Eye on East Asia

Moving...

2010-02-08T22:15:00.002+01:00

After some deliberation, I've decided to move this blog over to Wordpress. I'll be transferring some of the older blog posts over to the new blog over the next week or so.

For now, you can continue following this blog at its new home : http://eastasiablog.wordpress.com/

Bloggers, be sure to update your bookmarks and/or blogroll links. This will be my final post on this blog.

See you all over at the new blog address!

Kelly x

Daily News Digests

2010-02-07T02:26:00.002+01:00

Starting from February 8, 2010, I will be posting daily news digests on the blog. These digests will focus primarily on issues affecting the People's Republic of China, Japan and South Korea but you can also expect to see articles about Taiwan, Hong Kong, North Korea, Tibet and Mongolia.*

Due to the apolitical nature of this blog, articles on political issues will be kept to a bare minimum and the focus will instead be on social and cultural issues. There are plenty of blogs out there which deal with political issues, such as Danwei, China Translated and Letters from Taiwan, so if you're looking for information regarding the latest political news in East Asia, you'd be better off reading those.

The format of these digests will be similar to that seen in my weekly archaeology news digests. Short summaries will be provided alongside links to the full articles and the original sources will be credited where possible.

* Please note that I will not always be able to post a news digest every day. These news digests will be subject to my work and family commitments but every effort will be made to keep readers up to date on what's happening in this vibrant region.

Blog Roundup - February 7, 2010

2010-02-07T00:07:00.003+01:00

China Hope Live - Joel talks about traditional Chinese New Year decorations and lucky red panties.
Fukuoka Dreaming - Asawa shares a recipe for ginger pork or butaniku no shouga yaki (豚肉の生姜焼き).
Japan : Life & Religion - Doug writes about the history of Buddhist precepts in medieval Japan.
Just Bento - Maki talks about the scallop rice bento (帆立ごはん弁当) she recently treated herself to.
Kyoto Foodie - The Foodie goes behind the scenes to see how onimaki demon rolls (鬼巻) are made.
Muza-Chan's Gate to Japan - Muza-chan talks about the customs and traditions of Japan's Setsubun (節分) festival.
Osaka Insider - The author lists some of the reasons he likes about living in Osaka (大阪).
Rainbowhill Language Lab - Brett shares his tips for holding the ultimate setsubun (節分) party.
Shizuoka Gourmet - Dragonlife writes about the delights of oden (おでん), a popular winter food in Japan.
Somewhere the Sun is Rising - SS considers Harumi Kurihara's advice on eating about 30 different types of food each day.
The China Beat - Alec and Daniel discuss the film Confucius (孔子) and its relevance in modern Chinese society.
The Gaijin Gourmet - Louis shares a recipe for oyako-don (親子丼), a rice bowl dish consisting of chicken, egg and vegetables.
The Japanese Food Report - Harris cooks up a delicious chicken soba hot pot.
The View from Taiwan - Michael blogs about a recent visit to Laos.
Tsukublog - Avi talks about one of Japan's most sought-out and unique delicacies, fugu (河豚).
Webs of Significance - YTSL lists his top ten Hong Kong movies of 2009.
ZenKimchi Korean Food Journal - Tammy counts down the days to Korean Lunar New Year (음력설날) by cooking up 12 fusion dishes made with tteokbokki (떡볶이) rice cakes.
四海为家 - Maria takes a ride on the Harmony Express (和谐号), the world's fastest high-speed train.

That's all for this week. The next blog roundup will be on February 14, 2010.

East Asian Archaeology News - February 6, 2010

2010-02-06T20:09:00.006+01:00

This week has been a busy week for archaeologists across the region. A skeleton of suspected East Asian origin is discovered in Italy, excavations continue at an ancient graveyard in Guangdong Province, and Chinese archaeologists successfully finish their restoration work on a Tang Dynasty headdress.

Here are some of the stories that made the news this week :

Tomb of Ancient China's "Major General" Unearthed (Oneindia)

Chinese archaeologists are thought to have unearthed the tombs of Major General Zhang Anshi (張安世) and his family near Xi'an in China's Shaanxi Province. Zhang Anshi is thought to have aided Liu Bingyi (who would later become Emperor Xuan of Han) in his ascension to the Han throne in around 74BC.

DNA Testing on 2,000-Year-Old Bones in Italy Reveal East Asian Ancestry (Science Daily)

Researchers excavating a Roman cemetery in Vagnari, Italy, have stumbled upon a skeleton believed to be that of a person of East Asian descent. Archaeologists believe that the bones date back to the first or second century AD and that the man may have been a slave or worker during the early Roman Empire. If the bones are indeed those of a man of East Asian origin, it could indicate that the Roman Empire was a more global and diverse society than previously thought.

Excavation Goes on for Ancient Tombs in Guangdong (CCTV)

The excavations continue at the ancient graveyard discovered at the foot of the Fufuling Hills in China's Guangdong Province. More than 400 tombs dating from the Western Zhou Dynasty have been unearthed during the preliminary excavation, which has yielded some 1,000 artifacts, including bronze vessels and jade ornaments.

Retired Teacher Determined to Find "Sunken City" (China Daily)

Hu Bigui, a retired teacher from China's Sichuan Province, has teamed up with an experienced diver in a bid to find out whether or not the remains of a Han Dynasty city lie submerged in Qionghai Lake in Xichang (西昌). Mr Hu's theory is based on a Google Earth photo of the lake which, he argues, hints at the presence of a sunken city and which he believes may be the remains of Qiongdu (邛都), a county which ancient texts claim was founded by Emperor Wudi during the Western Han Dynasty.

Crown of Ancient Princess Repaired (CCTV)

Archaeologists have just finished repairing a Tang Dynasty headdress which had been excavated from a tomb in Shanxi Province. The repair work took a year and a half to complete and the archaeologists relied on historical documents and wall paintings to help them successfully restore the ancient artifact to its former glory.

Liao Treasures from Inner Mongolia to be Exhibited in Taiwan (Taiwan News)

An exhibition featuring artifacts excavated from Liao Dynasty sites will be held at the National Palace Museum, Taipei, from February 6 to May 16. The collection includes funerary artifacts from three major Khitan burial sites and is the first time that artifacts from the Inner Mongolia Museum are displayed outside of China.

Ancient Mongolian Tomb Holds Skeleton of Western Man (Discovery News)

A DNA analysis of a 2,000-year old skeleton found in eastern Mongolia has revealed that the man was of Western heritage. The identity of the man remains unknown but archaeologists believe that the man may have held a prominent position within the Xiongnu Empire and his presence may be evidence of the ethnic diversity of the Xiongnu polity.

TimesOnline : Learning Mandarin Would Put Children Off

2010-02-03T22:50:00.002+01:00

The TimesOnline posted an article today entitled Learning Mandarin Would Put Children Off. The article was written by Dr. Martin Stephen, the head teacher of a school in the United Kingdom, and in it, he argues against the British government's plans to introduce Mandarin lessons in secondary schools across the country.

Blog Roundup - January 31, 2010

2010-01-31T02:05:00.000+01:00

An Acorn in the Dog's Food - Paul visits the Peruvian Civilizations Exhibit currently being held at the National Museum of Korea.
Ben Ross' Blog - Ben explores the three bustling Chinatowns of New York City.
China Hope Live - Joel touches upon the recent ban on cat and dog meat in China.
How to Japonese - Daniel shares some tips and advice for aspiring translators.
Konnichiwa - Bartman visits Nezu Shrine (根津神社).
On the Fringe - Heather visits Qufu (曲阜), the home town of Confucius.
Shizuoka Gourmet - Everything you need to know about wasabi (わさび).
Tae Kim's Blog - Learn how to order fast food in Japan.
Wandering Taiwan - Micki and Kristen visit the historic buildings and streets in Anping (安平) in Tainan City (台南).
ZenKimchi Korean Food Journal - Learn how to make crispy bibimbap (비빔밥).

That's all for this week. The next blog roundup will be on February 7, 2010.

