Mu Xu Pork is a kind of dish served by rolling it into very thin pancakes (Mu Xu pancakes) after frying eggs, pork and other Chinese vegetables. This is a very tasty Northern dish in China and favored by most families. It tastes the best when served with pancakes along with the special sweet seafood sauce (known as Hoysing (Cantonese) sauce in America, though it really should be called Hai Xian sauce you meant to say it in Chinese); It is also favored by many people as a side dish when eating with rice or congee. It is full of unique fragrance. Adding enough chopped raw scallions when you eat can bring out the best flavor.

Of course, depending on your preference, you may replace the pork with other meats like shrimps, chicken, beef, etc., or cook it without any meat to make it a vegetable Mu Xu. But traditionally when we talk about Mu Xu Rou in China, pork is always the king.

Ingredients

a). For step 1:

• 120g (4oz.) Pork
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cooking wine
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 stalk green onion
• 2 dried mushrooms (soaked)
• 6 cloud ears
• 1 slice ginger
• 1 bamboo shoot
• 1/3 bunch spinach

b). For step 2:

• 3 eggs
• dash of salt
• 3 tablespoons oil

c). For step 3:

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon cooking wine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• dash of monosodium glutamate

Method:

1. Shred meat, marinate and mix with cornstarch. Shred mushrooms and bamboo shoot. Cut spinach in 4cm (2 ") pieces. Slice green onion. Soak cloud ears in water.
2. Fry eggs – Beat eggs slightly, add salt. Heat oil until hot and quickly scramble eggs. Set aside.
3. Heat oil. Add and fry in order: green onion, ginger, meat, bamboo shoot, mushroom, cloud ears, and spinach. Blend in seasoning. Pour in scrambled eggs, mix quickly and serve hot.

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Nutritional information:

Each serving provides:

Calories: 301

Protein: 13.2g

I have traveled and lived in a number of countries. I have studied a number of languages ​​and language, in general, as a linguistics major, in college. So, I have a good understanding of language, in general, and I know that language and communication is about more than just talk. When, I first came to China, four years ago, it was a last minute thing, but I did buy some Chinese language CD's and learned some rudimentary words and phrases. However, what I learned was a paltry smattering, and could not be taken as knowing the language, but I got by with other forms of communication. Of course, the biggest challenge is that the written language, comprised of over 50,000 separate written characters, is so different from the more familiar written languages, in the West.

Moreover, even though, officially, China has one language, Mandarin (Putonghua), there are actually over 50 separate languages, in use in the country, and many people, especially, in the small villages and outlying regions, can only speak in their regional languages. Although street signs, in larger cities are also written, in Pinyin English, that is not the case, in most of the country and for most things, like store signs, product labels or menus. That problem aside, I have always relied on other forms of communication, in any country, when I did not have the words to express my needs or desires. A smile and a playful attitude, I have found, can get one pretty far.

In addition, simple words and phrases, like hello (ni hao, in Mandarin; lei ho, in Cantonese), goodbye (tsai jian, in Mandarin; bye bye, in Cantonese), please (ching, in Mandarin; mgoi, in Cantonese ), and thank you (xie xie, in Mandarin; mgoi, in Cantonese), go a long way. Moreover, for travel, in China, you can take along a small Chinese-English-Chinese dictionary and show people words, in the dictionary. After that, being funny, charming and engaging are communication actions that transcend spoken language. Moreover, every merchant, from the small corner store to the large department store, has a calculator, so that they can show you a price, in numbers.

Language issues aside, the first trick to traveling in China is to use a Chinese travel agent (for example, E-long travel or C-trip) to book both your flights and hotel rooms because you will get a good discount (when in Rome … but, you're in China, so …). The prices that you can get, through those types of agencies, are actually lower, usually much lower, than those that you will get by dealing direct. In fact, on one trip that we took, we wanted to extend our stay at a hotel, and they told us to call the agent because we would get a better price on the extension. Even if you do not call an agency, in advance, to book a room, there are usually agencies around airports, train and bus stations.

You get a double benefit as a foreign traveler, in China. First of all, hotels and restaurants pay their staff and pay for supplies in Yuan, not dollars, so they are priced like Western hotels and restaurants, but the Yuan is cheap in terms of dollars or Euros. For example, we rented a small bungalow on our recent trip to Xi Chong, an isolated beach, south of Shenzhen, for ¥ 150 per night. I used to stay in a large hotel, in Guangzhou, before I got an apartment, for ¥ 300 per night; one of my more frugal (cheap) friends always stayed in the smaller room with no river view for ¥ 150 per night.

