Chinese Language and Travel

For the launch of the Language & Travel blog, Hippocrene has a special treat: from now until the middle of August, we'll be focusing exclusively on Chinese language and destinations, presenting some of China's rarest gems while also giving a few insights into the language that will be useful for everybody, from first-time tourists to "old China-hands".

School kids in China think their country looks like a rooster.

Why the prolonged focus on China? Well, aside from Mandarin Chinese being the language with the most native speakers in the world (873 million - 1.1 billion speakers, depending on how you count), Beijing will also host the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics and we know that a few key Mandarin phrases and tips about the country's most stunning tourist gems can really go a long way.

So, while you pack your bags for Beijing, stay tuned to this blog over the next two months to learn the things you'll want to know before you go.

How do you say "open sesame" in Chinese?