Qin(2) meaning: hard working
I have never thought of creating a blog about the Chinese language although it has been a big part of my life. I am born a Chinese. Mandarin is my first language. I have studied Mandarin in school for over 10 years and it has been my passion, a part of my roots and I am proud of it. Then, Japanese came into my life and I occupied myself with Japanese intensively for 5 years. It was when my mother tongue was thrown to the back of my mind while I focused on mastering my third language. Living in a modern society like Singapore, it is obvious that more and more people get by with everyday life using English, especially for the younger generation in work and in school. This includes me. However, for me, Mandarin was not forgotten, but was kept somewhere in a corner within me.
Mid Autumn Lantern Festival in September
In recent years I started picking up French and spent some time in France, where I met people learning my language more seriously than I have learnt theirs. I've always admired people who learn foreign languages as it is not at all easy. We had some language exchange sessions and it occurred to me that I can actually help them with their Mandarin learning, similar to how I had learnt Japanese and French. For me, learning Japanese and French was a wonderful experience and I would like to bring such experiences to those learning Mandarin too.
Probably this is the reason I had created this blog and Mandarin courses for those who wish to explore the culture and master the language. China's economic growth is an attractive reason to pick up Mandarin but I believe there is more than merely learning the language for building relationships and closing deals with the Chinese. It is the total experience in learning a language that will enrich your life. With Mandarin, you can explore Chinese art, Chinese history, Chinese cooking, Chinese medicine, Chinese literature etc - wherever your interests lie.
Xiu mai (Cantonese), a popular kind of Dim Sum
Although mainland China is probably big enough to more than satisfy your curiosity, looking beyond it and you will find Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and many other places with large a Chinese community where knowing the language will be an advantage. Each region has its own unique characteristics although they speak the same language.
Hong Kong
There is a wide, diverse realm of interests that the Chinese language can lead you to and it is only up to your imagination to utilise the language as a tool for your own interests. Whatever your objective is in learning Mandarin, I welcome you to the world of Mandarin and I salute you for your courage and wish you good luck.
Fu(2) meaning: happiness
