Podcast appearances and mentions of mei ling

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Pottery & Tradition: A Journey Through the Dragon Boat Festival Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-06-04-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在炎热的沙漠中，一个熙熙攘攘的市场坐落在那里。En: In the scorching desert, a bustling market was situated there.Zh: 集市上到处是鲜艳的货摊，五颜六色的商品吸引着四面八方的旅客，空气中充满了端午节的期待与欢快的气息。En: The market was filled with vibrant stalls, and the colorful goods attracted travelers from all directions.Zh: 空气中充满了端午节的期待与欢快的气息。En: The air was infused with the anticipation and joyful atmosphere of the Dragon Boat Festival.Zh: 李伟，是一个对文化传统充满好奇的旅人。他和朋友梅玲一起来到这里，希望能购买到一件代表端午节精神的传统物品。En: Li Wei, a traveler filled with curiosity about cultural traditions, arrived here with his friend Mei Ling, hoping to purchase a traditional item that represents the spirit of the Dragon Boat Festival.Zh: 市场上商品琳琅满目，让李伟不知如何选择。En: The market was dazzling with a variety of goods, leaving Li Wei unsure of what to choose.Zh: 他想要真正有意义的东西，而不是随便买件便宜的纪念品。En: He wanted something truly meaningful, not just a cheap souvenir.Zh: 但他对这些东西的真实性和意义充满疑虑。En: However, he was full of doubts about the authenticity and significance of these items.Zh: 梅玲是个细心的人，她推荐李伟去找张华。En: Mei Ling was a meticulous person; she recommended Li Wei to seek out Zhang Hua.Zh: 张华是市场上久负盛名的商贩，虽然卖着各种商品，但其实他有个不为人知的爱好——制作精美的陶器。En: Zhang Hua was a renowned vendor in the market, and while he sold a variety of products, he had a little-known hobby—making exquisite pottery.Zh: 李伟决定听从梅玲的建议。En: Li Wei decided to follow Mei Ling's advice.Zh: 他走近张华的摊位，看到许多精美的陶器。En: He approached Zhang Hua's stall and saw many exquisite pieces of pottery.Zh: 在一片花瓶中间，李伟看见一个特别的陶器。En: Among the vases, Li Wei noticed a special piece of pottery.Zh: 他心中萌生一种直觉，这就是他在寻找的东西。En: An intuition arose in his heart, that this was the item he was seeking.Zh: “您好，李先生。”张华微笑着说，“您对陶器感兴趣吗？”En: "Hello, Mr. Li," Zhang Hua said with a smile. "Are you interested in pottery?"Zh: 李伟点头：“我想找一件真正代表端午节精神的物品。”En: Li Wei nodded: "I want to find something that truly represents the spirit of the Dragon Boat Festival."Zh: 张华理解地点了点头，开始讲起关于端午节的故事。En: Zhang Hua nodded understandingly and began telling the story of the Dragon Boat Festival.Zh: 他说起屈原的传说，讲到赛龙舟和吃粽子的习俗，这些都是为了纪念这位伟大的诗人。En: He mentioned the legend of Qu Yuan, spoke about the dragon boat races and eating zongzi, all in memory of this great poet.Zh: 然后，他拿起了那个特别的陶器。En: Then, he picked up that special pottery piece.Zh: “这件陶器的设计灵感，就来源于龙舟形象。”他说。En: "This pottery was inspired by the image of a dragon boat," he said.Zh: 李伟听得入迷，感觉自己仿佛已经置身于节日的热闹中。En: Li Wei listened intently, feeling as if he was already immersed in the festival's excitement.Zh: 他小心地接过陶器，感到无比熟悉和亲切。En: He carefully took the pottery, feeling immensely familiar and intimate with it.Zh: 陶器上绘有龙舟在水中竞渡的画面，每一笔都流露出工匠对传统的热爱。En: The pottery was painted with images of dragon boats racing through the water, with each stroke revealing the artisan's love for tradition.Zh: 经过一番思考，李伟终于决定购买这个陶器。En: After some thought, Li Wei finally decided to purchase the pottery.Zh: 交易完成后，他感到很满意，不仅因为这个物品的美丽与独特，更因为这里面蕴含的故事和情感。En: Once the transaction was completed, he felt very satisfied—not just because of the item's beauty and uniqueness, but because of the story and emotion it contained.Zh: 他知道自己带走的不仅仅是一个纪念品，而是一段关于传统、文化和人情的珍贵记忆。En: He knew he was taking away not just a souvenir but a precious memory of tradition, culture, and human connections.Zh: 随着市场的喧闹声渐渐平息，李伟和梅玲离开。En: As the market's noise gradually subsided, Li Wei and Mei Ling left.Zh: 他心中的充实感无法比拟，这一趟旅程不仅让他收获了独特的礼物，也让他对端午节的文化有了更深刻的理解。En: The sense of fulfillment in his heart was unparalleled; this journey not only gave him a unique gift but also a deeper understanding of the Dragon Boat Festival's culture.Zh: 他明白，正因为与张华这样的人建立起的联系，才让每一个传统得以生动地传承下来。En: He realized that it was because of connections with people like Zhang Hua that each tradition could be vividly passed on.Zh: 在回去的路上，李伟的心中充满了对未来探索的期盼。En: On the way back, Li Wei's heart was filled with anticipation for future explorations. Vocabulary Words:scorching: 炎热的bustling: 熙熙攘攘的situated: 坐落在vibrant: 鲜艳的infused: 充满anticipation: 期待meticulous: 细心的renowned: 久负盛名的exquisite: 精美的intuition: 直觉immensely: 无比intimate: 亲切artisan: 工匠transaction: 交易authenticity: 真实性significance: 意义souvenir: 纪念品legend: 传说immortalized: 纪念fulfillment: 充实感unparalleled: 无法比拟connections: 人情anticipated: 期待evoke: 来源于precious: 珍贵的subside: 平息daunting: 巨大的cultural: 文化tradition: 传统explorations: 探索

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: A Springtime Choice: Honesty's Reward on Shanghai's Bund Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-05-15-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 上海的春天，黄浦江畔，外滩熙熙攘攘。En: Springtime in Shanghai, along the Huangpu River, the Bund was bustling with activity.Zh: 阳光洒在江面上，波光粼粼，映照着来往的游人。En: Sunlight sprinkled on the river's surface, shimmering and reflecting the tourists coming and going.Zh: 年轻的建筑师嘉豪站在江边，手里紧握着一张国际航班代金券。En: A young architect, Jiahao, stood by the river, tightly clutching an international flight voucher.Zh: 他心中既兴奋又犹豫。En: He felt both excited and hesitant.Zh: 这张代金券对他来说，意味着一次改变职业生涯的机会——参加一个海外的建筑设计大会。En: To him, this voucher meant a chance to change his career—a chance to attend an overseas architectural design conference.Zh: 然而，他也隐隐约约听说，这张代金券原本应属于另一位参赛者。En: However, he vaguely heard that this voucher was originally meant for another contestant.Zh: 就在这时，美玲出现了。En: Just then, Mei Ling appeared.Zh: 她是一名热情的旅行博主，正寻找一篇精彩的博文题材。En: She was an enthusiastic travel blogger looking for a captivating blog post subject.Zh: 她发现嘉豪手中的代金券，立即认出那是自己比赛后应获得的奖品。En: She noticed the voucher in Jiahao's hand and immediately recognized it as the prize she was supposed to receive after a competition.Zh: 两人争论不休，谁也不愿退让。En: The two argued endlessly, neither willing to relent.Zh: 走来了一位年长者，他叫勇，是退役的警官。En: An elderly man approached; his name was Yong, a retired police officer.Zh: 虽然已经退休，但他的警觉和判断力仍然敏锐。En: Although retired, his alertness and judgment were still sharp.Zh: 看到两人争执不下，勇走上前，友好地打招呼：“你们好，我能帮忙吗？”En: Seeing the two in disagreement, Yong stepped forward and greeted them kindly, "Hello, can I help you?"Zh: 嘉豪和美玲解释了事情的经过。En: Jiahao and Mei Ling explained the situation.Zh: 美玲坚定地说：“这是我赢得的奖励，对我的工作很重要。”En: Mei Ling firmly said, "This is the prize I won, and it's important for my work."Zh: 嘉豪却心知肚明，如果放弃代金券，可能错失良机。En: However, Jiahao knew that if he gave up the voucher, he might miss a great opportunity.Zh: 勇细心地倾听，随后他语重心长地对嘉豪说：“年轻人，做正确的决定常常比追求成就更难，却也更有意义。En: Yong listened attentively and then earnestly said to Jiahao, "Young man, making the right decision is often harder than pursuing success, but it is also more meaningful.Zh: 这个代金券对你和美玲都很重要，但你要明白，诚信和良心比一张奖券更有价值。”En: This voucher is important to both you and Mei Ling, but you must understand that integrity and conscience are more valuable than a voucher."Zh: 嘉豪陷入沉思。En: Jiahao fell into deep thought.Zh: 他望着江面，想起公司对自己的期待。En: He looked out at the river, thinking about the expectations his company had for him.Zh: 但是，他也无法忽视内心的声音。En: However, he couldn't ignore the voice in his heart.Zh: 终于，他把代金券递给了美玲，对她说：“这属于你，希望你能有一段精彩的旅程。”En: Finally, he handed the voucher to Mei Ling, saying, "This belongs to you, and I hope you have a wonderful journey."Zh: 美玲感激地接过代金券，微笑着说：“答应我，如果我写了这次旅行的故事，一定会在文中提到你，感谢你的诚实。”En: Mei Ling gratefully accepted the voucher and smiled, saying, "Promise me, if I write a story about this trip, I will surely mention you in the article to thank you for your honesty."Zh: 勇满意地点了点头，拍拍嘉豪的肩膀：“你选对了，人生的路会因此更宽。”En: Yong nodded in satisfaction, patting Jiahao's shoulder, "You've made the right choice. Life's path will be wider because of it."Zh: 春风徐来，江面上一片温馨。En: A gentle spring breeze blew by, and the river was filled with warmth.Zh: 嘉豪在那一刻意识到，自己的选择或许没有即时的回报，但心灵的富足远非物质能替代。En: At that moment, Jiahao realized that his choice might not bring immediate rewards, but the richness of the soul is far beyond what material things can replace.Zh: 这趟外滩之行，让他领悟了诚实的真正价值。En: This trip to the Bund taught him the true value of honesty. Vocabulary Words:springtime: 春天Bund: 外滩bustling: 熙熙攘攘clutching: 紧握excited: 兴奋hesitant: 犹豫voucher: 代金券contestant: 参赛者enthusiastic: 热情captivating: 精彩blogger: 博主endlessly: 不休retired: 退役alertness: 警觉judgment: 判断力integrity: 诚信conscience: 良心relent: 退让journey: 旅程satisfaction: 满意patting: 拍拍gentle: 徐rewards: 回报richness: 富足material: 物质replace: 替代understand: 明白deep thought: 沉思opportunity: 机会scenario: 经过

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Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Shanghai's Spring Awakening: Choosing Life Over Work Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-05-05-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在繁忙的上海，春天的阳光洒在外滩。En: In bustling Shanghai, the spring sunshine spills over the Bund.Zh: 黄浦江边，花朵开放，空气中充满了花香。En: By the Huangpu River, flowers are blooming, and the air is filled with their fragrance.Zh: 刘伟站在这里，心中却有丝许不安。En: Liu Wei stands here, yet there is a slight unease in his heart.Zh: 他今天约了老同学美玲见面。En: Today, he has arranged to meet his old classmate Meiling.Zh: 许久不见，不知她有什么变化。En: It's been a long time since they last met, and he wonders what changes have occurred in her.Zh: 刘伟是个年轻有为的专业人士。En: Liu Wei is a promising young professional.Zh: 他常常把所有时间都投入到工作上。En: He often dedicates all his time to work.Zh: 最近，他感觉有些空虚，因此决定与美玲重聚。En: Recently, he has been feeling a bit empty, so he decided to reunite with Meiling.Zh: 美玲和他不一样，她总是悠闲自在，重视和朋友、家人相处的时光，这让刘伟更想听听她的想法。En: Unlike him, Meiling is always relaxed and carefree, valuing time with friends and family, which makes Liu Wei even more eager to hear her thoughts.Zh: 中午，刘伟接到了老板的电话。En: At noon, Liu Wei receives a call from his boss.Zh: 有一个紧急会议，他必须参加。不然，公司一个重要项目可能出现问题。En: There's an emergency meeting he must attend; otherwise, an important project at the company might face problems.Zh: 刘伟犹豫了，该如何选择？En: Liu Wei hesitates, unsure of what to choose.Zh: 他许诺要见美玲，而这一次，他不想再逃避个人生活。En: He promised to meet with Meiling, and this time, he doesn't want to avoid his personal life anymore.Zh: 经过短暂却激烈的心理斗争，他做出了一个大胆的决定——这一次，他要为了自己而活。En: After a brief yet intense internal struggle, he makes a bold decision—to live for himself this time.Zh: 他拨通老板的电话，解释了他无法参加会议的原因。En: He calls his boss and explains the reason he cannot attend the meeting.Zh: 他选择去见美玲。En: He chooses to meet with Meiling.Zh: 傍晚时，外滩的人群开始多了起来。En: By evening, the crowds at the Bund begin to grow.Zh: 刘伟在约定地点见到了美玲。En: Liu Wei meets Meiling at the agreed location.Zh: 她依然微笑着，仿佛岁月在她身上没有留下什么痕迹。En: She is still smiling, as if time has left no mark on her.Zh: 在夕阳的映衬下，两人并肩走在江边，微风轻抚，美玲侃侃而谈。En: Under the reflections of the setting sun, the two walk side by side along the river, gently caressed by the breeze, while Meiling talks eloquently.Zh: “刘伟，你看，人生不只有工作，”美玲轻声说道，“如果没有回忆和笑声，那样的日子多单调。”En: "Liu Wei, you see, life isn't all about work," Meiling says softly, "If there are no memories and laughter, such days would be dreary."Zh: 刘伟听着，发现自己似乎忘记了生活中最惬意的一部分。En: Listening to her, Liu Wei realizes he may have forgotten the most enjoyable part of life.Zh: 他意识到，或许忙碌的生活可以慢下来，去看看世界，去关心身边的人。En: He understands that perhaps his busy life can slow down, to explore the world, and to care for the people around him.Zh: 随着夜幕降临，天边的灯光开始闪烁，外滩显得更加璀璨。En: As night falls and the lights across the horizon begin to twinkle, the Bund appears even more resplendent.Zh: 刘伟在心里做出承诺，他要改变，学会平衡。En: Liu Wei makes a promise in his heart: he will change, he will learn to balance.Zh: 他要让工作和生活一样重要。En: He wants to make work and life equally significant.Zh: 回家的路上，刘伟感受到一种久违的放松。En: On his way home, Liu Wei feels a long-lost sense of relaxation.Zh: 他知道，今天和美玲的相聚，给了他启发。En: He knows that today's meeting with Meiling has inspired him.Zh: 他开始相信，幸福不只是成功，还有与他人共享的每一分每一秒。En: He starts to believe that happiness is not just about success but also about sharing every moment with others. Vocabulary Words:bustling: 繁忙的sunshine: 阳光spills: 洒fragrance: 花香unease: 不安promising: 年轻有为的dedicates: 投入carefree: 悠闲自在emergency: 紧急internal: 心理struggle: 斗争bold: 大胆的crowds: 人群reflections: 映衬breeze: 微风eloquently: 侃侃而谈memories: 回忆dreary: 单调realizes: 意识到explore: 去看看resplendent: 璀璨balance: 平衡relaxation: 放松inspired: 启发happiness: 幸福sharing: 共享significant: 重要twinkle: 闪烁agreed: 约定caressed: 轻抚

Deep down, we know that we can't control every circumstance. But that still doesn't stop us from trying!

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Blossoms of Innovation: A Spring Presentation in Beijing Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-04-13-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 北京的春天，总是充满活力的。En: Spring in Beijing is always full of vitality.Zh: 在公司办公室里，玻璃墙外的树上，花朵开放得鲜艳，空气中有一丝清凉，充满希望。En: In the company office, outside the glass wall, the flowers on the trees bloom brightly, the air carries a hint of coolness and is filled with hope.Zh: 易菲，年轻有为的市场营销专员，正忙着为公司的一次重要报告做准备。En: Yifei, a young and promising marketing specialist, is busy preparing for an important company report.Zh: 他的目标简单而明确：给美玲留下深刻印象——美玲是部门主管，重视传统但对创新持开放态度。En: His goal is simple and clear: to leave a deep impression on Meiling—the department supervisor who values tradition but is open to innovation.Zh: 易菲站在电脑前，他的脸庞映照在屏幕上。En: Standing in front of the computer, Yifei's face is reflected on the screen.Zh: 身旁，健军仔细地翻阅着文件。En: Beside him, Jianjun carefully flips through the documents.Zh: 健军是较年长的同事，总是提供支持，但对新想法持怀疑态度。En: Jianjun is an older colleague, always supportive but skeptical about new ideas.Zh: “易菲，”健军说，“你是想在报告中加入清明节的元素吗？这会不会太冒险？”En: "Yifei," Jianjun says, "Are you planning to include elements of the Qingming Festival in the report? Isn't that a bit risky?"Zh: “我觉得这是个机会。”易菲回答，“把传统和创新结合，不仅尊重文化，还能展示我们的独特视角。”En: "I think it's an opportunity," Yifei replies, "Combining tradition and innovation shows respect for culture and can also showcase our unique perspective."Zh: 美玲尊重传统一直是众所周知的，但她同样欣赏新颖的构思。En: It's well-known that Meiling respects tradition, but she also appreciates novel concepts.Zh: 易菲决定，他要迎接这个挑战。En: Yifei decides to embrace this challenge.Zh: 时间像时钟的秒针一样流逝，会议室里，人们准备演示时，电脑响着嗡嗡声。En: Time passes like the ticking of a clock's second hand, and as people prepare for the presentation in the conference room, the computer hums.Zh: 报告开始时，所有的目光集中在易菲身上。En: As the report begins, all eyes focus on Yifei.Zh: 幻灯片一页页切换着，一切都顺利进行。En: The slides switch one by one, and everything proceeds smoothly.Zh: 突然，关键的一页幻灯片冻结了。En: Suddenly, a crucial slide freezes.Zh: 全场一片寂静。En: The room falls silent.Zh: 易菲心里一紧，但他知道，他不能退缩。En: Yifei's heart tightens, but he knows he can't back down.Zh: “各位，”他深吸一口气，开始口述原定的幻灯片内容，“我选择清明节是因为它提醒我们缅怀过去，而创新的目的是为了未来。” 他的声音清晰而充满信心。En: "Ladies and gentlemen," he takes a deep breath and begins to orally present the intended slide content, "I chose the Qingming Festival because it reminds us to commemorate the past, while innovation is aimed at the future." His voice is clear and filled with confidence.Zh: 美玲微微点头，现场气氛重新活跃。En: Meiling nods slightly, and the atmosphere in the room becomes lively again.Zh: 演示结束时，掌声响起，美玲特别称赞了易菲，“很高兴看到你如此精彩地结合了传统和创新。”En: When the presentation concludes, applause breaks out, and Meiling especially praises Yifei, "I'm delighted to see you integrate tradition and innovation so brilliantly."Zh: 易菲微笑着，他意识到在这个过程中，他不仅赢得了尊重，也学会了在传统框架内追求创新。En: Yifei smiles, realizing that through this process, he has not only earned respect but also learned to pursue innovation within a traditional framework.Zh: 春天的空气中弥漫着成功的气息，易菲知道，这只是他职业生涯中的一个开始。En: The air in spring is filled with the scent of success, and Yifei knows this is only the beginning of his career. Vocabulary Words:vitality: 活力impression: 印象bloom: 开放perspective: 视角supervisor: 主管colleague: 同事elements: 元素opportunity: 机会commemorate: 缅怀framework: 框架prepared: 准备crucial: 关键embrace: 迎接skeptical: 怀疑nods: 点头lively: 活跃tradition: 传统slide: 幻灯片integrate: 结合confidence: 信心innovation: 创新reflection: 映照applause: 掌声delighted: 高兴scent: 气息concepts: 构思appreciates: 欣赏concludes: 结束unique: 独特narrate: 口述

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Li Wei and the Tale of the Unexpected Flower Pet Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-04-01-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 李伟站在樱花树下，阳光透过花瓣洒在他的脸上。En: Li Wei stood under the cherry blossom tree, with sunlight streaming through the petals onto his face.Zh: 他微笑着，享受这美丽的春天。En: He smiled, enjoying the beautiful spring day.Zh: 他想，这个社区公园真好，大家都在准备清明节的活动。En: He thought, this community park is wonderful, as everyone is preparing for the Qingming Festival activities.Zh: 突然，李伟发现自己走到了一个小广场，旁边立着一个大牌子，上面写着“狗展览”。En: Suddenly, Li Wei found himself at a small plaza, next to which stood a large sign that read 'Dog Exhibition.'Zh: 他不禁愣了一下，因为他没有带狗。En: He was momentarily taken aback because he did not bring a dog.Zh: 但他又一想，这样的活动怎么能错过呢？En: But then he thought, how could he miss such an event?Zh: 想到这里，李伟心里一热，决定假装这次是看热闹。En: Thinking this, Li Wei felt a burst of warmth in his heart and decided to join in for fun.Zh: 可是，事情并没有那么简单。En: However, things weren't that simple.Zh: 工作人员看到他，友善地把他引入了参赛的行列，根本没注意李伟身边没有狗。En: The staff saw him and kindly ushered him into the competition lineup, not noticing that Li Wei did not have a dog with him.Zh: 李伟一时不知所措，但他还是微笑着，跟着其他参赛者走进了场地。En: Li Wei was momentarily at a loss, but he still smiled and followed the other contestants into the venue.Zh: 小明和美玲在一旁观察，觉得很有趣。En: Xiao Ming and Mei Ling observed from the side, finding it quite amusing.Zh: 他们知道李伟有些迷糊，但也非常期待他的表演。En: They knew Li Wei was a bit confused, but they were also very much looking forward to his performance.Zh: 李伟想，他可不能让大家失望。En: Li Wei thought he couldn't let everyone down.Zh: 他灵机一动，找到一个花盆，上面插满了青翠的绿植。他抱着花盆，骄傲地走到大家面前。En: He had a quick idea, found a flower pot filled with lush greenery, and held it proudly in front of everyone.Zh: 微微一鞠躬，用大声说：“这是我家‘安静'的最新宠物，一个非常特别的品种！”En: He bowed slightly and said loudly, 'This is my family's newest pet, 'Calm,' a very special breed!'Zh: 一瞬间，人群里传来笑声，小明和美玲也笑得前仰后合。En: In an instant, laughter erupted from the crowd, and Xiao Ming and Mei Ling were doubled over with laughter.Zh: 李伟知道，他的戏谑赢得了大家的心。En: Li Wei knew his joke had won everyone's heart.Zh: 观众的掌声和笑声渐渐升腾，像是无数朵樱花在空中翩翩起舞。En: The audience's applause and laughter gradually rose like countless cherry blossoms dancing in the air.Zh: 公园里充满了欢笑声，李伟谦虚地低下头，心里也为自己勇敢的一刻感到满足。En: The park was filled with laughter, and Li Wei modestly lowered his head, feeling satisfied with his brave moment.Zh: 最终，虽然李伟没能获得狗展的奖品，却获得了社区的喜爱和尊重。En: In the end, although Li Wei did not win a prize at the dog exhibition, he gained the community's affection and respect.Zh: 他成为了大家敬爱的“花宠”大师，甚至很多人都说：“看，李伟来了，花盆宠物也来了！”En: He became everyone's adored 'Flower Pet' master, and many people even said, 'Look, Li Wei is here, and the flower pot pet is here too!'Zh: 李伟在家里细心地把花盆安顿好，看着窗外美丽的樱花。En: At home, Li Wei carefully settled the flower pot, looking at the beautiful cherry blossoms outside the window.Zh: 他心里明白，生活有时需要幽默，而能分享快乐，这才是最大的荣幸。En: He understood in his heart that life sometimes needs humor, and being able to share happiness is the greatest honor. Vocabulary Words:petals: 花瓣streaming: 洒community: 社区plaza: 广场exhibition: 展览momentarily: 不禁taken aback: 愣了一下ushered: 引入lineup: 行列contestants: 参赛者amusing: 有趣performance: 表演lush: 青翠breed: 品种erupted: 传来applause: 掌声modestly: 谦虚地brave: 勇敢prize: 奖品affection: 喜爱respect: 尊重adored: 敬爱honor: 荣幸carefully: 细心地settled: 安顿humor: 幽默share: 分享happiness: 快乐sign: 牌子joke: 戏谑

Welcome to the Video Game Book Club where three of the gaming industry's best consultants (to never consult on a game) get together to talk about a specific video game in book club fashion. This week we play part 2 of the VGBC for Metal Gear Solid finishing the Vulcan Raven boss. Next week we will play up to the Mei Ling conversation after we do the Sniper Wolf boss battle. Don't forget to send comments and questions to testingroompod@gmail.com or on our social platforms. Also don't forget to follow us on Twitch @ twitch.tv/testingroomlive and watch on YouTube @ youtube.com/@thetestingroom

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Love Across Continents: New Year's Reunion Plan Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-02-24-23-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夜里的外滩，灯光闪烁，黄浦江畔的倒影格外夺目。En: The Waitan at night, with its flickering lights, casts stunning reflections along the Huangpu River.Zh: 李伟站在心爱的景色前，思绪万千。En: Li Wei stood before the beloved scenery, his thoughts racing.Zh: 这是他和梅玲最爱的地方。En: This was his and Mei Ling's favorite spot.Zh: 上海的冬天是冷的，但李伟的心里更冷。En: The winter in Shanghai is cold, but Li Wei's heart felt even colder.Zh: 他是一个在北京工作的软件工程师，而梅玲，则在巴黎学习艺术。En: He was a software engineer working in Beijing, while Mei Ling was studying art in Paris.Zh: 两人相隔万里，时间差让他们的联系变得困难。En: Separated by thousands of miles, the time difference made it difficult for them to stay in touch.Zh: 春节将至，家家户户点亮了红色的灯笼，迎接新年的到来。En: As the Spring Festival approached, every household lit up red lanterns to welcome the New Year.Zh: 李伟的父母不断催促他带女朋友回家过年。En: Li Wei's parents kept urging him to bring his girlfriend home for the festival.Zh: 每当父母提起时，李伟只能淡淡一笑，心里却充满了无奈。En: Whenever his parents mentioned it, Li Wei could only smile faintly, filled with helplessness inside.Zh: 他想告诉梅玲这些，但又怕给她太大的压力。En: He wanted to tell Mei Ling about this but feared putting too much pressure on her.Zh: 遥远的巴黎，梅玲在咖啡馆里，望着窗外细细的小雨。En: In faraway Paris, Mei Ling was in a café, gazing at the fine rain outside the window.Zh: 她想着李伟，也想着自己的学业。En: She was thinking about Li Wei and her studies.Zh: 自从出国留学，她一直忙于适应新的生活和课程。En: Since going abroad for school, she had been busy adapting to a new life and coursework.Zh: 每次想起李伟，她心里就感到内疚。En: Every time she thought of Li Wei, a sense of guilt washed over her.Zh: 她知道两地相隔，沟通不易，但也不想放弃自己的梦想。En: She knew the distance made communication difficult, but she didn't want to give up on her dreams either.Zh: 这天晚上，李伟拨通了梅玲的视频电话。En: That evening, Li Wei dialed Mei Ling for a video call.Zh: 当她的脸出现在屏幕上时，他的心里涌起一丝温暖，仿佛那寒冷的冬天不再那么难熬。En: When her face appeared on the screen, a warmth surged in his heart, as if the cold winter was no longer so unbearable.Zh: 黄浦江边的烟火升起，两人陷入了片刻的沉默。En: Fireworks rose along the Huangpu River, and the two fell into a moment of silence.Zh: 终于，李伟说道：“我想我们该谈谈我们的未来。”En: Finally, Li Wei said, “I think we need to talk about our future.”Zh: 梅玲的眼神变得柔和，她早就想过这个问题。En: Mei Ling's eyes softened; she had thought about this issue for a long time.Zh: “我不想放弃学业，但我也不想失去你。”她轻声说。En: “I don't want to give up my studies, but I also don't want to lose you,” she said softly.Zh: “我知道。”李伟点点头，“但每天过着看不到你的日子，我真的很想你。”En: “I understand,” Li Wei nodded, “but living each day without seeing you, I really miss you.”Zh: 烟火在他们的头顶炸开，照亮了李伟的脸。En: Fireworks exploded overhead, illuminating Li Wei's face.Zh: 他下定了决心。En: He had made up his mind.Zh: “梅玲，这个假期，我会去巴黎找你。”En: “Mei Ling, this holiday, I will come to Paris to see you.”Zh: 梅玲笑了，眼里闪着泪光。En: Mei Ling smiled, eyes glistening with tears.Zh: “那我就回家陪你过新年。”En: “Then I'll go home with you for New Year's.”Zh: 决定做下后，两人都觉得轻松了许多。En: After they made their decision, both felt much more at ease.Zh: 李伟学会了表达自己的需求，同时珍视梅玲的梦想。En: Li Wei learned to express his needs while cherishing Mei Ling's dreams.Zh: 而梅玲明白了，支持是双向的，只有相互理解才能走得更远。En: Meanwhile, Mei Ling understood that support is mutual, and only through mutual understanding could they go further.Zh: 新年的烟火绽放在夜空中，为两人的未来燃起了新的希望。En: New Year's fireworks blossomed in the night sky, igniting new hope for their future.Zh: 春节的外滩依旧那么美，但李伟知道，这次的美丽，因为有了梅玲，会更加不同。En: The Waitan during Spring Festival remained just as beautiful, but Li Wei knew that because of Mei Ling, this beauty would be even more special. Vocabulary Words:flickering: 闪烁stunning: 夺目beloved: 心爱reflections: 倒影racing: 思绪万千separated: 相隔approached: 将至urging: 催促faintly: 淡淡helplessness: 无奈gazing: 望着adapting: 适应guilt: 内疚dialed: 拨通surged: 涌起unbearable: 难熬silence: 沉默softened: 柔和explode: 炸开glimmering: 闪着cherishing: 珍视mutual: 双向understanding: 理解igniting: 燃起adorned: 点亮fine rain: 细细的小雨unbearable: 难熬sensed: 感到resolve: 下定了决心glistening: 闪着泪光

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Navigating Success: Trust and Teamwork Amid Shanghai's Hustle Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-02-11-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在上海创业孵化器，一个现代化的开放式办公室里，到处充满了热情的氛围。En: In a startup incubator in Shanghai, a modern open-office environment is filled with an atmosphere of enthusiasm.Zh: 彩色的春节装饰让房间显得喜庆而生动。En: The colorful Spring Festival decorations make the room festive and lively.Zh: 志辉正在为一次重要的产品展示做准备，这次他希望能吸引到投资者的注意，为他们的项目获得资金。En: Zhihui is preparing for an important product presentation, hoping to attract the attention of investors and secure funding for their project.Zh: 冬天的上海寒冷且繁忙，尤其是春节期间。En: Winter in Shanghai is cold and busy, especially during the Spring Festival period.Zh: 虽然寒风凛冽，但街上的热闹让人感受到节日的温暖。En: Although the cold wind is harsh, the bustling streets convey the warmth of the holiday.Zh: 志辉、梅玲和健三人在紧张的气氛中准备着，他们需要为展示准备必要的办公室用品。En: Zhihui, Meiling, and Jian are anxiously preparing, needing to gather essential office supplies for the presentation.Zh: 志辉是个雄心勃勃的创业者，他充满创意和想象力。En: Zhihui is an ambitious entrepreneur brimming with creativity and imagination.Zh: 但今天的繁琐事情让他有些心烦。En: However, today's tedious tasks are making him somewhat frustrated.Zh: 梅玲是他的搭档，专注于细节和后勤。她一直忙着规划每一个需要的物品。En: Meiling, his partner, focuses on details and logistics, busily planning every needed item.Zh: 健是他们的实习生，技术很强，但总是怀疑自己能否承受压力。En: Jian is their intern, technically strong but constantly doubting his ability to handle pressure.Zh: “我们需要分头行动节省时间，”志辉提议道。En: "We need to split up to save time," Zhihui suggested.Zh: “梅玲，你去采购用品，我和健会在这里准备展示的内容。”En: "Meiling, you go buy the supplies, and Jian and I will stay here to prepare the presentation content."Zh: 街道上，人群熙来攘往，商店里挤满了为春节购物的人。梅玲灵活地穿梭在人群中，整理着购物清单。En: On the bustling streets, stores are packed with people shopping for Spring Festival, and Meiling skillfully navigates through the crowd, organizing the shopping list.Zh: 突然，她发现一个关键的组件不见了。En: Suddenly, she realizes a crucial component is missing.Zh: 她迅速拨通志辉的电话。En: She quickly calls Zhihui.Zh: 志辉正在办公室指导健如何将技术展示融合到演讲中。En: Zhihui is in the office guiding Jian on integrating the technical demonstration into the presentation.Zh: 听到梅玲的消息，他面临一个两难的决定：是去帮助梅玲，还是继续专注于展示。En: Hearing Meiling's news, he faces a dilemma: should he go to help Meiling or continue to focus on the presentation?Zh: “梅玲，我相信你能解决这个问题，”志辉坚定地说，“我需要专注于这里的准备。”En: "Meiling, I trust you to solve this problem," Zhihui said firmly, "I need to focus on preparing here."Zh: 梅玲心里一震，充满了责任感。她集中精力，努力找到所需的组件。En: Meiling felt a jolt of responsibility and focused intently, working hard to find the necessary component.Zh: 最终，她在最后一刻成功买到了缺失的物品。En: Ultimately, she succeeded in purchasing the missing item at the last minute.Zh: 回到办公楼，他们三人紧张的情绪被成功的喜悦所取代。En: Returning to the office building, the trio's tension was replaced by the joy of success.Zh: 展示顺利进行，投资者对他们的创意和技术表现出极大的兴趣。En: The presentation proceeded smoothly, and investors showed great interest in their creativity and technology.Zh: 经过这次经历，志辉明白了信任和团队合作的重要性。En: Through this experience, Zhihui understood the importance of trust and teamwork.Zh: 梅玲也增加了独立解决问题的信心，而健意识到自己在团队中不仅仅是个技术助手，他可以为团队带来更多的价值。En: Meiling gained confidence in independently solving problems, and Jian realized he was more than just a technical assistant; he could bring more value to the team.Zh: 在春节的浓厚氛围中，他们不仅为公司争取到了投资，也在相互信任和能力提升中收获了成长。En: In the rich atmosphere of the Spring Festival, they not only secured investment for their company but also grew in mutual trust and capability enhancement.Zh: 春节的热闹让人难以忘却，而这个冬天，也因为他们的努力而格外温暖。En: The excitement of the Spring Festival was unforgettable, and this winter was especially warm because of their efforts. Vocabulary Words:incubator: 孵化器atmosphere: 氛围enthusiasm: 热情festive: 喜庆lively: 生动presentation: 展示investors: 投资者funding: 资金bustling: 热闹convey: 感受到anxiously: 紧张supplies: 用品entrepreneur: 创业者creativity: 创意imagination: 想象力tedious: 繁琐frustrated: 心烦logistics: 后勤navigate: 穿梭component: 组件dilemma: 两难integration: 融合responsibility: 责任感ultimately: 最终proceeded: 进行mutual: 相互capability: 能力enhancement: 提升unforgettable: 难以忘却assistant: 助手

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Flour to Laughs: A Dumpling Adventure Gone Awry Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-02-08-23-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 春节快到了，北半球的大地被厚厚的雪覆盖，寒风呼啸着吹过街道。En: The Chun Jie, or Spring Festival, is fast approaching, and the northern hemisphere is blanketed in thick snow, with chilly winds howling past the streets.Zh: 在这样一个冬季里，家庭团聚是最温暖的事情。今天，Jian和Meiling要在一起为家人准备年夜饭。En: In such a winter, family gatherings are the warmest thing. Today, Jian and Meiling are busy preparing the New Year's Eve dinner for their family.Zh: 他们在厨房里忙碌，希望做出完美的饺子来惊艳亲戚们。En: They're bustling in the kitchen, hoping to make the perfect dumplings to impress their relatives.Zh: Jian站在厨房中央，自信满满地说：“我看过好多次妈妈做饺子，我一定能做。”En: Jian stands confidently in the center of the kitchen and says, "I've watched my mom make dumplings so many times; I can definitely do it."Zh: Meiling却摇摇头，她拿出一本旧旧的食谱，说：“你还是听我的，我们按照奶奶的食谱来吧。”En: Meiling, however, shakes her head and takes out an old cookbook, saying, "Better follow my lead. Let's stick to grandma's recipe."Zh: 厨房里挂满了红色的灯笼和金色的对联，节日的气氛浓厚。En: The kitchen is decorated with red lanterns and golden couplets, brimming with festive atmosphere.Zh: Jian不耐烦地开始动手，想要即兴发挥。En: Jian, impatient, starts improvising.Zh: 他随意地抓起面粉，漫天飞舞的白色粉尘使厨房看起来宛如雪天。En: He casually grabs some flour, and the white dust flying everywhere makes the kitchen look like a snowy day.Zh: Meiling叹了口气，耐心地查看每个步骤：“我们要先和面，然后调馅。”En: Meiling sighs and patiently checks each step: "We need to make the dough first, then prepare the filling."Zh: Jian有些不屑：“这需要什么技巧？放上些肉和菜就好了。”En: Jian dismissively says, "What skill does this need? Just throw in some meat and veggies."Zh: 于是他随意将肉馅倒入锅中，En: He then casually pours the meat filling into the pan.Zh: 火势比他想象中要旺，短短几分钟，锅底便传来糊味。En: The fire is stronger than he imagined, and within minutes, there's a burning smell from the bottom of the pan.Zh: Meiling忙过去，想要及时补救，却只是无奈地摇头。En: Meiling rushes over to remedy the situation but can only shake her head helplessly.Zh: 此时的厨房一片狼藉，堆满了洒落的面粉和焦黑的锅。En: The kitchen is now a complete mess, littered with spilled flour and charred pots.Zh: Jian尝试着挽回局面，Meiling则默默拿起电话下了外卖订单。En: Jian tries to salvage the situation, while Meiling quietly picks up the phone and orders takeout.Zh: 晚上，家人们围坐在餐桌前，桌上的饺子热腾腾香喷喷。En: In the evening, the family sits around the dining table, and the dumplings on the table are steaming hot and fragrant.Zh: 大家吃着外卖的饺子，笑着听Jian和Meiling讲述他们的“烹饪冒险”。En: Everyone eats the takeout dumplings, laughing and listening to Jian and Meiling recount their "culinary adventure."Zh: 整个房间充满了欢声笑语。En: The whole room is filled with joy and laughter.Zh: Jian挠挠头，承认道：“看来我确实需要多学学做饭。”En: Jian scratches his head and admits, "Looks like I really need to learn more about cooking."Zh: Meiling则笑着对他说：“有时候，享受过程比结果更重要。”En: Meiling smiles and says to him, "Sometimes, enjoying the process is more important than the outcome."Zh: 从此，Jian明白了自信不能代替经验，Meiling也学会了别太拘泥于规则。En: From then on, Jian understood that confidence cannot replace experience, and Meiling learned not to be too rigid with rules.Zh: 这个失败的饺子故事成了他们家每年春节的必讲趣闻，也成了家庭团聚时最美好的回忆之一。En: This dumpling fiasco became a must-tell anecdote at their annual Spring Festival, and one of the most beautiful memories during their family reunions. Vocabulary Words:approaching: 快到了hemisphere: 半球blanketed: 覆盖chilly: 寒冷的gatherings: 团聚bustling: 忙碌的impress: 惊艳improvising: 即兴发挥remedy: 补救littered: 堆满salvage: 挽回recount: 讲述culinary: 烹饪的outcome: 结果confidence: 自信experience: 经验rigid: 拘泥fiasco: 失败anecdote: 趣闻reunions: 团聚central: 中央recipe: 食谱festive: 节日的impatient: 不耐烦flour: 面粉dust: 粉尘dismissively: 不屑imagine: 想象helplessly: 无奈admit: 承认

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Exploring Hidden Paths: Meiling's Great Wall Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-01-05-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 梅岭是一个充满好奇心的女生。En: Meiling is a girl full of curiosity.Zh: 今天，她和同学们参加了学校组织的长城冬季旅行。En: Today, she and her classmates participated in a winter trip organized by the school to the Great Wall.Zh: 长城在冬日的大地上静静地延伸，白雪覆盖的山丘仿佛披上了银色衣裳。En: The Great Wall quietly stretches across the winter landscape, and the snow-covered hills seem to wear silver robes.Zh: 空气干冷，偶尔传来同学们的欢笑声，打破了冬日的寂静。En: The air is dry and cold, and occasionally, the laughter of classmates breaks the winter silence.Zh: 梅岭和好友国威，还有班长小兰走在一起。En: Meiling walked together with her friends Guowei and the class monitor Xiaolan.Zh: 小兰一边走一边查看时间，确保大家按计划走完路线。En: Xiaolan kept checking the time as they walked, ensuring everyone finished the route as planned.Zh: 梅岭看着长城，不禁联想到过去的历史故事，她心中燃起想要探索更多的愿望。En: Watching the Great Wall, Meiling couldn't help but associate it with historical stories from the past, sparking her desire to explore more.Zh: “国威，小兰，”梅岭悄声说，“我们能不能去那边的小路看看？那一定有不一样的风景。”En: "Guowei, Xiaolan," Meiling whispered, "Can we go see that little path over there? There must be a different view."Zh: 国威摇摇头，有些担心地说：“我们还是跟大家走吧，万一迷路了怎么办？”En: Guowei shook his head, looking a bit worried: "We'd better stick with the group. What if we get lost?"Zh: 小兰听见他们的谈话，皱起眉头：“这次不行，我们的时间很紧。大家都得按计划行动。”En: Xiaolan overheard their conversation and frowned: "Not this time. We're on a tight schedule. Everyone needs to stick to the plan."Zh: 梅岭心有不甘，但没有再争辩。En: Meiling felt reluctant but did not argue further.Zh: 队伍继续前进，梅岭心神不宁地走着，直到一个岔路口。En: The group continued forward, and Meiling was restless as they walked until they reached a fork in the road.Zh: 她看到一个安静的小道，心中那股想要探索的渴望又涌上来。En: She saw a quiet little path, and her longing to explore surged once again.Zh: “国威，我知道你担心安全，但我们可以试一下，很快就回来。”梅岭请求道，期盼他的支持。En: "Guowei, I know you're worried about safety, but we can try it and be back soon," Meiling pleaded, hoping for his support.Zh: 国威犹豫了一下，终于点点头。En: Guowei hesitated for a moment and finally nodded.Zh: 他们告诉小兰先走，自己很快就会赶上去。En: They told Xiaolan to go ahead, assuring her they would catch up soon.Zh: 小兰不太愿意，但还是答应了。En: Xiaolan was reluctant but agreed.Zh: 梅岭和国威沿着小道走去，那里几乎没有脚印，显得格外安详。En: Meiling and Guowei walked along the path, where there were almost no footprints, making it unusually peaceful.Zh: 突然，开始下起雪来，柔软的雪花迅速覆盖所有，把整个世界都变得纯白静谧。En: Suddenly, it began to snow, and the soft snowflakes quickly covered everything, turning the world pure white and serene.Zh: 他们走着，突然看到一段长城，几乎没有被游客踏过，残墙断垣仿佛在诉说千年的故事。En: As they walked, they suddenly saw a section of the Great Wall scarcely visited by tourists, with crumbling walls telling stories of a thousand years.Zh: 梅岭在这片未曾触碰的土地上感受到时间的流逝，历史的厚重，她的心里充满敬意。En: Meiling felt the passage of time and the weight of history in this untouched land, filling her heart with reverence.Zh: 当他们想要返回时，雪越来越大，路很难分辨。En: When they wanted to return, the snow intensified, making the path hard to distinguish.Zh: 经过一番努力，他们终于找到了大队人马的踪迹。En: After some effort, they finally found traces of the main group.Zh: 小兰看到他们平安回来，长舒了一口气。En: Seeing them return safely, Xiaolan breathed a sigh of relief.Zh: 回程的路上，梅岭分享了她的经历，尽管小兰叹了口气，但也被梅岭的故事所吸引。En: On the way back, Meiling shared her experience, and although Xiaolan sighed, she was also drawn in by Meiling's story.Zh: 国威也感受到了一种不同以往的体验，他轻轻一笑，说：“未来的旅行，我们可以多尝试一些新东西。”En: Guowei also felt a different kind of experience, and he smiled gently, saying, "In future trips, we can try more new things."Zh: 梅岭微微点头，她感受到了历史的力量，也知道责任与冒险之间的平衡有多么重要。En: Meiling nodded slightly, feeling the power of history and realizing the importance of balancing responsibility and adventure.Zh: 这次旅行，让他们收获了一个不一样的春节故事。En: This trip provided them with a unique Spring Festival story.Zh: 长城的远方，依旧在宁静的冬日中延伸，而梅岭、国威和小兰的身影渐渐消失在回家的路上，心中却多了一份温暖的记忆。En: In the distance, the Great Wall continued to extend quietly in the winter, while the silhouettes of Meiling, Guowei, and Xiaolan gradually disappeared on the way home, leaving them with a warm memory in their hearts. Vocabulary Words:curiosity: 好奇心landscape: 大地silence: 寂静monitor: 班长ensuring: 确保associate: 联想frowned: 皱起眉头reluctant: 不甘restless: 心神不宁pleaded: 请求support: 支持peaceful: 安详serene: 静谧crumbling: 断垣reverence: 敬意intensified: 越来越大distinguish: 分辨effort: 努力safe: 平安relief: 长舒experience: 经历gentle: 轻轻different: 不一样的balance: 平衡adventure: 冒险unique: 不一样的silhouettes: 身影extends: 延伸memory: 记忆warm: 温暖

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From South to North: Finding Home in Beijing's Winter Festivities Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-01-01-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 北京的冬天，寒风凛冽，空气中夹杂着春节的气息。En: In the winter of Beijing, the cold wind is biting, and the air is filled with the scent of the Spring Festival.Zh: 庙会热闹非凡，人声鼎沸。En: The temple fairs are bustling with excitement, and the noise of the crowd is overwhelming.Zh: 天坛公园里，红色的灯笼高高挂起，灯火通明。En: In Temple of Heaven Park, red lanterns are hung high, brightly lit.Zh: 庙宇的古老建筑映衬着冬日的灰蓝天空，呈现出一幅优美的画卷。En: The ancient architecture of the temples contrasts with the gray-blue winter sky, presenting a beautiful picture.Zh: 美玲穿过拥挤的人群，感到异常陌生。En: Meiling threaded her way through the crowded masses, feeling unusually foreign.Zh: 她刚来到北京，为了工作，离开了南方的小城市。En: She had just arrived in Beijing for work, leaving a small city in the south.Zh: 春节期间，心中的乡愁更加浓烈。En: During the Spring Festival, the homesickness in her heart became more intense.Zh: "美玲，你看！小孩子在舞龙。"健指着不远处的广场，试图让她放松。En: "Meiling, look! The children are doing the dragon dance," said Jian, pointing to a nearby square, trying to help her relax.Zh: 他是美玲的老朋友，已经在北京待了好几年。En: He is an old friend of Meiling, having been in Beijing for several years.Zh: "真热闹啊，"美玲微微笑道，却无奈地苦笑着。En: "So lively," Meiling said with a faint smile, yet with a helpless, bitter smile on her face.Zh: 四周的喧闹令她更加思念在家乡过年的温馨感觉。En: The clamor around her made her miss the warmth of celebrating the new year at home even more.Zh: 不久，他们来到了小博的艺术展览。En: Before long, they arrived at Xiaobo's art exhibition.Zh: 小博是个本地艺术家，正在展示他春节主题的画作。En: Xiaobo is a local artist, showcasing his Spring Festival-themed paintings.Zh: 画廊里的一幅画吸引了美玲。En: One painting in the gallery captured Meiling's attention.Zh: 画中描绘的是一场家庭团聚，家人们围坐在桌前，窗外是璀璨烟花。En: It depicted a family reunion, with family members sitting around a table, and outside the window, brilliant fireworks.Zh: 美玲站在那里，凝视着画中的温馨画面，心中有了一种奇妙的感悟。En: Meiling stood there, gazing at the warm scene in the painting, a wonderful realization dawning on her.Zh: "这幅画让我想起从前和家人一起的时光，"美玲轻轻说道。En: "This painting reminds me of the times spent with my family," Meiling said softly.Zh: "你也可以在这里创造新的回忆，"小博微笑着回应。En: "You can also create new memories here," Xiaobo replied with a smile.Zh: 美玲看了看身边的朋友们，笑了笑，说："也许你说得对。"En: Meiling looked at her friends beside her, smiled, and said, "Maybe you're right."Zh: 随着夜幕降临，烟花在空中绽放，五光十色。En: As night fell, fireworks burst in the sky, colorful and dazzling.Zh: 美玲和朋友们一起漫步在天坛，头顶的烟花如同绚烂的彩虹。En: Meiling and her friends strolled in Temple of Heaven, with the fireworks above like a magnificent rainbow.Zh: 她心中的孤单渐渐消散，取而代之的是一种温暖的归属感。En: Her loneliness gradually faded, replaced by a warm sense of belonging.Zh: 那一刻，她明白了，无论身在何处，新年带来的不仅是结束与重生，还有建立新联结的机会。En: At that moment, she understood that no matter where you are, the new year brings not only conclusion and renewal, but also the chance to establish new connections.Zh: 过年不再只是回忆，更是在北京这个新家园中，与朋友一起创造的现在。En: Celebrating the new year was no longer just memories; it was the present created together with her friends in Beijing, her new home.Zh: 美玲微笑着说："我想这里也可以是家了。"En: Meiling smiled and said, "I think this can be home too."Zh: 朋友们的欢声笑语在冷风中带给她温暖，她知道，这便是新年的意义。En: Her friends' laughter and chatter carried warmth through the cold wind, and she knew that this was the meaning of the new year.Zh: 这个晚上，美玲在北京度过了一个难忘的春节夜。En: That evening, Meiling spent an unforgettable Spring Festival night in Beijing.Zh: 她心中的家不再仅是一个地理位置，而是一种留下的幸福感觉。En: The home in her heart was no longer just a geographical location but a feeling of settled happiness.Zh: 以友谊和新的回忆为桥梁，北京已然成了她的第二个家。En: With friendship and new memories as a bridge, Beijing has become her second home. Vocabulary Words:biting: 凛冽scent: 气息temple fairs: 庙会bustling: 热闹overwhelming: 鼎沸architecture: 建筑contrasts: 映衬threaded: 穿过masses: 人群homesickness: 乡愁intense: 浓烈clamar: 喧闹warmth: 温馨captured: 吸引reunion: 团聚gazing: 凝视realization: 感悟chatter: 欢声笑语magnificent: 绚烂belonging: 归属感conclusion: 结束renewal: 重生connections: 联结settled: 留下unforgettable: 难忘bridge: 桥梁geographical: 地理dazzling: 五光十色present: 现在establish: 建立

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Dawei's Secret Santa Surprise: A Laughter-Filled Christmas Gift Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2024-12-19-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在这所高中，冬天的气氛格外浓厚。En: In this high school, the winter atmosphere is especially strong.Zh: 红色和绿色的彩灯把走廊装点得闪闪发光，班级里也挂满了金色的闪光纸和耀眼的圣诞花环。En: Red and green colored lights make the hallways sparkle, and the classrooms are filled with golden glitter paper and dazzling Christmas wreaths.Zh: 每个学生都期待着圣诞节的到来，尤其是秘密圣诞老人活动。En: Every student is looking forward to the Christmas season, especially the Secret Santa activity.Zh: 大伟是一个性格古怪但充满幽默感的学生。En: Dawei is a quirky but humorous student.Zh: 他总想着如何让同学们开怀大笑。En: He always thinks about how to make his classmates laugh.Zh: 今年他决定以一个独特的礼物，来给会心一笑的效果。En: This year, he decided to give a unique gift to bring a heartfelt smile.Zh: 不过，他对别人的喜好总是琢磨不透，这让他有点担心。En: However, he often finds it hard to grasp others' preferences, which makes him a bit worried.Zh: 话说这次秘密圣诞老人，他需要给美玲送礼物。En: Speaking of this Secret Santa, he needs to give a gift to Meiling.Zh: 美玲是个认真有条理的女生，特别喜欢过节，总是认真参与。En: Meiling is a serious and organized girl who loves to celebrate and always participates earnestly.Zh: 为了确保礼物能让美玲喜欢，大伟想了很久，最后决定送一顶可爱的红色圣诞老人帽，但是帽子里面藏了一只会唱歌的塑料鸡。En: To ensure the gift is something Meiling would like, Dawei thought for a long time, finally deciding to give an adorable red Santa hat with a singing plastic chicken hidden inside.Zh: 那天，教室里热闹非凡，大家纷纷交换礼物。En: On that day, the classroom was bustling with everyone exchanging gifts.Zh: 美玲收到礼物时，笑得很开心。En: Meiling received the gift with a big smile.Zh: 她一打开包装盒，看到那顶红色的帽子，笑意更浓。En: When she opened the package and saw the red hat, her smile grew wider.Zh: 可是，当她发现里面的塑料鸡开始“咕咕咕”唱歌时，她先是愣了一下，然后忍不住笑出了声。En: But when she discovered the plastic chicken inside started clucking "cluck cluck cluck," she was first taken aback, then couldn't help but laugh out loud.Zh: 同学们看到这一幕，也都哈哈大笑。En: The classmates who witnessed this scene also burst into laughter.Zh: 原来，大伟的礼物虽然有些出乎意料，却恰好戳中了某种幽默的点子。En: It turned out that although Dawei's gift was somewhat unexpected, it hit a humorous note.Zh: 美玲笑着说：“大伟，你真的很有创意！En: Meiling laughed and said, "Dawei, you're really creative!"Zh: ”学校的走廊里回荡着同学们的笑声。En: The school corridors echoed with the laughter of the students.Zh: 大伟觉得松了一口气，看来他的幽默真的传达出来了，还带来了欢笑。En: Dawei felt a sense of relief; it seemed his humor had really come across and brought joy.Zh: 尽管误解了一些细节，但大伟意识到，只要用心，幽默确实能拉近距离。En: Despite misunderstanding some details, Dawei realized that with sincerity, humor can indeed bring people closer.Zh: 从那以后，大伟对理解同学的兴趣和喜好更加用心。En: From then on, Dawei paid more attention to understanding his classmates' interests and preferences.Zh: 他知道，幽默可以是沟通的桥梁，要运用得当，便能带来意想不到的快乐。En: He knew that humor could be a bridge for communication, and when used appropriately, it could bring unexpected happiness.Zh: 这是一个欢乐的圣诞，也是一个富有收获的学习时刻。En: It was a joyful Christmas and a valuable learning moment. Vocabulary Words:atmosphere: 气氛hallways: 走廊sparkle: 闪闪发光dazzling: 耀眼的wreaths: 花环quirky: 性格古怪humorous: 幽默感heartfelt: 会心preferences: 喜好participates: 参与adorable: 可爱的bustling: 热闹非凡witnessed: 看到burst into laughter: 哈哈大笑somewhat: 有些unexpected: 出乎意料creative: 有创意echoed: 回荡relief: 松了一口气misunderstanding: 误解sincerity: 用心indeed: 确实communication: 沟通appropriate: 运用得当valuable: 富有收获ensures: 确保earnestly: 认真hidden: 藏preferences: 喜好clucking: “咕咕咕”唱歌

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Gravity's Mishap: An Accidental Dance in Zero-G Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2024-12-18-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 李伟和美玲正在一个秘密实验室里忙碌。En: Li Wei and Mei Ling were busy in a secret laboratory.Zh: 这个实验室非常高科技，里面有许多实验机器、电线和小工具。En: This lab was very high-tech, filled with numerous experimental machines, wires, and gadgets.Zh: 窗外的雪静静飘落，与实验室内的骚动形成鲜明对比。En: The snow silently fell outside the window, creating a stark contrast with the commotion inside the lab.Zh: “美玲，你看！这是我最新的发明！”李伟兴奋地说道。En: "Mei Ling, look! This is my latest invention!" Li Wei exclaimed excitedly.Zh: 他指向一个看起来很复杂的机器。En: He pointed to a complex-looking machine.Zh: 美玲小心翼翼地凑过去，皱着眉说：“你确定这安全吗？”En: Mei Ling cautiously moved closer and frowned, saying, "Are you sure this is safe?"Zh: 李伟摆摆手，笑着说：“当然，这没问题。”En: Li Wei waved his hand dismissively and said with a smile, "Of course, it's no problem."Zh: 说完，他便随手按下了一个按钮。En: With that, he casually pressed a button.Zh: 突然，机器发出一声隆隆的响声，整个实验室里的物体都开始漂浮起来！En: Suddenly, the machine emitted a rumbling sound, and everything in the lab started to float!Zh: 李伟的试验台、笔记本电脑、文件夹，还有他自己和美玲，全都漂浮在空中。En: Li Wei's workbench, his laptop, folders, and even himself and Mei Ling, all floated into the air.Zh: “哦，天哪！”美玲惊呼，试图抓住一个漂过她面前的书。En: "Oh my gosh!" Mei Ling exclaimed, trying to grab a book drifting past her.Zh: “我们得赶快关掉它！”En: "We need to turn it off quickly!"Zh: 李伟在空中漂移，不时碰到浮动的瓶子和工具。En: Li Wei drifted in the air, occasionally bumping into floating bottles and tools.Zh: 他努力向美玲游过去，说：“我们得想办法够到那个控制面板。”En: He struggled to swim towards Mei Ling and said, "We need to find a way to reach that control panel."Zh: 两个人在没有重力的实验室中笨拙地漂浮，试图不被悬浮的机器碰到。En: The two clumsily floated in the zero-gravity lab, trying not to get hit by suspended machines.Zh: 美玲灵机一动，用一根长电线当作“绳子”，向控制面板荡去。En: Mei Ling had a brainwave and used a long wire as a "rope" to swing towards the control panel.Zh: 李伟学她的样子，也抓住一根电线荡过去。En: Li Wei copied her technique and grabbed a wire to swing over.Zh: 他们成功地到达机器旁，但面临一个难题：如何在零重力中操作控制面板？En: They successfully reached the machine but faced a dilemma: how to operate the control panel in zero gravity.Zh: “试试这个按钮！”美玲指着一个明显的红色按钮。En: "Try this button!" Mei Ling pointed at an obvious red button.Zh: 李伟伸出手，轻轻按下按钮。En: Li Wei reached out and gently pressed it.Zh: 然后，奇迹发生了——一切开始慢慢降落，重力恢复了！En: Then, a miracle happened—everything began to slowly descend, and gravity was restored!Zh: 就在这个时候，实验室的门打开了，他们的主管走了进来。En: Just then, the lab door opened, and their supervisor walked in.Zh: 两人迅速站好，假装若无其事。En: The two quickly stood still, pretending like nothing had happened.Zh: 主管环顾四周，只看到地上散落的几个文件，并没有多说什么。En: The supervisor looked around, only seeing a few scattered documents on the floor and said nothing more.Zh: “看来一切正常。”主管点点头，然后走开了。En: "Everything seems normal," the supervisor nodded and then walked away.Zh: 李伟松了一口气，对美玲说道：“这真是一次冒险。”En: Li Wei breathed a sigh of relief and said to Mei Ling, "That was quite an adventure."Zh: 美玲微笑着说：“以后做实验要小心点。不过，有时冒险也是不错的选择。”En: Mei Ling smiled and said, "We should be more careful in our experiments next time. But sometimes, taking risks is a good choice."Zh: 两人相视而笑，心中都明白了彼此的重要性，也懂得了在实验中既要有勇气，也要有谨慎。En: They exchanged smiles, understanding each other's importance and recognizing the need for both courage and caution in experiments.Zh: 窗外雪还在下，但实验室里恢复了平静。En: The snow was still falling outside, but peace had returned to the laboratory. Vocabulary Words:laboratory: 实验室high-tech: 高科技experimental: 实验gadgets: 小工具contrast: 对比commotion: 骚动exclaimed: 说道cautiously: 小心翼翼地frowned: 皱着眉dismissively: 摆摆手emitted: 发出rumbling: 隆隆float: 漂浮grab: 抓住drifting: 漂过swim: 游clumsily: 笨拙地suspended: 悬浮的brainwave: 灵机一动control panel: 控制面板dilemma: 难题zero gravity: 零重力miracle: 奇迹supervisor: 主管pretending: 假装scattered: 散落的relief: 松了一口气adventure: 冒险courage: 勇气cautious: 谨慎

Music and coffee seem to just go together. If you are into one, the other is not far behind. Both coffee and music inspire and create community that fuel's our lives.  Today's guest began his coffee journey as a full time touring musician and was immediately hooked. His journey took him from e-commerce and pop-ups, to now his own brick and mortar store. Today we are chatting with Acey Slade of the weird and wonderful, Cat Fight Coffee! Catfight Coffee was formed in 2020 by career musician Acey Slade (Dope, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Til Lindemann of Rammstein) and his wife Meiling (a Taiwanese native) when both saw their respective careers put on hold due to Covid Lockdown. Acey, having had a previous background in the coffee industry and Meiling having a successful career in beauty industry. They put their experience to work and Catfight Coffee was born as e-commerce business. Today Catfight Coffee is available in over 80 retail outlets across North America. Roasting and distribution in the UK will begin in early 2023 as will the first retail outlet in Asia. We cover: From Music to Coffee: The Birth of Catfight Coffee Pop-Ups and Community Engagement Balancing Personal Taste with Customer Preferences Branding and Marketing Strategies Creating a Welcoming Coffee Shop Environment Building the Brick and Mortar: Challenges and Insights The Importance of Customer Experience Learning from the First Week of Operations Hiring for Success in the Coffee Business Personal Growth as a Business Owner Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs Links: https://www.catfightcoffee.com/ IG : @catfightcoffee Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!  www.arto.com Visit @artobrick   The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com   Follow on Instagram! @Artobrick .... and tell them Chris sent you!

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Misty Markets to Family Heirlooms: A Winter Homecoming Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2024-12-13-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 天子山在冬天的早晨，云雾缭绕，宛如一幅活生生的传统山水画。En: Tianzishan on a winter morning is surrounded by mist, resembling a living traditional landscape painting.Zh: 张家界国家森林公园的当地市场热闹非凡，色彩斑斓的工艺品摊位、香味扑鼻的小吃和小贩们的叫卖声交织在一起。En: The local market in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is bustling with activity, with colorful craft stalls, the alluring scent of snacks, and the cries of vendors blending together.Zh: 小雨，回乡过冬至的大学生，怀着重新链接家乡根源的心情，漫步在市场中。En: Xiaoyu, a college student returning home for the Winter Solstice, walks through the market with the intention of reconnecting with her hometown roots.Zh: 她的弟弟浩然紧随其后，总是精力充沛，调皮捣蛋。En: Her younger brother Haoran follows closely, always full of energy and mischievous.Zh: 还有他们智慧的奶奶美玲，也在一旁微笑着，时不时提醒孩子们注意安全。En: Their wise grandmother Meiling is also beside them, smiling and occasionally reminding the children to stay safe.Zh: 今天，小雨想为奶奶买一件特别的手工礼物，作为冬至节的心意。En: Today, Xiaoyu wants to buy a special handcrafted gift for her grandmother as a gesture for the Winter Solstice Festival.Zh: 这件礼物将象征家族的传统。En: This gift will symbolize the family traditions.Zh: 然而，市场上人山人海，小雨逐渐感到不知所措。En: However, the market is crowded, and Xiaoyu starts to feel overwhelmed.Zh: 许多精美的手工艺品价格昂贵，让她难以抉择。En: Many beautiful handcrafted items are expensive, making it hard for her to decide.Zh: 走了一圈后，小雨决定让浩然和奶奶在市场入口休息，她自己则多看看不同的摊位。En: After walking around, Xiaoyu decides to let Haoran and her grandmother rest at the market entrance while she continues to explore different stalls.Zh: 时间不多了，她必须在一件精刻的玉坠和一套书法工具之间做出选择。En: With little time left, she must choose between a finely crafted jade pendant and a calligraphy set.Zh: 玉坠象征吉祥，书法工具则代表文化传承。En: The jade pendant symbolizes good fortune, while the calligraphy set represents cultural heritage.Zh: 就在这时，小雨被一幅幅精美的冬日山水画吸引住了。En: Just then, Xiaoyu is captivated by a series of exquisite winter landscape paintings.Zh: 这些画中的场景与她家族的历史紧密相连，令她心动不已。En: The scenes depicted in these paintings are closely connected to her family's history, touching her deeply.Zh: 小雨鼓起勇气，向摊主表达了这幅画对她的特别意义，希望能以她的诚意打动摊主，得到一些优惠。En: Summoning her courage, Xiaoyu expresses to the vendor the special significance the painting holds for her, hoping her sincerity will persuade the vendor to offer a discount.Zh: 幸运的是，摊主被小雨的真诚感动，决定以一个合理价格出售这套画。En: Fortunately, the vendor is moved by Xiaoyu's sincerity and decides to sell the set of paintings at a reasonable price.Zh: 小雨如愿以偿，怀着无比的感激之情返回市场入口。En: Xiaoyu, filled with immense gratitude, returns to the market entrance.Zh: 当小雨将画作送给奶奶美玲时，奶奶眼中流露出激动的泪光。En: When Xiaoyu presents the paintings to her grandmother Meiling, tears of emotion shine in her grandmother's eyes.Zh: 这些画勾起了她对过去的珍贵回忆，也象征着她一直以来最珍视的家庭价值。En: These paintings evoke precious memories of the past and symbolize the family values she has always cherished.Zh: 那天晚上，全家欢聚一堂，温暖的冬至节席卷了他们的心间。En: That evening, the whole family gathers, and the warmth of the Winter Solstice Festival fills their hearts.Zh: 这次经历让小雨更加深刻地体会到家乡文化的珍贵，并意识到与传统保持联系是多么的重要。En: This experience gives Xiaoyu a deeper appreciation for her hometown's culture and the importance of staying connected with tradition.Zh: 在她心里，家族的延续和传统的保护，已经成为她生活中不可或缺的一部分。En: In her heart, the continuation of her family and the preservation of tradition have become an indispensable part of her life. Vocabulary Words:mist: 云雾resemble: 宛如bustling: 热闹非凡alluring: 香味扑鼻mischievous: 调皮捣蛋overwhelmed: 不知所措exquisite: 精美summoning: 鼓起vendor: 摊主sincerity: 诚意persuade: 打动discount: 优惠gratitude: 感激gesture: 心意symbolize: 象征cultural: 文化heritage: 传承captivated: 吸引住reasonable: 合理evoke: 勾起cherished: 珍视precious: 珍贵appreciation: 体会continuation: 延续indispensable: 不可或缺landscape: 山水snack: 小吃handcrafted: 手工pendant: 玉坠entrance: 入口

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Friendship and Courage: A Mid-Autumn Adventure on the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2024-11-29-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 长城在蓝天下蜿蜒，像一条长蛇，盘旋在山丘间。En: The Great Wall of China winds under the blue sky like a long snake, coiling among the hills.Zh: 空气中弥漫着松树的清香和清凉的秋意。En: The air is filled with the fresh scent of pine and the crispness of autumn.Zh: 天上飘着五彩缤纷的风筝，游客们走在古老的石头上，兴致勃勃地欣赏周围的美景。En: Colorful kites flutter in the sky as tourists walk on the ancient stones, eagerly admiring the surrounding beauty.Zh: 今天是中秋节，家家户户团聚在一起，提着彩灯，在这个特别的日子相聚。En: Today is Mid-Autumn Festival, and families gather together, carrying colorful lanterns, to celebrate this special day.Zh: 这一切让伊琳感到无比激动。En: All of this fills Yi Lin with immense excitement.Zh: 她一直以来的梦想就是亲自登上长城。En: Her long-time dream has been to personally set foot on the Great Wall.Zh: 她希望能让家人看到她的努力与决心。En: She hopes to show her family her efforts and determination.Zh: 陪伴在她身边的，是一直支持她、默默喜欢她的好友佳浩。En: Accompanying her is her supportive and quietly admiring friend, Jia Hao.Zh: 他们一同走在长城上，呼吸着清新的空气，享受着节日的喜悦。En: Together, they walk on the Wall, breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the festive joy.Zh: 然而，意外来得如此突然。En: However, the unexpected come so abruptly.Zh: 当伊琳打开零食袋，啃了一口小饼干后，她突然感到喉咙肿胀，呼吸困难。En: When Yi Lin opens a snack bag and takes a bite of a small biscuit, she suddenly feels her throat swell and has difficulty breathing.Zh: 佳浩注意到她的异样，紧张地问她是否需要帮助。En: Jia Hao notices something is wrong and anxiously asks if she needs help.Zh: 虽然伊琳心里一阵慌乱，但她犹豫着，不愿意承认自己的脆弱。En: Although Yi Lin feels a rush of panic inside, she hesitates, unwilling to admit her vulnerability.Zh: 然而，佳浩不愿冒险，坚持要找到帮助。En: However, Jia Hao is not willing to take risks and insists on finding help.Zh: 这时，他们遇到了那位之前闲聊过的游客，美玲。En: At this moment, they encounter a tourist they had casually chatted with earlier, Mei Ling.Zh: 她一见伊琳的样子，立刻辨认出是一种严重的过敏反应。En: The moment she sees Yi Lin's condition, she immediately recognizes it as a severe allergic reaction.Zh: 美玲迅速从包里拿出急救药，同时解释说她是一名护士。En: Mei Ling quickly takes out emergency medication from her bag and explains that she is a nurse.Zh: 伊琳的脸色渐渐恢复正常，情况得到了控制。En: Slowly, Yi Lin's complexion returns to normal and the situation comes under control.Zh: 经过这场小小的风波，伊琳心中的那点骄傲慢慢消散。En: After this little incident, Yi Lin's bit of pride gradually fades away.Zh: 她意识到，求助并不意味着软弱，而是智慧的表现。En: She realizes that asking for help doesn't mean weakness, but is a sign of wisdom.Zh: 在和美玲的交流中，她发现这个陌生人不仅是救命恩人，更是友情的纽带。En: In her conversation with Mei Ling, she discovers that this stranger is not only a lifesaver but also becomes a bond of friendship.Zh: 美玲也愉快地加入了他们的旅程，分享起了她作为护士的故事。En: Mei Ling happily joins their journey, sharing stories about her life as a nurse.Zh: 夕阳西下，长城沐浴在金色的余晖中，伊琳、佳浩和美玲一同举起手中的彩灯，享受着这难得的友情时刻。En: As the sun sets in the west, the Great Wall basks in the golden afterglow, and Yi Lin, Jia Hao, and Mei Ling raise their colorful lanterns together, savoring this rare moment of friendship.Zh: 他们彼此心里都明白，独自努力固然重要，但偶尔的协作与依靠，正是实现梦想的另一种力量。En: They all understand deep down that while individual effort is important, occasional collaboration and reliance on others is another strength in achieving dreams.Zh: 就这样，这场本来可能遗憾的旅行，因为友情，因为勇于求助，而变得无比珍贵。En: Thus, what could have been a trip marked by regret became incredibly precious because of friendship and the courage to seek help.Zh: 伊琳学会了在追求目标的路上，必要时开放自己，接受他人的力量。En: Yi Lin learns to open herself on the path to pursuing her goals, accepting the strength of others when necessary.Zh: 长城则继续静静地矗立在那儿，见证着无数个这样的故事，承载着希望与梦想。En: The Great Wall continues to stand silently, witnessing countless stories like this, carrying hopes and dreams. Vocabulary Words:winds: 蜿蜒snake: 长蛇coiling: 盘旋crispness: 清凉admiring: 欣赏immense: 无比eagerly: 兴致勃勃supportive: 支持quietly: 默默abruptly: 突然swell: 肿胀anxiously: 紧张vulnerability: 脆弱insists: 坚持casually: 闲聊recognizes: 辨认severe: 严重complexion: 脸色incident: 风波gradually: 渐渐fade: 消散wisdom: 智慧lifesaver: 救命恩人bond: 纽带savoring: 享受collaboration: 协作reliance: 依靠precious: 珍贵accepting: 接受witnessing: 见证

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Autumn Awakenings: Li Wei's Journey on the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2024-11-18-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的长城总是令人惊叹。En: The Great Wall in autumn is always breathtaking.Zh: 琥珀色的阳光洒在古老的石墙上，墙下的红叶和黄叶随风摇曳，像一幅画。En: Amber sunlight spills over the ancient stone walls, while the red and yellow leaves below sway in the wind like a painting.Zh: 学校组织了这次秋游，李伟、梅玲和陈一起参加。En: The school organized this autumn outing, and Li Wei, Mei Ling, and Chen participated together.Zh: 李伟对历史很感兴趣，他总是读很多书，但他很少和同学们交流。En: Li Wei is very interested in history; he always reads a lot of books, but he rarely interacts with his classmates.Zh: 这次，他们来到长城。En: This time, they came to the Great Wall.Zh: 在长城脚下，李伟深吸一口气。En: At the foot of the wall, Li Wei took a deep breath.Zh: 他心里有个愿望：能够和同学们分享他对长城的热爱，尤其是梅玲。En: He had a wish in his heart: to share his love for the Great Wall with his classmates, especially with Mei Ling.Zh: 梅玲是一个活泼开朗的女生，李伟一直想多和她交流。En: Mei Ling is a lively and outgoing girl, and Li Wei has always wanted to communicate more with her.Zh: 出发前，李伟做了一个决定。En: Before setting off, Li Wei made a decision.Zh: 他志愿当这段长城的学生导游。En: He volunteered to be the student guide for this section of the Great Wall.Zh: 虽然很紧张，但他希望这是一个很好机会可以和大家分享他的知识。En: Although he was nervous, he hoped it would be a great opportunity to share his knowledge with everyone.Zh: 队伍开始沿着长城的台阶行走，空气清新而凉爽。En: The group began walking along the steps of the Great Wall.Zh: 空气清新而凉爽。En: The air was fresh and cool.Zh: 李伟一直走在前面，手心微微出汗。En: Li Wei always walked at the front, his palms slightly sweating.Zh: 他心里默念着准备好的讲解词。En: He silently recited the prepared explanations in his mind.Zh: 走到一段陡峭却壮观的墙头，大家都停下来，望向远方的景色。En: When they reached a steep yet magnificent section of the wall, everyone stopped and looked out at the distant scenery.Zh: 就是这里，李伟知道这段长城的故事最多。En: It was here that Li Wei knew the most stories about this part of the Great Wall.Zh: 他心跳加速，觉得有点恐惧，但这是他的机会。En: His heart raced, and he felt a bit afraid, but this was his chance.Zh: 他在心里鼓励自己：“加油！”En: He encouraged himself silently: "Come on!"Zh: 李伟抬起头，对同学们说：“大家，这里很特别。”En: Li Wei raised his head and said to his classmates, "Everyone, this place is very special."Zh: 他的声音有些颤抖，但他继续说：“这段长城建于明代，是为了保护边疆。En: His voice trembled a little, but he continued, "This section of the Great Wall was built during the Ming Dynasty to protect the border.Zh: 你们看到这些崖壁吗？En: Do you see these cliffs?Zh: 古时候，士兵从这里守望敌人的动静。”En: In ancient times, soldiers watched for enemy movements from here."Zh: 同学们静静地听着，梅玲也在仔细看他。En: His classmates listened quietly, and Mei Ling watched him attentively.Zh: 李伟渐渐感到自信。En: Li Wei gradually felt confident.Zh: 他继续讲述长城的故事，每一个细节都充满了他对历史的热爱。En: He continued sharing stories about the Great Wall, each detail filled with his passion for history.Zh: 他的紧张慢慢消失，变成了一种享受分享的快乐。En: His nervousness slowly disappeared, turning into the joy of sharing.Zh: 讲解结束，大家开始往回走。En: After the explanation ended, they began to walk back.Zh: 梅玲走过来，对李伟说：“谢谢你，李伟，你讲得真好！”En: Mei Ling came over and said to Li Wei, "Thank you, Li Wei, you spoke really well!"Zh: 她的笑容如同今天的阳光那般温暖。En: Her smile was as warm as today's sunshine.Zh: 李伟心里一阵开心，En: Li Wei felt a surge of happiness in his heart.Zh: 他点了点头，终于说出那句：“谢谢，我也很喜欢。”En: He nodded and finally said, "Thank you, I liked it too."Zh: 这次秋游不仅让他分享了知识，也让他交到了新朋友。En: This autumn outing not only allowed him to share his knowledge but also helped him make new friends.Zh: 他知道，以后他会更加自信和开放，因为他发现，热情真的能让人们连接在一起。En: He knew that in the future, he would be more confident and open because he discovered that passion truly can connect people. Vocabulary Words:breathtaking: 令人惊叹amber: 琥珀色spill: 洒ancient: 古老sway: 摇曳outgoing: 开朗recite: 默念tremble: 颤抖cliff: 崖壁steep: 陡峭magnificent: 壮观attentively: 仔细passion: 热爱explain: 讲解confident: 自信volunteer: 志愿guide: 导游prepare: 准备sweat: 出汗silently: 默默opportunity: 机会border: 边疆enemy: 敌人movement: 动静soldier: 士兵distant: 远方communicate: 交流surge: 一阵nervousness: 紧张connect: 连接

Choice Classic Radio presents Broadway Is My Beat, which aired from 1949 to 1954. Today we bring to you the episode titled "The Mei Ling Murder Case.” Please consider supporting our show by becoming a patron at  http://choiceclassicradio.com We hope you enjoy the show!

Last time we spoke about the Sino-Soviet Conflict of 1929. In 1919, Soviet Commissar Lev Karakhan promised China the return of the Chinese Eastern Railway at no cost, aiming to foster good relations amid the Russian Civil War. However, the Soviets retracted the offer, causing tensions. Over the next decade, control of the railway shifted between Chinese and Soviet hands, sparking conflicts. By 1929, Zhang Xueliang, a Chinese warlord, attempted to reclaim the railway, leading to military confrontations. Despite initial diplomatic efforts, the situation escalated into a full-scale war. The Soviets, under General Vasily Blyukher, launched a powerful offensive, using their superior military force to overpower the Chinese defenses. After intense battles, including naval engagements, the Soviets gained the upper hand, leading to heavy Chinese casualties and loss of territory. The conflict ended with the Soviets firmly in control, highlighting the fragile nature of Sino-Soviet relations during this tumultuous period.   #122 The Chiang-Gui War Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. With the reunification of China, China's Warlord Era was over…but it really wasn't. Chiang Kai-Shek came to Beijing via a trail laid open by Yan Xishan. The Northern Expedition had been completed by August, just as the Generalissimo promised it would. According to previous agreements amongst the KMT, he tendered in his resignation upon completing the Northern Expedition. But the party refused to accept it, instead the Generalissimo was commanded to go visit the tomb of Dr Sun Yat-Sen over in the western Hills. He was accompanied by many of his generals who all oversaw a impressive ceremony, culminating with Chiang Kai-Shek weeping before Dr Sun Yat-Sen's shrine. Now Beijing was of course a symbol of China's Manchu past. The KMT and all revolutionaries within China for that matter hated it for that reason. It was seen as suitable enough for the government of North China, but not for the national capital, no this was moved to Nanking. Nanking of course had been seen as the secondary capital for centuries and held ancient history as being the first capital of China. Yet there was a lot of opposition to this. The Northern Chinese of course wanted to retain Beijing as the capital, many Chinese scholars had arguments against it, the foreign legations were annoyed at the idea of moving their residence and staff, so on and so forth. There was a great love for the northern capital, for its wonderful shops, restaurants rich history and such. Many did not believe Nanking could match Beijing's beauty. But the KMT assured all Nanking would become the gem of China. Beijing, which was actually called Peking at this time, again I just keep using modern terms to not confuse you guys, but Peking was then changed to Peiping translating to “northern peace”. As much as the capital was ruffling feathers, another more pressing issue was the enormous NRA army now that they had no Northern Expedition to run. Armies are not cheap, demobilization obviously needed to be done. However the KMT dragged their feet on the issue. Demobilization is something many governments face, but China's situation was rather unique. The NRA held many professional armies, made up of men who had never been anything but soldiers with no desire to become civilians. Many of the NRA generals also did not wish to carry on as civilians. Most of these men were doing a career and knew nothing else. In June of 1928, over 2 million men were on military pay roll. The minister of finance, T.V Soong, believed in keeping straight books and protested the enormous military expense. The KMT central committee passed resolutions and formed a plan; the standing army, needed to be cut down to at least 715,00 men. But when it came to deciding who gets disbanded, here lay the troubles.  There was another issue, the mechanics of the new government. In the first days of the peace, Chiang Kai-Shek had proven himself a pretty good manager. He had a lot of help from his political right hand man, Hu Hanmin, and they were on good terms. Chiang Kai-Shek was quite popular in the beginning, many looked up to him. However as the days went by, things started to crumble. The first major conflict occurred when Chiang Kai-Shek attempted to do away with the political subcouncils in Guangzhou and Wuhan. Chiang Kai-Shek argued this new united China did not need any more than a single central federal government office. The regimes in Guangzhou and Wuhan needed to disband and become integrated properly at Nanking. However Bai Chongxi and Li Zongren were the respective governors of the two provinces that held these regimes and they very much liked their current status. They obviously resented what they saw as a slight against them by Chiang Kai-Shek. Both men began using the term “dictator” to describe Chiang Kai-Shek, they said things like he was getting too big for his boots.  Now going back to the roots of the KMT, Dr Sun Yat-Sen had hoped to implement a national constitution. Yet simply flinging out what Sun Yat-Sen had once written down was out of the question, a new constitution needed to be drafted. Thus, basically for the next 5 years, China went through an awkward transformation process, trying to become a real voting republic. But in the meantime the country was controlled by a government of 5 “yuans” (committees). These were the executive, legislative, control, judicial and examination committees. The high officials of these committees were members of the State council, also seen as a cabinet, headed by the President. Chiang Kai-Shek became the first president and was very careful on who he included in his cabinet. Yan Xishan became the Minister of the Interior and Feng Yuxiang Minister of War. Both of these men were still bonafide warlords, but they were the two leaders who helped reunify China with him. He had to keep them happy, they controlled vast private armies, he also knew to keep them close.  Nanking was fraught with activity, but no demobilization. Months went by. Chiang Kai-Shek was happy, it was quite a creative time for him, but the reality was, the government was filled with potential traitors, great amounts of land were not really assimilated, nor were their populations. Nonetheless China had not seen such unity in centuries. Chiang Kai-Shek felt an immense sense of pride, he himself was full of energy and overworking. Chiang Kai-Shek began promising to rebuild Nanking in a fitting style. A magnificent tomb was planned for the slope of Purple Mountain, above the ruins of the old Ming temple, where Sun Yat-Sens remains would be moved. The city was remodeled, its old narrow and messy streets were cleared out. Nanking possessed a certain antiquity look, and many were fond of it and hated the construction efforts. Chiang Kai-Shek envisioned retaining the Chinese style of architecture, with sloping roofs, painted ceilings, tiles and courtyards, but also clean, cool interiors with electrical appliances. He basically wanted to blend the new with the old. Chiang Kai-Shek found an American architect to help rebuild Nanking. He also began hunting down advisors for just about every field. He looked up foreign farmer experts, German military advisors, American educational advisors, medical advisors, highway construction advisors and such. The climax to it all was recognition of the new Nanking government from the great powers. Chiang Kai-Shek found himself stuck in interviews with diplomats nearly every day. It is said the Generalissimo worked from dawn to night, with his wife Meiling as his secretary. Her primary role was translating important work into English, she was also his English interpreter. Meiling pushed Chiang Kai-Shek to try and learn English so he would be less dependent on her. She taught him as best as she could, and he was apparently making good headway until he had a incident. One day he was meeting with the British Minister and tried to practice his english by saying “good morning, Lampson” but instead he said “kiss me, Lampson”. Henceforth he never tried talking in English with foreigners. In May came some excitement with the Sino-Soviet conflict. Zhang Xueliang literally tossed the Soviet ultimatum to Nanking, an unwelcome gift to Chiang Kai-Shek. Ultimately Zhang Xueliang could do nothing against the Soviet power. It was certainly a blow to China, but perhaps in the grand scheme of things, Chiang Kai-Shek's mind worried more about the Japanese. The Soviets and Japanese were not all Chiang Kai-Shek should have been worried about, there were plenty of internal enemies. Back in July of 1928, it was estimated the NRA held over 2.2 million soldiers within 84 corps and 272 divisions. This accounted for an annual expenditure of over 800 million yuan, when the national fiscal revenue was something like 450 million yuan. Chiang Kai-Shek advocated for demobilization, hoping to bring it down to 1.2 million with 80 divisions, thus reducing expenditures to 60% of the national budget. By January of 1929 the issue came up again, now based on German military advisors advice, Chiang Kai-Shek wanted to reduce the NRA to 50 divisions at around 800,000 troops. His First Army belonging to the central system would be reorganized into 20 divisions, and the remaining army groups would be divided into 10 divisions. Uh huh you see where this is going. Chiang Kai-Shek also proposed establishing a 200,000 man strong military police force. So if you remember from the end of the Northern Expedition, there were 4 NRA collective armies. The 1st was led by Chiang Kai-Shek, the 2nd by Feng Yuxiang, the 3rd by Yan Xishan and the 4th by Li Zongren. Each of these men were warlords in the own right with cliques behind them. For example Li Zongren was the leader of the New Guangxi Clique who controlled Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei and parts of the Shanhai pass connecting Hubei to Tianjin. The NRA 4th army had 16 divisions and 6 independent units, some 200,000 troops. When Wang Jingwei went into exile, Li Zongren inherited his Wuhan regime government. Li Zongren also had the support of Li Jishen who controlled Guangdong. Now Chiang Kai-Shek certainly had the upper hand, his first NRA army was 500,000 strong and he was the President of the nation. Yan Xishan had over 200,000 troops in his 3rd NRA army and controlled the Shanxi clique, Shanxi province, northern Hubei, Beijing and Tianjin. Lastly Feng Yuxiang had 400,000 troops in his 2nd NRA army, was the leader of the Guominjun and controlled a large part of northwest China, alongside Henan. Alone none of the others could challenge Chiang Kai-Shek, but what if they united against him?  The Guangxi clique led by Bai Chongxi and Li Zongren had won a lot from the northern expedition. They controlled Wang Jingwei's old Wuhan Regime, Guangxi, Hubei, but did not control all of Hunan. They both felt they should control Hunan and its lucrative revenues of course. Yet the governor of Hunan insisted the taxes collected were property of Nanjing. So Bai Chongxi and Li Zongrenplaced him under house arrest. After this Lu Diping was appointed by Li Zongren to preside over Hunan's civilian government affairs. Lu Diping was forced to work with a bitter rival, He Jian. What the Guangxi Clique members did not know was that Lu Diping had been groomed by Chiang Kai-Shek. Chiang Kai-Shek also began arming Lu Diping's private army in February of 1928. He Jian found out about this and reported it to the rest of the Guangxi clique. Li Zongren took notice of the situation and immediately had Lu Diping removed from office and deported. He was replaced by He Jian, go figure. Lu Diping then fled to cry to Chiang Kai-Shek. Chiang Kai-Shek was furious his man had been taken out of office and began threatening the Guangxi clique. Li Zongren's family were living in Nanking at the time and he took them quickly over to the Shanghai concession as he believed a storm was brewing. Li Zongren then met with Chiang Kai-Shek striking a peaceful deal by march 2nd, both agreeing He Jian would temporarily serve as the chairman over Hunan. However back over in Hunan, the situation was quickly deteriorating. Guangxi troops were taking out political opponents in the province and looked to be fomenting a rebellion. Chiang Kai-Shek took decisive action and mobilized his forces to pacify the Guangxi clique. Li Jishen, fearing a war would break out at any moment, sped north to Nanking to mediate, only to be arrested upon arriving by Chiang Kai-Shek. He was charged with treason. With Li Jishen out of Guangdong, the Cantones Generals Chen Jizhen and Chen Mingshu tossed their lot in with Chiang Kai-Shek, thus severing the Guangdong-Guangxi alliance. On March 21st Nanking issued a statement expelling Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi and Li Jishen from the KMT, accusing the 3 men of treason.  Now Chiang Kai-Shek actually was dealing with a lot more than insubordination from the Guangxi clique, in fact there was a growing anti-Chiang Kai-Shek coalition forming. I wont get into it here, but Feng Yuxiang was raising hell in the northwest, Yan Xishan was not at all happy with the new Nanking government and even Wang Jingwei over in Europe was tossing public accusations against Chiang Kai-Shek. This led a lot of KMT officials to resign in protest. Chiang Kai-Shek had a serious rebellion, perhaps a civil war on the horizon. He reacted first by bribing key Northern Chinese leaders to be neutral for the time being so he could focus all of his attention on the Guangxi clique menace. Chiang Kai-Shek did another clever thing, he reconciled with the exiled Tang Shengzhi. Many forces under Bai Chongxi were former soldiers under Tang Shengzhi, many of whom were still loyal to him. Chiang Kai-Shek brought Tang Shenzhi back over to China from Japan and dispatched him to Tangshan in Hubei, where he was ordered to steal back two of his old divisions from Bai Chongxi.  Yes Chiang Kai-Shek was playing the divide and conquer strategy. First he bribed as many as he could, so he could focus on the Guangxi clique. Then amongst the Guangxi he tried to bribe some and arrest others, isolating Bai Chongxi and Li Zongren. In the face of the situation, Zhang Xueliang was the first to publicly express his support for Chiang Kai-Shek, he was followed by Liu Wenhui, the warlord over Sichuan, then Yan Xishan and finally a reluctant Feng Yuxiang.  Initially Bai Chongxi was going to lead his troops station in Hubei to march south to Xuzhou to try and link up with other Guangxi clique forces to advance east and attack Nanking. However as he quickly found out, most of his troops were loyal to Tang Shengzhi who purchased their service and stole them from him. Bai Chongxi lost control over a significant part of his army, panicked and fled Hubei by boat. He intended to flee for Hong Kong, but Chiang Kai-Shek ordered the Navy to halt the ship, and if it did not stop to sink it. Li Zongren quickly asked support from Japanese allies to get Bai Chongxi safely to Hong Kong. Meanwhile Li Zongren began mobilizing 3 armies under Guangxi Generals Xia Wei, Tao Wei and Hu Zongqi. These armies were intended to be deployed in Huangpu and Wuxue, however Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi could not physically get over to them to command them. Meanwhile Chiang Kai-Shek appointed General Zhu Peide in command of 5 divisions in Jiujiang and Nanchang. Their job was to occupy the Wuchang-Changsha railway, thus cutting off the withdrawal of any troops from Guangxi. Chiang Kai-Shek also placed General Liu Zhi  in command of 5 divisions over in Anhui and Hubei's border area with orders to attack Wuhan and General Han Fuju would take 5 divisions from southern Henan to attack Wuhan. On March 31st, Chiang Kai-Shek dispatched his general attack orders. Subsequently He Jian betrayed the Guangxi clique and joined Chiang Kai-Shek. Within the Guangxi clique, the Generals Hu Zongtang, Tao Shu, Li Mingrui and Yu Zuobai all began inhouse fighting over old petty grudges. Chiang Kai-Shek learnt of the situation and bribed Yu Zuobai and Li Mingrui to join his side for 400,000 silver dollars. On April 3rd, Li Mingrui's troops began to defect over in Huayuan and Xiaogan. A bunch of other Guangxi Generals began contacting Chiang Kai-Shek privately, tell him they would not participate in the civil war and asked if they could take their men safely out of the region. So many gaps in the Guangxi cliques defensive lines around Wuhan were exploited by Nankings forces coming from Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan and Yichang. Nearly surrounded at Wuhan, the Guangxi forces fled into western Hubei. At the same time, Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi both arrived in Hong Kong and made their way to Guangxi only to find the situation an utter mess.  On April 11th, Nanking issued a message calling upon the Guangxi clique's soldiers to give up resistance. The demoralized Guangxi troops of Xia Wei, Tao Jun, Hu Zongtang all began surrendering themselves at Shashi, Yichang and other places. On April 25th, Chiang Kai-Shek unleashed an offensive into Guangxi. The response by the surviving Guangxi Clique was to establish an anti-Chiang Kai-Shek coalition on May 5th. They dispatched a telegram calling upon everyone to join them and initiated an offensive first aimed at Guangdong. By the 15th, Feng Yuxiang heeded the call, and began discussing how the Guominjun might send troops to attack Chiang Kai-Shek. However Feng Yuxiangs colleagues, Han Fuyu and Shi Yousan urged Feng Yuxiang not to do so. Then Chiang Kai-Shek offered Feng Yuxiang the position as president of the Executive committee, control over Hubei and Hunan if he continued to support him and send forces against the Guangxi rebels. Feng Yuxiang superficially agreed to Chiang Kai-Sheks request, mobilizing his forces between Henan and Hubei. While this looked like he was helping Chiang Kai-Shek, in reality he was eagerly waiting in the shadows for Chiang Kai-Shek and the Guangxi clique forces to weaken so he might pounce upon Wuhan. By mid May Guangxi's troops began entering Guangdong from two directions, easily overwhelming he Guangdong Provincial army, and marched into Guangzhou. Chiang Kai-SHek mobilized further armies in Hunan, Yunnan and Guizhou to invade Guangxi. This soon saw major battle break out in the Baimu region, ultimately dislodging the Guangxi troops from Guangdong and back into Guangxi. However, simultaneously, the Guangxi forces advanced on the front lines in Guilin and Liuzhou, defeating the Xiangjun, Qijun, and Qijun troops. In the same month, in Hunan, a significant push was made from Shonan to Guilin; meanwhile, Chen Guangdong's forces attacked Zhaoqing from Wuzhou, He County, and Guizhou's Dushan County, ultimately seizing Liuzhou. Chiang Kai-shek quickly mobilized forces led by Li Mingrui, Yu Zuobai, and the old Guangxi clique army under Yang Tenghui to move south towards Guangdong and west to attack Guangxi. Thanks to the strong efforts of these forces, they swiftly captured Wuzhou and Guiping. Wei Yunwei abandoned the city, and the Guangxi forces were unable to sustain the fight. Guangxi Province was attacked from three fronts, with enemy forces advancing from Longzhou. By June, Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, and Huang Shaoxiong had fallen. Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, and others fled to Hong Kong, Sai Kung, Haiphong, and other locations. On June 27, Li Mingrui and his troops entered Nanning. The new Guangxi clique was defeated, and Chiang appointed Li Mingrui, Yu Zuopeng, and Yang Tenghui to govern Guangxi Province. The war concluded with Chiang's victory. What became known as the Chiang-Gui War had lasted for 3 months and ended in victory for Chiang Kai-Shek. It was a severe blow to the Guangxi Clique, though not a fatal one. The Guangxi clique leaders had lost considerable power, but those like Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi would return to cause further trouble.  Victory would be short lived however. As Feng Yuxiang arrayed his forces between Henan and Hubei hoping to pounce on Wuhan at the right moment, Chiang Kai-Shek defeated the Guangxi clique far too quickly. Feng Yuxiang's opportunity was lost and he became extremely bitter over this. Knowing full well what Feng Yuxiang had been planning to do, Chiang Kai-Shek mobilized forces in Shandong and Henan to suppress the Guominjun.  Feng Yuxiang then declared himself commander in chief of the Northwest National salvation army, officially joining the anti-Chiang Kai-Shek cause. Chiang Kai-Shek then bribed Generals Han Fuju and Shi Yousan to defect over to his side greatly hurting Feng Yuxiang. Chiang Kai-Shek also unleashed propaganda warfare accusing Feng Yuxiang of sabotaging the revolution, being treasonous, trying to obstruct the unification of China and such. On May 23rd, the KMT central committee removed Feng Yuxiang from all of his posts and permanently expelled him from the party. Two days later Chiang Kai-Shek personally called Feng Yuxiang, asking him to go into exile abroad and hand over his remaining forces. Completely isolated politically and militarily, Feng Yuxiang sent a nationwide telegram on the 27th expressing his resignation. In order to mitigate Chiang Kai-Shek's advances, and in order to see if he could gain an alliance, Feng Yuxiang took his family to Shanxi on June 21st, claiming to the nation he was about to go abroad. Instead he had Yan Xishan place him under house arrest within the Jinci Temple at Jian'an village.  Feng Yuxiang and Yan Xishan were not friends by any measure. But they were quick to reach an understanding. The two Warlords made a formidable combination and had similar attributes. Both were strongmen, with firmly loyal and affection forces. Feng Yuxiang had his theatrical Christian values and rustic simplicity. Yan Xishan had this record of being a just man of the people. Both understood their names combined would see many join their cause. They named their coalition the Peoples Army.Yan Xishan then joined Feng Yuxiang to publicly label Chiang Kai-Shek a dictator. Despite the energy and charisma, what the two men lacked as a brilliant political mind, and suddenly Wang Jingwei came out of the woodwork. Wang Jingwei joined their coalition, obviously hoping to get revenge and dethrone Chiang Kai-Shek. He supplied them with loftier motives and more stylish vocabulary. Together they publicly accused Chiang Kai-Shek of departing from the original spirit of the revolution; that he was the scourge of democracy; nothing more than a military man who sought to seize the power of government. Bai Chongxi and Li Zongren bandwagoned and it seemed a large part of China was becoming very anti-Chiang Kai-Shek. After this a “telegraph war: erupted for over a month. Yan Xishan demanded the currently KMT government step down so he and Wang Jingwei could lead a reorganization, implementing proper votes by all party members to determine the party's policies going forward in a more fair manner. Chiang Kai-Shek responded he was willing to step aside for Yan Xishan but not Wang Jingwei. Then Chiang Kai-Shek bribed Yan Xishan with 12.5 million dollars of foreign currency if he backed down. To make matters more complicated, during all of this, Feng Yuxiang sent a secret message with his subordinate Lu Zhonglin to forces in Shaanxi asking them to send people to contact Chiang Kai-Shek. He did this deliberately, making sure Yan Xishan found the note and of course suspected him of being in league with Chiang Kai-Shek. Some real game of thrones shit. It seems Feng Yuxiang pulled a big brain move, because Yan Xishan under the belief Feng Yuxiang was colluding with Chiang Kai-SHek, then publicly claimed he was the commander in chief of the anti-Chiang Kai-Shek coalition and that his deputy commanders were Feng Yuxiang, Li Zongren and Zhang Xueliang. So, it seems Feng Yuxiang had dragged Yan Xishan to be binded to the cause because perhaps he knew Chiang Kai-Shek was trying to bribe and divide them?  On February 23, under the leadership of Yan Xishan, 45 generals including Feng Yuxiang , Li Zongren, Zhang Fakui, He Jian, Han Fuju, Shi Yousan, and Yang Hucheng jointly sent a telegram demanding a "general vote of all party members to establish a unified party." On February 27, 1930, Yan Xishan personally visited Feng Yuxiang in Jian'an Village, where they apparently hugged each other and cried, saying to each other: "We live and die together, share hardships, and fight against Chiang until the end" Then they  pledged their blood to form an alliance. Very theatrical. The next morning Yan Xishan hosted a banquet for Feng Yuxiangs family where 34 representatives joined the anti-chiang kai-shek coalition. This became known as the Taiyuan conference. On March 1st the coalition sent officials into 19 provinces and cities including Peiping, Nanking, Guangzhou and overseas to attack Chiang Kai-Shek. They stated "If Chiang refuses to give up, the revolutionary forces will be increasingly destroyed by him. I sincerely hope that our compatriots and comrades throughout the country will , rise up together and eliminate the thieves together.". That sam month the Nanking government held their third plenary session where they expelled Wang Jingwei officially from the party. Yan Xishan then called Chiang Kai-Shek asking him personally to step down. On March 15th, 57 generals from the former 2nd, 3rd and 4th NRA armies sent representatives to Taiyaun to discuss the anti-chiang movement. There they listed 6 crimes Chiang Kai-Shek had committed and promoted Yan Xishan to officially be the commander in chief of the army, navy and air forces of a new Republic of China. Li Zongren, Feng Yuxiang and Zhang Xueliang would be his deputy commanders. Yan Xishan's army moved into the government offices in Peiping where KMT forces were disarmed. In April 1st, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang and Li Zongren announced the inauguration in Taiyuan, Tongguan and Guiping of their anti-chiang army, however one name was not present, that of Zhang Xueliang. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. After performing the Northern expedition and finally reunifying China it took all but…what just over a year for it to collapse? It really seemed most of China hand banded together against the Generalissimo, but he was no fool and had planned accordingly. The anti-Chiang Kai-shek coalition would find themselves in a war they may very well lose. 

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Moonlit Mysteries: Revelations at Beijing Airport Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/moonlit-mysteries-revelations-at-beijing-airport Story Transcript:Zh: 北京国际机场人来人往，整个大厅弥漫着中秋节的气息。En: Beijing International Airport was bustling with people, and the entire hall was filled with the atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival.Zh: 五光十色的灯笼和月亮形状的装饰点缀着天棚，熙熙攘攘的乘客忙着赶往各自的终点。En: Colorful lanterns and moon-shaped decorations adorned the ceiling, and the bustling passengers hurried to their respective destinations.Zh: 义辰是机场的一名安保人员，他的眼睛总是在细致地观察着来往的人群。En: Yi Chen was a security officer at the airport, and his eyes were always carefully observing the passing crowds.Zh: 这天，他的目光锁定在了行李传送带上的一个神秘包裹。En: That day, his gaze locked onto a mysterious package on the baggage carousel.Zh: 包裹与其他行李不同，没有标签，也没有明显的主人。En: The package was different from other luggage, with no tags and no apparent owner.Zh: 义辰皱着眉，想起了他家族中那个被遗失的珍贵物品。En: Yi Chen frowned, recalling a precious item that had been lost in his family.Zh: 他有一种直觉，或许这个包裹藏着某种非比寻常的秘密。En: He had a hunch that perhaps this package harbored an extraordinary secret.Zh: 在传送带的另一端，美玲心存忧虑。En: At the other end of the carousel, Mei Ling was feeling anxious.Zh: 她准备飞回家，与家人共度中秋节。En: She was preparing to fly home to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with her family.Zh: 她的行李中藏着一个不宜外人知道的家族传家宝，她希望能够不惹麻烦平安登机。En: Among her luggage was a family heirloom that was best kept secret from outsiders, and she hoped to board the plane without any trouble.Zh: 但是，神秘包裹的出现，让她内心感到不安。En: However, the appearance of the mysterious package unsettled her.Zh: 志豪是机场的一名行李搬运工，心中怀揣着成为调查员的梦。En: Zhi Hao was a baggage handler at the airport, carrying the dream of becoming an investigator in his heart.Zh: 他总是给自己寻找一些不同寻常的事情来打发时间，包裹的出现激起了他的好奇心。En: He always looked for unusual occurrences to pass the time, and the appearance of the package piqued his curiosity.Zh: 义辰向上级报告了包裹的异常，但他的上司表示这可能只是一个简单的失误，并不认为需要大动干戈。En: Yi Chen reported the anomaly of the package to his superiors, but his boss indicated it might just be a simple mistake and didn't think it required any major action.Zh: 义辰心中不甘，决定单独行动。En: Unwilling to let it go, Yi Chen decided to act alone.Zh: 他找到志豪寻求帮助，志豪立即答应，觉得这是一次大显身手的机会。En: He sought help from Zhi Hao, who immediately agreed, seeing it as an opportunity to showcase his skills.Zh: 义辰和志豪在不惊动其他人的情况下，将包裹移到一个隐蔽的地方检查。En: Inconspicuously, Yi Chen and Zhi Hao moved the package to a secluded area to inspect it.Zh: 在他们的观察下，包裹中露出了一件古老的工艺品。En: Under their examination, an ancient artifact was revealed from the package.Zh: 看到这件工艺品，义辰感到一阵惊奇，这件物品竟然和他的一个家族传说有关。En: Seeing this artifact, Yi Chen was astonished, as it was related to a legend from his family.Zh: 与此同时，美玲因为安检被要求开箱检查，En: Meanwhile, Mei Ling was asked to open her luggage for inspection at security.Zh: 无奈之下，她向义辰倾诉了带着传家宝的故事。En: With no other choice, she confided in Yi Chen about carrying the family heirloom.Zh: 义辰感觉到事情的严肃性，让美玲知道合作的重要性。En: Yi Chen sensed the seriousness of the situation and conveyed to Mei Ling the importance of cooperation.Zh: 在调查的过程中，义辰、志豪和美玲了解到，这个包裹是一件古物，来源自同一个与中秋节相关的古老传说。En: During the investigation, Yi Chen, Zhi Hao, and Mei Ling discovered that the package was an antiquity, originating from an ancient legend related to the Mid-Autumn Festival.Zh: 这个传说与月亮的秘密和长久以来义辰家族中的失物联系在一起。En: This legend was connected to the secrets of the moon and the long-lost item in Yi Chen's family.Zh: 最终，包裹被成功归还。En: Ultimately, the package was successfully returned.Zh: 从包裹的线索中，义辰获得了关于自己家族的更多信息，这给他带来了极大的震撼。En: From the clues within, Yi Chen gained more information about his family, which was a great revelation to him.Zh: 志豪因此验证了自己的能力，而美玲也认识到了坦诚的重要性。En: Zhi Hao validated his own capabilities, and Mei Ling acknowledged the importance of honesty.Zh: 在中秋的晚上，义辰在月光下思索。En: On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Yi Chen pondered under the moonlight.Zh: 他理解了坚持自己直觉的重要性，同时也更加珍视与同事的合作。En: He understood the importance of trusting his instincts and also valued collaboration with his colleagues even more.Zh: 美玲则安心地和家人团聚，而志豪则对自己的未来充满信心。En: Mei Ling contentedly reunited with her family, while Zhi Hao felt confident about his future.Zh: 故事结束时，月亮升得高高的，照亮了北京国际机场，似乎在静静地见证着这一切的圆满。En: As the story concluded, the moon rose high, illuminating Beijing International Airport, silently witnessing the completion of this event. Vocabulary Words:bustling: 熙熙攘攘adorned: 点缀着anxious: 忧虑heirloom: 传家宝sought: 寻求inconspicuously: 不惊动secluded: 隐蔽的artifact: 工艺品astonished: 惊奇revelation: 震撼instincts: 直觉collaboration: 合作illuminating: 照亮precious: 珍贵extraordinary: 非比寻常treasured: 珍视unwilling: 不甘validated: 验证capabilities: 能力confident: 信心gaze: 目光hunch: 直觉curiosity: 好奇心anomaly: 异常showcase: 大显身手conveyed: 让(某人)知道seriousness: 严肃性originating: 来源pondered: 思索destination: 终点

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Beneath Beijing's Blue Sky: A Heartfelt Mid-Autumn Quest Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/beneath-beijings-blue-sky-a-heartfelt-mid-autumn-quest Story Transcript:Zh: 北京的秋天微风习习，天空一片澄蓝。En: Autumn in Beijing is breezy, and the sky is a clear blue.Zh: 今天是个特别的日子，因为中秋节快到了。En: Today is a special day because the Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching.Zh: 易凡和美玲走在热闹的丝绸市场中，他们正在寻找合适的节日礼物。En: Yifan and Meiling are walking through the bustling Silk Market, searching for the perfect holiday gifts.Zh: 市场里五彩缤纷，各种纺织品、手工艺品琳琅满目，空气中充满了讨价还价的声音，还有街头小吃的诱人香味。En: The market is vivid with colors, filled with various textiles and handicrafts, and the air is full of the sound of bargaining and the tempting aromas of street food.Zh: 易凡是个心思细腻的小伙子，他想为家人挑选几件表达爱意的礼物。En: Yifan is a thoughtful young man, and he wants to select gifts that express love for his family.Zh: 与他同行的美玲则务实干练，总是提醒他要保持预算。En: His companion, Meiling, is practical and efficient, always reminding him to stick to the budget.Zh: 今天，他们遇到了热情的摊主志浩。En: Today, they encounter the enthusiastic vendor, Zhihau.Zh: 志浩总是能准确判断顾客的喜好，他热情地向易凡介绍了一些精美的商品。En: Zhihau has a knack for accurately gauging customers' preferences and eagerly shows Yifan some exquisite items.Zh: “看看这个月饼盒，”志浩笑着说，“雕刻十分精致，很适合给父母。”En: “Look at this mooncake box,” Zhihau says with a smile, “The carving is very intricate, perfect for parents.”Zh: 易凡盯着那套月饼盒，的确很漂亮，但价格也不菲。En: Yifan gazes at the mooncake box set.Zh: 的确很漂亮，但价格也不菲。En: It is indeed beautiful, but the price is also steep.Zh: 他有些犹豫。En: He hesitates a little.Zh: 旁边的美玲适时提醒：“易凡，别忘了我们的预算。”En: Beside him, Meiling reminds him timely, "Don't forget our budget, Yifan."Zh: “但这是中秋节，我真的想送点特别的东西给爸妈，”易凡心里斗争着。En: "But it's the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I really want to give something special to my parents," Yifan struggles internally.Zh: 他想征求美玲的意见，但也想跟随自己的直觉。En: He wants Meiling's opinion but also wishes to follow his own intuition.Zh: 在市场的一个热闹角落，他们看到一个精致的月饼盒陈列台。En: In a lively corner of the market, they spot a beautifully displayed mooncake box.Zh: 月饼盒雕工复杂，里面装满了各式各样的口味，看起来诱人极了。En: The box is intricately carved and filled with various flavors, looking incredibly tempting.Zh: 想到父母看到这份大礼时的喜悦，易凡心里既期待又担忧。En: Thinking about the joy on his parents' faces when they see the gift, Yifan feels both anticipation and worry.Zh: 经过一番思考，他做出了决定。En: After some contemplation, he makes a decision.Zh: 易凡对志浩说：“我买这个月饼盒给爸妈。En: He tells Zhihau, “I'll buy this mooncake box for my parents.Zh: 另外，我想看看有没有适合兄弟姐妹的小礼物。”En: Also, I'd like to see if there are small gifts suitable for my siblings.”Zh: 志浩微笑着帮助易凡挑选了一些价格合适的小饰品。En: Zhihau smiles and helps Yifan pick out some reasonably priced small trinkets.Zh: 美玲看到易凡脸上的笑容，心里也很高兴。En: Seeing the smile on Yifan's face, Meiling feels happy too.Zh: 最终，易凡用合理的预算买到了让自己满意的礼物。En: In the end, Yifan manages to purchase gifts he is satisfied with within a reasonable budget.Zh: 他了解了物品的实用性和情感价值，他意识到，只要有心，礼物本身并不是唯一重要的，真心和陪伴更为珍贵。En: He understands the practical and emotional value of the items, and he realizes that as long as there is thoughtfulness, the gift itself isn't the only thing that matters; sincerity and companionship are even more precious.Zh: 带着新购得的礼物，易凡和美玲离开了丝绸市场。En: With the newly purchased gifts in hand, Yifan and Meiling leave the Silk Market.Zh: 中秋的月色将很快绽放，他感到温暖又充实。En: The Mid-Autumn moon will soon shine, and he feels warm and fulfilled.Zh: 易凡明白，爱是最珍贵的礼物。En: Yifan understands that love is the most precious gift of all. Vocabulary Words:breezy: 微风习习approaching: 快到了bustling: 热闹的vivid: 五彩缤纷textiles: 纺织品handicrafts: 手工艺品bargaining: 讨价还价tempting: 诱人thoughtful: 心思细腻reminding: 提醒enthusiastic: 热情vendor: 摊主knack: 诀窍accurately: 准确gauging: 判断exquisite: 精美intricate: 复杂hesitates: 犹豫anticipation: 期待worry: 担忧contemplation: 思考trinkets: 小饰品reasonably: 合理practical: 实用性companionship: 陪伴sincerity: 真心fulfilled: 充实precious: 珍贵microcosm: 缩影lively: 热闹

Two episodes from CBS hit drama Broadway is My Beat

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Under Beijing's Streets: A Scientist's Mid-Autumn Breakthrough Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/under-beijings-streets-a-scientists-mid-autumn-breakthrough Story Transcript:Zh: 北京的繁忙街道下，隐藏着一个秘密的实验室。En: Under the bustling streets of Beijing, a secret laboratory is hidden.Zh: 它是一个高科技的地方，满是先进的设备和忙碌的科学家。En: It is a high-tech place filled with advanced equipment and busy scientists.Zh: 在这个秋天的夜晚，城市的上方漂浮着庆祝中秋节的灯笼，给人一种与实验室截然不同的文化氛围。En: On this autumn night, lanterns celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival float above the city, providing a cultural atmosphere entirely different from that of the laboratory.Zh: 李伟是一名充满激情的科学家。他在心底总觉得自己被同事梅玲和陈荣所掩盖。En: Li Wei is a passionate scientist who feels overshadowed by his colleagues, Mei Ling and Chen Rong.Zh: 他希望通过这次研究项目获得大家的认可与尊重。En: He hopes that this research project will earn him recognition and respect.Zh: 他认为，这项工作将是他的一次突破。En: He believes that this work will be his breakthrough.Zh: 在一间静谧的实验室里，李伟、梅玲和陈荣正在研究一种突破性的技术。En: In a quiet laboratory, Li Wei, Mei Ling, and Chen Rong are working on a groundbreaking technology.Zh: 然而，他们遇到了一个棘手的技术难题，始终无法解决。En: However, they encounter a tricky technical problem that they can't solve.Zh: 这种紧张的气氛让原本就相互竞争的梅玲和李伟更加不和。En: The tense atmosphere worsens the already competitive nature between Mei Ling and Li Wei.Zh: 李伟感到压力倍增。他意识到节日的临近，但他决定舍弃中秋节的团圆夜，留在实验室里继续工作。En: Feeling an immense pressure, Li Wei realizes the festival is approaching, but he decides to forgo the Mid-Autumn Festival reunion night to stay in the lab and continue working.Zh: 他一心想要抢在同事前面，找到解决问题的方法。En: His sole focus is to find the solution before his colleagues do.Zh: 夜深了，实验室的灯光依然明亮。En: As the night deepens, the laboratory lights remain bright.Zh: 李伟坐在电脑前，望着窗外的明月和闪烁的灯笼，忽然灵感迸发。En: Li Wei sits in front of the computer, gazing at the bright moon and flickering lanterns outside the window when suddenly, inspiration strikes.Zh: 他惊醒般地拿起笔，在纸上快速地写下了他的新想法。En: Like being awakened, he grabs a pen and rapidly writes down his new idea on paper.Zh: 几分钟后，他终于找到了那个关键的组件，这正是他们一直苦苦寻觅的答案。En: Minutes later, he finally finds the crucial component—the answer they had been desperately searching for.Zh: 李伟激动不已，第二天把他的发现展示给了团队。En: Overjoyed, Li Wei presents his discovery to the team the next day.Zh: 梅玲和陈荣先是一愣，随后满心欢喜地祝贺他。En: Mei Ling and Chen Rong are initially stunned, then congratulate him full-heartedly.Zh: 他们意识到，在这个项目上，李伟的贡献不可或缺。En: They realize that Li Wei's contribution is indispensable to the project.Zh: 通过这次经历，李伟明白了一个道理：真正的合作才会带来认可，共享成功可以增强团队之间的信任与联系。En: Through this experience, Li Wei learns that true collaboration leads to recognition, and sharing success can enhance trust and connection within the team.Zh: 故事的结尾，李伟和他的团队站在高高的实验室窗前，望着外面的灯笼和明亮的月光，心里充满了胜利的喜悦与对未来的期待。En: At the end of the story, Li Wei and his team stand at the tall laboratory window, looking at the lanterns and the bright moon outside, hearts filled with the joy of victory and anticipation for the future. Vocabulary Words:bustling: 繁忙hidden: 隐藏laboratory: 实验室advanced: 先进autumn: 秋天lanterns: 灯笼atmosphere: 氛围passionate: 充满激情overshadowed: 掩盖recognition: 认可respect: 尊重breakthrough: 突破groundbreaking: 突破性technical: 技术problem: 难题tense: 紧张competitive: 竞争pressure: 压力reunion: 团圆focus: 一心solution: 答案inspiration: 灵感component: 组件desperately: 苦苦overjoyed: 激动不已stunned: 一愣congratulate: 祝贺indispensable: 不可或缺collaboration: 合作trust: 信任

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Love Under The Lanterns: A Mid-Autumn Revelation Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/love-under-the-lanterns-a-mid-autumn-revelation Story Transcript:Zh: 北京的秋天，空气中有一种特有的凉意，街道上挂满了五彩缤纷的灯笼，迎接中秋节的到来。En: In autumn in Beijing, there is a distinct chill in the air, and the streets are adorned with colorful lanterns to welcome the arrival of the Mid-Autumn Festival.Zh: 此时的台北，气氛同样热闹，人们在花园里赏月，分享月饼。En: At this time, Taipei is similarly lively, with people admiring the moon in gardens and sharing mooncakes.Zh: 李伟坐在北京的公寓里，桌子上放着一盘月饼，但他的心情不如节日般轻松。En: Li Wei sits in his Beijing apartment with a plate of mooncakes on the table, but his mood is not as light as the festive atmosphere.Zh: 李伟是一名年轻敬业的专业人士，工作繁忙，但一直坚持与远在台北的女友美玲保持这段远距离恋情。En: Li Wei is a young and dedicated professional, busy with work, but he has always maintained his long-distance relationship with his girlfriend Meiling in Taipei.Zh: 然而，最近的一个医学诊断改变了一切。En: However, a recent medical diagnosis changed everything.Zh: 医生告知李伟他患了一种慢性病。En: The doctor informed Li Wei that he has a chronic illness.Zh: 这个消息像一块巨石压在心头，他不知道该如何告诉美玲。En: This news feels like a heavy stone on his heart, and he doesn't know how to tell Meiling.Zh: 美玲是一位乐观而支持力强的伴侣。En: Meiling is an optimistic and supportive partner.Zh: 通过电话与视频，她总是能感受到李伟的情绪波动。En: Through phone calls and video chats, she always senses Li Wei's emotional fluctuations.Zh: 她隐约觉察到这段时间李伟的心情不太对劲。En: She has vaguely noticed that Li Wei hasn't been quite himself lately.Zh: 中秋节当晚，李伟决定通过视频通话来告诉美玲真相。En: On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Li Wei decided to tell Meiling the truth through a video call.Zh: 他心情忐忑，因为他怕这会给这段珍贵的关系带来压力与距离。En: He was apprehensive, worried that this might put pressure and distance on their precious relationship.Zh: 在月亮升到高空时，两人的视频通话开始了。En: As the moon climbed high in the sky, their video call began.Zh: “美玲，我们要说些重要的事情。En: "Meiling, we need to talk about something important."Zh: ”李伟定了定神，尽量保持语气的平静。En: Li Wei steadied himself, trying to keep his tone calm.Zh: “怎么了，李伟？En: “What's wrong, Li Wei?Zh: 听起来很严重。En: It sounds serious.” Meiling stared at the screen, her eyes filled with concern.Zh: ”美玲直视屏幕，她的眼神中充满了关切。En: Li Wei lowered his head, his eyes flickering slightly.Zh: 李伟低下头，眼中有些闪烁，“最近，我被诊断出有一种慢性病。En: "Recently, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness.Zh: 我不知道该怎么告诉你，我怕这会让你担心。En: I didn't know how to tell you because I was afraid it would make you worry."Zh: ”视频那一头的美玲沉默片刻，随后露出了一个温暖的微笑。En: On the other end, Meiling was silent for a moment, then she revealed a warm smile.Zh: “亲爱的，我的支持永远不会改变。En: "Dear, my support will never change.Zh: 我们可以一起面对这个挑战。En: We can face this challenge together."Zh: ”李伟心中的石头终于落地，他感到了一种从未有过的轻松。En: The heavy stone in Li Wei's heart finally dropped, and he felt an unprecedented relief.Zh: 他知道，这段关系中，坦诚和信任是多么重要。En: He realized how important honesty and trust are in their relationship.Zh: 美玲提议道：“不如等我们下次见面，一起去寺庙祈祷吧。En: Meiling suggested, "Why don't we visit a temple together to pray the next time we meet?Zh: 为你的健康和我们的未来。En: For your health and our future."Zh: ”电话的另一头，李伟露出了久违的笑容。En: On the other end of the line, Li Wei exhibited a long-lost smile.Zh: 他意识到，美玲给了他一种坚定的力量，他们可以一起走过任何风浪。En: He realized that Meiling had given him a firm strength, and they could weather any storm together.Zh: 屏幕中，月亮依旧皎洁，照亮了他们的未来。En: On the screen, the moon remained bright, illuminating their future. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天distinct: 特有的chill: 凉意adorned: 挂满了lively: 热闹mooncakes: 月饼dedicated: 敬业的illness: 疾病chronic: 慢性diagnosis: 诊断fluctuations: 波动apprehensive: 忐忑concern: 关切relief: 轻松honesty: 坦诚trust: 信任temple: 寺庙pray: 祈祷exhibited: 露出unprecedented: 从未有过的illuminating: 照亮optimistic: 乐观supportive: 支持力强的vaguely: 隐约relationship: 关系pressure: 压力stone: 巨石firm: 坚定的storm: 风浪admiring: 赏

Today's Mystery: Danny investigates the murder of a woman who'd been carrying a valuable statue smuggled out of China.Original Radio Broadcast Date: November 5, 1949Originating in HollywoodStarring: Larry Thor as Lieutenant Danny Clover; Charles Calvert as Sergeant Gino Tartaglia; Barton Yarborough; William Conrad; Junius Matthews; Jerry HausnerSupport the show monthly at https://patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day: Will, Patreon Supporter since February 2019Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call at 208-991-4783Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter @radiodetectivesJoin us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

Today's Mystery: Danny investigates the murder of a woman who'd been carrying a valuable statue smuggled out of China.Original Radio Broadcast Date: November 5, 1949Originating in HollywoodStarring: Larry Thor as Lieutenant Danny Clover; Charles Calvert as Sergeant Gino Tartaglia; Barton Yarborough; William Conrad; Junius Matthews; Jerry HausnerSupport the show monthly at https://patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day: Will, Patreon Supporter since February 2019Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call at 208-991-4783Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter @radiodetectives

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Balancing Passions: Li Wei's Qixi Festival Awakening Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/balancing-passions-li-weis-qixi-festival-awakening Story Transcript:Zh: 烈日炎炎的夏天，热浪袭人。En: On a scorching summer day, the heatwave was relentless.Zh: 繁华的购物商场里，人群熙熙攘攘，到处都是红色和金色的装饰，庆祝即将到来的七夕节。En: Inside the bustling shopping mall, crowds shuffled about, and red and gold decorations were everywhere, celebrating the upcoming Qixi Festival.Zh: 李伟是一名勤奋的学生，准备即将到来的新学年。En: Li Wei was a diligent student preparing for the new school year.Zh: 但他心中秘密地喜欢画画，这种兴趣常常被高昂的学业压力所压制。En: But secretly, he loved to draw—a passion often suppressed by overwhelming academic pressure.Zh: 他的好朋友美玲则完全相反，性格开朗，喜欢即兴。她对七夕节充满了期待。En: His good friend Meiling was his opposite: cheerful and spontaneous, full of anticipation for the Qixi Festival.Zh: "李伟，快看！那里的装饰品好漂亮！" 美玲指着前方一个摊位，眼睛闪闪发亮。En: "Li Wei, look! The decorations over there are so beautiful!" Meiling pointed to a stall up ahead, her eyes sparkling.Zh: "要不我们去看看吧？"En: "How about we go check it out?"Zh: 李伟点了点头，但心中犹豫。En: Li Wei nodded, but felt a bit hesitant.Zh: 他们原本是来买开学的文具用品的，可商场里到处都是七夕节的氛围，让他感到分心。En: They had originally come to buy school supplies, but the Qixi Festival atmosphere in the mall was distracting him.Zh: 他们走进了一家文具店。En: They walked into a stationery store.Zh: 李伟认真地挑选着需要的笔记本、文具盒和一些基本的学习工具。En: Li Wei carefully picked out the necessary notebooks, pencil cases, and basic study tools.Zh: 然而，每当他看着这些普通的文具时，脑海中总会闪现出画笔和画本的影子。En: Yet, every time he looked at these ordinary supplies, images of paintbrushes and sketchbooks flashed through his mind.Zh: 忽然，美玲兴奋地拉住他。En: Suddenly, Meiling excitedly grabbed him.Zh: "李伟，看那边有个画具店。En: "Li Wei, look over there—a store with art supplies.Zh: 我们过去看看吧！"En: Let's go check it out!"Zh: 李伟心里一动，脚步不自觉地跟上了美玲。En: Li Wei's heart skipped a beat, and he followed Meiling instinctively.Zh: 他们到了画具店，里面琳琅满目的画具让李伟的心脏加速跳动。En: They arrived at the art supplies store, and the dazzling array of materials made Li Wei's heart race.Zh: 美玲为他挑选了一个精致的素描本和几支好用的画笔。En: Meiling picked out a delicate sketchbook and some fine brushes for him.Zh: "试试看吧，李伟。我知道你喜欢画画。"她笑着说。En: "Give it a try, Li Wei. I know you love to draw," she said with a smile.Zh: 李伟犹豫了片刻，心里一阵挣扎。En: Li Wei hesitated for a moment, grappling internally.Zh: 他思索着自己来这里的初衷，要为新学年做准备。En: He pondered the initial reason for their visit, to prepare for the new school year.Zh: 但面对这些画具，他的眼神流露出渴望。En: But faced with the art supplies, his eyes revealed longing.Zh: 最终，他决定买下这些画具，并且不会感到后悔。En: In the end, he decided to buy the art supplies and felt no regret.Zh: 他还挑选了所需要的学习用品。En: He also selected the needed study materials.Zh: 李伟明白了，他可以同时兼顾自己的兴趣与学业。En: Li Wei realized that he could balance both his interests and his studies.Zh: 带着装满文具和画具的购物袋，李伟感到心满意足。En: With bags full of stationery and art supplies, Li Wei felt satisfied.Zh: 他甚至期待着用新的素描本来描绘自己内心的世界。En: He even looked forward to using the new sketchbook to depict his inner world.Zh: 他们走出商场，看着路边的七夕装饰，美玲开心地说：“李伟，你把每件事都做得很好。”En: As they left the mall, Meiling, looking at the Qixi decorations by the roadside, cheerfully said, “Li Wei, you manage everything so well.”Zh: 李伟微微一笑，深呼吸了一口清新的空气。En: Li Wei smiled slightly, taking a deep breath of fresh air.Zh: 他学会了如何在责任与兴趣之间找到平衡。En: He had learned how to find balance between responsibility and passion.Zh: 七夕节的热闹气氛不再让他感到压力，而是带来了新的动力。En: The lively atmosphere of the Qixi Festival no longer felt like pressure but brought new motivation.Zh: 阳光洒在他们身上，李伟觉得内心充满了力量。En: Sunlight shone on them, and Li Wei felt strength within.Zh: 他已经准备好迎接新学年的挑战，同时也要继续追求自己的热爱。En: He was ready to face the challenges of the new school year and continue pursuing his passion. Vocabulary Words:scorching: 烈日炎炎heatwave: 热浪relentless: 袭人bustling: 繁华shuffled: 熙熙攘攘decorations: 装饰upcoming: 即将到来的diligent: 勤奋overwhelming: 高昂academic: 学业cheerful: 开朗spontaneous: 即兴hesitant: 犹豫stationery: 文具notebooks: 笔记本ordinary: 普通instinctively: 不自觉地dazzling: 琳琅满目fine brushes: 画笔delicate: 精致grappling: 挣扎longing: 渴望balance: 兼顾satisfied: 心满意足depict: 描绘challenges: 挑战fresh air: 清新的空气responsibility: 责任motivation: 动力sunlight: 阳光

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: A Million-Dollar Joke: Harmony Beyond a Fake Lottery Ticket Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/a-million-dollar-joke-harmony-beyond-a-fake-lottery-ticket Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个阳光明媚的夏天，家里到处挂满了五彩缤纷的灯笼和装饰，大家都在庆祝七夕节。En: On a bright and sunny summer day, colorful lanterns and decorations adorned the house, as everyone celebrated the Qixi Festival.Zh: 假豪、丽芬和美玲三个人一起住在一栋大房子里。En: Jiahao, Lifen, and Meiling lived together in a big house.Zh: 假豪是个爱开玩笑的人，丽芬勤快而务实，美玲则总是乐观，喜欢做梦。En: Jiahao was a jokester, Lifen was diligent and pragmatic, and Meiling was always optimistic and loved to dream.Zh: 这天，假豪决定给家里制造一些乐趣。En: On this day, Jiahao decided to create some fun in the household.Zh: 他偷偷买了一张假的彩票，精心伪造成中奖的样子，上面赫然写着“奖金一百万”。En: He secretly bought a fake lottery ticket and carefully made it look like a winning one, boldly marked with "Prize: One Million."Zh: 他默默地把这张彩票放进了丽芬的抽屉。En: He quietly placed the ticket into Lifen's drawer.Zh: 没过多久，丽芬收拾东西时发现了这张彩票，En: Not long after, Lifen found the ticket while tidying up.Zh: 她睁大了眼睛，呼吸都停住了。En: She widened her eyes and gasped.Zh: “美玲！快来看！”丽芬兴奋地叫道。En: "Meiling! Come quickly!" Lifen exclaimed excitedly.Zh: 美玲跑过来，一看到彩票也惊呆了：En: Meiling ran over and, upon seeing the ticket, was also stunned.Zh: “丽芬，我们中了一百万！”En: "Lifen, we've won a million!"Zh: 她们两人开心得跳了起来，彼此拥抱着，幻想着未来。En: The two of them jumped for joy, hugging each other and fantasizing about the future.Zh: “我要买一栋大房子！”美玲说。En: "I'm going to buy a big house!" Meiling said.Zh: “我要给家人改善生活！”丽芬激动地说道。En: "I'm going to improve my family's life!" Lifen said excitedly.Zh: 但是，两人的欢喜很快变成了争执。En: But their joy quickly turned into an argument.Zh: “美玲，我觉得还是先存起来比较好。”丽芬建议道。En: "Meiling, I think it's better to save it first," Lifen suggested.Zh: 但美玲不同意，“不行！我们得享受一下生活。”En: Meiling disagreed, "No way! We need to enjoy life."Zh: 她们吵得越来越激烈，甚至影响了准备七夕节的气氛。En: Their argument grew more intense, even affecting the festive atmosphere of the Qixi Festival preparations.Zh: 假豪站在一旁，看着她们两个为了一张假的彩票争论，不禁心里有些愧疚。En: Jiahao stood aside, watching them argue over a fake lottery ticket, feeling somewhat guilty inside.Zh: 这时，假豪面临着一个艰难的选择：他到底要不要告诉她们这张彩票是假的？还是让事情继续发展下去？En: At that moment, Jiahao faced a difficult choice: Should he tell them the lottery ticket was fake, or let things continue to unfold?Zh: 最终，假豪决定坦白。En: In the end, Jiahao decided to come clean.Zh: 他拿出那张假彩票，走到丽芬和美玲面前。En: He took out the fake ticket and walked up to Lifen and Meiling.Zh: “丽芬，美玲，对不起，这张彩票是我开的一个玩笑，是假的。”En: "Lifen, Meiling, I'm sorry, this lottery ticket is a joke I played, it's fake."Zh: 丽芬和美玲听了，脸色瞬间变了。En: Hearing this, Lifen and Meiling's faces changed instantly.Zh: 她们原本的争执也停了下来，整个房子里一时安静无声。En: Their argument ceased, and the house fell silent.Zh: “为什么你要这么做？”丽芬终于开口了，声音有些哽咽。En: "Why did you do this?" Lifen finally asked, her voice choked.Zh: 假豪低下头，“我只是想让我们家里多一点欢笑。对不起，我没想到会造成这样的结果。”En: Jiahao lowered his head, "I just wanted to bring more laughter into our home. I didn't think it would lead to this."Zh: 美玲叹了口气，“假豪，我们知道你想让我们开心，不过这种玩笑真的很过分。”En: Meiling sighed, "Jiahao, we know you wanted to make us happy, but this kind of joke was really too much."Zh: 最后，经过一番讨论，假豪诚恳地道了歉。En: After a discussion, Jiahao sincerely apologized.Zh: 丽芬和美玲也意识到，亲情远比金钱更重要。En: Lifen and Meiling also realized that family bonds were far more important than money.Zh: 虽然暂时没有中奖的兴奋，但她们三个却因为这次事件更靠近了彼此。En: Although they didn't have the thrill of winning the lottery, the three of them grew closer through this incident.Zh: 在那个七夕节的晚上，大家围坐在一起，分享彼此的感受，讲述过去的趣事，En: On that Qixi Festival night, they all sat together, sharing their feelings and recounting past funny stories.Zh: 家中的氛围变得比以往任何时候都要温馨。En: The house felt warmer than it ever had before.Zh: 假豪也学会了要注意玩笑的分寸，而丽芬和美玲则更加珍惜彼此。En: Jiahao learned to be more mindful with jokes, while Lifen and Meiling cherished each other even more.Zh: 七夕节的夜空中，星星闪烁，仿佛在见证这家人的成长和和解。En: Under the Qixi Festival's night sky, the stars twinkled, seemingly witnessing the growth and reconciliation within this family. Vocabulary Words:adorned: 挂满jokester: 爱开玩笑的人diligent: 勤快pragmatic: 务实optimistic: 乐观dream: 做梦fake: 假的lottery: 彩票marked: 赫然写着drawer: 抽屉tidying: 收拾gasped: 呼吸都停住jumped: 跳hugging: 拥抱fantasizing: 幻想improve: 改善disagreed: 不同意argument: 争执intense: 激烈festive: 七夕节的preparations: 准备guilty: 愧疚unfold: 发展come clean: 坦白choked: 哽咽sincerely: 诚恳reconciliation: 和解thrill: 兴奋sharing: 分享recounting: 讲述

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Strife to Unity: A Summer Festival of Heartfelt Triumph Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/from-strife-to-unity-a-summer-festival-of-heartfelt-triumph Story Transcript:Zh: 夏天的早晨，阳光洒满了整个社区。En: On a summer morning, sunlight bathed the entire community.Zh: 街道两旁的花朵盛开，蝉鸣声传遍每个角落。En: Flowers bloomed along the streets, and the sound of cicadas filled every corner.Zh: 佳豪和妹妹美玲走在社区的小路上，心情特别好。En: Jiahao and his younger sister Meiling walked along the community path, feeling exceptionally joyful.Zh: 美玲说：“哥哥，这次夏季节一定要很特别。En: Meiling said, "Brother, this summer festival has to be really special."Zh: ”佳豪笑了笑，答应了妹妹。En: Jiahao smiled and agreed.Zh: 可是，他们遇到了一个大问题。En: However, they ran into a major problem.Zh: 最流行的装饰品和烟花都卖光了。En: The most popular decorations and fireworks were all sold out.Zh: 佳豪不仅要在短时间内找到替代品，还要省钱。En: Jiahao not only needed to find alternatives in a short amount of time but also had to save money.Zh: 他想起了邻居星羽。En: He thought of their neighbor Xingyu.Zh: 他们到了星羽的小店。En: They went to Xingyu's small shop.Zh: 星羽正在忙碌地整理货架。En: Xingyu was busily organizing the shelves.Zh: 看到佳豪和美玲，她有点惊讶。En: Seeing Jiahao and Meiling, she looked a little surprised.Zh: 佳豪开口了：“星羽，我们需要你的帮忙，装饰品都卖光了。En: Jiahao spoke up, "Xingyu, we need your help; the decorations are all sold out."Zh: ”星羽沉默了一会儿，因为过去的一些误会，她对佳豪有点保留。En: Xingyu was silent for a moment; because of some past misunderstandings, she was somewhat reserved towards Jiahao.Zh: 但她看了看美玲，看到她充满希望的眼神，星羽最终点了点头。En: But looking at Meiling and seeing the hope in her eyes, Xingyu finally nodded.Zh: “我们可以自己做装饰品，”星羽说。En: "We can make the decorations ourselves," Xingyu said.Zh: 佳豪有些怀疑，但他决定信任她。En: Jiahao was a bit skeptical, but he decided to trust her.Zh: 接下来的几天里，他们三个开始动手制作装饰品。En: Over the next few days, the three of them started making decorations.Zh: 用彩纸折出灯笼，用旧布料剪出彩色旗帜。En: They folded lanterns out of colored paper and cut colorful banners from old fabrics.Zh: 虽然手工粗糙，但每个装饰品都充满了心意。En: Though the handmade items were a bit rough, each one was filled with heart.Zh: 星羽还拿出了一些藏在厨房里的小烟花，虽然不如买来的那样华丽，但足够让人兴奋。En: Xingyu also brought out some small fireworks from her kitchen, which, though not as glamorous as the store-bought ones, were still exciting enough.Zh: 节日当天，整个社区挂满了五彩缤纷的装饰，热闹非凡。En: On the day of the festival, the whole community was adorned with colorful decorations, bustling with activity.Zh: 大家都在夸奖这些独特的手工艺品。En: Everyone praised the unique handmade crafts.Zh: 美玲开心地跳起来：“哥哥，这次夏季节太棒了！En: Meiling jumped up happily, "Brother, this summer festival is amazing!"Zh: ”佳豪也笑得很开心，他深深地感谢星羽的帮助。En: Jiahao also smiled with joy, deeply grateful for Xingyu's help.Zh: 看着这个充满欢笑的社区，佳豪感受到了团结的力量。En: Looking at the laughter-filled community, Jiahao felt the power of unity.Zh: 星羽走过来，说：“过去的误会就让它过去吧，我们共同努力，真的很不错。En: Xingyu came over and said, “Let bygones be bygones.Zh: ”佳豪点点头，两人握手言和。En: We did really well together.” Jiahao nodded, and the two shook hands, making peace.Zh: 从那以后，佳豪知道社区的力量可以让任何困难变得容易。En: From then on, Jiahao knew that the strength of the community could make any difficulties easier.Zh: 而美玲也感到哥哥的爱和支持，让她更有信心面对新的学期。En: Meiling also felt her brother's love and support, giving her more confidence to face the new school term.Zh: 这个夏季节成为了他们美好的回忆。En: This summer festival became a beautiful memory for them. Vocabulary Words:bathed: 洒满了exceptionally: 特别joyful: 开心major: 大alternatives: 替代品community: 社区decorations: 装饰品fireworks: 烟花misunderstandings: 误会reserved: 保留hope: 希望skeptical: 怀疑filled with heart: 充满了心意glamorous: 华丽bustling: 热闹praised: 夸奖unique: 独特handmade: 手工adorned: 挂满了strength: 力量organizing: 整理shelves: 货架nodded: 点了点头confidence: 信心together: 共同memory: 回忆sunlight: 阳光bloomed: 盛开festival: 节日kitchen: 厨房

