Study Chinese - Shanghai's Top 40 wheaten snacks restaurrants -

> Chinese Culture > Food
Shanghai's Top 40 wheaten snacks restaurrants
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Gary Soup -

I've been having great fun going through a poll posted on various websites and blogs in China,
ranking the 40 most recommended places for "small eats" of the wheat-based variety in Shanghai. I
really wish I had found it before my recent trip to Shanghai, but it's providing me with some good
research for my next trip.

One posting of the poll results is here:

http://food.846.cn/2006/1-7/192755.html

Everything I have found about this poll is in Chinese, and I am pretty much limited to machine
translation and Wenlin in making sense about it, and hope someone can help me with a couple of
questions.

1) What was the source of this poll? It seems to use a rating system similar to dianping.com's but
the individual ratings are different from dianping's.

2) It appears to be in ranked order, but I haven't quite figured out the ranking methodology; the
number one establishment, for example, has a slightly lower rating for "taste" than at least one
other contender. Was there a formula involved, or is it just stratified by the total number of
positive mentions?

Thanks



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roddy -

There doesn't seem to be any 'meta-information' about the source or methodology of the poll either
at the start or the end I'm afraid.










rose~ -

[off topic]
There is a site about shanghai restaurants that might interest you, have you seen it?

http://www.shanghai-eats.com/portal/










Gary Soup -



Quote:

There is a site about shanghai restaurants that might interest you, have you seen it?

I have seen it. It's a pretty good sized list, but really gives no info for most other than name
and address. A more useful one (partly) in English, especially for snack foods, is this one:

http://www2.cn-dot.com/linker/cat141.html










wisp chou -

i think little yang fried dumplings(小杨生煎) in wujiang road is the most famous one.












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Learning Chinese - dating chinese girl - Page 10 -

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dating chinese girl
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Lu -

I agree with anonymoose. A relationship is not built on the internet, it's foolish of both sides
to agree to something that big when you haven't even met the other person.

Konrad, in addition to parents and heartbreak, you should generally watch out with Chinese women
who are looking for foreign men on the internet, and are willing to marry you without having met
you. For all you know she is already married, and/or will just run off with your money and/or a
foreign passport as soon as she can.
If you like a woman, visit her early in the game. Worst case scenario is you save yourself a lot
of time and further heartbreak, and get to do some sightseeing in Beijing. (Best case scenario is
you live happily ever after, of course.)
Good luck for the future!



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gougou -



Quote:

and/or will just run off with your money and/or a foreign passport as soon as she can.

True. On a German China forum, people were saying that for German-Chinese marriages, there's a
peak in divorces after 6 years (I think it was), as apparently some legal requirements have been
met then for the foreign party. Some of the people lived in happy marriages (or at least thought
so) and were more than shocked when their partner suddenly filed for divorce.










simonlaing -

I read somewhere that Germany ranks in the top 3 western countries for marital infidelity.

Unlike the US though, Germans often over look it and stay together.
I wonder it that might have had something to do with it.
have fun,
SimoN












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HSK - origin of ? and ! -

> Learning Chinese > Reading and Writing
origin of ? and !
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anthony_barker -

I assume that ? and ! came into chinese recently (I have never seen any old scrolls with this
punctuation).

Anyone know the history of how they crept in?



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jukebox -

There're no punctuations in Chinese written form (namely Classical Chinese/Literary Chinese) in
ancient times. The capability to 断句 (know where to pause when reading) is a must for scholars
at that time and it's not so hard because patterns of sentences are strictly defined.
...者...也, however, is such a pattern.

句读 (ju4dou4) were later invented to punctuate sentences, but they were mainly used for kids
when learning and teaching.
读号 (、) as comma for short break and was changed into '，' during Tang or Song dynasty.
句号 (。) as full stop for longer break

Puctuation marks in western languages came into use in Chinese relatively recently, accompanied by
白话文运动 during the beginning of the 20th century.

However, IMHO ? are ! are kinda not necessary for Chinese thanks to those numerous modal particles
(啊/呀/哇/吗/么/etc. in modern Chinese and 耶/哉/矣/乎/etc. in classical Chinese). In
Japanese, question and exclamation marks are actually rarely used though they are introduced.










WangLongju -

.

According to 吴邦驹 , in his 《最新标点符号用法》 (1996),

　　标点符号在我国已有 80 多年历史。现已从 1919 年的 12 种增加到 1990 年
3 月发布的 16 种。尽管高考语文分数中标点符号占 6
分左右，但有的学校对标点符号的教学仍多作软任务。 (p. 1)

and

　　标点符号在我国从无到有，从少到多，从简到繁，已有 80 多年历史。
(p. 3)

Wu goes on to write:

我国第一个从国外引进标点符号的是清末同文馆的第一批学生张德彝
(1847–1919)
。同文馆是为清朝政府培养外事人员的。他在同文馆受了“西化”教育后，�
��从事翻译、外交工作。⋯⋯

　　到了清代晚期，严复评《富原》等开始用地名、人名号。 1897
年广东东莞人王炳耀草拟了“，”“。”等 10 种标点符号未通用。 1904
年，商务印书馆出版了《英文汉诂》，最早使用外国标点符号。 1909
年鲁迅与周作人翻译出版的《域外小说集》引进使用了多种标点符号。以后�
��言学家陈望道又全面系统引进了标点符号， 1918 年 5
月他在《学习》杂志上发表了《标点之革新》，介绍了西洋 10
种标点符号。
　　1918 年 5
月起，《新青年》杂志第四卷第一期起就全部使用白话文排印并加了新式标�
��符号。从此，标点符号很快风靡全国，不到半年就有四百多种报刊试用。
(pp. 4-5)

Generally speaking, no punctuation until around 1900. Punctuation now counts for a certain
percentage of the College Entrance Exam.

