France sends soccer match to boost diplomatic ties
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HTTP://BEIJINGTODAY.COM.CN/
CHIEF EDITOR: JACK WANG • NEWS EDITOR: SU DERUI • DESIGNER: TIAN HU
CHIEF EDITOR: LI XIAOBING • NEWS EDITOR: DERRICK SOBADASH • DESIGNER: ZHAO YAN
August 15, 2014 • No. 688 • PUBLISHED BI-WEEKLY • CN11-0120 • ￥3.00 (METRO & COMMERCE)
Embassies old and new As China’s capital since the Qing Dynasty, Beijing has a long diplomatic history. The city’s modern embassy districts are separated into four blocks by Jianguomen, Sanlitun, Liangmaqiao and Wangjing. This week we dig through the history of each district and the areas’ traditional entertainment options.
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App devs make the jump to hardware
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Net firms slug it out in e-learning arena
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Quiet escapes for your reading needs
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BUSINESS
Money lures app makers to make the jump to hardware
app can expand to foreign markets. If Moji can’t grab its users attention, it won’t get any money from adverhe smart home battleground tisers,” Fu said. is moving into indoor air Since last year, Moji has been cleaning systems. trying to turn its weather app On January 11, appliance giant into a social media platform. A Haier released its first intelligent new feature named “real-time air monitor called the Air Box. The weather” was added on the platround and black device monitors form in 2013 that allowed users home air quality and records data to photograph and share images on ambient temperature, humidity of their local weather. and pollutants. After pairing with But based on the company’s a smart phone, it can take control move to hardware, the social platof the user’s air purifiers, humidifiform has not panned out. “I never ers and air conditioners. More than use the new functions. If I’m a 500,000 units have been sold and local person, why would I waste installed to date. time to view weather reports from The popular forecast app Moji people in the same place? Who Weather joined the battleground thinks that people want to talk with its Air Nut on May 11. Branded about the weather online?” said one and priced as a “Mac-like gadget,” Moji Weather user. the Air Nut interacts using gesture, Air Nut appears to be Moji’s voice and touch controls. Users can escape plan, much like the set-top gesture at the device to view airbox has been for Internet comparelated values or to hear real-time nies Xiaomi and LeTV. weather broadcasts. The company “With the increasing availabilreported more than 1 million preity of open APIs for branded elecorders before launch. trical alliances, the Air Nut can It is not difficult to find the simibecome a smart housekeeper,” said larities between these devices. Both Mike Wang, an editor at Huxiu.com. use digital sensors to collect data The company’s long term plan may about the home and make heavy include turning its installed units Moji is moving into smart hardware industry. use of interactive technologies. into an army of weather stations to Photos provided by Moji It seems odd that Moji, a burreport locale-specific air quality. geoning Internet company, is so eager to jump into the But whether or not the public actually wants the Air Nut hardware market. remains to be seen. Released in 2005, Moji Weather is one of most popu“China’s air pollution may worry the public, and everylar weather forecast apps in China. Known for its user- one may appreciate timely information about weather confriendly system and unusual features, it has accumulated ditions and health notices, but that doesn’t mean they need more than 270 million users, 45 million of whom are regu- an Air Nut,” said Zhang Qi, an Internet analyst. lars. The Moji Weather app is opened more than 200 mil“The Air Nut is getting data without actually doing anylion times every day. thing. An air purifier that can also detect pollution would be But in spite of that scale, the app has brought the com- a more attractive alternative,” he said. pany limited profits. With all the money in smart homes, many Internet start“Finding ways to commercialize Moji Weather is dif- ups are looking for ways to cash in or create new standards ficult. People use it as a tool and close it as soon as they in the industry. “But making the jump from software to get their weather forecast,” said by Fu Ruoyan, a journalist hardware is not easy. It takes a deep understanding of from IT Commercial News. market and the maturity to consider whether the product “After the first 100 million users, Moji hit a plateau. It really meets its users’ needs,” said Lin Min, an independent will be very difficult to see significant growth unless the editor focused on digital industry. By LYNNE WANG
Beijing Today Staff
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Editor: Li Zhixin
BEIJING TODAY
August 15, 2014
App boom comes to Chinese take-out By LYNNE WANG
