Since tea is one of the seven things (firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, tea) to greet people when opening the door, drinking the beverage was very common in ancient China. The tea classics of Lu Yu, the tea sage of the Tang Dynasty, sounded the clarion call of Chinese tea culture in history. From then on, the spirit of tea permeated the imperial court and society, and penetrated Chinese poetry, painting, calligraphy, religion, and medicine. For thousands of years, China has not only accumulated a lot of material about tea planting and production, but also accumulated rich spiritual culture about tea.

1. Tea Classifications

There are many kinds of tea in China: Chaozhou Fenghuang Dancong tea, Taihu Lake smoked bean tea, Suzhou fragrant tea, Hunan Jiangyan tea, Chengdu Gaiwan tea, Taiwan frozen top tea, Hangzhou Longjing tea, Fujian oolong tea, etc. The main varieties are green tea, black tea, oolong tea, white tea, yellow tea and black tea.
茶 (chá): n. tea

Example:
nǐ   xǐ huɑn hē   nǎ   zhǒng   chá
你   喜   欢   喝   哪      种      茶？
What kind of tea do you like?

wǒ  xǐ  huɑn hē  lǜ  chá
我   喜    欢   喝   绿   茶。
I like green tea.

2. About Tea

毛尖(máo jiān) Maojian: produced in Xinyang, Henan Province, commonly known as the “king of green tea”.

龙井(lóng jǐng) Longjing: it is not only the name of a place in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, but also the name of a spring. The tea produced here also uses this name.

碧螺春(bì luó chūn) Biluochun: produced in Dongting mountain, Wu County, Jiangsu Province. The tea is picked in spring, and the finished products are closely intertwined with spiral shapes. It is said that during the reign of Emperor Kangxi, girls on Dongting mountain gathered tea and put it in the milk room without a basket. The tea got warm and had a strange fragrance. It was called “frightening killing” tea (”吓杀人”). Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty visited Taihu Lake in the south. He loved the fragrance of the tea, but he thought the name of the tea was not good. Because the tea had a spiral shape, Emperor Kangxi gave it the name “Biluochun”, meaning “green spiral spring). Biluochun became a tribute tea in the Qing Dynasty.

Example:

xìn  yáng  máo  jiān  chǎn  liàng  shǎo， cǎi  zhāi  yāo  qiú  gāo，suǒ  yǐ  bèi  chēng  wéi  lǜ  chá  zhī  wáng
信    阳     毛      尖      产        量      少，  采    摘    要     求     高，    所   以  被  称    为    绿   茶   之   王。
Xinyang Maojian is known as the king of green tea for its low yield and high picking requirements.

3. Tea Utensils

Tea sets, also known as tea ware in ancient times, were necessary tools in the process of tea making. They not only refer to the teapot and cups, but also other items that have a great influence on the quality of the final product for drinking.
The earliest teapots were made of gold, silver, jade, and other materials, but due to the rise of other technologies these were gradually replaced by copper and ceramic tea sets. Compared with gold and jade, copper tea sets are cheaper and perform better. Ceramic tea sets can hold the aroma of tea and, more importantly, the price is relatively low, so they are easy to promote and popularize.

Example:
nǐ  huì  pào   chá   ma
你    会    泡    茶    吗？
Can you make tea?

wǒ  huì， zhǐ yào  zhǔn  bèi  hǎo  chá  jù  wǒ  jiù  kě  yǐ  pào  chá
我    会 ，   只  要    准  备  好    茶   具   我    就   可   以   泡   茶。
I can, as long as the tea set is ready, I can make tea.

4. The Benefits of Tea

Among tea’s benefits is that of anti-aging. Tea contains a variety of antioxidants and nutrients, which help eliminate free radicals in the body. Chinese people believe that drinking 2-3 of tea every day can play a role in anti-aging. According to research, drinking tea can help with nervous system diseases, and tea polyphenols can help the brain carry out local regulation and improve memory.
Although there are many benefits of drinking tea, not everyone enjoys it and some can only drink it in small doses. Generally speaking, it is best to drink tea 1-2 times a day, about 3-5 grams each time.

Example:

cān  hòu  hē  yī  bēi  chá，yǒu  lì  yú   huǎn  jiě  yóu   nì
餐   后   喝    一  杯   茶，   有   利  于    缓   解    油    腻。
A cup of tea after a meal is good for relieving greasiness.

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From the unearthed inscriptions on bones of the Shang Dynasty of Yin Ruins, Gan-Zhi is used to record days and is also used in Feng Shui and divination. Now, it’s not only applied for counting hour, day, month and year but also greatly used in Chinese astrology for fortune-telling.

