Podcasts about Mandarin

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Home: Mei's Journey of Rediscovery at Xihu Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-31-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 西湖冬天的清晨微冷，空气中弥漫着淡淡的桂花香。En: The winter mornings by Xihu are slightly chilly, and the air is filled with a faint osmanthus fragrance.Zh: 梅站在湖边，双手插在口袋里，凝视远方的断桥。En: Mei stands by the lake with her hands in her pockets, gazing at the distant Duanqiao.Zh: 虽然树木光秃秃，但湖边依然热闹，红色的灯笼随风摇曳，人们忙着准备春节。En: Though the trees are bare, the lakeside remains lively with red lanterns swaying in the wind, and people busy preparing for the Spring Festival.Zh: 梅这次回到了故乡，她内心充满疑惑。En: Mei has returned to her hometown, but her heart is full of confusion.Zh: 她羡慕简单的过去，但她的职业生涯却在吸引她走得更远。En: She envies the simplicity of the past, yet her career entices her to venture further.Zh: 梅不知道未来该如何决定。En: Mei does not know how to decide her future.Zh: 就在她冥思苦想的时候，肩上突然被人拍了一下。En: Just as she is deep in thought, someone suddenly taps her on the shoulder.Zh: 转头一看，是简，他依然像以前一样，总是活力四射。En: Turning around, she sees Jian, as energetic as ever.Zh: “梅，好久不见！En: "Mei, long time no see!"Zh: ”他笑着说，“刘也来了。En: he says with a smile.Zh: ”刘从不远处走来，虽然多年未见，他却看起来更加成熟，但仍带着熟悉的微笑。En: "Liu is here too."Zh: “梅，回来真好。En: Liu approaches from a distance.Zh: ”刘说道，眼中充满了温暖。En: Though they haven't seen each other for years, he looks more mature, yet still carries that familiar smile.Zh: 三人一起漫步西湖，面对几年前曾一起走过的小路，梅感到一丝安慰和怀念。En: "Mei, it's good to have you back," Liu says warmly.Zh: 在一盏灯笼的温暖光辉下，梅终于鼓起勇气和他们分享了她的心事。En: The three of them stroll around Xihu, and Mei feels a sense of comfort and nostalgia on the paths they once walked together years ago.Zh: “我不知道该留在这儿还是去别的地方。En: Under the warm glow of a lantern, Mei finally musters the courage to share her thoughts with them.Zh: ”梅说，她的话略显迟疑。En: "I don't know whether to stay here or go somewhere else," Mei says, her words tinged with hesitation.Zh: 简笑着安慰她：“你要相信，不管哪里，只要心有所归，便是你的家。En: Jian smiles and reassures her, "You have to trust that no matter where you are, as long as your heart has a place to call home, it will be your home."Zh: ”刘点头表示同意：“人生总是变化无常，重要的是在变化中找到内心的宁静。En: Liu nods in agreement, saying, "Life is always unpredictable, but what's important is finding inner peace amidst the changes."Zh: ”听着朋友们的建议，梅心中的疑虑开始消散。En: Listening to her friends' advice, Mei's doubts start to dissipate.Zh: 她意识到，家不仅仅是一个地方，而是一种感觉。En: She realizes that home is not just a place, but a feeling.Zh: 带着新的领悟，她决定暂时留在杭州，感受这里的根基。En: With this new understanding, she decides to temporarily stay in Hangzhou and connect with her roots.Zh: 夜色中，梅再次站在湖边，看着湖面上映照的灯光。En: In the evening, Mei stands by the lake again, watching the lantern-lit reflections on the water.Zh: 此刻，她感受到一种前所未有的平和与接受，她明白旅程的一部分便是拥抱变化。En: At this moment, she feels an unprecedented peace and acceptance, understanding that part of the journey is embracing change.Zh: 梅轻轻地微笑，觉得未来不再那样遥不可及。En: Mei smiles gently, no longer feeling that the future is so out of reach.Zh: 西湖的灯火依然明亮，仿佛在为三位朋友的重逢庆贺，也为梅的新开始加油。En: The lights of Xihu remain bright, as if celebrating the reunion of the three friends and cheering for Mei's new beginning. Vocabulary Words:chilly: 微冷faint: 淡淡fragrance: 香gazing: 凝视bare: 光秃秃lanterns: 灯笼swaying: 摇曳envies: 羡慕simplicity: 简单entices: 吸引venture: 走得更远decide: 决定shoulder: 肩energetic: 活力四射mature: 成熟familiar: 熟悉nostalgia: 怀念musters: 鼓起hesitation: 迟疑reassures: 安慰unpredictable: 变化无常doubts: 疑虑dissipate: 消散feelings: 感觉acceptance: 接受embracing: 拥抱journey: 旅程reunion: 重逢cheering: 加油roots: 根基

Ex 10:1-12:13, Matt 20:1-28, Ps 25:1-11, Pr 6:6-11

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Detective Wei and the Lantern Festival Mystery Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-30-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夜晚的雪花在国际寄宿学校的屋顶上悄悄积累，校园里一片宁静，唯有红色的灯笼和春节的装饰给寒冷的冬天增添了一丝暖意。En: On a winter's night, snowflakes quietly accumulated on the rooftops of the international boarding school, and the campus lay in silence, with only the red lanterns and Spring Festival decorations adding a touch of warmth to the cold winter.Zh: 然而，这宁静的夜晚却隐藏着一连串的神秘失窃案。En: However, this calm night concealed a string of mysterious thefts.Zh: 魏是个安静的学生，但他内心深处，对侦探工作充满了好奇。En: Wei was a quiet student, but deep down, he was fascinated by detective work.Zh: 最近，宿舍内接连发生了失窃事件，几位同学的物品不翼而飞，大家人心惶惶。En: Recently, a series of thefts had occurred in the dormitory, with several students' belongings mysteriously disappearing, leaving everyone feeling anxious.Zh: 魏心里想着：“我一定要在春节庆典前解决这个谜团！”En: Wei thought to himself, "I must solve this mystery before the Spring Festival celebrations!"Zh: 他的朋友连是个外向又迷信的人，他相信新年的神灵会帮助他们抓住小偷。En: His friend Lian was an outgoing and superstitious person, believing that the spirits of the New Year would help them catch the thief.Zh: “我们一定要小心，不能得罪神灵！”连总是这样说。En: "We must be careful not to offend the spirits!" Lian would always say.Zh: 明与他们截然不同，他是理智的化身，怀疑一切神秘的事物。En: Ming, on the other hand, was the embodiment of rationality, skeptical of all things mysterious.Zh: 他不相信新年的神灵，却非常关心朋友们的安全。En: He didn't believe in New Year's spirits, but he was very concerned about his friends' safety.Zh: 宿舍里，魏默默观察每一个可疑的线索，连则忙着拜访附近的寺庙，祈求好运。En: In the dormitory, Wei quietly observed every suspicious clue, while Lian was busy visiting nearby temples, praying for good luck.Zh: 明则建议大家从实际证据入手，比如仔细检查宿舍的门锁和窗户。En: Ming suggested that they start with practical evidence, like carefully checking the dormitory's locks and windows.Zh: 很快，春节到了。En: Soon, the Spring Festival arrived.Zh: 学校举办了灯笼节，彩灯在雪地上闪耀，映照出温暖的光芒。En: The school hosted the Lantern Festival, with colorful lights sparkling on the snowy ground, casting a warm glow.Zh: 魏决定抓住最后的机会。En: Wei decided to seize the final opportunity.Zh: 在灯笼节的准备活动中，当人群熙熙攘攘时，他躲在一旁仔细观察。En: During the preparations for the Lantern Festival, as the crowd bustled, he hid aside to observe carefully.Zh: 终于，一个形迹可疑的身影映入眼帘。En: Finally, a suspicious figure caught his eye.Zh: 那是一个陌生的男孩，正在偷偷地翻动一个背包。En: It was an unfamiliar boy, secretly rummaging through a backpack.Zh: 这一幕让魏的心脏剧烈跳动，他镇定下来，示意明和连过来一起观察。En: This scene made Wei's heart race, and he calmed himself, signaling Ming and Lian to join him in observing.Zh: “是他！”魏低声说。En: "It's him!" Wei whispered.Zh: 他们合力抓住了那个男孩。En: Together, they caught the boy.Zh: 经过询问才知道，原来是一个学生的堂弟，趁着春节到学校来玩。En: After questioning, they discovered it was actually a cousin of a student who had come to the school to play during the Spring Festival.Zh: 他觉得恶作剧会很有趣，没想到却引起了如此大的轰动。En: He thought playing a prank would be fun, not realizing it would cause such a stir.Zh: 随着真相的揭开，孩子们都松了口气。En: With the truth revealed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.Zh: 失窃的物品被一一找回，小偷只是个想恶作剧的顽皮孩子而已。En: The stolen items were all recovered, and the thief turned out to be just a mischievous kid looking to play pranks.Zh: 魏也在这次事件中发现了自信，他学会了如何将直觉与逻辑结合起来。En: Wei also gained confidence through this incident, learning how to combine intuition with logic.Zh: 随着新年钟声的敲响，学校沉浸在节日的欢声笑语中。En: With the ringing of the New Year's bell, the school was immersed in festive laughter.Zh: 纸灯笼在空中摇曳，魏、连和明坐在一起，看着绚丽的烟火，心中充满了平和和喜悦。En: Paper lanterns swayed in the sky, and Wei, Lian, and Ming sat together, watching the brilliant fireworks, their hearts filled with peace and joy.Zh: 故事最后，魏对连说：“看来你的迷信也有点用，”连笑着点点头。En: At the story's end, Wei said to Lian, "It seems your superstition was of some use," and Lian nodded with a smile.Zh: 故事虽结束，但他们的友情和在一起解决问题的能力，却在这片雪白的校园中生根发芽。En: Although the story ended, their friendship and ability to solve problems together took root and flourished in the snow-covered campus. Vocabulary Words:snowflakes: 雪花accumulated: 积累boarding school: 寄宿学校rooftops: 屋顶lanterns: 灯笼decorations: 装饰concealed: 隐藏thefts: 失窃案mysterious: 神秘fascinated: 充满好奇belongings: 物品anxious: 人心惶惶superstitious: 迷信spirits: 神灵skeptical: 怀疑evidence: 证据preparations: 准备活动bustled: 熙熙攘攘mischievous: 顽皮intuition: 直觉fireworks: 烟火prank: 恶作剧campus: 校园observe: 观察clues: 线索rummaging: 翻动disappearing: 不翼而飞rationality: 理智revealed: 揭开flourished: 生根发芽

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Sibling Harmony: Balancing Tradition and Modernity at West Lake Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-30-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 冬天，西湖的空气格外清新。En: In winter, the air around West Lake is especially fresh.Zh: 杭州的小茶馆安静地坐落在湖边，四周点缀着红灯笼，透着节日的气息。En: A small tea house in Hangzhou quietly sits by the lakeside, surrounded by red lanterns, exuding a festive atmosphere.Zh: 茶香在暖暖的灯光中弥漫，让人心神放松。En: The fragrance of tea permeates the warm light, soothing the mind and spirit.Zh: 茶馆里，三个兄弟姐妹——明宇、玲和佳豪，聚在一张老木桌旁。En: Inside the tea house, three siblings—Mingyu, Ling, and Jiahao—gathered around an old wooden table.Zh: 桌上摆满了准备农历新年的各种茶叶和点心，这是他们祖母最爱的传统。En: The table was filled with various teas and snacks prepared for the Lunar New Year, a tradition their grandmother loved the most.Zh: 祖母过世后，这间茶馆的未来成了他们迫切要面对的问题。En: After her passing, the future of the tea house became an urgent issue they had to face.Zh: 明宇是长子，理智且注重传统。En: Mingyu, the eldest son, is rational and values tradition.Zh: 他相信茶馆应该保持原有的历史风貌，以表达对祖辈的尊重。En: He believes that the tea house should maintain its historical appearance to show respect for their ancestors.Zh: 玲则是第二个孩子，向往新潮，想要将现代元素融入茶馆，吸引更多年轻顾客。En: Ling, the second child, longs for modernity and wants to incorporate modern elements into the tea house to attract more young customers.Zh: 最小的佳豪站在两人之间，显得有些不安。En: The youngest, Jiahao, stood between the two, appearing a bit uneasy.Zh: “我们不能忘记祖母的心血，”明宇坚定地说道，“茶馆不能失去文化根基。”En: "We can't forget grandmother's hard work," Mingyu said firmly. "The tea house cannot lose its cultural roots."Zh: “但我们也要与时俱进，”玲提出反驳，“如果我们什么都不改变，会被时代抛弃。”En: "But we also need to keep up with the times," Ling countered. "If we don't change anything, we'll be abandoned by the era."Zh: 空气中弥漫着些许紧张。En: A hint of tension filled the air.Zh: 佳豪看着哥哥姐姐，不知道怎么缓解他们之间的分歧。En: Jiahao looked at his brother and sister, unsure of how to ease the rift between them.Zh: 他抿了一口热茶，鼓起勇气说道：“我们能不能融合一些新想法？不丢掉传统，只是让茶馆更加吸引人。”En: He took a sip of hot tea, gathered his courage, and said, "Can we blend some new ideas? Without losing tradition, we could make the tea house more appealing."Zh: 玲和明宇对视片刻。En: Ling and Mingyu exchanged a glance.Zh: 玲微微点头。En: Ling nodded slightly.Zh: “或许，我们可以试试，”她妥协道，“我们可以增加一些现代茶艺展示。”En: "Maybe we can try," she conceded. "We can add some modern tea ceremony demonstrations."Zh: 明宇思考了一会儿，也终于开口：“好吧，我们可以做出一些改变，但不能失去茶馆的精神。”En: Mingyu thought for a moment and finally spoke: "Alright, we can make some changes, but we can't lose the spirit of the tea house."Zh: 他补充道，“比如，我们增加一些新年特供，不过还是要围绕我们的传统一起来。”En: He added, "For example, we can introduce some New Year specials, but they must be centered around our traditions."Zh: 这番话让佳豪心里一松。En: These words brought relief to Jiahao.Zh: 他们三人开始谈论具体计划，茶馆空气中的冬日寒意仿佛也消散了几分。En: The three of them began discussing specific plans, and the wintry chill in the air of the tea house seemed to dissipate a bit.Zh: 在新年的准备中，他们达成了和解。En: In preparing for the New Year, they reached a reconciliation.Zh: 明宇认识到接受一些创新也是对祖母的另一种敬意，玲赞同护持家族传统能带来独特魅力，而佳豪在过程中找到了自己的声音，成为了两者的桥梁。En: Mingyu realized that accepting some innovation was another form of honoring grandmother, Ling agreed that preserving family traditions could bring unique charm, and Jiahao found his voice in the process, becoming a bridge between the two.Zh: 随着春节的临近，茶馆门口的红灯笼闪耀得更明亮了。En: As the Spring Festival approached, the red lanterns at the tea house entrance shone brighter.Zh: 屋内，茶香依旧，却多了一层新的味道，承载着三个兄弟姐妹共同的心血。En: Inside, the tea fragrance remained, but with an added new aroma, bearing the shared effort of the three siblings.Zh: 通过理解和尊重，他们终于为茶馆找到了平衡点。En: Through understanding and respect, they finally found a balance for the tea house. Vocabulary Words:fragrance: 香气permeates: 弥漫soothing: 舒缓的siblings: 兄弟姐妹gathered: 聚集tradition: 传统passing: 过世rational: 理智maintain: 保持ancestor: 祖先modernity: 现代性incorporate: 合并uneasy: 不安的counter: 反驳tension: 紧张rift: 分歧courage: 勇气demonstrations: 展示conceded: 妥协innovation: 创新reconciliation: 和解preserving: 保护charm: 魅力approached: 临近aroma: 香味understanding: 理解respect: 尊重balance: 平衡festive: 节日的appealing: 吸引人的

Send us a textKirkland library experts Meredith Selfon and Amy Faulkner give us the inside scoop on local library resources that might surprise you, from Mandarin story times and crafternoons to snagging bestsellers and accessing newspapers from around the globe.  We also learn the importance of donating blood, why practicing a fire escape plan is critical for saving lives, and how to help kids through the LINKS program. Plus, we look ahead to the next council meeting and highlight fun upcoming events.Shownotes: www.kirklandwa.gov/podcast#20260129

Ex 7:25-9:35, Matt 19:13-30, Ps 24:1-10, Pr 6:1-5

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Unlocking Ancient Secrets: A Winter Expedition in Zhangjiajie Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-29-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在湖南的冬天，张家界国家森林公园的石英砂岩柱拔地而起，像一座座直插天际的巨塔，轻雪洒落，为大地铺上一层银装。En: In the winter of Hunan, the quartz sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park rise abruptly from the ground, like giant towers piercing the sky, with light snow falling, covering the earth with a layer of silver.Zh: 在这样一个奇异的景色里，有一群人正沿着崎岖小路前行。En: Amidst this extraordinary landscape, a group of people is making their way along a rugged path.Zh: 贾浩是个热爱古代中国历史的考古学家，他对未知充满了好奇。En: Jia Hao is an archaeologist passionate about ancient Chinese history, full of curiosity about the unknown.Zh: 此次，他的目标是寻找传说中的部落神器，这样才能解开这里的神秘传说。En: This time, his goal is to search for the legendary tribal artifact, which could unlock the mysterious legends of this place.Zh: 他跟当地的导游丽玲，以及他的考古同行波一起，准备深入密林，探索未知的区域。En: He is accompanied by a local guide, Li Ling, and his fellow archaeologist, Bo, as they prepare to venture deep into the forest to explore uncharted territories.Zh: 丽玲熟悉这片土地，每条小路她都了如指掌。En: Li Ling is familiar with this land and knows every path like the back of her hand.Zh: 波则是个经验丰富的考古学家，他和贾浩一样，渴望发现古老的秘密。En: Bo is an experienced archaeologist, and like Jia Hao, he is eager to discover ancient secrets.Zh: 三人经过一番商讨，决定从森林深处开始找寻。En: After a discussion, the three decided to start their search from deep within the forest.Zh: “快看，这个符号。”贾浩指着一块布满苔藓的石头。En: "Look quickly, this symbol," Jia Hao pointed to a moss-covered stone.Zh: 石头上刻着古老部落的图腾。En: The stone was engraved with the totems of an ancient tribe.Zh: 这个发现让他们激动不已。En: This discovery excited them greatly.Zh: 三人跟随这些图腾，深入到一个他们从未到过的古老洞穴。En: Following these totems, the three ventured into an ancient cave they had never visited before.Zh: 突然，一声巨响，洞口的石块坍塌，把他们困在了里面。En: Suddenly, with a loud crash, rocks collapsed at the cave entrance, trapping them inside.Zh: 洞穴中寒气逼人，黑暗无比，令人感到恐惧。En: The cave was chillingly cold and dark, evoking a sense of fear.Zh: 丽玲冷静地说：“大家别慌！我们一定会找到出口。”En: Li Ling calmly said, "Don't panic! We will definitely find a way out."Zh: 贾浩和波用手电筒仔细观察着洞穴的石壁。En: Jia Hao and Bo carefully observed the cave walls with flashlights.Zh: 抚摸着上面的符号和图案，他们心里有了些许头绪。En: As they touched the symbols and patterns, they began to gain some insight.Zh: 这些符号似乎在指引着一条新的出路。En: These symbols seemed to be pointing towards a new escape route.Zh: 经过一番推敲，贾浩发现了图腾之间暗藏的联系。En: After some deliberation, Jia Hao discovered a hidden connection between the totems.Zh: 随着他小心翼翼地破解最后的符号，一道隐蔽的通道出现在眼前。En: As he cautiously deciphered the last symbol, a concealed passage appeared before them.Zh: 三人手拉手，借着微弱的灯光，一步步走向出口。En: Hand in hand, the three, guided by the faint light, proceeded step by step towards the exit.Zh: 终于，他们看到了外面湛蓝的天空和洁白的雪。En: Finally, they saw the azure sky and pristine snow outside.Zh: 眼前的一切如画般美丽，三人心中充满了不可思议的成就感。En: Everything before their eyes was as beautiful as a painting, and their hearts were filled with an incredible sense of achievement.Zh: 在洞口不远处，他们找到了失落的部落神器。En: Not far from the cave entrance, they found the lost tribal artifact.Zh: 那件神器似乎在冬日的阳光下闪闪发光。En: The artifact seemed to glisten in the winter sunlight.Zh: 回来后，贾浩深深体会到，单凭一己之力是无法战胜挑战的，团队合作和信任才是成功的关键。En: Upon their return, Jia Hao deeply realized that challenges cannot be overcome by relying on individual strength alone; teamwork and trust are the keys to success.Zh: 他意识到，有时谜题的答案来源于多角度的观察和不同的智慧。En: He realized that sometimes the answers to puzzles come from observing from multiple angles and leveraging different kinds of wisdom.Zh: 在这个元宵节，张家界的夜空明亮如昼，空气中飘荡着鞭炮声和灯火的温暖。En: During this Lantern Festival, the night sky in Zhangjiajie was as bright as day, with the air filled with the sounds of firecrackers and the warmth of lanterns.Zh: 贾浩微笑着，看着天上的花灯慢慢消失在夜空中。En: Jia Hao smiled as he watched the sky lanterns gradually disappear into the night sky.Zh: 此刻，他的心中除了成就，还有一份浓浓的友情和团队的温暖。En: At this moment, in addition to a sense of achievement, he felt a deep friendship and the warmth of teamwork. Vocabulary Words:quartz: 石英sandstone: 砂岩pillars: 柱piercing: 直插rugged: 崎岖archaeologist: 考古学家artifact: 神器legendary: 传说中的mysterious: 神秘tribal: 部落venture: 探险uncharted: 未知的totems: 图腾excited: 激动cave: 洞穴collapsed: 坍塌chillingly: 寒气逼人panic: 慌deciphered: 破解concealed: 隐蔽的faint: 微弱azure: 湛蓝pristine: 洁白achievement: 成就artifact: 神器gleaming: 闪闪发光challenges: 挑战teamwork: 团队合作trust: 信任puzzles: 谜题

