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Post by Doug 周 on Jan 20, 2011 11:30:03 GMT -5
Douglas, with no Chinese language skills, a current lack of time and money, I don't see a trip to China in my immediate future so, I want to tell you that, reading your posts here is the next best thing! ..... I second Carol's comment and thoroughly enjoy your travelogue! Doug
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Post by Henry on Jan 20, 2011 11:42:06 GMT -5
Dear Colleagues,
I stand in awe of Douglas Lam's unique perspective of China and his colorful commentary - which I enjoy so much. I have been to China many times, however, the perspective that ouglas provides is fascinating.
Carol should consider joining Douglas on his next visit to China !
Henry
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Post by douglaslam on Jan 21, 2011 4:14:06 GMT -5
To Doug, my nameshake and Henry, Thank you for the generous remarks. As I am a complete novice in genealogy research, the only contributions I can make to the Forum is my diversion and relief to hard core brain-teasing work. Douglas ---------------------------------------- My village cousin has a son and two daughters. They all regard me as an elder and make me feel welcomed. I always enjoy their company on outings. On this occasion, the son and his wife are taking half-a-day off work to go to Shekki (Shiqi) with us . My daughter is catching a bus from Shekki to Guangzhou for her flight to Kunming . The son is an outstanding tradesman, a top carpenter, plumber and electrician, in fact in most aspects of home renovation and shop fitting. Australia has a skills shortage, and I tried to sponsor him on short term working visa a few years ago. I just couldn't line up a sponsor and I didn't feel like paying thousands for a migration agent to help. There is little they can do to help that I can't. When I ask him again, he tells me he is no longer interested in trying his luck abroad. He is able to take on small to medium jobs and engage a few of his mates to help. He is happy doing what he is doing, work is steady and he does not want to be away from his two growing daughters. He is very creative; he might have been a professional engineer but for Mao's disastrous policies. The one-child policy does allow for a little room to move. If your residence registration ( hukou) is in the village and classified as rural worker. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hukou_system You are allowed to have a second child if the first one is not a boy, with a time gap. Thus, he has not one but two children. My shout... in Australian speak Cousin's son wants to treat us to lunch. But I won't let him because he still has a young family to provide for. He assures me things are different now, he can afford to eat out and other life's small luxuries. I think the bill comes to about A$50 for four, exceptional value for live freshwater produce. There is no business like phone business... This is a big shop which specialises in second hand mobile phones. As you can see each rectangular counter comprises four small independent traders, almost all of them young people. It is in the Chinese psyche to get into business, no matter how small to start with. There is about a dozen counters, or forty-eight little shops within a big shop. The phones are probably stolen goods supplied by pickpockets, unwanted gifts, or the previous owners simply got tied of. My daughter settles for a near-new Nokia E66 for 1,100 RMB plus extras. He is a regular customer, and well known to one particular trader because he takes people like us here for bargains. ( A$1= 6.5 / 6.4 RMB). Do I have qualms about buying stolen goods ? None whatever. It is a social evil we can't stamp out. I, too, was a victim of burglary a long time ago. This shop is like a pawn shop. Cousin's son bought brand name power tools like Bosch, Makita, also from a shop like this. He scored good bargains because the shopkeeper often had no idea what he was selling, and its true value.
