Podcasts about great wall

Jacob Cohen has run a 5K in a dog crate, a port-a-potty, and on top of the Empire State Building–-and no, he is not stopping anytime soon.Before he was the internet's favorite 5K guy, Cohen was an investment banker in Atlanta, overweight and grinding through a banking job while his content dream sat on the back burner. Running, however, changed everything.It helped him lose more than 40 pounds, and a run club of full-time creators convinced him to hit record. He posted for a year to 2,000 followers before a joke 5K around his coffee table in October 2025 lit the fuse: it led to 100,000 followers in 50 days and a full-blown escalation of the most absurd run locations imaginable.In this conversation with Dominic, Cohen pulls back the curtain on the videos everyone's friends keep sending them. He addresses the skeptics head-on (yes, he really does the 5Ks; the watch accuracy is another story), reveals his most physically miserable run location, and explains why the World Cup crowd was in on the bit. He also opens up about the deeper mission: rejecting the unattainable, chicken-and-rice version of fitness the internet sold him at his lowest, and proving working out can actually be fun.Plus, his surprisingly generous take on David Goggins, celebrity collabs with Diplo, Bert Kreischer, Teddy Swims, and Casey Neistat, his dream Great Wall of China 5K, and why the biggest what-if of his life was simply pressing record.Tap into the Jacob Cohen Special. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.S H O W  N O T E S   -The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run  -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffzBehind the scenes of The Running Effect: https://youtube.com/@dominicschlueter?si=PM9FjPc92eFUFEZLuminaryThreads: luminarythreads.shop$20 off your next Attuned scan: https://attuned.health/discount/TRE20?ref=TRE20 TikTok: @notreallywellnessInstagram: @notreallywellnessYouTube: @notreallywellness

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Timeless Bonds: A Reunion on the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-07-20-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 仲夏的傍晚，长城像一条宏伟的龙，慵懒地蜷卧在苍翠的群山之间。En: In the midsummer evening, the Great Wall of China lay like a magnificent dragon, lazily sprawled between the verdant mountains.Zh: Li Wei站在墙头，眺望远方，心中充满了熟悉的思念。En: Li Wei stood atop the wall, gazing into the distance, his heart filled with a familiar longing.Zh: 时间过去了十年，他从海外返回，正为与老友重聚而激动不已。En: Ten years had passed since he returned from overseas, and he was thrilled at the prospect of reuniting with old friends.Zh: 在他的心里，友谊并没有褪色，然而，时光和距离让Li Wei担心：他和Mei Lin、Jun之间的羁绊是否依旧如初？En: In his heart, friendship had not faded, yet time and distance had made Li Wei worry: were the bonds between him, Mei Lin, and Jun as strong as before?Zh: 夕阳渐渐西沉，橘红色的阳光洒在古老的城砖上，为他们的重聚拉开了序幕。En: The sun gradually set in the west, casting an orange-red glow over the ancient bricks, heralding the beginning of their reunion.Zh: 不久，Li Wei看见Mei Lin和Jun朝自己走来。En: Before long, Li Wei saw Mei Lin and Jun walking towards him.Zh: 两人的脸上满是欢快的笑容。En: Their faces were full of joyful smiles.Zh: 久未见，他们的面容依旧亲切。En: Though it had been a long time, their faces were still familiar.Zh: Li Wei微微紧张，然而那份紧张逐渐在朋友们的笑声中消散。En: Li Wei felt a little nervous, but the tension gradually faded with their laughter.Zh: 三人沿着长城悠然行走，重拾旧时的回忆。En: The three strolled leisurely along the Great Wall, rekindling old memories.Zh: Mei Lin讲起当年一起放风筝的趣事，Jun则回忆起学生时代的冒险故事。En: Mei Lin spoke of fun times flying kites together back in the day, while Jun recalled adventures from their school days.Zh: Li Wei则沉浸在这些回忆中，心里涌现出深深的怀念。En: Li Wei was immersed in these memories, filled with deep nostalgia.Zh: 然而，Li Wei知道，过去的时光已无法重回。En: However, Li Wei understood that the past time could not be revisited.Zh: 他想表达心中的顾虑，却又害怕会影响今晚的气氛。En: He wanted to express his concerns, but feared it would affect the atmosphere of the evening.Zh: 在一个风景如画的观景台，Li Wei决定坦诚自己的心声。En: At a picturesque viewing platform, Li Wei decided to honestly share his feelings.Zh: “我怕……怕我们之间变得陌生，”Li Wei终于开口，声音温柔且略带紧张，“但我真的很想把我们的友谊维持下去，就像以前那样。En: "I'm afraid...afraid we'll become strangers," Li Wei finally spoke, his voice gentle yet slightly nervous, "but I really want to maintain our friendship just like before."Zh: ”Mei Lin用温暖的目光注视着Li Wei，用力拍了拍他的肩膀，“Li Wei，你永远是我们的好朋友。En: Mei Lin looked warmly at Li Wei, giving his shoulder a firm pat, "Li Wei, you'll always be our good friend."Zh: ”Jun也坚定地附和：“是啊，不变的！En: Jun firmly agreed, "Yeah, unchanged!"Zh: ”在这温暖的阳光下，Li Wei心里紧绷的那根弦松了下来。En: In this warm sunlight, the tension in Li Wei eased.Zh: 他感受到一股深厚的情谊从内心涌出，像流淌在长城下的古老泉水，源远流长，永不停歇。En: He felt a deep camaraderie rise from his heart, like the ancient spring flowing beneath the Great Wall, endless and enduring.Zh: 离开长城之际，Li Wei回望那道雄伟的建筑，心里明白：真正的友谊能超越时间与距离。En: As they left the Great Wall, Li Wei glanced back at the majestic structure, realizing that true friendship could transcend time and distance.Zh: 在这次重聚中，Li Wei不仅重新找回了朋友，更收获了对友谊的新理解。En: In this reunion, Li Wei not only rediscovered his friends but also gained a new understanding of friendship.Zh: 当最后一抹阳光隐没在天际，他们三个人携手漫步而去。En: As the last trace of sunlight disappeared over the horizon, the three walked hand in hand.Zh: 这段无言的旅程，属他们，亦是时间对友谊的最好见证。En: This silent journey belonged to them and stood as time's best testament to friendship. Vocabulary Words:midsummer: 仲夏magnificent: 宏伟verdant: 苍翠sprawled: 慵懒地蜷卧gazing: 眺望longing: 思念thrilled: 激动不已reuniting: 重聚bonds: 羁绊heralding: 拉开序幕reunion: 重聚faded: 褪色leisurely: 悠然rekindling: 重拾nostalgia: 怀念pensive: 深思nervous: 紧张tension: 紧绷picturesque: 风景如画concerns: 顾虑camaraderie: 情谊majestic: 雄伟transcend: 超越testament: 见证immerse: 沉浸unchanged: 不变hesitation: 犹豫afraid: 怕firm: 坚定sunlight: 阳光

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Joint Dynamics Podcast, host Andrew Cox sits down with adventurer and international speaker Sam Clear to uncover his extraordinary 568-day trek across 21 countries for global unity. Embarking on what stands as the 11th longest on-foot journey in recorded history, Sam walked 15,636 kilometres and survived 11 near-death experiences—including being chased with knives, navigating sub-zero -33°C Siberian winters, and being held at gunpoint three distinct times. Sam shares raw insights into his idyllic childhood on Flinders Island, the mental battle of pushing past physical limits, and his profound post-journey struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Tune in to discover how writing his book, Walk for One, became a mechanism for healing, and why he firmly believes that adversity allows love to become beautiful.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Running the Great Wall: A Marathon of Dreams and Friendship Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-07-16-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 长城的夏天，阳光热烈地洒在古老的砖石上，空气中弥漫着挑战和激情。En: In the summer at the Changcheng, the sun shone fiercely on the ancient bricks, and the air was filled with a sense of challenge and passion.Zh: 简和美站在起点，他们将参加一场慈善马拉松。En: Jian and Mei stood at the starting point, ready to participate in a charity marathon.Zh: 简是一名工程学学生，他希望利用自己的知识为偏远地区设计更好的医疗设施。En: Jian was an engineering student who hoped to use his knowledge to design better medical facilities for remote areas.Zh: 美是简最好的朋友，一名热情洋溢的医学生，梦想给资源匮乏的社区提供关怀。En: Mei was Jian's best friend, an enthusiastic medical student dreaming of providing care to under-resourced communities.Zh: 他们报名参加这次长城马拉松是为了筹款，帮助建设一个设备齐全的战地医院。En: They signed up for this Changcheng marathon to raise funds to help build a fully equipped field hospital.Zh: 长城上，蜿蜒的路径夹杂着历史的沉重，迎接着每一位参与者的决心和勇气。En: On the Changcheng, the winding paths mixed with the weight of history, welcoming the determination and courage of every participant.Zh: 没有清凉的微风，只有头顶那炎热的夏日。En: There was no cooling breeze, only the scorching summer sun overhead.Zh: 凌厉的太阳下，简记着自己的目标，他想着帮助乡村的医院，渴望改变现状。En: Under the fierce sun, Jian remembered his goal of helping the rural hospitals, yearning to change the current situation.Zh: 与此同时，美脑海中浮现出她去世不久的祖父，他是一位受人尊敬的医生。En: Meanwhile, Mei thought of her recently deceased grandfather, who had been a well-respected doctor.Zh: 她的每一步，都是为了纪念他的贡献。En: Each of her steps was in tribute to his contributions.Zh: 起初，他们的步伐轻快，脸上挂着微笑。En: Initially, their steps were light, with smiles on their faces.Zh: 但跑过了一段路，长城的坡度和暖气让他们的双腿变得沉重。En: But after covering a distance, the slopes of the Changcheng and the heat made their legs heavy.Zh: 美轻声说：“简，我们能行，我们必须撑下去。En: Mei softly said, "Jian, we can do it, we must keep going."Zh: ”简用力点头，但汗水模糊了他的视线，体力的流失让他陷入挣扎的边缘。En: Jian nodded firmly, but sweat blurred his vision, and the loss of strength brought him to the brink of struggle.Zh: 他一度想放弃，但想到美的鼓励和自己的梦想，他咬牙坚持。En: He was once tempted to give up, but thinking of Mei's encouragement and his dreams, he gritted his teeth and persisted.Zh: 随着终点逐渐显现，美却因严重缺水而身体虚弱地倒下。En: As the finish line gradually appeared, Mei collapsed from severe dehydration and physical weakness.Zh: 简面临选择，是完成比赛还是帮助她。En: Jian faced a choice—whether to complete the race or to help her.Zh: 他毫不犹豫地停下，扶起美，喂她水，确保她没事。En: Without hesitation, he stopped, helped Mei up, gave her water, and ensured she was okay.Zh: 两人携手，一步一步向前。En: The two of them held hands, moving forward step by step.Zh: 虽然他们并没有在规定的时间内完赛，但跨过终点线时，其他参与者为他们鼓掌，欣赏他们的友谊和共同目标。En: Although they did not finish within the set time, as they crossed the finish line, other participants applauded them, appreciating their friendship and shared goal.Zh: 在这个古老的长城面前，简意识到，真正的力量来自于团队的合作和社区的支持。En: In front of the ancient Changcheng, Jian realized that true strength comes from teamwork and community support.Zh: 这次经历让他明白，实现梦想不仅靠个人的成就，更需要集体的力量来实现共同的目标。En: This experience taught him that achieving dreams relies not only on personal accomplishments but also on collective strength to realize common goals. Vocabulary Words:fiercely: 热烈地challenge: 挑战passion: 激情charity: 慈善marathon: 马拉松remote: 偏远enthusiastic: 热情洋溢的under-resourced: 资源匮乏的winding: 蜿蜒的determination: 决心courage: 勇气scorching: 炎热的deceased: 去世的well-respected: 受人尊敬的tribute: 纪念slopes: 坡度tempted: 想persisted: 坚持collapsed: 倒下dehydration: 缺水applauded: 鼓掌friendship: 友谊community: 社区accomplishments: 成就collective: 集体的realize: 实现equipped: 设备齐全的field hospital: 战地医院historical: 历史的strength: 力量

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Capturing Memories and Nerves on the Great Wall Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-07-13-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在夏日明媚的阳光下，长城在雾气缭绕的山峰间蜿蜒盘旋。En: Under the bright summer sun, the Great Wall winds and spirals between the misty peaks.Zh: 作为旅行者的天堂，魏、兰和佳乘着假期来到这里。En: It's a paradise for travelers, and Wei, Lan, and Jia came here for a holiday.Zh: 魏是个开朗又略显笨拙的旅行者，兴奋地想要打卡每一个文化地标。En: Wei is an enthusiastic yet somewhat clumsy traveler, eager to tick off every cultural landmark.Zh: 他有个小心愿：在长城上拍一张完美的自拍，给他的粉丝分享这个珍贵的瞬间。En: He has a small wish: to take a perfect selfie on the Great Wall and share this precious moment with his followers.Zh: 尽管心里对高度有些畏惧，魏在心里给自己鼓劲，全力表现得毫不畏惧。En: Despite his slight fear of heights, Wei psyched himself up inside, determined to appear fearless.Zh: 当他们爬上长城时，游客们川流不息。En: As they climbed up the Great Wall, the tourists flowed like a stream.Zh: 魏拿出他的手机，准备拍照。En: Wei took out his phone to prepare for a photo.Zh: 然而，人多的地方太拥挤，让他难以专心。En: However, the crowd was too dense, making it hard for him to focus.Zh: 他心里想着：“要不硬着头皮去人少的地方试试？”En: He thought to himself, "Should I just brace myself and try in a less crowded spot?"Zh: 于是，魏决定走到长城一个较空旷的角落。En: So, Wei decided to move to a more open corner of the Great Wall.Zh: 他努力控制住自己的紧张，深吸一口气。En: He tried to control his nerves and took a deep breath.Zh: 终于，他发现了一个绝佳的背景：无边的青山，辉煌的城墙，景色如画。En: Finally, he found an excellent background: endless green hills, the magnificent wall, and scenery like a painting.Zh: 正当魏准备按下快门，一阵突如其来的大风让他站不稳，手机几乎脱手。En: Just when Wei was about to press the shutter, a sudden strong wind made him lose his balance, and the phone almost slipped from his hand.Zh: 多亏了兰，她及时伸手，把手机牢牢抓住。En: Thanks to Lan, who swiftly extended her hand and firmly caught the phone.Zh: “谢谢你，兰！”魏心有余悸地笑着说。En: "Thank you, Lan!" Wei said with a relieved smile.Zh: 最终，魏拍到了那张照片。En: In the end, Wei captured the photo.Zh: 虽然没达到心目中的完美，但却捕捉到了那惊险一刻的真实表情。En: Though it didn't reach his idea of perfection, it captured the genuine expression of that thrilling moment.Zh: 意外的是，这张照片比任何完美的自拍都要吸引粉丝的目光。En: Unexpectedly, this photo attracted his followers' attention more than any perfect selfie could.Zh: 通过这次经历，魏明白了照片背后的真实与记忆更为珍贵。En: Through this experience, Wei realized that the authenticity and memories behind a photo are more precious.Zh: 他不再纠结完美的抓拍，而是珍惜每一次旅行中的美好瞬间。En: He no longer frets over capturing the perfect shot but cherishes every beautiful moment during his travels.Zh: 在回程的车上，魏、兰和佳看着照片，笑得格外开心。En: On the ride back, Wei, Lan, and Jia looked at the photos, laughing with joy.Zh: 在长城上，魏不仅记录下了风景，更收获了朋友间的珍贵回忆和人生的新领悟。En: On the Great Wall, Wei not only recorded the scenery but also harvested precious memories with friends and gained new insights into life. Vocabulary Words:spirals: 盘旋paradise: 天堂enthusiastic: 开朗clumsy: 笨拙landmark: 地标precious: 珍贵fearless: 毫不畏惧flowed: 川流不息dense: 拥挤brace: 硬着头皮nerves: 紧张magnificent: 辉煌shutter: 快门extended: 伸手firmly: 牢牢balance: 站不稳relieved: 心有余悸genuine: 真实thrilling: 惊险authenticity: 真实fret: 纠结cherishes: 珍惜harvested: 收获insights: 领悟misty: 雾气缭绕eager: 兴奋slight: 略显captured: 捕捉gained: 获得snapshot: 抓拍

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ACOFAE Podcast Presents: Curse of the Golden Flower: “What I do not give, you must never take by force.” If you have never heard of this movie, please go watch it now. If it's been a while since you've seen this movie, go rewatch it. If this genre is new to you, welcome you are in for a treat. Laura Marie shamelessly campaigned for this movie to make the pod and here we all are, ready to be immersed in a colorful and political world that requires your full attention. There are plots within plots between the Imperial family, an incestuous relationship here, a coup there. Oh and a youngest son. That's important. Curse of the Golden Flower is a movie that takes you by surprise, and once the plot has you, it's impossible to look away from the Empress, her medicine, and the Emperor. "Crash out." TW / CW: none to our awareness For additional TW/CW information for your future reads, head to this site for more: https://triggerwarningdatabase.com/ Spoilers: Curse of the Golden Flower Mentions: This Poison Heart, Hero, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, The Great Wall, Rise of the Phoenixes, The Craft *Thank you for listening to us! Please subscribe and leave a 5-star review and follow us on Instagram at @ACOFAEpodcast and on our TikToks! TikTok: ACOFAELaura : Laura Marie ( https://www.tiktok.com/@acofaelaura) ACOFAEJessica : Jessica Marie (https://www.tiktok.com/@acofaejessica) Instagram: @ACOFAEpodcast https://www.instagram.com/acofaepodcast/ @ACOFAELaura https://www.instagram.com/acofaelaura/

Check out BeerBiceps SkillHouse Courses Here - https://linktr.ee/bbskillhouseFor all BeerBiceps vlog content Watch Life Of BeerBiceps - https://www.youtube.com/@LifeOfBeerBicepsDownload my meditation and wellness app, Swa:aha.https://app.level.game/?c=zSbmYnShare your guest suggestions hereMail - connect@beerbiceps.comLink - https://forms.gle/aoMHY9EE3Cg3Tqdx9Follow BeerBiceps SkillHouse's Social Media Handles:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeerBicepsSkillHouseInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/beerbiceps_skillhouseWebsite : https://beerbicepsskillhouse.inFor any other queries EMAIL: support@beerbicepsskillhouse.comIn case of any payment-related issues, kindly write to support@tagmango.comFollow Maj Gen Rajiv Narayanan's Social Media Handles:-X: https://x.com/KlRajivLinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/maj-gen-rajiv-narayanan-avsm-vsm-v-a08781117In this 519th episode of The Ranveer Show Hindi, we are joined by Major General Rajiv Narayanan, an Indian Army veteran and China expert who has spent over 25 years researching Chinese history, society, geopolitics, and military strategy.In this conversation with Major General Rajiv Narayanan, we explore the fascinating history of China, from ancient dynasties and Confucianism to the rise of the Mongol Empire, Kublai Khan, and the evolution of modern China. We discuss the historical relationship between India and China, the origins of the Silk Route, Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and the cultural foundations that continue to shape Chinese civilization today.This episode also covers the Opium Wars, the Century of Humiliation, British imperialism, the rise of Japan, the Chinese Communist Party, Hong Kong, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Chinese philosophy, Buddhism's journey from India to China, world history, geopolitics, and the strategic ambitions that influence China's global outlook today.This podcast is a valuable resource for anyone interested in Chinese History, Indian History, World History, Geopolitics, Military Strategy, International Relations, Buddhism, Ancient Civilizations, Asian Politics, and Global Affairs.00:00 – China Exposed03:18 – India & China's Ancient Connection05:32 – Confucius, Taoism & Sun Tzu Explained08:04 – How Modern China Was Built10:17 – Genghis Khan & the Mongol Empire13:50 – How Central Asia Shaped Turkey16:20 – Tibet, Xinjiang & China's Expansion19:15 – The Untold History of Tibet21:00 – Beijing, Shanghai & Ancient China29:15 – Why Japan & Korea Stayed Independent33:50 – Resistance in Tibet & Xinjiang40:05 – The East India Company & China's Fall46:50 – The Opium Wars Explained53:15 – Why Hong Kong & Macau Matter55:15 – Japan's Rise to Power01:00:10 – Fall of Imperial China01:04:10 – Mao, The Long March & the PLA01:06:45 – The Nanjing Massacre01:10:55 – Taiwan & the 'Five Fingers' Strategy01:18:10 – The Pacific Power Game01:21:05 – China's Resource Crisis01:24:20 – The Great Leap Forward Disaster01:25:50 – The 1962 India-China War01:28:40 – China's Cultural Revolution01:42:00 – The One-Child Policy Crisis01:49:50 – India vs. China: Who Wins?01:56:05 – Xi Jinping's New China01:59:50 – Final Lessons from China's History

