Hello!
A new “Life in China” post is here 🙂 . This week, I’m kind of focusing on Money and Banking in China. I wanted to start by looking at Chinese currency or money and what it is worth. 🙂
In China there are three important money terms you should know- Yuan, Jiao, and Renminbi.
Renminbi (Ruhn meen bee) is the official name of the Chinese currency and is abbreviated on the foreign exchange market as RMB. So if you wanted to exchange money to the US Dollar (USD), you would officially say “I need to exchange RMB to USD.”
The RMB is then broken down into Yuan (yoo ehn), their most basic unity of money which is usually noted with a ¥. Because the Yuan is more commonly discussed, the exchange market will sometimes informally abbreviate the currency as CNY. Do not confuse this with the Japanese Yen ( ¥) which has the same symbol or the Korean Won which sounds remarkably similar (the names of both the Japanese and Korean currencies are actually derived from the word Yuan and thus it can be quite confusing).
Basically, the RMB has its own version of the dollar bill called a Yuan. So if we were talking about the Chinese currency, we would use Renminbi. But if we were asking about specific amounts of money (i.e. how much is that, how much is in your bank, this costs _____), we use Yuan. ¥6 is approximately $1 in foreign exchange (meaning that for every $1 you would get ¥6 or vice versa.
On the streets, Yuan = Mao = Kuai = Kuai Qian. Mao because the bills all have the face of Chairman Mao on them–to be honest this is more common amongst expats than locals 🙂 . Kuai (coo aye) because that is the ancient Chinese word for “piece” when they used pieces of silver. Kuai Qian (coo aya chee ehn) because that is the ancient Chinese phrase for “Pieces of Money.” So just like Americans speak in both “dollars” and “bucks,” the Chinese might at any given moment talk about “Five Yuan,” “Five Kuai” or “Five Kuai Qian.” Listen carefully when they speak–and don’t mix up the Qian (money) for Qi (7) since they sound similar to us!
Yuan come in bills of ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥20, ¥50, and ¥100 respectively. ¥100 is the highest possible bill you can use (which makes for a funny sight for companies since it’s not actually a lot of money – $16 – and most people don’t use cards here. So you are constantly paying in cash, which means that the store always has tons of cash on hand. You’ll see people coming and leaving the bank with hundreds of “¥100” bills in their purses. I have to deposit a whole wad each time my paycheck. Little dangerous, but makes me feel quite rich! 🙂
On the front is Chairman Mao Zedong and the number 1. On the back is the very famous Xi Hu Lake or West Lake in Hangzhou.
There is also a One Yuan Coin:
On the front is Chairman Mao Zedong and the number 5. On the back is Taishan Mountain (泰山) in the Shandong Province.
On the front is Chairman Mao Zedong and the number 10. On the back is the Yangtze River’s Three Gorges (Qutan, Wu, and Xiling).
On the front is Chairman Mao Zedong and the number 20. On the back is the Lijiang River at Guilin
On the front is Chairman Mao Zedong and the number 50. On the back is the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.
On the front is Chairman Mao Zedong and the number 100. On the back is the Great Hall of the People (close to Tienanmen Square in Beijing) which is where the National Congress is held.
Of course, where America has its dimes, nickels, and quarters, China has its Jiao (fractions of a Yuan). Jiao actually comes in either coins or bills as you can see pictured below. There are 5 Jiao (1/2 of a Yuan in value) and 1 Jiao (1/10 of a Yuan in value). For Americans, it would be similar to having a 50 cent piece and a dime. So we have Cash (Yuan ¥) and Fractions of a Yuan (Jiao) used in the daily, current Chinese Renminbi currency or RMB.
LMAO!
I was asking my students on our WeChat group (like a Group Chat) if they had class Monday night so we can schedule our exams.
D quickly replied “No, I have a party class.” 0_0
Party class? Say what!?! And I wasn’t invited? How rude!
The group erupted with 63+ Chinese-language messages in a matter of minutes as the class leader started with “What the HE** is a party class.” Another “ooh, class on how to dance.” “Let’s Party!” “Can I come?” “Do you get to drink?” Lots and lots of laughing pictures and emoticons.
At the same time a whole line of students with”I don’t think the teacher will understand.” “Oh, that’s a bad translation.” “The teacher is going to think you want to go party.” “This is very bad.” “You shouldn’t say that. You cannot trust translation my dear.” “Don’t you know to stop and check every three words? D replies again–“Oh, no! Now I think the teacher will misunderstand me!” (Horror Face).
