Chinese Proverbs: Learn Chinese Quotes, Idioms, Sayings, Stories

A Crazy Star Fan

2007-03-29T22:33:00.000+08:00

A 68 year old man from LanZhou China committed suicide in Hong Kong simply because his daughter, a groupie of Andy Lau, did not receive a special and personal interview from Andy Lau than other Andy's fans on Andy's birthday party on 25th, March. The family sold everything they had to support the girl's star following activities dozens of year ago. The father even had offered to sell his kidney to raise money for her daughter's enthusiasm. His offer was denied because selling human organs were illegal in China. However, the girl and her mother blame Andy to the old man's death and show no regret! The girl is criticized by all the web surffers.

疯狂 fēng kuáng Crazy
追星女 zhuī xīng nǚ Famale star fan; female groupie

二十四节气歌

2007-03-21T16:29:00.000+08:00

春雨惊春清谷天, 夏满芒夏暑相连,
秋处露秋寒霜降, 冬雪雪冬小大寒.
每月两节不变更, 最多相差一两天,
上半年来六、廿一，下半年是八、廿三。

史上最牛钉子户

2007-03-20T18:04:00.000+08:00

These days a family in Chongqing is quite famous on the web in China. The family is called the "Toughest Nail Household" in the history. The family confronts the local government and a local real estate company to protect their house, because the compensation the real estate company offering is very much below the market price. The real estate has isolated their house which can be seen in the picture under the support the loca government.

最牛 zuì niú (Toughest, Coolest)
钉子户 dìng zǐ hù (Nail Household)

Chinese Valentine's Day - 七夕节

2006-07-31T22:56:00.000+08:00

Today's Double Seven Festival, Chinese Valentine's Day. The tradition of celebrating this event origins from the love story of Cow Boy and Weaver Girl, who fall in love with each other and was forced to seperate by The Heavenly Queen. They were only allowed to meet each other once every year on July 7th in Chinese calender. People will look into the heaven and try to evestrop their converstion under grape vine. This year has two Chinese Valentine's days because it has two Julys this year according to Chinese calendar, which happens once every 38 years. The first falls on July 31th and while the second on August 30th.

七夕节 Double Seven Festival, Chinese Valentine's Day
牛郎 Cow Boy
织女 Weaver Girl
情人节 Valentine's Day

Below is a famous poem about this festival by a famous poeist Qin Guan.

鹊桥仙秦观
纤云弄巧，飞星传恨，银汉迢迢暗渡。金风玉露一相逢，便胜却人间无数。　　　　
柔情似水，佳期如梦，忍顾鹊桥归路！两情若是久长时，又岂在朝朝暮暮？

Burning Straw Is Strictly Prohibited

2006-06-07T18:50:00.000+08:00

Now it's time to harvest wheat. Usually farmers will burn the straws after the harvesting, which pollutes the air severely and is a waste of resouces. The local goverment tries to stop this. This is a propaganda truck with a slogan which reads "Burning straw is strictly prohibited".

严禁焚烧麦茬: yán jìn fén shāo mài chá Burning straw is strictly prohibited.

Family Planning, Birth Control & Contraception in China

2006-06-07T18:20:00.000+08:00

Family Planning policy in China is a controversial topic. But the policy is a policy which must be implemented in China. China has to control the birth rate because of limited resouces. Sex was and still is an embarassing topic in China. Although it's gradually changing, few people will talk about sex in public.

The picture is a store selling birth control devices and agents, drugs to enhance sexual life and breast enlargement products. Many of these stores do not have clients at day time, partly because of embarassment.

计生 jì shēng family planning

Chinese Twins - Shuang Bao Tai

2006-06-07T18:06:00.000+08:00

This mother is very happy when I took a picture of her twin boys, who are sitting in a traditional Chinese cart made of bamboo.

双胞胎 - shuāng bāo tāi Twin

Today is Duanwu - The Dragon Boat Festival

2006-05-31T12:13:00.000+08:00

The dragon boat festival is here! Everyone is talking about Zongzi. My neighbours are asking each other via IM: "Did you eat Zongzi? What Zongzi did you eat? Does it taste good?". People are sending short messages to friends. Search query for the Dragon Boat Festival short messages (端午短信 duān wǔ duǎn xìn ) is ranked No1 in Chinese search eninge Baidu. Other traditional celebrations like wearing fragnant bag (香囊 xiāng náng ) and dragon boat racing （赛龙舟 sài lóng zhōu）are not usually for people nowadays. Many people even don't know Qu Yuan （屈原 qū yuán）, who is the person the festival was for.

Pictures of a group of young people are celebrating the festival in traditional way.

Money to Spent in Nether Regions

2006-05-05T17:57:00.000+08:00

I took this phpto in the Qingming festival. Chinese people believe that their relatives who passed away live in another world, the Nether Regions. In order to let them have a wealthy life there, the Chinese burn Mingchao, money in the Nether Regions. In the old times, special paper in the background was used. Nowadays, paper notes quite like real money are used. Notice the US notes in the middle.

冥钞 mínɡ chāo The Nether Regions money
纸币 zhǐ bì note

Playing Majiang/Mahjong

2006-05-05T17:40:00.000+08:00

My neighbours paying Majiang/Mahjong in the couryard. Many young people play Majiang/Mahjong to gamble. The senior people usually gamble with a very small wager however.