New Additions to the Blogroll : January 2009

2010-01-30T19:51:00.002+01:00

Here's a list of the blogs which were added to the Eye on East Asia blogroll in January 2010 :

An Englishman in Osaka (Japan Blogs)
Betelnut Equation (Taiwan Blogs)
Bonkers in Honkers (Hong Kong Blogs)
Canto Plus (Language Learners)
Digital East Asia (East Asia Blogs)
ForeignerCN (China Blogs)
Hong Kong or Bust (Hong Kong Blogs)
Journey to Nowhere (Hong Kong Blogs)
Korea Report (North Korea Blogs & South Korea Blogs)
Korean Cuisine (Food & Drink)
Lost on Jeju (South Korea Blogs)
Northeast Asia Matters (North Korea Blogs)
North Korea Leak (North Korea Blogs)
Roboseyo (South Korea Blogs)
Shanghai Street Stories (Photo Blogs)
Soju and Sake (South Korea Blogs)
Taiwanese Identity (Taiwan Blogs)
The Blacksmith Blog (East Asian Literature)
The China Observer (China Blogs)
The Grand Narrative (South Korea Blogs)
The Valley (Hong Kong Blogs)
The View from Over Here (South Korea Blogs)
Tianjin Shannon (China Blogs)
Tianjin Trekker (Photo Blogs)
Travel Breeds Content (China Blogs)
Webs of Significance (Hong Kong Blogs)
四海为家 (China Blogs)

If you have an East Asia-related blog or know of one which you feel should be added to the blogroll, you're welcome to leave a message with a link to the blog(s). Please note that a blog will only be added to the blogroll if it meets the following requirements :

The blog's main theme must fit into one of the categories listed in the blogroll.
At least half of the blog's content should be on a subject related to East Asia.
The blog must be at least 3 months old and must be updated on a regular basis. Blogs which are not updated at least once every 2 months will be removed from the blogroll.
Blogs containing racist, sexist or other offensive material will be rejected.

A return link to this blog is not a requirement for inclusion in the blogroll, but it would be very much appreciated.

East Asian Archaeology News - January 30, 2010

2010-01-30T19:04:00.002+01:00

Chinese Terracotta Warriors Expected to "Conquer" Visitors in Canada (Xinhua)
Sharp Find (JoongAng Daily)
Terracotta Army to March into 4 Canadian Cities (CBC News)
Tomb of Ancient China's "Defense Minister" Unearthed in Northwest China (Xinhua)
Tomb Raiders Bulldoze Jiangsu Site (Global Times)

Chinese Buzzwords & Slang

2010-01-26T22:27:00.001+01:00

Language is constantly evolving. New words are coined on a regular basis, new expressions come into common use and Mandarin is by no means an exception. Language students and translators are often confronted with unknown terms and buzzwords and those living outside of the Sinosphere will be at a certain disadvantage. While it is generally accepted that immersion in a foreign language environment is one of the best ways to develop and maintain one's language skills, the Internet can offer a helping hand to those who wish to learn a new language or expand their vocabulary.

As a volunteer translator and Sinophile, living outside of a Mandarin-speaking environment has had a detrimental impact on my spoken Mandarin. The Internet has been a valuable source of information and has allowed me to continue to expand my vocabulary and keep up with the latest news and trends in Mainland China. When I embarked on my quest to learn Mandarin, I was taught using textbooks which were quite blatantly out of date. The Practical Chinese Reader series that I relied on in my first year at university gave me a good introduction to Chinese grammar and hanzi but it was clear that the recommended form of address, "comrade" (同志), wasn't going to cut it in 21st Century China.**

Likewise, many of the buzzwords and slang I learnt during my university days have fallen out of common use. New technologies and trends have sparked a new generation of idiomatic expressions and jargon, so to avoid being left behind in linguistic limbo, I have sought out a few blogs which focus partly, if not solely, on contemporary buzzwords and slang so that I can keep myself abreast of all the latest lingo.

Language learning is a never-ending process and only a fool would claim to know it all. Even after 10 years of Mandarin study, I feel like I have merely scratched the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Fellow Mandarin learners who feel the urge to keep up with all the latest trends and buzzwords should consider checking out the links below :

ChinaHopeLive's Chinese Take-Out - Learn some slang and expressions to impress your Chinese friends.
ForeignerCN.Com : Practical Chinese - An excellent source for learning colloquial expressions and figurative slang.
Shanghai Daily's Buzzwords Blog - One of the best resources for learning about current political and social trends in China. Highly recommended!

If anyone knows of a blog, website or online dictionary that should be on this list, please feel free to let me know.

** It's interesting to note that the term 同志 is now used to refer to members of the gay and lesbian community, so it's probably best not to address anyone as "comrade" for fear of calling their sexual preferences into question.

Blog Roundup - January 24, 2010

2010-01-24T01:59:00.009+01:00

An Acorn in the Dog's Food - Paul has fun with Korean measure words.
ForeignerCN.Com - A short articles on the history and traditions of China's Laba Festival (腊八).
Japan : Life and Religion - Doug does some research on traditional Shinto attire.
Life in Taiwan - Tony reflects on a Taiwanese wedding he recently attended in Hsinchu (新竹).
Lost on Jeju - The author writes about one of the few things he hates about living on Jeju Island (제주도).
Maangchi - Maangchi shares an easy recipe for making your own home-made kimchi (김치).
Mandarin Segments - Greg explores options for volunteer work in China.
Muza-chan's Gate to Japan - Muza-chan posts some beautiful photos of decorated kumade (熊手), bamboo rakes sold as good-luck charms.
Notes from Xi'an - Richard talks about the controversy surrounding Google's recent spat with the Chinese government.
On the Fringe - Heather spends the day at a ski resort in Yishui (沂水) in China's Shandong Province (山东省).
Shizuoka Gourmet - A simple and tasty recipe for kaki meshi (牡蠣飯), or oysters steamed with rice.
Speaking of China - Jocelyn shares some advice on how to impress your Chinese boyfriend/girlfriend's family if you're invited to spend Chinese New Year with them.
The Gaijin Gourmet - Learn how to make delicious tuna omusubi (御結び) rice balls.
The View from Over Here - The author tries her hand at making kimchi bokkumbap (김치 볶음밥), a dish made from fried rice and kimchi.
Tsukublog - Avi talks about hanabiramochi (花びら餅), a traditional Japanese sweet from Kyoto whose origin can be traced back to the Heian Period (平安時代).
Wandering Taiwan - Micki and Kristen visit Loushan Village (羅山村) and learn how organic tofu (有機豆腐) is made.

That's all for this week. The next blog roundup will be on January 31, 2010.

On Second Thoughts...

2010-01-21T23:46:00.002+01:00

I've given some thought to my proposal for weekly features and I think it's probably best if I scrap that idea. While I will continue to post weekly blog roundups and will start post bi-weekly archaeology news roundups, I think I prefer a more spontaneous approach to blogging.

Sorry, folks. I don't think I can commit to regular weekly features at this point in time.

East Asian Language Learning : Reviews Will Start Next Week

2010-01-20T22:43:00.005+01:00

I was planning on posting a review of the Talk to Me in Korean podcast series today but due to a lack of free time this week, I've decided it's best to give myself another week to listen to some of their podcasts and check out the other features on the website. There's little point in posting a short and rushed review which fails to do the website justice, so the review will be posted next Wednesday instead.

East Asian Archaeology News Roundup - January 19, 2010

2010-01-19T19:25:00.002+01:00

One of the main stories in the news over the past week is the controversy surrounding the discovery of what some archaeologists believe may be the tomb of the legendary General Cao Cao (曹操). The validity of the claim has now been called into question and scholars and netizens have become embroiled in a heated debate regarding the identity of the tomb's occupant. Efforts are being made to determine if the tomb found in Xigaoxue (西高穴) is indeed that of the General.

Identification of Cao Cao Tomb to be Proved (CCTV.Com)
Expert Tries to Clear Controversy Over Cao's Tomb (CCTV.Com)
Confirmation of Legendary Cao Cao Tomb Amid Controversy (Xinhua)
Netizens Keep Digging into Tomb Ownership (China Daily)

In other news, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Archaeology has announced its top 6 archaeological discoveries of 2009, bronze mirror fragments with Chinese Wei Dynasty inscriptions were discovered in Nara and an exhibition of relics dating from the Three Kingdoms period (三国时代) is being held at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

CASS Announces China's Top 6 Archaeological Discoveries of 2009 (People's Daily)
Bronze Mirror Fragments with Wei Dynasty Inscription Unearthed in Nara (The Mainichi Daily News)
Three Kingdoms Relics on Display in Beijing (Xinhua)

That's all for this week's archaeology news roundup. The next roundup will be on Monday 25 January, 2010.

Archaeology News - Postponed By a Day

2010-01-18T22:18:00.001+01:00

This week's East Asian Archaeology News Roundup will be posted on Tuesday 19 January, 2010.

I would like to apologise to all my readers for the slight delay. The East Asian Archaeology News Roundup will be published every Monday starting from next week.

New Weekly Features

2010-01-18T01:19:00.003+01:00

As from this week, readers can expect to see a number of new weekly features on this blog.

Mondays - Archaeology and cultural heritage news.
Wednesdays - Reviews of language learning resources and websites.
Fridays - Recipes and/or restaurant reviews.
Sundays - The Eye on East Asia blog roundup.

I will also continue to post news articles, film reviews and news on East Asian events in the Netherlands on a regular basis.

If you have any suggestions for a weekly feature that you would like to see on this blog, you're welcome to leave a comment with your suggestion.

Blog Roundup - January 17, 2010

2010-01-17T02:42:00.009+01:00

Bonkers in Honkers - Colin blogs about his recent trip to Japan.
China Hope Live - Fun and games at a traditional Chinese wedding.
Cooking in Japan - Kirsty shares a recipe for kenchin udon (けんちんうどん).
Fear of a Red Planet - The author wonders whether anyone knows where Hu Jintao's (胡锦涛) hometown is.
Fili's World - Fili visits some of Tokyo's ancient shrines and temples.
Fool's Mountain - The Chinese psyche as seen from the point of view of Chinese food culture.
Fukuoka Dreaming - Asawa shares a recipe for agedashi koya-dofu (揚げだし高野豆腐).
Konnichiwa - Bartman posts some photos taken at the Momote-shiki (百手式) ceremony, a Shinto ritual which commemorates the Japanese Coming of Age Day (成人の日).
Mutantfrog Travelogue - Curzon's lists the ten places in Japan that he would most like to live in.
My Yaruki - Matthew takes his first steps in his quest to learn Korean.
Notes from Xi'an - Richard explains what he likes about living in Xi'an (西安).
Shizuoka Gourmet - A recipe for hiyashi ramen (冷やしラーメン), a ramen dish which is served cold.
Speaking of China - Things to see and do at the Kaifeng Night Market.
The China Beat - Kelly talks about her recent stint at the Terracotta Warriors exhibition in Washington DC.
The Japanese Food Report - Harris shares a recipe for pork miso soup.
Tsukublog - Avi explains the significance and traditions of Dondoyaki (どんど焼き), an annual ritual burning ceremony which takes place in mid-January.
Wandering Taiwan - Micki and Kristen spend a day along the Jin Shan (金山) coast.
Webs of Significance - A photo essay of the Lung Yeuk Tau (龍躍頭) heritage trail.
ZenKimchi - Learn more about the some of the culinary treats on offer in Andong (안동).

That's all for this week. The next blog roundup will be on January 24, 2010.

China Festival of Lights

2010-01-14T23:56:00.004+01:00

I'd like to apologise for the lack of updates this week. It has been insanely busy at work due to half the staff being off sick and I've been busy working on some translations for the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Archaeology.

But enough of excuses...

My partner and I will be visiting the China Festival of Lights this Saturday. The Festival of Lights is a lantern festival which is currently being held at Emmen Zoo. The festival was originally supposed to close on January 10th but due to popular demand, the organisers have decided to push the closing date back to February 7th.

Any readers who are living in the Netherlands and are eager to see some beautiful Chinese lanterns should check out the China Festival of Lights website for more information on how to get there and how to order tickets for this spectacular display. I will post photos and a brief summary of events on the blog on Sunday.

Blog Roundup - January 10, 2010

2010-01-09T21:03:00.007+01:00

China Hope Live - Migrant workers and their gruelling morning commutes.
China Translated - Tom talks about some of the top new Chinese words of 2009.
Danwei - Translation of an article on the ageism faced by China's middle-aged job seekers.
Fili's World - Fili shares some photos of the delicious food he ate during his time in Japan.
Fukuoka Dreaming - Kaeru shares some photos of a recent visit to a sumo wrestling (相撲) competition.
Goddess Carlie - Carlie lists her goals for 2010.
Haikugirl - Haikugirl pays a visit to Toganji Temple in Motoyama (本山).
Hungry for Words - Maki talks about omiyage (お土産) and the business of gift-giving in Japan.
Japan Navigator - Ad lists some of the auspicious foods eaten in Japan at New Year.
Jottings from the Granite Studio - Jeremiah reviews Eddie Cheng's book, Standoff at Tiananmen.
Just Hungry - Maki shares a recipe for "seven herb porridge" (七草粥).
Kyoto Foodie - The Foodie takes a look at French osechi, an interesting blend of French and Japanese cuisine.
Maangchi - Maangchi's latest video recipe explains how to make cheongpomuk muchim (청포묵무침), a side-dish made from mung bean jelly.
Muza-Chan's Gate to Japan - A short explanation and some photos of the kofun tombs in Sakai (堺市), Japan.
Shanghaiist - Cary's first day in icy Harbin (哈尔滨).
Shizuoka Gourmet - A recipe for meat and potato croquettes (コロッケ).
Sleepy Tako - David visits Ako City (赤穂市) in Japan's Hyogo Prefecture (兵庫県).
Speaking of China - Jocelyn answers a reader's question on discussing sensitive political issues with one's Chinese partner.
The Hopeless Romantic - Claytonian recommends some anime series that anyone can enjoy.
The View from Taiwan - Michael takes a bike ride along the east coast of Taiwan.
Tsukublog - Avi talks about the "seven herbs of spring" (七草), which are traditionally eaten with rice porridge (粥) on January 7th.
Wandering Taiwan - Micki and Kristen visit "Herb Alley" (青草巷) in Wanhua (萬華), Taipei.
Webs of Significance - YTSL attends the annual Tam Kung (譚公) birthday parade held in Shau Kei Wan (筲箕灣).
ZenKimchi Korean Food Journal - A simple recipe for making dogani tang (도가니탕), a soup made from ox bones.

That's all for this week. The next blog roundup will be on January 17, 2010.

Yamaguchi Tsutomu Passes Away at 93

2010-01-06T21:00:00.008+01:00

Yamaguchi Tsutomu (山口彊) , one of the few people to have survived both atomic bombs in Japan, passed away on January 4, 2010, at the age of 93. A firm believer in love and in the dignity of human beings, Mr Yamaguchi spent his later years campaigning against nuclear proliferation and even called upon the United Nations General Assembly to ban all nuclear weapons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tsutomu Yamaguchi was a respected teacher and a beloved father and grandfather. So far, so unusual. But Mr Yamaguchi, who has died in Nagasaki at the age of 93, was special. He was one of the small number of people to fall victim to both the atomic bombs that fell on Japan 64 years ago.

On August 6, 1945, he was about to leave the city of Hiroshima, where he had been working for a few weeks, when the first bomb exploded, killing 140,000 people. Stunned and injured, he fled to his home town, Nagasaki, 180 miles to the west. There, on August 9, the second atomic bomb exploded over his head.

A few dozen other people were in the same position, but none expressed the experience, or the indignation which it inspired, with as much emotion and fervour.

Towards the end of his life, Mr Yamaguchi became the only man to be officially registered as a hibakusha, or atomic bomb victim, in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

“I think that it is a miracle,” he told The Times, on the 60th anniversary of the bombings in 2005. “But, having been granted this miracle, it is my responsibility to pass on the truth to the people of the world. For the past 60 years, atomic bomb survivors have declared the horror of the atomic bomb, but I can see hardly any improvement in the situation.”

