Happy New Year of the Tiger!

In case you didn't know, the Chinese New Year starts on 14th February this year. If you are 36 or 48 or 60 (or other multiples of 12) years old this year, then it's your year, Tiger! Join such famous people as Marco Polo, Beethoven and Marx, and be prepared for lots of good fortune, energy and power, as well as 'virility, prowess and cunning', as shown by theTiger Man, courtesy of Utopia.  

Like Christmas in the West, this is a time for family reunions. Out-of-town workers have been going home since the start of the 40-day travel season end of January.

That's why there have been long queues at main railway stations to buy tickets, and even more pushing and squeezing to get on a train. It is estimated that 210 million train journeys and 29 million plane trips will be made in the 40 days, that's almost the whole of the population of the USA on the go! Luckily I just have to drive my car for less an hour to get to my old family home.

Also like Christmas, it's a time for eating, eating and eating! I've already had several dinners and reunions with friends and relatives whom we don't normally have time to meet during the rest of the year. I've also made several shopping trips to local markets and supermarkets to prepare for eating and cooking at home.

Every family will make dumplings, whereas the richer ones will splash out on a banquet at a restaurant. However, although business will be brisk, the owners, as well as flower and chocolate sellers say it's a disaster for them that Valentine's day is also at this time.

According to the fortune tellers, it's not a good year for marriage, this year being a so-called widow year, so there has been a last minute rush to get married in the old bull year. If you didn't make it in time, you'll just have to live in sin and/or keep up the Valentine romance for the rest of the new year. And if you're lucky (or unlucky) enough to be single, and you're looking for a mate, then beware of those tigers (and tigresses)out there, especially the beautiful young 24-yr olds, they could be strong, aggressive and difficult to tame. 

New Year decorations and papercuts will be put up everywhere, with red being the favourite lucky colour of course. Even used coke cans have their uses, as the model of the China pavilion at the Shanghai Expo, beginning this May, shows.

Tigers can be seen in every shape and size. And my younger relatives are all waiting for me to give them red packets, hong bao, or lucky money.

This is my last blog for the old year, and I've covered a whole range of topics which I hope you have found interesting. Do let me know if there is anything you want me to tell you more about. I look forward to being in touch with you again in the new year.

Modern Architecture in Beijing

Last year, I was honoured to show around a professional architect, Paul, from USA, and he is my guest blogger today. What better person to describe some of the highlights of Beijing's new skyline! I would be happy to arrange an architectural tour to show them to you also.

Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest)

A 'must-see' during anyone's lifetime.  Designed by Swiss firm

Herzog & de Meuron in collaboration with Ai Weiwei, the tangled

web of steel mesh was inspired by pottery to form a container

for 91,000 spectators.  Sure, the stadium went way beyond budget, but this is a once-

in-a-lifetime project that could never again be replicated, just like the other

world wonder to the north, The Great Wall, or the Great Pyramids

in Giza.  The reflective steel finish bounces the Beijing atmosphere,

be it smoggy gray or dusky blue.  At night, the stadium turns into

a sculptural lantern that sits well against the plaza that bustles with locals

flying kites, mingling, or simply promenading around what surely hands-down

is the most spectacular building of the 21st century.

CCTV Headquarters

This 'Extra-Large' project by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas/OMA

is a Post-Constructivist take on the skyscraper.  It has become

an iconic fixture in the Beijing skyline even while it was under construction

that it has been dubbed "underpants" due to the shape, by the locals.  The

engineering was made intricate in that two separate buildings had to be

weld together to form one structure at a particular temperature, and hence time, to minimize

the effects of differential expansions of steel.  The future of the burned annex remains to be seen, however.

Go to the Park Hyatt next door for the best view of the CCTV, and the

Central Business District for that matter.

Beijing National Aquatics Center

Otherwise known as the 'Water Cube', the other prominent sports complex erected

for the Beijing Olympics.  Designed by PTW Architects from Australia, the slice of

oversized water bubbles glows within and without.

Linked Hybrid

A mannered study of form, links, and the public spaces that they create.  Designed

by New York architect Steven Holl, the multi-use project features apartment

units, a hotel, retail spaces, offices, a movie theatre, and floating pools. 

The 20-storey-plus 8 towers are reminiscent of the Corbusian idealized urbanism,

but humanized to foster people interaction.  A pleasant surprise indeed when one

walks around the public plazas to notice how the elements of water and earth are

incorporated into what could have turned into a sterile conglomeration of apartment

shoe-boxes.

National Theatre for the Performing Arts

Yet another iconic architecture constructed just in time for the 2008 Olympics. 

The titanium and glass structure sits above a man-made lake, thus giving the

appearance of 'an egg' when viewed with the reflection.  Designed by Frenchman

Paul Andreu, the theatre was subsequently re-evaluated for safety upon completion

after the collapse of an airport terminal building in Charles de Gaulle Airport, also

designed by Andreu.  Visitors enter a submerged entry hall that is dappled by

water reflection from the pond above.  The three main performance spaces are the

Opera, Theatre, and Music Halls, that are distinct from the other.  The stairs and

escalators that connect the tiered halls create a complex set of circulation of a

Piranesian scale.

Capital Museum

The volumes, one sheathed in wood, the other in bronze, are encapsulated in this

modern glass box under a breathtaking roof cantilever.  The focus of the collection

are cultural relics, specifically those found in Beijing.  The interior has a restraint

feel to it that allows the visitor to unearth, at their own pace, through the different

collections of chinaware, calligraphy, jade, bronze, and sculpture.  From the upper

floors, one can get a great view of the modernized old town.

The Village at Sanlitun

A collection of vibrantly colored low-story structures to form a retail village.  While

the graphic appeal may be more Tokyo than Beijing (Kengo Kuma was, after all,

the architect), the open-air layout recalls the Beijing night-markets.  International

retail brand names and eateries can be found here including Adidas, Uniqlo, Puma,

Nike, and Starbucks.

The Opposite House

Yet another Beijing project by Japanese architect, Kengo Kuma.  Every city has to

have its own minimalist boutique hotel so Beijing has The Opposite House.  The interiors

are spacious, lofty, and wallpaper*-worthy.  The hotel mixes and matches modern

materials such as glass and steel with traditional wood and tile to great effect.

LAN Club/Beijing

Uber-glam restaurant and lounge by baroque-interior meister Philippe Starck.

There is no mistaking who or what the center of attention will be in this

6000 square meter venue.  It has all the signature Starck elements such

as elongated tables, gazing artworks, mismatched chairs, etched glass countertops,

and furniture styled from many '-isms'.  The decor may be a bit hyper to match

the hyper-inflated prices of the menu, but nothing that a few drinks won't

fix to tone everything down.

Commune by The Great Wall

Modern boxes, and lots of them, are littered next to the Badaling section of The

Great Wall.  12 Asian architects were each given a villa to design in this sprawling

complex, and the result is a clash of restrained design egos.  While each villa maintains

some relationship with the surrounding mountains and the Great Wall, the collection

of buildings seen as a whole, reinforces the notion of architects designing on a whim.

The repertoire of building materials is exhausted when one sees a bamboo house here,

and a rammed earth structure there.  Granted, the interior spaces are beautiful, and

worthy of consideration for weekend getaways.  The Peacock Room and the bathrooms

at the Club House alone are worth a visit.

Melting Snow and Freezing Temperatures

What a week we've had! Everyone's been talking about the cold temperatures and when was the last time it was so cold - 40 or 50 or 60 years ago? The heavy snowfall did cause much disruption, car drivers kept off the streets and so it was great to be able to drive without much traffic, though speed was still slow in the icy conditions. Taxis are doing great business, as are hotpot restaurants.

I thought I could have a quiet time in January. However, I have had quite a few brave and lucky, or perhaps unlucky guests, who could see the Great Wall and Forbidden City with a new white coat of snow. There was not much outdoor walking and more time spent in coffee shops recovering from the cold! Actually it's not too bad if there is sun and no wind.

I treated myself to a new padded coat, Chinese style, which I designed myself and got made up in a few days at a local tailor - highly recommended! Guess how much, or rather how little, it cost? Well, actually, just about the same as you would pay me for one day's work as a tour guide. Now that's really a bargain price!

The temperatures are creeping slowly back up to zero. The Embassy area has been cleaned up with neat piles of snow under the trees and pavements clear. Perhaps it's to allow the guards to be able to march from one posting to another. You may think they have smart uniforms, but I still prefer my coat, and I hope you agree!

Tomorrow the first ever Mr Gay China pageant, organised by www.gayographic.cn will be held in Beijing. Now there's an exciting event that is sure to warm everyone up and melt many hearts.

Monumental Year for China's LGBT Community

The following is extracted from China Daily, full article at

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2009-12/28/content_9236644_3.htm.

As 2009 comes to a close, it does so having been a monumental year for China's LGBT community. Beijing and numerous cities across China experienced the successful completion of 12 anniversaries and public events that expose LGBT culture and related issues like never before, see list below. China's LGBT community has adapted the terms tongzhi to refer to gays, lala for lesbians, ku'er for queer - an umbrella term for those who do not identify as heterosexual with regard to sexuality, sexual anatomy or gender identity.

The community is young. Most are in their 20s and 30s, are educated, working professionals with experience abroad who are now highly active and public organizers, authors, editors, designers, film directors, curators, activists and artists. The photos show lesbian volunteers for a wedding photo, and Shanghai Pride organisers. One catalyst was the Olympic Games in 2008, a landmark "coming out" event. LGBT websites have allowed for communities to build, to advertise events, and to allow contact and information to be exchanged between LGBT members from big cities and small towns in China with those from around the world.

Policies, too, have been slowly changing. At a national level, 1997 saw the removal of sodomy from the country's list of crimes; homosexuality was removed from the list of mental disorders in 2001; and since 2003 prominent sexologist and activist, Li Yinhe, has been proposing same-sex marriage legislation at the annual Two Sessions.

In China, where LGBT-themed films are prohibited and gay-themed exhibitions, novels and magazines are taboo, the success of many of these events has been years in the making. Organizers have gotten creative: they arrange other activities; they hold their film festivals and art exhibitions just outside major cities; they keep publicity to a minimum.

So with all this happening, what does the future hold for China's LGBT community? Li Yinhe has revealed plans to propose another same-sex marriage bill in 2010. And in a nation without ratings, perhaps introducing them to TV shows and films, will help lift the ban on gay and lesbian characters on screen. Perhaps China will witness the coming-out of its first celebrity.

Yet among all involved to promote awareness and to end discrimination, there seems to be a consensus: they have come a long way, but there is still a long way to go.

1. Feb 14: Qianmen Valentine's Day Photo Shoot, Beijing
2. May 17: Rainbow In Motion Bike Ride, Beijing
3. June 7-13: Pride, Shanghai
4. June 14-21: Difference Gender Art Exhibition, Beijing
5. June 17: Fourth Beijing International Queer Film Festival
6. June 28: PFLAG China's 2nd anniversary, Guangzhou
7. July 27-Aug 2: The World Outgames, Copenhagen
8. August: Courage by Xiao Jie
9. August: iLOOK magazine's "Happy Gay China"
10. October-November : China Queer Film Talk Tour
11. Nov 20-22: 3rd Annual Lala Camp, Guilin, Guanxi
12. Dec 19: Gay bar opening sponsored by the government, Dali, Yunnan

Christmas with Chinese Characteristics

I hope you all had a good Xmas and didn't eat or drink too much. Now it's back to the gym to get my body back into shape.

I came across this article by Huang Hung (Ms) from today's 'China Daily'. I thought is was a quite interesting view on cross-cultural influences in modern China, and share it with you here.

"We can turn anything, holy or unholy, into something just Chinese. Whiskey with green tea, red wine with sprite, rice hamburgers, Peking Duck tortillas - you name it, we localize it. There are still people in China who are concerned that we might lose our own traditions by celebrating Western holidays. Several years ago, this debate was quite real. I was DJ-ing a radio program and we were told not to mention Western holidays on air. On the other hand, retailers were already enjoying huge shopping sprees around Christmas time.

But honestly, the conservatives were all worked up about nothing. They should have had great faith in the Chinese ability to localize everything. Let me just describe to you how Western holidays are celebrated here, and you will know what I mean.

First of all, "silent night" is anything but silent. In fact, it is the noisiest night in the bars and discos. The Chinese have really turned Christmas Eve into a wild party night for the young. It just happens that Christmas comes around when final exams end for college and high school students. What better way to unwind after all that exam tension than to dance the night away. I assure you the holiness of the holy night is a bit lost here.

I noticed this year that Chinese were picking up Thanksgiving as well. But without the turkey and the immigrants. What we do on Thanksgiving is send text messages to each other on the cell phone. I counted, I got 32 messages, reminding me to be thankful. None of them thanked me for anything, however. I did not send any out. Call me Americanized, I still want my turkey (with lots of stuffing) and my pumpkin pie.

The most ridiculous Western holiday celebrated here, however, is Valentine's Day. First of all, the Chinese translation is "Lover's Day". I dare say, it is the worst day of the year for married man with a mistress. Who are they going to spend it with? The ex-lover, now wife? Or the new lover, ex-secretary? Agony descends on a lot of men with very little hair and a very big belly. Not the lovey-dovey romantic picture in your mind, I bet. But people, particularly women here, take Valentine's Day very seriously. As a result, it is absolutely good business if you own a restaurant or a flower shop; this is THE day of the year that you will move a lot of merchandise.

I am glad the debate about Chinese celebrating Western holidays has kind of died on its own. I've always been jealous of Hong Kong people. They get both Western and Chinese holidays, don't they? At this point, I think we just want more holidays."

I also hope you get more holidays so you can come and see the modern (and ancient) China with your own eyes.

Back in Beijing for Xmas

We got back from Bangkok last week and had a sudden 30-degree drop in temperature. Bangkok was as fun and as hot as ever. I want to retire there as soon as I can. We looked at some condos this time, but were put off by the high prices which are approaching that of Beijing. (At the beginning of the year, Beijing property prices were predicted to fall 20% but in actual fact have gone up 30%!). 

Today is Xmas Day, and it's a normal working day for most Beijingers. Offices of foreign companies are noticeably quieter, and the more generous ones give a day's holiday to their staff. Many expats have left town to go home or to some warm resort in the region. Those who stayed can celebrate Xmas in style at the various dinners put on by the 5-star hotels and restaurants, costing up to USD100+ per head.

Most Chinese however do not celebrate Xmas and will not be eating turkey or brussel sprouts today. Some of my (young) local friends just send text messages for Xmas but no cards or gifts. We did drive out last night in the windy weather to a party held by an American friend, and soon got stuck in traffic near the Third Ring Road with all the other party-goers. We sung some carols and exchanged gifts, which was fun. I got some 'fun' videos, which I can't post here, so you have to visit me in Beijing if you want to see them!

And of course now is a good time to come to Beijing since there are few tourists in the Forbidden City or on the Great Wall right now! 

Capetown holiday in the sunshine

We’ve just had 10 days in Capetown, a lovely city with lots to see and experience. What is striking is that the influence of the former British and Dutch colonialists as well as of the India/East Indies, are still much in evidence. We had come not to 'black' Africa, but to a ‘white’ corner of South Africa. It felt like a mixture of Sydney, Los Angeles, Hawaii and the Mediterranean.

The famous Table Mountain was visible from many parts of the city, notably from the V&A (Victoria and Alfred!) harbour. We enjoyed walking round the city and seeing its local markets and ‘robots’ (i.e. traffic lights). The city is getting ready for the World Cup next June.

We stayed at a friend’s home which overlooked the bay of Simonstown, one of many picturesque bays in the region. The restored buildings of the main street contrast sharply with those in the local townships.

 We took the chance to eat as much local produce as possible, including ostrich meat and prawns which were a bargain at the local seafront restaurant.

We drove down to the Cape of Good Hope. Since we had just come from London, it didn’t feel strange to be driving on the left, but seeing the noonday sun in the north rather than the south took some getting used to! I had learnt about the Cape many years ago in my school geography lessons, but I never dreamt I would visit here one day. The only problem is that there were so many other tourists there, especially Chinese.

We passed by beautiful penguins and beautiful scenery as well.  We also passed by not-so-beautiful baboons, as you can see in the photo. They behave just like humans! Do you know the name of S. Africa’s national flower shown in the photo?

We also made a one day trip round the wine country, visiting the vineyards around the old towns of Stellenbosch and Franshoek, where wine has been produced for centuries, almost as long as in France.

We sampled many different wines and also visited a local crafts shop. The local people are so friendly! We didn’t bring any wine back to London because they said prices were similar in Tesco.

We were privileged to visit some local residents’ homes and see the diversity of artistic influences, including Chinese, Georgian, Zulu and Xhosa.

However, there are many not so privileged, and the huge gap between rich and poor left us feeling uncomfortable. We heard that the problem of Aids is so serious (one study estimates that 1 in 10 of S. Africans over 2 yrs old are living with HIV) that Africans especially are dying younger and in greater numbers (average life expectancy is falling fast, and is already less than 50 yrs). Even with a per capita GDP 70% higher than that of China, it made me think how lucky we all are.