A Living Legend, Mao Zedong’s Grandson – Máo xīnyǔ (毛新宇)

As the youngest Major General in the Chinese military (in any military, for that fact) and Chairman Mao’s only grandson, Máo xīnyǔ (毛新宇) has received tremendous ridicule.  In June 2009, he was promoted to the position of Major General at the age of 40–which has been starkly criticized as being an act of nepotism because of his widely known incompetence.  Others who support the move said that by paying respects to Mao’s grandson, the people of China are, therefore, paying respects to the Chairman himself.  Máo xīnyǔ has publicly admitted that being Mao Zedong’s grandson has influenced his promotion (毛新宇：晉陞少將有家庭因素).

The position, Major General, is what one might call a one star general, an officer that could be in charge of an entire garrison.  Somebody at this rank would be an average of 45-50 years old, and only about 3% of Colonels will reach Major General.

Your Wife is Cheating on You, Xbox in China, and 戴着绿帽

Wearing A Green Hat

What’s one holiday the Chinese just don’t understand?  St. Patrick’s Day.  That’s because wearing a green hat (戴着绿帽 – dài zhé lǜ mào) in China means that your girlfriend or wife is cheating on you. 

China Hacks, Going to the Movies & Gewara (格瓦拉@电影 géwǎlā@diànyǐng ) | 1

Some movie theaters in China charge as much as 100RMB or more when you buy the ticket at location, but did you know you are being overcharged?  Sure, the price is fair in USD ($10-15 in the expected price back home, so what is the big deal, right?)  Quite honestly, you have been ripped off this entire time, because all the other Chinese people are using a Chinese secret called Gewara.

Learning Chinese, Perapera Popup Dictionary | 2

For the second installment of tips on learning Chinese, I offer another great hack.  This software is called “Perapera.”  This software is a popup dictionary for your online browser.  This is going to make life so much easier for you when using Chinese websites and will dramatically improve your language ability.  How does it work?  Check out the image below:

Hilary’s Bid for the White House & Chinese Reactions – 希拉里

It’s Official

if China could vote in the 2016 presidential elections, Hilary would have already won it.  The images below are of the top comments (out of over 15,000 total comments) from an online news article titled “Topic: Hilary Announces Her Bid for the 2016 Presidential Elections.”  The article appeared on 网易 (wǎng yì NetEase), a popular source for news in China, on April 13, 2015.  You can find the English translation directly below the comment in red font.  Have a look:

Learning Chinese, Pleco | 1

If you’re learning Chinese as a second language and don’t recognize the above image, you are in the wrong.  Pleco is an amazing app that can be downloaded on your iPhone/iPad or Android device.  It is a must-have if you are learning Chinese! (no, this is not some form of advertising, I simply love this app and must share it with everyone!)

What is it?

China, World Leader of Renewable Energy and 太阳能热水器

Solar-powered Water Heater

China is polluting itself as well as the world, but Beijing knows it and is actively doing something about it.  Not convinced?  Let’s take a look at recent developments in China’s solar energy.  It’s shocking, it’s alarming, and it makes the US’s attempt to reduce carbon emissions look meager.

The object in this image is something Americans don’t recognize,

Chinese Tourists and Six Uncivil Behaviors – 文明

These days, Chinese tourists have developed a bad reputation, not only abroad.  Chinese people are also tired of Chinese tourists.  “东方卫报” (dōngfāng wèibào – “The Eastern Guardian”), a Nanjing based daily newspaper, published the following article on their front page on Tuesday April 7, 2015:

The heading translates to “Take it Easy on Your Outings: Six Kinds of Uncivil Behavior to Take Note Of.”  The six uncivil behaviors are listed below:

Ancient China’s Four Great Inventions – 四大发明

As if the last 1000 years of Western innovation means absolutely nothing, there is not anything more that Chinese professors and teachers love to brag about and lecture extensively on then China’s Four Great Inventions (四大发明 sì dà fāmíng).  These inventions are directly related to Chinese scientific development, and they are ancient Chinese inventions that have made an impact on the globe.

The Four Great Inventions are as follows: