Ballistic spitting

One of the elements of Chinese street culture is the habit of spitting. Of course, I will not discuss here the purpose of spitting, or even whether it is right or wrong to spit. All which is covered in my humble mission, is to transfer knowledge and make increase the technical abilities in China. Spitting is not excluded from that. And I do not distinguish whether I personally like it or not. My duty is to make you spit better! One limitation, that I have to acknowledge, is that I have no practical experience in spitting myself and also no plan to gain any. So, please take my lines as a purely theoretical contribution.

Below comes all the tools needed not just to maximise spitting range by optimizing launch speed and angle, but also enables us to calculate how much time we have to step aside after spitting vertically upwards at 90 degrees, not to spit on yourselves. That's cool, just to step away 1/10 second before the impact. Let's go. 

Neglecting air drag, in horizontal direction the saliva follows Newton's first law and flies as constant velocity.

and in vertical direction the saliva is constantly accelerated downward by gravitation

Integration over time derives the vertical location to be

which is nothing else but the commonly known free fall equation.

The x-component of the saliva given the launch velocity (speed of projectile when leaving the mouth) and the launch angle, is

Further the vertical component is

The vectorial equation of the trajectory then follows to be

and the explicit form can be derived by solving Eq. 1 for t and substituting t in Eq. 2:

To estimate the location and the maximum height of the saliva on the trajectory, follows

 

and

The mathematical descriptions become more complex, if you include the air drag breaking down the aliver speed and changing twisting the trajectory away from parabolic shape, like illustrated below (picture from Wikipedia on artillery projectiles).

Similar processes take place when spitting against the wind and when spitting under strong side wind conditions. This is a field of further research, which I will follow up in future contributions.

A bridge over troubled waters

The color differences of the waters you see on the left and on the right side of this bridge are not the result of photo editing (neither is the blue sky). It is a result of a barrier under the bridge separating the water bodies and of putting green color, chlorine and perfume into the left one. This makes the difference: a murky stinky sludge on the right, and a bright green liquid with waves of vanilla smell on the left. The picture is taken at the Northern canal of Caoyang District (Beijing). Even there is dead fish floating belly up everywhere, this does not stop people from fishing in the green part. The color itself I guess is the same you use in soccer stadiums to color the grass and must be harmless. But the water is highly eutrophic and full of algae, and even the artificial coloring keeps it what some people think is pretty, it will be hard to avoid that this flips over with the summer coming. But with scars water resources there is nearly no chance of having fresh water supplies in, there is actually not much which can be done at this stage. Another chance might be to pull out all organic matter mechanically, cut any inlet of nutrients and ventilate the canal with pumps. Not easy to manage at this stage and even it looks silly, perhaps even throwing color in is the best that can be done now. Let's hope for rain. This would bring more options. And by the way, I guess taking a 5 ton truck over this bridge really is no problem - once. Good luck.

White surprise

After two days of yellow thick haze, in which you could not smell but taste the air, I did not not expect a lot when I opened the curtains this morning. But wow, what a nice surprise: all white. The little drizzle from yesterday kept going through the night and turned into snow. This was always a "wow" since I was a boy and I decided on the spot to get away from the desk, and get out to the Temple of Heaven.

I have been sitting the last two gloomy days at the desk (Friday I even took off from work) to write on a book chapter. Nothing about cars: so the clearance desk, the patent department, the intellectual property unit, PR and all the others who get nervous when they see these lines can relax. Anyway, they will not have time to come to this website, because they are so busy keeping the world in order.

But with the snow around I went out and enjoyed the fresh breeze of the day. The Temple of Heaven is a tourist attraction, so the best is, on a Sunday, to stay away from the main spots and just enjoy the park. Away from the tourist people gather here here to perform whatever they like to perform. This is one of the really great things in China: you can do and be whatever you like. Now you might think, that this does not sound like China. What about the "sthgir namuh" and "hceeps fo modeerf" (please read the terms form right to left). You are right. But you can go into the park and be a musician, a dancer, a singer and whatever you like. And you will find your audience.

It was nice to have a long weekend to get some more concentrated work done. Good ideas are like roaming around the landscape and you have to go out to meet them. They run after you when you go running, or bump into you when you go swimming. They also come to coffee and tea houses or they appear in interesting conversations. There are many places you can find them. Just one thing is unfortunate: they never come to the office.

