A piano teacher asked me which song I was working on. I showed her the notation. She asked what language it was, and I said it was Mandarin Chinese, but written in the Wade–Giles romanization system. She then asked the name of the song. I answered, “Secret Fragrance.” “Sha Baoliang’s?” she asked. “Jiang Kui’s.” “Such an old song,” she said. “From the Southern Song dynasty.” Indeed. Every single winter, I can’t help myself from reciting Jiang Kui’s “Secret Fragrance.” “I sigh that the road is too long to send a blossom, and the evening snow begins to pile up.” She asked what instrument he had originally composed it for. I said, “The xiao flute.” “Jiang Kui was truly talented,” she said. “But it’s rare for someone as young as you to admire him so much.” “You can’t fully understand his lyrics,” I said, “unless you’ve experienced the life of an unemployed wanderer.” “He Xun now is gradually aging, And entirely forgets the lyric brush inspired by the spring wind.” Then she played another score that Jiang Kui had rediscovered (Nishang Zhongxu Diyi). I especially love the lyrics to this one, which he wrote when he was nearing his end. However, this classical music had seriously declined.

This recording has one intention - to get you curious about the role you are playing in society and what it does to your overall health, hapiness, success. It's intended for both teachers and studens as it provides questions + my own observations after over 20 thousand coaching calls. This recording has no aim to teach you/ instruct you. The only purpose is to develop a sense of curiosity so you can challenge IT. I hope it helps you craft a life of more happiness and joy. Never settle.

Tips for Learning Russian Effectively Learning Russian can feel challenging, but the right approach makes a big difference. Here are three simple tips that help learners stay motivated and make real progress. Start with Light Content Begin with easy and enjoyable materials like cartoons, short videos, or simple shows. Visual context helps you understand meaning without translating every word, and it makes learning feel natural rather than overwhelming. Listen to Russian Songs Music is a powerful learning tool. Songs help you get used to pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation, while common phrases are easier to remember through repetition. Even passive listening builds language intuition over time. Take Regular Lessons Consistency matters more than intensity. Regular lessons help you stay focused, correct mistakes early, and build confidence step by step. Even short but frequent sessions are more effective than rare, long ones. Learning Russian is a journey, and small daily habits lead to big results. Which of these tips do you already use in your Russian studies?

Not sure where to start? ✨ My trial lesson helps us: ✔ identify your level ✔ understand your goals ✔ create a clear learning plan No pressure, just friendly learning 😊 📌 Book a trial lesson.

Have you heard of the idiom, "to hit the hay"? Check your understanding with this quiz question.

I'd like to post an old and well-known poem written by the non-less famous poet, Du Fu. It entitled " Facing Snow " (对雪）。This poem touches me because I've worked twice in Xi'an (西安）and I've seen snow there during the month of february when I arrived there the first time in 2002. I miss that place, the students, the villagers from the little village of Taiyigong (太乙宫）, the Emerald mountain (翠华山）， the succulent mutton skewers and soup (羊肉串；羊肉泡馍）， 等等。。。 对雪 （杜甫） 战哭多新鬼，愁吟独老翁。 乱云低薄暮，急雪舞回风。 瓢弃尊无绿，炉存火似红。 数州消息断，愁坐正书空。 Facing the Snow (Du Fu) There are many new ghosts crying in the battle, and the old man is alone chanting in sorrow. The clouds are low at dusk, and the snow dances in the wind. The gourd is discarded and the cup is green, but the fire in the stove is red. There is no news from several states, and I sit and write in sorrow.

Japanese is T+P. It's often said that English is S+V+O, while Japanese is S+O+V. Sometimes it happens to be that way. Then how do you explain this sentence? “Cherry blossoms 'wa' beautiful.” This is correct Japanese. It's not an omission. This sentence has no verb 😮 S+V+O is a Western way of thinking. You shouldn't force it onto Japanese. Japanese is Topic + Predicate. T (topic, theme) + P (predicate) Once you understand this, sentences like “Tokyo 'wa' 3 o'clock.” “I 'wa' an eel.” make perfect sense. The foundation of Japanese is Topic + 'wa' + Predicate + (da, desu). “da” and “desu” are auxiliary verbs, not verbs. Furthermore, as in the example above, sentences can be formed without “da” or “desu”. Once you grasp this, you won't need to ask “What is 'wa'?”

Hey ，guys！I am Ruby from China! My major is English in my University，so I can communicate with you in English or Chinese. If you guys need Chinese teacher，I'll be happy to be.In the same time， we can teach each other. I am a good-emotion girl and I like reading Chinese traditional books,so I can show you a real and interest China. I Wish to make friends with you.

What do the two prepositions 'in' marked in the picture mean?