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December - February 2004
Inside this edition:
Student Interview: Peter A. Lees
Name: Peter A. Lees
Country of Residence: U.S.A.
Citizenship: U.S.A.
Profession: I.T. Consulting
Educational Background: B.S. Applied Mathematics/Economics, Brown University
Brief Work History: 10+ years I.T. industry, last 8 as consultant
Languages Spoken: English, Chinese, and Japanese
Hobbies: Travel, movies, music
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| Frank and Peter (Classmates at the ACLS) on one of their excursions to the Forbidden City |
Crisp air or not The Great Wall is a must when visiting Beijing.
| Peter with a breathtaking backdrop, a common scenery when in China.
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| Pete happy to see all the fantastic sites found in Beijing, here with the Heavenly Palace in the background.
| TaiQi class, one of the many electives to choose from in the afternoons.
| Classmates at the farewell dinner, remembering all those special moments and enjoying the great food once more.
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Why did you choose to study in China?
I had studied Mandarin for many years, some time ago (in high school and college, and one semester in Taiwan), and I had the opportunity to take some time off work.
I wanted to brush up on my Chinese as well as experience Beijing so the 4-week WLE program in Beijing during December fit in perfectly with my schedule and goals.
What was your favorite excursion and why?
The Great Wall [of course]. The sites were incredible and the views breath taking, going in the cable car, swinging in the wind, all the way to the top, was quite a thrill.
How did you learn and improve your Chinese?
Going to my classes, seeing one of the tutors that are available in the afternoon, and meeting up with Language Exchange Partners. It is the best way to practice what you learn everyday and you wont forget what you learnt for next class.
What are some general comments you have on the program and Beijing?
I thought the WLE program offered an ideal mix of exactly what I was looking for: a way to improve my Chinese while experiencing China. The classes at the Academy were intimate (2 to 6 students in my level) and well taught. Tutors were available in the afternoon, to review your lessons or help with any language questions you might have. The two Language Exchange Partners with whom I was paired up with by WLE were excellent. We often met up for dinners and other excursions, giving me the opportunities to converse and learn Chinese outside of the classroom, as well as to get a feel for how locals live.
The WLE administration, before my program started and in Beijing, were very responsive, making the whole process of getting to China and living in China much easier. Any questions or problems that came up were easily solved. In addition, the group dinners and trips organized by WLE were always a blast.
What did you like best about Beijing?
The food (we must have eaten Peking duck twice a week!), the proximity of awesome sites (e.g. Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven), and the feeling that China is the future.
What advice/tips would you give to other students who plan to study in China?
If you're going in the late fall or winter, be prepared: it's freezing! But don't overload on bringing too many clothes, you can buy everything you need there.
Keep an open mind and balance studying Chinese, experiencing China, and hanging out with classmates.
Chinese food, and that one can experience something new every weekend.
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Excursion: Exploring the Lama Temple - “Yonghegong”
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On a crisp day in March we ventured out to explore Beijing’s largest and best known temple, the Lama Temple. The sun was shining and the sky was clear blue. It was a perfect day for an excursion.
We arrived at Yonghegong situated northeast of Beijing and met up with our friendly guide Zhao Hai Hong. Hai Hong is an expert of the Lama Temple. He is a most informative and friendly guide who has lived around old Beijing’s siheyuan (courtyard homes) situated right next to the Lama temple all his life. He guided us with enthusiasm as we wandered through the temple’s five halls: Palace of Heavenly King, Yonghe Palace, Eternal Blessing Hall, the Hall of the Wheel of Law and the Hall of Boundless Happiness. We were captivated by Hai Hong’s detailed commentary and tales.
The history of the Lama Temple dates back to 1694 when it was originally used as the official residence for court eunuch of the Ming dynasty. It was later converted into the royal court of Prince Yongzheng who rose to become one of China’s Emperors. In 1744, the royal court was converted into a Buddhist temple.
The interior of the temple is fascinating. There are five halls that are connected by hallways. Each hall is uniquely decorated with beautifully carved and sculptured images of gods. Regarded as China’s best preserved Buddhist temple, it houses a treasure of Buddhist art, carved Buddha statues, as well as Tibetan-style murals. The Hall of Boundless Happiness is the most impressive hall as it holds the famous 18 meter tall statue of Buddha carved from one single sandalwood tree. This is the biggest wood-carved Buddha in the world. During our walk through the temple, the scent of incense lingered throughout, giving the place a mystic and peaceful atmosphere.
Today the Lama Temple is home to about 70 lamas (monks). Local Beijingers regularly also visit the temple to pray, and burn incense as an offering, pray and meditate. Indeed, the Yonghegong Lamasery is one of the best places to experience and discover the ancient Buddhist religion and its followers
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| Tonya, Katrina, Nicola and Emlyn at the gate of Lama Temple |
Mouhsine was delighted to have experienced and learnt about China’s most perfectly preserved lamasery |
Emlyn pictured in front of one of the beautifully decorated hallways. |
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| Nicola, Katrina and Mouhsine listen intently to Hai Hong our guide as he led us and shared some fascinating legends of the Lama Temple
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Steven in front of one of the remaining ancient imperial symbols of an old copper lion |
Social Night - A Culinary Experience: Beijing Kaoya at Liu He Ren Jia
(Peking Duck at ‘A Flourishing Family Restaurant’)
(北京烤鸭—Bei Jing Kao Ya)
There are two things one must do when they visit China – climb the Great Wall and eat Beijing Roast Duck. Also known as ‘Peking Duck’ and ‘kaoya’, this is more than just a meal. It's a ritual originating from the imperial kitchen.
On the evening of the 28th of February, 25 WLE students gathered for a social night at the Liu He Ren Jia restaurant for a feast. Some of us vegetarians joined in, on the promise of ‘veggie only’ meals. Thanks to Deborah, the evening was a huge success as we were all treated to a feast! To begin, we tasted the most delectable starters – an array of cold appetizers such as Beijing Salad - “Shui Bian”, North East Chinese Spicey Bean Jelly - “Dong Bei Da La Pian” , and Cucumber with garlic and vinegar – “Pai Huang Gua” to mention a few.
Then ‘the’ dish came: our Beijing kaoya arrived. The duck was cooked to perfection - brilliant dark red crispy skin and juicy meat ready to satisfy our taste buds. The chef then displayed his carving skills and expertly sliced the meat before us. To compliment the kaoya, portions of spring onions (CongSi), sliced cucumber (Huang Gua Tiao), sweet plum sauce (Tian Mian Jiang), and thin pancakes (Ya Bing) were served.
The gentle art of eating kaoya: take a pancake, place one or two pieces of kaoya meat, followed by a pinch of spring onions and cucumber, put a dollop of sauce in the middle, fold the pancake, then…take a bite! Qing Chi!
The night was filled with much laugher, scrumptious food, get-to-know-one-another conversations - a great huanying ‘welcome’ for the newcomers. This mouth-watering duck specialty is a Chinese tradition dating back from as early as the Yuan Dynasty (1206 – 1368). We were delighted to have been a part of this culinary experience.
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Brook, Stefan and Mouhsine enjoy their first
few mouthfuls of Beijing Kao Ya. |
Joanne, Alex and John experienced a traditional Chinese social night at the
Liu He Ren Jia |
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| Stephen, Maria and Ron with beautifully decorated walls with Chinese poems behind. Perfect spot to practice their skills in Chinese characters. |
Trevor, Anna and Jared pause to pose for a picture at the old Kao Ya restaurant. |
The CAV World Link Scholar of the Year Award 2004
 
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World Link Education's Australian Programs Advisor, Ms Malin Nilsson proudly presented World Link Education's Scholar of the Year Award to the Chinese Association of Victoria (CAV). The award comprises of an all-expenses paid 4-weeks Chinese Language program in Beijing including return airfare, accommodation, tuition, guided tours and excursions, and all the items included in this increasingly popular program.
The award is to given to CAV Chinese School 's most outstanding Year 12 student who has achieved excellent academic results and contributed to the community. The CAV is regarded one of Australia 's leading Chinese community organisations. ‘We are pleased to support community organizations such as the CAV in fostering Chinese language and culture, added Anders Johnson, WLE's Managing Director. 'We currently have over 600 participants annually studying our Chinese language programs in Beijing . Over 30 percent of the students are from Chinese speaking backgrounds. We hope to encourage more overseas Chinese to learn the language and culture of their forefathers.
Indeed, the importance of learning Mandarin Chinese today is growing in light of China 's increasing role as the world's up and coming leading economic nation. French and German were once the popular languages. Today it is Mandarin Chinese. Vincent Chow, President of the Chinese Association of Victoria (CAV) was pleased to accept the award on behalf of CAV. ‘This will give our students the opportunity to practise what they have learnt and will be an invaluable extension of the language course at the CAV school. When you learn Chinese in China , you not only perfect the language faster but also learn the culture and customs which is vital in communication. For many, it is not until they are in China that they realise just how important Mandarin is.
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Enjoying the excellent food, cultural performances and company at the Ball.
Young performers of CAV’s Cultural Dance Troup performing at the Ball.
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When Doing Business in China - Get the Language Right!
Know Mandarin, so you can: Think local, Act local, Be local and Sell to the (1.3 billion) locals!
Here are two examples of missteps made by foreign companies upon entering the Chinese market:
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)
In 1987, Colonel Saunders set up his first mainland KFC outlet. Their famous slogan "finger-lickin' good" was mistranslated into Chinese characters that meant "eat your fingers off." That was quickly changed and today, there are over 900 KFC restaurants in China.
Coca-Cola (Coke)
Coca-Cola’s first bottling plant in China was built in 1927. After a 30 year absence, Coca-Cola was the first American consumer product to return to China in 1979. Unfortunately, the Coke Company did not discover until after thousands of signs had been printed that the translation of ‘Coca-Cola’ to ‘Ke-kou-ke-la means ‘bite the wax tadpole’. After researching over 40,000 Chinese characters they found a close phonetic equivalent, ‘ko-kou-ko-le, translated to mean ‘happiness in the mouth’. Today, a can of Coca-Cola in Beijing costs around RMB1.90. Coca-Cola products currently account for 35 percent of China's carbonated beverage market and generate annual sales of up to $1.2 billion.
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Here's to ‘ko-kou-ko-le'
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China Facts
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-is the world's third largest importer after both Germany and the U.S.
-will soon overtake Germany to become the third largest auto market in the world
-is the world's largest timber producer
-is Asia's second largest diamond market (Japan is No. 1), with annual sales totaling about $1 billion
-is the world's largest producer and consumer of televisions
-is the world's third largest oil market, following the U.S. and Japan
-is set to pass Japan as the world's largest consumer of iron ore
Sources: IDC; Goldman Sachs; Fiducia Management Consultants; Bloomberg |
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