making a phone call

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As a newcomer to China a number of years ago, I was surprised by the number of cell phones I saw in the hands of those surrounding me. I had come from America and I remember at the time that none of my friends even had a cell phone. In China they were everywhere. And they were being used in ways that didn't seem to me to be as common in the States. I know that some people like to text message in America, but the sheer number and frequency of the texting being done by the people around me was baffling. And man, they were quick at it.

These days it might not be strange to come from the West and see so many cell phones. When I returned to America this last summer I noticed that almost every one of my friends had a cell phone. But, as the largest market for cell phones in the world, there is still something unique about Chinese cell phone use. Cell phones in China are not only a utilitarian means of keeping in contact with people, they are markers of your social status and discriminating taste. Nokia and Motorola are the brands of success. And whether you use them or not, your cell phone's features are important in deciding where on the pecking order your mobile device rests. MP3 capability, digital camera and video as well as internet browsing capabilities are a must for any connoisseur.

To get an idea about the demand for cool cell phones and the sense of social position they bring, it is illustrating to note that when Apple's iPhone came out in the United States it was only a short time before the Chinese market was teeming with hacked iPhones which are unsupported by Apple. A friend of mine came to me recently beaming showing the new iPhone he'd bought for his girlfriend. Of course the iPhone is fun to use and pretty, but a user of it is also seen as being avante-garde in the war for cell phone prestige.

And besides the phone itself, people in China frequently invest money decking their phones out to personalize them. Cell phone covers, chains, stickers and protectors are a huge industry. The range in style reflects the range in users: from the leather cases looped around the belts of so many businessman to the brightly-colored covers and chains that dangle from the phones of young girls on the subway.

Even I've joined in the game. I never owned a cell phone in the West, but shortly after moving to China I made my first purchase. Right now, I like to keep my taste refined: a simple clear rubber cover to protect my black Motorola is my simple and yet esthetically pleasing choice. Of course there's a camera and MP3 player, and it supposedly can surf the web. And the phone ranks high enough on the status chain that when at a dinner with business associates I don't have feel embarrassed when I pull it out. For me, that's good enough.

But I have to admit that I am an Apple products lover, and when the iPhone gets official support in Asia, they might just have a new customer in the form of one American living in Beijing who looks surprisingly like the person I see every morning when looking in the mirror.

Related Vocabulary手机套 shǒujītào：cell phone cover
这个手机套是随机送的。
zhègè shǒujītào shì suí jī sòngde。
This cell phone cover comes with your phone.

手机链 shǒujīliàn：cell phone loop (to wrap around wrist or neck)
你的手机链挺漂亮的。
Nǐde shǒujīliàn tǐng piàoliang de。
Your cell phone loop looks great.

手机美容 shǒujīměiróng：cell phone beautification
前面有一家手机美容店 。
Qiánmian yǒu yìjiā shǒujīměiróng diàn。
There's a store that sells things to make your cell phone prettier right ahead.

手机游戏 shǒujīyóuxì：cell phone games
我比较喜欢单机的手机游戏。
wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuan dānjīde shǒujīyóuxì。
I like single-player cell phone games.

电子书diànzǐshū：electronic book
时下很多人用手机看电子书。
shíxià hěnduō rén yòng shǒujī kàn diànzǐshū。
At present a lot of people use their cell phones to read electronic books

手机卡 shǒujīkǎ：cell phone card
你用的是什么手机卡？
nǐ yòngde shì shénme shǒujīkǎ？
What kind of cell phone card do you use?

手机挂坠 shǒujīguàzhuì：cell phone pendant (that hangs from a cell phone for decoration)
这是你自己做的手机挂坠吗？
zhè shì nǐ zìjǐ zuòde shǒujīguàzhuì ma？
Did you make this cell phone pendant yourself?

Related Links
Chinese phone rentals at Panda Phone
Cell phone choices for those coming to China
Chinese pre-paid SIM cards
China's move to standardize cell phone chargers

A Face of Chinese Beauty

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We’re going to take this chance today to talk a little bit about fashion. But, as the modern fashion world changes as quickly as the seasons, we thought we’d talk about another form of Chinese fashion: the classical form of female Chinese beauty.