798 Art Zone

Shortly after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, a gigantic Chinese-Soviet military and industrial co-operation program was launched in the Dashanzi district North-East of Beijing. You find the site at N 39 Deg. 58.972' / E 116 Deg. 29.571' and it is now called the 798 Art Zone (798艺术区). The People's Liberation Army's demand for electronic components was not fulfilled by the Soviet partner to the extend required, so that China turned to then Communist Deutsche Demokratische Republik (German Democratic Republic) which just had been formed out of the Soviet Occupied Zone in Germany. To make it easy for foreign intelligence services, the Chinese numbered military factories starting with the digit "7". It started in the district with factory 718 and by time grew up to 798. Operation of 718 lasted from 1957 and the uncompetitive nature of the state owned complex did not survive the opening and reform policy and declined until it was largely abandoned in the 1990s.

This was also the time when first artists were moving in looking for cheap space. In 1995 also the Chinese Academy of Fine Arts moved workshops there and a nucleus for a growing cluster of artists was laid. In 2004 it was achieved that the destruction of the buildings was halted and a bill passed to develop the site into an Arts District. As a consequence the owner of the buildings did not renew lease contracts to have the chance driving out tenants and redevelop the land in a more profitable modern format. In 2007 though it was decided to keep and refurbish the Art Zone.

Today it is a lively place full of galleries, studios, workshops, design centres, cafes and restaurants. It is amazing what amount of space and hardware is available. Here is where you find everything from pretty nice galleries to Mao Kitch. There is not one list of galleries available online. So, the best thing is to go there and have a look.

Beijing in Spring Festival

During Spring Festival Beijing is laid back and festive. Most people which have their families not in Beijing, travel back to their home towns. Logistically the best thing to do during these days is to stay where you are. All others who also stay enjoy a week holiday and there are many things you can do in this city. Not just the cultural repertoire is huge, but also you can just get onto a lake ice skating, do a hike in the mountains along the spectacular parts of the Great Wall which are less "developed" or even drive up to a ski resort. Hiking, I was surprised that there are now also many Chinese going outdoors and enjoying the scenery. A few years ago, they did not go too much into the countryside. Now there are many "Donkey Friend Clubs", which are mainly self organized groups walking together far distances. For a first orientation, I found that the Beijing Hikers are organizing nice groups. There are a lot of foreigners in these groups, but they are not the typical Expats, but nice people which have been living long time abroad and many of them speak Chinese. I guess, that foreigners strolling around the Chinese countryside with a rucksack, already implies some self selection.

Of course, I would not be in China, if not everywhere small little businesses open to cater into all kinds of holiday demands. From the man with the mobile sweet patato bakery who is counting his money on the frozen lake where he sells his snacks to the ice skaters (see photo on the left), to extra capacities in taking family portraits in the China Photo Studio. Not to mention the huts selling the fireworks which turn the nights in Beijing into a self (un-)organized light show which is unmatched anywhere. I was wondering how safe it is when the firework's salesman is smoking sitting on a few tons of gunpowder. But you think it is "cool" just to smoke in a non-smoking area in Hong Kong and chase away the little policeman? That's nothing against sitting smoking on a pile of gunpowder chatting with the policeman on how the family is doing. Happy new year, health luck and prosperity for the Year of the Dragon.

Beijing China Photostudio Ltd.

Beside the Hans Schafgans Studio in Bonn, my favorite "Photo shop" is the Beijing China Photostudio Ltd. on 180 Wang Fu Jing. When you click on their website you will find that it does not work. When you tell them it does not work, they will not care. And why should they? Established in 1937, they have been photographing not just the leaders of China, but hundreds of thousands people and families, including myself. On the upper floor at Chinese New Year you have families putting their reunion in photographic memories. You see moving scenes of grandparents dressing up in their best suit, while babies get pacified with milk, people choosing glasses without glass (not to have the reflection). Young couples go there to take a photo together which might become a document for lifetime, they love to look back to. And then all the buzz and discussions around making finally the choices which photos to print. But the Beijing China Photo Studio is not just a "sweet place", it is also highly professional: the photographers in the upper floor themselves, the editors sitting at the computers making minor corrections and last but not least the print shop. On the ground floor the camera and equipment sales is actually run by people loving photography and knowing what they talk about. In my quest of getting a few pictures for my office, I finally decided for some of my own photos and went there to make use of the print shop. When the editor opened the files, I saw that his eyes started to sparkle. They were also some Antarctic scenes and he was looking at it interested like watching a different planet. I thought if an editor who sees thousands of photos from his professional photographers, looks twice at my photos, this is a very compliment for a crude amateur like me. So I left happily after asking to make a few large prints and then still bought on the same street a wool coat, a pullover, two maps of China and Beijing and two tea cups. 

