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2 episodes with qixi
15 episodes with qixi
2 episodes with qixi
2 episodes with qixi
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Navigating Unpredictability: A Team Event's Rainy Day Success Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/navigating-unpredictability-a-team-events-rainy-day-success Story Transcript:Zh: 西湖的夏天，总是充满了游客的欢声笑语。En: Summer at West Lake is always filled with the cheerful laughter of tourists.Zh: 今天，嘉浩站在湖边，心中充满了期待和紧张。En: Today, Jiahao stood by the lake, filled with anticipation and nervousness.Zh: 他是公司这次团建活动的策划者。En: He was the planner for the company's team-building event.Zh: 作为一个细心周到的活动策划人，嘉浩希望这次活动能让每一个人都记住。En: As a meticulous and considerate event planner, Jiahao hoped that this event would be memorable for everyone.Zh: 然而，连和他的怀疑让他感到很大的压力。En: However, Lian's doubts put a lot of pressure on him.Zh: 嘉浩仔细检查活动的每一个细节。En: Jiahao carefully checked every detail of the event.Zh: 梅芬站在他身边，她总是那么乐观，并且善于解决各种问题。En: Standing by his side was Meifen, who was always optimistic and adept at solving various problems.Zh: 她提议说：“不如我们融入一些七夕节的元素吧，这样大家会更有兴趣参与。”En: She suggested, "Why don't we incorporate elements of the Qixi Festival? That way, everyone will be more interested in participating."Zh: 嘉浩点点头，这个主意让他的计划多了一些文化意义。En: Jiahao nodded, as this idea added some cultural significance to his plan.Zh: 可是，还有一个问题——天气预报说今天会下雨。En: However, there was still a problem—the weather forecast predicted rain for the day.Zh: 西湖的景色虽然美，但如果下雨，所有的户外活动就会泡汤。En: Although the scenery at West Lake was beautiful, if it rained, all outdoor activities would be ruined.Zh: 连对此次活动持怀疑态度。En: Lian was skeptical about the event.Zh: 他认为大家忙于节日，可能团建的效果不会很好。En: He believed that with everyone busy celebrating the festival, the team-building might not be very effective.Zh: “我们真的需要这个活动吗？这么多人都忙着过七夕。”连的话让嘉浩心中不安。En: "Do we really need this event? So many people are occupied with Qixi," Lian's words unsettled Jiahao.Zh: 随着七夕节的临近，嘉浩面临一个艰难的选择：坚持户外计划，还是寻找一个室内场地？En: As the Qixi Festival approached, Jiahao faced a tough decision: stick to the outdoor plan or find an indoor venue?Zh: 他最终决定做好两手准备。En: He finally decided to prepare for both scenarios.Zh: 他和梅芬一起，联系了一个可以容纳全部员工的室内场地，并准备了一些七夕节的互动节目。En: Together with Meifen, he contacted an indoor venue capable of accommodating all employees and prepared some interactive Qixi-themed programs.Zh: 活动当天，雨果然下了。En: On the day of the event, it indeed rained.Zh: 嘉浩和梅芬迅速调整，将大家带到室内。En: Jiahao and Meifen quickly adjusted and brought everyone indoors.Zh: 在室内，大家兴致勃勃地参加了七夕节相关的游戏和活动。En: Inside, everyone enthusiastically participated in Qixi-related games and activities.Zh: 这种创意让员工们感到惊喜，不仅有趣，还能让大家了解更多传统文化。En: This creative twist surprised the employees, making the event not only fun but also an opportunity to learn more about traditional culture.Zh: 连看到大家积极的参与和欢声笑语，态度也变得柔和。En: Seeing everyone actively participating and the happy laughter, Lian's attitude softened.Zh: “这次活动比我想象中要好得多，”连承认道，他的脸上挂着赞许的笑容。En: "This event turned out much better than I expected," Lian admitted, a smile of approval on his face.Zh: 活动结束时，西湖边的雨也停了。En: As the event concluded, the rain by West Lake also stopped.Zh: 大家纷纷绕湖散步，享受着雨后的清新空气。En: Everyone took a stroll around the lake, enjoying the fresh post-rain air.Zh: 这一天，嘉浩学会了灵活应对意外挑战，也赢得了连的尊重和团队的认可。En: On this day, Jiahao learned how to adapt flexibly to unexpected challenges, gaining Lian's respect and the team's recognition.Zh: 嘉浩微微地笑了，他知道自己成功了，不只是因为他完美地组织了活动，而是因为他学会了如何在困难面前保持冷静和创新。En: Jiahao smiled slightly, knowing he had succeeded—not just because he organized the event perfectly, but because he learned how to remain calm and creative in the face of difficulties. Vocabulary Words:cheerful: 欢声笑语anticipation: 期待nervousness: 紧张meticulous: 细心considerate: 周到memorable: 记住doubts: 怀疑pressure: 压力optimistic: 乐观adept: 善于incorporate: 融入cultural: 文化significance: 意义forecast: 天气预报predicted: 预报skeptical: 怀疑effective: 效果unsettled: 不安approached: 临近scenario: 场地accommodating: 容纳interactive: 互动enthusiastically: 兴致勃勃地traditional: 传统surprised: 惊喜actively: 积极flexibly: 灵活unexpected: 意外challenges: 挑战recognition: 认可
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Chasing Dreams Under the Qixi Sky: A Family's Journey Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/chasing-dreams-under-the-qixi-sky-a-familys-journey Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个炎热的夏天，繁忙的高科技城市里，两个兄妹，梁和梅，坐在天台上，望着远处闪烁的摩天大楼。En: On a scorching summer day in a bustling high-tech city, a brother and sister, Liang and Mei, sat on the rooftop, looking out at the shimmering skyscrapers in the distance.Zh: 高科技城市以先进的技术和创新中心闻名，但对于梁和梅，这里更充满了压力和责任。En: This city, renowned for its advanced technology and innovation hubs, was filled with pressure and responsibility for Liang and Mei.Zh: 梁是一位年轻的工程师，他有着无尽的抱负。En: Liang, a young engineer, had endless ambitions.Zh: 他想创造尖端技术，但他的家族企业要求他继承家业。En: He wanted to create cutting-edge technology, but his family business demanded that he inherit the family trade.Zh: 这让梁感到窒息，他的心总想飞往远方。En: This made Liang feel suffocated, and his heart longed to soar elsewhere.Zh: 而他的姐姐梅，则希望家庭能和睦相处。En: His sister Mei, on the other hand, hoped for family harmony.Zh: 她很实际，总是在家庭与自己的心愿之间努力平衡。En: Practical by nature, she always worked hard to balance family duties and her own desires.Zh: 夏天的傍晚，街道上开始洋溢着七夕节的气息。En: In the summer evening, the streets began to be filled with the atmosphere of the Qixi Festival.Zh: 灯笼和彩灯装饰着大街小巷，情侣们手牵手漫步在热闹的节日中。En: Lanterns and lights adorned the streets and alleys, and couples strolled hand in hand amidst the lively celebrations.Zh: 在这个浪漫的节日里，梁和梅展开了一次重要的对话。En: During this romantic festival, Liang and Mei engaged in an important conversation.Zh: “梅，我真的想去那家初创公司试试。”梁的声音坚定而平静。En: "Mei, I really want to give it a try at that startup," Liang said, his voice firm but calm.Zh: 梅注视着弟弟，心里充满了矛盾。En: Mei gazed at her brother, feeling torn.Zh: 她知道追求梦想对梁有多重要，但同时她也不想家里因为这个而失和。En: She knew how important pursuing his dreams was for Liang, but she also didn't want the family to fall into disharmony because of it.Zh: “我明白，”梅说道，“但爸妈会担心。En: "I understand," Mei said, "but Mom and Dad will worry.Zh: 我们需要让他们理解你的梦想。”En: We need to help them understand your dreams."Zh: 梅知道这是她需要迈出的步伐，她打算和父母好好谈谈。En: Mei knew this was a step she needed to take, and she planned to talk to their parents.Zh: 七夕节那晚，梅终于鼓起勇气，在家人团聚的时刻，她向父母道出了梁的心声。En: On the night of the Qixi Festival, Mei finally mustered the courage to express Liang's feelings to their parents during a family gathering.Zh: “梁有他的梦想，我们应当支持他。”梅轻声说道。她的语气坚定，但充满温柔。En: "Liang has his dreams, and we should support him," Mei said softly, her tone firm yet gentle.Zh: 父母开始反思，他们也了解孩子有自己的路要走。En: Their parents started to reflect, realizing that the children had their own paths to follow.Zh: 不久后，梁带着梅的祝福和父母的理解，踏上了前往梦想的旅程。En: Shortly after, with Mei's blessings and their parents' understanding, Liang set off on his journey to pursue his dreams.Zh: 虽然离开高科技城市有些不舍，但他感到无比轻松。En: Although he felt a bit reluctant to leave the high-tech city, he felt a tremendous sense of relief.Zh: 梅在家中继续努力，她成了家里的沟通桥梁。En: Meanwhile, Mei continued her efforts at home, becoming a bridge for family communication.Zh: 最终，梁的勇气和梅的支持，让家庭达到了新的平衡。En: In the end, Liang's courage and Mei's support brought a new balance to their family.Zh: 无论在何方，家人之间的联系更加紧密，彼此更加尊重对方的愿望和选择。En: No matter where they were, the bond between family members grew stronger, and they respected each other's wishes and choices more deeply.Zh: 在高科技城市的星空下，传统与未来交织成更美好的生活。En: Under the starry sky of the high-tech city, tradition and future intertwined to create a better life. Vocabulary Words:scorching: 炎热的bustling: 繁忙的renowned: 闻名ambitions: 抱负inherit: 继承suffocated: 窒息practical: 实际的balance: 平衡strolled: 漫步atmosphere: 气息adorned: 装饰reluctant: 不舍engaged: 展开torn: 矛盾disharmony: 失和mustered: 鼓起courage: 勇气reflect: 反思blessings: 祝福pursue: 追求tremendous: 无比efforts: 努力bridge: 沟通桥梁bond: 联系tradition: 传统future: 未来advanced: 先进的technology: 技术innovation: 创新harmony: 和睦
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Reuniting Hearts: A Qixi Journey in the Taihang Mountains Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/reuniting-hearts-a-qixi-journey-in-the-taihang-mountains Story Transcript:Zh: 太行山的夏天，绿树成荫，阳光透过叶间洒下一片斑驳的金色。En: In the summer of the Taihang Mountains, lush green trees provide shade, and sunlight filters through the leaves, casting a dappled pattern of golden light.Zh: 山风轻轻吹过，带来一阵清凉，仿佛在欢迎久别重逢的老朋友们。En: A gentle mountain breeze brings with it a refreshing coolness, as if welcoming old friends reunited after a long separation.Zh: 李明、晓伟和家浩三人沿着蜿蜒的小路，向山顶进发。En: Li Ming, Xiao Wei, and Jia Hao were making their way up the winding path toward the mountain peak.Zh: 这一天是七夕节，一个属于朋友和家人的节日。En: It was the Qixi Festival, a day for friends and family.Zh: 李明感慨万千，他用心良苦地安排了这次登山之旅，希望能弥补多年来对朋友的疏忽。En: Li Ming, filled with emotions, had carefully planned this hiking trip, hoping to make up for years of neglect toward his friends.Zh: 在山脚下，三人停下脚步。En: At the foot of the mountain, the three paused.Zh: 李明微笑着说：“感谢你们今天能来。En: Li Ming smiled and said, "Thank you for coming today.Zh: 我知道过去我太忙，错过了很多和你们在一起的时光。En: I know I've been too busy in the past and missed out on a lot of time with you."Zh: ”晓伟抬头看着蓝天，微微一笑，“没关系，我们现在在一起，这是最重要的。En: Xiao Wei looked up at the blue sky and smiled slightly, "It's okay.Zh: ”家浩拍了拍李明的肩膀，点头说道：“对。En: We are together now, and that's what matters."Zh: 我们都是老朋友了，也都明白彼此的不容易。En: Jia Hao patted Li Ming's shoulder, nodding as he spoke, "Right.Zh: ”随着他们一路攀登，阳光越来越烈，汗水不断从额头滑落。En: We've been friends for a long time and understand each other's struggles."Zh: 但心中那份友情的灼热，比阳光更胜一筹。En: As they continued to climb, the sun became more intense, sweat streaming down their foreheads.Zh: 然而，随着他们逐渐靠近山顶，天色突然暗了下来。En: Yet, the warmth of their friendship burned even brighter than the sun.Zh: 黑云聚集，雷声从远方传来，一场暴风雨即将袭来。En: However, as they neared the summit, the sky suddenly darkened.Zh: “快，我们得找个地方避雨！En: Black clouds gathered, distant thunder rumbled, and a storm was imminent.Zh: ”晓伟大声提醒。En: "Quick, we need to find shelter from the rain!"Zh: 三人迅速加快步伐，寻找附近的一个山洞。En: Xiao Wei called out urgently.Zh: 雨点如豆般砸下，三人互相扶持着，终于在雨幕中看到了一个山洞。En: The three of them quickened their pace, searching for a nearby cave.Zh: 坐在山洞中，李明紧张的心情终于舒缓下来。En: Rain poured down in torrents, and supporting each other, they finally spotted a cave through the curtain of rain.Zh: 他看着两位朋友，心中升起一股坚定的信念。En: Inside the cave, Li Ming's tense mood finally relaxed.Zh: 他决定不再逃避。En: Looking at his two friends, a strong sense of determination rose within him.Zh: “过去的我把工作放在了首位，实在对不起。En: He decided to stop avoiding the issue.Zh: ”李明认真地说。En: "In the past, I prioritized work above all else, and I'm truly sorry," Li Ming said earnestly.Zh: 晓伟和家浩对视一眼，微笑着说：“我们理解。En: Xiao Wei and Jia Hao exchanged a glance and smiled, "We understand.Zh: 重要的是你现在在这里，并且愿意改变。En: The important thing is that you're here now and willing to change."Zh: ”暴雨过后，天边泛起彩虹，空气中弥漫着泥土的清新。En: After the downpour, a rainbow appeared on the horizon, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of earth.Zh: 三人站在洞口，看着不远处的山景。En: The three stood at the cave's entrance, gazing at the mountain scenery not far away.Zh: 李明心中感到从未有过的轻松，他知道未来的日子会有所不同。En: Li Ming felt an unprecedented sense of ease, knowing that the days to come would be different.Zh: “我们应该多聚聚，”李明提议。En: "We should meet up more often," Li Ming suggested.Zh: “当然，”家浩和晓伟同时回答。En: "Absolutely," Jia Hao and Xiao Wei replied in unison.Zh: 三人相视而笑，心中再没有任何芥蒂。En: The three looked at each other and smiled, with no lingering misunderstandings in their hearts.Zh: 他们知道，经过这次相聚，那些年流失的友情重新找到了方向。En: They knew that after this reunion, the friendship lost over the years had found its direction once more.Zh: 在太行山的风景中，他们重新找回了年轻时的那种纯真和快乐。En: Amidst the scenery of the Taihang Mountains, they rediscovered the innocence and joy of their youth.Zh: 李明发誓，这份难得的友情，他将始终珍惜。En: Li Ming vowed to always cherish this rare friendship.Zh: 不仅是一个约定，更是一颗心与心的承诺。En: It was not just a promise but a heartfelt commitment.Zh: 在这个特别的七夕，他们重新开始了新的篇章。En: On this special Qixi, they began a new chapter together. Vocabulary Words:lush: 茂盛的dappled: 斑驳的gentle: 轻轻的breeze: 微风refreshing: 清凉的coolness: 冷静reunited: 重逢的separation: 分离winding: 蜿蜒的peak: 山顶neglect: 疏忽paused: 停下forehead: 额头summit: 顶峰thunder: 雷声shelter: 遮蔽urgent: 紧急的torrents: 倾盆大雨tense: 紧张的determination: 决心earnestly: 认真地distant: 遥远的glance: 瞥见heartfelt: 真诚的rainbow: 彩虹horizon: 地平线fresh: 清新的innocence: 纯真vowed: 发誓commitment: 承诺
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Lost in the Bamboo Grove: A Qixi Festival Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/lost-in-the-bamboo-grove-a-qixi-festival-adventure Story Transcript:Zh: 竹林深处，夏季阳光透过绿意盎然的竹叶，斑驳地洒在地上。En: Deep in the bamboo grove, the summer sunlight filtered through the lush green leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground.Zh: 在这样一个宁静的早晨，校车载着一群充满活力的高中生驶入这片天然的生态环境。En: On such a tranquil morning, a school bus carried a group of energetic high school students into this natural ecological environment.Zh: 今天是一个特别的日子，既是七夕节，也是小龙、梅芬和露莉参加生态学远足的日子。En: Today was a special day; it was both Qixi Festival and the day Xiaolong, Meifen, and Luli participated in an ecology hike.Zh: 小龙坐在车上，心中充满期待。En: Sitting on the bus, Xiaolong was filled with anticipation.Zh: 他喜欢植物，每次都有新的发现。En: He loved plants and always discovered something new.Zh: 他希望在这次旅途中，能让梅芬看到他的博学。En: He hoped that on this trip, he could impress Meifen with his knowledge.Zh: 梅芬坐在他的前排座位，她安静地看着窗外的美景，心中盘算着用什么样的笔触去描绘竹林。En: Meifen sat in the row in front of him, quietly gazing at the beautiful scenery outside the window, pondering how she might capture the bamboo grove with her brushstrokes.Zh: 露莉则在旁边，微笑着打趣小龙的心思。En: Luli sat beside her, smiling and teasing Xiaolong about his thoughts.Zh: 车停了，大家下车走入竹林。En: When the bus stopped, everyone got off and entered the bamboo grove.Zh: 竹子高大威严，叶子在微风中发出沙沙声。En: The bamboo stood tall and majestic, and the leaves rustled in the breeze.Zh: 小龙领着小组，特别兴奋。En: Xiaolong led the group, especially excited.Zh: 他兴奋地讲述竹子的分类和生长习性，希望梅芬会因此对他另眼相看。En: He eagerly shared information about the classification and growth habits of bamboo, hoping Meifen would see him in a new light.Zh: “小龙，你真的很懂这些植物啊。”露莉笑着说，眼中带着一点点揶揄的味道。En: “Xiaolong, you really know a lot about these plants,” Luli said with a teasing glint in her eyes.Zh: 随着小组的深入，小龙的好奇心越发强烈。En: As the group ventured deeper, Xiaolong's curiosity grew.Zh: 他注意到了一条鲜有人走的小路，不禁想去探险。En: He noticed a rarely trodden path and couldn't resist exploring.Zh: “走这边，我们会更快看到稀有植物。”他对组员们说。En: “If we go this way, we'll get to see rare plants faster,” he told the group.Zh: 大家都犹豫，但小龙已经率先踏入那条小路。En: Everyone hesitated, but Xiaolong had already stepped onto the path.Zh: 竹林越来越密，小龙走着走着，发现周围的竹子似乎都长得一样。En: The bamboo grove became denser, and as Xiaolong walked on, the bamboo around him seemed all alike.Zh: “糟糕，我迷路了。”他想。En: “Oh no, I'm lost,” he thought.Zh: 然而，他并不想在大家面前丢脸，于是继续向前走，心里想着一定会找到出路的。En: Still, he didn't want to lose face in front of everyone and continued, determined to find a way out.Zh: 终于，他在一个小山坡上停下，眼前出现了一种他从未见过的开花兰花，那种兰花盛开着，色彩鲜艳，芬芳四溢。En: Finally, he stopped at a small hill and saw an orchid he had never seen before, blooming brilliantly with vibrant colors and a fragrant aroma.Zh: 小龙心中的激动难以用语言表达。En: Xiaolong was so thrilled that words couldn't express it.Zh: 他立刻拿出笔记本记录。En: He immediately took out his notebook to record his find.Zh: “我要把这个花展示给大家看，尤其是梅芬。”他暗自想到。En: “I have to show this flower to everyone, especially Meifen,” he thought to himself.Zh: 然而时间已晚，他知道不能久留。En: However, it was getting late, and he knew he couldn't stay long.Zh: 犹豫之下，他决定先回去再带大队人马来。En: With some hesitation, he decided to return and bring the group back later.Zh: 小龙试图原路返回，却发现越走越不对劲。En: Xiaolong tried to retrace his steps, but the more he walked, the more lost he felt.Zh: 他在树影间徘徊，最后终于意识到需要帮助。En: As he wandered through the shadows, he finally realized he needed help.Zh: 露莉不知何时出现，笑着对小龙说：“我就在你附近，我知道怎么回去。”En: Luli appeared out of nowhere, smiling as she said to Xiaolong, “I was nearby. I know the way back.”Zh: 在露莉的带领下，两人一路小跑，终于回到了大部队。En: With Luli leading the way, the two jogged their way back to the main group.Zh: 梅芬看到他们，露出松了一口气的微笑。En: Meifen saw them and let out a relieved smile.Zh: 小龙喘着气把发现稀有兰花的事告诉大家。En: Gasping for breath, Xiaolong shared the discovery of the rare orchid with everyone.Zh: 梅芬听得入神，她的眼神中满是惊喜。En: Meifen listened intently, her eyes filled with delight.Zh: “你能带我去看看吗？我想画下来。”她问。En: “Can you take me to see it? I'd like to paint it,” she asked.Zh: 当晚，营地篝火旁，小龙将自己的笔记本递给梅芬。En: That evening, by the campfire, Xiaolong handed his notebook to Meifen.Zh: 两人坐在火光映照的竹林边，谈论着植物和艺术。En: The two sat on the edge of the bamboo grove illuminated by the firelight, discussing plants and art.Zh: 露莉在一旁轻轻唱起了一首七夕节的歌谣，竹叶沙沙作响，似乎都在庆祝这个难忘的夜晚。En: Luli softly sang a Qixi Festival ballad nearby, the rustling bamboo leaves seeming to celebrate this unforgettable evening.Zh: 这次旅行给小龙带来了自信，也让他明白了团队合作的重要。En: This trip brought Xiaolong confidence and taught him the importance of teamwork.Zh: 而梅芬开始关注小龙，不再只是简单的同学关系。En: And Meifen began to notice Xiaolong, seeing him as more than just a classmate.Zh: 七夕节的竹林，他们心中的悸动和温暖，在星空下轻轻地荡漾。En: In the bamboo grove on Qixi Festival, their feelings and warmth gently rippled under the starry sky. Vocabulary Words:grove: 树林filtered: 透过mottled: 斑驳tranquil: 宁静anticipation: 期待gazing: 凝视breeze: 微风ventured: 冒险trodden: 踩踏过的hesitated: 犹豫majestic: 威严curiosity: 好奇心alike: 相似orchid: 兰花fragrant: 芬芳的hesitation: 犹豫retraced: 返回gasping: 喘息intently: 专注地delight: 欣喜campfire: 篝火illuminated: 照亮的ballad: 歌谣confidence: 自信teamwork: 团队合作pondering: 沉思brushstrokes: 笔触teasing: 取笑glint: 闪光rippling: 荡漾
#246 for 8st August, 2024 or 33-oh-10 (3310) http://loosescrewsed.com Join us on discord! And check out the merch store! PROMO CODES https://discord.gg/3Vfap47Rea Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LooseScrewsED Squad Update: The wars without end are on hiatus. We're trying to build some distance between us and opponents in Darahk, Miola, Howard and Balmus. We're fighting for second in BD+67 1409 in the polls and on to control. We're pushing for control in NLTT 52560. There is a war in Yen Ti, not our highest priority, but we're happy to win. We're expanding out of 6A - Currently our target is Nedos Soon we will be moving to reclaim control of NLTT 1139 and G 218-5 Our new neighbors NuADI or the Squadron previously associated with PE are making an effort to get to know folks in the neighborhood. They're using V640 Cassiopeia as a staging ground for farming massacre missions in their space, they're planning on farming bounties sustainably. Our other neighbors, the Hellssina Knights are keeping things stable on their front. In other words thing are getting back to normal, and hopefully stay that way until PP 2.0 IF you are interested in BGS reach out to us in the LSN channel in our discord. A bunch of us love to talk BGS All details in the #standing-orders and/or the #loose-screws-factions channels of the Discord. Galnet Update: https://community.elitedangerous.com/ 8-2-3310 - Assassination attempt on the Emperor in Cubeo 8-6-3310 - Aegis offers engineering rewards for participating in the clearing of control systems in the thargoid war, like Arx for killing titans. 8-7-3310 - The Type 8 Released - Better fuel efficiency than a Python Mk. II - also better looking. 8-8-3310 - Utopia is offering two CGs - Data mat deliveries of cracked industrial firmware, classified scan data banks and unexpected emission data along with a second CG requesting autofabricators, animal monitors and microcontrollers - insert Rocket Raccoon joke here. They are offering a Yellow Crypsis paint job for the Krait Mk. II to the top 50% of contributors. Unclear if there are any stoopid credit rewards as well, We're due for one of those. Thargoid war update: Thor controls 4 systems We got an alert from the Pilots' Federation asking for help in taking out the last four systems. Maybe Thor breaks a rule and becomes vulnerable before next Thursday? Who knows? Dev News: Frontier Unlocked contained announcements and info Discussion: Elite Dangerous | Type-8 Update (18.08) | Wednesday 7th August | Frontier Forums Type Upd8 Patch Notes Partners get preview Type-8 from the 31st July (yesterday) (IT LOOKS AWESOME) Extra FU from gamescon - watch socials Community Corner: Buckey Ball - Race number 4 - Questing on Qixi by Clarrisa Au, coming later in July! http://buckyballracing.org.uk
August 10 marks this year's Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day. We'll zero in on how Gen Z is navigating the world of love and marriage. Let's uncover the social and psychological factors driving their relationship preferences & what it means for love in the digital age. On the show: Heyang, Steve Hatherly & Yushun
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
Want to improve Chinese Speaking ? Check out my Chinese Speaking Course ! Complete Chinese Pronunciation Training, 60+ Chinese Conversation Templates! Secure your spot and Improve Chinese Speaking Today ! Today's Vocabulary: 七夕情人節 qīxī qíngrénjié - Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day) 仙女 xiānnǚ - fairy, celestial maiden 織女 zhī nǚ - a character in the Qixi story 平靜 píngjìng - peaceful, calm 織布 zhī bù - to weave cloth 下凡 xià fán - to descend to the mortal world 人間 rénjiān - the human world 牛郎 niúláng - a character in the Qixi story 青年 qīngnián - young man 相愛 xiāng ài - to love each other 天上 tiānshàng - in the heavens 談戀愛 tán liàn'ài - to be in a romantic relationship 神 shén - god 允許 yǔnxǔ - to allow, to permit 凡人 fánrén - mortal, ordinary person 命令 mìnglìng - to command, to order 天上 tiānshàng - in the heavens (repeated) 把...隔開 bǎ... gé kāi - to separate (something) from 悲傷 bēishāng - sadness, sorrow 喜鵲 xǐquè - magpie 被...感動了 bèi... gǎndòng le - to be moved (by) 搭成一座橋 dā chéng yī zuò qiáo - to build a bridge 鵲橋 qiāoqiáo - Magpie Bridge 搭橋 dā qiáo - to build a bridge 情侶 qínglǚ - couple, romantic partners 花束 huāshù - bouquet of flowers 愛意 àiyì - affection, love 煮飯 zhǔfàn - to cook rice, to prepare a meal 煮一頓 zhǔ yī dùn - to cook a meal 飯菜 fàncài - dishes, meal 郊外 jiāowài - outskirts, countryside 傳訊息 chuán xùnxī - to send a message 星星 xīngxing - stars 象徵 xiàngzhēng - to symbolize, symbol 天空 tiānkōng - sky Follow me on Instagram: fangfang.chineselearning !
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Unveiling Secrets: An Archaeologist's Qixi Festival Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/unveiling-secrets-an-archaeologists-qixi-festival-adventure Story Transcript:Zh: 在内蒙古的呼伦贝尔大草原上，夏日的阳光洒满了草地。En: On the Hulunbuir Grasslands of Inner Mongolia, the summer sun bathed the vast fields in light.Zh: 梅琳、家俊和光正在探索这片辽阔的土地。En: Meilin, Jiajun, and Guang were exploring this expansive land.Zh: 今天是七夕节，这个传统的节日让他们感到特别兴奋。En: Today was Qixi Festival, and the traditional holiday filled them with special excitement.Zh: 梅琳是一名充满热情的考古学家，她梦想着在考古界取得重要成就。En: Meilin was an enthusiastic archaeologist, dreaming of achieving significant accomplishments in her field.Zh: 家俊是她的小心却支持她的同事。En: Jiajun was her cautious yet supportive colleague, and Guang was their local guide, a mysterious man with extensive knowledge of legends and history.Zh: 而光是他们的当地向导，一个神秘的人，拥有丰富的传说和历史知识。En: As they walked on the grassland, they felt the cool breeze brushing their faces.Zh: 他们走在草地上，感受着微风拂过脸庞的凉爽。En: Suddenly, Guang stopped and pointed to a mound on the ground, saying, "This place looks special; let's dig here, maybe we'll discover something."Zh: 光突然停下来，指着地上的一个土堆说：“这里看起来很特别，我们挖一下，或许会有发现。En: Meilin's eyes lit up.Zh: ”梅琳的眼睛亮了起来。En: She thought, maybe this is an important archaeological find!Zh: 她心想，或许这是一个重要的考古发现！En: They carefully excavated with their tools and soon uncovered an ancient box.Zh: 他们用工具仔细地挖掘，不久便发现一个古老的盒子。En: The box was covered with strange symbols and looked incredibly old.Zh: 盒子上刻满了奇怪的符号，看起来非常古老。En: Meilin's heart raced, knowing this could be the significant discovery she had been searching for.Zh: 梅琳的心跳加速了，她知道这可能是她一直在寻找的重大发现。En: However, Guang's expression turned serious.Zh: 然而，光的脸色变得严肃起来。En: He said, "This box is tied to an ancient legend.Zh: 他说：“这个盒子流传着一个古老的传说。En: It's protected by a mythical guardian, and if opened recklessly, it could bring disaster."Zh: 它被传说中的守护者保护，如果不慎打开，会引来灾难。En: Jiajun, concerned, said, "Meilin, maybe we shouldn't open this box; it's too dangerous."Zh: ”家俊听了，有些担心：“梅琳，或许我们不要打开这个盒子，太危险了。En: Meilin hesitated for a moment, but her intense curiosity and drive for success compelled her to say, "We must know what's inside.Zh: ”梅琳犹豫了一下，但她强烈的好奇心和追求成功的愿望驱使她说：“我们必须知道里面有什么。En: This could be a discovery that changes our lives."Zh: 这可能是改变我们生活的发现。En: She decided to open the box.Zh: ”她决定打开盒子。En: As the lid lifted, a brilliant light burst forth, revealing an ancient artifact with exquisite carvings.Zh: 当盒盖一掀开，一道强烈的光芒四射而出，他们看到了一个古老的艺术品，雕刻精美。En: Suddenly, a strong wind picked up, and the air around them grew heavy.Zh: 突然，一阵强烈的风刮起，周围的空气似乎变得凝重起来。En: A mysterious figure appeared before them—a dignified guardian.Zh: 一道神秘的身影出现在他们面前——一个威严的守护者。En: His eyes shimmered with wisdom and warning.Zh: 他的眼睛闪烁着智慧和警告的光芒。En: "You should not have opened this box," the guardian said.Zh: “你们不该打开这个盒子，”守护者说，“这里面包含着古老的秘密，只属于那些懂得尊重历史的人。En: "It contains ancient secrets meant only for those who respect history."Zh: ”梅琳感到恐惧和敬畏。En: Meilin felt fear and awe.Zh: 她意识到她的鲁莽或许会带来严重的后果。En: She realized her recklessness might have serious consequences.Zh: 她深深地吸了一口气，对守护者说道：“对不起，我们不是故意冒犯。En: Taking a deep breath, she said to the guardian, "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to offend.Zh: 我们会尊重这个盒子和它的秘密。En: We will respect this box and its secrets."Zh: ”守护者点了点头，光芒慢慢消失。En: The guardian nodded, and the light slowly faded.Zh: 风也平息了。En: The wind also died down.Zh: 梅琳和她的团队把盒子放回原处，轻轻地覆盖上土层。En: Meilin and her team put the box back in its place, gently covering it with soil.Zh: 她心中有了新的明白，考古不仅仅是为了个人成就，更是为了尊重和传承历史。En: She had a new understanding: archaeology is not just about personal achievements but also about respecting and preserving history.Zh: 他们决定详细记录这个发现，但不再继续挖掘。En: They decided to thoroughly document this discovery but not to continue digging.Zh: 梅琳不再只想着个人的成功，而是成为了一个尊重和珍惜历史的学者。En: Meilin no longer focused solely on personal success but became a scholar who treasured and respected history.Zh: 在回程的路上，草地依旧美丽，七夕节的氛围也愈发浓厚。En: On their way back, the grassland remained beautiful, and the atmosphere of the Qixi Festival grew even stronger.Zh: 梅琳、家俊和光继续他们的考古之旅，但这次他们多了一份敬畏和冷静。En: Meilin, Jiajun, and Guang continued their archaeological journey, but this time with a greater sense of reverence and calm.Zh: 呼伦贝尔大草原上，历史的秘密依然等待着下一批懂得尊重它们的人。En: On the Hulunbuir Grasslands, the secrets of history still await the next group of people who understand how to respect them.Zh: 每一个夏日，每一个七夕节，都将是对这种敬畏最好的纪念。En: Every summer, every Qixi Festival, would be the best testament to this reverence. Vocabulary Words:bathed: 洒满enthusiastic: 充满热情accomplishments: 成就expansive: 辽阔cautious: 小心colleague: 同事mound: 土堆excavated: 挖掘symbols: 符号significant: 重要reckless: 鲁莽mythical: 传说中的disaster: 灾难intense: 强烈compelled: 驱使artifact: 艺术品exquisite: 精美shimmered: 闪烁reverence: 敬畏gently: 轻轻地document: 记录perserved: 传承dignified: 威严guardian: 守护者hesitated: 犹豫curiosity: 好奇心decide: 决定brilliant: 强烈consequences: 后果treasured: 珍惜
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Friendship and Discovery: A Qixi Festival Journey in Beijing Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/friendship-and-discovery-a-qixi-festival-journey-in-beijing Story Transcript:Zh: 这是一个阳光明媚的夏日，三位好朋友决定去北京的故宫游玩。En: It was a sunny summer day, and three good friends decided to visit the Forbidden City in Beijing.Zh: Lien是一位书生，性格内敛，喜欢安静。En: Lien, a scholar, was introverted and liked quiet.Zh: Wei则是个爱冒险的人，活泼开朗。En: Wei was an adventurous, lively, and cheerful person.Zh: Ming是个善于调解纷争的聪明人。En: Ming was a smart mediator who excelled at resolving disputes.Zh: 他们一起去度过这个特别的七夕节。En: They planned to spend this special Qixi Festival together.Zh: 当他们踏进故宫的大门，Lien感叹道：“这地方真有历史感。En: As they stepped through the gates of the Forbidden City, Lien sighed, "This place is so full of history.Zh: 我在这里一定能找到灵感写我的历史小说。”En: I will surely find inspiration here for my historical novel."Zh: 他拿出了笔记本，开始记录眼前的一切。En: He took out his notebook and started jotting down everything he saw.Zh: Wei看着高高的城墙和精美的建筑，满眼都是兴奋：“这地方太棒了！En: Wei, looking at the tall walls and exquisite structures, was full of excitement: "This place is amazing!Zh: 我们去探险吧！”En: Let's go explore!"Zh: Ming察觉到二人的不同，微笑着说：“我们都能在这里找到自己想要的东西。En: Ming noticed the difference between the two and smiled, saying, "We can all find what we want here.Zh: Lien，你可以写作，我们也可以四处看看。”En: Lien, you can write, and we can also look around."Zh: 他们走进一个宁静的院落。En: They walked into a peaceful courtyard.Zh: 这里风清日丽，鸟儿在枝头歌唱。En: The weather was clear, and birds were singing in the trees.Zh: Lien坐在一旁，专心写作。En: Lien sat down and focused on his writing.Zh: Wei则四处转悠，不时叫Lien一起过去看看有趣的东西。En: Wei wandered around, occasionally calling Lien to check out interesting things.Zh: Lien几次拒绝了，但Wei不肯放弃。En: Lien refused several times, but Wei wouldn't give up.Zh: 最后，Lien有些不耐烦了，En: Finally, Lien grew a bit impatient.Zh: 他之所以来故宫，是希望能专心写作。En: He came to the Forbidden City to write, hoping to concentrate.Zh: Wei的不停打扰让他难以集中。En: Wei's constant interruptions were making it hard for him to focus.Zh: 他忍不住说道：“Wei，你能不能安静一点，En: He couldn't help but say, "Wei, could you be a bit quieter?Zh: 我在写作。”En: I'm trying to write."Zh: Wei有些生气：“我们来这里是要一起玩的，不是来看你写作的。”En: Wei got somewhat angry: "We came here to have fun together, not to watch you write."Zh: Ming看出了二人的矛盾，他走到二人之间，温和地说：“大家别吵。En: Ming saw the conflict between them and walked over, gently saying, "Let's not argue.Zh: 我们来这里是为了开心的。En: We came here to enjoy ourselves.Zh: Lien，你的写作很重要，但我们也可以一起享受这段旅程。”En: Lien, your writing is important, but we can also enjoy this journey together."Zh: Lien听了，低下头，思索片刻。En: Lien listened, lowered his head, and pondered for a moment.Zh: 他意识到自己一味沉浸在写作中，忽视了朋友的感受。En: He realized that he was so immersed in his writing that he ignored his friends' feelings.Zh: 他站起来对Wei说：“对不起，Wei，是我太无趣了。En: He stood up and said to Wei, "I'm sorry, Wei, I was being too dull.Zh: 我们一起去看看吧。”En: Let's go look around together."Zh: Wei也笑了：“我也是，太过急躁了。En: Wei also smiled: "I was too impatient myself.Zh: Lien，跟我们一起走走，说不定这也是一种灵感。”En: Lien, come walk with us; maybe this will inspire you too."Zh: 于是，他们一起在故宫的悠长走廊和美丽的院落中漫步。En: So, they strolled together through the long corridors and beautiful courtyards of the Forbidden City.Zh: Lien发现，和朋友们在一起的时光，同样可以为他的小说注入新的活力。En: Lien found that the time spent with his friends could also infuse his novel with new vitality.Zh: Wei也更加理解Lien的专注，明白了安静和思考的价值。En: Wei came to understand Lien's focus better, recognizing the value of quiet and contemplation.Zh: Ming满意地看着二人重归于好。En: Ming watched them reconcile with satisfaction.Zh: 他们在故宫中度过了一段美好的时光，看到了壮丽的景色，也分享了彼此的心情。En: They spent a wonderful time in the Forbidden City, admiring the magnificent sights and sharing their feelings.Zh: 这个特别的七夕节，不仅让他们感受到了历史的厚重，也让他们的友情更加深厚。En: This special Qixi Festival not only made them appreciate the weight of history but also deepened their friendship.Zh: Lien学会了更多地去体验生活，Wei也学会了欣赏Lien的专注。En: Lien learned to experience life more, and Wei learned to appreciate Lien's concentration.Zh: 而Ming，一如既往地调解了矛盾，让朋友们的心更近了一步。En: Ming, as always, mediated the conflict, bringing their hearts closer together. Vocabulary Words:introverted: 内敛adventurous: 爱冒险lively: 活泼cheerful: 开朗mediator: 调解resolving disputes: 调解纷争inspiration: 灵感jotting down: 记录exquisite: 精美structures: 建筑explore: 探险courtyard: 院落birds were singing: 鸟儿在歌唱wandered: 四处转悠impatient: 不耐烦interruptions: 打扰argue: 吵enjoy ourselves: 享受immersed: 沉浸ponder: 思索dull: 无趣vitality: 活力contemplation: 思考satisfaction: 满意magnificent sights: 壮丽的景色reconciled: 重归于好historical novel: 历史小说concentrate: 集中conflict: 矛盾appreciate: 欣赏
#245 for 1st August, 2024 or 33-oh-10 (3310) http://loosescrewsed.comJoin us on discord! And check out the merch store! PROMO CODES https://discord.gg/3Vfap47Rea Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LooseScrewsED Squad Update: Old School Standing Orders are Back - streamlined and better than ever. We're clearing out the conflicts from the ADI war well. We have some new conflicts that might be related to the fall out from our recent conflict with HK We're expanding out of 6A - Currently our target is Nedos, which is suboptimal, so we need raise the retreating faction there, and lower the influence of the lowest non native faction in Mezavini, so we land there instead. A lot of shit went down this week…Ole Bloomingwind will give a TLDR and where we go from here. This applies equally this week as last week. After which Lark will give a funnier TLDR All details in the #standing-orders and/or the #loose-screws-factions channels of the Discord. Galnet Update: https://community.elitedangerous.com/ Thargoid war update: Thor controls 35 systems Two spire sites reactivated today (galnet) ( Aegis Confirm Reports of Thargoid Spire Reactivation - Elite Dangerous ) Dev News: Frontier Unlocked contained announcements and info Discussion: Engineering rework Increase mat availability on grade 4 or 5 significantly increased from all known sources Dramatically, like from 6 to 9, up to 30 to 100 EDH too random (chart) EDO recipes made less expensive (chart) EDO all suits get increased capacity (chart) Reduced engineer unlock requirements (chart) They think it's close to right but will watch feedback as it goes to the players Additional changes/rebalance to thargoid war Contributions to retaking system will reward grade 4 and 5 mats Rewards determined by percentile of participation up to 120 mats(chart) Contributions do not reset each week, so even small gaming can compound Next update is “Type-8” Releasing 7th T8 Early access 3 months, same as before (major updates will have names now) Python mkII goes full release Includes engineering update Includes pre-builts Type-8 Standard Type-8 Stellar (Cooler paint job and modules) Passenger jump start - Beluga, luxury long range with Increased range SCO drive Bounty hunter jumpstart - Vulture, G1 weapons, G2 internals Additional paints and “fang” ship kit for P2 Partners get preview Type-8 from the 31st July (yesterday) (IT LOOKS AWESOME) Extra FU from gamescon - watch socials Community Corner: Buckey Ball - Race number 4 - Questing on Qixi by Clarrisa Au, coming later in July! http://buckyballracing.org.uk
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Melodies & High-Wires: A Tale of Courage at the Qixi Festival Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/melodies-high-wires-a-tale-of-courage-at-the-qixi-festival Story Transcript:Zh: 在中国南方的一个风景如画的山区村庄，有一个中世纪主题的庆典。En: In a picturesque mountain village in southern China, there is a medieval-themed celebration taking place.Zh: 小村子古老的石头路旁，五彩缤纷的帐篷和舞台点缀其间，空气中弥漫着香炉的气味，传统音乐声飘扬。En: Colorful tents and stages dot the ancient stone paths of the small village, the air filled with the scent of incense and traditional music wafting through.Zh: 这是七夕节的前夕，一个充满浪漫和节日气氛的夏天。En: It is the eve of the Qixi Festival, a summer evening brimming with romance and festivity.Zh: 年轻的李明是一位才华横溢的琵琶演奏者。En: Young Li Ming is a talented pipa player.Zh: 他常常隐藏在音乐背后，不善与人交流。En: He often hides behind his music, not being good at social interactions.Zh: 他在庆典中表演，但始终没有勇气演奏自己创作的独奏曲。En: Although he performs at the celebration, he has never mustered the courage to play his original solo composition.Zh: 另一个表演者是陈美，她是一个充满自信的杂技演员，经常表演惊险的特技。En: Another performer is Chen Mei, a confident acrobat who often performs thrilling stunts.Zh: 她看似无畏，其实心中有一个巨大的恐惧——她怕高。En: She seems fearless but harbors a significant fear—she is afraid of heights.Zh: 李明和陈美在庆典上第一次见面。En: Li Ming and Chen Mei meet for the first time at the festival.Zh: 李明在帐篷边缘弹琵琶，陈美正在练习她的杂技。En: Li Ming is playing the pipa at the edge of a tent, while Chen Mei is practicing her acrobatics.Zh: 他们都被对方所吸引，却都有着自己的烦恼。En: They are both drawn to each other, but each has their own worries.Zh: 李明希望能在节日的主场演奏他的新曲子，陈美则想要克服恐高，完成高空走钢丝的表演。En: Li Ming hopes to perform his new piece on the festival's main stage, while Chen Mei wants to overcome her fear of heights to complete a high-wire act.Zh: 一天傍晚，李明鼓起勇气，走向正在休息的陈美。En: One evening, Li Ming gathers his courage and walks up to Chen Mei while she is resting.Zh: 他拿出那首自己创作的曲子，递给她，说：“陈美，这是我作的曲子。En: He takes out his composed piece and hands it to her, saying, "Chen Mei, this is a piece I composed.Zh: 我很想在七夕节那天演奏，En: I would really like to perform it on Qixi Festival day.Zh: 你能听一下吗？”En: Could you listen to it?"Zh: 陈美微笑着接过乐谱，开始认真地听。En: Chen Mei smiles, takes the music sheet, and begins to listen attentively.Zh: 她感受到了李明的紧张，决定打开心扉。En: Sensing Li Ming's nervousness, she decides to open up.Zh: 她对李明说：“李明，我一直很怕高。En: She says to Li Ming, "Li Ming, I've always been afraid of heights.Zh: 每当我想尝试走钢丝，我都会害怕得发抖。En: Whenever I try to walk the high wire, I tremble with fear.Zh: 可我又很想克服这个恐惧。”En: But I really want to overcome this fear."Zh: 李明深深地看着陈美，决定支持她。En: Li Ming looks deeply at Chen Mei and decides to support her.Zh: 他说：“那我们一起克服恐惧。En: He says, "Then let's overcome our fears together.Zh: 你在表演时，我为你弹奏我的曲子。En: When you perform, I'll play my piece for you.Zh: 这样你的心中就有音乐陪伴，会忘记害怕。”En: That way, you will have music accompanying you, and you won't feel afraid."Zh: 七夕节那天，庆典到了高潮。En: On the day of the Qixi Festival, the celebration reaches its peak.Zh: 整个村庄的人都聚集在主舞台前，期待着精彩的表演。En: The entire village gathers in front of the main stage, eagerly anticipating the performances.Zh: 陈美站在高高的钢丝一端，手心冒汗，但她心中有了坚定的勇气。En: Chen Mei stands at one end of the high wire, palms sweaty but filled with newfound courage.Zh: 李明在舞台旁，深吸一口气，开始弹奏那首为陈美而作的曲子。En: Li Ming, beside the stage, takes a deep breath and starts to play the piece he composed for Chen Mei.Zh: 随着美妙的琵琶声响起，陈美缓缓地走上了钢丝。En: As the beautiful pipa music resonates, Chen Mei slowly steps onto the wire.Zh: 她感受到音乐在心中回响，变得勇敢而坚定。En: She feels the music echoing in her heart, making her brave and resolute.Zh: 李明的指尖在琴弦上舞动，音乐与陈美的步伐紧密相连，两个年轻人的心灵在这一次表演中融为一体。En: Li Ming's fingers dance on the strings, the music synchronized with Chen Mei's steps, their hearts united in this performance.Zh: 当陈美平安走过钢丝、轻轻跃下地面时，全场爆发出雷鸣般的掌声。En: When Chen Mei safely reaches the other side of the wire and gently jumps to the ground, the crowd erupts in thunderous applause.Zh: 李明和陈美相视而笑，他们知道，他们不仅完成了这场表演，更是在彼此的支持下克服了内心的恐惧。En: Li Ming and Chen Mei exchange smiles, knowing that they have not only completed the performance but also overcome their inner fears with each other's support.Zh: 从那天起，李明找回了自信，不再害怕面对观众，而陈美也不再畏惧高处。En: From that day on, Li Ming regained his confidence and no longer feared facing the audience, while Chen Mei no longer dreaded heights.Zh: 他们明白了信任和支持的力量，也决定在未来的路上继续互相扶持，共同面对生活中的各种挑战。En: They understood the power of trust and support and decided to continue supporting each other in facing the various challenges in life.Zh: 在这个充满古老魅力的小村庄，李明和陈美的故事，成为了人们口中流传的美好传说。En: In this small village filled with ancient charm, the story of Li Ming and Chen Mei became a widely shared tale of beauty and inspiration. Vocabulary Words:picturesque: 风景如画medieval: 中世纪celebration: 庆典scent: 气味incense: 香炉brimming: 充满romance: 浪漫festivity: 节日气氛talented: 才华横溢perform: 表演mustered: 鼓起composition: 乐曲confident: 自信acrobat: 杂技演员thrilling: 惊险stunts: 特技fearless: 无畏harbors: 有significant: 巨大的high-wire: 高空走钢丝gathers: 聚集courage: 勇气nervousness: 紧张attentively: 认真tremble: 发抖overcome: 克服resonates: 回响synchronized: 紧密相连erupts: 爆发applause: 掌声
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Balancing Love and Duty: A Qixi Festival Election Tale Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/balancing-love-and-duty-a-qixi-festival-election-tale Story Transcript:Zh: 夏日的阳光洒在社区中心，鲜花的香气沁人心脾。En: The summer sunlight spilled over the community center, with the fragrance of flowers permeating the air.Zh: 今天是七夕节，然而整个投票中心却比往常更加热闹。En: Today was Qixi Festival, but the voting center was busier than usual.Zh: 李伟正忙着帮社区居民们登记投票，他的额头上已经冒出了汗珠。En: Li Wei was busy helping community residents register to vote, beads of sweat already forming on his forehead.Zh: 李伟是社区的志愿者，他非常热心。En: Li Wei was a community volunteer, known for his enthusiasm.Zh: 他的好朋友赵敏也站在人群中，微笑着和选民们握手。En: His good friend Zhao Min was also among the crowd, smiling as she shook hands with voters.Zh: 赵敏正在竞选地方政府职位，她希望能为社区带来新的变化。En: Zhao Min was running for a local government position, hoping to bring new changes to the community.Zh: 李伟看了看手表，心里有些不安。En: Li Wei glanced at his watch, feeling a bit uneasy.Zh: 他本来今晚和女朋友有约会，可他知道，这次选举对赵敏很重要，他不能离开。En: He originally had a date with his girlfriend tonight, but he knew how important this election was for Zhao Min, and he couldn't leave.Zh: "李伟，谢谢你一直支持我。"赵敏走过来，轻轻说道。En: "Li Wei, thank you for always supporting me," Zhao Min said softly as she approached.Zh: "没关系，敏。"李伟笑了笑，"选举比什么都重要。"En: "It's nothing, Min," Li Wei smiled, "The election is more important than anything."Zh: 赵敏点点头，但她的脸上仍然有些紧张。En: Zhao Min nodded, but her face still showed a trace of nervousness.Zh: 她的对手非常强大，许多选民对她的能力持怀疑态度。En: Her opponent was very strong, and many voters were skeptical of her abilities.Zh: 李伟看到她的担忧，安慰地拍了拍她的肩膀，然后继续帮助前来投票的人们处理手续。En: Seeing her worry, Li Wei patted her on the shoulder reassuringly and continued to assist the voters with their paperwork.Zh: 慢慢的，天色暗了下来，七夕节的灯笼挂满了街道。En: Slowly, the sky darkened, and Qixi Festival lanterns filled the streets.Zh: 投票中心内也是一片忙碌。En: The voting center remained bustling.Zh: 李伟接到女朋友的电话，听着电话那头的抱怨声，他的心更沉了。En: Li Wei received a call from his girlfriend and listened to her complaints, which weighed heavily on his heart.Zh: "对不起，我真的不能去。"李伟尝试解释，但电话已经挂断了。En: "Sorry, I really can't go," Li Wei tried to explain, but the call had already ended.Zh: 不久后，投票结果开始揭晓。En: Shortly after, the voting results began to be announced.Zh: 人群紧张地注视着大屏幕，每个人的呼吸都屏住了。En: The crowd watched the big screen nervously, everyone holding their breaths.Zh: 赵敏站在前方，准备发表演讲。En: Zhao Min stood at the front, ready to give a speech.Zh: 她拿起话筒，眼神坚定。En: She picked up the microphone, eyes resolute.Zh: "各位亲爱的社区居民，无论结果如何，我都感谢你们的支持。En: "Dear community residents, no matter the result, I thank you for your support.Zh: 我们社区需要变化，我会不懈努力。"En: Our community needs change, and I will work tirelessly for it."Zh: 话音刚落，终点结果显示出来——赵敏胜出，只是微微领先。En: As soon as her voice fell, the final results were displayed—Zhao Min won, but only by a slight margin.Zh: 李伟的心跳开始平稳下来，他松了一口气，看向赵敏。那一刻，他看到赵敏的眼中闪烁着感激的泪光。En: Li Wei's heartbeat steadied, and he let out a breath of relief as he looked at Zhao Min, seeing the grateful tears in her eyes.Zh: 投票中心渐渐安静下来，人们陆续离开。En: The voting center gradually quieted down, with people leaving one after another.Zh: 赵敏的胜利带来了希望，但也加重了她肩上的责任。En: Zhao Min's victory brought hope but also increased the weight of responsibility on her shoulders.Zh: 这时，李伟的女朋友出现在他的面前，脸上还有些生气。En: At this moment, Li Wei's girlfriend appeared in front of him, still a bit angry.Zh: "你真的为了选举放弃了七夕节吗？"En: "Did you really give up Qixi Festival for the election?"Zh: 李伟点点头。En: Li Wei nodded.Zh: "对不起，但赵敏需要我。En: "I'm sorry, but Zhao Min needed me.Zh: 我也希望这个社区能变得更好。"En: I also hope this community can become better."Zh: 女朋友沉默了片刻，叹了口气。En: His girlfriend was silent for a moment, then sighed.Zh: "好吧，我知道了。En: "Alright, I understand.Zh: 我理解你的奉献精神。"En: I appreciate your dedication."Zh: 李伟露出了感激的笑容，拥抱了她。En: Li Wei showed a grateful smile and hugged her.Zh: 赵敏站在远处，目睹这一切，心中充满了感动。En: Zhao Min, standing in the distance, witnessed everything, her heart filled with emotion.Zh: 她深深吸了一口气，暗暗发誓，她一定不辜负大家的期望。En: She took a deep breath and vowed silently not to disappoint everyone's expectations.Zh: 李伟学会了更好地平衡个人和社区责任，而赵敏也在这次选举中获得了更多的自信和责任感。En: Li Wei learned to better balance personal and community responsibilities, and Zhao Min gained more confidence and a sense of duty from this election.Zh: 投票中心的夜晚，充满了希望与承诺。En: The night at the voting center was full of hope and promises.Zh: 故事结束，李伟和赵敏，以及整个社区，都因这次选举变得更加紧密团结。En: In the end, Li Wei, Zhao Min, and the entire community became more united through this election. Vocabulary Words:sunlight: 阳光permeating: 沁人心脾residents: 居民beads: 汗珠forehead: 额头enthusiasm: 热心opp0onent: 对手skeptical: 持怀疑态度uneasy: 不安reassuringly: 安慰paperwork: 手续bustling: 热闹complaints: 抱怨announced: 揭晓resolute: 坚定margins: 微微领先breathed: 松了一口气grateful: 感激victory: 胜利responsibility: 责任complaints: 抱怨dedication: 奉献hugged: 拥抱expectations: 期望balance: 平衡confidence: 自信duty: 责任感promises: 承诺united: 团结fragrance: 香气
#244 July 25th, 2024 or 33-oh-10 (3310) http://loosescrewsed.comJoin us on discord! And check out the merch store! PROMO CODES https://discord.gg/3Vfap47Rea Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LooseScrewsED Squad Update: A lot of shit went down this week…Ole Bloomingwind will give a TLDR and where we go from here. All details in the #standing-orders and/or the #loose-screws-factions channels of the Discord. Galnet Update: https://community.elitedangerous.com/ Thargoid war update: Cleaning up the systems around Thor Thargsday Fun HIP 20024.Roelofs Horizons No missions or limpets but has repairs. Carrier parking at Col 285 Sector JG-O c6-14. Dev News: Frontier Unlocked coming wednesday Discussion: Community Corner: Buckey Ball - Race number 4 - Questing on Qixi by Clarrisa Au, coming later in July! http://buckyballracing.org.uk
#243 July 18th, 2024 or 33-oh-10 (3310) http://loosescrewsed.comJoin us on discord! And check out the merch store! PROMO CODES https://discord.gg/3Vfap47Rea Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LooseScrewsED Squad Update: Orders are locked down, so If you're interested in joining in the BGS fun, reach out to Nergal, Obl1v1ous, Hate, or Bloomingwind in the Discord All details in the #standing-orders and/or the #loose-screws-factions channels of the Discord. Galnet Update: https://community.elitedangerous.com/ Thargoid war update: Cleaning up the systems around Thor Dev News: Discussion: Community Goal - Deliver Aid for the Rhea Disaster that happened months ago! Titanium, Aluminium, Power Generators to Ito Orbital at Rhea - Vibrant Orange SRV skin for Tier 4 top 50%, size six corrosion resistant cargo rack for top 50% if tier 5 is achieved. Community Corner: Buckey Ball - Race number 4 - Questing on Qixi by Clarrisa Au, coming later in July! http://buckyballracing.org.uk
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: The Herbalist's Quest: Unveiling Secrets at Qixi Festival Market Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/the-herbalists-quest-unveiling-secrets-at-qixi-festival-market Story Transcript:Zh: 在古老的庙会市场，华灯初上，夏日的晚风中飘着节日的香气。En: In the ancient temple fair market, as the lanterns were first lit, the scent of the festival drifted on the summer evening breeze.Zh: 市场热闹非凡，四处是各色摊贩和挑选商品的顾客。En: The market was bustling, filled with a variety of vendors and customers selecting goods.Zh: 今天是七夕节，市场上挂满了五彩缤纷的灯笼，洋溢着欢乐的气氛。En: Today was the Qixi Festival, and the market was adorned with multicolored lanterns, radiating a joyful atmosphere.Zh: 心仪，一个勤奋的草药师，正在市场中寻找稀有的草药。En: Xinyi, a diligent herbalist, was searching for rare herbs in the market.Zh: 她走过一个又一个摊位，寻找她需要的珍贵药材。En: She walked past stall after stall in search of the precious ingredients she needed.Zh: 她要为自己的新药配方找到最后几种特别的草药。En: She was seeking the last few special herbs required to complete her new medicinal formula.Zh: 心仪听说一个神秘的摊贩藏有她需要的草药。她决定去找他。En: Xinyi had heard of a mysterious vendor who possessed the herbs she needed, so she decided to find him.Zh: 她在市场的角落找到了这个摊位。En: In a corner of the market, she found the stall.Zh: 摊位后面坐着一个穿着奇异衣服的男人，他叫梁。En: Behind it sat a man dressed in peculiar clothing; his name was Liang.Zh: 他是个古怪的摊主，眼神中透着一丝怀疑。En: He was an eccentric vendor, with a hint of skepticism in his eyes.Zh: “你好，我是心仪，”她礼貌地说，“我听说你有一些稀有的草药。En: “Hello, I am Xinyi,” she said politely, “I heard you have some rare herbs.Zh: 我需要它们来完成我的新药配方。”En: I need them to complete my new medicinal formula.Zh: 梁抬起头来看了她一眼，轻声说：“你为什么需要这些稀有的草药？En: Liang looked up at her, speaking softly, “Why do you need these rare herbs?Zh: 我怎么知道你不会滥用它们？”En: How can I be sure you won't misuse them?”Zh: 他的目光中充满了警惕。En: His gaze was full of wariness.Zh: 心仪知道她必须证明自己是真心的，否则就会失去这个机会。En: Xinyi knew she had to prove her sincerity, or she would lose this chance.Zh: 她深吸一口气，决定敞开心扉。En: She took a deep breath and decided to open her heart.Zh: “我的奶奶病了，”她开始说，声音有些颤抖，“她患了一种很少见的病，普通的药没有效果。En: “My grandmother is ill,” she began, her voice trembling slightly, “She has a rare disease, and ordinary medicine doesn't work.Zh: 我研究了很多书籍，发现用这些稀有的草药可以帮她。”En: I have studied many books and discovered that these rare herbs can help her.”Zh: 梁听了心仪的话，眉头稍微松开了一些，但仍然显得很谨慎。En: Hearing her words, Liang's furrowed brows relaxed a little, though he still seemed cautious.Zh: “你能证明你所说的一切吗？”他问。En: “Can you prove everything you said?” he asked.Zh: 心仪从包里拿出一本厚厚的笔记本，上面密密麻麻地记录着她的研究和发现。En: Xinyi took a thick notebook from her bag, filled with dense notes of her research and discoveries.Zh: 她递给梁，让他看。En: She handed it to Liang, letting him see.Zh: “这是我的研究笔记，”她说，“我花了很多时间研究这些草药的效果，En: “These are my research notes,” she said, “I've spent a lot of time studying the effects of these herbs.Zh: 我只想救我的奶奶。”En: I just want to save my grandmother.”Zh: 梁翻了几页，看到心仪的笔记写得很详细，En: Liang flipped through a few pages and saw the meticulous details in Xinyi's notes.Zh: 终于点了点头。En: Finally, he nodded.Zh: “好吧，我相信你，”他语气变得温和许多，“这些稀有的草药我可以卖给你，但你要答应我，用它们来帮助那些需要帮助的人。”En: “Alright, I believe you,” his tone became much gentler, “I can sell you these rare herbs, but you have to promise to use them to help those in need.”Zh: 心仪眼中闪烁着感激的泪光，她重重地点了点头。En: Tears of gratitude sparkled in Xinyi's eyes as she nodded vigorously.Zh: “谢谢你，梁先生。我会的。”En: “Thank you, Mr. Liang. I will.”Zh: 心仪小心地把这些宝贵的草药收入包中，心中充满了感激和决心。En: Carefully, Xinyi placed the valuable herbs into her bag, her heart filled with gratitude and determination.Zh: 这次经历教会了她，情感的诚实也是一种力量，她更加珍惜这种力量。En: This experience taught her that the honesty of emotions is also a kind of strength, and she cherished this strength even more.Zh: 七夕节的灯光照耀在她的脸上，她对未来充满了希望。En: The light of the Qixi Festival shone on her face, and she was full of hope for the future.Zh: 她一定会用这些草药救治奶奶，并帮助更多需要帮助的人。En: She was determined to use these herbs to cure her grandmother and help many more people in need. Vocabulary Words:ancient: 古老temple: 庙会lanterns: 灯笼scent: 香气breez: 晚风bustling: 热闹非凡vendors: 摊贩adorned: 挂满diligent: 勤奋herbalist: 草药师rare: 稀有herbs: 草药medicinal: 药peculiar: 奇异eccentric: 古怪skepticism: 怀疑sincerity: 真心trembling: 颤抖studied: 研究furrowed: 皱着眉头cautious: 谨慎notebook: 笔记本meticulous: 详细promised: 答应gratitude: 感激determination: 决心cherish: 珍惜honesty: 诚实strength: 力量hope: 希望
#242 July 11th, 2024 or 33-oh-10 (3310) http://loosescrewsed.comJoin us on discord! And check out the merch store! PROMO CODES https://discord.gg/3Vfap47Rea Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LooseScrewsED Squad Update: Something something - Classified Orders are locked down, so If you're interested in joining in the BGS fun, reach out to Nergal, Obl1v1ous, Hate, or Bloomingwind in the Discord All details in the #standing-orders and/or the #loose-screws-factions channels of the Discord. Galnet Update: https://community.elitedangerous.com/ Thargoid war update: Indra FDGBs (Falls Down Goes Boom!) DBU (Done Blowed Up) It was slower than normal, but you've been lied to about why Dev News: Post 18.07 Update - Tracks Trigger Warning! Ram Tah has been hard at work continuing his investigations of the Anti-Guardian Zone deployed by Thargoids. His most recent breakthrough now allows all Guardian Modules to have the Anti-Guardian Zone Resistance modification applied to them, without penalty. LIES! All modules my Thicc Thargoid Booty! Discussion: Community Goal - Deliver Aid for the Rhea Disaster that happened months ago! Titanium, Aluminium, Power Generators to Ito Orbital at Rhea - Vibrant Orange SRV skin for Tier 4 top 50%, size six corrosion resistant cargo rack for top 50% if tier 5 is achieved. Community Corner: Buckey Ball - Race number 4 - Questing on Qixi by Clarrisa Au, coming later in July!
#241 July 4th, 2024 or 33-oh-10 (3310) http://loosescrewsed.comJoin us on discord! And check out the merch store! PROMO CODES https://discord.gg/3Vfap47Rea Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LooseScrewsED Squad Update: Something something - Classified Something something - Pain in the neck - classified Thank you to all of our awesome pilots for their hard work in BGS. - Make sure you make time for other things - take a break when you need to. It's a game after all! Orders are locked down, so If you're interested in joining in the BGS fun, reach out to Nergal, Obl1v1ous, Hate, or Bloomingwind in the Discord All details in the #standing-orders and/or the #loose-screws-factions channels of the Discord. Galnet Update: Galnet News | Elite Dangerous Community Site Aegis has continued to monitor the recently shifting Thargoid behavior and have confirmed a clear pattern. Expansion efforts have slowed in recent weeks, with experts theorizing that this change in the Thargoids was a precursor to a change in overall strategy. Aegis researchers have now gathered enough evidence to confirm a tactical shift. The Thargoids have adopted a more defensive stance, reinforcing their current position rather than expanding outward. They are also targeting and invading populated systems exclusively, sometimes without their normal scouting operations. Dr. Jeong-Hui Shing of the Holloway Bioscience institute offered the following view: “That lack of scouting is the most fascinating element of this change to me. A military man may claim it to be a desperate enemy lashing out at its opponent, but I see something deeper.” “Foregoing expansion to prioritize the defense of their remaining Titans is intelligent, not desperate. These attacks seem just as calculated: they are gathering data. Probing our defenses. Analyzing where their remaining resources may be best used...” As a tactical response, various organizations will be sending strike teams to designated counterstrike systems around the Titan with the least systems under Thargoid control. Where possible, these teams plan to reactivate a single port within each system to provide a forward operating base for anti-xeno operations. Pilots are being encouraged to take up arms and participate in the defense of these forward ports. Thargoid war update: It's INDRA-Pendence Day! Let Torpedoes Ring! Dev News: 18.07 Update - From Tracks' mouth to Art's Thicc Thargoid Booty https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/elite-dangerous-update-18-07-5th-july-2024.626390/ Release Schedule - Friday 5th July 2024 7AM UTC/8AM BST - Server off 11AM UTC/12PM BST - Servers back online* *Please be aware that these are approximate timings and as such are subject to change. Features of Note: Ram Tah has been hard at work continuing his investigations of the Anti-Guardian Zone deployed by Thargoids. His most recent breakthrough now allows all Guardian Modules to have the Anti-Guardian Zone Resistance modification applied to them, without penalty. The reduction to Guardian weapon damage has been removed All weapons previously modified with the damage reducing modification have automatically received the improved modification The AX Chieftain prebuilt ship is now delivered with the improved modification Titan Multiplayer Improvements A number of improvements to Titan instance stability & improvements to the Titan venting cycle Reduced maximum number of Thargoid Ships within Titan instances Discussion: Buur 7/3 Video: Transition from Thargoid War to PP2.0 and future New Feature. (https://youtu.be/etpd98S3UMk?si=a1OU1ktrNFoueD9a) Community Corner: Coriolis.io is moving to new stewardship and being updated! Buckey Ball - Kevin the Stabber won the regulation race, Alec Turner number 2. Polar Bruski won the Unlimited race with an iEagle. Alec Turner second. Race number 4 - Questing on Qixi by Clarrisa Au, coming later in July!
Qixijie ist das chinesische Fest der Liebenden, ganz ähnlich wie der Valentinstag im Westen. Was es damit auf sich hat, erfahrt ihr in dieser Folge. Ebenso wie Details zu diesem neuen Format. Der Podcast auf Twitter Email Adresse Musik: Shenyang Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/
Whether you've just fallen in love or have been in a relationship for years, buying gifts for your someone special on the occasion ofQixi Festival, or Chinese Valentine's Day, is the norm. Little wonder then that luxury gift items are flying off the shelves of online retailers as China gets ready to celebrate its most romantic traditional festival on Tuesday.无论是刚刚坠入爱河还是已经恋爱多年，在七夕节或中国情人节为另一半买礼物是一种常态。8月22日是中国最浪漫的传统节日，难怪网上零售商的货架上到处都是奢侈品。Data from online retailer Vipshop shows that sales of luxury watches grew 23 percent between Aug 14 and 20, compared with the same period in July. Purchases of jewelry, sunglasses and high-end sports goods jumped 48 percent, 78 percent and 231 percent, respectively, during the same period.在线零售商唯品会的数据显示，与7月份同期相比，8月14日至20日豪华手表销售额环比增长23%。同时，珠宝首饰、太阳镜和高端运动品牌销售额分别环比增长48%、78%和231%。Cosmetics and gift boxes are gaining in popularity among Chinese consumers, with luxury bags, necklaces, gold earrings and bracelets, and wallets witnessing booming sales ahead of Qixi Festival, revealed Chinese e-commerce giant JD. Searches for flowers and chocolates on JD's online platform jumped thirtyfold in August.中国电商巨头京东透露，化妆品套装/礼盒越来越受到中国消费者的喜爱，奢侈品包、项链、黄金耳饰和手镯以及钱包的销量也在迅速增长。8月份，京东在线平台上鲜花和巧克力的搜索量增长了30倍。JD has recently inked a strategic partnership with Italian luxury brand Gucci to launch an official Gucci flagship store on its online platform, and offer immersive and digital shopping experiences for consumers. So far, a number of international luxury brands, including Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and Bottega Veneta, have launched online stores on JD.近期，京东与意大利奢侈品牌古驰达成战略合作，正式上线古驰京东官方旗舰店，为消费者提供身临其境的线上购物体验。截至目前，包括路易威登、蒂芙尼和葆蝶家在内的许多全球奢侈品牌已入驻京东。Industry experts said that China's luxury goods consumption saw a strong recovery in the first half of the year despite lingering downward pressures on the global economy, and e-commerce platforms have served as one of the most important channels for Chinese consumers to buy luxury products from overseas.行业专家表示，尽管全球经济下行压力挥之不去，但中国的奢侈品消费在今年上半年强劲复苏，电子商务平台已成为中国消费者从购买海外奢侈品的最重要渠道之一。Jason Yu, general manager of market research company Kantar Worldpanel China, said: "Qixi, a festival that is unique to China, has created new consumption scenarios. It has provided opportunities for global luxury brands to attach great importance to traditional Chinese festivals in a bid to cater to local consumers' demands and bolster their sales."市场研究公司凯度消费者指数大中华区董事总经理虞坚表示:“ 七夕这个中国特有的节日创造了新的消费场景，为全球奢侈品牌提供了重视中国传统节日的机会,以满足当地消费者的需求,促进销售。”E-commerce platforms are playing an increasingly significant role in unleashing people's purchasing appetite for luxury goods, especially in lower-tier cities and townships where the penetration rate of offline luxury brand stores is relatively low, Yu said.虞坚表示，电商平台在释放人们对奢侈品的购买欲望方面发挥着越来越重要的作用，特别是在线下奢侈品牌商店渗透率相对较低的二三线城市和乡镇。Mo Daiqing, a senior analyst at domestic consultancy Internet Economy Institute, said that Chinese online retailers have stepped up efforts to cooperate with luxury brands, and are offering an array of coupons and discounts during the traditional festival to spur consumers' willingness to spend, which will further help promote the recovery of consumption in the country.中国电子商务研究中心高级分析师莫岱青表示，中国在线零售商已经加大了与奢侈品牌的合作力度，并在传统节日期间提供一系列优惠券和折扣，以刺激消费者的消费意愿，这将有助于进一步促进国内消费的复苏。China has become the world's largest luxury goods market, with revenue expected to touch 750 billion yuan ($102.8 billion) in 2023, up over 20 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.商务部数据显示，中国已成为世界上最大的奢侈品市场，预计2023年，收入将达到7500亿元人民币(1028亿美元)，同比增长20%以上。The country's luxury goods market is expected to grow to 816 billion yuan by 2025, or around 25 percent of the global total, said a report from consultancy company PwC.普华永道咨询公司的一份报告显示，到2025年，中国奢侈品市场规模将达8160亿元人民币，约占全球总量的25%。Global market consultancy Bain & Company said that compared with other emerging markets, China has a larger number of middle- and high-income consumers, and these populations are projected to double by 2030.全球市场咨询公司贝恩公司表示，相比其他新兴市场，中国拥有更多的中高收入消费者，并且到2030年数量预计会翻番。Romance英/rəʊˈmæns/ 美/ˈroʊmæns/n.浪漫Luxury英 /ˈlʌkʃəri/美 /ˈlʌkʃəri/n. 奢侈,豪华;奢侈品Sale英 /seɪl/美 /seɪl/n. 销售额,销售量
This is the third part of the discussion with Lauren Schill about Cixi. We discuss her takeover from her adopted son the Emperor Guangxu following the 100 days of Reform and her role arming the Boxer Rebellion. Cixi and the Emperor flee to Xian and then return to Beijing. Cixi starts a charm offensive, institutes further reforms including for women's education and to end foot binding. She and the Emperor Guangxu die within a day of each other, him with high levels of arsenic. Within 3 years of her death, the Puyi Emperor abdicates and the Qing Dynasty ends. Qixi rules China for decades without ever stepping in the front part of the Forbidden City, which was off limits to women.Image: "China - The Empress Dowager of China - Bà Từ Hi Thái hậu" by manhhai is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hello everyone. In this episode I talk about Valentine's Day and Qixi the traditional "love festival" in China. What are the origins of these two holidays? And how are these holidays celebrated in modern China? Script and expressions below.大家好，欢迎收听新一期的五分钟中文。2月14号是西方的情人节，所以我想跟大家聊一聊西方情人节和中国七夕。因为有人也把七夕比作中国的情人节。中西这两个情人节的传说是什么？现代人又都是怎么过情人节的呢？情人节 | Qíngrén jié | Valentine's Day七夕 | qīxì | Qixi很多美国人都会过情人节。但是不是所有人都知道情人节的起源。关于情人节，最有名的说法是3世纪，罗马皇帝下令所有单身男性从军，不许结婚。天主教神父瓦伦泰（Valentine）违反皇帝的禁令，秘密替人证婚，结果被士兵逮捕，在269年2月14日被绞死。为了纪念瓦伦泰，人们将每年2月14日定为纪念日，成了后来的“情人节”。起源 | qǐyuán | origin说法 | shuōfǎ | one's version (of events)罗马 | luómǎ | Rome皇帝 | huángdì | emperor单身 | dānshēn | single男性 | nánxìng | male从军 | cóngjūn | join the army结婚 | jiéhūn | marry天主教 | tiānzhǔjiào | catholic神父 | shénfù | priest违反 | wéifǎn | violation禁令 | jìnlìng | ban秘密 | mìmì | secret替 | tì | for证婚 | zhènghūn | Witness the marriage逮捕 | dàibǔ | arrest绞死 | jiǎo sǐ | to hang纪念 | jìniàn | commemorate中国的七夕节也有各种版本的传说。最有名的是织女是天宫的王母娘娘的女儿，有一次她跟她的姐妹们一起到地上玩儿，在一个湖里洗澡的时候认识了牛郎。两个人都爱上了对方。所以织女决定留在地上，跟牛郎结婚生子。后来王母娘娘知道了这件事，非常生气。她把织女带回天上，并且用银河把织女和牛郎分开。可是天上的喜鹊被他们的爱情感动，所以一起为他们搭成了一座“鹊桥”。这样两个人就可以在桥上见面了。最后王母娘娘也被他俩感动，定了每年农历7月7日两个人可以见一次。所以每年的七夕这一天，大家都会期待美好的爱情。版本 | bǎnběn | Version织女 | zhīnǚ | weaver girl天宫 | tiāngōng | Heavenly Palace王母娘娘 | wángmǔniángniáng | queen mother牛郎 | niú láng | Cowherd银河 | yínhé | miky way喜鹊 | xǐquè | magpie爱情 | àiqíng | love感动 | gǎndòng | move搭 | dā | build鹊桥 | quèqiáo | Magpie Bridge那中国人都是怎么过七夕和情人节的呢？在中国，我觉得大家两个节都会过。不过我感觉没有人会太在乎情人节和七夕的传统。我查了一下，七夕节的传统活动有“穿针乞巧”、“观星”、 “吃巧果”等等。但是其实中国人过七夕最重要的活动就是跟爱人在一起，吃美食，互送礼物。跟过西方的情人节也差不多。现在中国人都用微信，也很喜欢用微信发红包。在情人节或者七夕节的时候，中国人会给自己的爱人发电子红包。很多人会发520元，因为520的中文发音“五二零”很像”我爱你”。穿针 | chuān zhēn | thread the line through the needle | 观星 | guān xīng | stargazing | 吃巧果 | chī qiǎo guǒ | eat various nuts | 美食 | měishí | Nice food | 你知道情人节和七夕节的传说吗？你过这两个节吗？如果你过的话，你一般会怎么过呢？感谢您收听这期关于情人节得节目。如果你喜欢五分钟中文，请帮我订阅、点赞、分享，让这个节目可以帮到更多的学习中文的人。感谢您的收听，我们下期再见！Thank you for listening. If you like 5 Minute Chinese, please help me by subscribing, liking, and sharing the show so that it can help more people. Thank you for your support. If you have any questions, you can email me at TheLoneMandarinTeacher@outlook.com.
May 25, 2022 ZxZk gives Qixi some information on dream infiltration, Iolanda gets a haircut, Calree has a confusing conversation with Balas Tawn, and the other two try to stop the Order from spreading shit She smells like piss? We're DONE stop recording! That's all we need That's why she's so popular. Because she smells like pizza?!? Can always dream? No, I can work hard and obtain what I want. That was a pun there. You're welcome. Demons have winter's light company parties You! Shenanigy-anne You're the more responsible of the two of us Am I? Yeah, yeah I am. This is my stirring quill Do you get something from this? It feels weird. The sandstorm was right outside bitch! That's a fucked up story, but you like it so I like it Is anyone else supremely uncomfortable with just how familiar Iolanda is with very dangerous people? It's a rat battle! INSECT PEOPLE WANTING TO FUCK PLANTS
April 25, 2022 Plainswalker babysits, Iolanda shares moments with Cyrel, and everyone else plays cards I feel like I have to go back on this plan because I can't. I just can't make Iolanda sad. Listen, we're not going to teach the children ACAB, okay? It's the first half of the sex number That was implied. I learned that word from Qixi! Wow. Straight to the T word. Okay. I mean, he's batshit crazy, but aren't we all? If I sound like that in 40 years just shoot me.
公众号：CL法语助理微信：memedamoi七夕节既是拜七姐节日也是爱情节日，这样唯美的节日背后有着中国式浪漫的故事。今天就用法语讲给大家听。每个小句子都很简单，适合大家做阅读以及听力训练哦。Le 7 juillet du calendrier lunaire est le jour de la Saint-Valentin chinoise (appelée 七夕 ). Selon une légende mystérieuse, une fée (织女 Zhīnǚ tisserande) est tombée amoureuse d'un agriculteur (牛郎niúláng : bouvier). Ils se marient et mènent une vie heureuse. Mais la mère de la femme est tout à fait contre ce mariage, en raison de leurs natures différentes. Elle oblige sa fille à rentrer au ciel et installe une large rivière impossible à traverser pour les séparer. Cette rivière est la Voie lactée.农历7月7日是中国情人节（称为七夕）。根据一个神秘的传说，一个仙女（织女Zhīnǚ织女）爱上了一个农夫（牛郎niúláng：牛郎）。他们结婚并过上了幸福的生活。但是女方的母亲完全反对这桩婚姻，因为他们的本性不同。她强迫她的女儿回到天上，并设置了一条无法越过的宽阔河流将他们分开。这条河就是银河。Depuis ce jour-là, la fée et son mari ne peuvent seulement se voir qu'une fois par an. Les pies, très touchées par cet amour sincère, forment un pont au travers de la Voie lactée pour que les deux jeunes puissent se rencontrer. C'est le seul jour qu'ils se voient, mais leur amour reste intact.从那一天起，仙女和她的丈夫每年只能见一次面。喜鹊对这种真诚的爱非常感动，在银河上架起了一座桥，使这两个年轻人能够见面。这是他们唯一见到对方的日子，但他们的爱依然完整。Grâce à cette légende mystérieuse, le 7 juillet du calendrier lunaire est devenu la Saint-Valentin chinoise.由于这个神秘的传说，农历7月7日成为中国的情人节。La Saint-Valentin chinoise est l'occasion pour les couples d'exprimer leur amour, ce qu'ils font généralement avec une gamme de cadeaux et de gestes élaborés. Comme toutes les vacances romantiques, les couples passent du temps ensemble, profitent d'un bon dîner, échanger des cadeaux, aller au cinéma, etc. Le festival Qixi apporte un air de romantisme dans les rues de Chine, avec des couples regardant le ciel nocturne à la recherche des étoiles Véga et Altair.中国情人节是情侣们表达爱意的机会，他们通常通过一系列精心设计的礼物来表达。像所有浪漫的节日一样，情侣们一起度过，享受美好的晚餐，交换礼物，去看电影，等等。七夕节给中国的大街小巷带来了浪漫的气息，情侣们在夜空中仰望织女星和牵牛星。
Qixi Festival is one of five different romantic holidays celebrated in China. On the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, heaven and earth are joined for two lovers. Join the Bridge and learn how you can share the magic with the one you love. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Shénme shì zhème kāixīn? 什么事这么开心？ What makes you so happy? Qīxī yào dàole, wǒwèi wǒde nǚ péngyou zhǔnbèi le yīfèn chuàngyì mǎnmǎn de jiérì lǐwù, bǎozhèng ràngtā xīnhuā nùfàng. 七夕要到了，我为我的女朋友准备了一份创意满满的节日礼物，保证让她心花怒放。 The Qixi Festival is coming, so I have prepared a gift which is full of creativity for my girlfriend. I'm sure she will be delighted. Nǐ quèdìng duìtā láishuō, zhèfèn lǐwù shì jīngxǐ, bùshì jīngxià? Wǒkàn háishì sòng huā huòzhě shìpǐn bǐjiào wěntuǒ. 你确定对她来说，这份礼物是惊喜，不是惊吓？我看还是送花或者饰品比较稳妥。 Are you sure this gift will surprise her, and not shock her? I think it's safer to just send flowers or ornaments. Nàxiē dōu tài sú le, wǒde lǐwù dúyī wúèr, xiāngxìn tā yīdìng huìbèi wǒde chéngyì dǎdòng. 那些都太俗了，我的礼物独一无二，相信她一定会被我的诚意打动。 Those are too common. My gift is so unique that I believe she will definitely be touched by my sincerity.
November 08, 2021 The party finishes their fight, and discovers something about themselves along the way. Quotes: No shirt, lots of dirt! Qixi chose the best option. She doesn't have to be subjected to poetry anymore That's a good catch- argh! Wait! No! Did she catch it with her boobs of missile catching? If I fall asleep here I'll wake up with no pants and dicks drawn on my face. Calree will have done that. You healed and I'm proud of you It's less of an attack and more of a mating dance Eleven doesn't hit your AC if you're naked on stage. He'll go down however you want You're in the timeout square I have a punch card! When you die, can I take your eyepatch? Please don't buff our enemies in the middle of combat, even if they're hot. Qixi! Drop it!
Sep. 06, 2021 The party meets and deals with Marna Derripal. Quotes: Nun with a gun That's four more pupils than me, I think Ah, so we're keeping it in canon that I fucked up That was Qixi like, “Ah, that's fucking depressing, let's leave.” Turn around! She's changing! She's behind a screen. He is the lord of enjoyment, of entertainment, and of…skin, I suppose. Even she wasn't happy to say that one. I have to interject because I've been holding back my snarky comments this whole time! You're real good at brooding Calree. For Mirdan time may be running out.
Aug. 09, 2021 The party confronts Dr. Otto about his practice. Maia's mic didn't work this session. We did what we could, but sorry for oddness. We will be taking a brief upload hiatus until November 1st. See you in two weeks! Quotes: I wanna see if this guy's gonna throw down if we harass him. It's not gonna stop me. To quote Qixi, “The word beige.” He's a weeb! Being angry is bad, right? No. I am trying to get him to hug. ...is the most disgusting form of deceit I've seen. I feel like scooby doo right now No offense to warthog people. Are there any here I can't see? When you think stuff does it hurt? There's a lizard in my brain?!? You don't believe in lizards at all? I'm gonna roll a persuasion check for puppy dog eyes I'm not a bedmaker Matt has not yet clued in to the fact that this was his character from a one shot.
July 12, 2021 The party brings back their prisoner, but hits a large roadblock. Quotes: This desk, was there a bowl on it? Little, red, clay bowl? *In unison* Was there? You ever heard of a cockatrice? I've heard of the first part of that word. We charge nothing for our services usually. Yeah….. Plainswalker's gonna kiss him. Threatening's not working! People don't wanna thing, Qixi, it's hard! I also look like I'm carved out of ivory, thank you very much. Bezzal's crown got mad at it. Why do you talk to your sword, Iolanda? Calree, your butt gets hot. He's 20 feet tall?!? I missed that part of the description! That's a dumb sentence. How can I be smarter than I am? You gotta hit high guys! Guys? You are the only one attacking. That's weird Iolanda. Why did you do that, Iolanda? Tala why are you getting yourself involved with people?
Do you usually celebrate Valentine's Day? I believe that some of the sweetest memories that many of us have of our significant others are associated with this day. If by any chance you missed the opportunity to mark this special day earlier in the year, not to worry. We are all getting a second chance to make up for it, because China's equivalent of Valentine's Day is just around the corner, which is called Qixi Festival. In this episode, we will share with you the story behind the origins of the festival and also bring you several love songs to mark this special day.
June 14, 2021 The party goes their separate ways for a short downtime. Calree tails Hiram, Qixi investigates new spells and the shardlands, Iolanda talks to everyone, Armmina finds religion and has a date. TW: Parent trauma, baby death (Hypothetical) Quotes: You remember those random innkeepers that our cats are named after? I want to wait outside the bathroom. You're better at following than lying. I almost said the DC in that. There's always fancier hats. The step did it, like it's okay until you move back out of range Wet willie his hand? What exactly are you trying to do with this blood? Insight! 9! Ghosts have blood? He doesn't want to see just any bimbo wrestle in jello, he wants to see THIS bimbo wrestle in jello! She got distracted by Oath stuff and forgot what they were talking about. The dick becomes a heart
June 07, 2021 The party splits up for some downtime. Quotes: “Do not go breaking laws willy and or nilly.” “I would never--” “You're still in zone of truth.” “--I would!” “Where'd I get this crushed bell?” “Do you have a note keeping section for your deals?” “Jared almost did a spit take!” “Mira's old and doesn't understand play.” “Sarah looks indignant that her body would allow herself to get hurt.” “I thought you already slept with someone in this city, y'know the prostitute?” “Oh, well that was a business transaction.” “Have a goooood night.” “I wish you both well on your performances!” “Now I have all the time in the world, strangely enough.” “I know when I'm being lied to.” “That was Jasmine saying no, not Calree.” “It's not the only back door I've been let in today.” “Do you know anywhere that serves a lot of meat?” “I've never had anyone say it's small…” “Oh no! Not the shrimp shits!” “She full on killed first level Qixi.” “This city doesn't have beds that can hold up to a fucking barbarian?” “There's no beds in the forest, they don't just grow on bed trees.” “When the idiot sound pedantic.” “Also you can stop making me cry whenever you want.”
May 17, 2021 May 17, 2021: Cat and Mouse The party makes deals with the kingpin Mr. X, sinking further into Am-karrak's underbelly. TW: infant death mention - hypothetical If we agree to this, and we get caught, we're on the shitlist of the Guardsmiths. If I hold the mic up, they can see my mouthing words. Iolanda is also fine with torture. Have I seen the picnic biters? Since it hasn't been mentioned this session: a ten is a pass. You can assume that there is always spit on Plainswalker's hand I deeply enjoy disrespecting magic. It's canon now, Qixi counts cards. I rolled an 18, on insight, on the love question.
November 16, 2021 The party has coffee with an old friend of Armmina and gets some new leads toward the order. They also get some perspective on one another. Noteable quotes: “Qixi is his weighted blanket” “Oh I have a theory about those secretaries but I'm asleep right now” “Sure, you can be anxious I don't care.” “It feels oddly familiar, while still having no familiar points about it.” “Suddenly I don't want a TimBit” “I'm gonna have coffee with a Lizard Man.” ‘Fire ants...spicy right?” “Qixi I'm wrong a lot.” “I know, I'm well aware.” “It sounds hard being smart.” “It's really not actually. It sounds hard being dumb.” “It really ain't.” “They say he's better at looking under a rock than a bug, and you know bugs live under rocks.” “I thoroughly believe that you should never take help from anyone ever.” “Um, help is okay sometimes.” “Wow, you got Qixi to admit that it's okay to get help sometimes.” “You speak sensically...sensibly...You speak good.” “When you expect the worst, anything seems pleasant by comparison.”
Dalam tradisi Tiongkok ada perayaan yang juga disebut hari valentine versi Tiongkok. Perayaan ini disebut QiXi dan diadakan pada tanggal 7, bulan 7 penanggalan Imlek. Festival ini mengenang kisah percintaan antara gadis penenun & gembala sapi. Keduanya terpisah oleh sebuah Sungai Perak, yaitu galaksi Bima Sakti/Milky Way). Rekaman berikut akan meninjau pandangan seorang teolog bernama Jonathan Edwards mengenai dua jenis cinta, yaitu yaitu love of complacency dan love benevolence, serta kaitannya dengan Alkitab.
November 02, 2020 The party receives their various rewards and strike new deals.... Notable Quotes: “I've got no idea what's been happening since you got back. I can't keep my feet under myself and I love it.” “Mine and Robin's whispered conversations across the table are my favorite part of D&D.” “Of all of my names to shorten, that's the shortest name to shorten, but sure.” “That makes way more sense than a cat on the head!” “Does he have a grudge match against a rat?” “WHAT DO YOU HAVE AGAINST MORSEL?” “People don't eat gold! They don't have the teeth.” “Give it to Qixi, she already has minor fits of madness.” “I'm a gentleman, I didn't notice her huge boobs either.” “I read his name from the plaque.” “It's a name.” “Are people not supposed to appreciate large breasts in your culture?” “She's not gonna use this responsibly…” “He's definitely gonna try to pull something.” “You know I can hear you, right?” “Yeah.” “That's messed up.” “I'm summoning a demon, Calree!” “Who gave you this number?” “Oh, you're all scared again. That's cute.” “I thought there'd be a goat.” “We can go get a goat if you want…” “No, no, it's done now. It's fine.”
October 26, 2020 I'M SO SORRY I FORGOT THIS WAS IN TWO PARTS WHEN WE TOOK OUR CHRISTMAS BREAK Plainswalker looks into reversing magical effects, Iolanda gives Qixi an existential crisis and then asks for help with her ritual. Quotes: “I have a question as a player and an enthusiast of your lore.” “I feel like I upset the helmet. Is that weird? That's weird isn't it?” “If you get old people wet….wait, no that's stupid. If you grind up old people…” “You look like a distinguished older gentleman.” “But I'm none of those things!” “Awesome, that's great. Ya know, some folks have names but I don't know what's happenin'.” “It's not worship! It's reading!” “Using get off to refer to gods getting power though…” “It only got weird when you said something.” “I will never pass up an opportunity to say slough.” “You know, some of the best writers in this world say the best writing is rewriting.”
August 31, 2020 The party deals with the fallout of their fight and finishes up their business aboard The Maiden Quotes: Arminna “Never ask a lady her age” Arminna “If you don't check yourself, you're gonna wreck yourself” Iolanda “I can't put blood back in, Qixi!” Iolanda “Maybe you'll be luckier now.” Plainswalker “Mothers can murder too.” Plainswalker “Iora,how would you like to meet a chicken?” Qixi: “You're really smart, so you probably know this already, but I think what happened is that your mom was a warrior, so you should be proud of her.” Qixi: “Let's put it this way I'm basically just forcing consent on the gods” Calree “Doesn't the meat taste scared?”
Welcome to East West Hurricane! 🌪We update you on the most essential news from Asia in tech, media, and business—the things you need to know that you probably haven’t heard in Western media.Follow us on Twitter and Instagram! ⚡️Ant Group’s Relationship with PaytmAnt Group, the fintech company that was spun out of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, is on track to have the largest IPO of the year, with a planned $200 Billion public offering in both Hong Kong and Shanghai. In their recent filing documents, Ant revealed that they have a 30% stake in One97 Communications, which is the owner of Paytm, India’s largest digital payments company and most valuable startup. This matters because it adds a new layer of risk for both Ant and Paytm, given the currently strained and complicated relationships between China and India. The Indian government has recently imposed new restrictions on foreign investment that has especially affected Chinese investors in Indian companies. Earlier this year, Indian startup Zomato had $100 Million of investment coming from Ant that was temporarily blocked by the Indian government. The truth is that more than half of the top 25 biggest Indian tech companies have at least one Chinese investor. Until political tensions or legislation changes, Paytm will be making sure to distance themselves from their relationship with Ant.China’s Valentine’s Day Sales Festival Last week was China’s Qixi Festival, one of the biggest sales holidays of the year that is often compared to Valentine’s Day. This festival is especially important for beauty and luxury brands. This year, we saw more of the same record breaking post-Covid e-commerce growth that China experienced during the 618 Festival in June. Of course, many European luxury fashion brands like Salvatore Ferragamo and Estée Lauder paired with Chinese KOLs to do livestreams. The early data from the Qixi Festival indicate strong year-on-year growth across categories.JD.com released a report saying that luxury goods saw a 20-30% increase in sales. Gold, silver, and jewellery sales increased over 100% and intercity flower orders increased 33%, perhaps indicating more long-distance relationships in the time of Covid. It’s still amazing to me that Chinese e-commerce sales festivals keep breaking records. Part of this might be pent-up demand from a restricted lockdown Covid period, but it also indicates the sheer size and scale of Chinese buyers coming online. Facebook Threatens to Sue Thai Government Over CensorshipThe Thai Government recently ordered Facebook to shut down a Facebook group that contained over one million members critical of the Thai monarchy. The group was shut down but now Facebook is threatening to file a lawsuit against the Thai government to challenge the order. There are certain laws in Thailand that prohibit defamation of the monarchy and the most harsh sentences for breaking the law include extended jail time. As a former Facebook employee, I still feel a strong connection to the company that was such an important part of my life. I can understand the difficulty in balancing respect for local laws while also fighting for certain principles and ideas the company values. For several years, I thought that Facebook was not putting sufficient investment into their government and public policy teams. Given all the scandals, government scrutiny and new regulation over the last three years, I’m sure Facebook has reevaluated the importance of public policy. It will be interesting to see how the situation plays out in Thailand. In some countries (like Pakistan, India, and Vietnam), Facebook has actually been temporarily banned by the government for violating local laws. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit eastwesthurricane.substack.com
August 04, 2020 The group continues to work their way through each other's memories in an effort to wake up. Quotes: “It's got karate chop action and kung fu grip.” “That mouse has a sword!” “What's the roll for friendship?” “Is this conversation helping us get away from the cat?” “There's a cat? I love cats! Here kitty kitty!” “What are drugs for if not fun?” “Why're you wearing boots and shoes?” “So the two of you are on Amaralei, the two of you are on Wally, and you're on your own.” “I'm on PCP.” “I don't know if you heard, shouted from the bathroom, ‘Don't be sorry, it's accurate.” “Do you want Plainswalker to start wanking?” “You see Qixi bend over backwards, and walk into the cliff face.” “I had a nap, and some people took me, and they put...words in my brain.”
News Briefing for August 26. TikTok has officially filed a federal lawsuit against the executive order from President Trump on a potential ban or forced sale of the company’s operations in the United State. In today’s show, we will break down the details of the case for you. Meanwhile back home, yesterday, August 26th, was the Qixi Festival, which is often referred to as ‘Chinese Valentine’s Day’. Like other festivals in China, Qixi is able to boom “romantic economy” every year, including the hotel, tourism and flower industries. How did the markets perform this year, especially under the pandemic? In today’s show, we will go into some detail about the event.
In this episode, I talk about the Qixi Festival coming up in 2 days’ time. Many people have heard of the folktale of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl but did you know the story originated from the ancient constellation system? Let’s have a look. To see the transcript, visit: https://chinesecolloquialised.com (https://chinesecolloquialised.com/)
In this episode, I talk about the Qixi Festival coming up in 2 days’ time. Many people have heard of the folktale of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl but did you know the story originated from the ancient constellation system? Let’s have a look. To see the transcript, visit: https://chinesecolloquialised.com (https://chinesecolloquialised.com/)
》》》》》》》》一键领取入口《《《《《《《「微信」或者「微博」搜索关注［早安英文］，查看更多有趣实用的中英双语节目。笔记：《鹊桥仙》——秦观两情若是久长时，又岂在朝朝暮暮。Immortals at the Magpie BridgeIf love between both sides can last for ageWhy need they stay together night and day?译者：许渊冲获取节目完整音频、笔记和片尾的歌曲名，请关注威信公众号「早安英文」，回复“加油”即可。更多有意思的英语干货等着你！
》》》》》》》》一键领取入口《《《《《《《「微信」或者「微博」搜索关注［早安英文］，查看更多有趣实用的中英双语节目。笔记：《鹊桥仙》——秦观两情若是久长时，又岂在朝朝暮暮。Immortals at the Magpie BridgeIf love between both sides can last for ageWhy need they stay together night and day?译者：许渊冲获取节目完整音频、笔记和片尾的歌曲名，请关注威信公众号「早安英文」，回复“加油”即可。更多有意思的英语干货等着你！
14 Agustus menjadi hari Pramuka Indonesia yang jelas adalah second choice setelah 17 Agustus. Meskipun demikian, hal tersebut yang menjadikan hari Pramuka terlihat menarik untuk dibahas. Mari sejenak kita mengheningkan cerita. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mengecrit/support
July 06, 2020 The group continues their voyage at sea, discovering secret treasure and a new.....friend? Quotes: There's some religion stuff happening, and I thought you might like to be present. I was caused significant harm! I was woken up from a lovely dream! You have decapitated people! Qixi starts with a Q? How've you been spelling it? That's not important. Second of all: I am a woman. First of all: I can hear you. You can't stab nobody if we give you swords!
Tonight, by listener request, we’ll be reading two versions of a traditional Chinese folk-tale called "The Cowherd and the Weaver" a story about star-crossed lovers that spurred the Qixi Festival, a romantic festival that is often regarded as Chinese Valentine's Day. The Qixi festival inspired the Tanabata festival in Japan and the Chilseok festival in Korea.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast)
Learn how to say “Qixi is Chinese Valentine's Day. " in Chinese (Mandarin). For more learning resources, check out ChineseMandarinCafe.com [ About Your Host ] Hello! I am Amy Lin. I am an online 1-on-1 language teacher and a language learner
This podcast discusses the story of “The Star Weaver and the Cowherd” which is a popular story found in both Chinese and Japanese cultures. It is not only a story for entertainment, but one that showcases Chinese marriage structures throughout its history. The story also shows insight into the process of integration of Chinese culture into Japan. One story that serves many functions.Episode Four: Death Prepares for a Festival
This is Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. Here is the news. The production center for an innovative bus appears deserted with no sign of construction, raising questions about the scheduled launch next year. The bus is a sort of moving tunnel that straddles highway lanes to allow cars to pass beneath. The vehicle looks like a giant double-decker but is hollow on the ground level. Passengers can sit on the top floor while cars pass below. In December, a Beijing-based company signed a contract with the local authorities in Zhoukou city in Henan province to produce the Transit Elevated Bus in its research and manufacturing center. However, the Beijing Youth Daily reports that the site is now full of thick weeds; and farmers feed their sheep in the area. A local farmer surnamed Yuan told journalists that a groundbreaking ceremony was held last month. Yuan said "They built a platform. People who stood on the platform were dressed up. It seemed like it was a big day, but there has been no activity since." A local official said the project has been delayed. The environmental impact assessment of the project has not been approved yet, and many documents are still waiting to be signed. The contract includes an investment of 10 billion yuan, roughly 1.5 billion U.S. dollars, and an annual production of 1,000 buses. This is Special English. An insurance product has become a hot topic around the Qixi, the Chinese Valentine's Day, which fell on August 9th this year. It costs 600 yuan, roughly 90 U.S. dollars, and guarantees a payout of 11,000 yuan if the applicant marries his or her current sweetheart in three to 10 years. The applicants are required to submit non-marital status certificates for both prospective spouses when purchasing the product. If they marry within the specified time frame, they will get 11,000 yuan. A staff member with the China Taiping Insurance said there have been numerous phone calls inquiring about the product, but she declined to say how many policies have been sold. Some people saw the offer as smart marketing. They believe the insurance company set the bracket of years after painstaking calculations. Insurance companies cannot lose on the deal because the majority of sweethearts will break up. Others say it also shows that more than 5 percent of the sweethearts will finally become husband and wife. Relationships in big cities including Shanghai seem most fragile these days. Marriages are not long lasting. Almost 53,000 people divorced in Shanghai in 2014, second only to Beijing. Among them, 41,000 people were below the age of 40. The average age for marriage in Shanghai is 35 for men and 32 for women. In related news, flower prices in China started to recover ahead of the Qixi festival, after overproduction, combined with natural disasters, dampened sales. Last year, as many as 7 million flowers were sold during the festival at the Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center. Seeing the profit, flower growers nationwide boosted their expectations and supplied most of their flowers ahead of the festival, which resulted in a 30 percent increase in flower production. However, disastrous flooding nationwide and unusually high temperatures since July have cut into demand. Torrential rains have caused massive outbreaks of diseases among flowers, damaging their quality and hurting business. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. A genome project for newborns has been launched in Shanghai to aid the early identification and treatment of hereditary diseases. The project was jointly initiated by the Chinese Board of Genetic Counseling and the Children's Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai. It will carry out genetic testing in 100,000 newborn babies over the coming five years. The findings will be recorded in a database and a genetic testing standard for hereditary diseases will be developed, which will improve the identification and treatment of such conditions. Experts say early identification can help doctors make better treatment strategies and improve the patients' quality of life. In another development, the Chinese Board of Genetic Counseling and Reproductive Hospital, which is affiliated with Shandong University, jointly launched China's embryo genome project. An embryo genome database will improve research and understanding of the development of embryos and improve diagnostic rates. There are some 7,000 kinds of inherited diseases and China sees around 900,000 babies born with birth defects every year. This is Special English. Chinese scientists are working on a new type of aerospace vehicle that will allow passengers to travel in space without any pre-training and at a much lower cost. China Central Television reports that scientists from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation have started to work on the new vehicle integrating different kinds of engine technology. The vehicle will use different air-breathing engines, allowing it to operate as a normal plane in the atmosphere. The plane will take off and land at normal airports, instead of using any kind of special launch pads. The viehcle will be reusable, and greatly reduce the cost of space travel. Scientist from the corporation said they expect to master key technology in around three to five years, and significantly improve the vehicle's capability during the application. The vehicle is expected to be used for suborbital flight and orbital insertion by 2030. The expeditions will be between dozens to hundreds of kilometers from the earth. Compared with the space shuttles and the partially recovered carrier rockets, by integrating different engines, the new vehicle has much more advantages in maintenance and application. In early July, the corporation said several institutes of the corporation were coordinating efforts to study the new vehicle. An engineer of the corporation said that in around 10 years, passengers will not need special training to travel to space on the vehicle. This is Special English. A Chinese firm FiberHome has developed a type of optic fiber that can transmit 400 terabytes of data per second, breaking the world record for the amount of data that can be transferred on optic fibers. Such capacity can allow for simultaneous phone calls by almost 5 billion people and the transmission of 40,000 blue-ray high definition movies in one second. The company is based in Wuhan, the capital of central China's Hubei Province. The transmission of 400 terabytes of data is accomplished on multi-core mono-mode optic fibers, which can be simply understood as breaking down the fiber into multiple paths to enhance transmission capacity. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. A training course for senior foreign police officers on United Nations peacekeeping missions has started in Beijing. It is the first time China's Ministry of Public Security and the United Nations have cooperated in this endeavor. The course focuses on passing on China's practical experience. The trainees include 17 senior officers from countries including Angola, Kenya and Liberia. Four Chinese peacekeeping police representatives will also attend the course. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced measures to back United Nations peacekeeping missions. Addressing a peacekeeping summit in the UN headquarters last year, President Xi declared that China will help train 2,000 foreign peacekeepers in the next five years. Since 2000, China has dispatched more than 2,400 peacekeepers to nine areas. At present, 170 Chinese police officers are still in Liberia, South Sudan and Cyprus. This is Special English. A new Confucius Classroom has been inaugurated Mexico. During the inauguration ceremony, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong said Mexican students' fluent Chinese and great performances made her feel the charm of cultural exchange. She also sees the bright future of friendly ties between China and Mexico. Bilateral relations were upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Mexico in 2013. Liu said China hopes to work together with Mexico to deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields and bring more benefits to people of the two countries. Next year will mark the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Mexico. Liu said that along with the deepened cooperation between China and Mexico, more and more young people in China are learning Spanish. More than 30 universities teach the Spanish language in China. Meanwhile, she said, the Chinese language is also gaining increasing importance in Latin American countries. Mexico has established five Confucius Institutes that together have 30,000 registered students, making an important contribution to cultural exchange between the two countries. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. Born in Harbin in northeast China, Maruyama Iwao was just 11 years old when he was repatriated to his native country Japan in 1946. Now 81 years old, Iwao's story has been made into a documentary entitled "Travel with Me: A Journey of Gratitude over 70 Years", which is being screened in China. The documentary tells the story of Iwao's recent bicycle trip, where he retraced the journey he made from Harbin to Huludao in Liaoning Province 70 year ago. He said that along the way, he was touched by the helpfulness of the Chinese people he met, just like in the old days. Tian Yuhong, vice head of China Radio International, which produced the documentary, said they would like the film to make people reflect on history, and enhance Sino-Japanese relations, and call for the respect of peace and life. When the war ended in 1945, more than 35 million Chinese people were killed or injured. During the following three years, more than one million Japanese people were sent back home. Iwao had the idea of retracing his journey in China in 2011 when he was working as a volunteer, following the massive earthquake in Japan. He met another man who planned to travel in China by bike and decided to join him. This is Special English. A survey has begun in the southwestern province of Sichuan to determine if wild giant pandas are at risk from epidemic diseases. Researchers will collect samples of droppings and hair across ten nature reserves in the province. The survey is the first of its kind in the province, and will be completed by the end of October. Sichuan is home to 1,400 wild giant pandas, accounting for 74 percent of China's wild panda population. The samples will be analyzed to identify the pathogens carried by the animals. Wild giant pandas are known to be carriers of pathogens, but a more detailed survey is needed to define the exact condition. This is Special English. （全文见周日微信。）
七夕的故事怎么用英语讲？今年七夕网络流行的语言有对应的英语吗？Chinese Valentine's Day, is also known as Double 7th Festival, because it falls on the 7th day of the 7th month in Chinese lunar calendarThe origin of this traditional festival is a household Chinese myth. It's said that a poor young man named The Cowboy fell in love with a fairy, the Weaving Maid. They got married and had a son. But the alliance between a mortal and an immortal infuriated the Empress of The Celestial Palace. She decidedly separated them, and only allowed an annual reunion on a bridge formed by magpies above the Silver River in the sky on Lunar July 7th, at dusk. That's why it's called Qi Xi, literally meaning 7 Dusk. Qi Xi Festival is a sad reminder of the strict ethical rules and the devoid of compassion of the rulers that people had to live under, but the story also demonstrates people's defiance of power and longing for freedom, and somehow signifies the victory of love in the sense that The Empress compromised by assigning a meeting for the star-crossed couple.Like any other festivals, Qixi has now lost its original significance and become a victim of consumerism. Businesses has branded it as just another shopping festival.
七夕的故事怎么用英语讲？今年七夕网络流行的语言有对应的英语吗？Chinese Valentine’s Day, is also known as Double 7th Festival, because it falls on the 7th day of the 7th month in Chinese lunar calendarThe origin of this traditional festival is a household Chinese myth. It’s said that a poor young man named The Cowboy fell in love with a fairy, the Weaving Maid. They got married and had a son. But the alliance between a mortal and an immortal infuriated the Empress of The Celestial Palace. She decidedly separated them, and only allowed an annual reunion on a bridge formed by magpies above the Silver River in the sky on Lunar July 7th, at dusk. That’s why it’s called Qi Xi, literally meaning 7 Dusk. Qi Xi Festival is a sad reminder of the strict ethical rules and the devoid of compassion of the rulers that people had to live under, but the story also demonstrates people’s defiance of power and longing for freedom, and somehow signifies the victory of love in the sense that The Empress compromised by assigning a meeting for the star-crossed couple.Like any other festivals, Qixi has now lost its original significance and become a victim of consumerism. Businesses has branded it as just another shopping festival.
Seventh Day of the Seventh MoonBy Ken Liu“Tell me a story,” said Se. She had changed into her pajamas all by herself and snuggled under the blankets.Se’s big sister, Yuan, was just about to flip the switch next to the bedroom door. “How about you read a story by yourself? I have to … go see a friend.”“No, it’s not the same.” Se shook her head vigorously. “You have to tell me a story or I can’t sleep.”Yuan glanced at her phone. Every minute tonight was precious. Dad was out of town on business, and Mom was working late and wouldn’t be home till midnight. Yuan needed to be home before then, but if she could get her little sister to sleep quickly, she’d still have a couple of hours to see Jing on this, her last night in China.Full transcript appears after the cut.----more----[Intro music plays.]Hello! Welcome to GlitterShip episode 15 for September 15th, 2015. This is your host, Keffy, and I'm super excited to be sharing this story with you.Our story today is "Seventh Day of the Seventh Moon" by Ken Liu.Ken Liu (http://kenliu.name) is an author and translator of speculative fiction, as well as a lawyer and programmer. A winner of the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Awards, he has been published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Asimov’s, Analog, Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, and Strange Horizons, among other places. He also translated the Hugo-winning novel, The Three-Body Problem, by Liu Cixin, which is the first translated novel to win that award.Ken’s debut novel, The Grace of Kings, the first in a silkpunk epic fantasy series, was published by Saga Press in April 2015. Saga will also publish a collection of his short stories, The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories, in March 2016. He lives with his family near Boston, Massachusetts.We also have a special guest reader this week, which is awesome.Our reader this week is S. Qiouyi Lu. You can visit their site at http://s.qiouyi.lu/ and follow them on Twitter at @sqiouyilu.Seventh Day of the Seventh MoonBy Ken Liu“Tell me a story,” said Se. She had changed into her pajamas all by herself and snuggled under the blankets.Se’s big sister, Yuan, was just about to flip the switch next to the bedroom door. “How about you read a story by yourself? I have to … go see a friend.”“No, it’s not the same.” Se shook her head vigorously. “You have to tell me a story or I can’t sleep.”Yuan glanced at her phone. Every minute tonight was precious. Dad was out of town on business, and Mom was working late and wouldn’t be home till midnight. Yuan needed to be home before then, but if she could get her little sister to sleep quickly, she’d still have a couple of hours to see Jing on this, her last night in China.“Come on, Yuan,” Se begged. “Please!”Yuan came back to the side of the bed and stroked Se’s forehead gently. She sighed. “All right.”She texted Jing: Late by half hour. Wait?The crystal cat charm, a gift from Jing, dangled from her phone. It twirled and glittered in the warm bedroom light as she waited impatiently for the response.Finally, the phone beeped. Of course. Won’t leave until we meet.“Tell the story about the Qixi Festival,” said Se, yawning. “That’s tonight, isn’t it?”“Yes, yes it is.”Long ago, a beautiful young woman, the granddaughter of the Emperor of Heaven, lived in the sky by the eastern shore of the Silver River—that’s the broad band of light you can sometimes see in the sky at night, when the air is clear.She was skilled at the loom, and so that’s why people called her—“You skipped the part where you describe her weaving!”“But you’ve heard this story a hundred times already. Can’t I just get it over with?”“You have to tell it right.”—as I had apparently neglected to mention: her works were displayed proudly by the Heavenly Court in the western sky at every sunset: glorious clouds of crimson, amethyst, periwinkle, and every shade in between. So people called her Zhinü, the Weaver Girl. And though she was the youngest of seven immortal sisters, we mortals addressed her by the honorific Big Sister Seven.But over time, Zhinü grew wan and thin. Her brows were always tightly knit into a frown, and she did not wash her face or comb out her hair. The sunset clouds she wove were not as lovely as before, and mortals began to complain.The Emperor of Heaven came to visit. “What ails you, my granddaughter?”“Haha, you do that voice so well. You sound just like Grandfather.”“I’m glad you approve. Now stop interrupting.”“Oh, Gonggong, I’m so lonely. Living all by myself in this hut, my only company are my loom—jiya, jiya, it squeaks all day long—and a few magpies.”The Emperor took pity on her and found her a good match. The young man tended to cows on the western shore of the Silver River, so people called him Niulang, the Cowherd. He was handsome and kind and full of funny stories, and Zhinü loved him, and he her, the moment they set eyes on each other.“See, I’m not such a bad matchmaker.” The Emperor of Heaven smiled as he stroked his beard. “Now I know you’re young, and you should have fun. But now that you have a companion, please don’t neglect your work.”Zhinü moved to the western shore of the Silver River to be with Niulang, and the two of them married. They had two boys, and there never was a happier family.“Oh, no, here comes the boring part. You can skip it if you want to.”“No way! This is the best part. You’ll understand when you’re older. Now pay attention.”Every morning, as Niulang got up before sunrise to take the cows to their favorite pasture, Zhinü could not bear the thought of being separated from him. So she would come along. She’d put the two babies in two baskets draped on each side of an old, gentle ox, and she would ride on the back of a pure white bull led by Niulang. They’d sing together, tell each other stories from before they met, and laugh at the jokes that only they understood.Zhinü’s loom sat unused back at the hut, gathering dust.Sunsets became ugly affairs. The few clouds that remained became tattered, wispy, colorless. The people laboring in the fields lost the beauty that had once lifted up their hearts at the end of a hard day, and their laments rose to the Heavenly Court.“My maritorious child,” said the Emperor of Heaven—“What does that word mean?”“It means loving your husband too much.”“How can you love someone too much?”“Good question. I don’t know either. Maybe the Emperor of Heaven didn’t have enough love in his heart to understand. Maybe he was too old.”—“I warned you about neglecting your duty. For your disobedience and neglect, you must now move back to the eastern shore of the Silver River and never see Niulang and your children again.”Zhinü begged for reprieve, but the Emperor’s word was as irreversible as the flow of the Silver River.At the Emperor’s decree, the Silver River was widened and deepened, and Zhinü forever parted from her husband. Today, you can see the star that is Zhinü on one side of the Silver River and the star that is Niulang on the other, their two sons two faint stars on each side of Niulang. They stare at each other across that unbridgeable gap, the longing and regret as endless as the flowing river.“Why did you stop?”“It’s nothing. My throat just felt itchy for a bit.”“Are you sad for Niulang and Zhinü?”“Maybe … a little bit. But it’s just a story.”But the magpies that once kept Zhinü company took pity on the lovers. Once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh moon by the lunar calendar, on Qixi, the day when Zhinü is at her highest position in the sky, all the magpies in the world fly up to the Silver River and make a bridge with their bodies so that the lovers can spend one night together.This is the day when all the young women in old China would pray to Big Sister Seven for love.Oh, I know you want to hear more about the bridge of magpies. You love this part. Well, I imagine it’s a lot of work for the birds. They probably have to go to magpie bridge-building school, and those who’re a bit slow have to go to cram school for extra study sessions …Yuan turned out the light and tiptoed out of her sister’s bedroom.On my way, she texted.She made sure the air conditioning was set comfortably low, locked the door of the apartment, and ran down the stairs. And then she was in the hot, humid evening air of Hefei in August.She biked through the streets, dodging an endless stream of cars beeping their horns. She liked the physicality of the ride, the way it made her body come alive, feel awake. She passed the sidewalks filled with people browsing past stores and kiosks filled with everything imaginable: discount electronics, toys, clothes, fancy European soups and cakes, mouth-watering sweet potatoes baked in tinfoil and fried, smelly tofu. The heat and the exertion stuck her shirt to her skin, and she had to wipe her forehead from time to time to keep the sweat out of her eyes.And then she was at the coffee shop, and Jing—slender, graceful in a plain white dress and a light jacket (for the air conditioning), a faint whiff of the floral perfume that always made Yuan dizzy—greeted Yuan with that bright smile that she always wore.As if this wasn’t the night the world ended.“Are you done packing?” Yuan asked.“Oh, there’s always more to pack.” Jing’s tone was light, breezy, careless. “But I don’t have to get to the airport ‘til nine in the morning. There’s plenty of time.”“You should dress in layers, with something long-sleeved on top,” said Yuan—mainly because she feared saying nothing. “It can get cold on the plane.”“Want to take a walk with me? The next time I walk around at night I’ll be in America. Maybe I’ll miss all this noise.”Yuan left her bike locked to the light post outside the coffee shop, and they strolled along the sidewalk like the rest of the crowd. They did not hold hands. In Shanghai, perhaps no one would have cared, but in Hefei, there would have been looks, and whispers, and maybe worse.Yuan imagined Jing walking about the campus of the American high school at night. Jing had shown her pictures of the red brick buildings and immaculate lawns. And the smiling boys and girls: foreigners. Yuan felt out of breath; her heart seemed unable to decide on a steady rhythm.“Look at that,” said Jing, pointing to the display window of a pastry shop. “They’re selling Qixi Lovers’ Cakes now. So overpriced. And you know some stupid girl is going to throw a fit if her boyfriend doesn’t buy it for her. I want to throw up.”“Not quite as bad as Valentine’s Day,” Yuan said. “I think the vendors are pretty restrained. Relatively speaking.”“That’s because people aren’t into Qixi any more. We Chinese always get more enthusiastic for Western imports, even holidays. It’s a national character weakness.”“I like Qixi,” Yuan said. She said it more emphatically than she meant to.“What, you want to set out an altar under a melon trellis, offer up a plate of fruits, pray to Big Sister Seven, and hope for a spider to weave a web over the offering by morning so you’ll get a nice husband in the future?”Yuan’s face grew hot. She stopped. “You don’t have to mock everything Chinese.”Jing cocked her head, a teasing smile in her eyes. “You suddenly getting all patriotic on me now?”“Your father has the money to pay for you to go to an American boarding school. That doesn’t make you better than everyone else.”“Oh, lay off that wounded tone. You’re hardly some migrant worker’s daughter.”They stared at each other, the neon lights from the nearby stores flickering over their faces. Yuan wanted to kiss Jing and scream at her at the same time. She had always liked Jing’s irreverence, the way she wanted to turn everything into a joke. She knew her anger had nothing to do with this conversation about Qixi at all.Jing turned and continued down the sidewalk. After a moment, Yuan followed.When Jing spoke again, her tone was calm, as if nothing had happened. “Remember the first time we went hiking together?”That had been one of the best days of Yuan’s life. They had skipped their cram school sessions and taken the bus to Emerald Lake, an artificial pond bordering several college campuses. Jing had showed Yuan how to set up her phone so that her mom couldn’t see the messages Jing sent her, and Yuan had showed Jing her baby pictures. They had bought a lamb chuanr from a street vendor and shared it as they walked along the lakeshore. Her heart had beaten faster with each bite of roasted meat off the skewer, thinking that her lips were touching where hers had touched. And then, as they strolled through one of the campuses, Jing had boldly taken her hand: it was a college, after all.And then that first kiss behind the willow tree, tasting the hot spices from the lamb kebab on Jing’s tongue, the calls of wild geese behind her somewhere…“I remember,” she said. Her voice still sounded wounded, and she didn’t care.“I wish we could go there again,” Jing said.The anger in Yuan disappeared, just like that. Jing always had such a way with her. Yuan felt like putty in her hands.“We can chat on QQ or Skype,” Yuan said. She hurried to catch up so that she was walking next to Jing. “And you’ll come back for visits. This isn’t like the old days. It will be okay. We can still be together.”They had wandered off the main thoroughfare onto a less busy side street. The streetlights on one side were out, and looking up they could see a few stars in the sky. Hefei wasn’t as polluted as some of the cities on the coast.“I’m going to be really busy,” Jing said. Her tone was calm, too calm.“We can text every day, every hour.”“It’s different over there. I’ll be living on my own in a dorm. I have to actually study if I want to go to a good college. My family is paying a lot to give me this.”“Americans don’t study that much.”“It’s not like watching American TV shows. There aren’t subtitles. I’ll meet lots of new people. I have to make a new life over there, new friends. I’ll need to be thinking, talking, breathing English all the time if I want to make it.”“I can text you in English,” Yuan said. “I’ll do whatever you want.”“You’re not listening,” Jing said. She stopped again and looked at Yuan.“What are you trying to say?” As soon as she asked the question, Yuan regretted it. It made her sound so weak, so clingy, like a girl from one of those Korean dramas.“I’m going away, Yuan. I told you this was going to happen last year, when we … started.”Yuan looked away so that Jing would not see her eyes. She pushed the image of Jing with someone else out of her mind. She cursed her eyes and told them to behave and stop embarrassing her.“It will be okay.” Jing’s tone was now comforting, gentle, and that made it worse. “We’ll both be okay.”Yuan said nothing because she knew she couldn’t control her voice. She licked her lips, tasting the salt from the sweat of her ride. She wanted to wipe her eyes so she could see clearly again, but she didn’t want to do it in front of Jing.“I want to make this night a happy memory,” Jing said, but her voice finally cracked. She struggled, but failed, to keep her calm mask on. “I’m trying to make this easier. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do for those you love?”Yuan looked up, blinking her eyes hard. She looked for the Silver River, and she remembered that in English it was called the Milky Way—what a graceless and silly name. She looked for Zhinü and Niulang, and she vaguely remembered that in English they were called Vega and Altair, names as cold and meaningless to her as the stars.Just then, magpies seemed to come out of nowhere and gathered over their heads in a cloud of fluttering wings. While they looked up, stunned, the flock swept out of the night sky, descended over them like a giant spider web, and lifted them into the heavens.Riding on the wings of magpies, Yuan found, was not like riding a magical carpet.Not that she knew what riding a magical carpet felt like—but she was sure that it didn’t involve being constantly poked from below by a hundred—no, a thousand—little winged fists.The magpies would fall a bit below where they were and flap their wings rapidly in an upward burst until they collided with the girls’ bodies. The combined force of all the magpies would push them up until the birds lost their momentum and began to fall away, and then a new wave of upward-thrusting magpies would take their place. The girls resembled two ping-pong balls riding on the water spout from a hose pointing up.In the maelstrom of wings they found each other and clung together.“Are you all right?” They each asked at the same time.“What in the world is happening?” Jing asked, her words jumbled together from fear and excitement.“This is a dream,” Yuan said. “This must be a dream.”And then Jing began to laugh.“It can’t be a dream,” she said. “These magpies carrying us: they tickle!”And Yuan laughed too. It was so absurd, so impossible; yet it was happening.Some of the magpies began to sing, a complicated, trilling, lovely chorus. There were magpies of every description: some with white bellies, some with white beaks, some with iridescent, shimmering, blue wings. Yuan felt as if she and Jing were enclosed inside the beating heart of some giant, flying, alien musical instrument.Arms around each other, gingerly sitting side by side, they peeked out at the world below from between the darting wings of the magpies.They were floating in a dark sea. The lights of the city of Hefei spread out below them like a pulsing, receding jellyfish.