Shanghai may be part of the top 50 most expensive cities to live in the world, but it is not the most expensive city in China to get married. And it is not Beijing either. China’s capital may have placed only 55 in ECA International’s cost of living ranking as compared to Shanghai which placed 46th, however it is said to rank second in the expensive-to-get-married-city scale in China.

Getting Married In Shanghai

1. Decent housing (80 square meters and above) with an average price of RMB 20,100 per square meter; RMB 20,100 x 80 = RMB 1,608,000.

2. Renovation and interior design for a 100-square-meter floor area; RMB 150,000.

3. Household appliances and furniture; RMB 100,000 (though some women get this in the form of dowry).

4. An ordinary car; RMB 100,000.

5. Wedding banquet with 25 tables in an average-star hotel; RMB 1,000 x 25 = RMB 25,000. Subtract to that the RMB 1,200 average wedding money (hongbao) you will get per table. You get to at least keep RMB 1,200 x 25 =  RMB 5,000.

6. Honeymoon to Hong Kong or Macau with the main destination to Hainan; RMB 6,000 travel expenses per person thus for both husband and wife- RMB 6,000 x 2 = RMB 12,000.

7. Courting stage for 2 years. This includes going out on dates, buying of gifts, entertainment, travel, giving of gifts to girlfriend’s parents. Average of RMB 1,800 per month. So for 2 years- RMB 1,800 x 12 months x 2 years = RMB 43,200.

In summary, total cost is RMB 1,608,000 + RMB 150,000 + RMB 100,000 + RMB 100,000 – RMB 5,000 + RMB 12,000 + RMB 43, 200 = RMB 2,008,200.

Getting Married In Beijing

1. Decent housing near the 6th Ring Road (80 square meters and above) with an average price of RMB 20,000 per square meter; RMB 20,100 x 80 = RMB 1,600,000. In Beijing, prices of real estate inside the ring road are considerably higher than other parts of town.

2. Renovation and interior design for a 100-square-meter floor area; RMB 150,000.

3. Household appliances and furniture; RMB 80,000 (though some women get this in the form of dowry).

4. Standard car; RMB 120,000. (The Hyundai Elantra is preferred.)

5. Wedding banquet with 200 guests (20 tables) in a 4-star hotel; RMB 200 x 200 = RMB 40,000. Subtract to that the RMB 2,000 average wedding money (hongbao) you will get per table. And you just break even.

6. Honeymoon. Beijingers refused to go to Hong Kong or Macau or Hainan. Instead, they will go to Australia or Europe or the Maldives spending around RMB 10,000 per person. So total honeymoon trip will cost around RMB 30,000.

7.  Courting stage for 2 years. This includes going out on dates, buying of gifts, entertainment, travel, giving of gifts to girlfriend’s parents. Average of RMB 2,000 per month. So for 2 years- RMB 2,000 x 12 months x 2 years = RMB 48,000.

In summary, total cost is RMB 1,600,000 + RMB 150,000 + RMB 80,000 + RMB 120,000 + RMB 30,000 + RMB 48,000 = RMB 2,028,000.

Getting Married In Shenzhen

The most expensive is said to be in Shenzhen. However, this information might not be so true anymore if we based it on housing prices alone (given the housing crisis in China). Before, the price per square meter can reach up to RMB 22,300. But the property prices in Shenzhen (just north of Hong Kong) have dropped sharply in the last couple of months which is the largest property decline across China.

Anyway, what do you think of the figures above? How realistic are they? Is getting married in China a not so realistic option?

Post from: CN Reviews

How Much Does Getting Married In China Cost?

In the past 3 years, the average age of first-time house buyers in the United Kingdom rose from 33 to 37 years of age. In Japan and Germany, it is 42 years old; while it is 30 years old in the United States. However in a report released by the China Everbright Bank and a real estate research firm, those applying for housing loans in Beijing have an average age of 27 years old which is younger as compared to developed countries.

So that they could own a house, many Chinese do not mind working almost half of their lives just to pay off the bank loans. Owning a house in China is not just for residential purposes. It is now considered a marriage prerequisite and shows one’s financial capability. Other than that, it reflects on the unrealistic urgency of young people agonized by material desire and the shaky housing system in China.

As Li Daokui, professor at Tsinghua University and a member of the Chinese central bank’s monetary policy committee, says, “It is more than [just] a bubble problem,” Li says. “When prices go up, many people, especially young people, become very anxious. It is a social problem.”

Here are the reasons why the Chinese young people rush to buy houses–

Because of marriage? Kids? To take advantage of early housing prices? To feel more secure?

If you cannot buy at the age of 27, then the more you cannot afford by the age of 40.

If the young Beijinger at 27 years old is not able to afford a house, then the more he can not afford one once he reaches the age of 40; because our income will never catch up with the rising house prices. The reason people living in developed countries are only able to buy houses by the time they turned 40 is because their housing prices are very stable. Da Bing, netizen

If you do not have a house, how can your kids get a hukou?

Is there sense to always compare with foreign countries? People from other countries can move locations freely without need of a hukou. In Beijing, if you do not have a house, you do not have a hukou. How can your kids study then? Mama79, netizen

One of the marriage requirements of women is a house.

Even if it says that the average age of people who buy houses is 27, it does mean that those 30 years and above do not need to buy a house. It just shows that the demand is greatest for those 27 years of age. Do you know why? It is because of the pressure of marriage. The women will demand a house to live in. In the United States and Europe, there is no such marriage prerequisite. sun-yuepingso, netizen

If you do not buy a house early on, even renting at a later time might not be affordable anymore.

In China, housing prices double a year. So at 27 if you do not pool your and your parents’ money to buy a house, by the time you reach 72, even with your grandparents’ money you cannot form the down payment. wxy690so, netizen

People abroad have sufficient low-cost housing.

In China, there is none. Moreover, what kind of house can the 27-year-old Chinese buy? One-bedroom-one-living-room can only be considered as an apartment, not a house. 42-year-old Americans who buy villas–that is a house. Majority of Chinese can not afford to buy a house in their lifetime. zhangfengyu, netizen

If you have a house, you would not feel so anxious.

