Posts Tagged ‘Chinese Mandarin’

• HSK – Xiudingsi Pagoda

  Date: 2009.01.24 | Category: Chinese Mandarin, Chinese Online Class, Chinese School, Chinese language, Learn Chinese Class, Study Chinese, learn Chinese, learn Chinese online, learn Mandarin online, learn mandarin | Response: 0

  Subscribe to free Email Newsletter

  Library>Travel in China>Protected Sites>Class Ⅱ>Contructions

  Xiudingsi Pagoda

  The Xiudingsi Pagoda is located in the south foot of Qingliang Mountain in the Taihang Mountain Range 35 kilometers to the northwest of Anyang County, Henan Province.

  The Xiudingsi Pagoda lies inside the original Xiuding Temple. There are chains of mountains around the temple. The mountains are lofty, with springs here and there, forming a beautiful landscape. It is said that the Xiuding Temple was built in the eighteenth year (494) of the Taihe reign of the
  Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) and originally named Tiancheng Temple. The temple was expanded in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577) and renamed as Heshui Temple. The temple has a large scale. Emperor Wenxuan of the Northern Qi Dynasty came here three times. The temple became more imposing after
  reconstructions during the Sui (581-618)) and Tang (618-907) Dynasties, and got the new name Xiuding Temple. The temple was destroyed at the end of the Qing Dynasty except the Xiudingsi Pagoda. The pagoda was built in the Zhenguan reign (627-649) of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is a single-layer
  dagoba of brick carving. For the red body, it is commonly known as Red Pagoda.

  The original pagoda is 20 meters in height, composed of the base, body and peak. The pagoda base is a pedestal with an octagonal plane. The body is a square, with an arch in the south wall. Many Buddha niches and inscriptions of the Tang and Song Dynasties can be found on the forehead of the door.
  The peak resembles an overturn pot, and is in a luxury and splendid style, rarely seen among pagodas of the Tang Dynasty. Now the peak is damaged.

  The body is built of over 5,000 carved bricks that were molded with patterns of diamond, triangle, rectangle and parallelogram. The contents of carvings are rich and colorful. The patterns include black dragon, white tiger, Taoist master, knight, Buddha’s warrior attendants, Hercules, Handmaiden,
  Flying Apsaras, treasured elephant, strong lion, heavenly horse, boa, flower, colorful ribbon and so on, totaling 72 types of patterns. The carving techniques are superb, and the figures are so vivid that it seems to be coming out of the wall. The sculpture is a treasure among the artworks of the
  Tang Dynasty. There are arch doors in the south wall of the pagoda. These doors were built by laying carved bricks too. Hemicycle stony foreheads of the doors are located niches for Amida Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha. There are josses, disciples, Bodhisattvas and heavenly kings,
  altogether 9 figures. The flamboyant back light behind the josses reflects an artistic style of the prosperous period of the Tang Dynasty.

  Email to Friends
  Print
  Save

  Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet

• Chinese Pinyin – Id al-Fitr in China

  Date: 2009.01.10 | Category: Chinese Mandarin, Chinese Online Class, Chinese School, Chinese language, Learn Chinese Class, Study Chinese, learn Chinese, learn Chinese online, learn Mandarin online, learn mandarin | Response: 0

  Subscribe to free Email Newsletter

  Library>China ABC>Religion>Islamism in China

  Id al-Fitr in China

  Id al-Fitr is the common festival for all the peoples who believe in Islam in China. Muslims in China who speak Chinese call ‘Id al-Fitr as Daerde, which means major festival. For the Hui people, it is the most important festival. Muslims will have a fast in the ninth month of Islamic calendar.
  And at the end of the month, if a crescent is seen, the next day will be ‘Id al-Fitr. This festival is in memory of Mohammed’s original missionary activities.

  The main rites of ‘Id al-Fitr in China are:

  A.After Morning Prayer, quickly have a little food to show the gratitude toward Allah;

  B.Pay taxes to mosques or religious fund organizations. In some regions of China, these taxes are called wheat tax, because they are paid in the form of wheat or equivalent cash.

  C.Have a festival prayer. On that morning, all Muslims gather at the biggest local mosque or a plaza and have grand ceremonies. The Hui people think most highly of this festival and call the month of fast as the worshipful month. During this period, people are very careful and polite. They value
  the festival prayer most, and no matter how bad the weather is, it will be held in order and on time. After the prayer, people will greet the Akhund and then greet each other. Then every family will go to the cemetery and pray for their dead family members and all dead Muslims. And then they will
  give their best wishes to the elder. After all this, they return home and enjoy the already prepared delicious food. Muslims in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region call this festival as Rouzi Festival.

  Email to Friends
  Print
  Save

  Learn Chinese, Chinese Mandarin, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet

• Chinese Character – Kazak Ethnic Minority

  Date: 2009.01.08 | Category: Chinese Mandarin, Chinese Online Class, Chinese School, Chinese language, Learn Chinese Class, Study Chinese, learn Chinese, learn Chinese online, learn Mandarin online, learn mandarin | Response: 0

  Subscribe to free Email Newsletter

  Library>China ABC>People>Ethnic Groups

  Kazak Ethnic Minority

  With a population of 1,111,718 (as of 1990), the Kazak ethnic minority is distributed mainly in the Xinjiang Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, and Mori and Barkol Kazak autonomous counties. In addition, they also live in Gansu and Qinghai provinces.

  The Kazak language belongs to the Turkic Austronesian of the Altaic Phylum. As the Kazaks live in mixed communities with the Hans, Uygurs and Mongolians, the Kazaks have assimilated many words from these languages. They had a written language based on the Arabic alphabet, which is still in use,
  but a new Latinized written form was developed in 1954.

  The Kazak ethnic minority has a long history. They are the descendants of the ancient Wusun tribes. These tribes were driven from their homelands in the Hexi Corridor, but became an established power in the Ili region by the first century BC. Ancient Kazak people also had close relations with many
  other nationalities. In the mid-15th century, the Kazaks set up their own state.

  Except for a few settled farmers, most of the Kazaks live by animal husbandry. They migrate to look for pasturage as the seasons change. In spring, summer and autumn, they live in collapsible round yurts and in winter build flat-roofed earthen huts in the pastures. The Kazaks, men and women alike,
  are good horse riders. The famous Ili horse, praised as celestial horse, is their pride.

  Their folk literature handed down orally was quite developed, such as old verses, tales, proverbs, parables and maxims. Many outstanding Kazak classic and contemporary works have been published in the Kazak language.

  The Kazaks are now Muslims. Their festivals and ceremonies are related to religion. The Corban Festival, the Noroz Festival and the Id El-fitr Festival are occasions for feasts of mutton and mutual greetings. The Nawuruz Festival in the first month of the lunar calendar is a grand occasion to say
  good-bye to the old, usher in the new, and hope for a better year in stockbreeding.

  Email to Friends
  Print
  Save

  Learn Chinese, Learn mandarin, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing,