Learning Chinese - Know of any Chengdu schools??? -

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Know of any Chengdu schools???
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nitropuppy -

I want to live in Chengdu for a few years. I'm 46 years old and I am semi-retired. From what I
have read so far, it is difficult to get a temporary residence permit. Unless, I either teach
english or take Mandarin courses myself.
I do not have time to be a full time student or teacher. My business in the "States" will need a
certain amount of attention. Which, I can do via the internet. Should I come on a tourist visa
(multi-entry), or try to get a letter from a school and apply for a 24 month student visa?
MY QUESTIONS
1. Can anybody give me the names to any schools in Chengdu, where I could take just a few hours of
language study a week??

2. How can a foriegner obtain the temporary residence permit?

3. I plan to marry my fiancee (she is chinese) in China. But according to the U.S.Consulate
website, I need the residence permit to receive a marriage license. But another site said the
marriage itself with get me the residence permit. Chicken or the egg?? Which is it?? Which must
come first??

4. Ideally, I just want to live in Chengdu with my wife. Get to understand her culture better.
Spend a few years there, maybe buy a condo. Saw a beautiful condo/apartment complex being built in
Chengdu, when I was there in February. If a foriegner is married to a chinese citizen, can we buy
property??
I have been on a search for these answers, for about half a year. I tried to contact a handfull of
chinese lawyers and law firms in Chengdu. I wrote the U.S.Consulate in Chengdu, four times. Got
nothing back. Not one E-mail. I'm quite perplexed by the silence. I even offered the law firms a
retainer fee. Again, not even an E-mail declining the offer. Nothing.
So, if anyone could pity this frustrated, confused guy, I would truly appreciate it. Even if you
know just part of my questions, any help would be a blessing. I thank you in advance. I also want
to thank this Forum and the people who contribute. You're helping to untangle the spaghetti of
rules and regulations.



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nitropuppy -

Well, I guess nobody can respond to my (apparently) very difficult questions. So, I guess I'll
respond myself. .....Sorry dude, nobody knows the answers. They are impossibly difficult to
answer. Or if somebody does know some information, they're not willing to parcel out any of that
information. Even a retainer or finders fee, can't bring you help.
So, keep looking. And if Consulates, lawyers, expats and forum sites won't help you, try
elsewhere. Just remember, it's a cold, selfish world out there. The days of the good samaritan are
gone. You're on your own.
** (note to any reader of this) This may look like self-pity. I can assure you it's not. It's born
out of frustration. I'm just incredibly blown away by the facts. Hundreds of hours searching. At
least 30 e-mails to lawyers, consulates, forums,and others. Not one e-mail back. Nothing. Can't
even buy the information. WOW!!!! I'm starting to feel like Patrick Swayze in the movie "Ghost".
Nobody can see or hear me. Maybe Whoopie can help me. Anybody know her address?
(Don't really expect an answer)










elina -

Sorry, I don’t know anything about your questions, but why not let your fiancee ask some of your
questions in the local, instead of your many times enquiries cross the country?



Quote:

Just remember, it's a cold, selfish world out there. The days of the good samaritan are gone.
You're on your own.

Please do not say that too early, I think one does get help from the strangers from time to time,
not mention from one’s friends. I can always be moved by that.

Good luck!










nitropuppy -

Thanks for your reply, elina. You at least confirmed, I'm not dead yet. Ha Ha! Yeah, I tried your
route too. Unfortunately, my fiancee is one of many chinese who is afraid to approach any
authority. She is very nervous at the thought of asking any government agency for any information.
She says she will try, but never musters the courage. Ironically, I found the chinese police to be
very polite and helpfull when I visited China this year. Ones perception is influenced by ones
historic past.
As for my comment, ..... you're right! It's a bit over reaching. This forum is a good example of
what you pointed out. Strangers do occasionally reach out and offer assistance. My comment was
intended to be slightly funny, and with a certain amount of sarcasm.
It was written in a moment of frustration, and was actually my way of saying to myself, "buck-up
soldier, don't let it get to you". So, if I've offended anybodys sensibilities, I most sincerely
appologise.










terryswift -

it doesnt seem too difficult to find some of this information atleast; ive only been through
there, but i think there are several unis there including sichuan u., chengdu u., southwest
jiaotong u. you could go on a simple tourist visa, show up at the school and apply that way, or as
you mentioned just get the invitation letter and get the visa that way. if u are enrolled as a
student, you'll get the residence permit.










Socks -

I second TS's idea of coming on a tourist visa and then changing it into a residence permit,
because if you study (intend to stay) over 6 months, you will need to have a medical exam done,
and if you get it changed, you only have to go through that baloney one time (this was true as of
2002, correct me if I am wrong about this)...

Now, if you are planning on getting married in China (I did recently), and are a US citizen, you
need a residence permit. Once you are married, you can apply for a (I believe, but I am not sure,
it could be one year) 6 month residence permit, that simply allows you to reside in China (and not
work).

As far as schools in Chengdu go... Sorry. Been there once, and it was enough!

Property...I don't know if this is everywhere in China, but where I live (Xinjiang), we can buy
property together. HOWEVER.... If we were ever to get a divorce or anything legally went wrong, I
would be in the wrong, and lose without a doubt...

Finally, did you try emailing the embassy in Beijing or somenone in the US, because I have only
had luck withe the Beijing embassy. I thought that they were super!










Xiao Kui -

You mentioned you don't have time to be a full-time student. Although you need to attend a certain
amt of classes to keep your student status, many schools really are most concerned that you pay
the tuition, not with your grades or your performance (though if you have good teachers they will
be concerned with your performance). So i think it's possible to be a student on a student visa
and have plenty of time for other things. Sichuan University and the Minorities Institute are 2
popular ones for CHinese study in Chengdu.. There is also Four Tones Mandarin training center, but
as a private school i don't know if it has visa issuing status. I lived in Chengdu 2 yrs but left
2 yrs ago so I'm a little out of touch.

I think being a student is a lot less time consuming than being a teacher, and many people who
like to travel but not necessarily study choose student visa status for this reason. You are still
your own boss when you're a student because you're the one paying. WHen you are a teacher the
school owns you.

It's about $900 US a semester Mandarin classes at Sichuan Uni. It used to be $600 US a semester
for Minorities Institute, but may not be as good.

Here is a link to the Sichuan University Department of International Cooperation's site for
Foreign students:

http://www.scu.org.cn/iohomepage/os.htm

I bet there's a lot of friendly English speaking people there that can help you.










cjfmsc -

Hi, none of the issues that you mention are unsolvable.

Yes you can buy property.

You can only get a "green card" once you have been married five years (or invested a lot of
money). However, you can register for a friendly private language school (not just a Uni) and they
can also help you with your "student visa". You can also apply to an agent who can arrange all the
paperwork for you. They can normally get you "F" visas.

Please note that as a foreigner you will have to register with the local police (Public Security
Bureau). I am not sure how they will react to living in an apartment on a tourist visa. ie Tourist
visa solution needs to be researched.

There are number of companies that provide "destination services" and advice on living in China.
These are normally not free services. There is a lot of useful info on the China Expert website
(www.china-expert.org) and if you need more you couls always contact them and ask them to research
the answers to all your questions, or even try "Google answers"

FYI - I am married to a Chinese national and been in China for a number of years










roddy -



Quote:

There are number of companies that provide "destination services" and advice on living in China.
These are normally not free services.

No, they normally charge an arm and a leg for helping you do something you can do yourself with a
bit of research and effort. Fine for corporate stuff and if you've got money to burn though (and
if we've got lots of loaded management consultants on here I want to know about it, time to start
charging for membership ).

To the OP - you've asked questions about Chengdu schools, temporary residence permits, residence
permits and buying property all under the title 'Know of any Chengdu schools', which is hardly
going to increase your chances of a decent answer.

There's some very old info on Chengdu schools here, and if you search for 'chengdu schools' or
similar on here you'll turn up a few more that might be helpful.

Temporary residence permit and residence permit see here. I suspect you need a residence permit to
get married (and you would have to get that one by being studying, working here) and subsequently
you can rely on the fact that you are married to extend / renew it.

Buying property is a minefield, and what applies in Beijing today won't be worth a damn in Chengdu
tomorrow. Indeed, what applies in Chengdu today probably won't count in Chengdu tomorrow anyway.
Definitely a case for on the ground research.


Quote:

Please note that as a foreigner you will have to register with the local police (Public Security
Bureau). I am not sure how they will react to living in an apartment on a tourist visa. ie Tourist
visa solution needs to be researched.

They're unlikely to care. All the local police need to know is where you live.










Annajustin -

here is something which might be useful.http://www.sculj.net/ReadNews.asp?Ne...C4&SpecialID=0












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Chinese Online Class - Rock Climbing in Beijing -

> Chinese Culture > Society
Rock Climbing in Beijing
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minipig -

Anyone have any idea whether the Boulder Bar is still open? I heard that it closed down sometime
last year. An internet search revealed 2 different addresses - 1 in Baiwanzi Road, 1 in Anzhenqiao
- not sure if they are one and the same or if the place has moved location. Also, is there a rock
climbing location around town that also provides instruction / courses?



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got_no_jaffas -

if you are ay blcu or near wudaokou, the university of geology opposite the south gate of blcu has
an artificial climbing wall which i use. walk into the university to the cross roads where the
playing fields are, enter the playing fields & the wall is at the south side.

i'm not sure if they give instruction or courses but for a fee you can climb around in the
afternoons onwards.










Dennis Valdez -

Can one buy rock climbing equipment (i.e. Harness and shoes) in Beijing? I'll be moving to Beijing
(BLCU area) in a few weeks and would love to do so some climbing on the wall at BLCU mentioned in
the response above. I have however sent almost all my belongings--including my rock climbing
equipment--into storage for my time in Beijing. Has anyone found any rock climbing equipment
stores in the area or should I just repurchase the gear stateside before I show up in Beijing??
Thanks in advance for any responses

Dennis










got_no_jaffas -

you can buy rock climbing equipment here, there are 3 shops actually in wudaokou itself that do
trek & climbing gear & a few others in other places. however if you have big feet, then it may be
better to bring your own shoes because finding shoes big enough is a problem here.

harness' should not be a problem.










Yanne -

Hi folks, does anyone know if there's an indoor climbing centre near BNU? I'd rather not have to
resort to bouldering if I can help it, as I prefer sport climbing (top rope belay and/or leading).
It would be great if the place furnishes ropes and has runners for rent too ...

Also, since I'll be new in Beijing ... anyone know or is part of any social climbing group that
wouldn't mind a new arrival joining them for climbs?

Would be really grateful for any information and many thanks in advance.










onebir -

there's an outdoor wall at ditan park - they provide the ropes, but not shoes. RMB40










t_uwalumni -

Yanne - any luck on finding a social climbing group? Tomorrow morning I'll be moving to Beijing
from Boulder, Colorado. My climbing gear is already on the way, and I'd be pretty unhappy if I'm
not able to put it to use. I found one Beijing climbing guide from the late 90's, but would
appreciate any info that is more up-to-date.










Dennis Valdez -

I don't think the Boulder Bar is open any longer, but I can defintely be wrong on this. I can
however point you in 2 direction to climb a wall:

1. Ritan Gongyuan: small park located in the heart of the embassy district. You will find a decent
outdoor wall there on the northwest side of the park where you can rent gear. Not sure about
classes/instruction, but you can ask.

2. University directly to the south of BLCU (Beijing Language and Culture University). Sorry I
forgot it's name, but all you need to do is find the south gate of BLCU (Nanmen kou) and watch
across the street into the OTHER university. There they have a wall you can climb.

3. There is also a small wall in Beida (Beijing Daxue)... but i've never seen anyone there to give
people access.

I'm going to try and find Boulder Bar this weekend... if I'm lucky... I'll post again. Good luck!










nabax -

Hi all,

I've been living in Beijing for about 3 weeks or so, i've tried to go bouldering to 4 places which
happened to be closed, I name them for other people to help them not wasting time as I did

1 · Ao ti zhong xin: This is a stadium in which there is a huge full-equiped boulder, but it's
closed in winter because it's outdoors, so wait for better weather to come :P

2 · Xidan: This is an underground shopping mall in which there used to be a boulder, but it's
closed nowadays.

3 · Yan sha jinyuan dian: A huge shopping mall, there is a tiny boulder which opens from 13:00 to
21:00, but it's not worth going, since it's really small and easy.

4 · Anzhenqiao boulder bar: The boulder bar is closed since some years ago, there is (supposedly)
another boulder bar in Bai zi wan lu.

Tomorrow we're gonna try to go to Ditan Park, which is really close to where I am living right now
(Jiaodaokou), and if it's closed and we have time enough we'll also try Ritan and the other
boulder bar in Bai zi wan lu... I hope we'll be lucky!!

Does anybody know if the university boulder is open in wintertime? We'll go there if we fail
climbing in these three places...

Cya!










Yanne -

Extreme Experience at Bai'zi'wan'lu is open in winter as it's an indoor bouldering bar. Y20 before
6pm, Y30 after 6pm. Free after 6.30pm on Thursdays.

As for the wall at the University of Geology? Geo-Sciences? opposite BLCU, as far as I've heard
the climbing club doesnt use it when it gets too cold. You need to purchase a membership card of
sorts to climb there, Y200 for 10 visits. It's open as long as the club members are there ...
doesn't really answer your question, does it? Call them: 82318655.












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Chinese Class - tones again, some hard evidence - Page 2 -

> Learning Chinese > Speaking and Listening
tones again, some hard evidence
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jbiesnecker -

I wonder if it matters that (according to Wenlin) there are no words at all that start with bao1
and follow with 'shou' (either in first tone or with a neutral tone). Like hearing a familiar yet
totally nonsensical series of sounds in English might throw you if you're listening to someone
whose pronunciation is known to be non-standard.

Just a thought...



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in_lab -

In the dialogue, they use 台式電腦 for desktop computer. In Taiwan, 桌上型電腦 is more
popular, maybe because 台式電腦 sounds like a "Taiwanese style" computer.

When I make a tone mistake, I don't usually detect it until I have said a few more words, and then
I'm not sure if I should (a) repeat the word that I messed up (b) repeat the whole sentence, or
(c) just forget it if the other person understood. None of the choices are very attractive.










Lu -

I think I'd correct myself, and if necessary repeat the sentence from there. This way, you show
that you do know, and you say it right = practice.










kudra -

@ in_lab

Which make me think of a possible soap opera lampoon, Desktop Style Divorce.










kudra -

Regarding tones in Mandarin, and their importance.
googled for
chinese tonal information entropy

Here is a paper
http://people.cs.uchicago.edu/~dinoj...nemandarin.pdf
I didn't read the math, but this section of the conclusion is interesting.


Quote:

A quantitative information-theoretic measure demonstrates the
important role played by tone in Mandarin Chinese. In particular,
lexical tone contrast has been shown to have a comparable
functional load to that of vowels for Mandarin, and
higher FL than stress in English, Dutch, and German. We have
also demonstrated that the importance of tonal contrasts varies
among the tones of Mandarin.
...
some
language reformers have suggested that tones do not need to be
represented in a revised alphabet. Our result suggests that such
an alphabet would be as hard to use as an alphabet that represented
tones but not vowels.

Re "Functional Load" is apparently a statistical measure. I don't know if this means in practice
that students of Mandarin should be as careful of their tones as they are of their vowels, i.e.
getting the tone right is as important as getting the vowel right. Presumably you could test this
by making native speakers listen to text with either vowels scrambled, or tones scrambled.
Presumably realistic scrambling of tones by non-native speakers of Mandarin is not random, so it's
not obvious how to make the comparison "fair" -- if that matters.

Also, we have corroboration regarding roddy's advice to use 4th tone when guessing as it's most
common, compared to my self reported defaut guess of 1st tone, although it's close.


Quote:

Table 7: The fraction of syllables with different tones in Mandarin,
based on the TDT3 corpus of VOA Mandarin broadcasts.

Tone High Rising Low Falling Neutral
Fraction 0.27 0.22 0.16 0.28 0.07

skimming, looks like the 1st author is a grad student advised by the 2nd author.
Here's the 2nd authors cv.
http://people.cs.uchicago.edu/~levow/cv.htm










charlescpp -

we usually call laptop computers 本儿 in 中关村
中关村 == 村儿
去中关村 == 进村儿










mandarin-ka -

www.melnyks.com is another useful Website in a podcast form for those who wants to learn beyong
Pimsleur or Chinesepod.










roddy -

Enough of the self-promotion, thankyou!










bewolff -

I think the problem of tones are a little bit like english pronunciation for Chinese speakers.
There is a point where you are more or less understandable. Practice tones...I suppose. When you
study your new words your should try to learn the tones well then. However if you think about your
tones constantly your will slow your speach making yourself not undertrandable to your Chinese
listeners. Context and speaking a little faster will help them understand you, even if your tones
are quite bad. You should also be doing hours of listening to tv/radio/recordings to hammer the
sounds of the tones into your head. Find out the 5 things that you do very poorly in Chinese
pronunciation and try to work on those directly, one-by-one. From there, if you are still wanting
to punish yourself, add another and another. But you have to do the listening. Forcing your self
to correct your pronunciation is tedious, boring, frustrating...like the hamburger scene in the
new Pink Panther.










Southernjohn -

I haven't listened to that specific podcast, where Ken makes that tonal mistake. However, I have
listened to other Chinesepod segements with Ken and Jenny. Ken does not really speak fluent
Mandarin. He typically speaks a sentence or two, but quickly switches to English. Don't get me
wrong, I am not belittling Ken's Chinese. However, don't read too much into Jenny misunderstanding
him. (again I haven't listened to this specific recording). I wouldn't be at all surprised if
Jenny did not understand Ken because Ken, in his "short-burst", "short-phrase" Chinese provided
very little context. Yes, Ken's tones are not that great some times, but I would assert that
Jenny's lack of comprehension has more to do with Ken's lack of overall fluency, i.e.- vocabulary,
grammar, and time spent speaking the language.

Does that sound so far off?












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Speak Chinese - A few basic questions from a beginner -

> Learning Chinese > Speaking and Listening
A few basic questions from a beginner
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Gadman -

Hi All,

Newly registered, and got a few questions for you, hopefully some kind person will be able to
answer some/all of my questions.

Background:-
Having thought about learning Mandarin Chinese for a while, I have finally decided to give it a
proper try. I don't consider myself very good at languages, so I think I may struggle, however, I
am going to put the initial effort in, and see how far I get before coming to a grinding halt (or
not, hopefully). I looked around and decided on Pimsleur, as there seemed to be enough people
praising it (although not 100%).

I am only onto the 6th lesson, and have realised that not having any written notes on the course
seemed to be making the learning process slightly awkward, so I initially tried to make my own
notes (not using PinYin). This proved hard, and didn't help too much. Having searched around I
found some transcripts of the Units, these are helping lots, although having to learn PinYin also
slows the verbal learning down (although this may reverse as I carry on)

I have found that some of the 'discrepancies' that Pimsleur seemed to ignore, are cleared up in
the transcript and notes, which is quite a relief, as I was not sure if it was my hearing or
learning technique that was causing me these problems, such as Bu being pronounced either raising
or falling. Having read that it depends on the following word falling or not, this actually
cleared things up, not sure why Pimsleur couldn't have explained this (but it doesn't).

This raises my first question.
1) If I pronounced Bu always with a falling tone, would this be understood (as this is how it is
'normally' pronounced) or would it be deemed wrong and not understood ? I am obviously trying to
learn correct tones, but my brain at the moment is overloaded with just trying to remember words
with their normal tones, let alone trying to remember special cases. I would hope that the longer
I study for, that rule such as this would eventually become second nature (long way to go, to get
to this point though).

To help with pronunciation I have also found a website which allows the user to listen to various
words. This is quite helpful too, but, second question.
2) The Chinese word Chi (high tone) to eat, seems to be pronounced in 2 or 3 very different ways
Pimsleur seems to speak it with either a similar sound to the English words "SHIRt/SHERlock" OR
"CHURch/CHURn"
website pronounces it like "CHEAt/CHEEse"
Are they all correct, or which one is 'more' correct ? If they are all correct, does this mean
that in Chinese the difference between these three different pronounciations are deemed to be
trivial, and of no consequence ? To my English brain/perception, these are very different.

3)
Two words that seem closer together in my head are qu (falling), to go, and shi (falling), am. I'm
sure I'm going to come across lots of these words that sound incredibly similar to me, but are
perceived as entirely different to a native Chinese speaker, Is this correct, or are they
perceived as similar to Chinese speakers too ? Interestingly, the difference is easier for me to
hear on the website, than it is using the Pimsleur audio, is this common, or just me ? The
Pimsleur audio for Qu sounds like it starts with an SH sound not a CH sound, whereas the website
sounds very CH. Again the question would be, which one is correct ?


I suppose the fundamental question may be, is my Pimsleur choice correct ?

If I make it through the initial course 1, I do intend to try and find some native speaker to try
my verbal skills on. Or maybe even find a local evening course.

And on to last question,
4)
As I am obviously at a very early point in learning, I find it difficult to speak as fast as the
audio says it whilst retaining the correct tones. Should I be trying to keep the speed and rhythm
correct at the expense of the tones, or keep the tones correct, but slow it all down, and probably
get the inflection or emphasis slightly wrong too ?

Ah questions, questions and more questions.


Thanks for taking the time to read this long first post


Kevin.



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skylee -

I am Chinese and have never listened to Pimsleur. From what I know -

1) If I pronounced Bu always with a falling tone, would this be understood (as this is how it is
'normally' pronounced) or would it be deemed wrong and not understood ? - Yes it will be
understood.

2) The Chinese word Chi (high tone) to eat, seems to be pronounced in 2 or 3 very different ways -
This is not true. It is pronounced in one way only. From your three "observations" I would say it
is closest to "CHURch/CHURn". Try listen to this audio files -> "chi1"

3) Two words that seem closer together in my head are qu (falling), to go, and shi (falling), am.
I'm sure I'm going to come across lots of these words that sound incredibly similar to me, but are
perceived as entirely different to a native Chinese speaker, Is this correct, or are they
perceived as similar to Chinese speakers too ? - "qu4" and "shi4" are very very different. If you
think that they are similar, either the quality of what you are listening is very poor, or you may
need to pay more attention listening. Try listen to these audio files -> "qu4" ;
"shi4"

4) Should I be trying to keep the speed and rhythm correct at the expense of the tones, or keep
the tones correct, but slow it all down, and probably get the inflection or emphasis slightly
wrong too ? - I think you should slow down and get both the tones and the pronunciations right.










Lu -

I agree with Skylee, especially at point 4. Tones are best learned correctly from the very
beginning, it's very hard to go back and correct them later on. Make sure you get it right, don't
worry about speaking slowly, you can speed up later on.
I never heard Pimsleur myself, but a lot of people on this forum have used it and I read mostly
good things about it, so it seems you've made a good choice. Learning pinyin in addition is even a
better choice.










anticks -

I dont think i could have continued with pimsleur for aslong as i have if i didnt have the
transcripts. Sign up to ezmandarin.com and goto downloads > learning materials and download the
transcripts for Pimsleur Mandarin. Has them for all 3 volumes.

It makes things alot easier and imo will greatly reduce mistakes. You can see the pinyin used on
each character. From what i can see its pretty accurate.










flameproof -

I do Pimsleur too and now in the midst of III.

Firstly, it is very, very good IMHO. I can listen to it in the bus, subway, or while driving. That
is a HUGE advantage. Also, it does not bother you with endless tone drills which try to bore you
to death.

Of course the method has the disadvantage that the amound of words is limited. About 500 or so. So
it's VERY important to think about the "after".

I am in the lucky position and go to China on a weekly basis. I plan now to hire a 'beifang'
teacher to keep on practicing.

I agree too, it lacks a written script. But you can find some resources online, i.e.:
http://marcelnijman.demon.nl/mandarin/pimsleur/ (reads better with IE)

I found that link after I started my own list. Feel free to have a look at my list too, it's
attached in an Excel file. I know, I know, there are a few errors.....










atitarev -

New Practical Chinese Reader - 6 volumes is one of the best textbooks for beginners, it teaches to
speak, to understand, to read and to write. It is expensive but if you do one volume at a time,
it's OK. There was a lot of feedback on this textbook and others in this forum, do a search. You
need audio recordings and workbooks. I listened to Pimsleur, it's a poor choice, IMHO but it can
teach you a few phrases, without know how they are written, it's not much value.










flameproof -

>I listened to Pimsleur, it's a poor choice, IMHO but it can teach you a few phrases, without know
how they are written, it's not much value.

The Pimsleur course only teaches speaking. It does not teach reading or writing at all. As
selfstudy course for talkers only it's a very good choice. I even no have interest in in reading
or writing. Perfect for me.










renegadedog -

Pimsleur isn't all that fantastic, in my opinion. I started off using that, and while I did learn
some phrases, none of them were all that useful. It appears to be geared towards people on a
business trip looking for a few choice phrases to show off. It doesn't really give you a decent
grounding in the language. It's extremely overpriced at 1000 quid for the whole lot too.

A better bet is the Rosetta Stone. As long as you've got regular access to a computer to use it on
(and the downside is that you can't listen on the bus or whatever), it' really starts you from the
basics and really makes you feel confident in putting everything together. My spoken Chinese
improved hugely after I started using it. It also has activities to practice reading.

www.chinesepod.com has lessons which are arguably just as useful as those on Pimsleur, too,
completely free.












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Learning Chinese - What's your favorite song in Chinese? - Page 2 -

> Chinese Culture > Music
What's your favorite song in Chinese?
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WoAiJolinTsai -

Guang Liang is definitely good.

Also try 第一次 by him.

My favorite song at the moment is Fish Leong's 丝路



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wisp chou -

mine is 让我欢喜让我忧 by zhouhuajian.










bhchao -

I have been listening to Jay Chou's 退後 a lot recently (as a customer at Tenren ). The
employees play it over and over again. The lyrics are very poetic, and sung with a lot of emotion.










atitarev -

后来-刘若英

后来我总算学会了如何去爱
可惜你早已远去消失在人海
后来终于在眼泪中明白
有些人一旦错过就不再

桅子花白花瓣落在我蓝色百褶裙上
「爱你」你轻声说
我低下头闻见一阵芬芳
那个永恒的夜晚十七岁仲夏你吻我的那个夜晚
让我往后的时光每当有感叹
总想起当天的星光

那时候的爱情为什么就能那样简单
而又是为什么人年少时
一定要让深爱的人受伤
在这相似的深夜里你是否一样也在静静追悔感伤
如果当时我们能不那么倔强
现在也不那么遗憾

你都如何回忆我带着笑或是很沉默
这些年来有没有人能让你不寂寞

永远不会再重来
有一个男孩爱着那个女孩










studentyoung -

atitarev, 我本来还以为你会挑《莫斯科郊外的晚上》这一首呢。嘻嘻！
(想不到，竟然是刘若英的《后来》。 )
http://mp3.baidu.com/m?f=ms&rn=&tn=b...ED%C9%CF&lm=-1
莫斯科郊外的晚上
作词：米·马都索夫斯基
作曲：瓦·索洛维约夫-谢多伊
编曲：龙隆
歌手:：费星-
--------
深夜花园里四处静悄悄
只有风儿在轻轻唱
夜色多么好
心儿多爽朗
在这迷人的晚上
----
小河静静流微微泛波浪
水面映着银色月光
一阵清风一阵歌声
多么幽静的晚上
--
我的心上人坐在我身旁
默默看着我不作声
我想对你讲
但又难为情
多少话儿留在心上
--
长夜快过去天色蒙蒙亮
衷心祝福你好姑娘
但愿从今后
你我永不忘
莫斯科郊外的晚上
--
但愿从今后
你我永不忘
莫斯科郊外的晚上
----

Thanks!










atitarev -

啊！谢谢你！
后来我想要听一下，我从来没有听过人用中文唱《莫斯科郊外的晚上》！










joy551 -

Generally speaking, i would like to choose 不管有多苦 by 那英 when i sing in the KTV. and i
can sing it well~

不管与你的路有多苦
我只想要拥有最后的祝福
再多的伤痛我都不在乎
只要你我坚持用不认输

hope all the lovers can be together~










heifeng -

I really like Jay's 三年二班...I don't know if it's my 'favorite' song ever, but it's a fun
karaoke goal song....plus, the video is very cute!










wushijiao -

I'd say 一无所有 by 崔健。 When I first started learning Chinese (somewhere around late
2001), I got out a dictionary and translated this song word for word. Still moving.