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Traveler's Humor: Spring Festival Missteps in Taiwan Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-29-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在台湾原住民的小村庄，春节的气氛热闹非凡。En: In a small Taiwan indigenous village, the atmosphere during the Spring Festival was extraordinarily lively.Zh: 村庄里挂满了红色的灯笼，空气中充满了鼓声和传统年节食物的香味。En: The village was adorned with red lanterns, and the air was filled with the sound of drums and the aroma of traditional New Year's festival foods.Zh: 村民们在广场上聚集，准备开始传统的舞龙表演。En: The villagers gathered in the plaza, ready to begin the traditional dragon dance performance.Zh: 应杰是一位充满好奇心的旅者，总是热衷于融入当地风俗，但时常闹出笑话。En: Yingjie was a traveler full of curiosity, always eager to immerse himself in local customs, but he often ended up in humorous situations.Zh: 他的朋友慧中谨慎而周到，总是在努力避免麻烦，但内心里其实很享受这些小冒险。En: His friend Huizhong was cautious and considerate, always trying to avoid trouble, though he secretly enjoyed these little adventures.Zh: 在这个冬日的节日中，应杰看到一条色彩斑斓的大龙在广场上飞舞。En: During this winter festival, Yingjie saw a colorful dragon dancing in the square.Zh: 他以为这是一场村庄年度的新年赛跑，急忙拉住慧中说：“快，我们也要去参加！En: He mistook it for the village's annual New Year race and hurriedly pulled Huizhong saying, "Quick, we should join too!"Zh: ”慧中有点犹豫：“应杰，这应该是舞龙表演吧？En: Huizhong hesitated a bit: "Yingjie, this should be a dragon dance performance, right?Zh: 我不确定我们是否能加入。En: I'm not sure we can join."Zh: ”但应杰坚持说：“没关系，几个村民还穿上了特别的服装，我们也去换上！En: But Yingjie insisted, "No problem, a few villagers even put on special costumes, let's go change too!"Zh: ”他误以为这是跑步比赛的特供衣服。En: He mistakenly thought these were special outfits for the race.Zh: 他们两个来到所谓的“起跑线”，应杰兴奋地冲进去，试图跟上大龙的节拍。En: They both went to the so-called "starting line," with Yingjie excitedly rushing in, trying to keep up with the dragon's rhythm.Zh: 然而，他们扰乱了舞龙队伍，村民们一时手忙脚乱，但很快就被这对好心的外国友人逗得哈哈大笑。En: However, they disrupted the dragon dance team, causing a brief moment of chaos among the villagers, who soon burst into laughter at their well-meaning foreign friends.Zh: 表演结束后，村民们友好地解释道：“那其实是舞龙，我们很高兴你们喜欢。En: After the performance, the villagers kindly explained, "That was actually a dragon dance, and we're glad you enjoyed it."Zh: ”他们邀请应杰和慧中加入舞龙队，给他们穿上真正的表演服。En: They invited Yingjie and Huizhong to join the dragon dance team, giving them real performance costumes to wear.Zh: 之后，应杰注意到传统的重要性，但并没有失去他的热情。En: Afterward, Yingjie came to appreciate the importance of traditions but didn't lose his enthusiasm.Zh: 慧中则开始享受即使有些误导的小冒险。En: Huizhong began to enjoy these slightly misguided little adventures.Zh: 他们在村庄里度过了一个难忘的农历新年，体验了真正的文化交流，也为节日增添了欢声笑语。En: They spent an unforgettable Lunar New Year in the village, experiencing true cultural exchange and adding laughter to the festival. Vocabulary Words:indigenous: 原住民的extraordinarily: 非凡的adorned: 挂满了aroma: 香味curiosity: 好奇心immerse: 融入customs: 风俗considerate: 周到的hesitated: 犹豫disrupted: 扰乱chaos: 混乱burst into laughter: 哈哈大笑appreciate: 注意到enthusiasm: 热情cultural exchange: 文化交流tradition: 传统plaza: 广场performance: 表演humorous: 笑话cautious: 谨慎outfit: 服装rhythm: 节拍foreign: 外国的appreciate: 欣赏unforgettable: 难忘的experience: 体验adventure: 冒险enthusiastically: 兴奋地misguided: 误导

Are you wondering whether Wonder Man is worth your time? In this episode, we break down Marvel's latest Disney+ series, give you the essential background on the character, and explain what you actually need to know before diving in. From Simon Williams' comic book origins to his surprising connections with Vision, Scarlet Witch, and the Avengers, we cover the fun facts, controversies, and powers that shaped Wonder Man long before his MCU debut. We also dig into how Wonder Man fits into the MCU under the Marvel Spotlight banner—designed to be more grounded, character-driven, and accessible without deep MCU homework. Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as a struggling actor hiding dangerous superpowers, and Ben Kingsley returning as Trevor Slattery, the series leans hard into Hollywood satire, mentorship, and the bizarre "Doorman Clause" that bans super-powered people from acting. Our reactions are… mixed. While the show shines as a personal story about ambition, insecurity, and creative survival—anchored by a standout performance from Ben Kingsley—it struggles with tone, realism, and the weight of its MCU identity. We talk about what works, what doesn't, and whether Wonder Man feels like a forgotten experiment or a meaningful setup for something bigger down the road. Watch the YouTube version here for the best experience. Listen to the podcast episode here: Written WONDER MAN Review Wonder Man is the 19th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (including both live-action and animated projects) and arrives as part of Phase 6. The series was created by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) and Andrew Guest (Hawkeye, Community, Brooklyn Nine-Nine). Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, crossing superhero franchises after playing Black Manta in DC's Aquaman films, stars as Simon Williams, a struggling actor auditioning for the lead in a remake of Wonder Man, a low-budget 1980s action film that Simon once bonded over with his father. Simon carries a dangerous secret: he has explosive superpowers that he can't fully control. Worse, he must keep those powers hidden if he wants any chance at an acting career thanks to the Doorman Clause, a rule that bars super-powered individuals from working as actors. One episode dives into the origins of this clause, and it's easily among the series' most entertaining and imaginative chapters. Ben Kingsley returns as Trevor Slattery, the infamous actor hired to portray the Mandarin in Iron Man 3. Since then, the character has appeared in the Marvel short All Hail the King and film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Here, Trevor is once again chasing relevance—and is also auditioning for a role in the Wonder Man remake. Interestingly, the series never clearly states where it fits into the MCU timeline. There are only light references—photos on walls, casual mentions of "shield throwing." Frankly, that restraint is welcome. It's firmly set in the present day on the main MCU Earth, and that's more than enough. Had this been set on another timeline or Earth, this review probably wouldn't exist. Character Over Capes At its core, this is a strong, personal story about two people supporting each other in a brutal industry. Simon approaches acting with intense seriousness—reminiscent of Dustin Hoffman's character in Tootsie—while Trevor, as a mentor figure, pushes him to loosen up and trust the words on the page. Wonder Man is far more interested in the relationship between Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery than in building a new costumed icon. Through their conversations, the series thoughtfully explores what it actually means to be an actor. Abdul-Mateen II and Kingsley make for an engaging, surprisingly balanced duo. The show wisely avoids leaning into easy odd-couple clichés, which elevates their dynamic. If you enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at show business in The Studio or Hacks, there's a lot here to like. Wonder Man ups the stakes by adding uncontrollable superpowers into an already stressful industry where almost nothing goes your way. Tone & Reality Gaps Tonally, Wonder Man struggles. It can't always decide whether it wants to be serious and emotional or silly and farcical. It oscillates between the two. The dialogue is often grounded and well-written, but the situations frequently feel forced—bent to serve the script rather than emerging naturally from reality. Living in Los Angeles, where the series is set, makes some of these moments especially hard to ignore. Being under a tight deadline to submit an audition tape and deciding to drive from Hollywood to Malibu and back—congratulations, you've just wasted three hours. These issues extend to the on-set scenes. Having worked in the film industry, many of these moments rang false. A day player wouldn't halt production because they have extensive notes. There are numerous story hiccups where disbelief must be suspended simply to keep the plot moving. A test audience likely would have flagged many of these. Performances & Standout Moments Any time Ben Kingsley is on screen, he's impossible not to root for. Simon, by contrast, is difficult to like until the final two episodes. That's clearly intentional—he's closed off and emotionally blocked—but watching someone repeatedly sabotage themselves is frustrating, even if it's thematically justified. One unquestionable highlight is the episode centered on the Doorman Clause, "Doorman". Josh Gad's appearance, along with his reworked version of "In Summer," is delightful and injects much-needed energy and creativity into the series. Release Strategy & Final Verdict Marvel continues to undermine its TV output with its release strategy. Ironheart dropped its six episodes across two days. Echo released all five at once. Wonder Man follows suit with all eight episodes dropping in a single day. The result? These shows are consumed quickly and forgotten just as fast. By the time Daredevil Season 2 arrives in March, this will likely be one of those "Oh yeah… what happened on Wonder Man again?" series.I went in with an open mind and high expectations—this is Marvel, after all. In the end, I liked Wonder Man, but too much got in the way of loving it. SPONSORS Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.

[Skip to 9:22 for To Be Hero X talk]We checked out our first donghua, or Chinese anime, this week: To Be Hero X, thanks to a Patreon supporter. We even watched it in Mandarin! Did we like it as much as Japanese stuff? Listen and find out. We also talk about gout, Mozart's age, family stand-ins, and the languages our grandparents spoke. | Follow us on Apple Podcasts | Support us on Patreon | Follow us on BlueSky | We're on Threads/Instagram | Subscribe to us on YouTube | Join the fan Discord

China's embassy in Manila has launched an unprecedented public campaign against Philippine government officials. In this episode, Philippine Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela - Beijing's primary target - explains what's at stake when foreign embassies publicly threaten democratic voices.The controversy began when Tarriela posted images from a student presentation featuring AI-generated caricatures of Xi Jinping. China's embassy called it “attacking and smearing Chinese leaders” and a “serious violation of China's political dignity.” Beijing summoned the Philippine ambassador and demanded Tarriela “pay the price.” Tarriela refused to apologize, receiving backing from Philippine officials and strong public support - 94% of Filipinos support transparency efforts in the West Philippine Sea.Tarriela identifies three reasons behind Beijing's escalation: the Philippines chairs ASEAN in 2026 and transparency during regional meetings could expose Chinese actions to neighboring countries; China may want to influence the 2028 Philippine election by reducing focus on West Philippine Sea issues; and transparency prevents China from executing operations like illegal reclamation without immediate international scrutiny.He describes coordination between the Chinese embassy and online accounts that amplify Beijing's messaging with identical talking points - evidence of organized information operations. Tarriela also addresses allegations that our co-host, the SeaLight Foundation's Ray Powell, is a U.S. agent providing him with money and instructions, while explaining why Powell's documentation of Chinese activities across Southeast Asia challenges Beijing's narrative.Since Tarriela's last podcast appearance in May 2024, Chinese Coast Guard vessels have moved closer to Philippine shores, now operating near Pangasinan, Ilocos, Mindoro, and Bataan. Meanwhile, transparency efforts have achieved measurable results: Filipino awareness of West Philippine Sea issues has grown significantly, and international embassies that previously avoided naming China now publicly identify Chinese actions.Tarriela makes the case for deploying U.S. Coast Guard vessels rather than Navy warships to counter China's gray-zone tactics, and explains why he continues speaking out despite personal attacks: “Standing up for our rights is the obligation of everybody. We owe this to our national heroes and to the next generation.”In the post-interview banter, Ray and Jim discuss how the Chinese embassy has also targeted Ray personally for SeaLight's investigation into Chinese influence over Mandarin-language media outlets in the Philippines. They explore parallels with Australia's experience combating similar influence operations and debate how democracies can balance freedom of the press with transparency about foreign funding and direction of media organizations.

