Chinese people like to eat together; this tradition can be traced a long time ago. It reflects the Chinese notion of union versus division—round tables, round dishes, and round bowls all symbolize union and perfection. Dishes are usually placed at the center of the table so that everyone around the table can share them. A […]
Wu Hua Ba Men is a frequently-used Chinese idiom. It stands for variety and changeability. The literal meaning of “Wu hua” is five flowers and eight doors for “ba men”. Actually, Wu Hua Ba Men used to refer the various trades. Of “wu hua”, “jin hua” referred to tea girls; “mu mian hua”, traditional Chinese […]
In Chinese, there are various forms of the address for a wife and each of them boasts different meanings. “huang hou” : an empress. “fu ren”: the wives of the dukes and princes. “zao kang”: one’s wife who has shared his hard a lot. “tai tai”: used by the common people in the old times […]
Unlike Greek architecture, which is an organic combination of blocks, Chinese traditional architecture emphasized unobstructedness and tone, and displays the rich variance and connotation of the tone with innumerable flowing lines. Large, solid walls not only function as a protective surrounding defense, they also embody tranquility. Secluding the residence from the outside world, the […]
In China, except for drinking alcohol on auspicious moments, people also drink on some sad moments, such as to show respect to the dead. In ancient China, when a dead person was buried, some alcohol was usually placed into the tomb. This meant that even the dead went to another world; he or she can […]
In ancient China, the royal families liked to enjoy music and dances very much, also they used this kind of entertainment to celebrate some important days. Thus it gave the chance for the development of court music. The most famous period is the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) with its “zuobuji” and “libuji”. It is said […]
The Tiger In the character of the oracle bone script for tiger, the tiger’s round head faces upwards, the tail faces downwards, and the body shows a striped pattern. The Chinese people believe that tigers have a “王” (king) character on their heads. Therefore, the tiger is regarded as the king of the animal world. […]
Five (wu, “五”) The ancient Chinese people believed that the world was composed of five basic substances: metal, wood, water, fire and earth. These five substances are known as the Five Elements (“wu xing”). The Five Elements can represent everything. For example, the Five Elements can represent the five basic directions: east, south, west, north […]
Study Chinese: 木(mu, wood/tree)，林(lin, many trees)，森(sen, forest) The Chinese character of the oracle bone scrip for “木” resembles a tree with roots and branches. In the old days, the character “木” meant “tree”. It is used as a component in many Chinese characters which denote the names of trees or have meanings related to “wood” […]
Literally, the idiom “xian yue ye he” means “free clouds and wild crane”. It is not a meaningless idiom. It refers to the people who live a quite free life and have no other concerns and worries except his or her own life. In ancient times, there were many famous people who did not get […]