Sipping sangria in a tapas bar at Hong Kong’s Soho District, looking out the window, one could spend hours watching cosmopolitan humans spewing out one of the world’s longest elevator systems. Next to it, a street sign reads “Elgin Street.” Hardly anybody knows who Elgin was, or what he had done to deserve a street named after him. If not because of a recent deliberation with a … [Read more...] about Elgin Street and the Old Summer Palace
history
A proper perspective on Sino-Russian relations
In light of President Xi's latest visit to Russia, it would be appropriate to provide a nuanced perspective to the current state of Sino-Russian relations. It is understandably difficult for the western media to deliver this kind of nuance; this difficulty stems not only from western biases against both Russia and China that obstructs objective analysis, but also the … [Read more...] about A proper perspective on Sino-Russian relations
Kissinger’s “On China” – not quite a book review
Instead of a proper review, this is more like a sketch of the thoughts which struck me while reading Henry Kissinger’s On China. In the past, writers were often individuals who saw things differently. Being different helped them to highlight alternative perspectives and popular social ills. Once in a while, they turned out to be right, and even listened to; and their visions … [Read more...] about Kissinger’s “On China” – not quite a book review
Truth Bent, Credibility Broken – a scathing review of Ping Fu’s book & her actions
The following is a re-posted review (find the original on Amazon.com) of the book "Bend, not Break" by Ping Fu. For those who don't know the context, this book is an "autobiography" detailing the horrors Ping Fu supposedly faced during the Cultural Revolution (a summary of her side of the story is on Wikipedia). When Chinese netizens started to investigate and voice skepticism … [Read more...] about Truth Bent, Credibility Broken – a scathing review of Ping Fu’s book & her actions
Lahaina and a little bit of Hawaiian history
Lahaina is a gorgeous little town in the western part of Maui. Today, it is bustling with tourists. Shops and restaurants dot the water-front main street. As I researched into its past, I am confronted with a number of emotions. Foremost, the aloha spirit is abound. So far, we have met travelers from the mainland U.S., Germany, China, and even Lithuania. The aloha spirit … [Read more...] about Lahaina and a little bit of Hawaiian history