Monitoring a No-Photography Zone

A sign I saw today at a store in Zhongshan, Guangdong, seemed symbolic of a common theme in both China and the U.S.: an expectation to monitor but not be monitored.

Fang Tang's Caricature World at the Zhongshan Cartoon Museum

The Zhongshan Cartoon Museum (中山漫画馆)

The Zhongshan Cartoon Museum (website in Chinese) opened just over two years ago at scenic Yixian Lake Park in Zhongshan, Guangdong. The Chinese characters "漫画" (mànhuà) in the museum's name are translated into English as "cartoon". But in a different context on a sign introducing a collection of pieces by Fang Tang (方唐), the characters are translated as "caricature", which captures the spirit of his work displayed there.

Fang Tang, formerly known as Chen Shubin, was born in Zhongshan in 1938 and has achieved national recognition (source in Chinese). According to the Zhongshan Daily Overseas Edition, Fang donated a number of his pieces to the museum because he felt it was a better option than them becoming "rubbish" after he dies. As a whole, I considered Fang's works to be the most striking examples in the museum, in large part due to the topics they covered.

Below are photographs of six examples of his work along with their titles. I would typically take a pass on translating artwork titles, especially without consulting the artist. However, for the sake of providing some context, I gave it a shot, erring on the simplistic side. Titles in the original Chinese are included as well, and dates are listed when possible.

With the exception of "Henpecked Disease", I would not have been surprised to see the below examples as editorial cartoons in an American publication, although a slightly different meaning could have been intended or interpreted in some cases. The pieces provide a taste not only of what Fang wanted to creatively express but also of what he has been allowed to express in China.

Sign introducing the collection

Security — 安全 (2003)

Give a Bit of Oil — 给点油吧 (1981)

Recollecting — 回想 (1986)

Henpecked Disease — 惧内症 (1985)

Worship — 崇拜

Conviction — 信仰

Mr. Beauty

Minzu Road in Zhongshan, Guangdong

Not Letting It Happen: International Women's Day in China

This year's International Women's Day theme is "Make It Happen". As reported in The New York Times, China didn't want too much to happen though:

China detained at least 10 women’s rights activists over the weekend to forestall a nationwide campaign against sexual harassment on public transportation that would overlap with International Women’s Day, according to human rights advocates and associates of the detained activists. . . .

On Friday evening, police officers in Beijing detained Li Tingting, who works under the pseudonym of Li Maizi. Ms. Li has been known in advocacy circles since she started a campaign in 2012 to push officials to build more public toilets for women. She was then a 22-year-old student. Also on Friday, an activist in Guangzhou, Zheng Churan, was detained by the police. The homes of Ms. Li and Ms. Zheng were both searched.

China's number one online search service Baidu also chose a curious way to "Make It Happen":

Google vs. Baidu. Definitions and expectations of women. Can't be more different. pic.twitter.com/nc6PaFNt6Z
— Li Yuan (@LiYuan6) March 8, 2015

During the special day in Zhongshan, Guangdong province, I saw a promotion located in front of a shopping mall. I didn't notice any specific mention of International Women's Day, but a display was regularly restocked with flowers which were offered to women:

The promotion highlighted hair removal services offered by the AIST "beauty hospital". The stems of the flowers helped create the illusion of hair around a woman's lips:

The promotion suggested that hair removal could lead to increased kisses or could improve one chances of finding a boyfriend. I guess that was their suggestion for how to "Make It Happen".

I didn't notice much else, except that in front of the mall and around the nearby popular pedestrian street, there was an unusually large police presence keeping a close eye on things.

As far as I know, nothing happened.

A Looney Tunes Sighting in Zhongshan

Who is not a fan of Looney Tunes?

More tomorrow on the topic of cartoons in Zhongshan, China, though these cartoons will have a far more political aim than Looney Tunes.

Spider-Man and an Ewok: Watched From Above

I have recently noticed a peculiar pattern — characters from popular fantasy and science fiction movies suspiciously watching me from high vantage points as I walk outside in China. Here are just two examples:

Spider-Man watching me in Chongqing

An Ewok watching me in Zhongshan

Coincidence? You decide. But I am going to keep looking up.

No Revolutions Today: A Yellow Umbrella in Zhongshan, China

Today I saw something I found especially thought-provoking due to what was being held and where it was being held. In front of me, two young women walked under a yellow umbrella in Zhongshan, the renamed birthplace of Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen.

