That's Guangzhou - February 2020

G re at er B ay A re a

THE FUTURE SOUND OF CHINA The Conflicting Tides of Digital Streaming and Live Music

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国内统一刊号: CN 11-5234/GO

FEBRUARY 2020

城市漫步珠 三角英文版 02月份

International School of Nanshan Shenzhen FIRST FULL CONTINUUM IB WORLD SCHOOL IN SHENZHEN, CHINA

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The International School of Nanshan Shenzhen aims to provide students in Early Years (ages 4-6) with educational experiences that develop a positive approach to learning. With this approach in mind, we hold screenings to provide students the opportunity to experience the joys of learning at ISNS. During the screenings, they will meet their potential teachers, student support teams, principal, community, and future friends. This holistic approach eliminates the pressure of interviews and standardized testing and allows the student and teacher to interact in a more comfortable environment. In addition, parents attend an informative workshop about ISNS and IB education presented by our Early Years Coordinator.

APPLY TODAY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ISNS EXPERIENCE

UPCOMING SCREENING DATES

KINDERGARTEN AGE 5 (K5): February 19th, 2020 KINDERGARTEN AGE 4 (K4): February 26th, 2020

www.isnsz.com admissions@isnsz.com

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that’s GBA (Greater Bay Area) 《城市漫步》粤港澳大湾区 英文月刊

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发行 Circulation: 李若琳 Li Ruolin

Editor-in-Chief Matthew Bossons 马特 Guangzhou Editor Ryan Gandolfo 甘德发 Shenzhen Editor Phoebe Kut 吉蓁蓁 Senior Staff Writer Tristin Zhang 张岳烽 National Arts Editor Bryan Grogan Contributors Mia Li, Herlina Liu, Barnaby Lofton, Naomi Lounsbury, Valerie Osipov, Aron Solomons Cover Artist Mayura Jain

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Editor’s Note

FEBRUARY 2020

Welcome back to reality, after the Spring Festival break. I hope everyone had a relaxing holiday and is ready for big things in the Year of the Rat - I know our team is!

In this month’s edition of That’s GBA, our cover story explores China’s music industry and the successes and

shortcomings of music streaming and live concerts. A big tip of the hat to our national arts editor, Bryan Grogan, for crafting such an informative look at the PRC’s music scene (page 36).

Elsewhere in the mag, we meet some clowns (page 12) and, on page 17, a Shenzhen-based designer who has

had a fascinating career in South China (he even designed a vibrator!).

Of course, there is so, so much more, but I’ll let you discover and explore the content in this issue on your own.

Surprises are fun, so go forth, flip through this enthralling edition of That’s GBA, and be surprised.

I’ll finish this month’s note by sharing some exciting news: We are in the process of preparing some exciting

new digital content (a podcast, perhaps...), so be sure to stay tuned to thatsmags.com and our trusty smartphone app!

Ciao,

Matthew Bossons Editor-in-Chief

Hourly updates on news, current affairs and general weirdness from around the Greater Bay Area and China.

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WWW.THATSMAGS.COM | FEBRUARY 2020 | GZ | 5

THE WRAP

8 CITY

16 LIFE & STYLE

9 AVIATION ACCOUNTABILITY

17 BENNY DAY

Plane engine coin tosser fined RMB120,000.

Founder of Day Design Studio.

12 CLOWNING AROUND

20 WATCH OUT!

Bringing laughter and joy to China’s migrant children.

Time is precious.

26 ARTS

46 EAT & DRINK

30 DIGITAL SPACE INVADERS

50 A SLICE OF THE TOWN

Six PC games set to make a splash.

Eight pizzas to die for in Guangzhou.

32 HKRC

53 FLYING PAN

HKRC founder Gavin Wong talk about building a radio community.

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White out!

36 COVER STORY THE FUTURE SOUND OF CHINA The conflicting tides of digital streaming and live music.

56 EVENTS GZ

HK

UNTIL FEB 16

FEB 14-17

Lantern Festival Display at Yuexiu Park

Masters of Hong Kong

GZ

MO

FEB 29

FEB 14

Chris Botti

Latin Passion – Valentine’s Day Concert

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CITY

Class Clowns

Laughter is the Best Medicine, P12

Slovenian Slapper P10

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Chinese Slang P11

TALES OF THE CITY

AVIATION ACCOUNTABILITY Plane Engine Coin Tosser Fined RMB120,000

By Matthew Bossons

R

emember that idiot that threw coins at a jet engine in Anhui province last year for good luck? Yah, so do we – him and the hundreds of the other bozos (a slight exaggeration) that decided that tossing a piece of metal into a highly complex machine that transports people through the air is a good idea.

Anyway, we’ll get to the point: A 28-year-old man identified in legal documents by the alias ‘Liu Qiang’ has been fined a whopping RMB120,000 for tossing coins at an airplane’s jet engine at Anqing Tianzhushan Airport. The incident occurred on February 17, 2019, when Liu (whose actual surname is Lu) threw two RMB1 coins at the engine of flight 8L9960 to Kunming for good luck.

Prior to takeoff, the flight crew noticed a coin on the ground and asked if anyone

had thrown coins into the plane’s engine, to which Liu answered that he had tossed two coins. The flight was then delayed while maintenance personnel hunted for the currency. One of the coins was then found in the plane’s left engine.

While the flight was originally scheduled to leave Anqing at 3.05pm, the plane was not able to leave the airport until 7.30am the following morning. The whole episode was presumably super annoying for passengers, who had to spend the night in Anqing, and very expensive for the airline, Lucky Air (or, as we’ve dubbed it, Unlucky Air).

In the immediate aftermath of Liu’s misguided attempt to attain good luck, or bless the flight, or whatever it was he thought he was doing, he was detained by police for 10 days. Lucky Air also announced that it would take legal action against Liu, seeking damag-

es estimated to be around RMB140,000. The airline’s quest for compensation reached its climax last month, when a court in Anhui province issued Liu a fine of RMB120,000 for his coin-throwing antics.

Liu pled guilty in the case, but did take the time to blame the airport for not informing him of the fact that passengers are not allowed to throw items into the plane’s engines (errr – okay, Liu). The defendant also noted that flight 8L9960 was to be his first time traveling by air, and that he was ignorant of how aircraft operate.

As noted at the start of this piece, Liu is far from the first superstitious traveler to toss a coin at – or into – an airplane engine; there were at least 10 instances of people throwing coins at jet engines in the first half of 2019 alone.

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THE BUZZ RANDOM NUMBER

DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?

210 MILLION

Memi Becirovic

Shannon Lee is seeking RMB210 million in compensation from Guangzhou-based fast-food chain Real Kung Fu (Zhen Gongfu) for using the likeness of her father – Bruce Lee – without permission or payment. Additionally, she is asking that Real Kung Fu immediately cease using her father’s likeness and make clear that the company has no relation to Bruce Lee. Originally called ‘168 Steamed Fast Food Restaurant’ and ‘Seed Double Food,’ the chain rebranded as Real Kung Fu in 2004 after its founder sought the services of a veteran marketing firm. Since the rebranding, Real Kung Fu has used the image of a man who looks suspiciously like the late Bruce Lee for its logo.

Jiangsu Dragons head coach, Slovenian Memi Becirovic, was ejected from a CBA game against the Liaoning Flying Leopards last month after he slapped a spectator in the face during the game.

The man was standing courtside when the coach approached him and got into an altercation. The two were eventually separated by players and staff. The fan on the receiving end of the hit is believed to have gotten into a verbal spat with the coach’s wife, who was sitting courtside, according to Xinhua.

Meanwhile, local media reports claimed that the fan had made an abusive gesture towards Liaoning’s Lance Stephenson. The Dragons went on to lose 111-103 to the Flying Leopards, and Becirovic received an automatic one-match courtside ban, while the fan has been banned from CBA games for life.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“To come across a good boss requires luck – if you don’t have a kind boss, you might work strenuously for a year, and in the end may not get paid for it”

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So wrote one Weibo user after news that a company in Dongguan gave two employees new lake-view apartments as a year-end bonus. The apartments, which are said to be worth around RMB2 million each, were given away as part of a 10-year plan to help out employees going through a tough time, according to Zhong Mingyu, the company’s chairman of the board. Additionally, the company allotted money for furnishings for both of the lucky employees (100-gallon turtle tanks a top priority, we’d imagine).

E D I T E D B Y M A T T H E W B O S S O N S / C I T Y @ U R B A N A T O M Y. C O M

CHINESE URBAN DICTIONARY

A yunv wugua / yùnǚ wú guà /雨女无瓜 “none of your business” Why are you always on your phone?

Put it down and go play outside.

I am an influencer. It’s my job.

Playing with your phone all the time will not give you a good life.

Yunv wugua.

s we celebrate Chinese New Year, let us remember how time flies. If you saw the original Lion King at age 8, you are now in your 30s. Those that spent their college years watching Friends are now the wrong side of 40. The post-2000s generation is now in college or entering the workforce. As they gain internships in the glossy offices of global conglomerates, they are already taking over pop culture in China.

This post-2000’s generation, sometimes called Gen Z, has no idea who Marcel the monkey is, nor seen Simba in 2D form.

They have their own pop culture and memes inspired by childhood memories and nostalgia. Yunv wugua is one of them.

Literally meaning “rain girl has no melons,” it can be confusing to see when used in chats – who is rain girl and why doesn’t she have any melons?

The phrase comes from a 2000s kids’ TV show titled Babala the Fairies (芭芭 拉小魔仙), where a group of schoolgirls cast magical spells and turn into powerful warriors to defeat evil creatures (kinda like Sailor Moon with more clan members).

It features an icy and aloof prince whose favorite phrase is “none of your business”

(yunv wuguan). However, the laconic prince wears a clumsy plastic helmet that severely restricts his nasal passages. When he utters his catchphrase, it sounds like yunv wugua, aka “rain girl has no melons.”

The prince, being a highly aspirational character, immediately made yunv wugua the most fashionable way of asking someone to butt out of your affairs. Kids across the nation adopted the phrase and began to confuse their parents with stern statements of rain girls and melons.

In the vein of “ok boomer,” yunv wugua is today’s kids’ phrase of choice when older people tell them what to do. When their parents tell them that the way to a good life is to get a ‘real job,’ get married or have kids, “yunv wugua,” is what they’ll say back. They know those things can no longer guarantee a good life; they are facing a vastly different world than their parents, where social classes have solidified, power and wealth are entrenched and no amount of pulling oneself up by the bootstraps can make up for class differences anymore. So the phrase is their defense against judgment from the older generation. In their world, rain girl has no melons. Mia Li

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CIT Y | F E AT URE

CLOWNING AROUND

Bringing Laughter to China’s Migrant Children

By Aron Solomons

Bjorn Dahlman has been clowning in China since 2014. Together with Bian Xiao, they have been performing as the Toad King and Frog Emperor since 2017, using the power of laughter to benefit some of China’s most marginalized children.

Bjorn Dahlman as the Frog King and Bian Xiao as the Toad Emperor

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CIT Y | F E AT URE

C

hina has a long history of comedic performance and clowning. Clowns were present at Imperial Courts as far back as the Zhou Dynasty (founded 1046 BC).

The story goes that a clown named Yu Sze, who served Great Wall-building Emperor Ch’in Shih Huang-ti, managed to convince the Emperor not to paint the massive structure.

By doing so he saved thousands of lives, and became a national hero in the process.

The Frog King and The Toad Emperor are not national heroes. They are two friends who, along with the rest of their clown posse (yes, the collective noun for clowns is ‘posse’), bring clowning to children all over China.

Bian Xiao has been working in Children’s Theater in China since 2008. He came across Bjorn Dahlman’s videos on WeChat, and was immediately attracted to creating a different type of children’s theater: one that was aimed at the kids themselves, rather than the parents.

“Often in children’s theater, the parents expect the theater production to teach their kids something,” says Bian. “We have both experienced wanting to do something because the kids will like it, only to be told by production companies that the parents won’t. Our challenge is always, ‘Who are we performing for? The kids or the parents?’ and they say ‘The parents, because they pay for the ticket!’”

For both Bian and Dahlman, clowning can be an empowering experience for children.

“We want to empower kids,” says Dahlman. “Make them feel like the best in the world for half an hour. We want them to feel that this is their show. Every single scene is designed so that kids feel ‘I can do this.’ We get into problems and the children run on stage to help us. This little 5-year-old boy watching knows he is great because he is helping an adult, and that is the core of it.”

That can be seen in the very physicality of a clowning performance. Bian Xiao describes how, “A clown places themselves on either an equal or lower level to children. In theater, actors are normally above the audience. This only enforces a message of ‘I am an adult and you are a child. You must listen to me.’ In a clown performance, the kids are shouting ‘You screwed up!’ ‘You are wrong!’

‘You dropped your hat!’ It’s a very different experience.”

The Frog King in his flippers

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CIT Y | F E AT URE

This empowerment is very important in the social outreach of the project. The pair work with Clowns Without Borders, an international organization that seeks to spread joy, laughter and hope to children in crisis. When Dahlman came to China in 2014, he did some work for a Swedish theater company which wanted to arrange some test performances.

“At that time, I had just come from India doing a Clowns Without Borders tour,” Dahlman says. “I thought, if we are doing a rehearsal performance for free, why don’t we find kids who are struggling and do it for them? So we performed at a center for the children of sex workers, and then did a joint workshop with the parents and kids.”

In China, Bian and Dahlman often perform for the children of migrant and sex workers – those unable to get a hukou, and thus access to state services, and always work with local NGOs. As a Swede, Dahlman in particular is very conscious of avoiding a politicized narrative.

We want to empower kids, make them feel like the best in the world for half an hour

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“We don’t want to step in and say this is a message we want to spread in your country, we are coming from Sweden to save you.”

He also notes the suspicion that exists towards NGOs in China, especially ones with foreign connections. They work with Stepping Stones, a not-for-profit charitable organization with a mission to improve the education and general welfare of disadvantaged children in China, and YouDao, which runs kindergartens.

Their next big goal is to reach out to leftbehind children in the countryside – those kids who remain in rural regions of China while their parents leave to work in urban areas. They are also always looking for collaborators, and have recently performed with local jugglers and magicians.

“Since 2017, the door is open,” says Dahlman. “Anyone that is willing to get up at 5am and get on a metro can join the show. It is designed in such a way you can just add a person.”

They have also recently started a channel on short video platform Douyin. Fittingly for two clowns, Bian started the Douyin page as a joke, not expecting many people to watch, but one of their first videos racked up an incredible 7.5 million views.

“In China, you have loads of people in offices and their pressure is massive. When you have that much pressure you need a release,” says Bian, who has done many corporate performances. “When your boss isn’t looking, you go on Douyin and have a quick watch and you feel fulfilled.”

“The core is the same,” Dahlman summarizes. “You’re a kid, we make you laugh.

You’re an adult that wants to feel like a kid, we make you laugh too!”

Additional reporting and translation from Alex Gomar. All photos supplied by Bjorn Dahlman.

CIT Y | F E AT URE

More satisfied customers

A little boy reacts to a clown show by the posse

Bjorn Dahlman performing level with a child, which to clowns promotes a sense of equality

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LIFE &

STYLE

You and Whose Army?

Exploring Imperial Capital Xi’an, P22

Big is Beautiful P18

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Watch it!

P20

SPOTLIGHT

BENNY DAY FOUNDER OF DAY DESIGN STUDIO

By Phoebe Kut

Day Design Studio is the brainchild of Britishborn Benny Day, who’s been living in Shenzhen for the past six years. His design company focuses mainly on F&B and commercial interiors, in addition to branding and product design. Day speaks with us about starting a business in China, offers advice for budding designers and discusses one of his more intriguing projects, designing vibrators.

How did you get started in interior design, and how did you end up in Shenzhen?

I went to university in London to study interiors, but with a focus on architecture, and had a cool friend whose older sister had a large interior design company, so I started working in the summers with her. After finishing university in London, my lecturer recommended that I try out a job in Shenzhen. I thought I’d do six months here, six months in Japan and Korea, then go back as the Asia expert and finish. But nope, got here and realized I didn’t know anything and stayed!

What was the process like when you started your own design company?

I was freelancing for four years, and registered the company two years ago. When I first arrived, I worked for a company and that year we did 41 projects. To put that in perspective, some large UK studios may do 40 projects in their career. Being in China, everything happens very quickly. By the end I realized I understood the process, but was I experienced? Did I have a style? Perhaps not, but I jumped out anyways and flopped quite early. My growth and placement right now is all built on failure. It was definitely a journey. But a year went on with one client and I started to build momentum and have been going since.

Why do you prefer designing for F&B clients in particular?

F&B is quantifiable; it’s data-driven. Say, if you’re designing a restaurant, they need a kitchen, a certain amount of seats, an entrance and fire exits. After that, it follows trends, fashion and the project lifecycle is much shorter. In comparison, hotels take on average three to four years to design and create and you’re not really following trends or fashion. That’s what I find more exciting: the fun, fashionable elements and the quantifiable data.

Is starting a business as a foreigner in China hard?

As one of my clients put it, “It’s like you’re growing up in public.” China has such a different market than anywhere else, and you don’t have time to hide; you’ve got to work it out in public and if you fail, you fail. I’ve learned a

few good things: relationships are everything, and don’t rely on one thing. I’ve diversified my company. Instead of just interior design, I’m doing a bit of branding and graphics. It’s about having that balance, and never focusing on just one client. Lastly, you’ve got to be resilient, and you don’t necessarily need a Chinese partner.

Any advice for any designers who are just starting out?

It’s not your project until the money is in the bank. Never guarantee timelines to clients as they may come back and say they don’t have the budget or they’ll delay the timeline. Have other options. If you’re green, try to learn on someone else’s time.