So, do not be lulled into thinking of prices, in China, in terms of buying power of your home currency. Understand money, local or foreign, in terms of its local buying power, not in terms of your home country currency's buying power, in the other country. The second benefit that you get, traveling in China, is that energy costs are subsidized, so trains, planes, buses and taxis are still cheap, in terms of any currency, local or foreign, because of the subsidies, not because of the purchasing power of the Yuan.

For example, a round trip airfare for a 1,000 mile (each way) trip might cost ¥ 1,000, which is about $ US150. Most Chinese take trains and buses, even on long trips. Some of my foreign friends have also taken two-day train trips to the north, and they say that it is good way to meet people and to see the country (personally, I think they are just being cheap). A one hour train trip (two hours by bus) costs around ¥ 70. I pay a private driver to take me to the university where I teach, which is about an hour's drive, mostly on highways, ¥ 115.

Although tips are not part of the culture or the expectations of staff, in some Western hotels and restaurants, they are expected, and I always leave money in the room at a hotel and at Western restaurants that we frequent. When it comes to the price of anything but restaurants, always negotiate prices. All Chinese think that foreigners are rich. They know that ¥ 70 is just $ 10 to an American, but what they don't realize is that that $ 10 won't buy us dinner, in America, while ¥ 10 can buy them (and me) dinner, in China. As a result of their misunderstanding of the relativity of money (see "You're Missing the Point" and other analyses on our In Country Analysis page of the Website), I have had people try to charge me as much as 10 times the real price in Yuan. Remember: one Yuan should buy you about as much as one dollar or one euro buys you at home.

I am a "natural local", which means the way that I like to travel is to act as though I have just moved to the area rather than being a tourist (although it is hard to convince people, here, that I am a local , but some still do believe me). I have already lived in over a dozen places, this century. My method is to tell local people that I am moving there (which I am, although it may be for as short as a week or a month), and ask them what there is to do around the area. You learn much more about a place, that way.

People love to help you discover the inner secrets of their towns. I am also very friendly and say "hi" to everyone on the street (here, "hi" is "ni hao" or, in some parts of Guangdong province, "lei ho"). That always gives you a good barometer of the friendliness of the city: the more people who smile and say "hi" back to you is a good measure of friendliness. For example, in New York City, most people will look at you like you're crazy and pick up their pace, while about 85 percent of the people in Philadelphia will say "hi" back to you, and some will even be the first to say "hi". Montreal is about 75 percent, and Quebec City is even friendlier, even if your "Bon jour" shows that you are not a native French speaker.

In most cities, in China, even tiny villages, people are so tickled that you can speak Chinese and that you have taken the little bit of time to pay some attention to the that they will smile and say "ni hao" ("lei ho ") back to you and may even give you a thumbs up (Xi'an being a real exception to that rule of thumb). Try these simple methods, yourself, when traveling, especially, if you are trying to get around, in China.

I have been getting by and getting around without much difficulty since I came to China four years ago, right from the very start. Sure, it's been scary, sometimes, when I have felt isolated and was having trouble trying to figure out how to get what I want or where I want to go. But, I just took a breath and decided to relax and have fun with it all. I have never been one who has put much stock in words, in the first place.

I am a physicist who has been able to talk and think in the much more precise language of math, and I studied linguistics because I was interested in the interplay of language and thought. I always ask a lot of questions and teach my students and assistants to do the same because words have different meanings to different people, in the first place. However, language is also about much more than just words. Don't be afraid of language barriers, be creative and have fun.

PS When you get a call in your hotel room, late at night, asking if you want a massage, it isn't really a massage that they are offering.

Many American Chinese restaurants, impressed by the cuisine of California, have been started in San Francisco and Hawaii since the early 1990s. The dishes served are the same American Chinese dishes, but the main difference is that here they use a lot of vegetables, foreign ingredients like mangoes and Portobello mushrooms. Brown rice is preferred in place of white rice. In some restaurants, grilled wheat flour tortillas are replaced with the rice pancakes in mu shu dishes.