At a one point, a passing policeman on a motorcycle noticeably jerked his head to look at them, but he continued down the pedestrian street without turning back. No revolutions are likely now in Zhongshan, whatever yellow umbrellas mean across the river in nearby Hong Kong.

What's An American Name?

In context of news about a state legislator in the U.S. saying "Asian-descent voters should adopt names that are 'easier for Americans to deal with'", I had an online conversation with an American acquaintance about the new names Chinese sometimes choose to use when they come to the U.S. to live, work, or study. I think it could be of interest to readers, so I will share it below.

For reasons of privacy, I have changed two names to Mark and Juan, as well as changed some of names I used as examples.

Mark: I had a student from China that changed his name because he wanted an "American" name. So he called himself Juan. :) I told him that was a nice name but it wasn't an "American" name. We had a good laugh but he kept it.

Me: In the 2000s more babies in the US were named Juan than Charles, Adam, Brian, Steven, Timothy, Richard, or . . . Mark. Seems like the student had it right. :)

http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/decades/names2000s.html

Mark: It was still funny and we did have a good laugh. Don't forget, he didn't come from a Hispanic background.

Me: Juan also didn't come from many other backgrounds which have influenced what names are common in the US.

I would agree his name seems atypical for someone coming from China. If I met him, it would catch my attention as well. I suspect the deal here is that for many who come to the US (from wherever) and want a new name, their choice is indirectly or directly impacted by race/ethnicity, not just "Americanness". Your student's choice doesn't fit into how that has often played out, so it stands out to us. I'm curious to know how he chose it.

On the note of unusual name choice... In China, I often meet younger people who, at least in my eyes, have chosen rather creative English names. My favorite is "Spoon".

As always, feel free to share your thoughts.

A Boat Going Nowhere in Zhongshan

A scene at the Nanxia Land Mark (南下新码头) "entertainment city" in Zhongshan, Guangdong:

The red traditional Chinese characters "迎陽" (Yíngyáng) are the name for a nearby community. And it didn't look like the boat would be going anywhere soon.

More tomorrow. . .

Dogs Where the Dogs Don't Go in Hong Kong

A recent post about dogs in Chongqing reminded me of a scene two months ago on Sharp Island in Hong Kong. Both a sign and how it was observed seemed to say something about Hong Kong's pet culture.

Another Store Inspired by 7-Eleven: The 1-Eleven Store in Guiyang

A photo of a store, presumably in China, resembling a 7-Eleven gained some attention on Twitter earlier this month:

pic.twitter.com/p31U6uUmMA
— 中国住み (@livein_china) February 9, 2015

Brian Ashcraft later shared examples of other stores apparently inspired by 7-Eleven, many not in China.

I'm not sure whether or not I have seen the store in the tweet, but I know I have seen at least one other store which took a similar approach.

I saw the 1-Eleven store in Guiyang, Guizhou province, almost four years ago. I didn't check to see if it sold 1UP, but the "TM" symbol representing "trademark" on the store's sign made it extra special. I doubt the store now exists since since other signs posted at the time indicated it would be closing.

7-Eleven doesn't currently have any stores in Guiyang, but it does have stores in Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Qingdao, Shanghai, Tianjin, and a number of cities in Guangdong province. Somewhat similar to imitators I have seen of KFC and McDonald's, the 1-Eleven store could at least be symbolic of an opportunity existing for 7-Eleven to further grow in China.

Performing Monkeys and Their Masters in China

Over a year ago as I crossed the road at a familiar intersection in Zhuhai's Gongbei subdistrict, I looked down and to my surprise saw three monkeys crossing the road as well.

Near the same intersection two hours later, I saw a sizable crowd had gathered to watch the monkeys perform a show.

This month in Zhuhai's Nanping Town, I once again saw monkeys performing for a human crowd.

As I watched, I wondered about the lives of both the monkeys and their masters.

I am reminded of these performances and others I have seen in China by a powerful photo essay on ifeng.com (in Chinese; photos say much on their own; HT Chris Buckley). Beginning in 2002, Hongjie Ma's photographs capture a period of 12 years in the lives of performing monkeys and their masters from Henan province. Neither the monkeys nor the humans appear to have had easy lives. And they lived them together.