When is the Chinese Moon Festival? In Taiwan, the Chinese Moon Festival means mostly one thing – BBQ-ing with friends and family! All right, not just barbecue… Moon cakes are also popular on that day! The Moon Festival is also referred to as the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, and usually falls somewhere in September or early October (the 15th of […]
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Chinese Medicine in Taiwan
An introduction to the Yin and Yang, Chinese doctors, acupunctures, and herbal remedies. Chinese medicine in Taiwan enjoys vast privilege and standing that can’t really be found anywhere else. Taiwan’s dirt-cheap universal health care system covers both those who want to go to a Western doctor and those who prefer to see the local Chinese […]
Chinese Lucky Numbers
What are Some Lucky Chinese Numbers? Almost every Chinese person is a budding numerologist, so you don’t have to go far to find someone who will talk to you about Chinese lucky numbers. Many things determine whether or not a number is lucky or not, and often that will be simply what other word the number […]
Chinese Lantern Festival
About the Chinese Lantern Festival The Chinese Lantern Festival comes at the end of Chinese New Year. It marks the first full moon of the new lunar year, and witnessing it is one of the most essentially Chinese experiences. It can also be one of the most beautiful – there’s nothing quite like watching hundreds of self-made […]
What’s So Difficult About the Chinese Language?
Is Mandarin Chinese the most difficult language in the world? I have been speaking Mandarin Chinese for ten years now, and people still ask me this question all the time: Is Chinese difficult to learn? Chinese language is generally considered to be one of the most difficult in the world to learn. Most people that […]
Cost of Living in Taiwan
How far can your money go in Taiwan? Wondering about the cost of living in Taiwan? Understand this first: Taiwan is a place of opposites, stuck somewhere between a repressive dictatorship (a little while ago) and a full-blown modern economy (now). The way you spend your money can be equally bipolar – living and/or traveling […]
The 12 Chinese Horoscope Signs
On this page, you’ll find a list of the 12 Chinese horoscope signsas well as a brief description of each zodiac sign’s characteristics. The Chinese zodiac is based on the Lunar Calendar (also called Chinese calendar or Zodiac Calendar). The Chinese Lunar calendar has 12 months of 29 or 30 days. Even though industrialization and modern […]
A Little Guide About Chinese Herb Tea
Chinese have a long history of drinking tea. Tea actually originated in China where it spread throughout the rest of the world. It is still a very popular drink in China and Taiwan and is served with most meals at restaurants for free. Types of Chinese Tea Ancient Chinese herb tea can be separated into […]
Moving Chinese Gods
Moving Chinese Gods. There’s nothing more fascinating than watching a traditional Chinese ceremony like this one. It’s what makes living in Taiwan so incredible. You ride in the countryside, or in a small village, lost between some fields, or right behind a busy avenue. You hear some explosions. Then the music comes. Gongs and bells […]
Who was the Chinese God of War?
Guan Yu is sometimes referred to as the Chinese God of War, even though he technically wasn’t a god. He was a general who served under Liu Bei, an ancient Chinese warlord. He was alive during the Han Dynasty. Guan Yu is one of the best-known characters in Chinese history. However, it’s thought that many of […]
Why is the Chinese Gender Calendar so Important in Taiwan and China?
What is the Chinese Gender Calendar? Most new parents, Chinese or otherwise, are eager not only to find out the gender of the baby in the womb, but also to find a way to choose the gender in the first place. If you are Chinese, you just might turn to the Chinese baby gender calendar. A […]
Understand What is the Chinese Game of Mahjong!
The Chinese love gambling and playing games, Chinese Chess is very popular but this is very complicated and normally only played by men. The most popular Chinese game is Mahjong. This is a game which can trace its origins back to ancient times and it’s likely that it started as a card game. What is […]
Chinese Five Elements
This article about the Five Chinese Elements was submitted by one of Taiwanese Secrets’ visitors. The Ancient Chinese had a very good understanding of how the natural world worked. They were at the cutting edge of scientific knowledge at this period in history. They created the Chinese five elements system, which consisted of Wood, Fire, Earth, […]
18 Essential Chinese Etiquette
A survival guide to having good manners with Chinese people in Taiwan Knowing basic Chinese etiquette and customs is indispensable when traveling to Taiwan or China. From the simplest circumstances like knowing how to greet Chinese people, to more subtle situations like what color to use when writing someone’s name, you will find on this page some […]
Chinese Dragon Art
10 Images of Chinese Dragons Chinese dragon art can be seen in many places around Taiwan, China, and other countries where Chinese communities exist. I’ve had a passion for Chinese dragons drawings, paintings, and sculptures since 1999, the year I traveled to Asia for the first time. I have taken hundreds of photos of Chinese […]
Thinking about enrolling into a Chinese course?
Think twice! Maybe Mandarin is not for you. Article by Megan Eaves, Contributor Chinese language has become such a popular thing to study over the past few years, primarily because of China’s growing economic importance on the world scale. But the economy is not necessarily the best reason to learn a new language, nor is it […]
What is the Chinese Conception Calendar?
The traditional Chinese way of predicting whether an unborn child will be a boy or a girl. The Art of Predicting Things Chinese astrology is a vast and ancient art of predicting things – personality, auspicious dates, marriage and conception – based on the lunar calendar. Though most Taiwanese do not follow the lunar calendar […]
Understand the Chinese Buffet Culture
Chinese buffet culture relates to the importance of food in Chinese society. Food has been very important to the Chinese for centuries. It’s not just important to sustain the population, but it’s also important to bring them together. By understanding Chinese buffet culture you will get a much better understanding of how food is served and prepared […]
Chinese Birth Signs
Find information about the 12 Chinese Zodiac Signs Facts About the 12 Chinese Zodiac Signs Have you ever noticed those placemats with the Chinese birth signs, animals assigned to years? Most people in the West know, or think they know, the animal that is connected with their birth year. Of course these animals translate as the […]
Chinese Astrology Signs Compatibility
Chinese Astrology Signs Compatibility The Chinese birth chart system has been used ever since ancient times for many different purposes. It has been used to predict the gender of a child before birth, your future, and of course compatibility. Many people think that learning about Chinese astrology signs compatibility might make it possible for you […]