22 Things You Can Burn for Qing Ming Festival

Karl Ryan March 30, 2016

Qing Ming Jie or Tomb Sweeping Day is upon us (it takes place on April 4th this year). This festival is meant to venerate your dearly departed. The original tradition was to burn stacks of paper printed with currency symbols called 冥纸 | Míng zhǐ . This money would then be accessible to your ancestors to spend in their afterlife. As the years went by, this tradition slowly transformed from burning stacks of paper to burning paper models of pretty much anything you can think of that would make your ancestors happy.

The reasoning behind this is whatever you burn, your ancestors will be able to use in their new life (or death). Have an ancestor who was a mechanic? Burn a paper Auto Repair Shop. Have an ancestor who loves fast food? Burn them a paper McDonald’s. The possibilities are only limited to your imagination… most places where you order these models will take custom requests. Read more for 22 items you can purchase (and consequently burn) for Qing Ming Jie.

Speak the 3rd Tone Like a Native: Say It Like a Kardashian

Karl Ryan March 24, 2016

The third tone in Mandarin: the sound that gets learners bobbing their heads up and down like bulldogs in a car. That wily 全上 | Quán shàng | dip of the head. That dreaded downwards arrow. It is taught as a down-up sound that you are supposed mirror by moving your head down and up along with the sound. Consequently, you feel like a fool dipping your head up and down everytime attempt to speak it out loud. The biggest nuisance of all? No native actually sounds like this when they speak naturally, and you’re going to sound really over the top by doing it. and no native will understand what it is you are saying when you make this exaggerated sound.

Alas! There is a hack. One that is going to blow your mind, and possibly make you roll your eyes. The secret to sounding native when speaking the third tone? Speak it like a Kardashian. Read more to see what on earth I could possibly be talking about.

China in the Spring: 15 Must-See Destinations

Natasha Davis March 18, 2016

Springtime is on it’s way! The snow is starting to melt, the flowers are blooming, and temperatures are on the rise. Even if you’re in one of China’s big cities, don’t’ fret: there’s an escape from the hustle and bustle where you can experience Spring in all it’s glory. Pack your bag, throw on your sneakers, and check out some of the amazing Springtime destinations in China. Read More

Meanwhile in China… 5 Quirky Stories from Mainland China

Karl Ryan March 11, 2016

We all know odd things happen around the world on a regular basis and China is the frontrunner for strange happenings. From aliens to bean sprouts growing out of people’s heads, China never fails to have a newsworthy item that makes us say “WTF, China?!” Read more for our roundup of five unique stories hailing from China and the language behind them. Read More

3 Goals to Set for Mastering Mandarin

Eng Chan February 23, 2016

As the Year of the Monkey swings in to greet us, it’s a great time to reflect on the language learning goals we want to accomplish for the New Year. For those who follow the Gregorian (solar) calendar｜Gōnglì | 公曆 rather than the Lunar Calendar｜Nónglì｜農曆, now ma
y also be considered an ideal time to assess the resolutions you made two short months ago and what roadblocks you may be facing putting those resolutions to action. Did you plan to study Mandarin a certain number of days per week but haven’t yet found the time? Or did you tell yourself that by the end of the year you would be reach a certain level of fluency but have now realized that your weekly routine is not keeping you on track to reach that goal? Read more for some effective tips on setting effective goals to stick with your Mandarin studies! Read More