Graceful Capital and pleasant neighbourhood

Sure, I have strolled around Beijing many times and have seen all the spots you see as a visitor. But now that I moved here, other things catch my interest. So, I put on my running shoes today and went off through Hutongs, parks, along lakes, through Universities. I saw bookstores, museums, a drama school for experimental theatre, galleries, people playing cards, and dancing in the parks. I chatted with people and found that the Beijingers have a good spirit. You can joke with them even beyond the language barrier. There are corner shops, handymen, repairshops of all kinds. Beijing is a graceful capital and a pleasant neighbourhood at the same time. Just coming back from a trip to South America, I also appreciated that it sems absolutely safe in any place. Perhaps it is also because my sportswear is so old that I look like a migrant worker myself, just a bit taller and a long nose. And I had only 50 Renminbi in my pocket, of which I spent 12 for a roadside lunch and 1.5 for a bottle of water. Who should rob me like that? When I came back, my GPS showed that I ran 32 kilometers. Good start.

Red Flag ( 红旗)

You see them as museum exhibits, but rarely there is a first generation Hongqi, 红旗 (Red Flag) in the streets in China. It has been a Chinese icon and a proud symbol of the People's Republic of China. 

The first generation 红旗 (Red Flag) has been introduced by First Automotive Works (FAW) in 1958 on the basis of a 1955 Crysler. The car was mainly used by Chinese Government Officials. It became famous beyond China by the coverage of President Nixon's visit in 1972, when Chaiman Mao was riding in the convertible. It was powered by a 147 kW V8 engine, and in 1965 a streched three seat row derivate was launched. The car stayed in production until 1981 without major changes. The second generation Hongqi was a licensed re-badged Audi 100. It was streched and supplemented by a smaller 1.8 l Hongqi Mingshi. Production of the second generation ended in 2006 and the third generation, on the basis of a Toyota Crown Majesta, stayed successless as it did not attract private customers. The forth generation Hongqi, called HQE, was used by Premier Hu Jingtao during the parades of the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China in 2009. This car was already shown as a concept in 2005 on the Shanghai Motor Show. FAW announced a fith generation Hongqui for 2012, which will be based on the C6 version of the Audi A6.

Taiwan

Taiwan is often seen as a place where Chinese Culture is still alive versus the Chinese Mainland where in the Mao Era most of it was destroyed and now rebuilt. In 1949 the government of the Republic of China had to relocate to Taiwan, after its troops were defeated by the Communists. Consequently the Communist Party of China declared the Founding of The People’s Republic of China, which sees Taiwan as a Province of China.

Taiwan is an interesting place, not just by a very beautiful nature, but mainly by its people. On the Chinese Mainland, as well as in Taiwan, I find it easy to connect to people and they are open and friendly. But in Taiwan the general character is quite mild and the behavior very polite - which you find on the Mainland also, but in more educated circles. Of course it also makes me think for reasons why the culture is so distinct from the other two “special regions”, which are Hong Kong and Macao and perhaps it can be partly explained by the kind of immigrants and the reasons they immigrated.

If you had a reason to leave the Chinese Mainland in 1949 or shortly after, Taiwan was for many the first option. For example they might have been a supporter of the Kuomintang, headed by Chiang Kai-Shek, or might have been among the retreating troops. Also members of the retreating government likely relocated to Taiwan and a lot of the educated elite. Business people, for example from Shanghai, were not in the first wave of immigrants, because many still tried to stay with their businesses until it was clear that the country will develop into a repressive communist state under Mao Zedong. If it was not too late, they could still relocate to Taiwan, but some also choose Hong Kong. Even the historical Kuomintang were running a corrupted regime before 1949, which made many people welcome the Communists at first, still they represented the elite of the country which was then choosing to leave. They were the ones building up Taiwan and refining its culture, while The Peoples Republic of China dropped into a form of Communism which was mainly (mis-) used by Mao to secure his own power. The enormous modernization of China, dragging hundreds of million of people out of bare poverty, only started in 1979 with Deng Xiaoping. 

Immigrants to Hong Kong, who were not retreating business people from the Mainland, were often farmers escaping the famine in the 50s. Hong Kong has more the character and culture of a refugee camp. Those who were able to, did not stay for long and then immigrated overseas. A few of them who stayed took opportunities of the “gateway to China” and built amazing business empires in just one generation. Teaching at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) I always have to remind myself, that many local students actually are in the first generation of their families which receive any education. Perhaps this is why I was feeling so comfortable that in Taiwan many people have an exited sparkle in their eyes - in Hong Kong you only see this effect, when you point a flashlight into their ear. 

Political relations between The People’s Republic of China and The Republic of China (Taiwan) are getting less ideological and much more practical today. It seems to be on a good way and sometimes it is better to accept and develop a new reality and then try to find an appropriate name for it later. This is one of the many strengths of Chinese people, that they can accept for a long time names which do not really represent the reality, but everybody knows what they mean.

Asia’s World City: Shanghai

In the months before you make a move, you start doing things the last time. The first such “last time” for me now was bringing MBA students on a field tour to Shanghai. I did this for 4 years regularly and the course, which is called “Doing Business in China” (DBC), is a combination of lectures and a field study. It became a very popular elective for MBAs and its abbreviation DBC was recently rephrased by students to “Drinking Beer in China”. Well, this indicates that business relations here are sometimes sealed with the extensive consumption of cheerful beverages, and alumni relations for sure as well.

I enjoyed teaching this course, and also the challenges on the road - specially as we try to also explore things off the beaten tracks. But I also think it is coming somehow to the end of the life cycle in the current format. Shanghai changed and developed so much in recent years, that it does not serve to represent “Doing Business in China” any more, but better “Doing Business in Shanghai”. If I had to re-design the course, I would probably change the destination of the trip to Changchun, Harbin or Chengdu. Shanghai has become international business city, which is outstanding in China, but not representative for its economy and business environment.

And being outstanding, Shanghai does not just in terms of economic development. When I moved there in 2003, I would for example never have imagined that the city would be able to develop an autochtone cultural life in less than two generations. But it happened in only 8 years. It is not yet very sophisticated, but attracts a lot of talent from all over China and abroad. One of the districts where arts and creative industries are settling is the region along the Suzhou Creek. For example 50 Moganshan Lu is situated close to the Suzhou river in Shanghai and is one of the former industrial compounds, where factory halls and warehouses were converted into galleries and studios. The site is now named the “M50 Creative Park”. One of the first galleries you see, is also one of the best: 99 Degrees Art Centre (www.99dac.com), which currently holds and exhibition of the painters Gerard Altmann, Igor Bitman and the sculpturist Livio Benedetti. Also the Fine Arts College of Shanghai University has an exhibition space in the compound, which is an interesting showcase. Then there are other outstanding developments like the converted former Slaughterhouse 1933, the Red City or the restored Jing’an Villas at 2015 Nanjing Xi Lu, which develop all kinds of activities in a traditional Shanghai environment without a massive masterplan.

I also thought in the past that the Pudong skyline is a bit artificial and does not fit into the contrast of the Bund on the other side of the Huangpu river. But specially with what happened behind the Bund in terms of refurbishment and rebuilding, suddenly there are axis of views where even a structure like the Pearl Tower fits into the picture, a bit like the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Another thing which struck me, was when I had a look at the Subway map of Shanghai and the first thought shooting though my mind was: “Wow, how did they do that in such a short time?” Then I looked at it for a while and my last thought still was: “Wow, how did they do that in such a short time?”. The list of things which impress me in Shanghai is very long, and last but not least, it is that Shanghai really recovers its elegant flair which reminds of the old Shanghai in modern times. 

Last but not least, the term “Field Trip” is really not appropriate any more when coming to Shanghai, which I would say really deserves the claim of being Asia’s World City. 