Basically, ancient Chinese people divided a day time into twelve parts based on sunrise. They matched those twelve parts with twelve earthly branches, which also match the twelve Chinese zodiacs. These three counting systems make up the unique ancient Chinese time. The ten Celestial Stems, called “天干-(tiān gān)”, pair with the Earthly Branches for a 60-year calendrical cycle.

Did you know that there were originally ten days of the week? “天干-(tiān gān)” were the original names for each day of the 10-day week.

The 10 heavenly stems and 12 earthly branches

Each stem is paired with an earthly branch, forming a ‘pillar’. It is important to note that only odd-numbered stems are paired with odd-numbered branches, and even-numbered stems with even-numbered branches. For example, the first heavenly stem can be paired with the first earthly branch, the third or the fifth one, but cannot be paired with the second or the fourth branch. Henceforth, instead of 120 combinations, we get 60.

The Earthly Branches “地支 (dì zhī)”

The original terms used for the years were actually “地支 (dì zhī) Earthly Branches”. These ‘branches’ are also assigned to the hours of the day based on solar time.

Essentially, the Twelve Earthly Branches are comprised of: 子 (zǐ), 丑 (chǒu), 寅 (yín), 卯 (mǎo), 辰 (chén), 巳 (sì), 午 (wǔ), 未 (wèi), 申 (shēn), 酉 (yǒu), 戌 (xū), 亥 (hài).

The Ten Celestial Stems include: 甲 (jiǎ), 乙 (yǐ), 丙 (bǐng), 丁 (dīng), 戊 (wù), 己 (jǐ), 庚 (gēng), 辛 (xīn), 壬 (rén), 癸 (guǐ).

Lastly, the five elements

The elements are the classics: 水 (shuǐ) water, 木 (mù) wood, 火 (huǒ) fire, 土 (tǔ) earth, and 金 (jīn) metal.

Later 12 animals of the zodiac were added as symbols and were categorized as either “阴 (yīn)” or “阳 (yáng)”. Then elements are added for each. These cycle through as well, but each zodiac also has a fixed element. This fixed element is what determines which sign you’re compatible with.

The Four Pillars of Destiny, also the Eight Characters of Birth Time or ‘ba zi’ in Chinese, was very popular and mostly used in fortune-telling. In four pairs of year, month, day, and hour of a person’s birth, each pair includes one of the Heavenly Stems and one of the Earthly Branchs. Among the stems and branches form compatibilities and incompatibilitis between the zodiacs.

The interpretation of one’s birth time using this method has always been vital for information when it is used for fortune telling. But that is another article on it’s own.

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Whenever people see others flaunting their wealth on social media, or interact briefly with the rich and famous, a common refrain is often heard: “贫穷限制了我的想象! (pín qióng xiàn zhì le wǒ de xiǎng xiàng) Poverty limits my imagination!”

This self-effacing sentence is saying that those with money can live lifestyles that the rest of us can’t even imagine, not because we’re not creative, but because we don’t have access to the resources that would let us experience the world in a totally different way.

1. 限制（xiàn zhì）

xiàn zhì: v./n. to restrict/restriction
Of course, there are different kinds of restrictions in our lives: highway speed limits that tell us how fast we can go (assuming that we want to be safe and not get a speeding ticket), weight limits for elevators or height limits of rides at amusement parks, or a limit on the number of people who can be in a store at once.

Example:

guó  qìng  jié  kuài  lái  le ，nǐ  dǎ  suàn  qù  nǎ  ér  wán ？
国     庆    节   快     来  了，你  打  算     去   哪   儿    玩 ？
National Day is coming soon, where are you planning to go?

nǎ  ér  dōu  bú  qù ，pín  qióng  xiàn  zhì  le  wǒ  de  xíng  dòng 。
哪   儿    都  不  去，   贫      穷     限   制   了   我   的   行   动  。
I’m not going anywhere, poverty is limiting my travel.

2. 羡慕（xiàn mù）

xiàn mù: v. to envy
We often envy someone when they want something we have, whether it’s something physical (like a waterfront mansion) or intangible (like extreme athleticism). In some cases, the feeling of envy can provide inspiration and motivation, pushing us to turn our disadvantages into advantages, or surpass the “限制” (remember that word?) we thought we had. However, we need to make sure that envy does not manifest as negative feelings like jealousy, spite, or even hatred!

Example:

wǒ  zhēn  xiàn  mù  nǐ  kě  yǐ  zài  jiā  gōng  zuò
我    真    羡    慕    你  可  以  在  家    工     作。
I really envy that you can work from home.

kàn  dào  nǐ  měi  tiān  dōu  kě  yǐ  qù  cān  jiā   jù   huì ， wǒ  xiàn  mù  jí  le  。
看    到   你  每    天     都    可  以   去   参    加   聚  会  ， 我   羡   慕   极  了 。
Seeing that you can go to parties every day, I am extremely envious.

