Please enjoy these little stories, dances and songs
whilst I get on with adding lots of wonderful things to your page
A Very Ancient Map of China
Something specially for the little ones.
Once you see it,youcan’t unsee it.
The Twelve Animals' calendar system is
a way to help you count the year in China, which means every twelve
years will be a cycle.
These twelve animals are Rat,Ox,Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse,Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
You
may ask who decided the order of the twelve animals in the system?
According to the Chinese legend, the God was asked to hold a contest to
decide. Whoever reach the opposite bank of the river would be the first,
and the rest of the animals would receive their years according to
their finish.
All
the twelve animals gathered at the river bank and jumped in. Unknown to
the ox, the rat had jumped upon his back. As the ox was about to jump
ashore, the rat jumped off the ox' s back, and won the race. The pig, who was slow, ended up last. That is why the rat is the first year of the animal cycle, the ox second, and the pig last. Well
this is one story anyway, there are many different ones describing how
the twelve animals were chosen. The Cat is supposed to have been chosen
instead of the Rat, but when therat went to call him, the cat wouldn't
wake up and so Buddha tok the Rat with him instead. However one doesn't
see many pictures, if any of a Cat being in the Twelve.
CHINA
AND HER LANGUAGES
Goodness me I never realised just how many different ways of speaking Chinese there was,
I have a good friend in Beijiing and her mother lives in Taiwan both speak the same.
Of course being as I am a huge fan of all Asian films, (the ones that are in their own language
and have English subtitles,) even though I have to follow the subtitles it is amazing how you find
yourself knowing what is being said before the subtitles come on the screen.
I also love the South Korean Dramas and their films, but their Dramas are really good.
China don't subtitle as many of their dramas as the Koreans.
I must admit to finding the Thai languagevery hard to listen too. It is very harsh to the ears and
it spoils the story and I will not watch anyfilm that is dubbed.
I have a wonderful film in my collection called "KEKEXILI." or in English "MOUNTAIN PATROL"
Based on a true story and the director being one of my favourites I knew when I bought it
I would enjoy it very much. The language is Mandarin and the story starts when Ga Yu,
a journalist from Beijiing arrives at the mystical camp of the Kekexili Mountain Patrol who are
there to guard the Tibetan Antelopes against poachers.
Sound simple, but believe me it's an incredible film with fantastic acting and the winner of many
awards both in Asia and the rest of the World.
A Fantastic Story just one of the many fabulous films that come out of China"
Song: Lama Channo Performed by: Khenpo Pema Rinpoche
Kekexili - Mountain Patrol Trailer for HEC MBA Chinese Culture Week,
Movie Night on 10th February 2009.
Once you see it,youcan’t unsee it.
The SECRET TRAVELS of DEE and DOT they found these little facts when she visited China on the internet.
Ice cream was invented in China around 2000BC when the Chinese packed a soft milk and rice mixturein the snow.
******************* China is the fourth largest country in the world. China is sometimes a day ahead of the United States.
******************* The Chinese year is based on the cycles of the moon. This is called a lunar schedule. A complete cycle of the Chinese calendar takes 60 years. The Chinese calendar dates back to 2600 B.C. It is the oldest known calendar.
******************* Each year is represented by an animal. There are twelve animals which represent the twelve months.
*******************
According to readings Buddha named the years after the twelve animals that came to visit him before he left the earth. The Chinese believe that you have some of the characteristics of the animal representing the year in which you were born.
******************* When a Chinese child loses a baby tooth, it doesn't get tucked under the pillow for the tooth fairy.
If the child loses an upper tooth, the child's parents plant the tooth in the ground, so the new tooth will grow in straight and healthy.
Parents toss a lost bottom tooth up to the rooftops, so that the new tooth will grow upwards , too.
******************* It is considered good luck for the gate to a house to face south.
******************* We know that the Chinese grew rice as long as 5000 BC Archaeologists have found rice grains in farming tools and pots from that period.
******************* Long ago, silk making was a closely guarded secret. Anyone who gave the secret away could be killed.
******************* Red is considered a lucky color in China. At one time wedding dresses were red. New Year's banners, clothing, and lucky money envelopes are still red.
