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4/2013 Fortune and Glory
O
n TV, it always looks gladiatorial. But, all we see are the machines, the well-oiled engines tuned to spec to win, and we judge them based on the colors they wear and the flags they hoist. With everything from the utility bills to family honor at stake, sport is a very different reality, a world made of seconds and points, the natural habitat of the professional athlete. For some, there is more at stake than others. Ginger Huang takes a look at China’s medal factories in “Medal Fatigue” (see page 30). Though the London Games are long over, these schools are still hard at work, training the next generation of Olympic athletes. Treatment in these camps has long been the subject of national and international criticism, but there is another side to sporting supremacy. Parents and kids alike sacrifice everything to these schools: their money, health, and even their futures, often coming out of the schools undereducated and unprepared for the big, bad world on the outside. The market economy is changing everything; can these super-athlete schools stand up to the winds of change? Pole dancing has a reputation for smoky clubs and scantily clad women, but, competitively, this sport is just getting off the ground. The athletes themselves are some of the most finely-tuned competitors in all of sports, with months of rigorous training before competing in front of judges and fans who take pole dancing very seriously. Some believe the sport belongs in the realm of art, and critics think it’s just a cheap back room thrill; regardless, life on the pole is no easy feat. Take a look for yourself in “The Way of the Pole” (see page 44). Mixed martial art fighting is perhaps one of the most dangerous sports in the world. Warriors put themselves through painstaking training that ends in broken fingers and black eyes. “MMA in the Middle Kingdom” (see page 38) sits down with a few of these gentle gladiators for their take on the culture of combat. If you can get yourself into the Chinese leagues, you’re well on your way, but it’s a long way to the top. For those trying to make a career in MMA, the journey to the professional sphere is more harrowing than any bloody bout. Luckily, there are a few kind mentors willing to buoy up these vicious brawlers. Whether they’re deep in the crowd with laser pointers, chucking turtles, or battling cops, Chinese football fans can be a nuisance. “Hooligans” (see page 50) takes an inside look at what some of China’s more militant fans do to express their love of the game. An underlying theme of corruption and cheating urges these fans on, and, with no hope of change, the outlook is bleak. But it’s not all doom and gloom; even in the smog-filled, dystopian future that is Beijing, sports can be a relief. Nicole Sy takes a look at Paragliding in the capital and how it can change minds and lives in our new column “The Edge” (see page 70), taking on extreme sports in China. “On the Road” (see page 58) features Ruben Ranke cycling his way around the island of Taiwan in nine days, and “Chinagraphic” (see page 56) can show you how Chinese folk have been sporting for centuries, from imperial polo to skating soldiers. But, if all these sports stories are making you sweat, take a breather with some sci-fi funniness in “War of the Gods” (see page 16) from accomplished writer Fei Dao (飞氘), where dinosaurs are kangaroos, Mayans are ants, and mice built Easter Island. So, from all of us here at TWOC: Go outside and play.
Managing Editor Tyler Roney Issue 4 /2013
1
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4/2013
38 THEME STORY
MMA IN THE MIDDLE KINGDOM 综合格斗在中国
Illustrations
by
Gao Fei, Tang Huiqin
Take a look at how China’s up-and-comers and grizzled veterans deal with life on the mat
30
COVER STORY
MEDAL FATIGUE 冷却的金牌热
China’s waning desire for international sporting supremacy leads young hopefuls down dark paths
44 THEME STORY
THE WAY OF THE POLE 冲出偏见的钢管舞
Competitive pole dancers work hard to lose the stripper stigma and it’s paying off in new and exciting ways
50 THEME STORY
HOOLIGANS 中国球迷：暴躁的无奈
Football fans around the world love to mix it up, and China has its own story to tell Issue 4 /2013
3
GALLERY
12
BOOM! “爆炸艺术家”蔡国强 Artist Cai Guo-Qiang talks about his explosive artworks and why he is the best man for this medium
58
76 SOCIAL CHINESE
A HUMBLE HOW-TO Want to learn modesty the Chinese way? Here’s your chance.
CHI LE MA NOODLES BY THE KNIFE 晋阳刀削面 It’s all in the flick of the wrist and the edge of your iron
4
CYCLING TAIWAN 九天骑行台湾
谦虚的技巧
84
ON THE ROAD
Ruben Ranke has nine days to bike around the island of Taiwan, finding a land of mysterious mountains and cryptic culture
66 SAVING CHINA CRACKS IN THE GREEN WALL 绿色长城上的缺口 Kaitlin Solimine takes a closer look at how authorities are trying to combat the growing problem of desertification in China
20
KALEIDOSCOPE THE JINO OF THE JUNGLE 基诺山寨：生活的表演 Carole Lauener strolls through the mountain fortress of the Jino People
1 EDITOR’S LETTER 卷首语
6 MISHMASH 多棱镜
11 STREET TALK 街头俚语
16 DRAGON'S DIGEST 三味书屋
28 MADE IN CHINA 中国制造
88 PIONEER 对话先锋
92 ON THE CHARACTER
70
THE EDGE
PARA-BEIJING
94 AGONY AYI 麻烦阿姨
95 NEWS
想要占领北京上空的人们
新闻
Strapped to a parachute and flung into the Beijing sky to travel for hours on end with nothing between you and the ground but gravity? What’s not to love?
