Podcasts about Liang

Physicians are trained to believe that skepticism keeps us safe and belief is generally risky. Over time, this quietly erodes trust in ourselves and what might be possible. What once felt protective can slowly narrow our lives and choices.  Stuckness, disconnection, and a subtle loss of feeling alive grows.   PEARLS OF WISDOM Medical culture often rewards certainty while sidelining imagination, hope, and belief. • Not believing in ourselves can feel protective, yet it frequently keeps us confined to versions of life that no longer fit. • Belief is not naïve optimism. It is a skill and a gift that can be practiced and borrowed when our own feels unsteady. • Imagining what is possible, even without a clear path, is essential for healing, leadership, and sustainable change. • Practicing belief does not abandon logic or science. It creates the spaciousness and courage to move toward alignment. Reflection Questions Where have we organized our lives around not believing, perhaps to avoid disappointment? What have we stopped believing in, and what did that belief once offer us? Who has offered us borrowed belief, and how did it feel to receive it? What might it look like to risk a small disappointment in service of something more alive or more true? If you are ready to gently begin believing again, mindfulness and coaching offer grounded places to start. Slowing down allows us to notice where fear has shaped our choices and where belief may still be quietly present. Whether you are navigating burnout, transition, or a longing for more meaning and spaciousness, coaching and retreat spaces can support this remembering. They all offer a compassionate, practical way to reconnect with belief and possibility. Enjoy a yoga class on this topic on Jessie's YouTube channel - Mindful Yoga to Grow Trust and Belief with Dr. Jessie Mahoney Read more about this topic on Jessie's Blog - The Gift of Belief The Connect in Nature Retreat is also a meaningful space to rediscover awe, wonder, and belief—in ourselves and in what is possible. Partners and colleagues are encouraged to join. Shared experiences often deepen connection and clarity. www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats If we would like to bring this work into our organizations, Dr. Liang and I both offer speaking and workshop experiences that support belief, healing, and connection in healthcare and beyond. www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking www.awakenbreath.org Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Deadlines to Dragon Dances: Mei's Festival Awakening Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-11-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 上海的冬天寒风刺骨，但这天的自由职业者之家咖啡馆里暖意融融。En: The winter in Shanghai is bone-chilling, but inside the Freelancer's Home Café, it was warm and cozy.Zh: 梅坐在靠窗的座位，面前是打开的笔记本电脑，咖啡的香气在空气中飘荡，衬托出她严肃的神情。En: Mei sat at the window seat with an open laptop in front of her, the aroma of coffee drifting in the air, highlighting her serious expression.Zh: 她是一位勤奋的营销顾问，工作总是她生活的重心。En: She was a diligent marketing consultant, and work was always the focus of her life.Zh: 距离下一个会议还有几个小时，她决定在这里准备一下，并不知不觉间忽视了窗外热闹的过年气氛。En: With a few hours left before her next meeting, she decided to prepare there, unconsciously ignoring the lively New Year atmosphere outside the window.Zh: 咖啡馆四周挂满了红色的灯笼，象征着春节的欢乐。En: Red lanterns symbolizing the joy of Spring Festival hung all around the café.Zh: 梅的两个朋友，亮和佳，刚好经过咖啡馆，手里提着不少新年小吃和烟花。En: Mei's two friends, Liang and Jia, happened to pass by the café, carrying lots of New Year's snacks and fireworks.Zh: “梅，快来！En: "Mei, come quickly!Zh: 我们去城隍庙庙会，听说那里热闹非凡！En: We're going to the City God Temple Fair, I hear it's bustling with excitement!"Zh: ”亮兴奋地说。En: Liang said excitedly.Zh: 梅犹豫了。En: Mei hesitated.Zh: 她得在咖啡馆里准备演讲，但内心深处却隐隐渴望着改变那日复一日的单调。En: She needed to prepare her presentation in the café, but deep down, she craved a change from her monotonous routine.Zh: 她看看两位好友，心底的挣扎浮现于脸上。En: She looked at her two friends, the struggle in her heart showing on her face.Zh: 最后，梅突然一合上笔记本，长舒了一口气。En: Finally, Mei suddenly closed her laptop and let out a long sigh.Zh: “好啊，我去！En: "Alright, I'm coming!"Zh: ”她笑着站起来，决定跟朋友们去感受节日的快乐。En: she said with a smile, standing up and deciding to join her friends to experience the festive joy.Zh: 在城隍庙的庙会上，满是五光十色的灯火、欢声笑语和各种传统小吃的香味。En: At the City God Temple Fair, there were colorful lights, laughter, and the aroma of various traditional snacks.Zh: 梅与朋白一起品尝糖葫芦，观看舞龙舞狮，短暂忘却工作的压力。En: Mei and her friends enjoyed candied hawthorns, watched dragon and lion dances, and momentarily forgot the pressures of work.Zh: 她感到前所未有的轻松，这一切的体验让她心中升腾起新的灵感。En: She felt more relaxed than ever, and the experience filled her with new inspiration.Zh: 会议那天，梅凭借着她从节日中获得的能量和灵感，做了一个出色的演讲。En: On the day of the meeting, Mei, fueled by the energy and inspiration from the festival, delivered an outstanding presentation.Zh: 她的客户们被她的热情和创意深深吸引，演讲获得了圆满成功。En: Her clients were deeply impressed by her enthusiasm and creativity, and the presentation was a complete success.Zh: 从此，梅明白了工作与生活之间应有的平衡。En: From then on, Mei understood the importance of balance between work and life.Zh: 偶尔的停下脚步，去体验生活中的乐趣，不仅丰富了她的人生体验，也为她带来了意想不到的工作灵感。En: Occasionally taking a step back to enjoy the pleasures of life not only enriched her life experience but also brought unexpected inspiration for her work.Zh: 尽管她依然努力工作，但多了几分懂得享受生活的随性和洒脱。En: Although she continued to work hard, she now better appreciated the spontaneity and freedom of enjoying life.Zh: 红灯笼和欢乐的记忆常常提醒她，有时，生活中的意外之喜才是最珍贵的。En: The red lanterns and cheerful memories often reminded her that sometimes, the unexpected joys in life are the most precious. Vocabulary Words:bone-chilling: 寒风刺骨cozy: 暖意融融aroma: 香气highlighting: 衬托diligent: 勤奋consultant: 顾问monotonous: 单调routine: 日复一日hesitated: 犹豫struggle: 挣扎inspiration: 灵感outstanding: 出色impressed: 吸引enthusiasm: 热情spontaneity: 随性freedom: 洒脱festive joy: 节日的快乐successful: 圆满成功balance: 平衡lively: 热闹presentation: 演讲symbolizing: 象征craved: 渴望bustling: 热闹非凡festive atmosphere: 过年气氛unexpected: 意想不到occassionally: 偶尔candied hawthorns: 糖葫芦fulfilled: 丰富laughter: 欢声笑语

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Winter Tea House Tales: A Journey Between Friends Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-06-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 正值冬季，北海公园附近的一家茶馆，灯笼高挂，透出温暖的红光。En: It was winter, and near Beihai Park, a tea house had lanterns hanging high, exuding a warm red glow.Zh: 梅和梁，这两个久未谋面的朋友，正坐在一张靠窗的小桌前，手握热茶杯，注视着冬季北京的大街。En: Mei and Liang, two friends who hadn't met for a long time, were sitting at a small table by the window, holding hot tea cups and watching the streets of winter Beijing.Zh: 梅要赶回家过春节，踏上旅途的前夜，她满脑子都是对家人期待的焦虑。En: Mei was preparing to return home for the Spring Festival and, on the eve of her journey, her mind was filled with anxiety about her family's expectations.Zh: “这次回家，你有点紧张啊。”梁笑着说，轻轻吹散杯中的热气。En: "You're a bit nervous about going home this time, aren't you?" Liang said with a smile, gently blowing away the steam from his cup.Zh: 他虽平日话不多，但总能一眼看穿梅的心事。En: Although he wasn't usually talkative, he always could see through Mei's thoughts at a glance.Zh: 梅眉头紧锁，低声说：“是啊，总觉得压力很大，怕家人对我失望。”En: With furrowed brows, Mei said softly, "Yeah, I always feel a lot of pressure, afraid my family will be disappointed in me."Zh: 梁沉默片刻，他的心中也有话要说，但往日的沉默让他犹豫不决。En: Liang was silent for a moment, with his own thoughts to share, but his usual quietness made him hesitant.Zh: 此刻，茶馆的门上方铃铛轻响，一个慈祥的老人陈爷爷步入店中。En: At this moment, the bell above the tea house door rang softly, and an amiable old man, Grandpa Chen, stepped into the shop.Zh: “冬天的茶馆，总是能听见一些温暖的故事。”陈爷爷微笑着，坐在梅和梁的对桌，轻声说道。En: "A winter teahouse always has some warm stories to hear," Grandpa Chen said with a smile, sitting at the table across from Mei and Liang, speaking softly.Zh: 他常来这家茶馆，一如既往地散发着乐观和智慧。En: He often visited this tea house, always exuding optimism and wisdom.Zh: 梅微微抬头，陈爷爷眼神温暖而坚定，仿佛知道她的心事一般。En: Mei lifted her head slightly, and Grandpa Chen's gaze was warm and firm, as if he knew her thoughts.Zh: “每次节日也是一个新的开始。”陈爷爷中肯地说道。En: "Each festival is also a new beginning," Grandpa Chen said earnestly.Zh: “勇敢面对自己的心，才能找到真正的归属。”En: "Face your heart bravely, and you will find your true belonging."Zh: 这些话仿佛打开了梅的心扉。En: These words seemed to open Mei's heart.Zh: 她转向梁，轻声承认：“我总怕自己让家人失望。但心里又想，要有勇气去做自己。”En: She turned to Liang, softly admitting, "I've always been afraid of disappointing my family. But deep down, I want to have the courage to be myself."Zh: 梁听了顿时心生勇气：“梅，其实我也想告诉你，过去这些年我一直很欣赏你，希望我们能一直这样彼此支持下去。”En: Hearing this, Liang suddenly felt a surge of courage: "Mei, actually, I also wanted to tell you that over the past few years I've always admired you, and I hope we can continue to support each other."Zh: 梅被友谊的长久深厚温暖着。En: Mei was warmed by the enduring depth of their friendship.Zh: 她对梁的目光中有了新的亮光，这种感觉是温柔且坚定的。En: Her gaze towards Liang held a new brightness, a feeling that was gentle yet firm.Zh: 茶馆外，雪花轻飘。En: Outside the tea house, snowflakes drifted down lightly.Zh: 梅起身准备离开，心中多了一份敬意与期待。En: Mei got up to leave, feeling a newfound respect and anticipation.Zh: 梁目送她离去，心中轻松了许多，他终于表达了自己的感受，无论结果如何，他为自己感到骄傲。En: Liang watched her go, feeling much lighter in his heart; he had finally expressed his feelings and felt proud no matter the outcome.Zh: 梅走出茶馆，望着飘雪，内心不再觉得孤单。En: Mei walked out of the tea house, gazing at the falling snow, no longer feeling lonely inside.Zh: 这次回家，她抱着新的信心和勇气，期待着团聚。En: This time going home, she embraced new confidence and courage, looking forward to the reunion.Zh: 在冷风中，她的脚步轻盈，身后的红灯笼如她般温暖明亮。En: In the cold wind, her steps were light, and the red lanterns behind her were as warm and bright as she was.Zh: 梁在她身后目送，心中对未来充满希望。En: Liang watched her leave, filled with hope for the future.Zh: 茶馆重新归于宁静，杯中茶香犹在。En: The tea house returned to tranquility, the fragrance of tea lingering.Zh: 陈爷爷微微一笑，抬眼望向窗外，他知道，这对朋友的故事还将继续，冬日的茶馆，也因他们而变得更加温暖。En: Grandpa Chen smiled slightly, looking out the window, knowing this friend's story would continue, and the winter tea house had become even warmer because of them. Vocabulary Words:exuding: 散发glow: 光anxiety: 焦虑furrowed: 紧锁silent: 沉默hesitant: 犹豫amiable: 慈祥optimism: 乐观earnestly: 中肯地belonging: 归属enduring: 长久深厚gaze: 目光antipation: 期待lingering: 犹在tranquility: 宁静fragrance: 茶香brows: 眉头admired: 欣赏courtesy: 诚恳glimmer: 微光surge: 心生linger: 徘徊glow: 红光stepped: 步入gently: 轻声eager: 迫切disappointed: 失望festival: 节日reunion: 团聚embarking: 上路

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Mei's Spring Festival Journey: Reuniting Amidst Shadows Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-02-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 医院的精神科病房安静而明亮，冬天的光线透过磨砂窗户，斜射在洁白的墙上。En: The psychiatric ward of the hospital was quiet and bright, with the winter light slanting through frosted windows, casting shadows on the white walls.Zh: 梅坐在她的小房间里，手中握着一支笔，凝视着空白的信纸。En: Mei sat in her small room, holding a pen in her hand, staring at the blank letter paper.Zh: 梅是一位年轻的母亲。En: Mei was a young mother.Zh: 她希望在新年之前回家。En: She hoped to go home before the New Year.Zh: 她已经在病房里住了几个月，希望通过治疗恢复稳定。En: She had been in the ward for several months, hoping to regain stability through treatment.Zh: 她特别想念她的儿子嘉和丈夫梁。En: She particularly missed her son Jia and her husband Liang.Zh: 这些日子，梅常常思考，自己怎样才能更好地支持自己的家庭。En: These days, Mei often thought about how she could better support her family.Zh: 时间一点一滴地过去，春节即将来临。En: Time passed by little by little, and the Spring Festival was approaching.Zh: 医院里，人们开始准备贴窗花，挂灯笼，而梅心中最大的愿望，就是回到温暖的家庭，与亲人团聚。En: In the hospital, people started preparing to put up window decorations and hang lanterns, while Mei's greatest wish was to return to her warm home and reunite with her loved ones.Zh: 梅决定给梁写一封信，她在信中描述了自己的进步和对家庭的渴望。En: Mei decided to write a letter to Liang, in which she described her progress and her longing for the family.Zh: 她写道：“亲爱的梁，希望你和嘉都好。En: She wrote: "Dear Liang, I hope you and Jia are well.Zh: 我在这里努力适应和改变，我想我开始理解自己的问题。En: I'm trying hard to adapt and change here, and I think I'm starting to understand my problems.Zh: 你可以相信我，我也相信我们能够一起找到解决问题的方法。En: You can trust me, and I trust that we can find a way to solve the problems together.Zh: 我很想在春节时回家看看你和嘉。En: I really want to come home to see you and Jia during the Spring Festival.Zh: 即便只是一段时间，我也会珍惜。En: Even if it's just for a short while, I will cherish it.Zh: 我期待听到你的想法。En: I look forward to hearing your thoughts.Zh: 爱你的，梅”梅将信交给护士，希望梁能理解她的心声。En: Love, Mei" Mei handed the letter to the nurse, hoping that Liang would understand her heartfelt words.Zh: 几天后，梁来到了病房。En: A few days later, Liang came to the ward.Zh: 他看上去有些疲惫，但眼中透出一丝期待。En: He looked a bit tired, but there was a hint of anticipation in his eyes.Zh: 他在梅的床边坐下，握住了她的手。En: He sat down by Mei's bedside and held her hand.Zh: 两人安静了一会儿，然后梁开口说：“梅，我知道你努力了很多。En: The two remained quiet for a while, then Liang spoke: "Mei, I know you've worked hard.Zh: 我也一直在反思。En: I've been reflecting as well.Zh: 我想试着带你回家，过一个真正的春节。En: I want to try bringing you home to celebrate a real Spring Festival.Zh: 我们可以做到的，对吗？En: We can do this, right?"Zh: ”梅点点头，眼中闪烁着泪光。En: Mei nodded, her eyes glistening with tears.Zh: 春节的脚步越来越近。En: The approach of the Spring Festival drew nearer.Zh: 梁带着梅回到家，这是试探性的一次返家之旅。En: Liang brought Mei home, a tentative return journey.Zh: 房子里散发着熟悉的节日气氛，嘉雀跃地冲上前，抱住了梅。En: The house was filled with the familiar festive atmosphere, and Jia eagerly rushed forward to hug Mei.Zh: 她体会到了久违的家庭温暖，那种在病房里无法感受到的归属感。En: She felt the long-missed warmth of family, a sense of belonging that could not be felt in the ward.Zh: 在这个春节里，梅拥有了新的希望，她决心好好恢复，迎接更美好的未来。En: During this Spring Festival, Mei gained new hope and was determined to recover well, welcoming a better future.Zh: 而梁，这一路的陪伴和支持，让他更加理解什么是真正的爱与信任。En: As for Liang, the companionship and support along this journey made him understand more deeply what true love and trust mean.Zh: 窗外，烟花在夜空中绽放，亮如星辰，照亮了梅与梁的新开始。En: Outside the window, fireworks blossomed in the night sky, bright as stars, illuminating a new beginning for Mei and Liang. Vocabulary Words:psychiatric: 精神科slanting: 斜射frosted: 磨砂stability: 稳定treatment: 治疗reunite: 团聚cherish: 珍惜anticipation: 期待reflecting: 反思tentative: 试探性journey: 旅程festive: 节日belonging: 归属感blossomed: 绽放illuminating: 照亮determined: 决心progress: 进步longing: 渴望handed: 交给glistening: 闪烁companion: 陪伴support: 支持new beginning: 新开始letter paper: 信纸approaching: 即将来临nurse: 护士bedside: 床边recovery: 恢复hope: 希望understand: 理解

Dr. Lillian Liang Emlet is a Professor of Critical Care Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, dually trained in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care. She's also a certified energy leadership coach and the CEO founder of Transforming Healthcare Coaching.  She also hosts a podcast by the same name. We talk about a common phenomenon in healthcare: clinicians who are exceptional at their work getting promoted into leadership roles without the skills or support to succeed. Lillian shares how she helps healthcare leaders at all levels—physicians, nurses, NPs, PAs, pharmacists, executives—develop as whole people first before tackling the complexities of leading teams and systems. Lillian explains what energy leadership coaching actually means, and why healthcare will always need guides for its leaders even as we work to transform the culture. If you enjoy the show, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating on Apple or a

