Conversations

Background: A Vietnamese tourist plans to visit the Shanghai World Expo 2010 but got lost in Shanghai Metro. He is asking for help from a metro station staff.

Conversation 1:

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conversation 2:

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Conversation Breakdown and Explanation

When you asking for directions … You can say:

• 请 qǐng it’s a polite expression, which is mean please.
• 请问 qǐng wèn = May I ask .
• 高科西路 gāo kē xī lù refers to a road = West Gaoke Road. where,
  • 西 xī = west
  • 路 lù = road

• 怎么走 zěn me zǒu means how to walk (how to get to)

It is used in asking for direction in Mandarin.
Eg: 中国馆怎么走？ zhōng guó guǎn zěn me zǒu (where 中国馆 zhōng guó guǎn = China Pavilion)
How to get to China Pavilion?

Directions to take the metro:

• 坐 zuò = Sit or in this case, it also means ‘to Take’ as in to Take a train, a bus or any other transportation means.
• 地铁 dì tiě = metro
• 六号线 liù hào xiàn = Line number 6. where,
  • 六 liù = 6
  • 号 hào = number
  • 线 xiàn = line
• 下车 xià chē = to alight

Asking if the destination is far :

• 远 yuǎn = Far
• 吗 ma : this sentence structure is a very commonly used for asking questions. By adding a 吗 ma behind a sentence, you can very often change sentence into a question.

Asking how long you need to walk to destination :

• 走 zǒu = Walk
• 多久 duō jiǔ = How long / How much time

• 大 约 dà yuē = approximately
• 十 shí = 10 (ten)
• 分钟 fēn zhōng = minutes

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Conversations

Conversation 1:

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Conversation 2:

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Conversation Breakdown and Explanation

When you ask for a direction – You can say:

• 请 qǐng it’s a polite expression, which is mean please.
• 请问 qǐng wèn = May I ask.
• 哪儿 nǎr （or 哪里 nǎ lǐ） = where.

When you want to know how to get to a place – You can ask:

• 这里 zhè lǐ = here.
• 中山东路 zhōng shān dōng lù ( Zhongshan East Road) is a place in the example where 路 lù refers to Road
• 怎么走 zěn me zǒu = how to walk (how to get to)

It is used in asking for direction in Mandarin.

Eg: 车站怎么走？chē zhàn zěn me zǒu (where 车站 chē zhàn = station)

How to get to station?

Giving Directions :

In this example, the policeman answers

• 向前走 xiàng qián zǒu = walk straight ahead
  
• 左转 zuǒ zhuǎn = turn left
• 就到了 jiù dào le = right there, or (you) will (be able to) reach there.

To say ‘thank you’ in mandarin, you can say:

• 谢谢 xiè xiè = thank you.

To reply a thanks in mandarin, you can say:

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or

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or

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Since wining and dining guests is an old and esteemed tradition in China, it is not surprising that Chinese society has developed an intricate set of rules to govern also this delicate aspect of social interaction.

Chinese dining etiquette, whether it applies to receiving only a few guests at a single table in one’s home or to holding a public banquet involving dozens of guests seated at several tables, varies with the character and purpose of the dinner. It also differs slightly from region to region in China. China’s banquet etiquette is said to have originated from the Etiquette and Ceremonials, a work believed to have been penned by the Duke of Zhou during the Zhou Dynasty (BC 1027 – 221), though no independent mention of the book exists until the beginning of the Han Dynasty (BC 206 to AD 220).

Through thousands of years of evolution, Chinese dining etiquette has continued to develop, albeit always with one foot in the traditions of the past.

The main difference between Chinese and Western eating habits are that unlike the West, where everyone has their own plate of food, in China the dishes are placed on the table and everybody shares. If you are being treated by a Chinese host, be prepared for a ton of food. Chinese are very proud of their culture of cuisine and will do their best to show their hospitality.

Here are some tips about Chinese Dining Etiquettes.

Reception Formalities

• Guests should present themselves to the host upon arrival. This is important since it is the host who determines the seating arrangement, and in order to do this properly, the host needs to know who among the invited guests actually arrived.
• If one is more or less a stranger to the other guests and needs introducing, the host will generally take care of this, either personally, or by delegating this function to an appointed person.
• Be punctual – it is rude in Chinese society to arrive late. It shows disrespect to the host, one should not keep the host waiting.
• One may bring a small gift if one is a low-ranking guest (a stranger or a near-stranger, a distant relative, etc.) while one brings a finer gift such as a bottle of quality wine if one is a higher-ranking guest.
• The elderly or guest(s) of honour are usually the first to start the meal.
• The youngest or least senior may serve the eldest or most senior first, as part of the Confucian value of respecting seniors.
• The youngest on the table addresses all of the elder members at the table before starting, perhaps telling them to please “eat rice” as a signal to help themselves.
• The best food in a dish should be left to the elderly, children, or the guest of honour.
• When the hostess says her food is not good enough, the guest must disagree and tell her it is one of the finest foods they have ever tasted.

