Americans are fond of referring to their country as "the greatest nation on earth". Until recently, I didn't believe any country deserved that description. But today I think there is a strong contender for the title.

China is the world's oldest living civilisation. It has recovered from over a century of colonial oppression and lifted its citizens out of poverty. As its growth continues, China is poised to become the world's largest economy and a technology leader that is second to none. By 2030, I believe it will be an indisputable fact that China is the greatest nation on earth.

I need to understand China, from a Chinese perspective. This is my journey.

Wednesday, 22 September 2021

"Ya" Gotta Be Kidding!

This is too much of a coincidence. Look at the shape of the characters in Mandarin and Russian that are both pronounced "Ya".

The Mandarin 牙 yá means "tooth", while the Russian я "ya" means "I". I'd give my "I-tooth" to know how these two similar-looking characters came to share the same pronunciation.

You reckon the long Siberian border between Russia and China had something to do with it?

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