Beijing Today (May 23, 2001)

It’s a good time to visit the other Ming Tombs Page 16

FRIDAY MAY 25 2001

Cui Jian, father of Chinese rock music, is trying his hand at acting.

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NO. 3

By Xiao Rong Beijing has three preconditions for Taiwan before any discussions about joint hosting of the 2008 Olympics, said the vice chairman of the Beijing Olympic Games Bidding Committee.

Jiang Xiaoyu said at a press conference that discussions can only take place with the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee if: 1) Beijing is selected to stage the 2008 Olympics by the International Olympic Committee (IOC); 2) the IOC permits events to be held in another Chinese city be-

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Three Conditions for Cross-Straits Olympic Games sides Beijing. According to current IOC rules, the Olympics can only be held in one city in one country; 3) Beijing and Taiwan must cooperate under the OneChina policy.

“Although it’s too early to consider the possibility of a crossstraits Olympics, some activities, such as cross-straits marathons, have already been jointly held by Beijing Olympic Games Bidding Committee and Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee,” said Jiang.

Jiang was speaking at a party held by Hong Kong supporters of the Beijing Olympic bid.

She has only one duty, that of a teacher.

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The Chinese government declared the end of fixed pricing in the domestic car market on Monday. Although observers believe it is a delayed announcement, they still welcome it. According to their opinions, it is a clear signal, which means that the government has changed its attitude from protection to active supervision. The government hopes that domestic firms will achieve more in taking more market share before the entry to WTO.

DELAYED ANNOUNCEMENT BUT CLEAR SIGNAL

Perfect 100: High Marks for Ufsoft The performance of Ufsoft last Friday at One hundred is a SSE will elevate perfect grade for ChiWang higher on the nese. But for Wang list next year, as his Wenjing, the chairholding of 55.2% Ufman sitting on the soft stock now is board of directors of equivalent to 5 bilBeijing Ufsoft, it took lion yuan ($600 milless than a day to lion). achieve this mark afWang, 36, ter 13 years’ hard together with his work. friend Su Qiqiang, Last Friday, Ufsoft started Beijing UfUfsoft President Wang stock was listed for soft in 1988 as a speWenjing the first day on the cialist in accounting Photo by Cheng Tieliang main board at the and business manShanghai Stock Exchange (SSE). agement software.

Its debut was the focus of the day Now Ufsoft, with its headquarand drew investors. Shortly after ters at Beijing’s Zhongguancun the market opened its afternoon Technology Park, is the biggest session, the SSE 600588 stock accounting and business mansoared up to 100 yuan, equiva- agement software developer and lent to about $12, making Ufsoft the biggest independent software the third public listed company vendor in China. to achieve the 100-yuan mark in Its accounting products have China’s stock history. It also set taken over 40% of the market in a new record by achieving that China and been the biggest playhigh in its very first trading day. er there since 1988.

“Going on the main board is Last year, as most high-tech just a target of a certain phase,” companies sought listing on the said Wang.

Hong Kong and overseas stock“And better is yet to come.” markets, Wang decided to stay Months ago, Wang was listed where he started. in the Forbes World’s Richest.

“We chose to wait for the main With a personal net worth of board, Now you can see that we $60 million, he ranked 41 among were absolutely right,” Wang said the 50 wealthiest men in China. with a smile.

By Song Xiaogang

A salesman waits for customers in the Asian Games Village Auto Market

By Li Zhao/ Duan Xiaodong The Chinese government declared the end of xed pricing in the domestic car market on Monday. Producers, sales agents and market forces will now determine the price. The Chinese media has already begun debating if this overhaul might damage the domestic car industry.

State Planning Committee ofcials said the reform would encourage consumption and competition among domestically-produced cars. In the past, the Chinese car market was under a tight monopoly determined chiey by government purchases and a rigid pricing system. However, the domestic car market has completely shifted in recent years, with individual car purchases surpassing the old government quotas. Car producers and dealers now compete ercely.

With this as the backdrop, the State Planning Committee surrendered its xing role and let prices be determined solely by market forces. It is an unavoidable step in the liberalization and progress of the domestic car industry in preparation for China’s imminent

Photo by Zhuang Jian

WTO entry, analysts say.

However, this announcement can hardly be called a sudden revolutionary act, as the Chinese automobile market has been opening to the market already for several years.

Many producers simply do not submit their prices to the government for approval. The lower band limit was already broken and some analysts believe the policy shift is in effect a delayed announcement, with no likely effects on the market.

But they still praise the policy change, news that conforms with the winds of the times, a positive step for a government. It will encourage producers to sharpen their competitive edge, nudging previously reluctant domestic producers to develop more economical, safer and energy-efcient vehicles for ordinary citizens.

Small capacity, high cost, low protability and high debt producers must take drastic measures. Chinese consumers increasingly follow developments in the international car market, and their appetite for foreign vehicles is almost palpable in the popular auto shows.

Thus consumers have high expectations, but producers and dealers remain more lev-

el-headed. Domestic producers received the end-of-pricing notice on May 10, and most have adopted a “watch-and-wait” attitude towards price cuts.

Typically, they rule out the possibility of an overnight price war, but predict a slow and steady decline of prices, with growing emphasis on “value for money”.

In fact, dealers around the country report calm and stability. In the words of a manager in the Asian Games Village Auto Market, one of Beijing’s prominent car dealing marketplaces, future price cuts will more likely derive from market changes than the “letting-go” policy.

Family Annual Income

By Tian Ye

Number of cars per 10,000 persons

Unit: 1000 yuan

1.2 Million Chickens Slaughtered in Hong Kong

No Virus Detected in Mainland

By Xiao Song

Photo by Li Xin

Heavyweight boxers Evander Holyeld and John Ruiz, read Beijing Today articles about them.

Page 8

China has ordered that all authorities in charge of quarantine, animal epidemic prevention and foreign trade and economic cooperation must keep an eye out for bird flu after an outbreak in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

Vehicles from Hong Kong and Macao must be

disinfected, according to a circular issued by the State General Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Sources with AQSIQ indicate China has not detected any case of the H5N1 bird flu virus.

In a bid to prevent the H5N1 bird flu from mixing with other viruses, the Hong Kong government has ordered all of its 1.2 million chickens and other poultry to be slaughtered after the strain apparently caused the death of hundreds of chickens last week. About 440,000 birds were destroyed including chickens in the retail markets, fresh provision stalls

and in the wholesale markets from last Friday.

Officials at the Exit-Entry Inspection and Quarantine Bureau of Shenzhen, an important channel of live poultry for the Hong Kong market, have denied that the virus originated on the mainland, saying that all the 1.3 million live poultry exported to Hong Kong this year met standards.

EDITOR: LIU FENG DESIGNER: PANG LEI ■Under the auspices of the Information Office of Beijing Municipal Government ■Run by Beijing Youth Daily ■President: Chen Xing ■Editor in Chief: Zhang Yanping ■Executive Deputy Editor in Chief: He Pingping ■Director of the Editorial Department: Liu He ■Deputy Director of Editorial Department: Liu Feng ■Price: 1 yuan per issue ■13 yuan for 3 months ■Address: No.23, Building A, Baijiazhuang Dongli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China ■Zip Code: 100026 ■Telephone/Fax: (010) 6590-2525 ■E-mail: bjtoday@ynet.com ■Hotline for Subscription with Red Cap Company: (010) 6641-6666

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DEVELOPMENT

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First Open-End Fund Emerging in China

MAY 25 2001

EDITOR: LIU FENG DESIGNER: PANG LEI

China Telecom Facing Split Up

By Zhao Hongyi

Mr. Han Fenghe, GM of Hua An Chuang Xin

By Zhao Hongyi China is establishing its first open-end investment fund--Hua An Chuang Xin, according to officials from Hua An Fund Management Co..

Last year, China’s Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) released the “Trial Regulations on Open-End Securities Investment Funds”, which paved the way for a new type of investment to be set up in the country.

Hua An Fund Management Co., the manager of the impending fund, has already spent 20 million yuan in establishing the related technical system in an effort to guarantee a successful and smooth release and long term running of the new fund. Staff training and simulation of the combination running process are also under process.

As to the market conditions, it is estimated that tens of billions of yuan in the financial market are available to purchase the open-end fund.

“The best issuing volume of the new Hua An Chuang Xin will be around 5-8 billion yuan, if we want a reasonable and reliable investment efficiency,” said Mr. Han Fanghe, General Manager of Hua An Fund Management Co..

Possible channels for distribution include direct purchasing by commercial banks, online purchasing via exchanges and booking via commercial banks.

At the very beginning, the annual revenue rate of the new open-end fund is put at 10%-15%, higher than the revenue from state bond in the same period.

The open-end fund is the basic structure of fund management around the world. “Open-End” means that the fund management institutes have the rights and ability to issue new shares and have to purchase back shares of any amount and at any time under the request of its investor.

China Loosing Its Grips on Enterprise Bond Issuing

By Zhao Hongyi China is shifting its governmental role in enterprise bond issuing from the original absolute control and approval in the decision-making process to a supervising and monitoring position practiced globally. The new step also highlights the dynamics and potentials of enterprise bond market in the country.

A new set of “Enterprise Bond Regulations” will be released by the central government in July/ August. The new Regulations stipulate that enterprises can issue bonds for the projects they are preparing, if they fulfill the criteria set out by the Regulations.

The State Economic Planning Committee will no longer carry out any part of the approval process in bond issuing. Instead, the Committee will focus on checking whether or not the enterprise meets the requirements specified in the regulations.

It is believed that the new Regulations will further connect the enterprise’s issuing of bonds and interest rates related to the market demands.

The new Regulations will also identify and classify different grades of credit of the enterprise bonds issued.

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China may split its giant China Telecom into several parts to sharpen the competition in the nations’s telecommunications industry, according to sources at the China Telecommunications Reform Seminar that concluded recently and the Ministry of Information Industry(MII).

There are several draft initiatives under discussion and the final one for enaction will be upon decision by the central government, to be more specifically, the State Council and the Ministry of Information Industry. The manner and timing remained undecided.

The most possible plan would split the state giant into three firms offering local, long distance and data transmission.

Another possible split scenario could see the government step in to separate the telecom network from the telecom business.

Consumers believe that the further reform of China Telecom will bring them benefits.

Photo by Jia Ting

Student Start-ups Search for Prots This was the place where students work in shorts and slippers. These were the corridors which echoed to the lively rhythms of campus slang. When the young entrepreneurs of Xue Yan Mansion met older people, they would instantly address them as “laoshi” (“teacher”). This was Silicon Valley, China-style, the launch pad for a million bright ideas and a dozen or so Tsinghua University start-ups. Today, Wang Ke, 25, is chairman of the board of Asee, a projector company. During the interview, several times he blinked and wondered aloud whether he might be going out of his mind. Only yesterday he stepped off the plane and was back home from Europe. But he is too young and too involved in his work to let a little thing like jet lag worry him.

The company’s main products, he says, are 20,000 yuan high-tech projectors, which can read TV programs. His Qingdao, Shandong province factory produces more than 100 a month. Because it is the newly founded factory, by the end of the year, a couple of 10 thousand is available. “Our sales must better 50 million yuan,” he says. On the plus side, student companies boast high technology and youthful dynamism. But in the minus column, they often fall short of work experience, especially sales.

Asee has already shifted its focus to market development. They need customers from education and government. China’s projector market has foreign companies including Toshiba and Sony. So Wang Ke faces serious competition.

Asee wants to hold the top three prace within just one year. His projectors are not more expensive than other brands, says Wang. “Our products have higher technology.” Two years ago, Wang and partners got the idea for this project.

They received 52.5 million yuan venture capital from a local company. After six months, they received 30 million yuan more from Aucma Group, a Chinese household appliance rm.

In the past two years, the students have trodden a rocky road toward riches. Two years ago, students in Tsinghua gathered in campus tea houses at 8 pm every night to discuss their business plans and dreams. Including Asee, there were 10-30 student start-up companies.

Now almost all of the companies have gone silent or vanished. One voice technology company struggles to break even; an Internet Content Provider is holding out for further investment; another is sold out. For Asee, troubles come in batches. Last year, former CEO Wang Ke surrendered his title and duties to Xu Zhong, an MBA from Tsinghua.

Xu had more convincing business management credentials.

By Yang Xiao Wang Ke, chairman of the Board of Asee.

Photo by Qian Bingge

The third proposal would separate China Telecom into competing north and south branches. But it seems it has already been rejected by most of the experts.

A fixed-line monopoly that owns 80 percent of China’s network capacity, China Telecom is the country’s biggest telecom operator and generates more than half the income of telecom industry. It also controls shares in the fixed-line telecom business, data transmission and Internet access services.

The setting up of Unicom in 1994 symbolized a continuous reform adopted by the central government in an effort to create an environment for competition. In the year of 2000, China Telecom was splitted into four parts. But experts believed that it still monopolizes a great part of telecommunications market of the country, fixed-line telecommunications in particular.

China Telecom presently is preparing for an overseas initial public offering (IPO). But efforts in this regard have slowed. Analysts say that may not happen until next year -- still await government approval.

China Unicom Awards $1.46 billion Critics of the restructuring plans said a brokenup China Telecom would be more vulnerable to foreign competition after China’s expected entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) this year. tems, including base stations, is scheduled to begin in July, and commercial CDMA digital servicIn the CDMA gear contracts, es are expected to be available in there are 10 successful compathe fourth quarter of 2001. nies form 6 teams. Because of An official at Shanghai-listed price and other factors, several Datang Telecom said it would companies including Finland’s supply equipment worth more Nokia, Germany’s Siemens and than 700 million yuan to help Chinese Julong failed. build Unicom’s CDMA infrastrucChina No.2 mobile phone carture in Shaanxi, Anhui and Inner rier China Unicom Group, parent Mongolia provinces. And Zhongxof Hong Kong-listed China Uniing Telecom, which com, said on Mar.15 has listed A shares that it had awardChina Unicom is a listed reserved for Chinese ed 12.1 billion yuan company in Hong Kong. investors, said it’s ($1.46 billion) in equipment would be mobile phone net- In 2000, it got a perfect used in 10 Chinese work equipment achievement due to the provinces including rocket progress in the contracts to 10 forQinghai, Ningxia mainland mobile market. eign and Chinese and Hubei.

It has 12.8 million subcompanies.

China Unicom The contracts to scribers, which is a 22% has set up a new market share in 12 provbuild the networks, company named with a first-phase inces.

Unicom New Space Turnover: HK$23.69 capacity of 15.15 affiliated to the billion +35.8% million subscribEBITDA HK$10.96 bil- CDMA project. The ers, were awarded Group Chairman of to joint ventures lion +68.4% board Yang Xianzu EBITDA rate: 46.2% including Lucent said to reporters (37.3% in 1999) Technologies, MoNet profit HK$3.23 bil- that it would result torola, Nortel Netin a lower impact lion +285% works, and on the stock market.

Ericsson. Chinese He said that somefirms awarded contracts were time in the future the CDMA Shanghai Bell, Zhongxing Teleproject will be listed in the next com, Datang, Huawei, Eastern few years. The general manager Communications, and Jinpeng. for the newly founded company In reality the game has 6 is Wang Yingpei, former GM of main players. They are MotorChina Unicom Yun Nan Province ola, Nortel Networks, Lucent branch.

Technologies, Ericsson, Samsung China currently has only and Zhongxing Telecom. Motoroabout 86 million cell-phone subla and Lucent Technologies are scribers, mostly on GSM netthe biggest winners. They got the works, and some companies contracts that are worth of $400 believe annual growth will be million each, Nortel Networks as high as 30 million lines. Chigot $275 million, Ericsson $200 na Unicom Group said it would million, Shanghai Bell 1.3 billion spend about $8.45 billion over yuan ($157 million), Zhongxing three years to build its CDMA Telecom 800 million yuan ($98 network after the first phase. It million). has a target of 100 million subMotorola will provide the inscribers by 2005, including 40 frastructure for use in 11 provincmillion on CDMA networks. es in China, including in Beijing.

Installation of Motorola’s sysBy Yang Xiao

China Unicom’s Share Perfomance in the Past Three Months

Air China considers overseas stock listing in 2002

By Zhao Hongyi China’s flag carrier, Air China, is considering an overseas stock offer that would be launched in the first half of next year, company officials and underwriting sources said recently in Beijing.

Air China is considering a listing in Hong Kong and New York stock exchanges which would be valued at around $500 million.

Leading investment banks were in Beijing last week pitching to underwrite the deal which

Photo by Fan Jiwen could float up to 35 percent of the company, underwriters said.

The planned listing by Air China follows the announcement last month that China will set up three major airline groups, including one

built around the flag carrier.

“The whole industry restructuring picture has been laid out,’’ said an analyst at a foreign securities firm. “The company just wants to take advantage of this to take a further step. But it is in a very preliminary stage.’’

Analysts said an offer by Air China would benefit from China’s entry to the World Trade Organization, which should boost cargo traffic, as well as from attractive pricing compared with the more expensive shares of other Asian airlines.

13.900 13.200 12.500 11.800 11.100 10.400 9.700 9.000 8.300 7.600 6.900 HK$

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OPPORTUNITIES

MAY 25 2001

E-mail: liufeng@ynet.com

EDITOR: LIU FENG YANG XIAO DESIGNER: PANG LEI

A-SHARE MARKET TO

OPEN

Pacic Insurance Group Seeking to Increase Funds Photo by Cheng Tieliang

Zhongguancun

TO FOREIGN CORPORATIONS High-tech District Entices Venture Capitalists

Companies with a Chinese capital background may have priority to be listed in the market, including Red chip, Blue chip and domestic share corporations

By Zhu Shida

China is considering issuing CDR (Chinese Depository Receipts) for Hong Kong listed companies, said the chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission at a recent seminar in Hong Kong. If decided, this would represent a breakthrough in the opening of China’s capital market.

China is working on the smooth phasing-in of a system to attract overseas investors to the A-share market, said Zhou Xiaochuan. Analysts suggested Hong Kong companies with a Chinese capital background will be selected to go public on the Chinese mainland, including red chip, blue chip and state-owned companies.

Zhou pledged the law will be amended if overseas red chip firms apply to be listed on the mainland. Analysts suggested the Company Law and the Securities Law will also have be revised. Not only red chip companies, but also foreign enterprises will be able to issue A-shares. However, this reform will not occur immediately.

Foreign exchange accounts set up in Zhongguancun, eliminating minimum sum limit of foreign investment

By Zhao Xinpei/ Duan Xiaodong

Photo by Fan Jiwen

New names set to debut an A board.

Pass Document Processing to Be Sped up Mainland ‘Professionals’ could Work in Hong Kong from June 1

By Duan Xiaodong From June 1, mainland Immigration Offices will start issuing pass document papers to mainland “professional talents” employed by Hong Kong organizations. It is reported that the Hong Kong SAR government recently declared that a “Plan for Importing Mainland Professionals” is to take effect from June 1.

According to the relevant officers in the Immigration Bureau of the Public Security Ministry, mainland residents could apply directly for

Hong Kong employment opportunities from the Hong Kong Immigration Office through their prospective Hong Kong employers. If approved, they will then be issued with the admission certificates by the Immigration Office. Consequently, these mainland professionals would then apply for Hong Kong Employment at their local Immigration Office of the Public Security Bureau where their household registration materials are located. Fifteen working days are needed from application to the issue of the certificate.

Largest Car Fair for Shanghai The largest industrial city in China has officially begun the construction of an “international car city”, a unique development zone to attract the world’s top car makers and dealers.

The project, which will take five years to complete, is designed to meet the surging demand for cars by local consumers on the eve of the country’s WTO entry, according to local officials.

The zone, located in Anting Town, Jiading County (home to the Shanghai Volkswagen Co., Ltd.),

will be Asia’s largest car trading and servicing center, covering 60 square kilometers.

The compound will integrate the functions of research, manufacturing, trade and servicing of cars.

Family cars, business vans, parts, and second-hand cars will be traded in the zone, which will provide other services, such as consumer loans, a leasing business, insurance, maintenance and servicing, as well as motorists’ clubs.

(Xinhua)

With disposable income on the rise, more and more families are Photo by Cheng Tieliang opting to buy cars.

As of May, high-tech enterprises in Zhongguancun area will enjoy the same privilege formerly restricted to joint ventures. That is, opening foreign exchange accounts in banks, as long as there is foreign capital coming in. This is another preferential policy recently bestowed on Zhongguancun high-tech enterprises by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. In the words of industry experts, this step equals a “green light” for Zhongguancun’s venture capital investments. Zhongguancun is one of China’s bestknown high-tech industrial zones, located in Haidian District of Northwestern Beijing.

Traditionally, the joint-venture status is a prerequisite for a foreign exchange bank account, (thus enabling the smooth outbound remittance of profits made by foreign capital,) and is acquired only if foreign capital amounts to at least 25 percent of the total investment of an enterprise. Now this barrier no longer exists in Zhongguancun, though for the time being this special treatment only applies to hightech enterprises registered in Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park.

This new policy will allow

Zhongguancun to attract venture capitalists, an official in the Fiscal Department of Zhongguancun Administrative Council told the reporter. As venture capitalists usually restrain their investments to small sums, they normally hold only 5 to 10 percent of the total stocks of an enterprise; without foreign exchange accounts, there is no way for foreign investors to take their share of profits. “While the previous stipulations closed the door to many foreign venture capitalists, the new policy allows greater access,” said the official.

As told by relevant officials, in order to open such accounts, the qualified enterprises should first go to Beijing Foreign Exchange Bureau to fill in the “Foreign Exchange Registration Certificate”; then apply to the Bureau according to the “Domestic Foreign Exchange Account Regulating Provisions”, with the “Foreign Exchange Registration Certificate” and required documents at hand; and finally go to the designated banks to open the account, using the “Foreign Exchange Registration Certificate” and the “Approved Foreign Exchange for Capital Projects by State Administration of Foreign Exchange” issued by Beijing Foreign Exchange Bureau.

Father and Son Landing Media Market An Australian media titan to cooperate with and invest in Chinese media companies

By Yang Xiao

In a few days, Beijing will login its TV international week. The 7 network, the Australian famous media company that successfully broadcast the 27th Olympic Games in 2000, has sent a senior delegation to take part in the exhibition. In the delegation there is a couple of father and son.

The father Kerry Stokes, Executive Chairman of 7 Network, held a meeting with Beijing media on May 22. He said that 7 years ago the company set an Asia branch based in Hong Kong, and has been cooperating with Chinese mainland’s major TV stations such as CCTV, BTV, Shanghai Oriental TV. This has included joint program production and TV program exchanges. “Now we produce TV programs in Beijing and seek better opportunities all through China.” He said he would soon pass the management of the 7 Network to his son, Ryan Stokes.

Young Stokes has great ambitions for the development of the network.

In the next 5 years the company will broaden its operation 10 times both in manpower and in capital. “Currently the 7 Network has only 20 people with limited capital, in the near future things will be different.” Both father and son said if China opened the door to foreign media companies they would consider investing in the Chinese local media companies.

In the meeting, the 7 Network’s parent company WesTrac opened a Chinese branch in Beijing to boost development in the media market.

Stokes senior (above) and heir apparent Ryan Stokes, keen to enter the Chinese market.

Photos by Qiu Binbin

By Zhao Hongyi

The newly formed Pacific Insurance Group is seeking to absorb more funds by listing its own stocks abroad and the share holdings of its overseas counterparts at home.

Preparations for the stock listing are already under way.

“Yes, we have finished the first part of the adjustment, which has created a totally new business group,” said Mr. Chen, deputy director general for public affairs, “ Now, we are starting the second part, which is more important and challenging.”

The short term development objectives initialized by the Pacific Insurance Group include: group listing on overseas stock exchanges to absorb capital and reform its business management, invite its overseas counterparts to jointly own its share holdings so as to learn and practice advanced management skills and technologies, and actively and smoothly enter the global insurance market and participate in global business cooperation and competition.

“At this stage, we are not planning to release a detailed plan or steps. But we are in the process of moving ahead.”

Said Mr. Chen.

Investment Experts Optimistic About Small and Medium Cities

China’s small and medium-sized cities have the potential to attract over 10 billion US dollars in foreign investment annually if these cities become more familiar with international practices of attracting investment, said Farzam Kamalabadi, a U.S. investment expert, on Sunday.

He made the above remark at the on-going “New Century Asia-Pacific CEO Forum” that opened Saturday in Chaohu, a city in east China’s Anhui Province.

He is chairman of Future Trends International Cooperation, an investment consultant organization in the United States, with branches in over 40 countries and regions.

Farzam noted that a number of companies from the United States and Europe have already invested in about 50 small and medium-sized cities in China. “But China has over 2,800 small and mediumsized cities, and foreign companies have little knowledge of them.”

Latest statistics show that nearly 90 percent of overseas investment comes from Asian countries and regions.

Farzam has visited over 400 Chinese cities, and found that efforts to attract investment in some cities amount to little more than a “you come to us” attitude, and some staff have almost no knowledge of foreign matters.

In his eyes, cultural difference is also a hidden obstacle for the work. However he stresses that as China’s cities make improvement in their work, they are sure to attract more foreign investment.

(Xinhua)

CITY

E-mail: lixin@ynet.com

MAY 25 2001

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EDITOR: LI XIN DESIGNER: LI SHI

Judge Reects on Rules of Love and Friendship

By Wei Feng The most often cited reasons for divorce these days are incompatibility and lack of love. However third party involvement and domestic violence have also been seen as major contributing factors since the mid 1980s, according to Judge Liu Zhen, who presides over divorce cases at Beijing’s Xicheng District Courthouse.

As to the attitudes of those involved towards the divorce, the husband and wife often find they get along with each other much better once they have agreed to divorce. Furthermore, disagreements over property and issues concerning their children are becoming increasingly uncommon.

For those who divorce due to emotional or love problems, many still get along well as friends, in marked contrast to how things were in the past.

Xiao Dengfeng, an office worker in the marriage registration section of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, says that the deep changes in recent years reflect the Chinese people’s altered concepts of marriage and family.

Xiao suggests that social progress and economic development is breaking down the old view that the main function of marriage is to produce a male heir to continue the family line, or to simply keep couples together.

These days, quality love is a goal in itself people want to attain.

The husband and wife both emphasize emotional harmony, the happiness of living and greater equality within the family. Once the post-marriage reality and the pre-marriage anticipation are in conflict and there seems no room for compromise, more and more people are choosing to divorce rather than to continue living together unhappily.

Women Watch Over City Photo by Jia Ting

First Female Security Guards Ready for Action

By Su Nan

“Rubbish” Decorates Great Wall

By Su Nan Think twice about discarding that household rubbish! Used plastic bags, foam rubber and tin cans can be recycled to create works of art. On May 17, 1000 ‘environmental protection men’, made from such materials by the well-known German artist HA Schult, were lined up along the Jinshanling Great Wall in Hebei.

62-year-old HA Schult is among the first contemporary artists in Europe to use environmental protection and ecological equilibrium as themes for creation. These 1000 ‘men’ are 1.85m high, and weigh 35kg each. They

“ At ease! Attention! Right turn!” The commands were given in a rather more feminine tone than such words are usually associated with, to 51 young female trainees beneath the scorching sun at the Security Training Center in Tongzhou, 15km from Beijing. The women range in age from 18 to 23 years old, and are from Beijing, Hebei, Jiangsu, Jilin, and other parts of China. This is the second day of a one-month training camp that began on May 19. The training covers many different areas, from safety theories to military training to protocol classes to oral English and beyond. These women are going to be the first female security guards in Beijing, and will work in Wangfujing Street, as Photo by Jia Ting well as various colleges and universities, embassies and other areas after

Photo by Jia Ting

stretch 1.3km along the Great Wall, creating a truly bizarre sight.

The 1000 ‘environmental protection men have been causing a stir since they were first put on the show at the New Arc de Triomphe in Paris, in May 1999, and then in Moscow’s Red Square. The Great Wall of China is the third stop of their world tour exhibition. HA Schult says that a major cause of environmental pollution and loss of resources is the great amount of one-off consumer products our planet’s population uses and discards. He hopes that his artwork will arouse a new protective environmental consciousness in people the world over.

they graduate.

While they were on a break, the reporter asked some of the women why they wanted to be security guards. One of them replied, with a simple and sincere smile, “to be among the first female security guards in the capital, Beijing, I feel so proud and excited, because we are the first!” The others nodded their heads in agreement.

The 2 youngest women in the group are from the Beijing Service and Administration School. They’d rather be security guards than other attractive alternatives. The reporter could not help asking them “why?” They replied, “We would just like to enter a new environment so as to train ourselves and try to enhance our qualities in every aspect.” Their determination and dedication was quite touching. Who says women are not as strong as men?

Cross-Channel Swimmers Set New Record

By Su Nan

At 5:25 p.m. last Saturday, the last 4 of a group of 25 Chinese policemen came ashore at Baishamen beach on Hainan Island to establish a new Gunnies World Record for cross channel swimming in a group. The first to emerge from the water, at 1:12 p.m., was officer Liu Jun, from the riot squad of the Xuanwu branch Bureau of Beijing Public Security.

Early that morning, at 6:23 am, the 25 policemen divided into two teams, and started their swim across Qiongzhou channel from Baishatan

in Guangdong Province. Qiongzhou Channel, the strategic strait separating Hainan Province from the mainland of southern China, has an average width of 29.5km. Altogether there were two policemen from Beijing, including Liu Jun, and three policewomen. The youngest in the group was 19 years old, and the oldest 48.

The 25 swimmers later signed their names on banners supporting Beijing’s bid for the 2008 Olympics in Haikou, the capital of Hainan Province, marking the successful compleLiu Jun tion of their cross channel swim.

New Clinic Treats Fatigue

By Xiao Rong

Photo by Fu Tian

“Gold Street” Goes for Gold Wangfujing Sports Sculptures Exhibition to Boost Beijing Bid

By Duan Xiaodong

Photo by Zhuang Jian

Sports have always been a favorite theme for sculptors, and Beijing’s bid for the 2008 Olympics is providing added inspiration. Last Saturday, a sports sculpture exhibition opened in Wangfujing (Gold Street), one of the city’s busiest commercial centers. Eighty sculptors from 35 fine arts schools and sculpture firms nationwide participated in an earlier contest for sculpture blueprints, and some 100 pieces chosen as finalists are now on show. The upbeat titles such as “Olympic Spirit”, “Striving to be

Better”, “Dragon boat”, “Breathtaking Moment” and “Surpass” combine themes of strength, speed and beauty with the Olympic spirit, and convey the artists’ heartfelt prayers for Beijing’s bidding success.

During the exhibition, two separate awards will be given for outstanding pieces, one chosen by a panel of art experts and the other by the general public. The best pieces will be given homes on Beijing’s main streets after the show, adding a sports flavor to the cityscape, and providing permanent testimonies to the Beijing 2008 Bid. The exhibit runs until June 7.

They are lining up outside the door at Beijing’s first fatigue clinic, open since April in the Beijing Friendship Hospital. Those who line up to register far exceed the expected capacity of the clinic.

Both doctors and patients suggest it necessary to increase the capacity of the clinic. The first of its kind in Beijing, the clinic aims to cure those who suffered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and also the original Chronic Fatigue Disease.

Although the clinic only opens for half a day each week and can only treat 15 patients each time, there are still large numbers that come to the clinic seeking help.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a kind of disease that might be regarded as a symptom of China’s new highly competitive society. Dr. Liu Zhandong of the clinic describes possible symptoms as of the memory loss, low spirits, sweating at night, weight changes and throat and joints that ache in a way which cannot be recovered even after sufficient sleep. About 24% of ordinary people have symptoms of fatigue.

6

VOICE

MAY 25 2001

E-mail: lixin@ynet.com

Whistleblowers Earn Rewards

By Xiao Rong Cash rewards for citizens who blow the whistle on corruption were launched in transitional regulations by Benxi Procuratorate in Liaoning Province last year. According to the regulations, a whistleblower can receive five percent of a verified 10,000-100,000 yuan embezzlement, or 10 percent of a verified 100,000-500,000 yuan swindle.

If over 500,000 yuan, a “special reward” will be given.

With the government encouraging the masses to inform against economic crimes, professional accusers are sprouting up in Benxi, according to the Liaoshen Evening News of April 4.

These whistleblowers, who have a basic understanding of the law, have handed over confirmed written materials with their true names and addresses to local procuratorial organs. These professional accusers have stirred debate.

Ms. Cao, ofcial of Guangdong Provincial Government: In my personal view, whistleblowers are sure to strengthen government punishment of corruption. As consumers, most of us favor Wang Hai, the famous consumer rights advocate who exposes various fakes. Just like Wang Hais, these professional accusers are also enthusiastic

The General Administration for Combatting Embezzlement and Bribery of the People’s Republic of China.

Photo by Mily

Wu Jinglian

SOUNDBITES

EDITOR: LI XIN DESIGNER: LI SHI

‘Greenspan not perfect’

Prof. Wu Jinglian said Alan Greenspan is not always right. He said in an interview with the Shanghai Securities: “In 1996, Greenspan alleged that the stock market at that moment was under the ‘irrational impulsion’ period. However he didn’t take any essential actions. In contrast, he always tries to prevent the stock market from falling. This results in a moral risk. Investors will not fear Photo by Lu Beifeng when the market falls.”

about the country’s development and prosperity.

Through their supervision, embezzlement and misconduct by officials can be greatly reduced.

What’s more, our country’s constitution protects informers against illegal behavior by government.

So the regulation rewarding an accuser from the Supreme and Benxi Procuratorates adds a material and systematic safeguard to our citizen’s rights of making an accusation.

Xiao Dusong, teacher of Changshang No.1 Middle School: I think the objective of the accuser is not important, as long as he or she speaks the truth.

It’s the strong will of the whole society to severely punish corruption.

As a result, any measures

taken to combat embezzlement are advisable. There are also strict and just examination procedures in the procuratorial organs of our country.

All the accusations must undergo thorough investigation.

So we needn’t worry about the possibilities of some people taking revenge in the name of public interest.

A lawyer (requests anonymity): The right to accuse is protected by the constitution, while the abuse of this power to retaliate on others is forbidden. Therefore, those who intentionally distort the facts can also be sanctioned by the law. Actually, for those whistleblowers, the risk of retaliation from the accused is to some extent much more significant than rewards they may receive. So it’s reasonable to compensate them materially.

Moreover, clues offered by a whistleblower can help reduce the high cost of investigations by procuratorial organs. Compared to the tremendous economic losses which the accusers have prevented for the country, the reward is relatively small.

Besides a reward system, it’s also important to protect the safety of whistleblowers and to create a just and open environment for them, so that more people can learn to use the law to fight against illegal action.

Li Ka-shing

‘Excited at New Economy’

Corporate mogul Li Ka-shing, made a speech at an economic salon in the Business School of Shantou University.

“Somebody said that the 3G era would not be coming soon. But I must say, 5,000 people in Japan are using it in the coming weeks. Eleven years ago, when I started to work with IT, I predicted a big future for this industry.”

“What the so-called ‘New Economy’ really means is that in IT times, people can do things more efficiently and earn more money.”

Honesty and Honor: Without Value?

By Xiao Rong Chen Yaowen, who graduated from Tsinghua University nine years ago, advertised for a boss who attaches importance to honesty and honor in employees.

Within one month, more than 20 enterprises from Beijing, Sichuan, Hebei and Shandong in architecture, metallurgy, manufacturing, insurance and culture showed interest in his unusual ad. Chen interviewed with 11 firms, but said none of the bosses truly valued honesty and honor, with capability and creativity more important.

There are different views of Chen’s story: Zhuge Yibing Professor of People’s University: What we can learn about in an interview is the educational background and working experience of a person, by which we can judge his or her basic ability. As to honesty and honor, it’s rather hard to tell at first meeting. Only after a deep understanding can we learn about a person’s moral qualities.

Moreover, there isn’t any credit system in China for us to assess a person’s true character. So in my view, the emphasis on honesty and honor in an interview is more symbolic than practical.

Fu Daobing Vice president of Harbin Normal University: The case reflects a strong desire for a return to morality among young persons in the current market economy. They hope society can create an environment where concepts of honesty and honor can thrive.

Under these circumstances, Chen Yaowen’s advertisement is of unique significance and an inspiration to us all.