Episode #430 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth are taking a hard left turn away from the Mushroom Kingdom and diving headfirst into the wide, wonderful, and occasionally chaotic world of non-Mario Kart kart racers. From Diddy Kong Racing to Crash Team Racing, from a Bloodborne-inspired gothic nightmare to a Muppet-filled trip to Fraggle Rock, we're celebrating the kart racing genre's rich history beyond Nintendo's juggernaut. Join us for some laps around the tracks! Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike. EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS Hot Top Volcano from Diddy Kong Racing [David Wise, 1997] Bentley Bear from Atari Karts [Fabrice Gillet, 1995] Fish 'N' Ships from Wacky Races [Kevin Saville, Marshall Parker & Gavin Parker, 2000] Courageous Heart from Rockman: Battle & Chase [Yoshinori Ono, 1997] Ocean View from Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed [Richard Jacques, 2012] Breakneck Cactuar! from Chocobo GP [Hidenori Iwasaki feat. Akira Kushida, 2022] Crash Cove from Crash Team Racing [Josh Mancell, 1999] Cyber Field from Konami Krazy Racers [Sotaro Tojima, 2001] Washington DC from Mickey's Speedway USA [Ben Cullum, 2000] The Great Wall from Disney Speedstorm [Vincent Labelle, Nicolas Dubé, Francois Collard & Martin Courcy, 2023] Toon Island II / Night Island from Motor Toon Grand Prix [Seiji Toda & Hideya Nagata, 1994] Miralodia Expressway from Nightmare Kart [Evelyn Lark, 2024] The World Next Door from Super Indie Karts [Dream Fiend, 2015] Fraggle Rock from Muppet RaceMania [Andy Blythe, Marten Joustra & Michael Giacchino, 2000] LINKS Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu Facebook: BGManiaPodcast X: BGManiaPodcast Instagram: BGManiaPodcast TikTok: BGManiaPodcast YouTube: BGManiaPodcast Twitch: BGManiaPodcast PODCAST NETWORK Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast Listening Religiously

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: A Hilarious Mix-up on the Great Wall: Chen's Unplanned Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-06-28-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 陈是一个随和的旅行者，他喜欢四处旅行。En: Chen is an easygoing traveler who enjoys exploring different places.Zh: 这一次，他决定去长城。En: This time, he decided to visit the Great Wall.Zh: 长城在夏天特别美丽，阳光明媚，游客们都在用相机拍摄美丽的景色。En: The Great Wall is especially beautiful in the summer, with bright sunshine and tourists capturing the stunning scenery with their cameras.Zh: 晨光照耀在雄伟的墙上，给它涂上了金色。En: The morning light bathes the majestic wall in a golden hue.Zh: 陈只想度过一个放松的夏日，在这历史古迹上走走，尝尝当地的美食。En: Chen just wanted to spend a relaxing summer day walking on this historical site and trying the local cuisine.Zh: 陈肚子饿了，看到一条长队。他以为这是买小吃的队伍。En: Feeling hungry, Chen noticed a long line and assumed it was for buying snacks.Zh: 于是，他心情愉快地排队，期待着美味的小吃。En: Happily, he joined the line, anticipating tasty treats.Zh: 不久，他注意到旁边的导游李正在介绍什么。En: Soon, he noticed nearby, a tour guide named Li was introducing something.Zh: 李是一个充满激情的导游。En: Li is a passionate tour guide.Zh: 他带领着一群游客，四处讲解长城的历史。En: He was leading a group of tourists, explaining the history of the Great Wall.Zh: 游客王，看起来就像那种爱开玩笑的人，正对着陈笑。En: A tourist named Wang, who seemed like a jokester, was smiling at Chen.Zh: "陈，你在排什么队啊？" 王调皮地问。En: "Chen, what line are you in?" Wang asked mischievously.Zh: "当然是小吃啊！" 陈回答，但脸上还是有点疑惑。En: "Of course, it's for snacks!" Chen replied, but he was a bit puzzled.Zh: 正当陈觉得奇怪时，导游李招呼大家站好，说：“好，现在我们继续表演这段历史。”En: Just as Chen was feeling odd, Li called everyone to get ready and said, "Alright, now we continue the historical reenactment."Zh: 陈才意识到他错加入了一场游客表演。En: It was then that Chen realized he had mistakenly joined a tourist performance.Zh: 王轻轻推了推陈，说：“没关系，跟着做就是了。”En: Wang gently nudged Chen and said, "It's okay, just go along with it."Zh: 陈犹豫了片刻，但想到自己已经站在这里，决定不如干脆加入这有趣的误会中。En: Chen hesitated for a moment, but considering he was already there, he decided to embrace this amusing misunderstanding.Zh: 随着李的指令，陈和其他游客一起开始参与一个搞笑的历史重演。En: Following Li's instructions, Chen and the other tourists began participating in a humorous historical reenactment.Zh: 他们假装是古代的士兵，要在长城上保卫领土。En: They pretended to be ancient soldiers defending the territory on the Great Wall.Zh: 随着动作，陈越做越自如，心中开始觉得有点乐趣。En: As he followed along with the actions, Chen became more comfortable and started finding it enjoyable.Zh: 当他们到达长城的一个制高点时，表演进入了高潮。En: When they reached a high point on the Great Wall, the performance reached its climax.Zh: 他们开始用假剑和盾牌进行一场刺激有趣的“战斗”。En: They started a thrilling and funny "battle" using fake swords and shields.Zh: 现场充满了欢声笑语，游客们也都兴致勃勃地参与其中。En: The scene was filled with laughter, and tourists eagerly participated.Zh: 表演结束时，大家热烈鼓掌，特别是为陈鼓掌，因为他全心投入的表演让人们捧腹大笑。En: At the end of the performance, the crowd burst into applause, especially for Chen, whose wholehearted performance had everyone in stitches.Zh: 陈这时终于连接起所有情节，忍不住自己也开始大笑。En: At this moment, Chen finally connected all the dots and couldn't help but laugh himself.Zh: 经过这次意外，陈意识到旅行中有时不按计划也很好。En: After this unexpected experience, Chen realized that sometimes not following the plan while traveling is just fine.Zh: 他学会了去发现周围的事物，享受不期而遇的乐趣。En: He learned to discover things around him and enjoy the unplanned joys.Zh: 这个旅程结束后，陈满载而归，不仅是胃里的美食，还有心里满满的愉快回忆。En: By the end of this journey, Chen returned home with a full belly of delicious food and a heart full of joyful memories.Zh: 王和李也成为他的好朋友。En: Wang and Li also became good friends of his.Zh: 长城的风景在人群的欢声笑语中显得更加美丽，留下了一个难忘的夏天。En: The scenery of the Great Wall, full of the crowd's laughter and chatter, seemed even more beautiful, leaving behind an unforgettable summer. Vocabulary Words:easygoing: 随和的traveler: 旅行者exploring: 四处旅行beautiful: 美丽captures: 拍摄stunning: 美丽的majestically: 雄伟bathing: 照耀cuisine: 美食hungry: 肚子饿noticed: 注意到passionate: 充满激情的jokester: 爱开玩笑的人mischievously: 调皮地puzzled: 疑惑reenactment: 重演nudged: 轻轻推embrace: 加入humorous: 搞笑的territory: 领土climax: 高潮thrilling: 刺激applause: 鼓掌wholehearted: 全心投入的belly: 胃里unforgettable: 难忘的scenery: 风景laughter: 欢声笑语chatter: 人群的欢声笑语connected: 连接

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Reviving Passion at the Great Wall: A Tour Guide's Tale Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-06-26-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 长城在夏日的阳光下，像一条巨龙蜿蜒在绿色的山间。En: In the summer sunshine, the Changcheng winds through the green mountains like a gigantic dragon.Zh: 这里是李美工作的地方，她是长城的导游。En: This is where Li Mei works—she is a tour guide at the Great Wall.Zh: 每天，她讲解长城的历史。En: Every day, she explains the history of the Great Wall.Zh: 虽然她热爱历史，但最近，她感到不满足。En: Although she loves history, recently, she has felt unsatisfied.Zh: 李美站在长城上，迎接今天的游客：“大家好，我叫李美。我会带大家游览长城。”En: Li Mei stood on the Great Wall, greeting today's visitors: “Hello everyone, my name is Li Mei. I will guide you on a tour of the Great Wall.”Zh: 今天的游客包括陈伟和向荣。En: Today's visitors included Chen Wei and Xiang Rong.Zh: 他们兴奋地跟随李美，探索这个古老的奇迹。En: They followed Li Mei excitedly, exploring this ancient marvel.Zh: 李美开始讲述长城的故事：“长城是为了防御外敌而建，经历了多个朝代。En: Li Mei began to tell the story of the Great Wall: “The Great Wall was built to defend against foreign invaders and was constructed over several dynasties.Zh: 它象征着中国人民的智慧和坚韧。”声音温柔却微带疲惫。En: It symbolizes the wisdom and resilience of the Chinese people.” Her voice was gentle but slightly weary.Zh: 她感受不到从前的激情，只是因为重复的工作流程。En: She could not feel the passion she once had, simply because of the repetitive nature of the work.Zh: 走着走着，李美忽然停了下来，望向远处的山谷。En: As they walked, Li Mei suddenly stopped and gazed into the distant valley.Zh: 她决定不再机械地讲解，而是分享一些个人的故事：“小时候，我第一次来长城，跟我祖父一起。En: She decided not to deliver a mechanical explanation and instead shared some personal stories: “When I was a child, I came to the Great Wall for the first time with my grandfather.Zh: 他告诉我，这里的每一块砖都诉说着一个故事。”她微笑着看向游客，话语中带着温暖。En: He told me that each brick here tells a story.” She smiled warmly at the tourists.Zh: 就在这时，天边乌云聚集，夏天的骤雨突然来袭。En: Just then, dark clouds gathered on the horizon, and a sudden summer rainstorm hit.Zh: 雨水打破了原有的节奏，游客们跑去寻找避雨的地方。En: The rain broke the original rhythm, and the tourists ran to find shelter.Zh: 李美感到无奈，但也有一丝轻松。En: Li Mei felt helpless, yet slightly relieved.Zh: 雨停后，天空中出现了一道鲜艳的彩虹。En: After the rain stopped, a vibrant rainbow appeared in the sky.Zh: 游客们看着这罕见的景象，纷纷拍照，脸上洋溢着快乐。En: The tourists marveled at this rare sight, taking pictures with joy on their faces.Zh: 李美也加入其中，与大家分享这自然馈赠的美丽。En: Li Mei joined them, sharing in the beauty nature had bestowed.Zh: 陈伟和向荣对李美说：“这次导游很特别，我们感受到了你的热情和真实。”En: Chen Wei and Xiang Rong told Li Mei, “This tour was very special, we felt your passion and authenticity.”Zh: 李美听后，心中重燃了对工作的热情。En: Hearing this, Li Mei's enthusiasm for her work was rekindled.Zh: 她明白，有时候不按常理出牌，也能带来意想不到的效果。En: She realized that sometimes, doing things out of the ordinary could lead to unexpected results.Zh: 从那天起，李美的导游方式发生了变化。En: From that day on, Li Mei's guiding style changed.Zh: 她开始在讲解中加入更多的个人故事和即兴想法。En: She began to incorporate more personal stories and spontaneous ideas into her commentary.Zh: 她找到了工作的乐趣，并决心将每次导游都变成一次特别的经历。En: She found joy in her work and was determined to make each tour a unique experience.Zh: 长城依旧横卧在山间，承载着新的故事，与李美的心一起，焕发出新的光彩。En: The Great Wall still lay across the mountains, bearing new stories, shining anew alongside Li Mei's heart. Vocabulary Words:gigantic: 巨大的dragon: 龙satisfied: 满足exploring: 探索ancient: 古老的marvel: 奇迹defend: 防御invaders: 外敌constructed: 建造dynasties: 朝代resilience: 坚韧weary: 疲惫valley: 山谷mechanical: 机械的brick: 砖gathered: 聚集horizon: 天边rainstorm: 骤雨shelter: 避雨的地方relieved: 轻松vibrant: 鲜艳的rainbow: 彩虹bestowed: 馈赠enthusiasm: 热情rekindled: 重燃spontaneous: 即兴commentary: 讲解determined: 决心unique: 特别的bear: 承载

What do a biochemist, a Chinese mansion house, Heathrow Airport, 250 burger restaurants, a pub turnaround, student accommodation, retirement living, and more than a few bottles of Mao Tai have in common?This week's guest... Duncan Garrood.And trust me...You're going to want to hear this one.Duncan's career began in a laboratory as a scientist with a PhD in Biochemistry.It then took him through Unilever, a decade living in China, Heathrow Airport, the Middle East, Punch Taverns, Bill's Restaurants, family entertainment, student accommodation, and now Riverstone Living.Most people spend a career trying to follow a plan.Duncan spent his, basically just saying yes.In this episode we chat about:Why a scientist decided business looked more interestingBeing told on a Wednesday that he was moving to China on SundayLiving next door to 13 Chinese families in a former colonial mansionPutting Walls ice cream on the Great Wall of ChinaThe business lessons hidden inside industrial quantities of Mao TaiWhat airports can teach us about hospitalityWhy great service is often revealed when things go wrongGrowing a business from $150 million to $1 billionRunning out of cows whilst scaling Shake ShackTransforming Punch Taverns during one of the biggest shifts in pub legislationReimagining Bill's RestaurantsUsing people, not capital, to drive growth in leisureTreating students like customersWhy later living might be one of the most exciting sectors in hospitality todayAlong the way we explore leadership, customer experience, entrepreneurship, curiosity, reinvention, and the power of saying yes to opportunities before you're entirely sure how they'll work out.One of my favourite stories came from Duncan's time in China.After fifteen dinners with a potential business partner, countless toasts, and enough Mao Tai to test the resilience of a small nation, the gentleman put his arm around him and declared:You are my little brother."Moments later, he passed out.Business was secured.As leadership lessons go, it's certainly more memorable than most MBA programmes.There are also some absolute gems throughout the conversation:

Alice Han and James Kynge dive into why JPMorgan has cut its Hong Kong employees off from Anthropic's Claude. That comes after Goldman Sachs quietly restricted AI access for their employees in the city. With ChatGPT already blocked on the mainland, are U.S. companies drawing a new line around Hong Kong? And what does it mean for the city's future as a global financial hub? They also discuss Lululemon's Great Wall yoga festival, which was meant to celebrate Chinese culture. Instead, a Japanese-style drum in the promotional imagery set off a nationalist firestorm — over 50 million views on Weibo and counting. It's the latest in a long line of foreign brand missteps in China. Why is it so hard to get it right? And finally: China hasn't qualified for the World Cup — but football fans have found someone to root for: Chinese referee Ma Ning, who has picked up sponsorships from Lenovo and Hisense and 210,000 new social media followers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Hearts and Resilience: Friendship on the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-06-22-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 长城在阳光下显得格外雄伟，四周是龙舟节的热闹活动。En: The Changcheng appeared particularly majestic under the sunlight, with the lively activities of the Dragon Boat Festival all around.Zh: 人们穿着五颜六色的传统服饰，脸上洋溢着笑容。En: People were dressed in brightly colored traditional costumes, smiles beaming on their faces.Zh: 梅琳和金海也在其中，他们漫步在长城上，欣赏着节日的氛围。En: Meilin and Jinhai were among them, strolling along the Great Wall, enjoying the festival atmosphere.Zh: 梅琳心情复杂，看着金海兴奋地参与各种活动。En: Meilin felt a mix of emotions as she watched Jinhai excitedly participate in various activities.Zh: 他是一名热爱户外冒险的年轻人，但他有哮喘的毛病，常常不顾身体状况投入活动。En: He was a young man who loved outdoor adventures, but he suffered from asthma and often ignored his physical condition when joining activities.Zh: 梅琳担心地看着友人，希望他不会过于兴奋。En: Meilin watched her friend with concern, hoping he wouldn't get overly excited.Zh: “梅琳，你看那边！”金海指着远处的一场龙舟比赛，眼神闪闪发亮，显得雀跃不已。En: "Meilin, look over there!" Jinhai pointed at a distant dragon boat race, his eyes sparkling with excitement.Zh: 他的热情感染了梅琳，她也心情愉悦地跟着他跑去观赛。En: His enthusiasm was infectious, and Meilin happily followed him to go watch the race.Zh: 太阳高挂天际，热浪渐渐袭来。En: The sun hung high in the sky, and heat waves gradually rolled in.Zh: 金海来回奔走于不同的活动中，虽然脸上依旧挂着笑容，但梅琳注意到他的呼吸开始变得急促。En: Jinhai ran back and forth between different activities, keeping a smile on his face, but Meilin noticed his breathing beginning to become rapid.Zh: 她心中一紧，悄悄跟在他身后，始终不敢放松警惕。En: Her heart tightened as she quietly followed him, never daring to let her guard down.Zh: 突然，金海停下脚步，用力扶住长城的墙壁，显得极其不适。En: Suddenly, Jinhai stopped in his tracks, gripping the Great Wall tightly, looking extremely uncomfortable.Zh: 他的呼吸开始变得困难，脸色也瞬间苍白。En: His breathing became difficult, and his face turned pale in an instant.Zh: 梅琳见状，毫不犹豫地跑上前扶住他，轻声问：“金海，你还好吗？”En: Seeing this, Meilin rushed up to support him without hesitation and softly asked, "Jinhai, are you okay?"Zh: 金海点点头，但显然呼吸不过来。En: Jinhai nodded, but it was obvious he couldn't catch his breath.Zh: 他伸手指向背包，梅琳立刻明白他的意思，迅速找出了他的吸入器，小心地递给他。En: He gestured toward his backpack, and Meilin immediately understood his meaning, quickly finding his inhaler and carefully handing it to him.Zh: 几分钟后，金海的呼吸逐渐平稳下来。En: A few minutes later, Jinhai's breathing gradually steadied.Zh: 他感激地看着梅琳，勉强露出一个微笑。“谢谢你，梅琳，”他轻声说。En: He looked at Meilin with gratitude, managing a faint smile. "Thank you, Meilin," he said softly.Zh: 梅琳松了一口气，但仍然心有余悸。En: Meilin breathed a sigh of relief, but still felt a lingering fear.Zh: “我们休息一下，好吗？节日的乐趣很多，我们不需要急着赶完所有活动。”En: "Shall we take a break?" she suggested. "There's plenty of festival fun; we don't need to rush to do everything."Zh: 金海点点头，脸上流露出真诚的谢意和理解。En: Jinhai nodded, expressing sincere gratitude and understanding on his face.Zh: 他意识到自己需要更好地照顾健康。En: He realized he needed to take better care of his health.Zh: 梅琳陪在他身边，轻声说：“你开心就是最重要的，我们慢慢享受。”En: Meilin stayed by his side, saying quietly, "Your happiness is the most important thing, let's enjoy it slowly."Zh: 最终，他们坐在城墙上，看着远处的龙舟比赛，感受微风拂面。En: In the end, they sat on the wall, watching the dragon boat race in the distance and feeling the breeze on their faces.Zh: 虽然金海没有参加所有的活动，但他的心情依旧很满足。En: Although Jinhai didn't participate in all the activities, he was still very content.Zh: 梅琳则感到更加自信，明白有时坚定地给予支持才能带来更好的结果。En: Meilin felt more confident, understanding that sometimes giving steadfast support leads to better outcomes.Zh: 这一天里，他们不仅享受了节日的快乐，也更明白了相互照顾和健康的重要性。En: On this day, they not only enjoyed the joys of the festival but also gained a deeper understanding of the importance of taking care of each other and health.Zh: 节日的烟火在空中绽放，照亮了皎洁的夜空，长城依旧矗立，见证了他们之间无声的理解和友谊。En: Festival fireworks burst in the sky, illuminating the bright night, while the Great Wall stood firm, witnessing the silent understanding and friendship between them. Vocabulary Words:majestic: 雄伟festival: 节日strolling: 漫步atmosphere: 氛围adventures: 冒险asthma: 哮喘condition: 状况concern: 担心sparkling: 闪闪发亮enthusiasm: 热情infectious: 感染gradually: 渐渐rapid: 急促tightened: 紧hesitation: 犹豫gesture: 指向inhaler: 吸入器steadied: 平稳gratitude: 感激relief: 松了一口气lingering: 心有余悸content: 满足confident: 自信steadfast: 坚定witnessing: 见证understanding: 理解fireworks: 烟火illuminating: 照亮breeze: 微风support: 支持

