Three Presentations

At Network School, students have a unique chance to take the stage, share their ideas, and lead events on topics they’re passionate about. Over the past month, I had the privilege of giving three presentations that I’m excited to share with you, dear readers.

Each experience was a journey into something meaningful, from exploring how to give Chinese names to non-Chinese speakers interested in Chinese culture, to defining a personal brand, and even examining Aldous Huxley’s thought-provoking The Doors of Perception.

In this post, I’ll walk you through these presentations, including the full slides and main points for each one.

A Journey to Your Meaningful Chinese Name

Introduction

Understanding Chinese names is a fascinating journey into Chinese culture, tradition, and linguistic practices. This guide explores the structure, selection process, and cultural significance of Chinese names, helping you appreciate the depth and meaning behind them.

The Basic Structure of Chinese Names

Unlike Western names, Chinese names follow a distinct structure:

• Family Name (Surname): Always appears first and is typically one character

• Given Name: Follows the family name and consists of one or two characters

• Example: My Chinese name is Yang Yixuan (杨翊瑄), "Yang" (杨) is the family name, and "Yixuan" (翊瑄) is the given name

The Art of Character Selection

When choosing characters for Chinese names, several factors are considered:

1. Positive Attributes

Characters are often selected to convey desirable qualities:

• 明 (Míng): Represents "brightness" and intelligence

• 华 (Huá): Symbolizes magnificence and grand aspirations

2. Nature-Inspired Elements

Many names incorporate natural elements:

• 梅 (Méi): The plum blossom, symbolizing perseverance

• 海 (Hǎi): The sea, representing vastness and depth

3. Gender-Specific Traits

Characters often reflect traditional gender associations:

• Masculine traits: 强 (Qiáng) meaning "strong"

• Feminine traits: 丽 (Lì) meaning "beautiful"

4. Cultural Considerations

Several cultural factors influence name selection:

• Literary references from classical works: 昭君 (Zhāo jūn) comes from Wang Zhaojun, one of China's Four Great Beauties in classical literature, representing exceptional beauty and loyalty; 子龙 (Zǐ lóng) is inspired by Zhao Zilong, a heroic general from the Three Kingdoms period, symbolising bravery and leadership

• Historical context and events: The name 建国 (Jiàn guó), meaning "building the country," became extremely popular after 1949 when the People's Republic of China was established.

• Auspicious characters like 福 (Fú) for good fortune

• Taboo characters to avoid:

- 死 (Sǐ): Death

- 鬼 (Guǐ): Ghost

Family Traditions and Astrological Influences

Family Naming Systems

• Many families maintain generational naming systems

• Specific characters from family poems are used for each generation

• This practice helps maintain family lineage and traditions

Astrological Considerations

• Five Elements Theory: Names may be chosen to balance the elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water

• Eight Characters Analysis: Birth date and time are used to select harmonious name characters

Popular Culture: Chinese Names of Western Celebrities

Chinese fans often create creative nicknames for international celebrities:

1. Timothée Chalamet: 甜茶 (Tiánchá) - "Sweet Tea"

A playful adaptation of his name's sound and his sweet personality

2. Benedict Cumberbatch: 卷福 (Juǎnfú) - "Curly Fortune"

References his curly hair (卷) and good fortune (福)

3. Taylor Swift: 霉霉 (Méimei) - "Moldy"

A playful reference to her early career challenges

4. Mariah Carey: 牛姐 (Niújiě) - "Cool Sis"

Expressing admiration for her talent and influence

5. Jennifer Lawrence: 大表姐 (Dà Biǎojiě) - "Big Cousin"

An affectionate nickname suggesting approachability and relatability

Conclusion

Chinese naming is a rich tradition that combines linguistic artistry, cultural wisdom, and personal meaning. Whether choosing a Chinese name or understanding existing ones, appreciating these elements helps connect with Chinese culture on a deeper level.

My talented classmate Dawn even created a customised ChatGPT to help generate Chinese names using the method I introduced in the session.

Building Your Personal Monopoly

Introduction

In today's digital age, building a personal monopoly through content creation isn't just about gaining followers—it's about becoming an intellectual hub for ideas that matter to you and achieving what David Perell, writer, podcaster, and founder of Write of Passage calls "Niche Famous." As he says: "If there is any lesson of the internet, it is that you are not the only person interested in what you are interested in."

Building Your Personal Monopoly: A Three-Step Approach

1. Discover the Overlap

• Find the intersection between your skillsets and society's needs

• Embrace the trial-and-error journey

• Gain skills through hands-on experience

2. Practice and Gather Feedback

• Establish a daily writing routine

• Create consistently

• Listen to feedback from trustworthy peers, mentors and high-quality audiences

3. Narrow Down and Own Your Niche

• Focus on specific areas where you can add unique value

• Coin terms to establish ownership (e.g. creating the Chiwi Journal brand for myself)

Essential Tools for Content Creators

Content Creation Tools:

• Newsletter platforms: Substack, Xiao Bao Tong (Chinese)

• Podcast recording: Riverside, Xiao Yu Zhou (Chinese)

• AI assistance: ChatGPT, Claude

• Design tools: Canva, MidJourney, Hailuo (Chinese)

• Music resources: Artlist.io, Suno

• Research and note-taking: Perplexity, Readwise, Notion

• Landing-page creation: Carrd

Storytelling Fundamentals

"The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come."

Steve Jobs

Three Key Elements:

1. Content

• Focus on moments that evoke strong emotions

• Avoid being boring

• Create memorable experiences

2. Structure

• Study classic books and films

• Understand story arches

• Master the hero's journey framework

3. Delivery

• Pay attention to rhythm

• Develop patterns

• Create a musical feeling in your writing

Remember: "Those who tell the stories rule the world." The key to building your personal monopoly is finding your unique voice and consistently sharing valuable content that resonates with your audience.

Book Review: The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley

Introduction

Have you heard of Aldous Huxley? While most know him for Brave New World and its mysterious happiness drug "soma," today we're exploring his autobiography, The Doors of Perception, which documents his fascinating journey with psychedelics and how they transformed his understanding of reality.

Historical Context and Evolution

• Ancient Roots

Traditional uses in medicine and spirituality

Example: Ayahuasca in Amazon Indigenous tribes

Plant-based psychedelics like mushrooms and peyote

• The 1960s-70s Renaissance

Cultural impact on art, music, and social movements

Influences on:

- Musicians: Bob Dylan, The Beatles

- Artists and creators: Marvel's Stan Lee

- Pop culture: Doctor Strange film reference

• Modern Revival

1990s to current time Silicon Valley Renaissance

- Steve Jobs and creative enhancement

- Tim Ferriss and mental health research

Current legal status and medical research

The Doors of Perception Overview

"If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, Infinite."

William Blake

Book's Genesis

- Documented mescaline experience

- Wife and friend as observers

Common Psychedelics

Natural Sources

- Psilocybin (magic mushrooms)

- Mescaline (peyote)

- DMT

Huxley's Experience

- Vivid, moving patterns

- Enhanced visual perception

- Novel sensory experiences

- Transformed worldview

Key Insights from Huxley

Three Major Effects:

1. Enhanced Mental Clarity

- Improved memory

- Clearer thinking processes

2. Heightened Visual Perception

- Child-like wonder

- Fresh perspective on familiar objects

3. Altered Time-Space Perception

- Present moment awareness

- Reduced temporal anxiety

Huxley's Theory

• Brain as a Filter

- Usually blocks excess sensory information

- Psychedelics temporarily remove these filters

- Results in expanded consciousness

Modern Resources for Further Learning

1. Michael Pollan

• Books and Netflix series How to Change Your Mind

• Scientific approach to psychedelic research

2. Tim Ferriss

• Expert interviews

• Focus on mental health applications

3. Aubrey Marcus

• Personal growth perspective

• Integration practices

Conclusion

Psychedelics are powerful tools for expanding consciousness and understanding reality, but they require a careful, responsible approach and consideration. Their potential benefits in mental health, creativity, and personal growth continue to be explored through modern research and application.

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Last but not least, here are a few nano pieces I've written over the past few weeks.

Enjoy!

1. I can already feel it—
the pulse of meeting you again after all these years,
each detail vivid, each moment alive.

But with the imagination already complete in my mind,
I wonder: should it stay untouched, or must it step into reality?

2. I have crossed billions of years
on the back of a paradox,
riding spirals of infinite loops,
to meet myself
at the beginning of it all.

3. The right to speak holds no weight
if granted only to a select few,
while others are forced into silence.

It’s not the rules that trouble me,
but their uneven application—
Why does freedom ring for some,
yet echo in silence for others?

4. On rainy days, I’d linger in second-hand bookshops,
the scent of old pages thick in the air,
stroking the bookstore cat nestled by my side,
as the world outside faded to nothing.
These are the moments I miss most about London,
where time seemed to pause,
and saudade slipped in with the falling rain.

5. I always get what I want,
But it’s never what I need.
Only when it’s in my hands,
I feel the emptiness, the greed.

What I really need is small,
So simple, yet so real.
It’s been with me all along,
But I forgot to feel.

I took for granted what I hold,
Chasing shadows in the night.
But the brightest stars are always there,
Hidden in plain sight.

6. Darkness, in truth, begins at the height of noon. 

Yet light, in the most decayed of places, has already begun to quietly take root.