Learn Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese

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Re: Cantonese & Israel 01:46 by ♭♫ [+-]

[www.axios.com]

"Jewish Christmas" is almost here — and no, we don't mean Hanukkah.

Why it matters: For many American Jews, Dec. 25 is a sacred day for two things: Chinese food and movies.

Re: A Glimpse of Vancouver Chinatown 12/16/2025 by ♭♫ [+-]

[www.theglobeandmail.com]

Vancouver’s Chinatown is like a second home for Bob Sung.

A third-generation Chinese-Canadian, Mr. Sung’s family has lived in B.C. for more than 130 years, running retail and wholesale food businesses and working with restaurants and grocers in Chinatown. Now, Mr. Sung shares his cultural heritage and his food expertise through culinary and cultural walking tours through that second home.

“I use food as a medium because food is my passion. Food is my background,” says the 73-year-old, whose company is called A Wok Around. “And people become more receptive to learning new cultural nuances and different aspects when their stomachs are full.”

Mr. Sung was a chef before becoming an instructor and registrar at Dubrulle Culinary Institute (now part of LaSalle College Vancouver). It was while teaching, in the mid-2000s, that Mr. Sung got his first taste of leading tours through Chinatown.

“Part of my curriculum was taking culinary students to different ethnic parts of Vancouver for them to be aware of all the different ingredients,” he says.

At 56, Mr. Sung left Dubrulle to start a tour business focused on Chinatown. “I didn’t consider myself ready for retirement, so I just kept on going,” he says.

His business steadily grew, becoming a popular choice for cruise ship groups. Tours last about four hours and include stops at the Chinese Canadian Museum, the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, street food sampling, a dim sum meal, a pastry and tea tasting and a visit to an herbal medicine store.

Along the way, Mr. Sung shares stories of his own upbringing, interwoven into stories of immigration and belonging. He says that for his generation, his parents’ generation, “one of the main priorities of being Chinese-Canadian was to assimilate into the Western culture. I thought it was high time, instead of striving to belong, to showcase my culture and heritage and be proud of it.”

Sharing stories and values to stay connected
Exploring your cultural heritage is a great way to remain connected to your community as you get older, says Mei Lan Fang, an assistant professor specializing in urban aging at Simon Fraser University. She commends Mr. Sung for staying active in his community.

“Your culture is a part of your identity and it gives you a sense of belonging,” explains Dr. Fang. “It’s something that you pass onto other people and it grounds you.”

She notes that the act of sharing culture, stories and values with others has psychological and emotional benefits. “I think it helps people feel seen and connected.”

Seniors can be prone to isolation as they age, she adds. A 2023 study by Statistics Canada found that nearly one in five (19 per cent) of Canadian seniors aged 65 and over reported experiencing loneliness, with seniors living in Canadian cities more likely to report being lonely than those in small towns.

Meanwhile, a recent Canadian study published in medical journal PLOS One found that older Canadians who were physically active, emotionally well and socially connected were more likely to regain optimal well-being after illness.

“[Staying] active, cognitively and physically, is key to staying well and it’s key for longevity,” Dr. Fang says. “Whether it’s cultural expression or other forms of expression, it’s just about engaging and being active as you age.”

After running his tour business for nearly 20 years, Mr. Sung has no intention of slowing down. “I’m having so much fun with it,” he says.

He still comes up with new ways to approach his business, and he’s become more active on Instagram in the past couple of years – with the help of a millennial assistant who films and edits his reels. He’s also picking up new skills along the way. The merchants he visits on his tours are his friends – and his language teachers.

“I learned Cantonese through trial and error, and it’s a continual process for me,” Mr. Sung says. “It’s not uncommon for me to go down to Chinatown when I have free time and have a cha siu bao with them, and they [will] teach me a phrase or a word to build up my vocabulary.”

A Wok Around is more than just a business for him, he adds. “Being in my seventies now, it’s like there’s a whole awakening of a stronger sense of purpose,” he explains. “I couldn’t imagine going down to Hawaii for four months of the year and just vegging and golfing. I’d rather be doing something which is purposeful, that at the same time feeds my mind, feeds my soul and feeds my body.”

Re: 🇨🇳 is ripe for a revolution 12/16/2025 by ♭♫ [+-]

[youtu.be]

China’s biggest fear isn’t sanctions, tariffs, or missiles.It’s transparency.
In this video, I break down a little-noticed U.S. law that could expose the hidden wealth of China’s top leaders — not as rumor, not as propaganda, but as public, unclassified data. This isn’t symbolic. It’s systemic. And it explains why Beijing is far more afraid of sunlight than pressure.
Once elite wealth becomes visible, the entire legitimacy story starts to crack.

Anita Mui - 豪門怨 12/15/2025 by ♭♫ [+-]

[www.youtube.com]

Why Xi Is Destroying China’s Internet Economy 12/14/2025 by ♭♫ [+-]

[www.youtube.com]

Why Are There Waffles in Guangdong? How Migration Shaped Toisan Cuisine 12/14/2025 by ♭♫ [+-]

[www.youtube.com]

In Toisan—the “hometown of overseas Chinese”—migration shaped everything from architecture to cooking. We explore how global influences entered the region and what they left behind, including some unexpected dishes.

Re: hakka!! 12/14/2025 by ♭♫ [+-]

[www.youtube.com]

Hakkas are a group of Chinese who migrated from Northern to Southern China in several waves to flee war, instability, and famine, starting from 1000 years ago. Their ancestors settled in the mountains of Guangdong, Fujian, and Jiangxi. They are known for their resilience, frugality, and courage.

Hakka cooking combines northern techniques with southern ingredients, giving birth to a hearty “soul-food” that uses simple ingredients like pork, vegetables, tofu, and noodles. The Hakkas also ventured abroad to Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and India, Suriname, and Mauritius, bringing their cuisine with them.

Join us as we take a culinary adventure starting in Meizhou, Guangdong Province. Also known as Moiyan, Meizhou is the Hakka cultural capital of the world. We will also bring you to Ipoh, Malaysia, where many Chinese Hakka immigrants worked in the 1800s in the tin mining industry and learn about the Hakka cuisine in Malaysia. Let us know if you are Hakka and what Hakka dishes we should try next!

Re: A Glimpse of San Francisco Chinatown 12/14/2025 by ♭♫ [+-]

[www.youtube.com]

The Clandestine Chinatown San Francisco

Hong Kong's last pro-democracy group disbands under pressure from China 12/14/2025 by ♭♫ [+-]

[www.youtube.com]

It's been five years since China introduced the so-called National Security Law for Hong Kong. Over 350 pro-democracy activists and political figures have been arrested under the measure, accused of subversion and secession. Now that crackdown is filtering into everyday life. It's a reality that's finally broken the last active opposition group in Hong Kong - the city enjoyed substantial autonomy from Beijing before the law was imposed.

Preparation For The Next Life 12/14/2025 by ♭♫ [+-]

[www.youtube.com]

[www.theguardian.com]

The scene is the no-questions-asked world of New York’s Chinatown; newcomer Sebiye Behtiyar plays Aishe, a Chinese Uyghur Muslim undocumented immigrant. One day she catches the eye of Skinner, played by Fred Hechinger, a young military veteran who impulsively starts to talk to her. There is a spark between them and then something more.

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