Jenny Zhu

I recently came cross an article about how an average Chinese perceives Canada:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080605.wolympics-survey06/BNStory/International/home

The finding is that most see it as a ‘quiet’, ‘friendly’ place suited for immigration and retirement. But overall, Canada has a bland and even dull image in China.   

However, Canada is home to two beloved foreigners in China. Norman Bethune, or 白求恩/bai2 qiu2 en1, a surgeon who came to China and helped to treat wounded Communist troops in the 1930’s. And 大山/Dashan ( Mark Rowswell), who has a daunting command of Chinese and was the first ’sinophile’ known to the general public.

Most Chinese don’t know the down to earth, even self-deprecating attitude of Canadians. Nor do we get the sacred popularity of hockey.  

All these I shall experience when I leave for Canada today. A much anticipated trip.        

Organisers of the 2008 Games recently announced a standard, four-part Olympic Cheer. It is a series of hand motions and slogans that’s being promoted as THE way to cheer. See the video clip and illustration for reference. This doesn’t mean spectators’ can’t cheer in their own ways, but the authorities hope to rally a uniform, powerful and 文明/wen2 ming2/’civilised’ audience to showcase China’s image to the world.

This might seem ridiculous. And many of us in China think it is. But China is used to such ‘engineering’. Much like the idea of making peasants into Frenchmen in Post Revolution France, the authorities have always been concerned with the issue of 文明/wen2 ming2/’civilised’ or ‘proper conduct’ in post 1949 China. And there is indeed a lot of 不文明/improper conduct around. Spitting, littering and flamboyantly speaking on the phone in cinema are starters. The Shanghai government even has a七不/qi1 bu4/seven don’ts for its residents. Amongst them are ‘don’t spit’ and ‘don’t litter’.

You can imagine how the organisers feel about those entrenched behaviours during the Olympics. Therefore, a national ‘be a civilised spectator’ campaign/文明观众/wen2 ming2 guan1 zhong4/ was launched. It features basic rules like ’switch off phone during the match’ to specific rules of the sports and how to watch and cheer appropriately. 

How do people respond to the authoritarian ‘do’s and don’ts’? Well, for a people so accustomed to and almost immune to rules and regulations, we take whatever we deem to be useful or make sense and shrug off the rest. This is how a lot of poeple feel about the official cheer: the idea is a bit absurd, but the actual practice is fun and energising. Besides, when you are immersed in the collective hype, why not?

But of course uniform action and thinking conjure up rather negative associations in the rest of the world. A subtlety which we’ve yet to learn to handle. The slogan of the Beijing Games is ‘one world, one dream’/同一个世界，同一个梦想/tong2 yi1 ge4 shi4 jie4, tong2 yi1 ge4 meng4 xiang3, which resonates with the talk of harmony, a theme of this administration. But I guess what would be even more valuable is the recognition and respect for ‘one world, different dreams’, 同一个世界，不同的梦想／tong2 yi1 ge4 shi4 jie4, bu4 tong2 de meng4 xiang3.

Anxious parents stand outside the school to give kids moral support

Besides Chinese New Year, the only occasion that China stops for is 高考/gao1 kao3/university entrance exam. Every year, from the 7th to the 9th of June, the entire nation switches into exam mode with millions of teenagers. This year, a staggering 11 million students are competing for their place at university.

Gaokao is not only crucial for the students. It has a very special place in the collective Chinese psyche.

• A lot of us have personally exprienced or will experience the test of one’s life. Eventhough there are more diverse pathways in life, many still see gaokao as the deal maker or breaker, which touches on a deeper issue–
• –exams have special and deep-rooted significance in China. The standardised exam system dates back 1400 years. Throughout history, it was used to select court officials, and was the most meritocratic and fair system in China. It could catapult someone from humble beginnings to power and fortune. The same can be said for gaokao. That’s why the stakes are so high for most students and parents. The future of your life hangs on the exam. The pressure is so overwhelming that many high school students get gray hair as in the case of my 2 cousins. But it gradually went back to black when gaokao was over.

I’ll write about how the nation stops in tomorrow’s post. Meanwhile, all the very best to the students, especially those in Sichuan.

