China has 56 ethnic groups. They include Russians, Mongols, Uyghurs, Koreans, and many others. Here is a modern Chinese take on all of them: 中华大家庭 (the Big Chinese Family). The lyrics actually enumerate the groups individually. … [Read more...] about 【每日歌曲】中华大家庭 (the Big Chinese Family)
culture
"茉莉花 (Molihua)" / "Jasmine Flower," a piece of Chinese culture that has taken root around the world
Chinese culture is rich and amazing. Did you know that the main melody at the 2008 Beijing Olympics medal ceremonies were composed using only musical instruments that were made 2,450 years ago? That melody was a version of "茉莉花" or "Jasmine Flower." It was adapted by famous Chinese composer Tan Dun and Wang Hesheng (of the Chinese Army orchestra) using the ancient … [Read more...] about "茉莉花 (Molihua)" / "Jasmine Flower," a piece of Chinese culture that has taken root around the world
Learning about the Chinese Mind through Chinese Food
This may not be a profound truth that I just discovered, but have you noticed that Chinese food and Chinese thinking have a lot to do with each other? Obvious as it may seem, one can become more reflective after encounters with another type of food and thinking behind it. In my case, the comparison is between China and America. 1. In cooking we don't have "1 cup", "1/4 cup", … [Read more...] about Learning about the Chinese Mind through Chinese Food
李白 (Li Bai, 701-762AD): 静夜思 (Thoughts on a Still Night)
李白 (Li Bai, 701-762AD) is one of the most beloved Tang Dynasty (618-907AD) poets in Chinese history. This is a rendition of his poem, 静夜思 ("Thoughts on a Still Night") where he reminisces his home. Below are couple of videos presenting this poem in various ways. Many Chinese children, some, perhaps shortly after they start talking, will be taught this poem (see second video … [Read more...] about 李白 (Li Bai, 701-762AD): 静夜思 (Thoughts on a Still Night)
毛阿敏 (Mao AMin), 渴望 (”Yearning”), yearning for a better future
For the last two centuries, the Chinese psyche has been defined in large part by the humiliations and sufferings brought about by foreigners (see the Opium War, the Second Opium War, and the Nanjing Massacre). After the founding of the current Peoples Republic of China, it was the disastrous policies of the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward which furthered that … [Read more...] about 毛阿敏 (Mao AMin), 渴望 (”Yearning”), yearning for a better future