Basically the timeline is:

1897　first draft of "," and "." and 8 other types of punctuation.
1904　first use of foreign punctuation in publication.
1909　Lu Xun / Zhou Zuoren used many types of punctuation.
1918　introduction of 10 kinds of punctuation

.












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Pnyin - huge new sunny room available beginning Summer -

> Studying, Working and Living in China > Living in China > Classifieds
huge new sunny room available beginning Summer
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yonitabonita -

One enormous room available. Located 6 minute bike ride away from the BLCU, 10 min bike ride from
Wudaokou- (or 10 rmb taxi ride)

The room is suitable for a couple or a single person that likes space. Nice new wooden
floorboards, private new ensuite bathroom, wardrobes, double bed, dressing table. AND a private
sunroom attached to the bedroom.

Share with a German guy and a Chinese guy in a big new apartment (3 months old) with dining room,
loungeroom, and kitchen.

Rent is 2000 rmb per month, one month deposit, and your share of the annual apartment service fee
is also required - ie, it's dependent on how long you stay for.

If interested, I can provide photos.

Apartment available over for 8 weeks over the Summer break, or for the rest of the year. The
length of time you stay is negotiable, but at it minimum it needs to be 8 weeks.



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axene -

i'm looking for something for July and August. have you found someone yet to take the flat? i am
interested in hearing more.

my email is: dragonbreathmedia@riseup.net
name: puck lo

thanks!!










waijohn -

Hi yonita--My name is John Chang, a Chinese/American (US)/Venezuelan living in Washington, D.C. I
am heading to Beijing next month to learn Mandarin and will need a place to stay for a year
beginning September 2006. If the space is/will be available, please send me some photos.

About me: 27y/o graduate in Economics and Political Science from UC Berkeley. Worked one year in
technology PR in San Francisco, interned with the State Department, and now volunteering with
immigration clinic as I prepare my applications to enter law school fall 2007. Sociallly liberal.

If room is/will be available, please send pics to wjchang@cal.berkeley.edu.

Thanks.










goliono -

Well, I am the third poster here, so I am interested to know if your room is still available. I
need it for definitely more than 8 weeks. Please email: goliono@yahoo.com

My background: Overseas Chinese, lived in Europe and US. Currently just finished my MBA from a
university in the US. Travelled to 22 countries, very open and liberal. Speaks 3 languages,
including Dutch, and Indonesia. Currently working to improve my Chinese.

Thank you.
Henri Goliono












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Learn Mandarin online - Awesome Mandarin! Must listen! - Page 2 -

> Learning Chinese > Speaking and Listening
Awesome Mandarin! Must listen!
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mind_wander -

hmm, interesting the type of chinese tv series: Return of the Condor Hero 83', Xiao ao Jiang Hu
01', Tian long ba bu 03', Shen Diao Ying Xiong Zhuang 02', Crouching tiger hidden dragon (series
version), Pawnshop No.8 (reality sitcom), etc. Also, wuxia, but love the philosophy inputed in the
storylines. Many old terms used, but I reused some of them analogies translating into modern used
Chinese conversations.



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L-F-J -

I've recently watched the TV show "Sound of Colors". 地下铁 in Chinese. I thought it was a
great story. By the end it should make you cry even if you're a dude. If not then I'm just a
girlie man. But really, it was a good show and good practice as always. That's what I started
watching it for- listening practice. It turned out pretty good. It's about a blind girl with a
radio show and her new artist boyfriend and their story.

bomaci- How the heck do you improve your vocabulary?? I realize that's the biggest problem there
is in Mandarin. Especially since there aren't too many different sounds to learn. You just have to
learn the vocabulary compounds. Anyway, what do you find is the best way to increase vocabulary? I
mean, watching movies is great and you can look some stuff up if you miss it. But you can't always
do that. There must be a good study technique to nail down some good vocab. Your views are
appreciated!










mind_wander -

Actually, the most recent a chinese tv series make a cry was "Tian Long Ba Bu 03'.", I think alot
of guys do agree on this scene when the hero realized that his act of revenge, in the end caused
the hero to killed his lover Ah zhu. Ah Zhu's sacrifice was really big, it sux when the story kill
of a good character, it sure make you cry and pissed at the same time.










bomaci -



Quote:

bomaci- How the heck do you improve your vocabulary?? I realize that's the biggest problem there
is in Mandarin. Especially since there aren't too many different sounds to learn. You just have to
learn the vocabulary compounds. Anyway, what do you find is the best way to increase vocabulary? I
mean, watching movies is great and you can look some stuff up if you miss it. But you can't always
do that. There must be a good study technique to nail down some good vocab. Your views are
appreciated!

