You need to have Javascript enabled to be able to do a Google search.
Search our site
We use Google ➚ to search our site for information by keyword. You can also use the search facility from the top menu's ‘magnifying glass’ icon to select from our extensive list of topics.
Online Chinese Dictionary Have a word or character to look-up? Use our free and extensive online dictionary . Read more…
Understanding the Date and Time in Chinese Telling the date and time is essential for travelers. In China the Arabic numbers are used for writing but the Chinese characters are used for reading. Read more…
Chinese Silk Along with porcelain and tea, silk is one of China's important innovations. The secret of this great invention was closely guarded for centuries. Fabulous fine cloth was an important export as far back as the early Roman Empire and it was in Rome where a law was passed to ban the wearing of silk. Read more…
Traditional Chinese calendar The traditional Chinese calendar is still used to determine the date of some festivals, and in particular the most important one - Chinese New Year. Our calendar shows each month with both Chinese and Western calendar information together with all the important anniversaries occurring on each day and the whole year. Read more…
1,000 character language primer One of the most loathed books in human history must be the Thousand Character Classic. For 1,500 years schoolchildren had to learn the whole set of 1,000 characters by rote. It was more about calligraphy practice rather than for making conversation. It remains a fact that learning a couple of thousand characters is a challenge to even young minds. Read more…
All Chinese Festivals Our extensive section on Chinese festivals gives the dates and backgrounds on over 30 of them. Our festivals page has full details of the origin and observance of each of them as well as a handy diary for when they will next fall. Essential when planning a trip to China. Read more…