China Fostering business and culturalInsight harmony between and the U.S. VOL. 17 NO. 3 March 2018 Lucy gets a makeover

C hi . 3 na Briefs, pg

News, pg. 3

Why is Lucy trading in her iconic blue dress and bobby socks for an elaborately designed outfit inspired by Hmong traditions, complete with head covering, Histo g. 7 dramatic eye makeup, jewelry, a pink bow in the back, and delicate white shoes? (See page 16) ry, p arts & culture Opulence of Qing Empire on show at MIA’s “Power of Beauty in China’s Last Dynasty” C om 14 munity, pg. and sculpture, to be displayed in an in art’s ability to inspire wonder and immersive, experiential environment fuel curiosity,” said Matthew Welch, conceived of by Wilson. “Power and Mia’s deputy director and chief curator. Beauty in China’s Last Dynasty: An “Through the use of the theatrical elements Exhibition Designed by Robert Wilson,” of lighting, sound, and progression, we presented by Sit Investment Associates, examine the layers of imperial life — from is curated by LIU Yang, Mia’s curator of the external presentation of the court to the internal, private life of the emperor. We Chinese Art and head of China, South, want the visitor to feel as though they are and Southeast Asian Art. In This Issue part of this otherworldly, intoxicating, and “The staging and storytelling involved sometimes even dangerous world.” Unknown, China, Asia in this exhibition speak to Mia’s belief During the Qing (pronounced Jade Mountain Illustrating the Gathering of Art & Culture 1, 4, 8 – 9 “ch’ing”) court’s reign (1644–1912), Scholars at the Lanting Pavilion, 1790 Books 12 Light green jade the arts flourished and rivaled that of The John R. Van Derlip Fund and Gift of the Europe’s great kingdoms. This backdrop Community 1, 12 – 16 Thomas Barlow Walker Foundation of opulence served to affirm imperial Education 5 A first-of-its-kind exhibition power and prestige, and acted as stagecraft Government & Politics 6 highlighting the drama, rituals, and to enhance the emperor’s leading role History 7 opulence of the Qing Empire, the last as the “son of heaven.” Court costume, imperial dynasty of China, is on exhibit for example, was heavily embroidered News 3 at The Minneapolis Institute of Art or woven with symbolic designs to Pronouncements 2 (Mia) Through May 27, 2018. It is a represent cosmological order. Roiling Science & Technology 5 collaboration with celebrated theater waves and faceted rocks around the hem Society 13 artist Robert Wilson. evoke the earth’s oceans and mountains. Travel 10 –11 The exhibition will present objects Stylized clouds hover above, indicating from Mia’s renowned collection of Nine Dragon Box the heavens. Dragons, a longstanding Chinese art, including rare court Qing dynasty, Qianlong period, 1736-1795 symbol of imperial authority Red, green, and brown carved lacquer costumes, jades, lacquers, paintings, continued on page 9 PAGE 2 / March 2018 pronouncements www.chinainsight.info Publisher’s Pronouncements Greetings: ChinaInsight It’s been a challenge this season. A We also want to congratulate Jennie Also, you are cordially invited to assist winter that started out colder than normal Hsiao on being the recipient of China us in publicizing your own organization. Publisher: and with below average snowfall that has Tribune’s Cup Award honoring “The Let us know how you recently celebrated Gregory J. Hugh managed to catch up in the last few weeks, Brightest Chinese Minnesotan.” See Chinese New Year. Submit a brief sum- [email protected] which complicated moving around the Twin article on page 13–14. mary of your event along with any photos Cities area to attend many Chinese New On a more somber note, we offer our (with captions) for our publication. To be Manager of Operations/ Year events. However, it did put us in the condolences to the family of Peter Wang, considered for the April 2018 issue, we must mood for watching the Winter Olympics. the 15-year-old who was killed in the Circulation: As usual, the Chinese community put Parkland, Florida, school massacre. While receive this no later than March 19. Send Richard He [email protected] forth a very full calendar of events to cele- mainstream media has covered the incident, materials to me at ghugh@chinainsight. info. This does not necessarily have to be a brate the arrival of the Year of the Dog. We which resulted in the U.S. Military Academy Staff Writers: have recapped some local organizations’ at West Point honoring the JROTC high Chinese New Year item, but could be on any Greg Hugh Chinese New Year celebrations on pages school student, we also want to recognize topic that would be of interest to our readers. [email protected] 15 and 16. that Wang did what a red-blooded American As always, we appreciate your support Although many Chinese New Year teenager should, except that he was Chinese. and all of us at China Insight look forward Elaine Dunn celebrations have already taken place, the During these chaotic times, it is imperative to hearing from you with your suggestions [email protected] calendar still contains other events for your that become more pro- on how to make China Insight even better. consideration. The Chinese American As- active in their communities and contribute sociation of Minnesota will be celebrating so that America can be proud it is a nation Contributors: Sincerely, its 50th anniversary, and Global Minnesota built on the backs of immigrants. By the Gregory J. Hugh Zeng Lixia & Bu Aihua, and the China Center have events coming same token, legal immigrants to the U.S. The Center for up. Based on the comments by a number should be treated fairly by the government Cultural Heritage of people who have already gone multiple and thus we would like to remind you to [email protected] times, “The Power of Beauty in China’s Last get involved with securing a Congressional Publisher-CEO Dynasty” exhibition at The Minneapolis Gold Medal for World War II. Visit our web- China Insight, Inc. Patrick Welsh Institute of Art is a must-see. site at www.chinainsight.info for details. [email protected]

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Title______All Rights Reserved. www.chinainsight.info news March 2018 / PAGE 3 China Briefs Wall for the dead plans to relocate Disputed hongbaos 16 villages with 15,000 villagers away from the site where 13 Ming Dynasty emperors and 23 queens were buried. The site, a World Heritage Site, is northwest of Beijing and there are plans to open all the emperor tombs to the public after restoration is completed. The villagers’ new eco-friendly community will be separated from the Quick, who owns the hongbaos tombs by a wall. ♦ passed out to the kiddies – kids or parents? Kids, of course! How can there ever be any question? A Shandong Province court made that official No Mandarin by stating, “giving red envelopes university students are # 1 # is an act of giving, and the receiver once again outraged by a move perceived # 6 of the act is the child. All of the as Beijing trying to curb the usage of 8 rights related to red packets are in the former British colony, 3 transferred to the child.” By the numbers # further eroding the Hong Kong identity. # 4 After 30 students stormed the university’s 10 # # 2 Easy cash, not! 7 A man saw a 100-yuan Language Center, two were suspended. (US$15.80) note stuck under a Thousands of students protested the Rich getting richer van’s rear tire in Henan Province. controversial “foundation Putonghua pro- “Don’t want Mandarin” graffiti Surprisingly, this is actually not an He tried tugging it out and lifting ficiency” exam required for graduation that lines to be made public and complained that utterance by the Democrats in D.C. It’s the van with his brute force, but to was introduced recently. Only 70 percent of the university failed to defend its students what Forbes reported on the collective no avail. So he stuck around, not students who took the text between October against one of the students interning in Chi- wealth of Hong Kong’s financial elite. sure for how long, until the owner and November last year received a passing na who received death threats over his objec- According to the February 2018 issue returned. Unfortunately for him, grade. Students called for the grading guide- tion to Mandarin graduation requirement.♦ of Forbes Asia, the top echelon in Hong the bank note remained stuck on the Kong’s tycoons are getting richer, a lot tire and drove away with the van! richer, last year! Even the casino magnates made a Innovative race Expensive The freezing temperatures of comeback after several lean years stem- Northeast China’s Heilonjiang ming from mainland’s clamp down on Province gave birth to a new game rental corruption and a weak economy. The at the Fourth National Teenager growth is the result of a booming real Winter Games. The sports enthu- Tiny living does not mean estate market and strong global economy. siasts put ice skate blades on the cheap(er) living in Hong Kong! According to the 2018 list, bottom of dragon boats and paddled An advertiser by the name of 50 of the top wealthiest sect in Hong with oars sporting cleats to push Milky Wong (I kid you not!) Kong saw their net worth grew from off the ice. So popular is the sport is milking a 40-square-foot US$60 billion to US$307 billion. the government hopes to add it to “room” for all she’s got. She 39 percent was the greatest growth in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. is asking close to US$400/mo. net worth for the chairman of Henderson for the space, which comes with Land Development, Lee Shau Kee, from Inept burglars a chair that folds down into a wardrobe either. It is in a sub-di- Two hooded men approached US$9.4 billion to US$32.9 billion. Share single bed that is approximately 8” vided flat, so perhaps there is shared a store in Shanghai. First burglar of his land development company and his cooking facility. The redeeming fea- threw a brick at the store window from the toilet, which is directly op- share in mainland companies were “on and was moving to the side. Second posite a hanging sink. ture? The flat is close to a subway fire” in 2017. burglar proceeded to throw his There’s no shower/tub and no station.♦ 19.4 percent growth in net worth for brick to break the store window. 89-year-old Li Ka-Shing, Hong Kong’s His bad aim ended up hitting his No. 1 ranked tycoon. His net worth grew partner-in-crime on the right side Clickers galore to US$36 billion. of his head, causing the first inept 12 billion USD is the net worth of Hong burglar to fall to the ground. The More than half the Kong’s richest woman Pollyanna Chu. second brick thrower was last seen population of China is now Her fortune is tied to Kingston Financial dragging motionless partner off. online. According to the China All caught on camera. Group, aa financial services company she Internet Network Information started in 1992. Center, 40 million got online 19 billion USD is what third-ranked Burnt rice (cooker) for the first time last year and An elderly woman recently member of the rich list, Macau casino moved from a rural area into an 97.5 percent of the 772 million operator Lui Che Woo is worth. apartment in Guangdong Province. internet users went online via 2.6 billion USD belongs to the Top 50 No one showed her how to use the their mobiles! list’s youngest member, 41-year-old Law- new electric rice cooker, so she Beijing, Shanghai and rence Ho, son of casino magnate Stanley reverted back to the way she knew. Guangzhou are the top three Ho. He is 29th in the Top 50 list. Elder She lit firewood underneath the cities with the highest internet sister Pansy came in at number 15 with rice cooker! Luckily nothing else penetration rates.♦ net worth of US$5.5 billion. caught on fire and no one was hurt, Kwok brothers, Thomas and Ray- but the rice cooker bit the dust! 2 mond, of Sun Hung Kai Properties, ranked fourth on the list with net worth Deadly bliss Glow ban A woman engrossed in her of USD$17.5. Their elder brother, Walter, mobile instead of where she was who was ousted from the family business, has been busy starting his own company, headed walked into a vertical car Folks who wanted glowing lift at a hospital just as a car exited. Empire Group Holdings, comes in at LED balloons for their Chinese The lift began to descend to the number 10 with US$8.7 billion. New Year celebrations had the floor below. Instead of moving to 5.1 billion USD is tied to Tung Chee the side, she stood in the center. A air sucked out of them, liter- Hwa, Hong Kong’s first chief executive car entered and knocked her over. ally! The government banned after the former British colony was hand- Fortunately, she was already at the hydrogen-filled balloons ed back to the Communists. the hospital so she was admitted because they exploded in a taxi 30 percent of the $307 billion is held by immediately with a crushed leg. ♦ in Nanjing last November and the top five members on the Top 50 list.♦ injured four people.♦ PAGE 4 / March 2018 arts & culture www.chinainsight.info New Spring Festival trends in China By Li Ping, China Daily, Feb. 24, 2018