My basic technique is to use language learning material where I have access to both audio and
e-text, be it audio books, movies with scripts or (for the time being) TV series with scripts. I
will then take the audio and divide into segements of about 4 minutes each. Every day I study one
of these segments by listening to the audio over and over and reading the corresponding text with
the software dictionary Wenlin. In my view working with small segements is more efficient than
watching an entire movie.










L-F-J -

I agree. If I watch a whole movie I'll learn some new things but even if I watch it for listening
practice, I end up getting into the movie anyway. So I guess it's better to go back after watching
it once through and work with the vocab and sentence structure as you suggested. Actually, I've
heard of others using the method but I've never done it myself. I shall start that! Thanks for
your advice.










L-F-J -

By the way, do you have links to what you study with online? I've found TV shows online before as
well as some movies and they have the subtitles but it takes way too long to try and look up the
words I don't know. Transcripts would be good, something easily copied on the computer. If you
have any links you can share, post them on! Thanks.










bomaci -

This site: www.3xia.com, is a goldmine for the TV series 我爱我家. It has all the scripts for
the entire series and you can listen to the audio online.










necroflux -

I have to disagree with self-taught-mba, whose very name implies a certain degree of pomposity
(had to say it, I think that every time I read it lol), in saying that bomaci's speech for 2 years
of study is pretty damn impressive. I've been learning for about the same amount of time and his
grammar knowledge and sheer ability to speak the language is far above mine, especially
considering his never having lived in China. Then again neither have I, but I do live with a
Chinese speaker. I also would like to know if you had any language partners bomaci? How often did
you speak with your Chinese coworker? If you have developed that speaking skill solely from self
study I would be blown away.










self-taught-mba -



Quote:

when taking language classes in college, I wasn't usually too concerned about how well I learned
the language as long as I got a good grade.

You allude to a situation in which there is not a strong correlation between the language learned
and what is taught and tested. This is my problem with the system, and why I think self-study do
best. Although you are definitely right is very difficult put together a self-study program, and
it is not for everyone.










self-taught-mba -



Quote:

Yeah I know I missed some tones. But I'm confident that if I 继续努力 I should get them
straightened out. 大山 is safe for the time being .

Don't worry I wasn't knocking you you aren't bad at all-I just want to encourage people that they
can do the same thing. And thank you so much for sharing those resources.

Re: Pimsleur, I'll try to be brief because I have a half written post/article about it. Many
people think Pimsleur is very good. I tend to agree. However I completely agree with your
sentiments regarding vocabulary. However, I believe that vocabulary can be learned on one's own
outside of the classroom/material and (in most cases). What Pimsleur is good at is helping people
to get the word order and some of the grammatical things down in a way that they don't have to
think about them. Secondly, it's very scientifically based. Graduated recall interval is a very
effective method to get things into long-term memory quickly (I tried to build it into my own
program). This way Pimsleur helps people build good habits early. Many people these Pimsleur with
good success I think this is why. However I have many small problems that I will outline in the
future in another post (I hope).



Quote:

Furthermore some people claim that having done Pimsleur you will have perfect pronounciation.
Obviously this is not so. I can repeat all the Pimsleur sentences perfectly, but I am still not
tone perfect in conversation.

Many people like to differentiate between pronunciation and tones. I am one of them. your
pronunciation is fairly good, and I think Pimsleur does a good job reinforcing that at the
beginning before people pick up bad habits.



Quote:

I am absolutely sure there are people who have come a lot further than me in the same amount time.
I work full time so can only study chinese in my spare time.

Like I said, I'm not knocking your progress. In fact I like your last sentence:



Quote:

I'm sure someone who studies fulltime and used efficient methods would come alot further than I
have in the same amount of time.

I hope people take time to think about this. And realize that each and everyone of us should be
able to do the same thing. Please continue to give some of your advice and resources about how you
went about doing it; you are a success story that should be shared.












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Speak Chinese - Where to go from Pimsleur? - Page 3 -

> Learning Chinese > Speaking and Listening
Where to go from Pimsleur?
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Jhorra -

First off let me say hi I just found this site, and I'm very excited to learn. English is my first
language, and I can speak a little spanish, but not fluently. I have been learning mandarin from
the Pimsleur courses, and I'm 10 days from finishing the third set. I'm very interested now in
continuing to learn to speak mandarin. I'm not sure when I'll try to tackle reading it. So, on to
my question.

I actually found very little difficulty learning from the Pimsleur lessons. (Not saying that to be
arogant, but to give you an idea of my ability) With what I have learned, I feel confident that
I'm pronouncing it 90% correctly, and that I for the most part understand the grammar I have
learned. My question now is, what do I do next? I found a beginning mandarin conversation course
at a local community college, is that a good idea? Around the corner from my house is a chinese
food restaurant where they speak mandarin that I can pop in now and again to practice, but
otherwise I know no mandarin speaking people. I live in Phoenix, and I know there is a Chinese
cultural center in Tempe, but its not exactly close, and I don't know how often I could get down
there.

I'm very interested in becoming more proficient, but I don't know where to go from here.

Thanks in advance for the advise.



