Special Flower, Special Food

There is a night-blooming cereus in my garden. My mother planted it two years ago. The flowers are in bloom from June to October. The flower of night-blooming cereus is big and white. I think it’s elegant as a fairy. This is a special plant that the difference between it and the other flowers is the flower of night-blooming cereus opens at midnight. Why? I think they want to protect themselves. People like to pick the beautiful flowers, but at night all of the people are at home for rest and they can’t pick the flowers. So these flowers avoid being destroyed. They are so smart!
In my opinion, all flowers are only seen. But my aunt told me the flower of night-blooming cereus can be cooked like the vegetables. I hadn’t heard of it. Then my mother picked the flowers to cook the soup with some meat and bean vermicelli. To my surprise, the soup tasted delicious. Would you like to eat? Just do it!

China Highlights Reporter in the spot of The Terracotta Warriors and Horses

The Terracotta Warriors and Horses has started its 3^rd excavation. We think it is a meaningful thing and one of our Product Group members went to Xi'an to take the first on-the-spot video. Actually we made several VCRs this year. There are Sister's Festival, Fenghuang old town and The Great Wall hiking. According to our working and travelling experience, VCR is a very effective way to introduce a product. This time, there is another improvement on this time shoot. We arranged one our staff to be the report on the spot. I am very glad that we made progress step by step. I believe our hard-work will get our customers' approval.

China Highlights' Setting-up exercise

People who work in the office have more or less problems with their backs and necks. China Highlights regards our body as the basic for our career. Several of our voluntary staffs made a DVD on setting-up exercise. Now every morning and afternoon, another volunteer will play this DVD to reminder us doing this exercise. I did it seriously and found it really let me feel totally relaxed and have more energy to serve for our customers.

 

 

 

Life is a game, let's all win.（by the CEO of Coca-Cola Brian G. Dyson）

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them Work - Family - Health - Friends - Spirit, and you're keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it,it will bounce back. But the other four balls -- family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life. How?

1. Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.
2. Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
3. Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
4. Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.
5. Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
6. Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us together.
7. Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
8. Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
9. Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.
10. Don't forget that a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
11. Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.
12. Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved

These are perfect suggestions for the ones who are struggling for earning their living, without good principles for handling their life and work. We work, because we intend to live a happier life with our families, so it is important to enjoy our life and share times with our families. We need free times.

Secret For a Long Life

A woman walks up to a little old man rocking in a chair on his porch.
"I couldn't help noticing how happy you look," she says. "What's your secret for a long, happy life?"
"I smoke three packs a day, drink a case of whiskey a week, eat fatty foods and never, ever exercise."
"Wow, that's amazing," says the woman. "How old are you?"
"Twenty-six."
Everybody please does care about your health especially gentlemen in our office.

Visitors may watch archaeologists digging warriors

Visitors to Terracotta Warriors Museum are watching archaeologists digging the warriors from 2000 years ago. This excavation is expected to last for half year from now. Read More News from China Highlights

New Terracotta Warriors Dig Begins in Xian China, Tourists can see the Excavation

Knowing that a new Terracotta Warriors excavation is undertaking, David from China Highlights went there to check the museum to find out more for our upcoming clients. The excavation will not affect the normal visit to the museum, it actually will enable visitors to watch the works of the archaeologists from a distance. More News

Balsamine

It is the time for balsamine bloom. Seeing the bright-colored flowers, I recalled childhood when I painted fingernails with balsamine.

After dinner of summer night, my old sister and I begun our work: took some balsamine paste on a nail and wrapped it with hemp leave. After one night sleeping, finger nails turned orange red and a little sweet.

In fact, preparation job had started before dinner. When adults were busy on cooking, children slid out to collect hemp leaves and balsamine; and then mashed up balsamine with a little of salt or white alum. Hemp leaves were soft and pliable, uneasy broken, so could keep the juice off overflow; salt or white alum could help the juice to be painted on nail more easily. After dinner, there was enough juice to be used to paint all fingers.After leaving home for study till now, I saw more and more kinds of nail-polish. They are red, pink, purple, and even black; colorful and gorgeous. But I don’t like them because they are always pungent.

