Podcasts about great wall

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Fearless Heights: Ming's Kite Adventure at the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-21-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的长城，美丽如画。树叶变得五彩缤纷，微风轻拂着游人的脸颊。En: The Great Wall in autumn is picturesque, with tree leaves turning into a kaleidoscope of colors, and a gentle breeze brushing against the tourists' cheeks.Zh: 明、珍和莲站在一个观景台上，准备放风筝。En: Ming, Zhen, and Lian stood on a viewing platform, getting ready to fly a kite.Zh: 明充满激情地想拍下风筝在长城上空飞舞的照片。En: Ming was passionately eager to capture photos of the kite soaring above the Great Wall.Zh: 他相信这组照片会赢得本地摄影比赛。En: He believed that this set of photos would win the local photography contest.Zh: 然而，明有一个问题——他怕高。En: However, Ming had one problem—he was afraid of heights.Zh: 明看着悬崖边缘，心里有些犹豫。En: Ming gazed at the edge of the cliff, feeling a little hesitant.Zh: 风筝在他手里，轻轻舞动。En: The kite fluttered lightly in his hand.Zh: 珍稳重地拍了拍明的肩膀：“别担心，我们有备用计划。”En: Zhen reassuringly patted Ming's shoulder, saying, "Don't worry, we have a backup plan."Zh: 而莲兴奋地笑道：“明，别怕！我们在这里陪着你。”En: Lian excitedly laughed and said, "Ming, don't be afraid! We're here with you."Zh: 于是，他们开始了尝试。En: So, they began their attempt.Zh: 明小心翼翼地靠近边缘，他的心跳加速。En: Ming cautiously approached the edge, his heart racing.Zh: 风有时会停，时而又突然变大。En: The wind would sometimes die down and then suddenly pick up.Zh: 珍提议：“我们可以等风更稳定些，再放高风筝。”En: Zhen suggested, "We can wait until the wind is more stable before flying the kite higher."Zh: 他们决定三人一起合作，把风筝放得更高。En: They decided to work together to lift the kite higher.Zh: 莲在一旁鼓励着：“你能做到的，明！”En: Lian encouraged from the side, "You can do it, Ming!"Zh: 终于，风开始稳定。En: Finally, the wind stabilized.Zh: 风筝升得更高，在蓝天中划出一条美丽的弧线。En: The kite rose higher, tracing a beautiful arc in the blue sky.Zh: 明的手上冒出了汗。En: Sweat appeared on Ming's hands.Zh: 这时，一阵强风突然袭来，差点把风筝带走。En: Just then, a strong gust of wind suddenly hit, almost taking the kite away.Zh: 明知道这是他拍下完美照片的机会，但如果他放弃，这个完美的瞬间可能会消失。En: Ming knew this was his chance to capture the perfect photo, but if he let go, this perfect moment might vanish.Zh: 他必须做一个决定。En: He had to make a decision.Zh: “我不能放手！”明一脸坚定。En: "I can't let go!" Ming said with determination.Zh: 珍和莲紧紧抓着他的手臂，给他勇气与支持。En: Zhen and Lian held his arms tightly, giving him courage and support.Zh: 最终，他们齐心协力，把风筝顺利地拉回来。En: Finally, they worked together to successfully reel the kite back in.Zh: 明按下快门，捕捉到了风筝在长城上翱翔的动人瞬间。En: Ming pressed the shutter, capturing the moving moment of the kite soaring above the Great Wall.Zh: 回家的路上，明看着相机里的照片，满脸欣慰。En: On the way home, Ming looked at the photos in his camera, full of satisfaction.Zh: 他明白到，面对恐惧时，有朋友的支持是多么重要。En: He understood how important the support of friends is when facing fears.Zh: 同时，他也为自己克服了恐惧而感到骄傲。En: At the same time, he felt proud of himself for overcoming his fear.Zh: 长城的秋色依旧迷人，但明心中的那道墙却悄然消失了。En: The autumn scenery of the Great Wall remained enchanting, but the wall in Ming's heart had quietly disappeared. Vocabulary Words:picturesque: 美丽如画kaleidoscope: 五彩缤纷breeze: 微风cliff: 悬崖fluttered: 舞动reassuringly: 稳重地hesitant: 犹豫gust: 一阵强风vanish: 消失determination: 坚定support: 支持enchanted: 迷人overcoming: 克服passionately: 充满激情captured: 拍下belief: 相信stable: 稳定encouraged: 鼓励arc: 弧线shutter: 快门sweat: 汗courage: 勇气moment: 瞬间satisfaction: 欣慰racing: 加速capture: 捕捉attempt: 尝试successfully: 顺利地enchanting: 使人入迷quietly: 悄然

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Li Ming's Single Day Revelation atop the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-16-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的长城在明亮的阳光下显得格外庄严。En: The Great Wall of China in the autumn sun appears especially majestic.Zh: 在红黄相间的树叶映衬下，长城的古老石砖如同一位历经沧桑的老者，见证着历史的变迁。En: Against the backdrop of red and yellow leaves, the ancient stones of the wall look like an elder who has weathered the ages, witnessing the changes of history.Zh: 在这样一个特殊的日子——光棍节，长城上游客如潮，欢声笑语此起彼伏。En: On such a special day—Singles' Day, the Great Wall is flooded with tourists, filled with laughter and cheer.Zh: 而在这纷扰的人群中，李明的心情却格外复杂。En: However, amidst the bustling crowd, Li Ming's emotions are exceptionally complex.Zh: 李明是一位三十出头的专业人士，单身的他，一直被家人催促着尽快成家立业。En: Li Ming is a professional in his early thirties, who remains single and is constantly urged by his family to settle down and establish a career.Zh: 光棍节原本是他最大的压力来源，沉重的孤独感扑面而来。En: Singles' Day used to be his greatest source of pressure, as an overwhelming sense of loneliness washed over him.Zh: 但今年，他做了个不同寻常的决定：在长城举行一场家庭聚会。En: But this year, he made an unusual decision: to hold a family gathering on the Great Wall.Zh: 他希望趁此机会，拉近与家人的距离，分享自己的心声。En: He hoped to use this opportunity to get closer to his family and share his heartfelt thoughts.Zh: “李明！”随着一个亲切的呼唤，陈伟和张磊向他走来。En: "Li Ming!" With a friendly call, Chen Wei and Zhang Lei walked towards him.Zh: 陈伟是李明的表弟，在海外工作多年；张磊是他的堂兄，总是充满智慧与善意。En: Chen Wei is Li Ming's cousin, who has worked overseas for many years; Zhang Lei is his older cousin, always full of wisdom and kindness.Zh: 他们都很高兴见到李明，并对他的邀请表示感谢。En: They were very pleased to see Li Ming and expressed gratitude for his invitation.Zh: 三人登上长城，欣赏风景的同时，也开始了倾心的谈话。En: The three of them ascended the Great Wall, enjoying the scenery while also engaging in a heartfelt conversation.Zh: 李明深吸了一口清新的冷空气，鼓起勇气，说出压抑在心中已久的话：“我知道你们都希望我早日成家，但我有自己的目标。我希望你们能理解和支持我的决定。”En: Li Ming took a deep breath of the fresh, cold air, gathered his courage, and spoke words that had long been suppressed in his heart: “I know you all wish for me to settle down soon, but I have my own goals. I hope you can understand and support my decision.”Zh: 陈伟拍了拍李明的肩膀，说：“每个人都有自己的道路，我们支持你。”En: Chen Wei patted Li Ming on the shoulder and said, "Everyone has their own path; we support you."Zh: 张磊点头附和：“我们要的是你的幸福，不论这意味着什么。”En: Zhang Lei nodded in agreement, "What we want is your happiness, whatever that means."Zh: 随着对话的深入，李明感受到了一种前所未有的轻松。En: As the conversation deepened, Li Ming felt an unprecedented sense of ease.Zh: 他在内心深处找到了那个真正的自己，一个在家庭期待之外，仍能坚定自我的人。En: He found his true self within, someone who could remain firm outside the expectations of family.Zh: 他笑了，望着辽阔的长城，仿佛看到了未来。En: He smiled, looking at the vast Great Wall, as if he could see the future.Zh: 家庭聚会在一片欢声笑语中结束。En: The family gathering ended amidst laughter and cheer.Zh: 这个光棍节，他们收获的不只是购物季的折扣，而是一种新的理解和支持。En: This Singles' Day, they gained not just the discounts of the shopping season, but a new understanding and support.Zh: 离开长城时，李明感受到秋风的温暖，上面带着他最珍贵的家人的关爱。En: As they left the Great Wall, Li Ming felt the warmth of the autumn breeze, infused with the love and care of his cherished family.Zh: 虽然秋日的阳光渐渐西沉，但李明心中充满了希望。En: Although the autumn sun was gradually setting, Li Ming's heart was filled with hope.Zh: 他明确了自己的人生目标，也收获了珍贵的家庭支持。En: He had clarified his life goals and gained valuable family support.Zh: 对他来说，这个惊喜的团聚是一次新的开始，是他个人成长道路上重要的一步。En: For him, this surprising reunion was a new beginning and an important step in his personal growth journey. Vocabulary Words:majestic: 庄严backdrop: 映衬weathered: 历经沧桑witnessing: 见证bustling: 纷扰emotions: 心情exceptionally: 格外professional: 专业人士urged: 催促overwhelming: 沉重unusual: 不同寻常gathering: 聚会courage: 勇气suppressed: 压抑support: 支持laughter: 欢声笑语discounts: 折扣infused: 带着clarified: 明确valuable: 珍贵growth: 成长shining: 明亮elder: 老者settle down: 成家path: 道路kindness: 善意breeze: 秋风unprecedented: 前所未有ease: 轻松deepen: 深入

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Capturing Serendipity: A Photographer's Great Wall Journey Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-15-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的长城，美得令人心醉。En: The qiutian (autumn) Great Wall is stunningly beautiful.Zh: 金，作为一个热爱旅行的摄影师，想要在这时抓拍到一张完美的照片。En: Jin, a travel-loving photographer, wanted to capture a perfect photo at this time.Zh: 他和朋友李一起站在宏伟的长城之上。En: He stood atop the magnificent Great Wall with his friend Li.Zh: 虽然是旅游淡季，但这里依然不乏游客。En: Even though it was the off-season for tourism, there was still no shortage of visitors.Zh: 金仔细地调好了相机，满心期待。En: Jin carefully adjusted his camera, full of anticipation.Zh: 他专心地观察着，寻找一个没有人的景点。En: He focused intently, searching for a spot without people.Zh: 李则无忧无虑地享受着手中的小吃，也偶尔调侃金：“这儿真美！En: Li, on the other hand, was carelessly enjoying the snack in his hand and occasionally teased Jin: "It's really beautiful here!Zh: 你确定不用给食物拍一张吗？En: Are you sure you don't want to take a picture of the food?"Zh: ”然而，每当金觉得时机成熟，按下快门的时候，总有一群游客走过。En: However, every time Jin felt the moment was right and pressed the shutter, a group of tourists would walk by.Zh: 最有趣的是其中一个女游客，美，似乎总是误入金的镜头。En: The most interesting among them was a female tourist, Mei, who seemed to always accidentally enter Jin's shot.Zh: 美穿着鲜红的外套，笑容灿烂。En: Mei wore a bright red coat and had a radiant smile.Zh: 她丝毫没有意识到自己成了镜头的主角。En: She was completely unaware that she had become the main subject of the lens.Zh: 金微微有些沮丧，他思考着要不要换个地方拍摄。En: Jin was a little frustrated and contemplated whether to change locations for the shoot.Zh: 可换地方可能就没有这段长城的壮丽景色。En: But changing locations might mean missing this majestic view of the Great Wall.Zh: 他决定耐心等待，哪怕需要多站一会儿。En: He decided to wait patiently, even if it meant standing a bit longer.Zh: 突然，天空变得阴云密布，天气变幻莫测。En: Suddenly, the sky became overcast, and the weather changed unpredictably.Zh: 金还没来得及调整相机，这时的美又出现在镜头前，竟然在他面前摆起了一个夸张的自拍姿势。En: Before Jin could adjust his camera, Mei appeared in front of the lens again, striking an exaggerated selfie pose.Zh: 金差点按捺不住。En: Jin almost couldn't hold back.Zh: 这时，李笑着给了金一个友好的拍肩：“也许这就是旅行的乐趣吧，意外往往更有趣。En: At this moment, Li gave Jin a friendly pat on the shoulder with a smile: "Maybe that's the joy of traveling, unexpected moments are often more interesting."Zh: ”金想了想，放下相机，转过身去。En: Jin thought for a moment, put down his camera, and turned around.Zh: 他对美笑了笑，然后灵光一闪。En: He smiled at Mei, and then had a sudden inspiration.Zh: 他再次举起相机，对美说：“要不，我们一起拍一张？En: He raised his camera again and said to Mei, "How about we take a picture together?"Zh: ”美愉快地同意，这次金终于按下了快门。En: Mei happily agreed, and this time Jin finally pressed the shutter.Zh: 照片里，美的笑容和长城的背景融为一体，形成了一幅完美的画面。En: In the photo, Mei's smile and the background of the Great Wall merged into a perfect image.Zh: 金突然意识到，有时候精彩是一种意外。En: Jin suddenly realized that sometimes brilliance is a surprise.Zh: 故事以金的开心而结束，他终于明白了，旅途中最重要的是享受当下，而不是追逐完美的瞬间。En: The story ends with Jin feeling happy, having finally understood that the most important thing during a journey is to enjoy the present rather than chase the perfect moment.Zh: 至此，他会心一笑，这趟旅程有了一个不同寻常而又可爱的收尾。En: With this realization, he smiled contently, giving the trip an unusual yet lovely ending. Vocabulary Words:stunningly: 令人心醉magnificent: 宏伟的anticipation: 期待carelessly: 无忧无虑地teased: 调侃shutter: 快门radiant: 灿烂contemplated: 思考着majestic: 壮丽overcast: 阴云密布unpredictably: 变幻莫测exaggerated: 夸张的selfie: 自拍friendly: 友好的pat: 拍肩inspiration: 灵光一闪merge: 融为一体realization: 意识到brilliance: 精彩unusual: 不同寻常contently: 会心一笑end: 收尾autumn: 秋天photographer: 摄影师tourism: 旅游tourist: 游客background: 背景enjoyment: 享受present: 当下journey: 旅程

