JUL. 01, 2023 | $8.24
The Mimir
EASY-TO-READ MANDARIN CHINESE
为什么草原上几乎没有树?
武则天——中国唯一的女皇帝
中国人的手机里有什么？
WHY NOT MANY TREES SEEN IN THE PRAIRIE? | 16
WU ZETIAN: THE ONLY FEMALE EMPEROR IN CHINESE HISTORY | 21
WHAT’S IN CHINESE PEOPLE’S PHONES |7
？
Editor's Note Success. It’s a simple word that’s easy to define, yet it means something different to each person you ask. For some people success is power, while for others success might mean wealth. For me personally, success could simply be developing a skill, like learning that new Chinese recipe I always wanted to cook! Despite meaning different things to different people, most people recognize success when they see it. “Wu Zetian: The Only Female Empress in Chinese History” is one such example, a fascinating article that covers one of China’s most famous rulers. She was the only Empress in Chinese history to hold the functional power of an Emperor, and skilled in her role. When you look closely at nature, you’ll find stories of success everywhere you look. Have you ever wondered why grasslands don’t have trees? In the article “Why Do Prairies Not Have Trees” you’ll learn how various species of grasses work together to conquer the land, creating vast colonies that prohibit trees and other plant species from growing. It’s not just plants however, learn how pigs successfully survived poison gas attacks and accidentally created gas masks in “Gas Masks and Pigs.” People love a success story, as success lifts a person and the people around them. You can be successful too, even if it’s simply learning how to succeed at cooking with “How to Make Black San Chop!” Pro tip: it’s all about the Old Godmother spice! The harder the challenge is, the greater the success. Learn about Wu Yonghao’s uphill battle in becoming a professional athlete by checking out “Playing Basketball on the US National Team.” He’s not the only star in this issue though, you can also read about the most successful Chinese tech giants in “What’s in Chinese People’s Phones?” What does success mean to you? Leave a comment if you have a success story to share, and ask yourself this question while reading this exciting issue of The Mimir Magazine!
Kyle McHenry English Editor of TMM Jul. 01, 2023 TMM | 01
t e e M itors d
Our E
Kyle McHenry is an American author born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, just beside the Olympic National Park. He has published numerous titles in multiple genres, notably his bestselling books for children and nonfiction science books as M.C. Henry. He has also published multiple sports guides for snowboarders under the pen name Kyle Ashton. Kyle McHenry is an avid snow sports enthusiast, has a beloved pet bunny named Moose, and is currently working to finish his first horror novel. You can follow/contact him through his social media @mchenrybooks on TikTok and Instagram.
Hello! My name is Huang Haoyang. I am a professional Chinese teacher and have taught Chinese in five countries. I cherish every opportunity to study and grow together with my students. It's fate! Just as you and I have come across each other in this vast world through this magazine and the Chinese language! I am also a language enthusiast. I believe that language can help us open up a larger world, break the curse of the Tower of Babel, and embrace friends from different cultures with a more humble heart. Thank you for learning Chinese and Chinese culture. I hope you will enjoy this issue of The Mimir magazine!
TMM | 02
content ASIAN CULTURE
Wu Zetian: The Only Female Emperor in Chinese History ——
21
FOOD IS EVERYTHING
The “Mom” Who Does the Best Seasoning “ ”
最会做调料的妈妈： 老干妈
11
How to Make Black San Chop?
26
武则天 中国唯一的女皇帝
一起来做好吃的黑三剁 TRENDS
？
What’s in Chinese People’s Phones
6
Playing Basketball on the US National Team
35
Why not Many Trees Seen in the Prairie? ?
为什么草原上几乎没有树
16
Gas Masks and Pigs
防毒面具和猪
31
It’s For You#1
41
中国人的手机里有什么？
在美国国家队打篮球的中国人 LIFE & SCIENCE
SHORT STORY
送给你（一）
Click here to listen to audio recordings of this issue on YouTube
TMM | 03
Mandarin, the language that will make your tongue twist and your brain work! http://www.themimir.com
TMM | 04
friends 莉莉
艾米 Amy is a high school exchange student from the U.S. She likes traveling and is curious about ancient cultures. She thinks Dada is very knowledgeable.
达达
Lily is a student in the same high school as Amy. Her mom is Chinese and her Dad is from Ireland. Like her mom, Lily enjoys reading and cooking.
凯文 Kevin is an exchange student from Australia. He likes sports and cars. He thinks Amy is the cutest girl ever.
Dada is a high school straight-A student from China. He loves science, the universe, and everything about aliens.
TMM | 05
TRENDS
WHAT’S IN CHINESE PEOPLE’S PHONES? INTERMEDIATE LEVEL
5MINS
TMM | 06
TRENDS
WHAT’S IN CHINESE PEOPLE’S PHONES? As a modern country that embraces technology, Chinese people always carry a smartphone. Phones are used to buy food, products, services, and for entertainment. Yes, this means watching cat videos! The most common smartphone applications used in China are WeChat, Alipay, Taobao, Sina Weibo, and Douyin. WeChat is a social media app that keeps you connected with friends, but has multiple other uses including news access and for general purchases as well. While WeChat has a number of useful features, Alipay is an all-in-one payment app that can be used for everything from purchasing airline tickets to investing in stocks. For shoppers, Taobao is like one big shopping mall where consumer goods are bought and quickly delivered to your home. Sina Weibo is another social media app that is widely used, where users can share updates or photos to their followers. And of course there is Douyin, which translates to “vibrato” in English. Douyin is a very useful and entertaining app that allows people to share short videos covering a wide range of topics. The United States version of this app is called Tik Tok, and it has become one of the most popular and successful apps ever created. This innovative approach to social media is very fun for creators, and helps users engage with people from all around the world! These are just some of the apps used in China, so ask your Chinese friends what their favorite app is and see what new apps you can discover! Editor: Kyle McHenry
TMM | 07
TRENDS
中国人的手机里有什么？ 在中国，人们走到哪里都会一直带着手机。人们用 手机买吃的、买电影票、买飞机票，用手机拍照 片、看视频，还用手机看家里的猫在做什么……他 们的手机里有很多好用又好玩的APP。 今天，我来给你介绍几个中国人经常用的APP吧， 下次你来中国的时候可以试一下。 我第一个要介绍给你的是一个社交APP：微信。大 部分中国人的手机里都有微信。如果你想和中国人 交朋友，这一定是最好用的APP。你可以用微信聊 天、看新闻、跟朋友分享好玩的事情。买东西的时 候，你还可以用微信付钱。一个App就可以解决很 多生活中的问题，非常方便。 第二个是支付宝。这是一个比微信更大的支付 APP。你可以在支付宝上买飞机票和电影票，你可 以在这里订外卖。你也可以用它交家里的水费、电 费，你还可以用它买股票！有了支付宝，你会发现 生活太简单了！ ：支付宝可以用来做什么？
Q1
：哪个APP是网上大商场？
Q2
TMM | 08
第三个是淘宝。人们在网上买东西，用的最 多的APP就是淘宝。淘宝就像一个大商场， 你需要什么，都可以在淘宝上找到。在淘宝 上买的东西，一般两、三天就能收到，特别 快。 还有一个APP是新浪微博。如果你想知道在 中国，每天发生了什么事情，你一定要下载 新浪微博。在新浪微博上，你可以看到一天 里发生了哪些重要的事情。你也可以在这里 看到你喜欢的明星每天都在做什么。你还可 以在你的微博里分享你想说的话，或者你拍 的照片。 另外，现在年轻人最喜欢用的APP是抖音。 和美国的 TIK TOK 一样，上面有很多短视 频。在这里，你可以看到中国人每天的生活 是什么样的。 除了这些，中国人的手机里还有很多其他的 APP。有空的时候，你可以和你的中国朋友 聊一聊，看看有什么新的发现！ 作者：豆子
VOCAB! TEACHER'S NOTE
视频 shì pín video
社交
shè jiāo
你用过文章中提到的APP吗？你知道中国 人的手机里还有哪些APP吗？为什么这些 APP 在中国很流行？如果你对这些问题感 兴趣，可以查一查这些APP公司的背景故 事，和朋友们讨论这些APP在中国取得成 功的原因。 在你的国家或地区，人们常用哪些手机 APP 呢？请你运用这篇文章的结构、句式 和词汇，向大家介绍你和你的朋友们常用 的手机APP。
interaction / social contact
Have you used the apps mentioned in the article? Do you know what other apps are popular among Chinese smartphone users? Why are these apps so popular in China? If you're interested in these questions, you can research the background stories of these app companies and discuss with your friends the reasons for their success in China.
订
In your country or region, which mobile apps do people commonly use? Using the structure, sentence patterns, and vocabulary from this article, please introduce the mobile apps that you and your friends frequently use.
TMM | 09
付 fù
to pay
解决
jiě jué to solve / to resolve
下载
xià zǎi to download dìng to subscribe to (a newspaper etc) / to orde
外卖
wài mài takeout
股票
gǔ piào stock
商场
shāng chǎng shopping mall
r e m m gra ew br 语法：“疑问代词＋都”
疑问代词 + 都”的语法结构用于强调某个话题内的每一个对象都符合相同的情况，对疑问代词 所指的部分加以强调。它强调所有情况都被包括在内，没有例外。需要注意的是，如果疑问代 词指代的是宾语，它应该前置于动词之前。 The Chinese grammar structure of "interrogative pronouns + 都 (dōu)" is used to “
emphasize that every object within a specific topic conforms to the same condition. It places emphasis on the part indicated by the interrogative pronoun and stresses that all situations are included without exception. It is important to note that if the interrogative pronoun functions as the Object, it should be placed before the verb. Structure: Interrogative Pronouns +
都 + verb
Examples:
他什么都喜欢吃。 He likes to eat everything. 他谁都不相信。 He doesn’t trust anyone.
Editor: Huang Haoyang
TMM | 10