June 2012
7 posts
端午节(Duān wǔ jié) Dragon Boat Festival
In China, one of the most important holidays is the the Dragon Boat Festival, also called the Duanwu Festival, or 端午节(Duān wǔ jié). For those unfamiliar with this holiday, it is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese calendar. This year, the holiday will fall on June 23rd, which means a weekend off for all Chinese people! For thousands of years, the festival has...
夏至 (Xià zhì) Summer Solstice
Summer Solstice 夏至 (Xià zhì) falls on the 21st of June this year. It has the longest day time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Although Summer Solstice indicates that summer has arrived, it is not the hottest time of the year. The people in Beijing are used to eating noodles on the day of Summer Solstice. According to the old customs in Beijing, on the Summer Solstice people can safely...
膏药(gāo yao)Plaster
In China, almost all elderly people use herbal plasters 膏药(gāo yao), especially people with lower back pain. Nowadays, herbal plaster has become a basic medication for many families. So, why is plaster so popular in China? Herbal plasters are composed of many different traditional Chinese medicinal ingredients which in combination release the full potency of their medicinal properties. Its...
半年(bàn nián)
Time flies: it’s June now, and 2012 has passed its halfway mark. In Chinese, “half” is called “半(bàn)” and “half a year” is called 半年(bàn nián). The time period from January to June is called 上半年(shàng bàn nián) in Chinese while the time period from July to December is 下半年(xià bàn nián).
More about luck and calenders:
Chinese Horoscope :...
"Day of Grain in Ear" 芒种 (Máng zhòng)
“Day of Grain in Ear” 芒种 (Máng zhòng) is the ninth in the 24 Solar Terms and falls on June 5th this year. “芒(máng)” refers to the maturity of the seeds of such awned crops as barley and wheat and need to be harvested in time. “种(zhòng)” refers to the crops that need to be planted. “Grain in Ear” means “to harvest” and “to plant”. Chinese...
Stay Cool and Healthy: Summer Advice
Well, summer is definitely here. There’s been an explosion of heat, haziness, and summer activity: there are kids on bikes everywhere, the local pool and the parking lot at the local pond are packed, and the neighbourhood smells like barbeque all the time. Rry these suggestions for keeping you happy, healthy, and cool when it’s hot and muggy outside:
Try eating cold soups. I’m a new convert...