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Unveiling Leadership at the Great Wall: Lihua's Journey Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-14-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在深秋的一个凉爽早晨，寄宿学校的学生们准备用校车前往长城。En: On a cool morning in late autumn, the students of the boarding school were preparing to head to the Changcheng, the Great Wall, by school bus.Zh: 一阵金色的阳光洒在山峦之间，翠绿的树叶开始变成橙色和红色。En: A golden sunshine spread across the mountains, and the green leaves began to turn orange and red.Zh: 秋风轻轻拂过，空气中弥漫着秋果的清香。En: An autumn breeze gently swept through, filling the air with the refreshing scent of fall fruits.Zh: 丽华坐在校车的最后一排，内心久久无法平静。En: Lihua sat in the last row of the school bus, unable to calm her restless heart.Zh: 她是个勤奋好学的学生，总觉得自己被比她更受欢迎的金海掩盖了光芒。En: She was a diligent and studious student, always feeling overshadowed by the more popular Jinhai.Zh: 金海总是带领着同学们，大家也很习惯依赖他。En: Jinhai always led the classmates, and everyone was accustomed to relying on him.Zh: 然而，这次丽华决定展示自己，证明她不仅有想法，也有能力。En: However, this time Lihua decided to show her own capabilities, to prove that she not only had ideas but also the ability.Zh: 昨天晚上，丽华花了很长时间来设计这次旅行的部分行程。En: Last night, Lihua spent a long time designing part of the itinerary for this trip.Zh: 她在行程中加入了许多教育活动，比如讲解长城的历史和建筑之美。En: She included many educational activities, such as explaining the history and architectural beauty of the Changcheng.Zh: 校车慢慢驶进长城的入口，学生们欢呼雀跃。En: The school bus slowly drove into the entrance of the Changcheng, and the students cheered with excitement.Zh: 丽华和金海一起带领大家，开始在古老的石阶上攀登。En: Lihua and Jinhai led everyone, beginning their climb on the ancient stone steps.Zh: 长城似一条巨龙，蜿蜒穿行在山脉之间。En: The Changcheng resembled a giant dragon, winding through the mountains.Zh: 阳光洒在他们的身上，给这个历史古迹增添了几分神秘色彩。En: Sunlight fell on them, adding a touch of mystery to this historical monument.Zh: 当他们到达一个高耸的塔楼时，丽华组织大家听她讲解长城的历史。En: When they reached a towering watchtower, Lihua organized everyone to listen to her explanation of the Great Wall's history.Zh: 她描述着秦始皇如何统一中国，命人建造这条横亘东西的长城。En: She described how Qin Shi Huang unified China and commanded the construction of this wall stretching from east to west.Zh: 随着她投入的话语，学生们纷纷竖起耳朵，不自觉地自丽华的讲述中感受到了她的热情和知识。En: With her passionate words, the students perked up their ears, subconsciously drawn to Lihua's enthusiasm and knowledge.Zh: 然而，在大家聚精会神的时候，金海不小心掉了队，很可能在繁茂的秋叶和厚重的城墙之中迷路了。En: However, while everyone was engrossed, Jinhai accidentally fell behind and possibly got lost among the lush autumn leaves and the thick walls.Zh: 丽华意识到群体的有序组织和安全是她肩上的责任。En: Lihua realized that the orderly organization and safety of the group were her responsibilities.Zh: 她深吸一口气决定暂时接管领导。En: She took a deep breath and decided to temporarily take over the leadership.Zh: “大家别慌，我们分小组去找金海，”丽华镇定自若地说。En: "Everyone, don't panic. We'll split into small groups to find Jinhai," Lihua calmly said.Zh: 她带领着一组学生仔细地搜索城墙的每一个角落，终于在一个历史遗迹旁边找到了有些慌乱的金海。En: She led a group of students carefully searching every corner of the wall and finally found the somewhat flustered Jinhai beside a historical relic.Zh: 看到丽华带着小组找来，金海心中感激不已：“谢谢你，丽华，我以为我永远不会找到回去的路！”En: Seeing Lihua coming, with a group, Jinhai felt incredibly grateful: "Thank you, Lihua, I thought I'd never find my way back!"Zh: “我们是一组的，共同合作就能攻克一切困难。”丽华自信地说。En: "We are a team, and together we can overcome any difficulty," Lihua confidently said.Zh: 这次事件之后，丽华不仅得到了同学们的赞赏，还赢得了老师的信任。En: After this incident, Lihua not only earned the praise of her classmates but also gained the trust of the teachers.Zh: 金海在回程的车上对丽华说:“其实我也有担心的时候，你的领导力让我看到团队的力量，我很高兴能与你合作。”En: Jinhai, on the way back on the bus, told Lihua, "Actually, I have moments of worry too. Your leadership showed me the power of teamwork, and I'm very glad to work with you."Zh: 满载着自信和新的友谊，丽华看着窗外渐行渐远的长城，心中充满了成就感。En: Filled with confidence and newfound friendship, Lihua looked out at the gradually receding Changcheng through the window, a sense of achievement filling her heart.Zh: 她知道，今天她不仅找到了千里长城的尽头，也找到了属于自我的那条道路。En: She knew that today she not only found the end of the Great Wall but also discovered her own path.Zh: 金海则学会了分享责任，让每个人都有机会一显身手。En: Jinhai, meanwhile, learned to share responsibility, giving everyone the chance to shine. Vocabulary Words:cool: 凉爽boarding school: 寄宿学校golden: 金色sunshine: 阳光spread: 洒mountains: 山峦autumn breeze: 秋风restless: 无法平静diligent: 勤奋overshadowed: 掩盖itinerary: 行程cheered: 欢呼excited: 雀跃ancient: 古老resembled: 似wind: 蜿蜒towering: 高耸watchtower: 塔楼subconsciously: 不自觉地engrossed: 聚精会神luscious: 繁茂relic: 遗迹flustered: 慌乱grateful: 感激accomplishment: 成就感receding: 渐行渐远responsibility: 责任group: 群体temporal: 暂时perked up: 竖起

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Connection Beyond the Great Wall on Singles' Day Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-11-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 金秋时节，长城在绚丽的红橙金色树叶衬托下蜿蜒盘绕。En: In the golden autumn season, the Great Wall winds its way through a backdrop of magnificent red, orange, and golden leaves.Zh: 今天是一个阳光明媚的秋天，正好是光棍节。En: Today is a sunny autumn day, just right for Singles' Day.Zh: 梅是一名活泼的导游，她正在带领一群游客参观长城。En: Mei is a lively tour guide leading a group of tourists around the Great Wall.Zh: 虽然笑容满面，但她心里有点孤单。En: Although she wears a bright smile, she feels a bit lonely inside.Zh: 光棍节，她想和别人真正地联系一次，而不是看到每个人都忙着看手机和寻找购物优惠。En: On Singles' Day, she longs for a genuine connection with others, instead of seeing everyone engrossed in their phones and hunting for shopping deals.Zh: 梅带着游客走上长城，她用明亮的声音介绍历史：“据说，古时候长城就像一条巨龙，守护着我们的家园。”En: Mei leads the tourists up onto the Great Wall, introducing its history with a bright voice: "It is said that in ancient times, the Great Wall was like a giant dragon, guarding our homeland."Zh: 然而，大部分游客只是在低头看手机，有的在算着购物折扣，有的拍照发朋友圈。En: Yet, most of the tourists are just looking down at their phones, some calculating shopping discounts, others taking photos to post on social media.Zh: 小梁是这次旅行团里的一名年轻人，他也在看手机。En: Xiao Liang is a young man in this tour group, also looking at his phone.Zh: 不远处的金则是一位历史学者，他对手机并不感兴趣，认真听着梅的介绍。En: Not far away, Jin, a historian, uninterested in his phone, is listening intently to Mei's introduction.Zh: 梅注意到了他眼里的好奇，决定讲述一个个人故事来吸引大家的注意。En: Mei noticed the curiosity in his eyes and decided to share a personal story to capture everyone's attention.Zh: “其实，我第一次来长城是在十年前。”梅轻声说，目光投向远方。En: "In fact, I first came to the Great Wall ten years ago," Mei said softly, her gaze cast into the distance.Zh: “那时候，我在这里认识了一位老人，他告诉我这道墙不仅是防御，更是连接。En: "At that time, I met an old man here who told me that this wall is not just for defense, but also for connection.Zh: 当年战士们在这里守护家园，他们之间的友谊和信任就是我们今天的文化根基。”En: Back then, soldiers guarded their homeland here, and their friendship and trust are the foundation of our culture today."Zh: 这时，金抬起了头，望向梅，显然被她的话打动了。En: At this moment, Jin lifted his head, looking at Mei, clearly moved by her words.Zh: 他走到梅身边，低声说：“能告诉我更多吗？关于长城的人情故事。”En: He walked over to Mei and quietly said, "Can you tell me more? About the human stories of the Great Wall."Zh: 梅很高兴地开始与金交流，他们分享彼此对历史和文化的热爱。En: Mei happily started to converse with Jin, sharing their love for history and culture.Zh: 随着话题的深入，周围的游客似乎也渐渐被吸引，放下了手机，开始听两人讲述。En: As the conversation deepened, the surrounding tourists seemed to be drawn in as well, putting down their phones and starting to listen to the two's storytelling.Zh: 当天的游览结束时，梅和金互相留下了联系方式。En: By the end of the day's tour, Mei and Jin had exchanged contact information.Zh: 他们计划再次见面，继续在长城下的故事中寻找历史的脉动。En: They planned to meet again to continue uncovering the pulse of history in the stories beneath the Great Wall.Zh: 梅看着手中的联系方式，心里温暖了许多。En: Looking at the contact information in her hand, Mei felt much warmer inside.Zh: 她明白，哪怕是在意想不到的时刻，真正的联系也是可以发生的。En: She understood that even in the most unexpected moments, genuine connections can happen.Zh: 长城依旧守望着大地，而梅终于在偌大的世界里感受到了温暖的连接。En: The Great Wall continues to stand watch over the land, and Mei finally felt the warmth of connection in this vast world. Vocabulary Words:winding: 蜿蜒magnificent: 绚丽backdrop: 衬托lively: 活泼genuine: 真正engrossed: 忙着defense: 防御foundation: 根基converse: 交流uncovering: 寻找curiosity: 好奇human stories: 人情故事engulfed: 沉浸intertwined: 交织pulse: 脉动historians: 历史学者solar term: 节气homeland: 家园gaze: 目光intonation: 腔调detachment: 疏离profound: 深刻immerse: 浸入amidst: 在…中melancholy: 忧郁transcend: 超越reminisce: 回忆exhilaration: 愉快resonance: 共鸣legacy: 遗产

Keenan Johnson & Kevin Turner join us this week as Drew wakes up on the Great Wall of China. Discussion includes fast food, juggling hats, and a wedding in Wuhan. If you buy our soy beans, we'll send you Drew Carey. Follow Keenan on Instagram: https://instagram.com/ikeenan1 Follow Kevin on Instagram: https://instagram.com/kevinturnerhaha Episode: "The High Road to China" (S4E9) http://youtube.com/@clevelandrockspodcast http://instagram.com/clevelandrockspodcast Email us: clevelandrockspodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textIn this episode of the Joint Dynamics Podcast, host Andrew Cox | Joint Dynamics sits down with Hong Kong hero, Jo Lodder. Jo is an ultra-endurance runner, entrepreneur, and founder of the Action Asia Foundation - Run for Ability campaign. On October  15th 2025, he and 9 students, a professor and a film crew began a world-first challenge — running over 3,000km from Beijing to Hong Kong in 60 days — to raise USD 1 million for the disabled community through the Action Asia Foundation. His mission is simple: run for those who can't and help people with disabilities discover their superpower.Follow the journey or donate at www.RunChina.RunShow sponsor for this episode is IM8 - “THE ULTIMATE ALL IN ONE SUPPLEMENT”, co-founded by David Beckham and trusted by World No. 1 tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, IM8 is developed by experts from Mayo Clinic and NASA.Click on the link below to get 10% off your first order and support this showhttps://im8health.com/discount/JOINTDYNAMICSEnjoyHere are some useful links for this podcastIG jo_lodderRelevant episodesEpisode 131- Scott Callaghan - Competitive Barista, Business Owner, and Trail Runnerhttps://podcasts.apple.com/hk/podcast/episode-131-scott-callaghan-competitive-barista-business/id1527374894?i=1000718287399Episode 88 - Damian Browne on The Power of Process and The Pain Cave https://podcasts.apple.com/hk/podcast/episode-88-damian-browne-on-the-power-of-process/id1527374894?i=1000636640784JOINT DYNAMICS links:Joint Dynamics Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JointDynamicsHongKong/Joint Dynamics Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/jointdynamics/Joint Dynamics Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQZplKxZMSvtc6LxM5WckwJoint Dynamics Website - www.jointdynamics.com.hk Host - Andrew Cox - https://www.jointdynamics.com.hk/the-team/trainers/andrew-cox

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Solitude: A Student's Journey at the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-09-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天，长城在阳光下闪烁着金色的光辉。En: In the autumn, the Great Wall of China glimmered with a golden sheen under the sunlight.Zh: 一群学生们兴奋地在这古老的长城上来回穿梭。En: A group of students excitedly wandered back and forth on this ancient wall.Zh: 李伟、陈和君是这次学校秋季旅行中的一员。En: Li Wei and Chen Hejun were part of the school's autumn trip.Zh: 他们跟随老师一边走，一边听讲解古老长城的历史。En: They followed the teacher, listening to the explanation of the Great Wall's history as they walked.Zh: 但是，李伟却心不在焉。En: However, Li Wei seemed distracted.Zh: 他对长城的兴趣与日俱增，想要独自一人走走，感受历史的痕迹。En: His interest in the Great Wall grew by the day, and he wanted to walk alone and feel the traces of history.Zh: 可是，同学们的喧闹声和自拍照让他有些烦躁。En: Yet, the noise from his classmates and their selfies made him a bit irritable.Zh: 他想要找个属于自己的安静时刻。En: He wanted to find a quiet moment for himself.Zh: 他看了看周围，然后做出了一个大胆的决定。En: He looked around and then made a bold decision.Zh: “我只需要一会儿，”李伟心想。En: "I just need a moment," Li Wei thought.Zh: 他悄悄地离开了大部队，沿着一个小道走去。En: He quietly left the main group and set out along a small path.Zh: 走了一会儿，李伟发现一个安静的角落。En: After walking for a while, Li Wei discovered a quiet corner.Zh: 这里视野开阔，大地的辽阔与长城的雄伟让他心安宁静。En: The open view and the vastness of the land, combined with the grandeur of the Great Wall, brought him peace and tranquility.Zh: 他闭上眼睛，感受着脚下石头的历史厚重感，仿佛穿越时空，与古人在对话。En: He closed his eyes, feeling the heavy sense of history beneath his feet, as if he were traveling through time, conversing with the ancients.Zh: 这一刻，李伟感受到了一种从未有过的亲近感。En: At this moment, Li Wei felt a sense of closeness he had never experienced before.Zh: 他想起了中秋节，这个合家团圆的日子。En: He thought of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a day for family reunions.Zh: 这片风景似乎在对他说，历史总是连接着我们的过去与现在。En: The scenery seemed to speak to him, saying that history always connects our past with the present.Zh: 时间过得很快，李伟知道该回去了。En: Time passed quickly, and Li Wei knew it was time to return.Zh: 他向远处最后看了一会儿，仿佛牢牢记住这一刻的感动。En: He looked into the distance one last time, as if to firmly remember this touching moment.Zh: 然后，他迅速返回到队伍中。En: Then, he quickly returned to the group.Zh: 刚好，老师正在召集学生准备回程。En: Just in time, the teacher was gathering the students to prepare for the return journey.Zh: 陈和君看到李伟，调皮地问道：“去哪儿啦，你没有迷路吧？”En: Chen Hejun saw Li Wei and playfully asked, "Where did you go? You didn't get lost, did you?"Zh: 李伟微微一笑，没有说话。En: Li Wei smiled slightly, not saying a word.Zh: 他感觉到了一种新的力量，寻找属于自己的方向。En: He felt a new strength, aiming to find his own path.Zh: 尽管旅途结束了，但李伟内心的那份宁静与喜悦却长久地伴随着他。En: Although the trip was over, the peace and joy inside Li Wei stayed with him for a long time.Zh: 他意识到，追随内心的旅程同样重要。En: He realized that following the journey of the heart was equally important.Zh: 而这次长城之旅，让他更加坚定地走在自己的路上。En: And this trip to the Great Wall made him more determined to walk on his own path. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天glimmered: 闪烁sheen: 光辉ancient: 古老distracted: 心不在焉irritable: 烦躁bold: 大胆tranquility: 宁静grandeur: 雄伟conversing: 对话closeness: 亲近感reunions: 团圆connecting: 连接journey: 旅程touching: 感动determined: 坚定wandering: 穿梭explanation: 讲解irritable: 烦躁quiet: 安静path: 小道corner: 角落vastness: 辽阔peace: 心安ancients: 古人strength: 力量reunions: 团圆enjoyment: 喜悦followed: 跟随conversation: 对话

We all know and learned about the 7 wonders of the world, from The Great Wall of China to the Taj Mahal in India... but it got me thinking, what are the 7 wonders of Los Angeles? I had fun diving into this and am thrilled to share what's on my list of the 7 wonders of L.A.!

Snoop and Sniffy are back for their biggest international case yet in the Forbidden City of Beijing, China. Mysteries lurk around every corner as the dynamic duo races through the ancient city, uncovering secrets from hidden temples all the way to the iconic Great Wall of China. With danger at every turn, will Snoop and Sniffy crack the case before time runs out?

Beckler & Seanna talk about the Great Wall of China, hands and forearms, and the World Series.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Risk and Reward: A Scientific Showdown at the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-22-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在长城脚下，隐藏着一个神秘的实验室。En: At the foot of the Great Wall, a mysterious laboratory is hidden.Zh: 金秋时节，黄叶遍地，而实验室内部却是历史与创新的交汇点。En: In the golden autumn season, with yellow leaves covering the ground, the inside of the laboratory is a convergence point of history and innovation.Zh: 那里，有着古老的文物，也有先进的科技。En: It houses ancient artifacts as well as advanced technology.Zh: 这个季节，一年一度的学校科学展览即将举办。En: This season, the annual school science exhibition is about to take place.Zh: 梅是一个充满好奇心的学生，总渴望在科学发现中脱颖而出。En: Mei is a student full of curiosity, always eager to stand out in scientific discovery.Zh: 她最想让自己冷静内敛的父亲，著名的科学家，对自己感到骄傲。En: She most hopes that her calm and introverted father, a renowned scientist, will feel proud of her.Zh: 而健是梅的好朋友，他总是支持梅的探索，却也害怕失败。En: Meanwhile, Jian, Mei's good friend, always supports her explorations but also fears failure.Zh: 两人决定在科学展览上展示一项突破性的项目。En: The two decide to showcase a groundbreaking project at the science exhibition.Zh: 项目准备期间，设备发生了故障，结果令人大跌眼镜，极大地威胁到了实验的成功。En: During the project preparation, a malfunction occurs with the equipment, resulting in a shocking outcome that greatly threatens the success of the experiment.Zh: 面对突如其来的危机，梅选择冒险，使用一种非常规的方法来修复设备。En: Faced with the sudden crisis, Mei chooses to take a risk by using an unconventional method to fix the equipment.Zh: 尽管健建议她谨慎行事，但梅坚持了自己的决定。En: Despite Jian's advice to be cautious, Mei insists on her decision.Zh: 展览那天，梅和健站在众人面前，实验开始了。En: On the day of the exhibition, Mei and Jian stand in front of everyone as the experiment begins.Zh: 突然间，设备似乎失控，眼看就要失败。En: Suddenly, the equipment seems to go out of control and is on the brink of failure.Zh: 然而，梅凭借快速反应，将实验从失败的边缘拉了回来，现场竟然变得异常壮观。En: However, with quick reflexes, Mei pulls the experiment back from the verge of failure, and the scene becomes extraordinarily spectacular.Zh: 大家目不转睛地看着，老师和同学们报以热烈的掌声。En: Everyone watches intently, and both teachers and classmates offer enthusiastic applause.Zh: 最让梅感到欣慰的是，台下的父亲也亲临活动。En: What gives Mei the most comfort is that her father is present at the event.Zh: 他用赞许的目光点头示意，让梅的心倍感温暖。En: He nods with approving eyes, which warms Mei's heart immensely.Zh: 梅知道，自己的努力得到了认可。En: Mei knows that her efforts have been recognized.Zh: 不仅如此，她还学会了在挑战中敢于冒险，并取得了出色的成果。En: Moreover, she has learned to take risks in the face of challenges and achieved outstanding results.Zh: 而健也意识到，有时候相信梅的直觉，即便在不确定的时候，也能带来不可思议的结果。En: Jian also realizes that sometimes trusting Mei's instincts, even when uncertain, can lead to incredible outcomes.Zh: 从此，梅更有自信去追逐自己的科学梦想，而健也成为了她最坚定的支持者。En: From then on, Mei is more confident in pursuing her scientific dreams, and Jian becomes her most steadfast supporter.Zh: 他们在实验室外的长城上，望着远方，踌躇满志地迎接未来。En: Standing on the Great Wall outside the laboratory, they look into the distance, brimming with ambition for the future.Zh: 故事在他们的笑声中圆满结束。En: The story ends perfectly amid their laughter. Vocabulary Words:mysterious: 神秘的laboratory: 实验室golden: 金autumn: 秋convergence: 交汇artifacts: 文物renowned: 著名的groundbreaking: 突破性的malfunction: 故障shocking: 大跌眼镜unconventional: 非常规的crisis: 危机equipment: 设备instincts: 直觉verge: 边缘outcome: 结果reflexes: 快速反应spectacular: 壮观applause: 掌声comfort: 欣慰supporter: 支持者ambition: 踌躇满志innovation: 创新intently: 目不转睛地approve: 赞许extraordinarily: 异常地steadfast: 坚定的immensely: 倍感recognized: 认可的pursuing: 追逐

Coffee with Samso | Episode 212 | UWA Club, Crawley, Western Australia. Guest: Darren Cooke – CEO, FireFly Metals Ltd (ASX: FFM) Introduction In this episode of Coffee with Samso, we continue our Exploration Discovery Series with one of the most fascinating stories to come out of Western Australia's goldfields — the Pegasus gold discovery. This story is special. Not because Pegasus was a greenfields success, but precisely because it wasn't. It was hiding in plain sight — within the Swiss cheese of decades of drilling in the Kundana gold camp. In 2014, Pegasus was recognised as one of the most significant discoveries of the decade. At the time of its unveiling, the project hosted a resource of 2.1 million tonnes at 11.4 g/t Au, containing approximately 763,000 ounces of gold. Northern Star Resources (ASX: NST) would later prove what Bill Beament said at the time — that this would be a million-ounce deposit just 350 metres from their Rubicon mine. To unpack this milestone discovery, I spoke with Darren Cooke, CEO of FireFly Metals and the former geology and long-term planning manager for Barrick at Kundana during the Pegasus discovery years. This conversation isn't just a walk down memory lane. It's a technical, strategic, and cultural deep dive into how great discoveries can be made in places everyone thinks they already know. Chapters 00:00 Start 02:39 Introduction 04:03 Introduction to Darren Cooke. 04:54 The early days of the Discovery - Pre 2011 07:11 The Unlocking of the Historical Dataset - 2011 to 2012 08:32 The Duration of the Work to "work" the data. 9:45 What was the structural concept? 10:47 Was the narrow mineralisation of Kundana the key to thinking differently? 11:58 With hindsight, was Pegasus easy to define/discover? 12:38 The double plunging mineralisation is the thinking that helped other discoveries? 13:48 Well Drilled Does Not Mean Well Explored - Quality of Data 14:46 Time is required to understand historical data 15:42 Geological Models are only a good guide. 16:58 How much confidence did Management know about the Pegasus potential? 18:43 The Northern Star "Thinking". 22:15 Was Anton Billis a good JV partner? 23:11 Was the purchase price of AUD $75M cheap? 24:25 Was there something that could have made Pegasus not a discussion? 25:52 Is there more discoveries left to discover from "Brownfield" projects? 27:10 Is there another Pegasus still out there like a Never Never? 28:16 A different view to a Brownfield project? 29:41 Brownfield projects should be more about a Brownfield new discovery not a reintroduction of the old concepts. 31:08 A Mineral System Is Always More Than One Success. 32:30 The FireFly Story. (Take out the bit I said about "Dont spoil the Story" 34:00 Is Northern Star the new generation of Western Mining in terms of quality work. 35:38 The skillset required in developing a Mining of Mineral Resources 36:59 The culture DNA of Northern Star. 37:45 Words of Wisdom to the new generation of geologists. 39:14 A Special DNA to Find the Solution. 40:29 Darren last Words 40:56 Conclusion Setting the Scene – Kundana in the 2000s - The Pegasus Gold Discovery The Kundana Province is no stranger to gold. By the early 2000s, it was already a 10Moz gold camp. The ground around Pegasus was peppered with drill holes — hundreds of them — yet the discovery remained elusive. In 2005, Placer Dome drilled the first hole into what would later become Pegasus. But they walked away. Fast-forward to 2011–2012, a new team at Barrick re-examined the data. What followed wasn't a stroke of luck but a combination of fresh geological thinking, technical persistence, and the right mindset to challenge old assumptions. "It wasn't that Pegasus wasn't drilled. It was that no one had looked at the data differently. We just saw what others missed." – Darren Cooke Unlocking the Historical Dataset (2011–2012) When Darren stepped into the Barrick geology and planning role, the first thing the team did was dig through the database — not for something new, but for something overlooked. 100+ drill holes were already in the area. Most were shallow and targeted under a subvertical plunge model. Hits were dismissed because follow-up holes below were barren. No one questioned whether the plunge direction was wrong. Darren's team challenged the model. By recognising a double-plunging shoot orientation, they unlocked a structure that others had effectively drilled around. "It was a classic case of model bias. Everyone was fitting data to the model rather than re-examining the model itself." The Turning Point – Geological Insight Meets Practical Pressure Pegasus wasn't just a technical story. It was also a story about operational necessity. The Barrick Kundana team was running out of ore. The long-term planning and geology groups collaborated closely to rethink their targeting strategy. It was this internal pressure that drove them to rework the historical data. The double plunge model that emerged: Explained the original hit and subsequent misses. Predicted mineralisation at depth offset from previous holes. Led to rapid resource definition once drilling resumed. The result: a million-ounce gold system hiding between existing infrastructure and old drill collars. "Well Drilled" Does Not Mean "Well Explored" One of the most powerful takeaways from this conversation is the difference between density of drilling and quality of exploration. "Well drilled doesn't mean well explored. You can have a pin cushion of holes and still miss the prize." This statement resonates across WA discoveries: Hemi sat beside 1.4Moz of known gold. Never Never was hidden in existing data. Pegasus was 350m from Rubicon and hiding in plain sight. Brownfields areas are full of opportunity, but only for those willing to break models and reframe the geological story. From Discovery to Development – The Northern Star Effect In 2014, Barrick sold the Kundana assets to Northern Star Resources for $75 million. Barrick described the assets as "high-cost, short-life." Northern Star saw the opposite: long-life, company-making assets. The cultural difference was stark: Within weeks, Northern Star doubled drill rigs at Pegasus. Approved an underground decline for drilling access. Backed the geological team to prove the model quickly. "Every mine has its right size owner. For Barrick, Pegasus was peripheral. For Northern Star, it was core." The entrepreneurial mining mindset turned geological opportunity into economic reality. Brownfields Discovery – A Playbook for the Future The Pegasus story mirrors many of WA's recent major discoveries. It shows:

Marina Abramović is the self proclaimed ‘grandmother of performance art'. Her latest work, a reimagining of Slavic fertility rites, opened in Manchester earlier this week. Notorious for committing extreme acts to her body, the Serbian first achieved fame with her “Rhythm 0” performance, where she stood still in a room and invited guests to do anything they liked to her. They removed her clothes, cut her neck and held a loaded gun to her head. Many of her biggest works were made in collaboration with German artist Ulay, her one-time romantic partner. They ended their relationship in 1988 by walking from opposite ends of the Great Wall of China and meeting in the middle. In 2010, she received international acclaim for her performance The Artist is Present. It saw her sit in a chair for eight hours a day, 6 days a week for three months. She invited anyone to sit across from her. It famously ended with Abramović reuniting with Ulay. Mark Coles looks back at her career. Production Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Ben Cooper, Mhairi MacKenzie and Alex Loftus Editor: Justine Lang Sound Editor: Duncan HannantArchive Abramović/ Ulay - Light/ Dark (1977) Abramović/ Ulay - AAA-AAA (1978) The Artist is Present trailer (2012) TED Talk - An Art Made of Trust, Vulnerability and Connection (2013) BBC - This Cultural Life: Marina Abramović (2024) Marina Abramović at Glastonbury (2024) Abramović - Balkan Erotic Epic (2025)

A runner's memoir by a man who has run marathons on every continent. Bob Welbaum shares his adventures from Antarctica to the Great Wall of China at age 77.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Love and Resilience: A Mid-Autumn Stroll on the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-09-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的长城，如同一幅如梦似幻的画卷。En: The Great Wall in autumn is like a dreamy and enchanting painting.Zh: 五彩的树叶在微风中轻摇，阳光洒下，照在古老的石墙上，显得格外温暖。En: The colorful leaves sway gently in the breeze, and sunlight pours down, illuminating the ancient stone walls, making it feel particularly warm.Zh: 李娟和明手牵手走在长城上，但他们的心似乎并不如这秋日般温暖。En: Lijuan and Ming walk hand in hand on the Great Wall, but their hearts aren't as warm as this autumn day.Zh: 李娟是一位坚韧而乐观的艺术家，总是能在生活中找到灵感。En: Lijuan is a resilient and optimistic artist, always able to find inspiration in life.Zh: 这次旅行，她希望用爱情的力量把美好的愿景变成现实。En: On this trip, she hoped to turn a beautiful vision into reality through the power of love.Zh: 然而，明的心思却被他的创业烦恼占据着。En: However, Ming's thoughts are preoccupied with the worries of his startup.Zh: 最近公司运营不太顺利，他的脸上多了几分忧虑。En: Recently, the company's operations haven't been going smoothly, and worry has added new lines to his face.Zh: 他们在长城的慕田峪段静静地走着。En: They walk quietly along the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall.Zh: 周围是嬉闹的人群，还有挂满彩灯，为中秋节增添了几分浪漫色彩。En: Surrounding them are playful crowds and colorful lanterns, adding a touch of romance for the Mid-Autumn Festival.Zh: 李娟深吸一口气，决定不再沉默。En: Lijuan takes a deep breath, deciding not to remain silent any longer.Zh: “明，我们谈谈好吗？En: "Ming, can we talk?"Zh: ”她的声音柔软，却藏着一股坚定。En: Her voice is soft but carries a firm determination.Zh: 明停下脚步，回头看她。En: Ming stops in his tracks and turns to look at her.Zh: 他明白这次谈话避免不了，他点了点头，示意她继续。En: He understands that this conversation is unavoidable, and he nods to indicate for her to continue.Zh: “我知道你工作压力很大，但有时候我希望我们能多花点时间在彼此身上。En: "I know you have a lot of work pressure, but sometimes I wish we could spend more time on each other.Zh: 我们的关系，是不是能像这满月一样圆满呢？En: Could our relationship be as complete as the full moon?"Zh: ”李娟望向夜空，那轮明月正悬挂当空。En: Lijuan looks toward the night sky, where the bright moon hangs overhead.Zh: 她从包里拿出一幅画，送到明的手中。En: She takes a painting out of her bag and hands it to Ming.Zh: 那是一幅中秋的景象，长城在月光下如同银色的长龙。En: It's a depiction of a Mid-Autumn scene, with the Great Wall resembling a silver dragon under the moonlight.Zh: 他的眉间微微舒展，心中的焦虑似乎缓缓消散。En: His brow slightly relaxes, and the anxiety in his heart seems to slowly dissipate.Zh: “李娟，对不起，我最近太专注于工作，忽略了你的感受。En: "Lijuan, I'm sorry.Zh: 我只是……担心这一切会失败。En: I've been so focused on work lately that I've neglected your feelings.Zh: ”明低下头，但语气中流露出真诚。En: I'm just... worried that everything might fail," Ming says, lowering his head, but his tone is sincere.Zh: 李娟握住他的手，轻声说道：“我们可以一起面对。En: Lijuan holds his hand and gently says, "We can face it together.Zh: 不论成功与否，我都在这里支持你。En: Whether we succeed or not, I'm here to support you."Zh: ”这次对话像一阵秋风，吹散了两人心中阴霾。En: This conversation is like a gust of autumn wind, blowing away the gloom in both of their hearts.Zh: 他们在月光下对视，默契从眼中流过，再次紧紧握住彼此的手。En: They gaze at each other under the moonlight, a silent understanding passing between them, and they tightly hold each other's hands once again.Zh: 经过这次谈话，李娟的内心更加坚毅，她学会了如何勇敢表达自己的需求。En: After this conversation, Lijuan's heart is even more steadfast, having learned to bravely express her needs.Zh: 而明，也明白了感情中开放与坦诚的重要性。En: And Ming realizes the importance of openness and honesty in a relationship.Zh: 在长城的古老墙垣间，他们找到了新的连接。En: Amidst the ancient walls of the Great Wall, they find a new connection.Zh: 那晚，长城上空，满月正盈。En: That night, over the Great Wall, the full moon shines brightly. Vocabulary Words:dreamy: 如梦似幻enchanting: 迷人的resilient: 坚韧的optimistic: 乐观的preoccupied: 被占据心思的startup: 创业operations: 运营smoothly: 顺利地playful: 嬉闹的lanterns: 彩灯breeze: 微风depiction: 描绘dissipate: 消散gloom: 阴霾steadfast: 坚定的illuminating: 照在firm determination: 坚定anxiety: 焦虑sincere: 真诚的support: 支持connection: 连接full moon: 满月vision: 愿景ancient: 古老的gazeen: 凝视mute: 沉默gently: 轻声地autumn: 秋天understanding: 理解romance: 浪漫

My Story  Talk 28  Activities Beyond Europe Welcome to Talk 28 in our series where I'm reflecting on God's goodness to me throughout my life. Looking back on it, I suppose I travelled fairly widely during the time we were at Mattersey. Apart from the many places in Europe we visited, I found myself on the Lord's business in America, Africa, and Asia, though never, incidentally in Australia. These visits, which cover the period from 1982 to 2004, were either in connection with the Pentecostal World Conference which later became the Pentecostal World Fellowship or preaching trips The Pentecostal World Conference My reason for attending the Pentecostal World Conference in Oslo in 1992 was that, because it was being held in Europe, the PEF presidium had decided to hold a committee meeting there at the same time. Eileen and I had visited Norway for the first time two years previously where we had enjoyed a holiday there before attending the EPTA conference in Lillehammer. This time, however, I was alone. During one of the mornings, I was sitting high up at the back of the auditorium and was surprised to hear my name mentioned at the close of the session. Dr Ray Hughes was asking me to see him on the platform during the coffee break.  I couldn't imagine why but, of course, went to see him as requested. This was not quite as easy as it sounds because to get there I had to make my way through hundreds of people who were exiting the venue and all walking in the opposite direct from me. When I finally got there, he said to me, Oh David, as you know, you've been appointed to the Advisory Committee, and we'd like you to sit on the platform with us for the rest of the conference. Well, I knew nothing about this appointment. It was a complete surprise and when a year or so later I was elected to the Presidium it was an even greater honour. The 1995 conference was particularly special because it was held in Jerusalem. And this time Eileen came with me. We had never been in Israel before and we made sure that we saw as many of the biblical sites as possible. We had booked a tour with a Christian company and travelled in a small coach with a group of Brits who were attending the conference, and it was there that we met Ivor and Jan Maddison who were pastoring the church in Ollerton, not far from Mattersey.  (We got to know Jan very well when she came to live in Brixham after Ivor had died). The tour involved a visit to Tiberias on the shore of Lake Galilee from where we visited Capernaum, took a trip across the lake in a boat like those used by Jesus' disciples and from which he calmed the storm, and had a meal on the lake shore eating ‘St. Peter's fish', so called because of the occasion where he found a coin in the fish's mouth. We went to Caesarea Philippi, a beautiful place, where Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ. We visited the place in the river Jordan where Jesus is believed to have been baptised, and further south we had a brief stop in Jericho.   We travelled up from there to Jerusalem in time for the conference and of course visited Bethlehem and all the places you would expect, many of which have been spoilt by centuries of tradition and tourism. Eileen got to see Nazareth, but I missed the trip because I had to be in a presidium meeting. Highlights in Jerusalem were the Garden of Gethsemane, and the via dolorosa. But without a doubt the visit to the garden tomb was by far the most moving. It may or may not have been the actual site of Jesus' burial and resurrection, although I like to think that it was, but it was certainly a powerful reminder of the truth – Jesus is not here, he is risen! And who could forget the visit to the Upper Room and joining with other Pentecostals in speaking in tongues as the first disciples did in Acts 2? After the conference we visited Masada, floated on the Dead Sea where it's impossible to sink, and went to the cave where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. It was there, I think, that we paid an Arab to let us take a photo of his camel! We also visited a museum where we saw a number of ancient seals, some dating back over three thousand years, and reminding us of Paul's teaching that after we believed we were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. So during the trip there was much to remind us of Bible times and the truth of God's word. We were glad that we went but have never had a wish to return. Eileen is now enjoying the heavenly Jerusalem and one day I will join her there. And all because of Jesus! In 1998 the conference was held in Seoul, Korea, at the vast Yoido Full Gospel Church led by David Yongghi Cho, numbering at the time some 720,000 members. We had at first thought to extend the trip and visit China and the Great Wall. Eileen had always had a great interest in China, but when it turned out that the visit was not feasible she decided not to accompany me. I had met Cho at the London world conference in 1976 when I gave him a copy of my book, Know the Truth, later to be renamed You'd Better Believe It. I was naturally interested to visit his church and to experience one of the Sunday services there. There were, I think, six services each Sunday to accommodate the vast numbers. Everything had to be organised and left little if any room for the exercise of spiritual gifts like tongues, interpretation and prophecy which we might expect in a smaller congregation. Presumably there was opportunity for such gifts to be experienced in their many home groups. The final meeting of the conference was held in the Olympic Stadium where it was estimated that over 100,000 people were in attendance. I was privileged to read from the scriptures, which I found a little difficult on this occasion as I had somehow mislaid my glasses on a visit to the Prayer Mountain and was using a pair borrowed from an English brother who was staying in the same hotel as me. During the conference it was decided to hold the next presidium meeting in Hawaii in 1999. The reasoning seemed to be that as Hawaii is in the Pacific Ocean it was not too far from either Asia or America. However, no one considered the inconvenience for anyone travelling from Europe! But as I was the only European on the presidium I could hardly object. So that is how I came to fly to Hawaii, a 24 hour journey each way, for a three-day committee meeting! The purpose was to plan for the 2001 conference which was to be held in Los Angeles. Fortunately, the meeting finished a day early and I had a day to spare before flying home. This gave me the opportunity to take a minibus tour of the island, visiting among other things Pearl Harbour and a tropical rain forest. I also experienced macadamia nuts for the first time and learnt that the name comes a Scot named Macadam who first discovered them and who also invented tarmac! Eileen was able to travel with me for the Los Angeles conference in 2001 and in the week before the conference we both enjoyed a short holiday staying with Brian and Ann Lee, old friends from Retford who had emigrated to La Verne just a few miles from L.A.  It was good to renew fellowship with them and to preach in their local AoG church. At the conference itself I had been asked to chair a theological seminar at which Roger Stronstad, a Canadian scholar whose writings I greatly admired, was to be one of the speakers. The subject was the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and at the last minute, I was asked to be the other speaker deputising for an American brother who was unable to attend. I was so grateful to the Lord for the opportunity he gave me to speak at the conference and the help he gave me to do so. The last world conference we attended was in South Africa in 2004. This conference was in many ways different from all the others. In the opening meeting the delegates were warmly welcomed by the President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeke who had been deputy president under Nelson Mandela from 1994 to 1999 and served as president from '99 to 2008. Eileen felt particularly honoured as she was seated right next to him on the front row! But much more important was the fact that so many participants were from African countries, and the meetings were marked by the freedom of expression so typical of African worship and so different from the formalism we have seen elsewhere even in some Pentecostal meetings. It was something we were to see much more of in later visits to Africa in the years that followed my retirement from Mattersey, After the conference we hired a car and travelled to the Africa School of Missions founded by Paul Alexander, my newly appointed successor at Mattersey. We broke our journey at Witbank where I preached at two services on the Sunday, travelling on to ASM on the Monday where we were warmly welcomed by the staff. They asked us if we were planning to visit the Kruger National Park, and, when we said no, one of them kindly phoned a relative who worked there and arranged for us to stay for a few nights at Skukuza, one of the safari lodges in the park. Our accommodation was in an extremely comfortable one-room apartment that looked something like a traditional African hut with a thatched roof. The restaurants served excellent food which was relatively inexpensive and offered views overlooking the wonderful wildlife. We enjoyed every moment we spent at Skukuza, especially when a company of mongooses ran across the compound in single file right in front of us. But of course it was driving outside the safari park that we saw most of the wildlife. It was early spring in the southern hemisphere, and the leaves had only just begun to appear on the trees and bushes, making it easy to spot whatever animals and birds happened to be in the area. We travelled miles each day, taking care to obey the instruction never to get out of the car except in specially designated safe places. We were also glad that the car had good air-conditioning because it was often important to ensure the windows were closed. On one occasion we stopped to watch a group of baboons in the road just ahead of us and I closed the electric windows. However, I had momentarily forgotten that, unlike our car at home, our hire car had electric windows only at the front. We only realised the back ones were still open when a large baboon leapt in onto the back seat attempting to steal our lunch! I turned round and shouted in a loud voice – Eileen later told the grandchildren that Grandad roared like a lion – and thank God, the animal obeyed! Both we and our lunch were safe. After that, we never opened the back windows again for the rest of the trip. Apart from that, the remainder of our stay there was relatively uneventful. We loved it so much that when I was back at ASM a few years later I borrowed a car and went back there. Our visit was far too short but was the highlight of our trip to South Africa. We were particularly grateful that in such a short time we had managed to see the big five – lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo, a wonderful ending to our last Pentecostal World Conference. Preaching trips But of course my travels beyond Europe were not limited to my role in the Pentecostal World Fellowship. There were preaching trips as well. At first, these centred on the USA where I combined preaching with raising funds for our building project. An American AoG pastor named Paul Curtis had a burden for Britain came to see me on one of his trips to England and said he would like to help raise funds for our new Hall of Residence. So at Paul's invitation, in February '82 I spent ten days preaching in AoG churches in North Carolina with a view to returning in mid-May for a period of four weeks. I enjoyed the trip in February, and the Lord blessed my ministry, and about £1400 was raised towards our building fund. Hopefully the trip in May-June would be more fruitful in that respect. I was looking forward to it and had bought my flights in advance as that was more economical. But only a few weeks before the trip Paul contacted me to apologise and tell me that he had been unable to arrange a suitable itinerary for me and that he felt that the time was not right. But I had already bought non-refundable tickets for flights both ways! And I had already planned the timetable at Mattersey to enable me to be away from the college throughout that period! After praying about it I contacted John and Sara Miles who were by then living in Naperville, Illinois, and asked their advice. Sara suggested that I was in a situation like Abraham's when he set off not knowing where the Lord would lead him. So I used the air tickets to fly as far as New York and paid the extra to fly on to Chicago where John and Sara collected me from O'Hare airport on May the 18th. When I arrived they told me that they had contacted Richard Dortch, the Superintendent of the Illinois AoG, and that he was arranging an itinerary for me around Illinois where I was already known through my three visits back in the seventies. I stayed with John and Sara until 6th July preaching in churches in the Chicago area on Sundays and Wednesday evenings. These included Yorkville, Palatine, Dekalb, Naperville, and Lake Villa as well as Chicago itself. I also spent a day at Wheaton College, had lunch with John, who was now a French professor there, and with Peter Kuzmic from Yugoslavia, and saw the wardrobe made famous in C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. On Thursday the 27th I flew via Denver to San José, California, to visit Bethany Bible College. Dick Foth, who had been the pastor in Urbana where I first preached on my visit to the States in 1972, was now the President of Bethany and I had a couple of useful days with him visiting the college and comparing notes.  I had an interesting experience flying back on the Saturday. The weather was extremely hot and everyone else was dressed in shorts and T shirts. I, however, was still wearing my jacket. As I was waiting in the queue to check in, an airline official approached me and said, Excuse me, sir. I wonder if you can help me. We're overbooked in Economy Class, and as you seem to be a suitable gentleman, I wonder if you would mind travelling First Class. Would I mind! It was the first and only time I have travelled First Class and, although I could never justify the expense of doing so, I was more than happy to enjoy the experience at no extra cost to myself. On 6th June I left Naperville and flew to Urbana where I preached on the Sunday and where my old friend Jim Hall was now the pastor. The next day I flew to Springfield MO to visit two other AoG colleges, Evangel College and Central Bible College, as well as the Graduate School located in the AoG Headquarters in Boonville Avenue. When I returned to Urbana on the Friday, Jim Hall had arranged an English Evening where I talked about the spiritual state of the UK and taught the Americans how to make a proper cup of tea! On the Sunday morning, I preached in Normal, where Marvin Foulkes was the pastor. I had preached for Marvin back in '72 and '74 and was delighted to see how much the church had grown since then. In the evening, I preached in Decatur from where I flew back to Chicago ready for my return to England the next day. Looking back on it, I felt that the trip had been very worthwhile, not just because it raised about $5000 for our college, but because of the opportunity it gave me to visit and learn from other AoG colleges and expand my vision for Mattersey. I was very grateful to Richard Dortch for making it possible. A year later I met Dortch in Portugal at the opening of the new chapel in the Bible College in Fanhões, near Lisbon, and he shared with me that he was soon likely to become the Executive Vice-President at PTL, the centre of Jimmy and Tammy Bakker's ministry, and he invited me to preach for a week on their TV station. This took place in 1985 and during our stay Eileen, Jonathan, and I were treated to the luxurious accommodation of the Heritage Grand Hotel. And we came home with a significant sum of money for our building fund.  We were, of course, very grateful for their hospitality and generosity, but I confess I was not really comfortable about so much luxury. Coming to terms with the cultural differences and levels of poverty or prosperity we see around the world is by no means easy. The riches of America were in stark contrast with the poverty I was to see in India less than a year later. But I'll tell you about that next time.

 Think you know history? From Marie Antoinette's fake cake quote to a pope putting a corpse on trial, we debunk 10 myths and reveal the weird truths behind them.You know the story — or so you thought.This episode of An Ounce dives into 10 famous “facts” that never happened, plus a few true events so strange you'll swear we made them up. From Columbus's wrong math to political window-tossing in Prague, we're swapping history class clichés for the real — and often ridiculous — truth.It's fast-paced, insightful, and packed with twists that outsmart the obvious.What surprised you the most? Drop a comment below.If you could rewrite one moment in history, what would you change?

Steve Burgess never expected to become one of the world's most experienced hypnotherapists and past life regression specialists—but fate had other plans. What began as an unexpected detour became a lifelong journey into the subconscious, where healing often transcends time and space. With more than 15,000 therapy sessions, Steve has seen the power of regression therapy to uncover emotional root causes of illness and transform lives. In this episode, we explore his fascinating book, The Adventures of a Hypnotherapist: Was I Under?—a collection of his most astonishing cases and adventures. From facilitating surgery without anaesthetic to helping clients heal cancer, exploring alien contact, and releasing spirit attachments, Steve's stories reveal the extraordinary potential of the subconscious. His path has also taken him to prisons, the Great Wall of China, the Inca Trail, and even into his own grave. Connect with Steve at https://steveburgesshypnosis.com/. Check out his free hypnosis videos at https://www.youtube.com/@hypno4all509. ✨ Ready to live more authentically? Book a session at radiatewellnesscommunity.com/appointment.

