Podcasts about Mandarin

In this episode, we tune into the world of music—from learning essential guitar-related vocabulary in Chinese to exploring how Guizhou has become a surprising hub for guitar manufacturing in China! On the show: Niu Honglin & Steve.(03:49) Discover how the word "guitar" sounds surprisingly close to its English counterpart.(06:47) Dive into more musical terms in Mandarin, and hear how Guizhou has become a surprising hub for guitar manufacturing in China!

A great tutor can accelerate your learning, but finding the right one isn't easy. To get the best results, you need to be patient and try many options. Here is how!#learnchinese #tutor #teacher #online #offlineLink to article on Hacking Chinese: How to find the perfect Mandarin tutor for you: A complete guide: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-find-the-perfect-mandarin-tutor-for-you-a-complete-guide/How to get the most out of your Chinese tutoring sessions: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-chinese-tutoring-sessions/7 characteristics of a great Chinese tutor or private teacher: https://www.hackingchinese.com/characteristics-of-a-great-chinese-tutor-or-private-teacher/Improving your Chinese pronunciation by mimicking native speakers: https://www.hackingchinese.com/mimicking-native-speakers-way-learning-chinese/The best YouTube channels for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-youtube-channels-for-learning-chinese/The best podcasts for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-podcasts-for-learning-chinese/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Mandarin Program with Jimmy and Ellie - 14th July 2025 by 98.5 ONE FM

Today's Episode:A strange and shocking story from China: a man in Nanjing pretended to be a woman online, tricked hundreds of men, and secretly filmed everything. Why did so many fall for it? In this episode, we explore the “Red Sister” scandal.Membership Preview:We mentioned  “来都来了” in this episode. What does it really mean? It's not just “since you're here”… It's funny, useful, and surprisingly deep. In this episode, let's break down this viral phrase in Chinese culture!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

1 Chron 11:1-12:18, Acts 28:1-31, Ps 9:1-12, Pr 19:1-3

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Thunder on the Wall: A Hidden Adventure Awaits Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-11-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 长城上，天气骤变。En: On the Great Wall, the weather suddenly changed.Zh: 丽华是一个热爱历史的导游，她此刻正带领游客在长城上漫步。En: Li Hua is a tour guide who loves history, and at this moment, she is leading tourists on a walk along the Great Wall.Zh: 这是她多年来的职业，她对长城的每一块砖都了如指掌。En: This has been her profession for many years, and she knows every brick of the Wall like the back of her hand.Zh: 然而，她心中总是渴望一次冒险。En: However, she always yearns for an adventure.Zh: 今天天气晴朗，阳光灿烂，丽华带着她的好朋友美玲和一位喜欢冒险的摄影师江一起游览。En: Today, the weather is clear and sunny as Li Hua is touring with her good friend Mei Ling and an adventure-loving photographer named Jiang.Zh: 他们不知不觉走到了一段偏远的长城。En: They unknowingly walked to a remote section of the Great Wall.Zh: 长城在这里似乎与天边相连，周围景色美不胜收。En: Here, the Wall seemed to connect with the edge of the sky, surrounded by breathtaking scenery.Zh: 然而，正当他们在欣赏长城的壮丽时，天空突然阴云密布，远处传来隆隆的雷声。En: However, just as they were admiring the grandeur of the Great Wall, the sky suddenly became overcast with clouds, and distant thunder rumbled.Zh: “快要下雨了，”江说道，他急忙收起了相机。En: "It's about to rain," said Jiang, hastily putting away his camera.Zh: 丽华看着天边的乌云，心中有些不安。En: Li Hua looked at the dark clouds on the horizon with some unease in her heart.Zh: 她知道，他们需要尽快做出决定，以确保所有人的安全。En: She knew they needed to make a decision quickly to ensure everyone's safety.Zh: 她面临一个艰难的选择：是赶回主区域，还是在这里找个地方暂避风雨？En: She faced a tough choice: should they rush back to the main area, or find a place here to take shelter from the storm?Zh: 天色暗了下来，雨开始下得又急又猛，打在古老的砖石上。En: The sky darkened, and the rain began to fall fast and hard, pounding on the ancient bricks and stones.Zh: 丽华感受到一阵紧张，她明白这不是简单的讲解历史，而是一次真正的考验。En: Li Hua felt a wave of tension; she understood that this was not merely about explaining history but was a true test.Zh: 在这个时刻，江的冒险精神给了丽华灵感。En: In this moment, Jiang's adventurous spirit inspired Li Hua.Zh: “我知道一个秘密的地方，我们可以在那里避雨。En: "I know a secret place where we can take shelter from the rain," Li Hua said, her voice steady, with a hint of excitement.Zh: ”丽华说，声音坚定中带着些许兴奋。En: She led everyone along a small path by the Great Wall to a little-known stone cave.Zh: 她带领大家沿着长城边的小路，来到了一个几乎无人知晓的石洞。En: This was a place she had accidentally discovered during a previous adventure.Zh: 这是她以前探险时无意中发现的。En: The cave was small but enough to shelter a small group from the rain.Zh: 石洞虽小，但足以让一小群人避雨。En: The rain poured down, thunder rolled, but they were safely hidden in the cave, listening to the wind and rain outside.Zh: 大雨倾盆，雷声隆隆，而他们却安全地躲在石洞中，听着外面的风雨声。En: Time passed slowly, the rain gradually lessened, and the sky began to clear.Zh: 时间一点一点地过去，雨势渐小，天空逐渐放晴。En: Looking out from the cave entrance, they saw the clouds dissipating, revealing a magnificent view.Zh: 大家从洞口望出去，云雾消散，展现出壮丽的风景，翠绿的山丘在阳光的照耀下熠熠生辉。En: The verdant hills sparkled under the sunlight.Zh: 丽华环顾四周，看着脸上露出笑容的游客们。En: Li Hua looked around, seeing the smiles on the tourists' faces.Zh: 她意识到，冒险其实不一定要去很远的地方，有时就在眼前。En: She realized that adventure doesn't necessarily require traveling far; sometimes it's right before your eyes.Zh: 通过这次经历，她不仅保护了大家的安全，也体验了一次难忘的冒险。En: Through this experience, she not only ensured everyone's safety but also had an unforgettable adventure.Zh: 当天色恢复晴朗时，丽华带着大家安全地返回。En: When the sky returned to being clear, Li Hua safely led everyone back.Zh: 这次经历让她明白，自己能够平衡责任与冒险。En: This experience made her understand that she could balance responsibility with adventure.Zh: 有时，意想不到的挑战会带来最大的成就感。En: Sometimes, unexpected challenges bring the greatest sense of accomplishment.Zh: 当他们踏上归途，长城在他们的背后渐渐消逝，丽华的脸上带着满足的微笑，心中充满新的勇气与自信。En: As they began their journey home, leaving the Great Wall behind them, Li Hua wore a satisfied smile, her heart filled with new courage and confidence.Zh: 长城依旧伫立，而她，亦如长城般坚定。En: The Great Wall stood firm, and she, too, was as steadfast as the Wall. Vocabulary Words:suddenly: 骤变guide: 导游tourists: 游客yearns: 渴望adventure: 冒险remote: 偏远breathtaking: 美不胜收admire: 欣赏grandeur: 壮丽overcast: 阴云密布thunder: 雷声unease: 不安decision: 决定ensure: 确保shelter: 避storm: 风雨pounding: 打tension: 紧张test: 考验inspired: 给了灵感hint: 带着些许secret: 秘密gradually: 逐渐dissipating: 消散magnificent: 壮丽verdant: 翠绿sparkled: 熠熠生辉accomplishment: 成就感steadfast: 坚定courage: 勇气

Krissy Marsh admits she 'likes to show off' - and it’s exactly that unapologetic flair that’s made her one of the most entertaining stars of The Real Housewives of Sydney. The proud mum, former model, real estate boss and Mandarin-speaking Brisbane girl is so much more than a ‘housewife’ making a name for herself far beyond the screen. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Krissy reveals why she live with no regrets, the personal philosophy that keeps her grounded and how she became an ambassador for Ronald McDonald House. Weekend list with Helen Smith and Chris Spyrou: TO READ: What Plastic Surgery Couldn’t Fix in The Cut by Nick Dothée TO EAT: Pretty butter board for dinner parties TO DO AND EAT: Learn passed down recipes from your family TO LISTEN: Kellyoke singalong Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At just eight years old, Aleah Ramouthar isn't your typical primary school learner. With a spark for adventure and a love for Chinese culture, she's diving headfirst into the world of Mandarin. Guided by her enthusiastic teacher, Vivian Zeng, Ramouthar has already started making waves on the Mandarin language scene. Ramouthar's journey began when she was introduced to Mandarin at her school's extramural course, led by Zeng. What makes Ramouthar stand out is her exceptional talent in picking up the language quickly. Zeng recalls, "Aleah is one of my star students. She memorised a Chinese song in just one week!" It's this eagerness to learn and excel that sets Ramouthar apart. Despite having only started learning Mandarin in February, Ramouthar participated in the Chinese Bridge competition in Cape Town this June. With just three and a half months of preparation, she clinched second place. Sporting a traditional Chinese outfit, meeting new people and being celebrated for her efforts, Ramouthar found the entire experience exhilarating. She's not stopping there. Ramouthar is already gearing up for next year's competition, aiming for that coveted first-place spot. Zeng, equally excited, says, "If Aleah wins first place, she gets a chance to go to China with one of her parents and compete in the World Chinese Bridge competition for her age group." Ramouthar's dedication and passion for learning Mandarin are truly inspirational. With Zeng's expert guidance and her own hard work, the sky is the limit for this young prodigy. Who knows? We might soon see Ramouthar shining on an even bigger stage, bridging cultures and bringing people together. "I want to take my mom and dad to China, meet the pandas and eat Chinese food," she says.

QQ Fika Time - Ep12 - Basic Mandarin Course Welcome to QQ Fika Time! ☕️ We're exchange students from Taiwan

In this powerful episode of The Red Light Report, I'm joined by the brilliant Dr. Joy Kong — stem cell specialist, anti-aging physician, and founder of Chara Health and the American Academy of Integrative Cell Therapy.   We dive deep into: The science and clinical use of stem cell therapy Why umbilical cord-derived stem cells are safer and more potent than adult sources The truth about exosomes, cytokine storms, and foreign DNA fears How stem cells can transfer mitochondria, reverse tissue damage, and modulate immunity The importance of prepping your terrain with nutraceuticals, detox, and nitric oxide The role of red, green, and yellow light in stem cell activation and targeting Synergy between red light therapy and BioLight's enhanced methylene blue (BioBlue)   Whether you're exploring stem cells for longevity, healing, or neuroregeneration, this episode will reshape your understanding of what's truly possible.  

1 Chron 9:1-10:14, Acts 27:21-44, Ps 8:1-9, Pr 18:23-24

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Beyond the Canvas: Lian's Triumph at the Summer Art Show Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-10-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 烈日当空的夏日下午，连和梅在一家咖啡烘焙店喝咖啡。En: On a scorching summer afternoon, Lian and Mei were drinking coffee at a coffee roasting shop.Zh: 咖啡店里空气中弥漫着浓郁的咖啡香气，墙上是裸露的砖墙，灯光柔和，吸引了许多年轻艺术家前来。En: The air inside the café was filled with the rich aroma of coffee, the walls were exposed brick, the lighting was soft, attracting many young artists.Zh: 连用勺子轻轻搅动咖啡，她的手微微颤抖。En: Lian gently stirred her coffee with a spoon, her hand trembling slightly.Zh: 学校的艺术展览即将来临，她正在犹豫是否要展示她的作品。En: The school's art exhibition was coming up, and she was hesitating about whether to showcase her work.Zh: 梅坐在对面，一如既往地开朗乐观，En: Opposite her sat Mei, as cheerful and optimistic as ever.Zh: 她微笑着对连说："不要担心，连。你的作品一直很出色，大家一定会喜欢。"En: She smiled at Lian and said, "Don't worry, Lian. Your work has always been outstanding; everyone will definitely like it."Zh: 连低下头，小声说："可是，如果没人喜欢怎么办？"En: Lian lowered her head and softly said, "But what if no one likes it?"Zh: 梅拍拍她的手说："别怕，每个人都有自己的风格，你的就是独特的。En: Mei patted her hand and said, "Don't be afraid, everyone has their own style, and yours is unique.Zh: 再说，我们还有洁来帮忙，她会确保展览顺利进行。"En: Besides, we have Jie to help us; she'll ensure the exhibition goes smoothly."Zh: 洁是学校艺术展的组织者，严谨而有条理。En: Jie was the organizer of the school's art exhibition, meticulous and organized.Zh: 她已经为展览做了详细的计划，确保每位参展者都有展示的机会，但空间有限，导致了大家心中的不安和争论。En: She had already laid out a detailed plan for the exhibition, ensuring each participant had a chance to showcase their work, but the limited space was causing unease and debate among everyone.Zh: 就在这时，洁走进了咖啡店，她稍显疲惫却带着坚定的神情。En: Just then, Jie walked into the café, appearing slightly tired but with a determined expression.Zh: 她坐下后用细致的笔记本记录着每个细节。En: After sitting down, she recorded every detail in her meticulous notebook.Zh: "我们得抓紧时间安排，"洁说。En: "We have to hurry with the arrangements," Jie said.Zh: "不过有件事，我们需要临时调整展示板。这影响了你们的位置。"En: "However, there's one thing; we need to temporarily adjust the display boards, which affects your positions."Zh: 连瞪大了眼睛，紧张又无措地看向梅。En: Lian widened her eyes, looking nervously and helplessly at Mei.Zh: 梅轻声鼓励连："这正是你展示自己想法的机会。"En: Mei softly encouraged Lian, "This is your chance to show your ideas."Zh: 连深吸一口气，脑中闪过各式颜色和线条，En: Lian took a deep breath, as various colors and lines flashed through her mind.Zh: 她稳了稳心神，终于开口，说出自己的想法。En: She steadied her mind, finally voicing her ideas.Zh: 洁认真地听取，微微点头，满意地微笑。En: Jie listened intently, nodding slightly, and smiled with satisfaction.Zh: "这很好，我们可以这样安排。"En: "This is great; we can arrange it this way."Zh: 在接下来的准备过程中，连和其他同学一起忙碌着，看着自己的作品一点点被布置在展览的展示板上。En: In the subsequent preparation process, Lian and other students busily worked together, watching as their works were gradually placed on the exhibition display boards.Zh: 展览那天，咖啡烘焙店已经被装饰得如同艺术殿堂。En: On the day of the exhibition, the coffee roasting shop was decorated like an art palace.Zh: 连的作品被摆放在显眼的位置，吸引了许多人驻足观看。En: Lian's work was placed in a prominent position, attracting many to stop and view.Zh: 连紧张地站在角落，看着人们指指点点，有人对她的作品表示赞赏。En: Lian stood nervously in the corner, watching people point and discuss, with some expressing admiration for her work.Zh: 梅和洁也过来为她打气，洁悄声说："看，你做到了。"En: Mei and Jie also came over to support her, with Jie whispering, "See, you did it."Zh: 最终，连在这场展览中不仅展示了她的艺术，也获得了信心和成就感，En: In the end, Lian not only showcased her art but also gained confidence and a sense of achievement.Zh: 她明白了自己的价值。En: She understood her own value.Zh: 展览结束后，她看着离去的人群，心中溢满了满足，知道这是一个全新的开始。En: After the exhibition, as she watched the departing crowd, her heart was filled with contentment, knowing it was a brand-new beginning.Zh: 她对梅和洁说："谢谢你们。"En: She said to Mei and Jie, "Thank you."Zh: 梅笑着说："这只是开始，以后我们会有更多机会展示！"En: Mei smiled and said, "This is just the beginning; we'll have more opportunities to showcase in the future!"Zh: 连点点头，心里萌生出更多的勇气和梦想。En: Lian nodded, feeling more courage and dreams budding in her heart.Zh: 这个夏天，她不仅展示了她的作品，也展示了她自己的独特光芒。En: This summer, she not only displayed her work but also her own unique brilliance. Vocabulary Words:scorching: 烈日当空aroma: 香气trembling: 颤抖showcase: 展示optimistic: 乐观outstanding: 出色unique: 独特meticulous: 严谨debate: 争论determine: 坚定whispering: 悄声contentment: 满足brilliance: 光芒budding: 萌生brick: 砖墙soft: 柔和exhibition: 展览organizer: 组织者adjust: 调整display boards: 展示板nervously: 紧张encouraged: 鼓励colors: 颜色lines: 线条prominent: 显眼support: 打气achievement: 成就感departing: 离去opportunities: 机会flashed: 闪过

