DaShan TV

Through "Playlist: Dashan Elsewhere on YouTube" there are also 6 links to some other videos. I guess the second video of this list could help to bring more Poddies to Cpod. ; )

trevelyan: My former private tutor was also a Professor of Chinese at a local University. He and I met completely by accident when I was just learning my first few words of Mandarin when I asked one of the waitresses at a Chinese restaurant how to pronounce a few words in Chinese. Shortly after that I began studying with him and he has told me repeatedly that I've gone much further in the language than any of his students from the University, and (save one student) I am the only one of his students who's gone past level one! I guess it's just the commitment of the Student and not so much the Teacher. But that's cool that you had the same teacher as the illustrious 大山, so do you have any stories? Did you feel this particular teacher was a cut above the rest? What what the method he/she used in teaching the curriculum?

thanks for the link, fudawei. I think the 'sports chinese' series on cctv is neat.

Dashan Interview in chinese with subtitles

Here is the first part 1/2 :

Not 花人 but 《花心》 的人 that's a pretty good concept here !

RJBerki How can you not like 大山? I think he's a great rep for the west, his mastry of everything Chinese is unbelievable. He was doing this before it became cool, long before China was seen by western eyes as a country worth anything. My friend who is a japanese translator and now owner of a prestigious Manga importing and production company 5 years ago tried to disourage me from "Wasting" my time learning the language of a "dirt poor communist country". If I had listened to him and stuck with Japanese I wouldn't have discovered how wonderful country and language are. (besides every time I try to go back an re-learn my Japanese I just plain lose interest...I guess Chinese just suits me). My point is that I admire 大山 very much because he looked all the skeptics and naysayers in the face and said, "I want to learn this language, and I want to learn about this county, culture and people even if they are a poor, communist country", and from his desire and drive he has become limitlessly famous and wealthy. I wouldn't be jealous of him, just learn from him.

This is the first time that I have really listened to him. I was prepared not to like him, but I may be a convert now.

I think CPOD ought to interview him for an Advanced (or Upper-Intermediate) Lesson. Something like: "5 Questions for Da Shan". See if John or Jenny can wrangle him into the studio next time he's in town -- or phone him in Beijing. Take pre-selected questions from users, etc.

I think they should take him for a tea ceremony! We all know that Ken is the real Da Shan:-)

I love watching the Chinese cross talking skits even when I dont understand them entirely but DaShan, well I dont know exactly why but I just dont like the guy. Hes a mountain of something all right. Maybe Im just jealous? I dont see what the Chinese people see in this guy. Couldnt we have found a better rep for the west?

Fudawei: What an honor it would be to have at least one lesson on Chinesepod that features the great 大山.

he would probably insist on having his face replace the CPod logo! But seriously he is quite a remarkable individual and his Chinese ability is something to envy but also to aspire to. Is it in his genes - how could anyone attain this level in an era before Cpod.

The subject shows up in this lesson: http://chinesepod.com/lessons/arriving-in-china-on-business/discussion

jamestheron: In that lesson he was only mentioned in passing in the dialogue because the main character "Peter" is also from Canada so the second speaker brought him up saying 大山 was Peter's 老乡. And besides in China most of the time when the Chinese People meet a 会说中文的老外 they almost always bring up 大山. Actually I feel like Chinesepod should give 大山 his own Podcast, even if 大山 doesn't want to participate in it, I think he would be the subject of a very interesting lesson! We could get in to his rise to fame, his series on learning Chinese, his current works, etc. As much as I would love it I know it will never ever...EVER happen on John's watch because John really despises 大山!

I can't imagine John despising anyone - a little friendly rivalry perhaps.

Lustchina, You should read the following page: http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2004/05/09/derisive-dashan-rip

bbjt, Well it's natural order to poke fun at the establishment on the way up but now John is no longer the rookie, he may be the one sending the e-mails some day soon to protect his squeaky-clean public image!

"because John really despises 大山!" I'll save John from denying it, but I know this isn't true at all. My own tenuous connection to Da Shan is having been taught in first year Chinese by the same teacher who apparently had him. This was a number of years after he'd come over to China and started appearing on television. She kept telling us about him, probably because he was one of the only students who went through the department at that time who actually became fluent.

Well see. Maybe I will be a convert like Mike.