96 COMICS 酷漫
Photographs
by
Ruben Ranke (bikers),Cfp (gunman)
魅力汉字
80
AUDIO-VISUAL WORLD DRUG WAR 《毒战》 Staff writer Terence Hsieh critiques Johnnie To’s latest blockbuster, a world of crooked cops and crafty criminals
Issue 4 /2013
WANT MORE LIKE THIS? You can find more written, visual and audio content on our newly revamped website, www.theworldofchinese. com, which is updated daily with recipes, travel tales, language lessons and more!
5
多 棱镜
MISHMASH
STYLISH STEAMED BREAD
6
by
Illustration
BOOK REVIEW
Short story writer/director Zhu Wen (朱文) recently published a new collection of short stories entitled The Matchmaker, the Apprentice, and the Football Fan. Previously acclaimed for his entertaining tome of short stories I Love Dollars and Other Stories of China (《我爱美元》W6 Ài M0iyu1n), Zhu has again teemed up with translator Julia Lovell and Columbia University Press to bring us a new set of narratives, providing a glimpse into the chaotic, absurd, and primarily unfair nature of everyday Chinese life. Mixed within the darker themes surrounding today’s China of “Chinese socialism”, Zhu interjects his short stories with disturbing humor and intriguing antiheroes. Throughout The Matchmaker, the Apprentice, and the Football Fan, Zhu uses his unbridled imagination to shows us around galling state-owned factories, disorderly campuses, and greets us with some who have fallen prey to Chinas economic miracle. In “The Football Fan”, we come across an undependable narrator, who may have, perchance, murdered an elderly neighbor for the sake of a few hundred yuan. Ten years after graduating during the protests of 1989, the perplexed antihero of “Reeducation” discovers he has been reprimanded and summoned back to his old college for a stint of political reeducation; of
Gao Fei
For many, steamed bread, can seem like the unpopular kid on the playground. Plain and white, it just fills your stomach. You don’t often see it in restaurants and you’re not likely to get cravings for it. But, the people of Shaanxi (陕西) and surrounding areas have a special place in their heart for this particular dish. It’s not just a dish for the everyday, it’s a medium for art on special occasions. 花 馍 (hu`m5), literally “flowery steam bread”, is the upgraded version of steamed bread. From a regular serving to as large as 60 centimeters in diameter and 10 kilograms in weight, huamo are molded, steamed and painted into a rich, multicolored cluster of plants, birds, fish and mythical creatures. Women of the house are often the artists behind these flour masterpieces, using their hands and whatever tools they can grab—scissors, knives and even combs—in the creation process. Beans, dates, and pepper seeds are used for decoration. There’s no shortage of huamo for special occasions. Engagements call for “lotus flower on fish”, a gift from the future mother-in-law to the bride-to-be, symbolizing that she is as pure as a lotus flower and as delicate as a fish. The man receives an awe-inspiring “tiger” from the woman’s family, a symbol of protecting their blushing bride. Believe it or not, some folks even look forward to their ornate birthday huamo. Today, most just choose to get these treats from a bakery in their generic form, but a few are trying to keep the art alive. - LIU JUE (刘珏)
HIPSTER CRITICAL MASS ACHIEVED
THE PINEAPPLE SCIENCE PRIZES
Cycling to work in the crowded streets of Shanghai? Now you can do it in style. Tattoo artist and illustrator Liu Jing (刘京), 31, recently opened a vintage bike studio on 720 Yan’an West Road in Shanghai. Liu has been a bar manager, animation artist, photographer, and concert organizer in the past, but his new passion was inspired by “Tweed Run”, an annual London event where people wear traditional British cycling outfits, such as tweed, and ride vintage bicycles. According to Liu, there is no shortage of British retro enthusiasts in China, as proved by the first large scale Tweed Run this April in Beijing. Liu is certain that this event will inevitably hit Shanghai. When it comes to his bikes, he believes in the old, the new, and the handmade. “There has to be a story in it when you look at it,” says Liu regarding his bike design, “and it has to reflect the personality of the owner.” For fans of the 70s Chinese retro style, try the classic shape of a Feige (飞鸽) or Yongjiu (永久) bike. And, if you feel like dressing up, try a Mao suit or a green uniform. - L. J.
Did you know that counting money can help with pain? What makes chicken broth cooked in clay pots so delicious? Can relationships be broken down into equations? All these questions and more are answered at “The Pineapple Science Prizes” (菠萝科学奖 B4lu5 K8xu9ji2ng), China’s counterpart to the Ig Nobel Awards. The award, only two years old, is hosted by Guokr.com (a popular science trivia-type site) and the Zhejiang Science and Technology Museum. According to the official website: “We look for research and events that are imaginative and we give awards to them. We look for people who, although have no ambition to change the world, still retain their natural curiosity, despite their worldly experience.” This year, the Psychology Prize went to research that argues Chinese people react faster to their bosses’ facial gestures than Westerners, and the Best Invention Prize went to an engineer who invented a mucous sucker that reduces pain from blowing your nose when you have a cold. The “Pineapple Me Prize” was given to a physics professor from Sichuan University who used mechanical theories to explain breaking bricks with the bare hand. China’s official train ticket purchase website, 12306.cn, was awarded “The Pineapple U Prize” because its site was so inconvenient that it inspired companies to invent widgets and browsers with ticket-buying plug-ins.
