NEW BLOG ADDRESS

Blogspot is now being blocked due to censorship in China. So my new blog is now located here: http://www.thoughts.com/hefeichina/blog

U.S. State Presentations

One of the latest class assignments was for my students to act as representatives in the tourism departments of various U.S. states. Their task, with a partner, was to research their assigned state and convince the rest of the class to visit there.








Other scenes by Swan Lake on Anhui University's campus.

Tian Tangzhai - "Paradise Valley"

This weekend a few of us ventured to Tian Tangzhai (Paradise Valley) in the western county of the city Lu An. It took about 6 hours by bus. The trip was worth it for the magnificent views of waterfalls, mountains, and wildlife. The park crosses the borders of Anhui province into the neighboring province of Hubei. There is a local dish there called Diao Guo, which is the area's version of Hot Pot. Click here to view my slideshow.

Zi Peng National Park

Today the Sophomore English majors took a trip to Zi Peng as a celebration of getting through Midterms. Zi Peng is a mountain in Hefei, although many students said a "hill" is a more fitting classification. There is a Buddhist temple amongst beautiful scenery and lots of fun games and rides--a perfect combination to fill a sunny spring day!

Class Assignments, etc.

Student radio station on campus


Dinner with some of my students and fellow American teacher, Evan.



In the last few weeks of class, we have been learning about American culture. The students have been excited to learn everything they can about America so I thought it would be a good opportunity to get them involved in discussions and practice their English.

One week, we watched an episode of the American tv show How I Met Your Mother. The only episode I had available was one without subtitles, but the students still did a great job making comparisons between American and Chinese culture and I learned a lot myself during these discussions. They told me they had a hard time understanding it though, and when there was a funny moment they often didn’t understand the humor. So for subsequent classes I showed episodes with English subtitles, and the students seemed to like the show much better!

Of course I explained that the show is only ONE example of American culture and not all Americans live the way portrayed in the show. But I think they made some good observations on their worksheets and in class discussion:

Similarities:

Many friends get together to drink to share interesting things. They want their friends’ advice and ideas. We both treasure friendships. Friendship is vital to both American and Chinese life.

Chinese people also have difficult issues when dealing in the matters of love.

Nowadays, many young people in metropolitan districts tend to go to clubs in China. They also like beer very much and even perform well in the Beer Festival in China.

Finding your true love can be as difficult as winning the lottery.

Differences:

Most Chinese people won’t kiss their boyfriends or girlfriends in public.

Chinese people treat relationships between boyfriends and girlfriends more seriously than Americans.

People in China seldom hold parties in their own homes.

Americans are more direct and talk about private issues in public while Chinese people like to have privacy.

Americans in the show could talk with a taxi driver like a friend. In a Chinese show, the taxi driver would not speak.

American people express their feelings and love to others more directly than Chinese.

Individuals in America are more independent than those in China. The spirit of American culture is independent and free.

Chinese girls are not as open as American girls. In China, girls would not use such words in their conversations as the girls on the show.

We are not so open-minded, at least my father didn’t tell me how he met my mother.


For another week I prepared a PowerPoint presentation about American culture. It covered subjects such as industries, food, school life, religion, holidays, sports, and popular culture. Again they had a handout and we discussed their observations in class.

My students had such comments as:

What surprised you about American culture?

Chinese food in America is not authentic but contains characteristics of both Chinese and American food. There are not fortune cookies here. Also, many Americans use forks to eat Chinese food.

The so-called “Chinese foods” are not that Chinese in America.

I never thought there were so many religions in America. I always thought they were all Christians.

The meaning of “football” in the U.S. is different from the Chinese meaning.

When Americans celebrate Halloween they often dress themselves very strangely.

It is surprising that Americans watch an average of 4+ hours of tv a day. I think this is a little crazy.

I don’t know why so many Americans like such exciting sports like boxing. It a way, it is so violent.

Americans have created so much colorful culture and built so many tall buildings in such a short time.

What are similarities with Chinese culture?

Telecommunications is a top industry in both countries.

In China, we can find American food such as KFC and pizza.

Americans and Chinese are good cooks. We both have many kinds of delicious food.
Food varies from place to place and food is connected with the locals’ food habits.

What are your favorite things about American culture that you would like to experience or learn more about?

I want to go to the U.S. to celebrate Christmas day with an American family. It will be very nice. It is also my dream.

If I have a chance, I would like to go to America to go snowboarding because it is very exciting and I like snow very much.

I think the types of music in America are special and I would like to know more about country music. (I played samples of different types of popular American music including a clip of a country song by Carrie Underwood.)

In high schools, there are lockers for students to put things and I think this is very convenient and comfortable.

I love American movies very much. The writers of the movies are full of imagination.

In rural areas there are big farms and few people live there. I want to buy a big house and a big farm in the USA.

I’ve always wondered what turkey tastes like on Thanksgiving Day.

I want to know more about American boys. Maybe I can fall in love with an American boy.

“Fortune cookies” are one of the funniest foods I’ve ever seen. I would like to try one.

Farming in the City

There is a park near campus where I sometimes run and it is adjacent to some small farms. Farther down the paved path and winding stream are more farms and wooded areas. You hardly know you are still in the city!

Traditional Chinese Medicine: Cupping Therapy

Yesterday I had a great $3 massage. At the end, the masseuse suggested trying a method that uses the principles of acupuncture “to remove cold air from my body.” I supposedly had stagnant air in my body that could have been caused from my recent move to such a humid climate from a dry one. I later discovered that the method used was a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine known as Cupping. A cotton ball with alcohol was lit on fire and inserted into small glass fish bowl-like suction cups to create a vacuum. These cups were suctioned onto my back and left there for about 10 minutes. It just felt like I was being pinched all over. As the air cooled inside the bowls, underlying tissue was raised by being sucked part of the way into the cup. When I got home I realized I had a bunch of red circles all over my back, which I read later should go away in a week. To be fully effective you should have Cupping done several times to feel a result.


Image from http://www.dailyom.com

The method uses acupuncture points to relieve the stagnation of Qi and blood to release toxins from the body. Through suction and negative pressure, massage cupping releases rigid soft tissue, drains excess fluids and toxins, loosen adhesions and lifts connective tissue, and brings blood flow to stagnant skin and muscles. It has been practiced in China for over 3,000 years and also has roots in Ancient Greece and Egypt. Cupping was common as a home remedy in the U.S. during the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries for relief of congestion and colds. Breast cupping became common for inflamed breasts and lactation dysfunctions, and the familiar breast pump evolved from this practice.

Cupping is beneficial and used for multiple disorders affecting multiple organ systems including:

• Digestive system: constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
• Vital, Metabolic: low energy, fatigue, anemia, atrophy of the tissues, cellulite, emaciation, weight gain - normalizes body weight.
• Nervous system: headaches, depression, emotional problems - balances the nervous system.
• Gynecological: menstrual pain, suppressed or irregular menses.
• Musculoskeletal: Local application, as appropriate, for back pain, arthritis, traumatic injuries, lumbago, sciatica.
• Respiratory & Circulatory: asthma, bronchitis, common cold and flu, high blood pressure. Increased blood flow to the skin is therapeutic for many different skin disorders.

References

http://www.acupunctureproducts.com/cupping_therapy_part1_Ilkay_Chirali.html

http://www.dailyom.com/

http://www.greekmedicine.net/therapies/Hijama_or_Cupping.html

http://www.massagemag.com/spa/treatment/cupping.php

Flying Kites

Hefei Earthquake, 3.4

Last night, on April 6, around 10:30 pm, Hefei experienced an earthquake that measured 3.4 on the Richter scale. I definitely felt it, but wasn’t sure if that was what was going on until a student called me to tell me they were evacuating the buildings on campus—although that was 1.5 hours later! It took awhile for news to spread that that is what it actually was.

The Great Firewall of China

Internet

Key: Black=Internet blackholes; Gold=Under surveillance; Yellow=Some censorship; Blue=No censorship

I’ve already had issues with blocked internet sites, especially ones that I am unsure as to why they would ever be blocked! When I try to access one of these sites, it just says “Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage” or I am redirected to a list of links that look like ads.

Internet censorship in the China is overseen technically by the Ministry of Information Industry (MII). Policy about what substantive content is to be censored is largely directed by the State Council Information Office and the Chinese Communist Party’s Propaganda Department, with input from other government and public security organizations.

Content on the internet that is censored include:

• Websites related to the persecuted Falun Gong spiritual practice.
• News sources that often cover some taboo topics such as police brutality, Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, freedom of speech, democracy, and Marxist sites.
• Media sites which may include unregulated content, social commentary or political commentary censored by China, such as Chinese Wikipedia.
• Sites hosted by Taiwan's government and major newspaper and television media and other sites with information on Taiwanese independence.
• Websites that contain obscenity, pornography, and criminal activity.
  Sites linked with the Dalai Lama and his International Tibet Independence Movement, including his teachings.

Banned sites aren’t uniform across China. Some are banned in certain cities, while allowed in others. Blocks have often been lifted for special occasions and some blocks are temporary. For example, The New York Times was unblocked when reporters in a private interview with Jiang Zemin specifically asked about the block and he replied that he would look into the matter. During the APEC summit in Shanghai during 2001, normally-blocked media sources such as CNN, NBC, and the Washington Post suddenly became accessible. Since 2001, the content controls have been further relaxed on a permanent basis, and these sites are now accessible from mainland China. However, access to the New York Times had been recently blocked as of December 20, 2008, but is currently accessible to me in Hefei. The Chinese-language service of BBC News is still blocked. Both the Chinese and English versions of Wikipedia as a whole or pages deemed “sensitive” have been blocked and unblocked over time.

Here are just a few examples of other banned sites:

Youtube. A few weeks after I moved here, I started getting the “cannot display the webpage” error, after I had been accessing it previously. This site has been sporadically blocked in the past. When I did have access to the site, I uploaded a video on my blog (March 21 post), but now I can’t view it! Others in China can’t either but it is viewable elsewhere.

I thought this posting on an online forum of English speakers in Hefei was humorous from April 1: “On Tuesday, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said that China "is not afraid of the internet". However, he was unable to confirm if YouTube had been blocked. (It has been...)”

Columbus Council on World Affairs, http://www.columbusworldaffairs.org/: NO IDEA why this is blocked. It is non-profit, non-partisan organization in Columbus, Ohio focused on improving international awareness in central Ohio. Its mission is to educate the community about the people and events that shape our world. The Council is a member of the National Council of World Affairs Organizations, linking the Columbus organization to 80 world affairs councils across the nation. Interestingly the National Council of World Affairs is NOT blocked, http://www.worldaffairscouncils.org/.

Internet Freedom: http://www.internetfreedom.org/, Go figure!

Rconversation, a blog site: http://www.rconversation.blogs.com/.

United Nations News, http://www.rciviva.ca/rci/ch/.

Central Tibetan Administration: http://www.tibet.net/, http://www.tibet.com/.

I am surprised certain ones are NOT blocked, but I don’t want to list them here and then conveniently they WILL be blocked. I do think that as time goes on, less and less sites will be blocked due to increased worldwide and domestic criticism as well as relaxed laws. I don’t see the benefits created by all the effort put into blocking and censoring these sites. I found a list of blocked sites created in 2002, http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/filtering/china/China-highlights.html, of which many that I have checked now are no longer blocked. So it seems like there is already a relaxation of these regulations taking place over time. Top Tech News reports that “such censorship in China may not be possible once Apple, Inc.'s iPhone debuts” because it doesn't use the same ports for the transfer of data.

Amnesty International notes that China “has the largest recorded number of imprisoned journalists and cyber-dissidents in the world.” The offences of which they are accused include communicating with groups abroad, opposing the persecution of the Falun Gong, signing online petitions, and calling for reform and an end to corruption.

Films

While researching the censorship issue, I also came across a list of films that have been banned in China that was also interesting. Because only 20 imported films are granted permission to screen each year in China, only blockbuster or widely known films are on this list. It may be noted that some films which do not arrive in theatres nonetheless become available as pirated DVD editions.