麻将 má jiānɡ Mahjong

Pants for Chinese Kids

2006-05-05T17:28:00.000+08:00

Notice the kid's pants! He is wearing Open-crotch pants, called Kaidangku in China. It's very convenient for kids to pee or poop. You don't need to train them!

开档裤 kāi dàng kù Chinese pants for kids with an opening in the crotch.

Chinese Sewing Machine

2006-05-04T12:10:00.000+08:00

Old sewing machine which might have been existing in China for thousands of years. Now can only be found in rural villages. Only some old grannies know how to use it.

织布机 zhī bù jī sewing machine

Chinese Wedding Pictures

2006-05-04T12:07:00.000+08:00

Friends making fun of the newly wedded.

闹洞房 nào dòng fáng making fun of the bridegroom and the bride.

Chinese Wedding Pictures

2006-05-04T12:04:00.000+08:00

Open-air treat for the guests.

Chinese Wedding Pictures

2006-05-04T12:00:00.000+08:00

Neighbours and relatives helps to prepare food for the wedding.

邻居 lín jū neighbours
作饭 zuò fàn cooking

Chinese Wedding Pictures

2006-05-04T11:57:00.000+08:00

Burn incense and candles to before the family ancester's shrine to let them know the great news.

祖先 zǔ xiān ancesters
牌位 pái wèi shrine

Chinese Wedding Pictures

2006-05-04T11:53:00.000+08:00

Firecracks explode and welcome the bridegroom and his bride. Door is decorated with red paper lucky patterns.

鞭炮 biān pào Firecracks

Chinese Wedding Pictures

2006-05-04T11:35:00.000+08:00

My friend's wedding picure. The bridegroom picks up the bride and is ready to leave for home.

结婚 jié hūn Get married
婚礼 hūn lǐ wedding
新郎 xīn láng bridegroom
新娘 xīn niáng bride

Chinese Festival - Qing Ming Festival

2006-04-03T22:24:00.000+08:00

中国节日 - 清明节 (寒食节)

zhōng guó jié rì - qīng míng jié （hán shí jié）

Chinese Festival - Qing Ming Festival

Other English translation of 清明节:

All Souls Day
Clear Brightness Festival
Festival for Tending Graves
Grave Sweeping Day
Tomb Sweeping Day

Qing Ming Festival links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qingming_Festival
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa031201a.htm
http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/festival/qingming/qingming.html
http://www.china.org.cn/english/2001/Apr/10256.htm

Chinese Poem - Qing Ming by Du Mu

2006-04-02T23:00:00.000+08:00

Qing Ming is falling on 5th of April. Here is a poem by famous late Tang poeist Du Mu.

清明杜牧作

清明时节雨纷纷，
路上行人欲断魂。
借问酒家何处有？
牧童遥指杏花村。

qīnɡ mínɡ dù mù zuò

qīnɡ mínɡ shí jié yǔ fēn fēn ,
lù shànɡ xínɡ rén yù duàn hún 。
jiè wèn jiǔ jiā hé chǔ yǒu ？
mù tónɡ yáo zhǐ xìnɡ huā cūn 。

Qing Ming by Du Mu

It drizzles endless during the rainy season in spring,
Travelers along the road look gloomy and miserable.
When I ask a shepherd boy where I can find a tavern,
He points at a distant hamlet nestling amidst apricot blossoms.

Chinese Poem - Thoughts on a Still Night

2006-03-30T20:21:00.000+08:00

静夜思李白

床前明月光，
疑是地上霜。
举头望明月，
低头思故乡。

jìnɡ yè sī lǐ bái
chuánɡ qián mínɡ yuè ɡuānɡ,
yí shì dì shànɡ shuānɡ。
jǔ tóu wànɡ mínɡ yuè，
dī tóu sī ɡù xiānɡ 。

Thoughts on a Still Night by Li Bai

The moon shines so brightly besides my bed,
As ground frost I mistook its reflection.
To the moon I lifted my eyes ahead,
Hopelessly homesick as I bowed my head.

Chinese Idiom - xún xù jiàn jìn

2006-03-30T20:15:00.000+08:00

循序渐进

xún xù jiàn jìn

Make progress gradually in due order.

Chinese Poem - On Double Ninth Day Thinking of My Brothers at Home

2006-03-28T23:50:00.000+08:00

九月九日亿山东兄弟王维

独在异乡为异客，

每逢佳节倍思亲。

遥知兄弟登高处，

偏差茱萸少一人。

jiǔ yuè jiǔ rì yì shān dōng xiōng dì

dú zài yì xiāng wéi yì kè ，

měi féng jiā jié bèi sī qīn 。

yáo zhī xiōng dì dēng gāo chǔ ，

piān chà zhū yú shǎo yī rén 。

On Double Ninth Day Thinking of My Brothers at Home by Wang Wei

A lonely strange in a strange land I'am cast,
Sore sick for my dears on every festive day.
By now my brothers must some heights have passed,
But a cornel wearer missing'll damp the play.

Chinese Sayings by Laozi

2006-03-28T23:23:00.000+08:00

千里之行，始于足下

qiān lǐ zhī xíng ， shǐ yú zú xià

A thousand miles journey starts with the very first step.