The saying before is “as long as you have food, you would not feel so anxious”. This time, “as long as you have a house, you would not feel so anxious.” Coming from someone like me who is from another province, even having a small house gives me peace of mind. Sisi, netizen

What does this attitude of young people reflect in the society?

An abnormality in the community? Something wrong with their thinking? Flaws in the housing system?

If the husband does not have a house, it is very embarrassing for the wife.

Nowadays, marriage in China has turned into a circus of materialism. This is a huge change in Chinese society. No matter how confident a woman is, if her boyfriend or husband does not have a house, it will cause her to lose face. Shanghai University of Political Science Women’s Studies Center Director Chen Xiaomin

Buying a house for marriage purposes is an abnormal social phenomenon.

Even in high-income communities, most will only consider buying a house after the age of 35. Young people now are impulsive decision-makers. China-ECapital CEO Wang Ran

What is the cost of prematurely buying a house?

Buying a house too early could affect one’s personal development.

Most young people have planned out their careers. But once they buy a house, their plans could change. I have seen many young people turn down a lot of opportunities, because they have tackled the first steps into acquiring a house of their own. Finance commentator Wu Qilun

Getting a housing loan affects not just one generation.

Says the Chief Economist of the National Bureau of Statistics of China–

House prices in Beijing are absolutely ridiculous. When a young couple purchases a house, parents and grandparents from both sides need to help out. The collective effort of four families is required to support a young family’s decision to buy a house. Three generations of savings are thus exhausted in buying a single house.

How can we prevent young people not to worry too much about this?

The government should pay attention to this issue.

By controlling the housing prices, young people would not feel the pressure of buying early on and thus engage in panic-buying. Thus, this would also lead to a healthy development in the Beijing real estate market. Homelink Vice President Lin Qian

Germany provides a good model.

In Germany, 42% of people own their houses; while 58% rent them. 77% of the young Germans live in rented places. The German government also encourage their people to build their own houses so as to break the monopoly engaged by housing developers.  The housing prices in Germany has not changed in 10 years. Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Institute of Industrial Economics researcher Cao Jianhai

Post from: CN Reviews

On China Housing Crisis: People Buying Houses Getting Younger

Double, double toil and trouble;
fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Yes, once again Denise Chong, that best-selling author and fellow Canuck, stirs the ol’ hot pot again with her latest snipe at Zhongnanhai’s corrupt geriatric set over their handling of the whole so-called “6-4 Incident.” Enter her latest smashing volley, Egg on Mao: The Story of an Ordinary Man Who Defaced an Icon and Unmasked a Dictatorship.

Recounted through the heartfelt memories of Lu Decheng, the intellectually dullest of the trio of wayward Liuyangers who one-timed oil paint-filled egg shells from a local jian bing stand at the Forbidden City’s omnipresent portrait of the Great Helmsman, Chong spins a vivid tour-de-force tale depicting the aftermath of their arrest and subsequent incarceration in the dying days of the late-’80s student democracy movement.

During the spring of what would become that fateful ‘89 year, Lu along with his friends Yu Zhijian and Yu Dongyue were caught up in the fervor of ousting the Party leadership once and for all. They became drunk on the idea of setting the People’s Republic’s sails firmly on a course for integration with the West along with the abolition of China’s corrupt glad-handing society.

Heeding the poetic words of student leader, Uighur activist Wu’er Kaixi, the “sun shining off of Mao’s portrait was so bright that the people couldn’t open their eyes to what was going on around them.” Hopping on the overnight choo-choo via Changsha, the three impressionable young cats — caught up in the inexorable flow of thousands from all across the nation descending on Beijing (or Peking as it was still then known in the West, still stuck in Wade-Giles mode) — somehow found themselves in the thick of it at the center of T-Bone Square, rocking it on ’til the break of dawn against the Big Bad Red Machine.

Chong employs a nifty literary technique shifting back and forth between what was and what is, flashbacking to our impressionable ones’ preparations as they eagerly anticipate traveling north to the capital, matched against their deep-seated doubts about what they were monumentally about to do. The portrait vandalizing incident was only an afterthought, can you believe it?

I found the most harrowing portions of this book — quite expectedly — to transpire inside the jail where the three were sentenced to life imprisonment for defacing the People’s Property. A couple of the guards sympathized with their cause, while many others were tasked with the deplorable job of smashing their willful spirits and crushing the resistance out of them via a daily slew of humiliation, physical abuse, and in several cases, unmitigated torture. Their prison authorities somehow remained convinced that they’d succeed in luring the young men, especially the brilliant Zhijian, from of their “counter-revolutionary” paths, by inculcating in them the values of Mao’s Homo Sineticus, the “ideal” modern Chinese super-ego.

Decheng, a bus mechanic and driver by trade, was the least educated of the bunch at the outset. His journey is magnificent because his life changes by 180-degrees by story’s end. Dongyue, youngest and most impressionable, was a mere wet-behind-the-ears type at the crime’s time, a mere teenager. Zhijian was the one with all the bright ideas and coffee house theories, the one who read all the European classics, and the one who became most disillusioned by the end thanks to the students’ perfidy in refusing to come to the three’s aid by secreting them away from the lurking plainclothes PSB goons at the time, instead offering them up like sacrificial lambs.

Given that Decheng was our narrative vessel in Egg On Mao, we came to learn of the harshness of the boys’ prison conditions through his arduous journey in his own words. As he arrived at the stark realization that the West was absolutely powerless (or unwilling?) to convince the PRC’s Party higher-ups to spring him and his mates from the cavernous clink, Decheng set out to improve his skills and brain power while living out the typical prison double life.

Compelled to undergo the routine Maoist ideological indoctrination and daily hammering of Marxist-Leninist Thought, Decheng would mechanically nod his noodle during classes, only to “raid” the prison library later in the evenings to feast his eyes on anything he could get his meat hooks on: well-thumbed, outdated tomes on all manner of Western theory and thought — all in English which the guards couldn’t read — realizing that eventually his salvation would come and he should be prepared for that eventuality. Guards would needle him for his seeming craziness; the mere sight of Decheng reading stuff that looked as if though it could maim, rather than educate, him elicited many giggles. In time, howe3ver, this strategy would prove ultimately successful, confounding the dastardly designs of the prison system.

By 1998, Decheng was a free man — first, gaining asylum in Canada, where Chong learned of his story.

There’s a lovely parallel story in this book, and that’s the love affair between Lu and his young bride Qiuping, a woman he eventually weds prior to performing the fateful deed.

Even before the first yolk is hurled at Mao’s grim, moled likeness, Decheng and Qiuping have birthed their first tot — a XX Chromosomal Child Unit. His subsequent imprisonment, despair, and eventual divorce from his wife who fears her man will never be released for the ignominy caused to the Party’s international image, is a touching counterpoint to the violence taking place within the prison compound’s walls. The brutal and repeated attempts by Decheng’s prison warders to destroy his rebellious soul do nothing to diminish his abiding passion for his wife and their oft-stated commitment to “never accept a divorce, neither in life nor in death.” When news of Qiuping’s request for a divorce trickles through to Decheng via a letter he receives from a guard, it momentarily sidelines him as he struggles to reason out the rationale for her irrational behavior. When she eventually remarries, it nearly slays him, though he soldiers on knowing that in the aftermath of Deng Xioaping’s October 1992 demise — the man responsible for approving the murderous actions by soldiers on the Square against their own citizens — changes may be soon afoot in the “peaceful” People’s Republic.

Author Chong was censured for this book in the PRC. No surprise there. While she doesn’t personally do any of the criticizing about the events which took place on T-Bone Square — nothing is couched in her own words save for her parting caustic remarks in the Epilogue and Acknowledgments — the mere fact that she’s chosen Lu Decheng as the vessel of her apparent disapproval with the septuagenarians inhabiting the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee have now branded her as a PRC persona non grata. She won’t be able to return now, though she likely made her peace with this reality the instant finger touched laptop keypad.

Given that she had a year and a half to contemplate her fate — the duration of all her interview sessions with Lu Decheng in Canada, where he now lives — this was a well-designed goal.

Why you should read this book, friends?

Egg on Mao was likely the first straightforward and direct account about the actions of the perpetrators of the portrait defacement, told in their own words. No third-party stuff here, folks, or PRC spin-meistering for our ravenous Western investigative appetites.

Also, for those of you late-arriving (and young) Western stragglers who are convinced that TAM was a student-lead and directed protest crushed by the heavy-handed Chinese state apparatus, complete organized student hierarchies and chains of command on T-Bone Square itself, you’ll be shocked to discover that chaos was more the order of the day during those fateful two months. Chong does well to highlight this through the authentic recollections of Lu himself. Good job.

At 249pp, your bottom-line cost to purchase this brand new is just a few cents shy of a short paper route (wink, wink). The copy isn’t crafted to wallop you over the noggin from its apparent brilliance, and Chong, for lack of a better term, “keeps it real.”

This is a mean-slugging account of a very unusual time in China, an era when things were still in flux and the regime was deathly afraid of losing its balls years before Hu Jintao’s policy of China’s “harmonious rise” was even promulgated. I polished the book off on the trusty exercise bike over the course of a few days, wagging my head in several spots as I made my way through in astonishment, careful not to permit sweat droplets to damage its pristine acid-free (and lovely-smelling) pages. Cautious, as well, was I to ensure that my neighbors didn’t think I was becoming a closet Maoist, what with the Chairman’s identifiable head on its cover, even if it was smeared in a cocktail of egg and paint goo.

If you’ve already read the book and digged it hard, let us know.

If you haven’t caught it yet, it’s not the sort of “China book” that will make you dizzy-busy (so busy, you’re dizzy) from its girth and heft. ;-) Try it, Mikey, you’ll like it. I promise.

And, oh yeah…my name is Adam Daniel Mezei and thanks again for tuning in.

Love,
ADM

ps I’m in search of a new “China book,” friends, so if you’ve got any suggestions for me — which I promise to subsequently review — kindly let me know.

Post from: CN Reviews

Book Review: Egg On Mao by Denise Chong

Chinese Squat Toilet

This is not a how-to guide to using the toilet in China (though the title might hint otherwise). But in order for a man to live properly (take note–properly and not necessarily comfortably), he needs at least 3 things: food, bed, and toilet.

In any place I go to, I always make it a point to check out the toilet; because toilets are, after all, a necessity of life. And I guess for foreigners visiting China for the first time, one of the most important Chinese terms to learn is 洗手间 (xishoujian) which stands for “washroom”.

Another Chinese term to learn is 厕所 (cesuo) which means “toilet”. However, a tour guide shared with me that the word itself is not exactly the most proper term to use. I guess what she means is for a girl like me to enunciate. How ironic, as I have been using that term since forever with my Chinese teachers in grade school up until high school.

I learned recently that there is another more polite toilet phrase to use. 我要唱歌 (wo yao changge). I want to sing a song.

At first I thought she was pulling my leg, as tour guides normally do. But even people in the Internet are talking about it, so I guess there should be some truth to it.

The story goes  like this–

A little boy and his grandmother are going to a formal dinner party somewhere. In order for the grandson not to embarrass himself, the grandmother taught him to tell her “I want to sing” instead of “I want to pee” if he needs to go. The grandchild behaved as he was told to do so and earned the praise of his grandmother. That same day, in the middle of the night, the little boy suddenly felt the urge to use the toilet. He went to his grandmother and informed her, “Grandma, I want to sing, I want to sing.” Still groggy from her sleep and could not understand why her grandson would want to sing in the middle of the night, she told him, “Ok, well then just do it ever so softly in my ear.”

And well, we all know what happens next.

Another story goes like this–

Way, way before in the mountainous areas, the toilet system is very simple. They just dug a pit with wooden frames above for squatting purposes. There is a curtain covering the area, but of course there is no lock. Since both men and women share the toilet, people using it sing to inform those waiting outside that there is somebody inside. And I guess you could say the tradition stuck.

As the forumer noted, the words 唱歌 (changge) “sing a song” and 歌厅 (geting) “karaoke hall” came from the Yunnan; Guangxi; and Xiangxi provinces. [The tour guide who told me this story came from Guangxi.]

This is interesting as China is a very big country, and I think there are different ways of saying you want to go to the toilet wherever you are in the Mainland. At least in colloquial terms. I have never encountered the phrase in Beijing nor in Shanghai.

But one thing is for sure–another toilet speak I can say everyone in China is familiar with is 拉肚子 (laduzi) or “diarrhea”. I first used this term in Shanghai during my language study. [Ok, not use as in "use". But darn it, everyone dishes this out freely.]

I guess you could say there is something comforting with the term laduzi. The slang isn’t as horrible as it sounds in the English language. I mean, just the thought of saying you have diarrhea out loud is embarrassing enough as it is. However, if you announce to your friends and colleagues you have laduzi, they seem to even sympathize you. It actually sounds…funny, cute, or silly. Now I am left wondering which I like more–”singing a song” or laduzi. With a country that has 5000 years of squatting history, both of them sounds just right.

Do you know of any other useful local toilet slang in China?

Post from: CN Reviews

Going To The Toilet In China (And Toilet Terms You Should Know)

Office of Dr. Abdulhamid Hasan

Here are excerpts of our interview–

CNReviews: What is the theme of the pavilion?

Dr. Abdulhamid Hasan: Ok, the general theme. I’ll let you know. We have our pavilion in the shape of a boat. We call it a moon boat. As you know, a thousand years ago we have this Silk Road, a merchant silk road. It traveled between China and Eastern China to Middle East. And we also have a sea route for the same purpose. So we are taking this moon boat from Saudi Arabia, taking the same old sea route of silk merchant, and embarking here on the banks of Huangpu River to take our Chinese friends and all other visitors to go on visit Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Abdulhamid Hasan

CNR: The Expo talks about having “Better City, Better Life”. How are you connecting your theme with the Expo?

Dr. Hasan: Of course, of course. Our theater—the main show. Well, let me start from the beginning. We have our entrance. We have the Chinese Great Wall and the Saudi Mud Wall at the same time. So that represents the friendship between the 2 countries. And also we have the flower garden. It has the Chinese flowers and also the Saudi Arabian flowers which represents the friendship of the 2 governments and the 2 people. And the main theater that we have, it shows the cities of our great country—how modern it is—all the modern cities, industries, commerce, agriculture; and also we show the people of Saudi Arabia. So we introduce the Chinese people and the rest of our guests to our cities and people.

CNR: I have been reading about the Saudi Arabia Pavilion. It supposedly is the most expensive pavilion at the Expo. Could you confirm this?

Dr. Hasan: I don’t think it is the most expensive one. But we spent good money to represent our country and make this participation one of the most successful in the history of World Expo because of the friendship between our government and China.

One of the prettiest pavilion uniforms--in my opinion

CNR: What is so special about the Saudi Arabia Pavilion? Like why do you think there are so many people lining up outside?

Dr. Hasan: It is because of our show. The high technology we are using in our show. People who go in our theater will have a feeling of riding a magic carpet. So you will actually feel that you are flying with us through the city, through the desert, the landscape, and also the mountains, and the sea of Saudi Arabia. Red Sea, for example.

We also have the corridor of art which when people come in they will see on the walls. We have invited Saudi artists to do some calligraphy because of the connection between the Arabian calligraphy and the Chinese calligraphy. Both of them are very artistic.

Corridor of art

CNR: How long did it take to construct the whole pavilion?

Dr. Hasan: The whole project started from scratch 3 or 4 years ago. But the actual construction took about 9 months. Regarding the design of the pavilion, we chose among 20 countries who submitted proposals. And we chose this one specifically, because it represents our idea more closely.

CNR: So after the Expo, what’s the plan?

Dr. Hasan: We hope this pavilion will stay for a longer time. Because we have a feeling that many of our Chinese friends didn’t have a chance to see it yet. So to close it after the 31^st of October, we feel very sad. We would like to invite more Chinese friends to visit. Our capacity is 5 million, 6 million, 7 million maximum. That’s not even half of Shanghai residents. So what about other Chinese friends in other counties, other cities? The proportion is very small.

CNR: About the oasis on top, are the palm trees directly brought from Saudi? I just read this somewhere. [Here is another source.] People say a lot of stuff about your pavilion.

Dr. Hasan: The palm trees are artificial. The reason for that is the concern of the safety of the people. In Shanghai during summer season, there are typhoons. If you plant a new tree and it is not deeply rooted, it can be blown away and hurt somebody. So we decided to have artificial date trees.

CNR: Have you also heard of the news that people lined up outside for 9 hours?

Dr. Hasan: I heard that. But as I told you, this is not real. The maximum we recorded is about 4, 5 hours maximum. We are trying to improve on that by adopting some new methods. We are talking to the Expo Bureau. And very soon we will apply some other adjustments to make the wait shorter and more enjoyable for people.

CNR: What kind of adjustments?

Dr. Hasan: We may consider advance reservation slots like the China Pavilion. So we will have time slots, so people will only queue for the time slots.

CNR: But the reservation tickets might also be a problem. People will race for them.

Dr. Hasan: No, I think this could be solved; because the China Pavilion has been doing it successfully. In the beginning they have problems, but now they are doing it with no problems at all. We also want to benefit from their experience and how they deal with it. (UPDATE: This has been implemented already.)

CNR: Ok, last question. This is my first time to visit the pavilion. What’s your advice?

Dr. Hasan: First of all you have to relax and be in a good mood. *laughs* Don’t rush and run. Take your time. Look around. Because some of the people I noticed do not pay attention to the artworks on the wall. We have the video screens, the LCDs. We have creative messages, cartoons. We also have a photo competition. We have a lot of activities.

Our goal is to deliver friendship between Saudi Arabia and China. And to show that Saudi Arabia is a diverse country but with unity. So please, enjoy!

