Class Dismissed – That's magazines by That's - Pulse of The City

G re at er B ay A re a

城市漫步广州英文版 10 月份

国内统一刊号: CN 11-5234/GO

五洲传播出版传媒有限公司

Advertising Hotline

400 633 8308

OCTOBER 2021

《城市漫步》广州英文月刊

五洲传播出版传媒有限公司出版发行主管单位 : 中华人民共和国国务院新闻办公室 Supervised by the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China 主办单位 : 五洲传播出版传媒有限公司 China Intercontinental Press & Media Co., Ltd. 地址 : 北京市东城区朝阳门内大街 225 号 No. 225 Inner Street, Chaoyangmen, Dongcheng District, Beijing http://www.cicc.org.cn 董事长 President : 董青 Dong Qing 总编辑 General in Chief : 井水清 Jing Shuiqing 主编 Editor-in-Chief : 杜斌 Du Bin 责任编辑 Executive Editor : 朱莉莉 Zhu Lili 发行 Circulation : 李若琳 Li Ruolin Executive Editor-in-Chief Ryan Gandolfo 甘德发 Arts and Life Editor Phoebe Kut 吉蓁蓁 Travel Editor Sophie Steiner Nation Editor Alistair Baker-Brian Contributors Gary Bailer, Joshua Cawthorpe, Randy Johnson

JY INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS Guangzhou 广州均盈国际文化传播有限公司

广州市麓苑路 42 号大院 2 号楼 610 室邮政编码 : 510095 Rm 610, No. 2 Building, Area 42, Luyuan Lu, Guangzhou. Post Code: 510095 电话 : 020-8358 6125 传真 : 020-8357 3859 - 816 Shanghai 上海广告代理电话：021-6541 6111

Shenzhen 深圳广告代理电话 : 0755-3665 4903 Beijing 北京广告代理电话 : 010-8639 4209

General Manager Henry Zeng 曾庆庆 National Editorial Director Ned Kelly Operations Manager Rachel Tong 童日红 Finance Assistant Sunnie Lü 吕敏瑜 Senior Designer Felix Chen 陈引全 Sales Managers Emma Cao 曹艺凡 , Christy Cai 蔡梓晴 National Sales Projects Supervisor Wesley Zhang 张炜 Sales and Advertising Anita Wang 王靓 , Rason Wu 伍瑞鑫，Alice Zeng 曾爱淳，Billy Xian 冼浩正 National Marketing Supervisor Peggy Ni 倪佩琪 Marketing Executives Wyle Yuan 袁咏妍 , Kevin Li 李堃伟 General enquiries and switchboard (020) 8358 6125 / info@thatsmags.com Editorial (020) 8358 9847 ext 808 / editor@thatsmags.com Sales (Guangzhou) (020) 8358 9847 ext 802 / sales@thatsmags.com Distribution/Subscription (020) 8358 7749 ext 828 Listings & Events (Guangzhou) (020) 8358 9847 ext 808. (Shenzhen) (0755) 8623 3220 Fax (020) 8363 3759 ext. 816

广告经营许可证 : 京海工商厂字第 8069 号 Legal advisor: Hong Shaorong, Dacheng Law Firm 国际标准刊号 : ISSN 1672-8041 国内统一刊号 : CN 11-5234/GO 定价 : 25.00 元邮发代号：46-193 如发现印刷装订问题 , 请与上海华顿书刊印刷有限公司联系部分非卖品 , 仅限赠阅

Distribution across China: 200,000 copies

Editor’s Note

OCTOBER 2021

Anyone with a friend working in education in China has likely heard about the recent changes implemented to the multibillion dollar after-school training center industry. In a move to relieve both the academic and financial burdens on families, Beijing is clamping down on the curriculum of training centers, among other areas.

In this month’s Cover Story, our Nation Editor Alistair Baker-Brian dives into the world of after-school education and

assesses how training centers are being impacted by these new laws. Check it out on pages 28-37.

Elsewhere in the magazine, Guangzhou-based writer Joshua Cawthorpe digs up the dirt on the origins of ketchup and

its ties to Fujian province (pg10-13). In the Arts & Life section, we chat with Marc Lussier (also known as DJ Digital Circus) to learn about his adventures in the music entertainment industry in China (pg15).

Sadly, this marks the last issue for our Arts & Life Editor Phoebe Kut, who will be moving on from That’s after more

than two valuable years with the magazine. We wish you all the best Phoebe, and you will be missed!

Lastly, we hope everyone had an excellent National Day Holiday and is gearing up for an epic Halloween. Best Regards,

Ryan Gandolfo Editor-in-Chief

02 |OCTOBER 2021

OCTOBER 2021 | 03

THE WRAP

6 THE NATION

14 ARTS & LIFE

7 CAPITAL MARKET

15 MARC LUSSIER DJ DIGITAL CIRCUS.

Here’s what we know about the new Beijing stock exchange.

10 LOST IN THE SAUCE The fishy Chinese origin of ketchup.

China’s top 10 wealthiest women in 2021.

20 TRAVEL

38 FAMILY

21 QUARANTINE QUEEN Guangzhou opens massive 5,000-room international health station.

39 ED GAWNE The 1st annual Wuyuan Wheelbarrow Rally.

24 SUZHOU

42 FAMILY TRIP

The soothing city.

04 |OCTOBER 2021

18 CRAZY RICH ASIANS

7 unforgettable destinations to visit in China.

28 CLASS DISMISSED WHY CHINA’S AFTER-SCHOOL TRAINING CENTERS ARE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE

OCTOBER 2021 | 05

THE NATION Lost in the Sauce

The Fishy Chinese Origin of Ketchup p10

Quote of the Month P8

06 |OCTOBER 2021

Mandarin Mumbles P9

Here’s What We Know About the New Beijing Stock Exchange By Gary Bailer

eijing last month announced plans to establish a third major stock exchange on the Chinese mainland to serve ‘innovation-oriented’ small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). President Xi Jinping said the new market will be in the capital city during a speech given to the International Fair for Trade in Services, as cited by BBC. The announcement comes at a time when US-listed Chinese companies have come under scrutiny by investors. According to China Daily , the goal of the new stock exchange is “to link multi-level capital markets and form the path of direct financing for SMEs,” among other aims. In an opinion piece on China.org. cn, Tom Fowdy noted that the Beijing Stock Exchange can be viewed as a plan to “to further deepen the reform and upgrading of China’s National

Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ).” The equity trading system for SMEs was launched in 2013. It’s still unclear when the exchange will begin trading. Barron reported that it is likely that individuals will be allowed to invest in the new exchange, citing quotes from Chinese media. China had 167 million investors as of June 2020. The other two major players in the Chinese mainland are the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) is the Chinese mainland’s largest exchange. It’s run by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) and focuses on trading stocks, funds and bonds. The SSE currently ranks 5th, in market capitalization, behind the NYSE, Nasdaq, Tokyo Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange. Most of its market cap consists of formerly

state-run companies, such as major banks and insurance companies. The exchange consists of the Main Board and the STAR Market – viewed as China’s version of Nasdaq. As for the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, individual investors make up the majority of investors, and the exchange is home to mostly smaller and emerging-sector companies, many being subsidiaries of firms in which the Chinese government maintains a high level of control. A-Shares, B-Shares, mutual funds, indices, fixed income products and derivatives are all traded on the exchange. It consists of the three boards, including the Main Board, SME Board and ChiNext Market.

OCTOBER 2021 | 07

CHINA CURRENTS

Capital Market

RANDOM NUMBER

DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?

12,000

Emma Raducanu

is nearly the number of square meters that will house Topgolf’s Chengdu venue. The company announced that the West China location will be the largest Topgolf venue in the world. According to a press release from Topgolf, there will be a Chinese restaurant along with a premium steakhouse, seafood restaurant and all-day dining, among other options. Topgolf also opened a lounge concept venue in Shanghai in August that includes a nine-hole mini golf course.

Raducanu, who was born in Canada to a Romanian father and Chinese mother and moved to London at the age of two, became the youngest grand slam winner since Maria Sharapova in 2004, and the first ever qualifier to win the US Open. Following the exciting victory, Weibo users celebrated Raducanu’s victory as well as her Chinese heritage, with a trending topic ‘18-year-old Ethnic Chinese Rising Star Women’s US Open Singles Champion’ reaching over 1.3 million views. The 18-year-old addressed her Chinese fans by speaking Mandarin in a video post: “Hi, everyone, I want to say thank you to all of you, and I hope you enjoyed my tennis. I’m thrilled to win. Love you all.” Raducanu has spoken openly about her mixed heritage in the past and has credited her mother’s side of the family for their “mentally resilient” nature as an inspiration, as cited by BBC. She has also spent time visiting Shenyang, her mother’s ancestral home.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“This is the third poisoning that I know of. A neighbor has already reported the matter to the police. At the moment, we still don’t know who did this, but whoever did it, I hope they face serious punishment from the law” Wrote a Guangzhou resident on WeChat after multiple cats were poisoned and killed at a residential area in the city’s downtown. The cats died after eating from tins of tuna that were laced with poison. Videos and photos show several dead cats piled together in bushes and grassy areas in the local community, situated near a metro station. Another resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said that he has seen at least seven dead cats when walking his dog in the area. He also speculated that there will likely be more based on pictures sent to a neighborhood WeChat group. Due to the consistent string of poisonings, some believe the culprit lives or works in the area. An official warning was posted in the residential area and sent to the neighborhood WeChat group. The statement reads, “Poisoning is uncivilized, irrational and illegal behavior. There are a large number of stray cats in the area... but do not take drastic and extreme measures to handle this problem.” 08 |OCTOBER 2021

T H AT ’ S M A G A Z I N E S

CHINESE CORNER

Ingredients of a Healthy Lifestyle | 养生知识 (Yǎngshēng Zhīshi) Wake up early | 早起 (Zǎo qǐ)

As the Chinese saying goes, 早睡早起，身体好 (zǎo

shuì zǎo qǐ, shēntǐ hǎo, lit.“early-sleep-early-get-

up, body-good). It’s common for Chinese people to

wake up around 7am, and for elderly people to get up as early as 5am.

Don’t skip breakfast | 每天吃早饭 (Měitiān chī zǎofàn)

It’s believed that three meals make the day, or in

Drink tea | 喝茶 (Hē chá)

Tea is rich in antioxidants and

Chinese, 一日三餐 (yī rì sān cān). And among them, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

less caffeinated than coffee. Of course, that’s in case

you choose green tea, 绿茶 (lǜchá) or red tea, 红茶

(hóngchá) of good quality — not the milk tea, 奶茶

(nǎichá)!

Drink hot water | 喝热水 (Hē rèshuǐ) Staying hydrated is key. And

drinking 热水 (rè shuǐ), or warm or hot water, is

Go for a walk | 去散步 (Qù sànbù)

Walking 10,000 steps a day is the way! Or

believed to be better for your digestive system than drinking cold water.

at least, according to the Chinese saying,

you should walk 100 steps after a meal:

饭后百步走，活到九十九 (Fàn hòu bǎi bù zǒu, huó dào jiǔshíjiǔ, lit. “Meal-after-100-steps-walk, live-until-

ninety-nine”).

Dance together in open air | 跳广场舞 (Tiào guǎngchǎngwǔ) Group exercise such as square dancing, or 广场舞

(guǎngchǎng wǔ), is a fun social activity; it’s a way to

stay healthy and keep each other in check. We wish more countries adopted this practice!

Sleep early | 早睡 (Zǎo shuì)

Finally, in order to wake up early, you need to go

to bed early too. Getting 7 or 8 hours of sleep while it’s dark outside and waking up with the sun is considered good for the body.

To learn more phrases & practice with Chinese teachers at That’s Mandarin, scan this QR code.

OCTOBER 2021 | 09

T H E N AT I O N | F E A T U R E

The Fishy Chinese Origin of Ketchup By Joshua Cawthorpe

10 |OCTOBER 2021

ujian province in southeast China is famous for tea, and was one of the busiest ports for tea exports in the 19th century. The very word tea, originally te, is derived from the Fujianese dialect. Aside from the leafy beverage, Fujian is also often attributed with the invention of ketchup. The word ketchup or ke-tchup (tchup being pronounced like zhi in mandarin) is derived from the

Hokkien dialect traditionally spoken in Fujian and Taiwan. However, the Hokkien word ketchup describes a fermented fish sauce that, albeit a condiment, bears no resemblance to the tomato ketchup that is beloved around the globe today. While the name has roots in Fujian, can we really assert that the sauce is Fujianese?

Lost in the Sauce

F E A T U R E | T H E N AT I O N

Something Fishy Let’s first discuss the origin of condiments. Salt is essential for the body to function, and so ever since humans moved away from a nomadic meat-centric lifestyle and began to eat more grains, we’ve needed to add salt to our food. Our bodies need it, so our bodies crave it. This salty craving is the reason we often ‘season’ our food. Let’s also not forget the macaques of Koshima who displayed a distinct preference towards

washing their sweet potatoes in salty ocean water over fresh water and eventually began dipping the potatoes after every couple of bites, as was observed, recorded and published in 1965 by Japanese primatologist Masao Kawai. The ancient Romans had a fermented fish sauce of their own, as well as a mint sauce and a fondness for mustard. Claudio Giardino, an Italian archeologist who studied the origin of garum, or

Roman fish sauce, says that it appeared in Roman literature as early as the 4th century BCE. The main reason that Fujian lays claim to ketchup by way of its name is because Hokkien merchants were a pillar of trade in the region for well over half the millennium. Between 1300 and 1800, vast trade led the Fujianese diaspora to populate Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos and the Philippines.

OCTOBER 2021 | 11

T H E N AT I O N | F E A T U R E

Although fermented fish appeared in China around 300BCE among other ingredients like fermented soy and meat, it surged in popularity during the period of Hokkien dominance in trade between southern China and the neighboring countries. It is worth noting that fish sauce is a staple of the cuisine in all of the aforementioned countries and in some southern Chinese provinces. However, a ban on sailing and shipping during the Ming and early Qing dynasties would likely explain why northern China, Japan and the Korean peninsula rely more heavily on fermented soy than fish. In spite of the isolationist laws banning maritime activities, Cantonese and Fujianese traders continued to sail the seas illegally throughout the 16th and 17th centuries and accounted for the majority of Asia’s maritime trade. Andre Gurder Frank, an economist and sociologist, wrote that in the year 1700 alone, European ships left Chinese ports with only 500 tons of product while Chinese merchants brought in 20,000 tons. The British Merchant Charles Lockyer’s An Account of the Trade in India from 1711 notes that the finest fish sauce comes from Vietnam but still refers to it as ketchup, thus acknowledging the influence of the Hokkien traders throughout the region.

12 |OCTOBER 2021

By the 1600s, British and Dutch merchants who were engaged in the spice trade frequently journeyed to southeast Asia for a myriad of hot commodities. Fish sauce was popular throughout the region and, by the 18th century, British sailors had acquired a taste for the funky fishy sauce. Along with soy sauce, another condiment said to have been invented in Fujian, the sauce had become a profitable export to satisfy the British appetite for culinary exploration. Consumers in Britain found it relatively expensive for what it was – salted anchovies rotting in water – and soon set out to create their own versions with a wild array of seemingly arbitrary ingredients like mushrooms, walnuts, shallots, vinegar and spices. This experimental attitude towards ke-tchup ultimately led to the addition of tomatoes. Slate provides this 1817 recipe from The Cook’s Oracle , which calls for a gallon of tomatoes to be simmered with anchovies, shallots, mace, black pepper, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, coriander and ground cochineal beetle (still commonly used today for red coloring in everything from yarn to Starbucks Strawberry Frappuccinos).

F E A T U R E | T H E N AT I O N

From Salt to Sugar Sugar was added as a way to cheaply increase the shelf life and satisfy the American sweet tooth. The famous pickle company Heinz began manufacturing a simplified tomato ‘catsup’ in 1867, devoid of pungent anchovies and therefore any hint of its fishy Asian origins. Aside from the name, of course. Fujian nailed the branding when their word, ke-tchup, traveled so far

through history describing an endless variety of sauces – probably both delicious and repulsive renditions. But can we say that tomato ketchup is Fujianese? It’s arguably less Chinese than ‘orange chicken’ or Calgary’s own ‘ginger beef.’ Fish sauce is delicious, but we won’t be substituting it for ketchup on our French fries any time soon.

OCTOBER 2021 | 13

ARTS & LIFE Crazy Rich Asians

China’s Top 10 Wealthiest Women in 2021 p20

Overheard P16

14 |OCTOBER 2021

City Snapshot P17

SPOTLIGHT

MARC LUSSIER

DJ Digital Circus Interview by Ryan Gandolfo

Marc Lussier loves to put on a good show. The Canadian native has a deeply rooted passion for music that’s led him on quite the journey, from underground clubs in Edmonton to some of the biggest stages in Chinese nightclubs. Below, Lussier (known as DJ Digital Circus) shares his backstory involving circus acrobatics, clown makeup and brazen performances. Where did your music journey begin? I always loved different types of music, from the Beastie Boys, Eazy E, Gypsy Kings and P.M. Dawn to Outkast, Boy George and KLF. All of these artists really inspired me when I was young. My best friend Jeff Scott and I would jam in his New York-style loft until the sun came up, just dreaming of DJing. Then I found these little underground clubs in my city of Edmonton, and I would go listen to Ariel and Rual play four-hour house sets. It’s been amazing to see and hear the music progress over the years. My shows have gotten bigger as I’ve learned how to move the crowd and keep that energy flowing up and down. One time I went to a hard dance show in Vancouver at the Plaza of Nations, and I saw hard house DJ BK play a set. I said to myself that is what I want to do. I started going to record shops and buying records in the late 90s and noughties. The feeling of going into the record shop and spending hours searching for new tracks is truly a lost pastime – to me it was everything. Some of my closest friends started a company called Connected Entertainment and began bringing in more big-name DJs to my city, so I started working and promoting with them. This is where I learned the ins and outs of the business side of music. The best times of my life were promoting shows and pushing the scene with friends.

“The world is starting to wake up and see that China has some of the biggest and best clubs in the world” How did clown makeup become your signature look? When did it start? A lot of people I meet don’t know that I was a professional high diver and had competed in diving since I was about 6 years old. Instead of going to university on a scholarship, I decided to turn professional and joined the circus, working for over 12 years with Cirque du Soleil and Chimelong group here in China. Guangzhou has one of the largest circuses in the world at the Chimelong Circus, with over 500 performers in the show. At Chimelong, I became one of the lead clowns for the whole show. My face was all over the city on public buses, taxis, bus stops and elsewhere – it was a little crazy. Each night, I would do my makeup one hour before showtime. The circus runs one show a day, so my routine was one show in the evening, and then I would moonlight as a Dj all over the Guangdong nightclub scene. One night I realized I can keep clowning on stage as a DJ, so I put on some clown face and a suit and got on stage. I was a resident DJ at one of China’s mega-clubs, Catwalk in Guangzhou. The photos and support from people were amazing during and after my set. From then on, I started creating, booking and performing Digital Circus. What can the audience expect from a DJ Digital Circus show? If you have ever been to a live circus show, then you know that the music always has big drums. Digital Circus shows have huge drums and circus-style

musical influences in the mix. In the circus, you can always hear how the music matches the tension of the performance. That is exactly what I try and create in my shows using lights, sound and performances. How long have you been mixed up with the DJ community in China? What are some notable changes you’ve witnessed in the club scene? I have been in the China DJ scene for nearly 20 years – it’s crazy to think about. Chinese club culture is huge, it’s always growing and adapting and seems like it just gets bigger and better. The world is starting to wake up and see that China has some of the biggest and best clubs in the world. In Guangzhou, we have three of Mixmag’s Top 100 clubs. These clubs are the most professional I have ever seen, with huge shows and a production every night of the week. I’m recently back from a show tour and truly happy to be a part of it. Which cities do you most look forward to performing in? I love Kunming. I was recently [performing] there at One Third club, which has to be one of the top three clubs ever built in China. My management CIA has been super awesome in setting up a great tour. This year, I will be visiting Xiamen, Beijing, Shenzhen, Sanya, Foshan, Guangzhou, Tianjin and many other cities. OCTOBER 2021 | 15

OVERHEARD

“Ok but, I’m really hyped today. Those who know me closely know how much I’ve spoken of this project and the life changing experience I had in China filming this” Wrote Dylan Sprouse in an Instagram caption. If you’re familiar with the Sprouse twins you know that they’ve since distanced themselves from their Disney days. Dylan Sprouse, who played Zack in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody , has taken on pretty alternative projects in recent years, but no one would’ve guessed he would star in a Chinese drama. Sprouse costars in the upcoming movie The Curse of Turandot ( 图兰朵魔咒缘起 ) and apparently spent six months learning Chinese for the role. He stars opposite Guan Xiaotong, who plays Princess Turandot, the protagonist who is as the title implies under the curse of three bracelets. The trailer for the movie was released in late August, and the following day Sprouse posted it on his Instagram.

16 |OCTOBER 2021

COVET

Blue Moon Cleansing Balm Sober Beauty is an eco-friendly, cruelty free brand. Their latest offering, the Blue Moon Cleansing Balm (RMB64), melts impurities away with a gentle formula infused with calendula, lotus and prebiotics. Chamomile gently removes dead skin, Centaurea restores and soothes while lotus hydrates and locks in moisture. The balm is also free of sulfates, parabens, BHA, BHT, mineral oils, synthetic fragrance and ethanolamine, making it suitable for sensitive skin. The company also offers other green beauty products like lipsticks, blush and reusable cotton pads. > Search ‘Sober Beauty’ on WeChat Mini Program.

UNDER THE LENS

Asian Representation at Met Gala 2021 This year, the Met Gala in mid-September spurred countless memes as the world watched designers and celebs tackle the theme of ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.’ Notable celebrities of Asian decent ‘understood the assignment’ and won praise from fashion critics. K-pop stars Rosé from Blackpink and CL were in attendance, along with Simu Lu from the buzzy Marvel film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings along with tennis darling Emma Raducanu. Young stars like pro-skier slash model Eileen Gu and gold medalist Sunisa Lee were present along with seasoned fashion veterans like Eva Chen and Vera Wang. It appears that Chinese audiences weren’t keeping tabs much on the American charity event. Jing Daily writes, “Chinese citizens, particularly, have become apathetic toward the US and hostile to American values. As such, an event that ‘celebrates all things American fashion’ isn’t the best way to conquer their hearts.”

T H AT ’ S M A G A Z I N E S

CITY SNAPSHOT

@ gab.wanderer Gabrielle arrived in Shanghai in January 2020 just at the cusp of COVID-19. She felt drawn to explore Asia as she is of half French and half Southeast Asian decent and wanted to try something new. She tells us, “I immediately fell in love with Shanghai as I believe it’s a cosmopolitan creative hub where East meets West and where anything can happen. I stopped my corporate job in July to pursue a freelance career combining my passions of film photography and fashion – creating this new community of local creatives called LuvStyle ( 申爱 ) based in Shanghai. I’m excited for what’s to come and who I meet in this city.” > For more of Gabrielle’s journey follow @gab.wanderer or @luvstyle_shanghai on Instagram.

OCTOBER 2021 | 17

ARTS & LIFE | F E AT URE

CRAZY RICH ASIANS

China’s Top 10 Wealthiest Women in 2021 By Joshua Cawthorpe

list of China’s richest women in 2021 was recently released, China Daily reports. With a combined wealth of RMB1.21 trillion, 33 females made the list and saw a 74% increase from RMB692 billion last year. On the global stage, Forbes magazine’s most up-to-date list of billionaires added 63 first-timers in the grand total of 328 female billionaires, up 36% from the year before. Only 10% of the world’s nearly 3,000 billionaires bear two ‘x’ chromosomes. Here is a look at the 10 women who top this year’s list:

10. Chen Lihua – RMB40 billion

8. Zhao Yan – RMB46.25 billion

Chen is founder and president of Beijing-based commercial real estate developer, Fuwah International Group.

Zhao’s fortune comes from hyaluronic acid, a key ingredient in anti-aging skincare products. Her company, Bloomage Biotech, is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

9. Ji Kaiting (Perenna Kei) – RMB45.56 billion In 2013, then 24-year-old Perenna Kei became the world’s youngest billionaire, according to South China Morning Post . The family trust, for which she is responsible, crossed into the billion USD threshold by way of a majority stake in her father’s real estate company, Logan Property Holdings.

18 |OCTOBER 2021

F E AT URE | ARTS & LIFE

7. Zeng Fangqin – RMB49.64 billion

6. Pan Dong – RMB55.87 billion

Zeng is chair of LY iTech, a tech company that supplies parts to Apple and Huawei.

Pan is the chairperson of Blue Moon Group and the wife of its founder and CEO, Luo Qiuping. The company makes soap and laundry detergent.

4. Zhou Qunfei – RMB83.44 billion

5. Cheng Xue – RMB58.8 billion

Zhou chairs Lens Technology, which supplies smartphone screens to major brands like Samsung and LG. Like Wang Laichun, Zhou got her start on the factory floor before beginning her entrepreneurial journey by making watch parts in an apartment in 1993.

Cheng owns just 9% of Foshan Haitian Flavoring, which makes soy sauce and other Asian seasonings. The brand can be found on supermarket shelves worldwide.

2. Wang Laichun – RMB161.14 billion Wang is the chair of Luxshare Precision Industry, which is an electronics manufacturer that produces components for Apple, to name but one client. For over a decade, she worked on the assembly line in a Foxconn factory before acquiring Luxshare in 2004.

3. Wu Yajun – RMB101.28 billion Wu cofounded Longfor Properties with her husband in 1993. They have since divorced, and he does not have any outstanding role with the Hong Kong-listed real estate firm, whereas Wu remains the chairperson.

1. Yang Huiyan – RMB180.36 billion Born in 1981 in Shunde, Guangdong province, Yang is the majority shareholder in Country Garden Holdings, a property development company in China. She was transferred a 57% stake by her father in 2007.

OCTOBER 2021 | 19

TRAVEL Suzhou

The Soothing City p24

Mile High P22 20 |OCTOBER 2021

Rollercoaster P22

Guangzhou Opens Massive 5,000-Room International Health Station

WANDERLUST

QUARANTINE QUEEN By Randy Johnson

uangzhou opened its 5,000room international health center in late September, making it one of the largest dedicated quarantine facilities in the world. The rooms at the station appear to have all the makings of a standard hotel room as well as a suite of intelligent service facilities, according to GRT Radio. The guest rooms have a modern, simplistic design and are available in three sizes: 18-square-meter, 27-square-meter and 36-square-meter rooms. The health station has streamlined the check-in process, with guests able to pick their room type and handle fees and registration while on the coach bus to the station. To enter the rooms, guests can scan a QR code to avoid the use of room keys.

Each room has a health monitoring system that helps track the guest’s body temperature, nucleic acid test results and overall physical conditions. Perhaps concerning to some, the system can also conduct video conversations between staff and guests, along with an intercom service for communication purposes. As opposed to some quarantine hotels, the health center rooms are adequately ventilated and have a dedicated kitchen for preparing meals – no waimai in this facility! Located in Guangzhou’s Baiyun District, the site covers 250,000 square meters – one-third the size of the Forbidden City. The station is a 25minute drive from Baiyun International Airport, which sees a high number of overseas travelers.

OCTOBER 2021 | 21

ROLLER COASTER

Ticket Frenzy The highly anticipated Universal Beijing Resort started its trial opening at the beginning of September. In mid-September, first-day ticket sales opened for the general public, leading to a ticket purchasing frenzy that crashed the ticketing system multiple times. Tickets are available on Universal’s official app and website, along with apps such as Ctrip and Alibaba’s Fliggy – all of which crashed due to high traffic volume. The resort officially opened to the public on September 20 – right before China’s National Week Holiday.

MILE HIGH

Welcome to Hong Kong Last month, Hong Kong opened quarantine-free travel to Chinese mainland travelers, a change imposed following COVID-19 outbreaks on the mainland. In a news conference, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the number of daily travelers from the mainland or Macao is capped at 2,000. Hong Kong halted quarantine-free travel in early August after the COVID-19 outbreak in Nanjing – imposing mandatory quarantine of seven or 14 days depending on vaccination status. While it’s now easier to visit Hong Kong, anyone trying to enter the Chinese mainland will still need to quarantine for at least 14 days. According to the Associated Press, tourist numbers in Hong Kong dropped by as much as 99% in 2020 compared to pre-pandemic levels.

HOSPITALITY HIGHLIGHT

Alila Yangshuo Hotel Yangshuo has plenty of well-designed dwellings to shack up in over a long weekend. Surrounded by mountainous landscapes, the Alila Yangshuo Hotel is a converted 1960s sugar mill that makes for a badass contemporary rural retreat. According to The Spaces, the industrial building was refitted by Vector Architects, based in Beijing. One of the highlights of the boutique hotel is the elevated swimming pool, putting guests in the thick of Guangxi’s refreshing natural scenery.

22 |OCTOBER 2021

Eastern and Western Cuisines Collide at The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin As a landmark hotel located in the heart of one of northern China’s powerhouse cities, The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin offers diners indulgences from China and beyond. In February 2021, Edison Liu was named as Executive Chef of The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin. Chef Edison has had experience working in luxury hotels across China and is adept at using Eastern flavors. However, his cuisine is by no means limited to eastern-style food. In August 2021, the team was joined by Deivid Paiva as Executive Sous. Chef Deivid brings an international dimension to the culinary team, having worked in luxury hotels in Dubai, Bangkok and elsewhere. That’s sat down with Chef Edison and Chef Deivid to discuss their professional backgrounds and their shared passion for food. Tell us about your professional backgrounds and what you hope to bring to The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin. Chef Deivid Paiva I have been cooking professionally for 15 years now and it has been an amazing experience so far. Growing up in Portugal and Brazil, I have been always surrounded by food and ingredients. I had experience working for award-winning luxurious hospitality brands and Michelin restaurants all over the world. I am trained professionally in the culinary arts in the European traditions and methods. However, looking at the variety of ingredients and products that The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin has to offer, I am amazed and look forward to the endless possibilities of culinary delights that our restaurant can produce. The spiciness of the chilies, the smell of fermenting vegetables, the depth of flavor of traditional cured products from

China are what excites me to be here today. You are good at using Eastern flavors with Western presentation. Can you explain how your food is “borderless?” Chef Edison Liu It is always a challenge to introduce new menus to our guests because it will always be a “hit or a miss.” You really do not know if the new dishes that you created will delight your guests. Taste is subjective – you might really like a particular dish but that does not mean that all your guests will also like it. So, it is a challenge for us to cater to all the preferences of our guests. For me, using European techniques and presentation in my cuisine has helped me elevate the Chinese cuisine to the next level. What factors do you need to consider when you design a menu? Chef Deivid Paiva There are two quotes that I can share with you about my cooking philosophy. When I design a menu, I always keep these in mind. Here’s the first one: “When you respect every vegetable and every piece of meat that goes into your kitchen, even ingredients as underrated as a carrot, only then can you call yourself a true cook.” This is the guiding principle that I want to instill within my kitchen and within my culinary team. My cuisine is ingredient- and product-driven which means that I value the quality of every vegetable that I use and I always strive to maximize every part of that product in my cooking.

The second one is this: “You are only as good as the last plate you sent to the dining room.” What can customers expect when dining at The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin? Chef Edison Liu Customers can expect a rich variety of cuisines and flavors. ZEST is a modern restaurant with an open kitchen concept. The international buffet includes Chinese, Japanese and Italian cuisine styles that are presented in an authentic yet creative style. Tian Tai Xuan is our stylish and contemporary restaurant, with four seasonal menus and a master chef from Tianjin and a chef from Singapore specialized in Cantonese cuisine. FLAIR Bar and Restaurant features a modern twist on South Asian cuisine with a pinch of influence from Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, China and Thailand as well as top-quality cocktails. And the Lobby Lounge is the perfect welcome to guests looking to enjoy a delightful afternoon tea co-branded with a luxury brand that brings a whole new experience to the guests.

OCTOBER 2021 | 23

TR AVEL | F E AT U R E

SUZHOU The Soothing City

ith an abundance of classical gardens – many of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Suzhou is a city that offers a dive into China’s ancient beauty. Often referred to as the ‘Venice of the East,’ visitors are treated to a plethora of historic canals, pagodas, stone bridges and temples that run through the city. Due to its rich cultural heritage and scenic surroundings, Suzhou has also been known as a breeding ground for scholars, artists, poets and writers since its founding in 514 BCE. Despite its rapid economic growth and infrastructural development in recent years, the city has done a great job of preserving its unique and serene Jiangnan-style beauty, and Suzhou remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. From the Song Dynasty, Suzhou was one of China’s most important commercial centers. Now primarily a manufacturing-based economy with a focus on iron, steel, textiles and electronic equipment, the city has become

24 |OCTOBER 2021

one of the country’s most important destinations for foreign investment. The China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), a bilateral project initiated by Deng Xiaoping and former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, is a notable symbol of the city’s rapid growth. At the center of this 288-square-kilometer special area in eastern Suzhou is Jinji Lake, which offers a scenic backdrop to an area designed for technological and industrial development. Strongly influenced by Singapore, the SIP has been described by some as “a masterpiece of urban planning.” The Suzhou government has also been working to establish the SIP as an entertainment hub and hotspot for cultural activities. Art galleries, museums, shopping meccas, hotels and a wide selection of restaurants and bars offering local and international cuisines can be found in all corners of the SIP, making it a perfect place for living, working and traveling.

Looking for more expert guides to China’s biggest cities and hottest destinations? Purchase our Explore China travel guide, which offers insider tips, detailed city guides and more. You can order via email at marketing@thatsmags. com

F E AT U R E | TR AVEL

Sunan Shuofang International Airport Sunan Shuofang International Airport is located in Wuxi, about 38 kilometers away from central Suzhou. Predominantly for domestic flights, a few daily international flights run through this airport as well. Travelers can take a bus that runs every 30 minutes from the airport to Wuxi Railway Station, which takes about 40 minutes. High-speed trains run regularly between Wuxi and Suzhou, a journey that takes just 15 minutes. > No. 1 Jichang Lu, Wuxi 无锡市机场路 1 号

Suzhou Station Located just north of downtown on the northern ring road (Beihuan Lu), Suzhou Station is on the main Shanghai to Nanjing high-speed line. From here, passengers can catch high-speed trains easily to Shanghai, Wuxi, Changzhou, Zhenjiang and Nanjing. Train rides to Shanghai take less than half an hour and cost RMB31-39.5, while a high-speed train to Nanjing is only about an hour and a half journey and will set you back RMB80-164 depending on your seat preference. > No. 27 Suzhan Lu, Gusu District 姑苏区苏展路 27 号

Suzhou North Railway Station Suzhou North Railway Station serves mainly high-speed trains going to or departing from Beijing. It’s a bit further outside of the city, and the ride to Beijing takes about five hours and costs RMB523.50 for a standard second class seat.

New District, Wuzhong District and Suzhou Industrial Park, and Line 4 runs north to south connecting Xiangcheng District to Wujiang District.

Bus Buses run frequently in Suzhou, but do require a basic grasp of Chinese. Buses cover the main tourist areas, running every 10-20 minutes from 5am-9pm, with tickets setting riders back only RMB1-2 based on distance.

Taxi Taxis are readily available in Suzhou, and ride sharing apps, like DiDi, make it even easier for travelers to get from point A to point B. Fares start at RMB10 for the first three kilometers and then increase RMB2.8 per kilometer, so trips around the city are relatively inexpensive. Most taxi drivers don’t speak English so make sure to have the address of your destination written in Chinese or use the English version of the DiDi app.

Bike Similar to most major cities, Suzhou has many bike sharing apps available. To use any of these bikes, you will need to have an account set up ahead of time using your passport or ID card.

> Fulin Lu, Xiangcheng District 相城区福林路

Other Suzhou Railway Stations Suzhou Industrial Park Station (Yuanqu) and Suzhou New Area Station (Xinqu) primarily serve people that live outside of central Suzhou and trains run less frequently here.

Metro Suzhou Metro opened in May 2012 and consists of four main lines. Line 1 runs east to west, linking Suzhou New District, the Old Town and Suzhou Industrial Park. Line 2 runs north to south, linking the new Suzhou North Railway Station across the Old Town and into the southern suburbs. Line 3 is a semi-circle route connecting the CBDs in Suzhou

OCTOBER 2021 | 25

TR AVEL | F E AT U R E

Shiquan Street For travelers wanting to pick up Suzhou specialty items – like tea, silk, musical instruments, jade carvings, sandalwood fans and lanterns – look along the more traditional Shiquan Street for these kinds of souvenirs. The Silk Embroidery Institute produces high quality work and you can tour the facility before visiting the gift shop. Remember to bargain. Jingshage and Bogutang are popular stores selling antiques, pottery and porcelain. Suzhou is also the largest freshwater pearl-producing region in the world, and pearls can be bought at stores throughout the city in every conceivable price and quality range. > Canglang District 沧浪区

InCity Plaza For Western-style clothing, stop at InCity Plaza. At this popular shopping mall, you will find H&M and Uniqlo, among other fashion clothing stores. > No. 1699 Xiandai Dadao, Suzhou Industrial Park 工业园区现代大道 1699 号

Times Square & Modern Plaza Along the east side of Jinji Lake is Times Square and Modern Plaza. Times Square sits along a canal as an open pedestrian area with many restaurants and shops. Modern Plaza boasts a lot more luxury brands in a large mall setting. > No. 268 Wangdun Lu (near Huachi Jie), Hudong Shequ 旺墩路 268 号 ( 近华池街 ), 湖东社区

Shantang Street This ancient pedestrian street is located next to one of the city’s most important canals, which was built by Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi (who was the governor of Suzhou at the time) in 825 CE. Historically, Shantang Canal created a link between Suzhou and Huqiu, and transformed the neighborhood into a bustling commercial and transportation hub. More than 1,200 years later, Shantang Jie is regarded as one of the most iconic streets in Suzhou due to its rich cultural history and well-preserved scenery. Just like other tourist destinations, expect to see many souvenir shops selling traditional arts and crafts. > Shantang Lu, Jinchang District 金阊区山塘路

26 |OCTOBER 2021

F E AT U R E | TR AVEL

The Humble Administrator’s Garden Considered by some as one of the most beautiful of its kind in southern China, this UNESCO World Heritage site is the largest classical garden in the city. Along with the nearby Lingering Garden, Beijing’s Summer Palace and Hebei’s Mountain Resort of Chengde, the Humble Administrator’s Garden is regarded as one of the four most famous gardens in China. Built in the early 1500s during the Ming Dynasty as the private garden of poet and retired government official Wang Xianchen, this 52,000-square-meter complex is divided into three sections: Eastern, Central and Western. Visitors can spend hours exploring its numerous houses, pavilions, bridges, towers, ponds and floral exhibitions.

Jinji Lake

Lingering Garden

The largest inner-city lake in China, Jinji Lake (which translates to ‘Golden Chicken Lake’) is located right in the center of the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP). The neighborhood is filled with a wide array of restaurants and bars, shopping destinations and arts and culture hotspots, along with many high-end residential buildings, office towers and hotels.

Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this 23,300-square-meter classical garden is separated into four sections, with the central part being its most integral component. First built in 1593 as a private garden for a retired government official named Xu Tai, Ming- and Qing-style buildings meld seamlessly together with the space’s surrounding greenery and rockery.

