History, Arts & Traditions
Why unroll a painting slowly?
A handscroll does not give you the whole picture at once. That is part of the experience.
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Language & Meaning
Can a brand name be translated?
A name crossing languages may need to sound familiar and say something sensible at the same time.
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Language & Meaning
Four characters, a whole story
Some compact expressions carry a history that will not fit into a literal translation.
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Everyday China
Why is porcelain called “china”?
One ordinary English word still points to the place from which prized ceramics once travelled.
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History, Arts & Traditions
Why carve a page backwards?
A Chinese woodblock-printing workshop prepares, checks and carves a reversed page so the final impression can be read.
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Everyday China
Which British garden plants travelled from China?
The flowers outside a British front door might have a much longer travel story than the family inside.
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Chinese food
Why does British tea have a Chinese beginning?
The most British-looking cup in the house carries a journey much longer than your walk to the kettle.
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Language & Meaning
Should a place name be translated?
Some place names reach English as sounds, some as meanings, and some by a mixture. A map cannot make the decision for us.
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Language & Meaning
What is that little “r” at the end of a word?
A sound often associated with Beijing speech can change how a familiar Mandarin word lands in your ear.
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Language & Meaning
Why might an address start with the biggest place?
A postal address can guide your eye from a wide area down to a particular door.
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Language & Meaning
Why might one character look different on two phones?
A character can keep its digital identity while the font changes its visible strokes.
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Language & Meaning
Can a name become a picture?
A carved seal can turn writing into a small, personal piece of art.
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