There are many descriptions of the standards of beauty in classic China. Today we’ll focus on the face, as it’s the place that seems to get the most attention. Though we shouldn’t be fooled into believing that such things as speech, skin, gait and even the feet did not receive ample attention. But there’s something special about the face in these treatises. They are frequently compared to some kind of food, and always, it seems, to some kind of living plant, which I find to be interesting. So, let’s begin our meal today with the window to the world, the eyes:

Chinese traditionally valued what they termed “apricot-eyed” women. Unlike the view of beauty today, which is in favor of large, round eyes, traditional female beauty in China consisted of long, thin eyes with smooth upper eyelids. Also in opposition to today’s standards was the appreciation of eyelids with only one fold, as opposed to the more common twice-folded lids (Westerners almost always have twice-folded eyelids).

To frame the eyes it was important to have “willow-eyebrows”: eyebrows that are beautifully arched, like a new moon. Long and skinny, with dark hair. The mouth was compared to cherries, and “cherry-lips” were the most desired. Not only were the most beautiful lips small like cherries, but they were also bright red, like the fruit itself.

Finally, we finish off the treatise on the beauty of a woman’s face with “peach-cheeks”. The cheeks are the most beautiful when they present a healthy ruddiness, like a beautifully ripened peach.

Now, if that’s not a thing of beauty, I don’t know what is.


Related Vocabulary

双眼皮shuāngyǎnpí: double-folded eyelids (most Westerners have this kind of eyelid)
中国人双眼皮的比较多。
zhōngguórén shuāngyǎnpí de bǐjiào duō。
Most Chinese people have double-folded eyelids.

单眼皮dānyǎnpí: single-folded eyelid
我只知道她新的男朋友是个单眼皮男生，挺帅气的。
wǒ zhī zhīdào tā xīnde nánpéngyǒu shìgè dānyǎnpí nánshēng，tǐng shuàiqì de。
I just know that her new boyfriend has single-folded eyelids, very handsome.

眼睛yǎnjīng: eyes
她的眼睛总是水汪汪的，惹人怜爱。
Tāde yǎnjīng zǒngshì shuǐwāngwāng de，rě rén lián’ài。
Her eyes are always watery, the make people both pity and care for her.

眉毛méimáo: eyebrows
你的眉毛已经很浓了，我的才是稀呢！
Nǐde méimáo yǐjīng hěn nóng le，wǒde cái shì xī ne。
Your eyebrows are already thick, my eyebrows are what you’d call thin.

嘴唇zuǐchún: lips
她的嘴唇最性感了
Tāde zuǐchún zuì xìnggǎn le。
Her lips are the sexiest.

腮帮子sāibāngzi: cheeks
我的腮帮子肿了。
Wǒde sāibāngzi zhǒng le。
My cheeks are swollen.

Pu'er Tea, a Chinese Secret

ezychinese Cultural Expansion

Many in the West expound the health benefits and mind-clarifying qualities of green tea. There's something that strikes most people as particularly Asian and Zen about it. However, in China, the home of tea, green tea is only one of a number of kinds of tea that are enjoyed for any number of reasons, varying from flavor to health benefits. The one tea that is probably the least well known in the West is pu'er tea (pu er; puerh), a special kind of tea grown in the southern Chinese province of Yunnan.

All tea comes from the same plant: Camellia Sinensis, the differences between them comes from the way they're processed, the growing conditions of the plants and geography. Pu'er tea is distinct from other teas in that it is the only tea to go through a process of fermentation. The process of making pu'er has been a closely guarded secret for centuries in China. Until 1995 it was not even legal to export the tea to America. It's no wonder, then, that we in the West have little knowledge of this tea.

Pu'er gets its name from a town where it was originally processed and sold. It was grown and harvested, however, on the Nuoshan Mountains some distance from the town of pu'er. It's said that in the process of getting the tea from the mountains to the town to be processed and sold the tea leaves would ferment in the humidity. The flavor of the leaves was pleasing and so a special fermentation process developed.