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Post by tyuti1668 on Jan 21, 2011 5:35:01 GMT -5
near-new Nokia E66 for 1,100 RMB plus extras... That's the normal market price for the "parallel import" If afriad being mugged by those small vendor, check taobao.com 1st
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Post by douglaslam on Jan 22, 2011 3:54:30 GMT -5
tyuti1668 ,this is the first time I heard of taobao.com I'll give it a try next time in China. --------------------------------------------------- Guangzhou is our last stop on the current trip. The city is sprucing up for the Asian Games, which is about to start. Just outside our hostel, which is on the bank of the Pearl River, we can see the city lights across the river, at their dazzling best. The skyscrapers are floodlit for the occasion. The opening and closing ceremonies, in a departure from tradition, are staged away from the main stadium. The Pearl River is the main attraction, with spectacular displays on the card. Each participating entity is represented by a large barge which is brightly decorated with neon lights. A few of them are moored outside the hostel. The barges are to be parts of a parade on water. I have never seen anything quite like it. City lights This image can hardly do the scene justice. Nothing can compare to being there in person. On my first visit to Guangzhou in 1973, the city was a drab, colourless city. The streets were dim, very poorly lit. There was nothing to buy, no restaurants for a night cap. I stayed at the Overseas Chinese Building at the main square, which still stands today, I was told, but I couldn't recognise it. I think it cost 12 or 16 RMB / night, which was a big amount to the locals then. Rationing was still in force, foreign passport holders were exempt. My guests at the dining room needed to present their coupons to dine with me. We talked guardedly because I stood out, strangers would appear to eavesdrop on our conversation. We switched to our native dialect which shut the informants and sticky beaks out. Cinderella in waiting This is one of the working barges moored by the river bank. At night, it morphs into a beautiful princess befitting any fairy tale. I thought I had plenty of time to take a snapshot at night, but the lights go out early. So, there is only this one daylight snap. Doing what comes naturally Here I am again, dining out on a street food stall. The street is transformed to an open air food alley. My daughter returns from Kunming late that night and not feeling hungry. I order a serve of savoury rice cooked in a clay pot, a plate of green vegetable and a bottle of local brew, all for 20 RMB. It is not the tastiest meal I had, but for 20 RMB, I get food and drink, and table service. Fair crack of the whip. The coconut drink is my daughter's choice.
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Post by douglaslam on Jan 23, 2011 3:54:15 GMT -5
This is a statue of Zhan Tianyou or Jeme Tien Yow as he was known in his Yale University days. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeme_Tien_Yowen.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rail_transport_in_ChinaHe is respectfully referred to as the Father of China's Railway. It comes as a surprise to find this statue in his honour. It was in primary school social studies class in Hong Kong that I learned of the great man. He was born in Nam Hoi, in Guangdong province. He is a significant figure in China's modern history, not the least he was one of those bright boys chosen to be sent to America for modern education under the Chinese Educational Mission in mid-nineteenth century. www.cemconnections.org/ In short, he was my childhood hero, and to this day, I do not deviate from my admiration of him. This is what I come to Guangzhou for Huanghuagang, Yellow Flower Hill history.cultural-china.com/en/34History6725.htmlen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huanghuagang_UprisingThis is the monument in memory of 72 martyrs who died in one of many unsuccessful uprisings to overthrow the Qing dynasty. This attempt stood out as it preceded the final push in the same year 1911, took place in Wuchang, which ultimately overthrew the Qing Court once and for all. Wuchang and Hankou are sister cities, which is better known as Wuhan. The failed coup is akin to Robert Scott's ill-fated dash for the South Pole. There is grandeur in its failure. Countless young men and women laid their lives on the line to rid China of its shackle of an inept and corrupt government, which brought the country to its knees. The country was carved up by foreign powers, the populace suffered endlessly in hunger, poverty, oppression and humiliation. The Xinhai ( name of year in Chinese) Revolution celebrates its centenary year in 2011. It is a big cause for celebration and remembrance in Taiwan. Because of the difference in ideology, it is a low key event in the mainland. Again, I learned of the 72 martyrs when I was in school in Hong Kong. This plaque lists the names of the bodies recovered and buried here. To our Zengcheng friends Helen and Geoff, your hometown had given many of its finest for the betterment of China. In fact, most of the counties in Guangdong had one or more sons buried here. This is another view of the tomb. Do a google search you'll find many many more superior shots of this most moving of all monuments I've known, and the story behind it. I remeber my first visit in 1973, that is thirty-seven years ago, I didn't stay long because of the prevailing atmosphere. I noticed red paint was smeared on anything with the KMT insignia. Some permanet damage done to other works are still visible today. It makes me sad and angry. The one thing that hits me the hardest then and now are these marble or granite blocks bearing the names of overseas Chinese organisations with KMT affiliation. Dr. Sun Yat-sen spent a lot of his time abroard especially in Hawaii and Japan, to raise awareness of his push to overthrow the Manchus. Chinese people abroad gave generously for the cause and many, including those not born in China, came back to join the fight. Every stone tells a story These are the stones engraved with the names of Chinese organisations throughout the world which contributed to the construction. They are from S.E. Asia, Nth. and Sth. America, Australia and Oceania etc. It tells us our forefathers are crying out for their voice to be heard, a government in China which could speak out for them on harsh discriminatory laws, and exclusion acts, and a home village a safe heaven if they so chose to return. It represents their hopes and aspirations in a China that cared about its citizenry. It moves me deeply. I lingered there the longest, reading the weather-beaten inscriptions back in '73. Otherwise, I had little recollection of my first visit. This time, I could not climb up to take close up photos or refresh my memory of the inscriptions because the caretaker is out to lunch for two hours. I'll be back one day. There are photos like these available online to make up for my untimely visit. www.flickr.com/photos/robinlikeu/2977337247/ I urge all members to visit this monument on your next visit to Guangzhou.
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Post by douglaslam on Jan 24, 2011 4:56:23 GMT -5
The martyrs all,deserve our respect for their supreme sacrifice. There is one individual who stands out; his name is Lin Juemin. Lin was an exceptional gifted scholar , he spurned the imperial examination www.museumstuff.com/learn/topics/Lin_Juemin for personal glory. He believed in overthrowing the feudal rulers and installing wholesale reforms to save the country. In the Guangzhou Uprising he was wounded, captured, and executed soon after. His other enduring legacy was his last letter to his wife. Lin was 25 when he died, and his wife was even younger. The letter was written in classical Chinese. Classical Chinese is very terse and concise. I am afraid I am not up to that standard of proficiency in Chinese. With footnotes and rephrasing, I understand it well. In the letter he tenderly and intimately expresses his love for his wife and son. But the calling of the well-being of the nation is greater. I search the internet time and time again, I could not find an English translation. The letter touches all who read it. This is the letter in Chinese with a rephrased version in modern " plain Chinese". www.epochtimes.com/b5/8/1/11/n1973373.htm At the time, Lin had a son, and his wife was pregnant with their second child. What is remarkable is that, theirs was an arranged marriage. The arrangement must have been made in heaven. She had bound feet as I read, and after Lin's death, she wanted to take her own life. Lin's parents kneeled before her to implore her carry on living for the sake of the son and unborn child. Soon after the second son was born, she too, died, literally of a broken heart. A tragic love story. The Huanghuagang Uprising and heroism is well remembered in Taiwan. Many films were made and Lin Juemin was presented on the big screen. He is a folk hero. Most inbound tourists to Guangzhou from Taiwan would want to visit the monument, high officials would lay wreaths and solemnly bow to the martyrs. www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-03/29/content_429177_5.htm2011 marks the centenary of the Guangzhou Uprising and the final victory in October of the same year. It has been a rocky road over the one hundred year span in China's long history. Huanghuagang and the Guangzhou Uprising always stay fresh in my mind because it is not ancient history. Lin Juemin was a little older than my grandfather, but my grandfather lived on for another seventy years or so. We all witnessed the successful conclusion of President Hu Jintao's state visit to the US. He was accorded the highest honour reserved for a visiting head of state by President Obama. While in the US, President Hu confirmed the purchase of 200 passenger jets from Boeing, thus ensuring job security for thousands of aero-space workers in America. Hu also called on a high school in Chicago, which hosts a Confucius Institute, where Chinese is taught as a major subject. Elsewhere, Chinese are court all over the world as big spending tourists. Greece and Spain are grateful for Chinese money to address their debt crisis. Who would have thought this is possible a mere three decades ago. China could achieve even more by embracing such intangibles as social justice for all. They are not mutually exclusive to economic growth. I'll conclude my pictorial report of my latest trip to China on a sweet note. As I get older, I develop a liking for sweet stuff after my main meal. If you know where to look, there are shops specialize in Chinese dessert like black sesame broth, almond broth, red bean soup, and dozens other light, sweet concoctions. Here, my daughter and I enjoy a bowl of a delightful sweet broth each, which has evaporated milk in it. It is so smooth. My daughter thinks it is super. We could not sample more because of our short stay in Guangzhou. There is also a good sweet shop in Shekki, just to the right after you cross the old bridge. Tyuti1668, do you know the shop I am talking about ?