Tibet - The Roof of the World

The Himalayas range from alluvial North India, via Nepal, Bhutan until the Tibetan Plateau in China. Last year’s approach from Nepal was already very impressive, but this year (not looking for a hard core alpine adventure) the Tibetan side offered an enormous variety of nature and culture. Tibet is a Chinese Autonomous Region and currently needs for non-Chinese nationals a special permit to enter. Another special permit from the Military Authority is required to enter the region around Nyingchi, which is just a few kilometers North of the line of a disputed territory between India and China. The flight from Chengdu to Nyingchi opens a breathtaking view on the Eastern Himalaya and leads through the mountain peaks and descents into a steep landing. In our case, the landing was interrupted due to sudden low visibility, landing gear was pulled back in and the pilot pulled up steeply over the mountains to return to Chengdu, refuel and try again a few hours later. The pilot was finally proud to land safely on the small runway which only 10 pilots are licensed to approach here. Better see it late than never. The “Friendship highway” crosses Nyingchi and driving East leads to Bomi, which is mainly a garrison that played an important role in the "liberation" (invasion) of Tibet by Chinese troops in 1959, "freeing" Tibetans from a "medieval religious feudal system headed by the 14th Dalai Lama". This move is often seen critical, but also it sometimes is forgotten that the latest large scale massacre in Tibet was actually commanded by the British Lieutenant Colonel Francis Younghusband, who entered Tibet in 1904 based on the wrong intelligence information that the Russians would use Tibet as a base to move further South and threaten the Nepalese and Indian territories of the Empire. Bomi is a well located hub traveling further East, where the road becomes a small trail at the mountain side with up to 2000 metres above and 1000 below. Boulders are constantly falling even at this time of the year, which makes it not recommendable to pass during monsoon season in a passenger vehicle. If not a military truck, which was in a convoy to deliver food and equipment into the earthquake struck region in the North, would have blocked us, we would have also been hit by a land slide, which like this just came down a few tens of metres in front. It is an enormous effort to keep this section of the track open, which is a vital connection into Tibet.

East Tibet looks a bit like a very wild Switzerland in terms of landscape and vegetation. I even saw wild strawberries on the way to Midui Glacier, which access was cut off first by a land slide and a bulldozer was digging the track open. The glacier is fed from a peak elevation of 6385 metres and has impressive rings or terminal morains from different stages of development with a lake at 2900 metres. Further following the “Friendship highway” to the East leads to Rawok lake, which was unfortunately covered in snow and did not open up for a view on the scenery.

From Nyingchi, following the Friendship Highway to the West is far less dramatic in terms of driving (still the right back leaf spring broke and had to be exchanged), but offers an enormous entry into a completely different landscape. On the way to Lhasa the tree line is crossed at around 3200 metres, going through wide valleys utilized for herding jaks, horses, goats and donkeys or dry farming barley, sometimes with simple irrigation.  Also on the way are thousands of pilgrims to Lhasa, which make their way logistically inefficient but perhaps spiritually enriching by measuring the way dropping their body lengths to the ground moving slowly forward. They are covered by wooden protectors and thick clothes, doing this at least 100 000 times to improve their Karma. Some of them come about 800 km away, and a few even further. Entering the small tent camps is invited and they are very friendly and warm hearted people, some of them speaking Putonghua. 

Lhasa itself is impressive. Johkang temple for example is fascinating in terms of architecture, but also because it is a religious active temple. The Potala Palace is also impressive, but feels more like a museum, as it has only very limited activities. 

Unfortunately, during the Cultural Revolution Tibet suffered over-proportional high from the destruction of cultural heritage, because it was so rich in it. The Cultural Revolution was a man made disaster for all of China and its people and Tibet was struck badly by the power play of  Chairman Mao Zhedong. It seems one of the large dissonances of modern China, that Chairman Mao’s statues are still overlooking city squares, University campuses (which he closed) and cemeteries (which he filled so richly). But it also seems hard to abolish these memorials. Opposite the Potala Palace for example stands communist-fascist style memorial as a counterpoint to the palace itself. I guess, even the most concrete brain conservative CCP member sees how tasteless and idiotic this is, specially opposite such a beautiful palace. But tearing it down is also not easy, because this would symbolically play into the hands of the Dalai Lama and his gang and might even be misused by them to cause unrest. Since last year’s riots, the security in Lhasa seems very tight. Police and army are constantly patrolling with fire extinguishers and pump guns to protect shop owners and other citizens from attacks. They are friendly, even run out of the the line sometimes to buy an ice cream or a lottery ticket, but it is clearly not good to mess with them. As an outsider it is very hard to get a picture whether the riots where really political or simple violent attacks based on greed or other reasons. The tendency I heard goes into the direction, that it were politically camouflaged attacks by mob - not even by local Lhasa Tibetans but by Tibetans from Sichuan. But who knows?