In the summer of 1945, he was 29, and working as a technical draughtsman designing oil tankers for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. His three-month secondment to a shipyard in Hiroshima was due to end on the morning of August 6, the day that the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped a 13 kiloton uranium atomic bomb which exploded above Hiroshima at 8.15am.

“I didn’t know what had happened,” Mr Yamaguchi went on. “I think I fainted for a while. When I opened my eyes, everything was dark, and I couldn’t see much. It was like the start of a film at the cinema, before the picture has begun when the blank frames are just flashing up without any sound. I thought I might have died, but eventually the darkness cleared and I realised I was alive.”

With burns on his face and arms, he and two colleagues staggered through the ruins of the city, where the dead and dying lay all around. At one point, the three men had to wade through a river, parting before them a floating carpet of corpses. They reached the station, and forced their way on to the train for Nagasaki. Reporting to work at the shipyard the next day, August 9, his story of a single bomb destroying an entire city was met with incredulity.

“The director was angry. He said: ‘You’ve obviously been badly injured, and I think you’ve gone a little mad.’ At that moment, outside the window, I saw another flash and the whole office, everything in it, was blown over.”

The next thing he remembered was waking from a delirium to hear crying and cheering at the broadcast by Emperor Hirohito announcing Japan’s surrender.

A post-war career as a teacher and a long retirement followed, and Mr Yamaguchi rarely spoke publicly of his experiences. He began to do so only in 2005 after the death from cancer of his middle-aged son, Katsutoshi, a death which his father attributed to his exposure to radiation as an infant.

“The son of 59 died, leaving the father of 89 behind,” he said. “He was still a baby to me. The death of my son takes away my will to live.”

Like most hibakusha, Mr Yamaguchi’s hatred of the bomb never expressed itself in anti-Americanism. One of his last visitors, as he lay dying of stomach cancer late last month, was the US film director, James Cameron, who is considering making a film about the atomic bombs.

“I believe in love, in human beings,” he said. “The reason that I hate the atomic bomb is because of what it does to the dignity of human beings.

"Look at the photographs of the aftermath of the atomic bombing, those dead bodies in the photographs. When you forget the dignity of individual human beings, that it is when you are heading towards the destruction of the Earth.”

Source : The Times Online.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rest in peace, Yamaguchi-san. May we all live to see the day when nuclear weapons are a thing of the past.

Chinese New Year Festivities in Rotterdam and The Hague

2010-01-06T20:48:00.003+01:00

If you’re living in the Netherlands and are fond of Chinese culture, you might be interested to know that Rotterdam and The Hague will be hosting their annual Chinese New Year celebrations in mid-February. Chinese New Year, otherwise referred to as the Spring Festival (春节), will be celebrated on February 14, 2010. For those of you who are interested in celebrating the Year of the Tiger in style, here are some details regarding the festivities in Rotterdam and The Hague.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rotterdam :

The Chinese New Year festivities will be held on Wednesday 17 February, 2010, from 12:00 to 18:45 in and around Wijkpark (not so handy for those of us who need to work!)

12:00-12:45 - Opening ceremony at Wijkpark, including a speech from the Chinese ambassador and performances of traditional dragon and lion dances.

13:00-14:00 - Childrens’ karaoke.

14:00-18:00 – Variety show, including performances of Chinese opera, traditional Chinese music and dance, and demonstrations of Tai Chi and other sports.

18:00-18:30 - Chinese lantern competition for primary school children.

18:30 – 18:45 – Closing ceremony and fireworks display.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Hague :

The Chinese New Year festivities in The Hague will be held at the Stadhuis and The Hague’s Chinatown starting from 11:30 on Saturday 13 February, 2010.

11:30-12:00 - Opening ceremony with dragon and lion dances (Stadhuis).

12:00-12:45 – Performances by the Jiangsu Song and Dance Ensemble (Stadhuis).

12:45-13:15 - Dragon and lion dances make their way to The Hague’s Chinatown (Stadhuis and Chinatown).

14:00-17:00 - Performances by the Jiangsu Song and Dance Ensemble (Stadhuis)

17:00-18:00 - Fireworks and performances by residents and business owners of Chinatown (Chinatown)

Other events to watch out for are the Chinese Arts and Culture Market, which will be held next to the Bijenkorf from 12:00 to 18:00, as well as a variety of workshops and demonstrations in and around the Stadhuis and Chinatown.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOTE : The information above has been taken from the Chineseradio.NL and Chinesecultuur.NL websites and is subject to change. Details of the festivities in Amsterdam will be posted once they have become available.

This was originally posted on my personal blog, Analects of Confusion.

Blog Roundup - January 3, 2010

2010-01-03T12:14:00.010+01:00

Before I post the first blog roundup of 2010, I would like to wish my readers a happy new year! 2010 is off to a good, but icy, start in this part of the world. The Year of the Tiger is only a few weeks away so I'll be posting some information about the upcoming Spring Festival events in the Netherlands within the next few days.

Without further ado, here is this week's blog roundup :

Bruce Humes - Bruce posts some information on the upcoming Taipei International Book Exhibition.
Daily Dose of Hangul - A short lesson on colours (색) in Korean.
Daily Onigiri - ROK talks about New Year celebrations in Japan.
Danwei - Danwei interviews The Guardian's Asia environment correspondent, Jonathan Watts.
Fukuoka Dreaming - Things to see and do on a day trip to Dazaifu (太宰府).
Haikugirl - Haikugirl treats herself to a birthday weekend in Yokohama (横浜).
Japan : Life & Religion - Doug reflects on 2009 and lists his resolutions for 2010.
Just Bento - Some practical advice for those who are considering making bento box lunches.
Konnichiwa - Bartman 905 shares some photos of Christmas lights around Tokyo.
Korean Cuisine - A delicious recipe for cucumber kimchi.
Kyoto Foodie - The Kyoto Foodie shares a recipe for Kyoto-style o-zoni soup (お雑煮).
Mutantfrog Travelogue - Curzon's thoughts on the Japanese community in Dubai.
Osaka Insider - Tips on how to get the most out of your trip to Japan (or any other country for that matter).
Red Cook - Ring in the Chinese New Year with some dill and crabmeat dumplings (茴香蟹肉蒸餃).
Shizuoka Gourmet - Tips for using myōga ginger (茗荷) in your Japanese cooking.
Soy Sauce Queen - The Queen shares a number of recipes for traditional Japanese New Year dishes.
Speaking of China - Jocelyn talks about the importance of children and childbearing in Chinese culture.
The Japanese Food Report - Harris lists 66 ways to prepare miso soup (味噌汁).
The Peking Duck - Richard lists his top 5 China events of the decade.
Tsukublog - Avi talks about how the Japanese prepare the house for the New Year (正月).
Wandering Taiwan - Micki and Kristen visit the Confucius Temple (孔廟) in Tainan (台南).

Archaeology in the News - December 29, 2009

2009-12-29T23:23:00.002+01:00

I'd like to apologise to my regular readers for the lack of updates in the past week. My mother is staying with us over the Christmas period so I won't be posting much on the blog till after she's gone back home.

I thought I'd just share some links to some news articles which concern recent archaeological discoveries in China and South Korea, including an article on the discovery of what archaeologists believe may be Cao Cao's tomb.

Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao Arrives (Discovery News)
Tomb of Legendary General Cao Cao Unearthed in Central China (Xinhua)
Ancient Ship Back in Business (China Daily)
Sunken Ship Unveiled in Underwater Exhibit (CRIEnglish)
Building the Team That Resurrected an Ancient Life (JoongAng Daily)

Since this will probably be the last entry I'll be posting on this blog this year, I'd like to wish all of my readers a happy new year and all the best for 2010!

Farewell, Ramen Girl

2009-12-23T21:13:00.002+01:00

I was sad to hear that Brittany Murphy passed away earlier this week. While I haven't seen many of her films, I remember her best in her role as Abby in The Ramen Girl, perhaps one of the most underrated and overlooked films of recent years. I posted a review of the film on my old blog, Dreaming in Kanji, some time ago and thought Brittany gave a very heart-warming and heartfelt performance.

