Heritage of Middle Kingdom, UNESCO, Contemporary Chinese Culture: News & Images

[JSCh]

Tai chi significantly reduces depression symptoms in Chinese-Americans
May 25, 2017
Source: Massachusetts General Hospital

A 12-week program of instruction and practice of the Chinese martial art tai chi led to significantly reduced symptoms of depression in Chinese Americans not receiving any other treatments. The pilot study conducted by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry enrolled members of Boston's Chinese community who had mild to moderate depression.


--> Tai chi significantly reduces depression symptoms in Chinese-Americans -- ScienceDaily

Journal Reference:

Albert S. Yeung, Run Feng, Daniel Ju Hyung Kim, Peter M. Wayne, Gloria Y. Yeh, Lee Baer, Othelia E. Lee, John W. Denninger, Herbert Benson, Gregory L. Fricchione, Jonathan Alpert, Maurizio Fava. A Pilot, Randomized Controlled Study of Tai Chi With Passive and Active Controls in the Treatment of Depressed Chinese Americans. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2017; 78 (5): e522 DOI: 10.4088/JCP.16m10772​

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Some recent pictures from Xinhua sport.

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[TaiShang]

Shanghai dragon boat races draw crowds
By Shi Jing in Shanghai | chinadaily.com.cn | 2017-05-28 17:47


Contestants row during the race in Shanghai, on May 27, 2017. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/chinadaily.com.cn]

Contestants row during the race in Shanghai, on May 27, 2017. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/chinadaily.com.cn]

 

[TaiShang]

About 100 Taoists make zongzi, glutinous rice dumplings, for Dragon Boat Festival on Laojun Mountain, a sacred Taoist site in Luoyang, Central China's Henan province, May 28, 2017. The rice dumplings were later offered to visitors for free. [Photo/VCG]

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An old woman makes zongzi, glutinous rice and fillings wrapped with bamboo or reed leaves, at Wenbi Street in Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province, May 28, 2017. Chinese have the tradition of eating Zongzi during the Dragon Boat Festival, which is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of a year.[Photo/Xinhua]

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A villager boils zongzi, glutinous rice and fillings wrapped with bamboo or reed leaves, in Shegang town of Liuyang city, Central China's Hunan province, May 28, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

Tourists enjoy themselves on the beach in Xiamen city, Southeast China's Fujian province, May 29, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

Tourists drift at the Jiuwanxi scenic spot in Zigui county, Central China's Hubei province, May 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

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People buy zongzi, a pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, at a market in Taipei, May 29, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

People participate in a dragon boat competition in Zhangfuhe village of Huai'an, East China's Jiangsu province, May 28, 2017. About 200 competitors of 9 dragon boat teams attended the competition to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. [Photo/Xinhua]

 

[Jlaw]

Zongzi is good

 

[TaiShang]

Urumqi to hold TV expo next week
By Wang Kaihao | China Daily | Updated: 2017-06-01

A Sino-Russian TV documentary expo will begin in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Province, from June 6.

The expo, which is jointly hosted by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television and the local government, is part of ongoing Sino-Russian media exchanges.

Xinjiang Television and Russia Today, a Russian international TV network, will respectively bring 10 documentaries to reflect each side's culture and ordinary peoples' lives, Yang Hongxin, head of Xinjiang Television, a main organizer, told reporters in Beijing on Friday.

"Documentaries play irreplaceable roles in cross-border communication as records of social, economic and cultural developments in different regions," Yang says.

"The expo will promote cooperation in the humanities between the two sides."

He says Stories in North, a TV documentary reflecting relations between China and Russia through the daily lives of people in Xinjiang, will be a highlight of the expo. The documentary's interviewees include students from Xinjiang studying in Moscow, a baker of Russian origin in Xinjiang and a sports fan who rafts on the Irtysh River that originates in Xinjiang and flows into Russia's Ob.

People of the Russian ethnic group make up one of 12 major non-Han groups in Xinjiang, a hub of ethnic diversity in China.

Yang says that a TV forum that gathers delegates from China, Russia, and central and western Asian countries will also be held in Urumqi on June 7.

An industry alliance is likely to be established during the forum to provide a long-term system for more cooperation, including coproductions of documentaries and information sharing.

Xinjiang Television now runs branch stations in some countries in the region, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkey. A branch station in Russia may be on the horizon.

"After the Belt and Road Initiative was launched, Xinjiang has played an important role creating new channels of communication between China and the countries involved," says Yan Chengsheng, an official in charge of international cooperation under the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.

Xinjiang has natural landscapes and human resources－elements needed for good documentary production, he adds

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/2017-06/01/content_29570431.htm

 

[JSCh]

Cultural confidence plays vital role in China’s further development
By Wan Lixin | 00:01 UTC+8 June 16, 2017

IN a recent forum, Zhang Weiwei debunked some assumptions about prevailing Western socio-political concepts, and stressed cultural confidence is vital to China’s further development.

Zhang is a professor of international relations and Director of the China Institute at Fudan University, as well as a board member of China’s National Think Tanks Council.

