MANDARIN ChINese II - Playaway

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 5 (continued)Trains, often packed to capacity, are the traditionalpeople-movers in China. Instead of first or secondclass, passengers choose hard seat, hard sleeper,soft seat, or soft sleeper. Despite its name, hard seatis in fact not hard, but padded. Since those faresare the cheapest, hard seat is often uncomfortablycrowded. By contrast, a sleeper carriage can accommodate only a limited number of people. There arehalf a dozen bunks in three tiers; sheets, pillows,and blankets are provided. On short distancessome trains have soft seats, which cost about thesame as hard sleeper. In soft seat, overcrowdingand smoking are not permitted. Soft sleeper is theultimate luxury, with four comfortable bunks in aclosed compartment complete with wood paneling,potted plants, lace curtains, and often air-conditioning. Since few Chinese can afford soft sleeper,tickets, which cost twice as much as those for hardsleeper, are easy to obtain.China has many different types of trains, althoughthere are three main ones: slow, direct express,and special express. The zhike and ke, colloquiallyknown as manche or “slow trains,” stop at everystation. Some of these are still powered by steamengines. The faster direct express zhikuai makefewer stops. For a surcharge, passengers can take8

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 5 (continued)one that runs at a higher speed. The special expresstekuai make the least number of stops and are usuallyfueled by diesel or by electricity. For a still fasterspecial express train, the surcharge for higher speedis roughly twice that of the direct express.Conditions in trains have also improved considerably. Faced with stiff competition from airlinesand long distance buses, the state-owned railbureaus have tried to introduce faster and cleanerservices, especially to tourist destinations. A superspeed railway between Beijing and Shanghai is inthe planning stage.In the past few years, air travel has becomeincreasingly popular. There are now frequentflights between major cities. Furthermore, modernBoeings and Airbuses have for the most part replacedthe earlier rickety Soviet-built planes that causedwestern tourists much consternation.9

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 6Stores and ShoppingShopping is a favorite pastime for many Chinese.Department stores in major cities remain open wellafter 9:00 PM Western-style convenience storeshave also appeared in big cities; so has warehousemerchandizing.Many of the more populardepartment stores and supermarkets are joint ventureswith international retail giants. Service standardsin these upscale commercial establishments, stilllimited in number, are comparable to those of theirwestern counterparts. Designer brands and labels areavailable to those who can afford them. By contrast,state-owned stores cater to the tastes and purchasingpower of the working class. Street peddlers sellingcounterfeit goods, fake Prada jackets, Gucci shoes,etc., are popular with local residents and westerntourists alike.TaiwanTaiwan lies across a narrow strait from southeasternChina. It was first settled by aboriginal peoplesfrom Southeast Asia. The Chinese began to move toTaiwan in large numbers after the fall of the Mingdynasty in the 1660s. After a humiliating defeat in10

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 6 (continued)the Naval Battle of 1895, the Manchu governmentceded Taiwan to Japan, which became its colonialmaster for half a century. After the Second WorldWar, Taiwan reverted to Chinese sovereignty. In 1949the Nationalist government retreated to Taiwan afterlosing the civil war with the Communists. Todaythe People’s Republic of China is eager to reunitewith the island under the “one country, two systems”model. This formula, first proposed to Hong Kong, ismeant to assure the Taiwanese that they will be ableto maintain their economic and political system afterreunification with the mainland.While official relations across the Taiwan Straithave experienced ups and downs in the last twodecades, economic integration is progressing apace.Taiwanese businessmen are eager to exploit theircultural and linguistic ties to the mainland. Todaythey can be found in all corners of the People’sRepublic, setting up factories and running hotels andrestaurants. Despite the Taiwanese government’smisgivings, a number of small and medium-sizedcompanies have shifted their manufacturing operations to the mainland, where land and labor costs arefar lower than in Taiwan. According to the Chinesegovernment, the greater Shanghai metropolitan areaalone is now home to over a quarter million Taiwanesebusinessmen and their families.11

