Mandarin Chinese

Han Shaogong captures the emotion and experiences of the Cultural Revolution, and the Down to the Countryside Movement from the perspective of an educated youth in his novel, “A Dictionary of Maqiao.” In the novel, the reader follows an educated youth as he travels to the countryside as a part of Mao’s “Down to the Countryside Movement.” The “Down to the Countryside Movement” was an effort by Mao Zedong to eradicate the anti-bourgeois thinking that he believed was prevalent in his country. Mao…

My family upbringing and social location had an immense impact on my chances in life and how I got to where I am today. In terms of economic opportunities, I was fortunate, as my parents immigrated to Canada from China to give me a better life. After immigrating to Canada, my parents worked hard to secure a steady income and home before deciding to have me. Having grown up in a typical Asian household, I was encouraged to do well in school, participate in a number of extra-curricular activities,…

Cixi was a charismatic and powerful woman who effectively controlled the Chinese government for 47 years, from 1861 to her death in 1908. Cixi was born on November 29, 1835 and died on November 15, 1908 at the age of 72. Her given name was Yehonala which is her Manchu name originated from the combined name of two tribes, Yeho and Nala. She was born to parents of the middle ranks of Manchu society living in Beijing. Cixi’s father died when she was very young and as an eldest child she felt…

Living in a foreign country without an income, 婷婷’s life represents those who are burdened by financial and language barriers. Her birth name “趙瑞婷” is pronounced “ziu seoi ting” in Cantonese and “Zhao Rui Ting” in Mandarin. When she was filling out the petition to immigrate, the Chinese characters turned into “Rui Ting Zhao”, with “Rui Ting” being the first name, and “Zhao” being the last name. Though this was just a minor…

“You talk to me of nationality, language, religion. I shall try to fly by those nets” (Portrait, 182). Stephen saw nationality as a “net,” meaning that it would halt the progression of his personal identity. While nationality, language, and religion are stated as three separate categories, an extreme form of nationality can overwhelmingly influence all three. Nations tend to have a national language, and may even at times have a national religion. If one feels that their given language and…

From what I noticed, I can summarize a few basic rules on Chinese food from all the sources I retrieved. One, Chinese food is simply food with the smart application of numerous tools and seasoning to enhance the flavors. Some of these flavors are usually dominant, but are integrated with opposite flavors. Two, Chinese food requires a certain amount of diligence and patience, but those who wait are often rewarded with the best-tasting food…

Taoism is a religion most commonly seen in China. Taoism does share some similarities with two religions we have discussed previously, including Buddhism and Confucianism. This religion started with a man named Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu was born around 604 B.C and was known in the Taoism religion as “the Old Boy.” People were not very certain about Lao Tzu because there were different conspiracies about different parts of his life. Some legends about Lao Tzu included people believing he was in his…

several years, Google and China have been locked in a battle over censorship. In addition to filtering its citizen’s internet searches, the Chinese government routinely restricts access to, or outright blocks, several of Google’s products. Products such as Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Google Translate are the most affected. These actions by the Chinese government have a direct effect on Google’s market share in China and overall revenue. In early 2010, just before the troubles…

for them, the future holds a continuation of destruction and demise that overpopulation has already wrought on the people. The Chinese economy has been hit and almost sunk by the invisible shots fired by overpopulation because of its sudden lack in resources. As the people go about living their daily live they do not notice that about “one billion people, that…

According to late President Lyndon B. Johnson, “The land flourished because it was fed from so many sources--because it was nourished by so many cultures and traditions and peoples.” In other words, immigrants have been and will continue to be a vital aspect of American society, helping the nation thrive as an economic powerhouse, a technological innovator, and a cultural melting pot. Especially in a city as ethnically and culturally diverse as New York City, immigrants remain at the heart of…