Most tea leaves are only fit to be used for a short time after their harvest. However, because of the special nature of the fermentation, pu'er is the only tea that actually improves with age. It starts as either a green or partially-oxidized tea. It's then dried and piled underneath a damp cloth to ferment for a period of either a few days or a few weeks. It's then dried again. This is "shou" (ripe) pu'er tea. There's also a kind of pu'er tea called "sheng" (unripe) pu'er that ferments through a longer process of storage.

Pu'er is sold either in a compressed, mold form, or in leaf variety. The compressed form was more convenient for transportation, and there are many different shapes that are used.

Pu'er has an earthy taste and is similar to black tea. It has long been appreciated for its medicinal benefits in China, among which are its abilities to detoxify, help in weight loss, and help in digestion. It's also appreciated solely for its particular taste, one different from other teas, but quite pleasant.

Related Vocabulary
普洱茶 pǔěrchá：pu’er tea
你喜欢喝普洱茶吗？
Nǐ xǐhuan hē pǔ’ěrchá ma？
Do you like pu’er tea?

茶砖 cházhuān：a kind of compressed tea in the shape of a brick
这种形状的普洱茶叫茶砖。
zhèzhǒng xíngzhuàng de pǔ’ěrchá jiào cházhuān。
Pu’er tea of this shape is called a “chazhuan”

茶饼 chábǐng：a kind of compressed tea in the shape of a disc
那种形状的普洱茶叫茶饼。
nàzhǒng xíngzhuàng de pǔ’ěrchá jiào chábǐng。
Pu’er tea in that shape is called “chabing”.

沱茶 tuóchá：a kind of compressed tea in the shape of a bowl
这种叫沱茶。
Zhèzhǒng jiào tuóchá。
This kind is called “tuocha”.

Related Links
Pu'er tea
Kinds of tea

About us

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But learning Chinese is about more than just learning the language: it's also about learning about the richness of Chinese culture. For each lesson you get a Cultural Expansion article that explores the relationships that each lesson has with Chinese culture. You also have access to exclusive video interviews that provide a unique perspective on other topics of interest.

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Buying Souvenirs

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Introduction

Planning a trip home? Meeting an important guest? You're going to be wanting to take a trip to buy some souvenirs before you do. In this lesson we teach you some different kinds of traditional gifts that you can buy and the vocabulary you need to purchase them. Now it's time for gift-buying.

Cultural Expansion

Buying gifts in China can be a delight. Often times the prices that you find are remarkably cheap and the goods are exotic. However, there are times when one ought to be careful, especially when shopping for higher priced items, as fakes abound on the Chinese market. So in today’s Cultural Expansion we’ll talk about some ways to avoid making mistakes and being deceived, first generally, and then specifically for the item purchased in this lesson: amber.

The very first and most important thing to remember when shopping in China is: buyer be ware. There are no real regulations and no guarantees that products you go to buy are what they report to be. In the end, if you buy something, you’re stuck with it, and so you need to be sure that something is real before you give the money.

So, how can you do that? If you’re planning on buying something expensive and nice as a gift, go to an accredited store. Yes, there are cheap versions of what you’re buying available in many smaller stores, but the old adage, “you get what you pay for,” is just as true in China as it is in the West. You’re buying something nice, make sure you’re not cheated.

If you want to go to stores that don’t have some kind of solid reputation for what you’re buying, make sure you go armed with knowledge. Do your research online or bring a friend who knows what they’re doing. These steps take only a little time and save you the disappointment of buying something you really like, only to find out later that it’s fake.

Now, with regard specifically to amber, there are a few ways to distinguish whether or not it is real. Usually fake amber is made of plastic, as such it’s easy to tell the difference between the two. If you shave off just a small amount of dust from the amber and apply intense heat to it, amber will, because of its mineral composition, turn a glowing red. Plastic will simply melt. Another method involving heat is to heat a needle and poke it into the amber. Both amber and plastic will melt, but only amber will have a sweet smell, while we all know the smell of burnt plastic.

Of course, many people selling amber might not be that willing to let their goods undergo these means of testing. Another way of testing the true quality of amber is to put the amber into a solution of saturated salt water. If it is amber it should float. Plastic will sink.

