23 minute read
BUSINESS TECH
Revolutionizing Shanghai’s Walking Tour Scene
P22
Advertisement
Take Stock P20 China Highlights P21
Galley Gadgets
April is the month when nature embraces Spring, but Chinese people traditionally do their spring-cleaning months earlier, before the Spring Festival. If you’re like us and exercise any excuse to put off doing your cleaning, we’ve got you covered. This month Galley Gadgets presents a selection of products that will make cleaning the house a breeze. Don’t forget to scan the QR code using the Taobao APP to check out these products.
YEEDI K10 SWEEPING ROBOT
The Yeedi k10 Sweeping Robot retails for RMB3999 and is arguably the best robot vacuum cleaner on the market. Within 20 seconds of starting up, it can mop the whole floor and it fits under surfaces 8.5 centimeters above the ground, making cleaning under the sofa a doddle. When the Yeedi has finished cleaning not only will it return to its docking station but it will selfclean its own mop and brush heads, taking care of another job for you.
Have you ever come home to a smell and you can’t figure out where it is coming from? Whether it’s something in the fridge, behind the bookshelf or lurking in some other hidden corner of your house, the Sosekia Deodorizer will find it and get rid of it. Not only is it great at getting rid of odors inside and outside of the fridge, but if you do keep it in the fridge, it will remove any nasty germs and preserve the freshness of your food for up to seven days. The Soseki Deodorizer retails at RMB199 but if you want to spend more, they will throw in lots of little gifts, including a portable washing machine (yes, you did read that right)!
VEEPER WIPPER 0/5A
Bars on windows and living in high-rise flats makes cleaning the windows an absolute nightmare that it really shouldn’t be. Well, Veeper’s Wipper 0/5A is like a sweeping robot for your windows, just attach it to the surface of your windows and let it do its thing. The Wipper can also be remotecontrolled and a safety harness can be fitted to ensure the outside of the windows can be safely cleaned.
SOSEKI DEODORIZER
HIGHS AND LOWS
Highs
• JD Logistics, a subsidiary of the e-commerce giant JD.com has purchased Deppon Logistics, a company that offers shipping and special delivery services. JD has forked over RMB9 billion for a 99% equity stake in Deppon Logistics’ parent company, who has 30,000 service stations, 143 transfer centers and over 15,000 vehicles throughout the Middle Kingdom.
• China’s retail sales of consumer goods rose by 6.7% year on year to almost RMB7.5 trillion during January and February 2022. Retail sales of consumer goods are one of the main indicators of consumption growth and the growth rate was 5% higher than December 2021.
• Tencent has made a move into the market of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) by investing in Immutable, an Australian gaming and NFT startup. Immutable was founded in 2018 and specializes in blockchain-based games. The USD200 million investment from Tencent has raised its value to USD2.5 billion.
Lows
• Yum China, the Chinese operator for brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell in the country, may have to delist from the New York stock exchange after it was unable to provide access to audit documents. The company’s sales have also suffered from rising COVID-19 cases in cities across China.
• Alibaba Group Holding’s shares fell by 10.9% in Hong Kong trading and its US-listed stock was down 5%. The ongoing COVID-19 problem in Hong Kong and the lockdown imposed on Shenzhen in mid-March has impacted consumer spending, therefore, impacting e-commerce groups such as Alibaba.
• China raised the prices of gasoline and diesel in March. The price of gas was increased by RMB260 and diesel prices increased by RMB255 per metric ton, according to the National Development and Reform Commission. However, as China imposed a lockdown on the city of Shenzhen and COVID-19 restrictions on Shanghai later in the month, prices in the US fell below USD100 per barrel as demand for oil in China lessened.
CHINA HIGHLIGHTS
A 4.1 Magnitude Earthquake Hit Huizhou, Guangdong
A 4.1 magnitude earthquake hit the city of Huizhou, Guangdong at 2.28am on Monday, March 14.
The coastal city reported that the earthquake had a focal depth of 25 kilometers and people as far as Hong Kong felt the tremors.
The central point of the quake was 45 kilometers from the city center. The nearest townships and villages are 20 and 100 kilometers away, respectively.
The China Earthquake Network stated that there have been six earthquakes of magnitude three or above within a 200 kilometer radius of the epicenter of the Huizhou earthquake in the past five years. The March 14 earthquake reported is the largest of said six.
