Podcasts about Jian

As the FIFA World Cup gets underway, many people around the world are focused on football. But many Iranians are focused on something else entirely. Jian Ghomeshi welcomes former political prisoner and activist Ahmad Batebi and historian and political analyst Dr. Shahram Kholdi for a discussion about the World Cup, Team Melli, the Islamic Republic's attempts to shape narratives on the global stage, and how the Iranian diaspora can use this moment to keep attention focused on the struggle for freedom in Iran. The panel also examines rising tensions between Iran and the United States, new threats from President Donald Trump, and whether recent developments point to growing regime vulnerability or simply another turn in a familiar geopolitical cycle. But first, Jian opens the show with an essay entitled "WE KNOW THE GAME," reflecting on football, politics, propaganda, and why so many Iranians have become deeply skeptical of the competing agendas surrounding major international events. This episode is brought to you by Stellar Law and Quasar Homes.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Mooncake Magic: Balancing Tradition with Creativity Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-06-11-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夏天的校园总是充满活力，高中的教室里更是热闹非凡。En: The summer campus is always full of energy, and the high school classroom is bustling with excitement.Zh: 教室内挂满了端午节的装饰，彩色的龙舟和五彩绳增添了节日的气氛。En: The classroom is decorated with Duanwu Festival decorations, colorful dragon boats and five-colored ropes adding to the festive atmosphere.Zh: 教室的一角，几个学生聚集在一起，准备进行一次特别的月饼制作课。En: In one corner of the room, a few students gather to prepare for a special mooncake-making lesson.Zh: 小雨是班上出了名的创意大师。En: Xiaoyu is known as the creative mastermind of the class.Zh: 每次活动，她总能想出各种奇思妙想。En: She always comes up with imaginative ideas for every activity.Zh: 今天，她决定为班上的端午节项目制作一种独特的月饼。En: Today, she decides to create a unique mooncake for the class's Duanwu Festival project.Zh: “我要用西瓜做馅料！”小雨兴奋地宣布。En: "I'm going to use watermelon as the filling!" Xiaoyu excitedly announces.Zh: 玲听了不禁皱眉，“可是，我们不是应该做传统的红豆或莲蓉月饼吗？En: Ling listens and frowns, "But aren't we supposed to make traditional red bean or lotus seed paste mooncakes?Zh: 老师发的食谱上也是这么写的。”玲是一位喜欢按照规则办事的学生，对小雨的异想天开显得有些不满。En: The recipe the teacher gave us also says so." Ling is a student who likes to follow the rules and seems a bit displeased with Xiaoyu's whimsical ideas.Zh: 然而，剑打趣道：“小雨的主意听上去很有趣，虽然有点冒险。”剑总是喜欢缓和气氛，不想让大家起争执。En: However, Jian jokes, "Xiaoyu's idea sounds interesting, although a bit risky." Jian always likes to ease the atmosphere and doesn't want everyone to get into a dispute.Zh: “我们可以试试，”小雨微笑着说，“混合的月饼会更有趣。”En: "We can give it a try," Xiaoyu says with a smile, "The mixed mooncakes will be more interesting."Zh: 于是，三人开始分工协作。En: So, the three of them begin to work together.Zh: 小雨精心地将西瓜切丁，混合在面团里。而玲则忙着做好另一部分按照传统步骤制作的月饼。En: Xiaoyu carefully dices the watermelon and mixes it into the dough, while Ling busies herself with making another part of the mooncakes according to the traditional steps.Zh: 剑在一旁帮忙，确保大家的工作都能顺利进行。En: Jian assists on the side, ensuring everyone's work goes smoothly.Zh: 当他们把月饼放进烤箱后，意想不到的事情发生了。那股扑鼻而来的甜香中夹杂着一丝奇怪的气味。En: Unexpectedly, after they put the mooncakes in the oven, a peculiar smell mixed with the sweet aroma fills the room.Zh: “这些月饼好像有点不对劲，”玲说。En: "These mooncakes seem a bit off," Ling says.Zh: 等到月饼出炉，大家发现它们看起来颜色略有不同。En: When the mooncakes are done, everyone notices their color is slightly different.Zh: “会不会是西瓜的问题？”小雨疑惑地问。En: "Could it be the watermelon?" Xiaoyu wonders.Zh: 大家尝了一口，发现滋味还算不错，只是和之前想象的有很大差别。En: Everyone takes a bite and finds that the taste is quite decent, but it's very different from what they had imagined.Zh: 班里其他同学也好奇地过来品尝，纷纷表示这次月饼体验十分独特。En: Other classmates curiously come over to try them, all expressing that this mooncake experience is very unique.Zh: 这时候，老师走了进来，看了看他们的作品，笑着说：“虽然不是传统的月饼，但你们展现了合作和创造力，这是最重要的。”En: At this moment, the teacher walks in, looks at their creations, and smiles, "Although these are not traditional mooncakes, you have demonstrated cooperation and creativity, which is the most important."Zh: 经过这件事，小雨明白了在创意与传统之间寻找平衡的重要性；而玲学习到了尝试新事物的乐趣。En: After this event, Xiaoyu realizes the importance of finding a balance between creativity and tradition, while Ling learns the joy of trying new things.Zh: 有时偏离计划会带来意外的惊喜。En: Sometimes deviating from the plan can bring unexpected surprises.Zh: 而剑则意识到，有时最好的解决办法不是选择站在哪一边，而是将其融合在一起。En: Jian realizes that sometimes the best solution is not to choose sides, but to integrate them together.Zh: 整个事件让三人更加团结，成为了彼此最好的朋友。En: The whole incident makes the three of them more united, becoming the best of friends.Zh: 教室里回荡着大家的欢声笑语，月饼的香味久久没有散去。En: The classroom echoes with their laughter, and the aroma of mooncakes lingers long after. Vocabulary Words:campus: 校园bustling: 热闹非凡decorated: 装饰festival: 节日corner: 角落imaginative: 奇思妙想unique: 独特filling: 馅料recipe: 食谱displeased: 不满whimsical: 异想天开risky: 冒险smoothly: 顺利peculiar: 奇怪的aroma: 香味surprises: 惊喜united: 团结balance: 平衡tradition: 传统experience: 体验frowns: 皱眉mastermind: 大师ease: 缓和dice: 切丁dough: 面团integrate: 融合echoes: 回荡linger: 久久没有散去curiously: 好奇地demonstrated: 展现

The FIFA World Cup begins in just one week, and once again the debate is underway. Will politics overshadow the football? Or will the football eventually overshadow the politics? On this episode of Roqe, Jian Ghomeshi welcomes Atbin Arian and Shayan Sami'i for a conversation about the upcoming World Cup, FIFA's contradictions, the controversy surrounding the Lion and Sun flag, Team Melli, nationalism, identity, free expression, and the difficult questions many Iranians continue to wrestle with whenever international sport and Iranian politics collide. Will Iranian fans support Team Melli? Has FIFA's handling of the Lion and Sun flag created more controversy rather than less? And when the first whistle blows, will football once again reclaim center stage? But first, Jian opens the show with an essay entitled “They Always Tell Us To Keep Politics Out Of It”, exploring why so many people are told to separate politics from culture and sport, and why that separation is often easier said than done. Guests: Atbin Arian Shayan Sami'i Sponsors: Stellar Law Quasar Homes Recorded June 4, 2026.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Secrets of West Lake: Tradition Meets Ambition at the Tea House Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-06-04-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 西湖边的茶楼，有一处古色古香的地方。En: By the West Lake, there is a place that is quaint and deeply traditional within a tea house.Zh: 在那里，莲、雨飞、健三人聚在一起，阳光透过窗户洒在桌面上，空气中弥漫着莲花的清香。En: There, Lian, Yufei, and Jian gathered together, with sunlight streaming through the windows onto the table, and the air filled with the delicate fragrance of lotus flowers.Zh: 外面，龙舟在湖面上飞驰，岸上的观众欢呼雀跃。En: Outside, dragon boats raced across the lake's surface, and the spectators on the shore cheered with enthusiasm.Zh: 莲是一位充满抱负的企业家，她梦想扩展茶叶进口生意，希望能与名茶专家雨飞合作。En: Lian is an ambitious entrepreneur with a dream to expand the tea import business, hoping to collaborate with tea expert Yufei.Zh: 雨飞谨慎而聪明，他深知自己家族传统制茶技艺的重要性，担心大量生产会牺牲茶的质量和传统。En: Yufei, cautious and wise, is deeply aware of the importance of his family's traditional tea-making techniques and worries that mass production could compromise the tea's quality and tradition.Zh: 健则是三人中的调解者，他重视和谐，希望促成成功的合作。En: Jian acts as the mediator among the three, valuing harmony and hoping to foster a successful collaboration.Zh: 茶楼里，莲首先开口：“雨飞先生，我很欣赏您祖传的制茶技艺。En: In the tea house, Lian spoke first, "Mr. Yufei, I really admire your ancestral tea-making skills.Zh: 我希望通过我们的合作，让更多的人品尝到这份独特的茶香。En: I hope through our cooperation, more people can savor this unique tea aroma."Zh: ”她的目光炽热，充满期待。En: Her gaze was intense and full of expectation.Zh: 雨飞沉吟片刻，说：“我明白你的想法。En: Yufei pondered for a moment and said, "I understand your thoughts.Zh: 但我不会让我们的传统随意改变。En: But I won't allow our traditions to change lightly.Zh: 茶的品质是我们家族世代坚守的底线。En: The quality of tea is a baseline our family has upheld for generations."Zh: ”健在一旁插话，“也许我们可以找到一个平衡点。En: Jian chimed in, "Perhaps we can find a balance.Zh: 莲，你愿意进一步了解制茶的传统吗？En: Lian, would you be willing to further understand the tea-making tradition?"Zh: ”经过思考，莲点头同意。En: After some thought, Lian nodded in agreement.Zh: “是的，我愿意。En: "Yes, I am willing."Zh: ”于是，她开始亲身投入到雨飞的茶田中，学习从采茶到制作的每一个环节。En: Thus, she began to personally immerse herself in Yufei's tea fields, learning every step from picking to production.Zh: 在这过程中，莲渐渐体会到茶艺的细腻和背后的心血。En: During this process, Lian gradually appreciated the intricacies of the tea arts and the labor behind it.Zh: 不久后，端午节到了。En: Soon, the Dragon Boat Festival arrived.Zh: 莲邀请雨飞和健参加她特别筹备的茶道仪式。En: Lian invited Yufei and Jian to attend a tea ceremony she specially prepared.Zh: 她用心准备的茶艺，精致而注重传统，让雨飞眼前一亮。En: Her carefully arranged tea performance was exquisite and attentive to tradition, leaving Yufei impressed.Zh: 茶香弥漫，雨飞动容地点头：“我看到了你的诚意和对传统的尊重。En: As the tea's fragrance filled the air, Yufei was moved and nodded, "I see your sincerity and respect for tradition."Zh: ”雨飞意识到，在传统中加入适度的创新也许未尝不可。En: Yufei realized that integrating modest innovation into tradition might just be possible.Zh: 他终于同意达成一个既尊重传统又允许谨慎扩展的协议。En: He finally agreed to a deal respecting tradition while allowing cautious expansion.Zh: 随着最后一饮，清茶入喉，心意交融，三人都露出笑容。En: With the final sip, the clear tea slid down their throats, their minds intertwined, and all three smiled.Zh: 这样的结局让莲学会了欣赏茶艺之美，而雨飞则对战略性创新有了新的信心。En: This outcome taught Lian to appreciate the beauty of the tea arts, while Yufei gained new confidence in strategic innovation.Zh: 明媚的春日，茶楼的窗外，龙舟如箭，拍水而来，和谐在湖面上氤氲飘洒。En: In the bright spring day, outside the tea house window, dragon boats shot across the water like arrows, peace and harmony floating over the lake's surface. Vocabulary Words:quaint: 古色古香streaming: 洒fragrance: 清香spectators: 观众entrepreneur: 企业家expand: 扩展collaborate: 合作cautious: 谨慎compromise: 牺牲mediator: 调解者harmony: 和谐savor: 品尝intense: 炽热pondered: 沉吟baseline: 底线immerse: 亲身投入intricacies: 细腻arcane: 奥秘exquisite: 精致attentive: 用心intertwined: 交融modest: 适度innovation: 创新strategic: 战略性tradition: 传统chimed in: 插话respected: 尊重sincerity: 诚意appreciate: 欣赏ceremony: 仪式

