Beijing Today (January 15, 2016)

17.5 MB·English

by  Beijing Youth Daily Group

FEATURE MUSIC FOOD
WHY VILLA BUILDING INDIE BAND EMITTER SPEAKS WARMING FOODS FOR THE COLD
BANS DON’T WORK P.2 ON THE BEIJING SCENE P.5 END OF THE CALENDAR P.8
PUBLISHED BI-WEEKLY
ISSUE NO. 761
JANUARY 15, 2016
BEIJINGTODAY.COM.CN
3.00#
DREAMY
GARDENS
WANG JIA BLENDS OIL PAINTING WITH CHINESE BRUSH
TECHNIQUES TO CREATE AN ART STYLE SHE TAGS AS
FEMININE, INNOCENT AND CLASSICALLY CHINESE. P.4
Beijing Youth Daily Group President: Zhang Yanping Editor-in-Chief: Jack Wang ~ Content Director: Su Derui ~ Designer: Zhao Yan ~ Phone: [phone] ~ FAX: [phone]
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Chaoyang District, Beijing, China 100026 Published under the auspices of the Office of the Beijing Municipal Government. Run by Beijing Youth Daily Group.
2
JANUARY 15, 2016 FEATURE BEIJING TODAY
FEATURE
l
Special Interests,
But the truth may not be so.
In the book “What to Do With China’s
Real Estate?” independent writer Chang
Poor Planning Collide in Qing argues that mainland cities are learn-
ing from Hong Kong and allowing only a
small amount of land to be developed and
traded in the market. It’s an example of
Ongoing Villa Prohibition
“hunger marketing.”
In the China National Land Utiliza-
tion Plan (2006 – 2020) published by the
State Council in 2008, urban construction
accounted for only 0.33 percent of overall
BY YANG XIN land use. Since only 30 percent of all urban
I
constructions are residential estates, that
n spite of a decade-long moratorium, developers plenty of room to play with A report by Xinhua News in 2012 means that only 0.11 percent of the nation’s
real estate listings reveal that Bei- the rules. found that the income generated from land is used for private residences.
jing and Shanghai’s limited available By distributing the houses in differ- land grant fees, value taxes and deed taxes In US and Japan, the proportions are
land continues to be funneled into ent dwelling sizes, developers can easily in a villa project was many times higher 3.1 and 4.2 respectively.
costly villas. ensure the overall plot ratio meets the than a common residence project. Their Theoretically, China is not short of
The Ministry of Land and Resources government’s requirements. A sales agent development also offered a stronger boost land. The present situation of land short-
first enacted restrictions on villa construc- for Vanke’s Guancheng Villa told Xinhua to the local economy. age may be the result of artificial manipu-
tion in 2003, prohibiting the development that buyers can essentially designate the lation, Chang wrote.
of low-density residential properties. In plot ratio as they wish. Loose Punishment That conclusion was confirmed by
2006, it reiterated and strengthened that In naming these houses, developers Beyond that, insiders have warned of the Cai Jiming, a professor of Tsinghua Uni-
prohibition to target villas. call their developments semi-detached low cost of breaking the rules. versity. The pursuit of political achieve-
Four years after that, the ministry villas, duplexes and townhouses to avoid The case of Poly Real Estate in 2010 is ment has inspired government officials
strengthened its prohibition in another invoking the word ‘villa.’ the best example. Media reported on their to emphasize industrial land development
announcement published with the Minis- The Huarun Bahao Yuan villa project, plans to develop villas in Guangzhou with because it generates more growth in GDP
try of Housing and Urban-Rural Develop- which sprawls along the scenic Chaobai the support of the local government. But and tax revenue, two key markers of gov-
ment. The State Council also banned the River in Shunyi District, has 60 freestand- the Guangzhou Land Resource & Urban ernment performance reviews, Cai said.
sale of land to villa developers. ing villas, all of which have a plot ratio of Planning Committee said the homes were The ministry estimated that between
In 2012, the ministry and the National no more than 0.5, Xinhua reported. “not villas but low-rise dwellings” – a trick 2003 and 2010, more than 43 percent of Chi-
Development and Reform Commission A salesperson for “Dianshan Lake No. of words possible only because the coun- na’s approved construction products were
jointly issued an updated version of the 1”, a villa cluster around Dianshan Lake in try lacks an official definition of villa. dedicated to industrial use: residential proj-
prohibition, requiring that the plot ratio of Kunshan, Jiangsu province told Xinhua The case ended with a fine of 5 per- ects accounted for only 24 percent.
all residential property development must that the villas in the project have a plot cent of the villas’ construction cost, which In most foreign countries, industrial
not be less than 1.0. ratio of no less than 0.6. But a pre-sale totaled a paltry 1.67 million yuan. lands would occupy no more than 20 per-
But with nine documents banning villa permit shows the villas were built in 2013 “This is the equivalent to a 20,000 yuan cent of urban constructions with 45 per-
construction on the national level, how and granted sale qualifications. fine on each villa, which could be sold for cent allocated to residential buildings. That
are so many “strictly prohibited” projects To avoid government regulations, 5 million to 6 million yuan. For develop- would explain why cities with even scarcer
being approved? many villa developers label their proper- ers, that’s a drop in the bucket,” said Hu land resources such as New York City and
ties as “foreign-style residences,” a sales- Gang, an associate professor at the School Tokyo are still able to build villas. ~
Fast-and-Loose Rules person told Xinhua. of Management in Jinan University.
The Ministry of Land and Resources was Developers have good reasons to take Another illegal villa case exposed
quick to point its official finger at real the risk. Most villas are built in suburban in Daqing city, Heilongjiang province
estate developers being in bed with greedy areas where land prices are much lower. in 2012 came to the attention of the
local officials who have little respect for The construction cost could be as low as a ministry. The local officials respon-
national law. few hundred thousand yuan and may sell sible for its approval were punished
But that ignores all the loopholes that for tens of millions. with a verbal warning and adminis-
exist within the prohibition regulation Villas bring much higher profits than trative sanctions.
itself – problems that even Xinhua was common residences, a real estate insider
reporting on as early as 2006. who refused to be named told Xinhua. Enforcement Unlikely
Government agencies have never For the local government, land finance Many insiders doubt the rationality of LOCAL GOVERNMNENT
agreed on a definition of “luxury villa.” is the ultimate motivation for them to col- the prohibition.
The only reference they have ever given is laborate with property developers. The original ban was intended to
the plot ratio. As for the height, dwelling enhance the economic use of land and
size, development area and price of a villa, prevent its extravagance. On the sur-
no specific criteria have been given. face that’s logical, as China is always
Such vague language gives property short on land resources.
VILLA BAN
Photo by CFP
EDITOR: YANG XIN ~ DESIGNER: ZHAO YAN
3
BEIJING TODAY MUSIC JANUARY 15, 2016
d MUSIC LIVE SHOW
ROUNDUP
Beijing boasts one of the world’s most
vibrant indie music scenes. Support our
local artists with a trip to one of this
week’s live performances!
Rise to Fall
@ Mao Live House
Rise to Fall is a band from Spain. The band
has the rhythm of Swedish death metal,
soft melodies and roaring vocals. Founded
in 2010, the band released its first album,
Restore the Balance that same year. That
won the attention of Ettore Rigott, the
mind behind Italian band Disarmonia
Mundi, who helped secure a worldwide
release through Coroner Records.
L January 15, 8:30-11:30 pm
Emitter Speaks on K 111 Gulou Dong Dajie, Dongcheng
N 80 yuan (pre sale), 120 yuan (at door)
Shortcomings of the Luigu Rubino
@ Hot Cat Club
Luigu Rubino is a pianist and composer
from Italy. He started to learn piano and
Beijing Scene
pipe organ at 10 with foreign teachers and
became the keyboardist in neo-classical
band Ashram. Luigu also used to be a
member of several bands such as Argine
BY DIAO DIAO and Corde Oblique. He recently released
S his first album, A Theme for the Moon.
even years isn’t a long time in the Beijing indie With the experience from that first job and
scene, but for the four members of Emitter it Xing’s effort to promote his own band, Emitter L January 15, 8:30-10 pm
has been the learning experience of a lifetime. gained more attention. K 46 Fangjia Hutong, Dongcheng
The band is the project of four men in their mid- Xing recalled one show where Emitter was the N 120 yuan (pre sale), 150 yuan (at door)
20s: band leader Xing Shuo, guitarist Zhang Weinan, last band of the night. Many of the listeners were
bass player Guo Wenwang and drummer Lü Pin. already on their way out, but they turned around as
Indie Singer Session
Xing says he got into music because of his father, soon as he started to play.
@ 69 Cafe
a crazy fan of classical and easy listening who made The band won the first prize of Tiger Translate
sure Xing’s childhood was spent surrounded by in 2011 and they shared the stage with the Taiwanese Indie singers Chen Hongyu, Ma Yuyang
vinyl albums. band May Day in 2012. and Ma Xiao are coming to 69 Cafe. Chen
“My father had such a big collection, and he But stage time is not what Emitter is after. “A Hongyu started composing in 2004 and
always had something going on the turntable. One lot of people in the industry told me albums are the released his first album last July. Ma
day he was surprised to find that I was tapping along musical equivalent of a business card, but I think Yuyang is a folk singer that sings both
to the music,” Xing said. Xing’s father enrolled him they are the only evidence to prove a band exists and noisy and soft music. Ma Xiao is from Yin-
in several classical music classes. is good,” Xing said. chuan, Ningxia province and just gradu-
“I didn’t even know there were other forms of But his opinions may matter little in China, where ated from university.
music until I was nine. I happened to hear a pop song, listeners are fickle and tastes are largely determined
and then I gradually learned about rock,” he said. by the whims of mass media. L January 15, 9-11 pm
After that, Xing started to learn guitar. “Listeners can lose their way, but we don’t,” K 109 Nanluogu Xiang, Dongcheng
By high school, Xing was obsessed and wanted Xing said. N 47 yuan (pre sale), 57 yuan (at door)
to drop out of school to pursue a musical career. His Xing recalled one conversation with Laowu, the
father responded by smashing all his albums. That guitarist of Tang Dynasty, when he was still in music
was the day Xing left his home. school. “Ten years ago he asked me if I liked music
“As time went on, my parents learned they and playing guitar. I said yes. He asked how much
have to respect a young adult’s decisions,” Xing I liked music. I said I had given up everything for a
said. “I understood they just wanted me to follow career in music. He told me to think about the ques-
the path of a normal child. We compromised, and I tion again in 10 years,” Xing said.
went to a music school where I met my friends and “Now I’m 26, and I think Laowu was actu-
built the band.” ally trying to make me thing about how I would
“The band was called Emitter because every- withstand such a complicated music environ-
thing in life is an output. When we curse, our mouth ment,” he said.
is an emitter. When we punch, our fist is an emitter. While talent and skill are required to understand
When we want to express our feelings, good or bad, music and develop a creative and new sound, they
happy or angry, music is an emitter,” Xing said. play little role in the success of Chinese band. Con-
Xing took a job at a music company after gradu- certs and music festival deals are made on the basis
ating. Xing thought his interest would help him to of personal connections and social influence. Lena Willikens @ Migas
work harder, but he soon became depressed. “The biggest problem in the Chinese music scene German musician Lena Willikens is
The company Xing worked for signed many isn’t money, even though a lot of bands are struggling coming to Beijing Migas. Lena is an excel-
pioneer bands such as Nanwu, Hanggai and Iron there. It’s the unfairness that so many talented art- lent DJ, and she released her EP album
Kite. Xing was in charge of their advertising. “I ists never even get the chance to present their work,” Phantom Delia with six songs. Lena plays
was a musician, but I was working for other musi- Xing said. various kinds of music. Shao and Metro
cians. It made me feel bad and guilty because they “Listeners with a limited understanding of music Tokyo will be the warm up acts.
were all things I should be doing for my own and venues out to make quick cash create strange
band,” Xing said. barriers to entry for artists. A lot of great bands L January 15, 11-11:30 pm
But the job did teach him the economics of Chi- fail simply because their members aren’t handsome Photos by Emitter K 81 Sanlitun Beijie, Chaoyang
na’s indie market. enough,” he said. ~ N 60 yuan (pre sale), 80 yuan (at door)
EDITOR: DIAO DIAO ~ DESIGNER: ZHAO YAN
4
JANUARY 15, 2016 ART BEIJING TODAY
ARTISTS
f
The Artist Wang Jia
Beauty of Chinese
Landscape Gardens
Blooms in Wang’s
Creation
Quiet Night
BY SHU PENGQIAN
W
ang Jia blends Western oil know she is more perfect.”
painting with Chinese Another painting, “Youth: Tour in
brush techniques to create Garden,” which took Wang the longest
an art style she tags as fem- time to create, seems to combine modern
inine, innocent and classically Chinese. and classical elements.