Send us a textWelcome!  Upside/Downside is a podcast about value creation, and how business leaders like you can grow your profits and cash flow.  I'm your host, Matt Cooley.  In this episode, Jay Wei, CEO and Founder of Discover Live, takes us on a value creation journey through the power of creating connections and accessibility for the 94% of the world's population that can't physically travel.Jay shares the importance of understanding what you're really selling and how to use key metrics to drive value creation.  With a NPS score of 88% and a ton of customer stories, including memories of a first kiss, a 5.8 earthquake and climbing the Great Wall in the pitch black of night, we explore the building blocks to stronger profits and cash flow.  We learn why exceptional guides are like great chefs, and how they are fundamental to value creation.  And we get into unit economics and the power of partnerships.This episode feels like an inspirational college course in a friendly 27-minute package.  Find a comfortable seat and join us!Thank you for listening and please visit Upside/Downside podcast and enter your email for my FREE list: "10 places to look for higher profits and cash flow right now!". Matt

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Balancing Books and Joy: Mei's Autumn Revelation Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-09-22-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天，长城在晴朗的天空下延伸。En: In the autumn, the Great Wall stretches under the clear sky.Zh: 红色、橙色和金色的叶子在风中飞舞，云朵懒洋洋地飘过，给古老的石墙投下轻柔的影子。En: Red, orange, and golden leaves dance in the wind, and clouds lazily drift by, casting gentle shadows on the ancient stone walls.Zh: 这是学校的秋游，学生们兴奋不已。En: This is the school's autumn outing, and the students are excited beyond measure.Zh: 美是个勤奋的学生。En: Mei is a diligent student.Zh: 她喜欢学习，但也想和朋友们一起享受这次旅行。En: She loves studying, but she also wants to enjoy this trip with her friends.Zh: 她担心即将到来的重要考试，却又不想错过和同学们的美好时光。En: She is worried about the upcoming important exams, but she doesn't want to miss out on good times with her classmates.Zh: 假、陈和她同行。En: Jia and Chen accompany her.Zh: 他们在长城上欢笑，欣赏美丽的风景。En: They laugh on the Great Wall, appreciating the beautiful scenery.Zh: 同时，美背着书包，里面装满了课本和笔记本。En: Meanwhile, Mei carries a backpack filled with textbooks and notebooks.Zh: 途中，美不时停下来，翻开书本复习。En: Along the way, Mei occasionally stops to open her books and review.Zh: 假和陈叫她一起拍照。En: Jia and Chen call her to join them for photos.Zh: 美微笑着，但心里还是想着学习。En: Mei smiles, but her mind remains on studying.Zh: 中秋节快到了，大家计划晚上赏月。En: Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, and everyone plans to enjoy moon gazing that evening.Zh: 到了一个观景台，美到达了抉择的时刻。En: Reaching a viewing platform, Mei arrives at a moment of decision.Zh: 朋友们都聚集到一起，准备吃月饼，赏明月。En: Her friends gather together, preparing to eat mooncakes and admire the bright moon.Zh: 美站在一旁，手里翻动着书页。En: Mei stands aside, flipping through the pages of a book.Zh: 她闭上眼睛，深吸一口气，想着考试，但也想着朋友们的笑脸和这难得的欢乐时光。En: She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, thinking about the exams but also about her friends' smiles and this rare joyful time.Zh: 终于，她把书本放进包里，走向同学们。En: Finally, she puts the book back in her bag and walks towards her classmates.Zh: 月光明亮，大家在一起欢笑，美也感受到一种轻松和快乐。En: The moonlight is bright, with everyone laughing together, and Mei also feels a sense of ease and happiness.Zh: 在那一刻，她明白，有些体验和学业一样重要，是生活的一部分。En: In that moment, she understands that some experiences are as important as academics and are a part of life.Zh: 美学会了平衡，珍惜生活中的重要时刻。En: Mei learned to balance and cherish important moments in life.Zh: 不仅仅是书本，人生还需要这些温暖的回忆。En: It's not just about books; life also needs these warm memories. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天stretches: 延伸lazily: 懒洋洋地casting: 投下ancient: 古老的diligent: 勤奋的accompany: 同行scenery: 风景occasionally: 不时review: 复习approaching: 快到了viewing platform: 观景台decision: 抉择gather: 聚集admire: 欣赏moon gazing: 赏月rare: 难得的joyful: 欢乐ease: 轻松moment: 时刻understands: 明白experiences: 体验balance: 平衡cherish: 珍惜important: 重要life: 生活memories: 回忆clouds: 云朵gazing: 赏notebooks: 笔记本

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Yoga on the Great Wall: A Journey of Balance and Discovery Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-09-17-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 漫步在秋天的长城，微风把黄色和橙色的落叶轻轻吹落在路上，空气中弥漫着浓郁的季节气息。En: Strolling along the Chang Cheng in autumn, the breeze gently blew the yellow and orange fallen leaves onto the path, filling the air with a rich seasonal scent.Zh: 李伟充满期待地踏上了这条古老的石道，En: Li Wei stepped onto this ancient stone path with great anticipation.Zh: 他是个历史迷，认为这次旅行是一场穿越时空的历史重现体验。En: As a history enthusiast, he viewed this trip as a time-traveling historical reenactment experience.Zh: 他希望能在这里找到祖先留下的足迹，感受到血脉的连接。En: He hoped to find traces left by his ancestors here and feel the connection of his bloodline.Zh: 但出发没多久，他突然发现，这竟然是一节瑜伽课堂！En: But shortly after setting out, he suddenly discovered that this was actually a yoga class!Zh: 站在他眼前的是一位活力四射的导游兼瑜伽教练，张敏。En: Standing before him was an energetic guide and yoga instructor, Zhang Min.Zh: 她正带领一群兴高采烈的参与者找到属于自己的一片宁静。En: She was leading a group of enthusiastic participants to find their own piece of tranquility.Zh: 李伟环顾四周，看到另一个徒步者，陈磊，也是一脸困惑。En: Li Wei looked around and saw another hiker, Chen Lei, who also had a look of confusion.Zh: 不过，与李伟不同，陈磊立即接受了这个笑料般的误会，开始尝试各种动作。En: However, unlike Li Wei, Chen Lei immediately embraced this amusing misunderstanding and began trying various poses.Zh: 李伟感到尴尬不已。En: Li Wei felt extremely embarrassed.Zh: 他从未上过瑜伽课，心里担心自己在别人面前出丑。En: He had never attended a yoga class and worried he might embarrass himself in front of others.Zh: 他努力想要逃避这种羞愧，但他又觉得，如果就此退出，不免显得懦弱。En: He desperately wanted to avoid this shame, but he also felt that quitting would seem cowardly.Zh: 更何况，陈磊的欢笑和平和的心态，令他心生仰慕。En: Moreover, Chen Lei's laughter and calm demeanor made him feel a sense of admiration.Zh: 最后，李伟做了个决定。En: In the end, Li Wei made a decision.Zh: 他试图参与其中，跟随张敏的指导，愚钝地模仿各种动作，尤其是陈磊那轻松自若的姿态。En: He attempted to join in, following Zhang Min's guidance, clumsily mimicking various poses, especially Chen Lei's relaxed stance.Zh: 起初，他挣扎不已，手忙脚乱，果真不负众望地成为大家捂嘴偷笑的对象。En: Initially, he struggled greatly, awkwardly flailing, indeed becoming the target of everyone's stifled laughter as expected.Zh: 然而，故事的高潮在他尝试一种叫做“平衡式”的姿势时发生了。En: However, the story reached its climax when he attempted a pose called the “Balance Pose.”Zh: 当他的小腿刚刚蹬出时，脚下的1016号砖头竟然松动了！En: As he just extended his leg, the brick underfoot, labeled 1016, suddenly loosened!Zh: 李伟猛然失去平衡，整个人跌向墙边，En: Li Wei lost his balance abruptly, his body tumbling towards the wall.Zh: 然而，奇迹般的，他以一种看似精确设计的战士姿态稳住了身体。En: Miraculously, he stabilized himself in a seemingly precisely designed warrior pose.Zh: 现场一片寂静，随后，大家爆发出热烈的掌声。En: The scene fell silent, followed by a burst of enthusiastic applause.Zh: 张敏拉起他的手，称赞他为这些动作增添了独特的“创意”。En: Zhang Min pulled him up, praising him for adding unique "creativity" to these movements.Zh: 李伟也开始忍不住大笑。En: Li Wei couldn't help but laugh as well.Zh: 他意识到，有时候，寻根之旅并不一定以传统方式进行，而尝试新事物也可以是一种收获满满的体验。En: He realized that sometimes, a journey to trace one's roots doesn't have to proceed in a traditional manner, and trying new things can also be a richly rewarding experience.Zh: 当课结束后，李伟和陈磊并肩漫步在长城的古道上。En: After the class ended, Li Wei and Chen Lei walked side by side on the ancient path of the Great Wall.Zh: 远方，夕阳亲吻着山峦，长城似乎在这团和日丽的金红色余晖中活了过来。En: In the distance, the sunset kissed the mountains, and the Great Wall seemed to come alive in the golden-red afterglow of this sunny day.Zh: 李伟不再担心自己显得愚笨，他已然学会了享受每一个意外的瞬间。En: Li Wei no longer worried about appearing foolish; he had learned to enjoy every unexpected moment. Vocabulary Words:strolling: 漫步fallen: 落anticipation: 期待enthusiast: 迷reenactment: 重现traces: 足迹bloodline: 血脉energetic: 活力四射participants: 参与者tranquility: 宁静confusion: 困惑embraced: 接受misunderstanding: 误会poses: 姿势embarrassed: 尴尬shame: 羞愧cowardly: 懦弱dilemma: 挣扎admiration: 仰慕mimicking: 模仿awkwardly: 手忙脚乱flailing: 挣扎climax: 高潮abruptly: 猛然stabilized: 稳住warrior pose: 战士姿态creativity: 创意traditional: 传统richly: 满满unexpected: 意外

This week on Life's A Beach, Alan Carr is joined by actor, writer and all-round talent Richard Armitage. From his early holiday memories in Anglesey to skiing adventures, to living in New York, and even bumping into Lady Gaga on a flight, Richard shares some amazing travel tales from his acting career. He opens up about writing his new book (and how his stories are getting optioned!), how filming The Hobbit made him fall in love with New Zealand, and we find out where he'd like to be at 100 years old. Plus, Alan has some classic confessions of his own along the way… ⏰ Timestamps  00:00 Intro  00:15 Make up for dogs  00:50 Rich's first holiday memories of Anglesey  01:56 Richard's writing a new book and how writing started  03:07 His books getting optioned  03:30 The Cut: story and inspiration  05:05 How scary Weapons is  06:01 Why Richard loves skiing  08:24 Lionel Blair is Alan's dad  09:10 Has Richard ever had a holiday romance?  10:14 Richard in Beijing and the Great Wall of China  13:02 Richard and the superstar on the flight (Lady Gaga)  16:18 Is Richard adventurous with food?  17:30 How filming The Hobbit made Richard fall in love with New Zealand and Alan's New Zealand hidden gem  19:30 Richard's New York hidden gem: Carnitos  21:03 Broadway stories  22:50 Richard wanted to ski down Mount Ruapehu as a dwarf  23:57 Does Richard complain?  25:19 Richard's love of Berlin  26:15 Richard returning to the stage  27:00 Where does Richard want to be when he's 100 years old?  28:20 Starting our descent – the quick fire quiz ✨ Don't forget to like, subscribe and join Alan every week as he chats to celebrity guests about their dream holidays and travel stories.  #LifesABeach #AlanCarr #RichardArmitage #LadyGaga #HolidayPodcast #TravelStories #Skiing #Berlin #NewZealand #Broadway #FunnyPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode Description: When a flyer leads Max and Molly to new POG activity, Aunt M sends them to the Great Wall of China in 1601. There, they discover that what locals think is a terrifying “monster” is actually a POG transmission antenna. With the Commander eager to take credit, Max and Molly must rescue a strange printout that deepens the koan mystery. Math Concepts:  Time calculations (converting minutes → seconds, hours → minutes → seconds); Speed, distance, and pace (Molly's run: 1.1 miles in 9:45 → pace calculations); Order of Operations (PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction); Prime vs composite numbers (e.g., 9 as the first odd composite number); Ratios and unit conversions (seconds to minutes, minutes to hours)History/Geography Concepts:  Geography: The Jiumenkou section of the Great Wall—unique as a bridge with nine arches spanning the Jiujiang River; History: Ming Dynasty China, 1601 CE; Cultural element: How myths and misunderstandings can grow around technology (locals mistaking a satellite dish for a monster); Philosophy: Koans (riddles used in Zen Buddhism to provoke deeper thought)

As the 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services opens on Wednesday, visitors will notice familiar rows of red seats scattered outside the venue, according to Beijing Daily.据《北京日报》报道，2025年中国国际服务贸易交易会（以下简称“服贸会”）于周三开幕，展会场馆外错落摆放的一排排红色座椅格外引人注目——这些座椅对公众而言并不陌生。These 1,508 seats, once part of the temporary viewing platforms at Tian'anmen Square for the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War, continue to serve the public across the capital.此次亮相服贸会的1508把座椅，曾是中国人民抗日战争（1931-1945年）暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年纪念活动期间，天安门广场临时观礼台的组成部分。如今，它们在首都北京的各处继续为公众服务。"We retrofitted these seats with steel bases for stability so they could be used safely and effectively on the ground," said Liu Feifei, head of Shougang Park's urban renewal department.“我们为这些座椅加装了钢制底座以增强稳定性，确保其能在地面安全、有效地投入使用。”首钢园城市更新部负责人刘菲菲表示。The repurposing effort extends beyond Shougang. Beijing has embarked on a large-scale, precise reuse of these elements from Tian'anmen Square to maximize resource efficiency and preserve the commemorative value of items used for the grand parade, including flag formations, seats, carpets, and the Great Wall-themed stage.这样的“旧物新用”并非仅见于首钢园。目前，北京市正对天安门广场纪念活动遗留物资开展大规模、精细化的再利用工作，除座椅外，还包括国旗方阵道具、地毯、长城主题舞台等纪念活动及阅兵相关物资。此举既能最大限度提升资源利用效率，也让这些承载重大意义的物品得以保留纪念价值。The reuse includes nearly 50,000 ergonomically designed seats, color-coded in gold, red, and olive green to match their new environments, whether in school auditoriums, parks, sports facilities, or public spaces.据介绍，此次再利用的物资中，仅符合人体工学设计的座椅就有近5万把。工作人员根据座椅新使用场景的环境特点，将其分为金色、红色、橄榄绿三种颜色，适配学校礼堂、公园、体育场馆、公共活动空间等不同场所。Some red seats now offer rest spots under trees and along pathways in the Central Green Forest Park in Tongzhou district and are also used in schools. Fengtai district received four entire viewing platforms, complete with seats, now serving as spectator stands at local parks.在通州区城市绿心森林公园，部分红色座椅被放置在树下、步道旁，成为市民休憩的便民设施；另有部分座椅被调配至学校使用。丰台区则接收了4组完整的观礼台（含座椅），经过改造后，这些观礼台已成为区内公园的观众看台，服务市民休闲活动。Moreover, the red flag formations have been distributed to various school campuses, where they continue to inspire students and teachers to commemorate the war.此外，纪念活动中使用过的国旗方阵道具也已陆续分发至各中小学。这些承载着历史记忆的物品，在校园里继续发挥作用，激励广大师生铭记历史、缅怀先烈。ergonomicallyadv符合人体工程学地./ˌɜːɡəˈnɒmɪkli/commemorativeadj.纪念性的；用于纪念的/kəˈmemərətɪv/

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Rebuilding Bonds: A Mid-Autumn Reunion on the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-09-10-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 长城在秋天的色彩中绵延不绝，金色的阳光洒在古老的砖石上。En: The Great Wall stretched endlessly in the autumn colors, with golden sunlight spilling over the ancient bricks.Zh: 远处传来欢声笑语，这是来自附近村庄的中秋节庆祝声。En: From afar came sounds of laughter and joy, the celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival from nearby villages.Zh: 今天是一个特别的日子，莲、伟和小决定在这里见面。En: Today was a special day, and Lian, Wei, and Xiao decided to meet here.Zh: 他们希望在长城上找回曾经的亲密关系。En: They hoped to reconnect and regain their past closeness on the Great Wall.Zh: 莲是家中长女，En: Lian is the eldest daughter in the family.Zh: 她一直努力扮演家族的桥梁角色。En: She has always worked hard to play the role of the family bridge.Zh: 然而，现在的她有些迷茫，家族的期望压在肩上，让她有些喘不过气来。En: However, she now feels a bit lost, with the expectations of the family weighing heavily on her shoulders, making it hard to breathe.Zh: 她希望能和伟修复关系，而今天的约定是她的一次尝试。En: She hopes to mend her relationship with Wei, and today's meeting is her attempt to do so.Zh: 伟是莲的弟弟，总觉得自己不被家人理解。En: Wei is Lian's younger brother and always feels misunderstood by the family.Zh: 他认为大家对他的期望全然不符，他只想做自己。En: He thinks the family's expectations of him are completely misplaced; he just wants to be himself.Zh: 而今天，伟抱着复杂的心情来到长城，这个地方对家族有着特殊的意义。En: Today, Wei carries mixed emotions to the Great Wall, a place that holds special significance for the family.Zh: 小是最小的，她在家里总是被拉来扯去，但她始终希望一家人能够和睦相处。En: Xiao is the youngest and is often caught in the middle at home, but she always hopes the family can get along harmoniously.Zh: 中秋节让她格外期盼，这个节日象征着团圆。En: The Mid-Autumn Festival makes her particularly hopeful, as this holiday symbolizes reunion.Zh: 三个人在长城上并排走着，谁也没说话。En: The three of them walked side by side on the Great Wall, none of them speaking.Zh: 风轻轻地吹过，带走了秋天的凉意。En: The wind gently blew by, taking with it the chill of autumn.Zh: 终于，莲打破了沉默：“伟，我们好久没这样一起走了。”En: Finally, Lian broke the silence, "Wei, it's been a long time since we walked like this together."Zh: 伟停下脚步，看着远处的山峦，似乎在思考：“莲，我觉得你们一直不理解我。”En: Wei stopped, looking at the distant mountains, seemingly in thought, "Lian, I feel like you never understand me."Zh: 莲点点头，心里说不出的沉重：“我知道。我们有些误解。我总以为尽责就好，但忽略了你的感受。”En: Lian nodded, a heavy feeling she couldn't quite describe in her heart, "I know. We've misunderstood each other. I always thought fulfilling responsibilities was enough, but I neglected your feelings."Zh: 伟叹了一口气，好像放下了什么心事：“我也有不成熟的地方，我愿意多和你们交流。”En: Wei sighed, as if letting go of some burden, "I also have my immature moments. I'm willing to communicate more with you."Zh: 小看到两人终于开始对话，露出了笑容：“我们一起过中秋节，好吗？正好爸爸妈妈也在。”En: Xiao saw the two finally starting to talk and smiled, "Let's spend the Mid-Autumn Festival together, shall we? Mom and dad are also here."Zh: 最后，三人坐在长城的一块大石头上，分享月饼。En: Finally, the three of them sat on a large stone on the Great Wall, sharing mooncakes.Zh: 莲和伟把过去的不快都留在了长城，决心重新开始。En: Lian and Wei left their past grievances behind at the Great Wall, determined to start afresh.Zh: 月亮渐渐升起，带来了节日的光辉。En: The moon gradually rose, bringing the glow of the festival.Zh: 空气中弥漫着淡淡的甜香，那是团圆的味道。En: The air was filled with a faint sweet aroma, the scent of reunion.Zh: 这一天，他们不仅重新找回了彼此，也找回了家的温暖。En: On this day, they not only reconnected with each other but also found the warmth of family.Zh: 莲更加理解弟弟，愿意倾听他的想法。En: Lian understood her brother better and was willing to listen to his thoughts.Zh: 伟则感受到了被接受和认可的喜悦。En: Wei felt the joy of being accepted and recognized.Zh: 小看到哥哥姐姐和好如初，欢快地笑着，她知道，这个中秋节，他们是一家人。En: Xiao saw her brother and sister reconcile and laughed happily, knowing that this Mid-Autumn Festival, they were truly a family. Vocabulary Words:stretched: 绵延不绝joy: 欢声笑语celebration: 庆祝reconnect: 找回regain: 重新获得closeness: 亲密关系bridge: 桥梁mend: 修复misunderstood: 不被理解misplaced: 不符significance: 意义harmoniously: 和睦相处symbolizes: 象征着blows: 吹过chill: 凉意seemingly: 似乎describe: 说不出的fulfilling: 尽责neglected: 忽略immature: 不成熟communicate: 交流reunion: 团圆grievances: 不快determined: 决心afresh: 重新glow: 光辉faint: 淡淡的scent: 香味reconcile: 和好如初accepted: 被接受

Paul, June, and Jason break down the 2016 alien flick The Great Wall starring Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe, and Tian Jing. LIVE from the Chevalier Theatre in Boston, they cover the space dogs, Matt Damon's many accents, all the beards and rattails, magnets, and so much more. (Originally Released 03/26/2020) • Go to hdtgm.com for tour dates, merch, FAQs, and more• Have a Last Looks correction or omission? Call 619-PAULASK to leave us a voicemail!• Submit your Last Looks theme song to us here• Join the HDTGM conversation on Discord: discord.gg/hdtgm• Buy merch at howdidthisgetmade.dashery.com/• Order Paul's book about his childhood: Joyful Recollections of Trauma• Shop our new hat collection at podswag.com• Paul's Discord: discord.gg/paulscheer• Paul's YouTube page: youtube.com/paulscheer• Follow Paul on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/paulscheer• Subscribe to Enter The Dark Web w/ Paul & Rob Huebel: youtube.com/@enterthedarkweb• Listen to Unspooled with Paul & Amy Nicholson: unspooledpodcast.com• Listen to The Deep Dive with June & Jessica St. Clair: thedeepdiveacademy.com/podcast• Instagram: @hdtgm, @paulscheer, & @junediane• Twitter: @hdtgm, @paulscheer, & msjunediane • Jason is not on social media• Episode transcripts available at how-did-this-get-made.simplecast.com/episodesGet access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using the link: siriusxm.com/hdtgm

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Erik and Chris zoom in a couple of fans to talk about noisy upstairs neighbors and getting a private tour of the Egyptian Pyramids. They also discuss times they've been in aw, the Great Wall of China, and a fictional sitcom starring the Wahlbergs.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Last time we spoke about the Battle for South Sakhalin and the Kurile Islands. In August 1945, as Japan teetered on the edge of destruction following the atomic bombings, a desperate situation unfolded. The Soviet Union launched a sudden invasion of Manchuria, catching Japanese forces off guard. On August 14, Japan's decision to surrender was made, announced to the world the following day. However, the Kwantung Army resisted fiercely, engaging in frantic evacuations. In South Sakhalin, Japanese defenders clashed with advancing Soviet troops, facing overwhelming odds. By August 18, chaos reigned on the Japanese side, with forces surrendering and civilians in panic. As the Soviets pushed forward, the situation became increasingly dire for Japan. Despite valiant resistance, the imminent defeat became clear. In a moment of critical decision, Emperor Hirohito accepted the surrender terms, officially sealing Japan's fate and marking the end of the Pacific War. However the Soviets had not yet stopped their onslaught.  This episode is the Soviet Victory in Asia Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  We are drawing near to the real conclusion of this series! Japan has officially surrendered, however the Soviets are not done just yet. East asia is a delicious piece of cake, laid wide open and Stalin intends to take every piece he can grab before the curtain falls. Now as we last left off it was August 18, and General Yamada's Kwantung Army had surrendered to the Soviet forces led by Marshal Vasilevsky, who were advancing rapidly through Manchuria. Yet, some Japanese units, like those at Kalgan, continued to resist occupation until the month's end. On August 19, following Yamada's announcement that all military operations had ceased, a Soviet delegation arrived at Hsinking.  A daring operation took place, where a 225-strong detachment from the 6th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade, part of the 5th Guards Tank Corps, was airlifted to the city's main airfield. This mission, along with others, was carried out under orders from Marshal Vasilevsky on August 18, following the commander's initial offer of surrender from the Kwantung Army. Vasilevsky's directive was urgent: “The Japanese resistance is broken, and the challenging road conditions hinder the swift advance of our main forces. We need to deploy specially formed, fast-moving, and well-equipped units to capture Changchun, Mukden, Jilin, and Harbin immediately. These units should remain flexible for future missions, regardless of their distance from the main forces.”The push to accelerate operations came directly from Stalin himself. In Kulichkin's biography of Marshal Vasilevsky, he recounts a pivotal phone call on August 15. Stalin was informed that the Japanese had “lost command and control” and were unable to mount a strong defense, with their forces divided into several fragmented groups. Vasilevsky confidently stated, “Even a miracle cannot save the Japanese from total defeat,” stressing the need to maintain the momentum of the offensive. Stalin's response was straightforward: “Good. We need to increase the pace. What proposals do you have?” Vasilevsky revealed plans to use airborne assault forces against larger cities like Harbin, Changchun, Jilin, and Mukden, alongside advanced mobile units across all combined arms armies. These units, consisting of tanks and assault guns, were fully equipped with desantniki, ready to engage firmly in the ongoing operations. The landing at Shenyang revealed a remarkable twist of fate. Waiting at the airfield for evacuation to Japan was none other than the recently abdicated Emperor Puyi of Manchukuo. On August 15, 1945, Puyi tuned in to the radio and listened to Emperor Hirohito's address announcing Japan's surrender. In this historic speech, the Showa Emperor referred to the Americans' use of a "most unusual and cruel bomb," which had just devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For Puyi, this was the first revelation of the atomic bombings, information that the Japanese had conveniently withheld from him until that moment. The aircraft carrying Major Chelyshev's force, escorted by fighter planes, landed at 1:15 PM without any opposition and captured him. This small unit's survival hinged on remaining unchallenged, and they successfully secured the airfield. They also freed several Allied personnel held at the nearby Hoten prisoner-of-war camp. As soon as the landing was secured, additional reinforcements were airlifted in later that day, led by General Kravchenko, the commander of the 6th Guards Tank Army. He formally accepted the city's surrender, and the Soviets then transported Puyi to the Siberian town of Chita.  Meanwhile, Vasilevsky's ground offensive pressed on, mostly unopposed, though some resistance persisted. In the Transbaikal Front, Marshal Malinovsky's General Pliyev led his cavalry-mechanized units against the Japanese forces at Kalgan. Other units reached Jehol and accepted the surrender of the 108th Division. General Danilov's 17th Army secured the Shanhaiguan coast, while General Managarov's 53rd Army pushed towards Kailu. The main force of General Kravchenko's 6th Guards Tank Army regrouped at Tungliao and Kaitung, preparing to advance south toward Mukden. General Lyudnikov's 39th Army steadily approached Changchun, confronting the bypassed 107th Division, and General Luchinsky's 36th Army occupied Tsitsihar, accepting the surrender of the 136th Independent Mixed Brigade. At the same time, on General Purkayev's 2nd Far Eastern Front, General Teryokhin's 2nd Red Banner Army continued its siege of the Aihun fortified region. Meanwhile, a forward detachment moved slowly south through the Lesser Khinghan Mountains. General Mamonov's 15th Army began capturing and processing prisoners from the many retreating Japanese units after a successful amphibious assault secured Sansing. The Amur Flotilla supported the army's push towards Harbin, while General Pashkov's 5th Rifle Corps finally reached Poli, which had already been occupied by other Soviet units. In Marshal Meretskov's 1st Far Eastern Front, forward detachments of General Zakhvatayev's 35th Army began arriving at Linkou, focusing on the surrender of Japanese units in the area. Rear elements effectively eliminated the last traces of enemy resistance in the Hutou fortified area.  After a challenging struggle through the wetlands and the capture of Mishan on August 12, advanced detachments of the 35th Army's main force, the 66th and 363rd Rifle Divisions, continued their advance against minimal opposition. The situation was starkly different to their rear, where the 1056th Rifle Regiment of the 264th Rifle Division, supported by the heavily reinforced 109th Fortified Region, worked to dismantle the now-isolated Hutou fortified area. Despite the dire circumstances, the garrison refused to surrender. Thus, the focus shifted to systematically eliminating their defenses, which became a painstaking task. The attackers deployed an artillery destruction group, secured air supremacy, and utilized well-trained assault formations. Their techniques included pouring kerosene or gasoline into ventilation shafts of underground structures, sometimes in alarming quantities. For instance, two tonnes of gasoline were recorded being poured into a single installation before ignition was applied. Despite the brutal and methodical obliteration of their positions, the defenders continued to ignore orders to surrender. Notably, on August 18, a Japanese prisoner was sent under a flag of truce to inform those still holding out that the war was officially over; tragically, he was hacked to death by a sword-wielding officer. Ultimately, this stubbornness led to catastrophic consequences: about 3,000 defenders were killed, blasted and burned, before a small number finally capitulated. Additionally, advanced detachments of General Beloborodov's 1st Red Banner Army reached Shangzhi before continuing towards Harbin, and forward elements of General Krylov's 5th Army pushed on toward Jilin. General Chistyakov's 25th Army commenced disarming General Murakami's 3rd Army, while the 10th Mechanized Corps advanced rapidly westward, crossing the Laoilin Mountain passes to arrive at Tunhua by nightfall. Over in North Korea, the 335th Rifle Division successfully landed in Chongjin, as General Kabanov's Southern Defense Region prepared for an assault on Gensan. In South Sakhalin, despite the surrender of the 125th Regiment and ongoing negotiations with General Mineki's 88th Division, Soviet forces opted to proceed with the planned landing at Maoka. Consequently, Admiral Andreyev's Northern Pacific Flotilla departed from Sovetskaya Gavan in the morning, carrying the bulk of the 113th Rifle Brigade along with a battalion of marines for the long and challenging voyage to Maoka. On Shumshu Island, as General Gnechko's forces were landing their artillery to renew their assault, Japanese officers unexpectedly approached the Soviets under flags of truce, carrying a letter from General Tsutsumi proposing negotiations for surrender. Representatives from both sides began discussions, and by 6 PM, the 91st Division formally surrendered the garrisons of Shumshu, Paramushir, and Onekotan. On August 20, Gnechko dispatched a small detachment on six vessels to seize control of the airfield at Kataoka. However, as they crossed the Second Kuril Strait, batteries on both sides of the narrow waterway opened heavy fire on the Soviet ships, forcing them to withdraw. This breach of the surrender agreement sparked a renewed offensive at 1 PM, coordinated with air strikes. The bases at Kataoka and Kashiwabar were bombed by 61 aircraft, which dropped over 200 bombs, enabling ground troops to push forward up to six kilometers. It was not until General Tsutsumi intervened that the Soviets were assured the Japanese would indeed lay down their arms. Meanwhile, Andreyev's convoy arrived at Maoka harbor on the morning of August 20, successfully landing the first wave of marines amid heavy fog. They quickly spread out and secured the area while the second and third waves of infantry followed behind. By noon, the port area was secured, and the marines began advancing eastward into the city, supported by infantry on their flanks. Taken by surprise, the Japanese defenders were ultimately compelled to retreat, with the 113th Rifle Brigade pursuing them through the mountains to the villages of Futamata and Osaka. In Manchuria, between August 20 and 21, Vasilevsky's units continued their advance to occupy the region's main centers. Stalin urged for greater speed, fearing that any delay might prompt President Truman to order General MacArthur's air-naval assault forces to land there. Notably, Pliyev's first column successfully captured Kalgan, while his second column moved south toward Beijing, securing Gubeikou at the border. Located in one of the passes through the Great Wall, marking the border between Manchukuo and China, the town was garrisoned by Japanese units. These forces surrendered upon the approach of the Soviet troops, who then quickly advanced toward Beijing, about 100 kilometers away. Although not the former capital itself, this area was under the control of Chinese Communist forces known as the 8th Route Army, who aligned with the Soviets. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek was acutely aware that any Japanese capitulation to the Communists in northern China would allow the latter to occupy vital territories, making their removal difficult. Consequently, he commanded the 8th Route Army not to accept any Japanese surrenders, insisting they only surrender to Nationalist forces, with dire punishments threatened for defiance. Adding to the complexity, the Soviet Union and China had signed the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance, discussed at Yalta, just six days earlier on August 14. This treaty promised mutual respect for sovereignty and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. The Soviets had also committed to providing “moral support and aid in military supplies and other material resources” exclusively to the National Government as the legitimate central authority of China. Thus, a significant political and military predicament loomed. However, the Soviets quickly extricated themselves from this situation when Malinovsky issued an order forbidding Pliyev's forces from crossing the border. As Pliyev recounted, his formations were poised just halfway between Chengde and Beijing, needing “only one 'leap' to the Chinese capital.” He noted, “I had to suspend the offensive and move north beyond the Great Wall.” Units from the 6th Guards Tank Army occupied both Changchun and Mukden, initiating a rail movement towards Port Arthur and Dairen. For those curious, at Pingfan and Changchun, General Shiro Ishii and the remaining personnel from Units 731 and 100 were captured by Soviet forces. In a tragic turn of events, all test subjects were murdered and cremated, while the Japanese attempted to destroy evidence of their facilities but were unable to do so in time. Following their capture, the Soviets launched an extensive campaign to uncover the secrets behind Units 731 and 100, leading to the Khabarovsk Trial. If you want to learn more about what I would call “japans operation paperclip”, the secret dealings between Unit 731 and the Allies after the war, I did make an episode about it over on my patreon. Its pretty gruesome stuff so big disclaimer there.' The Soviets arrived to Dairen on 24 August, although these places had surrendered to air-landed forces two days earlier. This was, no doubt, much to the relief of Stalin, as these were amongst the main locations where he most feared American intervention. Indeed, on the day of the landing he had told Vasilevsky to ‘keep in mind' the fact that any delay could mean ‘Truman will order General MacArthur to land his naval assault forces'. The long-resisting 135th Independent Mixed Brigade finally surrendered at Aihun, while advanced units of the 2nd Red Banner Army secured Nencheng and Peian before pushing towards Tsitsihar and Harbin. Forward detachments from the 15th and 1st Red Banner Armies also reached the already-occupied Harbin. Furthermore, advanced units of the 5th and 25th Armies arrived in Jilin to reinforce the air-landed detachment there. Additionally, units from the 88th Rifle Corps and the 10th Mechanized Corps began their southward movement into Korea, heading toward the 38th Parallel. In North Korea, Kabanov dispatched a marine battalion and other units, totaling around 2,000 men, to occupy the fortified port of Gensan on August 20. The following morning, the landing force arrived and disembarked without opposition. However, the Japanese garrison refused to surrender until orders from higher command were received. Meanwhile, Japanese troops began to peacefully surround the harbor area, while Soviet sailors and marines, in a similarly calm manner, took up their defensive positions. As Kabanov noted, “An incomprehensible situation arose, neither peace nor war. The enemy has numerical superiority, but he neither fights nor wants to capitulate.” Unsurprisingly, he added, “the night passed in suspense.” The surreal situation was resolved when Rear Admiral Hori Yugoro and Colonel Tado boarded the frigate EK-3 to meet with Captain Studenichnikov on the morning of August 22. During their discussions, they attempted to negotiate terms, but the Soviet captain issued a bold threat of an immediate large-scale air strike and the initiation of hostilities at the port unless they surrendered unconditionally. While the latter was likely an empty threat, the Japanese officers signed the surrender agreement nonetheless. The process of surrendering the garrison began that evening and continued until August 26. In total, the Soviets captured more than 7,000 officers and men, along with all their military equipment. Looking toward the northern Kuriles, Japanese forces on Shumshu finally began to lay down their weapons on the afternoon of August 22, as Gnechko's units spread out to secure the island. In Manchuria, airborne detachments were also landed at Dairen and Port Arthur to secure these key administrative centers before the Americans could take control. Vanguard units of the 6th Guards Tank Army arrived to reinforce them two days later. Meanwhile, in South Sakhalin, heavy fighting persisted at Futamata despite Mineki's ceasefire agreement on August 22. Soviet air strikes supported the ground forces when weather conditions allowed, and the Japanese finally surrendered by the nightfall of August 23. At the same time, Andreyev dispatched three marine battalions on a small convoy to capture Otomari. However, a fierce storm forced the flotilla to seek refuge in the port of Honto on the morning of August 24. Once the storm subsided that evening, the force left a company of marines to garrison the port and resumed their voyage to Otomari, arriving there on the morning of August 25, just as elements of the 113th Rifle Brigade reached the eastern outskirts of the city. By noon, the 88th Division surrendered, and the city was secured. Shortly after, the 214th Tank Brigade arrived at Toyohara to secure South Sakhalin's administrative center. Thus, the South Sakhalin operation concluded with nearly 18,320 Japanese soldiers taken prisoner. Yet, this wouldn't mark the end of operations for General Cheremisov's 16th Army. Stalin pushed for the 87th and 135th Rifle Brigades, along with three marine battalions, to assemble at Otomari and execute amphibious landings on the southern Kurile Islands, specifically, Etorofu, Shikotan, and Kunashiri, and the islets of the Habomai group. The failure to include the Kuril Islands in the areas designated for surrender to Soviet forces in Truman's General Order No. 1, originally issued on August 15, exacerbated Stalin's inherent suspicions regarding American intentions. Consequently, Vasilevsky was instructed to organize landings on the Kurils, ensuring that, similar to Port Arthur, Soviet occupation would manifest physically through boots on the ground. Despite Truman's subsequent correction of the omission, mistrust endured, as did the directive to occupy the islands. However, where Stalin hesitated was concerning Hokkaido. Truman's somewhat abrupt rejection of Stalin's demand for a portion of Hokkaido undoubtedly irritated the Soviet dictator, yet he chose not to take further action. Scholarly debates have arisen around the rationale behind Stalin's ‘retreat.' When viewed within the framework of his stated geostrategic goal of securing the Soviet Union's sea lines of communication in the Pacific, it becomes understandable. Churchill once likened the Soviet Union's challenges in this regard to those of a “giant with his nostrils pinched.” A look at the map reveals that control of the Kurils would significantly alleviate this pressure in the Far East, making their acquisition crucial. Similarly, occupying southern Sakhalin would allow the Soviet Union to control the northern side of the La Pérouse Strait, which connects the Sea of Japan to the Sea of Okhotsk. The strait's opposite shore is formed by the northern coast of Hokkaido, and possessing this area would undeniably enhance the security of communications and is therefore highly desirable. However, any unilateral action in this regard would incur a significant and public breach with the Americans, the consequences of which could not be easily predicted. Given that Stalin's claim to the Kurils was firmly based on the agreement reached at Yalta, an agreement which Truman honored, his choice to avoid completely rupturing relations with the U.S. was motivated by strategic self-interest. Consequently, Andreyev's flotilla, carrying these units, departed Otomari on August 27, reaching the west coast of Etorofu at 3:15 AM on August 28. The landing, conducted using small boats, went unopposed and was met by the surrender of General Ogawa's 89th Division. The occupation of the other islands was also peaceful, with the Soviets securing Kunashiri by September 2, and Shikotan and the Habomai islets by September 5. The remaining northern Kurile Islands surrendered without incident as elements of Gnechko's Kamchatka forces arrived at Paramushir on August 24, Onekotan and Shiashkotan on August 25, Matsuwa by August 26, Shimushiru on August 27, and Uruppu by August 29. In total, 63,840 prisoners were taken throughout the Kuriles. On August 24, air-landed detachments arrived at the cities of Pyongyang and Kange to secure the last administrative centers in North Korea. Two days later, units of the 25th Army reached Gensan. With this move, albeit with some geographical liberties, Chistyakov asserted that "the troops of the 25th Army, on the orders of Marshal Meretskov, reached the 38th Parallel.” In the days that followed, units of General Kushibuchi's 34th Army gradually began to surrender and disarm. Finally, in Manchuria, most of Yamada's units had surrendered and were being disarmed. However, one unit continued to resist until the end of the month. The bypassed and encircled 107th Division was engaged in fierce fighting for survival against the 94th Rifle Corps. Due to a lack of communication with Kwantung Army Headquarters, they did not receive any ceasefire orders. As a result, a staff officer from General Iida's 30th Army was dispatched by plane to locate the division and deliver the ceasefire orders. The 107th Division was found near Chalai, and the plane made a forced landing between the Japanese troops and the opposing Soviet forces. The staff officer successfully delivered the orders terminating hostilities in that sector on August 30, which the Japanese troops promptly complied with. By September 1, units of the 53rd Army occupied Kailu, Chaoyang, Fuhsin, and Gushanbeitseifu, while forward detachments secured the Chinchou area on the Liaotung Peninsula. This marked the conclusion of the Manchurian campaign, with the Soviets claiming to have captured between 594,000 and 609,000 prisoners of war across Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, and North Korea. The captured Japanese military personnel were subjected to forced labor in Siberian internment camps, as well as camps in Sakhalin, Manchuria, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia. A significant number were assigned to the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline. Unfortunately, the treatment of prisoners of war was deemed inhumane and mishandled. Many suffered from malnutrition, overwork, cave-ins, floods, unsanitary working conditions leading to epidemics, harsh winter weather, violent guards, and brutal suppression of even mild resistance. Disturbingly, some Japanese prisoners were even lynched by their fellow captives. Estimates suggest that between 60,000 and 347,000 Japanese died in captivity. Although 18,616 prisoners were released in 1946, the process of repatriating prisoners of war extended into the 1950s. Those who remained after 1950 were detained for various convictions. However, their release began in 1953 under different amnesties. Following Josef Stalin's death and the subsequent Khrushchev Thaw, the Soviet attitude toward the remaining Japanese prisoners shifted significantly. Accompanied by Soviet officials, they were taken on tours of cities and allowed to purchase gifts for their families. Before repatriation, a banquet in Khabarovsk, hosted by Nikolai Gagen, included high-ranking prisoners such as Jun Ushiroku as attendees. The last major group of 1,025 Japanese POWs was released on December 23, 1956. After that, some Japanese POWs were released in small groups, with some only returning in the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Interestingly, some prisoners who had been held for decades, many of whom had married and started families during their captivity, chose not to return permanently to Japan. The Soviets committed numerous war crimes during their invasion and occupation of Manchuria and other Japanese territories. During the invasion, Soviet soldiers killed and raped Japanese civilians and looted civilian property. Following the Soviet invasion of Manchuria on August 9, 1945, a large number of Japanese citizens residing in the region sought to repatriate to Japan. The Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers supervised this mass movement and, in October 1945, delegated responsibility to Japan's Ministry of Health and Welfare. The Kwantung Army, which was meant to protect the Japanese settlers in Manchuria, quickly retreated and abandoned them. With most able-bodied men drafted into the army, the majority of those left behind were women, children, and the elderly, rendering them highly vulnerable to attacks from Soviet soldiers and local Chinese seeking revenge.In Soviet-occupied Manchuria and North Korea, the repatriation of Japanese civilians was characterized by violent expulsions, accompanied by widespread looting, mass killings, and rampant sexual violence perpetrated by both Soviet soldiers and local populations seeking retribution. Many Japanese civilians succumbed to starvation, disease, mass killings, and mass suicides. Approximately 223,000 Japanese civilians residing in the Soviet-occupied zones died, most within a year and a half after August 9, 1945. Regarding the extensive rape of Japanese women and girls by Soviet soldiers, a former Japanese soldier, Wakatsuki Yoshio, detailed these grim experiences in his memoir, The Records of Postwar Repatriation “What word can possibly describe the violence committed by the Soviet soldiers on Japanese women? I can only think of the word “hideous”. The victim could be a girl of twelve or thirteen years old or an old lady of almost seventy years old. These soldiers did not choose the sites where they raped them, in public, in broad daylight, even on snow-covered roads”. The Soviet invasion of Manchuria in 1945 left many Japanese women stranded after their male family members were either conscripted or killed. These women, including young girls, endured severe hardships, facing gang rapes by Soviet soldiers and local Chinese militia groups. In a desperate effort to survive, many were forced to marry Chinese men, either out of necessity or in exchange for assistance in repatriating their remaining family members. Disturbingly, some victims were as young as thirteen. Some women were held in groups and subjected to repeated sexual violence over extended periods. In certain instances, to ensure the safety of the group, members of the Japanese community offered women to their perpetrators. There were also reports of women voluntarily submitting themselves to protect their families, younger peers, or others in their communities. After Japan's defeat in 1945, leaders of the Kurokawa Settler Group in Manchuria offered approximately 15 young women, aged 17 to 21, to Soviet soldiers in exchange for protection. This tragic practice continued from September to November 1945, with some of the women later being offered to Chinese soldiers as well. With no protection from Japanese soldiers, Japanese women often had to devise unique strategies to avoid rape. Memoirs from female repatriates detail various escape tactics. Some women hid in attics every night, narrowly avoiding capture or even gunfire. Others managed to trap intruders in rooms before fleeing or bribed Soviet soldiers with valuables, such as wristwatches, to secure their escape. Notably, some women, particularly former geisha and bar workers, voluntarily went with Soviet soldiers to protect others. These women were referred to as tokkōtai (kamikaze) for their self-sacrifice. Additionally, it wasn't just Japanese women who suffered; Korean and Chinese women were also victims of sexual violence at the hands of various perpetrators in Manchuria. British and American reports indicate that Soviet Red Army troops looted and terrorized the local population in Shenyang, a city in Manchuria. A foreign witness described how Soviet troops, formerly stationed in Berlin, were permitted by the Soviet military to enter Shenyang for "three days of rape and pillage." In Harbin, Soviet forces ignored protests from leaders of the Chinese Communist Party regarding the widespread mass rape and looting committed by their troops. In the immediate aftermath of the war in 1945, in areas of Manchuria occupied by the National Revolutionary Army, 176 Koreans were killed, 1,866 were injured, 3,468 were detained, and 320 were raped by armed Chinese mobs. The attacks against Korean residents in Manchuria were believed to stem from a perception of Korean collaboration with Japanese colonial rule. One of the most infamous instances was the Gegenmiao massacre. On August 10 and 11, Xing'an was bombed, nearly destroying its urban functions. It is estimated that 3,000 of the 4,000 civilians. Anticipating the Soviet invasion, Xing'an had prepared an evacuation plan divided into three groups based on residential area and workplace. The Kwantung Army, however, failed to inform the General Office officials about their retreat. As a result, residents in the eastern area, many of whom were self-employed or office workers, had difficulty obtaining information and securing transportation, while those in the western area had military personnel who were first to learn of the situation. Some of the civilians with a handful of armed men had proceeded on foot towards Gegenmiao Township, about 35 kilometers southeast of Xing'an Street, to wait for a train at Gegenmiao Station and then evacuate to Baichengzi. They aimed to receive protection from the Kwantung Army in Baichengzi. Around 11:40 AM on August 14 in the vicinity of Gegenmyo Hill, where a Lamaist temple was located, they encountered an infantry unit consisting of 14 Soviet medium tanks and 20 trucks. The column reportedly stretched for two kilometers, with about a hundred survivors among them. Soviet troops launched an attack from the hilltop, deploying tanks with machine-gun fire. The tanks attacked multiple times, and when they ceased, Soviet soldiers disembarked and ruthlessly shot and bayoneted survivors. Many who escaped death from gunfire were still severely injured or witnessed family members being killed. Some were left holding their loved ones or chose to commit suicide. It is estimated that only about a hundred survivors were later confirmed, including nearly 200 schoolchildren from the Xing'an Street Zaiman National School. Kwantung Army units, which were supposed to escort the civilians and counterattack, had already retreated southward. Even after the Soviet soldiers left, sporadic gunfire continued, presumably due to suicides. Local residents began to plunder the bodies, stripping them of clothes and valuables. Others drowned in the river while attempting to escape. Reports tell of one woman who had her child killed by Soviet soldiers, only to later face an attack from Chinese militia, who stripped her of her clothes and mutilated her. Surviving mothers and children were also attacked, and those separated were often taken by the Chinese. At the time, it was common for Japanese boys to be sold for 300 yen and girls for 500 yen. Some survivors gathered together and began committing mass suicide, killing those who wished to end their lives. Others expressed intentions to form a death squad with rifles for revenge but ultimately did not resist.   After the war ended on August 15, attacks on displaced persons continued. A 12-year-old girl who joined a group of about ten women after the incident reported that they were attacked and robbed, taking over a week to reach Zhenxi Station, 10 kilometers from Gegenmiao Station. The women sought shelter in an abandoned house near the station but were discovered by Soviet soldiers that night who assaulted them until midnight. Afterward, the soldiers piled dry grass into the house, setting it ablaze in an attempt to burn the women alive. The girl and her sister managed to escape through a window, but many others could not flee in time due to the fire's rapid spread. The girl was forced to live as a residual orphan afterward. Fortunately, some Chinese, Mongolians, and Koreans provided food for the survivors, with some Chinese showing kindness towards the children. Those orphaned children, whose parents had been killed, became known as residual orphans, with about 30 in this unfortunate situation. Many women were forced to become residual women as well. Tragically, around 200 students from a local school, including the headmaster and his wife, were killed during this chaos. Some historians believe the attack stemmed from Soviet soldiers mistaking the refugees for armed Japanese troops because men within the group were carrying firearms for protection. In general, displaced persons at this time often carried small weapons like rifles, and some groups were even armed with light machine guns. In the pioneer groups, women sometimes participated in fighting against bandits, and in the Sado pioneer group incident, children above the fifth grade were forced into combat, regardless of gender. There may also have been prior skirmishes with other Japanese civilian groups before the war's end, further complicating the situation as the Soviet Army, which included female soldiers, may have regarded these mixed civilian and armed groups as a threat. According to Soviet military combat records, on August 14, the Soviet 17th Guards Rifle Division, 19th Guards Rifle Division, 91st Guards Rifle Division, and 61st Tank Division were stationed northwest of Gezhne Temple, but there was no combat activity in the area. On August 15, this unit advanced toward Bai Chengzi and occupied Bai Chengzi Station, which was then taken over by tanks from the 61st Tank Division. Despite extensive documentation, nothing about this incident was revealed until 2014 during the process of perestroika. Reports from British and American sources indicate that the 700,000 Soviet troops occupying Manchuria also terrorized and looted the local population in Mukden. They were not deterred by Soviet authorities and engaged in what was described as "three days of rape and pillage," with similar atrocities occurring in Harbin and across the country. Amid the mass repatriation of Japanese civilians living in the region, Japanese women in Manchuria faced repeated sexual violence at the hands of Russian soldiers every day. In North Korea, it was similarly reported that Soviet soldiers raped both Japanese and Korean women. Additionally, Soviet soldiers looted the property of Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans residing in Manchuria and North Korea. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Amid chaotic surrenders, Emperor Hirohito accepted defeat, but Soviet advances continued relentlessly. As they pushed deeper, the Soviets captured key cities, including Harbin, while Japan's soldiers and civilians struggled for survival against the onslaught. War crimes committed by Soviet troops added to the tragedy, with rampant violence against Japanese civilians. Amidst political tensions, the Soviets secured territory, culminating in the surrender of remaining Japanese forces. The grim conclusion of this campaign marked a profound shift in the power dynamics of East Asia and paved the way for post-war ramifications.

A wall built not for defense… but for revenge. In 1852, Westminster, Massachusetts, farmer Edmund Proctor had had enough of his neighbor Farwell Morse—a fiery religious zealot who openly condemned Proctor for working on the Sabbath. Proctor's answer? Build a massive colonial stone wall tall enough to block Morse's view entirely. Join Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger as they walk alongside this towering “Spite Wall,” explore the feud that inspired it, and uncover why it still stands as one of New England's strangest monuments to pettiness, pride… and pure spite. Listen ad-free plus get early access and bonus episodes at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/NewEnglandLegends⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more episodes join us here each Monday or visit their website to catch up on the hundreds of tales that legends are made of. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ournewenglandlegends.com/category/podcasts/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Jeff Belanger here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jeffbelanger.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  The Great Wall of Spite - A New England Legends Podcast PLEASE SUPPORT THE ADVERTISERS THAT SUPPORT THIS SHOW Happiness Experiment - ⁠⁠https://go.happinessexperiment.com/begin-aff-o2?am_id=podcast2025&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=michael⁠⁠ Factor Meals - Get 50% off your first order & Free Shipping at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.FactorMeals.com/p6050off⁠⁠⁠⁠ & use code: P6050off at checkout Mint Mobile - To get your new wireless plan for just $15 a month, and get the plan shipped to your door for FREE, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.MintMobile.com/P60⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shadow Zine - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shadowzine.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Love & Lotus Tarot -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://lovelotustarot.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EPISODE 377 - 04/28/2025 SHORTCUTS On this episode of Dream Infringement, Jennifer takes the mic for a solo show all about shortcuts. From the very first webcam ever invented, to “desire lines” that show us where paths really want to be, to the workers who carved a hole in the Great Wall of China just to get to work a little quicker, this week is a journey through the clever, the rebellious, and the surprising ways we try to save time.

Join Dr. Jay and Brad as they interview Joey Coleman.Joey Coleman rolls into the conversation ready to sprinkle in his Notre Dame football expertise like he's the twelfth man on the field. This is the same guy who's defended “alleged” criminals in court, sold custom research to Fortune 500 execs, raced along the Great Wall, juggled in front of the Taj Mahal, emceed charity auctions, worked in the White House, sung a solo at the Kennedy Center, and racked up stamps from 51 countries (and counting). When he's not busy calling plays from the Notre Dame sidelines in his head, he's a keynote speaker, workshop leader, and consultant who teaches businesses how to win the First 100 Days® with customers and employees. He's also the bestselling author of Never Lose a Customer Again and Never Lose an Employee Again — books that basically break down the customer/employee journey like a football playbook. Thousands of speeches, a Wall Street Journal bestseller, and a brand-new release with Penguin/Portfolio later… and still, somehow, he'll make sure you know he's the guy who can not only fix your customer retention strategy but also tell you exactly what's wrong with Notre Dame's offensive line.To connect with Joey, visit his website at joeycoleman.com.

In ancient times, a city without walls would be a sitting duck: defenseless, vulnerable, and a ripe target for hostile nations. Writing to discouraged exiles who had returned to a ruined Jerusalem in 520 BC, Zechariah delivers God's stunning promise delivered to him in a third vision: Jerusalem will become a city without walls because of the multitude of people God will bring to it, and the YHWH Himself will be a wall of fire around His people and the glory in their midst. This was good news that required trust from God's returning people—what does it mean for us today? The Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Zechariah 2.  To learn more about Trinity Lutheran, visit trinitylutheranministries.org. The Persian king Cyrus issues an astonishing decree: the exiles may go home. Among them are the Jews—God's chosen people—whom this pagan ruler not only repatriates, but commands to rebuild the temple of the Lord. Ezra 1–4 tells of their return, the joy of restored worship, and the crushing opposition that brings construction to a standstill. Then the prophets Haggai and Zechariah speak with God's authority, calling His people to courage, repentance, and hope. In Ezra 5–8 the temple is completed, worship flourishes, and hearts are renewed in God's Word. This series on Thy Strong Word follows the events in the order they happened, revealing how the Lord moves kings and prophets, overcomes opposition, and restores His people. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Mariah and Alan - reunited! For a fabulous holiday chat on Life's a Beach!

Are you tired of feeling stretched thin and resentful? Do you want to build stronger relationships and live a more successful life? The key might be simpler than you think: boundaries.In this episode of Thriving Man, host David Maxwell explains why boundaries are your most powerful tool for conquering everyday chaos. Using the powerful analogy of the Great Wall of China, he reveals how we often let our personal "walls" get breached by failing to make predetermined decisions.Learn the three essential steps to setting effective boundaries:Discover why personal boundaries must start within you.Understand the critical need for clarity to avoid misunderstandings.Master the art of communicating boundaries calmly and confidently.This show is your guide to taking back control, defining what's truly important, and creating the thriving life you were meant to live.For more help to live a life of impact as a man, go to www.thrivingman.com.

Can an artist lead a community? What does it take for cultural activists to become trusted stewards of change in divisive times?In a world grappling with polarization and rising authoritarianism, the need for compassionate, imaginative leadership has never been more urgent. This episode dives into how artists and cultural workers already operating in community spaces can embrace roles as civic leaders—balancing creativity with responsibility and vision with service.Discover how leadership can be reframed through metaphors like the wedding planner, the parade leader, and the soul shepherd.Hear powerful stories of artistic ingenuity in places like death row and urban neighborhoods that reveal art's transformative power.Learn the foundational traits and practical strategies for leading with courage, communication, and care in culturally complex contexts.Notable Mentions: Here's a categorized, hyperlinked list of the People, Events, Organizations, and Publications mentioned in the podcast episode,

This episode, the podcast takes a look at a poem Mao Zedong wrote in February 1936, after he and his party had undergone the near-death experience of the Long March. Yet still, Mao has the gumption to imply in the poem that he would be the greatest ruler China had ever seen.    My Translation of the Poem: Spring in a Soaked Garden - Snow The north country scenery, frozen over for a thousand miles, snow floating for ten thousand miles.    I look inside and outside the Great Wall of China,  all that remains is boundlessness.    Up and down the Yellow River, it has suddenly lost its surging vigor.   The mountains dance like silver snakes, the plains gallop like white elephants,  I want to compete with Heaven and see which of us is taller.    I must wait for a clear day,  and look at the snowy landscape wrapped in red and white, it's really bewitching.  The rivers and mountains, this land, is so pretty, it has brought out countless heroes to compete and serve the nation.   Pity Qin Shihuang, the first Chinese emperor, and Han Wudi, the greatest Han emperor, their writing ability ain't all that good.    Tang Taizong, the greatest Tang emperor, and Song Taizu, the greatest Song emperor, they kinda lack style.    Those northern barbarian rulers,  like Genghis Khan,  all they knew how to do was shoot arrows at big eagles.    Those guys are all dead, if you want to count the true badasses look to today.     Original Poem:  沁园春·雪 北国风光，千里冰封，万里雪飘。望长城内外，惟余莽莽；大河上下，顿失滔滔。山舞银蛇，原驰蜡象，欲与天公试比高。须晴日，看红装素裹，分外妖娆。 江山如此多娇，引无数英雄竞折腰。惜秦皇汉武，略输文采；唐宗宋祖，稍逊风骚。一代天骄，成吉思汗，只识弯弓射大雕。俱往矣，数风流人物，还看今朝。

The team's series on sovereign debt sustainability continues, this week with a focus on China. Julia Hermann hosts Valentina Chen, Head and Portfolio Manager of the Emerging Market Debt team at MacKay Shields, to discuss how China's systemic over-leverage influences everything from the country's economic business model, to the nature and scope of investment opportunities in Chinese credit.  

Hear about travel to the Silk Road as the Amateur Traveler talks about his recent trip to the Gansu province of China, Buddhist Grottos, stunning landscapes, barren deserts, and the original Great Wall of China. More than 2,000 years ago, Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty sent his prodigy general Huo Qubing to seize the Hexi Corridor from the Xiongnu nomads, founding four fortified outposts—Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan, and Dunhuang—that anchored the eastern Silk Road. Centuries later, the monk Xuanzang left Lanzhou for India along the same desert corridor, returning with Sanskrit scriptures that reshaped Chinese Buddhism. Following their footsteps today reveals grottoes, Great Wall forts, and rainbow-striped badlands that still echo with the sounds of camel bells and caravan legends. Transfer & check‑in: Fly into Zhongchuan Airport and settle downtown. Yellow River walk: Night flavors: Slurp Lanzhou hand‑pulled beef noodles, then graze at a Night Market for local delights. Historic BackgroundDay‑by‑Day ItineraryDay 1 – Arrival in Lanzhou ... https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-the-silk-road-in-gansu-china/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you'd seen the front lawn of our office, you wouldn't have been able to tell that there had been a change inside. The only evidence of that was that there was an uncustomary pile of shattered sheetrock in this big lump in the yard. The changes were on the second floor immediately above that pile where two small offices had just become one large office. A man from our staff went in, and went after that temporary wall that divided the people in that room, and ripped it out in no time. I'll tell you, it felt pretty different in there with that wall gone! Wish they were all that easy to tear down. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Great Wall Destroyer." Let's go to another upstairs room with a lot of walls in it. This room is an upper room in Acts 2, where we find our word for today from the Word of God. In a sense, there were a lot of walls there. It tells us when the disciples arrived they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. And then it lists some of the people who were there. It mentions Peter. Of course, Peter was very different from somebody else listed there, like Thomas. Peter was sort of a walking gland; he's like all emotions. Thomas - not his type. Thomas - cerebral, the thinker - always got an intellectual question. And then it talks about Matthew. Well, he had worked for the government as a tax collector. And then it mentions Simon the Zealot. He'd been a revolutionary, trying to overthrow the very same government that Matthew worked for. In fact, only a few weeks before, all of these guys who were in this upper room together, had been arguing over who was going to be the greatest. They were, each one, trying to win "king of the hill" against each other. Listen to what happens. "They all joined constantly in prayer." Chapter 2, verse 1: "On the Day of Pentecost they were all together in one place." Chapter 2, verse 42 says, "The new Christians had devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." That word fellowship is koinonia; it means intimate closeness. Verse 44: "After they prayed together, all the believers were together and had everything in common." The book of Acts goes on talking about times when the people will pray together and it literally brings them together. Listen, if you want to tear down a wall between rooms, use a crowbar. If you want to tear down walls between people, you use prayer. You can't get really, really close until you really, really pray together. Oh, sure, sometimes prayer can be a time when people still keep their masks on, keep it superficial, stick to the general praying kind of stuff. But real prayer is where people come together and express how they really need the Lord. You know, worship Him with specific thanks for specific things He's done recently. You fight together on your knees for the lives of people you care about. You come against Satan. You come against the stronghold of darkness that you both know is there. You admit your struggle, you passionately seek His strength, His answers, and walls start coming down. Every married couple needs to pray together daily. It is the ultimate glue between people: Christian coworkers, parents and their children, Christian friends, even if it starts out feeling awkward. Go to your Father together. In fact, the person you're having the most difficulty with is probably the one you most need to be praying with. When we go into the Father's presence sort of distant from each other, we almost always come out of His presence closer. Prayer softens hearts; prayer helps us see people and situations through God's eyes. And prayer is the great wall destroyer.

What is it like to visit China for the first time? Culture shock, unforgettable adventures, and of course a whole lot of language learning.In our special mini-series "British Teens in China", we talk with UK students, their teachers, and the program leader to find out how their Chinese language learning experience is going and what it truly means to connect across cultures.From squat toilet surprises to Great Wall awe — join their journey through Chinese language challenges, food discoveries, and once-in-a-lifetime moments in this 5-episode podcast series.Want more fun ways to learn Chinese?Come hang out with us on Facebook and YouTube!https://www.facebook.com/crilearnchinesehttps://www.youtube.com/@LearnChineseforfun

Hear about travel to Beijing, China, and the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Gansu) as the Amateur Traveler discusses the first half of a recent press trip to China, sponsored by the Chinese Tourism Board. Seven days let you pair Beijing's imperial centers and Great Wall with the yak‑grazed valleys, monasteries, and soaring limestone of Gannan—history and highlands in a single, unforgettable loop. Morning Land at PEK or PKX before noon. A pre‑booked car or the Airport Express gets you downtown in 45‑60 minutes. Stay inside the 2nd Ring Road to limit traffic headaches. Afternoon Forbidden City (Palace Museum) – Reserve tickets with your passport in advance; allow 3‑4 hrs to navigate the 960 × 750 m compound of 980 buildings. Travel China Guide Exit the North Gate and climb Jingshan Park for the classic rooftop panorama. Day 1 | Arrive Beijing ... https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-beijing-and-gannan/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this mind-bending episode of Dark Fringe Radio, we sit down with renowned author and hypnotherapist Steve Burgess, whose extraordinary journey into the world of past life regression and healing therapy is chronicled in his book, The Adventures of a Hypnotherapist: Was I Under? Steve never intended to become one of the world's most experienced hypnotherapists, but fate had other plans. What began as a chance encounter with the field evolved into a decades-long odyssey through the subconscious, where he has conducted over 15,000 therapy sessions, often guiding clients through past lives to uncover and heal the emotional roots of chronic illness, trauma, and psychological suffering. In this gripping conversation, Steve shares jaw-dropping real-life stories from his practice: – Major surgery with no anesthetic – Cancer remission linked to regression therapy – Alien contact experiences and spirit attachments – And even conducting therapy sessions on the Great Wall of China, the Inca Trail, and once—in his own grave. We also explore his time spent inside prison with one of Britain's most violent inmates and the strange, sometimes paranormal, phenomena that often accompany deep hypnosis and regression. If you're curious about the hidden power of the subconscious, the mysteries of past lives, or how trauma may ripple through time and space—this is one episode you don't want to miss. Dark Fringe Radio – where the shadow meets the soul.

Are bats really blind? Can you really see the Great Wall of China from space? These and more questions will finally be answered!

If you compiled a list of all the things you'd like to see but haven't, it would be quite long. Consider the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, or even the end of war or a cure for cancer. But you might be surprised to know that there's one thing that God hasn't seen.

Today's poem is Climbing China's Great Wall by Afaa M. Weaver.The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We'll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we're going back into the archive to revisit Tracy K. Smith's time as host. Today's episode was originally released on August 4, 2020. In this episode, Tracy writes… “I visited China for the first time in the spring of 2017. It was a visit to the great poet Yi Lei, whose poems I had been working to translate. It was my second time meeting Yi Lei in person. The first had been three years earlier, over lunch in Manhattan. That was the trip when we visited the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. It was a bright, clear, warm day. There were plenty of visitors all around, but our climb up and down the thousand steep steps felt spacious somehow, as if we had the site to ourselves. I gawked happily at trees and mountains, stones and birds. I wanted to feel history under my feet, but really it was the living moment that enraptured me.” Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The Slowdown today. Every donation makes a difference: https://tinyurl.com/rjm4synp

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In the third century BC, China was a land fractured by war - a patchwork of rival kingdoms struggling for dominance. Out of this chaos rose a single, extraordinary figure who would reshape the course of history: Chin Shrr Hwong, the First Emperor of China. His achievements were monumental, but his reign was marked by ruthlessness, so how did this teenage king rise to power? What drove him to undertake colossal projects like the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army? And how might his obsession with immortality have led to his mysterious death? This is a Short History Of The First Emperor of China. A Noiser Production, written by Sean Coleman. With thanks to John Man, author of The Terracotta Army: China's First Emperor and the Birth of a Nation.  Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You'll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you're on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices