Long March to the Middle Kingdom: July 2023

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.

Sunday, 9 July 2023

A Pun In Mandarin

The family went out for dinner the other night. When we got our order number, a Mandarin pun struck me, so I got my son to pose with me along with the number.

他跟爸爸在座，他的号码是八八
tā gēn bàba zài zuò, tā de hàomǎ shì bābā

"He's sitting with his dad, his number is 8-8."

There's of course a difference in tone between 爸爸 bàba ("father") and 八八 bābā (8-8), but apart from that, the words sound alike.