300 hundred restaurants in 22 countries might not sound like a billion dollar empire, but you would be wrong. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor, which is… Well, it’s us, but we’re highlighting ads we’ve written and produced for our clients, so here’s one of those. [OG Law Ad] Dave Young: Welcome back to the Empire Builders Podcast. I’m Dave Young. Stephen Semple is here, and we’re going to talk about the building of another empire. And I’ve got to admit, I don’t know a whole lot about this one. I’ve maybe… Stephen Semple: Oh, wow. That’s exciting. Dave Young: We’re going to talk about P.F. Chang’s. I’ve maybe eaten at one of them, I would say less than half a dozen times in my life. Stephen Semple: Okay. Dave Young: And I think it’s just more of a convenience and proximity issue. I’m never really near any of them. Stephen Semple: So while they’re big, they’re not massive. They’re 300 restaurants in 22 countries, so they’re not like many of the other things we’ve talked about where there’s thousands of them. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: So no, they’re not as prevalent. But look, 300 restaurants is still pretty successful. Dave Young: Yeah, that’s a lot. How did they get started? I’m not going to guess. I’m going to let you tell me. Stephen Semple: Okay. The business was founded by Philip Chiang and Paul Fleming. And Paul Fleming, you might recognize because he’s of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse fame. Dave Young: Oh, okay. Stephen Semple: They got together, and they founded P.F. Chang in Scottsdale, Arizona- Dave Young: That makes a lot of sense. Stephen Semple: … in 1993. Now, Philip spells his last name C-H-I-A-N-G. So at a certain point, he changed his spelling just to make it easier. Drop the I and make it easier. Dave Young: Drop the I and made it just… Spell it the way it sounds. Stephen Semple: … Spell it the way it sounds, make it easier for the U.S. market. And the company has been bought and sold a few times over the years, but the first acquisition from the founders, from Philip and Paul, happened in 2012 by Centerbridge Partners in a deal worth a little bit over a billion dollars. Dave Young: Wow. Stephen Semple: They did okay. They walk away with some cash. Dave Young: Now, was it before or after they started putting it in supermarkets? Stephen Semple: I do not know the answer to that question. Dave Young: Probably predates. Stephen Semple: I’m going to suspect after. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: But the story starts with Philip’s mother, Cecilia Chiang. Cecilia was born in Beijing in 1920 to a really wealthy family. She grew up in a palace in China, ate high-end food, full staff, chefs, the whole nine yards, part of the aristocracy. And during the Chinese Civil War and the Japanese occupation, her family fled China and relocated in Japan, and there, the family opened a restaurant. Now in the 1960s, she travels to the U.S. Cecilia travels to U.S. to help her sister who came to America because of the economic challenges in Japan, and her sister had opened a restaurant in San Francisco and needed help- Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: … and Cecilia came over to help her. But that venture failed, but Cecilia still remained in the U.S. And look, Chinese food in America at that time was not good. If you look at just about every food that has come to United States, the first people who brought it, whether it was Italian, whether it was Mexican, whether it was Chinese, the first immigrants were the people who were poor. Dave Young: Yeah. What years are we talking about here? Stephen Semple: 1960. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: So the first immigrants who came were the people who were poor, so therefore, typically the food is not the great food, it’s not made with the great ingredients. And so here she is, she’s looking around and she’s saying, “Look, there’s this poor Chinese food, all basically from the Canton region.” And most of it has been also turned into an American version, because basically, again, people were making it with whatever was available, so it really became very Americanized. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: And Cecilia saw that, and what she wanted to do was introduce America to a more refined Chinese food, what she had experienced growing up as a wealthy person in China. So in 1961, she opens a sit-down restaurant with food from Northern China called The Mandarin. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: And it opens not in Chinatown, because here’s the thing that she recognized, context is everything. If she opened it in Chinatown, people’s expectation would be it would be the same as all the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. Dave Young: All of them. Right, right. Stephen Semple: So what she did, she opened it on Polk Street, not far from Pacific Heights in San Francisco. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: Bit of a bold move, but she wanted to be seen as different, and that was how you did it. Dave Young: Makes sense. Stephen Semple: Now, the menu had some things that were unfamiliar, like pigeon, and it did not have some things that were expected like chow mein. And she struggled initially, because America was not really ready to try new things. Now, after two years of struggle came her breakout moment. The restaurant was visited by a guy by the name of Herb Kane, who was the most influential columnist in San Francisco history. He was a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. But here’s the interesting thing, not a food critic. And he comes in the restaurant, falls in love with it, and gives it a great review. And overnight, the place becomes famous. You couldn’t get into it. It was visited by the likes of Julia Child, James Beard. It was totally on the radar. And I actually think the review may have even been more powerful because he was not a food critic. Dave Young: Sure. Yeah. Stephen Semple: But it also goes to show you… We talk about influencers, influence and all these other things, most restaurants be like, “We’ve got to get the food critics in here.” This guy was just a columnist who came in to try out their food- Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: … and it made them famous. And one of the things he loved was Peking duck, and so today Peking duck is pretty normal, it was really new back then. And suddenly, authentic Chinese food started to pop up. This really started it. In the late 1960s, Chinese restaurants in the United States doubled to about 10,000 of them. 1966, the first sushi restaurant opens. She opens the second restaurant, and Philip… And we’re talking about Philip Chiang? Dave Young: Right, right. Stephen Semple: Philip, her son, joins the business, and opens The Mandarin Cafe in LA, where he starts modernizing Chinese dishes for American diners, so starts doing a bit more of a fusion, right? Dave Young: Mm-hmm. Stephen Semple: Now, it’s here that Philip meets Paul Fleming, from Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: And Philip starts to build a bit of a friendship with Paul, and wants to work with Paul, wants to leverage his knowledge. Because after all, Ruth Chris is an upscale restaurant, and there’s this rise of casual chains, but Paul is not super excited, because none of them are Chinese, nor is Cecilia. She’s like, “I don’t really want to do this.” Philip is determined, he stays in touch with Paul. So 1979, things really start to change, because the restaurant called China Coach is opened by Wolfgang Puck, and it grows very quickly to 50 restaurants. And it’s the early ’90s, and Cecilia is ready to sell the restaurants. Dave Young: Stay tuned, we’re going to wrap up this story and tell you how to apply this lesson to your business right after this. [Using Stories To Sell Ad] Let’s pick up our story where we left off, and trust me, you haven’t missed a thing. Stephen Semple: And it’s the early ’90s, and Cecilia is ready to sell the restaurants, which basically frees Philip to make the changes he wants to do. He cycles back to Paul. Paul’s now looking at it going, “Well, there is this place for this growth and all of this.” So they decide to start something new. And Philip wants to bring other Asian cuisines, he wants to take it beyond Chinese. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: So he wants to add other Asian foods to it. So he spends three years developing the menu, and they changed the spelling of his last name to make it easier. And in 1993, here’s the other thing I found really, really interesting, they chose to open in Scottsdale in 1993. And here’s where Philip learned something from Cecelia, she did not open in Chinatown, she opened somewhere where there was not Chinese restaurants. At the time in Scottsdale, it’s described as a Chinese food desert at the time. Virtually no Chinese restaurants in 1993. Now, many people would go, “Well, you want to open up somewhere…” Nope, open it in Scottsdale. Opening weekend, they had 1,000 people, some waited for hours. Dave Young: Wow. Stephen Semple: Lined up around the block. Now, what really made them successful is Paul brought his ability to be able to scale a business, upscale dining, and really grow the business. And this is what allowed them to quickly… They quickly drove to 200 locations in a few years. And in 2012, 19 years later, they sold it for $1.1 billion. Dave Young: A billion bucks. Stephen Semple: Yeah. And there was also a point in there where they went public, gave them a bump, and then they were sold, and business was taken private, and it’s changed hands a few times. Dave Young: Well, one thing I’ve always known is that they’re not like every Chinese restaurant you’ve ever been in. Even every small town in America has a Chinese restaurant that they always seem to almost even share the same menus. Stephen Semple: Same thing here. Dave Young: Right. And- Stephen Semple: No matter how tiny the community is, there’s a Chinese restaurant. Dave Young: And- Stephen Semple: But it would have those things like chow mein, and- Dave Young: [inaudible 00:11:43], and Kung Pao chicken, and… Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: Sure. Stephen Semple: She took those things that were very common and very familiar and left them off of her menu, which was a bold move as well. Dave Young: Yeah, because otherwise we’d all be going in there ordering the Kung Pao chicken. Stephen Semple: We wouldn’t be having the Peking duck. Right. We wouldn’t be having the Peking duck. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: So it was really interesting what she did, she leaned in to the difference in terms of opening it, because her mission was to bring this food, didn’t open in Chinatown, and left some popular things out, added some interesting things. But let’s face it, she struggled, and then there was the breakout moment. But here’s the part about all of this, now sometimes the trick is you have to be able to survive. If you’re able to survive, and you’re doing something truly remarkable, that breakout moment often happens. Now, advertising and promotion can accelerate that breakout moment, because it exposes people to this new idea, and entices them to come in. But if you do something… But it really and truly has to be remarkable. If you do something remarkable, and you do it really well, and if you can survive through the slow times, you get those breakout moments. Dave Young: Yeah. Yeah. It’s a really cool story. And the place has always felt… Yes, it’s Chinese, but no, it’s different. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Well- Dave Young: You can see the Ruth’s Chris DNA in the place, right? The- Stephen Semple: It’s funny, I had no… And I’ve been in a couple of P.F. Chang’s, and I had no idea the relationship with it. And as soon as I read that, I was like, “Oh, that makes…” It was sort of one of those. As soon as it’s presented that he was involved, it was like, “Oh, that makes so much sense, and I can see it.” It’s sort of funny how you didn’t see it, a lot of these things, hidden, and then it’s revealed, and suddenly it’s obvious, right? Dave Young: Yeah. In the last episode we talked about… I think it was one of the last episodes, we talked quite extensively about brand extension. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: And this is another good example of what we know would not have worked, and that would’ve been a Chinese restaurant by Ruth Chris. Stephen Semple: Correct. Correct. That’s a great observation. Yes. It would not have worked. Dave Young: Ruth’s Chris Chinese would not have worked. Stephen Semple: Right. Dave Young: You couldn’t leverage the good name of a steakhouse into a Chinese restaurant. Stephen Semple: No. Dave Young: Because that would not work. But you can take the DNA from the steakhouse, the high-end ritzy steakhouse, and apply it in measured ways to a high-end Chinese restaurant. And that’s exactly what they did, they took the luxury part of it, and made a luxury Chinese restaurant. Stephen Semple: Yeah. How the food is presented, how the place is decorated, although it would be decorated regionally different, and how the staff are trained, and all of those… And how the kitchen is run. I bet you if you walk into the two kitchens, you’d go, “Oh, I totally see…” I bet you the methodology in terms of how the kitchen is managed and all those other things is probably exactly the same. Yeah, so you’re right. You’re taking the DNA, and then basically modifying the presentation of that DNA to fit that thing, and giving it its own identity. And the problem that people make is they’ll look at it, go, “Well, the DNA is the same, so why can’t you just name it same?” And it’s, again, it’s like you talked about before, those hidden barriers. We think about the places of steakhouse, what’s the expectation? The expectation is steak, fine wines, potatoes, shrimp, lobster. Yes, there’ll be also vegetables, and grilled things, and all this other stuff, right? Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: You could even put in an appetizer of Peking duck and it would be fine, but you can’t make it a Chinese restaurant. Dave Young: Yeah, I think- Stephen Semple: Just like you couldn’t go the other way. Dave Young: You and I should buy Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. Stephen Semple: Why should we do that? Dave Young: Just so we could change the name to Dave’s Steve’s Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. Stephen Semple: Yeah, I’m going to pass. As awesome in ideas that sounds, as amazing as we would be at running- Dave Young: Another brand violation. I can see it now. Stephen Semple: Is this like a restaurant? Dave Young: All right. Well, thank you for sharing the P.F. Chang story. Now I’ve got to find one near me, and… I don’t want the bag of frozen stuff from the restaurant, I want to go in. Stephen Semple: God, no. You want to go and do the restaurant. Dave Young: Yeah, I want the experience. Stephen Semple: And they are good. They are fine. Dave Young: Yeah, yeah, every time I’ve been, but I just haven’t been very many times. Stephen Semple: Right. Dave Young: All right. Thank you. Stephen Semple: All right. Awesome. Thanks, David. Dave Young: Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please share us. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and leave us a big, fat, juicy five-star rating and review at Apple Podcasts. And if you’d like to schedule your own 90-minute empire-building session, you can do it at empirebuildingprogram.com.

Ex 5:22-7:24, Matt 18:21-19:12, Ps 23:1-6, Pr 5:22-23

Are you wondering whether Wonder Man is worth your time? In this episode, we break down Marvel's latest Disney+ series, give you the essential background on the character, and explain what you actually need to know before diving in. From Simon Williams' comic book origins to his surprising connections with Vision, Scarlet Witch, and the Avengers, we cover the fun facts, controversies, and powers that shaped Wonder Man long before his MCU debut. We also dig into how Wonder Man fits into the MCU under the Marvel Spotlight banner—designed to be more grounded, character-driven, and accessible without deep MCU homework. Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as a struggling actor hiding dangerous superpowers, and Ben Kingsley returning as Trevor Slattery, the series leans hard into Hollywood satire, mentorship, and the bizarre "Doorman Clause" that bans super-powered people from acting. Our reactions are… mixed. While the show shines as a personal story about ambition, insecurity, and creative survival—anchored by a standout performance from Ben Kingsley—it struggles with tone, realism, and the weight of its MCU identity. We talk about what works, what doesn't, and whether Wonder Man feels like a forgotten experiment or a meaningful setup for something bigger down the road. Watch the YouTube version here for the best experience. Listen to the podcast episode here: Written WONDER MAN Review Wonder Man is the 19th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (including both live-action and animated projects) and arrives as part of Phase 6. The series was created by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) and Andrew Guest (Hawkeye, Community, Brooklyn Nine-Nine). Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, crossing superhero franchises after playing Black Manta in DC's Aquaman films, stars as Simon Williams, a struggling actor auditioning for the lead in a remake of Wonder Man, a low-budget 1980s action film that Simon once bonded over with his father. Simon carries a dangerous secret: he has explosive superpowers that he can't fully control. Worse, he must keep those powers hidden if he wants any chance at an acting career thanks to the Doorman Clause, a rule that bars super-powered individuals from working as actors. One episode dives into the origins of this clause, and it's easily among the series' most entertaining and imaginative chapters. Ben Kingsley returns as Trevor Slattery, the infamous actor hired to portray the Mandarin in Iron Man 3. Since then, the character has appeared in the Marvel short All Hail the King and film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Here, Trevor is once again chasing relevance—and is also auditioning for a role in the Wonder Man remake. Interestingly, the series never clearly states where it fits into the MCU timeline. There are only light references—photos on walls, casual mentions of "shield throwing." Frankly, that restraint is welcome. It's firmly set in the present day on the main MCU Earth, and that's more than enough. Had this been set on another timeline or Earth, this review probably wouldn't exist. Character Over Capes At its core, this is a strong, personal story about two people supporting each other in a brutal industry. Simon approaches acting with intense seriousness—reminiscent of Dustin Hoffman's character in Tootsie—while Trevor, as a mentor figure, pushes him to loosen up and trust the words on the page. Wonder Man is far more interested in the relationship between Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery than in building a new costumed icon. Through their conversations, the series thoughtfully explores what it actually means to be an actor. Abdul-Mateen II and Kingsley make for an engaging, surprisingly balanced duo. The show wisely avoids leaning into easy odd-couple clichés, which elevates their dynamic. If you enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at show business in The Studio or Hacks, there's a lot here to like. Wonder Man ups the stakes by adding uncontrollable superpowers into an already stressful industry where almost nothing goes your way. Tone & Reality Gaps Tonally, Wonder Man struggles. It can't always decide whether it wants to be serious and emotional or silly and farcical. It oscillates between the two. The dialogue is often grounded and well-written, but the situations frequently feel forced—bent to serve the script rather than emerging naturally from reality. Living in Los Angeles, where the series is set, makes some of these moments especially hard to ignore. Being under a tight deadline to submit an audition tape and deciding to drive from Hollywood to Malibu and back—congratulations, you've just wasted three hours. These issues extend to the on-set scenes. Having worked in the film industry, many of these moments rang false. A day player wouldn't halt production because they have extensive notes. There are numerous story hiccups where disbelief must be suspended simply to keep the plot moving. A test audience likely would have flagged many of these. Performances & Standout Moments Any time Ben Kingsley is on screen, he's impossible not to root for. Simon, by contrast, is difficult to like until the final two episodes. That's clearly intentional—he's closed off and emotionally blocked—but watching someone repeatedly sabotage themselves is frustrating, even if it's thematically justified. One unquestionable highlight is the episode centered on the Doorman Clause, "Doorman". Josh Gad's appearance, along with his reworked version of "In Summer," is delightful and injects much-needed energy and creativity into the series. Release Strategy & Final Verdict Marvel continues to undermine its TV output with its release strategy. Ironheart dropped its six episodes across two days. Echo released all five at once. Wonder Man follows suit with all eight episodes dropping in a single day. The result? These shows are consumed quickly and forgotten just as fast. By the time Daredevil Season 2 arrives in March, this will likely be one of those "Oh yeah… what happened on Wonder Man again?" series.I went in with an open mind and high expectations—this is Marvel, after all. In the end, I liked Wonder Man, but too much got in the way of loving it. SPONSORS Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Harmony and Tradition: A Spring Festival Tale of Balance Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-28-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个寒冷的冬天，雪花轻轻地飘落，家里却是另一番景象，充满了节日的温暖和喜悦。En: On a cold winter day, snowflakes gently floated down, but the inside of the home was a different scene, filled with the warmth and joy of the holiday spirit.Zh: 红色的灯笼挂在墙上，金色的“福”字贴在门上，空气中弥漫着热腾腾年夜饭的香味。En: Red lanterns hung on the walls, golden "福" (fu) characters were pasted on the doors, and the air was filled with the aroma of steaming nian ye fan, the New Year's Eve dinner.Zh: 这是连的家，一个热闹又舒适的大宅子。En: This was Lian's home, a lively yet cozy mansion.Zh: 连是家中的大姐，她对于即将到来的春节非常重视。En: Lian was the eldest sister in the family, and she took the upcoming Spring Festival very seriously.Zh: 一早，她就开始忙着布置家里的每一个角落，希望每位亲朋好友都能感到满意。En: Early in the morning, she started decorating every corner of the house, hoping that each friend and family member would be satisfied.Zh: 特别是爷爷奶奶，他们的肯定对连来说最重要。En: Especially her grandparents, whose approval was the most important to Lian.Zh: 她的弟弟剑却不太一样。En: Her brother Jian, however, was a bit different.Zh: 剑有自己的想法，喜欢尝试新鲜的事物。En: Jian had his own ideas and liked to try new things.Zh: 他提议在客厅挂上一些自己设计的现代风格装饰品。En: He suggested hanging some modern style decorations he designed in the living room.Zh: 连和剑在准备过程中的意见总是不一致。En: Lian and Jian always had different opinions during the preparations.Zh: “要是来点新意，大家可能会更喜欢。”剑说。En: "Maybe if we add something new, everyone might like it more," Jian said.Zh: “可是，我们要尊重传统，这才是最重要的。”连坚持。En: "But we need to respect tradition, that's the most important thing," Lian insisted.Zh: 这时，梅进来了。En: At this moment, Mei came in.Zh: 梅是一位熟悉家里但不太了解传统的好朋友，总是能在连和剑之间起到缓和的作用。En: Mei was a good friend who was familiar with the family but not very knowledgeable about traditions, and she was always able to mediate between Lian and Jian.Zh: “也许你们可以各退一步，试着结合传统和新意，结果可能会很棒。”梅建议。En: "Perhaps you could both take a step back and try combining tradition with new ideas; the result might be great," Mei suggested.Zh: 终于到了春节当晚，亲友们都陆续到来，家里显得更加热闹。En: Finally, on the night of the Spring Festival, friends and family gradually arrived, making the home even more lively.Zh: 连忙着招待每位客人，小心翼翼地确保一切按计划进行。En: Lian was busy entertaining each guest, carefully ensuring everything went according to plan.Zh: 然而，一个突然到来的客人打破了她的计划。En: However, an unexpected guest arrived and disrupted her plans.Zh: 这位客人见到剑的装饰品时脱口而出：“这些真的很有意思！是谁设计的？”En: Upon seeing Jian's decorations, this guest exclaimed, "These are really interesting! Who designed them?"Zh: 连愣了一下，但立刻感谢这位客人的意见。En: Lian was stunned for a moment but immediately thanked the guest for their feedback.Zh: 她意识到，有时候灵活变通，比一味追求完美更重要。En: She realized that sometimes being flexible and adaptive is more important than blindly pursuing perfection.Zh: 她微微一笑，对剑点点头。En: She smiled slightly and nodded to Jian.Zh: 这个春节晚宴在欢声笑语中度过。En: The Spring Festival dinner was spent amid laughter and cheerful voices.Zh: 大家对装饰的赞美让连明白，结合每个人的长处，才能让家更温暖。En: The compliments on the decorations made Lian understand that by combining everyone's strengths, the home became warmer.Zh: 她不再固执地追求完美，而是学会接受不同的意见。En: She no longer stubbornly pursued perfection but learned to accept different opinions.Zh: 最终，这场春节庆祝不仅赢得了老人们的满意，也让连发现了新的生活态度：平衡才是最美好的结果。En: In the end, this Spring Festival celebration not only won the approval of the elders but also led Lian to discover a new attitude towards life: balance is the most beautiful result.Zh: 在这个冬季的家庭聚会中，连学会了取舍、包容，也守护了传统和家庭的幸福。En: In this winter family gathering, Lian learned to choose wisely, embrace diversity, and safeguard the happiness of tradition and family. Vocabulary Words:snowflakes: 雪花floated: 飘落aroma: 香味steaming: 热腾腾lively: 热闹cozy: 舒适eldest: 大姐decorating: 布置approval: 肯定mediate: 缓和tradition: 传统adaptive: 变通pursuing: 追求perfection: 完美compliments: 赞美stubbornly: 固执balance: 平衡embrace: 包容safeguard: 守护upcoming: 即将到来的satisfied: 满意insisted: 坚持exclaimed: 脱口而出feedback: 意见gradually: 陆续unexpected: 突然disrupted: 打破flexible: 灵活cheerful: 欢笑attitude: 态度

