That's Magazine August 2022

G re at er B ay A re a

城市漫步 广州英文 版 08 月份

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AUGUST 2022

Off the Map with an Urban Explorer

《城市漫步》广州 英文月刊

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Distribution across China: 100,000 copies

Editor’s Note

AUGUST 2022

Before I came to China, I thought of many goals that I wanted to achieve during my time here, most of which are too boring to share, so I’ll spare you the details. One goal that is worth sharing (because you all probably have the same) is that I wanted to explore the depths of this country that I now call home. When I traveled to a village in the mountains of Guizhou to cover bullfighting between the Dong and Miao ethnic groups, I thought I had taken a big step towards achieving my goal. But then I found out about Greg Abandoned.

In this month’s cover story, Ned Kelly interviews Greg, a keen urban explorer who has visited some truly jaw-dropping locations across the world. From an abandoned space shuttle in the desert in Kazakhstan to an airplane graveyard that turned out to be a military base (and resulted in a long interrogation), Greg has many stories to tell.

Lead singer of the Arctic Monkeys, Alex Turner once said, “Technological advances really bloody get me in the mood.” And I couldn’t agree more. This month we’ve moved away from Galley Gadgets and on to Industry News, an insightful look at some of the biggest movements and shake-ups in Chinese business and tech industries over the last month.

Elsewhere, Li Bowen interviews three Chinese ‘preppers.’ Unlike the American version, Chinese preppers are not preparing for the end of the world or the collapse of civilization as we know it, but for more rational situations like snap lockdowns.

Finally, Alistair Baker-Brian looks at the effect the ‘double reduction’ policy has had on the private training center industry since rumors of its implementation began circulating one year ago.

Best Regards,

Lars Hamer Editor-in-Chief

AUGUST 2022 | 01

THE WRAP

6 THE NATION

14 ARTS & LIFE

7 CHINA CURRENTS

15 CULTURE CORNER

8 THE BUZZ

16 STYLE RADAR

9 CHINESE CORNER

17 CITY SNAPSHOT

10 AFTER SCHOOL TRAINING CENTERS

18 FOR LOVE NOT MONEY

22 BUSINESS & TECH

36 FAMILY

23 INDUSTRY NEWS 24 BUSINESS NEWS 25 THE HOARDER NEXT DOOR 28 SINOVINICULTURE 02 |AUGUST 2022

37 LIVING ROOM 40 HIT THE ROAD, TAX 45 HOROSCOPES

30 COVER STORY WILD ABANDON

AUGUST 2022 | 03

ST. REGIS HOTELS AND RESORTS, QINGDAO ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

S

t. Regis Hotels and Resorts, part of Marriott International's portfolio of 30 extraordinary brands, are celebrating the one-year anniversary of the St. Regis Qingdao, the first Marriott International luxury brand hotel in Qingdao. Located in the landmark Haitian Center in the heart of Qingdao, the hotel is the definition of elegance with refined craftsmanship and time-honored rituals.

Speaking at the grand opening one year ago President of the Marriott International Greater China region, Henry Lee, said: "We are very excited to expand our luxury footprint to one of the most beautiful coastal cities in the region with the debut of the iconic St. Regis brand,

04 |AUGUST 2022

bringing bespoke experiences curated for the most discerning travelers."

Located inside the 369-meter-tall Haitian Center, the St. Regis Qingdao is the tallest hotel in the region, with a panoramic view of the Yellow Sea, the Badaguan Cultural Architecture Center and Qingdao International Sailing Center.

In keeping with the brand’s ethos of combining local influences with the St. Regis’ avant-garde aesthetic, the hotel has a crystal chandelier and a brilliantly lit grand staircase. The backdrop of the grand staircase is a 74-meter-high atrium art wall. The wall reflects the delicate traces left on the beach by the ebb and flow of the Yellow Sea. Included in the 231 guest rooms are 28 luxury suites with breathtaking ocean views and this, alongside the bespoke amenities and design narratives, combines to create the ultimate hotel experience. Round-the-clock butler service is also available, to ensure that each guest's stay is customized according to their personal preferences.

St. Regis Qingdao also hosts a number of world-famous restaurants.

The Drawing Room on the 59th floor offers afternoon tea and panoramic seascapes. Yan Ting serves authentic Cantonese cuisine and locally sourced seafood. Social is an all-day dining experience, featuring international breakfasts, local seafood and western grill items for lunch and dinner. The

Carvery, a classic New York steakhouse offers a taste of America. At night, guests are invited to the St. Regis Bar overlooking Qingdao city to enjoy signature cocktails such as the GáLa Mary, a twist on the the Bloody Mary which uses sparkling Qingdao beer, fresh local clams and sea salt.

Spread over 2,000 square meters the hotel also has a number of venues and facilities for gatherings and meetings.

The Astor Ballroom, covering 900 square meters, is the perfect setting for celebrations, events, galas and wedding banquets. The St. Regis Qingdao also offers a bespoke wedding service.

The exclusive St. Regis Spa elevates the traditional spa experience into an enjoyable social occasion, featuring five treatment rooms, including the St. Regis Spa Suite. This suite is a private space for couples, families or small groups of friends to relax and enjoy bespoke treatments together.

The Celebration Bar is a space of refined elegance serving the finest Champagne and eclectic cocktails.

Fitness enthusiasts will enjoy the hotel's well-equipped fitness center and indoor infinity swimming pool, offering stunning views of the surrounding sea and sky.

For more information about the St. Regis Qingdao, please visit stregisqingdao.com.

How to Cope with Saying Goodbye

E

very year, as the summer holidays approach, many people within the international community leave China and move on to new pastures.

This means that many of us have recently said goodbye to close friends or are in the process of doing so.

Here are some helpful tips on how to cope with farewells from psychiatrist Dr. Julia Li from Jiahui Health.

Acknowledge that change is coming The process of saying goodbye often starts long before someone actually leaves. Many of us spend a great deal of effort trying to avoid change and minimize uncertainty. This means that when change does come about, our internal stress response systems kick into gear. We perceive the situation as frightening or overwhelming.

Acknowledging and accepting the change that is coming can relieve anxiety and help you mentally prepare.

Make the most of the time left You’ve enjoyed each other's company up until this point, so why change that now?

In the time you have left, make as many good memories as you can and try not to leave any unfinished business. Saying goodbye is hard enough, don’t make it worse by having regrets too.

When parting ways, it is common for one or both parties to ‘move on’ before the final goodbye. It may seem easier to get used to a new life without the other person but this can result in a good thing being spoilt forever.

Let your friend know that they have your support going forward, continue to be there for them, and make special memories up until the final goodbye.

Plan a farewell Saying goodbye is typically not a joyous occasion, but you can alleviate some of the pain by throwing a goodbye party or doing something that you both enjoy.

Dr. Julia Li Psychiatrist, Mental Health, Jiahui Health

Acknowledge your feelings Many of us hope that by refusing to acknowledge the pain we are feeling, it might go away. But this typically makes things worse and can actually prevent us from moving on. It's important to acknowledge these feelings and even put them into words. Try talking to someone or writing your feelings down.

Voicing your feelings can make them feel a little less overwhelming and will allow you to process them.

In some situations, saying goodbye can sometimes feel like you are losing the person, which can generate the same emotion as grief. In this case, it can be helpful to understand the process of grief so that you can more easily navigate your way through it.

Plan how you will stay in touch Before saying goodbye, it can be helpful to agree on how you will stay in touch (and how often). This can help reduce the sense of loss as well as provide you with a sense of control.

It’s also important to be realistic and manage your expectations, as life tends to get in the way. Managing these expectations up front is particularly important, especially if you have kids.

Take care of your well-being Research shows that getting a good night's sleep and eating a few balanced, nourishing meals can help to improve your mood. While this may not take the pain away, it will make you feel more equipped to deal with it.

Give yourself time to adjust Loss can be painful and can take time to ease. Give yourself grace and always remember, this too shall pass.

Dr. Julia Li obtained her medical degree at Shanghai Medical University (now Fudan University Shanghai Medical College). She was a faculty member and an assistant professor at Shanghai Medical University before moving to the US. She received her psychiatric residency training at St. Elizabeth Medical Center of Boston from 1998 to 2002. She joined The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) in Northern California after graduating from the psychiatric residency program, and was an attending psychiatrist at KaiserPermanente in Northern California from 2002 to 2022.

Dr. Li has a medical license as a physician and surgeon in the state of California, is a diplomate in the specialty of psychiatry certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.

In her 20 years of clinical experience in the mental health field, she developed a particular interest in a holistic approach to promoting mind and body wellness.

She left Kaiser-Permanente in 2022 to join Jiahui Health in Shanghai.

Don’t get too sentimental It’s important to remember that both of you are moving on and will go on to do new and exciting things. Don’t let yourself constantly look back on your time together, feeling that ‘it will never be that good again.’ It’s important to move on, make new friends and importantly, new memories. > Address: 689 Guiping Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai Tel: 400 868 3000

THE 培训教育 NATION

TRAINING ANG EDUCATION

After School Training Centers p10

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质学超群,教育引领未来。

The Buzz P08

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Chinese Corner P09

CHINA CURRENTS

Heatwave Hits the Middle Kingdom

By Alistair Baker-Brian

M

any parts of China are well accustomed to swelteringly hot weather over the summer months. This is especially true during sanfu (三伏), the hottest part of summer, which falls between mid-July and August.

However, this year is markedly hotter than usual, with a heatwave that has already affected over 900 million people across the Middle Kingdom.

On July 10, the Xujiahui weather monitoring station in Shanghai recorded temperatures of 40.9 degrees Celsius, the hottest in the city since 1873.

Elsewhere in the country, weather

stations in Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces also recorded temperatures above 40 degrees. In Sichuan, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Henan, Hebei and elsewhere, hightemperature warnings for heat exceeding 40 degrees were in place for 10 consecutive days in July.

From the beginning of June until July 13, only Heilongjiang and Liaoning provinces in Northeast China escaped high temperature warnings, though warnings for other extreme weather in the form of heavy rain were issued.

So, why the record-breaking heat?

Yuan Yuan is a director at China’s National Climate Center, an organization responsible for analyzing climate change patterns and the subsequent risk of natural disasters.

Yuan explains that in June 2022, the global average temperature rose by 0.4 degrees, the highest rise since 1979.

Recent extreme heat in many places in the northern hemisphere has been

caused by a combined strengthening of high pressure over the hemisphere’s subtropical region, including across the western North Pacific subtropical belt and the Atlantic high-pressure belt.

Under this sustained high pressure, the air is relatively dry and clouds are not easily formed, resulting in frequently high temperatures.

Make no mistake, China is not the only country in the northern hemisphere feeling the heat right now. Much of the southern United States has also seen temperatures exceeding 40 degrees; forest fires have broken out in Spain, France, Portugal and elsewhere in continental Europe. In the United Kingdom, it reached 40 degrees for the first time ever on record.

Good to know we’re not the only ones being sizzled right now.

AUGUST 2022 | 07

ODD NEWS

STUNNING STAT

Man Arrested for Impersonating Police in North China

1, 8, 9, 10…

When a 19-year-old man in Lüliang city, Shanxi province decided to impersonate a police officer by wearing the uniform, he must have suspected he would attract attention. He probably hoped that such attention wouldn’t be from actual police officers.

The Paper reports that police received a call from a resident in the city; they said that a “thief” had entered their building. They were referring to the 19-year-old dressed in a police uniform, of whom many residents in the area had become suspicious.

When questioned by the (real) police about where he worked, the man replied that he was an employee of the Public Security Bureau (PSB) in Taiyuan city, capital of Shanxi province.

He then produced something which looked like a police badge. However, the questioning officers were unconvinced.

The man was arrested and an investigation is underway.

Under article 279 of Chinese law, it is illegal to impersonate members of State organs. Those who do so will be detained for between five and 10 days, and can receive a fine of up to RMB500.

In the most severe cases, those found guilty can face 3-10 years in prison.

08 |AUGUST 2022

… Those are the respective positions of four Chinese universities which made it into the top ten institutions for research output in 2021.

The list was released by Nature Index, an open database of contributions to research articles published in natural science journals.

Holding the top spot is the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Beijing), beating off competition from the likes of Harvard University and other top global institutions.

The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Beijing), University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei, Anhui province) and Peking University (Beijing) rank eighth, ninth and tenth on the list, respectively.

FEEL GOOD FACTOR

Police Officer’s Wedding Day Surprise There were probably a few things Zhu Haowen expected to see on his wedding day – tears, smiles, family and friends offering hongbao , etc. A professionally produced video by his colleagues complete with drone footage? Probably not.

Zhu works as a police officer in Runzhou district of Zhenjiang city, Jiangsu province. Rather than simply wishing him well and offering up a few generic red envelopes, his colleagues decided to go the extra mile.

In the video, the narrator talks about how Zhu is tough when fighting criminals, but warm-hearted when helping members of the public. Colleagues can then be seen sending their well-wishes to Zhu one by one.

The video was uploaded onto a USB memory stick and, without Zhu’s knowledge, given to the host of the wedding to play during the ceremony. Touched by his colleagues’ kind words, Zhu was brought to tears.

CHINESE CORNER

Learn the Chinese names of six popular water sports and activities you can try this summer.

Which one is your favorite?

01. SAILING

03. SURFING

05. WAKEBOARDING

航行

冲浪

尾波冲浪

sailing; to sail

surfing; to surf

wakeboarding

hángxíng

chōnglàng

wěibō chōnglàng

02. KAYAKING

04. PADDLEBOARDING

06. JET SKIING

划皮划艇

桨板 / 站立划水板

水上摩托艇

to go kayaking

Stand-up paddleboarding

jet skiing; to jet ski

huá píhuátǐng

jiǎngbǎn / zhànlì huáshuǐbǎn (SUP)

shuǐshàng mótuōtǐng

AUGUST 2022 | 09

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

Image via AJ English Academy

After School Training Centers – Where Are We Now?

The Announcement of the ‘Double Reduction’ Policy Devasted the Industry, But What State Are China’s Training Centers in Now?

By Alistair Baker-Brian

W

hen the government announced new regulations for China’s after-school training centers in 2021 (the ‘double reduction‘ policy), That’s published an article examining the impact it could have on the industry.

We ended that piece stating that “it’s sink or swim,” meaning businesses in the industry would have to adapt to new regulations or perish.

It seemed that an industry integral to education in China was about to be turned on its head.

While there have been changes, it hasn't all been doom and gloom. Moreover, some big players which were expected to close are still running.

One year on from the first rumours of the shake up, we thought now would be a good chance to take a look at some of the main changes to China’s afterschool training centers and the tutoring industry.

A Reminder of the Rules

On July 23, 2021, news of the rules were reported in Reuters. It was later confirmed by China’s Ministry of Education that the ‘double reduction‘ policy would come into force, effectively banning for-profit training centers from teaching core subject materials to kindergarten, primary and middle school students.

10 |AUGUST 2022

“Which subjects are core subjects?” you ask – ethics and the rule of law, history, geography, Chinese, mathematics, foreign languages (including English, Japanese and Russian) and science (biology, physics and chemistry).

Why the need for the ‘double reduction‘ policy?

As suggested in the name, there were two things which needed to be reduced, according to the government – the academic burden on students and the financial burden on parents.

Anyone who has spent time in China, especially those working in the education sector, knows how much kids here study. Most of their day is spent in school and then when the home time bell chimes, they head to training centers and homework clubs. Why? More studying presumably makes you smarter, but more importantly, the more extracurricular activities you do, the more attractive you are to top schools and universities.

The second burden is a hindrance to the government’s desire for more Chinese people to have children. Training centers aren’t cheap and more people are opting not to have kids, citing the costs of raising them as one of the main reasons.

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

The Ones Who Sank

For some training centers, adapting to the new regulations proved to be too much.

Juren Education had been in the market for 27 years and offered after-school classes to students aged 5-18 years old. However, in early September, 2021, Juren announced that all its centers in China would close for good, as reported by Sixth Tone.

The company cited “operational difficulties” just one month after the announcement of the new regulations. The closure affected around 13,000 families, though Juren did try to transfer students elsewhere for tutoring.

On August 17, 2021, Yicai reported on something of a dramatic case involving the closure of British private tutoring company Holland Park.

CEO Jake Hall reportedly fled back to the United Kingdom from Shanghai with over USD1.5 million.

Hall informed employees that investors had withdrawn commitment to the company following the announcement of the new laws. He confirmed that the company had filed for bankruptcy.

Another big player to close due to the new regulations was Best Learning.

American national Belinda, a pseudonym, worked at the company in a management position. She told That’s that, having already been adversely affected by COVID-19, the ‘double reduction’ policy was the final nail in the coffin.

Though the company attempted to sell non-core subject courses to parents at schools rebranded as “Thinking Labs,” it simply couldn’t replace the main selling point of Best Learning – teaching English.

Michael Yu (Yu Minhong), founder and CEO of New Oriental during a livestream

Angry Parents

When That’s published the piece on the potential impact of the new policy, we heard from the founder of AJ English Academy in Guangzhou.

American national Adam, who requested we only use his first name, set up the English training center in 2017. The business grew to three centers with around 500 students, aged 3-12 years old, and 35 staff members by 2021.

However, AJ English Academy closed temporarily in the middle of 2021 and planned to reopen on August 27, 2021, but it wasn’t to be.

A WeChat post on their official account at the time stated that the school was still trying to confirm specifics with government departments regarding how the ‘double reduction‘ policy was to be implemented. Sadly, they failed to find a viable solution under the new guidelines.

Many parents were angered and demanded a refund from the training center.

Tencent Net reported on September 5, 2021, that parents were unable to contact anyone from AJ for days on end. One parent later found Adam

AUGUST 2022 | 11

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

Juren Education training center in Beijing

New Oriental Training Center

dining with other “foreign friends” in a restaurant on Xingsheng Lu in Guangzhou’s Tianhe district.

The parent informed others and an angry mob assembled. They confronted Adam in the restaurant and demanded a refund.

We contacted Adam to clarify the current situation but received no reply.

An Industry Survivor

We repeat, it’s not all doom and gloom.

EF English First, a stalwart of China’s Englishteaching market since 1997, is still operating.

However, they have had to close several schools in major cities across China.

Furthermore, the company had to take drastic measures to ensure they weren't losing money, like temporarily freezing promotions for all staff. Also, some local teachers (Chinese nationals) are having to take on the job of communicating with parents without a salary increase.

EF employees in southern China have told That’s about the situation regarding new international teachers arriving in the country.

They are informed that if they leave their contract early, not only do they have to repay the money EF forked out to bring them here, but also the money it cost to train them to be teachers.

EF also had to make changes to its teaching program. Rather than teaching English, they now focus on developing social and life skills in English and Chinese. How this is not an example of language learning, we are unsure. However, it is perhaps indicative of the blurred boundaries between English and other non-core (i.e. legal) subjects which some predicted would emerge following implementation of the new law.

EF’s website states that there are currently 38 vacancies for foreign teachers in China.

12 |AUGUST 2022

Moreover, a quick look at the WeChat Moments of EF employees suggests that EF English First centers are still abuzz with activity.

Although the complete financial impact of the ‘double reduction’ policy is not public knowledge, EF appears to have weathered the storm.

Adapting?

Perhaps no name is more recognizable in China’s private education industry than New Oriental (Xin Dongfang).

Founded in 1993 by Yu Minhong, known by his English name of Michael Yu, the company became a household name across the Middle Kingdom.

The ‘double reduction’ policy had an unequivocal impact on the company. Sixth Tone reports that 60,000 New Oriental employees lost their jobs in 2021 following the new law.

Moreover, the company’s market value dropped in 2021 by 90% year-on-year, while profits slumped by 80% year-on-year.

The new law led the company to close schools and even abandon entire parts of its business.

However, to a certain extent, they adapted and, as a result, managed to stay afloat.

How did they adapt? They took advantage of China’s livestreaming e-commerce industry.

We watched a few clips for ourselves on Chinese video platform Bilibili.

Videos contain both a commercial element (the hosts are selling products), but also a pedagogical component (they teach English phrases and vocabulary related to the relevant products).

In one clip, the (male) host, known as Dun Dun, can be seen selling tampons. In the process of making his sales pitch, he teaches English phrases such as “she is on her period.”

Later on, Dun Dun turns his attention to selling

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

skincare cream, even breaking into song at one point… the times we live in.

In another clip, the CEO of New Oriental himself, Michael Yu can be seen alongside another host promoting that delicious Chinese specialty – duck neck. He then holds up some packaged fish and explains that it’s from Fujian province.

Towards the end of the clip, one of the hosts is translating some of the names of fruits into English; the fruit “date” sparks discussion about its homograph of a “date” with a romantic interest.

Did Michael Yu envisage this when he first set up New Oriental in 1993? Probably not. But, at least his company has adapted and is still treading water.

Sink or Swim?

Park, some investors very quickly lost confidence in the industry after the new law was announced.

AJ English Academy found out what happened when parents become impatient with centers’ persistent inability to reopen, though not through any fault of their own.

However, there have also been clear examples of those who have been able to swim, including EF English First. And, as New Oriental has shown with its livestreaming, pivoting towards new ways of doing things can help a company stay alive.

China’s after-school training center industry has gone through some tough times, but it’s certainly not dead.

Undoubtedly, it’s been a tough couple of years for China’s after-school training centers. The onset of COVID-19 in early 2020 meant many companies were already struggling. And then came the new ‘double reduction’ policy in 2021.

In some cases, the new law was the final straw – training centers which sold anxious parents promises of their children improving their performance in core subjects are no longer able to offer their key selling point.

