For me personally, the Mainland's grandparents and great-grandparents are China's most interesting generation. As soon as I could string a few sentences together I was trying to get our neighbours to tell us about their stories and experiences. But Xinran, the authour of China Witness: Voices from a Silent Generation, being Chinese, can go light-years farther in an interview … [Read more...] about (Letter from Joel) Mainlanders and their pasts, Mainlanders and their selves
(Letter) Web search for Tiananmen not censored, but do people care?
As a readers of China blogs for quite some times, I've read my fair share of reports of Tiananmen being a taboo subject in China, and a sensitive terms that's filtered by the Chinese government's GFW (here, here). But those reporting filtering/censorship seem to have categorically fell silent when it appears the term "Tiananmen 64" (in Chinese and English) is not being … [Read more...] about (Letter) Web search for Tiananmen not censored, but do people care?
Is Chinese Meritocracy a Viable Alternative to Western Democracy?
David Brooks at the New York Times wrote a column more than a year ago, “The Dictatorship of Talent”. He characterized the Chinese political system as a form of “meritocratic paternalism”. … [Read more...] about Is Chinese Meritocracy a Viable Alternative to Western Democracy?
other foot, form of flattery, crab meat
Here is something interesting. Please read to the end. Tibetan Leader's Secession Talk Stirs Furor PARIS (AFP) — The Dalai Lama has touched off a political uproar by expressing sympathy for Tibetans who want to secede from China. His comments have made him a darling of exiled Tibetans, a target of abuse on Chinese state television and a target of criticism from regional … [Read more...] about other foot, form of flattery, crab meat
My Story and the Chinese Dream Behind It
Bai Yansong (here's his biography), the famed CCTV anchor, was on a trip to film his travels and observations in the US, when he gave this following speech at Yale University recently. (Here is the original.) It has a "commencement speech" style to it and is of general interest. Here is a translation for your consumption. … [Read more...] about My Story and the Chinese Dream Behind It