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Thursday, June 28, 2012

The New York Times in Chinese with Twitter & Facebook

The New York Times has unveiled a new Chinese-language web site at cn.nytimes.com. As Christine Haughney reported, the Times will not adjust its news coverage despite targeting readers in a place where there is significant censorship, mainland China:
The Times Company, which is well aware of the censorship issues that can come up in China, stressed that it would not become an official Chinese media company. The Times has set up its server outside China and the site will follow the paper’s journalistic standards. Mr. Kahn said that while the Chinese government occasionally blocked certain articles from nytimes.com, he was hopeful that the Chinese government would be receptive to the Chinese-language project.

“We’re not tailoring it to the demands of the Chinese government, so we’re not operating like a Chinese media company,” Mr. Kahn said. “China operates a very vigorous firewall. We have no control over that. We hope and expect that Chinese officials will welcome what we’re doing.”
Although the Times claims it will not be "tailoring it to the demands of the Chinese government" there are several signs that design changes have been made to better suit Chinese readers. One obvious example is the ability to easily share articles on popular online services in mainland China such as Sina Weibo, QQ, and Renren.

sample article from The New York Times Chinese site showing various share options

As seen in the above example (from the article here), options are also available to share on Twitter and Facebook -- notable since both of these services are currently blocked in mainland China. If either of those options are selected while behind China's Great Firewall it is not possible to post the article. It is also notable that there does not appear to be a button to share articles on Google+, an option that is readily available on the main www.nytimes.com site.

However, people in mainland China may not be the only Chinese readers being targeted with the site as evidenced by the option for displaying the text in Traditional Chinese. That is the style of characters commonly used in a number of Chinese-speaking areas outside of mainland China, such as Taiwan and Hong Kong. In those places Twitter and Facebook are freely available.

I tested posting articles onto Twitter while using a VPN in China to get through China's Great Firewall and had no problem. However, I ran into a problem when I tested the Facebook option. For any article I tried I was brought to this page:

Paulie Sharer's Timeline page on Facebook

I have never heard of Paulie Sharer, and I wonder whether his last name is somehow tied to this obvious error. A quick online search suggests that the problem is not specific to me nor the Times, but at this point there is not much more I can say definitively. Although I am sure this is not the result the Times desires, I can only imagine whether Paulie Sharer is noticing an unusual number of friend requests.

Regardless, I consider it a positive that The New York Times will be able to reach more readers in mainland China. And many will be watching to see if China later blocks the site -- just like what recently happened to Bloomberg's news site (H/T Edward Wong).

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Foot Massages and Marriage in China

A foot massage at a cheaper location in Shanghai (not the one mentioned below)

After moving to Shanghai many years ago, I became exposed to the pleasure of foot massages. Although my feet at first proved to be overly sensitive, typically to the amusement of those who provided the massages, I slowly grew to appreciate the experiences and found them to be an excellent way to relax. They were also an opportunity for me to practice my Chinese and learn something about the various people I met who typically came from regions far away from Shanghai.

On one occasion at my once favorite and now long-gone place for foot massages the topic of marriage happened to come up in an informal discussion. At the time I was particularly interested in how Chinese viewed foreigners so I asked the young woman massaging my feet, "What would your mother think if you married an American?"

She replied, "If he is rich, she would not care."

Based on prior discussions, it seemed likely that she pictured a Caucasian when I said "American". So I asked her, "What if he were black?"

Without hesitation she said, "It doesn't matter if he is rich."

I found her reply striking since, similar to many other places, race can matter in China. But in addition to race, nationality can matter as well.

So I asked her, "What if he were from India?"

Seeming to want to make sure there was no misunderstanding, she looked me square in the eye and said with emphasis, "As long as he is rich."

In China I have often found that the perceptions of different races and nationalities are not equal. For that reason, at the time the young woman's responses surprised me. I was also struck by her openness regarding the importance of money in regards to marriage. But a conversation I would later have in a far less developed region of China provided me a new perspective on an issue that had once seemed so black and white. I will share it in a later post. Like the experience of a young woman sharing her excitement over her first payday in Shanghai, it gave me a deeper appreciation of the challenges faced by many in China and the hopes they hold.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

A Scene of Erhai Lake in Yunnan, China

There is much I have to share and say, especially after having just attended two stimulating talks about China. I am now pondering how what the two writers discussed meshes with what I have seen and heard across China regarding innovation, development, and more.

For now, here is a scene from Xizhou, Yunnan province. It is quite unlike either of the cities featured in my previous two posts -- no skyscrapers or castles. But it is still one of the places I would most like to visit again (for a third time).

Erhai Lake

More scenes from Xizhou here and here.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

A Bit of China in Europe

In the previous post I identified the city -- Shanghai -- in the first of two photos I shared in an earlier post. The second photo may have presented an even greater challenge to recognize. I visited the city where it was taken two years ago to present a talk about conducting research in China. Despite being in Europe, at times I could still feel a small touch of China.

After flying from Shanghai with a connection in Dubai, I arrived late at night. The next morning I left my hotel to take a walk, and one of the first sights that caught my attention was this:

Restaurant Shanghai

Although I was curious whether the "Restaurant Shanghai" served truly Shanghainese cuisine or a more generic form of Westernized Chinese food, I decided to take a pass. After all, I preferred to save myself for some of the local-style dumplings:

german dumplings and a liter of beer
Related to Chinese dumplings or just an example of "convergent evolution"?

Also apparent in the above photo is the appropriately-sized glass containing a most glorious liquid. I enjoyed similar glasses at a variety of locations, such as this popular site with a "Chinese Tower":

Chinese-style pagoda at a German beer garden

I did not recall seeing a pagoda quite like that anywhere in China, but the excellent beer (in appropriately-sized glasses) kept me from deeply pondering the issue.

But my focus was not always on the local food and drinks. During one of those moments I saw this display in front of a museum:

large display of Chinese words
The Chinese word "欢迎 "(huānyíng) means "Welcome" in English.

I imagine any visitors from China would have been even more surprised than me to see such a greeting.

Finally, if the above photos are not enough clues, maybe this photo of one of my favorite castles in Europe, Schloss Nymphenburg, will do it:

castle in Germany
Will this castle someday meet the same fate as an Austrian village which has been copied in China?

Ah... München. Many years ago, the city known in English as "Munich" was the first place I visited outside of the U.S. (excluding an hour or two in Canada at Niagara Falls). It remains one of my favorite cities, and I have had the pleasure to visit a number of times. My most recent visit was the only time I arrived from China, so some of the above scenes particularly caught my attention.

However, Munich's art, music, people, food, drinks, and more have typically connected with me in ways that have little or nothing to do with China. As has some of its history. Some of it is a bit too heavy for this post, so I may touch on several assorted topics in the future. For now, I will leave you with a photo of one of my favorite snacks at Munich's Viktualienmarkt:

herring sandwich and liter glass of beer
A delicious herring and onion sandwich

Of course it was accompanied by yet another appropriately-sized glass of beer.

Back to China soon, unless someone needs me to pay another visit to Munich.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Back In Shanghai

Earlier I posted two photos. One was of a scene from the city where I was headed next. And now I am there -- Shanghai. The photo was taken from the popular Qipu Lu Street shopping area.

Here is a photo I took last year of a scene that many who have lived in or visited Shanghai would be more likely to recognize:

Skyscrapers in Shanghai's Lujiazui financial district

I have been rather occupied since returning to this rapidly changing city, so I have not had the opportunity to do any posting until now. More is on the way, including identifying the location of the second photo in the earlier post.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Scenes of China: People in Xining, Qinghai province

In a previous post, I shared photos of taller buildings in Xining, Qinghai province. I have already mentioned a few of the people I met in Xining in my post about several personal experiences of Chinese people being friendly towards me. Now I would like to share some more photos of Xining's people.

The following scenes are meaningful to me not just because they capture everyday Chinese life far away from China's better-known cities, but also because the photos highlight some of Xining's ethnic diversity, such as its Tibetan, Muslim Hui, and of course Han people. As I expressed when I shared some photos of youth in Chengdu, Sichuan province, looking at these photos of ordinary scenes can inspire questions and ideas that are not at all ordinary.

What do you see?

three people on a motorized tricycle cart in Xining, Qinghai, China

two men having a conversation in Xining, Qinghai, China
Chatting at a street market

drink stand on sidewalk in Xining, Qinghai, China
Taking a break

kids playing on a pile of dirt in Xining, Qinghai, China

market in Xining, Qinghai, China

people walking on sidewalk and man standing in his underwear in Xining, Qinghai, China

motorized tricycle cart with large load in Xining, Qinghai, China

people on sidewalk in Xining, Qinghai, China

men drinking tea outside in Xining, Qinghai, China
Drinking tea outside

fortune telling in Xining, Qinghai, China
Fortune telling near a temple

man talking on mobile phone in Xining, Qinghai, China

market scene in Xining, Qinghai, China

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Qingke Highland Barley For Sale in Qinghai

In earlier posts (see here and here), I have referenced qingke (青稞) -- a highland barley which is "the main grain plant for people living on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau". Although I have experienced two of its popular uses, for qingke wine and the traditional Tibetan dish tsampa, I had not seen qingke in a purer form until I met this street vendor today:

man grinding and selling fresh qingke in Xining, China

One could buy the fresh & raw qingke ground or unground (cheaper). I was encouraged to try some, and it had a very crisp and light "green" taste.

Nothing deep here, just interesting to see a bit more of Tibetan culture. For more about qingke and its uses check out the previous two links.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Tibetan Monks, iPhones, and Luxury in China

Yesterday, I visited this mobile phone store in Xining, Qinghai province:

mobile phone store in Xining, Qinghai, China

It included a variety of mobile phone brands commonly seen in China, such as Nokia, Oppo, K-Touch, and Apple. It also included some lesser-known brands, some with curious names such as Samzong. The most remarkable experience I had in the store, though, was meeting these three Tibetan Buddhist monks:

three Tibetan monks, one holding an iPhone, in Xining, Qinghai, China

In the photo one of the monks can be seen holding an iPhone. In fact, all three had iPhones. To be clear, many Chinese could not afford an iPhone. If monks with iPhones come as a surprise, it is worth noting that some of the store's employees appeared to be surprised as well. The monks were in the store so they could upload new apps to their phones. Behind the monks is a computer where for 60 yuan (about U.S. $10) one can purchase a set of apps for either Apple or Android mobile phones.

In various regions of China I have often seen monks using mobile phones. For example, four years ago in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, I had an excellent vegetarian dinner with this (non-Tibetan) Buddhist monk:

Buddhist monk talking on a mobile phone in Yangzhou, China

However his mobile was not an iPhone, and not I do not know for sure whether iPhone usage amongst monks is now widespread (I doubt it).

Although they may not be representative of other Tibetan monks, the three men I met in Xining highlight that more and more people in China have an iPhone. This is obviously a good sign for Apple. But some consumers in China (and elsewhere) are at least partly motivated to buy an iPhone due to a desire for "luxury" items that are fashionable. It will be interesting to see whether the iPhone's more widespread adoption impacts their choices.

Finally, the monks' iPhones were not the only thing that caught my eye:

Tibetan monk holding a DVD of the movie Colombiana in Xining, Qinghai, China
His newly purchased DVD of Colombiana is probably pirated.

iPhones and DVDs of Western movies -- both part of these modern Tibetan monks' lives in Qinghai, China.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Zhengning Street Food Night Market in Lanzhou, China

Entrance from South Yongchang Road to the Zhengning Street Food Night Market

A recent conversation with someone who lives in Lanzhou, Gansu province reminded me of Lanzhou's Zhengning Street Food Night Market (正宁路小吃夜市). While I was exploring another supposed Lanzhou night market (It was identified incorrectly in a guide and was actually just a street with many restaurants), a helpful college student I questioned suggested Zhengning Street. It sounded like it had potential, and it turned out to be one of the better food night markets I have come across in mainland China. The night market includes many of the requisite small food stalls and also has several restaurants lining the street. I happily ate there several times during my time in Lanzhou.

To capture some of the night market's spirit, I will share several scenes. They show just a small sample of the foods available there (warning: could cause intense cravings, although one photo in particular might dampen a few appetites). I recommend exploring its full options if you ever find yourself in Lanzhou. It is a truly "local experience", and you will eat well.

And Dad, happy Father's Day. Sorry I can't send any of this your way to celebrate.

dense crowd at Zhengning Street Night Market in Lanzhou, China

dining alfresco at Zhengning Street Night Market in Lanzhou, China
Dining alfresco at one of the restaurants

food at Zhengning Street Night Market in Lanzhou, China
Pick your noodles and then several toppings

green noodles with toppings at Zhengning Street Night Market in Lanzhou, China
One of my creations (with green noodles of course)

one of the places to eat at Zhengning Street Night Market in Lanzhou, China
One of several noodles places

serving a variety of lamb parts at Zhengning Street Night Market in Lanzhou, China
A variety of lamb parts for your dining pleasure

lamb heads at Zhengning Street Night Market in Lanzhou, China
Plenty of lamb heads are available.

leg of lamb at Zhengning Street Night Market in Lanzhou, China
If a lamb head is not to your liking, maybe a leg of lamb will do.

grilled meat and veggies in bread at Zhengning Street Night Market in Lanzhou, China
There are also options if you like your meat sans bones.

variety of dry nuts and beans at Zhengning Street Night Market in Lanzhou, China
Or there are numerous varieties of beans and nuts to choose from if you want some snacks sans both bones & meat.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Two Scenes, Two Countries

In a few days I expect to leave Qinghai and travel to a very different region of China. I will share a photo to see if any readers can identify the city where I will soon find myself:


Bonus points if you can name the popular shopping area from where I took this photo.

For a another challenge, see if you can identify the location of this scene from a non-Chinese city that I have visited on a number of occasions:


Bonus points if you can guess what I had for lunch after taking this photo. Despite the large red circle being far from China, later I will share some nearby Chinese-related scenes.

Imitation BOMBs in China: Rocket Fuel for the Soul

[Update at end]

Companies such as Apple face challenges in China due to trademark infringement. Given Apple's large profits and relatively high-priced items, it may not seem surprising that some would try to copy or imitate it. But even products that could not be considered "luxury items" in China are not immune.

There are many possible examples illustrating this point, so I will share one that I recently encountered:

bottle of BOMB erguotou alcohol in China

Beneath the word "BOMB" on the label of the 100ml bottle above is "炸弹二锅头酒" -- which translates to "Bomb Erguotou Liquor". Erguotou is a type of baijiu -- in a loose analogy baijiu is to China as what vodka is to Russia. Erguotou is typically quite strong and BOMB is 56% alcohol (112 proof). Erguotou is typically cheaper than other types of baijiu, and the above bottle cost me about US $1 in Xining, Qinghai province.

Before introducing some of its notable competitors to this made-in-Beijing alcohol, it is worth highlighting how BOMB is trying to appeal to a larger audience. Its website at www.bomb9.com (in Chinese "9" sounds like the word for alcohol -- jiu) is part of this attempt. My favorite item available there is a movie-advertisement that combines the spirit of the Terminator, Superman, and other themes. Given its length and the various cultural references included I will not even try to provide a translation (but if someone else does, I will be happy to link to it). I will say that my earlier series of posts beginning with "People Not Helping Accident Victims in China" provides some context for a scene involving an injured older woman. But even without any knowledge of Chinese language or culture, I think one can enjoy the video which I will share here (ironically, the ad may be preceded by an ad):


If the video has not convinced you it is worth splurging $1 on a bottle of BOMB, fear not. Its competitors provide options. Perhaps a bottle of BDWB would be a better choice since I found it for about 17 cents cheaper:

bottle of BDWB erguotou alcohol in China

Although "SI HE YUAN BDWD" is written on the top left of the label, more prominently under the large BDWB is "四合院炸弹二锅头酒" which could be literally translated as "Courtyard Bomb Erguotou Liquor". Most relevant is that it uses the same Chinese word for "bomb" as BOMB. It also claims to be from Beijing, but it has a heftier alcohol percentage of 58%.

If the price is right, but the drink is too strong then maybe the equally priced BOWB would be a better choice:

bottle of BOWB erguotou alcohol in China

The Chinese under BOWB, 炸弹二锅头酒, is an exact copy of the text on the BOMB bottle. But if a weaker liquor is preferable then it "only" having 50% alcohol might be more appealing.

I would not be surprised to later find other similar imitators of BOMB. But unlike the examples involving Apple, I am not sure these imitators could provide any inspiring insights for BOMB. Regardless, the point here is that whether you are selling products worth hundreds and thousands of dollars or you are selling products worth a single dollar, being imitated or copied should come as no surprise in China.

Needless to say, watching the video, writing this post, and my earlier challenges of the week have left me welcoming a proper drink. And that will serve me well for the critical step of taste testing the above drinks to see how they compare. Can the imitators match the quality of the original BOMB?

I'll start with BOMB to serve as the baseline and then try the other while providing some brief comments of my initial impressions. Before I lose the nerve (or gain my senses), here I go:

BOMB -- I think I see as many stars as if I were kicked by a Beijing donkey. I have heard baijiu described as tasting like rocket fuel but I am not sure. I have yet to drink rocket fuel. Anyways, I think this may be the most aptly named drink ever. However, I should say I have tasted worse drinks in China. And better...

BDWB -- Oh my. That certainly felt worse. I swear my eyes are watering. And I do not have words for the taste. And you should probably be thankful for that. I am not sure how I can proceed. But in the name of science I shall press forward even though I may meet a fate similar to that of Clarence Dally.

Here it goes.

OK. Really folks. Do I need to do this? The BDWB made me realize I have no clue what may be in this bottle. Heck, why should I believe even BOMB is any safer than "unusual" baby formula?

Oh yes, in honor of Clarence...

BOWB -- Hey... that honestly went down smoother than the BDWB. Maybe due to the lower alcohol percentage? But the aftertaste is rather peculiar. Maybe the mercury? It should be emphasized that I drank it after the other two drinks. The previous alcohol may be impacting my perceptions. Ideally, I should later try them in counterbalanced orders but... that is not going to happen. Clarence only needs so much honoring.

So my point here? I have forgotten it. I feel fortunate that I spent less than $3 on this entire demonstration. It certainly would have been more expensive if I had bought fake iPhones.

Oh yes. everything can be imitated. Even $1 bottles of BOMB erguotou.


UPDATE: To respond to some questions... No, I did not drink the the full contents of the bottles (or even come close).  I was not interested in ingesting too much of whatever may be in the various liquids. I figured a one-time taste of a small amount would be unlikely to lead to any long-lasting ill effects. The worst part was the initial taste of the BDWB. I was absolutely fine later that night and the next morning.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Back in Service and Photos Revisited

I am happy to say that I have now restored all of the 400+ photos on this blog that had become unavailable (thankfully another ~1000 photos were not affected) due to a recent online calamity. So now instead of this appearing in place of some photos:

Should Picasa use something snazzier?

All photos should properly display like this one:

Kids in Xining, Qinghai province

However if you still notice any problems, please let me know. I have not had a chance to fully explore some remaining issues so again I will refrain for the moment from commenting further about what I have learned.

Since I just unexpectedly had to revisit a variety of posts with photos, I will provide links to a few of the photo-heavier posts. They may be of interest to newer readers who have not seen them or to older readers who may feel inspired to revisit them.

1. From Guangzhou to Zhuhai to Macau -- I describe the various forms of transportation I used to travel between several cities in Southeast China. The Guangzhou South Train Station is a good example of the new "big" architecture that can be found in China.

2. Bailian Dong Park in Zhuhai, Guangdong -- Scenes including a hillside temple and youth rollerskating show some people in China enjoying their free time.

3. A Random Bus Trip to Zhuhai's Nanping -- The results of me taking a random bus led to a variety of interesting discoveries -- including some buildings from a different era and as shared in another post an Android Store.

4. Existential Threat Posed to U.S. by Chinese Tiger Mothers' Continued Relentless Training of Children -- The title says it all. So does that fact that it was written on April 1.

And now I will get back to working on some newer material.