OCTOBER 2021 | 27

CLASS DISMISSED Why China’s After-School Training Centers are Struggling to Survive By Alistair Baker-Brian

COVER STORY

raining centers, offering tutoring for students in a variety of school subjects, have been an integral part of China’s education system in recent years. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic left some schools unable to reopen and others burdened with financial losses. In August 2021, the government announced a new law that effectively bans all for-profit after-school tutoring in core subjects for kindergarten, primary school and middle school students. Now, the future of a once rapidly growing industry has been thrown into doubt. In the following pages, we share the current state of China’s training centers and accounts from industry professionals across the country.

ife was good for many of China’s training centers before January 2020. On any given weekday evening, weekend, or school holiday, centers would be buzzing with activity. From kindergarten to middle school, students would be frantically ushered into class under the watchful eye of parents and grandparents. For many, that watchful eye would even extend to peering through the window while class was in session. Even if you never set foot in a training center in China, they’ve been pretty hard to miss in recent years. On high streets, in shopping malls and elsewhere, glistening logos, sometimes accompanied by pictures of cheerful-looking teachers and students, have been a common sight. After-school study, or ‘cramming,’ appears to have become part and parcel for many students

COVER STORY

in China, at least for those whose families can afford it. Research by the Chinese Society of Education suggested that in 2016, more than 75% of K-12 students, roughly aged from six to 18 years old, attended after-school classes. The number is likely higher within the past five years. An increase in disposable income, coupled with parents’ burning desire for students to get ahead at school, have fueled the growth of the industry, with many paying for tutoring in core subjects such as English, math and science, among others. Chinese parents spend an average of RMB120,000 (approximately USD18,600) per year on after-school tutoring. That figure is estimated to be as high as RMB300,000 (approximately USD46,600) per year in the most extreme cases, according to South China Morning Post .

Against this backdrop, it’s no surprise that training centers are big business. At its height in February 2021, the net worth of New Oriental, one of China’s most recognizable education companies, rose to approximately USD33 billion. Around the same time, TAL Education Group, another big Chinese education company, had a net worth of around USD55 billion. Chinese and foreign firms alike have made sure to get their hands on a slice of this lucrative market. However, recent events have put the future of the industry in doubt. Many centers are still recovering from losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some institutions, including big players like Disney English, even shut their doors completely. Additionally, Beijing’s new law in August 2021 dealt a big blow.

COVER STORY

As far back as July 23, when news of the new law was leaked, the value of shares in the industry came crashing down. For some institutions, the new law has already been their death knell. Juren Education, which had been in the market for 27 years and offered tutoring services to students aged 5-18 years old, announced closure via WeChat, as cited by Sixth Tone. In a more dramatic case, Jake Hall, CEO of British tutoring company

Holland Park, reportedly fled from Shanghai to his native UK with over USD1.5 million, according to Yicai.com. This happened shortly after Hall announced that investors withdrew commitments to the company following the announcement of the new law. Those that have survived must adapt their curriculum to include only non-core subject material. However, as That’s found out speaking to industry professionals, adapting will not be easy.

Big Burden O

fficially known as the “Dual Alleviation Policy,” the new law, announced by China’s Central Government, seeks to alleviate both the academic burden on students and the financial burden on parents. The latter is intended to encourage parents to have more children as a means of dealing with China’s population crisis. In a society where the kid’s education is the top concern of any parent, none of them would like their kids to ‘lag behind’ the others. In normal schooling, students generally get equal attention in class. But with after-school training centers, kids whose parents are wealthy enough to afford the highly priced

COVER STORY

32 |OCTOBER 2021

extra-class training have a distinct advantage over those from less well-off families. Then the latter would try to “keep up with the Joneses” by all means – save on normal household expenses, for example, to send their kids to receive extra classes. In this way, extra-school tutoring has become compulsory to some degree, which has led to Beijing introducing the new policy. In effect, the new law bans all for-profit teaching of core subject material outside of school hours to kindergarten, primary school and middle school students. Training centers offering core subject-related tutoring services must register as a

non-profit organization. The law also features a number of other clauses unrelated to training centers, including rules on limiting homework for students. Core subjects include ethics and the rule of law, history, geography, Chinese, mathematics, foreign languages (English, Japanese and Russian) and science (biology, physics and chemistry). Meanwhile, noncore subjects, which are unaffected by the new law, include physical education, art (music and fine arts) and integrated practical activities (information technology and labor technology).

COVER STORY

he new law comes at a time when many training centers in China are still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. American native Adam, who requested we only use his first name, set up AJ English Academy in Guangzhou in 2017. What started out as English classes in a small 25 square-meterroom, eventually grew into a business with three centers, around 500 students aged 3-12 years old and 35 staff members. Adam explains that the difficulties caused during COVID-19 are largely related to how his and other training centers calculate profit. “COVID-19 hit in February (2020). Think about it like this. The way we calculate profit is very tricky – only once you finish the service you owe to the parents does the remaining money become profit,” he explains. “Maybe a parent will give you RMB15-20,000. Yes, you have that money right now, but it’s not profitable for eight more months (when the course is finished). So, during COVID-19, you basically had 5-6 months when none of that debt was killed off. Meanwhile, we were still paying full rent. And I was still paying my staff full salary.” He stresses that many centers are still suffering as a result of this ‘COVID-19 debt.’ Belinda (a pseudonym for privacy reasons) worked in a senior management position with Best Learning,

a company that operated training centers in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen before recently announcing closure. She says that COVID-19 was particularly devastating for the company, as their curriculum was designed for face-to-face classes, which couldn’t go ahead. “Our curriculum wasn’t really designed for (online teaching). But, when COVID-19 hit, our curriculum team worked really hard for one or two months to build something palatable for online since it’s always different to face-to-face.” Belinda goes on to say that they had to re-think classes for their youngest students, as managing such classes online was too difficult. “Cutting out a lot of the 3 to 4-year-old classes took a huge chunk of our profits.” For some companies, the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be their downfall. Disney English used to be a major player in the kids and teens training center market, utilizing well-known Disney characters, songs and storylines to teach English to mainly kindergarten-age children. After centers were closed temporarily due to the pandemic, Disney English eventually announced closure in China in June 2020. UK national David Roberts worked as general manager at Disney English from 2010 until the company’s closure. He now works as an education consultant in Shanghai.

The COVID-19 Effect Roberts says that while for many schools online classes were a temporary solution during COVID-19, they would not effectively replace face-to-face classes for the younger children, who excel in fun and groupbased interactive classroom environments. However, Roberts explains that for older children, teenagers and adults, online learning certainly has its place as it offers a convenient solution and students are able to study more independently.

COVID-19 debt and the prolonged suspension of face-to-face classes have not left the industry in a good position and undoubtedly affects some surviving institutions’ ability to adapt to the new law. Roberts stresses that the real challenge is for training centers to change their product offering and marketing in order to remain legal businesses.

OCTOBER 2021 | 33

Switching Subjects B

elinda says that at the Best Learning training centers, parents were attracted to the courses because students would show marked improvement in the core subject English. Adjusting the curriculum would effectively mean taking away one of the company’s main selling points to customers. “We were going to adjust to make our courses more of an arts program. But, at the end of the day, investors and other people high up just realized that doing that would take too much effort and not offer enough in return,” she says. The company attempted to adapt by rebranding the training centers as ‘Thinking Labs,’ which aimed

COVER STORY

34 |OCTOBER 2021

to teach culture, art and science, among other things. However, the new branding was short-lived. A center in Beijing’s Wangjing area had a notice on the front door informing parents of the center’s closure. Adam offers a similar perspective, stressing that AJ English Academy’s reputation has been built on the rapid improvement parents see in students’ English reading ability. “In the last few years alone, I wrote four textbooks,” he says, mentioning that the school also uses an American textbook entitled

Wonders , material banned under the new law – given that schools cannot use foreign textbooks. “That’s what really made us famous – the original materials and the Wonders textbook program.” Adam emphasizes the need to teach core skills in English, such as reading and phonics, before students can learn other things. “We’ve been told we can teach citizenship. Indeed, one of the chapters in

COVER STORY

The challenge is to ensure new products meet the new legal requirements and, yet, are still marketable and attractive to parents

the Wonders textbook is about being a good citizen. However, the text is in English. That means that I have to teach them how to read English in order to teach the chapter.” According to Roberts, schools may struggle to teach non-core subjects. “Many schools offering after-school core subject programs are currently changing their products and their marketing. It is not enough to purely change the marketing because the programs need to adhere to the new legislation. Any government inspections would be problematic if this was not the case. “The challenge is to ensure new products meet the new legal requirements and, yet, are still marketable and attractive to parents.” Belinda agrees that adapting will be difficult. “Training centers will say children are learning one

thing, when in fact, they are teaching children English.” Schools can, in theory, teach English through arts and crafts, drama, music, etc. However, there are already established training centers that specialize in these subjects. “If parents want their kids to study arts and crafts, why wouldn’t they go to a school which actually has a legacy of teaching arts and crafts? This will be the challenge core-subject providers will face as they reinvent themselves,” says Roberts. What exactly falls within the categories of core and non-core subjects, respectively, still requires some clarification. According to Roberts, this will likely become clearer as local government education departments start implementing the policy through training center inspections.

OCTOBER 2021 | 35

A Bleak Future? T

he future direction of China’s training centers is still somewhat uncertain. A number of areas are cause for concern, one of which is mass unemployment resulting from changes in the industry. At AJ English Academy, Adam fears the job prospects for some of his staff. “I have 23-year-old employees who graduated university in China to become English teachers. What are they going to do? I have one person who’s been teaching for 15 years. She’s crying to me, saying that no one will want to employ her. She’s spent her career working in an industry that might no longer exist in the future. “I’ve spoken to a lot of people who have been teaching for over ten years. They’re most anxious that they’ve grown their career in this industry.” Adam says that while he understands the intention

behind the new law to reduce the financial burden on parents, it would be wise to look at reducing costs of other things such as kindergarten, college, rent, etc., instead of punishing training centers. Another issue in the industry is that a “rule-bending culture” will likely develop to meet the existing demand for tutoring in English and other core subjects. This was pointed out in a recent report by consultancy group Venture Education. The paper stresses that the closing of core-subject training centers “will likely lead to a wholesale fragmentation of the industry with a dramatic increase in the number of freelance tutors who operate below the radar.” “What I think may happen, while the demand is still there, is that parents who can afford it may try to find teachers for one-on-one classes. These would likely be unregulated,” says Roberts. Against this backdrop, the

new law could exacerbate existing inequality regarding educational opportunities. While training centers may suffer from the new law, Beijing has positive intentions in alleviating the financial burden of the family. This year, the government rolled out a new policy allowing families to have three children. Belinda is skeptical that closing training centers will encourage parents to have more children. However, she agrees with the notion of reducing the academic burden on children and stresses that people in China may re-think education as a whole. “It might open people’s minds to new views on education. Being well-rounded, such as by learning music or another non-core subject, can also develop a person.” Similarly, Venture Education points out that the new law may help to create a more holistic education system.