3. 想象（xiǎng xiàng）和幻想（huàn xiǎng）

xiǎng xiàng: v./n. to imagine/ imagination
huàn xiǎng: n. fantasy
Imagination and fantasy is something everyone has experienced: at the most basic level we use what we already know and use it to think about what might be or how things could go. It’s neither good nor bad, but when we are able to put in the effort to make what we imagine into reality, it’s the stuff of dreams: it’s literally what we mean by the expression “make your dreams come true”.

Examples:

wǒ   xiǎng   xiàng   zhe  wǒ  men  wèi  lái  de  měi  hǎo   shēng   huó 。
我        想      象      着    我    们    未    来   的    美   好       生        活  。
I’m imagining our beautiful life.

tā  huàn  xiǎng  yǒu  yì   tiān  kě  yǐ  xiàng  xiǎo  niǎo  yí   yàng  zhǎng  chū  chì  bǎng 。
他     幻    想    有     一  天     可  以      像     小   鸟    一      样    长     出     翅     膀。
He dreamed that one day he could grow wings like a bird.

wǒ   men   fēi   cháng            tā   yǒu   yī   wèi   dāng   jī   zhǎng   de   fù   qīn 。
我     们        非      常_______他     有   一     位    当      机    长       的     父    亲。
We are very                         that he has a father who is a captain.

A.限制（xiàn zhì）
B.羡慕（xiàn mù）
C.想象（xiǎng xiàng）
D.幻想（huàn xiǎng）

See Answer Analysis
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2021, Is it going to be your best year ever?
Well, if you were born under the ox sign, that may not be the case. You might have initially thought that the Year of the Ox is the best time to achieve your dreams and goals but, sadly, it’s actually the opposite. In Chinese astrology, a zodiac sign’s year is the most unlucky for the person born in that year. It is also known as the “threshold year”. You have questions about this concept, and we’ll share explicit answers we’ve unearthed from within ancient Chinese folklore to satiate your inquiries.

It is said that every twelve years, a person has a year of change and readjustment, and unfortunately for all you oxen out there, it is associated with extremely bad luck.
Thus, it is called “本命年( běn mìng nián) The Twelve-Year curse”. And when a person arrives at their particular zodiac year, their lives will start to experience some changes. This will occur when they are 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 years old, and so on.

This belief is rooted deep in ancient Chinese astrology and is based on the position of the stars, which are said to cause conflict with certain zodiac signs.

Why is it unlucky though?
It’s stated that the people during the Ben Ming Nian easily encounter “太岁 tài suì”, who is the legendary God in charge of people’s fortune. Their fortune usually fluctuates during the year. Many negative circumstances such as illness, financial loss, extramarital affair, etc. may occur yet it’s not necessarily an entirely negative year for people in that zodiac year. It varies greatly from individual to individual. Some people may indeed have good fortune instead of bad luck. But in general, marriage, moving house, travel, or starting a business are thought to be worthy of great attention during the year.

But who exactly is this “太岁 tài suì” character?
Well, simply, 本命年 is itself classified as a “star”. It is known as the “God of Age” Star (太岁). But Tai Sui doesn’t actually exist as a real star! It roughly corresponds to Jupiter, which takes 11.86 years to orbit the earth, and is probably where the idea for the star came from.

Don’t Offend “太岁 tài suì”
If you wish to survive your “本命年( běn mìng nián)”, The trick is not to offend “太岁 tài suì”. Here are the most effective ways to lessen the unlucky consequences.

1.Pray to “太岁 tài suì” at the beginning of the lunar year. is one of sixty heavenly generals who take turns in caring for our earthly well-being. Praying to the “太岁 Tài Suì” is said to negate any bad luck caused by your “本命年( běn mìng nián)”.

2.Some jewelry accessories may also help, such as pendants and bracelets with auspicious images. Jade jewelry can be worn anywhere on the left side of the body to increase your luck during this unfortunate year. It has to be a gift from someone else though, you can’t buy your own lucky jewelry. For extra luck-enhancing benefit, small icons of your zodiac sign are recommended.

3.And the best is to Face Away from Tai Sui. This year the position of Tai Sui is Northeast (30 °). Chinese people have been known to adjust the direction of beds, seats, desks, and even where they live and work to face away from Tai Sui, “to get Tai Sui behind them”, in an effort to incur good luck. This is a form of “风水 (fēng shuǐ )”.

4.Use a “貔貅 (pí xiū) mythical wild animal” icon that will repel evil spirits, attract wealth and bring happiness and good luck. During your zodiac year of birth, you should place a small statue of this auspicious animal, and in 2021 you should place it in the southwest facing the northeast.

