Beijing Today (January 14, 2011)

32.2 MB·English

by  Beijing Youth Daily Group

Y
Pages 20-21
Tomb hiking
Scattered across the
A
mountains of northwest Bei-
jing are the 13 Tombs of
the Ming emperors. Head
out for a 6-hour hike that
includes scenic views and
D ancient architecture.
Pages 12-13 Art of fusion
O
Chinese and Italian artists are pre-
senting a series of new media projects
to celebrate the opening of the China
Shijitan Contemporary Art Center.
T
Addicted to

G the drip
N
China seems to be in a hurry to do everything: to get rich,
I to live quick and to get well. Rare is the patient with the
patience for pills and rest.
The now ubiquitous intravenous drip, once a last resort
J
when medication and home care had failed, is now being
abused as though it can cure the common cold.
Both patients and hospitals seem addicted to the proce-
I
dure, having used up more than 10.4 billion bottles of fluids
in 2009 alone. To put that in context, that is eight bottles per
E person: the rest of the world never exceeds three bottles.
Read more on Page 4
B
PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
January 14 2011-January 20 2011
NO. 501 CN11-0120
HTTP://WWW.BEIJINGTODAY.COM.CN
CHIEF EDITOR:
JIAN RONG
NEWS EDITOR:
YU SHANSHAN
DESIGNER:ZHAO YAN
Fashion fit for
the new year
Page 16
Shopping Wenzhou Flag wavers Luxury
youth snip lets money fear foreign retailers take
and save go abroad mouse to the Web
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January 14 2011
2
City tries to rein in
Snowless winter causing
drought, disease
population growth By Chu Meng
s
Spring Festival is around the
corner, but the capital is still await-
w
ing its first snowfall.
Meteorologists said this year’s late
snowfall broke a previous record set 22
e By Zhao Hongyi
years ago on December 28, 1988.
Ten districts of Beijing have pledged
Guo Wenli, director of the climate center
N to control their population expansion for
under the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Mete-
the next fi ve to 20 years. However, ana-
orology, said the city has been suffering a lin-
lysts say their goals are conservative and
gering drought for more than a decade, but
their targets unreachable.
this year the situation is much worse.
The districts submitted their proposed
“In my 12 years living here, I don’t
population numbers in a series of economic
recall a single year when it didn’t snow in
development reports for the “12th Five-Year
some form by January,” said Kadi Hughes,
Plan 2011-2015” to the municipal congress
a British expat working in Beijing. “My
this week.
friends down in Hong Kong are planning a
Dongcheng district promised to keep its
trip up here this winter so their kids can see
population below 650,000 for the next 20
snow. I am unsure what to tell them.”
years, the business center and diplomatic
The city has been without rain or snow
community Chaoyang district said its popu-
for nearly two months, and the precipita-
lation would remain below 4.5 million and
the technology park Haidian said it would At the end of June 2010, Beijing’s total population was 19.72 million. IC Photo tion during the wet season from June 1 to
September 15 was a mere 273 millimeters,
stay below 3.8 million. The municipal government called on dis- building its second international airport in
the lowest recorded since 1960, Guo said.
The newly developing residential area tricts and counties to fi nd ways to curb the southeastern Langfang, Hebei.
Absent access to large rivers, Beijing’s
Fangshan said 1.1 million and Tongzhou said population explosion and lay a sound founda- “Our purpose is not to control the popula-
water supply depends largely on precipita-
1.45 million. Shunyi, where the international tion for further sustainable development. tion,” said Lu Jiehua, professor from Peking
tion and underground water, Guo said.
airport is located, promised to stay below Dongcheng proposed to accelerate its University. “Instead, the government’s goal is
“Underground sources supply more
870,000, while the nature reserves Huairou reconstruction of old buildings, and Chaoy- to better organize and provide more services.”
than two thirds of Beijing’s needs. How-
and Miyun said 456,000 and 530,000. ang to further develop its status as a busi- Zhao Heng, a researcher at Beijing
ever, since 2004 the city has been drawing
Shijingshan, where the Capital Iron & ness center to disperse its population. Academy of Social Sciences, agreed that
on groundwater supplies from below the
Steel used to be located, pledged a popu- Huairou and Pinggu will continue to developing satellite towns in Hebei Prov-
karst rock layer. That is 1 kilometer or
lation of fewer than 720,000 people, and develop as nature reserves, while Fangshan ince is important.
deeper below the surface,” he said.
Pinggu, the agricultural base and tourist des- and Daxing said they planned to become “We must build up a population struc-
Those deep underground sources,
tination, fewer than 454,000. overfl ow areas for the downtown population ture like Shanghai’s, which offl oads labor
stored in karst, were originally allocated for
At the end of June 2010, Beijing’s total using the new subway lines. to its neighboring provinces of Jiangsu
use only during natural disasters or war.
population was 19.72 million, far higher than Some districts proposed moving major and Zhejiang.”
Dai Yuhua, an offi cial at Beijing Water-
the maximum capacity of 17.5 million calcu- industries like manufacturing, logistics, busi- “Unfortunately, Beijing does not have an
affair Authority, lambasted the city’s boom-
lated by scholars and experts, the Economic ness and commerce to Hebei Province in ideal population structure, and it’s the time
ing ice and snow parks for wasting water.
Observer reports. hopes of prompting an exodus. to start doing something about that.”
“Everyone knows that Beijing is in a
“This has led to serious problems in food The Capital Iron & Steel Group already But Zhao was pessimistic about the
drought, making it the last place a respon-
supply, environment protection, traffi c jams left Shijingshan to Caofeidian, an island in population cap initiative. “It is too big,
sible company should pick to build a golf
and property costs,” the report says. Hebei Province along Bohai Bay. Beijing is grand and wide.”
course. We have had restrictions on these
kinds of parks since 2000. But the snow
Traffi c controls, subways ‘obviously’ parks are equally poisonous to our water
stores,” Dai said.
Beijing Water-affair Authority issued
ease gridlock, offi cial says
regulations on Monday to forbid snow
parks from using tap-water, requiring them
to use reclaimed water instead. Violators
Traffi c congestion has eased “obvi- will be fi ned and forced to close.
ously” since authorities launched a string This winter, profi t-seeking groups
of new, stricter traffi c rules and opened opened nine snow parks in the downtown
fi ve new subway lines last month, a local area – more than ever before. The four
transportation offi cial said Wednesday. largest are in Yuanmingyuan Palace, Yuyu-
“On average, the duration of traffi c antan Park, Longtan Park and Taoranting
jams has been reduced by more than Park. These together use 60,000 cubic
two hours per day, from 3 hours and 55 meters of artifi cial snow made from 30,000
minutes before the new year to the cur- tons of water.
ng rent 1 hour and 45 minutes since Janu- Daily maintenance can push this water
Ni ary 1,” said Li Xiaosong, deputy director usage even higher.
g of the Beijing Municipal Committee of “Without natural snowfall, many
en Communications. people opt to go to these artifi cial snow
er: D systeLmi’s f ocro thmem citityt’es etr auffin cv ceoilnegde satino ni.n Adcecxoirndg- pwahrikcsh. Tgihvaets gpeenoeprlaet eisn cae nlotitv eo f tom oonpeeyn,
gn ing to the system, 0 to 2 signifi es traffi c is even more parks and use up more of our
esi “smooth,” 2 to 4 “generally smooth,” 4 to 6 water. Even reclaimed water is very pre-
D signals “slight congestion,” 6 to 8 “moderate Five new suburban subway lines have opened to ease the city’s traffi c congestion. cious to Beijing,” Dai said.
n congestion,” and 8 to 10 “heavy congestion.” IC Photo Projects to divert water from the coun-
ma “Before the New Year, Beijing’s conges- stricter traffi c rules for cars registered improve urban functionality,” she said. try’s south will relieve the problem to
n tion index was usually greater than 8.2, but outside Beijing. Li Feng, who lives in Daxing, a sub- some extent once the project is completed
a
M it has been 6 since January 1,” she said. An odd-even license plate system was urban district in southern Beijing, told in 2014. But before then, Beijing will con-
n Li attributed the improvement to new introduced to prohibit cars from driving Xinhua Wednesday that he had felt the tinue tapping its strained underground
Ha traffi c rules and subway lines. in the congested areas during peak hours positive changes in Beijing’s traffi c. water supplies.
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Y an average of 2,000 new cars hit the city’s bined length of 108 kilometers, bringing rush hours, but now I can drive at 40 kilo- not solve the problem,” Dai said.
A streets every day. the city’s total number of subway lines to meters per hour,” he said. The dry weather has also caused
D On December 23, authorities in Beijing 14 and the total length to 336 kilometers. Yet many people are waiting to see a resurgence of H1N1 swine fl u. Deng
announced they would slash new car registra- The city is building more subway whether these effects stick given the city’s Haihua, a spokesman from the Ministry
O tions to ease gridlock. This year, the city will lines, Li said. incredible appetite for private cars. of Health, said Monday that 23 percent
T allow only 240,000 vehicles to be registered, By 2015, the number of lines in Transportation authorities said of the recent fl u cases have been caused
about a third of the number of last year. the city is expected to reach 19 with a Sunday that they had received 215,425 by the H1N1 strain.

G It also prohibited municipal govern- combined length of 561 kilometers. By new car license applications after this However, he said he expects fewer
ment agencies and public institutions 2020, the total subway length would month’s application period closed late infections than in 2009.
N from increasing the size of their vehicle increase to 1,000 kilometers, she said. Saturday night. Guo also said that winter agricul-
I fl eets during the next fi ve years. “Developing public transport, especially But only a tenth of those applicants ture had been affected by the drought,
J Other measures include higher park- rapid rail transit, is an important move will get license plates this month pending and that the coming spring will see
EI ing fees in the city’s central areas and for Beijing to ease traffi c congestion and a lottery on January 26. (Xinhua) more sandstorms.
B
January 14 2011
3
Jet Li’s One Foundation splits
from Red Cross becomes public
s
w
By Han Manman MCA and the Shenzhen govern-
e
One Foundation, established by ment, One Foundation registered
movie star Jet Li, offi cially trans- as a public foundation.
N
formed into a public foundation in The foundation published
Shenzhen on Tuesday. the names of a five-member
It was the fi rst time a non- board of supervisors, including
governmental foundation broke one Shenzhen government offi-
from its government-run partner to cial Tuesday.
become a public fundraising body. “The government has sent a
Experts said the move may clear signal that creates more
usher in a new era for China’s pri- opportunities for civil organiza-
vate charities and a big step forward tions and individuals to take part
in the management and reform of in philanthropy,” Wang said.
social organizations. Wang said the successful tran-
Since its establishment in 2007, sition of One Foundation may stir
One Foundation has operated as a activity in China’s philanthropy.
private charitable project attached “Civil foundations may copy the
to the Red Cross Society of China. example of One Foundation that
Consequently, its attempts at inde- fi rst set up a foundation and then
pendent fundraising have been Kung fu star Jet Li (second from right) attends a press conference to announce the establishment of developed it into a formal regis-
fraught with legal problems. Shenzhen One Foundation Public Interest Foundation in Shenzhen. CFP Photo tered operation,” he said.
Although there are no specifi c Ma Hong, director of the Shen-
laws or regulations banning civil 140 million yuan of which went establish an independent public that the government has encour- zhen NGO administration bureau,
organizations from being estab- to philanthropic projects. fundraising foundation and facing aged their expansion. said the door to registering public
lished as public foundations and However, Jet Li complained the same problems as most Chi- The country started a trial fundraising foundations is open to
doing public fundraising activities, that One Foundation had little say nese NGOs in doing so, said Wang project in Shenzhen to advance all NGOs.
most individuals or NGOs can only in deciding how to use the money Zhenyao, chief of Beijing Normal the reform of the civil affairs However, it does not mean
raise money by drawing on their it raised. He wanted the founda- University’s One Foundation Com- system in July 2009, which many of them will be approved,
government connections. tion to focus more on supporting munity Research Institute. allowed the city’s authorities to she said.
Wang Rupeng, a spokesman grassroots NGOs, which lack both In recent years, especially after approve the creation of public “We have to evaluate them and
for the Red Cross Society of money and professionals: the Red the devastating Wenchuan earth- fundraising foundations. In the grant approval only when they meet
China, said One Foundation Cross gave everything to disaster quake in 2008, Chinese NGOs have past, only the Ministry of Civil certain standards,” Ma said, adding
raised more than 190 million relief, Xinhua reported. been developing rapidly in quan- Affairs (MCA) had this authority. that credibility and transparency
yuan during the past three years, Li has been trying to apply to tity and quality, Wang said, adding Under an agreement between are most important.
Lawyer appeals for the release of ‘last hooligan’
By Han Manman nal sentence. Because he vio- small crime,” Wang Bo, a local
A Beijing lawyer has peti- lated his medical parole by resident, said. “Leaving him in
tioned the central government failing to return to the prison prison is like some kind of sick
to pardon a man known as the on time, his sentence was joke for the legal system and a
country’s “last hooligan,” who is extended until 2020. waste of prison resources.”
still serving a prison sentence “It was the police who failed “The reason people have
for a crime that has been abol- their duties by not checking on faith in the law is not because
ished for 13 years. Niu every year and taking him of its severity, but because of its
Zhou Ze, a lawyer from Bei- back to prison on time,” Zhou fairness and mercy. Is Niu not
jing Wentian law fi rm, submit- said, adding that Niu should not deserving both?” said another
ted his proposal to the Standing be held accountable for parole local resident Chen Zhibin.
Committee of the National Peo- violation in this case. The Beijing Times said that
ple’s Congress and several other Zhou’s proposal also sug- most legal experts and criminal
government departments on gests that Criminal Law should lawyers regard Zhou’s proposal
behalf of Niu Yuqiang, 45, who be amended to allow people like as hopeless.
g
was convicted of hooliganism Niu to be released if they have Ruan Qilin, a professor at the n
Ni
after stealing a pedestrian’s hat served a sentence longer than Law School of China University g
and brawling twice in 1983. the punishments stipulated in of Political Science and Law, said n
e
At that time, the crime of the 1997 revision. imprisonment must be based on D
hooliganism included acts such Niu Yuqiang and his family Photo provided by Legal Mirror According to existing legis- the law at the time of conviction. er:
as brawling, sexual harassment death sentence was commuted year of temporary release, but lation, criminals must follow the Another professor at the univer- n
g
and provocation. However, in to 18 years’ imprisonment for they never came back or con- old code if they were sentenced sity said the only option is for si
1997 the crime which put Niu good behavior. tacted him in any way after prior to the revision. criminals to fi le an appeal. e
D
behind bars was stricken from Later in October 1990, Niu that,” Zhu said. “It’s really unfair to people “Amending laws (in this way) n
the Criminal Law, making Niu was released for medical In 1997, Niu married and like Niu,” Zhou said. diminishes the authority of judi- a
m
an inmate for a non-crime. parole and sent back to Bei- started a family. It was the Niu’s story also has been cial decisions,” he said.
n
Niu, a Beijing resident, was jing to be treated for tubercu- same year the Criminal Law was a topic of much debate and Zhou said he might pursue a
M
sentenced to death with a two- losis, Zhu said. revised to eliminate his crime. sympathy. legal action against the prison n
year reprieve in 1984. He was “Several prison offi cers came But in the summer of 2004, “Hooliganism is no longer a in Xinjiang that was in charge a
H
mtoo vseedrv teo ath pisr issoenn tinen Xcein. jiTanhge taon dch oecffke roend Nhiium’s haena latdhd iint i1o9n9a1l Nthieu pwriasso nf oarncde dse rtove rheitsu ornri gtio- cinri pmreis. oWn h–y e sshpoecuiladl lyN fiour sstuilcl hb ae oisf rNejieuc’ste pda.role if his proposal or:
dit
E
Asia Art Expo 2011 attracts artists from more countries Y
A
By Zhang Dongya brought in painters from West Qatar and Jerusalem. (EUCNC), also participated in institutes and organizations D
The 3rd Asia Art Expo 2011 and South Asian countries like “Little art exchange exists the Expo. A group of 38 artists joined, the outstanding works we
O
opened at the China World Trade Jordan and Pakistan. between China and West Asia. from Hong Kong, Macao and planned to emphasize were over-
Center last Friday. The Chinese Fadia Aboudi, a self-taught Jor- Aboudi’s works feature an abstract Taiwan displayed their works at shadowed,” Wen said. T
sections featured traditional realis- danian artist, took six pieces of style that complements Chinese the Expo. On the opening day, more than

tic paintings and oil paintings by artworks to the Expo. It was painting, because China is just There is no specific data on 10,000 people visited the exhi- G
young professors and teachers at her fi rst time showing her paint- starting to explore abstract work,” trade volume, but the curator bitions. The following three days
N
art schools such as the China Cen- ings on the Chinese mainland. Wen Wu, the curator, said. said the results for this year drew 5,000 visitors each.
tral Academy of Fine Arts. She previously joined several art Domestic and overseas groups were average. “We hope the Expo can encour- I
J
Besides artists from East workshops in Jordan, Taiwan and and associations, such as the “The performance is due to age more people to explore art gal-
I
Asian countries, such as the South New York, and has held many Europe-China Culture Exchange the diverse styles and schools of leries and exhibition halls to enjoy E
Korea and Japan, the Expo also exhibitions in India, Uzbekistan, & Trade Promotion Commission painting exhibited. Since more newly created art,” he said. B
January 14 2011
4
IV abuse a symptom of
e
ailing health industry
r
u
t
a
By Li Zhixin
e China’s people and hospitals are addicted to intravenous medication.
In 2009 alone, the country used some 10.4 billion bottles of fl uids, or about eight bottles per person. To put that in perspective, the
F rest of the world rarely averages between 2.5 to 3 bottles per person.
The shocking fi gures were disclosed by Zhu Zhixin, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, at a
meeting to reform the country’s medical and health care system for 2011.
Hospitals as pushers
“Everybody knows you
can recover quickly if
you get intravenous
medicine.”
Tang Xiao, a 29-year-old
public relations manager, caught
a cold over the New Year’s holi-
day. She was running a mild fever
of 38.9 C.
In order to make sure she could
return to work immediately after
the holiday, she went to the hos-
pital and asked the doctor to pre-
scribe intravenous medication.
“I’ve always tended to get
sick since I was a kid. In the
past, I’ve never been able to
recover from medicine and rest
alone,” she said. When she gets
sick, she goes to the doctor to
get an IV drip.
“Everybody knows you can
recover quickly if you get intrave-
nous medicine,” she said.
Unlike Tang, 37-year-old Ignorance of basic medicine and desire for a quick cure are two of the main reasons patients abuse IV medication.
CFP Photos
Wang Yi, a middle school teacher,
Abuse a social problem
takes the exact opposite
approach. When she or a family In the consultation room at Peo- injections or a drip for a persistent In drug therapy, the side effects In many Western countries,
member falls ill, they try medi- ple’s Hospital of Peking University, fever with no sign of recovery. of oral medicine are comparatively fewer than 10 percent of patients
cine fi rst and injections second. a large green poster reads “Intrave- “In the late 1980s, patients usu- mild as they have to pass through use IV medication: in China, it is
An IV drip is the last resort. nous medicine does not guarantee ally got an injection in the butt the digestive system before the dominant form used in 60 to
So when her 5-year-old son faster recovery.” for serious ailments. Today, people entering the bloodstream. With 70 percent of treatments.
was diagnosed with bronchitis The political slogan is mostly an get an IV drip intravenous The problem of antibiotic abuse
last week, it was with great hes- unwanted decoration. so casually that “Actually, we frequently medicine, the is even more pervasive in pediat-
itation that she took her doc- Patients awaiting their IV you would think try to persuade those risk of a reac- rics. Yang Yonghong, the vice presi-
tor’s advice. The doctor insisted drips gathered beneath the sign they’re getting a tion is immedi- dent of Beijing Children’s Hospital,
patients who don’t really
n on administering an IV anti- on January 2. bag full of Coca ate and said one third of the hospital’s
Ya biotic, and became impatient “In truth, probably 70 percent Cola,” she said. need IV medicine to take serious. 10,000 daily patients receive IV
ao with her when she said she of them didn’t need IV medication. “Medically, an oral treatment. Most “Actually, medication.
Zh would prefer pills. Pills and good rest would have been intravenous don’t listen to us.” we frequently A study of children at hospitals
ner: He d“iMdny’ t snoene dw ianst ranvoetn tohuast msiecdk-. eonno duugthy,.” said Yang Xia, the doctor isnivjeec tiotno i s intvhae- ttrhyo stoe ppearstiueandtes iWn uBheainji nagn, dS hCahnognhgaqi, inGgu ainn gz2h0o0u9,
sig icine. I’m sure he would have When Yang was a child, few human body. Adverse reactions who don’t really need IV medicine found that Chinese children used
e recovered quickly by taking med- people demanded IV medication. have ranged as high as 80 percent to take an oral treatment. Most two to eight times as many IV med-
D
icine as directed and getting a Most doctors would only prescribe in recent years,” she said. don’t listen to us,” Yang said. ications as foreign children.
xin good rest,” she said.
hi The doctor said pills were Explaining the popularity System reform needed
Z slow, and asked her if she would
Li be willing to risk letting her son “Doctors who don’t suggest an IV drip are But the unsound medical also require hospitals to maintain
n system is the root of this problem, detailed records of how many IV
a get pneumonia because of the seen as unprofessional or irresponsible.
hansh slowIn t rtehaet menedn,t s.he acquiesced. Itonr os rjudestr ftool lporwo wtehcta ttehveemr stheleviers p, amtioenstt sd toecl-l HmuecaDhnuagne s itasomi tdh .ee cmurprleonyte cdo matp emnseadtiicoanl mdproeecdstcoicrraispt itwoionhnsos a arreseh p orwuerslidctri nibbgee dt h.i e“nT vmheosotssie-t
S them to do.” institutions, the idea that hospitals gated and asked for an explana-
u
Y and doctors should be medicine tion,” he said.
s: Ignorance of basic medicine ble. In order to protect them- peddlers has become ingrained in “Under the current system,
Editor atwnod tohfe tdhees imrea fionr ar eqausiocnks c upreeo aprlee swehlvaetes,v emr othste idr opcattoiresn tjsu tset llf othlleomw the Bmyi nsdesl loinf gth eI VC hmineedsiec patuiobnlic .a nd deloimctoinras tinstgil l trpalnasyf uas iokne ya bruoslee . iInf
Y habitually abuse IV medication. to do,” Yang said. providing the drip hookup, hospitals the administration and hospitals
A Yang said doctors in the US The abuse may also be driven can earn more money than they can can supervise doctors’ prescriptions
tell parents to give their chil- by interests on the doctors’ side, by selling pills. Many doctors exag- and encourage them to exercise
D
dren more water and make them said Huang Jianshi, assistant gerate the effi cacy of these medica- self-discipline, abuse can still be
O rest. When they catch a cold, dean of the Chinese Academy of tions to push them on patients as controlled,” he said.
doctors might prescribe medi- Medical Sciences. the best solution. The public too has a lot to learn
T
cine to help lower a fever — but “Some doctors and medical “The key to controlling the abuse about basic medicine.
that’s it. institutions deliberately prescribe at hospitals is to ... cut off the ben- This Monday, Deng Haihua,
G
“In China, parents would be transfusion treatments to boost efi ts shared by medical institutions spokesman for the Ministry of
N furious if a doctor did so little their performance ranking and and the prescribing doctors,” he Health, said at a press conference
I since they have to invest so much earn more. Their income is said. “Doctors’ salaries and bonuses that the ministry plans to urge
J time waiting in line. Doctors who directly related to how much should be only linked to how many hospitals to strengthen their inter-
I Antibiotic abuse is even more per- don’t suggest an IV drip are seen medication and fl uid they pre- patients they treat — not how many nal management and promised
E
vasive in pediatrics. as unprofessional or irresponsi- scribe to patients,” Huang said. prescriptions they write.” to push for hospital and medical
B He said health offi cials should system reform.
January 14 2011
5
Coupon generation
Americans are not the only ones who are able to fi nd
the best deals. In a country that’s become one of the largest
luxury and consumer markets in the world, young consum-
ers have found some innovative and wacky ways to spend
their money.
Discount shopping becomes a way of life for young Chinese k
o
The third eye
o
New shopping habits to change business model
By Huang Daohen offering discounts and options l
The shift in young people’s for online group purchases. t
shopping behavior will have a sig- Velo is a Beijing-based com-
u
nifi cant impact on the way busi- pany that has coupon booths
ness is done in the country, said around subway stations and the
O
Wen Yijun, market analyst with city’s shopping centers.
Oriental Securities in Beijing. Each day the company
According to a report by hands out about 200,000 cou-
the investment bank Goldman pons for restaurants, goods and
Sachs, there are currently about other services.
350 million people in China “Now young people are more
between the ages of 18 and 35. aware of managing their
The group’s consumption ability fi nances. They will calculate and
is crucial to future development think more before buying,” Wen
as the government transforms said. The coupons and discounts
its export-oriented economy to make them feel they can get
one more domestic focused. more for less.
The report predicts that the Wen said the recent price
young group will help the surge has somehow prompted
country overtake the US as the new shopping habits.
Consumers print out discount coupons at a row of terminals in Wangfujing. Fan Jiashan/IC Photo
the world’s largest consumer “Though discount stores are usu-
Known as the “coupon gen- movie tickets. than four hours at about 135,000 market as early as 2020. ally on the outskirts of the city,
eration,” young shoppers have Ding’s zest for savings isn’t yuan, a 20 percent discount, Wen said the spending young people feel it’s worth the
brought a surprising shift in out of necessity. She is relatively on the country’s most popular habits of this group have there- drive,” he said.
shopping habits, the Associated well off. “I’ve never come across online retailer. fore become especially impor- But Wen believes this
Press reported. a good deal I didn’t like.” More than a craze, discount tant for entrepreneurs. Among coupon obsession is not neces-
Ding Can, a 32-year-old Companies as global as Nike shopping is becoming a way of the recent shifts, consumers’ sarily all about saving a buck.
software testing engineer, car- and as local as the Yonghe fast life for young Chinese. It’s a rel- appetite for discount coupons “It has become fashionable, as
ries a purse crammed with more food chain are courting the bar- atively new and youth-oriented and online shopping is particu- young people can share their
than 30 discount cards and gain hunters. phenomenon in China, where larly noteworthy. experiences.”
dozens of coupons. Her apart- A planned three-week cam- consumerism has taken off only While malls and department Wen said it’s not bad busi-
ment is packed with freebies, paign by Mercedes-Benz for its as the country has shifted from stores remain big shopping ness for stores to offer discounts.
from cosmetic samples to key two-seat Smart car ended in a central planning to a market sites, Wen said they are losing Coupons are actually a form
chains. She often lines up day when the more than 200 economy and started to grow. favor among young shoppers. of advertisement: it encourages
before dawn for discounted cars were snapped up in less (Agencies) Companies should focus on consumers to spend more.
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January 14 2011
6
Branching out
Fujifi lm crosses
into cosmetics
market
s
By Chu Meng
s Wenzhou opens door for foreign-bound private capital Fujifi lm China Investment,
the Japan-based photographic
e and imaging company, said it
By Huang Daohen plans to launch a high-end cos-
n They have been known for metics line in China to tap what
producing poor quality shoes and it regards to be the world’s big-
i blamed for pushing up housing gest market.
s prices. Yet, the image of investors “Astalift,” Fuji’s fi rst cos-
from Wenzhou, the coastal bastion metics line, had its initial
u of the economic engine in Zheji- release conference in Shang-
ang Province, is about to change. hai on Monday. China is the
B The city has started a pilot fi rst overseas market for the
program to allow local individuals Astalift brand due to the
to speed up offshore investments, country’s tremendous growth
and its 1 trillion yuan in the pri- potential, said Fuji China pres-
vate sector may help to offset the ident Takashi Yokota.
fl ow of hot money and cool surg- Fujifi lm, a unit of Fujifi lm
ing infl ation. Holdings Corporation, decided
to move into cosmetics because
Limited opportunity it anticipated the market for
The traffi c on Monday morning camera fi lm will shrink as con-
is the worst of the week. Numerous sumers shift to digital cameras.
Mercedes-Benz, BMWs or Ferraris Entering the Chinese cosmet-
form an angry mob around pockets ics market is part of a plan to
of taxis on jam-packed roads. diversify its business territories
The music on the radio is the after transferring out from the
sound of honking, angry drivers. fading traditional consumer
Still, behind the stopped wheels, fi lm industry.
well-dressed entrepreneurs are With its own research and
already conducting business on development force, Fujifi lm
their cell phones. China, rival to American com-
This is Wenzhou, a medium- petitor Kodak, opened a trial
sized coastal city in Zhejiang Prov- online store on Taobao.com as
ince, home of a people called “the early as last September. Its
Jews of the Orient” – a city of self- products include liquid soap,
made millionaires. facial lotion, make-up remover
Jin Jijun, a Wenzhou entrepre- and essence, priced between
neur, was among the trapped driv- 240 and 770 yuan.
ers in his BMW. He was on his way However, sales records have
to meet a French business partner. shown weak performance.
Jin, in his 40s, used to be a President Yokota promised
real estate investor. He’s recently to enhance promotion efforts
found a new market to gamble on: this year and open 50 direct
fi ne wines. He had invested in art, chain stores or counters. Fujifi lm
stocks and real estate, but after the Wenzhou businessmen are known has also opened a direct-man-
government tightened the property for their business sense. IC Photos agement online store, catering
industry, Jin turned to the profi t- Illustrated by Jiao Shu to the huge number of young
able wine industry. Chinese online shoppers under
“Especially French wines,” Jin celebrate. The city government in a single offshore investment. Zhou Dewen, head of the Fujifi lm’s offi cial website.
said. “This market is relatively announced on January 7 that it has However, offshore investments Council of Wenzhou Small and China is not Fujifi lm’s fi rst
new in Wenzhou – really every- launched a pilot program to allow in the stock markets, real estate Medium-sized Enterprises’ Devel- test fi eld for cosmetics. In 2006,
where in China – and has the residents to make direct overseas or the energy and mining sectors opment, said the move will be a Fujifi lm introduced its Astalift
most potential.” investment (DOI). are prohibited. great for local entrepreneurs. product line to the Japanese
Recent years have seen the price According to a post on the Under the new rules, indi- Zhou said it’s common for a market. So far it has 4,000
surge in the wine industry. The offi cial website of the Wenzhou vidual investors can own, wealthy Wenzhou entrepreneur chain counters in Japan.
price of Chateau Lafi te Rothschild Foreign Trade and Economic control or manage foreign com- to invest in South Africa under Cosmetic product develop-
and other popular brands is rising Cooperation Bureau, adults in panies by setting up entities, the name of a relative. While the ment has a lot in common with
n
a every month in China. The price Wenzhou will be able to invest up buying shares or initiating investor may be able to make a fi lm development, Yoshisada
Y
o is pushing ever higher with Spring to $3 million in any single over- mergers and acquisitions. fortune, bringing that money back Nakamura, senior research
ha Festival around the corner. seas investment with a maximum That’s what wine vendor Jin into China is diffi cult since it went manager at Fujifi lm, said at the
er: Z Chin“Ie shea vbeu nyeor isd ehaa vweh ecroem ael l ftrhoemse, of $A2 0g0r mouiplli oonf pienrd yievaidr.uals will iasn de xppoeicsteidn gfo. r“ tWakee -aorfef, ”a Jlli nr seaaiddy. throTuhgehs iel lecghaal nchgaensn ewlso.u ld give presHs ec oenxfperlaeinnceed. that “one of
gn but the price of some vintage wines only be allowed to buy $10 mil- He is now planning to bid for a such investors a legal door, the most popular and impor-
si has increased 30 percent this year,” lion worth of foreign exchange French vineyard. Zhou said. tant cosmetic substances, colla-
e
D Jin said. gen, is one of Fujifi lm’s essential
n Jin traveled to Bordeaux three Analyst ingredients in fi lm production.
aohe tdirmedess olafs bt oytetlaers aonf dC hbaotuegahut Lhaufi nte- Plan strikes at infl ation, hot money Wexpe earicetnucaell yp rhoadvuec in70g cyoelalargs eonf,
D Rothschild. However, one thing still Market analysts say the new viduals to directly buy assets like Wenzhou. and that knowledge ensures the
ng bothered Jin: as an individual, he move by Wenzhou could sig- overseas opens a new channel “In fact, private investors have maturity of our end products.”
ua cannot invest directly in France. nificantly boost foreign invest- to disperse the excess liquidity been investing overseas for years, Xiao Shen, a professor
H Wealthy individuals in Wen- ment by local private investors, in the market, Zhao said. but through underground or ille- from the Economic School of
or: zhou like Jin have often run up but Zhao Xiao, economics pro- But Zhao said he believes the gal channels,” Zhao said. Peking University, said that
dit against this problem. Since they fessor with the University of new move won’t necessarily have Offi cial fi gures from the city’s while Fujifi lm has transferred
E are prohibited from directly invest- Science and Technology Bei- an immediate effect on outbound government show that Wenzhou is camera business from fi lm
Y
ing abroad, many chose to seek jing, thinks it’s a crafty way to local private capital. Private capi- natives had established around to digital, it is looking to make
A high returns within the country. cool national inflation. tal usually seeks high returns, and 600 offshore companies at the its main profi ts in Medical and
D They pumped their money into real Zhao said the government returns on domestic investments end of 2009. Private capital in Life Science Systems, Graphic
estate, coal mines and vegetables. plans to run a tighter monetary are currently much higher. the city is estimated to be about Systems, Engineering Photo-
O
According to the city’s commer- policy this year as the country “That is why hot money keeps 40 billion yuan. fi nishing Products and Motion
T cial authorities, by July 2009, indi- still faces infl ation pressure. Last pouring in from around the globe,” Others believe that estimate is Picture Films.
viduals from the city’s Pingyang November, the consumer price Zhao said. The professor also said conservative, and that the real num- “Whether it can pose a threat
G County alone had invested 3 bil- index (CPI) struck a historic high that the move will play down hot bers could top 1 trillion yuan. to conventional Japanese cos-
N lion yuan in more than 100 Shanxi of 5.1 percent. money fears. The move to create a legal metics manufactures such as
Province coal mines. Private capital being used for Despite no evidence of large- channel for outbound investment Shiseido, Kanebo and Kose is
I Encouraging speculation was largely responsi- scale hot money infl ows, there has will in turn help the government unknown, because they all have
J
I investment abroad ble for the jump, Zhao said. long been a huge demand for for- better monitor and manage had a solid market share in
E This policy that allows indi- eign investment in coastal cities money infl ow, Zhao said. China for years,” he said.
But there is something to
B
January 14 2011
7
Disneyland a cultural threat?
e
By Wang Yu Comment
The construction of Shanghai Dis-
neyland starts this May. As the second Create a fusion t
A single Disneyland can’t threaten
Disneyland in China, the project has a
our culture. It’s a good opportunity to
maintained national attention since
create a fusion, a Chinese-style Disney-
2009, when rumors of a contract first b
land. Kids like Mickey Mouse because the
surfaced.
company promotes the character in a
Although construction won’t be fin-
smart way. Sun Wukong won’t lose if our e
ished until 2015, the park has already
cartoon industry is on the right track.
been turned into a symbol of Western
– He Yuxin, D
cultural invasion.
newspaper editor
As the symbol of Chinese animated
figures – this country’s version of A warning sign
Sun Wukong is the equivalent of
Mickey Mouse – Sun Wukong (the
Mickey Mouse in the US. The character
Monkey King) will play a big part in the
is a very precious resource to the native
new Disneyland. “Let Sun Wukong and
cartoon industry. When our traditional
Mickey Mouse dance together,” said Don
culture needs to fi rst be modifi ed by for-
Robinson, former managing director of
eigners and introduced back to our kids,
Hong Kong Disney. But these words
it’s lost. But in a free market, you can’t
scare some Chinese culture experts, who
forbid others from using your heritage.
fear their national treasure will get lost
We don’t have to be afraid of that but we
in the mix.
Some worry stems from the success of Many consider the Disney version of Monkey King a cultural invasion. CFP Photo need to be aware of it.
Chinese characters in Hollywood movies. Disney’s most profi table overseas branch. guarantee of profit. Paris Disneyland, for – Zheng Fuhan, offi ce worker
Some viewers did not like their national More than 260 million tickets have been example, began earning a profit only in Nothing to be afraid of
treasures being given English voices in sold so far, and it’s done wonders bring- 2008, 16 years after its opening. The In the UK, American pop culture is
fi lms like Kung Fu Panda. ing Disney products to Japan. Hong Kong branch has also lost money also powerful but young people still like
On the other hand, local cartoons and Other than the culture issue, the the past three years. native indie culture. There is a Disney-
animated pictures have failed to gain financial future of Shanghai Disneyland Disney, on the other hand, can still land in Paris but French people remain
popularity among Chinese viewers. is also controversial. earn money by charging royalties and a French all the same. It is only a park.
Shanghai Disneyland developers are Xinmin Evening News reported that managing fee, so it is only the local gov- There is nothing to be afraid of.
using Tokyo Disneyland as an example, the government has invested more than ernment that has to endure the finan- – David Reynolds,
which opened in 1983 and has become 65 billion yuan on the project, with no cial pressure. soccer coach from Britain
University student works as
professional nude model to pay tuition
By Chu Meng
Su Zizi (stage name), a second-year
student at Renmin University, is the fi rst
high-profi le case of a student posing nude
in order to pay her tuition. She receives
500 yuan per session.
Su’s most recent gig was getting pho-
tographed while swimming nude inside a
large aquarium in one of Beijing’s most
crowded grocery markets last Thursday.
Afterwards she accepted all interviews.
Reporters were in thick down jackets while
Su was in nothing, sitting calmly in front
of mics and cameras.
“The theme was to explore our fear of
suffocation,” she said. She appeared more
relaxed than the reporters. n
a
Her story was brought to public atten- Y
o
tion last December when she was displayed a
h
at the Renmin University of China Xu Bei- Z
hong Art School, the top painting academic er:
institution in China. n
g
The self-sponsored “Who am I?” art si
exhibition opened quietly, displaying pho- e
D
tographs of her body. n
Quickly, school offi cials removed some e
h
of the photos, and many students were o
a
shocked by this kind of “audacity.” Even Su Zizi (left) has brought the nude model industry under the spotlight. IC Photo D
her mother believed that her daughter g
Comment n
was “crazy.” a
u
Su said she became a model out of eco- H
nomic necessity, but gradually fell in love ShoI udlodn ’nt soete b thee f prooinntt- opfa thgee sntoerwy.s In Brit- TasFtierfsut lI thought this was just another HeaIfl tshhey’ sm a osedxe wlionrgk ecra irne Pera riiss ,n sehee dweoduld or:
with the art of body photography. ain this wouldn’t be news at all, much less extravagant story played up by online be under legal protection. If she’s a success- dit
“Artistic body photography isn’t front-page news. media. But when I found her work, I ful model in New York, she would make E
immoral in other countries, it’s just rare in Y
Like other types of models, such as auto thought she brought sincerity to her art. a huge amount of money. Why? Because
China and less socially accepted,” she told models, fashion models, TV models and art Though the pictures aren’t perfect and there are well-established industries there A
Sina last week.
models, an artistic body model is just a job. far from outstanding artistic achieve- for sex and modeling. D
Su, an art major, was born in Yichang
It could be part-time or full-time. ments, they are still one-of-a-kind in our In China, fashion modeling isn’t well
City, Hubei Province in 1991. Her par- O
Her academic background works to current society. formed, much less body modeling.
ents divorced when she was young and
her advantage. Men like smart beauties The fame of China’s artistic universi- In other countries, nude models are T
she grew up under the care of her pater-
nal grandparents under tight economic rather than dull beauty pageant types. ties and academic institutions are fading. not uncommon and are well accepted
Things can change if she, like certain Some have degraded into the last choice among artistic universities and institu- G
conditions. She was a rather rebellious
girl who smoked, used ketamine and got Playboy models, aims to promote herself for students who take the university exam. tions. Maybe Su can be among the fi rst to N
by using her university status as a selling Su is one of a few who is still in love with introduce the practice to China.
into fights.
point rather than saying she’s doing this art and doing something seriously for it. – Cathy Sheng, I
Some say she is great for being able to J
purely for the sake of art. – Lin Mingjie, news analyst, project manager of
support herself. Others say her art is a step I
– Clinton Krikken, The Bookworm employee Xinmin Evenings British Council Beijing E
away from pornography.
B
January 14 2011
8
Luxury retailers take
e their wares online
r
u
t
a By Annie Wei
In the last two years, a
e dozen websites have launched
business-to-consumer sales of
F luxury brands. Behind the
booming scene, it’s too early
to tell who will be the winner.
The mushrooming of
e-luxury websites
Steven Chen, a 33-year-old inves-
tor, just purchased a Miu Miu bag
online for his girlfriend. “I would
prefer some special designer brand,
less tacky, but I was too busy to fl y to
Hong Kong or Paris this Christmas.”
“Online shopping is convenient,”
he said. “Plus, there are discounts.”
There is an increasing number
of people like Chen. According to
Shangpin.com, a local e-luxury web-
site where Chen shops, brands like
Gucci, Fendi and Armani were almost
sold out before Christmas. The web-
site said more than 30 percent of
orders were for more than one prod- As China’s luxury market booms, brands that entered the market long ago, like Dior and Luis Vuitton, have become widely known
uct and 10 percent of orders totaled and seen their sales increase. CFP Photo
at least 30,000 yuan, with some
higher than 100,000 yuan.
Not real luxury
According to market research
from Goldman Sachs, 80 percent Although “e-luxury” is a – Vipshop.com – hardly sells “known brands.” Glamour- like Net-a-porter.com generate
of luxury consumers in China are fancy name, one can get bored anything with global reputa- sales.com.cn, for example, car- annual revenues of $250 million
younger than 45, while the percent- quickly after browsing these tions, only brands from facto- ries brands like Lacoste and to $400 million, with good sales
age for consumers under that age is sites. Yintai, for example, is one ries in South China. Juicy Couture. of designer brands. However, if
only 30 percent in the US and 19 per- of the leading department store According to Zero2ipo “Premium products are hard Net-a-porter opened a similar
cent in Japan. chains nationwide, but its so- Research Center’s report on to sell online,” said Bedi Ye, website in China, the business
The report said China spent $6.5 called luxury website is nothing e-luxury sites, China’s current founder of Fashion Trend might not do as well because the
billion (43 billion yuan) on luxury more than a shopping catalogue e-luxury websites cannot ade- Digest, a website that focuses on number of Chinese consumers
goods in 2010; the number of Chi- for its malls. Unlike Western quately provide customers the the fashion and luxury industry. who know the names of these
nese who spend on luxury goods department stores, whose cat- real experience of shopping for He said that what makes designers is very small, and the
will increase from 40 million to alogues are well designed with luxury products. online shopping attractive is number of customers who know
160 million within the next five known models, the Yintai cata- Instead of selling luxury the discounts. and can afford these brands are
years, and the country is expected logue is average at best. Another brands, most websites sell Successful foreign websites even smaller, Ye said.
g to become the biggest luxury con-
n
Ni sumer in the world. Out-of-date inventories
g As a result, an increasing number
en of luxury brands have been searching Zhang Yanan, an analyst season. “If you are a fashion- However, Yoox.com blurred get their orders within two to
D for more distribution channels to boost at Zero2ipo Research Center, ista, you don’t want to spend the ideas of “out-of-season” fi ve days. But “generally speak-
er: their sales. So far, a dozen websites said there were some obvi- money on 2010 spring and and “discount” by using good ing,” Ye said, “luxury brands
n claim to have “luxury products,” like ous obstacles for e-luxury summer collections right now, brands at lower prices, said are very strict with their dis-
g
si Vipshop.com, Yintai.com, 5lux.com, in China. First, how will it unless it was a special lim- Ye, founder of Fashion Trend tribution channels. It’s hard to
De Glamour-sales.com.cn, Wooha.cn, and ensure product diversity? ited-edition or something clas- Digest. “It’s like shopping at imagine a small website can get
g Ystyle.com. Western companies like And how will it lower costs? sic,” Xiao said. He pointed out outlets when we are abroad,” so many dealerships.”
n Yoox, a leading luxury online retailer Most Chinese e-luxury prod- that limited-edition products he said. Zhang said currently many
Yi
Wei flaroumnc hIitnagly , eemntperoerdio atrhme anmi.acrnk et labsyt usecatss abruey eprusr cohr aosnedli nbey. Movoerre- mori ginh tH soenllg aKto nstgo raess opapborosaedd manAyn wotehbesri teos bhsatavcel es usips icitohuast ep-ulurcxhuarsyi nwge bcshiatensn uelsse, tshoe msaamnye
n November. than 60 percent of these web- to online, since the boutiques sources for their products. online products look the same.
a sites’ inventories are out of there have tight connections Meici.com, for example, And “although many sites ask
sh date, Zhang said. with VIP customers. showcases many international for VIP membership and only
an Xiao Hui, a local buyer and The most known websites brands from Italy, the US and members can log in,” Zhang said,
Sh owner of the boutique Soma at like Yoox.com, Shangpin.com France on its website and claims “one won’t fi nd the same type of
u Nali Patio, said online prod- and Glamour-sales.com.cn all its inventories are on the Chinese attentive service online as he or
Y
s: ucts are cheaper, but few are in sell out-of-season products. mainland and that customers will she would in a store.”
or
dit The market is there
E
Y
Although the e-luxury sace, as well as expand into founder and CEO of Yoox, but improving the quality of
A market seems to be unsteady in suitcases, leather goods, home said e-luxury is a long-term e-luxury business.
D China, many sites have none- and furniture, watches, jewel- business in China. Ten years By launching its fi rst site in
theless announced their plans ries and lingerie. ago, when Marchetti started November, the company has set
O to further develop this area. Zhao Shicheng, CEO of his e-luxury business in Italy, up a logistic center in Shanghai
T Shangpin.com, a local site, Shangpin.com, said that the many people thought it was and developed a Chinese site
said it is the exclusive dealer idea of shopping for luxury a joke. For his company’s catering to Chinese consumers.

G for brands like Van Cleef & goods online will become future in this country, he said, Marchetti said Yoox focuses on
Arpels and Mont Blanc. In more and more accepted in “We estimated that China quality service, and that it will
N
January, it plans to introduce China, which will only increase would become the third big- be rewarded in the long run.
I fragrance from brands like the competition between gest market for us by 2015.” It remains to be seen
J
Burberry, Lanvin, Loewe, online retailers. Marchetti said the company’s whether his assessment
I
E Prada, Paul Smith and Ver- Federico Marchetti, priority is not making money proves correct.
Outside an LV boutique
B Hong Yi/CFP Photo
January 14 2011
9
Hopkins professor views Sino-US
relations in context of public opinion
s
w
By Liang Meilan about China. business in China, and how
Many Sino-US experts have “They will look for too many it buys back shares from the
e
kept close watch over how dramatic and action-fi lled pro- federal government to escape
public opinion influences the grams, resulting in a lack of in- government control.
relationship between the depth programming,” he said. “In short, the story is about n
world’s two most powerful “Another fact is that we have the Chinese market generating
nations. too many 24-hour news channels revenue for American compa-
A forum called “The Current in competition for viewers. They nies to survive,” Lampton said. t
State of Sino-US Relations in live on [sensationalism]. Thus, “Some aspects of US-China rela- a
the Context of Public Opinion” in a broad sense, their quality tions are still under the radar.”
was held Sunday at Capital M of programming about China is Lampton said that though
p
restaurant, with two prestigious dumbed down,” he said. public opinion think tanks are
Sino-US scholars presenting Many experts see the Internet lacking in China, public opinion
x
their views. as a dangerous place for breed- assessment happens all the time
David M. Lampton, director of ing negative public opinions. behind the scenes.
E
China Studies at Paul H. Nitze Though Lampton agrees some- “The system is essential for
School of Advanced International what, he showed optimism. the government to fi gure out
Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins “Thanks to the Internet and what the trends are,” he said.
University, was one of the present- ever-improving social network Lampton said that China
David M Lampton (left) offers insight into the infl uence of media
ers. His latest book is The Three websites, we can learn more is skilled in its polling meth-
and public opinion on Sino-US relations. Photo by Wei Jianghui
Faces of Chinese Power: Might, about people’s view on China in ods, and PR companies have a
Money, and Minds. He said that print media in Wall Street Journal, New York 2010 and 2011 than we could in firm grasp of consumer demo-
Aside from researching Chi- the US has gotten better in terms Times and Financial Times to the 1970s,” he said. graphics.
na’s military, economy and of quality and profundity of sto- not only cover news but also Lampton said most US media “Some of the more interest-
politics, Lampton pays close ries on China. solicit opinions,” he said. reports about China are objec- ing studies are about the emerg-
attention to the US’ media cov- “The American representa- In broadcast media, a pre- tive and fact-based. ing middle class,” he said.
erage of China. tives of media in China no longer vailing trend is programs are He gave an example of a “I believe that Western
Lampton said print media have language diffi culties, and becoming more and more enter- story in the Wall Street Jour- people will learn more about
is a major platform infl uencing China has became more and taining and shorter, which is nal three month ago about Chinese public opinion as stud-
American opinion and infl uenc- more open in providing more considered a threat to the qual- how General Motors harvests ies become more and more
ing Sino-US relations. access for foreign media like ity of TV or radio programs a tremendous profit in its transparent.”
