I ran across this article today on Stratfor, the geopolitical global intelligence service. It discussed a side of China's political and economic situation that we have touched upon here and there but never delved into that deeply. It highlights some of the intraparty differences within the CPC and expands on the philosophies of those factions. I'd like to hear everyone's … [Read more...] about Internal Divisions and the Chinese Stimulus Plan
Serfs' Emancipation Day for Tibet
The following article appeared in the BBC News Online today: Serfs' Emancipation Day for Tibet By James Reynolds Beijing China has declared a new annual holiday in Tibet called Serfs' Emancipation Day, to mark the end of what it says was a system of feudal oppression. The local parliament in Tibet has passed a bill which declares 28 March as the new holiday. The … [Read more...] about Serfs' Emancipation Day for Tibet
Chinese American Art & Culture
Heart Sutra: Calligraphy by Wendy Lee The San Diego Chinese Art Society recently presented the Thirteenth Annual San Diego International Music & Arts Festival. Sometimes we tend to forget about Chinese who have emigrated to other countries but continue to keep in touch with their culture in a new environment. The San Diego Chinese community has many organizations dedicated … [Read more...] about Chinese American Art & Culture
Hakka Tulou in Fujian Province
Huaiyuan Lou Tulou; built in 1907 We've had discussions about Hakka culture in the past with several of our commenters being of Hakka ancestry, so I wanted to show some photos taken by Ted of tulou (土楼; 土樓) in Fujian province. 60% of Hakka are from the Xingning/Meixian area of Guangdong province and over 95% of overseas Hakka were originally from that region, but tulou exist … [Read more...] about Hakka Tulou in Fujian Province
Taiwan's Alternative Music Scene
We covered China’s underground music scene in a previous thread and with the new year approaching, I wanted to introduce some alternative artists from Taiwan. I’m sure everyone already knows the most popular Mando-pop stars, so here are a few that are a little less known. Most of these musicians either made their debuts or saw an upsurge in their popularity over the course of … [Read more...] about Taiwan's Alternative Music Scene