Humanoid robots performing martial arts, robotic dogs demonstrating their agility and robots dancing to foreign folk music have become some of the more unusual scenes on foreign leaders' trips to China this year.今年，外国领导人访华途中出现了一些不同寻常的场景：人形机器人打太极、机器狗灵活跳跃、机器人随外国民族音乐翩翩起舞。Behind the eye-catching moments is a broader trend: China's vast market and technological strength are drawing visiting leaders beyond formal talks in Beijing.这些引人注目的时刻背后，是一个更大的趋势：中国广阔的市场和技术实力正吸引着来访的领导人走出北京的外交会场。The latest is Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao president, who is currently making a five-day state visit to China.最新一位是正在对中国进行为期五天国事访问的老挝人民革命党中央总书记、国家主席通伦·西苏里。During a trip to DEEP Robotics in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, shortly after his arrival in China on Tuesday, Thongloun operated a robotic dog and praised it as "very good" and "very flexible".通伦6月2日抵华后不久便前往浙江省会杭州，参观了杭州云深处科技有限公司。他亲自操作了一只机器狗，称赞其“很好”、“非常灵活”。He also visited the headquarters of Chinese tech company Alibaba Group, where he learned how e-commerce platforms help Lao products reach consumers across the Chinese market.他还参观了中国科技公司阿里巴巴集团总部，了解了电商平台如何帮助老挝产品触达中国市场各地的消费者。Thongloun is not alone. Earlier this year, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also included Zhejiang in their China itineraries.通伦并非个例。今年早些时候，塞尔维亚总统亚历山大·武契奇、巴基斯坦总理夏巴兹·谢里夫和德国总理弗里德里希·默茨也都在访华行程中安排了浙江。The province, long seen as an important window on China's reform and opening-up, is also one of the first places where the country's digital economy took root and flourished.浙江长期被视为中国改革开放的重要窗口，也是我国数字经济最早生根发芽并蓬勃发展的地区之一。Observers said the visits are more than lighthearted moments or technology showcases on packed diplomatic itineraries. Against the backdrop of global industrial transformation, the trips reflect a conscious choice by countries to embrace China's innovation drive and connect with its strengths in the digital economy, they said.观察人士指出，这些访问不仅仅是紧张外交行程中的轻松时刻或技术展示。在全球产业转型的背景下，这些行程反映出各国主动对接中国创新驱动发展战略、借力中国数字经济优势的明确选择。Zhejiang has become one of the most visible stops in this process because it allows visiting leaders to see, in one place, how digital platforms, artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced manufacturing are being applied in real industries.浙江之所以成为这一过程中最受瞩目的站点之一，是因为它能令来访的领导人实地看到，数字平台、人工智能、机器人及先进制造等技术如何在实际产业中落地应用。Jian Junbo, a researcher with the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, said the visits reflect foreign leaders' recognition of China's high-tech development, as well as their countries' desire to work with China and benefit from the momentum of its technological progress.复旦大学国际问题研究院研究员简军波表示，这些访问反映出外国领导人对中国高新技术发展的认可，也体现了他们与中国开展合作、借助中国技术进步势头获益的愿望。"They hope to carry out deeper and broader cooperation with China in areas such as sci-tech innovation, education and the application of technological achievements," Jian said.“他们希望与中方在科技创新、教育以及科技成果应用等领域开展更深层次、更广范围的合作，”简军波说。"The main purpose, and also their expectation, is to help drive the growth and development of their own domestic economies," Jian added.“其主要目的和预期，是希望能借此推动自身国内经济的增长与发展，”简军波补充道。Li Xiaopeng, a professor at Hangzhou City University, said: "Effective home-ground diplomacy is not just about meetings, group photos and signing ceremonies. It also requires letting guests see things for themselves — to see a country's development, its capabilities and where its future is heading."浙大城市学院教授李晓鹏表示：“有效的主场外交不仅是会谈、合影和签约，还需要让客人亲眼看一看——看看这个国家的发展、能力以及未来的走向。”Taking Hangzhou as an example, Li said the city has become a highly concentrated example of Chinese modernization. In 2025, Hangzhou's GDP exceeded 2.3 trillion yuan ($340 billion), while the added value of its core digital economy industries reached 678 billion yuan, official data shows.以杭州为例，李晓鹏表示，这座城市已成为中国式现代化的高度浓缩样本。官方数据显示，2025年杭州GDP突破2.3万亿元人民币（合3400亿美元），数字经济核心产业增加值达6780亿元。Behind the figures is an ecosystem that includes platform companies, robotics enterprises, AI startups and advanced manufacturers, forming a broader industrial chain that allows visiting leaders to see more than individual companies, Li said.李晓鹏说，这些数字背后是一个涵盖平台企业、机器人企业、人工智能初创公司及先进制造商的生态系统，形成了更长的产业链，使来访领导人看到的远不止单个企业。Zhejiang is not the only place where such out-of-capital trips have taken place.浙江并非外国领导人离京参访的唯一目的地。Foreign leaders visiting China have also traveled to places such as Shanghai, an international financial center; Xiong'an New Area in Hebei province; and Fujian, Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces — places that showcase Chinese modernization, coordinated regional development, poverty reduction and connectivity.访华的外国领导人还到访了上海这座国际金融中心、河北雄安新区，以及福建、陕西和四川等省份——这些地方展示着中国式现代化、区域协调发展、脱贫攻坚及互联互通建设成就。Jian, the researcher, said that in-person visits by foreign leaders play an irreplaceable role in helping them better understand the reasons behind China's economic success and its future development trends.复旦大学国际问题研究院研究员简军波表示，外国领导人亲身实地参访，在帮助他们更好地理解中国经济成功的原因及未来发展走向方面，发挥着不可替代的作用。"Such visits help them see China more objectively, dispel the interference of certain Western narratives, and put aside prejudice and stereotypes about China," he said.“这些实地参访有助于他们更客观地看待中国，排除某些西方叙事的干扰，摒弃对中国的偏见和刻板印象，”他说。While the Lao top leader was visiting Zhejiang, Yvette Cooper, the United Kingdom's foreign secretary, traveled to Shenzhen, the technology hub in South China's Guangdong province, on Wednesday for a trip focused on science and technology, after meetings in the Chinese capital.就在老挝最高领导人访问浙江期间，英国外交大臣伊薇特·库珀结束了在北京的会谈后，于6月3日前往华南科技重镇广东深圳，进行以科技为重点的参访。If Beijing is where diplomacy is conducted, Shenzhen is where China's industrial innovation takes shape on the ground, experts said.专家表示，如果说北京是开展外交活动的地方，那么深圳就是中国产业创新落地生根的地方。"Shenzhen now stands in the global spotlight, as it will host an important international meeting this year," said Cui Hongjian, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University's Academy of Regional and Global Governance.北京外国语大学区域与全球治理高等研究院教授崔洪建表示：“深圳目前备受国际关注，因为今年它将主办一场重要的国际会议。”The city is set to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in November.今年11月，深圳将主办亚太经合组织（APEC）经济领导人会议。Cui said that Cooper's visit to the city and to technology companies shows that Britain's diplomacy toward China has a clear and targeted agenda — to make economic diplomacy a main thread of its China policy.崔洪建指出，库珀访问深圳及科技企业，表明英国对华外交有明确而具体的议程——让经济外交成为其对华政策的主线。draw /drɔː/吸引itinerary /aɪˈtɪnərəri/行程sci-tech innovation /ˈsaɪ tek ˌɪnəˈveɪʃən/科技创新Chinese modernization /tʃaɪˈniːz ˌmɒdənaɪˈzeɪʃən/中国式现代化international financial center /ˌɪntəˈnæʃənəl faɪˈnænʃəl ˈsentə/国际金融中心coordinated regional development /kəʊˈɔːdɪneɪtɪd ˈriːdʒənəl dɪˈveləpmənt/区域协调发展poverty reduction /ˈpɒvəti rɪˈdʌkʃən/脱贫攻坚dispel /dɪˈspel/消除narrative /ˈnærətɪv/叙事economic diplomacy /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk dɪˈpləʊməsi/经济外交main thread /meɪn θred/主线

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.

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

Canada officially lists the IRGC as a terrorist entity. So why do reports continue surfacing about regime-connected figures, insiders, and individuals allegedly tied to the Islamic Republic entering Canada? On this episode of Roqe, Jian Ghomeshi moderates a timely and provocative panel discussion examining immigration, ideology, western political culture, security concerns, and whether Canada has failed to meaningfully confront the nature of the Islamic Republic regime. Featuring: Sadeq Bigdeli - lawyer and Iranian human rights advocate (Toronto) Mehran Aminian - artist, activist, and immigration consultant (Toronto) Avideh Motmaenfar - osteopathic practitioner, political commentator, and a President of the Council of Iranian Canadians (Oakville) But first, Jian opens the episode with an essay entitled “Who Let the Mullahs In?” - a sharp and poetic reflection on power, influence, ideology, and the growing concern among many Iranian Canadians that the regime they fled may now be finding comfort inside the very democracies built on freedom. This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca Famluxy - famluxy.com

In the midst of revolution, repression, emotional exhaustion, and political uncertainty, is it still okay to laugh? On this edition of Roqe, Jian sits down with two Iranian content creators and comedians who have built large audiences through satire, parody, viral videos, standup, and social media commentary while also openly supporting the Lion and Sun Revolution against the Islamic Republic regime. Joining Jian are: Amir Arfa - political satirist and creator behind @expatsunleashed - from Los Angeles Pouya Comedy - Iranian standup comic and online creator - from Zurich, Switzerland Together they discuss the role of humour during times of crisis, why tyrants fear satire, whether comedy can become resistance, how Iranian audiences have changed over the past year, and the challenge of balancing outrage, grief, identity, and laughter in the Iranian diaspora right now. But first, Jian opens the episode with an essay titled “DEAL OR NO DEAL - We Will Not Stop” - reflecting on the breaking reports of a possible Trump-Islamic Republic agreement and why, regardless of geopolitics or diplomacy, supporters of freedom and democracy in Iran must continue speaking out and reminding the world exactly what the Islamic Republic regime is. This episode is supported by: Quasar Homes Avoca Chocolates

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Bridging Tradition and Modern Medicine in Hangzhou's Fields Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-24-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 阳光洒在杭州市郊的稻田上，微风轻拂，绿油油的稻杆在微风中轻轻摇晃。En: Sunshine sprinkled over the rice fields on the outskirts of Hangzhou, with a gentle breeze lightly swaying the lush green stalks.Zh: 梅林正跪在田垄上，耐心地拔去田里的杂草。En: Meilin was kneeling in the ridges, patiently weeding the fields.Zh: 她抬头望向远处的山脉，心里却想着母亲莲的病情。En: She looked up at the distant mountains, but her mind was occupied with thoughts of her mother Lian's illness.Zh: 端午节快到了，家家户户忙着准备过节的食材和装饰。En: The Dragon Boat Festival was approaching, and every household was busy preparing festive ingredients and decorations.Zh: 然而，莲最近总是打喷嚏，眼睛红红的，像被花粉刺激了一样。En: However, Lian had been sneezing constantly, her eyes red as if irritated by pollen.Zh: 她的过敏愈发严重，让梅林非常担心。En: Her allergies were getting worse, making Meilin very worried.Zh: 父亲健是个传统的农民，他坚持使用祖传的草药来缓解莲的症状。En: Her father, Jian, was a traditional farmer and insisted on using ancestral herbal remedies to relieve Lian's symptoms.Zh: 可是不管用，莲的过敏越来越重。En: But they were ineffective, and Lian's allergies worsened.Zh: 农田的工作一大堆，父亲也忙不过来。En: There was already a mountain of farm work, and father was overwhelmed.Zh: 梅林很想帮助母亲，她决定偷偷去找当地的医生。En: Meilin wanted to help her mother, so she decided to secretly seek out the local doctor.Zh: 下午，梅林找了个借口溜出了家。En: In the afternoon, Meilin found an excuse to slip out of the house.Zh: 医生是一位和蔼的老太太，她用现代的医疗知识为梅林提出了一些建议。En: The doctor was a kind elderly lady who provided Meilin with some advice using modern medical knowledge.Zh: 梅林带着这些新知识回到了家，心里却有一丝不安。En: Meilin returned home with this new knowledge, feeling a twinge of unease.Zh: 几天后，稻田里繁忙的日子中，莲突然呼吸困难，险些倒下。En: A few days later, in the midst of busy days in the rice field, Lian suddenly had difficulty breathing and almost collapsed.Zh: 梅林急忙跑过去抱住母亲，心跳加速。En: Meilin rushed over and embraced her mother, her heart racing.Zh: 看到母亲痛苦的样子，梅林再也不能隐瞒，她对父亲说出了她的秘密。En: Seeing her mother in pain, Meilin could no longer keep the secret; she told her father about her actions.Zh: 在那个紧急时刻，健终于明白女儿的良苦用心。En: In that urgent moment, Jian finally understood his daughter's good intentions.Zh: 他没有责怪梅林，而是听取了医生的建议，与梅林一起努力帮助莲控制过敏。En: He didn't blame Meilin but instead heeded the doctor's suggestions, working together with Meilin to help Lian manage her allergies.Zh: 从那以后，莲的情况有所好转。En: Since then, Lian's condition improved.Zh: 端午节那天，家人们围坐在一起包粽子，笑声不断。En: On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the family sat together making rice dumplings, laughter flowing continuously.Zh: 梅林觉得自己找到了勇气，不仅可以追求成为医生的梦想，也能与家人沟通心中的想法。En: Meilin felt she had found the courage not only to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor but also to communicate her thoughts with her family.Zh: 变化带来了新的可能性，田间地头的每一个微小决定，都成为了连结传统与现代的纽带。En: Change brought new possibilities, and each small decision in the fields became a link between tradition and modernity.Zh: 梅林看着母亲开心的笑脸，知道自己正走在正确的道路上。En: Watching her mother's joyful smile, Meilin knew she was on the right path. Vocabulary Words:sprinkled: 洒breeze: 微风stalks: 稻杆weeding: 拔去杂草ridges: 田垄occupied: 想着approaching: 快到了sneezing: 打喷嚏allergies: 过敏ancestral: 祖传的remedies: 草药symptoms: 症状ineffective: 不管用overwhelmed: 忙不过来excuse: 借口elderly: 老太太knowledge: 知识twinge: 一丝unease: 不安embrace: 抱住intentions: 良苦用心blame: 责怪manage: 控制laughter: 笑声pursue: 追求communicate: 沟通thoughts: 想法possibilities: 可能性link: 纽带path: 道路

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

Why has the war not resumed? Why has a deal not been reached? And what exactly is happening during this strange and uneasy silence between the Islamic Republic and the West? On this edition of Roqe, Jian is joined by Lisa Daftari in Los Angeles and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in Washington DC for a deeper examination of the prolonged pause following the ceasefire. Is the regime buying time? Is the West hesitating? And for millions of Iranians hoping for regime change, what does this uncertain in-between moment actually tell us about the future? But first, in the aftermath of Arsenal F.C. winning their first Premier League title in 22 years this week, Jian opens the episode with a deeply personal tribute to Aref Jafarzadeh - an Iranian Arsenal supporter from Rasht who was reportedly killed by Islamic Republic forces during the January 2026 protests while still wearing his Arsenal jersey. This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca Famluxy - famluxy.com

