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Lessons from White Snake

Watching local TV series is a good way to help your Chinese learning and access a bit of culture. Jalal recommends Story of The White Snake, a popular TV series filmed in the 1990s and based on a folk tale about a snake spirit and her male lover.

"With a fantastic supernatural plot to rival Terminator and The Matrix, endearing 90's special effects, but with the tear-jerking romance of Romeo and Juliet", the British young man found the series a great fun to watch.

"It's imaginative, easy on the eye, and actually fiendishly addictive," Jalal writes at http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/chinese-entertainment/.

"I usually can't stand musicals, but find myself humming the repetitive tunes of the series on my way to work."

Local shopping secret

Fancy shopping malls or supermarkets might not a good choice for those who are interested in authentic cultural experience in the capital city. http://beijingvisitor.blogspot.com/ recommends Beijing Guanyuan Market in Xicheng district.

"Simply visit and enjoy the experience of seeing hutong dwellers going about their daily lives in this market, rather than challenge these friendly people with cameras," it recommends.

A wander through this market and saying "hello" to both buyers and sellers is a warm way of stepping into a Beijinger's traditional way of shopping.

In particular, a dazzling variety of pets, including fish, birds and bugs, will fascinate tourists and locals alike.

Traditional Beijing shoes can be found at a couple of the outdoor stalls. Handmade cloth and leather shoes are available at bargain prices.

Katie's song for Sichuan

Scottish singer and harp-player Katie Targett-Adams recently moved to Beijing to bring the charity song she wrote to commemorate the Sichuan earthquake.

Day by Day (Xinde Weilai) tells the story of a small boy who nurtures a flower from the earthquake's debris. As he helps the flower to flourish he discovers he has, in the process, begun his own bright new future.

The singer/songwriter has many different styles and her voice accompanied by her trademark small harp lends an angelic touch to the music.

"I also wanted to involve the Chinese community in making the song so that this project could really represent different cultures coming together to raise awareness about the Earthquake one year on," she says.

"Children are singing on the track and Chinese University students are making the music video. Music is the only way I can personally aim to make a difference. By uniting our cultures we will hopefully raise a lot of money for the people of Sichuan," Targett-Adams says.

Day by Day will be released in Chinese and English on April 12 and can be downloaded from Targett-Adams' official website www.kt-a.com.

All proceeds will go to directly to the earthquake charities.

(China Daily 04/06/2009 page10)