ChinaInsight Fostering business and cultural harmony between China and the U.S.

VOL. 18 NO. 2 February 2019 A winter wonderland that warms your spirit . . . News, p. 4

Business & Economy, p. 5

Language, p. 7

The 35th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, the largest in the world, is celebrated during Harbin’s Sister Cities Conference. See pages 8-9. Books, p. 11 Community Minneapolis artist Paul Kwok exhibits at Chung Chi College in Hong Kong By Greg Hugh

More than 100 guests recently attended Kwok currently lives in Minneapolis an exhibit of landscape paintings titled “In with his partner Pat Hui where they also and Out of Tradition” by Paul Ka Yin Kwok share a studio at Traffic Zone Center for Arts & Culture, p. 14 held at Chung Chi College of The Chinese Visual Art. The studio was the site of the University of Hong Kong from which Kwok recent group discussion of “Crazy Rich graduated in 1967. Asians” held by the Chinese Heritage Foundation. ♦ In This Issue

Arts & Culture 12-14 Right: Books 10-11 Pat Hui Business & Economy 5 and Kwok in front of Community 8-9 one of his Events 15-16 paintings Government & Politics 6 Language 7 Officiating at the ribbon cutting ceremony was News 3-4 (far left Professor Fong Wing Ping, head of Pronouncements 2 college; and artist Kwok (second from left). Recent CHF discussion at studio. PAGE 2 / February 2019 pronouncements www.chinainsight.info Publisher’s Pronouncements ChinaInsight Greetings and Gung Hay Fat Choy (Happy New Year):

As we went to press with this issue of We also are pleased to announce that a team player. Publisher: China Insight, the Chinese community was China Insight has been chosen to be a co- This is classified as a volunteer position, busy with the celebration of the Chinese publisher with U.S.-China Media for the but a small stipend will be provided to the Gregory J. Hugh New Year of the Pig. Celebrations included second printing of “New Tales of the Twin right individual who demonstrates a strong [email protected] performances, dinners and school programs Cities: The History, Law and Culture in passion for our mission and can work with by various organizations, and other family- Minnesota.” Leaders of local businesses minimal supervision. Send resume to Greg Manager of friendly events. Check throughout the paper are encouraged to review sponsorship op- Hugh at [email protected] or call Operations/Circulation: for upcoming events. portunities on page 10. If you have any 612-723-4872. Any assistance you can offer Chinese New Year takes place this year interest or questions, please feel free to in helping us get this position filled will be Richard He on Feb. 5, and we have included some contact me at [email protected] or appreciated. See announcement on page 5. [email protected] articles on the celebration of Chinese New call 612-723-4872. Finally, you are cordially invited to let Year on pages 13-14. Also, you are invited to celebrate Chi- us know how you celebrated Chinese New Staff Writers: I was honored to be part of an official nese New Year at the Marsh, a wellness Year. Submit a brief recap of your event 12-person delegation representing the City center located in Minnetonka that was along with any photos (with captions) for Greg Hugh of Minneapolis to attend a Sister Cities founded by Ruth Strickler. The center’s art, our consideration for publication. To be [email protected] Conference last month at the invitation of architecture and programs reflect Strickler’s considered for the March issue, we must its sister-city Harbin, China. The conference study and appreciation of Chinese culture. receive this no later than February Feb. Elaine Dunn took place at the same time the 35th Annual See page 15 for details. 14 to be included. Send materials to me or [email protected] Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival Also, this is to remind you that we feel free to contact me at the contact info began so it was a very busy time for the more continue to seek a production editor. This listed above. Contributors: than 400 delegates that attended from many is a great opportunity for an individual to As always, your support of China Insight of the thirty-five sister cities that Harbin has gain experience in laying out our monthly is appreciated. Bu Aihua agreements with from all over the world. It tabloid newspaper that has been serving [email protected] was an amazing experience and not only the community for 18-plus years. The right Sincerely, did the sister-cities conference promote co- candidate must know InDesign Creative Yang Hui operation and friendship, the ice and snow Suite and have graphics background; reli- [email protected] festival were something you had to see to ability and ability to meet deadlines are also appreciate how winter can be celebrated in critical. A strong interest in Chinese culture Gregory J. Hugh Patrick Welsh Harbin. Additional details on both of these and business matters will be an asset. Must President – CEO [email protected] events can be found on pages 8-9. be willing to take creative initiative and be China Insight, Inc. FREE Production Editor: Jennifer Nordin FREESUBSCRIPTIONS SUBSCRIPTIONS [email protected] Getting to know you . . . Who are you? What articles do you enjoy reading? 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A primary schools principal in Shanxi Province had just learned how to do the shuffle. At break, he got all his students on the playground together and taught them the dance moves. He wanted his students to have fun dancing (exercising) instead of spending more The biggest time in front of the computer or on their phones. human It was impressive moves they all made in unison. What a fun break. What migration an impressive and fun principal! ♦ The annual migration for the Year of the Pig means big cities such as Beijing and Wild boar chase On Jan. 23, a wild boar was spotted Shanghai will empty out as migrant work- on a housing estate shortly after lunch. ers go back to their rural homes to spend It made its way to a river embankment the New Year with relatives and families. The Year of the Pig arrived early by the time police arrived wielding nets Many government offices and companies for residents in Hong Kong’s Tai Po and shields. The boar evaded capture will shut down for more than a week. This district. from 20 police and Agriculture, Fisheries annual ritual is the biggest internal migration and Conservation Department officials of people in the world. The reverse journey for three hours. It was then carted off will take place the latter part of the week for examination. China Briefs of Feb. 4-10. Sightings of wild boar have been Uneaten warriors China’s National Development and increasing and the government had con- Think that’s a typo? Not! Reform Commission, the country’s top sidered bringing back wild boar hunting, planning office, shared some mind-boggling but quickly scrapped the idea because of numbers of travels during the New Year outcry from animal rights activists. It celebration. Thanksgiving is nothing com- launched a pilot program of capturing, pared to this! sterilizing and releasing the boars. ♦

40 days is the duration of the Spring Fes- tival celebration, though official holiday is Teacher’s hong baos only seven days. One woman bought a fist-sized choco- Apparently, it is now customary late terracotta warrior from Xian. She took 400 million Chinese are expected to travel for teachers to give students hong baos a small bite of the base and then decided to during the Chinese New Year. (red packets) before the Spring Festival take a photo of it to post online. Many other holiday. (Why wasn’t that the case when netizens then posted their own uneaten choc- 7 million will take advantage of the New I was going to school?!) olate warrior souvenirs: one with a big belly Year holiday to travel abroad. The top over- An English teacher in Henan Prov- and short legs, one riding a motorcycle, one seas destinations for Chinese tourists are ince rewarded students who did well not do well enough to skip homework got with multiple warriors “guarding” a hotpot! Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and Singapore. on their final exams with hong baos “growth” coupons that can be exchanged Seems like most of the Belgian chocolate The ones seeing the fastest growth are the with a twist. Instead of the usual cash for stationery. warriors never got eaten! Nordic countries, the United Arab Emirates inside, the teacher’s New Year packets The hong baos were a great hit with and Spain. contained “no homework” coupons all the students, who were very interested Respect your elders that allow the recipients to skip English in getting this type of hong bao. Will a An elderly man pushing a cart loaded 3 billion total trips will be made via all homework one time. Students who did “no exam” coupon be in the works? ♦ with boxes accidentally bumped another modes of transportation. man’s stroller in a crowded shopping district Fathers’ big fail were tested on Chinese language, math in Hong Kong. The stroller owner began 73 million journeys will be made by air. and knowledge about the kids’ classes, swinging and swearing at the older man. Four bystanders stepped in and landed a Remember “Are you smarter than friends, idols, etc. One particular ques- few punches on the stroller owner, yelling, billion trips will be by motor vehicles, a fifth-grader?“ A Xiamen, Fujian tion tripped the fathers up big time: 2.46 “How dare you hit an older man?” before down 0.8 percent from 2018. Province, primary school, held an exam When was the last time dad lost his leaving the scene, as did the cart pusher. The for students and their fathers. They temper? The fathers mainly claim they stroller pusher doubled over and was taken 413 million trips are projected to be by rarely lost their tempers while the kids clearly remember recent incidents. The to hospital where he is recovering. rail, representing an increase of 8.3 percent What was in his stroller? A poodle! No from 2018. average grade earned by the fathers was a paltry 66.8 percent. sympathy for the poodle owner in the so- The principal said the exam was cial media sphere. His beating was termed flights per day normally, and dur- 15,600 meant to give the fathers an understand- “instant karma.” ing the New Year travel period, 35,000 more ing of what their kids were going through flights will be added, according to the Civil so they can better understand and com- Don’t trust anyone Aviation Administration. municate with them. ♦ New Year’s Eve did not go well for an addict in Jiangsu Province. He went to the police 500 destinations across 90 countries and station with a bag of crystal sugar and asked regions have been booked by residents of Wall of cash the police to help him get a refund from the 100 Chinese cities. dealer who sold him what he thought was Companies in China give employees crystal meth. The police agreed to help 146 billion USD sales revenue was gen- year-end bonuses just before the New and soon caught the crooked dealer, who erated during last year’s holiday period, Year holiday. A Gansu Province com- confirmed he did sell fake meth. Both the an increase of 10.2 percent from the 2017 pany had a wall the height of a person addict (who tested positive for meth) and holiday period. built for its annual staff meeting. The the dealer (who admitted to fraud) were put wall was built with cash, all US$10.3 under administrative detention. 75 billion USD was generated from tourism million worth of Chinese currency! The alone during the 2018 holiday period, up cash wall was dismantled during the Role reversal 12.6 percent from the 2017 holiday period. ♦ meeting. The cash put into red packets A Hubei Province animal rescue worker and distributed there and then. Happy went to rescue a black cat that climbed up a employees took plenty of selfies against tall tree. He was approximately45 feet above the money backdrop. Great PR! ground when he got stuck. The fire depart- Gung Hay Fat Choy from Bonuses averaged US$4,450 each. ment had to rescue him from the tree using Employees aged 60 and over received ropes and a ladder. And the cat? It jumped China Insight more and even their parents got red to another tree and came back down when packets from the company. ♦ the commotion started! ♦ PAGE 4 / February 2019 news www.chinainsight.info Top 10 Chinese cities for doing business

Doing business in China is not easy, but 3. Gangzhou (score: 0.512). This southeast aluminium production center. It is part of Lake. It has a population of 9.47 million and still attractive to many western companies. metropolis boasts a population of 14.50 the West Triangle Economic Zone. has been part of the Hangzhou Economic China’s Academy of Greater Bay Area million. Formerly known as Canton, it is & Technological Development Zone since Studies published a report rating 35 major right on the Pearl River and approximately 6. Chengdu (score: 0.405). Perched high 1993. It has a diverse economy from light cities for the best cities for doing business 75 miles northwest of Hong Kong. It lost in the mountains, this western Chinese city industries, agriculture and textiles. Tourism according to a business environment index. its dominance as the most accessible port has one of the busiest airports in the world. also plays an important role in its economy. The index was based on six factors: soft for foreign traders as a result of the Opium Its Chengdu Railway Station is one of the environment, infrastructure, business cost, War, but it maintains its relevance in modern six largest in China as well. It is home to 9. Changsha (score: 0.391). Located in market environment, social services and commerce for hosting the annual Canton more than 260 Fortune 500 companies and the Xiang River valley, Changsha is the ecological environment. Fair, the largest trade fair in China. From 12 consulates. It is also the home of China’s capital of Hunan Province and is where Here are the top 10 cities: 2013-2015, Forbes ranked it as the “best panda breeding center! It is one of the largest Mao Zedong got his start in politics. It has 1. Shenzhen (score: 0.611). This major commercial city on the Chinese mainland.” convention and exhibition cities in China a population of 7.34 million. Its economy city in the Pearl River Delta of Guangdong and has a population of 11.05 million. is tied largely to agriculture, forestry, ani- Province has a population of 12.53 million. 4. Beijing (score: 0.51). With a popula- mal husbandry and fishery. However, rapid It is home to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange tion of 21.71 million, the capital city is the 7. Nanjing (score: 0.398). Nanjing, former- economic growth also created a serious as well as multinational headquarters of world’s third most populous city. Located in ly known as Nanking, has a population of pollution problem. Tencent, Apple, Shenzhen Airlines, ZTE the north, it is home to the largest number 8.34 million. Its spot in history will forever and many more. It ranked 12th in the 2018 of Fortune Global 500 companies as well as be tied to the infamous Nanking Massacre of 10. Wuhan (score: 0.388). Wuhan is situat- Global Financial Centers Index and has one a large number of state-owned enterprises. 1937, where 100,000-300,000 Chinese died ed on the eastern plain of the Yangtse River of the busiest container ports in the world. It also is where China’s Silicon Valley is at the hands of Japanese invaders. The city and the most populous cities in Central located. sits inland of the Yangtze River Delta and at China with a population of 11.9 million. It 2. Shanghai (score: 0.524). Known as the intersection of east-west water transport is also a political, economic and transpor- “Paris of the Orient” in its heyday because 5. Chongqing (score: 0.478). During the and north-south land artery. It is the R & D tation center as well. It will be hosting the of its blend of east and west and large Eu- Sino-Japanese war (1937-1945), it was the hub of electronics, software, biotechnology 7th Military World Games this October. It ropean enclave. The city sits on the estuary capital. In 2017, its population numbered and pharmaceuticals. holds 30 percent of all French investments of the Yangtze River and has a population 30.75 million., making it the most populous in China, with approximately 50 French of 24.18 million. It is the world’s busiest municipality in China. It is an important 8. Hangzhou (score: 0.397). The city in companies. Its major industries are in optic- container port and home of the Shanghai motor vehicle manufacturing hub, both au- northwestern Zhejiang Province is at the electronic; car, iron and steel manufactur- Stock Exchange. It ranked 5th in the 2018 tomobiles and motorcycles. Ford has three southern terminus of the Grand Canal and ing; pharmaceuticals; bio-engineering and Global Financial Centres Index. plants there. It is also a huge iron, steel and home to a UNESCO Heritage site, West energy technology. ♦ Top 10 issues Top 10 popular facing China’s Chinese social economy media sites

Besides tanking stock prices, declining while fixing the imbalances in the financial Chinese of all ages spend a major por- Its cousin from the west would be Reddit. real estate market and slowing growth, what system. tion of their day on social media sites. To else are Chinese economists worried about? reach them, businesses have to deliver their 6. Douban. The social networking platform The China Law Blog reported that a 6. Local government debt. Local govern- messages on the “right” platforms. The top has 300 million monthly active users where group of Chinese economists (who chose ments finance infrastructure and investment social media sites and user statistics (as of they discuss books, movies, stream music to remain anonymous) circulated a list of programs by issuing debt that is “off the Q3 2018) are: and read product reviews. Its users are difficulties facing the Chinese economy that books.” This debt is estimated to be close mainly in the large Tier 1 & 2 cities. Brands was posted on China Business. That list, to 100 percent of GDP and is unsustainable. 1. WeChat. THE all-in-one messaging app are allowed to create a “brand station” to written only in Chinese, was only meant with 1.08 billion active monthly and 619.8 post their brand history and story. for domestic consumption and was removed 7. Collapse of non-bank capital markets. million daily active users. It’s an amalgama- from all media quickly. In China, private businesses and citizens tion of WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and 7. Zhihu. China’s equivalent of Quora. Its So, what were the top 10 issues men- have no access to bank financing, which Skype. Users make restaurant reservations 7.05 million daily active users are highly tioned by these Chinese economists? led to establishment of a non-bank capital and online purchases, pay bills, hail taxis educated and engaged, and post tens of thou- market. The collapse of this sector in 2018 and transfer money on it. sands of up-/down-votes and comments. 1. Trade war with the U.S. U.S.-China brought about uncertainty and social unrest. Content is very detailed and often includes trade imbalance became worse in 2018. 2. Sina Weibo. It’s the Twitter of China with charts and other graphics Satisfied readers Until this is resolved, the trade war will 8. Collapse of public stock market. The 446 million monthly and 116.7 million daily may “tip” authors via WeChat wallet! probably continue. Chinese stock prices had never been based active users. It’s the most popular micro- on market factors. Instead, prices were set blogging site in China and is where Chinese 8. Meituan-Dianping. The Chinese Yelp 2. Disappearance of “Made in China and manipulated by the central government. consumers get a lot of their information and has 38.3 million registered users was first 2025.” Forced technology transfers and When the market “makers” failed to prop up trending content. created to gather feedback on restaurants. intellectual property theft by the Chinese the market, investors left, drying up financ- Now it has expanded into bars, beauty government is a hindrance to the “Made in ing for this market. 3. Tencent QQ. This instant messaging app salons, gyms, and hotels, etc. Most of its 2025” program. has 803.2 million monthly and 267.7 million users are white-collar urbanites with money 9. Decline of the private sector. The retreat daily active users. It offers its users games, to blow. Target users, however, are between 3. Declining domestic real estate market. of the private market in the past decade shopping, micro-blogging and voice chat age 20-35 in major, fast-growing cities. Price appreciation of real estate cannot be dictated the government to step up in its services. It even has a desktop version that sustained, drying up funds for central and financing of state-owned enterprises. does not require a mobile number to register 9. Momo. This instant messaging app is local governments. Regulatory policies are your account! also a dating app. It is the third largest fully “frozen” to avoid popping the real estate 10. Engines of the economy slowed to mobile app after WeChat and QQ. It has 108 bubble. grinding halt. The three key components 4. Youku Tudou. The YouTube of China. million monthly and 16.8 million daily ac- of China’s economy – investment, domestic Monthly active users number approximately tive users who connect with strangers based 4. Weakened RMB. The weakened RMB consumption and exports – declined sub- 580 million monthly and 39.6 million daily on interests and locations. The site also leads to higher cost of living. To prop up stantially in 2018. Concurrently, older citi- active users. It offers marketers an online offers gaming and live-streaming services. its value, the government would have to zens are feeling uneasy about their future, viewing analytics tool and many ad formats 10. Meitu. This photo edit app is extremely dip into its dwindling foreign exchange education for the young and health care. ♦ ranging from banner to in-stream ads. popular. Its 455 million monthly active users reserves. can airbrush and edit their selfies with rela- 5. Baidu Tieba. The keyword-based discus- tive ease and then upload directly to other 5. GDP and debt. The Chinese government sion forum is where its 665 million monthly social media platforms. Majority of users is in a sticky situation of figuring out how and 148 million daily active users search are female. ♦ to stimulate the slowed-down economy for information on every topic imaginable. www.chinainsight.info business & economy February 2019 / PAGE 5 China’s slowing economy, empty flats and shuttered dealerships By Elaine Dunn

Bravo channel’s “Million Dollar List- output are derived from real estate and real ings” feature multimillion-dollar properties estate-related industries. Beijing is looking decked out in exotic woods, designer bath- to stem home prices from declining more The most expensive home in room fixtures, top-notch concierge service at with small local measures, in the hope of condos, and amazing views of the New York bypassing the need for big national one- mainland China or Los Angeles skyline. Though not flying size-fit-all policies. off the market like hotcakes, the condos So far, a small city in Shandong Province In 2016, a 72,414-square-foot, 32-bedroom, 32-bathroom garden home, Taohua- and mansions all eventually get sold close at the end last year lifted rules prohibiting yuan (translation: Utopia, or literally, Peach Blossom Land) was listed by Sotheby’s to their asking price. homeowners from selling their properties International for US$154 million. The 1,663-acre estate sits on a private island on (An aside: On Jan. 24, The New York for two years after purchase. Beijing lifted the south shore of Suzhou’s Dushu Lake, and has a koi pond, amidst many other Times reported that a hedge fund billion- price caps on new private flats, encouraging amenities. aire made “the most expensive residential developers to build. At the developer level, The much-desired mansion took three years to build, using handcrafted bricks sale” in U.S. history, paying $238 million one in Shanghai was giving away BMWs and adhered to the style of cultural heritage gardens for which Suzhou is famous. for a Manhattan penthouse that’s still under (3-Series or X1) with the purchase of a All the bedrooms are south-facing for optimal natural lighting. Taohuayuan also construction.) three-bedroom unit. has a massive wine cellar, lakeside pool, rock gardens and many patios that afford a On the other side of the Pacific pond, According to a Chinese economist, there stunning lake view. And despite its western trappings, the style is definitively classic multimillion-dollar listings in China may is a correlation between auto and property Chinese, upturned roofs and all. offer potential owners similar appointments, sales. "When people buy property it seems Internet searches came up blank on sale and current ownership information for but flying off the market they definitely are they buy a car at the same time. So when the estate. But since high-end Chinese buyers have shown more appreciation for not. In fact, a lot of them and the not-so- the property market is not doing well the classic Chinese architectural styles in recent years, maybe it went to one of them. ♦ luxo properties are not moving at all. By auto demand is down," he said. some estimates, there may be 50 million Which leads to the other industry sector Right: Courtyard empty flats in inventory around the big that the lackluster economy is also affecting Chinese cities. in a bad way – the auto industry. 2018 had Chinese stocks took a huge beating in been a dismal year for automobile sales in 2018. Investors are uncertain of the govern- China as well. ment’s ability to deliver on economic stimu- For the first time in two decades, new lus. To stem debt growth, the government car sales in the world’s largest car market tried tightening credit. As the government registered a decline - down 6 percent from tried to tame the property market by limit- 2017, per China Passenger Car Association, ing mortgage lending (which had increased and predicted by Goldman Sachs to fall significantly since 2016), it was also trying another 7 percent in 2019. Of course, the to discourage speculators from purchasing government new car tax subsidy ending in second and third homes, which are often 2018 and major cities’, including Beijing’s, left empty. Most of these second- and third- curb on car ownership, did not help. Left: Pond home purchasers buy up properties in the Auto manufacturers that invested bil- hope of a price surge. However, an index lions in plants and production lines in China that measures second-hand home prices are now uncertain of when and if growth indicate that Beijing prices had been falling will return. VW, the top foreign auto brand since September 2018 and, in Shanghai, in China; Ford and General Motors have all prices had been on the decline for almost pledged investments in the billions in China. 12 months. In Hong Kong, one of the least They will now have to figure out whether to Below: Wine cellar affordable cities to live in the world, hous- go through with these plans. Suzuki Motors ing prices have fallen for 13 weeks straight Corp. already left in 2018, and Jaguar Land since August 2018. A Jan. 17 online housing Rover closed a factory. news site ran an article headlined, “China’s One company, though, is buckling the economy is slowing, and it’s taking Hong trend - Tesla. Electric cars are gaining Kong’s once-booming housing market down popularity with Chinese consumers. Tesla is with it.” The article reported that HSBC’s accelerating its China presence with manu- analysts forecast Hong Kong real estate facturing plans. prices will drop 10-15 percent in the com- In general, Chinese like Cadillacs be- Left: Lakeside pool ing six months. cause President Donald Trump’s limousine According to Fitch Ratings, an interna- is a Cadillac. Yet, Cadillac demand dropped tional credit rating agency based out of New 30 percent at a family-owned Cadillac deal- York and London, Chinese homebuilders ership chain in Shanghai in 2018. Five of will face more difficult market conditions this family’s 11 dealerships had shut down. Production Editor Needed in 2019. The slowing economic growth Granted, luxury home and auto sales and deteriorating consumer confidence will may not have much to do with middle-class Great opportunity to gain experience in laying out China Insight, result in stifled home prices. mortals, but they highlight the great divide a monthly tabloid newspaper that has serving the community Nonetheless, it appears some Chinese between the “haves” and the “have-nots,” buyers are showing little concern. They are fueling discontent and, perhaps, unrest. So, for 17-plus years. still in the buying mode. In fact, 69 percent on the “cup half-full” line, the slight silver of buyers in 2018 were purchasing their lining to the slowing housing market may • The right candidate must know InDesign Creative Suite second or third home. be affordability for the first-time buyers of and have graphics background. Hong Kong introduced a vacancy tax in non-luxury units. • Reliability and ability to meet deadlines are critical. 2018 to discourage investors from holding However, if history is any indication, • A strong interest in Chinese culture and business empty homes. China has no property taxes China’s economic and domestic housing matters will be an asset. (yet), but the government is considering market slowdown will affect nearby Asian • Must be willing to take creative initiative and be a team that as a way to curb investors from pushing markets (Bloomberg reports that average player. prices beyond the reach of regular, middle- home values in Sydney, Australia, have class first-time buyers. In October 2018, suffered the most serious slump in three President Xi Jinping commented to the Chi- decades, falling 11.1 percent since their This is classified as a volunteer position, but a small stipend will nese that “houses are built to be inhabited.” peak in 2017) and the U.S., and the Cana- be provided to the right individual who demonstrates a strong An academic institute in Chengdu re- dian markets as well. Real estate agents, passion for our mission and can work with minimal supervision. ported that real estate makes up 75 percent developers, automobile manufacturers and of Chinese household net worth (compared sellers, and the government will all be on Send resumé to Greg Hugh at to 15 percent in the U.S.). Furthermore, pins and needles for the foreseeable future.♦ [email protected] or call 612-723-4872 20-25 percent of China’s annual economic PAGE 6 / February 2019 government & politics www.chinainsight.info HK’s freedom of expression under attack, again By Elaine Dunn

two years while normal investigative dents are usually children of expatriates), A small group from Hong Kong’s pro- sing and learn about the anthem and its democracy camp promptly raised concern history. School administrators potentially about the lack of definition of what “disre- will be faced with reporting students who spect” may be and that, if passed, the law “disrespect” the anthem. Some students may curb legitimate criticisms of the main- take issue with the bill. One 18-year-old land. Demosisto, one of the pro-democracy student said, “I oppose [the bill]. Despite groups, held a brief protest with a banner being a Special Administrative Region of that read, “The right not to sing our praises” China, we are entitled to voice our opinions, as the bill was being read for the first time including those against China. This law by LegCo. That banner, which was mounted would essentially force our children to sing directly under China’s five-star emblem at an anthem that they do not associate with, the government headquarters, was taken Chinese or otherwise.” down by police almost immediately. A The bill was enacted in Beijing in 2017 pro-democracy legislator said the law is and is expected to pass later this year as “the latest gesture, if not a weapon, to scare the pro-Beijing legislators far outnumber Hong Kong into obedience.” the pro-democracy ones. It will be the Joshua Wong of Demosisto with protest banner Joshua Wong, the student leader of the first time Beijing required Hong Kong to 2014 Umbrella Revolution, is the secretary- pass a mainland Chinese law. To the pro- Can respect and patriotism be legislated? We believe this is easy for the public to un- general of Demosisto. He said more demon- democracy camp, this is a direct breach of The pro-Beijing camp in Hong Kong thinks derstand, and easy for them to comply. We strations against the law are being planned the “one country, two systems” premise of so. believe most of our people would respect in the coming months. “There’s no reason Britain’s 1997 handover of Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s Legislative Council the national anthem, and therefore the bill for us to respect the regime, especially the There is real fear that passage of this law (LegCo) proposed a law on Jan.23 that will not affect the daily life of the people.” Communist Party of China,” Wong told the will open the floodgates to other mainland could result in prison time of three years and Under the controversial bill, the follow- Hong Kong Free Press. He and many Hong legislative efforts pertaining to national se- hefty fines (approximately US$6,400) for ing actions are deemed unlawful: Kongers feel that respect is to be earned, curity, allowing Beijing to further insinuate anyone who shows intentional “disrespect” • Playing the anthem in a “distorted or not coerced. itself into daily Hong Kong life. for China’s national anthem, “March of the disrespectful way, with intent to insult” The bill will also make it mandatory that Wonder what would happen to the likes Volunteers.” Quite ironic, given the first • Altering the lyrics or score of the all primary and secondary school students, of Colin Kaepernick in Hong Kong?? ♦ line of its lyrics is, “Arise, we who refuse anthem including international schools (whose stu- to be slaves!” • Booing the anthem (which had been Hong Kong’s secretary of Constitutional quite common at HK’s football matches and Mainland Affairs said at the first reading for years) of the bill, “The spirit of the bill is respect. Prosecution of offenders may take up to Top political advisor stresses peaceful development of cross- Straits ties Source: Xinhua, Jan. 23, 2019 Saying that the cross-Straits situa- tion would be more complicated and se- vere in 2019, Wang stressed upholding the 1992 Consen- sus that embodies the one-China prin- ciple to promote the peaceful devel- opment of cross- Straits relations. He called for ef- forts to resolutely Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political safeguard the coun- Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and try's sovereignty chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Po- and territorial in- litical Consultative Conference, speaks at a conference on Taiwan tegrity, and leave no affairs in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan 22, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] space for separatist China's top political advisor Wang Yang activities for "Taiwan independence" in on Tuesday called for efforts to promote the any form. peaceful development of cross-Straits ties He noted that the integrated develop- and the process toward peaceful reunifica- ment across the Straits should be deepened, tion of the motherland. with exchanges and cooperation to be ex- Wang, chairman of the National Com- panded and preferential policies for Taiwan mittee of the Chinese People's Political compatriots to be fully implemented. Consultative Conference, made the remarks Efforts should be made to establish more at a conference on Taiwan affairs. exchange channels for young people from Wang, also a member of the Standing both sides, with an aim of providing youths Committee of the Political Bureau of the from Taiwan with more opportunities and a Communist Party of China Central Com- better environment to study, find jobs, start mittee, reviewed the progress in handling businesses and conduct exchanges on the Taiwan affairs for 2018. mainland, Wang said. ♦ www.chinainsight.info language February 2019 / PAGE 7 Chinese language corner (漢語角落): Who is this? By Pat Welsh, contributor In this lesson, we will talk about how to ask and learn the names of others. Remember zĕn-me (怎麼) how? you can use Google’s translate program to hear the pronunciation of the words. Omit the tone chēng-hu (稱呼) to call, to address someone indicators and hyphen symbols when inserting the pinyin spellings into Google Translate. If you are asking or answering about another person, you can replace the word 你 nĭ Some of the words we will be using (you) with either the word 他 “tā” (he) or 她 tā (she). chēng-hu (稱呼) to address, to call 她是谁？ Ta shì shéi? Who is she? 的) 的 de ( In this lesson, is a suffix functioning like the ‘s in 她是王太太. Tā shì Wáng Tàitai. She is Mrs. Wang. English. i.e. 我的 wŏde my, mine. (The suffix "的 (de)” is always spoken in the neutral tone.) Other replies to the above questions with can be: gāo-xìng (高興) happy, pleased 我姓 Smith. Wŏ xìng Smith. I am surnamed Smith. guìxìng (貴姓) honorable family name jiào (叫) to call, to be called 我的名字叫. Wŏde míng-zi jiào John Smith. My name is John Smith. míng-zi (名字) a general term for a name, especially a given name. nĭ (你) you 我姓 Smith, 名字叫 John. Wŏ xìng Smith, míng-zi jiàu John. nín (您) you (polite form of above) My family name is Smith, my given name is John. péng-you (朋友) friend 他是 rènshì (認識) to recognize, to be familiar with, get acquainted with John Smith. Tā shì John Smith. He is John Smith. 誰 shéi ( ) Some speakers say “shuéi” who, whom 他是我的朋友 Smith先生. Tā shì wŏ-de péng-you, Smith Xiān-shēng. shén-me (什麼) (pron.) what, what kind of He is my friend, Mr. Smith. shì (是) am, be, is, are tài-tai (太太) Mrs., wife; lady of the house 這我的同事 John Smith. Zhè shì wŏ-de tóng-shì, John Smith. tóng-shì (同事) colleague This is my colleague, John Smith. wŏ (我) (pron.) I, me xiān-shēng (先生) Mr., sir; teacher After being introduced to someone you can say: xìng (姓) surname, family name to be surnamed 我很高興認識你. Wŏ hĕn gāo-xìng rèn-shì nĭ. I am very pleased to meet you. 這 zhè ( ) this 幸會. Xìng-huì Pleased to meet you.

Ways to ask for someone’s name Next month, I will expand on the topic of getting to know someone.♦ 先生貴姓？ Xiān-shēng guì-xìng? What is your honorable name, sir? 你/您叫什麼名字？ Ní /nin jiào shén-me míng-zi? What is your name? About Pat Welsh In 2009 while teaching English at Sichuan University, Welsh was asked to give a speech When answering the call from a stranger or in informal situations, you can ask: where he was introduced to the audience as a “pioneer of Chinese American relations” as a (“Nĭ” changes its tone here to a mid-low falling tone.) result of his cooperative work in international banking during the Deng Xiaoping era. For 你是誰？ Nĭ shì shéi? Who are you? more than 65 years, Welsh has been learning Chinese and has used this knowledge both pro- 您是誰？ Nín shì shéi? Who are you? fessionally and personally to enhance his understanding of Chinese and Asian affairs. He uses Beijing Mandarin most frequently when meeting with senior Chinese government officials when If you feel the need to ask how someone should be addressed. Recall that the tone of conducting business in China. 我 (wŏ) changes to a mid-rising tone when it is directly followed by another dipping tone For 17 years, Welsh taught Chinese, German and Spanish in two local high schools. Now syllable. fully retired, he currently resides in Georgia where he used to lecture on China to a number of 我怎麼稱呼你？ Wŏ zĕn-me chēng-hu nĭ? How (should) I address you? classes at Dunwoody High School.

Call for Articles… Concerned about misconceptions about China?

ChinaInsight is a local newspaper fostering U.S.-China cultural and business harmony. We are interested in publishing articles that engage audiences in America. Potential topics range from understanding daily life in China (or for Chinese in America) to discussions of business markets from both an American or Chinese viewpoint.

For example, consider the following: • Chinese movies/entertainment • Cartoons • Book reviews • Chinese immigrants that have succeeded in America • Minnesota-China ties/relationships • Local Chinese businesses • Recommended Chinese restaurants/food • Chinese-owned businesses in Minnesota • Chinese painting/calligraphy • Travel tales • Chinese impressions of America • Cross-cultural exchanges in education and businesses • Tea • Americans who are studying Chinese – why are you • Impressions of China by Americans learning Chinese? • Chinese musical instruments • How do Chinese students adapt to America? • American business people in China • Chinese business customs • Questions about China

If you would like to contribute an article, please contact Greg Hugh at 952-472-4757 or email [email protected]. PAGE 8 / February 2019 community www.chinainsight.info Delegation from City of Minneapolis attends Sister Cities Conference in Harbin, China, during annual International Ice and Snow Festival By Greg Hugh

The Harbin Municipal People’s Govern- Day two of the conference began with a with Alex Meng, another dedicated liaison article, additional details about the City ment of China recently held the 2019 An Ap- breakfast brunch at the hotel before boarding from Harbin’s foreign affairs department, at of Harbin and International Ice and Snow pointment with Winter in Harbin to celebrate our van making sure we were warmly and Memories of Harbin Restaurant. Festival can be found at over 40 years of sister-city relationships comfortably dressed for our trip to visit the Since it would make for a very long https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbin. ♦ established with more than 36 cities in 28 Sun Island Snow Sculpture Park. That cov- countries. A 12-member delegation repre- ers a span of over 14 square miles. senting the City of Minneapolis (Sister City To warm up after this visit, we had a tra- of Harbin since 1992). The delegation in- ditional hot pot lunch at Tianshunyuan Res- cluded Minneapolis City Council members taurant. Since water is not generally served Kevin Reich and Steven Fletcher; members with meals, t other beverages were offered, of Meet Minneapolis, Mark Andrew, Melvin including a corn drink that was served warm, Tennant, William Deef and Courtney Ries; which was quite tasty and thirst-quenching. Leah Wong, Minneapolis Downtown Coun- Following lunch, we joined all the other cil; Ken Lau, US-China Peoples Friendship delegates at Baqu Ice Hockey Arena for ice Minneapolis delegation is greeted by Cathy Kai Delegation standing in front of Harbin Association-MN Chapter; Jill and Sky skating performances by local individuals at Harbin City Hall Grand Theater Li Griffiths, China Champions Program- and groups prior to the start of the Harbin University of Minnesota; Greg and Linda International Youth Ice Hockey Tournament. Hugh, China Insight. The team from Harbin was victorious over Living up to its theme, 2019 An Ap- the Russian team. pointment with Winter in Harbin, many All delegations then returned to their sister-city conference-related events were hotels to change into business attire then held and since it also took place during the gathered for the opening reception of the 35th Harbin China International Ice and conference at Songbei Shangri-La Hotel. Snow Festival, delegates also had the op- Although there was a heavy security pres- portunity to visit many festival events during ence, delegates were able to quickly enter the sister-cities conference. the Great Hall where the reception was Upon arrival in Harbin, our delegation held. Provincial and city leaders greeted World’s longest indoor ski slope Delegations visit the Harbin Planning Museum was greeted at midnight by Robert Song, and welcomed all. Electronic translation chief liaison officer for Harbin’s foreign devices that were provided at each seat. A office department, along with two college 14-course banquet followed the opening student volunteers, Abby and April, who remarks. would be our tour guide and interpreters The final event of the evening required during the conference with whom the group another change of clothing and a police es- bonded during our three-day visit. A per- cort to the massive site of the International sonal transportation van for our group was Ice and Snow Festival for its opening ribbon also provided. Fortunately, our delegation cutting ceremony to enjoy all of the ice and was staying at The Songbei Shangri-La snow creations. Hotel was the conference headquarters and Delivering Minneapolis’ comments was we were glad to be checked in after the long Minneapolis Councilman Kevin Reich. flight. Later we learned that some of the When all of these presentations concluded, other 400 other delegates from other cities the Minneapolis delegation had a private from all over the world were staying at three lunch with Vice Mayor Zhang Wanping other hotels in Harbin. along with Song, Meng and principals from The first day of the conference began the Harbin Tourism and Culture Bureaus. In with a visit to Harbin City Hall hosted by addition to an exchange of ideas between the Cathy Kai, vice division chief, American two cities, there was also an exchange of & Oceanian Affairs. On our way back to gifts. The nine-course lunch was elegantly the hotel for lunch, the group stopped to presented by a very conscientious staff and see the Harbin Grand Theatre, which is consisted of gourmet dishes worthy of a world-renowned for the design to fit into state event. its unique location. Concurrent to the nine-course lunch After a quick lunch, our delegation met meeting with the Vice Mayor Zhang, the up with delegations from other cities to tour conference also held a Business Match- the Harbin Urban Planning Museum and making event that provided an opportunity Opening night reception for Harbin Sister then went on to the Unnac Wanda Complex for overseas businesses to visit with their A fourteen course banquet served Cities Conference where we watched a very dramatic movie Harbin counterparts in similar industries. in 5D about Heilongjiang Province. Also, The Minneapolis delegation decided to visit within the same complex we visited, ac- the Harbin Jewish Museum and to Harbin’s cording to Guinness World Records, the major shopping area, Central Pedestrian largest in-door ski slope in the world. Our Street, before attending a dinner hosted by van took us back to our hotel where we had American & Oceanian Affairs’ Kai at Lao- dinner and changed before being taken to chujia Restaurant as our last official event the Harbin Concert Hall where all of the of the conference. delegates attended the Concert of Sister With the conference concluded and Min- Cities sponsored by the Harbin Municipal neapolis Councilmen Reich and Fletcher People’s Government - a program of 10 departing on an early morning flight back internationally acclaimed pieces performed to the U.S. and Ken Lau headed to Hong by celebrated performers from Russia, Fin- Kong, the remaining nine delegates man- land, China and the Children’s Violin Art aged to squeeze in a few more activities that Troupe of Harbin Conservatory of Music. included, for some, a visit to the Siberian Unfortunately, there was no photography Tiger Park, an additional visit to Central Pe- permitted during the performances. destrian Street, Riverfront and a final dinner www.chinainsight.info community February 2019 / PAGE 9

SAIL AWAY GIVEAWAY YOU COULD WIN A CRUISE FOR 2 TO THE CARIBBEAN For playing any of our table games all month!

The Minneapolis delegation enjoyed a private luncheon with vice mayor Zhang Wanping Gift exchange between Councilman Reich and vice mayor Zhang Wanping

Cathy Kai poses with the Minneapolis RunAces.com Cathy Kai hosts dinner for Minneapolis, delegation after dinner Minnesota and Edmonton, Canada delegations

Happy New Year!

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All photos: Greg Hugh New Tales of the Twin Cities: The History, Law, and Culture of Minnesota

Second Edition Call for Sponsorship and Contribution from Minnesota Companies

In 2014, US-China Cultural Media Group and Thomson Reuters co-published New Tales of the Twin Cities: The History, Law, and Culture of Minnesota, the first Chinese-language book about the State of Minnesota. The book offers comprehensive coverage and in-depth analysis of Minnesota’s history, law, and culture. Starting with a 30-page history of Minnesota, the book covers a wide range of topics such as Minnesota’s judicial system, Minnesota Supreme Court cases, the University of Minnesota, immigrants in Minnesota, arts, science and technology in Minnesota, and the “Best of the Twin Cities.”

New Tales of the Twin Cities: The History, Law, and Culture of Minnesota was selected as one of the “2014 Books: Winter Reading” by Minnesota Magazine, and received rave reviews and extensive media coverage. Readership of this book includes 6,000 Chinese students and scholars in Minnesota, 35,000 Chinese Minnesotans, 8,000 Chinese visitors per year in Minnesota, as well as prospective Chinese students and visitors. The book is a perfect gift to offer Chinese visitors to Minnesota or to take with you when traveling to China to do business.

US-China Cultural Media Group is pleased to announce the publication project to update and revise New Tales of the Twin Cities: The History, Law, and Culture of Minnesota for the second edition, expected in late 2019. China Insight is a co-publisher on the project. Sponsorship and contributions from Minnesotan companies are welcomed.

Revisions will include replacing half of the out-of-date chapters that included William Mitchell College of Law and Minnesota Court updates. New chapters to be added will include additional attractions like the Minnesota Zoo, Guthrie Theatre, Minnesota Orchestra along with individual chapters about sponsoring businesses. A Chinese translation of the entire text of the Constitution of the State of Minnesota will be added.

Sponsorship Levels Sponsorship Benefits* Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Completely customized book with the company logo on cover, spine, back, title page; new cover design consistent with the sponsoring X company’s branding policy

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Afterword: authored by the sponsoring company executives, X translation in Chinese

The sponsoring company’s history and story incorporated into X X X updated Minnesota History timeline

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*Sponsorship benefits may be subject to change. For more information, please call 612-800-2183; email: [email protected]; or visit: http://www.uschinamedia.org/ www.chinainsight.info books February 2019 / PAGE 11 “Will China Save the Planet?” by Barbara Finamore Reviewed by Mark Clifford, Asian Review of Books, Jan. 15, 2019

Author: Barbara Finamore Publisher: Polity Publication date: November 2018 Softcover: 200 pages

Finamore has nearly four decades of experience in environmental law and energy policy. In 1996, she founded National Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) China Program, the first clean energy program to be launched by an international NGO. She also served as president and chair of the Profes- sional Association for China’s Environment (PACE) and is the co-founder and president of the China-U.S. Energy Innovation Alliance. In 2017, Finamore was named a member of Foreign Policy’s “The U.S.-China 50,” a group of 50 individuals who are powering the world’s most complex and consequential relationship. She holds a J.D. degree with honors from Harvard Law School.

As oceans warm and ice caps melt, it’s officials put locked cages around the elec- addicted to high growth? to hope that Finamore’s optimism is well- hard to be optimistic about slowing, let tricity meters to prevent what they believed There isn’t much time to come up with founded. ♦ alone stopping, global warming. Barbara was unauthorized tampering. a convincing answer. The speed of China’s Finamore nonetheless finds reason for op- Finamore has thus been in a unique po- change in the past five years has surprised About the reviewer timism in her authoritative look at China’s sition to watch the development of China’s everyone. So, too, has the acceleration of Mark Clifford is executive director of unfolding energy transition. policies at a time of extraordinary economic global warming and unimaginable weather the Asia Business Council. China burns half the world’s coal. It transformation and equally stunning en- is becoming the new normal. We all need is the world’s largest carbon emitter, over- vironmental degradation. Her experience taking the US despite a smaller economy. makes this short book both authoritative China is an energy hog, partly because of its and comprehensive, an excellent summary continuing reliance on heavy industry and of current policies and research. If you want party because low prices encourage waste. to read one book on China’s energy and HOST FAMILIES NEEDED So it’s possible for China to do much bet- environmental transformation, Finamore’s Host a Chinese student and make a difference… ter just by improving efficiency, relatively lucid volume is the one. low-hanging fruit. Her assessment is very much of the Enrich their experience and enhance your own The beginning of a remarkable change glass-half-full variety. She deftly outlines ♦ As a host family you share American in China’s energy and environmental policy policies and aspirations but understates the culture with a student from China has been evident for five years. Presidents continuing power of the coal industry, rang- Xi Jinping and Barack Obama signed a land- ing from miners to electric utility operators. and provide them more than they mark climate partnership in 2014. China Her brief discussion of China’s carbon trad- could learn in a classroom. stepped out of the shadows to take a leader- ing efforts is revealing in its brevity: this ♦ Learn about their culture, explore ship role at the 2015 Paris climate talks that much-vaunted program has been delayed the differences and develop new led to a path-breaking global agreement. and scaled back and is unlikely to be the China’s internal plans call for increased sort of success the Chinese government and connections. renewable energy, part of a pledge to source Western environmentalists had hoped. The 20% of energy from non-fossil sources by environmental costs of the Belt and Road Global Learning Alliance (GLA) is a Twin Cities based organization that 2030. China has said that carbon emissions Initiative are similarly downplayed. serves as a facilitator to assist students from China that want to study in will peak around 2030, hopefully earlier, There’s also a notable reticence to the United States. To ensure that the students obtain the best experience and that carbon intensity will be reduced discuss the role of NGOs and ordinary citi- possible, GLA seeks to place the students with host families. The length of by 60-65% below 2005 levels by that date. zens, perhaps a sign of tightening political their stay could vary from a few months to a full school year and include Already, coal use seems to have leveled constraints. The discussion of Beijing’s high school and college students of both sexes. off. Coal is the largest source of air pollu- airpocalypse and the citizen outcry that tion in China, killing more than 700,000 follows makes no mention of the searing Since we recognize that hosting a student from China may place a financial people prematurely each year. China’s coal documentary Under the Dome, which was burden on some families, we will provide some financial reimbursement burning is the world’s largest source of CO2 downloaded some 300 million times in Chi- but expect a family to be a host because of the mutual cultural exchange emissions. So China has plenty of reason na before government censors stepped in. that both will receive and not just the financial aspect. to want to clean up, both to stop killing its While it is important to note, as Fina- own people with air pollution and to fore- more does, the impressive green building stall the worst effects of the increasingly targets of the current five-year plan, ef- While we are seeking host families in all parts the Twin Cities area, we are severe floods and droughts that come with fective building-energy efficiency policies especially seeking families in Eden Prairie. climate change. need bottom-up enthusiasm, on the part Finamore, an attorney and the Senior of everyone from construction workers to To learn more about being a host family, contact Richard He at Strategic Director for Asia at the Natural building maintenance staff. Citizen move- 612-987-6540 or email, [email protected]. Resource Defense Council (NRDC) envi- ments have everywhere played a powerful ronmental NGO, has focused her work on role in pushing governments toward greener China for 30 years. In 1996, she founded policies. It is very much an open question the NRDC’s China Program and the NRDC as to whether authoritarianism with Chinese was the first foreign NGO to start a China characteristics can engineer a significantly clean energy program. An early green build- less carbon-intensive economy. Xi Jinping ing that she was involved with proved so talks about “ecological civilization,” but successful at cutting energy use that local what does this really mean in an economy PAGE 12 / February 2019 arts & culture www.chinainsight.info Dong lusheng culture in China By Yang Hui and Bu Aihua, The Center for Hunan Cultural Heritage at Huaihua University, contributors

Note: This is the 12th article in the series on Dong ethnic culture by The Center for Hunan Cultural Heritage as U.S.-China cultural and educa- tional exchange and research. The Center for Hunan Cultural Heritage is located in Huaihua University, southwest Hunan Province, China. It is a provincial translation institute dedicated to the preservation and development of Hunan’s diverse ethnic communities and shared with the global community. This month’s article features the quintessential characteristics of Dong ethnic culture. Yang Hui is a lecturer in the School of Foreign Languages, Huaihua University. Her research interests cover translation studies and cross-cultural studies.

Professor Bu is the dean and professor in the School of Foreign Languages, Huaihua University. Her major research interests cover comparative education, biculturalism and bicultural active living lifestyle with a special focus on the Hmong youth in western part of Hunan Province and the state of Minnesota. She is also the vice director of the Center for Hunan Cultural Heritage. This article is supported by 2018 key project of the Philosophy and Social Sciences Fund Project of Huaihua Municipality.

The Dongs believe food nurtures the vertical bamboo pipes. Typically. there are cient in it, they have reached the marriage window for the whole world to reach out to body and music nurtures the soul. 3, 5, 6, or 8 vertical pipes for most lusheng age. Then, they are old enough to participate Dong people and their culture. If you want to Lusheng is a traditional reed wind instruments, but there is one type without in March 3 Festival – the Dong Valentine’s know more about Dong culture, especially instrument widely played by Dong, Miao vertical pipe - the mangtong). There are Day – to play for their beloved confidently Lusheng culture, don’t miss it! (Hmong), Shui, Yi, Yao ethnic groups two kinds of Dong lusheng instruments: and affectionately. Playing lusheng has be- As a farm-based people, the Dongs wor- in southwestern China, such as Hunan, one is “lenc wangx” with bamboo resonance come a very important and effective medium ship nature, yearn for a bumper harvest, and Guizhou, Guangxi, Sichuan and Yunnan tube, another is “lenc mas” without bamboo for both young Dong men and women to pray for the protection and help from their provinces. For Dong people, playing lush- resonance tube. When these are played, they make friends and choose their life partners. goddess Sama and ancestors. During the eng has become an essential part of their can produce the notes of “la,” “do,” “re.” In blessing ceremony, the lusheng performance spiritual life, closely related to their ethnic, modern times, lenc wangx is also called alto acts as an irreplaceable medium that con- moral, aesthetic and living customs. It can leng, while lenc mas is called bass leng. The nects the “talks” between Dong people and be seen as the embodiment of unity, hospi- traditional lenc wangx can be classified into their beloved goddess and ancestors, and tality and strength, symbolizing a peaceful, hong leng (宏声苼）and rou leng (柔声苼). helps their wishes be heard by them. When prosperous and joyful life. It has become an “Hong (宏)” in Chinese means a sonorous their wishes come true, they play lusheng, indispensable part of any traditional Dong voice. “Hong” leng can produce very loud sing and dance together to show their excite- festivals and events such as spring sowing, and clear notes of “la,” “do,” “re” and is ment and happiness, and also offer sacrifice autumn harvest, festive gathering or wor- usually played in ensembles. There are Dong women playing mangtong to their goddess and ancestors to express ship ceremony, etc. Along with playing the different sizes of hong leng, ranging from Lusheng performances their great gratitude. instrument, there is lusheng dance, lusheng small, medium, large, to extra large. “Rou Dong Lusheng performances (playing Sama-Worship Festival is the Dongs’ 柔 sacrifice ritual, and the like. It has formed ( )” in Chinese means a soft voice. Rou lusheng and performing lusheng dance) can grandest ancestral sacrificial rite to worship and nurtured a lusheng culture ˗ one of the leng can produce “la,” “do” and “re” in very be classified according to different purposes their goddess Sama during Dong Spring Fes- most profound parts of Dong culture. soft and gentle sounds and is usually played and occasions: ethnic and social ceremony, tival in some southern Dong villages every solo. As to lenc mas, there exists only one competition and entertainment. year. The word “sa” in Dong refers to grand- Lusheng instruments type, a very small leng. Like the rou leng, Lusheng performance is an integral part mother, and “ma” means the oldest. “Sama” In Dong, lusheng instrument is called when played, it can produce a very soft and of Dong people’s life and the Dongs say that affectionately means a great grandmother - “leng.” “Leng” is a kind of mouth-blown beautiful sound. Mangtong is an end-blown “a ceremony without lusheng performance the patron saint of the Dong, who presides free reed instrument consisting of several free reed wind instrument. The sizes range cannot be a real Dong ceremony;” or, “a cer- over Dong people’s health, wealth, safety, from very small to several meters in length. emony without lusheng performance cannot morality and longevity. During the worship It can only produce a single note of “la” with make itself stand out in a grand style.” Lush- ceremony, the Dongs usually play and per- different pitches ranging from super bass, eng performances can be seen in festivals form lusheng for the protection and help of bass, tenor, alto, even to soprano. Gener- such as Dong New Year, Sama-Worship, their goddess Sama. The ceremony includes ally, the rou leng is played by young play- March 3rd and events like bullfighting, preparation activities to invite Sama out of ers alone to entertain themselves, whereas “weexgeek” (a mass visiting activity among her abode by offering tea and sacrifices, a when the hong leng is played either solo or neighbor Dong villages), completion cer- parade around the village, “Dos Jeeh” dance in an ensemble, the Dongs would definitely emony of public facilities, etc. (community circular dance) in front of the dance – the Dong lusheng dance. drum tower to entertain Sama and, finally, escorting Sama back to her abode. When parading, lusheng players always walk in the front line to lead the parade to show the solemnity of the great occasion. Lenc wangx Besides sacrificial ceremony, lusheng performance can also be seen as a holy and magic medium in Dong funerals to connect the mortal world with the nether world. Dur- ing the funeral, particular lusheng tunes are required at corresponding stages to mourn Lusheng performers at harvest festival and show respect for the deceased, as well Lusheng Festival is the most popular and as to express the heartfelt condolence to the family, relatives and friends of the deceased. Two Dong men dancing while playing the grandest traditional festival in Dong regions. The Dongs also would line up at the hong leng It integrates music, sports, food, costume and entertainment together. People from dif- roadside of their village or in front of the The music produced by lusheng please ferent villages nearby dressed in their most gate of their village to play lusheng to their ears and souls. Lusheng performances beautiful Dong attires flock to the celebrat- welcome and say farewell to their visiting are indispensable in their daily life. It is friends warmly and respectfully. ♦ Lenc mas ing site (usually a local mountain slope). common and natural for Dong people to They play lusheng and perform lusheng play them to express the love and beauty for dances in lines or circles. Kaili International the nature, to eulogize the glory of labor, to Lusheng Festival in Guizhou Province is the praise a girl’s good looks and her kind heart most spectacular one. It occurs on January etc. All Dong people have a great passion 16 of the Chinese lunar calendar and lasts for lusheng performances. In Dong culture, for almost a week. It embodies the essence the charm of a man can be judged by how of folk customs visually and acoustically. well he plays the lusheng! Thousands of Dong women wearing exqui- Playing lusheng takes skill and practice. site Dong costumes with silver horn-shaped It usually takes seven or eight years’ practice headwear, people performing lusheng danc- to do it well. Dong boys usually begin to ing to the sound of thousands of lusheng learn to play lusheng when they are 8 or 9 being played. It has now become a cultural Mangtong years old. By the time they become profi- Welcoming guests from afar www.chinainsight.info arts & culture February 2019 / PAGE 13 Year of the Pig

Personality and characteristics Lucky things for Pigs Those born in Pig years might not stand ing able to hold solid objects in their hands Colors: yellow, gray, brown out in a crowd, but they are very realistic. gives them security. Numbers: 2, 5, 8 Others may be all talk and no action, pigs They are energetic and are always enthu- Mineral: agate are the opposite. siastic, even for boring jobs. If given the Directions of auspiciousness: southeast, Though not wasteful spenders, they chance, they will take positions of power east will let themselves enjoy life. They love and status. They believe that only those Directions of wealth: northeast entertainment and will occasionally treat people have the right to speak, and that’s Directions of love: north themselves. They are a bit materialistic, but what they want. this is motivation for them to work hard. Be- Unlucky things for Pigs Element Year Fortune Colors: blue, green Numbers: 1, 7, 9 These Pigs mind their own business. They’re a bit lazy and unmotivated but focus on their work. They’ll definitely succeed if they place more Metal 1971, 2031 emphasis on it. However, they must learn how Pigs in the Year of the Pig (2019) to budget and save. Otherwise, their financial luck will be gone. The year of one’s zodiac sign is their 本 of your labor. Instead, familiarize yourself 命年 (ben ming nian). It is traditionally the with possible oversights and improve upon most unlucky year with trouble and danger them so you may take advantage of similar These Pigs are responsible and serious. They are lurking at every corner. situations as they occur in the future. This full of ideas , but are easily influenced by others. This year, Pigs may find luck in some is a key element in many Asian religions, In relationships, this is a good thing. They listen Water 1983, 2043 areas of their life, but others will require that is to say, you may be stuck consulting and communicate well with their friends and hard work to avoid potential pitfalls. Pigs the same problem over and over until you family. They have good fortune and will retire will most likely experience many emotional solve it. with ample savings. ups and downs, making them feel frustrated In order to bring as much good luck as and sad at times. possible to your year, it’s a good idea to These Pigs are earnest and lovable. To them, it’s This will not be a transitional year for attend happy events such as weddings or okay if there is no money. But they should still Pigs, and it is best to try and “stick it out” in family gatherings. It’s also not a bad idea Wood 1935, 1995 save and have an emergency fund. They take situations if at all possible. While that can to pray for safety at your favorite temples each day at a time and calmly face all difficul- be terribly frustrating, try to remember that over the course of the year in order to shield ties. They have plain but smooth relationships. a key element to utilizing your luck is tim- yourself from bad luck. As always, try to ing. Next year will bear good fruit for Pigs, avoid places with overly negative Qi such but the time isn’t right to harvest the fruits as hospitals and graveyards. These Pigs are very dependent on others. They are more suitable for jobs that require coopera- tion and teamwork. If they focus on a specific Career skill, they can build a solid foundation for their Fire 1947, 2007 Pigs' 2019 horoscope reveals that that are in Pigs “tool belt” but aren’t always career. They’re good with money too, and have changing careers may bring unforeseen utilized when they should be. nothing to worry about in that aspect. They are consequences, and in most cases should The fortune for Pigs this year is some- pretty popular and get along well with everyone. be avoided. Instead, keep your nose to the what sardonic, as their sign brings luck However, romantic relationships are rockier. grindstone and be wary of conflict. Pigs to a bevy of other zodiac signs, but Pigs have a way of directly confronting their themselves are not overly fortunate this year. These Pigs are social butterflies with friends from problems and at times this can impair their It’s not a good time to make investments or all walks of life. They have a lot of support in ability to see the deeper meaning of an issue. to try your hand at the casino. However, both work and life. They have fortunate lives While Pigs can expect confrontation this if Pigs can avoid these potentially large Earth 1959, 2019 and can find happiness. They are successful later year it will be best to face these problems pitfalls, they will escape the year relatively in life. However, they aren’t the most romantic with patience and practicality, two tools unscathed and in great position for next year. people and might need to work on that. Health Men born in the Pig year are optimistic and citement. They attend social events when- Health can be rated as a mediocre cat- for an extra boost to your immunity. gentle. They are very focused. Once they ever possible and treat everyone genuinely. egory for Pigs this year. While there are no It is important to note that your mental decide on a goal, they’ll put everything Combined with their easygoing personality, major illnesses on your horizon, Pigs will health this year may experience some com- into it. they gain everyone’s trust. have to pay attention to minor ailments to plications. You expected this to be your They are not the best with money. Though However, they are sometimes over-friendly. keep them from growing into something year, and it may not be working out like cool-headed, they are also gullible. They In their excitement, they can forget to give large. you had intended. Don’t be afraid to share trust others easily and are often scammed. others personal space. If you feel ill, don’t delay in consulting this frustration with others as your friends This can cause them to lose a fortune. They also have good fortune with wealth. a physician or healer, this is a major key to and family can be the key to getting through These men are also quiet. They love learn- As long as they keep at it, the efforts will staying healthy this year. Other than this, hard times. If it gets too difficult to bear, ing but don’t really know how to put their not go to waste. Though they don’t start maintain a consistent exercise regimen and a seek the help of a licensed professional such knowledge into words. They’re not conver- with an advantage, their hard work will keep diet made up of healthy, unprocessed foods. as a therapist. sationalists, but treat everyone warmly. This money flowing in. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet results in a large social circle. Whenever At home, they are highly organized. If the they run into difficulties, there are always room is messy, they’d stay up the entire people who stand up to help. Though people night to clean it up. These women love Relationships will lie to them, more will love them. children too. Playing with children is one The love forecast for Pigs is also pretty ship. Remember not to be too quick to jump Women born in the Pig year are full of ex- of the things that bring them the greatest joy. unremarkable for 2019. It seems that while into a relationship as it may lead to more this is not the year for true romance, there problems than it is worth, focus instead on Compatibility will be plenty of enjoyable moments and enlarging your circle of friends. new prospects during this year. However, For Pigs who are already in a com- Most compatible with Pig: Tiger, Rabbit, Pigs and Snakes have clashing personalities it is important to be observant as these op- mitted relationship, it will be important to Goat and are the least compatible. They have portunities are meant to teach you a lesson communicate your desires to your mate. A Pigs are the most compatible with Tigers. biases against each other and can’t compro- about what is and isn’t important in a suitor. failure of communication usually denotes The brave Tiger gives Pigs the security mise. It’s hard to get along with Monkeys Fortunately for Pigs, the lack of relation- the imminent breakdown of other major they need. as well. The relationship is full of tension. ship drama means they can focus on making relationship foundations. In order to prevent The Rabbit will be attracted by the Pig’s new friends and connections. Extending this from happening, actively listen to your intelligence and warmth. With the Goat, their network could have a significant im- partner and don’t be afraid to tell them how there are many common interests and topics. pact on Pigs’ future, and in some respects be you feel as well, or you may find yourself Least compatible with Pig: Snake, Monkey more rewarding than an intimate relation- harboring some resentment. ♦ PAGE 14 / February 2019 arts & culture www.chinainsight.info 10 interesting facts about Chinese New Year Source: China Highlights Asian countries — Indonesia (264M), The country sees as many tons of fireworks Philippines (105M), Vietnam (95M), South lighted as in China around the midnight be- Korea (51M), Malaysia (31M), North Korea ginning Chinese New Year. China produces (25M), Taiwan (23M), Singapore (5M), and about 90% of the world's fireworks! Brunei (0.4M). Fireworks are used to scare evil spirits: There are also sizable Chinese, Viet- Most mainland Chinese believe that the flash namese, etc. populations who celebrate in and bang of firecrackers and fireworks scare cities like New York, London, Vancouver, away demons and evil ghosts. and Sydney. 10. Singles hire fake boy/ 7. The festival causes the girlfriends to take home world’s largest annual This is a fresh-new fact about Chinese migration New Year. Chinese New Year is a joyful time For Chinese people, the most important for most, but for singles above the normal part of the Chinese Spring Festival is to en- matrimonial age, it's not. In China, females joy a reunion dinner with their families on are said to be marriageable up to 30, and New Year's Eve, even if they have to travel males before 32. long distances. For “old” singles, parents are extremely Two-hundred million mainland Chinese anxious. So New Year's Eve stress is height- travel long distances for these holidays, ened by embarrassing interrogations of the and it is estimated that there are 3.5 bil- singles. Desperate parents even arrange Chinese New Year fireworks in Hong Kong harbor. lion journeys in China. Tens of millions dating (prospective marriages) for their of people travel in other countries too. It single children. 1. The Chinese New Year date go out and see fireworks and light lanterns. makes the largest annual human migration To solve this problem, an interesting, changes each year Lanterns are put up for decoration, let loose in the world, known as the Spring Festival and often ridiculous, solution has appeared The date for Chinese New Year changes to fly, and floated in rivers. Travel Rush. — renting a boyfriend or girlfriend for the each year. It always falls between Jan. 21 For comparison, less than 100 million New Year. There are websites and agents and Feb. 20, determined by the Chinese people travel more than 50 miles during the specialized in this business. The price is lunar calendar. Chinese New Year 2019 is Christmas holidays in the U.S. according about 100 yuan (16 USD) a day. ♦ on Tuesday, February 5. to the American Au- tomobile Association.

8. Washing, sweeping, or taking out the garbage are Lantern decorations with the words “Spring not allowed Festival.” During the Chi- nese New Year pe- 5. Billions of red envelopes are riod, there are many Modern Chinese calendars use the Gre- exchanged superstitions. gorian calendar but include lunar holidays. Chinese people love the color red. Giv- Washing hair or ing red envelopes is a way to send good clothes is not allowed wishes and luck (as well as money). on the first day of the Red envelopes are given out from older 2. The hoiday is also called lunar year because it Even on normal days, subways to work are jammed pack with to younger, from bosses to employees, and is seen as “washing people just barely squishing past the door. Spring Festival from leaders to underlings. It is a special one’s fortune away” Though in winter, Chinese call their New Year's bonus. at the beginning of the year. Sweeping up New Year holiday “Spring Festival' (春節 and taking out the garbage chūnjié /chwnn-jyeah/), because “Start of symbolize removing the Spring” (4–18 February) is the first of the good luck from the house, terms in the traditional solar calendar. While so people don’t do that wintry weather prevails, “Start of Spring” either. marks the end of the coldest part of winter, when the Chinese traditionally could look forward to the beginning of spring. 9. There is the world’s biggest 3. Every Chinese New Year annual fireworks sarts a new animal’s zodiac stage Most hair salons are closed during the Another for our facts year entirety of Chinese New Year because hair There are 12 Chinese zodiac animals. about Chinese New Year, cutting is taboo. In order, the 12 animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, no single hour in any other Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Mon- Depending on the family, the children can get up 1000 CNY key, Rooster, Dog and Pig. 2019 is a year (around $150) per envelope. of the Pig. Your zodiac animal is decided by your birth year.

4. The festival is celebrated 6. It is a festival for 25 percent for 16 days till the Lantern of the world’s population Festival The world’s population will be 7.7 bil- Right: Strings of giant firecrackers Traditionally, the 16 days from New lion for Spring Festival 2019, and more than two billion celebrate it in some way, even if for sale at street Year's Eve until the Lantern Festival each stalls all over it’s just a national acknowledgement. had a special celebration activity. China. In the evening of 15th day of the first These countries have public holidays: lunar month (Feb. 19, 2019), on the night of Mainland China (1.41 billion), Hong Kong the full moon, families gather for dinner and (7M), and Macau (0.6M), and nine other www.chinainsight.info events February 2019 / PAGE 15

2019

Celebrate the Year of the Pig with USCPFA-Minnesota Chapter At our Chinese New Year’s Banquet Featuring Guzheng Performer Extraordinaire Jarrelle Barton Sunday, February 10, 2019 Social: 5 p.m. & Banquet 6 p.m. ~Peking Garden~ 1488 University Avenue St. Paul, MN 55104 Members: $30; Non-Members: $35; Children 12 & Under: $12; Sponsored Table: $400 Send reservations & checks by February 6 to: USCPFA-MN P.O. Box 19464 – Minneapolis, MN 55419 Email [email protected] or message us on Facebook for more information or questions.

Early bird rates for C100 April 5-7 annual conference in New Succeeding at Trade in an Era of Trade Tensions

York A round-table on global trade with local business, political, financial legal and logistics experts The Committee of 100 (C100) Annual conducted by Conference will take place in New York City April 5-7. The 2019 conference cel- Minnesota-China Business Council ebrates the organization’s 30th anniversary in partnership with and will include a special performance by internationally renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma The Minnesota Trade Office and Fredrickson & Byron at its Gala Dinner. C100 is a nonprofit leadership organiza- tion of prominent and extraordinary U.S. Issues addressed include strategies for: citizens of Chinese heritage in business,  The latest events regarding the business situation government, academia and the arts. Its mis- between the U.S. and China sion: promote the full participation of Chi-  China’s goals nese Americans in all aspects of American  The threat to U.S. security life and constructive relations between the  What the future holds U.S. and Greater China. The C100 conference addresses the fore- • Asian Americans in arts and entertain- February 20, 2019 most issues in U.S.-China relations and the ment

Chinese American community in the U.S. • What’s predictable among U.S.-China The 2019 conference topics include: uncertainties? Next big thing for business VIP Reception at 5:30 p.m. • Reflections and outlook from former To register, visit Round-table Discussion at 6 - 8:30 p.m. American and Chinese ambassadors www.committee100.org/2019acny. Early • The rise of China biopharma: oppor- bird specials are available until March 1. ♦ Metropolitan Ballroom tunity, threat or both? 5418 Wayzata Blvd, Golden Valley • Fintech or techfin? What’s next for global financial services? $45 fee for non-members Open Bar and Light Dinner

Register to attend at: Gung Hay Fat Choy! www.minnesotachinabusinesscouncil.org PAGE 16 / February 2019 community www.chinainsight.info

CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16 + SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2019 Celebrate Chinese New Year at Mall of America ®! Enjoy dazzling performers, Chinese cultural experiences + more all weekend long.

For event details visit MallofAmerica.com/ChineseNewYear @MALLOFAMERICA /MALLOFAMERICA @MALLOFAMERICA

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5 x 7

4c The 18th annual Bob and Kim Griffin Building U.S.-China Bridges Lecture

Technology Tensions in the U.S.-China Relationship featuring Kaiser Kuo, Host of the Sinica Podcast, Former Director of International Communications for Baidu, and Co-Founder of Tang Dynasty, China’s First Heavy Metal Band

Tuesday, March 12, 2019 4:00 p.m. Social Hour 5:00 p.m. Lecture and Q&A McNamara Alumni Center Memorial Hall 200 Oak Street S.E. Minneapolis, MN 55414 Happy Year of the Pig! Let’s light the lanterns and usher in another fantastic year filled with prosperity and happiness.

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