Besides, some restaurants in San Francisco and the Bay Area offer more native-style Chinese food because of the large number of traditional Chinese in that area. These restaurants specialize in Chinese food of various cultures like Cantonese, Hunanese, Northern Chinese, Taiwanese, and Hong Kong. Also, there are more specialized restaurants, namely seafood restaurants, Hong Kong-style diners and cafes, dim sum teahouses, and hot pot restaurants. In many Chinatown regions, there are Chinese bakeries, boba milk tea shops, vegetarian dishes, and roasted meat and dessert shops. Chop suey is not very common in San Francisco, and the chow mein is quite different from the Midwestern chow mein.

Some Chinese restaurants having Chinese-language menus serve Cantonese Yale, and Pinyin, that is basically a yellow-feather free-range chicken, contrary to the traditional American mass-farmed chicken. Yellow-feather chicken is liked for its aroma, but it tastes good if it is cooked properly. This dish is generally not offered on the English-language menu. A very popular Chinese vegetable Dau Miu is offered not only on English-language menus as “pea shoots”, but in some expensive non-Asian restaurants also. It is available throughout the year.

Hawaiian-Chinese food is somewhat different from the continental United States. Native Chinese cuisine is a part of the cuisine of Hawaii, which developed due to the blend of various culinary traditions in Hawaii and the history of the Chinese influence in Hawaii. Some typical Chinese dishes make an important part of plate lunches in Hawaii, however the names of the dishes may be different, for example Manapua is Hawaiian name, (meaning “chewed up pork”) for dim sum bao, although the meat is not essentially pork. This was a brief overview of American Chinese cuisine in San Francisco and Hawaii.

Introduction

Hello and ‘Lei Hou’- that’s ‘hello’ in Cantonese, one of the most spoken Chinese dialects in Malaysia.

The Chan See Shu Yuen Temple was built more than a century ago. The four founding fathers of this temple- Chan Sow Lin, Chan Xin Xi, Chan Chun and Chan Zhai Tian- were also among the first pioneers of Kuala Lumpur. Do you notice they all have the same surname Chan?

The Chan See Shu Yuen Clan Association is an association for the ‘Chan’ clan. People with the surname Tan, Chan and Chen all belong to this clan, as the Mandarin character for these names is the same. Chan is a very common Chinese surname and many of them come from Guangzhou in China. There is a Chan Family Ancestral Temple in Guangzhou, and this one is modelled after it. That is why you see similar Cantonese architecture and art. Work began in 1896, and it took ten years to complete.

Think of it also as a club for people who came from the same province in China. When the Chinese immigrants arrived in Malaysia, it was very difficult for them to adapt in this new and foreign land. That is why clan associations are important, because they provide immigrants with contact with people who speak the same language, as well as contact with their family members back in China. The clan association also looks after their general welfare.

The association also houses a temple, which is the subject of this article.

From the outside one will not miss the green and red faade. In fact, the temple is sometimes known as The Green Temple. Look from left to right, especially at the roofline and you will see the elaborate ornaments that decorate the temple. Painstakingly minute, they tell stories of ancient China and Chinese mythology.

Right before entering the temple compound, there are two pillars with blue tops. To admire the front facade of the temple, go all the way to the left. These are the famous terracotta figurines that tell of ancient history and mythology. These carvings and sculptures are elaborate and fascinating. There are also the same captivating carvings on the right end of the front facade.

Inside The Temple

Don’t forget that in Malaysia, religious places are not tourist places, but are actual religious venues used by believers to worship. If you see some worshippers deep in meditation or prayer, be as discreet as you can.

At the gates, high up on the left and right, one can see two gray stone lions. Stone lions are believed to guard the temple from demons. The Chinese characters beneath them very loosely translate into welcoming blessings.

There is another pair at eye level, and this time, they are white. At first glance one may think they are the same, but look carefully at their paws and you will see that they are different. Guardian lions are always made in pairs- one female and one male. The one on the left is the female guardian lion, and she has a cub in her right paw, representing the circle of life. The one on the right is the male guardian lion, and he has his left paw on a globe to represent his feeling the “pulse of the earth”. Symbolically, the female guards those who live inside, and the male guards the structure of the temple.

On the stonewalls, are some Chinese characters, which is a typical feature in Chinese architecture. On the top, there are four big Chinese characters. Unlike in English, Chinese words are read from right to left, and from top to bottom. The four words read ‘Chen Shi Shu Yuen’- which means ‘Study Hall of the Chan Clan’. The Chan clan, if you remember, occupies this clan association. There are little characters on each side of the words. They tell you the name of the writer and when it was written. In Chinese calligraphy, or Chinese writing, writing is not just writing. It is an artistic skill, and every piece is a work of art. Think of Michelangelo or Leonardo Da Vinci painting a masterpiece and signing off at the corner of the work. In fact, the personality of a writer is said to be reflected in his writing. On the right and left side of the door, are more Chinese characters. They are too poetic to be translated, but they loosely mean, ‘light radiates from honour, and may wisdom never die’. This type of greeting is important in Chinese architecture, and each temple has their unique greetings. If you have the chance to visit other Chinese temples, ask the locals to translate these words of wisdom for you.

When you walk through the red door, the first thing that strikes you is the richly ornamented carvings of a golden tableau over your head.

On the left and right are altars for the deities who guard the door.

On the left next to the shrine, are two plaque inscriptions; one red and one white. And on the right next to the shrine, are also two plaque inscriptions- both are black. Think of them as a kind of Hall of Fame, where great and outstanding members of the Chan clan receive acknowledgement for their contribution to the advancement of the clan. They could have built schools, preserved their heritage, donated large sums of money, or anything that helped the Chan clan.

On the red pillars on both sides, are even more Chinese characters. What do they say this time? Again, a little too poetic to translate, but they are reminders to the current generation not to forget their ancestors. Chinese people remember their ancestors through a unique tradition called ancestor worship. They would put up pictures or inscriptions about their ancestors and offer food and joss sticks as a way to seek their blessings. It’s similar to the Catholic practice of seeking intervention from the saints, upright people who have passed away. In many Chinese homes, you can see pictures and inscriptions of the deceased at the altar next to the gods. In fact, right here in this temple, is where the current generation of Chans worship their ancestors.

At the open courtyard now is a shop that sells many interesting Chinese souvenirs, and by that, I don’t mean corny touristy souvenirs, but excellent teas, ceramic teapots and many other interesting traditional items. Chinese teas have their own grades, just like wine. There is a Chinese saying, in describing a good tea, that a good tea has a fragrance so strong that it sticks to your cup after you’ve finished drinking. On the right is an exhibition hall that showcases many interesting cultural presentations such as Chinese calligraphy. And in front, is the main shrine.

From the centre of the court, one can see clearly the roofs of the buildings that surround the courtyard. The first thing that will strike you is the open space concept. Many do not realize that the courtyard is inside the building as opposed to the outside. This is a very typical characteristic of Chinese architecture, and many temples are built like this. The courtyard is surrounded on all sides by building units. This is often known as the ‘sky well’ concept because the roofs form a small opening to the sky. Also you might notice that the breadth of the building is more important than the height and depth, giving the width of the building visual impact. The roof design uses the Kwang Tung style of pottery, which uses rolling waves as its motif.

Right ahead is the main hall called the De Xing Hall. I will explain each section from left to right. On the left, are four pictures of the early founding fathers. They are the important early members of the Chan clan. Next to the pictures is a room. There are black and white pictures of deceased Chan family members. Here, the Chinese perform ancestral worship. There are row after row of names written on yellow paper. They are the names of the dead. The Chinese believe that life continues after death, and the dead can influence the fortunes of the living. Hence, worshippers pray that their ancestors will bless them with good luck and protect them from harm. Others do it out of filial piety, which is heavily emphasized in Chinese culture.

On the left wall, one will see pieces of wood in red, orange and yellow. They are an old epistle, written by an unknown person to remind his relatives that the deceased will always be watching over the living, guiding and protecting them. This is yet another reminder to the current generation of the importance of ancestor worship.

On the left altar, one will see a golden shrine with more pictures of the deceased. In front of them on the table are five porcelain vases. On the imposing golden pillar, are Chinese characters, loosely translated as a blessing for this divine place, that its name would be as sweet as fragrance and that this place will pour out wisdom and talent.

Moving onto the main altar, one will see a magnificent golden shrine. This is the resting place of the upright, as the sign says. The three statues are those of the Shun Emperor Chung Hua Master, the later ancestor Chen Hu Man Master and the Honourary Kai Zhang Ruler Chen Yuan Guang Master. On the table, there are two paper servants. Paper servants are usually burned, together with currencies believed to be used in the after life, otherwise known as hell bank notes. There are many other modern paper foldings such as cars, houses, television sets, phones etc, as they are believed to be received by the dead when they are burned. There are also five majestic vases on the table.

On top of the middle vase, stands a dancing lion. A dancing lion is believed to invite prosperity and chase away evil spirits.

On the next imposing golden pillar, are words of praise for this temple and a reminder that to prosper, you have to remember your ancestors.

On the finally, on altar to your right, are more pictures of the deceased. The layout is similar to the one on the left.

Next to it, one will see the same layout of red, orange and yellow planks. These are again reminders of the importance of ancestral worship.

The four pictures after that are more pictures of outstanding clansmen.

There is a hall on the right side of the temple. There, there are many exhibitions such as Chinese tea displays, calligraphy demonstrations and painting techniques.

We’ve come to the end of the Chan See Shu Yuen Clan Association temple guide. There’s a visitors book near the right altar if you’d like to leave your comments.

1. Easy Access and World's Best Airport

You must visit Hong Kong if you plan to travel China. Hong Kong is a major transportation hub in Asia and is a gateway to China. It is extremely easy to find your way here. There are daily direct flights connecting Hong Kong to major cities in Europe and N. America. Boeing long-range aircraft 747, 767, 763 are widely used.

Here are some flight durations (non-stop) for your reference. From New York is 16Hr20m, London is 11Hr45m, Sydney is 9Hr20m and Tokyo is 4Hr45m.

Once you land in Hong Kong, you must be convinced by its customer services and efficiency in immigration and customs checks. Hong Kong Airport is voted the World's Best Airport from 2001-2005 (Skytrax online survey).

2. Great Choices of Accommodation

You must visit Hong Kong because you are able to find an accommodation that suits your need, whether luxury, budget or something in between. For luxury holiday makers, Hong Kong has almost all the world famous 5-star hotels – Grand Hyatt, Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, Four Seasons, many more to name.

If you travel on a budget, Hong Kong Youth Hostel Association operates many hostels at very attractive rates. A friend of mine told me she was able to book a bed for HK $ 80 per night. However she had to share a room with some others. If you have four in your group, you can book a 4-bed room at HK $ 400 (US $ 50) per night. Quite a good deal!

3. Gourmets' Paradise

You must visit Hong Kong if you love Chinese food. Hong Kong culinary market is dominated by Cantonese food, one of the yummiest among all Chinese food. Cantonese food is world famous for its simple cooking method and fresh ingredients used. A seafood dinner is a must. Try a steam live fish. It is a life-time experience. Nowhere else in the world people will cook fish in the same manner however so delicious. A dim sum lunch / breakfast is also a must. This has become the life style of Hong Kongers, Chinese and foreigners alike.

Hong Kong is not only famous for Cantonese food. You can find any other Chinese food here and any other kind of food from all over the world.

Hong Kong is a place you can eat whenever you want to. There are shops opening round the clock. You would never be hungry here.

4. Shoppers' Paradise

You must visit Hong Kong if you want to buy luxury goods at the lowest price. Genuine luxury brands like LV, Prada, Corum, Burberrys and many other world famous designers' labeled products are sold at unbeatable prices. In many cases, these shops are crowded and even with a waiting line.

Hong Kong is also a place where you can buy the trendiest everything with the lowest price in the world – mobile phone, computer, digital camera, electronics, fashion and accessories etc. You must be convinced by the wide range of choices and their low prices.

5. Most Beautiful Night View and Skyline

You must visit Hong Kong if you are not impressed by any other night views you've seen.

The Intercontinental Lobby Lounge is included in the book 1,000 Places To See Before You Die. Would it be over rated? No, it is not, because it is one of the best places to view the beautiful Hong Kong skyline at night.

Hong Kong at night is stunning for many reasons. Beautiful buildings are highly condensed with layers of colors spreading from the harbor up to the peak. You can take a panoramic view from distance. Or you can ride on Star Ferry to have a close look.

Hong Kong skyline contributes to the beauty of Hong Kong day and night. Numerous beautifully designed buildings line up on the Island side of the world famous Victoria Harbor. They are lit up with well designed color schemes that make the night view of Hong Kong extremely stunning. Hong Kong at night is an incredible experience of your China travel.

Guangzhou is China’s third largest city; it sits in Guangdong province and is only a two hour train journey from Hong Kong. It’s also less than an hour away from Shenzhen and thus offers convenient access to most of the manufacturing heart of the mainland. It is officially a “mega city” with a population in excess of 10 million people, making it more populous than quite a few countries and it can take a while to get used to the size and sprawl of the city.

Guangzhou is extremely popular for foreign companies looking to get a hold in South China, it’s location is extremely useful as a transport hub and it can be more cost effective than opening a base in nearby Shenzhen which is closer to Hong Kong and thus is more expensive for property as it serves as an overflow to the island’s Special Economic Zone status.

Setting Up a Business

As with all cities in China there are only three vehicles for a foreign company looking to open an office in the city. You can open a representative office, a Wholly owned Foreign Enterprise (WoFE) or a joint venture. It makes sense to take local legal advice before choosing your set up, representative offices can be very limited in their sphere of operations, WoFE’s are ineligible for certain industry subsidies and joint ventures require a lot of planning and patience.

Language

Cantonese is the language of Southern China and in Guangzhou the most commonly spoken language is a Cantonese variant known locally as “Guangdongois”. Mandarin is also fairly commonly spoken and many Chinese speak a little of both to get by. If you only intend to conduct business in Guangzhou then you should rely on Cantonese speaking staff, but if you intend to branch out later bi-lingual staff will bring significant benefits in the long-term.

Pollution

There’s a reason expatriate staff expect a premium to be based in Guangzhou, despite the lower costs compared to Shenzhen. It’s the ever present pollution; Guangzhou is one of those Chinese cities where you’ll want to invest in a face mask for most of the year.

Gridlock

Like most major Chinese cities caught up in the automotive boom, the city often reaches a state of gridlock during busy periods on the roads. On the bright side, it also has an excellent and affordable public transport network, though to make the most of it you’ll need to learn to speak a bit of Chinese.

Amenities

Living in China can be hard work as a major industrial hub Guangzhou offers many Western style amenities including restaurants and bars. But there’s a shortage of supermarkets offering Western food and while pirate DVD stores abound, there’s not much in the way of English based entertainment outside of that. There are some high quality (if expensive) International schools for expatriate families.

Guangzhou is an excellent location for doing business in Southern China, but it can be a hard city to live in. If you’re thinking of setting up there it’s worth doing a bit of reconnaissance first to ensure your location allows access to amenities and some Western influence. China can be daunting for expats and a little taste of home can make for an easier transition, no matter how much you intend to “bury yourself in the local culture.”

There's a lot of buzz going around about opportunities on the Chinese internet. Website owners hear that China has far more internet users than any other country, they see reports of the Chinese economy surging forward even while other countries' economies are lagging, and they hear the question "what is your China strategy?" asked over and over again.

If you are interested in expanding your website to reach the "other half of the internet," one of the first things you probably wondered is what type of Chinese should be used. Mandarin or Cantonese? Traditional or Simplified? First I'll give you the simple answer, and then answer the most common questions I hear.

The simple answer: If you want to attract the maximum number of Chinese consumers, use Mandarin Chinese written in Simplified Chinese characters.

"What about Cantonese?" I'm often asked. Cantonese is just one of many spoken Chinese dialects. It is spoken mostly by people from Canton province and Hong Kong. There was a large wave of Cantonese speaking emigrants over the past fifty years, so much so that many Western cities have a large population of Cantonese speakers, causing some Westerners to think that Cantonese is a lot more important than it is. In fact, Mandarin is the official language of China and most Cantonese speakers can understand Mandarin as well.

"How many Chinese letters are there?" is another question I hear a lot. The answer is that there aren't any Chinese "letters" – Chinese uses "characters," and there are many thousands of Chinese characters used in modern Chinese. Most modern Chinese words consist of two characters, but there are also words with just one character or with three or more characters.

"Isn't there more than one kind of Chinese writing?" Yes, there is. There are two forms of Chinese characters – "traditional" and "simplified." Nowadays, the simplified form is used on mainland China, and that makes it the global standard. However, traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and in many Chinese immigrant communities. Readers of one form can often understand the other form.

Finally, a common question is "Which direction is Chinese written?" Chinese is usually written left-to-right. The only reason a website would be written right-to-left or top-to-bottom would be to give a fancy image, usually for traditional products. So, you don't need to create a mirrored version of your website design.

So, there you have it, as a general rule, when you have your website translated into Chinese, you should use Mandarin Chinese written in simplified characters. Only if you are targeting a specific Chinese location (or emigrants from that location) should you consider using traditional characters and another Chinese dialect such as Cantonese.

If you love Chinese dishes, congratulations! Singapore is a fantastic place for Chinese food with an incredible menu of choices. With more than 80 different styles of cooking, unique and delicious Chinese dishes have contributed a major part to the rich of cuisine here. You will see lots of Cantonese, Hokkien, Teochew, and Hainanese restaurants all over Singapore.

Having Chinese dishes, you will always feel the harmony between the yin and yang qualities of food through combining ingredients. Chinese cuisine also keeps its belief in the symbolic properties of food, such as noodle for longevity, oyster for good fortune and fish for prosperity. This creates the soul of Chinese dishes and it is the reason people fall in love with Chinese cuisine.

Here I recommend the 5 best Chinese restaurants in Singapore for Chinese cuisine’s lovers as well as those want to have a good taste of Singapore food.

Royal China Restaurant at Raffles

Operated by a London-based restaurateur, Royal China is a top international Chinese restaurant located at Raffles, a famous ancient hotel in Singapore. Royal China at Raffles offers affordable Cantonese cuisine, especially famous for its Dim Sum and the restaurant is a good place for dining, family, and business dinner. It is located at 1 Beach Road, #03-09 Raffles Hotel, Singapore 189673.

Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant

Wah Lok is one of the iconic Cantonese restaurants in Singapore where traditional Cantonese cuisine is served in the influence of Hong Kong style. Not only bring the awesome flavours of Hong Kong cuisine, the experienced team of Hong Kong chefs at Wah Lok also creates and introduces new delicacies to Singaporeans and tourists. The restaurant is nestled in Carlton Hotel, 76 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189558.

Hai Tien Lo Restaurant

Transformed from a rooftop restaurant with spectacular skyline view to an impressive contemporary Oriental dining venue on the third floor of Pan Pacific Hotel, Hai Tien Lo has never changed its quality of dishes and services however. At Hai Tien Lo, an award-winning restaurant, traditional Cantonese dining is served with a contemporary twist. It is located at 7 Raffles Boulevard, #03-00 Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore 039595.

Min Jiang Restaurant at One-North

Being in a stylish and spacious two-storey black and white colonial bungalow, Min Jiang at One-Nort is a Chinese fine dining restaurant set in lush greenery. The restaurant offers authentic Sichuan and Cantonese delicacy cuisine with Beijing Duck as a signature dish. The restaurant is situated at One – North 5 Rochester Park, Singapore.

Cherry Garden Restaurant

Cherry Garden is one of the most beautiful restaurants in Singapore, designed according to Feng Shui with charcoaled teak panels, white walls and slate floors. In a splendid Oriental background, authentic Cantonese dishes are offered with artistic modern flair. Cherry Garden won the award Asia’s Best Restaurants by The Miele Guide in 2011 and 2012. It is located at 5 Raffles Avenue, 5F Mandarin Oriental Singapore.

Is Chinese the same as Mandarin? What about Cantonese? And where is each language spoken? In this article, I will answer those questions.

“Chinese” as a language does not exist. “Chinese” is only the name of a group of languages, and Mandarin and Cantonese are part of that group. There are many Chinese dialects, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien and Teochew.

Mandarin and Cantonese, in that order, are the most important Chinese dialects. In the People’s Republic of China, Mandarin is the language of administration. Education takes place in Mandarin, and you can be sure that if you meet an ethnic Chinese from China, they will speak Mandarin.

Mandarin is based on the language that was spoken in the North of China but through its usage as a government language, it is now spoken in the entire country. Apart from Northern China and Taiwan, Mandarin may not be the language people speak at home. They may speak another dialect at home but use Mandarin in school and at work.

Cantonese is the dialect spoken in the South of China, more precisely in Canton Province (Guangdong in Mandarin). This Southern Province is one of China’s most entrepreneurial and richest. Throughout the centuries, many Cantonese migrants have moved to all parts of the world in search of business opportunities.

The early migrants did not speak Mandarin, so among overseas Chinese, Cantonese has long been more commonly spoken than Mandarin. These days, Cantonese is still very much alive in Southern China, and if you want to do business there, it will be a real advantage to speak at least some Cantonese. In fact, Cantonese has taken the role of a “secondary dialect” in the South of China. People who speak a different dialect at home (such as Teochew or Hokkien) speak Cantonese for their dealings with different dialect groups within Southern China.

If you want to move around freely in entire China, Mandarin will be the best language to learn. If you only really plan to deal with people from the south of China, you should learn some Cantonese phrases as well. Though the Cantonese people speak Mandarin, a few Cantonese phrases will go a long way to forge a closer bond.

Taiwan, just like Mainland China, uses Mandarin as its official language. Other dialects spoken are Hakka and Taiwanese Minnan (Taiwanese). You will feel absolutely free in Taiwan if you speak Mandarin.

Hong Kong is a case in itself. As it borders Canton province, Cantonese is the most spoken language. But unlike their Mainland counterparts in Canton province, most Hong Kongers have not learnt Mandarin in school, but English. In the Hong Kong metro, announcements are made in Cantonese first, then in English, and Mandarin is only the third language.

Before Hong Kong joined China in 1997, the city’s education system did not give priority to Mandarin. With China’s growing importance and accessibility, Mandarin is now emerging in Hong Kong. But you are still more likely to make yourself understood to a Hong Konger in English than in Mandarin. Cantonese is the first language. You will hear a lot of Mandarin spoken in the city as well, but these are generally Mainland Chinese who are visiting the city or working there.

Singapore is not originally an ethnically Chinese territory. The Chinese in Singapore are descendants from migrants that came mainly from Southern China. Historically, many Chinese dialects were spoken in Singapore, Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese being the most common.

However, for the last few decades, Mandarin has been taught in Singaporean schools and is now the unified language among Singapore Chinese. Older Singapore Chinese do not always speak Mandarin, but it is your best bet. There is a group of English educated older Chinese who do not speak Mandarin that well, though they may be fluent in Cantonese or other dialects. The younger generation (below 40) of Chinese Singaporeans speaks Mandarin rather well. They may speak Cantonese or other dialects at home, but they are generally less fluent than their (grand)parents.

Conclusion: you will not have a problem in Singapore to get around in English. If you want to forge closer bonds with Singaporean Chinese, learn Mandarin.

Hong Kong is still proudly speaking Cantonese, and will for decades to come. Although Mandarin is gaining importance. In the rest of the world, Mandarin is now more important than Cantonese.

Due to the Olympic fever, a lot of travelers are eager to visit Hong Kong and see how this international city in South China assisted in the equestrian games.

I am a Hong Kong Chinese, and am born to speak Cantonese, so I am here to introduce some useful and interesting phrases for you to speak while traveling to Hong Kong. You might use them for daily greeting, bargaining or in a restaurant.

Learn Cantonese Phrases for Fun

Though everybody in Hong Kong speaks English, you would come across people saying some Cantonese phrases everyday. Knowing what they say would be fun. Speaking some Cantonese would be extra fun. You might even shock the locals.

Unlike Mandarin, Cantonese don’t have a standardized phonetic system. Hence there is no standard way of learning it. I have therefore base on the sound and try to make a close translation. Bear in mind, English tone is usually slightly higher than Cantonese. Read my Anna-invented translation, and try to lower your tone a bit. This will make your pronunciation more close to the real one.

Jo sun

Good morning

Mmm goi

Thank you – this is used in the same way as ‘thank you’ in English.

Dor tse

Thank you – for receiving a gift or a big favor, like someone introduce you a job or give you business. Therefore, when you buy something, the salesman will usually say ‘dor tse’ instead of ‘mmm goi’.

Lei ho ma?

How are you?

Or ho ho

I’m fine

Sik jor farn mei?

Have you eaten yet? This is an extremely common Cantonese phrase used to start a conversation. Chinese (not only Cantonese) usually show their caring of others by asking whether they’ve eaten yet.

Gei dor tsin?

How much?

Paang d la

Cheaper please

Fai d La

Hurry up please

Ho ho sik

Yummy, very delicious

Mai darn

Show me my bill. Say this after eating at a restaurant. You would hear people saying this when they are ready to pay and go.

Gung hei fat choi

Wish you making lots of lucky money. This is another extremely common Cantonese phrase. If you come to Hong Kong during Chinese New year, you would hear everybody saying this to each other. It is a Chinese tradition.