course it’s alongside his taxing ex-girlfriend. Through the eyes of a young graduate who is pulled through the rings of a new job by his table-tennis-fanatic bosses, deprived of sleep by gambling-obsessed colleagues, and then filled with hard-boiled eggs by his overly enthusiastic landlady, Zhu demonstrates some of the irksome aspects of life in modern China with the “The Apprentice”. Full of keen observational humor, the finicalities of relationships, and slices of sharp politics, Zhu’s stories fill us with insight into the aspects of greed that have spilled into society, opening a window to contemporary China. - TASHARNI JAMIESON
Issue 4 /2013
- GINGER HUANG (黄原竟)
7
WEIBO BOGUS FOOD MAKES EXPERTS OF US ALL
China is not running short of food security news. In May, the Ministry of Public Security cracked down on a case of selling processed mice or fox meat as lamb, and CCTV reported on ginger production using banned pesticides in Shandong Province. Since then, advice has been flooding in from media outlets with food experts espousing advice such as “Four Steps to Discovering Toxic Ginger” and “Seven Steps to Finding Fake Lamb”.
EGYPTIAN FRESCO KERFUFFLE On May 25, a Chinese tourist in Egypt posted a photo featuring a line of Chinese characters scribbled onto a 3,500-year-old fresco at Luxor Amon Temple in hideous handwriting: “Ding Jinhao was here.” The post quickly became viral. Enraged and humiliated, Chinese netizens found that Ding was a junior school student in Nanjing and demanded an apology. But, as the fury spread, the issue became more complex.
8
If Jamie Oliver had a show in China, I think it would open with: “Today we are going to make Italian rosemary lamb rolls. First, let me show you the difference between real lamb and fake lamb. If you are using real lamb, the lamb was provided for governmental officials…” After heeding to various opinions, the Ministry of Health finally decided on seven easy ways to identify recycled oil and is going to spread the knowledge to the public. While it is hard to crackdown on the widely-used recycled oil industry, I don’t think Chinese people need to be trained in identifying toxic foods. We are already immune to all toxins thanks to lax food security… A bench mark for a healthy society is: people are safe even if they know nothing about their food.
POCKEY_LAI：如果 Jamie Oliver 在中国开节目，我想 开场白会是：今天我们要做一道意大利迷迭香羊肉卷， 首先我们来科普一下如何分辨真假羊肉，如果是真的羊 肉或是特供羊肉...... 石述思：惊悉卫生部经过征求社会多方意见，终于确定 了七种地沟油简便鉴定办法，并拟向公众推广。这充分 暴露了地沟油治理的难度和使用的普遍性，但我还是觉 得问题食品已经赐予广大百姓百毒不侵的身体，就别再 逼着老百姓变成啥有毒食品都能识别的专家。一个美好 社会的重要标志是：老百姓面对食品是白痴也没事。
WHACK 李连杰：中国的公益慈善正走向 越来越透明、公正、专业、可持 续的发展道路。在这条路上，中 国仅仅探索了十几年。没有当年 中国红十字会的支持就没有壹基 金今天的独立和成长。要允许任 何一个公益组织在成长过程中出 现技术选择的偏颇。毕竟，红十 字会在人类历史上做出过很多贡 献。请大家对红十字会的工作给 予支持。 梁树新: 我建议再成立一个“中 国红十字会社会监督委员会社会 再监督委员会”，你以为如何？ 奋壹: 求大家都别黑红会了，我 朋友的命都是红会救的，就在一 年前，我朋友经历了一场惨烈的 车祸，昏迷了六个月。医生已经 下了诊断成了植物人。直到有一 天，护士打开电视机，里面放着 红会号召捐款的新闻，朋友爬起 来把电视机砸了……
Chinese charity is on its path to becoming transparent, just, professional, and sustainable. China has only had 10 years on this path. Without the China Red Cross, The One Foundation couldn’t have become independent and mature. We need to tolerate a charity’s technical mistakes while it’s growing. After all, the Red Cross is a significant force in the history of mankind. Please support the China Red Cross.
I suggest setting up a Secondary Supervision Committee for China’s Red Cross Public Supervision Committee. How does that sound? People, please, don’t slander the China Red Cross any more. It saved my friend’s life. Just one year ago, my friend was hurt in a severe car accident and went into a coma for six months. Doctors diagnosed him as a vegetable. But, one day, the nurse turned on the TV, and there was an advertisement for Red Cross, calling on people to donate. My friend got up and smashed the TV.
东土大唐三俗和尚: 真想在“丁锦昊到此一 游”下面刻上一行“上面的不能代表所有中 国人”！ 张日荣: 有人强拆了古都城墙，我们没有让 他们道歉；有人夷平了千年古刹，我们没有 让他们道歉；有些人推倒了万人坑纪念碑， 我们没有让他们道歉；有些人破坏了文物古 建，我们没有让他们道歉……该道歉的人， 我们统统没有让他们出来道歉，请问，我们 有什么脸面，凭什么良心道貌岸然强烈地要 求一个涂鸦的孩子道歉？
Issue 3 /2013 Issue 4 /2013
THE RED CROSS IN THE RED The China Red Cross got over 10,000 “fuck off ” messages on its official Weibo on the first day of quake relief for the Lushan Earthquake in April. Maybe it doesn’t deserve it, but it’s hard to mend fences after the scandals over the past few years. In contrast, the One Foundation, a charity founded by kung fu star Jet Li, got over 300 million in donations as of June, a stunning number for a grassroots charity.
I want to carve another line under “Ding Jinhao was here”: “Not all Chinese people behave like the one above!” When someone dismantled the ancient city walls, we didn’t make them apologize; when someone flattened 1,000-year-old monasteries into rubble we didn’t make them apologize; when someone removed the memorial to the massacre victims in WWII, we didn’t make them apologize; when someone destroyed historical relics, we didn’t make them apologize…We didn’t do anything to make those wrong-doers apologize. So, isn’t it shameless to put on such righteous airs and make a scribbling child apologize?
9
Chinese Classiication Dictionaries in 18 languages Funded by the National Publication Foundation All Media Publication
·Albanian
·Persia
·Croatian
·Nepali
·Tamil
·Italian
·Bulgarian
·Pilipino
·Romanian
·Sinhala
·Urdu
·Hindi
·Polish
·Hausa
·Burmese
·Thai
·Hungaria
·Indonesia
-Each dictionary includes 24,000 to 32,000 entries. -Expressions are classified into five categories: daily life, social activities, public affairs, economic affairs, and social and natural sciences. -Complete with pinyin. -Alphabetic appendix of Chinese expressions included.
STREET TALK
逆
天 (n#ti`n) originally referred
to a violation of the natural world, something that defies nature itself. Imagine an old kung fu master giving advice to his disciple: “一切顺应自然，决不 可逆天行事!” (Y!qi- sh&ny#ng z#r1n, ju9 b& k0 n#ti`n x!ngsh#!)—“You’d better obey the laws of nature, rather than running against them!” To the disappointment of the master, the modern world is full of the amazing, the crazy, and the just plain odd. Naturally, 逆天 is now popular slang for people who behave outrageously or an event that breaches convention. For example, when you see a North Korean girl spinning at high speeds with a jar sitting steady on her head for about 40 seconds, you yell: “太逆天了！” (T3i n#ti`n le!)—“Outrageous!” Millions of online viewers did so when the dance video went viral in March. Unlike the ancient nitian phrase, 开挂 (k`igu3) originated in the digital world, referring to the use of an illegal plug-in. In short, the term is used in a very similar way to “mod” in geek speak, meaning to hack and modify a game to give yourself more power or better scores. But this term has moved offline and is now used to describe someone who does something so
街头 俚语
amazing that it seems as though they are scamming reality—“Surely that’s cheating! Unbelievable!” (那家 伙肯定开挂了！N3 ji`huo k0nd#ng k`igu3 le!) However, the word is used simply to express surprise, not to suggest someone is actually cheating. 亮瞎 (li3ngxi`) runs along similar lines, in that it means to feel so amazed that you might go blind. For example, “This news title is so sensational that I might go blind reading it” (这个新闻标题亮瞎了我的双眼。Zh-ge x~nw9n bi`ot! li3ngxi`le w6 de shu`ngy2n). - ALICIA ZHANG (张华阳)
OUTRAGEOUS! T3i n#ti`n le!
Illustration
by
Tang Huiqin
太逆天了！
Issue 4 /2013
11
水墨 丹青 GALLERY
1212
by
Cai), portrait of
o f g u n p o wd e r d r a w i n g
Cai Guo-Qiang (蔡国强) Born in Fujian Province, Cai literally creates art with a bang. He is famous for his work with gunpowder, creating ethereal beauty from the violence of explosions and pyrotechnics. Various controls are put in place to direct the force and fumes of the accelerants, but when working with such an uncontrollable medium there is always an element of chance, an X-factor that makes every work unique. Cai Currently lives and works in New York, and his solo exhibition Cai Guo-Qiang: Peasant Da Vincis is on show in Brazil. His next exhibition, Falling Back to Earth will open November 2013 at the Queensland Art Gallery/ Gallery of Modern Art in Australia.
Photographs
Boom!
Joana França (Detail of Carnival Rehearsal); Wen-You Cai (Ignition Carnival Rehearsal), courtesy Cai Studio; Carlos Gonzalez (the courtesy The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
Detail of Carnival Rehearsal, gunpowder on paper, 2013
Ignition of Carnival Rehearsal, Centro Cultural. Banco do Brasil, Brasilia, 2013
Q: How did you become an artist? Things interested and fascinated me when I was young, theories I learned in school, stories told by my family, and my surroundings; all of these unwittingly converged into a driving force that pushed me to become an artist. Q: Why did you choose gunpowder as a medium? People living in rural areas of Fujian are keen to set off firecrackers on various occasions, such as weddings, funerals and celebrations. Sometimes, when neighbors had babies, people could tell the newborn’s gender by how long the firecrackers went off. It would last longer if it was a boy. During my childhood, the relationship between Taiwan and the mainland was really tense, and I always heard artillery batteries and smelled the scent of explosives. That said, compared to other artists from different regions, I have a deeper understanding of gunpowder.
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Q: Some critics have said that your works lack lust and sexuality. What do you think about this? Don’t you think explosions themselves represent a certain level of lust and sexuality? I believe the methodology of my work deals with a great part of it, but I just didn’t include it in the titles. The uncontrollable characteristics of gunpowder—juxtaposed with a different time, location, and climate—create diverse settings for each exhibition. Different concepts and conditions will result in different meanings and expressions. After thorough planning, I find instantaneous strength and beauty. Isn’t that the same as having sex? Every time, I put in the same ingredients, but the result is always quite different.
Q: In your opinion, what makes a good artist? Most good artists are not products of academic training; good artists are like predators. They know which corner to hide themselves in so they can capture the best prey without being noticed. Q: After the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, your work was embraced by the general public in China and you gained quite a stellar reputation. However, you left China right after the event and returned to New York. Why? New York allows me to be an ordinary person. - ALICIA ZHANG (张华阳)
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Tick Tock
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any of Wang’s latest works explore the paradoxical and interconnected relationship of the world at large. He often uses complex geometric patterns in his work, sometimes digitally and sometimes by hand. Wang’s aim is to create rational representations rather than express his individual experience. Many of his paintings resemble industrial
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design sketches, and his sculptures involve steel and saw blades. “W Symmetry Watch” is an acrylic painting; two shooters—one with an M16 and one with an AK47— mirror each other. They are both the shooter and the target. Once the trigger is pulled, the relationship is not one between killer and killed, but killer and killer. According to the artist: “The image is a simplified,
W Symmetry Watch D11-06, acrylic on canvas, 2011
symmetric version of the diagram of warfare logic.” The cheeky “9:11” hardly seems a coincidence, and Wang’s previous drive in making art scientific and collective is apparent. The perception and idealization of clockwork (obvious in many of Wang’s works) helps to further force the message that the instigator of violence acts upon itself.
Wang Luyan (王鲁炎) Born in 1956, Wang is one of the most important conceptual artists in China, actively engaged in the Chinese avant-garde art movement. Wang joined the Stars Painting Association (星星画 会 X~ngxing Hu3hu#) in the late 70s, advocating self-expression, realism and experimentalism. The name “Stars” was supposed to counter the “Sun” (Chairman Mao—a sole authority whose opinion was deemed the ultimate truth). Ever steeped in controversy, in 1988, Wang co-founded the New Measurement
Group (新刻度小组 X~nk-d& Xi2oz^) whose goal was to produce art work as a scientific expression of rationality and diminish the artists’ individual personality. At first, this concept was criticized, but Wang was excited about this unconventional perspective. Later, he was disappointed that mainstream art started to express interest, dismissing the group in 1995 when they were approached by the Guggenhime Museum about a possible exhibition. “Diagramming Allegory” (图·寓言 T%·Y&y1n) in Green Parkview is Wang’s latest and largest exhibition.
The Walkers D12-01, 2012— stainless steel automatons march, but it's hard to tell in what direction
While this premise may seem, on the surface, preachy, it’s more an example of Wang’s hope for art: that it can express a less subjective view and still arrive at substance. This clockwork theme also appears in a piece in the same exhibition, featuring the Six Party Talk nations as gears in a watch, all working upon one another so intricately that it’s difficult to tell who set the wheels in
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motion. This theme of reciprocal violence runs through many of Wang’s works. For example, he uses a gun that shoots from the front and back, a bicycle that’s forward pedals take you backwards, and a syringe that, when pushed, both extracts and injects equally and at the same time. Wang’s exhibition also features a stunning sculpture set called “The
Walkers” with over 20 mirrorfinished, stainless steel human figures frozen in unison on a steel floor. The walkers always seem to have their backs to the viewers regardless of where they’re standing, as if they are moving in many directions at once. The moral being, the closer you get to your goals, the further away you become. - LIU JUE (刘珏)
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三味 书屋
DRAGON'S DIGEST
WAR OF THE GODS Zh7ngsh9n zh~ Zh3n 众神之战 Jia Liyuan (贾立元), pen name Fei Dao (飞氘), has had scholarly papers published in The Contemporary Writers Review (《当代作家评论》D`ngd3i Zu7ji` P!ngl&n), Southern Cultural Forum (《南方文谈》N1nf`ng W9nt1n), and Dushu (《读书》). His works include the short story collections Innocence and What It Fabricates (《纯真及其所编造 的》Ch%nzh8n J!q! Su6 Bi`nz3o de, 2011) and The Storytelling Robot ( 《讲故事的机器人》Ji2ng G&shi de J~q#r9n, 2012). His short story “A Story of the End of the World” (《一个末世的故事》Y! G- M7sh# de G&shi, 2006) has been translated into Italian and published in ALIA (2011), an annual anthology of international science fiction. Translations into English include “The Butterfly Effect” (in Chutzpah) and “The Demon’s Head” (in Renditions, Volume 77/78), His script “A Long Journey to Death” (《去死的漫漫旅途》Q& S@ de M3nm3n L)t%), adapted from his own eponymous story, won the second Young Script-writers’ Support Program award in 2009. Fei Dao is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Tsinghua University.
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Illustrations
Author’s Note: When I was a high school student, short, witty stories from science fiction magazines brought me so much joy. These short stories rarely concern serious questions, rather they just make us laugh and have one or two smart ideas. After they make us laugh, they are forgotten. Nevertheless, if possible, I prefer writing small stories that will make my readers smile. Laughing is good; laughing is healthy.
