Water Margin Explained: Outlaws, Justice, and Rebellion in Ancient China
Among the towering classics of Chinese narrative tradition stands Water Margin (水浒传, Shuǐ Hǔ Zhuàn), a powerful epic of rebellion, loyalty, and moral conflict set …
Romance of the Three Kingdoms: A Complete Guide to China’s Greatest War Epic
Among the most influential works in Chinese literary tradition stands Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义, Sān Guó Yǎn Yì), a sweeping epic that transforms …
Dream of the Red Chamber Summary and Analysis for Beginners
Among the greatest achievements in Chinese narrative art stands Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦, Hóng Lóu Mèng), a monumental work that captures the rise …
Journey to the West Explained: Why It Still Shapes Chinese Culture Today
Introduction Among the great pillars of Chinese storytelling, few works have achieved the lasting cultural power of Journey to the West (西游记, Xī Yóu Jì). …
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 …
How Easy or Hard is Life in China?
Quora Question: How hard is life in China? China is a big country. There are a variety of people living here. With a population of …
Don’t Chinese People want Democracy in China?
It depends on many factors. Different people, different opinions. Well, each of the following countries is a democratic country: Which country’s democracy you like the …
Is China a Poor or Rich Country?
In 2022? You decide. I will give you some figures. 🙂 Well, we are the second largest economy in the world. I briefly discussed some …
What are Some Surprising Facts About China?
Alright! I’m going to share with you a few mind-blowing facts about China. Let’s start! Number Of Political Parties China has 9 political parties, including …
Can Quora Replace Zhihu in China?
No way! Did Bing search replace Google search, or vice versa? Most people in China don’t use Quora as it’s blocked here. I don’t see …
Learn Rare Chinese surnames
A person’s surname indicates his family blood relationship. Each surname has a unique origin and has a rich cultural connotation behind it. In China, surnames …
What’s Your Opinion About the Chinese people?
We are nearly 1.4Bn. Different people, different characteristics. That said, we Chinese people share a great deal of similarities, such as: We love our motherland. …