And, I guess, I would really have loved to have lived in Beijing in the '80's!










Ian_Lee -

千 千 闋 歌

徐 徐 回 望 曾 屬 於 彼 此 的 晚 上
紅 紅 仍 是 你 贈 我 的 心 中 艷 陽
如 流 傻 淚 祈 望 可 體 恤 兼 見 諒
明 晨 離 別 你 路 也 許 孤 單 得 漫 長
一 瞬 間 太 多 東 西 要 講
可 惜 即 將 在 各 一 方
只 好 深 深 把 這 刻 盡 凝 望

來 日 縱 使 千 千 闋 歌 飄 於 遠 方 我 路 上
來 日 縱 使 千 千 晚 星 亮 過 今 晚 月 亮
都 比 不 起 這 宵 美 麗
亦 絕 不 可 使 我 更 欣 賞
Ah....因 你 今 晚 伴 我 唱

臨 行 臨 別 才 頓 感 哀 傷 的 漂 亮
原 來 全 是 你 令 我 的 思 憶 漫 長
何 年 何 月 才 又 可 今 宵 一 樣
停 留 凝 望 裏 讓 眼 睛 講 彼 此 立 場
當 某 天 雨 點 輕 敲 你 窗
當 風 聲 吹 亂 你 構 想
可 否 抽 空 想 這 張 舊 模 樣

Ah...怎 都 比 不 起 這 宵 美 麗
亦 絕 不 可 使 我 更 欣 賞
因 今 宵 的 我 可 共 你 唱












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Chinese language - "Harbinners"... Your experience in Harbin -

> Studying, Working and Living in China > Living in China
"Harbinners"... Your experience in Harbin
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kdavid -

Short and sweet (I hope)...

I'm 23, male, American, BA, TEFL. I've been working in Prague teaching English for the last year
and looking to learn Chinese. A friend who lived in China for 2 years recommended Harbin as "the
best" place to learn Chinese.

I've been haunting a lot of posts and it seems that Harbin is a good recommendation. However, a
few things I'm contemplating...

alientation?

friends / social life / amount of foreigners I can "rant / bitch" (underline / italicize / bold)
with!?

culture. how have you been accepted / treated as an extreme foreigner / western (you're not the
run of the mill tourist... you live there)

determination versus sacrifice (could i get just as good of an experience, while learning Mandarin
as quickly / efficiently, somewhere else?) versus paying off student loans / credit card debt?

bad, but good, question....... women? What do Harbin women think of Americans? human instincts /
hormones (especially at my age) are something to take into consideration.

I've read a bunch and have a good idea about language learning, night life, a severe lack of
westerners to bond with, etc., but am certainly willing to make a good deal of sacrifice in order
to achieve my goals.

Having lived in Prague for the past year I am accustomed to a degree of alienation, negative
attitude toward foreigners (especially Americans), heavily polluted weather (I haven't seen a blue
sky in MONTHS), and cold weather (our winter started in October and STILL hasn't let up yet).

Sorry for being so long-winded, but I appreciate any info / insights you would care to share.



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Tobias -

short, not sweet, answer
just for the lack of westerners to rant with.
i never had any problems with that. there are not as few foreigners in harbin as one may think.
and it adds that there are not too many locations you would meet those people.
blues.....fighting for forst place in the worst club award with pacers/QS and thats already about
it for western foreigners. sure, there are some bars where you can meet the laowai.
whenever i went out to blues there was always a bunch of some 20-30 westerners i knew by name. so
the lack of westerners is not a big deal i would say. thing that may suck for many people is more
likely the lack of places you can go to meet those people. there is no shanghai-like nightlife in
harbin.










mrtoga -

Indeed. Nightlife scene in Harbin is predictable and limited.

If on the other hand you want to study, then that could be construed as a positive.

There are a bunch of Russian students here. Not so many westerners but that is changing gradually.
Attitude to Americans is pretty friendly from what I can see. You will get the 霸道 (hegemony)
comment all the time but it is said almost with an air of resignation and rarely with a personal
edge.

Best thing for me about studying here was being in classes with all Korean, Japanese and Russian
students. You have to speak Chinese full stop. And then when you are outside the classroom you
have to speak Chinese all the time too. No sloping off to Sculpting in Time, Lush or propaganda
for English menus and stuff. We are hardcore in Harbin










venture160 -

I also agree that the lack of nightlife in Harbin can be really good for studying. It is also true
that in general the spoken language between international students is indeed Chinese, something
that you will just not find in Beijing. I think Harbin is one of the better places to study in
China, but for your winter break make sure you get out of Harbin and go somewhere warm, the winter
is very long, and can be depressing if you can't deal with not seeing green trees for over 6
months. Also, Harbin is very, very, very, cheap, especially compared to Beijing and Shanghai. In
harbin you can live comforatbly, (exlcuding your tuition and housing) at around 20 kuai a day, and
thats kind of pushing it. In general the International students that live and study here seem to
be fairly happy and complacent about studying in Harbin, and most of decent Chinese, even the
english teachers here in Harbin can speak decent Chinese!












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Chinese Speaking - Teenage wasteland

? ?



CITYLIFE / what's on








Teenage wasteland

By Anton Berkovich (That's Shanghai)
Updated: 2007-07-06 09:47 Even if you're not a fan of punk rock music,
it's hard not to admire P. K. 14. Indeed, the four-man Chinese punk band
based in Beijing has been nominated for "Best Band" and "Best Rock Band"
at past Chinese Music Media Awards. But better still, unlike their
Cantopop counterparts, they're not afraid to make a statement. "Why take
the easy way out and sing, 'I love you', or 'You're breaking my heart?'"
says drummer Tan Tan "Mainstream is there for those who want it, but it
doesn't speak to us.”

P. K. 14 (short for Public Kingdom for Teens) is part of a generation of
musicians who came of age in the mid-nineties and have rejected the
Teresa Teng-inspired sappiness which dominated the music of that era.
That said, they don't copy their American and British punk counterparts.
Put another way, P. K. 14 and like-minded bands aren't street corner
anarchists. Rather, they voice a simple desire to do their own thing, and
connect with their audience. "It's important to be small and see issues
that are immediate and local," says Tan.

The band reaches out to its demographic with songs such as "Religion
Lost" and "Speaking Wounds". "I think it comes back to the fact that we
like singing about things around us and talking about the little local
occurrences," says Tan, commenting on the band's decision to sing in
Chinese.

