Each star in Chinese concept of divinity is a god. Some widely known ones are the God (star) of Longevity, God (star) of Wealth, God (star) of Success and Employment. A person of significant achievement in one’s lifetime can also …
It’s a lovely dress!
Recent discussion over whether a teenager wearing a mandarin dress as a prom dress has been hotly debated. I don’t think such a small gesture can so deeply ridicule a hugely diverse culture as the Chinese. The qipao as it …
ABC means American Born Chinese
ABC in Chinese American lingo means American Born Chinese and is not a complimentary term. It means a person of Chinese heritage born in the US, who is ignorant of the Chinese culture. When I was growing up in the …
Pineapple buns have no pineapple inside.
Pineapple buns’ name sake figuratively describes the boxy design on the crusty top. They are usually plain with no filling. If they come with filling, it would be a sweet custard, a sweet red bean paste, or even a savory …
Rice is not for throwing…
When my family moved to the US, my parents were appalled when they heard of a tradition of throwing rice at wedding couples. How could you literally throw food away? When the term “eating rice” in Chinese means meal time, and …
A gesture is worth a thousand words.
Chinese is a high context language. What is said is constantly clarified by what the gestures say. Depending on context, this woman’s wave may mean 5 things in Chinese communication: 1) Hello, nice to see you, 2) Wait! Stay here, …
Buying Red Envelopes by 50s or 100s?
If you are shopping for red envelopes for Chinese new year and you are not sure which ones are authentic, look for packages of 50-100. Why would the Chinese use so many? The Chinese buy them in bulk because red …
Year of the Dog
Like the Native Americans who honor the wolf, the Chinese saw qualities in these chosen 12 animals that we could emulate. During the Year of the Dog we think about five of the dog’s best qualities: 1) loyalty, 2) companionship, …
Measurement of Time
Traditional Chinese geomancy, or science before the scientific age, determined 12 increments of a 24 hour day. Once the 24 hours day became widely used, Chinese language developed “the (little) hour” as a smaller increment. This change does not affect …
Mahjong and Karaoke
Mahjong and karaoke are typical pre-banquet warm up activities at wedding, birthdays, and baby celebratory events. Making some noise brings joyful energy. With the wind tiles of mahjong, your luck is bound to change from bad to good. Karaoke has …