The World of Chinese, 2012, Issue 6: Tibet

2012 ISSUE 5 BI-MONTHLY 2012年 第5期 总第36期／双月刊

2012年 第5期 总第36期／双月刊

tibetan tapestry

2012 ISSUE 5 BI-MONTHLY

From spicy mutton to renting a yak, we have a jam-packed guide to Tibetan culture

¥ 19.00 USD 7.00

fashion Photo Stories

Language Chinese Cooking Basics Ethnic

Cuisine NEW WEBSITE Modern History ART PLA Workouts Internet Speak Books

BLOGS

Chinese Slang Karaoke SPORTS

Chinese Snacks

Recipes FILM & TV Lifestyle Differences

TCM REMEDIES Street Smart Toilet-themed Restaurants MOVIES

Travel Tips Character Stories HOW-TO’S Ancient History

Feng Shui

MEMES Food

www.

theworldofchinese .com

It’s brand new. Give it a spin.

We think you’ll like what you find.

6/2012 Tibet: So Far, Yet So Near

M

ysterious, magical, divine: adjectives often used to describe Tibet. To many, this part of China seems unthinkably distant, geographically isolated and extreme, its people living at altitudes which induce sickness in most, yet also a seat of intense spirituality. To some, the Tibetan Plateau may seem like a supernatural figment of their imagination.

We have aimed to delve into the often unexplored, rich cultural aspects of this fascinating area and present a Tibet which is tangible and accessible. We uncover the dynamic Tibetan spirit that is ever-present in Chinese culture and interview three painters who share their colorful views of Tibet (page 26). Among them is Chen Danqing, an iconic figure in the Chinese art world. More than 30 years ago, when Chinese art had not yet fully awoken from the political restraints of the Cultural Revolution, Chen went to Tibet and completed his sensational “Tibet Series.” We find out what he thinks about Tibet and Chinese art today.

In its native Tibet, the Tibetan mastiff is known as the “Snow Mountain Lion,” scarce in number and associated with strong religious overtones. In recent years, however, it has been seen by many as a symbol of status and wealth.

Our brave editor took a death-defying trip to a “Mastiff den” to find out why so many people fall in love with the majestic Tibetan Mastiff (page 46).

We would like to give special thanks to our editor Ginger Huang. In order to see the real Tibet, she heeded our last minute call to make a U-turn from her original trip to the vast, desolate Gobi desert and head toward the snowy plateau that is Tibet. Fortunately, she is a seasoned trekker who is not easily brought down by high altitude and was able to make sure our readers wouldn’t miss out on our City Stroll guide through the Tibetan capital Lhasa (page 66).

Our Chi Le Ma column strives to afford you with new flavors and here we introduce you to some authentic Tibetan cuisine­: Tibetan Fried Mutton with Cumin. Even if you are unable to go to Tibet, a recipe like this will certainly bring you closer to the region in spirit, awakening your senses and making you as strong as a Tibetan Mastiff !

For many, Tibet seems like a mysterious and magical place; its expansive and often inaccessible landscape and it’s spiritual culture bring it a little bit closer to heaven. In this issue I hope that you will feel as immersed in Tibet as I do.

Yet another year is about to pass. We wish you a prosperous and happy New Year.

Tashi delek!

Warm Regards,

Cao Quan Chief Editor

Issue 6/2012

1

刊名题字 许嘉璐

Inscription for The World of Chinese by Xu Jialu 声明：本刊内容未经书面许可，不得使用。本刊内容的电子版、 网络版和其他语种的版权视同一并授予本刊所有。

All Rights Reserved. No part of the contents herein should be republished without the prior written consent of The World of Chinese. The electronic and online versions of infomation in this magazine and copyrights in other languages are the intellectual property of The World of Chinese.

