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December 29, 2008
December 16, 2008
Beijing Duck
The Quanjude Restaurant, the largest roast duck restaurant in Beijing if not in the world, opened for business in 1979. Located near Hepingmen Gate (Peace Gate), it has a floor space of 15,000 square meters divided into 41 dining halls, including one, which can serve 600 customers simultaneously. The dining halls reserved for overseas guests can accommodate a total of 2,000 diners, and include a hall where all-duck banquets in which all the dishes are made from parts of the duck can be served to 600 people. Filled to capacity, Quanjude Restaurant can serve as many as 5,000 meals a day.
The art of roasting ducks evolved from techniques used to prepare sucking pigs. For more than a century, specialized chefs have developed the idea that the skin of the duck should be so soft and crisp that it melts in the mouth. In applying the traditional method of preparation, the chefs at Quanjude pay particular attention to the quality of the duck, the auxiliary ingredients and the type of wood burned in the oven. Special farms supply plump Beijing ducks weighing an average of 2.5 kilograms each. The two famous Beijing condiment shops, Liubiju and Tianyuan, supply the dark tangy bean sauce spread on the pancakes. The fragrant sesame oil and refined sugar are also specially selected. Finally, only the wood of fruit trees such as date, peach and pear are used in the roasting process to give the meat its unique fragrance.
The slicing of the meat from the carcass of the duck is an art in itself. A skilled chef is able to cut between 100 and 120 slices in four or five minutes, each slice with an equal portion of both skin and meat. Inventiveness is another quality cultivated at Quanjude. One seasoned chef has mastered more than 80 dishes made from the duck's innards, head, wings and webs. A selection of these dishes, whether hot, cold, boiled, fried, stewed or pickled, will be the makings of an all-duck banquet.
The first restaurant to bear the name Quanjude opened in 1864 during the reign of the Qing Emperor Tongzhi. Due to its high standards, the restaurant's fame spread rapidly and for many years the supply of roast ducks could hardly satisfy the demand. For this reason, the restaurant was rebuilt and expanded in 1948. In 1954 a branch (known as Hongbinlou) was opened in West Chang' an Boulevard and another in Wangfujing Street in 1959. These additions, however, still did not solve the problem, and with the opening of the Quanjude at hepingmen in 1979, it was no longer necessary to make a reservation a week in advance to taste Beijing's most famous culinary delight.
The history of the roast duck can be traced back to as early as the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368) when it was listed among the imperial dishes in the Complete Recipes for Dishes and Beverages, written in 1330 by Hu Sihui, an inspector of the imperial kitchen. Details regarding the cooking process were also described in this early cookbook.
In the early 15th century, when the Ming Dynasty capital was shifted from Nanjing to Beijing, roast duck remained one of the famous dishes on imperial court menus. According to the local history, the earliest roast duck restaurant in Beijing was the old Bianyifang Restaurant, which opened during the Jiajing reign (1522-1566). Distinct from the method in which the duck is hung from a hook in the ceiling of the oven and roasted over and roasted over burning wood, the Old Bianyifang Restaurant roasted its ducks with radiant heat. The walls of the oven were first heated with sorghum stalks whereupon the duck was placed inside and cooked by the heat given off by the walls. A duck roasted in this manner is crisp to the touch and golden brown in appearance; its flesh is both tender and tasty.
During the Qianlong period (1736-1796), roast duck was a favorite delicacy of the upper classes. According to Recipes from the Suiyuan Garden, the famous cookbook written by the poet and gourmet Yuan Mei, "Roast duck is prepared by revolving a young duckling on a spit in an oven. The chefs of Inspector Feng's family excel in preparing this dish." Other scholars, after dining on roast duck, were inspired to poetry. In one collection of old Beijing rhymes (Duan Zhuzhici) one of the poems reads: "Fill your plates with roast duck and suckling pig." Another contemporary annotation reads: "When an official gives a banquet he will choose dishes to please each of his guests. For example, Bianyifang' s roast duck"
To satisfy the growing demand for roast duck, and with an eye on the profits to be made from a good name, many restaurants opened from a good name, many restaurants opened under the Bianyifang name. In fact, in 1926, nine roast duck restaurants in Beijing carried this name. In the late 1960s the Bianyifang Restaurant's name was changed to the Chongwenmen Roast Duck Restaurant, but in 1979 it resumed its former title. Its menu includes more than 20 traditional duck dishes, including the Four Delicacies: wing and web, liver, heart and pancreas.
We have given much information about the history of this noble dish but none at all on how it is eaten. The simple procedure is as follows: Pick up a pancake in one hand and, using a section of raw scallion as a brush, paint a few splashes of bean sauce on the pancake. Next, place the scallion in the center of the pancake, and with your chopsticks add a few pieces of duck, finally rolling it up for convenience's sale. Here then is one of the most unforgettable mouthfuls in all of Chinese cooking.
China's best known foreigner
The most widely known foreigner in China is finally getting some recognition in his home country – Canada. As most foreign residents of China can attest, just about every Chinese knows who Dashan is. Dashan, or “Big Mountain,” is the Chinese name of Mark Rowswell, a Canadian who has mastered Mandarin to an enviable degree.
Last week, Rowswell was one of dozens of Canadians to become members of the Order of Canada, the highest honor the nation bestows.
Dashan is beloved among China. He first came to the attention of Chinese in late 1988 when he appeared on a New Year’s Gala program on CCTV because some that Wikipedia says might have been seen by 550 million people. He has since parlayed that into a business of emceeing TV shows, promoting products, teaching Chinese on state televisions and having his mug pasted in ads all over China (see photo for example).
It’s common to hear Chinese people say Dashan speaks better Chinese than a lot of natives. It’s also common to hear foreigners bash Dashan. It’s partly out of envy. But it’s also because some foreigners see Dashan as a bit of a dupe for Chinese causes, playing the “innocent” and allowing Chinese to feel a tad superior.
Regardless of one’s point of view, though, Dashan has incontrovertibly become a de facto goodwill ambassador to China. And Canada has given him his reward.
Jiuzhaigou
The dreamland of Jiuzhaigou lies about 450 kilometers north of Chengdu. The valley takes its name from the nine Tibetan villages there. The valley is 50 kilometers long and has 108 lakes, each one unique, as well as a number of waterfalls and streams.
Legend has it that the god of mountains was so taken in by the goddess Semo that he presented her with a mirror made of winds and clouds. She treasured it immensely for a time, but then the devil managed to gain some influence over her and caused her to shatter the mirror. As it broke, it fell to the earth in 108 pieces, and so the lakes were formed.
Jiuzhaigou is divided into three separate areas, Zechawa Valley, Shuzheng Valley and Rize Valley. Zechawa is an 18-kilometer stretch. It contains the highest reaches of the valley, as well as Long Lake, Five Color Lake, Seasonal Lake, the Magic Mirror Cliff and so on. The Rize Valley has its fair share of scenic spots – the Peacock River, Five Flower Lake and Mirror Lake. Shuzheng is the most frequently traveled and popular route. Nearly half of the lakes, over forty, are in this section, as well as many other scenic spots. The Double Dragon Lake, with its two reefs in the shape of dragons, is fed by the Spark Lake Waterfall. The Reed Lake is full of reeds that change color from season to season. Spark Lake, Rhinoceros Lake and Tiger Lake are also found in Shuzheng, as is the widest waterfall in the valley, Nuorilang Waterfall.
The valley is an absolute must for nature lovers and trekkers of all sorts.
Language Reference
| English | Jiuzhaigou | ||
| Chinese | 九 | 寨 | 沟 |
| Pinyin | jiu | zhai | gou |
The Bund
The Bund is a section of Zhongsan Road less than a mile long on the west bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai. Before the British opened a trade depot there in 1846, Shanghai’s city limits didn’t extend that far. After 1846, more and more overseas companies set up offices there. As Shanghai grew to be one of the busiest ports in China The Bund grew with it to be one of the city’s most important trade headquarters and commercial centers. It’s essentially because of Huangpu River and The Bund that Shanghai is one of the most important cities in China today.
During the 19th century buildings grew like grass in The Bund. Each overseas company constructed its office building in its own unique architectural style; in all more than 52 very different buildings were constructed. So diverse is the architecture here that it is sometimes called the Museum of International Architecture. The only thing these 52 buildings really have in common is that they are all built in foreign styles, indicative of the heavy foreign influence on Shanghai.
The Bund faced destruction during World War II and its commercial activity dropped to almost nothing. Fortunately the buildings survived intact and after the war The Bund was revived. Many of the buildings have been converted into government offices, but the street still retains its highly commercial character as well as its heavily foreign influenced culture because many foreign consulates and the offices of famous international companies are located here.
