Another classic from the long list of great Chinese Sayings. 守株待兔 Shǒu Zhū Dài Tù. Thank Han Feizi for this one. He teaches us not to sit around and wait for good luck to find us. Just because you got lucky once doesn't mean lightning will strike twice. In this quick story about the farmer in Song State, we learn sometimes it's better to go out and seek what you want rather than waiting for it to fall in your lap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about yo...
Sep 13, 2021•7 min
Remember that O'Jay's tune from 1972, "Backstabbers"? They must have had Tang Dynasty chancellor Li Linfu in mind. The story behind our Chinese Saying for this time 口蜜腹剑 tells the story of this 8th-century politician/official who served the great Emperor Xuanxong (玄宗). All the time, they want to take your place, the backstabbers (backstabbers). Beware of those with a honey mouth and a dagger in their belly. Kǒu Mì Fù Jiàn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more...
Aug 27, 2021•8 min
Welcome back to the fourth season of the Chinese Sayings Podcast. After three years and seven months, we continue where we left off with another story behind one of the great Chinese Sayings, or chengyu. This time around, we harken back to the "Strategies of the Warring States" to look at the tale of drawing legs on a snake. Don't forget, all the characters and Chinese terms from all the CSP episodes are all listed for you at the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch...
Aug 16, 2021•9 min
For the final episode of Season 3 Laszlo closes with one of the classics from the Three Kingdoms era. Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang star in this drama played against the backdrop of the Battle of Red Cliff. Who hasn't fallen victim to something big or small that resulted when your best-laid plans didn't quite work out as you expected. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Want to support the CSP? Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/ChinaHistor...
Jan 20, 2018•11 min
Another classic from the Eastern Han which features the future King of Shu, the great Liu Bei of Three Kingdoms period renown. In this episode we find Liu Bei catching a breather after suffering a defeat in the service of Yuan Shao at the hands of Cao Cao's forces. During his period of laying low, Liu Bei starts to regret the situation he finds himself in. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at https://teacup.media/chinesesayingspodcastepisodes/s3e10-alway...
Jan 12, 2018•8 min
Laszlo introduces another nobody from Chinese history named Zong Que who had his own great aspirations. He swore he would make something of himself one day. Furthermore, if he did, he was determined to do it as a soldier. Although Zong Que's achievements on the battlefield weren't written about in most history books, the old Book of Song included his story and how we got this episode's featured Chinese Saying. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup....
Jan 04, 2018•8 min
This week's Chinese Saying comes from a story direct from the Eastern Han Dynasty. It features the Guangwu Emperor who gave us this useful idiom when he praised the star of our episode. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Want to support the CSP? Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/ChinaHistoryPodcast Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/chinahistorypodcast Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-chinese-sayin...
Dec 28, 2017•10 min
When the Han Emperor Xuan had a headache out in west China he called on Old Reliable, General Zhao Chongguo, to deal with it. From this, we get one of the most useful Chinese Sayings ever! For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 19, 2017•8 min
We're midway through the halfway point in Season 3. China History Podcast fans will all know this story from which our Chengyu was derived. These is the early years of the Warring States period. Kings Goujian of Yue State and Fuchai of Wu were slugging it out down in Central China. From this epic struggle between these two neighboring rivals came one of the great stories from ancient Chinese history that has been told and re-told throughout the centuries. Let's hear it one more time in this epis...
Dec 13, 2017•12 min
We're in the dying days of the Qin Dynasty with this week's Chinese Saying. The Dazexiang Uprising marked a turning point in the fortunes of the Qin empire. In this episode we meet Chen Sheng, a.k.a. Chen She, whose origins couldn't have been more humble. Hear his story and how he aspired to be to become the Hong Hu Zhi Zhi concealed away in his heart. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/...
Nov 29, 2017•9 min
For this week's offering, we hear the well-known legend of Xiang Yu, Zhang Han, and Liu Bang. As the Qin Dynasty starts to crumble Xiang Yu heads to the defense of Zhao State to face off against the ever-victorious Qin general Zhang Han and ultimately the kingship of Guanzhong. Before he engaged Zhang Han in battle, Xiang Yu shouted a four-syllable order to his troops. And we look at these famous words in this episode. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website a...
Nov 22, 2017•11 min
We continue on with another story featuring the great statesman from the Warring States period, Lin Xiangru. After becoming a hero last episode for returning the He Shi Bi Jade back to Zhao, Lin rose high in the government. But the mighty general Lian Po wasn't satisfied to play second fiddle and was determined to put Lin Xiangru in his place. He should have known better and learned a great lesson. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn ...
Nov 14, 2017•10 min
Season 3 is off and running with an episode featuring the Western Han statesman and hero Sima Xiangru. In this Season 3 series all episodes will feature heroes and brave soldiers from Chinese history. In this episode Sima Xiangru promises his king if the precious He Shi Bi jade ornament should get stolen or lost, he will find it and return it safely to his home state of Zhao all in one piece. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-chinese-sayings-podcast/donations Advertising Inquir...
Nov 06, 2017•11 min
In the CSP Season 2 finale, Laszlo picks out a good one featuring China's most famous person from ancient times. Today with our smartphone-obsessed lifestyles you can say we too are sometimes so absorbed in our TikTok videos and Twitter, we too sometimes don't notice the smell of meat. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. And thanks to Mr. Jeffrey Wong who told me it's thought that the ancient Shao music enj...
Apr 24, 2017•8 min
Laszlo tells a story of true love between two literary famosas from the Song Dynasty. Theirs was the perfect love that contained all the ingredients of marital bliss except length of years together. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 16, 2017•12 min
Back to Shandong Province and the Spring and Autumn Period to the epic Battle of Chang Shao 684 BCE to learn how underdog Lu State, by the beat of a drum, out-strategized their bigger and more powerful neighbor to the north. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 10, 2017•9 min
Here's another musical chengyu with an injection of sadness. It's a theme that has inspired movies, plays, and every kind of literature. When your eye catches an object that reminds you of someone important in your life who had passed away. It also features some literati megastars from Chinese cultural history. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Want to support the CSP? Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/ChinaHistoryPodcast Donate vi...
Apr 03, 2017•8 min
This is a nice musical Chinese Saying to describe a soulmate or someone who can be called your 知音 (zhīyīn)..a friend who is appreciative or understanding of a friend (and his talents). Like almost all of this Chengyu, it comes to us directly from the first half of the Eastern Zhou Period. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...
Mar 26, 2017•9 min
Everybody knows of someone who can be described by this Chinese Saying. In this week's musical Chinese Saying we look at the lazy poser Mr. Nanguo and his brief career as a Yu player in an all-Yu Orchestra and the wonderful story that gave us a nice useful saying. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 20, 2017•9 min
Hopefully, none of us will ever face these circumstances...but when all is lost and you're surrounded by enemies trying to take you down, remember the Songs of the ancient state of Chu. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 13, 2017•10 min
If you've ever explained yourself or something you're quite expert in and all you get is a blank stare of complete non-comprehension, this one is for you. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 05, 2017•8 min
Have you ever experienced something, the impact of which lasted well beyond when you saw it or heard it? That's what today's particularly useful Chinese Saying is all about. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 26, 2017•9 min
We're back with the Season Two opener. This time Laszlo digs deep into the Eastern Zhou Dynasty to introduce a Chinese Saying with a story that tells why some music just isn't for everybody. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 20, 2017•9 min
In this last episode of the first season of the Chinese Sayings Podcast, Laszlo explains the scuttlebutt behind the loyal official who wagered a dynasty in one single bet. Gū Zhù Yī Zhì For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 29, 2017•9 min
Laszlo serves up yet another good one, Gǎn Ēn Tú Bào. An ancient story teaches us when someone does ya a solid...don't forget to show your gratitude by paying them back one day. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 22, 2017•9 min
Back to the Warring States period once again to a story that brings us a story that many of us are all too familiar with. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 18, 2017•8 min
A noble lord accepts an ill-fated job offer and relies on his entourage to extricate him from his situation. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 10, 2017•11 min
This week Laszlo digs up another doozie, starring some Tang Dynasty inquisitors in the employ of China's one and only Empress to rule as the head of state. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 02, 2017•9 min
Laszlo digs up another oldie but goodie from 1,800 years ago. Everyone has nibbled on chicken ribs at one time or another. Bon appétit mesdames et messieurs! For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 26, 2016•9 min
缘木求鱼 This week's Chengyu phrase features no less a personage than the great philosopher Mencius himself, Mengzi to the cognoscenti. In this chengyu Mengzi preaches a lesson of peace to the King of Qi State in Shandong province. For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dec 18, 2016•7 min