• 1960: Ben-Hur, for containing "propaganda of superstitious beliefs, namely Christianity." (Never given permission to screen)
• 1994: To Live, for its satirical portrayal of various policies and campaigns of the Communist government. (Never given permission to screen)
• 1997: Kundun, regarded as Tibetan nationalism (Banned outright along with director Martin Scorsese)
• 1997: Seven Years in Tibet, for its view on a free Tibet. (Banned outright along with actors Brad Pitt and David Thewlis for life)
• 2000: Devils on the Doorstep, for its controversial portrayal of the Japanese Occupation of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War despite being a Chinese-made film (Never given permission to screen)
• 2005: Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, for its unflattering depictions of Chinese society (Never given permission to screen)
• 2006: Memoirs of a Geisha, over concerns it could rouse anti-Japanese sentiment. (Banned outright)
• 2006: Brokeback Mountain, for its depictions of homosexuality. (Never given permission to screen)
• 2006: Scorsese's The Departed, for suggesting that the government intends to use nuclear weapons on Taiwan, which is a very sensitive political issue. (Never given permission to screen)
• 2006: Over the Hedge was banned due to a difficulty with the DVD copy and some killing scenes of the animals. (Never given permission to screen)
• 2006: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, for its depiction of incest. (Never given permission to screen)
• 2007: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End was banned because according to Xinhua, the state news agency of China, 10 minutes of footage containing Chow Yun-Fat's portrayal of Singaporean pirate Sao Feng have been trimmed from versions of the film which may be shown in China. Chow is onscreen for 20 minutes in the uncensored theatrical release of the film. No official reason for the censorship was given, but unofficial sources within China have indicated that the character offered a negative and stereotypical portrayal of the Chinese people.

References

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/filtering/china/

http://en.wikipedia.org/

http://www.giantdatamart.com/hrw/3.htm

http://hefeiexpat.com/forum/

http://www.internetfreedom.org/

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/20/world/asia/20china.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

http://www.toptechnews.com/story.xhtml?story_id=0010003AINYO

More about Hefei

Hefei literally means “junction of the rivers” because it is located between the East Fei River and the South Fei River. Hefei was a quiet market town of only about 30,000 in the mid-1930s, but its population grew more than tenfold in the following 20 years. In 1949, the provincial capital was moved to Hefei from Anqing, but much of its new growth was derived from its development as an industrial city.

Hefei has its own football (ie. soccer) team called Anhui Jiufang who in the 2007-08 season were promoted from the Chinese Football Association Yi League to the Chinese Football Association Jia League which is the second highest tier of Chinese football.

In 2007, Hefei experienced a 19% GDP growth and major industries were automotive, machinery, household electronics and product, manufacturing, food processing, chemicals, tires, IT and software, and biotechnology. Its key agricultural products include freshwater fish/lobsters, cotton, pork, dairy, poultry, and vegetables. The average annual wage for on-the-job workers in 2008 was 30,603 yuan (approximately $4,500 USD).

With several universities in Hefei, it is an important base for science and education in China. It has three national laboratories, more than 190 scientific research institutions and 30 universities including:

• Anhui University (with four branches around the city)
• Hefei University
• University of Science and Technology of China
• Hefei University of Technology
• Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Anhui Medical University
• Anhui Agricultural University

Places of interest in Hefei (all on my checklist of things to see!)

• Leisure Ford, a public park sitting on the ancient site of the Battle of Hefei.
• Temple of Lord Bao, built in 1066 near the tomb of Lord Bao.
• Hui Garden, opened to the public in September 2001.
• Children's Welfare Institute (a.k.a. "Social Welfare Institute"), children's orphanage
• Anhui Laomingguang Stadium, the home ground of Anhui Jiufang, but also used for other public sporting events.

There are also a small number of mosques in the city for those who live here of the Hui Chinese minority culture. The people of this minority are Muslim.

Famous people from Hefei include:

• Bao Zheng (999 - 1062), Northern Song Dynasty bureaucrat and judge whose name has become synonymous with judicial wisdom and uprightness.
• Chen Ning Yang, (b. 1922), 1957 Nobel Physics Prize laureate, one of the two earliest Chinese to receive the prize.
• Hongzhang (1823 - 1901), prominent late Qing Dynasty bureaucrat and diplomat.
• Yang Yuanqing (1964 - ), Chairman of Board of Lenovo.
• Liu Mingchuan (1836 - 1896). Statesman during the late Qing dynasty, first governor of Taiwan.
• Jin Jing (1981- ), paralympic fencer.

Hefei's annual average temperature is about 15.7 °C (60 °F). Its annual precipitation is about 1,000 mm (39 in). It snows irregularly in the winter. In the months of June, July, August, and often September, daily temperatures can reach highs of 37 °C (99 °F) with high humidity levels being the norm. The coldest temperatures in the winter average 0° C (32° C).

Hefei has sister city relationships with many cities around the world, including the city I went to college in and lived in for 10 years: Columbus, Ohio!