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Wei's Winter Journey: Finding Home in the Snow Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-28-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 魏站在冷清的机场，窗外飘下密密的雪花，覆盖一切。En: Wei stood in the quiet airport, with thick snowflakes falling outside, covering everything.Zh: 看着屏幕上闪烁的“延误”字样，他的心也跟着沉了下去。En: Watching the screen flash "Delayed," his heart sank as well.Zh: 多年来，他一直忙于工作，身处他乡，一年只有在这次春节才能回家，与亲人团聚。En: For many years, he had been busy with work, living in a foreign place, only able to return home once a year during this Spring Festival to reunite with family.Zh: 他在心里不断嘀咕：“我一定要赶回北京，我不能错过这个春节。En: He kept muttering to himself, "I must get back to Beijing; I can't miss this Spring Festival."Zh: ”然而，雪越来越大，航班一再延误。En: However, the snow got heavier, and the flight was delayed again and again.Zh: 魏感到一丝绝望，眼前仿佛浮现出兰和俊穿着红色衣服迎接他的场景。En: Wei felt a tinge of despair, almost able to visualize Lan and Jun in red clothes welcoming him.Zh: 他下定决心，不能让家人失望。En: He made up his mind that he could not let his family down.Zh: 魏收拾好行李，决定放弃等待航班。En: Wei packed his luggage, deciding to give up waiting for the flight.Zh: 他转身去了火车站，那里同样人满为患。En: He turned and headed to the train station, which was also crowded.Zh: “无论如何，我都要找到办法回家。En: "No matter what, I have to find a way home," he told himself.Zh: ”他告诉自己。En: During the long journey, Wei experienced train delays repeatedly, and the crowded carriages left him exhausted.Zh: 在漫长的旅途中，魏一次又一次经历列车晚点，拥挤不堪的车厢让他感到疲惫。En: But thinking of the warm lights at home gave him the courage to persevere.Zh: 但一想到家中的温暖灯光，他就有了坚持下去的勇气。En: After exhausting hours, Wei dragged his luggage off the final train.Zh: 经过疲惫的数小时后，魏拖着行李走下最后一列火车。En: He finally returned to Beijing, with home just a stone's throw away.Zh: 他终于回到了北京，家近在咫尺。En: The streets were lined with bright red lanterns, and the air was filled with the echoes of firecrackers.Zh: 街道上挂满了红彤彤的灯笼，空气中弥漫着鞭炮的余音。En: Wei quickened his pace, filled with anticipation and excitement.Zh: 魏加快脚步，心中充满期待与激动。En: As he walked into the house, he was greeted by familiar laughter and the fragrant aroma of food.Zh: 当他走进家门，迎接他的是熟悉的笑声和扑鼻的菜香，屋内到处挂满了五彩缤纷的剪纸，充满节日的喜庆。En: The interior was adorned with colorful paper cuttings, full of festive joy.Zh: 兰率先奔上前拥抱，“魏，你回来了！En: Lan rushed forward to embrace him, " Wei, you're back!"Zh: ”一旁的俊笑着拍拍他的肩膀，“我们一直在等你呢！En: Jun stood by, smiling and patting his shoulder, "We've been waiting for you!"Zh: ”魏深吸一口气，心中满是温暖与幸福。En: Wei took a deep breath, his heart filled with warmth and happiness.Zh: 他坐在餐桌旁，与家人一起举杯庆祝。En: He sat at the table, raising a glass to celebrate with his family.Zh: 他明白，这个时候，他不仅回到了家，还重新找回了与家人和传统的联系。En: He realized that at this moment, he had not only returned home but also reconnected with his family and traditions.Zh: 他暗自决心，以后要更珍惜这样的时光。En: He secretly resolved to cherish such times more in the future.Zh: 在除夕钟声响起的时候，魏站在窗边，看着窗外的雪花静静落下，他知道，经过这段旅程，他找到了回家的路，也找到了心的归属。En: As the New Year's Eve bell chimed, Wei stood by the window, watching the snowflakes silently fall, knowing that through this journey, he had found his way home and his heart's belonging. Vocabulary Words:quiet: 冷清snowflakes: 雪花delayed: 延误muttering: 嘀咕despair: 绝望visualize: 浮现reunite: 团聚adorned: 挂满persevere: 坚持echoes: 余音anticipation: 期待exhausted: 疲惫crowded: 人满为患fragrant: 扑鼻的aroma: 菜香laughter: 笑声resolve: 决心cherish: 珍惜journey: 旅程traditions: 传统belonging: 归属exhausting: 疲惫的dragged: 拖着stone's throw: 近在咫尺lanterns: 灯笼firecrackers: 鞭炮embrace: 拥抱chim ed: 响起adorning: 装饰

California Early Childhood Special Education Network (CalECSE) co-executive directors Scott Turner and Melanie Hertig are joined by California Department of Education Early Childhood Support Education Administrator Christi Krause to discuss CalECSE's Parent Videos: A Family's Journey from Early Start to School series, designed to help families prepare for the transition from Early Start services to preschool special education. Each video in the series introduces the viewer to a family who use different native languages to tell their story, including English, Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Korean, and American Sign Language.

Ex 4:1-5:21, Matt 18:1-20, Ps 22:19-31, Pr 5:15-21

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Friendship: Ming's Rare Bird Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-27-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个寒冷的冬天，明和同学李、陈一起乘坐校车前往自然保护区。En: On a cold winter's day, Ming and his classmates Li and Chen took the school bus to a nature reserve.Zh: 今天是他们的校外远足活动，他们的目的地是一个迷人的湿地。En: Today was their field trip, and their destination was an enchanting wetland.Zh: 这片湿地被浓雾笼罩，散发着神秘的气息。En: The wetland was shrouded in thick fog, giving off a mysterious aura.Zh: 空气中弥漫着寒气，远处传来模糊的动物声响，仿佛在无声地诉说着这个地方的故事。En: The air was filled with a chill, and there were faint animal sounds in the distance, as if silently telling the story of this place.Zh: 这次远足正值农历新年，虽然周围一片安静，但空气中还能感受到节日的氛围。En: The trip coincided with the Lunar New Year, and although the surroundings were quiet, the festive atmosphere could still be felt in the air.Zh: 明是个好奇心旺盛的学生，他总是喜欢发掘新的事物。En: Ming was a student full of curiosity, always eager to discover new things.Zh: 然而，他常常觉得与同学们的共同话题很少，总是有一种置身事外的感觉。En: However, he often felt that he had few common topics with his classmates and always experienced a sense of being on the outside.Zh: 走在湿地的小路上，明听到关于一种稀有鸟类的传闻。En: Walking on the path through the wetland, Ming heard rumors about a rare bird.Zh: 这种鸟生活在这片迷雾笼罩的沼泽，很多人都未曾真正见过它。En: This bird lived in this fog-covered swamp, and many people had never truly seen it.Zh: 明想，如果他能在这次远足中找到这只鸟，并将照片分享给同学们，也许可以改变他在班级中的融入感。En: Ming thought, if he could find this bird during the field trip and share the photo with his classmates, it might change his feeling of belonging in the class.Zh: 随着他们深入湿地，雾气越来越浓，路也变得难以辨识。En: As they ventured deeper into the wetland, the fog thickened, and the path became difficult to discern.Zh: 明心里挣扎着：是要待在队伍中安全行走，还是依靠耳边传来的鸟鸣声稍微偏离小径？En: Ming struggled inside: should he stay safe with the group, or slightly stray off the path, guided by the birdsong in his ear?Zh: 一边是害怕走失的恐惧，一边是对看到稀有鸟的强烈渴望。En: On one side was the fear of getting lost, and on the other was a strong desire to see the rare bird.Zh: 于是，在听到一声特别的鸟鸣时，明停了下来。En: So, when he heard a particularly distinct birdsong, Ming stopped.Zh: 他悄悄走出小径，朝着声音的方向走去。En: He quietly stepped off the path, walking towards the direction of the sound.Zh: 雾气让他看不太清道路，但他小心翼翼地向前走，每一步都充满了期待和不安。En: The fog made it hard to see the road, but he carefully moved forward, each step filled with anticipation and unease.Zh: 就在他几乎想要放弃时，雾忽然稍微散去了一些。En: Just when he was about to give up, the fog suddenly cleared slightly.Zh: 他抬头，看见一只独特的鸟就栖息在不远处的树枝上。En: He looked up and saw a unique bird perched on a branch not far away.Zh: 那是他梦想中的稀有鸟！En: It was the rare bird he had dreamed of!Zh: 他迅速拿出手机，拍下了它的照片。En: He quickly took out his phone and snapped a photo of it.Zh: 瞬间，鸟儿扇动翅膀消失在雾中。En: In an instant, the bird flapped its wings and disappeared into the fog.Zh: 回到队伍，明迫不及待地向李和陈展示他的发现。En: Back with the group, Ming couldn't wait to show Li and Chen his discovery.Zh: “看！真的有这只鸟！”他说道，兴奋得不得了。En: "Look! The bird really exists!" he exclaimed, overjoyed.Zh: 同学们被他的发现所震惊，纷纷围过来看照片。En: His classmates were amazed by his discovery and gathered around to see the photo.Zh: 大家都被这场惊喜开启了新的一段友情旅程。En: Everyone was thrilled by this surprise, marking the beginning of a new journey of friendship.Zh: 当天的返回途中，明感受到一种前所未有的温暖。En: On the return trip that day, Ming felt a warmth he had never experienced before.Zh: 他不仅实现了自己的小目标，还因此结交了更多的朋友。En: Not only had he achieved his small goal, but he also made more friends because of it.Zh: 原来，只要勇敢迈出一步，和大家分享自己的热爱，就能打破人与人之间的隔墙。En: It turned out, just by bravely taking a step forward and sharing his passion with everyone, he could break down the walls between people.Zh: 这样的明，带着更多的自信和归属感走入了新的一年。En: With more confidence and a sense of belonging, Ming stepped into the new year. Vocabulary Words:enchanting: 迷人的shrouded: 笼罩aura: 气息chill: 寒气faint: 模糊的festive: 节日的curiosity: 好奇心rumors: 传闻rare: 稀有的swamp: 沼泽discern: 辨识struggle: 挣扎venture: 深入distinct: 特别的perched: 栖息exclaimed: 说道（兴奋地）overjoyed: 兴奋的thrilled: 震惊的journey: 旅程warmth: 温暖achieved: 实现belonging: 融入感anticipation: 期待unease: 不安instant: 瞬间flapped: 扇动（翅膀）unique: 独特的fog: 雾气path: 小径expectation: 期望

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Lanterns of Renewal: Rebuilding Friendship at West Lake Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-27-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 梅琳和钟站在杭州西湖的岸边，四周是热闹的灯笼节景象。En: Meilin and Zhong stood on the shores of Hangzhou West Lake, surrounded by the lively scenes of the Lantern Festival.Zh: 湖面波光粼粼，被无数彩灯照亮，空气中飘着甜甜的汤圆香味。En: The lake's surface shimmered, illuminated by countless colorful lights, and the sweet aroma of tangyuan wafted through the air.Zh: 人们欢声笑语，享受着这节日的夜晚。En: People laughed and chatted joyfully, enjoying the festive night.Zh: 梅琳心事重重，她和钟之间有个未解的误会，让她一直心怀愧疚。En: Meilin was burdened with concerns; there was an unresolved misunderstanding between her and Zhong, leaving her feeling guilt-ridden.Zh: 她希望今天能和钟在一起放天灯，为他们的友谊画上一个美丽的句号。En: She hoped to spend the evening with Zhong releasing a sky lantern, marking a beautiful ending to their friendship.Zh: 但是，钟似乎还没有完全放下过往的争吵。En: However, Zhong seemed not to have completely moved on from their past arguments.Zh: 他一边看向远处的灯光，一边在心里犹豫不决。En: While he gazed towards the distant lights, he hesitated in his heart.Zh: 他想和梅琳享受这美好的夜晚，但心里那点疙瘩又让他无法全心投入。En: He wanted to enjoy this beautiful evening with Meilin, but a nagging feeling held him back from fully engaging.Zh: “钟，我们去找个地方，放天灯吧！”梅琳试探着开口。En: “Zhong, let's find a place to release a sky lantern!” Meilin suggested tentatively.Zh: 钟沉默了一下，然后点了点头。En: Zhong was silent for a moment, then nodded.Zh: 他们在人群中穿梭，寻找一个安静的地方。En: They weaved through the crowd, looking for a quiet spot.Zh: 走了一会儿，他们来到了一处较为空旷的湖边。En: After walking for a while, they arrived at a more open area by the lakeside.Zh: “我一直很抱歉，关于上次的争吵。”梅琳小心翼翼地说。En: “I've been sorry all along, about the last argument,” Meilin said cautiously.Zh: 钟叹了口气，把目光转向湖面。En: Zhong sighed and turned his gaze toward the lake.Zh: 他看着水中倒映的灯光，心中的不快似乎也没有那么沉重了。En: He watched the reflections of the lights in the water, and the heaviness in his heart seemed to lessen.Zh: “没关系，我也不对。”En: "It's okay, I was wrong too."Zh: 梅琳感到一丝轻松，她勇敢地继续说：“我们的友谊比任何事情都重要。En: Meilin felt a bit relieved and bravely continued, “Our friendship is more important than anything.Zh: 我们应该一起放天灯，忘记过去。”En: We should release a sky lantern together and forget the past.”Zh: 钟终于露出笑容，两人一起点燃了手中的天灯。En: Zhong finally smiled, and they lit the sky lantern in their hands together.Zh: 随着天灯缓缓升起，带着他们共同的愿望和和解的心，飞向夜空。En: As the lantern ascended slowly, carrying their shared hopes and the spirit of reconciliation, it flew into the night sky.Zh: 湖面倒映出灯光的辉映，见证着两人之间的默契与友谊的重生。En: The lake reflected the brilliance of the lights, witnessing the unspoken understanding and rebirth of their friendship.Zh: 梅琳知道，这一刻将会是他们最珍贵的回忆之一。En: Meilin knew this moment would be one of their most precious memories.Zh: 在灯火通明的西湖旁，梅琳和钟终于重新拾起了友谊，迎来了一个全新的开始。En: Beside the brightly lit West Lake, Meilin and Zhong finally picked up their friendship once more, welcoming a whole new beginning. Vocabulary Words:shores: 岸边lively: 热闹shimmered: 波光粼粼illuminated: 照亮aroma: 香味wafted: 飘concerns: 心事unresolved: 未解misunderstanding: 误会guilt-ridden: 心怀愧疚tentatively: 试探着weaved: 穿梭gaze: 目光heaviness: 沉重reflections: 倒映lessen: 减轻reconciliation: 和解ascended: 升起witnessing: 见证unspoken: 默契rebirth: 重生precious: 珍贵memories: 回忆releasing: 放hesitated: 犹豫不决engaging: 全心投入spirit: 心bravely: 勇敢地shared: 共同的brilliance: 辉映

Ex 2:11-3:22, Matt 17:10-27, Ps 22:1-18, Pr 5:7-14

The best way to learn to read Chinese is to read texts you can understand without constantly using a dictionary. As a beginner, those texts aren't always easy to find, but let's look at the best reading resources I know for beginners.#learnchinese #beginner #reading #resourcesLink to article on Hacking Chinese:  Chinese reading practice for beginners: 7 resources to improve your Mandarin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/best-chinese-reading-practice-for-beginners/The 10 best free Chinese reading resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/10-best-free-chinese-reading-resources-beginner-intermediate-advanced6 challenges students face when learning to read Chinese and how to overcome them: https://www.hackingchinese.com/6-challenges-students-face-when-learning-to-read-chinese-and-how-to-overcome-themIntroduction extensive reading chinese learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/introduction-extensive-reading-chinese-learners8 great ways to scaffold your Chinese listening and reading: https://www.hackingchinese.com/8-great-ways-scaffold-chinese-learningWhy you should use more than one Chinese textbook: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-you-should-use-more-than-one-chinese-textbookReview: Mandarin Companion: Easy to read novels in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/review-mandarin-companion-easy-to-read-novels-in-chineseEscape: A text adventure game for Chinese learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/escape-text-adventure-game-chinese-learnersFree and easy audio flashcards for Chinese dictation practice with Anki: https://www.hackingchinese.com/free-and-easy-audio-flashcards-for-chinese-dictation-practice-with-ankiThe 10 best free Chinese listening resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-10-best-free-chinese-listening-resources-for-beginner-intermediate-and-advanced-learners12 ways chatting online will improve your Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chat-your-way-to-better-chineseThe virtues of language exchanges: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-virtues-of-language-exchangesBeginner Chinese listening practice: what to listen to and how: https://www.hackingchinese.com/beginner-chinese-listening-practice-what-to-listen-to-and-howMore information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at https://www.hackingchinese.comMusic: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Heritage: A Journey of Tradition and Connection Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-26-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 冷冽的冬季天空下，长城雄伟的身影蜿蜒而去。En: Under the cold winter sky, the majestic silhouette of the Great Wall wends its way.Zh: 古老的石墙两侧，五颜六色的摊位排开，售卖着各种喜庆的春节装饰品。En: On either side of the ancient stone walls, colorful stalls are lined up, selling various festive Spring Festival decorations.Zh: 空气中弥漫着节日的气氛，夹杂着阵阵冷风，家人和游客们在这些摊位间穿梭，寻找新年必备的装饰品。En: The atmosphere of the festival fills the air, mixed with gusts of cold wind, as families and tourists weave through these stalls, searching for must-have decorations for the New Year.Zh: 梁站在一个小摊前，眼神迷茫。En: Liang stood in front of a small stall, his gaze bewildered.Zh: 对于一个生于华夏的年轻人，他却感到自己与文化的距离遥远。En: Although a young man born in China, he felt a great distance from his culture.Zh: 他想找一些有意义的春节装饰，用以感受节日的温馨和传统的力量。En: He wanted to find some meaningful Spring Festival decorations to feel the warmth of the festival and the power of tradition.Zh: 然而，琳琅满目的红灯笼、剪纸、福字似乎都在对他微笑，但每一个却又似乎都没有不同。En: However, the array of red lanterns, paper cuttings, and Fu characters all seemed to smile at him, yet each appeared indistinct.Zh: “我应该选哪个呢？En: "Which one should I choose?"Zh: ”梁轻声自言自语，眉头微皱。En: Liang muttered to himself softly, frowning slightly.Zh: 这时，旁边一个摊位上，一个正在认真挑选装饰的女孩抬起了头。En: At this moment, a girl who was seriously selecting decorations at a nearby stall looked up.Zh: 云是一名大学生，正在研修中国文化，对于传统习俗有着极大的热情和理解。En: Yun was a university student majoring in Chinese culture, with great enthusiasm and understanding of traditional customs.Zh: “需要帮忙吗？En: "Need some help?"Zh: ”云的声音温和，是难以拒绝的邀请。En: Yun's voice was gentle, an invitation hard to refuse.Zh: 梁有些犹豫，但还是点头。En: Liang hesitated a bit, but nodded nonetheless.Zh: “我想买一些有意义的春节装饰，但我不知道该选哪些。En: "I want to buy some meaningful Spring Festival decorations, but I don't know which ones to choose."Zh: ”云微微一笑，点头赞许。En: Yun smiled slightly, nodding in approval.Zh: “春节装饰有很多种，每种都有自己的意义。En: "There are many types of Spring Festival decorations, each with its own significance.Zh: 红灯笼代表着好运和团圆，福字倒贴象征着福到了，而春联传递了对新一年的美好祝愿。En: Red lanterns represent good luck and reunion, Fu characters pasted upside down symbolize the arrival of fortune, and couplets convey beautiful wishes for the new year."Zh: ”梁听得认真，渐渐放松下来，他点点头。En: Listening intently, Liang gradually relaxed and nodded.Zh: “原来如此。En: "I see.Zh: 我觉得这些不仅美丽，更是对传统的一个连接。En: I feel that these are not just beautiful, but also a connection to tradition."Zh: ”在云的指导下，梁终于选出了一些他感到共鸣的装饰。En: With Yun's guidance, Liang finally chose some decorations he resonated with.Zh: 有红艳的灯笼，有剪纸的福字，还有一对红红的春联。En: There were bright red lanterns, paper-cut Fu characters, and a pair of red couplets.Zh: “谢谢你，云。En: "Thank you, Yun."Zh: ”梁感激地说道，眼中流露出真诚。En: Liang said gratefully, genuine emotion in his eyes.Zh: “能帮你找到你想要的，我很高兴。En: "I'm glad I could help you find what you want."Zh: ”云回应道。En: Yun responded.Zh: 两人选好装饰后缓缓离开，感受到节日的气氛愈加强烈。En: After selecting their decorations, the two slowly left, feeling the festival atmosphere grow stronger.Zh: 梁在阳光下露出舒心的微笑，他知道这不仅仅是买到了装饰，更重要的是，找到了一种久违的连接感。En: Liang smiled contentedly in the sunlight, knowing he had found not just decorations but also a long-missed sense of connection.Zh: 他面对即将到来的春节，满怀期待。En: He looked forward to the upcoming Spring Festival with great anticipation.Zh: 分别时，梁邀请云在春节来到他的家，一同感受节日的喜悦和传统。En: As they parted ways, Liang invited Yun to his home during the Spring Festival to enjoy the joy and tradition of the holiday together.Zh: 云欣然同意，他们约定好在不久的将来再见面。En: Yun gladly agreed, and they planned to meet again in the near future.Zh: 长城的影子依然静静伫立，见证着这一切。En: The shadow of the Great Wall remained quietly, witnessing it all.Zh: 而此刻，梁的内心也像这座古老的墙一般，坚实而温暖。En: At this moment, Liang's heart, like the ancient wall, was solid and warm. Vocabulary Words:majestic: 雄伟的silhouette: 身影gust: 阵风bewildered: 迷茫array: 琳琅满目indistinct: 不清晰frown: 皱眉invitation: 邀请hesitate: 犹豫approval: 赞许significance: 意义upside down: 倒贴convey: 传递intently: 认真地resonate: 共鸣genuine: 真诚anticipation: 期待parted: 分别solid: 坚实wends: 蜿蜒stall: 摊位festive: 喜庆的decorations: 装饰品tradition: 传统customs: 习俗reunion: 团圆couplets: 春联contentedly: 舒心地witnessing: 见证remained: 伫立