The First Toast and the Signal to Dine

Usually, the guest of honour start by taking the first drink or by proposing the first toast, just as it is the guest of honour who is the first to begin eating. As to the mechanics of the first toast, the guest of honour raises his glass first, then the first “row”, the second “row”, etc., down the line as each “row” raises its glasses until the last “row” is reached, whereupon everyone drinks at the same time, possibly to a special toast.

Generally, the guest of honour will invite everyone to commence eating with words to the effect of “Shall we dine?” This gesture of politeness serves as a signal to the other guests that they may then commence dining. It is unforgivably rude to commence eating before the guest of honour has begun to eat, so although the guest of honour invites the assembled guests to begin dining, no one does so until the guest of honour has taken the first bite.

During the dinner, you also have some tips to attention:

Chopstick Usage

• Chopsticks should always be held correctly, i.e. between the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand.
• When not in use, chopsticks must always be placed neatly on the table with two sticks lying tidily next to each other at both ends. Failure to do so is evocative of the way the dead would be placed in a coffin before the funeral.
• Never point the chopsticks at another person. This amounts to insulting that person.
• Never wave your chopsticks around as if they were an extension of your hand gestures.
• Never bang chopsticks like drumsticks. This is akin to telling others at the table you are a beggar.
• Never use chopsticks to move bowls or plates.
• Never suck the chopsticks.
• Decide what to pick up before reaching with chopsticks, instead of hovering them over or rummaging through dishes.
• To keep chopsticks off the table, they can be rested horizontally on one’s plate or bowl; a chopstick rest (commonly found in restaurants) can also be used.
• When picking up a piece of food, never use the tips of your chopsticks to poke through the food as with a fork; exceptions include tearing apart larger items such as vegetables.
• Never stab chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice, as this resembles incense sticks used at temples to pay respects to the deceased.

Eating

• Pick the food on the dish that is at the top and nearest to you in distance. Never rummage through the dish or pick from the far side for your favourite food.
• In general, more conservative Chinese frown upon the practice of picking more than one or two bites of food in your bowl or serving plate as if you were eating in the Western way.
• If both a serving bowl – separate from rice bowl – and plate are provided, never put any food items to be eaten onto the serving plate. This rule may be relaxed for foreigners.
• If a dish is soupy, pull the serving bowl near the serving dish and reduce the distance the chopsticks need carrying the food. Spilling plenty of sauce on the table is a major faux pas.
• When eating food that contains bones, it is customary that the bones be spat out onto the table to the right of the dining plate in a neat pile. Spitting onto the floor is almost never acceptable.
• Talking with a full mouth, eating with the elbows on the table and tasting from a table guest’s plate is also not allowed

Drinks

There are several kinds of drinks at a Chinese table such as wine, alcohol, but more tea is a more common drink.

• The host should always make sure everyone’s cups are not empty for long. One should not pour for oneself, it’s be good to offer to pour drink for the person sitting next to you and he/she will in turn pour drink for you.
• Make sure the spout of the teapot is not facing anyone; it is impolite to set the teapot down where the spout is facing towards somebody. The spout should always be directed to where nobody is sitting, usually just outward from the table.
• When people wish to clink drinks together in the form of a cheer, it is important to observe that younger members should clink the rim of their glass below the rim of an elder’s to show respect.

Strong alcohol, called baijiu, is often served throughout the meal; and it is customary for the host[s]/hostess[es] to insist that guests drink to “show friendship.”

If the guests prefer not to drink, they may say, “I’m unable to drink, but thank you.” [in Mandarin: "Wo bu neng he jiu, xie xie." ]The host may continue to insist that the guests drink, and the guests may likewise continue to insist upon being “unable” to drink.

The host’s insistence is to show generosity. Therefore, refusal by the guests should be made with utmost politeness. Beware: If a guest drinks alcohol with a subordinate at the table, the guest will be expected [if not forced] to drink a glass of the same alcohol with each superior at that table, and possibly at other tables too—if the guest has not passed out yet.

