Time went fast and things changed a lot especially in the last 30 years from 1978 to 2008. I can see the progresses of our country, the reformed China, when I recall my housing and compared the old one with the new one now!
I lived in a courtyard house for my childhood for 16 years. That was a traditional Chinese designed house with rooms in each 4 directions and a nice squared courtyard in the middle. It was located in a narrow alley and there were 4 houses on each side of this alley.
We children of the 8 homes got along and lived joyously, as we could meet each other easily after class. When we came back home from school, we normally threw the bags on bed and shouted to mom or the maid: "We will have a rest and back soon". Then we sisters and brother as well as other children would run out to the playground of the Military district and had a great time there. However, that kind of house was really an old fashion one where we even had no toilet at home but had to go out for 10 minutes to use the public one in the big military courtyard.
After I got married in 1978, I have moved 3 times so far and each time the latter house would be better than the former. I enjoy the advanced facilities of the flat but I still remember the old courtyard house. Why? From the flat building, I can't meet people as easily as we did in the courtyard house. People are now isolated in a well decorated house but hardly go to visit other's home just for chat. And the young generation currently is often busy with their lessons and has no time to run out for a good time as we did....
I really miss my first house. Sigh.. it was in the old city of Wuchang, by the river of ChangJiang, near the Yellow Crane Tower. A very beautiful place to live.
I still remember there's a small hill of "night-blooming cereus"(Aka 昙花,Tanhua)
Wow! That is really a good place for tourist. I have been there.
I went to Huang He Lou(Yellow Crane Tower) in May,1997 and enjoyed the great scenery thereI I also like the famous poem on it, made by the ancient poet Wang zhihuan....
However, I think the most missing thing is the young life you had, I bet! And me too, really missing the happy and free life I have had in my childhood, even though the life then was very simple....
well,actually, I think maybe you could refer to some website, which provide free Chinese learning resources .
of course a good dictionary is of great help when you learn a foreign language.
I don't quite like your suggestion, I prefer Chinesepod
Time went fast and things changed a lot especially in the last 30 years from 1978 to 2008. I can see the progresses of our country, the reformed China, when I recall my housing and compared the old one with the new one now!
1. progress is very seldom used in the plural.
2. 'a reformed China' might be better.
3. 'housing' refers to many buildings? It cannot be compared with 'one'.
I home this helps a little.
Wow! Thank you very much for your correction which I agree!
That is why I keep practicing as much as I can with this foreign language.
Talking about old housing in China reminds me of the days when the country was still struggling to modernize. When our government relaxed travel restrictions to China, many Malaysian Chinese took the opportunity to re-visit the villages from which they or their parents came from and to re-connect with siblings, relatives and friends. As many of these Malaysians were quite elderly then, many had their children accompany them and I remembered horror tales recounted by the younger ones upon their return of the bad toilet facilities existing in China then. It seems one has to bring an umbrella when visiting China so you could use it to protect your modesty when using the open plan toilets. Malaysians were not quite used to this.
Well, I made my first visit to China this year and not only was I surprised by the modernity of the city of Hangzhou where I spend my 9 days' vacation (having been entranced by the serenity of the West lake), there were clean public toilets in most part of the city for the conveniences of visitors and tourists. You are now even better than Kuala Lumpur in this respect!
I did not bring any umbrella to China but bought a couple of the famed Hangzhou umbrellas instead. I intend to make regular visits to this wonderful country for as long as my health permits.
Welcome to our country again! You can see more about our beautiful land and kind people in China.
China is still a developing country now and so, we Chinese people still need to struggle for her prosperity.
Many changes has happened in the past 30 years. Hopefully one day we can all unite and speak on language.