Her current work falls into three series: This painting portrays a woman in a
Search Dream, Pick Up Dream and Paint- long dress standing on a boat in a south-
ing from Life. ern garden. The image reveals obvious
Among all the works in her Search classical influences, but the pink toy in
Dream series, “Sincere Love in Autumn” her hands seems out of place. “I aimed
(2010) is Wang’s favorite. This painting to express conflicted feelings through
depicts a girl who is stylized like an the arrangement. It’s tradition mingling
anime character who rests against a wall with the modern – ancient objects con-
while thinking. After completing “Sin- flicting with new ones.”
cere Love in Autumn,” Wang chose to Travel is one of Wang’s favorite
frame it and hang it in her home rather Chinese Landscape Garden 25 hobbies. She likes walking the streets,
than sell it. She says the image is an exploring new cities and touching his-
antidote for her daily annoyances. tory. The gardens of southern China are
“The content of this painting is her favorite scenes, and they can be
Transform to Butterfly
simple and its color is so light,” Wang found in her paintings’ backdrops.
said. “It is a direct expression of girl’s Born in Inner Mongolia, Wang had
softness and tranquility. I feel peace never seen such varied scenery until her
every time I look at it.” first trip to Suzhou, Jiangsu province
The girl appears frequently in Wang’s in the winter of 2004. It was the first
other paintings. In “Blue Night,” she is time that she saw something other than designers’ traditional aesthetic concep-
lying on artificial hills; in “Little Tailor,” the sprawling prairies of her hometown. tions, and obviously, the characteristic
she is pondering with her back against Since then, Wang has been enchanted by of these landscape gardens suits my taste
a wall; in “Blooming,” she is sitting in a China’s picturesque south. in traditional culture.”
garden and watching the sunrise. “Landscape gardens in southern Wang said adapting to loneliness is
But while other artists use such China were mostly built by ancient liter- essential for becoming an artist. As a
recurring character to insert themselves ary men,” Wang said. “They bear ancient child, she spent isolated days indoors
into their work, Wang insists she is not a with her paints, where she would learn
self portrait. “I wish she were me, but I from her father, an expert draftsman.
When Wang was six or seven years
Dreamy old, her grandpa told her mother she was
Shadow good at observing and that she should
be allowed to do what interests her. The
supportive family left her with few bar-
riers to her dream career in art.
When she isn’t painting, Wang
teaches at Luoyang Normal University
in Henan province.
But she still introduces herself as a
professional artist instead of a teacher –
only one of those vocations has been a
lifelong pursuit.
“Teaching occupies a great deal of my
Chinese Landscape Garden 2
time, but it gives me a chance to shift my
brain and develop fresh ideas as I commu-
nicate with students,” Wang said. ~
Youth: Tour
in Garden Q artand.cn/gudianmao
EDITOR: SHU PENGQIAN ~ DESIGNER: ZHAO YAN
5
BEIJING TODAY TRAVEL JANUARY 15, 2016
TRAVEL
e
Historic
St. Joseph’s Church
Churches in
Beijing
BY SIMINA MISTREANU Madonna and the Child. One of
A
the icons features a Chinese Mary
side from its Buddhist and Daoist ety. Its name can be translated into and infant Jesus clad in imperial
temples and mosques, Beijing Crock and Tile Market Church. robes of the Qing Dynasty. The icon
also has numerous historic Like the Cathedral of Immaculate is said to have originally been painted
churches. Many were demolished Conception, Gangwashi Church was also by an unknown foreigner in Shanghai
and rebuilt several times over the past destroyed during the Boxer Rebellion in and destroyed during the Cultural Rev-
few centuries as they fell victim to earth- 1900, which targeted foreigners and Chi- olution. Hong Kong artist Zhu Jiaju rec-
quakes, fires and popular revolts. Today, nese Christians. reated it.
some are caught in-between global and The church was rebuilt in 1903,
Photo by Pinterest.com
Chinese religious administrations. and in 1922 it merged with China Chris- St. Joseph’s Church
Most lack the rich artwork of Euro- tian Church. The church holds masses St. Joseph’s Church, also known as Wang-
pean churches and instead feature locally in Chinese and English, as well as a fujing Church or East Cathedral (Dong-
inspired details, such as Chinese gazebos Korean mass on Sunday afternoons. tang), is the second-oldest Catholic church
and icons of Mary and infant Jesus with On a recent Saturday, Chinese wor- in Beijing. It was built in 1655 by Jesuit
Asian features. shippers were singing on stage in the missionaries on land donated by the Shun-
Visitors attend religious services, Bible church’s main hall, while in a back zhi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty.
study and choir, but also come to take self- room, a small group of foreigners were In the 18th and 19th centuries, the
ies and pictures with the churches as the holding Bible study. church was destroyed by an earthquake
backdrop. Here are some of Beijing’s best- Former US President George W. Bush and a fire. Foreign missionaries who came
known churches. attended Sunday services at Gangwashi to China during the Second Opium War
Church with his wife, Laura, during a rebuilt it in 1860, only to have it com-
Cathedral of the state visit in November 2005. pletely destroyed during the 1900 Boxer
Immaculate Conception Rebellion.