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 7Days and MonthsIt’s easy to remember the days of the week inChinese. Monday is considered the first day of theweek and is called “week-one” — xingqi yi. To namethe rest of the week, one simply adds the appropriatenumber to the word xingqi: xingqi er (Tuesday),xingqi san (Wednesday), xingqi si (Thursday),xingqi wu (Friday), and xingqi liu (Saturday).Sunday is called xingqi tian, in colloquial Chinese,or xingqi ri, in written formal Chinese. Tian and riboth mean “day.”The seven-day week was introduced to China byChristian missionaries who, instead of using xingqi,settled on the word libai, meaning “worship.” Theseven days, therefore, were known as libai yi(Monday), libai er (Tuesday), and so on, with libaitian for Sunday. Because of their religious overtones,the terms fell out of use in the official media, but theyhave been preserved in spoken Chinese, particularlyin the south and in Taiwan. In fact, there the wordlibai is the norm rather than xingqi.Before the introduction of the seven-day week, theChinese followed the lunar calendar. Each monthwas divided into three lunar phases of ten days each.12

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 7 (continued)The first ten days of the month were called chuyi,chu’er, chusan, continuing up to chushi. The wordchu itself means “beginning.” The lunar calendar, oryinli, was abolished in 1911. However, traditionalholidays and festivals are still observed accordingto the yinli.The names of the months are similarly straightforward. However, one puts the number before,rather than after, the word for “month,” yue. Januaryis known as the first month, February the secondmonth, and so on. Therefore, the twelve monthsin Chinese are: yi yue, January; er yue, February;san yue, March; si yue, April; wu yue, May; liuyue, June; qi yue, July; ba yue, August; jiu yue,September; shi yue, October; shi yi yue, November;and shi er yue, December.13

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 8MoviesCinema was introduced to China one year after itsdebut in Paris on December 28, 1895. Ever since,film has been an important form of entertainmentfor the Chinese, especially those living in cities.Hollywood films dominated the Chinese marketin the 1930s and ’40s. Then, after the founding ofthe People’s Republic of China in 1949, Hollywoodfilms disappeared from the scene. Since the 1990s,when the Chinese government reversed its policy,American blockbusters such as Forrest Gump andTitanic have drawn large crowds wherever they wereshown in China. On the whole, however, audiencesare dwindling. To attract more customers, Chinesemovie theaters have started to convert to Americanstyle multiplexes. Most people, however, watch filmsat home on pirated VCDs and DVDs, which can befound on every street corner in Chinese cities.Westerners may be familiar with a number ofChinese films that the Chinese themselves havenever seen. Some Chinese movies were banned;others, like Raise the Red Lantern, had a verylimited release. However, a number of new, youngfilm directors and producers are beginning to attractnotice worldwide. The Road Home is just one of14

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 8 (continued)the newly-released films that have received criticaland popular acclaim abroad.Popular EntertainmentAs movie audiences dwindle, other forms of entertainment have taken hold. Karaoke, for instance,has become wildly popular with both young and oldat banquets, in bars, or at family gatherings. Guestsare often invited to join in the fun. At times likethese it’s best to be a good sport and play along,even if you can’t hold a tune. Good-natured ribbingand hamming are part of the merriment.Mahjong, traditionally a game for men andwomen of leisure, has also regained its popularityafter being banned for decades. Small fortunes arewon or lost at the mahjong table. Quartets of menor women often play late into the night amidstclouds of cigarette smoke. Card games are alsoeagerly arranged and anticipated at family reunionsand parties.15

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 9Beijing OperaBeijing opera, or literally Beijing drama, is morethan just opera. It combines vocal and instrumentalmusic, dance, mime, acrobatics, and occasionallyeven magic. Props and scenery are minimal: exceptfor a table and a couple of chairs, the stage is bare.Actors specialize in one of four types of roles: thesheng, dan, jing, or chou. The sheng are the leadingmale roles. They portray characters like scholars,officials, and warriors. The dan are the female roles.Traditionally, they were played by men; today,however, only a few female impersonators are left.The jing are the painted-face roles. These usuallyinclude martial or heroic characters and supernaturalbeings. The chou are essentially comic roles. Theactors wear clown make-up — often a small whitetriangle between the eyes and across the nose. Thelibretti of Beijing opera are adapted from classicalChinese literature and are well known to those whoregularly attend the performances. The language,however, is archaic and difficult to understand.For this reason, lyrics are sometimes projected ontop of the proscenium arch or on one side of thestage. Reportedly, opera star Beverly Sills attendeda performance of Beijing opera during a visit toChina and subsequently decided to introduce super16