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Jhorra -

Just to give a little more context, I didn't find this thread, but my post was added to it, that's
why it looks like I ignored what other people said :p

So I guess I'll try to find a language partner, but what do you all think about the conversational
mandarin course?










wrbt -

Having spoken to people who've taken it the community college conversational course is a waste of
time... you'll be stronger from 90 lessons of pimsleur than from that crap.

I'd suggest you sign up for the full 5 credit CHI 101 course at Mesa Community College, then take
the 102. I believe for many self-learning is better but starting off with a little structure,
feedback, and peer interaction for the (relatively) cheap price of community college is worth the
drive and time. After that either press on to 2nd year or commence self-learning with NCPR or
David and Helen since they both have much audio content available.










griz326 -

I am using the book Reading and Writing Chinese by Wm McNaughton & Li Ying in combination with my
Palm with Pleco on it to learn to write the characters.

I use the character recognition and see if I can get the correct word from the character I draw.
Time will tell if this is a good idea or a waste of time...but it makes sense to me.










griz326 -

About how long does it take to learn all three Pimsleur Mandarin Chinese courses?

That was not mentioned in this thread...and I have just started. If the first lesson is any
indication, each lesson will take 3 or 4 days. Does that sound correct?










Jhorra -

I would listen to the lesson once on the way to work, then once on the way home from work.
Remember when working through them that you won't get everything from the lesson that day. They
review the content of the previous lesson for several lessons afterward. Somethings there were
things I didn't get till 2 or 3 days later. Follow their guide, move on when you can answer 80% of
the questions they ask in a lesson.










runehh -

In general, I would do every lesson twice, and then move on, except for a few particularly
difficult ones that I would do three or four times. I think the 80 % rule is good, don't worry if
you don't remember everything, most of it will be repeated enough times in later lessons.










flameproof -

After doing Pimsleur 1, 2 + 3 (of course forgetting a lot) and being able to move in China a
little without a persoanl babysitter holding my hand I was somehow shocked when D/L stuff from
Chinesepod.com

Newby stuff is easy to handle for me. But still, I do get a fair number of new words from it.

Beginners I have not really listened too yet.

Intermediate, were I believed I should be, is way to advanced. I understand a lot of words, but
can't really get the meaning of what's being talked.

That was quite an eye opener. I will go on with Chinesepod now. Their lessons are quite fun to
listen to and I D/L 200 or so. I only do the free stuff so far.

For all those who do Pimsleur right now, i suggest to go to ChinesePod and do listen to some
lessons similtaniously.












All times are GMT +8. The time now is 06:37 PM.














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Learn Mandarin online - Former 'Lost' actress Cynthia Watros stars in Western

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Former 'Lost' actress Cynthia Watros stars in Western

(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-07 17:32



LOS ANGELES - In her new movie, Cynthia Watros ignored the old Hollywood
adage about not working with children and animals because they steal the
scene.

The 38-year-old former "Lost" actress plays a barmaid and former
prostitute carving out a hardscrabble life for herself and her young
daughter in "Avenging Angel," airing Saturday on the Hallmark Channel.

"Superstition be damned," Watros said about her co-stars. "I've got
horses and chickens and children on set. I've got explosions, bar fights,
town riots and buildings burning down. And I love every moment of it!"

The cable movie is Watros' first Western.

"The corset took some getting used to," she said. "I'll say this, though,
if you have any sort of posture problem, you just need to wear a corset
for a few weeks. How can you slouch in a corset? People probably didn't
realize I was this tall."

Watros, who played Libby on the hit ABC series, co-stars with Kevin Sorbo
of "Hercules" fame.























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Free Chinese Lesson - Beckham signs up for new television show

ENTERTAINMENT / Television






Beckham signs up for new television show

(IANS)
Updated: 2007-07-05 15:49





David Beckham

Football superstar David Beckham has signed for a television show that
will document his move to Los Angeles this summer.

'David Beckham's Soccer U.S.A.', which will be aired on British Channel
Five, will follow match action from Beckham's new team L.A. Galaxy.
Beckham will also comment on his performances in the programme,
contactmusic.com website reported.

Producer Rob Massie says: 'David Beckham's arrival has undoubtedly taken
US Major League Soccer on to an international footing. Until now there
was no way a global audience could easily access the weekly action.









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Learning Mandarin - Tourism Etiquette Rules for Chinese Citizens Traveling at Home

CITYLIFE / Tourism Etiquette






Tourism Etiquette Rules for Chinese Citizens Traveling at Home

(bbs.chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-07-04 11:17


The cultivation of a congenial and harmonious travel environment benefits
every tourist. It is our bounden to be a tourist with refined manners. So
please observe the following tourism etiquette rules.

1. Keep the environment clean and tidy. Don't spit about or spit out
chewing gum. Don't drop litter. Don't smoke except in designated areas.

2. Observe public order. Don't yell or shout out loud. Always join a
public queue for good order. Don't walk abreast on a sidewalk. Don't talk
loudly in public.

3. Preserve the ecological environment. Stay off public lawns, and
refrain from picking flowers or fruits. Don't chase, catch, or throw
stones at animals or feed them irresponsibly.

4. Protect historical sites and cultural relics. Don't inscribe anything
or scrawl graffiti on them. Don't touch or climb on top of ancient
relics, and heed the restrictions when taking photos with them.