Tucker Carlson repeats the same lie that Israel was responsible in the m*rder of Charlie Kirk. Dana explains how the Woke Reich keeps muddying the waters about Iran to confuse their audience to control the political narrative. Dana shares commentary on the most unhinged moments from Barack Obama's Presidential Center ribbon cutting ceremony including a land acknowledgment and Tom Hanks destroying MS NOW. Dana explains how Juneteenth is another way to stick it on Democrats' faces that they were on the WRONG side of history. Lululemon apologizes for using a Japanese drum at the Great Wall of China yoga event. Joe Kent picks a fight with Dana. Italian PM Georgio Meloni slams Trump for claiming Meloni was “begging” for a photo with him. Is it a dramatic distraction?Thank you for supporting our sponsors that make The Dana Show possible…Concerned Women For America https://ConcernedWomen.org/Dana If you believe children's programming should be transparent and that parent should have the loudest voice- submit your comment before the June 22nd deadline. Webroothttps://Webroot.com/DanaMake the switch and feel the difference of truly fast, modern antivirus protection — for a limited time, you can save 60% with code DanaRelief Factorhttps://ReliefFactor.comDeclare your independence from pain with Relief Factor—start the 3-Week QuickStart for just $17.76Prebornhttps://PreBorn.com/DanaDonate today to help another Mother and Father experience hope. $28 sponsors one ultrasound and can help save a baby's life. Or Dial  #250 and say BABYByrnahttps://Byrna.com/DanaTrusted by law enforcement, security professionals, and everyday Americans—defend yourself and your family with Byrna.HumanNhttps://Humann.com/DanaSave $5 on HumanN Cholesterol Health Daily at Sam's Club. Head to your local Sam's Club and do more to support your cholesterol health with the science-first brand. Fast Growing Treeshttp://fastgrowingtrees.com/Dana Get an additional 20% Percent Off Better Plants and Better Growing by using code DANA at checkout. Patriot Mobilehttp://PatriotMobile.com/DANAVisit online or call 972-PATRIOT and use promo code DANA for a FREE month of service.Noble Goldhttps://NobleGoldInvestments.com/DanaIf you want to see how physical gold and silver could fit into your portfolio, download Noble Gold Investments FREE Wealth Protection Kit. Pocket HoseText DANA to 64000For a limited time, get two FREE gifts—a 360° rotating pocket pivot and thumb drive nozzle when you buy a new Pocket Hose Ballistic; just text DANA to 64000, message and data rates may apply.Ghost Bedhttps://GhostBed.com/DANAGhostBed has the cooling luxury mattress you need for the best summer sleep. Use code DANA for an extra 10% off sitewide.Subscribe today and stay in the loop on all things news with The Dana Show. Follow us here for more daily clips, updates, and commentary:YoutubeFacebookInstagramXMore InfoWebsite

Episode: 1590 The Great Wall of China -- a long and checquered history.  Today, a 2300-year-old wall.

Today on The Peak Daily, we dig into a push to partially legalize psychedelic drugs in Canada through doctor prescriptions, and what lessons the country could take from places like Oregon and Australia. Then, Lululemon faces backlash in China after a Great Wall yoga event sparked cultural and geopolitical controversy, highlighting how high the stakes are for Western brands relying on the Chinese market. Plus, one big number on Hollywood's most expensive movie ever, and a fascinating new therapy that aims to “reprogram” cells to act young again.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

What exactly is the agreement between the US and Iran? CNN has seen a draft. President Donald Trump wants to delay a confirmation hearing for his pick for Director of National Intelligence – we'll explain why. We have new data on how Americans feel about ‘culture war' issues. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has an algae problem after President Trump's makeover. And Lululemon is facing some backlash in after a yoga session on the Great Wall of China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Soaring Dreams: A Kite's Journey at the Great Wall Festival Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-06-15-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 龙舟节这一天，长城上阳光明媚，风景如画。En: On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the Great Wall basked in bright sunshine, offering picturesque scenery.Zh: 人们聚集在一起，庆祝这个快乐的节日。En: People gathered together to celebrate this joyous holiday.Zh: 李伟站在城墙脚下，抬头看着这段古老的长城。En: Li Wei stood at the foot of the Great Wall, looking up at this ancient structure.Zh: 今天是他再次证明自己的日子。En: Today was his day to prove himself once again.Zh: 他要在这里放飞一只巨大的风筝。En: He planned to fly a gigantic kite here.Zh: 李伟是一位热爱风筝的年轻人。En: Li Wei was a young man who loved kites.Zh: 每年他都参加风筝节，今年，他带来了他最大的创作。En: Every year he participated in the kite festival, and this year, he had brought his largest creation.Zh: 然而，这个风筝实在是太大了。En: However, this kite was truly enormous.Zh: 张明看着这庞然大物，忍不住皱眉，“李伟，这怎么能带上去呢？”En: Zhang Ming looked at the gigantic object and couldn't help but frown, "How can this be taken up there, Li Wei?"Zh: 陈秀笑着拍拍李伟的背，“要不我们帮你吧，分成几部分，搬上去？”En: Chen Xiu smiled and patted Li Wei on the back, "How about we help you? We can divide it into parts and carry it up."Zh: 李伟一边擦汗，一边点头，“好主意，分开来我们一起搬。”En: Li Wei wiped his sweat and nodded, "Good idea, let's separate it and carry it up together."Zh: 于是在朋友的帮助下，他们小心翼翼地把风筝分解成几个部分开始往上搬。En: With the help of his friends, they carefully disassembled the kite into several parts and began to carry it upwards.Zh: 长城的台阶陡峭，太阳晒得他们汗流浃背。En: The steps of the Great Wall were steep, and the sun made them sweat profusely.Zh: 张明时不时停下来喘气，陈秀用手巾抹去额头上的汗水，而李伟则紧紧盯着越来越接近的顶端，“加油，我们快到了！”En: Zhang Ming paused occasionally to catch his breath, Chen Xiu wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, while Li Wei kept his eyes fixed on the increasingly close top, "Come on, we're almost there!"Zh: 终于，他们站在长城的顶端，俯瞰着下方的群山与人群。En: Finally, they stood at the top of the Great Wall, overlooking the mountains and the crowd below.Zh: 李伟迫不及待地开始组装他的风筝。En: Li Wei couldn't wait to start assembling his kite.Zh: 张明和陈秀忙着把风筝的骨架架起来，忽然一阵大风吹来，风筝险些被吹跑。En: Zhang Ming and Chen Xiu busied themselves with setting up the frame of the kite, when suddenly a strong gust of wind nearly blew the kite away.Zh: “不好，快抓住它！”李伟大喊。En: "Oh no, grab it quickly!" Li Wei shouted.Zh: 陈秀和张明迅速反应，三个人合力才稳住了风筝。En: Chen Xiu and Zhang Ming reacted swiftly, and together the three of them managed to stabilize the kite.Zh: 经过一番紧张的忙碌，风筝终于组装完毕。En: After a bout of tense busyness, the kite was finally assembled.Zh: 李伟深吸一口气，将风筝放飞。En: Li Wei took a deep breath and released the kite.Zh: 巨大的风筝在空中展开，五彩斑斓，十分壮观。En: The gigantic kite unfolded in the air, beautifully colorful and spectacular.Zh: 周围的人群纷纷拍手叫好。En: The surrounding crowd erupted into applause and cheers.Zh: 李伟看着在风中翱翔的风筝，心中充满了自豪与感激。En: Li Wei watched the kite soar in the wind, his heart filled with pride and gratitude.Zh: 他转过头，看着身边的朋友们，“谢谢你们，没有你们，我不可能做到。”En: He turned his head to look at his friends by his side, "Thank you all, I couldn't have done it without you."Zh: 这一次，李伟不仅实现了他的梦想，还明白了朋友和合作的意义。En: This time, Li Wei not only achieved his dream but also understood the importance of friendship and cooperation.Zh: 风筝在长城的蓝天中飞得更高，象征着他的友谊和新的理解。En: The kite flew higher in the blue sky above the Great Wall, symbolizing his friendship and newfound understanding. Vocabulary Words:bask: 晒picturesque: 如画ancient: 古老的gigantic: 巨大的enormous: 庞然大物frown: 皱眉disassembled: 分解profusely: 汗流浃背handkerchief: 手巾gust: 一阵大风swiftly: 迅速stabilize: 稳住tense: 紧张的assembled: 组装unfolded: 展开spectacular: 壮观applause: 拍手叫好gratitude: 感激friendship: 友谊cooperation: 合作structure: 城墙overlooking: 俯瞰achieved: 实现soar: 翱翔symbolizing: 象征着prove: 证明foot: 脚下steep: 陡峭sweat: 汗水erupted: 纷纷

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Ambition to Awareness: A Journey on the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-06-15-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夏日的长城在阳光下显得格外壮丽，远处时不时传来端午节欢庆的声音。En: The Changcheng looked particularly magnificent in the sunlight during summer, while sounds of Duanwu Jie celebrations occasionally drifted from afar.Zh: 梁和美站在石阶上，他们的呼吸被微风带走。En: Liang and Mei stood on the stone steps, their breath carried away by the gentle breeze.Zh: 长城就像一条巨龙，蜿蜒在绿色的山峦之间。En: The Great Wall resembled a giant dragon, winding through the verdant hills.Zh: 梁目光坚定，他决心挑战自己，走完这段艰难的路。En: Liang's gaze was resolute; he was determined to challenge himself and finish this strenuous journey.Zh: 一开始，梁走得很快。En: At first, Liang walked quickly.Zh: 他感到兴奋，双腿充满力量。En: He felt excited, his legs brimming with strength.Zh: 然而，烈日炎炎，逐步消耗着他的体力。En: However, the blazing sun gradually sapped his energy.Zh: 美紧紧跟在他身后，脸上带着担忧的表情。En: Mei closely followed, a worried expression on her face.Zh: “梁，我们休息一下吧。”美轻声说，希望能说服他停下。En: "Liang, let's take a break," Mei softly suggested, hoping to persuade him to stop.Zh: “不，美，我能坚持。”梁勉强微笑，他不愿停下。En: "No, Mei, I can keep going," Liang smiled weakly, unwilling to stop.Zh: 挑战充满了吸引力。En: The challenge was too enticing.Zh: 几个小时后，梁的步伐慢了下来。En: Hours later, Liang's pace slowed down.Zh: 他的额头布满汗珠，双腿开始打颤。En: His forehead was covered with sweat, and his legs started to tremble.Zh: 美的心揪紧了，她知道梁很累。En: Mei's heart tightened; she knew Liang was exhausted.Zh: 可是，梁还是不肯停下。En: Yet, Liang still refused to stop.Zh: 当他们走到一段长城的顶峰时，梁突然感到天旋地转。En: When they reached the peak of a section of the Great Wall, Liang suddenly felt the world spinning.Zh: 他的眼前一片模糊，然后身体失去平衡，倒在石阶上。En: Everything blurred before his eyes, and he lost his balance, collapsing onto the stone steps.Zh: “梁！”美大喊，她赶紧扶住他。En: "Liang!" Mei shouted, quickly rushing to support him.Zh: 这时，两个都明白了，情况已经很严重了。En: At that moment, both understood the situation had become quite serious.Zh: 美心里有了决心。En: Mei felt a determination settle within her.Zh: 她决定不再让梁继续这样下去。En: She decided not to let Liang continue this way.Zh: “梁，我们要休息。参加端午节庆典吧，En: "Liang, we need to rest. Let's join the Duanwu Jie celebrations.Zh: 那里有粽子和赛龙舟，放松一下。”En: There are zongzi and dragon boat races, a chance to relax."Zh: 梁疲惫地闭着眼睛，他慢慢地点头。En: Liang closed his eyes wearily and slowly nodded.Zh: 美的声音是一种慰藉。En: Mei's voice was a comfort.Zh: 在端午节的氛围中，他们找到了一个小村庄。En: Among the Duanwu Jie festivities, they found a small village.Zh: 那里的人们热情好客，邀请他们参加龙舟赛和品尝美味的粽子。En: The villagers were hospitable, inviting them to join the dragon boat races and taste the delicious zongzi.Zh: 梁终于感受到休息的快乐。En: Liang finally felt the joy of rest.Zh: 通过这次经历，梁明白了一个重要的道理：挑战自己固然重要，但更要学会倾听身体的声音，珍惜健康。En: Through this experience, Liang learned an important lesson: challenging oneself is important, but it's more crucial to listen to your body's signals and cherish health.Zh: 他对美说：“谢谢你美，以后我会更注意的。”En: He said to Mei, "Thank you, Mei, I'll be more mindful in the future."Zh: 美微笑，心里松了一口气。En: Mei smiled, feeling relieved.Zh: 长城依旧在阳光下延展，但此刻，梁和美决定一起欣赏节日的美好，一起分享这个特别的节日时光。En: The Great Wall still stretched out under the sun, but at this moment, Liang and Mei decided to enjoy the beauty of the festival together and share this special holiday time. Vocabulary Words:magnificent: 壮丽sunlight: 阳光breeze: 微风giant: 巨大的verdant: 绿色的resolute: 坚定的strenuous: 艰难的excited: 兴奋的brimming: 充满blazing: 烈日炎炎sapped: 消耗persuade: 说服enticing: 吸引力tremble: 打颤tightened: 揪紧exhausted: 很累blurred: 模糊balance: 平衡collapse: 倒下hospitable: 热情好客festivities: 庆典determination: 决心signals: 信号cherish: 珍惜weary: 疲惫relieved: 松了一口气appreciate: 欣赏celebrate: 欢庆suggested: 建议settle: 定下来

I was blessed to sit down once again with Pastor Doug Wilson in his Idaho office to discuss a variety of China-related topics, including Trump's China tactics and whether or not Doug thinks he'll ever stand on the Great Wall of China. We also spent quite a few minutes discussing his early years in Japan, which was sort of unplanned. The conversation was fascinating and fun and we only stopped because of time restraints. I have a few more questions that I had to leave for a future conversation. Here's the link to our previous conversation back in the Fall of 2025, of which I wrote the following... In our 30+ minute conversation, we touched on many topics including the Great Leap Forward, Mao’s Great Famine, Doug’s Submarine Adventures with a Taiwanese crew, the China Legacies of Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter, the Tiananmen Square massacre (and revival), China’s modern-day revival, C.S. Lewis’s 1946 China optimism vs. Doug’s (short-term) pessimism, Hebrews 13:3 and how to pray for the persecuted, and PrayforChina.us’s helpful strategy! https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/30293/episodes/133 We would welcome donations to help us equip pastors in the Chinese house church network I mentioned in my conversation with Doug. Here is the website to the ministry I lead, Mission Catalyst: MCI3.org Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post new China city prayer profiles every single day. Feel free to email me any notes, questions, or comments: chinacompass at privacyport dot com Learn more about our China work, including my missionary biographies, at PrayGiveGo.us! Subscribe to China Compass and leave a review on your preferred podcast platform. Luke 10, vs. 2, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Talk again soon!

I was blessed to sit down once again with Pastor Doug Wilson in his Idaho office to discuss a variety of China-related topics, including Trump's China tactics and whether or not Doug thinks he'll ever stand on the Great Wall of China. We also spent quite a few minutes discussing his early years in Japan, which was sort of unplanned. The conversation was fascinating and fun and we only stopped because of time restraints. I have a few more questions that I had to leave for a future conversation. Here's the link to our previous conversation back in the Fall of 2025, of which I wrote the following... In our 30+ minute conversation, we touched on many topics including the Great Leap Forward, Mao’s Great Famine, Doug’s Submarine Adventures with a Taiwanese crew, the China Legacies of Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter, the Tiananmen Square massacre (and revival), China’s modern-day revival, C.S. Lewis’s 1946 China optimism vs. Doug’s (short-term) pessimism, Hebrews 13:3 and how to pray for the persecuted, and PrayforChina.us’s helpful strategy! https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/30293/episodes/133 We would welcome donations to help us equip pastors in the Chinese house church network I mentioned in my conversation with Doug. Here is the website to the ministry I lead, Mission Catalyst: MCI3.org Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post new China city prayer profiles every single day. Feel free to email me any notes, questions, or comments: chinacompass at privacyport dot com Learn more about our China work, including my missionary biographies, at PrayGiveGo.us! Subscribe to China Compass and leave a review on your preferred podcast platform. Luke 10, vs. 2, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Talk again soon!

Text us with topic or guest suggestions!What would it be like for American educators to relocate to China for a few years? And in what ways would doing so in the early 2000s have increased the level of challenge?With 1.5 billion citizens at the turn of the millennium, China represented a fifth of the globe's  population. It also brought with it suspicion as a human-rights depriving, communist country,  and curiosity, with its rich cultural history that dated back thousands of years. There are historic landmarks such as The Great Wall, Peking Man, and the Forbidden City.  Janet Flaugher and her husband accepted the opportunity to live in Beijing for three years when  she accepted a position in 2002 as the superintendent of a prestigious international school. What resulted from her experience two decades later is a multi-award-winning book, Two  Bottles of Water. It is an engaging and zany exposé about what life in China is really like for a  couple of immigrant newbies. It's always something, from kitchens that smell of sewer gas, to  surviving mystery meat stew, to underappreciated efforts at communication in Chinese. The  book follows the misadventures of a pair of Americans plunked down in an alien environment  they struggle to comprehend. Her stand-alone essays collectively tell the story of an impactful  adventure. “It was a difficult, confusing, sometimes unfriendly, place for any westerner, and especially for  one plunked down in a totally unfamiliar setting, unable to communicate, with a minimal support  system,” writes Flaugher in her book. “In spite of all the difficulties we encountered in our stay, I'm glad we did it. It was the experience of a lifetime to be an immigrant and learn firsthand what  it was like to be a stranger in a strange land. It also provided great insight into culture shock,  unconscious bias (mine), and racism (theirs).” Our guiding question for this show was, “What lessons did you learn during your 1 ½ year relocation to a school/city/country that was completely unfamiliar to you?”Some of the topics covered include:Acknowledging unconscious biasNavigating culture shockCoping with isolation and the daily challenges of living as immigrants in a country where nothing was familiarThe realities of learning a difficult language in real timeHow the Chinese view outsiders – and what Americans can learn from them. Lessons learned from leading a school in another countryLessons learned from taking all over the world Broadened perspectives on immigration, identity, and belonging.Resources Mentioned in the Episode: Janet's website: www.jtalespinner.com  Two Bottles of Water on Bookshop.orgThis episode was recorded on May 19, 2026.Categories: Transitions | Culture Shock | Travel | Language LearningSupport the showRemember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!Email us with comments or suggestions at educatorsgoingglobal@gmail.com Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook,  Instagram or YouTube.Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.  

