20 minute read
OPENING UP
China to Allow Foreign Scientists to Use World’s Largest Radio Telescope
By Joshua Cawthorpe
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China last month announced that foreign scientists will be allowed to apply for permission to use FAST (Five-hundredmeter Aperture Spherical Telescope) for the first time since its completion in 2016.
Based in Guizhou province, the telescope is double the size of the next largest single-disc telescope, the Arecibo Observatory, making it the best in the world for detecting the faintest radio waves from extremely distant reaches of the universe.
This can include pulsars, the spinning cores of dead stars, and it can locate hydrogen in distant galaxies — somehow, according to Nature.
However, the facility already has projects underway in search of new planets and alien civilizations.
The announcement comes just over one month after the Arecibo Observatory telescope in Puerto Rico collapsed to the dismay of astronomers worldwide. The damage was a result of increasingly devastating hurricanes as well as some questionable maintenance in recent years. (Check out the video by scanning the QR code at the bottom-right.)
Starting April 1, 2021, applications from foreign researchers will be accepted. Ten percent of the time available to conduct experiments will be granted to foreign researchers. Experiments are expected to begin by August, according to South China Morning Post.
FAST has an undisclosed but likely exorbitant operation cost. The telescope can view only a tiny sliver of the sky and uses 2,000 hydraulic pumps to direct the panels and capture the desired target.
It has not been disclosed whether foreign scientists will need to pay to use the telescope.
Cooperation between China and the international space research community has been disrupted in recent years due to political tensions. US Congress passed a bill in 2011 which barred Chinese scientists from boarding the International Space Station, citing security concerns, as reported by Time.
China announced an ambitious 2021 launch schedule and recently completed a groundbreaking mission to the moon and back, which was completed successfully on December 17 when the Chang-E 5 Lunar lander returned with four pounds of fresh rocks and dirt, as per NPR.
China’s biggest rocket contractor, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), announced the plan on January 4 to launch 40 missions in 2021.
The statement noted that the main focus of this year’s missions will be on constructing China’s own space station. China’s Mars probe, Tianwen-1, is also expected to reach Mars gravity in February, Global Times reports.
THE BUZZ
RANDOM NUMBER
22
… is the number of workers who were trapped after a blast occurred in a gold mine in China’s Shandong province last month. As of press time, 11 workers were rescued, 10 perished and one is still missing. Xinhua reported that rescue workers were dispatched to the mine following the incident. They were initially unable to contact the trapped miners because the blast had damaged the communication signal system. The incident occurred at a mine owned by China’s fourth-biggest gold miner, Zhaojin Mining.
DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?
Jack Ma
… the billionaire and cofounder of Alibaba has long been known as a larger-than-life personality, until recently. Ma disappeared from the public eye after criticizing regulators last October, according to NPR. He finally did make a virtual appearance last month at an event hosted by his charity foundation. Some believe that he was told to lay low after his last public appearance, which was followed by the suspension of Ma’s Ant Group IPO by stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
… commented one WeChat user under a post by That’s Guangzhou that Canadian coffee and donut chain Tim Hortons will be opening in Canton this month. Timmies, as it is commonly referred to by Canadians, has already opened up locations in Shanghai, Beijing and other major cities outside of Guangdong province. A company representative told That’s to expect more stores to open in Guangzhou and the Greater Bay Area in the future. The fast-food chain is well known for iconic menu items such as bagel BELTs, iced capps, double-doubles, Timbits and more. Other comments under the WeChat post were full of excitement, with one person writing, “Finally… that was the only missing shop [in Guangzhou].”
MANDARIN MUMBLES
Happy ‘Niu’ Year
Since we will all be hearing gōngxǐgōngxǐgōngxǐ blasted from stores selling gold over the next few weeks, let’s mix it up and learn some funny holiday wishes. Impress your friends, in-laws and delivery drivers with these more personal and modern phrases to wish people all the best in the coming Year of the Ox.
To learn more fun phrases, scan the QR code:
I wish that your body temperature is forever 36 degrees. 祝你体温永远三十六度 Zhù nǐ tǐwēn yǒngyuǎn sānshíliù dù
May your waist get thinner and your wallet fatter. 祝你人再瘦点而，钱包再胖点儿 Zhù nǐ rén zài shòu diǎn ér, qiánbāo zài pàng diǎn er
I wish that your salary rises and interest rates spike. 祝你涨薪涨息涨板停 Zhù nǐ zhǎng xīn zhǎng xī zhǎng bǎn tíng
May you eat plenty and not get fat. 祝你多吃不胖也轻盈 Zhù nǐ duō chī bù pàng yě qīngyíng
I hope that you say bye to your troubles and hi to happiness. 祝你跟所有的烦恼说拜拜，跟所有的快乐说嗨嗨 Zhù nǐ gēn suǒyǒu de fánnǎo shuō bàibài, gēn suǒyǒu de kuàilè shuō hāi hāi
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SKIING WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS
An Insiders Guide to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Resort
By Aron Solomons
With all the drama around the “will they, won’t they” of hosting the Tokyo Olympics, it is quietly slipping under the radar that the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics is in just over a year. Beijing is set to be the first city to host both the Winter and Summer Games.
The primary site for snow sports is a Hebei province district called Chongli, just one hour northwest of Beijing (take the train to Taizicheng).
I was initially skeptical when a friend invited me to check it out, having always heard skiing and snowboarding near Beijing was both crowded and had a distinct lack of a critically important ingredient – snow. But, after watching a couple of Douyin videos showing an actual mountain with snow on it, I swapped my plans of doing absolutely nothing and tagged along.
We spent three days at a resort called Yunding (for some reason called Genting in English). It has a mix of beginner, intermediate and advanced runs. Overall, the slope quality was much higher than I expected, and everything is well connected with recently completed lifts. A personal favorite was Moon Chaser, a nice intermediate run that went from the top all the way to the main resort hub.
The resort is best suited for intermediate skiers/boarders. This is for two reasons. At one end of the spectrum, skiing is still relatively new to China, so there are a lot more beginners than other levels. This means the beginner slopes are by far the busiest.
My friend – who was a beginner – had to do a lot of navigating around kids on school trips. My advice for beginners is to learn the basics at an indoor place so that you can avoid these more crowded areas when you are on the mountain.
At the other end, there is no off-piste. Most advanced boarders and skiers I know spend very little time on the actual slopes, preferring to carve their own routes in the powder. A lot of the snow here is from snow cannons, and all the focus is on making the slopes nice. There are also fences all along the slopes, stopping people from making their own routes.
One afternoon, I was feeling cheeky and tried to carve my path before being shouted at by snow bao’an. If you are the type of person that finds on-piste boring, then this place is not for you. One nice thing was that the advanced routes are basically empty, so you can get some real speed without the risk of finding out whether your health insurance covers snow sports.
Snow sports are expensive wherever you go. They have expensive ‘Ski Out’
hotel rooms, which are also often sold out. Buying stuff on site itself is also not cheap; renting gear is RMB280 a day, and a ski pass is RMB269-399, depending on if it is a weekend or not. There are, however, enough cheap places by the resort to eat and drink, including a KFC (we went twice).
Fortunately, there are more budget-friendly alternatives for rentals and accommodation. After getting screwed on the first day, we rented our gear from a shop in the city for RMB80 each for two days. We also stayed in the city at a place called Rongchen.
Obviously, it is not as convenient as waking up and skiing out your front door, but getting to the resort only takes 30 minutes by taxi.
The city itself has lots of great restaurants, including the spectacularly named Bad Ass Lamb Hot Pot.
Overall, considering our very low expectations, I was very pleasantly surprised. Given the rise of a new strain of COVID, you could do a lot worse if you need your snow fix this winter but don’t fancy leaving China.
One final tip would be to go during the week if you can because it is much less crowded. We boarded Monday through Wednesday, and that was more than enough time. All the staff told us it was rammed on the weekends. You can also stay up-todate on what is open with Yunding Resort’s WeChat Mini Program.
& ARTS LIFE
Flock to the Ox
Mahjong Mayhem P16 Love LASIK P20
BELLE ZHANG
Founder of The Megaformer Lab
Interview by Phoebe Kut
Don’t we all wish we were stronger, more toned, lean and fit? Belle Zhang, a Shanghaibased entrepreneur and certified Lagree instructor, is opening The Megaformer Lab, the first Lagree Megaformer workout in the cosmopolitan city. If you’re not familiar with the Lagree Method, it’s a high-intensity, low-impact workout loved by Hollywood celebs and created by Sebastien Lagree in the early 2000s. Zhang tells us, “Once you try it you’ll be hooked; it’s different from anything else you’ve experienced.”
What is the concept behind The Megaformer Lab? We’re Shanghai’s first and only Megaformer Lagree workout. The workout is a high-intensity, full-body endurance workout, working all major muscle groups in a 45-minute session. If you must compare the Megaformer to a Pilates Reformer, the Megaformer is like a Reformer on steroids, with the ability to combine cardio and endurance strength training elements. You’re in constant tension, working slow-twitch muscle fibers during this endurance training.
What sparked your initial interest in the Lagree Method? I grew up splitting my time between Shanghai and California. I lived in LA for five years and really loved the work-life balance there, as people work hard but also take care of themselves mentally and physically. That was a really stark contrast to living in China, as WeChat never shuts off. It’s kind of a ‘make money or die trying’ attitude.
When I was looking at starting a business, I was checking out all different types of fitness methods and communities, and Lagree drew me in for its intensity and efficiency. I also saw that there was a need in China for this in the health and wellness space. Fitness businesses in China are littered with people selling private classes,
looking to sell dodgy year-long memberships. I was also looking for places to workout and found that people were fixated on numbers on a scale. I found that to be very toxic, especially for younger girls. I thought, “There needs to be some type of exercise or fitness community that encourages you to pursue a healthy lifestyle in a healthy way.” And so, I’m hoping to create that community.
Another reason I thought the Megaformer was a good fit for the Chinese landscape is the use of springs and carriage in the machine results in a low-impact workout. Traditional highintensity workouts like boxing or CrossFit can cause additional stress to knees and joints. Chinese people tend to prioritize longevity and health, favoring exercises that reduce unnecessary impact on joints. Hardcore, gentle and efficient. The workout itself is intense and challenges your core because most of the moves are performed standing up. However, it’s gentle on your joints and also efficient as the whole session is 45 minutes.
What’s the class size and pricing like? Class size is capped at 10 people; you get that community environment with the individualized attention you would receive in a private session. Classes will be available in packages and will average around RMB200 depending on the package purchased. There will also be lots of free classes during the studio’s grand opening in late February!
> This interview has been edited for clarity. Search The Megaformer Lab on WeChat official accounts, @themegaformerlab on Instagram or head to themegaformerlab.com.
STYLE RADAR
OVERHEARD
Wrote a Weibo user, whose sentiments were supported by thousands. PurCotton, a Chinese retailer of cotton products released an ad on Douyin in early January which was met with a barrage of criticism.
In the short video clip, a woman out at night is being stalked by a masked man from behind. As the man is about to grab her shoulder, she pulls out a box of makeup wipes from her bag and suddenly transforms into a man. China Women’s News condemned Purcotton on their Weibo account, adding that the video is full of bias, gender stereotypes and ignorance. The news outlet wrote, “Women’s safety should not be trifled with, and PurCotton only used their creative ideas as a front to normalize stalking and victimize women. Women are consumers, not consumables. It’s inevitable that women will be offended and boycott their product.”
COVET
Festive Footwear
Boy does Nike have some great options for their Year of the Ox collection.
According to Nike, the colorway and materials were inspired by “the scenes of temple fairs during the festive holiday” and can be categorized by the following themes: an explosive firecracker, the artisanal Chinese knot and a spring blossom.
The capsule collection includes 10 styles for men and five for women. Pictured is the Air Jordan 5 Retro Low CNY packed with lots of intricate detail. For example, on the heel of the shoe, the Jumpman logo has been swapped for the Chinese characters for 23.
> RMB1,499 visit nike.com/cn or select retailers to purchase.
UNDER THE LENS
Not Their Mama’s Mahjong
American company, The Mahjong Line, came under fire in January for its tone-deaf copy and narrative surrounding its customized mahjong sets.
According to the About Us page (which now has been re-edited), one of the founders Kate LaGere felt that “traditional [Chinese] tiles... did not reflect the fun that was had when playing with her friends,” and that “nothing came close to mirroring her style and personality.” She then enlisted two of her friends, Annie O’Grady and Bianca Watson, to help develop their own “respectful refresh” of mahjong, something which many have deemed as ‘cultural appropriation.’
The Mahjong Line released five limited-edition sets that sell at a whopping USD325-425, while a quick search on Taobao shows sets starting at RMB30 (around USD5). The creative agency behind the redesign of the centuries-old game has also quickly distanced itself from the controversy.
The public was mainly upset as “the company repeatedly whitewashes mahjong’s history, its cultural origins, and its players.” What do you make of all this?
CITY SNAPSHOT
@lasseholtz
Danish photographer Lasse Holtz had the opportunity to travel all over Asia when he was working as a civil engineer based in both Hong Kong and Beijing. Although he no longer lives in China, he misses it very much and recapped one of his adventures to us: “I took the train from Beijing to Harbin for an extended weekend stay. Went to see the Harbin Ice City which I had heard so much about, and ended up spending seven hours exploring all the pretty ice sculptures, castles, buildings and shops there. It was really cold! Like -26 degrees. But absolutely beautiful and mesmerizing! Worth it.”
> For more of Holtz’s work follow @lasseholtz on Instagram.
FLOCK TO THE OX
Compiled by Rakini Bergundy
Happy Year of the Ox, dear readers! As usual, big brands are honoring Chinese New Year with either traditional red and gold designs or abstract interpretations of the ‘spirit of the ox.’ Some products are giving us Chicago Bulls vibes…anyone else?
Dior x Stussy
RMB23,000
Scan the QR code to purchase.
The North Face
RMB698
Scan the QR code to purchase.
Adidas
RMB899
Scan the QR code with the Taobao app to purchase.
Apple
RMB1,999
Scan the QR code to purchase.
Burberry
RMB2,900
Scan the QR code to purchase.
Dr. Martens
RMB1,299
Scan the QR code with Taobao to purchase.
Vans
RMB599
Scan the QR code to purchase.
Nike
RMB999
Scan the QR code with Taobao to purchase.
Lego
RMB563
Check your local Lego retailer.
Vans Grey Jacket
RMB929
Scan the QR code to purchase.
EYE LOVE IT
Your Guide to Getting LASIK Eye Surgery in China
By Summer Lin
For Christmas, I decided to treat myself with the gift of sight (20/20 in 2020!) I traveled from Shenzhen to Hainan (a short hour and a half direct flight) for laser eye surgery, also known as LASIK. The procedure costs a fraction of the price on the sunny island province compared to major cities in China. There’s even a high-speed train connecting Haikou to Sanya if you want to make a full beach holiday out of it.
In Shenzhen, the procedure starts at RMB17,500 while clinics in Hainan start at RMB7,900. I decided to go with HiVision Center after a few referrals from a couple of friends. On a regular day, the clinic sees around 20-25 patients, and during high season, that number climbs to 90 patients a day. It was also a bonus that the chief surgeon operated on my eyes for the surgery, and there was also a translator for the whole procedure. Here’s a breakdown of some key information.
One-Week Pre-Surgery
I was instructed to stop wearing contacts as they can cause corneal swelling, affecting the accuracy of eye measurements prior to surgery. Glasses only!
Cost
There were three options to chose from. I selected the cheapest option (RMB8,330). The doctor’s analogy: the first level is a vintage BMW, second is a Rolls-Royce and the third is NASA-level. (Yes, I’m also unsure why vehicle references aren’t used throughout.) The difference in pricing is due to the technology used to cut the corneal flap.
Glasses Prescription
My prescription is -4.50 and -5.25 with astigmatism in both eyes. I’ve worn lenses for over 15 years.
Time
The actual treatment took five minutes. However, from start to finish, I was at the center for around three hours. It was a very intense experience; there were three beds and three machines in each room – a short, efficient assembly line.
Pre-surgery
The most important and surprising part was how intense it was prepping my eyes. They washed my eyes four times before the procedure, constantly put drops in my eyes, plopped a hairnet on me and dressed me in scrubs and plastic slides.
Surgery
I went in, laid down and there were four people around the bed including a translator. They cleaned my eyes, stuck a speculum to keep my eyelids wide open and told me to stare at the light and not move. I then started hearing a steady clicking noise while the lasers fired.
Recovery
Your sensitivity post-surgery depends on the thickness of your cornea. My cornea was thicker, so it didn’t hurt as much (thanks, mom and dad). It might feel like there’s sand in your eye, but that’s completely normal. I also had to stay for at least 30 minutes after because another round of eye drops were needed.
I was told protective glasses aren’t needed, I don’t need to stay out of the sun, and I wasn’t given pain medication. However, I was sent home with four types of eye drops that will need to be used for a month. Patients also have to refrain from swimming or martial arts for a month and using eye makeup for a week. The doctor also taught me a set of eye exercises with my finger, and I was advised to practice reading at a distance that seems blurry to retrain my focal point.
My eyes have been pretty dry in the following days, and I even accidentally missed my flight back home but staying in sunny Sanya for an extra day or two wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
TRAVEL
Escape to Harbin
What to Do, See and Eat in Ice City p26