In addition, as seen in the case of Holland

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AUGUST 2022 | 13

ARTS & LIFE

For Love Not Money p18

Style Radar P16

14 |AUGUST 2022

City Snapshot P17

CULTURE CORNER

THE GOLDEN AGE OF CHINESE CINEMA

C

hinese cinema is one of the oldest film industries in the world, with the first Chinese film Dingjun Mountain being released in 1905. For the next decade, production companies were foreign-owned and the domestic industry was not active until the 1920s.

During the 1920s, American movie makers visited Shanghai in order to train Chinese film technicians, heavily influencing the early years of Chinese cinema. Throughout the 1920s and 30s Shanghai began to emerge as the center of pop culture and a symbol of modernity in the Middle Kingdom.

Shanghai’s newfound lively dynamic contributed to the “Golden Age” of Chinese cinema which took place in the 1930s. It is also known as a “leftist movement,” due to the production of socially and politically revolutionary films. That was a result of the dispute between the Kuomintang and Communist parties which was actively reflected in the films of that time.

While political films were popular, directors also depicted Shanghai as a corrupt but promising city.

Some memorable films from that time include Yuan Muzhi’s Street Angel (1937), Wu Yonggang’s The Goddess (1934) and Cai Chusheng’s Song of the Fishermen (1934) .

These films are considered classics due to their influence and revolutionary approach, and here’s why:

Street Angel (1937)

Song of the Fishermen (1934)

Set in the slums of old Shanghai, two sisters (a prostitute and a singer) try to escape local scoundrels. They are aided by a trumpet player and a newspaper seller. The film depicts a group of outcasts exploring romance and overcoming social struggles.

The film became a masterpiece of Chinese left-wing cinema. In a time of economic and political tensions, films such as this one raised awareness on a whole manner of issues.

The depiction of the struggling lower class in the midst of a cosmopolitan city was relatable to the population of Shanghai. It showed how sudden modernization and colonialism can affect the life of an average citizen.

The film details the struggles of a family of fishermen who are forced to sing on the streets to make money to support themselves.

The filming process was complicated due to locations and props; many actors got motion sickness while filming on small fishing boats. The cast was also looked down upon by the town’s elite.

The actors were invited to a reception held by local officials as entertainment.

The film itself has no dialogue and music is used to express the emotions and artistry of the film.

Song of the Fishermen was so successful that it played for 84 days straight in Shanghai, and it was the first Chinese film to win a prize in an international film festival (Moscow Film Festival in 1935).

The Goddess (1934) This film tells a story of a prostitute who is a loving mother trying to support her son.

The director’s intention was to focus on the life of a struggling woman in order to speak out about women’s oppression in China. The actress who played the protagonist, Ruan Lingyu was well known for her nuanced performances of “suffering women of China.” Her performance in this and many other films is seen as a vehicle to spread the message of the need for social change.

Struggling people attempting to survive and function in a modernized city was a common theme during this cinema period. It is largely a result of leftist directors dominating the industry at that time. Film was also a relatively new form of art in China, therefore many citizens wanted to experience it for themselves; directors utilized that in order to divide the message they wanted to spread into digestible bits to “teach” the audience. This dynamic gets largely subverted in the following eras of Chinese film, but more on that next month…

AUGUST 2022 | 15

ARTS & LIFE `

OVERHEARD

“I shouldn’t have taken this job, my bowels are regretful.”

Said actress Fu Shou’er in a lengthy apology after her fans criticized her involvement in a 19-hour Douyin livestream event selling ready-to-eat meals which attracted over 95 million visitors. Fu, best known for her role in the 2021 drama Lost and Found , was not lamenting literal indigestion but rather her guttural guilt for failing to do her homework on the host company.

The livestream event was organized and primarily hosted by Luo Min, CEO of Qudian, an online micro lending firm.

According to China Daily , revenue for the first quarter had fallen more than 60% and the company was diving head first into the pre-cooked meal business.

During the livestream, Fu spent several hours discussing product flavors and details. She admits that she accepted the job because she is a ‘foodie’ but insists there was no previous involvement with the money lending company, nor does she have plans to cooperate with them in the future. Qudian’s predatory lending tactics are referred to as ‘campus loans’ in the comment section. A staunch reminder to be mindful which brands one associates themselves with.

16 |AUGUST 2022

COVET

Forehead Fashion

Having only just crawled past the midpoint of sanfu , the hottest period of the year, one item is trending for obvious reasons. When sweating profusely becomes a guarantee, it calls for an accessory. The Weibo hashtag ‘Ding Chengxin’s hair is so handsome’ has more than 100,000 views and will undoubtedly convince you that a headband is a must-have accessory for summer. In fact, we can’t be certain if there would ever have been such a hashtag had Ding not got onboard with face fabrics.

Videos of Ding on a stand-up paddleboard or splashing around in swimming pools all bear one similarity: headbands. Here is one that looks like a folded and tied bandana but it’s actually an elastic headband. > Scan the QR code to view the product on Taobao

UNDER THE LENS

Dashing Doppelganger On July 14 in Yunnan province, a video surfaced of a young man cooking at a late night snack stall. The woman who posted the video noticed the youthful gentleman possessed an astonishing resemblance to Leslie Cheung, the iconic LGBTQ+ Hong Kong actor. Cheung, best known for his roles in Happy Together and John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow , came out in 1997, according to GQ . Cheung, possibly the only openly-gay Chinese actor of his time, became an inspiration to many for his bravery. Sadly his personal battles became too much and he leapt to his death on April 1, 2003, from the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.

Image via @星视频/Weibo

F E AT URE | ARTS & LIFE

CITY SNAPSHOT

@dustytrash “It’s a hobby… no, not a hobby — an obsession,” says Mr. Wood when asked if photography is his full time gig. He lives with his wife in Guiyang, the capital of Southwest China’s Guizhou province.

Insisting we refer to him by his artistic alias, Mr. Wood was introduced to photography as a kid, first developing black and white film in a dark room with his father. After a long hiatus, he began experimenting with film photography in 2007.

Slowly, Mr. Wood moved to digital cameras, adding, “I’ve used a lot of different cameras in my life, for now, it’s an Olympus OMD with a couple of lenses, a Ricoh GRIII, and an iPhone.” He admits that sometimes he allows himself the nostalgia of shooting a couple rolls on his old Leica m6 with a 50mm lens.

“I am into street photography, unknown

people, and random situations,” says Mr. Wood.

“Also, I like the mixture of epochs when a new city grows in the middle of an old one — something we have plenty of in China.”

“There isn’t much opportunity for travel right now but I like the scenery here in Guiyang, the mixture of old China with a quickly growing and modernizing city.

Other places I’ve enjoyed photographing are Hong Kong, Chongqing, Dali, Lugu Lake and some of the small beaches and towns in Hainan.”

Mr. Wood says that there isn’t really a formula to his composition.

However, he finds the process cathartic and, after a hard day, he will grab a camera and go wandering. Through trial and error, and just exploring with the camera at his side, the shots present themselves naturally.

AUGUST 2022 | 17

ARTS & LIFE | F E AT URE

For Love Not Money For Some Its Not All About Fame, but Doing What You Love for Those Who Love It

By Mike Fox

W

hile record companies discuss algorithms rather than aptitude in 2022, one guitarist in Beijing continues to fly the flag for what it means to be a true artist.

Finland’s Jukka Ahonen came to China in 2011 on a university exchange program. After learning Mandarin in Nanjing and then spending some time back home, the now 38-year-old returned to the Chinese capital in 2016 and has been getting by on his own sounds ever since.

Now, he is a member of one of China’s most popular cover bands, Peking Floyd. And alongside his own personal ventures (which those in the industry know to be a complex form of non-mainstream guitar riffs with non-standard timeframes and mystical sounds), the Finn is composing music for hit Chinese feature-length films.

On the way to Ahonen’s apartment, he sends us a message which reads; “If you haven’t gone down the hutong yet, could you pick me up a sandwich from the 7-11?” A small price to pay for the insightfulness to come.

His small and cozy abode is a minimalist’s paradise. A tiny kitchen by the door is proceeded by a flight of stairs where a small hatch, resembling a child’s treehouse, leads to the rest of his space which is mainly filled with

18 |AUGUST 2022

All images via Jukka Ahonen

guitars, some in better condition than others. Those who know the long curlyhaired Ahonen understand he is as talented as he is egoless. The man is a laowai cult hero in Beijing’s music scene and although he’s not as financially stable as some of his hotel-performing cotemporaries, money can’t buy the feeling of watching an audience enjoy his creations.

“I don’t care if people find my music alienating. There’s always somebody in the audience who loves it. If there are 100 people and five care, then that’s cool with me” he tells That’s. “I’ve turned down a lot of commercial gigs that just do cover sets. Some bands play at embassies and sometimes it’s just about which musicians are available. They practice once for a couple of hours and

end up butchering the songs. I want to play my own stuff. I tried playing in a house band for a week, but if you play every weekend in a hotel, you can never play your own music.”

Ahonen has played every genre from punk to prog. These days he concentrates more on the latter. A unique, complex and layered brand of music, to the ear it sounds smooth, but the process is anything but.

This ’purity over payment’ attitude has served Ahonen well so far and he certainly doesn’t believe that earning a living in more commercial and sophisticated environments is anything to be looked down upon. A regular appearance at a hotel or a bar can earn up to RMB20,000 per month, and that's not including the free food and drink.

F E AT URE | ARTS & LIFE

As he rolls another cigarette, Ahonen presses play on an intense Jazz playlist and begins to expand more on what has shaped his musical insights.

“I listened to Nirvana for one or two years straight,” smiles the Finn. “I got a guitar and learned all Nirvana's songs and started a cover band. Then I saw Jethro Tull on TV and it was something I’d never seen before. My mind didn’t know anything like that existed. I enrolled in university to study ethnomusicology which gave me insight into all kinds of music cultures around the world. In that science all music is treated equally, it doesn’t matter if it’s Mozart or someone blowing into seashells. I started to understand many different music cultures and how there is no right or wrong.”

For those of a younger generation, Jethro Tull were one of the pioneers of progressive rock. Their medieval grunge compositions continue to fill venues 55 years after the band’s formation.

Ahonen’s bread and butter is not just being in bands. Previously, he’s been invited to play as a session guitarist on some pop songs and there’s been the odd bit of guitar tutoring. Most recently he is composing scores for Chinese films alongside composing partner Lu Chuang.

The pair worked on the Chinese movie 你好再见 (Hello Bye) which proved to be very successful and, after its initial release, racked up more than 31 million views online.

The movie, which stars Zhang Zifeng and Guo Qilin, is about a futuristic world where people use brain implants to streamline conversations. A Black Mirror-style plot for sure, but in writing compositions for the screen, the guitarist is easing back on his usual complicated approach to music.

“I just play the scene over and over again in my head, or on my screen if I get the footage beforehand while jamming on an instrument,” says Ahonen, while strumming a couple of air guitar chords.

“Communication with the director is key. At first, film composing can hit your ego hard. You could have been working on a one-minute scene for a week.

Finally, you feel like you have it and proudly send a demo to the director, and they just say no.”

“I like minimalism. For example, in one of my bands, SHA! the sound is not that complicated. In some songs, there’s just one looping riff but it's displayed or scattered in different ways,” he explains.

AUGUST 2022 | 19

ARTS & LIFE | F E AT URE

Image via 24D Space

SHA! have been playing in China since 2017 and each member is bursting with talent. Their prog-rock-orientated psychedelic instrumentations require a deep knowledge of musical theory. It’s a long way from the plug-in and play vibes, and reaching an end product that satisfies everyone can sometimes take time and lead to differences of opinion.

The band’s keyboard player, David Bond, knows Ahonen better than most. Their friendship has always remained firmly intact even if the practice space dynamic can create some tension.

“There is always conflict in the SHA! practice room,” says the soft-spoken American. "It’s part of our creative process at this point.

Ahonen usually comes in with some outlandishly counted out riff then I have to go through the painful exercise of actually learning how to count, then play and then adapt to the drumming.”

Trombonist Daniel Rothwell has been with the group since 2018 and says while disagreements can happen, there are rules the group 20 |AUGUST 2022

has put in place to make sure it never gets out of hand.

“Let me summarize the danger zone,” remarks the Englishman, expanding on one of the aforementioned rules. “The danger zone is a place in which musical meandering is encouraged. When on stage there’s nobody to ask for directions but ourselves, so we are forced to get creative.

“Dealing with complex time signatures adds complications and often some disagreements about what should go where and why. Compromise comes from clearly understanding our intentions as a unit via experimentation and embracing happy accidents.”

Original music aside, one of Ahonen’s other bands, Peking Floyd is arguably the most popular ex-pat group in Beijing, if

F E AT URE | ARTS & LIFE

not China. The music of Pink Floyd has an international fan base that spans generations with tribute acts regularly performing all over the world. When Peking Floyd was formed in 2017, there was a feeling this was going to be an extremely popular venture.

Pink Floyd cover bands occupy a special nether region for performers and concert-goers. While Ahonen can’t claim that performing another group’s songs has the same integrity original music does, there is an added kudos that goes with trying to tackle such special, complicated, and in some cases, personal songs.

“Peking Floyd are the only cover band I could do,” says Ahonen firmly.

“We have fun shows. If you cover Pink Floyd, you have a lot of freedom. Most Pink Floyd cover bands try to make it sound the same but, in the songs, there is so much room for experimentation.”

Lead singer and bassist Scott Slepicka backs up the guitar player’s ethos. Slepicka believes some of the bands staying power and success has been down to how Ahonen approaches the famous back catalog.

“Any decent guitarist can memorize a lick or a solo, but nobody plays at the level he does. There’s just something in his fingers. His tone makes you turn your head and say, 'Wow! That dude can play.'”

As we wind down our conversation, there’s the sense that his pursuit of playing from the heart and not for the purse is one worth continuing. Breaking into the music industry is as much about luck as it is about talent, but Ahonen certainly has the creativity and ability to rival any modern player.

“I’ve never tried to be famous and I don’t want to be. Don’t get me wrong, I would like the money that comes with being famous, but I’m never going to dumb anything down or sell myself out.”

SHA! is currently in the process of releasing an album, while Peking Floyd

are at the height of their popularity.

These projects are just two examples of the many Ahonen is involved in. As he continues to be one of the most sought-after musicians in the city.

He’s certainly a long way from that teenager in Finland who got his kicks listening to Nirvana. Realistically, very

few talented people ever “make it.”

But, as Kurt Cobain himself once said, "Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are."

AUGUST 2022 | 21

BUSINESS & TECH THE HOARDER NEXT DOOR P25

Business News P24

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Sinoviniculture P28

INDUSTRY NEWS

WeChat Testing ‘Shared Memories’ Function

Wuhan Launches New Omicron Vaccine Experiments

Xiaomi Prototype Car Unveiling in August

WeChat is testing a function where users can share previously posted moments with their friends. By choosing “who to be with,” a moment you previously shared with friends will be sent to those friends in the original post. In addition, the content will be saved in the top right corner of your moments’ photo album in “shared memories.”

On July 14, the biological products research team at Sinopharm Group China Biological Wuhan launched an experiment to conduct an Omicron inactivated vaccine. All the participants were inoculated with the inactivated vaccine after relevant testing, informed consent, basic physical examination and blood sampling.

Xiaomi made a big commitment to the electric vehicle industry last year, pledging a USD10 billion investment over 10 years. In August, Xiaomi’s prototype will be displayed and tested by company founder, Lei Jun. Although production won’t kick off for a while; after the unveiling more road testing and the car’s PR campaign are expected to start.

Tencent Smart Map Ready for Mass Production Tencent’s Smart Drive map was originally scheduled to be launched in the second quarter but was delayed due to COVID-19. It is expected to be mass-produced in the second half of this year. Smart maps can provide more comprehensive road information for users, navigation guidance with lane-level precision accuracy, understand road conditions in real-time and comprehend the working logic of the vehicle’s intelligent driving system.

TikTok Owner ByteDance to Launch Instagram Rival Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, will launch a new social media app called Croissant. Croissant will be similar to Xiaohongshu, an Instagram-like platform where users share their lifestyles and promote products.

AUGUST 2022 | 23

BUSINESS NEWS

China’s Economy Contracted in the Second Quarter China’s GDP fell by 2.6% in the three months leading up to the end of June, as major financial hubs such as Beijing and Shanghai dealt with full or partial lockdowns. As the world’s second-largest economy, China see growth of 0.4% in the April to June period, but this was some way short of its 1% target.

However, Jeff Halley, senior market analyst for Asia Pacific at trading platform Oanda said, “GDP was worse than expected, however unemployment fell to 3.5% and retail sales outperformed impressively.” Market analysts predict that a quick economic recovery is not on the cards should China pursue its zero-COVID strategy.

China’s M2 increased by 11.4% On July 11, according to the People’s Bank of China’s ‘Report on Financial Statistics for the First Half of 2022,’ China’s balance of broad money (M2) in June was RMB258.15 trillion, experiencing an 11.4% year-on-year growth, which is 0.3% and 2.8 % higher than that at the end of last month and the same period of 2021 respectively.

The balance of narrow money (M1) was RMB67.44 trillion, a 5.8% increase.

The balance of money in circulation (M0) reached RMB9.6 trillion, increasing by 13.8%. Net cash issuance in the first half reached RMB518.6 billion.

Advance Payments for Henan Bank Depositors According to CCTV Finance, from July 15 village banks in Henan Province started giving advance payments for depositors who could not withdraw funds, with a maximum of RMB50,000.

To guarantee the payment, customers will receive their money in batches.

Individuals with less than RMB50,000 within a single institution will be paid in the first round. Customers waiting for more than RMB50,000 will have to wait until this round has finished.

The failing banks have been in the news recently as depositors trying to withdraw their money suddenly found they had red health codes when traveling to Henan, despite following all COVID-19 pandemic and prevention procedures.

Going Electric: More NEVs on the Road

Beijing Bureau Fines “Ice Cream Assassins”

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, at the end of June, there were over 10 million new energy vehicles in China, 3.23% of all automobiles.

Among the new energy vehicles, 8.104 million are pure electric vehicles, taking up 80.93% of all new energy vehicles.

In the first half of 2022, 2.209 million new energy vehicles were registered, an increase of 1.106 million compared to the first half of 2021. Vehicle registration experienced an increase of 100.26%, a new record. Registrations of new energy vehicles accounted for 19.90% of the total new registrations of automobiles.

Chinese consumers have experienced a surge in the price of ice creams and have named high-priced treats “ice cream assassins.” The name refers to the sky high prices.

On July 13, the Market Supervision Bureau of Chaoyang District, Beijing conducted surprise checks on 36 convenience stores, such as Convenience Bee, 7-ELEVEN and Wumart. Fifteen stores were found to be conducting illegal acts, such as not labeling prices according to regulations.

Officials issued a RMB2000 on-the-spot fine to each store.

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F E AT URE | BUSINESS & TECH

The Hoarder Next Door Living in an Uncertain World Drives Some People to Prepare for the Worse

By Li Bowen

S

hanchen, who requested that we protect his identity, remembers exactly where he was when COVID-19 started spreading across the globe. He was sitting at home, mindlessly scrolling through his phone when a sudden sense of dread swept over him.

In January 2020 there wasn’t much information on what would later become known as COVID-19, but Shanchen was a college student when SARS ran a rampage in South China. He had survived a pandemic once and he knew what he needed to do.

Over the following three days, Shanchen snapped up necessities: bottled water, sanitizer, masks and nearly 1,000 kilograms of rice and flour. He ordered several types of anti-influenza drugs from pharmacies, including Lotus flower plague repellent capsules, or Lianhua Qingwen, a TCM drug that would later be used in China to treat COVID-19. “Hoarding should be a daily habit,” Shanchen says. “Not only because of the pandemic, but the world is changing.

Now more than ever,

Images via Zxy

people feel a level of uncertainty towards the world.”

Shanchen Xiansheng (@山辰先生) is a blogger on Xiaohongshu, or Little Red Book, China’s version of Instagram, with more than 8,000 followers. It was by accident that he became a ‘prepper blogger.’

One post he shared about his understanding of preparedness has generated more than 5,000 likes since it was published on April 10.

“You need to think first and prepare in advance,” the father of a 3-year-old says. “It is not about saving money but keeping risks at bay from your family.”

A prepper is someone who gathers materials and makes plans for a whole manner of uncontrollable events in advance. Preppers can range from the rational (like those who ensure they have enough stocks in the event of a snap lockdown) to the outrageous. There are groups in America preparing for the end of the world and the collapse of civilization as we know it.

Although there is limited data on

the precise number of preppers here in China, Shanchen says roughly half of his followers abide by his rules and prepping lifestyle.

A 2021 study suggested roughly 45% of Americans – or about 115.6 million people – say they spent money preparing or spent money on survival materials over the previous

Image via Shanchen AUGUST 2022 | 25

BUSINESS & TECH | F E AT URE

Image via Shanchen

12 months. A figure undoubtedly affected by the pandemic.

Preppers don’t simply use the home as a warehouse for canned food and toilet paper rolls. “The one thing you need to prepare the most is your physical condition,” Shanchen says. “Money is not going to solve everything.

There are things that you can’t buy. You can buy a toolbox, but you can’t buy the skills needed to use what’s inside.”

Another quirky yet meticulous side of Shanchen is that at the beginning of every year, he backs up all workrelated

Images via Zxy 26 |AUGUST 2022

files and emails into a folder on his hard drive.

He refers to it as his ‘pocket.’ He has followed this annual ritual since he entered the workplace nearly 20 years ago.

“I think this comes from a place of insecurity about the internet era that we are living in,” he says. “I don’t trust cloud drives. They are not safe and you may lose all your archives.”

Shanchen also runs a group chat on Xiaohongshu where people share hoarding tips. In his mind, making quick decisions based on the changing situation can be a lot of fun.

“Hoarding materials is about developing bottom-line thinking.