Vocabulary

礼仪                  lǐ yí                      etiquette

筷子                 kuài zī                   chopstick

功能                 gōng néng             Function

举杯祝酒        jǘ bēi zhù jiǔ            Toasting

客人                kè rén                     Guest

慷慨                kāng kǎi                 Generosity

好客                hào kè                    Hospitality

nǐn hǎo，shàng hǎi cān guǎn。
A:  您  好，    上          海   餐   馆。
A:  Hello, this is Shanghai Restaurant.

nǐ   hǎo， wǒ xiǎng yù ding yìzhāng zhuō zi.
B:你 好,        我     想      预  定    一 张          桌     子。
B:  Hello,  I’d like to reserve a table.

hǎo de，  qǐng wèn jǐ wèi?
A: 好  的，    请      问    几 位？
A: Ok, how many people？

liǎng gè rén
B: 两     个  人。
B: Two.
nín ding jǐ diǎn?
A: 您 　定  几  点 ？
A: what time would you make it?

míng tiān wǎn shàng bā diǎn bàn。

B:  明        天       晚   上       八   点     半.
B:At 8:30pm tomorrow evening.

qǐng wèn nín jiào shén me míng zi?
A:  请    问     您   叫      什      么   名    字？
A: what’s your name please?

wǒ  jiào jié kè
B:   我   叫    杰 克。
B: My name is Jake.

Key words :  when you want to make a reservation for dinner ……You can say:

wǒ xiǎng  yù ding  yìzhāngzhuōzi
我      想    预    定      一  张      桌   子.
I’d like to make a reservation.

我想 means I’d like to

预定 means reserve

桌子 means table

一张：Zhang is a measure word.
Measure words are used along with numbers to define the quantity of a given object．
For example, many flat objects such as tables, papers, beds, and benches use the classifier 张 zhāng．

Then waiter will then  ask　how many people, which is ：

qǐng wèn jǐ  wèi?
请       问  几  位？
how many people？

几位 means how many (people)

Key words :　if you want to make a reservation at 8:30pm tomorrow evening, you can say:

míng tiān wǎn shàng bā diǎn bàn。
明         天    晚     上        八  点      半.
At 8:30pm tomorrow evening.

明天　means 　　tomorrow

晚上　means         evening

八点半 means    half past eight

1. Currency

The official currency in China is the Renminbi (RMB or CNY), which consists of yuan, jiao and fen.

Money is issued in notes of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 yuan, and 1 yuan coins. There are also notes and coins for 1, 5 jiao. Fen is issued as coins. But fen is rarely used as they have no purchasing power.

yuán
元  :  yuan

jiǎo

角 : jiao

fēn
分 :  cent

yī yuán
壹  元 :  1 yuan

wǔ yuán
伍  元  :  5 yuan

shí yuán
拾    元:  10 yuan

yī bǎi yuán
一  佰  元 : 100 yuan

2.  Modes of Transport

Taking a taxi is a very fast and convenient way to get to your destination, be it a hotel, scenic spot, airport, railway station, and so on.

Traveling by train and subway in China is one of the cheapest ways to travel some of the long distances in China and is used widely by the local population.

chū zū chē
出   租  车:  taxi

sī   jī
司 机 ：driver

gōng jiāo chē
公　  交    车：bus

dì tiě
地 铁：subway

3. Days

The name of days in Mandarin are as follows.

xīngqīyī
星 期 一 : Monday
xīngqī èr
星 期 二 : Tuesday
xīng qī sān
星 期 三 : Wednesday
xīng qī sì
星 期 四 : Thursday
xīng qī wǔ
星 期  五 : Friday
xīng qī liù
星 期 六 : Saturday
xīng qī tiān
星 期 天 : Sunday

4.Time

xiǎo shí
小      时: hour

fēnzhōng
分    钟 :minute

miǎo
秒 :second

5. Numbers

yī                       èr
一: one             二:two

sān                      sì
三: three           四:four

wǔ                    liù
五:five             六:six

qī                            bā
七：seven            八:eight

jiǔ                        shí
九: nine              十:ten

èrshí                      sānshí
二十 :twenty        三 十:thirty

jiǔshí                      jiǔ shíjiǔ
九  十:ninety        九  十 九:ninety-nine

yìbǎi
一百:one hundred

富二代is Affluent 2nd generation.

Affluent 2nd generation is the children born after the 1980s who have inherited much wealth from their parents (the affluent 1st generation) and are beginning to exert their influence.

