20+ Cities at HSK Band 3 Level
What You’ll Learn
This course helps you build practical Chinese vocabulary through 100 short stories organized into 10 everyday topics. Each story takes 5-10 minutes to read, listen to, and practice. You’ll learn words and grammar that you can actually use in real conversations.
The Topics You’ll Explore
The journey moves logically across China in four phases:
Phase 1 (Episodes 1–5): North to Central — from Beijing‘s ancient hutongs to Xi’an‘s terracotta warriors, Luoyang’s Buddhist grottoes, Pingyao‘s frozen-in-time streets, and Tianjin’s European-Chinese fusion.
Phase 2 (Episodes 6–10): Southwest — from Chengdu‘s tea houses and pandas to Chongqing’s 3D mountain maze, Kunming‘s spring-like weather, Dali’s backpacker lake life, and Lijiang‘s ancient Naxi old town.
Phase 3 (Episodes 11–15): Southeast — from Guilin’s painting-like karst peaks to Yangshuo‘s biking countryside, Hangzhou’s West Lake poetry, Suzhou‘s garden canals, and Huangshan’s misty mountains.
Phase 4 (Episodes 16–20): East to the future — from Nanjing‘s Qinhuai River nights to Yangzhou’s slow teahouse mornings, Xiamen‘s seaside piano island, Hong Kong’s 24-hour energy, and Shanghai‘s Bund view of old and new.
What Learners Will Gain
After completing all 20 episodes, learners will be able to:
- Feel comfortable reading real-world descriptive Chinese about places and experiences
- Read 230–300 characters per story with confidence
- Recognize and use 200+ travel-related vocabulary words
- Understand and produce 20+ essential grammar patterns
- Describe cities, weather, food, and directions in Chinese
- Order in restaurants, ask for directions, buy tickets, and check into hotels
Phase 1 (Episodes 1–5): North to Central
This story introduces Xi’an, an ancient city with modern features, famous for its city wall, Muslim Quarter food, Biangbiang noodles, and the Terracotta Warriors.
This story introduces Luoyang, an ancient city in Henan Province, highlighting its Buddhist culture, peony flowers, local cuisine, and historical sites, making it a great destination for language learners.
This story describes a visit to Pingyao, a well-preserved ancient city in China, highlighting its old streets, local specialties, and historical sites.
This story introduces Tianjin, a city near Beijing, highlighting its European-style buildings, local foods like jianbing and goubuli baozi, and popular attractions.
Phase 2 (Episodes 6–10): Southwest
This story introduces Chengdu’s slow lifestyle, spicy food, tea culture, and panda base, perfect for language learners.
This story introduces Chongqing, a mountainous city known for its unique 3D landscape, beautiful night views, spicy noodles, and cultural sites like Hongyadong and Ciqikou.
This story introduces Kunming, a city known as the Spring City, with its pleasant weather, slow lifestyle, delicious food, and beautiful scenery.
This story describes the peaceful and free lifestyle in Dali, Yunnan, highlighting its natural beauty and cultural attractions.
This story introduces the ancient city of Lijiang, its culture, food, and scenery, encouraging travelers to explore both the place and their inner selves.
Phase 3 (Episodes 11–15): Southeast
This story describes the stunning landscapes of Guilin, including the Li River, Elephant Trunk Hill, and local cuisine like Guilin rice noodles, highlighting why it’s a popular tourist destination.
This story introduces Yangshuo, a small town near Guilin, known for its beautiful scenery, cycling tours, local cuisine like beer fish, and the Moon Hill attraction.
This story introduces Hangzhou’s scenic West Lake, local tea culture, famous Dongpo pork, and the ancient Lingyin Temple, highlighting the city’s romantic and poetic atmosphere.
This story introduces Suzhou’s famous gardens, canals, and local culture, highlighting the city’s relaxed lifestyle and delicious food.
A story about visiting Huangshan, its beautiful scenery, local food, and ancient villages, with grammar patterns for learners.
Phase 4 (Episodes 16–20)
This story introduces Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province, highlighting its history, culture, and cuisine, and encourages learners to explore the city.
This story introduces the slow-paced lifestyle in Yangzhou, China, highlighting its tea houses, beautiful gardens, and famous Yangzhou fried rice.
This story introduces Xiamen, a coastal city with a pleasant climate, and its famous Gulangyu Island, highlighting the relaxed lifestyle, local cuisine, and scenic spots.
This story introduces Hong Kong’s vibrant cityscape, convenient transportation, delicious food, and stunning night views, making it an ideal travel destination.
This story introduces Shanghai as a city where ancient and modern coexist, highlighting its convenient life, famous landmarks, and unique charm.
What Makes This Series Special — Discovering China: A Traveler‘s Companion
Strictly Controlled HSK 3 Vocabulary
Every story uses only HSK 1–3 words plus destination-specific proper nouns (city names, famous sites, local dishes). No unexpected advanced words appear. Target vocabulary is limited to 10 new travel-related words per episode and is recycled naturally across the 20-episode journey.
Authentic Travel Language
Stories include real travel situations: asking for directions, ordering food in restaurants, buying tickets, checking into hotels, taking photos, using public transport, and understanding local weather and seasons. Readers build practical Chinese for real travel environments.
Natural Descriptive Prose
Every episode uses short, clear sentences (8–15 characters each) with calm, warm, immersive language. Grammar is accurate but never stiff. The destination is the main character — no personal names, no complex dialogue, just the feeling of “being there.”
Daily Vocabulary Recycling
Core travel words (旅游, 景点, 门票, 美食, 拍照, 风景, 美丽, 天气, 舒服, 方便, 地铁, 出租车, 酒店, 餐厅, 菜单, 味道) appear in every episode across all 20 destinations. Learners encounter the same vocabulary in new city contexts again and again, supporting long-term memory.
Real Cultural Content
Teahouse culture in Chengdu, morning jianbing lines in Tianjin, night markets in Xi’an, the 3D maze of Chongqing, slow life in Dali, West Lake poetry in Hangzhou, canal boat rides in Suzhou, dim sum mornings in Hong Kong — all woven naturally into every story.
Each Story Includes
| Feature | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Chinese text | All words from HSK 1–3 + destination names |
| Target words | 10 key travel vocabulary words per episode |
| Grammar | 3 patterns per episode from core list |
| Character count | Accurate count excluding punctuation |
Vocabulary & Grammar Coverage
Core Vocabulary (HSK 1–3 Travel Theme)
| Category | Words |
|---|---|
| Transport | 地铁, 出租车, 火车站, 机场, 自行车, 船, 方向, 左边, 右边, 前面, 后面 |
| Accommodation | 酒店, 房间, 预订, 入住, 退房, 行李, 护照 |
| Food | 餐厅, 菜单, 点菜, 美食, 小吃, 味道, 辣, 甜, 咸, 酸, 苦 |
| Sightseeing | 门票, 景点, 拍照, 相机, 风景, 美丽, 古老, 现代, 参观, 推荐 |
| Daily Life | 天气, 晴天, 下雨, 冷, 热, 舒服, 累, 开心, 有趣, 附近, 远, 近 |
| Shopping | 价格, 便宜, 贵, 付钱, 现金, 信用卡, 手机支付, 特产, 纪念品 |
| Culture | 历史, 文化, 传统, 节日, 春节, 博物馆, 公园, 寺庙, 广场, 老街 |
Grammar Points Across the Series
| Episode | Grammar Patterns |
|---|---|
| 1, 11 | 因为…所以… |
| 2, 12 | 虽然…但是… |
| 3, 13 | 如果…就… |
| 4, 14 | 一边…一边… |
| 5, 15 | 除了…以外 |
| 6, 16 | 不但…而且… |
| 7, 17 | 有的人… |
| 8, 18 | 只要…就… |
| 9, 19 | 无论…都… |
| 10, 20 | 越来越… |
Perfect For
✓ HSK 3 learners building reading fluency and confidence
✓ Travelers planning to visit China who want practical language
✓ Intermediate beginners wanting daily reading in a real-world context
✓ Students interested in Chinese geography, food, and local culture
✓ Teachers needing structured, level-controlled graded readers
✓ Self-learners seeking calm, immersive reading practice
Each story focuses on one grammar pattern. You’ll see it used naturally in the story, then practice it yourself.