References

http://www.cattlenetwork.com/

http://plumbot.com/Hefei.html

http://weather.msn.com/

Shopping Trip & Learning More About Student Life

Today some of my students took me to an area of Hefei called Cheng Huang Miao. It has a lot of inexpensive shops and my students were a little reluctant to take me there because they said the quality of the products were not so good. But as long as you know that you get what you are paying for, you can find some good deals. And bargain for better ones! There were knock-off's of brands such as Kappa (an Italian brand popular in China), Nike, and Adidas. They told me they are not the "real" brands, but they looked real to me. I asked, "How do you know?" And they said because you are buying them HERE and they are AS CHEAP AS THEY ARE, so they CAN'T BE REAL. Makes sense...

There was a shop that had t-shirts for lovers. T-shirts are sold in pairs, one for each person of a couple. Ones with funny characters and cartoons, words that say "Our love will" on one shirt and "go on forever" on its matching pair, chinese characters for "wife" on one and "husband" on the other, one with a superman on one and a superwoman on the other.

We also shopped at a bookstore and I FINALLY found some English books (but still not an English MAP of Hefei, which is slowing me down a bit!) My students showed me a bunch of Chinese films on DVD that I may be interested in seeing, including Painted Skin, The Forbidden Kingdom (with Jackie Chan, that depicts a different image of China's traditional character The Monkey King that some Chinese people do not agree with), Dragon (The Bruce Lee Story), Red Cliff (the highest grossing movie in China in 2008), and Fit Lover (a comedy). They also showed me the CD of a Chinese singer, Faye Wang.

I checked out some gyms too. It was amazing the difference in quality and price from 200 RMB a year to 2000 RMB a year. The 2000 RMB club was very high class. They finesse you in leather chairs at the end of the tour to try to hard sell you a membership, and then when you say you'd like to think about it and come back another time, they ask "What is it that concerns you?" and then continue to emphasize all you get for this great price. Reminds me of the sales techniques in gyms in America.

My students also told me more about life in their dorms. It seems like they have four or so people per dorm room. Their showers are in another building that is shared with all the other dorms on campus. It is only open certain days and times, and costs 3 RMB to use. Sometimes the lines are very long. There is a washing machine, one per floor in their dorm, that also has a cost.

On another occassion I asked a student if she got along with her other roommates and she said they come from different cities so they have different customs but they learn to get along with each other. This was surprising since they are all mostly from Anhui province, so generally are from the same area. It just shows how different customs can be in even a small part of China.

One of my students Betty just got a job as an English tutor for 20 RMB per hour on Saturday's for a 12-year old girl near campus. The family also offered for Betty to live with them over the summer to continue tutoring the girl. Betty is still deciding on whether to do this since she doesn't feel entirely comfortable living in another family's home. I teach all English majors, and it seems pretty common for them to get jobs like these or as English teachers at nearby primary schools for part-time jobs.

I asked more about the class monitors that are assigned to classes. These students help me out if I need supplies or help with the computer, or calming the class down (which hasn't yet been an issue). The monitor also makes announcements to their classmates on anything important they may need to know. The students are part of a set of students (about 50) with all the same major and all the same classes (for the most part, except for classes such as P.E.). So through their four years they are with the same students for their classes and get to know each other quite well. At the beginning of each year, there are class monitor elections, where students who would like to take on the extra responsibility of class monitor give speeches of why they would be good in this role. Then the students vote on who they would like. My student Betty said it was very democratic.

*1RMB = about 0.15 US$

Qing Ming Festival

This weekend many students will go home to celebrate the Qing Ming Festival, or Tomb Sweeping Festival. It coincides with the fifteenth day of the spring equinox, and is one of the few Chinese holidays that follows the pattern of the sun on the Chinese lunar calendar. To celebrate the Qing Ming Festival families will visit the tombs of their ancestors, paying their respects and carrying out maintenance work, such as sweeping clean the tombs and getting rid of weeds. They traditionally leave flowers and burn fake paper money (which has been readily for sale lately at carts along the streets) at the graves. They may also have traditional ceremonies to honor their ancestors. The university used to give off several days for National Labor Day in May but has revised their schedule to instead honor some traditional Chinese holidays such as the Qing Ming Festival.

People present flowers to express condolences at a cemetery in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, April 4, 2009, the day of Chinese Qingming Festival or Tomb-sweeping Day. (Photo from http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/06/content_11137560.htm)

Botanical Garden

Today I was invited by three of my students, Katherine, Patricia, and Theresa, to the Botanical Garden in Hefei.