A new report from the “Forbes” Chinese version of the initial public release “China’s luxury market survey” that China is becoming the luxury goods industry, the most vibrant in the present and the future of the territory, “rich second-generation” gradually become China’s consumption of luxury goods an important force, beyond their own economic strength of luxury consumption, “the back of the audience,” continued into the Chinese luxury consumption constitutes a new force.

World Luxury Association report shows that, as of the end of January this year, China’s luxury goods consumption in the total 8.6 billion, the global share of 25% of the share for the first time surpassed the United States, ranking runner-up the throne, behind Japan.  The report shows that: China’s richest annual average consumption of 2 million yuan. Among them, expensive cars, watches and other luxury goods is the biggest spending item.

Chinese luxury goods market, consumption of this inner energy, is also based on Chinese luxury consumers in the distribution of an increasingly wide range. Forbes has just been released, according to research analysis, through many rounds of tests and opportunities, the initial wealth generation has created a lot of money of social wealth, “rich second-generation” have become an important force in China’s consumption of luxury goods, beyond its own economic strength for luxury consumption, “the back of the audience,” continued into the Chinese luxury consumption constitutes a new thrust. The report also noted that the second-tier cities in the awareness level of luxury and consumption is rising.

Previously only first-tier cities in China to stay luxury brand CEO who are now coming to the Nuggets second-tier cities, while domestic use of less-affluent cities of people travel to buy luxury goods from overseas has also been uncommon to spend thousands of tens of thousands of pieces of money to buy a LV bag or a Coach bag is not something new.

2. 婚奴 hūn nú

It means “wedding slave “. In our previous entry of Popular Catchphrases in China, there was a mention on房奴(fáng nú) which refers to a group of people who spend a large part of their family income paying their mortgage.

In some Chinese cities, especially large ones like Shanghai, quite a few young couples run into huge debts after throwing a luxurious wedding well beyond their means. So after the marriage, the newly-weds have to slave away to pay off all the bills.

3. 考碗族 kǎo wán zú

The Chinese words in the picture reads: Civil Servant

In actual face, 考碗族 (kao wan zu) means a Stable Job Seeker.

Many people dream of becoming a civil servant or working in a state-owned company because these jobs mean less pressure and stable earnings. Some of them attend the civil servant recruitment exam every year even thought they have already got a job.

A record high of 1.46 million people qualified to take the national civil servant exam for the year 2010. That was about 16 times more than the number of 87,000 people who qualified in 2003, according to xinhuanet.com.

Most Chinese consider civil service jobs to be stable and rewarding. Competition for them has increased each year. This year, only one out of every 93 people who will take the exam is expected to be offered a job next year in the central government or those organizations directly attached to it.

1.05 million people qualified to take the exam in 2008, but only one out of 77 passed and was offered a job in 2009. 80 million people qualified in 2007, and one out of 60 was offered a position in 2008, while 60 million people were entitled to take the exam in 2006 and just one out of 42 passed in 2007.

4. 卧槽族 wòcáo zú

This is a twist on the Chinese word for “job hopping,” this term means “job-hugging” as many people now cling to their current jobs because companies no longer hire new staff due to global economic crisis.

Despite being unhappy with terms & benefits of the current job, but before the Spring festival most employees will be given bonuses for their hard work over the year. Even if one decides to leave, he or she will do it after collecting the bonus. Hence, every year after the Spring festival, there will be many people looking for jobs.

Why do more people hop from job to job instead of sticking to one job all their lives? Some people still think that it is important to stay in one job or career to become an expert, but more and more people are trying different jobs before settling down.

5.  啃老族 kěn lǎo zú


Acronym of “Not in Employment, Education or Training”. It refers to the young people who do not work but live off their parents.

An investigation indicates that about 70% of the unemployed young people in our country now live off their parents, thus becoming Neets.” The boomerang child phenomenon has become a social problem on a nationwide scale.

It was first used in the United Kingdom but its use has spread to other countries, including Japan, China, and South Korea.

In the United Kingdom, the classification comprises people aged between 16 and 24 (some 16 year olds are still of compulsory school age). In Japan, the classification comprises people aged between 15 and 34 who are unemployed, unmarried, not enrolled in school or engaged in housework, and not seeking work or the technical training needed for work. The “NEET group” is not a uniform set of individuals but consists of those who will be NEET for a short time while essentially testing out a variety of opportunities and those who have major and often multiple issues and are at long term risk of remaining disengaged.