5.The most popular solution is wearing red underwear, socks, scarf, or waist belts given by elders, for red is believed to bring good luck.

Why all the Red?
Red is seen as a form of exorcism and auspiciousness. This notion has existed early in Chinese history as red is the color of the sun, blood, and fire. As time went on, this idea of upholding red as a way to dispel bad luck has never changed.

The Positive Side
Not all is lost, however. Oftentimes, on a person’s “本命年 ( běn mìng nián)” they will receive expensive gifts for their birthday.

In general, to cope with the big rise and fall in one’s “本命年 ( běn mìng nián)”, it is ill-advised to make big moves in one’s career or life such as starting a new business or making a large investment to avoid great economic loss. Especially moving to a new home or getting married during this year are all considered ominous. It is easier to get entangled in problems and disputes as well. It is crucial to keep to yourself if you are an ox lest you draw the attention of “太岁 tài suì”! Therefore, the best thing that you can do is spend time in natural settings and don’t take things personally as they are beyond your control.

Do you believe in the bad luck involved with your “本命年 ( běn mìng nián)”? Think back to the years when you were 12, 24, 36, or 48. How’d those turn out for you?

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Thus there are three festivals, at different times of the year that celebrate the wonders associated with these celestial emperors. San Yuan – known as the lantern festival, JungYuan – known as the hungry ghost festival, and of course, Xia Yuan.

Customs

Praying to gods

The primary custom of this festival is closely connected with agricultural production. For example, many families in Fujian province take the worship “仪式 (yí shì) ceremony” to the farmlands during the evening of this day to pray that farmlands become saturated and are safe during the dry winter months. Joss sticks are inserted with food on the field edge to show piety while sacrificing.

仪式 (yí shì): n. ceremony

Example:

tā men xī wàng tā cān jiā diǎn lǐ.
他们希望他参加典礼。
They expected him to participate in the ceremony.

yí shì shì jīng xīn chóu huà de.
仪式是精心筹划的。
It is an elaborate ceremony.

Special food for this festival

Food is one most important aspects of the customs for each festival. This includes dumplings for the Spring festival, glutinous rice balls for the Lantern Festival, and moon cakes for the Mid Autumn festival. The various foods help shape the nation’s shared “情感 (qíng gǎn) emotion” greatly affects the development of the festivals.

情感 (qíng gǎn): n. emotion

Example:

xiào shì zuì jù gǎn rǎn lì de qíng gǎn biǎo dá fāng shì zhī yī.
笑是最具感染力的情感表达方式之一。
Laughter is one of the most infectious expressions of emotion.

qíng gǎn de liú lù huì zhāo zhì cāi yí.
情感的流露会招致猜疑。
Displays of emotion are regarded with suspicion.

For the Xia Yuan Festival, the most famous specialty food item is the “red bean bun” coming from Beijing, which can be seen every day now, but was only seen on the 15th of the tenth month several thousand years ago.

National Costumes

The Xia Yuan Festival has a serious and solemn ambiance and the main theme is solemnity and simplicity, thus gaudy and showy costumes are not logical. When offering sacrifices men typically wear dark color clothes while women prefer to wear darkly colored clothes and skirts.

It is not necessarily true that all the people take part in this ceremony with great fanfare. Oftentimes it’s a personal event.
One cherished action during the Xia Yuan Festival is making a positive wish for people to get relief from any “困境 (kùn jìng) dilemmas” or hardships. It is commonly believed that the emperor or official of the waters was charged with the movement and flow of the seas, streams, brooks, rivers, and rain but also to address the aspect of human sin and alleviating the hardships incurred by the average person. To pay their respects people will provide offerings to the emperor of the Waters during the Xia Yuan festival. By praying to him on this day, in a sincerely remorseful way, it is suggested that all your dilemmas and misfortunes can be deleted from the ‘spiritual records’ and you are free to begin fresh.

The sacrificial offering for the water official does not mean you have to believe in Taoism. The water official is a religious god from the perspective of a cultural symbol, expressing the wish for protection in the future, as well as the mutual wish between people.

困境(kùn jìng): n. dilemma

Examples:

tā men shì tú bǎi tuō kùn jìng.
他们试图摆脱困境。
They try to find a way out of their dilemma.

wǒ sì hū xiàn rù le yī zhǒng kùn jìng zhōng.
我似乎陷入了一种困境中。
I seem to be in a dilemma.

Now that you know this is an important festival to take the time to show remorse and make wishes to protect your family from misfortune and dilemmas, take the time to think about what you wish for. May your ancestors and relatives have good fortune during the last moon festival of the year.

Choose the right choice to fill the blanket.

