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helpful Chinese language learning tips and resources

Chinese New Year 2011 – Year of the Rabbit

In 2011, the traditional Chinese New Year starts on Feb 3rd and it will be the year of the Rabbit (兔年 tù nián). And the evening of Feb 2nd is the most important night, Chinese New Year’s Eve – (除夕 chúxī), and then next day Feb 3rd is the first day of Spring Festival. On Chinese New Read the full Post…

New Year in Haerbin-Ice and Snow Festival

New Years in Haerbin -This is a guest post written by Joel and his wife Chris who are currently studying Chinese in Beijing at 1on1 Mandarin. In this post, they shared their experience and some pictures from Ice and Snow Festival in Haerbin. To celebrate New Years in China, that is Jan. 1st New Years, Read the full Post…

Tomb Sweeping Day – 清明节 (Qīng Míng Jiē)

Tomb Sweeping Day’s Chinese name, 清明节 (Qīng Míng Jiē), literally means “clear bright festival”. Clear and bright refer to the arrival of spring. However, Tomb Sweeping Day is also known as Cold Food Day 寒食节 (hán shí jiē). Why? Read on to find out. 清明节 (Qīng Míng Jiē) is celebrated on April 5th, 2010 . Read the full Post…

Traditional Chinese New Year Foods

Traditional Chinese New Year Foods Besides a time for vacation, sales, and a much less populated/much more comfortable Beijing, Chinese New Year 春节 is also a time for FOOD! If you have (good) local friends, look forward to feasts with their families that may include Chicken, duck, fish – traditionally eaten at celebrations because in Read the full Post…

Where to get Christmas decorations in Beijing

If you’re still looking for Christmas decorations 装饰品 (zhuāng shì pǐn), you can find almost anything you need at Golden Five Stars 金五星 (jīn wǔ xīng). It’s a huge indoor market that has everything and anything from plastic forks to pingpong balls to fabric by the meter to office supplies to bedding to long cow-shaped Read the full Post…

The Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival（中秋节）zhōnɡ qiū jié, also known as the Moon Festival, , is a popular harvest festival celebrated by Chinese people. It is held on the 15th day of the eighth month （(八月十五) in the Chinese calendar. The eighth month is also called zhònɡ qiū (仲秋), so 中秋节 also called 仲秋节. The Mid-Autumn Festival is the Read the full Post…

Qi Xi Jie-Chinese Valentine’s Day

Qixi Festival-七夕节( qī xī jié) literally “The Night of Sevens“), also known as Magpie Festival, falls on the seventh   day of the seventh lunar month on the Chinese calendar.  In 2009, it’s on August 26th. A love story for this day is about the 7th daughter of Emperor of Heaven and an orphaned cowherd. The Read the full Post…

Making 粽子zòngzi (Glutinous Rice Dumplings)

There are many different ways that people make zòngzi, with fillings that are either sweet or savory.  I found this recipe from a website called, Eating China (http://www.eatingchina.com/recipes/zongzi.htm).  If you are a fan of sticky rice, this is one recipe you need to tackle, especially in light of the Dragon Boat Festival coming up.  Send Read the full Post…

Dragon Boat Festival

端午节（duān wǔ jié）, or the Dragon Boat Festival, is one of the most popular traditional Chinese festivals. It occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar. Activities Two of the most widespread activities for the Dragonboat Festival are preparing and eating 粽子 (zònɡ zi), or glutinous rice dumplings. Another one Read the full Post…

Lantern Festival (Yuánxiāojié 元宵节)

Did you hear the fireworks last night? Can you still hear? Yesterday (Feb 9, 2009), the fifteenth day of the first month, was Lantern Festival. Lantern Festival comes 15 days after Chinese New Year, and marks the end of the Chinese New Year celebration. Lantern Festival is also the last day that fireworks are legally Read the full Post…

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