There are a number of sites to see in the area aside from the buildings themselves, though these are impressive enough. There is an open-air podium with the bronze statue of Marshal Chen Yi, the first communist mayor of Shanghai, in the center of The Bund. This statue is a popular tourist attraction and meeting place for people who just want to stroll around The Bund. You can also get a great view of the famous Pearl TV Tower from the street. There’s a brand new flood gate to control the waters of the Huangpu River and finally the Huangpu Park with the Monument of People’s Heroes, dedicated to the celebration those who gave their lives in the Opium War.
Language Reference| English | Huangpu River and the Bund | |||||
| Chinese | 黄 | 浦 | 江 | 和 | 外 | 滩 |
| Pinyin | Huang | pu | jiang | he | wai | tan |
General Information
Fee:
Opening Hours:
Public Transportation Route:
Suggested bus and location to take the bus to reach this destination.
Bus: 20, 22, 37, 42, 55, 65, 71, 123, 503, 126, 127, 135, 145, 934, 251, 940, 576, 831, 868, 910, 921, 926, 928
20：上海电视台（shang hai dian shi tai）- 石门一路(shi men yi lu) - 陕西北路(shan xi bei lu) - 静安寺(jing an si ) - 乌鲁木齐北路( wu lu mu qi bei lu)- 镇宁路( zhen ning lu) - 江苏路(jiang su lu) - 安西路( an xi lu)
123: 浙江南路 ( zhe jiang nan lu) - 海宁路(hai ning lu) - 溧阳路( li yang lu) - 临平北路( lin ping bei lu) - 邮电新村 (you dian xin cun)- 大连路( da lian lu)
868: - 长阳路通北路 (chang yang lu tong bei lu)- 平凉路 (ping liang lu)- 杨浦公园( yang pu gong yuan)
December 01, 2008
Chinese Web Users Have More Fun
According to research firm TNS, which recently surveyed roughly 2500 Web users in each of 16 countries around the world, including the U.S., U.K., China, Japan, Korea and Australia.
According to survey results, China’s Internet users are more likely than their counterparts anywhere else to describe as “fun” a whole array of Web-based activities, including blogs, message boards, forums, online video and wikis.
Chinese Web users are also very active in their online participation, especially when compared to Westerners.
“Web 2.0 is far more advanced in Asia, and in China, than in the U.S. and Europe,” says Bernice Klaassen, head of interactive research at TNS Singapore. In Western countries, about 1% of users create online content, about 10% participate through methods like comments or discussions and the rest are lurkers,” he says. Meanwhile, in China, Mr. Klaassen says the proportion of active participants is closer to 50%, with a significantly greater share of Web users blogging regularly, participating in online forums, and sharing video and music.
Perhaps not surprisingly, being so active takes more time. On average, respondents from China said they spend 44% of their free time online. Americans only spent an average of 30% of their leisure time using the Internet.
“The usage of the Web and the role it plays in people’s lives is completely different in China than it is in the U.S.,” says Mr. Klaassen “The platforms may be the same but the behavior is totally different… The usage in the U.S. is a lot more pragmatic.”
At the recent Chinese blogger conference in Guangzhou, we asked participants about how they see the differences in Web usage between China and the West. Check out the responses in the video below.
Of course, part of the difference may also be explained by the varying demographics of Web users. In China, only about 20% of the population uses the Internet, and those who do tend to be younger, more urbanized and relatively wealthier than the general population. In more mature Internet markets such as the United States and western Europe, where most people are online, the Internet population more closely reflects the general population.
Shining in its Own Style
For centuries Asian rulers and the wider society has had a devoted attachment to the luxurious green stone that is jade.
Jadeite, a kind of pyroxene with a degree of hardness, found mainly in Burma was popularly used in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).
In olden times, all men of the upper class wore personal ornaments of jade. Jade artifacts are, in fact, an important part of Chinese culture.
Jadeite, the most valued member of the jade family, became popular in China shortly after it was imported from Myanmar in the early Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). Because of its physical qualities, jade, jadeite in particular, suits the artistic and intellectual tastes of the Chinese people. The Chinese are reserved and mild. In their eyes, westerners are straight forward and aggressive, quite like the diamond.
Since 2950 BC, jade has been treasured in China as the royal gemstone, yu; the word yu is used in Chinese to call something precious. Jade was thought to preserve the body after death and can be found in emperors' tombs dating back thousands of years ago.
In addition jade was a symbol of love and virtue as well as a status symbol.
Gold may have a price, but jade is priceless
Testifying to how much the Chinese are fond of jade is this time-honored proverb: “Gold may have a price, but jade is priceless.” The value of gold can be determined by measuring its weight. Not jade. The value of a piece of jade or a jade artifact is “assessed” by taking numerous factors into account. For example, the purity and color, the sound it produces when struck, and when the jade piece was discovered or when a jade artifact was produced all contribute to affect a piece’s value.
Jade is rare with beautiful natural colors and it is difficult to find and to mine. Furthermore it is hard and difficult to process. That is why jade is regarded as gemstone alongside diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald.
All over the world there are very few places that produce jade. Jade stones are formed over long geographical epoch. In ancient times Chinese people went to the mountains or riverbed to try their luck to look for jade. After thousands of years’ exploitation, high quality jade stones have almost become depleted.
Jade is hard, especially jadeite is with solid texture with the hardness of degree 6 or above. (on the basis of the hardness of diamond is 10) Today man-made diamonds can be very close to the quality of natural ones. However, jade stones can not be man-made like natural ones. Imperial green that is translucent is very rare, and a bracelet that is all imperial jade color will cost at least $100,000 as a starting price.
In terms of quality jade artifacts are classified into three grades, A, B and C. Those of Grade A largely retain their natural features despite their processing, cutting and engraving. Products of Grade B products however are bleached to get rid of impurities. Grade C products are often dyed and therefore of little value.
It is difficult for the layman to distinguish good jade from bad jade, not to mention other physical qualities of the stone.
Jadeite's color commonly ranges from white through pale apple green to deep jade green but can also be blue-green, pink, lavender, and a multitude of other rare colors. Color is largely affected by the presence of trace elements such as chromium and iron. Its translucence can be anywhere from entirely solid through opaque to almost clear. Variations in color and translucence are often found even within a single specimen.
The Chinese knew about jadeite, travelers had brought back some jadeite from Burma as early as the thirteenth century. But China was turning inward at that time and this foreign Kingfisher Stone, referring to the brightly colored feathers of the bird, was not considered to be real jade. It only became popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth century when trade with Burma opened up again.
Today it is jadeite jade that is considered the real jade, commanding prices much higher than nephrite because it comes in much more vivid green colors and finer translucency than nephrite jade.
Gamble on Jadeite
Jadeite dealers are some of the world's largest gamblers. Boulders are sold intact, with only a tiny window cut in the side to expose a small section of the interior. The buyer has no idea what lies inside: valuable green jadeite or perhaps only white or brown-stained inexpensive material. He has only his instinct, and on that basis he pays hundreds of thousands of dollars for what may turn out to be the deal of the year or a huge loss.
The top jadeite jade is usually cut into smooth dome shapes called cabochons. Jadeite bangles are also very popular in Asian countries. Beads are also very beautiful and some important jadeite necklaces made during the art deco period have fetched hundreds of thousands of dollars in auctions in the past few years.
Because of its smooth even texture, jade has long been a preferred object for carving. The most common shape is the flat donut-shaped disc called a pi, which is commonly worn as a necklace.
Jade is most often sold by the piece rather than per carat. Although the overall color is the most important value factor, attention is also paid to translucency, texture, and also to pattern. Certain patterns, including moss in snow, are highly valued.
Call for Return of Stolen Treasures
Rabbit and the Rat heads, two of the famous 12 bronze heads of zodiac animals from Yuanmingyuan (also called the Old Summer Palace) which were taken out of China by the Anglo-French Allied Forces during the Second Opium War in 1860, will be put on sale next year in an auction expected to fetch 200 million yuan (US$28.6 million) and stir discussions in China.
If someone took away what belonged to you, the last thing you would want to do is buy it back.
This simple logic also applies to the Chinese government's attitude towards the upcoming auction in Paris of its long-lost relics, two invaluable bronzes of a Rat and Rabbit.
Song Xinchao, Museum General at State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said that China would not use "its own money" to buy back "its own things".
