Chinese Qixi Festival, meaning it falls on August 25 this year.The Qixi Festival symbolizes love, a day of romantic celebration between individuals and their significant others.
The festival is based on the legend of a cowherd and a weaver girl who designated this ...
The 端午节 (duānwǔ jié) is around the corner. It is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, meaning it falls on June 25 this year. It is a folk festival with its own unique blessings, celebrations, entertainment and food, a traditional holiday that originated in China and is now ...
“父亲节(fùqīn jié) Father’s Day” is a holiday that celebrates fathers, and all they do for their children, around the world. There is an old saying in Chinese: “百善孝为先 (bǎi shànxiào wéi xiān)” or “Filial piety is the most important of all virtues”– in other words, if you do nothing else, at least respect your parents! ...
Key Learning Points (Preview):
烧香 (Shāo xiāng):v. to burn joss sticks / incenses
预防措施 (Yù fáng cuò shī): n. preventive measures
鞠躬 (Jū gōng):v. tobow
云祭祀 (Yún jì sì): v. online Remembrance
Qingming Festival Origin:
Qingming Festival is also known as Tomb-Sweeping day and is a traditional Chinese holiday. The day is ...
In China, there is usually a week-long National Day holiday that’s aptly called “黄金周 (Huángjīn Zhōu) Golden Week”. Most people choose to travel during this mini-break so a “travel guide” is necessary if you want to take this opportunity to visit some of the special attractions in China.
黄金周 (Huángjīn Zhōu) Golden Week
Take our ...
In America, when you think of stand-up comedy, you might think of a comedian spouting anecdotal stories and off the wall jokes on stage alone.
While in China, the popular comedy styles include a type of comedic dialogue called “crosstalk” as well as witty skits which both are hilarious and clever forms of entertainment.
Crosstalk first appeared ...
“Never give up” takes on an interestingly new perspective with the popular Chinese fable “愚公移山 (yúgōngyíshān) Yu Gong Yi Shan”. The story presents a magnifying look into the Chinese culture, a motivational pep talk, as well as an interesting lesson on how to use “聪明 (cōngmíng) clever” and “愚蠢 (yúchǔn) foolish” in Chinese.
The story ...
Are you planning a trip to China? Then you should be prepared with knowledge of daily life in China. These four must-know facts will allow you to be one step ahead of your friends as you get to know Chinese culture and language.
1. Don’t grab that toilet paper; it has already been used!
In America, ...
“Don’t play dumb!” This English phrase has a Chinese equivalent that, although its meaning is the same, has a very different literal translation with unique origins. The Chinese “装蒜 (zhuāngsuàn)” literally means “to pretend garlic” which may sound kind of funny in English. It is used to mean “feign ignorance” and “make a pretense.” Read ...
What does “Chinese food” look like in your hometown? Chinese food in foreign countries such as the UK and USA is popular, but the dishes are often different from what is actually served in China! Do you know what these “authentic” dishes are?
Recently, a list of the 10 most popular Chinese dishes was put ...
Love is in the air, and if you’re like many people, that means you’ve got one or two wedding invitations headed straight for your mailbox. As if deciding what to gift newlyweds isn’t hard enough, in China there are some culture-specific taboos. You’ll want to be aware of before you get shopping.
Two is Always Better ...
清明节 (Qīngmíngjié) Tomb Sweeping Day (Intermediate)
Key Learning Points (Preview):
放风筝 (fàng fēngzheng): v to fly kites
荡秋千 (dàng qiūqiān): v to swing
“清明节 (Qīngmíngjié) Tomb Sweeping Day” is celebrated fifteen days after the Spring equinox and is one of the few Chinese holidays that follows the solar calendar. The traditional Chinese calendar ...