1.wǒ bǎ xīnzhōng de suǒyǒu_______dōu fāxièle chūlái.
我把心中的所有_______都发泄了出来。

2.tāmen xīwàng tā cānjiā_______.
他们希望他参加_______。

A.仪式 (yí shì)
B.情感(qíng gǎn)
C.困境(kùn jìng)
D.走神(zǒushén)

See Answer Analysis

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1.Feature

The most common feature is that the weather has dwindling temperatures, rain, and snow. According to related statistics, the average temperature in North China is ranged between -20 and -5 Celsius degree after strong cold air passed through, while South China faces growing rains and frosts.

Rime/ Hoarfrost

Rime, or hoarfrost, is frost formed on cold objects by the rapid freezing of water vapor in clouds or fog. In general, rime is seen in the northwest and northeast of China, and many regions near the Yangtze River basin from November this year to February next year.

Aesthetically, it is a natural beauty appreciated widely by people, but sometimes it can be a “自然的 (zì rán de) natural” disaster. Excessive rime will weigh down trees and power lines which impacts traffic, power supplies, and telecommunication among other functions that impact daily life.

自然的 (zì rán de): adj. Natural

Example:

tā chēng zhè cì tái fēng wéi duō nián lái zuì yán zhòng de zì rán zāi hài .
他称这次台风为多年来最严重的自然灾害。
He called the typhoon the worst natural disaster in years.

zhè shì yí gè zì rán zī yuán fēng fù de guó jiā .
这是一个自然资源丰富的国家。
This is a country rich in natural resources.

Sleet

Sleet is created when snowflakes that are falling from the upper atmosphere become rain in the middle atmosphere where they finally are supercooled water droplets in the lower atmosphere. The supercooled water freezes immediately and becomes sleet after it touches anything on the ground.

2.Festival Customs

Salted pork

When Great Snow arrives, all families begin to pickle and preserve goods in salt. Chinese people in South China such as Nanjing, Hangzhou, Hefei, Chongqing make sausage, which is an important part of the preparation for the Spring Festival. People would add “盐 (yán) salt, star anise, cinnamon, prickly ash, and sugar in the pan until cooked thoroughly. Once cooled and spread out on the surface of fish and meat it is rubbed repeatedly until the color of meat becomes dark. It is then saved in a vat in a well ventilated and cool place. A half of a month later, it is taken out and hung under the eaves, exposed to the sun. This is in order to welcome the New Year.

盐(yán): n. salt

Example:

gēn jù zì jǐ de kǒu wèi gěi yuán tāng jiā diǎn yán , rán hòu yòng wén huǒ màn dùn .
根据自己的口味给原汤加点盐，然后用文火慢炖。
Salt the stock to your taste and leave it simmering very gently.

zhè cài lǐ nǐ yán gē de tài duō le.
这菜里你盐搁得太多了。
You put too much salt in this dish.

Nourishment

It is a good time to nourish the body in Great Snow. Nourishing tonics in winter boosts the metabolism and immune system, improving the occurrence of chills brought on by the fraught cold.

In addition, it can “ 调节 (tiáo jié) adjust “ the body’s metabolism by enabling energy provided by food to be saved at a maximum which is beneficial to developments of internal “Yang”.

调节 (tiáo jié): v. adjust n. adjustment

Example:

zhèng fǔ kě yǐ tōng guò kòng gòu lái tiáo jié shì chǎng de píng héng .
政府可以通过控购来调节市场的平衡。
The government can adjust the unbalanced market by controlling purchases.

wǒ men bì xū duì huò bì de liú tōng bú duàn jìn xíng tiáo jié.
我们必须对货币的流通不断进行调节。
We must make constant adjustments to the amount of money in circulation.

Around Great Snow, there is a large number of citrus fruits in the market, like orange, pomelo, navel orange, snow orange. Eating these fruits in moderation can prevent rhinitis and coughs from setting in.

3.Poem

There is a poem composed by Juyi Bai featured by realism in the Tang dynasty and is one of the “Three Poets”.
《夜雪》
Snow in the night
yǐ yà qīn zhěn lěng,
已讶衾枕冷，
I’m surprised that the quilt and pillow are already cold,

fù jiàn chuāng hù míng.
复见窗户明。
but I see the brightness outside the window.

yè shēn zhì xuě zhòng,
夜深知雪重，
There is heavy snowfall in the night,

shí wén zhé zhú shēng.
时闻折竹声。
as the sound that the tree’s branches are broken can be heard constantly.

Take the quiz to evaluate your comprehension of today’s topic. Let us know which term has been the most interesting to read about thus far as well. Stay warm!

Choose the best choice to fill the blank.

