Learn Mandarin Chinese - MyChineseLearning

静(jìng) 夜(yè) 思(sī)
李(lǐ) 白(bái)
床(chuáng) 前(qián) 明(míng) 月(yuè) 光(guāng) ，
疑(yí) 是(shì) 地(dì) 上(shàng) 霜(shuāng) 。
举(jǔ) 头(tóu) 望(wàng) 明(míng) 月(yuè) ，
低(dī) 头(tóu) 思(sī) 故(gù) 乡(xiāng) 。
In The Quiet Night
So bright a gleam on the foot of my bed,
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Touching, hugging or kissing people is not a customary practice among the Chinese people. Handshaking, which was imported from the West, is generally the accepted from of salutation. We usually shake hands with the right hand, but sometimes with both hands to show a warm feeling. When someone shakes his/ her hands with a great force, it indicates that he/she is powerful, and confident to win in the competition; or shows his/ her sincerity rather than perfunctoriness to you. However, Chinese handshakes differ in two ways from those common in the West. First, Chinese tend to shake hands very lightly, which is known as "dead fish" style, instead of gripping the hand firmly and pumping vigorously as often seen in the West. If you encounter a handshake like this, you should immediately soften your grasp, shake, and let go or simply accept the handshake as a business formality. Second, a handshake can last as long as ten seconds, instead of the brisk three-second contact common in the West. Our recommendation in this regard is the combination of the both styles, which is gaining much popularity these days. It starts with a traditional handshake as each party extends his/ her hand, concluding in a slight bow over the two clasped, shaking hands---a perfect global bridge.
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Mooncakes are Chinese pastry traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Typical mooncakes are round or rectangular pastries, measuring about 10 cm in diameter and 4-5 cm thick. A thick filling usually made from lotus seed paste is surrounded by a relatively thin (2-3 mm) crust and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs. Mooncakes are rich, heavy, and dense compared with most Western cakes and pastries. They are usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by Chinese tea.
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Tea is one of China's most representative cultures and has attracted people from all over the world. As well as tea and water, other elements are involved in the tradition, such as the teapot. The Zisha teapots produced in Yixing city in east China's Jiangsu Province are considered to be the best tool for making tea. Today, let's learn more about this delicate work of art, the Yixing Zisha Teapot. Zisha teapot could be literally translated as purple sand teapot in English.
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农历五月初五，是中国民间传统的端午节，也叫“五月节”。端午节的时候，人们有吃粽子，赛龙舟的习俗。据说，这是为了纪念中国古代伟大的爱国诗人屈原。

屈原是战国时期①楚国的大夫②，很有才能。但是由于他人陷害，被楚国的国王流放。屈原离开楚国后，仍然关心自己国家的命运。后来，他听说楚国被秦国打败，非常悲痛，就跳进汨罗江③自杀了。这一天正好是公元前278年，农历五月初五。

人们听到屈原跳江的消息后，都划船打捞他的尸体，但是没有找到。为了不让鱼虾吃掉屈原的身体，百姓们就把食物扔进江中喂鱼。以后，每年五月初五人们都要这样做。后来，人们又改为用芦苇叶子把糯米包成粽子扔进江里。于是，就形成了端午节吃粽子，赛龙舟的习俗。

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