Beijing Today (March 9, 2007)

BEIJING TODAY

From the galleries of Beijing to the world.

A new Taiwanese generation invents itself.

Investigating Colombo.

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Flames claim Ming palace

Photographs taken Wednesday show all that remains of the main gate of Chuanzhugong (‘The Lord of Sichuan’s Palace’), a 600-year-old national-level protected monument in Tongren, Guizhou, after fire broke out in the early hours of that morning. The palace, parts of which date back to 1375 in the early Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644), was formerly the best-preserved and most complete antiquity in the area. In 2000, provincial authorities allocated over 500,000 yuan to pay for a complete renovation of the structure, before handing over management of the palace to local authorities, who leased it out to a local business to be used as a teahouse.

Xinhua Photos

FRIDAY MARCH 9 2007 NO. 301 CN11-0120 HTTP://BJTODAY.YNET.COM

CHIEF EDITOR: JIAN RONG NEWS EDITOR: HOU MINGXIN DESIGNER: YANG GEN

Overseas volunteers for Olympics Page 2

Hospitals bursting under golden pig baby boom Page 4

Beijing to ban begging prior to 2008

Olympic efforts to curb Beijing’s smelly taxis Page 5

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True grit – and how to survive it.

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March 9 2007

News

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BOCOG recruiting overseas volunteers

By Chu Meng The Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG) will recruit Chinese-speaking volunteers from all over the world later this month, while Chinese embassies in foreign countries will help receive the applications, BOCOG Executive Vice-President Li Binghua

said on Wednesday.

Between 80,000 and 100,000 volunteers are needed for the 2008 Olympics, scheduled to open on August 8, 2008. 350,000 people have already applied to work as volunteers at the Beijing Olympics since domestic recruitment began last August. BOCOG has also received applications

from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as some from foreign nationals.

“We welcome overseas volunteers to join us, but they should at least speak some Chinese and be able to converse with us in the language,” said Li, also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consul-

tative Conference (CPPCC), the country’s top advisory body.

Li made the remarks on the sidelines of the ongoing annual full session of the 10th CPPCC National Committee. Li also said that at least 5,000 professional volunteers are needed to provide interpretation and corporate services for VIPs at the Games.

BEIJING TODAY

Editors: Hou Mingxin Chu Meng Designer: Yang Gen

E-mail:Houmingxin@ynet.com

Bird flu outbreak found in Tibetan poultry

By Qiu Jiaoning A poultry market in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, suffered a bird flu outbreak this month, prompting the culling of nearly 7,000 birds in the region, China’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the MOA, some poultry died at the market on March 1, and tested positive for the H5N1 virus after screening by the National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory.

The outbreak in Lhasa’s Chengguan area has killed 680 chickens and prompted the culling of 6,990 birds, according to China’s report to World Organization for Animal Health (WOIE). The report said that the virus might be introduced by wild birds migrating from east Africa to west Asia.

The market has been shut down and related authorities have been hunting for the source of the infection. In order to prevent avian influenza from spreading, MOA and local government officials have also disinfected the area, inspected poultry markets and monitored local wild birds.

MOA said in the statement that three wild birds and two poultry birds tested positive for the H5N1 virus out of 325 poultry and 20 wild birds tested in Fujian Province, where a woman farmer tested positive for the H5N1 strain last week, the country’s second human bird flu case in 2007. China’s first human bird flu case in 2007 was reported in January, when a farmer in Anhui Province contracted the H5N1 strain but subsequently recovered.

China has reported a total of 23 human cases of bird flu, including 14 deaths, since 2003, according to Joanna Brent, the World Health Organization spokeswoman in Beijing. Brent also suggested that all countries need to implement surveillance strategies to monitor where the virus is circulating and how the virus is changing.

Festival for women prisoners Four women prisoners in Beijjng Women’s Prison were given a one-day furlough on the International Women’s Day yesterday.

CFP Photo

State-level anti-corruption body to be set up

By Gan Tian The State Bureau of Corruption Prevention will be set up this year, said Chen Changzhi, vicechairman of the Central Committee of the China Democratic National Construction Association and vice-minister of supervision, on Wednesday.

The agency will be charged with extolling the importance of anti-corruption and relevant educational work, building up anti-corruption institutions and cracking

down on corrupt behavior. However, Chen said that the new agency’s structure, and the details of its agenda, are still under discussion.

He also noted that the “National Corruption Prevention Bureau,” once in place, would follow the most advanced and effective anticorruption practices in the world.

Gan Yisheng, deputy secretary and secretary-general of the Communist Part of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection had earlier, released

this information at a press conference of the State Council in Beijing on February 13.

According to Gan, last year almost 100,000 members of the CPC were found guilty of corruption, 80 percent of them for failing to carry out duties, taking bribes or violating the Party’s rules.

Gan said that this new institution would show China’s commitment to the UN Convention Against Corruption, which China signed in 2005.

China prepares for sandstorms

By Chu Meng Eleven to fifteen sandstorms are expected to hit China this spring, about the same as last year, when the country experienced 14 sandstorms, far less than the annual average of 26.

The State Forestry Administration (SFA) has called together a team of 25 experts, including 10 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to help improve storm forecasting and warnings. The SFA is also

investing heavily in setting up a monitoring network, said an administration official.

Another official told Xinhua that the SFA is taking five specific measures to deal with sand storms, but he refused to say what the measures were.

Other research shows that government departments have come up with emergency plans and strengthened staff training in an effort to protect the dry and vulnerable topsoil in north

China. This has been coupled with more strict enforcement of laws and regulations designed to prevent logging and other practices that can cause soil erosion.

Northern China is frequently hit by strong gusts of wind.

Extremely strong winds derailed a passenger train in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on February 28, killing three people and injuring 30 others, two of them seriously.

Chinese to land the moon in 15 years

By Gan Tian A manned space flight, Shenzhou-7, will be sent into orbit later this year, and China now has the technical ability to send astronauts to the moon within 15 years, said Huang Chunping, the former commander-in-chief of the rocket system for China’s manned space flight program, at the annual full session of the 10th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) which opened this week.

At present, ten astronauts are being trained for China’s second manned space flight, to be launched this autumn. Huang mentioned new aerospace technologies like advanced remote control and emergency escape systems would be applied to Shenzhou-7, the new space flight.

After launching the one-man Shenzhou-5 in 2003, China plans to send multiple astronauts with Shenzhou-7. Huang told the CPPCC that compared to the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft, which carried only one pilot and stayed in space 21.5 hours, Shenzhou-7 will be able to carry at least two astronauts and stay in space for five days. The astronauts are expected to carry out experiments in space.

Huang was confident in Chinese rocket systems. He said China has the ability to send astronauts to the moon within 15 years, provided the program starts on time and gets the investment it would need.

Ocean-use rights up for auction

By Huang Daohen Qingdao, a city in eastern China’s Shandong Province, has been transferring the rights to use parcels of ocean through open auctions since March 1.

Bidders are paying at least 300,000 yuan (US$39,000) for the use of one hectare of ocean.

The rights will last for a maximum of 50 years.

The city is the first to put seausage rights up for sale since the Ministry of Finance and the State Oceanographic Bureau jointly issued a “Circular on Raising and Unifying the Charge on Sea Use” in January. The circular classifies ocean areas in 223 counties and city districts into six grades. Qingdao’s Shibei, Shinan and Sifang districts all belong to the first grade category.

The auction is open to all individuals, Zhao Zebin, director of the city’s Ocean and Fishing Bureau, said at a news conference last Friday. Individuals can buy areas of ocean through auction, except for marine reserves, areas of public interest and areas used for national defense, Zhao added.

The prices, according to Zhao, vary based on the grade and the purpose of the usage. People can use the sea for breeding, repairing vessels or developing tourism and entertainment facilities.

March 9 2007

Forbes lists 100 top Chinese celebrities

By Jackie Zhang Yao Ming stands head and shoulders above the rest in many ways in life, and now the giant Houston Rockets center ranks first in a list of the Top 100 Chinese Celebrities published by Forbes China in this month’s magazine. Gold medal winner and world record holder in the 110m hurdles Liu Xiang has the unusual experience of coming in second.

While most of the celebrities on the list will not be overly concerned by their relative rank, it is to some extent a reflection of their current popularity and star power. Yao Ming is the clear winner this year with both his overall score and income top. Movie director Zhang Yimou and actress Gong Li, both currently attending the CPPCC meeting in Beijing, are annual fixtures on the list. This year, their enhanced incomes have helped them make the top 10.

Compared with last year, celebrity incomes in China show a marked rise. Zhang Yimou earned 29.5 million yuan more than last year and Gong Li’s income was also up by a healthy eight million yuan.

Zhang Xiaohua, marketing director with Forbes China, said that more and more international brands are choosing Chinese celebrities as spokespersons, which boosts the stars’ popularity and income as much as it raises brand profiles.

Zhang said the rise in celebrity incomes is an indicator of the strength of the arts and entertainment sector in China.

example, could cost as little as 10 yuan. It also offers donated secondhand items like clothes and books.

Hu Xuebin, who runs the store, said only registered low-income Beijing residents living at or below the poverty line, (with an average monthly income less than 330 yuan) are eligible to shop at the store. “We selected 100 households based on standards set by Beijing’s civil affairs department.”

Each of the chosen families will

receive a “charity card” next week, with 500 yuan of store credit which can be used to purchase items from the store. “The store opens once a week. Old people even come with small carts and buy items like sugar and noodles which they’re normally reluctant to spend money on.”

“The supermarket is funded by the Chinese Red Cross and its local branch, as well as by donations,” said Hu. She said many of the donated goods they have received

were barely used as people were keen to give good things to charity.

The store records which household buys donated articles, so that donors can know who is benefiting from their gift, Hu said.

Hu said there are more than 10 similar charity stores in the city, but many suffer from shortages of funds and find it difficult to source goods. Some may have to close.

For more information, please call store staff at 6512 7524.

Global search for panda paw prosthesis for Shanxi scrapper

Shanxi Research Center for the Rescue and Rearing of Rare Wildlife this Wednesday launched a global search for a prosthesis for “Niuniu,” a panda whose left fore-paw (above) was seriously injured last December when she fought with other pandas.

CFP Photos

Potluck feast maintains two-century-old folk custom in suburban village

By Annie Wei Monday, the day after Lantern Festival, saw the villagers of Yangshuxia in Bolimiao Town, Huairou County gather outdoors despite the wind and cold to celebrate a community custom called lianqiaofan, a kind of potluck dinner. The young people of the village go from house to house collecting food – which will be cooked at an outdoor temporary communal kitchen before everyone sits down to share in the resulting feast.

Children start knocking on neighbors’ doors early in the morning, carrying bags to be filled with ingredients like meat, eggs and fish, which they deliver to a waiting army of cooks.

By 10 o’clock villagers have set

up more than 30 one-meter diameter woks near the entrance to the village, and 60 or so women dressed in festive red cotton coats start preparing and cooking what the children bring.

Villagers say the custom started when a group of refugees came to seek shelter in the Yangshuxia during the reign of the Qing Emperor Jiaqing (1796 – 1820). The custom has been maintained ever since, almost 180 years now. Originally lianqiaofan was something exclusively for village women. The girls would collect the food and the older women would do the cooking. Thread and small sewing kits would be concealed in the food, and any woman who found one

would be considered as a “skillful daughter-in-law – the “qiao’’ in the Chinese name for the custom means ‘skillful’.

After dinner, villagers leave any leftovers along the river and in the fields for the birds, in the hope they will leave the corn alone later in the year if they get to eat their fill now.

When lunch time comes, more than 600 villagers sit down together at tables they have brought from their own homes, along with bowls and chopsticks, chatting cheerfully as they wait to be served.

Song Zhaolin from China National Museum said it was not easy to find such a well-preserved folk custom in Beijing, especially one stretching back almost two centuries.

Flash mobs and flash bulbs come to Sanlitun

By Chen Shasha It’s not just big stars who get to come and go amidst a storm of flashbulbs these days. A recent activity by a group of Beijing art lovers gave everyone the chance to be shining stars.

The time was three o’clock in the afternoon on the third of March; the place the 3.3 shopping mall in downtown Sanlitun.

A crowd of thirty people gathered with their cameras, took pictures of each other and then were gone

Flash photography in the rain.

Photo by Tian Yuafeng as quickly as they had appeared, by half past three.

Wang Dian, one of the event

organizers, said the number three seems symbolic of the cycle of life and time.

The crowd was composed of photography lovers from different areas all across the capital.

They were both photographers and models during their brief get -together. “It could be called performance art, but it’s also an opportunity for us to improve our skills,” Wang said.

This was a flash mob, a phenomenon that has grown in pop-

ularity recently, particularly with the rise of the Internet. Relative strangers arrange to meet and share in some activity or art performance, then melt back into the anonymity of the crowd once they are done.

Despite heavy rain on the day, the mob assembled at the appointed time. Chen Wenjing, who came from outside the Fifth Ring Road, said, “I appreciate the opportunity because day-to-day existence can be really dull.”

By Chu Meng An increasing number of Beijingers have chosen to pawn their unwanted Spring Festival gifts, including gold, jewelry and household electronics, while others are hoping to cash in on the trend and snag bargain rare collector’s items from the wellstocked pawnshops.

“Some people have a habit of pawning gifts, especially watches and jewelry, during significant holidays, if they find the style of the item doesn’t appeal to them. Many do not even bother to remove the price tag before sending them to the pawnshop,” an employee at Beijing’s Baorui pawnshop, surnamed Xu, told Beijing Today.

Pawned gifts are usually not expected to be redeemed. Pawnshops can immediately put them for sale at prices higher than those of more common pledges.

Other people are now in the habit of shopping for favorite items in pawnshops shortly after major holidays. Xu said that bargain hunters come looking for the best deals straight after the Spring Festival when the pawnshops are well-stocked and they have the pick of many desirable items.

All Beijing’s pawnshops have been placed under the police supervision, seeking to prevent them from becoming a channel for the disposal of stolen goods.

Details of the goods and the pledger’s personal information including ID card number are recorded and reported to the authorities via a computer network. “If any pawned item turns out to match stolen goods in police registers, the network will raise an alarm,” an official with the Ministry of Public Security said.

Brief news Record spending on social security The country will spend some 202 billion yuan (US$26bln) on social security this year, up around 14 percent on spending last year, the Ministry of Finance announced this week.

Free education for rural students The government will allocate some 86 billion yuan (US$11bln), up about 87 percent on last year, providing free nine-year compulsory education for around 150 million students in rural areas, the Ministry of Finance announced this week.

Fewer fireworks deaths One person died and 715 were injured in the capital while setting off fireworks as part of the Lunar New Year celebrations over the past two weeks, a lower toll of deaths and injuries than last year, local health authorities said this week.

Women living longer The average life expectancy of China’s women has increased from 73.3 in 2000 to 74.1, the National Working Committee for Children and Women under the State Council said this week.

(By Jiang Xubo)

News

By Han Manman A charity store will reopennext week in Jianguomen neighborhood, Dongcheng District, serving disadvantaged families, after being closed for several months due to lack of funds.

The store sells everyday necessities, such as cooking oil, rice, clothes and quilts at prices much lower than those of ordinary shops, and common household goods such as TV sets. A black-and-white TV, for

Editors: Hou Mingxin Jiang Xubo Designer: Zhao Yan

Charity store reopens to serve the least well-off

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BEIJING TODAY

Spring Festival is boom-time for capital’s pawnshops

March 9 2007

Focus

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Hospitals bursting under golden pig baby boom

By Annie Wei Last week, when the Sino-Japanese Hospital’s obstetric (OB) department announced outpatient services were closed since they couldn’t offer extra beds to new patients, the public became highly concerned about how Beijing hospitals would handle this year’s baby-boom.

The Beijing Health Bureau held a press release and forbade public hospitals like the Sino-Japanese to close OB outpatient services without direct approval from authorities. The health bureau also asked the public not to worry about the issue, because there were still more than 800 maternity beds.

Editors: Hou Mingxin Chu Meng Designer: Yang Gen

BEIJING TODAY

Other causes As the only and biggest hospital specialized in gynecology and OB, one tenth of Beijing’s new babies have been born in Beijing Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital. The Beijing Health Bureau said the

The hospital is always crowded.

By Chu Meng Thirty-four farmers from Lixin village in Chaling County, Hunan Province, have been diagnosed with mid to high level lead poisoning, including 14 children aged three months to 15 years old, Tuesday. Patients said it was caused by pollution from a nearby smelter.

This lead poisoning incident comes in a string of recent pollution disasters that have sparked violent protests in some areas of the country.

Rare cases Doctor Fengjing from Occupational Disease Department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, who conducted checkups for all of 14 children, said, “Blood tests in the final reports showed six cases with a high-level of lead content in their blood, with the remaining cases at mid to low level. So many lead poisoning cases in children, especially in infants, is quite rare. It must be because of severe, nearby environmental pollution.”

Feng said lead is a neurotoxic metallic element that can be absorbed by the body, primarily through the lungs and stomach. Lead poisoning occurs only when too much lead accumulates in the body. “Generally, lead poisoning occurs slowly, resulting from gradual accumulation of lead in the bone and tissue after repeated exposure. However, it is important to note that young children absorb fifty percent of lead ingested while adults absorb only ten percent,” Feng said.

Myth, desire for goldenpig baby Many people believe there will be more newborn babies this year than in others, because many Chinese believe giving birth to their firstborn during the Year of the Pig will ensure a great future for their family.

Those joys and hopes are expected to be the scourge of gynecology and OB departments throughout the year.

The Sino-Japanese Hospital’s public relations office told Beijing Today there used to be 25 maternity beds. At the start of the year, the OB department added another ten beds, installing them outside of the maternity ward to meet demand.

“Generally speaking, the number of women giving birth now is far greater than at the same time in previous years, the PR office said, “We’ve had to close down outpatient services since we cannot care for more new patients now, but there are still 300-500 people coming for appointments every day.”

The office also noted that childbirth appointments were almost fully booked this year, a negative result of the myth of the “golden pig baby”.

Generally speaking, the hospital sees 30 births per day now.

The same thing has happened at other big hospitals. Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Beijing Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital, Beijing Hospital and Beijing Union Hospital have all admitted that the Year of the Pig has generated more babies, creating a heavier burden on the hospital.

Lead poisoning hospitalizes 34 farmers

Symptoms

A mother-to-be waits for her check-up in a crowded waiting room.

CFP Photos expected number of new-born babies in 2007 was 140,000-150,000, and 14,000-15,000 will be at the Beijing Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital.

Everyday, the outpatient hall is crammed full of pregnant women, husbands in tow, along with their new-born babies and grandparents.

Wang Jie, director of PR, said there were 800 to 900 women coming for childbirth appointments every day.

According to hospital statistics, 1,100 pregnant women registered for childbirth in March, and the actual figure will reach 1,300 to 1,400. After Chinese New Year, the hospital had to turn the staff rooms into wards for another 40 beds. Zhang Weiyuan, vice-president of Beijing Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital, said golden pig year was not the only reason for the baby boom, because only one tenth of the pregnant women he treated admitted they were pushing for a golden pig baby.

“The last baby boom was in 1981 and 1982, Zhang said, when he was a doctor in a hospital in Changchun. At that time, each hospital bed was shared by three women. “After I moved to Beijing, I was told the same thing happened here those two years.

Zhang said there was also a myth of a “widow year” during that period, and China had started its one-child policy not long before. Many cou-

ples in smaller cities pushed for a second or third child before regulations became too strict.

“If you compare the difference between 1981 and 1982 to 2007 and 2008, you’ll see there’s a 25 or 26 year gap time for a new generation.

Away from the crowds The baby boom has benefited other, less famous OB hospitals. Li Jin, a spokesperson for the private OB/GYN Medical Center, said they would always have enough beds, because theirs was a private, highend hospital, and all their patients had booked the service in advance.

“We help more than 20 women give birth everyday, Li said, “The number of women giving birth is much higher than in past years. It’s true that many large-scale public hospitals cannot meet the demands of the huge numbers of expecting parents, but moms-to-be who can afford it can come to us, Li said.

Zhang Weiyuan, vice-president of Beijing Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital, said he hoped the media would not overplay the baby-boom issue. “It’s not like there are no beds left for pregnant women in Beijing.

That the big hospital’s OB departments are packed is just because most people believe big hospitals are better than the smaller ones.

The first signs of trouble for Fu Haiquan and his two sons came during the Spring Festival. Fu said, doctor’s report in hand in the corridor of hospital’s waiting room, “In the first few months before the Spring Festival, my sons had strange symptoms like decreased appetite, stomach pains and restlessness.

Then they began vomiting, having diarrhea and feeling fatigued. Now they’ve been diagnosed in Beijing with lowered IQ and anemia. The doctor told me both of them suffered from high-level lead poisoning.”

The final reports showed that every villager had the same problem, including six high-level cases, nine mid-level cases and all of the rest of low-level cases.

The youngest victim was only three months old.

A local government official from Chaling, where 34 of the villagers live, surnamed Liu, said by phone, “We suspect their illnesses were caused by pollution from a nearby lead smelter that disseminated waste into the air and the drinking water.”

Left untreated, lead poisoning can damage many internal organs, including the kidneys, nervous system and brain. Because of the possibility of permanent impairment, lead poisoning is particularly dangerous during the critical development period spanning infancy to seven years old.

Killer pollutant Three Chaling County governmental officials came to Beijing Wednesday morning in a bid to persuade villagers to head back home, and agreed to discuss compensation from the county. Beijing Today encountered the officials in the hospital on Wednesday afternoon, while they were negotiating with some of the villagers in the waiting room. They rudely refused to answer any questions.

Li Jun, vice director of the Beijing Representative Office of the People’s Government of Hunan Province, said by phone, “We have followed this event for days.

Fortunately, the results were better than expected. Considering the high treatment and accommodation fees in Beijing, the representative office together with local governmental officials will arrange for the villagers to return home and receive treatment in local hospitals.”

Li said the smelter has been shut down and an investigation is under way. The smelter is scheduled for relocation and the local government will cover the villagers’ hospital bills. “We will force the smelter’s owner to compensate the villagers. We are also considering raising fines for environmental violators in order to encourage companies to spend more on clean technology,” he said.

March 9 2007

BEIJING (Reuters) – Fearing soaring Internet addiction and juvenile crime, China has banned the opening of new Internet cafes this year, state media reported on Tuesday.

“Starting 2007, local governments must not sanction the opening of new Internet bars,” Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday, quoting a directive jointly released by 14 government departments, including the Ministry of Culture.

The notice said Internet cafes that had already received planning approval would need to be completed by June 30, 2007.

There are currently about 113,000 Internet cafes and bars in China, Xinhua said, citing figures from the Ministry of Information Industry.

The notice comes as lawmakers at China’s annual session of parliament, the National People’s

Congress, called for stricter regulations to keep teenagers away from Internet cafes, which are often seen in China as hotbeds of juvenile crime.

“It is common to see students from primary and middle schools lingering in Internet bars, overnight, puffing on cigarettes and engrossed in online games,” Xinhua quoted NPC Deputy Yu Wen as saying in a separate report.

China has banned minors from cyber cafes and levies heavy fines on operators who defy such regulations, in a bid to curb soaring rates of addiction that have accompanied the rapid spread of the Internet in recent years.

Last year, a report from the China National Children’s Center, a government think-tank, said that 13 percent of China’s 18 million Internet users under 18 were Internet addicts.

Expert comment “I don’t think it is reasonable to stop giving any approval to opening new Internet cafés at all. The key to solving the problems with these cafes lies in how they are run and overseen,” Professor Liu Deliang of Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications said.

“Internet cafes have proven to be an important part of the country’s burgeoning information industry. It is necessary to set a certain threshold of standards for opening and running Internet cafes to ensure healthy development of the sector, but it makes no sense to me to regulate it in this way,” Liu added.

“Teenagers get addicted to the Internet not because

there are too many Internet cafes but because of a lack of proper governmental regulation of the trade,” Liu said, “Self-discipline in the industry can only play a secondary role, comprehensive and sensible regulations should always be at the forefront of managing the trade. The government also needs to pay more attention to day-to-day oversight of how Internet cafes are run, making sure that they abide by state rules and introduce anti-addiction measures when offering computer games, check customers’ ID cards and refuse to serve minors, and other similar safeguards.”

(By Jiang Xubo)

Beijing to ban begging prior to 2008 BEIJING (indiatimes.com) – China will ban beggars and hawkers from downtown Beijing prior to 2008 Olympics as part of efforts to give the host city a facelift, local officials said.

Work has begun on keeping beggars, hawkers and people distributing advertising fliers out of the Chinese capital to ensure “fluid

communication and a better image for the capital,” the office for 2008 Olympics announced.

The Municipal Bureau of Industry and Commerce, together with police, will strive to put an end to illegal activities within the city’s Second Ring Road, including begging, hawking, handing out advertising fliers on major roads and

running unlicensed taxis.

The Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau plans to make more efforts this year to provide accommodation for handicapped people, the elderly and homeless children begging or living rough on the city’s streets. The body will try to send urban vagrants home free of charge, Xinhua news agency reported.

cover disadvantaged people in the countryside. As the development gap between urban and suburban areas widens, it is inevitable that some rural residents will go to the cities when the population in the countryside exceeds local labor demand. Some of those rural migrants may be forced to turn to begging if they fail to find another way to support their basic needs,” Li explained, “So the government has to improve its social security network in suburban areas if it wants to keep beg-

gars out of the cities.”

“It takes time to stimulate economic development in the countryside and to increase rural incomes, and that is the key to improving suburban social security. For the moment, the government could at least offer jobs, such as cleaning streets, in the public service sector for beggars and encourage them to give up begging. This way, they could earn at least a minimum wage and make a basic living,” Li said.

(By Jiang Xubo)

Expert comment

Beggars are a common sight in the capital.

CFP Photo

“Banning beggars from downtown cannot solve the problem completely by itself. A better solution lies in expanding the social security net to cover everyone, including both urban and suburban residents,” Professor Li Qiang of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Tsinghua University said.

“The influx of beggars is a result of the lack of a comprehensive social security network, which currently only provides for residents in the country’s cities and fails to

Outlook

Dog cull in southwestern China follows rabies scare HONG KONG (AP) – Local government has ordered all pet dogs to be killed in a district of the southwestern municipality of Chongqing as part of an anti-rabies campaign.

Residents of the city’s Wanzhou district have until March 15 to hand over their dogs to be destroyed, according to a directive on the district’s official website.

The compulsory cull is to begin after March 16 and be carried out by the local police.

The directive says government guard dogs and animals kept for research institutions, military and commercial purposes will be spared.

Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post newspaper quotes a health official as saying the move will combat rabies in the area.

The official says three cases have been reported within the last year, and one person reportedly died last month.

Fines for hotels that fail to provide condoms (news.com.au) – A Chinese province has taken the unusual step of fining hotels and bars with sums up to US$800 if they fail to provide condoms, as part of efforts to fight the spread of HIV, the Beijing News reports.

Zhejiang, the booming eastern province of Zhejiang, that recorded its 1,859 cases of HIV infection by the end of last year, started enforcing the rules on Thursday, the newspaper reported.

“Condoms or condom-vending machines must be placed in hotels, bars and designated public places, or venue managers will be fined 5,000 yuan (US$ 837),” the report said.

The Chinese government once stigmatised HIV/AIDS as a disease of the decadent, capitalist West – a problem of gays, sex workers and drug users, none of which were officially admitted to exist in China.

Editors: Hou Mingxin Jiang Xubo Designer: Zhao Yan

CFP Photo

Teenagers are frequent visitors to the Internet cafes.

BEIJING (Reuters) – Beijing has closed dozens of bars and restaurants after a fire in a karaoke bar killed two people, Xinhua reported on Wednesday.

The fire department inspected 182 hotels, restaurants, discos, karaoke bars and bathhouses in Chaoyang district and closed 33 for failing to meet fire safety standards, after a fire last week at an unlicensed karaoke bar killed two workers.

“The industry and commerce administration in the district said 73 entertainment venues failed to produce their business licenses and 16 were conducting business outside the scope allowed by their license,” Xinhua reported.

Image conscious in preparation for the 2008 Olympics, Beijing has pledged to crack down on unlicensed entertainment venues, which are often fronts for drugabuse and prostitution.

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BEIJING TODAY

One-year ban on new Internet cafes

Beijing cracks down on fire-trap bars, clubs

March 9 2007

Foreign company tax breaks on the chopping block

Business

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Beijing, March 8 (AP) – China’s legislature is expected to end decades-old tax breaks for foreign companies at the annual National People’s Congress meeting.

A law expected to be enacted will equalize tax rates, raising foreign companies’ bills and cutting those for many Chinese entities.

For two decades, China has rewarded new investors with

hefty tax breaks, luring the nearly US$700 billion in investment that has helped make this the world’s fourth largest-economy, but fueling growing complaints

by Chinese companies about unfair treatment.

“This special treatment could not continue forever,” said Winston Zhao, a lawyer in Shanghai for the US law firm Jones Day

who is advising companies on the change. “Foreign investors have to be prepared mentally, though nobody wants this to happen.”

The change is part of sweeping efforts to modernize China’s laws to keep pace with explosive economic change and meet World Trade Organization commitments to treat companies equally.

Until now, new foreign investors were exempt from income tax for two years and got a 50 percent cut for another three.

After that, other provisions such as breaks for investing in special economic zones could keep taxes as low as 10 percent.

By contrast, Chinese companies pay 33 percent of their profits in taxes.

Editors: Hou Mingxin Zhao Hongyi Designer: Yang Gen

BEIJING TODAY

Taobao beats Wal-Mart in volume

By Huang Daohen The transaction volume of Taobao.com, the leading auction website in China, reached 16.9 billion yuan (US$2.11 billion) last year. The figure, released at the 2007 China Retail Development Forum, which opened last Saturday in Shanghai, topped the annual turnover of traditional retail giant Wal-Mart, which moved 9.93 billion yuan.

Sun Tongyu, president of the Taobao.com website, said Taobao has 30 million clients, up from 13.9 million at the beginning of last year.

“When Taobao was first established, we hoped it would beat Wal-Mart China within three to five years. We are glad to see it only took us three and a half,” Sun said.

“In the next few years, WalMart global will be our target, and Taobao’s transactions will reach 100 billion yuan.”

Taobao’s transformation indicates a change in the winds of consumption habits and a maturing of e-commerce in China. Mobile phones, cosmetics and laptop computers were the top three selling items on the website.

Beijing, March 8 (Business Wire) – AutoMart-China, the largest independent auto aftermarket company in Beijing and 95 percent owned by Deep Field Technologies Inc, has contracted with seven insurance companies to offer damage evaluation and make coverage decisions at AutoMart maintenance and repair centers.

The service will be available within the year, according to sources from the company.

Vimicro’s headquarters in Beijing Beijing, March 8 (EE Times Asia) – Fabless semiconductor company Vimicro International Corp reached an agreement to acquire the land-use rights to approximately 17,300 square meters of land in Haidian District for US$38.4 million.

The company will be required to obtain necessary governmental approvals for the proposed project. The construction of the new building is estimated to be completed by 2009.

Total leads oil price cuts in Beijing

By Zhao Hongyi TotalSinochem, Total’s joint venture in China, has cut oil prices by half a yuan at two of its ten gas stations in Beijing since early February. The cut has won applause from local media and consumers, who say the price cuts help shatter the monopoly of state-owned Sinopec and PetroChina.

“This is a reminder that oil prices can fluctuate and can help shatter the monopoly of the state-owned Sinopec and PetroChina,” Feng Shiliang, a deputy of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said this week in Beijing.

TotalSinochem expects to increase its number of gas station in northern China to 200, and in East China to 300 by 2010.

After a month of criticism, PetroChina lowered its gas prices by a maximum of 0.2 yuan yesterday. The company says the price cut will last for one month.

AutoMart to offer insurance on-site

HP settles patent dispute

Brilliance lights up auto show A news cameraman shooting a Brilliance sedan from China at the 77th Geneva Auto Show on the first media day, March 6.

Brilliance displayed three luxury models

designed for the European market at the show.

Brilliance has already started exporting sedans to Germany.

Xinhua Photo

Overseas banks head for hinterland

By Zhao Hongyi CitiBank, together with HSBC, Standard & Chartered and East Asia Bank, have received approval from China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) to extend renminbi business to native, individual Chinese clients including deposits, account management and credit loans, starting from April 1.

The four overseas banks have registered local

sub-banks before the approval, which will be regarded as independent banks under the supervision of CBRC. All renminbi business will be conducted through these sub-banks.

Sources say another five banks have forwarded applications and await approval. They are Hang Seng Bank from Hong Kong, Mizuho Corporate Bank and Mitsui Tokyo Bank from Japan, DBS Bank from Singapore, and ABN AMRO Bank from Holland.

Bombardier rail cars contribute to Beijing Olympics West Mifflin, March 7 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) – A 33,000-pound rubber-wheeled railway car will leave Bombardier Transportation’s West Mifflin factory Thursday, bound for Beijing, the last of 11 vehicles designed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The cars are affixed with the official “Beijing 2008” iconographies. The US$68 million delivery is more evidence of a recent business shift to Asia, and China in particular.

Ray Betler, the factory boss, believes that there will be 30 project opportunities across China in the next decade, as the fast-growing country spends US$155 billion on transportation infrastructure.

Walking through Bombardier’s parking lot, Mr Betler points out the last car destined for Beijing, parked on a flatbed truck, ready for pickup. The car will travel first to Baltimore and then via container ship to Tianjin.

He explains how he landed the Beijing contract in 2004.

“It was a dogfight,” he said.

The negotiations lasted five months, back and forth.

This car is bound for Beijing.

Post-Gazette Photo

In the end, Bombardier won the job by a margin of US$1 million, beating out a Japanese rival. The colors chosen for the cars were red and yellow mixed with white, the colors of “good fortune.”

No doubt, then, that Bombardier is benefitting from a hot Chinese market. But what of the recent volatility, the severe drop in the country’s stock market, the talk of a possible slowdown? It doesn’t seem to bother Betler. The factory, he said, has a six-year backlog of work and the market for automated transit systems is “robust.”

“For us, it’s not an issue,” he said.

Los Angeles, March 8 (Reuters) – Printer maker Hewlett-Packard Co said it had resolved a patent dispute with China’s Ninestar, which HP said had agreed to stop selling ink cartridges related to the dispute in the United States and some other countries.

picoChip forges 4G pact with BUPT Bath, England, March 8 (Business Wire) – picoChip and the WSPN-BUPT (Wireless Signal Processing & Network Lab, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications) have announced a joint development program focused on 4G and other next generation wireless air interfaces.

The two organizations will collaborate on developing the technologies that will drive wireless communications forward over the next several years, including IEEE 802.16m, UMTSLTE (Long Term Evolution) and the recently-announced 4G FuTURE project.

Palm ready to expand Beijing, March 8 (Forbes.com) – Handheld computer and mobile phone maker Palm said it will work with the state-owned China Mobile Communications to expand Palm’s presence in China.

The company said it is consulting with investment bankers on its strategic options, ranging from a sale, an investment by private equity or a purchase of its own. It will establish a research and development facility in Shanghai.

Palm said it will speed up the delivery of next-generation smartphones to mobile operators, partners and customers worldwide and will offer its Treo 680 to Chinese consumers.

March 9 2007

Olympic efforts to curb Beijing’s smelly taxis Gao Shan in court in Vancouver, Canada

CNS Photo

Canada possibly to deport fugitive Chinese banker

CFP Photo

Comment Isn’t this a simple matter of issuing these taxis some air freshener and deodorant during the few weeks of Olympic Games. That should be quite inexpensive.

– Simple does it But onion breath disguises the smell of burning motor oil.

– xh I don’t think the smell of a Beijing taxi cab is any worse than that of cabs in a lot of major cities in the US, except for those drivers who openly smoke in their cabs, with total disregard for the customer.

– cheng I can get used to the garlic and tobacco smell, but I’d always resent the fact that politely asking them to put out their smoke or unwind the window was treated as a point of negotiation, not basic courtesy. What I could never get used to was the way that cabbies would always take me on the scenic route and attempt to rob me blind, unless I specifically gave directions of how to get there.

– Si Well, if only one third are stinky that’s still a 60 percent chance of a refreshingly odorless taxi ride. However, it seems to me that the esteemed Shi, whose nostrils have clearly been softened by years of easy living in Hong Kong, has lost sight of priorities.

– Imagethief

I remember the days in the freezing winter of 2002, when I would open the window a fraction and press my face up so I could catch some outside air, no matter how painful the cold.

– ric Except Tokyo, I cannot think of a large city anywhere without an occasional smelly cab driver. I doubt these new Beijing rules will have much impact. I wish they would go after the cabs with air conditioners that just don’t cut it.

– CLB I’ve largely given up on taxis in both Beijing and Shanghai in favor of my bicycle, which I find to be a more reliable form of transportation.

– Andrew Well, there are bad things about both Beijing and Shanghai taxis, but there is one area where Beijing clearly wins hands down. Wondering what it is? Yes, Beijing taxis are generally fitted with functioning shock absorbers. Beijing taxis seem to be going a lot slower these days.

– William While I never experienced such foul aromas in taxis anywhere else, I did have an occasional problem in Taipei, where taxis seem to use a flowery air-freshener with a sickly sweet, suffocating stench. Please don’t say this indicates any bias against China. It’s the equivalent to commenting on Beijing traffic or weather – a fact of life.

– Richard (By Huang Daohen)

Comment How could he have stolen such a staggering amount of money before being detected? Chinese banks should have more frequent unannounced audits and inspections.

I believe Canada will act responsibly and deport Gao. All nations should cooperate to bring such unconscionable criminals to justice.

– pat Gao should be punished severely.

A crime such as Gao’s is an assault upon not only his direct victims now; it also hurts the country’s future. Severe and lengthy punishment would send the right message and would be the right thing to do.

– PS It is interesting that Canada keeps coming up as the country of choice for all the social misfits of the world.

– yank Canada has a well-known opposition to the death penalty. I think that if China guaranteed no death penalty for these sorts of financial crimes, then they would get a lot more criminals returned from western countries, not just Canada.

– nyw If Canada does not hand over this criminal who has robbed blind depositors who trusted him, Canada may attract more dirty money, but lose something far more valuable, its good name.

– goodname North America is a haven for all sorts of illegal funds, it seems. Even extradition requests seem to fall on deaf ears. This bank chief’s fraud and escape to Canada is not the first “ugly Chinese fish” to fall into their net. Is it safe to have so much fraudulent money enter Canada’s banking system?

– LC The sooner scum like Gao are removed from the face of the earth the better for all concerned. The Canadian government is also partly guilty if they give refuge to such criminals.

It is obvious that this case is not a political one.

– foxy The only crime he has committed in Canada is misrepresentation of information when he applied for permanent residence. This is not a serious crime, and if convicted, he will only be jailed for a few months. The interesting thing is the Canadian government has the option of deporting him back to China where he might receive much more severe punishment.

– weve (By Huang Daohen)

Editors: Hou Mingxin Zhao Hongyi Designer: Yang Gen

Beijing is improving taxi services.

An immigration hearing into whether fugitive Chinese banker Gao Shan should be deported to face criminal charges in China was held in Vancouver, Canada this Tuesday but abruptly adjourned.

Gao’s next immigration hearing is scheduled for March 21.

Citizenship and Immigration officials in Canada say Gao, who is a permanent resident, lied on forms he completed to enter Canada and should be removed. But before minister’s counsel, Alannah Hatch, who represents the government on those charges, could bring evidence forward, Lorne Waldman, who is representing Gao, applied to adjourn the proceedings.

Canada is trying to circumvent extradition law by removing the former banker for a minor offense, Waldman was quoted as saying on Tuesday. The lawyer argued the Canadian government was abusing the process in order to do the bidding of Chinese officials.

Gao, 42, was the former head of the Bank of China in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, and fled China after allegedly embezzling one billion yuan (US$128 million). The search to find Gao spanned the globe, with both Canadian and Chinese authorities looking for him in the UK, the US and South Korea.

Gao, his wife Li Xue, and their teenage daughter, Gao Shanxuellan, were arrested at a Vancouver home on February 16. Gao’s wife and daughter were later released, but all the three will have to appear at immigration proceedings.

The Bank of China, China’s largest foreign exchange bank, confirmed early last year that one of its sub-branches in Heilongjiang was involved in financial fraud, but refused to make any comment on Gao’s case.

China’s Ministry of Public Security made a request to Canada in late January to extradite Gao. However, the two countries do not have an extradition treaty and the issue has become increasingly sensitive.

In the best-known extradition case involving the two countries, Lai Changxing, who is alleged to be a smuggling kingpin, has been living in Vancouver since 2000.

China’s most-wanted fugitive continues to fight removal orders after an application for refugee status was turned down in 2002.

(Source: Global and Mail. com and Chinadaily. com)

BEIJING TODAY

Some Beijing taxi drivers should take it the smell inside their cabs seriously, which may tarnish the city’s image during the 2008 Olympic Games, a political adviser was quoted as saying last Sunday by Xinhua.

About one-third of the taxis in Beijing were smelly, Shi Xiangpeng, a Hong Kong representative at the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said, based on his personal experience.

“Sometimes I could smell an unbearable stink the minute I got into a cab, but was afraid of appearing too rude by getting out immediately. So I had to roll down the window, regardless of how cold it was outside,” Shi, who often visits Beijing, said.

The cab odors, according to Shi, are the result of bad habits of drivers from the suburbs of Beijing who, because they live far from the downtown area, sometimes sleep and eat meals in their cars. Many drivers also smoke in their cars, he said.

Shi said the matter was not trivial because it would reflect on China’s image during the Summer Olympics. He called on taxi drivers to pay more attention to their personal hygiene and try to keep a clean and pleasant scent inside the cars.

Statistics show Beijing has about 2.9 million registered motor vehicles, including 67,000 taxis.

(Source: Xinhua news agency and Peking Duck blog)

Debate

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March 9 2007

BEIJING TODAY

Editors: Hou Mingxin Han Manman Designer:Zhao Yan

Expat news

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More than 100 foreign galleries boom in Beijing

By Qiu Jiaoning There are more than 100 foreign galleries in Beijing now and almost all of them are performing actively and under excellent management, Wang Yihan, director of the China International Gallery Exposition (CIGE) 2007 and general manager of Beijing Chinese Art Exposition Media Co Ltd, said.

“Thanks to the boom in China’s, and especially Beijing’s art market, more and more foreign galleries have attached importance to the city and opened branches here,” Wang said. CIGE 2007 will be held in the China World Trade Center in Beijing from May 2 to 6. Wang said about 70 of the 120 outstanding galleries are foreign.

Beijing Today interviewed some of Beijing’s better-known foreign galleries about what drew them to the city and what challenges they face here.

Why is Beijing more and more popular among foreign galleries?

Monica Piccioni, from Italybased offiCina, said “ the dynamic growth of China in the world economy, the high market price of contemporary Chinese artwork, the feeling of being part of a place where things can really happen and a growing, local collector’s market have all attracted foreign galleries here.”

Piccioni and Rosario Scarpato, both Italian and co-founders of offiCina, have lived in Beijing for over fifteen years. “In our time here, we’ve assisted in the openings of new local galleries, and with the arrivals of for-

Foreign galleries occupied over half the stalls in last year’s gallery expo.

Foreigners show artwork. eign galleries; some of them set up an art space after dealing with Chinese contemporary art for over a decade in their native countries, but others came intending to present international art and better know the local scene,” Piccioni said.

Snejana Krasteva, manager of Beijing Tokyo Art Projects, said the Chinese contemporary art market has been extremely hot in recent years, and Beijing, the cultural center of the country, attracts many foreign galleries with its market potential growing daily.

“It depends on the position of Beijing in China’s economic and political environment. Beijing is the cultural and international communication center. Most of the Chinese contemporary artists

are active in Beijing, and that’s already drawn the attention of the international art market”, Tian Yuan, director of White Space Beijing, said.

“Beijing has an arguably greater concentration of prominent Chinese artists than any other city. Logically, a rich and

What challenges and difficulties do foreign galleries face in Beijing?

“We see a lot of confusion around us: a permanent fair-like atmosphere with only a few people really concerned about quality.

Recently, the shows have proliferated and exhibitions are opening in a way so routine, so unattractive, it’s doing little more than answering market demands,” Piccioni said. “In this uneven, yet dull ocean, we are looking for different actions, thoughts, concepts and views, and we try to make a personal contribution,” she said.

A maze of artwork established art community exists here, primarily in Dashanzi 798,” Jennifer Lin, from Galleria Continua Beijing, said, “Many foreign art galleries and enthusiasts alike are reading in art publications all over the world that Chinese art is thriving and has been for the last several years. The excitement of being involved in something so new and explosive is very seductive to western galleries.”

Artwork in the gallery CFP Photo Lin said one of the major challenges for Galleria Continua Beijing is to keep the quality of the

artwork in the gallery consistently at a high level. The market potential for foreign art is definitely there, but it certainly requires more time and understanding, she said. At the moment, Chinese collectors are still interested in Chinese art, but more and more are realizing the importance of collecting renowned international art as well.

“Fortunately, for White Space Beijing, the chairman, Alexander Ochs, has ten years experience cooperating with Chinese artists,” Tian said. “However, we still have to face the immature aspects of the Chinese gallery market. The biggest challenge our gallery is facing is how to improve exhibition quality. Our final ambition is to put more time into preparing programs.”

“In an atmosphere where everybody talks about markets and auction prices, we find it challenging to focus on finding new, talented, young artists and to present a different type of exhibition from what we see all the time in the Beijing art scene,” Krasteva Photos provided by CIGE said.

March 9 2007

By Qiu Jiaoning The UN team in China celebrated International Women’s Day, Thursday, by inviting a panel of experts to help raise public awareness of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and celebrate progress made in promoting and achieving gender equality.

“In China, the past decade of economic reforms has greatly contributed to the social empowerment of women. The country achieved significant results in reducing poverty, addressing illiteracy and providing access to economic opportunities for women,” Khalid Malik, UN resi-

dent coordinator and UNDP resident representative in China, said at the ceremony.

He noted that one of the particularly acute gender issues in China is the imbalance in the ratio of girls to boys born, which is manifested by societal attitudes towards gender and may have serious implications for the future of the country.

This panel was composed of prominent gender activists including Zhou Xiaoqiao, director general of the All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF), Constance Thomas, chairperson of the UN Theme Group on Gender, Peter Jensen, counselor of the Embassy of Aus-

tralia and Wang Xuebing, film actor and Anti-Domestic Violence Advocate.

“Through this event, we hope to widen and raise awareness and interest in CEDAW and its importance in China,” Thomas said. “The UN Theme Group on Gender, in cooperation with ACWF, will undertake a nationwide awareness campaign to allow women and men of all walks of life to become familiar with CEDAW. This way, we aim to assist the government in meeting one of its obligations under the convention to publicly disseminate information on the content and meaning of its provisions.” Particular attention was

Photo provided by UN team in China given to rural women, whose struggles and vital economic contributions warrant more attention and policy planning, the speakers said.

Jensen said AusAID is a member of the Technical Advisory Committee to the China Gender Facility administered

by United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

“So far AusAID has contributed AU$500,000 (US$389,000) to the facility to support research and advocacy projects on promoting gender equality in China. The facility has made encouraging progress in influencing policy and raising awareness,” he said.

China-Japan culture and sport year starts

Indonesian Night celebrates anniversary

By Han Manman This year marks the 35th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations and a year of sports and cultural exchanges for the two countries.

According to the Japanese Embassy, as part of a yearlong project dubbed “The Japan-China Exchange Year of Culture and Sports,” a commemorative concert, “Super Live In”, will be held on March 13 in the Beijing Exhibition Center as the first event of Japan-China Year, followed by exhibitions, performances and art shows in the first half of the year.

A team of scholars, students and journalists from both China and Japan will follow an ancient diplomatic route from Xi’an, the ancient northwestern capital, to Nara, in Japan’s Kinki Region.

The Exchange Year aims to introduce an image of a new Japan and its people to a new

By Han Manman To commemorate the 57th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and China, the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Indonesia and the Chinese Indonesian Association will present Indonesian Night, an evening of exquisite cultural performances, Monday, March 12 at the Poly Theater.

The event will showcase performances by around 200 performers including Balinese dances, an Angklung bamboo music ensemble, a Chinese Indonesian choir and Indonesian folksongs and dances.

Led by the Indonesian Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, the performance group got the attention of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The president said in a send-off ceremony that this kind of cultural exchange will not only enhance

generation of Chinese people. To this end, the government of Japan will emphasize youth exchange, cultural exchange and sports exchange including support of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and social action programs like assisting poor areas and protecting the environment.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made an official visit to China last year. He said that taking advantage of the ChinaJapan Year is a good opportunity to develop exchange, especially youth exchange.

Prime Minister Abe said over 1,000 high school students from China and Japan visited each other’s countries last year. The exchange between youths, who carry the responsibility of the future, is very important for the development of bilateral ties, and he would endeavor to offer support, the prime minister said.

the two countries’ friendship, but also help to develop tourism. China’s recent rapid economic development has helped spur other countries’ development, including Indonesia’s. The president said China is not a competitor of Indonesia, but a partner.

In the spirit of deepening cultural ties between Indonesia and China, Wacik said, Indonesian Night will tantalize the audience’s senses and leave it with a desire to explore the enchanting archipelago. He said visas for Chinese visitors have been easier to acquire since President Yudhoyono took office in 2004.

The minister of Culture and Tourism of China, director of the Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs of the State Council, the Indonesian ambassador and representatives of various UN bodies and other international organizations are expected to attend.

Commerce & consulates

Heart to Heart partnership with Canada

By Jackie Zhang The Canadian Embassy held a ceremony yesterday with Beijing Chenjinglun High School to officially launch their collaboration as part of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad’s (BOCOG) “Heart to Heart Partnership Program.”

BOCOG’s heart to Heart Partnership Program” is a partnership of primary and secondary schools in Beijing with national Olympic committees around the world.

BOCOG has assigned Beijing Chenjinglun High School to be the partner school of the Canadian Olympic Committee. The School is one of the 556 Beijing 2008 Olympic Education Model Schools identified

by BOCOG nationwide to carry out the Olympic Education Program, jointly launched by BOCOG and the Ministry of Education.

Such projects and partnerships will allow Canada and China to strengthen their collaboration in sports, education and youth exchanges, Rachael Bedlington, counselor of public affairs, said.

This is especially exciting, as Canada and China share a special bond as the next two Olympic host countries. The Canadian Olympic Committee is very happy to be paired with the Chenjinglun High School and looks forward to visiting the school in the near future.

In order to help Chinese students learn more about Canada and Canadian culture, Pascal Gemme, one of Quebec’s most highly-regarded fiddle players, participated in the event and performed some traditional songs, as well as his own compositions.

Editors: Hou Mingxin Han Manman Designer: Zhao Yan

A panel of experts helped the UN raise public awareness of gender equality in Beijing on Thursday.

By Han Manman Collaborating with the embassies of Switzerland, Belgium and Canada, the French embassy is launching its 12th Francophonie Week in Beijing from today to March 23. A series of cultural activities will showcase the best recent French and Francophone movies at the French Cultural Centre in Beijing.

A full night of free music, courtesy of Nhu Lounge bar, is both a highlight of and prologue to the Francophonie Week, with four excellent confirmed acts: Quebec native Pascal Gramme’s unique fiddle recordings, which have been honored at the Canadian Folk Music Awards; bal-musette (a traditional pre-rock French music form) revivalists Java mix hip-hop with an accordion and a double bass; Ragga old-schooler MC Red (formerly of Raggasonic) and jungle-specialist DJ Science are big-name French draws playing with Beijing’s finest Madagascan guitarist, Robison Nogabe Randriaharimalala.

Among various events on the schedule, two are particularly worthy of mention: First, two French authors, Nathalie Kaufmann and Sijie Dai, will come to exchange ideas with their local readers, and second, there will be a Conga performance choreographed by ten artists and percussionists.

The embassy of Niger has also launched a two-week traditional leather exhibition that showcases the country’s unique leather art.

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BEIJING TODAY

UN celebrates International Women’s Day in Beijing

French culture week kicks off

March 9 2007

10

Community

British Museum brings cultural treasures to China

By Huang Daohen The British Museum is bringing a new exhibit to Beijing on Britain’s emergence as a world power during the Georgian period.

The exhibit, titled “Britain meets the World, 1714-1830,” opens today in a new exhibition gallery in the Meridian Gate (Wumen) at the entrance to the

Forbidden City, and will run for three months.

This collaborative exhibition marks the first development of the historic “Memorandum of Understanding,” signed by the British Museum and the Palace Museum in Beijing in June 2006.

The agreement also involves curatorial exchanges, sharing skills and joint projects, which will ben-

efit museums and audiences in both countries.

The exhibit is composed of four parts and displays historical objects from the reign of George I to that of George IV, from 1714 to 1830, as well as masterpieces of ancient world cultures. In the over one hundred sets from the British Museum and more than ten sets from the Palace Museum, visitors are able to see cultural attractions from around the world and appreciate the contributions of both Eastern and Western civilizations.

“The British Museum is committed to sharing its exceptional collection with the world,” Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum, said at Wednesday press conference. “With this exhibit we hope to show China something of the Britons who applied their intellectual energy, ingenuity and physical courage to encounters with the world as Britain emerged on the international stage,” he said.

In addition to this exhibit, MacGregor said, the British Museum is engaged in many other projects in China. The

museum has sent specialists to the Palace Museum to conduct a survey of the museum’s European clocks collection, and Chinese curators have been invited to the British Museum each year to take part in its international summer school.

The staff from the British Museum display their treasures.

Photos by Wang Xiaoxi

BEIJING TODAY

Editors: Hou Mingxin Wei Ying Designer: Yang Gen

Rugby tournament to be held this weekend

By Annie Wei Rugby is not a traditionally popular sport in China, and games are seldom broadcast or promoted by local media. Many have heard of rugby, but few know how the game is played. However, this weekend, rugby enthusiasts can see a tournament hosted in town.

The Beijing Devils Rugby Club will host the first ever Great Wall Ice-Breaker rugby tournament in Chaoyang Stadium on Friday and Saturday. The tournament includes teams from across the nation, such as the Beijing Aardvarks, the Guangzhou Rams,

The Beijing Devils vs. a Suzhou rugby team in Shanghai last year.

CFP Photo the Shanghai Hairy Crabs and the Shanghai Japanese.

The Beijing Devils Rugby Club is the biggest amateur

sports club in town. Organizers said the club’s initial membership in 2003 was about 50 people, but grew to 230 members last year. Rugby club members are from the UK, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, South Africa and some nations where rugby is not popular, like China, Japan and the USA. According to the club’s website, these 230 registered members comprise 19 nationalities, and include businessmen, diplomats, teachers and university students. Although most members are men, there is also

a women’s team, a touch section and youth rugby.

The club is very active. They have a full schedule for both the spring and autumn seasons.

Apart from hosting tournaments, the club also organizes members to fly to the other cities for competitions. Members share information on Yahoo groups, helping each other find jobs in China, make friends and exchange information.

The club is open to anyone who can play or just wants to join the group. For more information, go to beijingdevils.com.

Peter packs them in at the Bookworm

By David Drakeford Peter Hessler, award-winning author of two books on China, River Town and Oracle Bones, and Beijing correspondent for the New Yorker, was at the Beijing Bookworm on Monday evening to discuss his work in China to date, his new project and to make a surprise announcement that he is leaving the country.

Hessler first visited China in 1994 and has built a writing career here that spans a decade; now, the author is considered one of the top Western writers in the country. His talk at the Bookworm attracted local, national and international fans and journalists.

His third book, tentatively set to publish next year, will be a slight shift of theme, dealing with

Peter Hessler, the author Photo from ruanyifeng.com

economics and development.

Part of the book focuses on a village north of Beijing called Sancha. Since the explosion of car ownership in the last few years, people from Beijing have journeyed to the village, changing its economic fortune forever.

Hessler also recently returned from a reporting trip in Zhejiang where a newly built highway presents opportunities to businesses and indicates the continuing shift from a rural to an urban economy. These automobile-related themes, and his own experience driving a jeep from Beijing to Qinghai, add up to an irresistible idea for a third book that will compelement his previous works; River Town dealt with geography, Oracle Bones with history.

The evening was a rare oppor-

tunity to meet a “writer’s writer” in China, one who spends a lot of time travelling and working outside of the expat community. The many questions from the audience were given long and carefully considered answers.

While not giving any specific advice to China writers, Hessler did mention that the attention a foreigner attracts outside of big cities could be turned to one’s advantage, to improve one’s Mandarin and learn about the human element of this unique society.

When asked why he was leaving China, Hessler responded, “I think there is a risk of getting pegged as the ‘China guy,’ which I guess at this point is sort of what I am.” He plans to return to America and find a home in Colorado with his wife.

Events Booktalk: The Uninvited by Yan Geling Screenwriter, author and playwright Yan Geling makes a special appearance at the Bookworm to discuss her latest novel, The Uninvited, and her recent work on a screenplay for a film directed by Chen Kaige.

Where: The Bookworm, Building 4, Nan Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang When: March 22, 7:30pm Tel: 6586 9507 Email: books@beijingbookworm.com Lecture: CHINDIA:Where do the two cultures meet?

H Ronken Lynton will give an illustrated lecture exploring the values and customs of Chinese and Indian culture. She has spent more than twenty years in India, mostly as an author, case writer and teacher in the area of organizational behavior.

She finds that Indian culture has much in common with Chinese culture, historically and also in their current trajectories.

Where: New Zealand Embassy Residence, No 1 Ritan Lu Dong Er Jie, Chaoyang When: March 15, 7:30pm Tel: Darlene Wang 8449 9802 Hands-on: Making traditional kites Kite makers and aficionados explain various types of kites, and then give visitors a chance to try their hands at maneuvering the special Beijing-style “sand swallow” kite, and kite painting.

Where: Chinese Culture Club, Kent Center, No 29 Anjialou, Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang When: March 18, 2:30pm4:30pm Cost: 100 yuan Tel: 6432 9341 Learning Exhibition at Ivy Academy This is an opportunity for children to participate in creative and exciting activities.

Where: Ivy Academy, East Lake Villas, C Block 101, No 35 Dongzhimen Wai Dajie, Chaoyang When: March 17, 2pm-4pm Tel: 8451 1380 Beijing Playhouse: The Odd Couple Actor’s Reading Get together in the Beijing Playhouse for an informal reading of Neil Simon’s hilarious comedy The Odd Couple. Aspiring thespians can try their hand at acting and receive pointers from Odd Couple director Rod Archer.

Where: No 26 Xingba Lu, Nuren Jie next to PiliPili When: Mar 12, 6:30pm A Tango Mix night to remember Event Milonga La Portena invites you to join our Tango Mix night, enjoy the magic of Argentinean Tango and the passion of Latin and Turkish music with free instruction and music provided by Laura and Tayfun.

Where: Kokomo Bar and Restaurant, 4/F Tongli Studios, Sanlitun Bei Jie, Chaoyang District.

When: March 10, 9:00 pm (By He Jianwei)

March 9 2007

CFP Photo

Salsa is making waves in China’s big city nightlife.

Company Training Center begins its spring session on March 10 at No 7 West Chang’an Jie, Xicheng.

Their teachers include some worldclass Beijing Modern Dance Company dancers and choreographers, as well as international teachers invited from abroad. For example, from March 16 to 25, Tere O’ Connor, an American choreographer from New York City, will be doing a weeklong choreography residency at the company for company members. They might organize an open master class.

Feng Bingbing, the organizer of the training program, said normally they had three sessions every year. Each session lasts about three months. However, the requirements for joining BMDC’s train-

ing center are high. Feng said they had two classes each session, one for people who have certain level of dancing skills and the other for those who have none. Each class accepts only 15 students.

The new session opening Saturday has only one class for people with a dance background.

Address: Beijing Modern Dance Company Studio, No 7 West Chang’an Jie, Xicheng Tel: 6601 6187 La Casa de David Huo Yaofei, the founder of La Casa de David, was a world champion Cuban-style Latin dancer.

His place was named a Latin dance training-base by the Cuban embassy. Every week, this place attracts around 300 to 400 people.

After training hours, there is a free open-form class from 20:30-21:30.

Address: Floor 5, Yaxing Dasha, Jia No 46 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang. For more information, call 6466 1606 According to Huo, the other popular Latin dance places are Latinos in Nanxincang, No 22 Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng (Tel: 6409 6997) and Salsa Caribe at No 4 Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang (Tel: 6507 7821).

These two places seem popular with a majority of patrons Chinese Latin or salsa fans, but, Salsa Caribe is also expensive on the weekend, with an entry fee and a minimum purchase if you want to have a seat.

Free washroom transport helps tourists

These men will help you easily locate a washroom.

Photo provided by Xicheng cleaning center

By He Jianwei If you are a hutong travel addict, now you can feast your eyes on the hutong scenery without worrying about finding a washroom. A new kind of electric vehicle can lead you to the nearest washroom for free, and last week, the system debuted in the hutongs around Shishahai.

On the front and back of the vehicles hang boards that say “To the washroom” in English and Chinese. The cleaners from the environmental cleaning center of Xicheng District

drive the electro-mobiles shuttling to and fro about the hutongs in Shishahai from 8am till the dawn. If you hail the vehicle, it will bring you to the washroom as soon as possible.

“Before we drive the vehicles, we take a long time to be familiar with the geographical environment of the area of Shishahai. We know the position of every washroom in this area like the palm of our hands,” Wang Huan, one of the drivers, said.

“We can get people who are

worried about finding the washroom in this area to the nearest washroom within 30 seconds,” he said.

In and around Beijing, Shishahai is one of the best places to view well-preserved hutongs and courtyards. The renovation of washrooms in these hutongs has been completed successively.

If a person in the area is having a hard time finding a washroom, the services of the washroom vehicles is open, and convenient, to all, Wang said.

Rent a lockbox for your valuables

By Jiang Xubo Most Chinese banks, including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Merchant Bank, China Minsheng Bank, Bank of Communications, the Agricultural Bank of China, the Bank of China and China Construction Bank, offer bank safe services, though not at all of their branches.

Most of the bank safes available are small, long lockboxes

with a minimum volume of around 6-by-10-by-50cm. Most banks, however, offer safes in a range of sizes and shapes.

The annual fee may range from between 150 and 200 yuan (US$20-26). If you’d prefer to rent a safe for only one month, the charge is between 20 and 30 yuan.

Some banks even offer the service at a daily rent of about five yuan.

Some banks also offer one free safe for customers whose deposits

have reached a certain amount.

China Minsheng Bank, for example, offers one free safe for customers who have a deposit of over 100,000 yuan (US$13,000).

In addition to the rent, most banks demand a deposit of between 200 and 500 yuan. When applying for the safe and signing the rental contract, you’ll need something to prove your identity, like an ID card or a passport.

You can deposit or withdraw

your valuables anytime during the bank’s business hours. Most articles are acceptable for storage, but corrosive, flammable or explosive goods will not be accepted. Items that are illegal in China, like guns and drugs, are not allowed either.

Most banks use a fingerprint identification system or code, in addition to locks and keys. It is yet to be confirmed whether foreign banks provide this service.

Hey, we are new in town.

The toilet in our apartment is blocked all the time.

Every time we pay someone come to fix it, they complain that we threw the used toilet paper into the toilet.

Does that happen to most Chinese families too?

It seems all the apartments, as well as office buildings in Beijing, have bins in the toilet for disposed toilet paper, while they’re seldom seen in south China. If you are lucky enough to have an apartment that is well built, with a good sewer system, it will be fine. But in many old buildings, toilets can be blocked easily by used toilet paper. Even in new buildings, sometimes the toilets can still be blocked by loads of paper at one time. Just place a bin in the bathroom in case the toilet blocks.

We notice China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) is having important meetings this week and traffic seems quite difficult, especially on Chang’an Avenue. When will the meeting close?

The NPC is China’s highest legislative body. Generally speaking, its meetings last for two weeks and will close on March 16 this year.

I heard that Beijing had quite a few music festivals every year, especially in summer, and that young people really enjoy the outdoor music festivals. Which is the biggest one and when are they?

The most well known one is the MIDI Festival (check midifestival.com), which started in 2000. It’s normally scheduled for early May. Last year, it was from May 1 to 4 in Haidian Park in the northwest of Beijing.

A one-day ticket costs 30 yuan.

Other big outdoor music festivals are normally held in Chaoyang Park. The music festivals in Chaoyang Park always seem more expensive, costing 150 yuan per person. But you can get scalped tickets at half price.

Most music festivals start promotion one month before the date. Just keep an eye on local publications, as well as English listings magazines, and you won’t miss them.

(By Wei Ying)

News u can use

When spring comes and the weather gets warmer, I want to ride a bicycle around town. But I can’t find a 28-inch or higher bike. What’s the deal?

A 28-inch bike costs around 200 yuan or so, depending on its make. Second-hand ones can be even cheaper. Foldable or 26-inch bikes are more popular, and you can get them in small bike stores or supermarkets like Carrefour. There are bike stores on the west side of Yaxiu market, two in Jiaodaokou Dong Dajie and one in Gulou Dong Dajie.

Editors: Hou Mingxin Wei Ying Designer: Zhao Yan

By Annie Wei After hibernating season, it’s time for more activities and social mingling. Dancing is a good option for meeting new friends with healthy hobbies, getting into shape and enjoying the fun of spinning and moving. Want to be the center of attention on the weekend’s dance floor? Then you need learn and practice more.

Swing Beijing Swing is a jazz music that originated in America under a century ago. It has many forms and is popular worldwide. Swing Beijing seems to be the only place offering swing classes in the city.

Adam Lee, the founder and a swing dancer, said currently they have about 80 students currently registered for two classes, with about 50 showing up to class on any given Monday night. The majority of them are expats, as well as lots of Chinese women.

Lee said there were no Chinese men in the swing group yet. “I guess they don’t like girls?” he jokes.

To expand the amount of swing dancers in Beijing, Swing Beijing will arrange a few free classes for university students.

They will also start a new beginner’s circle of classes on April 2, as well as free beginners’ class.

The swing dancers gather at the CD Jazz Cafés on east third ring road, north of Changhongqiao, and south of the Agricultural Exhibition Center. For more information, please go to chinaswings.com.

Beijing Modern Dance Company The Beijing Modern Dance

Email your questions to: weiying@ynet.com

11

BEIJING TODAY

Guide for Beijing’s hot dancing workshops

ASK Beijing Today

March 9 2007

Center stage

12

By He Jianwei

Spiderman, batman and superman – the ubiquitous cartoon figures – appear another way in the eyes of Taiwan’s new generation; Taike, Budaisi and “betel nut beauties” – unfamiliar Taiwanese slang names – are now being decoded by Taiwan’s new generation of artists.

A new a

Taiwan’s new generation has brough miliar in the new exhibition “Paradigm New Generation Arts” at Beijing’s New “Modern man, for Baudelaire, is no himself, his secrets and his hidden trut himself,” Michel Foucault wrote in Wha are students from the Graduate Institut University of the Arts (TNNUA), one of They are trying to invent themselves, th symbols of Taiwan.

Huang Chien-hung intentionally alien from reality and con to-face relations.”

BEIJING TODAY

Editors: Yu Shanshan Qiu Jiaoning Designer: Yang Gen E-mail:yushanshan724@ynet.com

As an assistant professor of TNNU Arts, Huang Chien-hung has proposed summarize his students’ works.

“I really agree with the idea that th Huang, who got his doctoral degree fr “Face-to-face communication between tant for this exhibition, because the stu their own work.”

Huang spent three to five hours ev students before the exhibition in ord thinking about.

“What the new generation is think world is directly reflected in their work selves from reality and concentrate on tions,” he said.

Su Mei-hui: “I love th ness between the real

Su Mei-hui has cosplayed for a dozen y showing some cosplay digital photograph Cosplay, a combination of the Engl a Japanese subculture centered on dre video games, live action television sh bands. However, in some circles, “cos simply wearing a costume.

In Taiwan, likeminded people gather t their own elaborate handmade creations, ticipate in costume contests.

“Budaisi is typical Taiwanese cosplay Puppet Show, is a kind of dramatic pe music, poetry, art, sculpture and embroid most traditional forms of Taiwanese dram “I love the feeling of vagueness betwee in cartoons or the Budaisi are fictive, bu cosplay. Then, I make cosplay virtual agai

Man who doesn’t exercise by a new piano

Digital print of cosplay

Photos provided by the Graduate Institute of Plastic Arts at Tainan National University of the Arts

Huang Yen-yin, a graduating TNNUA between motion and image.

“I want to create motion within a stil presentation of the object glittering in the for perceived tumult,” Huang said.

“Perceiving the tumult of motion doesn nesses on the spot is just as true as what o His digital photography series, Man wh tures a man standing still near a revolving piano as it was moving and mixed those im “I highlight the visual experience in my ceiving, not by reading or listening,” he sa

March 9 2007

Taiwan’s new arts generation

ht us both the familiar and the unfam Shift – The Moment of Taiwan’s Art Projects Gallery. ot the man who goes off to discover h; he is the man who tries to invent at is Enlightment. The 13 exhibitors te of Plastic Arts at Tainan National the three art universities in Taiwan. hrough their art, as new and unique

Other works

g: “(The students) nate themselves ncentrate on face-

UA’s Graduate Institute of Plastics d the concept of “paradigm shift” to

king about the individual and the k. They intentionally alienate themn face-to-face , interpersonal rela-

he feeling of vaguel and the virtual.”

years and, in the coming exhibition, is hy. lish words “costume” and “play,” is essing as characters from cartoons, ows, fantasy movies or pop music splay” has been expanded to mean

to see each other’s costumes, show off take lots of pictures and possibly par-

y. Budaisi, also known as Taiwanese rformance that integrates literature, dery, as well as stunts. It is one of the ma,” she said. en the real and the virtual. The figures ut we turn them into reality through in by taking pictures of it,” she said.

Huang Yen-yin: “I highlight the visual experience in my work.”

Lin Qing-fang: “We are finding a way to vent.”

Lin Qing-fang’s work is an attempt to combine art and colloquial slang to reflect a slice of typical Taiwanese culture – Taike.

Taike is a sub-culture in Taiwan. It signifies the spirit of men and women unafraid of their own identities. It is the spirit of those who have forged their own freedom, found their own way and are unafraid to approach the future by themselves.

The term encapsulates a stereotype of some Taiwanese people’s habits and behavior: dyeing their hair in different colors, wear colorful shirts and baggy pants irrespective of the occasion, talking a lot, drinking too much, cursing constantly, chewing betel nut and speaking Mandarin with a heavy Taiwanese accent, Lin said.

The first attempt in Lin’s Taike series resulted in a collection of nude self-portraits in oil. In shades of grey

A tattoo picture

Chang Jia-yin: “I usually hide my true feelings.”

Chang Jia-yin is part of a young generation that has grown up under the influence of cartoons. Her art centers around new cartoon characters, sprung forth from her imagination.

All of her creative cartoon figures are monsters with dull expressions, big eyes and round faces. “The monsters are lovely and funny; I always draw what I’m thinking about during creation,” Chang said.

Each picture contains at least one bigger monster and several small monsters. “The whole picture looks like a stage where different stories play out, but you can’t get a hint about the main plot,” she said.

The monster’s feelings are concealed. “I find a shadow of myself in the monsters I create, as I usually hide my true feelMountain Monster ings,” she said.

Donghe Hardware

Agi Chen: “In my work, the image is imagination itself.”

A student, concentrates on the relation

ll picture. The motion is not only the picture, but, more exactly, an analogy

n’t require logic because what one witone perceives,” he said. ho doesn’t exercise by a new piano, feag piano. “I took several pictures of the ages together,” he said. y work. People get it only through peraid.

and hazy blue, Lin uses his body to express 24 Taiwanese slang phrases.

His latest works – a series called Taimay – are portraits of female Taike or male Taikes’ girlfriends. He posted a notice asking for pictures of taimei – slang for Taiwanese girls – on the Internet. “Some of the portraits are from pictures taimei mailed to me; some are of ‘betel nut beauties’ ,” he said.

Betel nut beauties are a unique group of women in Taiwan. They sell betel nuts in roadside stands. “They wear little, dye their hair in cheap barber shops and have tattoos,” he said.

The images of taimei are similar in appearance: they have rounded noses and mouths. “Taike is living a potentially breathless life. The nose and mouth bulge, as if suffocating. We are finding a way to vent,” he said.

Spiderman

Agi Chen is studying in the doctoral program for Art Creation and Theory at TNNUA, and won the Taipei Arts Award, a prize that provides an important stage where contemporary artists in Taiwan can showcase themselves.

Chen’s Function Color series is rooted in the imaginations of fictional cartoon characters, such as spider man, batman and superman. “Is there any significance to the coloration of popular characters? In the creative process, I abstract the colors onto a new geometric interface – the centric circle. Then I put the color centric circles back to the scene of the original cartoon,” she said.

“Function” in her works means standardization; the geometric form displays a color structure and points toward an absent subject at the same time, like a back and forth process of reduction.

“If a picture or image can be a path to the imagination, then in my work, the image is imagination itself,” she said.

Paradigm Shift – The Moment of Taiwan’s New Generation Arts Where: Beijing New Art Projects Gallery, 798 Dashanzi Art District, No 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang When: Until March 21 Tel: 8456 6660

Editors: Yu Shanshan Qiu Jiaoning Designer: Yang Gen

very week talking with each of his der to understand what they were

Angel Taimay Series

BEIJING TODAY

heory should come from practice,” om the University Paris VIII, said, teacher and student is quite imporudents have no objective concept of

Taiwan’s new generation communicates with the outside world in different ways. Juang Rong-je framed pictures of tattoos with traditional Chinese frameworks.

“I tried my best to avoid frightening people with pictures on human skin. Furthermore, the color of the drawing is naturally developed by the healing of the tattoo’s wound,” he said.

Su Yu-xian named his works after his family store; Donghe Hardware discusses the use of intimacy for efficient communication.

“Group-think may be not important at all, and it’s time for us to think of a more efficient way of communicating,” he said.

Yang Yu-chunms sewed letters written during her high school days with the white cotton thread.

“Sometimes we want to conceal something, but actually we make it protrude more,” she said.

Center stage

and unique moment

13

March 9 2007

Local shelf

Guilty pleasure in Pitt’s pitfalls

Books

14

Surviving the sword

By Brian MacArthur 496pp, Radom House, 150 yuan Formerly of the London Times, MacArthur recalls the hideous treatment by the Japanese of British, Australian, and colonial soldiers they captured in 1942. For American readers, this topic invokes the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai; however, MacArthur asserts that the movie’s central theme was fiction. The blockheaded British colonel played by Alec Guinness strikes MacArthur as a libel of history’s real colonel, Philip Toosey.

The author’s reasons for praising Toosey as a hero, not the David Lean-created prig, become brutally evident as he recounts Toosey’s leadership of his men amid the barbarity by which the Japanese forced their prisoners to build a railroad from Thailand to their army in Burma.

BEIJING TODAY

Editors: Yu Shanshan Zhao Hongyi Designer: Yang Gen

Treasure of Khan

By Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler Hardcover: 560pp, Putnam Adult, US$18.45 (Amazon.com) Audio CD: 14 discs, Penguin Audio, US$29.67 (Amazon.com)

By Derrick Sobodash There’s no question Clive Cussler is a master of the action-adventure novel. His literally trademark character, the wavy-haired, green-eyed Dirk Pitt, along with “sidekick” Al Girodino, has survived 19 books. For the fans to keep coming back, he’s definitely doing something right.

But sometimes that “something right” can be a little difficult to locate.

The last Dirk Pitt book, Black Wind, was Clive Cussler’s first collaboration with son Dirk Cussler, and many fans hailed it as a return to classic Pitt adventure. To that end, Treasure of Khan will not disappoint. It’s as action-packed as a Pitt fan could ask for, the series’ formula that’s driven Dirk Pitt, Sr and Al Giordino is back.

The book opens with Kublai Khan’s famous 1274 blunder of launching a sea attack on the Japanese islands. As history went, a freak storm churned up from the south and totaled the fleet before it could attack.

In the story, one lone ship survives and ends up on a pacific island. Years later, its Mongol captain returns to Beijing to inform an aging Kublai of his empire’s “new lands.” The old Khan expresses interest, and then dies.

Prepare for the book’s first massive inaccuracy. After the Khan’s death, “a large Chinese junk slipped out of its dock at Shanghai and silently drifted down the Yellow River.” It doesn’t take a Doctor of Science in geography to look at a map and notice Shanghai is not located on the Yellow River, but it does seem to take more than a Doctor of Letters. The “Yellow” could be a ribbing at Shanghai’s pollution levels, but given the meticulous detail the Cusslers pour into the rest of the book, likely not.

Literature is about the suspension of disbelief, and if you are part of Cussler’s target audience – Americans – you’ll probably never notice such a minor detail as the mis-location of China’s second largest river and its economic center.

A fun fact: Dr Cussler is the founder and chairman of the National Underwater and Marine Agency which is dedicated to locating shipwrecks and preserving maritime history.

Just a fun fact.

Back to the story; the ship headed out to sea, presumably taking the dead Khan to visit the new lands that fascinated him so.

Flash forward to 1937 in Shangdu, just 270 kilometers north of Beijing into Inner Mongolia. A British archaeologist is troweling through the ruins of the ancient Yuan summer home. He finds something super-important and boards a plane for Mongolia – but not before triggerhappy Japanese soldiers shoot him down as his learns his precious discovery has vanished.

Flash forward again, now to present day, Siberia.

An oil exploration boat from Amsterdam is looking into the possibility of oil beneath Lake Baikal, on the Mongolia-Russia border, because existing studies of the lake floor are never enough to dissuade greedy corporations seeking a piece of Russia’s oil action.

Everything looks good until Dirk Pitt, head of NUMA since Black Wind, detects a freak seiche wave over 24-feet high developing. Pitt

Taking on the World

Clive Cussler, the author sends out a warning to all boats on the lake and local officials handle coastline evacuations, but the Russian boat, which Tatiana, an ethnic Mongolian woman from Amsterdam and this book’s Pitt-chick, is on, ignores the order.

Pitt organizes an unbelievable rescue – even

by Pitt standards – and even when the ship breaks in half, his diving plan fails and he finds himself stuck in the middle of growing wave.

Dragged three miles from the wreckage, he’s still smug as ever. If there’s one flaw in Dirk Pitt novels, the guy is sometimes just too smug.

Even 007 sometimes makes you wonder, “Will he make it?” With Pitt, there’s never a question.

Review time.

The opening is a historic flashback. Check.

Pitt makes a heroic rescue later connected to the antagonist. Check. He saves a woman who will become the Pitt-girl for the book. Check.

Seems to be shaping up like a typical Pitt story, and the main villain’s new chaos-causing toy is something straight out of James Bond.

With world oil prices so high one could ponder whether the gas is supposed to go in your car or in your veins, the villain targets the world oil market to cut off China’s oil supply. Why would

he want to do that? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

Sadly, while the book is crammed full of details which bring Cussler’s characteristic tangibility to every scene, he misses on the big ones.

Fiction books spun off of a historic incident usually involve a lot of research. Treasure of Khan gets basic place locations wrong. It is stunningly deficient in even the most basic knowledge of Chinese culture. Throughout the novel, characters are constantly referred to by their given names when stylistically, it seems Cussler intended to use their family names. This is most obvious in references to “Minister Shinzhe.” It would be like saying “President Jintao.”

It also presents an impressively rosy vision of China during the Yuan Dynasty, leapfrogging over the infamous “Four Class System” that placed southern Hans at the bottom of society, below the Central Asians, or semu, even in their own lands.

Lastly, the character “Clive Cussler” is getting a little too egotistical. Once an easter egg, later a deus ex machina, the latest Clive enters as Pitt and Giordino’s bus driver. He proudly announces he will be visiting a Mongolian village to “give a talk on Western democracy,” and Pitt comments that the nice fellow “drives like Mario Andretti.”

One day, the Dirk Pitt series is going to make an amazing topic for a psychology student’s thesis.

Factual errors aside, the book is lots of fun.

It provides a light, fast reading and hours of entertainment that won’t strain your brain. If you need a break from Beijing Today’s non-fiction recommendations and are looking for some action, the Cusslers deliver in spades.

Treasure of Khan has two editions available: hardback and audio CD. Avoid the audio CD: its reader, Scott Brick, has an annoying habit of making all Asian characters – including those born and raised in Amsterdam – speak like a cross between a Kung Fu extra and William Shatner.

A paperback edition by Berkley is slated for print this October.

And yes, another car gets trashed.

By Ellen MacArthur 395pp, Michael Joseph, 135 yuan This is MacArthur’s autobiography. In the world of sailing, MacArthur is notable as a female sailor. This is not a sailing book. It is only at a glance concerned with the sea. The book is more about MacArthur’s search for sponsorship and credibility, and her mounting profile in today’s rarified world of techno-sailing. It’s a story of mythic shape – of a young girl who receives the call to adventure and sets out on a compulsive journey, finding mentors, tests, dark caves, despair, a supreme ordeal and triumph.

The Dew Breaker

By Edwidge Danticat 242pp, Alfred A Knopf, 110 yuan The book begins a series of loosely connected stories of people who share some relationship to state-sponsored torture in Haiti. People who know the history of Haiti might find it more interesting. State-sponsored torture and brutality are a part of Haiti’s 200-year history. Danticat, the writer, staying much within the realm of her own experience, deals only with the torturers from Papa Doc’s time on.

(By Annie Wei)

March 9 2007

15

Food

By Gan Tian Located 1,500 meters east of Yanshaqiao, Fenghuayuan, or Maple Garden, is Beijing’s first drive-in cinema, providing not only the latest films, but also a 360-degree service center for dining, weddings, parties, gatherings, pubs, and others pastimes.

We chose three of the most popular places for you and your family to enjoy.

By the way, the area not only provides food for people, but also for cars – gas stations are not far!

If both you and your car are hungry, don’t wait.

Drive in and enjoy!

Dining at the Koongxi Koongxi Barbecue Buffet Garden is a chance to enjoy both traditional Chinese culture and western dishes.

Drive-in means more than movies A peaceful place in your stomach and your mind

Barbecued fish slices at Koongxi Koongxi Barbecue Buffet Garden Photos provided by Gan Tian

Photo by Zhang Nan

Copied ‘Parc Güell’ in Beijing

By Jackie Zhang Parc Güell Spanish Restaurant & Bar is built and designed according to the real Parc Güell in Barcelona, Spain, which was designed by the world-famous Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi.

“Our restaurant is a copy of the Parc Güell in Spain. We built it with materials flown in from Spain. The curves used in the decoration, the colorful mosaic on the floor, and the sculpture of a lizard, the mascot of the city of Barcelona, are all typical features of the Parc Güell in Spain,” Daniel Xie, manager of the restaurant, said.

The restaurant’s head cook is the executive chef of the Spanish Embassy, and most of the cooking materials are imported directly from Spain. “This guarantees that our dishes are of pure Spanish flavor,” Xie said.

The owner of the restaurant has now settled down in Spain and comes back to China regularly each year. “He knows Spanish dishes and is good at cooking,” Xie explained, “When he comes back and comes to the restaurant, he often cooks for the guests himself.”

Tapas are a typical Spanish dish, and there are dozens of them at Parc Güell. Guests can order several of them in a daily Tapas Special.

The mixed paella, another typical Spanish food, is also a menu feature.

“The traditional paella is cooked with chicken, rabbit meat and seafood like shrimp and cuttlefish. Then, it is served together with lemon sauce in order to reduce the fishy smell of the seafood.”

The restaurant has just started a promotion – they bought a slot machine. Guests have chance to play the slot machine once after their dinner. “If they are lucky, their bill will be reduced. Some of them may even get a dinner for free,” Xie said.

Parc Güell Spanish Restaurant & Bar Where: Fenghuayuan Drive-in Cinema, No 21 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang Open: 11am-10pm Tel: 6434 1699 Cost: 60-80 yuan per person

A typical household meal in the Good Times Restaurant Photo by Zhang Nan

Editors: Yu Shanshan Zhao Hongyi Designer: Yang Gen

Mixed seafood fried rice

By Jackie Zhang Situated in a small white house with the leisurely interior decoration of a home, the Good Times Restaurant is a place for lazy people to enjoy a household meal and drink tea, chat after dinner with friends, but without the chore of washing dishes.

I came to the restaurant on a windy evening. Zhang Jie, the owner of the restaurant, is a young girl who quit her job at a newspaper last year and started the restaurant in December.

“At first I want to start a DIY cake shop to teach people how to make delicious and nice-looking cakes, but changed my plan to this home-style restaurant to provide people with household food near this drive-in cinema,” Zhang said, “I like delicious food very much and usually go to taste at different restaurants in Beijing. I enjoy the feeling of cooking myself. The restaurant is a nice place for me to enjoy life by doing what I really love.”

There is not a fixed menu at Good Times. “Usually I prepare different materials every morning. The guests can tell me what dish they want and how they would like to use the day’s ingredients. Then, I’ll cook for them in the open kitchen.”

People can also book a reservation beforehand by telling Zhang what they want to eat.

While I was talking with Zhang, a pair of guests arrived at Good Times. It was their third time. They were vegetarians and had booked a meal. Zhang cooked two ordinary dishes and a bowl of seafood soup for them.

“The general price for one person here is from 50 to 60 yuan. We can also arrange parties for a group. Guests can even cook themselves. Sometimes, I’ll help them a little.”

Together with the two guests, I enjoyed a nice dish in Zhang’s restaurant. Sitting on the cozy sofa, listening to soft songs in the warm room with a strong wind blowing outside, I really felt at home. Good Times offers a memorable experience.

The Good Times Restaurant Where: Fenghuayuan Drive-in Cinema, No 21 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang Open: 3pm to midnight Tel: 6433 2100 Cost: 5o-60 yuan per person

BEIJING TODAY

By Gan Tian After entering the drive-in cinema, walk 200 meters and you’ll see Koongxi Koongxi Barbecue Buffet Garden on your left. Several glass-decorated rooms surround an open area, where you enjoy the food.

Liu Haidong, the restaurant’s manager, told me “Koongxi” is a Korean word meaning “congratulations.” That explains why the most famous food here is the 98 yuan Korean barbecue.

However, the barbecue here is very different from the usual fare. The meat looks darker, but tastes lighter, as the cook has squeezed the oil out of it, which means you won’t get that oily, greasy texture. How do they do it? “It is a secret recipe,” Liu said to me, winking.

Interestingly, it seems the restaurant knows that it’s a hot spot for couples, so they serve two different spaghettis, each 58 yuan.

Garlic Bacon Spaghetti, a salty dish, is specially designed for boys, and Milky Shrimp Spaghetti is for girls with a sweet tooth.

The place is heavenly dream. At night, when the lights shine, you’ll feel that no matter how busy you are, you have found a peaceful place.

Koongxi Koongxi Barbecue Buffet Garden Where: Inside Fenghuayuan Drive-in Cinema, No21, Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang Tel: 6437 1272, 6433 2565 Cost: 150 per person Open: 9am-10pm

At home at Good Times

March 9 2007

Discounts & bargains

16

Shopping Aupres gift

Restaurants 80 yuan off

Seafood discount Dine at Bo Hai Seafood restaurant (1 Zhongguancun Dong Lu, Haidian) and enjoy 20 percent off until March 15. For reservations, call 6598 4462.

Spend 880 yuan on Aupres products at Zhong You shopping mall (176 Xidan Bei Dajie, Xidan) and get a free gift until March 15. For details, call 6601 8899.

Spend over 300 yuan at Ito Yokado shopping mall (8 Beisihuan Dong Lu, Chaoyang) and enjoy 80 yuan off. For details, call 6491 0099.

Dupont discount

Down coat discount

50 yuan voucher Spend over 100 yuan at Fu Jiang Chuan Korean grill restaurant (Anhui Bei Li, Chaoyang) and get a 50 yuan voucher until March 12. For reservations, call 6498 7862.

50 percent off Dine at Zuan Man Lou seafood restaurant (Wangjing Dongsihuan, Chaoyang) and enjoy 50 percent off until March 12.

For reservations, call 6479 5657.

Famous men’s clothing brand ST Dupont is 50 percent off at Modern Plaza (40 Zhongguancun Dajie, Haidian) until March 15. For details, call 6257 6688.

Buy down overcoats at Xi Dan shopping center (120 Xidan Bei Dajie, Xicheng) and enjoy 30-70 percent discounts until the end of the week. For details, call 6656 5588.

Women’s discount

Men’s clothes discount

40 yuan voucher Lunch at Xiang Wan Ma Tou Si Chuan avor restaurant (Dahuangzhuang, Fengtai) and get a 40 yuan voucher until March 13. For reservations, call 8576 5820.

BEIJING TODAY

Editor: Zhao Hongyi Designer: Yang Gen

30 yuan voucher

Women brands at Lan Dao (8 Chaoyangmen Wai Dajie, Chaoyang) are 15-50 percent off until March 11. For details, call 8563 4422.

All Youngor brand men’s wears (110 Dongdan Bei Dajie, Dongcheng) are 30 percent off until March 11. For details, call 6513 1887.

DKNY discount

Underwear discount

Eat at Xi Mi Hun Zhen Cun Gui Zhou restaurant (26 Tianze Lu, Chaoyang) and get a 30 yuan voucher until March 15. For reservations, call 6218 6060.

30 yuan voucher Spend over 100 yuan at Si He Hong Ting restaurant (Meishuguan Hou Jie, Dongcheng) and get a 30 yuan voucher until the end of the week. For details, call 6403 1584.

15 percent off DKNY products at Heng Ji Yan Shan shopping center (18 Jianguomen Nei Dajie, Chaoyang) are 40-60 percent off. For details, call 6518 3228.

Taste shark n soup, hot pot and steak at Xiao Bei Lou restaurant (1 Tuanjiehu Bei Wu Tiao, Chaoyang) and enjoy 15 percent off until March 15. For reservations, call 8597 8135.

Buy Diana’s underwear at the agship store (1 Yuanda Lu, Haidian) and enjoy 20 percent off until March 15. For details, call 8887 4611.

(By Terence Lu)

Send us your discounts & offers.

Email us: bjtoday@ynet.com or call: 6590 2626

ADVERTISE IN

PLACE YOUR ADVERT NOW AND GET INSTANT RESULTS! Call: Jian Zhong 139 0135 4788, Xiao’ang 133 8106 4865

BBQ discount Dine at Ye He Barbeque restaurant (Maizidian Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang) and enjoy 15 percent off until March 12.

For reservations, call 6461 5138.

March 9 2007

The largest Pecha Kucha in London

The first Pecha Kucha night in Beijing Above, middle and left-bottom photos provided by Sebastian Linack

Sebastian Linack (middle), Beijing’s Pecha Kucha organizer, discusses the activity with his friends.

Pecha Kucha in Beijing “We only organized one Pecha Kucha night in Beijing last December,” Sebastian Linack, one of the organizers, said. Linack is an architect working for an international architecture and design consulting company in Beijing.

“It’s a good opportunity to meet many amazing people who have equally amazing ideas,” he said.

The first Pecha Kucha night had nine presenters, including some big names.

For instance, Stefan Lehnert, head of Vector Foiltec Tech Beijing, which is supplying the Facade for the Olympic “Water Cube,” explored the future of their “EFTE” texlon technology.

Kaspar Knig, an industrial designer, musician and composer of modern soundscapes, presented his ideas on sound-

making products, like soundbikes and guitarbikes.

Julie Jiang, a communications officer for an American humanitarian agency who lived and worked in Afghanistan in 2002, showed some her photographs from her life there.

Yan Jun, sound artist, improviser, music critic, poet and driving force of China’s indie music scene, played his experimental music and sound art live.

“The participants had two breaks to have a few drinks or relax after each three presentations,” he said.

“We need to hold four Pecha Kucha nights per year, according to the international convention of Pecha Kucha,” he said. Beijing will have its second Pecha Kucha night at 8pm, April 7, at Nike 706 in the 798 Art district.

Guangzhou has held two Pecha Kucha sessions, Cai Yingqian, one of the Guangzhou organizers, said.

“It’s a platform for people to express their thoughts and push the industry’s creativity forward. It’s a new trend in the global industry of art and culture,” she said.

“It lets us meet different people from different areas and in different fields, and inspires us with their creative thoughts,” she said.

Guangzhou’s first Pecha Kucha was held last November in a bar. Over 200 people attended, including local designers, a French graphic designer, art curators, maga-

zine editors and playwrights.

The attendees were from the media, advertising and cultural industries and college students, she said.

“The form of Pecha Kucha is limited in a way that every presenter must follow, but the content of their presentation is open, and the presenters can discuss issues in their fields or talk about their thoughts on life,” she said.

Cai wants to organize a Pecha Kucha night where all presenters are women or NGO participants. “I’m fond of these topics, and I want to give an opportunity for audiences from other fields to attend Pecha Kucha,” she said.

Guangzhou’s second Pecha Kucha was held this January.

Photo provided by Cai Yingqian

Editors: Yu Shanshan Chen Shasha Designer: Yang Gen

Pecha Kucha in Guangzhou

BEIJING TODAY

P

echa Kucha is a series of worldwide events to encourage people in creative industries to meet and share ideas.

Devised by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham, of Klein Dytham architecture, based in Tokyo, it was conceived in 2003 as a place for young designers to meet, network and exhibit their works.

The first Pecha Kucha nights were held in Tokyo in 2003, and since then, it has grown to become a global phenomenon. Pecha Kucha nights are now held in twelve countries in cities like London, New York and Buenos Aires. This year, it has come to Beijing.

A night of creativity No matter where it takes place, the format of Pecha Kucha is always the same: participants get to show 20 slides, with each slide on screen for just 20 seconds – giving each participant six minutes and 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This keeps presentations concise, interest levels high and gives more people a chance to show off.

Pecha Kucha, a Japanese onomatopoeia for chatting, has tapped into a demand for a forum in which creative work can be easily and informally shown, without having to rent a gallery or chat up a magazine editor. The demand seems to be global, as Pecha Kucha Night – without any plugging – has spread like wildfire.

The slides change automatically, keeping all presentations short and all presenters equal.

Because of the fast pace, the audience experiences an exhilarating range of speakers and images over the course of the evening.

There’s also music, drinking and the inevitable exchange of ideas that occurs whenever you cram so many architects, designers, artists, writers, photographers and advertisers into one room.

A night of passion The topics of the presentations are left totally to the presenters – there isn’t any consistency from one to the next. Thought most presenters make some mention of their work, the event’s main focus is not on the speakers’ work, but on the things that inspire and influence them.

For instance, at a London Pecha Kucha night last year, a fashion designer spoke through 20 slides about her favorite rock band and how their style influenced her.

Pecha Kucha is meant to be personal and fun, bringing people from many different fields together to discuss creativity in an atmosphere of friendly, casual chaos.

PechaIdeas Kucha in 6’40’’

17

Trends

By He Jianwei “In the future everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes,” Andy Warhol, an American artist, said. But on Pecha Kucha night, you have the chance to be world-famous for six minutes and 40 seconds.

March 9 2007

Shopping

18

Surviving the sandstorms

By Gan Tian

During my college years in Beijing, I never got to experience one of the city’s famous sandstorms. I’m not sure if environmental protection is getting better or worse, but this year, sandstorms are in the forecast. This week, Beijing Today has a list of gear to help you get through the nasty clouds heading our way.

Bandanna

Sand facial cleanser/foam

Wearing a bandanna is more than a fashion statement, it’s a way to keep your hair safe when the sandstorms roll into town.

It’s important to protect your hair during a storm, because the fine grains of sand can easily destroy your cuticles. Bandannas are a great way to say protected. A hat can work just as well, but don’t use anything knit – it will just trap even more sand.

Available: Beijing Strategy, F/5, Huawei Shopping Center, No 130, Xidan Bei Dajie, Xidan, Xicheng Price: 25-100 yuan

Have you ever heard of the ancient Chinese saying, “To fight poison, you have to use poison!”

On dusty days, a sand-based facial cleanser with foaming action is your best choice. It will help wash away the tiny grains that stick to your face using the higher-grit scrub. Just use it carefully, and never use it more than once a week once the sandstorms pass.

Available: Watson’s Price: 30-100 yuan

Mask Throat lozenges If you end up sucking in some sand, you’re going to be in for a rough time. Before you hack up your lungs, you can try popping a few of these pills to relax your throat.

Available: any local pharmacy Price: 10 yuan per pack

BEIJING TODAY

Editors: Yu Shanshan Qiu Jiaoning

Designer: Zhou Guilan

Canteen On dusty days, water is easily polluted. If you don’t want to end up swigging a mouthful of sand – and ladies, this is not good for your complexion – you can use a canteen instead of a cup. These things are designed for use in the desert, so if you have your water sealed up in one, you can tell the sandstorm, “Get bent!” If you can’t track down a canteen, a baby bottle makes a good backup.

Available: Meigui Wanqu, No 245, Chengfu Lu, Wudaokou, Haidian Price: 127 yuan

A doctor’s white medical mask could be your accessory choice during the storm season. This one has a cute Doraemon picture! It will help keep the sand, or other undesirable objects, out of your mouth.

Available: B/2, 77 Street, Xidan, Xicheng Price: 20 yuan

Fu Chen

These have more uses than just practicing tai-chi. My Beijing friend told me that, in old times, Beijingers would use these to clear away sand. He said his grandpa uses one and it works really well. Buy one, stick it in your bedroom, and when the sandstorms come, use it to clear away the dust. On a clear day, you can use it for practicing tai-chi. Bonus!

Available: No 24, Xisi Bei Dajie, Xicheng Price: 50-100 yuan

Sandstorm Dos and Don’ts 1. When facing a big sandstorm, make sure you know where you’re going.

2. Avoid outdoor activities when there’s a sandstorm raging.

3. Wear white, reflective clothing, long-sleeves and pants, and a wide-brimmed hat to protect you from the direct rays of the sun. Avoid wearing shorts. Use sunglasses and sunscreen.

4. Avoid driving a car. If you can’t, at least drive slower than usual.

5. The skin, nose, eyes, windpipe and lungs are the most easily damaged body parts. Pay special attention to staying protected.

6. Drink more water.

If you ignore Beijing Today’s shopping advice, these two have found another cheap way to keep out the sand.

CFP Photos

March 9 2007

By Chen Shasha Liu Zhong, a 17-year-old student, found himself totally deaf when he awoke March 3 – National Ear Care Day. He was terrified, as if the world had its mute button pressed. When doctors told him that he had paroxysmal deafness, he, at first, thought it was a big joke.

He never imagined his ears could have been ruined by his favorite MP3 player.

Recently, more and more students like Liu Zhong, office workers and other children suffer from paroxysmal deafness, Gao Chunjin, chief physician of Beijing Chaoyang hospital, said. “Some of them recover, but others end up with permanent deafness,” Gao says.

Case Studies 1. Gao Jun, 30, office worker Gao Jun worked hard and was quite busy. Everyday, he was on telephone with clients for more than three hours. Sometimes, he asked the other speaker to shout when he was in a noisy place. One day, after being overworked for two days, he went to a bar to relax. While dancing to the loud music, the world suddenly fell silent.

Doctor’s advice: Paroxysmal deafness can be caused by longtime abuse of telephones or using earphones to listen to MP3s and computer game. Gao Chunjin said office workers always feel a lot of pressure, and it can harm their health, especially their ears. Some regularly go to sleep after midnight, or go to bars for several hours after work. Pressures and a lack of sleep damage their nervous system and can cause paroxysmal deafness. Loud music can be another eardrum killer.

2. Zhao Mingjun, 22, student Zhao Mingjun was a music fan.

He couldn’t go a single day without music. When his father bought him an MP3 player for his 15th birthday, he was ecstatic and took it everywhere he went. He used the earphones to listen to rock music in

his dorm, in the washroom and in the library. One evening, while he lay on his bed after showering with the air conditioner humming, he switched his favorite song. Zhao forgot to switch off the player before going to bed, and the next day he awoke to dead silence.

Doctor’s advice: Longtime use of earphones is harmful to the ears, especially when the music is loud. The situation is even more dangerous when people use them to listen to music in cold air.

Prevention 1. Avoid cold air, because it can damage your ears.

2. Don’t let heavy workloads or study rattle you. It’s fine as long as you can keep your spirits up.

3. Don’t always stay up through the night.

4. Give your ears a rest every half-hour when you use your earphones to listen to MP3s.

5. If you hear a rhythmic drumming noise in your ears for more than a week, head to the hospital immediately.

If paroxysmal deafness occurs ...

1. Get to a hospital ASAP. Over 50 percent of cases of paroxysmal deafness are incurable if they persist over two weeks.

2. Calm down, stop what you’re doing, and just rest on the bed.

3. Don’t blow your nose strongly. It will put pressure on your eardrums.

4.

Don’t drink too much water or eat too much salt.

Mobile phone hand “Mobile phone hand” is a phonerelated musculoskeletal injury caused by frantic motion of the thumb, Tian Wenchun, a doctor from the clinical division of Jishuitan Hospital, says.

“The number of patients with the condition this year doubled over last year,” Tian said, “Serious cases can even end up requiring surgery.”

Tian says cell phone users who suffer from mild symptoms can recover by resting a little and curbing their number-mashing habits. Massage may be a good choice, Tian says.

Symptoms that linger more than three days require medical attention.

Tips Though rest and hand massage are doctor-recommended cures, there are still more ways to avoid developing a phone-related musculoskeletal injury in the first place.

Adjust your grip – you don’t need to strangle your phone, it can’t feel it anyway! Try to keep a relaxed grip while you type.

Avoid restricting circulation – on many people have exposed blood vessels near the skin around the thumb

and the wrist, where the pulse is often taken. Any pressure on this region will disrupt hand circulation and increase the risk of injury.

Protect your wrist and avoid restricting arm movement – when you grab that phone and prepare to launch a million messages, your arm ends up “locked” into position and forces you to make typing motions with your wrist.

This increases intra-carpal pressure, which is the last thing you wrist needs.

Load sharing – try to balance the load between your right and left hands. Swap hands from time to time during intense messaging sessions.

Phone shape – choose an ergonomic phone design. Don’t use a curved phone. Stick with something symmetrical.

Health

By Huang Daohen Sending New Year’s greetings and chatting with friends using SMS is trendy these days, but both of these give thumbs a beating. Sending out that avalanche of New Year’s well-wishes left many residents with a rather painful case of “mobile phone hand.”

Mouse position “Mobile phone hand” is similar to another musculoskeletal injury commonly seen during Spring Festival, “mouse hand.” Paying attention to your computer habits will help fend off this carpal crippler.

Mouse positioning – sit back in your chair, relax your arms then lift your mouse, pivoting at the elbow.

Your mouse should be positioned somewhere around this point.

Mouse with your elbow – don’t wave the mouse around with your wrist. Try to make controlled movements using your elbow and keeping your wrist straight and relaxed.

Protect your wrist – if you look at the physiology of your wrist, it curves away from the contact surface.

Anything that impairs your wrist’s free movement will, in turn, exacerbate injury.

Other input devices – whether you choose a different mouse design, a joystick, a touchpad or some other input device, make sure the position is comfortable, and that your wrist is in a relaxed position when using the device.

CFP Photo

Editors: Yu Shanshan Chen Shasha Designer:Zhou Guilan

Unmuting the world

Mobile messaging, medical malady

BEIJING TODAY

Paroxysmal deafness is a condition that sometimes occurs when waking up in the morning. The condition is deemed incurable if it continues for more than three months, and the causes vary. Be careful. Anyone can end up ‘deaf’ after rolling out of bed ...

19

March 9 2007

Travel China

20

Next to Tibet, Inner Mongolia is one of China’s most extraordinary places. You’ll be fascinated by the mystique of its stunning grasslands, the Gobi desert, the energetic Naadam festival and the Mongolian way of life. The province is near Beijing, and you can easily go there and enjoy diverse cultures.

A wild weekend in Inner Mongolia’s deserts

Enjoy dune sliding!

BEIJING TODAY

Editors: Yu Shanshan Chen Shasha Designer: Zhou Guilan

You will feel close to the sky when driving through Inner Mogolia

A restaurant built in the desert Photos by Ma Shukun

CFP Photo

By Chen Shasha Escaping the city on weekends is part of Beijing life. If you are tired of mountains, hot springs and historic sites, why not head a little further north to Inner Mongolia, where you can enjoy a travel experience not found in other Chinese provinces.

Inner Mongolia is suitable for travel in all four seasons.

In summer, you head there to escape the hot weather and enjoy a windy night on the grasslands under a tapestry of shining stars.

In the autumn, the leaves turn red and yellow and you can see the region’s many “painted” forests. For more adventurous travelers, head there in winter to see snow-covered sand dunes and experience cold days with temperatures always 20 degrees Centigrade below zero. And if you’re crazy, go in spring and learn what a real sandstorm is.

All jokes aside, the best seasons to visit are early spring and autumn, especially if bound for the desert, because summer is too hot and winter is too cold.

If your dream is a crazy weekend, far from Beijing, with lots of opportunities for cool photos and a low price-tag, Beijing Today’s route to the Resonant Sand Gorge (Xiangshawan), a desert of echoing sands in Inner Mongolia, could be one of your best choices.

Day 1: Beijing – Baotou (12-14 hours by train) There are more than five trains from Beijing to Baotou everyday.

If you plan to leave on Friday evening, and want a nice train, take K263 from Beijing railway station to East Baotou station. The

train leaves at 8pm and arrives at 8am the next day, with sleeper tickets under 200 yuan. Baotou has two railway stations, but the east one is more convenient because it is just opposite the Donghe bus station.

To get to the Resonant Sand Gorge, there are two buses from the Donghe station to choose from. One is from Baotou to Yimeng, and you can ask the driver stop in Wayao village, about 5,000 meters from the Gorge, and then walk or taxi to your destination. Another line is from Baotou to Daqi, where you can take a taxi from Daqi to the Gorge for about 50 yuan. Taking a taxi from Baotou directly to the George costs about 200 yuan, and a single bus ticket is about 25 yuan.

The Resonant Sand Gorge is located 50km south of Baotou, and it will take you less than two hours to get there.

Day 2: Enjoy a trip in Resonant Sand Gorge The Gorge is a part of the vast Gobi desert that starts just south of Baotou and spreads over Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia and Xinjiang. It gets its name from the echoing sound you can hear when you step on the sands. Strangely, the sounds stop when you bring the sands away from the Gorge.

The other strange phenomenon is the vast grasslands beside the desert, which stops as if someone drew a line to divide the “green” and “yellow.” You can’t help but admire the power of nature, and will be at a loss for words to describe the scenery.

Recent development of The

Gorge has only slightly damaged its natural beauty, and reduced some of its danger. There are numerous sand dunes that rise to levels of over 90 meters. To climb them requires a lot physical strength, because the sand under your feet is constantly sliding. At high noon, the sand Sha Cong, a plant that lives in is hot, and stepping on it can the desert Photo by Ma Shukun help your body to relax. You can parts which are as far removed enjoy camel rides, dune sliding from each other as from the capor simply building sand castles in ital of Russia. Many locals think the Gorge. If that’s not enough, it is more beautiful and modern try parasailing to get a bird’s-eye than Hohhot, the capital of Inner view of the vast desert.

Mongolia. Baotou was founded There are many yurt-like hotels during Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) to help you enjoy an evening in on a Neolithic site, just north of the desert. If you are fortunate the Yellow River and the Gobi enough, you might have the opporDesert. It has another name, tunity to see a Mongolian wedding “the land with deer,” because the ceremony and join in. hundreds of herds there when it was founded.

Day 3 ...

Baotou is also an industrial If you have time to spare, city, and is China’s biggest prothere are many other sites worth ducer of iron and steel. You visiting. The first one is Genghis Khan’s Mausoleum (Chengjisi- can tour many factories there, and some historic sites, such as han ling). Genghis Khan’s reign Wudangzhao Monastery, which is extended the empire from south the only Tibetan Buddhist monChina to the Caspian Sea. His astery in Inner Mongolia. It is mausoleum was constructed in well preserved and was once the 1954, with a main structure of home of 1,200 Buddhist monks. three yurt-like halls, each interNow, there are many Buddhist linked with corridors. The halls are filled with various exhibitions, paintings there. from the Khan’s war clothing to Mongolian calligraphy works.

Warnings: Genghis Khan’s Mausoleum is Inner Mongolia has not far from the Resonant Sand extreme weather.

The differGorge. Take a bus or taxi to ence in temperature between Eerduosi, a small city, and the day and night is dramatic. mausoleum is located just outWarm clothing is necessary side. It will take you about two when you visit this region. hours to get there.

It is also one of the driest Baotou is another place worth areas in China. Remember having a look at. Known as the to keep hydrated and carry ‘oriental Moscow’ of Inner Monmoisturizing lotion to progolia, the city is divided into two tect your skin.

March 9 2007

From left to right: Bit Stupa by El Condor, worshipping the Buddha, elephants are common, sunset over the Indian Ocean by Aandctrip

Colombo: a city like none other

One of the biggest thrills I had was on my first morning, when I visited the Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage. Every day at 10am – the time I was lucky enough to arrive – a parade of pachyderms, young and old, makes its way out of the orphanage, across the road and into the river for its daily bath. All under the watchful eyes of their mahouts. It was a captivating sight, almost prehistoric in its natural beauty. I sat and watched a herd of at least 60 elephants wallowing in the river, having mud fights and bellowing to each other for over an hour –

Gangaramaya (Vihara) Buddhist Temple Gangaramaya was the most impressive Buddhist temple I saw in Colombo. There is even a small museum attached to it. It is beautifully decorated with stone carvings, brasswork and other forms of Buddhist art.

The temple is not only a worship center, but also a house of study. Every Tuesday and Friday,

The elephant is the symbol of Sri Lanka.

meditation classes are held from 5 till 6:30pm. The temple is widely known for organizing Nawam Perahera, a religious procession held around the Full Moon Poya day in February. Hundreds of dancers, dressed in traditional costume and representing the different dance traditions of Sri Lanka, accompanied by drummers, colorfully dressed up elephants and over 500-700 Buddhists monks from all over the island, stage a procession.

Location: 61 Sri Jinaratana Road, Colombo 2 – Tommix’s travel story in Colombo at VirtualTourist.com

Galle Face Green If the Galle Road is the main artery of Colombo, then the Galle Face is its heart.

Galle Face Green is the social center of Colombo. Stroll around at sunset and watch kids flying kites, athletes training, cricket matches, young couples cuddling under their umbrellas and families on a day out, or stop at one of the many kinds of food stalls along the seafront. There’s a small beach for swimming, playing football and so on. At the southern tip is Colombo’s most famous hotel, The Galle Face, well worth sampling for its colonial atmosphere and a drink on the veranda overlooking the Indian Ocean.

The Green is more brown dust than green grass, but it’s quite attractive at dusk. There are occasionally large pop concerts held here, which makes it even busier and livelier. If you want to expe-

rience the life of a normal Sri Lankan and don’t have any local friends, then early evening at Galle Face is the best place to start. After dark, it used to have a small problem with drunken ruffians and could be a bit intimidating or dangerous, but now, new laws prevent the consumption of alcohol on the Galle Face, making it much more family-friendly. The only problem for a tourist is the numerous conmen and touts after fresh blood.

There are some cool people there, but chances are, almost every lone man who approaches you is just after your money, regardless of what they say.

Location: 48 Janadhipathi Mawatha, Colombo 1, at the north end of Galle Road

Viharamahadevi Park and bats Viharamahadevi Park is the largest, oldest and most colorful park in Colombo. Admittedly, Colombo is not known for its parks and open spaces, but this is worth a look and provides a great escape from the city. It’s at its best from March to May, when most of the flowers are in full bloom.

The large grassy expanse covered with cinnamon, citronella, jacaranda, frangipani and countless other trees and flowers is great for shaded walks and relaxation.

There are small ponds, occasional elephants and some interesting Buddhas. There are also some knowledgeable guides if you want detailed information on all the flora and fauna.

The park has a special children’s section with a small train and petting zoo. One of the best sights in the park is one you might miss unless you spend a lot of time staring at trees. If you look at the highest tree branches, you’ll see enormous black balls. These are the park’s fruit bats and are bigger than you could imagine! If you’re there for sunset, you can watch when they head out for exercise and a snack.

Location: Colombo 7 (Cinnamon Gardens) – Mafi Moya’s Colombo stories at VirtualTourist.com (By Jackie Zhang)

How to get to Colombo Colombo is virtually next door to Sri Lanka’s only international airport, Kattunayake International Airport. It is literally the gateway to Sri Lanka, and almost everybody who travels to the country passes through Colombo.

From the airport, regular buses go to Colombo every 15 to 30 minutes, except for six hours at night. The bus ride takes around 45 minutes and drops you off at one of Colombo’s main bus stations.

If you want a cab, try the “fixed-price” ticket system taxi counter at the airport. This can helps you avoid the haggling routines typical of Sri Lankan taxis.

CFP Photos

Editors: Yu Shanshan Zhao Hongyi Designer: Yang Gen

Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage and Kandy Botanical Gardens

utterly entranced. There is something ineffably tender and gentle about elephants that belies their bulk and appearance.

I followed this excitement up with a leisurely amble through the Kandy Botanical Gardens, where for the second time that day, I was blown away. Over 100 years old, the Gardens possess a diverse and eclectic collection of flora – and an enormous colony of fruit bats to keep it under control – all landscaped and maintained, and emanating such a lushness I easily whiled away an afternoon amongst its trees and gables. I would’ve stayed longer, but the Buddha’s Tooth awaited me in Kandy, so I set off to see one of Buddhism’s holiest relics.

Location: Pinnawela orphanage is situated northwest of the town Kegalla, halfway between the present capital Colombo and the ancient royal residence Kandy in the hills of central Sri Lanka. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife department.

– El Condor’s Colombo story at TravelPod.com

BEIJING TODAY

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka, travel to Sri Lanka from China is half off from now till June.

Colombo is the capital of Sri Lanka, an island country in Southern Asia located in the Indian Ocean. The capital city of a Buddhist country, Colombo has plenty of Buddhist architecture to see.

Besides its Buddhist heritage, there are a variety of things to see in Colombo. The city is divided into 13 districts, each of which is named with numerals from Colombo 1 to Colombo 13.

Colombo 1 and 3 are the busiest districts and house most of the shops and clubs. Squares, museums and the elephant orphanage are other city sites worth a look.

Travel abroad

21

March 9 2007

Script

22

Ethan plays along with Phelps’ deceptions, but his mind reflects the truth about the unfolding situation.

BEIJING TODAY

Editors: Yu Shanshan Qiu Jiaoning Designer: Zhou Guilan

Scene 1: Railway Station Cafe – Day Phelps: The next day I managed to drag myself to (1) the safe house (2), must’ve just missed you ... anyway, I checked our aliases (3).

Ethan: And picked us up in the States ...

Phelps: But you left before I could get there and I could check just so many places ...

Ethan: Yeah, smaller countries don’t computerize customs records.

Phelps: So I watched Europe. Once you showed up in England, it was easy.

Ethan: You knew I liked the rentals (4) at Liverpool Street.

Phelps: Hey, I showed them to you!

Ethan: I remember.

Ethan: Jim, who do you think you’re kidding? A doctor’s gotta look at that. You can’t sit up straight.

Phelps: I can sit up straight. I just can’t sit up straight very well. It’s not important! I saw who shot me. Ethan, I saw the mole (5). It was Kittridge. (Slams a fist on the table) Kittridge!

(Phelps grips the sides of the table.)

Ethan: Kitteridge. Oh my god! Kittridge is the mole?

Phelps: Yeah.

Ethan: How did Kittridge do it?

Scene 2: Charles Bridge – Flashback – Night A reprise of Phelps’s narrative only now Ethan’s telling it and camera is showing the events as Ethan sees they actually happened.

Ethan: First he took care (6) of Jack in the elevator. (At the Embassy Phelps sends the elevator to the top of the building, watching it crush Kiefer.)

Ethan: He shot you on the bridge. (On the Charles Bridge Phelps using the Visco glasses aims the gun toward them, fires, cants the glasses and tosses them into the Vltava River.)

Ethan: He must have had back up (7).

(Golitsyn and Sarah are at the fence. There on the embankment, in the night and fog, is Krieger, who kills Golitsyn and Sarah through the fence.)

Ethan: How did he do Hannah? (Claire, with her back to camera, presses the detonator and turns dreamily, the explosion brilliant behind her.)

Ethan: No. No. He could’ve taken out Hannah himself. (Phelps presses the remote detonator and the car blows apart.)

Scene 3: Railway Cafe – Day Ethan: Why, Jim? Why? Phelps: When you think about it, Ethan, it was inevitable (8). No more Cold Wars.

No more secrets you keep from everyone but yourself, operations you answer to no one but yourself. Then one morning you wake up and find out the President of the United States is running the country without your permission. The son-of-a-bitch! How dare he? You realize it’s over, you’re an obsolete (9) piece of hardware (10) not worth upgrading (11), you’re got a lousy (12) marriage and sixty-two grand (13) a year. Kittridge, we’ll go after that no good son-of-a-bitch, big time!

Ethan: We don’t have to, Jim. He’ll come after us.

Phelps: What’s going to make him do that?

Ethan: What he didn’t get in Prague. The NOC list.

Phelps: Jesus, Ethan. Good for you.

Ethan: A meeting tomorrow on the TGV, en route (14) to Paris.

Phelps: Tight security. No guns. Real plus.

Mission Impossible (1996) Starring: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, Henry Czerny, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Kristin Scott Thomas Directed by Brian De Palma Synopsis: Jim Phelps and his team are charged with stopping a traitor from stealing and selling classified material. Everything goes well until the man they are following winds up dead, and the entire team, except for Ethan Hunt, is inexplicably killed. Ethan then calls the Director and goes to meet him, discovering that the whole mission was a decoy to ferret out a mole that they had been suspicious of for some time. The Director has evidence that Ethan is the one they’ve been looking for, but Ethan knows that he isn’t, so he escapes. Ethan then arranges to meet the buyer from the earlier sting, and offers to retrieve what he paid for in exchange for the mole’s identity.

Vocabulary 1. drag oneself to: To move heavily or with effort.

2. safe house: A house or apartment used as a hiding place or secure refuge by the members of an organization, such as a secret service agency or an underground terrorist group.

3. alias: A false name used to conceal one’s identity; an assumed name.

4. rental: An apartment, house, car, etc., offered or given for rent.

5. mole: A spy who becomes part of and works from within the ranks of an enemy governmental staff or intelligence agency.

6. take care of: Here it means to kill.

7. back up: Supporting actors or forces.

8. inevitable: Unable to be avoided, evaded, or escaped; certain; necessary.

9. obsolete: No longer in general use; fallen into disuse.

10. hardware: Computer language describing the devices comprising a computer system, such as the CPU, disk drives, keyboards, or screen.

Refers here to the human parts of an organization.

11. upgrade: To improve or enhance the quality or value of something.

12. lousy: Informal word meaning wretchedly bad; miserable.

13. grand: One thousand dollars.

14. en route: On or along the way.

(By Gan Tian)

March 9 2007

This column is drawn from amusing daily Chinglish mistakes. If you have any comical experiences to share, send them to Shirley at Shirley_chen@ynet.com.

What do you mean by calling us ‘chicks’?

Throw the dibs in

CFP Photo

Hey, don’t call us chicks!

One step from Chinglish Below are word-pairs so similar, they often confuse non-native English speakers. Some mistakes have even led to Chinglish jokes.

By Chen Shasha 1. Emigrate / Immigrate To emigrate means leaving one’s country of residence for a new one, for example, many people emigrated from Nazi Germany. To immigrate is to come to a country which is not one’s native land, as an immigrant.

2. Elder / Elderly Although elder can be used as adjective, elderly is not an

adverb. Both mean greater age, or older. But elder could also refer to someone of higher or senior rank. Elder can also be used to describe a person who is older or higher in rank than oneself.

3. Compatible / Comparable Compatible is capable of existing or living together in harmony, for example, “the most compatible married couple I know.” Comparable is worthy of comparison,

for example, “shops comparable to those on Wangfujing Avenue.”

4. German / german Chinese people often forget to capitalize the first letter of country, which can lend the word a different meaning. For example, German means of or pertaining to Germany: its inhabitants, or language. But “german” means having the same father and mother, as a

full brother or sister, for example, “a brother-german.” Please note however, that this second expression, originating from the same Middle English word as germ, or seed, is almost never used. English speakers usually refer to siblings with the same parents as biological brothers or sisters, and those who share one parent as a half-brothers or half-sisters.

Blacklist Beijing Today has come up with Blacklist, a new column of words or phrases commonly misused by Chinese. If you’re planning to be an English teacher, reporter or employee of a multinational company, then this page is your new best friend. Watch out for it each week.

By Shida Zhu 1. I want to arose more public attention to the neglected question.

The writer seems confused about the word “arouse.” This seems to be a recurring beginner’s mistake. First, take note of the verb “arise” which means “move upward”; its present tense, past tense and past participle are, respectively, arise, arose and arisen.

If you want to say, “cause something to come up,” use the verb “arouse,” as in “to arouse public attention.” So, this sentence should be, “I want to

arouse more public attention to the neglected question.”

2. The Russian rule says that for the foreigners to open a company, they must do it in joint with at least one local partner.

When “joint” is an adjective, it means, “held jointly.” There is no such phrase as “in joint.” You may say “in collaboration,” or “in cooperation,” or “hand-in-hand” in a derogatory sense. You may also use the adverb “jointly.”

3.If you love someone, take them to this restaurant;

if you hate someone, take them to the restaurant too.

The problem with this sentence is consistency, a problem beginners often overlook. As “someone” is singular, why should you say, “take them”?

It is not consistent. You should say, “If you love someone, take him to this restaurant; if you hate someone, take him to the restaurant, too.

4.The most enjoyable period in one’s life is the excitement of childhood.

This is also a problem of consistency. As the subject

“period” denotes a time frame, you should have an object that makes sense. It would be all right to say, “The most enjoyable period in one’s life is an exciting childhood.”

5.China will allow more foreign banks register locally.

There are a number of verbs that may be followed by infinitive phrases without the word “to,” for instance, to see, have, let, help and watch. For all other verbs, if they are followed by infinitive phrases, the word “to” must be used, as in “allowed to register locally.”

By Derrick Sobodash This week’s Chinglish picture lacks the oomph of last week’s euphemism fest, but there’s still considerable room for improvement.

The complete, unedited sign reads, “Produce Your Commutation Ticket or Throw the Dibs in.”

Let’s ignore the somewhat inconsistent capitalization scheme and focus on the words.

Generally, these instructional signs start of with a “Please,” and since the Chinese starts with qing, that’s exactly what our English will do.

The next part is a big long mess of a phrase that essentially means “show.”

There’s no need to keep all that “automatically bring forth” garbage in English.

Similarly, while Kingsoft PowerWord does say a yuepiao is a “Commutation Ticket,” the translation is totally incorrect. It’s a monthly pass, like what the city used to have for buses before the new card system.

For the last chunk, it’s impossible to guess where they managed to get “throw the dibs in.” If you don’t have a monthly pass, are you supposed to pay in gambling chips? The sign rather clearly says, “of your own volition, buy a ticket.”

Of course that would give us some equally awful Chinglish. It’s more natural to write, “otherwise, buy a ticket.”

So our corrected sign for this week should read, “Please show your monthly pass; otherwise, buy a ticket.”

On a final note, what exactly are the stick figures in the picture doing? I would guess they are supposed to be showing us how to show a ticket, but with how their arms are positioned, it looks like they’re toasting margarita glasses.

Then again, that would help explain the slurred speech of the people who keep Beijing’s transportation system running.

Editors: Yu Shanshan Chen Shasha Designer: Zhou Guilan

How could he call girls “chicks?”

A “chick” basically means a hooker in Chinese. Girls who only made a living by providing paid sexual services are called ji, which sounds the same as chick in Chinese. It’s an extremely rude word to say to any Chinese woman.

I stopped talking to him, or sometimes I only spoke meanly to him. I cannot remember what kind of mean things I said exactly, but as one of the friends said, I was particularly good at being mean to guys.

Finally, other friends noticed my weird behavior and asked me what was going on.

“He called a Chinese girl a ‘chick’ in a nightclub,” I said, “He does not respect Chinese women and I do not think he respects me.”

That friend laughed, “The word ‘chick’ does not have the same insulting meaning in English as it does in Chinese.”

Really? I wasn’t very sure until I asked other native English-speaking friends, girls and boys. They said it was not what I thought.

Later, I said sorry to Mark for being mean. I felt lucky to be able to apologize before he left, and he remains a friend to this day.

This column aims to identify Chinglish in public areas. If you see any Chinglish signs, please take a picture and send them to Shirley_chen@ynet.com with your name and address.

23

BEIJING TODAY

By Wei Ying Some years ago, when I was still very energetic in seeking new friends, I hung out with a bunch of American “dudes” – guys – all the time. I had rules in making friends and, I was proud to say, all my friends respected Chinese culture and Chinese people. They really cared about me and I never saw them take advantage of any young Chinese girls.

There was another Asian face in the group at that time: Mark.

He was born in Beijing but went to the US at 9 years old. His family sent him back to stay for several months right after graduation because his aunt had cancer.

It was his first time back home and China had become very foreign to him. At that time, we were close friends.

One night, when we were hanging out in a nightclub, Mark was chatting with the other boys. I overheard them talking about the sexy, chic girls on the dance floor. Well, boys are boys. Anything with two legs, movable and female is cute to them. I was shocked, though, when I heard Mark say something like “Look at that chick ...”

Chinglish on the way

Chinglish

Chinglish story

March 9 2007

Weekend

24

Friday, March 9

Saturday, March 10

Sunday, March 11

Exhibition

Exhibition

Exhibition

Liu Zhenduo Solo Exhibition

Da Xiang Solo Exhibition The exhibition will feature new oil paintings and sculptures by Da Xiang that have never been exhibited before.

Where: F2 Gallery, No 319 Caochangdi, Chaoyang When: Wed-Sun, 10am-6pm, until April 10 Admission: Free Tel: 6432 8831 Scene & Model – Huang Zhenhai Landscape Pencil Sketches Exhibition Where: 3+3 Space, 798 Art District, No 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang When: Daily 10am-6pm, until April 4 Admission: Free Tel: 6437 9942

Huang He Solo Exhibition Where: New Millennium Gallery, Warehouse 3818, No 2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang When: Daily 10am-6pm, until March 22 Admission: Free Tel: 6432 4122 Group Exhibition of Contemporary Oil Paintings Oil paintings distinguish reality from unreality, by representing the reappearance of an historical setting. These oil paintings reveal “symbols” of modern man’s psychologically affected activities, self-awareness and self-criticism.

Where: New Art Center, No 136 Nanchizi Dajie, Dongcheng When: Daily 9am-6pm, until March 25 Admission: Free Tel: 6528 9103

Where: Melodic Gallery, No 14 Jianguomen Wai Dajie, opposite the Friendship Store, Chaoyang When: Daily 10am-4:30pm, until March 25 Admission: Free Tel: 6515 8123 Meaning Out Of Dots – Cheng Yong Solo Exhibition Where: Imagine Gallery, Feijiacun Dong Lu, Cuigezhuang, Laiguangying Dong Lu, Chaoyang When: Daily 10:30am-5:30pm, until April 3 Admission: Free Tel: 6438 5747

Movie L’Enfant

BEIJING TODAY

Editors: Yu Shanshan Qiu Jiaoning Designer: Zhou Guilan

Movie Bienvenue En Suisse

Movie

Thierry left Switzerland many years ago but returns with Sophie, his girlfriend, for his grandmother’s funeral. There, an unexpected and large inheritance awaits him as long as he appears able, in his uncle’s eyes, to make good use of it. Unlike his brother and his sister, he fails to impress, and is even about to give up his share. Finally, he decides to try his luck a second time.

Where: French Culture Center, 18 Guangcai International Apartments, Gongti Xi Lu, Chaoyang When: 6:30pm Admission: 10-20 yuan Tel: 6553 2627

Le Charme Discret De La Bourgeoisie The film is centered on a group of six outwardly respectable uppermiddle class members of society and their repeatedly thwarted attempts to have a meal together. Several bourgeois friends planning to get together for dinner experience a succession of highly unusual occurrences that interfere with their expected dining. The interruptions become more and more surreal as the film progresses.

Where: French Culture Center, 18 Guangcai International Apartments, Gongti Xi Lu, Chaoyang When: 7:30pm Admission: 10-20 yuan Tel: 6553 2627

Bruno and Sonia are boyfriend and girlfriend, playful and immature. She’s still in her teens; they chase each other, share cigarettes, spray sodas and wrestle. The thing is, they also have a new baby. Just out of hospital, Sonia seeks out Bruno to bring him his son. Bruno is indifferent. In the grimy Belgian city of Seraing, he’s a petty thief with no interest in work and no plan, spending money as fast as he can snatch cameras and jewelry. He sells the baby.

Sonia’s reaction and Bruno’s surprise at her response inform his subsequent actions. Does he have a nascent conscience or any chance at redemption? Can he help himself?

Where: French Culture Center, 18 Guangcai International Apartments, Gongti Xi Lu, Chaoyang When: 7:30pm Admission: 10-20 yuan Tel: 6553 2627

Stage in April Music Symphony Concert Who: China Philharmonic Orchestra Where: Poly Theater, No 14 Dongzhimen Nan Lu, Dongcheng When: 7:30pm, April 1 Admission: 50-680 yuan Renee Flaming Recital Who: Renee Flaming Where: Zhongshan Music Hall, inside Zhongshan Park, Dongcheng When: 7:30pm, April 7 Admission: 80-880 yuan Rolls-Royce London Symphony Orchestra Concert Who: Rolls-Royce London Symphony Orchestra Where: Poly Theater, No 14 Dongzhimen Nan Lu, Dongcheng When: 7:30pm, April 19 Admission: 300-2200 yuan Symphony Concert Who: China Philharmonic Orchestra Where: Zhongshan Music Hall, inside Zhongshan Park, Dongcheng When: 7:30pm, April 21 Admission: 40-480 yuan

Drama A Beauty Encounter Who: Directed by Meng Jinghui and performed by Xia Yu and Gao Yuanyuan Where: Poly Theater, No 14 Dongzhimen Nan Lu, Dongcheng When: 7:30pm, April 5-15 Admission: 80-880 yuan The Straw House (Caofangzi) Told from the perspective of elementary school student Sang Sang, The Straw House tells of a number of seemingly ordinary yet touching stories. The tale is set in Jiangnan, Guangzhou in the 1960s, and is based on the famous Chinese novel. It describes Sangsang’s growing understanding of life and of death, and the many people who, by unexplained acts of fate, enter and influence his boyhood world.

Who: Directed by Cao Ping and performed by Zhang Jian Where: Peking University Concert Hall, inside Peking University, Haidian When: 7:30pm, April 7 and 8 Admission: 150-380 yuan (By Qiu Jiaoning)

Group Exhibition of Contemporary Oil Paintings held in Beijing New Art Gallery on Friday