Author: Nic @ Cultural Keys

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Fu Hao: an exceptional woman in early China

“Fu Hao’s childbearing will be good . . .  After thirty-one days, … she gave birth; it was not good; it was a girl.”

 Among many divinations that king Wu Ding of Shang (1250-1192 BC) made about his beloved spouse Fu Hao, the one about her childbearing was predicted to be good. But it wasn’t; she gave birth to a girl. Why was having a daughter with his beloved wife (also a military general and priestess) so bad, in spite of the fact that her mother was so powerful? This may have to do with the fact that Fu Hao was the exception, not the rule.

By Ilina Tatiana (edited by Nic Doering)

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Five Things to Know About… the Erhu

The erhu is a Chinese two-stringed musical instrument played with a bow. Although you’d never guess it now, the erhu was rare in northern China before the 1920s. It was introduced to Beijing by innovative musician Liu Tianhua (1895–1932) and it quickly became very popular. Now it can be seen played in virtually every park in the capital!

Read on to find out five fascinating facts about the erhu!

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The borders are open! How can Cultural Keys help you prepare for new arrivals?

Now that the borders are open you might be thinking about hiring new staff from overseas, or welcoming VIPs to your company. Settling into a new country can be difficult, especially when the language and culture are quite different to what your staff or visitors might be used to. Here at Cultural Keys, we can help new arrivals prepare to come to Beijing beforehand and help them settle in once they are here! 

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Language and Culture Events in Beijing – February 2023

While Cultural Keys can be considered your go-to for a variety of traditional Chinese culture activities, there are of course plenty of other fun and interesting cultural events happening around the capital every month!

Here’s our round-up of activities connected with Chinese language, culture and history for February in Beijing! Continue reading “Language and Culture Events in Beijing – February 2023”