X i a n Q i n gh u a
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e wore glasses with a silver frame, very refined, and, at first sight, I took him for a con artist. Despite that, I decided to take him seriously. Anyone else would have just thought he was crazy. “Is this place safe?” He was a little nervous. “As the head of the National Security Bureau, I guarantee our conversation will not be overheard,” I assured the stranger. He nodded, leaned forward, and raised one eyebrow: “Tell me, why did the dinosaurs disappear?” I stared at him for no less than 30 seconds, and—besides the sound of the persistent “tick tock” of the wall clock—everything in the room was silent. His eyes were full of temptation and excitement, with a certain mischief to them; he licked his lips and asked: “Where did the Mayans go?” I was fully aware of the gravity of the situation. I put on a serious face and told him: “Go on.” We spent half an hour in that room, full of his nervous narration and the persistent ticking of the wall clock. Thirty more seconds of silence. “Let me get this straight,” I said, breaking the silence. “On Pluto, there are intelligent beings called ‘cleaners’. They consider themselves to
be the supervisors of civilizations in the universe. That is to say, whenever a certain civilization on a certain planet develop to the extent that they become a danger to civilization as a whole—for example, resource exhaustion or environmental pollution—they intervene. Dinosaurs became too prosperous, so the cleaners decided to redesign them into…kangaroos. As for the Mayans, the cleaners changed them into ants…Did I understand all of that correctly?” “Right.” He appeared elated that I was accepting such an absurd story and answering in such a serious manner. Having deemed me worthy, he decided to reveal more: “As far as I know the pyramids were built by cockroaches; as for the mice, do you know the statues on Easter Island?” In that moment, I realized he was saying that all of the great wonders of the world were built by the filthy creatures all around us. I had goose pimples, but I suppressed my indignation. Feigning nonchalance, I asked: “So, do you mean to say that it’s the humans’ turn?” “That’s right.” His expression became serious; he wasn’t stringing me along anymore. “Maybe you don’t believe it, but it doesn’t matter how vast the universe is. The cleaners’ spies exist anywhere there is civilization. Earth is no exception. These spies masquerade as common people, they observe human activity, and report back to Pluto frequently for them to evaluate the situation. They believe that human civilization has lost control, that humans can’t fix the current crisis by themselves. The situation could bring problems for Pluto. For this reason, it is necessary to intervene personally. Now, on Pluto, the cleaners are arguing without rest; they will vote to decide what they will change humans into.” “They have a democracy on Pluto?” I asked curiously. “Democracy?” His face flashed with contempt: “Heh, they are just thugs, arrogant, conceited, moody people. They say that the people on Earth hate each other,
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they kill each other, and human civilization is about to collapse. They have rated earth as a second-class ecological contamination and decided to exterminate the infestation. Some have suggested reducing humans to gregarious insects similar to ants. They say this would solve the problem of natural resources and would be beneficial to solidarity and friendship among them. Also, it would put human beings on a rung in the food chain that won’t threaten the survival of Earth anymore.” I was secretly shocked: “Do they really believe that?” “It’s a pretext,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “Every time they start a raid, there’s always some highminded reason, but, really, they don’t care whether the civilization is a problem or not. They change things because they don’t like it. This time, it’s pure revenge.” I was amazed by his answer: “Revenge? What did the people of Earth ever do to Pluto?” Smiling, he answered, “Isn’t it true that Earth decided a while ago that Pluto should not be considered a planet?” “Just for that? That was done by a few astronomers on a whim.” I was transfixed. “But that’s what the cleaners are like. They’re very vain, and they don’t take disrespect lightly.” The thought of these extraterrestrials being so narrowminded gave me pause. I thought for a while before my next question. “So, how did dinosaurs offend these aliens?” Impatience was written all over his face: “They say it was because of R&B music. Dinosaurs invented it and loved it, but the cleaners hated that lowbrow music. Now look, you don’t need to keep asking about all this boring old news. You are facing a catastrophe; I’m on a special trip to inform you. I hope you can rid yourself of your doubts and report all of this to a higher authority as soon as possible.” His seriousness again aroused my curiosity. “So, are you from Pluto?” He looked clearly embarrassed and the muscles of his
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Hermes, are you the last of the gods left?” The light fell from Hermes’ face as his mood calmed; he I WAS AMAZED BY HIS ANSWER: “REVENGE? WHAT picked up the glasses DID THE PEOPLE OF EARTH EVER DO TO PLUTO?” from the floor and put them on, sitting 我 大 惊 ： “ 报 复 ！ 地 球 人 什 么 时 down in front of me. 候 做 了 对 不 起 冥 王 星 的 事 了 ？ ” He changed back into Smiling, he answered, “Isn’t it tr ue that Ear th decided a the middle aged man while ago that Pluto should not be considered a planet?” he was before, but it seemed as though a fury was rolling in his eyes. “That’s right. We “Just for that? That was done by a few were defeated in a war astronomers on a whim.” I was transfixed. against the cleaners. 我愣了：“难道就为了这个？那不过是几个天文学家的一时冲动罢了。” All of my companions have been humiliated face revealed his annoyance: “Do you really think and transformed. I only survived because I went to Pluto that I’m crazy?” With that, he jumped off the chair before the war, disguised as one of the cleaners.” With and threw his silver-framed glasses away. For a single this, his face took on a pleased, mischievous look: “The moment, he looked massive; gold brilliance oozed from cleaners aren’t the only ones who can spy. Of all the his face. He sang with a soft, calming voice: gods, I was the most cunning, so I was given this grave “Ignorant humans, I reveal my terrifying visage to you. You no responsibility. Through the years, step-by-step, I was longer respect the gods and have forgotten humility—forgotten the able to infiltrate their high-level authorities and learned very appearance of the gods. I am a God of Mount Olympus. of their top-secret plans and schemes. I have come here In days gone, you prostrated yourself in worship of us, gaining personally to pass on the message. Please, have no doubts protection at our feet. Today, you sacrifice no cattle or sheep. The or hesitations, prepare as soon as possible.” world is full of the ghosts of the wronged, falsehood and cruelty. “Prepare for what?” My fascination was intense and The suffering gods have already been forgotten. As Hermes, who upsetting. I wasn’t able to hide it anymore. The whole lost all of my companions, I endure alone on this cold, solitary, thing was just too exciting. alien land, waiting for the morning sun to illuminate the dark “Their interstellar transformation device can undo universe, to have my vengeance.” its previous alterations, but it can only be used after a The song was so beautiful. I was vote. I will create a diversion after they vote to transform so engulfed in the sound, I took a humanity and seize the chance to start the machine. full minute to collect myself: “So, After that—” Hermes eyes were filled with splendor and all the gods of Mount Olympus were hope, “—all the gods will be back.” redesigned? Why were the cleaners “You mean, Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Athena...everyone will dissatisfied with you?” be back?” I asked with caution. Hate of a thousand years boiled “Yes, and you need to prepare a large reception and in him; Hermes gnashed help us defeat the cleaners. After that, we will enjoy an his teeth and snarled: eternity of prosperity.” “They accused us of being Images of the ancient Greeks and the post-modern impetuous.” world unfolded in front of my eyes: bodies covered in I sighed without judging: olive oil and hands grasping weapons, fighting against “Excuse me, Messenger of aliens in the sky; on the ground, long-range nuclear the Gods, O’ Great missiles are ready to fire at Pluto, with mice, flies, and cockroaches crawling everywhere. “Hey, we could revive all of the divine powers if necessary, so they could be our backup. Think about it. If we revive all the gods, “It’s a pretext,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “Every time they start a raid, there’s always some high-minded reason, but, really, they don’t care whether the civilization is a problem or not. They change things because they don’t like it. This time, it’s pure revenge.” 他一摆手，“他们每次发动袭击都有冠冕堂皇的理由，实际上他们才不在乎别的文明 是不是真的有问题，只要他们不喜欢，就要改造。要我说，这次他们纯粹是报复。”
他笑眯眯地说：“之前你们不是投过一 次票么，说冥王星不配叫作行星么？”
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East and West, wouldn’t that be a magnificent scenario?” “Still the hesitation?” the great Hermes asked resentfully. Waking from my own surrealist scenario, I immediately changed the cordial expression on my face to show him my sincerity: “Hmm, you know, these things are very important. Before taking any action, I have to ask a few questions to better understand the situation and make a wise decision.” From then on, I asked about the particulars of the situation on Pluto, and Hermes’ undercover operations there. After I was clear on every detail, I asked nervously: “You know, everything you said is essential; have you told anyone else?” The great Hermes said proudly: “I haven’t. This information is too dangerous, I came to Earth to inform high level authorities.” “Good.” I softened my tone; I felt relieved. I stood up and gave the Messenger of the Gods a steaming hot cup of tea. “I’m terribly sorry; I forgot to offer you a drink. For coming such a long way, I want to show you my sincere gratitude as a delegate of Earth. Please, drink up. I’ll pass this report on to my boss.” Hermes seemed satisfied. I decided to act right away, pressing a key on the phone to call out: “Mary, please send Smith into the office.” The situation was clear: there were some problems, but the outlook was still optimistic. In a rare moment of ease and trust, I casually asked: “So, what did those horrible catfish on Pluto transform the Gods of Olympus into?” Hermes, stupefied, said: “How do you not know? Their external form has changed, but they are the most loyal friends a person can have, they stand by you and protect you.” I understood his implication and laughed: Gods, with us morning and night. Hermes lowered his head and drank the tea. As he did, I smiled at him, pulled out my tranquilizer gun and shot him. I ordered files on my desk as Smith entered, pointed at Hermes who was sleeping soundly in the chair and said: “This gentleman is very interesting. He told me some whoppers, and now he’s tired, sleeping very soundly. Wait until he wakes up to deal with him. I’m afraid he’s spreading some truly absurd rumors. You know, in this world there are always people like that, claiming to be the savior of humanity. Send him to the care facility for people like him.” Issue 4 /2013