Now that you’re armed with some knowledge, hopefully you’ll be better able to navigate the market next time you’re out looking for gifts in China. Amber is a beautiful gift that has been appreciated both in the West and the East for its particular qualities. With the information in this article you should now be able to better appraise the amber that you see when you’re out looking on the streets here.

Related Links
A whole lot about amber
More details on distinguishing between real and fake amber
What is amber?

Renting an Apartment

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Introduction:

So you're in China and looking for a place to rent? You're going to need to know some vocabulary. Oh, and there's some things you need to be careful about. Join us in the Understanding section and we'll help you to avoid problems and find the place you're looking for.

Cultural Expansion

Finding an apartment can be exciting. Especially for those moving to China for the first time, the prospect of finding the right apartment is a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Things work differently here, and even for those whose Chinese is pretty good, the whole process can be a difficult one if you’re not versed in the ins and outs. But it can also be quite rewarding when you find the apartment that’s right for you. So today we’re going to give some tips to help you in your quest, hopefully answer some questions and let you be armed with all you need to know for a successful quest.

Like apartment hunting anywhere, many of the same rules apply. One of the first things you need to consider is location. Is the apartment going to be near enough to your work or your school? The place you need to go most days should ideally be close. Spending two or more hours on a combination of buses and subways every day is not something any of us want to do. Think this out carefully because transportation in some cities in China can be very slow due to the sudden rise in cars and increased traffic. Try to do the route you would take between possible locations at the time you would take it and see what the timing is like.

xi'anIs there convenient transportation? On the days that you want to go out and do other things (go shopping, clubbing, traveling, etc.) can you get there conveniently? A close subway stop in those cities that have subways is a real bonus. For other cities bus stations with convenient routes and a road where one can always hail a taxi are things to think about. Either go online and look at a transportation map or find one when you get to where you’ll be living at a hotel or travel agency. Try to familiarize yourself with the flow of the city.

After you find out locations you have to go looking. There are a couple of ways to look for apartments in China. One is to find a housing agency. In most bigger cities there are professional housing agencies that can find you apartments. The prices, however, are quite steep, and they usually only cater to the higher-end housing market. This is most fitting for those coming to China for business but who are still getting paid with decent Western wages.

For the rest of us we have two options. One option is to use an unofficial housing agency. Usually such an agency would consist of a group of people riding on bikes with two or three cell phones. They have a list of houses and can try to find one that fits your requirements. When you see stickers placed on walls around the city advertising housing you can usually bet that they were placed by one of these agencies.

Using such an agency can be dangerous for a number of reasons, however. One is that they are working illegally and if there are problems in the process of finding housing you could be left out of money and out of a roof over your head. Another downside to using these agencies is that these people usually charge a fee of half a month’s rent for finding you the apartment. You might consider that a worthwhile investment. Just be careful if you choose to go this route as many people have been burned.

Another option is to look for ads placed directly by landlords themselves. If you go online and can read and speak some Chinese you will find a large number of landlords who are looking for people to rent their apartments. Landlords often times like this because they don’t have to pay an agency money. Of course it’s good for you too because you don’t have to pay them money either.

The last option is to look on English forum sites for people looking for roommates in the areas you want to live. This can be a really good way to find a place, but there are some drawbacks here as well. If they are sub-letting to you without the landlord’s notice getting your Residence Permit (see more on this below) might become a problem. Make sure you ask a thorough number of questions before agreeing to anything.

Things you need to know when renting an apartment in China:

• Make sure that the landlord really is the one who has the authority to rent you the apartment. You should ask to see their certificate of ownership. If they do not have this, or it is not in their name (check by asking to look at their ID Card), beware. This can be a problem down the road if you want to install the internet, get cable or want to apply for your Residence Permit. I also know someone who rented an apartment from someone only to have the true owner come back and ask her to move out. She lost three months’ rent.

• Put everything in writing. If your Chinese is not good enough to read the Chinese contract, and your landlord doesn’t provide an English copy, bring a Chinese friend who can read it for you. Make sure the number on the gas meter, water meter and electric meter have all been written down when you move in and that you are only responsible for any fees incurred after you get in. Also, make sure it’s clearly spelled out who will pay for what. Is there heat? Who pays? What about garbage collection? Phone, tv, internet?

