The Nanjinger - May 2021 by SinoConnexion

MAY 2021

www.thenanjinger.com

Sign of the Times

hat it’s been more than a year since our last outing in “The Trip” is indeed a sign of these days.

But we’re back with a vengeance. And we’ll wager that you too will be hunkering for the clean air of Chizhou and the splendour of Jiuhua Shan after you’re read our first travel piece of 2021. See p. 22-23. But before that, a few questions to get us started for this month.

1. How have you felt lately (like over the past year); anxious or guilty? See p. 16-18. 2. Should you bother to keep pace in the Chinese race to be ever-more “beautiful”? See p. 10-12. 3. Taken out a gym membership recently? Notice anything strange? See p. 14-15. Welcome to “Zeitgeist” from The Nanjinger.

Ed.

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By M ait iu Bralligan ‘2 1

Independently, we each rebelled in such similar ways: Black clothes, long hair, earring in the left ear Listening to the same riffs and the same bars “And now you do what they told ya...” We were free! Casting our fearless bodies Into the mosh pit / wrecking pool (call it what you will) In the thrall of the same intoxicating thrill. “Here we are now, entertain us...” And each new high priest of the festival called us To rock and to roll, tripping off the call And response - to which, united, we bawled. “...and burn through the witches...” Never once did we consider that we might Be merely conforming to a new wave of thought Dressed in borrowed clothes, subliminally taught “Hey you, what do ya see?/Something beautiful or something free?”

Answers 1. “Killing in the Name”; Rage Against the Machine; 1992 2. “Entertain Us”; Nirvana; 1991 3. “Dragula”; Rob Zombie; 1998 4. “Beautiful People”; Marilyn Manson; 1996 5. “For whom the Bell Tolls”; Metallica; 1984 6. “Alright”; Kendrick Lamar; 2015

Our un-enlightened parents tutted utter disapproval As they wondered where they went so wrong To have such reckless rejection laid spawn. “For whom the bell tolls/Time marches on...” Now looking back at the bangles and Mary chains, I squint at my son, with his tats and swag, His ripped jeans jacket and American flag “And we hate po-po/ Wanna kill us dead in the streets fo sho'...”

7. “Purple Haze”; Jimi Hendrix Experience; 1967 8. “The Man who Sold the World”; David Bowie; 1970 (also covered by Nirvana; 1995)

See him roll innocent blue eyes and groan as he wonders why it took his world so long To foster such unfettered understanding“Purple haze all in my brain, lately things don’t seem the same...” And I ask: if any of us here ever was inspired By an independent thought, born of his own mind And not of the unseen architects of time. “We passed upon the stair, we spoke of was and when…” I play my turn and tut my disapproval... 9

L I V I N G O N E - S I D E D

W O R L D

I N

O F

B E A U T Y

I am who and what I am

“Your eyes aren’t big enough.” “Your nose bridge isn’t high enough.” “You are flat.” …the phrases repeated to me over and over again growing up in a mostly westerndominated culture.

By Ada Sun

grew up in America, spending the majority of my tween and early teen years in a school where the primary ethnicity was Caucasian. When you are a kid, you just want to fit in with all of your friends, something as simple as that. But that is not as easy to achieve as you would think.

because a part of me believed that it would make me feel complete, better help me morph into being one with western culture, creating an illusion to everyone around me that I wasn’t all that different compared to everyone else.

I was in third grade when I came to the brutal realisation that I looked, dressed and acted completely differently from every single one of my peers. I had just moved to the US from China. I noticed everyone around me had light-coloured hair, button noses and huge concave eyes.

Despite my best efforts, I was still perceived as an outsider by my friends, who judged the way I looked and spoke with subtle actions, such as exchanging uncomfortable eye contact or the occasional side glance whenever my accent slipped through. Though these actions were small, overtime they built up and slowly chipped away at my confidence.

I hated how my hair colour was so dark, I hated how my eyes weren’t big enough, I hated how my nose wasn’t petite and high enough, I hated how I just simply wasn’t enough. I remember staring into my bathroom mirror every day hoping that something has changed and that my Asian features had magically transformed into Caucasian ones, though, that never happened, not even in my wildest dreams. I resented my Asian background and how it made me so vastly different from everyone else. My initial point of action was that if I couldn’t look like those girls, then I could dress, speak and act like them. I tossed away my Asian heritage almost completely, refusing to speak Chinese at home, and put on a façade, hoping that no one would realise that I was different. Western culture and beauty standards started to dominate who I fundamentally was, affecting everything I did, from what I wore to how I presented myself through body language and the way I spoke. I used to spend hours correcting my accent and trying incredibly hard in an attempt to sound more like the stereotypical “valley girl” presented in the countless teen romcoms I’ve binged. Even though I changed essentially everything about myself that made me Chinese, except for the way I looked, I still never felt satiated. When I reached middle school, I only affiliated myself with Caucasian people,

I even went as far as to get on both knees and begging my mom to let me get a nose job and double eyelid surgery. She firmly refused, as she couldn’t comprehend why I so desperately wanted to change my appearance that she called beautiful. But it’s only human nature to want feelings of acceptance and attractiveness. After spending years feeling ridiculous and isolated, demented in an all-consuming mindset, I realised that I was not the only one who thought this. Looking at Eastern Asian culture today, almost everything is influenced and subjugated by western-beauty standards; whether they be fair skin, double eyelids or a dainty nose, the Asian societal beauty spectrum to embodies them all. The concept of fair skin has long been popular among the Chinese, Korean and Japanese. A World Health Organisation survey found over 40 percent of women in Asia said that they regularly used skin-whitening cream.

Therein, western colonialism plays an enormous role in the popularity of whitening products. An Estee Lauder representative has pointed out that the product labeled as whitening cream in Asia are in the US described as “illuminating cream”. Whatever is considered as more Caucasian is portrayed as beautiful. In Japan,

the popular practice of skin bleaching is popular among many, in order to achieve a lighter appearance. Despite the many health risks, including liver and nerve damage that can come along with skin bleaching, this goes to show just how extreme some are willing to go to achieve the perceived western phenomenon of fair skin.

I remember a few years back discovering an old photo album of my grandma, when she was in her early 20s. I saw how beautifully she smiled with a sense of pride; fierceness that radiated confidence and self-acceptance. I wanted that, I wanted to feel just as proud of myself and my culture as she was.

And it’s not just whitening creams; plastic surgery is another insanely popular practice adopted by over 20 million people in Asia. South Korea produces some of the highest rates of plastic surgery in the world, with the most sought-after operations being double eyelid surgery and nose jobs. The country performs the most cosmetic surgeries per capita, with 20 plastic procedures per 1,000 people, compared to 13 in the US.

By things as simple as a photograph and watching YouTube videos of influencers who looked like me, I could now view myself as beautiful. My narrow scope of beauty had been widened.

This idolised and warped perception of Caucasian beauty standards has dominated the entire beauty industry, pressurising women to conform to a race-specific, stereotypical beauty that disregards all other forms of natural beauty that should be equally accepted. After spending half my life in the US, I moved back to China in 2017. The transition back into a culture that I’ve neglected for close to 7 years was a challenge, but it was worth it because all my conformity and the forcefully molding of myself began to dissipate.

I reconnected with a culture that I’ve proudly learned to call my own, with the help of rising Asian influencers, expanding my limited scope that once sheltered but now fights for inclusion.

I am still learning to further embrace my Asian features and myself for who I truly am, but I can feel something within me that has changed from before. I feel a newfound confidence that I’ve rarely experienced and I finally feel comfortable in my own skin. Though society is still very much fixated on Western beauty standards, I now recognise that beauty does not just exist in one form, but hundreds. The time has come for the rest of the world to acknowledge that as well. As I am growing older and learning how to take control and embrace my Asian heritage which gleams beautiful with culture, I don’t need anyone to validate me. I don’t need to fit in, and I most definitely don’t need to conform to meet standards that do not even apply to me. I am beautiful, I take pride in where I come from, how I act, how I look. I finally see what I couldn’t before. And that is I am enough; throughout this entire time I am enough. And so are you.

Ridiculous Things

You’ll See in Chinese Gyms & Swimming Pools

By Frank Hossack

or if you go down to the gym today, you’re sure of a big surprise. Given the little physical exercise of late, many of us have about a year of flab to burn off. Gym memberships in many parts of the world over are hence rocketing. Yes, the zeitgeist that is wellness is a metaphor for a world starting to open up again. There was therefore never a better time for The Nanjinger to send a correspondent undercover to join a gym in Nanjing and report back as to the most bizarre things he uncovered visiting almost every day over a 3-month period. As a caveat, this exclusive only deals with the goings on in the gym’s swimming pool and male changing room. This is on account of heaps of previous media elsewhere discussing the bizarre behaviour in the gyms themselves, examples such as the young ladies who work out in high highs. And because we don’t know a dumb bell from a dumb ass. Hence, herein the top five oddities you will likely encounter. The Wideboy (小伙子) in the Changing Room who Smokes. Initially we though that this was an extreme anomaly, but then it happened again, and again. The first chap responded indignantly to the retiree who challenged him. “Us young people have so much pressure”, he said, blissfully unaware of how ridiculous his cliché had already become. On the next occasion, the two overweight offenders could hardly muster a snigger, and an “Excuse us, we’re sorry. We didn’t know [about the rule]”. Formation Swimming. Many swimming pools in Chinese gyms are divided into two lanes, with the wider lane occupying perhaps two-thirds of the pool. This is reserved for swimming lessons, practice, children and horseplay. The narrower lane is reserved for the serious swimmers and there are strict rules of etiquette to follow.

With the lane essentially now a two-way road, it is able to accommodate people swimming in opposite directions. The unwritten rule is to swim a length and then move to other side of the lane for the return leg, allowing an appropriate amount of safe distance from the swimmer in front. Frankly, they look like planes lining up to land at Heathrow. Naked Use of WeChat. Back in the changing room, you’re no one today unless you can strip off and lounge around staring at WeChat. The preferred position, it would appear, is with one foot on the other knee. And with that, we are now lost for words. The Mermaid Fin. Last time we checked, tying someone’s feet together and then hurling them into deep water is a type of torture. Not so for the mother of a 7 or 8-year old whom The Nanjinger observed, snapping photos of her daughter perched precariously on the edge of the pool in imminent danger of falling in without the use of her feet. The gym’s swim coaches/life guards remained blissfully unaware; they being preoccupied with teaching three or four people to swim simultaneously and/or looking at their phone. Listen, it’s ok for mermaids but not for little girls. Many studies conducted into the safety of such “toys” have found that wearing mermaid tails and fins can reduce a child's ability to swim by up to 70 percent. We still have difficulty believing it, but taking the cake is… Standing Naked in Front of the Mirror with the Hairdryer. In this, the most literally eye-opening of our observations, it appears the towel is now an outdated concept. For now The Nanjinger can introduce the world’s latest and greatest complete waste of electricity. And they don’t just dry the hair on their head; then come the legs, armpits; even the slippers.

Alone in Our Anxiety? The Interesting Times in which We May Live

We interupt our regularly scheduled program of aaaaggghhhhhh.....

By Triona Ryan

o feel accepted. To feel secure. To flourish in life is a common goal for one and all right now. That which fuels the soul is a valued commodity these days, in the “interesting times” in which we live. Commonly referenced as the English translation for a Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times”, does not actually have a direct translation. The closest Middle Earth equivalent may be “Better to be a dog in times of tranquility than a human in times of chaos” (寧為太平犬，不做亂世人), suggests The Grammarphobia Blog. The expression originates from Volume 3 of the 1627 short story collection by Feng Menglong, “Stories to Awaken the World”, and has been doing the rounds of the internet this past year as we try our utmost to live our best lives in the pandemic of the century. The mighty Wikipedia tells us Zeitgeist is, “the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time”. As the season of toads on the road approaches once more, borders closed, birds flying around with blue face masks entangled on their feathery bodies, the spirit of this age is dominated by viruses, vaccines and anxiety. Living in interesting times is not all we thought it would be. Thankfully, May is Mental Health Awareness month, and the internet is hopping with resources to put the brakes on the frenetic chaos of the mind that is the new normal. The coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on all of us, so this May, take some time to check in with yourself and make self care a priority. As early on as 27 Jan, 2020, China’s Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council (China’s central authority in response to COVID-19) published the national guidelines on mental health interventions in an attempt to cope with the widespread mental health needs arising from this pandemic. This four-tiered package

includes over 40 books and a plethora of online resources. The main goal is to promote mental health resilience during the pandemic; it is also designed to meet the distinct needs of different demographic profiles within China’s population. Online platforms and mobile apps make accessing this information easy, anonymous and personalised. Different resources have been crafted for, “children, pregnant women, the elderly, patients with mental disorders and/or major physical diseases” (Ju et al.). Similar guidelines and online resources have been made available across the globe. In Ireland, online counselling, phone lines and text support have been made available through the Turn2Me, MyMind and Shine initiatives, among many others. Mind.org.uk offers easy to navigate resources, as does Rethink.org which names the mental health fallout related to COVID as The Silent Pandemic, which affects, “what we love to do, where we want to be and who we want to be with”. The World Health Organization (WHO) opens its mental health resources for the pandemic by stating, “Fear, worry, and stress are normal responses to perceived or real threats, and at times when we are faced with uncertainty or the unknown. So it is normal and understandable that people are experiencing fear in the context of the COVID pandemic”. Great, that’s good to know. But many of us do not know what this fear or anxiety actually looks like, tastes like and feels like. Particularly for those of us in China, feelings of guilt add confusion to the mix, when friends and family back home are still in lockdown, or sick, or unemployed. It’s been a year since we returned to school, to restaurants and bars, to some semblance of normality. And yet, our normality used to involve oodles of travel, regular reunions and delectable deep dives into new destinations, the planning of which was half the pleasure.

Stripped of this, the expat populace is constantly swallowing a lump in the throat, a lump, like gristle, that if we think too long on it makes us gag. And while in Ireland, they are still traveling from Costa del Kitchen to Santa Bathroom, a part of me still misses the time before COVID, when we were blithely oblivious to the privileges we took for granted on a daily basis. The spirit of the age is one of resilience, of positivity and seeing the bright side. But this can be a double-edged sword when it means denying the very real feelings of overwhelm that swamp us at unexpected moments; Facebook memories, births, deaths. And that’s only the tangible stuff. The Centre for Disease Control in the US recently reported that from August 2020– February 2021, “the percentage of adults with recent symptoms of an anxiety or a depressive disorder increased from 36.4 to 41.5 percent, and the percentage of those reporting an unmet mental health care need increased from 9.2 percent to 11.7 percent.” For those of you blessed with ignorance as to what anxiety is, it goes a little like this. Anxiety: “What if these 75,000 bad things happen?” Me: “But they won’t happen.” Anxiety: “But what if they do? Or this other thing, that could happen too.” Me: “Buaaah. No! I have nothing to be anxious about! What do I have to be anxious about?” Anxiety: “Things that were, things that are, and some things that have not yet come to pass.” Living with anxiety is like constantly hearing the Jaws theme tune on repeat, but never seeing the fin in the water. It’s like having conspiracy theories, but only about yourself. It’s a Magic 8 Ball that only turns up dreadful outcomes.

The WHO has put together a list of some, but not all of the manifestations of worry on steroids. • Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration • Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests • Difficulty concentrating and making decisions • Difficulty sleeping or nightmares • Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes. Not only this, but preexisting conditions may also worsen, chronic physical and mental conditions and addictions may also spike; overworking, irritability, obsessive behaviour, overindulgence, paranoia and avoidance; it’s not just feeling worried. In times of depleted hope, which will come and which will pass, the silent pandemic can be an isolating and heavy burden to bear. In the words of Martin Luther King, “Our silence becomes violence”, when the stress, anxiety, fear and loneliness experienced is minimised, mitigated or dismissed. Sharing the feelings of undefined disquiet is an act of benevolence. It makes everyone else struggling under the weight of the silent pandemic feel a little bit less of a loser. It allows friends and family to listen, to apply unctures of tenderness and patience. It allows us all to feel a little less alone in these interesting times in which we live. The universe has been expanding since the moment it exploded into existence. We are all basically haunted atoms trying to make sense of the chaos that is life. To feel accepted. To feel secure. To flourish in life is a common goal for one and all right now. You are not alone. We will now be returning with our regularly scheduled program of aaaaggghhhhhh.

Legal notes from The Nanjinger in association with:

D’Andrea & Partners Legal Counsel

ccording to Satya Nadella, CEO Microsoft, the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation by almost a decade. The digital era has come to be. Globally, there has been a push toward more robust rules to protect consumer data and privacy, as well as to safeguard important information from corruption, compromise or loss, and China is no exception. Indeed, China's regulatory framework on data protection is in the process of update and there has been significant progress in the field of data protection legislation in recent years. The new Civil Code, which entered force on 1 January, 2021, specifies the definition scope, protection requirements, civil liability, relevant rights of natural persons and other contents of the right to privacy, as well as the protection of personal information in eight articles. Moreover, two additional and fundamental pieces of legislation are expected to be enacted this year; Data Security Law and Personal Information Law. Together with the Cybersecurity Law already in force, these will constitute the essential legislative references for data protection.

grams and so-called “mini-programs”, which also fall under the regulatory scope. Secondly, data protection rules in various industries shall be further detailed. Relevant industries and fields will further formulate personal information protection regulations closely related to their industries. For example, The People's Bank of China has recently promulgated the Interim Measures for the Protection of Personal Financial Information, outlining the requirements applicable to the life cycle of personal financial information collected and processed by regulated financial entities and other institutions that process personal financial information. Last but not the least, the importance of data antitrust is becoming more clear. On November 10th, 2020, the State Administration for Market Regulation ("SAMR") promulgated the Anti-monopoly Guidelines in the Field of Platform Economy (Draft for Comment).

The great attention given to data protection is also reflected by certain trends which are aimed at increasing the security standards and strengths of protections in many respects.

On the one hand, the Guidelines prohibit platforms from making use of data and algorithms to reach monopoly agreements and prohibit platform operators from controlling data and other necessary facilities for platform economy and refusing to trade with counter parties on reasonable terms. On the other hand, the Guidelines regulate the abuse of users' personal information by platforms by taking advantage of their dominant position. It is noteworthy that on 10 April, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation fined Alibaba ¥18.23 billion, in an anti-monopoly investigation that began in December 2020. The case signals the regulatory authorities will further strengthen the overall trend of antimonopoly supervision in the field of platform economy.

For instance, the supervision and law enforcement activities on the protection of personal information, as processed by mobile Applications (APPs), continues to strengthen. In addition to cracking down on the illegal collection and use of personal information by APPs, the regulatory authorities also properly extend the same regulatory rules to applet pro-

All of these trends reflect a sensibility on the protection of personal data in the digital era, to which companies shall pay much attention for compliance, in order to avoid legal liabilities and severe administrative penalties, especially in the financial sector and other strongly regulated fields in which enforcement is strict.

While the Data Security Law will establish various basic systems for the administration of data security protection, the Personal Information Protection Law, being the first special law on the protection of personal information of China, will introduce a more complete, comprehensive and systematic legal protection system for personal information.

DISCLAIMER This article is intended solely for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Although the information in this article was obtained from reliable, official sources, no guarantee is made with regard to its accuracy and completeness. For more information please visit dandreapartners.com or WeChat: dandreapartners 19

Great Nanjingers (12)

By Frank Hossack

China’s Territorial Key Opinion Leader (KOL); Li Shengjiao

Shengjiao (厉声教) was a famed university sports star who went on to be advisor to China’s first Premier and key contributor to China becoming party to the International Law of the Sea. Born in Nanjing on 7 January, 1935, to parents of some influence, Li was almost bound to be destined for some kind of greatness. The only question was to exactly the nature of his calling. While Li’s mother was a pianist of quite some note, his father had earned himself the the nickname, "China's Mahatma Gandhi". As a pioneer in cultural exchanges between China and Europe in the 1930s, Li Linsi helped Jews to evade persecution as World War II unfolded, so that they may settle in Shanghai. But first, the younger Li need get an education. Choosing the unusual major of economic geology, Li was sufficiently distracted to excel at sport. Ultimately becoming table tennis champion of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Li used his time at Nanjing University to rise to sporting province. A regular in the Nanjing municipal teams for both football and basketball, Li also went on to be basketball coach for the aforementioned Ministry. Sport aside, many of his contemporaries labeled Li as a future leader and one of the brightest stars shining in Nanjing University. Exceptions are often made for people of such potential. For Li’s talents had caught the attention of the Ministry, which went to great lengths as to reserve him a position prior to his graduation. Hence Li was able to say he was one of the rare few to be retained by the Ministry without being either a member of the Communist Party or the Communist Youth League.

But Li was to really make his mark when the United Nations sat down in 1973 to attempt to ratify some kind of code for an updated version of the concept that was “freedoms of the seas”, which dated from over 200 years prior. Over nigh-on the following 10 years, Li put forward China’s position as a major player in the talks to confirm what would become the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. With China back in the UN since 1971, Li was a key player in the negotiations which were to lay down today’s international maritime law. With the law’s influence on global politics, economics and security difficult to overstate, Li’s legacy was secured when he was received twice by Premier, Zhou Enlai, in recognition of his efforts. Li’s influence in international circles was present in other diplomatic exchanges through the 1970s, particularly China's ping pong diplomacy and the historic visit to China by then US President, Richard Nixon, in 1972. Over a 40 year career, his expertise in the field of border demarcation also saw Li involved in drawing the map of today’s China, through negotiations with India, Myanmar, North Korea and the former Soviet Union. While Nanjing’s other notable maritime influence, Zheng He, may have put Nanjing on the map in terms of exploration, it was Li who gave the entire nation a voice at the table to agree worldwide standards for countries’ sea borders. After his death on 6 August, 2017, Li was named as a “pillar of the nation” by Chinese authorities. 20

3. Mosques of Nanjing and the Community they Helped Foster Jizhaoying Mosque (吉兆营清真寺) , above, was designed by Ma Xiaodong (⻢晓东), a graduate of Nanjing's Southeast University's Dept. of Architecture and designer of the Shenzhen Mosque. Images courtesy Xie Wenchao

osques are easy to find due to their tall minarets, as some of the clearest visible symbols of Muslim communities.

But in China, however, the Arab architectural approach with onion domes and tall skinny minarets is less common. Instead, many of Nanjing’s and early Chinese mosques are a reflection of traditional Chinese architectural elements, with complex tiling, curved roofs and multiple buildings within a courtyard-like design. At the peak of its Muslim population, Nanjing was home to 36 mosques. Purportedly, the first was established in the Song Dynasty near today’s Fengfu Lu and named Yikesong Mosque (一棵松清真寺), after the ancient pine tree that stood near its entrance. In the Ming Dynasty, 11 mosques were built, while the Qing Dynasty saw an additional 24 established. In the Republican Era, another 13 were built alongside five female Arabic/Chinese schools, with one more mosque added after the founding of PRC. The quick and successive cropping up of such spaces reflected the population’s growing needs beyond dietary elements. Increasingly, local Muslims began seeking systematic responses to spiritual, religious and emotional aspects. And it was through the mosques and their related services and institutions that these needs began to be met. On the outskirts of Nanjing, entire Hui villages grew in Liuhe District (六合区), Zhuzhen (竹镇) and Hushu (湖熟).

Today, Hushu’s mosque still operates, catering largely to foreign students in neighbouring universities, while both Liuhe’s and Zhuzhen’s native populations have held onto official signs denoting their Hui minority villages. Today however, the locals only identify ethnically as Hui and original mosques are largely shuttered. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the groundwork laid by Nanjing Muslim intellectuals, such as Liu Zhi and Wang Daiyu, who re-introduced and explained Islamic principles in terms of already well-known Confucian concepts, set the precedent for modern-day Chinese terms for Islam. Their work led to the growth of the Nanjing-based Jinling (one of Nanjing’s old names) approach (金陵学派/jinling xuepai) to jingtangjiaoyu (经堂教育) or a formal Islamic institution. Multiple religious schools, typically affiliated to operating mosques, were opened to educate SinoMuslims of religious principles, Arabic-language learning and specific prayers, beginning with elementary-age students. Graduates would be expected to be able to lead or perform religious rituals and services for locals. A later column will address this unique trend and the Chinese Islam’s unique Neo-Confucian-rooted language, which began with Nanjing Muslims. The late 19th century and 20th century were periods of great destruction for Nanjing mosques. The Taiping Rebellion alone burned or destroyed each of these 36 mosques when Nanjing was under their control.

By Matthew Stedman

My Hipster Tea Glass Confessions of a Tea Opinion Leader There are things I might perhaps do differently if I were starting the Strainer column for the first time in 2021. I’m not saying I would be right to do them differently; I’m not saying the results would be better. But let’s scratch that counter-factual itch anyway. For one, I might be tempted to use the “Tea Opinion Leader” moniker. The whole KOL thing hadn’t kicked off in 2016. If starting this gig afresh, the pun might just be irresistible. Another asset I might feature prominently would be the image of Chinese-tea-in-a-wine-glass. I’ve never written down that combination of words until today, certainly not here. And I had never drunk tea that way back in 2016. But if I am “famous” for anything in the company where I work, it is this tea glass of mine. People see me in the elevator with it. People see it at my desk. I’ve even had it with me outside on summer days. It’s a kind of metonymy for Matthew, like a sheriff moustache would be, if only I could grow a sheriff moustache. My wine glass presents me as a tea drinker, a tea addict, a foreign enthusiast of Chinese tea. I’m fine with that. It starts conversations which often end up with drinking more tea. I tell people the truth, which is that when I started here, the only glasses in our office kitchen were wine glasses, ready for our Swiss boss to lay on an impromptu drinks reception. I used wine glasses for tea in the absence of an alternative. Then, after breaking one in public, I was given (a nice) wine glass as a gift. I use that one (and I look after it) as a tribute to that kind friend and that friendship.

Most people here love to see a foreigner drinking Chinese tea. And most treat this as a compliment. But, to me, it does slightly feel a bit like an affectation, a cultivated eccentricity. It feels uncomfortably close to “personal branding”. And, actually, the elevator companions least impressed by this wine glass are the people I’m most eager to impress; the true tea fans. They look down on the glass in my hand, not just as a cultural mashup or cupboard malfunction; for them, it’s an inferior way of extracting the best from good tea. They have a point. Drinking thus, I don’t drink reverently. The tea I gulp while checking my emails is probably tea too good for that context. Back in the UK, I would be keeping such tea in a special box and photographing every tiny teacupful. Yes, like a brandy glass, this glass does encourage a fragrant magnificence to build above the liquor of a Fujian red. But I still drink that liquor too fast. And I don’t stop reading the emails. Anyway, last Friday was a quiet office day. I decided to invite a colleague who was introducing two great teas. Instead of giving everyone wine glasses, I aired my office gongfu tea set for the first time in months. This, I hoped, would establish my seriousnesscredentials. I didn’t pour very professionally, but the tea really sang from the correct brewing vessel. A happy occasion. Drinking tea and writing Strainer, I’ve had so many such encounters these 5 years. I’m grateful I can indulge myself this way. I hope my lovely wine glass long remains part of my drinking kit. But this subject is much bigger than one cool prop. 24

THE

Trip

By Frank Hossack

Jiuhua Shan & Chizhou; Female Buddahs & Negative Oxygen Ions

Should we, or should we not, ascend Jiuhua Shan to pay homage at a Buddhist shrine? Tough decision. After all, we’re from Nanjing and therefore know a thing or two about climbing hundreds of steps to see a dead fella.

But it turned out the dead fella was in fact a woman. And she was also the first female Buddha in all of China, no less. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Before ascending anything, one first has to get to Chizhou. And that’s a piece of cake; an hour and a bit from Nanjing South Railway Station into southern Anhui Province. Oh yes, we are now in the vicinity of Yellow Mountain. After arriving in Chizhou, you will first notice how relaxed you feel. And there’s a good reason for that; the excellent air quality that makes Chizhou top for atmosphere quality in Anhui Province. Then there is the Negative Oxygen Ion content that is 35 times higher than fresh air standards defined by the World Health Organisation. Negative ions are believed to produce biochemical reactions that increase levels of serotonin, helping to alleviate depression, relieve stress and boost our daytime energy. In short, the air in Chizhou makes people feel magical. It’s green too. In Chizhou, there are 17.5 square metres of green space for every citizen, or space enough to park two cars. Such a high proportion of green also gives rise to the freshest local produce around. And nature’s abundant bounty does not end there. Those in the construction industry will be interested to know that around Chizhou are 100 million tons in reserves of calcite, essential for the marble in many of today’s greatest buildings. 26

With downtown Chizhou in the distance, Nanjing’s Xuanwu Lake can eat its heart out

Such diversions aside, people more than anything come to Chizhou as the stopping off point on their way to surely the top stop on an essential tour that is Jiuhua Shan, one of the four sacred mountains of Chinese buddhism and one of the first batch of 5A level scenic spots. Here, the breathtaking scenery is also home to some of the oldest temples around; Huacheng Temple, which dates back more than 1,500 years (and where the incense is the finest we have ever sniffed); and Tonghui Temple, resting place of Abbess Renyi. Born in 1911 in Shenyang, today the capital of Liaoning Province, realname, Jiang Sumin, devoted herself to Daoism afterbecoming amonkin 1940. In somewhat of a contradiction, when the Korean War broke out, she served with the Chinese People's Volunteer Army and was stationed in North Korea in 1951. Later in life, regardless of age, Renyi travelled extensively to practice medicine, build temples, do good deeds and make friends. When back on Jiuhua Shan, she

taught people tirelessly, until passing away at the age of 85.

chest was flat, and her lower body was long and seamless.

And that’s when things get really interesting. Or rather, they would, some 3 years and 2 months later. For 2 January, 1999, was to go down in history. On that day, the temple’s abbot and master bhiksuni, Si Shang, was to uncover a world first.

In death, this ordinary bhikkhu had become a Bodhisattva. And there is no other record of such an occurrence anywhere else on Earth.

Si carefully opened the vat with Renyi inside. He found her sitting upright. Her hair had grown more than an inch. Her teeth were intact, her nails long, the pores of her skin clear and her body still flexible. Removing the shroud, Si then found the kicker. There was no trace of female characteristics. Her breasts had disappeared, her

Renyi remains enshrined there today, in gold. And it’s humbling to behold her. The Nanjinger made its trip up Jiuhua Shan on an ordinary weekday morning. By 9am, there were already long queues of cars awaiting opening time, when they would (very, very) slowly begin to snake their way up the mountain. Take our word for it; getting there early and being at the head of the queue is the only way. 27

However, none of these things matter much in a local; especially your local. These things are all forgiven with the same readiness you overlook a scuff on your most comfortable and trusty shoes. So why would the good citizens of the south side bother to come north (well, west really) to visit a Pukou “local?” The answer is beer, and good beer. Unparalleled boasts 12 taps of craft beer, some of which are changed regularly. Frank, the owner, has a brewery in the city (Unparalleled Brewing). As you might expect, a few of his are always on tap, and very good they are too.

HOSTELRY By Matt Ford

Are You Beer Enough to Dare Cross the Yangtze River?

hen I came to Nanjing and settled in Pukou, I had little expectation of finding a quality bar nearby, and certainly not one with a good range of draft beer. Having visited the usual suspects in the city centre, I resigned myself to the fact I would be crossing the Yangtze every time I wanted a pint of something decent. This would mean crossing the Yangtze a lot. However, there are plenty of others besides. Typically, nine or ten are Chinese and two or three are foreign. Whilst many are high in alcohol content, which is sadly typical in China, there are usually several more suitable options for those wanting to indulge in a lengthy beer session without making the next day one full of regret. Prices are reasonable compared with some of the more central bars. If you consume two pints (well, not quite pints) before 9 pm, you will be rewarded with a glass of Cold Eyes IPA, albeit a small one.

So it came as a surprise and a relief to stumble across Unparalleled, a mere 15 minutes’ stroll from my apartment. I may not even have noticed it, had it not been for a number of empty kegs deposited around its outdoor seating area. This is a local bar in both senses of the word. It is local to me, thank goodness, but it is also to some extent what the British would consider, “a local”. It is comfortable and attractive, but not pretentious or flashy. On some days, it is full soon after opening, and on other days it remains quiet. It attracts a predominantly young crowd, probably on account of its proximity to the Nanjing Tech Metro Station. The bar staff get to know you and look after you. You feel welcome, but not unduly fussed over. You don’t mind that one day you may come in at 6 pm, to find yesterday’s glasses are still all over the bar. You certainly don’t much fancy walking to the malodorous public lavatory around the corner.

Sensibly, they do not try to do an extensive menu. The focus is on burgers. These are none too shabby and are, of course, accompanied by the ubiquitous polythene gloves, which I eschew immediately. The half dozen or so varieties available include American, Hawaiian, Sausage and Foie gras. A simple selection of sides includes fries, a sausage platter and fried pieces of chicken. The food is good value, and whilst it might be worth a trip out for a burger with a beer on the side, in my mind, it is more about a trip out for a good few beers with a burger on the side. I have not tried the cocktails, but only because I enjoy the beer too much. Unfortunately (for some, at least), smoking is common in the bar, but at quieter times it is not such an issue. Usually at least one member of staff speaks English and menus are bilingual. As sister pub of Hermit, this bar is well worth crossing to the north side, particularly if you like decent beer. For my money, it is better than Hermit, but then, it is my local. In fact, I think I’ll head over there right now. Which shoes to wear…? Yes, of course, the ones with the scuff. Cheers! Unparalleled Kitchen & Bar is located at 1F, Bldg 2, Mingfa New Town Centre, 11 Pukou Avenue, Pukou.

EtonHouse Nanjing

Parents, grandparents, ayis and friends joined EtonHouse Nanjing's Early Years and PYP students, as they shared their learning and life at school. Smiles, happy faces and pride were in abundance as students assumed responsibility for leading their families through a range of classroom activities, reflecting on chosen work samples and discussing their progress, along with future learning goals.

28 April, 2021

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With the warmth of an early summer, RGS Guildford, Nanjing also ushered in the school's first sports meeting. While students of primary and secondary schools walked into the dazzling sunshine, foreign and Chinese teachers discussed with them the skills behind sprinting or throwing balls. Competition with each other was fought with sweat, to win honour for their college or grade, with the joy and passion of struggle together.

8 May, 2021

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St John’s enjoyed the warming weather out and about in town last month. Class trips took them to various locations to explore theme-related activities, including a fire station, dinosaur museum, kite flying, tree planting and a butterfly park, amongst others. Children and teachers alike, enjoyed the change of scenery and a new place to discover and explore. Where the next trip take them?

April, 2021

The Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS) Football Tournament hosted at Nanjing International School was full of action-packed duels between the 6 regional schools. It was a great three days of teamwork, personal bests, and sportsmanship. GOAL!

22-24 April, 2021

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BSN takes a strong stance against all forms of bullying and stands in solidarity against those who try to bully others. During AntiBullying week, which culminated on Friday with PINK DAY, the school interlinked themes of “Be an Upstander, not a Bystander” and “Lend a Hand”.

The British School of 7 May, 2021 Nanjing

Download this map to your smartphone via The Nanjinger’s official WeChat account

The Nanjinger’s Metro Map is the only map of the city’s metro system to include first and last times for every station, perfect for planning a late night out or an adventure to somewhere new with an early start.