Classic stories

A series of comprehensible input videos telling classic Chinese stories and tales.

16 videos · Total duration: 02:25:08

The boy who cried wolf

Intermediate

The boy who cried wolfIn this video, Poona tells the story of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" in Mandarin, reminding viewers about the consequences of dishonesty and the importance of being truthful.Acquire Mandarin

Gong Mingyi

Beginner

Gong MingyiThe video is about a man named Gong Mingyi who lived in ancient times and loved playing the qin. He tries to play the qin for a cow in the countryside, but realizes that sometimes it's not worth communicating with someone who doesn't understand or appreciate you, using the metaphor of "playing the qin for a cow."Blabla Chinese - Comprehensible Input

Snow White

Intermediate

Snow WhiteIn this video, the storyteller narrates the classic fairy tale of Snow White in Mandarin, highlighting the challenges she faces with an evil stepmother and finding true love with a prince in the end. Watch to discover how Snow White's kindness and beauty lead to her happily ever after.Acquire Mandarin

The tortoise and the hare

New starter

The tortoise and the hareThe video is a retelling of the classic fable "The Tortoise and the Hare" where the tortoise challenges the hare to a race, and in the end, the tortoise wins by being consistent and steady despite the hare's initial overconfidence.Acquire Mandarin

Nine Modern Chinese Poems

Intermediate

Nine Modern Chinese PoemsThe video features a collection of Chinese poems by various authors from different eras, expressing feelings of love, nostalgia, and longing through beautiful imagery of nature and human emotions. The poems capture moments of connection, reflection, and hope, creating a sense of beauty and tranquility in everyday life.Acquire Mandarin

Houyi Shoots the Suns

Beginner

Houyi Shoots the SunsThe video tells the Chinese mythological story of Hou Yi shooting down nine of the ten suns that were causing extreme heat and suffering on Earth, with his wife Chang'e intervening to save the last sun and restore order, allowing people to return to their normal lives under the warmth and light of the sun.Comprehensible Mandarin

2 Chinese Fables

Beginner

2 Chinese FablesThe video discusses two stories, one about a farmer who waits for a rabbit to bump into a tree and the other about a hero shooting down multiple suns to save the earth. Both stories highlight the importance of hard work and perseverance over relying on luck or quick fixes.Comprehensible Mandarin

The Cup Snake Shadow

Beginner

The Cup Snake ShadowThe video tells the story of "杯公蛇影", where a friend falls ill after mistaking a reflection of a bow in a cup for a snake. It illustrates the power of perception and how our mental state can affect our physical well-being.Comprehensible Mandarin

How can you catch the tiger cub without entering the tiger's cave?

Beginner

How can you catch the tiger cub without entering the tiger's cave?The video discusses the Chinese idiom "不入虎穴焉得虎子", which translates to "Without entering the tiger's den, how can one get the tiger's cub". It conveys the message that sometimes taking risks and facing dangers is essential to reap valuable rewards or achieve great success.Comprehensible Mandarin

The Legend of White Snake

Beginner

The Legend of White Snake The video discusses the traditional Chinese legend of Bai Suzhen, also known as Madam White Snake, who transforms from a snake into a beautiful woman and falls in love with a man named Xu Xian. Through various trials and tribulations, including their son's filial piety, they are eventually reunited for a happy life together.Comprehensible Mandarin

Give up halfway

Beginner

Give up halfwayThe video discusses the Chinese idiom "半途而废" which means giving up halfway through a task. It tells a story about a man named 岳阳 who initially wanted to abandon his studies but was motivated by his wise wife to continue and eventually succeed.Comprehensible Mandarin

One hundred shots, one hundred hits

Beginner

One hundred shots, one hundred hits The video tells the story of a sharpshooter in ancient China who could hit his target with every shot from a great distance, leading to the idiom "百发百中" which now means to have a high level of certainty and success in achieving a goal in modern Chinese language.Comprehensible Mandarin

To play the zither to a cow

Beginner

To play the zither to a cowThe video discusses the Chinese idiom "对牛弹琴," which literally means "playing the lute to a cow." The story illustrates the idea that sometimes our efforts may not be understood or appreciated by the intended audience, likened to playing music to an unappreciative cow, symbolizing a futile or pointless endeavor.Comprehensible Mandarin

Pulling up seedlings to help them grow

Beginner

Pulling up seedlings to help them growThe video discusses the Chinese idiom "拔苗助长" which means to rush things and hinder progress. It tells the story of a farmer who thought pulling up young plants would make them grow faster, but instead, they withered. The lesson is to not rush the natural growth process and follow objective rules.Comprehensible Mandarin

Haste Makes Waste

Beginner

Haste Makes WasteThe video tells the ancient Chinese story of "亚苗助长" where a farmer mistakenly believed that pulling up the seedlings would help them grow taller and ended up killing them, teaching the lesson that interfering too much can have negative consequences.Comprehensible Mandarin

Cinderella

Beginner

CinderellaThis video tells the story of Cinderella, a girl mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters but ultimately finds happiness with a prince after he finds her with the help of a lost glass slipper.Comprehensible Mandarin