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Healing Heights: Rebuilding Family Bonds at Lushan Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-09-22-34-00-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 明、李和云踏上了去庐山的旅程。En: Ming, Li and Yun embarked on a journey to Lushan.Zh: 在夏天，庐山山间的空气清新，云雾缭绕，四周绿树成荫。En: In summer, the air between the mountains of Lushan is fresh and surrounded by mist, with green trees offering shade all around.Zh: 这个静谧的地方是他们家庭的避世之所，也是修复多年来积累的误会和增进理解的机会。En: This tranquil place is their family's retreat from the world and an opportunity to mend misunderstandings that have accumulated over the years and to enhance understanding.Zh: 明走在山间的小路上，心事重重。En: Ming walked along the mountain path, deep in thought.Zh: 他身为家中的长子，总感到沉重的责任压力。En: As the eldest son of the family, he always felt the heavy pressure of responsibility.Zh: 尽管如此，他渴望和他的兄弟姐妹和解。En: Despite this, he longed to reconcile with his siblings.Zh: 李和云，各自心中有着不满和遗憾，但也希望改善他们之间的关系。En: Li and Yun, each harboring discontent and regret, also hoped to improve their relationship.Zh: 到了山上的小木屋，三人坐在窗前，远处山景如画。En: Once they reached the small cabin on the mountain, the three sat by the window, with picturesque mountain views in the distance.Zh: 明决定，时机成熟，要直接面对问题。En: Ming decided that the time was ripe to confront the issues directly.Zh: 他鼓起勇气，打破了沉默：“我们得谈谈。”En: He mustered the courage and broke the silence: “We need to talk.”Zh: 李微微皱眉，但点了点头；云则低下头，注视着自己的手。En: Li frowned slightly but nodded; Yun lowered his head, staring at his own hands.Zh: 这是一个艰难的时刻，原来的沉寂被紧绷的气氛充斥。En: It was a difficult moment, with the original silence being replaced by a tense atmosphere.Zh: 随着对话的展开，以往未解的误会纷至沓来。En: As the conversation unfolded, unresolved misunderstandings from the past surged forth.Zh: 争论中，明的声音有些颤抖：“其实，我一直有个秘密。En: During the argument, Ming's voice trembled a bit: "Actually, I've had a secret.Zh: 那些年，我承受着你们不知的压力。”他的语气缓慢而认真。En: Those years, I was under pressure you didn't know about." His tone was slow and serious.Zh: 室内一时寂静无声。En: The room fell silent for a moment.Zh: 云抬起头，眼中映出了意想不到的怜悯，李则大大松了口气：“我不知道你承受了那么多。”En: Yun lifted his head, unexpected compassion in his eyes, and Li exhaled deeply: “I didn't know you were enduring so much.”Zh: 这种坦诚，像是打破了他们之间的屏障。En: This honesty seemed to break down the barriers between them.Zh: 在这段激烈的讨论中，他们第一次从新的视角审视家庭历史。En: During this intense discussion, they examined their family history from a new perspective for the first time.Zh: 过去的误解解开后，一种新的理解在三人之间滋长。En: As past misunderstandings were resolved, a new understanding began to grow among the three.Zh: 日暮时分，阳光洒在山顶，天空染上金色。En: At dusk, sunlight spilled over the mountaintop, the sky painted gold.Zh: 明感到前所未有的轻松。En: Ming felt an unprecedented sense of relief.Zh: 他轻声说：“从今往后，我们一起迈步。”En: He said softly, “From now on, let's move forward together.”Zh: 李和云点头，三人紧紧地拥抱在一起。En: Li and Yun nodded, and the three embraced tightly.Zh: 在庐山山顶，他们终于修复了彼此间裂痕，准备竭尽全力支持彼此。En: At the top of Lushan, they finally mended the rift between them, ready to support each other with all their might.Zh: 这一刻，明重拾了自信，卸下了多年的重担。En: At this moment, Ming regained his confidence, shedding the burden he had carried for years.Zh: 他们的关系也从此开启了新篇章。En: Their relationship also began a new chapter.Zh: 庐山的风吹来，一切仿佛焕然一新。En: The wind of Lushan blew gently, making everything feel renewed. Vocabulary Words:embarked: 踏上journey: 旅程mist: 云雾tranquil: 静谧retreat: 避世mend: 修复shade: 成荫misunderstandings: 误会accumulated: 积累enhance: 增进harboring: 有着discontent: 不满regret: 遗憾cabin: 小木屋picturesque: 如画time was ripe: 时机成熟confront: 面对silence: 沉默mustered: 鼓起frowned: 皱眉staring: 注视tense: 紧绷surged forth: 纷至沓来trembled: 颤抖secret: 秘密compassion: 怜悯honesty: 坦诚perspective: 视角dusk: 日暮rift: 裂痕

Hi, I'm John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you're listening to Share Life Today. Why is it so important to be equipped to share our faith? Because the opportunity to lead someone to Christ can come when we least expect it—and we need to be ready. Gan Shuo from Malaysia joined a Hope for Kids workshop just to support the Sunday School ministry. But through that training, God gave Gan a new burden: to personally share the Gospel with each of the 12-year-olds in the class—before they drift away in their teen years. During on-the-job training, Gan had the chance to share the Gospel with a student who didn't speak Mandarin well. But because Gan had been trained—and had support from a senior trainer—the Gospel was clearly presented in English. That child prayed to receive Christ! That moment was a clear reminder: when we're trained and willing, God will use us. Don't wait until you feel ready—get equipped, and let God do the rest. Need help getting started? For resources, visit our website at sharelife.today.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: A Breath of Inspiration: Art, Friendship, and Resilience Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-08-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夏日的阳光洒满了上海外滩，江面上波光粼粼。En: The summer sun bathed Shanghai's Bund in light, with the river's surface sparkling brilliantly.Zh: 人群熙熙攘攘，花花绿绿的展位林立，这是夏季节庆的热闹景象。En: The crowd was bustling, and colorful booths stood in rows, displaying the lively scene of a summer festival.Zh: 霞光中，一片展台吸引了小雨的目光。En: Amid the glow, a section of booths caught Xiaoyu's eye.Zh: 小雨是一名年轻的美术学生，心中满怀对艺术的热情与梦想。En: Xiaoyu, a young art student, was filled with passion and dreams about art.Zh: 今天，小雨和她从小到大的好友立峰来到外滩。En: Today, Xiaoyu and her childhood friend Lifeng visited the Bund.Zh: 他们想参观这里的艺术展，为小雨的下一个项目寻找灵感。En: They wanted to explore the art exhibit here, hoping to find inspiration for Xiaoyu's next project.Zh: 立峰虽为人稳重实际，却仍为小雨的梦想不遗余力地支持。En: Although Lifeng was pragmatic and steady, he still fully supported Xiaoyu's dreams.Zh: 走进艺术展，小雨被人群和作品的色彩吸引，暂时忘却了身边的一切。En: As they entered the art exhibition, Xiaoyu was captivated by the colors of the crowd and the artworks, momentarily forgetting everything around her.Zh: “看看这幅画，多有生命力！”她兴奋地对立峰说道。En: "Look at this painting, it's so full of life!" she excitedly said to Lifeng.Zh: 立峰微笑点头，心中为小雨的热情感到欣慰。En: Lifeng smiled and nodded, feeling gratified by Xiaoyu's enthusiasm.Zh: 然而，快乐的时光总是短暂。En: However, happy times are always fleeting.Zh: 就在小雨继续欣赏时，她突然感觉胸闷，一个无法预测的哮喘袭来。En: Just as Xiaoyu continued to admire the art, she suddenly felt chest tightness; an unpredictable asthma attack struck.Zh: 小雨的呼吸变得急促，她自己的脸色迅速变得苍白。En: Her breathing became rapid, and her face quickly turned pale.Zh: 立峰看到情况不妙，立刻抓住小雨，急忙问：“你还好吗？”En: Seeing something was wrong, Lifeng immediately grabbed Xiaoyu and anxiously asked, "Are you okay?"Zh: 小雨无法回答，她的手努力地指向自己的包，里面放着吸入器。En: Xiaoyu couldn't respond, but she pointed towards her bag, where her inhaler was.Zh: 然而在这么拥挤而混乱的地方，一时半刻根本无法从人群中挤出去。En: Yet, in such a crowded and chaotic place, it was impossible to get out of the crowd in a short time.Zh: 就在立峰焦急万分时，他忽然看到不远处一个急救站。那里是为了夏季节庆专门设置的开放式急救点。En: As Lifeng was extremely anxious, he suddenly noticed an emergency station not far away, an open first-aid point set up specifically for the summer festival.Zh: 他意识到了这是唯一的机会，必须迅速行动。En: He realized this was their only chance, and swift action was necessary.Zh: 立峰二话不说，扶住小雨挤过人群，向急救站方向奔去。En: Without hesitation, Lifeng supported Xiaoyu as they squeezed through the crowd and rushed toward the emergency station.Zh: 到达之后，医务人员迅速给小雨使用了急救设备，小雨的呼吸逐渐恢复平稳。En: Upon arrival, the medical staff quickly used emergency equipment on Xiaoyu, and her breathing gradually returned to normal.Zh: “谢谢你，立峰。”小雨喘息道，眼中尽是感激。En: "Thank you, Lifeng," Xiaoyu gasped, eyes full of gratitude.Zh: 她知道立峰的果断让她避免了更糟糕的情况。En: She knew Lifeng's decisiveness had prevented a worse outcome.Zh: 在休息区坐了一会儿，小雨恢复了些力气。她说：“我们离开吧。”En: After sitting in the rest area for a while, Xiaoyu regained some strength and said, "Let's leave."Zh: 但就在起身时，一幅作品的灵感突然出现在小雨的脑海，En: But just as they were about to get up, an inspiration for a piece of artwork suddenly came to Xiaoyu's mind.Zh: 她拿出速写本，快速地勾勒出展会的一个场景，带着这份创意离开。En: She took out her sketchbook and quickly sketched a scene from the exhibition, leaving with this burst of creativity.Zh: 这次经历让小雨明白健康管理的重要性，也让立峰在紧急情况下变得更有自信。En: This experience made Xiaoyu realize the importance of health management and gave Lifeng more confidence in emergency situations.Zh: 他们两人回望外滩，阳光依旧明媚，仿佛一切都是新的开始。En: They both looked back at the Bund, where the sunshine remained bright, as if everything was a new beginning. Vocabulary Words:bathed: 洒满bund: 外滩sparkling: 波光粼粼booths: 展位lively: 热闹exhibit: 展览pragmatic: 务实steady: 稳重captivated: 吸引gratified: 欣慰fleeting: 短暂tightness: 胸闷unpredictable: 无法预测asthma: 哮喘anxiously: 急忙chaotic: 混乱swift: 迅速decisiveness: 果断gratitude: 感激regained: 恢复inspiration: 灵感sketchbook: 速写本creativity: 创意confidence: 自信emergency: 紧急medical staff: 医务人员equipment: 设备gradually: 逐渐decisive: 果断scene: 场景

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Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Blending Tradition and Tech: A Modern Qixi Festival Success Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-07-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在北京的一个炎热夏日，天坛的樟树林间微风轻拂。En: On a hot summer day in Beijing, a gentle breeze rustled through the camphor trees of the Temple of Heaven.Zh: 连从一座高大的松树下走过，心中涌动着激动与期待。En: Lian walked under a tall pine tree, her heart filled with excitement and anticipation.Zh: 她迫切希望策划一个与众不同的七夕节活动，把传统的节日带到年轻一代面前。En: She was eager to organize a unique Qixi Festival event, bringing this traditional festival to the younger generation.Zh: 这个古老的地方，满载着历史的厚重，正是她梦想成真的所在。En: This ancient place, laden with historical weight, was where her dreams could come true.Zh: 连满怀信心地走向历史学家伟的办公室。En: Lian confidently walked to the office of the historian Wei.Zh: 伟对天坛的历史熟悉得犹如手掌，他所珍视的是使每个活动遵循传统的准则。En: Wei was as familiar with the history of the Temple of Heaven as he was with the back of his hand, cherishing the adherence to traditional guidelines in every event.Zh: “伟，我有个想法，”连开口道，眼中流露出期待的光芒，“我们可以利用互动故事和多媒体展览，将历史活现出来。En: "I have an idea," Lian began, her eyes filled with a hopeful glow, "We can bring history to life through interactive stories and multimedia exhibitions."Zh: ”伟推了推眼镜，沉吟片刻，“我担心，这样的现代元素会影响活动的文化韵味。En: Wei adjusted his glasses and pondered for a moment, "I'm concerned that such modern elements might affect the cultural essence of the event."Zh: ”他的语气充满慎重，这让连略显失望却也更加坚定。En: His tone was cautious, which left Lian slightly disappointed but also more determined.Zh: 他们需要共同面对的挑战不久便出现了。En: The challenge they needed to face together soon emerged.Zh: 就在活动计划的关键阶段，一个重要的赞助商因担忧现代元素撤资的传言，提出了警告。En: At a critical stage of the event planning, an important sponsor, wary of rumors about modern elements, issued a warning.Zh: 这时，连和伟意识到他们必须团结一致。En: That was when Lian and Wei realized they had to stand united.Zh: 在一次紧急会议上，连展示了怎样将现代技术用于教育，让观众通过虚拟体验感受古代祭天的庄严，而不是削弱其文化内涵。En: In an emergency meeting, Lian demonstrated how modern technology could be used for education, allowing the audience to experience the solemnity of ancient sky worship through virtual reality, without diminishing its cultural significance.Zh: 伟也开始认同连的勇气，他开始明白，这些现代工具可以帮助更多人走近传统文化。En: Wei began to agree with Lian's courage, realizing that these modern tools could help more people get closer to traditional culture.Zh: 经过双方的共同努力，赞助商被说服了。En: Through their joint efforts, the sponsor was convinced.Zh: 终于，七夕节当天，这个历史与现代交织而成的活动旗开得胜。En: Finally, on the day of the Qixi Festival, the event, interwoven with history and modernity, was a great success.Zh: 年轻人被多媒体展示所吸引，长者则为传统仪式的保留而感动。En: Young people were captivated by the multimedia displays, while the elders were moved by the preservation of traditional ceremonies.Zh: 连为她的创新策划赢得了认可，而伟也欣慰地看到传统在现代中沉淀。En: Lian earned recognition for her innovative planning, and Wei was pleased to see tradition preserved within modernity.Zh: 故事的最后，连和伟站在天坛的石阶上，望向被灯笼点亮的夜空。En: At the end of the story, Lian and Wei stood on the steps of the Temple of Heaven, gazing at the night sky illuminated by lanterns.Zh: “我们做到了，”连微笑着对伟说。En: "We did it," Lian said with a smile to Wei.Zh: 伟也微微点头，心中欣然。En: Wei nodded slightly, contentedly.Zh: 他们意识到，不论是传统还是创新，最终融汇成一种欣欣向荣的文化纽带。En: They realized that whether tradition or innovation, both ultimately converged into a thriving cultural connection. Vocabulary Words:gentle: 轻拂breeze: 微风rustled: 涌动anticipation: 期待organize: 策划unique: 与众不同laden: 满载historian: 历史学家adherence: 遵循guidelines: 准则multimedia: 多媒体exhibitions: 展览pondered: 沉吟cultural: 文化essence: 韵味tone: 语气cautious: 慎重sponsor: 赞助商rumors: 传言virtual: 虚拟reality: 体验solemnity: 庄严modernity: 现代captivated: 吸引recognition: 认可innovation: 创新lanterns: 灯笼illuminated: 点亮converged: 融汇thriving: 欣欣向荣

On This Episode: Mz Gemini and DLAB discussed, Tik Tok being banned on the 19th, but Fanbase and Blue Sky moving up in the App Store. Also, people moving over to the new Social Media app Red Note, and the fact that all the terms and conditions are in Mandarin and you can't understand anything in the descriptions of the posts, but people feel welcomed there and are loving it. LA fires and how the news falsely reported a black man was looting when it wasn't true. The National Institute of Health says sleeping with a love one can help you fall asleep faster and reduce depression.

Today's Episode:In China, it's not just what you know. It's who you know. In this episode, we explore how Chinese people build relationships through food, favours, and friendship. Want to understand the true meaning of 人脉? Let's dig in!Membership Preview:Want to network like a native? In next MaoMi Chinese+ episode, learn how to build connections the Chinese way — what to say, what not to say, and how to turn “hello” into real 人脉. Let's go!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: Sunlit Verses: Courage and Creativity in Beijing's Teahouse Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-06-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在北京的一家热闹的茶馆里，人声鼎沸，空气中飘荡着浓郁的茶香。En: In a bustling chaguan in Beijing, the air buzzed with conversation and was filled with the rich aroma of tea.Zh: 这是个普通的夏日，但今天却有一件特别的事情正在进行——即兴诗歌比赛。En: It was an ordinary summer day, but something special was happening today—a spontaneous poetry competition.Zh: 阳光透过精致的木窗洒进来，照亮了每一个喜悦的面庞。En: Sunlight streamed through the intricate wooden windows, lighting up every joyful face.Zh: 魏坐在角落的小桌旁，神情有些紧张。En: Wei sat at a small table in the corner, looking a bit nervous.Zh: 是的，他自小就梦想成为一名著名的诗人。En: Yes, he had dreamed of becoming a famous poet since he was young.Zh: 然而，朋友们常常对此表示怀疑。En: However, his friends often expressed doubt about it.Zh: 这次比赛，他希望能够赢得胜利，向大家证明自己的能力。En: In this competition, he hoped to achieve victory and prove his abilities to everyone.Zh: 坐在他对面的李，充满自信地和周围的人聊着天。En: Across from him sat Li, confidently chatting with people around him.Zh: 他总是有办法引来众人的注意。En: He always had a way of drawing attention.Zh: “魏，你准备好了吗？”李笑着问。En: "Are you ready, Wei?" Li asked with a smile.Zh: “这比赛可是大家都盯着的哦！”En: "Everyone's watching this competition!"Zh: 魏点了点头，尽力保持镇定。En: Wei nodded, trying his best to stay calm.Zh: 但是心里却打起了鼓。En: But inside, his heart was pounding.Zh: 他有时感到很难在压力下想出新点子。En: He sometimes found it hard to come up with new ideas under pressure.Zh: 他犹豫不决，要不要采用一种他熟悉的传统风格，还是冒险尝试一种全新的前卫风格。En: He hesitated, unsure whether to use a traditional style he was familiar with or to take a risk and try a brand-new avant-garde style.Zh: 小，坐在一旁悄无声息地观察着，En: Xiao, sitting quietly to the side, observed the scene.Zh: 她总是很安静，却又时常能说出惊人的话来。En: She was always very quiet, yet she often had astonishing things to say.Zh: 比赛开始了，轮到魏时，他深吸了一口气，决定忘掉所有的犹豫。En: The competition began, and when it was Wei's turn, he took a deep breath and decided to forget all his hesitations.Zh: 茶馆的喧闹声、茶香的味道激发了他的灵感。En: The chatter in the chaguan and the scent of tea inspired him.Zh: 他即兴创作了一首诗，描述了此时此地的声音和气味。En: He improvised a poem describing the sounds and smells of the moment.Zh: 诗中描述着阳光如何洒在桌面上，茶香如何让人放松，还有谈笑声如何充满生机。En: The poem depicted how sunlight danced on the tabletop, how the aroma of tea relaxed everyone, and how the sounds of laughter filled the air with vitality.Zh: 观众们静了一瞬，随即掌声和欢笑声响起。En: The audience was silent for a moment, then applause and laughter erupted.Zh: 虽然他的诗没有赢得第一，但魏获得了大家的尊重。En: Although his poem did not win first place, Wei earned everyone's respect.Zh: 每个人都对他的创造力赞不绝口。En: Everyone praised his creativity.Zh: 比赛结束后，李拍了拍魏的肩膀，露出赞许的笑容，而小则递给他一杯热茶，小声说道：“这杯茶，奖励你的勇气。”En: After the competition, Li patted him on the shoulder with an approving smile, and Xiao handed him a cup of hot tea, softly saying, "This cup of tea is a reward for your courage."Zh: 魏微笑着接过茶，心里觉得无比满足。En: Wei accepted the tea with a smile, feeling immensely satisfied.Zh: 他明白，冒险和乐趣有时候比胜利更重要。En: He realized that sometimes taking risks and having fun were more important than winning.Zh: 在这个阳光明媚的夏天，魏真正感受到了自己的成长。En: In this sun-drenched summer, Wei truly felt his own growth.Zh: 茶馆的门外，阳光依旧明亮，似乎在迎接每一位走出门去的梦想者。En: Outside the chaguan, the sunlight remained bright, seemingly welcoming every dreamer who stepped out the door. Vocabulary Words:bustling: 热闹的chaguan: 茶馆aroma: 茶香spontaneous: 即兴的intricate: 精致的profound: 深刻的hesitation: 犹豫avant-garde: 前卫improvised: 即兴创作depicted: 描述applause: 掌声immensely: 无比silently: 悄无声息地expression: 神情confidence: 自信astonishing: 惊人的creativity: 创造力satiated: 满足vitality: 生机gratification: 满足illuminated: 照亮venture: 冒险affirm: 证明nervous: 紧张accolade: 赞许welcome: 迎接dreamer: 梦想者sun-drenched: 阳光明媚的scent: 味道resounding: 鼎沸

Welcome to the maayot podcast — where you learn Mandarin through short daily stories filled with useful expressions and real-life situations.Here is today's Mandarin story script: 散步的诱惑力不大李阳：天气热了，没什么食欲。妻子：别说你了，咱家儿子也是这样。最近饭量明显减少了。不过老是吵着要吃各种水果。李阳：胃口不好的时候，水果是可以帮我们开开胃。特别是酸甜酸甜那种水果。呀，说到这里，我也想吃水果了。妻子：家里有西瓜和橙子。你想来点吗？李阳：嗯……那天买的芒果吃完了吗？那些味道很好，香香甜甜的。妻子：早吃完了，儿子也非常喜欢。要不我们出去买点？也不远。李阳：现在外面太燥热了，只想呆在家里。好不容易有一两天休息。妻子：一点也不运动也不行啊，晚上太阳下山后我们推着儿子走去超市，就当散步了。怎么样？李阳：好吧，散步的诱惑力不大，但那些芒果诱惑力还挺大的。妻子：多走走，对胃口不佳也会有帮助。李阳：好好好，出去呼吸一下新鲜空气也好。妻子：一言为定！And if you're only listening to the podcast, you're missing all the interactive features! Check out maayot.com ✅ Daily bite-sized stories + native audio✅ Natural expressions + Culture insights✅ One-tap vocabulary breakdown✅ Speaking + writing exercises with teacher's feedback✅ A personal progress tracker to keep your streak alive!See you !

聊中西文化，也聊很多东西！ 第七十六期，大家每年去体检吗？从安吉丽娜朱莉切掉乳腺和卵巢开始聊起，谈一谈对癌症预防的小小想法。 00:37 安吉丽娜·朱莉因于2013和2015年分别切除乳腺与卵巢 03:38 不同国家的体检差异 07:00 2022年WTO癌症数据 12:00 呼吁关注健康 欢迎给我们来信： ttmiChinese@gmail.com Have online class with Candice, please email candicex2018@gmail.com YouTube: Candice X Chinese Mandarin Instagram: CandiceXMandarin2022 免费学习资料 Free study materials please visit Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/candicex PDF full script for episode 76: https://www.patreon.com/posts/133444274 Full subtitles with Pinyin for episode 76: https://youtu.be/RDudz2IXYAQ

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: The Secret Beach Adventure: A Tale of Friendship and Growth Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-05-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 盛夏，几片白云漂浮在碧蓝的天空中。En: In the heat of summer, a few white clouds floated in the azure sky.Zh: 在中国的亚龙湾，一座风景如画的海滨城市，阳光照耀着洁白的沙滩和碧绿色的海水。En: In Yalong Bay, a picturesque coastal city in China, the sunlight shimmered over the pristine beaches and the emerald seawater.Zh: 沿着沙滩的一侧，夏令营的学生们正在享受他们的课程。En: Along one side of the beach, students from a summer camp were enjoying their classes.Zh: 然而，梅总是心思不在课堂上，她更愿意去发现那些未知的地方。En: However, Mei was always distracted during class; she preferred to discover unknown places.Zh: 梅听说附近有一个隐藏的海滩，非常美丽。En: Mei had heard about a hidden beach nearby, said to be very beautiful.Zh: 虽然夏令营的规定不允许学生私自离开指定区域，但梅的好奇心让她心神不宁。En: Although the rules of the summer camp prohibited students from leaving the designated area without permission, Mei's curiosity left her restless.Zh: 她决定趁早晨甲和莲还在熟睡时偷偷溜出去。En: She decided to secretly sneak out early in the morning while Jia and Lian were still asleep.Zh: 然而，凌晨时分，当梅悄悄起床并准备出发时，莲醒来了。En: However, in the early hours, when Mei quietly got up and prepared to leave, Lian woke up.Zh: 莲是个爱玩的孩子，但她也很关心朋友的安全。En: Lian was a playful child, but she also cared deeply about her friends' safety.Zh: 她对梅说：“我和你一起去，这样更安全。En: She said to Mei, "I'll go with you, it'll be safer that way."Zh: ”梅点了点头，心想有个伴也不错。En: Mei nodded, thinking it wouldn't be bad to have company.Zh: 两人蹑手蹑脚地走出宿舍。En: The two of them tiptoed out of the dormitory.Zh: 附近的草叶上还挂着露珠，空气中有淡淡的海盐味。En: Dewdrops still clung to the nearby grass, and the air carried a faint scent of sea salt.Zh: 当她们来到海滩时，发现甲站在那儿，手插在口袋里，表情略显不安。En: When they arrived at the beach, they found Jia standing there, hands in his pockets, looking slightly anxious.Zh: 梅吃了一惊，问：“甲，你怎么也来了？En: Mei was startled and asked, "Jia, why are you here too?"Zh: ”甲叹了口气，说：“我考虑了一下，既然你们决定去了，那我也不能不管。En: Jia sighed and said, "After thinking it over, since you both decided to go, I couldn't just ignore it.Zh: 万一出了事呢？En: What if something happened?"Zh: ”三人决定一起寻找那个传说中的隐藏海滩。En: The three decided to search together for the legendary hidden beach.Zh: 经过一段时间的徒步，他们终于找到了。En: After a period of hiking, they finally found it.Zh: 那真是个美丽的地方，清澈的海水轻轻拍打在白色的沙滩上，四周被绿树环绕。En: It truly was a beautiful place, with clear seawater gently lapping at the white sand and surrounded by greenery.Zh: 在这片清净的天地中，他们玩得很开心。En: In this peaceful haven, they had a lot of fun.Zh: 然而，当太阳慢慢升高，天空却突然变得阴沉，海风也变得猛烈起来。En: However, as the sun gradually rose, the sky suddenly turned gloomy, and the sea breeze became fierce.Zh: 夏日的风暴说来就来，他们马上意识到得赶快回去。En: Summer storms can come quickly, and they immediately realized they had to hurry back.Zh: 风雨交加，他们回去的路异常艰难。En: With wind and rain combining, their journey back was extraordinarily difficult.Zh: 三人紧紧相拥，以免分散。En: The three held onto each other tightly to avoid getting separated.Zh: 但他们的努力没有白费，终于在雨停时回到了宿舍。En: Their efforts paid off, and they finally returned to the dormitory as the rain stopped.Zh: 回到营地，他们发现老师们已经在等他们。En: Back at the camp, they found that the teachers were already waiting for them.Zh: 就在梅不知如何解释时，莲聪明地拦住老师，说他们在散步时迷了路，并不小心遇上了风暴。En: Just as Mei was unsure how to explain, Lian cleverly interrupted the teachers, saying they had gotten lost while taking a walk and accidentally encountered the storm.Zh: 老师虽然不太相信，但对莲的解释也没有多说。En: Although the teachers were somewhat skeptical, they didn't question Lian's explanation further.Zh: 毕竟，大家都已安全归来。En: After all, everyone returned safely.Zh: 梅在这次冒险中明白了责任的重要性，而甲也懂得了适当的冒险可以带来不一样的体验。En: Mei learned the importance of responsibility from this adventure, and Jia understood that appropriate risks can bring unique experiences.Zh: 经过这次事件，他们三人的友情更加深厚，并且在以后的日子里，他们都在追求冒险和安全的平衡中成长。En: After this incident, the friendship between the three of them became even deeper, and in the days that followed, they all grew while balancing adventure and safety. Vocabulary Words:azure: 碧蓝pristine: 洁白emerald: 碧绿色distracted: 心思不在discover: 发现hidden: 隐藏prohibited: 不允许curiosity: 好奇心restless: 心神不宁sneak: 偷偷secretly: 悄悄prepared: 准备playful: 爱玩deeply: 很company: 伴tiptoed: 蹑手蹑脚startled: 吃了一惊anxious: 不安hiking: 徒步gloomy: 阴沉fierce: 猛烈extraordinarily: 异常separated: 分散skeptical: 不太相信explanation: 解释responsibility: 责任appropriate: 适当unique: 不一样incident: 事件balance: 平衡

From a boy setting off small explosions in his living room to the creator of world-famous pyrotechnic events, multidisciplinary artist Cai Guo-Qiang has always been drawn to gunpowder. He gives a stunning tour of his work — including his fireworks spectacle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, his "sky ladder" of fire reaching to the clouds and new work created with AI — and shows how his art probes the line between destruction and construction, control and freedom, violence and beauty. (This talk was delivered in Mandarin and translated live into English. The translation was put through a custom AI model of Cai Guo-Qiang's voice, powered by technology from Metaphysic. You'll hear how Cai would sound if he were speaking English.)This episode originally aired July 30, 2024.Want to help shape TED's shows going forward? Fill out our survey!Learn more about TED Next at ted.com/futureyouFor the Idea Search application, go to ted.com/ideasearch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hop aboard the Culture Train with Asher, Kristen and their special guest Robin as they take young listeners on an immersive journey to Ipoh, Malaysia! In this colorful and educational episode, our hosts explore geology, language, and—of course—food. Discover why this vibrant city is famous for feasting and adventure! Meet Our Local Friend, Robin! • Born and raised in Ipoh, Robin shares insider secrets—from culinary tastes to cultural traditions. • He opens up about Malaysia's 135+ languages, and how locals naturally switch between Malay, English, Mandarin, Tamil, and more! • Kristen explains how Ipoh is nestled between Kuala Lumpur and Penang, surrounded by limestone hills. • Asher's super-relatable curiosity helps kids picture river valleys, caves, and temples! 2. Foodie Fun! • Ever seen muscle-y bean sprouts? Kids learn how Ipoh's mineral-rich spring water makes them fat, plump, and super juicy. • We try Bean Sprout Chicken (Nga Choy Kai)—crunchy sprouts meet tender chicken in a flavorful harmony. • And the star: Kai See Hor Fun, a silky, smooth flat noodle soup made with luxe local water—perfect for slurping (it's polite in Malaysia!). 3. Cultural Etiquette & Fun Facts • Slurping—when polite, fun, and part of the experience! • Language switching is like changing TV channels—Malaysia's linguistic magic revealed. 4. Cave Temples Teaser • Robin teases a visit to Kek Lok Tong, a secretive limestone cave temple with golden statues, peaceful gardens, and magical acoustics. Please support our mission! Website: http://culturekidsproductions.org/support ⭐ Rate & Subscribe to help us grow and reach kids around the world ⏭️ Next stop: The ARCTIC, Nigeria, Italy, and more—don't miss our upcoming Culture Train adventures!

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Mystery of the Missing Porcelain: A Summer in Suzhou Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-04-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 苏州的夏天是充满活力的。En: The summer in Suzhou is full of vitality.Zh: 莲花在阳光下绽放，运河边的人们欢声笑语。En: The lotus blossoms under the sunlight, and people by the canal are brimming with laughter.Zh: 这样一个美丽的城市，却有一桩神秘事件悄然发生。En: Yet, in such a beautiful city, a mysterious event quietly unfolded.Zh: 一天，联合博物馆里，一件珍贵的古代青花瓷器不见了。En: One day, a valuable ancient blue and white porcelain piece went missing from the Lianhe Museum.Zh: 长着乌黑长发的连是个年轻的历史学家，她对古老的文化充满了好奇。En: Lian, a young historian with long black hair, was filled with curiosity about ancient cultures.Zh: “我一定要找到它，”她对自己说。En: "I must find it," she told herself.Zh: 博物馆的策展人叫魏，是个聪明但严肃的人。En: The museum's curator, Wei, was a smart but stern person.Zh: 他管理着博物馆多年，对这个地方了如指掌。En: Having managed the museum for many years, he knew the place inside out.Zh: 但是，这一次，连无法从他那里得到太多有用的信息。En: However, this time, Lian couldn't get much useful information from him.Zh: 魏似乎对任何可能牵涉到她的事都守口如瓶。En: Wei seemed tight-lipped about anything that might involve her.Zh: 连决定自己展开调查。En: Lian decided to conduct her own investigation.Zh: 她知道，这次行动可能会让她失去信誉，但为了真相，她义无反顾。En: She knew this action might hurt her credibility, but for the truth, she was determined.Zh: 她在博物馆里仔细地寻找线索。En: She carefully searched for clues in the museum.Zh: 终于，有一天，她在一个被忽视的角落发现一些不寻常的痕迹。En: Finally, one day, she discovered some unusual traces in a neglected corner.Zh: 某种微妙的感觉告诉她，问题出在内部。En: A subtle feeling told her that the issue stemmed from within.Zh: 连决定面对魏，她相信他知道更多。En: Lian decided to confront Wei, believing he knew more.Zh: 为了找到答案，她勇敢地去找魏，提出自己的推测。En: To find the answers, she bravely approached Wei and presented her suspicions.Zh: 面对质疑，魏的脸上闪过一丝惊讶，但他并没有生气，反而露出一丝微笑。En: Faced with this questioning, Wei was momentarily surprised but was not angry; instead, he smiled slightly.Zh: “你很厉害，”魏说。En: "You are quite capable," Wei said.Zh: 他承认自己其实也在进行秘密调查。En: He admitted that he was also conducting a secret investigation.Zh: 他觉得可能是博物馆的一位董事成员干的。En: He suspected a board member of the museum might be involved.Zh: 两人决定联手。En: The two decided to team up.Zh: 他们的合作非常成功。En: Their collaboration was very successful.Zh: 随着时间的推进，他们发现了确凿的证据，揭露了那个腐败的董事。En: As time went on, they found solid evidence and exposed the corrupt board member.Zh: 失踪的瓷器被找回，博物馆恢复了往日的宁静。En: The missing porcelain was recovered, and the museum returned to its former tranquility.Zh: 连从这次经历中学到了很多，她意识到团队合作的重要性。En: Lian learned a lot from the experience, realizing the importance of teamwork.Zh: 而魏，也开始变得更开放，更愿意信任别人。En: Meanwhile, Wei began to open up more and became more willing to trust others.Zh: 苏州的夏日依旧美丽，而联合博物馆的事件，成为了这个城市中一段永远不会被遗忘的故事。En: The summer in Suzhou remained beautiful, and the incident at the Lianhe Museum became a story that will never be forgotten in this city. Vocabulary Words:vitality: 活力blossoms: 绽放brimming: 欢声笑语mysterious: 神秘unfolded: 发生valuable: 珍贵credibility: 信誉curiosity: 好奇conduct: 进行investigation: 调查neglected: 被忽视subtle: 微妙traces: 痕迹confront: 面对suspicions: 推测secret: 秘密evidence: 证据corrupt: 腐败tranquility: 宁静realizing: 意识到collaboration: 合作stern: 严肃tight-lipped: 守口如瓶capable: 厉害exposed: 揭露board member: 董事成员recovered: 找回willing: 愿意former: 往日的importance: 重要性

Discover how to master Chinese as an adult with practical strategies from polyglot expert Lao Liu! In this insightful podcast, we explore powerful language learning techniques, including the 80/20 rule, AI-driven study tools, and immersive language exchanges. Learn how to build effective habits, embrace mistakes, and achieve fluency in Mandarin, no matter your starting point. Perfect for beginners and advanced learners alike. Subscribe, like, and share your language learning journey in the comments!

https://www.patreon.com/windahTranskrip: https://www.patreon.com/posts/3-hal-yang-akan-133304130?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkTerjemahan: https://www.patreon.com/posts/eng-3-hal-yang-3-133304154?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkDi episode ini, kita membahas berbagai hal yang akan aku rindukan dari Tiongkok, mulai dari jalanannya yang nyaman, barang-barangnya yang bermutu, sampai bahasa Mandarin dan budaya Tiongkok. Selamat mendengarkan!Gambar: Guangzhou, Tiongkok, 2025Terima kasih banyak atas dukungannya untuk:SAHABAT WINDAHAkiramJayNyong Jago Bob GenericJohn nyMartin JankovskýWilliam ChenDawid GerstelDRamzan BAlex PepinnsSebastianAlexander ScholtesJrobabuja11 RoboNicholai LidowAliteJack William HusbandsAndre ChampouxDemiAlastair JudsonKatherine WalkerLino ArboledaLeon KwekCameron Edinger-ReeveSam BayleyLivvieIsmail OtchiChrisRussell BarlowMary PopeIga Komar帥志 Shuai Chih LinBjornrappangeHossein KhoshtaghazaAldoParis LuckowskiMatthew O'ConnorRussell OgdenYaszalix子强 孙Bart van de KampWC Kon태엽 주Arthur NazaryanTEMAN WINDAHJohn McBride  Kristofer Nivens  P. Clayton D. Causey, CT  Vanessa HackJohn ShumLuis PaezCraig RedriffMariusCharlotteJonny 5Jose LorenzoJeremyLulunMadeleine MillerAngelo CaonRossi von der BorchSicily FiennesEm McDermottMeredith R NormanTom Simamora ThatcherTim DoolingDevin NailAlissa Sjuryadi-TrowbridgeBillEric EmerTarquam James McKennaAmanda BlossStephen MSusan & Ben SetiawanJensBen HarrisonNaota YanagiharaHans WagnerJustin WilsonJayZane RubaiiBenjaminDerynAlexH HMatt WintersAlec MitchellVinceDanielBertiSugiyamaAtsuko MaenoMosaStephen GrahamHannah RowntreeColleen Thornton-WardAilise Sweeney-LoweJimmyTan Jing YiYng KenjicnxuFlorian HopfKurt VerschuerenJoakimEdmund TanRyosuke SudaBerberJeroen VellekoopJan NedermeijerMatthewTakeshi YamafujiNatePatrickMiquelFeeJingle YanMathias朗 桑田Benedikt GanderBen PlayfordLauraKenji YanaguRicky ZhangVacanza TropicaleBill Dalton惠羽 蔡Sophie Hoestereyこ ぱるDouglas HerrickTim SomervilleMaxence AKFSF BEddoMarc EberJaime NoriegaJin Kimivy babyJessica BruntonMark ChavezDevlin KuyekDaniel TanDawn TanNeoKimchiSpiritPENDENGAR SETIAColumba TierneyLuciano HespanholHH JorgensenAmina AljehaniJannedCamille

We live in a golden age of learning. Want to learn Mandarin? There's an app for that. Want to write some code? There's an AI chatbot that can help. Want to start a business, write a novel, fix your posture, or master the didgeridoo? Go to YouTube and you could start today. And that's the problem. When you can learn anything, the temptation is to try learning everything. Entrepreneur and podcaster Pat Flynn says that's the fast track to burnout and stagnation. In his new book, Lean Learning: How to Achieve More by Learning Less, he lays out a better way.

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Ms. Meia Nouwens and Ms. Veerle Nouwens join us to discuss key takeaways from the recent 2025 IISS Shangri-La Dialogue. They start by discussing the significance of the dialogue as a high-level forum for discussion between governments on issues impacting Asian security and they highlight some of the major topics that countries repeatedly brought up throughout sessions, with cross-regional security, hybrid threats, and uncertainty in the international order as three of the most prominent. They unpack President Macron's speech, who, they note, is the first European leader who has ever been invited to provide keynote remarks at the dialogue, and describe the emphasis he laid on Europe becoming a more active player in the Indo-Pacific region. Meia and Veerle also discuss the attendance from China's side and point to the notable absence of Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun. They describe China's messaging this year as less focused on the United States and instead with a greater emphasis on China's relationships with regional partners. Similarly, they touch on the variety of current views of China they heard from regional countries during the dialogue, which ranged from viewing China as a cooperative partner, a challenger, and a competitor all to different extents. They describe U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth's remarks and note they believe he succeeded in providing some reassurance to allies and underscored his emphasis that the U.S. can work more with partners in the region through increased forward deployment of troops, cooperation on defense industrial capabilities, and greater interoperability. Finally, Meia and Veerle describe what they heard from countries as shared challenges in the region that transcend boundaries and emphasized the consensus among many for the US and China to find ways to cooperate with each other despite their disagreements.     Ms. Meia Nouwens is a Senior Fellow for Chinese Security and Defense Policy. Meia's expertise lies in Chinese cross-service defense analysis, China's defense industry and innovation, as well as China's regional strategic affairs and international relations. She leads IISS research on China's Digital Silk Road, and was a co-lead of the China Security Project with the Mercator Institute for China Studies. Prior to commencing at IISS, she worked for the European External Action Service as a policy officer in Taipei, and as a trade analyst in the EU's delegation to New Zealand. Meia holds a BA Hons in international relations and political science from Macquarie University, a master's in international relations and diplomacy from Leiden University in conjunction with the Clingendael Institute, and an MPhil in modern Chinese studies from the University of Oxford and Peking University.  Ms. Veerle Nouwens is the Executive Director for IISS–Asia. Veerle's expertise lies in Chinese foreign and defense policy, as well as the wider Indo-Pacific defense and security environment. She plays a key part in organizing the annual IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, provides intellectual direction for IISS research on the Asia-Pacific, and works to enhance the profile of IISS across the region and beyond. Prior to joining the IISS, Veerle worked as Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, where she established the Indo-Pacific Programme and focused on China and Indo-Pacific security, and as a policy officer in the political section of the European Union Delegation in Singapore. Veerle holds a BA Hons in international relations and political science from Macquarie University, a Master's in international relations and diplomacy from Leiden University in conjunction with the Clingendael Institute, an MPhil in modern Chinese studies from the University of Oxford and Peking University, and has attended a Mandarin semester programme at Tsinghua University. 

What would it take to reclaim your voice when every word is being scripted for you? This dystopian novel asks unsettling questions about love, loyalty, and the price of obedience in a world where no one lives past 50. Tune in for an inspiring discussion with Arielle Emmett, PhD, on her Nautilus award-winning novel The Logoharp: A Cyborg Novel of China and America in the Year 2121.  Moments with Marianne airs in the Southern California area on KMET 1490AM & 98.1 FM, an ABC Talk News Radio Affiliate!  https://www.kmet1490am.com  Arielle Emmett, PhD, is a writer and science journalist specializing in East Asia, Africa, and cross- cultural interactions. She was a Contributing Editor to Smithsonian Air & Space magazine (2014-2021) and a Fulbright Scholar and Specialist in Kenya (2018-2019) and Indonesia (2015). A Mandarin and French speaker, Emmett has won prizes in magazine and journal competitions staged by the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) and the International Communications Association (ICA). She has reported and taught in China and Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, East Africa, Ireland, and Italy. Currently, she lives in North Carolina and travels frequently to see her three clever grandchildren. Emmett's debut novel is the first in a planned series on dystopian paths to utopian justice. https://leapingtigerpress.com Order The Logoharp on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2J1Ot8A  For more show information visit: www.MariannePestana.com

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: The Duck Hat Surprise: A Tale of Friendship and Kindness Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-03-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 李明是个幽默风趣的年轻人，他对小动物有着特别的喜爱。En: Li Ming is a humorous and charming young man with a special fondness for small animals.Zh: 他的宠物鸭“包子”就是他心中最好的伙伴。En: His pet duck, Baozi, is his best companion in his heart.Zh: 有一天，李明的朋友住院了，他正为朋友的情况而感到沮丧。En: One day, Li Ming's friend was hospitalized, and he was feeling upset about his friend's situation.Zh: 为了让朋友高兴，李明决定带上包子去医院。En: To cheer him up, Li Ming decided to bring Baozi to the hospital.Zh: 这一天是美国的独立日，天气炎热异常，但医院内空调开得很足，走进去如同进入了另一个凉爽的世界。En: That day was the United States' Independence Day, and the weather was unusually hot, but the air conditioning in the hospital was very effective, making it feel like a cool, refreshing world inside.Zh: 李明心里盘算着：怎么才能带包子进去呢？En: Li Ming was contemplating: how could he bring Baozi inside?Zh: 医院对宠物有严格的禁令，不能让人发现。En: The hospital had strict rules against pets, so he couldn't let anyone notice.Zh: 李明想了个主意。En: Li Ming came up with an idea.Zh: 他把包子放在头上，假装自己戴了一顶毛茸茸的帽子。En: He placed Baozi on his head, pretending he was wearing a fluffy hat.Zh: 他心想：这肯定能成功。En: He thought to himself: this will surely work.Zh: 于是，他迈着悠闲的步子往医院大厅走去。En: So, he strolled leisurely towards the hospital lobby.Zh: 大厅里人来人往，个个行色匆匆，没人注意到李明的新帽子。En: The lobby was bustling with people, all in a hurry, and no one noticed Li Ming's new ""hat."Zh: 李明松了口气，可就在这时，包子一声响亮的“嘎嘎”声响彻大厅。En: Li Ming breathed a sigh of relief, but just then, Baozi let out a loud ""quack" that resonated throughout the lobby.Zh: 周围的人都停下了脚步，往李明这边看。En: Everyone around stopped and looked towards Li Ming.Zh: 李明的脸一下子变得通红，他看到保安人员正向他走来。En: His face suddenly turned bright red when he saw the security personnel walking towards him.Zh: “这是什么？”保安员质问。En: "What is this?" the security officer questioned.Zh: 李明连忙解释道：“这只是一只鸭子，我的朋友住院了，心情不好。我想让包子给他带去一些欢乐。”En: Li Ming quickly explained, "It's just a duck. My friend is hospitalized and in a bad mood. I wanted Baozi to bring him some joy."Zh: 保安人员皱起眉头，但李明恳请道：“请给我们一次机会。我保证包子不会打扰到别人。”En: The security officer frowned, but Li Ming pleaded, "Please give us a chance. I promise Baozi won't disturb anyone."Zh: 在一番解释后，医院方决定破例。En: After some explanation, the hospital decided to make an exception.Zh: 他们让包子去病房，为李明的朋友带去一道意外的小惊喜。En: They allowed Baozi to go to the ward, bringing an unexpected little surprise to Li Ming's friend.Zh: 看到朋友因包子的到来而露出久违的笑容，李明的心里充满了感激。En: Seeing his friend's long-lost smile because of Baozi's arrival, Li Ming was filled with gratitude.Zh: 他感叹说：“小小的快乐，却有这么大的力量。”En: He sighed and said, ""Such a small joy, yet it has such great power."Zh: 通过这次经历，李明意识到了陌生人的善意，也理解了友谊的重要性。En: Through this experience, Li Ming realized the kindness of strangers and understood the importance of friendship.Zh: 有时候去做一些微小的努力，就能改变一个人的一天。En: Sometimes, making a small effort can change someone's entire day.Zh: 医院的墙壁虽然是白色的，此刻在李明的眼中，却是充满了温暖的色彩。En: Although the hospital walls were white, in Li Ming's eyes, they were filled with warm colors at that moment. Vocabulary Words:humorous: 幽默charming: 风趣fondness: 喜爱hospitalized: 住院contemplating: 盘算strict: 严格fluffy: 毛茸茸strolled: 迈着悠闲的步子bustling: 人来人往resonated: 响彻frowned: 皱起眉头pleaded: 恳请exception: 破例unexpected: 意外的gratitude: 感激sigh: 感叹kindness: 善意strangers: 陌生人effort: 努力entire: 整个的refreshing: 凉爽noticed: 发现quack: 嘎嘎security: 保安ward: 病房joy: 欢乐colors: 色彩power: 力量effort: 努力entire: 整个的

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: An Artist's Heart: Defying Tradition and Embracing Dreams Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-02-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 漓江畔的微风轻轻拂过，连绵的山峦笼罩在薄雾中，似乎诉说着古老的故事。En: The gentle breeze along the banks of the Li River softly rustled by, with the continuous mountain range veiled in a light mist, as if narrating ancient stories.Zh: 夏日的阳光洒在河面上，闪烁着温暖的光芒。En: The summer sunlight danced on the river's surface, glittering with a warm glow.Zh: 丽娟正在画她钟爱的景色，捕捉自然的美丽。En: Lijuan was painting the scenery she loved, capturing the beauty of nature.Zh: 不远处，她的家人正聚集在一起，欢声笑语不断。En: Not far away, her family was gathered together, with laughter and chatter filling the air.Zh: 丽娟叹了口气，心中却有些沉重。En: Lijuan sighed, yet her heart felt a bit heavy.Zh: 她是家族中唯一的艺术家，而他们大多从事生意。En: She was the only artist in the family, while most of them were engaged in business.Zh: 上次家庭聚会，她感到非常孤单，因为没有人理解她的艺术梦。En: At the last family gathering, she felt extraordinarily lonely because no one understood her artistic dream.Zh: “丽娟！”一个熟悉的声音打断了她的思绪。En: "Lijuan!" A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.Zh: 是她的表哥，魏。En: It was her cousin, Wei.Zh: 他朝她走来，脸上带着微笑，手中提着一杯茶。En: He walked towards her with a smile on his face, holding a cup of tea in his hand.Zh: 他是家中的骄傲，事业有成，备受尊崇。En: He was the pride of the family, successful in his career and highly respected.Zh: 魏走到她身边，递给丽娟茶，说：“画得真好。En: Wei approached her, handed Lijuan the tea, and said, "It's beautifully painted.Zh: 我们家族需要这样的多样性。”En: Our family needs such diversity."Zh: 丽娟微微一笑，接过茶。En: Lijuan smiled slightly as she accepted the tea.Zh: 但她知道魏今天并不是来欣赏她的画的。En: But she knew that Wei was not here today just to appreciate her painting.Zh: 果然，魏坐下来，语气变得认真：“表妹，家里都希望你能加入家族生意。En: As expected, Wei sat down, his tone turning serious, "Cousin, the family hopes you can join the family business.Zh: 这是我们的传统。”En: It's our tradition."Zh: 丽娟看着眼前的画，心中矛盾重重。En: Lijuan looked at the painting in front of her, her heart filled with conflict.Zh: 家庭给她的期待仿佛一座无形的山，压得她喘不过气。En: The expectations her family placed on her felt like an invisible mountain, leaving her breathless.Zh: 但她心底那份对艺术的热爱如漓江般绵延不绝，她不想放弃。En: Yet, her deep love for art flowed like the Li River, unending.Zh: “魏，我明白家族的重要性，但我不想放弃艺术。”丽娟轻声道，声音略带颤抖。En: "Wei, I understand the importance of family, but I don't want to give up art," Lijuan said softly, her voice slightly trembling.Zh: 她在努力寻找合适的语言，表达自己的内心。En: She was trying to find the right words to express her heart.Zh: 魏沉默了一会儿，看着远处的山水，陷入沉思。En: Wei remained silent for a moment, looking at the distant landscape, lost in thought.Zh: 他从未听过丽娟如此诚恳地表达自己。En: He had never heard Lijuan express herself so sincerely.Zh: “丽娟，其实我一直羡慕你的自由。”魏轻声说，语气中有些不舍和羡慕，“我喜欢生意，但有时候也想像你一样，随心所欲。”En: "Lijuan, actually, I've always envied your freedom," Wei said softly, with a hint of reluctance and admiration in his tone, "I like business, but sometimes I wish I could be like you and do whatever I want."Zh: 丽娟惊讶地望着魏，她没想到他会这样说。En: Lijuan was surprised to hear Wei say this; she never imagined he felt this way.Zh: 她一直以为魏是完美的，但原来，他也有自己的苦楚。En: She had always thought he was perfect, but it turned out he had his own troubles.Zh: “谢谢你，魏。”丽娟微微一笑，目光坚定，“我会找到平衡点，既保持家庭的纽带，也遵从自己的内心。”En: "Thank you, Wei." Lijuan smiled slightly, her gaze firm, "I will find a balance, maintaining family ties while following my own heart."Zh: 魏点点头，他看到了丽娟眼中的坚定。En: Wei nodded, seeing the determination in Lijuan's eyes.Zh: 那是一种他一直没有的勇气。En: It was a courage he never had.Zh: 两人站在河边，对着远方的山水，心中的桎梏已然解开。En: The two stood by the river, looking at the distant mountains and water, their internal shackles now released.Zh: 漓江的水依旧缓缓流淌，带走了忧虑和不安，留下的是彼此的理解与支持。En: The water of the Li River continued to flow gently, carrying away worries and unease, leaving behind mutual understanding and support.Zh: 丽娟和魏都知道，这次的家庭聚会，让他们不再仅仅是亲人，而是互相理解的朋友。En: Lijuan and Wei both knew that this family gathering made them more than just relatives; they became friends who understood each other. Vocabulary Words:gentle: 轻轻breeze: 微风rustled: 拂过veiled: 笼罩mist: 薄雾narrating: 诉说glittering: 闪烁capture: 捕捉chatter: 欢声笑语sigh: 叹了口气engaged: 从事gathering: 聚会lonely: 孤单interrupted: 打断familiar: 熟悉approached: 走到diversity: 多样性conflict: 矛盾expectations: 期待breathless: 喘不过气trembling: 颤抖express: 表达envied: 羡慕reluctance: 不舍admiration: 佩服determination: 坚定shackles: 桎梏mutual: 彼此understanding: 理解support: 支持

Kai Cenat’s son Ray joins the boys to discuss joining forces with Logan in WWE, Taiwan women having flat

The sovereign, Naka no Oe is dead, and with his death comes an all too familiar tradition: different factions warring for the throne.  And this time it isn't just something we are guessing at, we get a front row seat to the show, with enough details to fill several episodes.  In Part I we will look at what kicked off the war--or at least what we know--and discuss a few of the theories.  We will also go over some of the events that happened while Prince Otomo was the head of state. For more, check out our podcast webpage at https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-129 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is episode 129:   The Jinshin no Ran, Part I: Prologue to War. The long bridge at Uji arched over the river, like a wooden rainbow.  Former Crown Prince Ohoama, his head shaved and wearing the garments of a monk, was carried over the bridge.   This was no simple priestly procession, however: he was accompanied by his entire household. Some on foot, and some on horseback.  Even the kesa, once meant to be a symbol of priestly humility and simplicity, cried out that this was a man of wealth and power and status. The procession made its way across the bridge, headed south, to the ancient Yamato capital and then on to the mountain passes beyond, where the cherry trees would bloom, come the spring.  At the north end of the bridge, the high ministers and nobility of Yamato watched them go.  The ministers of the Left and the Right stood in the cold, winter air, wrapped in their warmest clothing, but it wasn't just the weather that was causing a chill.  To some, this seemed a miracle—a clear sign that the succession would now be an easy one, with Ohoama taking himself off the board.  But to others, they weren't so sure. While many of Yamato's traditions had evolved or changed—or even been outright replaced by continental ideas—many still remembered how things had been.  The bloody politics and power struggles that often accompanied any transition of power.  Naka no Oe had risen to power in just such a fashion.  Now that he was not long for this world, would his legacy be any less violent? Greetings, everyone, and welcome back.  Last episode we took you through the official reign of Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou.  Granted, this reign was only from 668 to 671, but Naka no Oe had already been putting his stamp on the state for over 33 years.  Now, however, he was dead, as were those who had helped him implement his enormous changes, and with his death there was the question:  Who would now ascend to the throne? And that question brings us to today's topic:  The Jinshin no Ran, also known as the Jinshin War.  This was a succession dispute that occurred in the year 672 following the death of Naka no Oe, between Naka no Oe's son Ohotomo and his brother Ohoama.  The name, “Jinshin”, is formed much as the name of the “Isshi” incident, using the sinified Japanese reading of the sexagenary cycle characters used for the year.  672 was a “Mizu-no-e Saru” year, or what we today might just call a “Water Monkey” year.  Read together, these characters can be pronounced “Jinshin”, hence “Jinshin no Ran”. Quick digression:  That word “Ran”, indicating a war or similar martial disturbance, is the same character used as the title of the famous Kurosawa film that took Shakespear's King Lear story and set it in the Warring States period of Japan.  If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it—definitely a classic.  Not exactly relevant here, but still worth it. But back to the Jinshin War: we're going to likely spend a few episodes on this, not just because it is important, but also because the record is fairly detailed, and I'd like to use it to really help us get an idea of what was going on.  This episode we'll look at the broad picture: some of the causes of the war and where things were, generally speaking, just before the major campaigns kicked off. Of course, this isn't the first succession dispute in the Chronicles, but this one is incredibly detailed, and especially importantbecause it goes to the heart of the legitimacy of the royal family—the imperial family—for at least the next century.  To a certain extent, I would also suggest that it was exactly the kind of thing that the Nihon Shoki was created to address: an official history as propaganda for the Japanese court, telling  the court approved story of the royal family and providing justification as to why they are in power.  Along the way it also props up the lineages of other elites. So let's go over the basic story of the conflict before we get into the details.  I know, I know: spoilers.  But I think it will help to have context for what we are talking about right now.  To try to summarize: Ohoama, Naka no Oe's brother, is mentioned as the Crown Prince throughout Naka no Oe's reign, but just before Naka no Oe's death, Ohoama declined the position and went to Yoshino to become a Buddhist monk.  This allowed Naka no Oe's son, Prince Ohotomo, the current Dajo Daijin, or head of the council of state, to run the government and eventually take the throne.  However, shortly into Prince Ohotomo's reign, Ohoama raised an army and fought with Ohotomo and the court at Ohotsu-kyo, known as the Afumi court.  After a couple of months of intense fighting, Ohoama defeated the Afumi forces and Ohotomo.  Ohoama would go on to take the throne, becoming known as Temmu Tennou.  He is credited with starting the projects that culminated in the creation of the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki. On the surface, this could easily look like a simple case of usurpation—especially if you come from a cultural background where sons are expected to inherit from their fathers, as is common in many European monarchies.  However, we have to remind ourselves that this isn't Europe.  For centuries, succession in Yamato had been much more chaotic than that.  Often succession went not to a son or daughter, but first to a brother, and even then it didn't necessarily go to the oldest brother, or to the oldest child.  Even designating an heir wasn't a guarantee that, after a ruler's death, someone else wouldn't come along and change things by force. Of course, the Nihon Shoki appears to lay out various rules for succession.  In most cases, your mother has to be descended—however distantly—from a previous sovereign.  Also, inheritance typically doesn't come at the attainment of adulthood.  It isn't like someone turns 20 and they are suddenly eligible.  We see plenty of reigns that are passed off as regencies—that is, the sovereign is legally just a caretaker for the throne until the true heir comes of age.  Perhaps the most famous of these is Okinaga Tarashi Hime, aka Jingu Tenno, who supposedly held the throne from the death of her husband until their son, Homuda Wake, aka Ojin Tenno, was of age.  But it isn't like she just abdicated.  In fact, I don't think we've seen a single example where a regent has abdicated the throne.  The only real abdication that we see is in 645, when Takara Hime, known as Kogyoku Tenno during her first reign, abdicated after the Isshi Incident.  There are also plenty of examples of possible claimants to the throne who certainly seem like they may have been supremely qualified for the position who end up dying or being killed, sometimes with the specific claim that they were trying to usurp the throne.  The most recent example is Furubito no Oe, who likely was in line to inherit the throne from Takara Hime prior to the Isshi Incident.  It doesn't help that the Chronicle often only calls people by their titles:  so it is the “Crown Prince” who does such and such, or it is “the sovereign”—without explicitly naming who that person is.  Of course, this is sometimes made clear by context, but that can't always be relied upon. This is compounded by the fact that at this time, Wa cultural norms were being overwritten by continental concepts of propriety and morality, with the growth of reading and continental works introducing many people to the discourses of Confucius and others.  Borrowing governmental structures and ideas from a Confucian state meant that Confucian ideals would get pulled along as well, even if those structures and ideas weren't strictly Confucian.  An example is the importance of filial piety, and so-called “Proper” relationships between people.  In some cases Confucian or even Buddhist concepts were used to explain and rationalize existing traditions, and in others they were used to provide a counter-narrative.  Thus the world described by the Nihon Shoki is one that was no doubt much more comprehensible to an 8th century member of court than to someone from the 3rd. I say all that so that we can keep an eye out for the Chroniclers' bias and perhaps give some thought to what might not have gotten written down. The creation of the Ritsuryo state was the culmination of over 33 years of work.  During that time, the Yamato court had centralized their power and control.  The Chronicles, looking back at the end of the process, report this as a good thing, and it is hard to argue that these reforms truly did lead to the country of Japan as we know it, today.  However, it probably wasn't all lollipops and rainbows.   The centralization of authority received pushback, and we see the center flexing its military might as well as legal and moral authority.  The new Ritsuryo state claimed a much greater control over land and resources than any previous government had done or  been able to do.  Even if the 5th century sovereign Wakatakeru no Ohokimi, aka Yuryaku Tenno, had people at his court from Kyushu to Kanto, influence isn't the same as control.  Up until the Ritsuryo reforms, it appears that local administrators had a lot of leeway in terms of what happened in their local domains.  After all, what could Yamato do about it?  As long as “taxes” were paid, then there was no reason for Yamato to otherwise interfere with local events, and even if there were, who would they get to enforce their will? But In the Ritsuryo system, at least conceptually, the State had local governors who reported back to the central authority.  These governors  were set apart from the Kuni no Miyatsuko, the traditional local authority, and their income was tied to the court. Moreover, this system wasn't just tradition and the whims of the elites: it was codified in written laws and punishments.  In fact, the Record of the Fujiwara—the Toushi Kaden—claims that the entire legal code was written down in 668 by their patriarch, Nakatomi no Kamatari, prior to his death.  There are also other references to this compilation, known to us as the “Oumi Code”, referencing the region that the court had moved to:  Afumi, around Lake Biwa.  Unfortunately, we don't have any extant copies of what, exactly, the Code said, other than various laws explicitly noted in the Nihon Shoki.  Still, we can assume that it was probably similar to later codes, which would have been using the Oumi code as a base from which to work from. The new authority for this code descended from the throne, based on continental and even Confucian concepts of the State.  And Naka no Oe had no doubt been the one to help maintain continuity over the past three decades.  Now he was dead, so what came next? Well based on what we have in the Nihon Shoki, that should be obvious:  His brother, the Crown Prince, Ohoama, would take the throne, wouldn't he?  After all, he was the designated Crown Prince, and he had been in that role, promulgating orders, and otherwise acting as we might expect, at least since Naka no Oe had given up the position. And yet, it seems there was some doubt.  After all, while a brother—or sister—inheriting the throne was hardly unheard of, Naka no Oe did have children of his own.  Most importantly, there was his son, Prince Ohotomo.  Ohotomo was only about 23 years old, but he had been made the Dajoudaijin, the head of the Council of State, which one would think would put him in a position of tremendous authority. Naka no Oe apparently had some inkling that there could be a succession dispute upon his death.  And so, two months after he had taken ill, as it became painfully obvious that he might not recover, he called in his brother, Crown Prince Ohoama, and he told him clearly that it was his intention to have his brother succeed him on the throne. Before going much further, I would note that the entries in the Nihon Shoki that speak to this incident are spread across two different books in that chronicle.  Part of it takes part in the chronicle of Tenji Tennou (Naka no Oe), but then the reign of Temmu Tennou (Ohoama) is actually broken up into two books, the first of which is often considered the history of the Jinshin Ran, while the second is really Temmu's reign.  And in some cases we get slightly different versions of the same event.    The Nihon Shoki was written less than 50 years after the events being discussed, so likely by people who had actual memory of what happened, it was also propaganda for the regime in power at the time.  So as we read through the events, we have to be critical about our source and what it is telling us. To that end, I'll mostly start out with the narrative as it appears in the Nihon Shoki, and then we can look back and see what else might be going on if we make some assumptions that the Chroniclers may not be the most reliable of narrators for these events. Anyway, getting back to the story as we have it in the Nihon Shoki:  So the person sent to fetch Prince Ohoama to come see his brother, the sovereign, was a man by the name of Soga no Yasumaru.  And Yasumaru brought not only the summons, but a warning, as well.  He told Prince Ohoama to “think before you speak”.  This suggested to Ohoama that there was some kind of plot afoot. And lest we forget, for all that Naka no Oe is often put up on a pedestal for his role in the Taika reforms and founding the nation—even the posthumous name they gave him was the “Sovereign of Heavenly Wisdom”—that pedestal he stands on is covered in blood.  Naka no Oe's political career starts with the brazen murder of Soga no Iruka in full view of all the gathered nobility, and is immediately followed with him marshalling forces against Soga no Emishi, who set fire to his own house rather than surrender. And then, shortly into the Taika period, Naka no Oe had his own brother, Furubito no Oe, killed so that he wouldn't be a threat.  And later, when he just heard a rumor that Soga no Ishikawa no Maro—his father-in-law, Prime Minister of the Right, and co-conspirator—was having treasonous thoughts, he gathered up forces to have him and his family murdered. And though it may have been a bit less bloody, let's not forget his apparent falling out with his uncle, Karu, where he left the giant palace complex at Naniwa and took the entire royal family to Asuka against his uncle, the sovereign's, wishes. Add to that the note from the Fujiwara family records, the Toushi Kaden, about the party at the “shore pavilion” where Ohoama spiked a spear through a plank of wood which rattled Naka no Oe enough that he was contemplating having him taken out right there.  According to that account, it was only the intervention of Nakatomi no Kamatari that saved Ohoama's life.  Even if it weren't true, it likely illustrates something about how their relationship was viewed by others. Given all of that, I think we can understand how Ohoama might not be entirely trusting of his older brother's intentions.  So when that same brother offered him control of the government, Ohoama was suspicious.  Perhaps it was because he was already the Crown Prince, the expected heir, so why would Naka no Oe be offering him the throne?  Perhaps it was some kind of test of his loyalty? And so Prince Ohoama declined.  He claimed that he had always had bad health, and probably wouldn't be a good choice.  Instead, he put forward that the Queen, Yamatobime, should be given charge, and that Naka no Oe's son, Prince Ohotomo, should be installed as the Crown Prince—the new successor to the throne.  Furthermore, to demonstrate his resolve, he asked to be allowed to renounce the world and become a monk. Indeed, immediately after the audience with his brother, Prince Ohoama went to the Buddhist hall in the palace itself and had his head shaved and took holy orders.  He even gave up any private weapons that he might have—likely meaning not just his personal weapons, but any private forces that might be under his command.  The sovereign himself sent his brother a kesa or clerical garment, apparently approving of—or at least accepting—his decision. Two days later, Prince Ohoama went back to his brother and asked to be allowed to leave for Yoshino to go and practice Buddhism there.  He was given permission and he headed out.  The ministers of the left and right, that is Soga no Akae and Nakatomi no Kane, along with Soga no Hatayasu, a “Dainagon” or Chief Counselor, and others, all traveled with him all the way to Uji, where they saw him off.  By evening he had made it as far as the Shima Palace, which is assumed to have been in Asuka—possibly at or near the site of the old Soga residence.  The following day he was in Yoshino. Arriving at Yoshino with his household, Prince Ohoama gave his servants a choice—those who wished could take orders and stay with him in Yoshino.  Those with ambitions at the court, though, were allowed to return back to Ohotsu, presumably going to work for another family.  At first, none of them wanted to leave his side, but he beseeched them a second time, and half of them decided to stay and become monks with him while half of them left, returning to the court. As we mentioned earlier, another royal prince—and possibly crown prince—had taken a similar option back in the year 645.  That was Prince Furubito no Oe, half-brother to Naka no Oe and Ohoama.  We talked about that back in episode 109.  As with that time, taking Buddhist orders and retiring from the world was meant to demonstrate that the individual was renouncing any claims on the throne and was no longer a threat to the succession. The Nihon Shoki notes, though, that as Prince Ohoama was leaving Uji, some commented that it was like the saying: “Give a tiger wings and let him go.”  The first part of that is no doubt referencing a saying still used in Mandarin, today:  “Rúhǔtiānyì” or “Yǔhǔtiānyì, meaning to “add wings to a tiger”—in other words to take something strong and make it even more powerful.  In this case, the choice to renounce the succession and leave court made Ohoama more powerful and then set him free to do what he wanted. There is a lot of speculation around what actually happened.  Prince Ohotomo had only recently come of age and been given the important position of Dajo Daijin.  Still, he was also only 23 years old.  Now, granted, Naka no Oe hadn't been much older, himself, when he instigated the Isshi Incident, but most sovereigns aren't mentioned as having come to the throne themselves until they were maybe 30 years old or more.  Still, there is at least one theory that suggests that Naka no Oe wanted to have his brother, Ohoama, step aside and let Ohotomo take the throne.  According to that theory, his request for Ohoama to succeed him as ruler eas a ruse to get Ohoama to admit his own ambition, which Naka no Oe could then use as a pretext to get rid of his brother. There is another theory that Naka no Oe wanted Ohoama to step in as effectively regent:  Ohoama would rule, but Ohotomo would then inherit after him. Ohoama's counterproposal is intriguing.  He suggested that the affairs of state should be given to Yamato-bime, Naka no Oe's queen, and that she should rule as regent until Ohotomo was ready.  Of course, we have examples of something like this, most recently from the previous reign.  Takara Hime came to the throne, originally, because her husband, who was the sovereign, passed away and their children were not yet of age to take the throne.  However, there is something interesting, here in the relationship between Yamato Bime and Ohotomo.  Because while Yamato Bime was the queen, and daughter, herself, of Furubito no Oe, Ohotomo was not clearly of the proper parentage.  He was not Yamato Bime's son – she had no children herself - , but  his mother was simply a “palace woman” named “Iga no Uneme no Yakako”.  This suggests that she was an uneme from Iga named Yakako, and we are given no details about her parentage.    She is also listed as the last of Naka no Oe's consorts, suggesting to the reader that she was the lowest in status. For this reason Ohotomo is known as the Iga Royal Prince, Iga no Miko. Of course, there are plenty of reasons why the Chroniclers might not want to give any glory to Prince Ohotomo or his mother.  After all, the story works out best if Ohoama should have just been the sovereign all along.  And this could all be technically true—the best kind of true—while also omitting key details so that the reader draws a certain inference.  The Chroniclers were pulling from lots of different sources, and you didn't have to do a lot of changing things when you could just not put them in in the first place.  In other cases we know that they changed the records, because we see them using anachronistic language that doesn't make sense if drawn from a contemporary record. And so we have at least a couple of theories of what might be going on here, beyond just the straight narrative.   One idea is that Naka no Oe wanted Ohotomo to inherit all along, and perhaps he thought Ohoama could be a regent to help him out once Naka no Oe passed away.  Or maybe he just wanted Ohoama out of the way.  There is also the theory that the Nihon Shoki is, in fact, correct, that Naka no Oe wanted to give the state to Ohoama, but the latter refused, either misunderstanding Naka no Oe's intentions or perhaps gauging the feeling at court—perhaps it wasn't Naka no Oe that Ohoama was worried about, but rather some of the high nobles and officials?   It is probably telling that Ohoama's reported solution was to have Yamato-bime act as regent, with Ohotomo eventually inheriting. Whatever the actual reason, Ohoama declined Ohoama headed off to self-imposed exile in Yoshino. Meanwhile, back in Afumi in the Ohotsu capital, Ohotsu-kyo, Ohotomo was now the de facto Crown Prince.  We are told that on the 23rd day of the 11th month of 671 he took his place in front of the embroidery figure of Buddha in the Western Hall of the Dairi, the royal quarters of the Ohotsu Palace.  He was attended by the Minister of the Left, Soga no Akaye, the Minister of the Right, Nakatomi no Kane, as well as Soga no Hatayasu, Kose no Hito, and Ki no Ushi.  Taking up an incense burner, Ohotomo made a vow that the six of them would obey the sovereign's commands, lest they be punished by the various Buddhist and local deities. These five ministers, along with Ohotomo, are going to show up again and again.   Moving forward, they would manage the government, and would be generally referred to as the Afumi court. And it is clear that the Chroniclers laid the blame for anything that might happen at their feet. The Afumi court would continue court business as usual, and they were immediately thrown into the thick of it.  For instance, they were likely the ones to entertain the Tang envoys that arrived that same month.  You see, the priest Douku (or possibly “Doubun”), along with Tsukushi no Kimi no Satsuyama, Karashima no Suguri no Sasa, and Nunoshi no Obito no Iwa, had finally made it back from their journey to the mainland.  They brought with them Guo Wucong along with an embassy from the Tang court that numbered approximately 600 members, as well as ambassador Sathek Sonteung, of Silla, with his own embassy of about 1400 people. This enormous entourage sailed in 47 ships, and they had anchored at the island of Hijishima.   The Governor of Tsushima, responsible for being the first line of met with them.  Given then number fo ships, they didn't want it to look like it was a hostile invasion, so the governor sent a letter to  Prince Kurikuma, the viceroy of Tsukushi, to let him know what was happening.  Prince Kurikuma had them send Doubun and others ahead to the capital, so that they could let the court know that a massive embassy had arrived, and to prepare the way for them. However, with the sovereign in extremely poor health, and the court otherwise preoccupied with preparations for what might come next, , they kept the embassy at Tsukushi, for the time being.  We are told that that they sent presents on the 29th for the king of Silla, but no indication of them being brought to the court. Enormous foreign embassies aside, the Afumi court had plenty to deal with close to home.  It didn't help that the day after Ohotomo and the ministers had gathered to make their oaths, a fire broke out in the Ohotsu palace, apparently originating with the third storehouse of the treasury.    Several days later, the five ministers, attending the Crown Prince, Ohotomo, made oaths of loyalty in the presence of Naka no Oe, whose condition was only growing worse.  And four days later, on the third day of the fourth month, Naka no Oe passed away.  He was then temporarily interred in what is referred to as the “New Palace”. And contrary to what Ohoama had suggested, there is no indication that Queen Yamato-bime was installed as any kind of regent.  Instead it seems as if Ohotomo was just jumping in and taking the reins.  Granted, he also had the Council of State to lean on, so there's that.  The Chronicles are pretty quiet for a couple of months after Naka no Oe's death, and then we are told that Adzumi no Muraji no Inashiki was sent to Tsukushi to let the Tang ambassador Guo Wucong know the news.  We are told that on the 18th day of the 3rd month, Guo Wucong, I presume having made it to Ohotsu, publicly mourned the late sovereign.  Three days later, on the 21st, he made obeisance at the court, presumably to Ohotomo, and offered up a box with a letter from the Tang emperor and various presents in token of goodwill for the sovereign of Yamato.  A couple of months later, the Afumi court returned the favor, presenting armor, bows, and arrows as well as cloth, floss, and silk.  Later in that same 5th month, Guo Wucong and his people departed for the continent. And here is where we hit one of the big questions of this whole thing:  Had Ohotomo been formally invested as sovereign, yet?  We clearly see that he had his father's ministers on his side, and they were running things.  Then again, it took years after Takara Hime's death before Naka no Oe, himself, formally stepped up. It is quite possible that Ohotomo was not yet invested, and perhaps that was, in part, because there was another person with a claim who was still alive.  It is hard to say. What we do know is that the consensus opinion for centuries was that Ohotomo was never formally invested as sovereign.  He is certainly seen as having inherited the governance of the kingdom, but he was never considered one of the official sovereigns.  That all changed in relatively recent times.  In fact, it wasn't until 1870, the early years of the Meiji period, that Prince Ohotomo was given a posthumous title and regnal name:  Koubun Tennou.  Today, the Imperial Household Agency and some historians consider Ohotomo to have been an official sovereign, but that isn't everyone.  If he was, though, much what we see would have been happening at his court. That same month that Guo Wucong departed, Prince Ohoama got wind that something hinky was afoot.  Ohoama was residing as a monk in Yoshino, but by all accounts he still had half of his household staff, his wives, and family, all with him.  Also, as the former Crown Prince, he clearly had friends and allies.  After all, he was still a member of the royal household. And so it was in the 5th month that he heard from one Yenewi no Muraji no Wogimi that there was something amiss.  For one thing, the Afumi court had called up laborers to build the tomb for Naka no Oe, but word was that they had issued those so-called laborers with weapons rather than tools.  Wogimi seemed worried that they were preparing to do something about Ohoama.  After all, even though he had theoretically retired from the world, as long as he was alive, he still had a claim on the throne, similar to the problem of Prince Furubito no Oe back in 645. Someone else told Ohoama that they noticed pickets were being set up in various places between the Afumi and Yamato—another sign that the Afumi court was apparently expecting some kind of military action.  Furthermore, the guards at the Uji bridge were no longer allowing supplies bound for Yoshino and Ohoama's household. It seemed clear that something was up, and so Ohoama made an announcement:  while he had renounced the royal dignity and retired from the world, it was only because of his poor health and a desire to live a long and happy life.  If that life was being threatened by forces outside of his control, then why would he let himself be taken quietly? From that point, he seems to have started plotting and gathering  forces of his own, in case things came to a head.  Of course, there are those who suggest that, in truth, Ohoama had been plotting and raising forces ever since he started his exile in Yoshino—or at least since his father passed away.  Indeed, once things kick off, you'll notice how quickly people are levying troops, as if spontaneously deciding to support Ohoama's cause, and I would suggest that there was probably lot of back and forth that we just don't see because it was never recorded. Things reached a tipping point on the 22nd day of the 6th month.  That is when Ohoama gave orders to three of his vassals, Murakami no Muraji no Woyori, Wanibe no Omi no Kimide, and Muketsu no Kimi no Hiro.  He claimed that the Afumi Court was plotting against him, so he asked his vassals to go to the land of Mino—modern Gifu prefecture—and to reach out to Oho no Omi no Honeji, the governor of the Ahachima district hot springs—now the area of Anpachi.  Honeji was to levy soldiers and set them out on the Fuwa road—this was the road from Mino to Afumi, and was one of the few ways in and out of Afumi region. As we've mentioned in the past, the benefit of Ohotsu-kyo was its naturally defended position.  Lake Biwa is surrounded on all sides by mountains, and there were only a few ways in and out.  The Fuwa Pass is at the edge of a location that you may have heard of: today we know that region as Sekigahara.  That is because it was one of several seki, or barriers, set up to help check movements across the archipelago.  To the south, one could also use the Suzuka pass, where there would likewise be set up the Suzuka no Seki, or Suzuka barrier.  Suzuka was accessible from Afumi via the regions of Koga and Iga.  There was also the Afusaka no Seki, between Afumi and the area of modern Kyoto, and the Arachi no Seki, between Afumi and Tsuruga, on the Japan Sea—where many of the Goguryeo missions had arrived. Of these, the Afusaka barrier and the Fuwa barrier were probably the most well known and most heavily traveled.  Control of the Fuwa pass would be critical throughout Japan's history, controlling much of the traffic between eastern and western Japan.  Hence why, over 900 years later, another fight would come to a head here, as the battle of Sekigahara would see Tokugawa Ieyasu's eastern forces defeating the western army of Ishida Mitsunari.  That battle is seen as a decisive victory that birthed the Tokugawa shogunate, who would rule Japan for the next 250 years. So for Ohoama, having Honeji and his men take control of the Fuwa barrier was critical, as it would limit the Afumi court's ability to levy forces in the eastern provinces. A few days later, Ohoama was himself about to move out,  but his advisors stopped him.  They were worried about heading east without an army, yet.  Ohoama agreed, and he wished that he hadn't sent Woyori out just yet—Woyori was someone he trusted, militarily.  Instead, however, he had to make do.  And so he had Ohokida no Kimi no Yesaka, Kibumi no Muraji no Ohotomo, and Afu no Omi no Shima go to Prince Takasaka, who was in charge of the Wokamoto Palace in Asuka, and apply for posting bells—the tokens that would allow him and others use the various official post stations to supply them with provisions as they traveled.  Speaking of this palace,  although the court had moved to Ohotsu, a palace was maintained in Asuka.  After all, this was still seen as the “ancient capital” and the home to a lot of powerful families, so it makes sense that the royal family kept the palace in working order.  It also appears to have functioned as the local government headquarters for the region, with Prince Takasaka, or Takasaka no Ou, at its head. Asking for the posting bells was a test by Ohoama.  If he received them, then great, it would give him the ability to travel to the east, where he could presumably raise troops to protect himself.  However, if Prince Takasaka refused, then that would be a sign that the Afumi government had, indeed, sent word that Ohoama was not supposed to go anywhere.  If that was to happen, then Afu no Shima would return to Yoshino to let Ohoama know, while Ohokida no Yesaka would go to Afumi to tell Ohoama's sons, Prince Takechi and Prince Ohotsu, to make haste and meet him in Ise. Sure enough, Prince Takasaka refused the posting bells, and so, on the 24th of the 6th month, Prince Ohoama made the decision to move.  They left quickly—he didn't even let anyone saddle a horse for him or prepare his carriage.  He just started to head out on foot on a journey to the East. That journey would set in motion the coming conflagration.  Ohoama and his allies would quickly gather their forces in an incredibly short period of time, starting with a daring trek across the mountainous path between Yoshino and the land of Ise.  At the same time, the Afumi court would levy their own forces.  It was now a race for people and positions.  And to see how that race progressed, I'll ask you to tune in next episode, when we take a look at the opening moves in the war for the throne of Yamato.Until then, thank you once again for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Bamboo Lights: How One Lantern Shone New Light on Tradition Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-01-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 竹林村位于葱郁的竹林深处，En: Zhulin Village is located deep in a lush bamboo forest.Zh: 每到夏天，温暖的阳光洒在村庄的红灯笼上，给村庄增添了几分欢乐。En: Every summer, the warm sunlight falls on the village's red lanterns, adding a touch of joy to the village.Zh: 在一年一度的灯笼节来临之际，村民们忙碌地做着准备。En: As the annual Lantern Festival approaches, the villagers are busily preparing.Zh: 美善于手工制作，尤其是灯笼，而俊是村里公认的灯笼大师。En: Mei is skilled at handicrafts, especially in making lanterns, while Jun is recognized as the master of lantern-making in the village.Zh: 尽管声名显赫，俊却担心自己的技艺会被时间淘汰。En: Despite his renowned reputation, Jun worries that his skills might be outpaced by time.Zh: 美一直渴望在村里的灯笼节上一展身手。En: Mei has always longed to showcase her skills at the village's Lantern Festival.Zh: 她钟爱传统工艺，但也对现代设计充满兴趣。En: She loves traditional crafts but is also very interested in modern design.Zh: 她心中有一个愿望，就是制作一盏融入现代设计的灯笼，希望得到俊的认可。En: She has a wish in her heart to create a lantern that integrates modern design, hoping to gain Jun's approval.Zh: 然而，村里的老人们对传统的坚守，使得美的创新想法屡屡遇到阻力。En: However, the elders in the village are staunch in their adherence to tradition, creating resistance to Mei's innovative ideas.Zh: 美没有因此放弃，En: Mei did not give up.Zh: 她在书中学习如何使用新材料、新技巧，决定秘密地制作属于自己的灯笼。En: She studied books to learn how to use new materials and techniques and decided to secretly craft her own lantern.Zh: 另一方面，俊心里对美的热情十分欣赏，却不知如何支持她。En: On the other hand, Jun appreciated Mei's passion but didn't know how to support her.Zh: 他关注美的努力，默默给予一些建议，但不让他人察觉。En: He paid attention to Mei's efforts, silently offering some advice without letting others notice.Zh: 灯笼节当天晚上，村子里灯火辉煌，美的灯笼引起了所有人的注意。En: On the night of the Lantern Festival, the village was brilliantly lit, and Mei's lantern attracted everyone's attention.Zh: 它与众不同，兼顾了传统与现代，既新颖又不失庄重。En: It was unique, blending tradition and modernity, novel yet dignified.Zh: 有人质疑，有人赞赏，En: Some people questioned it, while others admired it.Zh: 此时俊出面表示支持，并揭示自己在背后给予了帮助。En: At this moment, Jun stood up to show his support and revealed that he had been offering assistance behind the scenes.Zh: 美的灯笼最终赢得了特别奖，村里的人们开始赞赏其独特的创意与文化底蕴。En: Mei's lantern ultimately won a special prize, and the people in the village began to appreciate its unique creativity and cultural depth.Zh: 俊公开称赞美，并呼吁村民们在传承中注入新鲜的元素。En: Jun openly praised Mei and called upon the villagers to infuse fresh elements into their traditions.Zh: 经过这次经历，美获得了信心，同时也认识到保持传统与创新的平衡是多么重要。En: Through this experience, Mei gained confidence and realized the importance of balancing tradition and innovation.Zh: 俊则明白，接受改变能使文化遗产更加丰富多彩。En: Jun understood that embracing change can enrich cultural heritage.Zh: 从此，竹林村的灯笼节在继承传统的同时，也充满了无限的活力与创意，成为了人们心中难以忘怀的节日。En: From then on, the Lantern Festival in Zhulin Village continued to uphold tradition while brimming with endless vitality and creativity, becoming an unforgettable festival in people's hearts. Vocabulary Words:lush: 葱郁的lanterns: 灯笼preparing: 准备handicrafts: 手工制作renowned: 声名显赫reputation: 声望outpaced: 淘汰longed: 渴望showcase: 一展身手staunch: 坚守adherence: 坚持resistance: 阻力innovative: 创新secretly: 秘密地appreciated: 欣赏silently: 默默blending: 兼顾unique: 与众不同novel: 新颖dignified: 庄重admired: 赞赏revealed: 揭示assistance: 帮助creativity: 创意cultural depth: 文化底蕴praised: 称赞integrates: 融入infuse: 注入uphold: 继承vitality: 活力

Join us on Dashu Mandarin as we dive into an inspiring conversation with Manning, a Canadian who spent 15 years in Taiwan!

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Courageous Diplomacy: Breaking Barriers at Beijing Summit Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-06-30-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 烈日炎炎的夏季，北京国际峰会正如火如荼地进行着。En: In the scorching summer, the Beijing International Summit was in full swing.Zh: 宽广的大会堂中，传统的中国图案装饰着高高的天花板，各国的政要们正在不同的语言中交谈着。En: In the spacious conference hall, traditional Chinese patterns adorned the high ceilings, while dignitaries from various countries engaged in conversations in different languages.Zh: 在这庄重的场合中，李伟，一个经验丰富的外交官，正在为峰会的成功而努力。En: In this solemn setting, Li Wei, an experienced diplomat, was striving for the success of the summit.Zh: 李伟一向以冷静著称，然而内心深处却常常被自我怀疑困扰。En: Known for his calm demeanor, he was often plagued by self-doubt deep down.Zh: 他知道，此次谈判能否成功，不仅关乎国际利益，也关乎他的职业未来。En: He knew that the success of the negotiations would impact not only international interests but also his professional future.Zh: 今天是端午节，但李伟没有心情品尝粽子的美味。En: Today was the Dragon Boat Festival, but Li Wei wasn't in the mood to savor the delicious zongzi.Zh: 谈判进程突然因一个误会陷入僵局。En: The negotiation process had suddenly hit a deadlock due to a misunderstanding.Zh: 协议的破裂，使整个会议陷入了紧张的氛围。En: The breakdown of the agreement created a tense atmosphere throughout the conference.Zh: 张敏和陈瑞，两位年轻的同事，也在一旁表示担忧。En: Zhang Min and Chen Rui, two younger colleagues, also expressed concern nearby.Zh: 李伟此刻面临一个艰难的决定。En: At this moment, Li Wei faced a difficult decision.Zh: 他可以选择强硬坚持己见，冒险破坏更多关系；或者转而采取更为温和的方式，争取各方理解和支持。En: He could either stick firmly to his stance, risking further disruption to relations, or adopt a more conciliatory approach and strive for understanding and support from all parties.Zh: 随着时间的流逝，会议室内的气氛愈发紧张。En: As time passed, the atmosphere in the conference room grew increasingly tense.Zh: 在各国代表意见不一、争执不休时，李伟最终决定采取一个大胆的选择。En: Amid disagreements and disputes among the country representatives, Li Wei finally opted for a bold move.Zh: 他离开自己的座位，走向对方代表团，亲自与他们交流。En: He left his seat and approached the opposing delegation for direct communication.Zh: 这一举动在常规外交礼节中，可能被视为失礼，但李伟希望通过直面的沟通破冰，找到解决的突破口。En: This action might be considered impolite in conventional diplomatic etiquette, but Li Wei hoped to break the ice through face-to-face interaction and find a breakthrough.Zh: 他耐心倾听，重新梳理误会，并积极寻找共同点。En: He listened patiently, restructured the misunderstandings, and actively searched for common ground.Zh: 他的这种真诚态度引起了对方的注意。En: His sincere attitude caught the attention of the other side.Zh: 经过一番努力，会议逐渐恢复了秩序。En: After much effort, order was gradually restored to the conference.Zh: 各方代表在李伟的协调下，开始重新审视协议内容，并表达了合作的意愿。En: With Li Wei's coordination, the representatives began to reevaluate the agreement's content and expressed a willingness to cooperate.Zh: 不久之后，谈判得到了实质性的进展。En: Shortly afterwards, the negotiations made substantial progress.Zh: 峰会最终在李伟的主导下，以令人满意的结果落下帷幕。En: The summit concluded with satisfying results under Li Wei's leadership.Zh: 随着国际关系的缓和，李伟不仅得到了各界的赞誉，也赢得了上级的认可。En: With the easing of international relations, Li Wei not only received praise from various sectors but also earned recognition from his superiors.Zh: 他克服了内心的疑虑，变得更加自信。En: He overcame his inner doubts and became more confident.Zh: 在峰会闭幕后，他收到了更多参与未来外交事务的邀请。En: After the summit, he received more invitations to participate in future diplomatic affairs.Zh: 李伟站在大会堂门口，阳光洒在他的身上。他明白，未来的外交道路上，他将继续迎接挑战，携手共进。En: Standing at the entrance of the conference hall, with sunlight bathing him, Li Wei understood that on the future diplomatic path, he would continue to face challenges and move forward hand in hand.Zh: 而这一刻，他知道自己的选择是正确的。En: At this moment, he knew his choice had been the correct one. Vocabulary Words:scorching: 炎炎dignitaries: 政要solemn: 庄重demeanor: 著称plagued: 困扰self-doubt: 自我怀疑savor: 品尝deadlock: 僵局misunderstanding: 误会atmosphere: 氛围conciliatory: 温和disruption: 破坏stance: 己见disputes: 争执delegation: 代表团etiquette: 礼节interaction: 沟通restructured: 梳理breakthrough: 突破口sincere: 真诚attention: 注意reevaluate: 审视substantial: 实质性praise: 赞誉recognition: 认可superiors: 上级confidence: 自信invitation: 邀请diplomatic: 外交challenges: 挑战

Today's Episode:She was American, but spoke Chinese like a native. She grew up in rural China, won the Nobel Prize, and told the world real stories about Chinese people. Who was Pearl S. Buck — and why did she love China so deeply? Let's find out in today's episode.Membership Preview:Crazy Chinese menu translations like “Fxxk and Explode Chicken” and “Husband and Wife Lung Slices” . What do they really mean?! Join the next MaoMi Chinese+ to laugh, learn, and uncover the surprising culture and language behind these hilarious English mistakes!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: The Dragon Boat Festival Mystery: Teamwork Triumphs at the Office Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-06-29-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在盛夏的龙舟节前夕，公司里充满了电脑的嗡嗡声，员工们的交谈声，以及新泡的茶香。En: On the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival in mid-summer, the company was filled with the humming of computers, the chatter of employees, and the aroma of freshly brewed tea.Zh: 每个隔间都挂着装饰用的粽子，提醒着人们龙舟节的到来，同时令人感受到紧迫的工作节奏和企业的压力。En: Decorative zongzi hung in every cubicle, reminding people of the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, while simultaneously conveying the pressing work pace and corporate pressure.Zh: 李伟，是一位勤勉且雄心勃勃的初级主管。En: Li Wei was a diligent and ambitious junior manager.Zh: 他的目光紧紧锁定着升职的机会，而关键就在于向董事会呈现一份重要文件。En: His eyes were firmly set on a promotion opportunity, which heavily depended on presenting an important document to the board of directors.Zh: 然而，这份文件却莫名其妙地消失了。En: However, this document mysteriously disappeared.Zh: 夏季的热浪令办公室的气氛愈加紧张。En: The summer heatwave made the office atmosphere even more tense.Zh: 李伟皱眉思考，他在之前的每个抽屉、柜子甚至垃圾桶里都找过，但文件就是踪影全无。En: Li Wei frowned in thought; he had searched every drawer, cabinet, and even trash can, but the document was nowhere to be found.Zh: 他心急如焚，知道时间有限，但面对毫无头绪的局面，他必须尽快找到它。En: He was anxious, knowing time was limited, but faced with a clueless situation, he had to find it quickly.Zh: 这时，他想到了肖凤，一位技术娴熟且喜欢解谜的办公室老手。En: At this moment, he thought of Xiao Feng, a skilled and puzzle-loving office veteran.Zh: 虽然他一开始有些犹豫，但为了文件，李伟还是决定求助于她。En: Though he hesitated at first, for the sake of the document, Li Wei decided to seek her help.Zh: 不久后，梅玲也加入了他们的队伍。En: Shortly after, Mei Ling also joined their team.Zh: 梅玲总是保持办公室的井然有序，可这一次，她显得异常焦虑。En: Mei Ling always kept the office orderly, but this time, she seemed unusually anxious.Zh: 三人组成了临时的侦查小组。En: The three of them formed a temporary investigation team.Zh: 他们审视着办公室的每一个角落，调取了监控录像，不放过任何细节。En: They scrutinized every corner of the office, reviewed surveillance footage, and left no detail unchecked.Zh: 终于，他们发现文件在一次办公室重组中被错当成废纸销毁掉了。En: Finally, they discovered the document had been mistakenly destroyed as trash during an office reorganization.Zh: 李伟知道必须马上采取行动。En: Li Wei knew he had to act immediately.Zh: 他们三人迅速回忆出文件的关键内容，集思广益，重新汇总成一份新的展示材料。En: The three quickly recalled the key content of the document, brainstormed, and compiled a new presentation.Zh: 他们配合无间，终于在董事会会议开始前的最后几分钟完成了任务。En: Their seamless cooperation allowed them to complete the task just minutes before the board meeting began.Zh: 在会议上，李伟用心准备的展示赢得了满堂喝彩。En: During the meeting, Li Wei's well-prepared presentation received thunderous applause.Zh: 董事会对他的演讲印象深刻，而这一切都归结于三人之间的合作与信任。En: The board was impressed by his speech, and all this was attributed to the collaboration and trust among the three.Zh: 他明白，成功不仅仅是一个人的努力，更多地需要团队的力量。En: He realized that success is not just an individual's effort, but also heavily relies on the strength of the team.Zh: 在这个夏天的龙舟节里，虽然时间短暂，但这段意外的协作带来了不一样的收获。En: In this summer's Dragon Boat Festival, although brief, this unexpected collaboration brought about unique rewards.Zh: 李伟学会了信任和依赖他的同事，肖凤也因她的智慧受到注意，而梅玲则继续守护着她心爱的办公室，三人之间燃起了意想不到的友谊。En: Li Wei learned to trust and rely on his colleagues, Xiao Feng was noticed for her wisdom, and Mei Ling continued to safeguard her beloved office, all while an unexpected friendship blossomed among them. Vocabulary Words:eve: 前夕humming: 嗡嗡声aroma: 香cubicle: 隔间conveying: 传达diligent: 勤勉ambitious: 雄心勃勃promotion: 升职heatwave: 热浪tense: 紧张clueless: 毫无头绪veteran: 老手hesitated: 犹豫scrutinized: 审视surveillance: 监控footage: 录像destroyed: 销毁compiled: 汇总presentation: 展示thunderous: 满堂applause: 喝彩impressed: 印象深刻collaboration: 合作rely: 依赖safeguard: 守护unexpected: 意外blossomed: 燃起promotion: 升职opportunity: 机会reorganization: 重组

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Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Tradition Triumphs: Wei's Victory at the Hangzhou Tea Harvest Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-06-28-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个炎热的夏季，杭州的茶园一片绿意盎然。En: In a scorching summer season, the Hangzhou tea plantation was lush with greenery.Zh: 茶园的工人们戴着宽檐帽，忙碌地在茶田里采摘新鲜的茶叶。En: The workers there wore wide-brimmed hats, busily picking fresh tea leaves in the fields.Zh: 空中偶尔飘过色彩斑斓的风筝，这些都是端午节庆祝活动的留下的痕迹。En: Occasionally, colorful kites floated through the sky, remnants of the Dragon Boat Festival celebrations.Zh: 空气中弥漫着茶花的芬芳，让人感到心旷神怡。En: The air was filled with the fragrance of tea flowers, evoking a refreshing tranquility.Zh: 魏是一位年轻的茶农，他热衷于保护传统的茶叶种植方法。En: Wei was a young tea farmer who was passionate about preserving traditional tea planting methods.Zh: 今天，他面临一场严峻的挑战：天气预报说有一场突如其来的夏季暴风雨将袭击这片茶园。En: Today, he faced a formidable challenge: the weather forecast predicted an unexpected summer storm would hit the plantation.Zh: 这场风暴，会威胁到一年一度的茶叶丰收节。En: This storm threatened the annual Tea Harvest Festival.Zh: 莉娜是魏的儿时玩伴，目前在城里工作。En: Lina was Wei's childhood friend who currently worked in the city.Zh: 今天，她特意返回家乡参加这个节日。En: Today, she returned to her hometown specifically for the festival.Zh: 梅是社区里的长者，以她的智慧和茶叶种植知识而闻名。En: Mei was the elder of the community, renowned for her wisdom and knowledge of tea cultivation.Zh: 面对即将到来的风暴，魏心中有些紧张。En: With the impending storm, Wei felt a bit anxious.Zh: 他坚持认为，传统的方法可以抵御这场风暴。En: He firmly believed that traditional methods could withstand this storm.Zh: 暴风雨来临前，魏和莉娜一同走遍整个茶园。En: Before the storm arrived, Wei and Lina walked through the entire tea plantation together.Zh: 茶树在微风中轻轻摇曳。En: The tea trees swayed gently in the breeze.Zh: 然而乌云很快覆盖了天空，风速也逐渐加快。En: However, dark clouds soon covered the sky, and the wind gradually picked up speed.Zh: 魏考虑用梅曾教过他的方法来保护茶叶——一种古老的覆盖法。En: Wei considered using a method Mei had once taught him to protect the tea – an ancient covering technique.Zh: 他将想法告诉社区，但大部分人都认为应该使用现代科技手段，而非老旧的方法。En: He proposed his idea to the community, but most people believed modern technology should be used instead of outdated methods.Zh: 风暴开始了，比预期的更为猛烈。En: The storm began and was fiercer than expected.Zh: 魏意识到，时间紧迫，必须立即采取行动。En: Wei realized time was running out and immediate action was necessary.Zh: 在梅的指导下，他快速地用竹帘覆盖了茶叶。En: Under Mei's guidance, he quickly covered the tea leaves with bamboo screens.Zh: 与此同时，莉娜组织社区的人来帮助加强茶园的防御。En: Simultaneously, Lina organized community members to help bolster the plantation's defenses.Zh: 风雨交加中，魏和莉娜坚持不懈。En: Amidst the stormy weather, Wei and Lina persevered tirelessly.Zh: 他们通宵达旦，确保每一片茶叶都被妥善保护。En: They worked through the night to ensure every tea leaf was properly protected.Zh: 风暴持续到第二天清晨，终于结束。En: The storm lasted until the following morning when it finally ended.Zh: 茶园经历了一场大考验，茶叶损失比想象中要轻微得多。En: The tea plantation had undergone a major test, yet the tea leaf loss was much less severe than anticipated.Zh: 晴空重现，阳光洒在每个辛勤劳作的人脸上。En: Clear skies returned, and sunlight graced the faces of everyone who had worked hard.Zh: 当节日重新开始时，社区里的每个人都向魏以及他所采用的传统方法致以敬意。En: When the festival resumed, everyone in the community paid their respects to Wei and the traditional methods he employed.Zh: 他用自己的努力证明了传统技术的力量，也赢得了大家的尊重。En: He demonstrated the power of traditional techniques through his efforts and won everyone's respect.Zh: 梅看着一切，脸上露出赞许的微笑。En: Mei observed everything with an approving smile.Zh: 通过这场风暴，魏不仅增强了对自己实力的信心，也对梅的智慧和传统知识充满了敬意。En: From this storm, Wei not only reinforced his confidence in his own abilities but also gained immense respect for Mei's wisdom and traditional knowledge.Zh: 杭州茶园的风光依旧优美，茶农们像往常一样在田间忙碌，守护他们的家园。En: The Hangzhou tea plantation remained as beautiful as ever, with tea farmers as busy as usual, safeguarding their homeland.Zh: 魏学会了一种立足传统、迎接现代挑战的方法，使他对未来充满了希望与信心。En: Wei learned a way to stand on tradition while embracing modern challenges, filling him with hope and confidence for the future.Zh: 最终，所有人欢度端午节，分享着这个辛勤劳作后的美好成果。En: Ultimately, everyone celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival, sharing the wonderful results of their hard work. Vocabulary Words:scorching: 炎热的plantation: 茶园lush: 郁郁葱葱wide-brimmed: 宽檐tranquility: 心旷神怡formidable: 严峻的forecast: 天气预报unexpected: 突如其来的renowned: 闻名wisdom: 智慧impending: 即将到来的anxious: 紧张swayed: 摇曳breeze: 微风gradually: 逐渐considered: 考虑proposed: 将想法fiercer: 猛烈的immediate: 立即guidance: 指导bolster: 加强persevered: 坚持不懈properly: 妥善anticipated: 预期的resumed: 重新开始employed: 采用demonstrated: 证明reinforced: 增强immense: 充满embracing: 迎接