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Post by tyuti1668 on Jan 24, 2011 19:17:27 GMT -5
There is also a good sweet shop in Shekki, just to the right after you cross the old bridge. Tyuti1668, do you know the shop I am talking about ? My favourite sweet broth is that black stuff aka " 豬犁土" written above. 民信? Their HQ is in 順德. bbs.oncity.cc/thread-1306176-2-1.html
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Post by chansomvia on Jan 24, 2011 20:43:31 GMT -5
For those who cannot read Chinese there is an instant translation in google chrome. Also in google translate. It detects the language of the article in the website and asks you if you want it translated, if you say yes it will translate it in less than a second.
Translation is transparent as the translated text is in another box, side by side. You see both at the same time.
You can write English in the translation window and it will translate what you have written in Chinese traditional or simplified, you make the choice.
Apart from the translation you can ask to hear the word or sentence, there is a lovely sexy sounding lady speaking with excellent diction in Chinese. The spoken English is American accented.
I now write letters to my folks in China using google translate, it does other languages as well. Their reply I translate from Chinese to English, do not expect 100% accuracy. During the translation you can place your mouse over the word in doubt and the original text pops out. How clever. Enjoy.
This is in response to Doug's article.
Joe
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Post by helen on Jan 25, 2011 2:48:24 GMT -5
Thanks for the history lesson Douglas - I will definitely put this on my list to dos in April.
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Post by douglaslam on Jan 25, 2011 3:32:00 GMT -5
Thanks to our Kiwi friends Joe and Helen. I dare not claim any in-depth knowledge of Chinese history, and am certainly in no position to teach anyone. Even in 1973, when I was still a little wet behind the ears, I knew exactly what I wanted to see in Guangzhou : Huanghuagang. It is etched in my mind from a young age. I'll certainly go back again on my next visit. It is just awe-inspiring.
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Post by helen on Jan 25, 2011 6:06:17 GMT -5
my husband said he used to play there all the time when he was a child
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Post by chansomvia on Jan 25, 2011 18:04:46 GMT -5
Helen wrote: I'm contemplating going here in April - but looking at your photos - maybe I need a cable car. Thanks for the awesome photos Douglas
I will be in Shanghai from 7th April for about fourteen days, with a side trip to Guilin. It will be interesting to follow Douglas's footsteps! And what he ate!
Happy Chinese New Year to our Forum Members, long may they share their unselfish work, we are grateful for their persistent endeavours which unearthed many a lost past.
Joe
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Post by helen on Jan 26, 2011 2:35:01 GMT -5
Hi Joe, we will be in Guangzhou from 7 April - moving on to China leaving Shanghai on 23 April. Haven't worked out the day of arrival in Shanghai - possibly the 15 April. We aim to go to Huangshan that weekend.
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Post by tyuti1668 on Apr 11, 2011 1:23:06 GMT -5
UPDATE: Don't laugh. My photo skill are very poor, just snapped on bicycle. ... our own is managed by a fellow villager. There is no pressure to make you buy incense or make donations... Drawing opposite 大祠堂 - Stray cow around 岗背
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