She’s spent her career working in an industry that might no longer exist

COVER STORY

Ultimately, this law could be good news for existing training centers that teach non-core subject material. The drama academies, dance schools, music teachers, etc. may suddenly be able to gain new students who would otherwise be learning English, math and science. However, persuading

parents to part with cash is easier if they know that their child will do better at school. Convincing them to pay for education which will make them more ‘well-rounded’ may be more difficult. The industry likely won’t feel the full effects of the new law until its full implementation. Moreover,

how the law is applied by local authorities may vary. But there is a clear indication that more training centers will close, as schools that rely on core-subject curricula grasp the realities of adaptation. It’s sink or swim.

OCTOBER 2021 | 37

FAMILY Family Trip

7 Unforgettable Destinations to Visit in China p42

Healthy Habits P40

38 |OCTOBER 2021

Class Champ P40

FULL HOUSE

ED GAWNE

The 1st Annual Wuyuan Wheelbarrow Rally Interview by Ned Kelly

Englishman Ed Gawne moved to Shanghai in the search of a life less predictable… and found himself in career in corporate market research. As he was still pre-mortage, prekids and pre-things tying him down, I saw a chance and ran away to the countryside, never to return. He now runs Wuyuan Skywells, and the newly opened Victoria House Hotel with his Jiangxi-born wife Selina Liao. On October 30, he is hosting the 1st Annual Wuyuan Wheelbarrow Rally. Intrigued, we decided we needed to know more. How did the idea for the Wheelbarrow Rally come about? I grew up attending all these weird races in little towns back home and never thought anything of it until I left really. I remember carrying people around on a stretcher through all the pubs in my hometown, pushing my dad around Dartmoor in a pram for his 60th Birthday and watching cheese rolling and bog snorkling on TV. In Britain, eccentricity is a mark of a life well-lived, and I see a lot of that here in the Chinese countryside. I’m aware how lucky and peculiar my situation is – owning two hotels here in the middle of the Chinese countryside, and I was thinking what cool stuff I could do with it. How does it work in terms of teams? You’ll need someone in the wheelbarrow, and some people to push. I’ve done it

“In Britain, eccentricity is a mark of a life welllived, and I see a lot of that here in the Chinese countryside“ pushing one by myself and its hard work, but possible. The maximum is six per team, or it will feel more like substitutes. There are only so many people that can push one wheelbarrow! What sort of people do you hope to attract? It’s a cliche to say ‘everyone’ – people who like the great outdoors and have an open mind. You’ll need some people in your team with a bit of oomph, although it might be a good idea to persuade a child to be your rider if you want an easier go of it. If you don’t like exercise or the outdoors, it’s probably not for you. It’s Halloween weekend, will people be dressing up? It’s as mandatory as I can make it without turning people away. If you are spending your Saturday not pushing someone through the hills in a wheelbarrow dressed as batman, I’ve got to question how well you are spending your weekend. What else is going on over the weekend? We’re going to finish with a big garden party and BBQ at our new place – Victoria House. Prizes include quickest finish, best fancy dress and best family. At this point, piling into the river for a swim cannot be ruled out. The RMB500 team race fee will

be 50% split between race costs and a donation to Heart to Heart. It’s good to do good things. Tell us about the new place, Victoria House Hotel? Victoria House is closeby to Wuyuan Skywells, but wildly different. We’ve built an English Country manor here in the Jiangxi countryside, to primarily focus on Chinese families who may not enjoy rambling old houses as much as crazy foreigners. It’s a beautiful spot, decorated with old maps from my family, two acres of gardens with a river bend at the front and tea fields at the back. All are welcome; There aren’t many places where you’ll find a large lawn to roll about on in southern China! Any other wacky events planned for the future? There are big outdoor theaters in the villages out here in Huizhou where we are based. Opera troupes have travelled around them for centuries performing one of China’s oldest musical forms. My vision is to put on a modern music festival. If you build it, they will come… > Add Ed on WeChat (EdGawne) for any questions about the Wheelbarrow Rally, Wuyuan Skywells, or Victoria House Hotel.

OCTOBER 2021 | 39

READING CORNER

CLASS CHAMP

Book recommendations from That’s editorial team:

Blastoff

Ages 12+

The Alchemist

There are few books we’ve read that are more enlightening than The Alchemist . This Paulo Coelho novel tells the story of a young shepherd who sells his flock and begins a journey from Spain to Egypt to find a hidden treasure. The lessons he learns along the way apply to all of us and can help us become better people.

Li Banghua of Anhui province impressed his professors and peers by building a drone over the summer holiday. According to Global Times , the 15-year-old encountered seven or eight obstacles in the drone’s design and construction. Nonetheless, he took it back to the drawing board and persevered. And yes, Li successfully flew the 40-kilogram contraption. Li appears to be on track to become one of the country’s future bright engineers!

HEALTHY HABITS

Belly Business Ages 6+

17 Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Anymore

This ‘guide’ on everything not to do is a humorous read for children who have a naughty streak. From gluing her brother’s slippers to the floor to other mischievous acts – 17 Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Anymore is part of a series written by Jenny Offill and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter.

40 |OCTOBER 2021

We love spicy hot pot, maoxuewang and suancaiyu as much as the next person. But, sometimes a busy schedule the next day means we skip our favorite Hunan restaurant for fear of the intestinal repercussions. Dietary fiber has entered the chat. There are two main types of fiber and they are both crucial for digestive health. Insoluble fiber, or ‘roughage,’ is the elements of fruits, vegetables and legumes that our bodies can’t digest. Soluble fiber, like fruit pectin, dissolves in water and forms a gel. Therefore, it regulates the fluid content of your bowel movements, making stool both bigger and softer. Fiber also binds to cholesterols and drags them out of our bodies. High-fiber diets have been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer. Consider adding oats, apples, or a psyllium fiber supplement to your routine, so you can enjoy a life filled with spicy oily food.

XJTLU Robotics Team Scoops 2nd in National Intelligent Car Competition As part of their college’s summer professional development program, students created an AI-based robot aimed at catering distribution. Two teams of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) students recently showed off their skills at the iFLYTEK Intelligent Restaurant Session of the 16th National University Students Intelligent Car Race at Lanzhou University. XJTLU’s two teams – Hahaha Team and Yuezhan Yueyong Team – were recruited during the XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang)’s annual program that gives students practical, real-world skills to help their future careers. The College’s professional development programs include activities like site visits, workshops, guest lectures and technical training. IFLYTEK, headquartered in Hefei in Anhui province, is a specialist in artificial intelligence technologies and one of the College’s industry partners. The company provided Year Two students with training sessions and practical guidance on intelligent vehicles during their session over the summer, which culminated in the competition. Hahaha Team captain, Yida Wang, says he jumped at the chance to participate in the competition after last summer’s program. “Last year’s enterprise tours gave me new insight into the R&D focuses of various companies. I was amazed by iFLYTEK’s speech recognition system.”

From left to right: Dr. Huakang Li, Hongyu Bian, Fudong Cui, Jiashu Zhang, Xinyu Zhang, Yida Wang

In addition to Wang, Hahaha Team consisted of Xinyu Zhang, Jiashu Zhang, Fudong Cui and Hongyu Bian, all students from XJTLU’s BEng Data Science and Big Data Technology with Contemporary Entrepreneurialism program. Yuezhan Yueyong Team, which consisted of two students from XJLTU’s School of AI and Advanced Computing and three from the University’s Department of Computing, won third prize in the first round of the competition. Dr. Huakang Li, from the School of AI and Advanced Computing, mentored both teams.

finally found the culprit – a code-matching problem. It was getting late, and we were starting to worry! Luckily we solved the problem at 10 pm and saved the next day.” Lessons learned

Skills gained The tasks set out by the competition brief focused on catering distribution and involved using a robot operating system and AI recognition algorithms. The race saw participants navigating through a course with tasks including automatic obstacle avoidance, dish distribution, QR code recognition, facial recognition and voice broadcasting. Some of the tasks, like facial recognition, were outside the scope of knowledge of Year Two students, but Dr. Li was there to help them make up for the shortfall by guiding them to the right resources and helping them teach themselves. Obstacles overcome But the competition was not without its challenges. The night before the race in Lanzhou, the team encountered a thorny problem – the vehicle could not recognize the required QR code. “At first, we thought it was a light problem that resulted in a recognition failure in the camera,” says Wang. “However, after constant debugging, we

In addition to practical skills, the competition taught the participants valuable lessons for their future careers. Xinyu Zhang says: “I’ve learned that when encountering a failure, we should try to adjust our mindsets and move forward quickly, rather than fall apart when a problem arises.” She also says that before the competition, she used to be embarrassed to ask questions and instead would try to solve problems independently. Jiashu Zhang shares her advice to students nervous about entering technical degree programs like those XJTLU offers: “The important thing when trying something new is just to do it! Before doing this competition, I didn’t have any experience writing code. But doing the professional development program gave me new insight. And I discovered that artificial intelligence is not as intimidating and difficult as I first thought. After the program, I feel more confident about my future career.” To learn more about XJTLU’s Entrepreneur College (Taicang), scan the QR code. Images provided by School of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Computing.