ChinesePod’s upper intermediate lesson on universities in China

newbie lesson on university majors

For the pandas in China’s national reserve in 卧龙/Wo4 long2 county in Sichuan, the earthquake was a horribfying experience. Fortunately, none suffered physical injuries, but the psychological trauma is severe and enduring. China’s government, media and society have made an imperative to help the pandas heal. In fact, I think these heart-mealting creatures help us heal. Since the reserve was largely destroyed by the earthquake, the 102 pandas were sent to different parts of China which can provide the best natural condition and facilities for their living. Top of the agenda is psychological therapy. Experts from China and abroad are working hard to help the pandas recover.

Amongst these pandas, 8 attracted particular attention. They are Olympic pandas selected a while ago to be featured in the game’s opening ceremony. (the details of their appearance is a closely guarded secret).  These 奥运熊猫/ao4 yun4 xiong2 mao1/’Olympic pandas’ recently arrived in Beijing. As shown in the pictures, their first public appearance was met with overwhelming adoration. Hope the well intended attention is managed carefully and not cause any extra pressure on them.

There have been access problems with the video on youtube. It might say ‘no longer available’. It’s working now, but in case it behaves erratically again, try:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMBcrU98H…

Xiexie!

Jenny Zhu’s China is a visual commentary on the fascinating facets of Chinese culture and society. Each episode fatures a selection of videos showcasing an interesting aspect of China, everything from news to user generated content. Thanks to Aric Queen for helping me shoot and being the observing friend on the pilot. Like the lighting, there is a lot of room for improvement. I deeply appreciate your thoughts and suggestions!

In this episode:

1. Dancing in the park

2. Potato chips—the family glue

3. Journey to West: a Chinese animation from the 1950’s

Enjoy!

Despite the favourite Chinese number ‘8′, 2008 was believed to be an unlucky year for marriage based on mystical but popular interpretation. But why are there still so many weddings? I’ve attended a handful in the past 2 months. And that’s taking a slight toll on my financial status.

Blame it on 红包/hong2 bao1, a red pocket containing good wishes in the form of cash. No major Chinese celebration is complete without it, be it New Year or weddings. And it’s not just symbolic money. We are talking about real damage, because in China, the purpose of 红包/hong bao is to help the newly weds cover the cost of the reception and hopefully make a few extra bucks. I’ve been giving around 300 or 500 RMB to my blissful friends. Note to avoid 400 because 4/si4 rhymes with 死/si4/death. After some asking around and googling, it seems that in China’s big 3 cities 300 or 500 is the standard amount. Oh, that’s for one guest. If you go as a couple, 600 to 800. But how much you give is a careful and elaborate calculation based on a few key measures:

1) How well you know the couple. Yes, you might get an invitation from friends who are equivalent to a facebook friend.

2) How important yuur relationship is, but more on the practical side. In blunt terms, what’s the ROI for me.

3) Your salary and financial status. The general rule is 红包 should make you look generous. And you are expected to put your name on the red pocket, which is extra pressure to give generously.  

Judging by the above, Chinese weddings might almost seem profiteering, but I see the politics and intricasies of hongbao more to do with our cultural inclination than simply money. Face, no matter how overquoted and misused, underpins Chinese social interaction. It’s about doing the PROPER thing, not just superfacial fluff. Having said that, wedding hongbao does put quite a bit of a financial strain on people. But why are we still showering our friends with our good wishes in RMB? Because as long as we get married, we’ll get back what we gave. People will return the favor/回礼/hui2 li3, which is also essential to Chinese culture.  

Ah, the cycle of life for hongbao.

ChinesePod lesson on wedding customs:

Podcast: chinesepod_C0516pb.mp3

http://chinesepod.com/lessons/chinese-wedding-customs

In today’s ChinesePod lesson, we inserted a snippet of a Xinjiang song, 青春舞曲/qing1 chun 1 wu3 qu3/a Song for My Youth into the dialogue. The lesson has nothing to do with Xin Jiang, but it is about being young. Inciedntally, Xin Jiang folk music does make one feel very young and upbeat. The region has an incrediblly rich and vibrant cultural heritage heavily centered on music. But the Uighur/维吾尔/wei2 wu2 er3 tradition was largely unknown to the rest of China until the 50’s, when a musician from Beijng named Wang Luobing 王洛宾 went to Xinjiang and brought the beautiful music onto the national stage . He heard many folk songs from the locals and wrote Chinese lyrics for them to reflect the mezmerising culture and people of Xinjiang. Those beautiful tunes became massive hits all over China. His work also helped promote ethnic music, which is so diverse, rich and fresh. I’ll share more in future posts.

These clips are some of the most famous works popularised by Wang Luobin. They are reinterpreted by numerous singers from time to time. Most of these sweet melodies are about unrequited love. Music really has wonderful healing powers.

An expat friend of mine recently bought a 2 seat baby stroller from Ebay. I was shocked. ‘You mean you couldn’t find it on Taobao?’ I asked him. Taobao is China’s mammoth online shopping website that brings 100 million items to you.  It’s like google where the answer is always there. (The only time that taobao failed me was when I tried to buy an Absinthe spoon for a friend).

‘No, they didn’t ahve it.’ He told me. Why? The one child policy, which is known as planned birth in Chinese 计划生育/ji4 hua4 sheng1 yu4. Since families in China only have one kid, who would need a double stroller? Of course there are twins, but the economy of scale is too low for manufacturers to mass produce strollers. 

But, the reality is always more colourful than what is stated. Let me share a few:

1) People are increasingly having more than one child largely due to newly found affluence and a freer socio-political environment. From my observation, many who do choose to have more than one stop at 2.

2) The policy (implemented in 1980) has always countered resistance especially in rural China where it’s still important to have a boy. The situation is quite similar in small cities. Enforcement and compliance in big cities are better. None of my friends from Shanghai have any siblings. I am also an only child (with pver protective parents).

3) The penalty of breaking the rule has been lessened. A few years ago, it was extremely hard for the ’extra’ child to get 户口/hu4 kou3/residential record, which was a key civial record that gives you the right to schooling. There were also hefty fines, and for parents working in government bodies or state owned enterprises, breaking the rule would jeopardise their career. Now, the fine is still hefty (varies from region to region), but affordable to many. Also, the ‘extra’ kid is entitled to a 户口。

4) There is a new policy that allows two only child to have 2 kids. A measure to counter a rapidly aging population.

5）In the unfortunate event of the child’s death or severe illness, parents can have another child. The recent earthquake in Sichuan brought the topic to public’s attention. 

Many of my friends who’ve lived in China for years are still perplexed by the one-child-policy. Hope today’s post clears things up a bit for you.

The ban on using ’super thin’ plastic bags for free (<0.025 mm in thickness according the regulation) kicks in today, June 1st 2008. ChinesePod will have an upcoming media lesson about the very topic.

There has been a long build up to this bold and revolutionary change. In China, even the smallest purchases such as a bottle of water comes with a plastic bag. For too long, we’ve taken it as a given without any pondering of the evironmental consequences.

So what happens in this new chapter? Well, on the first day, thoughtful and frugal moms make sure they bring their own bags (many still plastic but it’s from their own reserve), baskets or a big travelling tote to the grocer. Their purchasing decision is heavily based on economical considerations. And this is where the policy of charging for plastic bags work the best. But then, there are the forgetful ones, me included, who are faced with a devil and angel at the check out counter. Do I pay a few cents for a plastic bag or 3 RMB for the linen tote? The answer seems easy, both economically and morally. But I had gazillion items which would require at least 5 totes. And I have a few of them at home. So I defaulted to the old habit, albeit feeling guilty, which I think is a major contribution of this policy, how it’s slowly altering people’s attitude.

Other shoppers presented a variety of solutions. Some came prepared, some like me, some bought linen bags at the supermarket as this clip shows.

The first thing I did when I got home was to put a linen tote in my bag, to prepare myself for the new deplasticised age. But as I was emptying the bags of purchase, I realised that I also need a garbage disposal alternative. No more used plastic bags to line the bin. Buy proper garbage bags instead. That’s why this new policy claims to solve the problem from the root and trickles down to minimise the peripheral use of pastic bags as well.

I think I’ll have a good story to tell in 50 years: amongst many of the ground shaking changes in my days is the demise of plastic bags.

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.