PROBE

E-mail: survey@ynet.com

MAY 25 2001

7

EDITOR: LI XIN DESIGNER: LI SHI

Breakdown of Online Activities Web Mail

Weekly Survey

File Transfers Inst. Messaging Chat News Games

March February

Other

Trend of Stock Sector

Ecommerce almost non-existent Apart from the two most popular activities of internet browsing and emailing, the netizens were caught doing some other things online, such as listening to music, watching video programs, chatting and playing games, though each of these activities took up

just a small percentage of the users’ total online time. However the ecommerce that has attracted so much attention and debate, almost failed to make any impact at all.

Share trading and finance channels take off The investigation also revealed that the time spent on visiting share

trading or finance related web sites clearly and sharply increased in March. Possibly this was connected with the opening of the B share market to local people on Feb 28th.

From last December to March this year, the number of visits to share trading or finance related sites increased from 28.3% to 35.4%.

Too many students nearsighted My classmates all laugh at me. I’m the only one who doesn’t wear glasses...

By Wei Feng

By Wei Feng

H

as the latest squeeze on the world’s economy caused any changes to the online activities of Chinese netizens? Recently, an investigation of netizens’ internet activities conducted by Net Value, a well known internet monitoring company, revealed that some new phenomena has begun to emerge in the wake of the bursting of a number of tech sector bubbles.

The findings are the result of a study on the online activities of the netizens at home, by Net Value during the month of March in the four cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Increase in time spent online at home The amount of time spent online by home computer users increased in the four cities during March 2001. The average number of online days rose to 9.6 in March, up from 8.1 days in February and 9 days in January.

Frequent email communication What are the netizens actually doing when they are online? The investigation discovered that the most frequent activity pertained to online browsing and most of the remaining time was spent sending or receiving email.

The time spent by netizens on online browsing amounted to 60.9% of the total. Of all the non-online browsing activities, email accounted for lion’s share with 48.8%.

A recent survey on children’s eyesight by opticians in China’s northern city Harbin uncovered some quite worrying statistics.

Up to 60% of students suffer

It comes so quickly and She’s taking fiercely! the plunge into

cyberspace.

to some degree from nearsightedness, the number of middle school students affected is higher than that of primary school students, and students at key senior high schools are more likely to be affected than those at ordinary ones.

Men cautious on marriage All the girls like him.

He has a good heart.

No, I have to take care of my mother.

What about me? I have a good job, money...

By Wei Feng

Picture By Lao Du Table By Tian Ye

A survey conducted in Tianjin Municipality shows that men are much more choosy about the occupation or profession of their prospective spouse than women. Teachers or medical personnel were the most popular choices of men.

However women were found to be much less picky.

When asked, “What is the occupation or profession of your

ideal spouse?” 78% of men listed teachers, and 66% said medical personnel. Office workers rated a mention by only 21%, while the least favorable choice, perhaps revealing just a touch of insecurity in those polled, were women who owned their own businesses, favored by only 2%.

Women on the other hand seemed to care less about the occupation or profession of their spouses. 55% said if he is a good man, the job is of secondary consideration.

8

FOCUS

MAY 25 2001

E-mail: lixin@ynet.com A taste of America in Outback Steakhouse.

By Chu Peng

EDITOR:LI XIN DESIGNER:PANG LEI

Don King, admirer of Chairman Mao, visits the former leader’s Memorial Hall

City and the mausoleum where Chairman Mao’s embalmed body lies are among the sights King, Holyfield, Ruiz and their entourage visited during their six-day visit to the Chinese capital.

At the Great Wall last Friday, Holyfield jumped onto a stone parapet, stripped off his shirt and flexed his muscles for photographers.

Of course, he had the excuse that it was a hot day, but regardless, tourists from home and abroad were delighted by the exhibition and the opportunity to snap a few pictures of the famous boxer.

Wherever they went, promoter Don King always seemed to steal the limelight. When they visited the Forbidden City, it was King in his yellow and green silk suit who was photographed chatting with a little girl.

Holyfield and Ruiz at times looked a little bewildered by it all. Bodyguards even escorted Holyfield to the washroom. A couple of grayuniformed policewomen finally stopped them from entering the Taihe temple, explaining that it was overcrowded. Although they were unable to see all the sights in the Forbidden City, they were happy to be there, and as they were about to leave, Don King waved to a crowd of Chinese tourists, receiving warm replies.

Photos by Wei Tong

Don King in Chinese Correspondent’s Eyes

For many years, Chinese people have not regarded boxing as a healthy sporting event. Many take the view that boxing can cause permanent brain damage. The sport is also associated with “bloodlust”, conjuring up images of bloodied noses, people being knocked out, and so on. But things seem to be changing, especially since “Melee in China” erupted the moment boxing promoter Don King, and boxers Evander Holyfield and John Ruiz stepped off the plane in Beijing.

Don King is probably the most powerful figure in the world of boxing, even though he is not a boxer. His electro-shocked hairstyle, infectious smile, booming laugh and inimitable vocabulary have made him universally famous. His career as a promoter spans three decades, and includes more than 500 world-championship fights, one of the most memorable being the “Rumble in the Jungle” in Zaire between boxing legends Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in 1974.

King is known as a ruthless promoter who focuses on the “spectacle” of the fight and never signs an agreement that won’t make money for him and everyone involved. From the time a contract is signed, Mr. King creates tension between the fighters and uses the sports press to generate public interest in the fight, which translates to box office ticket sales. Those in the boxing field have said that all Mr. King needs is two fighters, and he stages the rest.

Last week, Don King came to China, a country he has admired for many years, to inspect Beijing’s Capital Stadium, the planned venue for this August’s title fight between Holyfield and Ruiz, the WBA gold belt holder.

Two boxers not enough

Promoter Don King plans to make the August 5 fight an even bigger spectacle. At the news conference, he announced that heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman will fight Denmark’s Brian Nielsen on the undercard to the HolyfieldRuiz bout.

Although a pending lawsuit between Rahman and Mike Tyson might yet upset this plan, Don King doesn’t see any question, “the lawsuit is the American way, the DKP has the best lawyer to handle this. The victory will be ours and the pleasure will bestow to the dear Chinese people.”

The traveling party’s visit to Outback Steakhouse On Sunday (May 20) Don King and the two boxers visited the Worker’s Stadium, a 100,000-seat venue that will be used in the 2008 Olympics, if Beijing’s bid is successful. After that, the party were treated to a pre-grand-opening lunch visit to Beijing’s first Outback Steakhouse, a distinctly American-flavor restaurant.

Seeing Don King, Holyfield and Ruiz tucking into generous helpings of fried onion rings and chicken wings, the Chinese reporters seemed to understand why so many American friends are overweight! Finally King and his boxers visited

Besieged by journalists at the airport Wide-eyed policewomen stood on tiptoes to ogle Evander Holyfield’s muscles. Burly bodyguards held back frenzied reporters as King yelled praise for revolutionary leader Mao Tsetung. China is getting into the fight game.

At the VIP arrivals hall of Beijing’s Capital Airport, hundreds of journalists besieged King and his guests with a barrage of questions. This time, boxing took a backseat to the show.

King shouted, “I’m very delighted to have the great opportunity to be in the great People’s Republic of China.”

He went even further, declaring that standing on the soil of China, he felt like he was coming home. The 69-year-old King has mastered some Chinese expressions, and was happy to show off his Chinese at every opportunity.

China in the Fight Game as Don King Visits Beijing the offices of the Great Wall International Sports and Media Company, the Chinese host and partner of the Aug 5 boxing event. On this day, King also did an interview with CCTV.

Sell-out press conference

King with full esteem

The outspoken boxing promoter, always the center of attention with his frenetic way of speaking and thundering voice, was speechless Saturday in the hall honoring his longtime hero, Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Tse-tung.

With heavyweight boxing “You’re not a hero until you’ve climbed the Great champions Evander Holyfield and Wall.” Don King confirms his “Hero” status.

John Ruiz in tow, King gazed silently for several minutes at Mao’s embalmed body. Then he shook his head, muttering: “what a powerful man.”

Chinese tourists gawked as King, in a yellow-green silk Chinese shirt, with his silver hair standing upright, strode out of Mao’s stone-pillared mausoleum with the two boxers. “I’m just honored to be in his presence,” King said. “He still lives. His work, liberating China, establishing a new China. I’m just honored.”

As King spoke, Holyfield got a quick lesson in cross-cultural communication. When a vendor at an outdoor stall handed him a small Mao portrait, the boxer held it aloft like a title belt. But when he tried to walk away with it, the man yelled. An interpreter rushed over to help. The vendor demanded money. “I thought he had given it to me,” Holyfield responded.

On the Great Wall, Holyeld shows his muscle

The Great Wall, the Forbidden

A pleasant Beijing journey

The formal press conference for the historic August 5 fight was held at 4 pm, May 21. In a large and luxurious ballroom at the Beijing Hotel, nearly 1,000 Chinese media reporters jostled for a view of King, Holyfield, Ruiz and a host of Chinese dignitaries, including Beijing Vice Major and the president of the China Charity Federation, who announced that the three famous American guests had been named goodwill ambassadors to China. Members of the Chinese Olympic Committee were also in attendance, and expressed their delight that such a world-class boxing event was to be held in Beijing.

Holyfield wants to enjoy the scenery, but for many of the tourists, he is the scenery!

Don’t ask what China can do for me

“Don’t ask what China can do for me. Ask me what I can do for China”, was King’s standard response when asked how much he would make from this fight.

With the help of Don King, boxing is gaining in popularity in China. Nowadays, many local TV stations regularly screen boxing on weekends. Despite the fact that the level of professional boxing in China is very low, more and more people here are heading for the gym to practice the “noble art”, for fitness, health, and, of course, for fun.

Don King’s Itinerary From 16th to 21st of May, American boxing promoter Don King and heavyweights Evander Holyfield and John Ruiz visited Beijing in preparation for the much-hyped RuizHolyfield bout III scheduled for August 5 this year. At the official press conference, King said, “We together are creating the history -- the first heavyweight championship fight in five thousand years of the great People’s Republic of China.”

During the six days they spent here, Don King and his entourage visited the following sites which interested the guests

both professionally and personally as their main itinerary: May 17, Capital Gymnasium; May 18, Badaling section of The Great Wall, Tiananmen Square; May 19, Chairman Mao’s Memorial Hall, the Forbidden City; May 20, Worker’s Stadium, Outback Steakhouse, Great Wall International Sports and Media Company.

Our Beijing Today correspondent has the details of this landmark visit.

FACE

E-mail: zhangxiaoxia@ynet.com

MAY 25. 2001

9

EDITOR: ZHANG XIAOXIA DESIGNER: LI SHI

②

By Zhao Xia You might think any teacher should teach from the heart, for it is often the attraction of a stable job and regular income that draw most people into the profession. This is a story of a woman who had only one vision: to give children of poor migrant families a chance for the most basic education. She fought against the odds of losing her family, and refused to make more money elsewhere. She felt she only had one duty, that of a teacher.

This teacher is Li Sumei, 40 years old, from Xi County of Henan province. She now occupies the Principal’s Office of her own school, even though the office has no windows. Her school caters for children of pre-school-age, elementary and junior high students, all of who are from low-income, migrant families. It is the biggest school of its kind in Beijing with 1976 students.

I felt curious, while nervous to meet such a woman. The only thing that stifled my excitement was the thick dust swirling around the alleys near her school. I passed rows of crumbling red tiled buildings, some of which are local stores, others simple dwellings. Li’s school sits right next to a huge pile of garbage. My senses are relieved when I see a group of happy elementary school pupils running around in the playground in bright, red uniforms. Little did I know it then, but this juxtaposition of garbage and laughter was to symbolize my overall impression of Li and her school.

The Stakes: Husband and Daughter Abandoning a steady profession in her hometown, then giving up a good opportunity for better income in Beijing, finally becoming a teacher for migrant children, without the recognition of the State Education Commission and without a steady salary. Does not Li Sumei realize this is a huge risk?

In 1982, Li had a chance to attend the entrance examination for university. With only two years’ preparation and due to her insufficient level of English, she failed. Her luck changed in 1984 however when she was recruited as a teacher at a non-state school, after which she met and married her present husband, Mr. Yi. Since this school was not recognized by the state, the teachers receive a much lower salary. In order to qualify as a teacher in a state-run school, Li would start studying everyday at 4am, eventually climbing into bed around midnight.

The tragedy was that although her hard study paid off, earning her a high score in the exam, she was still rejected for teaching in a state-run school. Li describes this moment as the ‘most miserable in my life’.

After such a blow, she looked closely at her seven-year-old daughter, and decided to set out to make her fortune in Beijing.

She had not reckoned however on her husband’s strong opposition to such a decision. A traditional gentleman refusing to wear western dress until just last year, he thought no good would come of a woman trying to make her way alone in the capital. He even threatened divorce and denial of access to their daughter, but Li managed to win a year to prove to him as well as to herself that she

could do it. And so did Beijing .

School Sprouts from Vegetable Field When she arrived in Beijing, Li initially sold vegetables at a market. One day one of her relatives asked her if she would teach his nine-year-old son.

This relative could not afford the fees for a regular school, and did not want his son to face an illiterate future, as he himself had to live in an illiterate present. Li says: “ I was shocked by his words.

Yes, there are too many illiterate people in our generation and there are many tragedies because of this lack of education. It is a teacher’s responsibility to teach the younger generation, no matter where they come from. Teaching is a noble profession in my husband’s eyes, so finally, he accepted my choice and two years later, he came to help me.”

After giving up a more lucrative job as a saleswoman, earning 700 RMB a month, Li started her first little school in 1994. She had a vegetable field for her first classroom, which was filled with nine children of her relatives. She received 40 RMB from each student every month. Gradually more and more parents unable to afford regular tuition fees sent their children to her. As we are talking, Li dreamily gazes out through the door, as if she can still see the children’s smiling faces amid the vegetables.

Laughter Amidst the Garbage One thing that constantly struck me during my visit to Li’s school was the cheerfulness and fun of the students.

Despite studying in such harsh physical conditions, with uncertain prospects for the future, the students seem happy and motivated. Some were enthusiastically reciting a text from their teacher’s lead, others charging around outside in a physical education class. As hard as I tried, I could not see any difference between them and students at regular schools.

Li’s school does everything it can to care for each child’s welfare in the broadest sense.

Teachers ensure that all students are met by their parents

ucated parents are to blame.

The school provides a dining room for the students, but many still just eat instant noodles. In her spare time, Li attends classes on nutrition so she can raise general health levels among her students.

A School on the Move The sense of uncertainty over the students’ future was only intensified when they had to leave the vegetable field in 1997. As Li had no idea of where to go next, she only informed the students on the day before they were due to leave. She remembers that she told them if no classroom was found within a week, “we will have to say goodbye to each other.” She describes the scene in the following way: “With these words, none of the students left school after the last class. They just sat there, touched their desks and chairs, turned over their books again and again, some burst into tears. The next morning, students and their parents came to ‘school’, all in utter desperation. During that time, there was only one question on the students’ lips, ‘How long can we stay here, Mrs. Li?’” One parent admired Li and her work so much, that she gave up a successful business near Qianmen to move closer to the school. She arrived at the vegetable field with her boys, finding only vegetables and no school. After a few days of persistently asking after the school, she soon found it. Wherever the school moved after that, she would follow.

Photos by Jia Ting

③

④ after school, or safely get on the bus home. On one occasion, due to a misunderstanding between the two parents of a student, neither one came to meet him after school. The only solution was for the student to stay with his teacher that night. Li is determined to make her students feel as happy and safe as any others.

A further problem that Li’s students face is undernourishment. She found that they are too thin and shorter and weaker than an average child of the same age. The usual culprits of low living standards and uned-

①

① Under the same blue sky, we are as happy as others. ②Li Sumei takes care of her students with heart, like a loving mother. ③Everyday, when school lets out, Li would see off her pupils. ④It is the happiest time for students when they attend Li’s class. ⑤This is the only faint light that comes through the only window up the door in office.

⑤

A School Facing the Bulldozer Li has been at the present site for four years now. She recalls the derelict state of the school when they first arrived.

She describes it as “an obstacle course, with a courtyard covered in weeds up to our necks, and only the shells of ten rooms.” The students and teachers worked together to hack the weeds away, clean up the existing classrooms and finally build another six rooms themselves.

Li’s voice wavered slightly as she told me that the school would be torn down soon.

The students and teachers have grown emotionally attached to the school despite the terrible conditions. The classrooms are too hot in summer and too cold in winter, and basins are needed to catch the rain. Looking up at the roof my mind is taken back to the Chinese countryside of the 1970s, as I see ten-meter chimneys dancing across the rooftops cutting a diagonal line against the sky. These go some way to relieving the students of the terrible winter cold. The students can count themselves luckier than the teachers, in that the classrooms at least have windows, a luxury not available to the teachers in their offices.

No Social Support, No School The widespread feeling among students and teachers is that unless society lends a supporting hand, these schools will eventually flounder. From 1994 onwards, Li’s school has received support from many organizations, such as the State Council, Beijing television station, the Hua Sheng Newspaper, Beijing Normal University, Capital Normal University, Chinese Youth Political College.

Financial donations also come from overseas Chinese, some associations and even individual persons, amounting to more than 500,000 RMB in total.

The school needs still more funds to be able to qualify for status as a regular school. The familiar problem looms once again: this new site will soon be demolished. Li finally expresses her hope for the future, as she contemplates further uncertainty over the new location of her school.

“There are almost 200 schools like mine in Beijing.

What I hope is that this kind of individually-run school will disappear in the future, and all migrant children in Beijing from lower-income families could attend regular local schools.”

Whatever the outcome, Li says nothing can take away the satisfaction of seeing even a few poor children taking part in the essential process of education.

While the appalling surroundings of the school were striking enough, what struck me more was that even in this new money-grabbing, competitive society, there is still someone out there who listens to her heart.

We are interested in reporting common people, their stories, their feelings. If you have any personal experiences or you know someone who have such experiences, please contact us.

We would like to help you if you have any trouble, we would like to share your happiness if you are cheerful.

Our E-mail Address is : portrait@ ynet.com Our Fax Number is: (010) 65902525

10

LEGACY

MAY 25. 2001

E-mail: zhangxiaoxia@ynet.com

Mad Rush for Calligraphy

By Miao Yajie History unveiled itself more vividly than ever in Beijing this spring. News items about the Imperial City have caused great sensation one after the other, old customs suspended for decades were revived, fair performances of yesteryear kicked off again at the Badachu Park, and now the temple fair at the Yao Wang Temple. Yao Wang, literally the Medicine King, refers to Sun Simiao (581-682), a medical scientist of the Tang Dynasty. His priceless Vital Prescriptions compiled in 652 are a medical compendium of diagnoses and over 5,000 prescriptions, and systematically summarize the medical achievements of his time. Sun was held in high esteem for he refused to accept the high office and fat salary granted by the emperors of the Sui and

Tang Dynasties and lived humbly to serve the common people. Temples in memory of him were built around the country. The temple holding the fair from May 18th to 20th ( 26th to 28th of the fourth month of the lunar calendar) is

EDITOR: ZHANG XIAOXIA DESIGNER: LI SHI

By Zhao Xia In Chinese characters, “Fu” is a symbolic word, which can bring people happiness and good luck.

In the garden of Gong Wang Fu (home to the Emperors’ sons during the Qing Dynasty) to the west of Shi Chahai in Beijing, there is a stone tablet with the Chinese character “Fu” on it, written by Kang Xi, an emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Using this tablet as in-

the only one to have survived among the five Yao Wang temples in Beijing. It is located in Kandan Village, Fengtai District. Boasting a history of over 400 years, it attracted a reasonably large number of worshippers and pilgrims

for any visitor. According to historical research, the reason this stone tablet is so valuable is not because of the “ Fu” character itself, but the signature with Kang Xi’s imperial jade seal on it. The seal is especially significant since the jade seals of all the Qing dynasty emperors, except that of Kang Xi, are part of a collection in the Imperial Palace. The Kang Xi seal was said to have been lost when Yuan Shikai declared him-

Performers of the Fair Photo by Cui Jun ple came to the fair on the first day,” said Ms. Xu Wanping from the Temple Fair Office. More than 30 well-known doctors of Chinese medicine were at the site during the three days of the fair, and the in the folk artists who performed lion Ming and Qing Dy- dances or wheelbarrow dances 30 nasties. For over 200 years in the years ago reappeared for the old southwestern area of Beijing, the and new audience. “ Many elderannual temple fair on the 28th ly people who attended the fair of the fourth month of the lunar some 30 years ago were very hapcalendar was one of the grand py to recognize those performers.” events with famous doctors diag- Ms. Xu said. nosing on the spot.

The renovation of the temple After a period of over 30 years was completed recently with suspension, is the temple fair the funds from the Fengtai District same spectacular occasion as it government. The total amount was before? The numbers speak was reported to be nearly 2.7 milfor themselves. “About 4,000 peo- lion yuan.

Furniture Finally Considered an Art Form

By Miao Yajie “Simplicity, purity, clumsiness”, these are the basic characteristics of Chinese classic furniture as described by Wang Shixiang, a leading expert in the field. These can be amplified to include dignity, massiveness, wholeness, and stillness.

Classic furniture has only relatively recently made it into the grand halls of high culture.

Traditionally, the Chinese arts consisted strictly of poetry, calligraphy, whereas furniture was merely considered as craft, far from inclusion in the aesthetic canon. Until comparatively modern times in China, there appears even to have been no generic term for furniture.

Ironically it was a European who helped Chinese classic furniture make the leap from craft to art. Only when Dr. Gustav Ecke (1896-1971), from Germany, published his book “Chinese

Furniture of Ming Dynasty Domestic Furniture “ in 1944 did furniture became the focus of scholarly research and real aesthetic interest.

To the youngsters who are surrounded by western style furniture from birth, the following fact might be quite surprising, though not everybody agrees.

That is: comfort does not always

Photo by Miao Yajie

give way to solemnity in Chinese furniture. “Some of the Ming chairs were scientifically designed to conform to the back curves of the human body. An angel of 100-105 degrees at the back of a chair and 3-5 degrees on the rattan base when under pressure, are just like the angles of the leather seats in some luxu-

rious sedans,” explained Mr. Hu Desheng, assistant researcher on Chinese classic furniture at the Palace Museum.

To the enthusiasts of Chinese furniture, more precious is the sense of humanism it conveys.

The function of furniture is not only practical, it is also for decoration. It provides people a living space with a cultural richness.

“Furniture expresses the concept of living of the Chinese people,” said Mr. Ma Weidu, collector of Chinese classic furniture, and the owner of China’s first private furniture museum, Guan Fu Classic Art Museum in Beijing.

Is it too extravagant to use these antiques in the daily operation of the company? The answer from him is a definite “no”. “We Chinese should treat our own culture with respect, we should love our own culture sincerely. We’ve lost so much of our traditional culture, we cannot afford to lose more.” Ma said.

Calligraphy of the Kang Xi Emperor spiration, many replica souvenirs were made, such as hanging scrolls, or plaques made of wood or metal. The smallest one was priced at 30 yuan, with the biggest one costing as much as 260 yuan. The team who run the garden were astounded to find that over the seven days of Labour Day holiday, all of these souvenirs were completely sold out.

No one knows the derivation of this stone tablet inscribed with “Fu”. It was found in Miyun hole, which lies under Dicui rock, fanning out to east and west alike, similar to a bat with spread wings. Legend has it that a celestial being is hidden in the hole.

Besides its romantic history, the stone tablet lies in the central axial trace of the garden. Therefore, it is the focus of this garden

Photo by Chen Shuyi

self emperor.

In the Qing Dynasty, over Spring Festival, the emperors would inscribe calligraphy in the form of “Fu” and “Shou” (meaning ‘longevity’) as a gift to maharajas and ministers so that the receiver would be lucky and happy the following year. It was said that although Kang Xi did not often practise this ritual, some ministers still received calligraphy from him. Taking a closer look at “Fu” on the stone tablet, we find the top right corner is like “Duo” (a Chinese character meaning more), under it is “Tian” (meaning field), while the left side is like “Zi” (meaning child). By Chinese tradition, if a person has more fields and more children, he is the luckiest one. “Fu” here is precisely a symbol of this meaning.

E-mail: zhangxiaoxia@ynet.com

CHAPTER

MAY 25. 2001 EDITOR: ZHANG XIAOXIA

11

DESIGNER: LI SHI

Part of the First Chapter

By Mo Yan

Greatness Not to Be Overwhelmed

By Li Jingze Sandal Penalty is a great book.

I know quite well the meaning of greatness and refuse to use it in the introduction of living Chinese writers. But for Mo Yan, I feel the word greatness could not prevail over his work Sandal Penalty.

The first sentence of the work is not attractive: “In the morning that day, unexpectedly my father-in-law Zhao Jia will die seven days later in my hands.”

This sentence is very similar as that of another book Solitude of Hundreds of Years. We know it and so does Mo Yan himself. But Mo still begins his book this way, in order to expose his blood relations with mystical realism.

With this beginning he gives his greetings to Malcols and also says good-bye to him. From the second sentence to the last word of his book, Mo retreats far back to his hometown Gaomi in an astonishing scale and a revolutionary thorough way, back to the ears and lips of the Chinese people and back to our ancient and native great traditional horizon.

Sandal Penalty is the story of the 21st century. Its publication demonstrates a symmetrical beauty of history.

The 20th century was a modernization century of the Chinese novels. We have learnt how to think and to narrate and learnt experiences through practice, against a global background. But we have paid for all these happily and painfully. We have cut off our roots, rid our traditions and silenced the sounds, which reverberated constantly for hundreds of thousands of years.

But Sandal Penalty symbolizes an important reversion. With the same global background, we want to continue our roots, carry forward our traditions and better our everlasting cultural features.

In the morning that day, unexpectedly my father-in-law Zhao Jia will die seven days later in my hands. He will die better as a loyal dog. Beyond my expected, I, a woman, can kill my own father-in-law.

He becomes my father-in-law half a year ago. He is really a brutal butcher. Wearing a skullcap with a red tassel, a long gown and a wastes-vest and having a string of beads in his hands, he walks here and there, like a retired deputy director of a government bureau and also like an elderly gentleman with many grandsons and granddaughters. But he is neither a deputy director nor an elderly gentleman.

He is a chief butcher of the Ministry of Justice in the capital city. He is the well-known No. 1 butcher of the Qing Dynasty. He knows quite well about all kinds of cruel tortures of different historical stages.

He not only uses them and also develops them and innovates new ones. He works on this position for 40 years. The people he has killed are more than the watermelons Gaomi County grows a year.

In the night I couldn’t fall asleep and toss one side to another on the bed because my father Sun Bing is arrested and put into cell by the domineering county governor Qian Ding. He is wrong, but he is still my father. I am vexed and couldn’t fall asleep. The much I am vexed, the more difficult for me to fall asleep. I hear the meat dogs in the shed cry and the fat pigs too. But the dogs cry like pigs and the pigs cry like dogs. They make great noise in the eve of their deaths. But the dogs are still the dogs and the pigs are still the pigs disregarding the tones they cry in. The father is still the father disregarding he is not loved by his son. I am tired of the cries of the dogs and pigs. They know they will be killed soon, so does my father. These animals are more sensitive than human beings and smell the diffused blood in the courtyard of my family and see the spirits of dogs and pigs loafing about under the moonlights. They know they will be killed in tomorrow morning before the sun rises. They cry and wail before their deaths. My father, what’s about you? In the cell, do you cry like these dogs and pigs? Or do you sing in a mew-like tune? I am told in the cell for the condemned prisoners there are so many fleas that if you extend your hand you can catch a handful of them. Also the bedbugs in the cell are as big as the peas. You, my father, have peaceful days before that. Unexpectedly, a rock fell down from the sky drops on your head and brings you to the cell for the condemned prisoners. My father....

The knife withdrawn from the body is covered with blood. My husband Zhao Xiaojia is well known as a good butcher of domestic animals in Gaomi County. He is tall and strong, with a half bald and a bare low jaw. During the daytime he is in a daze and in the nights he is like a log. Since our marriage, he tells me time and again the story about the tiger’s feelers he knows from his mother. One day somebody teaches him. One night, he asks for a twisted, golden tiger’s feeler. With it in his mouth he can see clearly the nature of others. He is so silly, like a dissolved air bladder. I can do nothing about him. I have to find one for him. With it he huddles himself up on the bed. He snores and speaks in his dream, “Dad, Dad, have a look of it....” I am tired of him and give him a kick. He draws his body back and tosses from one side to another.

He makes clicks as he swallows down some food. In minutes he speaks something in his dream and snores and grits his teeth again. To such a simple but honest person, I have to let him alone.

I sit against the cold wall. From the windows, I see the outside the land is so bright under the water-like moonlights. The eyes of the dog in the shed like a pair of green small lanterns. One pair, two pairs, three pairs ... cover far and wide and all glister. The lonely autumn insects cry miserably. The person who sounds the night watches wears a pair of oil-polished boots with a wooden sole. His boots make big noises when he steps on the flagstone road. His gong sounds show that it is in the depths of the night already. All the people in the city fall asleep, but I can’t, so do the pigs, dogs and my father. ......

Illustrations from Sandal Penalty, The Writers Publishing House.

Dialogue with Mo Yan

Q: The publication of Sandal Penalty has caused great reactions among readers and critics. What do you want to express through your book?

A: I want to write about a certain kind of sound. After I grew up I went back to my hometown. Sometimes I heard some mew-like sounds and the sounds from running railway trains on the railway stations and in the squares. Such sounds make all sorts of feelings well up in my heart and make me recall what happened in my childhood. As early as a dozen years ago, I believed such sounds would eventually become a novel in my heart. In my hometown there is an opera troupe. Its head is Sun Bing in my novel. He led local people to fight against the German invaders. Certainly, their fights are stupid in modern viewpoints. Sun Bing is a farmer and head of a local opera troupe. He is very simple. The construction of the Jiaozhou-Jinan Railway line will change the living traditions of Sun and the people in his village because the railway will pass through the graveyard of their ancestors. Their unwillingness and opposition bring about a revolt.

Q: Now you live in a city, does the city life influence your writing?

A: I was born into a farmer family and lived in rural areas for 20 years. Later I came and settled down in the biggest city. I feel all the people have their own cities in their minds. Even the city in my book is different with that in others’ minds, the hometown in my book is a spiritual hometown and the city in my book is a spiritual city too.

Q: You don’t have such restrains while writing Sandal Penalty, do you?

A: I disregarded these restrains while writing this book. I wrote what I wanted to. I couldn’t write my hometown in an impractical way, disregarding whether others are interested or not, because it involves the most profound things, the railway train and the mewlike sounds, in my mind. I wrote this book with high proficiency. Exactly, my writing opposes the elegant middle capitalist writing style.

What is Sandal Penalty

Sandal Penalty is a cruel capital punishment in the Chinese ancient legend. The executioner is to thrust a sandal stick, 1.6m long and 1.6 cm, wide into the anus of the victim until he dies.

12

SPOTLIGHT

MAY 25. 2001

E-mail: zhangxiaoxia@ynet.com

EDITOR: ZHANG XIAOXIA

DESIGNER: LI SHI

Shaolin Leap from Temple to Stage

By Yi He “Supporting a body with two fingers, smashing iron bars with their heads, slicing cabbages on their tummies” are among some of the incredible Kung Fu routines from the performance “Shaolin Warriors” by the monks from Shaolin Temple. They will perform at the Theatre of Chinese Minorities Cultural Palace from May 29 to June 3.

In the 1980’s, the film “Shaolin Temple” was shown across China and became an instant hit. People got a glimpse into the mysterious world of the Shaolin monks’ temple life. This time, Kung Fu dating back 1,500 years will appear on a modern stage combined with choreography, traditional Chinese music and lighting effects. The performance is divided into four sections, mirroring the four seasons of Buddhist monks’ life cycle.

“In order to deepen apprecia-

In “My Brothers and Sisters”, Qi is giving a lecture.

Photo provided by Chen Jinli

By Zhu Lin Cui Jian, father of Chinese rock music, has tried his hand at acting. In the movie “My Brothers and Sisters”, which will be shown in Beijing this July, he appears as a music teacher in a small Chinese town. The movie premiered on May 13.

In 1986, at the “One Hundred Singers’ Concert” for the International Peace Year held in Beijing Workers’ Stadium, Cui leapt onto the stage with a shabby guitar.

Once the sounds of “Having Nothing” got pumping, the first Chinese rock star was born amidst hysterical applause and screams for encores.

Ever since then, Cui became the hero of Chinese rock music fans. His music expressed young people’s confusion and desire in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. To many of them, Cui was their spokesman. His most popular releases such as “New Expedition” and “The Egg under the Red Flag”, accompanied the young

fans on their journey through adolescence to adulthood.

Now in the movie, Cui appears with a brand-new image in the role of Qi. The story of “My Brothers and Sisters” happens in the early 1970’s, in China’s Northeastern provinces. Mr. Qi, with a happy family of four children, is forced to resign his job during the Cultural Revolution. One day, as he is taking his sick wife to hospital, the couple die in a traffic accident, leaving the four children to be adopted by different families. Twenty years later, Qi’s eldest daughter goes back to her hometown, looking for her separated brothers and sister.

At the end of the premiere, almost the entire audience was moved to tears. They didn’t leave as usual, but sat there carefully reading the credits. They were on the lookout for the name Cui, as if they wanted to make sure in their minds that the Father of Chinese rock had actually moved them to tears. They weren’t mistaken.

Photo provided by Wang Xiuqin

Kung Fu boys tion of Shaolin Kung Fu, we will also invite members of the audience onto the stage at certain times during the performance, following the monks’ instructions.” said Wei Ming, one of the producers of this performance. This allows people of today to participate physically in ancient Chinese culture by following the moves of the Shaolin monks, some of its oldest representatives.

A Drama about a Drama

By Wang Lifang

Cui Jian on the stage of Paris, 2001

Turbulence, a drama mostly about the life of dramatist and writer Tian Han during the turbulence of 1930’s and 1940’s China, has been put on stage recently in Beijing’s Capital Theatre.

Many people may only know Tian Han as the lyrics writer for the Chinese National Anthem, but actually he is more of a dramatist and patriot devoted to revolution. As the director of Turbulence, Tian Qinxin says: “I want to make Tian Han’s legend known to more people.” Five small dramas, which represent the best of Tian Han’s works of different periods, are also performed while the story goes on.

According to director Tian, Tian Han has a character of persistence, which the majority of Chinese youth lack today. She wishes youth nowadays would display more persistence and determina-

Photo by Li Yan

Picture from Turbulence tion in managing their lives.

At the end of the drama, Tian Han sings the National Anthem: “Wake up, you who refuse to be slaves, let’s use our blood and flesh to construct the new Great Wall...” More and more people join him both on and off the stage. Members of the audience stand up, put their hands on their heart and sing with determination in their eyes.

SHOPPING

E-mail: jianrong@ynet.com

Definitely Non-mainstream

By Li Dan “I hate myself and I want to die.” Is this shocking enough? Posted in the window of Feizhuliu (Non-Mainstream), the striking black-and-white portrait of the late American rock star, Kurt Cobain, and his famous quotation make it difficult to walk past this shop without coming inside for a look.

If you do venture in, you will find the 10-square meter store is crammed with a dark mass of T-shirts, Hawaiian beach shirts, wax-dyed long skirts, portrait flags and various articles for personal adornment, hanging from the ceiling and walls, piled up on tables and in baskets. The sales assistant says the theme of the shop is rock and roll. The characters featured on

Yan Yi Shan Zhai A Siheyuan Style Restaurant

Photo by Fan Xuedong

By Jiao Pei In a modern city like Beijing,

13

EDITOR: JIAN RONG DESIGNER: PANG LEI

Hello Kitty toys, clocks, pencil boxes, table lamps, watches, telephones, radios, wallets, music boxes, rings, sunglasses, swimming suits, and lots more. Wow, have you ever seen so many Hello Kitty goods? I bet you haven’t. In fact there are around 1000 types of Hello Kitty goods here at Vivian Heart, at Oriental Plaza.

Yes, the word here is cute; it’s a Hello Kitty empire, and if you are not one of the faithful, best stay away! They are all original goods, all imported from Japan. The cheapest cute thing here is a Hello Kitty key chain for just 8 yuan, but for the truly devoted, why not take home a Hello Kitty VCD player, priced at 3800 yuan.

Of course, there is also Hello Kitty music, and Hello Kitty magazines for the club members. If you’re not already a member of the club, don’t despair! All you need to do to qualify for membership is spend 300 yuan on Hello Kitty stuff, perhaps 38 and a bit key chains, and you will receive your very own club membership card, entitling you to two (yes two) percent off everything Hello Kitty, and a special surprise on your birthday!

The owner of Vivian Heart plans to hold club get-togethers every year, including big parties and drawing contests.

I don’t know how many Hello Kitty fans there are out there in Beijing, but I just know that you’re all going to love this small but oh so cute store.

Add: Walk about 100m south from Dongsilukou.东四路口南走100米 Attention!!!

This hello kitty store will move to oriental plaza at the end of this month, it’s now still located in Dongsi.

Add: B1, CC42, Oriental Plaza （东方广场）,Chang’an Avenue, Dongcheng Take Bus 1, 4, 57 or subway, to Dongdan.

Tel: 65597671

By Li Dan

the black, printed T-shirts are so diverse as to include Chairman Mao, Princess Diana, Einstein, Michael Jackson, Li Xiaolong and various foreign rock bands, there’s even one with the insignia of the communist party of the Soviet Union. These T-shirts all sell for 138 yuan.

This is one of Beijing’s more unusual stores. No matter whether you buy something here or not, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Add: 69 Dongsi Nandajie 东四南大街69号 Take bus 116, 106 or 110 to Dengshikou, it’s on the west Photo by Chen Shuyi side of the street, opposite the Jeanswest Store Open: 10:30am - 8:00pm Tel: 65598161

it is not that easy to find a place that boasts a royal atmosphere and food culture. Yan Yi Shan Zhai, meaning a meeting of calligraphy, elegancy, good will and good food, used to be a mansion belonging to Princess Rongshou Gege of the Qing Dynasty. Nowadays it is a stylish looking restaurant that retains the original construction and decoration of the original Siheyuan, or courtyard home.

There are about 30 sets of dishes on offer, among which the most popular is a series of stewed duck dishes, the favorite dish of the Empress Dowager Cixi.

Around the main courtyard are lots of calligraphy works and tra-

MAY 25. 2001

ditional Chinese paintings by both professional and amateur artists, many of them patrons of the restaurant. This really is a combination of food culture and works of art.

Add: 9 Daqudeng Hutong, National Gallery Hou Jie Dongcheng District 砚逸善斋 东城 区美术馆后街大取灯胡同9号 Bus 104, 803, to Dafosi（大佛 寺）then walk north or to Kuanjie （宽街）then walk south Tel: 64078008

Song Tao’s Lamps name, ‘Ming’ meaning ‘bright’. He explained Sitting before Song Tao, a Master of Arts Plas- that there are three levels tiques from theUniversity Paris 1 Tantheon-Sor- of meaning; first, brightbone, I find it hard to connect the designer of the ness; second, the Ming magnificent Turandot poster with these cool lamps Dynasty, a period of history and furniture. Song Tao used to be the owner of that saw the highest developan uncommercial art gallery, called Tao Gallery ment of the craft of furniture since 1994, but is now the president of Tao Design making in China; and third, the Studio, which mainly specializes in interior decora- Logo contains a Chinese charaction and furniture design. Actually, what attracted ter and Braille of Ming. Song Tao me at first were the materials of hopes that people his unique lamps. could see “Ming” Song Tao is not a talkative not only with their person, but when we began to talk eyes, but also with their about his lamps, he became very heart. He told me most of his active. He told me that he and lamps are made to order for friends his partner, Zhou Jing, happened and business people, or are designed upon the materials they make the for the interior decorating part of lamps 3 years ago. The lamps are his business. The prices of the lamps made entirely by hand, and Song range from 400 to 800 yuan. In order Photo by Fan Xuedong to expose goods to a wider market, he Tao divides them into 2 types, namely steel-framed and wood-framed. The other plans to open a special store at Sanlitun this June. materials used are Xuanzhi, a traditional ChineseTao Design Studio painting paper, Hezhi, a kind of rough, plant fiber Address: 13H Building A, Hanhuayuan, 15 Songyu paper imported from Japan, and handmade gunny South Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100210, cloth. Song Tao says they are different as a result of 北京市朝阳区松榆南路汉华苑A座13层 their natural materials and cool designs.

E-mail: stao@sina.com Tel: 87315409 Song Tao gave his lamps a very simple Fax: 87315407 Mobile: 13001127361.

By Xu Yan

Photo by Chen Shuyi

14

HOUSING

MAY 25. 2001

E-mail: jianrong@ynet.com

! s e Y

You Can Buy

By Xu Yan

C

an non-Chinese residents buy houses in Beijing?

Yes, foreigners, overseas Chinese, those from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan with valid identity certificates, as well as foreign organizations with notarized registration certificates can all buy houses in Beijing.

What kind of houses can they buy?

Commercial houses or apartments with officially approved license for sale to foreigners in Beijing.

Means of Payment: Foreign exchange or overseas remittance.

Purchasing procedure: It’s often difficult to find information in English regarding houses or apartments for sale, however the housing exhibitions held frequently at some of Beijing’s exhibition centers are a good place to start looking.

The prospective purchaser should first engage a local lawyer, and if necessary a translator, then in the presence of their lawyer, sign a formal contract with the legal developer or the sales agent setting out the terms of both parties’ rights and duties. In the case of forward purchasing, register at the Market Department of the Municipal Bureau of Housing and Land Administration within 30 days of the contract being signed. Sign the Managing Agreement with the

Photo by Fan Xuedong

manager of the property. When all the relevant taxes and fees have been paid, accompanied by the developer or the sales agent, apply for the Certificate of Property Rights.

Taxes and special fees: Stamp tax is 0.5% of the house’s price. Contract tax is 3-5% of the house’ price. Other applicable fees may include those for maintenance and the cleaning of public facilities and areas.

If the house is to be owned by more than one person or organization, the sharing proportion should be mentioned in the formal contract. Foreign employees of the purchasing organizations should have their Chinese names notarized before signing the documents. Before the purchasing, you should apply for and notarize your residential permit ate a branch of the Beijing Public Security Bureau. En-sure that the developer has obtained the following five certificates; the Right of Use of State-Owned Land, ‘the Planning Permit of Land Use, the Planning Permit of Engineering, the Construction Permit of the Project, and the Sales (or Sales in advance) Permit of the Commercial House More details can be found (in Chinese) at the government website of the Municipal Bureau of Housing and Land Administration: www.bjfdc.gov.cn

EDITOR: JIAN RONG DESIGNER: PANG LEI

Let Your Housekeeper Living Out of Yours

By Xu Yan

D

o you need a housekeeper to look after your cleaning, washing, shopping and baby-sitting, but are concerned about letting a stranger into your home? Would you like to hire a housekeeper, but don’t know how to go about finding a reliable one? Perhaps you already have a housekeeper, but their wages, accommodation or training are giving you a headache?

Managing companies in some Beijing residential districts are providing solutions to these problems by providing specialized

housekeeping services. There are now a number of companies providing such housekeeping services to the residents of their apartments.

The property managing company of a residential district in Dongcheng District has provided accommodation and training for dozens of female workers who have left their jobs in State-owned units temporarily. Any residents of the apartments managed by the company can hire one of these housekeepers, and be sure they will be employing someone reliable and properly trained. The service fee is several hundred yuan per month, depending on the type of work and

To Rent or To Buy?

By Xu Yan

F

oreigners in Beijing are only permitted to live in those apartments or houses officially approved as suitable for rent or purchase by foreigners. These are usually high quality and highly priced. More than 10 years ago, the number of foreigners coming to work in China started increasing dramatically. The majority tend to live in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. They usually rent high priced apartments, but few of them actually buy their own. Why is this? Foreigners are allowed these days to purchase houses in Beijing. So how does rental compare with purchas-

period of employment.

The property managing company of a residential district in the Asian Games Village (Yayuncun) provides a similar service. They have hired a number of workers to provide regular cleaning, washing and shopping services to the residents of the apartments, and the service fee is included in the rent. The housekeepers are well trained and live in the same area.

At present, the housing projects providing such services are relatively few in number, but as the service quality of Beijing’s apartment areas improves, this is likely to become an increasingly common phenomenon.

ing, in terms of total expenditure?

We looked at 2 housing projects officially approved for foreigners in Beijing. One is located on the North Third Ring Road. The second, a little more up market, is on the East Third Ring Road. The monthly rental for the first one is 100 yuan per /m2, while the purchasing price is 9,000 yuan per /m2 plus the property managing fee of 4 yuan per /m2, stamp tax of 0.5% of the total price, contract tax of 4% and exchange tax of 1,500 yuan.

In all, to buy an apartment of 150 /m2, you will need to pay (9,000 + 4) * 150 + 9004 * 150 * (0.5% + 4%) + 1500 ≈1,958,400 yuan.

To rent the same apartment, every year you would pay 100 * 150 * 12 =180,000 yuan. That means your rental fee for nearly 11 years is equivalent to the purchase price.

The case for the second apartment is almost the same: The monthly rent is about 20,000 yuan per unit of 150 /m2, the purchasing price is 14,000 yuan per /m2, plus property managing fee of 8 yuan per /m2, stamp tax of 0.5% of the total, plus contract tax of 4% and exchange tax of 1,500 yuan. So to buy an apartment of 150 /m2, you will need to spend (14,000 + 8) * 150 + 14,008 * 150 * (0.5% + 4%) + 1,500 ≈3,046,700 yuan. To rent the same apartment will cost 20,000 * 12 = 240,000 yuan /year. So your rental fee for nearly twelve and a half years equals the purchase price.

Some foreign companies do not support their employees to buy their own houses in China, but as the market continues to open up, this situation is likely to change, and more and more foreigners will no doubt join the ranks of home owners in Beijing.

INFO

E-mail: jianrong@ynet.com

WEEKEND Saturday, 26, May Cloudy to clear Max: 28C. Min: 16C.

Sunday, 27, May Clear to cloudy Max: 27-28C. Min: 15C.

NEXT WEEK Monday, 28, May Clear Max: 32C. Min: 18C.

Sanlitun Swallow Tail Butterfly Cafe (Yan Wei Die ) From now until June 18, all food and beverage is discounted 40%. Pianist everyday from 7:30 pm to 10:30pm, and this Friday to Sunday from 9:30pm to 11:30pm, there will be a live band called “double decker”.

Add: Jia 58 Sanlitun Nan Lu (South Bar street) Chaoyang District Hours: 4:00pm-3:00am Tel: 65869544 Show Plaza Music Bar Live pop music, English and Chinese songs by Tian Tang Niao (Paradise Bird) every weekend. This is usually a quiet spot, with an

Wed, 30, May Clear to cloudy .

Max: 35C. Min:23C.

Thur,31, May Cloudy Max: 28C. Min: 20C. Friday, 1, June Overcast to cloudy Shower in parts of area Max: 27C. Min: 18C.

Air Quality Forecast

Saturday, May 26 Moderate northerly wind, easy for dispersion of suspended particles.

Sunday, May 27 No wind, no much influence on dispersion of suspended particles.

“Women of South China”--The works of Liu Chunming Add: Qin Gallery, Jia 38 Fangcaodi Beijie Chaoyang District. Take subway to Yong’anli When: May 25 to June 1 Tel:65868929/ 65074062 Stone Statues Stone inscription statues of Guanyin dating back to Tang Dynasty are currently on the show at the Chinese History Museum in the Forbidden City.

Add: Forbidden City Museum, Dongcheng District 4 Jingshanqianjie.

Take bus 103,109,111 or 108 to Jingshan , the Forbidden City Tel: 65132255

15

EDITOR: JIAN RONG DESIGNER: PANG LEI

Musics & Performances outside beer garden offering a buy-two-get-one-free deal on beer. They have a B.B.Q. sometimes.

Add: Sanlitun Nan Lu (South Bar street) Chaoyang District Hours:4:00pm--2:00am Tel: 65041808 Dream Color Live music by Ling Qi band every night from 7:30pm to 2:30am Add: Jia 1 Nan Sanlitun ( South Bar Street) Chaoyang District Hours:7:30pm to 2:30am weekdays, 6:00am Friday and Saturday Cash only Tel:010-65004048

Exhibitions Tuesday, 29, May Clear Max: 34C. Min: 21C.

MAY 25. 2001

Garbage People Have you ever heard of people made from city garbage? 1000 garbage people from Germany are already standing on Mutianyu and Jinshanling Great Wall.

Where: Mutianyu and Jinshanling Great Wall Take bus from Deshengmen.

Cultural Relic Show National treasures, including Simuwuding (an ancient cooking vessel) and other ancient containers are on show at the China History Museum.

Add: China History Museum, on the east side of Tian’anmen Square.

Tel: 010-65128321

Movie Sigh (Yi Sheng Tan Xi) Director: Feng Xiao Gang Starring: Zhang Guo Li, Liu Pei, Xu Fan 110minutes English subtitles A screenplay writer falls in love with his younger assistant . His wife discovers his secret, files for divorce and immediately falls seriously ill. Two women, one man: who chooses whom? Who decides their fate?

Show time: Friday, June 8th , 8pm box office open at 7pm Ticket price: 50yuan Add: Century Theater 40 Liang Ma Qiao Lu, 2km East of the Kempinski Hotel

Stairway to Music 2001 Series featuring Mendelssohn Performed by the Central Conservatory String Quartet.

Where: Forbidden City Concert Hall, Zhongshan Park, on the west side of the Forbidden City Xicheng District When: May 26, 2pm Tel: 65598249 The Great Shaolin Come and see a genuine Songshan Shaolin wushu performance, by the martial monks of the Shaolin temple.

Where: Nationalities Cultural Palace Theater West Chang’an Avenue, Xicheng, Bus 1 or 15 to the Minzu Fandian (Nationality Hotel) When: May 29 to June 3 Tel: 66052404 Paul Taylor Dance Group The Paul Taylor Dance group show the latest in American dance styles.

Where: Poly Theatre (Baoli Juyuan), 14 Dongsi Sitiao,Dongcheng District.

Bus 106 or subway to Dongsi Shitiao When:May 30,31,

7:30pm Admission: 120, 180 and 280 yuan Tel: 65001188 The Humorous God Father The movie ‘The Godfather’ and Shakespeare’s Hamlet have been combined. You’ll see a new Hamlet himself is a Godfather living in a modern society.

Where: China Youth Art Theater, 71 Beijige Santiao北极阁 Dongdan, Dongcheng, Bus 105, 15 to Dongdan When: May 31 to June 17, 7:30pm Admission: 80 and 150 yuan Tel: 65253672 The Beautiful Night of May 27th Come to Gongti for a great night featuring the latest pop music in China. Superstars from Hongkong including Liu Dehua, Li Zongsheng, Zhou Huajian will be performing.

W h e r e : Beijing Worker’s Stadium, Gongti Lu, Chaoyang Bus 113, 110, 120, to Gongti When: May 27, 7:30pm

Admission: 380, 280, 180, and 120 yuan Tel: 65016655 Stugart indoor philharmonic orchestra Stugart indoor philharmonic orchestra is one of the most famous orchestra in the world. Besides classical music of Johann Sebastian, they also have a partiality for the works of Beethoven, Mozart and Highton.

Address: 14, Dongsi shitiao, Dongcheng District (Baoli Juyuan, Dongcheng District), Poly Theatre Bus Routine: No.106 or subway to Dongsi Shitiao When: May 28, 7:30pm Fee:120, 180, 280 yuan Tel: 010-65001188-5682 The King of Opera Placido Domingo has played over 100 different roles in opera and won 8 Grammy Awards.

Known as the King of Opera, Domingo will share his great art with us in a not to be missed performance.

Where: The Great Hall of the People, on the east side of Tian’anmen Square Bus: 2, 5, 22, 120 or 48 to Qianmen, or 1, 4 or 57 to Tian’anmen Square, or subway to Tian’anmen West When: May 29 Tel: 66081188

Sports & Activities Beijing City Sea View Swimming Eden Opens May 26. You can enjoy an (almost real) sea view here. There are multiple swimming pools, a sand beach, fishing pool and great food. From 26 May to 30 June, children admitted free.

Add: Capital Airport Fulu Road机场辅路, Chaoyang District (about 6km north of Dashanzi Huandao) Open: 9:00am to 10:00pm Tel:84319689 / 84310855

World Bungy Invitation Competition Bungy jumpers from all over the world are taking part in this competition.

Add: Fangshan Shidu 房山十渡Take bus 917 to Fangshan then minibus to Shidu.

Tel: 61349240 Family Swimming Competition Starting July 1, the family swimming competition welcomes all families to participate.

Add: Chaoyang

Gongyuan Junwangfu Tiyuzhongxin, Chaoyang District.郡王府体育中心 Tel: 65940433 Jiulong Amusement Park The first Disney style amusement park in Beijing, water fun is special feature.

Add: Jiulongyouleyuan, Changpinxian Shisanlingshuiku 十三陵水库 Take bus 345 to Changping Beizhan, then transfer to Jiulong Youleyuan.

Tel: 60713460

Water Ballet and Stunt Performances Every Tue, Thur, Sat and Sun, the national motor team will perform water ballet and water stunts.

Add: Jinhaihu, Pingguxianchengdong.金海湖 Take bus 918 from Dongzhimen or 14 from Dongdaqiao to Jinhaihu (Golden Sea Lake) Tel: 69991356

By Jiao Pei, Li Dan, Wang Dandan Please Contact us.

16

PLAN

MAY 25. 2001

E-mail: jianrong@ynet.com

The Thirteen Ming Tombs are located in a valley ringed by hills 50 kilometers to the northwest of Beijing. In a period of over 200 years, tombs were built over an area of 40 square kilometers. Each tomb is located at the foot of a separate hill and linked with the other tombs by a road called the Spirit Way. Thirteen of the 16 Ming emperors and their wives and concubines are buried here.

Foreigners visiting Beijing generally visit the three bestknown tombs, the Changling, Dingling and Zhaoling Tombs.

However, the stories of just three Ming emperors cannot stand for the history of Ming Dynasty. The other ten tombs, though badly damaged, still hold a lot of interest. Those grand and well preserved, or restored structures certainly stand out, but they are more like exhibition halls or museums.

The other tombs, which have not been opened to tourists, have an ‘otherworldly’ kind of atmosphere. It’s possible to obtain information about each of the tombs from the lonely guardians whose family members have held these posts from the Ming Dynasty till today. They rest in the shadows of the trees before the tombs, gazing towards the buildings in their charge. Most of them have few words, but they all have many stories handed down from their ancestors about the tombs they watch over. They will tell you how the tombs look like on a rainy late night, a snowy day or a gloomy afternoon; how the tombs were destroyed; who conducted the destruction; what they wanted to remove from the tombs.

If you want to investigate these lesser-known tombs, the following information might be helpful. Your trip should begin with Xian Ling Tomb, which stands next to Changling Tomb.

You can travel through the thirteen tombs along three lines.

Dingling Tomb, Zhaoling Tomb and Siling Tomb will be found along the west line; Jingling Tomb, Yongling Tomb and Deling Tomb along the east line; the other six tombs lie northwest to Changling.

EDITOR: JIAN RONG DESIGNER: PANG LEI

Tailing泰陵

The tomb of the 9th emperor Tailing Tomb is about 20 minutes drive from Maoling Tomb.

When you leave Maoling Tomb, drive northwest and turn right at the T intersection. You will come to a small bridge, drive on and you will see the tomb. I didn’t like the surroundings of this tomb so much, there are far fewer trees. Tailing Tomb is the burial place of Zhu Youtang, or Emperor Xiaozong and the Empress Zhang.

Maoling茂陵

The tomb of the 8th emperor Maoling Tomb is of a similar style to Yuling Tomb, but is in a much worse state of repair.

Maoling Tomb is the tomb of Zhu Jianshen, or the Emperor Xianzong and his Concubine Wangui.

The Other Ming Tombs

Getting Off Beaten Track The tomb of the 10th emperor Turn right at the small bridge when you leave Tailing Tomb and you will come to another small bridge and a T intersection. Continue straight on and you will soon see Kanling Tomb. I like this tomb and its surroundings very much.

The whole tomb is bathed in the shadows of the surrounding tall pine trees.

Kangling is the tomb of Zhu Houzhao, or the Emperor Wuzong and the Empress Xia.

DAYU MOUNTAIN

Changling Dingling

MING TOMBS RESERVOIR

Qingling 庆陵

The tomb of the 14th emperor Qingling Tomb lies to the northwest of Xianling. This tomb has a very deep courtyard, the distance between Minglou and the main entrance is greater even than that of the Changling Tomb.

Qingling Tomb has an unique underground drainage system. It is the tomb of the Emperor Guangzong and four of his imperial concubines.

THE STONE ANIMALS AND STATUES TABLET PAVILION

DAHONG GATE STONE MEMORIAL ARCH

Siling思陵

LONG MOUNTAIN

N

Deling德陵

Zhaoling昭陵

The tomb of the 12th emperor Zhaoling Tomb is one of the three tombs that are open to tourists. However, it is not included on most travel agencies’ schedules. For this reason it is usually peaceful and quiet here, even on public holidays. You will find a map showing the outline of the thirteen tombs in the west side-hall. An exhibition in the east side-hall tells stories about the emperors’ concubines and their funerals. Details of many concubines are recorded in a name roll, including how old each concubine was when she entered the imperial palace, when her title was conferred and how old she was when she died. Some concubines entered the palace at the age of fifteen and died when they were only twenty years old.

Zhaoling Tomb has a well designed drainage system. The rain water flowing from Baoshan Mountain is channelled into the underground drainage well and then drained out of the aboveground complex.

Zhaoling Tomb is the tomb of Zhu Zaigou, or the Emperor Muzong and his three empresses.

The tomb of the 6th emperor Yuling Tomb stands close by to Qingling Tomb in the northwest. Though the tomb is in poor condition, I like the surrounding environment. It is a good place to stop for lunch. Yuling Tomb is relatively far from the road.

When you walk along the Spirit Way to the tomb, you will see peasants working on their fields.

Many apricot trees line one side of the way, you might pick some if they are in season. This is the tomb of Zhu Qizhen, or Emperor Yingzong, Empress Qian and the concubine Zhou.

TIANSHOU MOUNTAIN

Written by Jiang Zhong Photo by Fan Jiwen

Kangling康陵

Yuling 裕陵

Yongling永陵

The tomb of the 11th emperor Drive south from Changling Village and turn right at the Changling Industrial and Commercial Bureau, drive on for another ten minutes and you will see the red wall and roof covered with glazed tiles. It seems that Yongling Tomb is larger than Changling Tomb. The aboveground complex is surrounded by a high wall. The mountain where the Yongling Tomb is located was originally named Shibadaoling. It was renamed Yangcuiling when the tomb was built. Yongling Tomb is the burial place of Zhu Houcong, or Emperor Shizong and his three empresses.

The tomb of the 16th emperor Drive west from Zhaoling Tomb along the road, turn left when you come to the first main highway, drive on and turn right when you see the sign board of Tailingyuan, you will soon come to a village named Daolingjian. Siling Tomb is less than one hundred meters away. Siling is the tomb of Emperor Chongzhen, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty. It is much smaller than the other 12 tombs.

The tomb of the 15th emperor Drive south when you leave Yongling Tomb, turn right at the crossroads, and you will pass by a basketball court, turn left and then right at Deling Bridge, you will see Deling Tomb. The surroundings of the tomb are very beautiful. You may rest in the shadow of the old pine tree before the tomb. A stream runs beside the tomb and the rear section is supported by the hill at the back. This is an excellent location, according to the theories of geomancy. The damaged buildings inside can be seen clearly from the outside. Deling Tomb is the burial place of Zhu Youxiao, or Emperor Xizong and Empress Zhang.

Xianling 献陵

The tomb of the fourth emperor Xianling Tomb is about three minutes drive from Changling Tomb. The tomb is quite well preserved. Standing on the top of the hill gives a good view of the inside of the complex. There are few trees around this tomb. Xianling Tomb was built for Zhu Gaochi, or Emperor Renzong and Empress Zhang.

The complex occupies an area of 137, 000 sq. meters and is separated into two parts by a hill.

Jingling 景陵

The tomb of the 5th emperor Jingling Tomb lies to the north of Changling Village. The tomb itself is adjacent to a vegetable plot. The gate is locked, however you can see the well preserved main hall from the outside. Jingling Tomb is the tomb of Zhu Zhanji, or the Emperor Xuanzong and the Empress Sun.