Tell us a bit about designing vibrators?

Yeah, this project is actually for a Singaporean company called Smile Makers and they’re a great company. They’re educating beginners about the vibrator world while also providing education and awareness about sexual health and sexual wellness to a lot of people who may not openly talk about sex. For them we designed two vibrators, condom packaging (which will be in Watsons) and we’re in talks for their lubricant range too. I think I got into this space because it was more about brand strategy, launching and brand identity – each product has its own name (ie. the Romantic, Explorer, Ballerina) and personality. We did a lot of mood boarding, about the personality, shape and product goals.

Check out more of Day Design Studio’s work on Instagram (@daydesign.studio) or contact him on WeChat: bennyday

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STYLE RADAR HOT ON TAOBAO

Diva Ring Light China’s e-commerce livestreaming-market is big business. The practice of reviewing and featuring products in videos designed for consumers has made waves throughout Chinese e-commerce platforms in recent years, with celebrity livestreamers cashing in.

Austin Li, a widely-known male beauty blogger and KOL, reportedly sold 15,000 tubes of lipstick in 15 minutes during one of his live-stream sessions. Even older consumers are buying into the world of livestreaming, as made evident by the ayi we sat next to on the bus recently who watched a live-streamer feature two vinegar products. Vinegar!

Aside from a phone and a product to sell, this growing legion of livestreamers relies on one key component: a diva ring light. Used to enhance your look during video shooting, no livestreamer would dare to feature that new makeup item or clothing product without this essential lamp. So, if you’re thinking about throwing your eggs into the livestreaming basket, consider this must-have equipment.

> The diva ring light is available on Taobao by searching 手机直播光灯. Prices start from RMB39.

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COVET

Style and Structure Ladies, what’s the perfect accessory that can tie a whole outfit together? A staple handbag.

You’ve been searching for it far and wide. Do you pick a trendy bag that will (hopefully) last a season, or opt for an investment piece with craftsmanship? Enter SELECTIV, a Shanghai-based Nordic fashion and lifestyle brand for the design-conscious individual. Their signature mini handbags (RMB2,800) are a chic statement for the modern woman (or man, we don’t judge).

Lead designer Kashan Sing, an architect by trade, wanted to design a timeless and special piece for his first foray in fashion. Made with genuine leather, the optional crossbody bag can hold all your essentials and is perfect for day or night. SELECTIV’s line also includes tote bags, leather notebooks (which are perfect for journaling) and leather bracelets. > Pictured is the SELECTIV vintage mini handbag, shop their WeChat store by searching SELECTIV

UNDER THE LENS

‘Micro-fat’ Influencers and Industry on the Rise The Chinese plus-size market is a multibillion-dollar opportunity. Four decades ago, 11.3% of Chinese adults were overweight; now that number is closer to 25%. However, there aren’t English equivalents to terms like ‘plus-size’ or ‘curvy’. Vogue Business reports, “the most common words used are the cutesy ‘micro-fat’ (微胖) or the slightly patronizing ‘meaty’ (肉肉).”

A niche group of micro-fat influencers are on the rise, like Deng Deng, who has amassed 2.5 million followers on Douyin since appearing on the scene a year ago. Deng explains, “In 2018, there were almost no influencers like me, fat girls dressed down, not up. This is changing. Big girls are seeing women who look like them wearing beautiful clothes, and they want in.”

RMB48 and up.

TAP THAT APP

Interesting Sports 趣运动 Anyone who enjoys sports and lives in China has likely faced the daunting task of finding a venue at which to play. With millions of residents in your city and – depending on your Chinese skills – a language barrier to overcome, locating a good basketball court or football pitch can be a nightmare.

We came across ‘Interesting Sports’ (趣运动, Qu Yundong in pinyin) while having trouble finding a decent tennis court in Guangzhou. The app proved to be a big help by providing a list of courts around the city with venue phone numbers and a map. Best of all, you can book a reservation through the app (or website) for your next outing.

Interesting Sports serves 80 cities in China, linking users with venues for football, basketball, badminton, tennis, swimming and more. You can book by the hour up to a week in advance. It’s worth noting that the app is only offered in Chinese, but you’ll have an easy time navigating once you know your go-to sport’s name in Chinese. Now that you’ve got the tool to get you back on the field, it’s time to lace up those cleats and go beast mode on Wesley from sales.

> Interesting Sports (趣运动, Qu Yundong) is available on iOS and Android devices. Visit quyundong.com or add their official WeChat account (趣运动) to learn more.

SPRING OF LINGNAN ( 岭南春晖 )

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MEET CELEBRITY CHEF JACK LIN AT INTERCONTINENTAL GUANGZHOU EXHIBITION CENTER

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elebrity Chef Jack Lin ( 林述巍 ) is famous for his appearance in popular reality TV show Chinese Restaurant ( 中餐厅 ) Season 3 and for his commitment to bringing innovation to Chinese fine dining. Chef Lin was recently promoted to be the Insider Chef Ambassador

by InterContinental brand. By partnering with experienced InterContinental chefs with strong reputations, the Insider Chef program aims to provide global travelers with an unforgettable culinary experience.

From February 25-27, Chef Lin’s fans in Guangzhou will have the opportunity to meet him at InterContinental Guangzhou Exhibition Center where Lin will work with hotel’s Chinese Executive Chef Andy Wu ( 吴玉擎 ) and Executive Chef Norman Zhong ( 钟荣华 ) to present “Spring of Lingnan” special menu to Guangzhou.

Trained as a specialist in Cantonese cuisine, Lin’s short visit in Guangzhou will be a homecoming occasion for him.

The three chefs will create an eight-course menu to pay tribute to Cantonese cuisine. Lin will

bring his treasured recipes of modern Canton to blend with Chef Andy’s expertise in traditional Shunde and Chaozhou cuisine. Chef Norman will take care of the overall menu design to ensure the menu is well structured and perfectly presented.

The menu boasts Guangdong’s coastal delights, and will feature both fresh and dried seafood. Guests will enjoy a fascinating combination of classic light saucing presented

by Chef Andy and the increasingly popular spicy flavor by Chef Lin, favored among the younger generation. One course guests will absolutely love is the steamed lobster with egg white and yellow wine, presented by Chef Andy, which is a medley of textures and soft, elegant flavors. Chef Lin’s braised abalone and beef ribs with truffle is another stand-out dish, and it contrasts well with the silky eggs of Chef Andy’s aforementioned dish.

“Spring of Lingnan” special menu will be available at Canal Luna, InterContinental Guangzhou Exhibition Center from February 2527.

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L IF E & S T Y L E | T R AV E L

XI’AN

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ew cities in China can lay claim to as rich a culture as Xi’an. Famous for being the home of the Terracotta Warriors, Xi’an’s 3,000-year history has played an enormous part in shaping China’s cultural heritage.

Xi’an got its big start as a city during the Zhou Dynasty, for whom Xi’an was the capital, from 1046-256 BCE. Under the rule of the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BCE), China became unified for the first time.

Obsessed with longevity, Emperor Qin commissioned the construction of an ‘army’ of terracotta warriors to guard his mausoleum and protect him in the afterlife. Today, the Terracotta Warriors are considered one of China’s must-see attractions.

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Xi’an was also the eastern terminus of the Silk Road. It was here that merchants, envoys and traveling monks would trade their wares, particularly valuable silk and live horses, and prepare for the long and frequently perilous journey to the West.

Such was the extent of trade and civilization in Xi’an that the city became the largest in the world by the 8th century.

Xi’an’s fortunes changed, however, with the fall of the Tang Dynasty, and it was not until the Ming Dynasty, in the 14th century, that the city would be fully revived. Several lasting emblems of the Ming era are today some of Xi’an’s most prominent sights.

Looking for more expert guides to China’s biggest cities and hottest destinations?

Scan the QR code now to purchase our Explore China travel guide, which offers insider tips, detailed city guides and awesome day trips.

T R AV E L | L IF E & S T Y L E

Ming-Era City Walls Inner-city Xi’an has plenty of its own charm. Nearly 14 kilometers long, the imposing city walls were built to protect the city during the Ming Dynasty, and are an astonishing 15 meters thick.

One of the best ways to get acquainted is on two wheels. Bike rentals start from RMB40 for 100 minutes (RMB80 if you choose to go tandem), and afford great views of the heart of Xi’an.

The ride itself is fairly leisurely (and entirely flat, for the effort-opposed), and can be accomplished in two hours depending on pace. Be sure to bring hydration, as vendors in the area are few and far between.

If you’re lucky you’ll catch the changing of the guards at the South Gate, which happens three times a day.

Terracotta Army No trip to Xi’an is complete without a visit to its most famous attraction, the most significant archaeological discovery of the 20th century. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a literal treasure trove of Chinese history that can easily take a day for history buffs to explore.

With thousands of unearthed military figures, the Terracotta Army was designed to guard over the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BCE). Following his death, it was believed they would travel with him to the afterlife to continue their service.

Fascinatingly, no two members of the army are identical – their various parts were made modularly and assembled so that each would be unique.

Hot Springs at Huaqing Palace After you’ve ticked the requisite Terracotta Army visit off your list, it’s time for the next chapter of Xi’an’s history – the Tang Dynasty. At the foot of Mount Lishan are the hot springs at Huaqing Palace, which were the setting for the famous romantic tragedy Song of Eternal Sorrow, written by celebrated Tang poet Bai Juyi (772-846 CE).

A classic imperial tale, the poem describes a tragic love affair between Tang emperor Xuanzong (685-762 CE) and his beloved concubine Yang Guifei (719-756 CE). Visitors can enjoy daily performances of the classic poem during the spring and summer, and soak up imperial vibes at the neighboring hot spring baths.

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L IF E & S T Y L E | T R AV E L

Mount Hua One of the most famous mountains in China, Huashan is a must for active travelers. Stunning vistas and precipitous peaks are a given, and your trip here can easily take up a whole day.

The mountain has five peaks that top 2,155 meters, each with its own charm. Reach the top by gondola, and expect a fairly terrifying hike to the tallest peaks. During the summer months, high numbers of visitors can make the narrow walkways crowded, so do be aware of that when planning your visit.

True daredevils can get their adrenaline fix along the Chang Kong Plank Road – a ramshackle wooden pathway just 50 centimeters wide affixed to the near-vertical rock face. The pathway was first laid out by the Taoist priest He Zhizhen nearly 700 years ago, when monks would journey to the mountain’s remotest peaks in search of prime meditation spots. A RMB30 deposit for safety harnesses is required.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda Built during the Tang Dynasty, the 1,300-year-old Big Wild Goose Pagoda is perhaps Xi’an’s most eye-catching heritage site, standing at seven stories and 64 meters high. The pagoda is dedicated to the Buddhist monk Xuanzang, who is credited for aiding the dissemination of Buddhism by bringing back sutras from India and translating them into Chinese. His journey also served as inspiration for one of China’s bestknown works of literature, Journey to the West.

Today, tourists can climb to the top of the pagoda to take in the sights of the city and expansive pagoda square below. Here, locals brush up (literally) on their calligraphy by using calligraphy brushes dipped in water on the flagstones.

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Muslim Quarter Xi’an’s vibrant Muslim Quarter is a wonderful place to pick up souvenirs and sample Xi’an’s local delicacies.

Situated in the heart of the old town, the Muslim Quarter encompasses a neighborhood of just 1,800 square meters, but is home to 10 mosques and over 20,000 residents. During the heyday of the Silk Road, this district played host to travelers from the Middle East, India and beyond, who would barter their wares and stock up on supplies for the next leg of their voyage. Some historians have suggested that the notoriously dangerous Silk Road journey gave rise to the establishment of numerous temples of Islamic, Buddhist and Taoist faiths, as merchants would visit to seek blessings for safe passage.

Make sure to arrive with an empty stomach – the Muslim Quarter is teeming with local street food, including grilled meat skewers, hearty fried dumplings, hand-pulled noodles and, of course, roujiamo. The main action starts at 6pm, when the vendors start setting up shop for the evening’s service.

Terracotta Warrior Replicas After seeing the real thing, pick up a vivid replica of the terracotta sculptures for all your friends who have yet to see the famous archeological wonder.

They’re available in a variety of sizes, from small to life-size (you know, if you’re into overthe-top home decor), and each have a different appearance and facial expression. We suggest heading to the Xi’an Art Ceramics and Lacquer Factory, where they still cook clay in large outdoor kilns and handpaint and finish every single exemplar.

T R AV E L | L IF E & S T Y L E

Roujiamo and Liangpi Wherever you find roujiamo (sometimes translated as ‘Chinese hamburger’), you’ll also find liangpi (cold noodles). For Xi’an locals, the two go together like horse and carriage. The former consists of a leavened flatbread, typically cooked on a hot iron furnace, stuffed with braised meat that is stewed with 20 different spices. Locals will tell you that the best roujiamo is found in the Muslim Quarter, where the filling is lamb rather than pork. The cold noodles that so often accompany are made from rice flour and topped with a spicy red oil and sliced cucumber.

Biangbiang Mian Not only are these deliciously thick noodles unique to Shaanxi province, they are also famous for the notorious 57-stroke character used in their name, one of the most complicated in the Chinese language. As thick and wide as a belt, a single noodle can fill a bowl, and biang is an onomatopoeia for the sound that the noodle dough makes as it hits the counter while being pulled into shape. The chewy noodles are usually cooked with spicy oil and steamed bok choy.

Yangrou Paomo Arguably the signature dish of Xi’an, this Arabinfluenced delicacy might appear unusual to the uninitiated. You’ll be served a bowl of hot, gravy-like mutton soup with vermicelli and a leavened flatbread; but before you tuck in, pull apart the bread into pearl-sized pieces and drop them in the soup. A time-consuming effort, yes, but for locals of Xi’an the ritual is therapeutic, and besides, the dish tastes better when hand-pulled.

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ARTS

Welcome To The Club

Cutting Edge Nightspots Around China, P34

Digital Space Invaders P30 26 | GZ | FEBRUARY 2020 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM

HKCR P32

New Albums P35

DRUMROLL

KARP

BurgerSuicideClub and Silver Spoon Founder Talks Experimentation

By Bryan Grogan

We caught BurgerSuicideClub at a RADII event in ALL Club in late 2019 and were blown away by the four-person group.

Making a soup of sounds that incorporates industrial music, punk, experimental electronic beats and spoken-word poetry, the music felt transporting and fresh. Musician and artist Karp (who identifies using the pronoun ‘they’) started the project themself, intending to focus it around their solo work, but over time the group expanded and new musical ideas were introduced. A member of psychedelic group Peaking O, Karp also founded a performance art event called Silver Spoon a little over two years ago. Blending together music, poetry, performance, video and more, Karp takes the lead as director-curator of the show. We caught up with them to speak about the influences that drive BurgerSuicideClub and Silver Spoon.

Tell us about BurgerSuicideClub.

It was originally a solo project. Later, the musician Fish joined and we became a duo.

We were originally called Eraser Head, but later renamed ourselves BurgerSuicideClub, mainly due to the influence of a group in Berlin called Pizza Suicide Club. Fish exited at the end of 2018, and the musician Empress CC! joined. She has used an Ableton, drum machine and synthesizer to bring a new musical expression to BurgerSuicideClub.

Later again, guitarist Zongshi and poet Sanky joined one after another to make the current four-man lineup.

The sound of the group is very unique. Can you talk about what inspires the music?

Each of our four members is affected differently by music, so the final sound is very strange. When I was young I became attracted to dark music. Later, I came into contact with experimental music and minimalism.

I also started to make music based around noise and beeps. After a while, I became interested in the Western psychedelic rock of the ’60s and krautrock. Industrial music also had a profound impact on me.

Zongshi is more influenced by traditional rock bands like Sonic Youth, Radiohead, etc.

At the same time, he also produces electronic music, with people like Aphex Twin providing inspiration.

Empress CC! is an electronic music fanatic. Originally inspired to become a musician

by Einstürzende Neubauten and Kraftwerk, she began producing experimental electronic music, and, over the course of a long period

[spent] harnessing her skills, is now an adept producer who makes beats with an Ableton and various other hardware.

Sanky was influenced by the early proto punks, such as Patti Smith, and later got into rougher and more provocative industrial music by bands like Throbbing Gristle.

All four of us like industrial music, and this is the basis of the music for the BurgerSuicideClub.

We heard that you are planning to release some music. What form will it take?

Yeah, we plan to do a digital release of an album. We’ll probably also publish a CD, or, if we have enough money, maybe release on vinyl.

As well as BurgerSuicideClub, you organize Silver Spoon. What exactly do you try to show with Silver Spoon?

Silver Spoon is a plan that I started in Xiamen in 2017. At that time, I began a public account called ‘Water Ripple,’ mainly to interview local artists in Xiamen, as well as consulting on art and performance activities. After publishing a few times, I wanted to present my own content.

The first activity was called ‘Eat Sunflower Seeds and Sound Quartet.’ It was inspired by Yan Jun’s exhibition How to Eat Sunflower Seeds. I found four artists to create a fusion of sound, music, performance, video and poetry at a livehouse. Later, I did live shows for Silver Spoon, mainly when I was triggered by a concept, bringing people from different fields together.

How important is it for Silver Spoon to combine various mediums, such as music, performance art and fashion?

At present, a lot of groups and labels that perform in China tend to combine various mediums. Silver Spoon is not the most special.

The only difference with Silver Spoon is that I see the performance as a work of art and take the role of a director. My favorite director is Alejandro Jodorowsky from Chile. His films are very visual and dramatic, using costumes, color and discussions about life and religion.

Films with a large proportion of narrative scenes are for me organized art events and act as inspiration. Although I don’t do much visual creation, I always think that the visuals and the music are equally important in a Silver Spoon event.

Can you talk about your upcoming plans for Silver Spoon?

We will have a performance after Spring Festival related to intimacy/artificial intelligence. We’re currently selecting the venue for that show. We can’t disclose the specific details at the moment, so everyone will have to wait and see.

To hear more from BurgerSuicideClub, scan the QR code:

For more information about Silver Spoon, scan the QR code:

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COLL AGE

See the QR codes on this page? Scan them with the That's App when you see them to find more multimedia, photos and videos related to the feature you are reading. Genius, eh? Download the That's App at www.thatsmags.com/app

TRANSCRIBED

COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU

“Can anyone judge? If the judges don’t even know the most famous logo in the world, how can they be a judge?”

FEB 14

Horror Shark Not the most inspiring film title in the world, this horror slash thriller slash adventure movie’s Chinese name translates directly as ‘Blood Shark,’ and sees its main characters attempting to out-maneuver mutated, man-eating sharks.

Simple enough. Building on the continued interest in adventure films, and also the global love for shark-based thrillers, this blockbuster should pique the interest of fans of these genres.

FEB 22

Troll: The Tale of a Tail Created by Quebec-based company Squeeze, Troll: The Tale of a Tail is an animated adventure telling the story of a troll prince who has three days to save his father, King Grom, who has been turned to stone and had his tail stolen by an evil presence. The perfect flick for a family with young kids.

For more new movies releases, scan the QR code below:

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That’s what one netizen said after learning the news that the Dalian tourism board had blatantly ripped off the Walt Disney logo (as well as a bunch of other famous logos). The comical news came to light in December and pointed to a general lack of awareness from judges overseeing the competition to design the new logo for the Northern tourism board.

HAO BU HAO

Hao A bunch of excellent Chinese film releases in January, including Lost in Russia, Detective Chinatown 3 and the spiritual successor to Ne Zha, Jiang Ziya • In a similar vein, the news that international films Marriage Story, Jojo Rabbit and Little Women have been taken on by Road Pictures for distribution in China • The continued insurgence of clubs that are straddling the borders of fashion and art throughout the country • Awkwafina became the first woman of Asian descent to win a Golden Globe in a lead actress film category, winning for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for her role in The Farewell.

Bu Hao Shanghai’s Dada closed the doors on its Xingfu Lu venue after 10 years • Ne Zha missing the cut as a nominee for Best International Film Feature at the 2020 Oscars • While the news that iQiyi is seeking international investment may sound good, it also points toward the slowing market for TV streaming sites in China • The Farewell was not among the nominees at this year’s Oscars, despite Awkwafina’s success at the Golden Globes.

E D I T E D B Y B R Y A N G R O G A N / A R T S @ U R B A N A T O M Y. C O M

SINO CELEB

Eddie Peng Yu-yen

He’s the US military-trained revenger in the 2018 Jiang Wen-directed Hidden Man and he’s the Monkey King in Chinese fantasy-action film Wu Kong. Taiwanborn Canadian actor Eddie Peng Yu-yen stumbled across an opportunity to star in a TV idol drama when returning to the island for a funeral in his sophomore year of college. It turned out to be a stepping stone to his immense popularity in show business. The handsome actor was recognized for his Golden Horsenominated portrayal of a gymnastic athlete in 2011’s Jump Ashin!, for which he trained professionally for eight months. You can catch him on the big screen in Chinese adventure film The Rescue this month. But first, here’s five fast facts about Peng before you grab yourself some popcorn.

Child Gourmand As a child Peng loved to chow down. These days, he has retained his love for snacks, but maintains a muscular figure by exercising on the regular.

Great White North At the age of 13, Peng immigrated to Canada, where he later studied economics at the University of British Columbia.

College Dropout The excitement of studying economics was not enough for Peng and he dropped out of university to pursue a career in acting.

Sea Turtle Savior Peng is the ambassador of global conservation organization WildAid’s mission to save sea turtles, and his journey to help the reptiles was featured in marine conservation documentary Between the Sea and Shore.

Filial Son When not shooting movies Peng travels the world, bringing his mother along while he’s at it.

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ARTS | VIDEO GAMES

DIGITAL SPACE INVADERS Five PC Games Set to Make A Splash in 2020

By Bryan Grogan

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C gaming has been popular in China ever since the government banned video game consoles in 2000, a restriction which lasted for 15 years. That love for the PC format has never gone away; Chinese is now the most popular language on major video game platform Steam, according to PC Gamer.

Reacting to this, platforms like Steam host games like Chinese Parents and The Scrolls of Taiwu, only heightening the appetite that gamers, and game developers, have for the increasingly lucrative market. Below, we highlight five games that we think will prove to be smash hits in 2020.

Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story This game, made in 2.5D format (in order to appear to be 3D when it is, in fact, not) takes the player through a terrifying world that mixes cyberpunk and mythology. Developed by Toge Productions, the game’s official Twitter account places the action in Neo-Hong Kong. Players take the role of Mei Lin Mak, a de facto detective, investigating technological glitches that have infected Neo-Hong Kong. She must break a family curse in order to fix the spooky real-world glitches. The game has been receiving a ton of hype for the unique scope of the story and gorgeous visuals, and is set to be released later this year on a variety of platforms and consoles, including Windows PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One. To learn more, scan the QR code below:

Luna: The Shadow Dust Set for release in February of this year, this long-awaited release, developed by Lantern Studio and published by Coconut Island Games, has already received awards for its music and artwork.

After gaining global recognition for the excellent Chinese Parents, which was released back in the middle of 2018, but has enjoyed a fabulously long lifespan on Steam, Coconut Island Games is a company to watch. Luna: The Shadow Dust is just one of the games that it has slated for release this year, alongside Rascal Fight, a “fun and exciting fighting game,” and A Perfect Day, which rewinds to 1990s China. The point-and-click game has gorgeous visuals, while gameplay is wordless; a young boy and his companion make their way through an adventure inspired by games of old.

To learn more, scan the QR code below:

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VIDEO GAMES | ARTS

Sands of Salzaar This surprise (read: under-the-radar) hit was released on January 3 through Steam, and quickly climbed to the top of the week’s best sellers on the gaming platform, selling 50,000 copies in under a week. Developed and published by Han-Squirrel Studio, based out of Shenzhen, Sands of Salzaar is an open-world fantasy game that takes place in a desert, with players tasked with recruiting a variety of characters to shape the future of their world. Reviews of the game have been largely positive; gamers and media outlets have been impressed by its ambitious scope, which takes place across an unfolding world, with large battle sequences.

To learn more, scan the QR code below:

Wanba Warriors Now for something a little bit different. This super zany fighting game is based around the idea of calligraphy combat, with fighters using blobby characters holding calligraphy ink brushes to defeat their opponents. Purported to make use of bizarre swing mechanics, and with characters capable of harnessing incredible supernatural abilities, this game sounds like a blast. It also supports local multiplayer mode so you can battle with or against your friends. Developed by game company BigYu, a demo for Wanba Warriors was released in mid-2019, with the full game expected to drop in 2020. Beijing-based Zodiac Interactive, the same folks who brought us the super-weird Candleman, is also behind publishing for this one.

To learn more, scan the QR code below:

The Rewinder Taking China’s reinvigorated mania for mythology and packaging it in game format, indie developer Misty Mountain Studio has made this 2D side-scrolling point-and-click game, The Rewinder.

Artwork for the game has already been called gorgeous by a number of media outlets. Due to come out in 2020 on Steam (though a specific date hasn’t been assigned), The Rewinder should appeal to fans of animation and mythology alike. Taking on the role of a special agent, gamers are tasked with interacting with monsters and deities and helping spirits to achieve a rebirth and to return to the living world.

To learn more, scan the QR code below:

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ARTS | MUSIC

TURN ON YOUR RADIO

Co-founder of HKCR Gavin Wong Talks About Building Communities

By Bryan Grogan

W

e’ve been covering online radio more and more recently, as a number of new stations crop up around Greater China. One of the first to get off the ground was Hong Kong Community Radio (HKCR), which has been a vital stronghold for underground music in the Fragrant Harbor since 2016. Founded by Gavin Wong, the mind behind essential Hong Kong label Absurd Trax, and Davy Law, who runs another excellent Hong Kong-based label, Neoncity Records, HKCR has become one of the most important music outlets in the Asia Pacific region. We spoke to Wong about the station.

When and why did you start HKCR?

We started out in late 2016. I found radio culture so amazing when I was studying in the UK. Even though pirate radio isn’t something new here, I don’t think there was an online radio that was solely dedicated to music sharing.

I wanted to create a platform that is dedicated to people in music, primarily because 32 | GZ | FEBRUARY 2020 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM

we really need this kind of tool to convene broader ideas and connect with other people locally and globally.

There’s quite a bit of equipment and other stuff to take care of. How are you funded?

We don’t receive any funding at the moment. Davy Law and I bought everything. We started out with a webcam and a borrowed CDJ in a corner of a friend’s leather jacket shop (shout out to Oldies Leather Jacket). We kept the setup mobile so we could stream in different spaces (we streamed at a bookshop, a clothing shop, my friend’s cha chaan teng and so on).

Eventually we invested in a CDJ (digital music player for DJing) and found all the other pieces by scavenging through secondhand recording gear and leftover furniture.

Of course, from time to time we receive help from the community as well.

We moved into the Foo Tak Building two years ago. The rent is at a remarkably discounted rate, which is amazing considering

the location. We’re very appreciative to ACO who show us massive support in our project.

When it comes to the music side of things, how do you decide on what international acts or China-based acts you like to have on the show?

I try to not dictate who’s going to come in and who’s not. The station is obviously not about a single musical style or idea; most people who came around before were people who got in touch with us to ask if we could host them for an hour on the radio stream.

They may or may not know anyone here, so we facilitate as a connecting hub for travelers and locals. We try to accommodate the best we can, but obviously due to the aforementioned limitations we can’t really take everyone.

The station gives a platform for creatives in Hong Kong to express themselves through music. What kind of feedback do you get from musicians and producers to

MUSIC | ARTS

sets/appearances on talk shows?

To be honest, you can’t really be sure of how feedback is most of the time. I hope we don’t have haters. [Laughs.] I hope to show people a timeline of something in the making, a community of some sort that is naturally coming together.

I don’t want to micromanage or cultivate an image of mine, but I think in a way there’s still a lot to be desired in terms of the production quality. It’s an interesting time in music now because it’s very visual too, so we need to constantly take care of the visual department.

That being said, I think people appreciate it’s an amateur project that is something to be treasured. We are always reflecting on this aspect and how to get the best of both worlds.

You guys have been recognized at Mixcloud awards for online radio stations.

Have these awards helped you guys to grow the awareness of your platform?

I think so, but that kind of awareness is still within the ‘circle.’ I think our job is to get more people outside the circle to be aware of us.

Can you talk a bit about the underground community in Hong Kong?

I think the underground community is very insulated from everywhere else in a way.

Just talking about music releases, they are so infrequently put out. Everything is very decentralized, so there are many small circles,

“I proposed to all the community radios to work on a compilation together, there is a limitless amount of things we can all work on. Hopefully in 2020 we can cross paths a bit more”

but there’s no way for them to intersect with each other, and that makes the scene into an echo chamber of sorts, with evolution often stalled.

It’s pretty disappointing in 2020 that many people still have the general consensus that independent music means bands playing guitars, or electronic music means people pushing buttons and twisting knobs. People need to radicalize their way of thinking about music before any changes happen, rethinking how we should relate to music; we can’t just think of it as someone who produces a consumable product for another person to buy.

HKCR is connected to Absurd Trax, both of which you help manage. Is there any crossover between the two entities?

To be honest, I try to segregate both as much as possible. But I always welcome my label mates to go on HKCR if they want to use the platform. I don’t want HKCR to reflect my own tastes; I want it to be anything, with me just as a person facilitating that. Of course, in real terms it’s very hard to completely avoid my influences in the station programming.

You have co-operated with Shanghai Community Radio in the past – is that something that you are interested in doing more of?

We definitely want to do more stuff together; I proposed to all the community radios that we work on a compilation together. There is a limitless amount of things we can all work on. Hopefully in 2020 we can cross paths a bit more.

To tune in to Hong Kong Community Radio, scan the QR code below:

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ARTS | FOR THE RECORD

Cutting Edge Nightspots Around China

By Bryan Grogan

S

hanghai is ostensibly the home of experimental electronic music in China. With excellent labels like SVBKVLT, Genome 6.66mbp, Eating Music and more, the city is helping to guide tastes within the country and perceptions of the Chinese music scene around the globe. At the center of the city’s vibrant music scene are clubs like ALL, Elevator and Dada (until last month).

Acting as incubators and meeting points for Chinese kids with strange tastes, these clubs have been integral in growing the city’s music scene, while pointing towards social change and growing acceptance of urban subcultures as a whole. With interest in weird music growing, we take a look at some of the more influential clubs in four major Chinese cities outside of Shanghai.

Shenzhen The papa of the Shenzhen scene is by far and away Oil. The best club in the Southeast of China, by our estimation, Oil has been operating for just over two years out of a side-street in the city’s central Chegongmiao area. In the course of the club’s life, it has received numerous shout-outs – by the likes of Kode9 and, more recently, British drum and bass legend Fabio – for its atmosphere and sound quality.

In neighboring Nanshan district, Vinylhouse offers a space for those more house-inclined, in the form of a cocktail bar slash vinyl record store slash music space. Run by a group of co-founders, including Polish DJ and producer Tomasz Guiddo, the venue provides invaluable space for the growing number of house and techno DJs in the seaside city.

Chengdu One of the most turbulent cities on this list, just like Shanghai and Beijing, Chengdu has gone through waves of closures. Yet the city’s underground electronic scene continues to grow. TAG is at the center of it all, taking inspiration from clubs in Berlin and Amsterdam, and acting as a prime landing spot for the best international electronic acts.

More recently, local DJ Postunk opened Cue, which has already hosted friends of That’s such as Eating Music, Bl1nk and Yikii.

Influential in the city’s electronic scene, Postunk was reportedly planning to start a community radio station in Chengdu until he got busy with Cue. That role was filled by Kristen Ng (aka Kaishandao) and Aymen Hajlaoui, along with a group of friends and like-minded contributors, who launched Chengdu Community Radio in November last year. Elsewhere, Funky Town has crafted a diverse range of events and interests, including their first-ever drag night.

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Hangzhou Buoyed by the rise of experimental electronic group FunctionLab, as well as the presence of a large contingent of experimentally minded creatives from China Academy of Art, Hangzhou has been building itself as a home of weird, cutting edge sounds. Loopy, based at the end of a deserted corridor of shops, is the center point for a lot of what is good musically in the city.

Right next door to Loopy, video artist and leader of the irreverent art group Martin Goya Business, Cheng Ran, has opened a mini-exhibition space called The fART (we’ll bypass our urge for low-hanging jokes on that one), showing how important the nightlife scene in Hangzhou is for bringing together creative minds. The folks behind that venue have also opened another, more centrally located venue by the name Wulin, which boasts a special sound system, but is still in the early stages of taking shape.

Three New Homegrown Albums on Our Radar This Month

CHINA MUSIC CORNER

By Bryan Grogan

The Sound of Walking: Hexi Corridor by Namu Label Having been recognized by the Chinese Golden Melody Awards as one of 100 recommended 2019 albums to listen to, this album is based around the sounds you might encounter in the Hexi Corridor, an important historical trade route in Gansu province. The Sound of Walking shines a light on the musical stylings of minority cultures living in the area, taking stock of their fascinating intangible cultural qualities. The album opens with the aptly named ‘Intro’ from Beijing-based American producer and multi-instrumentalist thruoutin. Playing and interspersing the sound of birds, wind, percussion and a peculiarly tough, thick stringed instrument with magic editing skills, the track does exactly what it says on the tin, preparing us for what is coming next. The album is diverse, with six different musicians entering the foray throughout its 10-track run. The guttural and sparse Chinese singing style on Wang Yue’s ‘Xian Xiao•Kaipian Ci’ contrasts greatly with the more atmospheric, vast spatial characteristics of Bai Jin Hua. The latter’s contribution is markedly impressive, as the vocals of a 65-year-old woman from the Yugu minority are placed within gorgeously edited ambience to create very forgiving, clean tracks.

Scan the QR code to listen:

Ruyi Lane by White Elephant Nanjing band White Elephant dropped their debut album, Ruyi Lane (named, for the record, after the red light district in the capital of Jiangsu province), on Beijing-based indie label Maybe Mars. While the band began life with a more raucous sound, on Ruyi Lane they open proceedings with a slow, taught piano that plays over the sound of conversation and life. Spoken-word vocals and a spine-tingling, high-pitched and high-paced guitar enters on the second track, ‘Mouth.’ The record continues to be a slow-boiling, atmospheric, almost ambient piece, with Kaliening’s spoken-word vocals acting as a metronome of sorts, narrating the action while keeping the music centered and steady. ‘Mrs Tang, Please Dance for Me Again’ takes the already slow pace and introduces a violin before Kaliening’s vocal becomes faster, more irritated and the guitars begin to swirl around, plucking and strumming unorthodox sounds into the air.

Scan the QR code to listen:

Extinct Melodies From The Canto Club by Fauve Records Having begun life as an online radio station based out of Hong Kong, the Fauve collective managed to raise enough funds to begin their own label. With the station seemingly taking a back seat to releases on the label, Fauve Records have already released a pair of records, the first called Extinct Melodies From The Jungle Zone and the second by the name of Extinct Melodies From The Canto Club. Both are retrospectives of sorts, with the latter focusing on a bygone era of “party people with shoulder pads, big hair, white Rolls-Royces, panama hats” in the Fragrant Harbor. We get off the ground with Romain Fx’s super funky edit of a Cantonese track called ‘Big Ball.’ There’s much to love on this opener, a tight, infectious rhythm with what sounds like cowbells surrounding the female Cantonese vocalist. Midnight Runners’ edit of ‘Do it For Love’ enters next, and it is pianosoaked pop given a house makeover, an excellent tribute to the legacy of disco-infused Cantopop.

Closing out the record with a trio of Romain Fx edits, this album is the ideal party starter: tropical, fun and funky.

Scan the QR code to listen:

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THE FUTURE

SOUND OF CHINA

The Conflicting Tides of Digital Streaming and Live Music

By Bryan Grogan

C

onsumption of digital music in China is growing rapidly.

Streaming site Tencent Music claims to have reached 800 million users, while Netease puts its number of users at around the 600 million mark. Both have raised huge sums of funding in the past few years, helping to drive consumption of music in digital spaces. But what does this mean for the live music industry? As more promoters, festivals and live music venues enter the fray, along with increasing investment from the government, it has become more and more obvious that the number of Chinese music fans willing to head to live shows is not rising nearly as fast as investment into the live music market might suppose.

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Swimming with the Stream

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n the past few years, the explosive growth of music streaming investment in China has caused the music industry as a whole to boom. The country’s cultural power brokers have taken notice, investing label and artist time into music and video streaming sites.

With giant Chinese conglomerates like Tencent and Wanda having invested heavily in the global film industry for years, music seems like the next step for the most populous country in the world. It was recently announced that Tencent Holdings will buy a 10% stake in the world’s biggest record label, Universal Music Group (and are reserving the right to buy another 10% by mid-January 2021). This comes after Tencent Holdings’ subsidiary Tencent Music raised USD1.1 billion in its US initial public offering (IPO) at the end of 2018.

“We have seen Chinese investment Im ages c o u rtes y o f S pli t Wor k s

Image courtesy of Fake Music Media

I don't think that we necessarily need to accelerate the growth but rather control it, regulate it and create a healthy music ecosystem where every company plays its part and we don't have one dominant player

going into the film industry for a while now,” says Philipp Grefer, co-founder of Fake Music Media, which represents Chinese rock bands The Hormones and Nova Heart. “I think what is new is that, now, China is not only taking center stage in trade deals or geopolitical maneuvering, but is also taking a more assertive role in the international entertainment industry, and the music business is the newest addition to that.”

The Tencent-Universal Music Group deal is huge news for other reasons too; it points towards a future in which China takes intellectual property (for which it has had a pretty bad reputation on the global stage) more seriously, allowing musicians, producers and labels to harness more money, contributing to the growth of the industry as a whole. Adding increased awareness of the need for strong IP laws, Tencent’s music streaming site is increasingly using paid models, gradually getting audiences used to paying for their music online, in the same way that sites like Spotify have done in the West.

These paid models have allowed the global music industry to continue to grow despite the drastic downturn in album sales, with more and more big-name artists putting their latest releases behind paywalls. The rate for these releases may be as little as RMB10 for an album, but the potential that conditioning audiences to buying music has for the Chinese market is huge.

One of Spotify’s most important features is the playlist portion of the app, while the recommended artists section has been revolutionary. Chinese apps are doing similar things, though they’ve also adopted what you could call a ‘social media method’ of inserting and promulgating the use of articles, charts and banner headlines for new artists, which are proving to act as fantastic promotional tools.

For musicians, the ease of access that mobile apps afford is a great boon, allowing listeners to tune in to a new or recommended album on the subway to and from work, and the exposure from these platforms is proving to be extremely helpful in getting the word out about their music.

“So far, we have had great responses on Netease, Xiami and Apple Music,” say Xu Bo and Zhao Yue, CEO and COO of indie label Merrie Records. “Apple Music has given our artist, Shii, special promo in their Taiwan and Hong Kong stores and this has resulted in her tracks getting on the top 100 iTunes list.”

In terms of the economics of the industry, it is easy to get sucked into the idea of more growth. But those working within music are aware that the market now needs to take stock of itself, take a look at fundamentals and focus on building steadily.

Grefer puts it plainly, “I don’t think that we necessarily need to accelerate the growth but rather control it, regulate it and create a healthy music ecosystem where every company plays its part and we don’t have one dominant player.”

TOP 10 MUSIC MARKETS GLOBALLY 1. USA 2. Japan 3. UK 4. Germany 5. France

6. South Korea 7. China 8. Australia 9. Canada 10. Brazil

Source: IFPI Global Music Report 2019

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40 When we're planning a tour now, if you compare our targets to, say, three years ago, you can do a really shit-hot job. You can really create quite a compelling campaign around a release that, three or four years ago, would have been unfathomable

Finger on the Pulse

I

t is undeniably hard to avoid the topic of money when discussing music labels in China. While smaller local crews like SVBKVLT, Do Hits, Ran Music and Genome 6.66mbp have captured local and global imagination, the larger music labels have been trying hard to keep up with the cool club kids.

Taihe Music Group – which picked up storied rock label Maybe Mars back in 2017, Mintone Records (Mingtang) in 2018 and operates indie label Ruby Eye Records – launched their own electronic music label and distributor, E-Werk, at the end of 2019, seeking, it seems, to enter the underground club market.

Elsewhere, one of the country’s major labels, Cao Tai, has also dipped its toes into the electronic market with the launch of sublabel Crater Records. While Crater has been largely inactive over the past year, they have signed new artists and are looking at the release of a new compilation

album for 2020.

At the same time as mega-labels seek to corner the markets that various rising genres offer, smaller, independent labels are securing funding for their larger aspirations. One of the most encouraging stories from 2019 was the news that alternative music label Merrie Records, created by the team behind D-Force Records, had found a solid investor to put money into their vision.

The label, which brings together some of the stalwarts of the Chinese music scene, has quickly set out a number of impressive initiatives. On the one hand, they have been quick to open up the label into subcategories or sublabels. That move is based on their experience running D-Force Records, which covered a wide range of music, but was largely seen as being inclined towards indie rock or indietronica.

With Merrie Records, the folks behind the label are aware of the need to establish

I ma ge s cou r te s y of S p li t Wor k s

unique brands and identities early on.

Thus far, they have divided themselves into three different labels. Merrie Records will continue to cover indie pop (with electronic elements) and indie rock.

Little Soul will cover experimental music and is run by Zhu Wenbo, the influential founder of a Beijing institution from a previous era, weekly experimental music performance Zoomin Nights. And new sublabel Captcha will release music coming out of the underground club and electronic scene. Captcha is set to be run by Wang Changchun, who releases music under the name ayrtbh, known widely for creating glitchy, electronic music.

Another of Merrie Records’ significant moves was the founding of Pelican Music Academy, which has already released a guidebook for beginners entering the music industry. The aim is for Pelican to act as a business school.

“We think young artists need help with

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CULTURAL INTERCONNECTIVITY professional skills,” Merrie Records’ CEO Xu Bo and COO Zhao Yue explain. “Things like how to run your own social media, how to work with streaming platforms and with brands, how to book and promote your own shows and more.”

As the number of outlets for musicians to reach new fans grows, with the right advice musicians can earn a living off their music alone, something that, for many young artists, might have been unimaginable just a few years ago.

Ross Miles, booking agent as well as promoter and manager of Chinese electronic musicians like Howie Lee and Scintii, speaks to the idea that the infrastructure for music in China has grown tremendously: “When we’re planning a tour now, if you compare our targets to, say, three years ago, you can do a really shit-hot job now,” he says. “You can really create quite a compelling campaign around a release that, three or four years ago, would have been unfathomable.”

One of the major trends in the club music scene in China has seen creatives from a variety of visual industries getting involved, leading to a crossover of mediums, establishing clubs as centers of culture. In Hangzhou, locally-based video artist Cheng Ran has set up The fART, an exhibition space devoted to the work of his collective, Martin Goya Business, right next door to Loopy, the nucleus for underground club music in Hangzhou.

In Beijing, M. Woods became the first museum in the world to open its own dedicated club space, guī.

Tom Mouna, who is taking the lead on guī, speaks about the increasing interconnection of art and music in China over the past decade, “I think it’s something that has been prevalent in China for a while, with clubs like ALL [in Shanghai] and OIL [in Shenzhen], as well as promoters like Asian Dope Boys, and an overall greater emphasis on the originality and progressiveness of club night posters and visuals. It’s definitely not something that is unique to China, and perhaps is connected to an overall

academic turn of electronic music.”

One of the more impressive artists in this realm is 33EMYBW. A visual artist and fashion designer as well as a musician, her recent works seem to guide the listener through a narrative story, based around ideas of the future and humanity’s role in it. While her music fits within the club, it also feels like a story, an idea or a concept. Labels all over China have been publishing works that tend to fit with what has been labeled as conceptronica by Pitchfork, with Echoloop, SVBKVLT and Genome 6.66mbp all giving space for artists to experiment.

Scan the QR code to listen to 33EMYBW’s album ‘Arthropods’

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Rise of the Talent Show

R

eturning to the mainstream, there are certain aspects of the industry that uphold, but also threaten young artists within the music business. Over the last few months of 2019 and continuing on into 2020, TV talent show The Big Band has been putting on performances at music venues and live houses around the country, bringing together young bands for a talent concert of sorts in the style of a ‘battle of the bands.’ The winning bands from this group of shows gain the opportunity to take part in the second season of The Big Band, to perform at festivals and have the chance to sign with Taihe Music Group.

The talent show format is not new.

Music shows have been around for years, with artists like Yunggiema and Hanggai getting breaks into the mainstream on shows like Chinese Idol and Sing My Song. Recently, however, more refined and focused shows have been working at breaking scenes open for the general public in China.

A prime example is Rap of China, which brought young rappers and musicians like PG One, Gai, Wang Yitai, Lexie Liu and more to fame. The show has undoubtedly been good for the growth of the rap scene, bringing a huge new fan base to the

genre. It also seems to have provided the impetus for large TV streaming companies to use the same model for different niches of music; iQiyi quickly brought the format to indie music with The Big Band.

RADII’s Culture Editor Josh Feola has been outspoken in his skepticism of how beneficial the talent show format truly is for artists: “My attitude about the most recent developments in the Chinese music industry, and where it will go next, is somewhere between cautious optimism and skepticism. It hasn’t yet crossed into worry, or full-blown cynicism, but let’s see what happens in 2020.

“I still hold out hope that there will be artists who bypass the talent show system and use the older and more traditional methods that have sustained the underground scene from the ’90s to now: independent labels, small venues, grassroots organization, DIY operations.”

One of the downsides of the talent show format is that bands and artists are being white-washed, or having their image toned down in order to appear on the show. Artists who have appeared on The Big Band have complained the show’s producers decide on outfits and band narratives. That proves problematic for

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3 NICHE TALENT SHOWS acts that have been operating with their own identities within the indie scene for decades.

On the other side of that argument, bands that have been active on local scenes for years stand to finally gain a larger audience, leading to commercial opportunities with brands and shows at huge stadiums like the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai. It remains to be seen, however, whether this popularity is sustainable, or if it is merely a flash in the pan.

“The more potentially useful function of the platform created by The Big Band and other shows will be to train an audience – this is who ultimately will support young bands in the long run,” says Feola. “But it’s not clear to me that the viewers of these shows will be repeat customers or directly support bands by buying music, merch or concert tickets.”

The expansion of musical tastes within the mainstream has caught the attention of large video streaming companies throughout the country, with a trio of niche talent shows taking China by storm over the latter part of the last decade.

RAP OF CHINA The original ‘niche’ music talent show, Rap of China was a smash hit, and could even be termed revolutionary. Seen as the catalyst for the launch of Kris Wu’s global appeal, the show was, on the one hand, a fantastically effective marketing tool for Wu’s career, but also helped to bring the music of Wang Yitai, Gai, PG One and others to the mainstream.

RAVE NOW With big names like Alan Walker and Lay Zhang involved with this EDM-based show, and with the market seeming to be expanding endlessly for the high-octane musical genre, this show shone a light on upcoming electronic musicians, while also setting the scene for Lay Zhang’s entry into the global music market via collaborations with Walker and, later, Jason DeRulo.

THE BIG BAND Initially drafting three mega labels, Taihe Music, Modern Sky and Cao Tai – as well as music distributor Street Voice – to provide artists for the show, The Big Band proved to be wildly popular with Chinese audiences, helping to introduce a number of rock bands, who had slogged away playing underground venues for years, to music fans. The likes of Hedgehog, New Pants and Miserable Faith saw a breakthrough, leading to endorsement deals and a boom in audience numbers at live shows.

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Live and Kicking?

T

he general impression around the live music scene going into 2020 is somewhat bleak, with venues continuing to close. One of those is Dada Shanghai, which shut its doors after more than a decade of operation, due to the condemnation of the building in which it was located. While it’s not necessarily a surprise, given that the best of the city’s underground venues – like Elevator and Shelter – have been forced to move or close completely over the past couple of years, it begs the question as to why important cultural venues seem to lack protection in an age of continuous urban redevelopment. The situation up north is similarly bleak, with much dismay at long-running Beijing venue Yugong Yishan officially shutting its doors in early 2019.

At the same time, the Beijing government started the new decade by declaring its intention to become an “international capital of music,” with a music and related industries revenue goal of RMB120 billion by 2025. To realize this, they have pledged to set up a special fund for the industry, build live music establishments, music towns, music industrial parks and encourage original music with subsidies. It will also build a big data platform for online music and protect music copyrights, according to their guidelines.

That announcement has been met with skepticism from music watchers and promoters around the country, who are unsure of how investment in AI, music data banks and music compounds will benefit local music scenes.

Archie Hamilton, co-founder of music company Split Works, was one of the first to put on a music festival in China back in 2007.

“For the first six or seven years, everyone was saying, ‘You’re barking up the wrong fucking tree,’” says Hamilton.

“But we were absolutely convinced that humans are humans. Ultimately, everyone

I ma ge s cou r te s y of S p li t Wor k s

likes getting together and listening to music, everywhere in the world, so it’s going to work here as well.”

Fostering a culture of live music in China, Split Works got to the point where they felt they were going to pull it off.

Then big international festivals with big money began to enter China, increasing competition for space in the market and raising the price tag of headlining acts.

“We fought hard for nearly a decade, and then suddenly EDM came in hard and some of the bigger companies got massive, massive amounts of sponsorship and investment. We did our own deals, managed to secure some investment and decent sponsorship over the years. But, like anything in China, the market just saturated itself,” Hamilton says.

“At a certain point it looked like you could make money out of festivals, but,

whenever anything looks like it could be profitable or interesting, all the dumb money in China piles in. Suddenly, what was a thin emerging marketplace became completely unsustainable for everyone.”

Split Works’ Concrete & Grass Festival had proven to be a favorite among music fans over the past few years. However, they were forced to cancel the festival last year, after what Hamilton describes as a very difficult 2018. His feelings about the industry in China reflect those of Philipp Grefer – viewing this moment in time as the perfect opportunity to take stock and reflect on what the future holds.

Moving forward, Split Works is going back to its roots, putting on more evenkeeled tours and shows, while looking for new and interesting ideas for their events, rather than focusing on big, headlinerbased music festivals.

In terms of the club-based music scene, Ross Miles says that promoters are also taking a step back to reconsider how to get people to go out and party. Miles, who has worked in promotion in China for the better part of the past decade, speaks to the shrinking number of fans at Shanghai clubs on any given weekend.

“When I first moved to Shanghai in 2012, we did our first party at Shelter. Back then, Shelter was going through quite a green patch. A good night at Shelter then would have 350 people,” says Miles. “Now, a good night at ALL is half that, or less than half that. You look at the numbers and notice there’s a drop off. But then, you look at the audience and you see – not just at ALL, but at Elevator now and 44KW as well – a dedicated audience who are really plugged into that particular club or that particular scene.”

This trend again speaks to the power of streaming and listening to favorite artists online, with audiences growing increasingly savvy about underground music; with the ease of access to music growing, tastes have developed.

“It’s that kind of scene building versus running a business, and unfortunately those two things don’t always align very well,” says Miles. “Having a club with 150 predominantly Chinese kids in is great for your legacy creatively or otherwise, but if you’re looking to run a business with relatively high rent and labor costs involved, you’ve got to sell tickets and sell drinks. Often, you’re just about selling tickets and you don’t sell very many drinks.

How do you wed those things together?

That’s what everyone’s trying to figure out right now.”

Taking stock of the Chinese music industry as we enter a new decade, then, all is not necessarily well. On the one hand, we see the market for digital music booming. On the other, the ailing health of an increasingly competitive live music industry has its main players worried about what the future will hold.

Will increased streaming give rise to increased musical knowledge and larger fan bases for a variety of genres?

Or will kids be disinclined to go to a live show when they can just listen to their favorite artist online? Does the increased involvement of government in the development of live music promise sustenance for upcoming artists? Time most certainly will tell, but, as of now, for those who care about the growth of a vibrant musical culture in China, more money means more problems.

40 YEARS YOUNG When it comes to music in China, most of the current trends have had, at most, no more than 40 years to develop.

Looking back, 1978 was a very fruitful time for experimental, alternative forms of music around the world: Brian Eno released the album Ambient 1: Music for Airports, the first to be explicitly created under the label ‘ambient music’; Kraftwerk released their iconic album The Man-Machine, refining their mechanical style; and Talking Heads released More Songs About Buildings and Food, the first in a trio of experimental and critically acclaimed releases.

Things were not so fruitful in China.

Up until that point, styles like Cantopop, Mandopop and Northwest Wind had dominated. Then, in 1979, a group of foreign workers based in Beijing called The Peking All Stars became the first rock band in China.

Fast forward to 1984 and the ‘Father of Chinese Rock,’ Cui Jian, formed his first band, Qi He Ban, influenced by the likes of The Beatles and Talking Heads. Western influences had started to enter the country; Cui was one of a number of music fans who gained access to Western music via the importation of illicit records by acts like Simon and Garfunkel and John Denver. He shot to fame in 1986 after performing at Beijing Worker’s Stadium, and China’s rock music scene began to lift off, In the mid-’90s, music crept further into underground spaces, with bands like Brain Failure introducing punk music to kids, and summing up the boredom felt by the middle class. Around the same time, rap music began to take hold as acts like the group Lazy Mutha Fucka from Hong Kong and MC Hotdog out of Taiwan made waves.

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FOOD, DRINK

& EVENTS

A Slice of the Town

Eight Pizzas to Die for in Guangzhou, p50

IN GUANGZHOU

@Firefly P53 46 | GZ | FEBRUARY 2020 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM 46 | GZ | FEBRUARY 2020 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM

Travel Deals P61

Crops of Hops

By Ryan Gandolfo

Chengdu, China’s picturesque metropolis out West, is most well-known for giant pandas and spicy cuisine. In fact, a visit to Sichuan’s capital isn’t complete until you’ve made the trip to the Chengdu Panda Base and indulged in some melt-your-face-off edibles at one of the city’s many lively hot pot restaurants. But beyond the bambooloving bears and mouth-burning dishes, Chengdu is home to a key player in China’s craft brewing revolution: Chengdu Harvest Brewing Company.

T

he story of Harvest Brewing Company is one of passion and perseverance. Founder Wang Rui navigated the bureaucratic red tape to establish his brewery, but incurred damages of RMB1 million after a nearby factory caught fire and destroyed Wang’s brewing equipment, according to an article by Sixth Tone.

However, China’s craft beer community, among others, rallied around Wang and his boozy ambitions and helped him rebuild.

Now that you know the background of the beer, here’s our take on the brewery’s Fumo IPA (fumo loosely translates to ‘defeating evil’). Coming in hoppy and with

a 6.9% ABV, this American-style brew is as smooth an IPA as we’ve had in recent memory, putting those bad beer spirits to rest. Its fruity aroma, paired with a citrusy flavor and a crisp aftertaste, make it a year-round champ. But for a relatively mellow IPA, it still contains that bitter taste we know and love.

In addition to being a cheers-worthy brew, the Fumo IPA boasts a tasteful, eyegrabbing design. The Chengdu brewery clearly holds the exterior of its cans in high regard, using the space as a canvas to showcase unique artwork, such as aliens relaxing on lychees, among other creative

drawings.

Only fitting for a Chengdu brew, we see the Fumo IPA pairing nicely with your next hot pot adventure or spicy noodle order, helping to fan the flames of those famous Sichuan peppercorns.

So, be sure to check out this IPA, preferably while visiting Chengdu. It’s about time you saw some pandas.

Scan the QR code below using the Taobao app to purchase Chengdu Harvest Brewing’s Fumo IPA.

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BEER OF THE MONTH

CHENGDU HARVEST BREWING’S FUMO IPA

GRAPE VINE THE SCANDALOUS SCOOP

We’re digging:

The new robot restaurant in Zhujiang New Town, which features a specialized ‘burger robot’; massive new Haizhu haunt Seven Club (page 52); the finely crafted cocktails at @Firefly, a cozy new bar in the heart of the city (page 53); the fact all our favorite bars and restaurants are once again open during their regular hours, after the Spring Festival holiday; and, of course, 8am boozing on Super Bowl ‘Monday.’

We’re done with:

Real Kung Fu, after Bruce Lee’s daughter, Sharon Lee, launched legal action against the restaurant chain last month for using the likeness of her father without permission or payment; and Lay’s spicy crayfish flavored chips, which are a major letdown if you consider yourself a fan of xiaolongxia.

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WE TRY IT

Spicy Crayfish and Fried Crab Lay’s While recently browsing the shelves at our local convenience store, we noticed that one of our favorite inventors of bizarre potato chip flavors – Lay’s – has a couple of new releases: spicy crayfish flavor and fried crab flavor.

The spicy crayfish flavor comes in a rather lovely pastel pink bag, and is outdone only by the pastel green packaging of the fried crab chips. Both packages caught our attention, so we figured ‘what the hell’ and bought them both.

Upon cracking open the spicy crayfish-flavored Lay’s, our nostrils were hit with an odor that was surprisingly similar to that of the ever-popular, chili-imbued Chinese xiaolongxia. The similarities end there, though. Taste-wise, the chips are underwhelming and lack the advertised spicy kick we were hoping for.

Best described as a Lay’s Original with a subtle fishy taste, Lay’s spicy crayfish flavor is a letdown – particularly if you actually enjoy xiaolongxia.

The fried crab-flavored Lay’s take a different tack: While the crayfish chips lacked in flavor, the fried crab variety go well overboard – and it isn’t pleasant. The chip seasoning is highly reminiscent of the shellfish you find at late-night barbecue joints in China’s coastal areas, where piles of garlic are used to cover up the taste of week-old oyster. Because the flavor is so pungent, Lay’s fried crab flavor doesn’t get better the more you eat; it remains overpowering and, frankly, repulsive.

Who’s eating them: We honestly don’t know. We have a feeling that even those expats who like pig brain, intestines and blood in hot pot might avoid these Price: RMB7

E D I T O R . G B A @ U R B A N A T O M Y. C O M

BREAKING BITE

Chimichanga Chowin’ An old favorite of ours, Tristan’s CalMex, has reintroduced chimichangas to its menu! Tristan’s chimichangas are famous for their crunchy exteriors and wide range of interior fillings – any of the restaurant’s burritos (pork, chicken, veggie, etc.) can be prepared as a chimichanga. Our preferred variation: the breakfast chimichanga (RMB75). Made with eggs, crispy American-style bacon, rice and a hearty portion of beans and cheese, this beastly, fried burrito will make you a return customer (as it did for us).

Shop 102, 168 Tiyuxi Hengjie, Tiyu Xi Lu, Tianhe District 天河区体育 西路体育西横街168号102铺 (139 2608 0256)

WIN! One Free Copy of The Golden Forks: A Greater Bay Area Dining Guide 2019-2020 We’ve heard, we’ve listened and we’ve responded: You wanted a food guide by local experts, a guide that looks beyond Cantonese food to examine the amazing range of world cuisines available in the Greater Bay Area – and now we’ve delivered with our first-ever foodie guide book: The Golden Forks: A Greater Bay Area Dining Guide 2019-2020. Our comprehensive dining and drinking guide informs expats, visitors and locals alike on the myriad of food and beverage options available in the Greater Bay Area. From Indian food to German, Italian, French, Mexican and American-style cuisines, we have you covered in our 141-page perfectly-bound book. If you’re a foodie living in or visiting the Greater Bay Area, consider this book your essential companion! Win a free copy by messaging your name, phone number and favorite restaurant to our official WeChat account (ID: ThatsGuangzhou).

To purchase a copy, head over to thmart.com.cn

AD

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E AT & DR INK | F E AT UR E

A SLICE OF THE TOWN

Eight Pizzas to Die for in Guangzhou

By Tristin Zhang

If there’s one food that’s characteristic of the epicurean Italian people, it must be pizza. With both innovative and classic recipes, the pizza sphere in Guangzhou is constantly evolving. Below, we feature several of our favorite pizzas from some of the best trattorias in town.

Buon appetito!

MAMAMIA 1. Parma ham, arugula and parmesan cheese; 12-inch (RMB130) 2. Porchetta and mushrooms; 12-inch (RMB90) Open daily, 11.30am-10pm. Shop 405, 4/F, Friendship Store (IFC), 5 Zhujiang Xi Lu, Tianhe District 天河区珠江西 路5号IFC国金天地4楼405铺 (8708 5911)

MERCATO 1. Spicy salami, broccolini, housemade ricotta; 10-inch (RMB138) 2. Black truffle, three cheese and farm egg; 10-inch (RMB218) Mon-Fri, 5pm-1am; Sat-Sun, 11.30-1am. Shop 802, 8/F, K11 Art Mall, 6 Zhujiang Dong Lu, Tianhe District 天河区 珠江东路6号K11购物艺术中心8楼802铺 (6681 8086)

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F E AT UR E | E AT & DR INK

DAFRANCESCO 1. Mushroom, ham, truffle sauce; 9-inch (RMB88), 12-inch (RMB118) 2. Mozzarella, basil, tomato sauce; 9-inch (RMB48), 12-inch (RMB68) Open daily, 11-1am. Shop G17, 17 Xingsheng Lu, Tianhe District 天河区兴盛路17号自编G17号弗朗西 斯科意大利餐厅 (3889 4035)

OGGI TRATTORIA (THE CANTON PLACE)

1. Mozzarella, mixed seafood, garlic, parsley, cherry tomatoes, tomato sauce; 12-inch, (RMB118) 2. Eggplant, zucchini, roasted bell pepper, mushroom, spinach, tomato sauce; 12-inch (RMB98)

Open daily, 11am-11pm. Shop 106, The Canton Place, Qingfeng Jie, Tianhe District 天河区清风街广 粤天地106铺 (3862 0240)

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E AT & DR INK | NE W B A R

SEVEN CLUB Commune Copycat

By Matthew Bossons

Z

hongchuanhui Creative Park is undergoing something of a renaissance. Once the home of indoor basketball courts and a smattering of Chinese restaurants, the entertainment zone, which is located just a short walk from Haizhu’s second coolest party area, Taigucang Wharf, now plays host to several bars, a cinema complex, cat cafe, McDonald’s and a pretty swell Japanese restaurant.

The newest addition to the area: a bar known simply as Seven Club.

Located across from Korean eatery Jiangnan Benjia, Seven Club is a welcome addition to the creative park’s budding drinking scene.

Spacious and with ample indoor and outdoor seating, Seven Club has modeled itself off the ‘Commune model,’ with bottles of beer or spirits chosen and paid for in a semi-enclosed area decked out with stand-up coolers. There are craft suds, and bigbatch beer from around the world, as well as an ample supply of the ‘hard stuff ’ – ranging from scotch to soju and everything in between. Beer prices are reasonable, although high-end whiskeys are predictably pricey.

Folks looking to avoid the intoxicating effects of alcohol can choose

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from a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, ranging from mocktails and juice to hot chocolate.

For those that enjoy a little sustenance while hitting the bottle, Seven Club offers a range of affordably priced edible options. We start our visit with an order of the beer-battered fish fillet (RMB32), which comes in bite-sized chunks and drizzled with a mystery sauce (which we think is a type of sesame dressing). Strangely, both the species of fish used in the dish and the sauce are a mystery to service staff, but we enjoy it nonetheless (although we prefer the classic tartar sauce with our fried fish).

The wild mushroom and bacon pasta with truffle sauce (RMB38) is another dish we’d order again, with a creamy, umami sauce and an honorable pasta-to-meat-and-fungi ratio. The Thai-style seafood fried rice (RMB38) and the German sausage, black truffle and wild mushroom pizza (RMB42) are both passable, although we’ll probably pass on them on our next visit.

In addition to the aforementioned dishes, Seven Club’s menu also features steak and

salmon plates.

Overall, we enjoy Seven Club and are willing to wager that it is the top drinking spot in the Zhongchuanhui Creative Park (a low bar to pass, to be fair) and possibly even the Shayuan area at large. While it could be argued the establishment is a bit of a Commune copycat, we find the service prompter and staff more attentive than at Commune. We also found Seven Club’s open, beer hall-like main space to be more jovial and, well, communal.

Price: RMB75-100 per person Who’s going: people not willing to cab to the nearest Commune location Good for: beers, mocktails, passable pub grub at a reasonable price Nearest metro: Shayuan (Exit B), 10 minutes Open daily, 10-3am. 139 Gexin Lu, Haizhu District 海珠区革新路139号 (3900 0070)

@FIREFLY COCKTAIL BAR

NE W B A R S | E AT & DR INK

Intimate Intoxication

By Ryan Gandolfo

I

f you’re looking for a quiet and cozy place to enjoy a drink and company, @Firefly is a new spot that checks those boxes.

Located off Huaxia Lu in the heart of the city’s downtown area, the cocktail bar can be found on the second floor of R&F Yingtong Square, with the establishment’s neon sign visible from outside the mall. The entrance can be found through a small glass room loosely decorated with whiskey bottles (if you can even call it decoration).

Once inside, however, the bar takes on an impressive design, redefining a traditional bar layout: There is ample space for guests to kick back with a beverage, while the bartender operates behind a bar uniquely shaped like a capital I. The offerings at @Firefly feature an array of specialty and classic cocktails as well as a collection of Scotch and Japanese whiskeys. Oddly enough, the drink names on the menu are written in Chinese while the

FLYING PAN White Out!

By Matthew Bossons

ingredients are added in English – meaning only bilinguals will really know what it is they’re ordering.

The Meizi Guniang (RMB85), made with choya, pineapple juice, cranberry juice and lemon juice, is both visually appealing and tasty, albeit catering to those less inclined for the hard stuff. Meanwhile, the Old Fashioned (RMB85) is true to form and delivers a boozy punch complemented by an orangey aroma. If you’re arriving with an appetite, you’ll be disappointed to learn that the bar has few food options, so we recommend grabbing a bite beforehand.

Perhaps most captivating and distinctive about @Firefly is the vibe, with the space illuminated by the bar shelves and multicolored drop-down lights, while classic hits you’ve likely heard in a movie or two play overhead. To sum it up, we view @Firefly as a prime spot to take a date or simply check out with a small group of friends.

W

hen you first watched the Matrix Reloaded, were you enthralled by the brilliant white hallway filled with endless doors that Neo wanders to locate the white-haired boomer known simply as ‘The Architect’? Or, what about the blinding white interior of Jango Fett’s flat on the planet Kamino in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones? If you were moved – or inspired – by the stunning lack of color in either of these iconic film sets, then there is a new bar near our office that you will absolutely love: Flying Pan (Chinese name: 半山小馆).

While the establishment shares its English name with an iconic Hong Kong diner, you won’t want to arrive here expecting eggs benny and black pudding. No, this spot, for us anyway, is all about the beer and the very, very colorless interior.

In addition to walls as white as the exterior of Al Pacino’s nose in that one Scarface scene (you know the one), Flying Pan sports four taps, each pouring a different small-batch concoction. On our most recent visit, Flying Pan had a Baltic porter (RMB45 per glass), hefeweizen (RMB48), West Coast IPA (RMB48) and an elderberry cider (RMB45).

The IPA is as memorable as Kate Winslet’s topless scene in Titanic, with a passive hoppy taste that renders it a sessionable choice. The hefeweizen is equally

Price: RMB150 Who’s going: close friends, Curious Georges Good for: private talks, cool photos for social media Nearest metro: Zhujiang New Town (Exit A1), 7 minutes’ walk

Open daily, 7pm-2am. Shop 205, Fuli Yingtong Dasha Shangchang, Huaxia Lu, Tianhe District 天河区华夏路 富力盈通大厦商场205铺 (82730070)

as good, although the elderberry cider smells and tastes like soap from Bed Bath & Beyond.

Worth noting: The taps here are set to change on occassion, as Flying Pan’s draft supplier, which is based in Foshan, will provide new brews seasonally.

While we don’t have space to profile the full range of beverages and foodstuffs at the bar slash restaurant slash cafe (you know, because we wasted so much space with stupid pop culture references), Flying Pan does offer a decent selection of Western and Chinese edibles as well as coffee, tea and a limited range of cocktails.

Price: RMB48 per drink Who’s going: employees at That’s GBA, people tired of drinking at the 7-Eleven across the road Good for: wearing sunglasses inside, losing your white sweater Nearest metro: Taojin (Exit B), 15 minutes’ walk Open Daily 6pm-midnight. 10-38 Luyuan Lu, Yuexiu District 越秀区麓苑路38号10 (189 0220 4150)

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E AT & DR INK | A D V E R T OR I A L

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Four Spots to Drink and Dine this Valentine’s Day

Ah, Valentine’s Day. It’s a day for roses, chocolate, kisses and – of course – a starry-eyed meal with the one you treasure most. But what makes an eatery romantic? Is it the setting, perhaps under the stars?

Or maybe it’s the food, with a fancy, multi-course meal made with premium ingredients being the most important aspect? While others may disagree, we’d argue it’s a combination of all these things. Here, we give you four date spots in Guangzhou that hit all the right spots.

ZAPATA’S MEXICAN PARTY BAR A rowdy, Mexico-themed bar and restaurant, Zapata’s offers pure, unadulterated madness every evening, with dancing, live music and spicy, authentic Mexican cuisine. It also pours some of the best margaritas this side of the Rio Grande. This Valentine’s Day, head to Zapata’s to dance the night away with your current love interest (or a side thing, we won’t judge).

Shop A21, Party Pier, Yuejiang Xi Lu, Haizhu District 海珠区 阅江西路珠江啤酒厂琶醍文化区A21 (8977 9596)

SLOW LIFE KITCHEN ELITE A highly regarded eatery known for creative dishes made with organic ingredients, Slow Life Kitchen Elite is located in close proximity to K11 and boasts a sleek interior design. Go with a date this Valentine’s Day and celebrate your budding romance over tapas and wine. Highlights from the tapas menu include the highly-recommended Spanish-style garlic shrimp, a full-flavored dish with thumb-sized crustaceans steeped in a sour and spicy soup, as well as the roasted asparagus and scallops with truffle cream sauce, which mashes up flavors to deliver a juicy yet delicate mouthful of shellfish.

Shop 205, 2/F, Kaihua International Center, 5 Xiancun Lu, Tianhe District 天河区冼 村路5号凯华国际中心二楼205铺 (8852 7317, 8852 7726)

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JOJO’S RIVERSIDE Located at the pinnacle of the popular Party Pier entertainment area, JoJo’s Riverside offers stunning 360-degree views of the Canton Tower, Pearl River, Liede Bridge, CBD and Wanshengwei. With a fantastic dining menu, you and your special someone are guaranteed to find something scrumptious. Additionally, the bar slash restaurant also offers worldclass cocktails and an extensive beer selection.

Shop B11, Party Pier, Yuejiang Xi Lu, Haizhu District 海珠区阅江西路琶醍文化创意区B11号 (8977 9998)

MERCATO With the most romantic day of the year quickly approaching, we’d like to introduce you to one of our top picks for an elegant Valentine’s Day feast: Mercato.

For the uninitiated, Mercato serves up Michelin-quality edibles in a casual and relaxing environment located inside Guangzhou’s K11 Art Mall in Tianhe District. The restaurant’s menu focuses largely on Italian cuisine and is overseen by an award-winning chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Expect decadent eats and a relaxed, romantic environment – particularly if you opt to dine al fresco, with the city lights and stars overhead.

Shop 802, 8/F, K11 Art Mall, 6 Zhujiang Dong Lu, Tianhe District 天河区珠江新城珠江东路6 号K11购物艺术中心8楼802商铺 (6681 8086)

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HEAR Ksenija Sidorova Accordion

Ksenija Sidorova is an internationally acclaimed musician recognized for her outstanding skills on the accordion. Hailing from Latvia, Sidorova picked up the accordion at 8 years old. She furthered her study of the instrument under the guidance of esteemed British accordionist Owen Murray and has been active on the international stage since 2009. Her first album, Carmen, was released in 2016 by German label Deutsche Grammophon.

Sun Feb 16, 2.30pm; RMB180-380. Guangzhou Opera House, 1 Zhujiang Xi Lu, Tianhe District 天河区珠江西路1号广州大剧院 (gzdjy.org)

Sound Intersection Guitar

Sound Intersection is an album by two elite Japanese guitarists, Yuki Matsui and Seiji Igusa. Matsui, a self-taught acoustic guitar player, garnered public attention on YouTube, where he shared his performances with music lovers around the globe. He later used the platform to release several albums and hold recitals. Igusa, who picked up the guitar at the age of 15 after learning the piano and percussion, has won a slew of awards and has five albums to his name.

Igusa’s style was influenced by British jazz guitarist Martin Taylor and American country acoustic guitarist Boyle Dykes. The two musicians join forces this month to wow audiences at Mao Livehouse.

Fri Feb 21, 8pm; RMB200/280. Mao Livehouse, 1/F, Zhongzhou Trading Center, Huizhan Nan Wu Lu, Haizhu District 海珠区会展南五路中州交易中心1楼 (damai.cn) 56 | GZ | FEBRUARY 2020 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM

Chris Botti Trumpet

Once named one of the most handsome men in the world by Time magazine, Oregonian Chris Botti is more than just eye candy: He is a celebrated trumpet player and one of the best-selling instrumental artists in the United States. On his platinum album Night Sessions, Botti infused jazz with pop music to create an innovative new sound. Botti’s When I Fall in Love earned much critical acclaim, and even made the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2004.

Sat Feb 29, 8pm; RMB180-1,080. Xinghai Concert Hall, 33 Qingbo Lu, Ersha Island, Yuexiu District 越秀区二沙岛晴波路33号星海音乐厅 (ticket-easy.cn)

Castle in the Sky Concert

The classics of Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki come to life this month at Xinghai Concert Hall in an audiovisual extravaganza.

Performers from some of the country’s best conservatories will come together to deliver a sensational, family-friendly musical rendering of such pioneering anime tales as Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro and Valley in the Sky. Sun Feb 16, 8pm; RMB80-380. Xinghai Concert Hall, 33 Qingbo Lu, Ersha Island, Yuexiu District 越秀区二沙岛晴 波路33号星海音乐厅 (ticket-easy.cn)

Dang Thai Son Piano

Vietnamese musician Dang Thai Son is an active pianist in music circles throughout Europe and the Americas. A renowned piano educationist as well as a prestigious judge in international music competitions, Dang was the first Asian pianist to win the Chopin Competition in 1980.

On March 1, experience Dang’s impressive performance of Chopin’s classic compositions at Xinghai Concert Hall.

Sun Mar 1, 8pm; RMB480-880. Xinghai Concert Hall, 33 Qingbo Lu, Ersha Island, Yuexiu District 越秀区二沙岛晴 波路33号星海音乐厅 (ticket-easy.cn)

SEE National Theatre Live: Present Laughter Play Screening

Andrew Scott, famous for his role in BBC’s Sherlock as well as in Fleabag, takes on the lead role in Present Laughter. In this provocative comedy, Gary Essendine is a star actor who is about to start a tour overseas, but his last days at home turn out to be whirlwind of love, sex, panic and soul-searching. Financial Times calls the comedy “a treat of a production: a timely depiction of the hollow nature of fame.” Enjoy a livestreamed version of the play at Guangzhou Opera House.

Sat Feb 15, 7pm; RMB150. Guangzhou Opera House, 1 Zhujiang Xi Lu, Tianhe District 天河区珠江西路1号广州大剧院 (gzdjy.org)

Dreams of Eden Exhibition

As part of his Asian tour, artist Joseph Klibansky is staging a solo exhibition at K11, featuring installations, paintings and sculptures (including two sexually active wugui) that brim with blue-sky thinking. Klibansky’s artworks are evidently post-conceptual, characterized by intense visual impact and sarcasm in regards to social affairs. The exhibit is divided into three sections, each with their own distinctive character.

Tue-Sat until Mar 31, 10am-9.30pm; RMB80 one person, RMB130 two people. chi K11 Art Space, K11 Art Mall, 6 Zhujiang Dong Lu, Tianhe District 天河区珠江东路6 号K11艺术购物中心

Canton Enamel Special Exhibition

Canton-made enamelware was once among the creme de le creme of its kind during the Qing dynasty, and treated as tributes to the Qing emperors. Enamel pieces were also considered high-quality exports to the West. In this exhibition, a total of 120 delicate enamelware items are showcased, along with captions that explain each piece’s history.

Tue-Sun until Mar 19, 9am-5pm; free admission. Guangdong Museum, 2 Zhujiang Dong Lu, Tianhe District 天河区珠江东路2号广东博物馆 (gdmuseum.com)

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DO Register for the Guangzhou 100 Ultra Trail Race

The Guangzhou 100, organized by the Guangzhou Sports Bureau, is an annual sporting event for trail runners. The event includes routes covering the city’s iconic Baiyun Mountain, Maofeng Mountain, the hills in Longdong and beyond.

Participants – a total of 1,300 are expected this year – are grouped into three categories – 30, 60 and 100 kilometers. The trail-running event is scheduled for March and registration is open now. Visit www.letoursport.com for more information.

Lantern Festival Display at Yuexiu Park

The Lantern Festival at Yuexiu Park combines a stunning variety of lanterns with diverse flower species, stunning floral arrangements and illuminated 3D flowerbeds. The lantern show here is a wonderful occasion for an evening stroll with family or friends – just beware of the crowds!

Daily until Feb 16; RMB30 adults, RMB15 children. Yuexiu Park, 988 Jiefang Bei Lu, Yuexiu District 越秀区解放北路988号越秀公园

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TA S T E Seasonal Berries Dessert Collection at Four Seasons

Next time you’re in Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou, pop by Dolcetto for a delicious array of cakes and desserts with seasonal berries and other fruits prepared by Executive Pastry Chef Keng Seng Mak. From blueberry cheesecake and lemon meringue tarts to mango yuzu cake and hazelnut crunch cake, this new line of pastries will surely satisfy your sweet tooth.

Daily ongoing, 7.30am-8pm. Dolcetto, 1/F, Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou, 5 Zhujiang Xi Lu, Tianhe District 天河区珠江西路5号广州四季酒店首层 (8883 3901)

Valentine’s at Roof Top Bar

Love is in the air at Roof Top Bar on Valentine’s Day. Come to the LN Hotel Five’s rooftop and enjoy a lovely six-course set dinner prepared by its award-winning chef for this special occasion.

Fri-Sat Feb 14-15, 6.30-10.30pm; RMB888 for two. Roof Top Bar, LN Hotel Five, Guangzhou, 277 Yanjiang Zhong Lu, Yuexiu District 越秀区沿江中路277号广州岭南 五号酒店 (8931 0505)

HONG KONG & MACAO CALENDAR HK

FEB 8-9 SAT-SUN

Hong Kong Marathon, various times, prices and venues (hkmarathon.com) The Hong Kong Marathon is taking place this February, and this year’s event will be the first time that a 10-kilometer wheelchair race for disabled participants is included!

The race includes a variety of events, from 800 meters (Kickoff Family Run) to the full-length 42-kilometer marathon, and is considered one of Hong Kong’s most popular sporting events.

FEB 14-16 FRI-SUN

Masters of Hong Kong, 8pm; various prices. AsiaWorld-Expo (longinesmasters.com) There’s something about watching horses run that is simply enthralling. Masters of Hong Kong will kick off this month, combining heart-pounding racing with topnotch entertainment, art and gastronomy. The event runs alongside Asia Horse Week, where the key players of the horse world meet (excluding BoJack Horseman, of course).

FEB 21-23 FRI-SUN

MO

UNTIL FEB 8

This Valentine’s Day, catch the beautiful and talented Latvian accordionist Ksenija Sidorova at this Latin-themed concert.

Sidorova picked up the accordion at the age of 8 and has been active on stage since 2009. She will be performing in concert with the Macao Orchestra under the baton of Polish conductor Michal Nesterowicz.

CNY Dinner at Vida Rica, noon-3pm, 6-10.30pm; various prices. Vida Rica Restaurant (Mandarin Oriental, Macau) Enjoy festive dishes and themed menus over an extended period this Chinese New Year at Mandarin Oriental, Macau’s Vida Rica Restaurant. Both Western and Cantonese set menus are available for one patron or a group of diners during lunch and dinner. For reservation, call 853 8805 8918.

FEB 24

UNTIL FEB 13

Feast of the God Tou Tei, Fok Tak Chi​, Horta da Mitra.

Tou Tei is the God of Earth in Chinese folk religion, who is believed to be everywhere.

Celebrations are held at the Tou Tei Temples on Taipa and elsewhere around the city. Chinese pastries are offered to Tou Tei on the occasion, while Cantonese opera performances will be staged in front of the Fok Tak Chi temple. Lion dances and other traditional shows will round out the festivities.

DAILY

DAILY

FROM FEB 13 THU

Hong Kong Arts Festival, various times, prices and venues (hkartsfestival.org) February is the best month of the year in Hong Kong for lovers of the arts scene. And while we’ve never heard anyone specifically state it, after checking out all the music and dance programs for this year’s Hong Kong Arts Festival, you better believe it! Starting on February 13, be sure to check out their website to find a show that will amaze.

Vegetarian Food Asia, various times and prices. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center (10times.com) With the goal of promoting a healthy and sustainable vegetarian lifestyle, the Vegetarian Food Asia exhibition is the perfect event to learn more about the fast-growing market. You’ve read it in the news: Food trends are changing from hamburgers to Impossible Burgers, with a more mainstream appeal for vegetarian food and products.

Buyers from around the globe will be at the event.

Red December, 10am-7pm; free admission. Tap Seac Gallery.

Red December is a solo exhibition of Macao-born Renaissance man Carlos Marreiros, an architect, city planner, painter, writer and poet. It features the namesake large-scale artwork by Marreiros, as well as a number of paintings from his sketchbook, depicting a utopia in which historic Chinese and Western figures from various periods converge to converse with each other.

FEB 14

MON

FEB 29-MAR 1 SAT-SUN

The Procession of the Passion of Our Lord, St. Augustine’s Church.

This iconic procession is a unique religious celebration in Macao.

An image of Christ carrying the cross is taken in solemn procession from St. Augustine’s Church to the Cathedral of Macao for an overnight vigil and then returned through the city via the stations of the cross, accompanied by a magenta-robed escort and crowds of the faithful and curious.

FRI

Latin Passion – Valentine’s Day Concert, 8pm; MOP150-250. Macao Cultural Center (macauticket.com)

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HOTEL NEWS NEWS

New Chef de Cuisine at Limoni Appointed Michele Tenzone was recently appointed Chef de Cuisine of Limoni at The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou.

After years of working in Michelin-starred restaurants and hotels, the adept Italian chef has developed his own cooking style that largely utilizes fresh seafood.

Langham Place, Guangzhou Hosts Appreciation Dinner

Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Yuzhou Xiamen Celebrates Anniversary

A dinner party was held by Langham Place, Guangzhou last month at The Peak, an elegant, chapel-like structure on the fifth floor of the hotel.

Dishes served on the evening were exquisitely prepared by new executive chef Rodrigo Martinez.

The Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Yuzhou Xiamen celebrated its one-year anniversary last month, on January 23. Located adjacent to Wuyuan Bay Bridge and Island Ring Boulevard, the hotel boasts 400 beautifully designed rooms, 90% of which offer stunning sea or bay views.

PROMOTIONS

Midea Shunde Foshan Opens Doors

Winter Spa Packages at Park Hyatt Guangzhou

Discovery Suite at Le Méridien Zhongshan

Located in the vicinity of famous art museums and golf courses in Foshan, Midea Shunde Foshan, a member of the Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio hotel series, opened its doors to guests in January.

Two spa packages are currently available at Park Hyatt Guangzhou – one featuring candles and essential oils and the other Himalayan salt, both utilizing natural ingredients to further relax every inch of your sore, weary body.

Stay with Le Méridien Zhongshan to discover the historic Guangdong city. The Discovery Suite package, priced at RMB1,888 for a two-night stay, includes buffet breakfasts, afternoon tea and more.

Call 0760-2280 8888 for more information.

Park Hyatt Guangzhou, 16 Huaxia Lu, Tianhe District 天河区华夏路16号广州柏悦酒店 (3769 1234)

21 Gangkou Dadao, Gangkou, Zhongshan 中山市 港口镇港口大道21号 (0760-2280 8888; lemeridienzhongshan.com)

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TRAVEL DEALS Two-Night Stay at The Westin Blue Bay Resort & Spa, Sanya Enjoy a relaxing two-night stay in a luxurious deluxe oceanfront room at The Westin Blue Bay Resort & Spa, Sanya this month for only RMB2,388.

This rate includes daily buffet breakfast for two adults and one child under 6 years old, a restaurant meal (one per stay, lunch or dinner), a RMB288 spa voucher, complimentary pickup or drop off service and free access to the children’s playground, infinity pool and wave pool, among other perks. Trust us when we say there’s no better way to start the Year of the Rat than with a beach vacation, and this package is the perfect excuse to ditch the city and enjoy a little sun and sand.

For booking and further information on this package, scan the QR code:

Two-Night Stay at Banyan Tree Spa Hangzhou If seaside fun isn’t your cup of tea, thMart has an alternative for you: Enjoy a two-night stay in a water-view villa at Banyan Tree Spa Hangzhou for only RMB3,999. In addition to daily Chineseand Western-style buffet breakfasts, this package also includes dinner with authentic Hangzhou dishes, admission tickets to Xixi National Wetland Park and discounts on purchases at the hotel gift shop. For travelers with kids, it also offers a complimentary extra soft bed with daily breakfast for your little one.

For booking and further information on this package, scan the QR code:

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CITY SCENES Bravo New Year’s Countdown Party (Supported by )

Mercato New Year’s Countdown Party (Supported by )

At Bravo’s New Year’s Countdown Party on December 31, a ‘Wealth&Honour Peace Cider’ was unveiled to thirsty patrons.

A great number of partygoers and fashionistas converged at Mercato on the evening of December 31 to ring in the arrival of 2020. Against the backdrop of Guangzhou’s CBD area, Mercato transformed into a party space on the last day of 2019, entertaining visitors with live music, dancing, champagne and much more.

Whiskey Tasting at Beeplus Super Bakery (Supported by )

New Year’s Countdown Party at wann lounge (Supported by )

Beeplus Super Bakery, billed as Asia’s biggest of its kind, played host to a whiskey tasting on December 30. Invitees included startup founders and entrepreneurs from various industries, who mingled and exchanged ideas. Beeplus’ whiskey tasting is shaping up to be a regular social gathering for like-minded individuals residing in the ever-changing city of Shenzhen.

With an exciting red theme, the countdown party at wann lounge on December 31 saw a slew of partygoers don their best red attire. The upscale lounge in Shenzhen hosted a fun-filled party with a live band and DJ, while giving out prizes to lucky attendees.

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GBA FOCUS

T

his January, Yue Jing Xuan at Park Hyatt Guangzhou earned the title of Two-Diamond Restaurant in the 2020 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide. This is the third time the restaurant has won the culinary award.

B

rowngrove School Mission Hills in Shenzhen held its Chinese New Year celebration on January 17. The event featured homemade food, live music, dragon dances, a cheongsam fashion show and many other festive activities.

O

n January 15, the British Consulate General in Guangzhou held a press conference where statistics about Sino-British trade and investment, visa reviews and more were provided.

L

N Holdings recently unveiled their new development, LN Residence, Changdi Guangzhou, which is located on the north bank of the Pearl River. Apartments ranging from luxury singles to two-bedroom suites meet diverse needs. Residents can enjoy 180-degree views of the Pearl River inside the rooms.

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LISTINGS FOOD & DRINK

Huangpu Dadao Xi, Tianhe District. 天河区黄埔大道西 87 号 Rebel Rebel 42 Tiyu Dong Lu, Tianhe District (8520 1579) 天河区体育东路 42 号

Slow Life An organic, health-conscious Western restaurant that excels in Spanish cuisine, Slow Life aims to be a place where guests can take a break from their busy schedules to visit with friends and family over a feast of delicious fusion dishes.

Shop 107, 1/F, Gaozhi Dasha, 120 Huangpu Dadao Xi, Tianhe District; Shop 205, 2/F, Kaihua International Center, 5 Xiancun Lu, Tianhe District 天河区黄埔大道西120号高志大厦首层107铺 (3788 7173, 3788 7172); 天河区冼村路5号凯华 国际中心二楼205铺 (2818 7263) Join the Bravo Mug Club to enjoy the following benefits: 1) points earned on every RMB1 spent at Bravo; 2) an exclusive pint glass; 3) four E-vouchers that can be redeemed for house brewed beer; and so much more! Annual membership costs RMB288. Visit Bravo for more details.

Element Fresh 1) Shop L302, TaiKoo Hui, 383 Tianhe Lu, Tianhe District (3808 8506); 2) G/F, 42 Qingfeng Jie, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe District (3828 8482) 新元素 , 1) 天河区天河路 383 号太古汇广场 L302 店 ; 2) 天河区珠江新城清风街 42 号首层 Gail’s American Cuisine & Bar Shop 11, 2/F, 6 Xingsheng Lu, Tianhe District (8928 0920, 3759 4226) 天河区兴盛路 6 号尚东君御二楼 11 铺 Happy Monk 1) Back of Yi'an Plaza, Jianshe Wu Malu, Yuexiu District (8376 5597) ; 2) No. 109, 7Xingsheng Lu, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe District (3877 8679); 3) Outdoor Plaza, Happy Valley Mall, 36 Machang Lu, Tianhe District (3832 5317) 1) 越秀区建设五马路宜安广场后门 ; 2) 天河区珠 江新城兴盛路 7 号 109 号铺 ; 3) 天河区珠江新城 马场路 36 号太阳新天地户外广场

Oggi Pizzeria 1) Shop 119, 8 Xingsheng Lu, Tianhe District (3805 1282); 4) 1 Tianlun Garden, Jianshe 4 Lu,Yuexiu District (8356 1196) www.oggirestaurant.com 卡布里西餐厅 1) 天河区兴盛路 8 号 119 铺 ; 2) 越 秀区建设四马路天伦花园首层 Polaris Bar and Dining Address: 87

HEALTH All Smile - Dr. Lu Int’l Dental Clinic Rm 603-604, 6/F, Metro Plaza, 183 Tianhe Bei Lu (24-hour hotline: 8755 3380). Mon-Sat 9am-6pm (other times by appointment) 大都会牙科，天河北路183号大都会广场六楼 603-604 Bellaire International Clinic Rm 302D, Fuli Park, 28 Machang Lu (3891 0511/ 24-hr 152 1881 8990), Bellaireclinic.com 贝利尔诊所， 天河区珠江新城马场路富力公园28 商业区302D Deron Dental 3905-3909/F, Tianying Plaza East Tower, No.222 Xingming Lu, Tianhe (3886 4821,www.kaiyiyk.com) 德隆齿科诊所，广州市天河区兴民路 222 号天盈广 场东塔 39 楼 3905-3909

Eur Am Medical & Dental Center 1/F, North Tower, Ocean Pearl Bldg, 19 Huali Lu, Zhujiang Xincheng (3758 5328, 24hr urgent care: 137 1041 3347, www. eurammedicalcenter.com) 广州康辰医疗 , 珠江新城华利路 19 号远洋明珠大厦 北座首层 Summer House Directly behind the Marriage House, Xietian Li, Lingnan Tiandi, Chancheng District, Foshan (133 9223 6374, www.summerhouse.com.cn) 佛山市禅城区岭南天地协天里（嫁娶屋正后面）粤 天地 112-116 号铺

Sultan Restaurant Turkish BBQ 1) 1-3/F, 367 Huanshi Dong Lu, between Baiyun Hotel and Friendship Store, Yuexiu District (8349 4170, 8349 4171); 2) Shop 102 & 114, Zhonghai Jinghui Huating, 31 Xingsheng Lu, Zhujiang Xincheng, TianHe District(3801 5002) 1) 苏坦土耳其烧烤餐厅 , 越秀区环市东路 367 号 1-3 楼 ( 白云宾馆与友谊商店夹位处 ); 2) 广州市 天河区珠江新城兴盛路 31 号中海璟晖华庭二期商 铺 102 & 114

Guangzhou Narcotics Anonymous Meetings: Monday 6.30pm and Friday 7pm. (For help: 188 9857 0042 (French, Chinese & English), 133 3287 0750 (Persian), 185 8876 4470 (English), www.nachina.com) Hanfei Plastic Surgery Hair transplant, liposuction, anti-aging treatments, breast augmentation/lift, face fift, Botox, hyaluronic acid, SVF-gel and more. For free consultation, add WeChat: robin5779 or call 176 2094 5779.

35 Qifu Lu, Baiyun District (www.hanfeiplasticsurgery.com) 韩妃整形 , 白云区齐富路 35 号 H&H Dental Center 1/F, Mingmen Building, 4 Huacheng Dadao, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe District (3808 0700, 3808 0729; 24-hour hotline: 139 2516 2826; E-mail: hnhdental@163.com) H&H 牙科中心（嘉茜医疗门诊 ), 天河区珠江新城 花城大道 4 号名门大厦正门首层 iBorn Clinic Rm 2202-2203, Qiaoxin Kingold Century, 62 Jinsui Lu, Tianhe District ( 3736 2020/ 24-hr 3736 2110) 爱博恩综合门诊 天河区珠江新城金穗路侨鑫金融 中心2202-2203

Hooley’s Irish Pub and Restaurant 1)101, 8 Xingsheng Lu, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe District (3886 2675); 2)Section 2, Yijia Yuan, 7 Xingzhongdao, Zhongshan 1)爱尔兰西餐酒吧, 天河区珠江新城兴盛路8号101; 2) 中山市兴中道7号颐嘉苑2卡

Morgan’s Public House Traditional English style bar that fosters a cosy intimate atmosphere. Both Taverns offer an extensive menu of Western favorites and different theme nights throughout the whole week.

Poly 108, 6 Huajiu Lu, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe District (8550 3038) 致盛 , 天河区珠江新城华就路 6 号保利 108 公馆

Want to see all restaurants, hotels and more in Guangzhou? Check out www.thatsmags.com or follow our official WeChat account by scanning the QR code.

Dr. Sherily Xiao Master of Medicine.

23years in TCM & Acupuncture & Physiotherapy & Massage in Clinic and Classes 5 years International Clinic Experience. Only for appointment. Baoli Luyuan Building, 33 Luyuan Lu, Yuexiu District（Tel: 137 1052 6617; E-mail: xiaoshuilan@hotmail.com) 越秀区麓苑路33号保利麓苑

Bravo Shop 114-115, 6 Huajiu Lu, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe District 天河区珠江新城华就路 6 号 114-115 铺 Buongiorno 1) 3/F, Yi An Plaza, 33 Jianshe Liu Malu, Yuexiu District (8363 3587); 2) A7, Xinshijie Haoyuan Diyi Ju, 168 Dongcheng Nan Lu, Dongguan (0769 2339 6499) 邦奴意大利餐厅 1) 越秀区建设六马路宜安广场 3 楼 ; 2) 东莞市东城南路 168 号新世界豪圆第一居 A7 号

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iBorn Women’s & Children’s Hospital No.6 Longkou Dong Lu, Tianhe District (2811 6375/185 2018 8335; Job seeking: 185 2031 1686, Lyan) 广州爱博恩妇产医院 , 天河区龙口东路 6 号

Tairyo Teppanyaki 1) 2/F, Zhizhunhui, 263 Huasui Lu, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe Dis- trict (8559 8937); 2) 2/F, Guangyi Bldg, 34- 38 Huale Lu, Yuexiu District (8360 1371) 大渔铁板烧 1) 珠江新城华穗路 263 号至尊汇二楼 ; 2) 越秀区华乐路 34-38 号广怡大厦 2 楼 ; Zapata’s Shop A21 Party Pier, Located in Party Pier, just a stone's throw away from the Canton Fair complex, the hot venue also comes with an outstanding riverside terrace, which is perfect for an evening of drunken merrymaking. Yuejiang Xi Lu, Haizhu District (8977 9596) 海珠区阅江西路珠江啤酒厂琶醍文化区 A21

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Sing Health Medical 2 Xian Cun Rd, Zhu Jiang New Town, Tian He District, Guangzhou, Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat-Sun 9am-3pm, Tel: 3739 2500 Open Every Day 广州新宁门诊， 天河区 珠江新城 冼村路 2 号 United Family Guangzhou Clinic 1/F, Annex Bldg, PICC Bldg, 301 Guangzhou Dadao Zhong (4008 919 191, 24-hr urgent care: 8710 6060) 广州越秀和睦家门诊部 , 广州大道中 301 号人保大 厦南塔副楼首层 Guangzhou United Family Hospital Open 24/7. 24-hr Service Center: 4008 919191, 24-hr Emergency Hotline: (020) 3610 2333 No. 28, Fangyuan Lu, Haizhu District, Guangzhou 广州和睦家医院 广州市海珠区芳园路 28 号

LIFESTYLE Guangdong Int’l Volunteer Expatriate Service (GIVES) Contact Rosaline Yam (8778 2778; givescn@ yahoo.com) www.gives.cn Guangzhou Women’s Int’l Club (GWIC) For contact information, visit www.gwic.org SO’ O LK (Hair Salon) 1) G/F, 545 Binjiang Dong Lu, Haizhu District (3425 7429); 2) Shop 103A, World Trade Centre, 371-375 Huanshi Dong Lu, Yuexiu District (8760 6299); 3) Shop101, 712 Binjiang Dong Lu, Haizhu District (8419 1022); 4) Shop101, Fuli Edinburgh Apartment, 2 Huali Lu, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District(3826 3718); 5) Shop 15 2/F, Chateau Star River Hotel, Yingbin Lu, Panyu District(3479 0641); 6) Shop81-82, G/F, New City Plaza, Olympic Garden, Luoxi New Town, Panyu District(3452 1826); 7) Shop 21, Agile Phase II, Fenghuang Bei Lu, Huadu District(3692 8686) 苏豪路易士，嘉玛发廊，1) 天河区天河北路 366 号 都市华庭 13 铺 ; 2) 越秀区环市东路 371-375 号世 界贸易中心首层 103A; 3) 海珠区滨江东路 712 号 101 铺 ; 4) 天河区珠江新城华利路 2 号富力爱丁堡 公寓 101 铺 ; 5) 番禺区迎宾路星河湾酒店 2 楼 15 号铺 ; 6) 番禺区洛溪新城奥园城市花园首层 81-82 号铺 ; 7) 花都区凤凰北路雅居乐二期 21 号铺

EDUCATION American International School of Guangzhou (AISG) 1) 3 Yanyu Nan Lu, Ersha Island (8735 3393); 2) 19,Kexiang Road Luogang District,Science Park, Guangzhou (3213 5555) 1) 广州美国人 ，二沙岛烟雨南路 3 号 ; 2) 广州罗岗 区科翔路 19 号 Baioo International Infant Care & Preschool No. 301, 3/F, Utopa, Goldchi Building, 120 Huangpu Dadao, Tianhe District (8565 3625) 天河区黄埔大道西 120 号高志大厦优托邦驿站 3 楼 301 号百奥国际幼教中心 Canadian Foreign Language School Cambridgshire Garden, Panyu District (39191868 ext. 0) 广州市番禺区剑桥郡加拿达外国语学校，广州市番 禺区剑桥郡花园 Canadian International School of Guangzhou Merchant Hill, Dongyi Lu, Panyu District (3925 5321, www.cisgz.com) 广州加拿大人国际学校，番禺区东艺路招商金山谷 Canadian Internatioanal Kindergarten Agile Garden, Yinbin Lu, Panyu District (8456 6551). 加拿大国际幼儿园，番禺区迎宾路雅居乐花园 Canton Global Academy 4 Chuangjia Road, Jinshazhou, Baiyun District, Guagnzhou (180 2401 1757) 广州寰宇外籍人员子女学校 , 广州市白云区金沙洲 创佳路 4 号 Clifford School International International Building, Clifford School, Clifford Estates, Shiguang Lu, Panyu District (8471 8273; 8471 1441; 8471 1694) 祈福英语实验学校，番禺区市广路 Eclipse English Education 18D, Center 1: No.368, Tianhe Bei Road, GZ (Tel:38780382,18922769713) 学习中心1: 爱誉英语, 天河北路, 368号, 18D Center 2: No.33, Cuifu St, Chaotian Rd,GZ 学习中心2: 越秀区朝天路崔府街33号首层 Center 3: Apt. C, 15/F, Office Building Xinhe Square, No.211-8, Chang Gang Zhong Road, GZ 学习中心3: 海珠区昌岗中路211-8号，信和 中心，15楼C Guangzhou Nanfang International School No. 1, Yucuiyuan North, Yinglong Lu, Longdong, Tianhe District (3886 6952, 3886 3606, Fax: 3886 3680, www.gnischina.org) 广州

南方外籍人员子女学校，天河区龙洞迎龙路瑜翠 园北一号 ISA International School Guangzhou Block C2-2, 128 Yuancun Siheng Lu, Tianhe District (8890 0909, info@isaschool.com) 广州爱莎国际学校, 天河区员村四横路128号红专 厂创意园C2-2 Stone Eden Nursery School A316, Guangzhou Opera House, 1 Zhujiang Xi Lu, Tianhe District (8852 6503, info@stoneedennursery. com) 英诺儿英国早托 , 天河区珠江西路 1 号广州大剧院 A316 The British School of Guangzhou 983-3 Tonghe Lu, Baiyun District (8709 4788) 广州 英国学校, 白云区同和路983-3 Trinity International Kindergarten 663 Huacheng Dadao, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District (8558 3287) 圣心国际幼稚园, 天 河区珠江新城花城大道663号 Utahloy Int’l School www.utahloy.com 1) 800 Shatai Bei Lu, Baiyun District (8720 2019, fax 8704 4296); 2) Sanjiang Town, Zeng Cheng (8291 4691 fax: 8291 3303) 广州誉德莱国际学校，1) 白云区沙太北路800号 ；2) 增城三江镇

HOTEL Aloft Guangzhou Tianhe 365 Tianhe Bei Road, TianheDistrict (3802 8888; aloftguangzhoutianhe.com) 广州天河雅乐轩酒店 , 天河区天河北路 365 号 Chimelong Hotel Panyu Dadao, Panyu District (8478 6838, gz.chimelong.com) 长隆酒店 , 番禺区番禺大道 Chimelong Hengqin Bay Hotel Hengqin New District, Zhuhai (0756-299 8888, www. chimelong.com) 长隆横琴湾酒店 , 珠海市横琴新区 Chimelong Penguin Hotel Hengqin New District, Zhuhai (0756-299 3366, www.chimelong.com) 长隆企鹅酒店, 珠海市横琴新区 Chimelong Circus Hotel Hengqin New District, Zhuhai (0756-299 3399, www.chimelong. com) 长隆马戏酒店, 珠海市横琴新区 China Hotel 122, Liuhua Lu, Yuexiu District (8666 6888; www.chinahotelgz.com) 中国大酒店 , 越秀区流花路 122 号 Conrad Guangzhou 222 Xingmin Lu, Tianhe District (3739 2222) 广州康莱德酒店，天河区兴民路222号 DoubleTree by Hilton Guangzhou 391 Dongfeng Lu, Yuexiu District (2833 7215; 2833 2888) 广州希尔顿逸林酒店 , 越秀区东风路 391 号 Grand Hyatt Guangzhou 12, Zhujiang Xi Lu, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District (8396 1234 www.guangzhou.grand.hyatt.com) 广州富力君悦大酒店 , 天河区珠江新城珠江西路 12 号 Guangzhou Marriott Hotel Tianhe 228 Tianhe Lu, Tianhe District (6108 8888) 广州正佳广场万豪酒店，天河区天河路 228 号 Langham Place Guangzhou 638 Xingang Dong Lu, Haizhu District(8916 3388) 广州南丰朗豪酒店 , 海珠区新港东路 638 号 LN Garden Hotel, Guangzhou 368, Huanshi Dong Lu (8333 8989, www.thegardenhotel. com.cn) LN Garden Hotel, Guangzhou, 368 Huanshi Dong Lu, Yuexiu District 广州花园酒店 , 越秀区环市东路 368 号花园酒 店 (8333 8989) LN Garden Hotel Nansha Guangzhou, 1 Dajiao Er Lu, Nansha District (3210 8888) 广州南沙花园酒店 , 南沙区大角二路 1 号 LN Hotel Five, Guangzhou 277 Yanjiang Zhong Lu, Yuexiu District （8931 0505） 广州岭南五号酒店，越秀区沿江中路 277 号

OPEN DOOR

Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou 389 Tianhe Lu, Tianhe District (3808 8888) 广州文华东方酒店 , 天河区天河路 389 号 Park Hyatt Guangzhou 16 Huaxia Lu, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District, Guangzhou (3769 1234) 广州柏悦酒店 天河区珠江新城华夏路 16 号 Shangri-La Hotel Guangzhou 1, Huizhan Dong Lu, Haizhu District (8917 8888, www. shangri-la.com) 广州香格里拉大酒店 , 海珠区会展东路 1 号 Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich 988 Guangzhou Dadao Zhong, Tianhe District (3883 8888) 广州圣丰索菲特大酒店 , 天河区广州大道中 988 号 . www.sofitel.com The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou 3, Xing’an Lu, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District (3813 6688, www.ritzcarlton.com) 广州富力丽思卡尔顿 酒店, 天河区珠江新城兴安路3号 W Guangzhou 26 Xiancun Lu, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District (6628 6628) 广州 W 酒店 , 天河区珠江新城冼村路 26 号 White Swan Hotel 1 Shamian Nan Jie, Liwan District (8188 6968) 白天鹅宾馆 , 荔湾区沙面南街 1 号