June 1, 2026Have you had your dose of The Daily MoJo today? Download our app HERE"The Pain Of BOOM! | The Daily MoJo Ep:060126"This episode of The Daily Mojo covers a range of critical topics, from space exploration setbacks with Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket to NASA's lunar ambitions. Discussions also delve into political commentary, privacy concerns surrounding FLOC cameras, and a debunking of the Great Wall of China's visibility from space. The program concludes with a look at current events and a unique "Stinky Fish Challenge."Phil Bell's Morning Update - The Inspirational Spencer Pratt:  HERERon's The Way I See It: He's Just Like Trump: HEREOur affiliate partners:EMP Shield - Figuring out the odds of a devastating EMP attack on the United States is impossible, but as with any disaster, the chances are NOT ZERO, and could happen any day. This decade has proven that the weird and unexpected is right around the corner. Be prepared - protect your home, vehicle, even your generator - with EMP Shield. You'll save money and protect what's important at the same time!ProtectMyMoJo.com Be prepared! Not scared. Need some Ivermection? Some Hydroxychloroquine? Don't have a doctor who fancies your crazy ideas? We have good news - Dr. Stella Immanuel has teamed up with The Daily MoJo to keep you healthy and happy all year long! Not only can she provide you with those necessary prophylactics, but StellasMoJo.com has plenty of other things to keep you and your body in tip-top shape. Use Promo Code: DailyMoJo to save $$Take care of your body - it's the only one you'll get and it's your temple! We've partnered with Sugar Creek Goods to help you care for yourself in an all-natural way. And in this case, "all natural" doesn't mean it doesn't work! Save 15% on your order with promo code "DailyMojo" at SmellMyMoJo.comCBD is almost everywhere you look these days, so the answer isn't so much where can you get it, it's more about - where can you get the CBD products that actually work!? Certainly, NOT at the gas station! Patriots Relief says it all in the name, and you can save an incredible 40% with the promo code "DailyMojo" at GetMoJoCBD.com!Romika Designs is an awesome American small business that specializes in creating laser-engraved gifts and awards for you, your family, and your employees. Want something special for someone special? Find exactly what you want at MoJoLaserPros.com  There have been a lot of imitators, but there's only OG – American Pride Roasters Coffee. It was first and remains the best roaster of fine coffee beans from around the world. You like coffee? You'll love American Pride – from the heart of the heartland – Des Moines, Iowa. AmericanPrideRoasters.com   Find great deals on American-made products at MoJoMyPillow.com. Mike Lindell – a true patriot in our eyes – puts his money where his mouth (and products) is/are. Find tremendous deals at MoJoMyPillow.com – Promo Code: MoJo50  Life gets messy – sometimes really messy. Be ready for the next mess with survival food and tools from My Patriot Supply. A 25 year shelf life and fantastic variety are just the beginning of the long list of reasons to get your emergency rations at PrepareWithMoJo50.comStay ConnectedWATCH The Daily Mojo LIVE 7-9a CT: www.TheDailyMojo.com Rumble: HEREOr just LISTEN:The Daily MoJo ChannelBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-daily-mojo-with-brad-staggs--3085897/support.WATCH: TheDailyMoJO.comLISTEN: TDM RadioRUMBLE: HEREDownload the APP HERE.StellasMojo.comCODE: dailymojo - Save 5%GetMojoCBD.comCODE: dailymojo - Save 40%!

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Unlocking History: A Journey Across the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-06-01-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 炽热的夏日里，长城在阳光下宛如一条巨大蜿蜒的龙，横跨大地。En: In the scorching summer sun, the Changcheng, or the Great Wall, stretches across the land like a gigantic, winding dragon.Zh: 游客们川流不息，喧闹声中隐约能听见不远处的龙舟节庆祝活动声。En: Streams of tourists come and go, and amidst the noise, the sounds of nearby Longzhouwu Festival celebrations can be faintly heard.Zh: 今天的文化交流项目中，三位角色扮演着不同的角色。En: In today's cultural exchange program, three characters take on different roles.Zh: 小雨是一个对历史充满热情的学生，她渴望向大家展示她的文化遗产之美。En: Xiaoyu is a student passionate about history, eager to showcase the beauty of her cultural heritage.Zh: 明则是一个充满怀疑的参与者，他对古代和现代文化的比较充满好奇。En: Ming is a skeptical participant, curious about the comparison between ancient and modern culture.Zh: 佳是活动的组织者，她努力让整个团队保持着浓厚的兴趣。En: Jia, the organizer of the event, works hard to maintain the group's strong interest.Zh: 小雨带着一群参加交流项目的游客，走在古老的长城上。En: Xiaoyu leads a group of tourists participating in the exchange program, walking along the ancient Great Wall.Zh: 她兴奋地讲解每一块石头的历史，与此处冲锋陷阵的战士们的故事。En: She excitedly explains the history of each stone and the stories of the warriors who fought here.Zh: 然而，明时不时打断她的话，他总是将古代的事情与现代科技一一对比，让小雨开始怀疑自己的讲解方式。En: However, Ming frequently interrupts her, always comparing ancient events with modern technology, causing Xiaoyu to doubt her approach.Zh: 山风清爽，迎面吹来。En: A refreshing mountain breeze blows in.Zh: 为了调和气氛，小雨决定让明带领一段讲解。En: To ease the atmosphere, Xiaoyu decides to let Ming lead a portion of the explanation.Zh: 明虽犹豫，但还是答应了，他开始和其他游客分享他的观点："现代世界带来了巨大的改变，可这个古老的长城还能给我们什么启示呢？En: Although hesitant, Ming agrees, and he begins to share his perspective with the other tourists: "The modern world has brought about great changes, but what insights can this ancient Great Wall still provide us?"Zh: "走到长城的一座古老烽火台上，明停下来说道：“站在这里，我能感受到古代士兵在此保家卫国的坚定。En: Upon reaching an ancient beacon tower on the Great Wall, Ming stops and says, "Standing here, I can feel the determination of ancient soldiers defending their homeland."Zh: ”他环顾四周，感悟着脚下的历史，这一刻他的疑虑渐渐消散，内心被无限的敬意填满。En: He looks around, contemplating the history beneath his feet, and in that moment, his doubts gradually dissipate, his heart filled with boundless respect.Zh: 活动结束后，明对小雨说道：“我对古代文化有了新的理解，谢谢你。En: After the activity, Ming says to Xiaoyu, "I have a new understanding of ancient culture, thank you."Zh: ”小雨由衷地微笑，安心了。En: Xiaoyu smiles sincerely, feeling relieved.Zh: 通过这次的体验，小雨更加自信能够有效传达她对文化的骄傲；而明则意识到历史的价值，愿意在未来更多地探索这些承载着古老故事的地方。En: Through this experience, Xiaoyu gains more confidence in effectively conveying her pride in her culture, while Ming realizes the value of history and is willing to explore these places filled with ancient stories more in the future.Zh: 佳看着两人，不禁会心一笑，欣慰于这次难忘的文化交流之旅。En: Watching the two of them, Jia can't help but smile, content with this unforgettable cultural exchange journey.Zh: 明亮的天际线吞没了夕阳，长城依旧静静伫立着，仿佛在述说着更多未尽的历史篇章。En: The bright skyline swallows the sunset, and the Great Wall still stands quietly, seemingly telling more untold stories of history. Vocabulary Words:scorching: 炽热的gigantic: 巨大winding: 蜿蜒beacon: 烽火台faintly: 隐约skeptical: 怀疑heritage: 遗产eager: 渴望organizer: 组织者participant: 参与者contemplating: 感悟着perspective: 观点insights: 启示determination: 坚定convey: 传达boundless: 无限relieved: 安心cultural: 文化curious: 好奇ancient: 古老modern: 现代breeze: 山风doubt: 疑虑sincerely: 由衷pride: 骄傲unforgettable: 难忘journey: 旅overwhelm: 填满amidst: 中shimmering: 明亮

Real beauty is timeless, and so should be the architectural masterpieces of humanity, right? Well, some of them do have a chance to survive for centuries from now. When you stroll into the Pantheon in Rome, it puts on a show just like it did almost two thousand years ago. Then we've got the impressive Hoover Dam in the USA, designed to harness hydroelectricity and prevent water from going where it shouldn't. While it's not a single building, the Great Wall of China is an ancient marvel that has survived for centuries. And, luckily, it's just the beginning of the list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Secrets of the Great Wall: A Family's Hidden Legacy Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-30-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 春天的某个清晨，阳光洒在长城上，层层叠叠的砖石在花草之间若隐若现。En: One spring morning, sunlight spilled over the Changcheng (Great Wall), with layers of bricks and stones appearing intermittently among the flowers and grass.Zh: 小雨和简走在这条历史悠久的长道上，心中充满期待和紧张。En: Xiaoyu and Jian walked on this ancient path, filled with anticipation and nervousness.Zh: 微风带来花香，却掩不住小雨内心的焦虑。En: The breeze carried the scent of flowers but couldn't conceal Xiaoyu's inner anxiety.Zh: 她一直相信，在这些古老的墙壁之中，藏着一份可以揭开家族秘密的卷轴。En: She always believed that hidden within these ancient walls was a scroll that could unlock a family secret.Zh: 简则显得有些怀疑。En: Jian seemed somewhat skeptical.Zh: 他一直认为家族的传说可能只是老祖宗编的故事。En: He had always thought that the family's legend might just be a story made up by their ancestors.Zh: 但他知道，小雨决心已定，便仍然陪在她身边，一路上为她打气。En: But he knew that Xiaoyu had made up her mind, so he stayed by her side, cheering her on throughout the journey.Zh: “这段长城的故事，你知道吗？”小雨突然问道。En: "Do you know the story of this part of the Changcheng?" Xiaoyu suddenly asked.Zh: “听说这里曾有很多战士驻守，还有一些未解的秘密。”简回答。En: "I heard there were many soldiers stationed here, and some unsolved secrets," Jian replied.Zh: 他们走到了一段人迹罕至的长城，传说这里的不稳定使人望而却步。En: They reached a seldom-visited section of the Changcheng, reputed to be unstable and daunting.Zh: 墙上的砖石有些已经脱落，绿色的藤蔓在石缝间肆意生长，犹如一片天然屏障。En: Some bricks had fallen from the wall, while green vines grew wildly in the crevices, like a natural barrier.Zh: 小雨停下脚步，凝视着一座看似岌岌可危的哨塔。En: Xiaoyu stopped, staring at a seemingly precarious watchtower.Zh: “就是这里。”她指着那座塔，口气坚定。En: "It's here," she said firmly, pointing at the tower.Zh: 简递给她一个鼓励的微笑，心中却隐隐有些不安。En: Jian gave her an encouraging smile, but inside, he felt a slight unease.Zh: 他对自己说，无论如何都要确保小雨的安全。En: He told himself that no matter what, he must ensure Xiaoyu's safety.Zh: 他们小心翼翼地走进哨塔内部，灰暗的空间中充满着历史的沉淀。En: They cautiously entered the interior of the watchtower, where the dim space was steeped in historical sediments.Zh: 墙上的刻画吸引了小雨的注意，她用手轻抚这些不知道存在了多少年的图案。En: The carvings on the wall caught Xiaoyu's attention; she gently touched the patterns that might have been there for countless years.Zh: 突然，一个松动的砖块掉落，露出了一条狭窄的通道。En: Suddenly, a loose brick fell, revealing a narrow passage.Zh: “看！我们找到了！”小雨的眼中闪烁着光芒。En: "Look! We've found it!" Xiaoyu's eyes sparkled with excitement.Zh: 简似乎感受到了一份无法解释的激动，他们顺着通道来到了一个古老的密室。En: Jian seemed to feel an inexplicable thrill as they followed the passage into an ancient secret chamber.Zh: 密室中的气氛让他们心跳加速，墙上的刻画依然模糊不清，隐隐透露着一些重要信息。En: The atmosphere within the chamber made their hearts race; the wall carvings were still blurred, faintly hinting at important information.Zh: 就在此时，哨塔开始微微晃动。En: At that moment, the watchtower began to tremble slightly.Zh: 简拉着小雨往外跑，“快！这里快塌了！”En: Jian grabbed Xiaoyu and ran outside, "Quick! It's about to collapse!"Zh: 他们冲出哨塔瞬间，身后的石块轰然倒下，尘土弥漫。En: Just as they rushed out of the tower, stones behind them fell with a crash, filling the air with dust.Zh: 在落地的一刻，他们手中紧紧握着从墙上撕下的一部分刻画。En: As they landed, they held tightly onto a piece of the carving they had torn from the wall.Zh: “我们虽然没找到卷轴，但至少知道了它的方向。”小雨看着手中的片段，轻声说道。En: "Although we didn't find the scroll, at least we know the direction," Xiaoyu softly said, looking at the fragment in her hand.Zh: 简点头，他的眼中再也没有了疑虑。En: Jian nodded, his eyes cleared of doubt.Zh: “或许，家族传说比我想的更真实。”En: "Perhaps, the family legend is more real than I thought."Zh: 经过这次冒险，小雨和简之间的信任更加坚固。En: After this adventure, the trust between Xiaoyu and Jian grew stronger.Zh: 春风再次吹过，带来新的希望。En: The spring breeze blew once again, bringing new hope.Zh: 尽管任务未能如愿以偿，但他们并没有灰心。En: Although their mission was not fulfilled, they did not lose heart.Zh: 相反，他们对未来的探索充满信心，继续携手前行，揭开属于家族的秘密。En: On the contrary, they were full of confidence in their future explorations, continuing hand in hand to uncover their family's secrets. Vocabulary Words:intermittently: 若隐若现anticipation: 期待anxiety: 焦虑reputed: 传说daunting: 使人望而却步crevices: 石缝precarious: 岌岌可危watchtower: 哨塔encouraging: 鼓励unease: 不安sediments: 沉淀carvings: 刻画patterns: 图案loose: 松动inexplicable: 无法解释tremble: 晃动collapse: 塌dust: 尘土fragment: 片段unease: 不安blurred: 模糊不清faintly: 隐隐unfulfilled: 未能如愿以偿trust: 信任explorations: 探索vines: 藤蔓intentions: 决心conceal: 掩natural barrier: 天然屏障historical: 历史

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you!We finish our world tour in a land considered a fertile field for the gospel until godless Communists took over. We'll discuss the apostle who may have first brought Jesus to China and why; a radical new theory about world exploration (embrace or discard at your pleasure); the super-fancy products China used to be famous for making in earlier centuries; and the wall you and your fellow game players must defend at all costs, even the cost of your own ego.Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

I am Blandine Rolea, a French woman who embraces life through connection, discovery, and sport. I share my positive energy on LinkedIn, encouraging others to step out of their comfort zone, take action over perfection, and trust in human kindness. I have completed marathons, including the Great Wall of China Marathon, and long night walks with colleagues. Passionate about meaningful encounters and generosity, I inspire people to care for themselves through movement and to open up to others, driven more by passion and desire than pressure or discipline. Follow her uplifting stories on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blandine-rolea-a209b0101/ ***********Susanne Mueller / www.susannemueller.biz TEDX Talk, May 2022: Running and Life: 5KM Formula for YOUR Successhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT_5Er1cLvY Join Substack: https://substack.com/@susannemuellernyc?Enjoy one coaching session for free if you are a yearly subscriber. 800+ weekly blogs / 500+ podcasts / 1 Ironman Triathlon / 5 half ironman races / 26 marathon races / 4 books / 1 Mt. Kilimanjaro / 1 TEDx Talk

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Passing Dreams: A Dragon Boat Festival Tribute on the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-25-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 清晨，阳光渐渐洒在绵延的长城上，山坡间的雾气慢慢被驱散。En: In the early morning, sunlight gradually spread over the Changcheng, slowly dispersing the mist among the hills.Zh: 梁站在长城脚下，内心充满了期待与敬畏。En: Liang stood at the foot of the Great Wall, filled with anticipation and awe.Zh: 今天是端午节，En: Today was the Duanwu Jie (Dragon Boat Festival).Zh: 他特意选择这个日子，纪念已故的爷爷。En: He had specifically chosen this day to commemorate his late grandfather.Zh: 爷爷一生向往登上长城，如今这个梦传到了梁的肩上。En: His grandfather had always yearned to climb the Changcheng, and now this dream had been passed onto Liang's shoulders.Zh: 与他同行的还有月和俊，他们是梁从小到大的朋友，一直陪在他身边支持、鼓励。En: Accompanying him were Yue and Jun, who had been Liang's friends since childhood, always supporting and encouraging him.Zh: 三人肩并肩，慢慢开始攀爬古老的石阶。En: The three of them started climbing the ancient stone steps side by side.Zh: 春季的长城，绿意盎然，野花在墙边开放，清新的空气中飘着淡淡的花香。En: In spring, the Changcheng was vibrant with greenery, wildflowers blossomed by the walls, and the fresh air carried a faint floral fragrance.Zh: “爷爷常说，长城是中华民族的象征。”梁一边走，一边喃喃自语。En: "Yeye (Grandfather) often said that the Changcheng is a symbol of the Zhonghua Minzu (Chinese nation)," Liang murmured as he walked.Zh: 月微笑着说道：“对啊，梁，今天我们就一起完成这个愿望。”En: Yue smiled and said, "Yes, Liang, today we'll fulfill this wish together."Zh: 俊点头附和：“无论如何，我们都会安全抵达。”En: Jun nodded in agreement, "No matter what, we'll reach safely."Zh: 然而，随着他们往上攀登，天边乌云开始聚集，风也开始有些凉。En: However, as they climbed higher, dark clouds started gathering in the sky, and the wind began to cool.Zh: 梁环顾四周，心中有些犹豫。En: Liang looked around, feeling a bit hesitant.Zh: “好像要下雨了。”他说。En: "It seems like it's going to rain," he said.Zh: 月提议道：“要不我们先找个地方避雨？”En: Yue suggested, "Why don't we find a place to take shelter from the rain?"Zh: 梁停下脚步，凝视远处的长城：“这个梦不能半途而废。我答应过爷爷。”En: Liang stopped, gazing at the distant Changcheng, "This dream can't be abandoned halfway. I promised Yeye."Zh: 他感受到内心的斗争，自己和爷爷的承诺，和面前的风雨之间，只能寻找一种平衡。En: He felt the struggle within, between his promise to his grandfather and the imminent storm.Zh: 终于，他下定决心继续前进，但还是小心翼翼地走着。En: Finally, he resolved to continue, but he tread carefully.Zh: 不久，雨滴终于落下，逐渐变成滂沱大雨。En: Soon, raindrops began to fall, gradually turning into a pouring rain.Zh: 三人加快步伐，梁心中只有一个念头：不管怎么样，一定要找到一个好的地方来缅怀爷爷。En: The three quickened their pace, and Liang had only one thought in his mind: to find a good place to remember his Yeye (grandfather) no matter what.Zh: 终于，他们在一段视野开阔的长城墙上发现了一个小小的避雨处。En: Finally, they discovered a small shelter on a broad section of the Changcheng.Zh: 在雨声中，梁坐下，手里紧握着一枚爷爷送给他的古老铜钱。En: In the sound of the rain, Liang sat down, holding tightly in his hand an ancient copper coin that his grandfather had given him.Zh: 他凝视着远方，仿佛看到了爷爷年轻时的梦，那梦是那样清晰。En: He gazed into the distance, as if seeing Yeye's young dream, so vivid.Zh: 雨中，梁轻轻将铜钱置于石缝中，像是把爷爷的心愿留在了这里。En: In the rain, Liang gently placed the coin in a stone crevice, as if leaving his grandfather's wish there.Zh: 雨后，天边彩虹轻跃而现，阳光洒在绿色的山峦上，也洒在梁的心头。En: After the rain, a rainbow arched gently across the sky, sunlight spilled onto the green mountains, and also onto Liang's heart.Zh: 他仿佛也明白，爷爷的梦已不再是攀登的实现，而是对家风与文化的传承。En: He seemed to understand that his grandfather's dream was no longer about reaching the summit, but about the transmission of family tradition and culture.Zh: 与朋友们共享过这样的时刻，梁终于感受到祖父传递给他的那种精神。En: Sharing such a moment with his friends, Liang finally felt the spirit passed on to him by his grandfather.Zh: 带着这份心灵的慰藉，他微笑着回望脚下的土地。En: With this comforting reassurance, he smiled and looked back at the land beneath his feet.Zh: 从此，梁知道他早已褪去以往的彷徨，拥有了全新的力量与责任感。En: From that moment on, Liang knew that he had shed his former confusion and gained new strength and a sense of responsibility.Zh: 长城之行，不仅是一次旅途，更是心灵的传承和自己对先辈的敬重。En: The journey to the Changcheng was not just a physical trip, but also a transmission of the soul and a respect for his ancestors. Vocabulary Words:gradually: 渐渐dispersing: 驱散anticipation: 期待commemorate: 纪念yearned: 向往accompanying: 同行vibrant: 盎然blossomed: 开放symbol: 象征hesitant: 犹豫imminent: 面前resolved: 下定决心shelter: 避雨处crevice: 石缝transmission: 传承confusion: 彷徨murmured: 喃喃自语fulfill: 完成struggle: 斗争pouring: 滂沱pace: 步伐gazed: 凝视vivid: 清晰comforting: 慰藉reassurance: 心灵的慰藉responsibility: 责任感respect: 敬重obligation: 责任spirit: 精神shed: 褪去

Chinese President Xi Jinping has held talks with his Serbian counterpart, who has visited the Great Wall and Tian'anmen Square, during his first state visit to China (01:01). President Xi also met with the Pakistani prime minister and said Pakistan is a priority in China's neighborhood diplomacy while commending Islamabad's mediation efforts in the Middle East (31:41). And China's Shenzhou-23 astronauts, including a crew member from Hong Kong, are inside the Tiangong Space Station (14:29).

Many practices keep looking for more new patients when the bigger problem is the gap between what gets diagnosed and what actually gets scheduled, completed, and collected. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Sameer Bhasin of CareCredit about building reliable, measurable systems that make unscheduled dentistry visible, tighten the diagnose-to-schedule pathway, and improve follow-through so patients get the care they need without adding more chaos to the schedule. You'll learn how to create an actionable dashboard, protect procedure time, clean up revenue cycle habits, and use technology to amplify (not replace) your workflow. Listen to Episode 1050 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Most private practices aren't short on diagnosing treatment; they're short on conversion and follow-through.Unscheduled dentistry should be broken down into a dashboard by timeframe, procedure type, value tier, and patient readiness so it becomes actionable.A strong diagnose-to-schedule pathway requires consistent handoffs, clear “why now,” and protecting schedule time for the procedures you want to do.Production on paper isn't the same as performance because value is often lost in handoffs, case acceptance, scheduling, and collections.Clean revenue cycle discipline includes early benefit verification, collecting patient portions appropriately, and consistent weekly AR and aging-claims follow-up.Technology should amplify an existing workflow (analytics, reminders, online scheduling guardrails) rather than replace human follow-up and accountability.As a benchmark, about 10% of patients should be applying for third-party financing to ensure financial options are part of the process, not an afterthought.Snippets:00:00 Unscheduled dentistry is the opportunity most practices aren't working.08:23 How to build an unscheduled treatment dashboard by time, procedure, and value tier.11:52 Standardizing the diagnose-to-schedule pathway and creating urgency with the “next best appointment.”15:40 What a “clean revenue cycle” looks like and why write-offs are a major hidden problem.18:05 Technology amplifies a workflow; it doesn't replace one.20:10 The metrics Samir watches, including the 10% financing application benchmark.23:10 The “Great Wall of China” myth and how misconceptions show up in practice systems.26:55 Approval rate realities and why you can't get approvals without applications.33:00 What a CareCredit practice review reveals and how it's used to find opportunities.35:45 A simple action plan: pull the last 90 days of unscheduled dentistry and call the top 20 patients.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Sameer Bhasin, Vice President of Strategic Alliances at CareCredit, is responsible for working with dentistry's key opinion leaders and educators to gather the latest insights and trends. Previously, Mr. Bhasin held positions as a CareCredit Practice Development Manager and Regional Sales Manager where he acquired more than a decade of front line practice experience. He holds both a Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree in Business and an MBA in Healthcare Administration.Email: sbhasin@carecredit.comSocial: https://www.facebook.com/sameer.bhasin/https://www.instagram.com/sam.i.am.329/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Treasure Hunt Beneath the Great Wall: A Guardian's Mission Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-22-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 春天的长城脚下，空气中弥漫着粽子的香气，龙舟竞渡的喧闹声渐渐传来。En: Under the Great Wall in the spring, the air is filled with the aroma of zongzi, and the sounds of dragon boat races gradually come through.Zh: 李伟站在远处，神情专注。En: Li Wei stands at a distance, his expression focused.Zh: 他的内心充满了使命感和压力，因为传说中的宝物可能就在这片古老的土地下，静静等待着它的守护者。En: His heart is filled with a sense of mission and pressure because the legendary treasure might be lying beneath this ancient land, quietly waiting for its guardian.Zh: 然而，不幸的是，不是所有人都相信这个传说。En: Unfortunately, not everyone believes in this legend.Zh: 李伟是一名考古学爱好者，他对中国历史有着深深的热爱。En: Li Wei is an archaeology enthusiast with a deep love for Chinese history.Zh: 他的祖先是古代秘密的守护者，这让他更加坚定要找到并保护这件传说中的遗物。En: His ancestors were the secret keepers in ancient times, which makes him even more determined to find and protect this legendary relic.Zh: 然而，怀疑的声音不断响起。En: However, voices of doubt keep arising.Zh: 同行们嘲笑他，认为这是无稽之谈，而竞争对手陈则试图从中获取私利。En: His peers mock him, considering it nonsense, while his rival, Chen, tries to exploit it for personal gain.Zh: 李伟知道，自己不能单凭一己之力。En: Li Wei knows he can't rely solely on his strength.Zh: 他决定信任梅玲，她是一位对古地图和传说知之甚多的地方历史学者。En: He decides to trust Mei Ling, a local historian who knows a lot about ancient maps and legends.Zh: 虽然梅玲与陈有些联系让他感到担忧，但他相信她的专长可以帮助自己成功。En: Although Mei Ling's connections to Chen make him uneasy, he believes her expertise can help him succeed.Zh: 他们一起解读了一篇古老的文本，文本上写着宝物所在的秘密隧道的线索。En: Together, they decipher an ancient text that reveals clues to the secret tunnel where the treasure is located.Zh: 在忙碌的龙舟节期间，时机已经不多，李伟和梅玲进入长城下的秘密隧道。En: During the busy Dragon Boat Festival period, time is running short, and Li Wei and Mei Ling descend into the secret tunnel beneath the Great Wall.Zh: 那里空气潮湿，火把微弱的光芒照亮了墙上的古老符号，似乎在诉说着被遗忘的故事。En: The air is damp, and the faint light from their torches illuminates the ancient symbols on the walls, which seem to tell forgotten stories.Zh: 就在他们找到地堡入口时，陈出现了。En: Just as they find the entrance to the bunker, Chen appears.Zh: 狭窄的通道里，气氛紧张，李伟深感责任重大。En: In the narrow passage, the atmosphere is tense, and Li Wei feels the weight of his responsibility.Zh: 经过一番紧张对峙，李伟以智慧和勇气战胜了陈。En: After a tense standoff, Li Wei uses wisdom and courage to defeat Chen.Zh: 宝物终于安全了。En: The treasure is finally safe.Zh: 李伟与梅玲共同决定，凡事不为外人道，将宝物的存在保守秘密, 以保护他们的历史和文化。En: Li Wei and Mei Ling mutually decide to keep the existence of the treasure a secret, to protect their history and culture.Zh: 在这次冒险后，李伟认识到，真正的力量来自他的选择和同伴的支持，而不是家族的遗产。En: After this adventure, Li Wei realizes that true strength comes from his choices and the support of his companions, rather than from his family's heritage.Zh: 他不再怀疑自己的价值，因为他学会了信任和合作。En: He no longer doubts his own worth because he has learned to trust and cooperate.Zh: 同时，梅玲也被李伟的决心和诚意所感动。En: Meanwhile, Mei Ling is moved by Li Wei's determination and sincerity.Zh: 他们在缅怀过去的同时，心之所向，已然着眼于未来。En: As they remember the past, their hearts are already set on the future. Vocabulary Words:aroma: 香气mission: 使命guardian: 守护者ancestor: 祖先exploit: 获取...私利expertise: 专长decipher: 解读banter: 无稽之谈heritage: 遗产tense: 紧张bunker: 地堡damp: 潮湿illuminate: 照亮standoff: 对峙support: 支持rival: 竞争对手unearth: 发掘legendary: 传说中的sincerity: 诚意pressure: 压力symbol: 符号text: 文本relic: 遗物determination: 决心cooperate: 合作knowledgeable: 知之甚多torch: 火把connection: 联系unfortunate: 不幸descend: 进入

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Adventure & Mystery: Unraveling Secrets on the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-22-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 春天的长城，古老的石头在蜿蜒的山丘上延伸，像一条巨大的龙。En: In the springtime, the Great Wall, with its ancient stones, stretches across the winding hills like a giant dragon.Zh: 空气中弥漫着潮湿和期待，远处隐约传来雷声，这是大自然力量的预兆。En: The air is filled with humidity and anticipation, and in the distance, faint thunder signals the power of nature.Zh: 端午节临近，李芬、健和美琳决定一起去长城探险。En: As the Dragon Boat Festival approached, Li Fen, Jian, and Mei Lin decided to explore the Great Wall together.Zh: 李芬是个充满冒险精神的年轻女子，她听说长城上有一个古老的铭文，便想去探索。En: Li Fen is a young woman full of adventurous spirit.Zh: 健是个谨慎的人，总是关心大家的安全，他心里其实喜欢李芬。En: She had heard of an ancient inscription on the wall and wanted to explore it.Zh: 美琳则是个乐观而有办法的人，她总能在困难中找到解决办法。En: Jian is a cautious person, always concerned about everyone's safety, and he actually has a crush on Li Fen.Zh: 他们选择了长城上一段人迹罕至的部分开始徒步旅行。En: Mei Lin is optimistic and resourceful, always able to find solutions in difficult situations.Zh: 出发时，天空是明亮的，但在他们攀爬到一半时，乌云密布，雷声越来越大。En: They chose a less-traveled section of the Great Wall to start their hike.Zh: 李芬望着前方，兴奋地说：“我们继续走，铭文就在前面！En: When they set out, the sky was bright, but as they climbed halfway up the wall, the sky became overcast with dark clouds and the thunder grew louder.Zh: ”健有些犹豫：“天气变化太快，我们该不该撤回？En: Li Fen looked ahead, excitedly saying, "Let's keep going, the inscription is just ahead!"Zh: ”但李芬坚持不懈。En: Jian hesitated a bit, "The weather is changing too fast; should we go back?"Zh: 美琳站在中间，试图调停：“我们可以先找个地方躲雨，等天气好转。En: But Li Fen was determined.Zh: ”终于，一道闪电划破天空，他们刚好站在传说中的铭文前。En: Mei Lin stood in the middle, trying to mediate, "We could find a place to take shelter from the rain and wait for the weather to improve."Zh: 铭文闪着微光，神秘而古老。En: Finally, a bolt of lightning split the sky as they stood before the legendary inscription.Zh: 李芬兴奋不已，但大雨倾盆而下，健焦急地说：“太危险了，我们必须找地方避雨！En: The inscription glowed faintly, mysterious and ancient.Zh: ”三人陷入争论，最终，美琳发现长城边有个小洞穴。En: Li Fen was thrilled, but the rain poured down heavily, and Jian urgently said, "It's too dangerous; we must find shelter from the rain!"Zh: 他们匆匆躲进洞里，避开骤雨。En: The three of them were caught in a debate, and ultimately, Mei Lin found a small cave by the Great Wall.Zh: 在洞穴的安全中，李芬和健开始反思各自的立场。En: They quickly sheltered there, escaping the sudden downpour.Zh: “谢谢你关心我，健。En: In the safety of the cave, Li Fen and Jian began to reflect on their different perspectives.Zh: 我太冲动了。En: "Thank you for caring about me, Jian.Zh: ”李芬轻声说。En: I was too impulsive," Li Fen said softly.Zh: 健笑了：“没有你的冒险，我们不会发现这个铭文，也不会经历这样的探险。En: Jian smiled, "Without your adventurous spirit, we wouldn't have discovered this inscription or had this experience.Zh: 也许冒险和安全可以结合。En: Maybe adventure and safety can go hand in hand."Zh: ”雨停了，天空放晴。En: The rain stopped, and the sky cleared.Zh: 三人带着发现铭文的喜悦和心得步下长城，心中的联系也更紧密了。En: The three of them descended from the Great Wall with the joy of discovering the inscription and newfound insights, feeling even more connected.Zh: 经过这次旅程，李芬领悟到了谨慎的重要，而健也学会了在安全的前提下，用心去拥抱冒险的人生。En: Through this journey, Li Fen came to appreciate the importance of caution, while Jian learned to embrace adventure with a sense of security.Zh: 他们都意识到彼此的互补使得这段旅程更加特别。En: They realized their complementary qualities made the journey more special.Zh: 在春日阳光中，他们慢慢走下山，龙舟赛的鼓声从远方传来，为这次长城之旅划下圆满的句号。En: In the spring sunshine, they slowly walked down the mountain, and the sound of drums from the dragon boat races echoed from afar, marking a perfect ending to their adventure at the Great Wall. Vocabulary Words:springtime: 春天ancient: 古老的winding: 蜿蜒的humidity: 潮湿anticipation: 期待thunder: 雷声approached: 临近inscription: 铭文cautious: 谨慎resourceful: 有办法的less-traveled: 人迹罕至overcast: 乌云密布meditate: 调停bolt: 闪电legendary: 传说中的glowed: 闪着微光mysterious: 神秘debate: 争论downpour: 骤雨reflection: 反思impulsive: 冲动embrace: 拥抱complementary: 互补descended: 步下insights: 心得echoed: 传来adventurous: 冒险的shelter: 避雨perception: 理解ventures: 探险

If we had a nickel for every time Julian answered a question involving pigeons, we'd have two nickels. Not that many, but weird that it's happened twice. This week, he investigates pigeon logistics, excreta coverage, and everything about the Great Wall of China, all fueled by the power of basic research and—horrifyingly—firsthand investigation. Meanwhile, Trace attempts to outsmart the cruel economics of holiday birthdays using special and general relativity, which was definitely the simplest and most reasonable way possible to solve this problem.QUESTIONSJulian: “How many days would it take a single pigeon to cover the Great Wall of China in excrement?” from JonathanTrace: “What kind of relativistic shenanigans would I need to pull in order to change my birthday by one month?” from RyanDo you have an absurd question? Maybe it's silly idea you had, a shower thought about the nature of reality, or a ridiculous musing about your favorite food? If you want an answer, no matter the question, tell us!HOW TO ASK A QUESTION

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Lost and Found: The Great Wall Adventure Unfolding Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-18-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 初春的长城，蜿蜒于郁郁葱葱的青山间。En: In early spring, the Changcheng, the Great Wall, winds through the lush green mountains.Zh: 五月假期，游客如织。En: During the May holiday, tourists flock in.Zh: 花香四溢，阳光灿烂。En: The air is filled with the fragrance of flowers, and the sun is shining brightly.Zh: 明是这次旅行的导游，他的任务是确保每位游客的安全和开心。En: Ming is the tour guide for this trip, and his task is to ensure that every tourist is safe and happy.Zh: 明的弟弟子涵，爱冒险。En: Ming's younger brother Zihan, loves adventure.Zh: 他常常不考虑后果。En: He often doesn't consider the consequences.Zh: 丽芬是这次旅行的游客，她细心而安静。En: Lifen is a traveler on this trip; she is meticulous and quiet.Zh: 旅游团队正沿着雄伟的长城前行，明给大家讲述长城的悠久历史。En: The tour group is progressing along the majestic Great Wall, while Ming is sharing its long history with everyone.Zh: 突然，人群中传来骚动。En: Suddenly, there is a commotion in the crowd.Zh: 一名游客失踪了！En: A tourist has gone missing!Zh: 大家纷纷寻找他的踪迹。En: Everyone begins to search for traces of him.Zh: 明立刻暂停行程。En: Ming immediately pauses the trip.Zh: 他不想让任何人有危险。En: He doesn't want anyone to be in danger.Zh: 他招呼子涵和丽芬一起寻找。En: He calls Zihan and Lifen to help search.Zh: “我们必须找到他，”明坚定地说。En: "We must find him," Ming says firmly.Zh: “长城很大，但他无法凭空消失。En: "The Great Wall is vast, but he can't just vanish into thin air."Zh: ”丽芬冷静地观察周围的情况。En: Lifen calmly observes the surroundings.Zh: 她注意到墙边的一块石头有些奇怪。En: She notices that a stone by the wall looks a bit odd.Zh: 子涵则兴奋地想去看看。En: Zihan, on the other hand, excitedly wants to take a look.Zh: “那边有个入口！En: "There's an entrance over there!"Zh: ”子涵指着一条被藤蔓遮掩的通道喊道。En: Zihan shouts, pointing to a passageway covered by vines.Zh: 明决定让大家去看看这个通道。En: Ming decides to let everyone check out this passageway.Zh: 他相信丽芬和子涵的观察不会错。En: He trusts that Lifen and Zihan's observations are correct.Zh: 穿过满是灰尘的狭窄通道，他们小心翼翼。En: Carefully, they pass through the dusty, narrow passage.Zh: 终于，在通道的尽头，他们发现了失踪的游客。En: Finally, at the end of the passage, they find the missing tourist.Zh: 他正坐在一块大石头上，身上沾满了泥土，看起来有些尴尬。En: He is sitting on a large stone, covered in dirt, looking a bit embarrassed.Zh: “我是因为好奇走了进来，”他不好意思地解释道。En: "I came in out of curiosity," he explains sheepishly.Zh: “不小心迷了路。En: "Accidentally got lost."Zh: ”明长舒一口气，全体游客都欢呼起来。En: Ming breathes a long sigh of relief, and all the tourists cheer.Zh: 大家彼此检查有没有受伤。En: Everyone checks if anyone is injured.Zh: 经过这次冒险，明意识到，偶尔的意外也可以成为一次很好的经历。En: After this adventure, Ming realizes that occasional mishaps can also become a great experience.Zh: 回到正路上，明心情放松了许多。En: Back on the right path, Ming feels much more relaxed.Zh: 大家继续参观长城，一路上说笑不断。En: Everyone continues to visit the Great Wall, laughing and joking all the way.Zh: 明心里明白，原来有时候即使行程被打破，也能发现许多新的乐趣。En: Ming understands that sometimes, even if the itinerary is disrupted, many new joys can be discovered.Zh: 就这样，一个普通的长城之旅，因为一个小插曲变得更加难忘。En: Thus, an ordinary trip to the Great Wall became more memorable because of a small incident.Zh: 明从中学到了关于团队合作和冒险精神的宝贵经验。En: Ming learned valuable lessons about teamwork and a spirit of adventure.Zh: 长城上的春日阳光，依旧洒在每一个人的脸上，游客们继续他们的旅程，心中满是愉悦与感激。En: The spring sunshine on the Great Wall still shines on everyone's faces as the tourists continue their journey, filled with joy and gratitude. Vocabulary Words:fragrance: 花香meticulous: 细心commotion: 骚动vanish: 消失traces: 踪迹passageway: 通道vines: 藤蔓dusty: 满是灰尘relief: 长舒一口气sheepishly: 不好意思地embarrassed: 尴尬mishaps: 意外incident: 插曲grateful: 感激adventure: 冒险ensures: 确保task: 任务majestic: 雄伟observations: 观察carefully: 小心翼翼narrow: 狭窄spirit: 精神lush: 郁郁葱葱curiosity: 好奇venture: 旅行consequences: 后果safety: 安全cheer: 欢呼safety: 安全disrupted: 打破

