“Where’s floor number 4?” Every country has its own superstitions, often closely related to cultural events and holidays. In many western countries, the superstitions stem from folklore, and are not specific to any country. We all know that breaking a mirror gives 7 years of bad luck, or a black cat crossing the [...]
The Nakhi (also spelled Nashi or Naxi) first came to the attention of the Western world in the 1950s with the publication of Russian explorer Peter Goullart's travelogue "The Lost Kingdom". In it, Goullart describes his time living in Lijiang, the traditional cultural center of the Nakhi, during WWII. Of course, the region and [...]
This week, we have a special interview with a former Hutong School student, Delphine. She studied Chinese with us in Shanghai during an Erasmus exchange program and recently participated in the 4L Trophy. 4L is a humanitarian student rally that takes every year in the deserts of Morocco. Participants must drive across a variety of [...]
There's little doubt that Chinese people love eating. While "family-style" meals are perhaps the most traditional way of eating in China, there is also a rich tradition of xiǎochī小吃 or“small eats". These in-between meal bites that can be found on street corners and in night markets. Many of the following items started out as regional [...]
One of the things that makes life in China so interesting is the sheer diversity of people you meet on a daily basis. If you've spent any amount of time in China, you've undoubtedly run into one or more of these colorful characters... Beijing Taxi Driver 北京的哥侃爷 Hometown: Beijing Favorite Drink: Cheap green [...]
Patience is a Virtue It is said that in the West everything is easy, but nothing is possible. Whereas in China nothing is easy, but everything is possible. Those who have been doing business in or with China understand this maxim well. They also understand that in Chinese society, the personal, professional and political [...]
You Call it Lurking, I Call it Web-Based Learning Note: This article is the second in a two-part series. If you haven't seen part 1, we suggest you read that first. Hopefully, we've convinced you that if you're learning Chinese, all that time you spend staring at pictures of other people's avocado toast [...]
Essential Chinese Phrases for the Social Media Addict Admit it: you checked your newsfeed this morning before you even got out of bed. You pick your meals based on how good you think they'll look on Instagram. And yes, you even browse Twitter when going number 2. If these symptoms sound familiar, your [...]
What to sing at Chinese KTV If you have been to China, you know how much Chinese people love KTV. Karaoke offers the perfect atmosphere to spend a fun night with friends, but surprisingly, you might also be asked to join a KTV night by your boss, client, or business partner! For foreigners, [...]
Meet Market with Chinese Characteristics A mention of the Shanghai People's Park marriage market, known in Chinese as the Rénmín Gōngyuán Xiāngqīn Jiǎo 人民公园相亲角, is likely to elicit more than a few raised eyebrows from foreign visitors. After all, amidst all the international brands and skyscrapers, the whole idea seems rather anachronistic. In fact, it's [...]
