ChinaFostering business and culturalInsight harmony between and the U.S. VOL. 16 NO. 2 February 2017

China Briefs, p. 3

Education, p. 7

Ready, set, go …

... or not! Chinese New Year ‘migration’ started the weekend of Jan. 14. This is the scene at the Wuhan Railway Station. Now Business, p. 5 you understand the Chinese saying, “People mountain, people sea.” Migrating nation By Elaine Dunn

China’s “Golden Week” for celebrating began Jan. 13! This is the most important made on railways, 58 million by roads, Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, as holiday for family reunions! 590,000 by waterways and 1.3 million by it is also known by in China, is slated for According to the Ministry of Transport, air across the country. Arts & Culture, p. 8 Jan. 27-Feb. 2. However, the travel rush on Friday, Jan. 13, 8.55 million trips were continued on page 9 Tiny house living Society, p. 10 By Elaine Dunn In This Issue According to the U.S. house-and-home media, tiny house-living is trending big. In Arts & Culture 8 – 9 , tiny homes have been the way Book review 12 – 13 of life for many for decades! A population Business & Economics 5 of 7.2 million people squeezed into 426 Education 7 square miles. Events 16 However, things have reached a new Approximately 88,000 families live in such Government & Politics 14 –15 (small) record in Hong Kong - a developer tiny, squalid conditions in Hong Kong. History 6 is planning to market spaces as homes on the island’s Happy Valley district that are mention that the 61.4 square feet excludes Hong Kong property prices have News 3 – 4 not much bigger than shoeboxes! kitchen and bathroom space. According to always ranked high globally. In January, People 6 – 7 The developer, Emperor International a Hong Kong valuation and consultant firm, its housing market was named “the least Pronouncements 2 Holdings, plans to convert an existing even accounting for additional kitchen and affordable in the world” for the sixth year Science & Technology 1, 9 21-storey commercial building into 68 bathroom space, the Emperor apartments in a row. The average price of private Society 1, 9 – 10,13 “apartments,” each at 61.4 square feet, “will still be the smallest flats in Hong housing has risen by a staggering 47.4 Travel 11 except for four larger ones, measuring Kong.” (For comparison, the average percent from July 2012 to October 2016. WWTT? 4, 11 121.6 square feet each. However, the cell at Hong Kong’s Stanley Prison is 81 filing with the Building Department does square feet.) continued on page 10 PAGE 2 / February 2017 pronouncements www.chinainsight.info Publisher’s Pronouncements ChinaInsight Greetings, Publisher: Gregory J. Hugh As this issue went to press, the Chinese In recognition of the unusual election get this position filled will be appreciated. [email protected] community was busy with Chinese of Donald J. Trump as 45th president of Finally, you are cordially invited to New Year (of the rooster) celebrations. the and how his presidency submit articles and photos of how you Celebrations included performances by may affect China-U.S. relations, we are recently celebrated Chinese New Year for Manager of Operations/ various organizations, dinners, school including a number of articles that present publication in the March China Insight. Circulation: programs and other family-friendly events. different perspectives, including an extra Email me ([email protected]) a Richard He This is also the first year that Mall of book review on how Sino-U.S. relations brief recap of your event along with photos, [email protected] America (MOA) sponsored its own Chinese may be impacted. and captions, no later than Feb. 14 for New Year celebration with activities in three We are sad to say Teresa Khamlusa, consideration. Do feel free to contact me at of its rotunda areas on Jan. 28. our very capable production editor for 612-723-4872. Staff Writers: One of the acts performing at MOA is the past two years, will be moving to As always, your support of China Insight Greg Hugh the Bamboo Orchestra that traveled Seattle to complete her graphic arts is appreciated. [email protected] from China especially for Chinese New Year education. Therefore, we are seeking performances. It also will be performing a replacement production person. This Sincerely, Elaine Dunn at the Sundin Music Hall at Hamline is a great opportunity for an individual [email protected] University on Tuesday, Jan. 31. to gain experience in layout. Please see Also from China to perform during Chi- details on p. 8. Please also alert anyone nese New Year is an acrobatic troupe from you know who has the technical skills and Gregory J. Hugh Contributors: Province on Feb. 9 at Northrup Hall, a strong interest in and Publisher – CEO arranged by China’s Ministry of Culture. See business matters about this opportunity. China Insight, Inc. Joe Pearman pg.16 for details for these performances. Any assistance you can offer in helping us [email protected] Chang Wang [email protected]

Patrick Welsh FREE [email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS Getting to know you … Who are you? What articles do you enjoy reading? Production Editor: China Insight would like to ensure our contents match your interests. Please take a few minutes to complete this poll so we Teresa Khamlusa can update out reader demographics. For your trouble, the first 10 respondents each month will receive a free annual [email protected] subscription to China Insight. Winners will be notified by email. Honorary: Entry Form Jennifer Nordin, Editor Emertus Please send me free China Insight for a year if I am one of the first 10 respondents this month. [email protected] The top two articles that interested me most in this issue are

Page Article title About ChinaInsight Page Article title ChinaInsight is a monthly English language newspaper fostering business I would like to see more articles on and cultural harmony between China and Employment Status student self-employed retired Age 19 & under 41 - 60 Gender Male the U.S. 20 - 40 60 + Female other (please specify) China Insight is a Member of The Minnesota Chapter of the Asian American Employment Sector education government private industry Ethnicity Asian Caucasian Hispanic African American Other Journalists Association (AAJA). other (please specify) Name Submissions & First Last Correspondence Address Email Street City State Zip ChinaInsight welcomes guest articles and letters to the editor. Correspondence One entry per month. Please return entry to: should be addressed to: China Insight 750 Mainstreet, #230, Hopkins, MN 55343 Editor, ChinaInsight 750 Mainstreet, #230 Hopkins, MN 55343 Tel: 612-723-4872 Insight [email protected] Guaranteed Letters to the editor become the property ChinaInsight of ChinaInsight and may be edited for length and published. Articles will not be SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM published without the express consent of 10 issues - $24 for a domestic subscription and $40 for the author. international. YES you could run to the NOTICE TO READERS: The views Please make check payable to ChinaInsight, 750 Mainstreet, store and pick up a copy, but expressed in articles are the author’s and #230 Hopkins, MN 55343 did you know you can have not neccesarily those of ChinaInsight. ChinaInsight delivered Authors may have a business relationship Name______with the companies or businesses they Address______directly to your mailbox? discuss. City/State/Zip______A subscription costs a mere Phone______$24 and brings a full year (10 issues) of new understanding Email______about today’s China, Company______from language to business Title______opportunities. Copyright 2017 ChinaInsight, Inc. All Rights Reserved. www.chinainsight.info news February 2017 / PAGE 3 Happy pigs

China Pig farmers in China know swimming improves pigs’ immune systems and Briefs provides exercise, which enhances the quality and taste of their meat thereby increasing the selling price of the pork! An enterprising famer in Province further cashed in on his swimming and Fishball revolution à la Lego® diving pigs by turning it into a tourist attraction! He even built a diving tower for the pigs to launch off to add “panache.” ♦

Dragons fail

The 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show included a record number of Chinese # A Hong Kong photographer compiled models strutting down the runway. It # 1 vignettes involving the colorful building block even featured dragon-themed outfits in # 8 6 figures and food items such as custard tarts an attempt to impress and woo Chinese 3 being filled gas-pump style, fishballs used customers. However, most Chinese # By the numbers # as cannon balls, assembly line for dim sums, netizens felt it was an exercise in futility. 10 4 # # 2 Lego chicks “hatching” from popular spherical Many expressed that it was not “the right 7 waffle puffs sold at street stalls. way” to incorporate Chinese culture. The Domination of the skies His Facebook page says, “… I would like representative conservative sentiment was, Chinese love world records and China’s to introduce some ‘Hong Kong style’ things” “Chinese style is reserved; linking it with fast-paced construction industry is adding he used to eat or use as a kid, and asks “Does bikini outfits just makes it slutty.” ♦ quite a few of those. In April 2015, Chinese construction this remind you of anything?” company Broad Sustainable Building claimed itself to be the world’s fastest builder after CNY with a McDonald’s twist completing a 57-storey skyscraper in 19 McDonald’s welcomed Chinese New Year Halal dim sum working days, albeit that 90 percent of the with a new menu featuring items inspired by building was prefabricated at its factory and Chinese royalty and names that are a play Don’t let your pork-free then assembled on site. The Chinese have built many apartment on royal titles, such as “Bengong phoenix diet stop you from going to dim sum in Hong Kong. The blocks over the past two decades. But in the burger (fried chicken, sweet and sour sauce, 2016 “race to the top,” China has left the rest pineapple and lettuce). “Bengong” was how Islamic Center Canteen, owned of the world in the dust in terms of the number one empress referred to herself and phoenix by a Muslim and located within of skyscrapers built worldwide, according is the symbol of an empress. a mosque, serves dim sum and to a report by the US-based Council on Tall other traditional Chinese dishes Buildings and Urban Habitat. where chicken and beef are 84 of the 128 buildings over 656 feet in Exit with “flair” height built around the world in 2016 In a rush to get somewhere during a traffic substituted for pork. And … prices are cheaper than expected were built in China.- jam can be a problem for law-abiding folks and fixed. On Fridays when 1,168 buildings above 656 feet in height stuck on a bus. But not for one young dude exist around the world as of end-2016, a congregational prayers are over, in Hong Kong. He managed to climb out by 441 percent increase from 2000. the canteen offers worshippers pushing open the emergency door! The photo 328 skyscraper projects are under con- free milk tea and curry dishes. ♦ of his brazen exit generated quick and harsh struction in China in January 2017. outcry online, proclaiming “no one would cry” 2074-ft tall Shanghai Tower is currently should he be hit by a car! Ouch! the world’s second-tallest building. It is the tallest in terms of usable floors. It Toilet was awarded the top green rating, LEED Fired over Mao Platinum, showing China’s growing Instead of birthday wishes for Chairman green credentials. It has 128 floors and Mao Zedong, a deputy director of the revolution its foundations required the largest ever Shijiazhuang Bureau of Culture, Radio, Film, cement pouring. TV, Press and Publication called the deceased China is building 33,500 new toilets 1738 feet is the height of the fifth-tallest leader a “devil” on social media. The deputy and renovating 25,000 by the end of building in the world, second tallest in was given a “major administrative warning,” the year, according to the National China, and the tallest completed in 2016. meaning he was fired. A University Tourism Administration. Xian, one of the toilets, including those in restaurants The Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre has professor also lost his job after stating on most popular tourist destinations in the and entertainment venues. The “chiefs” 111 floors above ground, 5 below, and 86 Weibo that Mao’s failed Great Leap Forward country, is hiring “toilet chiefs” to ensure will oversee maintenance of the facilities elevators. It is a multifunction building and was the cause of sufficiency and cleanliness of all public professionally. ♦ and includes a hotel, office and residential facilities. millions of deaths. Free speech, anyone? 1965 feet tall Ping An International Finance Center in will be the Break the ennui Third fourth tallest in the world. It will be the Chinese tourists made news once again at world’s tallest office building with 116 the end of December. Hundreds of flights were storeys above ground and 4 below. It has cancelled after the heaviest snowfall for 50 place a 2017 completion date. years hit northern Japan, stranding thousands 9 is the number of consecutive years of passengers at the airport for three days. Usually being on China has led the world in skyscrap- er-building. The Chinese were the only group that started top of any Top 10 list is 7 skyscrapers more than 656-ft in height a riot because of the flight delays! Do riots desirable. Not this time! help snowed-in flights? were built in the U.S., which is four less Hong Kong actually than the number built in Shenzhen alone! dropped off the “Top 10 13 of the tallest buildings completed in Greed knows no boundaries most expensive places 2016 were built in China. Bad behavior also manifested itself at 31 Chinese cities has at least one building the Shanghai Disneyland. Visitors helped to live for expats” list! An international firm at a fast-food joint. The “cost-of-living” above the 656-ft height, with Shenzhen themselves to the stash of fake candy in index does not include rent, utilities, car leading the pack. a basket on the Donald Duck statue. The that collected data on expat living costs purchase, kids’ school fees as most of those 2 other Chinese cities (Chongqing and appearance of the “candy” was obvious they in 450 cities globally between March and Guangzhou) each had 6 buildings com- were neither real nor edible. But … anything September found HK came in third for are paid by the employer. It does include pleted in 2016 at least 656 feet in height, not locked/glued down and free for the taking the cost of a beer at a bar, cup of medium transportation, food & drinks out, groceries, followed by Chengdu and with seems to be fair game to the Chinese! cappuccino, cinema ticket and a hamburger clothing and recreational costs.♦ 5 each. PAGE 4 / February 2017 news www.chinainsight.info Year of the rooster stamps

according to an announcement by China the invitation to design Lunar New Year Post Group Co. stamps. One stamp features a running rooster, A sheet of 32 stamps with a face value while the other displays a hen with two of 38.4 yuan costs about 150 yuan on the chickens. company’s website, while a private business Han Meilin, designer of the set, said on Taobao, a popular shopping website in many artists enjoy painting roosters because China, is selling the stamp sets for 25 yuan. of their colorful feathers, adding that the The newspaper quoted a senior stamp animal is the most popular topic of folk collector as saying that the value of the paintings in China, according to a report by rooster stamp set is less than the monkey China News Service. stamp set issued the previous year. Han said Chinese have a special af- The rooster is the 10th Chinese zodiac finity for roosters because their silhouette in a 12-year cycle, with the previous Year resembles the shape of China on a map. of the Rooster being in 2005. “The stamps symbolize family harmony,” The coming Year of the Rooster starts on he added. Jan 28, 2017, which is Chinese Lunar New Han, 80, who is well known for his Year Day, and ends on Feb 15, 2018. China Post officially released the offi- The set went on sale on Jan. 5 at desig- paintings and sculptures, said he is passion- The rooster is said to be the epitome of cial drafts of Lunar New Year stamps for nated post offices and includes two stamps ate about the world, children and animals, fidelity and punctuality, as it was used to Dingyou Year, or the Year of the Rooster, with a face value of 2.4 yuan ($0.34). The despite the fact that he is getting older. awaken people for centuries before alarm in Beijing on Nov. 30, 2016. stamps are also for sale online on WeChat, It is the third time that he has accepted clocks were invented. ♦ Cashing in on the Chinese scientists Trump train develop fireproof,

To welcome in the Year of the Rooster, waterproof paper a Chinese balloon factory created giant inflatable rooster balloons crowned with China Daily, Jan. 6, 2017 Trump’s signature “golden mane.” The inflatables don’t come cheap either. A 30-ft version, available through Taobao, will set you back USD 3,000. A smaller 6-ft version can be had for USD 52. By the way, there already is a Trump rooster sculpture designed by a Seat- tle artist, complete with hand gestures, that adorns a Shanxi Giant rooster inflatable Province shopping mall to welcome Despite how their government may in the Year of the Rooster sculpture feel about President Donald Trump, not Rooster. Many shop- all Chinese are mad at the U.S. president. in Shanxi Province pers stop by to take Many, though, are mad about Trump-look- mall alike balloons! Huh? selfies with it. Forget the masks and toilet paper rolls; Some Weibo users ask, “What does Photo shows the paper tested in fire. the latest Chinese manufacturer to cash in on Trump have to do with the Year of the the Trump train is a balloon factory. Rooster?” Good question. ♦ In January 2015, a fire in one of achieve fire retardancy and water repellency Russia’s largest university libraries at the same time,” Zhu said. damaged more than 1 million historical In 2013, a doctorate student of Zhu documents, an incident which some media was preparing hydroxyapatite nanowires. WWTT? described as a “cultural Chernobyl”. While he wanted to filter out the water Important documents of our age and continue the experiment, he found Is this concrete-encrusted BMW a new art in progress? can probably avoid the same fate in the that instead of getting hydroxyapatite future thanks to a new fire-resistant paper (Answer on p. 11) powder on the filter paper, a film formed developed by a team of scientists at the on the paper. Shanghai Institute of Ceramics affiliated The discovery inspired Zhu. He to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. conducted more experiments to improve Zhu Yingjie, a researcher from the the material’s physical properties. institute, and his team developed a set “Traditional papermaking damages of methods to produce paper with a new natural woods and damages the environ- material, hydroxyapatite, the inorganic ment. Hydroxyapatite nanowires are an constituent of tooth enamel and bone. The invention was reported on ACS ideal building material for paper,” Zhu Applied Materials and Interfaces, a said. peer-reviewed scientific journal of the The newly published paper shows American Chemical Society. that the inorganic material behaves like The inorganic material is both fire paper, but with excellent thermal stability resistant and water resistant. and with astonishing mechanical wear “Traditionally, paper is made of plant resistance, according to an anonymous fibers, which are easily destroyed by liquid. referee of a peer reviewer of ACS Applied Previous research attempts to produce Materials and Interfaces, which was waterproof paper found it was difficult to provided to China Daily. ♦ www.chinainsight.info business & economics February 2017 / PAGE 5 Top 5 Chinese cities for startups By Heather Wang, AllChinaTech, Jan. 2, 2017

The enormous market size, welcoming many as 50 new startups mushroomed every largest smartphone manufacturer Huawei, with talents, although there are not many of innovative internet ideas, and growing day in Beijing. and world-leading drone maker DJI. famous ones in the picturesque city. globalization are factors that made China Shanghai As the youngest first-tier Chinese city Moreover, the cost to rent an office and an attractive place for foreign startups to Apart from Beijing, Shanghai is the and the country’s first special economic hire talents is lower in Hangzhou than in flourish. Here are five mainland Chinese only other Chinese city ranked in the top zone, Shenzhen encourages internet startups Beijing and Shanghai. cities that AllChinaTech think are the most 20 metropolises by VC investment on the and has some favorable policies despite it Guangzhou suitable for foreign startups based on the aforementioned report. having far less universities and talents than conditions of venture capitals, internet Although traditionally regarded as Chi- Beijing and Shanghai. Guangzhou, Shenzhen’s twin city in company numbers, talents and foreigners. na’s financial center and not as active as Bei- The southern Chinese city has a dynamic southern China, has the fifth largest number Beijing jing in terms of internet startups, Shanghai culture and it is inclusive to startup founders of internet startups and is home to four out Beijing is China’s largest metropolis. is China’s second largest city after Beijing from China and other countries. of the top 100 Chinese internet companies. It is ranked ninth in the world in terms of by internet company numbers. Hangzhou The first-tier city is attractive to foreign venture capital (VC) investment, according The eastern Chinese city is second to Hangzhou, home to China’s largest startups in terms of talents, technology to a report released in January by Martin Beijing in universities and foreigner resi- e-commerce company Alibaba, is arguably and capital, as well as the old city’s down- Prosperity Institute, a based re- dential communities. the country’s center for e-commerce start- to-earth and practical style. The city is search institute and think tank. Uber and WeWork are some of the many ups. It is the fourth largest city by internet overshadowed by Shenzhen to some extent, Aside from VCs, the capital city has the international internet companies that chose company numbers. and it is keen to catch up in the internet era. most top-ranking Chinese universities as Shanghai to start their China operations. The successful initial public offering well as foreigner residential communities. Shenzhen (IPO) of Alibaba has created some million- The city is home to headquarters of in- There are so many startups in the capital Internet is in the DNA of Shenzhen. aires who later became angel investors and ternational companies such as Cisco, as well city that it is called “the Silicon Valley of Various tech giants are located there in- venture capitalists. Hangzhou has also one as phenomenal internet products including China.” During the peak time in 2014, as cluding internet behemoth Tencent, China’s top-ranking university to provide companies Tencent’s messaging app WeChat.♦ Top 10 most valuable China time-honored brands in 2016 By Zhu Lingqing, China Daily, Dec. 29, 2016

A ranking on brand value of China Time- Brand value: 8.39 billion yuan Brand value: 13.54 billion yuan honored Brands was released for the first time An undated photo shows the flagship Several boxes of baijiu, the colorless at the 2016 China Brand Evaluation Press product hemorrhoid ointments produced by Chinese distilled liquor, produced by Conference held in Beijing earlier this month, Mayinglong Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd. Yingjia Group are pictured in Wuhan, capital according to a report by China Economic Net. [Photo/VCG] of Central China’s province, on Jan 18, Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd, famous for its 8. China Quanjude Group Co Ltd 2013. [Photo/VCG] beer, ranks first among the China Time-honored 5. Bright Food Group Brands, with brand value of 35.79 billion yuan ($5.1 billion). The conference, held by the China Council for Brand Development, China Council for the in Fuzhou, East China’s province, on Promotion of International Trade and China Aug 26, 2015. [Photo/VCG] Appraisal Society, has released evaluations on 2. Dongeejiao Pharmaceutical Co Ltd Chinese brands for four consecutive years since 2013. Hundreds of qualified brands in the primary, secondary and tertiary industries were divided Brand value: 9.11 billion yuan into different sectors to be evaluated and ranked. A Beijing Quanjude roast duck restaurant Let’s take a look at the top 10 most valuable is pictured in Beijing, on Dec 18, 2016. China Time-honored Brands from 2016. [Photo/IC] 10. Shanghai Lao Miao Jewelry Co Ltd 7. Beijing Daoxiangcun Foodstuff Brand value: 15.72 billion yuan Co Ltd Cartons of Bright Food Group’s fresh milk sit on a shelf at a supermarket in Shanghai, on Dec 9, 2010. [Photo/VCG] 4. Shanxi Xinghuacun Fenjiu Group Brand value: 34.05 billion yuan A saleswoman shows two boxes of ejiao, a traditional Chinese health improvement product, produced by Dongeejiao Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, in Jinhua, East China’s province, on Dec 13, 2016. [Photo/VCG] Brand value: 5.27 billion yuan 1. Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd Brand value: 11.23 billion yuan A swarm of customers shop at an outlet A saleswoman working at a shop of of Shanghai Lao Miao Jewelry Co Ltd in Daoxiangcun, a Beijing bakery chain, is Shanghai, on Apr 21, 2013. [Photo/VCG] pictured in Beijing, on Aug 4, 2014. [Photo/ 9. Mayinglong Pharmaceutical VCG] Group Co Ltd 6 Anhui Yingjia Group Brand value: 15.93 billion yuan Two bottles of baijiu, the colorless Chinese distilled liquor, produced by Shanxi Xinghuacun Fenjiu Group, are pictured in Beijing, on Dec 2, 2007. [Photo/VCG] 3.Zhangzhou Pientzehuang Brand value: 35.79 billion yuan Pharmaceutical Co Ltd Beers produced by Tsingtao Brewery Brand value: 24.82 billion yuan Co Ltd are pictured in Rizhao, East China’s An experience store of Zhangzhou Shandong province, on July 5, 2014. [Photo/ Pientzehuang Pharmaceutical Co Ltd is seen VCG] ♦ PAGE 6 / February 2017 history www.chinainsight.info The Northern Expedition 1926-1928 By Pat Welsh, contributor

After Sun Yat-sen’s (孫逸仙) death in over eventually became the center of that his situation was tenuous at best, of Manchuria until the Japanese invasion March 1925, General Chiang Kai-shek ( (國民黨) power until the Zhang retreated back to Manchuria, in September 1931. After taking over his 蔣介石) was viewed as the military leader Japanese invasion in 1936. leaving behind only one Manchurian father’s army, he professed loyalty to the most likely to be able to unite the various Chiang then set about securing his brigade as defense against an approaching Kuomintang. areas of China then ruled by local warlords. position in eastern China. Finding himself Northern Expedition. He gave his failure Meanwhile anti-Northern Warlord In 1926, Chiang was formally appointed as in danger of being overextended, he spent to exterminate the communists as his reason troops under Yan Xishan (閻錫山) from commander-in-chief and in July of that year, much of 1927 and the winter of 1928 for leaving Beijing. Shanxi and Bai Chongxi (白崇禧) from he set out with his armies on his Northern consolidating his political position and The early morning of June 4, Zhang’s Guangxi entered Beijing peacefully. In 1929 Expedition (北伐). rebuilding his military forces. train passed under a bridge at the junction Yan, however, refused at first to give up the He had many adversaries to deal with, In the spring of 1928, Feng Yuxiang of the Mukden-Beijing railway and the parts of Shanxi Province where his rule was but his main targets were the popular (馮玉祥), Chiang’s ally who had integrated South Manchurian railway in an area still effective, joined an opposition clique to Wu Peifu (吳佩孚), the less popular his forces into that of the Kuomintang’s, led where Japanese forces controlled. A oppose Chiang in 1930. This attempt failed Manchurian warlord Zhang Zuolin (張 his armies to attack the eastern warlords, massive explosion caused that bridge to and it marked the beginning of the end of 作霖) and the east-China warlord, Sun Zhang and Sun in Shandong. Claiming that collapse. A rescue team managed to pull a China’s warlord era. In the 1930s Yan Japanese nationals in Shandong were unsafe Chuanfang (孫傳芳). Of the three, Wu’s severely injured Zhang out of the wreckage. fought the invading Japanese with tenacity. there, Tokyo sent a seaborne expeditionary Commandeering a passing wedding car forces were the closest to south China In 1949, Yan fled to Taiwan to avoid capture from which Chiang began his expedition. force of 2000 men to Qingdao, Shandong. and expelling the bride, his aides tried to by the People’s Liberation Army. He lived Chiang quickly moved his forces through There the Japanese forces moved up the rush Zhang to his residence in Mukden there until his death in 1960. Hunan and Hubei and took the industrial railway line from Qingdao to . In May (Shenyang). However, Zhang died of his After the seizure of Beijing in 1928, the town of Wuhan in September. Two years 1928, Chiang requested that the Japanese injuries on the way, a victim of a Japanese international diplomatic corps extended later, Wu and what was left of his armies forces withdraw. Instead, fighting broke assassination undertaken by officers of its recognition to the Kuomintang as the fled to Sichuan where he was welcomed by out between Chiang and the Japanese, Japan’s Kwantung Army (關東軍). There Yang Sen (楊森) and other warlords. Five which left thousands of Chinese casualties were two motivations for this assassination. legitimate government of China. years later, Wu went to Gansu Province to and severe damage to property. With One was that The Kwantung Army was fed During World War II, the various command an independent Muslim-based more reinforcements pouring in, Japan had up with Zhang’s failure to stop Chiang from Sichuanese warlords allowed themselves army whose attempt to seize Shaanxi tightened its grip on parts of Shandong. threatening Japan’s position in Shandong to be absorbed into the Kuomintang Province failed. The last major target of the Northern Province. After all, at that time Chiang after Chiang moved his capital from As an aside, in 1939 rumors had it that expedition was that of Zhang Zuolin. Zhang was supported by the Russians who were Nanjing to Chongqing. The worst of the Wu was invited to accept a high position in had been heading a large Manchurian force Japan’s strategic rival in the Sea of Japan. warlord era seemed to be over. Behaving the Japanese puppet government in China. that had been occupying Beijing and the The second motivation for this assassination like spoiled children, the warlords were After he died that year, the general feeling surrounding districts. Earlier, Chiang had was the hope that after Zhang’s death, overcome by the arrival of the adults, is that Wu had no interest in serving the put out feelers to Zhang for a peaceful Manchuria would descend into chaos from namely the Kuomintang, the Japanese and Japanese. settlement. Chiang had also proposed which Japan could profit. Unfortunately for the Communists. Chiang then marched through Jiangxi to Zhang that his Manchurian armies the Japanese, British and American pressure In my next article, I will backtrack Province and took before drop their name “National Pacification temporarily forced Japan to stop interfering a little and describe the arrival of the chasing Sun Chuanfang out of Nanjing and Army” (安國軍) and be integrated with in Manchurian affairs. communists and Chiang’s attempts to Shanghai. Sun and the Shandong warlord the Kuomintang’s National Revolutionary After Zhang’s death, Zhang’s son, Zhang exterminate them from China’s scene in Zhang Zongchang (張宗昌) retreated Army (國民革命軍). Marshal Zhang Xueliang (張學良), became the overlord the 1920s and 1930s. ♦ north to block Chiang from invading should then proclaim his adoption of Sun Shandong Province. In 1928, both Sun Yat-sen’s Three People’s Principles (三民 and Zhang were forced to flee. Sun fled 主義). Zhang would then be entrusted by About Pat Welsh to the Japanese-occupied city of Dalian in the Kuomintang with guarding the security In 2009 while teaching English at Sichuan University, Welsh was asked to give a Manchuria. of Manchuria – a move that Japan would speech where he was introduced to the audience as a “pioneer of Chinese American Zhang, one of the worst and most never accept because of her own economic relations” as a result of his cooperative work in international banking during the despotic of the warlords, was assassinated plans for that area. Deng Xiaoping era. For more than 65 years, Welsh has been learning Chinese and by Shi Jianqiao (施劍翹), the daughter of Throughout May 1928, Zhang flirted has used this knowledge both professionally and personally to enhance his under- one of his officers who Zhang had executed between Chiang and the Japanese. standing of Chinese and Asian affairs. He currently resides in Georgia and occasion- earlier. As a result, the five provinces Nonetheless, on June 2, facing strong ally lectures on China to classes in World History and World Literature. in eastern China that Sun had held sway diplomatic pressures and recognizing

People Eleanor Glewwe, award-winning author with Minnesota roots By Elaine Dunn

If you have young readers in the upper Glewwe started writing at an early age as I went along. “ middle grades at home, chances are you’d because she “always had stories in her head” Born in Washington, D.C., Glewwe’s be familiar with the name Eleanor Glew- and wanted to get them on paper. She told parents started her in French immersion we (pronounced GLEH-vee). Glewwe is China Insight that she and her best friend kindergarten in Maryland and she studied the author of fantasy books “Sparkers,” used to write stories together. They partic- Mandarin at Edina High School, where she which was published in 2014 and won the ularly liked setting them in the American graduated. (Her parents, whom she visits at Friends of American Writer’s Young Peo- Revolution period. As she got older, she least twice a year. still live in Edina.) Gifted ple’s Literature Award in 2015, followed devoted more time to the craft. In the be- in languages and not one to sit around idle, by “Wildings” published in late 2016; both ginning, she wrote of characters that were she attempted from middle school through from Viking Children’s Books. her own age. However, as she grew older, post-graduate to learn Cantonese, German, As expected of a writer, Glewwe was an the characters stopped aging with her by Spanish, Hindi, Ancient Greek and Turkish avid reader as a kid, polishing off several virtue of her love and interest in writing for on her own. How successful was that? books a week. Her favorite genre? Fantasy young readers. She has mastered a fair bit of Spanish, the novels, naming “His Dark Materials” trilogy How does she come up with what to Greek alphabet and a smattering of Turkish, by Philip Pullman among her favorites. No write? “Characters and situations just come enough to get by as a tourist! She is fluent surprise that she and her best friend also to me, and I generally brainstorm with pen in French and speaks Mandarin. Naturally, engaged in a lot of make-believe games and notepad to flesh out a story,” she said. “I she studied linguistics, French and Chinese growing up, pretending to be pioneers. They like to know roughly how the story is going at Swarthmore College. also played their share of school, imparting to go before I start writing now, though there their wisdom to their younger brothers. was a time when I just made up everything continued on next page www.chinainsight.info education February 2017 / PAGE 7 Shanghai Theatre Academy offers free summer school opportunities

The Shanghai Theatre Academy will be offering free summer school (June 15-July 6, 2017) opportunities in an effort to improve intercultural understanding. If you’re a student between the ages of 16-30 and are interested in learning more about and culture, here you go! Current university students in a Chinese Studies program are preferred, though; and those with a background in art, theatre and dancing are given priority. There will be three courses of study with the majority of instruction focused on traditional Chinese opera (64 lessons, including 16 in Introduction to Chinese China Construction Bank, Shanghai Yanan Opera) and 9 lessons in Chinese culture and Road Branch. This deposit will be returned 16 lessons in Chinese languages. Instruction on registration day . will be conducted in English. Program To apply, send the following materials includes field trips to opera performances to Shirley Zou, Foreign Students Office, as well. Shanghai Theatre Academy, 630 Huashan Students are responsible for obtaining their own Chinese visa (duration of one Road, Shanghai, China 00040. month min.), airfare and personal accident Application materials: 1. Passport insurance for the duration of stay in China. copy; 2. Two photos of 2-inch square and Tuition and lodging are free, with a daily one ordinary life photo; 3. Application stipend of approximately USD 7.30 to form available via [email protected]; cover living expenses. Enrollees also 4. University certificate; 5. Resume and will be required to deposit USD 40 to the other materials related to the application. Shanghai Theatre Academy account at Application deadline is April 15, 2017.♦

People Eleanor Glewwe, award-winning author continued from page 6

In addition to being an accomplished Glewwe said, “What different languages the story about citizens convincing their Glewwe is already busy working on linguist and writer, Glewwe also plays the are spoken? leaders to make the world a better place another novel, one for young adults. Since cello and violin, participates in folk danc- Who has what kind of accent? What (in “Wildings”). I hope young readers take she does not let anyone preview what she’s ing and sings in a chorus in her linguistics kind of writing system are the characters away the knowledge that they have a voice working on until she has a complete draft department that specializes in the traditional using (this sort of detail matters if I make and can make a difference in the world by that she’s satisfied with, we’ll just have to music of Caucasus Georgia. reference to, for example, files stored in using it.” wait in patience for her third novel. ♦ Does her interests influence her writing? alphabetical order—is there A great deal. Her love and understanding of an alphabet?)?” music is evident in both books’ characters Although only several where music was also part of their lives. invented words got into Marah’s audition in “Sparkers” was the two books, linguistics based on Glewwe’s own auditions and figured in a huge way in experience playing in the school orchestra. “Sparkers,” where two of Marah played the violin while Rivka, the the main characters read character in “Wildings,” played the cello. grammars for fun and “I think my own interests have the deciphered a language greatest influence on my writing. My together. It also helped preoccupations include language, music, shape how one of the and social injustice, and these have a way characters communicated of finding their way into my stories. I’m with her deaf brother. especially prone to writing about music and Both “Sparkers” and about characters who are musicians because “Wildings” also touch on I’m one myself. I also think all the books social injustice -- an area I read when I was younger, and the books I dear to Glewwe’s heart. read today, have influenced me as a writer. After she graduated from I particularly liked fantasy, which is why I Swarthmore, she spent a year write this genre.” working for social justice at Her background in linguistics gives her the Minnesota legislature a decided advantage in creating the made-up on behalf of an interfaith language used by her protagonists, or, as she advocacy organization, an puts it, “worldbuilding.” In an interview organization she’s been with Cracking the Cover, a website dedicat- involved with since middle ed to books for young readers, Glewwe said, school. The experience “Being a linguist makes me more conscious gained from this chapter of of other linguistic aspects of my world,” her life “may have inspired PAGE 8 / February 2017 arts & culture www.chinainsight.info Tomb Treasures: New Discoveries from China’s Han Dynasty

Like the Roman Empire, China’s Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220) forged one of the most powerful, advanced civilizations of the ancient world, and its elite had it all: unbridled luxury, technical innovations and courtly romance. On Feb. 17, San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum will unveil “Tomb Treasures: New Discoveries from China’s Han Dynasty,” an original exhibition of more than 100 dazzling works recently unearthed from the coastal heartland of classical Chinese culture. Exhibit will end May 28. Never before seen in the United States, these outstandingly crafted royal burial goods survived more than 2,000 years underground. These objects Set of mat weights in the shape of figures listening to reflect Han royalty’s daily lives and Coffin, unearthed from the Tomb of the King of Chu, Shizi music, unearthed from Tomb 1, Dayun Mountain, Xuyi, nightly pastimes, and reveal how the Mountain, Xuzhou, Jiangsu. Western Han period (206 B.C.– A.D. Jiangsu. Western Han period (206 B.C.– A.D.9), 2nd early Han courts sought to glorify their 9), 2nd century. Jade, wood and lacquer. statures in this life and in the next one: century. Bronze inlaid with gold and silver. by creating delicate jade body suits sewn with gold threads, exquisitely decorated coffins, ingenious “smokeless” lamps, silver and bronze banquet utensils and ritual bell sets that still ring. “In addition to luxuries, royals surrounded themselves with domestic wares that surprise us with their intimate portrait of private life during the Han dynasty,” says the museum’s newly appointed curator for Chinese art, Fan Zhang. “We have everything from a large silver basin for taking baths, to a working stone latrine with an armrest, to Cosmetics box set, unearthed from Dongyang city, Xuyi, Jiangsu. Western a boldly designed ceramic urinal — we Jade suit, unearthed from Tomb 2, Dayun Mountain, Xuyi, Jiangsu. Han period (206 B.C.– A.D.9), 1st century. even have two hollow bronze phalluses Western Han period (206 B.C.– A.D. 9), 2nd centur. Jade and gold. Lacquer that could be used.” “Tomb Treasures” exposes the •Eternal life without limit (長生 that we share the same passions across themed “In the Afterlife” will kick off lifestyles and private pleasures of the 無極): Worship of jade and search time and culture,” says museum director “Tomb Treasures” with music, live per- Han nobility. It features new finds for immortality. Enter a tomb-like and exhibition co-curator Jay Xu. formances and dancing. This evening from Jiangsu Province, near present- atmosphere to explore ancient ideas “These tomb treasures show how the party will also inaugurate the museum’s day Shanghai, telling a rich story of about the afterlife. Han people’s ambitions relate to our own popular 2017 Thursday Night Programs early China through these rare artworks pursuit of comfort and security today. •Enduring remembrance without fail ( season, which takes place from mid-Feb- and artifacts. The exhibition will be The search for longevity, the craving for organized in three thematic areas: 長毋相忘): Private life and intimacy at ruary to late-September. the court. Uncover long-lost love affairs immortality, the yearning for a joyful •Everlasting happiness without end ( life and a satisfying afterlife — is it the The Asian Art Museum will also be and explore secrets from the innermost 長樂未央): Luxurious life and palatial sweetness of this world that inspires our offering “Tomb Pleasures,” an under- chambers of men and women fascinated entertainment. Learn more about daily hopes for the next?” ground, self-guided tour for curious vis- by pleasure. life, meals, and pastimes of the Han Most of the artworks and objects itors to learn more about the mysteries elites and experience the music and “This exhibition underscores how featured in “Tomb Treasures” have and histories of 10 surprising highlights dance of the court. connected we really are to the past, never travelled before from their home in the “Tomb Treasures” exhibition that museums in central China, and come together provide more detail about daily ChinaInsight from the looted mausoleums belonging court life — and nightlife! Showcas- to the Jiangdu Kingdom at Dayun ing intriguingly contemporary objects, Production Editor Mountain, only excavated in 2011, “Tomb Pleasures” provides an intimate and royal tombs of the Chu Kingdom peek into how the Han nobility cared for Needed at Xuzhou, first uncovered in 1995. their bodies and hearts. Nearly untouched tombs of Han-era aristocrats are exceedingly uncommon “Tomb Treasures” is organized by the and North American audiences Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and Great opportunity to gain experience have rarely had the opportunity to the Nanjing Museum. Presentation is in laying out monthly tabloid newspaper made possible with the generous support that has been serving the community for experience such a luxuriously detailed 14-plus years. portrait of court life. of The Bernard Osher Foundation, “Death was merely an initiation into The Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang The right candidate must know InDesign the afterlife,” explains Jay Xu, director Creative Suite and have graphics background; Fund for Excellence in Exhibitions reliability and ability to meet deadlines are also and CEO of the Asian Art Museum. and Presentations, Warren Felson and critical. A strong interest in Chinese culture and “These underground palaces were Lucy Sun, Angela and Gwong-Yih Lee, business matters will be an asset. Must be willing to take furnished to provide everything the creative initiative and be a team player. Fred Levin and Nancy Livingston, The deceased would have needed to continue Shenson Foundation, in memory of Ben This is classified as a volunteer position, but a small stipend their grand existences — visitors will will be provided to the right individual who demonstrates a strong not only appreciate the innovation of the and A. Jess Shenson, Hok Pui Leung and passion for our mission and can work with minimal supervision. artistry and craftsmanship on display, Sally Yu Leung, and Sampson C. and Send resume to Greg Hugh at [email protected] or call but the very human aspirations they Faye Shen Fund. 612-723-4872. represent.” Asian Art Museum: 415.581.3500 or A public Opening Party on Feb. 16, www.asianart.org ♦ www.chinainsight.info arts & culture February 2017 / PAGE 9 Scholars’ rocks for Chinese Garden at the Arboretum DIAMONDS & DOLLARS EVERY SATURDAY IN FEBRUARY!

3 WINNERS EACH HOUR: 10AM-3PM & 7-11PM Winners will be able to pick a box that could contain $100 cash and a pair of diamond earrings.

Two of the three rocks SWIPE EVERYDAY: MIDNIGHT – 9AM | 9AM – 5PM | 5PM - 12AM central China traveled across the world SECOND CHANCE HOT SEAT DRAWINGS: and arrived at the Arboretum in Chanhas- 4PM & MIDNIGHT sen one snowy day last December Win unclaimed cash and jewelry including a necklace The scholars’ rocks at the Arboretum worth up to $1,000 each drawing. are a gift from the People’s Republic of China, Shaanxi Province and University of Science & Technology and will be in- corporated into the Phase 2 construction of the new Chinese Garden. The rocks weigh from 7,000 - 32,000 pounds and are RunAces.com a key element in the traditional design of a classic Chinese gardens. One of the rocks features calligraphy of a couplet carved garden will be installed recognizing the be relocated to their permanent location, into it. The poetic inscription reads: 聚 story of these magnificent rocks from the based on recommendations from a com- 天地大美，蕴秦汉魂魄, which loosely Qinling mountains and the friendship with munity advisory committee. translates into “Beauty of earth and sky the Chinese people. Consul General HONG Lei, Chinese united, Soul of Qinling Mountain forever Phase 2 construction is anticipated Consulate General in Chicago, sent a nice dwelled.” to begin in spring 2017. Meanwhile, the note to the Arboretum saying, “We very Rock with couplet All who visit the Arboretum will be scholars’ rocks are temporarily housed in a much appreciate your strong support for Three magnificent “scholars’ rocks” able to learn more about Chinese culture parking lot near Three Mile Drive. When a good relations between Minnesota and from the historic Quinling Mountains in and traditions. A plaque at the Chinese construction is completed, the rocks will China! We will join hands with you!” ♦

Society Science & Technology World has many Migrating nation good people continued from page 1 In addition, 1,672 flight departures into a slot at the checkpoint. By Elaine Dunn and arrivals were scheduled at Beijing The Beijing Railway Bureau also Capital International Airport, up 4 opened an online ordering service for Staff at a restaurant that he frequent- percent from the previous year. Air some of the trains it operates. With a ed heard about the loss and posted it on China, China’s flag carrier, planned new mobile phone app, passengers can WeChat, stating the exact amount the to add 1,894 flights during the rush, order dishes, make payments and wait envelope held – 3,360 yuan (USD 491.28) bringing the total number to 47,078 in their seats for stewards to deliver – in an effort to help the elderly gentleman recover his lost pay. The restaurant staff during the period. their food. was “bombarded” with queries on how Another new service from : Robots were installed at Jinan to help. all passengers departing from the U.S. West Railway Station at the capital Shortly after the post, a man walked and Europe and make transfers in of Shandong Province last December. up to the street cleaner at the restaurant Beijing to other Chinese destinations The three robots can answer travelers’ and handed him the “found” envelope. will be able to pick up their luggage at questions about where to buy tickets, However, the street cleaner noticed the their final Chinese destination. change travel dates, find restaurants and writing on the envelope was in black For the first time, new face recognition parking lots nearby, and, dance or wave Yin Simpson, CHF board member, presents marker instead of ballpoint pen. He knew technology at Guangzhou and Changsha their hands to entertain passengers! commemorative booklet to Ruth Stricker it was not what he lost. rail stations were employed to speed up On a more serious note, the The man who brought the envelope ad- passenger identity verification, which Provincial Transportation There are numerous accounts of mitted it was what his friends put together, had been carried out by train station Authority and internet giant Tencent bad-behaving Chinese in the news. Here’s including “a little extra” for celebrating one to warm your hearts! Chinese New Year. staff who checked train tickets and ID established a big data analysis and A 70-year-old street cleaner in Moved by the kindness of strangers, cards until now. All passengers at those forecasting platform to improve the Binzhou, Shandong Province, lost an en- the old street cleaner thanked the man stations have to do this year is stand in authority’s ability to organize and velope holding three months of his salary and exclaimed, “There are so many good front of a camera for a few seconds after coordinate emergency responses, which while walking home. people in the world!” ♦ inserting their ID card and train tickets no one hopes will be called into action. ♦ PAGE 10 / February 2017 society www.chinainsight.info Tiny house living

continued from page 1

Not only are prices astronomical, homes under 700 square feet. Nowadays, demand is also. In July 2014, Cheung though, most Hong Kong families of four Kong Development listed 196 micro-flats live in units smaller than 500 square feet of just under 200 square feet per unit for of space. approximately USD 250,000-260,000 each. It is also not uncommon for Hong They received 4,200 applications from Kongers to share living quarters with non- buyers who did not even have a model to relatives. In fact, many families crowd into look at. tiny apartment bedrooms, sharing kitchens Recent surges have made average home and bathroom (note singular – not many prices way beyond the reach of most average HK flats have more than one bathroom!) salary earners – the median home costs 19 with other families. Self-restraint would times the median annual pretax income. In be imperative in order to keep the peace! response, developers have scaled back on The private space of this type of living the size of the units, making tiny apartments arrangement averages 150 SF. And these trend large. To date, the previous “tiny” families may consider themselves the lucky record was a 152-square-foot unit, which ones. There are many individuals who included balcony space, selling for more occupy a “private” space no bigger than than USD 558,000. their beds. In 2016, it is estimated that at As many as 5,000 of these micro flats least 200,000 extreme low-income residents are projected to be in the pipeline annually live in “cage homes,” bunk beds encased until 2019, according to Jones Lang LaSalle, in wire meshes to protect their belongings a global realty company with large a Hong within. Gary Chang’s 344-SF flat with sliding walls. Kong presence. An enterprising landlord started renting However, the “tiniest” development in in front of his floor-to-ceiling windows for Apartment sizes vary greatly in Hong out 24-SF “space capsules” for USD 660 a Happy Valley are aimed at those with cash big-screen entertainment. There is even a Kong. month! They are probably modeled after resources. They may buy these “gnat flats” hammock suspended on industrial hooks Owner-occupied apartments range from Japan’s “capsule hotels,” but I wager they’re as they are often called, but can always where he can lounge! Not too shabby. ones smaller than the public housing units, nowhere near their Japanese counterparts in count on big ideas from designers to elevate Sad to say, Chang’s tiny living experience which average at 215-650 square feet, to terms of cleanliness. In all fairness, the rent their tiny spaces. Ingenious, multifunction is not the norm. Few Hong Kongers can supersized 6,000-SF luxury condos of the does include water, electricity, and Wi-Fi. furniture and spaces can make tiny living afford the amount it takes to renovate and wealthy elites. However, statistics indicate The water feature is curious, though. Sink? quite efficient and comfortable for those transform their spaces as he did; that is, if almost 90 percent of households live in Toilet? Faucet? Bottled water? who can afford it. they even had a space to call their own. One such designer from Hong Kong, Gary Chang, is at the top of the micro- flat game. Chang grew up in a 344-SF flat with his parents and three siblings. It was partitioned into three bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. He used to sleep in the hallway while his parents and siblings occupied two of the three bedrooms. The third bedroom was rented out to a family! These days, Chang still lives there (on his own now), but has completely transformed that space into a studio apartment by installing a sliding wall system mounted Behind the sliding wall is a space for on ceiling tracks and rollers. Every “room” full-size bathtub and toiletries. uses the entire floor area to maximize space. Moving the “walls” reveals a walk-in closet It is not easy to reconcile the luxurious on the other side, a full-sized bathtub (which tiny flats with the subdivided “cage homes” also doubles as guest bed when not in use as in this world metropolis. The haves and a tub) and, at the other end of the apartment, the have-nots live on. Will the Hong Kong Some 200,000 people are estimated to be living in these caged units, which are a kitchen, and a wall-mounted television. He government be able to solve this problem, potential death traps in case of fire. also designed a big screen that drops down and by when? ♦ It’s all fake!

China has a well-earned reputation conditions using cancer-causing indus- fakes, some for their convincing facades complaints from Egypt than a theme as the international leader of fake goods, trial and recycled ingredients, and food and others for their sheer ridiculousness. park in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, luxury or otherwise. Last month, Chi- additives, then packaged with barcodes 10) Fan Bingbing look-alike erected another full-size replica and the nese consumers were disgusted to learn copied off the real products. Nestle A woman spent the past 8 years un- Greek Parthenon to attract visitors. that 50 underground factories in Tianjin and Knorr were two brands that were dergoing cosmetic surgery to make 8) Fake jellyfish had been producing “name brand” sea- victimized. herself look like Chinese superstar Fan sonings and condiments in unsanitary Following are 10 of 2016’s favorite Bingbing. 9) Copycat Sphinx and Parthenon No sooner was the full-size Sphinx in northern Hebei demolished following

More than a ton of synthetic jellyfish was seized in Jiangsu Province back in May. continued on page 13 www.chinainsight.info travel February 2017 / PAGE 11 Ten off-the-beaten-track attractions in China

1.Qinghai Lake, Qinghai Province of meters high, covering an area roughly 25-mile square. Enjoy the beautiful wavy shapes of the smooth yellow dunes against the deep blue sky, and imagine you are traveling the ancient Silk Road. Step off the camel and listen for the singing of the sand. Fun activities include archery and sand sledding.

4.Long Sheng Rice Terraces, Guangxi range in Dengfeng City. It is also the Autonomous Region choose but also plenty of inexpensive inns. birthplace of Zen Buddhism. A visit to the This is the place to enjoy the peaceful side temple, the surrounding grounds and the of China. mountain is a full day of fun for both kids Qinghai Lake is the largest lake in China and adults. Watch the monks perform, 9.Harbin Ice & Snow Festival, and reaches a depth of approximately 80 stroll through a garden of ancient pagodas Heilongjiang Province ft. It is the traditional meeting place for and climb up to the top of the hill where Minnesotans will have no problem Mongolians and Tibetans, so visitors can legend says Bodhidharma meditated for taking on the cold! The Harbin Ice & experience a bit of Tibetan life. If you nine years. Another highlight is the Hall visit in June and July, you can see millions Snow Festival takes place in the month of of a Thousand Buddhas. And if you’re January, but structures can be seen as early of migrating birds roosting on the Lake’s game for an authentic vegetarian meal, famous “Bird Island.” Year round, you as December and as late as March. Combine eat at the restaurant within the compound can witness the magnificent scenery as you the trip with a ski holiday for winter fun in run by the monks. leave Xining, the provincial capital, and China. The highlight of any visit will be climb toward the lake. Best is to hire a the ice lantern exhibit, aka “Ice and Snow local Tibetan guide to take you hiking, bird 7. Gardens, Jiangsu Province World,” which opens as soon as it gets watching, biking or horseback riding. The Long Sheng Rice Terraces among dark. There are also ice bars, enormous the hills and villages approximately 55 miles ice sculptures, ice slides for entertainment. 2.Mogao Grottoes, Gansu Province north of Guilin may be a very touristy area. Of course, be sure to visit the city for other If you’re into Buddhist art, these caves Do wear comfortable walking shoes for this historical sites. are an absolute must -- a series of man-made one. You will be dropped off at a “welcome caves carved out of the cliffs showcase center” with a souvenir shop (of course!) 10.Panjiayuan Antiques Market, Buddhist art from the 5th-13th centuries. where you’ll buy your entrance ticket. Then Beijing According to Tang Dynasty records, a you’ll embark on a 1.5-hour trek up the monk at the site was inspired by a vision of paced stone path up the hill, where it gets quite steep toward the top. If you make it, the view is well worth it. Or … pay for a sedan chair ride! Suzhou’s elegant gardens can be traced 5.Dali Old Town, Yunnan Province back to 770-476 B.C. Four famous ones Dali Old Town is nestled at the foot of are Zhuozheng Garden, Liuyuan Garden, the Cang Shan Mountains west of Lake in Wangshi Garden and Huanxiu Mountain the central western part of Yunnan Province. Villa, and are still well-preserved. They You know you’re there if you feel like represent the epitome of landscaping art for you’re somewhere between ancient China the private garden in their delicacy, intimacy and simplicity. They were designed to be lived in and for visitors to wander around. Visit in early August to enjoy the enormous lotus in full bloom. Sharpen your bargaining skills and then 8.Moganshan National Park, Zhejiang hit this open market in the southeast corner thousand Buddhas under a shower of golden Province of the Third Ring Road east of Longtan rays. He started the caves construction work An easy trip from Hangzhou or Park. You can find a little bit of everything that spanned ten dynasties. Preserved over Shanghai, Moganshan is home to bamboo here: “antiques,” jewelry, furniture, tea sets, hundreds of years by the dry environment, forests and tea fields, small villages and ethnic embroidery, Cultural Revolution-era your visit will be an intro to Buddhist history items, etc. – shoppers’ paradise. Do o on and its spread throughout China. It is a large homes that have been turned into modern UNESCO site as well as an ancient guesthouses and villas. There are a number Saturday or Sunday as only some of the outpost along the Silk Road. and Southeast Asia Backpacker Central! of up-market eco-retreats from which to permanent shops are open on weekdays. ♦ Most of its inhabitants are Bai minorities 3.Mingsha Sand Dunes, Gansu who go about their daily chores in their Province native costumes. The old city is laid out on WWTT?Answer The desert is visible as you drive through a north-south, east-west grid with four main Dunhuang -- pale golden sand dunes dozens city gates. There will be plenty of cheap eats and Western Definitely not art in progress! The restaurants and bars, Bimmer and five other cars were foreigners acting in the wrong place at the wrong inappropriately, time! The cars were stopped souvenir shops and at a traffic light in Hong Kong great beer. when an unexpected amount of concrete came spewing out of a church construction site. The 6.Shaolin Temple, Bimmer was the worst hit! The Henan Province Famous for its construction site foreman was warrior monks and taken in for police questioning and martial arts, Shaolin one driver was hospitalized! Temple is situated in the west of the What were they thinking? Songshan Mountain PAGE 12 / February 2017 book review www.chinainsight.info Once Upon a Time in the East: The a story of growing up Beautiful Reviewed by Peter Gordon, Asian Review of Books, Jan. 3, 2017 Country and the

Author: Guo Xialu Middle Publisher: Vintage Publishing Publication date: January 2017 Kingdom Hard cover: 336 pages

Guo Xiaolu (郭小櫓) is a Chinese-British novelist and filmmaker who utilizes various media, including film and writing, to tell stories of alienation, introspection and tragedy, and to explore China’s past, present and future in an increasingly connected world. Her third novel “A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary For Lovers” was nominated for the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction. She was also the 2005 Pearl Award (UK) winner for Creative Excellence.

Guo Xiaolu has always been a writer finally live with her parents and an older which references the fishing village of her who has worn both her heart and her integri- brother, that her father was an artist, and childhood. Guo’s originality was evident ty on her sleeve, whether tearing pages from rather a good one. Her mother came even then: I wrote that the novel was her own life for her novels, experimenting from peasant stock which, in the inverted more than a tale of rural oppression publically with form or writing in what is for hierarchies of the Cultural Revolution, and modern urban ennui and listlessness, her an entirely foreign language (something meant that she was marrying well beneath for there’s a trace of magic realism in the which is the cause for astonishment when her when she took an intellectual for a descriptions of the Village of Stone which, an English-language writer even attempts husband. The marriage ended up strained as indeed, hardly seems like China at all: it is [NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2016] The it). So it is hardly a surprise that her recent did relations between Guo and her mother. cold and rocky, more like Sardinia crossed relationship between the United States memoir, “Once Upon a Time in the East: A Guo’s new life is one of extremes. She with Thomas Hardy. and China is the most important one in story of growing up,” is by turn raw, intel- struggles with the difficulties of transitioning She returns to the village at the end the world. No global problem can be ligent, compelling, sad, uncompromising to the more urban lifestyle, at school with of “Once Upon a Time in the East.” Her solved without their cooperation, and and reticent. undiagnosed myopia, and with sexual abuse. grandmother’s house was now a “hair salon Those who are familiar with her novels There are many things children never know filled with fashionable teenagers.” understanding their relationship is key will know much of this story already, but about their parents, and Guo never entirely Guo’s university years became the basis to anyone who cares about the fate of here Guo fills in the many blanks. She succeeds in understanding or explaining for “20 Fragments of a Ravenous Youth,” the planet, trade, cultural interaction, didn’t meet her parents until she was seven. the dynamics of this quite dysfunctional published in English in 2008, I wrote at the education and security. Now, “The She had — for reasons that remain obscure family. In the most wrenching passages time that Beautiful Country and the Middle — been handed at birth to a peasant couple of the book, she persuades her family to Guo’s talent is to highlight all those Kingdom: America and China, 1776 to in the hills who, two years later, realised rescue her grandmother from her now things about China that make it so the Present,” by John Pomfret (Henry that they didn’t have the means to care for solitary existence in the village to live with different while simultaneously making Holt and Company) illuminates these her, and so she was passed to her paternal them; this never works and the grandmother it somehow seem both familiar and two great nations’ shared history in an grandparents, penurious and illiterate returns only to die soon after. comprehensible... entertaining and epic narrative. inhabitants of a remote fishing village. Her Guo is on the other hand precocious to a something that remains much in From the first clipper ship that grandfather was taciturn to a fault, abusive fault, having poems accepted for publication evidence in “Once Upon a Time in the ventured to Canton hauling American and probably alcoholic; her grandmother, in while barely into her teens and finally East.” I also thought that effect sold for a mess of pottage when she winning one of fewer than a dozen places there is something of a sense that ginseng to swap for Chinese tea to U.S. was just twelve, beaten down, taking solace at the prestigious film school in Beijing. [Guo] might still finding her voice, a voice warships facing off against China’s navy in a statue of Guanyin, loved Xiaolu with The pace picks up from that point: which by necessity must reside between in the South China Sea, from the Yankee self-effacing dedication. we know that Guo ends up in London, an two cultures and two languages... missionaries who brought Christianity There were indications that this life acclaimed writer as well as an accomplished Guo has found that voice now. “Once and education to China and the Chinese was not to be her lot. A Taoist monk film-maker. Much of her life is however Upon a Time in the East” is honest and lucid. laborers who built the American West, who examined her palms announced that one of rejection: she refuses to accept the I cannot say what English-speakers the United States (called Meiguo, “the she was “a peasant warrior” and that she fishing village nor the path (or lack thereof) with no experience of East Asia will Beautiful Country,” by the Chinese) would “cross the sea and travel to the Nine that would have been her fate; she rejects make of the book, but it should resonate and China (which calls itself “The Continents.” And then one day, some Chinese men, vowing never to have a bell-like with anyone on China’s English- Middle Kingdom”) have always been students from Hangzhou showed up to relationship with one; she ends up mastering speaking littoral who is of an age to dramatically intertwined. For over sketch the sea, and she watched them turn English and writing in it rather than Chinese. remember the period the book covers. It the brown water to blue and the cloudy sky The denouement is however, acceptance should also resonate — goodness, one two centuries, American and Chinese to a half-orange, half-red sunset. of a kind, coming with, or catalyzed by, the hopes it would — with the young people statesmen, merchants, missionaries, Those young artists had snatched birth of her own daughter. “The narrative of Hong Kong and beyond who are, we and adventurers, men and women, my heart. I knew I could no longer stay of my past has been brought to a close,” are told, disillusioned with their choices have profoundly influenced the fate of in the village... That afternoon, an hour she writes. and opportunities. Guo was not a “peasant these nations. While we tend to think after they left, a sunset danced above the Guo’s first novel to appear in English warrior” because a monk said so; it was of America’s ties with China as starting kelp-tangled beach. The colours had been was “Village of Stone” (2004), the title of because she chose to be. ♦ in 1972 with President Richard Nixon’s taken out of the girl’s picture, a scarlet visit, the pattern — rapturous enchantment About the reviewer red on a deep blue sea. I stood on the followed by angry disillusionment — was sand and watched as it trembled almost Peter Gordon’s involvement with books includes the establishment of Hong Kong bookseller Paddyfield.com and publisher Chameleon Press. He set up and was the inau- set in motion hundreds of years earlier. imperceptibly above the contours of the gural Chair of the Man Asian Literary Prize and was one of the founders and organizers John Pomfret spent five years of the lapping waves. It was astonishing. of the original Hong Kong International Literary Festival. researching and writing this book, drawing Those art students has seen what I was He has also been involved in international trade and investment development, and on many materials that have never been unable to, even though I knew the village set up the Russian Trade Association (a chamber of commerce) in Hong Kong in 1994. and the sea much better than they did. His academic studies were in applied mathematics, linguistics and middle eastern available in English. The result is wildly This was less portentous than it might studies. He wrote regular editorial columns for Hong Kong’s English-language dailies ambitious, deeply illuminating, and appear for we — and Guo — find out, once for several years. immensely engaging. she has been collected from the village to continued on next page www.chinainsight.info book review February 2017 / PAGE 13 The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom

continued from page 12

Pomfret served as a foreign correspon- diplomatic relationship, with a warning a keen eye and deft touch.” —Robert B. ambassador and lieutenant general, United dent for The Washington Post for two on the risk of getting it wrong and a Zoellick, former president of the World States Army, retired decades, covering wars, revolutions, and belief in the ability to get it right. A tri- Bank, U.S. trade representative, and U.S. “We should insist out presidents and China. He is the author of the acclaimed umph of writing, research, and, above deputy secretary of state prime ministers read this book before tan- book “Chinese Lessons” and has won all, judgment.”—Evan Osnos, National “John Pomfret has been one of the gling with China. Pomfret understands, awards for his reporting on Asia, includ- Book Award-winning author of “Age of very best China correspondents in modern admires, even loves China. His fascinat- ing the Osborn Elliott Prize. He holds a Ambition” times. In “The Beautiful Country and the ing history gives a clear message to every Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Arts “A tour de force. Beautifully written, Middle Kingdom” he goes further, tracing political leader, official, academic, and from Stanford University, and was one of sweeping in scope, learned, lively, and the full sweep of the relationship between businessman — not just Americans: know the first American students to go to China filled with fascinating stories. The Beau- America and China. Read this book and clearly what you yourself want and make to study after relations were normalized. tiful Country and the Middle Kingdom is you will understand the ways in which our sure you understand well what China Pomfret was expelled from China after a timely and important book written by debates about China today both carry for- is about.” —Michael Thawley, former the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. one of the most brilliant and insightful ward and stem from similar controversies Australian ambassador to the United Most recently, he was a Fulbright senior China experts of our day.” —Amy Chua, of the 19th and 20th centuries. Pomfret’s States and head of the prime minister’s scholar in Beijing. Yale Law professor and author of “Battle book provides the perspective we need department. Following are reviews of his book: Hymn of the Tiger Mother” and coauthor to think about America and China in the “For more than two centuries China “An in-depth look at the historically of “The Triple Package: How Three Un- past, present, and future.”—James Mann, and the United States have been locked deep and mutually influential relationship likely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of author of “The China Fantasy” in tight embrace. Goods, ideals, hopes, between the United States and China…. Cultural Groups in America” “If you are going to read one book and delusions have shuttled back and In this highly detailed narrative, Pomfret “This is the single best book on the on U.S.-China relations, make it John forth, ferried by a host of eccentric and moves chronologically…ably fleshing out two-centuries-old history of Sino-Amer- Pomfret’s “The Beautiful Country and the strong-willed characters. With deep the characters involved….impressively ican relations. Pomfret tells this colorful Middle Kingdom.” Superbly researched research and vivid writing, John Pomfret wide-ranging history demonstrating that story through intriguing tales of individ- and historically grounded, this book soars brings this rich story to life and shows the U.S.-China relationship began decades uals — Americans, Chinese, and Chinese on its rich narrative filled with fascinating us both sides of one of the world’s most before Richard Nixon arrived on the Americans. At the same time, he ably vignettes. No one is more equipped than fruitful and important relationships.”— scene. —Kirkus Reviews explains the transformations, tensions, and Pomfret by intellect, by experience, and Arthur R. Kroeber, author of “China’s “John Pomfret has given us the most tragedies that have defined governmental by passion to attempt such an ambitious Economy: What Everyone Needs to encompassing, vivid, and fair-minded ties. Pomfret has researched with care work — and he has skillfully delivered Know” and editor of China Economic account of the world’s most important and weighed various interpretations with a masterpiece.”—Karl W. Eikenberry, Quarterly. ♦

Society It’s all fake! continued from page 10

Police analysis showed these delicacies tion in Sichuan Province, which will 4) Shanghai’s London iconic sundial resulted in this replica of the Pentagon usually served n salads along China’s include a simulated collision with the -- the largest unoccupied building in southern and eastern coasts were made iceberg that sank the original “unsink- Shanghai. Shanghai officials are hoping up of three chemicals with high levels able ship.” that fairytale magic from the neighbor- of aluminium. The main way to tell the 5) Unsanitary sanitary napkins ing Disneyland will breathe life into the real deal from the fake? The real one has Jiangxi Province police seized more Pentagonal Mart. BTW, the replica is a fishy smell and is yellowish in color. than 10 million fake sanitary pads pro- bigger than the Arlington complex. 7) Mad Max rip-off duced under unsanitary conditions last November. All were labeled and pack- aged as well-known brands and sold at rock bottom prices in small grocery stores. In 2015, a shipment of radioac- tive, made-in-China sanitary napkins Suffering the fate of the first Egyptian was seized in Lebanon. Sphinx, this Shanghai sundial also had to be torn down in November after the British artist called it a “complete copy” of her famous sculpture in London by the Thames. Maybe it’ll pop up at the Lanzhou theme park later. 3) Famous fruit phone A woman from Wuxi bought an iP- hone6s online but received a phone with 1) Uncle Armour knock-off While “Mad Max: Fury Road” never a pear on the back. Apple, pear, what’s got a proper release in China, a Bei- the difference? jing-based studio produced its own ver- sion titled “Mad Shelia,” available for online streaming. And yes, it IS “Shelia,” a well-known China trait of failed proofreading! 6) Unsinkable Titanic Want to know how it A brand-new Chinese sportswear brand, feels on that fateful Uncle Martian, launched in April and night in April 1912 but immediately caught netizens’ and Under don’t want to get wet? Armour’s attention to the likeness of Plan a trip to the “New 2) Shanghai’s Pentagon both logos. Under Armour vowed to Titanic” tourist attrac- China’s over-investment in office space take aggressive legal action. ♦ PAGE 14 / February 2017 government & politics www.chinainsight.info The Chinese in Trumpland, Part I: Chinese Americans for Trump By Joe Pearman and Chang Wang, contributors

to social conservatism, as is his running Editors’ Note: Last year, Chang Wang and Joe Pearman published a two-part series of articles titled “Dancing with the Dragon,” mate Mike Pence. where they laid out how the Communist Party of China was likely to view the various candidates for President of the United States. Many Chinese-Americans support Now that Donald Trump has emerged an unlikely victor, China Insight invited these two writers back to take a stab at examining Trump because of his “law and order” nar- how Chinese government and the Chinese people will relate to this pugnacious and outspoken new administration. rative and frequent support for the police. They point to Peter Liang, a With the unexpected victory of Donald Trump built his candidacy around a somewhat came to America for opportunities for them- policeman who was fired and found guilty of Trump and the start of a new year, Pearman anti-China philosophy, that China wasn’t a selves and their children. They dislike high tax manslaughter (although he was given proba- and Wang feel this is the perfect time to ex- partner but rather a two-faced cheater that was rates and loathe affirmative action, which they tion, not jail time) for shooting an unarmed amine what may lie ahead for America’s 45th stealing American jobs. And you’d think that see as unfairly privileging minority groups black man in public housing.5 Liang, they say, president and his relationship with the world’s first-generation immigrants would relate most that portray themselves as victims rather than was given up by a spineless city administration most populous country, its famously opaque strongly to their country of origin. working. “After all,” they say, “I am a minori- capitulating to Black Lives Matter sentiment leadership, and the many people with ties to Wang:You are exactly right in reasoning. But ty. I came to this country and I am doing fine. but unwilling to sacrifice a white cop. If the both countries. As with their previous articles, what appealed to the Chinese-Americans, Why don’t you man up and get a job?” Few of police had proper support, they believe, it they take no position for or against Trump or particularly these first-generation immigrants, them take the time to learn about the history of would have been recognized that Liang made his policies. Their aim is, as always, to educate was a combination of Trump’s style and his slavery and segregation that led to affirmative an unfortunate but legitimate mistake. and inform. message, and their exposure to it. action’s implementation in the ‘60s, and most Second-generation Chinese-Americans Part I of this three-part series will cover One of the major organizing tools of the of them were educated in China where liberal who were educated in the U.S. have objected Chinese-American attitudes toward Trump. “Chinese-Americans for Trump” movement education courses, such as sociology and his- to this viewpoint, many agreeing with the Part II will deal with Chinese-U.S. relations. was an app called WeChat. It’s a Chinese tory, are not available. At a civic engagement official verdict that evidence incriminates Part III will examine the changed political messaging app that functions as a combination seminar on both parties’ platforms I hosted for Liang beyond a reasonable doubt. It is more landscape through Chinese history and lit- of Facebook and Twitter, and it’s extremely local Chinese community, I was asked by a common for second-generation Chinese- erature. popular with Chinese-language speakers in first-generation immigrant: “Why do all black Americans to believe their community ought Pearman: To me, a logical place to start with America. It was dominated by pro-Trump dis- people in this country think of themselves as to be more concerned with civil rights issues. this article would be to examine one of Don- course. Trump was praised as a tough, no-non- victims?” And that attitude is typical. What’s They point to the case of Vincent Chin, who ald Trump’s most vocal support bases: Chi- sense, successful businessman; very little that more, they hate the idea that their children was mistaken as Japanese and beaten to death nese-Americans, especially first-generation was controversial about him showed up in the might lose a plum spot in a top university to a by an out-of-work autoworker in 1982, which immigrants. For instance, if you were around discussion. It was also flooded with negative less-qualified affirmative action candidate. So sparked the first modern Asian-American civil Raleigh, North Carolina, shortly before the commentary on Hillary Clinton, including there is tremendous appreciation of Trump’s rights movement. election, you might have seen a plane towing fake news like the “pedophile pizza parlor” “anti-political correctness” rhetoric, a feeling There are two competing narratives in a banner that said “NC Chinese Americans and the “Clinton Crime Family” stories that that he will benefit the people who really the Asian American community today. One for Trump.1” And there were similar shows allege she had business associates murdered. contribute. states with alarm that racial divides in society of support in major cities around the country, Pearman: So instead of claiming identity as are increasing, and says that Asian-Americans even in the Twin Cities (China Insight, January an ethnic minority, the Chinese-American should work with African-American, Latino, 2017). What do you think is driving that? Trump supporters see themselves as part of Native American, and LGBTQ groups as allies the “Silent Majority”: the working, contrib- in the struggle for justice and preserving the uting people who are unfairly penalized to legacy of the Civil Rights movement. The support the less conscientious. other narrative states that members of all Wang: You are absolutely right. These new groups should focus more on personal success Chinese immigrants do not identify with and less on activism, and should look for the larger Asian-American community, nor recognition as individuals and not as groups. do they share many of the values we deem It is unlikely that they will find much common as universal. That leads to the next point: ground in the years to come. Donald Trump’s personality appeals to Next month, we’ll take a look at Chinese- them. Chinese people appreciate a tough- U.S. relations.♦ talking, decisive male leader. Remember (From the cited News and Observer article) that China’s few recent experiences with Footnotes 1. The News and Observer; “Chinese-American national female rulers have been disastrous. group funds aerial Trump ad” October 29, 2016 Wang: That has been one of the more unex- There was the Dowager Empress Cixi, who 2. The YBF.com; “ELECTION 2016: This Is The pected features of an unexpected election. But derailed modernization in the late 1800s to Breakdown Of How Americans Voted By Race, if you unpack it, it makes sense. First of all, keep China weak and under her control. Gender & More + Hillary Clinton Actually WINS some context: according to Associated Press There was Madame Mao, who supported The Popular Vote” November 9, 2016 exit polls2 , roughly one-third of Asian-Amer- the most destructive aspects of the Cultural 3. NBC News; “Attracted by Immigration, icans who voted cast their vote for Donald Revolution and was so loathed that she was Education Policies, Some Chinese Americans Trump, which is the same as the percentage of (This WeChat group completely bans any nicknamed “The White-Boned Demon” Stump for Trump” May 25, 2016 Latinos. In the run-up to the election, I noticed negative comments on and news about after a villainous creature in “Journey to 4. Pew Research Center; “The Evolving Role of that while most Asian people who might be Trump and Trump supporters.) the West.” News on Twitter and Facebook” July 14th, 2015 supporting Trump were doing so quietly, his Pearman: Are there any hot-button issues 5. LA Times; “No prison time for ex-NYPD Chinese-American supporters tended to be Pearman: In other words, WeChat had its own for the Chinese-Americans for Trump? Officer Peter Liang in fatal shooting of Akai Gurley; April 19, 2016 vocal. This gave them an outsized influence version of “The Great Meme War,” where Wang: Several. Besides affirmative and visibility, even if there weren’t that many Trump supporters flooded social media with action, they strongly oppose the idea of them. A report from May said there were pro-Trump and anti-Hillary messaging. of transgender people being able to use about 1,500 supporters in one “Chinese-Amer- Wang: And for many of these first- whichever bathroom they identify with. icans for Trump”group.3 What was important generation immigrants, WeChat is their Chinese traditional culture is very con- About the writers Wang is chief researcher at Thomson was that they came out for Trump loudly and primary way of consuming news, similar servative, and many Chinese-American Reuters and an adjunct professor at early on. Another thing to note was that many to how a majority of Americans get it from Trump supporters see this as a manu- 4 the University of Minnesota.He also of the Chinese-Americans working hardest for Facebook. So you can understand how factured issue that will allow perverts to is a member of the Civic Engagement Trump were first-generation immigrants; some influential this messaging was. target their children. Even though Donald Steering Committee of the State of weren’t even citizens but permanent residents Pearman: But what made Trump so appealing? Trump himself has said transgendered Minnesota.Pearman is a third-year without voting rights. Wang: Probably there are several different people could use whichever bathroom business student at the University of Pearman: And that’s the exact opposite of factors. First of all, many of these people are they wanted in his hotels, his campaign Minnesota, Twin Cities. what you might expect, isn’t it? After all, skilled workers or independently wealthy, and and the Republican Party is of course tied www.chinainsight.info government & politics February 2017 / PAGE 15 Hong Kong told to uphold rule of law, Wanted: fight separatism ONLINE By Luis Liu, China Daily, Jan. 3, 2017 English Lanuage Beijing will not allow anyone in Hong stand firm against the rise of separatism. Teachers Kong to harm national security or use the In turn, authorities and residents from special administrative region as a base for the Chinese mainland should respect and subverting political and social stability, safeguard Hong Kong’s sociopolitical Would you like to help Chinese students the government’s top liaison official said system, leaving Hong Kong to handle (Gr. 6-12) polish their spoken and written English skills (and, occasionally, history/ on New Year’s Day. matters within the scope of its autonomy, literature)? We are hiring experienced na- In an interview with China Central he added. tive. English-speaking teachers to teach Television, Zhang Xiaoming, director of These principles are in accordance ESL (different levels) or high school U.S. the Liaison Office of the Central People’s with the original intent and fundamental history or literature. Government in Hong Kong, spelled out basis of the “one country, two systems” Teach from our Twin Cities cloud- three lines that should not be crossed. policy, which despite the political classroom set up or your home office. One must not undermine China’s discord in recent years, has been “an Teaching will usually take place in the sovereignty over Hong Kong and hurt internationally recognized triumph”, evenings (6–10 p.m.), early mornings national security, nor challenge the he said. (6–8 a.m.) or weekends. Number of hours are flexible. Rates are from $15-$40/hr authority of the central government and Beijing has adhered to its commitment based on the course requirements and Hong Kong’s Basic Law, the city’s mini- made before Hong Kong’s return to China teachers’ experience. constitution, he said. in 1997, he said, adding that the central The region should also not be used government attaches great importance to Teaching experience is required. Teaching license is preferred, but not necessary. as a base to “infiltrate and subvert” the Hong Kong affairs and will continue its If interested, please contact Richard at 612-987-6540 or [email protected]. Chinese mainland, destabilizing social firm support of the city. and political order, he added. Also on Sunday, hundreds of people The year 2017 marks the 20th rallied near the Hong Kong government anniversary of the establishment of complex, urging the authority to curb the Hong Kong Special Administrative “Hong Kong independence” advocacy Region. through legal and educational means. Public concern over separatism in Legal professionals and political Hong Kong grew in 2016 after two analysts also joined the demonstration. lawmakers elected to the city’s legislature Lawrence Ma Yan-kwok, a barrister –Youngspiration’s Sixtus Leung Chung- and chairman of the China-Australia hang and Yau Wai-ching－insulted all Legal Exchange Foundation, called on the Chinese by using foul language and city to operate a “zero tolerance” policy advocating independence during their on separatism. He warned that such consider preventing the spread of Article 23 of the Basic Law states swearing-in ceremony in October. advocacies would eventually hurt overall separatist ideas, and needs to enact that the SAR shall enact laws on its own Zhang appealed to all people in Hong interests and limit the freedoms enjoyed its anti-subversion law, to fulfill the to prohibit any act of treason, secession, Kong to strengthen the “sense of the by people in Hong Kong. requirement stipulated in the Basic sedition, subversion against the central bottom line”, uphold the rule of law and “The regional government should Law,” he said. government, or theft of State secrets. ♦ Experts: Sino-US ties will not undergo huge shift under Trump By Song Jingyi, China Daily, Jan. 17, 2017

more space for China and the U.S. to academy, believed China and the U.S. negotiate on Asian issues,” Jin said. should make concerted efforts more Jin’s views were supported by other than ever to ascertain the big trends as scholars at the conference including well as individual difficulties and work Zuo Xiying, a researcher at the National towards consensus and solutions to Academy of Development and Strategy “make globalization great again.” at Renmin University. In Lei’s opinion, Trump is likely to “Trump was a businessman, he has promote trade protectionism after he virtually no experience in politics, takes office in January, in line with his and he seems to have little interest in statements during the election campaign. the South China Sea issue and human However, he believed that “globalization rights issue, so bickering over territorial will not disappear overnight or be rolled disputes on South China Sea will be back across the board”. less, and that will probably soothe tense “It (globalization) has knit nations nerves between the two countries.” into an interlocked and interconnected However, in Zuo’s opinion, it doesn’t web of networks with ever greater Renowned researchers and professors attend the conference organized by National mean that the U.S. will turn a blind eye interdependence and common interests. Academy of Development and Strategy of RUC held in Beijing on Jan 13. [Photo by on the South China Sea issue. Therefore, the slowing down of Song Jingyi/chinadaily.com.cn] “China still faces two challenges; the globalization virtually hampers the U.S.’s growing military power directly recovery of the U.S. economy,” Lei said. The Trump administration will not be Renowned researchers and professors threatens security and increasing Trade is the area where China and too harsh on China in either economics in international relations also attended possibility of sudden conflicts happening the U.S. share the most common ground. or politics in the long run, the head of the conference that was used to launch on the frontlines of the South China However, Trump has said he would lump the School of International Studies at a collection of articles focusing on Sea.” a 45 percent import tax on Chinese Renmin University has predicted. Trump’s approach to China and China’s The consensus among many experts goods, which will put more pressure on Professor Jin Canrong shared his response tactics. at the conference was that the Trump Chinese enterprises. views at a recent conference in Beijing “Trump’s ‘America first’ foreign administration will focus more on “But I don’t think he can achieve organized by a think tank affiliated with policy will shift his attention away from China-U.S. economic relations. this,” Lei said. “The Congress may not the prestigious Renmin University. overseas to domestic affairs, leaving Lei Da, a researcher at the university’s allow him to do it.” ♦ PAGE 16 / February 2017 events www.chinainsight.info Festival of Spring performance features top acrobatic and performing artists from Jiangxi Province

“Festival of Spring -Beauty of Ji- This performance is a special Chi- angxi” will take the Twin Cities public nese New Year gala organized by the stage for the very first time at Northrop Ministry of Culture of China, Depart- Auditorium at the University of Min- ment of Culture of Jiangxi Province, nesota (84 Church St SE, Minneapolis) Jiangxi Provincial Foreign Affairs and on Feb. 9, 7 p.m. Overseas Chinese Affairs Office and The highly acclaimed Jiangxi ac- Consulate-General of the People’s robatic performers have paid visits Republic of China in Chicago. Mr. to more than 70 countries, winning a HONG Lei, Chinese Consul General large number of awards and medals from Chicago will be attending the at various domestic and international event. acrobatic festivals and competitions. The organizers hope to strengthen The state premier level vocal and the cohesion of overseas Chinese com- dance artists have gained national fame munities and promote Chinese culture through their outstanding theatrical across the globe and infuse some of its talents and achievements. essence and vitality into mainstream Local renowned composer and pipa Western society. (a four-stringed lute) master GAO The troupe will be performing in Hong from Carleton College also will Denver (Feb. 12) after leaving Min- perform. Her performance will further neapolis. showcase the characteristics of tradi- Ticket information tional Chinese music by emphasizing Please contact Christina Deng Mor- the joyful spirit of the Chinese New rison, 612-720-2718 (cdengmorri@ Year celebration and compatibility of yaoo.com) or Bingwen Yan, 612- 308- Chinese music. 1980 ([email protected]). ♦ Award-winning Beijing Bamboo Orchestra performs at Hamline University

The international award-winning Bei- and innovative features. jing Bamboo Orchestra will be performing All 30 instruments of the Bamboo Orches- “Festival of Spring:Timbre of Bamboo” at tra have registers exceeding the piano range. Sundin Music Hall at Hamline University Besides various unique Chinese traditional on Tue., Jan. 31, to celebrate the Chinese folk instruments, there are personally hand- New Year of the Rooster. crafted inventions of new bamboo instruments, Bamboo instruments have a natural many of which have been granted national timbre, and they can imitate the sounds of patents in China. Their unique appearance, nature like birdsong, the cicada's song, thun- innovative method of playing, beautiful tim- der and rain. In this environment-themed bre, high interest, makes the orchestra the only concert, the 20 musicians will perform kind in the world. various Chinese and Western classical mu- The Bamboo Orchestra has appeared sic on newly invented strings, winds, and in many major shows, on television, and percussion instruments all made Bamboo radio station broadcasts in Beijing and is the world's second-largest plant resource around the country.The orchestra has pub- and China happens to be the world's largest lished five CD albums. Its founder WANG bamboo-producing country. Its bamboo cul- Wei received honors in the International ture is broad and profound and its bamboo Bamboo Art Competition held in New musical instruments have a long history Orleans.He has published dozens of pro- and rich variety. Taking advantage of this fessional papers, and his book "Bamboo relationship and after 20-plus years of de- Musical Instruments" received a national velopment, the first bamboo orchestra was publisher's award. The orchestra also created. It is the first and only bamboo in- received the “Excellent Performances strument orchestra in China. For thousands Award” in the CCTV Folk Instruments of years, the Chinese have been making and Contest; the "National Service Grass- playing music instruments made of bamboo. Roots Advanced Units Award" issued by In addition to the more widely recognized the Publicity Department, the Ministry of and appreciated instruments such as di, Culture, the State Administration of Ra- xiao and sheng, the founder WANG Wei dio Film and Television, and the General introduced many bamboo instruments from Administration of Press and Publication. other southeast Asian countries and invented They also received nationally publicized a few to create an orchestra with extraordi- praise by the Ministry of Culture for its Read the paper online at nary range. With the Bamboo Orchestra, performance in the Shanghai World Expo; www.chinainsight.info the audience is promised to experience a and received the National Art Fund in music festival with traditional, folk, ethnic 2015.♦