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Spicy Romance: A Hot Pot Date with Unexpected Twists Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-20-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在北京一个繁忙的火锅店里，热气腾腾，香味四溢。En: In a busy Beijing hot pot restaurant, steam billowed, and the aroma filled the air.Zh: 梅和健坐在一张小桌子旁，桌面上的锅里沸腾着他们点的火锅。En: Mei and Jian sat at a small table, with the hot pot they ordered boiling on the tabletop.Zh: 春天的气息正从窗外的枝头上慢慢爬进来，让人心生愉悦。En: The scent of spring was slowly creeping in from the branches outside the window, bringing joy to their hearts.Zh: 这是梅和健的第一次约会。En: This was Mei and Jian's first date.Zh: 梅是个美食博主，她希望这次约会能既有趣又难忘，也是一篇好博客的题材。En: Mei is a food blogger, and she hoped this date would be interesting and memorable, also serving as a topic for a good blog post.Zh: 她轻轻移动着手机，试图捕捉美丽的食物照片。En: She gently moved her phone, trying to capture beautiful photos of the food.Zh: 健则爱吃火锅，尤其是香辣火锅，但他对一种关键食材——花椒过敏，却一直没告诉梅。En: Jian, on the other hand, loved hot pot, especially spicy hot pot, but he was allergic to one key ingredient—huajiao (Sichuan pepper), which he hadn't mentioned to Mei.Zh: 店里人声鼎沸，谈笑风生。En: The restaurant was buzzing with conversation and laughter.Zh: 一位来自国外的游客李在热闹声中，兴奋地东张西望。En: A tourist from abroad, Li, excitedly looked around in the lively atmosphere.Zh: 不久后，她的目光落在了梅和健身上。En: Soon, her eyes landed on Mei and Jian.Zh: 她认为他们是当地的名人。En: She thought they were local celebrities.Zh: “真幸运！En: "How lucky!"Zh: ”李凑近他们，迫不及待地打招呼，“请问，我可以和你们合影吗？En: Li approached them eagerly and greeted them, "May I take a photo with you?"Zh: ”梅笑着看了一眼健，不知道该如何回应。En: Mei glanced at Jian with a smile, unsure how to respond.Zh: 这时，火锅的香气越发浓烈，健皱了皱眉。En: At that moment, the aroma of the hot pot became stronger, and Jian frowned.Zh: 梅注意到他说话比平常少了一些。En: Mei noticed he was speaking less than usual.Zh: “当然可以，”梅尽量保持礼貌。En: "Of course," Mei tried to remain polite.Zh: 她拍了几张合照，希望能尽快恢复和健的约会。En: She took a few photos, hoping to quickly resume the date with Jian.Zh: 李高兴地跟他们分享她来北京的经历，梅试着不耽误自己的工作。En: Li happily shared her experiences in Beijing with them, while Mei tried not to get distracted from her work.Zh: 然而，健的表情开始有些异样。En: However, Jian's expression started to change.Zh: 他在锅里翻找着其他食材，但不小心吃到了花椒。En: As he searched through the pot for other ingredients, he accidentally ate huajiao.Zh: 他开始出现轻微的过敏反应，脸有些红。En: He began to have a mild allergic reaction, his face turning slightly red.Zh: 梅注意到了，立即放下手机，关切地问：“你还好吗？En: Mei noticed and immediately put down her phone, asking with concern, "Are you okay?"Zh: ”梅迅速做出了决定。En: Mei quickly made a decision.Zh: 她对李说：“抱歉，我们得稍微休息一下。En: She said to Li, "Sorry, we need to take a short break."Zh: ”然后，她专心地照顾健，帮助他缓解不适。En: Then, she focused on taking care of Jian, helping him alleviate his discomfort.Zh: 混乱过后，梅灵光一现，将发生的一切写进了她的新博文，用一种幽默的方式，把这段意外的经历记录下来。En: After the chaos, Mei had an idea and wrote about everything that happened in her new blog post, recording this unexpected experience with humor.Zh: 健看着梅，在忙乱中依旧从容的样子，感到她的幽默和适应能力让人着迷。En: Jian watched Mei, captivated by her humor and adaptability even amidst the commotion.Zh: 他们的第一次约会虽然有些出其不意，但也因此显得特别且真实。En: Although their first date was a bit unexpected, it also made it special and genuine.Zh: 梅在这次经验中学会了更灵活地应对变化，这让她与健之间的关系更加亲近。En: Through this experience, Mei learned to handle changes more flexibly, bringing her and Jian closer together.Zh: 在春天温暖的空气中，他们相视一笑，约定下次再聚，或许依然是在火锅店。En: In the warm spring air, they exchanged smiles, promising to meet again, perhaps once more at the hot pot restaurant. Vocabulary Words:billow: 腾腾aroma: 香味creeping: 爬进buzzing: 人声鼎沸celebrities: 名人eagerly: 迫不及待allergic: 过敏ingredient: 食材expression: 表情reaction: 反应alleviate: 缓解discomfort: 不适humor: 幽默adaptability: 适应能力flexibly: 灵活地genuine: 真实capture: 捕捉venue: 场地commotion: 混乱focus: 集中attention: 注意力unexpected: 出其不意scent: 气息photography: 摄影tenderly: 轻轻resume: 恢复tourist: 游客chaos: 混乱consume: 食用opt: 选择

After months of rallies, emotional highs, hopes for revolution, fears of war, endless political debates, and now growing uncertainty once again, many Iranians are simply exhausted. On this 440th edition of Roqe - “IRAN RISES - We Are Not Okay” - Jian Ghomeshi explores the emotional and psychological toll the last five months have taken on Iranians around the world. In his opening essay, “WE ARE NOT OKAY AFTER THIS,” Jian reflects on the exhaustion, uncertainty, fragmentation, and emotional whiplash many people are quietly carrying after months of living inside the Iran Rises movement. Then, Jian is joined by Melica Bokaie - traveller, creator, and storyteller joining us from Nayarit, Mexico - and returning Roqe contributor Bahador Alast in Toronto for an honest and thoughtful conversation about identity, burnout, hope, fear, division within the diaspora, and the emotional aftermath of the Iran Rises period. At the same time, the discussion also asks whether, beneath all the exhaustion and uncertainty, there are still reasons for optimism - and whether the last five months may have permanently changed the political and emotional landscape for Iranians everywhere. This episode is supported by: Quasar Homes @QuasarHomes Avoca Chocolates avocachocolates.com

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Spring Serenity: Finding Love and Strength in Hangzhou Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-18-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 茶园的春天清晨，阳光温柔地洒在杭州的茶树上。En: In the spring morning of the tea plantation, the gentle sunlight softly fell on the tea trees in Hangzhou.Zh: 轻风拂过，带来淡淡的茶香。En: A light breeze blew through, carrying with it a faint tea fragrance.Zh: 美玲漫步在绿油油的茶园中，心中有些沉重。En: Meiling strolled through the lush green tea plantation, feeling somewhat heavy-hearted.Zh: 她的新诊断像一片乌云，常常在心中挥之不去。En: Her new diagnosis felt like a dark cloud, often lingering in her mind.Zh: 但她希望这片美丽的茶园可以给她一些平静和力量。En: But she hoped this beautiful tea plantation could offer her some peace and strength.Zh: 一旁的凉亭里，健正在仔细地泡茶。En: In the nearby pavilion, Jian was carefully brewing tea.Zh: 他是这里的茶艺师，曾经是美玲大学时期最好的朋友。En: He was a tea master here, and had been Meiling's best friend during their university days.Zh: 看到美玲的身影，他的心微微一动。En: Seeing Meiling's figure, his heart stirred slightly.Zh: 他想要上前安慰她，却不知道如何开口。En: He wanted to go up and comfort her, but didn't know how to begin.Zh: "姐姐，你看！这里的茶叶好新鲜，"欢喊着跑向她，试图用欢快的语气缓解美玲的忧虑。En: "Sister, look! The tea leaves here are so fresh," Huan shouted, running towards her, attempting to ease Meiling's worries with a cheerful tone.Zh: 他还提到端午节快到了，他们可以一起准备龙船比赛，尝粽子。En: He also mentioned that the Duanwu Festival was coming up, and that they could prepare for the dragon boat race and taste zongzi together.Zh: 这让美玲微微一笑，暂时忘却了一些烦恼。En: This made Meiling smile slightly, momentarily forgetting some of her troubles.Zh: 在接下来的几天里，美玲决定活在当下。En: In the following days, Meiling decided to live in the moment.Zh: 她邀请健一起和欢参加品茶活动。En: She invited Jian to join her and Huan in attending a tea tasting event.Zh: 一边品着香茗，一边互相交流，让她逐渐感受到人与人之间爱的连结。En: As they sipped fragrant tea and conversed, she gradually began to feel the connection between people through love.Zh: 在这些闲暇时光中，美玲和健之间的距离慢慢拉近，但她始终没有对他提及自己的病情。En: During these leisurely times, the distance between Meiling and Jian slowly narrowed, but she never mentioned her illness to him.Zh: 终于，在一个温暖的春夜，茶树下花香四溢，美玲决定敞开心扉。En: Finally, on a warm spring night, with the floral fragrance spreading under the tea trees, Meiling decided to open her heart.Zh: 她告诉健自己的恐惧和希望，希望找到生活的新意义。En: She told Jian about her fears and hopes, wishing to find a new meaning in life.Zh: 健静静地听，然后温柔地握住她的手，坦承自己对她的感情。En: Jian listened quietly, then gently held her hand, confessing his feelings for her.Zh: 他的心意像一股暖流，流入美玲心中。En: His affection, like a warm current, flowed into Meiling's heart.Zh: 美玲感受到从未有过的轻松。En: Meiling felt an unprecedented lightness.Zh: 她不再觉得孤单，明白即使面临疾病，她还有深爱她的家人和朋友。En: She no longer felt alone, understanding that even in the face of illness, she had a family and friends who loved her deeply.Zh: 故事的最后，美玲坐在岸边，看着健和欢忙碌地准备龙船。En: In the story's ending, Meiling sat by the shore, watching Jian and Huan busily preparing the dragon boat.Zh: 她忽然明白，尽管生活有起伏，但在关爱与支持的包围中，她充满力量。En: She suddenly understood that although life has its ups and downs, surrounded by care and support, she was full of strength.Zh: 她微笑着，接受了这一切，心中无比平静。En: She smiled, accepting it all, feeling incredibly serene inside. Vocabulary Words:plantation: 茶园gentle: 温柔breeze: 轻风strolled: 漫步lush: 绿油油diagnosis: 诊断pavilion: 凉亭brewing: 泡comfort: 安慰cheerful: 欢快worries: 忧虑festival: 节dragon boat: 龙船zongzi: 粽子tasting: 品fragrant: 香conversed: 交流leisurely: 闲暇narrowed: 拉近floral: 花香confessing: 坦承affection: 感情unprecedented: 从未有过serene: 平静shore: 岸边support: 支持faint: 淡淡strength: 力量hesitant: 犹豫understanding: 明白

Roqe Ep.439 - Can China Decide Iran's Future? As Donald Trump meets Xi Jinping in Beijing, Iran is quietly becoming one of the most consequential subjects behind closed doors. On this edition of Roqe, Jian opens with an essay entitled “The Regime Is Not Surviving Alone” - a provocative look at how China has become one of the Islamic Republic's most important economic lifelines, and why the future of Iran may now depend not only on what happens in Tehran, but also in Beijing. Then, a deep-dive panel on China's role in sustaining - or potentially reshaping - the future of the Islamic Republic. Joining Jian: Shayan Sami'i - U.S. national security analyst and strategic communications expert - Vienna, Virginia Dr. Shahram Kholdi - historian, political analyst, and expert on modern Iranian politics - Southwestern Ontario Topics include: China's economic relationship with the Islamic Republic Iranian oil exports and sanctions evasion Trump's meeting with Xi Jinping Whether Beijing sees Tehran as ally or asset China's leverage over the regime The geopolitical future of the Lion & Sun Revolution Whether revolutions in 2026 are fought not only in the streets - but also through oil contracts, trade routes, and global alliances This episode is supported by: Stellar Law https://stellarlaw.ca Famluxy https://famluxy.com

Do we return to “normal” - or not yet? For many Iranians in the diaspora, recent months have been marked by trauma, war, executions, fear for loved ones, and a collective decision to pause parts of ordinary life out of solidarity with those suffering inside Iran. But as exhaustion sets in, an important question emerges: how do people remain engaged in a long struggle without losing themselves entirely to grief? On Episode 438 of Roqe - Iran Rises, Jian Ghomeshi hosts a thoughtful conversation about grief, resilience, burnout, creativity, activism, and the emotional balancing act facing Iranians around the world. Joining Jian: Kamyar Mahinsa - influencer and law enforcement expert - Vancouver Dr. Sepehr Vakil - scholar and author - Chicago Dr. Laleh Tangsiri - human rights advocate - Bournemouth, UK Seena Ghaznavi - podcaster and comedian - Los Angeles The episode opens with Jian's essay, “What Exactly Are You Defending?” - a direct response to those who continue to romanticize or defend the Islamic Republic while Iran remains one of the execution capitals of the world. The essay follows the execution of 29-year-old Erfan Shakourzadeh in Karaj and confronts the moral contradictions surrounding support for the regime. Hosted by Jian Ghomeshi. This episode is supported by: @Quasarhomes Avoca Chocolates

On this episode of Roqe, a question that sounds like sport… but cuts far deeper. As the World Cup approaches, many Iranians are facing a painful dilemma: does Team Melli represent a nation - or the Islamic Republic regime? In the opening essay, Jian asks a question that has become unavoidable: Who do you cheer for… when your country has been taken from you? Then, a real debate with three voices who do not agree: Vahid Amirimoghaddam joins from Montreal FredUnit202 joins from Toronto Mohammad Manzarpour joins from Washington DC Should Iran be banned from the World Cup? Would participation legitimize the regime - or give Iranians a global platform? And what does it mean when even football becomes political? This episode is supported by: Quasar Homes - https://instagram.com/quasarhomes Famluxy - https://famluxy.com

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Embracing Adventure: Mingyu's Journey of Friendship & Discovery Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-02-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个温暖宜人的五月，颐和园的春天显得格外生动。En: On a warm and pleasant May day, the spring at Yiheyuan was exceptionally vibrant.Zh: 柳树的枝条在微风中轻轻摇摆，花朵五彩缤纷，吸引着来自各地的游客。En: The willow branches swayed gently in the breeze, and the colorful flowers attracted visitors from all over.Zh: 雨后初晴，空气中弥漫着清新的花香。En: After the rain, the air was filled with a fresh floral fragrance.Zh: 明宇是第一次来到这里，他充满期待和好奇。En: It was Mingyu's first time here, and he was full of anticipation and curiosity.Zh: 明宇独自走在颐和园的小径上，迎面而来的游客脸上洋溢着欢笑。En: Mingyu walked alone on the paths of Yiheyuan, with the faces of approaching tourists beaming with smiles.Zh: 他时而停下脚步，欣赏湖水与古建筑交织出的画卷。En: He occasionally stopped to admire the picturesque scene where the lake water intertwined with ancient buildings.Zh: 此时此刻，他想要从压力与日常生活中解脱，寻找内心的平和与灵感。En: At this moment, he wanted to free himself from stress and everyday life, seeking inner peace and inspiration.Zh: 正在此时，过去的大学朋友玲娜和建从身边走过，En: Just then, his old university friends Lingna and Jian walked by.Zh: 他们正在进行一个关于北京市井文化的摄影项目。En: They were working on a photography project about Beijing's street culture.Zh: 玲娜是个充满活力的摄影记者，建是她的良师益友兼助理。En: Lingna was a vibrant photojournalist, and Jian was her mentor and assistant.Zh: 意外的重逢让他们都感到惊喜。En: Their unexpected reunion delighted them all.Zh: 三人简单寒暄后，玲娜热情地邀请明宇加入他们的旅程。En: After a brief exchange, Lingna enthusiastically invited Mingyu to join their journey.Zh: 明宇内心产生了矛盾。En: Mingyu felt a conflict within.Zh: 他原本计划独自探访，享受属于自己的宁静与发现。En: He had originally planned to explore alone, enjoying his own tranquility and discoveries.Zh: 而现在，朋友的突然出现让他不得不在冒险和友情之间做出选择。En: But now, his friends' sudden appearance forced him to choose between adventure and friendship.Zh: 他很想和朋友们一起度过这个假期，但又想坚持原来的计划。En: He very much wanted to spend this holiday with his friends, but he also wanted to stick to his original plan.Zh: 随着时间的推移，明宇与玲娜、建一同走到万寿山脚下，这是一个令人惊叹的景点，充满了灵感和机会。En: As time passed, Mingyu walked with Lingna and Jian to the foot of Wanshou Mountain, an awe-inspiring site full of inspiration and opportunities.Zh: 玲娜的镜头捕捉下无数动人瞬间，而建则细致地辅助她，确保每张照片都是完美无缺。En: Lingna's camera captured countless moving moments, while Jian carefully assisted her, ensuring every photo was perfect.Zh: 面对万寿山的美景，明宇明白他需要做出决定。En: Facing the beauty of Wanshou Mountain, Mingyu realized he needed to make a decision.Zh: 在犹豫片刻后，明宇决定与朋友们分享这一刻。En: After hesitating for a moment, Mingyu decided to share this moment with his friends.Zh: 他意识到，友情和伙伴关系同样可以让旅途更加丰富与深刻。En: He realized that friendship and companionship could also make the journey richer and more profound.Zh: 于是，他与玲娜和建开始合作，不仅拍下了壮丽的照片，还记录了许多感人的故事。En: So, he began to collaborate with Lingna and Jian, not only capturing magnificent photos but also recording many touching stories.Zh: 傍晚时分，三人在昆明湖畔休息。En: By evening, the three of them rested by Kunming Lake.Zh: 夕阳渐渐染红了天空，湖水泛着金色的涟漪。En: The sunset gradually turned the sky red, and the lake water shimmered with golden ripples.Zh: 明宇在心中感叹，虽然原本的旅行计划有所变化，但与朋友共享经历，却带来了意想不到的惊喜与欢乐。En: Mingyu reflected, despite the change in his original travel plans, sharing experiences with friends brought unexpected joy and surprise.Zh: 这一刻，明宇感到内心充满了温暖。En: At this moment, Mingyu felt his heart filled with warmth.Zh: 他明白，旅途中的陪伴和分享，让他更能欣赏周围的美丽。En: He understood that companionship and sharing during the journey allowed him to better appreciate the surrounding beauty.Zh: 通过这次相遇，他走出了自己的舒适区，收获了新的友谊与感悟。En: Through this encounter, he stepped out of his comfort zone, gaining new friendships and insights.Zh: 春天的颐和园在寂静中，悄悄见证了他们的成长。En: The spring at Yiheyuan quietly witnessed their growth in its silence. Vocabulary Words:pleasant: 宜人vibrant: 生动willow: 柳树branches: 枝条breeze: 微风fragrance: 花香curiosity: 好奇picturesque: 画卷ancient: 古inspiration: 灵感photography: 摄影project: 项目photojournalist: 摄影记者mentor: 良师益友tranquility: 宁静adventure: 冒险companionship: 伙伴关系awe-inspiring: 惊叹opportunities: 机会captured: 捕捉hesitating: 犹豫magnificent: 壮丽profound: 深刻sunset: 夕阳reflected: 感叹ripples: 涟漪unexpected: 意想不到surprise: 惊喜insights: 感悟comfort zone: 舒适区

Roqe Ep.435 - IRAN RISES - Who Benefits from the Delay? - Shayan Sami'i, Picasso Moin The regime wants you to think it's over - it's not. On this episode, Jian opens with a message to those declaring the Iranian uprising finished, making the case that this narrative risks amplifying the regime's messaging at a critical moment. Then, a panel examining the current pause in confrontation between the United States and the Islamic Republic, and the central question: Who benefits from the delay? Jian is joined by Shayan Sami'i (Washington DC area), a national security analyst, and Picasso Moin (Istanbul), activist and commentator. The conversation covers the regime's strategy, mounting economic pressure, diaspora momentum, the Berlin rally, and Canada's recent move denying entry to a regime-linked official connected to a FIFA event. This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca Quasar Homes - @quasarhomes

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Chasing Sunrises: Friendship and Lessons on Tai Mountain Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-04-30-07-38-18-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在五月一日劳动节的前一天，清晨的太山笼罩在薄薄的云雾中，空气中弥漫着春天花朵的芳香。En: On the day before May 1st Labor Day, the early morning Tai Mountain was shrouded in a thin mist, and the air was filled with the fragrance of spring flowers.Zh: 梅、健和刘正在山脚下准备攀登这个神圣的山峰。En: Mei, Jian, and Liu were preparing to climb this sacred peak at the mountain's foot.Zh: 对梅来说，这次徒步不仅仅是一趟简单的旅行，更是她心中新的开始。En: For Mei, this trek was not just a simple trip but a new beginning in her heart.Zh: 经过一年的辛苦工作，她渴望站在山顶，迎接崭新的日出。En: After a year of hard work, she longed to stand on the summit and welcome a brand-new sunrise.Zh: 梅满怀激情地说：“我们一定要看到山顶的日出，真是难得的机会！”En: Mei said passionately, "We must see the sunrise at the top; it's such a rare opportunity!"Zh: 站在旁边的健，沉着而谨慎，他知道登山并不容易。En: Standing beside her, Jian, calm and cautious, knew that climbing the mountain wouldn't be easy.Zh: “梅，我们要小心，天气看起来有些变化。”他说。En: "Mei, we have to be careful; the weather seems to be changing," he said.Zh: 刘是个内向的人，这次旅程对他而言是寻找内心平静的机会。En: Liu is an introverted person, and this journey is an opportunity for him to find inner peace.Zh: “我们慢慢走，可以边走边欣赏风景。”他建议道。En: "We can walk slowly and enjoy the scenery along the way," he suggested.Zh: 三人开始沿着蜿蜒的石阶向上攀登，途经古老的寺庙和遍布绿树的小道。En: The three of them began climbing the winding stone steps, passing ancient temples and paths lined with green trees.Zh: 随着攀登的高度增加，天气变得越来越阴沉，乌云正在聚集。En: As they climbed higher, the weather became increasingly overcast, and dark clouds were gathering.Zh: “继续前进，还有一点路程！”梅挥舞着手，示意朋友们加快脚步。En: "Keep moving forward, there's just a little more to go!" Mei waved her hand, signaling her friends to speed up.Zh: 健和刘虽然感到疲乏，但还是选择信任梅，于是继续前进。En: Though Jian and Liu felt tired, they chose to trust Mei and continued onward.Zh: 然而，随着时间的推移，山上开始下起小雨，紧接着风也越来越大。En: However, as time passed, it began to rain lightly on the mountain, followed by increasingly strong winds.Zh: “梅，我们该找个地方避雨。”健大声提醒。En: "Mei, we should find a place to shelter from the rain," Jian reminded loudly.Zh: “可是，我们离山顶已经很近了！”梅内心挣扎，她的理想和朋友的安全之间出现了冲突。En: "But we're so close to the top!" Mei struggled internally as her ideals conflicted with her friends' safety.Zh: 这时，雷声响起，风雨越发猛烈。En: At that moment, thunder roared, and the wind and rain became more intense.Zh: 梅深吸一口气，终于下定了决心。En: Mei took a deep breath and finally made up her mind.Zh: “好，我们先找个地方避雨。”她对朋友们说。En: "Alright, let's find a place to take shelter from the rain first," she said to her friends.Zh: 最后，他们在一个小庙宇找到庇护。En: Eventually, they found refuge in a small temple.Zh: 虽然错过了日出，但安全得到了保障。En: Although they missed the sunrise, their safety was ensured.Zh: 望着窗外的白晃晃的天色，梅微笑着对刘和健说：“感谢你们。En: Watching the glaringly bright sky outside, Mei smiled and said to Liu and Jian, "Thank you both.Zh: 虽然没有看到日出，但同行的旅程让我更加珍惜友情。”En: Although we didn't see the sunrise, traveling together made me cherish our friendship even more."Zh: 在这趟旅程结束时，梅明白了朋友的重要性。En: At the end of this journey, Mei understood the importance of friends.Zh: 在人生的旅途中，过程往往比结果更为珍贵。En: In life's journey, the process is often more precious than the result.Zh: 她不再执着于独自的胜利，而学会了在朋友的支持下欣赏整趟旅程的美丽。En: She no longer clung to solitary victories but learned to appreciate the beauty of the entire journey with the support of friends. Vocabulary Words:shrouded: 笼罩fragrance: 芳香sacred: 神圣的trek: 徒步passionately: 满怀激情地cautious: 谨慎introverted: 内向winding: 蜿蜒overcast: 阴沉gathering: 聚集struggled: 挣扎conflicted: 冲突thunder: 雷声intense: 猛烈refuge: 庇护glaringly: 白晃晃cherish: 珍惜appreciate: 欣赏solitary: 独自clung: 执着beginning: 开始ensured: 保障increase: 增加signaling: 示意cognizant: 了解predicament: 困境decisively: 下定决心consolation: 安慰unanimously: 一致epiphany: 顿悟

We miss the voices of Iran. In this episode, Jian opens with a poetic and powerful essay on the impact of the Iranian regime's internet blackouts - not only as a violation of human rights, but as a loss of connection, clarity, and direction for millions outside the country who have been inspired by those inside it. The conversation then turns to the role of alternative media at a critical moment. With mainstream coverage of Iran widely criticized as incomplete, biased, or misframed, what responsibility falls on independent platforms? Can alternative media remain objective - or is it inherently advocacy? And is there still an obligation to “both sides” the story? Jian is joined by: Nazenin Ansari (London) Kiarash Kian (Toronto) Andy “Aueen” Alem (New York) A sharp and timely discussion on media, narrative power, and the fight to represent the voices of the Iranian people. This episode is supported by: Quasar Homes - https://www.instagram.com/quasarhomes/ Famluxy - https://famluxy.com

Jian opens this episode of Roqe with an essay titled “The War Is Changing Us,” reflecting on how the past four months - from the January massacres inside Iran to the current war - have affected Iranians not only inside the country, but across the diaspora. While the realities inside Iran remain the central focus, this conversation examines how millions outside the country are experiencing a different kind of impact - one that is emotional, psychological, and deeply tied to identity, relationships, and community. Jian is joined by Shiva Negar, Satin, and Sadaf Yasini for a panel discussion on how this moment has reshaped their lives, their work, and their connections to others. Topics include the strain on friendships and families, the pressure to take public positions, the role of artists and influencers, and the challenge of staying engaged without becoming overwhelmed. This episode is brought to you with the support of Stellar Law - https://stellarlaw.ca And Avoca Chocolates - https://avocachocolates.com

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Chance Encounters Blossom into Creative Sparks in Suzhou Gardens Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-04-22-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 苏州的古典园林，春日和煦，充满了花香和鸟鸣。En: The classical gardens of Suzhou, in the gentle warmth of spring, are filled with the fragrance of flowers and the chirping of birds.Zh: 梅和剑在这座浑然天成的古老园林中相遇。En: Mei and Jian meet in this naturally harmonious ancient garden.Zh: 梅是个画家，正在寻找灵感。En: Mei is an artist, searching for inspiration.Zh: 剑是个作家，陷入了创作瓶颈。En: Jian is a writer, stuck in a creative rut.Zh: 那是清明节，大批人群前来扫墓，园林内熙熙攘攘。En: It was the Qingming Festival, with crowds coming to pay homage to their ancestors, making the garden bustling with activity.Zh: 梅坐在茶馆的角落，手中握着素描本。En: Mei sat in the corner of a teahouse, holding a sketchbook.Zh: 剑则在不远处，盯着自己面前的空白纸张，眉头紧锁。En: Jian was not far away, staring at the blank sheet of paper in front of him, brows furrowed.Zh: 两人有相同的烦恼，却毫无察觉对方的存在。En: Both faced the same troubles, yet were unaware of each other's existence.Zh: 直到巧合下，两人被分到同一个游览小组。En: Until, by chance, they were placed in the same tour group.Zh: 他们决定一起参加园林的导览，希望能从中获得新的灵感。En: They decided to join the garden tour together, hoping to find new inspiration.Zh: 走过石桥、池塘，绕过曲径，讲解员的声音伴随花香传来：“苏州园林，以自然取胜，园中处处是景。En: As they walked past stone bridges, ponds, and along winding paths, the guide's voice mingled with the fragrance of flowers: "The Suzhou gardens triumph through nature, with scenes everywhere."Zh: ”梅用心观察，剑则仔细聆听。En: Mei observed attentively, while Jian listened carefully.Zh: 渐渐的，梅和剑开始分享各自生活中的故事。En: Gradually, Mei and Jian began to share stories from their lives.Zh: 突然，一场骤雨如洗礼般来临。En: Suddenly, a downpour like a baptism came.Zh: 两人赶忙跑进亭子避雨。En: They hurried to a pavilion to take shelter from the rain.Zh: 雨声在瓦顶上轻轻跳跃，为他们的小聚增添了诗意。En: The sound of rain gently danced on the tile roof, adding a poetic touch to their small gathering.Zh: 在亭子里，梅说起了她追求艺术灵感的渴望。En: In the pavilion, Mei spoke of her yearning for artistic inspiration.Zh: 剑则谈到他对中国文化的热爱。En: Jian talked about his love for Chinese culture.Zh: 两人越聊越投机，仿佛找到了知音。En: The more they talked, the more they felt like kindred spirits.Zh: 雨停了，夕阳洒下金色的光辉，给古典园林镀上了梦幻的面纱。En: The rain stopped, and the golden light of the setting sun cast a dreamy veil over the classical garden.Zh: 这一天结束时，梅和剑心中都有了新的方向。En: At the end of the day, both Mei and Jian found new directions in their hearts.Zh: 梅决定用剑的故事作为灵感创作一幅作品，而剑则要根据梅的画编写一个故事。En: Mei decided to create a work inspired by Jian's story, while Jian wanted to write a story based on Mei's painting.Zh: 他们约定合作，共同创造一个艺术与文学交融的作品。En: They agreed to collaborate, creating a work where art and literature blend together.Zh: 湿润的空气中，散发着泥土的芬芳，一个新的旅程和挑战在等待他们。En: In the moist air, tinged with the fragrance of earth, a new journey and challenge awaited them.Zh: 对于梅和剑来说，他们各自的瓶颈终因这场意外际遇而解开，园林中的邂逅，成为了新的开始。En: For Mei and Jian, their respective bottlenecks were finally resolved by this accidental encounter, and the meeting in the garden became a new beginning. Vocabulary Words:classical: 古典fragrance: 花香chirping: 鸟鸣harmony: 浑然天成inspiration: 灵感homage: 扫墓bustling: 熙熙攘攘sketchbook: 素描本furrowed: 紧锁encounter: 相遇downpour: 骤雨baptism: 洗礼pavilion: 亭子kindred spirits: 知音dreamy: 梦幻setting sun: 夕阳veiled: 面纱collaborate: 合作blend: 交融moist: 湿润tinged: 散发respective: 各自bottlenecks: 瓶颈resolve: 解开accidental: 意外gentle: 和煦poetic: 诗意attentively: 用心obstacles: 烦恼guide: 讲解员

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Mystical Treasures and Ancestral Clues in Hangzhou Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-04-19-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 杭州市的清晨，阳光透过樱花的枝叶，洒在热闹非凡的寺庙集市上。En: In the early morning of Hangzhou, sunlight filtered through the cherry blossom branches, spilling over the bustling temple market.Zh: 集市上人声鼎沸，熙熙攘攘。En: The market was a cacophony of voices and crowds.Zh: 摊位里，各式传统小吃、手工艺品和熏香令人目不暇接。En: Stalls offered an array of traditional snacks, handicrafts, and incense, making it hard to take everything in.Zh: 彩灯高悬，空气中弥漫着清明节的祭奠香气与花香。En: Colorful lights hung high, and the air was filled with the fragrance of Qingming Festival incense and flowers.Zh: 梅是一位年轻而充满冒险精神的姑娘。En: Mei was a young woman full of adventurous spirit.Zh: 她与朋友玲和健一起，穿梭在集市间。En: She wandered through the market with her friends Ling and Jian.Zh: 她的心里装着另一个秘密任务——寻找关于自己祖先的线索。En: She harbored a secret mission—seeking clues about her ancestors.Zh: 就在众多的古籍摊位中，梅的目光被一张古老的卷轴吸引了。En: Among the many stalls selling ancient books, Mei's gaze was drawn to an ancient scroll.Zh: 她小心翼翼地展开卷轴，看到了一个古怪的谜题：“藏于岁月的深处，殿门静候归人。En: She carefully unfurled the scroll and saw a peculiar riddle: "Hidden in the depths of time, the temple gate awaits the returner."Zh: ”梅的心扑通扑通地跳着。En: Mei's heart beat excitedly.Zh: 她隐约觉得这条线索通向某个神秘的宝藏，可能与她的家族历史有关。En: She had a vague feeling this clue led to some mysterious treasure, possibly linked to her family's history.Zh: 玲和健对卷轴上的信息显得半信半疑：“梅，这只不过是些古老的故事吧。En: Ling and Jian were somewhat skeptical about the information on the scroll: "Mei, this is probably just some old stories.Zh: 我们还是一起逛集市吧。En: Let's just enjoy the market together."Zh: ”但梅决心要弄明白卷轴的秘密，哪怕这意味着她得独自探寻，因为心中的直觉告诉她，有些东西等待着她去发现。En: But Mei was determined to uncover the scroll's secret, even if it meant exploring alone, as her intuition told her that something awaited her discovery.Zh: 那一天，梅在寺庙的庭院里独自行走，试图解开卷轴中的谜题。En: That day, Mei walked alone through the temple courtyard, trying to decipher the puzzle in the scroll.Zh: 她观察着古老的建筑与雕刻，突然一行字母映入眼帘，墙壁上雕刻的诗句恰如其分地契合了卷轴中的提示。En: She observed the ancient architecture and carvings, and suddenly a row of letters caught her eye—a poetic verse etched on the wall matched the clue in the scroll perfectly.Zh: 梅一颗兴奋的心指引着她向寺庙深处走去。En: Her excited heart guided her deeper into the temple.Zh: 最终，她来到了寺庙的核心。En: Eventually, she reached the core of the temple.Zh: 在那里，她发现了一扇隐藏的石门。En: There, she discovered a hidden stone door.Zh: 推开石门，里面是一个充满尘封已久的古物的房间。En: Pushing it open, she found a room filled with long-forgotten artifacts.Zh: 梅的大脑充满了惊叹，这就是卷轴上神秘的宝藏！En: Mei's mind was filled with awe—this was the mysterious treasure from the scroll!Zh: 这些古物就是她寻找的根基与家族的历史。En: These artifacts were the foundation she was searching for, tied to her family's history.Zh: 当她把这一发现告诉玲和健时，他们对她深表歉意，承认自己最初的怀疑。En: When she shared her discovery with Ling and Jian, they apologized for their initial skepticism.Zh: 三人在一块儿决定，将这些故事珍藏，让更多人了解这些祖先的故事。En: Together, the three decided to treasure these stories, so more people could learn about these ancestral tales.Zh: 梅终于找到了她的答案。En: Mei finally found her answers.Zh: 不仅找到了一段家族史，也找到了属于自己的归属感与探索的目标。En: She not only uncovered a piece of her family history but also discovered her own sense of belonging and purpose for exploration.Zh: 清明节的春风中，三个朋友的心灵都得到了升华，彼此更加紧密地连接在一起。En: In the spring breeze of Qingming Festival, the souls of the three friends were uplifted, connecting them more closely than ever. Vocabulary Words:filter: 透过cherry blossom: 樱花bustling: 热闹非凡cacophony: 人声鼎沸array: 各式incense: 熏香fragrance: 香气festival: 节adventurous: 冒险精神harbor: 装着clue: 线索scroll: 卷轴unfurl: 展开peculiar: 古怪riddle: 谜题vague: 隐约decipher: 解开architecture: 建筑carving: 雕刻etched: 雕刻poetic: 诗句artifact: 古物awe: 惊叹skepticism: 怀疑ancestral: 祖先的uplift: 升华belonging: 归属感purpose: 目标spring breeze: 春风connect: 连接

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Mysteries of the Past: A Friendship Forged at Qingming Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-04-17-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 清晨，山中的薄雾笼罩着寄宿学校。En: In the early morning, the thin mist enveloped the boarding school in the mountains.Zh: 春天的花香在空气中弥漫，鸟儿轻声歌唱。En: The fragrance of spring flowers filled the air, and birds softly sang.Zh: 山间小路通往先祖的墓地，每年清明节时，学生们都会去祭扫。En: A mountain path led to the ancestors' cemetery, where students went every year during the Qingming Festival to pay their respects.Zh: 连是个勤奋的学生。En: Lian was a diligent student.Zh: 她安静而内敛，总是埋头于书本，不轻易向别人透露自己的过去。En: She was quiet and reserved, always buried in her books, and rarely revealed her past to others.Zh: 连的家庭历史是个秘密，她小心翼翼地隐藏着。En: Lian's family history was a secret she carefully kept hidden.Zh: 与此同时，她的好朋友建和梅总陪在她身边。En: Meanwhile, her good friends Jian and Mei always stayed by her side.Zh: 建是个好奇心旺盛的人，总喜欢探寻真相。En: Jian was a curious person who loved seeking the truth.Zh: 梅则沉静如水，细心观察，连的任何微小变化都逃不过她的眼睛。En: Mei was calm and observant, never missing any subtle change in Lian.Zh: 清明节的上午，连、建和梅一起去祭拜祖先。En: On the morning of the Qingming Festival, Lian, Jian, and Mei went to worship their ancestors together.Zh: 山路上，他们带着纸钱和香烛。En: On the mountain path, they carried paper money and incense sticks.Zh: 连的心情似乎有些沉重，可她还是尽力保持微笑。En: Lian seemed to be in a heavy mood, but she still tried her best to smile.Zh: 在墓地，大家忙着扫墓。En: At the cemetery, everyone was busy tending to the graves.Zh: 此时，建一不小心在地上踩到了一个发黄的信封。En: Just then, Jian accidentally stepped on a yellowed envelope on the ground.Zh: 信封上写着连家的名字。En: The envelope had Lian's family name written on it.Zh: 建捡起信封，好奇地看着连。En: Jian picked up the envelope, curiously looking at Lian.Zh: 连脸色微变，赶紧把信封收好。En: Her face changed slightly, and she quickly put the envelope away.Zh: “连，这是什么？”建忍不住问，“这个信封上有你家的名字。”En: "Lian, what is this?" Jian couldn't help but ask, "This envelope has your family name on it."Zh: 连犹豫了一下，脸上露出矛盾的神情。En: Lian hesitated for a moment, her face showing conflicting emotions.Zh: 她知道，瞒不住建那双多事的眼睛。En: She knew she couldn't hide from Jian's inquisitive eyes.Zh: 梅望着她，似乎在给予她支持。En: Mei looked at her, as if offering her support.Zh: 于是，连深吸一口气，面对两个朋友，她心想也许是时候解开这个秘密了。En: So, Lian took a deep breath, and facing her two friends, she thought it might be time to unravel this secret.Zh: 她轻声说道：“这个信封里有一封信，是我祖父留下的。En: She said softly, "This envelope contains a letter left by my grandfather.Zh: 他是个让人尊敬的人，可家里的一些历史不太光彩。”En: He was a respected man, but some parts of our family history are not very honorable."Zh: 建和梅认真听着，不插话。En: Jian and Mei listened attentively without interrupting.Zh: 连继续说，她的家族曾卷入一场不堪的事件，这让她背负了许多。En: Lian continued, sharing that her family had once been involved in a shameful event, burdening her greatly.Zh: “我本想永远不提，但……我信任你们。”连低声说。En: "I originally wanted to never mention it, but... I trust you." Lian said quietly.Zh: 建点了点头，把手放在连的肩上。En: Jian nodded, placing a hand on Lian's shoulder.Zh: “我们是朋友。不管发生什么，我们都会支持你。”En: "We're friends. No matter what happens, we'll support you."Zh: 梅也微笑着，握了握连的手，表示理解和支持。En: Mei also smiled, holding Lian's hand to show understanding and support.Zh: 在先祖墓地前，阳光透过树叶洒下，周围静谧而祥和。En: In front of the ancestors' cemetery, sunlight filtered through the leaves, and the surroundings were quiet and peaceful.Zh: 连感到一股暖意包围着她，心中那份沉重感似乎减轻了很多。En: Lian felt a warmth enveloping her, and the heaviness in her heart seemed to lighten significantly.Zh: 她终于明白，过去虽然无法改变，但朋友的信任和支持能帮助她勇敢面对。En: She finally understood that although the past couldn't be changed, the trust and support of friends could help her bravely face it.Zh: 从那天起，连学会了接受自己的过去，也更加珍惜身边的朋友。En: From that day on, Lian learned to accept her past and cherish her friends even more.Zh: 她不再孤单，因为她知道，这段旅程有建和梅的陪伴。En: She was no longer alone because she knew Jian and Mei were with her on this journey.Zh: 山间清风徐徐，仿佛诉说着友谊和信任的温暖故事。En: The gentle mountain breeze seemed to tell a warm story of friendship and trust. Vocabulary Words:mist: 薄雾envelop: 笼罩fragrance: 花香ancestors: 先祖cemetery: 墓地diligent: 勤奋reserved: 内敛reveal: 透露hesitate: 犹豫inquisitive: 多事subtle: 微小mood: 心情envelope: 信封curious: 好奇conflicting: 矛盾unravel: 解开respected: 尊敬honorable: 光彩shameful: 不堪burden: 背负attentively: 认真interruption: 插话support: 支持surrounding: 周围peaceful: 祥和enveloping: 包围heaviness: 沉重cherish: 珍惜journey: 旅程breeze: 清风

Jian opens Episode 431 of Roqe with an essay titled The Story Has Been Hijacked, reflecting on how the global conversation around Iran has shifted away from the human rights movement that brought millions into the streets - and why it is up to Iranians to bring that focus back. He is then joined by Lisa Daftari, Iranian-American foreign policy analyst and Editor-in-Chief of The Foreign Desk (from Los Angeles), and Dr. Shahram Kholdi, Middle East historian and political analyst (from Southwestern Ontario), for a wide-ranging conversation on who is really in charge right now. From the inner workings of the Islamic Republic to the competing influences shaping U.S. policy, and the evolving leadership dynamics within the Iranian diaspora, this episode explores how power is exercised - and perceived - at a critical moment. This is Roqe Ep.431 - IRAN RISES - Who's In Charge? This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca Famluxy - famluxy.com

A ceasefire has been declared - but the tension has not eased. On this edition of Roqe - Iran Rises, Jian is joined by Ali Hamedani (London), Shayan Sami'i (Washington), and Sadeq Bigdeli (Toronto) to assess where things stand as talks break down and uncertainty grows. Is this a moment of calm - or The Illusion of Calm? Jian opens with an essay titled Outsourcing Repression - exploring news that the Islamic Republic has brought in foreign fighters to help suppress dissent, and what it means when a regime cannot rely on its own people to enforce its rule. The conversation that follows examines: the likelihood of the ceasefire holding why the regime is resisting a deal what people inside Iran are saying now how the diaspora is reacting and what signals matter most in the days ahead This episode is supported by: Quasar Homes https://www.instagram.com/quasarhomes Avoca Chocolates https://avocachocolates.com

As a ceasefire takes hold and attention shifts, what are we left with? On this episode, Jian opens with an essay arguing that the recent war has diverted global focus away from what he describes as one of the most consequential events in recent Iranian history - the mass killing of civilians in January. The piece examines how media narratives, geopolitical analysis, and ideological debates can displace moral clarity. Jian is then joined by Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joining from Washington, D.C. The conversation explores whether anything has fundamentally changed inside the Islamic Republic, how to interpret competing narratives about the regime's strength, and whether ceasefires and de-escalation ultimately prolong the status quo. This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - https://stellarlaw.ca Famluxy - https://famluxy.com

On this edition of Roqe, Dr. Shahram Kholdi (Southwestern Ontario) and Dr. Mahdi Ghodsi (Vienna) join Jian for a timely conversation at a consequential moment in the Iran crisis. With a deadline from Donald Trump threatening major escalation, strikes already hitting infrastructure inside Iran, and ongoing uncertainty about how Iranians are responding, this episode examines where things stand - and what may come next. Jian opens with an essay titled “Iran Is Being Debated While Iranians Are Cut Off”, looking at the regime's internet blackout and how the absence of voices from inside Iran is shaping global narratives. The conversation covers the escalation of the conflict, the role of the blackout, the Iranian economy, recent executions, and whether the regime can survive. This episode is supported by: Quasar Homes - https://www.instagram.com/quasarhomes Avoca Chocolates - https://avocachocolates.com

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Spring Reunion: Rekindling Ties at the Science Museum Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-04-05-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 梅站在科学博物馆的门前，心里充满了期待和不安。En: Mei stood in front of the science museum, her heart filled with both anticipation and unease.Zh: 春风轻轻地吹过，仿佛在催促她踏入博物馆。En: The spring breeze gently blew by, as if urging her to step into the museum.Zh: 今天是清明节，梅专程回来，希望能扫墓完之后，重新找到一种熟悉的归属感。En: Today was Qingming Festival, and Mei had returned specially, hoping to find a familiar sense of belonging after paying respects at the graves.Zh: 梅决定约见建。En: Mei decided to meet up with Jian.Zh: 自从出国以来，她没有再见过他。En: Since going abroad, she hadn't seen him.Zh: 她总是担心他们的友谊在时间的冲刷下变得生疏。En: She was always worried that their friendship had become distant with the passage of time.Zh: 然而，建曾是她最亲密的朋友。En: However, Jian had once been her closest friend.Zh: 围绕在她脑海中的，是建的笑声、调皮的眼神，还有他们小时候在科学博物馆里度过的美好时光。En: In her mind were Jian's laughter, mischievous eyes, and the wonderful times they spent together at the science museum when they were children.Zh: 科学博物馆人来人往，小朋友兴奋地跑来跑去，似乎对每一个展览都充满好奇。En: The science museum was bustling, children running around excitedly, seemingly curious about every exhibit.Zh: 馆内最大的一处吸引人的展览，是一枚巨大的火箭模型。En: The most captivating exhibit inside was a giant rocket model.Zh: 在火箭下，梅看到了建，他的身影从未如此鲜活。En: Under the rocket, Mei saw Jian; his presence had never felt so vivid.Zh: “建！”梅喊道，带着久别重逢的激动。En: "Jian!" Mei called out, filled with the excitement of a long-awaited reunion.Zh: 建转过身，看到了梅，脸上露出温暖的微笑。En: Jian turned around and saw Mei, a warm smile appearing on his face.Zh: “梅，好久不见。”他的声音听起来依旧亲切。En: "Mei, long time no see." His voice still sounded so friendly.Zh: 梅犹豫了一下，便鼓起勇气走上前去。En: Mei hesitated for a moment, then mustered the courage to step forward.Zh: 他们站在火箭模型下，阳光透过博物馆的窗户洒在他们身上。En: They stood under the rocket model, with sunlight spilling over them through the museum's windows.Zh: 梅意识到，这是她最后一个解决之前心结的机会。En: Mei realized this was her last chance to resolve old issues.Zh: “抱歉，我消失了这么久。”梅低声说道，眼中闪烁着歉意。En: "I'm sorry for disappearing for so long," Mei said softly, an apologetic glint in her eyes.Zh: 建微微一笑，“没关系，我知道你有自己的旅程。”En: Jian smiled slightly, "It's okay, I know you had your own journey."Zh: 两人开始交谈，关于过去，关于他们所错过的时光。En: The two began to talk about the past and the times they had missed.Zh: 回忆和笑声重新连接起他们的友谊。En: Memories and laughter reconnected their friendship.Zh: 梅意识到，虽然时间和距离改变了一些事情，但真正的友谊能够承受得住时间的考验，反而愈加让人珍惜。En: Mei realized that although time and distance had changed some things, true friendship could withstand the test of time and only became more cherished.Zh: 他们决定定期见面，去看那些在国外未曾见过的展览，还有那些未来的计划。En: They decided to meet regularly and visit those exhibitions they hadn't seen abroad, as well as make future plans.Zh: 科学博物馆宛如他们曾经梦想的见证，他们让梦想重新起航。En: The science museum felt like a witness to their once-dreams, and they were letting those dreams take flight again.Zh: 梅离开时，心里温暖而稳定。En: As Mei left, her heart was warm and steady.Zh: 她知道，虽然回忆不能完全修复，但足以为友谊带来新的开始。En: She knew that while memories couldn't completely heal everything, they were enough to bring a new beginning to their friendship.Zh: 站在春风中，她满足地笑了，这一切只有在这个科学的殿堂中，显得如此合适。En: Standing in the spring breeze, she smiled contentedly, knowing that all of this seemed so fitting in this temple of science. Vocabulary Words:anticipation: 期待unease: 不安breeze: 春风familiar: 熟悉unease: 不安belonging: 归属感abroad: 出国mischievous: 调皮bustling: 人来人往exhibit: 展览captivating: 吸引人的rocket: 火箭vivid: 鲜活hesitated: 犹豫reunion: 重逢friendship: 友谊journey: 旅程courage: 勇气resolve: 解决apologetic: 歉意mustered: 鼓起cherished: 珍惜withstand: 承受memories: 回忆witness: 见证dreams: 梦想future plans: 未来的计划contentedly: 满足地temple: 殿堂fitting: 合适

On this episode of Roqe, Andrew Ghalili joins Jian from New York for a conversation on the dangers of pursuing another deal with the Islamic Republic. They discuss the aftermath of President Trump's recent speech, why the idea of a “moderate” replacement within the regime is fundamentally flawed, and how the IRGC continues to hold power despite mounting pressure. Andrew also shares insights on what he is hearing from inside Iran, the state of the opposition, and the role of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi at this pivotal time. Jian opens with an essay titled A Deal Means More of This - a stark look at how diplomacy with the regime may delay change and prolong repression, underscored by the recent execution of 18-year-old Amirhossein Hatemi. This is Roqe Episode 427 - Iran Rises. This episode is supported by: Famluxy https://famluxy.com Avoca Chocolates https://avocachocolates.com

On this episode of Roqe, Jian opens with an essay titled “When the Truth Is Hard to Find - Ask Who Benefits,” exploring how propaganda, projection, and competing agendas are shaping the global conversation about Iran during a time of internet blackout. He is then joined by Nazenin Ansari (London), Dr. Sepehr Vakil (Evanston, Illinois), and Dr. Kaveh Elahiyoun (Las Vegas) for a panel discussion on false narratives - how they emerge, who amplifies them, and what they reveal about the current moment in Iran. This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - https://stellarlaw.ca

On this episode of Roqe, Jian is joined by Bijan Kian - a returning guest who consistently sparks strong reactions from the Roqe audience. A former senior U.S. official with decades of experience across public and private sectors, Kian offers his perspective on the current war involving the United States, Israel, and the Islamic Republic. The conversation explores competing narratives in American media, questions around strategy, and what this moment may signal for the future of Iran - including the role of Reza Pahlavi in a potential transition. Later in the episode, Jian is joined by a panel of organizers and participants ahead of a major rally in Washington, D.C. this Sunday in support of the Lion and Sun movement: Andy Alem (New York), Mandana Khazraei (Washington, D.C.), Behnam Bayat (Toronto), and Sergio Khadem (Toronto). They discuss the purpose of the demonstration, the coordination across cities, and the broader significance for the Iranian diaspora. The episode opens with an essay by Jian examining a recent Canadian poll suggesting that roughly one in five Gen Z respondents express support for the Islamic Republic - and what this reveals about disinformation, ideology, and the urgency of better public understanding. This episode is supported by: Famluxy - https://famluxy.com Avoca Chocolates - https://avocachocolates.com

On this episode of Roqe, Jian is joined by a global panel to unpack a fast-moving and uncertain moment around Iran and the role of Donald Trump's rhetoric and positioning in shaping what may come next. Joining from London, Washington, and Toronto are Shooka Bidarian, Shayan Sami'i, and Ardeshir Zarezadeh - bringing perspectives from media, policy, and activism to explore where things stand right now, how Iranians inside the country may be processing events, and whether the Islamic Republic is weaker than it appears. Jian opens the episode with an essay that zooms out from the daily chaos and makes a larger case: that Iran is not the Islamic Republic - and that this regime represents a temporary rupture in a much longer and richer history. This episode is supported by: Famluxy - https://famluxy.com Stellar Law - https://stellarlaw.ca