Games

Minami Lane – An adorable management game for Chinese learners

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I discovered Minami Lane through social media shortly after the game’s initial release. Minami Lane is an adorable, cosy, and simple management game set in a Japanese-inspired street.

At the end of May, the developers released version 1.1, which contained many quality-of-life changes and a language update. The language update included Simplified Chinese, French, German and Japanese.

The lovely developers of Minami Lane kindly gifted me this game to play in Chinese, and I’m going to share my thoughts on it and why it’s a great game to play in Chinese.

Games

Stardew Valley (星露谷物语) – Excellent game to help improve your Chinese

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Stardew Valley 《星露谷物语》 is the most well-known and loved farming game, inspired by games like Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons.

I absolutely love this game, and with the latest 1.6 update, I can’t stop recommending it for Mandarin Chinese learners who love farming games.

Guides

The ultimate guide to starting Mandarin Chinese for danmei webnovels

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Have you ever considered learning Mandarin Chinese to read a danmei web novel? Are you wondering if that’s even feasible or worth it? Let me assure you that it’s worth your time and completely achievable, and many have already succeeded, including myself.

You’re not alone on this journey.

TV Dramas

《大理寺少卿游》 White Cat Legend – Interesting costume mystery drama

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《大理寺少卿游》 “White Cat Legend” is a decent straightforward and lighthearted mystery drama with a bit of fantasy elements. I would recommend this if you are looking for just that.

Don’t expect amazing crimes, lots of clever moments or cinematic scenes. If you want to watch a simple show, this is for you!

I wasn’t amazed by this show, but I enjoyed it and had a great time watching it.

TV Dramas

《一念关山》 A Journey To Love – High production historical drama

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During the serialisation period of 《一念关山》 “A Journey To Love”, there were many positive ratings and comments on this drama, but unfortunately, the rating drastically dropped after the release of the final arc.

Despite the potentially disappointing ending, my curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to give this drama a chance.

Going into the drama with the knowledge of a potentially bad ending changed my perspective of the drama, and I really enjoyed the journey…up until that ending.

Guides

Is it worth learning Mandarin Chinese for danmei webnovels?

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Learning a new language is challenging and requires dedication over a long period, and it can be difficult to decide if it’s worth it.

Have you been considering taking up the challenge of learning Chinese for danmei? Are you wondering if it’s worth it at all? Have you also wondered if anyone else has managed to achieve the goal of reading danmei webnovels in Chinese?

Let me tell you, it’s completely worth it.

Short Dramas

《拜托了，别宠我》 Please Don’t Spoil Me – A transmigration drama with all the tropes

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Webnovel author Yan Yi Yi wakes up as the evil support character of her novel who is destined to be banished to the cold palace. She tries everything she can to avoid this tragic ending but is soon told by the book official that the story must flow according to the original plot, or else she will be obliterated.

Yan Yi Yi finds herself trying to maintain the original plot while trying to avoid a bad ending for herself.

… And soon, she starts to fall in love with the emperor.

TV Dramas

《去有风的地方》 Meet Yourself – A brilliant healing drama that is excellent for Chinese learners

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《去有风的地方》 “Meet Yourself” tells the story of a big-city worker who escapes to a rural village to find peace and tranquillity. She quickly discovers that life in an agricultural village isn’t as peaceful as she had imagined and is soon entangled in the lives of the local villagers and other city workers who, like her, had escaped to the village in search of peace and quiet.

This is my drama modern slice-of-life drama of all time; read my review to find out the way!

Guides Journey

From Chinese intermediate to Chinese native webnovels in 18 months

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I will share with you my experience of spending 18 months reading original Chinese novels every single day — novels I had previously not read in another language or consumed the story in another form (i.e. a TV show or movie).

I jumped straight into original Chinese work because reading something like Harry Potter in Chinese just didn’t interest me. I’m generally not interested in re-reading books, even in another language.

Short Dramas

《念念无明》 The Killer Is Also Romantic – Chinese historical Mr. & Mrs. Smith

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《念念无明》 “The Killer Is Also Romantic” is one that is perfect for Chinese learners! It’s lighthearted and funny, with an easy-to-follow, straightforward plot that is comprehensible even without understanding every dialogue.

Many call this show the Chinese historical version of the American movie “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”. There is a very strong resemblance, but with more romance and the addition of a second couple.