5. Be careful with the use of public facilities. Don't smear or break
objects in hotel rooms. Don't vandalize or damage public facilities.
Don't attempt to make off with public belongings. Conserve water and
electricity by using them efficiently. And don��t waste food.

6. Be respectful to the people around you. Don't try to snapshoot
pictures with foreign friends without their permission. Don't sneeze into
the face of others. Don��t occupy public facilities for too long. Esteem
the work of service staff. And respect the local religious customs.

7. Show courtesy to others. Be dressed appropriately. Don't go barebacked
in public places. Be considerate towards the aged, the infirm, the sick
and the disabled and give priority to them. Be chivalrous to the female
by following the rule "lady first". Never use vulgar language.

















Feature




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Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

Yunnan New Film Project Ten female directors from China! Ten unique
sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel
with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




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What's on: Shot in the dark





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Chinese Tutor - Woody Allen to begin work on new movie

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Woody Allen to begin work on new movie

(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-03 08:26



MADRID, Spain - Woody Allen says he hopes to create a portrait of the
northeastern Spanish city of Barcelona on a par with his 1979 film,
"Manhattan."

Allen told a news conference in the Catalan capital Monday that he would
begin filming July 9. The movie, starring Scarlett Johansson, Penelope
Cruz and Javier Bardem, is not yet titled.

The 71-year-old director-actor said he wanted to picture Barcelona "the
same way I presented Manhattan to the world through my eyes."

Allen said he looked forward to working in Barcelona "with great, great
enthusiasm."

He won best-director and screenwriting Oscars for the 1977 romantic
comedy, "Annie Hall," which starred Allen and Diane Keaton.

Johansson, 22, starred in Allen's recent London-based movies,
"Matchpoint" and "Scoop."









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Chinese Mandarin - NY movie critic Joel Siegel died at 63

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






NY movie critic Joel Siegel died at 63

(AP)
Updated: 2007-06-30 13:06









This undated yet recent photo of ABC News film critic Joel Siegel was
released by ABC News in New York.��AP��



NEW YORK - Joel Siegel, a longtime movie critic for WABC-TV and "Good
Morning America" who racked up five New York Emmy Awards for his
insightful work, died Friday, the television station said. He was 63.

The station said Siegel, who was famous for his weekly reviews, had been
battling colon cancer.

"Joel was an important part of ABC News and we will miss him," ABC News
President David Westin said in a release. "He was a brilliant reviewer
and a great reporter. But much more, he was our dear friend and
colleague. Our thoughts and prayers are with Joel's family."

Siegel was known for his sense of humor, movie acumen and sharp judgment.
He never let an actor off the hook if the performance was lackluster.

"The appeal of Matthew McConaughey has long evaded me both as a pinup and
as an actor," Siegel opined in his review of "We Are Marshall," a 2006
film. "His constant ticks, bad hair and strained syntax as a coach fumble
what should have been the tragic and inspirational story of the
rebuilding of Marshall University's football team after a devastating
plane crash."

Dave Davis, president and general manager of WABC-TV, said Siegel loved
to poke fun at uninspiring movies.

"No one had more fun writing about a bad movie than Joel," Davis said.

ABC anchor Charles Gibson said Siegel knew how to tell a story.

"He had an inexhaustible supply of stories �� most funny, many poignant,
all with a point or a punch line," Gibson said.

Born in Los Angeles on July 7, 1943, Siegel graduated cum laude from
UCLA. After college, he started writing for The Los Angeles Times, where
he reviewed books.

He landed in New York City in 1972 and worked as a reporter for WCBS-TV.
He also hosted "Joel Siegel's New York" on WCBS Radio. Four years later
he jumped to WABC-TV, cementing his reputation as a film critic over the
next three decades.

In 1981, he joined "Good Morning America" and became a regular as the
network's entertainment editor, easily recognizable by his thick mustache
and glasses.

In addition to Emmy Awards, he also received a public-service award from
the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith; and the New York State
Associated Press Broadcasters Association Award for general excellence in
individual reporting.

He survived by his son, Dylan, and wife, Ena Swansea��











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Free Chinese Lesson - My Great Wall walks are chest-puffing excercise

ENTERTAINMENT / Hot Pot Column






My Great Wall walks are chest-puffing excercise

By Chad Swanson (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-06-28 14:35



There is a saying in China that "you're not a man until you've been to
the Great Wall". And so it was that when I came to China, I headed
towards the Great Wall to discover my masculinity.

Badaling was the first section that I visited; however, it didn't make me
feel like a man. All the tourist shops, rebuilt sections, and
full-figured foreigners just made me feel like an old tourist.

A few months later, I visited Jiankou, a wild section of the Wall, and
discovered what it must feel like to be Indiana Jones. When scaling steep
sections, the climbers ahead often dislodged bricks and sent them flying
past my eyes. Even though this was extremely dangerous, I had to confess
that living on the edge felt great! Very manly indeed.

More months past, and my mother came to visit. To show her how I had
grown, I took her on a 10-kilometer walk from Jinshaling to Simatai. The
walk turned out to be more difficult than I had imagined, and I felt a
bit guilty when my mum told me that her legs felt as if someone had taken
to them with a baseball bat.

