Saturday, August 13, 2011

The four Chinese classical novels

If you like to understand the four great classical novels in Chinese literature, just read these humorous quotations "流行調侃" I found on the web and verify them when you read the original texts:


1. 《紅樓夢》告訴我們:

凡是真心相愛的,最後都拆散了;
凡是胡亂勾搭的,最後都團圓了。

2. 《西遊記》告訴我們:

凡是有後臺的妖怪,都修成正果了;
凡是沒後臺的妖怪,都被猴子一棒子打死了。

3. 《水滸傳》告訴我們:

只走白道不行,只走黑道更不行,
行的都是走黑白兩道、官匪勾結的。

4. 《三國演義》告訴我們:

精兵強將只能一時輝煌,
兵多將廣才能得勝天下。

With the humor built into your reading, it will make understanding the novels an enjoyable exploration!

Dexterine Ho

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Beginner Chinese

Beginner Chinese lesson part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEHVLuhQ9aU&NR=1

A short Chinese dialogue with pin yin and English translation, I like this video as beginner can practice pin yin with this video with slow and clear examples. The arrows indicate the intonation in each word help learners see and understand how the words are pronounced.

With the visual aids, beginner can imitate it with ease and master the right tone within shorter time!

Dexterine Ho

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

"Shopping" in Chinese: 為何叫買東西?

"Shopping" in Chinese is called "買東西!" and here is the origin of this term:

(Information is extracted from a friend's email and no source of information is provided)

南宋理學大家朱熹,在未出仕前,家鄉有叫盛溫和的好友,此人亦是博學多才的人,一天兩人相遇於巷子內,盛手中拿著一個竹籃子。


朱熹問他:「你去那裡?」

盛溫回答說:「我要去買點東西。」

朱熹是以窮理致知研究學問的人,他聽盛的話,很好! 奇! ,隨即問道:「你說買東西,為什麼不說買南北呢?」

盛溫和反問朱熹:「你知什麼是五行嗎?」

朱熹答:「我當然知道,不就是金、木、水、火、土嗎?」


盛溫說:「不錯,你知道了就好辦,現在我說給你聽聽,東方屬木,西方屬金,南方屬火,北方屬水,中間屬土。

我的籃子是竹做的,盛火會燒掉,裝水會漏光,只能裝木和金,更不會盛土,所以叫買東西,不說買南北呀。」

朱熹聽後唉了一聲說:「原來是這樣!」

原來「買東西」這個名詞還有這樣一個典故,未收到這篇故事前,還真是搞不懂為何會說「買東西」而不說「買南北」,看了這篇故事後,才知道原來還有這樣一段插曲呢!古人的智慧真是蘊藏在我們的生活中。

**********************************************************************
I will search for a translated version, if you happen to know one, do let me know and it will benefit the readers of this blog!

Cheers!

Dexterine Ho

Monday, August 8, 2011

Read Comic and Cartoon in Chinese

If you like to learn Chinese the light-hearted way, try to read comic and cartoon in Chinese.

For online comic and cartoon, Lianhe Zaobao posted current affair and political comic/cartoon by Heng Kim Song and other cartoonists at:

Lianhe Zaobao: 更多时事漫画 >本地漫画:
http://www.zaobao.com/pictorial/wangjinsong/index.html


Lianhe Zaobao首页: 新闻 > 时事漫画:
http://www.zaobao.com/pictorial/comics/comics.shtml

Sometime, it is not easy to understand the subtle meaning and the satirical expression of the columnist. To read the commentary on the page is a great challenge especially to reader who do not have background knowledge and good commands of Chinese.

Nevertheless, if the interest is aroused, one can always build up their current affair awareness and increase their Chinese vocabulary day by day!

Some of the comic by Heng Kim Song is being translated, yet the original Chinese text is not attached, it is included here for your interest:

For examples:

The Comic News: Editorial Cartoon by Heng Kim Song, Lianhe Zaobao

The Comic News: Editorial Cartoon by Heng Kim Song, Lianhe Zaobao, Singapore on Trouble Spots Cause Concern ... Comic News Service (CNS) August 2007 archive

www.thecomicnews.com/edtoons/archive/2007/1107/trouble/01.php

WittyWorld's Research on Censorship: Singapore

This cartoon by Singapore cartoonist Heng Kim Song pertains to the 1992 www.wittyworld.com/countries/singapore.html

Singaporean cartoonist Heng Kim Song in Seoul to share his work. Listed are links to weblogs that reference the Cartoonist
wef.typepad.com/blog/2004/06/cartoonist_heng.html

If you like to know more about Heng Kim Song, the cartoonist, read on...

Heng Kim Song is the most celebrated Singaporean cartoonist.

Heng has been a freelance editorial cartoonist since 1984 and has been syndicated internationally since the early 1999s.

His work has appeared in international publications such as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, International Herald Tribune, the now-defunct Asiaweek and the Hongkong-based Yazhou Zhoukan since the early 1990s.

He was the official cartoonist for the 2004 World Economic Forum in Seoul.

From time to time, exhibition of his comic is stage at the Singapore Book Fair!


Dexterine Ho