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Shanghai's New Year: Fireworks, New Hopes, and New Friendships Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-12-31-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 新年的前夕，上海的外滩笼罩在一片节日的欢腾中。En: On the eve of the New Year, Shanghai's The Bund was enveloped in a festive cheer.Zh: 黄浦江的水面反射着历史建筑的灯光，游客和本地人都期盼着午夜的焰火表演。En: The surface of the Huangpu River reflected the lights of historic buildings, as both tourists and locals eagerly awaited the midnight fireworks display.Zh: 梅，一个年轻的女子，站在江边，心中思绪万千。En: Mei, a young woman, stood by the river, her mind filled with countless thoughts.Zh: 过去的一年并不顺利，她希望在新年能找到新的希望。En: The past year had not been smooth, and she hoped to find new hope in the new year.Zh: 她身边是活泼的朋友梁，梁笑着说：“梅，今天晚上，我们一定要尽情享受，不要想太多！”En: Beside her was her lively friend, Liang, who laughed and said, "Mei, tonight, we must enjoy ourselves to the fullest and not think too much!"Zh: 梅微微一笑，En: Mei smiled slightly.Zh: 尽管内心对拥挤的人群感到不安，她决定尝试融入这欢乐的氛围。En: Despite feeling uneasy about the crowded scene, she decided to try and immerse herself in the joyful atmosphere.Zh: 与此同时，君，一个本地的摄影爱好者，在人群中寻找最佳的拍摄点。En: Meanwhile, Jun, a local photography enthusiast, was in the crowd searching for the best spot to shoot.Zh: 他的相机记录着这座城市的每一个动人瞬间。En: His camera was capturing every touching moment of the city.Zh: 君想在新年的一刻，抓住最美的烟火。En: Jun wanted to seize the most beautiful fireworks at the stroke of the new year.Zh: 人群越聚越多，时间也在逼近午夜。En: The crowd grew larger and larger as midnight approached.Zh: 君调整好相机，准备记录下激动人心的一刻。En: Jun adjusted his camera, ready to capture the thrilling moment.Zh: 就在烟火点燃的瞬间，梅和君不约而同地抬头望向天空。En: As the fireworks ignited, both Mei and Jun unintentionally looked up at the sky.Zh: 绚烂的烟火在他们头顶炸开，五彩斑斓，仿佛为新的一年揭开了帷幕。En: The brilliant fireworks exploded above them, colorful and vibrant, as if unveiling the curtain for the new year.Zh: “好漂亮！”梅不由自主地说道。En: "So beautiful!" Mei said involuntarily.Zh: “是啊，”君从相机后面抬起头，看着梅微笑道，“这座城市的夜晚总是充满惊喜。”En: "Yes," Jun replied, lifting his head from behind the camera and smiling at Mei, "the nights in this city are always full of surprises."Zh: 他们开始聊天，分享各自的新年愿望。En: They began to chat, sharing their New Year wishes.Zh: 君说他希望拍到更多感动人心的照片，而梅则希望能忘却过去的不快，迎接崭新的开始。En: Jun said he hoped to capture more touching photographs, while Mei wished to forget the past unhappiness and embrace a fresh start.Zh: 两人聊得很投机，不久就交换了联系方式。En: The two found their conversation congenial and soon exchanged contact information.Zh: 梅感受到了一种久违的轻松和快乐。En: Mei felt a long-lost sense of ease and happiness.Zh: 午夜过后，人群逐渐散去，外滩的灯光依旧明亮。En: After midnight, the crowd gradually dispersed, but the lights of The Bund remained bright.Zh: 梅和君漫步在江边，继续谈论着生活和梦想。En: Mei and Jun strolled along the riverbank, continuing to talk about life and dreams.Zh: 梅意识到，偶然的相遇可能带来意想不到的机遇。En: Mei realized that a chance encounter might bring unexpected opportunities.Zh: 也许正是这个晚上，她终于鼓起勇气，迎接新的可能。En: Perhaps on this very night, she finally mustered the courage to embrace new possibilities.Zh: 当他们分开时，梅的心中充满了对未来的憧憬和希望。En: As they parted, Mei was filled with anticipation and hope for the future.Zh: 她知道，这个新年不仅带来了灿烂的焰火，还有一个值得期待的新朋友。En: She knew that this New Year not only brought dazzling fireworks but also a new friend worth expecting.Zh: 冬夜的寒冷似乎因为心中的温暖而退去。En: The cold of the winter night seemed to retreat due to the warmth in her heart.Zh: 梅决定向未知迈出一步，去探索一个充满变化与成长的未来。En: Mei decided to take a step into the unknown, to explore a future full of changes and growth. Vocabulary Words:eve: 前夕enveloped: 笼罩festive: 节日的cheer: 欢腾reflected: 反射eagerly: 期盼smooth: 顺利immerse: 融入enthusiast: 爱好者capturing: 记录seize: 抓住thrilling: 激动人心ignited: 点燃spontaneously: 不约而同exploded: 炸开brilliant: 绚烂unveiling: 揭开involuntarily: 不由自主congenial: 投机embrace: 迎接encounter: 相遇anticipation: 憧憬mustering: 鼓起possibilities: 可能dispersed: 散去mustered: 鼓起strolled: 漫步retreat: 退去opportunities: 机遇unexpected: 意想不到

Manewry Armii Ludowo-Wyzwoleńczej wokół Tajwanu są demonstracją siły, a nie przygotowaniem do inwazji – podkreśla korespondent Radia Wnet w Chinach Andrzej Zawadzki-Liang.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Mystery Beneath the Fireworks: A Shanghai Night Unfolds Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-12-29-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 上海的冬夜，黄浦江畔灯火辉煌，外滩上人潮涌动。En: On a winter night in Shanghai, the banks of the Huangpu River were brilliantly illuminated, and the The Bund was teeming with people.Zh: 空气中充满了新年的欢庆，人们的笑声和烟花的期待在寒风中回荡。En: The air was filled with the celebrations of the New Year, with laughter and the anticipation of fireworks resonating in the cold wind.Zh: 嘉浩站在人群中，手中攥着一张神秘的信息卡，上面写着一个时间和地点——正是现在，正是这里。En: Jiahao stood amidst the crowd, clutching a mysterious information card that displayed a time and place—it was precisely now, precisely here.Zh: 他对这一切的好奇压过了心头的恐惧。En: His curiosity about it all outweighed the fear in his heart.Zh: 明知道这次会面可能充满未知风险，但嘉浩仍决定去见那个神秘人。En: Although he knew that this meeting might be fraught with unknown risks, Jiahao still decided to meet the mysterious person.Zh: 他脑中响起好友梅的声音，“小心一点，嘉浩！En: In his mind, he heard the voice of his friend Mei, who had said, "Be careful, Jiahao!Zh: 不行就别去。En: If it doesn't feel right, don't go."Zh: ”然而，他注定要找到答案。En: However, he was destined to seek the answer.Zh: 嘉浩沿着外滩慢慢走着，眼睛时不时扫向四周，寻找信息中提到的“标记”。En: Jiahao walked slowly along the The Bund, occasionally glancing around, searching for the “mark” mentioned in the message.Zh: 忽然，他看见一个风衣男子站在灯塔下。En: Suddenly, he saw a man in a trench coat standing under a lighthouse.Zh: 他心跳骤然加快，知道这就是他要找的人。En: His heart suddenly raced, knowing that this was the person he was looking for.Zh: 梅并不知道这么快就找到了，而嘉浩已无退路。En: Mei did not know that he would find them so quickly, and Jiahao had no way to retreat.Zh: 他深吸一口气走上前，那男子也注意到了他。En: He took a deep breath and walked forward; the man noticed him as well.Zh: 两人目光交汇，沉默片刻。En: Their eyes met, and they were silent for a moment.Zh: 然后，男子从口袋里掏出一个无标记的白色信封，递给嘉浩。En: Then, the man pulled a plain white envelope with no markings from his pocket and handed it to Jiahao.Zh: 就在此刻，天空中绽放出灿烂的烟花，五光十色的光芒在夜空中绚丽闪烁。En: At that moment, fireworks burst in the sky, colorful lights dazzling in the night.Zh: 嘉浩接过信封，“谢谢。En: Jiahao took the envelope, saying softly, "Thank you."Zh: ”他低声说，怀疑和好奇交织在心中。En: Inside him, suspicion and curiosity intertwined.Zh: 信封很轻，嘉浩感觉里面藏着某种秘密。En: The envelope was light, and Jiahao felt that it hid some kind of secret.Zh: 他小心翼翼地打开，只看到一把小钥匙和一张纸条。En: He carefully opened it to find only a small key and a note.Zh: 纸条上写着一个地址，除此之外什么也没有。En: The note had an address and nothing else.Zh: 无论如何，他知道自己的疑问又多了一层。En: Nevertheless, he knew his questions had just deepened.Zh: 他抬头，那名叫梁的男子已经消失在茫茫人海中。En: He looked up, but the man named Liang had already vanished into the sea of people.Zh: 嘉浩心中深知，这把钥匙和纸条并不是结束，而是一个新的开始。En: Jiahao knew deep down that this key and note were not the end but a new beginning.Zh: 他站在烟火下，漫天的光影之中，心中涌现出不一样的坚定。En: He stood under the fireworks, amid the dazzling light and shadows, feeling a newfound determination.Zh: 他决定无论这个线索将他引向何方，他都会勇敢地面对。En: He decided that no matter where this clue led him, he would face it bravely.Zh: 新年的钟声响起，嘉浩迎来了他的另一个季节，心中有了新的期待。En: The chimes of the New Year began, ushering in another season for Jiahao, with new hopes arising in his heart. Vocabulary Words:brilliantly: 辉煌illuminated: 灯火teeming: 涌动anticipation: 期待resonating: 回荡clutching: 攥着outweighed: 压过fraught: 充满unknown: 未知retrreat: 退路glancing: 扫向mark: 标记raced: 骤然加快envelope: 信封intertwined: 交织vanished: 消失determination: 坚定chimes: 钟声ushering: 迎来了bravely: 勇敢地curiosity: 好奇mysterious: 神秘dazzling: 灿烂risk: 风险carefully: 小心翼翼地hidden: 藏着secret: 秘密noticing: 注意到suspect: 怀疑shadows: 光影

What if the very things you're hard on yourself about are actually strengths that are simply overused?  In this solo episode, I invite you to step into a new understanding of your patterns without judgment or shame. Explore the "overs" and the "toxics" which are the subtle (and not so subtle) ways our best traits become burdens when they're overdone. If you've ever been told you're too much, felt depleted by the traits that once helped you succeed, or wondered why awareness alone isn't shifting your patterns,  this episode is for you. Pearls of Wisdom: Many of your "admirable" qualities such as achievement, responsibility, or independence can become draining when taken too far. There's nothing wrong with you; you're just overdoing what once worked. Naming the "overs" (like overthinking, overdoing, overfunctioning) and the "toxics" (toxic productivity, toxic independence) brings both awareness and relief. It's not about fixing yourself; it's about finding your way back to balance. Awareness alone doesn't shift entrenched patterns. Real change happens in relationships with yourself, your nervous system, and others who can reflect your patterns back to you compassionately. Reflection Questions: What are you over right now? Which of your strengths has become emotionally or energetically expensive? What might become possible if you moved beyond consuming and started engaging with this work in a deeper, more embodied way?   If you're ready to move beyond listening and into transformation, join me for small group coaching or a nourishing retreat. Both are designed to help you unwind the "overs" and move from depletion to aligned ease.  Learn more at: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats If you'd like to invite me or Dr. Liang to speak or lead a workshop for your team, institution, or conference, learn here: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking www.awakenbreath.org Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.  

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Harmony in Snowflakes: A Festival of Communication & Talent Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-12-26-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 漫天的雪花飘落，校园的操场被白雪覆盖，远处红色的灯笼暗示着即将到来的春节。En: Snowflakes are falling all over, covering the school sports field in white, while the red lanterns in the distance hint at the imminent arrival of Spring Festival.Zh: 这里是学校的年末庆典准备现场，En: This is the preparation site for the school's year-end celebration.Zh: 空气中弥漫着寒冷的气息，但同学们的热情却让这里充满活力。En: The air is filled with a chill, but the enthusiasm of the students makes this place vibrant.Zh: 梁站在操场中央，眼神坚定地指挥着。En: Liang stands at the center of the field, directing with a determined gaze.Zh: 作为一个认真负责的学生，他主动承担起节日组织的任务，他希望这个节日能让每位同学都参与其中。En: As a diligent and responsible student, he voluntarily took on the task of organizing the festival, hoping that this event could involve every student.Zh: 梅是梁最好的朋友，她站在梁的身旁，对他的每一个决定都表示支持。En: Mei is Liang's best friend, standing by his side, supporting his every decision.Zh: 心里，她多么希望也能在台上表演，但怕被拒绝，她一直没敢说出口。En: In her heart, she wishes she could perform on stage, but afraid of rejection, she has never dared to express it.Zh: 贾是舞台上的主角，她自信满满，但对梁的某些计划并不认同，总是提出不同的意见。En: Jia is the star on the stage, full of confidence, yet she disagrees with some of Liang's plans, often offering different opinions.Zh: 一天，梁、梅和贾聚集在一起，商讨节目的细节。En: One day, Liang, Mei, and Jia gathered together to discuss the details of the program.Zh: 贾皱着眉，“梁，我们的节目太普通了，应该要更有新意！”En: "Liang, our program is too ordinary; it should be more innovative!"Zh: 梁思考着贾的话，心里有些迟疑。En: Liang considered Jia's words, feeling a bit hesitant.Zh: 他希望每个人都能开心参与，但也担心太过于激烈的变化会导致失控。En: He wants everyone to happily participate but is concerned that too much change might lead to chaos.Zh: 梅温柔地在旁边建议，“或许，我们可以考虑让更多同学表演不同的才艺。”En: Mei gently suggested from the side, "Perhaps we could consider letting more students showcase different talents."Zh: 然而，争论越来越激烈，梁终于忍不住，认真说道，“贾，再这样下去，我们该怎么办？梅，你有自己的想法吗？”En: However, as the arguments intensified, Liang finally couldn't hold back and seriously said, "Jia, if this continues, what should we do? Mei, do you have any ideas?"Zh: 此时，梅首次鼓起勇气说道，“其实，我一直很想上台表演。”En: It was at this point that Mei summoned the courage to say, "Actually, I've always wanted to perform on stage."Zh: 梁看着梅，意识到问题的根源是大家都没能畅所欲言。En: Liang looked at Mei, realizing that the root of the problem was that no one had been able to speak their minds freely.Zh: 他提议，“我们每个人都说出自己想法，然后找到一个大家都满意的方案。”En: He suggested, "Let's each share our ideas, then find a solution everyone is satisfied with."Zh: 经过一番坦诚的交流，梁提议每一个想要登台表演的同学都能展示他们的才华，同时也采纳了贾的一些创新想法。En: After some heartfelt communication, Liang proposed that any student who wished to perform could showcase their talents, while also incorporating some of Jia's creative ideas.Zh: 这样，节目的安排既有新意，又增加了参与感。En: This way, the program's arrangement would be innovative and increase the sense of participation.Zh: 最后，庆典当天，雪继续静静地落下，操场上的灯笼愈加明亮夺目。En: Finally, on the day of the celebration, the snow continued to fall quietly, and the lanterns on the field shone even more brightly.Zh: 同学们在雪地中尽情表演，欢声笑语在整个校园回荡。En: Students performed freely in the snow, and laughter echoed throughout the campus.Zh: 梁微笑着看着梅在舞台上自信地唱歌，贾则担任总主持，她的笑声融入在空气中。En: Liang smiled as he watched Mei sing confidently on stage, while Jia took on the role of the main host, her laughter blending into the air.Zh: 通过这次活动，梁明白了沟通与合作的重要性。En: Through this event, Liang learned the importance of communication and collaboration.Zh: 他学会了倾听，明白只有大家同心协力，才能办好一场盛大、快乐的庆典。En: He learned to listen, understanding that only by working together can a grand and joyful celebration be held.Zh: 这次的经历，成为他记忆中永恒而美好的冬日回忆。En: This experience became an everlasting and beautiful winter memory for him. Vocabulary Words:snowflakes: 雪花covering: 覆盖lanterns: 灯笼imminent: 即将到来的celebration: 庆典chill: 寒冷enthusiasm: 热情vibrant: 充满活力determined: 坚定diligent: 认真responsible: 负责voluntarily: 主动rejection: 拒绝confident: 自信frowned: 皱眉hesitant: 迟疑chaos: 失控gentle: 温柔arguments: 争论intensified: 激烈summoned: 鼓起communication: 沟通collaboration: 合作incorporating: 采纳showcase: 展示innovative: 新意heartfelt: 坦诚participation: 参与confidence: 自信everlasting: 永恒

Randel and Owen talk with BB on training with Chen Taiji with Feng Zhi Quan, Zhang Xue Xin and Bai Ping Liang. From his Facebook page:"Tai Chi journey since 1979. In 93, I honed my practice with Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang in China. Deeply honored to be a disciple of Master Zhang Xue Xin. His profound knowledge and guidance have significantly shaped my Tai Chi path."FacebookInstagramYouTube#kungfu #teaching #podcast #gongfu #taiji #taichi #martialarts #wushu #kungfuconversations #china #chentaiji #baguazhang #yangtaiji #qigong

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Inspiration: A Winter Solstice Awakening Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-12-20-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 冬至节这天，天坛笼罩在一片宁静与庄严之中。En: On the day of the Winter Solstice, the Tiantan was enveloped in an atmosphere of tranquility and solemnity.Zh: 阳光微弱，如同薄纱，洒在雕刻精美的建筑和广阔的园林上。En: The sunlight was faint, like a thin veil, cascading over the intricately carved buildings and vast gardens.Zh: 冷风轻轻吹过，树叶沙沙作响，为这一场景增添了一份特有的冬日气息。En: A cold breeze gently passed by, rustling the leaves, adding a unique winter atmosphere to the scene.Zh: 梁和梅走在天坛的石板路上。En: Liang and Mei walked on the stone pavement of the Tiantan.Zh: 四周的热闹似乎和梁的心情形成鲜明的对比。En: The lively surroundings seemed to be in stark contrast to Liang's mood.Zh: 他深深困扰于即将到来的艺术展览。En: He was deeply troubled by the upcoming art exhibition.Zh: 他的灵感仿佛被冬季的寒风冻结了，甭说画出好作品，他连纸上的一笔都不敢下。En: It was as if his inspiration had been frozen by the winter chill, and he dared not even make a single stroke on paper, let alone produce good artwork.Zh: 梅注意到了梁的沉默，轻轻握住他的手。En: Mei noticed Liang's silence and gently held his hand.Zh: “不要太着急，”她微笑着说，“有时候过于用力反而迷失方向。”En: "Don't worry too much," she said with a smile, "sometimes pushing too hard can make you lose your way."Zh: 梁点点头，却依旧眉头紧锁。En: Liang nodded, but his brow remained furrowed.Zh: 他抬头看向祈年殿。En: He looked up at the Qiniandian.Zh: 它在冬日的阳光下熠熠生辉，仿佛在静静等待他们的到来。En: It shone in the winter sunlight, as if quietly waiting for them to arrive.Zh: “我们去看看祭祀仪式吧，”梅建议道，希望通过这些传统能激发梁的灵感。En: "Let's go see the sacrificial ceremony," Mei suggested, hoping that these traditions could ignite Liang's inspiration.Zh: 两人绕过园林，跟随人群来到仪式进行的地方。En: The two of them walked through the gardens, following the crowd to where the ceremony was taking place.Zh: 冬至节的仪式庄严而美丽，色彩斑斓的服饰，悠扬的乐声，烛火的摇曳，与天坛的古老建筑融为一体。En: The Winter Solstice ceremony was solemn and beautiful, with colorful costumes, melodious music, and flickering candle flames blending seamlessly with the ancient architecture of the Tiantan.Zh: 梁感受到内心的震撼。En: Liang felt a deep sense of awe.Zh: 这一切仿佛是一幅流动的画，每一个细节都在他的心里留下了深刻的印象。En: It was as if everything around him formed a moving painting, with each detail leaving a profound impression on his heart.Zh: 忽然间，灵感如一束光闪过梁的心灵。En: Suddenly, inspiration flashed through Liang's mind like a beam of light.Zh: 他看到的不再是一个单一的画面，而是一个充满活力的世界。En: What he saw was no longer a single image, but a vibrant world.Zh: 他的心跳加速，焦虑一扫而空。En: His heart raced, and his anxiety vanished completely.Zh: 仪式结束后，梅见梁眼中重新燃起光芒，便知道他的创作欲望再次被点燃。En: After the ceremony, Mei saw the renewed spark in Liang's eyes and knew that his desire to create had been reignited.Zh: “我想，我找到我要的东西了，”梁激动地说。En: "I think I've found what I needed," Liang said excitedly.Zh: 回到工作室，梁几乎是不眠不休地工作。En: Back in the studio, Liang worked almost tirelessly.Zh: 他所创造的，是一幅名为“冬至礼赞”的画。En: What he created was a painting titled "Praise of the Winter Solstice."Zh: 画中，天坛在冬日光影中宁静而又充满生气，仿佛在那里完成了一场跨越时空的对话。En: In the painting, the Tiantan appeared serene yet full of life in the winter's light and shadow, as if a dialogue transcending time and space had taken place there.Zh: 梁捕捉到了节日的核心，捕捉到了自己的心灵。En: Liang captured the essence of the festival and his own spirit.Zh: 展览的那一天，这幅画成了全场的焦点。En: On the day of the exhibition, this painting became the focal point of the entire event.Zh: 来看展的人们纷纷停在画前驻足，他们能感受到那份从内到外的生命力。En: Visitors stopped in front of the painting, able to feel the vitality emanating from within.Zh: 这次经历让梁明白，灵感不必强求，En: This experience taught Liang that inspiration should not be forced.Zh: 有时放松心情，沉浸于美好的体验中，自然会有意想不到的收获。En: Sometimes, by relaxing the mind and immersing oneself in beautiful experiences, unexpected rewards can come naturally.Zh: 创作的压力消减了，他的心灵也因此更加自由。En: The pressure of creation diminished, and his spirit became freer.Zh: 他默默地握着梅的手，感谢她一直以来的支持。En: He silently held Mei's hand, grateful for her unwavering support.Zh: 天坛依旧宁静，而梁心中的那座天坛却充满了光芒。En: The Tiantan remained tranquil, yet the Tiantan in Liang's heart was filled with light. Vocabulary Words:tranquility: 宁静solemnity: 庄严enveloped: 笼罩intricately: 精美cascading: 洒rustling: 沙沙作响pavement: 石板路stark: 鲜明troubled: 困扰exhibition: 展览faded: 凋谢frozen: 冻结furrowed: 紧锁inspiration: 灵感sacrificial ceremony: 祭祀仪式awe: 震撼melodious: 悠扬flickering: 摇曳seamlessly: 融为一体beam: 一束vibrant: 充满活力anxiety: 焦虑ignited: 点燃tirelessly: 不眠不休serene: 宁静dialogue: 对话essence: 核心focal point: 焦点emanating: 散发rewards: 收获

Episode 012 opens with a festive, feel-good vibe, easing in with melodic tones before quickly moving through smooth house and an exclusive ID from You Liang. The mix then shifts gears, transitioning into the deeper, rolling basslines of pure tech house with high-energy, driving tracks. The middle of the set maintains a steady, driving groove, incorporating vocal-driven and tribal-infused tech house selections. As the show progresses, the energy builds and the sounds take on a more pronounced, pulsating melodic techno edge, concluding with a focused and powerful atmosphere. This episode is a journey crafted from initial melodic uplift through pure tech energy, culminating in a compelling melodic techno close. ⚡️Like the Show? Click the [Repost] ↻ button so more people can hear it!

