Chinese / Culture / Vocabulary
The Truth About the First Emperor of China (Qin Shi Huang)
The Man Who Unified a Divided World The history of China changes dramatically with the rise of one figure: the First Emperor of China, Qin …
Category: Chinese
Chinese / Culture / Vocabulary
Ancient China vs Modern China: What Changed the Most?
Two Worlds Connected by One Long Civilization China is often described as one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations, and that continuity makes comparisons between …
Chinese / Culture / Vocabulary
The Story of the Forbidden City: Power, Secrets, and Emperors
The Heart of Imperial Power in Beijing At the center of Beijing (北京, Běijīng) stands one of the most extraordinary architectural achievements in human history: …
Chinese / Culture / Vocabulary
How the Great Wall of China Really Came to Be
The Idea Behind the Wall Before the Great Wall Existed Long before the structure we now call the Great Wall of China (长城, Chángchéng) became …
Chinese / Culture / Vocabulary
The Most Important Turning Points in Chinese History
What a “Turning Point” Means in History A turning point in history is a moment when the direction of a civilization changes in a significant …
Chinese / Culture / Vocabulary
Why Did Imperial China Last So Long?
A Civilization That Endured for Over Two Millennia Imperial China, beginning with the Qin Dynasty (秦朝 qín cháo) and ending with the Qing Dynasty (清朝 …
Chinese / Culture / Vocabulary
The Dynasties of China Explained in Plain English
What a Dynasty Actually Means A dynasty (朝代 cháodài) is a system of rule where power is passed through a ruling family. In ancient China, …
Chinese / Culture / Vocabulary
What Made Ancient China So Advanced for Its Time?
A Civilization That Developed on Its Own Path Ancient China developed in relative geographic isolation, surrounded by deserts, mountains, and seas. This allowed a unique …
Chinese / Culture / Vocabulary
The Rise and Fall of Ancient China: A Simple Overview for Beginners
What “Ancient China” Really Means Ancient China refers to one of the world’s longest continuous civilizations, stretching from early prehistoric settlements along the Yellow River …
Symbolism in Dream of the Red Chamber Explained Simply
A World Built on Symbols and Illusion Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦, Hónglóu Mèng) is not only one of the greatest novels in Chinese …
Chinese / Culture / Literature
The Plum in the Golden Vase Explained: Controversial Classic of Chinese Fiction
A Hidden Giant of Chinese Fiction The novel known in Chinese as 金瓶梅 (Jīn Píng Méi), commonly translated as The Plum in the Golden Vase, …
Understand Chinese Courtesy Names (字)
The courtesy names (字), refers to 表字, or sometime (称字). Well, in ancient China, 表字/字 generally referred to the names Chinese people took for themselves …
Understand the Name of “Confucius”
What does “Confucius” mean? This is a good question, with a long possible explanation. I will keep it short. 🙂 We need to understand a …
Chinese People are Not Friendly? Really?
Yes, we are friendly. In fact, very friendly. Most of the foreigners coming to China for work/travel have very limited knowledge of Mandarin Chinese language. …
Do Overseas Chinese Dislike the Mainland Chinese?
I don’t think this statement is 100% true. Most of the overseas Chinese love their motherland. Even if they became citizens of the foreign countries, …
Should I Learn Mandarin Chinese?
YES, YES! SURE! Well, this is a very personal decision. You should learn Mandarin Chinese if: In particular, if you want to travel solo in …
What Could be Your Biggest Cultural While Travelling to China?
So many. Franfly, there are so many cultural differences between China and the West. I have got so many expat friends in Shanghai. We often …
Is it Possible to Self-learn Chinese？
Yes, why not? Congratulations for taking a wonderful decision to learn Mandarin Chinese. Where there is a will, there is a way! You can learn …
Something you can do in China, but not in the USA?
This is an interesting question. My answer is: You can live safely in China. Yep, that means a lot to us, especially the women. China …
How safe is Living and Working in China?
China is very much safe. I wrote a post earlier: Is China safe for tourists? Frankly, China is the safest you can ever get. Make …