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Concep- Church of the Savior In 1904, the church was rebuilt in its
tion, also known as Xuanwumen Church Another establishment with a rich history St. Michael’s Church current Romanesque Revival style. It was
or South Church (Nantang), is the oldest is Church of the Savior, also known as used as a middle school in the 1950s and
Catholic church in Beijing. It was built in Xishiku Church or North Church (Beit- closed during the Cultural Revolution.
1605 during the Ming dynasty. When Ital- ang). The Catholic church was originally Today, the church is managed by the
ian Jesuit Matteo Ricci arrived in Beijing, built in 1703 on land near the Forbidden Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association,
the Wanli Emperor allowed him to build City bestowed by the Kangxi Emperor to a state association that supervises China’s
a small chapel next to his residence by the the Jesuits after two priests helped him Catholics.
Xuanwumen city gate. recover from an illness. Statues and icons of St. Joseph holding
The church was expanded and became In 1887, the church was moved and infant Jesus are displayed both inside and
a cathedral in 1690, when Beijing received rebuilt at its current location at the outside the church.
its first Catholic bishop. A decade later it request of the Guanxu Emperor, who Church of the Savior
was enlarged and renovated into a Euro- wanted to make space for Zhongnanhai St. Michael’s Church
pean-style building. Park. Its Gothic architecture, with St. Michael’s Church is the old French
During the 18th century, the church pointed steeples and window ornaments, embassy church, built in 1904 by French
was destroyed by two earthquakes and was designed by Lazarist Bishop Pierre- missionaries. The embassy has since relo-
a fire, and rebuilt each time with the Marie-Alphonse Favier. cated from the area south of Wangfujing.
emperors’ support. It was confiscated by During the Boxer Upspring, Favier led The church is one of the smallest
the Qing government in the 19th cen- the cathedral’s defense against a crowd Catholic churches in Beijing. It follows a
tury and razed to the ground during the of about 10,000 people. More than 3,900 European Gothic style and is memorable
Boxer Rebellion in 1900, along with most people, mostly women and children, found Gangwashi Church for its white statue of an angel above its
churches in Beijing. refuge inside the church. main entrance, also visible from outside
Its current structure dates from 1904. Today, the church blends Western and the gate.
The church holds masses in English, Latin Eastern influences, with its Gothic south The church was remarkably well pre-
and Chinese on Sundays, as well as masses façade flanked by two Chinese pavilions served through the 20th century. During
in Chinese and Latin during the week. that are housing tablets describing the the Cultural Revolution, it was placed
church’s construction and relocation. under the administration of an elementary
Gangwashi Church Inside, the tall poles are decorated school and used as an assembly hall. Its
Gangwashi Church is a Protestant church with vertical red stripes with Chinese colorful stained glass windows are recent
that was built during the 1860s with spon- calligraphy. The nooks on each side replacements of the originals, which had
Photos by Simina Mistreanu
sorship from the London Missionary Soci- of the altar display Chinese icons of been brought from France. ~
EDITOR: SIMINA MISTREANU ~ DESIGNER: ZHAO YAN
6
JANUARY 15, 2016 ENTERTAINMENT BEIJING TODAY
c ENTERTAINMENT
the four men confront a new generation
of Beijing gangsters only to learn their
old way of solving problems no longer
works. Helpless, Liuye is forced to come
to grips with the death of his era as his
health crumbles.
Audiences described the film as “a
fight between old Beijing gangsters and
young Beijing gangsters.” But the reason
that the film snagged more than 700 mil-
lion yuan in ticket sales and an 8.5-star
rating on Douban goes beyond its story.
The film captures the Beijing spirit
that has been too often missed by direc-
tors from other parts of China.
Old Beijing people value justice, integ-
rity, order and friendship more than life,
and the characters in the film are a reflec-
tion of that dying culture.
Photos by douban.com Huaxiazi (played by Xu Qing), Liuye’s
New Film I lover, is the typical Beijing woman who
f 10 is the top score hands all of her possession to Liuye with-
for a new film, view- out a second thought when he needs her
ers say Laopao’er help. She is beautiful, decisive and not
Laopao’er
should score a 9.9. The restrained like most Beijing girls.
only criticism seems to Mensan’er (played by Zhang Hanyu)
be of a few actors who became friends with Liuye after the two
tried to imitate the Bei- got in a fight during childhood. He’s a
Features
jing dialect. template for the city’s strength and pride.
