Pages

Monday, June 4, 2012

The Thirty-fifth Day of May in Xining, China

As I walked around Xining, Qinghai province, on this thirty-fifth day of May, I noticed that at these various shopping areas:

vegetable market in Xining, China
Vegetable market

street market in Xining, China
Street market

underground shopping center in Xining, China
Underground shopping center

Life seemed to be going on as usual. But when I looked upon Xining's peaceful Central Square:

Central Square in Xining, China


And later in one of Xining's major shopping districts saw police, one openly holding a large gun:

Police van and policeman holding a large gun in Xining, China

I thought of some recently shared photos from 23 years ago of soldiers in Beijing. Later, I pondered China's curious stock market numbers and the various extensions of censorship in China on this day.

For now, I will simply share a photo of these candles I saw several months ago at a temple in Zhuhai's Bailian Dong Park:

lotus shaped candles in a temple in Zhuhai, China

Regardless of who is to blame and why such a terrible event occurred, they remind me of the lights that went out 23 years ago.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Scenes from Qinghai Lake and Environs

Previously I shared some photos of road scenes from my trip on Friday. Now I will share some of what I saw off the road that day. Early in the morning I met 5 Chinese college students who would be joining me and our driver. Our trip lasted until the evening and we explored Qinghai Lake, China's largest lake, and some of the areas around it. The driver chose the route, and I am happy to say he made some excellent choices. I am not sure I have ever seen such diverse scenery in a single day.

As seen in the photos, much Tibetan culture can be found in Qinghai. Although foreigners require a special permit and must be part of a tour group to even have a chance of entering Tibet (which is not always possible), no such restrictions exist in Qinghai -- at least for the regions I have visited so far.

In the order I experienced them, here are some scenes I will not soon forget:

yaks in Qinghai, China
Since yaks apparently prefer to avoid humans, this was as close as I could get.

view from Laji Mountain in Qinghai, China
The view from Laji Mountain at 3820 meters (12,500 feet) above sea level.

Tibetan prayer flags in Qinghai, China
Tibetan prayer flags on Laji Mountain

horse near Qinghai lake
Horse near Qinghai Lake

Tibetan woman and boy in Qinghai, China
Tibetan woman and boy

Tibetan tents in Qinghai, China
Tibetan woman and boy walking to some tents.

Tibetan prayer flags and rock piles at Qinghai Lake
Tibetan prayer flags and rock piles at Qinghai Lake

Tibetan prayer flags at Qinghai lake


woman making tsampa in Qinghai, China
Woman making a traditional Tibetan dish made from barley -- tsampa

young woman sitting amongst flowers and a young man riding a horse near Qinghai Lake
Two of my co-travelers that day -- one posing for a photo with the flowers and the other taking a short ride

sand dunes and snowcapped mountains near Qinghai Lake
In the distance are snowcapped mountains, but yet again I am surround by sand dunes.
Not too far behind me is Qinghai Lake.

Friday, June 1, 2012

On the Road in Qinghai

I will keep things simple for this post, because I spent a lot of time today on the road in China's Qinghai province. Some evidence:

road scene with snow covered mountains in Qinghai, China

road scene with snow covered mountains in Qinghai, China

road scene with mountains and yaks in Qinghai, China

road scene with tents in Qinghai, China

road scene with mountains in the distance and a lake in Qinghai, China

road scene with sand dunes in Qinghai, China

I have never before gone from snowcapped mountains to sand dunes in a single day. More about related off-the-road sights after I get some sleep.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Imitators Show There is Room to Grow in China for McDonald's and KFC

In an earlier post, I discussed McDonald's localized offerings in China and shared an example of how it was providing a positive impression of the U.S. to some Chinese. Kenneth Chan, McDonald's China CEO, in a recent interview on Fortune pointed out that not only is McDonald's localizing its products and services for China as a whole but also for specific segments of Chinese consumers:
We are reinventing ourselves to adapt to the changing constituency. By the end of 2013, about 80% of our restaurants will undergo reimaging. The design will vary by areas. In business districts with many young professionals, we have kiosks for coffee and pastries. In areas with young families, we reserve places for kids to play or host parties. We also offer customer-friendly amenities like free Wi-Fi and McCafes. We want to stay relevant to the younger population and make them stay longer.
He also discussed his plans for growth:
Opening new restaurants is another top priority. In addition to opening our own restaurants, we have stepped up our franchise programs. After all, McDonald's is a franchise company. At present, 80% of McDonald's worldwide are owned by franchisees; in China, only 36 restaurants were franchised by 2011. We are working hard on this.

In addition to the conventional franchise model in mature markets like the U.S., we also implement what we call a "developmental licensee" model. In certain provinces where we don't have the capacity to reach out for many years, we are looking for licensee partners who have strong financial backgrounds and strong business experience. China had seven conventional licensees and two developmental licensees as of 2011. It's still a very low percentage and over a very short time that will change. The pace of franchising in China depends largely on finding the right partners.
Chan's comments suggest that there remain challenges for McDonald's to grow in China, even if they know of additional markets where their restaurants would be welcomed by Chinese consumers. There are many reasons to believe additional demand exists in China for McDonald's and KFC, who has a larger presence and is also localizing in China. In fact, I believe I have seen relevant evidence during my explorations of China's different regions.

For example, I saw the following restaurant at a pit stop between Guangzhou and Wuzhou, Guangxi:

McDonald's lookalike store in China with an upside down McDonald's logo

Wichael Alone's mascot in China

I am not sure what to call this restaurant since there are both "Wichael Alone" and "Michael Alone" signs. Regardless, I think it is fair to say that McDonald's served as an inspiration.

More often, I have seen stores that are very similar to KFC -- whether in Southeast China in Shanwei, Guangdong province:

CBC restaurant in Shanwei, China

Northeast China in Dunhua, Jilin province:

CBC restaurant in Dunhua, Jilin

Or Southwest China in Chongzuo, Guangxi:

KMC in Chongzuo, China

The KMC is my current favorite. Like the CBCs and other KFC-lookalikes its menu appeared to be nearly identical to a KFC menu. But the KMC went the extra distance to bring a KFC-like experience:

words saying it's finger lickin' good Inside of KMC restaurant in Chongzuo

As I pondered KFC's "it's finger lickin' good" slogan on the wall of the restaurant I sipped at a Pepsi. I then began to wonder if the Pepsi was real. The Pepsi sat untouched after that.

Although I cannot say whether such restaurants run afoul of any laws, I find it notable that wherever I see a (what appears to be) genuine KFC or McDonald's I rarely see an obvious imitator nearby. For example, at the time of my visits I did not see a KFC anywhere in Shanwei, Dunhua, or Chongzuo. Given that pattern, I suspect it is only a matter of time before KFC or McDonald's enter such markets and push out any imitators who have kindly shown that a demand exists. Even if legal action is not an option, there is good reason to believe that Chinese consumers will want an authentic experience, especially since there does not appear to be a significant difference in price (if any). Apparently, KFC agrees that authenticity will matter:

sign inside KFC saying RELAXED, FRIENDLY, AUTHENTIC
Sign inside a real Chinese KFC in Yinchuan, Ningxia

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Shopping Area in Zhuhai's Gongbei District

In making a much appreciated mention of this blog, James Fallows shared a photo of mine from Zhuhai, Guangdong province. In earlier posts here, Zhuhai provided the setting for a variety of topics such as the restrictions mainland Chinese face due to China's internal borders, volunteer efforts in China to increase HIV and AIDS awareness, a now semi-famous Android Store that I found after a random bus trip, scenes from Bailian Dong Park & Jingshan Park, and the threat posed to the U.S. by "Tiger Moms" in China.

Those posts include a variety of photos, but in the spirit of showing more "real China" scenes from Zhuhai I will share some photos I took several months ago in a shopping district in Zhuhai's Gongbei district. They are all from the public areas that can be found outside a number of stores and provide a contrast to a shopping area in Nanping, Zhuhai.

In a later post, I will discuss some of my philosophy in taking photographs and how the photographs have aided my research efforts not only in better understanding China but also guiding the design of new & improved technologies.

busy sidewalk in Zhuhai, Guangdong
Busy sidewalk

popcorn street vendor in Zhuhai, Guangdong
Popcorn for sale

kid on leash with open pants in Zhuhai, Guangdong
The open-air pants are common for children in China.

street vendor in Zhuhai, Guangdong
Street vendor on the move to avoid a potential fine

playing Xiangqi in Zhuhai, Guangdong
Playing Xiangqi, otherwise know as Chinese Chess

balloons for sale in Zhuhai, Guangdong
Balloons for sale

rides for children in Zhuhai, Guangdong
A variety of rides

man selling turtles in Zhuhai, Guangdong
Turtles for sale

children rollerblading in Zhuhai, Guangdong
Rollerblading

shoe shiners in Zhuhai, Guangdong
Shoeshiners

Valentine's Day rose for sale in Zhuhai, Guangdong
Roses for sale on Valentine's Day

street vendors in Zhuhai, Guangdong
The street vendor found a safer location.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Chinese Being Friendly to a Foreigner in China

The anti-foreigner comments made by Chinese television host Yang Rui and the support they received from others may leave some with an impression of China that would not be accurate. The issue is complex, though, and I hope to share some thoughts about it in a later post.

Before that, I want to briefly share several personal experiences. My point is simple. These experiences would be difficult to reconcile with a belief that all (or many) Chinese have strong negative feelings toward foreigners. To be clear, I would not claim that they occurred only because I am a foreigner. Nor would I claim that all foreigners would have had the same experience. Again, there are many complexities. Regardless, I think these experiences can say much.

What I will share occurred recently in Northwest China, but the experiences are similar to many others I have had elsewhere in China.

young couple in Yinchuan on a tree limb

The young couple above approached me at a park in Yinchuan, Ningxia wanting to take their photos with me. We had a pleasant chat, and they offered to take me out to dinner. Sadly, I had other plans and had to decline their friendly offer.


Another day in Yinchuan I had to find a restaurant open late at night. Fortunately I found one that had excellent food. Even more fortunate was that I met the above three men who invited me to join them after I had finished my meal. Despite being stuffed, they insisted I try some of the special dishes they had ordered (tasty indeed), and they bought me several beers. We had some great conversation about how the U.S. and China compare. They were also curious about my impressions of people's friendliness in various parts of China. They were proud to say that Yinchuan was one of the most friendly places one could find.

girl sitting on a rail and holding a bag of cake in Zhongwei, Ningxia

I saw the girl above with her bags of cake and asked her where I could buy some. She pointed to a nearby store that is popular in Zhongwei, Ningxia. I looked at the long line outside and she said it might take an hour since they regularly need to bake new batches of cake to meet the demand. I sighed and said maybe I would try another day. Before I knew it she handed me a piece of cake from her bag. Refusing it was not an option nor was paying her for it.

four kids in a cable car in Lanzhou, Gansu

I decided to take a cable car up to the top of a mountain in Lanzhou, Gansu. The kids above were very excited to join me in the car. The second girl from the right was particularly eager to tell me about Lanzhou. When we reached the top they introduced me to their families who were having a picnic. Their parents immediately asked that I join them.

two female college students at a park in Lanzhou, Gansu

An hour or so later I stumbled into these two college students who were happy to chat about a variety of topics. They were aware of the news about the poor behavior of some foreigners in Beijing. I asked them if it had affected their views of foreigners in general. Although I am well aware that being questioned by a foreigner could impact their response, their immediate and animated reply seemed telling. They thought the idea was preposterous because they had a very positive view of foreigners. Later, they joined me in walking around the park and visiting several temples.

Muslim student in Xining, Qinghai

During a semi-random walk in Xining, Qinghai I found this mosque and school that were reminiscent of what I saw last year in Zhaotong, Yunnan. Like before, the Muslim students were eager to meet with me and show me around. One of their teachers later insisted on personally guiding me through a shortcut in a construction site so I could more quickly reach a larger and more famous mosque in Xining.

three Tibetans in Xining, Qinghai

These three young Tibetans work at a restaurant/bar in Xining. I was hoping to try a special alcoholic drink in Qinghai--barley wine or qingke jiu (青稞酒). Unfortunately, the restaurant no longer made it and only had a much weaker canned version. Noticing my disappointment, the young man told me he would treat me to some of his father's homemade brew if I returned the next day. Of course I did, and he did not disappoint. He also treated me to several other special drinks. Needless to say, it was an enjoyable night.

At the very least, I hope these experiences show that my being a foreigner does not mean I need to fear Chinese people. If anything, being a foreigner has facilitated a number of positive experiences in China. There is more to say but I need to run. It is Friday night and I am already late. I was told I will be treated to another special drink tonight.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

More on Chen Guangcheng and Yang Rui

I want to follow up my earlier post of links to pieces about Chen Guangcheng and Yang Rui with two more related links worth checking out.

1. In an earlier post I questioned some of the criticism of how U.S. officials handled the Chen Guangcheng case. An article by William Han in The Washington Post shares a taste of some of the challenges they faced. For example, at times U.S. officials could not even be sure of the identities of those present at negotiations:
The Americans were greeted at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 29, by familiar faces from the ministry — chief among them Cui Tiankai, a diplomat they had dealt with countless times. But on either side of the Chinese diplomats were two men who did not introduce themselves and were not introduced by others.

Not until days later, with an initial deal in sight, did the Americans learn that one of them was a representative of China’s Ministry of State Security — a powerful branch in charge of foreign intelligence and counterintelligence operations. The other, the Americans later surmised, was from an unidentified branch of China’s intelligence apparatus.
The article is also valuable in highlighting some of the positive aspects in how China handled the negotiations.

2. Chinese television host Yang Rui is certainly not the only person in China expressing concerns about foreigners in China. The Chinese news site SINA English has posted an entire page titled "Beijing Welcomes You -- Decent Foreigners". I am hesitant to guess the true intended purpose of the site. Maybe it was to influence foreigners. Or maybe they just wanted to convince "higher-ups" that they were doing their duty. I suspect the second case would have a better chance of success.

It includes links to a variety of articles. One provides advice to foreigners:
As it happens, whether or not you are a popular guest and can win the due respect from the host will all depends upon your behaviors, and whether or not you wholly alienate or even hostile to the host.

It is advisable to bear in mind: “Only good scouting is likely to preserve the respect and freedom so dear to the heart of the eternal Boy Scout.”
I fear my year or two of Cub Scouts might not be enough.

One of the more notable sections of the page is the poll question which seems representative of some other online polls I have seen in China:
Beijing started a three-month campaign on May 15 targeting foreigners illegally staying in the capital. Your say?
  • Support, as management is desirable.

  • Hard to say.
I am torn as to whether it is better or worse than the paradoxical text message I received from China Mobile last year. What do you think?

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Fake Mold Sandwich Bag on Weibo Not a Sign of Chinese Creativity

In "Images—Chinese Creativity" on Tea Leaf Nation David Wertime wrote, "Weibo user Jason Peng (@赵鹏自媒体) has just posted two hilarious images of Chinese creativity." The second example particularly caught my attention:

photographs of a sandwich in a clear plastic bag with fake mold spots

Wertime suggested that this fake mold plastic bag could mean that "colleagues at the office will never pilfer your delicious lunch from the communal fridge". I would question, though, whether it would lose its effectiveness over time. Bringing moldy sandwiches regularly to work could raise the suspicions of others and cause them to investigate.

But what I most questioned when I saw the image was whether the plastic bag was truly a sign of Chinese creativity. If it was designed in China, I would be curious to learn what inspired or motivated the designer. Based on what I have seen in China, most Chinese do not bring homemade sandwiches to work or keep them in resealable plastic bags.

Although only a link to Jason Peng's Sina Weibo account was provided, I was able to track down his specific post. It makes a comment about the bag's potential use that is similar to Wertime's, but Peng makes no claims about the designer's nationality or ethnicity. Furthermore, Peng was not the first to post the image. He found it in a post by the Weibo user 微吃货 (Weichihuo). Although Weichihuo provides no links to other posts, the multiple Weibo stamps at the bottom of the image and the "DIY私房菜" logos suggest Weichihuo found the image elsewhere on Weibo. DIY私房菜 has her own Weibo account and her post of the image on Weibo appears to be Weichihuo's source (though it may not have been direct). DIY私房菜 posted the image earlier, the image only has a single Weibo stamp, and Weichihuo's comment is identical to DIY私房菜's comment.

DIY私房菜 also has no mention of the designer, and she provides no information in the post about her source for the image. To see if there was any reason other than the image being posted in China for Wertime to describe the plastic bag as a sign of "Chinese creativity", I decided to apply a complicated research method. After countless seconds of tireless work, I discovered several relevant articles from four years ago, such as one by Emily Dreyfus on CNET:
If only Jane had known about the Fake Mold Lunch Bags. Created by New York-based engineer and designer Sherwood Forlee, these bags are sure to gross out any lunch thief. Just place your delectable sandwich inside its clean yet deceptively filthy-looking plastic, and voila: the unstealable sandwich. Even the most stealthy lunch thief won't be desperate enough to eat a moldy sandwich (we hope).
I also discovered that Forlee's "Anti-Theft Lunch Bags" can be purchased here. The webpage includes images that appear to match those shared on Weibo. I was reasonably convinced that the plastic bag seen in the Weibo posts was Forlee's design.

However, since "New York-based" did not sound Chinese to me, I dug a little deeper and found more information about Sherwood Forlee:
Sherwood was born in Hong Kong, grew up in Zimbabwe, and attended university in the US. After graduating with a degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering, he has worked as a product designer for various companies and consultancies.

Sherwood's main interests lie in searching for the simplest solutions to problems and creating novel and memorable experiences. He has created innovative designs for well-known companies as well as for his own personal brand, the. (www.thinkofthe.com). His works have garnered awards and extensive press attention.

Outside of design, Sherwood is passionate about food. He hopes to one day open his own bread and nut butter shop replete with a staff of well-trained squirrels to operate the grinding the machines.
I supposed Forlee being born in Hong Kong might allow the claim of "Chinese creativity". Clearly, additional innovative research was required: I sent a quick email to Forlee. He kindly replied, and I will share his answers to my questions.

As far as you know, were you the first to create a fake mold plastic sandwich bag?
I believe I was the first to come up with idea of fake moldy sandwich bags and apparently, also the first to have them made.
I see you were born in Hong Kong. Would you describe your creation as a sign of "Chinese creativity"? Would you feel it is accurate for others to do so?
I was born in HK, but only lived there for 1 year. I wouldn't consider my work a sign of "Chinese creativity" as any influence from China or HK is minimal and most likely naught.
Could you provide any updates on your squirrel training?
I am interested in opening up a nut butter shop where customers can mix and match various nut butters together to create their own specialty jar. Squirrels are incorrigible and thus, I have had to alter my plans a bit.
And thus, my research came to an end.

I believe Forlee's response resolves my question, and I cannot characterize his work as "Chinese creativity". Additionally, Forlee has shown that sometimes human-centered design is not sufficient for a successful product or service. Squirrel-centered design may be required as well.

I could now opine about how the above relates to a variety of issues such as the challenges in interpreting and discussing online posts to gain cultural insights, but instead I will recommend checking out Forlee's website at www.skforlee.com. It includes links to some of his other intriguing designs such as modular wine glasses, a maze waffle iron, a double ended jar, and a mirror plate which reminds me of some fascinating neuropsychology research (maybe a topic for another day).

In a later post, I will discuss a creative endeavor I witnessed in Harbin, Heilongjiang province. It highlights how labeling a new design or piece of art as "Chinese" can raise some deep issues, even when it is made by someone who is Chinese. In addition to Forlee's diverse background before living in America, these issues mean I am more likely to be thinking about "Forlee creativity" than "American creativity" whenever I see his work.