Every free minute I have had since I returned to China I have spent with Chinese Lessons by John Pomfret. And, despite the misleading title, it isn’t a textbook for learning Chinese. Chinese Lessons is a book I almost didn’t buy. While I was in the states, one of the first things I did was order a slew of Read More
Category: blog post
Book Review: Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah
Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter is a sympathetic look at the life of a 5th child and second daughter of a wealthy man in China before and during the communist take-over. Add in a wicked stepmother and the already burdensome child becomes the target of scorn and abuse for most of Read More
Protester Crushed by a Steamroller in the Name of Progress
This is one of the most shocking stories I’ve come across since I started blogging about China. And, of course, it comes right out of Changsha. A day after the massive, state-supported, anti-Japanese protests rocked Changsha on the 15th, another, one-man protest ended in a grizzly murder by a city official. A man named He Zhi Hua Read More
Reverse Culture-shock
One thing foreigners like to talk about when they go back to their home countries is “reverse culture-shock.” Basically reverse culture-shock is what some people experience when they return home from living abroad. They have gotten comfortable in their new lives and life went on without them back home so when they do go home, Read More
I have a confession to make…
I turned 31 this year. For me, that is really hard to admit. But it goes beyond the typical ‘women don’t talk about their age’ stereotype. see, I had a plan, and the fact I’m so far from reaching my goal makes every day a struggle. My dream from my very early 20s has been Read More
Update on the Changsha Riots
Yes, it’s true. The rally in Changsha on Saturday did turn into a full-fledged riot. I already shared my images from the weekend here, but I wanted to give space today to all the amazing pictures and videos taken by my friends throughout the city. Another one from Colin Thanks to Colin for capturing these images. Read More
Anti-Japanese Rally Shakes Changsha
This morning, the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Clear and cool, not a cloud in the sky. We had been waiting for a day just like this to visit the Kaifu Temple. While I was getting ready, though, I heard the sounds of cheering and chanting from outside. Unfortunately there is another building in front of Read More
Book Review: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See is about many things: a girl growing up in rural China in the 19th century; foot binding; nushu; arranged marriages; friendship; a woman’s place in the world; refection; regret. To try and sum-up what the book is about would not do it justice; to talk about Read More
Ugly Foreigners: The USDA
Hunan children were used as guinea pigs for American GM food experiments. Back in 2008, children in Hunan were fed genetically modified rice (known as “Golden Rice”) without the knowledge or consent of their families. Even though this happened 4 years ago, it is only just now making the news rounds here in China, and Read More
Book Review: Empress Orchid by Anchee Min
Next year, I am planning to write the biography of a very dear friend of mine from LiXian who has led a fascinating life. To get myself ready, I have decided to start reading more life stories, fiction and non-fiction, of Chinese persons to get more familiar with the writing style. So, since I am reading them, I thought Read More