Which may not sound usual until one considers the number of bands that
have switched to English. "You lose a lot of meaning when you sing in a
second language," says Abe Deyo, P. K. 14's promoter. "I really like the
fact that they still sing in Chinese. It adds to their authenticity and
contributes to the truthfulness to their lyrics. That's what makes them
stand out."

Though their classification as punk is the subject of much debate, the
band accepts it for the sake of convenience. They waste little time
worrying about what to call themselves and focus on what they do best,
playing music. Says Tan, "We don't force anything. Of course, we have
strong blueprints for some of our sounds, but others are just a natural
fit."

Quite so. Their sound is an easy melange of garage music, with hints of
Gang of Four, Queens of the Stone Age and Wire, cut in with catchy, funky
bass lines and Nirvana-like grunge guitar riffs. But the energetic vocals
brought to the stage by front man Yang Haisong is really what sets P. K.
14 apart.

It’s a sound that they plan to keep, as the band objects to the idea of
a record label dictating its musical direction. Still, they're not fazed
by the lack of industry big bucks. "If you don't make money," says Yang,
"you're useless. You have no worth in this society."

Over the past ten years the band has seen members come and go; in fact,
Yang is the only remaining member of the 1997 line up. But changing
membership hasn't held them back. P. K. 14 has toured both China and
Europe extensively, has been nominated for several awards, released three
albums and one single. And they still maintain the energy of a pack of
teenagers, skipping school to smoke up and write songs in their garage.
That is as long as things keep moving forward and they don't lose
momentum.

P. K. 14
Location: Eno, 139-23 Changle Lu, by Ruijin Lu
Time: 4pm, July 7
Ticket: free entrance and free drinks
Tel: 021-6386 0120

P. K. 14
Location: Yuyintang, 4F Bld. B, Door 10, The New Factories, (Tonglefang)
28 Yuyao Lu,by Xikang Lu
Time: 9pm, July 7
Ticket: RMB 30, RMB 25 for members

?

?











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Chinese Online Class - Judge cancels Rio Live Earth concert

ENTERTAINMENT / Music






Judge cancels Rio Live Earth concert

(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-05 08:35





Workers set up a scaffold for the Live Earth concert at the Copacabana
Beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, July 4, 2007. [AP]

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - A Brazilian judge has canceled Saturday's Live
Earth concert in Rio because police said they do not have enough officers
to guarantee crowd safety.

Organizers of the free show on Rio's Copacabana Beach said Wednesday they
were trying to overturn the order to prevent Latin America from being
left out of the worldwide music fest aimed at stopping global warming.

Promoted by former Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth concerts are
scheduled for London; Tokyo; Johannesburg, South Africa; Shanghai, China;
Sydney, Australia; and Hamburg, Germany; and East Rutherford, New Jersey.
A band of scientists also will perform in Antarctica, to bring the
festival to seven continents.

Brazilian prosecutor Denise Tarin requested a suspension of the concert,
saying there were not enough officers to police a crowd that could top
700,000.

Rio police already are busy making sure Rio stays safe during the July
13-29 Pan American games.

Concert organizers confirmed the show was suspended but said they would
contest the order and expected to overturn it.

Rio's concert, the only free one for Live Earth, would include
performances by Lenny Kravitz, Macy Gray and Pharrell Williams.

Proceeds from the other concerts will go toward the Alliance for Climate
Protection, a nonprofit organization chaired by Gore.









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Learning Chinese - Katherine Heigl hot pictures

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies/TV






Katherine Heigl hot pictures


Updated: 2007-07-03 14:42








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Learning Chinese - Precious Peony

CITYLIFE / Weekend & Holiday






Precious Peony

(beijing weekend)
Updated: 2007-07-02 10:46



The staging of a new, abridged edition of Kunqu Opera, The Peony
Pavilion, in the Imperial Granary, Nanxincang, is set to become a
legendary chapter in Beijing's cultural history. Audiences have a rare
chance to experience the performance of a 600-year-old artform in a grand
venue with equally long history.

Kunqu Opera was among the first selection of UNESCO's "Human Beings'
Verbal and Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative Works List" on May
18, 2001.

The opera is produced by POLO arts, which has been devoted to elegant
music communication and enjoyed very good reputation among critics and
fans.

Wang Xiang, CEO of POLO Art, said he valued helming an outstanding
cultural project above earning money. Kunqu Opera is a national treasure
worthy of its status and, of course, is Wang's first choice.

The Peony Pavilion is an important part of Chinese dramatic history, of
great literary value, and moreover, featuring an ever-lasting and
beautiful love legend. The script of The Peony Pavilion can bring the
delicate and romantic Kunqu Opera into full play.

Wang, who took part in revising the abridged edition, describes the
efforts spent on the project for nearly one year as, "extreme hardship
and difficulty". However, with numerous excellent editions for the same
play, Wang and his colleagues had to ponder on how the new edition can
retain its excellent quality.

After giving the matter much consideration, Wang and others decided to
give up the stage-style Kunqu Opera performance that became dominant in
the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Instead they would return to the
original style of the "family theatrical troupe" popular in the Ming
Dynasty (1368-1644).

The super-grand team, led by Lin Zhaohua and Wang Shiyu, surprises all
those with a wait-and-see attitude towards the new, significantly
shortened edition. Lin Zhaohua, the chief director, is an acclaimed
director and an outstanding personality in the drama circle. Wang Shiyu,
president of Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Showplace, is known both at home and
abroad. The two masters of drama and Kunqu Opera assimilated methods of
both Western and Eastern stages, finding an aesthetic route with the most
creativity to bring the ancient genre into the present.

Time: 7:30 pm every Friday and Saturday
Address: the Imperial Granary, 22 Dongsishitiao.
Tel: 010- 6409-6477, 6409-6499. 1360-125-9568 (in English).
Price: 580-1,980 yuan.










Feature




Pilgrimage to Tibet If you want to get a detailed Travel Handbook to
Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

Yunnan New Film Project Ten female directors from China! Ten unique
sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel
with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




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� Looking after your skin naturally

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� Teatime!

� Packing up for an adventure





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Eating out: Read all about it
Bars&Cafes: Discreet sake bar
Weekend&Holiday: Precious Peony
Shopping: Ice up your world
What's on: Smoke society







Shanghai Guide


Eating out: The long lasting scents
Bars&Cafes: A new absolute icebar
Weekend&Holiday: Stay at home to travel
Shopping: H&M: from the inside
What's on: Watch free movies





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Speak Chinese - "Girl power" back as Spice Girls reunite for tour

ENTERTAINMENT / Music






"Girl power" back as Spice Girls reunite for tour

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-06-29 10:17





British girl band The Spice Girls (L-R) Victoria Beckham, Melanie
Chisholm, Gerri Halliwell, Emma Bunton and Melanie Brown, pose for the
media as they arrive at the Greenwich Royal Observatory in London, June
28, 2007.[Reuters]

"Girl Power" is back with the announcement that the Spice Girls, who
topped charts in the late 1990s, are reuniting for a tour and greatest
hits album.