1.wǒ men xū yào_______ zì jǐ de xīn tài .
我们需要_______自己的心态。

2.zhè chǎng dà yǔ shì _______zhù fú.
这场大雨是_______祝福。

3.wǒ men zuò cài shí , xū yào fàng yì diǎn_______ .
我们做菜时，需要放一点_______。

A.自然的
B.盐
C.调节
D.声音

See Answer Analysis

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Words for a Terrifying Encounter

As in English, there are many different ways to describe places, people, or things that scare you. For example, if you want to say that something is scary in general, you can use the word “可怕(kěpà)”.

可怕 (kěpà) adj.: scary
Usually used to describe someone or something that makes people feel scared.

Examples:

nǐ hǎo kěpà!
你好可怕！
You are so scary!

wǒ jīntiān yù dàole yíjiàn kěpà de shìqíng.
我今天遇到了一件可怕的事情。
I encountered a scary thing today.

But what if you want to talk about how you’re feeling? The word “害怕 (hàipà)” can be used not only to talk about how you might feel as you walk up to a knock on a door covered with cobwebs and plastic spiders, but also to express things you’re worried about in everyday life.

害怕 (hàipà): adj. scared
Usually used to describe the feeling of fear or to express a kind of worry.

Examples:

wǒ hěn hàipà.
我很害怕。
I’m scared.

wǒ hàipà tā líkāi wǒ.
我害怕他离开我。
I am afraid that he will leave me.

There are different levels of “scary” or “being scared”. What if there’s something that really makes you feel that next level of fear? It could be a movie, a news story, a dream, or something you’re imagining that might happen:

恐怖 (kǒngbù): adj .terrifying
Fearful of something that may be life threatening, violent, or bloody.

This word can be used to describe people who scare others, and it is often used in conjunction with other words, such as: 恐怖片(kǒngbù piān), 恐怖电影 (kǒngbù diànyǐng)

Examples:

wǒ jīntiān kànle yíbù kǒngbù diànyǐng.
我今天看了一部恐怖电影.
I watched a horror movie today.

zhège rén hěn kǒngbù.
这个人很恐怖。
This person is terrifying.

The class horror movie opens with one or two young people walking through a cold, dark, and pretty spooky forest. Viewers know that the teens are in danger, but the characters don’t know they’re in a horror movie! Even so, we suspect that they should be feeling a little uneasy because of the “阴森 (yīnsēn)” environment we see them in.

阴森 (yīnsēn): adj. gloomy/dark and spooky or terrifying
Referring to a place, atmosphere, complexion, weather, cave, etc.

Examples:

nà shì yígè yīnsēn dì dìfāng.
那是一个阴森的地方。
That is a spooky place.

zhè piàn shùlín yīnsēn sēn de.
这片树林阴森森的。
These woods are spooky.

Sentences structures for talking about fear

Let’s talk about grammar for a minute. A common way to express how you’re feeling in Chinese is to put an adjective in front of “____ sǐ wǒ le (死我了)”, literally meaning “I’m [adj.] to death.” It may look like the order of the words is wrong — shouldn’t the subject technically come first? However, this structure can be used for hunger (è sǐ wǒ le 饿死我了), exhaustion (lèi sǐ wǒ le 累死我了) or even, you guessed it, fear:

吓死我了 (xià sǐ wǒ le): I’m frightened to death

Example:

nǐ zěnme tūrán chūxiànle?xià sǐ wǒle!
你怎么突然出现了？吓死我了！
Why did you suddenly show up? You scared me to death!

You can also use the following constructions to tell someone that you’re feeling scared. The first touches on “fear” in the traditional sense, the second on a deeper, almost more spiritual fear that reaches the speaker’s core.

怪吓人的(guài xiàrén de): (I think it’s) scary
The meaning and usage are similar to scaring me to death, but to a lesser degree.

Example:

nǐ wèishéme yào dàizhe zhège miànjù, guài xiàrén de!
你为什么要戴着这个面具，怪吓人的！
Why are you wearing this mask, it’s so scary!

[person/thing/event] + 给我的心灵造成了巨大的伤害(nǐ gěi wǒ de xīnlíng zàochéngle jùdà de shānghài): [person/thing/event] has hurt me in my soul.

Example:

nǐ de bèipàn gěi wǒ de xīnlíng zàochéngle jùdà de shānghài.
你的背叛给我的心灵造成了巨大的伤害.
Your betrayal really caused me great anguish.

Perhaps this spooky time of year is the perfect time to make your Chinese “scary” good! But all Halloween jokes aside, it’s very important to keep in mind that everyone has slightly different ways of expressing themselves, especially where emotions are concerned; it’s worth learning different ways to talk about the same thing.

The more flexible you are in your Chinese language learning, the more insight you’ll have into Chinese culture, people, and history — it’s almost frightening how much you’ll be exposed to!

