Teacher Liu introduces David to different types of Chinese tea and how to drink it, and they go to a teahouse together to experience it.

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刘娜: David, have you ever had Chinese tea?
大卫: Yes, I’ve had green tea. It's very refreshing.
刘娜: There are many kinds of tea in China. Today, we'll go to a teahouse to try oolong tea.
大卫: Oolong tea? What does it taste like?
刘娜: Oolong tea is between green and black tea. It has a rich flavor with floral or fruity notes.
大卫: Sounds great! Is there a special way to drink tea?
刘娜: Yes, tea etiquette is quite refined. For example, you first smell the aroma, then sip the tea slowly.
大卫: Let’s go try it at the teahouse now!
刘娜: Sure! I’ll take you to a very famous teahouse!

A master and apprentice discuss the corporate crisis and strategic shift behind Samsung leader 李在镕's visit to China.

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王明月: Master, did you see the news about 李在镕 visiting China? He not only went to Xiaomi's factory but also toured BYD's headquarters. He seemed quite 'humble'.
陈智高: Of course I saw it. This wasn’t just a simple business trip — it was a visit driven by a sense of crisis. Look how modest his smile was at the Xiaomi factory, in stark contrast to when 雷军 once had to apologize at Samsung.
王明月: Indeed, netizens are saying 'what goes around comes around'. But isn’t Samsung’s revenue and profit growing in 2024? Why would he still say the company is at a ‘life-or-death’ juncture?
陈智高: That's exactly the point. Things look fine on the surface, but there are hidden undercurrents. The semiconductor sector is under attack from all sides, and their TV, smartphone, and digital cockpit businesses are declining. In tech competition, falling behind even a little can get you eliminated.
王明月: I see. And I noticed he's also stepping up strategic training for the management team, seemingly trying to save the company through internal reform. But can this family-run business model really adapt to today's global competition?
陈智高: That’s the very debate in Korean society. Many believe Samsung should bring in professional managers and move away from the traditional ‘prince succession’. But deep-rooted family control and vested interests are not easily shaken.
王明月: At the end of the day, Samsung understands a hard truth: it can't afford to lose the Chinese market. With domestic technologies rising, Xiaomi and BYD no longer look up to others — they’ve become partners Samsung must win over.
陈智高: Exactly. From 'a guilty apology' to 'a smiling visit', times have changed. If 李在镕 really wants to be 'reborn through crisis', he must not only lower his posture but also break old mindsets to find new opportunities.
王明月: I get it now — this is not just a corporate transformation, but also a battle of culture and era. If Samsung doesn't break the old to build the new, even the greatest empire can collapse.

Chinese investors are flocking to buy temples in Japan, but the risks are significant.

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陈花: Huang Gang, did you see that news? Some Chinese people spent millions to buy a temple in Japan and ended up regretting it.
黄刚: Yes, I saw it. They originally thought they could use the religious corporation status to avoid taxes and get permanent residency, but it turns out it's not that simple.
陈花: I thought buying a temple could be turned into a guesthouse, offering a 'temple stay' experience, but it seems I was overthinking it.
黄刚: Exactly. Japan’s Religious Corporations Act is very strict. You can't just change things as you like. And while temple income is tax-exempt, that's only for religious activities, not for commercial ventures like guesthouses or parking lots.
陈花: I heard some people were lured by the pitch that 'buy a temple and get a visa,' but after spending millions, they still couldn't get a visa.
黄刚: Moreover, Japanese society values community identity. A foreigner suddenly becoming a temple abbot — many locals won't accept that. A temple isn't just a building; it has cultural and historical significance.
陈花: So, it's one of those 'looks great on the surface' deals but is actually a trap. Investing in domestic cultural tourism projects might be a better idea. At least we understand the cultural context better.
黄刚: Exactly. You can't just chase the hype. Buying a temple is buying a responsibility, not a shortcut.

Liu Na and Yuko talk about Tai Chi and square dancing in the park. Yuko is very interested in this aspect of Chinese culture and wants to try learning it.

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优子: Teacher Liu, what are those people doing in the park?
刘娜: They're practicing Tai Chi, and the others over there are doing square dancing.
优子: What is Tai Chi?
刘娜: Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese martial art that helps improve health and fitness.
优子: And what about square dancing?
刘娜: Square dancing is a group dance where many people dance together. It’s good exercise and very fun.
优子: Sounds like fun! I want to learn too. Which one do you think suits me?
刘娜: If you like a slow pace, you can try Tai Chi. If you like music and dancing, go for square dancing!
优子: They both sound interesting! I’ll try next time!

Behind AI lies the differing values and development paths of China and the US.

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王明月: Master, Professor Zhu Songchun pointed out that the biggest obstacle to China's AI development is not a technical bottleneck but our blind following of the Silicon Valley narrative. It sounds sharp, but it also seems quite true.
陈智高: Indeed. Over the past decade, the Silicon Valley model that equates AI with 'big data, big computing power, and big models' has almost become the global default path. Whatever OpenAI and DeepMind talk about, we follow. But this path is not just a technological route; it is also a way to export discourse power.
王明月: I noticed that Professor Zhu mentioned a statistic: The market value of America's top three tech companies has already surpassed the entire Chinese stock market. Behind this capital narrative, there is actually a hidden form of technological hegemony.
陈智高: Exactly. And the first step of technological hegemony is discourse hegemony. They set standards, define the future, and even decide 'what intelligence really is.' Look, they claim that general AI must be built by stacking millions of GPUs — that's 'scale worship.' But do we really have to follow that path?
王明月: Ironically, many of our domestic policies and investments are actually centered around these 'Silicon Valley logics.' Even concerns about AI safety are following Hinton’s lead, as if whatever the US worries about, we should worry about too.
陈智高: This is just like the 'globalization narrative' back then. The US said 'the world is flat,' so the world handed over manufacturing to China. When they found it no longer advantageous, they immediately flipped the table, pushing for 'de-risking' and 'technological decoupling.' Discourse power is always a strategic resource.
王明月: That's why Professor Zhu emphasizes the need to construct our own AI narrative. He advocates for developing a technological path based on China's actual circumstances, avoiding being led by others' standards.
陈智高: Exactly. He is not against big models but against the illusion that 'there is only one path.' China needs to tell its own story — both the 'mind' in philosophy and the 'logic' in technology. This is not just a technological choice; it's a civilizational choice.

小刚 tells 小宝 about a news story involving fake beef jerky, and 小宝 is shocked.

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小宝: Big brother, I love eating beef jerky the most!
小刚: 小宝, did you know? Some beef jerky doesn’t have any beef in it at all!
小宝: Huh? Then what’s in it?
小刚: It’s made from pork, duck, or chicken. They lie and call it beef jerky, but it’s fake.
小宝: Lying is bad! Will they get caught?
小刚: Yes. Six people have already been sentenced and have to pay a lot of money.
小宝: From now on, before I eat beef jerky, I’ll ask Mom and Dad if it’s real.
小刚: Good idea. Make sure to read the packaging carefully and buy well-known brands. That’s safer.

Liu Na introduces common Chinese breakfast foods to Yuko.

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刘娜: Chinese people often eat soy milk and youtiao for breakfast.
优子: What is soy milk?
刘娜: Soy milk is a drink made from soybeans, kind of like Japanese tounyuu.
优子: Oh, I see! What about youtiao?
刘娜: Youtiao is a type of deep-fried dough. It's fragrant and crispy, and usually eaten with soy milk.
优子: Sounds delicious! Are there other breakfast foods?
刘娜: Yes, for example, baozi, congee, jianbing guozi, and so on.
优子: I want to try jianbing guozi!

小刚 explains to 小宝 how the post-2000 generation is changing the concept of workplace attire and breaking traditional norms.

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小宝: Brother, why does Dad always wear a suit to work?
小刚: Because many companies think wearing a suit looks formal and makes people appear more professional and polite.
小宝: But I saw some people dress very casually at work, like they're hanging out in the park.
小刚: That's right. Many young people born after 2000 don’t like being restricted by dress codes. They think you should wear what you like, not just suits.
小宝: Isn’t that bad? Won’t the company get mad?
小刚: Actually, as long as your clothes are clean, tidy, and suitable for the work environment, most bosses don’t mind. The post-2000 generation wants more freedom at work and to dress comfortably and with personality.
小宝: Then can I wear what I like to work when I grow up?
小刚: Of course you can! As long as you show your professional skills, your outfit won’t affect your performance.