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Lanterns of Change: Wei's Journey to Follow His Dreams Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-26-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 丽江河畔，阳光洒在河面上，红灯笼随风轻轻摇曳。En: By the riverside of Lijiang, sunlight cascades over the water, and red lanterns sway gently in the breeze.Zh: 每年春节，丽江河总是热闹非凡。En: Every year during the Spring Festival, the Lijiang River is always bustling with excitement.Zh: 这里曾经是一家人欢聚的地方，但今年的团圆却有些不同。En: It used to be a place for family reunions, but this year's gathering feels somewhat different.Zh: 大儿子伟站在窗前，凝望远方。En: The eldest son, Wei, stands at the window, gazing into the distance, bearing immense pressure.Zh: 他心中承受着巨大的压力。En: His father hopes he will inherit the family business, but Wei feels lost about this future.Zh: 父亲希望他继承家族生意，但伟对这个未来感到迷茫。En: He has his own dreams but does not want to disappoint his family.Zh: 他心里有自己的梦想，却不愿让家人失望。En: His sister, Lian, is a perfectionist who has always sought family approval.Zh: 妹妹莲是个完美主义者，她一直努力希望得到家庭的认可。En: This year, she meticulously planned a special New Year's Eve dinner, hoping to satisfy the family.Zh: 今年，她特意策划了一场特别的年夜饭，希望能让家人满意。En: Lian's plan is flawless, yet she doesn't know how to truly help Wei with his troubles.Zh: 莲的计划完美无缺，却不知道如何真正帮助伟解决他的烦恼。En: On the other side, their grandmother, Jia, sits quietly in the courtyard, watching the children busily preparing.Zh: 在另一边，奶奶嘉坐在院子里，安静地看着孩子们的忙碌。En: Jia always mediates family conflicts, knowing that the Spring Festival is the most likely time for tensions to rise.Zh: 嘉总是那个调解家庭矛盾的人，她知道春节时最容易产生摩擦。En: This time, she notices the growing tension between Wei and Lian.Zh: 这次，她发现伟和莲之间的紧张气氛更浓。En: As night falls, the whole village is illuminated by the glow of lanterns.Zh: 夜幕降临，整个村庄被灯笼的光芒照亮。En: The New Year's Eve dinner begins, with the aroma of the dishes filling the air.Zh: 年夜饭开始了，菜肴的香气弥漫在空气中。En: However, the conversation quickly turns to the family business.Zh: 然而，席间的话题很快转向了家族生意。En: The father mentions that he hopes Wei can take over since he is the eldest son.Zh: 父亲提到希望伟能接手，因为他是家中长子。En: Wei remains silent, feeling as if a thousand pounds weigh on his heart.Zh: 伟沉默了，心中仿佛有千斤重担。En: Lian looks at Wei, conflicted inside.Zh: 莲望着伟，心中也很纠结。En: She knows about his troubles but doesn't know how to open up.Zh: 她知道伟的困扰，却不知道如何开口。En: At that moment, grandmother Jia softly says, "Wei, if you have concerns, you can tell us.Zh: 就在这时，奶奶嘉轻声说道：“伟，如果有心事，可以告诉我们，家人会理解的。En: The family will understand."Zh: ”伟抬起头，看向奶奶，微微一笑。En: Wei raises his head, looks at his grandmother, and smiles slightly.Zh: 他知道是时候说出自己的心声了。En: He knows it's time to express his true feelings.Zh: “奶奶，爸爸，妈妈，其实我想做些不一样的事情。En: "Grandma, Dad, Mom, actually, I want to do something different.Zh: 我希望追随自己的梦想，但也不想让你们失望。En: I hope to follow my own dreams, but I also don't want to disappoint you."Zh: ”房间里一片安静，大家都沉思着。En: The room falls silent as everyone ponders.Zh: 嘉也轻轻点头：“每个人都有自己想走的路，也许我们可以找到一个两全其美的方法。En: Jia nods gently, "Everyone has their own path to follow; perhaps we can find a way that works for both."Zh: ”其他人点头赞同。En: The others nod in agreement.Zh: 莲终于开口：“大哥，不管你做什么，我们都会支持你。En: Lian finally speaks up, "Big brother, no matter what you do, we will support you."Zh: ”伟感到一阵轻松，仿佛解开了心中的结。En: Wei feels a wave of relief, as if a knot in his heart has been untied.Zh: 随后，大家一起放灯笼，许下各自的心愿。En: Afterward, everyone sets off lanterns, making their own wishes.Zh: 虽然外面是寒冷的冬天，但家的温暖化解了一切争执和误解。En: Although it is the cold winter outside, the warmth of family melts away all disputes and misunderstandings.Zh: 在这个新年，他们找到了新的方向和理解。En: This New Year, they found a new direction and understanding.Zh: 随着灯笼飞向夜空，伟知道，未来尽管充满未知，但他不再恐惧，因为家人的支持就是他最大的力量。En: As the lanterns ascend into the night sky, Wei realizes that while the future is full of the unknown, he no longer fears it because his family's support is his greatest strength. Vocabulary Words:cascade: 洒sway: 摇曳bustling: 热闹非凡reunions: 欢聚immense: 巨大的perfectionist: 完美主义者meticulously: 特意flawless: 完美无缺courtyard: 院子mediate: 调解tensions: 摩擦illuminated: 照亮aroma: 香气bear: 承受ponder: 沉思conflicted: 纠结concerns: 心事ascend: 飞向disputes: 争执misunderstandings: 误解knight: 微微realize: 知道rendition: 演绎immaculate: 完美无瑕resolution: 解决incidentally: 顺便insight: 见解consideration: 考虑plenitude: 丰富emanate: 放射出

Gen 50:1-Ex 2:10, Matt 16:13-17:9, Ps 21:1-13, Pr 5:1-6

Today's Episode:A simple sentence has taken over Chinese social media: “Love you, old self. See you tomorrow.” Why does it touch so many young people? In this episode, we explore where it came from, what it really means, and why being gentle with yourself matters more than ever.Membership Preview:Why does 老 sometimes mean old, but sometimes mean experienced, close, or even cute? In next MaoMi Chinese+ episode, we unpack one small word with many meanings. You will see how 老 changes feeling and relationship in real Chinese. Simple examples, real usage, no confusion.Support MaoMi & Get exclusive   to premium content!https://www.buzzsprout.com/1426696/subscribe ↗️Transcript and translations are available on https://maomichinese.comInterested in any topics? Leave me a message on: https://maomichinese.com or https://www.instagram.com/maomichinese/?hl=en*Please note that Spotify does not support the membership program.Text me what you think :)Support the show

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Mystery of the Ming Artifact: A Historian's Quest for Justice Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-25-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 紫禁城的宫墙在冬季的雪中显得格外庄严。En: The palace walls of the Zijin Cheng appeared especially solemn in the winter snow.Zh: 红灯笼高挂，为即将到来的春节增添了喜庆的氛围。En: Red lanterns hung high, adding to the festive atmosphere of the upcoming Chunjie (Spring Festival).Zh: 梅是一位热爱明代艺术品的历史学家，某天，她惊讶地发现展览馆里的一件珍贵艺术品失踪了。En: Mei, a historian passionate about Ming dynasty artifacts, was shocked to discover that a precious artifact had disappeared from the exhibition hall one day.Zh: 展览馆是重重警卫把守的地方，这让梅感到调查的难度增大。En: The exhibition hall was heavily guarded, which made Mei feel the difficulty of the investigation had increased.Zh: 但对此案的好奇和对自己“闪光时刻”的渴望让她无法放弃。En: But her curiosity about the case and her desire for her "shining moment" made it impossible for her to give up.Zh: 她知道，这件失踪的艺术品是她被同行认同的机会。En: She knew that this missing artifact was her opportunity to gain recognition among her peers.Zh: 张伟是梅的同事，他也很想先解决这个谜案。En: Zhang Wei was Mei's colleague, and he was also eager to solve this mystery first.Zh: 张伟有时候不拿梅当回事，始终认为他的能力更强。En: Sometimes Zhang Wei did not take Mei seriously, always believing that his abilities were superior.Zh: 这让梅更加急切地想要成功。En: This only made Mei more eager to succeed.Zh: 梅注意到馆里的锁相当复杂，她觉得必须借助专业人士的帮助，便找到了李华，En: Mei noticed that the locks in the museum were quite complex, and she felt she needed the help of a professional, so she sought out Li Hua.Zh: 令她意外的是，李华一开始拒绝，因为他的过去让他对参与此类事情感到不安。En: To her surprise, Li Hua initially refused because his past made him uneasy about getting involved in such matters.Zh: 可是梅向李华提出合作，她愿意帮助他澄清过去的事情。En: However, Mei proposed cooperation, offering to help him clear up past issues.Zh: 李华同意了，并决心帮助梅。En: Li Hua agreed and was determined to assist Mei.Zh: 经过详细的勘察，他们找到了一条隐藏在展览馆墙壁后的秘密通道。En: After a thorough investigation, they discovered a secret passage hidden behind the walls of the exhibition hall.Zh: 这条通道显然是用来把珍贵物品偷偷运送出去的。En: This passage was clearly intended to secretly transport precious items.Zh: 就在这一瞬间，他们撞见了张伟，正试图从通道里取回失踪的艺术品。En: At that moment, they bumped into Zhang Wei, who was trying to retrieve the missing artifact through the passage.Zh: 原来，张伟计划通过秘密通道将艺术品偷走，以此展示他的“才华”。En: It turned out Zhang Wei planned to steal the artifact using the secret passage to showcase his "talent."Zh: 梅想到了曝光张伟的犯行，最终她成功归还了失踪的艺术品，令在场的所有人刮目相看。En: Mei thought of exposing Zhang Wei's crime, and eventually, she successfully returned the missing artifact, earning the admiration of everyone present.Zh: 此时，梅感受到了尊重与认可。En: At this moment, Mei felt respect and recognition.Zh: 李华的名字也从此清白无瑕，他得以继续从事他的锁匠事业。En: Li Hua's reputation was also cleared, allowing him to continue his career as a locksmith.Zh: 梅不止实现了自己的愿望，她还改变了自己。En: Mei not only achieved her wish but also transformed herself.Zh: 通过此次合作，她懂得了信任与协作的价值，更加自信地继续追求自己的热忱。En: Through this collaboration, she learned the value of trust and cooperation, and more confidently continued pursuing her passion.Zh: 紫禁城的寒风依旧，但此时此刻，梅与李华心中已是春风得意。En: The cold wind of the Zijin Cheng still blew, but at this moment, both Mei and Li Hua were filled with a sense of triumph. Vocabulary Words:solemn: 庄严artifact: 艺术品exhibition: 展览curiosity: 好奇recognition: 认同colleague: 同事retrieve: 取回reputation: 声誉cooperation: 合作passionate: 热爱ambiance: 氛围precious: 珍贵guarded: 把守investigation: 调查complex: 复杂professional: 专业人士determined: 决心passage: 通道secretly: 偷偷expose: 曝光admiration: 刮目相看collaboration: 合作trust: 信任confidence: 自信pursue: 追求historian: 历史学家locksmith: 锁匠clear: 澄清transformed: 改变triumph: 得意

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Beijing Nights: Tradition and Reunion Under Fireworks Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-25-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夜晚的北京，寒冷而闪烁。En: The night in Beijing was cold and shimmering.Zh: 在天坛，红色灯笼高高挂起，星光点点。En: At the Temple of Heaven, red lanterns hung high, dotted with starlight.Zh: 这里是春节的庆典。En: Here was the Spring Festival celebration.Zh: 热闹的声音混合着冬日的冷空气，伴有淡淡的香火味。En: The bustling sounds mixed with the cold winter air, accompanied by a faint scent of incense.Zh: 立芬穿着厚厚的羽绒服，挽着表弟伟的手。En: Lifen was wearing a thick down jacket, linking arms with her cousin Wei.Zh: 在他们面前，人群熙熙攘攘，摩肩接踵。En: In front of them, the crowd was bustling and shoulder to shoulder.Zh: 伟兴奋地说道：“立芬，这里每一个角落都要看！” 他的脸上满是活力。En: Wei said excitedly, "Lifen, we have to see every corner of this place!" His face was full of energy.Zh: 立芬微微一笑，眼睛里是一丝思索。En: Lifen smiled slightly, a hint of contemplation in her eyes.Zh: 她心中希望能与过去的传统有更深的联系，同时创造珍贵的回忆。En: She hoped to connect more deeply with past traditions and create precious memories.Zh: “伟，你觉得今天我们会遇到一些老朋友吗？”En: "Wei, do you think we will meet some old friends today?"Zh: “也许吧！”伟回答，“你不是说小时候常和建宇在这里玩吗？”En: "Maybe!" Wei answered, "Didn't you say you used to play here often with Jianyu when you were young?"Zh: 提到建宇，立芬心里微微一动。En: Mentioning Jianyu, Lifen's heart moved slightly.Zh: 建宇是她小时候的好朋友，如今在外地工作。En: Jianyu was her childhood friend, now working in another city.Zh: 时光在静静流逝，他们的联系也渐渐淡了。En: Time had quietly passed, and their connection had gradually faded.Zh: 她有点犹豫，是否要与他重新建立联系。En: She was a bit hesitant about whether to reestablish contact with him.Zh: 在天坛的四周，张灯结彩，游人如织，给立芬一丝压力。En: Around the Temple of Heaven, the decorations were splendid, and the visitors were numerous, giving Lifen a bit of pressure.Zh: 她跟随伟，参观了一些摊位，看了一些舞龙表演，但内心总觉得缺少了些什么。En: She followed Wei, visiting some stalls and watching some dragon dance performances, but felt something was missing internally.Zh: 她在寻找一个安静的角落，一个可以平静思考的地方。En: She was searching for a quiet corner, a place where she could think peacefully.Zh: “立芬，我们上那个圆形的祭坛吧，听说能看到很远的风景。”伟指着远处的圆丘祭坛说道。En: "Lifen, let's go up that circular altar, I've heard you can see far from there," Wei pointed to the circular mound altar in the distance.Zh: 立芬点头，跟随伟慢慢爬上祭坛。En: Lifen nodded and followed Wei slowly up the altar.Zh: 祭坛上空旷，脚下是冰冷的石阶。En: The altar was spacious and the stone steps beneath were cold.Zh: 终于，他们到达了祭坛顶部，迎面而来的是夜空星斗与远处的灯火。En: Finally, they reached the top of the altar, greeted by the starry night sky and distant lights.Zh: 这时，立芬看到了站在不远处的一个熟悉的身影。En: At this moment, Lifen saw a familiar figure standing not far away.Zh: 是建宇。En: It was Jianyu.Zh: 他似乎也在寻找片刻的宁静。En: He seemed to be seeking a moment of tranquility as well.Zh: 当两人的目光交汇时，立芬微微一笑，缓步走向前。En: When their eyes met, Lifen smiled slightly and walked forward slowly.Zh: “建宇，好久不见。”立芬轻声说道。En: "Jianyu, long time no see," Lifen said softly.Zh: 建宇回过头，温柔地笑了笑，“立芬，真没想到能在这里遇见你。”En: Jianyu turned around and smiled gently, "Lifen, I didn't expect to meet you here."Zh: 他们站在一起，脚下是延绵的北京城，耳边是远处的烟花声。En: They stood together, the sprawling city of Beijing beneath them, the sound of fireworks in the distance.Zh: 立芬和建宇开始交谈，他们聊起过去的时光，聊起各自的变化。En: Lifen and Jianyu began to talk, reminiscing about the past, discussing their changes.Zh: “有时候，我觉得自己被城市冲散了。”立芬说，“但这里让我想起从前，让我想与传统连接，与朋友连接。”En: "Sometimes, I feel like the city has scattered me," Lifen said, "but this place reminds me of the past, makes me want to connect with tradition, connect with friends."Zh: “我也是这样，我们都在不断寻找自己。”建宇回应道。En: "I feel the same way, we're both constantly searching for ourselves," Jianyu responded.Zh: 在那一刻，立芬感受到了一种深深的归属感。En: In that moment, Lifen felt a deep sense of belonging.Zh: 她明白，现代的春节庆祝与传统并不矛盾，两者的结合正是她真正的根源。En: She realized that modern Spring Festival celebrations aren't at odds with tradition; their combination is her true root.Zh: 夜空中绽放的烟花映照着他们的脸，En: The fireworks blossomed in the night sky, illuminating their faces.Zh: 立芬笑了，她找到了心中的平衡。En: Lifen smiled, finding balance in her heart.Zh: 她意识到，属于她的春节不仅是怀旧的传统，还有充满活力的当下。En: She realized that her Spring Festival was not only about nostalgic traditions but also the vibrant present.Zh: 故事在烟花的光辉中结束，立芬带着满满的快乐与满足迎接新的开始。En: The story concludes with the brilliance of the fireworks as Lifen welcomed a new beginning with joy and fulfillment. Vocabulary Words:shimmering: 闪烁lantern: 灯笼incense: 香火contemplation: 思索hesitant: 犹豫reestablish: 重新建立splendid: 张灯结彩numerous: 如织pressure: 压力mound: 圆丘altar: 祭坛tranquility: 宁静reminiscing: 聊起过去belonging: 归属感tradition: 传统connect: 连接precious: 珍贵gradually: 渐渐faded: 淡了stone steps: 石阶greeted: 迎面而来scattered: 冲散vibrant: 活力blossomed: 绽放balance: 平衡fulfillment: 满足nostalgic: 怀旧brilliance: 光辉illuminating: 映照awakening: 迎接新的开始

In this conversation, we explore the essential oils that resonate with Aries individuals, discussing their personality traits, strengths, and challenges. They delve into how specific oils like green mandarin and ginger can enhance the positive aspects of Aries energy, while also addressing the need for balancing this fiery disposition with cooling oils. The discussion also touches on the health predispositions associated with Aries and the importance of understanding these traits through the lens of astrology and aromatherapy.Chapters00:00 Exploring Aries and Essential Oils11:46 Balancing Aries Energy with Essential Oils22:15 Understanding Aries Dispositions and Health27:25 Final Thoughts on Aries and Essential OilsABOUT ADAM BARRALET Adam Barralet has been observing and living in tune with nature since childhood. Growing up amongst the bushland and wildlife of the hills in Western Australia and residing in various locations around the world has presented Adam with diverse opportunities to access extensive and eclectic teachings about the secrets of Mother Earth. He has used essential oils for over 30 years and teams his experiences with his background in human biology, chemistry, psychology, health sciences and massage.He has now established himself as an international author, presenter, educator and Wellness Advocate, adept at working with essential oils, along with crystals, animal guides, tarot, astrology and mythology. CONNECT WITH ADAM HERE: https://linktr.ee/adambarralet ABOUT ELIZABETH ASHLEYElizabeth Ashley has over 20 books on sale on Amazon under her pen name The Secret Healer. The UK Director of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy and an overseas speaker for The International Federation of Aromatherapists, Elizabeth's work focuses on understanding the very earliest energetic relationships between certain plants and the human world, right up the modern-day scientific evidence of healing botanicals.A practicing Melissa priestess, a plant and bee shamaness as well as a bee guardian, she has the unique perspective of having one foot in our three-dimensional scientific reality with the other dancing in the spiritual realms.CONNECT WITH LIZ HERE: https://linktr.ee/thesecrethealer

As the end of the month approaches, Gao Jin can't hide his excitement as payday is almost here! He admits to Gao Yue that he's someone who spends all his salary every month - a “moonlight clan” member. Want to join maayot.com for more real-life conversations? Use promotion code “Podcast” , get a 50% off today !—————————————————————————————————安娜：你在想什么？高月：我在想今晚我们吃什么好？安娜：不用想了，我们去吃自助火锅吧。你觉得呢？高月：自助火锅？安娜：嗯，对。两人行，一人免单。高月：喔？我怎么不知道。好啊！安娜：我朋友告诉我的。高月：我也想吃火锅了！—————————————————————————————————If you're enjoying this story, there's so much more waiting for you inside maayot:✅ Daily bite-sized stories that suit your level ✅ native audio✅ Interactions with native for practice your speaking ✅ One tap Pinyin, explain in context for words and sentences✅ Writing and speaking exercises with real person feedback ✅ Track your learning streakNot using these features yet? Open our app or visit maayot.com and explore everything your Mandarin journey needs.If this episode made you smile, laugh, or learn something new. Please Take just 30 seconds to leave us a rating and short review. It helps other Mandarin learners discover us !

SEGMENT 9: ORIGINS OF THE CHINA LOBBY Guest: Lee Smith, Author of "The China Matrix" Smith traces the China lobby's origins to a pivotal October 1997 White House dinner with the Clintons where VIPs secured immense personal wealth through Beijing connections. Nancy Pelosi and Daniel Moynihan protested these arrangements, but the pact enriching American elites at China's service was firmly established.1793 Mandarin

The Embryo Adoption Podcast is back for season six!  When Aaron and Monica Harris married in their 40s, they immediately faced infertility challenges. After failed IVF attempts, a cross-country move, and multiple miscarriages, they discovered embryo adoption through the National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC). This episode chronicles their emotional rollercoaster—from devastating losses to the miraculous moment they saw two heartbeats on the ultrasound. Hear how they navigated special consideration embryos, found their faith tested and strengthened, and ultimately welcomed twin boys whose Mandarin middle names mean "praise" and "accepted grace." Find this podcast helpful? Spread the word! Share, rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your audio.

Gen 48:1-49:33, Matt 15:29-16:12, Ps 20:1-9, Pr 4:20-27

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Snow, Secrets, and a Jade Quest: Mei's New Year Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-24-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 大雪覆盖了曾经辉煌的紫禁城。En: The heavy snow covered the once-glorious Zijincheng.Zh: 梅站在宫殿前，寒风掠过她的脸颊。En: Mei stood in front of the palace, the cold wind brushing her cheeks.Zh: 每一步都发出轻微的嘎吱声，似乎诉说着这里曾经的繁华。En: Each step made a slight creaking sound, as if telling the story of the prosperity that once existed here.Zh: 今天是农历新年，但她心中却无法安宁。En: Today is the Lunar New Year, but her heart could not find peace.Zh: 她必须找到家族传承的玉佩，否则将辜负祖先的期望。En: She must find the family heirloom jade pendant, or she will fail to live up to her ancestors' expectations.Zh: “快，梅，我们得在别人之前找到它。” 梁焦急地催促。En: "Hurry, Mei, we need to find it before others do," Liang urged anxiously.Zh: 梁是梅的好朋友，也是这次冒险的伙伴。En: Liang was Mei's good friend and a companion on this adventure.Zh: 他们之间的默契是团队中最珍贵的财富。En: The tacit understanding between them was the most precious asset of the team.Zh: 而静，就像这座城的幽灵般，悄无声息地跟在他们后面。En: Jing, like a ghost of the city, silently followed behind them.Zh: 静以前是这里的守护者，因为对宫殿历史的了解，她被梅邀请加入。En: Jing used to be the protector here, and due to her understanding of the palace's history, she was invited by Mei to join.Zh: 三个身影走在冰冷的石砖上，昔日的辉煌随着时间褪去，墙壁上仍可见隐约的浮雕，讲述着遥远的故事。En: The three figures walked on the cold stone bricks, the glory of the past fading away with time, and the faint carvings on the walls still narrated distant stories.Zh: 雪越来越大，梅感到一丝绝望。En: The snow got heavier, and Mei felt a pang of despair.Zh: 与此同时，他们却发现了一个奇特的雕刻。En: Meanwhile, they discovered a peculiar carving.Zh: 梅心头一震，那上面有着她们家族的徽章。En: Mei's heart trembled, for it bore her family's emblem.Zh: 这或许是线索。En: This might be a clue.Zh: “我们快去那个方向，” 静指着远处的一个残破庭院。En: "Let's hurry in that direction," Jing pointed toward a distant dilapidated courtyard.Zh: 这里只有燕雀静静地看着她们。En: Only the sparrows quietly watched them.Zh: 刚跨过庭院，就遇到一伙贪婪的掠夺者。En: As soon as they crossed the courtyard, they encountered a group of greedy looters.Zh: 双方对峙中，空气紧张得让人窒息。En: The tension in the air was suffocating as both sides faced off.Zh: 梅明白，她不能让这些人抢走玉佩。En: Mei understood she couldn't let these people snatch the jade pendant away.Zh: “等等，”梅突然冷静下来，高声提议，“我们可以合作！”En: "Wait," Mei suddenly calmed down and proposed loudly, "We can cooperate!"Zh: 这话让对方一愣。En: These words stunned the other party.Zh: 最终，她们达成协议，合作寻找玉佩。En: Eventually, they reached an agreement to cooperate in finding the jade pendant.Zh: 在雪地的某个角落里，一束微光吸引了众人的目光。En: In a corner of the snowy land, a faint ray of light caught everyone's attention.Zh: 梅和梁、静一起挖开积雪，终于找到了那枚被尘封的玉佩。En: Mei, Liang, and Jing together dug through the piled snow and finally found the dust-covered jade pendant.Zh: 成功的喜悦在梅心中突显，但她并没有选择独占。En: The joy of success was prominent in Mei's heart, but she did not choose to monopolize it.Zh: 相反，她向大家讲述了玉佩的故事和它蕴含的意义。En: Instead, she told everyone the story of the jade pendant and the meaning it held.Zh: 掠夺者们被这段历史打动，放弃了索取。En: The looters were moved by this history and abandoned their claim.Zh: 阳光穿过乌云，照射在梅的脸上。En: Sunlight broke through the clouds, shining on Mei's face.Zh: 她微笑着发现，在信任和团结中，她找到了新的勇气和依托。En: She smiled and realized that in trust and unity, she found new courage and support.Zh: 玉佩虽是家族的传承，但其真实的力量在于连接人心。En: Although the jade pendant was a family heirloom, its true power lay in connecting hearts.Zh: 梅学会了超越家族期望，坚定了自己的价值。En: Mei learned to transcend family expectations and solidify her own values.Zh: 在这新年的第一天，他们带着友情和希望，踏上了回家的路。En: On this first day of the new year, they set off on the road home with friendship and hope.Zh: 紫禁城在大雪中安静地矗立，继续守护着那些古老的传说。En: The Zijincheng stood silently in the heavy snow, continuing to guard those ancient legends. Vocabulary Words:glorious: 辉煌cheeks: 脸颊creaking: 嘎吱prosperity: 繁华heirloom: 传承pendant: 玉佩urge: 催促companion: 伙伴tacit: 默契precious: 珍贵asset: 财富silently: 悄无声息protector: 守护者narrated: 讲述despair: 绝望peculiar: 奇特carving: 雕刻emblem: 徽章dilapidated: 残破sparrows: 燕雀looters: 掠夺者tension: 紧张suffocating: 窒息cooperate: 合作monopolize: 独占abandoned: 放弃ray: 微光success: 成功transcend: 超越solidify: 坚定

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Courage Under Snow: A Doctor's New Year Breakthrough Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-24-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 雪静悄悄地覆盖着紫禁城，整个北京都被厚厚的白雪包围着。En: The snow quietly covered the Zǐjìnchéng, and all of Běijīng was surrounded by thick white snow.Zh: 在历史悠久的医院里，梅透过窗户看着外面的雪景，心中充满不安。En: In a historically significant hospital, Méi looked through the window at the snowy scene outside, filled with unease.Zh: 她是一名实习医生，正在为春节的到来做准备，但一场突如其来的雪暴打乱了所有计划。En: She was an intern doctor preparing for the upcoming Chūnjié, but a sudden snowstorm disrupted all the plans.Zh: 医院里，紧急情况响起：病人连需要立即手术。En: In the hospital, an emergency call sounded: a patient named Lián required immediate surgery.Zh: 梅的导师贾医生，一位经验丰富的外科医生，本应在场指挥。En: Méi's mentor, Dr. Jiǎ, an experienced surgeon, was supposed to be there to guide the procedure.Zh: 但这场暴风雪使他的团队无法赶到医院。En: However, the snowstorm had prevented his team from reaching the hospital.Zh: 手术室里，灯光微弱。En: In the operating room, the lights were dim.Zh: 梅深吸一口气，努力平静下来。En: Méi took a deep breath, trying hard to calm down.Zh: 贾看到她的小心翼翼，上前鼓励她：“梅，相信自己。En: Seeing her cautiousness, Jiǎ stepped forward to encourage her, "Believe in yourself, Méi.Zh: 我们可以做到。En: We can do this."Zh: ”手术开始，梅小心翼翼地递工具，尽力不让自己手抖。En: The surgery began, and Méi carefully handed over instruments, trying her best to keep her hands steady.Zh: 突然，冷空气影响了设备，心电监护仪失灵了。En: Suddenly, the cold air affected the equipment, and the heart monitor malfunctioned.Zh: 空气中弥漫着紧张。En: The air was thick with tension.Zh: 梅心里顿时一阵慌乱，但她很快镇定下来，想起了在学校学过的应急措施。En: Méi felt a wave of panic, but she quickly composed herself, recalling emergency measures she had learned in school.Zh: 她利用简单的工具和旧电池，照常工作。En: Using simple tools and an old battery, she made things work.Zh: 贾医生转头对她微微一笑：“干得好。En: Dr. Jiǎ turned and gave her a slight smile, "Well done."Zh: ”手术顺利完成，连安全地躺在病床上。En: The surgery was successfully completed, and Lián lay safely on the hospital bed.Zh: 贾拍了拍梅的肩膀：“你做得很好，梅。En: Dr. Jiǎ patted Méi's shoulder, "You did very well, Méi.Zh: 你的勇气和智慧救了他。En: Your courage and wisdom saved him."Zh: ”走出手术室，积雪在静谧的夜里闪烁，远处隐约传来新年庆祝的鞭炮声。En: Stepping out of the operating room, the snow glistened in the still night, with the faint sound of New Year celebrations and firecrackers in the distance.Zh: 梅仰头看着白茫茫的紫禁城，感觉一切那么不真实。En: Méi looked up at the snow-blanketed Zǐjìnchéng, feeling as if everything was surreal.Zh: 她知道，自己的心结终于解开。En: She knew that the knot in her heart had finally unraveled.Zh: 脸上挂着暖暖的微笑，梅深知，无论未来多么艰难，她都能凭借自己的力量去克服。En: With a warm smile on her face, Méi realized that no matter how difficult the future might be, she could overcome it with her own strength.Zh: 那一晚，梅不再怀疑自己，她获得了勇气和信任。En: That night, Méi no longer doubted herself, gaining courage and confidence.Zh: 大雪依旧不停，但梅的心却不再寒冷，春节的喜悦就在前方。En: The heavy snow continued, but Méi's heart was no longer cold, and the joy of the New Year lay ahead. Vocabulary Words:quietly: 静悄悄地covered: 覆盖着historically significant: 历史悠久的unease: 不安intern: 实习医生surgery: 手术mentor: 导师experienced: 经验丰富的dim: 微弱cautiousness: 小心翼翼encourage: 鼓励malfunctioned: 失灵tension: 紧张panic: 慌乱composed: 镇定emergency: 应急措施surreal: 不真实unraveled: 解开doubted: 怀疑courage: 勇气confidence: 信任glisten: 闪烁celebrations: 庆祝new year: 春节snowstorm: 暴风雪plans: 计划equipment: 设备monitor: 监护仪measures: 措施joy: 喜悦

Gen 46:1-47:31, Matt 15:1-28, Ps 19:1-14, Pr 4:14-19

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Quiet Reflections: Li Wei's Journey Through Lijiang's Heritage Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-23-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 湄公大街上，红灯笼在寒风中轻轻摇曳，空气中弥漫着春节的热闹气息。En: On Meigong Avenue, red lanterns sway gently in the cold wind, and the air is filled with the lively atmosphere of the Spring Festival.Zh: 丽江古城，冬天的阳光温柔地洒在那石铺的小巷里。En: In the Lijiang Ancient Town, winter sunlight softly bathes the stone-paved alleys.Zh: 李伟、梅玲和金浩是高中的好朋友，他们参加了一次特别的学校旅行，目的地就是这座古老而美丽的城镇。En: Li Wei, Mei Ling, and Jin Hao are good friends from high school, and they are on a special school trip to this ancient and beautiful town.Zh: 李伟非常喜欢传统文化和建筑，但他性格内向，总是默默观赏。En: Li Wei is very fond of traditional culture and architecture, but his introverted nature means he always observes in silence.Zh: 今天，他的目标是了解尽可能多的历史建筑，特别是它们的文化意义。En: Today, his goal is to learn as much as possible about historical buildings, particularly their cultural significance.Zh: 然而，春节假期的人群让古城更加拥挤，游客们的欢声笑语淹没了李伟想要安静观察的愿望。En: However, the holiday crowds during the Spring Festival make the ancient town even more crowded, and the cheerful laughter of the tourists drowns out Li Wei's wish for quiet observation.Zh: “我要单独去看看。”李伟决定。En: "I want to go look on my own," Li Wei decided.Zh: 他告诉梅玲和金浩自己想走一会儿，仔细看看那些老房子。En: He told Mei Ling and Jin Hao that he wanted to walk around and take a closer look at the old houses.Zh: 他们都点头支持。En: They nodded in support.Zh: 于是，李伟迈开脚步，走进了一条安静的小巷。En: So, Li Wei began to walk, entering a quiet alley.Zh: 街角处，一个隐蔽的小院吸引了李伟的注意。En: At the street corner, a secluded courtyard caught Li Wei's attention.Zh: 那里没有人声，老柳树在微风中轻轻摇曳，木雕的窗格透露出古色古香的韵味。En: There was no sound of people; an old willow swayed gently in the breeze, and the carved wooden window lattices revealed an antique charm.Zh: 李伟心中一动，他轻轻推开院门，走了进去。En: Li Wei felt a stir in his heart, and he gently pushed open the courtyard gate and walked inside.Zh: 院子里，一个老人正在修补一件老旧的木雕。En: In the courtyard, an elderly man was mending an old wooden carving.Zh: 老人面容慈祥，笑着看向李伟。En: The old man had a kindly face and smiled at Li Wei.Zh: 他是镇上的老匠人，专注于传统工艺。En: He was an old craftsman in the town, dedicated to traditional crafts.Zh: 看到李伟有兴趣，老人便开始讲述那些老房子的历史和他的工作。En: Seeing Li Wei's interest, the craftsman began to tell the history of those old houses and his work.Zh: 李伟听得入神，觉察到这些建筑所承载的故事和价值。En: Li Wei listened intently, realizing the stories and value carried by these buildings.Zh: 不知过了多久，李伟意识到自己要回去了。En: He did not know how much time had passed, but eventually Li Wei realized he needed to return.Zh: 他感谢老人，带着丰富的体会和激动的心情回到朋友身边。En: He thanked the elder, returned to his friends with a wealth of experiences and a heart full of excitement.Zh: 梅玲和金浩见了他，问道：“你发现了什么？”En: Mei Ling and Jin Hao saw him and asked, "What did you discover?"Zh: 李伟眼中闪着光芒，说：“我遇到了一位很特别的匠人，我了解到了很多关于这些建筑的事情。”En: The light in Li Wei's eyes shone as he said, "I met a very special craftsman, and I've learned a lot about these buildings."Zh: 他向朋友们分享了从老人那里听来的故事，脸上是从未有过的自信。En: He shared the stories he heard from the old man with his friends, his face showing newfound confidence.Zh: 这次旅行改变了李伟。En: This trip changed Li Wei.Zh: 虽然他依旧内向，但他找到了表达自己热情的方法。En: Although he remained introverted, he found a way to express his passions.Zh: 他明白了建筑背后的故事，感受到文化的力量，也更加珍惜朋友们的陪伴。En: He understood the stories behind the architecture, felt the power of culture, and cherished his friends' companionship even more.Zh: 丽江古城的冬季在他们的心中留下了温暖的回忆。En: The winter in Lijiang Ancient Town left warm memories in their hearts. Vocabulary Words:sway: 摇曳secluded: 隐蔽breeze: 微风courtyard: 小院lattice: 窗格carved: 木雕antique: 古色古香charm: 韵味craftsman: 匠人mend: 修补intently: 入神companionship: 陪伴cherish: 珍惜fond: 喜欢introverted: 内向observe: 观赏cultural significance: 文化意义crowds: 人群cheerful: 欢声笑语stir: 心动elderly: 老人kindly: 慈祥historical: 历史realize: 意识到confidence: 自信express: 表达passions: 热情architecture: 建筑dedicated: 专注wealth: 丰富

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Heartfelt Connections on the Great Wall's Wintry Eve Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-23-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 长城在冬天有一种特别的魅力。En: The Changcheng in winter has a particular charm.Zh: 白雪覆盖在古老的砖石上，远远望去，像是一条威严的巨龙，蜿蜒在起伏的山丘之间。En: White snow covers the ancient bricks and stones, and from a distance, it looks like a majestic dragon winding through the rolling hills.Zh: 空气冷冽而清新，而此时也是农历新年的前夕。En: The air is crisp and fresh, and it is also the eve of the Nongli Xinnian (Lunar New Year).Zh: 灯笼高挂，烟火耀眼，四处洋溢着喜庆的气氛。En: Lanterns are hung high, fireworks are dazzling, and a festive atmosphere is everywhere.Zh: 廉生一直渴望重新探索他的根。En: Liansheng had always longed to explore his roots.Zh: 在新年到来之际，他终于有机会来到长城。En: With the arrival of the new year, he finally had the opportunity to visit the Changcheng.Zh: 他希望能找到与家族过去更深层的联系。En: He hoped to find a deeper connection with his family's past.Zh: 他的堂姐美玉也一同前来，她热衷于与廉生分享他们家族的故事。En: His cousin Meiyu also came along, eager to share the stories of their family with Liansheng.Zh: 对于美玉来说，能在这样一个重要的节日陪伴自己的兄弟，是她最大的快乐。En: For Meiyu, being able to accompany her brother on such an important holiday was her greatest joy.Zh: 他们的导游是景伟，一个了解长城每一寸土地的当地人。En: Their guide was Jingwei, a local who knew every inch of the Changcheng.Zh: 他热爱向游客分享长城的历史和秘密。En: He loved sharing the history and secrets of the Changcheng with tourists.Zh: 景伟不仅是个出色的向导，他还充满热情，总是能感染身边的人。En: Jingwei was not only an excellent guide but also incredibly passionate, always able to infect those around him with his enthusiasm.Zh: 在游览长城的过程中，廉生步履沉重。En: During the tour of the Changcheng, Liansheng walked with heavy steps.Zh: 他想要感受更多，却总是感到有些力不从心。En: He wanted to experience more but always felt a bit helpless.Zh: 突然，他的胸口一阵剧痛，令他不得不停下脚步，捂着心口，满脸痛苦。En: Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, forcing him to stop, clutching his heart with a face full of agony.Zh: 美玉和景伟赶紧靠过来，紧张地询问发生了什么。En: Meiyu and Jingwei quickly came over, anxiously asking what had happened.Zh: 景伟立刻意识到这是心脏病发作，必须马上休息。En: Jingwei immediately realized it was a heart attack and that rest was urgently needed.Zh: 美玉又急又担心，她不想失去这个和兄弟一起共度新年的机会。En: Meiyu was both worried and concerned; she didn't want to lose the chance to spend the new year with her brother.Zh: 面对心脏病的威胁，廉生陷入了两难。En: Facing the threat of a heart attack, Liansheng found himself in a dilemma.Zh: 他想继续他的探索之旅，这也许是他唯一的机会。En: He wanted to continue his journey of exploration, as this might be his only opportunity.Zh: 但他也知道，自己的健康更为重要。En: But he also knew that his health was more important.Zh: 在景伟和美玉的劝说下，廉生决定放下执念，留在安全的地方，静静等待夜幕降临。En: With Jingwei and Meiyu's persuasion, Liansheng decided to let go of his obsession and stay in a safe place, quietly waiting for nightfall.Zh: 随着新年的烟火在空中绽放，廉生感受到一种既胜利又恐惧的情感交织。En: As the new year's fireworks lit up the sky, Liansheng felt a mix of triumph and fear.Zh: 他意识到，过去的联系固然重要，但和亲人在一起的当下才是最珍贵的。En: He realized that while connections to the past are important, the present with family is the most precious.Zh: 在美玉和景伟的陪伴下，廉生和他们一起欣赏着漫天烟花。En: In the company of Meiyu and Jingwei, Liansheng watched the fireworks filling the sky.Zh: 他终于明白，家庭是他真正的过去和现在的连接。En: He finally understood that family is his true connection to both past and present.Zh: 在这璀璨的烟花下，廉生心中充满了温暖和感激。En: Under these dazzling fireworks, Liansheng's heart was filled with warmth and gratitude.Zh: 故事的结尾，廉生虽未能实现他心中最初的愿望，但他找到了更深层的满足。En: By the end of the story, Liansheng may not have fulfilled his initial desire, but he found deeper satisfaction.Zh: 他的改变不在于对过去的追寻，而是对身边亲人关系的珍惜。En: His change was not about the quest for the past, but in cherishing the relationships with the loved ones around him.Zh: 长城在他眼中不再只是历史的象征，而是承载着他与家人共同度过的珍贵时光。En: The Changcheng no longer appeared only as a symbol of history but as a bearer of precious moments spent with his family. Vocabulary Words:particular: 特别charm: 魅力majestic: 威严的winding: 蜿蜒crisp: 冷冽eve: 前夕dazzling: 耀眼festive: 喜庆的atmosphere: 气氛longed: 渴望explore: 探索opportunity: 机会eager: 热衷于accompany: 陪伴inch: 寸passionate: 热情infect: 感染tour: 游览helpless: 力不从心agony: 痛苦anxiously: 紧张地immediately: 立刻dilemma: 两难persuasion: 劝说obsession: 执念triumph: 胜利present: 当下gratitude: 感激cherishing: 珍惜symbol: 象征

Gen 44:1-45:28, Matt 14:13-36, Ps 18:35-50, Pr 4:11-13

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Snowy Meditations: Finding Peace Among the Firecrackers Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-22-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在杭州的冬季，灵隐寺被皑皑白雪覆盖，En: In the winter of Hangzhou, Lingyin Temple was covered in a blanket of white snow.Zh: 寺院四周是古老的森林，它们在淡淡的雾气下显得神秘而宁静。En: The surrounding ancient forest appeared mysterious and tranquil under the light mist.Zh: 正值春节期间，寺庙里挂满了鲜红的灯笼，金色的横幅在风中轻轻飘舞。En: It was the Spring Festival period, and the temple was adorned with bright red lanterns, with golden banners gently waving in the wind.Zh: 尽管冷风刺骨，这里显得异常热闹。En: Despite the biting cold wind, the place felt unusually lively.Zh: 黎亮，一个向往安静与顿悟的青年，决定在春节期间来到灵隐寺进行冥想。En: Li Liang, a young man who yearned for peace and enlightenment, decided to visit Lingyin Temple during the Spring Festival for meditation.Zh: 他渴望在新年到来之际寻求内心的平和。En: He longed to seek inner peace as the new year approached.Zh: 他的朋友周和梅陪同前来。En: His friends Zhou and Mei accompanied him.Zh: 周是个心地善良但总是笨手笨脚的人，而梅则是个活泼风趣的人，她总能在任何境地中找到乐趣。En: Zhou was a kind-hearted but often clumsy person, while Mei was lively and witty, always able to find joy in any situation.Zh: 黎亮找到寺中一个安静的角落，打算开始他的重要冥想。En: Li Liang found a quiet corner in the temple to begin his important meditation.Zh: "我只需要一刻的宁静，"他对自己说。En: "I just need a moment of silence," he told himself.Zh: 闭上眼睛，他开始进入冥想状态。En: Closing his eyes, he began to enter a meditative state.Zh: 可是，寺庙里正在为春节做准备，四处都是喧闹声。En: However, preparations for the Spring Festival were underway in the temple, and there was noise everywhere.Zh: 首先，周不小心踢翻了一个装满小铜铃的篮子，叮当作响。En: First, Zhou accidentally kicked over a basket full of small copper bells, which rang out loudly.Zh: 这声音打断了黎亮的冥想，En: This sound interrupted Li Liang's meditation.Zh: 他皱了皱眉，但还是继续努力集中注意力。En: He frowned but continued to concentrate.Zh: 接着，梅嬉笑着模仿寺庙里的钟声，笑声不断传入黎亮的耳中。En: Next, Mei giggled as she imitated the temple's bell sounds, her laughter continuously reaching Li Liang's ears.Zh: "真不凑巧，"他想，但他并没有生气。En: "Such bad timing," he thought, but he didn't get angry.Zh: 随着时间的推移，庙里的准备更加繁忙。En: As time went by, the preparations in the temple became even busier.Zh: 到了高潮时刻，就在黎亮几乎达到完美的冥想状态时，寺庙门外忽然有人点燃了一串巨大的炮竹声，巨响冲天而起。En: At the climax, just as Li Liang was almost reaching a perfect meditative state, someone suddenly set off a string of giant firecrackers outside the temple door, with a thunderous noise rising into the sky.Zh: 黎亮张开眼，显得极为震惊，但当他看向身边的周和梅，他们正捂着耳朵笑得前仰后合。En: Li Liang opened his eyes, looking extremely startled, but when he looked at Zhou and Mei beside him, they were covering their ears, laughing uproariously.Zh: 黎亮再次闭上眼，这一次，他不再强求完美的宁静。En: Li Liang closed his eyes again, this time no longer striving for perfect peace.Zh: 慢慢地，他意识到了周围的热闹和快乐，也感到了那份暖意。En: Slowly, he became aware of the liveliness and joy around him, and he also felt a sense of warmth.Zh: 他放下了执念，脸上露出释然的笑容，和朋友们一起开怀大笑。En: He let go of his obsessions, a relieved smile appearing on his face, as he laughed heartily with his friends.Zh: 黎亮终于明白，顿悟不在于绝对的静谧，而在于欣然接受生活的变化与无常。En: Li Liang finally understood that enlightenment is not about absolute tranquility, but about gladly accepting the changes and impermanence of life.Zh: 他找到了内心的宁静，虽然不是在他所预想的方式里。En: He found inner peace, although not in the way he had envisioned.Zh: 春节的烟花照亮了半边天，灵隐寺在热闹与宁静之间找到了平衡，而黎亮，也找到了心灵的启迪。En: The fireworks of the Spring Festival lit up half the sky, with Lingyin Temple finding balance between liveliness and tranquility, and Li Liang finding enlightenment in his soul. Vocabulary Words:blanket: 覆盖biting: 刺骨yearned: 向往enlightenment: 顿悟adorned: 挂满concentrate: 集中tranquility: 宁静obstructions: 障碍imitation: 模仿uproariously: 开怀大笑meditative: 冥想striving: 强求obsessions: 执念relieved: 释然impermanence: 无常giggled: 嬉笑thunderous: 巨响exuberant: 热闹liveliness: 活泼firecrackers: 炮竹gently: 轻轻climax: 高潮perfect: 完美startled: 震惊tranquil: 神秘accompany: 陪同appeared: 显得preparations: 准备meditation: 冥想banners: 横幅

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Whispers of the Forest: Linna's New Year Tale Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-22-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 四川的密林里，冬天的空气清冽而安静。En: In the dense forests of Sichuan, the winter air is crisp and quiet.Zh: 森林中，常青树上披着一层厚厚的白雪，点缀着过年的红灯笼，流淌着温暖的光。En: In the forest, the evergreen trees are draped with a thick layer of white snow, adorned with red lanterns for the New Year, casting a warm glow.Zh: 在这灯火映照下，林娜、魏和陈一家人正忙着准备他们一年一度的家庭聚会。En: In the light of these lanterns, Linna, Wei, and Chen's family are busy preparing for their annual family gathering.Zh: 林娜是个活泼的年轻女孩，她热爱家里的传统。En: Linna is a lively young girl who loves her family's traditions.Zh: 每年春节，他们全家都会到这片森林里露营。En: Every year during the Spring Festival, their whole family goes camping in this forest.Zh: 她的父母和魏、陈一起准备丰盛的年夜饭，火锅的香味飘散在空中。En: Her parents, along with Wei and Chen, are preparing a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner, the aroma of hot pot wafting through the air.Zh: 但林娜渴望一些新的体验，她希望在保存旧传统的同时，也能给家里带点新鲜感。En: But Linna longs for some new experiences; she hopes to bring a bit of freshness to her family while preserving the old traditions.Zh: 当魏和陈认真地挂着鞭炮时，林娜决定尝试一个新主意。En: As Wei and Chen carefully hang firecrackers, Linna decides to try a new idea.Zh: 她提前从村里的老人那里搜集了一些关于森林的传说。En: She gathered some legends about the forest from the elders in the village.Zh: 晚上，大家围坐在火堆旁，她清了清嗓子，开始讲故事。En: That evening, as everyone sat around the campfire, she cleared her throat and began to tell a story.Zh: 大家渐渐被她的讲述吸引，眼光里闪烁着好奇。En: Gradually, everyone was captivated by her storytelling, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.Zh: 一时间，四周连风声都静止了下来。En: For a moment, even the sound of the wind seemed to pause.Zh: 林中的传说说，几百年前，这里住着一个守林的仙子。En: The legend of the forest says that hundreds of years ago, a forest guardian fairy lived here.Zh: 每到除夕，她便显身于森林中，祝福来年丰收。En: Every New Year's Eve, she would appear in the forest, blessing the coming year with a bountiful harvest.Zh: 人们渐渐忘记了这个故事，但今天，林娜让它重现于此。En: Over time, people forgot this story, but today, Linna brought it back to life.Zh: 讲完故事，林娜心中忐忑不安，但家人们都露出了欣喜的笑容。En: After finishing the story, Linna's heart was filled with unease, but her family all showed delighted smiles.Zh: 魏说：“这是我第一次听到这样的故事，很有趣。En: Wei said, "This is the first time I've heard such a story, very interesting."Zh: ” 陈也点头赞同，其他亲戚纷纷表示希望明年能听到更多。En: Chen also nodded in agreement, and other relatives expressed their hope to hear more next year.Zh: 林娜的努力得到了大家的认同，她感到一种浓厚的自豪。En: Linna's efforts were recognized by everyone, and she felt a strong sense of pride.Zh: 春节的欢声笑语依旧在森林中回荡，林娜内心的紧张也化为一阵暖意。En: The joyful sounds of the Spring Festival continued to echo in the forest, and Linna's inner tension transformed into a warm feeling.Zh: 她发现，传统和创新并不矛盾，反而可以共同延续家族的欢庆。En: She realized that tradition and innovation are not contradictory; instead, they can jointly perpetuate the family's celebration.Zh: 家人也因此增加了了解，传统愈加活跃。En: This also deepened the family's understanding of each other, making the traditions even more lively.Zh: 冬夜，红灯笼的光映着白雪，林娜在这新的故事中找到了她与家庭间更深的联结。En: On a winter night, the light of the red lanterns reflecting on the white snow, Linna found a deeper connection with her family in this new story.Zh: 她明白，勇敢地尝试和坚定地守护，两者结合会生成意想不到的美好。En: She understood that brave attempts combined with steadfast guardianship can create unexpected beauty.Zh: 而这，将是她给家人最珍贵的新年礼物。En: And this would be her most precious New Year gift to her family. Vocabulary Words:dense: 密crisp: 清冽evergreen: 常青adorned: 点缀着sumptuous: 丰盛的wafting: 飘散longs: 渴望freshness: 新鲜感firecrackers: 鞭炮captivated: 吸引sparkling: 闪烁pause: 静止bountiful: 丰收unease: 忐忑不安pride: 自豪echo: 回荡tension: 紧张perpetuate: 延续steadfast: 坚定地guardianship: 守护attempts: 尝试unexpected: 意想不到的connection: 联结innovation: 创新contradictory: 矛盾blessing: 祝福curiosity: 好奇delighted: 欣喜recognized: 认同guardian: 守林的

Gen 42:18-43:34, Matt 13:47-14:12, Ps 18:16-34, Pr 4:7-10

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Balancing Tradition and Innovation: A Chinese New Year Tale Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-21-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在北京的冬天，天坛公园被白皑皑的雪覆盖，透着无尽的宁静。En: In Beijing during the winter, Temple of Heaven Park is covered in a blanket of white snow, exuding an endless tranquility.Zh: 古老的建筑优雅地矗立着，红色的灯笼和传统的中国装饰点缀在灰蒙蒙的冬日中，把节日的气氛布满整个园区。En: The ancient buildings stand elegantly, with red lanterns and traditional Chinese decorations adorning the gray winter days, filling the entire park with a festive atmosphere.Zh: 此时，三位主要人物一起策划一个中国新年庆祝活动。En: At this time, three main characters were planning a Chinese New Year celebration together.Zh: 明华是一位拘谨严谨的活动策划师，心里藏着一个目标：要比去年办得更好。En: Minghua is a meticulous and disciplined event planner with a goal hidden in his heart: to do better than last year.Zh: 灵是一名创意十足的设计师，他的设计风格总是出人意料。En: Ling is a highly creative designer whose design style is always unexpected.Zh: 虽然常常拖到最后一刻完成，但他总能吸引住所有人的视线。En: Although he often finishes at the last minute, he always manages to capture everyone's attention.Zh: 腴是志愿者协调员，他希望一切都完美无瑕，喜欢控制流程，然而对灵过于自由的想法感到不安。En: Yu is the volunteer coordinator who hopes everything will be flawless and likes to control the process, yet feels uneasy about Ling's overly free ideas.Zh: 随着春节的脚步临近，他们坐在公园的小亭子中开会。En: As the Spring Festival approaches, they sit in a small pavilion in the park to have a meeting.Zh: 明华打开笔记本，开始计划活动细节。En: Minghua opens his notebook and begins planning the event details.Zh: 腴正在担心志愿者的安排是否会被灵的设计搞乱。En: Yu is worried whether the volunteer arrangements will be disrupted by Ling's designs.Zh: 灵却兴奋地展示了一张新颖的设计草图。En: Meanwhile, Ling excitedly presents a novel design sketch.Zh: "天坛的草地上，我们可以用五颜六色的灯光投影龙和凤凰。"灵兴奋地说。En: "On the grass of Temple of Heaven, we can use colorful lights to project dragons and phoenixes," Ling says excitedly.Zh: 腴皱起眉头：“这会不会太过激进？传统元素都在哪里呢？”En: Yu frowns, "Wouldn't that be too radical? Where are the traditional elements?"Zh: 明华沉思良久。En: Minghua ponders for a long time.Zh: 去年他们遵循传统路线，但今年的目标是突破。En: Last year, they followed a traditional route, but this year's goal is to break through.Zh: 而灵的提议似乎是个大胆的选择。En: And Ling's proposal seems like a bold choice.Zh: 经过几次讨论，明华决定给灵一个机会。En: After several discussions, Minghua decides to give Ling a chance.Zh: 也许创新和传统可以结合起来。En: Perhaps innovation and tradition can be combined.Zh: 时间一天天过去，终于来到最后的彩排日。En: Days pass by, and finally, it's the day of the final rehearsal.Zh: 灵的设计果然夺人眼球：五光十色的灯光洒在雪地上，仿佛龙和凤凰在空中翱翔。En: Indeed, Ling's design is eye-catching: colorful lights cast over the snowy ground as if dragons and phoenixes are soaring in the sky.Zh: 但是，结构安排却出现了问题，灯光设备没有按预期安装，整个场地一片混乱。En: However, there were problems with the setup; the lighting equipment was not installed as expected, and the entire venue was in chaos.Zh: 眼看活动即将开始，明华冷静下来，经过一番思考，他想到了一个折衷方案。En: Seeing that the event is about to start, Minghua calms down, and after some thought, he comes up with a compromise.Zh: 他在灯光设计中增加了一些传统的红灯笼，以平衡视觉效果。En: He adds some traditional red lanterns to the lighting design to balance the visual effect.Zh: 腴迅速协调人手调整布置，大家齐心协力，终于顺利完成了准备工作。En: Yu quickly coordinates people to adjust the setup, and everyone works together, finally completing the preparations smoothly.Zh: 活动的那天夜晚，灯光和灯笼交相辉映，吸引了无数人驻足观赏。En: On the night of the event, the lights and lanterns complement each other, attracting countless people who stop to admire them.Zh: 闪烁的光影和古老的建筑完美结合，游客们欢笑着拍照留念。En: The flickering lights and ancient buildings combine perfectly, as visitors laugh and take pictures to capture the memories.Zh: 最终，明华意识到创新与传统并不矛盾，它们可以和谐共存，使得这个中国新年庆祝活动成为一次难忘的体验。En: In the end, Minghua realizes that innovation and tradition are not contradictory; they can coexist harmoniously, making this Chinese New Year celebration an unforgettable experience.Zh: 有关创新的体会也让他对未来的策划工作充满了信心。En: The insights on innovation also fill him with confidence for future planning. Vocabulary Words:exuding: 透着trapped: 笼罩meticulous: 拘谨严谨的disciplined: 严谨unexpected: 出人意料的flawless: 完美无瑕的radical: 激进的ponder: 沉思novel: 新颖的chaos: 混乱compromise: 折衷方案coexist: 共存harmoniously: 和谐地insights: 体会contemplate: 思索enthusiastically: 兴奋地frowns: 皱眉头unforgettable: 难忘的coordination: 协调disciplined: 纪律严明的adorn: 点缀ventured: 尝试complement: 补充drastic: 激烈的deliberate: 深思熟虑的nostalgic: 怀旧的festive: 节日的elegantly: 优雅地relay: 传达captivating: 迷人的