You probably know famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower or the Great Wall of China, but did you know they have hidden secrets? For example, there's a secret apartment at the top of the Eiffel Tower where its designer, Gustave Eiffel, used to hang out. The Statue of Liberty has a tiny room inside her torch, but you can't visit it because it's been closed since 1916 after an explosion damaged it. Even Mount Rushmore has a “Hall of Records” behind the presidents' heads, holding historical documents no one really talks about. These landmarks are full of surprises, proving there's always more than meets the eye! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

US President Donald Trump has met with Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing, after receiving a warm welcome at the Great Wall of China. Trade tariffs and the war in the Middle East were high on the agenda.

www.patreon.com/theconspiracypodcastThe FULL Pyramids Compilation (5 EPs in one)The show's 100th episode. What started as a milestone special turned into five full episodes, hours of debate, and one of the most spirited arguments in podcast history. Now it's all in one place.Eric, Sean, and Jorge dive headfirst into the greatest mystery in human history: Who built the Great Pyramids of Giza — and how the hell did they do it?Part 1 — The History: Before the conspiracies, lay the foundation. The Nile River, the Old Kingdom, the pharaohs, and a timeline that puts the Great Pyramid in perspective. It was built before coins, before paper, before the domestication of horses in Africa — and Cleopatra was closer in time to us than to the pyramids.Parts 2 & 3 — Sean's Episodes: Sean comes in swinging with 20 pages of things that don't add up. The Great Pyramid's near-perfect alignment with True North (off by 0.05 degrees — more precise than the Washington Monument). Pi and the Golden Ratio embedded in its dimensions. The Earth's own proportions mirrored in its geometry. Impossible 80-ton granite slabs. Sealed doors discovered by robots. Salt deposits in the Queen's Chamber. And the burning question: if it was just a tomb, where's the body?Part 4 — Eric's Episode: Eric fights back. He makes the case that mankind — skilled, organized, and wildly underestimated — built the pyramids with no alien assistance. He brings evidence: the workers' village, Machu Picchu, the Great Wall of China, the Hoover Dam. His thesis? Human ingenuity has always defied what seems impossible.The Update: Two weeks after Episode 100 aired, news broke of a massive underground complex discovered beneath Giza using satellite radar — interconnected chambers, spiraling shafts, and cylindrical voids stretching nearly two kilometers underground. We had to come back. Everything's on the table again.History, mystery, bad diagrams, and a few things we still can't explain. Buckle up.00:00:00 - Welcome & why we saved the pyramids for Episode 10000:07:00 - "Who built the pyramids and how did they do it?"00:11:00 - The Nile River: ancient Egypt's lifeline00:19:00 - The Step Pyramid & Pharaoh Djoser00:26:00 - Pharaoh Khufu and the Great Pyramid of Giza00:35:00 - Why did they stop building pyramids?00:38:00 - Cleopatra was closer to us than to the pyramids00:46:00 - Were the pyramid workers slaves?01:13:00 - The pyramid's alignment with True North01:25:00 - Over 1,000 pyramids exist around the world01:32:00 - 0.05 degrees off True North — more precise than the Washington Monument01:39:00 - Alignment with Orion and Sirius01:48:00 - Pi appears in the pyramid's dimensions01:55:00 - The Golden Ratio in the pyramid's proportions02:02:00 - The pyramid encodes Earth's exact proportions02:03:00 - The pyramid's coordinates match the speed of light02:11:00 - The King's Chamber: 80-ton granite ceiling slabs02:17:00 - The empty sarcophagus — no body, no explanation02:23:00 - Electromagnetic anomalies inside the King's Chamber03:09:00 - The Queen's Chamber: sealed doors discovered by robot03:25:00 - Tomb or energy generator?03:33:00 - Quartz in the granite walls generating electricity03:41:00 - Could sound and vibration have moved the stone blocks?04:07:00 - The Sphinx: water erosion theory and its true age04:14:00 - Hidden chamber beneath the Sphinx04:35:00 - Were the pyramids built by humans alone?04:55:00 - The Great Wall of China vs. the pyramids05:15:00 - The Coral Castle: one man, no machinery, 1,000 tons of coral05:35:00 - Lost technology: the real reason we can't explain the pyramids?05:56:00 - BREAKING: Underground structure discovered beneath Giza06:00:00 - Satellite radar reveals hidden chambers and spiraling voids06:08:00 - Ancient energy grid theory06:14:00 - "The most significant discovery at Giza in over 50 years"06:24:00 - Final verdicts from all three hosts

