iChina
OCTOBER 2008
Take you to the real China without prejudice
FOCUS
ECONOMY
PEOPLE
CULTURE
ART
EATS
TRAVEL
ENTERTAINMENT
Watch China Through
Beijing 2008 Olympics
Why is the olympics so important to China? Investment in China Questions and Answers Chinese Food: Mooncakes Fall Adventure in China
Published by iChina Media Group & KF Publishing Company Group, U.S.A
The Letter from the editor
Earlier this year I flew down to Texas to attend a friend’s wedding. I have to admit, I love weddings. And who doesn’t? A wedding is a great party where you will not only witness the beautiful, romantic ceremony for the happy, sweet newlyweds, but also get together with families and friends. Just as everyone expected, it was a wonderful marriage between a handsome American man and a beautiful Chinese lady. Speaking of different cultures, on that very day, there were hundreds of people from different backgrounds and from all over the world—not just various U.S. states, but also China and Chile. Nobody was left behind, as everyone could feel a touch of their own culture at the wedding. The tables were named after giant pandas, the program and menu were printed in both English and Chinese, the music was ancient Chinese Zheng mixed with country western, the dinnerware and food were authentic American, yet the stunning decorations—the red lanterns, red and gold table arrangements, and double happiness paper cuttings—were abundantly Chinese. It was great fun to see people trying to match their name cards to the table cards and to figure out the lyrics of the Chinese song the groom was singing, to hold a conversation with a stranger, or just to sit back relaxing. I was assigned a special task—collecting gifts and “lucky money” (cash in a red envelope; red symbolizes good luck in China). People in China prefer to give newlyweds cash rather than buying gifts. That day, I was amazed by how many nonChinese brought a red envelope instead of a bulky set of dinnerware, and I wondered when those Americans adopted the Chinese way. My friend’s multicultural wedding shed light on how inspiring it is when East meets West. As differences emerge, new ideas and opportunities shine through mutual understanding. Whether or not you've had a similar experience, I wanted to share mine with you. Here at iChina, we hope you will enjoy a journey to a real China. Now we’re ready to take off, and we hope you'll have fun. (Editor: May Ouyang)
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October 2008 FOCUS
CULTURE
04 Watch China Through Beijing 2008 Olympics
20 Mianzi & Guanxi
•• Why is the Olympics so important to China? •• Olympics is China's training ground for world leadership •• What the Olympics means to Chinese Americans
ECONOMY
23 Human powered search C nA ahi RTS 25 Interview with a Chinese artist-- Zhang, Xiaogang
EATS
08 Post-Olympic economic 36 Jackie Chan Café downturn highly unlikely in China 37 Chinese food history --timeline chronology of Chinese cuisine 09 Policy balance between inflation, growth sparks debate in China 38 Fast food in Beijing 10 Chinese bank expects inflation to peak in 2009
39 American cuisine In Beijing
11 Investment in China Questions and Answers
TRAVEL
14 Ask Chinese expert for advice
42 The wild Great Wall-- Huang Hua Cheng
PEOPLE
43 Fall adventure in China
16 China's Michael Jordan, ENTERTAINMENT Volleyball superstar 48 Astrology & Fortune - Lang Ping
Notoe: If you believe that your work has been reprinted in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please contact iChina’s Copyright Agent: copyright@ichinamag.com for more information.
Executive Editor Liang Liang lliang@ichinamag.com Managing Editor May Ouyang mouyang@ichinamag.com Associate Editor Carmen Suen Arthur acarmen@ichinamag.com
28 Shanghai Night
32 Chinese food: mooncakes
Editor in Chief April Zhang azhang@ichinamag.com
Assistant Editor Liu, Na nliu@ichinamag.com Copy Editor Alisha Karabinus alisha@dsfanboy.com Graphic Artist Chen, Zi zchen@ichinamag.com ---------------------------------------Circulation Director May Ouyang mouyang@ichinamag.com Marketing Director Yuan, Wei wyuan@ichinamag.com Publisher Li, Yahui KF Publishing Company Group, USA For advertisement or subscription information, contact: Phone: 312-233-2087 Email: marketing@ichinamag.com www.ichinamag.com
INDEX
iChina
iChina is published monthly by iChina Media Group and KF Publishing Company Group.
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Why is the Oplymics So Important to China? (By Su, Yuan)
Maybe you still remember the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games that was financed by the private sector without government subsidies of increased taxes on local residents. But the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is the opposite. Since Beijing was elected the host city on July 13, 2001, billions of dollars—with the Chinese government footing at least half the bill—have been poured into construction and city development. Millions of volunteers have been trained, and hundreds of thousands of actors have spent several months practicing. It seems this event is the most import thing in the country. Then, you might be wondering: if the Olympic Games is just a game, why is it so important to China? The answer is: To China, however, it is not just a game. China is in need of a stage to show its capability to the outside world. As a third world country, they experienced so many years of ignorance and disparagement. But today, they think they are different. It is understandable. For example, if your house is very old, but you just have remodeled it into something modern and beautiful, the first thing you want to do is show off. The Olympics offer a great chance for a global reception for China. People from around world will come to China, and not only stimulate the economy, but they will also witness the prosperity the nation enjoys today. On the inside, China needs this event to invigorate their people and to heighten national morale. The Olympics pull the whole country together. For a long time, many Chinese people believed hosting the Olympic Games would be a dream come true for China. One hundred years ago, Zhang Bolin, the wellknown educator and pioneer promoter of the Olympics in China, first introduced the Olympics to the Chinese, and first raised the question: “When can we host the Olympics in China?” Since then, generations of Chinese have pursued the dream. The 2008 Beijing Olympics are an important marker to China, as it allowed not only the Chinese sportsmen and women to prove themselves, but also allowed the country to prove its power and to stand more confidently on the world's stage. In the meantime, the Olympics has also brought up questions for China's future, such as democracy and pollution, and attracted more attention to its development.
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The Olympics is a good training ground for China to endure international criticism if it wants to become a world leader. Do Chinese leaders ever wish they had not agreed to stage the Olympics? Probably not, but they may well have mixed feelings. On the plus side, China has built some nifty-looking stadiums, there has been an outpouring of national pride—especially among the young—and it sets the seal on China's ambition to be a global mover and shaker. Yet the Games have also been a pain for the Chinese leadership. The event has turned into an irresistible magnet for human rights activists to protest issues from Tibet to Darfur. One day, Christian activists were arrested at Tiananmen Square, and the next day, four pro-Tibet demonstrators were deported after unfurling Free Tibet banners on a lamppost. For groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and celebrity campaigners such as Mia Farrow, the Olympics has been an unparalleled opportunity to get their message across about human rights abuses in China and the unsavory regimes that Beijing supports. China has had to endure criticism not only from activists but from those higher up the food chain. George Bush had some blunt words for China, saying the U.S. firmly opposes the detention of political dissidents, human rights advocates and religious activists. It could have been worse; at least Bush chose to speak in Bangkok rather than waiting to arrive on Chinese soil to sound off, so as not to rub Chinese faces in the dirt. But the Chinese are notoriously thin-skinned when it comes to criticism and will not appreciate Bush's words no matter where they were said. In Chinese eyes, what countries do at home is their own business; Chinese leaders don't pass judgment on others' domestic policies and they expect other governments not to comment
on China's internal affairs. This is the doctrine of state sovereignty at its most rigid. China's sensitivity to foreign criticism can also be attributed to past humiliation at the hands of outsiders. As Orville Schell pointed out in the New York Review of Books: "A particularly important element in the formation of China's modern identity has been the legacy of the country's 'humiliation' at the hands of foreigners, beginning with China's defeat in the opium wars in the mid 19th century and the shameful treatment of Chinese in America." Little wonder then that China puts so much importance in not losing face. China can, of course, hit back at the likes of the U.S. for double standards. As Bush was calling on China to allow more freedoms to its own people, Osama bin Laden's driver was convicted of supporting terrorism—although he was cleared of more serious conspiracy charges—by a much-criticized military commission at Guantanamo Bay. The Chinese may also want to remind Bush that he was the one that invaded Iraq in a war that Kofi Annan, the former U.N. Secretary-General, called illegal. Some commentators believe that the Olympics have actually prodded China to become a better international citizen. Victor Cha wrote in the International Herald Tribune that China has taken away incentives for Chinese companies doing business in Sudan and cut arms sales to Burma after its crackdown last year against demonstrators, including monks. Others are downright dubious about holding the Olympics in China. In a piece for the Los Angeles Times, Heather Havrilevsky, wonders what on earth possessed Olympic organizers to award China the games. "That good old Olympic spirit, set against the backdrop of the deeply depressing realities of life in
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Olympics is China's Training Ground for World Leadership
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6 China, makes this summer's festivities feel about as uplifting and cheerful as an accidental shooting at a wedding reception," she writes. The piece would have been more effective if she had not gone into overkill by talking about the "systematic oppression of 1.3 billion people." That is patent nonsense. This is a country that has lifted 250 million people out of poverty in the last 30 years, which is an incredible achievement. Most of Africa would not be in such a mess if African governments had shown the same zeal in fighting poverty. As a Somali told me recently: "The difference between China and Africa is that when Chinese leaders see the economic pie in front of them they want a small slice, but African leaders want the whole pie for themselves." But that is another debate. For the time being, the Olympics should be seen as a foretaste of what China can expect if it wants to assume a leadership role on the world stage. For China to expect that its domestic policies should not be criticized is totally unrealistic. Those who harbor pretensions to leadership are subject to scrutiny whether they like it or not. Notwithstanding its past history of humiliation, China will have to acquire the political maturity to withstand criticism— fair or unfair—that comes with growing international power and prestige. Or as Truman said: "If you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen." The Olympics is a good training ground for China to endure the barbs that will come its way in the years to come. (by Mark Tran, from http://www.guardian.co.uk)
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hat the Olympics Mean to Chinese Americans
Much has been written and said about China hosting the Summer Olympics and much controversy has been associated with the Games due to China’s record on many issues. But little has been said or written about how Chinese Americans see China and its hosting of the Olympics. With that in mind, the New York Times reports that many Chinese Americans have mixed feelings about China and the communist government’s policies, but that almost universally, they are very proud of, and even overwhelmed, by the Chinese people, how they have put the games together, and what the Olympics mean in general for the country: “Joe Lam... who moved to New York 35 years ago from Hong Kong, said he watched the opening ceremony for the Olympics twice on Friday night, the second time with his daughters—ages 18 and 22—who he said had little overt connection to Asia. “But watching the spectacle, with its blend of China’s
ancient grandeur and dazzling modern technology, ‘was like a religious experience for them,’ he said. “Mr. Lam said he was not a fan of the Communist Party, but, like many others, he noted the history that makes these Olympics resonate so deeply: 150 years of invasions and turmoil, from the Opium Wars to the Japanese invasion, civil war and the disastrous policies of Mao, which left China far behind the West. “‘Our joy is not for Communists,’ Mr. Lam said. ‘It’s for what hosting the Olympics means to the history of the Chinese people.’ Several Chinese-American leaders also said they thought that the respect China gained from the Olympics would improve the status of Chinese here. Helen Zia, a human rights advocate, author and former executive editor of Ms. magazine, said she surprised herself and many friends when she agreed to carry the Olympic torch in what turned out to be a contentious leg in San Francisco. She did so in part, she said, because she believes that engagement with the West is helping to liberalize China. But she added: ‘All those years of China’s humiliation carried over to America, where Chinese kids grew up being taunted and bullied on the playground. Now when we see the home country shown in a positive light, we
7 in many ways, the most important political, economic, and cultural player on the international stage in the 21st century. With that in mind, as the NY Times article described, China’s (re)emergence is likely to have some effect on how Chinese Americans are perceived. I certainly hope that as Helen Zia noted, it will improve the image and acceptance of Chinese Americans into mainstream American society. On the other hand, I can also see how it might hurt Chinese Americans if other Americans see China’s emergence as a threat (along with the effects of globalization in general) and become defensive and as a result, take their frustrations out on Chinese Americans (and by implication, all Asian Americans). Nonetheless, regardless of what other Americans may think, Chinese Americans and all Asian Americans have a right to feel proud of what China has accomplished. Yes, there are still many issues on which China should be criticized. But everything has a time and a place. Right now, China is showing the world just how glorious, spectacular, and powerful it can be when it focuses its efforts in a constructive way. I, for one, am very impressed. (by C.N., From www.asian-nation.org)
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hope Americans will understand better where ChineseAmericans come from.’” Regardless of where people stand in terms of supporting or criticizing China on various issues, I think there are very few people out there who can honestly dispute that, as one example, example, the opening ceremonies were one of the most lavish and spectacular displays of human art, choreography, and pageantry in recent history. The work of director Zhang Yimou and his team of 15,000 performers has to go down in the record books as simply, absolutely awesome. But even more importantly, beyond the political issues that are inevitably present, China’s hosting of the Olympics does have some very real significance, although I do not see it as China’s “coming out party” as many have described it. Instead, we should remember that prior to the late 1800s, in many ways China was already a superpower and as the NBC commentators even noted during the opening ceremonies, for nine of the past ten centuries, China had the largest economy in the entire world. It was only after Britain’s colonization in the late 1800s and Japan’s invasion in the 1930s did China acquire the unfortunate nickname of the “sick man” of Asia. But even after the turmoil associated with Mao’s policies, China has rebuilt itself and in a very short amount of time, has become the third-largest economy in the world and
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Post-Olympic economic downturn highly unlikely in China
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he Chinese economy was set to grow healthily and steadily after the summer Olympic Games and a postOlmypic economic downturn was highly unlikely, a noted Chinese economist said recently. "Personally I feel very optimistic that the Chinese economy after the Beijing Olympics will continue to grow rapidly and healthily.... I am full of confidence over the economy after the Olympics," said Fan Gang, director of the National Economic R e s e a r c h Institute at the China Reform Foundation. e told the Beijing Forum on the Olympic Economy that the Chinese economy would probably not be subject to further adjustment and micro-economic control after the Olympics because China had been doing the job since the end of 2007. ver the past several months, the Chinese government had taken a series of micro-economic control measures to cool down the economy, which was seen by many economists as overheated. "Our growth rate has dropped, exports decreased and
the foreign trade surplus has declined. We cooled down the stock market and real estate market," Fan said, adding that the adjustment period was drawing towards an end since the government had taken many measures. "Such adjustment and micro-economic control measures certainly reduce
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Beijing is small.... Even if Beijing's investment in infrastructure drop sharply after the Games, it would not have a significant impact on the whole economy," he said. an also said it was unlikely that Beijing would slash fixed assets investment since the city was still at the early stage of economic development and its appetite for infrastructure would still be huge after the Olympics. "The fact is, over the past several years, Beijing has been forced to reduce some other infrastructure projects in order to concentrate on the construction o f s p o r t s venues," he said. istory h a s shown that some countries were plagued by a post-Olympic economic downturn, also called "Valley Effect" or "V-low Effect." he phenomenon was mainly caused by a dramatic investment increase at the pre-Olympic stage, accompanied by a boom in consumption and revenues. But the investment and consumption plunged following the Olympics while the host city had to shoulder the heavy burden of maintaining
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possibilities of a post-Olympic downturn," said Fan, who was also a member of the Monetary Policy Committee under the People's Bank of China, the central bank. e also said Beijing's investment to build sports venues and other infrastructure, though worth billions of dollars, accounted for a mere three percent of the country's total investment in fixed assets. "China is a big country.
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Policy balance between
Chinese economists are debating whether it should still be most important to curb inflation when the country faces a cooling economy at the same time. "The principal goal of macroeconomic policies should not be to curb price rises only, but to achieve a proper balance between pursuing economic growth and curbing inflation," said Xia Bin, director of the financial department with the State Council's Development Research Center at a conference here this weekend. If the government views curbing inflation as the only goal and sharply cools the economy and reduces demand, it will cause huge problems as there are about 10 million new job seekers every year in China, said Xia. "Besides, stepping on the brakes suddenly, regardless of cost, is not beneficial for the world economy." Professor Xu Xiaonian of the Euro-China International Business College urged "decisive, resolute" action to prevent "a vicious spiral of inflation." "In anticipation of inflation, workers will demand higher pay, suppliers will ask for price rises, forcing enterprises to increase product prices, which will in turn stoke expectations for inflation," said Xu. He suggested interest rate hikes and a larger appreciation
inflation, growth sparks debate in China of the yuan, the Chinese currency. However, speeding up the rise of the yuan would worsen the pains for China's export industries, which are already facing a difficult environment, said chief economist Ma Jun of Deutsche Bank Greater China. Exports in the first five months rose 22.9 percent from a year earlier, but the growth rate was down 4.9 percentage points. China has been focusing on curbing prices since the consumer price index hit an 12-year high of 8.7 percent in February. It eased to 7.7 percent in May, but that was still above the government target of 4.8 percent for the whole year. Curbing inflation should still get first priority, while major economic fluctuations must be avoided, Premier Wen Jiabao said during a weekend trip through the eastern Jiangsu Province and Shanghai. The biggest risk for the economy is still price pressure, the financial research institute of the People's Bank of China, the central bank, said in early June. Leading economist Li Yining said on Friday that China faces the looming challenge of stagflation, when both unemployment and inflation are high. The experts might disagree on policies, but they agree
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idle sports venues. an, however, cautioned that the Chinese economy might still face new challenges, domestically and globally, and needed further policy adjustment in September or October or even later this year. "China is economically a developing country under transition. The economy has its own problems," he said. On the other side, he said the Chinese economy would face a new international economic situation — the U.S. credit crisis was still far from over and its negative impact was still coming out and prices for oil and grain were continuing to rise on the international market. "But these have nothing to do with the Olympic Games.... Hosting of the Games will push forward economic development in China by helping restructure industries and integrate the Chinese economy into the global market," he added. (By Yan Liang)
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10 prices will keep rising. Xu said he believed inflationary pressure would persist as long as international oil and food prices keep surging. Xia predicted commodity prices would remain high for the next two to three years, with the economy slowing. As the biggest economy in the world, the United States should offer to reduce demand, stop the depreciation of the dollar and further increase interest rates, said Xia. (By Wang Hongjiang, from: www.chinaview.cn)
demand, positive macro
Chinese bank expects inflation
to Peak in 2009 China's inflation is to peak in 2009 and then fall, according to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) in a recent report. The report by China's largest lender said the assets prices would gradually rise in the next three years. However, the stock markets would continue to suffer significant uncertainties, resulting in their seesawing during 2010 and 2011. After that prices would again rise. During the 2009-2011 period, liquidity would remain abundant with the M2 supply rising rather rapidly, but the possibilities of temporary liquidity shortfalls would increase, said the report. The report forecast that there would be little probability of drastic economic fluctuations in the next three years as the economy would be backed up by increasing domestic
controls and ameliorating overseas conditions. The major task of China's economic control remained curbing inflation and reducing risks of serious economic fluctuations, said the report. Inflation jumped in mid-2007 as the nation ran short of pork, grain and other food items. Consumer prices rose 7.7 percent in May over the same month last year. That was a slight decline from April's 8.5 percent rate but well above the government target of 4.8 percent for this year. Inflation in February reached a 12-year high of 8.7 percent. (By Amber Yao, from: www.chinaview.cn)
nvestment in China
Five Questions and Answers
1
. What are the basic laws and
regulations encouraging overseas investors to invest in China?
In order to create a congenial investment environment and to encourage overseas firms to invest in China, China has gradually set up a relatively complete legal system. In 1979 the National People's Congress issued The Law of the People's Republic of China on Chinese-Foreign Equity Joint Ventures. In the years since, the Chinese government has promulgated and issued a series of laws and statutes concerning the establishment, operation, termination and liquidation of foreign-invested enterprises. The main laws and regulations include the three basic laws ― The Law of the People's Republic of China on ChineseForeign Equity Joint Ventures, The Law of the People's Republic of China on Chinese-Foreign Contractual Joint Ventures, and The Law of the People's Republic of China on Wholly ForeignOwned Enterprises; detailed rules for the implementation of the three basic laws; The Company Law of the People's Republic of China; The Income Tax Law of the People's Republic of China for Enterprises with Foreign Investment and Foreign Enterprises; Interim Provisions for Guiding Foreign Investment; Industrial Catalogue for Foreign Investment; Interim Provisions Concerning the Investment within China of Foreign-invested Enterprises, Provisions Regarding the Merger and Separation of Foreign-invested Enterprises, and Liquidation Measures for Enterprises
with Foreign Investment. These provide legal bases from which to guarantee the independent operation rights of foreign-funded enterprises and to protect the legitimate rights and interest of both domestic and overseas investors. Currently, the Chinese government is reexamining its existing laws and statutes in accordance with the framework of the WTO. It has abolished certain obsolete laws and regulations, and will gradually revise the laws and regulations that are incompatible with the rules of the WTO. For instance, in 2000 China revised The Law of the People's Republic of China on Chinese-Foreign Contractual Joint Ventures and The Law of the People's Republic of China on Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprises, and discarded certain restrictions regarding the balance of foreign exchange account and localization of supplies. In 2001 The Law of the People's Republic of China on Chinese-Foreign Equity Joint Ventures was also revised.
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. What are the formalities for overseas investment to establish enterprises in China? What departments are involved?
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n accordance with the existing laws of China, the establishment of enterprises with foreign investment is subject to project-by-project examination, approval and registration by the government. In general, the following steps should be followed for the establishment of Chinese-foreign equity joint ventures and Chinese-foreign contractual joint ventures: l). Submit the project proposal to the relevant department (planning department or technological renovation administration) and get approval before investors can proceed with various jobs centered around the feasibility study of the project. 2). Submit the feasibility study report to the planning department or technological renovation administration and get approval before investors can sign legal documents, such as the contract and articles of corporation of the enterprise. 3). Submit the contract and articles of corporation of the enterprise to the examination and ratification department, who shall issue the Approval Certificate for Enterprises with Foreign Investment after approval by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. 4). With the Approval Certificate issued by the examination and ratification authorities, the investors can go through registration procedures with the administration of industry and commerce. The procedures for the establishment of enterprises with foreign investment are quite simple. After the initial project application is approved in writing by the examination and ratification authorities, the investors may submit a formal application, with articles of corporation and other required documents. On receipt of the Approval
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12 Certificate, they can proceed with the registration formalities by presenting the Approval Certificate. In accordance with China's existing laws, the state adopts a clas s ification adminis trative system for foreign investment. The provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and cities listed as independent units in state plans have the authority to examine and approve investment of less than U.S $30 million in areas encouraged and permitted by the state. When an investment exceeds this amount, the project application and feasibility study report shall be examined and approved by the State Development Planning Commission or the State Economic and Trade Commission, while the contract and articles of corporation shall be examined and approved by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. Many provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government have established foreign investment service centers, which offer foreign investors a one-stop service, ranging from legal consultation to procurement of project approval. With the improvement of China's social services system, intermediary service agents, including consultation companies, lawyers, and accountants, are all expected to provide investors with efficient and qualified services.
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. Which items are encouraged for foreign investment by China, and Which are prohibited?
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o direct foreign investment to go along with the development scenario of Chinese industries, and to avoid blind investment, the Chinese government promulgated in June 1995 the Interim Provisions for Guiding Foreign Investment and the Industrial Catalogue for Foreign Investment. The industrial projects in the catalogue are divided into four categories ― the encouraged, permitted, restricted, and prohibited. In late 1997, the Chinese government revised the above-mentioned catalogue in
line with the development of the national economy. The revised catalogue reflects expansion in the investment scope encouraged by the state and highlights priority industries. It embodies the principles of compliance with structural readjustment, of being conducive
resources and public health; that use large farmland and are unfavorable to the protection and development of land resources; and that endanger the security and normal function of military facilities. The state will continue to make appropriate revisions to the Industrial
to the introduction of advanced technology, and encouragement of foreign investment in China's central and western areas. The items in the catalogue encouraged for foreign investment mainly include: new agriculture technologies, comprehensive development of agriculture, energy resources, communications, important raw materials, new and high technologies, export-oriented and foreign-currency-earning projects, comprehensive utilization and regeneration of resources, prevention of environmental pollution, and those that give play to the advantages of China's mid-west areas. Meanwhile, foreign investment is directed to the technological upgrading of traditional industries and old industrial bases and to the continued development of labor-intensive projects that comply with the state's industrial policies. Foreign investment is prohibited in projects that endanger the state security and bring damages to public interest; that cause pollution of the environment and damage natural
Catalogue for Foreign Investment and to the Interim Provisions for Guiding Foreign Investment in accordance with the development need of the national economy and China's commitment on the entry of the WTO.
4
. What are the preferential policies offered to enterprises with foreign investment?
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he Chinese government levies low taxes on enterprises with foreign investment, and preferential tax policies are offered to the sectors and regions where investment is encouraged by the state. 1). Income Tax a. Rate of income tax: The income tax on enterprises with foreign investment is levied at the rate of 33 percent. The income tax on enterprises with foreign investment located in special economic zones, state new- and hi-tech industrial
13 2). Circulation-stage Tax: Since January 1st, 1994, the Chinese government has levied unified value-added tax, consumption tax and business tax on enterprises with foreign investment and domestic enterprises. Technology transfer and technological development by foreign enterprises and enterprises with foreign investment are exempted from value-added tax, as a measure to expand domestic demand and to encourage technological renovation in foreigninvested enterprises. For foreign-invested enterprises engaged in projects in the encouraged or restricted-B categories, the value-added tax on China-made equipment purchased by the enterprises within their total amount of investment shall be fully refunded if the equipment is listed under the catalogue offered with income tariff exemption. 3). Import-stage Value-added Tax a. Tariff rate: Since 1992 the Chinese government has reduced the tariff rate nine times for imported commodities. The present average tariff rate is 12 percent. b. Tax exemption for imported equipment: Equipment imported for foreign-invested or domestic-invested projects that are encouraged and supported by the state shall enjoy tariff and import-stage value-added tax exemption.
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. What are the favorable policies for further encouraging foreign investment in high technology industries? To encourage foreign-invested enterprises to introduce advanced foreign technologies and equipment, to promote industrial restructuring and technological upgrading, and to maintain sustained, rapid and healthy development of the national economy, the Chinese government has stipulated in recent years a series of favorable policies to invite foreign investment in high technology industries. These policies are mainly as follows: 1). Self-use equipment and supporting technologies, parts and spares imported for technological upgrading within their previously approved scope of production and operation by foreigninvested enterprises under the encouraged or restricted-B categories, foreigninvested research and development centers, foreign-invested enterprises producing for export and technologically advanced foreign-invested enterprises shall be exempted from the import tariff and import-stage value-added tax, if the equipment and supporting technologies, parts and spares cannot be produced domestically or the features and functionality of domestic products cannot meet requirements. 2). Self-use equipment and supporting
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zones, or economic and technological development zones is levied at the rate of 15 percent. The income tax on production enterprises with foreign investment located in coastal economic open zones, special economic zones, or in the old urban district of cities where economic and technological development zones are located is levied at the rate of 24 percent. And the income tax on enterprises with foreign investment that are engaged in projects such as energy, communications, port and dock is levied at the reduced rate of 15 percent. b. Tax reduction and exemption: The production enterprises with foreign investment that have an operation period exceeding 10 years shall, from the year they begin to make profit, be exempt from income tax for the first two years and allowed a 50 percent reduction for the following three years. Enterprises with foreign investment engaged in agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry, and enterprises with foreign investment established in remote and underdeveloped areas may, upon approval by the State Bureau of Taxation, be allowed a 15 to 30 percent reduction on the income tax for a period of another 10 years following the expiration of the period of tax exemption and reduction as provided for above. The income tax on enterprises with foreign investment located in mid-west China that are engaged in projects encouraged by the government shall be levied at a reduced rate of 15 percent for a period of another three years following the expiration of the Five-Year period of tax exemption and reduction. The enterprises with foreign investment that adopt advanced technology shall be exempt from income tax for the first two years and allowed a 50 percent reduction for the following six years. In addition to the two-year tax exemption and three-year tax reduction treatment, foreign-invested enterprises producing for export shall be allowed a reduced income tax rate of 50 percent as long as their annual export accounts for 70 percent or more of their sales volume. The foreign investor of an enterprise with foreign investment which reinvests its share of profit obtained from the enterprise in a project with an operation period of no less than 5 years shall, upon approval by the State Bureau of Taxation of an application filed by the investor, be refunded 40 percent of the income tax already paid on the reinvested amount.
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14 technology, parts, spares and other accessories as clarified in the contract, imported by enterprises with foreign investment for the production of the products listed under the Catalogue of the State High and New Technology Products, shall be exempted, in accordance with relevant regulations, from the import tariff and importstage value-added tax. 3). Advanced technologies listed under the Catalog of the State High and New Technology Products introduced by enterprises with foreign investment, and their outbound payment made on the software in accordance with the contract shall be exempted from tariff and import-stage value-added tax. 4). Self-use equipment and supporting technologies, parts and spares imported by foreign-invested research and development centers within the total amount of their investment shall be exempted, in accordance with relevant regulations, from the import tariff and import-stage value-added tax, if the imports cannot be produced domestically or the features and functionality of domestic products cannot meet requirements. 5). In cases where the tax refund rate on products listed under the Catalogue of the State High and New Technology Export Commodities is not up to the tax rate, a tax refund can be proceeded in accordance with the tax rate and existing regulations concerning tax refunding on exports, after the above-mentioned products are exported and upon approval by the State Bureau of Taxation. 6). If enterprises with foreign investment under the encouraged or the restricted-B categories purchase within the total amount of their investment China-made equipment that is listed under imports for import duty exemption, the enterprises can obtain a full refund of domestic equipment value-added tax on the equipment they have purchased. When enterprises with foreign investment purchase China-made equipment for the purpose of technological upgrading in conformity with the state industrial policy or for producing high-
technology products, the cost of the equipment can offset the business income tax of these enterprises. 7). The incomes of foreign-invested enterprises and research and development centers and foreign enterprises and individuals obtained from technology transfer and development and related technological consultation and services shall be exempted from business tax. 8) . If the expenditure on techn o l o g y development of enterprises with foreign investment increases by 10 percent or more over that of the previous year, the taxable income of the enterprises for the current year can, with the approval of the taxation authorities, be set off by 50 percent of the actual amount of the spending on technology development. 9). In accordance with the articles concerning donations in the Income Tax Law of the People's Republic of China for Enterprises with Foreign Investment and Foreign Enterprises, the foreigninvested and foreign enterprises who provide financial aid to non-affiliated scientific and research institutes or schools of higher learning for their research and development projects can deduct the entire amount of the aid from their taxable income.
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Advice
Moving to China is a big challenge. Who is going to advise you on whether to rent or buy a house, how to build a network, and where to find the chamber of commerce? Colin Friedman has been in China since 1998 and knows all about these things. For two and a half years now, he has been running his own company—China Expert International Ltd—in what he calls ‘getting people started’: helping you utilize your expertise to the best in China.
Know the Market Informing yourself before moving to a different country seems logical. However, Colin Friedman has met many expats and companies that have failed in their preparation. Especially in the sectors where technology is involved: “They are bringing their high-quality products to a society that is prepared to accept ‘good enough’ rather than state-of-theart. A country in which the average income is so low that people simply do not have a disposable income. Of course, in time they will be interested in superior quality, but right now they prefer to copy your technology and make it cheaper, thus making it hard for your company to compete on this uneven playing field.
Yin Yang “You also have to bear in mind that China is a very large country, with a lot of diversity. Polarity is probably the best way to characterize the Chinavibe. Meaning that you will never be able to completely ‘catch’ it. Huge differences range from North to South, from countryside to city, from rich to poor, from today to tomorrow. Remember, it is as complicated as it is Yin Yang: different sides do not necessarily fight each other, they are usually complementary,” Friedman says.
More particulars in doing business with the Chinese? “I know a company that had contacts with a government agency, but did not maintain their relationship very well. All of a sudden, they had to deal with changed legislation and contracts; slowly but surely they were losing control over their company. In most cases, a contract is of no use. Entertaining a close personal relationship with your business partner is crucial. However, this demands time, support and experience. Do not send a junior to China to represent your company. You need all the experience you have got. And the most important ingredient for having success in business in China, is a smile on your face.”
Dry the Cup! Speaking of ‘faces,’ the biggest China-howler Friedman can think of can occur daily. “The Chinese have an alcoholic drink called Baijiu (lit., white wine). It looks like water, but normally has an alcohol content of not less than 65%. ‘Ganbei!’ they say, toast after toast after toast, downing the drinks in one go. And because you are the foreigner, everybody will toast you and you will end up drinking a lot more than they do. Be warned though, drinking Baijiu should not be taken lightly. DO NOT try to keep up with the Chinese! They will understand if you point out that you are not used to this drink, and by doing so you will survive dinner and drinks just fine. Do not sacrifice your liver for business." (By Colin Friedman, from: http://www.chinasuccessstories.com)
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China's Michael Jordan, Volleyball Superstar — Lang Ping Lang Ping, a symbol of an era and the spirit of China, has become deeply rooted in the minds of generations of fans. Twentyfour years after "Iron Hammer" Lang Ping led her team to beat the United States and win China's first Olympic volleyball gold, she coached the United States women's volleyball team to conquer the Chinese squad. Lang Ping in her motherland presented herself as the head coach of the USA Women's National Volleyball Team - and she grabbed the attention of thousands of Chinese fans. Both victories were applauded by the Chinese despite the change of Lang's role. Lang Ping is the role model for every Chinese female volleyball player. She coaches the U.S. team and has helped them improve and change their style. When we play with the U.S. team, we do not have any strange feeling," said middle blocker Liu Yanan after the Chinese team lost the tussle 2-3 in a preliminary. "To tell the truth, no matter which team won the match, we were happy. We love the Chinese women's volleyball team very much, but also thought Lang Ping really worked hard and overcame lots of difficulties when coaching overseas. She deserves the win," said a Chinese journalist covering the match. The win for the U.S. women's volleyball team has ensured them a berth in quarterfinal. Volleyball is one of the most popular sports in China. On that night, the 14,000-seat stadium was fully packed, with deafening cheers of "Go China" reverberating around. Although the Chinese team lost the match eventually, the spectators were calm and showed full understanding of the result. "I am a little bit disappointed for the loss of the Chinese team, but it's okay, because we also love Lang Ping. She is very professional and her love for volleyball is really impressive. She should be
credited with the improvement of the U.S. team," said a spectator in his 30s surnamed Ma, who works for an IT company. "Tonight, I tried to concentrate on the match, try not to have too much emotion involved. I tried to be professional and give my team timely instructions," Lang told the reporters after the match. Yes, Lang earned national esteem for China in another way—going all out to steer the U.S. team to victory. And more preciously, her love for volleyball has been understood by the Chinese people. She will always be our "Iron Hammer," a most beloved star. Lang Ping's status in China is equal to that of Michael Jordan in the U.S.. To Chinese fans, she is not only an outstanding athlete and the pride of Chinese volleyball, but also the symbol of an era and a spirit. As an athlete, Lang Ping has achieved marvelous success. In 1978, at the age of 18, Lang won herself the position as the key player in China's national volleyball team. During her service throughout those years, she helped China win four world titles and two Asian championships. The team's series of triumphs encouraged more and more Chinese people to fall in love with the game of volleyball, to understand volleyball terminology, and above all,
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Lang ping & her ex-husband-- Bai Fan
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First place at the 1981 World Cup - China's first world title in women's volleyball
to remember the name "Lang Ping" with affection. Her outstanding skills, stalwart spirit and unparalleled impressive manner, gained her the nickname of the "Iron Hammer" from her fans, as well as admiration and high expectations from millions of Chinese. As one of the three chief spikers in the world during the 1980s, Lang has brought her compatriots victory and joy, and much more than that, she brought to them glory and pride. Lang Ping continued her achievement as she turned her career to coaching. After her retirement as a player in 1986, she took the job of assistant coach with the Chinese women's national volleyball team, which took the trophy at the 10th World Women's volleyball Championship in Czechoslovakia and the women's volleyball title at the Asian Games in Seoul in the same year. Thereafter, Lang Ping pursued further study overseas, joining foreign volleyball clubs as a player and a coach for several years, until she answered an urgent call from her native team in China in 1995—to shoulder the responsibility for leading the Chinese women's volleyball national team out of its slump, as its head coach. In the 1980s, the Chinese team would go on to take the World Cup and Olympic championship five successive times.. Rendezvous with Beijing 2008 On February 7, 2005, it was announced that Lang Ping had accepted an invitation to take over as head coach of the U.S team. "USA Volleyball is honored to have reached agreement with 'Jenny' to be the next coach," said Doug Beal, CEO of the woman's volleyball program. "Lang Ping is perhaps the most decorated and successful volleyball personality in the world... This is an individual who has been uncommonly successful in every phase of her career as a player and as a coach." But Lang Ping only agreed to accept a coaching assignment outside China after a self-enforced condition was satisfied. That being: she would not consider leading another international team until her Chinese team took a gold medal. She was good to her word. Lang Ping's motivation to sign on with the U.S was not all professional. Her 13-year-old daughter, Lydia, now lives and attends school in California and Lang Ping wanted to be near her. After taking on her U.S coaching job, the most pressing task for Lang Ping will be to lead her American players to the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. Of course, this, too, is the goal of the Chinese women's volleyball team. Her leadership of the U.S team will not only bring to China a potential opponent with strong capability, but a great psychological
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“Iron Hammer”
Achievements and Honors
The old days--Glory Road
Received by President of China Coach of China 1996 Olympic team
1984 China Olympic Team Coach for U.S.A 2008 Olympic team
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(From: www.china.org.cn)
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challenge to her supporters and fans in China, as their hero becomes a competitor. Lang Ping explains that she will be much relieved if China's media and public show understanding and support. According to an online poll, more than 60% participants supported Lang's new role as head coach of the American volleyball team. One online poll participant offered the following: "SUPPORT! — If Lang Ping leads her American players to a higher standing, it will be not only to her credit, but a feat of which all Chinese can be proud. Of course, the Chinese team is expected to give it their best. Thus, the international volleyball world will draw more attention from people all around the world." After hearing the news that Lang Ping took over as head coach of the American women's national volleyball team, Xu Li, director of the volleyball management center of the State General Administration of Sport, had a dream of her own. "I wish that during the Beijing Olympic Games, the American team led by Lang Ping and the Chinese team led by Chen Zhonghe will face each other at the final. If this comes true, they will surely provide audiences throughout the world a remarkable and unforgettable contest." And on a Friday night, the two teams faced off in a match between Lang Ping and her former assistant, long-time good friend, Chen Zhonghe. Finally, U.S. Volleyball team beat China's women volleyball team at 3:2. The U.S. team went on to take the gold medal at the Beijing Games. China finished with the bronze. Lang earned national esteem for China in another way—going all out to steer the U.S. team to victory. And more preciously, and her love for volleyball has been understood by the Chinese people. Sport is not only about winning a medal. It is all about being stronger, higher, and faster, and connecting the people around the world.
2008: Lang Ping, coach of U.S team & Chen Zhonghe, coach of China team
Years back, Lang Ping and then-her-assistant Chen Zhonghe Lang Ping and Chen Zhonghe on Z
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Mianzi & Guanxi Mianzi: Saving face. Ensure that a person saves face by retaining respect from you and his peers. Guanxi: The establishment and maintenance of relationships that are mutually beneficial. These two concepts, and how they are expressed in day-to-day life in China, are absolutely essential for foreigners to understand, prior to their arrival, if they are to avoid numerous misunderstandings and angry blowups.
'Mianzi' of Chinese weighs a lot, comes at a price By Echo Shan (chinadaily.com.cn) Mianzi (literally "face value") has long been observed by most Chinese. As a famous saying goes, "Men live for face as trees grow for bark." In a recent survey conducted by China Youth Daily, over 93 percent of the 1,150 polled said they pay much attention to their mianzi, a concept which concerns people's decency, personality, and dignity. When asked what the most humiliating thing is, a heavy number accounting for 74.9 percent of the total chose public gaffes, with the failed fulfillment of one's promise coming in as second. More than a half of the respondents feel ashamed of being shown as ignorant before others. A total 47.5 percent of the polled considered it a loss of face to have not enough money on them when treating friends out to a dinner. What would enhance one's face value then? In a ranking on this question, the survey revealed that doing what others cannot do topped the list, taking up a high proportion of 83.7 percent. Following at the second, with 53.9 percent, was being praised in public. Being outstandingly knowledgeable was third on the list for sharpening one's mianzi, accounting for 51.7 percent. According to the survey, face value usually comes at a price. To pay or not to pay, it's a problem. Deeply obsessed with the face value concept, many "fight" each other for the chance to foot the bill despite an infertile pocket. Some 80.7 percent of those taking the poll thought it a tough life to always cling to the face
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GUANXI By Daniel (dangregg.com)
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t is also impossible to discuss "face" without introducing the related concept of guanxi, i.e., "relationship" or social networking. Actually, defining guanxi it is not that easy. In fact, it probably can't really be translated. Relationship, connection and networking are familiar concepts used to explain guanxi , but these terms are really not adequate to explain guanxi . Feeling is also involved in guanxi . Guanxi is where our cultures connect and collide at the same time. For us to relate to Chinese culture, both sides have to meet somewhere in the middle. Guanxi is often at the center of international trade issues between the United States and China. Without some measure of guanxi our group cannot access China at the level we are operating. One begins to understand guanxi through experience. You will begin to know it when you begin to "practice and feel it." Below is an explanation of business guanxi I have taken off the Internet. I have also included "definitions" for guanxi and other related terms. nderstanding the Chinese Business Networking Concept: "Guanxi " In order to make your products presence in China last, and ensure your business expansion successful in the long run, you must understand one of the most important elements of running
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the opinion that those holding a superior position care far more than the general public about face. In another comparison, the manual labors pay less attention to the face value than brainworkers. The survey also revealed that men focus more on face value than women and the senior more than the young. While most people hold a neutral viewpoint about those who value mianzi a lot, nearly 80 percent of all the respondents were willing to make friends with them.
your business operations in China - the concept of “guanxi ”. Understand this is more important than all the work researching, establishing foreign offices, and making initial contacts with freight forwarders. Even after completing your first successful move into this vast market of opportunity, you will find all your efforts pointless and fail terribly in China without this practice. Technically, Guanxi stands for any type of relationship. In the Chinese business world, however, it is also understood as the network of relationships among various parties that cooperate together and support one another. The Chinese businessmen mentality is very much one of "You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours." In essence, this boils down to exchanging favors, which are expected to be done regularly and voluntarily. No matter how much experience you have in American business management, the right guanxi in China will make all the difference in ensuring success. he inevitable risks, barriers, and setups you’ll encounter in China will be minimized when you have the right guanxi network working for you. It takes time and experience in order to be able to observe and identify who will be most beneficial to you. Developing and nurturing guanxi requires time and resources. Your immediate Chinese network can indirectly link you to new acquaintances and information resources. The Chinese and Western
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value concept. Surprisingly, only 8.7 percent of the polled insisted that it tarnishes a man's authority and face value in a family where the wife is the major breadwinner. Clad even into teeth with the luxury name brand apparels, a limited 7.7 percent among all the respondents tend to resort to pricey clothes in a bid to gain more face value. Taking the social status into consideration, 82.9 percent of the polled nod at
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22 cultures conduct business differently, even if, on the surface, transactions seem to be the same. The Chinese prefer to work with people they know and trust, so are less inclined to simply close a deal. With a strong relationship, however, you can be trusted and even favored. This relationship extends between companies and also between individuals at a personal level on an ongoing basis. Guanxi can take on many forms. It does not have to be based on money. It is completely legal in their culture and not regarded as bribery in any way. So, there is no need to feel uncomfortable about it. Trustworthiness of both the company and individual is an important component. Following through on promises is a good indication of this. Treating someone with courtesy while others treat him or her unfairly is another aspect. Frequent contact fosters friendship as well. Chinese feel obligated to do business with their friends first. There are risks with this system, as well. When something goes wrong, the relationships are challenged, and friendships quickly disappear. stablishing guanxi with high-ranking officials is also helpful. Although Chinese companies are increasing having to survive without government subsidiaries, many foreign companies still need strong relations with government officials. For example, the process of obtaining a new license to market your products in a new region of China is greatly accelerated and much less expensive with the right connections. The time and money necessary to establish a strong network is well worth the investment. What your business could get in return from the favors for your partners are often more much more valuable, especially in the long run, and when you’re in need. Even domestic businesses in China establish wide networks with their suppliers, retailers, banks, and local government officials. It is very common for individuals of an organization to visit the residence of their acquaintances from other organizations, bringing gifts (such as wine, cigarettes, etc.). While this practice may seem intrusive, as you spend more time learning the Chinese culture, it will become easier to understand and take part in this practice that is so central to successful Chinese commercial activity. "Gănqíng" (感情) is an important concept in Chinese social relations which is loosely translated as "feeling" and is related to the
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concept of guanxi. Gănqíng reflects the tenor of a social relationship between two people or two organizations. One can speak of having good gănqíng meaning that two people have a good rapport or deep ganqing meaning that there is considerable feeling within a social relationship. The term 'gănqíng' is often seen in Chinese government comments, and is often mistranslated when used in this context. Often one will see a statement that an action "hurts the feelings of the Chinese people." This statement is better translated as an action "disturbs the relationship with the Chinese people." When used in this context the statement is actually mildly threatening implying that should the action continue, that cooperation would not be forthcoming in the future. ūanxì (关系 or 關係), literally translated as "relationship", has been a central concept in Chinese society and describes a personal connection between two people in which one is able to prevail upon another to perform a favor or service. The two people need not be of equal social status. The term is generally not used to describe relationships within a family, and is also generally not used to describe relationships which are defined by bureaucratic norms (i.e. a boss and an office worker or a teacher and a student). The relationships formed by guanxi are personal and not transferable. It has been extensively studied and described in studies of Chinese economic and political behavior, and sociologists have linked it with the concept of social capital. When a guanxi network violates bureaucratic norms, it can lead to corruption. Guanxi can also form the basis of patron-client relations. A closely related concept is that of ganqing or feeling which reflects the depth of feeling within an interpersonal relationship.
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Negotiating this complex web of relationships and personal feelings about status can be rather difficult for foreigners. Not only do we have trouble fully understanding the concepts of guanxi and face, we also have issues wrapping our brains around its social consequences. For Westerners, our sense of self-respect and pride is closely tied to our sense of honor, if you’ll pardon the dramatic language. What this means practically is that we value honesty, a sense of personal responsibility, and directness; unwillingness to admit wrong or ignorance or to accept responsibility are seen as a significant character flaws. There’s no switch we can flip in our brains to change these ideas and help us meet the Chinese on Chinese terms. It takes effort and sometimes quite a bit of after-thefact apologizing and explanation from both sides. (By:renmenbi.com)
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Human Powered Search: Collective cybervigilantism in China In China, "human-powered” search engines can turn netizens into cyber lynch mobs, and private lives are turned upside down by collective cyber-vigilantism. (Cited from Human Flesh Search: Vigilantes of the Chinese Internet at New America Media, by Xujun Eberlein)
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hen it comes to search engines, Google is the first to jump into your mind. Is Google the most powerful search engine in the world? How about another search engine – Crowdsourcing, or so-called Human Search Engine? In the recent book, Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations , author Clay Shirky discusses how new technologies for collaboration and information-sharing impact society. It is a fascinating analysis and commentary on how groups of people are collaborating and networking online in new and more efficient ways because of blogs, instant messaging, Twitter, Flickr and other new services. The types of group-forming he describes are sometimes called crowdsourcing and flash mobs. For those
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uman Search Engine is a poor translation (yet a popular and visceral description) of the Chinese phrase ren’rou sou’suo （人肉搜索）.It has been working in China, for good and for ill, for at least a year or two. There are numerous cases that involved an intensive human-assisted search that sometimes bordered on a lynch-mob mentality, such as the South-China Tiger photogate and, early this year, the misidentification of an Olympic torch relay protester. When the earthquake hit Sichuan province, the ‘I (Heart) China’ movement spread like wildfire over MSN to millions of Chinese users within two days. Shirky’s ideas on the extraordinary power and occasional madness of online crowds would be an apt explanation for both the apparent effectiveness and mob mentality of the Human Search Engine. When profiling a case in the U.S. of a person who lost a mobile phone, had it found by somebody who refused to return it, and the subsequent online tracking and debate over the people involved, Shirky wrote:
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in China, crowdsourcing is also called Human Flesh Search Engine, the increasingly frequent phenomenon of online crowds gathering via bulletin board systems, chat rooms, and instant messaging to collaborate on a common task. The Human Flesh Search Engine shares many o f the same characteristics of Shirky’s networked social collaboration: it's a phenomenon enabled and made cost-effective by technology, channeling an existing motivation that was not possible to act upon as a group before. The Inter-Networking Supertrend is the new webenabled version of the classic Chinese guanxi (which means network).
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The whole episode demonstrates how dramatically connected we’ve become to one another. It demonstrates the ways in which the information we give off about ourselves, in photos and e-mails and MySpace pages and all the rest of it, has dramatically increased our social visibility and made it easier for us to find each other but also to be scrutinized in public. It demonstrates that the old limitations of media have been radically reduced, with much of the power accruing to the former audience. It demonstrates how a story can go from local to global in a heartbeat. And it demonstrates the ease and speed with which a group can be mobilized for the right kind of cause. But who defines what kind of cause is right?
investigation, but may also lead to unnecessary confusion.
As the cases of the Human Search Engine mentioned above clearly show, right is determined by a kind of process of consensusbuilding where the strongest, earnest, motivated voices may dominate, but as to whether the end result is right or wrong, as somebody once said, the mob has many heads but few brains. As the Human Search Engine expands, a main concern grows as well – “Is it ethical to dig out so much personal information?” As aforementioned, the human search engine can equally work for good and ill. For instance, it may help in the crime
Thanks to the flat world, the human-powered search engine has grown worldwide. The most recent, massive search happened in the U.S., right after Nastia Liukin won the silver medal in the Beijing Olympic Games. Two days after the event, the Australian gymnastics judge who doomed Nastia Liukin to second place in the uneven bars competition received hate messages from Americans at her e-mail address. And how did they get her email address? It’s a result of the Human Search Engine.
A couple of months ago, Grace Wang, a Chinese student at Duke University, became a target of the human-powered search engine. On the day of the Olympic torch relay in San Francisco, Wang wrote "Free Tibet" on a protester's back, which she claimed to do at the protester’s request. Instantly, some angry Chinese launched a human-powered search, and found Wang’s personal information, such as her email address and her parents’ address. As a result, Wang said her e-mail box was filled with hate messages and her parents got a lot of pressure or even insulting attack in China.
(From: chinasupertrends.com)
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An interview with Zhang Xiaogang byAlice Xin Liu
Zhang Xiaogang, born in Kunming in 1958, graduated from Oil Painting Department of Sichuan Academy of Fine
Arts in 1982. Known as a symbolist-surrealist and a member of the Avant-Garde movement, Zhang was a joint founder of the Current of Life painters, and his earlier paintings looked back to the traditional roots of rural Chinese culture to explore human values. Now he works and lives in Beijing.. Journalist: How do you account for your international popularity? Zhang Xiaogang: It's possible people collect my work because there's a market for it. But there are also some who actually love Chinese culture. I think at the moment this category of people is still in the minority. More people are collecting art to invest in it. Many of the people who actually like Chinese art are finding it harder to afford it. This is a very mafan thing‌
J: Many people are interested in your 1998 "Big Family" series. They believe that this is your best series of works and critics also believe that during this period your creative talent was at its zenith. What do you think? ZX: For me, I will earnestly and wholeheartedly complete each painting, and the artworks around 1994-5 were the ones I spent most effort on. But my technique wasn't mature yet. In comparison, works produced after 1998 all have matured techniques and ideas and after 2000 I drew less. Personally speaking, a collector's evaluation may have a certain purpose behind it. However, speaking as an artist, if I draw "Big Family" now, I believe I would do a better job because I have matured more in all aspects.
J: During the 90's your creative style was always changing and the "Big Family" series seemed to be the turning point. ZX: I have a habit. At the end of every year I will look back and see what aspects need improvement. After many years of such self-reflection, especially after 1990, I realized that I had too many previous styles and that I should find a suitable path for myself. I am not suitable to be a cultural artist or one who expresses himself
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26 only through material language. That is why during the whole year of 1992 I did not draw at all, rather, I took this opportunity to visit Europe for three months. I visited museums and galleries every day trying to find feeling. It was then that I realized, after seeing Western masterpieces up close, that my own experience, cultural background, and artistic understanding are all completely different. I decided to walk a relatively Chinese path. I also enjoy superrealism and pay attention to human experience and subconcious. Since then I've followed this train of thought, but it sure was a challenge for me. By incorporating completely private and public things and bringing a relationship between the two, I returned to China and it became the "Big Family" series.
J: Do you believe art can also be made into a brand name? ZX: When your art is exhibited, everyone is walking and looking, so you need to let others know in a minute what you are drawing, how to attract their attention, how to explain clearly what you drew in a brief moment, now that is what I mean. But more importantly for me, making art into a brand name lets others remember you and that is how you can express yourself. In 1999 I suggested artistic brand names during an interview. Many people didn't agree when I used this marketing term, they still believe art is something solemn.
J: Why do you think your art attracts people? ZX: Firstly, of course, because I'm talented. [Laughs] And secondly, for a long time I was not allowed to exhibit inside China. From the start I followed the international route, and my luck was good. After I moved to Hong Kong, my art started to become known in the West. Also, since ’93, for over ten years, I haven't stopped participating in exhibitions, so I know more [than other artists]. Another thing – and this is very mysterious, I think – why is one artist preferred over another? I can't figure this out myself. If everyone paints well, why would you choose him or her over someone else? This is very complicated, and probably related to social studies and psychology. It's something that can't be controlled by the artists themselves.
J: Do you think today’s artists are struggling to match your success? ZX: Currently I don't think any artist in China finds it hard to sell their art! But I don't think there has been clarification as to what is really good, what is average, and what is actually bad. Chinese art is in a confused state, and this is a condition particular to China. I think it's very interesting.
J: You once spoke about the importance of separating art from society.
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ZX: You can't separate yourself totally. I think in this era, artists have to maintain their “whole” selves, which is becoming increasingly difficult. I think this is a time when you have to start looking for loneliness. It's too renao
(chaotic) nowadays. If you wanted to, you could have dinner and drinks with someone different every day. If you wanted to, you could spend all your time in the media. But as an artist, the most important feeling is loneliness. So when I say artists need to isolate themselves from society this is what I mean: You have to look for that feeling of loneliness again. Only this way can you have something that is purely your own.
J: Do you think that artists in China and the West share some of the same tendencies – drinking, loneliness, morbidity? Z X : N o t n e c e s s a r i l y. M y a r t i s m a i n l y a b o u t m y experiences—experiences directly related to my life and my history. It's possible that someone else's history is completely different, but that their works are just as good – there isn't only one path. I wanted to clarify one thing though, which is, what is the "self?" I think the self is innate, and how you develop it is crucial if you are to reach some sort of selfknowledge. You find out over the years what kind of person you are. You might find that something isn't right, so you make a turn. I have the belief that a person and his art should have one direction; your work should be a synonym for your person—the two shouldn't be separate. Art isn't a science or a job; it's alive. Good art is born from knowing yourself deeply. Your art cannot hide how much you have discovered about yourself. A very inspired British painter once said that you needed to have the right ideas as well as the right way of expressing it. If you saw a work that had both, then you'd be touched.
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Do you still think isolation is essential to art today?
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Shanghai Night ໋झ፰ሃ
Shanghai is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world, with over 20 million people in its extended metropolitan area. Located on China's central eastern coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the city is administered as a municipality with province-level status.a
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Chinese Food:
Mooncakes Mid-Autumn Festival
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he joyous Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth moon, around the time of the autumn equinox. Many referred to it simply as the “Fifteenth of the Eighth Moon”. (i.e., August 15 in Chinese Lunar year). This yearIn the year 2008, the festival falls on September 14.
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his day was considered a harvest festival since fruits, vegetables and grain had been harvested by this time and food was abundant. Food offerings were placed on an altar set up in the courtyard. Apples, pears, peaches, grapes, pomegranates, melons, oranges, and pomelos might be seen. Special foods for the festival included mooncakes, cooked taro and water caltrope, a type of water chestnut resembling black buffalo horns. Some people insisted that cooked taro be included, because at the time of creation, taro was the first food discovered at night in the moonlight. Of all these foods, it could not be omitted from the Mid-Autumn Festival.
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he round mooncakes, measuring about three inches in diameter and one and a half inches in thickness, resembled Western fruitcakes in taste and consistency. These cakes were made with melon seeds, lotus seeds, almonds, minced meats, bean paste, orange peels and lard. A golden yolk from
a salted duck egg was placed at the center of each cake, and the golden brown crust was decorated with symbols of the festival. Traditionally, thirteen mooncakes were piled in a pyramid to symbolize the thirteen moons of a “complete year,” that is, twelve moons plus one intercalary moon.
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he Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festivity for both the Han and minority nationalities. The custom of worshipping the moon can be traced back as far as the ancient Xia and Shang Dynasties (2000–1066 BC). In the Zhou Dynasty (1066–221 BC), people held ceremonies at the Mid-Autumn Festival to greet winter and worship the moon. Worship and enjoyment of the full moon became very prevalent in the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD). In the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279 AD), however, people sent round mooncakes to their relatives as gifts in expression of their best wishes of family reunion. When it became dark, they looked up at the full silver moon or went sightseeing on lakes to celebrate the festival. Since the Ming (1368–1644 AD) and Qing Dynasties (1644–1911 AD), the custom of Mid-Autumn Festival celebration became unprecedented popular. Special customs dominate in different parts of the country, such as burning incense, planting MidAutumn trees, lighting lanterns on towers, and fire dragon dances. However, the custom of playing under the moon is not so popular as it used to be, but it is not less popular to enjoy the bright silver moon. Whenever the festival sets in, people look up at the full silver moon, drinking wine to celebrate their happy lives, or thinking of their relatives and friends far from home and extending all of their best wishes to them.
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Mooncakes
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There is an old story about the mooncake. During the Yuan dynasty (1280–1368 AD), China was ruled by the Mongolian people. Leaders from the preceding Sung dynasty (960–1280 AD) were unhappy at submitting to the foreign rule, and set about figuring out how to coordinate the rebellion without being discovered. The leaders of the rebellion, knowing that the Moon Festival was drawing near, ordered the making of special cakes. Baked into each mooncake was a message with the outline of the attack. On the night of the Moon Festival, the rebels successfully attacked and overthrew the government. Today, mooncakes are eaten to commemorate this legend. For generations, mooncakes have been made with sweet fillings of nuts, mashed red beans, lotus seed paste or Chinese dates wrapped in a pastry. Sometimes a cooked egg yolk can be found in the middle of the rich dessert. People compare mooncakes to the plum pudding and fruit cakes which are served in the English holiday seasons. Nowadays, there are hundreds of varieties of mooncakes on sale a month before the arrival of Moon Festival.
Ty p i c a l m o o n c a k e c o n t a i n i n g a y o l k representing the moon.
Starbucks introduces its own special mooncake concoction.
Mooncakes come in a variety of colorfully decorated boxes such as this one.
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Ganso presents a unique square ice cream mooncake.
Haagan daz also takes the initiative to create its own ice cream mooncake, which has become very successful.
Some new mooncakes have totally lost its original mooncake shape and ingredients and have taken on the shapes of special characters.
Ingredients
These are examples of the molds used to create mooncakes.
· · · · · · · ·
(serves 12)
1/2-cup non-fat dried milk powder 3 teaspoons baking powder 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup solid shortening, melted and cooled 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 eggs 1 can (17-1/2 ounces) lotus seed paste 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
Instructions 1. Mix lotus seed paste and walnuts together in a bowl; set aside.
Using molds like those in the previous picture, bakers are able to create a diverse variety of mooncakes ranging in size, color, shape, and flavor.
2. Sift flour, milk powder, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl. In large bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs on medium speed until light and lemon-colored. Add sugar; beat for 10 minutes or until mixture falls in a thick ribbon. Add melted shortening; mix lightly. With a spatula, fold in flour mixture. Turn dough out on a lightly-floured board; knead for 1 minute or until smooth and satiny. Divide dough in half; roll each half into a log. Cut each log into 12 equal pieces. 3. To shape each mooncake, roll a piece of dough into a ball. Roll out on a lightly floured board to make a 4-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Place 1 tablespoon of lotus seed paste mixture in center of dough circle. Fold in sides of dough to completely enclose filling; press edges to seal. Lightly flour inside of mooncake press with 2-1/2 inch diameter cups. Place mooncake, seam side up, in mold; flatten dough to conform to shape of mold. Bang one end of mold lightly on work surface to dislodge mooncake. Place cake on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat to shape remaining cakes. Brush tops with egg yolk. 4. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a rack and let cool.
Besides the concept of a mooncake, this modern jelly mooncake breaks away from all traditional ingredients.
(Reference: chinadaily.com.cn; wam.umd.edu; bakery.sg)
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Mooncake recipe
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Want a sip of Kongfu Cappuccino?
Jackie Chan Café Action movie star Jackie Chan has opened several coffee shops in mainland China, pledging that some of the profits would be donated to local children's charities. “Each year I look for ways to raise money for charity to help needy people. Why? Because when I was young, I was very poor and many people had helped me get to where I am today. I am doing my part to repay their kindness to me,” said Chinese superstar Jackie Chan, who has opened three coffee shops, named the Jackie Chan Café. Chan vowed to donate two percent of all profits to his charity, the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation. He also announced plans to bring his coffee shop to the U.S., Australia and Europe, but downplayed any notions that he intends to compete against mega-franchises like Starbucks and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. "I just want to put the Jackie Chan style out there,” (by which we assume he means selling Jackie Chan souvenirs such as caps, T-shirts, and cups). The event also featured
two hearing-impaired employees, whom Chan introduced to illustrate his intention to create jobs for the disabled, so it's small wonder he has been deemed as one the most generous celebrities b y F o r b e s magazine—a commendable shout-out, to be sure, but given Jackie's constant oh-so-slick selfpromotion, it's hard not to take his generous overtures with a tiny grain of salt. The Drunken Master ’s mantra in his move from global megastar to pushing joe is “Chinese coffee for Chinese people.” Best we can tell, this means aping Starbucks, but with more photos of Jackie Chan. As far as imitations go, though, this isn’t too bad a job. Conscientious coffee drinkers can now sip away knowing that two percent of money they spent on their lattés (available in tall, grande, and dragon sizes) will go toward a good cause.
(From: www.thebeijinger.com)
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– Timeline Chronology of Chinese Cuisine BC 1.5–0.5 million years ago • Homo erectus living in China near Beijing, Lantian, Yuanmou and other sites. 0.5 million years ago • Peking Man may have known cooking (roasting meat). c. 80000 BC • Homo sapiens , modern man, appears in China. 9000 BC • Beginnings of agriculture. 8000 BC • First rice grown (Yuchanyan, Hunan). 7000 BC • Millet grown in north China. • Wine-making in Jiahu, Henan – world's oldest (fermented from rice, honey, and fruit). 6000 BC • Domestication of pigs. 4000 BC • Widespread cultivation of several plant & animal species. 3000 BC • Agriculture common in easily cultivated areas; social stratification; large villages; moves towards civilization. 3000–2000 BC • Wheat and barley introduced from the Middle East. c. 2700 BC • Shen Nong, the "Divine Farmer," father of agriculture, medicine, and discoverer of tea.
• Yu the Great controls the great flood. 2100 BC • Chinese Bronze Age begins. First written records from this period. 2000 BC • Civilized society in North China & Manchuria. • Noodles (made from millet flour) 1500 BC • Fish farming: carp in ponds. 1200 BC • Wooden chopsticks dug from graves from this era. c. 1050–256 BC • Soybean cultivation. 1100 BC • Strong ale (e.g. rice wine). 600 BC • The iron plow. • Row cultivation. • Intensive hoeing. c. 551–c. 479 • Life of Confucius. 400 BC • Cast iron. 400 & 300 BC • Efficient horse harnesses. 200 BC • The rotary winnowing fan. • The modern seed drill. • Steel production from cast iron. • Ice used for refrigeration. 140 BC • Confucianism becomes state philosophy.
2550 BC • Ye l l o w E m p e r o r (legendary) reign begins.
AD c. 68 • Buddhism arrives in China, though its influence is not widely felt until the Tang Dynasty (618–907).
2140 BC
25–220
• Soy milk and tofu processing. 250 • Tea drinking begins to spread throughout China. 300 • The fishing reel. • Porcelain. • Biological pest control. • Understanding of deficiency diseases. 500–600 • Ginger grown on ships. Ginger contains vitamin C, which guards against scurvy. (Whether Chinese understood this at the time or not, they gradually came to see a correlation between diet and shipboard health. The ships of Zheng He's voyages in the early 15th century had vegetable patches. Ginger is also effective against sea sickness). 605 • Grand Canal completed (linking the Yangtze with the Yellow River), allowing mass shipment of food from the south to the north. 618–907 ( Tang Dynasty) • Golden era of Chinese Buddhism. Vegetarianism and new attitudes to other creatures prevalent. • Tea drinking elevated to an art. 780 • Publication of Lu Yu's Classic of Tea , the first comprehensive handbook on tea. It described the cultivation, processing, and use of tea. 700 • Brandy and whisky. 960–1279 • Soy sauce becomes a common flavoring. 1194 • Flooding changes the course of Yellow River. 1234 • Mongol conquest of north China complete. 1271–95 • Marco Polo abroad (including 17 years in China).
1274 • Khubilai Khan completes Mongol conquest of China. c. 1290 • Grand Canal rebuilt and extended to Beijing. 1405–1433 • The Ming voyages of Zheng He. 1500– • Gradual introduction of New World food: sweet potatoes, maize, potatoes, peanuts, peppers, tomatoes, etc. 1514 • Portuguese ships reach China. 1555 • Maize first mentioned in literature, after arriving sometime earlier in the century via the Philippines. 1610 • Tea arrives in Europe. 1850 • Chinese food arrives in America with the first Chinese gold prospectors. 1855 • Flooding changes course of Yellow River, emptying the northern section. River falls into disuse. 1958–60 • The Great Leap Forward, collectivization of all a g r i c u l t u r e i n t o l a rg e communes – greatest famine in human history. 1966–76 • Cultural Revolution, many culinary traditions dispensed with. 1979 • Coca-Cola re-enters Chinese market after a 30-year enforced absence. 1980 • Deng Xiao Ping's Open Door Policy. 1987 • American fast food arrives in China: KFC. 2002 • China joins WTO.
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Chinese Food History
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Fast Food In Beijing
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know a few expats, mostly Americans, who go a little crazy at the very thought of a Big Mac, French fries, and medium coke. Don't get me wrong: most Westerners love Chinese food, but after a certain number of months of subsisting on white rice and "gongbao jiding"—that most popular of all dishes with the foreign community, spicy chicken with peanuts— everyone starts craving some variety and a hint of home. Fortunately, fast food outlets, Western-style, have sprung up all over Beijing in the past few years, as they have done in most other large Chinese cities.
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he first thing you need to know abofirst thing you need to know about fast food in China is that it's an upscale event, a fashionable way to spend the evening, and depending where you go, a good deal more expensive than "real" restaurants— quite different in this regard from fast food in America, where it was invented for the express purpose of being casual, convenient, and cheap.
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cDonald's the oldest and most widely established Western fast food franchise in China, and you will see Beijing families by the score eating exotic hamburgers and taking f photographs of one other in front of that red-headed clown, Ronald. 1996 saw the demolition of the flagship twostory McDonald's outlet at the end of Wangfujing Avenue—a Golden Arch franchise that was so popular, many Westerners called the entire avenue "McDonald's Street." The demise of this landmark was a sad event for McDonald's addicts, but do not fear—by the end of 1997, there [were] 200 Golden Arches spread around Beijing, so you will never be far from your favorite Happy Meal. I had the Big Mac/medium fries/medium drink combo at the Wangfujing branch on the last weekend of its operation for
19.50 yuan (which is about the price of most of the other combo meals as well). My verdict: Almost like McDonald's back home, but perhaps not quite as good.
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he second most popular franchise in Beijing is KFC. The Colonel, with his white goatee and spectacles, can be found looking out upon Chinese streets in dozens of locations, and a chicken sandwich, a drink and fries will set you back 19.50 yuan. If you are hungry for the more traditional KFC fare—fried chicken with mashed potatoes, cole slaw, a drink, and one of those astonishingly tasteless white bread rolls, this will cost from 20 to 28 yuan, depending on how many pieces of chicken you get. All the Western-style fast food outlets in Beijing pride themselves on absolutely un-Chinese cleanliness, and it is generally impossible to walk up a flight of stairs without tripping over an employee with a mop. But in KFC, I have found, there is usually someone with a wet mop at the entrance, and many people take a moment to clean the bottom of their shoes on it. (Be careful of the slippery floor, by the way!)
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izza Hut has seven locations in Beijing and is the most upscale of
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ast food outlets seem to be opening as quickly as you can blink in Beijing. If you feel like listening to country music, you can have BBQ ribs and rotisserie chicken at one of the several Kenny Rogers Roasters about town. The side dishes are
especially good there—baked beans, macaroni salad, corn-on-the-cob, and many more. Dunkin' Donuts has four locations at the moment, but there are plans for several more. Or if you would rather have a mug of root beer, there is an A & W in the Haidian District (opposite People's University), with three more restaurants in the works. There are also two Subway franchises where you can have a 6-inch or 12-inch sub on wheat or white, just like you would at home—a Ham & Cheese sub, just to give you an idea, will set you back 12 yuan for the small and 19 for the large.
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all the local fast food outlets—it is far beyond the budget of most Chinese families. I found the pizza itself decidedly mediocre, but the salad bar is a real Western treat—the same iceberg lettuce, canned peaches, unnaturally bright green peas, and plastic "sneeze-guard" that you will find in Any Small Town, America. But it's not cheap—21 yuan for a very small wooden bowl, and the waitress lets you know that this is one serving only. My wife and I had a large cheese pizza, two salads, and two small drinks and the bill came to 110 yuan—about $14, what you would expect to pay in the States. But for that price in Beijing, you can buy a very gourmet meal indeed.
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o no one need starve in Beijing. Personally, I prefer the local Chinese food for my steady fare—it is fresher, tastier, healthier, and vastly less expensive. But for those moments of culinary homesickness, it is nice to know that empty calories are so close at hand. (From: expatsinchina.com)
Restaurants with American cuisine In Beijing Courtyard Chinese name: 四合苑（sì hé yuàn） he restaurant is not far from the Forbidden City and is beside the moat. It has a perfect romantic atmosphere with an atelier downstairs and a cigar bar upstairs. The original Western foods offered here are like an ancient work of art. Of course, owing to its perfect geographic position as well as tasty table delicacies, the price is a bit high.
Average Cost per Person: CNY400
Mushroom Cream Soup, Milk Shake
Recommended dishes: Goose Liver Sauce, Steak, Dessert, Salmon
Grandma’s Kitchen (Xiushui Branch) Location: No.11 A, Xiushui Nanjie, Chaoyang District Grandma’s Kitchen (Jianwai SOHO Branch) Location: No.0103 B, Jianwai SOHO, No.39, 3rd East Ring Road, Chaoyang District Grandma’s Kitchen (Nanchizi Branch) Location: No.47-2, Nanchizi Dajie, Dongcheng District
Location: No.95, Donghuamen Dajie, Dongcheng District Grandma’s Kitchen Chinese name: 祖母的厨房 （zǔ mǔ de chú fáng） Average cost per person: CNY100 Recommended dishes: Roast Sweet Potato Skin,
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T. G. I. Friday’s Chinese name: 星期五餐厅 （xīng qī wǔ cān tīng） Average Cost per Person: CNY100CNY150Recommended dishes: BBQ Ribs, Salad, Cocktails
T. G. I. Friday’s (Guanghua Branch) Location: 1/F B, Guanghua Mansion, No.8, Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District Steak and Eggs Chinese name: 喜来中
Hours: 10:00–24:00
Average Cost per Person: CNY50-CNY100
Recommended Dishes: BBQ Ribs, Salad, Cocktail Hours: 10:00 - 24:00
Recommended dishes: Tuna Fish Salad, Pumpkin Cake, Pancakes
T. G. I. Friday’s (Jianguomen Branch) Location: No.19, Jianguomenwai Dajie, Dongcheng District T. G. I. Friday’s (Zhongguancun Branch) Location: 1/F, Friendship Hotel, No.1, Zhongguancun Nan Dajie, Haidian District
T. G. I. Friday’s (Jinrongjie Branch) Location: No.9-2, Jinchengfang Jie, Xicheng District
Recommended Dishes: Texas-size Beef Brisket, Regular Beef Brisket, Salmon Fillet, Onion Rings, South Texas Potato Salad Hours: 09:00 – 24:00 Location: No.44, Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District
Steak and Eggs (Xiushui Branch) Location: 5, Xiushui Nan Jie, Chaoyang District Steak and Eggs (Jingshunlu Branch Location: No.8, south of Laiguangying Donglu, Chaoyang District
Tim’s TEXAS BAR-B-Q Chinese name: Tim’s 熏烤 房（Tim's xūn kǎo fáng） Average Cost per Person:: CNY80-CNY150
Tasty Chinese name: 西堤牛排 （xī dī níu pái） Average Cost per Person: CNY98 Recommended dishes: Filet Steak, Madrid Style Beef Carpaccio Location: 5/F, SOGO Emporium (south), No.8, Xuanwumenwai Dajie, Xuanwu District Wang Steak Chinese name: 王品台塑 牛排（wáng pǐn tái sù níu pái） Average Cost per Person: CNY222 Recommended dzishes: Steak Location: 1/F, Miyang Mansion, Yongan Dongli, Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
Hard Rock Café Chinese name: 硬石餐 厅（yì shí
cān tīng） Average cost per person: CNY100-CNY200 Recommended dishes: Steak, Onion Rings, Brownies Cake, Sandwich Hours: 11:30 - 02:00 (the next day) Location: No.8, Dong Sanhuan Bei Lu (West Hall of Liangmahe Dasha), Chaoyang District KALA’s Chinese name: 卡拉是条 热狗（kǎ lā shì tiáo rè gǒu） Average cost per person: CNY20 Recommended dishes: Kala Hotdog, Munich Hotdog, Poland Hotdog Location: No.1058, B1, Xinguang Tiandi, No.87, Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District
Recommended dishes: Steak, Fried Mushroom, Fillet Steak, Black Bread Outback Steakhouse (Gongti Branch) Location: In the north gate of Workers' Stadium, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District Outback Steakhouse (Wangfujing Branch) Location: 1/F A, Beijing Hotel (East), No.33, Dong Changan Jie, Dongcheng District
Papa John’s Pizza
Chinese name: 棒约翰 比萨（bàng yuē hàn pī sà） The restaurant serves genuine American pizza. Average cost per person: CNY60 Recommended dishes: Pizza, Chicken Wings, Cheese Sticks Papa John’s Pizza (Shuangjing Branch) Location: A, Fuli Cheng, No.9, Guangqumenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District Papa John’s Pizza (Jinyuan Branch) Location: 1/F, Jinyuan Times Shopping Center, No.1, Yuanda Lu, Haidian District Papa John’s Pizza (Jiali Branch) Location: B1, Jiali Center, No.1, Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District ARIA Restaurant Chinese name 阿丽雅（ā lì yǎ） Average Cost per Person: CNY300 Recommended dishes: Steak Location: 2/F, China World Hotel, No.1, Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
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Outback Steakhouse Chinese name: 澳 拜客牛排 店（ào bài kè níu pái diàn） Average cost per person: CNY190 It is a typical restaurant serving genuine steaks.
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When it comes to visiting the Great Wall in China, a lot of people will recommend Badaling and Juyongguan Pass - two of the most popular and frequently visited sections. To those who want a better understanding of the ancient Great Wall, however, the Huanghuacheng (Yellow Flower City) Great Wall, a section of the “Wild” Great Wall, is worth visiting.
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uanghuacheng Great Wall, located at Huanghua, is 60 kilometers from Beijing. This section of Great Wall has a total length of 10,800 meters. Mutianyu Great Wall joins it in the east, while and Juyongguan Pass and Badaling join on the west.
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here are six forts, six passes, twelve beacon-towers, and thirty-two guard towers in this section of the wall. The Yaoziyu Fort is preserved in best situation among other forts. It covers an area of 7000 square meters and was built in the year 1592.
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arts of Huanghua cheng Great Wall were destroyed and fell into Jintang Lake after being bombed during the Japanese invasion of China half a century ago. The steepest section of Huanghuacheng Great Wall is known as Shibadeng , and requires special care when climbing, especially after rain.
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hen summer comes, the entire village under the Huanghuacheng Great Wall is immersed in a sea of yellow wildflowers ('yellow flower' is huanghua in Chinese). Consequently, this village was named Hunghuacheng, and this section of the Great Wall is called Huanghuacheng Great Wall.
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arly in the Yuan Dynasty, the area was dotted with prosperous villages, then during the Ming Dynasty, a town was established at the strategically important Benzhenguan Pass.
onstruction of Huanghuacheng Great Wall began in 1575, during the Ming Dynasty, under the supervision of General Cai Kai. It took the fastidious Cai many years to finish the project, but when he returned to the capital to report the completion of his task, he was promptly beheaded. Scheming ministers had told Emperor Wanli that the workmanship Cai oversaw was slipshod and lackadaisical. The emperor was so enraged by these scurrilous reports, he ordered Cai's immediate execution. It later occurred to the emperor that an investigation might be in order, so he sent a trusted aid to survey Cai’s wall. The aid reported back that Huanghuaheng Great Wall was solid, steep and exemplified the finest workmanship. Realizing he had been perhaps a little hasty in condemning Cai to death, Wanli ordered a tomb and memorial stele to be erected in honor of the loyal general.
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e also had the characters "Jin Tang" , meaning firm, stable, inscribed on the face of a huge rock below the wall, so there should be no further doubt, which explains why the wall is also known as Jintang Great Wall.
43 here is a lake and a reservoir n e a r b y. T h e c r e s c e n t shaped reservoir is called Huanghuacheng Reservoir, while the name of the lake is Jintang. The water of the lake is cold and clear, and it is fed by numerous springs. A sluice gate has been built on Jintang Lake, over which water flows in the summer.
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SPRING
Things to do at the Huanghuacheng Great Wall: 1. Take pictures. Since the lake breaks this section of the Great Wall into three segments naturally, its uniqueness might surprise you. And the Huanghuacheng Reservoir lies here, shaped like a curved moon.
SUMMER
2. Visit the chestnut garden under the Great Wall, which dates back to the Ming Dynasty. The ancient chestnut trees still grow very well. 3. C l i m b u p t h e steepest section of the Huanghuacheng Great Wall, Shibadeng. It is like a dragon, ready to fly into the blue sky. 4. Visit the Yaoziyu Castle. It was built in the Ming Dynasty and is still well-preserved. In the castle, there is an ancient Chinese scholar tree. It is said that touching it could bring you a blessing.
AUTUMN
5. Try out the local food. Huairou District is well known for their “village food,� especially the grilled catfish. (From: chinahighlights.com) WINTER
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Fall Adventures in China Fall is a fantastic season for traveling in China. Cool, colorful, harvest-time, fragrant, and festivals are words especially perfect for to describing autumn! We would like to introduce to you three great ideas for experiencing the best of fall in China.
Turpan: World of Golden Grape Golden grapes, yellow Hami melon and the sweet smell of ripening fruit mark autumn in Turpan Depression, one of the fruit bowls of China in the far northwest of the country. This is the harvest season and the vineyards and the melons fields are a hive of activity. Despite the generally harsh weather conditions dominating the area, the Turpan Depression is internationally known for its grapes and Hami melons, and, of course, the sun-dried raisin. Vineyards are scattered far and wide in the region. The famed Grape Valley in the northeast of Turpan city, some 10 kilometers from town is a forest of intertwined grape vines. Fall comes as the weather cools and the grape leaves turn from green to yellow to chestnut brown, with occasional red leaf. The full-bodied grapes hanging on the vines are at their optimum. The fruit, so perfectly situated on the vines, looks as if it has been placed there rather than grown. Grape Valley, heavily laden with fruit, is never more beautiful than at this time. Visitors can actually watch the grapes go from vine to raisins. The Hami melons also come into season during fall. Locals pick them by hands and then transfer the fruit to the big bazaars for sale or store them for late use in the early winter.
Yellow Mountain: Yellow foliage China is a world famous for its beautiful colors in fall and the Yellow Mountain is no exception. Yellow Mountain offers autumn visitors a unique canvas, with waterfalls, seas of clouds, rocks, and oddly-shaped pine trees set against vibrant reds, oranges and golds. In late autumn, as the weather
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cools, parts of the mountains begin to develop occasional red splotches mixed with green. The northern section of the area changes faster than the southern side. Yellow Mountain is densely covered with maple trees and other plants indigenous to the region. These trees create a stunning landscape against the exposed limestone peaks scattered around the area. The maples' radiant red and yellow leaves, in combination with the verdant pines and spruce set the scenery ablaze. Yellow Mountain, in East China’s Anhui Province, is a blend of the majesty of Taishan Mountain, the ruggedness of Hushan Mountain, the clouds of Hengshan Mountain, the cascading waterfalls of Lushan Mountain, the bizarre rocks of Yandangshan Mountain, and the beauty of E’mei Mountain. Mt. Huangshan is famous for its “four supreme sights”—strange pines, grotesque rocks, the sea of clouds and its hot springs. It has the reputation of being “China’s strange
mountain.” Mt. Huangshan was listed on the “Human Natural Heritage” list by the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 1990.
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Jiuzhaigou: Colorful fairyland Crisp air, blue sky, and gorgeous autumn foliage set against snow-capped peaks; this is Jiuzhaigou in fall, no doubt the best time to visit to this legendary natural paradise. Jiuzhaigou in s o u t h w e s t C h i n a ’s Sichuan province is a great introduction to China’s diverse and unbelievable landscape. It is an extravaganza of natural wonders, a pure unspoiled land full of waterfalls, alpine lakes, tranquil grasslands, snowy mountains views, and Tibetan villages. You can’t know what the area will offer until you have been there. Jiuzhaigou is incredibly picturesque particularly in autumn when the mountains, valleys, lakes are shrouded in autumn colors. Fall in Jiuzhaigou means no bugs and fewer people combined with warm days, cool nights, and great vistas of saturated yellows, reds, and green mixed with the blue water of the lakes. Jiuzhaigou is a world of water. More than 100 lakes of varying sizes are scattered through the valley. These lakes w i t h b r i l l i ant colors are called Haizi, meaning “sea,” by the local Tibetan people. Placed in a step-like fashion, the lakes are connected by waterfalls. Pure and clear as they are, the lakes of Jiuzhaigou have gorgeous colors. The colors of the lakes change with the variance in light angle and the intensity and changing of seasons. Autumn comes, and the lakes are clear and quiet, reflecting the
blue sky and fluffy clouds high above, and the snow-capped mountains mixed with the autumn foliage on the bank. As a cool breeze gently blows, the water ripples and the tranquil atmosphere gives a sign of the fall season and the approaching winter. The mountains surrounding these lakes blaze with flaming reds, oranges and golds, painting a vivid contrast against the clear blue sky. Jiuzhaigou is the last home to many endangered animals and rare plants. The primeval forest at Jiuzhaigou is nearly 30,000 acres and contains more than 2,500 rare plants and a dozen rare animals under state protection. Included in this list is the panda. Fall is the best season to watch the animals. As the stagnant summer air is replenished by a crisp wind, flocks of rare animals can be seen leaping and skipping among the valley. Birds sing cheerfully in the jungle. Jiuzhaigou is a place where Tibetan culture flourishes. In the valley there a r e n i n e Ti b e t a n villages. Local people live a simple and traditional life. Fall is the busiest season for farmers in China and this is no exception for the peasants in Jiuzhaigou. In late September, locals are busy with autumn harvest, and it is a good opportunity to view traditional Chinese harvest time. (From: chinahighlights.com)
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Astrology & Fortune
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The Rat
The Ox
10 Feb 1948-28 Jan 1949 Earth Rat 28 Jan 1960-14 Feb 1961 Metal Rat 15 Feb 1972-02 Feb 1973 Water Rat 02 Feb 1984-19 Feb 1985 Wood Rat 19 Feb 1996-06 Feb 1997 Fire Rat 07 Feb 2008-25 Jan 2009 Earth Rat
29 Jan 1949-16 Feb 1950 Earth Ox 15 Feb 1961-04 Feb 1962 Metal Ox 03 Feb 1973-22 Jan 1974 Water Ox 20 Feb 1985-08 Feb 1986 Wood Ox 07 Feb 1997-27 Jan 1998 Fire Ox 26 Jan 2009-13 Feb 2010 Earth Ox
Yo u w i l l h a v e s o m e g r e a t opportunities in your career, and your investments will flourish as well. You will get a lot of attention and assistance from your peers, but please pay more attention to your family. September is a great time for you to take a trip, out of either business or personal purpose. When you are on the go, watch out for your personal belongings.
Yo u m a y e n c o u n t e r a l o t o f problems this month, but as long as you stay calm and patient, you will eventually figure them out. In some cases, you will fix some problems in a surprisingly easy way. When you have a conflict with your coworkers, you need to solve the problem in a positive way.
The Tiger
The Rabbit
17 Feb 1950-05 Feb 1951 Metal Tiger 05 Feb 1962-24 Jan 1963 Water Tiger 23 Jan 1974-10 Feb 1975 Wood Tiger 09 Feb 1986-28 Jan 1987 Fire Tiger 28 Jan 1998-15 Feb 1999 Earth Tiger 14 Feb 2010-02 Feb 2011 Metal Tiger
06 Feb 1951-26 Jan 1952 Metal Rabbit 25 Jan 1963-12 Feb 1964 Water Rabbit 11 Feb 1975-30 Jan 1976 Wood Rabbit 29 Jan 1987-16 Feb 1988 Fire Rabbit 16 Feb 1999-04 Feb 2000 Earth Rabbit 03 Feb 2011-22 Jan 2012 Metal Rabbit
You will be presented with chances for advancement in career, but you will not be that lucky in monetary terms. Stay away from big investments, and keep an eye on your spending. Your personal relationship will grow stronger, but you may feel stressful about peer relationships.
September is full of challenge and change for you. You will have ups and downs, but fortunately, everything will work itself out eventually. Stay positive, work hard, and try to avoid any kind of conflicts. Taking a vacation is a good way of relaxing and refreshing yourself.
The Dragon
The Snake
27 Jan 1952-13 Feb 1953 Water Dragon 13 Feb 1964-01 Feb 1965 Wood Dragon 31 Jan 1976-17 Feb 1977 Fire Dragon 17 Feb 1988-05 Feb 1989 Earth Dragon 05 Feb 2000-23 Jan 2001 Metal Dragon 23 Jan 2012-09 Feb 2013 Water Dragon
14 Feb 1953-02 Feb 1954 Water Snake 02 Feb 1965-20 Jan 1966 Wood Snake 18 Feb 1977-06 Feb 1978 Fire Snake 06 Feb 1989-26 Jan 1990 Earth Snake 24 Jan 2001-11 Feb 2002 Metal Snake 10 Feb 2013-30 Jan 2014 Water Snake
This is a really lucky month for you, especially when it comes to your personal relationship. Cherish the romantic time, and seize your opportunity. For bachelor Dragons, you may consider getting married. In terms of career development, you will still meet a lot of difficulties, but you will get assistance from your peers and supervisor. Do not risk a big investment.
You will face lots of conflicts this month. Try not to drag yourself into any controversy, and be aware that things may not go your way. Stay calm and confident. Learn more about investment, and manage your money wisely. Do not expect too much progress in your personal relationship.
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The Horse
The Goat
03 Feb 1954-23 Jan 1955 Wood Horse 21 Jan 1966-08 Feb 1967 Fire Horse 07 Feb 1978-27 Jan 1979 Earth Horse 27 Jan 1990-14 Feb 1991 Metal Horse 12 Feb 2002-31 Jan 2003 Water Horse 12 Feb 2002-31 Jan 2003 Wood Horse
24 Jan 1955-11 Feb 1956 Wood Goat 09 Feb 1967-29 Jan 1968 Fire Goat 28 Jan 1979-15 Feb 1980 Earth Goat 15 Feb 1991-03 Feb 1992 Metal Goat 01 Feb 2003-21 Jan 2004 Water Goat 19 Feb 2003-07 Feb 2016 Wood Goat
Think twice before making decisions, and do not rush into anything. You will feel a lot of pressure from work, but you have to face the difficulties and resolve the problems step by step. Make a well-prepared plan and follow a good timetable. You still need more luck in financial management, so do not take risks here, and be aware of scams. When traveling, watch out for flooding.
You are likely to be a target of robbery and therefore, try to avoid investment and any kind of speculative deal. Stay out of other people’s business, and focus on your own career instead. You have potential opportunities of promotion or salary raise, but you need to work very hard to achieve your goals. In the meanwhile, you need to spend more time with your family and friends.
The Monkey
The Rooster
12 Feb 1956-30 Jan 1957 Fire Monkey 30 Jan 1968-16 Feb 1969 Earth Monkey 16 Feb 1980-04 Feb 1981 Metal Monkey 04 Feb 1992-22 Jan 1993 Water Monkey 22 Jan 2004-08 Feb 2005 Wood Monkey 08 Feb 2016-27 Jan 2017 Fire Monkey
31 Jan 1957-17 Feb 1958 Fire Rooster 17 Feb 1969-05 Feb 1970 Earth Rooster 05 Feb 1981-24 Jan 1982 Metal Rooster 23 Jan 1993-09 Feb 1994 Water Rooster 09 Feb 2005-28 Jan 2006 Wood Roster 28 Jan 2017-15 Feb 2018 Fire Rooster
September is a lucky month for Monkey. Everything goes s m o o t h l y, a n d i t ’s t i m e f o r you to fire up. You will have new opportunities in career advancement. You need to develop an action plan, and work towards your new goal. If you decide to make some investment, you will be in good hands. If you are considering getting married, go for it! This is a great month for bachelor Monkey.
Try not to borrow or lend money, since chances are this will lead to financial problems in the future. There are some obstacles on your way, in both work and personal life. Eat healthy food and take regular exercises, and pay attention to potential health problems.
The Dog
The Boar
18 Feb 1958-07 Feb 1959 Earth Dog 06 Feb 1970-26 Jan 1971 Metal Dog 25 Jan 1982-12 Feb 1983 Water Dog 10 Feb 1994-30 Jan 1995 Wood Dog 29 Jan 2006-17 Feb 2007 Fire Dog 16 Feb 2018-04 Feb 2019 Earth Dog
08 Feb 1959-27 Jan 1960 Earth Pig 27 Jan 1971-14 Feb 1972 Metal Pig 13 Feb 1983-01 Feb 1984 Water Pig 31 Jan 1995-18 Feb 1996 Wood Pig 18 Feb 2007-06 Feb 2008 Fire Pig 05 Feb 2019-24 Jan 2020 Earth Pig
If you find it difficult to make progress on your job, you may take a break, and look back on what you have done during the past year. Rethink what you have accomplished and what mistakes you have made, and come up with a better plan for the future. Learn more about financial management and be cautious about investments. Spend more time with your loved ones and strengthen family bonds.
You will be in a perpetual state of blissful joy, and you will meet some new friends. If you run your own business, this is a good time for expansion. Your hard work in the previous months is now paying off. Though this is the case, jealous and vengeful people are around you, so keep a cautionary eye on everyone you meet. Your personal relationship is going smoothly, and your well being rates 10 out of 10.
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