Well just over a week into the next semester and I’m on another break already. China has their National Day break from October 1st to 7th and so that means I have a full week off. Why don’t I go somewhere? Well, I was meaning to go to the Phillippines but I never got around to booking tickets a month ago when they were much cheaper. Now, however, most trains and trains are sold out and the ones that remain are getting pricey. If I can, I may go down to Hong Kong to have a look around although I’m in no particular rush to pack my bags and head out again. With my summer travels behind me, I’m content to sit for a while. It’s almost difficult to believe that a month ago I was in Canada.
Anyway, I brought a few books from Canada that will keep me busy this semester. I’m currently reading Mr. China, which tells the story of how he and a few other investors from Wall Street tried to jumpstart the idea of investing in China only to be met with multiple accounts of fraud and the practically insurmountable wall of bureaucracy that makes up the Chinese political structure. I’m also making my way through The Penguin History of Modern China by Jonathan Fenby, which is said to be one of the better histories of China, and so far I agree. The book concentrates on the last 150 years of China’s history until just after the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Oh, and I’m still trying to get through Jiang Rong’s Wolf Totem and Mark Twain’s Innocents Abroad.
If you’re looking for recommendations on books to read about China, these are the ones I’d recommend so far:
Age of Ambition by Evan Osnos
The Penguin History of Modern China by Jonathan Fenby
Mr. China by Tim Clissold
Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong
Riding the Iron Rooster by Paul Theroux
Quotations of Chairman Mao Tse Tong by Mao Tse Tong
You might be surprised to see Mao’s Quotations in that list but no one can deny that he left an indelible mark upon the country that lasts to this day.
The one thing I neglected to bring with me from Canada was pants. I meant to pick up a few pairs before returning but simply ran out of time. I had quite a few people wonder why I was trying to do a lot of shopping in Canada when I was there. Well, first, the sizes are more “normal” for me, that is to say, that a size-36 pair of pants is made for the North American body type, not the skinnier Asian body type. So too with shoes, as I don’t get the impression that Chinese shoppers care much for the right footwear so much as they care about the look of them. And again, it’s easier to find my size in Canada than in China.
Finally, it may or may not come as a surprise but much of what is manufactured in China isn’t actually sold in China but is instead shipped overseas. The companies make more money that way. That may change, of course, as a middle class of Chinese grows up and wants or demands Western-style clothing which means a greater presence of Western brands along with their Western prices.
And I finally ventured over to the 798 art district here in Beijing. The neighbourhood had a history of being an old factory district but has now been converted into a centre of Beijing, and possibly China’s, art scene. It plats host to several galleries displaying both new and old local works of art. It was neat to have a look around to see what Chinese artists had to offer. Nothing really grabbed my eye except for some copper sculpture works. One girl asked me if I was serious in purchasing some art and I said that I wouldn’t mind. Copper sculptures are especially valuable because not only do they increase in value as the artist gains a reputation, but should they fail to appreciate in value you can always melt them down to make something else or simply sell them as scrap metal. In any event, I can’t see 798 as a place I need to see again despite its breadth across a whole neighbourhood.
One last thing, it was the mid-Autumn Festival here in China over the last weekend in September. According to the Lunar calender it’s already mid-autumn, which might make sense given the current change in the weather (cold and rainy) but doesn’t make sense since the leaves have only recently started to fall. Anyway, tradition has it to eat moon cakes on this weekend. I think had a piece of one. I was surprised none of them are filled with chocolate. And, sadly, the main event for those outside of China was the super moon lunar eclipse, which was not viewable here in Beijing. Oh well, next time… in 2033.
That’s all for now. Check back after the National Day break.