ABOUT THE SPEAKER
ShaoLan Hsueh - Technologist, entrepreneur
ShaoLan want to help people understand China's culture and language, and to bridge the gap between East and West.

Why you should listen

ShaoLan is an entrepreneur, angel investor, geek, writer, traveller and dreamer. She is the founder and creator of Chineasy, which she launched after her TED Talk in Long Beach, California in 2013.

In just over three years, she has built Chineasy into one of the most popular methods of learning Chinese across the Internet with several hundred thousand fellow learners. Her first book, Chineasy, The New Way to Read Chinese, was launched in March 2014 and has been translated into 18 languages. Her next book, Chineasy Everyday, was launched in March 2016.

ShaoLan is a tech entrepreneur with extensive business experience. At the age of 22, while studying for her MBA, she wrote four best-selling books on software in Taiwan, and her books were bundled by Microsoft. She co-founded pAsia, one of the major players on Internet in Asia in 1990’s. After a second masters degree at the University of Cambridge, she began Caravel Capital in 2005 to advise young tech companies.

Chineasy represents a return for ShaoLan to her artistic upbringing and in many ways a design project. This project is the culmination of her life’s journey through the East and West. Her aim is to help people to understand China, Chinese culture, its language and to bridge the gap between East and West. Her next step is to help Chinese children to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of their own language. 

 

More profile about the speaker
ShaoLan Hsueh | Speaker | TED.com
TED2013

ShaoLan: Learn to read Chinese ... with ease!

薛曉嵐:讀懂中文 ... 好容易!

