Six playlists, one idea: understand how Chinese people think and communication, and bring that cultural awareness home, to your business, your family and your endeavors in China. Below is one featured video from each playlist, so you can see what each series is about before you subscribe.
For Adults: China Culture, Psychology & Identity
Playlist 1
Learn Chinese Thinking: Guanxi + Face + Psychology
Love, hate, or just curious about China? Explore the psyche of Chinese thinking, build real cultural awareness, and move past the misperceptions that come from a narrow view. This is the playlist to start with if you want the “why” behind how people in China think, relate and decide.
Featured video (4 min): We Are Descendants of the Dragon: the Mandarin phrase Xi Jinping used with President Trump at the Forbidden City in 2017, and what it reveals about Chinese pride and identity, with a character-by-character breakdown.
Also watch: Why Chinese People Never Say No (The Art of Maybe)
Playlist 2
ABC in the Middle: More Fun + Instant Insights
Winning the China game takes more than good Mandarin. Expect intriguing cultural tidbits, alternative-perspective analysis (a.k.a. empathy) and simple psychological insights, in quick, entertaining episodes.
Featured video (2 min): The ABC in the Middle channel trailer. Born American. Lived in China. Married Chinese. Now raising a family in America. Meet Gene, an American-born Chinese dad raised in white, Southern Baptist Atlanta, where East meets South.
Playlist 3
Between Two Worlds: ABC Dad + Reactions + Vlogs
“White” on the outside, ethnically “Chinese” on the inside (a.k.a. Banana). This is the personal side of the channel: an American-born Chinese father’s vlogs and reactions, starting with a 2019, pre-COVID message to his unborn son.
Featured video (6 min): What Makes a Man Attractive in China? Gene reacts to one Chinese woman’s list of qualities, from a “knack for business” to being able to “drink in moderation,” and unpacks the cultural values behind each.
For Kids & Families: Mandarin Through Stories
Playlist 4
Chinese Moments: Mandarin Phrases + Pinyin + Handwriting
Simple video lessons for kids and parents to learn Chinese characters and Mandarin phrases. Practice pronunciation with pinyin, and pick up cultural tidbits along the way.
Featured video (3 min): The Boy Who Cried Wolf (狼来的故事), a bilingual retelling that builds listening skills and teaches phrases like 狼来了 (“Wolf is here!”) and 吃一堑,长一智 (“Eat a pit, gain wisdom”).
Playlist 5
Mandarin Storytime: Bilingual + Bedtime + Read-Along
Watch, listen and practice Mandarin Chinese with imagination-provoking stories from famous children’s books, curated, translated and read in both Chinese and English. A natural fit for bedtime or any quiet moment together.
Featured video (7 min): The Very Hungry Caterpillar in Mandarin, a bilingual Chinese read-along for kids and parents.
Playlist 6
What Do You Say To A Friend From China
Follow an all-American kid, Jayden, as he explores the world around him, learns the value of listening to his parents, and discovers cultural similarities with his best friend Evan, who is from China.
Featured video (52 min): My First Mandarin Chinese Language & Cultural Guide, a full video book that teaches key Mandarin words and phrases, the deeper meanings behind them, and how Chinese people think. Designed for learners of any age, especially kids.
Start Watching, Then Join Us Live on Zoom
Prefer to ask questions in real time? Join the free weekly Mandarin Savvy Live Zoom, Thursdays at 3:00 pm PT.







