Category: Chinese Culture

What Is a Red Envelope in Chinese Culture?

A red envelope (紅包, hóngbāo) is simply a long, narrow, red envelope. Traditional red envelopes are often decorated with gold Chinese characters like happiness and wealth. Variations include red envelopes with cartoon characters depicted and red envelopes from stores and companies that contain coupons and gift certificates inside.

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The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate龙门飞甲(2010)

Today,we are going to talk about a wuxia film, The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate   (龙门飞甲lóngmén fēi jiǎ) .It is directed by Tsui Hark   (徐克Xú Kè)  and starring Jet Li   (李连杰Lǐ Liánjié) , Zhou Xun   (周迅Zhōu Xùn) , Chen Kun   (陈坤Chén Kūn) , Li Yuchun   (李宇春Lǐ Yǔchūn) , Kwai Lun-mei  ( 桂纶镁Guì Lúnměi) , Louis Fan   (樊少皇Fán Shǎohuáng) and Mavis Fan   (范晓萱Fàn Xiǎoxuān) . The film is a remake of Dragon Gate Inn   (龙门客栈lóngmén kèzhàn) (1966) and New Dragon Gate Inn   (新龙门客栈xīn lóngmén kèzhàn) (1992). Production started on October 10, 2010 and will be filmed in 3D.

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The Sorcerer and the White Snake白蛇传说(2011)

Today,we are going to talk about a film named, The Sorcerer and the White Snake (白蛇传说báishé chuánshuō). It's directed by Ching Siu-tung (程小东Chéng Xiǎodōng) and starring Jet Li (李连杰Lǐ Liánjié) . It is based on the Chinese Legend of the White Snake   (白蛇传báishé zhuàn) . Production started in September 10, 2010 and ended on January 16, 2011. The film will be in 3-D and it is estimated to release at the end of the year. 

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Chinese Wedding Rituals

Chinese wedding ceremonies are special affairs. Most couples are officially married with a simple ceremony at a local city hall. Religious Chinese may opt to exchange vows at a religious ceremony. However, the Chinese wedding reception is the portion of the Chinese wedding that family and friends attend. The Chinese wedding reception is traditionally paid for by the groom’s family.

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Chinese Wedding Decorations

Most Chinese Wedding Decorations are supplied by the banquet hall or hotel reception hall. Present at nearly all Chinese weddings is the character for happiness 喜 (xǐ):. It is often hung upside down because the Chinese word 倒 (dào, upside down) sounds the same as 到 (dào, arrive). Therefore, it symbolizes the arrival of happiness.

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China 1911中国辛亥革命(2011)

Today, the film we are going to talk about is China 1911 (中国辛亥革命Zhōngguó xīnhài gémìng).In this film Jackie Chan   (成龙Chéng Lóng)  stars as a soldier who reluctantly takes up arms against the royal family, and Winston Chou (Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet) plays Chinese nationalist hero Sun Yat-sen ( 孙文Sūn Wén ). The trailer feels like a Chinese version of Pearl Harbor, what with all the explosions and blatant flag-waving. 

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