25. The Resilient Chinese Culture That Survived a Revolution

欢迎光临! Welcome!

You can now subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or you can subscribe by copying the following URL into your favorite podcast APP:

https://www.mandarinblueprint.com/feed/podcast/

The Mandarin Blueprint Podcast focuses primarily on The Mandarin Blueprint Method online curriculum. Creators Luke Neale & Phil Crimmins answer questions and comments, discuss topics related to China and Mandarin learning, and have special guests.

11:05 Props!

This blog post explains the theory behind props and Chinese character components.

WILLIAM EDMEADES ON PICK A PROP 辶

Choosing Red Carpet as the prop because the shape kinda looks
like what would happen if you were to slip on one; like one end
is bunched up.

CHAD RESSLER ON CHARACTER #200: 王 WÁNG PICK A PROP

I went with a Sceptre as they are associated with kings.

RYAN SMITH ON PICK A PROP 廾

Going based off appearance, I decided on the field goal uprights & crossbar from American football / rugby (it does have an extra leg on the bottom for an American field goal, but I grew up with joint fields, I guess)

HARRY CHING ON PICK A PROP 土

For anyone that’s played Zelda, this really looks like the master sword stuck in a stone, or you can imagine it in the ground to relate it back to soil.

WILLIAM EDMEADES ON PICK A PROP 上

The balloon house from the movie Up

CHAD RESSLER ON PICK A PROP 主

Bruce Leroy: The character from the movie The Last Dragon. He defeated Sho
Nuff to become the true MASTER of the martial arts.

WILL HENRY ON PICK A PROP 相

A little bird sitting on the actor’s shoulder

RYAN SMITH ON PICK A PROP 幺

I can’t imagine a cell very easily, but if I take a step back and squint a
bit, this character kind of resembles a sea horse (a head on top, and a
tail coming down and swishing out to the right on the bottom), which is far
easier to imagine in a scene.

WILLIAM EDMEADES ON PICK A PROP 占

I’ve got a liquid soap dispenser that has the *exact* same shape, so I’m going to use that!

JAMIE MILLER ON PICK A PROP 只

I have always kind of thought it looks like one of those
gymnasium jump boxes they used to bring out in PE class back in
school

CHAD RESSLER ON CHARACTER #205: 玉 YÙ PICK A PROP

The Jade Buddha Pendant that Rambo wore in Rambo 2 after Co Bao was killed.

ABIGAIL ON PICK A PROP 正

I chose a netball hoop for 正 because you have to shoot very
accurately – and a football goal for , which is wider so you
don’t need to be quite so accurate!

WILLIAM EDMEADES ON PICK A PROP 目

The ‘Eye of Cthulhu’ from the game Terraria, or the ‘Eye of
Providence’ from the classic Illumanti Pyramid.

WILLIAM EDMEADES ON PICK A PROP 自

I think Pinocchio would be the perfect prop for this!

20:37 Actors! 

This blog post explains the theory behind actors and Pinyin Initials.

RYAN SMITH ON CHARACTER #219: 算 SUÀN CASTING CALL 47/55

Spider Man!

Movies! 

This blog post explains the theory behind making movies and character learning.

21:22

WILLIAM EDMEADES ON MAKE A MOVIE 付

Location: Childhood Home Bathroom
Actor: Phil Crimmins
Props: Chuck Norris and a Tape measure

Chuck is supervising Phil installing a new sink in my Childhood
bathroom. Upon completion Chuck’s eyebrows RAISE in surprise of
what a wonderful job Phil did! So he gets out his Paying Tape
Measure, extended it the full 8m and pays Phil $800

23:24

ELARY HALL ON MAKE A MOVIE 只

I am finding that there are songs that really highlight these
more abstract keywords a little easier to deal with. For What, I
brought in Aretha Franklin singing Respect. “WHAT you want, baby
I got it, WHAT you need, you know I got it.” And then here, “ONLY
you….. Can make this world seem right…”

24:53

CHAD RESSLER ON MAKE A MOVIE 住

Location: Childhood home (Backyard) Actor: Jin Yichuan Props: Chuck Norris
and Bruce Leroy I’m looking for a roommate to reside in my childhood home
with my and my choice is between Chuck Norris and Bruce Leroy. We go out to
the backyard where Norris and Leroy will square off in a battle to
determine who will reside in my childhood home. Jin Yichuan acts as the
referee. However, the fight is over quickly as Norris defeats Bruce Leroy
with a roundhouse kick to the head. Chuck then grabs his bags and walks up
to his room, where he will now reside, and begins unpacking all his things.

27:10

WILLIAM EDMEADES ON MAKE A MOVIE 吓

Can this character also mean to jump scare someone? Like giving
someone a fright (very memorable due to humour), or is that too
light of a meaning for this character?

29:50 Pronunciation!

WILLIAM EDMEADES FROM EMAIL

Hey guys!So I just had a thought, it is possible that the pronunciation for zhi, shi, chi are just retroflex versions of the ji, xi, qi sounds respectively?Cheers,
William

32:34

JAY FROM EMAIL

Sorry, I don’t know exactly why, but I’m just being a bit thick around
this part. I’ve rewatched Phil’s videos at the beginning of level 7 a
couple of times now. Still don’t feel like I grok the nature, purpose, or
what I’m to do with the Word Connection cards.

I’ve done some where I found a picture that sounds kinda like the word,
and I’ve found things like Phil’s example of his first phone*. But a lot
don’t really make sense when I get to review them.

Maybe I’m conflating too much with the really clear and obvious,
“hard-linked” mnemonics of the HMM characters, and these are supposed to be something different?

Maybe I can phrase the question this way: The card comes up in Anki; I see the picture; and … what? What is expected to occur in my brain at
that point.

Still loving the course,
Jay