OCTOBER 2021 | 41

F A M I LY | T R A V E L

Family Trip

7 Unforgettable Destinations to Visit in China

7-Day Lhasa Off-theBeaten Path Village Leisure Trekking Arrive in Lhasa and visit stunning Buddhist and historic sites, such as Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Sera Monastery and Drepung Monastery. Visit cliffside Pabonka Palace and visit the holy cave where Songtsen Gampo the 33rd Tibetan king used to meditate, before trekking to Tashi Chöling Hermitage, passing a traditional sky-burial site. Visit famous monasteries, the Great Tsongkapa’s meditation cave, take in beautiful views of Lhasa valley, stay in a traditional village and more. 42 |OCTOBER 2021

6-Day Northern Xinjiang Tour Xinjiang is a noble destination for travelers, enchanting people to pack bags with its name alone. This tour’s brilliant itinerary covers the sites of northern Xinjiang, taking you on a scenic adventure along the ancient Silk Road. With a local expert guide, as well as comfortable vehicles, you will discover beautiful lakes, rivers, hills, snowy mountains, deserts, woods and grassland and the exotic places of Urumqi, Burqin, Kanas, Hemu and Karamay.

T R A V E L | F A M I LY

6-Day Changbai Mountain & North Korea Border Tour

7-Day Qinghai & Gannan Tibetan Area Exploration

Located in Jilin province, Changbaishan is one of China’s nature preservation zones, and boasts an ecosystem with world famous precious animals like tigers, sikas, sables and more. The Heavenly Lake nestles in the crater of a volcano on Baitoushan, The WhiteHead Mountain, the main peak of the Changbaishan, and forms a border between China and People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). This tour also takes in the border town of Dandong and the Broken Bridge of the Yalu River, which was blown up by bombs from American planes during the Korean War, as well Shenyang and the Mukden Palace, the country’s second largest ancient building and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Qinghai and Gannan are renowned as ‘Small Tibet’ due to their rich Tibetan Buddhism influence. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters above sea level, you can experience Tibetan culture and enjoy the plateau scenery in comfort and without the risk of altitude sickness. Here you will see grand prairies, scattered lakes, monasteries, Tibetan villages, unique mountain peaks and hidden wonderlands.

7-Day Sino-Vietnamese Secret Guangxi Tour In addition to Guilin landscape and Yangshuo countryside scenery, Guangxi is filled with many off-thebeaten-path locations to discover: Asia’s largest transnational waterfall at the Sino-Vietnamese border; grand underground cave system; other-worldly villages; and the country’s largest volcanic island.

4-Day Daocheng Yading Nature Reserve Adventure

6-Day Magic Guizhou Hiking Tour with Hidden Tribes

Honored as the “last pure land on our blue planet,” Daocheng Yading Nature Reserve was first introduced to the wider world when the famous American adventurer Joseph F. Rock published an article and photographs of Daocheng in National Geographic in 1928. “Where in all the world is to be found scenery comparable to that which awaits the explorer and photographer!” he wrote. The snowcapped mountains, steep cliffs, crystal clear lakes, vast pastures, as well as the dense woods compose a harmonious utopian land.

Located in Southwest China, Guizhou boasts beautiful mountains and rivers, multiple minorities and unique ethnic customs, life and handicrafts. Immerse yourself in marvelous landscapes, visiting “the last cave tribe in China” and exploring the ancient Hanging Coffins and ancient cave burial culture. Scan the QR code for more great travel deals:

OCTOBER 2021 | 43

LISTINGS

Beijing Kerry Residence Whether you’re a single business executive or a busy family, Beijing Kerry’s fully- furnished 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments will feel just like home. As well as enjoying all the comforts of modern living – including a well-equipped kitchen, entertainment systems, high-speed broadband and much more – residents are just moments away from the Kerry Centre’s shopping mall and sports facilities. The rest of the CBD is on your doorstep too. >1 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区光华路 1 号 (8535 6888, www.beijingkerryresidence. com)

BEIJING

Middle 8 Restaurant 中8楼 An oasis at the top of Taikoo Li, Middle 8 is the go-to destination for fresh authentic Yunnan cuisine. The restaurant, stylish yet understated, has plenty of flavorsome well- priced dishes and a killer view to boot. > Raffles: Daily 11:00am-10:00pm, 5 Floor Of Raffles shopping center Dongzhimen Dongcheng District. 来福士店 : 东城区东直门来福士购物中心 5 层 8409 8199/8409 8234 > Indigo: Daily 11:00am-10:00pm, Jiuxianqiao Road No.20 Indigo F2 , Chaoyang 朝阳区酒仙桥路 20 号颐堤港 2 层 8420 0883

GTC RESIDENCE BEIJING One of the top residences in Beijing, GTC Residence is located beside the third ring road with 5 minutes’ walk to subway line 5 , 10 minutes’ drive to Hou Hai . It is also within easily reach of CBD, embassy area, Financial Street and other urban commercial,shopping and recreation areas. Fully equipped apartments with impeccable quality offer you a cozy living system and will meet all of your requirements for room decoration, furniture, electric appliances etc.. Unique sky garden with golf practice field and barbecue area is another symbol of GTC Residence. > sales@gtcresidence.com, website: www. gtcresidence.com Tel:56756666 Beijing Lianbao > Unite 1C, Building 7, Xingfu Yicun Xili, Chaoyang District 朝阳区幸福一村西里7号楼1C (6415 8001, 138 1093 6118, hanxingyue1127@126. com)

Oak Chateau Beijing Oak Chateau Beijing has 236 stylish and contemporary fully serviced apartments from studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four bedroom suites available, measuring 64 to 260 square meters. There is a 24-hours

guest reception, and housekeeping is offered twice a week. Nestled within the landscaped gardens of the Ocean Express commercial and residential complex, Oak Chateau Beijing is very close to the third Embassy Area and shopping and dinning services at the Beijing Lufthansa Center. There are only 19 kilometers to the Beijing Capital Airport. > 北京市朝阳区东三环霞光里 66 号远洋新干线 D 座邮编 100027 Block D, Ocean Express, 66 Xiaguang Li, Third East Ring Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100027, P.R.C Tel: (86-10) 84465888 Fax: (86-10) 84465999 Email oak.chateau@oakchateau.com Website: www. oakchateau.com Oakwood Residence Damei Beijing The only serviced apartment in the city that has its own in-house supply of natural hot spring water supply. Expansive city views are available from floor to ceiling windows with the apartments situated from level 23 to 35 in the building complex. The 171 stylish contemporary serviced residences range from studios to threebedroom apartments and offer an elegant range of amenities and facilities to ensure each resident’s stay is comfortable and well taken care of. > Building No.1 Damei Center, 7 Qingnian Road, Chaoyang District Beijing 北京市朝阳区青年路 7 号达美中心 1 号楼 Tel: 86-10 8585 2211 (8:30am-5:30pm) 86-10 8585 2888 (5:30pm-8:30am) Fax: (86-10) 8585 2666 website OakwoodAsia.com

HOTEL NEWS SUZHOU

GUANGZHOU

Fuel Your Glow @ Away Spa

Contemporary Fine Art Exhibition at Catch and Tian Bar Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou

Guests are welcome to the ultimate indulgence at AWAY SPA. This premium package includes: • 60-minute personal training or manicure service. • 60-minute Detox body massage or Detox facial treatment. • One bottle of Sparkling wine. • Treatment for two to enjoy a complimentary Spa suite together, including one hour use of bubble bath (upon availability). Book any time from Monday to Friday from noon-8pm by calling (0512) 6988 7779 Booking time Mon-Fri 12PM-8PM. AWAY SPA L35, W Suzhou, Building 7 Suzhou Center, Corner of Suzhou Industrial Park, Jiangsu 215021, P.R. China (www.w-suzhou.com) 44 |OCTOBER 2021

Rediscover a gastronomic and mixology experience, surrounded by contemporary fine art. Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou hosts an art exhibition at Catch and Tian Bar, in conjunction with Kui Yuan Gallery, to create an exceptional experience that transcends craftsmanship. To view the art collection, please visit Tian Bar on the 99th floor and Catch on the 100th floor of Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou. The exhibition will be available until December 31, 2021.

BEIJING

SHANGHAI

Red Panda-themed Afternoon Tea at Cordis, Beijing

The St. Regis Shanghai Jingan Collaborates With Bently Shanghai - Jingan Presenting Co-Branding Afternoon Tea

Red pandas live in the Eastern Himalayas, they spend most of their time in trees, feeding mainly on leaves and bamboo. They rely on their long, bushy tails for balance as they cross tree branches. Red Pandas are an at risk species, victims of deforestation. Their natural habitat is shrinking as more forests are destroyed by logging and the spread of agriculture. To recognize International Red Panda Day this September 18th, 2021. Pastry Chef Shirley from Cordis, Beijing Capital Airport has created a special afternoon tea set available for the entire month of September. Enjoy a selection of savory and sweet treats featuring quinoa and smoked chicken tart, black olive tapenade on mini bagel, black forest log cake, blueberry vanilla parfait and homemade fruity yogurt. Each afternoon tea comes with your very own Cody the red panda to take home.

Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town Promotes Allen Li Mr. Allen Li was recently promoted as Regional General Manager, Beijing Cluster & Winter Olympic Hotels, and appointment as General Manager of Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town. With more than 20 years’ working experience in the hospitality industry, Allen has worked in the Shangri-La Hotel Group, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and Hilton Worldwide Holding Inc.. He first joined IHG in 2008 as General Manager of Holiday Inn Beijing Chang’An West, when he was awarded as the Leaders of the Year, Holiday Inn Brand of 2011. Allen first took on the Area General Manager position for Holiday Inn Hotels in Jiangsu Province, General Manager of Holiday Inn Nanjing Aqua City, from 2013 to 2014. As the General Manager of Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town, Allen will apply his unique insights in hotel management, constantly leading his team to explore new, innovative opportunities in order to start a new chapter!

Steiff Afternoon Tea Presented By Waldorf Astoria Beijing Waldorf Astoria Beijing invites diners to embark on an impressive culinary journey by launching the Steiff Afternoon Tea in cooperation with the famous German Toy Brand – Steiff from September 21, 2021. Taking inspirations from the image of well-made Steiff bears, hotel’s team of chefs crafts the afternoon tea by ingeniously integrating Steiff elements into iconic German dishes using top-quality ingredients, which is bound to awake living taste bud memories of the good old times. RMB788 plus 15% service charge per set for two persons, including one limited edition Steiff bear. From now on till to February 28, 2022, Waldorf Astoria Beijing 1 floor, Peacock Alley, for reservation +86 10 8520 8989.

The St. Regis Shanghai Jingan collaborates with Bentley Shanghai - Jingan again, to present elevated co-branding afternoon tea. Inspired by the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid selection, hotel’s culinary team creates an array of savories and sweets with fresh seasonal ingredients. Luminaries are invited to enjoy an graceful and elegant afternoon tea at The Drawing Room. The St. Regis X Bentley afternoon tea is available from September 19. For inquiries and reservations, please contact +86 (21) 6257-9999 ext. 7716.

Jing An Shangri-La, Shanghai Hosts 7th Vertical Charity Run Jing An Shangri-La, Shanghai will host the 2021 Climb for Hope Vertical Charity Run, kicking off at 7.30am, on October 17. This will be the seventh annual charity run organized by Jing An ShangriLa, Shanghai following the great success of the last six years. The hotel, which offers guests the ideal place to soak in the city view of the downtown business centre and beyond from a high vantage point in Shanghai, will continue the event as its corporate social responsibility tradition. The Climb for Hope Vertical Charity Run is a friendly race, with participants climbing the Jing An Shangri-La, Shanghai building – 60 floors and 1,625 steps – to reach the finish line on the highest floor. This event will be held to raise funds for charity, not only making it physically beneficial, but also providing participants a chance to make good merit, in addition to giving them pleasure and satisfaction.

The Ultimate Crab Feast by Elements at Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai As summer ends and the waters cool, the crab season begins. Along with the autumn festival, it is also the official start of the hairy crab season, and hairy crabs will be featured amongst the other crab varieties served at the ultimate crab fest! Noteworthy appetisers include signature dishes such as crab meat hand roll, flame-seared salmon nigiri and wagyu beef with crab meat at the Japanese station, supplementing our extensive sushi-and-sashimi theatre kitchen and salad bar. Available until December 1. To make a reservation, call 021-3867 9048. OCTOBER 2021 | 45

SCHOOL NEWS SHANGHAI

NAIS Pudong Sports Team Tryouts Dulwich Pudong Clothesline Project Two Senior School students, Maggie W and Tommy L, brought The Clothesline Project to Dulwich Pudong, aiming to break the stigma surrounding mental health. The Clothesline Project is a global phenomenon where communities come together to paint empowering slogans on t-shirts which are then hung on clotheslines as a highly visible way of generating discussion and awareness. We applaud students for taking the initiative in this important issue.

It has been a busy start to the year at NAIS Pudong, with tryouts for football, volleyball, netball and swim teams taking place in the first few weeks of term. Competition was intense but friendly and the teams are looking forward to a year of hard work and sporting success.

Wellington New Academic Year Start and First Day School The 2021-22 academic year commenced on Monday, August 30 at Wellington College International Shanghai. The place was once again filled with energetic and enthusiastic Wellingtonians, ready to learn and grow together. In addition to their returning pupils, they also welcomed around 300 new pupils to their diverse, international school community.

Back to Harrow! Harrow Shanghai was delighted to welcome both new and old students back to the 2021-2022 academic year. It was a very happy and exciting first day at school, and they feel confident their children will have a fulfilling and positive year. With outstanding class teachers and support staff children will continue to be nurtured, challenged and inspired to reach their academic and pastoral best.

TIANJIN

Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi officially STEER accredited Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi are proud to become officially accredited by STEER Education in recognition of their effective use of AS Tracker, a tool used to detect hidden student wellbeing, mental health and safeguarding risks in and out of school. Their pastoral team is harnessing this technology to take a proactive rather than a reactive approach to meeting students’ social and emotional needs. The impact of this has been highly positive and is really making a difference for student’s wellbeing.

46 |OCTOBER 2021

Celebrating 10 Years of Quality International Education at Wellington College in Tianjin A 10th birthday celebration should be a spectacular affair, and it was no different at Wellington College in Tianjin last month. The school’s official launch of its 10th anniversary coincided with Teacher’s Day on Friday, September 10. It marked the start of a year-long series of community events aimed to mark the establishment of the school in 2011.

GUANGZHOU

FOSHAN

Nord Anglia International School Guangzhou Welcomes Guests for Campus Tours

Lady Eleanor Holles International School Foshan begins the New Academic Year

The brand-new Nord Anglia International School Guangzhou welcomed guests for a press briefing and tour of the campus, which has been designed around collaborations with The Juilliard School and MIT for students aged 2-11.

LEH Foshan was delighted to welcome all the new and returning international families and their talented teachers on the Induction Day and the first day of school on Monday, 6 September. Head Master Mr. Steve Allen has reviewed the history of LEH and set out the expectations for the new academic year. Also, Head Mistress Mrs. Hanbury from LEH UK, their partnership school in London, has expressed her warm welcome through video. During the date, students had explored the school facilities and campus, met their new friends and exceptional teachers, most importantly, started their joyful education journey with LEH Foshan. The school is also looking forward to having those who have not yet returned to join the community in the near term.

SHENZHEN

QSI Shenzhen Looks to Build Even Greater School Community

According to meta-analysis on parent involvement in schools, the more parents involved in their children’s education, the better their students’ motivation, behavior, and grades come. Parents also benefit from being involved in their children’s education by getting ideas from school on how to help and support their children, and by learning more about the school’s academic program and how it works. In QSI Shenzhen, we strongly believe in positive parent-school partnership in education affect students’ overall success. Apart from the regular Director Coffee meeting, DI and PSG meeting, our Head of Director of Instruction Ms. Claire Berger is leading Parent University Program to the QSIS community. Parent University sessions will begin in September and take place monthly at Main Campus, our topics this year will range from College Admissions to Early Literacy and everything in between! We look forward to seeing you all at Parent University!

Shen Wai International School Values Positive Education Students at Shen Wai International School focus on wellbeing and character strengths through the PEEC (Positive Education Enhanced Curriculum) delivered during Advisory lessons. SWIS Value Cards were developed by our staff to emphasize the importance of positive education through Empathy, Integrity, Well-being, Perseverance, and Creativity. Students are encouraged to exhibit these values and those who do are celebrated during assemblies where they receive a Value Card with a personalized note written by one of their teachers. At SWIS, we believe that character strength and student wellbeing are central to the learning process when developing well-rounded, global citizens.

ZHUHAI QSI International School of Zhuhai Welcomes Back Students

QSI International School of Zhuhai, now in its 22 year, is back and better than ever. After having our worlds turned upside down by Covid, we recovered from 125 up to 150 students by the end of last year. This year saw another surge in enrollment bringing us closer to 200. Our students continue to excel, setting record MAP growth scores, achieving university entrance level SAT scores at age 14, and scoring the highest possible marks in AP tests too. We couldn’t be prouder of them and are excited to set more achievement records this school year!

Dulwich International High School Zhuhai Has New Hengqin Campus Dulwich International High School Zhuhai has kicked off its 202122 academic year at the new campus in Hengqin in August. This first cohort to start the campus life at the new location was warmly welcomed by the school with purposed-design decoration, activities and souvenirs. Leveraging the new facilities and hard work of the high-profiled faculty team, Dulwich Zhuhai students will further achieve stellar academic performance and continue to graduate worldwise.

OCTOBER 2021 | 47

That’s

OCTOBER

Horoscopes

Finally, a horoscope that understands your life in China. By Joshua Cawthorpe

Libra

Scorpio

Sagittarius

Capricorn

9.24~10.23

10.24~11.22

11.23~12.21

12.22~1.20

It’s normal for Libra’s to feel uneasy when they’re alone. If you find yourself in this predicament, call an old friend, or join the dancing ayi in the neighborhood square for a workout slash mingling session.

Hold your breath and ignore your morals and conscience this month. Your ruthless character needs to be uninhibited to take advantage of the opportunities on your horizon.

Sagittarians and blue-eyed people are statistically more likely to try new things. Head outside of your metropolis to discover something new and exciting – you might just find out a little more about yourself in the process.

If you are contemplating a big career change – think long and hard. Libra season is a time that brings recognition of hard work to Capricorns. Not to mention the work permit rules are ever-evolving.

Aquarius

Pisces

Aries

Taurus

1.21~2.19

2.20~3.20

3.21~4.20

4.21~5.21

Expect some office drama this month. It won’t necessarily be your fault but don’t find yourself caught up in the middle if you can avoid it. You must be shapeless and formless, like Switzerland. Be Switzerland, my friend.

Libra season is a magnetic time for Pisces. Click those hongbao in the group chat. Eighty-eight cents can add up if you’re quick on the draw – we bought lunch with our weekly earnings last week. (Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch?)

If your routine has begun to feel tedious, then it’s your responsibility to add some flavor. Find a spin class or try Zumba in the pool. If you’re broke, you can always watch the shushu play streetside mahjong.

It’s time to quicken your pace in life. It’s not laziness, just complacency. Remember, Red Bull gives you wings. Or, get more sleep, and you won’t need to resort to those sugary drinks.

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

5.22~6.21

6.22~7.22

7.23~8.23

8.24~9.23

Gemini’s lucky color is blue this month, and your lucky number is six. While six isn’t as popular in the West, it means ‘awesome’ in Chinese lingo – 666!

If the world is piling up on you, take a step back and try meditating. Sure, the first few tries will be difficult, and you may want to quit. Just ride it out for a while to see some serious mental gains.

It’s time to spend a little less time admiring yourself in the mirror and a little more practicing the difference between the first and second tones. Just because they don’t mix up your order at Starbucks anymore doesn’t mean you can magically speak Chinese.

We get it… It’s hard being a picky eater when you live in the land of cow stomach and fermented beans. But if you’re still cutting the crusts off your sandwiches, then you’re seriously holding yourself back to the wonders of world cuisine.

48 |OCTOBER 2021

Class Dismissed – That's magazines

Articles inside

SUZHOU

FAMILY TRIP

CRAZY RICH ASIANS

MARC LUSSIER

LOST IN THE SAUCE

QUARANTINE QUEEN

ED GAWNE

CAPITAL MARKET