[*All our videos are on youtube here, so if you're in China, chances are you can't see 'em. -- 09 Dec 12]
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We both write, but Jessica only writes when I bribe her. See all of her posts here.
Pronounced: guāzǐ liǎn
Means: Melon-seed Face. One of the ideal Chinese face shapes.
Albert at Laowai Chinese introduces two ideal and two undesirable Chinese face shapes: The Four Faces of Chinese People (women, really)
- 2012/03/22
Eating Bitterness: an intro to the unprecedented Chinese migrant worker phenomenon
If you're unfamiliar with the urban migrant phenomenon in China -- as in, the people who make the stuff you buy and their lives -- then China’s Urban Immigrants: A Diet of Bitterness is a fine overview with lots of links for further reading.
"Chinese metropolises are now home to an estimated 200 million rural-to-urban migrants . . . who occupy a precarious place in the urban hierarchy: while urbanites appreciate their labor, they are less enthusiastic about the migrants’ presence in their cities."
For more on this topic you can browse our Migrant Workers category, or if you like documentaries, see these reviews of two good documentaries on migrant workers:
- 2012/05/10
Chairman Mao enshrined -- literally
When one of my young, very privileged Party-family students passionately told me, "Chairman Mao is like a god to us!" I understood he meant it as a simile. And the god metaphor is common when discussing Mao and his Cultural Revolution personality cult. But as it turns out, in some incredible irony, some other Chinese mean it literally. I heard about this before, but this is the first time I've found pictures -- Mao actually enshrined in a local temple: Mao Temple in China – Chairman Mao Becomes Local God.
For more about Mao and the Mao Era, you can browse these topics:
- 2012/05/08
A deeper look into the dynamics of living with Chinese propaganda
Two insightful posts from Seeing Red in China, which is probably my current favourite China blog, about living in an aggressively and explicitly propagandized environment, and how Chinese try to deal with it. The propaganda still works, but in ways different than us foreigners probably tend to assume. Without further ado:
I tell [my daughter] that she must not be afraid to take a clear moral stand. “If you see someone is being bullied,” I said, “speak up for that person.” “Be the keeper of the good.” [But] Chinese parents would have to think twice, three times, or even lose sleep, if they are to instill these values in their children, because these qualities won’t serve them very well in the Chinese society.
We've written lots on propaganda, mostly the Chinese kind, including translations of the propaganda we've encounter in China. You can find it all in our Propaganda category.
- 2012/05/06
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Ryan’s studied Tai Chi, I think. I’d be interested to hear his perspective. I’m still pretty uninformed.
***CAN ANYONE RECOMMEND SOME GOOD FREE BASIC VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE?***
Naw, Ahm ignerit! Thanks for posting this though. It’s very interesting. It looks like the first few movements of Yang Style Tai Chi Chu’an (a traditional and very old style, practiced today mostly for health). The coolest part of the Yang form is the “Playing Guitar Posture.” Besides the slowness of the form it is one of the only ways I can tell it apart from the others. ‘Course — this type of stuff looks all the same after a while to me (someone with little/no training in it).
Oh.. the kids and I LOVED the videos.. they watched the tai chi three times! .. said “OH WOW” when the dancer changed to her mask and “HOW CUTE” when your students said hello..
(how about a “HOWDY YA’LL! for us Texans:):)”)..
thanks for posting the videos.. we are learning so much!
Dear Joel & Jessica:
How are you in Tian-jing??
Tell you both a “news” that Hou-Ji(Turkey) has become one part of Abraham’s home! :)
We just took her back yesterday and settled her house down.
Sorry we can’t write the words in English,but you can see her pictures on our web page.Maybe sooner we can record her living video to show you.
Take care!!!
Cool beans. I had not been through your You-Tube videos, but these are really attractive. Thanx for sharing.
I had been thinking that the uniformed might not see the swords in the newletter photo, but the video swords make it all clear.
I was also pleased to see the 7-11 colors in the background of the first frame, but as the tape rolled you could even see the 7-11 sign. Progress??
Love’s prayers,
larry :)
Taibei has been described by some as a “convenience store culture.” I don’t know what that means, but there are convenience stores everywhere, including 7-11. I wonder if it has to do with the visible Japanese influences in Taibei. Progress? Well, it’s going somewhere… Who knows where…
The video sword dancers are different from the ones in the newsletter though… the newsletter ones are from Tianjin. It’s always fun to be there when a foreigner sees the sword dancing for the first time and their eyes bug out: “What?! They have swords?!”
We are sometimes lonely here in Niagara with all of our grandchildren around the world, but thanks to computers we can slowly learn how to keep in touch. Gramps says at 78 he,sstill learning at the library so soon you will hear from him. We enjoy everything you publish and keep copies to read over again. Looking forward to seeing you in the future God willing. Love Grama G
这种功夫叫八极拳(bajiquan)，非常厉害的中国传统功夫，相信你会喜欢她~
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=v2ETiQZzw6w