China Pasticcio

Spring Festival (Chūnjié), China’s annual celebration of the lunar new year doesn’t officially begin until January 25 (new year’s eve), but the first wave of chūnyùn, transport during Spring Festival, has begun in earnest. Think of it as Thanksgiving in terms of the obligation or desire (take your pick) to be with family, but factor in ten times as many people on the move to get back to their hometowns. I recall reading that an estimated 400 million people will be attempting to go home.

I say attempting because there aren’t 400 million train tickets available, which is the most affordable way for the overwhelming majority…typically migrant workers, students and lower to middle class. Traveling in China at any time of the year is never short on people, but traveling during a national holiday is an exercise fraught with levels of humanity hard to imagine or describe. In which case, pictures pack a lot more punch. Need a ticket to get home? Work your way through this…

Notice that the “line” to enter the station gets wider and wider the closer people get to the ticket window. These pictures are all from Ningbo city in the Zhejiang province on the east coast, not too far from Shanghai.

After idling for hours outside (sometimes days), your chance to find out if you are one of the lucky ones is finally in sight when you’re allowed into the ticket terminal.

And here’s the main thrust of the post, which gives me yet another opportunity to use one of my favorite Chinese expressions…but illustrated this time. Rénshān, rénhǎi literally means people mountain, people sea. Basically their way of saying there are people everywhere…or a sea of people. And each and every one of those faces wants to go home to see their families.

This one is my favorite because of the man in the quilt, who is likely a migrant worker trying to get back to his wife and kids…but because of his overcoat I’m going to claim he’s also ex-military even though they can be bought just about anywhere. I like this because he’s flanked by police and army while stoically, defiantly swaddled in the quilt. Yes, it’s cold and I’m sure he’s much, much warmer than his neighbors in line. But “buying ticket with blanket” is apparently a powerful denouncement or complaint against the government’s inaction to improve transportation during national holidays.

This happens every year during every national holiday, but is more pronounced during Spring Festival. Following are some comments lifted from a Chinese BBS…

How come we do not see any sign of the leading cadres???

There is not even a decent queue, so how could it be anything but messy?!

The Ministry of Railways, the group of pigs, is too stupid! Yelling for so many years and still nothing can be done! Pigs!!! (Also possibly wolves! Otherwise, what would this group of wolves eat?)

This definitely is not China… [sarcasm]

The people inside and outside of the train stations are in collusion, giving the majority of tickets to the ticket touts and dividing the profits between themselves. So for places like Dongguan Railway Station where for several days straight there were no tickets available immediately upon opening the [ticket sales] windows, where did those tickets go???

It has been many years since I have been home to celebrate Spring Festival. There is no way [for me to get home]…

In this respect, China is really awful, often not having any tickets even before tickets begin being sold. The Railway Bureau’s management is really awful.

Sigh, my god, who can we blame? Who made us have so much people?!

We’re traveling to Chengdu this Spring Festival, Jenny’s hometown in the Sichuan province, so we can share the holiday with her family. We weren’t able to get tickets last year, but we lucked out this time. And since Xiangfan is a small city by Chinese standards, only a few million…we even managed to nab three (soft) berths for the 20 hour ride at a branch ticket office (not at the station) where there wasn’t even a line that day.

As the crow flies, it’s not that far away…just under 500 miles (about 780 kilometers). This will be my first overnighter and first time to spend more than 4-5 hours on a train in China. Because of the terrain, this particular route chugs its way quite a bit north before heading south to Chengdu. I’m looking forward to seeing some of Sichuan though. And, if I can avoid earthquakes while getting to see a bamboo forest, it will make for a might fine holiday, despite the sea of people.

Chūnjié Kuàilè! Happy Spring Festival!

Sounds rather ominous, yes? Perhaps omnivorous. Or even carnivorous. So what the hell is human flesh search engine? Google…amped up on flesh-rending steroids?

Not really. It’s sort of a Web 2.0 way employed by Chinese internet users (called netizens here) to track someone down…usually as a means of publicly humiliating the “victim” at the least, although often degenerating into threats or calls for violence.

The actual name for it in Chinese is rén ròu sōusuǒ yǐnchíng (人肉搜索引擎). For those with a bent for language tidbits, allow me to digress for a moment. Rén (人) means person, people…or human. Ròu (肉) means meat or flesh. Sōusuǒ (搜索) means to look up or search. And yǐnchíng (引擎) is a transliteration…the approximate Chinese sounds…of the word engine.

Now and then, events in the news or posts on Chinese BBS forums provoke calls for the human flesh search engine to identify or “out” someone due to their behavior and/or opinions. Netizens investigate and share information online with varying degrees of success. (This is not confined to China. A very well known South Korean actress recently committed suicide after being vilified online for her divorce.) It has also become a hotly debated topic in regard to privacy rights and the government is said to be considering instituting privacy laws.

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll have noted by now that one of my favorite Chinese blogs that I keep track of via Google Reader is chinaSMACK. It was started during the summer by a young woman, Fauna, as a way to hone her translation skills, as well as offering foreigners some insight into content on Chinese websites. Most of the following items and pictures were lifted from chinaSMACK with the single exception of the first one. Direct links to the original posts are provided:

Chinese student incurs wrath of human flesh search engine

Grace Wang, a Chinese student attending Duke University, caught the attention of the rén ròu sōusuǒ yǐnchíng last summer when the Olympic torch relay arrived in San Francisco. Pro-Tibet demonstrators on the Duke University campus (shown behind Wang in the second picture above) raised the ire of Chinese students attending the school (first picture).

Wang, apparently distressed by the angry rhetoric flowing back and forth, intervened and tried to encourage a more rational discourse between the two groups. However, Chinese media erroneously reported that she had supported the pro-Tibet faction and the human flesh search engine went into overdrive hunting down and eventually publishing the location of her family. Her family went into hiding and Wang has received death threats should she ever return to China.

Government official attacks 11 year-old girl

On her way to a restaurant restroom, the girl was accosted by this man, ostensibly asking for directions to the restroom. He then grabbed her by the throat and tried to wrestle her into it, but she escaped and she went running back to the dining room.

This happy-go-lucky looking man isn’t happy now, nor was he very lucky. Although immediately tapped by the human flesh search engine for a search and destroy mission when the news first hit, it turned out to be entirely unnecessary as he was caught on closed-circuit tape being confronted by the angry parents of the little girl he attacked. Whereupon the bloatedly self-important (and drunk) idiot proclaimed, “I’m a high official…do you dare fuck with me?” And then asked the parents how much money they wanted to forget the whole affair.

Lin Jiaxiang has been sacked from his position in the city of Shenzhen and may be facing criminal charges.

Kitten killer bares and dares all

These two pictures are from a video purportedly posted on a BBS forum by the woman shown while she uses high-heeled shoes to kill a kitten. I had no desire to watch the video. I have no inkling why anyone would do such a thing, much less put it out there for all to witness. The rest of the pictures included in chinaSMACK’s blog post on this subject are, well, extremely visceral. I don’t recommend them, but you can follow the link if you wish.

As you might imagine, this woman garnered quite a devoted group of people trying to track her down. Although reportedly a clothing shop owner in Chengdu, to my knowledge she’s still out there.

I love my life as a mistress

Someone using the name “Fragrant Chrysanthemum 1986″ posted to the Tianya Forum, along with a number of pictures. It read that she had been born to a rural family. Currently attending university, she met a married senior government official while working at an upscale coffee shop. As these things go, the rest is fairly predictable…touting how her life improved via house, car, money, etc.

Also fairly predictible (given this post’s touted focus)…enter rén ròu sōusuǒ yǐnchíng. Which soon identified her as a girl from Chengdu. Except the girl in the pictures is not “Fragrant Chrysanthemum 1986.”

She is a Chengdu girl surnamed Zhao and when interviewed by Sichuan Online reporters she explained that the photos came from her QQ blog. She also gave further information…all completely different from what “Fragrant Chrysanthemum 1986″ wrote about herself.

According to chinaSMACK, netizens have cursed her on her blog. The human flesh search engines posted phone numbers belonging to her and her relatives on the internet, so people keep calling her and her family repeatedly. She has hired lawyers and asked the Sichuan Online reporters to help her clear up this problem.

Recently, people on the internet also posted a picture of her four year-old son and the human flesh search engines have targeted the Sichuan Online reporter, too. The controversy of “Fragrant Chrysanthemum 1986″ continues and is now called “Mistress Gate.”

Long-legged beauty excites…and disappoints

In an attempt to end on a somewhat lighter note, this photo was taken during a flood last summer in Nanchang and later posted to a BBS forum. Again, no surprise that the human flesh search engine came into play after men saw those long legs and began begging anyone and everyone to find her for them.

Some people thought her legs weren’t real. Many questioned how the human flesh search engines could find her without a picture of her face and only a picture of her back. Others warned against finding out what she really looks like, although it’s obvious at least one man in the picture thought her to be an unquestionable head-turner.

There were almost 1,800 replies to the original post. After 1,129 replies, she was found…

There’s just no pleasing some folks. Following are some of the comments after her face was revealed…

Her face has been revealed. In fact, she was found by a reporter. Luckily, she is not a beauty. Otherwise I would have been heartbroken if she was and I did not find her earlier.

Whoa…we should just continue looking at her back…

After seeing the front, my excitement was immediately calmed.

All the perverts’ dreams were extinguished. That reporter is a heartless bastard. He should have left everyone with their dreams.

Personally, I think she’s a bit of a cutie. And there’s no denying those long legs. But, I’m curious. What do you think about rén ròu sōusuǒ yǐnchíng? Leave a comment…

Less than a week later and I’m still a bit numb from the reality that the American Dream is alive and well. I cried for two hours that morning…beginning when MSNBC called it for Obama at around 11am my time Wednesday, as the returns and electoral votes kept rolling in and while Obama gave his victory speech…watching the multi-racial crowds cheering and crying…the tears streaming down Rev. Jesse Jackson’s and Oprah Winfrey’s faces. Tian na! (Oh, my god!) It was incredible.

I cried when I saw Colin Powell’s interview later, his face puffy and red-eyed, when he said, “We did it. We really did it!” My students, without exception, all offered very genuine congratulations. And I do believe that I saw a newfound respect in many of their faces…that America truly is capable of overcoming its imperfections.

While there is a (mostly unstated) belief by the Chinese government that Republican presidents are preferable for their (in general) policy of free trade, my Chinese friends, my students and from what I have ran into on the net…overwhelmingly supported Obama.

One of the blogs I keep an eye on, chinaSMACK, provides translations of Chinese BBS forums which gives foreigners a peek at what the netizens here are thinking and saying. The following are quotes from chinaSMACK’s most recent post:

So touching! I approve! I continuously supported him and he did not let me down! So much personal charm! I hope he can really help bring change to America, and also peacefully coexist with China, giving the world positive change! Yes! We can!

I envy them living in a democratic and free country.

Obama’s speaking is so much better than the Texas accent of Little Bush. His spech was very wonderful.

Kao (fuck), I want to join America after listening to that.

I am really against those people who talk about how America will treat China in the future. That president is good, that is bad, does this matter really matter much to us? Regarding Obama, we are moved not because of how Obama will treat China in the future, we are moved because he has become president, and found a dream, telling us that we can also be like this. This is the reason we are moved. Right now, our country’s biggest problem is not on the outside, it is ourselves. We hope we can have a good job,  hope we can have enough medical care, hope our parents have what they need when they get older and that our children can enjoy equal eduation. We hope our lives will change for the better.

If American needs friends, China is a dependable/reliable friend. If the United States treats us as enemies, China will be a very competent enemy. Respecting our opponent, China is a mature enough and strong country.

So niubi (impressive)…his speech made me cry.

Not bad, as long as you treat China relations better in the future. Otherwise, you are done for.

Yes, we can~~~so wonderful, truly unexpected. A 47-year-old black man that is this impressive, America does not overlook talent. I approve~~~

Lofty China must rise up. No matter how stirring Obama’s speech is, it still cannot stop America from losing its superpower position. The 21st century must be China’s century.

Bush, goodbye…

He annotated a true American dream! Maybe from one side, it explains why American was able to become the only superpower. There is still much we need to catch up with and surpass.

When watching them say “yes, we can” together, I was really touched, and even had some tears. So well-said.

I ran across the following on the Frog in a Well, a rather erudite blog primarily focused on Chinese history, but which also includes some commentary on current events as well. By the way, the title of the blog is a take on an old Chinese saying, jǐing dǐ zhī wā, which is used to indicate the perspective of someone who lives in a well. There are many, many wonderful Chinese sayings or proverbs, but I’ve always had a soft spot for this one in that I reside in a country that chose to live in a well for hundreds of years and has a government that still likes to keep its citizenry in relatively dim lighting.

Anyway, these posters (or banners) were done by Yang Liu, a Beijing-born artist now based in Germany. They were originally produced as commentary on the differences or contrasts between the Chinese and German cultures. But, frankly, I don’t see or feel much difference between the German perspective and my own American outlook.

Therefore, view the following art as blue equals the West and red (of course) equals the East…

Attitudes about Weather

This is the only poster I found somewhat puzzling because my personal experience is that most Chinese people do not like or enjoy rainy weather. Especially, unlike myself, those blue norther thunderstorms that I miss from back home.

Transportation–in 1970 and now

This one seems to reflect more of a German (or European) based reality, as opposed to American. I suspect they tend to be “greener,” but maybe the increasing price of gas is prompting some rethinking back in the states.

Sense of Punctuality

Had I had any input on this one I would have done away with the five minute early span, started it at five to 10 minutes after…and let it run from 15 to 30 minutes late.

Standing in Line

Oh, my! This one is truly spot on!! Be it a bus, subway or train…the latter being the worst as platform entries are literally one body-wide chutes with hundreds of people jostling for position. Though on a smaller scale, you will either see or have to contend with the same scene most anywhere a Westerner would stand in line…picture a bank, market or street-side eatery.

Weekend Street Scene

The number of people on the streets at almost any given time and anywhere is absolutely astounding, sometimes overwhelming.

Daily Life of the Elderly

If you see someone during the daytime who looks 50ish or older and they don’t have a child in hand, then their grandchild is probably school age.

Family Relationships

I don’t think the Chinese value family more than Westerners, but their family structure is definitely based on sharing more time (and space) with more emphasis that revolves around the children.

Problem Solving

On this one, I’d like to stamp about four or five sets of footprints huddled together at the problem.

Authority–The Boss

Beware irking the lǎobǎn in China or they will make you wear small shoes (chuān xiǎo xié)! In essence, make your life miserable as if you were wearing small shoes. The same can be said of the Chinese lǐngdǎo (leaders). Authority is rarely questioned in China. After all, mei ban fa, what can you do?

Sense of Self

My sense is that both cultures could learn a little from each other here. For instance, if Americans hadn’t created (and lauded) a culture of self-aggrandizement, we might not be in the financial state we find ourselves in currently. And if the Chinese placed a bit more value on self, they might be able to pull together and act more collectively on behalf of themselves. Instead of mei ban fa-ing at every turn.

Social Connections

Know the term “cloud computing?” You could maybe call the Eastern way a cloud society, instead of the stratified, or pocketed society, you see reflected in the Western world.

The Great Wall is the most recognized symbol of China among Americans, according to a survey released by US-based Perspective Resources, Inc.

Entitled “A Study of American Perceptions of China,” the survey attracted 2 million US citizens, all aged 18 or above, with different social and education backgrounds. They were asked 10 questions about China.

When asked what they most associated with China, 49 percent said the Great Wall, followed by the Beijing Olympics (36 percent), rice and food (34 percent) and dragons (32 percent).

When asked to say which words they most associated with the country, the most popular answers were “highly populated,” “government or Communism,” “culture or history” and “red.”

The most famous Chinese people are Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Mao Zedong, Confucius, Jet Li, Yao Ming, Buddha, Lucy Liu, Genghis Khan and Chow Yun-fat, the survey found.

When asked what are the most popular Chinese dishes, nearly 60 percent said it was rice or fried rice. Others mentioned egg rolls, noodles, wonton soup, fortune cookies, egg drop soup and stir-fried food.

When it comes to places to visit, Americans think of Beijing, the Great Wall, Hong Kong, Shanghai, the Bird’s Nest, Forbidden City, Tibet and Tian’anmen Square, the revealing survey said.

Twenty-two percent of those surveyed also mentioned Singapore, which they thought was a Chinese city.

Chinese brand names are least familiar with Americans who named Samsung, Toyota, Nissan and Nike, which are not Chinese at all.

Forty-two percent of people surveyed said they could not name any Chinese brands, although 87 percent said they had used products made in China such as clothing, electronics and toys.

Asked about the most important issues in China, 39 percent said civil rights and freedom.

Others mentioned a wide range of topics such as population control, pollution, Communism and Capitalism, the economy, labor issues, sweatshops, low quality products, US debt to China and Tibet.

The survey also found that 49 percent of respondents were interested in Chinese history and culture, while 53 percent said they hoped to someday visit China.