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spread the Olympic culture
The Olympics are nearly here, just a few hours to go! In the past few weeks, there have been more Olympic slogan banners around town. Political slogans in China have an interesting and turbulent...
View Articletwo chinese characters teach you how to say 加油！
While I was doing research for this post for CNReviews, I came across this rather funny video on how to say 加油, which is what all the cool kids say when they are cheering at the Olympics–and anywhere...
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The love child of English and Chinese
As seen in 帽儿胡同 Mao’er Hutong, near 南锣鼓巷 Nanluoguxiang. This sign for a bookstore/tea house represents what I like best about Beijing’s–and China as a whole–burgeoning interest in design and language,...
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Graffiti: Love is Lonely
Every day, I see this little message scribbled on the wall between the two elevators in my building. It is full of sage advice on love. Translation: 很多人 Many people 因为寂寞错爱了一个人 because they are lonely,...
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我想谈说种种纯洁的事情 I wish to speak of all things pure
I keep receiving very kind comments on how much readers enjoyed this blog, so although I no longer live in Beijing, I’ll update it here and there with interesting things that I come across. As you can...
View ArticleVariations on a Theme: I Want Your Love
1950s Chinese actress, singer and superstar Grace Chang (葛兰 Ge Lan) really deserves a post that is devoted entirely to herself, but I’m going to start here with just one song. Recently, I spent a...
View ArticleChinese Retirees Cover Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance
If you have ever thought to yourself that you would really like to hear Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” covered in the Hunan dialect by Chinese retirees dancing with young women in miniskirts playing...
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