Post from: CN Reviews

Interview: Abdulhamid Hasan, Saudi Arabia Pavilion Director

On the 3rd of August in Hebei Province, at the Shijiazhuang Ring Road Bus No. 1, a 70-year old grandfather with a cane stepped inside to take the public transport. At that time, the bus is already full of people. Many were already standing.

Two youngsters in front stood up to give their sit to the elderly. Who would have thought–the old man just waved no thanks to them and walked straight to the back. He saw a seat which was occupied by a little girl and requested her to let him sit instead. The girl was wearing headphones and apparently was listening to music.

Seeing the girl made no response whatsoever, the old man pushed the girl and reacted loudly, “What bad manners! An old person is in front of you, and you do not automatically understand that you should give up your seat. What kind of upbringing is this?!”

After being pushed, the girl removed her headphones and realized what just happened. “What did you push me for?! Can you not say it a nice and proper way? Besides, were there not some people who gave up their seats for you in front?”

Unnerved at the girl’s tough attitude, the old man sat down on the girls legs instead. The girl was taken aback that she pushed the old man away angrily and took out her cellphone ready to dial 110.

Fortunately, the passenger beside her was able to hold on to the old man; so he did not fall to the ground. At that point, the driver stopped the bus at the curb while many of the passengers scurried out. Then that was the time the argument between the old man and the young girl stopped.

Reactions online–

The old man did not mean what he did. But this is just plain exaggerated!

Obviously they are a bunch of rogues. The Public Security Bureau should punish this sort of people.

Don’t know what they’re thinking–it’s all very silly.

So far, it seems that many agree that the old man was wrong–

Little Girl vs Old Man

But it does get a little frustrating when people do not give up their seat to those in need. The rule is (as it is repeatedly reminded in the bus and metro) to let those in need seat first. By “in need”, it means the elderly, the weak, and the pregnant.

Not wanting to sound self-righteous, admittedly, it is not in China that I “learned” that sometimes you should be “selfish” when it comes to taking the public transport. Though it is in China that I first used the phrase “fight for your seat”. So childish of me, I know. People really push you around, so I justify “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

What are your views on this?

Post from: CN Reviews

Old Man Or Little Girl: Who Is More Shameless?

The UK Pavilion is one of the most unique pavilions at the Expo or most weird (can I say it?). But in this case, weird is good. My first impression when I saw it was that it looked so soft!

UK Pavilion

But of course it is not really all spongy and squishy. [I have to agree with Glen on LostLaowai--the UK Pavilion looks like "some sort of alien spore coming to take over the planet".]

Curious on the design of the Seed Cathedral? Why is it called Seed Cathedral in the first place? Let’s hear it from the British themselves.

CNReviews: Hey Katherine. Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. Let’s get to the point. Could you explain the theme of the UK Pavilion? How is it related to the Shanghai World Expo’s theme of “Better City, Better Life”?

Katherine Dixon: So the theme of the UK Pavilion is “Building on the past, Shaping our future”. You may know that in 1851 , the UK held the world’s first Expo . Nothing like it has ever been done before.

Crystal Palace simply stunned six million visitors with its incredible, creative design. So over 150 years later at the world’s largest Expo, a major focus of the UK was to deliver a design just as startling and cutting-edge as its ancestor.

Crystal Palace

About the design…well, we wanted to recognize the important role innovation, creativity, and nature has played and continues to play in the UK’s development. Many people in China are aware of the UK’s role as the heart of the industrial revolution: The first World Expo at Crystal Palace was held at a time of rapid urbanization and industrialization in the UK – this was a time when the UK was facing similar challenges to those in China today.

The response in the UK was the innovation of many of the technologies and inventions we take for granted today: such as the underground train (1863), the telephone (1873), and the electric light (1878).

One simple yet powerful innovation was the first public park. This transformed the lives of the urban population and was the inspiration behind the UK Pavilion’s “Urban Park” and the walkways into the Seed Cathedral. UK cities are some of the greenest cities of their size in the world, and nature, light and space have played an important role in making UK cities pleasant places to live.

Derby Arboretum--first public park in England

But the UK has never stood still. Over the last century the UK has turned trains into hybrid engines, telephones into the internet, and electric lights into lunar power. We wanted to reflect this too. The Seed Cathedral is a dramatic demonstration of the UK’s continuing power to innovate and create. Trains, telephones, and even the internet may be world’s technologies of today, but they are the UK’s inventions of yesterday.

The UK Pavilion points to a different vision of the future; one which is in harmony with nature, yet enriched by technological innovation – this is the message of the future plants in the final installation.

CNR: How did you gather the seeds for the Seed Cathedral? Where did they come from?

Seeds encased inside the Seed Cathedral

Dixon: The Seed Cathedral is a representation of of the Millennium Seed Bank. 60.000 acrylic rods, gently swaying in the breeze, pierce the seed cathedral of the UK Pavilion.

Each contains seeds that have been sourced from the Kunming Institute of Botany, a partner in the UK’s Royal Botanic Garden, Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank Project. It is the largest international project of its kind that has now conserved seeds from 10% of the world’s plant species.

The purpose is to use a wide range of plant diversity to enable human adaptation, innovation and resilience in the face of climate change. We wanted to highlight that seeds, carefully harvested and protected, are the route to a sustainable future and through our planet’s biodiversity we can inspire the innovations of the future.

CNR: I saw this group of girls performing something called the “Human Animal”. Can you share something about them?

Dixon: They are just one of many groups that have and will be performing in the the Urban Park. Many different troupes of UK performers will bring the urban park to life throughout Expo.

The ideas was to demonstrate the UK’s strong heritage in the tradition of performing arts, from Shakespeare to more contemporary performances like the Human Animals and street theater. Through this we hoped visitors would experience a taste of the UK cultural scene right in the center of Expo.

CNR: What can you say about the UK and China relations?

Dixon: The Shanghai Expo is the biggest and most ambitious World Expo ever . We have responded accordingly against the backdrop of a strong bilateral relationship. Both governments are committed to a step change in our trade and investment relationship. Our unique and exciting UK presence at Shanghai Expo as a key platform to showcase what the UK has to offer.