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Warm Hearts and Snowflakes: A Dongzhi Festival Tale Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-12-18-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 大雪纷飞的冬至节，孤儿院里虽然寒冷，却充满了节日的温暖。En: On a snowy Dongzhi Festival, the orphanage, though cold, was filled with holiday warmth.Zh: 魏，是这里的一名志愿者，和孩子们一起给孤儿院挂上了彩色的灯笼和剪纸。En: Wei, a volunteer there, hung up colorful lanterns and paper cuttings with the children.Zh: 他有一个悲伤的过去，但他用心温暖了这里的每一个孩子。En: He had a sorrowful past, but he warmed the heart of every child there.Zh: 亮，是孤儿院最小的孩子之一，勇敢却又不易亲近。En: Liang was one of the youngest children in the orphanage, brave yet not easy to get close to.Zh: 他总是装作无所谓，但魏知道，亮渴望有人关心。En: He always pretended not to care, but Wei knew that Liang longed for someone to care.Zh: 那天，孩子们在院子里堆雪人，突发意外，亮从滑梯上摔了下来。En: That day, the children were building snowmen in the yard when an accident happened, and Liang fell from the slide.Zh: 他攥着自己的膝盖，脸色苍白，咬着嘴唇不让自己哭出声。En: He clutched his knee, his face pale, biting his lip to keep from crying out.Zh: 魏见状，立刻跑了过去，稳定亮的情绪。En: Seeing this, Wei immediately ran over to calm Liang's emotions.Zh: 他检查了一下发现伤势不轻。En: He checked and found the injury was not light.Zh: 孤儿院这时人手紧缺，医生还要晚些才能赶来。En: At that time, the orphanage was short-handed, and the doctor would take a while to arrive.Zh: 魏心里很着急，他知道必须尽快做出决定，是叫外部救援，还是让员工尽力而为。En: Wei was very anxious; he knew he had to make a decision quickly, whether to call for external help or let the staff do their best.Zh: 魏看到亮痛苦的神情，意识到不能再迟疑了。En: Wei saw the pain on Liang's face and realized he could not hesitate any longer.Zh: 他决定打电话给附近的诊所，请求医生马上过来。En: He decided to call a nearby clinic, asking a doctor to come immediately.Zh: 时间过得很慢，终于，医生赶到了，给亮做了检查并包扎好伤口。En: Time passed slowly, and finally, the doctor arrived, examined Liang, and bandaged his wound.Zh: 亮的痛苦明显缓解了很多，终于露出了一丝微笑。En: Liang's pain clearly eased, and he finally showed a slight smile.Zh: 他依偎在魏怀里，低声说：“谢谢你，魏叔叔。En: He nestled in Wei's arms and softly said, "Thank you, Uncle Wei."Zh: ”这件事后，魏意识到孤儿院的医疗条件需要改善。En: After this event, Wei realized that the orphanage's medical conditions needed improvement.Zh: 他向镇上的人们讲述这里孩子们的困境，大家纷纷伸出援手，不仅为孤儿院捐助医疗设备和药品，还有更多志愿者愿意加入其中。En: He spoke to the townsfolk about the children's plight, and everyone offered their help, not only donating medical equipment and medicines to the orphanage but also more volunteers willing to join.Zh: 在冬至节的那晚，孤儿院的孩子们聚在一起，吃着热腾腾的饺子，看着窗外的雪花。En: On the evening of the Dongzhi Festival, the children at the orphanage gathered together, eating steaming dumplings and watching the snowflakes outside the window.Zh: 他们的脸上洋溢着笑容，魏的心中充满了成就感与温暖。En: Their faces were filled with smiles, and Wei felt a sense of accomplishment and warmth in his heart.Zh: 从此，魏变得更加坚强主动，积极为孩子们创造更好的生活环境。En: From then on, Wei became more resilient and proactive, actively creating a better environment for the children.Zh: 而亮也不再躲避，他敞开了心扉，知道自己并不孤单，他的身边有爱护他的人。En: And Liang no longer hid; he opened his heart, knowing that he was not alone and had people who cared for him.Zh: 那个冬至夜，在老旧的孤儿院里，灯笼的光照亮了每一个角落，也温暖了每个人的心。En: That night of the Dongzhi Festival, in the old orphanage, the light of the lanterns illuminated every corner and warmed everyone's heart. Vocabulary Words:orphanage: 孤儿院volunteer: 志愿者lantern: 灯笼sorrowful: 悲伤injury: 伤势short-handed: 人手紧缺clinic: 诊所examine: 检查bandage: 包扎wound: 伤口plight: 困境nestle: 依偎accomplishment: 成就感resilient: 坚强proactive: 主动environment: 环境steaming: 热腾腾illuminate: 照亮decoration: 装饰calm emotions: 稳定情绪decision: 决定treatment: 治疗anxious: 着急aid: 援手diligent: 勤奋holidays: 节日anticipate: 期待ease: 缓解unite: 团结profound: 深刻

Sam Liang worked on the team that built the "blue dot" for Google Maps and now he's transforming how we think about meetings with Otter.ai. Fresh off crossing $100M in ARR with a lean team of less than 200, Sam joins us to discuss how Otter evolved from passive transcription to active AI agents that participate in your meetings. Learn practical strategies for building reliable voice AI, implementing enterprise knowledge bases, and deploying AI agents that actually deliver ROI.Resources mentioned:• Otter.ai $100M ARR announcement: https://otter.ai/blog/otter-ai-breaks-100m-arr-barrier• HIPAA compliance: https://otter.ai/blog/otter-ai-achieves-hipaa-complianceSubscribe to The Neuron newsletter: https://theneuron.ai

Evidence-based tips for skill retention are offered through this systematic review of how training duration & methods affect PoCUS competency. #MedEd #POCUS Read the accompanying article here: https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.15751

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Lanterns of Love: A Sibling Bond Amidst Zhangjiajie Mystique Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-12-15-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在冬至这天，梁和梅开车驶入了张家界国家森林公园。En: On the day of the winter solstice, Liang and Mei drove into Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.Zh: 车窗外，巨大的砂岩柱在冬日薄雾中显得神秘而美丽。En: Outside the car window, the giant sandstone pillars appeared mysterious and beautiful in the winter's light mist.Zh: 这里的景色像极了仙境，令人生出温柔的敬畏。En: The scenery here was akin to a fairyland, inspiring a gentle awe.Zh: “哥，我们到哪儿了？”梅望着窗外，轻声问道。En: "Brother, where have we arrived?" Mei asked softly, looking outside the window.Zh: 她的声音中夹杂着一丝颤抖。En: Her voice carried a slight tremble.Zh: “快到了。”梁回答，眼神专注地看着前方的道路。En: "We're almost there," Liang replied, his eyes focused on the road ahead.Zh: 他今晚原本打算载梅去一个特别的地方，一起庆祝冬至。En: Tonight, he originally planned to take Mei to a special place to celebrate the winter solstice together.Zh: 路上的沉默像是一道无形的障碍。En: The silence on the road felt like an invisible barrier.Zh: 自从他们的父亲去世后，这种障碍一直横亘在兄妹之间。En: Since their father's passing, this barrier had always existed between the siblings.Zh: 他们终于抵达了目的地，一个能远眺整个峡谷的平台。En: They finally reached their destination, a platform offering a panoramic view of the entire canyon.Zh: 雪轻轻地铺满大地，洁白无瑕。En: Snow gently covered the ground, pristine and spotless.Zh: 梅环视四周，深吸一口气，试图消解胸中的压抑。En: Mei looked around, taking a deep breath in an attempt to dissolve the oppression in her chest.Zh: 梁走到她身边，声音温和地说：“梅，我们可以点个灯笼，为爸祈愿。”En: Liang walked up to her and said gently, "Mei, we can light a lantern to send our wishes to Dad."Zh: 梅犹豫了一会儿。En: Mei hesitated for a moment.Zh: 她对父亲的去世感到无所适从，不知道如何面对。En: She felt lost over their father's death, unsure of how to face it.Zh: 但最终，还是点了头。En: But in the end, she nodded.Zh: “好，我想这样做。”她用低柔的语调答应了。En: "Okay, I want to do that," she agreed in a soft tone.Zh: 梁从车里拿出准备好的纸灯笼和火柴。En: Liang took out the prepared paper lantern and matches from the car.Zh: 他们点燃灯笼，小心翼翼地将火苗送入天际。En: They lit the lantern, carefully sending the flame into the sky.Zh: “爸会希望我们好好的。”梁忽然开口，他声音有些沙哑。En: "Dad would want us to be well," Liang suddenly said, his voice a bit hoarse.Zh: 梅点头，眼眶红了。En: Mei nodded, her eyes reddening.Zh: 她也想起了父亲温暖的笑容，以及他对他们兄妹的爱。En: She, too, remembered their father's warm smile and his love for them.Zh: “我希望我们以后能聊聊，好吗？”梁转头看着妹妹，流露出坦诚。En: "I hope we can talk more in the future, okay?" Liang turned to look at his sister, showing sincerity.Zh: 梅擦了擦眼泪，勉强笑了笑：“好，哥。”En: Mei wiped her tears and forced a smile: "Okay, brother."Zh: 这时，灯笼已经越飞越高，慢慢消失在夜空中。En: By now, the lantern had flown higher and higher, slowly disappearing into the night sky.Zh: 兄妹俩手握着手，心中多了份轻松。En: The siblings held hands, feeling a sense of relief.Zh: 他们知道这份记忆和牵挂永远不会消失。En: They knew this memory and the bond would never fade.Zh: 在张家界这片宁静壮丽的冬日之景中，梁和梅彼此依靠着，感受到了一种从未有过的温暖。En: In the tranquil and magnificent winter scenery of Zhangjiajie, Liang and Mei leaned on each other, feeling a warmth never felt before.Zh: 家人之间，即便不在身边，爱意仍在飘荡，像点燃的灯笼，永远引导着他们向前。En: Among family, even when not by their side, love continues to linger, like the lit lantern, forever guiding them forward. Vocabulary Words:solstice: 冬至sandstone: 砂岩mysterious: 神秘akin: 像极了awe: 敬畏barrier: 障碍pristine: 洁白无瑕hesitated: 犹豫oppression: 压抑lantern: 灯笼matches: 火柴hoarse: 沙哑sincerity: 坦诚faded: 消失relief: 轻松tranquil: 宁静magnitude: 壮丽linger: 飘荡guiding: 引导tremble: 颤抖focused: 专注silence: 沉默platform: 平台canyon: 峡谷panoramic: 远眺spotless: 无瑕flame: 火苗reddening: 红了smile: 笑容oppression: 压抑

Thoughts from the Ice-Drinker's Studio: Essays on China and the World (Penguin Classics, 2023) brings together a newly translated selection of pre-eminent public intellectual Liang Qichao's most influential writings, spanning the many phases of his life: his early political awakening in the final decades of the Qing dynasty, his exile in Japan after the failed 1898 reforms, and his later reflections in the 1920s as China struggled to imagine a modern future. Translated by Peter Zarrow, the essays collected here show Liang wrestling — sometimes urgently, sometimes with less certainty — with questions of citizenship, self-government, national identity, freedom of thought, women's rights, democracy, and what it meant for China to pursue “progress.” Together, they offer a vivid portrait of a thinker trying to reinvent not only political institutions but also reimagine a new kind of society. This translation will appeal to readers of modern Chinese history, intellectual history, and anyone curious about how Chinese thinkers grappled with modernization and the challenge of national reinvention. It is also wonderfully suited for classroom use. The translations are precise, highly readable, and accompanied by clear but unobtrusive notes, making Liang's complex ideas accessible to students encountering him for the first time. For those interested in reading more of Liang's writings, his work can be accessed here, here, and here. And anyone who is interested in reading more intellectual history about the late Qing should definitely seek out one of Zarrow's earlier books: After Empire: The Conceptual Transformation of the Chinese State, 1885-1924 (SUP, 2012). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Thoughts from the Ice-Drinker's Studio: Essays on China and the World (Penguin Classics, 2023) brings together a newly translated selection of pre-eminent public intellectual Liang Qichao's most influential writings, spanning the many phases of his life: his early political awakening in the final decades of the Qing dynasty, his exile in Japan after the failed 1898 reforms, and his later reflections in the 1920s as China struggled to imagine a modern future. Translated by Peter Zarrow, the essays collected here show Liang wrestling — sometimes urgently, sometimes with less certainty — with questions of citizenship, self-government, national identity, freedom of thought, women's rights, democracy, and what it meant for China to pursue “progress.” Together, they offer a vivid portrait of a thinker trying to reinvent not only political institutions but also reimagine a new kind of society. This translation will appeal to readers of modern Chinese history, intellectual history, and anyone curious about how Chinese thinkers grappled with modernization and the challenge of national reinvention. It is also wonderfully suited for classroom use. The translations are precise, highly readable, and accompanied by clear but unobtrusive notes, making Liang's complex ideas accessible to students encountering him for the first time. For those interested in reading more of Liang's writings, his work can be accessed here, here, and here. And anyone who is interested in reading more intellectual history about the late Qing should definitely seek out one of Zarrow's earlier books: After Empire: The Conceptual Transformation of the Chinese State, 1885-1924 (SUP, 2012). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

Thoughts from the Ice-Drinker's Studio: Essays on China and the World (Penguin Classics, 2023) brings together a newly translated selection of pre-eminent public intellectual Liang Qichao's most influential writings, spanning the many phases of his life: his early political awakening in the final decades of the Qing dynasty, his exile in Japan after the failed 1898 reforms, and his later reflections in the 1920s as China struggled to imagine a modern future. Translated by Peter Zarrow, the essays collected here show Liang wrestling — sometimes urgently, sometimes with less certainty — with questions of citizenship, self-government, national identity, freedom of thought, women's rights, democracy, and what it meant for China to pursue “progress.” Together, they offer a vivid portrait of a thinker trying to reinvent not only political institutions but also reimagine a new kind of society. This translation will appeal to readers of modern Chinese history, intellectual history, and anyone curious about how Chinese thinkers grappled with modernization and the challenge of national reinvention. It is also wonderfully suited for classroom use. The translations are precise, highly readable, and accompanied by clear but unobtrusive notes, making Liang's complex ideas accessible to students encountering him for the first time. For those interested in reading more of Liang's writings, his work can be accessed here, here, and here. And anyone who is interested in reading more intellectual history about the late Qing should definitely seek out one of Zarrow's earlier books: After Empire: The Conceptual Transformation of the Chinese State, 1885-1924 (SUP, 2012). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Thoughts from the Ice-Drinker's Studio: Essays on China and the World (Penguin Classics, 2023) brings together a newly translated selection of pre-eminent public intellectual Liang Qichao's most influential writings, spanning the many phases of his life: his early political awakening in the final decades of the Qing dynasty, his exile in Japan after the failed 1898 reforms, and his later reflections in the 1920s as China struggled to imagine a modern future. Translated by Peter Zarrow, the essays collected here show Liang wrestling — sometimes urgently, sometimes with less certainty — with questions of citizenship, self-government, national identity, freedom of thought, women's rights, democracy, and what it meant for China to pursue “progress.” Together, they offer a vivid portrait of a thinker trying to reinvent not only political institutions but also reimagine a new kind of society. This translation will appeal to readers of modern Chinese history, intellectual history, and anyone curious about how Chinese thinkers grappled with modernization and the challenge of national reinvention. It is also wonderfully suited for classroom use. The translations are precise, highly readable, and accompanied by clear but unobtrusive notes, making Liang's complex ideas accessible to students encountering him for the first time. For those interested in reading more of Liang's writings, his work can be accessed here, here, and here. And anyone who is interested in reading more intellectual history about the late Qing should definitely seek out one of Zarrow's earlier books: After Empire: The Conceptual Transformation of the Chinese State, 1885-1924 (SUP, 2012). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

A disillusioned, recuperating, lonely man. Another man in a faraway country. Both looking for something. A chance encounter. Peace, pain, departure. Tenderness, impermanence, aching and beyond the senses. Equanimity, disillusionment, hunger, growth. Touch, the passage of time, and letting go. And also a lot of really damn long takes. Karri also deeply reflects on how Tsai's sense of emotional reorientation towards cinema strongly resonates with Karri and reflects his journey with The Flick Lab. Films covered in this episode: Days (2020) Hosted by Karri Ojala and Henrik Telkki. Edited by Karri Ojala. The Flick Lab theme tune performed by Nick Grivell.