In this episode, Meg and Heather discuss many of the benefits of doTERRA's Green Mandarin Essential Oil. It is good for skin, hair, cleaning and MUCH more - hint, take a deep dive into one of the essential oil books. Heather also discusses the beautiful way it is harvested. Use this "pure potential" oil for a positive emotional impact.To purchase or find the price of Green Mandarin Essential Oil, click here https://doterra.me/6VWGyBTo learn more about the podcast, check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.essentialoilconversations.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to Reference Book Matchmaker: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://balanceredeemed.myflodesk.com/ezcw54ppia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To learn more about Heather Skold, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.jugglingsimplicity.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To learn more about Meg Fittsgill, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.balanceredeemed.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Chaos to Laughter: A Ventilation Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-06-27-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夏日里，龙舟节的前一天，地下掩体里一片忙乱。En: On the day before the Dragon Boat Festival, the underground shelter was in a state of chaos.Zh: 昏暗的小灯泡将这个狭窄的空间照亮得勉勉强强。En: A dim light bulb barely illuminated the narrow space.Zh: 那里堆满了各种工具、小玩意儿，还有即将用到的节日用品。En: It was filled with various tools, gadgets, and festival supplies that were about to be used.Zh: 梁和美正在这个地下掩体里忙着修理通风系统。En: Liang and Mei were busy repairing the ventilation system in the underground shelter.Zh: 梁是个喜欢开玩笑的人，他总是用谜题来挑战自己，En: Liang was a jokester who loved to challenge himself with riddles.Zh: 今天他想用这些技巧来修理通风系统，同时也想给美留下深刻印象。En: Today, he wanted to use these skills to fix the ventilation system, and at the same time, leave a lasting impression on Mei.Zh: 美则一向谨慎，她喜欢一切都有条有理，En: Mei, on the other hand, was always cautious and liked everything to be orderly.Zh: 她的目标是确保他们在节日之前把通风系统修好，以免影响节日气氛。En: Her goal was to ensure the ventilation system was fixed before the festival so it wouldn't affect the festive atmosphere.Zh: “这系统好像比我想象的复杂。”梁撇撇嘴，手里摆弄着工具。En: "This system seems more complicated than I thought," Liang said with a wry smile, fiddling with his tools.Zh: 他决定不按照逻辑步骤，而是用他自己发挥的办法来解决问题。En: He decided not to follow the logical steps and instead approached the problem with his own method.Zh: 他跳上了梯子，决定从通风口开始着手。En: He climbed a ladder and decided to start from the vent.Zh: “我肯定能搞定，”他对美说。En: "I can definitely handle this," he said to Mei.Zh: 美坐在地上，手里捧着厚厚的操作手册，她摇摇头，叹气说：“梁，你这样不行，得按步骤来。”En: Mei sat on the ground, holding a thick operations manual, and shook her head, sighing, "Liang, you can't do it like that; you need to follow the steps."Zh: 可梁充耳不闻。En: But Liang turned a deaf ear.Zh: 他觉得那些复杂的步骤是多余的，他才不要被困在文字中呢。En: He thought those complex steps were unnecessary and didn't want to be trapped in text.Zh: 结果，随着他的猛然一拉，一股劲风突然从通风口喷出，几件堆在旁边的杂物像是被施了魔法般飞上了天。En: As a result, with a sudden pull, a gust of wind burst from the vent, and several items stacked nearby flew into the air as if by magic.Zh: 一顶帽子噗地罩在了梁的头上，逗得美掩嘴直笑。En: A hat popped onto Liang's head, making Mei laugh so hard she had to cover her mouth.Zh: “哎，看你，我说了小心点！”美笑得眼泪都出来了。En: "See, I told you to be careful!" Mei laughed until she cried.Zh: 梁被噗得一声盖在头上的帽子弄得啼笑皆非，但他不气馁，继续试着用他的方法来解决。En: Liang was both amused and exasperated by the hat covering his head but remained undeterred, continuing to try to solve it his way.Zh: 他不断试错，却似乎都离成功有些差距。En: He kept experimenting, yet success seemed to elude him.Zh: 终于，美放下手中的手册，意识到仅靠她一个人也不行。En: Finally, Mei put down the manual, realizing she couldn't do it alone.Zh: 于是，她决定和梁合力，一起发挥两人的长处。En: So, she decided to join forces with Liang, combining their strengths.Zh: 美负责阅读手册提供的关键信息，而梁则发挥他的想象，进行灵活处理。En: Mei took charge of extracting key information from the manual, while Liang used his imagination for flexible problem-solving.Zh: “我们试试这个？”美递给梁一个工具。En: "Shall we try this?" Mei handed a tool to Liang.Zh: “好，就试试。”梁接过工具，和美一起动起手来。En: "Sure, let's try it." Liang took the tool, and together with Mei, they got to work.Zh: 突然，通风系统发出了轻微的轰鸣声，接着奇迹出现了——气流重新正常，所有系统恢复运转。En: Suddenly, the ventilation system emitted a faint humming sound, and then a miracle happened—the airflow returned to normal, and all systems resumed operation.Zh: “我们成功了！”美兴奋地站起来，拍了拍梁肩膀。En: "We did it!" Mei exclaimed, standing up excitedly and patting Liang on the shoulder.Zh: 梁也松了口气，笑着说：“看，我们的团队合作真不错。”En: Liang also breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as he said, "See, our teamwork is pretty good."Zh: 离开地下掩体，阳光洒在两人的脸上，龙舟节的氛围已在空气中飘荡。En: Leaving the underground shelter, sunlight fell on their faces, and the atmosphere of the Dragon Boat Festival was already in the air.Zh: 经过这一番修修补补，他们更懂得彼此的优点。En: Through this repair endeavor, they gained a deeper understanding of each other's strengths.Zh: 梁知道计划的价值，而美也更能理解灵活创造的乐趣。En: Liang learned the value of planning, while Mei better appreciated the joy of flexible creativity.Zh: 两人一起看向远处热闹的龙舟比赛，满心欢喜。En: Together, they looked towards the bustling dragon boat race in the distance, filled with joy.Zh: 这个夏天，这次意外，成了他们难忘的回忆。En: This summer, this unexpected event became an unforgettable memory for them. Vocabulary Words:chaos: 忙乱illuminated: 照亮gadgets: 小玩意儿ventilation: 通风jokester: 喜欢开玩笑的人riddles: 谜题cautious: 谨慎orderly: 有条有理logical: 逻辑approach: 着手wry: 撇撇嘴fiddling: 摆弄manual: 手册sighing: 叹气trapped: 被困gust: 劲风amused: 啼笑皆非exasperated: 恼火elude: 离成功有些差距undeterred: 不气馁endeavor: 番修修补补humming: 轰鸣miracle: 奇迹bustling: 热闹unforeseen: 意外appreciated: 能理解creativity: 创造imagination: 想象extracting: 阅读提供的信息flexible: 灵活

Beimeng Fu and Zhaoyin Feng join the Belt and Road Podcast to talk about durian, a tropical fruit most widely known for its strong and divisive odor. It's also a fruit in very high demand in China; the country consumes 1.5 million tons of durian per year. Beimeng and Zhaoyin talk about how Chinese consumption of the fruit is driving durian plantation expansion across Southeast Asia and what that means for the region.Beimeng Fu is an independent multimedia journalist and filmmaker based in Mexico. She previously worked as senior producer of original video and documentary production at Sixth Tone. Her work has been published by The Washington Post, BuzzFeed News, ABC News, South China Morning Post, among others. She co-publishes Far & Near, a visual newsletter about China from local perspectives.Zhaoyin Feng is an independent journalist and documentary producer, specializing in covering China and its place in the world. She has reported from the U.S., Europe, and Asia for a wide range of international media outlets. She previously worked as a North America correspondent and investigative documentary producer at the BBC World Service, reporting in both English and Chinese in digital, television, and audio formats.Recommendations:Beimeng:Welcome Me to the Kingdom by Mai Nardone (2023)Zhaoyin:Howtown show on Youtube from Adam Cole and Joss FongThe Present Past show on Youtube from JochemErik:Kendrick Lamar & SZA concertMinneapolis Juliet:Podcast episode on Initium where Beimeng and Zhaoyin discuss their research in Chinese (and try listening at 0.75 speed if you need to practice your Mandarin!) Thanks for listening!Follow us on BlueSky @beltandroadpod.blsk.socialThanks for listening! Follow us on BlueSky @beltandroadpod.blsk.social

The Summer of Superheroes continues as we look at Ivan Reitman's 2006 superpowered rom com My Super Ex-Girlfriend, starring Luke Wilson, Uma Thurman, and Anna Faris! Join in as we discuss secret identities, the official hierarchy of hair colors, the movie's abysmal gender politics, and the best way to remove a splinter. Plus: How long has G-Girl been active? Can anyone at this architecture firm speak Mandarin? Does Emma Frost secretly wear crocs? And is this movie somehow pro-sexual harassment? Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe! Next week: Green Lantern (2011)-------------------------------------------------Key sources and links for this episode:"A Dream Finally Takes Flight" (LA Times)"Regency, Pariah, Sign the 'Ex' for Laffer" (Variety)"Anna Faris Says Ivan Reitman 'Humiliated' and 'Slapped' Her on Set" (Vulture)"Rainn Wilson on Super and The Office without Steve Carrell" (Vulture)"AMC Says It Will Show More Ads before Movies" (New York Times)"M&Ms Puts Spokescandies on 'Indefinite Pause' in Wake of Uproar Over Changes to Green M&M" (CBS News)

This week we're going to learn about a new finding about the skull referred to as the Dragon Man! Further reading: We've had a Denisovan skull since the 1930s—only nobody knew The proteome of the late Middle Pleistocene Harbin individual Show transcript: Welcome to Strange Animals Podcast. I'm your host, Kate Shaw. It never fails that only a few days after our annual updates episode, a study is published that's an important update to an older episode. This time it's an update so important that it deserves its own episode, so let's learn more about one of our own extinct close relations, the Denisovan people. We didn't know about the Denisovans until 2010, when DNA was sequenced from a finger bone found in Denisova Cave in Siberia in 2008. Scientists were surprised when the DNA didn't match up with Neanderthal DNA, which is what they expected, since they knew Neanderthals had lived in the cave at various times over thousands of years. Instead, the DNA was for a completely different hominin, a close relation of both humans and Neanderthals. Since then, researchers have found some Denisovan teeth, two partial mandibles, a rib fragment, and some other bone fragments, but nothing that could act as a type specimen. The type specimen is the preserved specimen of a new species, which is kept for scientists to study. It needs to be as complete as possible, so a handful of fragments just won't work. Even without a type specimen, having Denisovan DNA answered some questions about our own history as a species. Ever since scientists have been able to sequence genetic material from ancient bones, they've noticed something weird going on with our DNA. Some populations of people show small traces of DNA not found in other human populations, so scientists suspected they were from long-ago cross-breeding with other hominin species. When the Neanderthal genome was sequenced, it matched some of the unknown DNA traces, but not all of them. Mystery DNA sequences in a closely related population are called ghost lineages. The Denisovan DNA matched the ghost lineage scientists had identified in some populations of people, especially ones in parts of east Asia, Australia, and New Guinea. This is your reminder that despite tiny genetic differences like these, all humans alive today are 100% human. We are all Homo sapiens. Naturally, we as humans are interested in our family tree. We even have an entire field of study dedicated to studying ancient humans and hominins, paleoanthropology. Lots of scientists have studied the Denisovan remains we've found, along with the genetic material, but they really need a skull to learn so much more about our long-extinct distant relations. Luckily, we've had a Denisovan skull since the 1930s. But wait, you may be saying, you just said we didn't have anything but bone fragments and teeth! Why didn't you mention the skull? It's because the skull was hidden by its finder, a Chinese construction worker. The man was helping build a bridge and was ashamed that he was working for a Japanese company. That region of China was under Japanese occupation at the time, and the man didn't want anyone to know that he was working for people who were treating his fellow citizens badly. He thought the skull was an important find similar to the Peking Man discovery in 1929, so he hid the skull at the bottom of an abandoned well to keep it safe. He didn't dare share any information about it until he was on his death-bed, when he whispered his secret to his son. It wasn't until 2018 that the man's family took another look at the skull and realized it definitely wasn't an ordinary human skull. It was obviously extremely old and had a pronounced brow and really big teeth. In 2021 the skull was classified as a new species of hominin, Homo longi, where the second word comes from the Mandarin word for dragon. That's because the area where it was found is called Dragon River.

Join us for a mind-blowing conversation with Louis-Vincent Gave, founding partner and CEO of Gavekal Group. We explore the weakening dollar, China's new manufacturing supremacy, and why Tesla needs to worry, the next commodity boom, and the unconventional reasons Latin America might be the investment opportunity of a lifetime. Reflecting on our first conversation with Louis in December 2023, paynecm.com/ep143, he predicted a major rally in Chinese stocks right before it happened. Tune in as we uncover major trends happening right now that NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT when it comes to investing your money. Louis is the founding partner and CEO of Gavekal Group, a research and financial services firm based in Hong Kong. After graduating from Duke University and studying Mandarin at Nanjing University, Louis joined the French Army, then went on to become a financial analyst at Paribas, first in Paris, then in Hong Kong. In 1999, he launched Gavekal with his father, Charles, and Anatole Kaletsky. Louis is the author of seven books, the latest being Avoiding the Punch: Investing in Uncertain Times.

Erik Prince is an American businessman, former U.S. Navy SEAL, and the founder of Blackwater, a private military company established in 1997. A graduate of Hillsdale College, Prince heads Frontier Resource Group, a private equity firm, and promotes economic development in emerging markets. He hosts the podcast Off Leash with Erik Prince, launched in 2023, and founded Unplugged, a privacy-focused smartphone company. Prince, a vocal advocate for privatizing military operations and deregulation, has been linked to controversial arms deals and Trump-era political operations.  Erik Bethel is a General Partner at Mare Liberum, a fund focused on sustainability and national security in the maritime domain. He is a global finance professional with experience in the private and public sectors. In 2020, he was nominated to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Panama. Previously, he was nominated by the President and confirmed unanimously by the Senate to represent the United States at the World Bank. At the World Bank, Erik participated in the analysis and deployment of over $100 billion of capital in the developing world through grants, loans, equity investments, and other financial products. Previously, Erik spent over twenty years working as an investment banker and private equity professional at Franklin Templeton Investments, J.P. Morgan, and Morgan Stanley. Erik earned a BS in economics and political science from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He serves on several Boards, including the United States Naval War College Foundation, is a Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and is an Advisor to Oxford Analytica - a geopolitical think tank. He speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://www.roka.com - USE CODE SRS ⁠https://www.betterhelp.com/srs⁠ This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self. ⁠https://www.bubsnaturals.com/shawn⁠ ⁠https://www.meetfabric.com/shawn⁠ ⁠https://www.shawnlikesgold.com⁠ ⁠https://www.helixsleep.com/srs⁠ ⁠https://hexclad.com/srs⁠Find your forever cookware @hexclad and get 10% off at hexclad.com/srs! #hexcladpartner ⁠https://www.moinkbox.com/srs⁠ ⁠https://www.paladinpower.com/srs⁠ ⁠https://uscca.com/srs⁠ Guest Links: Erik Prince X - https://x.com/therealErikP  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-prince   Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/off-leash-with-erik-prince Frontier Resource Group - https://www.frgroup.com Unplugged Phone - https://unplugged.com Erik Bethel LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-bethel-692604Mare Liberum - https://www.mareliberumcapital.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices