Blogs » Society » Watch: Wuhan subway line is first to pass beneath the Yangtze

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• Watch: Wuhan subway line is first to pass beneath the Yangtze
• 27 injured after Hong Kong bound ferry collides with buoy in Macau
• Great Albums from Shanghai Musicians Released in 2012
• Netizens outraged at Hong Kong TV drama's negative depiction of pregnant mainlander
• Body nourishment as recreation of elder Chinese – socialist China meets neoliberal modernity
• Watch: Dongguan dog snatcher nabs pups without even stopping his van
• Sunday Viewing: BBC This World’s Profile Of Ding Yu, Interviewer Of Dead Men Walking
• Saturday Night Musical Outro: M Ward – Chinese Translation
• Beijing-Guangzhou Railway staff caught smoking on train by CCTV
• Rapist of 7-year-old girl still at large in Beijing
• Giant sinkhole in Shanxi fails to eat a single car, pedestrian
• Hong Kong TV Series Sparks Outrage in China
• New regulations to force filial piety
• Photos: Wei Wei the panda's festive frolic in the snow
• Shanghai to introduce tough food-safety laws
• A Movie That May Interest You: Youth, by Long Cuu Phan

Watch: Wuhan subway line is first to pass beneath the Yangtze Posted: 29 Dec 2012 08:00 PM PST Wuhan, the city of flooded roads and amateur submarines has managed to relieve the first and take inspiration from the second: opened on December 28, the city's subway is now China's first to include a tunnel beneath the Yangtze river. [ more › ]

27 injured after Hong Kong bound ferry collides with buoy in Macau Posted: 29 Dec 2012 07:00 PM PST Almost three months to the day since Hong Kong's worst ferry accident in decades, there's been another ferry crash in the area. Around lunchtime on Saturday, a ferry on its way to Hong Kong crashed in to a buoy just minutes after it left Macau's Outer Harbour. [ more › ]

Great Albums from Shanghai Musicians Released in 2012 Posted: 29 Dec 2012 06:34 PM PST Date: Dec 28th 2012 2:35p.m. Contributed by: katvelayo

Netizens outraged at Hong Kong TV drama's negative depiction of pregnant mainlander Posted: 29 Dec 2012 06:00 PM PST Hong Kong TV station TVB's new series "Friendly Fire" has been criticised for its "offensive" depiction of mainland Chinese. [ more › ]

Body nourishment as recreation of elder Chinese – socialist China meets neoliberal modernity Posted: 29 Dec 2012 06:08 PM PST Note: Gil Hizi is Ministry of Tofu's contributor. He is also the chief editor of website Thinking Chinese. Numerous elder Chinese have a desire to remain fit and to nurture health. Some of them even fulfill this need by swimming in icy lakes and pushing the body to efforts that it had doubtfully met even in its younger years. Yet the recreational activities of retired Chinese are not merely a personal hobby but a social gathering and perhaps the most lively hours in one's social routine. The double objective of taking care of the body while enjoying social encounters is partially attributed to the fact that the outdoors is in fact the best place to meet, and no 'party' can offer more excitement for these veterans than a sunny muscle stretch. The fact that many old Chinese live in small apartments or become a burden on the shoulders of their children makes the outdoors an ideal choice, that liberates both parents (or grandparents) and children. A deeper observation into the cultural meanings of these activities can provide even more reasons to this choice of action. Most elder Chinese refer to this type of activities as yangsheng, which means 'body nourishment' or 'taking care of one's health'. Methods of yangsheng have been instructed by ancient Chinese traditions long ago, through body balancing techniques of Chinese medicine or by the self-cultivation customs of Confucianism. It is therefore not surprising that yangsheng carries a holistic meaning, referring not necessarily only to physical exercise but possibly to any recreation that nurtures the body and soul (calligraphy, singing, dancing, etc.). For some participants, accordingly with the Confucian tradition, it can even have moral implications as a ritual that negotiates with important social customs. Another dimension of the yangshen activities stems from the socialist background of the participants. On one hand, these individuals experienced the intense social structure of the work unit, where privacy was a forbidden concept and at the same time social support was quite rewarding, and they now have a social void that needs to be filled.  On the other hand, the Maoist years also presented uncertainties, particularly during the Cultural Revolution, when no one was immune of becoming a target of political criticism, losing social status and even worse… Judith Farquhar and Zhang Qicheng, in their ethnographic report of Beijingers practicing yangsheng, suggest that the combination of the social needs of these people (according to the authors these 'meetings' even carry a sense of patriotism) and their awareness of a 'potential human violence' (violence that can range from inner group hostility to more threatening persecution) is what brings them to choose the harmless spaces of recreational yangsheng. In this atmosphere, they can both enjoy time spent with friends yet remain in an 'airy' social framework, without stepping on each other's toes in any aspect. Other factors that relate to the yangsheng activities are more objectives conditions of the modern society. Neoliberal structural developments that reduce welfare, increase the cost of medical services and emphasize 'personal responsibility' lead individuals of all ages to cater their own bodies more wisely. Taking care of the body is mostly prolonging life in a race against time, yet it also has a financial value that one cannot disregard. While the elderly embody traditional values and knowledge which derive, for example, from the legacy of Chinese medicine or Confucianism, as mentioned earlier, they also vividly respond to sociocultural changes, unlike what many would assume. The preoccupation of elders with health is by no means a new phenomenon, yet some of its 21st century manifestations reflect modern culture. Many of the active veterans consume self-help books, read health magazines and listen attentively to the voice of experts in a manner that strongly corresponds to the image of the 'self-responsible' citizen that modern society is producing. Yangsheng is therefore not only a natural choice for these people in terms of their past life development, but also in the manner it correlates to the modern sociocultural landscape. When analyzing the habits and activities of the 'old', we cannot only regard them as agents of the past but must also consider their encounter with present conditions. Yangsheng recreation is a lively spectacle that all observers can enjoy, while it also displays, to some extent, an outcome of historical events, socioeconomic transformations and a new culture that we are all still trying to comprehend.

Watch: Dongguan dog snatcher nabs pups without even stopping his van Posted: 29 Dec 2012 05:00 PM PST This shocking surveillance video from Dongguan, Guangdong Province, shows a dog being snatched by a man in a van, which barely slows down as the dognapping takes place. [ more › ]

Sunday Viewing: BBC This World’s Profile Of Ding Yu, Interviewer Of Dead Men Walking Posted: 29 Dec 2012 04:00 PM PST If you haven't already seen it, our Sunday film recommendation is BBC's documentary on Ding Yu, host of the extraordinary Chinese talk show Interviews Before Execution. (The good folks over at Reddit recently found the above video.) For just over five years — more than 200 episodes — Ding interviewed prisoners on death row, often in the moments just before their execution. She earned the nickname "Beauty with the Beasts," but the inmates she talks to are rarely unrepentant monsters; more likely, they are flawed human beings full of regret, sometimes agony — and who will pay the ultimate price for one fateful mistake. The weekly show ran on Henan Legal Channel and online, and was deservedly popular: it's powerful, emotional, and probably the realest thing you'll ever see on Chinese TV. And it was cancelled in March. According to The Independent: However, the show may have become the victim of its own success after international TV stations, including the BBC, made documentaries about the programme. Once again, Chinese censors cannibalize the country's soft power push. You can do any kind of TV here except the kind that depicts a too-real reality. The embed is Part 1 of 4. Here are parts two, three, and four on YouTube. Somehow, censors haven't taken down Part 1 on Tudou, which is below. China's death row TV hit: Interviews Before Execution (BBC News Magazine)

Saturday Night Musical Outro: M Ward – Chinese Translation Posted: 29 Dec 2012 05:38 AM PST Tidings on this final weekend of 2012. Thank you for your support throughout the year. Stay warm out there, wherever you may be.

Beijing-Guangzhou Railway staff caught smoking on train by CCTV Posted: 29 Dec 2012 02:30 AM PST On the day the new line opened, CCTV made a live broadcast of train G801 pulling over at Wuhan Station and its driver coming off duty. A number of passengers were spotted holding and drawing on cigarettes while leaving the train. One of them had an employee card around his neck. [ more › ]

Rapist of 7-year-old girl still at large in Beijing Posted: 29 Dec 2012 12:34 AM PST If you want to read a very disturbing opening paragraph from Global Times, click on its Dec. 27 article about a seven-year-old girl who was raped on Monday while walking to school in Beijing. We'll begin our excerpt from graf no. 2: "This [the rape] is not a good thing. She is a little girl. If other people know this, it will damage her reputation," said father, whose name is being withheld by the Global Times to protect the migrant worker family's privacy. He said the attack happened Monday afternoon as the girl walked the one mile from her home to her school, and that the girl had met the man several times before, adding that so far, the criminal is at large. "When she can check out of the hospital, we will take her to the criminal police. She will then see the footage and detect the criminal," he said. Our reaction is pretty much encapsulated by this comment from Redditor Option84: Hope it was worth it. Enjoy the bullet in the back of your head motherfucker. Girl, 7, seriously hurt in sexual assault [Global Times]

Giant sinkhole in Shanxi fails to eat a single car, pedestrian Posted: 28 Dec 2012 11:00 PM PST     The sinkhole strikes again! While not as epic as the gaping Xi'an collapse in May, a road in Shanxi has imploded, damaging gas and infrastructure in the area. No one was hurt, and the only significant harm was caused to underground pipes. Shanxi should be glad not to have the bus-eating holes of Nanjing or pedestrian-assassins of Xi'an. [ more › ]

Hong Kong TV Series Sparks Outrage in China Posted: 28 Dec 2012 11:57 PM PST Xinhua News reported on Dec 25th that TVB's series "Friendly Fire" has provoked outrage in Mainland China and netizens demand an apology from the station as the series shows a Mainland Chinese pregnant woman, who is going to give birth to an anchor baby in Hong Kong, eating hot pot with her family inside a hospital ward. Over thousands of Hong Kong netizens express that TVB should not make any apologies to Mainland Chinese as the offending scene is based on true stories inside Hong Kong hospitals. "Friendly Fire" Translated news via Singapore Yahoo, "Friendly Fire" angers China 26 Dec – TVB's new drama, "Friendly Fire" has been criticised for its depiction of mainland Chinese people. Popular Asians reported that recently, mainland netizens were enraged with a scene in the drama that was deemed insulting. In the scene, actress Mandy Wong plays an illegal mainland pregnant woman called Fei Fei who was criticised by a Hong Kong woman for eating hot pot in the hospital room. Fei Fei then exclaimed, "All you Hong Kong people know are to file complaints. You can't understand at all". After an argument, Fei Fei's husband later retorted, "You Hong Kong people are of such low quality!" The mentioned scene was similar to a real-life situation last year, when a Hong Kong mother had complained about a mainland mother for eating hot pot in a hospital room. Mainland netizens who watched the drama were deeply offended in how they were being portrayed, claiming "Friendly Fire" to be anti-mainland China. They also demanded TVB to make an apology. Asked if he is not afraid that his drama will not be shown in mainland China due to the controversy, producer Man Wai Hung stated, "I am from a Hong Kong broadcasting company, and I want more freedom in my creativity." "Friendly Fire" stars Michael Tse, Tavia Yeung, Sammy Leung, and Sharon Chan. The following is the offending scene, Based on Reality In fact, the scene is based on actual stores reported by Apple Daily on Dec 4th 2011. (screen capture) Netizens' Comments Facebook blogger 朗思 commented with "Apologise my a**" and has received over 16K likes. 朗思:【Apologise my a**!】 TVB's "Friendly Fire" satirises "double negative" (*anchor babies) and rudeness of Chinese, sparking outrage among Chinese netizens. And they demand an apology. Hong Kong netizen replies, "Playing victims and claiming that you are innocent when you are at fault? Apologise my a**!" If you are with me, please share! Long: Eat shit! This TV series has already embellished the locusts! Tse: TVB should really make an apology. Mainland Chinese "double negative" are worse than that, at least 10 times worse. TVB is suspected to treat the "double negative" favourably and should make an apology!!!! Kong: The "double negative" who ate hot pot in the hospital ward, the one who beat a female doctor in the Emergency Room, the one who beat a tour guide, those Mainland tourists who jumped the queue in theme parks, smugglers who fled after hitting people and blocked roads when packing goods, Mainland Chinese kids who peed and pooped everywhere, Mainland Chinese men who couldn't stop smoking everywhere, Mainland Chinese women who squatted everywhere…Have THEY apologised yet?!?!?! ****More comments from netizens later****

New regulations to force filial piety Posted: 28 Dec 2012 10:00 PM PST According to regulations passed by the Chinese national legislature on Friday, you should stop putting off that trip to your parents' house. A new law requires citizens with elderly parents to visit them "often" or else face a potential lawsuit. [ more › ]

Photos: Wei Wei the panda's festive frolic in the snow Posted: 28 Dec 2012 09:00 PM PST       Please enjoy this gallery of Wei Wei the Giant Panda having a festive frolic in the snow on Boxing Day at home in Wuhan Zoo. [ more › ]

Shanghai to introduce tough food-safety laws Posted: 28 Dec 2012 08:00 PM PST Shanghai law makers are proposing a new crackdown to reduce the ever growing number of food scandals. Under the new legislation, still a reactionary measure and not really solving the underlying problem, firms caught using inedible or shanzai additives in food will be banned from operating in the city. [ more › ]

A Movie That May Interest You: Youth, by Long Cuu Phan Posted: 28 Dec 2012 09:00 PM PST Los Angeles filmmaker Long Cuu Phan has lived in Beijing for the last four years, and for at least the last two of them, he's been working on a script that's "near and dear" to his heart. Set in modern-day Beijing, Youth is about a college student whose world unravels when she discovers her father's new wife is pregnant. "It's what would happen if you remixed Ozu x Godard x Korean Romcoms," Phan writes. He's currently trying to crowd-source funding on Indiegogo to begin production. And to be completely honest, I've worked on this script for almost two years, but have been dreaming about it for much longer.  It is near and dear to my heart, and I refuse to shoot if it isn't done right.  A quarter of the budget is allocated to a high end digital camera package, but the majority of the money will go into paying actors, crew, locations and all the other necessities that goes into making a world class film.  And make no mistake, this is exaclty what this film is, world-class.   It's something I've worked the last 9 years to be able to make and with your support I will be able to do it. Phan shot his first short when he was 23 years old, called This Will All Make Perfect Sense Someday. He now earns his income from a PR company, but filmmaking is his life's passion, he tells us. Check out Youth on Indiegogo. In the director's video introduction below, the trailer begins at the 4:49 mark.

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