ISSN 1673 - 7660 CN11 - 5509 / H

DIRECTED BY 主管： PUBLISHED BY 主办： PRODUCED BY 编辑出版： CONSULTANTS 顾问： PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR 总监制： PUBLISHER 社长： EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER 常务副社长： CHIEF EDITOR 主编： BOARD DIRECTOR 编委主任： BOARD MEMBERS 编委：

EDITORS / CORRESPONDENTS 编辑/记者：

ART DIRECTOR 艺术总监： WEB DIRECTOR 网络总监： DISTRIBUTION 发行部： MARKETING 市场部： ADVERTISING 广告部： INTERNS 实习生： PROOFREADERS 责任校对： PRINTER 印刷： OFFICE ADDRESS 社址：

FAX 传真： EDITORIAL TEL 编辑部电话： EDITORIAL E-MAIL 编辑部电子邮箱： ADVERTISING TEL 广告部电话： ADVERTISING E-MAIL 广告部电子邮箱： SUBSCRIPTION TEL 发行部电话： SUBSCRIPTION E-MAIL 发行部电子邮箱： WEBSITE 网址： NATIONAL SERIAL CODE 国内邮发代号： OVERSEAS DISTRIBUTOR 国外发行： OVERSEAS CODE 国外代号： AD PERMIT 广告许可证：

China Publishing Group 中国出版集团公司 The Commercial Press Co., Ltd. 商务印书馆 有限公司 The World of Chinese Magazine Co., Ltd. 《汉语世界》杂志社有限责任公司 Xu Jialu 许嘉璐, Tang Wensheng 唐闻生, Xu Lin 许琳, Joel Bellassen (France) 白乐桑 (法) Yu Dianli 于殿利 Zhou Hongbo 周洪波 Wen Xuechun 文学春 Cao Quan 草荃 Jun Liu (USA) 刘骏 (美) Ping Chen (AU) 陈平 (澳), Chu Chengzhi (USA) 储诚志 (美), Yuan Boping (UK) 袁博平 (英), Goh Yeng-Seng (SG) 吴英成 (新加坡), Wang Tao 王涛, Li Yuming 李宇明, Zhu Xiaojian 朱小健, Wang Jianqin 王建勤, Zhu Ruiping 朱瑞平, Zhang Hesheng 张和生, Zhou Hongbo 周洪波, Cao Quan 草荃 Ginger Huang 黄原竟, Chu Dandan 储丹丹, Jessica Rapp (USA) 阮洁茜 (美), Liu Jue 刘珏, Zhang Huayang 张华阳, Lee Simpson (UK), Terence Hsieh (谢燕辉) Cai Yi 蔡怡 Keoni Everington (USA) 华武杰 (美) Hong Jie 洪洁, Juliette Boa 鲍迪 Travis Li 李宁飞 Hu Jiping 胡继萍 Christian Allen (USA), Rachel Naquin (USA), Terence Hsieh (USA), Carole Lauener (SWE) Yu Libin 于立滨, Zhao Yuhong 赵育红 Beijing Hualian Printing Co., Ltd. 北京华联印刷有限公司 1508 / 1509 Jiahui International Center, 14 Jiqingli, Chaowai Street, Beijing 100020, China 中国北京朝外大街吉庆里14号佳汇国际中心 1508 /1509 (邮编100020) +86-10-65523101 +86-10-65523106 65523100x836 editor@theworldofchinese.com (北京) +86-10-65523108 / 65523100x801 (上海) +86-21-63355115 advertising@theworldofchinese.com (北京) +86-10-65523109 (上海) +86-21-63355115 subscriptions@theworldofchinese.com www.theworldofchinese.com 80 - 570 China International Books Trading Corporation 中国国际图书贸易总公司 BM4956 BAIC DBB Ad. No. 0040 京东工商广字第0040号

Where to Buy Beijing • April Gourmet • Beijing Friendship Supermarket • Beijing Language and Culture University Bookstore • Bookworm • Foreign Language Bookstore • Foreign Language Bookstore in Lufthansa Center • Friendship Store • Hanfenlou Bookstore • Hutong School • International Bookstore in International Culture Building • Jisi-HuiYuan Bookstore • Lion Mart • Peking University Bookstore • The Hutong • Salud • Modernista • Starfish • Culture Yard • The Bridge Cafe

Shanghai • Bookazine • Cityshop • Shanghai Bookstore City • Xinhua Bookstore

International and Domestic Subscriptions

Email: mail@theworldofchinese.com

Co-producer: Beijing Center for the Promotion of Chinese Overseas 协办：北京汉语国际推广中心

6/2012

26

COVER STORY

A Tibetan Tapestry 画家访谈录

Photographs

by

Jenny Smith (mastiff)

and

Grand View Tibet Gallery (yaks)

The extremes of the Tibetan landscape may leave some gasping for air, but for others this mystical Plateau and its people provide the inspiration for filling blank canvases. We met celebrated artist Chen Danqing, along with Yu Youxin and Han Shuli who reflect on their experiences in Tibet.

COver Story

38 Tibet in

CHina's Pop Culture 无处不在的西藏主题

Tap-dancing, 250-year-old monks and the Shangri-La enigma. We examine the significance of an eclectic Tibetan culture in a wider context.

Issue 6/2012

Cover Story

46

Guardians of the plateau 高原的守护者藏獒

At up to 10 million yuan a pop the Tibetan Mastiff is a pricey model of man’s best friend. We trace its history from hilltop protector to family pooch.

3

30 YEARS

52

30 Years of photography 摄影三十年

From home-developing to socialnetworking, photography has come a long way in three decades

75

KALEIDOSCOPE

Bum-A-Ride Guide

An Ode to the Mountain God

A hitchhiker’s guide to hitchhiking

A dazzling display of deference in Qinghai Province

SOCIAL CHINESE

自助游必备搭车口语

85 CHI LE MA mouthwatering mutton

4

18

法师与山神的对话

58

on the road Like Butter for the Soul

暖胃的藏式羊肉

朝圣之旅

As the temperatures plunge, heat up your kitchen with this spicy Tibetan classic

A trip to Lhasa becomes a long-awaited pilgrimage

1 EDITOR’S LETTER 卷首语

7 News 新闻

8 THE HARD SEAT 多棱镜

9 Strange but True 趣闻

13 STREET TALK 街头俚语

14 DON’T MISS 17 Made in China 中国制造

90 ON THE CHARACTEr

66

魅力汉字

CITY STROLL

Two Days in lhasa 拉萨两日

by

Getty (lhasa), CFP (30

years)

, K. Fukuhara (Kaleidoscope)

不可错过

Photographs

As one of the highest cities in the world, Lhasa will provide no end of (literally) breath-taking views, sights and sounds as you take in all that this ultimate place of pilgrimage for Tibetan Buddhists has to offer

78

AUDIO-VISUAL wORLD mountain patrol 《可可西里》 Lu Chuan’s “Mountain Patrol” offers a new image of Tibet and gives a visually stunning, authentic insight into the lives of those living there

Issue 6/2012

92 PIONEER 对话先锋

94 ADVENTURES IN CHINESE 我学我行

96 THE GEEK CORNER 高手学堂

WANT MORE LIKE THIS? You can find more articles like these on our newly revamped website, www. theworldofchinese. com, which is updated daily with recipes, travel tales, language lessons and more!

5

新 闻 NEWS December movie screening

Photographs

by

CFP (Mo Yan, Kekexili)

Catch a movie with The World of Chinese! We’ll be returning once again to the Culture Yard, this time to screen “Kekexili: Mountain Patrol” in honor of our latest issue on Tibet. The 2004 film is based on a true story that involves a harsh conflict between a group of Tibetan rangers and a band of poachers of endangered Tibetan antelopes. Taking place in the rugged yet beautiful Tibetan landscape and featuring both Mandarin and Tibetan languages, “Kekexili” received several prestigious awards at film festivals throughout Asia following its 2004 release. The screening starts at 7 p.m. (date TBA on our website), and attendees will receive discounts on drinks and language classes.

New book on Tibet Released

Chinese Debate tournament

nobel laureate

The Commercial Press is happy to announce the completion of “Tibet: Fast & Furious” (《微观西藏》 W8igu`n X~z3ng) a bilingual book featuring the lives of Tibetans.

Officially released Nov. 1, the work is a compilation of in-depth research and accounts from traveling artists and scholars, resulting in more than 500 microblog-style anecdotes on everything from Buddhism to how to handle altitude sickness. Nie Xiaoyang (聂晓阳) led a team of more than 30 writers, editors and advisers to help readers gain insight into a region full of ancient tradition. Check out our website to find out where to get this book and others by The Commercial Press.

Sixteen colleges and universities have entered their best and brightest from more than 30 countries in the 4th Chinese Debate Tournament of Beijing college foreign students. Organized by the Center for International Promotion of Chinese, the tournament took off with a preliminary round at the University of International Business and Economics Oct. 20 and 21, after which 10 teams successfully moved to the next level. Participants have engaged in deliberations over topics such as “Will e-books replace print in the future?” and "Is it easy or difficult for beautiful women to find true love?”

Debates are scheduled to run until early December­—see www.bjchinese. bjedu.cn for more details.

2012 Nobel laureate in literature, Chinese author Mo Yan (莫言) set out to accept his award at the the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony in Stockholm Dec. 10. The first Chinese citizen to win a Nobel Prize, the novelist/short story writer is famous for his style—a mixture of fantasy and reality, historical and social perspective with heavy influence from Chinese folk culture. A few days before the ceremony, he delivered a public lecture on a subject related to the topic of his prize. During the ceremony, he received the Nobel Prize Medal, Nobel Prize Diploma and approximately $1.12 million for his literary excellence.

Issue 6/2012

7

多 棱镜

THE HARD SEAT

Permanent ink, fading tradition For some, getting inked is a symbolic rite of passage into the adult world, a permanent mark of self-expression. For others, it’s simply the result of too many beers. Although many Chinese today would rather sport a new ’do than commit to a tattoo (just take a look at all the fickle punk rock fans sporting tattoo sleeves at music festivals), tattoos are a no-brainer for a handful of southern China’s ethnic minorities, including the Jino (基诺, pictured above), Dai(傣), Miao(苗) and Blang(布朗). But here you won’t find any names of ex-lovers or odes to the Devil; for tribes in China, the meaning goes deeper. The Jino, particularly, believe the tattoo has spiritual powers that allow for a reunion with ancestors after death. Scholars say that a tattoo on the face or neck was usually a required mark of maturity, but no one knows the exact reason why the face became the traditional tattoo hotspot in the first place.

Some think it served to protect women from being abducted, but others claim it was a branding of beauty. The BBC reported last year that groups in China were striving to methodically preserve the memories of the face tattoo as there are only a handful of elderly ladies in southern China who still have them. If there’s one thing their ancient custom teaches us for sure, it’s to think before you get a tattoo—it’s never coming off.

- Jessica rapp (阮洁茜)

8

you say

wHAT? This auto shop signage is a car wreck!

– jessica rapp (阮洁茜)

Modernity Re-imagined In Pankaj Mishra’s “From the Ruins of Empire: The Revolt against the West and the Remaking of Asia”, a struggling Asia, tied to tradition, tries to cope with overpowering besiegement by the West during the 19th century. The focus, however, is not on military efforts, but on itinerant thinkers who paved the way for the reinvention of Eastern civilizations.

Mishra tells the stories of the side-line figures of Eastern history, from Liang Qichao(梁启超) in China, to Rabindranath Tagore of India and Jamal al-Din al-Afghani. Mishra maps out the evolution of their insights, from initial attempts to fuse Eastern sensibilities with Western thought, to their frustrations and eventual disenchantment. Their ideologies have inspired the great instigators of change in Asia, such as Mohandas Karamchand Ghandi and Mao Zedong, and their radical influence continues to mould contemporary events.

Issue 6/2012

Offering fresh insight by choosing these often overlooked individuals, Mishra proves a captivating read.

Alas, Mishra’s narrative is overly romantic, creating a sense of solidarity in the face of imperialism while brushing over internal squabbles. - Marie Cahalane

STRANGE but true

by Christian Allen

two-thousand buckets of chicken It’s not often that dissatisfied customers take out their anger by buying more from the same establishment, but one angry man at a KFC in Wuhan tried to do just that, according to ChinaSmack.com. After seeing a kitchen worker assemble chicken sandwiches without gloves, Mr. Wang became so enraged that he attempted as a sort of reverse boycott to purchase 2,000 family buckets of fried chicken, with the intention of placing them out front to protest against the restaurant’s unsanitary business practices. The employees at the KFC initially attempted to fulfill the rather tall order (which would have cost roughly 140,000 yuan), but when Mr. Wang began stacking them outside and picketing, they decided to cut him off after 22 buckets. However odd Wang’s methods, they did appear to have the desired effect, with Yum! Brands KFC of China officially responding to the incident and pledging to maintain higher food safety practices. Chalk it up to a man with drive, determination and it would appear far too much time and money on his hands.

9

mad about mutton Spice up your sheep with this Tibetan twist from an innovative Beijing chef

p. 85 fighting fire with flour Of all the goods faked in China, these might be the most troubling.