CONSULATES Argentina 2405, Teem Tower, 208 Tianhe Lu, Tianhe District (3888 0328, cguan@ mrecic.gov.ar) 阿根廷共和国领事馆 , 天河区天河路 208 号粤海天 河城大厦 2405 单元 Brazil Rm 1403, 10 Huaxia Lu, R&F Center, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District (02083652236; cg. cantao.itamaraty.gov.br) 巴西驻广州总领事馆 , 珠江新城华夏路 10 号富力中 心 1403 室 Australia 12/F, Zhujiang New City, Development Centre, 3 Linjiang Lu (Tel: 3814 0111; Fax: 3814 0112) www.guangzhou.china.embassy.gov.au 澳大利亚领事馆，临江路 3 号珠江新城发展中心 12 楼 Belgium Room 0702, 7/F, R & F Center, Unit 2, 10 Huaxia Lu, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe District (Tel: 3877 2351; Fax: 3877 2353) 天河区珠江新城华夏路 10 号富力中心 7 楼 0702 室 Cambodia Rm 802, The Garden Hotel (Tower), Huangshi Dong Lu (Tel: 8333 8999 - 805; Fax: 8365 2361) 柬埔寨领事馆，环市东路花园酒店大楼 808 室 Canada 26/F, Tower 1, Taikoo Hui, 385 Tianhe Lu, Tianhe District (Tel: 8611 6100, Fax: 8667 2401) www.guangzhou.gc.ca 加拿大领事馆，天河区天河路 385 号太古汇一座 26 楼 Colombia Unit 12, 36/F No 5, Zhujiang West Road, Tianhe, Guangzhou (8883 4826, cguangzhou@cancilleria.gov.co) 哥伦比亚驻广州总领事馆，珠江西路 5 号广州国际 金融中心主塔写字楼 36 层 12 单元 Cuba Rm 2411, West Tower, Huapu Plaza, 13 Huaming Lu, Zhujiang New Town (Tel: 2238 2603 / 2238 2604; Fax: 2238 2605) 珠江新城华明路 13 号华普广场西塔 2411 Denmark Rm 1578, China Hotel, A Marriott Hotel, 122 Liuhua Lu (Tel: 2829 7300; Fax: 8667 0315) 丹 麦 领 事 馆， 流 花 路 122 号 中 国 大 酒 店 写 字 楼 1578 室 Ecuador Room 1801, R&F Building, 10 Huaxia Lu, Zhujiang New Town (Tel: 3892 7650; Fax: 3892 7550) 厄瓜多尔共和国驻广州领事馆，珠江新城华夏路 10 号富力中心 1801 室 France Rm 1901-1907, Central Tower (Kaihua International Center), 5 Xiancun Lu, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe District (www.consulfrancecanton.org; Tel: 2829 2000; Fax: 2829 2001) 法国驻广州总领事馆，天河区珠江新城冼村路 5 号凯华国际中心 1901-1907 室

MERCATO Valentine’s Day Set Menu Michelin-honored restaurant Mercato is offering lovebirds a fantastic set menu this Valentine’s Day. For RMB1,314, couples can enjoy a delightful nine-course candlelight dinner, including scrumptious dishes like porcini-crusted salmon with warm leek vinaigrette and herbs; grilled beef tenderloin with market vegetables, salsa verde and lime; black truffle pizza, with three cheeses and a farm egg; and the delightful tuna tartare lettuce cups, which come with a caper dressing, avocado and crunchy potatoes. For reservations, please call 6681 8086 or email booking@mercato-international.com.

Shop 802, 8/F, K11 Art Mall, 6 Zhujiang Dong Lu, Tianhe District 天河区珠江新城珠江东路6号 K11购物艺术中心8楼802商铺 (6681 8086)

Germany 14/F Teem Tower, 208 Tianhe Lu, Tianhe District (Tel: 8313 0000; Fax: 8516 8133) www.kanton.diplo.de 德国领事馆，天河路 208 号粤海天河城大厦 14 楼

Korea (Republic) 18 Youlin Lu, Chigang Consulate Area, Haizhu District (Tel: 2919 2999; fax 2919 2980; Guangzhou@mofat.go.kr) 韩国领事馆，海珠区赤岗领事馆区友邻路 18 号

Greece Rm 2105, HNA Building, 8 Linhe Zhong Lu (Tel: 8550 1114; Fax: 8550 1450; grgencon.guan@mfa.gr) 希腊领事馆 , 林和中路 8 号海航大厦 2105 室

Kuwait 10A-10D, Nanyazhonghe Plaza, 57 Lingjiang Dadao, Zhujiang New Town (Tel: 3807 8070; Fax: 3807 8007). 科威特国总领事馆，珠江新城临江大道 57 号南雅中 和广场 10A-10D

India 14/F, Haichuan Dasha, 8 Linhe Zhong Lu, Tianhe District (8550 1501-05) 印度领事馆，天河区林和中路 8 号海船大厦 14 楼 Indonesia Rm 1201-1223, 2/F, West Building, Dong Fang Hotel, 120 Liuhua Lu (Tel: 8601 8772; fax 8601 8773; kjrigz@public.guangzhou. gd.cn) 印度尼西亚领事馆，流花路 120 号东方宾馆西座 2 楼 1201-1223 室 Israel 19/F, Development Center, 3 Linjiang Dadao, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District (8513 0509) 以色列领事馆，天河区珠江新城临江大道 3 号发展 中心 19 楼 . Guangzhou.mfa.gov.il Italy Rm 1403, International Finance Place (IFP), 8, Huaxia Lu, Zhujiang New Town (Tel: 3839 6225; Fax: 8550 6370) 意大利领事馆，珠江新城华夏路 8 号合景国际金融 广场 14 楼 1403 室 Japan 1/F, East Tower, The Garden Hotel, 368 Huanshi Dong Lu (Tel: 8334 3009; Fax: 8333 8972) www.guangzhou.cn.emb-japan.go.jp 日本领事馆，环市东路 368 号花园酒店东塔 1 楼

Malaysia Rm 1915-1918, 19/F, CITIC Plaza, 233 Tianhe Bei Lu ((Tel: 3877 0765; Fax: 3877 2320) 马来西亚领事馆，天河北路 233 号中信广场 19 楼 1915-1918 室 Mexico Rm2001, Teem Tower, 208 Tianhe Bei Lu (Tel: 2208 1540; Fax: 2208 1539) 墨西哥领事馆，天河路 208 号粤海天河城大厦 20 楼 01 单元 Netherlands 34/F, Teem Tower, 208 Tianhe Lu, Tianhe Bei Lu (Tel: 3813 2200; Fax: 3813 2299) www.hollandinchina.org 荷兰领事馆，天河路 208 号粤海天河城大厦 34 楼 New Zealand Suite 3006, 30/F, Taikoo Hui, 385 Tianhe Lu, Tianhe District (8931 9600) 新西兰领事馆 , 天河区天河路 385 号太古汇 30 层 3006 室 Norway Suite 1802, CITIC Plaza, 233 Tianhe Bei Lu (3811 3188 Fax: 3811 3199) 挪威领事馆，天河北路 233 号中信广场 180 室 Peru Unit 01 on 32/F 5 Zhujiang Xi Lu, Tianhe (Tel: 6184 6244; Fax: 6631 1804)

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秘鲁驻广州总领事馆，珠江西路5号广州国际金融中 心主塔写字楼32层01单元 Philippines Rm 706-712 Guangdong Int’l Hotel, 339 Huanshi Dong Lu (Tel: 8331 1461; Fax: 8333 0573) www.guangzhoupcg.org 菲律宾领事馆，环市东路 339 号广东国际大酒店主 楼 706-712 室 Poland 63 Shamian Da Jie (Tel: 8121 9993; Fax: 8121 9995) 波兰领事馆，沙面大街 63 号 Singapore Unit 2418, CITIC Plaza, 233 Tianhe Bei Lu (Tel: 3891 2345; Fax: 3891 2933) 新加坡领事馆，天河北路 233 中信广场 2418 室 Spain Rm 501/507/508 5/F, R&F Center, 10 Huaxia Lu, Pearl River New City (Tel: 3892 7185 / 3892 8909; Fax: 3892 7197). www.maec. es/consulados/canton 西班牙驻广州总领事馆，珠江新城华夏路 10 号富力 中心 5 楼 501/507/508 室 Switzerland 27/F, Kingold Century, 62 Jinsui Lu, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe District (Tel: 3833 0450; Fax: 3833 0453) 瑞士领事馆，天河区珠江新城金穗路 62 号侨鑫国际 金融中心 27 层 Thailand 36 Youhe Lu, Haizhu District (8385 8988) 泰国领事馆 , 海珠区友和路 36 号 The Russian Federation 26/A, Development

Center, 3 Linjiang Dadao, Zhujiang New Town (8518 5001 Fax: 8518 5099 (office)/ 8518 5088(visa section)) 俄罗斯联邦驻广州总领事馆 , 珠江新城临江大道 3 号发展中心 26/A Turkey Rm. 23A, Development Center Building, 3 Linjiang Dadao, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe District (3785 3466, bkesmen@mfa. gov.tr) 天河区珠江新城临江大道 3 号发展中心 23A United States 43 Huajiu Lu, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe District (guangzhou-ch. usembassy-china.org.cn, 3814 5000) 美国领事馆，天河区珠江新城华就路43号 Vietnam 6/F, Block A, Huaqiao Building, 8 Qiaoguang Lu, Haizhu District (8330 5910) 越南领事馆 , 海珠区侨光路 8 号华侨大厦 A 座 6 层

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE American Chamber of Commerce Suite 1801, Guangzhou International Sourcing Center, 8 Pazhou Dadao Dong, Haizhu District (Tel: 8335 1476; Fax: 8332 1642; amcham@

amcham-sunthchina.org) www.amchamsouthchina.org 美国商会，海珠区琶洲大道东 8 号广州国际采购中 心 1801 室 Australian Chamber of Commerce Rm1714 -15, Main Tower, Guangdong International Building, 339 Huanshi Dong Lu (Tel: 2237 2866; Fax: 8319 0765; mail@austcham-southchina.org). www.austcham-southchina.org 澳 洲 商 会， 环 市 东 路 339 号 广 东 国 际 大 厦 主 楼 1714 – 15 室 BenCham, Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg) Chamber of Commerce in China, Pearl River Delta, Floor 34, 208 Teem Tower, 208 Tianhe Lu (155 2118 2708 ). 荷比卢商会 , 天河路 208 号粤海天河城大厦 34 楼 www.bencham.org British Chamber of Commerce Unit 2201B, International Financial Center, 5 Zhujiang Xi Lu, Tianhe District ( Tel: 8331 5013; Fax: 8331 5016; events@britchamgd.com) 英 国 商 会， 天 河 区 珠 江 西 路 5 号 国 际 金 融 中 心 2201B European Union Chamber of Commerce Rm 2817, Tower A, Shine Plaza, 9 Linhe Xi Lu, Tianhe District (Tel: 3801 0269; Fax: 3801 0275) 中国欧盟商会，天河区林和西路 9 号耀中广场 A 塔 2817 室

French Chamber of Commerce in South China (CCIFC) Room 802, 8/F, Leatop Plaza, 32 Zhujiang Dong Lu, Zhujiang Xincheng, Tianhe District (2916 5535) 天河区珠江新城珠江东路 32 号利通广场 8 层 02 单 元 German Chamber of Commerce 1903 Leatop Plaza, 32 Zhujiang Dong Lu, Tianhe District (Tel: 8755 2353; Fax: 8755 1889; chamber@gz.china.ahk.de) china.ahk.de 天河区珠江东路 32 号利通广场 1903 室 Italian Chamber of Commerce Rm 948, Office Tower, the Garden Hotel, 368 Huanshi Dong Lu ( Tel: 8365 2682; Fax: 8365 2983) 意 大 利 商 会， 环 市 东 路 368 号 花 园 大 厦 948 房 www.cameraitacina.com China-Philippines Chamber of Commerce Rm 1613, Main Tower, Guangdong International Hotel, 339 Huanshi Dong Lu (8331 1888-71613; Fax: 8331 1983; E-mail: cpcc2005@21cn.com) 中国菲律宾商会，环市东路 339 号广东国际大酒店 主楼 1613 室 Spanish Chamber of Commerce Rm. 1305, 13/F, Main Tower, Guangdong International Building, 339 Huanshi Dong Lu, Yuexiu District (Tel: 3892 7531; Fax: 3892 7127; www. spanishchamber-ch.com) 越秀区环市东路 339 号广东国际大厦主楼 1305 室

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CHURCH CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Expatriates welcome! Large group multinational, non-denominational expatriate Christians hold English services Sundays 10.00am to 11.30am. Need foreign citizenship proof.

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EDUCATION Hanbridge Mandarin School 翰语桥语言学校 80RMB/H～ Daily Chinese/Business Chinese/ HSK Kids Chinese/Cantonese/Company Training Zhujiang NewTown ,Tianhe ,GZ. www.han-bridge.com TEL&Wechat 189 9838 3060，18102729662 Native English teachers needed Online courses available

JOBS OFFERED CANTON GLOBAL ACADEMY (CGA) is an international school in Guangzhou operating the UK National Curriculum.

It is part of the Canadian International Educational Organisation. Currently it has recruited students from Nursery (aged 3 years) to Year 6 (aged 12 years) and the school is growing quickly.

Required for January (or sooner) Fully qualified and experienced Primary Years teachers. Preference will be given to applicants who have knowledge of and experience in teaching the UK National Curriculum Primary programme and to those who may have specialist qualifications for example in ESL, science and Music.

CGA OFFERS

66 | GZ | FEBRUARY 2020 | WWW.THATSMAGS.COM

*Initial two-year contract *Competitive salary *Annual flight allowance *International Health insurance *Benefits including accommodation allowance, end of contract bonus Applicants should send a full CV listing two independent educational referees and a letter of application on/by 31 December to Charles Chao, Chief Operations Officer, on charles.chao@cgagz.com from whom further information may be obtained.

South China HR English Website (English.job168.com) China's most famous & professional job hunting website 8/F, Nanfang Jingdian Building, No. 198 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou 1/F,Huapu Building, No.104 Tianhe Road,Guangzhou (Tel: 85584676) 南方人才网英文站(english.job168.com) 广州市天河路198号南方精典大厦八楼 广州市天河路104号华普大厦西座一楼 Eclipse English Education Native English teachers wanted.

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TRAVEL Free N Easy Travel An International Travel Agency in GZ, offers you the most competitive airfares, best discounted hotels worldwide and great getaway packages.

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Chinese Spring Festival Journey Home Today, there are many gateways to China for the world to observe and experience modern Chinese society and old traditions. Among these gateways, the Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, can be considered a “fast track� to understanding Chinese culture and is perhaps the most interesting of the Chinese traditions.

FEBRUARY

That’s zhou Guang

Horoscopes

Finally, a horoscope that understands your life in China.

BY BRYAN GROGAN

Aquarius 1.21~2.19

One of your nearest and dearest will pressure you into answering an impossible question: Which of the great eight cuisines is your favorite? Luckily, Venus, the planet of love, is in your corner and will imbue you with a gorgeous midwinter glow. Use that confidence to keep your secrets under wraps.

Gemini

5.22~6.21 Chinese New Year means a nice long break from the teaching slog. Use this precious time to research new job opportunities and hobbies to expand your professional horizon.

Libra

9.24~10.23 Your professional life seems to have devolved into posting on Weibo every hour on the hour. Quit seeking likes and reshares, and refocus on the fundamentals to see a marked improvement in your professional prospects.

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Pisces

2.20~3.20 The boundless Asian horizon is calling you towards that yoga retreat you have been following on Instagram for the past few months. Give into the temptation and take a few weeks away from work and the futility of the rat race.

Cancer

6.22~7.22 Your favorite dumpling shop has closed and you don’t know what to do and who to tell. In public you are all smiles but in your heart of hearts you know you’ll never again get the same quality of xiaolongbao anywhere else.

Scorpio

10.24~11.22 The middle of the month will see you embrace a new romance, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Don’t be afraid to be your fun-loving self in front of this new partner, in order for the relationship to flourish.

Aries

3.21~4.20 Your last business venture didn’t go too well. Who knew being a cat manicurist could be such a hazard? Take stock of your mistakes and ease yourself into the next effort. At the same time, don’t be afraid of your instincts; just don’t let them lead you astray.

Leo

7.23~8.23 You are a fount of energy this month, little lion man, and you’re thirsting for something to get your competitive j u i c e s f l ow i n g . S i g n u p fo r t h e badminton tournament at your local sports center and you might just find your new favorite hobby.

Sagittarius 11.23~12.21

You have been ruminating on the idea of leaving China for years, but this Chinese New Year will give you renewed reason to leave. Don’t move too fast, talk to close friends and family and take time to meditate on your motivations in order to make the right decision.

Taurus 4.21~5.21

The cool group at your local HIIT session will hit you up (get it?) this month. They’ve noticed your impeccable squat form and want to invite you out for lunch. Jump at the chance and be your best, gorgeous, healthy self.

Virgo

8.24~9.23 The festive season has worn you out.

It’s time now to recalibrate and focus on having fun. Whether your idea of a good time is hiking the Avatar mountains at Zhangjiajie or getting crunk in the club on Saturday night, set aside time to indulge your happiness hormones.

Capricorn 12.22~1.20

You’re considering a big purchase, but are unsure of the asking price. You’ve honed your bargaining skills with the toughest of street market vendors, so put them to use and ensure you get bang for your buck.

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