Although I had already been to the Wall three times, when I saw an
advertisement to go to Mutianyu, and go up by cable car, I again signed
up. Unfortunately, the driver got lost and so took us to the wrong side
of the mountain. Instead of a relaxing cable car, we would have to climb.

To make matters worse, no one knew the way, so we had to follow some old
trails. I've never been keen on following old trails because you never
know whether they have been made by humans or an animal, such as a rabbit
or a tiger.

This particular trail was also continually blocked with spider webs. Not
only was this a problem as the spiders running on my skin felt a little
discomforting, I also saw it as a sign that few humans went that way, and
there was probably a good reason for that.

After four hours of hiking, we finally reached the summit and laid our
hands on the Wall. Our water was gone, the sun was hot, and we felt ready
to die. It was then that we heard a happy call of "hello".

Standing in the guard towers was an old man of about 70 offering to sell
us drinks.

Considering what we had been through to get there, I thought finding a
70-year-old man selling drinks to be about as probable as finding George
Bush playing cards with Osama Bin Laden.

While it will forever remain a mystery how the old man got there, his
drinks refreshed me, and I was subsequently able to consider my
achievements with a clear mind.

In total, I had been to the Great Wall four times. I had experienced it
tourist style, Indiana Jones style, bad son style, and finally, wild
animal style.

As I stood there on the mountain top, hair blowing in the wind, I could
finally call myself a man.


(China Daily 06/26/2007 page20)










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Chinese Mandarin - Powell may miss races following groin trouble

/ Page 24








Powell may miss races following groin trouble

Updated: 2007-06-27 07:50




KINGSTON, Jamaica: World 100 meters record holder Asafa Powell could miss
the next IAAF Golden League meeting which would automatically rule him
out of contention for at least a share of a $1 million jackpot.

The next Golden League meeting is in Paris, but according to his manager
Paul Doyle, there is a possibility that Powell may miss the meet.

"I would say it's about 50/50 chance right now," Doyle said.

However, Doyle also says they will wait and see how the treatment goes.

"It's too early to tell. We are not going to cancel him from the meet as
yet. It's definitely too early to tell," Doyle said of Powell, who along
with American quarter milers Sanya Richards and Jeremy Wariner, won all
six events in the Golden League last season.

Powell injured his groin during the 100 meters final at the Jamaican
National Championships on Saturday.

After encountering a brief delay at the start of the men's 100m final,
Powell showed some discomfort midway through the race almost had to stop
running in the first 60 meters.

The World Athlete of the Year persisted with his dash and crossed the
line in 10.04 seconds (+1.0 m/s wind), but then immediately lay flat on
his back for about three minutes.

He was helped to his feet and briskly taken away for treatment without
speaking to reporters.

A source close to the MVP Track Club said Powell is still in some
discomfort and could not feel his left leg when tried to lift it up.

However, Doyle said, "I spoke to Asafa this morning and he doesn't
suspect the injury is that bad."

"It's not the same injury he had in 2005; it's on a different spot on the
leg," Doyle told AFP in a telephone interview. "He is walking around pain
free."

AFP


















China Daily PDF Edition











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Chinese Online Class - 'Evan Almighty' debuts with $32 million

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






'Evan Almighty' debuts with $32 million

(AP)
Updated: 2007-06-25 08:43


LOS ANGELES - Steve Carell proved not nearly as all-powerful as Jim
Carrey. "Evan Almighty," with Carell taking over for Carrey in a
follow-up to the comedy smash "Bruce Almighty," debuted a solid No. 1
with $32.1 million, though that was less than half the $68 million
opening of its predecessor, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Released by Universal, "Evan Almighty" has Carell as a new congressman
instructed by God (Morgan Freeman) to build an ark for a coming flood.

Carrey's "Bruce Almighty" was an adult comedy, while the PG-rated "Evan
Almighty" was aimed at a family crowd, which could give it longer shelf
life, said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution at Universal.

"Family films have an incredible ability to just play and play," Rocco
said. "I'm very optimistic about it playing out over the course of the
summer."

"Evan Almighty" needs to hold up well in subsequent weeks to make good on
its $175 million budget, an enormous sum for a comedy, resulting largely
from costly visual effects.

If it can hold on in theaters and then score well overseas, on television
and in home video, "Evan Almighty" could earn its money back, said Paul
Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers.

"Opening weekend no longer is the only barometer by which you can
determine whether or not a film can turn a profit," Dergarabedian said.
"If it finds life in the foreign marketplace, on home video, all those
revenue streams are really important. It just has to do well in the long
term, then have life after its theatrical distribution."

The Stephen King adaptation "1408," a Weinstein Co. horror tale with John
Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson in the story of a man trapped in a hotel
room with malevolent spirits, debuted in second place with $20.175
million.

Paramount Vantage's "A Mighty Heart," starring Angelina Jolie as the wife
of kidnapped and slain journalist Daniel Pearl, had a so-so debut, coming
in at No. 10 with $4 million.

Michael Moore's health care documentary "Sicko" got a head start on its
nationwide debut Friday with an early opening at one New York City
theater, where it took in $70,000 for the weekend.