The forum, titled “Discourse Confidence: A review of the debate with Francis Fukuyama, six years ago,” was sponsored by Guancha.cn and China Institute, Fudan University.

In June 2011, Zhang had a well-publicized debate with Fukuyama on the merits of China vs Western model. Zhang thought it was now a good time to give a mid-term assessment. Fukuyama made quite a stir with “The End of History and the Last Man” (1992). In the book, Fukuyama argued that the advent of Western democracy may signal the endpoint of humanity’s sociocultural evolution and the final form of human government. In this sense it signals “the end of history.”

“Before debating with Fukuyama, I examined some previous dialogues between some Chinese scholars and Fukuyama. To be honest, these ‘dialogues’ were more like reporting to the boss,” Zhang observed, adding that in humanities and social science studies in China, the dominance of Western discourse had been considerable, whether in politics, economics, journalism, or legal studies.

As a result, some Chinese scholars were chiefly concerned with issues like “when China can aspire to the kind of democracy and rule of law seen in America.”

“Given this mindset, some Western scholars made easy conquests in China. They were deemed authorities in any field, and their views were widely publicized and quoted,” Zhang observed.

Five predictions

Zhang then reexamined some of the predictions made in that heated exchange in 2011.

The first concerned the so-called Arab Spring, with Fukuyama predicting that the rise of the middle class in China will lead to an aspiration to democracy and freedom, while Zhang believed the problem was rooted in economy, and predicted that the so-called Arab Spring would turn to winter soon, significantly compromising Western interests in that region.

“Why did I make a better prediction than Fukuyama? Because I believe in the Chinese adage ‘Read ten thousand volumes of books and travel ten thousand li.’ I also believe in Deng Xiaoping’s observation that ‘a soldier who has heard the gunshot is totally different to one who has not,’” Zhang said. The biggest headache today, the Middle East refugee crisis, could have been avoided if Chinese views like his were heeded then.

The second prediction concerned the American political system. Fukuyama recognized then there were many problems with American democracy, but insisted it was a very mature system capable of self-correction, while Zhang believed American democracy is a pre-industrialization product and, absent of substantial political reforms, would produce presidents worse than George Bush Jr.

The third prediction concerned populism, or what Zhang called simple-minded populism, which would get worse with the rise of new social media tools. Citing Lincoln’s famous line about “You can fool some of the people some of the time,” Fukuyama believed that given the maturity of Western democracy, people will come to the correct choice in the long run.

Black Swan events like Brexit and American election all suggest that with the rise of Western populism and growing power of money and new media, this simple-minded populism can wreck the future of the West.

“Lincoln’s observation is correct theoretically, and poetic in its wording, but the reality is more skeletal. Politics has a temporal, spatial and cost dimension. Imagine you lost your mobile phone, and someone comforting you by saying, ‘don’t worry, the phone is still on earth,’” Zhang said.

The fourth prediction concerned Fukuyama’s statement about the “End of History.” Zhang disagreed, adding it looked more like “the end of the End of History,” for from the macro-history perspective, the Western political system might be just a flash in a pan.

Zhang cited several problems with the system. First, it does not entail a respect for talent, thus the country can be governed by whoever is elected. Second, the welfare can only keep growing. The kind of reforms in the banking and state-owned enterprise sectors in China is inconceivable. Third, social cohesion is at stake, when those who have lost the vote, rather than listening to those who have won, the 51 percent, as was the case in developed countries in the past, would continue to obstruct. The fourth is that, in what Zhang called simple-minded populism, the people are incapable of thinking long-term for the interests of the state and society as a whole.

Oriental wisdom

The fifth prediction concerned cultural homogenization, with some mainstream Western scholars predicting that with globalization and liberalization, cultures will homogenize, from dietary habits (coke and KFC) to political aspirations (quest for freedom and democracy).

But Zhang believed that regardless of the degree of modernity, the cultural core of a nation would remain the same. Nor should it change, for otherwise the world would become very boring.

“I subscribe to Edmund Burke’s view that change in institutions should be an extension of tradition. At the back of cultural root is wisdom. Wisdom does not equate knowledge. Today a primary school pupil might beat Confucius or Socrates in terms of knowledge, but not in wisdom,” Zhang observed six years ago.

Zhang cited an anecdote a German economist told him. German Chancellor Angela Merkel once asked the economist, “Why did Germany fail to produce first-rate, Nobel Prize-winning economists?” He replied that there is no need to worry, for with first-rate economists, there would be no first-rate economy.

Something is clearly wrong with economics, even though among Western social sciences economics is probably most akin to natural sciences, for it lends to characterization by mathematical model.

“I think it takes the effort of all humanity to meet the challenges confronting us, from poverty alleviation, conflicts of civilization, to climate changes, and the all and sundry problems resulted from urbanization. Since Western wisdom is ill-equipped to deal with these problems, oriental wisdom should make its contribution,” Zhang observed.

