Survival Chinese Vol. 1

What is the Cathay Cafe?

Exiled by nefarious means (Okay, in truth, it's a self-imposed banishment) to the Goat Horn Hutong district in Qingdao, China, the Cathay Cafe is under the joint proprietorship of authors Zhao Fang and Timothy Green; we're the underground force propagating phonetics over Pinyin in our book entitled SPEAK E-Z CHINESE In Phonetic English. We like to think of our establishment as a communication and educational network helping visitors to China speak and understand the Chinese language in the easiest possible format. In addition to our Speak E-Z lessons and phrasebook, we offer interesting news, tidbits of art and culture, some fun stuff, as well as a metaphorical hitching post and point of rendezvous for the wayfarer in China . As authors and innkeepers, we'll be serving you a generous amount of helpful travel information along with our revolutionary Chinese language instruction in phonetic English.

The Power of Chopsticks

The power of Chopsticks As any Chinese will tell you, food is god here. That makes chopsticks (or kwye zih) our means to reach the gods. On a less spiritual note, it happens to take over eighty specific joints and muscles to manipulate these little buggers, which is about twice as many as would be required to use a knife and fork. There have been numerous studies in China and Korea that point out that manipulating chopsticks stimulates neurons in the brain, increases many forms of dexterity, and even promotes good mental health.

Once you have gained skill in using them, you need to be aware of a few basic chopstick etiquette manners. Remember:

It is considered poor manners (disrespectful and bad luck) to stick chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice.

It is also considered rude to use your sticks to spear food like a fork or to linger with your chopsticks over the communal bowls.

Also, waving chopsticks around to emphasize a point would make you out to be a schmuck.

Finally, between mouthfuls, it's considered polite to rest your sticks on the side of your plate, rice bowl, or on small chopstick stands.

If you blow it in chopstick etiquettes, don't over fret. The Chinese are endlessly gracious in their tolerance of us foreigners, usually finding us to be more amusing than offensive!

Chopsticks were not always used purely for dining purposes. Read on in our next issue about some of the more interesting applications of chopsticks back in the old days.

Communicating with Your Taxi Driver

Getting around by taxis is a must throughout China. You can now rely on our SPEAK E-Z CHINESE pronunciation guide using English phonics. Practice with a friend!

Hello, Driver!	*Nee haow, Shir foo.*
	( Shir foo is also used to
	address a Kung Fu master.)

Please take me to this address...	*Ching sohng wuh chiew jay guh* *dee jir...*
Please turn on the meter.	*Ching dah bee-aow.*

Turn left.	*Zwuh gwye.*

Turn right.	*Yoh gwye.*

Go straight.	*Ee jir zoh.*

We've arrived. Please stop.	*Daow luh. Ting.*

How much is it?	*Dwuh shaow chee-en?*

Thank you. Good-bye!	*Shee-eh shee-eh. Zye jee-en!*

A Passion for Imagery

Wenyi Pan (Qingdao, China) In a humble apartment shared with his twelve year old daughter, artist WenYi surrounds himself with a personal collection of ancient clay artifacts that vye for precious space amid the fanciful fish-headed figures painted with oils on canvases. He smokes another cigarette and says in response to my question: "Picasso and Matisse." It's obvious in some ways, I think, but I can also make out influences of Chinese folk art mixed with a savvy sense of primitive African imagery - all blended together with the artist's wry brand of humor and zest for life and art. A prolific painter, WenYi tells me he completes two to four paintings a week. WenYi exhibits mostly out of Shanghai, with a growing patronage among American and European collectors.

Authors with Wenyi

From left to right: Authors Zhao Fang and Tim Green with WenYi.

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With our revolutionary approach, you can now learn to speak Mandarin using simple, basic, phonetic English. That's why we call our phrasebook: SPEAK E-Z CHINESE!