Chinese Moon Festival

The Chinese Moon Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, was celebrated at the be2 office last week. Our colleague Yun-Han invited us to join her for some traditional dessert: “moon cake” and “tanjuan” (rice balls with sesame or peanut filling in sweet soup). Doesn’t the moon cake look yummy?

The moon festival is one of the most important festivals in the Chinese lunar calendar. Chinese families get together to celebrate the Moon Festival, watch the full moon and eat moon cake. Couples in love also gaze at the foll moon together.

Much like Chinese Valentine’s Day, there’s a great story to go with it. There are many different versions of the story surrounding the moon goddess and how she ended up living on the moon, but they all end with the belief that you can see the moon goddess during the moon festival.

The Dating Ant and the Single Grasshopper

While re-reading the fable about the Ant and the Grasshopper the other day, it struck me that the fable could be applied to online dating and singles. Sounds ridiculous to apply the moral of an ancient Greek fable to modern online dating? Well, think about it:

The fable about the Ant and the Grasshopper begins at this time of year – while the weather is still beautiful and the summer is drawing to a close, the ant is busy stocking up supplies for the winter ahead. The grasshopper, however, is enjoying the weather and couldn’t be bothered thinking about the cold months ahead. As winter sets in, the ant is nice and cosy, with plenty of food to keep her going, while the grasshopper suffers cold and hunger because he didn’t prepare for the cold season.

This analogy is usually applied to hard work that pays off financially when times get tough, but applied to online dating, the lesson also rings true. Read more

Chinese Valentine’s Day

This week is Valentine’s Day! Now, before you all have a fit of panic because you haven’t bough a Valentine’s Day gift yet: RELAX! It’s Chinese Valentine’s Day (If you are Chinese and have forgotten Chinese Valentine’s Day, go right ahead and panic, then go buy a gift quickly).

Chinese Valentine’s Day is on day 7 of the 7th month in the Chinese lunar calendar. The number 7 is considered lucky in love and it’s one of the few numbers that are considered lucky in both Chinese and Western numerology.

Hence, the number 7 features prominently in the popular mythology surrounding Chinese Valentine’s Day: Read more

This Lovefilm will make you Long for Summer

This short lovefilm doesn’t have an exciting plot, no dialogue, no tearsome happy ending. It’s only about 7 minutes long, but nevertheless, it’s a beautiful, touching lovefilm, bound to put a smile on every viewer’s face and guaranteed to make you look forward to summer and dream of a Roman Holiday. Rome is where the young girl at the centre of the story misses her train, allowing a young man to grab the chance and show her his city at night…. but see for yourself:

Notte Sento (English subtitles) from napdan on Vimeo

Between Passion and Madness – a Fine Line

The line between passion and madness can be quite fine, and easily crossed. The romantic poets knew this and the following video illustrates it. Well, not the video but the different reactions to the video. But first, see for yourself what you think of this little love story:

A friend sent me the link to this video saying: “it will touch you – sooo beautiful!” To her, it was heartwarmingly romantic.

My first thought wasn’t of passion, but rather of madness. Read more

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