6. 装嫩 zhuāng nèn

It’s simply the act of ‘acting young’.

Some ladies, particularly those married middle-aged ones, like to wear colourful, flamboyant clothes. They use language and flash gestures and act in a way that is more suitable to people of a much younger age. They are described as “pretending to be young & tender,” as this Chinese term means literally.

Adults tend to face a lot of harsh reality in life, so it’s no wonder to see more people trying to act young. Their kiddish behaviour probably reflects their desire of going back to their childhood. It may not necessary be bad in this stressful society. However if this psychological behaviour takes on extreme, this individual may reject growing up.

7. 人肉搜索 rén ròu sōu suǒ

“Human flesh search engines” is a term used to describe sites where internet vigilante mobs track down and publish personal details such as name, home address, workplace, phone number, etc of those they believe have engaged in some kind of behavior worth punishing.

Needless to say, the mob may not always have its facts right, and even if it does, there are privacy issues involved that will be treated differently by different legal systems.

For example, a notorious case of the high-heeled kitten killer that happened in 2006 of a video of a pretty woman in sexy clothes caressing a kitten’s fur along a riverbank. Then she puts the kitten on the ground and stomps on its head with her high-heeled shoes and crushed it to death at last.

The video was later posted on the Internet and could be downloaded for free. It was used to attract viewers to a Website that featured videos of small animals being stomped to death by aggressive women. The Website, which sold the discs for 15 yuan each, is no longer operating.

Immediately after the video was posted several weeks ago, enraged animal lovers began tracking down those involved in making the video.

The actress and the video’s producer were traced to Luobei County in the northern province. The woman, a Heilongjiang Province nurse named Wang Jue, said she was despondent over a failed marriage and allowed herself to be talked into crushing the animal to death while the cameras rolled.

8. 走班族 zǒu bān zú

These people refer to being walking commuters. They are actually a bunch of health conscious who prefer to go to and  from work by foot. Yes, their form of transport is not car, not bike, not taxi, not bus, but their own feet.

At 7:50 am on September 22, Lin Yuan, who lives in Sanxia Square, Shapingba District, left her house as she always does, and walked over 40 minutes to an office building located at Fengtian Road. The number of “walking commuters,” like Lin, who go to work not by squeezing into packed buses and by driving cars, but by walking every day, is growing in Chongqing Municipality. According to sources, the number of “walking commuters” in Chongqing has exceeded 5,000.

Lin, 27, is a civil servant working for the Shapingba District government, and walked to work for over two years. She walks for over 40 minutes every morning, and then retraces her steps when she gets off work in the evening. For over two years, Lin walked to work every day except for strong winds and heavy rains.

Lin said that previously, she squeezed into a bus every morning. Later, she discovered through a TV program that “walking” is a healthy and eco-friendly way to go to work, and tried it for several days. Because Lin felt good, she stuck to it. “During the last two years, I knew several new friends on my way to work, and my weight has gone down from 56.5 to 49 kilograms.” Lin’s several friends that live nearby also do exercise by walking to their working places.

Lin said that actually, many of the “walking commuters” in Chongqing own a car. Walking to work is a lifestyle, which not only lets them breathe the fresh air, but also relieves psychological pressure as well as reduces emissions from tailpipes. However, Lin suggested that if you want to be a “walking commuter,” your house should be near to the place where you work, or you will be very tired.

Through a “walking commuters” forum on a website, reporters got in contact with many walking commuters from Chongqing. A netizen nicknamed “Qiao Duoduo” told the reporter that she lives in Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street, and the office building where she works is located on Jiaochangkou. She walks 10 minute to work every day, which makes her very happy because this enables her to not only exercise, but also contribute to making the city’s public transportation less crowded.

9.穷忙族 qióng máng zú

The people, labeled as “working poor”, are economically disadvantaged despite the fact that they are fully employed. The working poor do not have sufficient income to improve their overall lifestyle.

Recently, some netizen came up with symtoms of people labeled as ‘working poor’.

1. Working for more than 54 hours a week, without prospects;
2. No salary raise within a year;
3. No promotion for three years;
4. Low salary, living a hard life by the end of the month;
5. Little savings, without property;
6. Not low salary, but spend money extravagantly;
7. Not low income, without a sense of security;
8. Extremely busy, feel guilty once stop for a while;
9. Work in the day time, continue with the work when come back home in the evening;
10. Always plan to do the great work, but can’t finish the work in hand.

