My China Connection

Happy New Year!! The Year of the Dragon 新年快乐！龙年

landawei Post in Chinese culture, News from China，Tags: 新年快乐, 龙年

23 January 2012

Happy New Year! 新年快乐！Year of the Dragon

Happy New Year! 新年快乐！万事如意！恭喜发财！红包拿来！

I suppose I’m still facing a bit of holiday fatigue from late last year, after Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years and just three weeks into the new year, another holiday.

But who am I to complain?? Holidays are supposed to be a festive and fun occasion. You get time off from work to be with friends and family.

Just as millions of people criss-cross the United States to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas, millions of people in China and Taiwan will travel home to celebrate Chinese New Year the Year of the Dragon(龙年). More »

What does “leaks like a sieve” mean? – when something isn’t reliable

landawei Post in English idiom, English slang，Tags: leaks like a sieve, like a sieve

22 January 2012

"Leaks like a sieve" means that something that should hold a liquid does not work properly.

What does “leaks like a sieve” mean? To answer that question, first let’s explain the meaning of a “sieve“.

A “sieve” is strainer or colander, a kitchen device that has many small holes and that is used to separate smaller particles from larger ones or solids from liquids.

Suppose you are cooking dumplings (饺子). You’d use a sieve to remove the dumpling from the pot and drain any liquid.

A sieve is not supposed to hold liquid. When it works properly, it leaks. More »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:50 — 3.7MB)

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions” unintended consequences

landawei Post in English idiom，Tags: good intentions, road hell, the road to hell is paved with good intentions

19 January 2012

The road to hell is paved with good intentions

Not too long ago, I wrote about the phrase “it is the thought that counts“. It is a phrase used when a gift is given, but the gift it isn’t exactly a match to the receiver’s interests or desires. However, the giver had nothing but good intentions when they gave it.

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions” has some similarities.

Someone may have meant to do good, but the unintended consequences caused harm.

When we say “it is the thought that counts”, we tend to be forgiving or gracious. However, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” usually has no feeling of good will. After all, hell is a terrible place. More »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 4:18 — 3.9MB)

Video about Terra Cotta Warrior(兵马俑) Exhibit

landawei Post in News from America, Travel，Tags: 兵马俑

17 January 2012

Terra Cotta Warrior display in Xi 'An China

Terra Cotta Warrior 兵马俑 display in Xi 'An China (photo my me)

Perhaps one of the most memorable vacations I ever had was my trip to Xi ‘An in 2007. And of course, when you go to Xi ‘An a visit to the Terra Cotta Warriors 兵马俑 is practically mandatory!

My Tai Chi teacher, Wayne Peng, is from Xi ‘An and so he took us on a tour of the area as well as a trip to Wu Dang Shan, one of the major centers of Chinese Kung Fu.

This morning, I received an e-mail from Master Peng about an exhibit that he’s helped bring to the United States and I’m including a video which he made.

As an American, I can reflect on a history that goes back to 1776 (and maybe the early 1600s if you count the first colonies). Visiting Xi ‘An and the Terra Cotta Warriors brought on a sense of awe because I was seeing something from a culture and civilization that had several dynasties which lasted longer than the entire history of my nation! More »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 4:01 — 3.9MB)

“Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it” Mark Twain

landawei Post in American culture，Tags: 干打雷不下雨, 雷声大雨点小

12 January 2012

"Everybody talks about the weather..."

Right now the weather in the Silicon Valley should be generally overcast and we should be in our rainy season. But the weather has been very sunny and drier than normal. I’m certain someone will blame it on “global warming”.

As I think about the weather, Mark Twain comes to mind. Mark Twain, the American humorist who wrote “Tom Saywer” and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, is famous for his “Twainisms”, proverbs which have us chuckling even today.

(Click here to read Mark Twain had to say about work and vacations.)

One of his most famous “Twainisms” is “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it”.

I suppose Mr. Twain didn’t anticipate that China would attempt “cloud seeding” to end droughts. In China, some don’t just talk about the weather, they try to do something about it. More »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:52 — 2.9MB)

“It’s the thought that counts” something to remember when you receive a gift

landawei Post in English proverb，

09 January 2012

"It's the thought that counts" means that the intention behind a gift is more important than the actual gift.

Have you ever heard of the proverb “it’s the thought that counts”?

A friend recently told me a story about how he prepared a birthday cake for his wife when he was in graduate school. He faced a problem. He didn’t have enough ingredients to fill the baking pan to make a properly sized birthday cake.

So he asked his wife indirectly about which ingredients to use to make a baked good expand and she suggested baking soda or baking powder. From what he told me, it sounded as if he used baking powder, because the finished product tasted like chemicals, even though it expanded nicely in the pan.

His attempt failed, but I thought to myself, I hope his wife appreciated his efforts and said, “it’s the thought that counts”. More »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:59 — 3.9MB)

“Get the axe” something is on the chopping block

landawei Post in English idiom，Tags: getting the ax

08 January 2012

"Get the axe" means that a person loses his job or a program or service is cut.

Back in the old days, decapitation took place at a chopping block. It was a place where chicken’s would lose their head and they would “get the axe” (see the idiom “like a chicken with its head cut off”).

Also, decapitation was a form of capital punishment, but that practice has more or less ceased.

The phrase “get the axe” comes from the practice of decapitation. It means that a person will lose their job, or a program or service is ended or terminated. More »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:55 — 3.8MB)

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