More on Winter Solstice

I just found out that Giddy Gabby mentioned the Winter Solstice entry on her Its Christmas if you're Christian entry, but you may want to look there to learn more about other December Solstice celebrations around the world.

2007 Lunar calendar available

The 2007 lunar calendar one page pdf file showing the phases of the moon is now available. The graphic image here is its negative, what I call "white on black".

I really like the way these calendars look, but they are a useful tool for explaining the Chinese calendar. It is easy to see where new moons, marking the start of the lunar month, fall throughout the year. I always carry more than one if I am going to show it in a classroom, as there are always a couple of people who really want a copy of their own.

I have a black on white copy in a pdf file that you can print using far less ink, for a copy of either, email me at mus-mandarin@wubison.com. If you don't say which copy you want, it will be the "black on white" pdf version, the opposite of what is displayed here. If you want a gif of this, just let me know in your mail. To make your own as we did or use any of the other display options, use Andrew W. Roberts' lcal program, now available at this postscript calendar site. You would need your own C compiler.

My favorite online dictionary in BETA

Corgi Labs has added a new version of my favorite Chinese language "dictionary tool". It is still in beta which means that it is not perfect, but if you are studying Chinese, it is certainly worth a look.

The older dictionary version has a few more words last I checked and may suit your needs better - until the new one is in production.

Zhima Jie

I still want to see copies of the 130 episodes of Zhima Jie (Sesame Street in China) sold anywhere that I can buy them! It was designed for 3 - 6 year olds in China and aired from 1998 - 2001. There was an unseccessful attempt to have it resume in 2004, but I am not sure if the 130 includes any episodes from then. I expect that someday China Sprout or someone will have the episodes available, but as far as I know it has not happened yet. We were never able to find any one who had taped it in Shanghai.

When I was in China in 1999, one could buy Sesame Street branded things in major department stores. We came back with a sweater bearing Little Plum's face.

I found myself watching the episodes on TV in the evening - usually just after my daughter fell asleep for a quick nap for dinner!