The sun begins thinking deeply about its purpose and existence. It wonders why it exists and where it came from. After many years of thought, the sun concludes that its purpose is to shine brightly for the people on Earth. The sun decides to work with the moon to provide more brightness. However, when they wake up the next day, the earth has moved between the sun and moon. The sun becomes very sad without the moon. Eventually the moon returns, and they are happy to work together to shine for all living things on Earth. The sun further realizes its goal is to bring smiles to people's faces.

1. 2013
[THE STORY OF THE SUN 日 –
STORIES WITH CHINESE
CHARACTERS (CALLIGRAPHY)]
The fun and one of the fastest ways of learning Chinese Characters through stories – for
children and adults.

2. Stories with Chinese Characters (Calligraphy)
The fun and fast way to learn Chinese Characters through stories.
Did you know that the same 152 characters will make up 50% of any
Chinese text ?
Peter Palme
Jona, 06. May 2013
Free for private use. For commercial use please contact:
Peter Palme
petepalme@gmail.com
www.linkedin.com/in/peterpalme
The story of the sun will introduce 15 characters. These characters will
represent around 8 % of characters used in any Chinese text (7.7886%)
Advice:
Before you read to children, you can print out the story . While you read
the children can color the Chinese characters in the text.
In the appendix of the story the stroke order of the Chinese Characters are
listed. A link will direct you to a sound file which will introduce you to the
pronunciation of the character. Another link will show if available in
animated way how to write this Chinese character.
In most cases two Characters (two syllables) make up a word. The idea of
this text is to help children or adults learn in a fun and fast way the most
used Chinese Characters.
As it builds on our natural way of learning – through association, the
learner who masters all 152 most used Chinese characters will reach a
threshold. From there on the student can read simple Chinese texts and can
often guess the meaning of a new character in the text without having to
consult the dictionary.
Writing and reading Chinese characters will also improve the IQ and
learning agility as several research studies have shown.
There are many fun ways to work, play and learn with these characters
especially with children.
Further stories:
The Lonesome Human Being – 11 Characters will introduce around 4% of
characters used in any Chinese Text.

3. The Story of the Sun
rì = sun
One day as the sun was shining as usual, the sun suddenly began to think.
For the first time ever the sun was asking herself many questions about:
“Why do I exist? Where do I come from?”
And while the sun was in deep thought black spots formed on her surface.
But the thoughts continued ….

4. yì = conscience, thought, opinion, mind
There were so many questions springing up in the mind of the sun. But
eventually one big question formed: “What is the meaning of my
existence?”
The Sun put on her graduation hat 立 and threw her whole
heart 心 into thinking about the one big question.
And all of a sudden all the other open questions vanished and this was the
only thought left, which kept the sun busy thinking about.

5. yué = moon
After many years of thinking and thinking about her one big final question
lastly one answer came to the troubled mind of the sun “The meaning of
my existence is to shine bright for the people living on the planet earth” the
sun thought.
Suddenly the dark sun spots vanished and the sun smiled for the first time
again. “I have to tell it to the moon”, the sun said.

6. shì = yes, indeed, right
The moon listened intensively to the thoughts and the questions of the sun
she had asked herself during all those years. And when the sun presented
the answer to the final question, the moon nodded. “Yes indeed”, he said,
“this must also be the reason for my own existence.”

7. míng = bright
日 rì + 月 yué = 明 míng
And the moon said: “Sun, let’s work together and shine as bright as
possible for the people on planet earth.”

8. míng rì = tomorrow
The moon and the sun agreed to shine as bright as possible for the people
on the planet earth tomorrow.
Both went to sleep and both were so full of meaning and happiness.

9. dàn shì = but
The next day the sun woke up happily and cheered: “Today I am working
together with the moon to bring more brightness to the people on the
planet earth.” The sun waited and waited, but the moon did not show up.

10. jiān = between
日 rì 土 tǔ 月 yué
The sun could not see the moon, and the moon could not see the sun.
While both had been sleeping, the earth had moved between them.
The earth was now like a door 门 between the moon and the sun. And you
see the sun on left trying to look through the door to see the moon.

11. hěn= very
“Moon where are you?” The sun became very, very sad. “Without the
moon I cannot bring more brightness to the people on planet earth”. The
sun suddenly felt so lonely and started to cry. Long tails of tears suddenly
appeared on the surface of the sun.

12. shí= time , period
The crying and the moaning of the sun went on for a certain period of time.
(The period of time is characterized by placing the character for an inch (寸)
next to the Chinese character for sun).
Suddenly the moon came back as the earth had travelled onwards on her
way around the sun.

13. zuì = extremely
“Sun, I am here”, the moon shouted. The sun now was extremely happy to
see the moon again. The sun (日) could hear with her ear (耳) again (又)
the moon.

14. dé = to obtain, to get, to acquire
“Moon, now we can obtain together the meaning of our existence “, the
sun said happily with contend.

15. dōu = all, the whole
“We will bring brightness to all the people on planet earth!” The moon and
the sun danced and smiled.

16. dé = possessive, adjectival suffix
„Actually we are not only there for the people on planet earth”, the moon
said. “We are the moon and the sun of all living beings and plants on planet
earth”. “Yes”, the sun replied and was even happier than ever before.

17. zhě= he/she who, author
And while the sun was filled with joy, she spotted one who was writing a
poem about the sun in the land of China. And while the sun felt honored
and watched the author write, suddenly the sun had a very new thought …

18. ( )
Ancient Chinese writing of the sun (left) – in brackets modern Chinese
character for sun
“When I see how the author writes my name – sun, I think my meaning is
not to bring brightness to the people on planet earth. It is about me”, the
sun concluded, “whenever people see me they smile. I am there to put
smiles on people’s faces!” Now finally the big question of the sun was
answered. From now on the sun was happy and had a very peaceful mind….
The End

19. 日意明但
是间很时
最得都的
者土月
明日 = tomorrow
但是 = but
Can you find more
combinations? (Answer next
page)

20. 的都 = of all
是的 = that’s it, that’s
right
很 明 = it is clear
…

21. 1
2
3
4
See: rì = sun
Listen
See: yì = thought, mind
Listen
See míng = bright
Listen
1
2
3 4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
See: shì = yes, indeed, right
Listen
See: dàn = only, but
Listen
See: jiān = between
Listen

22. See: tǔ = earth
Listen
See: yué = moon
Listen
See: hěn= very
Listen
See: zuì = extremely
Listen
See: dé = to obtain, to acquire
Listen
See: shí= time , period
Listen

23. See: dōu = all, the whole
Listen
See: dé = possessive,
adjectival suffix
Listen
See: zhě= he/she who
Listen