I'm not one to worship celebrities and certainly didn't know her personally, but it's always a shame to see someone pass away at such a young age (32). One can only imagine how difficult it will be for her family and friends during this festive season and I hope they can find the strength to come to terms with their loss.

Rest in peace, Ramen Girl.

Blog Roundup - December 20, 2009

2009-12-20T10:46:00.004+01:00

An American in the Far East - Graham writes about his stay in a yurt at Karakul Lake in Xinjiang Province (新疆).
Bruce Humes - Bruce posts a calendar of Chinese literary and translation events which will be held in 2010.
Hungry for Words - Maki talks about some Japanese New Year (お正月) traditions and customs.
Jottings from the Granite Studio - Jeremiah talks about the tenth anniversary of Macao's handover.
Konnichiwa - Bartma905 visits Nezu Museum (根津美術館).
Mandarin Segments - Greg searches for dragons in Chinese vocabulary.
Shiawase - Robert celebrates his Kanken (漢検) exam result.
Send Me to Korea - Hyunwoo announces the launch of a new Korean language learning site, TalkToMeInKorean.Com.
Shibuya246 - Shibuya246 posts some photos of Japan festival food.
Shizuoka Gourmet - Dragonlife shares a recipe for kakiage (かき揚げ), a popular of tempura.
Shu Flies - Catherine ponders the life lessons she learnt from Taipei 101's tuned mass damper.
The Japanese Food Report - Harris attends a cooking workshop with chef Chikara Sono.
The Peking Order - Jez shares his thoughts on the Chinese language and microblogging.
Transparent : Japanese Blog - Ginny takes a closer look at some traditional Japanese sweets (和菓子).
Tsukublog - Avi pays a visit to the Tsukuba Space Centre (筑波宇宙センター).
Waiguoren Critic of South China - Matthew's thoughts on the thesis market in China.
Wandering Taiwan - Micki and Kirsten seek out Tainan's (台南) tastiest street food.

That's all for this week. There won't be a blog roundup next week due to the Christmas holidays so the next blog roundup will be on January 3, 2010.

New Additions to the Blogroll : December 2009

2009-12-19T13:16:00.007+01:00

Here is a list of the most recent additions to the Eye on East Asia blogroll :

An Expatriate in Taiwan (Taiwan Blogs)
Cooking in Japan (Food & Drink)
Eyes East (China Blogs)
Fear of a Red Planet (China Blogs)
Global Maverick (The Chinese Language)
Going Places (Korea Blogs)
Jeonnam Life (Korea Blogs)
Jerome F. Keating's Writings (Taiwan Blogs)
Korean-Style Food (Food & Drink)
Lost in Transition (Japan Blogs)
Mad About Shanghai (China Blogs)
Morning Calm, Night Terrors (East Asian Literature)
Notes from Xi'an (China Blogs)
Seoulful Adventures (Food & Drink)
Shanghaiist (China Blogs)
Turning Iwatean (Japan Blogs)

If you have an East Asia-related blog or know of one that you feel should be added to the blogroll, feel free to leave a message with a link to the blog(s). Please note that a blog will only be added to the blogroll if it meets the following requirements :

The blog's main theme must fit into one of the categories listed in the blogroll.
At least half of the blog's content should be on a subject related to East Asia.
The blog must be at least 3 months old and must be updated on a regular basis. Blogs which are not updated at least once every 2 months will be removed from the blogroll.
Blogs containing racist, sexist or other offensive material will be rejected.

A return link to this blog is not a requirement for inclusion in the blogroll, but it would certainly be appreciated.

A Date with Destiny

2009-12-15T22:57:00.006+01:00

The China Daily has recently posted an interesting article about the Taosi (陶寺) archaeological site in Shanxi Province (山西), China, a site which dates back more than 4,100 years and which archaeologists believe may contain the ruins of the world's oldest observatory.

Photo taken from the China Daily.

The article, Date with Destiny, is a short account of archaeologist Professor He Nu's research at the Taosi site. Professor He is a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Science's Institute of Archaeology and he believes that the excavations being carried out at the Taosi site may yield clues about China's Neolithic past and help archaeologists determine whether the legendary emperors Yao (堯) and Shun (舜) really existed.*

* Readers may be interested to know that I have translated numerous articles and documents for the CASS Institute of Archaeology. The Institute of Archaeology are always on the lookout for volunteer translators, so if you are looking for a fun opportunity to boost your Chinese language and translation skills, feel free to contact the site's webmaster Qiao Yu for more information.

Restaurant Review - Sake Almere (NL)

2009-12-13T11:29:00.017+01:00

Name : Restaurant Sake Almere

Location : Brouwerstraat 15, Almere (The Netherlands)
Type : All-You-Can-Eat Sushi and Teppanyaki Buffet
Prices : 19.80 euro per person (Mon-Wed), 22.80 euro per person (Thurs-Sun)
Opening Hours : 16:30 - 22:00
Contact : +31 681592252 (mobile)
Website : http://www.sake-almere.nl/ (in Dutch, under construction)

Rules : You have up to 2 hours to eat as much as you want. The staff will give you a form which lists all of the dishes available and shows 6 columns labelled as "Round 1", "Round 2", etc. You may select up to 5 dishes per person per round for a maximum of 6 rounds. Once you have finished making your selection for that round, a waiter will come to collect your form and the food will start arriving at your table within 15 minutes (it may take a little longer if the restaurant is particularly busy)

Dishes : The standard menu lists 52 different dishes, including a wide variety of nigiri sushi, maki sushi, grilled meats and vegetables, deep-fried foods, salads, noodles, rice and miso soup. You can also order salmon and tuna sashimi but you will need to pay a little extra for these (4.90 euro for tuna, 3.90 euro for salmon). The restaurant also serves a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Highly recommended : Salmon nigiri, octopus nigiri, hokkigai nigiri, teriyaki chicken, grilled salmon, mushroom kebab, gyoza.

Review : My partner and I visited the restaurant in its opening week and while I cannot vouch for the quality of the food and service a month later, we were both pleasantly surprised at the variety of food on offer and the excellent service from the extremely busy staff. The restaurant is owned by the same team who run the Kimono Almere restaurant (you can see my review of that restaurant here) but the food served at Sake Almere was far tastier and there was a larger selection of dishes to choose from.

My only warning would be to limit the number of deep-fried foods and meat dishes you order. Try to leave these for the later rounds as these can be very filling. It's also a good idea to only order as much as you can eat as you will be charged for any food that is left uneaten : 1 euro per piece for sushi and 2 euro per piece for all other items.

We will be paying Sake Almere another visit next week to see if the food and service are still as good as they were the first time around. Watch this space..

Blog Roundup - December 13, 2009

2009-12-13T01:59:00.001+01:00

An American in the Far East - Graham shares his thoughts of his recent visit to Kashgar (喀什) in China's Xinjiang Province (新疆).
Konnichiwa - Bartman905 posts some beautiful photos of the autumn foliage at the Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens (小石川後楽園).
Shiawase - Robert shares some useful information regarding the new format JLPT exams.
Shizuoka Gourmet - Dragonlife explains the best way to eat edamame (枝豆).
T he Japanese Food Report - Harris shares a recipe for kurama mixed rice ().
Wandering Taiwan - Micki and Kirsten go oyster farming in Tainan County.

That's all for this week. The next blog roundup will be on December 20, 2009.

Blog Roundup - December 6, 2009

2009-12-05T18:14:00.000+01:00

An American in the Far East - Graham spends a day on China's Huangshan (黄山) mountain.
Ben Ross' Blog - Ben learns some Chinese colloquialisms from the show 奋斗, "Struggle".
Daily Onigiri - Rok explains the significance of the Japanese tradition of senbazuru (千羽鶴), or "a thousand paper cranes".
Goddess Carlie - Carlie talks about some of the Japanese children's books she has read recently.
Just Bento - Maki shares a recipe for stewed winter vegetables with kouya dofu.
Shizuoka Gourmet - Dragonlife shares tips for making tempura (天ぷら).
The Japanese Food Report - Harris shares a recipe for chestnut rice, or kuri gohan (栗ご飯).
The View from Taiwan - Michael explores the issue of ethnic identity in Taiwan.
Tsukublog - Avi talks about the mube (むべ) fruit and the origin of its name.
Wandering Taiwan - Micki and Kirsten learn about Hakka oil-paper umbrellas (紙傘).

That's all for this week. The next blog roundup will be on December 13, 2009.

Regular Posting Will Resume Soon

2009-12-05T13:25:00.000+01:00

Attentive readers may have noticed that there have been few updates over the past couple of weeks. I've been working on an essay which needs to be handed in by next Friday (December 11th) so I haven't really had much time to post any new content, save for the weekly blog roundup.

Regular posting will resume once I have finished and mailed off my essay. This week's blog roundup will be posted tomorrow morning.

Blog Roundup - November 29, 2009

2009-11-29T09:47:00.000+01:00

Ben Ross' Blog - Ben talks about the benefits of learning Chinese from TV shows.
Bruce Humes - Bruce lists some of the best-selling books in China in October 2009.
Kyoto Foodie - The Foodie samples some delicious imo mochi (芋餅), a traditional Japanese candy made from sweet potatoes and pounded sticky rice.
On the Fringe - Globalgal talks about her recent visit to Kashgar (喀什) in China's Xinjiang Province (新疆).
Send Me to Korea - Hyunwoo shares a recipe for bibim mandu (비빔만두).
Shizuoka Gourmet -Dragonlife shares a recipe for vegan agedashi tofu (揚げ出し豆腐).
Speaking of China - Jocelyn shares some tips for ideal gifts for Chinese relatives or friends.
Wandering Taiwan - Micki and Kristen explore the magical world of Taiwanese hand puppetry (布袋戲).

That's all for this week. The next blog roundup will be on December 6, 2009.

Blog Roundup - November 22, 2009

2009-11-22T09:50:00.000+01:00

Ben Ross' Blog - Ben examines the reasons why proficiency in Mandarin does not necessarily lead to better career opportunities.
Fili's World - Fili talks about the fishing town of Tai O (大澳), Hong Kong.
Fukuoka Dreaming - Learn how to cook sukiyaki (すきやき).
How to Japonese - Daniel highlights the differences between American and Japanese resumés (履歴書).
Hungry for Words - Maki talks about himono onna (干物女).
Japan Blog - Maki explains why President Obama's bow to the Japanese Emperor has sparked such controversy.
Korean As It Is - James explains why he believes listening skills are vital for developing one's proficiency in the Korean language.
Pinyin News - The author reviews Google Translate's new pinyin function.
Rainbowhill Language Lab - Some helpful tips for JLPT examinees.
Shizuoka Gourmet - The author talks about tempura (天ぷら) and the various ways it can be served.
Sinosplice - John explains the concept of aspect in Chinese grammar.
The China Beat - Maura reflects on President Obama's recent visit to the PRC.
Tsukublog - Avi talks about the origins and traditions associated with Japan's Shichi-Go-San (七五三) festival.
Wandering Taiwan - Micki and Kristen take a stroll through Tamsui (淡水).
Wichmann Stories - Tina and Mark visit the northeastern city of Harbin (哈尔滨).
Xinjiang : Far West China - Josh's thoughts on the spread of H1N1 in Xinjiang Province (新疆).

That's all for this week. The next blog roundup will be on November 29, 2009.

Go Home and Multiply!

2009-11-19T22:46:00.000+01:00

Japanese bankers working at Mitsubishi UFJ have recently been granted shorter work hours as part of the bank's attempt to persuade employees to do their part in alleviating Japan's low fertility rates. Japan has a notoriously low birth rate and nearly a quarter of its population is over 65, which has prompted government officials to seek out new ways to combat the country's population crisis.

The Times Online has an interesting, but short, article on the matter :

With the recovery tenuous, deflation afflicting all levels of commerce and the country at risk of sovereign debt crisis, it seemed an odd time for Japan’s biggest and most austere banking group to be telling its staff to knock off early.

Particularly when they realised how they were supposed to be using the extra one hour and 50 minutes of free time. The national birthrate is low, ran the round-robin e-mail that landed in people’s in-boxes on Monday, so let’s all enjoy “family time”.

The unambiguous note of encouragement heralded Mitsubishi UFJ’s week-long effort to help to reverse Japan’s ultra-low fertility rates and declining population: joining a national campaign in which both enthusiasm and participation is expected to be miserably low. MUFJ is believed to be among only a tiny number of companies taking the scheme seriously.

Management’s idea, according to a woman who works on the bank’s Tokyo trading floor, seemed to be that by getting everyone out of the office by 5.10pm, rather than the 7pm that most staff were used to, couples would be reunited earlier after work, passion would not be crushed by exhaustion and Japan’s chronic population decline would be reversed.

The full article can be found here.

As humorous as the idea may seem to us, Japan's greying population may be an early warning to other countries which are experiencing similar problems with declining birth rates. The question is, what has caused Japan's birth rate to sink to a dangerously low level? Some suggest that Japan's "salaryman" culture is to blame, that exhausted businessmen and company employees have little time and energy to devote to their wives and families. Others blame various sub-cultures and social phenomena, such as the hikikomori and soushoku danshi ("grass-eating men"), and the increasing number of women (and men) who remain single and childless for Japan's population woes.

Whatever the cause, it's a problem that will not be solved overnight or even by stunts such as this one. Economic incentives may be one solution. Countries such as France and Singapore have occasionally resorted to offering tax breaks and benefits as a way of convincing couples to procreate. One acquaintance of mine suggested that Japan could alleviate part of the problem by relaxing its immigration laws and attracting foreign labour but this doesn't seem like a likely option.

Blog Roundup - November 8, 2009

2009-11-08T09:47:00.000+01:00

David on Formosa - Registration for the 2009 Best Taiwan Blog Awards is now open.
Fukuoka Dreaming - Asawa gives some advice on where to go to sample the best food in Fukuoka (福岡).
How to Japonese - Daniel gives a short grammar lesson on stative gerunds.
Rainbowhill Language Lab - Brett lists some of the benefits of using a monolingual Japanese dictionary in one's language learning.
Speaking of China - Jocelyn talks about the issue of informed consent in China.
Tsukublog - Avi talks about the origins of Bunka no hi (文化の日) or Culture Day.

That's all for this week. I'll be away next Sunday so the next blog roundup will be on November 22, 2009.

Shinya Shokudo - 深夜食堂

2009-11-06T21:10:00.000+01:00

Fans of Japanese drama and comedy might be interested to know that Abe Yaro's (安倍夜郎) manga series Shinya Shokudo (深夜食堂) has been adapted for TV and is currently airing on various Japanese networks.

The series is set in a small restaurant in Tokyo, one which is open from midnight to the early hours of the morning and whose owner will prepare anything that his customers desire. The chef and owner, known only as Master, is played by Kobayashi Kaoru (小林薫) and plays a small, but central, role. The main stars of the show are his customers, which include a stripper, a group of office ladies (or OLs), a yakuza, and a male porn star. As they dine on Master's food, they share their stories of love and loss with their fellow diners and give us little insights into their lives.

The series is only 4 or 5 episodes old but I've throroughly enjoyed every minute so far. The language used is fairly straightforward and is perfect for anyone who's looking for a fun way to improve their Japanese listening comprehension skills. A word of caution : there are some scenes which are unsuitable for a young audience. The series has a late night slot on Japanese television so this series is strictly for adults, though I have to say it's still quite tame in comparison to some of the other shows on TV right now..

For those of you who don't have access to Japanese television, you can watch some of the episodes here.**

** You will need to register in order to access these videos. Registration is free and will grant you access to a wide selection of Japanese, Taiwanese and Korean TV series.

Blog Roundup - November 1, 2009

2009-11-01T09:22:00.000+01:00

Keeping Pace in Japan - Turner shares his list of what not to do in Japan.
Konnichiwa - Videos and photos of the Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony (東京大茶会).
New Worlds to Conquer - Anuan shares his thoughts on learning Japanese.
Transparent.Com : Korean - Learn about Korean ghouls and goblins.
Tsukublog - Avi talks about Onzagawari (御座替り) ceremony held at the Mount Tsukuba shrine every April and November.
Wandering Taiwan - The author visits Guanmiao (關廟) and learns how Guanmiao noodles (關廟麵) are made.

That's all for this week. The next blog roundup will be on November 8, 2009.

An Evening with Anchee Min

2009-10-31T13:49:00.000+01:00

An interview with Anchee Min (閔安琪), author of the best-selling books Red Azalea and Empress Orchid, can be found on the University of California Television website.

In it, she describes her work, the hardships of living and working at a labour camp during the Cultural Revolution, and her life in the United States.

Slow Chinese

2009-10-29T21:52:00.000+01:00

Readers looking for Chinese podcasts to help them develop their listening comprehension skills may be interested to know that there's a new podcast on the block : Slow Chinese (慢速中文). I came across the podcasts on iTunes last night and saw that you can find transcripts to all of the podcasts on the author's blog.

The Slow Chinese podcasts cover a wide range of topics, including the Wu dialect (or language, if you prefer), the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics and traditional Chinese festivals. The podcasts are exclusively in Mandarin but the presenter speaks at a slower pace than normal, which will allow students to get used to the sound and rhythm of spoken Mandarin. You can listen to the podcasts via the blog or iTunes or you can download the MP3 files and save them on to your MP3 player.

I've listened to a number of the podcasts and feel that they are geared towards intermediate students. The transcripts are ideal for those learners who, like me, need visual aids and text in their language learning.

Do check it out if you're looking for a way to spice up your Mandarin language learning.

Archaic Chinese Nouns & Terms

2009-10-26T16:26:00.000+01:00

If you're attempting to learn Classical Chinese, are struggling with a historical novel or are simply interested in learning some archaic Chinese terms, you might want to take a look at the Archaic Chinese section over at Wiktionary.

It is by no means complete but it's a good place to start if you're wondering what a 丞相 is or what you should do with a 兜鍪. **

** In case you are wondering, a 丞相 (chéngxiàng) is an old term for a chancellor or prime minister while a 兜鍪 (dōumóu) is a type of helmet used in ancient times.

Blog Roundup - October 25, 2009

2009-10-25T17:45:00.000+01:00

This week's blog roundup is a little late this week. For that and the lack of updates over the past seven days, I apologise.

Ask an Expat -The Expat talks about "love sticks" (사랑의 매) and classroom discipline in South Korea.
Brian in Jeollanam-do - A visit to the Gwangju Kimchi Festival (광주김치문화축제).
China Hope Live - Joel talks about the dark side of a Tianjin bathhouse (大众浴池).
Haikugirl's Japan - Haikugirl explains the meaning of the Japanese term soushoku danshi or "grass-eating man"(草食男子).
Just Hungry - Learn more about the various types of miso (味噌) paste.
Rainbowhill Language Lab - Language tips on how to communicate in Japanese even if you don't know a particular word.
Speaking of China - Jocelyn examines the problems faced by China's countryside bachelors and divorcés.
The China Beat - Maura reviews Rachel DeWoskin's new book, Repeat After Me.
The Gaijin Gourmet - Learn how to serve up some yummy soba (そば).

That's all for this week. The weekly blog roundup will be posted on Sundays from now on, so the next blog roundup will be on November 1, 2009.

Blog Roundup - October 17, 2009

2009-10-17T13:10:00.000+02:00

Aeri's Kitchen - Learn how to make the Korean radish side-dish munamul (무나물).
Alive and Kicking! - Celebrating the Thao New Year festival at Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) in Taiwan.
Brian in Jeollanam-do - Brian lists some of the best places to enjoy the autumn foliage (단풍) in Jeollanam-do.
How to Be Heian Japanese - A quirky article on why you should never make strange bets with your boss.
Kimono Box - Ten medical benefits of nattō (納豆).
Muza-chan's Gate to Japan - Ema (絵馬) in traditional and modern-day Japanese culture.
Shizuoka Gourmet - A great recipe for kabayaki-style sea breem.
Sinosplice - John talks about "maternity tourism" in Hong Kong.
Soy Sauce Queen - The Queen shares her recipe for ankake udon.
Speaking of China - Jocelyn explores the impact of the "Little Emperor" phenomenon in rural China.
The Japanese Food Report - Improve your knife skills by learning from professional Japanese chefs.
Tokyo Lifer - A short article on sushi etiquette.
Wandering Taiwan - Exploring the Minnan buildings of Kinmen (金門).

That's all for this week. The next blog roundup will be on October 24, 2009.

Podcast Lectures - East Asian Thought in Comparative Perspective

2009-10-15T22:33:00.000+02:00

I came across an interesting series of podcast lectures via the DIY Scholar blog a few days ago. East Asian Thought in Comparative Perspective is a series of lectures presented by Victor Magagna, an Associate Professor at UC San Diego's Department of Political Science. In it, he explores the ancient roots of East Asia's modern-day social and political systems and he dedicates a lot of time to discussing Confucianism and the other key philosophical models which have helped shape East Asian society and culture over the centuries.

I haven't had the chance to listen to all of the lectures as yet. Each lecture is around 2 to 3 hours long and I've only just reached the halfway point in Lecture 2**. Nevertheless, I can certainly recommend this series of podcasts to anyone who is interested in East Asian culture or is interested in learning more about the way business is conducted in China, Japan and South Korea.

** There is approximately 10 minutes of silence at the start of each podcast, so you will probably need to use the fast-forward button on your MP3 player or iTunes.

Free Chinese Languages for Liberian Citizens

2009-10-13T19:24:00.000+02:00

It's common knowledge that China has been stepping up its efforts to improve trade links and diplomatic ties with various African states in recent years. I stumbled upon an interesting news article on the BBC News website today which looks at the increasing demand for Chinese language classes in Liberia.

China is often criticised for taking from Africa but giving little back. Not so in Liberia, where Chinese officials are moving into quite new territory - language lessons.

At the front of a makeshift classroom in Monrovia's main sports stadium, Chinese teacher Li Peng runs through the pleasantries all language students are compelled to master.

Good morning, good evening, please, thank you.

Seated on plastic chairs in front of him are about a dozen Liberians - most of them young and keen to visit China, perhaps even study there.

At first the students are hesitant and even a little embarrassed.

Forming the sounds of a new language is never easy. But the teachers are determined.

You can continue reading the rest of the article here.

Harvard College Library and National Library of China Embark on Digitization Project

2009-10-12T19:32:00.000+02:00

Academics, students and other Sinophiles will be interested to know that Harvard College Library and the National Library of China will soon be embarking on a new cooperative project : the digitization of the 51,500 rare Chinese books housed at the Harvard-Yenching Library. The Harvard-Yenching Library is home to one of the largest collections of rare Chinese books outside of China and the digitization project is expected to last 6 years.

More information about the project can be found here.

CCTV's Food Portal

2009-10-11T12:10:00.000+02:00

For those of you who are looking for new recipes to try out or simply love reading about food, you might want to take a look at CCTV's food portal. The portal features hundreds of recipes, videos, cooking tips and food-related articles.

The only drawback is that the portal's content is only available in Chinese (simplified) so it will probably be of little use to those readers who cannot read Chinese. When I have the time, I'll translate some recipes and/or articles and post them on the blog.

"The Last Millennium of Chinese History" Lecture Series

2009-10-11T12:08:00.000+02:00

A three-part lecture series by Dr. Frederic Wakeman entitled The Last Millennium of Chinese History : Transition from Culture to Nation can be found on Youtube. The lectures focus on the Ming and Qing Dynasties and on the changing nature of Chinese cultural identity over the past thousand years.

I haven't had the chance to watch any of these lectures yet so I cannot vouch for the quality (or content) of the lectures. The videos, which were uploaded by the University of California, Berkeley, can be found below.

Lecture 1 : China's Longue Durée and the Mongolian Occupation

Lecture 2 : Ming Nativism and the Local Turn

Lecture 3 : Qing Culturalism and Manchu Identity

Using Twitter in Your Language Learning (Japanese)

2009-10-11T12:01:00.000+02:00

A few months ago, I wrote a series of blog posts on my language learning blog, Aspiring Polyglot, on how Twitter can be used for language learning and practice. The posts can be found here, here, here and here.

I've been searching for Twitter accounts which may be useful for those of you who are learning Japanese. People who don't have a Twitter account can still access all of the links listed below, so there is no need to rush off and create an account if you don't want to. Here are some of the accounts I've found so far :

Some of these accounts are not updated regularly but they are still worth a look. ADV_JPN_GRMMR hasn't been updated since July but the archives contain some useful information about Japanese grammar. Students aiming for JLPT Levels 1 and 2 should consider adding kanjireadable, kanji_oneisan and kotoba_app to their bookmarks.

If you know of any other accounts which may be useful for anyone who is learning Japanese, feel free to leave a comment.

Taiwan Panorama

2009-10-11T12:00:00.000+02:00

One of my favourite bilingual resources is the online edition of the Taiwan Panorama magazine. The online magazine is jam-packed with interesting articles on Taiwanese culture, geography and history and most, if not all, articles are available in English, Chinese (simplified and traditional) and Japanese, making it a perfect resource for anyone searching for parallel texts for their language studies.

Another handy feature for language learners is the Vocab Notebook. The notebook contains a long list of vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to those who are learning Chinese. Each item is linked to audio files of the Chinese and English pronunciations as well as a link to the article that the word originally appeared in.

The website is updated on a monthly basis so feel free to take a look and add it to your bookmarks.

Bilingual : Keye's Point

2009-10-11T11:59:00.000+02:00

I stumbled upon a fantastic bilingual resource for those of you who are learning Japanese : Bilingual : Keye's Point. This column of the The Japan Times Online website is written by a foreigner living in Japan, Michael Hoffman.

While there are only 8 articles available on the website, they are jam-packed with vocabulary and expressions which learners won't normally come across in dictionaries and textbooks. Learners can learn such useful vocabulary as 不倫の恋 (furin no koi : extramartial affair) and 清貧の誓い (seihin no chikai : vow of poverty).

Restaurant Review - Kimono Almere (NL)

2009-10-11T11:58:00.001+02:00

Name : Kimono Almere
Location : Belfort 16-18, Almere (The Netherlands)
Type : All-You-Can-Eat Buffet
Prices : €19.80 p.p. (Monday-Wednesday), €22.80 p.p. (Thursday-Sunday)
Opening Hours : 16:30-22:00 (Monday-Sunday)
Contact : +31 36 5303244
Website : http://www.kimono-almere.nl/ (Dutch)

Review : The restaurant is relatively small but pleasant. The walls are decorated with silk kimonos and pictures of geisha, while red lanterns bearing the kanji for sashimi and ramen (neither of which are actually served as part of the buffet) hang over the bar. The staff were all quite amiable and we didn't need to wait long to be served.

The buffet rules are very straightforward. You will be given a checklist which lists all of the items available with 5 columns, or "rounds", and a pencil so that you can tick off the items you wish to order. You are allowed to choose a maximum of 5 items per person per round and once you have finished making your selection, you should hand the list over to one of the waiters or waitresses, who will then process your order. Once the order has been processed, the food will begin arriving at your table within 10-15 minutes and the checklist will be handed back to you so that you can begin ordering your next round (i.e. you will fill out the 2nd column along, and so on). You can keep ordering food until you have had your fill or until your 2 hours are up; most people will begin to struggle midway through their 3rd round, so there's very little chance of you running out of time to eat.

There are quite a lot of dishes to choose from : nigiri sushi, maki rolls, temaki rolls, grilled meats and fish, grilled vegetables, fried noodles, gyoza, soups, and salads. Octopus and squid lovers may be disappointed (neither of these are on the menu) and diners wishing to feast on sashimi will have to order it separately. On the whole, the nigiri sushi were all delicious (especially the salmon and prawn nigiri) but the rice was prone to falling apart before you could move the sushi onto your plate. Take extra care when dipping the nigiri sushi in your bowl of soy sauce! The grilled vegetables and meats were also very tasty as were the maki rolls and fried noodles. The gyoza were quite hearty and were served with a rich, sweet sauce, though the filling was very different to the gyoza I'm used to.

The only items I wouldn't recommend to a fellow diner would be the udon noodle soup, which was served in a very salty and flavourless broth, and the vegetable tempura, which I found far too greasy and prepared with too much batter. Avoid the tempura if you don't want to feel full after a few bites. I made the mistake of ordering it in my 2nd round and found it impossible to finish my 3rd round (I ended up giving my leftovers to my partner).

The buffet prices are quite decent when one considers how much food you can order but keep in mind that the drinks are rather expensive. A tiny 20cl bottle of Pepsi costs a whopping €2.20 so be prepared to spend at least 25€ per person for a meal out at Kimono Almere. Another thing to keep in mind is that you will be charged for food you have left uneaten, so make sure you order only as much as you can eat to avoid unnecessary waste.

All in all, the food is tasty enough, though not exceptional, and is one of the better Japanese restaurants in Almere. Having said that, I would recommend Tokyo Cafe in Amsterdam over this restaurant as the food is tastier and there's a much wider selection of food on offer for roughly the same price.

Japanese Home Cooking

2009-10-11T11:58:00.000+02:00

I came across this video on Japanese home cooking on the Japan National Tourism Organisation's website. If you want to learn how to cook agedashi tofu, tempura or teriyaki salmon, or simply learn how to prepare your own rice or dashi stock, check out the video below.

Dadadadan Tenko Netherlands Tour 2010

2009-10-11T11:57:00.000+02:00

Japanophiles living in the Netherlands may be interested to know that the Osaka-based Japanese drum group Dadadan Tenko (打打打団天鼓) will be touring the country between February 25 and March 27, 2010.

Venues include Den Haag (March 3), Alkmaar (March 5), Groningen (March 7) Rotterdam (March 15) and my "hometown" Almere (March 19). Full details of the tour dates and venues can be found at the Tenko.NL website.

Hiragana Megane

2009-10-11T11:55:00.000+02:00

Hiragana Megane is an excellent online tool for those of you who enjoy reading Japanese news articles and blogs but struggle to remember the readings of every kanji you come across. All you have to do is :

1) Enter the URL of the website or blog you want to add furigana to. Click on the Go button.

2) And, hey presto! The website/blog will now show furigana above all of the kanji in the text.

Of course there are other alternatives, such as the Mozilla plug-in Rikaichan, and the slow-and-tedious method of copy/pasting unknown kanji into an online dictionary but I personally find Hiragana Megane quite useful. Feel free to add it to your bookmarks!

East Asia on Twitter

2009-10-11T11:34:00.000+02:00

Here is a list of Twitter accounts which deal with East Asian news, culture and languages.

Language Learning - Chinese :

Language Learning - Japanese :

Language Learning - Korean :

If you know of any accounts which you feel should be added to this list, then feel free to leave a comment below.

Last updated on October 31, 2009.

A Brief Introduction

2009-10-11T11:31:00.000+02:00

Welcome to Eye on East Asia, a blog devoted to the study of East Asian languages and cultures.

Readers can expect to find a range of articles and features on China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan, including :

Thoughts on learning East Asian languages.
Links to language learning resources.
Articles on traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean culture.
Articles on current affairs and trends in East Asia.
Articles on East Asian archaeology and cultural heritage.
Recipes.
Articles on East Asian food culture.
Restaurant reviews.
Book and film reviews.

That's all from me for now. それじゃあ、またね！

Note : Some of the blogs posts were originally posted on my blogs Dreaming in Kanji and China on My Mind. Since I felt it would be easier to maintain and update one blog rather than struggle to find time to update two, I have copied over some of the better posts to this blog for archiving purposes. The other two blogs will remain online but they will no longer be updated.