Our online tutors learning Chinese online! While we offer free online Zoom classes for our online and incoming homestay tutors, we’ve also curated this great list of free self-paced online Chinese courses for anyone to enjoy! Can I learn Chinese myself for free?! Chinese has a reputation for being a difficult language to learn, and […]
Free online Chinese courses Read More »
Homestay Tutors painting peking opera masks in Shenzhen! Today, we are going to learn about Peking opera – a famous theatrical art form which originated in Beijing! Combining music, singing, acrobatics, dance and spectacular costumes, it is recognised as one of the most exciting performance arts in China. First, we will learn about the history and
Peking Opera (京剧: jīngjù) Read More »
Homestay tutors enjoying a Chinese tea ceremony in Shanghai One of the most famous aspects of Chinese culture is tea drinking, as tea itself is thought to originate in China. Visitors to China can enjoy a traditional tea ceremony at one of the many ancient tea houses, experiencing a tradition spanning almost 3000 years. Tea
Chinese Tea Culture (茶文化: cháwénhuà) Read More »
Today, we are going to learn how to play a popular Chinese board game – Chinese Chess! It actually bears some resemblance to the western game of chess you may be used to, but with a few key differences such as a river running down the middle of the board and placing the pieces on the
Chinese Chess – Xiangqi (象棋: xiàngqí) Read More »
A traditional snack eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival in early summer each year, Zongzi are sticky rice bundles wrapped in bamboo leaves. They have a wide range of fillings depending on the region of China – from savoury roast pork zongzi in Fujian province to sweet jujube and red bean zongzi in North Eastern China.
Making Zongzi (粽子: zòngzi) Read More »
Homestay Tutors enjoying a painting class in Shanghai! Chinese brush painting, a style of watercolour or ink painting, was traditionally one of the “four arts” required to be mastered in order to be considered a true scholar in Tang dynasty China. Painting was typically done onto rice paper or occasionally silk, and generally depicted landscapes,
Chinese Brush Painting (水墨画: shuǐmòhuà) Read More »
One of the most celebrated Chinese traditional art forms, paper cutting requires skill but surprisingly few materials – perfect for trying yourself at home! While it may seem simple, paper cutting is surprisingly challenging – requiring the artist to both have excellent carving skills and to compose the shape such that a monochrome cutting can represent the
Chinese Paper Cutting (剪纸: jiǎnzhǐ) Read More »
Homestay tutors making dumplings in Shenzhen Today, we are going to learn how to cook some delicious Chinese dumplings! This is something the Abridge Academy team had a lot of fun trying (and eating!) so we can confirm even complete cooking novices can produce edible results… The importance of dumplings in Chinese culture In China,
Making Dumplings (饺子: jiǎozi) Read More »
Homestay Tutors enjoying a calligraphy class in Beijing! Today, we are going to learn about Chinese calligraphy – one of the most traditional Chinese art forms famous around the world! We will start by learning about the history and styles of Chinese calligraphy, giving you a background understanding of its importance in Chinese culture. Then,
Chinese Calligraphy (书法: shūfǎ) Read More »
