Contemporary Society
Chairman Mao the Daoist immortal, and his Bodhisattva friends
One of the easiest places to see real live Mainland Chinese folk beliefs is in the front seat of a Chinese taxi.
Chinese Dreaming
For the past few months I have had the song "California Dreaming'" stuck in my head. I blame Chinese president Xi Jinping and his propagation of the notion of a "Chinese Dream."
China’s Dream and the New Renaissance?
Well, the cat's out of the bag and Xi is indeed akin to Li Shi Min, as he talks about the "China Dream" and leading China into its "new renaissance", in other words, its new golden age.
Educational Inequality and the Making of a New Urban Underclass
Visitors to China often remark at the speed with which cities, or large portions of cities, seem to suddenly appear. Pudong and Shenzhen have risen literally out of nothing to become urban showpieces and major financial centers. The "Bird's Nest" stadium that became the much heralded centerpiece of the 2008 Beijing Games was erected at unprecedented speed, along with dozens of other Olympic venues, several new subway lines, and major beautification projects across the city.
None of this would be possible were it not for hundreds of millions of migrant workers streaming into China's major urban centers. They are the silent, or at least unacknowledged, partners in China's rush to lead the way in global urbanization.
So What Are We to Do about the “Hovering Fog and Filthy Air”?
Following up on her January 30, 2013 blog, Tiger Lily poses a question.
Fair is foul and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air
January saw some of the worst pollution in China with readings as high as over 800 for PM 2.5.
Is Xi the Modern Day Li Shi Min Leading China into Its New Golden Age?
It is often enlightening to observe what TV programs are being shown to get an inkling of what the government wants people to think. Leading up to the Olympics and June 2009, there were numerous TV serials about the Ming dynasty and Chinese venturing to places like Southeast Asia in search of a better life but not forgetting their Chinese roots. One particular serial was "" which recounts the time of China's maritime supremacy in the 1400s this all just before the 60th anniversary of its navy in 2009 and subsequent flexing of its muscles in the South China Sea.
View From the Wall
Steady Growth, Comprehensive Restructuring and National Transformation Prospects after the 18th Party Congress
Following a rapid downturn in 2012, what are the prospects for China's economy in 2013? What trends are being seen, and what do they indicate? How do social and political considerations interact with the economy and does this have any impact for Christianity? Based on statistics, Dr. Zhao gives his outlook for China's economic future.
Book Reviews
Listening to the Heart
A Book Review
Factory Girls: Voices from the Heart of Modern China by Leslie T. Chang. Picador, 2010, ISBN-10: 033044736X, ISBN-13: 978-0330447362; 320 pages; paper $10.88; Kindle edition $11.99 at Amazon. (Note: Various editions are available with a slightly different title, dates of publication and number of pages.)
Reviewed by Andrea Klopper