Enhancing Learning

Exploiting cognition through Semantic Knowledge Management and writing practices

Chádào: The Chinese art of brewing tea

Chádào 茶道 is the art of making tea. The making and drinking of tea which shows good manners, personality, taste, and aesthetic understanding, and which began in the Tang dynasty, became popular in the Song-Ming period, and was introduced into Japan and Korea, where it developed into local forms. Explanation from nciku. Brewing tea. Gongfu Tea ceremony….

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Shanghai Tea Markets

There are many tea markets in Shanghai. A couple of places which I have visited and I could recommend are the Tea Palast in 516 Zhong Shan Xi Lu , Puxi (天山茶店,中山西路516号, 铺西), crossing Changning Lu 长宁路 and RiXiangCha (日春茶业in 537-539 Yuntai Lu, Pudong, near the T-Junction Dezhou Rd-Yuntai Rd, Tel: 58835519. The Tea Palast is a five-floors building situated next…

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Chinese pijiamas

There are many things I will miss when back in Europe (I have created a list in a previous postings). One of the thing I will miss most are people walking in pijiama. There have been a lot of advertisment in national and English-speaking newspapers in China asking the population not to leave their houses…

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Chinese craftiness

When in Shanghai do not miss the opportunity of ordering some handmade knitting ware. Chinese women are exceptional in knitting and they use wool from all over the world. You can leave the address and they will dispatch the products to your country. They are good and honest (one hour work is 1,5 Euro). Please…

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Chinese lucky characters

Due to the good connotation of the above Chinese characters, these will be used in names or on the festivals decorations. 德  dé  good 德国 安德曦 déguó (Germany), āndéxī (Andrich, my name) 和  hé  armony 我和你   you and me 喜  xǐ  happiness 喜欢  xǐ huān 福  fú  fortune 財 cái wealth 美  měi  beautiful 美国  měi guó  (America)…

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Mid-Autumn festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival is, together with the New Year’s and Dragon Boat Festival, the most important festival in China. It is held on the 15th day of the 8th month in the Chinese calender. Moon cakes are the festival’s special pastries.

Yin Yang

阴阳 yīnyáng and the theory of opposites

阴阳 yīnyáng expresses the essence of the Chinese world view in which the opposites are complementary and interconnected and part of the same whole. In the western philosophy we also have a similar representation as we say „two faces of the same medal“ but as the faces remain separated I think that the Chinese image…

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Talking about sex in China?

A direct referencing to sex is not welcome in China. Influenced from the vulgarity of certain American TV-series some young Chinese may use sex-related expressions in their conversations. Nevertheless this is not the norm, so, in order not to loose the face and not to put Chinese in embarassing situations, one should avoid mentioning any…

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Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival (龙舟节, lóng zhōu jié) is, together with the Spring and Mid-Autumn festival, the most important festival in China. It is held on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese calender (approximately at the beginning of Mai). During this festival families get together and different dragon boat celebrations will be held…

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