Dragons in the News: Is a Long a Dragon?

I've published some thoughts at FROG IN A WELL on the differences between Western dragons and Chinese long, which is often simply translated as "dragon." Here's the link:  Dragons in the News: Is a Long a Dragon?

See for yourself and leave me a comment there.

Chinese New Year/ Spring Festival Teaching Resources

This is a list of websites with background and teaching material. Please add new ones in your comments:

• Well organized group of links; lessons and worksheets; other links http://www.teacherplanet.com/resource/chinesenewyear.php

• Teacher vision: extensive links to Chinese culture sites and activities http://www.teachervision.fen.com/chinese-new-year/china/6603.html

• Extensive and well organized crafts and activities for elementary aged children http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/chinesenewyear/

• Unit Plan: "Chinese Inventions and the Chinese New Year” http://content.scholastic.com/browse/unitplan.jsp?id=20

• Extensive listing of links to teacher resources for Chinese Culture and New Year (Utah Education Network) http://www.uen.org/utahlink/activities/view_activity.cgi?activity_id=5279#teacher

• A-Z Teacher Stuff http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Chinese_New_Year/index.shtml

•  http://my-ecoach.com/online/webresourcelist.php?rlid=4324

• Sites and Links http://www.thecanadianteacher.com/archives/318

Names and Dates In English and Chinese

Names and Dates In English and Chinese:
I recently discovered Beijing Time Machine, run by Jared Hall. His recent piece Time over Place: Naming Historical Events in Chinese (ironically, it is not dated), is a striking and useful observation:

In English, we generally recall important turning points in terms of where they unfolded. Simple place names conjure up entire historical epochs. “Pearl Harbor” marks the American entrance into the Second World War and the global struggle against fascism. “Bandung,” the conference in of newly independent African and Asian nations that pledged to stand together in 1955 against imperialism and Cold War division. And then, of course, there is “Tian’anmen.” It is doubtful that mention of the square here in China would, by itself, raise any eyebrows. But try “6-4″ (六四) and you are can expect quite a different reaction.

There is also a useful chart of name years in the sixty year cycle, which you can download to put on your desk calendar or refrigerator door.

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Minneapolis Institute of Arts website Arts of Asia is extensive but not overwhelming in presenting Chinese history with an emphasis on art and culture. The art works are explained and background given, though there is probably more pottery than most students would want.

There are excellent sections of History and Maps for China, Japan, and Korea showing historical development.

The section on Buddhism is especially well done.

Additional Resources includes Teaching the Arts, Further Reading, and Glossary.

Highly recommended to those with an interest in art.

http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/introduction/

Chinese Fable Stories in English

Although intended for beginning English readers (pre-school), this series of online reader uses flash technology to incorporate basic animation with story telling. It's a great beginning to learning about Chinese stories and fables.

http://www.starfall.com/n/level-c/chinese-fables/load.htm?f

The China Beat

A brave new blog: The China Beat, which in its own words "examines media coverage of China, providing context and criticism from China scholars and writers." The first couple of posts show what they're up to: "Five Good Short Books on China," "After the Avalanche," (on the Taiwan elections), and "Anniversaries: The Rise and Fall of Wang Mang" (a controversial figure who usurped the throne 2,000 years ago.)

There you have it: history, items snatched from the headlines, and advice on what to read. What's not to like?

Spring Festival on The River (Qingming Shanghe Tu)

Based on a presumed Song Dynasty original by Zhang Zeduan (1085-1145), this scroll painting depicts life in the Song dynasty capital, near present day Kaifeng. The scroll is roughly a foot high. The scroll has become a popular symbol of the sophistication of urban life in traditional China, demonstrating China's high level of development, attested to by Marco Polo slightly later. We see in exquisite detail -- depending on the version -- the sweep from the quiet, prosperous countryside, through the outskirts of the city (including an open air opera), bustling city life, and finally a glimpse of the imperial palace.

Although the original is now lost, we have a number of later copies, or perhaps "repaintings." The Manchu Qianlong Emperor (ruled 1736-1796) had his court painters make authoritative copies, apparently to demonstrate his benevolence, culture, and the prosperity of his realm.

Images from various versions of the scroll have been issued on postage stamps, calendars, and souvenier ash trays.

There are at least three scrollable versions available on the net:

1) A colorful, almost garish version: http://www.ibiblio.org/ulysses/gec/painting/qingming/full.htm\

2) An older copy, which has useful subsections on various topics such as transportation, shops and commerce, individuals and groups, etc.:
http://www.huangshantour.com/english/river.htm

3) One of seven versions held at the Palace Museum in Taibei, which has excellent detail but is slightly awkward to scroll. Click on the picture to enlarge, then move through using the hand tool:
http://www.npm.gov.tw/en/collection/selections_02.htm?docno=90&catno=15&pageno=5

Pigs, Shit, and Chinese History, Or Happy Year of the Pig!

I have a piece on pigs in Chinese history on the blog "Frog in a Well." It also has a few words on the Year of the pig.

Frog in a Well - The China History Group Blog

Explore a Chinese House

This is a great site about how we make architecture, and it makes us.
The anatomy of a chinese house, all forms explained through function. My young children loved it. Great for k-12.

http://www.pem.org/yinyutang/index.html