Smith nodded. I locked up my drawer and took the key with me, putting on my coat and heading outside. “But, in the future if you find people like this again who want to see me, please let them in. I still want to talk with them. Even if they’re nuts, one of them might have something useful to say.” I walked out of the office and into the sun. It didn’t look like the world was ending. In the street there were people of every shade and description, gentlemen, gangsters, celebrities, politicians and beggars, each with their own false notions and ideas. Nobody cares if Earth is permeated with fatal toxins, if millions suffer from hunger, if millions of species go extinct. Would they even care if they knew that there is a group of catfish-like aliens on Pluto who want to turn human kind into ant-like insects? Or of the existence of conspiracies and legends from 10 thousand years ago—a hundred thousand years ago? What they need now is the warm sunlight that guides their short, gloomy existence. It doesn’t matter if we let them die in ignorance. At home, I was met by my dog, Bread, as he heard me opening the door. He ran up to me, rubbing my knee on his head. I locked the door and sank into the sofa. What an exciting day. I could finally breathe free. There’s a lot of work to do, work that I can do much better than those barbarians from Mount Olympus. Those impulsive savages can’t do anything right. They are disgusting and they deserved their punishment from those catfish aliens on Pluto. It’s not just Gods and cleaners who can do the spying. My people also have extraordinary talents. When the time is right, the world will be back in our hands. The kangaroos will rise again. We will defeat our enemies and take back our kingdom from these barbaric, blockheaded humans. Bread barked at me twice, I smiled and gave him two doggy treats. He chewed happily as I patted his soft ears, humming some soft R&B to myself. - TRANSLATED BY SONIA DI CLEMENTE AND TYLER RONEY 19
镜像 中国 KALEIDOSCOPE
THE JINO OF THE JUNGLE PHOTOGRAPHS BY CAROLE LAUENER AND TEXT BY LIU JUE (刘珏)
A new lens on a gilded mountain fortress 基诺山寨：徘徊在表演与真实之间 的“原生态”
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n the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture (西双版纳傣族自治州), to the east of its capital city of Jinghong (景洪), lies Mount Jino. Monsoons bring steady rain from both the Indian and Pacific Oceans from late May to late October. As such, luxuriant jungle-like forests dominate the landscape. Sunshine is rare for the Jino people, who reside in over 40 villages on Mount Jino. However, on the back 20
JINO ELDERS PERFORM ON THE BUGU, A BAMBOO PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT USED TO RALLY THE HUNTERS FOR BIG GAME SUCH AS OXEN, BOARS, OR RED DEER—ALL FOR TOURISTS of each person’s vest—white for men, blue for women— you can find colorful embroidery with a sun motif, a way to compensate this great spirit in the dark of the storm. In 1979, Jino were accepted as an independent ethnic group, the last of the 56 ethnic groups to be officially recognized by the Chinese government. They call themselves 基诺 (J~nu7), meaning “descending from the uncle” in their own language. The Jino have a marvelous history of being both hunters and farmers. As hunters they
were proficient with crossbows, poisoned arrows and even guns; they also burned down forests and grew cotton, rice, corn and the famous Pu’er tea. But, as with many of China’s ethnic groups, those days are gone. Nowadays, there is one village where Jino culture is put on display for the benefit of traveling tourists. Jino Mountain Fortress (基诺山寨 J~nu7 Sh`nzh3i) employs Jino people as performers, showing off their Issue 4 /2013
ancient dances for visitors passing through. Here, being Jino is a job. Though everyone claims this is an “authentic” representation of the Jino people and their culture, these photos tell a different story. It’s the story of a people put on parade. To survive the modern world and its never-ending demands, the Jino here meld past and present—a show for tourists while real life waits at home. Some see villages like this as a farce, others a pleasant getaway. Really, the truth of the Jino is in what they make of it. 21
ACCORDING TO THE JINO CREATION MYTH, AMOYAOBEI ROSE FROM WATER AND CREATED THE SKY, EARTH, AND ALL LIVING CREATURES. THIS STATUE IS PLACED NEAR THE MOUNTAIN FORTRESS FOR TOURISTS TO ADMIRE ON THEIR WAY INTO THE AREA.
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A CHICK PECKS AT THE CORN THE VILLAGERS RELY ON, FAR FROM THE BUSTLE OF TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
JINO CHILDREN PLAY AT THEIR PRIMARY SCHOOL CAMPUS NEAR THEIR VILLAGE WHILE THEIR PARENTS WORK
THE JINO CREATION MYTH
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Like many cultures around the world, the Jino creation myth concerns a devastating flood. The goddess 阿嬷尧白 (Am5y1ob1i) could not bear to see humans, her own creation, destroyed, so she placed a brother and sister into a large wooden drum. When the flood waters receded, they married and became the ancestors of all Jino people. 23
AN ELDER OF THE JINO TRIBE SHOWS VISITORS HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL JINO TEA; THE TRICK IS TO BURN THE LEAVES FIRST AND THEN DUMP THEM INTO HOT WATER
COLD TEA LEAVES WITH SAUCE 24
The Jino people enjoy eating fresh tea leaves as a part of their regular diet. They pick the young leaves, rub them until they are tenderized and then immerse the leaves in cool spring water. Pickled bamboo shoots, garlic, hot pepper and a few other local, edible tree leaves are then added. This liangbancha (凉拌茶) goes perfectly with glutinous rice in summer.
MAKING IRON FARM TOOLS WAS A SPECIAL OCCASION FOR THE WHOLE VILLAGE. NOW, IT IS PERFORMED FOR VISITORS YEAR ROUND.
THE IRON
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FORGING FESTIVAL
As the most important event of the year, Datiejie (打铁节) illustrates the importance of iron farm tools and blacksmithing in agricultural life. Usually from February 6 to 8, the festival begins with the village chief tapping a drum to rally the locals. An ox is then slaughtered as a sacrifice and shared among the villagers. As a sign of respect, every family offers a gift to the village seniors and the local blacksmith. 25