Are you a ‘working poor’ employee too?

10.飞鱼族 fēi yú zú

The Flying-Fish Clan. This term, deriving from the title of a novel “Poissons Volants sur Paris,” refers to those Chinese who give up their well-established careers in their home country and go overseas to study in elite foreign universities.

It’s probably a kind of challenge for these people to instill more excitement and adventure in their lives in a foreign land. Even if it doesn’t come across as a challenge, some people would just want to move on to another chapter of their life to fulfil what they want to do which they probably didn’t have the chance to do it before.  Perhaps, this itself is consider a kind of achievement.

Money is issued in notes of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 yuan, and 1 yuan coins. There are also notes and coins for 1, 5 jiao. Fen is issued as coins. But fen is rarely used as they have no purchasing power.

1.    Banknotes

Significantly, the Chinese currency now uses the portrait of Mao Zedong on all banknotes, in place of the various leaders and workers which had been featured previously.

The substrates use well-known Chinese flower pattern and the back of the main pattern shows a representative pattern with ethnic characteristics. It fully demonstrates China’s long history, magnificent mountains and rivers, showcasing the cultures of China.

The denomination of each banknote is printed in Chinese. The numbers themselves are printed in financial Chinese numeral characters, as well as Arabic numerals. The denomination and the words “People’s Bank of China” are also printed in Mongol, Tibetan, Uyghur and Zhuang on the back of each banknote.

2.    Coins

1 jiao coin (equivalent to 10 cents)

3.    Foreign Currency Exchange

Note that China has established some very strict regulations on foreign currency exchange.

It is possible to exchange traveler’s checks or cash at most banks, and hotels always have a money exchange counter. Cash advances are available on most common credit/debit cards e.g. American Express/Visa/MasterCard, but this facility is available only from the main branch of the Bank of China in most Chinese cities. A fee of 3%-4% will apply.

The Bank of China has an ATM network that will allow cash advances from major credit / debit cards and ATM cards. Check you credit card provider for this information before leaving your home country. You are required to present your passport to change money/travelers checks etc. Hotels will usually only allow you to change money if you are guest at the hotel. The RMB is not easily convertible on the international market so it is only usable in China.

It is advisable to change only the money that you need for you trip as it may be difficult to change back to you preferred currency. RMB is now readily convertible in Hong Kong. You can convert unused RMB to another currency in China by producing the receipts for your original purchase of RMB in China. This exchange is done at the airport as you leave China.

1 yuan silver coins (a dollar) and the golden 5 jiao coins (50 cents)

Tips:

• Due to the strict regulations, there is an active black market for currency exchange, but illegal money changers sometimes operate with false currencies so it is definitely preferable to do your currency exchanges at an official institution.

• Most of the time, vendors and taxi drivers ask for a small note when you pass them a RMB100 note, sometime they cannot change it and sometimes are not willing to. So it is a good idea to stack up on RMB10 bills.

• average price of U.S. dollar against RMB  (1 U.S. dollar)

4.    Cost of living in China

China is no longer the “bargain country” that is used to be. Along with the rise of living standards, prices have also dramatically increased. Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong have become some of the most expensive cities to live in the world, with prices for top-range apartments reaching US$ 10,000 monthly rent or more. Education for your children can also become quite costly, and if you move within the “higher circles” of Chinese society, expect to pay Western prices at top-level restaurants and other places.

On the other hand, you can still live relatively cheaply if you stick to the living standards of the lower and middle class ends of the local population. Riding buses instead of taking cabs, eating at cheap noodle outlets and living in an old-fashioned Chinese apartment with little or no amenities will save you a lot of money. If you move out of the big cities, prices for everything drop dramatically, often by more than half.

Vocabulary

元   yuán  (equivalent of a dollar)

角   jiǎo  (equivalent of 10 cents)

分   fēn  (equivalent of 1 cent)

纸币   zhǐ bì   banknote

硬币   yìn bì   coin

外币兑换  wài bì duì huàn   currency exchange

自动出纳机   zì dòng chū nà jī   ATM (automatic teller machine)

The People’s Republic of China was established on October 1, 1949. The then new government set about creating a new art for the new nation.

Art was only in service to nation building. From roughly the 1950′s to the1970′s, artists were told what they could and could not paint. The Chinese art on this site are divided in three sections:

• The early years (1949-1965)
• The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)
• Period of modernization up to the present (1977-now)

1. The Early years (1949-1965)

Since 1949, the Communist Party is in power in China, with Mao Zedong as chairman. In the early years, the arts propaganda focuses on building the new country.

The poster below showed the parade at the Tiananmen Square. Peace in Beijing on the occasion of the proclamation of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949. Mao Zedong, 6th from the left, with members of his first government.

Many Chinese policies such as the Great Leap Forward and collectivization of agriculture in the late 1950s were presented to the public using Socialist Realism Posters. The happy, energetic, and idyllic scenes are all on the posters.  Often these posters included Communist expressions and slogans.

One of the central goals of the Great Leap Forward was to increase steel production. Thus, the other sectors would follow once this movement is successful.

In the early 1960s there is an economic liberalization to encourage production. At the same time, an extremely aggressive style of propaganda is developed for use against Western imperialism. This is especially evident in arts on the Vietnam War.

Throughout the Vietnam War, China supported the communist north. After the departure of the Americans and the unification of the North & South, the old rivalry between China & Vietnam for dominance in this region leads to strained relations and border conflicts.

From the start, The Chinese style of Socialist Realism differed slightly from the Soviet style. The colours were brighter, and paintings included water-colour like gradations in tone. The outlines of the subjects were also more clearly defined, perhaps due to the influence of woodcut art.

2.  Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)

In 1966 Mao launches the Cultural Revolution to eliminate his reformist rivals and set the country back on a rigid communist course.

During the Cultural Revolution very few subjects were considered legitimate for art. The Chinese outdid Soviet-style realism, always portraying Mao as hero, surrounded by smiling farmers and happy peasants. The personality cult of Mao Zedong was particularly emphasized during that time. On the other hand, many paintings of the military show soldiers with grim almost menacing expressions, weighted down by their heavy responsibilities.

In the early 1970s the situation loosens up slightly. Many national art exhibitions were organized by Mao’s wife Jiang Qing. The emphasis shifts to the countryside and to the glorification of life in the agricultural communes.

Paintings become more colourful again, often painted in the style that combines heavy contours with carefully shaded colours. The folk painters from Huxian are touted as true folk artists, demonstrating the innate artistic abilities of the people. Hundreds of their paintings are made into posters.

3. Modernization (1977-now)

In 1976, Mao died. After the death of Mao and the end of the Cultural Revolution, Socialist Realism Art diminished but did not die.

This art piece above may serve to mark the conclusion of the Cultural Revolution, describing the reactions of local people to news that Mao Zedong has died. Mao’s most fanatical supporters (called the Gang of Four) are arrested by Mao’s successor, Hua Guofeng. He brings about reforms that are carried further by Deng Xiaoping, who gradually gains power.

In his view, some liberalization is necessary to allow China to catch up with the world industrially and economically. For the first time, arts show traces of growing material wealth. Role models are used to teach people the desired attitude.

Political control over the visual arts is loosened. The Chinese version of Socialist Realism is no longer the only form of expression permitted, as the restriction had caused the most talented artists to turn away from creating propaganda paintings. The influence of Western advertising becomes increasingly evident.

"Father" — by Luo Zhong

The form of the painting learned the styles of Western art, themes were mostly derived from the individual’s life, but they still have a strong real-life causes and social influence.

In this day and age, the theme of Chinese art styles is variety, which greatly enriches people’s cultural life. And international exchanges and cooperation are more and more, this is undoubtedly one of the best periods of development.

“Songkran - a paean to life”

The female nudity in the painting above appeared in public at the first time, and try to use abstract, distortion, symbols, and set off a controversy that he emphasized the “artistic personality and self-expression”.

Today’s advocate is to build a harmonious culture, and to build a harmonious society shown In the fusion of Eastern & Western painting nowadays. Stay tuned for more of the many art styles and types of painting influences in China to be featured in the upcoming articles.

Vocabulary

社会主义写实画   shè huì zhǔ yì xiě shí huà   Social Realism Art

共产党    gòng chǎn dǎng    Communist party

宣传   xuān chuán    Propaganda

经济自由   jīng jì zì yóu      economic liberalization

争议zhēng  yì     controversy

抽象  chōu xiàng      abstract

A spread in Southern Metropolis Weekly features writers recalling their childhoods in China, from the ’60s through the ’80s. These brief essays follow the thread of China’s modernization and opening up, from the simple, hopeful lives of the Cultural Revolution to the first big influx of products and ideas two decades later. Here’s the translation…

1. 雷  léi

It has been one of the most popular Internet words since 2008. With the original meaning of thunder, the word 雷(Léi )has been given another meaning on the web in China. Now it means that one is shocked by some bold actions, or by strange or even embarrassing things.