Filmed:
4,781,742 views

對外國人而言,學說中文甚是艱難。然而,學看中文──繁複且饒富美感的中文字可能較為容易。曉嵐帶大家上一課,認識中文字的形與義──並由幾個簡單的部首來學更複雜的字。就叫它「中文易」(Chineasy)吧。
- Technologist, entrepreneur
ShaoLan want to help people understand China's culture and language, and to bridge the gap between East and West. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
Growing生長 up in Taiwan台灣
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身為書法家之女的我在台灣成長
00:14
as the daughter女兒 of a calligrapher書法家,
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身為書法家之女的我在台灣成長
00:16
one of my most treasured memories回憶
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我最珍貴的回憶
00:18
was my mother母親 showing展示 me the beauty美女, the shape形狀
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就是母親教懂我漢字的形態
00:21
and the form形成 of Chinese中文 characters人物.
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並陶冶我去欣賞當中的美
00:24
Ever since以來 then, I was fascinated入迷
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從此以後,我就迷上了
00:27
by this incredible難以置信 language語言.
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這絕妙的語文
00:29
But to an outsider局外人, it seems似乎 to be
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但對門外漢而言
00:32
as impenetrable費解的 as the Great Wall of China中國.
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中文有如萬里長城般的高不可攀
00:35
Over the past過去 few少數 years年份, I've been wondering想知道
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過去數年,我一直在思索
00:38
if I can break打破 down this wall,
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能否讓這堵高牆倒下
00:40
so anyone任何人 who wants to understand理解 and appreciate欣賞
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好讓有志之士
00:42
the beauty美女 of this sophisticated複雜的 language語言 could do so.
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都能學會並欣賞這精湛的語言
00:46
I started開始 thinking思維 about how a new, fast快速 method方法
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我開始思索一種前所未有
00:51
of learning學習 Chinese中文 might威力 be useful有用.
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而且快速的中文學習法
00:54
Since以來 the age年齡 of five, I started開始 to learn學習 how to draw
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自五歲起,我開始學習
00:58
every一切 single stroke行程 for each character字符
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以正確筆順書寫每個漢字
01:01
in the correct正確 sequence序列.
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以正確筆順書寫每個漢字
01:03
I learned學到了 new characters人物 every一切 day
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接下來的十五年,我每天都學習新字
01:05
during the course課程 of the next下一個 15 years年份.
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接下來的十五年,我每天都學習新字
01:08
Since以來 we only have five minutes分鐘,
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我在這裡只有五分鐘,時間相當緊迫
01:10
it's better that we have a fast快速 and simpler簡單 way.
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需得有個快速、簡單的方法
來跟大家分享這個學習方法
01:14
A Chinese中文 scholar學者 would understand理解 20,000 characters人物.
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中國讀書人能識得二萬個中文字
01:17
You only need 1,000 to understand理解 the basic基本 literacy讀寫能力.
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但其實只需認得一千字就具備中文基礎了
01:22
The top最佳 200 will allow允許 you to comprehend理解
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學會最基礎的二百字就能理解四成的用語
01:26
40 percent百分 of basic基本 literature文學 --
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學會最基礎的二百字就能理解四成的用語
01:29
enough足夠 to read road signs跡象, restaurant餐廳 menus菜單,
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這足以看懂路牌、餐廳菜單
01:32
to understand理解 the basic基本 idea理念 of the web捲筒紙 pages網頁
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並了解網頁和報紙的大意
01:35
or the newspapers報紙.
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並了解網頁和報紙的大意
01:37
Today今天 I'm going to start開始 with eight
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現在我要用八個字
01:39
to show顯示 you how the method方法 works作品.
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來展示一下這個學習方法
01:41
You are ready準備?
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準備好了嗎?
01:43
Open打開 your mouth as wide as possible可能
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使勁張大嘴巴
01:46
until直到 it's square廣場.
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讓嘴變成口型
01:48
You get a mouth.
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為「口」
01:50
This is a person going for a walk步行.
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散步的人
01:53
Person.
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為「人」
01:57
If the shape形狀 of the fire is a person
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「火」就像人舉起雙手
01:59
with two arms武器 on both sides雙方,
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「火」就像人舉起雙手
02:02
as if she was yelling大呼小叫 frantically瘋狂,
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振臂高呼
02:04
"Help! I'm on fire!" --
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「天啊!我著火了!」
02:07
This symbol符號 actually其實 is originally本來 from the shape形狀 of the flame火焰,
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這個字原本來自火的形態
02:11
but I like to think that way. Whichever任何 works作品 for you.
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但我喜歡這樣想像。其實
只要你能理解,什麼方法都可以
02:15
This is a tree.
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這是一棵樹
02:18
Tree.
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「木」
02:20
This is a mountain.
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這是一座「山」
02:24
The sun太陽.
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「日」
02:29
The moon月亮.
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「月」
02:34
The symbol符號 of the door
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「門」的漢字
02:36
looks容貌 like a pair of saloon轎車 doors in the wild野生 west西.
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就像是荒野西部的酒吧大門
02:41
I call these eight characters人物 radicals自由基.
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我稱這八個字為部首
02:45
They are the building建造 blocks
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這些元素能組成更多文字
02:47
for you to create創建 lots more characters人物.
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這些元素能組成更多文字
02:51
A person.
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「人」
02:53
If someone有人 walks散步 behind背後, that is "to follow跟隨."
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人隨其後,為「从」(從)
02:57
As the old saying goes,
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古語有云:
02:59
two is company公司, three is a crowd人群.
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兩人結伴,三人不歡─三人為「众」(眾)
03:03
If a person stretched拉伸 their arms武器 wide,
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若人展開雙臂,說:「有這麼『大』」
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this person is saying, "It was this big."
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若人展開雙臂,說:「有這麼『大』」
03:10
The person inside the mouth, the person is trapped被困.
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人在口中,是「囚」禁
03:14
He's a prisoner囚犯, just like Jonah約拿 inside the whale.
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就像約拿被困於鯨魚口裡
03:20
One tree is a tree. Two trees樹木 together一起, we have the woods樹木.
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一木為樹,雙木為「林」
03:24
Three trees樹木 together一起, we create創建 the forest森林.
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三木就成了「森」林
03:27
Put a plank underneath the tree, we have the foundation基礎.
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樹下加橫木,為根「本」
03:31
Put a mouth on the top最佳 of the tree, that's "idiot白痴." (Laughter笑聲)
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樹上長口,是「呆」子(眾笑)
03:35
Easy簡單 to remember記得,
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很容易記吧?
03:37
since以來 a talking tree is pretty漂亮 idiotic.
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會說話的樹的確還蠻傻的
03:42
Remember記得 fire?
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還記得火嗎?
03:44
Two fires火災 together一起, I get really hot.
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兩火交疊,是「炎」熱
03:47
Three fires火災 together一起, that's a lot of flames火焰.
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三火相加,是火燄四射
03:50
Set the fire underneath the two trees樹木, it's burning燃燒.
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兩木下生火,是「焚」燒
03:54
For us, the sun太陽 is the source資源 of prosperity繁榮.
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對中國人而言,日(太陽)為萬物之源
03:58
Two suns太陽 together一起, prosperous繁榮.
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兩日相隨,代表「昌」盛
04:00
Three together一起, that's sparkles火花.
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三日相疊亮「晶」晶
04:02
Put the sun太陽 and the moon月亮 shining閃亮的 together一起,
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日月相輔為「明」
04:04
it's brightness亮度.
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代表光明
04:05
It also means手段 tomorrow明天, after a day and a night.
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亦代表明日(過了一晝夜)
04:10
The sun太陽 is coming未來 up above以上 the horizon地平線. Sunrise日出.
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日出為「旦」,太陽升上地平線
04:14
A door. Put a plank inside the door,
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「門」中放橫木,是「閂」
04:17
it's a door bolt螺栓.
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鎖門的門閂
04:19
Put a mouth inside the door, asking questions問題.
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門中有口,是「問」
04:22
Knock knock. Is anyone任何人 home?
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彷彿敲門問:有人在嗎?
04:26
This person is sneaking鬼鬼祟祟 out of a door,
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這個人在門邊鬼鬼祟祟
04:28
escaping逃逸, evading迴避.
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「閃」躲、「閃」避
04:31
On the left, we have a woman女人.
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左邊是個「女」人
04:33
Two women婦女 together一起, they have an argument論據.
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「奻」,兩個女人在一起,就會起爭執
04:36
(Laughter笑聲)
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(眾笑)
04:38
Three women婦女 together一起, be careful小心, it's adultery通姦.
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三女一起要當心,有「姦」情
04:44
So we have gone走了 through通過 almost幾乎 30 characters人物.
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現在我們已經談了將近三十個字
04:48
By using運用 this method方法, the first eight radicals自由基
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用這種方法,前八個部首
04:51
will allow允許 you to build建立 32.
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就組成三十二個字
04:53
The next下一個 group of eight characters人物
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下一組的八個部首
04:55
will build建立 an extra額外 32.
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又能組成三十二個字
04:57
So with very little effort功夫,
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如此你就能輕而易舉的學會數百個中文字
04:59
you will be able能夠 to learn學習 a couple一對 hundred characters人物,
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如此你就能輕而易舉的學會數百個中文字
05:02
which哪一個 is the same相同 as a Chinese中文 eight-year-old八歲.
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相當於一個八歲的中國小孩的中文水平
05:04
So after we know the characters人物, we start開始 building建造 phrases短語.
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學會字後,就開始造詞
05:08
For example, the mountain and the fire together一起,
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例如「火」加「山」
05:10
we have fire mountain. It's a volcano火山.
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會噴火的山,就是「火山」
05:13
We know Japan日本 is the land土地 of the rising升起 sun太陽.
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日本的意思是朝陽升起的地方
05:17
This is a sun太陽 placed放置 with the origin起源,
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因為日本位處中國東方
05:20
because Japan日本 lies to the east of China中國.
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對中國而言是太陽本源之處
05:23
So a sun太陽, origin起源 together一起, we build建立 Japan日本.
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因此「日」加上「本」組成「日本」
05:27
A person behind背後 Japan日本, what do we get?
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「日本」後加「人」,是甚麼?
05:30
A Japanese日本 person.
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是「日本人」
05:33
The character字符 on the left is two mountains
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左邊的字是兩座山上下相疊
05:36
stacked堆疊 on top最佳 of each other.
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左邊的字是兩座山上下相疊
05:38
In ancient China中國, that means手段 in exile流亡,
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在中國,代表逐「出」
05:41
because Chinese中文 emperors皇帝, they put their political政治 enemies敵人
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中國古代皇帝會剷除異己
05:44
in exile流亡 beyond mountains.
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把政敵逐出千山萬水之外
05:46
Nowadays如今, exile流亡 has turned轉身 into getting得到 out.
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現在,逐「出」成了外「出」
05:51
A mouth which哪一個 tells告訴 you where to get out
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一張會告訴你如何走「出」去的口
05:54
is an exit出口.
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是「出口」
05:56
This is a slide滑動 to remind提醒 me that I should stop talking
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這張投影片正好提醒我該就此打住
05:59
and get off of the stage階段. Thank you.
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離開講台了。謝謝
06:01
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
Translated by Clement Fu
Reviewed by Yi-Hsuan Wu