Christie's, an international arts dealer and auctioneer based in Hong Kong, announced recently that the two bronzes of Rat and Rabbit would go under the hammer in Paris during February next year, with an estimated combined worth of over 200 million yuan.
Rat and Rabbit are two of the 12 animals in Chinese Zodiac, with other animals being the Ox, Tiger, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Cock, Dog and Boar. Originally the two bronzes were part of a set of all twelve that formed a famous fountain in the palace gardens. They spouted water in turn to mark the various hours of the day with the exception of midday, when an elaborate hydraulic mechanism triggered all of the animals simultaneously. The fountain was destroyed, along with the whole royal garden, by colonial invaders in the Late Qing Dynasty during the opium wars (1839-1842).
According to a BBC report, a special mainland fund, set up to help retrieve long-lost Chinese national treasures, attempted to negotiate the return of the bronzes with the French collector Yves Saint Laurent, a world-famous fashion designer, in 2003 and 2004.
However, the designer priced out of the market, wanting US$20 million.
"This is no different from robbery!" Zong Tianliang, Spokesman at Yuanmingyuan Garden Administration, said to a reporter from the International Herald Tribune. The repurchasing plan to was aborted over the price disputes.
In June 2008 Saint Laurent died, leaving his collection, including the two bronzes from China, to a European fund, which decided to put them under hammer through the auctioneer Christie's.
In a telephone interview with the Oriental Morning Post, Wang Jia, Christie's Operation Manager in China, insisted Christie's operates legally between collectors and buyers.
However, Christie's auction plan has stirred heated debates and instant outrages in China. Online comments denounced it as a daylight robbery, adding unacceptable insult to the injury. While others wondered if there was still any possibility of retrieving the national treasures through negations.
Mr. Song warned the public of possible speculation by business dealers driving up the auction prices unboundedly, with the obvious aim of exploiting Chinese patriotic sentiments in retrieving their national treasures.
"The best reaction to this incident is to turn deaf ears to the chaos", Song said to a Xinhua reporter. He also recommended restraints in media's coverage.
Escalating national patriotism pushed previous auctions of the Ox, Monkey, and Tiger bronzes up to prices as high as HK$7 million, HK$8.18 million and HK$15.44 million respectively, all purchased by mainland giant China Poly Group.
In September, 2007, Hong Kong entrepreneur He Hongshen bought the Horse bronze at an unprecedented record price of HK$69.1 million before the auction started and declared he would donate the precious treasure to the motherland.
The national treasures are being retrieved, but, at a costly price.
Zong Tianliang expressed his concern over the trend of wildly escalating prices in the auction market, especially for the Yuanmingyuan Garden relics. "200 million yuan is no doubt beyond reach of any ordinary institutions and individuals. This kind of craziness does no good to the relics itself and the culture it bears," he said.
The only exception so far befell on the Boar bronze, whose successful return to China in 2003 went through without any involvement of auction companies. After great endeavors and much negotiating, the special mainland fund finally persuaded the American collector to transfer the Boar statue, at a cost of about US$1 million, much more reasonable in comparison.
Repurchasing remains the mainstream in relics retrieving, other than donating or demanding.
The donation of relics is largely left in vain due to its heavy reliance on the holder's consciousness and ethical principles.
Demanding the return of relics sounds reasonable according to an international treaty that mandates relics plundered during the colonial wars be returned to their homeland. However, the treaty fails to impose any practical restriction on non-member states like Britain and America who actually hold large mounts of Chinese relics taken during wars.
Despite the Chinese government's strong resistance to buying back national treasures, repurchasing by unofficial Chinese parties remains the norm; while undeniably a bone in the throat, especially when the victim actually bears the burden. Non-governmental buyers mainly consist of social groups and institutions as well as a few wealthy individuals.
According to the International Herald Tribune's report, the mainland special fund was still under intense negotiations with Christie's, trying to stop the Rat and Rabbit bronze statues from entering the auction markets and get them back under a reasonable price.
"We do respect the business rules of auction companies as well as the operating mechanism of arts markets. But it's definitely unacceptable to put plunder under the hammer." Mr Zong said.
"The price is the major issue. We need a reasonable price right now."
So far, five of the 12 animal bronzes have returned to China. The Rat and Rabbit will probably be the last two appearing on the market. The remaining five, Dragon, Snake, Sheep, Cock and Dog, may have been destroyed in warfare or lost forever, experts suspect.