"Sicko" also had sold-out sneak previews Saturday night at 43 other
theaters around the country, where tickets were so in demand they were
being scalped for as much as $40 each, said Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman
of the Weinstein Co., which is releasing "Sicko" along with Lionsgate.

The early screenings were intended to get interest focused on the movie
itself, rather than publicity over a U.S. Treasury Department
investigation of Moore's trip to Cuba for the film to get medical care
for ailing Sept. 11 rescue workers.

When notified of the investigation in May, the filmmakers worried the
government might try to seize the film or impede its release.

"It's trying to get people talking about the movie, rather than the idea
of the government trying to shut down the movie," Weinstein said. "It's
saying to the government, 'Hey, this movie is out there being appreciated
by people. Think twice before you try to confiscate or take any legal
action.'"

The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, the 20th Century Fox sequel
"Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," finished just behind "1408"
with $20.15 million, raising its 10-day total to $97.6 million.

Like last month's "Spider-Man," "Shrek" and "Pirates of the Caribbean"
sequels that opened big then took huge drops in subsequent weekends,
revenues for "Fantastic Four" fell a steep 65 percent in the movie's
second weekend.

Universal's comedy "Knocked Up" maintained strong word of mouth among
audiences, pulling in $10.6 million, down just 24 percent from a weekend
earlier. Ranking No. 5, "Knocked Up" raised its four-week total to $109
million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian
theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be
released Monday.

1. "Evan Almighty," $32.1 million.

2. "1408," $20.175 million.

3. "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," $20.15 million.

4. "Ocean's Thirteen," $11.3 million.

5. "Knocked Up," $10.6 million.

6. "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," $7.2 million.

7. "Surf's Up," $6.7 million. 8. "Shrek the Third," $5.8 million.

9. "Nancy Drew," $4.5 million.

10. "A Mighty Heart," $4 million.












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Chinese Pinyin - 24 hours in Guang Zhou

CITYLIFE / Travel






24 hours in Guang Zhou

By Phil Boyle (That's Shanghai)
Updated: 2007-06-20 11:09



Mention Guangzhou to anyone in China, and the first thing they'll think
of is food, perhaps some more food, a nap, then some snacks, dinner, a
drink of tea, followed by, you guessed it: food. But there's more to
Guangzhou than eating.



6am: If you have 24 hours, you may as well make the most of it, so head
to Baiyun Mountain, one of the symbols of Guangzhou, to watch sunrise
over the city. It's a peaceful start to the day as you gaze across the
parks filled with early bird ballroom and fan dancers. If you hang
around, you might end up indulging in a bungee jump and/or some grass
skiing.

8:30am: Join the locals for tea and dim sum at nearby Song Feng Xuan,
where the dishes start at an affordable RMB 4. Once sated, join in the
chorus for a local song or two.

10am: You simply can't leave Guangzhou without some kind of local
embroidery, paper-cutting or wood carving (or so the locals would have us
believe). The alleys around the well-preserved Chen Clan Temple off
Zhongshan Lu are like a miniature artistic oasis, a fine place to buy, or
simply watch the masters at work.

1pm: Kick back by the Pearl River with a set lunch in the garden at 1920
German Bar and Restaurant. Don't overeat though, as a night of feasting
awaits.

2:30pm: From 1920, take a lazy stroll west along the 'mini-Bund' on the
banks of the Pearl River to Shamian Island, where you��ll do find quiet,
tree-lined streets and 1920s merchant houses now housing diplomats. Pick
up some traditional herbal tea at any of the local teahouses on the banks
of the river.

6:30pm: Cantonese cuisine has to be on your agenda, so why not head to
the original Guangzhou Restaurant on historic Wenchang Nan Lu, or its
jazzed-up sister outlet in the up-and-coming Tianhe district, a
Pudong-like mix of wide streets and high-rise office towers.

9pm: By now, you'll have worked up a thirst. Up and down Jiansheliuma Lu,
next to the Garden Hotel, you'll find bars and caf��s aplenty. But head
away from the crowds to Friends Daily on Taojin Lu and choose a bottle of
wine from their huge selection, accompanied by imported nibbles.

12am: If you still want to party, go on to New Era for the latest in
electronic sounds and live MCs (just be careful not to fall into the
swimming pool on your way to the dancefloor). If it's cheap and cheerful
you're after, then you can't go wrong with Cave Bar or Gypsy Kings: a
Windows-esque underground dive near the Garden Hotel.

Travel Pack

Song Feng Xuan
next to entrance to Baiyun Mountain (020-3620 9288)

Chen Clan Temple
7 Zhongshan Lu

1920 German Restaurant & Bar
183 Yanjiang Zhong Lu (020-8333 6156)

Guangzhou Restaurant
1) 2 Wenchang Nan Lu (8138 0388);
2) Baifu Square, 112 Tiyu Dong Lu, Tianhe District (020-3880 9138)

Friends Daily
G/F, 11 Tao Jin Jie (020-8359 6681)

New Era
2 Zhongshan San Lu (020-8381 3327)
Visit www.thatsprd.com for more information.










Feature




Pilgrimage to Tibet If you want to get a detailed Travel Handbook to
Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

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sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel
with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




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Shanghai Guide


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Shopping: Revitalize the office
What's on: Mama Mia hits!