Laopao’er is a Bei- But Dengzhao’er (played by Liu Hua)
jing dialect word that represents another kind of Beijing men.
refers to the classic Dengzhao’er is a coward who wants to
Beijing Locals
image of the Beijinger: fight but he doesn’t dare to. People like
an unemployed man wandering around Dengzhao’er favor their friends but often
the city with a birdcage while on the hunt end up being the ones in need of help.
for amusement. Liuye (played by Feng Xiaogang), the
The film’s Liuye is a typical laopao’er. star of the film, represents the average
As a 50-something man, Liuye used Beijinger. When Mensan’er is in jail, Liuye
BY DIAO DIAO to be a powerful and aggressive figure spends all his money to get him released.
in his Old Beijing community. But rede- When Dengzhao’er is bullied by others,
velopment brought huge changes to Liuye jumps to his defense.
Liuye’s life. But the selling point of the movie
Like many old men of the hutong, is the real Beijing dialect spoken by its
Liuye walks his birds, interferes in his actors. Feng Xiaogang is an interna-
neighbors’ family disputes, complains tionally famous director, accomplished
about his life and watches the days go by. comedian and a native Beijinger. His
But one day, he comes into severe conflict manner of speaking and facial expres-
with his son Xiaobo. sions are very natural.
Xiaobo leaves home and ends up in Xu Qing, Zhang Hanyu, Liu Hua and
trouble with Xiaofei, a rich heir out to director Guan Hu are also Beijingers who
assert his privilege. To save his son, Liuye understand the local character.
decides to return to society. While exaggerated, the film reminds
Together with his old crew, most local viewers of what life was like
Mensan’er, Huaxiazi and Dengzhao’er, before modernity came to the capital. ~
Zhihu Publishes Law Course for the
Common Man
BY DIAO DIAO
Q
uestions about workers’ rights and legal section where users can ask ques- common, according to the statistics col-
legality can confuse both newcomers tions, share experiences and get answers. lected by Zhihu.
and people with years of work experience. In the three years since its founding, The new book includes the most useful
The Goddess of Justice Never Opens Her Zhihu has climbed to become one of the answers as voted by Zhihu users. Law-
Eyes, published this month, provides read- Top 100 websites ranked on Alexa.cn. It yers, judges and prosecutors also contrib-
ers with professional and useful advice on has a user base of nearly 40 million spe- uted their own suggestions.
using basic law. cialists in the fields of technology, busi- The book is full of case studies and
The book was compiled by Zhihu, a ness, culture and the sciences. experiences, as well as suggestions about
popular online discussion site that has a But law questions are the most potential risks in work. ~
Beijing Today’s reporters cannot accept bribes in exchange for coverage. To report offenders, call [phone] or email [email protected].
媒体监督热线：[phone]，[email protected]
EDITOR: DIAO DIAO ~ DESIGNER: ZHAO YAN
7
BEIJING TODAY CLASSIFIEDS JANUARY 15, 2016
` CLASSIFIEDS
DINING ART
L 10 pm – midnight, January 23 the band split, Cron and his wife moved
K 1/F, EAST Beijing, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu, to Nashville, in search of a clean slate.
Chaoyang After a yearlong hiatus from music, Cron
M [phone] returned as a solo artist with a renewed
vision and a batch of songs characterized
by a passion for truth and love.
Cron has a big, dynamic voice and
throws everything he has into live per-
formances with music influenced by ‘60s
pop’, ‘70s R&B’, ‘80s synth pop and 90s
britpop’. He is working on his debut solo
album, due out first half of 2016.
Melee is an American rock band from
Orange County, California. Formed in
2000, the band consists of Ricky Sans,
Chris Cron, Ryan Malloy and Derek Lee
Rock. The group released their debut
album Everyday Behavior under Los
Angeles-based independent label Subcity Living Room Coffee
Conrad Beijing F&B Records in 2004. In 2006, they were signed Christmas Pop-Up Store
Come in from the cold and indulge your with major record label Warner Bros
Living Room Coffee’s Christmas Pop Up
desire for molten cheese with a French Records, and in 2007 made their major
is here to give you some gift ideas for
Savoie Cheese fondue at Chapter. Chapter record label debut with Devils & Angels.
this holiday season! Featuring mini exhi-
is a “gourmet library” where creative fla- In 2010, they released their follow up The
Multi-Grammy Award Win- bitions from Singapore creative studio
vors are presented in a unique setting rem- Masquerade on Warner Bros Records.
ning Superstar DJ Jazzy Jeff Atelier HOKO and Shanghai independent
iniscent of grand European libraries. The
bookstore Bananafish Books, expect to
platters of Charcruterie, boiled potatoes Live Superstar and Music Legend Jazzy L 9 – 11:30 pm, January 16
find independent publications, our signa-
and crusty bread are the perfect way to Jeff makes his Beijing debut at Room 79, K DDC, 14 Shanlao Hutong, Dongcheng
ture roasted coffee beans, homemade jams
shake off the winter chill and break bread kicking off the new year with a huge bang! N 100 yuan (at door), 80 yuan (presale)
and cookies, and other little things from
with friends and family. Jazzy is a household name across
local makers.