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 9 (continued)titles at the New York City Opera. Although mostperformances of Beijing opera take place in moderntheaters, some ornate, traditional courtyard theatershave been renovated for tourists.Unit 10Business TravelIn the days when the state dominated all facets ofthe economy, only a small portion of the population,factory directors, party secretaries, and so on, tookbusiness trips. The state paid for all their expenses.Today, with a booming private economic sector, Chinais seeing more and more people criss-crossing thecountry seeking business opportunities or cementingbusiness ties.The sight of businessmen in crisp suits and shinyleather shoes boarding trains and planes contrastsstarkly with the scene at bus terminals and trainstations. There, hordes of peasants from China’s inlandprovinces descend upon the coastal cities. For lack ofother accommodations, many remain in the depots.Arriving by the thousands every day, these migrantsare fleeing rural poverty and looking for better jobs.17

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 10 (continued)CoffeeAlthough tea is by far the most popular beveragein China, coffee has made inroads, particularly inbig cities.In the 1920s and ’30s, coffee houses in westernenclaves in Shanghai and Tianjin were favoritehangouts for writers and students. During theCultural Revolution (1966-1976), coffee houses,along with western restaurants, virtually disappeared. In recent years, however, Americanfranchises such as Starbucks, called xingbake inChinese, have opened in Beijing and Shanghai.Parts of Yunnan province and Hainan Islandin southern China are ideal for growing coffee.Nevertheless, to most Chinese in small cities andrural areas, coffee remains a bitter, exotic drink.18

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 11Holidays and Leisure TimeIn recent years China reduced the six-day workweek to five. In addition, employees get at leastseveral days off for each major holiday: theChinese New Year (late January or February), MayDay or Labor Day (May 1), and National Day(October 1). These, however, are presently theonly paid vacations. On average, Chinese people,at least those who live in urban areas, have fromtwo to three weeks of vacation. Because everyonegoes on vacation at the same time, tourist destinations are jam-packed. Those who crave peace andquiet would do well to avoid traveling around thesemajor holidays.The increase in leisure time is having a far-reachingimpact on China’s economy and society, creatingfinancial windfalls for restaurants, amusementparks, hotels, and towns with picturesque waterwaysor pagodas. Unlike Americans, the Chinese are farless likely to take part in outdoor sports such asskiing or scuba diving when they go on vacation.19

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 11 (continued)Chinese PastriesMung bean cakes are small, bite-size pastriesmade from mung beans; they are especiallypopular in the south and in Taiwan. Moon cakesare another favorite; they contain various fillingssuch as red bean paste, lotus seeds, ham, and saltedyolks of ducks’ eggs. During the Mid-AutumnFestival (August 15th on the lunar calendar, usuallysometime in September in the western calendar),the Chinese eat moon cakes in celebration of thefull moon. Elaborately packaged moon cakes arefrequently exchanged as gifts. Many restaurantsderive a substantial part of their annual profits fromthe Mid-Autumn Festival. Mung bean cakes andmoon cakes are frequently served with tea. Dessertsare not normally part of a meal in China; they areserved only as part of a formal banquet. Instead,pastries are eaten as snacks.Modesty and PolitenessWhen the Chinese invite friends over for dinner, thehost almost always begins a meal with the apology,“There’s nothing to eat” — despite the fact thathe has probably gone all out and prepared a feast.20