In today's world, anyone serious about anti-imperialism, global development, and monetary sovereignty needs to break through the well-funded US propaganda machine and develop a fact-based, nuanced understanding of China. To this end, Steve asked Yan Liang to come back to the podcast to look at China through the MMT lens, analyzing its economic management, global role, and response to Western villainization. They discuss China's development ethos and describe China as a state that actively uses its monetary and fiscal sovereignty to guide development towards internal goals (poverty alleviation, technological self-reliance, common prosperity) and external partnership (Win-win cooperation, Belt and Road Initiative). Illustrating the difference between state steering and the so-called “free market,” the conversation goes into China's mobilization of real resources through strategic state guidance, like Five-Year Plans and state-owned enterprises in key sectors. Yan talks about the use of capital controls and a managed exchange rate. She details lessons from 2015 and the application of MMT principles to insulate domestic policy from volatile external forces. Without romanticizing China, Yan also walks through its real challenges. But from an MMT-aware lens, these are seen as problems of policy design and resource use (issues a sovereign, planning-oriented state can address!) rather than proof of an impending collapse. Yan Liang is Peter C and Bonnie S Kremer Chair Professor of Economics at Willamette University. She is also a Research Associate at the Levy Economics Institute, a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Global Development Policy Center (Boston University), and a Research Scholar of the Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity. Yan specializes in the Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), the Political Economy of China, Economic Development, and International Economics. Yan's current research focuses on China's development finance and industrial transformation, and China's role in the global financial architecture. https://www.linkedin.com/in/yan-liang-1355b91a2/ @YanLian31677392 on X

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Snowfall and Solstice: Reviving Traditions on the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-12-06-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 白雪轻轻覆盖在古老的长城上，整个北方的景色显得空旷而美丽。En: The snow gently covered the ancient Great Wall, making the entire northern landscape appear vast and beautiful.Zh: 严冬的寒风带着历史的肃穆，冷冽地环绕在人们的耳边。En: The cold wind of the severe winter carried the solemnity of history, chillingly blowing around people's ears.Zh: 冬至即将到来，长城的维护队正在为即将到来的游客们做准备。En: With the Winter Solstice approaching, the maintenance team of the Great Wall was preparing for the incoming visitors.Zh: 主任明华站在高处，深吸了一口新鲜的冷空气。En: The director, Minghua, stood at a high point and took a deep breath of the fresh, cold air.Zh: 他的目光扫过这片熟悉而又亲切的土地，心中涌起一丝对童年的怀念。En: His gaze swept over this familiar and dear land, as a wave of nostalgia for his childhood surged in his heart.Zh: 他出生成长在附近的村庄，那时每到冬至，村子里就会热闹非凡，大家围坐在一块儿吃汤圆，讲古老的故事。En: He was born and raised in a nearby village, where every Winter Solstice, the village would be bustling with activity.Zh: 大家围坐在一块儿吃汤圆，讲古老的故事。En: Everyone would sit together, eating tangyuan and sharing ancient stories.Zh: 这些记忆一直伴随着他，也成为了他心中珍贵的传统。En: These memories had always accompanied him, becoming a cherished tradition in his heart.Zh: 然而，此刻的工作并不轻松。En: However, the current work was not easy.Zh: 年轻的工人梁干劲十足，他希望在队伍中展示自己。En: The young worker, Liang, was full of energy, eager to prove himself within the team.Zh: 梅是旅游局的代表，虽然心系景区的宣传，但她内心始终对自己的工作充满疑惑。En: Mei, representing the tourism bureau, though focused on promoting the scenic area, harbored doubts about her work.Zh: 梅希望通过冬至期间吸引更多游客来参观长城，因此为团队制定了紧凑的工作计划。En: Mei hoped to attract more tourists to visit the Great Wall during the Winter Solstice period and therefore formulated a tight work schedule for the team.Zh: 天气变幻无常，冷风夹杂着冰雪，让工程推进困难重重。En: The weather was unpredictable; cold winds mixed with snow made progress difficult.Zh: 梅不断施压，希望能按时完成，为迎接游客做好准备。En: Mei continued to pressure the team to finish on time to prepare for the visitors.Zh: 但是，明华意识到安全才是最重要的。En: However, Minghua realized that safety was of utmost importance.Zh: 他必须做出选择，是将队伍推向极限完成任务，还是暂时停工以保证每个人的安全？En: He had to decide whether to push the team to their limits to complete the task or halt work temporarily to ensure everyone's safety.Zh: 忽然，天空中飘起了更大的雪花。En: Suddenly, larger snowflakes began to fall from the sky.Zh: 明华决定让大家休息。En: Minghua decided to let everyone take a rest.Zh: 他对梅解释道：“我们不能让时间表凌驾于安全之上。让我们利用这个机会，感受冬至的意义吧。”En: He explained to Mei, "We cannot let the schedule override our safety. Let's use this opportunity to appreciate the meaning of the Winter Solstice."Zh: 于是，整个队伍围坐在长城上，倾听着明华讲述关于冬至的传统故事。En: So, the entire team gathered on the Great Wall, listening to Minghua recount traditional stories about the Winter Solstice.Zh: 梅也安静地坐下，感受到一种前所未有的宁静。En: Mei also quietly sat down, experiencing an unprecedented sense of peace.Zh: 通过这些故事，她开始理解传统的重要性，而不仅仅是像以往那样视作宣传手段。En: Through these stories, she began to understand the importance of tradition, rather than merely viewing it as a promotional tool as before.Zh: 随着天空渐渐放晴，一种团结的气氛在队伍中蔓延开来。En: As the sky gradually cleared, a sense of unity spread among the team.Zh: 每个人都感受到了彼此之间的温暖与共同努力所带来的成就感。En: Everyone felt the warmth between each other and the sense of accomplishment brought by their joint efforts.Zh: 明华看着这一切，心中充满了对过往和未来的感激。En: Minghua looked at everything, filled with gratitude for the past and the future.Zh: 梅也意识到，尊重文化遗产有时比迎合商业需求更为重要。En: Mei also realized that respecting cultural heritage is sometimes more important than catering to commercial demands.Zh: 长城仍在那里，坚固而古老，仿佛也是在见证着这些深刻的改变。En: The Great Wall remained there, strong and ancient, seemingly witnessing these profound changes. Vocabulary Words:gently: 轻轻ancient: 古老solitude: 空旷landscape: 景色severe: 严solemnity: 肃穆chillingly: 冷冽地maintenance: 维护nostalgia: 怀念cherished: 珍贵tradition: 传统eager: 渴望harbor: 充满schedule: 计划unpredictable: 变幻无常pressure: 施压progress: 推进fathom: 理解decide: 决定override: 凌驾于unprecedented: 前所未有appreciate: 感受unity: 团结accomplishment: 成就感gratitude: 感激commercial: 商业demand: 需求profound: 深刻heritage: 遗产witness: 见证

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Love and Resilience: A Journey Along the Snowy Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-12-03-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 长城在冬至这一天显得格外雄伟。En: The Changcheng appeared particularly majestic on the day of the Winter Solstice.Zh: 白色的雪覆盖在城墙上，阳光下闪烁着点点亮光，大地静谧而广袤，仿佛世界也停了下来。En: White snow covered the walls, sparkling under the sunlight, the land vast and silent, as if the world had come to a halt.Zh: 这一天，梁和梅决定来这里，希望在这古老的地方找回，他们之间失去的联系。En: On this day, Liang and Mei decided to come here, hoping to find the lost connection between them in this ancient place.Zh: 他们沿着长城缓慢地前行，寒风凛冽，吹得脸颊发红。En: They walked slowly along the Great Wall, the biting cold wind reddening their cheeks.Zh: 梅挽着梁的手臂，她的一边脸仰望着他，脸上挂着微笑，但心中却充满了担忧。En: Mei held Liang's arm, her face upturned to him with a smile, yet her heart was full of worry.Zh: 她怕梁心里藏着什么，说不出口。En: She feared that Liang held secrets in his heart that he couldn't speak of.Zh: 其实，梁心里确实有很多疑虑。En: In truth, Liang did have many doubts.Zh: 他在这段关系中感到彷徨，总在思考该如何面对这些沉默的问题。En: He felt lost in the relationship, always pondering how to face these silent issues.Zh: 为了梅，也为了他自己，他希望今天能找到答案。En: For Mei, and for himself, he hoped to find answers today.Zh: 走了一段后，他们在一个较高的地方停了下来。En: After walking for a while, they stopped at a higher point.Zh: 这里的景色让人震撼，白雪覆盖的山脉连绵不绝。En: The view here was breathtaking, with snow-covered mountains stretching endlessly.Zh: 梅叹了口气，看向梁：“你还好吗？En: Mei sighed and looked at Liang, "Are you okay?"Zh: ”梁看着远方，不知从何说起。En: Liang stared into the distance, not knowing where to begin.Zh: 他的心在这冷风中沉重，却在期待中跳动。En: His heart was heavy in the cold wind, yet it beat with anticipation.Zh: 他深吸了一口气，终于说：“梅，我一直有些事情没有告诉你。En: He took a deep breath and finally said, "Mei, there are things I haven't told you.Zh: 我对我们的未来感到不确定。En: I'm uncertain about our future."Zh: ”梅愣了一下，迅速却温柔地抓紧了梁的手，“别怕，梁。En: Mei paused, then quickly but gently tightened her grip on Liang's hand, "Don't be afraid, Liang.Zh: 我们可以一起面对。En: We can face it together."Zh: ”这时，寒风似乎停了一瞬，一切都安静下来。En: At that moment, the cold wind seemed to pause, and everything fell silent.Zh: 梁感受到梅的温暖，心头的疑惑仿佛融化了。En: Liang felt Mei's warmth, and the doubts in his heart seemed to melt away.Zh: 他看着梅的眼睛，继续说：“谢谢你，也谢谢你总是这么乐观。En: He looked into Mei's eyes and continued, "Thank you, and thank you for always being so optimistic.Zh: 我不再想逃避。En: I don't want to run away anymore."Zh: ”在雪地上，他们紧紧相拥。En: In the snow, they embraced tightly.Zh: 此刻，双方心中的疑虑和不安都化成了理解和承诺。En: At this moment, both their doubts and anxieties transformed into understanding and commitment.Zh: 梅微笑着说：“我们一起走下去。En: Mei smiled and said, "Let's keep moving forward together."Zh: ”梁点点头，眼中闪烁着坚定。En: Liang nodded, determination gleaming in his eyes.Zh: 长城的某个地方，阳光照在他们身上，仿佛为他们的新起点注入了无尽的力量。En: Somewhere on the Great Wall, the sunlight shone on them, as if injecting endless strength into their new beginning.Zh: 故事在这团结中结束，梁变得更坦诚，而梅则对梁有了更深的理解。En: The story ends in this unity, with Liang becoming more honest and Mei gaining a deeper understanding of him. Vocabulary Words:majestic: 雄伟halt: 停下来biting: 凛冽reddening: 发红upturned: 仰望pondering: 思考breathtaking: 震撼sigh: 叹了口气anticipation: 期待uncertain: 不确定grip: 抓紧embraced: 拥anxieties: 不安commitment: 承诺optimistic: 乐观determination: 坚定gleaming: 闪烁understanding: 理解connection: 联系heart: 心silent: 静谧sparkling: 闪烁lost: 失去doubts: 疑虑face: 面对endlessly: 连绵不绝paused: 愣了一下transformed: 化成unity: 团结vast: 广袤

Many of us carry shame and anxiety around money and stories we've inherited, absorbed, or unconsciously lived into. Mindfully acknowledging our stories is the first step toward freedom. Money is emotional, relational, and often a mirror of what matters most in life. Awareness of your money "story" creates spaciousness for something more compassionate. This week, Jessie is joined by Helena Rosenthal, MBA, MPH, and Nikki Macdonald, CFP®, financial advisors from Northwestern Mutual who specialize in supporting women and women-led households.  Mindfulness and money are powerful partners. Thoughtful awareness transforms how we save, spend, and invest.  Learning to trust yourself with money is a practice. Financial safety doesn't come from overthinking but from clarity, planning, and presence. Reflection Questions: What story were you taught about money growing up? What feelings arise when you think about money? Are they guilt, fear, shame, or hope? If money weren't an issue, how would you spend your time? What would change if you approached your finances with compassion and curiosity rather than fear or judgment? If you'd like support to integrate what you heard today into your life, coaching is a powerful place to begin. You can explore working with me here: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching To experience this kind of reflective work in a beautiful and nourishing setting, join me at a retreat: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats If you'd like to bring this kind of mindful conversation to your team, institution, or conference, reach out to explore having me speak: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking To learn more about Dr. Liang's work or invite her to speak, visit: www.awakenbreath.org Helena and Nikki offer a complimentary 30-minute session that's thoughtful, values-aligned, and designed to help you begin with ease. *Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.  

Cris Liang, a UC San Diego alumnus trained in engineering, explains how a cross-border upbringing and family entrepreneurship guided his move from engineering to hospitality. He grew up between Mexico and the United States, spoke Cantonese and Spanish at home and in the community, and came to see food as a bridge that connects cultures and neighborhoods. His restaurants focus on community, offering welcoming places to share meals and friendships. Liang emphasizes relationships, resilience, and long-term purpose over quick wins. In this interview with Frank Silva, his practical creativity comes through as he reflects on identity, perseverance, and the power of hospitality to bring people together. Series: "Education Channel" [Business] [Education] [Show ID: 40974]

Cris Liang, a UC San Diego alumnus trained in engineering, explains how a cross-border upbringing and family entrepreneurship guided his move from engineering to hospitality. He grew up between Mexico and the United States, spoke Cantonese and Spanish at home and in the community, and came to see food as a bridge that connects cultures and neighborhoods. His restaurants focus on community, offering welcoming places to share meals and friendships. Liang emphasizes relationships, resilience, and long-term purpose over quick wins. In this interview with Frank Silva, his practical creativity comes through as he reflects on identity, perseverance, and the power of hospitality to bring people together. Series: "Education Channel" [Business] [Education] [Show ID: 40974]

Cris Liang, a UC San Diego alumnus trained in engineering, explains how a cross-border upbringing and family entrepreneurship guided his move from engineering to hospitality. He grew up between Mexico and the United States, spoke Cantonese and Spanish at home and in the community, and came to see food as a bridge that connects cultures and neighborhoods. His restaurants focus on community, offering welcoming places to share meals and friendships. Liang emphasizes relationships, resilience, and long-term purpose over quick wins. In this interview with Frank Silva, his practical creativity comes through as he reflects on identity, perseverance, and the power of hospitality to bring people together. Series: "Education Channel" [Business] [Education] [Show ID: 40974]

Episode 011 opens with the new remix I was asked to make for Manufactured Superstars — a duo who shaped a major era of EDM a decade ago — so it was an honor to be invited to rework Diva. The mix moves into my piano house track Raindrops and develops through a melodic early section with AVIRA's Memory and Zen Freeman & Gan's God Only Knows. The middle of the set leans into soulful and Afro-house grooves with Disclosure, Danmds, Shimza, and Junior Jack, built on rolling percussion and steady, groove-first transitions. Energy lifts further with Mantra, Let Me See You Work, Nihil Young's Out Of Control, and my newly released track Don't Stop on Smash Deep. The pace tightens into a more tech-driven and bass house direction with Miss Monique & Glowal's Rollin' and Pure NRG, before shifting into the vocal Latin tech surge of SOA Deejays' Escandalo. The set closes with the feel-good uplift of The Chainsmokers' Smooth (Extended Mix). Recorded live in Tokyo, this episode travels from piano house through Afro-house and into tech and bass house, ending on warm, feel-good vibes. ⚡️Like the Show? Click the [Repost] ↻ button so more people can hear it!

Regional anesthesia, typically with a spinal or epidural, haslong been favored for cesarean births due in part to concerns about the effects that general anesthesia (GA) may have on newborns at delivery. However, data has shown that up to 1 in 6 women may experience pain with a “topped-off”labor epidural, during the cesarean. A new publication in the journal Anesthesia is now being interpreted as implying that general anesthesia may be a valid alternative electively. Is that what this new study found? Has GA been linked to postpartum depression? What about later child neurodevelopmental delays? This is a fascinating topic…Listen in for details. 1.     Langer, Sarah M.D.1; Lim, Grace M.D., M.Sc.2;Qiu, Yue M.D.3; Biaesch, Jingyuan D.O.4; Neuman, Mark D. M.D., M.Sc.5. NeonatalOutcomes with Regional versus General Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery: AMeta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Anesthesiology():10.1097/ALN.0000000000005785, November 12, 2025. | DOI:10.1097/ALN.00000000000057852.     Guglielminotti J, Monk C, Russell MT, Li G.Association of General Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery with PostpartumDepression and Suicidality. Anesth Analg. 2025 Sep 1;141(3):618-628. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000007314. Epub 2024 Dec 4. PMID: 39630595; PMCID:PMC12134152.3.     Chen, YC., Liang, FW., Tan, PH. et al.Association between general anesthesia for cesarean delivery and subsequentdevelopmental disorders in children: a nationwide retrospective cohort study.BMC Med 23, 119 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-03886-64.     https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/new-study-challenges-fears-about-general-anesthesia-during-c-section

“The world's now flipped to inference — and it's limited by power. With the same energy, we can deliver four times the output of a Blackwell,” says SambaNova CEO Rodrigo Liang. Liang joins Bloomberg Intelligence's Kunjan Sobhani in this episode of the Tech Disruptors podcast to explain how SambaNova's air-cooled, 10-kilowatt racks and “data-center-in-90-days” model are helping enterprises and governments scale up AI faster — and greener. The discussion covers the rise of sovereign-AI deployments in the UK, Europe and Australia, the economics of hybrid data centers and why energy efficiency — not just compute power — might define the next phase of AI infrastructure.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Pumpkin Prank to Thanksgiving: A Dorm's Unexpected Joy Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-14-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 踢踏长廊里，凉爽的秋风轻轻拂过，让落叶在古老的寄宿学校的院子里翩翩起舞。En: In the long corridor, the cool autumn breeze gently swept through, setting the fallen leaves dancing in the courtyard of the ancient boarding school.Zh: 梁是个活泼的男孩，总爱搞恶作剧。En: Liang was a lively boy, always fond of playing pranks.Zh: 今天，他已经精心计划了一场能逗笑宿舍主任田老师的恶作剧。En: Today, he had carefully planned a prank to amuse Teacher Tian, the dormitory supervisor.Zh: 在宿舍的公共休息室里，梁和他的好友美正在窃窃私语。En: In the dormitory's common lounge, Liang and his friend Mei were whispering to each other.Zh: 梁用手肘轻轻碰了碰美，压低声音说：“我准备了一个南瓜派，想把它放在田老师的办公桌里。En: Liang nudged Mei with his elbow and said in a low voice, "I have prepared a pumpkin pie, and I want to put it on Teacher Tian's desk.Zh: 等她走进来时，看到派肯定会大吃一惊！”En: When she walks in, she will definitely be surprised!"Zh: 美皱了皱眉头，劝道：“你要小心，田老师非常严格，En: Mei furrowed her brows and advised, "Be careful, Teacher Tian is very strict.Zh: 她可能不会欣赏这样的玩笑。”En: She might not appreciate such a joke."Zh: 梁却毫不在意，En: But Liang wasn't concerned at all.Zh: 他咧嘴一笑说：“放心吧！我只是想给她带来一点乐趣。”En: He grinned and said, "Don't worry! I just want to bring her a bit of joy."Zh: 然而，当天晚上，事情却未按梁的计划进行。En: However, that night, things did not go according to Liang's plan.Zh: 那天，田老师正好宣布要在所有学生出发回家前进行一次严格的宿舍检查。En: On that day, Teacher Tian had announced a thorough dormitory inspection before all students left for home.Zh: 一时间，大家忙着整理自己的房间，全然忘记了梁那份隐藏的南瓜派。En: Suddenly, everyone was busy tidying their rooms, completely forgetting about Liang's hidden pumpkin pie.Zh: 检查开始前，梁忍不住紧张起来。En: Before the inspection started, Liang couldn't help but feel nervous.Zh: 他瞟向美，后者露出了担忧的神情。En: He glanced at Mei, who showed a worried expression.Zh: 然而，为时已晚，田老师已经推开了公共休息室的门，她在桌上一眼就发现了南瓜派。En: However, it was too late, as Teacher Tian had already pushed open the common lounge door and immediately spotted the pumpkin pie on the table.Zh: “这是怎么回事？”田老师惊讶地问。En: "What is this?" Teacher Tian asked in surprise.Zh: 话音未落，一名同学恰巧经过，被椅子绊了一跤，En: Before she could finish her sentence, a student happened to pass by and tripped over a chair.Zh: 手中的书飞了出去，不巧打翻了南瓜派。En: The book in his hand flew out, accidentally toppling the pumpkin pie.Zh: 派飞向空中，然后砰的一声落在一个正好站在附近的同学脸上。En: The pie flew into the air and landed with a splat on the face of another student standing nearby.Zh: 事情突然变糟，公共休息室里爆发了一场即兴的食物大战。En: Suddenly, things took a turn for the worse, and an impromptu food fight erupted in the common lounge.Zh: 没过多久，往日严肃的田老师竟抵挡不住笑意，笑得让她的眼泪也流了出来。En: Before long, the usually stern Teacher Tian couldn't resist smiling, and she laughed so hard that tears began to roll down her face.Zh: 学生们见状，也开始齐声大笑，并挽起袖子帮忙清理混乱。En: Seeing this, the students also started laughing together and rolled up their sleeves to help clean up the mess.Zh: 尴尬的梁最后决定承认自己是这场闹剧的始作俑者。En: The embarrassed Liang finally decided to admit that he was the mastermind behind the prank.Zh: 他走到田老师面前，诚恳地说：“田老师，对不起。En: He approached Teacher Tian and sincerely said, "I'm sorry, Teacher Tian.Zh: 我只想让大家快乐些。”En: I only wanted to make everyone a bit happier."Zh: 田老师轻轻点了点头，说：“看到大家笑得这么开心，我想这也是不错的意外收获。”En: Teacher Tian nodded gently and said, "Seeing everyone laugh so heartily, I think this was a pretty good unexpected outcome."Zh: 当晚，宿舍里的学生和田老师一起举办了一场即兴的感恩节庆祝活动，分享着剩余的南瓜派和其它小吃。En: That evening, the students in the dormitory and Teacher Tian held an impromptu Thanksgiving celebration, sharing the remaining pumpkin pie and other snacks.Zh: 梁终于明白了，有时，不同的人之间，笑声是最好的桥梁。En: Liang finally understood that sometimes, laughter is the best bridge between different people.Zh: 即使是最严厉的老师，也有温柔的内心。”En: Even the strictest teacher has a gentle heart.Zh: 窗外落叶簌簌作响，把一切风波轻轻掩盖。En: Outside, the leaves softly rustled, quietly covering all the commotion.Zh: 冬天即将来临，但在这温暖的房间里，大家的心被连结在了一起。En: Winter was approaching, but in this warm room, everyone's hearts were connected. Vocabulary Words:corridor: 长廊breeze: 秋风courtyard: 院子boarding school: 寄宿学校lively: 活泼prank: 恶作剧whispering: 窃窃私语nudged: 碰了碰furrowed: 皱brows: 眉头inspection: 检查tidying: 整理nervous: 紧张spotted: 发现tripped: 绊了一跤toppling: 打翻stern: 严肃outcome: 收获approaching: 接近commotion: 风波impromptu: 即兴mastermind: 始作俑者sincerely: 诚恳admit: 承认gentle: 温柔rustled: 簌簌作响bridge: 桥梁heartily: 开心tightly: 紧紧chattering: 嗯放