Otaku

Whenever I am back at work from the holidays, people who know me would ask whether I enjoy it. Others would ask where I spend my holiday. Question 1, yes, I did enjoy it. Question 2, I went back home as always.

From my university life to work, when there's a holiday, I went back home and stay with my family. At home, I seldom went out though the beach is only a few minutes' walk away home. If I have a 3 full day holiday, I would spend at least 2.5 days at home, watching TV, reading books, surfing online or doing whatever I want. Then a word came to my mind, Zhai (home in English). And I realize I am a part of Otaku.

What's Otaku? It is actually a Japanese word that means "venerable house" and people, especially women, who prefer to stay at home (home-bird). After searching quite a lot of posts on the internet, I happened to find out that besides home-bird, Otaku refers to many other characteristics of a person, like:
1. Fans of animation, celebrities, model cars, etc.
2. Can not live without computers, stay online even if there is nothing to do.
3. Keep an unstable schedule, usually sleeps during the day.
4. Seldom leave the house and only then after serious thought.
5. Single, no dating.6. Likes writing blogs or diaries, especially online.

Check whether you belong to Otaku.

Yuyu

Finally, Yuyu, my fish passed away. It accompanied me for nearly a year, but without enough care and attention from me. I felt quite sorry for it.

In the very beginning, I started to raise fish for Duouo, my beloved dog. I thought Duouo was quite lonely when I was out and watching the lively fish swimming was a good way to pass the time. The day when I bought the fish home, Duouo started to drank the water in the fishbowl. She thought the glassy bowl was for her, crazy. I laughed at myself to have done such a silly thing.

I must admit, I was not a good feeder. Many fish died soon but only Yuyu left. I actually had tried many times to buy some fish of the same type as Yuyu’s friends. Those fish died one by one after a serious fight with Yuyu. Till now, I did not understand why those fish cannot be accepted by Yuyu.

Did Yuyu hate to share its paradise with those new comers? I say no after a test. I put Yuyu in a new bowl and let the new fish in the bowl Yuyu used to stay in. After a few hours, I put Yuyu back in the bowl. Two days after, the new fish died. Yuyu was hurt but still alive. I was touched. A fish was struggling for a life. It was just till that time, I treated Yuyu seriously with more care.

With sadness, I wrote down this post. Just to remember this tiny but unyielding life.

Guilin Fermented Beancurd

Fermented Beancurd, my brother's favorite when eating conjee.

Started in the mid-Qing Dynasty, Guilin Fermented Beancurd now boasts a long history of over 300 years. Its main material is well-chosen fresh bean. Featuring its softness and unique taste. Guilin Fermented Beancurd ranks the best of its kind in China.

Guilin Horse Hoof Cake

A Guilin local snack is Horse Hoof Cake (Ma Ti Gao), which is a crumbly cake stuffed with red beans filling. Suuny likes it very much. She will buy some at anytime anywhere she meets it.

Guilin Rice Noodles

Guilin Rice Noodles (Gui Lin Mi Fen), is also available as stir-fried (Chao Fen). This is served everywhere, but try to avoid the joints near the train station. Traditionally the noodle and the topping is first eaten without soup, and once the topping has run out there is usually a pot of soup to add flavour to the rest of your noodles. There are also various pickles and condiments that you can add to your noodles.

This morning, I got up 30 minutes earlier just for eating one bowl of Rice Noodle on the way to office.

Books from China Highlights to Sichuan are now in Chengdu

Knowing that books were needed in newly build schools in the earthquake area of Sichuan province, my colleagues from China Highlights voluntarily send books to Sichuan in the hope to help some children there. 

It has been one year since the severe earthquake hit Sichuan, many TV programs and activities were related to this topic in order to call on more people to give a helping hand. I am sorry that I missed the chance to go to the affected area as a volunteer, I felt even worse at the thought that I might miss a chance of saving a life or lives there.

I hope that I will not miss others chances to help when God gives more opportunities.

Guilin's English Version Theater

As the travel advisor for Chinese tour planning, I am always very curious what our customers like. The culture deference is such a radical thing. I remember one time in Shanghai, that is in 2007, one of my Australia friends told me that if she can see the English version movie in China, that is also a special experience. At that time, just Shanghai has such theatre.

Now two years passed, even in Guilin, we have the English version films played in the theatre.

There are several theaters in Guilin while just one theatre has the English version films played. That is Menglu Theater. It is located about 200 meters far from Guilin railway station. It is about RMB50 for one film. There are about 400 seats in a normal playing room and the seats are set step by step. Generally speaking, the playing environment is comfortable.

Last week, I went there again and watched another English version film named Star Trek. I loved its story.

If you, a native English speaker, you can try it in your spare time while travelling in Guilin.

 

 

How to make Chinese rice dumplings

Today is China's Dragon Boat Festival. In deferent areas, we have deferent traditions. However almost all the people will eat rice dumplings except watching dragon boat driving competition. This is to memorize one of China's greatest poets named Quyuan.

In my hometown, we eat rice dumplings with just rice inside. After my graduation, I came to Guilin, Guangxi Province and people here eat rice dumplings with meat inside. It is salty. So it cost me sometime to use to it. Now I get to love its taste.

I love to eat Japanese sushi. So I try to do it myself. If you like Chinese rice dumplings, maybe you also want to do it yourself? Here, I am very glad to teach you how to do our hometown's rice dumplings.

1.Hold two or three indicalamus Leaves(must spoiled for at least three minutes first) to the funnel shape.

2.Furl the inside indicalamus Leaf again

3.Fill the stuff(One hour Immersed Rice and oil)

4.Cover the hole with the indicalamus Leaves.

5.Tie it tightly with string.

When all the procedures finishes, immerse it with water and cook it for at least 2 hours.

 

 

 

Be careful of purse snatchers in China Sanya

I received an Email from a traveler who want to warn all travelers to be aware of motorcycle drivers pulling up and snatching purses.

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发件人: FRED …G [mailto:rath…@yahoo.com]
发送时间: 2009年6月6日 2:17
收件人: amci…@state.gov
主题: be careful of purse snatchers in China

 

To Whom it may concern : including:   American Citizen Services  U.S. Embassy, Beijing China's Foreign Ministry Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State Press and travel sites   Please get the word out: Beware of petty crime gangs in Sanya, Hainan, China Please warn all visitors to Sanya, Hainan, China to beware of motorcycle drivers pullling up and snatching purses. We booked a really nice vacation thru JENNY ZHANG, the owner of www.freesanya.com But then, on our last night in Sanya, Mm translator/friend got her purse snatched from under her arm while ordering food at a road side stall only meters from our hotel. This happened in the city of Sanya at 1145pm Friday June 6th Coincidentally, we were just heckled about 20 minutes earlier by a motorized rick shaw driver. That caused me to think there is a little petty crime gang here in Sanya. I was also told after the incident that purse snatching is very common now in China. She lost two expensive NOKIA phones and a few huindred RMB I am a retired US ARMY officer - now a computer consutant working thru Verizon business for GXS. I am heading for Shenzhen tomorrow and then to Hong Kong on Sunday and back to DC on June 7th. I have visited China many times and feel less and less safe here each time I come. Please warn all visitors to be on their guard.   Fred R… (202)714-9… (202)486-4… PRIVILEGED/CONFIDENTIAL Attorney Client Communication

 

See Old Chongqing at Eighteen Ladders Street

Eighteen Ladders Street is made of many steps. This is probably the oldest part of Chongqing. There are many older houses which had been renovated for many times. The locals make the first floor shops and the second or the third floor living places. These shops show all the daily needs of the locals, there are restaurants, tea houses, clothes shops, traditional arts and crafts, barbershops, DVD shops and computer games centers. If you don't mind climbing steps and would like to see the local lives of the old Chongqing, this is a good choice.

When You are Old——by William Butler

Today, I like to share a poem which I really love:
When You are Old——by William Butler

When you are old and gray and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look,
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep.
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
and loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
and loved the sorrows of your changing face.
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled,
And paced upon the mountains overhead,
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

Chinese Chess

When cleaned up my room, I found my Chinese Chess which was bought last year and now covered by dust.
From it was taken home until now, I played it within ten times. It is not difficult to play chess, but not easy to win.
Chinese Chess, also known as "Xiangqi" in China, is an ancient game nearly 2000 years old, and played by millions of people the world over. "Xiang" is the word for elephant; "qi" is the Chinese word for strategy games. Anciently China had 4 traditional arts: music, painting, calligraphy, and strategy games. Xiangqi is one of the most popular strategy games in old times.
The game board consists of two sides: the "northern territory" (typically using black pieces) and the "southern territory" (using red), separated by a space called "the border river". Each territory contains a "king's palace", and the objective it to capture your opponent's king, while simultaneously protecting your own king. Each side starts with 16 pieces. Red moves first, and each side makes one move at a time. Although played by Chinese people around the world, until recently it was virtually unknown among westerners. Chinese Chess is a relative of western Chess, but the many differences result in a more wide-open and aggressive contest.

My Children’s Day

Today is Children's Day in China, we usually call it "June 1^st International Children's Day" in China. But we know some countries don't celebrate Children's Day.  Nowadays, all the children under the age of 16 will have one day free on June 1st. But when I was a child some 10 years ago, we are supposed to hold a celebration with dances and singing on June 1^st to celebrate the Children's Day. Since I'm from a small village school with no more than 150 students, we don't have enough students to hold such a big celebration, so we have the gathering at a larger school. It is about 6 kms from my home, it will take me 1 hour on foot, so I have to get up very early and walk to the larger school to attend the celebration.

We watch the performance on the playground, there was no roof for the playground, so we sit under sun for 2 hours, I was never chosen to be a performer for the celebration, because I was too shy. Usually, we were requested to wear white trousers and blue shirts to attend the celebration. Some students with good performance in study will be rewarded with pencil and notebook.

Since the school is too far from my home, so I can't get back to home for lunch. My parents give me 1 yuan for lunch, but I usually spend 5 Jiao (half of one yuan) and return the balance to my parents, while other children will spend all the money they have on candies and Popsicle. I believe my parents worried that I was too stupid to spend money.  

By Leon

 

A visit to the ming tombs

Last Friday I took advantage of the good weather and went out to the tea plantation with a friend. After the normal tea tour, tea testing etc... we didn't directly walk back to the main road, but took a small path around the plantation.

After crossing a small stream we were directly on ground of the old Ming Tombs. This part of the area has not been restored and looks like nobody visited it for quite some time.

If you walk around, you will find many old statues and other broken remnants of the graves of the Ming Princes. One of the tombs actually has been restored by the government, but the entrance fee for seeing two restored gate houses and a hill of mud is not really worth it. Discovering the unrestored part of the tombs is much more satisfying.

Written by: Julian

Eyes fatigue

I guess everybody must have eyes fatigue for we used to sit in front of PC in majority time each day. Sometime we know we should stand up and take a break in every 45 mins when using computer, but less people do that. We have many excuses and we are fascinated by the PC game, news, chatting and the work. We concentrate on these endless things and our eyes becoming more and more nervous. When eyes can't bear any pressure we begin to wear glasses...Only can we do is eat more vegetable and keep remembering that eyes need relax!

 

By Nancy

Children's Day

 

Children's Day is a thing far away to me. But I still remember in my childhood, when it was coming to Children's Day, my favorite gift was a piece of cream cake. Maybe it was too little for today's children. I think Children's Day in my time was happier and sweeter than that of today. Nowadays, children have more pressure than before. They have plenty of material things but are lack of happiness which should belong to them. Do give a genuine childhood back to children.

 

By Nancy