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 11 (continued)Guests then express unease over the abundance offood on the table and the host’s extravagance. Thisexchange is a social ritual for most Chinese, asChinese culture highly values modesty. Once themeal begins, the host heaps food on the plates in frontof the guests, while the guests exercise restraint. Ifa guest does not care for a particular dish, it is bestto leave it discretely on the plate. This is also a goodway to politely discourage overzealous hosts fromcontinuously offering more.The high value placed on modesty also explainswhy Chinese will deflect a compliment rather thanaccepting it graciously. For example, when Chinesepeople receive a compliment, instead of xiexie, or“thank you,” they say nali nali, literally, “Where?Where?” meaning, “There’s nothing anywhereworthy of praise.”A suitably embarrassedexpression accompanies the saying to further showone’s modesty. When they accept an offer of helpor receive a gift, again, rather than “thank you,” theChinese say bu hao yi si, meaning, “This is embarrassing” or “I feel embarrassed [for having imposedon you].”Like all languages, Chinese has a numberof frequently-used formulaic expressions and21

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 11 (continued)responses. When an important guest or a customerarrives, Chinese people say huan ying guang lin, or“Welcome.” When seeing someone off, they oftensay yi lu shun feng, or “May the wind be with you.”Unit 12HangzhouHangzhou lies south of China’s largest city,Shanghai; the journey from Shanghai to Hangzhoutakes slightly more than two hours by train. Tourismis an important part of Hangzhou’s economy. Itis famous for its picturesque West Lake, which issurrounded by lush hills and has long been eulogizedby Chinese poets. Many of the sights around thelake have literary associations. These sights includethe Leifeng Pagoda, which collapsed in the 1920sand is now being reconstructed; the causeway; andthe stone bridge, especially beautiful when snowcovered in winter. Besides West Lake, Hangzhou isalso known for several important Buddhist temples.The villages surrounding Hangzhou produce someof the best tea in China.22

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 12 (continued)SuzhouAn hour to the northwest of Shanghai, Suzhou wasan important cultural center during the Ming andQing dynasties, which lasted from the fourteenthcentury through the nineteenth century. Duringthis period it was also home to a disproportionately large number of scholar-officials. Most ofthe famous gardens in Suzhou date from this era.Much of the charm of the city came from its densenetwork of waterways. Unfortunately, many ofthe small canals and rivers were paved over. Withtourism booming, efforts are being made to restoresome of the surrounding small towns, which areminiatures of Suzhou and feature the same combinations of landscaped gardens, stone arch bridges,and canalscapes.Today Suzhou is also an economic powerhouse.Its suburbs have become especially popularwith Taiwanese high-tech firms. The Suzhoumetropolitan area is rapidly becoming one of theworld’s most important manufacturing centers oflaptop computers.23

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 13Combating the Summer HeatSummer, which extends from mid-June to the endof September, can be unbearably hot and humid insome parts of China. Before the advent of modernair-conditioning, the Chinese resorted to othermethods to stay cool. One inexpensive way wasusing a fan. Scholars and intellectuals preferredfolding, paper fans. Light in weight and easy tocarry around, these folding fans were often works ofart as well as highly functional objects. In fact, fanpaintings were prized possessions among Chinesemen of letters. Women’s fans were oval-shapedand made of paper, silk, or feathers. They wereoften painted as well. Banana trees and legendarybeauties were favorite subjects. Today air conditioners are becoming more and more common, yetmany Chinese still find fans indispensable.Moreover, not everyone can afford an airconditioner. Chinese who live in crowded, poorlyventilated old quarters sit under shady trees, playingcards or chatting with their neighbors, trying to catchthe cool evening breezes as the sun sets. In addition,all Chinese enjoy popular summer drinks such as icecold mung bean soup and, especially in the south,barley tea. Those lucky enough to live near the coast24

MANDARIN CHINESE IIUnit 13 (continued)take to the beaches in droves. Swimming poolsand water parks with various rides are also populardestinations, especially for families with children.Forms of AddressUnlike Americans, most Chinese are not on afirst-name basis with many other people. Personalnames alone are rarely used. (In the U.S. they arecalled “first names,” but remember that in China, thefamily name is spoken first.) It’s considered impoliteto address one’s superior by his or her personal name.The usual practice is to use the official position ortitle plus the family name, for example, PrincipalTian, Ma

Pimsleur is an imprint of . Mandarin, China’s standard spoken language, is taught in schools throughout Mainland China and Taiwan. It has become even more widespread through the reach of television. Today virtually all young people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait understand and