ChinaFostering business and culturalInsight harmony between China and the U.S. VOL. 16 NO. 3 March 2017 Smog refugees

China Briefs, p. 3

WWTT, p. 4

The air that we (don’t) breathe Education, p. 5

The air in Beijing has created a new refugee class: smog refugees. P. 10 (Photo credit: Greenpeace East Asia Youtube) Society Private screening of “The Kim Loo Sisters” at Mall of America By Greg Hugh News pp. 3-4

The Parkview Event Center located at girls” and, paradoxically, “sort o’ ho- during the Jazz Age, to the vaudeville Mall of America recently hosted a private mespun.” circuits crisscrossing the country during the screening of 90-minute-long film-in-post- ● One newspaper accused them of wrecking Great Depression, to the Broadway stage production —“The Kim Loo Sisters,” a Rudyard Kipling’s theory that “East is East, and Holly-wood screen during the Second documentary about the Kim Loo Sisters and West is West, and never the twain shall World War is chronicled through first- who began their mu-sical careers in meet.” person interviews, personal memorabilia Minneapolis. The screening was attended and archival newsreel footage. By turns by more than 100 guests of the Chinese touching, feisty, provocative and humorous, Heritage Foun-dation, whose financial the film, now in post-production, is more grant helped in producing the documentary. than just the story of four biracial siblings Travel, p. 12 Producer and director Leslie Li, daughter whose roots are Chinese but whose reality of Jenée, one of the Kim Loo Sisters, is Ameri-can. It serves as a vivid historical In This Issue traveled from New York City to attend the record of 20th century America and sheds screening. light on such defining -- and contro-versial Arts & Culture 7, 16 The groups’s name, Kim Loo Sisters, -- issues as cultural identity, ethnicity, Book review 11, 13 is based on their father’s name LOUIE immigration, discrimination, and race Community 8 – 9 Shear Gim. Kim is the alternate to “Gim” L to R: Jenée, Alice, Bubbles and Maggie -- broadening the historical nar-rative and Education 5 redefining what it is to be American. and Loo is short for their last name, Louie. Events 9 The sisters are Alice, Maggie, Jenée and The documentary is their story — in Dr. George Koo, founder and former Government & Politics 14 –15 Bubbles — the four swing-singing sisters. their own words, songs, photos and movies managing director of International Strategic In their heyday, they were also known in — set within the framework of the major Alliances, a member of the Committee of History 6 many different ways: events of the first half of the 20th century. 100 and a director of New America Media, News 3 – 4 ● The music industry christened them the “The Kim Loo Sisters” is the intimate story attended the private screening in San Opinion 12, 15 “Chinese Andrews Sisters.” of four sisters -- daughters of a Chinese Francisco in December 2016. Intrigued, he People 7 ● Tap dancer Ann Miller dubbed them the ‘paper son’ and a Polish refugee -- who did some research and published an article Pronouncements 2 overcame poverty and prejudice to become titled “Kim Loo Sisters, true Chinese- “Kimmies.” Science & Technology 1,10 ● Broadway impresario George White a popular American jazz vocal quartet in American icons” in Asia Times later that Society 1, 4, 13 billed them as “two sets of twins — two the 1930s and 1940s, and the first Asian month. It is reprinted here to provide tall and two short.” American act to star in Broadway musical you with additional background on these Travel 12 ● Print media described them as revues. Their rise from local kiddie revues unique sisters. WWTT? 4, 13 “scandalizing,” “those Chinese glamour in their hometown of Minneapolis, Minn., continued on page 13 PAGE 2 / March 2017 pronouncements www.chinainsight.info Publisher’s Pronouncements ChinaInsight

Greetings, Publisher: Gregory J. Hugh I’m sure many of you have enjoyed recap of your event and we will consider Pearman and Chang Wang about “The [email protected] the very balmy winter that we have for our April issue. Simply send your Chinese in Trumpland” on page 14. been experiencing and expressed a recap of no more than 500 words along Thank you for continuing to support sigh of relief when we missed the latest with photos and captions to ghugh@ China Insight and feel free to contact me Manager of Operations/ winter blizzard that affected many of chinainsight.info by March 17, 2017. or Elaine Dunn, edunn@chinainsight. Circulation: our neighbors to the southeast. This Another event that recently took info, if you have any ideas about future Richard He unusual weather does not bode well for place was a private screening of “The content or wish to discuss an article [email protected] those who enjoy winter activities and Kim Loo Sisters,” otherwise referred that you feel would be of interest to our events that require snow. However, to as the “Chinese Andrew sisters.” readers. even though winter isn’t over yet, we This heart-warming and enlightening Staff Writers: can optimistically start the countdown documentary is an hour-and-a-half long Sincerely, Greg Hugh to spring, which officially begins on about four Chinese American sisters [email protected] March 21. who began their careers in Minneapolis. Actually, the community could use a Be sure to read this article that begins on Elaine Dunn break after the many celebrations held the front page. Another Chinese-related Gregory J. Hugh [email protected] to welcome the Year of the Rooster. play you should consider seeing is “The Publisher-CEO You can read about some of these Paper Dreams of Harry Chin” that will China Insight, Inc. celebrations in this issue. Also, if we be playing at the History Theatre., p. 9). didn’t include your organization’s Also, do not miss the second part of Contributors: celebration, please feel free to submit a our exclusive three-part series by Joe Joe Pearman [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 March 2017 / PAGE 3 Future ambassador China to China Briefs Chinese netizens were impressed by President Donald Trump’s 5-year- old granddaughter Arabella Kushner’s Coconut Palm magic® Mandarin skills. She had been learning Mandarin since she was 18 months old and performed songs and poems in Mandarin for her family to celebrate Chinese New Year. Mother Ivanka posted videos of Arabella reciting poetry in Mandarin and during one of her lessons. It’s never too early to be prepped for official assignment to serve the country.♦

Chinese company Coconut Palm ran a Foreigners # full-blown ad campaign consisting of a series # 1 of commercials and billboards showing a bevy # 8 6 of busty women claiming a can of its product fingerprinted 3 Coconut Palm a day will result in whiter skin # By the numbers # and bigger busts! A company representative On Feb. 10, foreigners between 14- 10 4 # # 2 said they based their claim on a 1997 Hong 70 entering China through Shenzhen’s 7 Kong newspaper article, yet the company did international airport were fingerprinted not conduct any tests of their own. before allowed entrance. Those with Virtual hongbaos No word on whether sales increased. diplomatic passports are exempted. For kids, the hongbao (red envelope with The Ministry of Public Security hope cash inside) is the highlight of Chinese New Quiet time fingerprinting will be rolled out to the rest Year. The tradition of monetary gifts from adults to unmarried children during Chinese Only in China! A hall with almost 1,000 of the country by the end of 2017. Countries New Year as a token of good luck is alive and elementary school kids meet up for lunch that currently fingerprint foreign nationals and all you hear is the sound of the stainless healthy in 2017. The only difference is instead include Japan, South Korea and the U.S. ♦ of gifting cash in red envelopes physically, cutlery! These kids are encouraged to focus Chinese are practicing this tradition digitally. on eating only during the 30-minute lunch The digital hongbao was rolled out by to “develop good dietary habits.” If the kids WeChat, the Chinese cross-platform instant need seconds, they use the rock-paper-scissors HK topped messaging app, in 2014. Top reasons given signs: rock means more rice, paper means by 1000 consumers aged 18-55 in Shanghai more soup and scissors mean more of the other and Beijing given for the popularity of digital dishes and the attending teachers will get them Singapore, hongbaos are fun and novel (59 percent) and what they want. convenience (57 percent). The headmaster of this rural boarding A number of internet companies are of- school in Wuhan said the kids will not be again! fering this mobile payment service: WeChat, punished if they do talk. Whew! Wonder Alibaba, … Although you can see the young- er, tech-savvy folks frantically rapping away if they’re allowed to talk during the evening For the 23rd consecutive year, Hong on their mobile screens, the same cannot be meal? Kong had once again been named “World’s said for their parents. freest economy” by the U.S. think tank New post for Yao Ming Heritage Foundation. Of the 12 components 95.2 percent of survey respondents conduct- Former Houston Rockets player and measured, HK scored 100 percent in ed by a wealth management forum said they NBA All Star Yao Ming has been recruited fiscal health and 90 percent in business till teach their parents how to send digital by the Chinese Basketball Association to freedom, tax burden and property rights. hongbaos using a smartphone app. One paper help implement reform for the game in A government spokesperson pledged HK reported that this interaction over the holidays China. As chair of the association, Yao’s role would continue to uphold free market may help narrow the generation gap. will be to structure and separate professional principles to stay ahead of the competition.♦ sports league management from traditional 57 percent of survey respondents said their parents were interested in learning how to government-run system “to help decision- send digital hongbaos. making and enhance independence and Despite the smog problems, Toyota transparency.” One sold managed to sell only one gas-electric hybrid 760,000 digital hongbaos per second were Prius in China in December 2016, the first sent on WeChat at midnight of the new year Fake alcohol, real hangover since May! It sold 76 the entire 2016. this year. Fake goods are nothing new in China and The Chinese do not like the way it looks. fake alcohol, that is, fake expensive branded And since Toyota stopped producing the 14.2 billion total hongbao transactions were liquor, is a huge problem in China. The model in China in 2015, the additional 25 exchanged on WeChat on New Year’s Eve to kick off the Year of the Rooster, representing fake alcohol could cause major headaches percent import tax slapped on does not help. a 75.5 percent increase from a year earlier.. (literally and metaphorically) and even kill At its USD33.455 starting price, one could because they’re usually made with antifreeze, buy a Corolla, Camry or Audi. ♦ million people sent and received 32 methanol or rubbing alcohol. Lessons learned: 516 billion digital hongbaos during the six-day drink Chinese beer that’s too cheap to bother to Chinese New Year Festival in 2016. Fore- fake; drink beer from the bottle/can so there’s casters expected 100 billion red envelopes to no opportunity for content switching; and only be sent around the world in 2017. drink from respectable establishments. Bao Bao 39 million in U.S. dollars were gifted through Delusional “Superman” settling in Alipay in 2016.. When a drunken man in Jiangsu Province entered the bedroom of a 10-year-old girl by The 3-year-old American-born panda 60.3 million USD in digital hongbaos were mistake, he told her he was Superman. The returned to Chengdu, Sichuan Province in given out by both Tencent (owns WeChat) and girl told him he had to prove that by flying or mid-February. It will have to get used to Alibaba (Alipay) to 511 million users leading up to the Year of the Rooster. she’d scream! The “superhero” jumped from eating Chinese bamboo and steamed bread the fifth-floor window thinking he could land made from corn, soybeans, rice and eggs. It 15,000 digital hongbao transactions are on a nearby roof. Unfortunately, the “nearby also will have to learn Chinese, but for now, expected to be exchanged in Malaysia, where roof” was farther than he thought. Fortunately, she has an English-speaking keeper. After the trend is slowly catching on. he was not seriously injured. the monthlong quarantine, she will enter the breeding program.♦ PAGE 4 / March 2017 news www.chinainsight.info Mainland Chinese students take playbook from anti-Trump left By Elaine Dunn

When the Uni- Other factors are: strength in numbers together, not of divisiveness under the guise the university’s action as politically incor- versity of Califor- (number of Chinese students in the U.S. of “spirituality and compassion.” It men- rect. Following is a sample of the posts: nia-San Diego an- increased five-fold within the past 10 years); tioned that should the Dalai Lama choose to And then the Facebook “dialogue” got nounced on Feb. 2 feeling that paying full tuition did not gain bring up Tibetan secession, the Chinese in ugly: the speaker for its them a voice in the choice of the speaker; attendance will “feel extremely offended.” Of course there were the usual “if you June commencement and, increased xenophobia on campuses. The students also took to social media in don’t like it, you can get out” sentiments, was to be the Dalai So the Chinese students took action! droves, claiming the invitation of the Dalai plus accusations that the Chinese students Lama, it drew an Hours within the announcement, they Lama was a divisive act, disrespectful of were “brainwashed.” immediate response posted a Chinese note on WeChat (popular the 3,559-strong Chinese student body on That the CSSA had been suspected for from its mainland messaging app used by Chinese) to say they UCSD’s campus. The Chinese makes up being an “agent” of the Chinese government Chinese students. had contacted the Chinese consulate. The 10.6 percent of the total student population in academic circles did not help matters. Asian students had almost always shied Chinese Student Association and Chinese and 55.7 percent of the international student And timing could not have been worse when population. away from political activities and are the Business Society also made joint state- it was reported that the Chinese embassy in Comments on Facebook from the Chi- least likely to participate in protests com- ments with the CSSA within hours. They London had requested the debate society at nese students mainly painted the Dalai Lama pared to other ethnic groups. But not this questioned the appropriateness of the com- northeast England’s Durham University to time! mencement speaker cancel the appearance of Chinese Canadian Looks like the mainland Chinese stu- choicer, and how the beauty queen Anastasia Lin, who was a hu- dents who make up the Chinese Student choice did not take man rights activist - a request also endorsed Scholars Association (CSSA) are quick into account the Chi- by the CSSA. learners! They took a page from the play- nese students’ feel- This attempt to silence opposing or book, minus the violence and destruction, ings. In addition, the divergent views did not sit well with many of the intolerant left students on tradition- students sent anony- even within the Chinese community. A stu- ally liberal campuses such as UC-Berkeley. mous letters to the dent at the University of Georgia sent a letter (Student riots forced cancellation of Milo Chancellor‘s office. Yiannopoulos’ speaking engagement on The UCSD to UCSD’s student publication pointing Feb. 2.) So what caused this “awakening” Shanghai Alumni out why (s)he felt insulted to be lumped in to advance their anti-Dalai Lama cause? Group also sent a let- with CSSA’s sentiment on the Dalai Lama’s Several factors that may have embold- ter to the Chancellor invitation: intolerance of a person with an ened the mainland Chinese students to as well, which called opposing political view, disrespect for a vocalize their political opinion. for “greater respon- the globally recognized Tibetan leader and, First and foremost, Tibet is an extremely sibility” in choice denying his right to free speech. sensitive topic. of commencement As this goes to print, UCSD Chinese In the West, the Dalai Lama is consid- speaker. It stated that students are split on attending the com- ered a “spiritual leader,” a man of peace. there would be more mencement ceremony. Some plan to leave However, to the Chinese, he is a rebel than 1,000 Chinese with their families when the Dalai Lama who led a rebellion that sought Tibet inde- students and their as an oppressive figure who threatens to di- speaks. Some plan to “open their minds” pendence from China in 1959. When the families and friends vide China, and even goes as far as accusing and stay to listen. coup failed, he fled to India, continuing to in attendance; the Perhaps the latter path is the true value of advocate for decades for Tibet independence message should be their American college education. Perhaps from China. Not exactly “peaceful” in the one of celebration their Western counterparts should learn eyes of the Chinese. and bringing people from them.♦

Society Bugs Honesty is the best beautiful policy

One of two Chinese books named By Elaine Dunn “most beautiful book designs” at the 2017 German Stiftung Buchkunst (Book Art Last month you heard Foundation) competition is “The Book about the old street clean- of Bugs.” The book has no text, only er who lost the envelope “works” by different types of insects, containing his pay from such as patterns left by them crawling three months and was around with inked feet or what’s left of replaced by a group of them munching on leaves. It received strangers who heard about the silver medal for “best book design his plight through social from all over the world.” ♦ media. If you need more proof that there are plenty of random deeds of kind- ness performed by main- WWTT? landers, here’s another feel-good story. contacted the car owner to add more money Do you know where A high school student riding his bicycle for repairs. However, the car owner refused these terra cotta in Xinmi, Henan Province scratched up the to take it. figures are? (Answer body and broke the rearview mirror on a Instead, the following day he sent on p. 13) parked BMW. He left an apologetic note his daughter to the student’s home with inside the car’s door handle with all the US$1,453 to cover the student’s tuition and cash he had earned over the winter holiday to return the student’s holiday earnings, (US$45) to pay for repairs. saying he was impressed by the student’s The BMW owner asked the police to honesty. The student accepted the money help locate the student. When the student’s from the BMW owner on the condition he mother found out about the accident, she will repay it when he starts working.♦ www.chinainsight.info education March 2017 / PAGE 5 Asian Media Access’ youth ambassadors visit Asia

After a year of preparation, Asian be seen everywhere. Homemade tie-dyes, Media Access’ (AMA) Executive printed and batik cloths are other local Director Ange Hwang led 11 members specialties that made wonderful souvenirs from AMA’s Youth Cultural Ambassador for the visiting Hmong. All agreed such Team on a two-week, two-country opportunity to travel to a picturesque (South Korea & China) Asian trip in region with Hmong (Miao) root will be December 2016. remembered as an experience of a lifetime. Asian Media Access (amamedia.org) The following day, the group headed is a local community advocacy agency to Guilin and Yangshuo. There is a that takes advantage of multimedia Chinese saying that goes as follows, “The tools and technology to engage youth mountains and waters in Guilin are the in understanding and communicating best among the world, but Yangshuo’s Asian issues. scenery is even better than Guilin.” The China portion of the trip was for Nestled among the stunning and iconic the Hmong youth to find their roots on an karst peaks for which the region is known, up-close-and-personal level. The Hmong Yangshuo is quaint, sleepy town along the are an ethnic minority of China – the Li River. These days, it’s a well-known Miao tribe – with a thriving, close-knit hippy hangout. community in western Hunan Province. In the evening, the group watched The Hmong youth on this trip are mainly a performance by more than 600 locals first-generation Hmong Americans whose that portrayed life along the Li River families resettled in the United States after with the gorgeous backdrop of the Li the Vietnam War ended. River and mist-shrouded hills. Their first stop in China was to Fen- The evening elicited these comments ghuang, (Phoenix Ancient Miao Town), from the “ambassadors:” situated on the western boundary of “I love the fishermen scene, rowing Hunan Province, an area of outstanding their bamboo rafts forming lines, with natural beauty. Mountains, water and miles of red silk fabric and hundreds of blue skies prevail. The group was im- lanterns they carried reflecting upon the pressed by its air of mystery, elegance water, it’s so pretty.” and primitive simplicity. This is a world “I like the Green Impression scene dominated by the color green. The that reflects the village life. Among mountain slopes are covered with green the green hills and rivers, the smoke foliage, the fields are green and even the from cooking fires curls upward, herders Tuo Jiang River reflects the greenery. heading home with their cattle under the Unique Miao houses (吊脚楼) sit along gleam of the sunset. The women, washing the river. These houses are often por- clothes beside the water, waiting for their trayed in traditional Chinese paintings. husbands who are rowing the fishing rafts In many ways, life has not changed back home … So real…” here for centuries and for the Miao who Nothing can be more fitting than having settled in the old town. Miao women still the trip end with these beautiful, picture- wear traditional clothing, and turbans can perfect images in mind. ♦ High tech connected classrooms defined as education priority in China CRIENGLISH.com, Feb. 23, 2017

informatization, also emphasizes that 70 percent of middle and primary schools in China should have a bandwidth of 10 Meg, especially for schools in rural areas of China where educational resources are in severe shortage. The document also calls for the building of a national educa- tional resources framework, con- nected to national and local gov- ernment and enterprise resources. The goal is to see 70 million users of the platform, ensuring the ex- Students’ first computer class in a primary school change of educational resources in the Karquga village of Weili county in northwest for students from more than 2 China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. [File million classes nationwide. photo/Chinanews.com] Also the document states that Full internet coverage in primary and greater efforts will be made to set middle schools where possible, with mul- up more teaching resources for teachers. About 2.7 million teachers are to timedia classrooms in at least 80 percent participate in “class sharing” activities, of schools, has been held up as a key goal and 20,000 ‘excellent classes’ to be for this year by the Ministry of Education. collected every year to provide better The new document on educational education more generally. ♦ PAGE 6 / March 2017 history www.chinainsight.info Birth of the Chinese Communist Party

By Pat Welsh, contributor

We return to 1921 when China was newspaper also published a translation of was moved to a boat on Lake Jiaxing for collaborating with the Japanese in chaos. A Chinese government was Thomas Kirkup’s “History of Socialism” outside of Shanghai for fear of police during World War II. Chen had actually headquartered in Beijing led by three and Karl Kautsky’s “Class Struggle.” intervention. From Beijing came Liu succeeded Wang Jingwei (汪精衛) as quarreling northern warlords, each having Renjing (劉仁静) and Zhang Guotao (張 the leader of the pro-Japanese puppet a cabinet that was formed and dismissed 國燾). From Wuhan came Dong Biwu ( government in Nanjing in 1944. by whim. A corrupt parliament was 董必武), Chen Tanqiu (陳潭秋) and Bao Zhou Fohai was also arrested and tried rarely summoned. Administration of Huiseng (包惠僧). From Hunan came for treason in 1946. His death sentence the provinces, carried out in the Beijing Mao Zedong (毛澤東) and Ho Shuheng was commuted to life in prison. He died government’s name, faltered under the (何叔衡). From Japan came a student, in prison on Feb. 28, 1948, from heart and direction of a local warlord. China Chou Fohai (周佛海) and from Canton, stomach problems. was a largely decentralized country and Chen Gongbo (陳公博). From Shanghai remained so until 1949. came Li Hanjun (李漢俊) and Li Da (李 In small villages, the people were ruled 達). Two other attendees were mentioned, in much the same way they had been under Wang Jinmei (akaWang Shumei, 王盡 the Qing Dynasty. The village heads, 美) and Deng Enming (鄧恩銘) from frequently unpaid gentry chosen by the Shandong Province, but there is an most influential families, collected taxes, unanswered question as to their status and provided recruits for the local warlord, their attendance as substitutes for other maintained public order and morality. The members. Also attending this meeting opportunity for corruption was always were two Comintern delegates, Voitinsky Li Dazhao present. and a Dutchman, Henricus Sneevliet In 1921, the Chinese economy, The third factor was the impression that who went under the name of “Maring.” aggravated by wars and a growing the Russian Revolution left on the minds The two were to play an important role population, was in poor shape. of many Chinese students, especially in in determining the future orientation of China’s agriculture was crippled by Beijing. One in particular was Li Dazhao the Chinese revolution. Absent were bad weather and a lack of tractors, modern (李大釗), the director of the library Chen Duxiu who had been summoned tools and fertilizers. at Beijing University who wrote three to Canton to reorganize education in The existence of a second government articles that when read together, suggested Guangdong Province and Li Dazhao, who Chen Duxiu in Canton led by Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙) an ideological evolution of society. had remained in Beijing. A four-point and the Kuomintang was largely ignored agenda had been agreed upon in advance: Liu Renqing and the absent Chen Duxiu owing to its inability to govern much 1) Party platform and political program, were accused of “rightist capitulation”, beyond Canton itself. 2) Party constitution, 3) Central tasks and deposed and stripped of their party Out of this chaos, socialism and work policy, and 4) Election of a central membership in 1929. communism arose largely due to three committee. Chen Tanqiu was arrested by a factors. The first was the adoption of An absent Chen Duxiu was elected the Xinjiang warlord in 1942 and executed many Chinese thinkers of the “Bai Hua” Party’s first Secretary-General. the following year. (百花) or “Plain Speech Movement,” The documents adopted by the First Wang Shumei, a known Communist, which enabled more of China’s population Congress expressed an orthodox Marxist was executed in 1927. to read about China’s desperate situation mentality. The ultimate goal set forth Zhang Guotao challenged Mao during and possible remedies. was to overthrow the capitalistic classes the 1930s but lost. In 1938, he left the The second factor was the willingness by an armed revolutionary army of the party and fled to Toronto, Canada. He of several educated Chinese to translate proletariat. From this, class distinctions died in 1979. European writings dealing with politics, in China would cease to exist. Also Li Hanjun came into conflict with economics and social theories. discussed were the establishment of a Zhang Guotao and left the Party. He was In 1889, Fukui Junzo (福井 準造) worker’s movement and the establishment murdered by a New Guangxi warlord wrote “Modern Socialism” (近世社会 of labor unions. A decision was made clique in 1927. 主義), which contained translations of Gregory Voitinsky that the Chinese Communist Party would Li Dazhao also left the party in 1927. Marxist writings into Japanese. In 1903, not shun parliamentary and other legal Forty years later during the Cultural this work was translated into Chinese but In 1920, Gregory Voitinsky, the procedures, but it would only consider Revolution he was accused of writing not introduced into China. It was not until first emissary from the Communist them as a means to the end of expanding reactionary articles that supported the 1906 that “The Communist Manifesto” International (Comintern) and the General the influence of the working class. Kuomintang. was translated into Chinese and published Secretary of its Far Eastern Bureau came Finally, the Party would support the Ho Shuheng died in 1935 in Changting in Min Pao (民報), a newspaper run by to Beijing and met Li, who later gave revolution of Sun, mindful of its primary in Fujian Province. In Zhang Guotao’s Sun in Japan. This translation never him an introduction to Chen Duxiu (陳 objective of realizing a social revolution book, “The Rise of the Chinese Communist reached China before 1919. 獨秀), then in Shanghai. The purpose of led by the Communist Party. By all means Party,” Zhang claims that Mao believed As early as 1905, Sun had called the Comintern was to spread communism possible, the revolution of Sun was not to Ho was too old and too ignorant of himself a socialist, but Sun’s idea of throughout the world. The result of be confused with the revolution led by the Marxism to be effective in the work of socialism reflected the influence of Henry these meetings was the creation of the Communist Party later. the party. George and his single-tax theory of Society for the Study of Marxist Theory As an aside, what became of the Li was arrested in the Soviet Embassy appropriating future unearned increases in Beijing. By the end of 1920, smaller original founding members? Only Mao in Beijing and was hanged on the orders in land values thereby discouraging land similar groups had sprung up elsewhere Zedong and Dong Biwu survived in of Zhang Zuolin on April 28, 1927. speculators. Sun called this theory “an in China. By July 1921, 57 people who leadership positions until Dong’s death My next offering will be on the rocky equalization of land rights.” Sun’s idea called themselves communists, felt ready in 1975 and Mao’s in 1976. relationship between the Kuomintang and of socialism was influenced by the current to meet and establish a political party. Chen Gongbo was shot in 1946 the Communist Party.♦ system of renting lands and paying huge Their representatives first met in Shanghai rents to the landlords. Most Chinese on July 1, 1921. Some participants socialists of that day had similar views. claimed that the actual sessions began on About Pat Welsh A truly representative selection of July 20. In any case, the meeting lasted In 2009 while teaching English at Sichuan University, Welsh was asked to give a speech where he was introduced to the audience as a “pioneer of Chinese American Marxist writings had not appeared in about two weeks and was to be called the relations” as a result of his cooperative work in international banking during the First Congress of the Chinese Communist China until November 1919. Another Deng Xiaoping era. For more than 65 years, Welsh has been learning Chinese and translation of “The Communist Manifesto” Party. has used this knowledge both professionally and personally to enhance his under- appeared in a student newspaper, the This congress began in the Bo Wen standing of Chinese and Asian affairs. He currently resides in Georgia and occasion- Morning Post (南華早報), published by Girls’ School in the French Concession ally lectures on China to classes in World History and World Literature. the Progressive Party (進步黨). This in Shanghai. A second group of sessions www.chinainsight.info people March 2017 / PAGE 7 Arts & Culture Show and Tell: Exploring Storytelling in Chinese Painting

The genre of narrative painting in thoughts. Presenting more than 60 a story in multiple scenes. China reached full maturity as early paintings and prints dated from the As each of the handscrolls as the fourth century and continues 12th century to the present, this unrolls section by section to thrive today. The exhibition “Show exhibition demonstrates the continuing from right to left, either in a and Tell: Stories in Chinese Painting” vitality and relevance of the genre. continuous landscape setting Fig. 1: Unidentified artist after Song Academy — on view at The Met Fifth Avenue “Show and Tell” is organized into or in scenes punctuated by painter. Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute: The through August 6, 2017 — explores three sections, with each featuring corresponding texts, the Story of Lady Wenji (detail), early 15th century. how Chinese painters have told stories a different type of narrative. The viewer is transported through Chinese, Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Handscroll; that promote political and cultural most familiar of these is the long time and space. ink, color, and gold on silk, 11 1/4 in. x 39 ft. 3 in. agendas or communicate personal handscroll format used to illustrate continued on page 16 (28.6 x 1196.3 cm). Powerful, influential women of China By Elaine Dunn

International Women’s Day is celebrated 1888–1973), was a tomboy and known Ailing and Mei-ling (the two richest on March 8 every year in appreciation of for her business acumen. She returned women in China at that time) supported women’s economic, political and social to Shanghai after graduating in 1909 and the Nationalists while Qing-ling supported achievements. embarked on charity work with her mother. the Communists. However, in 1937, Despite China’s preference for males, She also worked as Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s after a 10-year separation, all three united there are quite a few powerful and successful secretary. In 1914, she married H.H. Kung in their support of the Nationalists and women in its political and entrepreneurial from one of the richest Chinese banking the Kuomintang against the Japanese by landscape, past and present families and who became the future finance providing financial and social services In the Qing Dynasty, there was the minister of China. She was a staunch as well as assisting in national activities. Empress Dowager, a formidable figure who supporter of Chiang Kai-shek’s right-wing Their marriages gave rise to Chairman Mao ruled the Chinese empire for almost half a Kuomintang until her death. Zedong’s saying, “The first loved money, century. Also known as Cixi, she started The middle sister, Soong Qing-ling (宋 the second loved power, the third loved out as Emperor Xianfeng’s 16-year-old 慶齡, 1893-1981), was shy and beautiful. China.” concubine. She bore him his only son. After graduating in 1913, she returned to a Fast forward to current China, the Sun Yafang Often demonized in history books for China in turmoil under Yuan Shikai. The second largest economy in the world, engineering position in Beijing and joined plundering the national treasury to build Soong family took refuge in Japan. When and attainment of power by women is no Huawei as an engineer in 1989. Sun has herself a summer palace and for supporting elder sister Ai-ling resigned her position as longer through their marriage and husband. been chairwoman of Huawei since 1999 the Boxer Rebellion, she was highly Sun’s secretary, Qing-ling stepped in. She Today’s women can and have achieved and credited with taking the small local regarded by many statesmen and known fell in love with him. Her parents objected power and influence on their own steam, enterprise to the global giant it now is by for her eagerness to learn about foreign to the relationship as Sun was much older running multinational companies. her sales and marketing leadership. She was countries and cultures. (by 26 years), and married. The Soongs 38th “most powerful woman in the world” Following the publication of the went back to Shanghai to break up the by Forbes in 2016. 2014 book “Empress Dowager Cixi: The couple. However, Qing-ling escaped her Lucy Peng, Ant Financial Services Concubine Who Launched Modern China,” confinement through a window in her Group, was one of the founders of Alibaba The Sunday Times of London wrote, “If room. She returned to Japan, and after Group where she held various senior there is one woman who mattered in the Sun divorced his wife and converted to leadership roles before becoming Alipay’s history of modern China, it is the empress Christianity, they were and married in 1915. CEO in 2010. When the much anticipated dowager Cixi. . . . [Her] conventional image Sun eventually became the first President of top spot at Alibaba Small Business and is queried in this detailed and beautifully the Republic of China. After Sun’s death in Micro Financial Services did not materialize narrated biography, which at long last 1925, Qing-ling remained active in politics, in 2013, she founded Ant Financial Services restores the empress dowager to her rightful and became the Vice Chair of the People’s – a spin-off from Alipay – in 2014. Born place.” Republic of China in 1949. Dong Mingzhu in 1973 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, In the 1930s, the three daughters of an The youngest, Soong Mei-ling (宋美 she graduated from Zhejiang Gongshang American-educated Methodist minister, 齡, 1898-2003), was known for her wit Three such successful women are: University in 1994 with a degree in business Charlie Soong, became the most prominent and charm. She returned to China after Dong Mingzhu, Gree Electric administration and taught economics for female political figures of the early 20th graduation and mainly led the life as a Appliances, is the youngest of seven children five years. Forbes ranked her as the 35th century by virtue of their marriages. The socialite. She also worked for the National born in 1954. After graduating with a degree most powerful woman in 2016 and #17 on elder two sisters were graduates of Wesleyan Film Critic Board. She met Chiang Kai- in statistics, she got an administrative job at its “Asia Power Women.” College in Macon, Georgia. Mei-ling, shek in 1920. He was a rising star within a government laboratory for 15 years. At the youngest transferred from Wesleyan the Chinese military then. Later, he became 36, the recent widow moved from Jiangsu to Wellesley College in Massachusetts, the leader of the Kuomintang and, in 1950, Province to Guangdong Province and took where she graduated in 1917. They were became the President of the Republic of a sales job with Haley (predecessor of Gree the celebrities of their day, appearing in China. However, he was 11 years her senior Electric). In 1994, four years into her new news magazines frequently because of their and already married! After his divorce, they career, she was made head of sales. She was fashionable clothes, jewelry and taste in married in 1927. Mei-ling acted as her deputy president when Gree Electric went music (jazz). husband’s English translator and guide to public in 1996 and chairwoman of Gree The eldest, Soong Ai-ling (宋藹齡, Western culture, and helped garner support Electric’s parent company, Gree Group, for him from the until November 2016. She is credited U.S. government, with developing Gree Electric into the especially in world’s largest household air conditioning funding for China’s manufacturer and China’s largest household war against Japan. appliance maker. In 2015, Dong was top After civil war of Fortune’s “Most Influential Chinese Lucy Peng broke out in 1949, Businesswomen” for a second consecutive the three sisters year. She was just named most outstanding Women in modern China have broken were never together businesswoman in the country by Forbes. the glass ceiling in the corporate world. again, especially Sun Yafang, Huawei Technologies, However, attaining political power on their since they were was born in Guangdong Province in 1955. own merit still seems out of reach. Could on opposing sides She earned an engineering degree from the the Chinese tradition of blaming the wives of the political Chengdu University of Electronic Science for bad judgment (such as Chairman Mao spectrum. In L to R: Qing-ling, Ai-ling and Mei-ling and Technology in 1982 and worked as a Zedong listening to his wife Jiang Qing) the 1930s, both technician making TVs. In 1985, she got an still be in play? ♦ PAGE 8 / March 2017 community www.chinainsight.info Yinghua Celebrating the Y Academy ear of the Rooster

Yinghua Academy, a K-8 Mandarin Chinese immersion charter public school in Northeast Minneapolis, entertained more than 3,000 audience members during the school’s annual Chinese New Year performances held at Bethel Uni- versity’s Benson Great Hall last month. To honor the Year of the Rooster, stu- dents portrayed the story of general Zūtì, 祖逖, who is credited with saying “闻鸡 起舞” [wén jī qǐ wǔ], which means “to start practicing at the first crow of the rooster” or “to be diligent in one’s stud- ies.” The script, written by Yinghua’s Middle School English teacher Bradly Bykkonen and the school’s Academic Director Luyi Lien. Yinghua’s annual performances are just one of the ways in which the school celebrates Spring Festival. Students sample traditional New Year foods such as dumplings, and for many years, Ha Family Entertainment has performed a lion dance for students who delight in feeding red envelopes to the hungry lions. For information about Zūtì and the theme, visit foreignercn.com and select “Chinese Idiom” from the “Learn Chi- nese” tab.” ♦ Twin Cities Chinese Dance Center

The Twin Cities Chinese Dance Center show was performed twice at O’Shaugh- diverse cultural groups representing mances of a popular Chinese folk music (TCCDC) celebrated the arrival of the nessy Auditorium in St. Paul and was China’s numerous ethnic minority instrument, the erhu, Chinese folk songs, Year of the Rooster with its presentation of attended by more than 1,000 people. communities and involved more than 60 along with well-known soprano. Beth “Joy of Dance VIII.” The almost two-hour The show featured the dances of performers. Also featured were perfor- Bayley from the Minnesota Opera.♦ www.chinainsight.info community March 2017 / PAGE 9 Celebrating the Mall of Year of the Rooster America hosts first ever Chinese New Year’s Celebration By Greg Hugh

Mall of America (MOA) trans- formed itself on Jan. 28for a day in a festive manner to welcome in the Year of the Rooster. MOA sponsored its first Chinese New Year celebration and enlisted the assistance of local Chinese organizations such as Chinese Heritage Foundation, Chinese American Associ- ation of Minnesota, Minnesota Inter- national Chinese School and support from the Chinese Ministry of Culture and the Consulate General in Chicago. MOA decorated the Rotunda, Sears Court and the Atrium to reflect the festive occasion with bright red and gold lanterns suspended in the air throughout. The Rotunda was devoted to perfor- mances, highlighted by a performance by the Beijing Bamboo Orchestra that traveled from China. Other perfor- mances were put on throughout the day by many local organizations and performers. Sears Court took on a bazaar-like atmosphere that primarily offered many Chinese food delicacies, cooking demonstrations and family activities and games. The Atrium featured many interac- tive activities designed to showcase Chinese history and culture organized by more than 30 community organiza- tions There was a oriental fashion dis- play also (are these historical costumes or what? Where di they come from?). MOA officials were extremely pleased with the how things turned out and planned to make it an annual event and perhaps expand it to two days. In previous years, the Chinese Heritage Foundation has held its annual Passage to China event for two days in April or May, but announced that it will not be held this year since it would follow too closely to MOA’s Chinese New Year Photos by Gloria Lee and Zoe Suiter. celebration. ♦

Event ChinaInsight The Paper Dreams of Production Editor Harry Chin Needed

“The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin” daughter, Chin is forced to confront will be playing at the History Theatre his buried secrets. Great opportunity to gain (30 East 10th Street St. Paul) from experience in laying out Through leaps of time and space, monthly tabloid newspaper that March 18- April 9, 2017. we experience the abhorrent condi- has been serving the community This play is a haunting, poetic tions at Seattle Immigration Station, for 14-plus years. journey of secrets, identity and family. Chin’s longing for the life he left “The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin” The right candidate must know InDesign in China, and the complications of Creative Suite and have graphics background; is directed by Mei Ann Teo. It is the love in a new land. Playwright Jes- reliability and ability to meet deadlines are also true story of Harry Chin, one of the critical. A strong interest in Chinese culture and sica Huang’s powerful new drama is many Chinese nationals who landed business matters will be an asset. Must be willing to take creative initiative and be a team player. in Minnesota through a loophole in acutely relevant during the current the Chinese Exclusion Act, which countrywide immigration debate and This is classified as a volunteer position, but a small stipend prevented/impeded Chinese nationals “Paper Dreams” explores the personal will be provided to the right individual who demonstrates a strong passion for our mission and can work with minimal from immigrating to the U.S. from and political repercussions of making supervision. 1882-1965. a group of people “illegal.” Haunted by the ghosts of his past For details, go to www. Send resume to Greg Hugh at [email protected] or call 612-723-4872. and provoked by the curiosity of his historytheatre.com. ♦ PAGE 10 / March 2017 science & technology www.chinainsight.info China to jump Wanted: supercomputer barrier ONLINE China Daily, Feb. 20, 2017 processors and other key technologies ascale supercomputer in the works. English Lanuage to build the world’s first prototype “Such machines take years to make Teachers exascale supercomputer, the Tianhe-3, and typically are retired in six to eight said Meng Xiangfei, the director of years, so you always need a backup, application at the National Super especially when your older models are Would you like to help Chinese students Computer Tianjin Center. The pro- (Gr. 6-12) polish their spoken and written overworked.” English skills (and, occasionally, history/ totype is expected to be completed in Tianhe-1, China’s first quadril- early 2018. literature)? We are hiring experienced na- lion-level supercomputer developed in tive. English-speaking teachers to teach “Exascale” means it will be capable 2009, is now working at full capacity, ESL (different levels) or high school U.S. of making a quintillion (1 followed history or literature. undertaking more than 1,400 assign- by 18 zeros) calculations per second. ments each day, solving problems Teach from our Twin Cities cloud- That is at least 10 times faster than classroom set up or your home office. the world’s current speed champ, the “from stars to cells.” Teaching will usually take place in the Sunway TaihuLight, China’s first The exascale supercomputer will be evenings (6–10 p.m.), early mornings supercomputer to use domestically able to analyze smog distribution on (6–8 a.m.) or weekends. Number of hours are flexible. Rates are from $15-$40/hr designed processors. That computer a national level, while current models based on the course requirements and has a peak speed of 125 quadrillion (1 can only handle a district. Tianhe-3 teachers’ experience. followed by 15 zeros) calculations per also could simulate earthquakes and second, he said. Teaching experience is required. Teaching license is preferred, but not necessary. epidemic outbreaks in more detail, “Its computing power is on the next allowing swifter and more effective If interested, please contact Richard at 612-987-6540 or [email protected]. level, cementing China as the world government responses, Meng said. leader in supercomputer hardware,” The new machine also will be able Meng said. It would be available for to analyze gene sequence and protein public use and “help us tackle some of structures in unprecedented scale and the world’s toughest scientific chal- speed. That may lead to new discover- lenges with greater speed, precision ies and more potent medicine, he said. and scope,” he added. Tianhe-3 will be made entirely in Liu Guangming, director of the China, from processors to operating National Super Computer Tianjin system. It will be stationed in Tianjin Center, said Tianhe-3 will generate and fully operational by 2020, earlier over 10 billion yuan ($1.49 billion) in China has started to build a current world champion. than the U.S. plan for its exascale su- economic benefits per year, according new-generation supercomputer that is This year, China is aiming for percomputer, he said. to the The Paper, a Shanghai news expected to be 10 times faster than the breakthroughs in high- performance China also likely has another ex- organization. ♦ The smog refugees from China

By Runmiao Dai, AllChinaTech, Feb. 14, 2017

The new year in Beijing was ushered he said with a laugh. “I have to move. I have no choice,” “I was always hesitating. But now, in with heavy smog. You could blame That is not all. Some people chose to she said. the smog helped me with my decision,” the stubborn habit of Chinese burning deal with it at a much higher cost. They Lung cancer has become the number she said. firecrackers. But there’s more to it. are running away from the city, and even one cause of death in China, according to a Li’s son had been coughing a lot for In the last five years, smog was a from this country. They have become report by the Oriental Outlook. Although no particular reason and he frequently felt popular topic in China. Beijing had smog refugees. there is no specific evidence related to the short of breath. 129 “polluted” days and 39 “severely Some people have moved to Yun- smog, the air certainly did nothing to help. “Even if I can live with the smog, I polluted” days in 2016, according to nan and Hainan, the southern provinces An immigration agency staff told me have to think for my son,” Li said. China Daily. of China. These provinces are more that since the United States has too many Li said that she did not want her son When you look around, you will notice eco-friendly, and surrounded by more people on the waiting list, European to only see the blue sky through the our lives have changed because of the nature without air pollution. However, countries such as Hungary are also good television. On most days, he could not smog. New words about the smog came these places are only suitable for young options for people thinking of migration. go outside and play. into being, and new business opportunities people. Due to the underdeveloped econ- Obviously, in order to become smog “He is only 5, he should be close to have been formed. Of course, it has omy and poor education opportunities in refugees, you will need to have some of nature,” Li said. even created a new living class — smog these places, they are not ideal for families these requirements: a stable economic At the end of last year, Li’s family refugees. with children. foundation, being well educated and moved to Canada. After they moved, she Different people have different ways of For these families, immigration seems possessing professional skills to live in said her son never coughed again. Now, dealing with the smog. The most common to be a better choice. another country. they can go to the park, sit on the grass way is to buy face masks and air purifi- Liu Xin, a 30-year-old Beijing native, In my eyes, these people are from and look at the blue sky. ers. These equipment sold so well that it never considered immigration before. But China’s middle class. They form As for myself, I have considered the created a new business model named the now she is for the sake of her children. the managements of companies, they option of becoming a smog refugee and smog economy. She has two children – one a newborn and are wealth creators as well as main once discussed immigration with my “It sounds so pathetic, “said Wu Fei, the other is aged 2. consumers in the social economy. husband. a friend of mine. He is a 29-year-old “I spent my entire Spring Festival Losing these people is not a good thing “When we have enough money, how programmer living in Beijing. He told holiday in hospital,” she told me. for China. about moving to San Francisco? I have me that he spent almost RMB 10,000 She said that both of her children have In the long run, the middle class will been there. It is an exquisite city,” I said. (USD 1,455) on anti-smog equipment last respiratory diseases. She suspected the devote themselves to the education of the “Hell no!” my husband answered. year. He bought two air purifiers. One illnesses were caused by the smog. She next generation. China also risks losing “Why?” is in the living room and the other is in thinks the smog problem cannot be solved these potential younger talents. “I cannot betray my Cleveland the bedroom. in such a short time. She has decided to “I thought about immigration for many Cavaliers and LeBron James,” he replied. “I bought the best professional face work very hard with her husband for the years,” Li Xiang told me. Li, a 35-year- Cleveland Cavaliers is a NBA team masks I can find in the market. I really next three years so that her family will old human resource manager in a Beijing and their most important rival is the contributed a lot to the smog economy,” look for an opportunity to immigrate. company, is a mother of a 5-year-old boy. Warriors from San Francisco.♦ www.chinainsight.info book review March 2017 / PAGE 11

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“China’s Hegemony: Four Hundred Years of East Asian Domination” by Ji-Young Lee Reviewed by Peter Gordon, Asian Review of Books, Feb. 1, 2017

Years of East Asian Lee’s main points. Dominance” gives Using Korea and Japan as case studies, other perspectives Lee argues that one cannot explain East a fair outing. It Asian history on the basis of Chinese can therefore serve political or cultural dominance alone and as a good general that “domestic politics” was key to the Author: Ji-Young Lee introduction to the degree to which Chinese hegemony was Columbia University Press Publisher: question. accepted. Publication date: November 2016 Lee’s arguments East Asian actors were not passive Hard cover: 304 pages are largely framed recipients of Chinese influence or in the language domination… Contrary to popular images Ji-Young Lee is an assistant professor of International of an all-powerful Chinese empire, Chinese of international relations at the School of Relations (IR) hegemony was shaped to a significant International Service, American University, theory, to which she degree by the extent to which and the Washington, D.C., where she holds the C. makes continual manner in which the tribute system was W. Lim and Korea Foundation Professorship reference. IR accepted, ignored, and challenged by of Korean Studies. Her research focuses on theory may be China’s East Asian neighbors. obscure to the East Asian international relations, security and Korea, Lee notes and rather convincingly uninitiated, who diplomatic history demonstrates, may be somewhat complied with Chinese hegemony not surprised that simply because Korea was too weak and international too geographically close to counter the relations could in hegemon next door but because Korean practice be other contenders for power needed to legitimate than empirical and their rule through reference to Chinese anecdotal. Lee symbolic authorization. herself however Japan was in rather the opposite argues that IR situation: “a Japanese leader could hurt theory explanations his legitimacy by identifying with Chinese for China’s Discussions on the so-called “rise” dominant in East Asia at least until the 19th symbolic authority.” hegemony during Nor is power alone enough explanation of China at some point tend to cycle century is subject to hardly any debate; there the four centuries in question—those of for the nature of the relationships: Korea ’round to the question as to whether these is less consensus as to what that dominance the early modern period—don’t in fact maintained actual and symbolic relationships developments are new or instead herald a consisted of and whence it derived. explain the history terribly well and so the with the Ming for a couple of decades longer return to a status quo ante, a consideration Although Ji-Young Lee has a definite reader can in practice skip over some of than pure realpolitik might have indicated it that depends in no small part as what that point-of-view on these matters, her recent the theoretical discussion and references to should switch to the Manchus. status quo actually was. That China was book “China’s Hegemony: Four Hundred the academic literature while still grasping continued on page 13 PAGE 12 / March 2017 travel www.chinainsight.info Touring the vintage alleys of Opinion Yangzhou Trump cannot China Daily, January 2017 afford a once the lane The 200-meter alley named Anle Lane serving the city’s was almost forgotten until the courtyard trade war tailors with colored block was erected at residence number 27. textiles, fabrics, This establishment was the home away from embroideries and home to the prominent writer of national with China costumes. This renown, Zhu Ziqing (November 22, 1898 function of Caiyi – August 12, 1948). By Han Dongping, China Daily, Alley was famously The 1,000 meter Beiliu Alley, located Feb. 15 documented by east of the small old waterway called Li Dou in his Qinhuai Brook, was constructed with a mild chronicle recording incline. Historic stories of the old street tell the townscape of that the slant of the alley was the back of Yangzhou during a dragon, the supernatural being guarding the Qing Dynasty the city. It is said that the residence of the (1644-1911). Relics alleyway with a guideboard reading “Long of fine brick Bei” marks the highest point of Yangzhou’s Xinsheng Street in Yangzhou. carvings dressing historic area. private dwellings Yangzhou, a city with a history of 2,500 left through time years, is proud to offer an array of old alleys temper the alleyway as one of Yangzhou’s lined with courtyard houses winding away true rarities. from the boulevards and public squares of Ma Shi Kou, an obscure short lane US President Donald Trump the city. These historic warrens of cramped sitting at the middle of Wanzi Street, at one speaks while signing executive or- lanes packed with battered bicycles offer a time served as a stable for a horse fair. The ders at the White House in Wash- glimpse of back street life mostly hidden lane still makes its presence remembered in behind gray walls. Picturesque sights and ington January 24, 2017. [Photo/ Yangzhou with a prolonged history of more Agencies] interesting stories await behind their closed than 400 years. doors. No street is more representative of the Many are concerned that the Trump bustling life of Yangzhou’s wealthiest during Nanliu Alley in Yangzhou. Administration could start a trade war the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) than with China, if not, a military one. Xinsheng Street, a three-hundred-meter-long A block away from Beiliu Alley, Nanliu During the campaign, Trump threatened avenue running across Guoqing Road in the Alley acts in the mysterious role of the to designate China a “currency manipu- city’s Guangling District. In the past, Xinsheng “neck” of the “guardian dragon” of legend. lator” on the first day he entered office. Street was Yangzhou’s foremost residential Now that he has been inaugurated, street for the rich, attracting celebrities and Trump has turned many of his threats foodies with its many old brick taverns into action, signing several executive and eating houses. It is where the century- orders, placing a travel ban on Muslims, old Lvyang Hotel first started its venture, withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific and has now been included into provincial Partnership, and begun the process of The Chongde Lane in Yangzhou. cultural relics. The street used to be an icon erecting a wall along the U.S.-Mexico of Yangzhou in days of old. border. But so far, he has chosen not to Chongde Lane, a pathway about 100 go through with his threat of designating meters long, incorporates old-fashioned China a currency manipulator, because brick constructions completed over a he is worried about the consequences hundred years ago with present apartment of doing so. buildings. Jiu Alley in Yangzhou. There are close to 1.5 billion people in China. As the Chinese economy grew, China became the biggest market in the Jiu Alley is a T-shaped narrow lane, world. China has bought more luxury crossing Shi Alley in its north. Private goods than any other country. High- ancient homesteads along this alley end car maker GE just released its sales The Caiyi Alley in Yangzhou. figures for Cadillac in China in 2016. It sold 70 percent more luxury models in Caiyi Alley (literally known as Colorful China than in the United States. Almost Clothing Alley) is a relic in the heart every major multinational corporation of Yangzhou’s historical area, as it was has some research and development operation in China. The Chinese market is too important for any multinational The former residence of writer Zhu corporation to ignore. Not having a Ziqing at Anle Lane in Yangzhou. share in the Chinese market would be inconceivable for any multinational corporation. Jinyu Alley in Yangzhou. During his campaign, Trump said that China stole American jobs. He have been listed as cultural heritages for knew that was a lie. The truth of the preservation. matter is that American multinational Breeding or keeping goldfish has been corporations went to China to maximize a time-honored tradition in Yangzhou, profits. In the early days, the same com- giving the city widespread renown as one puter motherboard made in the U.S. cost of China’s major origins for palace goldfish. $400, cost just $92 to make in Mexico. Jinyu Alley, named after goldfish, was When it was made in China, the cost re- extended from Xincang Lane and later cut duced further to only $25, and 50 percent its route into two 500 meter sections. ♦ of the products could be sold there. In the past 30 years or more, The Ma Shi Kou in Yangzhou. Beiliu Alley in Yangzhou. [Photos provided to China Daily] continued on page 15 www.chinainsight.info society March 2017 / PAGE 13 “The Kim Loo Sisters” WWTT? continued from page 1

This family was poor. They Nope, not in Xian. These were lucky to have meat once a are full-scale replicas of the week, sometimes only one meal a real Xian terracotta army day. They certainly did not have sculptures at a scenic (and toys but they had each other as soon-to-be tourist attraction) in playmates and their imagination Taihu County, Anhui Province. to devise games. They were also Admission to view the replicas musically talented. When their are 30 yuan cheaper than the father assembled a radio for the real thing in Xian. family, singing and dancing to the top tunes of the day became the What were they thinking? L to R: Alice, Bubvbles, Jenee, (siblings Neree, sisters’ favorite pastime. Lowell), Maggie vamping it up Mama Lena enrolled Alice, the oldest daughter, in the local dancing Throughout the decade that was the Great school because dancing would be of his being a Chinese. Depression, four Chinese American sisters good therapy for her bow-legged conditions. Jenée left the group at the height of success Book Review were gainfully employed going around the The owner of the school decided to admit all to marry a student from China, one of those country performing on the vaudeville circuit. four sisters for a nominal tuition because he stage door johnnies with a surname of Li that China’s The youngest was not even a teenager when thought the girls were such good dancers that she had met on tour. The remaining trio of the family started but they were captivating the association would have the same effect as sisters continued their success all the way audiences wherever they went. a favorable endorsement for the school. through their USO tour of Europe. After their Hegemony At the apex of their career, they became Jenée, the third daughter, would visit her return, each wanted to leave and get married father once a week and they would go see a and thus the Kim Loo Sisters was disbanded known as the Kim Loo Sisters and performed continued from page 11 on Broadway and ap-peared on Hollywood movie after his shift. She would memorialize and then forgotten. screen and shared top billing with such stars every song and dance routine from the show More than 60 years later, Leslie Li decided as Frank Sinatra, Jackie Gleason and Ann Mil- and teach them to her sisters so that they could that she wanted to tell their story while the Dominance, in conclusion, requires ler. When their show went on the road, they incorporate new additions to their repertoire. four sisters were still alive. Leslie was one of some degree of acquiescence from the had their own Pullman coach with a private First they performed as part of church Jenée’s four daughters. She made videos of dominated whose objectives and priorities dining car attached. activities and in local kiddie fairs. One time a interviews of her mother and each of her aunts may affect the equation. touring orchestra came into town and wanted individually and together as a group. She In conclusion, Lee endeavors to use her to hire some local kids for the Christmas then interspersed archival footage of actual arguments as a lens through which to view pageant. Mama Lena brought the four sisters performances of the Kim Loo Sisters with the present day. She argues, contrary to some hop-ing that the orchestra leader would hire the interviews. conventional wisdom, that: one of them. He hired all four. The Kimmies weren’t called ‘the American hegemony in East Asia can Gradually Mama realized the show time Chinese Andrews Sisters’ for nothing. have staying power beyond its relative potential of the four sisters and became the “We (the Kim Loo Sisters’ film team) want decline in material capabilities vis- manager of the group and took them on the to share their remarkable lives and talent, à-vis China. An understanding of the vaudeville circuit around the country. Usually the obstacles they overcame, the values workings of Chinese hegemony suggests this meant performing 5-6 times a day in they hold dear. We want to give you the that whether and how long American movie houses between the showings of the opportunity to hear them sing classics like hegemony will endure is not simply a “What Is This Thing Called Love.” And question of the unequal growth of China’s L to R: Bubbles, Lena, Nerée, Shear main feature. They probably didn’t make a above all, we don’t want their story to go power vis-à-vis that of the United States. Gim, Alice; in back Maggie. circa 1938 whole lot of money but this was during the depression when unemployment was in the untold,” as Li noted The fate of American hegemony may also depend on the extent to which the During War World II, they sold war bonds levels of 20-30%. symbolic power of the United States is and entertained the troops. Eventually they This was a heart-warming story on many consequential to the domestic politics of became commissioned officers in the USO so levels. A Chinese young man and a Polish other, less powerful actors. that they could sail to the European theater to young woman fell in love despite neither could This bears resemblance to a “soft power” entertain the soldiers at the front. speak each other’s language, and hardly much argument that has been made elsewhere. English in common. And out of material dep- The audiences were attracted by their This book was written before the advent wholesome and vivacious appearance, the rivation, they built a tightly bonded, loving of the new American administration, but energy and originality of their dance routines, family. Lee’s final words seem particularly relevant: the pleasant harmony of their singing and They were fortunate to have met and It is worth remembering that China the fun and zest they exuded on stage. They settled in Minneapolis where there were few L to R: Jenée, Alice (dec.), Maggie (dec.), is returning to world where new kinds did not resort to the various Asian sexual ethnic Chinese and thus they did not suffer the Bubbles, taken in 2007 of politics have sprung up, in which the stereotypes but succeeded by being the All bitter sting of racial prejudice that they would dominant mode of international legitimacy American girl next door. have in say California. Growing up, the girls “But using some 20 songs in the film is not necessarily tied only to the United As a matter of fact, these sisters in their were not subject to many incidents of racial is very expensive -- purchasing music States and its worldview.♦ way fulfilled the American Dream of every discrimination and were able to dismiss such licenses is the biggest hurdle in finishing the struggling immigrant that came to America. incidences without much afterthought. documentary. The film team looks forward They were the offspring of a classic East- The Kim Loo Sisters were never made to to the day that the licenses are bought so that About the reviewer meets-West, Boy-meets-Girl story. feel ashamed of their being part Chinese but the public can have the pleasure of hearing Peter Gordon is the editor of The The father, Louie Shear Gim, came to the looked upon their herit-age as an advantage the Kimmies sing some of the top tunes of Asian Review of Books and founder of US from China as a paper son. He boarded a in furthering their show business identity. the day,” Li said. Hong Kong’s online bookseller Paddy- ship from Canton to Vancouver Canada by Their skills on stage gave them so much self- For more information about “The Kim field. He set up and was the inaugural himself when he was 9. Somehow he made his confidence that it probably never occurred to Loo Sisters” documentary and how to Chair of the Man Asian Literary Prize and way to Minneapolis via Seattle by the time he them to feel defensive. They simply adored donate, please visit www.kimloosisters. was one of the founders and organizers was 15. There he met Lena Wojcik who came their father and felt nei-ther proud nor ashamed com. ♦ of the original Hong Kong International to Minneapolis from Poland also by herself. Literary Festival. He has also been involved in interna- They met when she was 13 and they married Leslie Li is the director and executive producer of “The Kim Loo tional trade and investment development, two years later. Sisters,” her first feature-length film. She is the author of “Bitter- and set up the Russian Trade Association Shear Gim valiantly supported a growing sweet,” a novel; “Daughter of Heaven,” a culinary memoir; and (a chamber of commerce) in Hong Kong family, about one new addition every two “Just Us Girls,” the official companion book to “The Kim Loo Sis- in 1994. He wrote regular editorial col- years, with his wages as a waiter at a Chinese ters.” She is also the co-author of “Enter the Dragon,” a book of umns for Hong Kong's English-language children’s plays based on three Chinese folktales. She has written restaurant, supplemented by Lena’s work as a dailies for several years and is co-author personal essays and feature articles for The New York Times, The seamstress. They were to eventually have six of the recently published “The Silver Way: Christian Science Monitor, Travel & Leisure, Gourmet, Saveur and children; the first four were daughters before China, Spanish America and the Birth of other publications. a son and one last daughter. Somehow he Globalisatiion, 1565-1815.” managed to buy a house for the family. PAGE 14 / March 2017 government & politics www.chinainsight.info The Chinese in Trumpland, Part II: The eagle and the dragon By Joe Pearman and Chang Wang, contributors

balance has benefitted all parties. Now, Editors’ Note: Last year, Chang Wang and Joe Pearman published a two-part series of articles titled “Dancing with the Dragon,” the CPC propaganda machines have gone where they laid out how the Communist Party of China was likely to view the various candidates for President of the United States. from endorsing Trump to warning him not Now that Donald Trump has emerged an unlikely victor, China Insight invited these two writers back to take a stab at examining to “playing with fire,” signaling the CPC how Chinese government and the Chinese people will relate to this pugnacious and outspoken new administration. will approach Trump’s administration in the future like wary matadors, not amiable Pearman: Turning from the domestic crackdown on student pro-democracy Peter Navarro, an economics professor who potential partners. stage to the international, it would make protests in 1989 and more recently, wrote “Death by China,” as head of the new In diplomacy, there are certain rules sense to consider how President Donald embraced dictators like Abdel Fatah al- National Trade Council. And, in a move that that everybody follows. Donald Trump Trump’s win has been taken by the Sisi in Egypt. Human rights criticism on confounded the Beltway, he casually made has made a career in business and Communist Party of China (CPC). If China seemed unlikely. He had killed the first official contact between the United entertainment by tearing up the playbook. you’ll recall from our previous article, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, effectively States and the Republic of China (Taiwan) Now he seems to be bringing this same “Dancing with the Dragon” (China giving the CPC the go-ahead to create their since 1979, when he “took” a congratulatory Insight, Nov-Dec 2015 & January 2016), own trade agreement. Moreover, they had phone call from President Tsai Ing-wen of approach to politics, probably, as you when the Republican primaries were in probably come to believe what many Taiwan2 in early December 2016. say, with the intent of letting China know full swing, we felt that they hoped Jeb reluctant Trump supporters had vocalized: Wang: If I could have been a fly on the he won’t be pushed around as president. Bush would win. Bush was a moderate, he was a dealmaker who took outrageous wall when that happened ... It can’t be The fact that he’s not going to meet with deal- and trade-oriented conservative public positions to increase his starting emphasized enough whose father was once ambassador to advantage in any negotiation. Trump how touchy the CPC China. But we also felt the CPC would might be talking tough about 45 percent is on the subject of look more or less favorably on a Hillary tariffs and currency investigations, the Taiwan. There’s a Clinton victory, even though they had CPC thought, but that could be the same saying among diplo- clashed over human rights issues during as the anti-American propaganda they mats who deal with and after her tenure as Secretary of State. regularly blasted over Chinese channels China: “You don’t Clinton was a pro-trade candidate whose for the benefit of the domestic audience. touch the three Ts.” husband had overseen a vast expansion After all, Trump’s son-in-law, real estate Those are Tibet, the in American free trade. If anything, they scion Jared Kushner, was entering a joint Tiananmen Square would be concerned about her support venture with Anbang Insurance Group, the protests of 1989, and for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Chinese owners of the Waldorf Astoria1, Taiwan. China, of which cuts China out of a large and which reportedly belongs to the “red course, refuses to lucrative new trade bloc. princelings,” the descendants of China’s acknowledge Tai- Trump, on the other hand, was a wild ruling elite. Could Donald Trump the wan’s sovereignty, card, anathema to a group of men who dress developer really be that bad for business? and demands ad- in matching suits and value consistency and More than that, by talking about Trump herence to the “One pragmatism above all else. What has their at all, the CPC had the opportunity to China” policy, which (President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan, during her December telephone response been to the surprise election of this highlight the ugliness and divisiveness states that the CPC is call with then President-electTrump ) consistently surprising president? of the American election. Election 2016 the only legitimate Wang: The CPC has had a bit of a roller- gave the CPC a way to present democracy government of all of 3 coaster ride in how it perceives Trump. I as messy and crude, contrasting China’s China, including Taiwan. Taiwan’s president on her trip to the U.S. think it would be fair to say that they were orderly and technocratic rule. To every When Trump took the phone call from points to that, as opposed to an effort to surprised that Trump won the Republican Chinese citizen who might support a President Tsai of Taiwan, the CPC censors re-establish full diplomatic relations. primaries. You might have expected them different system of government, the CPC clamped down. Any search on the Chinese But I’m not sure the CPC understands to support Clinton, but the problem with that could say, “Do you really want to go internet for “Taiwan” or “Trump” turned up that. To put this in American terms, was Trump’s primary victory had turned the through that every 2-4 years, depending nothing. After almost a day, official media they see Trump taking this phone call as entire election into a referendum on trade. on when the media coverage begins?” came out with a short statement from the the equivalent of Xi Jinping accepting Clinton was on the defensive, and had to foreign minister describing the entire thing a cordial New Year’s greeting from the come out hard against free trade, and by as a Taiwanese trick, seeking to minimize Californians who want to secede from extension, China. it as much as possible. This is actually an the United States. Donald Trump may The CPC bided its time until shortly indicator of the gravity of the affair. It felt be doing what has worked for him in the before the election, then official channels like the CPC was afraid of the magnitude of came out strongly in support of Trump. the sea change that might have taken place, past, but what works in marketing is not I feel there are several reasons for this. and afraid of letting their citizens know. guaranteed to work in Beijing. First, Trump was well-aligned with their Pearman: Trump treated the phone call We will examine how it might all play regional interests. Clinton believes as if it wasn’t too important. He pointed out in the context of Chinese history and in trade, but she is also a hawk who out that the United States still maintains a literature.♦ had supported measures like the TPP close (informal) relationship with Taiwan, Notes as part of the Obama administration’s and is pledged to defend it from any attack, 1. Minneapolis Star-Tribune; “Ethics “Pivot to the Pacific.” She believes in and conducts millions in arms sales to the Tangles for Trump’s Son-In-Law” Jan. 8, projecting American power and influence country each year. He presented the phone 2017 in what China sees as its backyard call, publicly at least, as something it would 2. CNN.com; “China lodges complaint over and natural sphere of influence. With be silly to get upset over. My own feeling Trump-Taiwan call” Dec. 3, 2016 her pro-trade sentiment a no-go in the is that Trump actually took it as a calculated 3. Fox News; “Taiwan’s president heads to campaign, the CPC might have worried move to put pressure on Beijing, a signal United States, but won’t meet with Trump” they were facing Harry Truman in a pastel that the CPC should expect no concessions Jan. 7, 2017 pantsuit. Trump, in contrast, had taken in the coming years. isolationist positions on the campaign Wang: I understand this point of view, trail; he seemed supremely uninterested in but I must point out just how thoroughly About the writers strategic alliance-building, and questioned Trump had rattled the delicate balance the Wang is chief researcher at Thomson America’s need for bases in Korea and Pearman: So you could say there was an U.S., the CPC and Taiwan have managed Reuters and an adjunct professor at Japan. Also, he had displayed a strong unofficial “honeymoon period” with Trump to preserve for a long time. The CPC, as the University of Minnesota.He also rapport with Russia, Beijing’s close ally. and the CPC; it depended on their pre- we have said before, values consistency is a member of the Civic Engagement Second, the CPC had come to believe sumption he would turn out to be a regular and normalcy. The Trump-Tsai phone Steering Committee of the State of they could deal with Trump. His goals Republican and shed his populist shell once call flew in the face of four decades of Minnesota.Pearman is a third-year and theirs were far from mutually the election ended. Instead, he strength- U.S. policy, policy that has been deeply business student at the University of incompatible; not only did Trump display ened ties to anti-free trade Steven Bannon, beneficial to China and was instrumental Minnesota, Twin Cities. little interest in controlling the Pacific, but tapped domestic steel magnate Wilbur Ross in turning it from an international pariah he had publicly praised Beijing’s bloody for Secretary of Commerce, and appointed into a global powerhouse. To be fair, this www.chinainsight.info government & politics March 2017 / PAGE 15 March 26, 2017: sham democracy, fake election, flawed process By Elaine Dunn

When is an election like a horserace? cast their votes for Hong Kong’s next executive, C.Y. Leung, announced he was proposed expanding the electorate base for When the electorate can only observe chief executive. not seeking re-election) and career civil selecting the Election Committee from the and not influence the outcome. And this CNN’s James Griffiths posed these servant, has worked both under British current 250,000 to one million. On Feb. 5, is how many in Hong Kong feel about questions to potential candidates in a rule and the Chinese administration. She Woo added “no mainland authorities can the March 26 election of the new chief Feb. 14 article: Are you a competent is the top candidate as far as the pro- interfere in Hong Kong internal affairs” executive. former government official who relishes Beijing supporters go. However, many to his platform, promising to work on In this city of 7.4 million, there is no a challenge? Can you please China’s Hong Kongers mistrust her because of political reform that had stalled since the open nomination of candidates for its leaders while placating young democratic her former boss, C.Y. Leung. In early Umbrella Revolution of 2014. His slogan next top leader. Instead, the next chief activists who are prepared to take to the February, her integrity was called into play is “Good Heart, Right Path, Bright Future executive of Hong Kong will be decided streets? Will you be willing to take the because of contradictory remarks about for Hong Kong.” by only a handful – the 1,194 pre-selected blame for decisions made hundreds of her position on same-sex marriages. She Lastly, the fifth candidate LEUNG members of the Election Committee. miles away? came under fire from both the pro- and Kwok-hung is a founding member of the (Read how candidates are “vetted” by On Feb. 14, there were five candidates anti-gay camps. League of Social Democrats, a grassroot Beijing in the January 2017 China Insight, in the running. The top four are, by John Tsang, Hong opposition party working to eliminate p. 14, at chinainsight.info.) The flawed alphabetical order of their last names: Kong’s longest serving wealth inequality. Nicknamed “Long process by which Hong Kong’s chief financial secretary, was Hair” because of the length of his mane, executive is “elected” has been referred also private secretary he is known for his fiery criticism of the to “the worst system,” in a March 2012 to Chris Patten, the government. Leung is not considered to article in The Economist, saying that to last colonial governor. be a serious contender. call it an “election” was categorically Tsang has strong ties to A veteran Chinese current affairs wrong. Leung’s administration commentator wrote in the China Daily What is poignant about this upcoming and the pro-Beijing HK edition that “while Hong Kong is election is 2017 marks 20 years since the elite. He had worked becoming more politicized and polarized, former British colony was handed back the hardest to engage the general it is also becoming rather more predictable to China. At the time of the handover, electorate, and is far more popular with and tedious” alluding to the upcoming there were high hopes among Hong Kong the public than Lam, especially those who election. Perhaps it is so because the residents that they will get to vote for their self identify as “localists.*” However, he “election” is viewed as “fake” and a sham, own leader in the near future. In fact, at Regina Ip, the former security is not the Election Committee’s favorite; and that the chosen will only be a pro- the time, the Chinese government hinted secretary who resigned in 2003 after mass Carrie Lam, his top rival and former boss, Beijing individual. Ho-hum. at the possibility of direct elections for protests against a proposed anti-sedition is. Tsang’s slogan is “Trust, Unify, Hope.” A one-week poll of 1,005 Hong Kong the chief executive by 2017. However, law (she failed to implement the National *”Localists” are those who cherish citizens aged 18-plus conducted by the the contrary appears to be the case. Security Bill). She has since made a their Hong Kong identity and want Chinese University of Hong Kong at the China is tightening its grip on the semi- strong political comeback. Ip is one of the greater self-determination and autonomy end of October 2016 showed that “The autonomous city, eroding the promised most popular members of the Legislative for Hong Kong. They fear the dilution ability to mend social rifts” was the most “One country, two systems” approach. A Council and with the middle class voters. of Hong Kong’s identity from growing important job skill for the chief executive top Beijing official had recently openly She cofounded the New People’s Party mainland Chinese influence and they raised by all age groups, education levels stressed that the next chief executive (NPP) in 2011, a conservative pro-Beijing have no problem with confronting the and political orientations. Yet according of Hong Kong “has to have the central party with its political base within the authorities. to a Washington Post Opinion piece government’s trust.” civil service. The NPP endorsed her. Its on Feb. 14, all four candidates “had It’s no rocket science, then, that platform includes universal suffrage, strikingly little to say about the issues pro-democracy and pro-independence economic diversification and reduction that energized the Umbrella Movement, candidates are not likely going to get on in the wealth gap. Her campaign slogan such as increasing social inequality, the final ballot for the city’s top leadership is “Win Back Hong Kong.” skyrocketing property prices and the lack position on March 26. of social mobility.” Because of the existing nomination Hong Kong, the formidable global and selection process, candidates have no financial center, needs a new leader need to do the glad-handing on the streets, who can offer up innovative ideas and nor outline their campaign platform to the work peaceably with all sectors of city’s electorate. Instead, they concentrate the community to maintain its status their canvassing behind closed doors, on the world stage. The next chief going directly to the 1,194 members of WOO Kwok-hing, the first to executive cannot afford to be just a Beijing the Election Committee. This began Feb. announce his candidacy in October “yes” man. (S)He needs to perhaps 14. They have until March 1 to secure 2016, is a retired judge on the Court even reorganize and clean out certain the required 150 votes to advance. If any of Appeal. He had served as chair of government bureaucracies. “Business candidate gets 600 votes by March 1, that the Electoral Affairs Commission and, as usual” will only reinforce the 2014 candidate wins outright! If not, on March Carrie Lam, former chief secretary also, a commissioner on Interception of Occupy Protests’ outcry for “One man, 26, the Election Committee will meet to (she resigned after the current chief Communications and Surveillance. He one vote.” ♦ Trump cannot afford a trade war continued from page 12

American multinational companies Chinese market share and their competitive gineers from China, due to an ideological Soviet standards and bought Soviet technol- have made tremendous profits and occu- advantage forever. difference with the Chinese Communist Par- ogy and machinery for a long time to come. pied a big share of the Chinese market After the collapse of the former Soviet ty leadership. Khrushchev wanted to teach After the departure of the Russians, China while doing so. Union, Russian historians examined Russian the Chinese leadership a lesson, by creating was forced to develop its own industrial base If Trump meant what he said during and Soviet history. They came to the conclu- some short-term economic difficulties for and its own technological innovations, no his campaign about bringing American sion that the greatest mistake Russia and the China. China did suffer tremendous eco- longer relying on Russian goods. companies and American jobs back to former Soviet Union made was its break up nomic setbacks in the short term because of Trump may want to bring back jobs to the U.S., American multinational corpo- with and withdrawal from China in the 1960s. Khrushchev’s decision. But the former So- the United States, but American multination rations will lose their competitive edge In 1960, after helping China build up viet Union lost its influence and leverage in corporations cannot afford to lose their share in China built up over the last 30 years. The its heavy industry, with more than 11,000 China in the long term. It lost access to the of the Chinese market at this critical moment market share they opened up would be taken Russian and eastern European engineers Chinese market. If the Soviet Union had not in history. over by their competitors from Europe and engaged in the industrialization programs withdrawn its engineers from China, China The author is a professor at Warren elsewhere, as well as Chinese companies. in China, Khrushchev decided to break would be dependent on Soviet technology Wilson College, North Carolina, and a guest These American companies would lose their contracts with China and withdraw all en- for the long term. China would have used professor at Hebei University. ♦ PAGE 16 / March 2017 arts & culture www.chinainsight.info

BLACKJACK TOURNAMENT

THURSDAY, MARCH 9TH Fig. 6: Jacques Philippe Le Bas (French, 1707–1783), after Giuseppe ♦ $5,000 Guaranteed ♦ $30 Buy-In Castiglione (Italian, 1688–1766). The Lifting of the Siege at the Black River ♦ ♦ Camp (detail), plate seven from The Conquests of the Emperor of China (Les $10 Optional Add-on Registration Opens at 3pm Conquêtes de l’Empereur de la Chine), 1771. Etching and engraving, Plate: ♦ Earn a free entry with 20 hours of pit play 3/1/17 - 3/8/17 22 5/8 x 36 11/16 in. (57.5 x 93.2 cm). historical story resonates deeply with the issues of ethnicity and displacement of our own time. The second type of narrative highlighted OPEN 24/7 in the exhibition relies on a single iconic scene—usually the climax—to evoke an entire story in the viewer’s mind. A painting by the monk-artist Liang Kai (active early 13th century) exemplifies this style. In “Poet Strolling by a Marshy Bank” (fig. 2), a lone figure lingers by a marshy bank under a massive, mist- enshrouded boulder. The work hauntingly depicts the final moments in the life of Qu Yuan (ca. 340–ca. 278 B.C.), a falsely slandered minister who took his own life by drowning in order to prove his devotion Left, Fig. 7: Unidentified artist. to the king, without showing any other Portrait of the Imperial Bodyguard biographical detail. The looming rock, a Zhanyinbao, dated 1760. Chinese, Qing metaphor for the psychological weight dynasty (1644–1911). Hanging scroll; RunAces.com sustained by the man below, is key to ink and color on silk, Painting and identifying the subject matter. inscription: 74 1/4 x 37 7/16 in. (188.6 The third type of storytelling is x 95.1 cm). Right, Fig. 8. Helmet represented by landscapes, still lifes, and with feather crest, 17th–18th century. flower-and-bird paintings that contain Chinese, Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Show and Tell: no narrative imagery but tell stories in Helmet: steel, gold, silk; Crest: eagle their appended inscriptions. A typical feathers, kingfisher feathers, paper, example is a painting of deer antlers continued from page 7 (fig. 3) by Emperor Qianlong (r. 1736– turquoise, coral, pearls, marten fur, 95). An otherwise simple still life, the silk, copper alloy, silver, Helmet: H. picture is followed by the emperor’s including nape defense: 20 3/4 in. long inscription that relates when and (52.7 cm); H. excluding nape defense: where the deer was hunted down by his 11 1/4 in. (28.6 cm); W. 9 in. (22.9 cm); grandfather, the Kangxi Emperor, and D. 10 1/4 in. (26 cm). reflects upon Kangxi’s prowess and the to 1759, which ended with the annexation martial values in his Manchu tradition. This type of storytelling is an important of Xinjiang (New Territories). The center- and distinctively Chinese practice, one that piece, from the Department of Drawings has never been recognized in exhibitions and Prints, is a suite of 16 copperplate exploring narrative subjects. engravings that illustrate ten battles and Fig. 3: Liang Kai (Chinese, active Most of the objects in the exhibition are six ceremonies (fig.4). Designed in the early 13th century). Poet Strolling by taken from The Met collection; some are Western naturalistic style by European a Marshy Bank, early 13th century. new acquisitions on view for the first time, missionary-artists at Qianlong’s court, Chinese, Southern Song dynasty while others have not been seen for many more than 200 sets of prints were produced (1127–1279). Fan mounted as an years. A few works that had been shown at the imperial workshop of Louis XV (r. album leaf; ink on silk, 9 x 9 9/16 in. in partial view in past shows now enjoy 1715–74) in Paris. (22.9 x 24.3 cm). a complete display, such as Wang Jun’s The large full-length portrait of a (1816–after 1883) album on select sites general (fig. 5), one of 100 commissioned in Yangzhou and by Qianlong for those who made significant Hangzhou, which contributions to the campaign, belongs to serves as a pictorial the Department of Asian Art. A dozen 18th- biography of the century Chinese weapons and horse fittings eminent scholar- from the Department of Arms and Armor, official Ruan Yuan selected by Curator Donald LaRocca, (1764–1849). This evoke a physical sense of warfare. It is new display of all notable how close some pieces look to 10 pictures in the those represented in the prints and the album, rearranged portrait. The helmet with a feather crest in chronological for a high-ranking military officer (fig. 6), order, enables a for instance, is worn by the commander on comprehensive and horseback in the center foreground of the evolving view of print hung on the opposite wall (fig. 4). Fig. 4. Hongli (Qianlong Emperor, 1711–1799; r. 1736–95). Deer Antlers, dated 1762. One of two the man’s life. In addition, there are works on view handscrolls; ink and color on paper, 9 3/4 x 81 1/4 in. (24.8 x 206.4 cm). Further show- by contemporary artists addressing casing The Met’s current issues raised by technological Measuring more than 39 feet in length, The recurring sight of south-flying ability to draw on advancements and government land “Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute: The geese alludes to her homesickness, while its own holdings for a multicultural exhi- policy, or revealing personal creative Story of Lady Wenji” (fig. 1) depicts the intimate scenes of Wenji with her chieftain bition is a gallery on military narrative, the processes—subjects not in the classical traumatic experience of Lady Wenji (Cai husband and their children deepen the objects of which represent the collabora- repertory. The exhibition presents a most Yan), who was abducted by Mongolian pathos of the farewell scene as she is forced tion of three curatorial departments. The comprehensive view of Chinese pictorial nomads in 195 A.D. and returned to China to leave them behind. Although this work subject of the gallery is Emperor Qian- storytelling with many illuminating and 12 years later. was created in the early 15th century, this long’s East Turkestan campaign from 1755 engaging samples.♦