It is said that this word is originated from a Wenzhou dialect word 雷倒 (léi dǎo) that means along the lines of fainting or falling off chair because of being speechless or overwhelmed by absurd issues or things happening.

For example, Jimmy cuts almost every class, one day he decided to show up in the lecture hall and the professor said to him, “Long time no see, look how you have grown!”

So that sentence made Jimmy lei dao. He must have felt very lei. And in this case, the professor is also considered very lei because he managed to stun Jimmy.

2. 囧jiǒng

As you can see, the character 囧(jiǒng)looks like a face with down casted eyes. The youngsters use it to express feelings of embarrassment or response to silliness. The character 囧 originally means ‘bright or smart’, but it is rarely used in that context nowadays.

For example, at the football game, Mike scored the goal into the wrong gate, one can say Mike just got himself into a very jiong situation and he felt very jiong.

3. 山寨  shān zhài

A picture of a mobile phone emulating the design of a cigarette pack.

In ancient China, this word means a mountain villa built by robbers. Now it mostly used to describe those fake or pirated products.

For example:
What the bloody hell is this? It looks like an iPod but with a brand name iPot! It’s just so 山寨！

4. 宅 zhái

宅(zhai) is Otaku. It has a meaning of “old or obsolete house” and it refers to someone who has a devotion to a subject or hobby (not necessarily anime) to the point of not leaving home. Hence most activities which Otakus in China do will be at home or indoors.

In China’s context, an otaku fan of a particular movie star could quite possibly know all of the films he or she has been in, their birth date, time of birth, shoe size, favorite toothpaste, etc. He or she could also be engaging activities such as online-gaming, surfing the internet to the extent of spending more than 12 hours in front of the computer. He or she could possibly like to collect items obsessively; things like stickers, cards, figurines and usually large amount of money would be spent on all these collectable items.

5. 赖校族  lài xiào zú

The illustration above is a comic trip.

Guy in yellow shirt: Why is the guy on the upper deck always sleeping? Doesn’t he have classes to attend?

Guy in red shirt: (sarcastically) According to my calculations, he should be in his 7th year in university now.

赖校族(lài xiào zú) are a bunch of “campus dwellers”.  It refers to those students who have already graduated from college or university but choose to stay and remain on the campus. They are scared by the bleak job market and want to keep living on campus at a lower cost.

6. 房奴  fáng nú

房奴(fáng nú) mean house slaves, which refers to a group of people who spend a large part of their family income paying their mortgage.

These “house slaves” are trapped into a life where everything is dependent upon paying off their mortgage. They live in fear of losing their job or falling ill, and they do not dare to change jobs in case that leads to a loss of security. Entertainment, travel and generally enjoying life all take a back seat to paying the mortgage.

7. 裸婚   luǒ hūn

裸婚(luǒ hūn) literally means ‘naked marriage’.  But don’t be mistaken thinking that a couple is getting married without clothes on.

In recent years, as the properties and living expenses in China has gone up since 2008, more and more couples are opting for ‘naked marriage’ because they’re not able to afford a house, a car, a diamond wedding ring or even a proper wedding ceremony. Just taking a picture and getting a marriage certificate is all that is involved.

However, the attitudes of the two genders are quite different. According to initial online statistics 80 percent of men approve of the “naked wedding”, while 70 percent of females do not.

Popular China new forum Sohu.com recently initiated a poll “Will you choose a ‘naked wedding’ in the new era of marriage?” It turned out that 43% votes “Yes” while the remaining 57% voted “No”.

Supporters feel that a “naked wedding” should be the normal expectation. A ‘typical wedding consist of everything’ seems to be what the current society is shaped up to be, showing off your ring, car, photo album to everyone. A few decades ago, our parents also married ‘naked’ and they have better & happier lives now. But look at the divorce rate now! So young people now should also go for ‘naked marriage’.

Those who didn’t support ‘naked marriage’ have their own set of argument that a “naked wedding” is a way of deceiving yourself; living without a certain material basis also means no interest in romance. A marriage on the basis of the certificate of marriage, which is a thin piece of paper, will not be able to withstand any hardships.

Vocabulary:

léi
雷                    thunder           n/v.
shān zhài
山       寨         fake or pirated products      n.

luǒ  hūn
裸      婚           naked marriage        n.

fáng  nú
房      奴           house slaves            n.

zhái
宅                    old or obsolete house      n.