User Comments - bodawei
bodawei
Posted on: Mudslide
October 8, 2010 at 3:31 AMHi Zhenlijiang
I am not ignoring your post, but neither do I want to get into a deep debate about this. My reasons:
- disaster relief is a science these days - I am sure I do not know enough to debate the pros and cons of a particular effort in any detail;
- although 面子 pervades Chinese society I don't see it having a negative influence generally in 'life and death' situations - pragmatism takes over;
- I have no reason to doubt that BJ did a good job on this occasion.
Posted on: 少数民族
October 8, 2010 at 3:05 AMHi Jason
The mouse-over translation for 哭嫁 (the second time it appears) is also incorrect.
Posted on: Mudslide
October 8, 2010 at 3:01 AMThe error I pointed to three days ago is still there. Welcome back to work guys. :)
Posted on: Music Corner in the Park
October 8, 2010 at 2:12 AMIt IS a great lesson - I love it. Thanks ChinesePod.
The 三弦 sānxián is popular out here - it looks rather like a banjo and has a snake skin covering. I would like to post photos but it is not working for me any more. (Anyone care to post a refresher course in/guide to posting photos?)
To embellish the cultural side let me say it is not just a weekend activity as implied in the dialogue. Every day of the week, in your People's Park, but also in most suburban parks, actually any little green space at all, you will find groups playing traditional Chinese instruments. You will also find people playing Western instruments - guitars, sax, flutes, violins. And we should not forget the singers. Usually the groups are accompanied by someone singing traditional songs. With a little amplifier strapped to the waist.
Posted on: 少数民族
October 7, 2010 at 5:02 PMno links, and not sure of the ratings, but there are game shows, eg. Saturday afternoon 4:30 pm CCTV 2 购物街
Posted on: Mudslide
October 7, 2010 at 8:53 AMAh, I think I get you now.
But I wouldn't throw stones at the Chinese rescue efforts in situations like this - I don't think it is the right time to analyze 面子. But then you also know that I see the bright side to a fault. :)
Posted on: Mudslide
October 7, 2010 at 8:46 AMHi sdoxx
You are often better off popping your mystery characters into Google than checking your dictionary. Eg. see http://v.news.163.com/video/2010/8/R/J/V6CLB8VRJ.html.
Posted on: City Districts in Shanghai
October 7, 2010 at 8:32 AMHi RJ
I think it depends where you are going. They probably know where the Peace Hotel is. I stay in a little place that is almost off the map. Some people may think I am tight (!?) but I like to stay clear of the middle of town. As far as possible from the Bund. :)
The place is near a subway station. The first time I stayed there I needed a taxi because the subway had already stopped and we drove around for about half an hour while the taxi driver interrogated several locals. Hopeless. GPS - you would think so wouldn't you.
Posted on: City Districts in Shanghai
October 7, 2010 at 3:21 AMYeah, absolutely no 'knowledge test' in China I assume. Yesterday for example I was taking some Aussie friends to a cafe I hadn't been to before, The taxi driver had never heard of the cafe (no surprise). The address details say 'inside the XXX complex' and 'next to the YYY factory.' These directions also meant nothing to the taxi driver so we went to the street in question and got out near 101号 (the address on the Web) but we discovered that delightful feature of old cities - discontinuous street numbering. It goes up up up, then suddenly starts again (who knows how many times), so we were still a long way from the destination. I had to resort to: 'where is the YYY factory?' to find it, asking 3 or 4 locals in turn.
My (limited) experience in Beijing - no response to 紫禁城 - nothing. 我听不懂。 Pronunciation? (I only used that name because it is there in the Lonely Planet). I had success with 故宫, but it's probably best to say 天安门广场 then say exactly where you want to go. Always start with the easiest thing to say and the thing that is least ambiguous. For example 环城，花城 and 红山 all sound pretty similar coming out of the mouth of a foreigner! [Speaking from past experience.] :)
Posted on: Too Many Food Allergies
October 8, 2010 at 7:36 AMMy doctor in Australia says that almost no-one can tell the difference between hay-fever and a cold. The cold tablet industry depends on this ignorance. Hay-fever is probably much more common than a virus. My doctor says that the difference is thick green mucus.