Chinese Mother In-law - Zhang Mu Niang

Study HSK : 丈母娘” means mother-in-law in Chinese.  In China, it is a very popular word and many boys are afraid of their 丈母娘 zhàng mǔ niáng.

In China, mothers-in-law play a very important role in their daughter’s marriage. That should dates back to the old times of China, when arranged or mercenary marriage and any other acts of interference with the freedom of marriage are very common. Young people should listen to the ideas and “suggestions” of their parents when they are choosing their husbands or wives. For example, many girls like boys who are tall, rich, and good-looking while mothers may think that the boys who have well-financed family support are better. In their view, good appearance may not be so important when they become old. So 丈母娘(zhàng mǔ niáng) prefers to introduce the man who is plain but has a successful career to her daughter.

Nowadays, even though it is illegal to interfere with other people’s marriage by any means and people advocate the freedom of marriage and Chinese also encourage free choice of partners, but the 丈母娘(zhàng mǔ niáng) still has the ability to give her daughter advice or directly express her dissatisfaction towards the candidate for son-in-law, which makes many boys fail to marry the girl they love only because the potential 丈母娘(zhàng mǔ niáng) do not like them.

Another way to address mother-in-law is “岳母”, which is not as commonly used as Zhang Mu Niang when we take  online Chinese tutoring. Because of their 岳母， many boys have a lot of pressure and have to do everything to entertain them, including buying them expensive gifts, maybe as a way to show that they are not only good-looking, but also wealthy. Many foreigners like to marry Chinese girls, but the zhang mu niang may be an obstacle to them. If you are considering learning Chinese 1-on-1 with an online tutor, you can read this review of HSKCourse first. 

Traditional Chinese Dress – Qipao

Chinese dressing style is quite different from those in the west because of China’s unique cultures. As Chinese movies march towards the world stage, an increasing number of Chinese movies and movie stars are known by people abroad, such as In The Mood For Love and its chief actress Madame Zhang Manyu. In this movie, Madam Zhang always wears the 旗(qí) 袍(páo), or cheongsam. 旗(qí) 袍(páo) is one of the most distinctive costumes for Chinese women.

The cheongsam is a body-hugging one-piece Chinese dress for women; the male version is the长(chánɡ) 衫(shān). It is known in skype Chinese lessons as the Qipao, and is also known in English as a mandarin gown. In ancient time, the collar of the costume was made high and tight fitting to keep warm. And this feature is often incorporated into cheongsam styles. Now, it is not only to keep warm but also for beauty. Usually, the collar of cheongsam takes a semicircle shape, and the right and left sides of it are symmetrical. The collar of the 旗(qí) 袍(páo) is made meticulously, especially the buttonhole loop on the collar, which serves as the finishing touch.

There are two big slits at either side of the hem of a cheongsam for moving conveniently while displaying the woman's slender legs. The cheongsam is far more modest that a short skirt even though it reveals beautiful glimpses of leg far up the thigh. Like a Chinese temperament, the cheongsam is elegant and gentle. The modernized version is noted for accentuating the figures of women, and as such remains popular as a dress for high society. As Western fashions changed, the basic cheongsam design changed too, introducing high-necked sleeveless dresses, bell-like sleeves, and the black lace adorning the hem. By the 1940s, cheongsam came in a wide variety of fabrics with an equal variety of accessories.