Conrad Beijing is the new icon in the world. He has won three Grammy
Living Room Coffee and Book Design
Beijing for today’s global travelers who Awards, three American Music Awards,
Shop will also jointly organize the
appreciate worldly style and sophistica- two Soul Train Music Awards and two
Indiepubpub Christmas Party on Decem-
tion with local inspiration. The hotel’s 289 NAACP Awards. He is also a DMC World
ber 25, 7:30-10:30 pm, where lovers of
spacious, contemporary guestrooms fea- Champion. In 2015, Jazzy performed the
independent publishing can gather and
ture 3-meter-high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling scratch overdubs for the film Straight
exchange ideas. There will also be a gift
windows with picturesque views of Tuan- Outta Compton.
exchange with a twist – participants will
jie Lake Park, the iconic CCTV building Aside from being a lead actor with
have to bring something that they created
and the captivating Beijing skyline. Will Smith on the hit TV series The Fresh
on their own.
More than 1,000 square meters of Prince of Bel-Air, Jazzy and Smith have
meeting space, and six creative restau- number tracks together. This summer,
rants and bars bring you innovative culi- they will tour internationally with special L 10 am – 10:30 pm, multiple dates
nary experience as well as authentic and guest performer Dayne Jordan. K Living Room Coffee, 23 Tan’er
passionate service. This is a limited-capacity event, so Hutong, Xicheng
reserve your tickets and tables early while
L 6 – 9:30 pm, Monday to Wednesday you can.
K 1st Floor, Conrad Beijing
N 400 yuan (15 percent service fee) L 10 pm - 2:30 am, January 15
M [phone] K Elements Club, West Gate of Worker’s
Stadium, 58 Gongti Xi Lu, Chaoyang
NIGHTLIFE
N 380 yuan
MUSIC
Sunday Jazz: Nathaniel Gao
Jazz Trio
Nathaniel Gao is a saxophonist and com-
poser who has been based in Beijing since
2006. He has been a key contributor to
the local jazz scene as both a co-leader of
the quintet Red Hand as well as a leader
of his own quartet and trio. Additionally, Sobie’s Creative Art Workshops
Gao has been active in an eclectic range
For anyone pursuing artistic ambitions it
of other musical projects including Three
can be quite a challenge to develop a per-
Sergeants Syndrome, The Beijing City Big
sonal and distinctive style, to establish
Band, Afrokoko Roots and Bu Yiding.
direct contact with one’s work, a genuine
He has performed at the Ninegates
connection.
Jazz Festival, the MIDI Jazz Festival, the
Xian Bar Hosts Event Impe- We organize creative workshops with a
Ditan Park Music Festival, the Chongqing
rial Star Ship strong focus on exploring, experimenting, tear-
Jazz Festival, Jarasum International Jazz
ing down the usual boundaries and looking
Festival and at major venues in Beijing,
Xian Bar will have an Imperial Star Ship beyond, and this in a contemporary framework
Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. Gao
party on January 23, where the head and a positive creative atmosphere.
graduated from UNI in 2006 with BA in
of Beijing’s 501st Legion – the world- The workshops are adult-orientated
music performance and in 2011 completed
wide Star Wars costuming organization and held in English and Chinese. The
an MA in jazz performance at the City
– will be on hand to answer any and all winter edition 2016 will be held in
Chris Cron DDC Concert College of New York.
trivia questions by fellow geeks hoping Shenyang for three days.
to stump him for various prizes. East Chris Cron is the former lead singer of
Hotel’s Domain will host to a pop-up WB Records band, Melee, which scored L 9:30 – 11 pm, January 17 L 9 am – 5 pm, multiple dates
store selling Star Wars wares from Janu- a #1 hit in Japan and The Netherlands K Modernista, 44 Baochao Hutong, Q sobie.net/workshops
ary 11- 30. with his song “Built to Last.” In 2013, after Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng N 900 yuan (3 days including materials)
EDITOR: WANG YAN ~ DESIGNER: ZHAO YAN
8
JANUARY 15, 2016 FOOD BEIJING TODAY
FOODS
k
Nice to

Meet You
equally important.