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Solstice Connections: Finding Peace in Serenity Garden Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/solstice-connections-finding-peace-in-serenity-garden Story Transcript:Zh: 在未来的一个完美社会中，有一个静谧的地方，名叫静心花园。En: In a perfect society in the future, there is a tranquil place called Serenity Garden.Zh: 这里绿树成荫，花香四溢，水池清澈，雕塑奇特。En: Here, the trees are lush, the flowers are fragrant, the pools are clear, and the sculptures are unique.Zh: 每年的夏至，花园里都会举办一个夏至节庆典。En: Every year on the summer solstice, a Summer Solstice Festival is held in the garden.Zh: 这个节日充满了欢声笑语和各种活动。En: This festival is filled with laughter and various activities.Zh: 佳昊是一个雄心勃勃的工程师。En: Jiahao is an ambitious engineer.Zh: 他每天都忙于工作，几乎没有时间休息。En: He is busy with work every day and hardly has any time to rest.Zh: 他总是感到疲惫和孤独。En: He always feels tired and lonely.Zh: 梅玲则是一位自由的艺术家，她总是在寻找新的灵感。En: Meiling, on the other hand, is a free-spirited artist who is always searching for new inspiration.Zh: 最近，她感觉自己的创作陷入了瓶颈，不知道该怎么办。En: Recently, she feels that her creativity has hit a block, and she doesn't know what to do.Zh: 今天是夏至节，佳昊决定破天荒地请一天假。En: Today is the Summer Solstice Festival, and Jiahao decides to take a rare day off.Zh: 他想在静心花园找一找心灵的宁静。En: He wants to find some peace of mind in Serenity Garden.Zh: 梅玲也来到了这里，希望能找到一些新的灵感。En: Meiling also comes here, hoping to find some new inspiration.Zh: 两人在花园的一个小池塘旁不期而遇。En: The two meet unexpectedly by a small pond in the garden.Zh: 那时阳光洒在水面上，波光粼粼。En: The sunlight glitters on the water's surface at that moment.Zh: 梅玲正在拍照，佳昊则在一旁静静地观赏。En: Meiling is taking photographs, while Jiahao is quietly observing nearby.Zh: “你好，”佳昊微笑着说，“你也喜欢这里吗？”En: “Hello,” Jiahao says with a smile, “Do you like it here too?”Zh: 梅玲点点头，“是的，这里太美了。我来寻找创作的灵感。”En: Meiling nods, “Yes, it's so beautiful here. I came to find inspiration for my creations.”Zh: 佳昊感到一阵亲切，他们聊了起来。En: Jiahao feels a sense of closeness, and they start to chat.Zh: 梅玲讲述了她的创作困境，佳昊说起了工作的压力。En: Meiling talks about her creative block, and Jiahao shares the pressures of his work.Zh: 两人的谈话渐渐变得轻松，似乎所有的烦恼在这片宁静中都消失了。En: Their conversation gradually becomes relaxed, and it seems all their worries have vanished in this peaceful place.Zh: 夜幕降临，花园里的烟花表演开始了。En: As night falls, the fireworks display in the garden begins.Zh: 绚丽的烟花在夜空中绽放，照亮了他们的脸庞。En: Brilliant fireworks light up the night sky and illuminate their faces.Zh: 佳昊和梅玲坐在一起，看着天空中的美景，心情逐渐平静。En: Jiahao and Meiling sit together, looking at the beautiful scene in the sky, their hearts gradually calming down.Zh: “你知道吗？”梅玲轻声说，“我觉得自己找到了新的灵感。”En: “You know,” Meiling says softly, “I feel like I've found new inspiration.”Zh: 佳昊笑了，“我也突然觉得生活不再那么压抑。谢谢你，梅玲。”En: Jiahao smiles, “I also suddenly feel that life isn't so oppressive anymore. Thank you, Meiling.”Zh: 烟花结束后，佳昊觉得他找到了平衡的感觉，同时也结识了一个新朋友。En: After the fireworks end, Jiahao feels he has found a sense of balance and met a new friend.Zh: 而梅玲则决定在城里继续呆一段时间，汲取更多的灵感。En: Meiling decides to stay in the city for a while longer to gather more inspiration.Zh: 佳昊明白了自我照顾和人际关系的重要性，梅玲克服了她的创作瓶颈，获得了新的视野。En: Jiahao understands the importance of self-care and relationships, while Meiling overcomes her creative block and gains a fresh perspective.Zh: 他们都变得更加丰富和有意义。En: They both become more enriched and meaningful in their lives.Zh: 从那以后，他们经常在静心花园碰面，分享各自的生活和梦想。En: From then on, they often meet in Serenity Garden to share their lives and dreams.Zh: 静心花园，成了他们心灵的港湾。En: Serenity Garden has become a haven for their souls. Vocabulary Words:tranquil: 静谧lush: 绿树成荫fragrant: 花香四溢unique: 奇特solstice: 夏至festival: 庆典ambitious: 雄心勃勃tired: 疲惫lonely: 孤独free-spirited: 自由inspiration: 灵感block: 瓶颈unexpectedly: 不期而遇glitters: 波光粼粼observing: 观赏creations: 创作pressures: 压力gradually: 渐渐vanished: 消失fireworks: 烟花display: 表演brilliant: 绚丽illuminate: 照亮oppressive: 压抑self-care: 自我照顾relationships: 人际关系enriched: 丰富meaningful: 有意义perspective: 视野haven: 港湾

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Home: A Heartwarming Journey in Shanghai's Glow Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/finding-home-a-heartwarming-journey-in-shanghais-glow Story Transcript:Zh: 上海地铁里，人来人往，大家都在享受端午节的气氛。En: In the Shanghai metro, people came and went, all enjoying the atmosphere of the Dragon Boat Festival.Zh: 美玲、欣怡和家豪三个人挤在地铁里，准备去外滩散步。En: Meiling, Xinyi, and Jiahao squeezed into the train, preparing to go for a walk at the Bund.Zh: “我好想家啊，”欣怡轻声说。En: "I really miss home," Xinyi said softly.Zh: “别担心，”美玲安慰她，“我们一起去外滩，看灯光秀，吃好吃的，很快就会感觉好多了。”En: "Don't worry," Meiling comforted her, "We'll go to the Bund together, watch the light show, and enjoy some delicious food. You'll feel much better soon."Zh: 家豪拿着相机，眼睛不停地四处张望，寻找拍摄的灵感。他笑着说：“今天是个好机会，我一定要拍到完美的照片。”En: Jiahao, holding his camera, kept looking around, seeking inspiration for his shots. He smiled and said, "Today is a great opportunity; I must capture the perfect photo."Zh: 地铁到站了，三个人下车，步行到外滩。空气中弥漫着粽子的香味，街道上挂满了红色的灯笼。En: The train arrived at their stop, and the three of them got off and walked to the Bund. The air was filled with the aroma of zongzi, and the streets were adorned with red lanterns.Zh: 美玲看着两边的高楼大厦和历史建筑，心中感慨万千。En: Meiling looked at the tall buildings and historic structures on both sides, feeling deeply moved.Zh: “我真的很喜欢这些建筑，”美玲说，“但我有时会怀疑，自己是不是选对了专业。”En: "I really love these buildings," Meiling said, "But sometimes I wonder if I chose the right major."Zh: 欣怡拍拍她的肩膀：“别想那么多，相信自己。你对建筑有激情，这就够了。”En: Xinyi patted her shoulder, "Don't overthink it. Believe in yourself. Your passion for architecture is enough."Zh: 家豪举起相机，捕捉两位朋友的瞬间。他突然领悟到，比起拍摄游客和风景，朋友的笑容更让他感动。En: Jiahao raised his camera, capturing fleeting moments of his friends. He suddenly realized that the smiles of his friends moved him more than pictures of tourists and scenery.Zh: 黄浦江的对岸，灯光闪烁，美丽的夜景让人陶醉。三个人站在江边，美玲深吸一口气，脸上的愁容渐渐消失。En: Across the Huangpu River, the lights flickered, and the beautiful night view was mesmerizing. The three of them stood by the river, Meiling taking a deep breath as the worries on her face gradually dissipated.Zh: “谢谢你们，”美玲感激地说，“和你们在一起，我感觉好多了。”En: "Thank you," Meiling said gratefully, "Being with you both makes me feel so much better."Zh: 欣怡微笑着点头：“我也一样。虽然我想家，但有你们在，我觉得上海也是我的家。”En: Xinyi nodded with a smile, "I feel the same. Even though I miss home, with you here, I feel Shanghai is also my home."Zh: 家豪按下快门，捕捉到了朋友们温暖的瞬间。他知道，这张照片将是他这次外滩之行的最佳作品。En: Jiahao pressed the shutter, capturing the warm moment between his friends. He knew this photo would be his best work from the Bund trip.Zh: 当他们回家的时候，美玲感觉充满了力量和信心。欣怡也不再那么想家，开始享受上海的生活。家豪发现，最美的瞬间往往是朋友之间的真情流露。En: On their way home, Meiling felt filled with strength and confidence. Xinyi no longer missed home as much and began to enjoy life in Shanghai. Jiahao discovered that the most beautiful moments were often the genuine expressions between friends.Zh: 在这个繁忙的城市中，三位朋友找到了自己的位置。他们互相支持，共同前行。En: In this bustling city, the three friends found their places. They supported each other and moved forward together.Zh: 美玲在建筑学上的信心恢复了，欣怡找到了家的感觉，家豪也拍摄到了心中的完美照片。从此之后，他们不再感到迷茫，上海成了他们共同的乐园。En: Meiling regained her confidence in architecture, Xinyi found a sense of home, and Jiahao captured the perfect photo he had in his heart. From then on, they no longer felt lost; Shanghai became their shared paradise. Vocabulary Words:metro: 地铁atmosphere: 气氛squeezed: 挤comforted: 安慰inspiration: 灵感capture: 拍aroma: 香味adorned: 挂满historic: 历史structures: 建筑regained: 恢复flickered: 闪烁mesmerizing: 陶醉genuine: 真情expressions: 流露paradise: 乐园enjoying: 享受worried: 担心delicious: 好吃architecture: 建筑学confident: 信心opportunity: 机会perfect: 完美walking: 散步adorned: 挂满moment: 瞬间realized: 领悟worries: 愁容grateful: 感激mesmerizing: 陶醉

Underpants, posters in lockers, bands, a surprise Mei Ling, and an excessive number of Easter Eggs. That can mean only one thing: Alyxa is back (with a brand new invention?) to continue her chat about Metal Gear Solid 2.Remember that you can always get in touch with us on our Facebook page, on Twitter, or with our Contact page.Content WarningThis episode contains spoilers for Metal Gear Solid 2 and a few swears.Please listen responsibly.Show NotesAlyxa returned!Well, she'd have to because her and Squidge weren't finished with their conversation on Metal Gear Solid 2 in our last episode.Waffling Taylor's Lite: the pocket size podcast that packs a gaming punch.In this serving of byte sized banter with a side of gaming goodness. We catch up with Alyxa the Kitsune (codename: Glitter Fox) about Metal Gear Solid 2. We cover everything from Easter eggs streaming mishaps to codec hijackings.So without further ado, sit back, grab some snacks, and get ready for this episode entitled: "Metal Gear Solid 2 Part 2 - A What Vampire!?"Take it away, guys— SquidgeSock Puppets!Squidge wasted no time in getting to the good (read: "absurd") stuff by asking:If you could take three characters from the combined universe of Metal Gear Solid One and Two and re-enact a scene of metal Gear Solid Two using sock puppets, who would play who and how long before you start burst out laughing?— SquidgeIt's probably for the best that you listen to Alyxa's answer, because it's almost as absurd as Squidge's question and includes a very deep cut back to Alyxa's appearance in WT Lite - Metal Gear Solid with Alyxa the Kitsune - aka episode 173.Metal Gear - The Pop Group!?You are tasked to form a pop group of four people from a list of characters from Metal Gear Solid, two, who is in it, and what is their first breakout song called. And a band name, if you've got one— SquidgeAlyxa and Squidge kept talking about this question way after the recording ended, and Delilah had to get involved during the edit.Solid Snake, Solidus, Raiden. And their breakout song, or their debut song, would be "broken bonds"... It's broken bonds. Because what do these four characters have in common?It's because of the whole thing with Solidus being Raiden's adopted father, Ocelot supposedly having Liquids arm. Then you have Solid and Solidus. It's a broken part of a family.— AlyxaSquidge answered this one, too. And his choices are bonkers.Full Show NotesCheck out the full show notes for the full list of Squidge's questions, some extra stuff, and some links to related things.What are some of your favourite Easter Eggs in Metal Gear Solid 2? Who would be in your Metal Gear Solid band? Would you play a version of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker on a VR headset with a Rock Band guitar? Dial in (our code is 141.12) with your own hilarious codec conversation. Let us know via our Discord, Twitter, Facebook, or try our brand-new contact page!And have you left us a rating or review? We love hearing back from listeners about our show, so check out https://wafflingtaylors.rocks/our-podcast/ for links to services where you can leave us some wonderful feedback.The Waffling Taylors is a proud member of Jay and Jay Media. If you like this episode, please consider supporting our Podcasting Network. One $3 donation provides a week of hosting for all of our shows. You can support this show, and the others like it, at https://ko-fi.com/jayandjaymedia ★ Support this podcast ★

On this episode of the Character Outs podcast, I am honored to host Mei Ling. Mei Ling helps women who identify as the black sheep of their families move from feeling inadequate to becoming powerful cycle breakers by helping them reconnect with their unique soul's agenda and divine support system, so that they can shine their light into the world, knowing they are deeply loved and valued for who they are. As a mixed-race woman who inherited intuitive and psychic abilities through her Chinese lineage, Mei Ling is a bridge between the East and West, and between the earthly and spiritual realms. Growing up, she constantly felt like the outsider, never quite fitting in anywhere. As a child of divorce, the feeling was only exacerbated when she became the inconvenient addition to her parents' new families. The spiritual journey that eventually led Mei Ling to become a professional intuitive started with one question - “Why me?” Mei Ling shares her own personal stories of growing up as the black sheep and scapegoat and weaves in vulnerable, potent, and often funny insights from these experiences with the hopes that those listening feel less alone on their journeys.  How to find Mei Ling; Website: https://meiling-intuitive.com/ To book your Soul Story Session: https://meiling-intuitive.com/offerings/soul-story-session/ To connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meiling.intuitive?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr Email me: characteroutspodcast@gmail.com Join the fun on the Gram: https://www.instagram.com/characteroutspodcast/ Check out the website: https://characteroutspodcast.com/ In case no one has told you lately, it's not you, never has been, you don't have to fix it and you are not alone.

We're back with another episode of our subseries, Longer, better lives! This series unpacks our recently published manifesto, Longer, Better Lives: A Manifesto for Cancer Research and Care. You might recognise our next guest, as she was part of our ‘Together We Are Beating Cancer' campaign featuring on a TV advert as well as billboards and posters on display across the UK, during September. Dr Mei-Ling Lancashire is a GP who was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer 2 years ago. In this episode, Sophie sits with Mei-Ling to talk about her cancer experience and why she believes politicians need to start prioritising cancer. To join us in telling party leaders to back our calls for longer, better lives, you can sign our open letter. Read the manifestoSign our open letterSign up to be a Campaigns Ambassador For more cancer stories, visit Cancer News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bob Bailey, generally thought of as the most popular of the Johnny Dollars, brought a new interpretation to the character – tough, but not hard-boiled; streetwise, but not overly cynical, Bailey's Dollar was smart and gritty when he had to be. But Bailey's Johnny Dollar was also human. His character would get emotionally involved in a number of his cases. He had a streak of impatience, and would occasionally not fully listen to a witness and rush off on a tangent before realizing his mistake. The weekday serialized episodes are generally acknowledged as some of the finest radio detective shows ever produced. There were fifty six multi-part shows in all: fifty four five-part shows, one six-part show, and one nine-part show. The serialized episodes continued until November 2, 1956 when the series again reverted to a once a week, thirty minute format. Bob Bailey continued in the lead, until "The Empty Threat Matter" of November 27, 1960, when the Hollywood run ended. ANDROID USERS- 1001 Stories From The Old West at Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0c2fc0cGwJBcPfyC8NWNTw 1001 Radio Days right here at Google Podcasts FREE: https://podcasts.google.com/search/1001%20radio%20days 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales at Google Podcasts https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vQURMNzU3MzM0Mjg0NQ== 1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries at Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/search/1001%20heroes 1001 Sherlock Holmes Stories (& Tales from Arthur Conan Doyle) https://podcasts.google.com/search/1001%20sherlock%20holmes 1001 Ghost Stories & Tales of the Macabre on Spotify: https://podcasts.google.com/search/1001%20ghost%20stories 1001 Stories for the Road on Google Podcasts https://podcasts.google.com/search/1001%20stories%20for%20the%20road Enjoy 1001 Greatest Love Stories on Google Podcasts https://podcasts.google.com/search/1001%20greatest%20love%20stories 1001 History's Best Storytellers: (author interviews) on Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/1001-historys-best-storytellers APPLE USERS 1001 Stories from The Old West at Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-stories-from-the-old-west/id1613213865 Catch 1001 Heroes on any Apple Device here (Free): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-heroes-legends-histories-mysteries-podcast/id956154836?mt=2  Catch 1001 CLASSIC SHORT STORIES at Apple Podcast App Now: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-classic-short-stories-tales/id1078098622 Catch 1001 Stories for the Road at Apple Podcast now:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-stories-for-the-road/id1227478901 NEW Enjoy 1001 Greatest Love Stories on Apple Devices here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-greatest-love-stories/id1485751552 Catch 1001 RADIO DAYS now at Apple iTunes!  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-radio-days/id1405045413?mt=2 NEW 1001 Ghost Stories & Tales of the Macabre is now playing at Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-ghost-stories-tales-of-the-macabre/id1516332327 NEW Enjoy 1001 History's Best Storytellers (Interviews) on Apple Devices here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-historys-best-storytellers/id1483649026 NEW Enjoy 1001 Sherlock Holmes Stories and The Best of Arthur Conan Doyle https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-sherlock-holmes-stories-best-sir-arthur-conan/id1534427618 Get all of our shows at one website: https://.1001storiespodcast.com REVIEWS NEEDED . My email works as well for comments: 1001storiespodcast@gmail.com SUPPORT OUR SHOW BY BECOMING A PATRON! https://.patreon.com/1001storiesnetwork. Its time I started asking for support! Thank you. Its a few dollars a month OR a one time. (Any amount is appreciated). YOUR REVIEWS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS AT APPLE/ITUNES AND ALL ANDROID HOSTS ARE NEEDED AND APPRECIATED! LINKS BELOW.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kurz nach Kriegsbeginn versucht ein Deutscher, seine Frau aus Kiew zu retten. Er wird von russischen Einheiten angeschossen. Der Generalbundesanwalt ermittelt wegen Kriegsverbrechen. NDR und WDR konnten einen der Tatverdächtigen finden.

— “Know in our heart that the very things that make you different are your greatest gifts and most valuable contributions.” Valeria interviews Mei Ling Tsui — She is a Third-Generation Intuitive, Creator Of Soul Agenda School And Speaker Mei Ling helps women who identify as the black sheep or scapegoats of their families move from feeling inadequate to becoming powerful cycle breakers by reconnecting them with their unique soul agenda and divine support system, so that they can shine their light into the world, knowing they are deeply loved and valued for who they are. As a mixed race woman who inherited intuitive and psychic abilities through her Chinese lineage, Mei Ling is a bridge between the East and West, and between the earthly and spiritual realms. Growing up, she constantly felt like the outsider, never quite fitting in anywhere. As a child of divorce, the feeling was only exacerbated when she became the inconvenient addition to her parents' new families. The spiritual journey that eventually led Mei Ling to become a professional intuitive started with one question - “Why?” Mei Ling shares personal stories from growing up as the black sheep and scapegoat and weaves in vulnerable, potent, and often funny insights gleaned from these experiences with the hopes that those listening feel less alone on their healing journeys. To learn more about Mei Ling Tsui and her work, please visit: https://meiling-intuitive.com/ Also, Mei Ling offer you the opportunity to win a 1:1 mini-reading with her! To sign-up  please visit: http://bit.ly/mini-reading-raffle       — This podcast is a quest for well-being, a quest for a meaningful life through the exploration of fundamental truths, enlightening ideas, insights on physical, mental, and spiritual health. The inspiration is Love. The aspiration is to awaken new ways of thinking that can lead us to a new way of being, being well. 

  Finishing out discussion of things literally and figuratively dug up in the last months of 2023, we're covering shipwrecks, art, animals, and the miscellaneous category we call potpourri. Research: Alberge, Dalya. “That's not a potato: mystery of Egyptian treasures found buried in grounds of Scottish school.” The Guardian. 11/19/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/nov/19/thats-not-a-potato-mystery-of-egyptian-treasures-found-buried-in-grounds-of-scottish-school Anderson, Sonja. “This Mysterious Hillside Carving Is Actually Hercules, Researchers Say.” Smithsonian. 1/2/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/england-cerne-abbas-giant-is-really-hercules-once-used-to-rally-troops-180983522/ “Runestones reveal the power of a Viking queen.” Phys.org. 10/13/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-runestones-reveal-power-viking-queen.html Babbs, Verity. “Archaeologists Discover Ancient Roman Baths Beneath a Museum in Croatia.” Artnet. 12/12/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/roman-baths-split-croatia-2406697 Babbs, Verity. “The $4 N.C. Wyeth Painting Finally Sold—for Real This Time.” ArtNet. 12/19/2023. https://news.artnet.com/market/wyeth-thrift-store-painting-finally-sold-2411412 Fordham, Alice. “Fossil footprints in New Mexico suggest humans have been here longer than we thought.” NPR. 10/7/2023. https://www.npr.org/2023/10/07/1204031535/fossil-footprints-in-new-mexico-suggest-humans-have-been-here-longer-than-we-tho Innes-Leroux, Matthew. “Evidence from the remains of 1918 flu pandemic victims contradicts long-held belief that healthy young adults were particularly vulnerable.” EurekAlert. 10/9/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1003882 Jeffrey S. Pigati et al. ,Independent age estimates resolve the controversy of ancient human footprints at White Sands.Science382,73-75(2023).DOI:10.1126/science.adh5007 Kuta, Sarah. “Metal Detectorist Unearths Bronze Age Jewelry in Swiss Carrot Field.” Smithsonian. 10/20/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bronze-age-jewelry-uncovered-in-carrot-field-in-switzerland-180983109/ Kuta, Sarah. “New U.S. Quarter Honors Maria Tallchief, America's First Prima Ballerina.” Smithsonian. 11/3/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/osage-ballerina-maria-tallchief-featured-on-the-us-quarter-180983186/ Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “How a Scottish Schoolboy Digging for Potatoes Uncovered a Trove of Egyptian Antiquities.” Artnet News. 11/20/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/school-boy-digging-for-potatoes-finds-egyptian-antiquities-2396736 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “How Do You Make $191,000 From a $4 Painting? You Don't.” ArtNet. 11/29/2023. https://news.artnet.com/market/nc-wyeth-thrift-store-painting-didnt-sell-2400888 Lisbeth M. Imer et al, A lady of leadership: 3D-scanning of runestones in search of Queen Thyra and the Jelling Dynasty, Antiquity (2023). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2023.108 Martin, Nick. “The White Sands discovery only confirms what Indigenous people have said all along.” High Country News. 9/24/2021. https://www.hcn.org/issues/53.11/indigenous-affairs-archaeology-the-white-sands-discovery-only-confirms-what-indigenous-people-have-said-all-along Matthew R. Bennett et al. ,Evidence of humans in North America during the Last Glacial Maximum.Science373,1528-1531(2021).DOI:10.1126/science.abg7586 Morcom Thomas and Helen Gittos. “The Cerne Giant in Its Early Medieval Context.” Speculum. Vol. 99, No. 1. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/727992#_i9 Nowakowski, Teresa. “New Memorial Honors Victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.” Smithsonian. 10/25/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-memorial-honors-the-victims-of-the-triangle-shirtwaist-factory-fire-180983081/ Olaya, Vicente. “The Roman well-cleaner who lost a sandal 2,000 years ago in Spain.” El Pais. 10/17/2023. https://english.elpais.com/culture/2023-10-17/the-roman-well-cleaner-who-lost-a-sandal-2000-years-ago-in-spain.html Paterson, Colin. “Shakespeare found, claims Norfolk theatre.” BBC. 10/4/2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67007980 Reed, Betsy. “New Mexico footprints are oldest sign of humans in Americas, research shows.” The Guardian. 10/6/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/oct/06/footprints-humans-americas-oldest-sign-new-mexico Richard E. Bevins et al, The Stonehenge Altar Stone was probably not sourced from the Old Red Sandstone of the Anglo-Welsh Basin: Time to broaden our geographic and stratigraphic horizons?, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2023.104215 Schrader, Adam. “Hundreds of Artifacts Stolen From the British Museum May Have Been Sold for Scrap.” ArtNet. 12/12/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/british-museum-independent-review-complete-after-massive-theft-2407800 Sherwood, Harriet. “Archaeologists uncover rare 18th-century cold bath under Bath Assembly Rooms.” The Guardian. 10/8/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/oct/08/archaeologists-uncover-rare-18th-century-cold-bath-under-bath-assembly-rooms Smail, Gretchen. “Did Shakespeare Perform on These Newly Discovered Floorboards?” Smithsonian. 10/10/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-shakespeare-perform-on-these-floorboards-180983033/ The History Blog. “Excavation of 6th c. folding chair complete.” 10/18/2023. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68535 The History Blog. “Medieval skeleton with prosthetic hand found in Bavaria.” 8/28/2023. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68609 University of Oxford. “New research shows the Cerne Abbas Giant was a muster station for King Alfred's armies.” Phys.org. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-cerne-abbas-giant-muster-station.html Wade, Lizzie. “Human footprints near ice age lake suggest surprisingly early arrival in the Americas.” Science. 9/23/2021. https://www.science.org/content/article/human-footprints-near-ice-age-lake-suggest-surprisingly-early-arrival-americas Wei-Haas, Maya. “New Evidence That Ancient Footprints Push Back Human Arrival in North America.” New York Times. 10/5/2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/05/science/footprints-tracks-new-mexico-age.html Whiddington, Richard. “A Norwegian Family Went Searching for a Lost Earring in Their Backyard. They Found Viking Artifacts Instead.” Artnet News. 10/20/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/norway-viking-brooches-2374065 Davis, Nicola. “Seaweed was common food in Europe for thousands of years, researchers find.” The Guardian. 10/17/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/oct/17/seaweed-was-common-food-in-europe-for-thousands-of-years-researchers-find University of York. “Study reveals our European ancestors ate seaweed and freshwater plants.” Phys.org. 10/17/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-reveals-european-ancestors-ate-seaweed.html University of Vienna. “Archaeologists discover 5,000-year-old wine at the tomb of Meret-Neith in Abydos.” Phys.org. 10/9/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-archaeologists-year-old-wine-tomb-meret-neith.html Schrader, Adam. “Archaeologists Excavating the Tomb of Egypt's First Female Pharaoh Found Hundreds of Jars Still Holding Remnants of Wine.” ArtNet. 10/18/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/egypt-pharaoh-merneiths-2373062 Pflughoeft, Aspen. “1,900-year-old winery — that made drinks for ancient Romans — found in France. See it.” Miami Herald via Yahoo News. 11/30/2023. https://news.yahoo.com/1-900-old-winery-made-203204865.html University of York. “Early Neolithic farmers arriving on the Baltic coast bucked trends and incorporated fish into their diets.” Phys.org. 10/17/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-early-neolithic-farmers-baltic-coast.html Public Library of Science. “Mummified poop reveals pre-Columbian cultures of the Caribbean consumed a diversity of plants.” Phys.org. 11/11/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-mummified-poop-reveals-pre-columbian-cultures.html Jelissa Reynoso-García, Jelissa, et al. “Edible flora in pre-Columbian Caribbean coprolites: Expected and unexpected data.” PLoS One. 10/11/2023. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0292077 Elysha McBride et al, What Bit the Ancient Egyptians? Niche Modelling to Identify the Snakes Described in the Brooklyn Medical Papyrus, Environmental Archaeology (2023). DOI: 10.1080/14614103.2023.2266631 Winder, Isabelle Catherine and Wolfgang Wüster. “Ancient Egypt had far more venomous snakes than the country today, according to new study of a scroll.” Phys.org. 10/17/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-ancient-egypt-venomous-snakes-country.html Binswanger, Julia. “This Ancient Egyptian Burial Chamber Was Filled With Spells to Ward Off Snake Bites.” Smithsonian. 11/14/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-egyptian-burial-chamber-was-filled-with-spells-to-ward-off-snake-bites-180983247/ Janssen, Tom. “Study shows beavers had a big influence on how people in the Stone Age lived.” Phys.org. 10/17/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-beavers-big-people-stone-age.html Siehoff, Jonas. “Early humans hunted beavers, 400,000 years ago.” EurekAlert. 11/29/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1009496 Langley, Michelle et al. “Bringing a shark to a knife fight: 7,000-year-old shark-tooth knives discovered in Indonesia.” Phys.org. 10/27/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-shark-knife-year-old-shark-tooth-knives.html Dietz, Helena. “On the trail of a great mystery.” EurekAlert. 10/24/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1005687 University of Konstanz. “Origin of ancient mummified baboons found in Egypt” ScienceDaily. 10/24/2023. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231024110554.htm Binswanger, Julia. “Ancient Egyptians Kept Baboons in Captivity and Mummified Their Remains.” Smithsonian. 12/11/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/study-shows-ancient-egyptians-worshiped-baboons-but-gave-them-poor-living-conditions-180983391/ Meiling, Chen. “Archaeologists uncover rare sheep-drawn carriage in Xi'an.” China Daily. 10/26/2023. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202310/26/WS653a3b80a31090682a5eaf07.html Bayarsaikhan, Jamsranjav et al. “The Origins of Saddles and Riding Technology in East Asia: Discoveries from the Mongolian Altai.” Antiquity (2023): 1–17. Web. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/origins-of-saddles-and-riding-technology-in-east-asia-discoveries-from-the-mongolian-altai/95BA971FD64B2A7544D4BEF6694A8E14 “Earliest 'true' saddle in east Asia discovered.” Phys.org. 11/11/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-earliest-true-saddle-east-asia.html Lavery, Ryan. “Researchers, Coast Salish people analyze 160-year-old indigenous dog pelt in the Smithsonian's collection.” EurekAlert. 12/14/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1010435 Strickland, Ashley. “Rare ‘treasure box' of French letters opened and read after 265 years.” CNN. 11/6/2023. https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/06/world/french-letters-national-archives-scn/index.html Chien, Min. “French Love Letters, Sealed for 265 Years, Are Opened—and Read—for the First Time.” ArtNet. 11/14/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/french-love-letters-written-during-seven-years-war-read-for-the-first-time-2392940 Fee, Jenny. “UPDATED: Owner of Pageturners sells mysterious 318-year-old Bible to local collector.” Independent Advocate. 11/12/2023. https://www.indianola-ia.com/news/updated-owner-of-pageturners-sells-mysterious-318-year-old-bible-to-local-collector/article_3cec849e-7698-11ee-8fee-538f106de6d6.html D'Angelo, Bob. “Bible printed in 1705 discovered in Iowa retirement home.” Boston 25. 11/15/2023. https://www.boston25news.com/news/trending/bible-printed-1705-discovered-iowa-retirement-home/3TCHA336WVHFTEZKF7XSP5SWZ4/ KCRG Staff. “Bible older than the US found in Indianola retirement home.” https://www.kcrg.com/2023/11/15/bible-older-than-us-found-indianola-retirement-home/ Rivers Cofield, Sara. “Bennett's Bronze Bustle.” Commitment to Costumes blog. 2/17/2014. https://commitmentocostumes.blogspot.com/2014/02/bennetts-bronze-bustle.html “'Cryptogram' in a silk dress tells a weather story.” 12/14/2023. https://www.noaa.gov/heritage/stories/cryptogram-in-silk-dress-tells-weather-story The History Blog. “3rd c. Roman shipwreck recovered whole from seabed.” 10/9/2023. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68464 Kuta, Sarah. “100-Year-Old Shipwreck Discovered 800 Feet Below Lake Superior.” Smithsonian. 10/17/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/100-year-old-shipwreck-discovered-in-lake-superior-180983083/ Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. “Shipwreck Society Discovers a World War One Era Steel Bulk Freighter 100 Years after it sinks.” https://shipwreckmuseum.com/shipwreck-society-discovers-a-world-war-one-era-steel-bulk-freighter-100-years-after-it-sinks/ Williams, Ashley R. “‘An incredible find': Florida road crews discover 19th-century boat buried in St. Augustine.” CNN. 10/14/2023. https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/14/us/florida-19th-century-boat-st-augustine-trnd/index.html Kuta, Sarah. “Father and Daughter Discover 152-Year-Old Shipwreck While Fishing in Green Bay.” Smithsonian. 12/18/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/father-and-daughter-discover-152-year-old-shipwreck-while-fishing-in-green-bay-180983468/ “San Jose galleon: Shipwreck to be recovered with billions in treasure.” 11/12/2023. https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/67342273 Shuttleworth, Peter. “Newport medieval ship's timber dated to within months.” BBC. 11/3/2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-67302907 Bryant, Miranda. “‘We have a lot of cracks': Swedes seek to save Vasa warship – again.” The Guardian. 12/26/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/27/we-have-a-lot-of-cracks-swedes-seek-to-save-vasa-warship-again Kuta, Sarah. “117-Year-Old Shipwreck Found in Puget Sound.” Smithsonian. 11/27/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shipwreck-in-puget-sound-180983317/ Kuta, Sarah. “Anchor From 1906 Shipwreck Found in Florida.” Smithsonian. 12/8/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/anchor-from-1906-shipwreck-found-in-florida-180983394/ The History Blog. “Obsidian from Neolithic shipwreck recovered off Capri.” 11/23/2023. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68849 The History Blog. “Europe's oldest functioning compass found in Estonia wreck.” 11/25/2023. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68863 Cascone, Sarah. “A Secret Room in a 16th-Century Italian Chapel, Where Michelangelo Hid—and Drew—for Months, Opens to the Public.” Artnet. 10/31/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world-archives/michelangelo-secret-room-museum-of-medici-chapels-2387647 Olson, Amy. “A 15th century French painting depicts an ancient stone tool.” EurekAlert. 10/17/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1005048 Key, Alastair et al. “Acheulean Handaxes in Medieval France: An Earlier ‘Modern' Social History for Palaeolithic Bifaces.” Cambridge Archaeological Journal (2023): 1–17. Web. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/cambridge-archaeological-journal/article/acheulean-handaxes-in-medieval-france-an-earlier-modern-social-history-for-palaeolithic-bifaces/14EF16E3BBAAE1A14CEA98BB3997C6C3 Whiddington, Richard. “This 15th-Century Painting Might Actually Depict a Prehistoric Tool, New Research Suggests.” Artnet. 10/29/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world-archives/prehistoric-hand-axe-fouquet-painting-2383607 National Trust. “The devil in the detail: A fiend re-emerges from the canvas of a painting by Joshua Reynolds.” 10/30/2023. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/services/media/fiend-re-emerges-from-the-canvas-of-joshua-reynolds-painting See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're closing out the last three months of 2023 by talking about things literally and figuratively dug up during that time, kicking it off with lots of updates of prior episodes, things dug up from the garden, edibles and potables, and books and letters. Research: Alberge, Dalya. “That's not a potato: mystery of Egyptian treasures found buried in grounds of Scottish school.” The Guardian. 11/19/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/nov/19/thats-not-a-potato-mystery-of-egyptian-treasures-found-buried-in-grounds-of-scottish-school Anderson, Sonja. “This Mysterious Hillside Carving Is Actually Hercules, Researchers Say.” Smithsonian. 1/2/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/england-cerne-abbas-giant-is-really-hercules-once-used-to-rally-troops-180983522/ “Runestones reveal the power of a Viking queen.” Phys.org. 10/13/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-runestones-reveal-power-viking-queen.html Babbs, Verity. “Archaeologists Discover Ancient Roman Baths Beneath a Museum in Croatia.” Artnet. 12/12/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/roman-baths-split-croatia-2406697 Babbs, Verity. “The $4 N.C. Wyeth Painting Finally Sold—for Real This Time.” ArtNet. 12/19/2023. https://news.artnet.com/market/wyeth-thrift-store-painting-finally-sold-2411412 Fordham, Alice. “Fossil footprints in New Mexico suggest humans have been here longer than we thought.” NPR. 10/7/2023. https://www.npr.org/2023/10/07/1204031535/fossil-footprints-in-new-mexico-suggest-humans-have-been-here-longer-than-we-tho Innes-Leroux, Matthew. “Evidence from the remains of 1918 flu pandemic victims contradicts long-held belief that healthy young adults were particularly vulnerable.” EurekAlert. 10/9/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1003882 Jeffrey S. Pigati et al. ,Independent age estimates resolve the controversy of ancient human footprints at White Sands.Science382,73-75(2023).DOI:10.1126/science.adh5007 Kuta, Sarah. “Metal Detectorist Unearths Bronze Age Jewelry in Swiss Carrot Field.” Smithsonian. 10/20/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bronze-age-jewelry-uncovered-in-carrot-field-in-switzerland-180983109/ Kuta, Sarah. “New U.S. Quarter Honors Maria Tallchief, America's First Prima Ballerina.” Smithsonian. 11/3/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/osage-ballerina-maria-tallchief-featured-on-the-us-quarter-180983186/ Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “How a Scottish Schoolboy Digging for Potatoes Uncovered a Trove of Egyptian Antiquities.” Artnet News. 11/20/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/school-boy-digging-for-potatoes-finds-egyptian-antiquities-2396736 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “How Do You Make $191,000 From a $4 Painting? You Don't.” ArtNet. 11/29/2023. https://news.artnet.com/market/nc-wyeth-thrift-store-painting-didnt-sell-2400888 Lisbeth M. Imer et al, A lady of leadership: 3D-scanning of runestones in search of Queen Thyra and the Jelling Dynasty, Antiquity (2023). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2023.108 Martin, Nick. “The White Sands discovery only confirms what Indigenous people have said all along.” High Country News. 9/24/2021. https://www.hcn.org/issues/53.11/indigenous-affairs-archaeology-the-white-sands-discovery-only-confirms-what-indigenous-people-have-said-all-along Matthew R. Bennett et al. ,Evidence of humans in North America during the Last Glacial Maximum.Science373,1528-1531(2021).DOI:10.1126/science.abg7586 Morcom Thomas and Helen Gittos. “The Cerne Giant in Its Early Medieval Context.” Speculum. Vol. 99, No. 1. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/727992#_i9 Nowakowski, Teresa. “New Memorial Honors Victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.” Smithsonian. 10/25/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-memorial-honors-the-victims-of-the-triangle-shirtwaist-factory-fire-180983081/ Olaya, Vicente. “The Roman well-cleaner who lost a sandal 2,000 years ago in Spain.” El Pais. 10/17/2023. https://english.elpais.com/culture/2023-10-17/the-roman-well-cleaner-who-lost-a-sandal-2000-years-ago-in-spain.html Paterson, Colin. “Shakespeare found, claims Norfolk theatre.” BBC. 10/4/2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67007980 Reed, Betsy. “New Mexico footprints are oldest sign of humans in Americas, research shows.” The Guardian. 10/6/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/oct/06/footprints-humans-americas-oldest-sign-new-mexico Richard E. Bevins et al, The Stonehenge Altar Stone was probably not sourced from the Old Red Sandstone of the Anglo-Welsh Basin: Time to broaden our geographic and stratigraphic horizons?, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2023.104215 Schrader, Adam. “Hundreds of Artifacts Stolen From the British Museum May Have Been Sold for Scrap.” ArtNet. 12/12/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/british-museum-independent-review-complete-after-massive-theft-2407800 Sherwood, Harriet. “Archaeologists uncover rare 18th-century cold bath under Bath Assembly Rooms.” The Guardian. 10/8/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/oct/08/archaeologists-uncover-rare-18th-century-cold-bath-under-bath-assembly-rooms Smail, Gretchen. “Did Shakespeare Perform on These Newly Discovered Floorboards?” Smithsonian. 10/10/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-shakespeare-perform-on-these-floorboards-180983033/ The History Blog. “Excavation of 6th c. folding chair complete.” 10/18/2023. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68535 The History Blog. “Medieval skeleton with prosthetic hand found in Bavaria.” 8/28/2023. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68609 University of Oxford. “New research shows the Cerne Abbas Giant was a muster station for King Alfred's armies.” Phys.org. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-cerne-abbas-giant-muster-station.html Wade, Lizzie. “Human footprints near ice age lake suggest surprisingly early arrival in the Americas.” Science. 9/23/2021. https://www.science.org/content/article/human-footprints-near-ice-age-lake-suggest-surprisingly-early-arrival-americas Wei-Haas, Maya. “New Evidence That Ancient Footprints Push Back Human Arrival in North America.” New York Times. 10/5/2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/05/science/footprints-tracks-new-mexico-age.html Whiddington, Richard. “A Norwegian Family Went Searching for a Lost Earring in Their Backyard. They Found Viking Artifacts Instead.” Artnet News. 10/20/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/norway-viking-brooches-2374065 Davis, Nicola. “Seaweed was common food in Europe for thousands of years, researchers find.” The Guardian. 10/17/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/oct/17/seaweed-was-common-food-in-europe-for-thousands-of-years-researchers-find University of York. “Study reveals our European ancestors ate seaweed and freshwater plants.” Phys.org. 10/17/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-reveals-european-ancestors-ate-seaweed.html University of Vienna. “Archaeologists discover 5,000-year-old wine at the tomb of Meret-Neith in Abydos.” Phys.org. 10/9/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-archaeologists-year-old-wine-tomb-meret-neith.html Schrader, Adam. “Archaeologists Excavating the Tomb of Egypt's First Female Pharaoh Found Hundreds of Jars Still Holding Remnants of Wine.” ArtNet. 10/18/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/egypt-pharaoh-merneiths-2373062 Pflughoeft, Aspen. “1,900-year-old winery — that made drinks for ancient Romans — found in France. See it.” Miami Herald via Yahoo News. 11/30/2023. https://news.yahoo.com/1-900-old-winery-made-203204865.html University of York. “Early Neolithic farmers arriving on the Baltic coast bucked trends and incorporated fish into their diets.” Phys.org. 10/17/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-early-neolithic-farmers-baltic-coast.html Public Library of Science. “Mummified poop reveals pre-Columbian cultures of the Caribbean consumed a diversity of plants.” Phys.org. 11/11/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-mummified-poop-reveals-pre-columbian-cultures.html Jelissa Reynoso-García, Jelissa, et al. “Edible flora in pre-Columbian Caribbean coprolites: Expected and unexpected data.” PLoS One. 10/11/2023. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0292077 Elysha McBride et al, What Bit the Ancient Egyptians? Niche Modelling to Identify the Snakes Described in the Brooklyn Medical Papyrus, Environmental Archaeology (2023). DOI: 10.1080/14614103.2023.2266631 Winder, Isabelle Catherine and Wolfgang Wüster. “Ancient Egypt had far more venomous snakes than the country today, according to new study of a scroll.” Phys.org. 10/17/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-ancient-egypt-venomous-snakes-country.html Binswanger, Julia. “This Ancient Egyptian Burial Chamber Was Filled With Spells to Ward Off Snake Bites.” Smithsonian. 11/14/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-egyptian-burial-chamber-was-filled-with-spells-to-ward-off-snake-bites-180983247/ Janssen, Tom. “Study shows beavers had a big influence on how people in the Stone Age lived.” Phys.org. 10/17/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-beavers-big-people-stone-age.html Siehoff, Jonas. “Early humans hunted beavers, 400,000 years ago.” EurekAlert. 11/29/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1009496 Langley, Michelle et al. “Bringing a shark to a knife fight: 7,000-year-old shark-tooth knives discovered in Indonesia.” Phys.org. 10/27/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-shark-knife-year-old-shark-tooth-knives.html Dietz, Helena. “On the trail of a great mystery.” EurekAlert. 10/24/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1005687 University of Konstanz. “Origin of ancient mummified baboons found in Egypt” ScienceDaily. 10/24/2023. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231024110554.htm Binswanger, Julia. “Ancient Egyptians Kept Baboons in Captivity and Mummified Their Remains.” Smithsonian. 12/11/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/study-shows-ancient-egyptians-worshiped-baboons-but-gave-them-poor-living-conditions-180983391/ Meiling, Chen. “Archaeologists uncover rare sheep-drawn carriage in Xi'an.” China Daily. 10/26/2023. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202310/26/WS653a3b80a31090682a5eaf07.html Bayarsaikhan, Jamsranjav et al. “The Origins of Saddles and Riding Technology in East Asia: Discoveries from the Mongolian Altai.” Antiquity (2023): 1–17. Web. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/origins-of-saddles-and-riding-technology-in-east-asia-discoveries-from-the-mongolian-altai/95BA971FD64B2A7544D4BEF6694A8E14 “Earliest 'true' saddle in east Asia discovered.” Phys.org. 11/11/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-earliest-true-saddle-east-asia.html Lavery, Ryan. “Researchers, Coast Salish people analyze 160-year-old indigenous dog pelt in the Smithsonian's collection.” EurekAlert. 12/14/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1010435 Strickland, Ashley. “Rare ‘treasure box' of French letters opened and read after 265 years.” CNN. 11/6/2023. https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/06/world/french-letters-national-archives-scn/index.html Chien, Min. “French Love Letters, Sealed for 265 Years, Are Opened—and Read—for the First Time.” ArtNet. 11/14/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/french-love-letters-written-during-seven-years-war-read-for-the-first-time-2392940 Fee, Jenny. “UPDATED: Owner of Pageturners sells mysterious 318-year-old Bible to local collector.” Independent Advocate. 11/12/2023. https://www.indianola-ia.com/news/updated-owner-of-pageturners-sells-mysterious-318-year-old-bible-to-local-collector/article_3cec849e-7698-11ee-8fee-538f106de6d6.html D'Angelo, Bob. “Bible printed in 1705 discovered in Iowa retirement home.” Boston 25. 11/15/2023. https://www.boston25news.com/news/trending/bible-printed-1705-discovered-iowa-retirement-home/3TCHA336WVHFTEZKF7XSP5SWZ4/ KCRG Staff. “Bible older than the US found in Indianola retirement home.” https://www.kcrg.com/2023/11/15/bible-older-than-us-found-indianola-retirement-home/ Rivers Cofield, Sara. “Bennett's Bronze Bustle.” Commitment to Costumes blog. 2/17/2014. https://commitmentocostumes.blogspot.com/2014/02/bennetts-bronze-bustle.html “'Cryptogram' in a silk dress tells a weather story.” 12/14/2023. https://www.noaa.gov/heritage/stories/cryptogram-in-silk-dress-tells-weather-story The History Blog. “3rd c. Roman shipwreck recovered whole from seabed.” 10/9/2023. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68464 Kuta, Sarah. “100-Year-Old Shipwreck Discovered 800 Feet Below Lake Superior.” Smithsonian. 10/17/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/100-year-old-shipwreck-discovered-in-lake-superior-180983083/ Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. “Shipwreck Society Discovers a World War One Era Steel Bulk Freighter 100 Years after it sinks.” https://shipwreckmuseum.com/shipwreck-society-discovers-a-world-war-one-era-steel-bulk-freighter-100-years-after-it-sinks/ Williams, Ashley R. “‘An incredible find': Florida road crews discover 19th-century boat buried in St. Augustine.” CNN. 10/14/2023. https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/14/us/florida-19th-century-boat-st-augustine-trnd/index.html Kuta, Sarah. “Father and Daughter Discover 152-Year-Old Shipwreck While Fishing in Green Bay.” Smithsonian. 12/18/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/father-and-daughter-discover-152-year-old-shipwreck-while-fishing-in-green-bay-180983468/ “San Jose galleon: Shipwreck to be recovered with billions in treasure.” 11/12/2023. https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/67342273 Shuttleworth, Peter. “Newport medieval ship's timber dated to within months.” BBC. 11/3/2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-67302907 Bryant, Miranda. “‘We have a lot of cracks': Swedes seek to save Vasa warship – again.” The Guardian. 12/26/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/27/we-have-a-lot-of-cracks-swedes-seek-to-save-vasa-warship-again Kuta, Sarah. “117-Year-Old Shipwreck Found in Puget Sound.” Smithsonian. 11/27/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shipwreck-in-puget-sound-180983317/ Kuta, Sarah. “Anchor From 1906 Shipwreck Found in Florida.” Smithsonian. 12/8/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/anchor-from-1906-shipwreck-found-in-florida-180983394/ The History Blog. “Obsidian from Neolithic shipwreck recovered off Capri.” 11/23/2023. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68849 The History Blog. “Europe's oldest functioning compass found in Estonia wreck.” 11/25/2023. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68863 Cascone, Sarah. “A Secret Room in a 16th-Century Italian Chapel, Where Michelangelo Hid—and Drew—for Months, Opens to the Public.” Artnet. 10/31/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world-archives/michelangelo-secret-room-museum-of-medici-chapels-2387647 Olson, Amy. “A 15th century French painting depicts an ancient stone tool.” EurekAlert. 10/17/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1005048 Key, Alastair et al. “Acheulean Handaxes in Medieval France: An Earlier ‘Modern' Social History for Palaeolithic Bifaces.” Cambridge Archaeological Journal (2023): 1–17. Web. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/cambridge-archaeological-journal/article/acheulean-handaxes-in-medieval-france-an-earlier-modern-social-history-for-palaeolithic-bifaces/14EF16E3BBAAE1A14CEA98BB3997C6C3 Whiddington, Richard. “This 15th-Century Painting Might Actually Depict a Prehistoric Tool, New Research Suggests.” Artnet. 10/29/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world-archives/prehistoric-hand-axe-fouquet-painting-2383607 National Trust. “The devil in the detail: A fiend re-emerges from the canvas of a painting by Joshua Reynolds.” 10/30/2023. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/services/media/fiend-re-emerges-from-the-canvas-of-joshua-reynolds-painting  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cosmic conqueror Pyron descends to Earth in the second half of Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge OVA series. Unnatural rays of light have replaced the shroud of darkness created by Demetri, but humanity remains in danger. Armies of robotic Huitzils are laying waste to entire cities. Demetri remains in his castle, still determined to accumulate enough strength to take over the Demon Realm. Morrigan Aensland, frustrated by other demons' lack of action, heads to the mortal world to face the problem head-on. Meanwhile, Donovan wrestles with his past and wonders about his future. The sisters Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling continue their journey to confront the "light" and save their fallen mother's soul. Humanity needs a champion, but who among the Darkstalkers will finish the fight? Get your sword ready for surfing, summon a golden bat, and grab your favorite vampiric coffee mug for today's exciting episode of Anime Was (Not) A Mistake! Rate, Review, Subscribe, and Listen to Us on Podbean/iTunes/Stitcher/Spotify Follow us on Instagram:@animewasnotamistakepodcast Or on Facebook:@animewasnotamistakepod Music Provided: “Big-O! Show Must Go On” - Rui Nagai - Big O OST - 2007 “The First Layer”- Kevin Penkin – Made in Abyss OST- 2017 “Hold the Girl Instrumental” – Rina Sawayama – Hold the Girl - 2022

Als Chinas ehemalige First Lady Song Meiling mit 106 Jahren stirbt, ist sie eine prägende Gestalt des 20. Jahrhunderts - klug, einflussreich, geliebt und gehasst.

Als Chinas ehemalige First Lady Song Meiling mit 106 Jahren stirbt, ist sie eine prägende Gestalt des 20. Jahrhunderts - klug, einflussreich, geliebt und gehasst. Von Andrea Kath.

If you received a gigantic bouquet of daisies from a potential suitor, what would you do? Tune into Lisa See's episode of Virtual Book Tour to hear what she would do! We also discuss her new novel Lady Tan's Circle of Women, the real history behind this extraordinary woman, and the importance of female friendships.  Lady Tan's Circle of Women is a tale about female friendship and leadership in 15th-century China, challenging a woman's place in society. From a young age, Tan Yunxian learns about women's illnesses, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and mutual purpose, and vow to be forever friends. When Yunxian is sent into an arranged marriage, she must learn to break free of these traditions and lead a life of treating women. Get Lady Tan's Circle of Women at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  

Meet Meiling Choy, Intuitive Coach & Model. Meiling's life is an example of what it truly means to alchemize your pain into purpose. At the age of 16, she suffered from a traumatic brain injury that changed the course of her life. It pulled her away from all that she thought she was and propelled her into all that she came here to be. This episode is for anyone inspired to leave it all behind and make a massive change in life. In this episode we cover: The identity crisis that often occurs when you lose or let go of something you've always identified with The process of rediscovering yourself and choosing your future from a place of infinite possibility How your environment + who you surround yourself with shapes who you are How to take action before you're ready to do so & stop the over planning What it looks like to get stuck in cycles of healing and how it can hold you back Connect with Meiling: Connect with Meiling on Instagram at @meilingchoy_ Connect with Meiling on Tikok at @meilingchoy Support the Podcast & Get Your Questions Answered: If this episode supports you, plz plz plz take 2 seconds to rate it on Spotify and give it a follow/subscribe, so you get notified when weekly episodes drop! Have a question you'd like to get answered on the podcast or a topic you'd like me to speak on? Let me know here! Ways to Work with Nora: [Application Only with Limited Spots] My signature, FREE Passion to Profit Mini Mastermind for spiritual serviced-based entrepreneurs. Starts June 19th. Big Vision Mastermind, a high-touch group mastermind for entrepreneurs with the dream to start and grow an online business to consistent $5k months in the near-term, while cultivating more FUN and FREEDOM in the process. One spot left at $999/mo with 6 BONUS monthly 1:1s. Private Coaching: 1 spot available in mid-June. DM @iamnoravirginia for details.

Today we are going to explain the story behind Master Shifu's secret girlfriend: Mei Ling!

Enjoy a fascinating conversation with Mei-Ling Hopgood about her adventures in parenting around the world, from raising her children in Argentina where bedtimes are often “flexible” to looking at how play, meals, and chores are approached in other cultures. A delightful discussion that may help parents feel a bit more flexible in their child-rearing practices. 

We travel back to the Old West to examine JONAH HEX! Is this scarred gunslinger really as fearsome as he looks? Listen in to find out!  Issue 174 - Jonah Hex Intro PuchiCon appearance May 14th  Background (4:50) Jonah Hex created by John Albano and Tony DeZuinga in All-Star Western #10 (Feb-Mar 1972) Jonah Hex is born in 1838 to an alcoholic father who sold him at age 13 to Apaches as a slave He is betrayed by his adopted brother in the tribe and left to die - years later when he returns to the tribe, he reveals the betrayal - he is forced to battle his brother and kills him, and in response the chieftain scarred his face with a heated tomahawk and exiled him once again He then went off to serve as a bounty hunter Most of his stories stay in his own time period, but he has been brought forward in time a few times Lords of Time compile a team to battle the Justice League & Justice Society, including Jonah He was also incorporated into Crisis on Infinite Earths At one point, he gets kidnapped and brought to post-apocalyptic 21st century Seattle to fight for the man who kidnapped him, but he escaped and continued to rove the country looking for a way to return home Had several relationships with various women, including at least two marriages - the first one to Mei Ling ended when she became pregnant and ran off with the child, Jason, who wasn't in Jonah's life until he was an adult Second marriage was to a Native American woman named Tall Bird, later in his life - after he was killed by a man who survived a bounty hit, his corpse was sold and put on display several times until Tall Bird acquired it and gave him a proper burial Issues - Theme is walking to the beat of your own broken drum (8:20) Abused by alcoholic father Betrayed by adopted brother in tribe (13:10) Didn't really know Jason until he was an adult, and then Jonah wanted nothing to do with him (23:04) Break (30:50) Plugs for Scotch n Sports, Play Comics, and Cullen Bunn Treatment (32:26) In-universe - Pretend to be captured and take the opportunity to speak with him Out of universe -  Skit (40:06) Hello Jonah, I'm Dr. Issues. - Doc. I understand this can all be a bit overwhelming, so please feel free to say as much or as little as you need. - Yer right, s'a lot to take in, but I've been in bigger scrapes n' this, I can get by. If you don't mind my asking, how did you end up in this time anyway? - Truth told, I can't recall. I'd just got done beatin' the hell outta some horse's ass come to town to cause trouble, went to a saloon to drink away the pain. Musta passed out, an' when I woke up I was in a field. Took a walk to ask someone what happened, an' come to find out I was in the future. Lucky for us, ain't the first time I been in this now, but I ain't never been in this HERE in this now. Best I can figure, someone either wants me here to fix somethin', or they DON'T want me where I was so they can ruin it. Either way, I aim to find out what it is an' go back home. That's… an incredible story. - Pfft, Doc, if'n you knew half o' the things I seen an' done, you'd turn whiter n' a preacher's collar. An' for you that'd be quite a feat. How vivid…*shudder* That's not something I think I can help you with. Any hints about what you're men to do? -Nope. Usually if it's important whoever needs to get to me does it quick. These time folks ain't about wastin' it. But what about wasting yours? -Whaddaya mean? I mean, your time is as valuable to you as mine is to me. All of this jumping around and fighting for…for what? - I don't get too attached to that.  But do you have…um…fun? Relaxation? -*laughs* Fun? Man, you ever get yer jaw rattled before, right on the scar that can't bleed but still hurts like hell? I've been punched, yeah, but not…where are you going with this? - I'm sayin' that folks in my line of work don't get cushy jobs, ain't no vacation. If I get a night, or a woman…well, as you folks say work hard, play harder. Still quite the visualist. Um…how about lasting relationships? -I've had boots that can last me a lifetime. That's about it. Family? -*pauses* Next question But -*interrupts* NEXT. QUESTION. Alright, Alright! Sheesh. Clearly a source of pain. Is that what gets you the most? -What gets me the most is nosey people trying to be cute and asking a question in a different way. Sharp man -Bout as sharp as this huntin' knife I always have handy. Wanna see?  *Gulp* I didn't mean to -*changing tone* Naw man, I mean you want to look at this craftsmanship here? The serration is perfect. Easy to release the flesh on contact. Not as good as my usual blade, but better for survival stuff since I don't have to fight right now. Skinnin' carcasses for pelts. **Plus it scares the shit outta most folks lookin' to start trouble.** Whoa, your whole demeanor changed. You're…engaged? -What? I'll never settle down like that, not agin'.  No, I mean you're showing interest in something and want me to listen. I didn't expect that. -Well what the hell am I here for? I thought doctors like you listen to people. Now I wanna talk about this, and you wanna talk about my family. Just listen would ya? I don't get to ever do this unless I gotta save someone's hide. You…you lonely man. -*Yelling* STOP GETTING SOFT YA HEAR? Yes Sir! -Now if you want, I can set up some sort of training for you, because it's obvious you're no survivalist. If I gotta be stuck here until I get home, you need to be useful. Is this your way of bonding? -*Oblivious* Well I usually don't have glue, so I just keep extra rope in my saddle bag. Comes in handy to keep bounties in check. But that kind of lesson comes with practice. You're making this awkward, and we're running out of time. -Shucks, we're just getting started. But don't worry. I'll figure out a way to get you a decent six-shooter; those new fangled guns just don't have the same grip. A man's gotta learn to fend for himself, ya get me son?  Don't call me…oh wow. I don't think you realize -*Interrupting, clearly dismissive* Well can't keep talking like that, gotta find a place to hit the hay. I'll make my way back to you, I'm sure of it. Just keep listening, I don't get to be this much of a…sage to just anybody. I'll listen again, and again, and again. But I can't fill that void forever. -*flustered groan* Just as long as it's on the job. Nothing else. Stay safe, ya hear? Ending (44:53) Recommended reading: Jonah Hex v2 (Palmiotti series) Next episodes: Grandma Chainsaw 2, The Dog Knight w/ Jeremy Whitley & Bre Indigo, Adam Warlock Plugs for social & GonnaGeek Network Roseparkradio commented on YT: Let Anthony voice the Penguin in DC Animation NOW! References: Red vs. Blue - Anthony (13:20) Apple Podcasts: here Google Play: here Stitcher: here TuneIn: here iHeartRadio: here Twitter Facebook TikTok  Patreon TeePublic Discord

Last time we spoke Shi Dakai went into exile while performing a western expedition, riding out into an eventual oblivion. Hong Xiuquan fell into depression, paranoia and seclusion as he began to only trust his close family members and appointed them to grand positions despite the fact their skills might not be up to par. The Taiping kings were gone, now the new military leadership lay in the hands of Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng. The Nian rebels began to work closely with the Taiping to campaign against the Qing, but it was ultimately not working out. The taiping sought foreign support, but things simply were not going well on that front and they were gradually finding themselves being more and more isolated from allies to defeat the Qing.   #29 This episode is The Taiping Rebellion part 6: Rise of the Shield King Hong Rengan   Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Our old friend, the cousin to the Heavenly King, Hong Rengan had heard so much news over the years about his famous cousin and the Taiping. He decided to try and visit the Taiping capital of Tianjin. He left Hong Kong in may of 1858, traveling first to Canton which was at that time under British and French occupation, thus safe to him who was friends with missionaries. From there he set off northeast through Guangdong province along the riverways. For the most part, he ran into travelers trying to sell wares and Qing soldiers patrolling for bandits. He got to a junction at Nanxiong country and turned north upon an ancient stone road that led to the Meiling pass, the gateway dividing the southern part of the empire from the Yangtze valley. Beyond was Jiangxi province and beyond that Nanjing, or as I keep fumbling back and forth, Tianjin. He dressed as a peddler so he would be unremarkable to anyone, especially Qing troops and thus pass without incident. Once he entered Jiangxi he continued northeast along the Gan River where he came to the edge of the active war zone just outside the Taiping realm of control. Many Qing encampments were found along the way, many massive in size. Hong Rengan was able to attach himself quite easily to an outlying unit, joining them on their march eastward towards the porcelain producing city of Jingdezhen. There the Taiping attacked, forcing the Qing into a rout. Within the chaos Hong Rengan was lucky to escape the slaughter, escaping with only his clothes on his back.    After escaping the heated battle, he worked his way west for a time, away from the active fighting, then further north towards the Yangtze river towards Hubei province. This territory had been fought over for more than 5 years at this point, being conquered and reconquered by the Qing and Taiping. Countless cities he came across were empty, houses stripped of wood to make cooking fires for passing armies. Even in the more prosperous parts of the province, underpopulated farms were unable to muster enough hands to bring in the harvests. Hong Rengan eventually came across a Qing soldier. THe man told him he sought to purchase goods in the Qing held river town of Longping and then to sell the goods downriver in Nanjing to the rebels. The soldier seemed to have many contacts, thus Hong Rengan gave him a piece of gold leaf he had kept sewn safely into the fabric of his jacket and they partnered up.   While the soldier went to Longping to buy the goods, Hong Rengang waited for him in the city of Huangmei around 15 miles northeast with one of the soldiers contacts, a magistrate named Tan. Tan found Hong Rengan's intelligence and education so impressive he offered him a job on the spot as a secretary. It was quite a coveted job for an unemployed scholar,but Hong Rengan was still fixated on getting to Nanjing and gave Tan an ambiguous reply. The soldier did not seem to show up, leaving Hong Rengan with no way to get to Nanjing so he stayed with the magistrate for many months. Hong Rengan began to hear rumors about the Qing encircling the Taiping capital, strangling them into submission. Hong Rengan began to become anxious so he left Huangmei with a letter of introduction and a bit of money given to him by Tan.    Hong Rengan took back the mantle of a peddler, but in October a Qing patrol captured him, though they had no idea how valuable a bounty he truly was. He was kept a prisoner for several days, but in the end they simply let him go, sending him on his way to Longping where he found a secret house serving as a way station for Taiping refugees. In December of 1858, he crossed paths with Lord Elgin. From the secret house he heard that foreign ships had been spotted on the Yangtze on their way back to Shanghai. He ventured down the waterfront just in time to see Elgins small fleet at anchor and he soon become acquainted with Thomas Wade, Elgin's interpreter. Turns out he knew the man from Hong Kong and he tried to get board on one of the vessels to receive passage as far as Nanjing. He was unable to get the ride, but he did manage to get a letter delivered to Hong Kong addressed to some missionary friends letting them know he was alive and trying to get to Nanjing.    Some months later he found himself in Anhui province in the spring of 1859 where he finally found a Taiping patrol. When he told them his story, they took him for a Qing spy and sent him with armed guard to a garrison in Chentanghe. While under interrogation from the garrison commander, he opened a seam in his jacket providing a scrap of paper describing his family history. It was enough to convince the commander that he was indeed from the same village as the heavenly king. Thus the commander escorted him personally down the river on a Taiping vessel arriving in Nanjing on april 22nd of 1859, nearly a year after Hong Rengan began his journey.    Tianjin, was of course Nanjing, one of the greatest Chinese cities in its heyday, the secondary capital and former Ming capital. It was rich in temples, government offices, trading houses and such, a wide metropolis. It was now built for war, with countless fortifications and cannon placements everywhere. When the Taiping took it they burnt the Daoist and Buddhist monasteries, creating something of their own version of Jerusalem. In the Ming days, the city had a population in the millions, but now it seemed rather empty. The civilian residents were allowed to come and go and many had drifted off into the countryside. The Heavenly King's palace was incredible, there were drummers that flanked its main gate, a reception hall with lacquered wood carvings of dragons, walls inlaid with gold and nearly everything that touched the heavenly kings fingers, chopsticks, bowls, brushes and such were fashioned from gold. It is said his chamber pot was made out of silver, Trump would love that one. Behind the main hall lay the vast inner sanctum where Hong Xiuquan and his harem lived.   By the time Hong Rengan had come to Nanjing, Hong XIuquan had retreated from public life, spending his days behind the palace walls. Almost no one was allowed to meet with him, save for the women in his service. Hong Rengans reunion with his cousin, as he accounts it was bittersweet. It had been over 8 years since they last saw another and well…a lot had happened to say the least. Hong Rengan had heard the rumors that despite the weakness of the Manchu forces against the Europeans, Nanjing was almost encircled and being bled. The mass of Taiping armies had left the city marching in 3 separate armies on long range foraging expeditions, while the Qing forces concentrated all of their might to strangle Nanjing from its provisions. Hong XIuquan's seclusion from his active leadership role had hindered the Taiping. What Hong Xiuquan needed was an adviser, someone he could trust and that man was to be Hong Rengan.    Hong Xiuquan showered his cousin with titles and promoted him swiftly through the Taiping ranks. Little more than 2 weeks since his arrival, Hong Rengan earned the rank of king amongst the Taiping, even though this broke a promise Hong Xiuquan had made to not appoint anymore. Hong Rengangs title was “founder of the dynasty and loyal military adviser, the upholder of heaven and keeper of order in the court” he was henceforth known as the “shield king”. Hong Rengan joined the echelon of Taiping military officials and was in charge of the entire civil government of Nanjing. Basically he became Yang Xiuqing 2.0 and was only second to the heavenly king. His unexpected arrival seemed a sign from god for Hong Xiuquan, but as you would imagine a lot of jealousy and resentment emerged from the Taiping leaders. One particularly resentful man was Li Xiucheng who commanded the defenses of Nanjing. Li Xiucheng proved himself quite capable and a very trustworthy general, but he was not a king. To watch this other man come from out of nowhere and suddenly be promoted above him after so many years of loyal service, well anyone would be jealous. Li would actually gain the rank of King months later as the “loyal king”, but it seems it came too late and the jealousy over Hong Rengan only grew.    Hong Xiuquan was well aware of the dissatisfaction over Hong Rengan amongst his officers, so he called a full congregation of Taiping officials to honor the appointment of the Shield King. There he announced all matters in need of decision making were to be referred to the sole authority of the SHield King and as the crowd began to show audible disapproval Hong Rengan tried to turn down the appointment, but Hong Xiuquan whispered to him “all will be well, the wave that crashes with great force, soon spends itself and leaves peace”. Thus Hong Rengan accepted the official seal and began to preach to the crowd. He also began criticizing the policies made by the late Yang Xiuqing, offering improvements. In his own words about their reaction “They saw that I could stand in front of a multitude and hold forth flawlessly on doctrinal issues, and so they accepted me as their model of wisdom.”   It was clear to Hong Rengan that commanding the loyalty of the Taiping followers meant more than just giving them spiritual salvation; they also needed earthly rewards, such as the promises of a better state, and that of a better life. Hong Rengan sought a long lasting structure for the future Taiping government and society, for this he needed to weave together threads of Chinese tradition with his knowledge of the industrial societies of the west. He tried to infuse a prototype of ethnic nationalism that had not been seen in China since the Manchu conquered it. His first major proclamation served to fan the flames of ethnic resentment towards the Manchu calling the people to  “rejuvenate China and resist the northern barbarians, in order to wipe out the humiliations of two hundred years. We mouth their language … we live together with their members, and our people suffer from the vileness of the Manchu dogs.” The cause to get rid of the Manchu did not only resonate amongst the Taiping, but also many of those on the sidelines. And this was not limited to the Chinese, foreigners also took noticed to this fight against the tyranny of the Manchu. As one American in SHanghai put it  “Americans are too firmly attached to the principles on which their government was founded and has flourished, to refuse sympathy for a heroic people battling against foreign thraldom.”   Hong Rengan hashed out his vision of the new Taiping state in a document titled “a new work for the aid of government”. Now the traditional dynastic viewpoint had always been that CHina was the center of world civilizations and that barbarians were welcome come and trade, but they must acknowledge China's cultural superiority. Hong Rengan knew full well this annoyed foreigners and that foreign nations like Britain were both militarily powerful and very proud people. So he began to encourage not using the term barbarian and instead express ideas of “equality, friendship, harmony and affect”. Alongside this he thought the tributary model of diplomacy needed to be abandoned as a relic of the past with no use in the contemporary world. He argued that human beings were not willing to be considered inferior and that the foreigners in the past only performed the tributary customs out of force. The new China needed to establish friendly relations and long lasting respect from other nations.   Hong Rengans experience with foreigners in Hong Kong showed him China was merely one state among many with much to gain from studying other great powers in the 19th century. He also believed the christian religion was the key to the strength of western nations. He pointed out the Protestant nations of Britain, the US, Germany, the scandinavian nations were all the strongest and most prosperous followed by the slightly weaker French catholics and Orthodox Russians who held onto miracles and mysticism. By his reckoning, Islam or even worse Buddhism were unfiromly weak and nations who abided them found themselves colonized. He argued the Manchus were like Persia, where people accepted their slavelike status without complaint. The most powerful nation to Hong Rengang was Britain whose ruling he thought lasted more than a thousand years making it longer than any dynasty of China. He explained to the masses that Britains strength derived from the intelligence of its populace, a system of laws which China could and should emulate. But Hong Rengans greatest admiration was saved for the United States which was known as the “flowery flag country” to many of the CHinese, because of its flag. He called it “the most righteous and wealthy country of all, she does not encroach upon her neighboring countries. ” Well that last part certainly changed haha. He talked about American democracy, the notion that all people of virtue should have a say in choosing their leaders and setting policy. Hong Rengan began to list his western friends such as British missionary James Legge, the swedish missionary Theodore Hamsberg and countless americans he knew in Shanghai. He proposed to use his connections to help establish cooperation with the west. He proposed CHina tap into the global industrial economy, it was necessary to become strong. He pointed out that Siam had learnt from the west how to build steamships and thereby made itself a “nation of wealth and civilization”. Likewise Japan unlike the Qing rulers of China had opened themselves willings to foreign trade “and will certainly become skillful in the future”. Boy oh boy is that one ominous. This he argued was the path of a Taiping ruled China. Hong Rengans ideas in many ways were a vision of China as a modern industrial power. A lot of what he argues will be adopted by future Chinese leaders, some of whom were currently fighting the Taiping, such as Li Hongzhang. Now before anything could be down, the state needed to be founded and for that the war needed to be won.    To establish some central administration, financial and military authority, Hong Rengan needed the backing from military commanders. He could not expect support from Li Xuicheng so he began securing support from the other big heads such as Chen Yucheng. Chen Yucheng seemed quite willing to accept the new system Hong Rengan was advocating for. Shortly after taking the title of Shield King, Chen Yucheng and Li Xiucheng were also made kings; Chen became the Ying Wang and Li Zhong Wang; ie: the brave king and loyal king. These appointments were obviously done to placate any jealousy the generals might feel towards Hong Rengan. These men had been on their own for quite awhile and by no means eager to accept subordination under a newcomer. But for better or worse these 3 men were the top officials who would control Taiping politics and military strategy.    Now Li Xiucheng was very ambitious and was the one who sought the most self glory out of the Taiping leaders. His area of command was by his own design, that to protect Nanjing and he made every effort to place himself close to the heavenly king as his protector. Thus far he had managed to become the new Yang Xiuqing, but he did not like Hong Rengan nor was he open much to his ideas. Chen Yucheng on the other hand was more willing to accept a new political leadership role of Hong Rengan and would become his main supporter. Aside from his role as a commander in the field he also helped Hong Rengans governmental reorganization. Chen Yucheng became a member of Hong Rengans board for a newly organized state examinations. Hong Rengan wanted a government based on law and stressed therefore the need of education for the Taiping people.   One of Hong Rengans first proclamations was to revamp the examination. Interestingly to do this he advocated to blend confucian classics, the four books and 5 classics with the taiping christian texts. Though none of these texts survived, scholars assumed the general principles of the confucian work were revised heavily before being adopted. Hong Rengan wanted to carry on some of the imperial tradition; to formulate an elite that would be characterized not only by ranks and titles but also exempt from labor service. While the examinations and privileges of those who passed them looked similar to the imperial systems of before, the substance of the system was quite different. The imperial gentry was a statum that took its uniform based on the study of confucian classics, but Hong Rengan wanted a CHristian gentry. Thus the new examinations looked more so at qualifications for official service. At the same time Hong Rengan took the time to clarify “yes thats a good word”, the visions of Hong Xiuquan in a way that would make more sense in traditional christian literature. This was not just for the CHinese, but also for foreigners who were greatly weirded out by the fantasifull aspects of the Taiping doctrine. Hong Rengan was trying to have the Taiping version of christianity mesh more so with the protestant one so foreigners would accept it more.    Hong Rengan suggested that foreign missionaries and technical advisers be permitted to come to Nanjing. He was trying to establish some westernization and friendly relations with western powers and many missionaries would come to Nanjing such as T.P Crawford, J.L Holmes, J. Roberts and Hartwell of the American Baptists and Josiah Cox of the British Wesleyans. However the year 1860 brought with it an end to the Second Opium War and the signing of the treaty of Tianjin, thus the western powers had effectively tossed their lot in with the Qing. Hong Rengans hopes of gaining the western aid to defeat the Qing was snatched.    In the meantime, while Chen Yucheng proved a valuable ally to his cause, in the absence of having Li Xiucheng on his side, Hong Rengan was unable to overcome the resistance to his authority. Regardless he attempted to take a leading role in planning military campaigns; and his strategies were initially successful.    When Hong Xiuquan and his cousin spoke in their younger years they envisioned building a kingdom that did not include the north. Instead it set its foundation in Nanjing and reached down over the 7 southern provinces. It would abandon the larger expanse of the Qing dynasty for something more akin to the Ming. However when the Taiping took Nanjing, they tried to take the south and north failing in the process. Now the Taiping capital was in a dire situation, the had lost most of their southern territory that they acquired in the initial campaign. They still held the strategic city of Anqing upstream, but the Qing had retaken Zhenjiang. Qing forces had established encampments with 10s of thousands of soldiers guarding strategic points north and south of Nanjing keeping them firmly under siege. These encampments represented the leading forces of the Qing empire, the counterparts to Prince Seng's army in the north. The southern camp had dug in just 10 days after the fall of Nanjing to the Taiping and stood its ground almost continually ever since. Zhang Guoliang commanded the southern encampment and He Chun the north.   Zhang Guoliang's siege forces were too large to be easily scattered by the Taiping sorties from Nanjing. But at the same time Nanjing was too strong for the besiegers to mount an attack upon it. Thus a stalemate occured for a long time, peppered with Taiping victories in 1856 that did shatter the Qing siege, but then the Taiping internal collapse undid this. 3 years after the Qing rebuilt their ranks and commenced digging trenches below Nanjing that would stretch 45 miles with more than 100 guard camps along the length blocking access to the capital. He Chun and Zhang Guoliang prepared for what they thought would be the final assault to crush the rebel capital. Hong Rengan presented a bold plan to relieve Nanjing. The Taiping would send a small expeditionary force in a wide, sweeping arc beyond the rear guard of the Qing armies within Zhejiang province to attack its weakly defended capital Hangzhou. Hangzhou was 150 miles southeast of Nanjing and was the supply line supporting the southern Qing encampment. Now because He Chun and Zhang Guoliang concentrated all of their forces around Nanjing, there was little real defense left for Hangzhou, so they would be forced to transfer troops from the large encampments around Nanjing to lift a siege of the city.    As per Hong Rengans plan, they would recall two roving armies led by Chen Yucheng and the younger cousin of Li Xiucheng, known as the attending King who would return to Nanjing from their distant foraging campaigns. As soon as the Qing forces around Nanjing thinned out sufficiently, the expeditionary force at Hangzhou would secretly retreat as the combined armies of the Brave, loyal and attending King's would sweep in from 3 sides to crush the weakened Qing camps, thus raising the siege. Even Li Xiucheng agreed such a plan might break the siege, but he did question what lasting effect it might accomplish. He argued it would reconcentrate the Taiping forces in Nanjing where they had limited supplies, thus Hong Rengan laid out the full scope of his revised strategy for winning the war. The rice growing southern provinces, sichuan in the west and the Great Wall to the north were over 1000 miles from Nanjing, but to the east were grand and wealthy cities like Suzhou and Hangzhou who had access to the sea. It was to the east they should strike. Once they performed the siege lifting offensive they should turn east and conquer the cities between Nanjing and Suzhou in a swift and precise campaign. With access to the sea they could ensure supplies, arms, wealth and new recruits. If all went well they could get help from foreign allies and using the wealth taken from Suzhou and Hangzhou they could purchase perhaps 20 steam powered ships from the foreigners in shanghai. With such naval forces they could patrol the Yangtze unopposed and begin taking the southern coast along Fujian, Guangdong all the way to Hong Kong. From there they could march on Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei and seize Hankow, solidifying the Taiping control over the entire Yangtze river valley and cutting the Qing empire effectively in 2. By consolidating the south, they could take Sichuan, Shaanxi and the original dream of Hong XIuquan and Hong Rengan would be complete. The former Ming empires borders would be theres and Beijing and the northern provinces would eventually be starved and wither away. The success of his grand plan depended heavily on the support of foreigners in Shanghai, but would they be open to it?   On February 10th of 1860, the Loyal King left Nanjing with 6000 handpicked men disguised in Qing uniforms stolen from slain enemies. The coordination between the Green Standard, Yung-Ying armies and local militias was so weak, the Loyal King's force managed to seize several garrison towns along their way before looping around to hit Hangzhou. They surprised the city on March 11th when hundreds of Taiping banners began to be erected around the great city indicating its was under siege. The main Taiping force battered the front gate of Hangzhou using sappers and tunnels and a hole was blasted by march 19th. Hell unleashed upon the city as its untrained militia routed fleeing to their homes in neighboring towns. The leaders of Hangzhou likewise abandoned their offices taking their bodyguards with them, with many also ransacking the city as they fled. Li Xiuchengs men fought against the local residents who stood their ground and the local women did as moral instructions proscribed, they began to kill themselves en masse. The women hanged themselves, poisoned themselves, stabbed themselves and threw themselves into wells to drown. The Manchu commander of Hangzhou fled with his troops back into the inner garrison holding out against the fierce Taiping invaders. Li's men were unable to break into the Manchu garrison after 6 days, so he abandoned the attack and began the retreat back to Nanjing. He had accomplished his objective and the plan would work out perfectly. Zhang Guoliang received reports of the attack on Hangzhou, without any clear indication of the size of the Taiping force. He shifted nearly a quarter of his total siege forces to relieve Hangzhou as a result while the Loyal King and his men took to their Qing disguises yet again easily slipping past Zhang Guoliangs men. Zhang's force arrived to Hangzhou to find no Taiping, nor any civil government, so they looted the city hahahaah.    By April the main Taiping armies of the Brave and Attending kings went to the outskirts of Nanjing and join up with the Loyal Kings forces to throw their combined weight on the weakest point of the southern QIng encampment. The southern camp fell apart in a rout as 100,000 Taiping overran them from 3 different directions. Li's cavalry smashed into the Qing rear lines crushing the men under their own defensive works. Thousands were cut down with their bodies left in the trenches they had dug. The waterways overflowed their banks raising corpses everywhere. The routed Qing dropped their weapons as they fled, but the Taiping pursued them for weeks cutting more and more down. Soon the Taiping overran the city of Danyang, 45 miles to the east of Nanjing. General He Chun committed suicide by eating raw opium and Zhang Guoliang drowned while trying to escape from Danyang. Thus in the central theater of the war, no more capable Qing commanders were left.   In the spring of 1860, suddenly the Taiping came out like a scourge from their capital marching to the east. Local militias fled before them, Jiangsu province was swarmed, countless cities fell without a fight. By mid may the Taiping captured Changzhou a few days later Wuxi. Then the Taiping plucked one of the greatest cities, Suzhou which held a population of 2 million, providing them with a vast source of new recruits and plunder. The Taiping's momentum was unbreakable, Suzhou simply opened the gates to them. For those who were in the path of the Taiping choices were always the same, be brave and fight to protect your homes, or cut your manchu queues and join them. Many peasants tried to appease both sides by growing their hair long on top when the Taiping took over, but kept their Manchu braid wound up underneath their long hair in case the Qing came back. Soon the Taiping spread past Jiangsu to Zhejiang forcing countless to flee to the protection of the international city of Shanghai. Yet rumors spread to those in Shanghai that an army of 100,000 Taiping was going to march upon Shanghai with a flotilla of 10,000 boats so large it would take 3 days to fully pass the river.   The treaty port of Shanghai held half a million Chinese inhabitants, a figure growing daily with refugees. Shanghai was divided into 4 sections; the east going to Jiangsu province; the south was the old Chinese city with a circular defensive wall 25 feet high governed by the Qing holding most of Shanghais population; to the north was the French and British concessions and to the east was the Suzhou creek where past that was the American concession. The foreign population numbered around 2000 settled people and shipping crews numbering another 2000 or so. The British dominated the community, seconded by the French, leaving the Americans a minority. It was not a beautiful city. Countless newcomers had grand visions of “an El dorado of wealth, hope and fortune, only to find a dirty, overcrowded settlement with “ill built houses reeking with impurities and fevers and vile stenches”. One missionary said of the city  “one of the filthiest in this world. I have seen nothing to be compared to it in dirt and filth, it surpasses everything.”   Shanghai had access to the sea and the Yangtze river making it an ideal point of trade for tea and silk from China's interior. Shanghai quite frankly was built specifically for the purpose of dominating the China trade. As the Taiping edged down the river, British authorities in Shanghai issued an injunction from trading with the rebels and fear set into the foreign community that their immensely profitable commerce was about to be destroyed. The top ranking British official in Shanghai was our old friend Frederick Bruce, the younger brother to Lord Elgin. After failing at his job to get the Qing to abide by their treaty, he left his brother to finish that work up as he took up the mantle to manage Shanghai. Because of his experiences he sought to walk a very fine line when it came to his new role and he was determined to remain neutral towards the civil war. He issued the trade injunction believing to even trade with the Taiping was breaking neutrality. He also simultaneously tried to avoid aiding the Qing, but Britain had interests with the Qing and the Qing knew how to twist an arm. The Qing had an official named Wu Xu who hounded Bruce for British support in defending Shanghai from a possible Taiping attack. Wu Xu warned if the Taiping took Shanghai, it would shut down all trade and the British would be cast out. Bruce began to hear rumors about horrible dealings in Hangzhou by the hands of Li Xiuchengs men and began to worry what might unfold in Shanghai.   It was not just the Taiping that were a threat, there were legions of renegade Qing forces who had taken up residence in Shanghai who had fled from Suzhou and Hangzhou. Bruce wrote  “the defeated imperialists have revenged themselves for their defeat by pillaging the defenceless villages on their line of retreat. The beaten troops, the victorious insurgents, and the vagabonds of the city itself, all join in plundering the wealthy and respectable inhabitants.” There were continuous false alarms being made that the Taiping were attacking Shanghai causing the city to become a powder keg. Weighing the options, Bruce decided it was Britain's moral duty to protect Shanghai, but not just the foreign settlements, also the Chinese city under the Qing civil governments control. He made it clear any British defense of Shanghai would strictly be limited to the city itself. Wu Xu tried to press Bruce that a preemptive British led force at Suzhou to halt the Taiping would be a good idea, but Bruce rejected this immediately. The French however heard reports that another French catholic missionary had been murdered by the Taiping, and they decided to rally a force of 3000 men to march on Suzhou, but Bruce was able to scuttle the mission. The British merchants began to hound Bruce to mount a sturdy defense of the city, but Bruce had to wait, probably months for Britain to give him permission to deploy defenses. Thus in the meantime Bruce began calling up volunteers, and only a handful of cannons were dragged together with a few hundred inexperienced men to man the walls to face if rumors were true, legend of Taiping.    I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me.  Hong Rengan went on a great pilgrimage to Nanjing and became the Shield King. His reforms were grand, but he drew ire from his fellow the Loyal King. Could Hong Rengan turn the movement around?