The often criticized cultural delusion of Tibet is of course happening. But this seems normal in a country where people not fundamentally restricted in migration these days. Under the former religious leadership the “cultural purity” was preserved by insolation. But looking at the improvements in health, life expectancy, education, medical services, income and many other indicators, it is very clear that the Central Government is not doing a bad job here. But of course all religions pay their “bonus” in the afterlife. This has been the fundamental basis of suppressing people in Europe for about 2000 years. Only the “shepherd” get paid during life time. That’s the game. 

From Lhasa heading to the North lies Namtso Lake - the Heavenly Lake - with an altitude of 4718 metres. It is the world’s highest salt lake and when crossing the pass at about 5100 metres which opens the view on it, the name is instantainiously understood. This lake feels closer to the Universe and above it opens a nearly endless sky. There are some small unheated container huts and tents for rent and while rushing up the mountains to catch a better view, I was reminded by a fever that the air is already quite thin. Barking dogs can hammer quite severely into your brain in this condition and temperatures drop below zero. This is a test for will power and goose down jacket and probably is booked somewhere on the Karma-Account for the afterlife. If not, it is at least a good training for the immune system. Also, the heating and cooking process in the local Restaurant improves immunity: take dried Jak dung and put it on the fire, then cover it with a kettle and take a fresh bread from the exhaust pipe and enjoy. 

One of the most impressive cuts through divers landscapes, reaching from alpine snow, though deserts to green meadows is the 25 hour train ride from Lhasa to Xining. Do not forget your field glasses, because you will spot numerous Tibetan Antilopes (which I did not know, that they exist before).

The city of Xining itself is just shit. But it is bordering the further Western Provinces of China and makes you feel like ramping up gear and supplies again and go further West. But this time, the way had to return to Hong Kong via Xian and Shenzhen. Next time it will not.

Fujian Tulou (China)

From Xiamen it is about a 2-3 hour bus ride to the West of Fujian Province to come to the area of round or rectangular shaped clay buildings which reach back to 14th Century, called Fujian Tulou. The most famous one, is the cluster of dwellings called Chuxi Tulou which is a UNESCO World Heritage site (1113-001). The center rotunda building is called Jiqinglou and is a four storey building from the Ming Dynasty, built in 1419. It is amazing that these constructions are so stable, because the main structure is a 1-6.m meter clay wall. But the round structure seems so stable that even large cracks close again by the pressure. The later built rectangular Tulous are said to be less stable. The inner courtyard of the Tulous mostly has a temple and other central functions, like the well, which serve as a centre point for a whole clan living in such a structure.

The Tulous have been built by Hakka people who migrated from the Yellow River region as a result of civil wars in China. They settled in remote areas in Fujian and the Tulous also had a function of defense against robbers and smaller clans. It seems amazing that the clay walls really were a suitable protection against an attack, but it must have been only smaller conflicts and no serious warfare. Also it seems amazing that the wooden structures inside the Tulous, which are actually the homes of the individual families, only rarely caught fire. It is said, that because the living conditions inside are so dens, a fire will be discovered and put out on the spot. If not, I can imagine being trapped in a round high wall with only one exit, must be quite dangerous. The functions in a Tulou are structured vertically. On the ground floor there is a workshop and kitchen, bedroom on the first floor and sometimes also on the 2nd and then another workshop and storage floor. 

Still today, beside the upcoming tourism, the main economy is based on agriculture and the highest margin crop is tea. What makes the Tulous specially interesting, is that they are not just a form of settlement, but are deeply integrated into the form of life and culture of clans. Of course, these cultures are very enclosed. Even without understanding the spoken word, you can already feel that the people’s character from Tulou to Tulou is different. With the development of tourism, the buildings also become economically attractive again and many families which abandoned the Tulous and live in a township or village, now return and re-claim ownership. Recently this is causing in some clans a lot of conflict. 

Another thing, which surprised me at first, is that there are not just a few of these buildings, but that they are still today a dominant form of settlement spreading over a large region. I hope the tourism here will be developed wisely, to avert possible negative changes, because the Fujian Tulou are really a “World Cultural Heritage” in the true sense of the meaning.