At which point, the whole group started posting a series of Chinese phrases that have really bad English translations. Like “My father-in-law isn’t coming” which translates as “The father-in-law will not be coming to my bed.” It was bad 😛
My response: “Is that a class party? Party during class? Class about how to party?” This sounds fun and now I’m sad I wasn’t invited to the party lesson! 😦 😦 😦 ” LOL
Finally, one of them came back with a screen capture of the definition and translation in the Chinese-English dictionary of “Communist Party”–“It’s this one teacher, not a “party class” it’s THE Party class.” Ah! Makes Much More Sense. . . . And a much better reason for not being able to make the Exam on time! 😛
Unlike with Korea, China’s origin stories are primarily Creation Myths (which tell of the origin of the world), rather than simply Foundation Myths (which more specifically relate the origin of a people, nation, or culture). Still, pinning down one final Chinese myth about the origin of the world is an impossible task for even the best student of history. There are simply far too many varieties available, gathered from thousands of diverse cultural backgrounds and centuries upon centuries of oral story-tellers offering their own unique twists and versions. Nonetheless, there are certain elements that carry through as shared themes in the different tales.
Mythology in China is rather special given the conflicting philosophies that pull and tug the stories in multiple directions. What many fail to recognize about the country is that it has at least 6 major religions/philosophical authorities working against one another. The first is the traditional animism or the belief that the earth or nature is alive and has a spiritual essence flowing throughout. Adherents believe that the plants, animals, and earth itself are alive and conscious. It is actually from this belief that most of the traditional origin myths come, since that is the oldest religion or philosophy. Following closely on its heels though is Taoism or Daoism, a religion based upon one of the oldest Chinese classics and book of divination called the I Ching. You will see some elements of Taoism within the origin myths as given because of its age and influence. Still, this religion found itself sharply in conflict with the Confucian and Buddhist philosophers on many occasions. Oddly enough, Buddhism in China seems to mix elements of both Taoism and Confucianism although if frequently fought with them too. But it still offers its own unique twist to myth and legends. Then you have the ancestral worship affecting things. And of course the more recent impact of Christianity, Islam, and Atheism moving in.
The problem with the Chinese myths is the whole Taoism, Buddhism, Ancestral Worship, Animism, and Confucian elements. Sometimes they agree on mythology and come together. Other times they disagreed and re-wrote the old stories with their own variations. It just gets a little confusing. Luckily, the different origin myths were usually old enough that they came out of the Taoist-Animist mix and have many similarities that bring them together into 3 interesting tales. In fact, many seek to combine the three stories into one that flows together.
Some Chinese mythology begins with the theory that the world was initially a giant ball of chaos, all swirling together. The chaos was made out of “Qi,” a sort of gas or ‘energy,’ which-at the moment of the world’s beginning- suddenly split into two different elements. Some Chinese writers argue that this was an almost magical moment, with no sign of a creator. Others propose that it was triggered by a supernatural figure, and still others seem to suggest that the chaos was actually gods in conflict with one another themselves.
Regardless, the two elements that resulted were contrasts in masculinity and femininity, passion and passivity, hard and soft, dark and light, hot and cold. In western variations, we label them Yin and Yang. However, please bear in mind though that our “western adaptations of Yin and Yang” are often not actually primary in the belief systems of the majority of the Chinese. Not all of them were Taoist, as noted above. So while the Chinese myths may mostly agree that the original universal elements were dual in nature, they don’t necessarily all agree with the significance or religious aspect the Taoists have given to those features.
The Pangu myth is one of those situations where the newer religions (in this case Taoism) added some stuff to the initial story so that it fit their point of view. Although it fits into the middle if you read the three versions as one story, it was actually the last one to appear in written mythology.
Once again, the world begins with chaos and utter disorder, but this time the chaos was confined inside the Hundun. The Hundun was shaped like a giant egg, and inside Yin and Yang, male and female, good and evil, light and dark all writhed around in a complete mess.
Inside the the chaos, there slowly grew a giant dragon named Pangu. For centuries he lived and grew, lived and grew. Finally he became so large that he was able to shatter the Hundun egg into two. All the chaos inside spilled out, with the yin elements moving upward where they would become the heavens and the yang elements falling downward where it would become the earth. To keep the two from mixing again, Pangu resolved to stand in between them, holding them apart. Every day, Pangu grew ten feet taller, the earth ten feet bigger, and the heavens ten feet higher. Finally, after 18,000 years everything was as big as it was going to get. Pangu even added some creativity of his own by stomping on the earth to create the flat lands and using his hands to form some of the rivers.
Tragically, Pangu eventually reached the end of his life. As he did so, his body began to disintegrate over top of the earth. Breathing out his last, his breath transformed into the wind and clouds in the sky. His final words the thunder echoing over the land. The sweat and “bodily fluids” became rain. His eyes split into two-the left becoming the sun and the right becoming the moon.His skin became the earth and ground; His veins and muscles hold the earth together. His arms, legs, and “extremities” were changed into the four compass points and five great mountain peaks (some later consider these to be part of the pillars Nuwa would later repair-see below). The blood and semen (yuck!) changed into water in the rivers and oceans. His hair became trees, plants, and stars. His teeth and bones the metal and rock. His marrows and insides the precious jewels like pearls and jade.