Chinese-Japanese youngsters share
Coming-of-Age Day together
By Chu Meng
Two hundred Japanese
and Chinese 20-year-olds,
dressed in traditional kimo-
nos and qipao, attended the
annual Coming-of-Age Day
ceremony held by the Jap-
anese embassy in Beijing at
798 Art Zone on Tuesday.
Coming-of-Age Day is a Jap-
anese festival held annually on
the second Monday of January
in the past year to encourage all
those who have turned 20, the g
n
age of majority in Japan. Ni
It was the fi rst time the cel- g
n
ebration was held in China and e
D
sha“reWde w aitrhe Cahlilnoewseed s ttuod ednrtisn. k er:
n
alcohol, smoke and vote at the g
age of 20, becoming a more si
e
effective citizen in Japan,” D
said Yoshiki Masada, the pres- n
a
ident of Beijing Japanese Stu- m
dents Association, co-sponsor n
a
of the ceremony. M
The association is an orga- n
a
nization established in Beijing H
in 2000. It aims to spread or:
awareness of traditional Japa- dit
nese culture and make connec- E
tions with Chinese students Y
on campus who share this A
common interest.
D
“Bringing Japanese tradi- Japanese 20-year-olds dress up in Kimonos to celebrate Coming-of-Age Day. Photo by Koichi Kamoshida/CFP
tional festivals to China is O
“I am very glad to see that tural areas,” he said. Relations School of Peking differences and similarities
good for deepening under-
more and more sharing and During the ceremony, University, said that although between the two countries and T
standing between youngsters
exchange projects are being tudents presented Japanese and she has been legally an adult has taught me something new
from the two countries,” Jap- held among young people. In Chinese traditional perfor- for two years (the age is 18 in about Japanese culture,” she G
anese ambassador to China
Uichiro Niwa, who assumed recent years, the two coun- mances and shared “Coming- China), sharing in this Japa- said. “Though the two coun- N
tries have created a conducive of-Age Day sake.” nese festival was a great expe- tries have disputes now and
office in Beijing last July, said environment for the develop- Wang Qiong, a Chinese stu- rience for her. then, I made good Japanese I
at the ceremony. J
ment of bilateral ties in cul- dent from the International “It makes me aware of friends today.” I
E
B
January 14 2011
10
Get ready for a night Event
Clothing drive
of Scottish dancing Rotaract Beijing, an expat
volunteer organization, is
y
holding its second annual
clothing drive. Used – but
t
not used-up – shirts, coats,
i quilts, shoes, toys and books
n will be accepted. The charity
store Roundabout will dis-
u tribute them to people in
need throughout China.
m Collection points: Nearby
the Tree, Frank’s Place, Sta-
dium Dog, Tim’s Texas BBQ,
the Familier, Hutong School,
m
Grinders and Paddy O’Shea’s
When: January 10-30,
8-10 am
o Website:
rotaractbeijing.org
C
Learn to clean and steam
live hairy crabs
Hairy crabs are now in
season. The Fig Tree, a
pastry and cooking school,
is holding a class for people
to try their hand at clean-
ing and steaming crabs with
roe. Afterwards, a crab meal
with rice and vegetables will
be provided.
Where: The Fig Tree,
Group Scottish dancing at the St. Andrew’s Ball Photo provided by Beijing Caledonian Society Room 202, Building A, Cha-
By Liang Meilan of Beijing Caledonian Society, the are able to learn jibs and reels – two The society accepts members owai Soho, Chaoyangmen Wai
Tuesday evening, the main event organizer. characteristic Scottish dance pat- with no experience in Scottish Dajie, Chaoyang District
room on the third fl oor of the Ath- The Burns’ Supper is one of terns – and network with others. dance. It usually takes three to fi ve When: January 14, 7-9:30
letic Center in the Capital Man- two major annual events the soci- The main steps at the dance classes for beginners to master the pm
sion complex was fi lled with some ety brings to stage. The other this year will be Postie’s Jig, basic steps. Tel: [phone]
40 people, both Chinese and is the St. Andrew’s Ball, which Ladies Fance and Dashing White Membership to the society is Cost: 200 yuan
expats, joyfully dancing in groups happened November 27. It fea- Sergeant. The dress code at the 100 yuan for a year. So far, the soci-
to Scottish bagpipe music. tured John Stuart Band, pipe per- Burns’ Supper is formal wear or ety has 80 members. Broadway English
They were practicing their formances and a mass Scottish traditional dress: kilts for men High heels are not recom- theater camp
steps for the upcoming Burns’ dance performance. and long skirts for women. mended while dancing because of Beijing Playhouse has
Supper Night, a traditional Scot- The society presents a broad Besides the annual events, the the amount of ankle movement that been running annual
tish festival in memory of the late spectrum of Scottish folk dancing, society organizes monthly dance is required. New members should summer and winter camps
Robert Burns, Scotland’s favorite and choreographs some special outings that normally begin in wear fl at and comfortable shoes. designed for non-native Eng-
“ploughman poet.” moves for each of its annual events. February. “Through these informal Tickets for the Burns’ Supper lish speakers. This year’s
Prior to the Burns’ Supper, which Another practice will be this dance gatherings, we are trying to can be reserved by emailing winter camp is now holding
will be held on January 22 at the coming Tuesday and is open to all attract as many Chinese people as [email protected]. auditions for children ages 6
China World Hotel Beijing, partici- and free of charge. “As a dance soci- possible to join the society and to 15.
pants are asked to attend two prac- ety, we are trying to make every dance,” Hector said. Beijing Caledonian Society Where: No 4 Middle
tice sessions held on the last two event an easily accessible opportu- In addition, the society runs free dance practice School, 2 Huangchenggen
Tuesdays before the event date. nity for both Chinese and expats three Ceilidhs (Scottish term for an Where: 3/F, Capital Club Ath- Bei Jie, Xicheng District
“Because Scottish folk dance to know more about Scottish dance evening of music and dancing) a letic Center, Capital Mansion, 6 Auditions: January 15, 2
has various patterns and requires and music culture,” Hector said. year, mainly targeted at families. Xinyuan Nanlu Chaoyang District pm
smooth cooperation among group The practices are free because “To teach children Scottish danc- When: January 18, 7:30-9 pm Tel: [phone]
dancers, rehearsals are needed for tickets to the Burns’ Supper – 650 ing, we have functions at many inter- Email: Cost: 5,500 yuan
attendees who are mainly amateur yuan – may be too expensive for national schools like the German [email protected] (By Liang Meilan)
dancers,” said John Hector, chief many. Those who attend practice School in Beijing,” Hector said. Cost: Free
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