• Does it really have everything you want? Things like water heaters, AC and heat are not necessarily going to be provided, depending on where you’re moving. Make sure that the things you need are there and write them down in the contract. You might also like a washing machine, some dishes and furniture. Write them all down in the contract if they’re going to be provided so it’s clear for everyone. If you explain to the landlord they should see why this is good for both parties.

• You have to go to the local Public Security Bureau within 48 hours of your arrival in China. Your landlord needs to accompany you. When you go bring your passport with your visa, your landlord’s certificate of ownership for the apartment and the contract you have signed (in Chinese). The landlord is supposed to pay a tax based on a percentage of the rental amount. Almost every landlord is unwilling to pay this and the burden will usually fall upon you. You have to decide what to do about this. Most landlords are willing to write a separate contract to take to the Public Security Bureau that shows a rental amount that is less than the real amount, making the tax paid less. Again, you have to decide how you feel about this.

• After you go to the Public Security Bureau you will get a form that you need to bring to the Municipal Public Security Bureau to apply for your Residence Permit. This must be done within 30 days of your arrival in the country. Your landlord need not attend.

With these tips in mind you should be able to find an apartment that you’re happy with. And, more importantly, if you take heed of this points you should be able to avoid some of the traps that others before you have fallen into.

Related vocabulary
交通 JiāoTōng：Traffic，transportation
Zhè Lǐ De Jiāo Tōng Fāng Biàn Ma ？
这 里 的 交 通 方 便 吗 ？
Is the transportation convenient here？

中介公司ZhōngJièGōngSī：real estate agency
Zū Fáng Zǐ Yīng Gāi Zhǎo Yì Jiā Hǎo De Zhōng Jiè Gōng Sī .
租 房 子 应 该 找 一 家 好 的 中 介 公 司.
When looking to rent an apartment you should find a good real estate agency.

黑中介HēiZhōngJiè：illegal real estate agency
Qiān Wàn Yào Xiǎo Xīn Hēi Zhōng Jiè Gōng Sī 。
千 万 要 小 心 黑 中 介 公 司 。
You want to be extremely careful of illegal real estate agencies

中介费ZhōngJièFèi：fee given to a real estate agency
Zhōng Jiè Fèi Zěn Me Gěi ？
中 介 费 怎 么 给 ？
How do you calculate your fee？

房东 FángDōng：landlord
Wǒ De Fáng Dōng Hěn Hé Qì 。
我 的 房 东 很 和 气 。
My landlord‘s very kind

房本FángBěn ：certificate of ownership （for a house）
Nǐ Yǒu Fáng Běn Ma ？
你 有 房 本 吗 ？
Do you have the certificate of ownership for this house？

身份证 ShēnFènZhèng：identification
Xū Yào Yí Fèn Shēn Fèn Zhèng Fù Yìn Jiàn 。
需 要 一 份 身 份 证 复 印 件 。
I need a copy of your ID
合同 HéTóng：contract
Hé Tóng Shàng Yào Xiě Míng Péi Cháng Zé Rèn 。
合 同 上 要 写 明 赔 偿 责 任 。
Write clearly how to compensate for damaged goods on the contract

派出所PàiChūSuǒ：Public Security Bureau
Hái Yào Qù Pài Chū Suǒ Bàn Lǐ Yì Xiē Shǒu Xù 。
还 要 去 派 出 所 办 理 一 些 手 续 。
I still need to go to the Public Security Bureau and take care of some formalities

护照HùZhào：passport
Gěi Wǒ Yí Fèn Nǐ De Hù Zhào Fù Yìn Jiàn
给 我 一 份 你 的 护 照 复 印 件
I need a copy of your passport

签证QiānZhèng：visa
Nǐ Shì Shén Me Qiān Zhèng ？
你 是 什 么 签 证 ？
What kind of visa do you have

税Shuì：tax，taxes
Hái Yào Qù Pài Chū Suǒ Jiāo Shuì 。
还 要 去 派 出 所 交 税 。
I still need to go to the Public Security Bureau and pay some tax