Ginger, Sporty, Posh, Scary and a heavily pregnant Baby Spice told a
press conference in London on Thursday that the tour would take place in
December and January and would be accompanied by a television documentary
about the band.

The 11-city tour starts in Los Angeles on December 7 and ends on January
24 next year in Buenos Aires.

"Girl power is back, we're going on the road, we're touring the world,"
Emma "Baby Spice" Bunton said in a promotional video shown to the press
before the five girls appeared on stage at London's O2 arena.

When asked why she dropped her previous resistance to a reunion, Melanie
"Sporty Spice" Chisholm replied: "A girl's allowed to change her mind.
This is something that we've only seriously started discussing this year."

Geri "Ginger Spice" Halliwell added: "For me it's about celebrating the
past, enjoying each other, it's about our fans. It felt the right time --
it's kind of now or never."

The five-member band is the latest in a long line of pop acts to bury
past differences and reform, and they will be hoping for success where
many others have failed.

The Spice Girls boasted album sales of 55 million during their meteoric
career, and hits including "Wannabe" and "Say You'll Be There" topped
charts across the globe.

But their success was short-lived. Halliwell walked out on the band in
1998, only four years after The Spice Girls was created, and the
remaining band members went their separate ways after releasing the album
"Forever" in 2000.

FLUCTUATING FORTUNES

The singers said comparisons with Take That, a British boyband that
enjoyed huge success since reuniting for a tour last year, were
inevitable.

"One thing that's very different about the Spice Girls is we were truly
global," Chisholm said.

Victoria "Posh" Beckham, who wore her hair short and blond, added: "Take
That are starting up again. For us we're celebrating the past, we're
going to do a small tour and then that's probably going to be it."

Halliwell called the reunion a "one night stand," joking: "So you can
enjoy it more, right?"

All now in their 30s, the singers embarked on solo careers with varying
degrees of success after the band split.

Three of the five are mothers and Bunton is expecting her first child in
the late summer.

"There's a lot of children, and about to be another one, and our
priorities are really our families, as much as we want to have fun,"
Beckham said.

"One of the main reasons why I think some of us want to do this is (for
our kids) to actually see what we used to do. We're definitely going to
have a huge creche (on tour)," she said.

Beckham has maintained the highest profile since the band broke up,
helped by her superstar soccer-playing husband David and appearances at
fashion shows and on tabloid front pages.

The couple are moving to the United States where David has signed to play
for LA Galaxy.

Meanwhile, Melanie "Scary" Brown largely disappeared from the public eye
until a high-profile paternity case involving Hollywood star Eddie Murphy.

Earlier this month a DNA test confirmed Murphy as the father of Brown's
newborn baby girl after he declined to publicly acknowledge paternity.










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Chinese Pinyin - Thai film festival drops controversial Iranian film

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Thai film festival drops controversial Iranian film

(AFP)
Updated: 2007-06-27 16:03





Iranian cartoonist Marjane Satrapi poses during a photocall for her
animated film 'Persepolis' in the Festival Palace in Cannes, May
2007.[AFP]

Award-wining Iranian film "Persepolis" has been dropped from line-up at
the 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival after pressure from the
Iranian embassy, organisers said Wednesday.

The film, which jointly won the Jury Prize at the Cannes film festival in
May, was scheduled to screen on the opening night of the 10-day festival
in the Thai capital, which begins July 19.

"We have withdrawn Persepolis ... on the request of the Iranian embassy,"
said Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhaya, public relations director at the
Tourism Authority of Thailand, which hosts the festival.

Iranian embassy officials confirmed that they had asked organisers to
drop the animated black-and-white film, which tells the story of a young
girl growing up in revolutionary Iran.

The film, based on comics by its co-director Marjane Satrapi, recounts
the downfall of the shah followed by the imposition of Islamic law after
the 1979 revolution, seen through the eyes of an eight-year-old.

She grows into an outspoken teenager and is sent away to Austria to avoid
clashes with the authorities.

A cultural officer at the Iranian embassy in Bangkok told AFP they
believed the film portrayed a bad image of their country.

"They tried to make Iranian people sad and upset with the Islamic
revolution, which is not true," said Mohammad, who gave only one name.

"We appreciate that the Thai organisers understand, and now we are trying
to introduce other good award-winning Iranian films," he added.












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Learning Chinese - "300" star, rapper rock for Ritchie crime movie

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






"300" star, rapper rock for Ritchie crime movie

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-06-26 08:38





Hollywood actor Gerard Butler poses during a news conference for his new
movie "300" in Tokyo June 7, 2007. [Reuters]

"300" hero Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Thandie Newton and rapper Chris
"Ludacris" Bridges have been cast in "RocknRolla," writer/director Guy
Ritchie's return to the caper genre.

Butler stars as a street-smart mobster who has learned to play both sides
of the fence, while Wilkinson plays an old-school mob boss whose regime
is quickly losing ground to foreign interlopers.

Newton acts as the love interest of Butler's character, and Bridges plays
an American trying to break into the U.K. music scene.

The story is set in motion when a Russian mobster orchestrates a crooked
land deal and millions of dollars are thrown up for grabs, with all of
London's criminal underworld players wanting in on the action.

Ritchie, whose credits include "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking
Barrels," starting filming last week in London. Warner Bros. Pictures is
distributing.

Butler will next be seen opposite Hilary Swank in the romantic drama
"P.S. I Love You." Wilkinson next stars opposite George Clooney in the
drama "Michael Clayton." Newton recently appeared in "Norbit" and "The
Pursuit of Happyness." Bridges' credits include "Crash."













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Chinese Mandarin - Jay Chou promotes self-directed movie "Secret"

ENTERTAINMENT / Music/Theater






Jay Chou promotes self-directed movie "Secret"


Updated: 2007-06-22 10:32






Taiwan singer-actor Jay Chou (R) and Taiwan actress Guey Lun-mei pose
during the news conference of Jay Chou's new self-directed film "Secret"
in Shanghai June 21, 2007. [Reuters]


1 2 3 4










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Learning Chinese - Travolta echoes Cruise on psychiatry

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Travolta echoes Cruise on psychiatry

(AP)
Updated: 2007-06-20 07:09









This undated photo from W magazine shows John Travolta who was
interviewed in W's July issue. Like fellow Scientologist Tom Cruise,
Travolta told the magazine that he is against psychiatric medication.[AP]



NEW YORK - John Travolta says his thinking is in line with fellow
Scientologist Tom Cruise, who has publicly defended the religion's stance
against psychiatry and the pharmaceutical industry.

Cruise, during a famously heated debate on NBC's "Today" show in 2005,
criticized Brooke Shields for taking anti-depression drugs and berated
host Matt Lauer for suggesting that psychiatric treatment might help some
patients.

"I don't disagree with anything Tom says," Travolta says in the July
issue of W magazine, on newsstands Friday. "How would I have presented
it? Maybe differently than how he did, but it doesn't matter. I still
think that if you analyze most of the school shootings, it is not gun
control. It is (psychotropic) drugs at the bottom of it."

"I don't want to create controversy; I just have an opinion on things,
and there is nothing wrong with stating your opinion if you are asked,"
he continues. "Everyone wants that right, and because you are famous
doesn't mean you have less of a right."

