Jocelyn

Jocelyn Eikenburg knows China from a marketing and advertising perspective. She was a staff writer for three years with Global Sources, the premier international trade media company. There, she worked from offices in Shanghai and Taipei to develop marketing materials for manufacturers in China. She was also a staff writer for one year with the China Chemical Network, China’s largest B2B online portal for the chemical industry, where she assisted with the development of online advertisements and web content for chemical manufacturers in China. Other positions she has held in China include research assistant and writer for the International Network on Small Hydropower, and English teacher at Henan College of Education. Jocelyn is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and has a deep understanding of Chinese culture, through five and a half years of living in China. Since returning to the US, she has established her own firm, offering the unique combination of business-to-business marketing assistance, Chinese translation, and cultural advice about China.

What does the number 9 mean in China’s culture?

Look to the numbers as another reflection of superstition in China. Here in many Western, Judeo-Christian cultures, 7 is the big one. But it’s another story in China, where certain digits promise good fortune, long life and prosperity. Let’s take the number 9, for example. What does the the number 9 mean in China’s culture?

The Golden Pig Year baby boom and the power of superstition in China

It’s no secret that superstition runs deep in Chinese culture. And this Chinese New Year is yet another reminder of that, as this NPR news story discusses in the baby boom for the Golden Pig year: In China, city-dwellers are only allowed one child, so many are timing their pregnancies according to the traditional lunar […]

Happy Year of the Pig!

We’re taking the week off to observe the holiday. In the meantime, we wish you a prosperous new year. Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财!

Duilian...one of the most beloved Chinese New Year Symbols

Duilian…one of the most beloved Chinese New Year Symbols

This image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons and user Chrislb, and falls under their GMU Free Documentation License. Ever come across a door flanked by two vertical red strips with Chinese characters? If so, you’ve seen duilian — one of the most important and revered Chinese New Year symbols and traditions. Duilian are generally two long, […]

Yes, I’ll have some more walnuts and black sesame: the wintertime push for nutritional supplements in China

I’ll never forget the January scene I once witnessed at a foodstuffs store on Huaihai Road — Shanghai’s main shopping drag. There they were, masses of people, lining up for this classic wonder supplement. No, it wasn’t Amway or Nuskin or even some hi-tech offering from a Chinese company. Just walnut and black sesame powder, […]

How the Chinese government may have stolen Chinese New Year

The Chinese government may be treading on some thin ice with their recent announcement about the Chinese New Year. The problem? They’ve announced that the official holiday falls on February 18 to 24 — conveniently forgetting about February 17, Chinese New Year’s Eve. Here’s a rough translation of a portion of this article in BBC […]