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
ShaoLan Hsueh - Technologist, entrepreneur
ShaoLan want to help people understand China's culture and language, and to bridge the gap between East and West.

Why you should listen

ShaoLan is an entrepreneur, angel investor, geek, writer, traveller and dreamer. She is the founder and creator of Chineasy, which she launched after her TED Talk in Long Beach, California in 2013.

In just over three years, she has built Chineasy into one of the most popular methods of learning Chinese across the Internet with several hundred thousand fellow learners. Her first book, Chineasy, The New Way to Read Chinese, was launched in March 2014 and has been translated into 18 languages. Her next book, Chineasy Everyday, was launched in March 2016.

ShaoLan is a tech entrepreneur with extensive business experience. At the age of 22, while studying for her MBA, she wrote four best-selling books on software in Taiwan, and her books were bundled by Microsoft. She co-founded pAsia, one of the major players on Internet in Asia in 1990’s. After a second masters degree at the University of Cambridge, she began Caravel Capital in 2005 to advise young tech companies.

Chineasy represents a return for ShaoLan to her artistic upbringing and in many ways a design project. This project is the culmination of her life’s journey through the East and West. Her aim is to help people to understand China, Chinese culture, its language and to bridge the gap between East and West. Her next step is to help Chinese children to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of their own language. 

 

More profile about the speaker
ShaoLan Hsueh | Speaker | TED.com