Beijing Today Staff China’s restaurants are the most recent newcomer to the country’s e-commerce boom. Most young shoppers are used to ordering their pizzas online or downloading coupons through branded apps, but the arrival of generic takeout and delivery apps is making waves. Xue Yang, an office worker in the city’s Central Business District, is a devoted user of Meican, one of the first take-out apps. At lunch, she connects through the app to browse through neighboring restaurants before settling on a small Cantonese restaurant. The food will arrive during her workday. “I got sick of going out to get lunch during peak work hours. That’s when one of my colleagues recommended this app. It checks your location and recommends all the restaurants within a kilometer,” she said. “With a couple taps I can get anything sent to my office without losing work time.” The adoption of online take-out by office workers and students has captured the attention of international investors. Ele.me, a start-up named for its similar pronunciation to “are you hungry,” raised $80 million from venture capital firms such as Sequoia Capital, Matrix Partners and Dianping.com after angel investors offered $2.5 million in seed capital at the end of 2013. Meican similarly attracted $10 million from Nokia Growth Partners during its second round of fundraising. The monetization of online visits through offline business has gained traction in the past 12 months. However, whether “online to offline” is an innovative business model or a buzzword is disputable. Take-out orders may be one of the first big tests. Compared to traditional online catering players like McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut, the new model benefits both dinners and restaurants in a profound way. “Location-based take-out offers vibrant and convenient choices for individuals - especially office staff who are too busy to have a meal,” said Wu Hao, CEO of Line Zero. “The aim of online-to-offline transactions is to bridge the information gap between customers and physical merchants and place them into the ‘digital ecosystem of urban consumption.’” The digital ecosystem also benefits small and localized players who have been long excluded by international chains. “Online-to-offline ordering decreases the expense of rent and other services, which is opening the dining market to more creative start-ups,” Wu said. “Another advantage of the new model is that restaurants can learn more about their customers,” said Zhang Yuxin, an analyst from 36Kr. Similar to Amazon’s recommendation system, take-out app platforms use guessing algorithms to make suggestions based on users’ past orders. The data on dinners’ tastes makes it easy to push out customized promotional information. But for all the platforms offer to the restaurant industry, take-out apps have disadvantages. “When a meal is delivered late, users are unhappy because the dishes and rice might become cold. Finding a way to standardize delivery times is the most difficult aspect, especially with Chinese food, where multiple dishes within an order have to be stored and delivered at different serving temperatures,” said the manager of one local restaurant. Ele.me has attempted to address the problem by building its own fulfillment center, but these cost are ultimately passed on to customers. Moreover, observers say the particularities of Chinese dining culture may impede the industry - especially an aging user base that is more accustomed to phoning in for take-out or delivery. Designer: Zhao Yan
August 15, 2014
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EDUCATION
Net giants enter the live e-learning arena
Photo provided by 199it.com By LYNNE WANG
Beijing Today Staff Xu Xueqian, a 17-year-old student from Shanghai Foreign Language School, is preparing to study abroad. She enrolled in several training classes but got little progress until she enrolled in a new online class at 100 Education. After scoring 109 on the TOEFL, Xu attributed her success to the e-learning approach. The Internet is the first stop for most people who are trying to build knowledge. According to the 2013 Report on Trends in Chinese Online Education, 86 percent of Chinese respondents used Wikis to acquire knowledge and 42 percent used education websites. Online education is growing 14 times faster than its offline counterpart. In China, online education is a 160 billion yuan industry that is expected to expand 30 percent during the next year. Live e-learning programs are the most popular avenue for acquiring knowledge.
Slug fest for IT giants
The growth in e-learning has attracted the attention of China’s largest Internet firms: Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent. Alibaba was the first to enter the industry with Taobao Classmate, an education platform launched in June 2013. Classmate uses the education section of Taobao.com to market courses and the Alitalk chat client as a real-time classroom. According to data from Alibaba, more than 1 million users signed up for classes during Taobao Classmate’s first three months: 10,000 log on to study every day. Tencent made an equally ambitious market entry in April with Tencent Classroom, an e-learning center that offers exam-oriented courses in language study, skill training and certification, as well as a few lessons for primary and high Editor: Li Zhixin
Live e-learning is a new trend of online education.
school students. The platform has already attracted 33.86 million students. “Education organizations are poised to take advantage of these growing platforms. They offer a chance to decrease operating costs and expand their market,” said by Yu Haihong, Tencent’s investment director. Tencent was the first to seize on that enthusiasm. On June 31, the company announced a partnership with New Oriental, China’s leading private education institute. The bold move was regarded as Tencent’s attempt to snatch teachers ahead of Alibaba and Baidu. Unlike the language-oriented programs of Tencent and Alibaba, Baidu’s Xuetang focuses on lifestyle courses in health, dance and Android programming. Earlier this month, the company announced its takeover of Chuanke.com, one of the first online education platforms. Broadcast e-learning classes have been especially popular for interactive features that make it possible to correspond with teachers over mobile devices. “Bandwidth and technology limita-
Photo provided by yesky.com
tions made earlier online education platforms reliant on pre-recorded courses. The developments in Web technology needed for live e-learning are relatively recent,” said Hong Haiyan, owner of three online education firms. “The interactive features also urge teachers to remain up-to-date with new developments related to their courses,” said by Qu Peng, founder of Shangde Education Institute.
Platform for in-fighting
But the intense growth and competition have some of the largest platforms more concerned with battling each other rather than conventional online education organizations, which still turn a substantial profit according to education insiders. Revenues at Zhengbao Yuancheng Education and New Oriental, two listed education organizations, have reached 400 million yuan and 200 million yuan respectively. By contrast Xueersi, an online education school with one famous course and more than 1 million users, is expected to have a revenue of more than
BEIJING TODAY
100 million yuan this year. “The business model of online education sites that use recorded courses is simple: record the class and keep selling it. Costs are relatively fixed and the marginal costs trend toward zero. Since these programs have been around for a decade, customers are already familiar with the platforms,” said a manager at Xueersi who refused to be named. But broadcasting e-learning, in spite of its efficiency, has a much more limited profit potential according to analysts. “In order to win users, services on live e-learning platforms are mostly free. Large players can subsidize this with another profitable business in the short term, but small start-ups have to depend entirely on fund raising. It’s quite risky,” Beijing Business Today said in an editorial.
Directing the market
The last decade has seen online education grow from a fancy concept to a major economic force. But how to encourage the better development of online learning is a big question for government regulators, educators and economists. “Attracted by money, many technology firms, publishing houses, training institutions and Internet companies are stepping into the education industry and changing it in profound ways,” said Dr. Bing, a scholar of digital education. “But focusing on business competition rather than improving education products could seriously damage the online education environment.” “No form of online education is beyond the basic teaching method. It’s hard to say which way is better. Differences between user groups and fields also affect ultimate choice of a study method. For learners, getting the most knowledge for their money is the essential concern,” said Lv Senlin, founder of the Internet Education Research Institute. Designer: Zhao Yan
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COMMERCE & CONSULATES
August 15, 2014
Soccer match sent to boost Sino-French ties
By YANG XIN Beijing Today Staff
Photos provided by CFP and baidu.com
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-France diplomatic relations, the soccer super cup Trophée des Champions visited China for its first time. After two trips to North America and three to Africa, the Trophée des Champions made its Asian debut at Worker’s Stadium on August 2. To accompany this 19th final, the Ligue De Football Professional (LFP) produced a special logo in China Red with a sketch of the Temple of Heaven, one of Beijing’s major landmarks, at its top. The Trophée des champions is an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. This year’s competition pitted Paris St Germain (PSG), winner of 2013-14 Ligue 1, against En Avant Guingamp, the 2014 Coupe de France winner.
LFP and its partner United Vansen International Sport (UVS) signed the contract for the event four months ago at the Maison de la Chine in Paris during President Xi Jinping’s visit to France. “We’re very happy to have signed this contract with China, the world’s second largest economic power,” said Jean-Pierre Hugues, director-general of the LFP. “The 2014 edition of the Tropée des Champions in Beijing constitutes a magnificent opportunity to expose Ligue 1 to Chinese fans and advertisers,” Hugues said. The event was organized with the help of UVS, which organized the Italian SuperCup and the Barclay’s Cup in Beijing. PSG won the champion, drawing on its apparent advantage in star players and funding. Although held after the FIFA World Cup Brazil, PSG star players Thiago Silva, David Luiz and Ravitch did not make it to the stadium.
Applications for Swedish visas double, still growing
South Korea eases visa rules for Chinese tourists
The number of applicants seeking a tourist visa to Sweden in July has more than doubled since 2013, according to the Embassy of Sweden in Beijing. The embassy noted a great increase in the number of visa applicants from May to mid-July, most of which Sweden, a country currently favored by Chinese tourists. were for tourist visas. CFP Photo The embassy processed Juric, second secretary of the Sweden 5,377 visa applications from May to mid- Embassy’s immigration division. July 2013. This year, it has received more A new fast track for tourist groups than 8,200. was introduced on March 1. It allows July was the strongest month for visa for a selected number of travel agencies applications with more than 2,478 sub- to attain visas for their groups within mitted. The amount represents a 143 per- seven days. cent increase compared to last July. May to August is the peak season for “It makes me happy that more Chinese visa applications to visit Sweden. This citizens are choosing Sweden as a tour- year’s trend of increased applications is ist destination,” said Ljiljana Cvitanovic expected to continue through August.
The South Korean Ministry of Strategy and Finance announced last week that the government will ease visa rules as part of a mid-August package intended to boost the nation’s service industry. Among the changes are relaxed application requirements, extended visa lengths, medical tourism visas for order-
By YANG XIN Beijing Today Staff
Editor: Yang Xin
By YANG XIN Beijing Today Staff
A female Chinese becomes the 8 millionth CFP Photo tourist.
BEIJING TODAY
lies and a new online system for visa application services. Yonhap News Agency reported that integrated resorts are being built in scenic spots like Yeongjong Island, Matsushima and Jeju Island. Casinos and recreational facilities are being developed on Yeongjong Island while commercial hospitals are being established on Jeju Island and in the Free Economic Zone to attract tourists. South Korean media reported that more than 2.67 million Chinese tourists visited the country during the first half of 2014, a 53.8 percent increase year-onyear. Chinese tourists, who account for more than a third of all foreign visitors to South Korea, are leading the nation’s tourism boom. Visa waivers to Chinese visitors touring for less than 12 hours has been available since October 2012. The easing of visa rules this month is expected to continue the Chinese tourism boom that began with the visa waiver. Designer: Zhao Yan
August 15, 2014
COMMERCE & CONSULATES
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Embassy districts old and new By YANG XIN Beijing Today Staff Beijing’s embassy districts are separated into four blocks according to their geographical locations: the first embassy district by Jianguomen, the second embassy district by Sanlitun, the third district by Liangmaqiao and the forth district in Wangjing.
Distribution of embassy districts
Super bar street near Liangmaqiao
Historical embassies
Beijing has been host to foreign embassies since the Ming Dynasty. Stretching from Tiananmen Square East Road in the west to Chongwenmen Inner Avenue in the east, the Legation Quarter was the first part of the city assigned to diplomatic envoys and international students. After the revolution, new embassy districts were built on the flat land near Yabao Road, Jianguomen and Sanlitun as part of the country’s effort to normalize diplomatic relations. Jianguomen was the first and most international business district in the city. The Friendship Hotel was constructed nearby in 1972 to serve the embassies and foreign expatriates. The St. Regis Beijing was built beside the Beijing International Hotel to offer foreign personnel a place to relax and seek entertainment. Former American President George W. Bush favored playing tennis at the St. Regis when he was in charge of the liaison office and befriended many Chinese partners on the tennis court.
Jianguomen and Sanlitun
The first embassy district is located by Jianguomen and primarily gathers together socialist countries with whom China established diplomatic relations early on. The embassies are noted for their grand walls, spectacular gates, Russian architecture and carved national emblems. Most embassies in the district were built with a focus on safety and coziness. Plot ratios were strictly controlled to be Editor: Yang Xin
Old and new face of Legation Quarter
Photos provided by baidu.com
less than 1.0, with some occupying even less of their lots. What’s more, the greening rate of each embassy is more than 40 percent. The buildings end up buried by the skyline of the Central Business District, as none is taller than 18 meters. Built in the 1960s, the second embassy district in Sanlitun hosts most of the embassies of European nations.
New embassy districts
Beijing’s continued growth left many countries searching for unoccupied land on which to seat their embassies. A third embassy district was designated on the north side of the Liangma River near the end of 1980s. In recent years, countries including the US and South Korea have relocated their embassies to this area. The high-profile inhabitants have inspired neighboring commercial developments and the con-
struction of high-end hotels and boutiques. More than 5,000 Germans live in the area, making it easy to find German rolls and sausages than anywhere else in town. Further up the river and a little northwest Autumn scenary in Sanlitun Embassy District is Wangjing, the fourth embassy district now under construction. were hot spots for diplomats living and The embassies of Russia and Luxem- working in the first two embassy districts. bourg near Dongzhimen are not included Nowadays, Super Bar Street is the preas being part of any embassy district. ferred haunt of diplomats working in the Leisure time around embassy districts third embassy district. Settled around Embassy districts not only serve dip- Mirror Lake and the Yansha Outlets, Super lomatic needs but also offer opportunities Bar Street boasts nearly 30 distinctive bars. Many are owned by Chinese rock for business and cultural exchange. In earlier years, the Silk Market, legends like Zheng Jun and Cui Jian who Yashow Market and Sanlitun bar street stop by to hobnob or perform.
BEIJING TODAY
Designer: Zhao Yan
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TRAVEL
August 15, 2014
Quiet spots for the serious reader By YANG XIN Beijing Today Staff
Reading can be one of life’s most relaxing activities, but a dark and boring apartment is hardly the ideal location. To avoid distractions and get the most out of every word, consider visiting one of these venues the next time you want to sink into a good book.
CAVA COFFEE In spite of its tiny size, CAVA COFFEE is seldom crowded. The dim and quiet atmosphere makes it the right choice for serious readers. The wooden furnishings, Latin paintings and upright piano set it apart from the city’s other quiet getaways. We recommend the window seats at the front of the store where you can immerse yourself in the cool summer breeze. Make sure you get a sofa seat instead of a bench, otherwise you will hardly be able to endure a half day of sitting. The shelves are well stocked with books and magazines, many of which are hard to find for sale anywhere else. Graffiti is allowed if you bring a pen. Where: Room 106, 2 Gongti Dong Lu, Chaoyang District Price: 46 RMB Tel: 8587 5885
Red Cuppa
Photos provided by baidu.com Editor: Yang Xin
The Bookworm Located in Sanlitun, The Bookworm is a fixture in both Chinese and English-speaking readers circles. Most books in The Bookworm are in English and selected for an international audience. An alley location helps isolate The Bookworm from the noise and bustle of Sanlitun’s bars and malls. Nostalgic patrons will appreciate the retro decor, which seems inspired by a traditional British library. It’s easy to see why The Bookworm is such a hit among Beijingers. The spacious, interconnecting rooms with floor-to-ceiling books on every wall can easily inspire one to quiet down and read. You might want to avoid stopping in on the weekends if you just want to read. The crowds can be intense. Thursday nights are out too, since those are when The Bookworm hosts book parties and talks. Where: Building 4, Nan Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District Tel: 6586 9507
The chain store Red Cuppa ranks high on the preference list of Chinese readers thanks to its soft lights and cozy sofas. Coffee cabinets display the store’s collection of fragrant beans from all over the world, and on some nights the shop screens classic concerts on its big screen. You can brew your own coffee on the second floor of Red Cuppa whenever you need a break from reading or a little refreshment. If you are still reading at 8 pm, you’ll be there for when the store shuts off its light and switches to wax candles. While it may be hard on the eyes, the candlelight makes for a very romantic reading environ-
BEIJING TODAY
ment. Table lamps are available by request for readers who are prone to eyestrain. Apart from the DIY space, the second floor features a grand French window that gives a great view of the outside street. Friday is the night for live music, so avoid reading on that night unless you are into noise and crowds. Red Cuppa is open from 7 am to 1 am the next day. Where: Building 23, Tianshui Xiyuan, Chaoyang District Price: 43 yuan Tel: 6599 6378 Designer: Zhao Yan
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CLASSIFIEDS
August 15, 2014
Stage
Sports
Fuerza Bruta 2014 in Beijing It’s hard to describe the interactive spectacle of Fuerza Bruta to people who haven’t seen it. Most viewers compare it to dreaming while you’re awake. After winning praise last year in Beijing, Fuerza Bruta will be back for a second run from August 21 to September 10 at the Bird’s Nest (National Stadium). Fuerza Bruta is a postmodern theater show created by Diqui James in Buenos Aires in 2005. The energetic spectacle follows a motto of “Brute Force” and encourages interaction between the performers and viewers. It has been playing off -
Broadway in New York at the Daryl Roth Theater since 2007. The show has traveled the world with performances in Cordoba, Bogota, Queretaro, Miami, Chicago, Lisbon, Bilbao, Berlin, Moscow, London, Edinburgh, Antwerp and Madrid. It is scheduled to appear in
Tel Aviv, Manila and Heerlen. Where: Bird’s Nest (Beijing National Stadium) When: 5-10 pm, from August 21 to September 10 Price: 480 yuan Web: en.damai.cn
Music Mr.Moreno Donadel Jazz Quartet and Big Jam Moreno Donadel, an award-winning Italian pianist, is performing his own compositions and arrangements with Da Zhong on bass and Alex Morrise on drums. Stop by for jazz standards, Latin jazz, arrangements of Italian, American and Chinese pop songs and a few of Moreno’s own compositions. The Big Jam Session starts at 11 pm. Bring your own instrument and join in one of the biggest jam sessions in town. Reservations are preferred.
Donadel began studying piano and accordion at the age of 6 with Rovro Mariano. From the ages of 9 to 13 he won several national and international music awards. Donadel
also studied clarinet at the Benvenuti Music Institute of Conegliano and piano at the Corelli Music Institute of Vittorio Veneto and Pollini Musical Conservatory of Padova. He also studied jazz piano at Dizzy Gillespie Jazz Music School of Bassano del Grappa with Marcello Tonolo and jazz theory with Paolo Birro. Where: East Shore Live Jazz Cafe When: 10 pm-1 am, Sundays in August and September
Dining
Limbo and chicken dance. The whole marquee will be a sea of merriment. Where: V-Continent Beijing Parkview
Wuzhou Hotel When: 6-11 pm, from August 21 to 27 Tel: 8498 2288 ext. 7286, 7232 Price: 428 yuan
Nightlife Moguai (Mau5trap/Punx/Skint) Club 5f is welcoming German electronic master Moguai on August 15. Active in the electronic music scene since 1998, Moguai entertains with tech-house, breaks and techno-electro tunes at the smallest clubs and biggest openair events. Editor: Zhao Hongyi
This tour departs at 8 am and will arrive at Gubeikou Crouching Tiger Great Wall around 10:30 am. After a short break, hikers will head out to the Crouching Tiger Great Wall. The Gubeikou Crouching Tiger Great Wall is at the peak of a mountain which looks like two tigers. Located in the western section of the Gubeikou Great Wall, its highest peak measures 665 meters. A watchtower is erected every 150 meters on the wall. The group will walk the wall for about 3 hours passing many watchtowers. There will be ample time to stop and take pictures before departing the wall along a trail. A bus will be waiting to pick up hikers at the end of the trail. After the hike, the group will stop for a late lunch at a local farmer’s house to experience rural hospitality. Where: China Travelers When: 8 am-6 pm, August 21 Price: 450 yuan (10 percent discount for members and students) Tel: 18801335578 Email: info@chinatravellers.com
Art Face Mask Painting (Peking Opera)
Beijing’s best Oktoberfest Come for the first and the best Oktoberfest in Beijing! This year, V-Continent Beijing Parkview Wuzhou will be celebrating the German Beer Festival for the 11th time in its spacious marquee. From August 21 to 27, peoples from around the world will come to celebrate the hotel’s 11th year of Oktoberfest at 6 pm. Joerg, the Oktoberfest hero and the soul of the band, together with his seven band members from Munich, will be rocking the place with popular German music and dance. Don’t be shy about joining their beer drinking competition, the Alpine Hornblowing game, the typical Oktoberfest
Gubeikou Crouching Tiger Great Wall Hike
As a DJ, Moguai is a powerful producer. His debut-EP Best Before End (1993) and later Dial M for Moguai paved the way for him to become one of Germany’s top producers. His second track “U know Y” became the most popular at the Mayday festival and the top sell-
ing vinyl in Germany. In 2010, Moguai joined Deadmau5’s label Mau5trap and released his debut album We Ar Lyve.
August is cultural immersion month at the Sinology Institute and this time the topic is Peking opera. Peking opera is a form of traditional Chinese theater which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. Costumes are elaborate and colorful, and in contrast to the usually sparse stage. Every movement made by the actors is full of symbolism and is not meant to be realistic. The skill of the performers is judged by the beauty of their movements. Above all else, the colors of masks have special meanings. From facial masks you will learn what each color means to the Chinese people and how the design tells stories about the personalities of each figure in the opera. Where: Sinology Institute When: 7-9pm, August 19 Price: 10 yuan for SI students 20 yuan for non students Tel: 6400 0905 Email: admissions@sinologyinstitute.com Web: sinologyinstitute.com/contact-us
Where: Club 5f When: 10 pm-6am, August 15 Price: 100 yuan
BEIJING TODAY
Designer: Zhao Yan
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Editor: Zhao Hongyi
NEWS RELEASE
BEIJING TODAY
August 15, 2014
Designer:Tian Hu