Sunday, July 31, 2005

AIDS China Awareness

October is World AIDS Awareness Month and World AIDS Awareness Day is celebrated Dec. 1. China is just now waking up to the problem it faces with the AIDS epidemic. It is making great progress, but still has many challenges to overcome. Lack of openness, lack of commitment and leadership of the government, lack of adequate resources, a crumbling public health system, and a severe stigma and discrimination against people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, all contribute to this growing problem. It is feared that in the near future, China might have more people with HIV than any other country in the world. Help promote awareness and understanding in Chinese.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/744568

47 Ronin

Chushingura, the 47 loyal retainers. The Kanji name of the most popular story in Japanese history, Chushingura. In 1701, forty-seven Ronin (Samurai without a master) followed the Bushido Code and avenged the unfair death of their lord.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/744617

Shi Mian Mai Fu

When you feel surrounded by enemies on all sides. An ancient expression based on the story of a General who was surrounded by enemies, with no hope of escape. This design makes it clear that you have no wish to be surrounded in such a way.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/744588

Saturday, July 30, 2005

Video Game Warning

Many Japanese video games are ultra-violent, with their blood and gore content. This design is based on such "warning" labels, as is common to see on spooky games that feature grotesque violence with ghosts and the walking dead. Ironically, most popular games have this warning in some form.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/742823

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Otaku: an obsession for all things Japanese

In English, an Otaku is a type of geek who is overly obsessed in anime, manga, or with a female Japanese Idol. Basically, anything to do with Japan pop culture. Do you enjoy watching anime marathons? Have you memorized their theme songs in Japanese? Look at Idol photo books all day and make romantic plans? You are an Otaku, no doubt about it!

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/738359

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

YHYK is ASAP In Chinese

Yue Kuai Yue Hao, in Mandarin Chinese, literally means "the faster, the better." ASAP is so outdated. Use this new trendy expression to tell people you want stuff done in a hurry. YKYH!

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/738342

iChing

I Ching is the oldest of the Chinese classic texts. It describes an ancient system of philosophy which is at the heart of Chinese culture. The belief centers on the ideas of the dynamic balance of opposites, the evolution of events as a process, and acceptance of the inevitability of change. This "iChing" design is based on the popular Apple iPod advertising campaign.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/738131

Class of 2006 Zodiac Kanji

Going back to school already? Have a graduation planned on the horizon? Celebrate your educational achievement with the Chinese Zodiac Animal (based on the 12 "animal" years).

This design uses the Japanese Kanji for 2006, for students graduating in the Year of the Dog.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/737779

This design uses the Japanese Kanji for 2007, for students graduating in the Year of the Pig.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/737774

This design uses the Japanese Kanji for 2008, for students graduating in the Year of the Rat.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/737769

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

The SongLi China Archive

The SongLi China Archive is a photo library of over 100,000 high quality images of China. They cover all possible subjects, and can be used in books, magazines, newspapers, videos, CD-ROMs and Internet sites. Many of these award winning photographs have already been published around the world.

This collection continues to grow and is constantly updated. Because it is too large to list here, please send an eMail with your requirements for an immediate response:

songli@hantranslation.com

If you are interested to own limited editions from this collection for private use, please visit our store at:

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/387485/

Monday, July 25, 2005

How To Poop Properly

Most Asian countries use a traditional "squat" toilet. This is a bit shocking to Western people, as it is basically a hole in the ground. With the introduction of flushing toilets, especially in Japan after the war, many people needed instruction on how to use. Old habits die hard, even today.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/732796

Mind The Gap

With the introduction of light rail trains in China, the commute crowds are ever increasing. In the rush to get off and on against a crush of passengers, it is not uncommon to miss the little gap between the train and the platform. This warning sign is a safety reminder, which no one pays attention to. But it is the little gaps in life that cause all the trouble.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/732800

Caution: "Laziness"

(In Japanese) Lazy people should wear a warning label, so those with motivation can use caution when approaching. This design promotes the idea of showing caution, to avoid influences to procrastinate.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/732805

Sunday, July 24, 2005

In The News Next Week

We just learned that our store will be featured by CafePress.com. Our partner, SongLi of SongLi Photography will be in the Shopkeeper spotlight for August. When the profile is posted mid-week, it can be viewed here:

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/community/spotlight

Needless to say, we are thrilled and excited at this honor. Of the nearly 2.5 million members of CafePress.com, we were chosen as the 4th to be featured. It is a wonderful opportunity that we are indeed grateful for. Oddly enough, SongLi has commented that he now feels a little embarrassed and undeserving of the attention and recognition.

Department of Redundancy Department

Do some things seem needless repeated over and over continuously in duplication? Our lab specializes in such redundant use of redundancies. We like to say things clearly so what we say is clear.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/731701

Vintage Auto Club of Japan

Japan has a love of the automobile, and collectors prize American vehicles no less. This club is for anyone who appreciates and respects the vintage style of American automotive engineering in the 1950s. And if you have one of these beauties in Japan, it is even more special.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/731696

"Army Life" in Japanese

Anyone in the U.S. military, especially stationed in Japan, knows the meaning behind "Army Life." Whether you serve or are a family member, show your pride and support of our armed forces abroad.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/731793

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Free Forum Avatars

Our partner company, SongLi Photography, has officially licensed a set of forum Avatars for use on our BBS (www.hantranslation.com/bbs). All 36 images are 60 x 60 pixels, and can be freely downloaded (copyright ownership still applies to SongLi Photography, and may only be used in our own or the CafePress.com forums).

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/864313

Japan's National Masturbation Day

A quirk of the Japanese language turns a National Holiday for the Ocean into one for Masturbation.

The third Monday in July is known as the "Marine Day" National holiday, to celebrate the return of Emperor Meiji from a boat trip to Hokkaido in 1876. This year it falls on the 21st. In spoken Japanese, the date "0721" for July 21 is pronounced as "o-na-ni-i" (o = 0, na = 7, ni = 2 = i = 1).

By coincidence, this pronunciation is almost identical to onani, a derivative of Onanism. Any Bible student could explain that the word "Onanism" refers to the story of Onan, who was obliged but refused to consummate a marriage with his dead brother's wife (Genesis 38:7-9). In common understanding, the reference and meaning are about masturbation.

The Japanese culture is much more open to the issue involving the "M-Word." And this subject has been extremely popular with the Japanese media even though the National Holiday itself is now over.

Our latest design focuses on this humorous language quirk.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/730403

Friday, July 22, 2005

Instant Japan Dress-up Tuxedo

The Japanese always wear business suits, no matter what the event. Don't let your kids be caught unprepared in Japan. Always keep and instant tuxedo with you to show how high classed you are (tuxedo spelled in Japanese Katakana).

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/662050

The HanCast Podcast

The latest thing in radio, Han Translation will soon offer Podcasting. The weekly "HanCast" broadcast from China will present news and information about life in Asia, in English, Japanese, and Mandarin Chinese. Enjoy the logo for our program on these official company products. And stay tuned for our broadcasting details.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/520216

Thursday, July 21, 2005

20,000+ Items For Sale

Less than a week ago, we thought reaching 15,000 was a major milestone. But with another 5,000 items in development at the time, we have surpassed that marker sooner than expected. As of today, the count is 20,445 items. Of course, we could have a million products and it would not be worthwhile unless someone actually bought something. So we continue in our appreciation of our loyal customers, who encourage and motivate us to increase the speed of our growth. We do not expect these bursts to continue at such a fast pace, however, as our attention is on quality and not quantity. We have many new ideas in the pipeline and simply need proper time to develop them. So stay tuned.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

"No touching" in Japanese

No language skills required. "No Touching" in Japanese. Need we say more?

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/725522

"Hazard" in Japanese

It's always best to be aware of biohazards in the environment. Promote your ecological understanding, or just warn others to stay clear.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/725509

"Energy" in Japanese

Show off your atomic powers. Maybe you will start the next big thing in Japan. Please refrain from any radioactive mutations into giant lizards.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/725506

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Takada Shingen Motto

Fuurinkazan (Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountains) "Fast like the wind, Calm like the forest, Conquering like the fire, Invincible like the mountains." These 4 kanji characters are an abbreviated representation of the 14 used in Takada Shingen's samurai banners, a famous clan warlord who lived during Japan's pre-shogun civil war era.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/725746

Monday, July 18, 2005

Kabuki Face

Kabuki theater is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by its performers. This silhouette design borrows its style from the actors of these famous and ancient Japanese stage plays.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/725711

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

15,000 Products and Growing

As of last week our product inventory exceeded 15,000 items for sale. Reaching this number was a major milestone for the growth of our store, which started less than a year ago with under 150 products.

We would like to thank all of our loyal customers from around the world for their continued patronage and support. We care adding new items for sale daily, in an effort to expand our selection to meet the growing and changing tastes of our shoppers.

Were it not for your interest, we would never have been able to grow like this. We expect to add another 5,000 items before August 1st, so please visit our store again soon to see what's new.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Retro Japan Cartoons

Japanese cartoons have influenced American kids for almost three generations. Anyone growing up in the 1960s or 70s will remember the classic illustration style that looked more Western than Japanese. Here is a collection of fun art for all to enjoy from that era.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/716498

Monday, July 11, 2005

China Folk Art

China invented paper, and paper arts have been part of the culture for thousands of years. Chinese papercutting is a unique art form, also called window flowers or cutting pictures. They are shaped with scissors or a knife to ornament walls, windows, doors, columns, mirrors, lamps and lanterns in homes, and are also used on presents or are given as gifts themselves. Papercuttings have special significance at festivals and on holidays. At the New Year's Festival for example, entrances are decorated with papercuttings which are supposed to bring good luck. Papercuttings used to be used as patterns, especially for embroidery and lacquer work.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/716497

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Happy Squid

A playful icon of Japanese seafood, the cartoon "happy happy" squid is recognized as the universal symbol of sushi in Japan.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/706155

Saturday, July 09, 2005

Route 66

Japan has a deep love for vintage Americana, and there is no more of a symbolic icon for drivers than Route 66. This classic sign has been adjusted to include Japanese.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/715076

Friday, July 08, 2005

Don't Rub My Lamp

"Rubbing my lamp will not produce a Genie." Everyone has a wish, and a Genie would grant 3 of them. However, everyone does not liked to be touched either, let alone rubbed. A playful way to tell those around you to keep their hands off.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/715075

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Made In America (From China)

Remember when things used to be Made in America? To make us feel better, China is now switching their "Made in China" logo with "Made in USA." Except they use Chinese Kanji instead of English.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/715077

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

King of Masks

The face changing, or "bianlian" in Chinese, is an important cultural heritage in China. Only a few masters have grasped this skill. They know how to change Sichuan opera masks in magically quick succession. As they flourish their arms and twist their heads, their painted masks change again and again and again. Choose from 690 different face mask designs.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/716496

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Fat or Sumo?

"I'm not fat! I'm a Sumo in training!" Declare your love for the ancient Japanese sport of Sumo Wrestling, while justifying your weight gain to those who think you are fat.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/715017

Monday, July 04, 2005

Beijing Golf Club

Beijing is being transformed from its historic roots to an ultra-modern megatropolis. Traditional games like ping pong are now pushed aside for the playboy sports like golf.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/715019

Sunday, July 03, 2005

China's Great Wall Skateboard Jump

If only Genghis Khan had perfected his Ollie, the Great Wall would not have slowed down his invasion of China. This new design is based on the following news item:

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/715020

Monday, July 11, 2005 (Reuters) - California skateboarder Danny Way jumped over a 61-foot (18.6-meter) gap in the Great Wall of China, becoming the first person to clear the ancient fortification without motorized aid, his sponsor said.

Way then went on to jump the wall three more times on Saturday, taking off from a specially built ramp at the nearly 3,000-year-old Ju Yong Guan Gate, and adding in 360-degree spins as spectators looked on.

"I was aware of the dangers and my heart was pumping in my chest the whole time, but I managed to pull it off with the help of my team, and I'm honored to have my visions embraced by the people of China," Way said in a statement.

Way, of Carlsbad, California, was sponsored by Quiksilver Inc., which makes skateboard apparel.

Others have tried to jump the Great Wall before. In 2002, Wang Jiaxiong, a mountain biker, fractured his skull and died after overshooting his planned landing area. Way was the first person to try the jump on a skateboard.

Way already holds the world records for distance jumped by skateboard and for height at 79 feet and 23.5 feet, respectively.

Saturday, July 02, 2005

47 Prefectural Flags of Japan

The nation of Japan is comprised up of "Prefectures." These are civil administrative districts similar to American "States" but more closely resemble the smaller "County" system. This new design collection by Han Translation has assembled all 47 Prefectural Flags, with the official emblem for each. The Prefecture names are also spelled using Japanese Kanji characters. These make perfect gift for anyone who has been to Japan or plans to visit. The 47 Prefectures consist of: Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/706143

Friday, July 01, 2005

Sino-Nippon Football League

Football (Soccer) is the most popular sport in Asia. Han Translation has created an entirely new and unique fantasy football association for both Japan and China. The "Sino-Nippon Football League" has 81 teams from the capital city of each prefecture and province, 47 from Japan and 34 from China (including Taiwan). Now international football fans have a whole new world of sports to choose from. All team names and designs are the original and exclusive intellectual property of Han Translation. This official merchandise is only available here for sale to the public.

http://www.cafepress.com/hantranslation/692461