According to this version, humans actually came from the less than pleasant origin of “bugs” or “fleas” that had lived upon his body. Caught by his breath on the wind as they fell to earth, they became alive and were the original humans. To be honest, some people believe that rather than these being the origins of modern humans, the people created here were more like the dwarves, fairies, and other more supernatural figures. For example, this legend would have you believe that Nuwa and Fuxi were created from him in a similar fashion.
The story of Nüwa and earth’s creation come mainly from ancient texts such as the Huainanzi, Chu Ci, and Shan Hai Jing. This story has several variations, but they tell a pretty consistent story over all. If you watched the recent Chinese 2015 film “The Monkey King” (excellent watch for students of Chinese mythology), you saw one version of Nüwa’s story.
Some myths suggest Nüwa and Fuxi were simply gods living upon the earth after its creation. Others claim that they were actually the children (grandchildren?) of Pangu himself. However, in literature, Nüwa’s story came 6 centuries before that of Pangu. Nonetheless, Nüwa and Fuxi are depicted in ancient Chinese art as figures with the body of a snake and the top of a human. You can see an ancient depiction of the two on the right. Theirs was a love story, and one that is significant to the origin myth. Actually Nüwa’s story comes in two parts – the creation of humanity and the salvation of the world.
1) The Creation of Humanity
When the earth and heaven were first divided, two supernatural figures lived on the earth. The first was Nüwa and the second her brother Fuxi. Although they were related, they fell in love with one another and wished desperately for the chance to marry. However, they knew that this was unnatural and were unsure about whether it was appropriate. So Fuxi climbed one of the great mountains with Nüwa and they prayed. One story says they asked that if the heavens approved of their love, then a great mist or fog would gather. If the heavens disapproved, the fog would disappear. To their great joy, the mists of fogs grew very large and permission for their marriage was granted. Another story (the Shan Hai Jing) says that they got permission after they built two separate fires that morphed into one.
Some myths suggest that Nüwa created humanity with the help of her husband, but others suggest she worked alone. Either way, Nüwa got creative and began fashioning human figures out of a mixture of yellow earth, then after she became tired, she began using mud instead. To help hold everything together she added some ropes or cording to make them stand up. She also gave them legs instead of her own tail and created men and women so they would recreate on their own. Finally, when her work was completed, she breathed life into the figures and created humans. Unfortunately, those made out of yellow earth were of higher quality and were thought to be the forefathers of the aristocracy. The peeople made out of mud were more common and became the ancestors of the poor, working folk.
Nüwa was delighted with her creation and loved them very much, seeing them as her children and treasures on the earth. So when they were in danger, she was willing to do anything to protect them.
2) The Salvation of the World
According to the most ancient of Chinese myth, the earth originally had four separate corners, each of which held 1 or 2 pillars holding up the heavens. These pillars were the only point at which the heavens and earth were connected and had to be closely protected to keep the two from crashing into one another. There was also a concern of the more evil creatures using the pillars as a chance to move up or down between the heavens and the earth. It was during the peaceful time when the pillars were working that Nüwa and Fuxi created humans. But tragedy struck.
Gònggōng or Kanghui, one of the sea gods or sea serpents, unfortunately had the dubious notoriety of having gotten into various fights with the “good deities.” After losing one of the battles, he grew angered (or embarrassed–the myths aren’t quite sure) and broke one of the pillars (named Buzhou Mountain) in a fit of temper. As a result, the whole sky began falling in the northwest as the earth rose in the southeast. This caused the entire axis of the earth to shift and resulted in complete and utter chaos. Fires, Floods, Animals going Wild and eating people-everything went haywire and Nüwa realized something had to happen if the world was to survive.
The stories differ on what precisely Nüwa did to save the world, but most go with the Huainanzi’s version. Therein, Nüwa went and found five blue stones, which she used to repair the broken sky (giving it the blue color). Then she cut of the four legs of the mythological turtle Ao and put them up as pillars to re-set the sky and earth in their places. She also killed off a black dragon who was helping to cause some of the chaos. It is unclear whether she survived her work- some myths have her dying as part of the final solution and sacrificing her body to reform the world. Others say that she lived in peace with Fuxi and helped establish the first Chinese government.
Naturally, some chose to accept the stories as independent of one another- particularly since the addition of Pangu came so much later. The minorities are more inclined to accept the Pangu myth, while the larger groups tend to pick up the Nüwa version. Nonetheless, others choose to produce some combination of the the three. It is fairly simple to see how this would play own.