******************* with thanks for these little facts, they are wonderful.
http://www.tooter4kids.com/china/fun_facts_about_china.htm
*******************
At one timeChinese patriots hoped to rid themselves of hated foreign conquerors. To announce the time of an uprising, the patriots hid messages in moon cakes.
Mooncake Recipe - A recipe for mooncakes,
the Chinese snack traditionally served during the Moon or Mid-Autumn Festival.
Filling: 1 pound red azuki beans water 3/4 cup lard or oil 1-3/4 cups sugar Water-Shortening Dough: 2 cups flour 5 tablespoons lard 10 tablespoons water 1/4 teaspoon salt Flaky Dough: 1 cup flour 5 tablespoons lard red food coloring for design
Preparation:
Filling Instructions: Soak red
beans in water to cover 2 hours. Drain and discard the water. Cover with
8 cups fresh water and bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat 1-1/2
hours or until skins open. Strain the beans and discard the skins.
Place the strained beans in several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze
out any excess water.
Place in a saucepan with the lard or oil and the sugar. Cook, stirring
continuously, until almost all the moisture has evaporated. Let cool.
Dough Instructions: You will need 2 cups of filling for the mooncakes.
Divide this into 20 portions and shape into balls.Mix ingredients for
the water-shortening dough and the flaky dough separately until smooth.
Divide each dough into 20 equal portions.
Wrap one portion of flaky dough inside each portion of water-shortening
dough. Roll out each piece of dough, then fold in thirds to form three
layers. Roll out again, and once more fold in thirds to form three
layers.
Flatten each piece of dough with the palm of your hand to form a 3"
circle. Place one portion of filling in the center. Gather the edges to
enclose the filling and pinch to seal. Place the filled packet in the
mold, gently pressing to fit. Invert and remove the mold.
Dilute red food coloring with water and pour onto a damp paper towel on a
plate. Take some food coloring onto the cookie-design stamp, then press
on top of the mooncake.
Repeat process for remaining mooncakes. Arrange mooncakes on a baking
sheet. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool before serving.
DR. DO-DIDDILY AND THE DEE-DOT’S
LI HO
Li Ho (pinyin: Li He)
born 791 AD in China – died 817 AD
in Ch’ang-ku/China
Li Ho was
a brilliant Chinese poet (living in famous T’ang dynasty)
whose at the age of 26, which I am sure robbed the world of many
wonderful poems. Many
books and other works have been written about this wonderful man, I
have quite a few snippets in some of my many books. Most of them are on
many pages on the web. But as usual, I do like to put them here for you
to read, as someoe who is just starting the their journey of poetry and short stories. I feel I might add a few more of his works when I am ready.
Although a poet well-known during Chinese history, not one single piece of his work has been included in the famous "300 T’ang Poems" (T’ang Shih San-Pai Shou).
THE NORTHERN COLD
The sky glows one side black, three sides purple The yellow river’s ice closes, fish and dragons die Bark three inches thick cracks across the grain, Carts a hundred piculs heavy mount the river’s water.
Flowers of frost on the grass are as big as coins, Brandished swords will not pierce the foggy sky, Crashing ice flies in the swirling seas, Cascades hang noiseless in the mountains, rainbows of jade.
Li Ho AD AD 791-817 circa
Once you see it,youcan’t unsee it.
Traditional Chinese Nursery Rhyme
Hong Ching-Ting
Hong ching-ting.
Ching ching ting.
Shih shang ching ching ting,
Shui shang ching ching ting,
Feng li ching ching ting.
Translation to English: Red Dragonflies Red Dragonflies Gently stop. On the rocks gently they stop, On the water gently they stop, In the breeze gently they stop.
If you go to the Local New Page I have put on there a link to an "ORIGAMI" site that makes the most beautiful "origami" creatures and other things. I am sure you will love it. Diddily
Dr. Dodiddily and the dee dot's.
A Small Chinese Fable
An
elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a
pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in
it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion
of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house,
the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went
on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of
water. Of course , the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and
miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After
two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the
woman one day by the stream, "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack
in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house." The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's
because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds
on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water
them." "For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful
flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are,
there would not be this beauty to grace the house." Each of us has
our own unique flaw.. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that
make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just
got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.
So, to all my friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!
Fun for all the children of the world with Dr. Dodiddily and the Dee Dot's
A little bit about myself and my Sisters
Kath, (far left) Sylvia, blonde (middle) Dorothy (me far right) Amy (Toni, in front)
Dr. Dodiddily is one of four sisters. First there is my sister Sylvia, she is the eldest and the smallest. Then there is my sister Toni(Amy)
she is two years younger than Sylvia, Toni lives in Kent. The next
one born in 1944 was Dorothy, yes my lovelies this is my real name. I am
three years younger than Toni. One more to come and that is my sister
Kathleen, she is the baby of the family and she is four years younger
then myself.
We couldn never hand our cloths down to each other, we were all very
different sizes, and anyone coming after me wouldn't have been able to
wear anything I was such a tom-boy and thing were worn out long
before Kath could have them.
This is a very old picture of the four of us taken in Coed Poeth in North
Wales, way back in 1952/3. Gosh I am an Ancient Dragon, aren't I ! xxx.
This
is myself and my sisters in 1979 just 26 years later, we are with our
mother who like myself was called Dorothy. We are from left to right
Sylvia, Toni, My Mum, Dorothy (me) Kathleen.
Jayden, Noah Rhys, Brodie Leigh with Diddily in the background you can just see my grey hair.
Summer 2014 in the back garden at my home in Pontybodkin another 35 years later.
Once you see it,youcan’t unsee it.
CHINESE DREAMS FOR ALL THE CHILDREN OF CHINA;
WHERE-EVER YOU ARE !
A beautiful verse that I found in a very old book
from 1893.
I guess by today’s
political correctness rulings it could be a little old-fashioned. But I
think it’s wonderful, such love is he pouring out onto this, his love, that he has just met and loves everything about her from her toes to the
top of her head. Wonderful xxx
” A Coolie Love Ditty, ”
Oh, the feet of Li-Choi are like round little poles or the stilt which the acrobats use.
When she walks, her plump soles imprint round little holes, so small are her round little shoes.
There are tiny toed maidens, both charming and coy, but none like my lovely Li-choi !
Oh the eyes of Li-choi are so sweetly oblique that they slope like a well written V ;
And so small each resembles a hole in her cheek, set with diamonds that sparkle at me.
There are black eyes that madden and brown eyes that cloy, but none like my lovely Li-choi !
Oh the locks of Li-choi are as straight as bamboo and as oily as well roasted geese
Three hours every week she devotes to shampoo, and an hour every day to goose-grease.
There are maids whose pigtails are objects of joy, but none like my lovely Li-choi !
Oh the skin of Li-choi is like very thin milk or a sunflower at dawn in the dew.
She shaves off each hair till her flesh is like silk of a colour deliciously blue.
There are maids whose complections a king would enjoy, but none like my lovely Li-choi !
Oh the words of Li-choi are infrequent and few, but they’ve made my emotions intense ;
So I bought her today for my wife and cook too, for a dollar and twenty-five cents !
There are maidens as cheap in Hong-Kong or Amoy, but none like my lovely Li-choi.
Unknown Poet 1892
Little Songs for Little Ones
Would you like to make your own wall paper, the Chinese made plain paper and then by making a printing block you could make your walls beautiful to your very own design.
Printing and paper-making are two of the most famous of China's technological advances.
In 105 A.D., Cai Lun, the Emperor's Inspector of Public Works, reported that the Imperial workmen had succeeded in making an economical and practical paper. Like paper, printing has an ancient heritage. The
first Chinese printers carved pictures or writing into flat wooden
blocks. After the carved blocks were rolled with ink, paper was pressed
onto them.
To make a Printing Block of your own; You will need:
* Small, sharp kitchen knife (to be used by an adult)
* 1 small, unpeeled potato. * Marking pen * Small sponge * C * Rulers. * Water * Paper * Tempera or acrylic paint
* Newspaper * Cutting board.
1.Ask your adult helper to cut the potato in half. With
the marker, draw the shapes (your initials, a Chinese pictograph or
stars and moons) you want on the cut side.
Remember the stamp will print
backwards, so cut out letters like B and S backwards.
2.
On the cutting board, ask your adult helper to carve away the potato
around the stamp you drew. Your design should stick up about 1/4 inch.
3. Dampen the sponge and dip it in paint.
4. On the newspaper, press your stamp against the sponge. Then, press the stamp against your paper.
When a Chinese child loses a baby tooth, 
