Drinking Culture in China

Jenny Zhu Posted in China, Uncategorized, business, culture, inspiration, learning with ChinesePod,Tags: , ,
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The two weeks leading up to Chinese New Year are marked by excessive feasting and drinking between colleagues and friends in China. It is an important social duty that puts one’s drinking ability into serious test. I was at such a dinner recently where a friend was barely holding his liquor, but insisted on drinking until he collapsed. He even proudly announced that his body can collapse, but his dignity can’t. This is the essence of China’s drinking culture.

Destructive drinking isn’t really a college thing here as it is an indispensable social ritual among mature, grown up men. They drink not for the thrill of getting wasted, but to show that they are trustworthy and upright. Yes, drinking excessively is a respectable quality here. We have this word 酒品/jiu3pin3, which combines the word for alcohol/酒/jiu3 and the word for personal integrity/人品/ren2pin3. The result is a concept which glorifies drinking and associates it with one’s dignity.

Business dinners in China are the most prominent display of our die-hard drinking culture. Even if you can’t drink, you need to drink to give your business partner face and respect, and also to show him that you are honest and trustworthy by putting your life on the line and drinking more than you are capable of. It’s not uncommon to find people whose entire career is built on their ability to drink. But of course not everyone in China abides by the same rule. The drinking culture in Shanghai for example is a lot more moderate. But that’s also why people from Shanghai are often the subject of ridicule at dinner tables.

China’s Woodstock: InMusic Festival

Jenny Zhu Posted in Uncategorized, inspiration, interviews
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In the wake of the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, China has just had its very first and very own equivalent. InMusic Festival or 张北音乐节/zhang bei yin yue jie rocked 100,000 live audience between the 7th and the 9th of August. Zhangbei is the name of the county where the festival was held. It’s 250-acre interrupted prairie at the border of Hebei province and Inner Mongolia,  only  two hours’ drive from Beijing.

During the three days, dozens of indie rock musicians performed at the festival, most of whom are unrecognizable to the mainstream audience but worshiped by indie fans. In addition, the very event being the first in such a scale also helped drew attendance and huge media attention. The festival was the brainchild of a indie music promoter and a prominent music magazine in China. On the official website, organizers promised that InMusic would be the most ‘natural high and Woodstock’ music event China had ever seen. And they succeeded overall, despite complaints of flaky logistics, insufficient camping facility, etc. In some ways, the problems were the result of the popularity of the festival, which was beyond the organizers’ expectation and planning.

So the question is what’s next for InMusic? Would it propel a force bigger than music? If so, how would the government treat it? In fact, InMusic got green light from the authorities was a surprise for many. Hopefully, that’s a sign of change. In the meantime, enjoy the video clip featuring Xu Wei/许巍/, one of the most influential indie musicians in China performing at the very first InMusic (forgive the mobile phone recording quality).

How China Sees Itself, the World and More: Interview with Kaiser Kuo

Jenny Zhu Posted in China, inspiration, interviews,Tags: , , , , ,
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[podcast http://jennyzhu.com/podcasts/kaiser_part...[/podcast]

If you are reading this blog post, I am sure this is a topic that you think about quite a lot. How does a resurgent China see itself? Why do the Chinese people take criticism of China so personally? When will China behave like a responsible world power? How does the leadership deal with domestic and international pressure? Big questions with implications that affect personal lives. I am very glad to have interviewed Kaiser Kuo, one of the most insightful and witty commentators on the topic. I sat down with him in Beijing to ponder these questions and try to understand the paradox that is China.

My New Podcast: Foreign Managers in China

Jenny Zhu Posted in inspiration
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A while ago, I wrote a post about eating melon seeds in the office, which captures the challenges foreign managers face in China in a nutshell. I am sure many of you have first hand experience in your work.

So what does it take to manage your team effectively in China? The best answers and thoughts are to be found among the practitioners. That’s why I have started a new interview series on my Suixuntong.com . It features conversations with foreign managers in China who face dual challenges of management and cultural peculiarities. I prompt the guest with one question, ‘how do you get the most out of your team’? It often leads to some fresh insights about managing people in China. This first interview with Peter Bomer, who has both senior management experience at a large MNC in China and running his own business here vividly illustrates it.

I have known and worked for some great foreign managers in China. From my pint of view, an essential part of their success is that they work particularly hard to understand their local staff’s perception, action and motivation shaped by the socio-cultural context. They go beyond than just saying ‘why don’t my staff get it’. They observe, communicate and reflect to find a better approach.  I hope their stories will give you a look inside managing people in China and help you manage your team more effectively here. You can subscribe to the podcast on itunes by searching the name ‘Suixuntong’, or listen online on suixuntong.com.

I look forward to hearing your comments on the show. I am also keenly looking for guests, please feel free to contact me jennyzhu@suixuntong.com.

Thank you!

An American Communist in China

Jenny Zhu Posted in inspiration
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The man in this interview has a fascinating story. Sidney Shapiro or 沙博理 has lived through Mao’s China into Hu’s China. Now in his 90′s, he enjoys a quiet life in his adopted home in Beijing. He is one of the few hundreds of ‘communist sympathisers’ (for lack of a better term) who joined the Communist Party’s effort in building the PRC. Most of them left China forced by circumstances. But Shapiro managed to stay. 

Trading his U.S. citizenship for Chinese and joining the Communist Party all makes him seem like a fanatic and regime collaborator. But in fact he came to China by chance, and it was through the force of daily life engulfed in earth shattering historical developments that has shaped his life rather than a single burning belief. Perhaps our lives are always a bit more interesting in other’s view.  

And speaking of Communists, you will be surprised to find what a modern day communist is like. A few of my friends are registered party members. They work in media, drink Starbucks and watches Lost.  Joseph McCarthy would be stunned.  

 

 

Gouda Made in Rural China

Jenny Zhu Posted in inspiration
8

 

Savoring a piece of handmade gouda as I am writing this post, I am compelled to tell the story of Marc de Ruiter. Marc is the owner of Yellow Valley cheese, http://www.cheeseinchina.com/dynamic/ a cheese factory in rural Shanxi/山西  province. I interviewed him for my radio show. 

Marc came to China 10 years ago working with Chinese farmers on various projects to help them improve their life. After helping many acquire better farming techniques, he noticed the village’s cow farmers were left behind. Milk was sold at a very low price and there was an over production. Coming from the land of gouda, what would you do? Marc set up his artisan gouda factory and took it from there.

His cheese has an elegant and homey taste, one that combines traditional techniques, patience and dedication. The velvety texture and uncomplicated good flavors are the best embodiment of someone doing great work and enjoying it.

The Olympics Opening Ceremony

Jenny Zhu Posted in inspiration, news
8

 

Mesmerised, in awe, yawning despite trying to suppress it as the 203rd country entered the stadium, rejuvenated, and extremely excited albeit sleepy. Here is a chain of emotions I experienced when watching the Opening Ceremony.  

The theme was China’s past, present and future, presented on a gigantic Chinese painting paper scrolling out. The ancient civilisation was prominently featured. China’s Four Great Inventions/四大发明/si4 da4 fa1 ming2 was befitting showcased in quite an inventive way. The sheer scale was overwhelming: 15,000 anonymous performers. There were a few moments when the camera featured performers heartily smiling and waving as they finished their part of the performance. It’s a celebration of humanity.

The Emperor and Me: Imperial China and Missionaries

Jenny Zhu Posted in inspiration
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The bonds between imperial China and Western missionaries are an eternally fascinating subject. Amongst them are Italian missionary Giuseppe Castiglione. He came to China to spread the gospel, but ended up spreading Western arts and science to the middle kingdom. Castiglione’s holy calling took a detour when his artistic skills impressed Emperor 康熙/Kangxi who later commissioned him to paint and design Western style houses for the royal family. Castiglione went on to work for the subsequent two emperors 雍正/Yongzheng and 乾隆/Qianlong. He also took the Chinese name 郎士宁/lang2 shi4 ning2.

His style was a unique blend of European painting and Chinese subjects and themes (see the portrait of Emperoro Qianlong). Castiglione’s time was the golden age of Qing Dynasty. Contact with the West thrived, especially in arts and science. Missionaries played a key role in the process. Castiglione even became the subject of a TV series about his life and work here. In a rather beguiling casting decison, he was played by famous Canadian sinophile Dashan (picture and clip).

Another prominent Italian missionary was Matteo Ricci‎/利玛窦 who contributed largely to math and science. Like Castiglione, he passed away and was buried in China. His grave is in a beautiful garden which is now the Communist Party School in Beijing.

Learning Chinese Meets Talent Show

Jenny Zhu Posted in inspiration, learning with ChinesePod
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The 汉办/HanBan, China’s equivalent of the British Council responsible for promoting Chinese worldwide has teamed up with 湖南卫视/Hunan TV, China’s guru in reality show and LOL entertainment to produce a competition that selects college students with the most formidable knowledge of the Chinese language and culture.

The competition, known as 汉语桥/ hanyu qiao/ Chinese Bridge has been around for almost 10 years. But it was largely an academic event. This year however, 汉语桥 gos to the masses (of Chinese and foreigners hopefully). This year’s theme is flamboyantly vibrant ‘fervor with Olympics, fun with Chinese’. And judging by the clip, it does deliver.

Yes, fun with Chinese! A theme of ChinesePod from the beginning. In fact, we are working with the Hanban, having set up their online Confucius Institute. http://www.confuciusinstitute.net/ ,and consulting on promoting Chinese overseas.

I remember the head of the Hanban speaking of ‘soft promotion’ of Chinese where the language is presented as a vibrant part of culture and life. No longer are the learners confined to a classroom and dictionary, we experience Chinese, live, speak and play with it.

Fun with learning. Confucius would have been proud.

Love, peace and hope 爱、和平、希望

Jenny Zhu Posted in inspiration
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Today is Children’s Day 儿童节/ér tong jié in China. The incrediblly courageous children in ravaged Sichuan speak out loud love, peace and hope/爱、和平、希望/ ài, hé ping, xī wàng.

The boy in this clip has become a national hero. He is 9 years old and his name is 林浩 lín hào. Here he tells matter-of-factly in his native Sichuan dialect how he carried 2 classmates out of the shambles. But he still hasn’t been able to find his own parents.