As Version 1 states, the world originally lay in utter chaos with all the different contrasting elements mixed together. Then Version 2 picks up by stating the chaos however was confined in the Hundun egg, where Pangu grew until he split the egg apart. He is the father of the world, creating earth and the heavens from his body and efforts. When he died, his body mixed with the supernatural elements still in the air to form Nüwa and her brother Fuxi. Together, the two of them created humans and rejoiced. However, all of Pangu’s hard work was nearly destroyed when the pillars he fashioned from his extremities were broken by Gonggong. To save the world Nüwa threw up the five stones to fix the sky and formed the pillars anew. Thus the earth was created and nearly destroyed, while humans managed to survive it all to become the illustrious Chinese we know today.
The varying religions like Buddhism, Animism, Taoism, and Ancestral Worship have picked apart and pieced together these three myths to suit their own story-lines. Thus, we have multiple versions of the Chinese origin myth existing today.
Whatever the version, the modern eye can clearly see the intricacy and beauty of Chinese mythology in all its forms and fashions. The details, the imagery, the themes and plots spread throughout. The Chinese legends are beautiful and full of magic, ingenuity, passion, and wisdom. The best part is that it is still preserved in the art and style of classic Chinese artistry still preserved today. Take a trip to Beijing and see the paintings on the ancient palace pillars. Look at the writings and painted visions lining the museum walls. Chinese mythology is a truly unique and stunning creation!
During my stint as a teacher here in China, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in several different campus activities with the students. One of the clubs I have worked with a lot is called the “Flying English Club.” Filled with a mixture of Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors, the club has a great collection of students from all around. Even some of the international students join in as a chance to meet Chinese students!
Last night, they invited me to a BBQ at one of their teacher’s buildings, so I went out for a night of fun and food. We had such a wonderful time! The students cooked delicious food including sweet potatoes, grilled meat (pork, beef, squid, chicken, mutton), broccoli, mushrooms, green beans, lettuce / grilled greens, tofu, and more. They had also prepared some delicious fruit trays with apples, pineapple, dragon fruit, banana, oranges, tomatoes, and other yummy snacks. So good!
If you have the chance to go out with your students and play, you should take it! It’s not every day that people can have so much fun 🙂
Gave some exams near the Campus Library and got this treat 🙂 Green and Pink, my favorite colors! I just love the beauty of the flowering season. And here in China, it’ll last until well into the fall!
Life in China is so much simpler with a few Chinese “food” words under your belt. To be honest, I prefer the places where I can point and buy. But even then, you often want to verify the type of meat because pictures are hard to discern or you may not want to eat certain meats. For example, I have many Muslim students from Indonesia or Malaysia who want to avoid Pork. I personally don’t do fish or seafood due to allergies. To help, here is a list of common meats in simple Chinese!
The most common varieties are chicken, pork, beef, and mutton. They are used almost interchangeably in rice dishes, baozi (dumplings), noodles, etc. Plus, there is often a “red bean” or “vegetable” option containing no meat. So if you want meat in your dish, use one of these words to A. make sure meat is included and B. that it’s the meat you want 🙂
I was the only foreign teacher initially dressed up for St. Patrick’s Day today! Such a tragedy! I, looking so awesome, of course promptly shamed a couple people into going back and adding some green to their wardrobe. (ehm, Andre –better a late green than never). . .
Having class today, I asked my students if they knew what holiday it was. They didn’t (another great sorrow of my life), so I brought up pictures of the Parades for them to see and told them about the leprechauns and the green Chicago river. 🙂
I finished by letting them know that if they didn’t hurry home and add some green themselves, it was perfectly likely they might get some pinching. Their eyes went so wide. 0_0 It was hilarious. Made my day!
So happy St. Patrick’s Day!!
DIAPERS v. THE SQUAT & GO
Was sitting at the window in KFC (yes, thank God we have KFC here–our only Western restaurant in the area!) when I saw the funniest “cultural difference” on display.
Growing up, I frequently worked as a babysitter for children in the States. The little girls loved their dolls and treated them like real children. They dressed them, fed them bottles, rocked them, and–always funny–changed their diapers.
Well little girls in China are the same–sort of. This local girl was waiting with her mom at the bus stop and playing with her doll. She rocked the dolly, patted the dolly, played with its dress. But then, she proceeded sit the dolly in a crouch and teach it how to do its bathroom business out on the sidewalk.
That’s how children go to the bathroom here. The parents take them outside on the sidewalk, they drop trou, crouch, and do their stuff. The babies all have split pants (pants with large holes around the bottom-area), and they don’t even have to pull their pants down.
Once I though about it, of course that’s their version of changing diapers–it makes total sense! But it was still hilarious to watch. Seriously, she patted it, talked to it, helped straighten its dress when it was finished. Such a good mommy-to-be! But talk about cultural differences! 😛
“She was free in her wildness. She was a wanderess, a drop of free water. She belonged to no man and to no city” ~ Roman Payne
Language Translation
Deceptively Blonde 