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Lanterns of Love: Connections Forged in Fenghuang Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-13-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个清凉的秋天，湘西凤凰古城的天空被五彩缤纷的纸灯笼点亮，正值重阳节的喜庆日子。En: On a cool autumn day, the sky over the ancient town of Fenghuang in Xiangxi, was lit up with colorful paper lanterns, celebrating the joyous occasion of the Chongyang Festival.Zh: 古镇的小巷里，一位年轻的历史学者，名叫梁，正漫步走在石板路上。En: In the alleys of the old town, a young historian named Liang was strolling along the stone-paved street.Zh: 他的目光不时停留在那些古老的建筑上，兴奋地记录着自己的观察。En: His gaze frequently lingered on the ancient buildings, excitedly recording his observations.Zh: 梁来到这里是为了研究，但他的心中怀着更深的渴望。En: Liang came here for research, but he harbored a deeper desire in his heart.Zh: 他希望能在这历史悠久的小镇找到一份真实的联系。En: He hoped to find a genuine connection in this historic small town.Zh: 正当梁沉浸在自己的思绪中时，他的目光被一个摊位吸引住了，那是一个精致的纸灯笼摊。En: As Liang was lost in his thoughts, his attention was drawn to a stall—a delicate paper lantern stall.Zh: 制作这些灯笼的是一位名叫美的年轻女艺人。En: Creating these lanterns was a young female artisan named Mei.Zh: 她专注地调整着灯光，细腻的手法充满了艺术的灵魂。En: She focused intently on adjusting the lighting, her delicate technique filled with the soul of art.Zh: 美喜欢独自创作，但她内心深处也渴望有一个人能理解她的作品背后的意义。En: Mei enjoyed creating alone, but deep down she also longed for someone to understand the meaning behind her works.Zh: 梁被灯笼的美丽与艺术打动，忍不住上前询问。En: Touched by the beauty and artistry of the lanterns, Liang couldn't resist stepping forward to inquire.Zh: 美起初有些戒备，她不太信任外地人，担心他们不会理解这些灯笼所承载的文化价值。En: Initially, Mei was a bit wary; she was not very trusting of outsiders, worried they wouldn't understand the cultural value carried by these lanterns.Zh: 然而，梁的真诚与对文化的热爱逐渐打动了她。En: However, Liang's sincerity and love for culture gradually moved her.Zh: 她决定邀请梁来她的工作室，向他展示纸灯笼的制作过程。En: She decided to invite Liang to her studio to show him the paper lantern-making process.Zh: 在美的工作室里，梁目不转睛地看着她如何将一张张简单的纸变为栩栩如生的艺术品。En: In Mei's studio, Liang watched closely as she transformed simple sheets of paper into vivid artworks.Zh: 两人开始谈论起传统与现代，文化的传承与变化。En: They started talking about tradition and modernity, the inheritance and change of culture.Zh: 在这次对话中，梁发现了自己对人际关系的渴求，而美也第一次感受到有人真正理解并欣赏她的艺术。En: Through this conversation, Liang realized his longing for interpersonal relationships, and for the first time, Mei felt truly understood and appreciated for her art.Zh: 夜晚来临，成千上万的纸灯笼沿着沱江漂浮，整个凤凰古城笼罩在美丽的灯海之中。En: As night fell, thousands of paper lanterns floated along the Tuojiang River, enveloping the entire Fenghuang Ancient Town in a beautiful sea of lights.Zh: 灯光闪烁，映照着两人彼此的内心。En: The flickering lights reflected their inner selves.Zh: 梁决定将自己的逗留时间延长，继续他的研究，当然，还要继续发展与美的深厚关系。En: Liang decided to extend his stay, continuing his research and, of course, developing his deep relationship with Mei.Zh: 而美则考虑把梁的历史见解融入她的艺术当中，将两者完美结合。En: Meanwhile, Mei considered integrating Liang's historical insights into her art, perfectly combining the two.Zh: 自此以后，梁不再是只关注学术的学者，他开阔了心胸，欣赏人与人之间的联系。En: From that time on, Liang was no longer just a scholar focused on academia; he opened his heart to appreciate human connections.Zh: 美也开始愿意分享她的艺术和内心，与他人携手合作。En: Mei also began to be willing to share her art and inner self, collaborating with others.Zh: 两颗心在这座古城中找到了属于彼此的归属，共同谱写着一个关于理解与连接的温暖故事。En: In this ancient town, two hearts found their belonging in each other, jointly writing a warm story about understanding and connection. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天ancient: 古老historians: 历史学者strolling: 漫步linger: 停留observations: 观察harbored: 怀着genuine: 真实connection: 联系artisan: 艺人adjusting: 调整technique: 手法filled: 充满resist: 忍不住inquire: 询问wary: 戒备cultural: 文化的sincerity: 真诚insights: 见解studio: 工作室transform: 变为vivid: 栩栩如生interpersonal: 人际flickering: 闪烁extend: 延长belonging: 归属appreciate: 欣赏collaborating: 合作integrating: 结合inheritance: 传承

Gloo Books produces seven Very Asian Guides to cuisines from around Asia. The seventh book in the series was written by my guest, Nancy Jeng, and is illustrated by the talented Felicia Liang. If you're unfamiliar with Taiwanese food, it's a really good primer to introduce you to iconic Taiwanese foods. If you're a Taiwanese food connoisseur, the book will take you down memory lane. It can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. Follow Nancy @nomsfrommom, and Felicia can be found @byfelicialiang You can let us know your thoughts at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by the Invictus Quartet #asianauthor #taiwanese #asianfood #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

In this episode, I chat with Len Liang, double gold medalist at the 2025 World Massage Championship, to talk about what it really takes to compete—and teach—with heart.Len shares the artistry of Thai massage, how adaptability keeps therapists effective and inspired, and why being yourself is the ultimate competitive advantage.Len shares lessons from international travel, mentorship, and losing as gracefully as winning, while breaking down the misconceptions about Thai massage and showing how it can extend your career and creativity.Contact Len:Instagram: @waikru.massage Website: www.bahnthaispa.com Mentioned:Bahn Thai Spa & School (Toronto, ON): bahnthaispa.comInternational Massage AssociationITM Chiang Mai – International Training Massage School, Northern ThailandNew Massage AssociationWorld Massage FederationAmerican Massage ChampionshipCanada Massage Therapy Summit World Association of Nuad Thai and Spa Team Canada Massage CompetitorsCanadian International Massage Therapy Championship: Laval, Quebec — April 18–19, 2026Contact The Radical Massage Therapist Podcast

