Articles.

About Staying Up on New Year’s Eve (守歲 shǒu suì) Staying up on New Year’s Eve is widely known, and everyone understands it as not sleeping through the entire night of Lunar New Year’s Eve, also called “going through the whole year.” From the structure of the character “歲” (year), it appears as a great deity with one foot above and one foot below, carrying a halberd on the shoulder. Some say this deity is Jupiter; others say it is the deity in charge of the year. The second ex

An Interpretation of the Deeper Meaning of “巧 (ingenuity).”

2. About New Year’s Eve (除夕) The same story has also confused the meaning of New Year’s Eve. It is said that “Xi” (夕) was a wild beast that came to villages on the night of the thirtieth day of the lunar year to eat people. People would set off firecrackers to drive it away, so the night was called “chú xī” (除夕). This explanation is truly irresponsible and harmful to future generations. In oracle bone script, the character Xi (夕) actually evolved from the character Moon (月)

Background: Children’s Attention in a Rapid-Stimulus Environment Children today are immersed in environments characterized by rapid sensory change, high novelty, and constant attentional capture. Short-form digital video content, typically consumed in brief segments lasting seconds rather than minutes, has become a dominant form of daily engagement for many children and adolescents. Unlike traditional media, this form of content emphasizes immediacy, continuous novelty, and e

⸻ A Research-Informed Synthesis of Linguistic, Cognitive, and Educational Evidence Abstract A growing body of interdisciplinary research—from linguistics, neuroscience, psychology, and education—demonstrates that early childhood is an optimal period for second language acquisition. This advantage is especially pronounced for Mandarin Chinese, a tonal language whose phonological system poses significant challenges for later learners. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies, large-sca

I. The Origins of the Chinese New Year Festival The Chinese New Year Festival is the most important festival of Chinese people and serves as a spiritual anchor of the Chinese culture. In this era, when Chinese culture has been fragmented under the impact of Western culture, Chinese people are familiar only with Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Carnival, and Halloween. Traditional Chinese festivals have long been forgotten, and only the Chinese New Year Festival still holds the las

Suffering refers to the affliction of both the human spirit and the physical body. It arises from lived experience and serves a formative purpose: to temper the mind, refine moral standards, and elevate one’s spiritual cultivation. The emergence of suffering is rooted in the fundamental principles in Chinese philosophy. According to traditional Chinese cosmology, all phenomena operate under the dynamic interaction of yin and yang, as well as the mutual generation and restrain

Honesty is a moral virtue in which one’s inner intentions and outward actions are brought into complete alignment. It is characterized by the absence of falsity and pretense, and by the fulfillment of one’s promises through concrete action. To be honest is not merely to speak truthfully, but to embody sincerity through consistent conduct. Honesty exists within all forms of social interaction; from the moment human society emerged, honesty emerged alongside it. If individuals

Tolerance is a moral virtue that entails the capacity to forgive and to accommodate slander, violation, and harm imposed by the external world. It is the ability to embrace all beings and circumstances with a broad and magnanimous heart. Tolerance originates from the innate goodness embedded deep within the human mind. It enables individuals to preserve benevolent intentions and moral clarity, preventing them from becoming emotionally agitated or consumed by anger when confro

In earlier sessions, we have focused on translating the poems and the literal meanings of The Seventh Month. In this session, we will discuss the ideological content of The Seventh Month. Gengzhi Tu (Pictures of Tilling and Weaving, 耕织图), by Chen Mei (active 18th century), Qing dynasty. Ink and color on silk/album leaf. First, its theme. Scholars have traditionally regarded The Seventh Month as a slave poem that reflects the harsh labor of slaves and exposes the cruel exploit

Stanza 8: On days of the second, they hew the ice – clang, clang! 二之日鑿冰沖沖, On days of the third, they store it in the icy cellar. 三之日納於凌陰。 On days of the fourth, in early spring, 四之日其蚤, They offer lamb and chives in sacrifice. 獻羔祭韭。 In the ninth month, frost descends austere; 九月肅霜, In the tenth, they cleanse the threshing square. 十月滌場。 They line the wine in solemn array; 朋酒斯饗， They slay the lamb for the sacred day, ascending the lord’s hall. 曰殺羔羊, 躋彼公堂。 They raise the vessel

Stanza 7： In the ninth month, they build threshing yards and gardens; 九月築場圃， In the tenth, they store the grain. 十月納禾稼。 Millet and glutinous millet, late grain and early grain; 黍稷重穋， rice, hemp, beans, and wheat—Alas, my farmers! 禾麻菽麥，嗟我農夫。 Our harvest is done, now we must go to repair the granaries. 我稼既同，上入執宮功。 By day you thatch with straw, by night you twist ropes; 晝爾於茅，宵爾索綯。 Swiftly you mend the lofty roofs, so to begin souring the hundred grains. 亟其乘屋，其始播百穀。 After Lou Shu

Stanza 6 In the sixth month, they have wine and grape jam; 六月食鬱及薁, In the seventh, they enjoy malva crispa and beans. 七月亨葵及菽。 In the eighth, they beat down jujubes; 八月剝棗, In the tenth, they harvest rice. 十月獲稻。 For this they brew spring wine, to bless enduring years with long brows. 為此春酒，以介眉壽。 In the seventh month, they eat melons; 七月食瓜, In the eighth, they cut the gourds; 八月斷壺, In the ninth, they gather hemp seeds; 九月叔苴, They pluck sow thistle, and cut ailanthus for firewood;

The Seventh Month (《七月》) is a renowned masterpiece from The Classic of Poetry (《詩經》). Among the "Three Hundred Poems," few works so systematically and comprehensively depict the realities of China’s early agrarian society. Through this poem, later generations are able to gain an organized understanding of social life in ancient times. For this reason, The Seventh Month is included in nearly all major anthologies of The Classic of Poetry. It is also the longest poem in the col

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Zhongqiu (the Mid-Autumn), first appeared in The Book of Documents – Canon of Yao, which states: “When the constellation Xu rises at midnight, it marks the Mid-Autumn.” The festival was important mainly because it served agricultural purposes. In other words, people needed to accurately grasp the seasonal transitions of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. When the constellation Xu rises in the southern sky around 8 p.m., it signals that

Chinese learners of English often hold a fixed belief that language acquisition primarily means memorizing vocabulary. However, Chinese cannot be studied in such a simplistic way. If one approaches Chinese in this manner, even a lifetime of effort may not result in true mastery. The essence of the Chinese language lies in its classical heritage. To develop a genuine appreciation for Chinese, one must first cultivate a love for classical poetry and prose. Classical literature

Repentance can be understood as the recognition that one’s original intention has violated moral or spiritual principles, while regret arises from the suffering caused by being unable to resolve difficulties. Human error originates from a single harmful thought, which subsequently leads to misguided actions and eventual entrapment in regret. The consistent practice of self-reflection and timely correction enables individuals to avoid such outcomes and pursue personal growth.

(1) Course Objective: The I Ching (Book of Changes) is regarded as the foremost of classical Chinese texts and the fountainhead of Chinese culture. To deeply understand Eastern cultural traditions, clarify the relationship between humanity and nature, and comprehend Chinese society, studying the I Ching is essential. This course will distill the essence of the I Ching and present it to participants, covering topics such as the origins of the I Ching, the truth behind the Hetu

As the New Year approaches and the dawn of a new century begins to illuminate the horizon, we stand at the threshold of a rare and transformative moment in history. This is a time to reflect deeply: what qualities must we nurture to step confidently into this new era? It is clear that entry into this profound chapter is not granted by wealth, academic scores, prestigious affiliations, or influence. The wisdom of the ages offers us timeless guidance: Confucius taught, “Do not

“Amazing! I never thought I’d learn how to write my name in Chinese,” exclaimed one local student, proudly holding up their freshly inked calligraphy. This sentiment echoed throughout the event hosted by the Zhengdao Chinese Language Association, where families gathered for a unique opportunity to experience the richness of Chinese culture. The day was filled with activities that bridged creativity and education, with calligraphy taking center stage. Youth participants learne