China Implements AntiCOVID-19 Measures on International Mail
International mail coming to China will be disinfected upon arrival and held for up to seven days before delivery, Global Times reports.
The measures come as Chinese researchers say that a cluster of recent omicron infections is likely linked to postage coming from overseas.
US-based epidemiologist and Health Economist Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding said, “If true – this is the first outbreak cluster spread in such a way.”
China’s State Post Bureau announced that they would be inspecting mail processing sites around the country and advised delivery companies to provide health protection for employees and the correct personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks and hand sanitizer.
Owners Will Face Fines for Abandoning Pets
Hubei has revised laws surrounding pet ownership so that any person who abandons their cat or dog in the province may face fines of RMB1,000-5,000, according to China Daily.
The revisions also state that local governments are responsible for finding care for the abandoned animals and disposing of pets that die of illness.
According to the regulations, large and dangerous dogs are now prohibited in Hubei, and those who raise them could be fined RMB10,000 and have their dog confiscated.
Several deputies of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPC) submitted proposals focusing on the metaverse during the Two Sessions.
Members and deputies were united in their view that China should both embrace and regulate the metaverse.
In China, it is estimated that there are 663 metaverse related enterprises, including Huawei, Tencent and BYD.
The metaverse is a form of 3D social networking that is facilitated by both virtual and augmented reality.
China to Regulate Children’s Use of Social Media
China’s top internet regulator signaled that streaming services, social networks and online messaging will be required to restrict children’s use of the services in the future.
The new regulations, which were still open to feedback from the public as of press time, are an extension to last year’s restrictions on the time children can spend playing online games.
The Cyberspace Administration of China is calling on all online service providers to create a “youth mode” which will limit usage time and content to the above services.
Apple’s Facial Recognition Now Works with a Mask
Apple users can now use the company’s facial recognition software without removing their masks. The key feature was introduced during the iOS 15.4 operating system update.
China is one of a small number of countries that haven’t even flirted with the idea of removing mandatory face coverings in public spaces, so the new update is a welcome change for Apple lovers in China.
Face ID on Apple products is used for unlocking the device, accessing the iTunes and App Stores, using Apple Pay, auto-filling passwords, opening certain Apps and more.
Michael Norton: Revolutionizing Shanghai’s Walking Tour Scene
Interview by Ned Kelly
Originally from the North East of England, 20-year veteran of the tourism industry Mike Norton arrived in Shanghai in 2009 with the first double-decker tour buses in China. Ever the innovator, he has just launched GPS Walks, is all set to revolutionize the Shanghai walking tour scene… and do away with flag-wielding, sidewalk-hogging tour groups for good.
Tell us about your double-decker bus background? I started in London as a tour guide doing tours on double-decker buses. One thing led to another and when the company I worked for started expanding to different places around the world, I became part of the team that set up and developed the new operations. I was working in Hong Kong when the opportunity arose to start tours in Shanghai, and in 2010 we brought the first ever double-decker tour buses to China just in time for the World Expo. Since then I’ve been involved in other tourism infrastructure projects in both China and in Vietnam.
How did GPS Walks come about? The pandemic has been really tough for the tourism industry, but it’s also given people time to re-evaluate and innovate. I started to think about different ways tours could work in this altered landscape.
When you join a walking tour, you join a group that assembles at specific times, maybe only once or twice a month. It moves slowly too because everybody has to gather around a guide when they have something to say. If you stop to take a picture, you need to catch up; if someone else stops, everyone needs to wait.
What I wanted to do was create an experience for people to be able to explore the city on their own terms, without the need for tour guides or to be a part of large groups.
Shanghai has a great history and so many historic buildings, but sometimes the interesting stories behind those places, and some of the great characters that made Shanghai their home, aren’t told. There’s often something really interesting hidden down a lane that we walk past every day but we had no idea existed.
I created these GPS walking tours to give people a chance to explore the city and find a few things that perhaps might surprise them.
How does it work? It works through a WeChat mini-program, which uses your location to play commentary automatically, so you can listen and focus on your surroundings while you walk.
You can start our walks at any time and stop whenever and wherever you like, for as long as you like. You don’t even need to hit pause; when you start moving again, the playback will continue.
