Chinese New Year 2013: A Retreat to the Mountains

Ben @ the peak of Hengshan

It’s New Year time in China once again and this time I’ve decided to do something a little different. For the Year of the Snake my girlfriend and I are spending 3 days in a quiet, snowy mountain town in Hunan province called “Heng Shan”. It’s one of the 5 “sacred mountains” of China, although this could just be a marketing ploy by the locals… Anyhow, it’s importance to Taoists and Buddhists goes back all the way to 25AD, so there must be something desirable up there! Read More…

tafbutton blue16 Chinese New Year 2013: A Retreat to the Mountains

Map of Acupuncture Locations

: Find an Acupuncturist!

Acupuncture is surprisingly everywhere in the US. You’ll find as many clinics offering acupuncture as you’ll find Asian food markets! But with that comes the difficulty of finding the right service provider. So, take down a few addresses and phone numbers. Contact them and enquire about pricing.

Remember to go into this with an open mind. Before the feeling that this is ”too expensive for me” creeps in, just allow yourself to start having the conversation with an acupuncturist. You will probably learn something new today!

The map to the right will help you find your closest Acupuncturist. Just keep clicking in the area of your city or town to eventually find it! If you are good with Google, you could substitute “usa” with “[your town]” to search faster.

Good luck!

tafbutton blue16 Map of Acupuncture Locations

The Shantou Beef Restaurant Experience

Last year, summer 2011, I visited a seaside city in Southern China called Shantou. It is one of the original Special Economic Zones of China, just like Zhuhai, and it has a unique culture of its own. They are a special kind of Cantonese people who speak “Chaoshan hua”. (A shared dialect between Chaozhou and Shantou ) Most are ethically Han but refer to themselves as Chaoshan people. Their women are known to be “the best wives in China” because they take care of their husbands so well. AND they offer some of the most delicious cuisine too. So, what should you eat when you go to Shantou or Chaozhou? … BEEF.

While I was in Shantou, my hosts took us to a buffet-style restaurant famous for its Beef Balls. (You’ll hear many Shantou people ask “Do you like beef ball?”) The following photos show the entire spread of meaty goodness available at the buffet, which is meant to be cooked in mini hotpots in front of each person.

Tip! When gathering your dipping sauces be careful not to mistake the MSG for sugar… Don’t worry! At least this restaurant lets you choose whether or not to put in the Wizard!

Shantou BEEF Restaurant

Chaozhou was also amazing city to visit due to its history. Take a look at some of the places we visited below. The first one is a bridge made from boats latched together. It’s very old! Another one is me on an old street which is lined with gates through the center of the old city.

Chaozhou Boat Bridge

BenChaozhouStreet1 The Shantou Beef Restaurant Experience

Chaozhou Ancient Street

The Eastern part of Guangdong is truly different from the Pearl River Delta (PRD) area. I highly suggest a visit because money and pollution can get a little boring after a while… am I right?

tafbutton blue16 The Shantou Beef Restaurant Experience

Getting Wet in Zhuhai, China

The rains are coming again. After a dry winter and a super humid spring with sweaty walls, it is time for mother nature to let her hair down again with torrential downpours. Here is a sample of that from my previous apartment on the Jinan University campus.

Warning: These photos are rather Armageddony!
(Click images to zoom in)

RainySeasonZH2 Getting Wet in Zhuhai, China

Rainy Season in Zhuhai

tafbutton blue16 Getting Wet in Zhuhai, China

Understanding the World of Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is definitely a global phenomenon, which allows me to add CNY to my ongoing series of “Understanding the World of…” articles! Since most Westerners living in towns with a population of at least a few thousand have a Chinese restaurant, I should be able to assume most readers have a passing knowledge of the Chinese Zodiac and the Lunar New Year. If you are pretty sure you know close to nothing about this ancient festival, then go ahead and read this entire post. Otherwise, feel free to skip to parts that interest you or could help you answer tough questions from friends about China. So, let’s get started! Read More…

Ben’s Dragon Year 2012

The Chinese New Year 2012 holidays have finished but I’ve had a great time visiting friends in both Taiwanand Wuhan. (I’ve posted photos in my Photo Album on QQ.) I was told that Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong province ID holders are allowed to visit Taiwan without a tour group now. So, if you are from one of these places, take advantage of your new freedom soon!

And, by the way, Wuhan is hiding most of China’s beautiful women (and handsome men) from the rest of the country! e120 Bens Dragon Year 2012

Bens Dragon Year 2012 (Alishan, Taiwan) (Wuhan, Hubei)

Easily find Peace in Asian Parks

With the West Lake in Hangzhou recently joining the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites, it seems like the right time to highlight the value I’ve received by embracing some peaceful hours of relaxation in the most beautiful parks of China, Korea, and Japan.

Let’s start with the West Lake (杭州, 西湖):

Leifeng Pagoda11 Easily find Peace in Asian Parks

West Lake in Hangzhou

Macau 2011: Legend of the Dragon Boat Races

An Intense Drummer

Where the Dragons Sleep
Dragons are often thought of as mystical creatures which guard castles and evildoers in western fables, but this is a far cry from the historical presence of dragons in Chinese folklore. Here, dragons are powerful and auspicious (lucky) creatures which have command over sources of water. They are the symbol of countless emperors and appear on dynastic flags throughout thousands of years of history. In modern times, the Chinese people more frequently consider themselves the descendants of dragons, which is a tribute to their appreciation of the mythical creature. And if you can imagine these descendants riding on the back of long, scaled, immortal creatures barreling through the rivers and open seas, then you are ready to be a spectator of one of China’s oldest traditional festivals: “Dragon Boat Festival ” or Duānwǔ Jié [端午节]. Read More…

tafbutton blue16 Macau 2011: Legend of the Dragon Boat Races

The China Guan: Shanghai

The China Guan

“The China Guan” is my way of calling this amazing 2010 World Expo pavilion that still receives thousands of visitors per day in Shanghai. The building is a tribute to traditional Chinese architecture dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-467 BC). From this artist’s rendition you can see the “interlocking wooden brackets” which are the most important element of this kind of traditional structure. Although I hadn’t made the effort to visit the Expo in 2010, I felt it was important to see this pavilion before it gets torn down… or perhaps it will be the only building left standing in this expensive downtown location.

The China Guan really impressed me not only because of its unique outer covering, but mostly because of the video exhibit that you are shown in the first hall. After taking an elevator up one of the legs of this massive building you are led into a dome-like video area. The room is packed with people eager to get a dose of modern Chinese culture. The lights dim to black and the show starts. Read More…

tafbutton blue16 The China Guan: Shanghai

Tibet Trip 2011 Caught on Tape!

During the Chinese new year of 2011, I traveled with my brother (Nick) and cousin (Jake) through Hong Kong, Macau, Guangdong, Yunan, and Tibet. It was Jake’s first time in Asia and I know he got memories of a life time. It was Nick’s second trip to China and we had always said we would visit Tibet; I’m so happy we kept our word to each other! Trips like the one we had in February are what this blog, AsianLiving.me, is all about: Culture, Food, and Mutual Understanding.

I’ve posted 100s of pictures in my Shutterfly photo albums. You can also see pics of Jake and me in Thailand, which I also wrote about in an article called “A Surprise in Phuket“. I’ve finally got some low-quality videos on Youku. Youtube videos will also go up in the coming week. The following videos were mostly shot in Tibet with our tour guides Gyaltsen and Gyaltsen! They were awesome and really gave us an amazing experience in their homeland. Enjoy our Tibetan music videos too!

Please leave comments below if you have any questions about travelling in or around Tibet!

A bend in the river (Tibet- Southern Friendship Highway) Read More…

tafbutton blue16 Tibet Trip 2011 Caught on Tape!

Category: Travel