Don’t wait until a crisis happens to act,” he says.

The stress of not having enough necessities during lockdown is so real that even those who hate clutter and prefer minimalism have changed lifestyles.

“People say if you have lived a maximalist life will you be able to live a minimalist life,” says Zxy, a 32-year-

old minimalist blogger with more than 4,200 followers on Xiaohongshu.

One post she published in May stood out as an exception to her overall simplistic composition aesthetics.

A staged photo features all sorts of groceries, including 20 rolls of toilet paper, laundry detergent, disinfectant, sanitary pads, a tube of toothpaste, face cleanser, sunscreen, body wash, two cartons of milk and some blueberries.

The caption reads: “During special times, it is necessary to have some basic items in store. You can stockpile moderately based on an item's duration, expiration date and your demand for it."

Zxy (@Zxy on Xiaohongshu) used to be obsessed with stockpiling beauty products. She would fill several large drawers with cosmetics, many of which ended up expiring. “I was a busy buyer during China’s 6.18 and 11.11 shopping bonanzas,” she says.

“But after I embraced minimalism, I realized that there are some good deals during regular days. You don’t need to hoard.“ “You may experience some fleeting joy when you buy something, but I think that’s superficial,” she says. “It doesn’t make you relax. A minimalist life is relaxing, and you're not burdened by too many items. What you own is what you need. Items are to serve

Image via Shanchen

F E AT URE | BUSINESS & TECH

Image via Zxy

you, not the other way around.”

Zxy lives with her husband in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. Seeing Shanghai (which is only 270km away from Nanjing) under lockdown for months prompted her to stockpile necessities in the event of an emergency. What makes Zxy unique is that she finds a middle ground between minimalism and hoarding.

“Supplies are more durable than we think, so there’s no need to panic buy,” Zxy says. “I will only stockpile supplies for the next six months, at most.

Even if a lockdown does happen, it shouldn’t be that long.”

In November 2021, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce accidentally started a “panic buying” frenzy. They issued a notice that suggested families stock up on food in case of emergencies.

However, the Chinese newspaper Economic Daily called on the public not to misread the notice

and overreact. They said the advice was simply meant to “complement the national emergency system in the long run” in an article that was published shortly after.

Most recently, the Shanghai lockdown has spurred the circulation of various versions of “hoarding lists” or survival guides on Chinese social media platforms.

Laoyao, a digital media content creator who lives in a 51-squaremeter apartment in Beijing with a dog and three cats. She attributes her hoarding behavior to a bandwagon effect.

“When everyone is hoarding, it is justifiable for you to do the same,” she says.

“My friend in Shanghai sent me different hoarding lists for reference,” Laoyao elaborates.

When Beijing urged residents to stay at home and rolled out city-wide nucleic acid testing to cut community-level transmissions from May

to June, “it felt like every Beijinger had a friend in Shanghai telling them how to hoard,” she says.

Many people in China have been left frustrated when panic buyers snap up all the groceries when there are the smallest of rumors of even a single COVID-19 case. “Food buying helps us feel in control,” a Guardian article quoted Harvard epidemiologist Karestan Koenen as saying.

Panic buying is naturally thought to originate from a “fear of missing out” (FOMO) mindset. But don’t be mistaken, the people we interviewed are preparing for emergencies. They are not those rushing to supermarkets at the last minute and fighting over a cabbage. They got their supplies months ago.

If you’re unsure what to have in reserve in the event of a lockdown, Shanchen says to get bottled water, food, flour and rice and condiments, like salt and oil. For Zxy, sanitary wipes and toilet paper should also be on the list. Laoyao is a pet owner so she strongly advises getting pet food.

Realistically, if you don’t have all these items on hand, you’re more than likely going to be fine. Even though Shanghai's woes aren't far behind us, citywide lockdowns are not that common anymore as authorities aim to limit lockdowns to individual communities or streets.

From the highly transmissible COVID-19

BA.5 omicron subvariant to the ongoing RussiaUkraine conflict, our cell phones are constantly bombarding us with shocking news headlines.

As a result, the need to feel prepared is arguably more prevalent than ever.

While “preparedness lists” may differ from one person to another, the goal remains constant — provide for ourselves and our loved ones and hope we aren't found wanting.

Images via Laoyao

AUGUST 2022 | 27

BUSINESS & TECH | F E AT URE

Sinoviniculture

By Joshua Cawthorpe

Rosé season, also known as summer, is the time of year when the sweltering heat beckons us to start imbibing in the middle of the day. This month we decided to try out some taohong, peach-red or, colloquially, pink wine.

First of all, what is rosé?

There are four ways to make rosé but, since the differences are very technical, let’s first talk about the difference between white and red wine. Although the obvious answer is that green grapes make white wine and purple grapes make red wine, this isn’t always the case. A number of champagnes, in fact, use purple grapes in a style dubbed ‘blanc de noir’ or ‘white of the black.’ As though an allegory for humanity, grapes all look the same on the inside.

While both methods of winemaking require the pale nectar to be massaged from within the grapes, white wine allows only the transparent juice to ferment. Red wine gets its color from macerating the skins and seeds throughout the fermentation process.

Only in China have we seen adults meticulously peeling their own grapes before eating them. Grape skins, in addition to being extremely high in antioxidants, Vitamin C and resverotrol, also contain tannins. This is what gives them their bitter, acrid taste. However, tannins are the backbone of red wine’s flavor profile; tannins give it the ability to harmonize with the umami of grilled animal flesh and also preserve it while it ages in the bottle.

Back to rosé. The most common process to make rosé is called maceration. Use red grapes to make white wine but allow the skins to briefly stew as fermentation begins, then remove them before they influence the color (and flavor) too heavily. Provence is known for very faintly hued rosé

28 |AUGUST 2022

made by macerating skins for just long enough to ‘stain’ the wine and achieve a pale pink color.

One common misconception is that darker rosé wines are sweeter. If the color comes from the bitter, tannin- and vitamin-rich skins then color is not a measure of sugar content.

The direct press method is similar to maceration as it uses red grapes to make a white wine but depends on just enough color being released into the wine during the pressing stage.

Winemakers who use this method are known to then add a dash of mature red wine in the end to achieve their desired shade of pink.

When committed to this approach, it is called ‘blending’ and shouldn’t be scoffed at. The simplicity of the process evokes images of frat house jungle juice in 68-liter Rubbermaid storage tubs. However, it is a careful art undertaken with utmost care and precision. A small amount of red wine, selected for its desirable qualities, is mixed with a white wine so that the two may fester blissfully until their day of absolution.

The fourth method, unsurprisingly, bears a French name. The saignée method involves ‘bleeding’ juice from a vat of red wine that has only just begun its journey to the promised land.

This month we randomly selected two rosé wines from JD.com. One from Ningxia and another from Xinjiang, both winemaking regions that we have previously investigated.

The Ningxia rosé is from Jia Bei Lan winery in the Yinchuan winemaking area at the foot of the Helan Mountain Range. The wine itself is made from 100% cabernet sauvignon, a red wine grape, and employs the short-term maceration method.

The Xinjiang rosé is from Tiansai vineyards near the Tianshan mountains. This grape varietal is cabernet franc, another red wine grape, this time using the direct press method where color is imbued in the pressing process and then the skins are removed prior to fermentation.

The Xinjiang rosé is, predictably, a lighter shade of pink.

When searching for suitable wines for a certain meal, white wine is generally recommended when pairing with most Asian cuisines. This is a sweeping generalization which fails to recognize the vast diversity of the Asian continent and all the wonder it has to offer. However, seafood and spicy dishes generally don’t agree with heavy, tannic red wines.

If we were going out for Hunan food it would be an easy choice. When scooping the fatty cheeks from above the sullen eyes of a butterflied carp face, piled high with sautéed red chilies and garlic, then one should seek the sharp refreshment of a Mosel riesling. However, our goal is to truly learn these two rosé wines and understand the lingering odor of the original sin with the original skin.

If there is but one Chinese cuisine best suited for rosé, we think it’s Hakka.

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The word Hakka, or kejia in mandarin, literally translates to ‘guest people.’ This is a nod to the tumultuous history of this Han descendant minority who continually migrated south throughout China’s history. The first of five waves came at the fall of the Jin dynasty in 400CE when invading tribesmen forced many groups to flee their homes north of the Yangtze river. Today, the Hakka people are settled mainly in mountainous areas of Jiangxi, Guangxi, Fujian and Guangdong provinces where Hakkanese culinary influence on local menus reveals itself in colorful dishes like wuliu fried eggs.

Hakka food is known for elegant and rich flavors coaxed lovingly from fresh ingredients. The dishes are robust but not overbearingly spicy and thus perfectly suited for a wine tasting.

We uncork both bottles and pour a glass of each. True to its namesake, the Xinjiang is peachy on the nose.

The Ningxia has a darker strawberry aroma with a floral citrusy bouquet like grapefruit.

We taste the Xinjiang first. It’s bone dry and has a complex, chalky minerality but also a pleasant roundness and creamy finish like longan or butterscotch. We take a sip of green tea to cleanse the palate and move on to the Ningxia. It’s boozier and flies up into the nostrils, despite being half a percent lower in alcohol than the Xinjiang. It has a much more pronounced acidity and, although sweeter and fruiter than the former, has a clean lemon flavor with notes of honeydew melon.

As the food begins to hit the table, we have the Xinjiang rosé on the left and the Ningxia on the right. Both wines are about to undergo a three-round bout of critique and comparison.

The first challenge is the meicai kourou, soft braised pork belly on a bed of preserved mustard greens. Perhaps wine’s most impactful function is the ability to interact with fat to create a tidal dance of hard and soft, wet and dry, push and pull, upon the palate.

Saving the sourness of the meicai for later, we fold a hefty slice of pork around a pinch of rice and slap it into our face.

The acidity of the Ningxia shines with the fatty pork belly. It splashes around the mouth making the bright cantaloupe finish more pronounced.

At this stage of the contest, our guest describes the Xinjiang rosé as fengfu (rich) and says it has more kougan (mouthfeel). However, we note that it interacts much less with the taste of the meat.

The second round is pairing the two contestants with niang kugua or stuffed bitter gourd. This aptly named bright green phallus is a first time one never forgets. However, although more medicinally bitter than any other food we know of, when prepared well it easily becomes a favorite ingredient. To make it Hakka style, it is cut into cylinders and the seeds are hollowed out. The wrinkly green tube is then rammed full with a mixture of minced pork and tiny dried shrimp or fish, powderized and mixed in to give the meat an unparalleled succulence.

Finding a wine to pair with such a bold astringent flavor is somewhat uncharted territory. Like coffee with cream and sugar, one imagines that the sweeter wine will balance out the flavors of the niang kugua. This is not the case. The acidity of the Ningxia washes away the bitterness but the minerality of the Xinjiang explodes with cascading layers of stone and earth when it sweeps across the bitter residue of the gourd. Our guest agrees that the Ningxia is less suitable for the bitter melon dish.

The third dish is Three Cup Duck, a name which does not surrender any hints towards the aromatic spices in the sweet, dark sauce. This being the first dish which is overtly sugary, we have saved it for the final obstacle in our

rosé triathlon.

Still gnawing on a thick medallion of duck breast, our guest exclaims for the first time that the Ningxia is great with sweet food, refreshing like Coca-Cola.

The Xinjiang, being the less sweet wine, behaves completely differently with the sugary sauce on the duck. Any residual sweetness is eclipsed by the duck sauce and it leaves a pleasant tartness like cranberry juice or Southern-style iced tea.

While rosé is considered something of a crowd-pleaser, it requires its own blend of finesse to find the balance between brooding bitter red notes without subduing the bright white fruitiness and crisp terroir. Both wines are dry and complex, demonstrating a level of winemaking prowess in both regions that could undoubtedly someday rival Provence or the Loire Valley — that is if China warms up to serving cold wines. We would recommend the Ningxia with any meal that has a sweet sauce, as this was the stage of the meal where it really blossomed.

Unfortunately, nobody wins unless somebody loses. If we must choose a winner, the Xinjiang gave us a little bit more of what we wanted from a rosé.

It could be thoroughly enjoyed without food, atop a hill after a sunset stroll, or on a beach with the smell of seaweed and salt on the air. It also surrendered more layers of complexity through the gauntlet of food pairings, leading us to believe that it is the more refined of the two wines.

Xinjiang

Ningxia

Scan the QR codes using the Taobao APP

AUGUST 2022 | 29

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Off the Map with an Urban Explorer Interview by Ned Kelly

T

here are people who get off the beaten track in China, and then there is Greg Abandoned. Born in Poland, before moving to the UK, divorce from his wife followed by a trip to Chernobyl changed his life – one he now dedicates to UrbEx, the exploration of abandoned spaces.

In 2018, Greg moved to China – an ‘UrbEx gold mine’ – and amassed over 100,000 followers on Instagram, @gregabandoned.

He hosts the Chasing Bandos UrbEx Podcast and is compiling an Abandoned China Book Trilogy. Intrigued, we sought out this capturer of apocalyptic images to find out what makes him tick.

work and I decided to visit Chernobyl. He was relocating to Spain and we figured this would be a memorable visit for us, as we wouldn’t be able to see each other often.

Chernobyl changed my life. Standing on top of that building in the abandoned city of Pripyat, looking down at overgrown edifices that Mother Nature had reclaimed was a moment that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

At that moment, I knew this is what I wanted to do.

I wanted to find places like this. Everything made sense from that moment.

How did you get into photography?

After Chernobyl, I started to share my pictures on Instragram, and received a positive reaction.

Some feature-hub accounts used my pictures, and from there I realized that there are other people who go to abandoned places and use specific hashtags to share their findings with the community.

Subsequently, I learned about UrbEx, a sub-category of urban exploring – going to abandoned places. I used social media as motivation to keep going.

Once I was in China, I realized I had stumbled across an ‘UrbEx gold mine,’ and the rest is history.

When did your fascination with abandoned spaces start?

I have to thank my ex-wife for divorcing me, as that was the catalyst for the decisions I made afterwards. I’m halfjoking, of course, but the

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divorce was a major event in my life that made me realize many things. One of them was that I should seek new experiences.

Around the same time as the divorce, I met a guy at work who shared a similar attraction towards apocalyptic themes – we both

like Mad Max movies and The Book of Eli. I was blown away after reading Cormac McCarthy’s book, The Road and The Wool Trilogy by Hugh Howey. There is something mesmerizing about the end of civilization that drives my imagination.

One day, my friend from

Tell us about the UrbEx Code?

“Take only pictures, leave nothing but footprints,” might seem like a cheesy slogan, but I always say that “even pirates had their code,” hence we should also follow some guidelines: 1) Never damage

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property! Just because it is abandoned doesn’t give you the right to do anything you want. Someone most likely still owns it.

2) Do not steal! Some places have stuff left behind.

It is not yours, even if it has been left in an abandoned place.

This seems pretty obvious. Just use your common sense. Explorers don’t break; explorers don’t steal – vandals do.

How do you choose where to shoot?

I have shot hundreds of different locations and, without sounding like a snob, nowadays I try to find places where you would go, “Wow!” I love an overgrown corridor with the paint coming off the walls as much as the next guy, but recently I’ve tried my best to find more unique locations. If I can make you go, “Wow, where is that?” I feel like I have done my job.

I love my camera, but I can’t explore without my drone. If I break it, I buy a new one the same day (this has actually happened too many times). I love flying my drone and taking aerial shots.

If I have the chance to take one, I can’t resist it.

What do you look for in a photograph?

I don't look for anything specific; it is all about locations. Can I show the scale of abandonment in this building? How unique this place is? Have I seen this type of picture before?

I’m not big on close-up shots like many Chinese explorers – I like big scale.

How do you find out about new locations?

This is one of the most common things people ask me on Instagram or on the podcast, and there is no one answer to this question.

Let me give you an example: there was this one abandoned water park somewhere in China I tried to find; I can’t even remember how I found out about it in the first place.

It took me six months to find the exact location; scanning the internet for clues, and scrolling for hours on satellite maps. I even called the manufacturer of the rides and asked them for help, as I noticed many water parks use the same types.

Some locations are easier than others. But anyone can find them as long as they are willing to put in the time and the effort.

These days, I feel like the abandoned places find me, rather than other way around.

What’s the best place you’ve shot?

There is one place UrbEx explorers call the ‘Holy Grail’ – in the middle of the desert in Kazakhstan there are abandoned space shuttles and a rocket.

Exploring this place was the hardest, most physically challenging and most dangerous mission I have ever done. Walking fully equipped through a desert with your gear, food and water to last you two days was hard enough. Not getting caught while on site was something else entirely.

I gathered info on this

Hiking through the desert in Kazakhstan, on the way to abandoned space shuttles

Abandoned train graveyard

place for almost a year and trained for three months to get physically fit enough to do it. I used to pack my bag and walk from 8pm on Friday night to 5am on Saturday morning to prepare myself for the hike of my life.

However, waking up on the top floor of the space shuttle hangar and looking down at two abandoned shuttles remains the best day of my life. The excruciating journey and all the pain endured – it was all worth it.

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Ever had any close encounters or scary moments with authorities?

When you do UrbEx, it is impossible not to have these moments. I’m always very careful, but there are moments where you simply can’t avoid getting caught.

Probably the scariest moment of my ‘UrbEx career’ was when I got mistaken for a spy at a military base, which I wrongly took for an

abandoned plane graveyard.

That was certainly one long interrogation I wouldn’t want to repeat.

If you could shoot a place you have not yet, where would it be?

I love space-related places. Rockets, space shuttles, even abandoned theme parks with space shuttle replicas – I'll explore those any day.

However, the Chinese space program is relatively

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new, so the chances of finding abandoned spacerelated places here are slim – but not impossible…

I would even settle for a tourist visit to any of the four Chinese space launching locations, and if you knew me, you would understand the significance of this statement: I don't do tourism!

Sadly, as a foreigner living in China, even a tourist visit like that is mission impossible.

What advice would you give someone trying to shoot abandoned spaces?

Do it for the right reasons.

If you are looking for Insta-fame, or your goal is to grow your social media status, and you think this is the way to do it, don’t bother.

Do it because you love those places and you feel a need to protect them.

UrbEx will give you incredible experiences; stories like you could never expect – because you will be doing things that society told you over and over not to do.

When you learn to let go of what others think, and you

stop listening to what others tell you, and you follow your instincts, you will be ready.

Challenge yourself and stay safe. Bring someone with you; you don’t want to fall through a broken floor and break your leg all by yourself.

I was once trying to get access to this Bulgarian UFO-like monument building located on top of a mountain that required me to jump four meters down to a pitch dark basement. But, since I was there with someone else, whatever happened to me, at least I wouldn’t be alone – that is my mindset.

I can’t stress this enough – worry afterwards, not before.

Follow Greg on Instagram @gregabandoned or scan the QR code: Visit Greg’s website at www.gregabandoned.com or scan the QR code:

Instagram QR

Website QR

FAMILY HIT THE ROAD, TAX P40

Fitness P38

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Horoscopes P45

READING CORNER

CLASS CLOWN

Book recommendations from That’s editorial team.

Superfluous Screen Time

Sam Wu is Not Afraid of Ghosts

A mother in Shenyang took her 10-year-old daughter to the hospital for an eyesight exam. It was revealed that the girl’s myopia, nearsightedness caused by an abnormality of the shape of the eye, had devolved beyond 200 degrees. The girl’s doctor asserted that it was a result of long-term online classes and holding her face too close to the screen. On Weibo, the hashtag concerning the girl’s rapid myopia has been read 73 million times. Reading books and looking at a computer or phone screen are both considered ‘near work’ and have been linked to eyestrain and subsequent conditions. However, virtually everyone regularly does some form of ‘near-work’ but only a small group of the population develops nearsightedness.

By Katie and Kevin Tsang Ages 6-12 This fun romp is told in the first person by a young boy who is intent on disproving the notion that he is, as was said by his peers, a ‘scaredy-cat.’ This book is the first in a series concerning all the things that Sam Wu is not afraid of, ranging from sharks to zombies to the dark.

Sam Wu reminds us that it’s natural to have reservations about the unknown, but we can overcome our fears and build confidence in the process.

The Night Diary

By Vera Hiranandani Ages 11-17 After her mother passes away, Nisha continues writing letters to her in her diary. Although heart-wrenching, this story teaches us courage and about the complexity of an international world as the half-Muslim, half-Hindu protagonist navigates a newly partitioned India. This book won the Newbery Honor in 2019 and is perfect for a young reader just slightly too innocent for Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner .

ECO HOME

Ice Ice Baby Instead of walking all the way downstairs to get a free bag of ice from the begrudging bubble tea barista, why not buy your very own countertop ice machine. Cool off and stay hydrated with a virgin vodka water at any time of day. Elevate your highball game with a Hicon ice machine that makes a tray of cubes in just six minutes. Gone are the days of asking the Family Mart cashiers, who have never drank a cold beverage in their lives lest they fall mortally ill, if the bags of ice on offer are made for human consumption.

AUGUST 2022 | 37

F A M I LY

Burning Fat While Juggling Life How to Stay in Peak Mental and Physical Health, While Handling Everything Else That Life Throws at You

By Kara Wutzke

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F A M I LY

A

s the years go by we get busier and busier; we work more, have families and try and see friends. It’s easy for exercise to get put on the back burner. Being an adult with all these responsibilities is hard.

Being too busy has sadly become the norm.

So how do we take care of all of our responsibilities and our physical and mental health? Well, that’s the key right there.

Understand that your health is one of your responsibilities and make it a priority.

With over 20 years of coaching experience, Kara Wutzke knows that most people want to make some health, body and mind changes.

Her objective is to help you reach your goals and understand that it doesn’t take hours of sweating in the gym seven days a week. With just 30 minutes a day, you too can get moving in the right direction.

Below is a list of easy habits you can make to start seeing the changes you want and make sure looking after yourself stays at the top of your list.

Schedule It In Schedule exercise into your calendar or put it on a daily to-do list. Schedules and lists help us stay on top of important tasks. Ticking things off also gives us a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Split Training Workouts Splitting up your muscle groups lets you focus on one thing at a time, and helps with rest and recovery between training sessions. This gives you an advantage by keeping your daily routine short, with higher intensity, better focus, more energy and increased strength.

Drink Up, Buttercup!

Sadly, not sugary drinks and alcohol, but water and lots of it. The human body is about 60-70% water.

Muscles alone are 70% water. Your body’s ability to digest, transport and absorb nutrients relies on proper fluid intake. It’s important to stay hydrated.

Follow the 80/20 Rule No more yo-yo dieting. Restrictive diets are limiting and once you go off these ‘miracle weight loss diets’ you quickly gain back the weight you lost.

Choose healthy, clean foods 80% of the time. You can indulge in a few “not-so-great” choices 20% of the time. The 80/20 rule is a good way to move forward that allows some leeway and flexibility.

Get Your Sleep Ideally keep the time you sleep and wake up the same. Seven hours a night is a good sweet spot to aim for. Without sufficient sleep, cognitive performance decreases and alertness and decision-making skills are affected. This can have adverse effects on work, family and make it almost impossible to stick to choosing the right foods.

Get Grounded Relax, take it easy! We all need time-outs. No, you don’t have to sit in the corner and think about what you’ve done. But make sure you’re including time to de-stress and take away all the noise that surrounds you. Take your shoes off, lock yourself in a quiet room or just have a coffee outside.

Spend Time With Loved Ones Last but definitely not least, we need our friends and our fun times. The next time you are spending time with close friends or family, put the devices down and be present. By spending time with friends, family or even pets, you are supporting the human need for community and social interaction.

Kara Wutzke is giving away her book for free to all Thats readers! Head to the website to get yours now. www.10weekbodytransformation.com

AUGUST 2022 | 39

F A M I LY

Hit the Road, Tax China’s Car Sale Slump and How to Take Advantage Interview by Joshua Cawthorpe

T

he State Taxation Administration and the Ministry of Finance announced new measures to stimulate China’s sputtering automobile industry. The statement, made on May 31, announced that purchase taxes would be slashed in half on vehicles under RMB300,000 and with an engine displacement of no more than two liters.

The incentive program came into effect on June 1 and runs through the final day of 2022.

Aaron Lu, who has worked with BMW, Porsche and Lincoln since 2017, sheds some light on the current state of car sales in the world's most populous nation. He tells That’s , “The automobile industry accounts for about 10% of China's GDP, and automobiles with less than RMB 300,000 occupy the largest market share.”

Lu points out that this is not the first time this strategy has been employed to correct slumping car sales.

“Reducing vehicle purchase tax has always been one of the important means to promote consumption and boost the market. From 2009 to 2010 and 2016 to 2017, China implemented two rounds of vehicle purchase tax reduction and exemption policies, which effectively promoted the growth of the market by stimulating automobile market consumption, alleviating to some extent the adverse impact of the 2008 financial crisis and the 2015 domestic economic downturn on the market respectively.”

Acknowledging the impact of the pandemic on China’s overall economy, Lu demonstrates that the first two years of it saw resilient car sales. Quoting internal notices circulated through dealerships, Lu continues, “According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, the cumulative sales 40 |AUGUST 2022

volume of China's car market in 2020 was 25.311 million vehicles, passenger cars accounted for 20.178 million and were down just 6% year-on-year. In 2021, the domestic sales volume was 26.275 million units, with a year-on-year growth of 3.8%, ending the three-year decline.”

This hopeful trend was short lived, however, as Lu paints a much darker picture of April 2022.

“Retail passenger car sales were just 1.042 million units, down 35.5% year-onyear and 34% month-on-month, both reaching record lows in April. Production also plummeted, with only 969,000 cars produced nationwide, down 46.8% from the previous month.”

It becomes blatantly obvious that numbers like these would trigger a response from market authorities. We ask Lu to elaborate on how much tax one normally pays on a vehicle and what these incentives actually amount to.

“First of all, passenger cars over RMB1.46 million are subject to an additional luxury tax.” Lu adds, “Tax on vehicles below that amount is calculated by dividing the vehicle invoice price by 11.3. For example, a car with a ticket price of RMB100,000 would pay RMB8849.5 in purchase tax. If that car meets the requirements of the new incentive policy, then the buyer only pays RMB4424.7.”

This would mean that the maximum savings offered through this policy would be RMB13,274. Nonetheless, Lu says that Chinese consumers aren’t interested in gas cards, free add-on features or other “outdated tricks” when car shopping. “Chinese consumers prefer cash discounts and there is not much dealers can do other than squeeze their own profits. The actual price of cars has dropped a lot in this depressed environment.”

While inflation, shipping delays and vehicle shortages have caused prices to rise in North America, now might be the optimal time to purchase a vehicle in the Middle Kingdom.

We ask Lu what RMB300,000 can buy in the current automobile market.

He tells us that there are models from traditional luxury brands like MercedesBenz, Audi and BMW in this price range.

Almost all the Chinese car companies, like Hongqi, BYD and Great Wall, are

available within this price range. As for pure electric, there are about 30 models from 10 different manufacturers available for RMB300,000 or less.

“Even a Tesla Model 3 can be purchased for RMB279,900 and China's own popular electric car brands, like Xiaopeng and Huawei's AITO, have models priced under 300,000 yuan.

But pure electric cars are not subject to purchase tax in mainland China.”

This revelation leads us to ask about how electric vehicles are faring in the current slump. We know that, in Guangzhou, new license plates are given out through a lottery to reduce the number of polluting vehicles on the road. Electric vehicles get their plates right away.

Fully electric passenger vehicle sales rose 10.9% in 2020 and, according to CNBC, the Hongguang Mini was the best seller. The collaboration between General Motors, state-owned SAIC Motor and tiny-truck maker Wuling produced a compact two-door budget electric vehicle and sold almost 400,000 units, starting at only RMB28,000, in that year.

In 2021, 3.52 million new energy vehicles (NEVs) were sold in China, as per China Daily .

In spite of ongoing preferential policies and surging popularity, electric cars have not been spared in this spring’s downturn.

F A M I LY

“Data showed that retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles were only 282,000 units,” says Lu, “down 36.5% month-on-month. Tesla, the overall leader in NEVs, also suffered an unprecedented slump, selling only 1,512 new cars in April, down 97.6 percent from the previous month.”

However, before we can go about test driving an entry-level Benz or an avocado green Hongguang Mini, we are going to need a driver’s license.

Jenny Lee is a consultant with Horizon, a Guangzhou company that specializes in helping foreigners open businesses and acquire special permits and licences, one of which being a driver’s license. We sat down with her in their office overlooking the Pearl River from the Haizhu Square financial street.

“To acquire a driver’s license, a foreigner must have a permanent residence permit and provide their driver’s license from their home country.

If they don’t have a driver’s license from another country then the process is much more complex and Horizon can’t facilitate it.”

Without a prior license, the process for foreigners is the same as it is for Chinese residents. However, Lee’s firm doesn’t offer this service as there are no driving schools (that they are aware of in Guangzhou, at least) which can offer driving lessons and road tests in any language other than Chinese.

The process for a Chinese national with no prior driving experience requires two computer-based tests and two practical road tests, in addition to lessons, which costs between RMB3,0006,000.

Lee also mentions that you will need to provide a Chinese name for the license so get a friend to transliterate one if you haven't already chosen a meaningful moniker.

If a foreign driver’s license can be provided then the process and the price are much more approachable. With a foreign driver’s license, only a computer based test about the rules of the road is required; no actual road test is required.

We asked Lee if she considers the test difficult, to which she chuckles and responds, “it depends. The test consists of 100 questions and must be completed in 40 minutes. We’ve helped clients from America, India, Jordan and many different

countries get licenses.

A recent client from Jordan only spent one week reviewing the study materials. All still while working so he only studied a little bit before bed, and he passed the test with 91 points. If you make time to study the materials well then there is no reason you shouldn’t pass the test.”

“Our service costs RMB1,500 which includes the study materials (in the testing language), booking the test and official notarized translation of all the required documents. The price also includes a service fee as Horizon makes all the appointments and accompanies the client to take the test. The client can then focus on studying the materials to prepare for the test. The study materials we provide are purchased from the Guangzhou government. Some materials are available for free online but these are not always up-to-date and therefore sometimes inaccurate. The test and study materials are offered in a handful of languages like Spanish, Japanese, Korean, English, French but some languages, like Arabic, are not available.”

Beyond the meaning of certain traffic signs and the fundamental rules of the road, the test also focuses on Chinese law and how many points are deducted for specific driving offences. With China dominating the lists of countries with the most surveillance cameras per inhabitants and per square kilometer, we have to inquire about how driving infractions are monitored and dealt with.

Like many countries, China uses a demerit system, with more egregious traffic violations resulting in more points being deducted. Lee tells us that, “you have 12 points per year. If you lose all your points within the year then you need to take the exam again. As soon as you pass the exam again you can resume driving with a refreshed twelve points. However, each deduction comes with a fine, usually around RMB200 but sometimes more. Even parking your car in the wrong place can result in a loss of points.”

Lee tells us that nearly all traffic

violations will be handled first by sending a message to your phone. Once the owner of the vehicle has been informed of a traffic violation, someone must report to a government office and show their license to close the record of the offence. If it was someone other than the owner of the vehicle driving then that person can produce their licence and pay the fine and their points will be deducted instead.

Lee laughs and asks if we’ve heard of people selling their demerit points. “It’s very common,” she says. “People who have bad driving habits and can’t afford to lose more points will pay a family member, friend or acquaintance to go and confess to the infraction instead.”

All this talk of bad driving leads us to our next question: insurance.

“Insurance costs for foreigners are the same as Chinese nationals as it’s based on the value of the car.” Lee says that the insurance for a car valued around RMB300,000 is just RMB6,000 per year.

Insurance costs don’t automatically increase due to traffic violations or deducted demerit points. However, if a driver repeatedly seeks reimbursement for repair costs resulting from accidents they cause, they can expect to pay higher insurance rates. If a driver can afford to repair both vehicles out of pocket then their insurance rates will not be higher the following year.

When asked about her own opinions on driving a car in China, Lee says that it can be challenging in big cities with lots of lights and traffic. However, Lee just came back from a family road trip to Guilin and she is beaming as she talks about the freedom of quiet country roads and the beautiful views among the karst peaks.

Scan the QR codes with WeChat to learn more about getting a license or buying a vehicle Jenny Lee

Aaron Lu

AUGUST 2022 | 41

LISTINGS BEIJING

Beijing Kerry Residence

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GTC RESIDENCE BEIJING

One of the top residences in Beijing, GTC Residence is located beside the third ring road within a 5 minute walk to subway line 5 and a 10 minute drive to Hou Hai . It is also within reach of the CBD, embassy area, Financial Street and other urban commercial, shopping and recreation areas. Fully equipped apartments with impeccable quality offer you a cozy living space and will meet all of your requirements in terms of room decoration, furniture, electric appliances and more.

A unique sky garden with a practice golf course and barbecue area is a unique symbol of GTC Residence. > sales@gtcresidence.com, website: www. gtcresidence.com Tel:56756666

Oak Chateau Beijing

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China World Apartments

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China World Apartments is just minutes away from the Guo Mao subway station and provides easy access to a wide range of retail shops, restaurants, services and amenities at the China World Mall. >No 1 JianGuoMenWai Avenue Beijing 100004 >Email: apartments@cwtc.com Tel: (010) 65052686

HOTEL NEWS SHANGHAI

Shangri-La and Taikoo Li Qiantan Team Up for Afternoon Tea Bulgari Hotel Shanghai Reveals Refreshing Summer Menu Bulgari Hotel Shanghai’s one-Michelin-starred Il Ristorante presents its new summer menu featuring a variety of exquisite seasonal dishes. Chef Niko Romito has created dishes to reflect Italian seasonal traditions with his own creative interpretation and enthusiasm for Bulgari sophistication.

On the menu are fresh items like langoustine salad with zucchini tossed in sambuca, basil and mint, homemade ‘panzanella’ tortellini and a cherry tarragon tart. Located on the 47th floor of the Bulgari building, guests can bask in the stunning cityscape while enjoying the ripe flavors of summer.

42 |AUGUST 2022

In collaboration with Taikoo Li Qiantan for the Bags art exhibition, ShangriLa Qiantan presents a themed afternoon tea at QT Lounge inspired by the fashionable icon bags. The afternoon tea includes three savory and four sweet items. Black truffle foie gras mouse elegantly presented with raspberry jelly and squid ink bread is the one not to be missed. The special Bags afternoon tea experience runs through to the end of August and is priced at RMB488 for two.

BEIJING Sheraton Grand Beijing Dongcheng Hotel Release “The Heart of Beijing” Afternoon Tea

Thursday is Señorita Night at the Tapas Lounge of the InterContinental Beijing Sanlitun.

Sheraton Grand Beijing Dongcheng Hotel have released“The Heart of Beijing” Afternoon Tea collaboration with Ksana Cha Cultural Heritage Master Series. Tea has an extremely close relationship to Chinese culture, when afternoon cultural covers a wide field and very rich content as one of the Britain’s most popular social rituals. Pastry Chef Simon and his team presented the latest afternoon tea set menu at 25th floor Executive lounge against a stunning backdrop of the Beijing old town breath taking and unparalleled views extending from the Dongcheng alleys. Tea for two is RMB588 and runs through October.

You will want to linger here with a shrimp cocktail and a spicy Spanish tomato dip, flavourful crispy fried calamari, the mellowness of an Aperol spritz, and free flow drinks and Sangria for two ladies, for two hours for RMB388. Wednesday is Caballeros Night for the boys. Also RMB388, this deal includes free flow drinks and other Spanish bites like garlic-chili shrimps, tasty Spanish beef meatballs, chorizo and beans, and white wine sangria, all of which are enchanting under the moonlight. Antipasto platters and free flow drinks are available daily from 4pm to 8pm.

Journey of a Butterfly Crossover Afternoon Tea at the RitzCarlton, Beijing The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing in collaboration with De Beers Jewellers, launched the Journey of a Butterfly Afternoon Tea in the recently renovated legendary The Lounge, embodying a modern twist in the British Manor setting. The customized afternoon tea tray is formed in the one-of-a-find butterfly shape designed by De Beers Jewellers, and a few golden butterflies around the tray has highlighted the theme in a fairly pleasant way. A total of 18 desserts and savouries are crafted by the experienced chefs from The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, inspired by De Beers Jewellers’ brand colour and the phenomenal butterfly high jewelleries, together with the signature scone, they are sure to bring you a gracious afternoon. The elegant afternoon tea set is available through the end of August for RMB698 and includes bubbles, tea or coffee for two.

EAST Beijing’s New Sustainable Seasonal Food and Beverage EAST Beijing is always be committed to the concept of sustainability throughout the daily operation. With this ideas in mind, Domain, a part café and part co-working space, has launched a new combination – Coconut Coffee Delight to let you escape from the hot weather. Coffee beans from the ASOBABGRI Women’s COOP in the Huehuetenango area of Guatemala, are slowly brewed in cold mineral water for half a day to give you the perfect cup of Ice brewed coffee. They use renewable solar energy resources in the process which greatly reduces the pollution caused by carbon emissions to the environment. While the packing is eco-friendly and are all biodegradable.

Also, by drinking this iced brewed coffee you will be sponsoring the Dr. Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots in China in their efforts to educate children on the importance of being good stewards of the environment.

GUANGZHOU A Warm Welcome for New GM of Jumeirah Guangzhou Jumeirah Guangzhou and Jumeirah Living Guangzhou are proud to welcome William Chea to the role of General Manager.

Originally from Hong Kong, William has a wealth of experience in luxury hospitality brand management, especially in the China region across Macau, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. William joins the hotel from Sofitel Guangzhou where he served as General Manager. William believes the Jumeirah brand has transformed the way that luxury is defined as exemplified by its flagship hotel, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, for thoughtful and generous service that celebrates the unique character of every guest.

AUGUST 2022 | 43

SCHOOL NEWS SHANGHAI

Britannica Further Improves Its Mandarin Program Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong Students Achieve Outstanding 2022 IB Results Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong are thrilled to announce that their Class of 2022 IB students once again scored highly, achieving an average of 39.8 out of a total of 45 points. This represents the highest average score ever achieved at Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong, and is well above the global average of 31.9. And 21% of students achieved 44 or higher - an incredible result!

Looking for an education at a top international school, but not at the expense of Mandarin? Britannica International School Shanghai is pleased to share further improvements being made to their Mandarin program. The school previously offered five compulsory Mandarin lessons for all students up to Year 9, with two additional lessons for native Mandarin speakers. For the upcoming academic year, students in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 now have the option of two additional Mandarin lessons, meaning up to nine Mandarin lessons weekly.

To arrange a tour of Britannica International School Shanghai scan the QR code.

GUANGZHOU

BISS Puxi IB Diploma Results 2022 BISS Puxi class of 2022 has continued its tradition of excellent IBDP results; 100% of students passed the Diploma, with an average score of 38.3, which is over 6 points above the global average.

For the IB Diploma, a score of 40 points or above is generally seen as an outstanding achievement and a hugely impressive 52% of students achieved this standard, which opens doors to the world’s best universities.

The maximum possible Diploma points total is 45, and very few students around the world are able to achieve this. Jocelyn can be exceptionally proud of her achievement in joining this select group. Two other students – Seoyoung and Peiyu – were able to score 44 points.

44 |AUGUST 2022

Utahloy Students Advance to Youth Debate Final Utahloy International School of Guangzhou is proud to announce that 13 students got through to the 2022 Youth English Speech and Debate Final. Their presentations were selected from 2,000 speeches by the CICG Institute of International Studies and Advanced Training. UISG encourages students to develop their confidence, public speaking abilities and a multifaceted world view through debate.

That’s

AUGUST

Horoscopes

Finally, a horoscope that understands your life in China.

By Felizabeth Chan

Leo

Virgo

Libra

Scorpio

7.23~8.23

8.24~9.23

9.24~10.23

10.24~11.22

Your lucky color is yellow.

Get outside and appreciate the beauty around you and of yourself. If you commit to upgrading your physical shape then you will be promptly rewarded. Take advantage of the distracting quality of nature to form a habit of physical activity.

This month will be exciting and romantic. Prepare for an unexpected vacation which will probably be workrelated. Keep a 48-hour nucleic acid test on you at all times.

It can be hard being such a giving person. That said, don’t outwardly complain about the caregiving responsibilities that you have undertaken. It’s natural for the mind to test you with doubt, but those you tell will spread an unfair and imbalanced view of you.

You will gain momentum towards your long term goals and within your pending projects. Stay alert and focused and sail upon the cosmic winds.

Pisces

11.23~12.21

12.22~1.20

Capricorn

Aquarius 1.21~2.19

2.20~3.20

Do you sometimes feel like nobody takes you seriously?

You’re right. Embrace your ability to lighten the mood.

The more ambiguous your capabilities appear, the less you will be burdened with doing.

Arguing is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. Eventually you realize that the pig is enjoying themselves. Don't bother trying to change other people’s minds. Nothing infuriates them more than agreeing to disagree.

Think of your brain as a USB drive. If you don't want to forget your entire childhood, stop filling it with useless information. They don’t remember your name either.

It’s not immaturity but rather a childlike curiosity.

You didn’t spend a month’s salary over the year on toys — those are collectibles.

Someday they will… it’s an investment.

Sagittarius

Aries

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

3.21~4.20

4.21~5.21

5.22~6.21

6.22~7.22

Jupiter is pulling opportunity your way. While Jupiter hovers in the background of your life, take advantage of your ethereal attractiveness.

When Jupiter leaves, so will your good looks.

By cooperating with a close relative, you will achieve some financial success in the near future. Keep your mind open and remember that doing business with family members can be frustrating but at least you know where they live.

This month should be spent enjoying life with your friends. Avoid long-term investments and don't make promises that stretch too far into the future.

In the middle of the month, Mercury will trine (form an angle of 120 degrees) Uranus. Do with this information as you see fit.

AUGUST 2022 | 45

Spread the Love On Qixi, Chinese Valentine’s Day Allelique Exclusive Chinese Valentine’s Day Aromatherapy Box Falling on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, Qixi is widely known as China Valentine's Day and is also one of the earliest love festivals in the world.

On this special day, what will you prepare for the one you love?

From July 25 to August 5, you can enjoy buy one get one free on specially prepared exclusive gift boxes from Allelique.

Allelique Qixi Exclusive Gift Box - White Valentine Spend RMB520 and enjoy RMB1170 worth of products The gift box includes: Allelique Body Lotion (one) Rose Water, Retinol Cream and White Aromatherapy Suit (one of each) Skincare Samples (two) and Allelique Velvet Cosmetic Bag (one)

Allelique Qixi Exclusive Gift Box - Purple Romance

Allelique Qixi Exclusive Gift Box – Grey Partner Spend 520RMB and Enjoy 1170RMB worth of products The gift box includes: Allelique Shower Gel, Rose Water, Hyaluronic Moisture Cream and Grey Aromatherapy Suit (one of each) Skincare Samples (two) and Allelique Velvet Cosmetic Bag (one)

Spend 520RMB and Enjoy 1170RMB worth of products The gift box includes: Allelique Hand Lotion, Rose Water, Retinol Cream and Purple Aromatherapy Suit (one of each) Skincare Samples (two) and Allelique Velvet Cosmetic Bag (one)

If you need to change any products in these gift boxes, please contact customer service.