You can follow your progress on the map, but the commentary also gives you directions, so you don’t need to be glued to your screen.
What can people expect from a tour? We have three tours online now, each one lasting around one-and-a-half hours. On each tour, we have some well-known and famous places and great photo opportunities, but there are also some hidden gems tucked away for people to discover.
The aim is to pick out the stories that bring a bit of Old Shanghai to life and go a little bit deeper than the dry statistics there might be on the plaque on the outside of the building.
How do you pick your routes? Obviously, the key is to find the right buildings with the right stories and then put them together with a narrative. I want to have a mix of places – famous and lesser-known – and some surprises where you walk through a gateway and say, “Wow, I never knew that was here!”
Did we hear you also do tailor-made tour routes for clients? We do, we work with 5-star hotels and corporate clients to create bespoke routes. We can start from your front door and create custom-branded tours that can be used to enhance the experience or reward loyalty club members.
Are any more tour routes lined up? Yes. We’re starting with three but we have more in the planning stages and we’ll be doing some seasonal tours each year.
> Scan the QR code for the GPS Walks WeChat mini-program:
The mere mention of the word hutong can conjure up many different images – from the humdrum and somewhat innocuous alleyways to the more flashy and gentrified areas lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and quaint gift shops.
Whether you love them or loathe them, there’s no denying that hutong are an integral part of Beijing’s character. There’s also no denying that they’ve been home to some well-known figures from both China and abroad in recent history.
Hutong, narrow lanes or alleyways lined with traditional courtyard residences on either side, date back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (16441911) dynasties and represent a form of architecture you’ll struggle to find outside of Beijing.
Scottish photographer Bruce Connolly, a long-time resident of Beijing and a familiar name to That’s readers, has been fortunate enough to witness changes to Beijing’s hutong during his time in the city.
“I first came to Beijing in 1987. At that time, the grand imperial-era ‘must-see’ buildings and structures were on the schedule. Sadly, I was not introduced to the older hutong alleys of Beijing,” Connolly tells That’s.
“In 1994, I arrived back in Beijing; the city would be the starting point of some great travels. My hotel was in a hutong south of Yonghegong – Beixinqiao Santiao. It was an amazing experience. I love it and regularly returned to the same hotel during my regular visits throughout the 1990s.”
Connolly describes how he witnessed a “hutong life” in his early days in Beijing.
“Their world was the alley. So much happened there – a world so different from the few departments stores and large hotels at Wangfujing or Jianguomen.”
Expat hutong residents have been the subject of British author Paul French’s book Destination Peking. The book details 18 tales of expats living in Beijing during the first half of the 20th century – from writers to actors and actresses to intellectuals and everyone else in between.
In an article for That’s, French emphasizes the importance of the hutong in understanding Peking.
“One running theme throughout the stories (of expats in Beijing) is the presence of the unique hutong alleyways, which – depending on who you were – provided sumptuous homes, somewhere to hide, places to reinvent yourself or places to turn into temples to the Peking aesthetic,” French writes.
“Perhaps the best way to understand Peking and its history is to explore the city’s hutong.”
Another of French’s books, 2011 bestseller Midnight in Peking, also features a number of Beijing’s hutong.
The book is based on the true story of murdered British schoolgirl Pamela Werner, a crime that occurred in 1937 and remains unsolved to this day. Werner’s mutilated body was found nearby Kuijiachang Hutong where she lived with her father Edward Werner, a retired British diplomat and sinologist.
The story follows British detective Dennis and Chinese detective Han who are tasked with solving the case. Their investigation takes them to the Badlands hutong, including Hougou and Chuanban Hutong, where a number of Beijing’s foreign residents were engaged in opium use and prostitution.
In addition to the city’s many expats, Beijing’s vast hutong network also includes the former residences of the man who wrote the Chinese anthem, a prominent early 20th-century warlord, the wife of the last emperor and many more fascinating figures.
Many of these former residences are somewhat unassuming and, in some cases, have been demolished and transformed into more modern residential buildings. Moreover, these places are not always found on the conventional Beijing tourist trail.
But then again, perhaps that’s what makes them even more intriguing.
THE MARXIST INTELLECTUALS
Who?
Tian Han
Born in Changsha county, Hunan province in 1898, Tian Han’s support for communism was evident early on in his life.
As an author and playwright, he joined the left-wing Dramatists League in 1930, and eventually the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1932. His politics were very much reflected in his numerous plays with many combining revolutionary communism with proletarianism, feminism and patriotism.
Tian Han is most well-known for writing the lyrics to the song
‘March of the Volunteers’ which would become none other than the Chinese national anthem. For his contribution, Tian Han was rewarded with a courtyard home in Xiguan Hutong in 1953.
Unfortunately for Tian Han, he was later deemed not revolutionary enough during the cultural revolution. After imprisonment, he passed away in 1968.
Where?
Xiguan Hutong
Tian Han’s former residence can be found in the quiet and fairly unassuming Xiguan Hutong, Dongcheng district. A small and worndown sign can be seen next to the door at the residence, indicating Tian Han once lived there.
Tian Han was gifted the residence in 1953. He lived there until his imprisonment in 1966. Today, the residence is not open to the public.
Who?
Li Dazhao
Where?
Wenhua Hutong
Unlike many other hutong, Li Dazhao’s former residence is very much open to the public. Located in Wenhua Hutong, Xicheng district, the site is used to educate people about the life of Li himself.
Pay a visit and it will immediately be clear that the hutong has undergone a refurbishment in recent years.
Born in 1889 in Hebei province, Li Dazhao played a key role in founding the CPC.
As a leader of China’s New Culture Movement, he was fiercely opposed to China’s traditional feudal rule. During his time as a professor at Peking University, Li influenced many students of the anti-imperialist May Fourth Movement.
In addition to founding the CPC, Li also formed a close relationship with Sun Yatsen of the Kuomintang. They formed what would become a united front between the two parties in 1924.
Li was later executed in 1927 on the orders of warlord Zhang Zuolin. The order came after tensions following anti-government protests organized by Li.
THE WRITERS
Who?
Yang Jiang
Born in 1911, the author had an enviable talent for foreign languages. She passed away in 2016 in a China unrecognizable from the one she was born into 105 years before.
Through all the turbulent changes to the Chinese nation Yang witnessed over the years, one thing remained a constant – her passion and exceptional talent for writing and translation.
Even at 48 years old, she wasn’t beyond acquiring new skills; it was at this age Yang started learning Spanish. Arguably her greatest achievement was becoming the first person to translate the classic Spanish novel Don Quixote into Chinese. In 1978, during a visit to China by the Spanish royals, the Chinese version of the novel was given as a gift by Deng Xiaoping, then Chinese Vice Chairman of the CPC central committee. At the age of 94, Yang started writing Walking onto the Edge of Life (走到人生边上) which won China’s top book award in 2007.
Yang lived in the hutong, located in Dongcheng district, from 1962 until 1969.
However, her former Beijing residence was apparently not considered valuable enough to be preserved in its original state. If you look for it now, you’ll only find some 4-storey blocks of gray and yellow apartment buildings.
Not that you need a hutong to remember the amazing work of Yang Jiang, anyway.
As a literary expert and translator, Liang is credited as the man who first introduced Shakespeare to a Chinese audience.
His talent for writing and foreign languages was evident early on in his life. By 1923, he was studying for a master’s degree in literature at Harvard University in the US. After returning in 1926, Liang worked as a professor at a variety of higher education institutions across China.
In 1930, Liang started translating the works of Shakespeare at the age of 27. His first translation was published in 1936.
It was after his death in Taipei in 1987 that his translations of Shakespeare really began to garner attention across China. The Complete Works of Shakespeare was published in Chinese by People’s Literary Publications in 1994.
Where?
Dongluojuan Hutong
Who?
Liang Shiqiu
Where?
Neiwubujie Hutong
Liang Shiqiu’s former residence lies in Dongcheng district.
It resembles most of the other non-touristy and ungentrified hutong. Liang’s former residence at no. 39 is indicated only by the small metal sign to the right of the door.
The former residence is not open to the public.
Who?
Edgar Snow
The American journalist was one of the numerous expat residents in the Beijing hutong during the first half of the 20th century. He lived in Beijing with his wife, Helen Foster-Snow, who was also a journalist.
His most well-known publication is that of Red Star Over China, an account of the Chinese Communist movement from its foundation until the late 1930s.
Snow was the first western journalist to interview CPC leaders, including Mao Zedong.
Where?
Kuijiachang Hutong
The hutong lies beside Beijing Railway Station in Dongcheng district and is a location that has come up “again and again” during Paul French’s research.
Snow and his wife lived in Beijing during the mid to late 1930s; they held legendary Sunday afternoon soirees which attracted revolutionaries, sinologists, visiting movie stars and others.
Today a commemoration to Edgar Snow and Helen Foster-Snow can be seen on the courtyard where they used to live next to the Zhong’an hotel.
THE WARLORD
Who?
Wu Peifu
Educated at the Baoding Military Academy, Wu Peifu was recognized early on in his life as a strong military leader. He joined the Beiyang Army led by general Yuan Shikai and quickly rose up the ranks following Yuan’s death in 1916.
He consolidated power over much of North and Central China, something which did not happen without brutality. However, Wu was later defeated by Chiang Kai Shek’s Kuomintang forces and forced to flee to Sichuan in 1927.
Wu lived in Beijing during his retirement years from 1932 until his death in 1939. The circumstances surrounding his death are something of a mystery. Shortly before passing away, he suffered from septicemia, prompting a visit from a German doctor. The doctor told Wu to go to the German hospital located in the foreign concession area; Wu refused as he would not, out of principle, enter any of the foreign concession areas.
Wu was later treated by a Japanese military doctor. He died shortly after the doctor’s visit. Some speculate that the doctor was sent to murder Wu because, years earlier, he had refused to serve as the leader of a puppet government in part of Japanese-occupied China. But the truth about his death remains unclear.
Where?
Shijin Huayuan Hutong
Another hutong which has avoided both destruction and gentrification – Wu
Peifu’s former residence lies in Shijin Huayuan Hutong,
Dongcheng district nearby a boutique hotel and a handful of convenience stores. The residence is the same place where Wu met his mysterious death in 1939.
Unfortunately, it’s another of those which is not open to the public. 30
COVER STORY THE WIFE OF LAST EMPEROR PUYI
Who?
Wan Rong
Born in 1906 during the Qing Dynasty, Wan Rong was raised by her father Rong Yuan and stepmother. Her biological mother tragically died during childbirth. Her father Rong Yuan served as a minister of domestic affairs in the imperial court, a position which helped ensure Wan Rong’s privileged upbringing. What was perhaps most surprising about Rong Yuan was his somewhat progressive attitude towards gender equality. Unlike many during that time, Rong Yuan was adamant that his daughter should have the same opportunities as her male counterparts. He later matched his words with actions when, in 1913, the whole family moved to Tianjin and Wan Rong was sent to the American Missionary School in the city.
Wan Rong was later deemed a suitable match for China’s last emperor Puyi. It turned out to be a marriage marred by misery, the most distressing part of which was the death of her illegitimate child that she had with one of Puyi’s aides. Puyi ordered the child to be killed, despite Wan Rong’s pleas.
It was her opium addiction that would ultimately lead to her death. After being captured by Communist forces, she suffered withdrawal symptoms and died in 1946.
Where?
Mao’er Hutong
Wan Rong’s former residence lies at no. 37 Mao’er Hutong. The relatively mundane-looking courtyard residence is contrasted by nearby Shichahai lake and Nanluoguxiang Hutong, areas which are usually abuzz with tourists.
On the wall next to the door of the residence, you’ll find a sign with a brief description of Wan Rong’s life.
THE DIPLOMAT
Who?
Edward Werner
The former British consul and sinologist lived in Beijing right up until the end of the city’s colonial era.
Unfortunately, his time in Beijing was overshadowed by the murder of his daughter Pamela on January 8, 1937. Her mutilated body was found at the bottom of the Fox Tower nearby Kuijiachang Hutong.
Pamela’s father never gave up in the pursuit of justice. British and Chinese detectives worked on the case. However, the murder was later forgotten amid the carnage of the Japanese invasion that would ensue. The case remains unsolved until this day.
Where?
Kuijiachang Hutong
The same hutong in which Edgar Snow and Helen Foster-Snow once resided – Edward and Pamela Werner lived at no. 1 before Pamela’s murder in 1937.
Kuijiachang is nearby the Fox Tower – the site of the murder – and also nearby the Badlands hutong which was a key part of the police investigation.