Travolta, who also talks of his habit of going to 6 or 7 in the morning
and waking in the early afternoon, says being famous has little impact on
how he lives his life.

"I will tell you the things that would be the same, fame or no fame," he
says. "Being up all night would be the same. Liking empty restaurants,
liking empty movie theaters �� unless I am starring in it."

Travolta, 53, portrays Ms. Edna Turnblad in "Hairspray," the adaptation
of the stage musical that was spun from the 1988 John Waters film of the
same name. The new film opens July 20. The role, in which he dons a fat
suit and feminine garb, has added fuel to ongoing speculation about his
sexuality.

"I have never been compelled to share with you my bathroom habits or
share with you my bedroom habits," says the married father of two.
"Everyone has a right to privacy, so I have never felt �� even though I
am famous �� that I had to share that with anybody."

Do the rumors bother him? Does he think they've affected his career?

"No and no," he says. "What affects your career is the quality of the
product. I don't think anyone can hurt me."

"Hairspray," a New Line release, also stars Christopher Walken, Michelle
Pfeiffer and Queen Latifah.












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Learn Mandarin online - Gifts for Dad on Father's Day

CITYLIFE / Odds & Ends






Gifts for Dad on Father's Day

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-06-15 09:12



Shakespeare says, "It is a wise father that knows his own child." And all
dads definitely deserve a special gift for Father's Day. While selecting
a gift for dad can be difficult, he will be happy with just about
anything his children give him. Yet it takes both heart and mind to
explore what your dad likes most. To give you some inspiration, here are
some ideas:

Panacea gifts that please all fathers:

If you can't see your Dad on Father's Day, then write him a paper or
electronic card, or call dad, telling him you love him.

If you do have time to visit Dad this Sunday, then have a meal with him
and toast him good health. What's more, give him a warm hug at the end of
the meal, because nothing can express how much you care for him than
physical contact.

If you manage to have even more time to spend with Dad, then cook him a
meal. This surely will let him remember you by this meal. Take a walk
with your father after the meal and have a nice chat.

Special gifts for different fathers:

If Dad is a workaholic, the following items can be quite useful to them:

1 Eyepatch: for fathers who fly a lot, an eyepatch ensures them a good
sleep even on airplanes.

2 Quality watch and pen: Watches and pens are the two most important
accessories for a man. Many shopping malls feature quality watch and pen
sets as Father's Day is approaching. Send Dad a set so that he has your
company even in his office.

3 Bodybuilding club membership card: tight work schedule edges out Dad's
time for exercising. Send him a gym membership and tell him look after
his body for you.

4 Vitamin gift package: Dads busy networking robs him of the time to have
a nutritionally well-balanced meal, which results in not enough vitamin
intake.
Vitamins can help the body stay healthy and increases the body's
resistance to many diseases like high blood pressure and high cholesterol
which strike middle-aged or senior citizens often.

5 CD of light music: it can be difficult for busy Fathers to fall asleep
when they have too many things on mind. Light music like New Age music
can help clear the mind and get prepared for sleep.


1 2










Feature




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Please click here!

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with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




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Shanghai Guide


Eating out: Fresh breeze from Latino
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Weekend&Holiday: Elegant vibe
Shopping: Revitalize the office
What's on: The US of art history





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Learn Chinese online - Mexico City hosts largest ever Frida Kahlo exhibit

ENTERTAINMENT / Theater & Arts






Mexico City hosts largest ever Frida Kahlo exhibit

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-06-13 09:08





A cameraman films Frida Kahlo's painting 'Las dos Fridas, 1939' (The two
Fridas, 1939) which will be exhibited along with her other works at
Mexico City's Bellas Artes museum, June 12, 2007. [Reuters]

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The Mexican capital will host the largest ever
exhibition of Frida Kahlo's works this week to mark 100 years since the
birth of the artist, who has become a feminist icon in the past decade as
her fame blooms.

More than 300,000 people are expected to attend the two-month show
starting on Wednesday at the Museo de Bellas Artes museum.

"I don't think anyone, after seeing this, will have any questions about
Frida's artistic journey," said Teresa Franco, head of the institute that
runs the museum.

About 350 pieces will go on display, including some on loan from
collections in the United States, as well as 50 of Kahlo's personal
letters and 100 photographs.

Kahlo began painting as a teenager while convalescing from a horrific
tram crash in 1925 in which she broke her back in three places and
fractured other bones.

The accident and a legacy of childhood polio left her in constant
physical pain and unable to have children. That suffering is often
depicted in her work, which dwells on themes of pain and female
disfigurement.

Twice married to Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, who was nearly 20 years
her senior, Kahlo also reportedly had an affair with revolutionary Leon
Trotsky after he fled the Soviet Union. Kahlo died in July 1954 after
suffering a bout of pneumonia. Rivera died in 1957.

Her feminism, lifestyle and Communist political beliefs have become
inseparable from her art.

"Frida has to be read on one hand as an artist and on the other as a
figure who put strong emphasis on an archetypal feminine problem," Franco
said.

Some critics warn that Kahlo's colorful lifestyle and cult status are
obscuring her work's artistic value.

"I think the ongoing Fridamania would be something she herself would
critique, as she critiqued the social mores of the early 20th century,
such as the expectation that she would want to have a child," said
Margaret Lindauer of Virginia Commonwealth University, author of a book
on Kahlo's art and popularity.

Many museum visitors look forward to the exhibition, which is scheduled
to run until August.

"She forms an important part of Mexican history," said Sylvia Serrand, a
doctor.












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Learning Chinese - Los Angeles to host Jules Verne film festival

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Los Angeles to host Jules Verne film festival

(AFP)
Updated: 2007-06-10 09:05



LOS ANGELES - Paris's longstanding Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival
will shift to Los Angeles this December, with sponsors hoping to make the
US celebration of the early French science fiction writer an annual
event, they said Friday.

Set for December 10-15, the festival, themed "from the abyss to the
stars," is an extension of the festival of films based on or in the
spirit of Verne's novels, like "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea"
and "Around the World in Eighty Days," that has been held in Paris for 15
years.

Organizers, led by legendary US astronaut Buzz Aldrin, presented their
plans Friday to Los Angeles officials, saying in a statement that the
event would celebrate "the spirit of adventure and the preservation of
our planet."

"To explore and preserve our planet is the mission of our festival," said
Jean-Christophe Jeauffre, founder of Jules Verne Adventures.

Verne, born in 1823, is considered the father of modern science fiction,
for his dozens of adventure books dealing with travel to the center of
the earth, below the oceans and outer space.

Many have repeatedly been turned into films or television dramas.

Holding the festival in Los Angeles in December will not interfere with
the annual event in France, according to the sponsors.

But they hoped it would catch on in the United States as well.

"For many years now, I have had the privilege of sharing the Jules Verne
Adventure Film Festival's contagious spirit of discovery with
enthusiastic audiences from all over the world," said Aldrin.

"My wish for those joining us now in Los Angeles is that you, too, will
capture that spirit -- and be reminded that life can be an extraordinary
voyage for us all, whoever we are, whatever we do."












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