公安局出入境管理处 GōngānJúChūRùJìngGuǎnLǐChù：Municipal Public Security Bureau
Nǐ Yào Dào Gōng ān Jú Chū Rù Jìng Guǎn Lǐ Chù Bàn Lǐ Wài Guó Rén Lín Shí Jū Zhù Zhèng 。
你 要 到 公 安 局 出 入 境 管 理 处 办 理 外 国 人 临 时 居 住 证 。
You need to go to the Municipal Public Security Bureau to get a Foreign Residence Permit


外国人临时居留证Wài Guó Rén Lín Shí Jū Liú Zhèng：Foreign Residence Permit
Nǐ Yào Dào Gōng ān Jú Chū Rù Jìng Guǎn Lǐ Chù Bàn Lǐ Wài Guó Rén Lín Shí Jū Zhù Zhèng 。
你 要 到 公 安 局 出 入 境 管 理 处 办 理 外 国 人 临 时 居 住 证 。
You need to go to the Municipal Public Security Bureau to get a Foreign Residence Permit


Links：
www.thatsbj.com
http://www.bjroom.com/index_en.aspx
http://www.jczdbj.cn/houselist.asp?typeid=15&gclid=CMapgq-x044CFQvgTAodU20B8A

Suzhou Gardens

Suzhou (苏州, Sūzhōu), situated on the large delta of the Yangzi River, is a town rich in history and beauty. Reportedly founded in the seventh century BCE, Suzhou served as the capital of the state of Wu during the Spring and Autumn (ca. 722-481 BCE) and Warring States (475-221 BCE) periods of Chinese history. But, Suzhou was not to begin to take its status as a leading city of commerce and culture until the completion during the Sui dynasty (581-618 CE) of the Grand Canal which linked the important communities of "Jiangnan" (江南, Jiāngnán)--the areas around and to the south of the Yangzi river--to the newly established, secondary capital at Luoyang (洛阳, Luòyáng) along the Yellow River in the north. Suzhou was to reach its zenith as a center for refined culture, as well as thriving business during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

It was during the Ming and following Qing dynasties that the art of the garden reached its maturity in Suzhou. While there are records of gardens in the area dating back to its earliest history, it was really the booming development of the region's economy, backed by the bustling trade in silk, that allowed for the art of the garden to expand on a broad scale in the city. It's said that at its high point there were once around 200 private gardens in the city. While the ravages of social unrest and war in the last two centuries have destroyed many of these gardens, the city still boasts dozens of gardens for visitors to come and see.

Which leads us to another point. While these areas are labeled as "gardens" (园林, yuánlín, in Chinese), they included not only plants, flowers, rocks, water and fish, but also the living, working and recreational quarters of the inhabitants of the garden themselves. It was the duty of the designer of the garden to produce a layout that interspersed functional buildings throughout the plan in a way that was aesthetically pleasing.

Anyone who has gone to these gardens will have noticed the importance of stones in their landscaping. Large, porous limestone rocks retrieved from Lake Tai (太湖, tàihú), are integral features of these gardens. Aesthetically, top-heavy rocks with much texture that seem to defy the rules of gravity are considered to be the most valuable. Often these rocks, in combination with the water and earth already described, are combined in ways that are supposed to represent a miniature version of landscape--either real or imagined. The rocks and earth are mountains and cliffs, the water vast lakes, waterfalls or rivers.

Suzhou garden, and indeed throughout most of Chinese landscaping, was not one that relied simply upon the visual appreciation of the plants chosen. Plants were frequently chosen not only for their look but for the connotations they conveyed--connotations usually built upon and reinforced by literary allusions that had formed through the centuries. Some of the more favorite plants chosen were the cypress, twisted and withered, which served as a symbol of longevity; the pine, tough and rugged, was a symbol of the virtuous scholar who weathered political ups and downs; bamboo, hollow, straight yet flexible, was a symbol of the perfect Confucian gentleman, keeping his inner self empty and untroubled while being at the same time able to bend without breaking.

(source from--http://www.linese.com/blog/hongyi.html)