“It’s getting cold,” said Yuan. She shivered as the wind whipped her hair around her face.“We’re really high up,” said Jing. She took off her summer jacket and draped it around Yuan’s shoulders. Yuan tucked her nose into the collar of the jacket and breathed in the lingering perfume. It warmed her heart even if the thin fabric did little against the chill.Then Yuan berated herself. Jing had broken up with her, and she didn’t need to look so needy, so pathetic. It was fine to cling to Jing in a moment of weakness, but now they were safe. Gently, she took her arm from around Jing and shrugged out of her arm as well. She lifted her face into the clear, frosty air, and tried to shift away from Jing, keeping some distance between them.“Reminds you of Su Shi’s poem, doesn’t it?” Jing whispered. Yuan nodded reluctantly. Jing was the literary one, and she always knew the pretty words, suitable for every occasion.A half moon, like a half-veiled smile, loomed pale white in the dark sky. It grew brighter and larger as they rose on the backs of the magpies.Jing began to sing the words of the Song Dynasty poem, set to a popular tune, and after a moment, Yuan joined her:When did the Moon first appear?I ask the heavens and lift my wine cup.I know not whether time passes the same wayIn the palace among the clouds. I’d like to ride up with the wind,But I’m afraid of the chill from being so highAmong the jade porticos and nephrite beams. We dance with our shadows.Are we even on earth any more?The silver light dapples the window,Illuminating my sleepless night.Do you hate us, Moon?Why are you always waxing just when we’re parting?Like a dancer and her shadow, the two girls swayed, each separately, to a harmony as young as themselves and as old as the land beneath.“So, it’s all true,” said Jing.The magpies had lifted them above the clouds and leveled off. As they glided over the cottony mists, they could see a celestial city of bread loaf-like buildings, punctuated by spiky towers here and there, gleaming in the late summer moonlight in the distance: blue as ice, green as jade, white like ivory. The styles of the buildings were neither Western nor Chinese, but something that transcended them all: heavenly, the Palace of Immortals.“I wonder if there really are immortals living there,” said Yuan. What she didn’t say out loud was her secret hope: she and Jing had been picked by the magpies for this trip to the heavens because the immortals thought they were as special a pair as Niulang and Zhinü—the thought was tinged with both excitement and sorrow.And then they were at the Silver River. It was broader than the Yangtze, almost like Taihu Lake, with the other shore barely visible on the horizon. The rushing torrent roared past like stampeding horses, and giant waves as tall as the apartment buildings in Hefei pounded against the shore.“Hey, don’t carry us over the water!” Jing shouted. But the magpies ignored her and continued to fly towards the river.“They’re building a bridge,” said Yuan. “It’s Qixi, remember?”Indeed, more flocks of magpies appeared. Along with the flock carrying the girls, they congregated like rivulets coalescing into a mighty river of wings. The magpies hovered over the water, with newcomers extending the flock’s reach towards the other shore. They were forming an arching bridge over the Silver River.“I have to take a picture of this,” said Yuan, and she took out her cell phone.The crystal cat charm dangling from the phone caught the light of the moon and dazzled. The magpies immediately surrounding Yuan trilled and dashed at it, knocking the phone out of her hand. And then it was a free for all as more of the magpies forgot about building the bridge and rushed after the shiny bauble. Even when charged with a magical mission, birds were still just birds.Or maybe even the birds have realized we’re not such a special pair after all, Yuan thought, and the charm is more interesting.She gazed after her phone anxiously. If Se woke up from a nightmare, she might try to call her. And if her mom got home before her, she might wonder where she was. She needed that phone back. She hoped the birds would bounce the phone closer to her so she could snatch it.Then those worries were pushed out of her mind as the magpies that had supported Yuan dropped off to join the chase after the charm, and no new magpies replaced them. Her weight overwhelmed the few magpies that remained on task, and she began to fall. She didn’t even have time to cry out.But then a strong hand caught her right wrist and arrested her descent. Yuan looked up into Jing’s face. She was lying down on the bridge of magpies, and she strained as she reached out and held onto Yuan with one hand while fumbling in her purse with the other.“Let go!” shouted Yuan. “You’ll fall, too!” Her world seemed to shrink down to her hands as they clasped around Jing’s hand, around her warm, pale skin. She willed herself to let go, but she could not.“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Jing, panting.The magpies continued to fight each other for the shiny charm, causing Yuan’s phone to bob up and down over the flock like a stone skipping over water. They had stopped extending the living bridge over the water.Jing finally managed to free her own phone from her purse. She paid no attention as her purse almost tumbled over the side of the bridge, where it would have disappeared into the roiling waves below. By feel, she pressed the first button on the dial pad.Yuan’s phone came to life and began to vibrate and buzz. The shocked magpies backed off in a panic, and the phone stayed still in the air for a second before falling, faster and faster, and finally disappeared into the Silver River without a trace.Yuan felt her heart sink. That cat charm, the first gift Jing had ever given her, now gone forever.“Good thing I have you on speed dial,” Jing said.“How do we still have reception here?”“After all that, that’s what you are worried about?” Jing laughed, and after a moment, Yuan joined her.The magpies seemed to have awakened from a bad dream, and they rushed over and lifted Yuan up onto the bridge. Once the girls were safe, the magpies continued to extend their bridge to the other side of the Silver River, leaving the pair at the middle of the bridge, suspended over the endless water and mist.“We almost caused the magpies to fail to build the bridge,” Yuan said. “It would be so sad if Niulang and Zhinü don’t get to meet this year.”Jing nodded. “It’s almost midnight.” She saw the look on Yuan’s face. “Don’t worry about not being home. Nothing bad can happen on the night of Qixi.”“I thought you weren’t into Qixi.”“Well, maybe just a little bit.”They sat down on the bridge together, watching the moon rise over the Silver River. This time, Yuan did not let go of Jing’s hand.“She’s coming,” said Yuan. She jumped up and pointed down the bridge towards the eastern shore. Now that she had spent some time on the bridge of magpies, she was getting pretty good at keeping her footing over the fluttering wings.In the distance, through the mist that wafted over the bridge from time to time, they could see a small, solitary figure making its way towards them.“So is he,” said Jing. She pointed the other way. Through the mist they could see another tiny figure slowly creep towards them.The girls stood up and waited, side by side, looking first one way and then the other. Being in the presence of the annual reunion of this pair of legendary lovers was exciting, maybe even better than meeting TV stars.The two figures from the opposite ends of the bridge came close enough for Yuan and Jing to see them clearly.Out of the east, an old woman approached. Yuan thought she looked as old as, maybe even older than, her grandmother. Her back bent, she walked with a cane. But her wrinkled face glowed healthily with the exertion of having traveled all the way here. Wearing a Tang Dynasty dress, she looked splendid to Yuan. Her breath puffed out visibly in the cold air.Out of the west, an old man emerged from the mist: straight back, long legs, wiry arms swinging freely. His full head of silvery white hair matched the old woman’s, but his face was even more wrinkled than hers. As soon as he saw the old woman, his eyes lit up in a bright smile.“They’re not—” Jing started to say in a whisper.“—quite what we expected?” finished Yuan.“I guess I always pictured immortals as being … well, I guess there’s no reason to think they wouldn’t grow old.”A wispy tendril of sorrow brushed across Yuan’s heart. She tried to imagine Jing as an old woman, and the tenderness made her almost tear up again. She squeezed Jing’s hand, and Jing squeezed back, turning to smile at her.The old man and the old woman met in the middle of the bridge, a few paces away from where the girls stood. They nodded at Jing and Yuan politely and then turned their full attention to each other.“Glad to see you looking so well,” said Zhinü. “Da Lang told me that you were having some trouble with your back the last time he visited with his family. I wasn’t sure you were going to make it here this year.”“Da Lang always exaggerates,” said Niulang. “When he visits I don’t dare to sneeze or cough, lest he insist that I go to the moon to visit Chang’E for some Osmanthus herbs. This old bag of bones can’t really take any more medicine. I think he’s more upset than you or I that his brother didn’t want to be a doctor.”They laughed and chatted on, talking about children and friends.“Why don’t they kiss?” Jing whispered to Yuan.“That’s a Western thing,” Yuan whispered back. “Niulang and Zhinü are old school.”“I’m not sure that’s true. I’ve seen Internet posts arguing people in ancient China used to kiss—but anyway, they’re standing so far apart!”“It’s like they’re friends, not lovers.”“It seems that we have some curious guests,” said Zhinü as she turned around to look at the girls. She didn’t sound angry—more like amused.“We’re sorry,” said Yuan, feeling her face grow hot. “We didn’t mean to be rude.” She hesitated. It didn’t seem right at all to call this old woman “Big Sister Seven.” So she added, “Grandma Zhinü and Grandpa Niulang.”“We just thought,” Jing said, “that … um … you’d be more … passionate.”“You mean less laughing, and more tears and recitation of love poems,” said Niulang, a gentle smile in his eyes.“Yes,” said Jing. “No,” said Yuan, simultaneously.Zhinü and Niulang laughed out loud. Niulang said, “It’s okay. The magpies have been building this bridge for thousands of years, and they sometimes bring guests. We’re used to questions.”Zhinü looked from Yuan to Jing and back again. “You two are together?”“Yes,” said Jing. “No,” said Yuan, simultaneously. They looked at each other, embarrassed.“Now that sounds like a story,” said Zhinü.“We were together,” said Yuan.“But I’m leaving,” said Jing. “We’ll be parted by the Pacific Ocean.” And they told their story to Niulang and Zhinü. It seemed perfectly right to pour their hearts out to the legendary lovers.“I understand,” said Zhinü, nodding sympathetically. “Oh, do I understand.”At first I was inconsolable. I stood on the shore of the Silver River day after day, pining for a glance of my husband and children. I thought the pain in my heart would never go away. I refused to touch my loom. If my grandfather was angry, then let him find someone else to weave the sunsets. I was done.The first time we met over the bridge of magpies, Niulang and I could not stop crying the whole time. My children were growing up so fast, and I felt so guilty. So, when we had to part again, Niulang came up with a stratagem: he asked the magpies to retrieve two large rocks that were about the weight of my babies and carried them home in two baskets on the ends of a pole over his shoulder, the same way he had carried the boys onto the bridge. And everyone thought they had gone home with him. But unbeknownst to anyone else, I carried the boys home with me on my back.And after that, every year, as we met on the bridge, we passed the boys back and forth. They’d spend one year with me, one year with Niulang. They would not have their parents together, but they would have both of them.Each time we met, I told him again and again of the solitude of my hut, the desultory squeak of my loom. And he told me of how he took his herd to the same pastures that we had gone to as a family, to relive the happiness we shared. The grass had grown thin and bare from overgrazing, and his animals were just skin and bones.And then, one year, when the boys were a little older and could walk on their own, Niulang held me and told me that he didn’t want to see me sad any more.“We live a whole year for this one day,” he said. “We’re letting our lives pass us by. It’s not right that you should sit by your loom pining from morning ‘til evening. It’s not right that our sons should think our lives are lives of sorrow. It’s not right that we should come to believe that yearning for what we can’t have is what love is all about.”“What are you saying?” I asked. I was angry, and I didn’t know why. Was he saying that he no longer loved me? I had been faithful to him, but had he been to me?“We know we cannot be together,” he said. “We know that sometimes things happen to people that keeps them apart. But we have refused to look for new happiness. Are we sad because we’re in love? Or are we sad because we feel trapped by the idea of love?”I thought about what he said, and realized that he was right. I had become so used to the story about us, the idea of us living our whole lives for this once-a-year meeting, that I hadn’t really thought about what I wanted. I had become my own legend. Sometimes the stories we tell ourselves obscure our truths.“You’re beautiful when you laugh,” he said.“We’re beautiful when we seek to make ourselves happy,” I said.And so I went back to my loom and poured my love for Niulang into my weaving. I thought those were some of the most beautiful sunsets I had ever woven.And then I found that love was not a limited thing, but an endless fount. I found that I loved the laughter of my children, and the chatter of friends new and old. I found that I loved the fresh breeze that brought smells from far away. I found that other young men made my heart beat faster.And Niulang went and took his herd to new pastures, and he came up with new songs. Young women came and listened to him, and he found that conversation with them gladdened his heart.We told each other these things the next time we met over the bridge. I was glad for him and he for me. We had been clinging to each other as though we were afraid to drown, but in fact, we had been holding each other back from moving on.“And so we each went on and had other loves, joys as well as sorrows,” said Zhinü.“We still meet once a year,” said Niulang, “to catch up on each other’s lives. Old friends are hard to come by.” He and Zhinü looked at each other with affection. “They keep you honest.”“Are you disappointed?” asked Zhinü.Jing and Yuan looked at each other. “Yes,” they said together. Then they said “no,” also together.“Then, are you not in love anymore?” asked Yuan.“You ask that question because you think if we’re no longer in love, then that means the love we had was somehow not real.” Zhinü turned serious. “But the past does not get rewritten. Niulang was the first man I loved, and that would be true no matter how many times I fell in love after him.”“It’s time to go,” Niulang said. The magpies under them were getting restless. The eastern sky was brightening.“You were together, and you’re together now,” said Niulang to the girls. “Whatever comes, that remains a fact.”“You look lovely together, dears,” said Zhinü.Niulang and Zhinü embraced lightly and wished each other well. Then they turned and began to walk in opposite directions.“Look!” said Jing, and gripped Yuan’s hand.Where the old Niulang and Zhinü had been, there was now a pair of ghostly figures: a young man and a young woman. They embraced tightly, as if Yuan and Jing were not there at all.“They were such a handsome couple,” said Yuan.“They still are,” said Jing.And as the bridge of magpies broke up, carrying the girls down to earth, they looked back at the pair of ghost lovers dissolving gradually in the moonlight.Miraculously, Yuan found her bike where she’d left it.The sidewalks were still relatively empty. The first breakfast shops were just getting ready for the day, and the smell of warm soy milk and freshly fried youtiao filled the air.“Better rush home,” said Yuan. “Don’t miss your flight.”“And you need to go, too. Your mom will be worried sick!”Jing pulled her in, wrapping her arms around her. Yuan tried to pull back. “People will see.”“I don’t care,” Jing said. “I lied that day at Emerald Lake. I told you I had kissed other girls before. But you were the first. I want you to know that.”They held each other and cried, and some of the passers-by gave them curious looks, but no one stopped.“I’ll call you every day,” Jing said. “I’ll text you whenever I get a chance.”Yuan pulled back. “No. I don’t want you to think of it as a chore. Do it if you want to. And if you don’t, I’ll understand. Let whatever will happen, happen.”A quick kiss, and Yuan pushed Jing away. “Go, go!”She watched as Jing ran down the street to catch the bus. She watched as the bus pulled into the stream of traffic, a mighty river of steel like the Silver River, and disappeared around the corner.“I love you,” Yuan whispered. And no matter how the stream of time flowed on, that moment would be true forever.END“Seventh Day of the Seventh Moon” was originally published in Kaleidoscope, published by Twelfth Planet Press, edited by Alisa Krasnostein and Julia Rios in 2014.This recording is a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license which means you can share it with anyone you’d like, but please don’t change or sell it. Our theme is “Aurora Borealis” by Bird Creek, available through the Google Audio Library.Thanks for listening, and I’ll have another story for you on September 22nd.[Music plays out]
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