CNR: Oh, and anything else we can expect from the UK Pavilion (now that we are halfway through)?

Dixon: Yes, of course, definitely. We’re excited about the program of events: the UK has so much to offer. The challenge was doing this justice in 6000 square metres – the size of the UK Pavilion site. From our cultural heritage and education, to global businesses and cutting edge technologies, we knew the UK couldn’t be housed in an area the size of a football pitch. That’s why our approach to Expo had to be as unique and different as the Pavilion design itself.

The program of events is ambitious, showcasing the very best the UK has to offer in partnership with China. We have over 150 business events going on throughout the six months, demonstrating the strength and breadth of the UK-China trade and investment relationship, including events with a low carbon and science and innovation focus. We also have a major arts, culture and education events program, with highlights including the English National Ballet and the London Symphony Orchestra.

CNR: That’s about it! Thanks, Katherine, once again for your time.

Post from: CN Reviews

UK Political-Econ Consul Dixon On Seed Cathedral & First Expo

I just came back from Shanghai studying Mandarin in Fudan University. Someone said–you can learn any language from anywhere you are. Like you do not need to go to China to study Mandarin.

True. I actually studied Mandarin in my country before I even knew there is such a place called China.

So why the need to go to China learn Chinese?!

Good question. My friend Allan said it best–

The exposure in terms of listening and reading helps a lot. Also, the very valuable opportunity to practice your speaking skills could not be given credit enough. The setting itself allows one to blossom his Mandarin skills.

And with that, if you are planning to go to China to take up language courses, here are some tips to help you along the way.

What school should I go to? Beijing or Shanghai?

Here we are at it again. Beijing or Shanghai? First, realize that there are other places in China aside from Beijing and Shanghai. Like Harbin or Tianjin.

Purists will say that choosing a good school to enroll in is probably the most important factor to consider as the right learning environment will give you the motivation to continue learning.

Personally, I think there is no difference if you go to whichever university or school. [Unless there are people here who think otherwise, I welcome your comments below!] If you are seriously motivated, I think you can achieve your goals still.

Though I have bias to Fudan University in Shanghai as it is one of the top universities in China last 2008 and 2009. Before going to Fudan, my dream school was Beijing Language and Culture University or BLCU for short. They have the best books for Chinese learning.

One of the most important considerations I have heard was that if the place has a lot of non-Chinese. Because if the place has a lot of non-Chinese (and what’s worst, if they know how to speak English), your opportunities of interacting with the Chinese locals are not a lot.

But then, if you are studying Chinese in China after all, there is 99.99% chance that your classmates are foreigners. [The tolerance factor is because I have met Chinese who actually enrolled in the same language program as I did. But their curriculum was a bit slanted. They might have grew up abroad so that they do not know much hanzi or Chinese characters, etc.]

Another consideration is the weather. Do you like the cold? Whether you will be staying in the first semester or the second semester, you still might catch a few weeks of winter (depending on the area). Fall semester generally starts on September 1st, and ends around just before Chinese New Year. Spring semester starts on March 1st and ends in mid-June. You can check out China.org.cn for their China weather map.

And if you are paying your way to China, you might want to think about the cost of living. Different areas in China have varying costs of living. China Briefing did research on the cost of living in 9 major cities in China for 2009.

Now that we are on the subject of money…

I have heard that the Chinese government offers scholarships. How do I apply?

I actually thought of applying for this scholarship, but the requirements were just too tedious, and I had trouble coordinating with our country’s embassy on this. But as they say, no pain, no gain. So you might want to read up on the China Scholarship Council.

This scholarship is actually very competitive. A friend recommended that I ask about the local government scholarships instead. Like within Shanghai only. You have to inquire about this directly to your school of choice.

Just some random question–but where do I stay–dorm or apartment?

Tough decision. If you want a no-brainer answer, stay in the school dormitory. But if you want to have more freedom and/or save on cash, an apartment maybe the way to go. Generally, anything for the international student is more expensive. Tuition is more expensive. And dorm accommodations are more expensive too.

How expensive? I mean, come on, Fudan has a special price list for international students.

With an apartment, if you could find (safe) people who can share with you, I think it would be really fun! But dorm life is also another thing. And at least, it is within the campus vicinity.

By the way, Fudan does not have curfew on the foreign students dormitory.

Fudan University Foreign Students Dormitory

Sample room--actually, my room before I accumulated tons of stuff

Or you could always look for an apartment outside.

I thought going to China has a setting which allows me to”blossom my Mandarin skills”? How could I do that with all those English-speaking people around me?

This is a question of discipline. In China, especially if you are learning the language for the first time, your comfort zone would be around your English-speaking peers. You should go out of your way to maximize local interactions which would not be available in your home country. How do you do that?

Look for a language partner.

I found out that it helps if you have at least one language buddy who will meet with you on a regular basis. There are a lot of Chinese who want to improve their English as well so they are eager to pair up with a foreigner.

But if you are going to China on your own, how do you pick a language partner who does not turn out to be an axe murderer? Ask your teacher for referrals. He or she can post an ad in the school’s BBS or forum. And since he/she is a teacher from that school, he/she would know how the BBS culture of that school is. Another thing is, your teacher might personally know a local student who is also looking for a language partner. That is how I met mine.

Join school organizations.

Are you musically talented? Join the school orchestra. My friend did just that. She said that she was the only non-Chinese in the group, and it really helped her speaking skills.

School organizations are excellent venues for you to meet local students. Many recruit at the start of the school year. Again, if you are hesitant, your teacher would be happy to help you.

Have internships. Volunteer your time.

I was really fortunate to have a lot of learning experiences outside class hours. As an intern with HUBS1 and working with Elliott on Expotia (which is the official hotel reservation service provider of Expo 2010), I have interacted with a number of Chinese-speaking individuals. And because I was in Shanghai during the World Expo, I decided to take advantage of the event by volunteering there as well. [In the meantime, why not check out CNReviews' coverage of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo?]

Some of my friends volunteered at a few migrant schools teaching little kids. They found out about this through a school organization.

Basically, you really need to go out of your way to look for opportunities where you can maximize your Chinese education that you cannot easily have when you are back home. Otherwise, what is the point of you going to China when you can simply learn the language from where you are at?

Now that I have decided to learn Chinese, what your top 3 tips?

Allan graciously shared his tips on learning Chinese–

1. Repetition.

Mandarin is one of the most grueling languages to learn in the world. The sheer number of characters with the limited combination of tones could make the language daunting and confusing all at the same time.

But it is possible, well, a billion people could speak it, so why couldn’t I?

So one should really invest time in writing, listening, speaking etc. until it becomes natural to you. The key here is to focus on the basics, and do not try to do too much too soon. Once you master the basics you will make a solid foundation to build upon.

2. Do not be afraid to make mistakes.

There is a common notion that we learn more through our failures rather than our successes. This is also true in Mandarin especially in spoken Chinese. Do not be afraid to make mistakes as this is probably one of the quickest ways to learn. Do not worry about being embarrassed. People will be forgiving especially when they know that you are a foreigner. They would be happy to see you exerting effort in learning the language. It is also by venturing out that you learn plenty of things that the books would not teach you such as daily expressions and more commonly used spoken terms.

3. Do not rely too much on the books.

What I mean here is, books are definitely a valuable asset in learning the language, no doubt about that. I think though you must take the extra step outside the books in learning the language. Keeping a separate notebook for new words that you hear randomly during conversations, class etc. that you feel you can directly use in daily conversations is very helpful. We all have our varying styles of speaking, and our vocabulary are all different. You are the one who knows the kind of words you usually use, hence certain words for me may not be as valuable as it is to you. Thus, whenever you hear words that you deem important, make mental notes or if possible jot them down right away. This will help you develop smoother and more natural conversations, because you are armed with the words that come out naturally from your thought process

I agree with all of them. Let me just add my own top 3 tips.

• Speak Chinese to your classmates. Do not use English. Even when you are just starting to learn, force yourself to speak the language. And you will develop this habit later on. Because of how I look, some of my classmates at first do not know I can speak English. I had 2 classmates–an Italian and a German–who would converse with each other in English–then turn back to me and translate everything in Chinese. I know it is bad, but I actually let them continue (until they found out much later on that I can actually understand everything!). The lesson here is not to trick your classmates into thinking you are some ignorant person but to develop the habit of speaking to everyone in Chinese. Because we started this way, we still use Mandarin with each other even after class.
• Make friends with everyone. There are 5 vital people–the ayi, the dorm security, the street food vendor, the taxi driver, and the bookstore/clothes shop guy (whichever you frequent). They love a good conversation especially when they find out you a student learning their language.
• And when you done with your China stint, watch Chinese shows and movies and listen to Chinese songs. I really like watching Taiwanese soaps even before going to China. I think I have received most of my Mandarin education through here than 10+ years of Chinese schooling! Let me know if you want some recommendations.

So that’s it! If you have tips of your own, please share them in the comments below. And if you have any other questions on learning Chinese in China, let me know.

Post from: CN Reviews

Tips On Learning Chinese In China

As a student in Shanghai, I got used to hearing the term laowai (because of the number of 外国人 in the city). Probably the most neutral way to explain the word is that it is a term for a foreigner in China.

I have always thought that “laowai” is a term of endearment made by the Chinese to foreigners. It was just recently that I learned that some feel that the term is condescending. Check this blog post by Tom Vamvanij on the myth that won’t go away.

I would not go on a lengthy discussion on what I personally think of the word anymore, because then I would be part of the group engaged in this never ending debate. Instead I turned the table around and just asked some Chinese friends on their thoughts on the term.

Me: What do you think of the word “laowai”?

Chinese friend: It is a very colloquial term. Other than that, I do not know what else to think.

Me: Oh! So would you call me “laowai”?

Chinese friend: No, I would not; because we are already familiar with each other.

Me: I thought using the word “laowai” is a term of endearment. Like if the 2 persons are very close.

Chinese friend: This is hard to explain. However, generally, Europeans and Americans are the laowai. Asians are not really referred to as laowai.

I had this thinking that “laowai” is reserved for males. So–

Me: What if the foreigner is a European/American girl? Will you call her “laowa”i?

Chinese friend: This is not clear to me as well. Maybe if we are not close, I will probably call her “laowai”. But normally, I do not have this habit of calling foreigners “laowai”. Foreigners and Chinese are all the same to me.

I made a mistake of asking a Hong Kong resident.

Chinese HK friend: I call foreigners 外国人.

Me: You do not call them “laowai”? Why is that?

Chinese HK friend: There is no why. We just do not have that term in the Cantonese dialect.

And finally–

Me: What is the term “laowai” to you?

Chinese friend: Ah?! You want me to explain that in Chinese?!

Me: Sure, why not.

Chinese friend: Ok–”laowai” is what the Chinese refer to those from outside the country. It simply means foreigners.

Me: Is there a negative connotation to it?

Chinese friend: Generally, we Chinese use “laowai” to call foreigners. There is no bad meaning to it.

Me: So would you call me a “laowai”?

Chinese friend: Of course not. I know your name, so I would call you using your name. But then for example I am on the streets with someone else, we would whisper, “Hey, look at that laowai…” It just means we know he or she is not Chinese.

Me: Is that so? Because I have been hearing/reading stuff that some foreigners do not like the Chinese to refer to them as “laowai”.

Chinese friend: *laughs* Maybe it is because they think the term is anti-foreigner. But really, there is no negative connotation to it. However, it also depends on the situation. Privately, for simplicity’s sake, we use “laowai”. Other words to use are 外国人 (waiguoren) or 外宾 (waibin).

So, what do you think of the term “laowai” now? I think some people are just being paranoid.

Post from: CN Reviews

What Is “Laowai” To A Chinese?

The Shanghai World Expo has already become infamous due to the long lines and crowds that await visitors. Thankfully, there are benefits and provisions provided for the elderly, handicapped, and people with disabilities.