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Chinese Online Class - "Shrek" sinks "Pirates" at international box office

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






"Shrek" sinks "Pirates" at international box office

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-06-18 10:56



LOS ANGELES - Captain Jack Sparrow took a back seat to that odiferous
green ogre internationally during the weekend as "Shrek the Third"
finished No. 1 with an estimated boxoffice of $46 million from 3,693
screens in 36 markets.

Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," which had been on
top of the overseas heap for the previous three weekends, finished No. 2
to the DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures International animated feature. In
its fourth weekend, "Pirates" claimed 17,500 screens in 103 territories
with estimated boxoffice of $32.6 million.

At No. 3 overall was Warner Bros. International's "Ocean's Thirteen,"
which in its second weekend pulled an estimated $26.3 million from about
5,000 screens in 38 markets, lifting its overseas cume to $67 million and
$136.8 million worldwide.

Director Steven Soderbergh's star-laden caper bowed in six markets, of
which Australia (No. 2 with an estimated $3.4 million from 356 locales)
and Korea (No. 1 with $3.3 million from 190 sites) stood out. Its biggest
market remains the U.K., with an estimated take of $4.5 million from 699
sites for a market cume of $14.2 million. This week brings openings in
France and Brazil.

A more crowded international marketplace for the weekend saw the bow of
20th Century Fox International/Marvel Enterprises' "Fantastic Four: Rise
of the Silver Surfer," which opened No. 1 domestically but landed at No.
4 internationally.

The latest in the adventure franchise grossed an estimated $25.4 million
from 3,292 screens in 32 markets. The strongest territory for "Silver
Surfer" was the U.K., where it finished in first place with an estimated
$8 million from 474 screens for a per-screen average of nearly $17,000.
Its early worldwide tally stands at $82.8 million.

"Shrek," which began a gradual foreign rollout May 17, bowed in 13
territories during the weekend, breaking records or finishing at No. 1 in
at least eight. The biggest opening was France, where it placed No. 1
with a weekend tally of an estimated $12 million from 724 screens.

The third "Shrek" has grossed $107 million overseas so far and $404
million worldwide. The overseas gross for "Shrek 2" is $480 million; the
original "Shrek" made $210 million.

Buena Vista International's "At World's End" bowed in China for a mighty
$6.8 million from 979 screens, the biggest BVI opening in the market. The
first in the series, 2003's "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the
Black Pearl," drew $1.2 million in its China bow; last year's "Pirates of
the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" did not play in the territory.

The overseas gross for "At World's End" is $547 million, making it the
10th-most-popular overseas release ever. With an $821 million worldwide
cume, it ranks 16th among global hits.

Finishing at No. 5 for the weekend was Sony's "Spider-Man 3," which
raised its overseas gross to $543.9 million on the strength of a $3.1
million weekend on 4,300 screens in 77 territories.

Sony's latest animation entry, "Surf's Up," has accumulated an overseas
tally of $4.5 million thanks to a $945,000 weekend from 400 screens in
Russia and Ukraine.












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Chinese Mandarin - Jennifer Aniston tunes up for "Girls" musical

ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Jennifer Aniston tunes up for "Girls" musical

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-06-13 18:36



LOS ANGELES - Jennifer Aniston will produce and potentially star in a
period musical about singing prisoners.



Jennifer Aniston gestures as she accepts the Vanguard Award at the 18th
annual GLAAD Media Awards at the Kodak theatre in Hollywood, California
April 14, 2007 file photo. [Reuters]



"Goree Girls" revolves around eight women at Texas' Goree Prison during
the 1940s who formed one of the first all-female country and western acts
in the country and captured the hearts of millions of fans in the
process. The project is set up at DreamWorks, which is looking for a
director.

Aniston and her producing partner Kristin Hahn optioned Skip
Hollandsworth's May 2003 article in Texas Monthly titled "O Sister Where
Art Thou," which recounted the story of the women, who eventually were
pardoned.

Aniston, a former partner in ex-husband Brad Pitt's Plan B production
company, has several projects in development via that relationship,
including the upcoming Pitt vehicle "The Assassination of Jesse James by
the Coward Robert Ford."









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Speak Chinese - Britney has a tum-tastic time with her kids

ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Britney has a tum-tastic time with her kids

(Daily Mail)
Updated: 2007-06-11 17:55



Comeback pop queen Britney Spears is on yet another poolside jaunt.

She clearly didn't forget to pack a killer bikini to flaunt her
rediscovered curves - but this time more importantly she remembered to
bring her kids!

The mother-of-two looked stunning in a tangerine coloured bikini, which
tied seductively at the sides.


Yummy mummy: Britney looks ready for the water in this tangerine coloured
bikini - she brought along some water wings for her sons

The barely-there bikini showed off her hard-won figure - admittedly
rumoured to be helped by some cosmetic treatments - to its best
advantage, and she finished off the look with a jewelled belly button
stud, and hippy-style scarf.

Sons Preston and Jayden James joined their mother in their best swimming
gear for an afternoon by the pool at an exclusive resort in Hawaii.

Although Britney is one of the most photographed celebrities in the
world, her children are usually well out of sight.

She has become notorious for her hard-partying lifestyle which eventually
took its toll.

1 2







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