Last time we spoke about the battle Yaoyi. Japan pushed hard into Hubei with a plan: surround the main Chinese forces and seize Yichang, hoping to use it to strike at Chongqing. At first, the fighting was chaotic and punishing. The Chinese side tried to hold the line and disrupt the advance, and they even managed setbacks for the Japanese, pushing back, retaking key ground, and hitting supply and positioning weaknesses. But victory came with a cost: commanders were lost, and every gain was hard-won. Still, the battle didn't unfold as a clean Chinese retreat or a simple Japanese win. As Japanese units shifted and tested for openings, the Chinese forces adjusted—delaying, regrouping, and fighting to keep their formations from being completely trapped. Eventually, Japan managed to break through at critical moments, especially through crossings and maneuvers that the Chinese had not fully sealed off. In the end, Japan succeeded in taking Yichang, but it didn't achieve the decisive annihilation it wanted.    #201 The New Fourth Army Incident and the Strained United Front Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, 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 the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia 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 where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. After the catastrophe of the early 1930s, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) entered the war against Japan in a political mood that was both hopeful and wary: it wanted to be seen as a genuine national leader of resistance, yet it also feared being absorbed—or destroyed—by the Guomindang (KMT) state it had spent years battling. That tension became the organizing principle of the war's early years. The turning point came from the Xi'an Incident in December 1936, which forced a new calculation in Nationalist politics. In the months that followed, agreements between KMT and CCP representatives were publicly proclaimed in August and September 1937, after the Shanghai fighting began. Under these arrangements, the CCP accepted constraints that in peacetime would have looked like surrender: it pledged to strive for Sun Yixian's "Three People's Principles," to end its former policies of armed revolt and sovietization, to abolish the soviet government, and to discontinue both the term "Red Army" and the expectation that its forces would operate outside central control. Communist troops would be treated as part of the national military under KMT command, and the revolution's old administrative structures were to be formally dismantled. In return, the KMT offered the CCP something just as important: space to exist publicly and politically. Liaison offices were permitted in key cities; the CCP was allowed to publish the New China Daily; and it could nominate representatives to KMT advisory bodies. Civil rights were extended—political prisoners were released—and subsidies were established to help cover administrative and military expenses in "reintegrated" areas and territories. The war thus transformed the tactical reality on the ground: the CCP could not treat the KMT as an immediate enemy, but it also could not afford to become politically passive. It had to learn how to fight Japan while building legitimacy fast enough to survive the next phase. In the first year and a half, the Party Center focused on three problems that kept returning in different forms: how the "united front" would be defined—especially what the CCP's relationship to the National government should be; how to coordinate military strategy and tactics with Nationalist units without losing control of its own operations; and how leadership should be consolidated, particularly for Mao Zedong in a party that still contained rival centers of authority. These disputes mattered not just for doctrine but for survival, because the CCP's autonomy was constantly being tested by the very alliance that was supposed to protect it. Mao's own approach to the united front combined cooperation with a refusal to surrender independence. Publicly, the CCP praised Jiang Jieshi and the KMT and promised unity, but it did so in language that was deliberately broad. In private (and in internal party debates), Mao treated unity as conditional: the CCP must not split the united front, but it also must not be "bound hand and foot." The strategic idea that emerged was political initiative under constraints—fighting when it could plausibly claim justification, keeping enough restraint that the CCP would not appear self-interested or anti-national, and deciding for itself when to engage and when to withdraw. This balance was reinforced through military reorganization. In August–September 1937, CCP forces were reorganized as the Eighth Route Army (8RA), with roughly 30,000 men drawn from Long March survivors, local forces, and new recruits. The 8RA was divided into three divisions: the 115th, 120th, and 129th, commanded by Lin Biao, He Long, and Liu Bocheng respectively. Shortly after the war began, the National government also authorized a second major Communist force: the New Fourth Army (N4A), to operate in central China. Its core came from those left behind when the Long March began in 1934—small groups surviving in difficult conditions against continuing KMT pressure. Officially authorized at 12,000, it took months to reach that strength. Nominally commanded by Ye Ting, actual military and political control rested with Xiang Ying and Chen Yi. From the start, then, the CCP's wartime "integration" with the National system coexisted with a clear effort to preserve internal control. Ideologically, the CCP worked to make its revolutionary program compatible—at least in appearance—with a national resistance coalition. On the New Democracy demonstrated how this strategy operated on two levels. In KMT-controlled spaces, its language could be read as aligning with liberal-democratic expectations: public participation, multi-party governance, legally protected civil rights. But in CCP-controlled areas, the same text could carry sharper class-based and authoritarian implications. The Party wanted a united front that broadened support without becoming committed to Nationalist limits on how society itself might be reorganized after victory. Meanwhile, even as the rhetoric of unity rose, the CCP worried about something more dangerous than military setbacks: the possibility that the KMT might accommodate Japan. Late 1939 and early 1940 made this fear harder to dismiss. Japan pursued collaboration with Wang Jingwei, culminating in the establishment of a "reorganized" government at Nanjing in March 1940. At the same time, Japanese intermediaries sought approaches to Chiang Kai-shek himself—an effort that the CCP tracked closely as a sign that peace negotiations might be possible even when battlefield conditions looked grim. Propaganda was involved, but the anxiety was real: if Japan and the Nationalists reached an arrangement, the CCP's whole wartime legitimacy-building effort could collapse overnight. As a result, the united front was interpreted inside the CCP not as a permanent coalition with the KMT, but as a flexible strategy with a cardinal purpose: to prevent peace between Japan and the Nationalists. Mao's position on the united front reflected this. For him, the alliance was meant to suspend the possibility of a China–Japan settlement, not to end the CCP's separate identity. The CCP could participate in a reconstituted national framework—possibly even a "democratic republic"—to gain legality and influence, but it should remain politically and, where possible, physically separate from the KMT. By 1939, however, the practical meaning of "flexibility" collided with reality. What had seemed, to some observers, like an unusually cordial entente began to fade. The KMT Central Committee adopted measures early in 1939 aimed at restricting Communist expansion, and armed clashes increased through the summer and continued into autumn and winter—especially around North China Communist bases. The period of rising conflict was later labeled by the CCP as the "first anti-Communist upsurge" (roughly spanning December 1939 into March 1940), but the crucial point was that both sides viewed each confrontation as a test of legal rights, moral legitimacy, and control over territory. Strategically, the CCP understood the KMT's effort as an attempt to check unauthorized growth of Communist armed power and to recover areas where influence had already slipped away—either to the Communists or, by indirect effect, to Japan. The KMT emphasized its traditional legal authority; the CCP countered with its claim to an "evolutionary" moral right to challenge the government's legitimacy. In practice, the conflict took the form of increasingly systematic military pressure, including a blockade around the Shen–Gan–Ning region. By this point, the blockade involved large numbers of troops (on the order of hundreds of thousands), halting Communist expansion and disrupting direct contact with other Communist forces farther afield, even as fighting flared along border zones and around vulnerable points in the Communist defensive perimeter. So, by the edge of the "middle years," the wartime alliance had not broken into open civil war—but it had also stopped being secure. The united front survived, yet it operated under strain: its language of cooperation continued, while "friction" between partners hardened into a central feature of the resistance struggle. Transition into the war's second phase began in early 1939, shaped by the stalemate Mao had already anticipated at the sixth plenum in late 1938. Mao argued that during this prolonged "new stage" the forces of resistance—above all, Communist-led forces—would strengthen. The overall result, however, was mixed. In Shandong and Central China, new Communist bases did take shape. But across much of North China, Japanese consolidation cost the resistance heavily in manpower and population. Base-area economies suffered serious strain, and the peasantry endured hardships more severe than at any earlier point. This stalemate had two main dimensions. The first was the growing resentment of the Nationalists toward Communist expansion—resentment made especially sharp by their own losses. As the Nationalists were driven out of regions that had previously provided them their greatest wealth and power in the central and lower Yangtze basin, they also lost the "cream" of their armies. In contrast, the CCP was spreading through the wider countryside behind Japanese lines, extending its influence and winning broader popular support. The second dimension was Japan's desire—and need—to consolidate territories it had only nominally conquered and to extract economic value from them. After all, the logic of the "China Incident" was to draw on China's labor and resources to strengthen Japan, not to bleed Japan's gains away by draining wealth into China's vast interior. A Japanese colonel, lamenting the situation, captured the frustration of this drift into deeper entanglement: he regretted that Japan had not ended the "China Incident" once its initial objectives were reached. Instead, Japan was drawn into the hinterland and became bogged down in endless attrition—leaving it with little more than "real estate" rather than the popular support it believed it would secure from those it claimed to "liberate." To improve their position, Japanese authorities—still fragmented by internal rivalry—pursued several strategies. One was a new peace offensive aimed simultaneously at Jiang Jieshi, alongside efforts to establish a "reformed" Nationalist government under Wang Jingwei, who had fled Chongqing in December 1938. Japan also recruited more collaborators and puppet officials. Finally, it carried out forceful military, political, and economic measures intended to establish effective territorial control and eliminate opposition. During the middle years of the war, the Communists described their conflicts with the Nationalists using the euphemism "friction". By 1939, what many observers—possibly incorrectly—had viewed as an unusually warm alliance began to break down. In early 1939, the KMT Central Committee adopted measures meant to restrict the CCP. From the summer onward, military clashes began and continued into autumn and winter with increasing frequency and intensity, most of them concentrated around and within the North China base areas. The Communists later labeled the period from December 1939 to March 1940 the "first anti-Communist upsurge." Naturally, each side accused the other of aggression and claimed self-defense against unjust attacks. Strategically, though, the North China "upsurge" functioned as a Nationalist attempt to limit the CCP's expansion beyond the areas assigned to it and to regain influence in regions the Communists—or the Japanese—had already taken from the KMT. Jiang Jieshi framed the matter as a defense of legal rights grounded in tradition, while the Communists asserted an "evolutionary" right to challenge the moral legitimacy of those legal claims. During 1939, the Nationalists began to blockade Shen–Gan–Ning around its southern and western perimeter. Within a year, this blockade grew to nearly 400,000 troops, including some of the last remaining Central Army units under the command of Hu Zongnan. The blockade stopped further Communist expansion, especially into Gansu and Suiyuan, and severed direct contact between SKN and Communists operating in Xinjiang (Chinese Turkestan) adjacent to Soviet Central Asia. The Xinjiang Communists—including Mao Zedong's brother—were eliminated in 1942. Meanwhile, fierce fighting erupted along the Gansu–Shaanxi border and in the north-eastern corner of SKN near the Great Wall at Suide, as the blockading forces probed for weak points. Elements of He Long's 120th Division were even pulled back from the Jin–Sui base across the Yellow River to strengthen SKN's regular defenses. Economically, the blockade was even more damaging. During 1939, central government subsidies to the Border Region budget were cut off. Trade between the Border Region and other parts of China nearly stopped, a devastating blow to a region unable to supply itself with many basic commodities. At the same time, Nationalist and regional forces also attempted to expand their military and administrative authority into Hebei, Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong—areas the CCP now considered its base zones. In resisting these efforts, the CCP predictable accused its rivals of harming resistance work and damaging the people's interests. The "experts in dissension" were said to cooperate with the Japanese and their puppets. Based on increasing collaboration by regional units with Japan, the CCP implied that this was a deliberate and cynical strategy—described as "crooked-line patriotism"—intended to preserve those units for future anti-Communist operations. Even so, the CCP tried to avoid an open break with the Nationalist regime in Chongqing. In public, it consistently portrayed these clashes as being initiated by local commanders acting beyond orders from higher authority—despite knowing this depiction was false. Jiang Jieshi, unable to refute the claim outright, effectively permitted it to serve as the justification for a firm Communist response. Mao Zedong outlined the general resistance policy as "justification, expedience, and restraint". The CCP was to fight when it could claim justification and when it could gain advantage, but not to press attacks beyond what the Nationalists would tolerate or in ways that could damage its image as selfless patriots. Communist forces were expected to keep initiative as much as possible in their own hands—deciding when to engage, whether to engage, and when to disengage. The most striking episode of the "first anti-Communist upsurge" was the rupture with Yan Xishan in December 1939. Tensions in Shanxi had been rising throughout the summer and autumn, as Yan and his conservative supporters—associated with the "Old Army"—linked the Sacrifice League and the Dare-to-die Corps of the "New Army" with Communist forces. When base areas and Japanese occupation eventually took over much of his province, Yan was forced into exile at Qiulin across the Yellow River in Shaanxi. In November, Yan ordered his Old Army to disarm the Dare-to-die forces with help from central units dispatched by Hu Zongnan. In the bloody fighting that followed, these elements gradually broke free of even nominal provincial control and fully completed their connection with Communist forces. More than 30,000 people went over to the Communists. One KMT intelligence agent described the process with bitterness and a sense of inevitability: the Communists were first "full of sweet words," flattery, and distortions designed to open things up and conceal their actions. But once they had fully entrenched themselves, and once the low-level base had been established, they turned and bit. The agent suggested they had suspected things might end this way, but were not aware how quickly events would move—or that it could happen precisely while Communist calls for "united front" and "maintenance of unity for resistance" filled the air. About a month later, in February and March 1940, elements of the 8RA beat back this so-called upsurge. Zhang Yinwu's forces were disarmed and dispersed across the plains of north Hebei. To the south, Chu Huaiping and Shi Yusan were pushed out of the base area, as was the KMT-appointed provincial governor Lu Zhonglin. Although some non-Communist forces remained in the region, the CCP's and CCLY bases were never again seriously threatened by forces affiliated with the central government. Reinforcing the CCP's accusations, Shi Yusan was later executed in 1940 by the central government for collaboration with the Japanese. By late 1939, CCP central authorities maintained that the areas where the CCP could expand its armed strength were mainly limited to Shandong and Central China. In those regions, the CCP continued trying to carve out bases where they could operate. The situation in Shandong was complicated. After the Japanese invasion, most Nationalist-affiliated forces stayed in the province, while Communist forces and bases were weaker and more scattered than further west. Only in late 1938 did major 8RA units from the 115th and 129th Divisions—led by Xu Xiangqian and Luo Ronghuan—enter Shandong to link up with the Shandong column and local guerrillas, including survivors of a large band recently decimated by the Japanese. Even with these efforts, Communist actions led to clashes not only with Japanese forces but also with various Nationalist-affiliated groups—groups that were stronger than the Communists at the time. Until late 1940, the CCP's clashes with Nationalist forces in Shandong were actually bloodier than clashes with the Japanese. The CCP understood that its Chinese rivals mistrusted one another, and that their attitudes toward the CCP varied widely. The main Nationalist forces were often not tightly affiliated with Chiang Kai-shek or the central government. Instead, they operated under independent—and at times disgruntled—regional commanders. Communist tactics were expressed through slogans emphasizing ways to win support and isolate hardliners: develop progressive forces and win over fence-sitters while isolating "die-hards"; flatter top echelons, enlist the middle ranks, and hit the rank and file; and win over Yi Xuezhong, isolate Shen Honglie, and eliminate Qin Qirong. Still, unlike other North China base areas, the Communists were unable for several years to neutralize Nationalist forces in Shandong. Even if Japanese mop-up campaigns had not weakened those Nationalists, the text suggests the Communists may still have struggled to do so. By November 1940, Xu Xiangqian claimed meaningful progress while admitting Shandong had not yet become a fully consolidated base. CCP successes were greatest along parts of the Shandong–Hebei border, around the Taishan massif in central Shandong, and near the tip of the peninsula far to the east. Elsewhere, "progressive forces" remained weak. Communist regular troops numbered about 70,000, which was far below the party center's goals of 150,000 regulars and between 1.5 and 2 million self-defense forces. Moreover, systematic economic reforms had barely begun. The CCP relied on familiar practices—confiscations, collections of "national salvation grain," contributions, and loans—alongside a conventional taxation system adjusted to favor poorer peasants. Communist expansion in Central China was even riskier, with a greater likelihood of large-scale conflict with central government forces than in the north. In much of North China, "friction" came primarily from rapid Communist expansion into areas with partial vacuums. In Central China, however, base-building required displacing an existing Nationalist military-administrative presence closely tied to Jiang Kai-shek and the Chongqing government. The burden of this expansion was carried mainly by the 6th Detachment (northern Anhui and Jiangsu) and the 5th Detachment, which was reinforced by 15,000 to 20,000 8RA troops under Huang K'o-ch'eng. As Chen Yi's 1st Detachment crossed from south to north through the corridor provided by Guan Wenwei's local forces, it became actively involved as well. This expansion—driven by increasingly urgent directives from Mao and Liu during the latter part of 1939 and into 1940—brought the N4A north of the river into ever more frequent and sharper clashes with Nationalist authorities in Anhui and Jiangsu, especially with units under Jiangsu governor Han Deqin. South of the river, though, Xiang Ying did not directly challenge Chongqing's commanders. Mao later charged that Xiang Ying may have been influenced by Wang Ming, or else he may simply have seen no realistic alternative. His forces—three detachments plus a headquarters unit—were heavily outnumbered by Qu Chutong's Nationalist units, not to mention Japanese forces and their puppets. Even if Mao insisted bases could be built "anywhere," the Shanghai–Hangzhou–Nanjing triangle was especially difficult terrain. Xiang Ying and his followers had survived with extraordinary tenacity in the mountains of South China between 1934 and 1937, enduring brutal search-and-destroy operations that were not lifted until the war began. It therefore seems unlikely that such survivors would suddenly become "right-wing capitulationists."  Yet by spring 1940, Mao was pressing Xiang Ying more intensely. The Central Committee's message was explicit: expansion was necessary in all cases. It meant reaching into all enemy-occupied areas rather than being bound by the Kuomintang's restrictions—going beyond Kuomintang limits, not waiting for official appointments, not depending on higher-ups for financing, and instead expanding armed forces freely and independently. It also meant setting up base areas without hesitation, independently mobilizing the masses in those areas, and building united front organs of political power under Communist Party leadership. The struggle between Nationalists and Communists involved more than contests for control of territory behind Japanese lines. It also involved national-level politics, ideology, and leadership. One worrying development for the CCP was the campaign throughout 1939 to expand Jiang Kai-shek's prestige and formal power—adding more titles for him across major party, government, and military positions. In early 1939, the Central Executive Committee appointed him "director-general" of the Kuomintang, a title reminiscent of the one previously held by Sun Yat-sen. In addition, during the summer and autumn of 1939 there was talk of constitutional rule. In November, the KMT announced plans to convene a constitutional assembly the following year. If Jiang could fulfill these promises, he and his government could gain new legitimacy and wider popularity. Mao and his colleagues could not allow this to go unchallenged. If the Nationalists were to have a paramount leader and authoritative spokesperson, the CCP needed one as well. The timing of Mao's famous "On the new democracy"—written in late 1939 and published the next January—was therefore no accident. Its substance had been anticipated earlier, but its final timing and full development were shaped by the KMT's constitutional movement. The CCP's entry into this competition served as both a bid for support away from the KMT and a statement of the multi-class united front that the CCP wanted to lead. Although "On the new democracy" was written in a tone that seemed moderate, it persuaded many Chinese readers that the CCP had either diluted its revolutionary objectives or postponed them to a distant future. In Kuomintang-controlled areas, the work could be read through the liberal values associated with Anglo-American democracy—popular participation, multi-party government, legally protected civil rights. In CCP-controlled territories, the same language carried stronger authoritarian, class-based meanings. In internal documents meant for party audiences rather than public consumption, the ambiguity was removed, showing a tough but patient and flexible commitment not only to resistance but also to social control and social change. During this same period, the Communists expressed deep concern about Nationalist capitulation to Japan—not only on the battlefield behind Japanese lines but also at the highest levels. Some of this concern was propaganda, but beneath propaganda lay genuine anxiety. In late 1939 and early 1940, politically aware Chinese already knew that Japan was negotiating with the unpredictable Wang Jingwei, who had fled Chongqing a year earlier. A "reorganized national government" in Nanjing was finally established in March 1940, representing the most formidable collaboration with Japan to date. Less well known, but equally important, was that Japan was also seeking an understanding directly with Jiang Kai-shek through intermediaries in Hong Kong. This effort, called "Operation Kiri"—described as spreading a "feast for Chiang"—combined intrigue with a kind of dark comedy. Reports suggested Chiang's reported interest in peace could have been a stratagem designed to discredit Wang Jingwei by keeping him waiting. But even if Chiang had no intention of coming to terms with Japan, the Communists could not be sure what the outcome would be until after the multi-pronged peace offensive had failed. By the middle of 1940, China had never been so isolated. In Europe, the "phony war" ended in the spring when Germany launched a blitz across the Low Countries. France fell soon after, and England appeared likely to be next. Japan used this moment to press China to sever its last tenuous connections to the outside world: cutting the Burma Road, trade with neutral Hong Kong, and the rail link running from Hanoi to Kunming. At the same time, Russia was engaged in a difficult and embarrassing war with Finland and reduced military aid to the Nationalists. The United States was only gradually moving away from isolationism and clearly regarded England as more important than China. In Chongqing and elsewhere in "Free China," signs of war weariness, despair, and demoralization were visible. Under these circumstances, Mao's insistence on aggressive expansion was a calculated risk—either it would deter any Japanese advance, or it would place the Communists in the strongest possible position in case a split between the KMT and the CCP became unavoidable. In Central China, the size and pace of the fighting kept increasing, starting in the final months of 1939. One flashpoint was the clash between Luo Pinghui's 5th Detachment and units of Han Deqin's Jiangsu force near Lake Gaoyou. In the following months, Guan Wenwei's forces ranged along the left bank of the Yangtze, repeatedly running into Luo's troops as they operated farther north. Luo also began receiving some 8RA reinforcements, moving them south through areas controlled by the 6th Detachment. Clearly, a major showdown was taking shape across north and central Jiangsu. At the same time, the South Yangtze Command was doing poorly. Nationalist commanders Leng Xin and Qu Chutong restricted its activities so severely that Mao and Liu gradually abandoned the idea of building a unified, consolidated base in that region. During late spring and early summer, Chen Yi moved most of his 1st and 2nd Detachments north of the Yangtze. In September, the 3rd Detachment followed suit, crossing the river into the area around Lake Chaohu, where the 4th Detachment was already stationed. After these moves, only the Headquarters Detachment—under Ye Ting and Xiang Ying—remained south of the Yangtze, positioned at Qingxian in southern Anhui. As the military situation edged toward an open confrontation, negotiations began in June 1940 between representatives of the KMT and the CCP. The core issues were Communist operating zones and the authorized strength of the armies led by the CCP. Proposals were exchanged, followed by equally sharp and hostile counter-proposals, but no agreement was reached. The KMT viewed it as a concession to permit the CCP "free rein" north of the pre-1938 course of the Yellow River, with the exception of southern Shanxi, which was to remain under the influence of Yan Xishan. In exchange, the KMT demanded that all 8RA and N4A units evacuate Central China. In effect, the KMT was offering the CCP something it was already prepared to allow, in return for the CCP giving up what it might soon be able to obtain by force of arms. Nationalist authorities then issued a set of deadlines, but without clearly stating what would happen if those deadlines were violated. On the surface, the CCP appeared to be complying in part. The movements of Chen Yi and the South Yangtze Command could look like obedience, but in reality they were responses to orders coming from their own superior leadership rather than instructions issued by the Nationalists. Even so, Xiang Ying's continued delays and evasions during the autumn and winter of 1940 remained puzzling. One possibility is that he felt—quite reasonably—that Mao had already lost confidence in him and that once he crossed to the north bank of the river he would lose his command. Another complication was that directives from Yan'an were sometimes ambiguous and even contradictory. He may also have been trying to reach secure understandings with KMT commanders about evacuation routes and guaranteed safe conduct out of the area. For a period, Han Teqin kept most of his forces—estimated at about 70,000 men, far outnumbering the N4A—in north Jiangsu, thereby blocking the expansion of the 6th Detachment and slowing further southern intrusions by 8RA troops. But by mid-summer he realized he would have to counter the N4A build-up in central Jiangsu, or else risk writing that region off to the Communists. A confusing sequence of engagements then unfolded, culminating in a decisive battle in early October 1940 near the central Jiangsu town of Huangjiao. Over the course of four days, several of Han's main-force units belonging to the 89th Army were destroyed, while others were scattered. That battle also served as a signal for the 6th Detachment to advance more aggressively in the north. In the aftermath, one of Han's principal commanders entered collaboration with the CCP, while another defected to the Nanjing government under Wang Jingwei. Although Han Teqin managed to maintain a foothold in Jiangsu until 1943, his real power had been broken. Relatively little attention was paid to the battle of Huangjiao in the Chinese press. The KMT did not want to publicize what it considered a disastrous defeat, while the Communists were satisfied to stay silent about an episode that conflicted with their proclaimed policy of a united front. As could be expected, during the autumn—after Han Teqin's defeat—KMT-CCP negotiations deteriorated further. In early December, Jiang Kai-shek personally ordered that all N4A forces withdraw from southern Anhui and southern Jiangsu by 31 December. He also ordered that the entire 8RA be positioned north of the Yellow River by the same deadline, followed one month later by the N4A. Discussions then followed between Ye Ting and Qu Chutong's deputies concerning the route to be taken, safe conduct, and—astonishingly—the money and supplies that were to be provided to the N4A to help it move. On 25 December, Mao Zedong ordered Xiang Ying to begin evacuating immediately. Yet it was not until 4 January 1941 that Ye and Xiang actually started moving. Almost immediately, Qu Chutong's forces harassed and dispersed the N4A Headquarters Group, which included administrative personnel, wounded soldiers and dependents, as well as combat-ready troops. In an attempt to reorganize, they moved southwest toward Maolin, where they were surrounded by Nationalists and, over the next several days, were cut to pieces. Losses were heavy on both sides. The CCP suffered an estimated 9,000 casualties. Xiang Ying tried twice to break out of the blockade on his own, but failed. He was then denounced as a deserter by Ye Ting, who took over full command of the doomed forces. Xiang Ying eventually escaped, but he was killed a couple of months later by one of his own bodyguards, motivated by the N4A gold reserves that he had taken with him. Up to the very end, Xiang either failed or refused to seek refuge in Liu Shaoqi's domain north of the Yangtze. The unfortunate Ye Ting was arrested and spent the rest of the war in prison. He was finally released in 1946, only to die one month later in a plane crash, along with several other high-ranking party members. On 17 January, Jiang Kai-shek declared that the New Fourth Army was dissolved for insubordination. Direct contacts between Yan'an and Chongqing nearly came to an end, and CCP military liaison offices in several cities held by the Nationalists were closed. This is what became known as the New Fourth Army incident, also referred to as the South Anhui incident. Clearly, it functioned as an act of retaliation for the defeats suffered by Han Teqin in north and central Jiangsu. It ended any realistic prospect of establishing a consolidated Communist base south of the Yangtze. Still, from a strategic perspective, these losses were ultimately more than offset by the gains achieved farther north. In fact, only a few months later, the reorganized N4A quietly began reintroducing some units into this region, where they carried out guerrilla activities without possessing a secure territorial base. Unlike the relative silence surrounding the fighting at Huangjiao, the New Fourth Army incident sparked bitter, prolonged controversy. The CCP argued that it was a second "anti-Communist upsurge," even more serious than the first. Presenting themselves as martyred patriots, they depicted their opponents as people who wanted to end the War of Resistance through what they called "Sino-Japanese cooperation" aimed at "suppressing the Communists." In their account, the Nationalists wanted to replace the war of resistance with civil war, substitute capitulation for independence, trade unity for a split, and replace light with darkness. People were telling each other the news and were horrified. Indeed, they claimed that the situation had never been as critical as it was at that moment. The Nationalist response, of course, was that provocations had been numerous and serious, and that violations of military discipline could not be tolerated. But the KMT's unwillingness to describe in detail its own defeats at the CCP's hands left it speaking in broad generalities. In the propaganda battle, the CCP clearly gained the better position and won more political capital. If it was politically valuable to be regarded as a national hero, it was even more valuable to be seen as a national martyr.  Many Chinese—and some outside—observers were genuinely alarmed and feared that civil war might openly resume. Yet, with a few exceptions, the events that culminated in the New Fourth Army incident have generally been interpreted as marking the breakdown of the second united front. That interpretation, however, is described as being wrong in two respects. First, the CCP understood the united front not as a narrow arrangement limited to a few major partners, but as a strategy that could be applied flexibly to all political, military, and social forces in China—from the highest levels of the central government down to the smallest village. Relations with Jiang Jieshi and the Guomindang regime mattered, but they did not, by themselves, constitute the whole of the united front. Even regarding Jiang and the Nationalists specifically, the common reading is said to be misguided. Throughout the war, a cardinal objective of the united front was to prevent peace between Japan and the Nationalists. Therefore, if clashes between CCP forces and those of the central government on such a large scale as at Huangjiao and Maolin could occur without leading to peace with Japan and without triggering a full-scale resumption of civil war, then this should not be understood as the end of the united front—it should be seen as its fundamental vindication. If friction at that scale could nevertheless be tolerated by Jiang Jieshi, then fears about his future accommodation with Japan were greatly reduced. Following the New Fourth Army incident, the CCP reorganized its political and military presence in Central China. The Central Plains and South-east China Bureaus were merged and renamed the Central China Bureau, with Liu Shaoqi placed in charge, reflecting the area's importance to Party Central. The New Fourth Army was also reorganized completely and substantially regularized. Chen Yi became its new acting commander, since Ye Ting was imprisoned. He directed the force, now divided into seven divisions. Each division had territorial responsibilities, and in each region the CCP claimed the establishment of a base. Indeed, base construction proceeded in earnest only after the friction of 1940 and the New Fourth Army incident. In the years that followed, the operating areas of the First through Fourth Divisions contained expanding enclaves of consolidated territory, where military dominance was joined with open party work: administrative control, the development of mass organizations, local elections, and socio-economic reforms. The other three areas fluctuated between semi-consolidated and guerrilla status. With the incident, the worst phase of the KMT-CCP conflict was now over. When CCP documents later speak of a third upsurge in 1943, they refer to something openly political. With the exception of Shandong—where a fairly strong Nationalist presence persisted for a longer time—the overall balance of power among Chinese forces behind Japanese lines had shifted in favor of the CCP by mid-1941. In subsequent years the CCP's predominance became even more pronounced, until by the end of 1943 the Communists were virtually beyond challenge by Chinese rivals.   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. After the CCP and KMT entered the united front, cooperation felt conditional from the start. Mao pushed the New Fourth Army to reorganize and preserve Communist autonomy, even as the 1937 agreements publicly pledged obedience to KMT leadership. In 1939–40 the Communists worried that Chiang might negotiate peace with Japan; so they expanded bases and military presence, triggering repeated clashes. The pressure intensified when KMT orders forced the New Fourth Army to evacuate south Anhui in late 1940. 

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Bridging Hearts: A Family's Journey Along the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-10-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 丽安站在家门口，春天的阳光洒在她的脸上，温柔而暖和。En: Li An stood at her doorstep, with the spring sunlight gently and warmly shining on her face.Zh: 今天是家族聚会的日子，她知道这次聚会对她很重要。En: Today was the day of the family gathering, and she knew this gathering was important to her.Zh: 她想和家人拉近距离，尤其是和堂哥伟。En: She wanted to get closer to her family, especially her cousin Wei.Zh: 在客厅里，家人们已经开始欢声笑语。En: In the living room, the family was already filled with laughter.Zh: 梅正在和妈妈谈论最近的工作。En: Mei was talking to their mom about recent work.Zh: 丽安走进去，心里有些不安。En: Li An walked in, feeling a bit uneasy.Zh: 她总觉得和伟不太合群，他似乎总是对别人有很多看法。En: She always felt out of sync with Wei, who seemed to always have many opinions about others.Zh: 突然，丽安有了一个主意。En: Suddenly, Li An had an idea.Zh: 她说：“我们去长城吧！En: She said, "Let's go to the Great Wall!Zh: 这样能有个不同的经历。En: This way we can have a different experience."Zh: ”家人们愣住了，然后开始议论纷纷。En: The family was stunned and then started to discuss.Zh: 经过一番讨论，大家决定尝试这个点子。En: After some discussion, they decided to try this idea.Zh: 这个即兴的计划让每个人都充满了期待。En: This spontaneous plan filled everyone with anticipation.Zh: 第二天，他们一早出发，坐上了去长城的车。En: The next day, they set out early and boarded the bus heading to the Great Wall.Zh: 清晨的空气格外清新，大家一路欢声笑语。En: The morning air was particularly fresh, and everyone was cheerful throughout the journey.Zh: 坐在车上，丽安感到开心，但也有点紧张。En: Sitting on the bus, Li An felt happy but also a little nervous.Zh: 她希望这次旅程能帮助她更好地融入家庭。En: She hoped this trip would help her integrate better into the family.Zh: 当他们抵达长城，那蜿蜒的石头巨龙在阳光下显得格外庄严。En: When they arrived at the Great Wall, the winding stone dragon appeared exceptionally majestic under the sunlight.Zh: 一望无际的长城让他们感到敬畏。En: The vastness of the Great Wall filled them with awe.Zh: 丽安看着伟，他们之前的隔阂沉重地挂在心头。En: Li An looked at Wei, the weight of their previous estrangement heavy on her heart.Zh: 爬上长城时，丽安终于鼓起勇气和伟搭话。En: As they climbed up the Great Wall, Li An finally mustered the courage to talk to Wei.Zh: “伟，我有些事情想说。En: "Wei, I have something I want to say."Zh: ”丽安停下脚步，转向伟，眼神认真。En: Li An stopped, turned to Wei, and looked at him earnestly.Zh: 伟点点头，等待着。En: Wei nodded, waiting.Zh: “我一直觉得自己和家里有些疏远，特别是和你，”丽安坦承，“我想更了解我们的家庭，更理解我们的来历。En: "I always felt a bit distant from the family, especially with you," Li An confessed, "I want to understand our family more, to comprehend our origins."Zh: ”伟叹了口气，微笑着说：“我不是故意对你严厉。En: Wei sighed and smiled, "I don't mean to be harsh with you.Zh: 只是有时候我不太会表达。En: It's just that sometimes I don't express myself well.Zh: 其实我很想了解你的想法。En: I actually want to understand your thoughts."Zh: ”这瞬间，丽安感觉心里的冰块融化。En: At that moment, Li An felt the ice in her heart melting.Zh: 梅也走过来，加入他们的谈话。En: Mei also came over and joined their conversation.Zh: 三个人在长城上坐下来，看着远处的风景，聊起了他们那些过去不愿提起的故事。En: The three of them sat down on the Great Wall, looking at the distant scenery and talking about stories they used to avoid discussing.Zh: 时间过得很快，天渐渐暗下来。En: Time passed quickly, and the sky gradually darkened.Zh: 丽安觉得，他们的谈话像是扫去了一层面纱，她终于感受到属于家族的温暖。En: Li An felt like their conversation had lifted a veil, and she finally felt the warmth of belonging to a family.Zh: 伟和梅也似乎改变了看法，关系变得更加亲密。En: Wei and Mei also seemed to change their views, and their relationships became closer.Zh: 在回程的路上，丽安感受到了一种新的归属感。En: On the way back, Li An felt a new sense of belonging.Zh: 她明白，有时候需要跨越心理的障碍，才能迎来新的理解和连接。En: She understood that sometimes you need to overcome psychological barriers to achieve new understanding and connections.Zh: 这次长城之旅，不仅是一次家庭聚会，更是心灵的旅程。En: This trip to the Great Wall, was not just a family gathering, but also a journey of the heart.Zh: 丽安在心中感谢这段旅程，它带来了心灵上的改变。En: Li An thanked this journey in her heart, for it brought about a change within.Zh: 通过真诚的交流，她开始欣赏家人的观点，找到了久违的家庭温暖。En: Through sincere communication, she began to appreciate her family's perspectives and found the long-lost warmth of family. Vocabulary Words:doorstep: 家门口gathering: 聚会uneasy: 不安sync: 合群spontaneous: 即兴anticipation: 期待vastness: 一望无际estrangement: 隔阂mustered: 鼓起earnestly: 认真confessed: 坦承origins: 来历sighed: 叹了口气ice: 冰块veil: 面纱belonging: 归属感overcome: 跨越psychological: 心理barriers: 障碍sincere: 真诚appreciate: 欣赏perspectives: 观点journey: 旅程majestic: 庄严winding: 蜿蜒comprehend: 理解integration: 融入stunned: 愣住了discussion: 讨论cheerful: 欢声笑语

The Great Wall has survived centuries of wind and war. Now it also faces a new kind of challenge, not from nature, but from the millions who come to love it. Earlier this year, regulations to protect the Great Wall took effect in Beijing. Smarter technology. Tighter oversight. The question is whether these changes can save it from its own popularity. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

Send us Fan MailHe flew across the world, navigated a high-stakes visa process, got sick right before travel, and still walked away with a breakthrough weekend. We're back with mountain running standout Kieran Nay, fresh off the WMRA World Cup in China, where he delivers a top 15 in the uphill and a top 10 in the Mountain Classic, including the surreal experience of racing on the Great Wall.We talk through what WMRA events feel like on the ground: the organization, the media presence, and why Kieran values the series' anti-doping focus. From there, we zoom out into the bigger trail running conversation: WMRA vs Golden Trail vs skyrunning, the push and pull between private series and federations, and whether the sport should ever try to unify under one umbrella. Along the way, Kieran shares what it's like standing out in a new culture, troubleshooting payments with WeChat, and seeing how sport can cut through the easy narratives we tell about other countries.Then we get practical. Kieran breaks down pacing, heart rate, and decision-making for steep VK-style efforts, plus what changed for him on technical downhills in the Mountain Classic. We dig into training in Gunnison, grade specificity, heat prep, and the mental shift that helps him race with curiosity instead of pressure. We also hit altitude tools, respiratory muscle training, and his interest in experimenting with bicarb and other marginal gains as the season ramps toward Broken Arrow, SeirSandal, Grand Traverse, and the Pikes Peak Marathon.If you enjoy deep, honest conversations about mountain running performance and the life behind the results, subscribe, share this with a running friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.Follow Kieran on IG - @kieran_nayPhoto Credit - WMRA Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.usFollow James on IG - @jameslaurielloFollow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_podFollow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa

HOLTWOOD, Pa. — This week on the Hemp Podcast we take a short road trip to southern Lancaster County to catch up with farmer Steve Groff. "What we're looking at here, Eric, is a metaphor for the hemp industry. We're looking broken promises and contracts that didn't come to be," Groff said, leaning against a stack of round bales of hemp at his farm in Holtwood. Twelve hundred round bales. Four bales wide. Three bales high. It extends into the field for about two tenths of a mile. It's covered in black tarps and you can see it from the road. You can probably see it from space too. Steve Groff's Great Wall of Hemp. This is his 2025 hemp crop, roughly 80 acres of fiber hemp, cut and baled last fall. His 2024 crop of 60 acres sits in silage bags, on the north side of the Great Wall like sleeping giants. "You know, you add it all up, it's a million, little over a million pounds," Groff said. And so the hemp sits. Waiting for the processing infrastructure to be built in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, one of the silage bags was torn open by some birds, so Groff is using the hemp from that bag as mulch for his tomato operation. "I grow heirloom tomatoes in high tunnels, I have over 12,000 tomato plants, it's like, well, let's use up some of this hemp mulch here." Hemp makes a great mulch, but certainly there are better uses for a million pounds of Pennsylvania-grown fiber hemp than mulch. Denim. Houses. Paper. 8 years after the 2018 Farm Bill and we're still talking about building processing infrastructure, instead of manufacturing products. But Groff is an optimist with an eye on the future. "I still believe in the plant and hemp and what it can do. And it looks like for the fiber and grain guys, it looks we might have a decent Farm Bill coming along here." Learn More Steve Groff Pennsylvania Flax Project PA Department of Agriculture Agricultural Innovation Grant Rodale Institute — Mulching Guide News Nuggets Farm bill draft eases some rules, imposes others on hemp fiber and grain, squeezes CBD House Approves Farm Bill Without Controversial Pesticide Rules Republicans Raise Objections to Pennsylvania's Ag Innovation Fund Sponsors IND Hemp Americhanvre Forever Green A field visit with Lancaster County hemp farmer Steve Groff at Cedar Meadow Farm, where more than a million pounds of unsold hemp fiber, a four-acre seed treatment trial, and a four-inch precision planter under construction tell the story of an industry waiting on infrastructure that hasn't arrived. This episode of the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast features a field visit with Lancaster County hemp farmer and innovator Steve Groff at Cedar Meadow Farm in Holtwood, Pennsylvania. The conversation centers on more than a million pounds of unsold hemp fiber stacked along the farm lane — what Groff calls a metaphor for the broken promises and stalled contracts that have defined the U.S. industrial hemp industry in recent years. Across the road, blueprints for a 16,000-square-foot processing facility sit fully permitted, awaiting funding that hasn't materialized. The visit walks through a four-acre research plot where Groff is testing five biological seed treatments against a control, replicated four times, with 2,000 colored flags tracking individual hemp seedlings from emergence to harvest. The experiment targets a long-standing mystery in industrial hemp agronomy: the gap between expected and harvested plant populations, sometimes called phantom yield loss. The episode also covers Groff's heirloom tomato operation, where unsold hemp from the 2024 crop is being used as mulch on more than 12,000 plants under high tunnels. Additional topics include a four-inch precision hemp planter under construction with farmer-inventor Charlie Martin, designed to singulate seeds and produce uniform stands at a row spacing already standard in China and Europe but rare in the United States. The project came out of a Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture innovation grant. The episode also visits 30 acres of flax — Groff's first cash crop foray as part of the Pennsylvania Flax Project — and provides an update on the Green Decorticator, which has reached the CAD-drawing stage and is headed for commercial testing this summer, targeting plant-length long fiber for high-end textile markets. The episode opens with a cold open from the host's backyard garden in southeastern Pennsylvania, where a truckload of hemp mulch from Groff's farm sets up the show's central question: why is a million pounds of hemp fiber being spread on tomato beds instead of woven into denim, processed into cardboard, or manufactured into bioplastics? A news segment covers the U.S. House passage of the 2026 Farm Bill, which formally separates industrial hemp from cannabinoid hemp and tightens regulation on intoxicating products, with the Senate version still pending.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Rekindling Bonds Along the Great Wall: A Sibling Reunion Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-06-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在春花盛开的日子，长城像一条巨龙，蜿蜒在中国的山脉上。En: On a day when spring flowers were in full bloom, the Changcheng (Great Wall of China) resembled a giant dragon winding through China's mountains.Zh: 天蓝如洗，微风拂面。En: The sky was as blue as if freshly washed, and a gentle breeze brushed the face.Zh: 墙边的野花悄然开放，迎接每一个到访的人。En: Wildflowers quietly bloomed along the wall, welcoming every visitor.Zh: 就在这里，过了多年未见面的兄妹，即将迎来重聚的时刻。En: It was here that siblings who hadn't seen each other for years were about to be reunited.Zh: 那天早上，Lian 从北京赶来。En: That morning, Lian rushed over from Beijing.Zh: 他是一个责任感很强的人，多年来一直在海外工作。En: He was a highly responsible person who had been working overseas for many years.Zh: 生活的现实让他严肃，但他心里一直渴望与妹妹 Yue 建立真正的联系。En: The realities of life made him serious, but in his heart, he longed to establish a genuine connection with his younger sister Yue.Zh: Yue 是个热爱自由的女孩，En: Yue was a girl who loved freedom.Zh: 她留在中国，生活总是充满冒险。En: She stayed in China, and her life was always filled with adventure.Zh: 她觉得自己被家人误解，渴望证明自己。En: She felt misunderstood by her family and longed to prove herself.Zh: 如今，她终于有机会与哥哥 Lian 在长城上重聚。En: Now, she finally had the opportunity to reunite with her brother Lian on the Changcheng.Zh: 当他们在长城入口见面时，两人都有些尴尬，但也充满期待。En: When they met at the entrance of the Changcheng, both felt a bit awkward, but were also full of anticipation.Zh: Lian 决定把工作放在一边，花一天时间和 Yue 一起探索这古老的建筑。En: Lian decided to set work aside and spend the day exploring this ancient structure with Yue.Zh: 尽管他们的性格不同，但兄妹之间似乎有一种无言的默契。En: Despite their different personalities, there seemed to be an unspoken understanding between the siblings.Zh: 他们沿着长城的石阶慢慢走着，En: They walked slowly along the stone steps of the Changcheng.Zh: Lian 时不时地停下来，用相机拍下风景。En: Lian occasionally stopped to capture the scenery with his camera.Zh: Yue 则兴奋地诉说她在国内的种种经历，谈到她做志愿者旅行，以及一些勇敢的决定。En: Meanwhile, Yue excitedly recounted her various experiences in the country, talking about her volunteer trips and some brave decisions.Zh: Lian 专注地听着，时而点头回应。En: Lian listened attentively, nodding in response at times.Zh: “哥，我知道你不太理解我的选择，但这就是我想要的生活。” Yue 坦诚地说道。En: "Brother, I know you don't quite understand my choices, but this is the life I want," Yue said candidly.Zh: “我真的只是希望你好好的。” Lian 说出他心中的担忧。En: "I just really hope you will be well," Lian expressed his concern.Zh: 走到长城的偏僻段，他们坐下休息。En: Reaching a secluded section of the Changcheng, they sat down to rest.Zh: 微风轻轻吹过，四周是空旷的景象。En: A gentle breeze blew by, and the scene around them was vast and open.Zh: 紧接着，他们开始了一场深刻的对话，却因意见不合，气氛变得紧张。En: They then began a deep conversation, but the atmosphere grew tense due to differing opinions.Zh: Yue 想要被理解，而 Lian 则想保护她。En: Yue wanted to be understood, while Lian wanted to protect her.Zh: 两人的情绪忽然爆发，但这次他们没有回避，而是选择面对。En: Emotions suddenly burst forth, but this time they didn't avoid it and chose to face it head-on.Zh: 太阳渐渐西落，晚霞染红了天际。En: As the sun gradually set in the west, the evening glow painted the sky red.Zh: Lian 和 Yue 终于达成了共识。En: Lian and Yue finally reached a consensus.Zh: Lian 明白了 Yue 的选择背后有不同的意义，而 Yue 也感受到 Lian 的关心并非束缚。En: Lian understood that Yue's choices held a different significance, and Yue realized that Lian's concern was not a restriction.Zh: “谢谢你愿意听我说。” Yue 看着渐渐消失在地平线的太阳，轻轻说道。En: "Thank you for being willing to listen to me," Yue gently said, watching the sun gradually disappear over the horizon.Zh: “我只希望我们能彼此理解，无论选择如何。” Lian 同样感慨地回应。En: "I only hope we can understand each other, no matter the choices," Lian responded with equal emotion.Zh: 在这个古老而雄伟的地方，兄妹之间的隔阂被化解了。En: In this ancient and majestic place, the gap between the siblings was bridged.Zh: 长城见证了他们的重聚，也见证了他们关系的重生。En: The Changcheng witnessed their reunion and the rebirth of their relationship.Zh: 从此以后，Lian 变得更加开放，而 Yue 的自信也得到了认可。En: From then on, Lian became more open, and Yue's confidence was recognized.Zh: 在长城的背景下，他们默默地肩并肩，享受着春天带来的希望与新的开始。En: Against the backdrop of the Changcheng, they stood silently shoulder to shoulder, enjoying the hope and new beginnings that spring brought. Vocabulary Words:bloom: 盛开winding: 蜿蜒resemble: 像gentle: 轻柔reunited: 重聚responsible: 责任感很强overseas: 海外genuine: 真正的freedom: 自由adventure: 冒险anticipation: 期待ancient: 古老personalities: 性格capture: 拍下volunteer: 志愿者candidly: 坦诚地concern: 担忧secluded: 偏僻tense: 紧张opinions: 意见burst: 爆发gradually: 渐渐glow: 晚霞consensus: 共识significance: 意义rebirth: 重生open: 开放recognized: 认可backdrop: 背景hope: 希望

Shoot us a Text.Episode #1329: Lawmakers push to block Chinese vehicles as they sit just miles from the U.S. border. Meanwhile, those same brands are gaining attention from American drivers. Plus, a new “most trusted companies” list shows how perception is shaping retail and automotive players alike.Show Notes with links:A growing group of U.S. lawmakers is urging the Trump administration to keep Chinese automakers out of the American market entirely, even as consumer interest rises and some leaders float U.S.-based production.More than 70 House Democrats are pushing to maintain a full ban on Chinese vehicles entering the U.S. market.The current restrictions stem from 2025 rules citing national security concerns, especially around data collection from connected vehicles.Despite high tariffs and bans, consumer curiosity about Chinese EVs is increasing, especially with the Beijing Auto Show currently happeningThe debate gets complicated as Trump made comments in January welcoming Chinese automakers building plants and jobs on U.S. soil.“We must not cede the American auto industry to a strategic competitor intent on global dominance,” lawmakers said.Chinese automakers may be locked out of the U.S., but just five miles from the Texas border, they're gaining traction with low prices and high-tech features. Chinese brands like BYD, Geely, and Great Wall are thriving in Mexico with EVs, hybrids, and gas vehicles priced well below U.S. offerings.Dealerships near El Paso are attracting attention from American shoppers, with some buyers and drivers already bringing vehicles into the U.S. under legal exceptions.One driver regularly commutes into Texas in a Chinese plug-in hybrid.Executives warn the pricing pressure is real, with some saying competing at Chinese price points would mean losing money.“If they were allowed to be sold in the United States…they would destroy the American car market,” said a Geely salesman,A new ranking of America's most trustworthy companies is out, based on a survey of 25,000 consumers, with retail brands dominating the list and sparking debate about how trust is measured and which companies truly earn it.Newsweek's 2026 list ranks retailers like Chewy, Costco, Amazon, and Home Depot among the most trusted companies in the U.S.The rankings are based on consumer perceptions of trust across industries, with retail heavily represented at the top.The report emphasizes that trust is increasingly tied to transparency, reliability, and handling of customer data.Some critics argue the list favors large corporations and question whether trust can truly be measured through surveys.Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast  as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

In this debut episode of the newly rebranded Upgraded Man Podcast, host Chris Anderson lays out the foundation for everything to come. After years of running the Elevate Media Podcast, Chris is honing in on a clear mission: helping men who refuse to stay complacent become better versions of themselves, one day at a time. This solo episode introduces the five pillars that will guide every future conversation, every guest interview, and every solo breakdown on the show. Chris speaks openly about why men today need this conversation more than ever, from the alarming rates of male suicide to the cultural pressure to chase transactions over real relationships. He shares personal stories from his own journey, including his college mental health struggles, his experience playing soccer in Holland as a teenager, and standing on the Great Wall of China during a leadership mission trip. Key topics and takeaways from this episode: Why mindset and mental health are the foundation of every other area of growth, and how to drop the labels that keep men stuck The truth about health: it's invisible until you lose it, and why nutrition, fitness, and recovery have to be non-negotiable Relationships over revenue, and why investing in people first opens doors that chasing sales never will How financial stress impacts every other area of life, and the difference between spending to impress and building real freedom The forgotten pillar of living fully, and why experiences compound in ways that possessions never do Why time speeds up as life goes on, especially with kids, and how to be present in the moments that actually matter A preview of upcoming guests including Olympians, gold medalists, ultra marathoners, and entrepreneurs who have pushed the limits of what is possible The goal of this show is not just success. It is becoming a better man, husband, father, friend, and leader. If that resonates with you, follow the show and share it with a guy in your life who would benefit from the journey. Host: Chris Anderson, founder of the Upgraded Man Podcast and former athletic trainer with a master's degree in athletic training. This episode may or may not be sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links, meaning we'll receive a small commission if you buy something.===========================⚡️ PODCAST: Subscribe and listen on all major platforms⚡️ Want to be a guest on The Upgraded Man? Apply here ➡ https://upgraded-man.com/guest⚡️ For support or business inquiries, email us ➡ chris@upgraded-man.com Our mission at The Upgraded Man is simple — help men upgrade every area of their life through real conversations, honest stories, and actionable insight from men who have done the work.The content on The Upgraded Man is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not constitute professional legal, financial, medical, or therapeutic advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on information discussed on this podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Even in this ugly era of political divisiveness under “King Donald,” some things remain bigger than partisan politics.For example, travel deep into Southwest Texas to the Mexican border, and you'll witness two powerful forces of political harmony in Big Bend National Park. First is the true majesty of nature – 1,200 square miles of high desert beauty, spectacular canyons, the Chisos Mounains' “sky islands,” black bears and jaguars, ancient artifacts of native peoples, etc.But you could also experience the marvelous rebellious spirit of today's Big Bend people who are battling the White House's ideological extremists. At issue is “The Wall,” the xenophobic piece of nastiness pushed by Stephen Miller, the Trump government's tyrannical, anti-immigrant chief. Build a multi-billion-dollar, 30-foot-high steel wall atop the Rio Grande's fragile, thousand-foot high cliffs, Miller maniacally commanded!Hello – such a monstrous wall would destroy the cliffs, devastate the economic, cultural, and other essential cross-border relationships that Big Bend communities rely on – and do nothing to stop desperate refugees. So, in a grassroots, non-partisan rebellion against such ideological bullstuff, a majority coalition of ranchers, environmentalists, local sheriffs, native Americans, and just folks have momentarily stalled the scheme. As a longtime Republican resident puts it: “Those advocating for this insane project should… acknowledge their nonsensical, aesthetically, and environmentally quixotic conduct, so their names may be indelibly placed on that border wall and remembered forever in infamy.”This is Jim Hightower saying… Trump is expected to push ahead, but the feisty grassroots champions are not intimidated. “We will be civil,” says one leader, “but we don't have to be polite.” Stay connected to them at nobigbendwall.org.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

Amanda is back with Christina to talk about: How we use our daily planners- what we do similarly and what we do very differently Multi-tasking- is it helpful? Is it even possible to avoid? What our husbands think about while watching TV vs what we think about  Referenced in this episode: The Great Wall of Vulva

How did Roman silver travel from Egypt to China across monsoon seas, pirate waters, and bustling ports? Tristan Hughes is joined by legendary archaeologist Sir Barry Cunliffe for a dramatic journey through the Indian Ocean, where Roman glass, pepper, and silk linked two ancient superpowers. From Sri Lanka to the Malacca Strait, they reveal a dazzling world of traders, middlemen and maritime adventure.MoreOrigins of the Silk RoadListen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe Great Wall of ChinaListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds to hear an exclusive chat between Tristan and Sir Barry Cunliffe, as well as see hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.