Speaking of flexible language learning, let’s test your comprehension of today’s topic with a short quiz:
Please choose the best answer to fill in the blank.

A.害怕（hàipà）
B.可怕（kěpà）

1.wǒ______tā méiyǒu huí jiā.
我________他没有回家。

2.nǐ búyòng_______。
你不用_______。

3.wǒ xiǎngdàole yí jiàn hěn_______de shìqíng.
我想到了一件很_______的事情。

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In The Book of Changes, the number 6 belonged to the Yin character while the number 9 was thought to be of the Yang character. So, on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, both day and month are Yang characters. Therefore, the festival was named the Double Ninth Festival. “Nine” is seen as the largest number in numbers that reflect long life and represent wishes for the health and longevity of the elderly.

Customs

During “重阳节 (chóng yáng jié) Double Ninth Festival” people engage in ancestors worship, climbing mountains, and some other activities very similar to those experienced during most of the other Chinese festivals.

Appreciate 菊花 ( jú huā, Chrysanthemum)

It has always been celebrated during the day time, so the Double Ninth day is also called Chrysanthemum Day. The custom of enjoying chrysanthemums originates from the culture where chrysanthemum is deemed as a naturally hardy flower and is praised for its growth even in the frost.

菊花 (jú huā) : n. Chrysanthemum

Example:

jú huā zài qiū jì kāi.
菊花在秋季开。
Chrysanthemums put forth flowers in autumn.

tā ài méi guī hé jú huā.
她爱玫瑰和菊花。
She loves roses and chrysanthemums.

Since the period of three kingdoms and Weijin (from 220 AD to 420AD), drinking and composing poems at a party while appreciating chrysanthemums has become a fashionable custom.

As mentioned earlier, the chrysanthemum symbolizes long life and is the symbol of hearty resolution for poets who compose poems about the topic.

Drink the wine made from chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum contains healthy ingredients and there’s a record from the Jin dynasty (260 AD to 420 AD), that someone lengthened their life by drinking valley water surrounded by chrysanthemums.

The chrysanthemum wine, one essential drinking in ancient, is believed as the “幸运的 (xìng yùn de) lucky” wine dispelling disasters and praying for blessings from the perspective of psychology.
In the aspect of medicine, the wine is a medical liquor tasted with a slight bitterness, assisting you to clear the vision and refresh the mind after drinking.

幸运的( xìng yùn de): adj. Lucky

Example:

yǒu xiē rén sì hū cóng lái dōu shì xìng yùn de.
有些人似乎从来都是幸运的。
Some people seem to always be lucky.

wǒ rèn wéi zì jǐ shì dì qiú shàng zuì xìng yùn de rén.
我认为自己是地球上最幸运的人。
I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.

Wearing Dogwood

Dogwood, also known as Cornel, is from the dogwood tree that can be made into Chinese medicine which enables people to expel insects and dampness when climbing mountains on this day, thus people would like to wear it on their arms or grind and put it in a sachet to bring with them.

The “芳香（fāng xiāng) fragrance” of cornel is strong in order to clear vision, refresh minds, relieve fever, expel insects, de-humidify, etc. During the Double Ninth Day, people take this opportunity to maintain their health by interacting with cornel.

芳香 (fāng xiāng): n. fragrance

zhè zhǒng féi zào yǒu yì gǔ huā yì bān de fāng xiāng.
这种肥皂有一股花一般的芳香。
This soap has a delicate fragrance like a flower.

yě cǎo sàn fā chū fāng xiāng.
野草散发出芳香。
A sweet fragrance rose from the wild grasses.

There are many poems centered around Double Ninth Day and Cornel such as “九月九日忆山东兄弟 (Jiǔ yuè jiǔ rì yì shāndōng xiōngdì) Remembering my Shandong Brothers”, by the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei:

dú zài yì xiāng wéi yì kè,
独在异乡为异客，
I am alone and a stranger in a strange land,

měi féng jiā jié bèi sī qīn.
每逢佳节倍思亲。
twice as homesick during the holiday.

yáo zhī xiōng dì dēng gāo chù,
遥知兄弟登高处，
I am in a remote place but know my brothers are climbing,

biàn chā zhū yú shǎo yì rén.
遍插茱萸少一人。
one less person amiss in those who wear the cornel.

While the Double Ninth festival may have originated as a day to drive away danger, over time it became a day of celebration. In contemporary times it is an occasion for hiking, flying kites, making flower cakes, drinking chrysanthemum tea and chrysanthemum wine while children learn poems about chrysanthemums.

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In Chinese, “理解(lǐjiě)” and “了解(liǎojiě)” are two verbs, both of which mean, “to know and understand”. However, there’s a difference: “了解” has a broader meaning and scope than “理解”. “了解” means “to understand” in the general, broader, and even superficial sense, but “理解” indicates a deeper comprehension.

Let’s take a look at some examples:

Example:

wǒ hěn liǎojiě tā.
我很了解他。
I understand him well.

In this case, “understand” just means knowing his name, what he likes, maybe what his job is, etc. In other words, more surface-level information superficial things.

wǒ lǐjiě tā wèishéme zhème zuò.
我理解他为什么这么做。
I understand why he did this.

Here, the “understand” means the speaker comprehends what happened at a deeper level, beyond just the facts that everyone knows.

Let’s look at another usage of “理解(lǐjiě)”, when its meaning of, “understand” is used to suggest allowance, tolerance, etc.

Example:

zhè jiàn shì shuāngfāng dōu yǒu cuò, dàjiā xiānghù lǐjiè yíxià.
这件事双方都有错，大家相互理解一下。
Both sides are wrong in this matter, please understand each other.

Please choose the best answer to fill in the blank.

A. 理解(lǐjiě)

B. 了解(liǎojiě)

1.wǒ xué zhōngwén shì wèile gèng hǎo de______zhōngguó wénhuà.
我学中文是为了更好的______中国文化。

2.zhè jiàn shì shì wǒ zuò cuòle, xīwàng nǐ ______yíxià.
这件事是我做错了，希望你______一下。

3.wǒ bù______tā de fǎnyìng wèishéme zhème dà.
我不______他的反应为什么这么大。

4.wǒ xiǎng shìzhe qù______tā.
我想试着去______他。

See Answer Analysis

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At the beginning of the new school year (usually September 1st), students would start preparing the activities to show their teacher’s respect.

教师 (jiào shī): n teacher.

Examples:

wǒ shì gè yǒu 21 nián jiào líng de jiào shī.
我是个有21年教龄的教师。
I’m a teacher with 21 years of teaching experience.

tā kāi shǐ le zì jǐ de jiào shī shēng yá.
她开始了自己的教师生涯。
She started her career as a teacher.

The way to celebrate

Teacher’s day is not a traditional Chinese festival, thus there are different customs of celebration.

Generally, schools will hold a ceremony on this day and issue certificates, and schedule a recital with singing and dancing performed by students. Moreover, students can deliver their sincere blessings and wishes via blackboard messages, greeting cards, paintings, and more.

The influence of this festival

Positive

The festival reflects that the teacher has been respected by all society, as more and more people have recognized that education is vital for the prosperity and future development of a country.

Through many types of benefits and “补贴(bǔ tiē) subsidies”, the enthusiasm of teachers engaged in the educational field has been improved greatly.

补贴(bǔ tiē): n.  subsidies

Examples:

tā jīngcháng zhuànqián bǔtiē jiāyòng.
她经常赚钱补贴家用
She often makes money to subsidize her family.

gōng zī zhī wài lìng jiā bǔ tiē.
工资之外另加补贴。
The subsidy will be added to the regular salary.

Negative

With the development of the economy, the custom where parents send money and gifts to teachers has evolved gradually, aiming to receive better treatment from teachers for their children.

However, in accordance with the provisions of Chinese Criminal Law ruled on November 5th, 2007, teachers acting as members of public institutions, if they receive money, gifts, or other property interests of a large amount sent from parents, they will be suspected and charged with bribery.

Derivative culture

The first set of stamps for Teacher’s Day was released on August 27th, 1947, which had patterns including a Confucius statue, the table of Confucius’ lecture, the tomb of Confucius, and the Grand Hall of Confucius.

Other countries celebrate Teacher’s day on different dates. Even though the dates vary and the ways in which teachers are shown respect, respect for teachers is an unchangeable custom since ancient times to the present.

One sentence of the “诗(shī) poem” related to teachers goes like this:
令公桃李满天下(lìng gōng táolǐ mǎn tiānxià)，何用堂前更种花 ( hé yòng tángqián gèng zhònghuā)?
Literal meaning: The world is full of peaches and plums sowed by you, why plant flowers in front of the hall?

Note: “peaches and plums” mean those students who are educated by a famous teacher and graduated successfully.

This “诗(shī) poem” was composed by the author and a teacher while they viewed flowers together.

诗 (shī): n. poem

Example:

tā gěi wǒ xiě le yì shǒu shī.
他给我写了一首诗。
He wrote me a poem.

zhè shǒu shī yǐn qǐ le dú zhě de gòng míng.
这首诗引起了读者的共鸣。
This poem has struck a chord with its readers.

Now that you know how China celebrates teacher’s day and shows respect to their educators, you can share your culture’s customs about how teachers are treated in your country.

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