This episode we start to get more into the material culture of the period with court fashion, as we look at the court robes that went along with the updated court ranks.  Granted, we only have a few resources, but from those it does seem like we can construct at least a plausible idea of what the court may have looked like at this time. For more discussion, check out the blogpost:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-137   Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is Episode 137:  Courtly Fashion. In the New Year's ceremony, the court officials lined up in front of the Kiyomihara Palace, arranged by their relative court rank, dressed in their assigned court robes.  The effect was impressive—the rows of officials painting the courtyard like the bands of color in a rainbow, albeit one with only a couple of hues.  The fact that they were all wearing the same style of dress and black, stiffened gauze hats only added to the effect.  The individual officers were all but lost in what was, at least in outward form, a single, homogenous machine of government, just waiting for the command of their monarch to attend to the important matters of state. We are covering the reign of Ohoama no Ohokimi, aka Ama no Nunahara oki no mabito no Sumera no Mikoto, aka Temmu Tennou.  Last episode we went over the changes he had made to the family titles—the kabane—as well as to the courtly rank system.  For the former, he had consolidated the myriad kabane and traditional titles across Yamato into a series of eight—the Yakusa no Kabane.   These were, from highest to lowest: Mabito, Asomi, Sukune, Imiki, Michinoshi, Omi, Muraji, and Inaki.  By the way, you might notice that "Mabito" actually occurs in Ohoama's posthumous name:  Ama no Nunahara oki no mabito, which lends more credence to the idea that that kabane was for those with a special connection to the royal lineage. Besides simplifying and restructuring the kabane, Ohoama also reformed the court rank system.  He divided the Princely ranks into two categories:  Myou, or Bright, and Jou, or Pure.  For the court nobles the categories were:                Shou – Upright                Jiki – Straight                Gon – Diligent                Mu – Earnest                Tsui – Pursue                Shin – Advancement Each category was further divided into four grades (except for the very first princely category, Myou, which was only two).  Each grade was then further divided into large, "dai", or broad, "kou". And this brings us to our topic today. Along with this new rank system, Ohoama's administration also instituted a new set of court sumptuary laws. Some are vague in the record—we can just make assumptions for what is going on based on what we know from later fashion choices.  Others are a little more clear.  We'll take a look at those sumptuary laws, particularly those that were directly associated with the new court rank system, but we'll also look at the clothing styles more generally. To start with, let's talk about what we know about clothing in the archipelago in general.  Unfortunately, fabric doesn't tend to survive very well in the generally acidic soils of the Japanese archipelago.  Cloth tends to break down pretty quickly.  That said, we have fragments here and there and impressions in pottery, so we have some idea that there was some kind of woven fabric from which to make clothing out of. And before I go too far I want to give a shout out to the amazing people at the Kyoto Costume Museum.  They have a tremendous website and I will link to it in the comments.  While there may be some debate over particular interpretations of historical clothing, it is an excellent resource to get a feel for what we know of the fashion of the various periods.  I'll also plug our own website, SengokuDaimyo.com, which has a "Clothing and Accessory" section that, while more geared towards Heian and later periods, may still be of some use in looking up particular terms and getting to know the clothing and outfits. At the farthest reaches of pre-history, we really don't have a lot of information for clothing.  There is evidence of woven goods in the Jomon period, and we have Yayoi burials with bits of cloth here and there, but these are all scraps.  So at best we have some conjecture as to what people were wearing, and possibly some ability to look across the Korean peninsula and see what people had, there. There are scant to no reliable records from early on in Japanese history, and most of those don't really do a great job of describing the clothing.  Even where we do get something, like the Weizhi, one has to wonder given how they tended to crib notes from other entries. There is at least one picture scroll of interest: Portraits of Periodical Offering of Liang, or Liáng -Zhígòngtú.  It is said to have been painted by Xiao Yi in the early 6th century, and while the original no longer exists there is an 11th century copy from the time of the Song Dynasty.  The scroll shows  various ambassadors to the Liang court, including one from Wa.  The Wa ambassador is shown with what appears to be a wide piece of cloth around his hips and legs, tied in front.  His lower legs are covered in what we might call kyahan today: a rather simple wrap around leg from below the knee to the foot.  He has another, blue piece of cloth around his shoulders, almost like a shawl, and it is also tied in front.  Then there is a cloth wrapped and tied around his head. It's hard to know how much of this depiction is accurate and how much the artist was drawing on memory and descriptions from things like the Weizhi or Wei Chronicles, which stated that the Wa people wore wide cloths wrapped around and seamlessly tied As such, it may be more helpful to look at depictions actually from the archipelago: specifically, some of the human-figured haniwa, those clay cylinders and statues that adorned the burial mounds which gave the kofun period its name.  Some of these haniwa are fairly detailed, and we can see ties, collars, and similar features of clothing. These haniwa primarily seem to cluster towards the end of the Kofun period, in the later 6th century, so it is hard to say how much they can be used for earlier periods, though that is exactly what you will typically see for periods where we have little to know evidence.  I'm also not sure how regional certain fashions might have been, and we could very much be suffering from survivorship bias—that is we only know what survived and assume that was everything, or even the majority. Still, it is something. Much of what we see in these figures is some kind of upper garment that has relatively tight sleeves, like a modern shirt or jacket might have, with the front pieces overlapping create a V-shaped neckline.  The garment hem often hangs down to just above the knee, flaring out away from the body, and it's held closed with ties and some kind of belt, possibly leather in some cases, and in others it looks like a tied loop of cloth.  There is evidence of a kind of trouser, with two legs, and we see ties around the knee.  In some cases, they even have small bells hanging from the ties.  Presumably the trousers might have ties up towards the waist, but we cannot see that in the examples we have. We also see individuals who have no evidence of any kind of bifurcated lower garment.  That may indicate an underskirt of some kind, or possibly what's called a "mo"—but it could also be just a simplification for stability, since a haniwa has a cylindrical base anyway.  It is not always obvious when you are looking at a haniwa figure whether it depicts a man or woman: in some cases there are two dots on the chest that seem to make it obvious, but the haniwa do come from different artisans in different regions, so there is a lot of variability. We also see evidence of what seem to be decorative sashes that are worn across the body, though not in all cases.  There are various types of headgear and hairstyles.  Wide-brimmed and domed hats are not uncommon, and we also see combs and elaborate hairstyles depicted.  On some occasions we can even see that they had closed toed shoes.  For accessories, we see haniwa wearing jewelry, including necklaces (worn by both men and women), bracelets, and earrings.  In terms of actual human jewelry, early shell bracelets demonstrate trade routes, and the distinctive magatama, or comma shaped jewel, can be found in the archipelago and on the Korean peninsula, where it is known as "gogok".  Based on lines or even colored pigment on the haniwa, it appears that many of these outfits were actually quite heavily decorated.  Paint on the outfits is sometimes also placed on the face, suggesting that they either painted or tattooed themselves, something mentioned in the Wei Chronicles.  We also have archaeological examples of dyed cloth, so it is interesting that people are often depicted in undyed clothing.  There is one haniwa that I find particularly interesting, because they appear to be wearing more of a round-necked garment, and they have a hat that is reminiscent of the phrygian cap: a conical cap with the top bent forward.  These are traits common to some of the Sogdians and other Persian merchants along the silk road, raising the possibility that it is meant to depict a foreigner, though it is also possible that it was just another local style. If we compare this to the continent, we can see some immediate difference.  In the contemporaneous Sui dynasty, we can see long flowing robes, with large sleeves for men and women.  The shoes often had an upturned placket that appears to have been useful to prevent one from tripping on long, flowing garments.  Many of these outfits were also of the v-neck variety, with two overlapping pieces, though it is often shown held together with a fabric belt that is tied in front.  The hats appear to either be a kind of loose piece of fabric, often described as a turban, wrapped around the head, the ends where it ties together trailing behind, or black lacquered crowns—though there were also some fairly elaborate pieces for the sovereign. As Yamato started to import continental philosophy, governance, and religion, they would also start to pick up on continental fashion.  This seems particularly true as they adopted the continental concept of "cap rank" or "kan-i". Let's go over what we know about this system, from its first mention in the Chronicles up to where we are in Ohoama's reign. As a caveat, there is a lot we don't know about the details of these garments, but we can make some guesses. The first twelve cap-ranks, theoretically established in 603, are somewhat questionable in their historicity, as are so many things related to Shotoku Taishi.  And their names are clearly based on Confucian values:  Virtue, Humanity, Propriety, Faith, Justice, and Wisdom, or Toku, Nin, Rei, Shin, Gi, and Chi.  The five values and then just "Virtue", itself. The existence of this system does seem to be confirmed by the Sui Shu, the Book of Sui, which includes a note in the section on the country of Wa that they used a 12 rank system based on the Confucian values, but those values were given in the traditional Confucian order vice the order given in the Nihon Shoki.   The rank system of the contemporaneous Sui and Tang dynasties was different from these 12 ranks, suggesting that the Yamato system either came from older dynasties—perhaps from works on the Han dynasty or the Northern and Southern Dynasty, periods—or they got it from their neighbors, Baekje, Silla, and Goguryeo.  There does seem to be a common thread, though, that court rank was identifiable in one's clothes. As for the caps themselves, what did they look like?  One would assume that the Yamato court just adopted a continental style cap, and yet, which one? It isn't fully described, and there are a number of types of headwear that we see in the various continental courts. Given that, we aren't entirely sure exactly what it looked like, but we do have a couple of sources that we can look at and use to make some assumptions.  These sources l ead us to the idea of a round, colored cap made of fabric, around the brim that was probably the fabric or image prescribed for that rank.  It is also often depicted with a bulbous top, likely for the wearer's hair, and may have been tied to their top knot.     Our main source for this is the Tenjukoku Mandala Embroidery (Tenjukoku-mandara-shuuchou) at Chuuguuji temple, which was a temple built for the mother of Prince Umayado, aka Shotoku Taishi.    This embroidery was created in 622, so 19 years after the 12 ranks would have been implemented. It depicts individuals in round-necked jackets that appear to have a part straight down the center.  Beneath the jacket one can see a pleated hem, possibly something like a "hirami", a wrapped skirt that is still found in some ceremonial imperial robes.  It strikes me that this could also be the hem of something like the hanpi, which was kind of like a vest with a pleated lower edge.  Below that we see trousers—hakama—with a red colored hem—at least on one figure that we can see.  He also appears to be wearing a kind of slipper-like shoe. As for the women, there are a few that appear to be in the mandala, but it is hard to say for certain as the embroidery has been damaged over the years. That said, from what we can tell, women probably would have worn something similar to the men in terms of the jacket and the pleated under-skirt, but then, instead of hakama, we see a pleated full-length skirt, or mo.  We also don't have a lot of evidence for them wearing hats or anything like that. The round necked jacket is interesting as it appears to be similar to the hou that was common from northern China across the Silk Road, especially amongst foreigners.  This garment  came to displace the traditional robes of the Tang court and would become the basis for much of the court clothing from that period, onwards.  The round necked garment had central panels that overlapped, and small ties or fastenings at either side of the neck to allow for an entirely enclosed neckline.  This was more intricate than just two, straight collars, and so may have taken time to adopt, fully. The next change to the cap-rank system was made in 647, two years into the Taika Reform.  The ranks then were more directly named for the caps, or crowns—kanmuri—and their materials and colors.  The ranks translate to Woven, Embroidered, Purple, Brocade, Blue, Black, and finally "Establish Valor" for the entry level rank. The system gets updated two years later, but only slightly.  We still see a reference to Woven stuff, Embroidery, and Purple, but then the next several ranks change to Flower, Mountain, and Tiger—or possibly Kingfisher.  These were a little more removed from the cap color and material, and may have had something to do with designs that were meant to be embroidered on the cap or on the robes in some way, though that is just speculation based on later Ming and Qing court outfits. Naka no Ohoye then updates it again in 664, but again only a little.  He seems to add back in the "brocade" category, swapping out the "flower", and otherwise just adds extra grades within each category to expand to 26 total rank grades. And that brings us to the reforms of 685, mentioned last episode.  This new system was built around what appear to be moral exhortations—Upright, Straight, Diligent, Earnest, etc.  And that is great and all, but how does that match up with the official robes? What color goes with each rank category?  Fortunately, this time around, the Chronicle lays it out for us pretty clearly. First off we are given the color red for the Princely ranks—not purple as one might have thought.  Specifically, it is "Vermillion Flower", hanezu-iro, which Bentley translates as the color of the "Oriental bush" or salmon.  In the blogpost we'll link to a table of colors that the founder of Sengoku Daimyo, Anthony Bryant, had put together, with some explanation of how to apply it.  I would note that there is often no way to know exactly what a given color was like or what shades were considered an acceptable range.  Everything was hand-dyed, and leaving fabric in the dye a little longer, changing the proportions, or just fading over time could create slightly different variants in the hue, but we think we can get pretty close. From there we have the six "common" ranks for the nobility.  Starting with the first rank, Upright, we have "Dark Purple".  Then we have "Light Purple".  This pattern continues with Dark and Light Green and then Dark and Light Grape or Lilac.  Purple in this case is Murasaki, and green here is specifically Midori, which is more specifically green than the larger category of "Aoi", which covers a spectrum of blue to green.  The grape or lilac is specifically "suou", and based on Bentley's colors it would be a kind of purple or violet. The idea is that the official court outfits for each rank would be the proper color.  And yes, that means if you get promoted in rank, your first paycheck—or rice stipend—is probably going to pay for a new set of official clothes.  Fortunately for the existing court nobles at the time, in the last month of 685, the Queen provided court clothing for 55 Princes and Ministers, so they could all look the part. And the look at court was important.  In fact, several of the edicts from this time focus specifically on who was allowed—or expected—to wear what.  For instance, in the 4th month of 681, they established 92 articles of the law code, and among those were various sumptuary laws—that is to say, laws as to what you could wear.  We are told that they applied to everyone from Princes of the blood down to the common person, and it regulated the wearing of precious metals, pearls, and jewels; the type of fabric one could use, whether purple, brocade, embroidery, or fine silks; and it also regulated woollen carpets, caps, belts, and the colors of various things. And here I'd like to pause and give some brief thought to how this played into the goals of the court, generally, which is to say the goal of creating and establishing this new system of governance in the cultural psyche of the people of the archipelago.  From the continental style palaces, to the temples, and right down to the clothing that people were wearing, this was all orchestrated, consciously or otherwise, to emphasize and even normalize the changes that were being introduced.  When everything around you is conforming to the new rules, it makes it quite easy for others to get on board. The court had surrounded themselves with monumental architecture that was designed along continental models and could best be explained through continental reasoning.  Even if they weren't Confucian or Daoist, those lines of reasoning ran through the various cultural and material changes that they were taking up.  Sure, they put their own stamp on it, but at the same time, when everything is right in front of you, it would become that much harder to deny or push back against it. And when you participated in the important rituals of the state, the clothing itself became a part of the pageantry.  It reinforced the notion that this was something new and different, and yet also emphasized that pushing against it would be going against the majority.  So court uniforms were another arm of the state's propaganda machine, all designed to reinforce the idea that the heavenly sovereign—the Tennou—was the right and just center of political life and deserving of their position.  Getting back to the sumptuary laws and rank based regulations: It is unfortunate that the record in the Nihon Shoki doesn't tell us exactly how things were regulated, only that they were, at least in some cases.  So for anything more we can only make assumptions based on later rules and traditions.  A few things we can see right away, though.  First is the restriction of the color purple.  Much as in Europe and elsewhere in the world, getting a dark purple was something that was not as easy as one might think, and so it tended to be an expensive dye and thus it would be restricted to the upper classes—in this case the princely and ministerial rank, no doubt.  Similarly brocade and fine silks were also expensive items that were likely restricted to people of a particular social station for that reason. The mention of woolen rugs is particularly intriguing.  Bentley translates this as woven mattresses, but I think that woolen rugs makes sense, as we do have examples of woolen "rugs" in Japan in at least the 8th century, stored in the famous Shousouin repository at Toudaiji temple, in Nara.  These are all imported from the continent and are actually made of felt, rather than woven.  As an imported item, out of a material that you could not get in the archipelago, due to a notable lack of sheep, they would have no doubt been expensive. The funny thing is that the carpets in the Shousouin may not have been meant as carpets.  For the most part they are of a similar size and rectangular shape, and one could see how they may have been used as sleeping mattresses or floor coverings.  However, there is some conjecture that they came from the Silk Road and may have been originally meant as felt doors for the tents used by the nomadic steppe peoples.  This is only conjecture, as I do not believe any of these rugs have survived in the lands where they would have been made, but given the size and shape and the modern yurt, it is not hard to see how that may have been the case.  Either way, I tend to trust that this could very well have meant woolen rugs, as Aston and the kanji themselves suggest, though I would understand if there was confusion or if it meant something else as wool was not exactly common in the archipelago at that time or in the centuries following. The last section of the regulations talks about the use of caps and belts.  The caps here were probably of continental origin:  The kanmuri, or official cap of state of the court nobles, or the more relaxed eboshi—though at this time, they were no doubt closely related. In fact, a year later, we have the most specific mention to-date of what people were actually wearing on their heads: there is a mention of men tying up their hair and wearing caps of varnished gauze.  Earlier caps related to the cap rank system are often thought to be something like a simple hemisphere  that was placed upon the head, with a bulbous top where the wearer's hair could be pulled up as in a bun. The kanmuri seems to have evolved from the soft black headcloth that was worn on the continent, which would have tied around the head, leaving two ends hanging down behind.  Hairstyles of the time often meant that men had a small bun or similar gathering of hair towards the back of their head, and tying a cloth around the head gave the effect of a small bump.  This is probably what we see in depictions of the early caps of state.  Sometimes this topknot could be covered with a small crown or other decoration, or wrapped with a cloth, often referred to as a "Tokin" in Japanese.  But over time we see the development of hardened forms to be worn under a hat to provide the appropriate silhouette, whether or not you actually had a topknot (possibly helpful for gentlemen suffering from hair loss).  And then the hat becomes less of a piece of cloth and more just a hat of black, lacquered gauze made on a form, which was much easier to wear.  At this point in the Chronicle, the cap was likely still somewhat malleable, and would made to tie or be pinned to that bun or queue of hair.  This explains the mention of men wearing their hair up.  This pin would become important for several different types of headgear, but ties were also used for those who did not have hair to hold the hat on properly. Two years after the edict on hats, we get another edict on clothing, further suggesting that the court were wearing Tang inspired clothing.  In 685 we see that individuals are given leave to wear their outer robe either open or tied closed. This is a clue that this outer robe might something akin to the round-necked hou that we see in the Tenjukoku Mandala, where the neck seems to close with a small tie or button.  However, we do see some examples, later, of v-necked garments with a tie in the center of the neck, so that may be the reference..  Opening the collar of the formal robes was somewhat akin to loosening a necktie, or unbuttoning the top button of a shirt.  It provided a more relaxed and comfortable feeling.  It could also be a boon in the warm days of summer.  Leaving it closed could create a more formal appearance. The courtiers also had the option of whether or not to wear the "Susotsuki", which Bentley translates as "skirt-band".  I believe this refers to the nai'i, or inner garment.  This would often have a pleated hem—a suso or ran—which would show below the main robe as just a slight hem.  Again, this is something that many would dispense with in the summer, or just when dressing a bit more casually, but it was required at court, as well as making sure that the tassles were tied so that they hung down.  This was the uniform of the court.  We are also told that they would have trousers that could be tied up, which sounds like later sashinuki, though it may have referred to something slightly different.  We are also given some regulations specifically for women, such as the fact that women over 40 years of age were allowed the discretion on whether or not to tie up their hair, as well as whether they would ride horses astride or side-saddle.  Presumably, younger women did not get a choice in the matter.  Female shrine attendants and functionaries were likewise given some leeway with their hairstyles. A year later, in 686, they do seem to have relaxed the hairstyles a bit more: women were allowed to let their hair down to their backs as they had before, so it seems that, for at least a couple of years, women under the age of 40 were expected to wear their hair tied up in one fashion or another. In that same edict, men were then allowed to wear "habakimo".  Aston translates this as "leggings" while Bentley suggests it is a "waist skirt".  There are an example of extant habakimo in the Shousouin, once again, and they appear to be wrappings for the lower leg.  It actually seems very closely related to the "kyahan" depicted all the way back in the 6th century painting of the Wo ambassador to Liang. Even though these edicts give a lot more references to clothing, there is still plenty that is missing.  It isn't like the Chroniclers were giving a red carpet style stitch-by-stitch critique of what was being worn at court.  Fortunately, there is a rather remarkable archaeological discovery from about this time. Takamatsuzuka is a kofun, or ancient burial mound, found in Asuka and dated to the late 7th or early 8th century.  Compared to the keyhole shaped tombs of previous centuries, this tomb is quite simple: a two-tiered circular tomb nestled in the quiet hills.  What makes it remarkable is that the inside of the stone burial chamber was elaborately painted.  There are depictions of the four guardian animals, as well as the sun and the moon, as well as common constellations.  More importantly, though, are the intricate pictures of men and women dressed in elaborate clothing. The burial chamber of Takamatsuzuka is rectangular in shape.  There are images on the four vertical sides as well as on the ceiling.  The chamber is oriented north-south, with genbu, the black tortoise, on the north wall and presumably Suzaku, the vermillion bird, on the south wall—though that had been broken at some point and it is hard to make out exactly what is there. The east and west walls are about three times as long as the north and south walls.  In the center of each is a guardian animal—byakko, the white tiger, on the west wall and seiryuu, the blue—or green—dragon on the east.  All of these images are faded, and since opening of the tomb have faded even more, so while photos can help, it may require a bit more investigation and some extrapolation to understand all of what we are looking at. On the northern side of both the east and west wall we see groups of four women.  We can make out green, yellow, and red or vermillion outer robes with thin fabric belt sashes, or obi, tied loosely and low around the waist.  There is another, lightly colored—possibly white, cream or pink—that is so faded it is hard to make out, and I don't know if that is the original color.  These are v-necked robes, with what appear to be ties at the bottom of the "v".  Around the belt-sash we see a strip of white peaking out from between the two sides of the robe—most likely showing the lining on an edge that has turned back slightly.  The cuffs of the robe are folded back, showing a contrasting color—either the sleeves of an underrobe or a lining of some kind.  Below the outer robe is a white, pleated hem—possibly a hirami or similar, though where we can make it out, it seems to be the same or similar color as the sleeves.  Under all of that, they then have a relatively simple mo, or pleated skirt.  The ones in the foreground are vertically striped in alternating white, green, red, and blue stripes.  There is one that may just be red and blue stripes, but I'm not sure.  In the background we see a dark blue—and possibly a dark green—mo.  At the base of each mo is a pleated fringe that appears to be connected to the bottom of the skirt.  The toe of a shoe seems to peek out from underneath in at least one instance.  They don't have any obvious hair ornaments, and their hair appears to be swept back and tied in such a way that it actually comes back up in the back, slightly.  They appear to be holding fans and something that might be a fly swatter—a pole with what looks like tassels on the end. In comparison, at the southern end of the tomb we have two groups of men.  These are much more damaged and harder to make out clearly.  They have robes of green, yellow, grey, blue, and what looks like dark blue, purple, or even black.  The neckline appears to be a v-necked, but tied closed, similar to what we see on the women.  We also see a contrasting color at the cuff, where it looks like the sleeves have turned back, slightly.  They have belt-sashes similar to the women, made of contrasting fabric to the robe itself.  Below that we see white trousers, or hakama, and shallow, black shoes.  On some of the others it is suggested that maybe they have a kind of woven sandal, but that is hard to make out in the current image.  On their heads are hats or headgear of black, stiffened—probably lacquered—gauze.  They have a bump in the back, which is probably the wearer's hair, and there is evidence of small ties on top and larger ties in the back, hanging down.  Some interpretations also show a couple with chin straps, as well, or at least a black cord that goes down to the chin.  They carry a variety of implements, suggesting they are attendants, with an umbrella, a folding chair, a pouch worn around the neck, a pole or cane of some kind, and a bag with some kind of long thing—possibly a sword or similar. The tomb was originally found by farmers in 1962, but wasn't fully examined until 1970, with an excavation starting in 1972.  The stone at the entryway was broken, probably from graverobbers, who are thought to have looted the tomb in the Kamakura period.  Fortunately, along with the bones of the deceased and a few scattered grave goods that the robbers must have missed, the murals also survived, and somehow they remained largely intact through the centuries.  They have not been entirely safe, and many of the images are damaged or faded, but you can still make out a remarkable amount of detail, which is extremely helpful in determining what clothing might have looked like at this time—assuming it is depicting local individuals. And there is the rub, since we don't know exactly whom the tomb was for.  Furthermore, in style it has been compared with Goguryeo tombs from the peninsula, much as nearby Kitora kofun is.  Kitora had images as well, but just of the guardian animals and the constellations, not of human figures. There are three theories as to who might have been buried at Takamatsuzuka.  One theory is that it was one of Ohoama's sons.  Prince Osakabe is one theory, based on the time of his death and his age.  Others have suggested Prince Takechi.  Based on the teeth of the deceased, they were probably in their 40s to 60s when they passed away. Some scholars believe that it may be a later, Nara period vassal—possibly, Isonokami no Maro.  That would certainly place it later than the Asuka period. The third theory is that it is the tomb of a member of one of the royal families from the Korean peninsula—possibly someone who had taken up refuge in the archipelago as Silla came to dominate the entire peninsula.  This last theory matches with the fact that Takamatsuzuka appears to be similar to tombs found in Goguryeo, though that could just have to do with where the tomb builders were coming from, or what they had learned. That does bring up the question of the figures in the tomb.  Were they contemporary figures, indicating people and dress of the court at the time, or were they meant to depict people from the continent?  Without any other examples, we may never know, but even if was indicative of continental styles, those were the very styles that Yamato was importing, so it may not matter, in the long run.     One other garment that isn't mentioned here is the hire, a scarf that is typically associated with women.  It is unclear if it has any relationship to the sashes we see in the Kofun period, though there is at least one mention of a woman with a hire during one of the campaigns on the Korean peninsula.  Later we see it depicted as a fairly gauzy piece of silk, that is worn somewhat like a shawl.  It is ubiquitous in Sui and Tang paintings of women, indicating a wide-ranging fashion trend.  The hire is a fairly simple piece of clothing, and yet it creates a very distinctive look which we certainly see, later. Finally, I want to take a moment to acknowledge that almost everything we have discussed here has to do with the elites of society—the nobles of the court.  For most people, working the land, we can assume that they were probably not immediately adopting the latest continental fashions, and they probably weren't dressing in silk very much.  Instead, it is likely that they continued to wear some version of the same outfits we see in the haniwa figures of the kofun period.  This goes along with the fact that even as the elite are moving into palaces built to stand well above the ground, we still have evidence of common people building and living in pit dwellings, as they had been for centuries.  This would eventually change, but overall they stuck around for quite some time.  However, farmers and common people are often ignored by various sources—they aren't often written about, they often aren't shown in paintings or statues, and they did often not get specialized burials.  Nonetheless, they were the most populous group in the archipelago, supporting all of the rest. And with that, I think we will stop for now.  Still plenty more to cover this reign.  We are definitely into the more historical period, where we have more faith in the dates—though we should remember that this is also one of the reigns that our sources were specifically designed to prop up, so we can't necessarily take everything without at least a hint of salt and speculation, even if the dates themselves are more likely to be accurate. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Rainfall to Triumph: Ming's Quest for Success Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-30-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个阴沉的秋日早晨，明从窗外望去，细雨无声地拍打着玻璃。En: On a gloomy autumn morning, Ming gazed out the window as fine rain silently tapped against the glass.Zh: 今天是重阳节，公司休息了一天，En: Today was the Chongyang Festival, and the company had a day off.Zh: 然而有一个重要会议需要明参加，他已经准备了很久。En: However, there was an important meeting that Ming needed to attend, one he had been preparing for a long time.Zh: 对他来说，这次会议决定了升迁的机会，这个机会对他和他的家人都至关重要。En: For him, this meeting could determine a promotion opportunity, which was crucial for both him and his family.Zh: 明平时是个勤奋的员工，总是承担着比别人更多的工作。En: Ming was typically a diligent employee, always taking on more work than others.Zh: 他希望今天的表现能打动严格但公正的老板嘉，赢得她的称赞。En: He hoped that his performance today could impress his strict yet fair boss, Jia, and earn her praise.Zh: 可是，天有不测风云，En: But, as fate would have it, unexpected events occurred.Zh: 他踏入地铁站后，被告知有突发的交通问题：由于大量的秋叶落在铁轨上，加上大雨，列车延误。En: When he stepped into the subway station, he was informed of sudden traffic issues: due to a large amount of fallen autumn leaves on the tracks, combined with heavy rain, the trains were delayed.Zh: 时间在一分一秒地流逝，明站在站台上，心急如焚。En: Time ticked by second by second as Ming stood on the platform, anxious.Zh: 为了不浪费更多时间，他马上拨通了同事亮的电话。En: Not wanting to waste more time, he quickly dialed his colleague Liang's phone number.Zh: “亮，帮我个忙，我可能会迟到。En: "Liang, can you do me a favor? I might be late.Zh: 能不能先帮我撑一下会议？”明尽量让自己的声音不显得慌乱。En: Could you cover for me at the meeting?" Ming tried to keep his voice calm.Zh: 亮总是很乐于助人，他安慰明：“放心吧，交给我。En: Liang was always helpful and reassured Ming: "Don't worry, leave it to me.Zh: 我先替你说几句。”挂掉电话后，明焦急地在脑中盘算着如何到达公司。En: I'll start with a few words for you." After hanging up, Ming anxiously planned in his head how to get to the company.Zh: 打车是最快的选择，但费用不菲。En: A taxi was the fastest option, but costly.Zh: 他犹豫了一下，决定寻找其他路线。En: He hesitated for a moment and decided to look for alternative routes.Zh: 终于，他发现还可以搭乘一条鲜有人知的小路公交，虽然这样他不得不淋湿在雨中，却别无选择。En: Finally, he discovered he could take a little-known bus route, although this meant getting wet in the rain, he had no other choice.Zh: 来到公司时，明的衣服已经湿透。En: When he arrived at the company, Ming's clothes were already soaked.Zh: 他急冲冲进了会议室，会议正进行得如火如荼。En: He rushed into the meeting room, where the meeting was in full swing.Zh: 他喘息着走到前面，亮已经把他的演讲稿准备好放在桌子上。En: Panting, he went to the front, and Liang had already prepared his presentation on the table.Zh: 明开始他的演讲，虽然开场有些紧张，但他很快镇定下来，流利地讲述自己的计划和建议。En: Ming began his presentation, and although he was initially nervous, he quickly composed himself and eloquently outlined his plans and proposals.Zh: 期间，他奋力抑制身体的寒意，全神贯注于会议。En: Throughout, he fought to suppress the chill in his body, fully concentrating on the meeting.Zh: 会议结束后，嘉点头表示认可，并对明说：“虽然过程有些曲折，但你的努力得到了体现。”En: After the meeting ended, Jia nodded in approval and said to Ming, "Although the process was a bit turbulent, your efforts were evident."Zh: 她赞扬明在困难前表现出的顽强和创新精神。En: She praised Ming for his tenacity and innovation in the face of difficulties.Zh: 那一天，明不仅赢得了老板的嘉许，也学会了如何依赖团队的力量。En: That day, Ming not only gained his boss's approval but also learned how to rely on the power of teamwork.Zh: 明白了自己的同事其实是可依靠的伙伴，能够在关键时刻伸出援手。En: He realized that his colleagues were indeed reliable partners who could lend a hand at critical times.Zh: 从此以后，明不再孤军奋战，而是与同事们更加紧密地合作。En: From then on, Ming no longer fought alone but collaborated more closely with his colleagues.Zh: 他意识到，寻求帮助并不是软弱，而是表示一种成熟与智慧。En: He realized that seeking help was not a sign of weakness but a demonstration of maturity and wisdom. Vocabulary Words:gloomy: 阴沉autumn: 秋日gazed: 望silently: 无声地promotion: 升迁diligent: 勤奋strict: 严格praise: 称赞fate: 不测风云unexpected: 突发anxious: 心急如焚hesitate: 犹豫alternative: 其他discovered: 发现eloquently: 流利地outlined: 讲述composed: 镇定panting: 喘息turbulent: 曲折tenacity: 顽强innovation: 创新rely: 依赖collaborated: 合作maturity: 成熟wisdom: 智慧lend a hand: 伸出援手critical: 关键reassured: 安慰suppressed: 抑制full swing: 如火如荼

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Unearthing Secrets: A Mid-Autumn Quest at Xi'an Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-27-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天到了，西安的天有些凉爽，En: Autumn has arrived, and the weather in Xi'an is somewhat cool.Zh: 树叶纷纷扬扬地飘落在兵马俑的遗址上。En: Leaves are gently falling on the Terracotta Warriors site.Zh: 四周已挂起了璀璨的灯笼，大家都在为中秋节做准备，En: Colorful lanterns are hung all around, and everyone is preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival.Zh: 夜晚的灯火洒在古老的陶俑上，显得格外宁静祥和。En: At night, the lights cast a serene and peaceful glow on the ancient clay figures.Zh: 梅是一位热情高涨的考古学家。En: Mei is an enthusiastic archaeologist.Zh: 她每天在兵马俑的尘土中忙碌，面带微笑，对古代历史充满热情。En: She works tirelessly in the dust among the Terracotta Warriors every day, smiling and filled with passion for ancient history.Zh: 她最大的愿望就是发现一个重要的文物，从而得到关于秦朝的新见解。En: Her greatest wish is to discover an important artifact that would provide new insights into the Qin Dynasty.Zh: 贾是一位经验丰富的考古学家，谨慎又保守。En: Jia, on the other hand, is an experienced, cautious, and conservative archaeologist.Zh: 他对新的修复方法持怀疑态度，担心使用梅的方法会损坏这些珍贵的文物。En: He is skeptical of new restoration methods, worried that Mei's approach may damage these precious artifacts.Zh: 梁则是这支团队的新进实习生，朝气蓬勃，总想证明自己的能力。En: Liang is a new intern on the team, full of energy and eager to prove himself.Zh: 他经常跟随梅，希望从她身上学到更多。En: He often follows Mei, hoping to learn more from her.Zh: 梅提议使用新的修复技术，以更好地保护和展示文物。En: Mei proposed using new restoration techniques to better protect and display the artifacts.Zh: 然而，贾不同意。En: However, Jia disagreed.Zh: 他说：“这些文物太宝贵了，我们不能冒险。”En: He said, "These artifacts are too precious; we can't take risks."Zh: 但梅没有放弃。En: But Mei didn't give up.Zh: 她决定在一个较小且不太重要的陶俑上试用她的方法。En: She decided to test her method on a smaller, less important clay figure.Zh: 经过几天的细心操作，结果大大出乎众人的意料。En: After a few days of careful operation, the results were beyond everyone's expectations.Zh: 这件文物被完美地修复了，上面还有一个以前从未见过的铭文。En: The artifact was perfectly restored, and there was an inscription on it that had never been seen before.Zh: 贾站在修复的陶俑前，惊讶地说道：“原来这方法真的有效！梅，我以前可能错了。”En: Standing in front of the restored clay figure, Jia said in astonishment, "Turns out this method really works! Mei, I may have been wrong."Zh: 梅微笑着说：“我只是想试试。现在我们有了新发现，也可以一起合作，发现更多。”En: Mei smiled and said, "I just wanted to give it a try. Now that we have a new discovery, we can collaborate and discover more together."Zh: 梁在一旁憧憬地说：“我们可以利用这种新方法，揭示更多的历史秘密！”En: Liang, full of hope, said from the side, "We can use this new method to uncover more historical secrets!"Zh: 于是，在中秋节月光的照耀下，梅、贾和梁开始了一次全新的合作。En: Thus, under the moonlight of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Mei, Jia, and Liang embarked on a brand new collaboration.Zh: 秋风中，他们将亮灯，踏上发现更多历史奥秘的旅程。En: In the autumn breeze, they lit up the area, setting out on a journey to discover more historical mysteries.Zh: 这个故事，不仅是他们对历史的探索，也是一个团队凝聚与成长的过程。En: This story is not just about their exploration of history but also about the team's cohesion and growth.Zh: 历史在重新发现的那一刻，变得更加鲜活。En: The moment history is rediscovered, it becomes more vibrant. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天cool: 凉爽gentle: 纷纷扬扬lantern: 灯笼serene: 宁静archaeologist: 考古学家tirelessly: 忙碌artifact: 文物insight: 见解skeptical: 怀疑restoration: 修复intern: 实习生eager: 朝气蓬勃technique: 技术protect: 保护precious: 珍贵risk: 冒险astonishment: 惊讶collaborate: 合作uncover: 揭示mid-autumn festival: 中秋节discovery: 发现cohesion: 凝聚vibrant: 鲜活breeze: 秋风mysteries: 奥秘glow: 光芒ancient: 古老operation: 操作inscription: 铭文

Empowerment isn't about pretending everything is fine; it's about remembering that we always can choose our response. Today, Dr. Jessie Mahoney and Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang explore the healing power of choice. We share how we can shift from complaining into creativity and how we can move from victimhood to agency, mindfully. We invite you to stop waiting for permission or for the system to fix itself, and instead to lead with integrity, clarity, and love. While we can't fix the entire system, we can always choose how we show up within it.   That is where true healing begins. Pearls of Wisdom • Empowerment is not toxic positivity, it's remembering our response-ability, our ability to choose how we meet what is. • A growth mindset asks, “What now?” even when circumstances feel stuck or unfair. • Boundaries are an act of love, not rebellion. They protect our empathy and preserve our capacity to care. • Micro-agency, tiny acts of intentionality throughout the day, rebuilds trust in ourselves and renews energy. • Shifting from complaining to creativity transforms not just us, but the culture around us.  Reflection Questions Where do we have choice, even if it's seemingly small? What would it look like to lead with agency today? How can we show up as a lighthouse in healthcare, rather than a rescue raft? If this conversation resonates, I invite you to explore coaching with me to help you name and shift patterns of disempowerment in your life and career: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching You can also join me at a Pause & Presence Retreat. A nurturing, transformational space to reconnect to what matters most: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats If you would like to bring a more mindful, compassionate approach to your institution, team, or training program, I'd be honored to speak or lead a workshop: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking You can also invite Dr. Liang to speak or lead a breathwork workshop for your group: www.awakenbreath.org Together, one mindful choice at a time, we can shift the culture of medicine. *Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.  

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Courage in the Dark: A Corporate Showdown at Shanghai Mansion Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-24-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 上海大厦在秋日的天空中矗立，高耸入云，现代设计显得格外优雅。En: The Shanghai Mansion stood tall in the autumn sky, towering into the clouds with its modern design appearing exceptionally elegant.Zh: 大厦内，人来人往，忙碌不已。En: Inside the building, people came and went, busy and bustling.Zh: 阳光透过玻璃墙洒下，给这繁忙的日子增添了一丝温暖。En: Sunlight streamed through the glass walls, adding a touch of warmth to the hectic day.Zh: 今天，上海大厦正举行一场盛大的企业活动。En: Today, Shanghai Mansion was hosting a grand corporate event.Zh: 活动中，人群兴奋，对话此起彼伏。En: During the event, the crowd was excited, with conversations rising and falling.Zh: 梁是一个雄心勃勃的企业高管。En: Liang was an ambitious corporate executive.Zh: 他非常看重自己的事业成功，但心中隐隐有个恐惧：失去职位。En: He valued his career success highly but had a lingering fear in his heart: losing his position.Zh: 今天，对梁来说，是个非常关键的日子。En: Today was a critical day for Liang.Zh: 他要与重要客户嘉会面。En: He was scheduled to meet an important client, Jia.Zh: 然而，就在会议开始前，嘉失踪了。En: However, just before the meeting was to start, Jia went missing.Zh: 梁十分焦急，他知道如果事情不顺利，会对他产生巨大影响。En: Liang was very anxious, knowing that if things didn't go smoothly, it would greatly impact him.Zh: 活动中突然发生了停电。En: Suddenly, there was a power outage during the event.Zh: 整座大楼陷入黑暗，电梯停止运作，保安系统也暂时失灵。En: The entire building plunged into darkness; elevators stopped working, and the security system temporarily failed.Zh: 梁意识到，如果不立刻采取行动，事情会变得更加复杂。En: Liang realized that if immediate action wasn't taken, things would become more complicated.Zh: 他必须找到嘉。En: He had to find Jia.Zh: 梁开始自主调查。En: Liang began his own investigation.Zh: 他偷偷进入嘉最后被见到的区域。En: He sneaked into the area where Jia was last seen.Zh: 强烈的好奇心促使他绕过部分安保措施，心中忐忑，但他坚持不懈。En: Driven by intense curiosity, he bypassed some security measures, feeling uneasy but persistent.Zh: 大厦虽大，但梁凭直觉找到了一个鲜有人知的地方。En: Although the building was large, Liang followed his instincts and found a little-known place.Zh: 在一个隐秘的角落里，梁发现了嘉。En: In a hidden corner, Liang found Jia.Zh: 她神情紧张，但平安无事。En: She looked tense but was unharmed.Zh: 嘉述说她发现了一些公司内部的阴谋，这才导致她匆忙躲藏。En: Jia explained that she had uncovered some internal company conspiracy, which led her to hurriedly hide.Zh: 梁决定帮助嘉安全离开。En: Liang decided to help Jia leave safely.Zh: 他意识到，眼下最重要的是正直而非野心。En: He realized that integrity was more important than ambition at this moment.Zh: 在送嘉离开后，他决意要面对公司内的不公正行为。En: After getting Jia out, he resolved to confront the injustices within the company.Zh: 他知道，凭借这份勇气和坚持，他与嘉的关系也会更牢固。En: He knew that with courage and persistence, his relationship with Jia would also become stronger.Zh: 此时，秋风已开始轻拂，通过透明的玻璃墙漫步至楼内的金色光线依旧温暖。En: By now, the autumn breeze had begun to gently brush, with golden light still warmly streaming through the transparent glass walls into the building.Zh: 梁站在窗前，远眺整个城市，心中渐明：有时，值得去做的事情正是那些令人畏惧的挑战。En: Standing by the window, Liang gazed out over the entire city, understanding more clearly: Sometimes, the things worth doing are precisely those daunting challenges.Zh: 事业的光环并不会因此而黯淡，反而变得更加耀眼。En: The halo of a career does not dim because of this; instead, it becomes even brighter. Vocabulary Words:mansion: 大厦towering: 高耸elegant: 优雅bustling: 忙碌hectic: 繁忙corporate: 企业executive: 高管lingering: 隐隐critical: 关键anxious: 焦急plunged: 陷入darkness: 黑暗conspiracy: 阴谋bypass: 绕过uneasy: 忐忑persistent: 坚持不懈tense: 紧张unharmed: 平安无事integrity: 正直ambition: 野心daunting: 令人畏惧challenges: 挑战halo: 光环dim: 黯淡brighter: 耀眼curiosity: 好奇心instincts: 直觉uncover: 发现confront: 面对injustices: 不公正行为

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Savoring Success: Finding Strength in Self-Discovery Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-21-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 微微的秋风轻轻拂过台北的街道，茶叶的香气弥漫在空气中。En: The gentle autumn breeze softly swept over the streets of Taipei, and the aroma of tea filled the air.Zh: 当过路的人们被这股香味吸引，许多人会走进一家名叫“香茗居”的茶店。En: Enticed by this fragrance, many people would step into a tea shop called "Xiang Ming Ju."Zh: 这家茶店坐落在宁静的人行道旁，店内装饰着传统的木制家具和纸灯笼，犹如一个安静的避风港。En: This tea shop is situated beside a tranquil sidewalk, adorned with traditional wooden furniture and paper lanterns, much like a quiet haven.Zh: 美，是这家茶店的老板，她的智慧和温暖使人感到安慰。En: Mei is the owner of this tea shop, and her wisdom and warmth provide comfort to those who enter.Zh: 一天下午，魏走进了茶店。En: One afternoon, Wei walked into the tea shop.Zh: 他是个有抱负的市场营销主管，心里却一直被即将到来的工作表现评估弄得忐忑不安。En: He was an ambitious marketing manager, but he was anxious about the upcoming work performance evaluation.Zh: “我需要这次的晋升机会，但在公司里，亮亦有同样的目标。”魏心想。En: "I need this promotion opportunity, but in the company, Liang also has the same goal," Wei thought.Zh: 他的好友亮虽然给予支持，但毫无疑问也是他的竞争对手。En: His friend Liang, although supportive, was undoubtedly his competitor as well.Zh: “魏，你看起来心事重重。”美微笑着说，给他倒上了一杯清香的乌龙茶。En: "Wei, you look deep in thought," Mei said with a smile, pouring him a cup of fragrant oolong tea.Zh: 魏轻叹一口气，问道：“美，你可有什么建议吗？我实在太焦虑了，不知道如何面对老板的评价。”En: Wei sighed softly and asked, "Mei, do you have any advice? I'm so anxious and don't know how to face my boss's evaluation."Zh: “有时，我们太过专注于与他人竞争，反而忽略了自己真正的强项。”美的语气沉稳中透出一丝智慧。En: "Sometimes, we focus too much on competing with others and overlook our true strengths," Mei spoke with a tone that was steady yet brimming with wisdom.Zh: “诚实地展现自己，比模仿他人要有力得多。”En: "Honestly expressing yourself is far more powerful than imitating others."Zh: 在柔和的灯光下，魏捧着温暖的茶杯，慢慢地品味着这番话。En: Under the soft light, Wei held the warm teacup, slowly savoring these words.Zh: 突然之间，他明白了继续让自己不安的是竞争，而不是他的能力。En: Suddenly, he realized it was the competition, not his abilities, that continued to unsettle him.Zh: 吐出长长的一口气，魏决定在评估中不去顾虑亮，也不去模仿他人，而是专注于自己的成长和优点。En: Releasing a long sigh, he decided that during the evaluation, he would not worry about Liang nor imitate others but would concentrate on his own growth and strengths.Zh: 几天后的评估会上，魏不再拘泥于浮夸的表现，而是真诚地分享了自己对团队发展的想法。En: At the evaluation meeting a few days later, Wei no longer confined himself to exaggerated displays but instead sincerely shared his ideas for team development.Zh: 他的老板看到他这样的真诚和清晰，微微点头，露出满意的微笑。En: His boss saw his sincerity and clarity, nodding slightly with a satisfied smile.Zh: 评估结束后，魏极有信心地走出了会议室，心中一片坦然。En: After the evaluation ended, Wei walked out of the conference room with great confidence, feeling at peace within.Zh: 当老板宣布他获得晋升时，他意识到自己所展现的不只是工作上的成就，还有真实的自己。En: When his boss announced that he had received the promotion, he realized he was showcasing not just his work achievements, but his true self.Zh: 从那一天起，魏懂得了，不必与人攀比，也不需给自己施加压力。En: From that day on, Wei understood that he did not need to compare himself with others or place undue pressure on himself.Zh: 真实的自己，才是最有力的竞争力。En: The real self is the most powerful competitiveness.Zh: 茶店外的秋风依旧轻轻拂过，而美的茶香仍然如故，安宁地弥漫着。En: The autumn breeze outside the tea shop still gently swept by, and Mei's tea fragrance remained the same, peacefully lingering. Vocabulary Words:gentle: 微微的breeze: 秋风aroma: 香气enticed: 吸引fragrance: 香味situated: 坐落tranquil: 宁静的adorned: 装饰着haven: 避风港wisdom: 智慧warmth: 温暖confident: 信心evaluation: 评估anxious: 忐忑不安ambitious: 有抱负的competitor: 竞争对手imitating: 模仿savoring: 品味着exaggerated: 浮夸的sincerity: 真诚clarity: 清晰confined: 拘泥于overlook: 忽略了unstettle: 不安showcasing: 展现pressure: 压力competitiveness: 竞争力gently: 轻轻opportunity: 机会savored: 品味

A mindful, honest, and hopeful exploration of victimhood in medicine—what it is, how it shows up, and why so many of us feel trapped, powerless, and unseen within a deeply flawed system. We invite you to listen with curiosity and self-compassion, knowing that if you've found yourself here—tired, discouraged, or resigned—you are not alone, and nothing is wrong with you. Rather than shaming or simplifying, we offer this conversation as a compassionate mirror and a naming of what's real with clarity, awareness, and care.  We unpack moral injury, systemic betrayal, learned helplessness, and the quiet culture of resignation that seeps into even the most well-intentioned among us. Naming where we are is the essential first step to healing. This is part one of a two-part series. In this episode, we shine a mindful light on the roots of victimhood. In part two, we will offer mindful paths forward from powerlessness to purpose.   Pearls of Wisdom: Victimhood is not weakness, it's a human, protective response to chronic dysfunction. And it's not where you want to live. Naming victimhood with empathy, not judgment, allows us to reclaim agency, even within a broken system. Noticing where we give away our power is the first mindful step toward healing and change. Systemic “solutions” like suggestion boxes may unintentionally reinforce helplessness unless paired with authentic engagement and choice.   Reflection Questions: When have you felt the most powerless in medicine? What helps you feel safe and what erodes that sense of safety? What would it mean to believe that you still have influence, even in a broken system?     Don't miss the Mindful Moment at the end of this episode. It's an opportunity to ground, reflect, and reconnect to your inner wisdom with clarity and compassion. If this conversation resonates, I invite you to explore coaching with me to help you name and shift patterns of disempowerment in your life and career: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching You can also join me at a Pause & Presence Retreat—a nurturing, transformational space to reconnect to what matters most: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats If you would like to bring a more mindful, compassionate approach to your institution, team, or training program, I'd be honored to speak or lead a workshop: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking You can also invite Dr. Liang to speak or lead a breathwork workshop for your group: www.awakenbreath.org Together, one mindful conversation at a time, we can shift the culture of medicine. Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.  

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Candlelit Bonds: A Rainy Mid-Autumn Festival Reunion Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-19-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 月光洒在小区的巷道上，柔和地照亮了悬挂着的纸灯笼。En: The moonlight spills over the alleyways of the community, softly illuminating the hanging paper lanterns.Zh: 仲秋节快到了，每家每户都在忙着准备庆祝活动。En: The Zhongqiu Jie (Mid-Autumn Festival) is approaching, and every household is busy preparing for the celebrations.Zh: 君、小妹和良，三个从小一起长大的朋友，也不例外。En: Jun, Xiaomei, and Liang, three friends who have grown up together, are no exception.Zh: 君是个注重细节的人，他计划了一场完美的聚会来纪念父母。En: Jun is a detail-oriented person, and he has planned a perfect gathering to honor his parents.Zh: 院子里已经布置好了长桌，上面摆满了月饼和水果。En: A long table has been set up in the yard, filled with yuebing (mooncakes) and fruits.Zh: 红色的蜡烛准备点燃，营造温馨的气氛。En: Red candles are ready to be lit to create a warm atmosphere.Zh: 一切都显得那么完美。En: Everything seems so perfect.Zh: 小妹，是君的妹妹。En: Xiaomei, is Jun's sister.Zh: 她带来了自己亲手扎的灯笼，每一个灯笼都有不同的图案，充满了她的创造力。En: She has brought lanterns she made by hand, each with a different design, full of her creativity.Zh: 良则是君的邻居，虽然性格无拘无束，却总能带来意想不到的惊喜。En: Liang, who is Jun's neighbor, has a free-spirited personality but always brings unexpected surprises.Zh: 但天公不作美，傍晚时分乌云密布，沉甸甸地压在头顶上。En: However, the weather does not cooperate.Zh: 不久，大雨倾盆而下，一时之间电也停了。En: In the evening, the sky is overcast with heavy clouds looming overhead.Zh: 蜡烛是唯一的光源，院子陷入一片黑暗。En: Soon, a torrential rain pours down, and the electricity goes out.Zh: 君焦虑地看着自己的计划一一泡汤，心里像有无数只蚂蚁在爬。En: Candles become the only source of light, and the yard falls into darkness.Zh: 他坚持想要恢复电力，甚至冒雨去检查保险丝。En: Jun anxiously watches as his plans unravel, feeling like ants are crawling inside him.Zh: 但小妹和良却提议趁机来个即兴烛光聚会。En: He is determined to restore the electricity, even venturing out into the rain to check the fuses.Zh: "我们可以讲故事，玩游戏，雨一会儿就停了。En: But Xiaomei and Liang suggest seizing the opportunity for an impromptu candlelight gathering.Zh: "小妹提议道，语气轻快。En: "We can tell stories, play games, the rain will stop soon," proposes Xiaomei, in a cheerful tone.Zh: 君犹豫不决，感觉心中的紧张不断攀升。En: Jun hesitates, feeling the tension within him rising.Zh: 然而，看着小妹和良乐观的脸，他意识到，这也许不失为一个好机会。En: However, seeing the optimistic faces of Xiaomei and Liang, he realizes that this might just be a good opportunity.Zh: 到最后，君深吸一口气，点燃了更多的蜡烛，围坐在一起的小妹和良。En: In the end, Jun takes a deep breath, lights more candles, and gathers with Xiaomei and Liang around the table.Zh: 他们开始讲起父母最爱的故事，分享着每一个月饼，每一个笑话，每一个回忆。En: They start telling their parents' favorite stories, sharing each mooncake, each joke, and each memory.Zh: 雨声逐渐减弱，晚风带来了清新的空气。En: The sound of the rain gradually lessens, and the night breeze brings in fresh air.Zh: 君放松了下来，心中充满了平静。En: Jun relaxes, feeling peace fill his heart.Zh: 最终，他明白了：计划固然重要，但灵活和珍惜当下才是聚会的真正意义。En: Finally, he understands: while plans are important, flexibility and cherishing the moment are the true essence of celebration.Zh: 仲秋节在烛光中度过，这一夜，他们的心从未如此贴近。En: The Zhongqiu Jie is spent by candlelight, and on this night, their hearts have never felt closer.Zh: 即使天气不尽如人意，庆祝活动也同样完美，为他们的友谊增添了一抹更加温暖的色彩。En: Even though the weather was not ideal, the celebration was equally perfect, adding a warmer touch to their friendship. Vocabulary Words:moonlight: 月光alleyways: 巷道illuminating: 照亮lanterns: 灯笼approaching: 快到了preparing: 准备detail-oriented: 注重细节gathering: 聚会honor: 纪念creativity: 创造力free-spirited: 无拘无束surprises: 惊喜overcast: 乌云密布looming: 压在头顶上torrential: 倾盆unravel: 泡汤venturing: 冒雨fuses: 保险丝impromptu: 即兴hesitates: 犹豫不决tension: 紧张optimistic: 乐观essence: 意义cherishing: 珍惜celebration: 庆祝活动gradually: 逐渐breeze: 晚风flexibility: 灵活spirit: 心friendship: 友谊

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Shattered Heirlooms to Illuminating Futures Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-17-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 灯笼节的夜晚，繁星闪烁，秋风轻拂。En: On the night of the Denglongjie (Lantern Festival), the stars twinkled, and the autumn breeze gently brushed by.Zh: 灯笼的光辉洒在大地上，空气中弥漫着月饼的香甜。En: The glow of the lanterns spread across the earth, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of mooncakes.Zh: 一家人都聚集在这美丽的夜晚，包括梁、梅和迅三兄妹。En: The whole family gathered on this beautiful night, including the three siblings: Liang, Mei, and Xun.Zh: 梁是哥哥，他总是担心家中的传统。En: Liang is the older brother, always concerned about the family traditions.Zh: 他希望通过传承祖传的翡翠灯笼，让家族更加团结。En: He hopes to bring the family closer together by passing down the ancestral jade lantern.Zh: 梅是妹妹，她想要更多的自由，不想总是跟随家里的安排。En: Mei is the younger sister, seeking more freedom and not wanting to always follow the family's arrangements.Zh: 迅则是弟弟，他觉得自己常被忽视，希望得到哥哥姐姐的尊重。En: Xun is the younger brother, who often feels overlooked and hopes to earn respect from his brother and sister.Zh: 这一天，梁决定在灯笼节上与兄妹交流。En: On this day, Liang decided to communicate with his siblings during the lantern festival.Zh: 他希望能说服梅和迅继续守护家族传统。En: He hoped to persuade Mei and Xun to continue preserving the family traditions.Zh: 梅则想着是否该去追求自己的梦想，不再参与家族生意。En: Mei was contemplating whether she should pursue her own dreams, instead of participating in the family business.Zh: 迅则报名参加了灯笼设计比赛，他想着赢得比赛给哥哥姐姐看看自己的能力。En: Xun had signed up for a lantern design competition, thinking of winning the contest to show his brother and sister his capabilities.Zh: 灯笼节热闹非凡，大家挑选的灯笼各具特色，欢笑声和音乐声回荡在夜空。En: The lantern festival was bustling with excitement, and the lanterns chosen by everyone were each unique, with laughter and music echoing through the night sky.Zh: 就在这个时候，意外发生了。En: At that moment, an accident occurred.Zh: 他们心爱的翡翠灯笼在一次不小心的碰撞中摔落在地，碎成几片。En: Their beloved jade lantern accidentally fell to the ground during a collision, shattering into pieces.Zh: 梁、梅和迅面面相觑，这是家族珍贵的传承，如今破碎，他们感到无比的心痛。En: Liang, Mei, and Xun looked at each other, realizing that this was a precious family heirloom, now broken, and they felt an immense heartache.Zh: 但这也是一个机会，让兄妹坐下来共同面对问题。En: However, it was also an opportunity for the siblings to sit down and face the problem together.Zh: 他们意识到，维系家族不光靠一个物件，而需要每个人的心意。En: They realized that maintaining the family is not only about a single object but requires everyone's heartfelt involvement.Zh: 他们开始合作，用自己的长处修补灯笼。En: They began to collaborate, using their individual strengths to repair the lantern.Zh: 梁负责查阅旧资料，梅用她的灵巧双手修复细节，迅则注入创意，让灯笼焕然一新。En: Liang took charge of researching old materials, Mei applied her dexterous hands to repair the details, and Xun infused creativity, giving the lantern a new look.Zh: 虽然灯笼已不是原来的样子，但它如今代表了新的家族传统——尊重过去，但也要迈向未来。En: Although the lantern was no longer what it originally was, it now represented a new family tradition—respecting the past but also moving toward the future.Zh: 在修复灯笼的过程中，梁学会了分享责任，他发现传统也可以改变。En: In the process of repairing the lantern, Liang learned to share responsibility, realizing that traditions can also change.Zh: 梅体会到家庭支持的重要，迅获得了兄妹的尊重和信任。En: Mei appreciated the importance of family support, and Xun earned the respect and trust of his siblings.Zh: 月亮的光辉照在他们身上，他们心中满是光明与希望。En: The moonlight shone upon them, filling their hearts with brightness and hope.Zh: 在这个清爽的秋夜，灯笼节的快乐随着他们的笑声飘向远方，兄妹之间的情谊比以往任何时候都更加深厚。En: On this refreshing autumn night, the joy of the lantern festival drifted into the distance with their laughter, and the bond between the siblings was stronger than ever before.Zh: 灯笼虽然破碎过，但他们的心已经被更牢固地连在了一起。En: Although the lantern had been broken, their hearts were now more firmly connected. Vocabulary Words:twinkled: 闪烁breeze: 轻拂scent: 香甜gathered: 聚集concerned: 担心traditions: 传统ancestral: 祖传jade: 翡翠freedom: 自由overlooked: 忽视persuade: 说服contemplating: 想着pursue: 追求capabilities: 能力bustling: 热闹非凡accident: 意外collision: 碰撞heirloom: 珍贵的传承immense: 无比repair: 修补dexterous: 灵巧creativity: 创意collaborate: 合作responsibility: 责任illuminate: 照在bond: 情谊shattered: 碎成opportunity: 机会heartfelt: 心意hope: 希望

It's part 2 of our dive into the Insect Apocalypse, with our good friend Dr. Jason Dombroskie from the Cornell University Insect Collection!In this part, Jason fills us in on the drivers of the Insect Apocalypse and - most importantly - what we can do about it.This episode was recorded on August 21, 2025 at Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area in Dalton, NY.. Episode NotesDuring the episode, we made the claim that 40 million acres of the US is lawn, and that that area is equal to all of the country's National Parks put together. True? Well, sort of. The claim that the U.S. has about 40 million acres of lawn—roughly equal to all our national parks combined—is only partly true. A NASA-funded study led by Cristina Milesi estimated that turfgrass covers about 128,000 km² (≈31 million acres) of the continental U.S., making it the largest irrigated “crop” in the country (Milesi et al., Environmental Management, 2005; NASA Earth Observatory). Later analyses and popular summaries often round that up to ≈40 million acres (e.g., Scienceline, 2011; LawnStarter, 2023). By comparison, the total land area of all officially designated U.S. National Parks is about 52.4 million acres, while the entire National Park System—which also includes monuments, preserves, and historic sites—covers about 85 million acres (National Park Service, 2024). So while lawns and parks occupy areas of similar magnitude, lawns do not actually equal or exceed the combined area of the national parks. Is it better to mulch leaves on your lawn or leave them be? Here's what we found: It's generally best to mulch your leaves with a mower rather than rake or remove them. Research from Michigan State University found that mowing leaves into small pieces allows them to decompose quickly, returning nutrients to the soil and reducing weeds like dandelions and crabgrass (MSU Extension, “Don't rake leaves — mulch them into your lawn”, 2012). Cornell University studies similarly show that mulched leaves improve soil structure, moisture retention, and microbial activity (Cornell Cooperative Extension, “Leaf Mulching: A Sustainable Alternative”, 2019). However, in garden beds, wooded edges, or under shrubs, it's often better to leave leaves whole, since they provide winter habitat for butterflies, bees, and other invertebrates that overwinter in leaf litter (National Wildlife Federation, “Leave the Leaves for Wildlife”, 2020). The ideal approach is a mix: mow-mulch leaves on grassy areas for turf health and leave them intact where they naturally fall to support biodiversity and soil ecology. Episode LinksThe Cornell University Insect Collection Also, check out their great Instagram feedAnd their annual October event InsectapaloozaFind out more about the recently discovered species of Swallowtail, Papilio solstitius, commonly known as the Midsummer Tiger Swallowtail- https://www.sci.news/biology/papilio-solstitius-13710.htmlSponsors and Ways to Support UsThank you to Always Wandering Art (Website and Etsy Shop) for providing the artwork for many of our episodes.Support us on Patreon.Works CitedBiesmeijer, J.C., Roberts, S.P., Reemer, M., Ohlemuller, R., Edwards, M., Peeters, T., Schaffers, A.P., Potts, S.G., Kleukers, R.J.M.C., Thomas, C.D. and Settele, J., 2006. Parallel declines in pollinators and insect-pollinated plants in Britain and the Netherlands. Science, 313(5785), pp.351-354. Boyle, M.J., Bonebrake, T.C., Dias da Silva, K., Dongmo, M.A., Machado França, F., Gregory, N., Kitching, R.L., Ledger, M.J., Lewis, O.T., Sharp, A.C. and Stork, N.E., 2025. 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Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Virtual Lanterns Ignite an Unbreakable Mid-Autumn Bond Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-13-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的一个晚上，月亮高高挂在天空，En: One autumn evening, the moon hung high in the sky.Zh: 繁忙的聊天室里，“叮咚”声不断。En: In a busy chat room, the "ding" sounds were incessant.Zh: 屏幕上，闪烁的文字和表情符号让人眼花缭乱。En: On the screen, the flashing text and emojis were dazzling.Zh: 在这个热闹的虚拟空间里，久未联系的朋友梁和欣怡终于相聚。En: In this lively virtual space, Liang and Xinyi, friends who hadn't spoken in a while, finally reunited.Zh: 梁是个爱计划的人，但总是突发奇想。En: Liang is someone who loves planning but is always full of sudden ideas.Zh: 当他想到即将到来的中秋节，一股怀旧感涌上心头。En: When he thought of the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, a feeling of nostalgia surged in his heart.Zh: 他很想和欣怡分享这个节日的传统，即便相隔千里。En: He wanted to share the traditions of this festival with Xinyi, even though they were thousands of miles apart.Zh: 与此同时，生活有些单调的欣怡，总是担心自己会被人遗忘。En: At the same time, Xinyi, whose life was somewhat monotonous, was always worried about being forgotten.Zh: 她渴望维持深厚的友情。En: She longed to maintain a deep friendship.Zh: 时差和技术问题让两人很难找到同步的时间进行视频聊天。En: Time differences and technical issues made it difficult for them to find a synchronized time for video chatting.Zh: 一灯如豆，梁决定在网络摄像头前制作一场自制灯笼展示，给欣怡一个惊喜。En: With a light no brighter than a bean, Liang decided to create a homemade lantern display in front of the webcam to surprise Xinyi.Zh: 而欣怡犹豫着，要不要坦诚面对自己内心的孤独感。En: Meanwhile, Xinyi hesitated, wondering whether to face her feelings of loneliness honestly.Zh: 摄像头另一端，欣怡看到梁的脸上露出期盼的笑容，心里有了些温暖。En: On the other end of the webcam, Xinyi saw the expectant smile on Liang's face, which brought some warmth to her heart.Zh: 灯笼的微光透过像素，扇子型、莲花型的灯笼缓缓亮起，温馨又雅致。En: The faint light of the lanterns, in the shape of fans and lotus flowers, gently lit up, warm and elegant.Zh: 终于，欣怡深吸了一口气，“梁，有时候我的确觉得很孤单。”En: Finally, Xinyi took a deep breath and said, 'Liang, sometimes I do feel very lonely.'Zh: 突然间，她觉得轻松了很多。En: Suddenly, she felt much lighter.Zh: 梁点亮最后一个灯笼，说道：“这灯是给我们友谊的，希望总在灯火中。”En: Liang lit the last lantern and said, 'This lantern is for our friendship, a hope always in the light.'Zh: 那一刻，房间不再只是闪烁的文字和表情符号，而是融合了温暖的光和真诚的心。En: At that moment, the room was no longer just flashing text and emojis but a blend of warm light and sincere hearts.Zh: 两人都感受到了深深的情谊，快乐地聊着彼此的生活，愿意去包容面临的挑战。En: Both of them felt a deep friendship, happily chatting about each other's lives, willing to embrace the challenges ahead.Zh: 到了告别的时刻，梁和欣怡郑重地约定，每个月至少一次的视频聊天，将中秋节的温情延续。En: When it was time to say goodbye, Liang and Xinyi solemnly agreed to have a video chat at least once a month, extending the warmth of the Mid-Autumn Festival.Zh: 对梁来说，他明白除了家庭传统，口头上的关心也是一种重要的联系。En: For Liang, he realized that besides family traditions, verbal concern is also an important connection.Zh: 欣怡在这个过程里学到了一个重要的道理：表达情感并不是软弱，而是一种力量，尤其是在坚固的友谊面前。En: Xinyi learned an important lesson in the process: expressing emotions is not weakness, but a strength, especially in the face of strong friendship.Zh: 就这样，这个秋天，属于他们的中秋庆典在虚拟的光影中圆满落幕，而友情如同龙灯般炫目而温暖。En: And so, this autumn, their Mid-Autumn celebration concluded perfectly in the virtual light and shadows, and their friendship was as dazzling and warm as a dragon lantern. Vocabulary Words:nostalgia: 怀旧感surged: 涌上monotonous: 单调synchronized: 同步的hesitated: 犹豫expectant: 期盼elegant: 雅致solemnly: 郑重地verbal: 口头上的concern: 关心illuminate: 点亮embrace: 包容declaration: 表示incessant: 不断dazzling: 眼花缭乱virtual: 虚拟reunited: 相聚lantern: 灯笼maintain: 维持challenges: 挑战fragility: 脆弱deep: 深厚process: 过程lesson: 道理constellation: 星座faint: 微光concluded: 落幕display: 展示traditional: 传统strength: 力量

Parenting doesn't end when our children turn 18—it simply changes. Parenting young adult children encompasses a full spectrum of emotions such as joy, pride, longing, and grief. It requires a reevaluation of what it means to be a mother. In this heartfelt solo episode, I share truths about parenting grown children, a role that is rarely talked about. I share the joys, grief, and surprising lessons of parenting young adult children. I offer what I hope is grounding wisdom for embracing the ongoing transitions. Whether your kids are in college, starting careers, or building families of their own, this stage is filled with change, growth, and the need for a new kind of connection.  It is a tender, bittersweet season of parenting. A phase that requires a reevaluation of what it means to be a mother. I explore how to stay connected while letting go, how to trust your adult children, and how to show up with curiosity, compassion, and love even as your role shifts from daily involvement to occasional invitations.  Parenting young adults is a long game. Your relationship as adults will last far longer than the childhood years. Curiosity, compassion, trust, and emotional spaciousness are the keys to connection in this season. You can let go while still feeling deeply and accepting change doesn't mean you stop caring. Reflection Questions: How do you want to show up as a parent in this new chapter? What would love do in your relationship with your young adult child? If you are ready to step more fully into this next chapter of life—whether you are redefining your role as a parent, finding your passions, or learning to let go with love—join me at one of my upcoming retreats at www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats.  For coaching support as you navigate these transitions, visit www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching. If you would like to hire me or Dr. Liang to speak or lead a workshop for your team, institution, or conference, please reach out at www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking or www.awakenbreath.org. Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.  

What if one introduction could change the entire trajectory of your career or someone else's? This week's episode is an invitation to reflect on the ripple effect of referrals, recommendations, and authentic support, especially among women in medicine. As women in medicine, we haven't always supported one another well.  In honor of Women in Medicine Month, this episode is an encouragement to change that. I share how one beautiful moment of being recommended felt - a sense of deep gratitude, renewed purpose, and the powerful realization that women have the capacity to lift one another in ways that shift not just careers, but culture. Building circles of support can bring  joy, meaning, and positive change into our personal and professional lives.  Whether you're a natural connector or a quiet introvert, listen for practical ways to build deeper relationships, give generously, and receive with grace. Pearls of Wisdom: Referrals and recommendations aren't promotion, they're acts of trust, generosity, and cultural change. Supporting another woman in medicine creates ripple effects far beyond what you may see or know. Authentic connections are more impactful than loud visibility. One meaningful recommendation is powerful. Don't need to amplify everything. Simply share what you genuinely love and believe in. Deep, one-on-one conversations are as powerful and more meaningful than large-scale networking. Reflection Questions: Who is one woman in medicine you could lift up this week through a referral, recommendation, or kind word? How would it feel to give that kind of support freely, with love? What ripple effect might you create by sharing authentically the work of someone you admire? We close this episode with an invitation to become a connector. Even if you're an introvert, even if you're just starting out, one referral, one introduction, or one moment of amplifying someone else's light can change everything for that person - and for you! If this conversation inspires you, consider sharing it with a woman in medicine you admire.  If you're ready to create deeper, more aligned connections in your own life and career, I'd love to support you with mindful coaching www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching. To retreat with me and step into more aligned leadership and connection, explore upcoming retreats at www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats. 2025 retreats are all sold out but I would love to meet you in 2026. To bring conversations like this to your team or institution, connect with Dr. Jessie Mahoney at  www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking or connect with Dr. Liang at www.awakenbreath.org. Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.  

In Session 311, I sit down with Christina Nylander and Leah Hussain from Apollo Behavior to talk about culturally sensitive approaches to Autism intervention. We dive into three case studies that show how flexible, individualized care can make a huge difference in building the rapport that's so important in our clinical work. Along the way, we share strategies for gaining parent buy-in, supporting bilingual language development, and using AAC devices to help children communicate more effectively with their families. Here's what we cover: The parent training shift when cultural sensitivity and rapport-building are prioritized. Christina and Leah's bilingual language development success stories, including Spanish- and Russian-speaking families. The role of AAC devices in improving communication, and one of these case studies progressed to no longer needing this technology. My random thoughts on video documentation and other creative methods to communicate client progress to stakeholders. Throughout the discussion, we reflect on the importance of balancing clinical recommendations with cultural and educational values. It's not just about treatment plans—it's about building trust, respecting families' perspectives, and helping kids thrive in ways that feel authentic to them. Sidenote: If you want to learn about what it's like to work at Apollo, or check out their open positions, click here. Key Takeaways Cultural sensitivity builds stronger collaboration with families. Bilingual and AAC strategies can unlock communication progress. Showing progress through videos and creative methods strengthens parent engagement. Individualized parent training, including in multiple languages, increases accessibility. If you're a BCBA, ABA therapist, or behavioral health professional, I think you'll find this conversation full of practical ideas for making your work more effective—and more meaningful. Bilingual & Dual‑Language Interventions Neely et al. (2020) – Impact of language on behavior treatment outcomes. Banerjee et al. (2021) – Extending Functional Communication Training to Multiple Language Contexts in Bilingual Learners with Challenging Behavior. Cengher (2024). On Bilingualism: Why and How to Teach Two Languages to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cultural Responsiveness, Humility & Systemic Equity in ABA Deochand, Neil & Costello, Mack S. (2022). Building a Social Justice Framework for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in  ABA. Jimenez-Gomez, Corina & Beaulieu, L. (2022). Cultural responsiveness in applied behavior analysis: Research and practice. ABA Effectiveness & Need for Cultural Inclusion Yu, Qian; Li, Enyao; Li, Liguo; Liang, Weiyi (2020). Efficacy of Interventions Based on Applied Behavior Analysis for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta‑Analysis. Spreckley, Michele & Boyd, Roslyn (2009). Efficacy of Applied Behavioural Intervention in Preschool Children with Autism for Improving Cognitive, Language, and Adaptive Behavior: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Bonus resources Clinical Interviewing, by Sommers-Flanagan and Sommers-Flanagan (note 1: I know it's expensive, but older versions may be cheaper; note 2: this is an Amazon Associates link). Tobii Dynavox (the AAC tech that was discussed in the show). Looking for a pod-based CEU on this topic? Check out: Session 194, Inside JABA 12: Cultural Responsiveness in Applied Behavior Analysis. Sponsor Shoutouts! Frontera. Consider taking a demo of Frontera's Assessment Builder and see how the ethical application of AI technologies can help you serve clients and save you time! Your first assessment report is free. And if you use code BOP25 you'll get an additional five assessments for just $100. So head to fronterahealth.com to check it out! Our newest sponsor: MindBodyBehavior's Certified Health Coach Program. If you're a BCBA looking to use your ABA skills to help people live healthier lifestyles, learn how to do it the right way, with expert instruction, mentoring, and guidance from Sarah Burby. Click here to learn more! HRIC Recruting. Cut out the middleman and speak directly with Barbara Voss, who's been placing BCBAs in great jobs all across the US for 15 years. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Don't forget to use the coupon code, PODCAST to save at checkout!