Old Wisdom, New Insights

Qu Yuan's story continues in this episode. Why was he considered the first poet ever? Why was his patriotism especially rare and valuable at the time? What were the most signature expressions he created? For all the above and more, Niuniu invites Qu Yuan into the studio!

Do you have a dream that you'd be willing to do anything to realize or a goal that you’d pursue regardless of the immense challenges and obstacles? If so, maybe you'll identify with this traditional saying "路漫漫其修远兮, 吾将上下而求索". Learn to use it in your daily conversation to show that you are truly determined!

Qu Yuan was a famous patriotic poet in ancient China. If you enjoy dragon boat racing or have a good appetite for sticky rice dumplings, you have this man to thank for. But who exactly was Qu Yuan? What's so impressive about him? How come there’s a national holiday commemorating him? Let's enjoy Qu Yuan's life story in this episode.

Now let's switch gear from fantasy to reality! There are many sayings about the role of laws and regulations in a society. Author Austin O'Malley said, "Law is the rudder of the ship of state." Aristotle said, "Law is order, and good law is good order." During China's Song Dynasty, our friend Bao Zheng also had a famous saying, which suggested that the law is there to help the government serve its people.

To most Chinese people, Bao Zheng is no doubt the best detective in Chinese history. The man stars many legends and is widely favored by fiction writers from different generations. If you are a fan of crime stories, this is an episode that you should not miss!

China has had a "people-centered philosophy" for a very long time. In prehistorical times, it was believed that a huge man named Pangu created the universe. It was also believed that a woman named Nvwa created humans. Later, different generations have expressed the idea that "people are the foundation of a country." For example, there's a saying "国以民为本，社稷亦为民而立," written by our friend Zhu Xi. Listen to the episode and find out more.

The saying "you're never too old to learn" emphasizes the importance of continuous learning. Now it's time to put that concept into elegant Chinese words, 问渠那得清如许，为有源头活水来。 Join Niuniu and learn about a poem that compares book reading to a glassy oblong pool.

Zhu Xi was an influential neo-Confucian scholar, writer, and philosopher during China’s Song Dynasty. His contribution to Chinese culture is so significant that he is often referred to as "Zhuzi," meaning Master Zhu. And being a "Zi" is really a big deal in China! This episode explains how come Zhu Xi was a master worthy of the name!

“Saving for a rainy day” doesn't mean you have to adopt a doom-and-gloom, disaster-prepper's mentality. But being alert to danger in times of peace might help you recover more easily from your next bump in the road. Wei Yuan provides a pretty good way to express it in Chinese, 于安思危，于治忧乱. Listen to today's episode for more explanation!

Wei Yuan, a famous thinker of China’s Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1912), is regarded as one of the first to help Chinese people see and learn from the world. Our story begins with this man who embraced and helped disseminate advanced technologies and novel cultures. And of course, more importantly, he was a singularly fun person!