CHINAINSIGHT Fostering business and cultural harmony between China and the U.S. VOL. 16 NO. 5 June 2017 Avast ye, matey! China Briefs, p. 3 WWTT, p. 4, 13 This Lego® model is inspired by two paintings portraying the sea battle of the pirates and the Chinese troops in Hong Kong. The creators try to imitate the sea battle at the Lantau Island. (Pirates of the South Sea, p. 9) Arts & Culture, p. 8, 16 Culture Grand songs of the Dong ethnic group By Bu Aihua, contributor Editor’s note: Professor Bu Aihua is a visiting scholar from China. She is the dean and professor in Foreign Language School of Huaihua University in Huihua City in western Hunan Province, the main origin of Hmong and other minorities. Her major research interests cover comparative education, biculturalism and bicultural active living lifestyle with a special focus on the Hmong youth in western part of Hunan Province and the state of Minnesota. Society, p. 13 I am a Miao (Hmong) ethnic minority In This Issue from Huaihua City. I was amazed to learn Arts & Culture 8, 9, 16 there were more than 60,000 Hmong people Books 11,12 in Minnesota when I first visited Minne- apolis two years ago by chance; moreover, Business & Economics 4 there was even a center for Hmong Studies Community 7, 15 at Concordia University and over 8,000 Education 5,10 students, scholars and community members Events 15 had visited the center since its founding. Government & Politics 14 Enormous curiosity and great expectations Health & Home 4 inspired me to come back to explore the Hmong here ---the people, history, cultures, History 6 religious beliefs, language, etc., to seek the News 3 effective ways for more communication and Opinion 11 collaboration between the Hmong of Min- People 15 nesota and the Miao in China, especially in Pronouncements 2 the western part of Hunan Province. Science & Technology 10 Society 13 A singing master teaching her pupils Dong Grand Songs. Photo by Yang Xiao Continued on page 16 PAGE 2 / June 2017 pronouncements www.chinainsight.info Congress. It declared that the 13 American Publisher’s Pronouncements colonies regarded themselves as a new na- tion, the United States of America, and were CHINAINSIGHT Greetings, honored on the day by their family, friends, no longer part of the British Empire. As summer heats up, so do the number or coworkers. In addition, July 8 & 9 will be the Publisher: of great, local outdoor activities scheduled This wasn't always the case in China Dragon Festival, honoring Pan-Asian Gregory J. Hugh throughout the Twin Cities area, capitaliz- though. During the WWII years, Father's heritage and spirit! Lake Phalen Park in St. [email protected] ing on the arrival of summer vacations and Day was celebrated on August 8. The Paul, will come alive again during two days great weather. This bodes well for all of the Republic of China government wanted to of colorful, traditional dances and music graduation ceremonies and parties that will celebrate the soldiers who died and honor to showcase the performance arts of Asia. Manager of be held throughout the Twin Cities area and fathers. They chose that date because in Dances from the ceremonial to the theatrical Operations/Circulation: we congratulate the Class of 2017 and wish Chinese August 8 can be shortened to "bā are as varied as the colors on the performers' Richard He them great success as they move on to the bā" (八八 'eight eight'). This sounds similar authentic clothing! [email protected] next chapter of their lives. to the informal term for father (爸爸, bàba). Each Asian country has its own indel- In this issue, we are pleased to include an This tradition dropped off in the Mainland, ible sound even though the instruments are article on page 12 as the foreword to “Paral- but was continued in Taiwan under the Re- rather similar. From the mesmerizing sound Staff Writers: lel Universes: Essays and Conversations” public of China government. of the Chinese flute to the energetic Taiko Greg Hugh by Chang WANG, a regular China Insight In Taiwan, Father's Day is not an official drumming, Asian music with its pentatonic [email protected] contributor. We also are pleased to present holiday, but is now widely observed on melodies abound throughout the weekend. what we expect to be a series of articles by August 8. People often take their father out Wherever you are from, you should at- Elaine Dunn Professor Bu Aihua, a visiting scholar from for dinner, give gifts, or at least call them to tend this free event so you can explore all [email protected] China, about the Dong ethnic people. The give them a greeting.. (Baba Jie can stand that these unique, energetic cultures have first of the series appears on p.1 and 16. for, 八八节 or 爸爸节: August 8th Day' or to offer! Contributors: We also want to take this opportunity 'Fathers' Day'.) Sincerely, Bu Aihua to wish all of the fathers out there a Happy In July, Americans celebrate Indepen- [email protected] Father’s Day even though in Mainland dence Day, also referred to as the Fourth China, Father's Day (the third Sunday in of July or July Fourth. In the U.S., it is a Gregory J. Hugh Judy Hohmann June) is relatively unknown. It isn't a public federal holiday commemorating the adop- Publisher- CEO [email protected] holiday, but expats in China might celebrate tion of the Declaration of Independence 241 China Insight it. Perhaps some Western fathers might be years ago on July 4, 1776, by the Continental Gina Van Thomme [email protected] Chang Wang [email protected] FREE Patrick Welsh [email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS Production Editor: Getting to know you . Teresa Khamlusa [email protected] Who are you? What articles do you enjoy reading? China Insight would like to ensure our content matches your interests. Please take a few minutes to complete this poll so we can update our reader Honorary: demographics. For your time, the first 10 respondents each month will receive a free annual subscription to China Insight. Winners will be notified Jennifer Nordin, Editor Emeritus by email. 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Address___________________________________ to your mailbox? City/State/Zip_______________________________ A subscription costs a mere Phone_____________________________________ $24 and brings a full year (10 Email_____________________________________ issues) of new understanding Company__________________________________ about today’s China, Title______________________________________ from language to business opportunities. Copyright 2017 CHINAINSIGHT, Inc. All Rights Reserved. www.chinainsight.info news June 2017 / PAGE 3 Teletubbies are b-a-a-c-k! # # 1 # 8 6 Over the hills and far away, those 3 four characters from the late 1990s will # By the numbers # be speaking Putonghua in mainland 10 4 # # China on streaming platforms iQIYI 7 2 and Youku. Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po first arrived in China in 2002 as Consuming Dingding, Dixi, Lala and Po. China is the major market for the 60 new episodes being sold to world markets behavior of by its Canadian owner as there are 226 million children under age 14. Condo- “empty nest lences to the Chinese! ♦ youth” Who or what are “empty nest youth?” Those Chinese born in the 1990s have been known by a number of labels and descrip- Oinker on the move tions: international, nationalistic, mate- A Chinese woman from Shenzhen rialistic. The newest label is “empty nest bought a 9-lb. pet pig after being youth.” The term refers to the group who promised it would not grow big. Well, are single and live alone, usually far from the oinker grew to44 lbs in six months China Briefs their hometowns, and live on their electronic and is now more than 330 pounds. The devices, especially their mobiles, spending woman’s family has had to move six heavily online on high-quality clothes and Robotic piano player times because the oinker’s nocturnal The universal electronic devices.