baulchino.com

Baulchino (baulchino.com) is an independent Mandarin learning resource site built around HSK study materials. The site's own About page identifies an author and links to a Roadmap, and its Supporters section credits people who "supported me on this journey" — language that points to a single-maintainer project rather than a company. On cost, the site's Q&A includes an entry asking "How much does it cost?", and the HSK Books section explicitly offers downloads "for free," so the core study materials are presented as free to download. The site also lists two ways to get involved: donating or contributing to the project, and a Q&A entry for proposing a tool or module idea, plus one for reporting errors or annoying behavior. The sections below cover what each of these means in practice.

Who runs Baulchino

The site describes itself as "your go-to resource for learning Mandarin Chinese," providing "high-quality teaching materials." Two pages carry the operational detail:

• About — "information about the author and Baulchino."
• Roadmap — a separate page linked from the main navigation, indicating planned development.

The Supporters section thanks contributors by name (Star Leo, Vanyafresita, Asem Altarefi, and many others) and states: "You can appear in this section by donation or contributing to the project." The phrasing "all the people who have supported me on this journey" is first-person singular, consistent with an individual maintainer. The site does not name a company, team, or organization behind it in the available material.

Is it free?

The available evidence points to free access for the core materials, with donations as the support model:

Note the limit of this: the site's Q&A contains a cost question, but the excerpt provided does not include its answer. So while "free" is stated directly for HSK book downloads, treat the full cost picture — for example, whether any tool or module is gated — as something to confirm on the Q&A page itself. Nothing in the material suggests a login requirement or a paid subscription.

What you can access

The site organizes materials into these modules:

• HSK Books — Levels 1–6, free download
• New HSK 3.0 Books (2026) — updated curriculum
• HSK Audio Files — audio for each textbook and workbook unit
• New HSK 3.0 Audios (2026) — audio for the new curriculum
• Download all HSK audio files — bulk audio download
• HSK Mock Test — downloadable bundles or an online simulation
• Chinese Learning Channels — curated YouTube channels
• Anki Decks — HSK 1–4 vocabulary decks
• Hanzi Writing — stroke order and radicals
• Chinese Calligraphy Templates — downloadable practice templates
• Hanzi Practice Template Generator — customized exercise generation

If your goal is exam preparation, the HSK Books, Audio Files, and Mock Test modules form a complete loop: study the text, drill the listening, then test. If your goal is handwriting, the Hanzi Writing, Templates, and Generator modules cover it.

How to contribute or report issues

The site names two contribution paths and two feedback paths:

Contributing

1. Donate — the Supporters section states you can appear there "by donation."
2. Contribute to the project — listed as the alternative to donating for supporter recognition.

Feedback

1. Propose an idea — the Q&A includes "How can I propose an idea for a tool or module?"
2. Report a problem — the Q&A includes "I found an error or annoying behavior."

Both feedback entries exist as Q&A items, which means the site has a stated channel for each. The excerpt does not show the specific contact method (form, email, or repository), so check the Q&A page for the actual mechanism before assuming how to submit.

Practical takeaways

• If you want free HSK study materials: start with HSK Books and HSK Audio Files; the site states the books are free to download.
• If you want to support the project: donation or contribution both lead to supporter recognition, per the Supporters section.
• If something is broken or you have a tool idea: the Q&A has dedicated entries for both — use those rather than guessing at a contact address.
• If cost matters beyond book downloads: read the Q&A's "How much does it cost?" answer directly, since the excerpt doesn't include it.

The site's own motto — 好好学习, 天天向上 ("Study hard, improve every day") — fits its positioning as a study-material hub rather than a course platform.

If you're new to Ahrefs and want to run your first SEO audit, the fastest path is: open Site Explorer, enter your target URL, review the Overview for a health snapshot, then dig into Organic Keywords, Top Pages, and Site Audit to find specific problems. From there, build a short prioritized to-do list instead of trying to fix everything at once.

This tutorial walks through that workflow using a realistic starting scenario, explains what the numbers mean, and shows how to turn findings into actions.

Before You Start: Pick a Narrow Scope

A common beginner mistake is auditing an entire large website on day one. The reports become overwhelming, and you can't tell which issues matter.

Instead, choose one of these starting points:

• A single important page (your homepage or a key product/service page)
• A small site (under ~50 pages, e.g., a personal blog or small business site)
• One section of a bigger site (e.g., /blog/)

For this tutorial, assume you're auditing a small business site with about 30 pages. The same steps scale up later.

You'll need an Ahrefs account to follow along. Ahrefs offers paid plans, and pricing and feature limits change over time, so check the current Pricing page for what's included in each tier before committing.

Step 1: Enter Your Target in Site Explorer

Site Explorer is Ahrefs' core tool for analyzing any website or URL.

1. Open Site Explorer from the top navigation.
2. In the search box, paste your domain (e.g., example.com).
3. Choose the Exact URL or Domain mode depending on scope. For a full-site view, use Domain or Prefix; for a single page, use Exact URL.
4. Press Enter.

You'll land on the Overview report. Don't try to absorb everything — focus on four numbers first.

Reading the Overview Snapshot

Important caveat: Ahrefs' traffic and keyword numbers are estimates based on its own data. They won't match Google Search Console or your analytics exactly. Treat them as directional, not absolute.

Step 2: See What You Already Rank For

Go to Organic Keywords in the left sidebar. This shows queries where your site appears in search results.

Sort by Traffic (descending) to see which pages bring the most estimated visitors. Then look for:

• Keywords ranking in positions 4–15 — these are often the easiest wins. A small content or on-page improvement can push them onto page one.
• Keywords with high volume but low position — potential opportunities if the topic is relevant.
• Irrelevant keywords — if you rank for something off-topic, it may signal thin or mismatched content.

Write down 5–10 of the position 4–15 keywords. These become your first optimization targets.

Step 3: Find Your Best and Weakest Pages

Open Top Pages. This ranks your URLs by estimated organic traffic.

Look for two things:

1. Your top performers — understand what topics and formats work. Can you create more content like this?
2. Pages with traffic but poor rankings — these may need on-page fixes (title, headings, internal links).

If a page gets zero traffic and targets a topic you care about, it's a candidate for a rewrite or consolidation.

Step 4: Run a Technical Site Audit

Now move to Site Audit. This crawls your site and flags technical and on-page issues.

1. Click Site Audit → New project.
2. Enter your domain and set crawl settings (default is usually fine for a small site).
3. Start the crawl and wait for it to finish.

Once complete, you'll see a Health Score and a list of issues grouped by category.

Which Issues to Fix First

Not all issues are equal. Prioritize in this order:

Ignore low-impact warnings (like minor meta description length) until the big items are handled.

Step 5: Turn Findings Into a To-Do List

You now have raw data. Convert it into a short, actionable list. Example:

1. Fix 3 broken links found in Site Audit.
2. Rewrite title tags on 5 pages with duplicate titles.
3. Improve 4 pages ranking in positions 6–12 by adding missing subtopics and internal links.
4. Remove or update 2 thin pages with no traffic.

Keep the list to 5–10 items max for your first audit. Finishing a short list beats starting a long one.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Chasing every red flag. Site Audit flags many minor issues. Fix what affects rankings and users first.
• Trusting estimates as exact numbers. Ahrefs data is modeled, not measured from your analytics.
• Auditing a huge site too early. Start small to learn the interface.
• Ignoring search intent. A page can be technically perfect but still fail if it doesn't match what searchers want.
• Forgetting to re-crawl. After fixes, run Site Audit again to confirm improvements.

Where to Go Next

Once your first audit is done:

• Compare with competitors using Site Explorer's Competing Domains and Content Gap reports.
• Track keyword rankings over time with Rank Tracker.
• Explore backlink opportunities in the Backlinks and Link Intersect reports.
• Set up recurring Site Audit crawls so new issues surface automatically.

Your first audit isn't about perfection — it's about building a repeatable habit: enter a target, read the key reports, pick the highest-impact fixes, and act. Do that once a month and your site's health compounds.