Chinese medicine considers
chicken, lamb, beef and carp the BY WANG YAN
T
best foods for fighting off cold he beginning of a new year is the best
air. Other foods such as lotus time to reconnect with old friends
seeds, dried dates, tremella and and meet new ones. What place could be
pig liver are considered good better for that than a restaurant named
foods for fending off the cold. Nice to Meet You?
Wood ears, black sesame, The oddly-named restaurant’s original
black beans and soft-shelled Shanghai location was opened in 2014 by
turtles are also believed to nour- Han Han, the bestselling author who pub-
ish the kidneys. lished his first book as a teen. It already
One of the most common has three branches in Beijing, but the most
foods during Xiaohan is Laba por- popular is located in Chaoyang Joy City.
ridge. Also known as labazhou, Many customers praised the restau-
the dish is a porridge eaten on the rant’s contemporary and simple decor. It
eighth day of the twelfth month is also filled with samples of Han Han’s
of the traditional calendar. books and his famous quotes.
Photos by nicpic
Foods for Xiaohan The day on which it is tra- Many creative dishes are named after
ditionally eaten is known as the Han Han’s famous books including San
Laba Festival. The earliest form Chongmen, and Han Zhihan. Others are
of the dish was cooked with given comical names such as “How Long
2 BY WANG YAN red beans and has since grown Since You Ate My Tofu,” a play on a slang
016 has arrived: it’s time to include many kinds of rice, term for inappropriate sexual advances.
to shrug off old worries beans, dried fruit, tofu, pota- The cook also tries to mix Chinese
and start fresh. No toes, meat and vegetables. and Western cuisine with oddities like
matter what you plan to achieve According to the Chinese medi- Kung Pao Spaghetti. Although creative,
in the coming Monkey Year, cine, the ingredients used in the customers seem to be less than keen on
staying healthy is important. porridge should be good for the the experiment.
The period from January 5 kidneys and stomach. Nice to Meet You has long lines during
to January 19 is Xiaohan (mild Another popular dish is Qilin busy hour, so go early if you are hoping to
coldness) according to the tra- weeverfish. In Chinese medicine, snag a table. ~
ditional calendar. Xiaohan is weeverfish is considered mild
the 23rd solar term and the and beneficial for maintaining a
fifth during the winter season. person’s qi, which some practitio-
Although named mild coldness, ners interpret as the foundation
the recorded temperatures of the body’s metabolism. The
Photo by 3lian during this solar terms are often most common dish is steamed
lower than the following term weever, but sweet and sour weev-
Dahan (severe coldness). erfish is also popular.
According to the Huangdi Also consider trying pigeon
Neijing, one of the oldest texts egg soup. Although pigeon egg
of Chinese medicine, the three may sound less appetizing, it
winter months should be a “rest is very nutritious. In Chinese
season.” The book advises medicine, the pigeon egg is
people to wake up early and believed to help a person’s blood
go outside after the sun comes circulation and qi.
up. Traditional medical theory If you are interested in Chi-
believes cold air isn’t’ harmful nese medicine and its philoso-
when the sun is up. phy, start choosing foods that
But eating the right food is can help to build qi. ~
MAKE YOUR OWN WITH THIS RECIPE
Learn to Make Papaya Carp Soup
BY WANG YAN
Eating fish at the begin- The Steps:
ning of a new year is 1. Scale and gut the fish. Peel the papaya
a Chinese tradition. Like and remove its seeds. Cube the flesh.
most holiday traditions, it Peel the ginger.
involves a play on words 2. Oil a pan and begin heating it on your
in the phrase “Niannian Ingredients: stovetop. When it is 70 percent heated,
you yu,” meaning each \ 1 carp place the carp in the pan and fry it
year in abundance. Since \ half a papaya until both sides turn yellow.
both fish and abundance \ 4 slices of ginger 3. Add some water to a wok; add the fried
share the pronunciation \ scallions fish and some scallions.
“yu,”eating fish is consid- \ salt 4. Cook the fish over a high flame until Photos by dianping.com
ered an auspicious way to the water turns white.
start the year. Try this carp 5. Add the ginger and papaya cubes. Nice to Meet You Restaurant
Photo by douguo.com
and papaya soup if you need Cover the wok and continue to boil K 6F, Chaoyang Joy City, 10 Chaoyang
a new way to prepare your for 40 minutes. North Road
new year’s fish. 6. Season with salt before serving. M [phone]
EDITOR: WANG YAN ~ DESIGNER: ZHAO YAN