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Journey to the Oasis: Enlightenment Beneath the Dunes Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-21-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在无尽的沙丘下，天空纯净得仿佛让人感受到一种超越时空的世界。En: Beneath the endless dunes, the sky was so pure that it seemed to evoke a world beyond time and space.Zh: 在塔克拉玛干沙漠的深处，紫涵一步一步地走着，汗水顺着脸颊流下。En: Deep within the Taklamakan Desert, Zihan walked step by step, sweat streaming down his cheeks.Zh: 他的目标是赶在春节前到达一个古老的圣地，寻求精神上的启迪。En: His goal was to reach an ancient sacred place before the Lunar New Year to seek spiritual enlightenment.Zh: 他身边陪伴着一位经验丰富的向导，美霖。她对这个沙漠的每一个角落都了如指掌。En: Accompanying him was an experienced guide, Meilin, who knew every corner of this desert intimately.Zh: 尽管天空晴朗，白天的热浪如同一条巨蛇，紧紧地缠绕在紫涵的身体上。En: Despite the clear sky, the daytime heat waves coiled around Zihan like a giant snake, tightly binding his body.Zh: 他感到头晕目眩，脚步变得越来越沉重。En: He felt dizzy, his steps becoming increasingly heavy.Zh: 美霖注意到了紫涵的异样，她停下脚步，轻声说道：“紫涵，我们需要休息了。En: Meilin noticed Zihan's condition and stopped, softly saying, "Zihan, we need to rest.Zh: 再继续走下去，你的身体会撑不住的。”En: If you keep going, your body won't hold up."Zh: 紫涵心中挣扎着，他非常渴望在春节到来前实现自己的目标，但他也知道必须听从美霖的建议。En: Zihan struggled internally, eager to achieve his goal before the New Year, but he also knew he must heed Meilin's advice.Zh: 他们在有限的树荫下停了下来。En: They stopped under the limited shade of some trees.Zh: 美霖随手擦去紫涵额头上的汗水，用沙漠中的干草和毯子为他搭建了一个简单的遮阳处。En: Meilin casually wiped the sweat from Zihan's forehead and used desert grass and blankets to set up a simple shelter.Zh: “我们必须离开这里，找到水源。”美霖用坚定的目光看着他。En: "We must leave here and find a water source," Meilin said, looking at him with determination.Zh: 紫涵点了点头。En: Zihan nodded.Zh: 他明白自己没有选择，只能信任美霖的判断。En: He understood he had no choice but to trust Meilin's judgment.Zh: 就在这时，紫涵的身体不再支持，他突然晕倒在地。En: Just then, Zihan's body could no longer support him, and he suddenly fainted to the ground.Zh: 美霖不惊慌，她凭借多年的经验找到了一条通往隐藏绿洲的小路。En: Without panicking, Meilin relied on her years of experience to find a path leading to a hidden oasis.Zh: 她用尽全力将紫涵扶起，带他前往那片生机勃勃的绿洲。En: She used all her strength to lift Zihan and take him to the vibrant oasis.Zh: 当紫涵在绿洲清凉的水中感受到生命的回归时，他心头的焦虑消散了。En: When Zihan felt life returning to him in the cool waters of the oasis, his anxiety dissipated.Zh: 他开始明白，自己追求的目标虽要紧，但领悟智慧的路上有时需要耐心，也需要接受别人的帮助。En: He began to understand that although his goal was important, the path to enlightenment sometimes required patience and accepting help from others.Zh: 当他苏醒过来，看到美霖已经为他们准备好了简单的食物和温热的喝水。En: When he woke up, he saw that Meilin had already prepared simple food and warm water for them.Zh: 紫涵微笑着点头，感激而坚定地对美霖说：“谢谢你，我学到了一课。”En: Zihan nodded with a smile, grateful and determined, saying to Meilin, "Thank you, I've learned a lesson."Zh: 美霖微微一笑，拍拍他的肩膀。En: Meilin smiled slightly and patted his shoulder.Zh: 太阳在天空中缓缓下沉，他们凝望着远处金色的沙丘，意识到这次旅程不只是为了到达，而是为了在路上获得成长与启迪。En: As the sun slowly set in the sky, they gazed at the golden dunes in the distance, realizing this journey wasn't just about reaching a destination but growing and gaining insight along the way.Zh: 在这片无人区中，紫涵找到了他理解的那份智慧，旅程才刚刚开始。En: In this wilderness, Zihan found the wisdom he sought to understand, and the journey had just begun. Vocabulary Words:dunes: 沙丘evoke: 感受到enlightenment: 启迪accompanying: 陪伴intimately: 了如指掌coiled: 缠绕dizzy: 头晕目眩heed: 听从oasis: 绿洲anxiety: 焦虑patience: 耐心vibrant: 生机勃勃insight: 领悟faint: 晕倒nodded: 点头determination: 坚定struggled: 挣扎judgment: 判断shelter: 遮阳处returning: 回归grateful: 感激patted: 拍拍destination: 目的地gazes: 凝望wilderness: 无人区wisdom: 智慧experienced: 经验丰富source: 水源sank: 下沉lifeless: 无生命的

In today's episode we continue to look at the man they called “Mandarin.” Several books, television programs and many podcasts have been focused of an ex-Dallas police officer that many researchers think was the trigger man who really killed JFK. That man was Roscoe White. Roscoe Anthony White sits at the intersection of rumor, coincidence, and unresolved historical tension. His story is a tangle of alleged intelligence ties, photographic evidence controversies, and family claims that surfaced decades after the assassination.

The 2025 Rooted Medicine Circle FREE Mini-Course is now LIVE! Learn how to make herbal remedies that you can confidently rely on. LEARN MORE & REGISTER In honor of the reopening of the Rooted Medicine Circle, we're replaying our Herbalist Hour episode with Rosalee de la Forêt & Emily Han. For full shownotes, and to get the Mandarin and Evergreen Shrub PDF recipe, CLICK HERE.  In the free Rooted Medicine Circle Mini Course, you'll find out how to:  Avoid 7 common herbal pitfalls so that you can make powerful remedies that heal Make high-quality herbal teas and know when to use them Connect with other herb lovers in the mini course forum And more!  The Rooted Medicine FREE Mini-Course is only available for a limited time.  LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Gen 41:17-42:17, Matt 13:24-46, Ps 18:1-15, Pr 4:1-6

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Ming's Winter: A Journey from Stress to Success Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-20-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 冬天的早晨，明早早地走进学校。En: On a winter morning, Ming walked into school early.Zh: 他用力地裹紧自己的围巾，寒冷的风呼啸而过。En: He wrapped his scarf tightly around himself as the cold wind howled past.Zh: 学校的走廊上挂满了红色灯笼和新年的横幅，提醒着大家，春节快到了。En: The hallways of the school were adorned with red lanterns and New Year banners, reminding everyone that the Spring Festival was approaching.Zh: 明是个勤奋的学生，总是希望能在考试中取得好成绩。En: Ming was a diligent student, always hoping to achieve good grades in his exams.Zh: 他的心里充满了对成绩的担忧，因为他希望在新年期间带给家人一个好消息。En: His heart was filled with worry about his grades, as he hoped to bring good news to his family during the New Year.Zh: 可是最近，他却频繁地感到头晕，甚至在课堂上突然晕倒。En: However, recently he frequently felt dizzy and even suddenly fainted in class.Zh: 这让明非常不安，他担心自己不能如愿地保持优异的成绩。En: This made Ming very uneasy; he worried that he might not be able to maintain his excellent performance as he wished.Zh: 李，是明的好朋友。En: Li was Ming's good friend.Zh: 李注意到明的变化，他觉得明看起来很疲惫。En: Li noticed Ming's changes and felt that he looked very tired.Zh: 于是，一个午休时间，李和明坐在操场一角，李轻声问：“明，你最近还好吗？En: So, during one lunch break, Li and Ming sat in a corner of the playground, and Li softly asked, "Ming, have you been okay recently?"Zh: ”明犹豫了一下，终于说：“李，我很担心。En: Ming hesitated for a moment and finally said, "Li, I'm very worried.Zh: 我老是晕倒。En: I keep fainting.Zh: 我怕去看医生会耽误学习。En: I'm afraid going to the doctor will delay my studies."Zh: ”李安慰他说：“健康最重要。En: Li comforted him, saying, "Health is the most important.Zh: 你若不健康，怎么能好好学习呢？En: If you're not healthy, how can you study well?Zh: 我们一起去找医生吧。En: Let's go see a doctor together."Zh: ”在李的建议下，明决定勇敢地去医院检查。En: Following Li's advice, Ming decided to bravely go to the hospital for a check-up.Zh: 几天后，学校正在为春节举办彩排活动，舞台上张灯结彩。En: A few days later, the school was holding rehearsal activities for the Spring Festival, and the stage was festively decorated.Zh: 同学们忙着排练，而明却在紧张的气氛中再次晕倒。En: Students were busy rehearsing, and Ming fainted again amidst the tense atmosphere.Zh: 老师立刻叫了救护车，把明送到医院。En: The teacher immediately called an ambulance and sent Ming to the hospital.Zh: 在医院里，医生仔细检查后告诉明：“你这是压力过大，加上营养不良。En: At the hospital, after a careful examination, the doctor told Ming, "Your problem is excessive stress combined with malnutrition.Zh: 你需要多休息，合理饮食。En: You need to rest more and eat properly."Zh: ”听到这样的诊断，明松了一口气。En: Hearing this diagnosis, Ming breathed a sigh of relief.Zh: 他决定听医生的话，从那天起，他每天都安排时间好好休息和吃饭。En: He decided to follow the doctor's advice; from that day on, he scheduled time for proper rest and meals every day.Zh: 春天的脚步接近了，明的情况逐渐好转。En: As spring approached, Ming's condition gradually improved.Zh: 他在期末考试中取得了优异成绩，这使得他的家人都很高兴。En: He achieved excellent results in his final exams, which made his family very happy.Zh: 明明白到，即使是学习，也必须注重健康，只有强壮的身体才能支撑一颗不断追求上进的心灵。En: Ming realized that even with studying, he must pay attention to health, as only a strong body can support a mind that continually strives for progress.Zh: 新年的钟声敲响，红色的灯笼在风中摇曳。En: As the New Year's bell rang, the red lanterns swayed in the wind.Zh: 李站在一旁，为朋友的改变感到欣慰。En: Li stood by, feeling relieved for his friend's change.Zh: 这个春天，明不仅学会了如何更好地学习，也学会了如何更好地生活。En: This spring, Ming not only learned how to study better but also how to live better. Vocabulary Words:scarf: 围巾howled: 呼啸adorned: 挂满diligent: 勤奋achieve: 取得worry: 担忧dizzy: 头晕faint: 晕倒uneasy: 不安hesitated: 犹豫delay: 耽误comforted: 安慰bravely: 勇敢地rehearsal: 彩排festively: 张灯结彩atmosphere: 气氛ambulance: 救护车examination: 检查malnutrition: 营养不良properly: 合理diagnosis: 诊断breathed a sigh of relief: 松了一口气improved: 好转gradually: 逐渐excellent: 优异realized: 明白到pursue: 追求progress: 上进swayed: 摇曳relieved: 欣慰

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Rekindling Friendship: A Lantern Festival Reunion Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-20-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 小镇广场在冬日的傍晚，灯火通明，充满了节日的欢愉。En: On the town square in the winter evening, the lights were bright, filled with festive joy.Zh: 是春节期间，小镇每年都举行热闹的灯笼节。En: It was during the Chunjie period, and the town held its lively Lantern Festival every year.Zh: 各种颜色的灯笼挂在广场上方，随着微风轻轻摇曳。En: Lanterns of various colors hung above the square, gently swaying with the breeze.Zh: 人们熙熙攘攘，还有红色的灯笼高高挂着。En: People bustled about, and red lanterns hung high.Zh: 明宇驻足在一家小吃摊前，望着昏黄灯光下飘起的热气。En: Mingyu stopped in front of a snack stall, watching the rising steam under the dim yellow light.Zh: 他心里想着老朋友们，尤其是丽芬。En: He thought of his old friends, especially Lifen.Zh: 他不知道她是否还住在这个小镇。En: He wondered if she still lived in this town.Zh: 这么多年过去，彼此竟毫无联系。En: So many years had passed, and they had completely lost touch.Zh: 突然，他在音乐声中听到了一声熟悉的笑声。En: Suddenly, amidst the music, he heard a familiar laugh.Zh: 他转过身，看到丽芬正忙碌地替游客讲解灯笼的历史。En: He turned around and saw Lifen busily explaining the history of lanterns to tourists.Zh: 丽芬，还是那么活泼开朗。En: Lifen was still so lively and cheerful.Zh: 丽芬也恰好看到明宇。En: Lifen happened to see Mingyu as well.Zh: 她先是愣了一下，继而露出灿烂的笑容。En: She was stunned for a moment, then broke into a brilliant smile.Zh: “明宇，真的是你！”En: "Mingyu, is that really you?"Zh: 明宇笑了，回应道：“是我，好久不见。”En: Mingyu smiled, responding, "It's me, long time no see."Zh: 两人走到一起，空气中似乎还留着一些尴尬和不确定。En: The two walked towards each other, and there seemed to be a bit of awkwardness and uncertainty in the air.Zh: 明宇仔细打量着丽芬，她似乎未曾改变，仍旧充满了活力。En: Mingyu carefully observed Lifen; she seemed unchanged, still full of vitality.Zh: “你现在在做什么呢？”丽芬开始好奇地问。En: "What are you doing now?" Lifen asked curiously.Zh: “哦，我只是回来探亲，”明宇简单回答，“没想到会遇到你。”En: "Oh, I'm just back to visit family," Mingyu answered simply, "I didn't expect to run into you."Zh: “今晚你有什么计划？不如和我一起参与灯笼节的活动吧。”丽芬建议。En: "Do you have any plans for tonight? Why not join me for the Lantern Festival activities?" Lifen suggested.Zh: 明宇笑着点头。“好啊，我也想看看我错过了些什么。”En: Mingyu nodded with a smile. "Sure, I'd love to see what I've been missing."Zh: 两人一起走在灯笼下，丽芬带他去看烟火表演，品尝糖葫芦。En: The two walked together under the lanterns, and Lifen took him to see a fireworks show and taste tanghulu.Zh: 过了一个冬天的晚上，广场越来越温暖。En: As the winter evening passed, the square became increasingly warm.Zh: 偶尔的沉默，也因为这份熟悉的陪伴，变得不再尴尬。En: The occasional silence became less awkward with the familiarity of their company.Zh: 到了放灯笼的时刻，广场上的人把心愿写在灯笼上，然后轻轻松手，让它漂向夜空。En: When it came time to release the lanterns, people in the square wrote their wishes on the lanterns and then gently let them float into the night sky.Zh: “这很美，”丽芬轻声说，“每年都会有新的愿望。”En: "This is beautiful," Lifen whispered, "there are new wishes every year."Zh: “你会是什么愿望呢？”明宇好奇地问。En: "What would your wish be?" Mingyu asked curiously.Zh: 丽芬微微一笑。“希望朋友都快乐。”En: Lifen smiled slightly. "I hope all my friends are happy."Zh: 明宇心底里被触动，心愿灯初放时，空气中多了份清新的温暖，也多了份理解。En: Mingyu felt touched deep inside, and as the wish lanterns were first released, the air carried a fresh warmth and a deeper understanding.Zh: 明宇和丽芬并肩站在回家的路上。En: Mingyu and Lifen stood side by side on the way home.Zh: “以后我们一定要保持联系。”丽芬很认真地说。En: "We should definitely keep in touch from now on," Lifen said earnestly.Zh: “当然，”明宇思索着，点了点头，心中似乎放下了多年积聚的心事。En: "Of course," Mingyu pondered and nodded, seemingly letting go of many years of accumulated concerns.Zh: 夜渐深，而小镇灯光依旧闪烁。En: The night deepened, yet the town lights continued to twinkle.Zh: 在这个愉快的春节灯笼节里，明宇和丽芬重新找到了曾经的友谊，甚至更多的可能性。En: During this joyful Lantern Festival of the Chunjie, Mingyu and Lifen rediscovered their past friendship and even more possibilities. Vocabulary Words:square: 广场festive: 节日的lantern: 灯笼breeze: 微风bustled: 熙熙攘攘stall: 摊dim: 昏黄steam: 热气amidst: 在...之中tourists: 游客stunned: 愣awkwardness: 尴尬uncertainty: 不确定vitality: 活力activities: 活动fireworks: 烟火tanghulu: 糖葫芦silence: 沉默familiarity: 熟悉release: 放float: 漂whispered: 轻声说earnestly: 很认真地twinkle: 闪烁rediscovered: 重新找到possibilities: 可能性period: 期间explanations: 讲解curiously: 好奇地pondered: 思索

in this episode, Jared sits down with Alexander Brose, President & CEO of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada, to trace his remarkable journey learning Chinese and how it shaped his life and career in unexpected ways.From his early years living in South Korea with his family, to choosing Mandarin over Cantonese at an international school in Hong Kong, Alex shares how Chinese gradually became part of his identity. He continued studying the language through high school and later majored in Asian Studies at Cornell University. A pivotal summer in Harbin with the CET immersion program further deepened both his language skills and cultural connection to China.Alex's path led him to build cross-cultural musical collaborations between China and the U.S., eventually becoming the founding Executive Director of the Tianjin Juilliard School. He reflects on how speaking Chinese created unique professional opportunities, opened doors to deep cultural understanding, and enabled him to be at the forefront of classical music education in China.Throughout the episode, Alex offers thoughtful reflections on the value of immersion, the challenges of maintaining language confidence, and the power of music as a bridge between cultures.Links from the episode:Alexander Brose | Royal Conservatory of Music (Canada)Mandarin Companion Graded ReadersCET Academic ProgramsFrom Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China | IMDB