Use the original HSK books if you are preparing for the current HSK exam or following a course built around the existing Levels 1–6. Use the new HSK 3.0 books if your goal is the updated 2026 curriculum and you want to study the revised material from the start. Baulchino hosts both sets side by side, so the deciding factor is which exam or syllabus you are actually working toward — not which set is "better."

What Baulchino offers for each track

Baulchino presents the two curricula as parallel sections on its homepage, each with its own books, audio, and practice material.

Two things follow from this table. First, the original track is the only one where the site explicitly states level coverage (1–6). Second, the mock test section is listed once, without a 3.0-specific counterpart, so if mock testing is central to your plan, check whether the available tests match your target exam before committing.

How the two tracks differ in positioning

The page describes the original HSK books simply as downloadable HSK books for Levels 1–6. The new HSK 3.0 material is framed as "released in 2026" with an "updated curriculum for modern Mandarin learning" — the same wording is used for both the 3.0 books and the 3.0 audio files.

That wording tells you the 3.0 set is positioned as a curriculum refresh, not an add-on to the existing books. It does not tell you how the levels map between the two systems, and the page does not state a level range for 3.0. If you need to know which 3.0 level corresponds to, say, old HSK 4, that mapping is not on this page — verify it against the official exam syllabus you are targeting.

Choosing based on your exam goal

Work backward from the test you will sit:

• Sitting the current HSK exam, or enrolled in a course using it: take the original HSK track. Its Levels 1–6 structure and unit-by-unit audio line up with the textbooks and workbooks you are already using.
• Targeting the new HSK 3.0 / 2026 curriculum: take the 3.0 books and 3.0 audio. Starting with the old set risks covering material that the updated curriculum reorganizes.
• Unsure which exam applies to you: confirm the exam version and level requirements with your school, test center, or the official HSK body first. The site itself does not resolve this for you.
• Studying for general fluency rather than an exam: either track works as a structured base. Pick one and stay with it, since mixing two curricula makes progress harder to track.

Audio and mock tests: check the pairing

Audio is split cleanly by track — HSK Audio Files follow the HSK textbooks and workbooks unit by unit, and the 3.0 audio files are listed separately for the 2026 material. There is also a "Download all HSK audio files" option covering every HSK textbook and workbook, which appears tied to the original set rather than 3.0.

Mock tests are the gap to watch. The page offers HSK mock test bundles and an online simulation, but does not label them as 3.0-specific. Before you rely on them for 3.0 preparation, confirm the format matches the exam version you are taking.

Beyond the two book tracks

Baulchino also lists supporting tools that are not tied to either curriculum version: Anki decks covering HSK 1–4 vocabulary, hanzi writing material on stroke order and radicals, downloadable calligraphy templates, and a template generator for custom stroke-order and radical practice. These work alongside either track, though the Anki decks are labeled HSK 1–4, so they align more directly with the original level structure.

The site also links to Chinese learning YouTube channels and an About/Roadmap/Support section. The page's Q&A includes "How much does it cost?" but the answer text is not shown in the available material, so no pricing conclusion can be drawn here — check that section directly if cost matters to your decision.

Yes. Baulchino offers free downloads of HSK books for Levels 1–6, along with audio files for each unit of the HSK textbooks and workbooks. The site also provides the new HSK 3.0 books and audio files released in 2026, plus downloadable mock test bundles and an online mock test simulation. The page presents these as free downloads, so if you are working through HSK 1–6 or preparing for the updated HSK 3.0, this is a direct source for both books and listening material.

What you can download

The site separates the original HSK materials from the new HSK 3.0 materials, so you can choose the version that matches your exam target. If you are unsure which to use, check which HSK version your course or test date follows before downloading.

How to get the files

1. Go to the HSK Books section for Levels 1–6, or the New HSK 3.0 Books section for the 2026 curriculum.
2. Download the book for your level.
3. Go to HSK Audio Files (or New HSK 3.0 Audios) and select the unit that matches your textbook or workbook.
4. If you want everything at once, use the "Download all HSK audio files" option instead of going unit by unit.
5. For test practice, download a mock test bundle or try the online simulation.

Expected result: you end up with the book PDF and the matching audio for each unit, so you can study and listen without buying separate materials.

Practical notes

• The audio is organized by unit, which makes it easy to pair listening practice with the exact chapter you are studying.
• The bulk audio download is the faster route if you plan to work through multiple levels.
• The mock test section gives you two formats: downloadable bundles for offline practice and an online simulation if you want to test under timed conditions.
• Beyond HSK materials, the site also lists Anki decks for HSK 1–4 vocabulary, hanzi writing and stroke order resources, calligraphy templates, and a template generator. These are separate from the HSK book and audio downloads but useful if you want to add vocabulary review or handwriting practice.

Common questions

Does it cover all levels? The HSK Books section covers Levels 1–6. The new HSK 3.0 section covers the 2026 curriculum.

Is there a cost? The page describes the books and audio as free downloads. The site also mentions a support section where you can appear by donation or by contributing to the project, but that is optional and separate from accessing the materials.

What if I only need listening practice? Use the audio sections directly, or the bulk download if you want all files at once.

What if I want to test myself? Use the HSK Mock Test section for downloadable bundles or the online simulation.

Baulchino offers two connected tools for character practice: a Hanzi Writing section for learning stroke order and radicals, and a Hanzi Practice Template Generator that produces downloadable, level-appropriate worksheets. Use the Writing section first to learn how a character is built, then use the generator to produce paper you can fill in by hand. Both are listed on the site's main resource page alongside HSK books, audio, and mock tests, so they sit inside a broader Mandarin study workflow rather than standing alone.

What each tool actually does

The site describes the generator as producing "tailored templates" that are "ideal for refining your calligraphy skills," and the template library as downloadable practice for stroke order and radicals. In other words, the library gives you ready-made sheets, and the generator lets you build your own.

Step-by-step: from learning a character to drilling it

1. Open the Hanzi Writing section. This is where stroke order and radicals are introduced. Work through characters here until you can recall the stroke sequence without looking.
2. Decide whether a ready-made template fits. Go to Chinese Calligraphy Templates if you want a pre-built sheet for your level. Download it.
3. Or generate a custom template. Open the Hanzi Practice Template Generator and set it to your skill level. The site's stated goal for this tool is generating "customized exercises for your skill level."
4. Print and write by hand. The value of these tools is in the physical repetition — stroke order and radicals are motor skills as much as memory ones.
5. Verify against the Writing section. After filling a sheet, go back and check each character's stroke order and radical against the reference material. Errors caught early don't become habits.

Expected result: a stack of completed practice sheets plus a clear sense of which radicals and stroke patterns you still hesitate on.

Choosing between the library and the generator

• Use the template library if you want to start immediately and don't mind working through a fixed set. Good for routine daily practice.
• Use the generator if the library's sheets don't match your level, or if you want to concentrate on specific characters or radicals you keep getting wrong.
• Use both in sequence: generator output for targeted weak points, library sheets for general maintenance.

Common snags

• Skipping the Writing section. Jumping straight to templates means copying shapes without understanding stroke order or radicals — the exact things the templates are meant to reinforce.
• Treating it as a one-off. These are drill tools. A single downloaded sheet won't do much; the benefit comes from repeated sessions.
• Ignoring radicals. The site pairs stroke order with radicals in every tool description, which suggests they're meant to be learned together. A character learned as a random shape is harder to recall than one learned as radical plus component.

Where this fits in a wider study routine

Baulchino's homepage lists HSK books (Levels 1–6), new HSK 3.0 books and audio (2026), HSK audio files, mock tests, Anki decks for HSK 1–4, and Chinese learning YouTube channels. Character writing practice pairs naturally with the Anki decks (vocabulary recall) and the HSK books (context for the characters you're drilling). If you're preparing for an HSK level, use the writing tools for the characters in that level's vocabulary list rather than practicing in isolation.

One note on scope: the site's Q&A section includes "How much does it cost?" but the page evidence provided doesn't state an answer, so check that section directly if cost matters to you. The supporter list indicates the project accepts donations and contributions, but that doesn't establish whether any specific tool is gated.