Macao - washing it white

The Historical Centre of Macao is classified as UNESCO World Heritage since 2005. When reading the UNECO justification for inscription, there is a lot said about Macao’s role in the cultural exchange between China and Portugal and its unique history. Today Macao does not show much of its heritage any more. There are still remains of the old fortress with the Museo de Macao on top, but the small and crowded territory does not leave much space for preservation and the major development focus on the Cotai Strip Casinos and the South of the island also seems to leave no interest for the heritage of the city. Beside the few landmark buildings, most sites in the older part of the city are in bad condition and it seems strange that they are not developed into an attractive little old part of the town with cafes and restaurants. There are good restaurants in Macao, hidden in some side streets. But there is no nice cluster of them, even the potential looks good to upgrade a whole quarter following the Shanghai Xintiandi-Model. Perhaps it is also better that it does not happen now, because many recent attempts to develop places with cultural heritage, simply failed because of any a lack of experience how to proceed. Sometimes with the result that they are lost forever. It might take a few generations first to rebuilt the cultural understanding and technical skills to conserve the city and up to then we can be lucky when nobody spends the money to tear most of it down and turn it into Shopping Malls. Today, it is still a nice stroll around the little streets and also to go down to Coloane, where there can be still found a little bit of fishing village charm and Portuguese past residential grandness. 

The new casino and entertainment developments of Macao are mainly catering into tourists from Mainland China and Hong Kong: big, glamorous and really low taste. The typical luxury brands are all there to catch their cheap clientele which mainly recruits from Chinese new rich and other shady individuals. Not that you imagine anything like 007 class characters. It is more about obese, unwashed creatures that somehow made enough money to fart into luxury hotel pillows. The exchange of culture, praised by UNESCO, has been mainly taken over by the exchange of body liquids with adequate female counterparts. But also here, don’t imagine any “The World of Suzie Wong”-Romance, but more a robust biological process fueled by an extra large glass of Moutai. In case of company outings by Hong Kong bankers celebrating their newest achievements and contributions to the world economy, it is Champaign of course and slightly less agricultural. 

In the photo album on the left you find some recent pictures taken in Macao. It is interesting to see the mix of Chinese and Portuguese, not just in the building remains, but also in the local people and their habits. Even it is fading, there is still some flair of it left. Traditional Macao still feels a bit Iberian to me, even it is so far away and the connections between Macao and Portugal were not as strong as the one between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. Macao is not Hong Kong in many ways. Only on the North part of Taipa Island you find high rise buildings Hong Kong style. Over most other areas Macao still has a nice skyline. 

For some Hong Kong Tycoons Macao has been a back yard of their businesses for many years. An interesting and well researched  book on how Oligarchy developed in Asia, is Joe Studwell’s “Asian Godfathers - Money and Power in Hong Kong and South East Asia”.

In some corner shops, I even heard some Fado played. Quite a surprise, actually in these noisy corners. 

Sure, the “past glory” of Macao must have been much less glorious than it could look like. Just thinking of the time when the city was a last refuge from  Japanese terror and crowded with starving refugees after the invasion of Hong Kong. And later having nearly no physical buffer to Communist China, but a small river to Zhuhai. Today the two cities seem to be growing together in a similar model as Hong Kong and Shenzhen, just on a smaller scale. Zhuhai is actually a very nice and green place, which is trying to keep up successfully with the South Chinese peer cities, with non-polluting industries.

Dafen Oil Painting Village in Depression

Dafen Oil Painting village is the place in Shenzhen, where 60 % of the world’s cheap oil paintings are produced. The term “village” is a bit misleading. However, Dafen has some nice views and last year made first attempts to move “upstream” in terms of what is called arts. According to today’s issue of the South China Morning Post, in 2006 about 500 million RMB worth of paintings were exported from Dafen. The main clients were American property owners and Hotels. But since September, sales literally collapsed by 70 %. And even prices eroded 30 % still the volume keeps low. Also domestic sales is weak. Last year, even in the boom times, I felt that Dafen is a village of broken dreams for artists. So much skill and so poor living and working conditions, painting all the time the same motives. But now even this went down. The artists get laid off. And the income which was around 200 RMB per painting is now down to 20-30 RMB. It really did not take long until the financial crisis moved from Wall Street to Main Street. But here it is hitting the rice bowl now.

If you want to go there from Shenzhen by taxi and do not speak Chinese, print this for the taxi driver: Long Gang District, Da Fen Oil Painting Village, 龙岗区大芬油画村