Historical and archaeological clarification: The imperial examination system was not solely about the eight-legged essay; it originally promoted a balance of arts and sciences. The foundation of Han civilization’s belief system is rationality and ethics, not theocracy. While Europe was consumed by faith, China had long esteemed science. Many people assume that the ancient imperial examinations only tested on the eight-legged essay, and that scholars were all “bookworms.” But the opposite is true. For a very long time, the true imperial examination system was a balance of arts and sciences. Ancient China was not just a land of poetry, books, rites, and music; it was a civilization that revered science and reason. ...

I recently went through the process myself at the local health center (Centre de Salut L’Eliana) in L’Eliana, in the Valencian Community, and discovered that even foreigners without social security contributions can get a free SIP card and receive flu and COVID-19 mRNA vaccines! Today, I’m sharing the detailed process to help anyone who might need it. 💡 What is a SIP card? SIP is the personal identification card for the Spanish healthcare system. The full name is “Sistema de Información Poblacional”. ...

When the massive parameters of a large language model intertwine into a web within the information space, the ‘intelligence’ it exhibits is not a mysterious consciousness, but a natural product of emergence, self-organization, and high-dimensional information structures. And inspiration, perhaps, is merely the projection of a quantum fluctuation in a six-dimensional space onto our four-dimensional spacetime. We are always amazed by the ‘cleverness’ of AI— It can write articles, reason, and code, sometimes even creating the illusion: ...

We often say, “Large Language Models are very smart.” They can write articles, answer questions, code, and even perform some logical reasoning. But in reality, the principle behind them isn’t mysterious: 👉 It just turns a piece of text into a string of numbers, 👉 and then “calculates the distance” in a high-dimensional space. This might sound a bit abstract, but with a small example, you’ll understand it right away. 👇 ...

1. Mythical Beginnings: Yan, Huang, and Chiyou As recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian and Discourses of the States: The Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) defeated the Yan Emperor (Yandi) at the Battle of Banquan, causing the Yan tribe to submit to his rule. He then defeated Chiyou at the Battle of Zhuolu, achieving ultimate victory. These are not merely legends but symbols of the integration of ancient tribes: The Yellow Emperor’s group: An agricultural tribe from the Central Plains, with the surname Ji. The Yan Emperor’s group: A tribe with the surname Jiang, related to the ancient Qiang people. Chiyou’s group: The Jiuli (Nine Li) tribes, ancestors of the Miao-Man peoples of the south. Ultimately, the people of the Yan Emperor and Chiyou were incorporated into the Yellow Emperor’s tribe, forming the “Huaxia.” ...

Many parents send their children to study in Europe or the US for a common reason: “Education abroad is more relaxed, so kids have less stress, are less prone to depression, and it’s better for their mental health.” It sounds reasonable: children in China have a lot of homework, fierce competition, and frequent exams, while children abroad seem happier, getting out of school around 3 PM for sports, clubs, dances, and summer camps. ...

When many people use an AI chatbot for the first time, they might feel like it ‘remembers’ what was said before. For example, if you ask a question and then follow up on it a little later, it can still connect the dots. This leads to a common question: Does AI actually have memory? Let’s start with the conclusion: An AI’s ‘memory’ is not the file-based memory we imagine. It relies on predicting with parameter weights, not on hard-drive-style storage. ...

Last summer, I completed a 10-day grand road trip loop through northern Spain. Starting from Valencia, we traveled through Zaragoza, Olite, Bilbao, Santander, Comillas, Covadonga, Salamanca, Ávila, and Madrid, finally returning to Valencia after lunch in the cliff town of Cuenca. This journey offered a mix of cities, ancient castles, mountains, the sea, and delicious food. This article shares all the details of our trip for four people, serving as a direct reference for anyone interested. ...

In Spain, fishing licenses are mainly divided into two categories: sea fishing licenses and river (freshwater) fishing licenses. This article will provide a detailed guide on how to apply for both types of licenses online. I. Sea Fishing License Application Process The application process for sea fishing licenses is relatively uniform across different regions of Spain. You can apply directly online through the official website. 🔗 Official Website for Sea Fishing Licenses Application URL: https://www.gva.es/es/inicio/procedimientos?id_proc=647&id_caso=sollicitud#presentacion ...

In Spain, commercial parking lots are generally expensive. A few hours can easily cost tens of euros, which is a significant expense. To save money, consider using free roadside parking spots or the paid blue zone parking spaces provided by the municipality. Blue zone parking spaces are cheaper, costing around €1 per hour. However, paying manually can be a hassle. You need to go to a nearby payment machine, enter your license plate number and parking duration, and pay with coins or a card. If you leave early, the refund process is also quite complicated. Therefore, it’s highly recommended to use a convenient parking payment app for online payments and flexible billing, which is more economical and practical. ...

Spain has a system of free and compulsory education for ages 6 to 16, covering 6 years of primary school and 4 years of secondary school. 📚 School Hours and Tuition Differences Spanish Public Schools: School hours are from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, with 4 classes per day. Education is free. Spanish Private and International Schools: School hours are typically from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with 6 classes per day. The median tuition for private schools is approximately €6,000/year (about 50,000 RMB). International schools cost around €8,000/year (about 70,000 RMB). Costs vary significantly by grade level, region, and school, with differences of up to 1-2 times the median. 🏫 Teaching Staff and Pedagogical Features Teacher absenteeism is relatively high in Spain. A doctor’s note for sick leave is legally binding, and paid sick leave can be granted over the phone. Primary schools generally use a “generalist” system, where a single teacher teaches multiple subjects like English, math, humanities, science, art, and physical education, which may limit subject-specific expertise. Subject-specific teaching only begins in secondary school. The saying “the gym teacher taught my math” is not a joke in Spain but a result of the generalist system in primary schools. Exam scores are not ranked. 🈯 Language of Instruction and Multilingual Environment International schools primarily use English for instruction. Private and public schools mainly use Spanish. Autonomous communities like Valencia and Catalonia require students to learn the local regional language. In secondary school, a second foreign language such as French or German is added, making the multilingual workload demanding. 📖 Workload and Holiday Schedule There is less homework. The academic year is divided into three terms, with a total of about 160–180 instructional days. Holidays are long. 🇨🇳 Comparison with Basic Education in China Public Schools: School hours are from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with 6–8 classes per day. Education is free, with some regions offering after-school programs. Private/International Schools: 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with evening self-study sessions starting in middle school, which do not exist in Spain. Private: Approx. 60,000 RMB/year International: Approx. 180,000 RMB/year The academic year is divided into two semesters, with over 190 instructional days. 🏟️ Disparity in Campus Facilities International schools in China often have campuses exceeding 100 acres, featuring heated swimming pools, theaters, multimedia libraries, maker labs, Olympic-standard stadiums, and even equestrian centers, golf courses, and drone and robotics labs. In contrast, Spanish schools are modest and compact, with simpler facilities. 📘 Curriculum and Difficulty Many people believe that primary school math in China is much harder than abroad, but this is a long-standing misconception. ...

No verb conjugations, no grammatical gender, and highly efficient and precise expression. The logical beauty of Chinese is not just something to marvel at, but something to be confident about. 🇨🇳 There’s a Confidence We Should Express Loudly Living abroad these past two years, I’ve often heard some Chinese friends belittle their own mother tongue and culture: “Chinese people aren’t as beautiful as white people.” “Chinese people have always been uncivilized.” “The Chinese diet is too eclectic.” “Our language lacks class; it’s not as high-end as English.” ...

My previous article, [《The Downsides of Living in Spain: A Detailed 2024 Comparison of Madrid vs. Beijing》], sparked considerable debate despite objectively presenting Spain’s cost of living with reliable data. One commenter asked, “Why not compare the income of Spanish locals? For them, these prices are nothing.” Alright, let’s complete the picture today: What are the income levels in Madrid and Beijing really like? We’ll cover high-income earners, blue-collar workers, and post-tax disposable income all in one go. ...

Spain has long been regarded as a country with a high quality of life in Europe, attracting a large number of immigrants and international students. However, when we make a direct comparison with China, especially its capital Beijing, we find that Spain has significant shortcomings in many core aspects of life. Based on the latest data from 2024, this article provides a systematic comparison between Madrid and Beijing across dimensions such as consumer costs, education, healthcare, transportation, housing, home appliances, automobiles, and public safety, to deeply reveal the various inconveniences and cost pressures of living in Spain. ...

We often say, “If you’re sick, get treated promptly.” But often, the real problem isn’t about being “prompt” but about being: “Treated correctly.” When faced with discomfort, many people’s first reaction is to judge based on experience: 🧠 “Nasal congestion? Must be rhinitis.” 🧠 “A cough? Just a cold.” 🧠 “A headache? I’ll just take a painkiller.” Then they begin to self-diagnose and self-medicate. But the truth is, many different illnesses can present with the exact same symptoms. ...

Almost everyone has heard the old saying, “A turtle for a thousand years, a tortoise for ten thousand.” In Chinese culture, turtles and tortoises are seen as symbols of longevity, as if they are naturally destined to outlive several human generations. But here’s the question: Has there ever really been a turtle that lived for a thousand years? Many people see a giant turtle or tortoise and exclaim, “Wow, this one must be hundreds of years old!” While such statements might “sound reasonable,” they actually don’t stand up to scrutiny. ...

I passed my road test, and I’m here to share my experience. During the driving road test in Spain, the examiner will only give instructions in Spanish, and the instructor is generally not allowed to translate. Therefore, it is crucial to master the following common Spanish commands and their expressions: Start the engine: Arrancar Turn right: Derecha Turn left: Izquierda Go straight: Recto Make a U-turn: Cambio de sentido Indirect left turn: izquierda indirecto Roundabout: Rotonda First exit: Primera salida Second exit: Segunda salida Third exit: Tercera salida Fourth exit: Cuarta salida Stop: Parar Park: Aparcar If you don’t hear an instruction clearly, you can ask the examiner to repeat it in Spanish, for example: “Por favor repita”. ...

📍Starting Point: Town parking lot (39.6599279, -0.8916659) ⏱️Duration: 3 hours River Valley Exploration: Follow the fork (39.6572005, -0.8921885) deep into the emerald river valley to reach the hidden Blue Lagoon (Charco Azul) (39.6650017, -0.8922144) Rope Climbing, Cave Exploration + Hanging Bridges, Return to the fork via the hanging bridges above the river. Canyon Wonders: From the back mountain entrance (39.6572988, -0.8929979), loop around to the other side of the town (39.6546164, -0.8941087) ...

1. How to Study for the Theory Test It is highly recommended not to just cram questions, because: The question bank is vast. The English version has over 200 sets of tests, each with 30 questions, totaling more than 6,000 questions. Completing them all is time-consuming and exhausting. The translations and questions in the bank may not be accurate, and the answers could be wrong. The actual exam questions are not taken directly from the question bank, so finishing it is not a guarantee. The knowledge in the question bank is fragmented and not systematic. Without systematic learning, you might not be able to answer if a question is phrased differently. Efficient Learning Method: Since I took the English exam, the following content is based on English materials. ...