According to WeirdAsiaNews.com, police in Chengdu (成都) recently seized nearly ten thousand fire extinguishers that were filled with flour instead of the usual powder based extinguishing agent, a swap rendering them essentially useless as fire deterrents. No word on whether any damage has occurred as a result of the faux flame-killers, but it’s all too good for Chengdu’s amateur chefs and mad scientists alike that these were discovered sooner rather than later.

a chilling REALITY One can hardly fault a parent for being unable to come to terms with the death of their child, but the way one Chongqing man has reacted to his son’s death has got more than a few heads turning. After his son passed away from leukemia, Tian Xueming was so overcome with grief that he opted to keep the body in a freezer for six years, reports WeirdAsiaNews. com. Tian said by keeping his son on ice he didn’t ever really have to say goodbye; he could simply open up the freezer door and speak with him.

Regrettably for Tian, what originally started as a private family matter eventually became a local controversy, as rumors of the peculiar preservation spread throughout the town. Whether Tian will ever give his son a proper burial remains to be seen, but in the meantime, it’d appear that dinner party guests would be wise to stay away from the popsicles.

10

creative cases If you haven’t moved on to the iPhone 5 just yet, then you might want to dress up last year’s gadgets while you still can. What better way to do this than with the sweet and sour faces from Taiwanese bubble tea chain, Happy Lemon. The guys

who have given you such delights as green tea with rock salt cheese and grapefruit black coffee are currently wrapping up a promotion featuring twelve colorful phone cases, each with a cheerful zodiac animal to brighten your day when,

Chhurpi: The big cheese Who said there wasn’t any cheese in China? It may not be Cheddar or Gouda, but Tibetan cheese takes dairy delicacy to the next level. Don’t reach for the wine just yet though—this particular cheese, made from dried-out yak buttermilk, is chewy and sweet and makes for a tasty snack all on its own. Tibetan travelers

also have another kind of cheese, which is often in the form of a yellowish-brown charm strung onto yak-hair necklaces and worn around the neck. These Chhurpi, are 3-centimeter squared, made from yogurt and are as hard as a rock. They are known to satisfy hunger pangs for at least two hours. It is thought Tibetan cheese-making has influenced other Chinese cheese-makers, such as those in Dali(大理), where the Bai(白) minority make a spongy goat or cow’s milk cheese that when uncooked, tastes similar to Mozzarella. It is then fried in oil and sprinkled with salt or sugar.

They also make a kind of cheese called Rushan, a thin, shiny, yellow cheese that when fried quickly, puffs up to make melt-in-yourmouth hors d’oeuvres—Chinastyle. On second thoughts, you might want to get out that wine after all! - Jessica rapp (阮洁茜)

Antagonist vs. antelope

How to Hitch a ride in chinese

Movie "Mountain Patrol" captures heroes capturing poachers capturing antelopes

Without wheels? Not a problem. Just read our guide before sticking out your thumb.

p. 78

p. 7 5

well, life gives you lemons and all that. Don’t expect your average dogs and dragons here—these characters are in fact the mysterious members of the cartoon Lemonhead family.

You know, the family who live on a lemon farm and jam to hillbilly music on Happy Lemon’s website.

No? There’s no sign as to whether these animations will make a reappearance on any other handy

products, but in case you weren’t able to grab one, NeochaEDGE x Mocamomo is supplying art lovers with a selection of original iPhone case designs by Shanghai and Beijing illustrators and painters. You certainly won’t find these in a metro market, so if you’re on the hunt for some rare China novelties to make your phone stand out in the crowd, this might just be it. - J.r.

Illustration By Gao Fei

tibetan rap roundup Beijing may be all about punk, but in the past few years, Tibet has been showing the world how rap is done. The region has seen several successful hip hop stars, most notably Karma Emchi aka Shapaley, a native Tibetan, reach international attention with songs such as his 2011 single, “Shapaley Song.” Shapaley, who is also currently a med school student in Switzerland, has recorded a number of tunes in his spare time, many of which playfully tell of his culture, sprinkle in a bit of humor, and, in one case, include a sample of ‘Comptine D’Un Autre Été, L’Après-Midi’ from the soundtrack of the feature film “Amelie.” Even those from older Tibetan generations enjoy his music. You may have chance to see what all the fuss is about if you can

Issue 6/2012

catch him when he’s on tour— he recently made an appearance in Toronto, but he mostly saves his voice in favor of hitting the books. His YouTube-driven success follows “Growth,” a debut song from Tibet’s first female rap group, Dolwa Tsendep. These ladies just might be the next big hit when it comes to sassy, fresh, hip-shaking beats.

Better watch out Nicki Minaj! - J.r.

golden beauties Just when you thought the fashion world couldn’t get any weirder, fish jump into the mix. The first-ever International Goldfish Competition was recently held in Fuzhou (福州), Fujian Province, where more than three thousand challengers from a dozen different countries competed to be crowned the world’s most beautiful goldfish. Competitors were judged based on factors such as breed, body shape, swimming motion and color.

Unlike the runways of the world’s lessscaley supermodels, a bigger beltline can actually work in a contestant’s favor, with some goldfish reaching sizes of several pounds—far too big for your average fishbowl. So, the next time you’re considering flushing your goldfish down the toilet, think again— you might just have a beauty queen on your hands.

don't squirm, it's just a worm It’s often said that a dog is a man’s best friend, but a forestry worker in southwest China has recently grown fond of something a little less fluffy: a 19-inch long earthworm.

Li Zhiwei reportedly spotted the colossal nightcrawler near his home, originally mistaking it for a snake, according to the Huffington Post. Upon closer examination, he discovered it to be a common earthworm with an uncommon length and was so fascinated he decided to keep it as a pet. Li hasn’t been the only one astonished by his new pal, either; scientists are eager to learn how the worm managed to grow so large in an urban environment.

11

12

STREET TALK

Illustration

by

Gao Fei

W

ith the New Year fast approaching, many of us are planning on treating the occasion as an excuse to start afresh.

One way a Beijinger might express this feeling is with the phrase “翻 篇儿” (f`n pi`nr): “turn the page,” or better known in English as, “turn over a new leaf.” The term, as in English, has taken on an idiomatic form, meaning to forget and move on. While the original version of the phrase “翻过篇儿，我们看下一 页” (F`nguo pi`nr, w6m9n k3n xi3 y! y-): still exists as “turn the page and let’s see the next page,” its simplification is

Issue 6/2012

more common and can be used in a variety of situations.

The figurative version of this phrase originated as an expression between close friends: “哥们儿，失恋算多

大点事啊，喝了这杯酒，咱就翻 篇儿了啊!” (G8menr, sh~li3n su3n du4d3 di2n sh# a, h8le zh- b8i ji^, z1n ji& f`n pi`nr le a),

or in other words: “Hey man, losing a girlfriend is not a big deal—have a beer and you can turn the page on it!”

Gradually, it became a more common form of consolation: “别纠结了，赶 紧翻篇儿吧” (Bi9 ji$ji9 le, g2nj@n f`n pi`nr ba) : “Don’t worry about the past, just turn the page and start your new life.”

A word of warning though—it is

街头 俚语

Don’t worry about the past, just turn the page and start your new life.

Bi9 ji$ji9 le, g2nj@n f`n pi`nr ba. 别纠结了，赶紧翻篇儿吧。

inappropriate to use this phrase in response to someone’s death. Say it at a funeral, and you might just have to turn the page on a black eye. - Hu Yijun

(胡逸君)

13

不 可 错 过 ! macau

11.9-25 macau food festival Foodies, take note: the 12th Macau Food Festival is going on right now at a

14

radiant gaming metropolis near you. Held annually at Macau’s Sai Van Lake Square, the festival draws in hundreds of food proprietors and thousands of eaters eager to enjoy the finest treats the culinary world has to offer. While the festival is predominantly centered on Asian cuisine, vendors specializing in food from around the world will be in attendance, spatulas at the ready. Staying true to its Macanese origins, the whole thing is set up and bedazzled to look like an amusement park, even featuring game booths for the younger patrons (or just the young at heart). And, as if your stomach wasn’t already growling loudly enough, the festival will also feature live music and a beer drinking competition. So what are you waiting for?

Book your plane tickets, find a hotel and stock up on stretchy pants, because this is one party you and your taste buds won’t want to miss. – christian allen

All over China

12.21 Dongzhi Festival We’ve all heard the predictions: the end of the world is nigh, and we should all repent for our wrongdoings before some asteroid crashes down upon us or a solar flare engulfs us all. Here’s a better idea: ignore the hysterics, fire up the stove and invite over some of your closest friends and family to enjoy this year’s Dongzhi (冬至, Winter Solstice) Festival, which just so happens to fall on the same day as the predicted Armageddon.

Every December, people all over China welcome the year’s longest night by making tangyuan (balls of sticky rice), while those in the Northern parts of the country enjoy huntun (stuffed dumplings in hot soup) as a respite from

the cold of the winter.

The activities are meant to symbolize togetherness and the turning over of a new leaf before the year’s end. And while some may fear this day will be the Earth’s last, think of it this way—if a black hole tears the galaxy apart or alien space invaders decide to go full Independence Day on us, at least you’ll go out with some good food and great company. – C.a.

tibet

11.28 fairy festival Known as Tibet’s own “Women’s Day,” the annual Fairy (or “Palden Lhamo”) Festival commemorates Palden Lhamo, the principal protectress of Tibet and the only female among the traditional “Eight Guardians of the Law.” To

Beijing and shanghai

12.8

Photograph

by

1tu

santacon celebrate, men and women from all corners of Tibet don their finest outfits and visit the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa to offer white scarves (known as khatas) and money to the deity, whose portrait is only uncovered once a year. This is serious business; some visitors will start lining up at 3 a.m. in preparation for the temple’s 5 a.m. opening.

If you’re of the feminine persuasion, however, the early start may be well worth your while—as part of the festivities, men all over Tibet honor their better halves by bestowing upon them gifts and money throughout the day. Now there’s a tradition I think we can all get behind. – c.a.

Issue 6/2012

While the Yuletide fervor in the Western world may be inescapable in the months leading up to Christmas, the holiday spirit can be a bit lacking in cities like Beijing and Shanghai. The solution? Bring in the red army. Dig up a suit, practice your belly laugh, and start growing a fluffy, white beard because Santacon is coming to town. For the Christmas aficionado, Santacon (that’s “Santa” and “convention” smushed together) is a notto-be-missed celebration of the legend’s central character: the jolly man of the

moment, St. Nicolas (圣 诞老人 Sh-ngd3n L2or9n).

Brigades of Santas join forces, painting their city a festive shade of cherry, spreading Christmas cheer, giving gifts, singing songs and laughing all the way.

The rules are simple: dress as Santa, act like Santa, but don’t be a bad Santa.

Santacon will be

coming to both Shanghai and Beijing in December. Been more naughty than nice lately?

Redeem yourself with the real Santa by spreading some last-minute joy and good will. – Marie Cahalane

15

AN AUTHORITATIVE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE REFERENCE SOURCE

Modern Chinese Dictionary

Sixth Edition Winner of: -The National Book Award -Chinese State Publishing Awards and -First Prize in the National Dictionary Awards

NEWLY PUBLISHED -Includes a total of more than 13,000 characters, with more than 600 new additions -Explains more than 69,000 expressions, with more than 3,000 new additions -Revises existing interpretations to add more than 400 new definitions -Adapts to adjust the written form of expressions in accordance with actual language use -Reviews part of speech definitions for a small number of words while keeping the fundamental system intact.

-Adds illustrations of ancient artifacts 16

中国 制造 Made in China

The Origin of Species in Tibetan Medicine

Illustration

by

Gao Fei

T

he scroll in a Beijing Tibetan Hospital clinic shows the beginning of life, dividing a human fetus’s development into 38 weeks, complete with stark depictions of organs. Definitely not the average “Gray’s Anatomy” illustration, this is in the style of traditional Thangka painting, abstract and exaggerated.

The original was painted approximately 300 years ago to illustrate the Tibetan classic, “The Four Medical Tantras” (《四部医典》S# B& Y~ Dian), compiled by Yuthok Yönten Gönpo in the 9th century. It summarized contemporaneous knowledge in the Tibetan region and is widely regarded as the basis of its medical system.

As early as a millennium ago, the Tibetans sought to discover the secrets of life’s earliest stages. Even without modern technology, they came close to todays accuracy.

The diagram marked the three stages of human fetal development: the Fish (weeks one to nine), the Turtle (10 to 17) and the Pig (18 to 28).

What’s with all the animals? “The Four Medical Tantras” says: “The early stage of fetal development shows a strip so it’s called the Fish. As the fetus grows limbs and a head, it looks like a turtle, so Turtle. Later, the organs develop and the baby starts to absorb nutrition from the mother, therefore Pig.” Traditional Chinese Medicine never attained this sophistication. The earliest TCM work on the subject was a Han dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.) manuscript,

Issue 6/2012

《胎产书》(T`i Ch2n Sh$, “The Book of Gestation and Labor”). It divided pregnancy roughly into months, not weeks. Furthermore, it surmised that the process took 10 months from conception to birth, and the description of development is more general. For instance: “…in the seventh month under the influence of wood (木 m&, one of the five basic elements ancient Chinese believed constituted the world), bones form. In the eighth month, under the influence of earth (土 t^), skin forms…” This view, largely inherited by later generations, is reflected in the adage “十月怀胎, 一朝分娩” (Sh! yu- hu1it`i, y# zh`o f8nmi2n, Pregnancy lasts ten months, then delivery).

Besides advanced understanding of pregnancy, Tibetan traditional medicine is famous for its early practice of surgery, relatively rare in TCM. Today, the form embraces modern science and technology, its essence preserved in its unique medications, the raw materials for which are only found on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

China Daily reports on their effectiveness: 79-year-old patient, Chen Guode, was relived from angina of 18 years by a Tibetan medicine. Consisting of eight wild plants, handed down by ancestors of doctor Zhaji, this prescription is now called 常松八味沉香散（Ch1ngs4ng B`w-i Ch8nxi`ng S2n). Aweto (冬虫夏草 d4ng ch5ng xi3 c2o) is another intriguing Tibetan medicine used to reinforce immune systems. If you would like to try a treatment, ensure you consult a certified doctor of Tibetan medicine to experience one of these ancient remedies. - Liu Jue (刘珏)

17

镜像 中国 KALEIDOSCOPE

An ode to the mountain god 倾听苯教法师与山神的神秘对话 Text and photographs By k. fukuhara

A

t first glance, the sacred rituals of the Tibetan Bön religion, held June 17-25 of the lunar calendar every year, looks like any other joyous occasion—ritual dances accompanied by a chorus of traditional folk songs, eating, drinking, dancing and plain old merriment.

And then, there’s the slashing of the head for their mountain god.

For the Tibetan and Tu ethnic minorities living in the villages of Tongren County in western China’s Qinghai Province, the Mountain God is revered as the immortal protector of the region. Thus, worshippers put on their most dazzlingly embroidered dresses for the occasion.

Each village appoints a shaman to lead their celebration.

The shaman is believed to attain the powers of the Mountain God for the duration of the festivities, giving him the ability to proclaim the community’s horoscope, though usually not directly—the shaman is not allowed to speak—but through the translation of an assistant. Meanwhile, the shaman drinks sacred alcohol to keep his human self and spirit self properly balanced. What’s more, the shaman is usually no one special; most of the time, they’re just taxi drivers or farmers. Tilling the fields one day, telling the future the next.

At the end of the celebrations, the shaman performs a kaishan (开山), which means “to cut an opening.” The slice is made into his own forehead with a knife, and the resulting blood is given to the Mountain God as a sacrifice. They may also do shangkouqian (上口扦), which entails piercing a handful of 25cm-long, steel needles through both cheeks. It is said to prevent diseases from entering the mouth.

18

Issue 6/2012

19

A Mother prepares her daughter's hair for the rituals

20

Drowning out the noise at a Coca-Cola bottling plant L to R: Miniature police arrest their man; nurses feed a crop of newborns; judges review evidence in the courtroom

Issue 6/2012

21

22

L to R: young villagers wait their turn to dance; locals promenade all day around the sacred altar; a sacred wooden stick, which the shaman uses to communicate to god, is paraded around town, marking the start of the rituals

Issue 6/2012

23

The villagers are eager for the moment their god takes over the shaman's spirit What this little boy doesn’t know could kill him—sandals are not appropriate footwear for putting out fires 24

When the shaman becomes god, he can't speak. an assistant relays the shaman's message to the villagers

While drinking the white sacred alcohol,The Shaman tells the future Issue 6/2012

25