Something new this year to the World Cup scene is Chinese ads in Chinese characters. Never before has Chinese ads in Chinese writing so visible and so frequent on the World Cup perimeter walls. Some articles noted that Chinese investors …
Fruit Loops
Seasonal fruits are pleasantly welcome as offering for various gods and many occasions, at temples and in homes. Sharing the harvest is a sign of humility, fairness, and thanksgiving. If you bring fresh fruits as gifts to your host, make …
Is Today a Good Day for a Funeral?
The Chinese calendar is just as puzzling and curious to the Chinese as it is to anyone else. This is why part of the planning for large social events involves consulting the Chinese calendar. More contemporary Chinese consult the calendar …
The Sometime Vegetarian
As recently as in the last 50 years China has experienced massive famines reaching millions in death tolls. The prosperity of the last few decades is so new that many Chinese are still acclimating to the idea of eating meat …
Children at Weddings
Whereas ringbearers and flower girls are token children at typical American weddings, children of all ages are an important presence at Chinese weddings. Chinese weddings celebrate family, community, and offspring. Many Chinese wedding snacks, sweets, decorations, gifts, banquet dishes, and …
Greek Expectations
Recent predictions note that Greece will attract more tourists than other Mediterranean countries. In fact, some experts expect a 50% increase in Chinese tourists from the high income bracket. There are good reasons for this growth, such as positive linguistic coincidences …
What is a Twinkie in Chinese American terms?
Twinkies are yellow on the outside and white on the inside. Chinese Americans use this term to distinguish among themselves the ratio of Chinese vs American cultural intelligence each person possesses. A Twinkie, like “a Banana”, suggests a person only …
Dead Poet Discrepancy
Renowned poet Yu Guangzhong died December 2017. He was uniquely popular in that his poems were taught in school curricula across political boundaries of China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Very few contemporary Chinese poets received this level of universal acclaim. …
Mr. Chang, Mr. Liu, and Mr. Wang meet Mr. Anderson, Mr. Miller, and Mr. Smith
Hundreds of Chinese last names, yet only a dozen of them cover over 50% of all Chinese descendants. The top last names stem from dominant tribes of huge dynastic lines, while smaller last names often mark vanquished tribes and disappearing …
What’s in a last name?
In the Chinese context it is logical that your family name, your surname, goes before your given name. First, Chinese culture is family centered. Those who carry your surname dead and alive is a far larger group than those who …