On tickets

Special admission ticket prices can be enjoyed by people with disabilities and people born on or before December 31, 1950.

The special admission ticket prices are RMB 100 for standard days and RMB 120 for non-standard or peak days. As of now, there are 2 peak seasons:

• October 1 to 7, 2010 which is for the National Day of China and
• October 25 to 31, 2010 which is the last week of the World Expo.

Those who fall in the above categories must show twice proof of their eligibility:

• when purchasing the ticket and
• upon entrance to the Expo Garden.

The following can be presented as proofs of eligibility:

On wheelchairs

Wheelchairs are provided for free at the Expo Garden entrances starting 9am. However, in order to prevent those people pretending to be disabled so as to gain fast pass access to the pavilions, only eligible people can avail of the free wheelchair rentals.

The only eligible people are–

• people with disabilities
• and people born on or before December 31, 1950.

Again, they need to show proofs of their eligibility. No exceptions will be made. According to the rules, documentation must be presented. Even if the person is absent-minded and has forgotten his/or card.

Pregnant women are not considered disabled and handicapped. For safety reasons, it is better that they stay at home if they can not bear the long walking. [If they show medical certificates, it would be a different story--it will really depend on the staff if they will allow pregnant women to avail of the wheelchairs. However, again, for safety reasons, it is better that they stay at home.]

The wheelchair rentals are located at Expo Gates 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 (Gate 6 not included). Other areas for wheelchair rentals are four of the designated parking lots at the Expo–in Pudong, Parking Lots 12 and 16; in Puxi, Parking Lots 2 and 4.

The wheelchairs are free, but a deposit of RMB 500 must be made. They must be returned by 9pm. Visitors do not necessarily need to return the wheelchairs at the place where they made the deposit. Any of the Expo Gates 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8; and the four parking lots will do. The deposit will be refunded upon return as well.

Some wheelchairs have been placed around the site, including inside the China Pavilion and Theme Pavilions, for emergency help. These wheelchairs must be returned immediately after patrons leave pavilions.

The Shanghai More Love Foundation on June 24 donated 1,000 additional wheelchairs to the Expo site, taking its tally of donations to 2,500 chairs.

There are now more than 3,500 wheelchairs for rent at the site but the supply continues to be inadequate.

Hong Hao, director general of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, encouraged visitors living in Shanghai to bring their own wheelchairs to the Expo site.

On walking canes and first-aid kits

The Expo does not provide walking canes. Though there are volunteers at every corner who are ready to assist you–just in case. That is the ideal case. Though I have noticed that I am seeing fewer of them. Or maybe they are hiding? But ideally, as I have mentioned, the volunteers should be there with their first-aid kits. They are the ones in the green, cabbage uniforms.

Expo Volunteers

On baby strollers

Pregnant women may not be able to enjoy special prvileges but babies (or rather their mothers) can. Free baby stroller rentals are also provided at the same areas where wheelchair rentals are made. The deposit is RMB 200.

But there are also restrictions as to whom the baby strollers can be rented out. The babies should be 3 years old (or below) and/or less than 15kg. Now, I am not sure how strict they are with babies. I mean, come on, they are babies! But those are the rules.

On when to go

My personal recommendation is that the elderly go to the Expo on September instead. That way, the weather will be cooler thus making the Expo trip more enjoyable.

On the Expo fast pass–could the elderly, handicapped, and people with disabilities enter the China Pavilion?

A press conference last June 30 made official that only the physically-challenged and the elderly aged 75 years old and above are given priority access to the green lane or fast pass lane. And they can only be accompanied by one able-bodied person.

But this rule still does not apply to the China Pavilion. Check out our China Pavilion reservations guide on how to enter the China Pavilion. And I also listed my reasons on why you would want to get a China Pavilion reservation.

Some pavilions, including Sweden, Thailand, Norway and Ireland, closed their green channels or set stricter access rules for disadvantaged groups after they were abused.

Life and Sunshine Pavilion

The Shanghai Disabled Persons Federation has setup a special pavilion focusing on the disabled people.

Life and Sunshine Pavilion

The Life and Sunshine Pavilion has chosen four generally accepted concepts of ‘Dignity’, ‘Contribution’, ‘Care’ and ‘Future’ as its basic display factors. Its purpose is to develop the theme of “Equality, Participation, Share”, the ultimate goal of people with disabilities, to stress the objective of “lighting every soul of people with disabilities with the sunshine of care”, to help society know better about the competence of people with disabilities and contribution they have made, to demonstrate the concept of ‘harmonious city’ from the perspective of people with disabilities, and to fully embody the theme of “Better City, Better Life”, to increase the awareness of the contributions made by the people with disability.

This is located at Zone B.

Generally, the Shanghai Expo is elderly and handicap friendly. At least it makes an effort with the ramps and the privileges for the elderly and handicap.

Some pavilions provide wheelchair lifts.

Wheelchair lift inside the Russian Pavilion

And there are toilets for people with special needs.

Toilets for people with special needs

Easy access to toilets

The water fountains have different heights for easy reach as well.

When you visit the Expo itself, especially when sundown is nearing, the pavilion staff themselves are tired and grouchy (not all but some of them). So there will always be exceptions to the rules.

It gets really crazy when even the old people fight back at the staff for not letting them in. The basic rule is that different pavilions have their own policies. Even if the Expo organizers say that the fast lanes rules will be applied universally by all pavilions, putting an end to arguments about different VIP practices at various pavilions.

So let us cross our fingers at that. I have been to the Expo Garden a lot of times even after the new fast lanes rules have been published. It still depends on how happy or stressed the pavilion staffs are at that given moment. Again, because of that, there will always be exceptions to the rules given that the pavilion guides are also humans; and I would think they have soft hearts too. Heh.

Except for the China Pavilion. The China Pavilion reservations guide is totally a different story.

Anyway for your enjoyment, here’s a video on smart elders at the Expo. They could make a killing out of this! Heard that this refit costs RMB 3800.

Post from: CN Reviews

Expo Guide For Elderly & People With Disabilities