Editor’s note: Celebrations for Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, are taking on a new look with economic growth and the rapid development of internet and new technologies. Traditional celebrations have been given a modern touch: family reunion dinners on lunar New Year’s Eve have gradually moved from home tables to restaurants; sending and receiving digital red envelopes is all the rage; traveling, cinema- and museum-going with family members prevail as holiday activities. Here are some new trends in spending the just-concluded Spring Festival holiday, which ran from Feb 15 to 21.

of Commerce said the revenue of China’s catering industry reached 926 billion yuan ($146 billion) during the Spring Festival holiday, up 10.2 Tourists crowd the Yu Garden, or Yuyuan percent compared to the same period Garden, on the second day of the Chinese last year. New Year holiday in Shanghai, 17 Feb, More than 95 percent of famous 2018. [Photo/IC] chain restaurants were booked up for Southeast Asia was the top overseas destina- the New Year Eve dinner, it said. tion for Chinese tourists, according to data Online battles for luck from China’s biggest online travel agency Ahead of lunar New Year, Chinese Ctrip. More than 20 percent of the compa- e-commerce giant Alibaba launched ny’s Chinese customers visited , an online campaign inviting all its making it the most favored foreign destina- users to collect Chinese characters tion, followed by 13 percent to and for fu, meaning “good fortune”. 10 percent to . By collecting five fu, people will have opportunities to take a share from cash rewards totaling 500 million yuan ($80 million). The process of collecting was as simple as using phones to scan the word’s Chinese 10 dishes prepared for a family reunion dinner on lunar New Year’s eve in Chengdu, Southwest China’s Sichuan characters. province. [Photo/IC] More than 250 million New Year dinner: eating out, eating usually contain eight or 10 dishes. With internet users finished the easier family income growing, people nowadays task successfully, according to The family reunion dinner on lunar New tend to choose more convenient options, data from the company. Although Year’s eve is the most important meal of the however: dining in restaurants or ordering many of them ended up with less age-old festival. The grand dinner used to takeout. than five yuan, what mattered take families days to prepare and cook and A recent report released by the Ministry People scan the Chinese character fu, meaning good more for them is finding luck in fortune, via Alibaba’s mobile payment system Alipay, in the new year. order to get lucky money. [Photo/VCG] The activity was welcomed by over 2,300 cities around the world, including Tokyo, and Seoul, the company said. Also prevalent during the holiday break was giving out hongbao, or red envelopes, via the country’s major messaging app WeChat. According English Language to a report released by WeChat on Wednesday, more than 768 million Teachers people sent and received red enve- lopes through the messaging app Three popular Chinese films during the 2018 during the festival break, up 10 per- Spring Festival holiday. From left: Monster Hunt cent year-on-year. 2, Detective Chinatown 2 and . Among them, an unnamed internet [Photo/mtime.com] user from Nanchang in East China’s Ji- angxi province became the luckiest person by Movie and art market booms during holiday receiving a total of 3,429 red envelopes. The China’s box office sales totaled a re- most generous user, according to the report, cord-breaking 5.7 billion yuan ($900 mil- was a man from Chongqing in Southwest lion) during the weeklong holiday, growing China, who sent out 2,723 red envelopes in over 60 percent compared to the same period five days. last year, according to the State Administra- Family travel tion of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Traditionally, the Spring Festival was a Television of China. festival when people headed back home to Detective Chinatown 2 raked in 1.9 gather with family members. But nowadays, billion yuan ($300 million), Monster Hunt traveling is all the rage. 2 earned 1.7 billion yuan ($270 million) The number of domestic trips hit a and war-themed Operation Red Sea took record high of 386 million during the sev- 1.2 billion yuan ($190 million). en-day holiday, an increase of 12.1 percent Major museums in the country also year-on-year, according to a report from the welcomed flocks of visitors. China National Tourism Administration. The Palace Museum in Beijing, for ex- Revenue generated during the holiday ample, received more than 500,000 people reached 475 billion yuan ($75 billion), 12.6 during the seven-day holiday. Three major percent above the 2017 mark. museums in Chengdu (Wuhou Shrine, Du More than 50 percent of Chinese fami- Fu Thatched Cottage Museum and Jinsha lies took self-driving trips during the break, Site Museum), a popular tourist city in said the report. Southwest China, saw visits by nearly 1.4 Outbound tourism was also popular. million people.♦ www.chinainsight.info education March 2018 / PAGE 5 Asian Pacific American Resource Center opens at UM A new student resource center dedicated APARC is an initiative of the AANAPISI to supporting Asian American and Pacific grant that aims to increase the academic Islander (AAPI) students at the University success of underserved AAPI student of Minnesota is now open. The new 1500 groups, raise awareness of issues affecting SF Asian Pacific American Resource Center AAPI student communities, and support (APARC) is at 311 Apple Hall, 128 Pleasant the work of the university to create a more St SE, Minneapolis. inclusive community. APARC provides a variety of The philosophy of APARC is to resources and programs for AAPI engage students in thinking about students to obtain academic support, how their AAPI identities shape mentorship, leadership development, their college experiences, future and strengthen their AAPI identities. goals, and engagement with the larger APARC is in its second year of pro- community. APARC’s goal is for gramming and the new center will help students to develop a positive sense of APARC reach and serve more AAPI self and contribute to creating a more students on campus. Education and Human Development, and American Pacific Islander Serving inclusive and equitable society. “The new center is really a campus and the College of Liberal Arts,” said APARC Institution (AANAPISI) in April 2016 by For collaboration opportunities and community resource that couldn’t have been Program Director, Kong Her. the Department of Education, and received to learn about APARC resources and made possible without the strong support The University of Minnesota was a federal grant to develop greater capacity programs, please visit aparc.umn.edu of University leadership, the College of designated as an Asian American Native for serving AAPI students on campus. or stop by the center.♦ science & technology Dawn Redwood, the living fossil tree from China By Mary Yee, contributor

Imagine going on a hike in the be found in the pressure on its habitat. woods and suddenly coming upon vicinity. The seeds Fortunately, the dawn redwood has a live dinosaur in a clearing. The were distributed proven to be a resilient relic and easy botanical equivalent of this improbable to botanical to grow. It is readily propagated in event occurred in a remote corner of gardens in Asia, nurseries and is now widely planted central China in 1941. In the village Europe and the as an ornamental tree in temperate of Modaoxi in Hubei province, forester . The zones all around the world. Many Gan Duo came upon a large tree he was germination rate trees were planted in the wake of its unable to identify. Because the tree was high and many discovery thanks to popular interest in had already shed its leaves by that time of the seedlings this “botanical dinosaur”. In America of the year, Gan asked a local school have now become the common name dawn redwood has principal to collect branches and seeds mature trees in caught on. the following season. Whether those public gardens The dawn redwood is a true conifer, collections were ever made is not clear, across the world. with needled leaves and seeds hidden but the principal, Yang Lung Tsing, When botanist in cones. However, unlike its closest became interested in the tree. Ralph Chaney at relative, the American redwood, In 1943, Yang met up with a Berkeley heard the dawn redwood is deciduous, former classmate who had come to about this tree’s not evergreen. Like its more distant central China to survey the forests discovery, he American cousins, the bald cypress and asked him, Professor Zhan was determined and the larch, its needles change color Wang of the Agricultural College in to visit China and are shed in autumn. It grows quite and see for him- Beijing, to help identify the unusual fast and can easily reach 70 feet in tree. Zhan agreed to have a look and self. With fund- height. Some of the trees grown from found that the tree resembled the ing from the Save the 1948 seeds are now 90 to 100 feet Chinese swamp cypress. However, the Redwoods tall. The dawn redwood is conical in its leaves and cones were clearly not League, he made shape and the base thickens as the the same as the well-known cypress. the trip in 1948 tree matures, making for a majestic Zhan collected branches and cones when civil war silhouette. from the mature tree he encountered was still raging I first encountered this tree in the in Modaoxi and studied them when he between the Chi- conifer collection at the National returned from the field. However, as nese nationalist Note wider base of this dawn redwood grown from the seeds originally sent to Arboretum in Washington DC. As a China was at war during this period, he the U.S. in 1948 at Duke University, NC. Photo by Mary Yee. and communist was unable to access the references that factions. He was research institution, the Arboretum might have helped him identify the tree. California at Berkeley and Harvard accompanied by Milton Silverman, received seeds from the 1948 collection In 1945, he showed the collected plant University. Despite the war between science writer for the San Fran- and had a grove of well-established material to Professor Zheng Wanjun, a China and Japan, he had access to cisco Chronicle. Searching for a trees by the early 1990’s. When I conifer specialist at the National Central international scientific journals and had smaller mouthful than Metasequoia moved to Minnesota in 1999, I looked University in Nanjing. Intrigued by what read a paper by Japanese paleobotanist glyptostrobus, Silverman, with his for this tree in local botanical gardens he saw, Professor Zheng decided that Shigeru Miki describing a tree found in editor, coined the common name for and learned it was not considered hardy more research was needed and sent one the fossil record in Japan. Because of the this new tree: dawn redwood. The in this area. However, more recently, I of his students, Xue Jiru, to Modaoxi to tree’s similarity to American redwoods Chronicle subsequently trumpeted found a single dawn redwood growing collect additional samples from the tree. or sequoias, Dr. Miki named the fossil that “Dr. Chaney brought the tree robustly in a Wisconsin garden with Later in life, Xue wrote an account of tree “Metasequoia”, meaning “like a back to America after a 250 million low temperatures equal to those of his journey through the mountainous, sequoia”. Professor Hu recognized the years absence.” the Twin Cities. It may be that 20 to sparsely populated area where bandits specimens he had on hand as identical Why “back to America”? It turns 30 million years after it disappeared were known to prey on travelers. The to those in the fossil record. In 1948, out that eons ago, Metasequoia grew from the fossil record in the American tree was very tall and Xue had to he and Professor Zheng of Nanjing not only in China and Japan but also Midwest, the dawn redwood will once throw rocks at the branches to bring jointly published their identification of in North America. Its fossils have been again grace our landscapes here. ♦ down some of them, along with cones this “living fossil tree.” Following Dr. found all over Canada and, in the U.S., containing seeds. He made it safely back Miki’s lead, they named it “Metasequoia from Oregon to North Dakota. Scientists to Nanjing with his quarry. glyptostrobus”. have speculated about the turns of Mary Yee is a Hennepin County Master Professor Zheng shared the With funding from Harvard fortune that reduced the widespread Gardener volunteer and a member specimens with Professor Hu Xiansu of University’s Arnold Arboretum, the distribution of this tree to a small, of the Minnesota Peony Society. She the Fan Memorial Institute of Biology Chinese professors organized another isolated population in central China. grows more than 70 varieties of peonies in Beijing. Professor Hu had received expedition to Modaoxi to collect seeds There was a very real fear that this tree in her garden. his degrees from the University of from all the Metasequoias that could could become extinct because of human PAGE 6 / March 2018 government & politics www.chinainsight.info HK freedoms under siege

By Elaine Dunn

Joshua Wong, Alex Chow and Nathan come at a more serendipitous time! indices’ rankings show Hong Kong’s press and self-determination protests while taking Law are names well-known to Hong Kong Beijing has been encroaching on Hong freedom and the freedom of expression their swearing-in oaths. democracy activists, the HK Police and, Kong affairs increasingly. Under Hong have been coming under increasing attack. Journalists are doing their job when probably, Beijing. As of January 31, Kong’s “Basic Law,” (its constitution), The health and future of journalism and they make their readers think and evalu- they were also officially “introduced” to Hong Kongers are guaranteed freedom Hong Kongers’ rights are in jeopardy. ate their existing beliefs, and ultimately the Nobel Foundation, thanks to 12 U.S. of speech, assembly and demonstrations. This led Divya Gopalan of Al Jazeera to uncover and present the truth. To do this, congressmen from both sides of the aisle. However, it is clear the rights of the three point out in 2015 that “Hong Kong had they need the protection of free speech in In a move that may create more tension student activists were infringed upon be- ranked among the top 20 spots for press order to present dissenting and opposing to an already tense U.S.-China relation, cause their activities were not acceptable freedom only a little over a decade ago, viewpoints, as uncomfortable as that may the 12 nominated Wong, Chow and Law to Beijing and its agenda for Hong Kong. so what went wrong?” be for their readers and, more importantly, for the Nobel Peace Prize for the trio’s Hong Kong’s standing in various China’s booming economy may be for those in power. efforts and leadership roles during the freedom indices had continued to drop responsible. It has allowed China to Beijing does not subscribe to this con- mostly peaceful 2014 Umbrella Revolu- on all fronts. infiltrate the media in Asia, especially in cept. At this critical point in time, it remains tion -- the largest pro-democracy protest The metropolis now ranks the same as Hong Kong. In 2014, the independent to be seen whether Beijing’s continued en- in Hong Kong’s history. The three were Namibia and Paraguay in The Economist Committee to Protect Journalists, a non- croachment on press freedom and the right sentenced and served prison sentences for Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index. profit group whose mission is to “defend to free speech and assembly will strengthen their 2014 pro-democracy activities. That’s a drop of three spots from 2016. the right of journalists to report the news Hong Kongers’ resolve to safeguard their Hong Kong also without fear of reprisal,” reported that freedom of speech, assembly and access lost its spot as the more than half of Hong Kong’s media to unfiltered information. After all, they world’s freest juris- owners were “members of China’s parlia- deserve the right to have a say over their diction – a position ment or its advisory body.” Furthermore, own future, and that includes the freedom it had held for the many advertisers are now Chinese compa- to protest. past two years, ac- nies who have no qualms of pulling their In a Jan. 30, 2018 opinion piece, Mar- cording to the 2017 advertising dollars should the editorial tin Lee, a long-time practitioner of law Human Freedom not suit them. and founding chairman of Hong Kong’s Index compiled by Since 2012, several journalists have Democratic Party, wrote, “Every day I Canada’s Fraser In- come under vicious physical attacks for see the difference between Hong Kong’s stitute, a think tank stories not in line with the Hong Kong ‘rule of law’ and China’s ‘rule of law.’ that uses 79 indi- government’s narrative. Booksellers have The is always cators for personal, been abducted and detained in China for above the law, which is twisted so as to civil and economic publishing and selling materials critical of imprison journalists, activists and lawyers freedoms in rank- members of the Chinese Communist Party. – even Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu ing 159 countries. Outspoken journalists resigned abruptly, Xiaobo, who died last July in state cus- L to R: Wong, Law and Chow leaving Hong Kong court. On the 180-country leaving many to wonder if they were forced tody … the authoritarian government on Press Freedom Index out. These suppressive tactics are not letting the mainland is leaning on Hong Kong to The congressmen’s letter of nomina- compiled by Reporters Without Borders, up. This past January, the latest sign of Bei- change the meaning of our laws, including tion stated, “Wong, Law and Chow and the Hong Kong has continued to sink lower jing’s intimidation of Hong Kong’s citizens their guarantees of freedom of the press, entire ‘’ embody the and lower, from 61 in 2007 to 69 in 2016 and interference in Hong Kong elections speech, assembly and religion ...” peaceful aspirations of the people of Hong and, 73 in 2017. The Press Freedom Index came when Agnes Chow, a known democ- Hong Kong’s young pro-democracy Kong who yearn to see their autonomy and reflects the degree of freedom journalists, racy activist, was barred from running in the fighters are not necessarily challenging way of life protected and their democratic news organizations and netizens enjoy in March by-elections to the city’s legislature. Beijing. They are fighting to have their aspirations fulfilled.” that country, including the free flow of Chow was hoping to fill one of seats vacated democratic freedoms upheld, a basic tenet The Nobel Peace Prize nomination is a information on the internet. by six lawmakers who were disqualified of the 1997 handover of the former British first for Hong Kong and it could not have Collectively, it’s quite apparent these in 2017 as a result of their pro-democracy colony back to Chinese rule. ♦ Are Chinese students in US a threat? By Hong Xiao, China Daily, Feb. 23, 2018

FBI chief’s claim in hearing security threat that requires “a whole- “However, Senator Rubio’s lead- our government that, while directed at condemned as ‘irresponsible’ racial of-society response by us.” ing question and FBI Director Wray’s foreign nationals, could affect Americans generalization Democratic U.S. Representatives Judy sweepingly broad response were com- who happen to be of certain ethnicities,” Recent testimony at a congressional Chu and Ted Lieu of California and Grace pletely irresponsible generalizations that Lieu wrote. hearing singling out Chinese students Meng of New York released statements attempt to paint all Chinese students and The Committee of 100, a non-profit and scholars as a threat to US national in response. scholars as spies for China,” Chu wrote. leadership organization of prominent security has prompted a strong response “I condemn these remarks entirely and She provided the examples of Sherry Chinese-Americans, also released a by Chinese-American politicians and reject these dangerous attempts to build Chen and Xi Xiaoxing, two Chinese- statement about the testimony. other groups. a case that Chinese students, professors American scientists who were accused “The Committee of 100 is unequivocally The comments were made last week and scholars should be viewed with more of espionage by the FBI only to have the committed to America’s national security in Washington during the U.S. Senate suspicion than others,” Chu wrote. charges dropped without explanation. and recognizes the importance of ensuring Intelligence Committee’s annual open Chu agreed that espionage threats from “This caused irreparable harm to their our nation is able to counteract perils from hearing on the greatest threats facing foreign countries should be taken seriously. careers, reputations and lives, and espionage. However, C100 supports fair the U.S. During the session, a host many Asian-American and appropriate investigation, prosecution of intelligence community leaders students, scientists and punishment of espionage that is based shared concerns about dangers around and scholars now on the evidence and not on profiling or the globe. fear that they may be suspicion based on race, ethnicity or U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, a subjected to the same national origin. Republican from Florida who ran for discrimination,” Chu “For over 160 years...Chinese im- president in 2016, and FBI Director wrote. migrants, many of whom first arrived Christopher Wray discussed whether Chu called for the as students, have contributed immea- Chinese students in the U.S. could be highest-ranking law en- surably to the richness and success of covertly gathering intelligence for their forcement officials in the United States, including eight Chi- government back home. the U.S. to not create nese-Americans winning Nobel Prizes in At one point Rubio asked, “What … is an environment that en- the sciences while working in America,” the counterintelligence risk posed to U.S. courages individuals to said Frank H. Wu, C100 chairman. “In national security from Chinese students, view Chinese and Chi- every field, from the arts to the sciences, particularly those in advanced programs nese-Americans with business to entertainment, politics to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray in the sciences and mathematics?” waits to testify during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on more suspicion. sports, Chinese-Americans are loyal and Wray responded that Chinese “Worldwide Threats” on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, Feb 13, “There are certain hardworking citizens no different than students and scholars pose a national 2018. [Photo/Agencies] policies and actions by their neighbors.”♦ www.chinainsight.info history March 2018 / PAGE 7 The Reform Era of 1953 –1957 By Pat Welsh, contributor

Five Year Plan. The Soviet aid was not in questioning of Confucianism by many the form of grants, but rather in loans of who previously began examining for- about only 60 million yuan per year that eign theories such as those of progress, had to be repaid. During this period, some evolution and social Darwinism. At the 10,000 Soviet specialists came to China same time, a fervent nationalism and a while 28,000 Chinese received training reappraisal of tradition as a means to save in the USSR. In all, Soviet technology the nation arose. Chinese tradition did amounted to only about 4 percent of Chi- involve an educated scholar whose studies na’s total investment in industry. Over were strongly oriented towards problems time the Chinese realized that while the of the state. Their studies had also tended Soviet technology was more advanced to bring the scholar towards conservative than China’s, the value of China’s rela- views that would hamper their ability and tionship with the Soviet Union was now willingness to work with the new gov- coming into question. ernment. It was also the traditional role These reforms required an educated of the scholar to advise the ruler and, if population that would produce students necessary, remonstrate with him.

By 1954 the initial campaign to sta- households to former landless laborers bilize the economy and organize urban and land tenants. Private ownership of workers and managers into mass orga- land still remained and land could still nizations had been largely achieved. be bought and sold privately. The rich The government now focused on peasant class grew and became more reforms in agriculture, industry and prominent. intellectual thought. The next stage of cooperativization A campaign had been undertaken to involved moving to an even higher level of instigate land reform beyond what had the Agricultural Producers’ Cooperatives been achieved by 1949 in China’s north wherein the peasants found themselves and northeastern provinces. After the mil- in a truly collective enterprise. They no itary pacification of the south, communist longer saw returns based on their former party work teams would enter the rural input of land and equipment. Instead they villages. There the work teams organized received regular wages. the local peasantry so the peasants could By the end of 1956, the program confidentially attack and destroy the for collectivization had been completed landlords in public meetings. At first, throughout the country. and cadres that would devote themselves Always suspicious of the intellectuals, rich peasants were spared as this was a Between 1953 and 1957, agricultural to the Party’s way of thinking. The prob- Mao tried to use the Soviet model of pro- grey area social class that hung between output expanded by almost 4 percent while lem was that in 1949 intellectuals were ducing ideologically sound technocrats. the landlord class and the poor peasants. the population grew by only 2.4 percent. still reading the classics and following Emphasis was placed on producing per- The Party believed that this class could be In the cities, the Party pushed through the Confucian model of conservatism and sonnel well versed in the natural sciences. molded into something useful. a five-year plan for the 1953-57 period. censorial remonstrance. Aside from Mao-Thought, liberal arts In 1954, the Party undertook the pro- This involved a plan for rapid industri- China’s diverse dialects also presented programs were otherwise eliminated. Mao gram to collectivize agriculture. Here alization based on the Soviet model. In a problem. If one were to combine Portu- felt no need for a liberal arts graduate who the Chinese experience differed from China the state monopoly was helped by gal, Spain, France, Italy and Romania into lacked technical skills. that of the Soviet Union. In the USSR, the fact that the Kuomintang’s Nation- one country, this would be very similar to This type of education did produce a the revolution moved from the city to the al Resources Commission had already China’s situation. China needed a truly savvy technically-oriented student and countryside. Soviet city cadres, lacking controlled almost two-thirds of China’s national language that all could use. To- party cadre who, however proficient in experience in running a farm, would enter industrial investment. In contrast to the 周 wards this end, Premier Chou En-lai ( his own technology, lacked the ability to the villages, attack and devastate the ku- gradual policies enacted in agriculture, the 恩来 周有光 ) invited Zhou Youguang ( ) think outside the box of his own special- laks (rich peasants). The kulaks resisted Chinese communist government followed to develop a system based on the alphabet ty. It also produced a student or cadre by destroying livestock, grain stores and more closely the Soviet example. Party that could be used to teach the population who was unable to foresee how current by generating local opposition. The result cadres, lacking experience in industrial to speak ‘putonghua’ (普通话), based on events occurring outside of his specialty was a serious famine that cost many lives management, quickly took over industrial the Mandarin dialect of Beijing. The new could frustrate his work in the future. thereby reducing the food supply, the management but let the private capital- alphabet Zhou created was called ‘’ The disaster Mao’s Great Leap Forward, number of peasants who could farm the ist enterprises operate independently at (拼音) (phonetics) and it was approved at the topic of my next offering, will show land, and much of the brain power that first. Some increases in production were the Fifth Session of the National People’s a glaring example of how this academic could manage agriculture. achieved but, nonetheless, unrealistic Congress on February 11, 1958. Mao rec- deficiency ruined this movement and left In China, the revolution moved from goals of production along with doubtful ognized that with a common language and Mao as only the head of a faction of the the countryside into the city. The Chinese reporting of results became the norm. a literate population, his theories could be party until 1966.♦ work teams were populated mostly by One other problem was that the Chi- more easily promulgated. peasants who understood both the peas- nese Communist Party (CCP) was misled Mao’s generation had experienced the Vintage posters are from Agrarian Revolution era antry and farming. The steps taken were by the Soviet model for rapid industrial- gradual. First the peasantry was brought ization at the expense of agriculture. In into mutual-aid teams. The second stage the USSR, the ratio of population to indus- About Pat Welsh was the establishment of agricultural trial resources was a lot more favorable. In 2009 while teaching English at Sichuan University, Welsh was asked to producers’ cooperatives at the peasant Moreover, industrialization in the USSR give a speech where he was introduced to the audience as a “pioneer of Chinese level. Now the farmers pooled their lands was far more advanced long before the American relations” as a result of his cooperative work in international banking and equipment and received a return in Soviet revolution. during the Deng Xiaoping era. For more than 65 years, Welsh has been learning proportion to what they contributed. The In China, 156 Soviet-aided projects Chinese and has used this knowledge both professionally and personally to enhance result was that the rich peasants did not in China were large-scale and capital his understanding of Chinese and Asian affairs. Now fully retired, he currently resist because their position improved. intensive. However, the Soviet contribu- resides in Georgia where he used to lecture on China to a number of classes at Dunwoody High School. This land reform shifted landholding tion came at a high price. The Chinese from a small 2.6 percent of landlord invested about 25 billion yuan in the First PAGE 8 / March 2018 arts & culture www.chinainsight.info Dong brocade: a delicate heritage in China By Zeng Lixia and Bu Aihua, The Center for Hunan Cultural Heritage at Huaihua University, contributor

Note: This is the sixth article in the series on the Dong ethnic group by The Center for Hunan Cultural Heritage as U.S.-China cultural and educational exchange and research. The Center for Hunan Cultural Heritage is located in Huaihua University, southwest Hunan Province, China. It is a provincial translation institute dedicated to the preservation and development of Hunan’s diverse ethnic communities and shared with the global community. This month’s article highlights Dong brocade and its role in Dong culture. Zeng Lixia is a teacher in Foreign Language School of Huaihua University. Her research interests cover comparative education and cross-culture study. Living in the minority area, she has strong affection and various chances to experience the minority cultures in the local area. Professor Bu is the dean and professor in Foreign Language School of Huaihua University. Her major research interests cover comparative education, biculturalism and bicultural active living lifestyle with a special focus on the Hmong youth in western part of Hunan Province and the state of Minnesota. She is also the vice director of the Hunan Cultural Heritage Center.

Dong brocade is a unique traditional displays various brocade handicrafts and the texture may become uneven. A Dong handicraft and expressive she made while single. Headscarves, one square-foot piece of brocade requires form known for its rich colors and headbands, towels are given to honor her more than 1,000 stitches that even for exquisite patterns with very typical local husbands’ relatives and friends as the very a very experienced and skilled weaver, characteristics. It has been handed down traditional wedding gifts from the bride. would take an entire day to complete. for more than 2,000 years from mothers Unmarried girls also make baby carriers, Dong costumes to daughters in the Dong ethnic group in children’s clothes, hats, shoes, bedspreads Dong people attach great importance to China. Dong brocade can be singled out and so on to prepare for married life. traditional dress, creating finely decorated Woman with baby in baby carrier as a particularly vital and flourishing form Furthermore, they prepare traditional attire for both daily and festival wear. in both traditional and new contexts of costume pieces for their parents’ or They think highly of their dress as a babies on the back. They are particularly production and use. parents-in-laws’ funerals. unique and distinctive symbol of ethnic convenient for Dong women who are It is prevalent in the Dong minority The new bride usually receives a baby identity. As covered in the series on taking care of a small baby while working. communities in the mountainous areas of carrier from her mother as a blessing Dong clothing in previous issues of China The carrier includes three parts: a hood, southwest China, such as Hunan, Guizhou, for the couple to have many children. Insight (August-October 2017, January back panel and shoulder straps. The hood and Guangxi provinces. In 2008, it was Intimate female friends and relatives also & February 2018), we highlighted the is the upper part of the carrier, usually listed in China as an intangible cultural gift other Dong brocade handicrafts for Dongs’ impressive wisdom, talents, a in the shape of rectangle with two bands heritage at the national level. In both blessings when the couple gets married. unique aesthetic view on nature and life, on the top, is used to protect baby from love for nature and national spirits, never- the long production sunburn, wind, or hold the baby’s head ending pursuit of beauty and better life. process and social when the baby falls asleep. The back life, Dong people have panel is used to hold the baby’s body and made the best use of is made of Dong brocade embroidered and various fibrous plants, appliqued with auspicious Dong motifs such as ramie, kapok (according to personal preferences) to and the banana tree, to spin and weave their bless the baby for a happy, lucky and positive attitude, spirits healthy life, or to keep away harmful of courage, diligence, spirits. The shoulder straps are also perseverance, never- made of Dong brocade, tied around the ending creativity and back panel to secure the baby to his or wisdom into the cloth. her mother. As the Dongs do not have written language, the brocade substitutes as a kind of record of Dong women with their colorful brocade pieces----photo from Meng Xi their ancestors, history, wars, beliefs, emotions, etc. It serves as a Making Dong brocade pieces is time- Dong women in finely decorated attire---- photo lively record of their history, legends and consuming. The labor-intensive and from www.52dongjin.com development. tedious, production of a piece of Dong Dong women are very skillful and brocade is composed of more than 10 Uses of Dong brocade products ingenious in spinning, weaving and complicated steps. There is no graph Dong brocades are widely used in needlework. A high degree of skill or paper in the process. Designs and patterns Dong communities in China and an knowledge of textiles is valued and are formed in the mind of the weavers. integral part of everyday and ceremonial respected in the Dong communities. Dong Su Tianmei, a nationally named inheritor Dong life. They are primarily intended women begin at age 15 or earlier to learn of Dong- brocade-weaving skills, told us for traditional use among Dong people and from their mothers spinning, weaving, and that countless stitches have to be crossed decorative use for the outside market. The needlework techniques and the motifs and and perfectly aligned to complete the traditional items consist of costumes and stitches that comprise the vocabulary of composition, thus even the slightest daily household items, such as bedspreads, the artist. It takes years of training and error can’t be made, otherwise the woven handkerchiefs, towels, aprons, pillowcases practice before they become a skillful patterns would differ from the original, and bags. Decorative items include and successful producer, beautifying wall-hangings, and decorating with their nimble fingers, tablecloths, table integrating their creativity, love, emotions runners, coasters, knowledge, wisdom into every single cushion cases, piece of handmade brocade. Customarily, etc. The costumes Dong girls often give their Dong brocade include everyday handicrafts (belt, handkerchief or shoes) clothing, ornate to her Mr. Right as a token of love. It outfit for special is a very common custom among Dong occasions, as well as men to show their parents Dong brocade baby carriers, baby handicrafts made by their beloved girls bibs, baby wraps, before marriage. Finely made handicrafts leggings, headbands, also allow young women to display their belts, shoes, scarfs, textile skills and talents. Meanwhile, it is and so on. Dong baby bibs ---- photos from Ou Ruifan also a sign of a woman’s diligence, which It is very common increases her desirability as a bride. for Dong people to On wedding day, the bride usually A Dong woman in weaving—photo from baidu.com use carriers to hold continued on page 9 www.chinainsight.info arts & culture March 2018 / PAGE 9 Dong brocade continued from page 8 PAI GOW JACKPOT

Dong belts---photos from baidu.com $ Belts, or bands, are very colorful garment for adornment. Some belts are 117, 923 (As of 2-13-18) and elaborately embroidered with very finely embroidered only on the front; traditional geometric patterns or flowers some are embroidered on both front and and animals, for blessings or protection back. The one-sided bands are often against evil spirits. used to decorate the neckline, the edge

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Dong women’s leggings and shoes ---- photos from Ou Ruifan

They are generally used to fasten of the upper garment, or the cuffs of the leggings, aprons, baby carriers, baby sleeves or pants, etc. Dong girls often bibs, or tied around the head for adults, give belts to their romantic partners as or around the waist, over the upper a token of love. ♦ “Power of Beauty in China’s Last Dynasty” continued from page 1

The exhibition progress through a nomination, two Premio Ubu awards, the the contemporary ink painter Liu Dan as series of galleries that lead visitors from Golden Lion of the Venice Biennale, and well as on ancient ritual bronzes and trea- the external world of the imperial court to an Olivier Award. He was elected to the sures associated with China’s first emperor, the intimate, interior world of the emperor. American Academy of Arts and Letters, as Qin Shi Huang. Each gallery will also feature an original well as the German Academy of the Arts, MIA soundscape created by Wilson. and holds eight Honorary Doctorate degrees. Mia’s collection of Asian art comprises Objects highlights include: France pronounced him Commander of some 16,800 objects ranging from • A ceremonial twelve-symbol jifu court the Order of Arts and Letters (2003) and ancient pottery and bronzes to works by robe worn by the emperor Officer of the Legion of Honor (2014); and contemporary artists, with nearly every • A formal court robe worn by the awarded him the Officer’s Cross Asian culture represented. Areas of empress of the Order of Merit (2014). Wilson is particular depth include the arts of China, Emperor’s Ceremonial Twelve-symbol jifu • A 640-pound jade mountain the founder and Artistic Director of The Japan, and Korea. Court Robe commissioned by the Qianlong emperor Watermill Center, a laboratory for the arts Specific subsets and highlights of these Qing Dynasty, Qianlong period, 1736-1795 • A multicolor lacquered and carved in Water Mill, New York. collections rival the holdings of museums Silk tapestry imperial throne across the globe. For its stylistic diversity and might, cavort in the clouds, suggest- • A meditating Buddha carved from white and condition, Mia’s collection of ancient ing the emperor’s rule of heaven and earth. jade enthroned within a Tibetan-style Chinese bronze is typically considered “Mia has one of the world’s great col- stupa of green jade one of the nation’s top collections of lections of Chinese art outside of China,” • An imperial portrait of prince Duo Lou its kind. Important examples include said LIU, “Our collection of Qing Dynasty • A carved lacquer box adorned with nine a famous vessel in the form of an owl, textiles is one of the most comprehensive auspicious dragons and bearing the superb silver inlaid works, and many in the West, and we have many other im- Qianlong emperor’s seal other outstanding vessels from the Shang portant objects associated with the Qing Robert Wilson and Zhou dynasties (c. 18th–3rd century emperors and their courts. It is personally Born in Waco, Texas, Wilson is among BCE). Mia’s Japanese collection has very exciting for me to be able to highlight the world’s foremost theater and visual Imperial Throne outstanding concentrations of Buddhist these objects in an unexpected and fresh artists. His works for the stage unconven- Qing dynasty, Qianlong period, 1736-1795 sculpture, woodblock prints, paintings, manner by working with Robert Wilson.” tionally integrate a wide variety of artistic Polychrome lacquer over a softwood frame` lacquer, works of bamboo, and ceramics, “Mia could not be more delighted to media, including dance, movement, light- and is particularly rich in works from the work with Robert Wilson on the creation ing, sculpture, music, and text. His images Liu Yang Edo period (1610–1868). of this exhibition,” said Kaywin Feldman, are aesthetically striking and emotionally After completing his PhD at the School The museum’s commitment to Asian Mia’s Nivin and Duncan MacMillan charged, and his productions have earned the of Oriental and African Studies at the Uni- art is also evident in the sheer volume of Director and President. “His unique acclaim of audiences and critics worldwide. versity of London in 1997, Liu served as space devoted to its display. At present, approach to exhibition design and his Wilson’s drawings, paintings, and sculptures the curator of Chinese art at the Art Gallery Asian art occupies an impressive 20 willingness to push the boundaries make have been presented around the world in of New South Wales. There he mounted an percent (32,200 sq. ft.) of the total display him an ideal collaborator. His style often hundreds of solo and group showings, and impressive number of major exhibitions, space (161,000 sq. ft.) for art at Mia. The involves dramatic contrasts — brightness his works are held in private collections and including shows on Chinese painting, Bud- permanent display space for Japanese art and darkness, fullness and emptiness — museums throughout the world. Wilson dhist sculpture, jades, bronzes, calligraphy, is the largest in the Western world, with which bring a new perspective to these has been honored with numerous awards modern prints, and Daoist art. Since joining 15 galleries spanning more than 10,000 historic objects.” for excellence, including a Pulitzer Prize Mia in 2011, Liu has curated exhibitions on square feet. ♦ PAGE 10 / March 2018 travel www.chinainsight.info Chinese: The new globe-trotters China Daily

other countries in 2000. Utour’s publicity manager Li Mengran In 2012, China became the top tourist adds that tours to the south and north poles source market in the world and the out- led by scientists and accompanied by pro- bound Chinese travelers have grown at fessional photographers are also best-sellers. double-digit percentage rates ever since, With the outbound travelers’ rising according to the United Nations World numbers, air links and flight capacity have Tourism Organization. expanded accordingly. China’s outbound tourists reached 107 Data from OAG, which compiles air million in 2014 and the number is expected travel intelligence, show 298,353 scheduled to cross 120 million in 2015, up 16 percent domestic and international flights left Chi- over the previous year, according to the nese airports in November, with capacity China Tourism Academy, a research insti- on international flights up 20 percent year- tution under the China National Tourism on-year. Administration. South Korea and Japan lead the way in “Undoubtedly, 2015 will mark the fourth terms of available capacity, with Vietnam consecutive year of China as the world’s top the fastest-growing market. tourism source market,” says Jiang Yiyi, The figures highlight strong growth in director of the China Tourism Academy’s In- several smaller markets, as Chinese and Outbound Chinese travelers have white architecture in Santorini in Greece, ternational Tourism Development Institute. foreign carriers compete to serve outbound grown at double-digit percentage rates but also the lunar-like landscapes in Kapa- Still, according to a Bank of America Chinese travelers. since 2012. Thanks to relaxed visa restric- dokya and balloon trips over the Capadoc- Merrill Lynch forecast, outbound Chinese Flights to and from countries such as tions, rising value of the and the cian valley in Turkey. travelers could number around 174 million Afghanistan, Belarus, Czech Republic and advancement of mobile Internet, the boom “It’s hard to make a decision. I may by 2019, spending about $264 billion annu- Fiji were launched in 2015, while capacity in overseas travel is expected to increase choose one this time and the other later next ally. That’s roughly equivalent to the GDP of on flights to countries like Iraq, Iran, Paki- further in the future. year,” he adds. a developed country like Singapore. stan and Turkmenistan grew in excess of 20 Beijinger Zhang Haoran visited Jeju Zhang is a part of the rapidly soaring Chinese overseas travelers make up a percent in the first 11 months. Island of South Korea in May and Bali group of Chinese who are traveling abroad sizable group of consumers, acclaimed as “The major reason for the growth lies Island of in August and now he more frequently and independently. the world’s largest, most favorable spenders. in the policy changes that began in 1997 is planning for the upcoming Chinese New Since the turn of the century, there Chinese spent $164.8 billion overseas in to allow Chinese to travel abroad at their Year holiday in early February. has been over an eightfold increase in the 2014 – a fourfold increase over 2008, and own expenses, which unleashed a high He is tempted by Acropolis in Athens number of overseas trips made by Chinese about 88 percent was on shopping, reports demand for overseas travel,” says Jiang and the Aegean Sea as well as the splendid travelers from 10 million who traveled to the China Tourism Academy. Yiyi, director of the International Tourism About 400,000 Chinese spent Development Institute. around $833.7 million in Japan “Since then, increased disposable in- during the last National Day Gold- comes, extended national holidays, relaxed en Week. They spent about $8.9 visa restrictions for Chinese travelers and billion in Japan during the first the rising value of the renminbi (China’s nine months in 2015, up 165 per- currency) have all contributed to the boom.” cent year-on-year, Japanese media The starting point of Chinese outbound reported. tourism is July 1, 1997, when China Nation- About four million Chinese al Tourism Administration (CNTA) and the arrived in Thailand in the first six Ministry of Public Security jointly signed an months of 2015, a 110 percent agreement on measures concerning the ad- increase over the same period in ministration of outbound travel of Chinese 2014, the country’s tourism author- citizens at their own expenses. ity’s data show. Spending surged Since the reform and opening-up policy 140 percent to $53.5 million. in 1978, China dramatically increased the But the biggest spending number of private passports. In fact, before surprise came from Australia, the policy, generally Chinese travelers where Chinese spent $5.6 bil- needed official reasons to leave the country. lion in the 12 months to Sep- The two following decades showed a tember 2015. The number is so continuous growth of private passport hold- huge that it even exceeds the ers due to an increase in outbound visits to spending by the British, Amer- friends and relatives, as well as a growth of icans and Canadians combined. young Chinese studying abroad from the late VisitBritain, the official tour- 1980s. The 1990s has seen more Chinese ism board of the , going abroad at their own expense. expects Chinese travelers to be Today the procedures to acquire pass- spending more than $1.47 billion a ports and other pass certificates are further year in the country by 2020. simplified and more than two thirds of the As more Chinese names make private passport holders go abroad for tours. it onto the global rich list, luxury On the other hand, China has swelling tourism packages are proving ranks of upper middle class and wealthy more popular. families, defined in the report by Boston A Hurun/International Luxury Consulting Group (BCG) and AliResearch Travel Market Asia report released with a monthly disposable income over in May 2015 says half of all su- 12,500 yuan ($1,928). This group has seen per-rich travelers flew business their share in China expanding from 7 to 17 class in 2014, compared to one- percent in the past five years and will con- third the previous year. tinue to grow to 30 percent, or 100 million Chinese luxury travelers have households, by 2020, the report said. grown more accustomed to good Some have compared the current trend service and well-planned itinerar- to when Japanese tourists began going ies, said Steve Spivak, vice-presi- abroad three decades ago. From the mid- dent of global sales for Tauck, the 1980s through to the 1990s, the number of US-based tour organizer. Japanese heading overseas swelled from “Itineraries that offer rich, four million to 16 million, while at the same exotic experiences are now pop- time the nation’s per capita GDP rose from ular with super-rich travelers, $10,000 to $35,000. such as our Amazon River cruise “Before (the 1980s), Japanese tourists or an expedition to a Kenyan liked to stay onshore for vacations. But as national park.” continued on page 11 www.chinainsight.info travel March 2018 / PAGE 11 The new globe-trotters continued from page 11 they became richer all of a sudden, they to improve industrial efficiency and produc- ing growth thanks in part to the development faces. They are so excited when they see started to travel more. The same thing is hap- tivity and reduce corporate costs through tax of free trade zones and favorable policies, the sea. But I don’t like some uncivilized pening in China, but at a much steeper rate,” cuts and other measures, will produce new which will be further stepped up in the behavior, such as breaking in line, taking says Daniel Wilson, an economist at ANZ. engines for economic growth, which is good new year. photos of airline stewardesses and making In addition, about 50 countries and news for outbound tourism. Chinese are expected to buy more in noise in the hotel lobby. regions have waived visas or relaxed re- Efforts to ensure the orderly develop- their homeland as more foreign goods Q: Do you think the increase in Chi- quirements for Chinese. ment of the sector will continue, as China become available, while there is also nese tourists is a lasting trend? And the United States, South Korea and considers tourism an integral part of social room to cut prices and improve after-sales A: Yes, I think so. I believe more Chinese Japan extended the validity of multiple-en- harmony. As President has services. The author is director of the China tourists will come to Vietnam, as the coun- try visas for Chinese in 2015. Countries pointed out, tourism is seen as an important Tourism Academy’s International Tourism like Australia and the United Kingdom are barometer of of living, while Development Institute. tries are so close and the transport links are expected to follow in 2016. outbound tourism holds a special charm for Industry professionals share their views good. Outbound travel will be more popular Mobile internet and apps have also helped the Chinese public. on why there has been such an explosion among Chinese people as they become rich- to fuel China’s outbound tourism boom. Developed economies are paying more in outbound travel in China, will the boom er. Vietnam is a good choice. The rapid advancement in technology attention to the role of inbound tourism in continue, and is the world prepared to wel- (Dena Libner, director of in recent years means even cheap mobile boosting local economies and employment. come more Chinese travelers? Communications & External Affairs at NYC phones are now effectively palm-top Hence, neighboring, medium-distance and Tokyo (Gyokurin Sei, manager of China & Company) computers, giving users instant access to long-distance destinations will continue to Team of Global Strategy and Coordination Q: Have you seen an increase in the num- real-time information on almost any topic. compete for Chinese tourists. The relaxed Dept, Marubeni Corp) ber of Chinese visiting New York City? If Avid travelers have been among the visa policies and improved Chinese-lan- Q: Have you seen an increase in the num- so, what are the reasons? biggest beneficiaries of this technological guage services that nations have been ber of Chinese visiting Japan? If so, what A: NYC & Company predicted that 852,000 revolution — they can now book flights introduced in recent years are proof of that. are the reasons? Chinese tourists will visit New York City and hotels in an instant, use “digital wal- The exchange rate for China’s currency, A: The number of Chinese tourists coming in 2015, which represents an increase over lets” to buy souvenirs, post reviews on the the renminbi, is likely to maintain a down- to Japan multiplied in 2015. The number 2014 visitation. fly, and download apps that offer detailed ward trend this year, according to multiple of Chinese visitors to Japan is expected to What do Chinese tourists like to do maps and guides of far-flung places, all in financial institutes, but the range won’t exceed 5 million in 2015. Q: their native language. be too wide or halt momentum in China’s Japan is a paradise for Chinese shoppers. when visiting NYC? “Technological advances have been key, outbound tourism. They buy almost everything, including A: The most popular activities among Chi- as the Internet has reduced travel costs and Chinese tourists will likely flock to electronic items, watches, cosmetics, food, nese visitors in New York City are shopping made exotic destinations more viable (for countries along the routes mapped out in garments, toilet seats, healthcare products, and sightseeing, followed closely by visits Chinese tourists),” says Zhu Zhengyu, an the Belt and Road Initiative as well as those kitchenware and pollution-proof masks. to art galleries and museums. analyst at Analysys International. “It has with convenient visa policies. Chinese currency’s appreciation and Those three activities rank highest also led to more Chinese traveling inde- Since mid-2014, the State Council has the Japanese currency’s devaluation make among nearly all international visitors to pendently rather than in groups.” made clear that it wants to develop tourism it possible for more Chinese tourists to visit New York City, which is no surprise: NYC is The Chinese International Travel Mon- along the Belt and Road routes, which will Japan and go shopping. a global capital for arts, culture and fashion. itor, compiled by online booking agency link Asia with the Middle East, Africa and Japan has relaxed visa requirements A younger and more affluent generation hotel.com, says at least 50 percent of tourists Europe, while the country has been actively for Chinese tourists. More people visit for of Chinese tourists is causing a shift in the arranged a holiday through a smart phone working with other countries and regions to business, medical care and in-depth tours Chinese visitation market from predomi- make this a reality. China has held or plans app in 2015, up 17 percent year-on-year. throughout Japan. nantly business and group travel to inde- During recent years, China’s outbound to hold major tourism programs with South Japan has expanded the duty-free list and pendent, leisure travel. On average, Chinese travel market has grown rapidly partly due Korea, and countries in Central and made it easier for foreign tourists to get tax visitors are planning their trips further in to another emerging reason concerning the Eastern Europe. refunds. Chinese tourists can use China’s poor air quality in major cities. In its 2014 report on the impact of UnionPay cards at Japan’s duty-free shops advance and traveling more with spouses In 2014, Ctrip teamed up with insurance tourism on the global economy, the World and large, convenient stores. and children. company Ping An to offer “smog insurance” Travel and Tourism Council, headquartered With more tools to communicate such Q: How are Chinese tourists’ travel for people who choose to holiday in Chinese in London, said visa policy restrictions as WeChat, Chinese tourists can share live habits different from those from other cities regularly affected by poor air quality. were one of the main obstacles to tourism the information and photos of Japan’s scenic countries? Yet most prefer overseas destinations. market growth. To prove the point, visits by sites and products with their relatives and A: According to our most recent data, Chi- Zhao Lanlan, who lives in Beijing, Chinese have swelled in countries that have friends. This may encourage more people nese visitors were more likely to experience traveled to the United States twice in 2015. waived visas, introduced visas on arrival, in China to visit Japan. New York City’s fine dining and cultural “I spent one and a half months on the east streamlined application procedures or cut Last but not least, China is geographi- heritage sites than other international mar- coast and a month in Texas,” the 58-year-old processing costs. cally close to Japan, which makes it easy for kets, as well as take guided tours. says. “I can’t stand the smog. In winter, the Chinese visitors to South Korea’s Jeju Chinese to visit the island country. They were also less likely to go nightclub- smog gets worse, and it doesn’t help hiding Island surged by 58 percent year-on-year Q: Do you think the increase in Chinese bing or dancing, or to attend a concert, play at home.” to nearly 2.9 million in 2014 after the tourists is a lasting trend? or musical. authorities there started to allow 30-day A: Yes, the trend will continue. Los Angeles (Kathryn Smits, vice-president visa-free stays. The flow of Chinese tourists Ho Chi Minh (Xu Qian, 26, with Cong Ty of International Tourism at the Los Angeles will therefore likely grow thanks to further Co Phan Du Lich Quoc Te Lol Nguyen Dat Tourism and Convention Board) loosened visa policies this year. Viet Nam International Travel Joint Stock More outbound tourists are likely to Company) Q: Have you seen an increase in the num- emerge from China’s central and western Q: Have you seen an increase in the ber of Chinese visiting Los Angeles? If so, regions, especially from second- or third-tier number of Chinese visiting Vietnam? If what are the reasons? cities and rural areas. so, what are the reasons? A: Yes, we continue to see an increase in According to forecasts by the Ministry A: Yes. There have been more individual visitors from China. We continue to see of Transportation, the country was to have tourists, tour groups and business travelers double-digit growth in visitation from China 42 high-speed railways in operation by the from China since President Xi Jinping’s and expect that trend to continue for at least end of 2015, stretching a total of 20,000 visit to Vietnam. the next two years. kilometers. The rapid development of high- Q: What kind of preparations have you We attribute this growth to a number of speed rail will give people from once-isolat- made for Chinese tourists? factors, most notably the increased airlift ed areas easy access to large cities, which A: Our company has hired more Chinese Chinese visitors have to Los Angeles. will greatly broaden the source of outbound guides and arranged trainee programs. We We currently have 54 weekly flights Going to US is easier now thanks to the re- Chinese tourists. also ask our partner restaurants to provide from China to LA and in January, we’ll laxed visa policies, she adds. “It feels great Urbanization will also continue to more food that matches Chinese tastes. welcome nonstop service on Hainan Airlines there just to go around in the sunshine under power growth in tourism consumption. Q: What do tourists like to do in your from Changsha. the blue sky.” Data from the National Bureau of Statis- country? Los Angeles has long been featured in China’s outbound tourism market is tics suggested the urbanization rate would A: Chinese tourists like drifting out to the expected to sustain rapid growth this year reach 58 percent in 2015. Mid-sized and sea. The sights at sea are wonderful in Viet- films and television shows and as such, the thanks to multiple favorable elements at small cities and rural areas are already nam. And they enjoy the leisurely lifestyle, Chinese have a high level of familiarity with home and abroad. The number of outbound warming to the outbound tourism market. too. They also like shopping. the idea of Los Angeles and have cultivat- tourists is expected to surpass 130 million Meanwhile, retail consumption will like- Q: What do you like and dislike most ed a strong desire to experience its famous in 2016, up 10 percent over 2015. ly flow back to China in 2016. Cross-border about Chinese tourists? assets like the Hollywood sign, shopping China’s supply-side reform, which aims e-commerce businesses have enjoyed boom- A: I like to see Chinese tourists’ smiling on Rodeo Drive and celebrity culture. ♦ PAGE 12 / March 2018 books www.chinainsight.info “China’s Lessons: An American Mother Teaches Her Children How to be Chinese in China” by Patti Waldmeir

Reviewed by Jemimah Steinfeld for Asian Review of Books, February 2018

Lessons” delivers much more than its she was unknowingly complicit in a Author: Patti Waldmeir title. It’s sentimental yes; equally, it’s system full of bribery, corruption and of Publisher: CreateSpace informative and explores timely questions course heartbreak, she tasks herself with Independent Publishing Platform on race, identity and family. uncovering as many details as possible Publication date: December The book’s structure is fairly related to it. Waldmeir finds some 2017 straightforward. We follow Waldmeir answers, though none that ever completely Softcover: 206 pages from when she decides she wants children, put her mind at ease (“at the end of the through the adoption process and then on day, on some level, it’s all trafficking” she Waldmeir has 40 years experience to raising her daughters (a year apart in notes towards the book’s end). working as a journalist working in age) first in the U.S. and next in China. Through this journey she introduces a Chicago, Ghana, London, Nigeria, Waldmeir writes with confidence and woman who had to marry the son of her Shanghai and Washington, D.C. “China wit. Lines like “at age 9, it was pretty new family, her brother for all intents and Lessons” is about her adoption of two clear that she didn’t feel the need of a purposes, and another—female, second Chinese girls and moving to Shanghai to give the girls a chance to learn about birthmother to be happy; just an iPhone” child—who “was born of love, hidden their Chinese heritage. add lightness to the book. Waldmeir says at risk of physical injury, and torn from Her award-winning “Anatomy of a that she liked the attention she received their grieving arms when all else failed to Miracle: The End of Apartheid and the both in the U.S. and China about her keep her.” Then there are the countless birth of a New South Africa” documented choice to adopt, “the opportunities it other children born with disabilities and the peace deal between whites and offered for instant canonization” she illnesses so severe that they will never find blacks in South Africa. writes, in which strangers would assert a home beyond an orphanage. Adoption that she was “in fact Mother Theresa.” doesn’t just concern adoptees after all. She adds dryly: “no one ever chose to This book will not appeal to everyone. Contrary to popular belief, it is not, so.” Waldmeir says “no time before or discuss the weather.” It’s still ultimately a personal account, nor has it been, easy to adopt a child from since would have been better”, supporting As these snippets highlight, this is no with the narrative weighted more towards China. Babies do not exit the country like her claim with stats; U.S. adoptions from tale of adoption angst. In fact, Waldmeir’s Waldmeir’s own experiences as a mother cheap electronics and fast fashion. But China rose from almost nothing prior to children seem completely non-fussed and that of her children. The beginning there was one period when the doors were the 90s to their peak at nearly 8,000 per about their adopted status. Their mother section, in particular, taking place as it slightly ajar. It was during this period that year in 2005 and then fell to around 2,000 wants to talk much more about any does mostly in the U.S., is unlikely to grip Patti Waldmeir was able to adopt two a year within a decade. emotional hang-ups they might have than those beyond parents of adopted children, baby girls. “Chinese Lessons” is Waldmeir’s they do. Waldmeir writes: “Yang Shu Min or those thinking of that path. And of “By some remarkable accident of second book and as the title implies it’s heard the story of the handover scores of course this is not the first book that tackles both female hormones and geopolitics,” a personal account of Waldmeir raising times, but for her, the undisputed highlight adoption in China from the perspective of Waldmeir writes in her new book “Chinese her two adopted Chinese daughters. of the tale was always the fact that her adopter—others have come before it and Lessons: An American mother teaches her This is not just some average, expat- first official act was to defecate on me.” no doubt others will follow. children how to be Chinese in China,” she style memoir though. As a long-time In another instance, following a visit to But these points shouldn’t detract from “was ready to adopt at exactly the moment journalist at the Financial Times, and its one of the daughter’s orphanages which the book’s strengths. For those who have when China was most ready to let me do former Shanghai correspondent, “Chinese elicited minimal emotional response, read Mei Fong’s “One Child” or are fans Waldmeir asks whether one day her of the writings of Xinran, it’s a welcome daughter “would grieve for what happened addition, providing a different perspective to her there.” from someone whose knowledge of China But this is not a rose-tinted look at is at once professional and intimate. adoption either. Indeed, the book’s real Certainly, as the book enters the second strength centres on how it weaves in the half, and China becomes a more central story of contemporary China in all its raw character, it’s hard to put down.♦ and morally compromising ways. The trauma of the One Child Policy, and the tragedies of adoption, a policy’s spinoff, About the reviewer are never far away. “By then Beijing Jemimah Steinfeld is the author of was eagerly throwing money—and toys, “Little Emperors and Material Girls: Sex toys, toys—at all those banished babies, and Youth in Modern China” (IB Tauris, to expiate the national guilt,” Waldmeir 2015). She is a self-confessed Sinophile writes at one point. and history buff who has lived in Beijing Consumed by the question of whether and Shanghai. her adopting Chinese children means

community CAAM Chinese Dance Theater: new year, new direction The young girl who dreamed of being camp, fall dance classes and attendance at a dancer and yearned for her first pair of the annual production’s weekday matinee, red shoes in Chinese American Association an abbreviated version of the larger show. of Minnesota (CAAM) Chinese Dance Teachers whose students attended Theater’s recent production, “Our Dance, this year’s matinee revealed in post-show Our Dreams,” represents all dancers who interviews that about 80 percent of those have learned to dance at the Saint Paul students are in programs school. But the character also appeals at their schools. CAAM CDT believes these to audience members who would like to students would benefit from expanding dance but are unable to because of financial their understanding of Chinese culture considerations. through dance. However, more than half CAAM CDT’s latest initiative aims of the students receive free or reduced-price to change that. The school has kicked school lunch. off a fundraising effort with the goal of The students themselves reported that providing a number of scholarships to they “want to learn about the dances” and the low-income children to introduce them to stories behind the dances. They expressed Chinese dance and arts through summer continued on page 14 www.chinainsight.info society March 2018 / PAGE 13 Braggadocio may not pay, but starts conversation By Elaine Dunn You can’t make these things up. law…lack of funding, low government A young doctor boasted on his Wei- salaries—that all contributed,” he said. bo account in September that, “I have With an expanding senior population, received 5500 yuan (approx.. US$840), demand for drugs and medical services again, as a commission for medicine sales. will grow in China. So will bribes. I’m happy, now I can go shopping again, The high-profile case against UK’s it’s good to be a doctor, ha.” It included an drug giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) image of a handful of cash at right. has focused much attention on China’s The post went unnoticed for months, booming healthcare market. Health- but when it caught the attention of neti- care spending is expected to increase zens in December, he got the boot from to US$900 billion by 2020. The GSK the hospital. On Dec. 26, his post said that case (2013-2014) had forced the gov- the September post was just “foolish talk ernment to take measures against mis- and boast” because he had just broken up conduct in the drug industry, evaluate in a relationship. He further added that he its pharmaceutical market and study the did not accept bribes, and that the image inefficiencies in the healthcare system. was one he found online! After GSK, who is not the only bad actor Whether he did or did not accept in the Chinese healthcare industry, the bribes, it started an online discussion government has shifted its scrutiny on about the prevalence of bribery in the domestic firms. This fits right in with healthcare industry. One comment not- President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption ed, “He was just talking rubbish and campaign, but it may also fully expose boasting, but medicine commissions are the government’s declining funding of China are not particularly well paid, espe- procedure to repair her cervix. When in fact a tumor in the medical industry.” healthcare. cially those in rural areas. So, they make up interviewed by journalists, the doctor In China, medical professionals are From 2009 to early 2016, China has banned from receiving a rebate or linking their low incomes from bribes. In 2007, the offered red envelopes of cash to keep spent US$871 billion to improve its their personal income to any kind of med- former head of the country’s food and drug the story out of the paper. Of course the healthcare system – mainly in promoting ical treatment or medicine. The Commu- agency was executed for taking kickbacks. journalists declined the envelopes and reforms and upgrading public hospitals. nist Party’s official newspaper determined In 2013, seven hospital staff in Shenzhen put that “offer” in their story as well! Healthcare reform may be the key the bribe post was a fake boast and that the were jailed for accepting bribes. A senior fellow for global heath at the to solving the bribery challenges in the doctor had “personal problems.” In April 2017, another doctor from Chinese Council on Foreign Relations industry, but the Chinese government However, it is common for pharmaceu- Nanchang was charged with asking a stated in 2013 that the entire system was will also need to examine its healthcare tical firms to bribe doctors and hospitals to patient in the midst of her abortion for to blame. “The introduction of the cap- budget. Both are essential to a healthy prescribe their products. Hospital staff in “additional fees” to perform another italist system while there was no rule of population. ♦

Cash in the trash community Jennie Hsiao receives China Tribune’s “Brightest Chinese Minnesotan” Award

By Greg Hugh

A man in Dalian, Liaoning Province, who reviewed CCTV footage, but could not left home with two plastic bags. One was identify the person who walked away with cash he planned to deposit at the bank and the cash bag. the other, a bag of trash. He dropped off The man did reunite with his cash (ap- the “trash” and proceeded to work where prox. US$19,600) after the person heard the he discovered he had dropped the cash bag police appeal for information and turned the in the trash. cash in to police. The honest Good Samar- Jennie Hsiao, David Cheng, president of China Tribune, Jun Liu, Deputy Consul General from the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago. Also present were Hsiao’s sons Hoyt, far left and Holden far right. He returned to the trash bin, but found itan received a small cash reward from the the bag gone. So he went to the police, careless man. ♦ During the 2018 University of Minnesota 1. Be Chinese or of Chinese ancestry in Chinese Students and Scholars Association Minnesota, and have worked, lived or Spring Festival Gala, Jennie Hsiao received studied in Minnesota. the China Tribune Cup Award “The Brightest 2. Have promoted the development of Call for Articles… Chinese Minnesotan” (BCM) multiple Chinese-American exchanges on the University of Minnesota campus. 3. Have made an outstanding contribution ChinaInsight is a local newspaper fostering U.S.-China cultural More than 300 students and invited guests in this field. and business harmony. were on hand for the event. 4. Have served the Chinese-American We are interested in publishing articles that engage audiences in America. Hsiao is only the second person to community. Potential topics range from understanding daily life in China (or for Chinese receive this award. Ming Tchou, founder 5. Have achieved something especially in America) to discussions of business markets from both an American or of the Chinese Heritage Foundation was moving. Chinese viewpoint. the first recipient when it was inaugurated 6. Have been an example and model that in 2015. everyone respects. If you would like to contribute an article, please contact Greg Hugh at China Tribune started the BCM through David Cheng, president of China 612-723-4872 or e-mail [email protected]. a public process. It requires the following Tribune, shared some highlights of of nominees. The candidate must: continued on page 14 PAGE 14 / March 2018 community www.chinainsight.info “Brightest Chinese Minnesotan” Award

continued from page 13 The 17th annual Bob and Kim Griffin Hsiao’s amazing life with her husband Jennie Hsiao Chinese Walk. Fred (dec. 2010). In addition to their In accepting the award, Hsiao stated Building U.S.-China Bridges Lecture successful construction business, Shaw- that she was grateful for the recognition Lundquist, they found time to be part of and feels very fortunate. She encouraged many Chinese and American organizations of which many Jennie still continues to all to pursue their dreams and “Just do it.” support, such as the Chinese Senior Citizen Such a message must have resonated China in the New Era: What Lies Ahead? Society, China Center, Chinese American with all the students in attendance since they certainly exhibited a great deal of featuring Haiyan Wang, Managing Partner of the China India Business Association of Minnesota and most recently, the University of Minnesota energy as they performed the variety Institute and Adjunct Professor of Strategy at INSEAD. Arboretum to which she has made a show, which included songs, dances and generous donation to build the Fred and even a few rap numbers. ♦ Wednesday, March 7, 2018 3:30 p.m. Social Hour New year, new direction 4:30 p.m. Lecture and Q&A continued from page 12 University of Minnesota Memorial Hall, McNamara Alumni Center 200 Oak Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55414

watching the show “feels like being in • East Side: June 11-29, 1399 Eustis Ave., China” and that they loved the acrobatics. St. Paul “CAAM CDT is excited to engage • West Side: July 9-27, 6817 Antrim Road, enthusiastic art learners on a much deeper level Edina into Chinese culture and dance by making Campers, ranging from age 5 to 16 expanded educational programming possible (there are mentoring opportunities for for these students,” said Yanhua Wusand, co- older students), can expect to engage in chair of CAAM CDT’s board. various aspects of Chinese art and culture. CAAM CDT’s efforts include not just Past years have included ink painting, a fundraiser but also an application to the calligraphy, poetry, paper cutting and Metropolitan Regional Arts Council for a paper folding. Field trips incorporate the grant to work with up to 60 students who camp’s themes and include trips to the attended the show and who would like to Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Chinese attend CAAM CDT’s summer camp and language immersion activities are available, fall classes. Students for the project, in but one does not need to speak Chinese to particular those eligible for free and reduced- attend the camp. Campers also typically put price lunch, will be recruited through the on at least one performance, but no prior schools and students who attended the 2018 dance experience is necessary. New this CAAM CDT performance. Applications year will be lion dancing and martial arts. To for scholarships will be available through learn more or to register, go to caamcdt.org/ the schools or teachers who brought their summer-camps-classes-learn-more-now. students. But even with this grant, the To build on the summer camp experience, project depends on raising money to fully CAAM CDT plans to offer scholarships for fund the effort. fall dance classes, too. Classes are held at Chinese dance celebrates centuries-old the Saint Paul studio and in Richfield. The moves that were performed at the imperial skills learned enhance agility and flexibility, court as well as in the countryside, and are and bring acrobatics, gymnastics and even derived from the many ethnic cultures of China (including the majority Han). CAAM martial arts into play. Boys as well as girls CDT embraces all aspects of Chinese dance, are encouraged to take advantage of what and for those who are new to it, summer dance classes have to offer. camp is a good place to start. All of this leads to CAAM CDT’s annual The summer camp has been held Chinese New Year production held at the in conjunction with the University of O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine Minnesota’s Confucius Institute for the past University in Saint Paul. Dancers of all two years and led by CAAM CDT’s artistic ages and abilities perform in the show, director Lili Teng. After an illustrious career including the weekday matinee geared in China, Teng laoshi arrived in the United toward schoolchildren. Once again, CAAM States in 1999. She has been with CAAM CDT’s goal is to raise the money necessary CDT since then, initially as the school to help low-income students get to the show. principal and then becoming artistic director This year, 412 students from Highland in 2005. Elena Youngsdale, a dancer and Elementary School in Saint Paul were able instructor, is also part of summer camp staff. to attend with the help of donations. The camp will be held at two Twin Cities To donate or find out more information locations, one session convenient to west about the fundraiser, go to caamcdt.org/ metro residents and another for those in the learn-more-about-caam-cdt-summer- east metro: camp-initiative. ♦ www.chinainsight.info community March 2018 / PAGE 15 Global MN presentations on business strategies for China and Southeast Asia

business challenges and opportunities in the Date & Time: Wednesday, April 11; noon region, including how to safely mitigate risk, in St. Paul and 6 p.m. in Minneapolis develop a corporate foreign policy, and the Location: Landmark Center, downtown role of technology. St. Paul and Minneapolis Central Library, In the coming months, Global Minnesota downtown Minneapolis will continue its year long focus on China The presentation is free and open to with several cultural and educational events, the public. including: Year of China Gala Global Conversations: China and Join Global Minnesota for its annual America – The New Geopolitical fundraising gala as they explore Chinese Equation culture, highlight U.S.-China relations, In the last 15 years, China has and connect Minnesotans to this East Asian implemented a wide-ranging strategy of country. Featuring fine Chinese-inspired economic outreach and expansion of all its cuisine and entertainment as well as the national capacities. And, where the U.S. :”Tour the World” live and silent auctions, has taken a step back from multilateral the gala is set to be a one-of-a-kind evening trade agreements, China has made inroads that raises critical funds to support Global through efforts like the Belt and Road Minnesota’s mission. Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Early registration available now for Secretary Carlos Gutierrez speaks to a packed auditorium. Investment Bank. Global Minnesota will sponsorship packages. Individual tickets Last month, Global Minnesota and More than 140 people attended the be presenting national speaker Jonathan available for purchase on April 1. corporate partner Wells Fargo welcomed program as Gutierrez, the current chair of Stromseth, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Date& Time: Saturday, June 16; 4:30p.m. Carlos Gutierrez, former U.S. Secretary of the Albright Stonebridge Group, offered Institution, as he discusses Beijing’s Location: A private residence in the west Commerce, to Minnesota for a presentation an alternate perspective to some of the geopolitical objectives and how leadership metro and panel discussion on the importance of commonly voiced concerns about China- and political conditions in each society Learn more and register at cultural knowledge in business dealings. U.S. competition. He also discussed underlie growing Sino-American tensions. globalminnesota.org. ♦ Local Chinese New Year celebrations Mall of America held two–day The University of Minnesota China celebration for Chinese New Year Center welcomed Year of the Dog

The Rotunda holds performances Offering a toast to the Year of the Dog Joan Brzezinski welcomes guests Sears Court features cultural activities Despite the forecast of up to 10 inches of Joan Brzezinski, executive director of China The Rotunda and Sears Court at and other interactive educational activities. snow on the day of China Center’s Chinese Center, and Jim Harkness, vice chair, China Mall of America were transformed to In addition, there were traditional Chinese New Year celebration at the McNamara Center Advisory Council. Also announced celebrate Chinese New Year on Feb. games. Partnering with Mall of America 17 & 18. The Rotunda was devoted to were co-organizers Chinese American Alumni Center on the Minneapolis campus, was the inaugural Spring Lin and Ying-Ngoh continuous performances by many Chinese Association of Minnesota, Center for many of the invited guests were not deterred. T. Lin China Center Visiting Scholars Initia- organizations to welcome the Year of the Community Service, Hua Xing Arts Group The celebration began with cocktails and a tive. A lucky guest also won a stuffed lucky Dog. Sears Court held many types of family of Minnesota, Minghua Chinese School, buffet dinner followed by brief remarks from dog to commemorate the Year of the Dog. ♦ activities by various organizations that Minghua Chorus and Overseas Chinese Photos by Everett Ayoubzadeh of ERA Photography included name translations, fortune-telling Service Center of Minnesota. ♦ Chinese Heritage Foundation Friends’ calligraphy exhibit and demonstration

The Gramercy Park Party Room in Richfield became an art gallery for an af- ternoon in February. The occasion was a a calligraphy display of Master Calligrapher Zhang Yansheng of Beijing. The Chinese Heritage Foundation Friends hosted the well-received event. Attendees represented a good cross section from the Twin Cities communities. In addition to learning about calligraphy, attendees were able to view and purchase many of Zhang’s works, which were personalized by the artist. As with most CHFF events, refreshments were served in keeping with the goal to equally nourish the body as well as the mind.♦ Calligrapher Zhang Text from the Heart Sutra by Zhang PAGE 16 / March 2018 community www.chinainsight.info Peanuts statues headed to Changsha, China

By Greg Hugh

Members of the Minnesota Hmong and cluded comments from Kao Lee Thao, the community is so strong in Saint Paul, while still echoing the vibrant Hmong Chinese communities along with many artist who painted Hmong Lucy. the Minnesota China Friendship Garden color palette.” city and state government representatives When the idea of a Chinese friendship Society included the Hmong Lucy design In addition to Lucy, Saint Paul will recently attended a special unveiling cer- garden was first proposed for Phalen and invited artist Kao Lee Thao to create also be sending four other Peanuts char- emony for Nkauj Hmong Lucy as guests Park, the Minnesota China Friendship the design. Thao was excited to be part acters to Changsha’s park with artwork by of the Hmong Cultural Plaza Advisory Garden Society wasn’t sure the location of something aimed at uniting different Chinese artist Yudong Shen and TivoliToo, Group held at the Community School of was appropriate, since the park is used communities through art. the company that has made hundreds of Excellence in Saint Paul, Minnesota. by so many Hmong people. However, For the project, Thao considered how the statues around Saint Paul. Additional to impart her artistic voice while bringing statues to be sent to China include Snoopy, her Hmong culture into the work. She Charlie Brown, Linus and Snoopy’s Dog has always been fond of Hmong textiles, House with Minnesota state symbols such which she incorporated into the design. as a loon, lady slipper, pine and butterfly. There are also symbols that are more per- Shen painted the dog house. sonal, “I’m surrounded daily by Hmong The society is pleased to announce customs,” she says. that it has already raised all of the funds Around Nkauj Hmong Lucy’s neck is to complete the 2018 phase of the garden a beautiful design of a Hmong necklace. that includes the gift of the replica of “Hmong necklaces are typically made of Changsha’s famous Aiwan Pavilion and silver,” Thao says, adding that they are construction of an entrance arch, donor worn as protective amulets to ward off wall, the Hmong wall and garden designs. evil. “Due to persecution, Hmong women The total cost of all the future plans Members of the Hmong Cultural Plaza Advisory Group and the Minnesota China Friendship Garden would sew our written language into tra- for the garden will be about $7 million. Society pose with Nkauj Hmong Lucy ditional patterns to keep them secret, and The future plans for the garden include an we continue to carry hidden messages.” arched bridge, covered walkway, decora- Nkauj Hmong Lucy is one of five Pea- throughout the process, people involved Thao decided to give Lucy a bright eye tive pathways and a classroom pavilion. nuts characters that will be sent to the City in the project learned Hunan is actually an The China Garden will be built north of Changsha, Hunan Province, China this ancestral homeland to the Hmong, with a of the Phalen Park picnic pavilion and spring as part of the Saint Paul-Changsha current population of 3 million Hmong. east of the Stone Arch Bridge along the Sister City gift-exchange project estab- Members of the Hmong community lake. It will be near Public Art St. Paul’s lished by the Minnesota China Friendship met with architects from Changsha in “Minnesota Rocks!” sculpture “Medita- Garden Society to coincide with the 30- 2015 to discuss how to include Hmong tion” that was created by internationally year sister-city celebration in 2018. elements in the garden. known Changsha sculptor Master Lei The program included cultural perfor- Hmong people lived in Changsha and color, and she also changed the shape of Yixin in 2006. Visit www.mnchinagarden. mances and presentations from leaders other parts of China until they were forced her eyes. “Peanuts characters’ eyes are org for more information and see the ac- from the Hmong community, local and out in the 18th and 19th centuries into round in appearance,” Thao says. “I chose companying article about fundraising for state officials and the Minnesota China mountainous regions of Southeast Asia. to bring Lucy’s eyes to life by slightly the garden project by the West Suburban Friendship Garden Society. It also in- For that reason, and because the Hmong changing the shape to appear more ethnic, Chinese Association.♦ West Suburban Chinese Association fundraiser for Saint Paul-Changsha Friendship Garden

The complete article on this event along with a list of donors to the Saint Paul-Changsha China Friendship Garden, visit https://chinainsight.info/images/ past_issues/2018/2018_02.pdf and read about it on page 13. We would also like to take this opportunity to recognize all those who worked on making it a very successful fundraising event.♦