Zhang said if Chinese culture is the eight major types of cuisines, then American culture is McDonald’s. Instead of being conquered by McDonald’s, we should try to influence it, and this is what is meant by cultural confidence.

“McDonald’s is strong in terms of its standardization, unified central kitchen, bright and gay colors, but it simply cannot compare with the eight Chinese cuisines in depth, and scope,” Zhang concluded.

 

[TaiShang]

Discourse Confidence

Beautiful terminology. Thank you very much for sharing.

As the article says, to have an equal discourse influence, one must start with the understanding that all historical cultures, systems, and models stand on equal grounds. Like the debate between Fukuyama and Chinese scholars, if one starts from a self-imposed inferior ground, the superior will dominate and control the debate.

This is why it is important that, in discourse making process, instead of wasting time and energy to try to respond to non-constructive accusations and critique, one needs to be busy with evolution and progress to ensure that historical-material products are perfected every single day.

Material ground will eventually reinforce the ideational ground.

China now has stronger discourse because it sits on a stronger material grounds - although not/never enough.

Like this article suggests, instead of adopting foreign ideas upon weak material grounds (with the assumption that weak ideas are the reason for weak material grounds), one must first improve the material grounds and then develop stronger ideas based on those material grounds, and then engage in discourse debate.

West is/was strong because they are/were strong materially (thanks to early industrialization, colonization and forced opening-ups).

Chinese scholarship could now enjoy greater confidence in Chinese ideas because China's economic/material fundamentals are stronger.

Material confidence: ideational confidence --> discourse confidence.

@Sinopakfriend , @Dungeness , @Han Patriot , @AndrewJin , @Chinese-Dragon

 

[Mangus Ortus Novem]

Beautiful terminology. Thank you very much for sharing.

As the article says, to have an equal discourse influence, one must start with the understanding that all historical cultures, systems, and models stand on equal grounds. Like the debate between Fukuyama and Chinese scholars, if one starts from a self-imposed inferior ground, the superior will dominate and control the debate.

This is why it is important that, in discourse making process, instead of wasting time and energy to try to respond to non-constructive accusations and critique, one needs to be busy with evolution and progress to ensure that historical-material products are perfected every single day.

Material ground will eventually reinforce the ideational ground.

China now has stronger discourse because it sits on a stronger material grounds - although not/never enough.

Like this article suggests, instead of adopting foreign ideas upon weak material grounds (with the assumption that weak ideas are the reason for weak material grounds), one must first improve the material grounds and then develop stronger ideas based on those material grounds, and then engage in discourse debate.

West is/was strong because they are/were strong materially (thanks to early industrialization, colonization and forced opening-ups).

Chinese scholarship could now enjoy greater confidence in Chinese ideas because China's economic/material fundamentals are stronger.

Material confidence: ideational confidence --> discourse confidence.

@Sinopakfriend , @Dungeness , @Han Patriot , @AndrewJin , @Chinese-Dragon

TaiShang,


First, thank you for your tag and a well composed thought in your post.

In each and everything there is Essence, Telos.... this is the governing Priniciple. Out of this springs forth manifestations.... dialectics, ethics, industrialisation, taxations.... a system of Life if you wish.

In the current dynamics what we see at play before us is Civilisational Struggle.... only now coming into a bit sharper relief... Acceleration is inevitable.

The Chinese Dialectics are Civilisational, despite form of government being communist. Yes, material advancement do effect meta-material expansion. I believe we touched upon this subject a few months back..if not longer.

The Long March that started has not ended. This is critical to understand and keep in the back of our minds.... it might be away from public discourse, for certain reasons, yet the March is still progressing.

Despite it having a foreign framework/idealogy as its unifying element... the Long March was/is a very Chinese Affair.

So, as this March continues we shall see changes being made to the global financial and economic architecture, inculding policies and system.

The current stage of development in China does afford a Confidence in Discourse, however, if we look back confidence was never lacking in China even before last thirty years of development.

It was Civilisational Awareness and Sense of Being which made people endure everything for the Re-Birth of the Middle Kingdom. This process is ongoing.

Now some might interject that now China is more 'beligerent' and whatnot... this is shallow understanding of the Confusician Thought... as you know Humility is Valued more than arrogance.

Hence, a Self-Assured, with Complete Sense of Being Discourse shall continue... Pres. Xi and his follower shall keep exercising studied humility...

What I find most exciting in this entire Unfolding is the effect of the Dragon's Sense of Being having in Asia and perhaps broader world.

Never in History such a process has unfolded.

The Western Civilisation, till 50s-60s was an exculsive abode to the West.. others were expected/demanded to follow the dictate and show obidience.... post-colonial hangover.

But now it is different.... Not by Design, but out of sheer need.


So, yes, Dialectic Confidence or Confidence Dialectics are own upward mobility... I just wish that in this process every effort be made to quell arrogance.


Regards,

SPF

 

[JSCh]

When did China get its name?
By Ma Chi | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-06-22 14:06

Kevin Rudd's post asking Chinese netizens if the word "China" first appeared on a bronze mirror from the Han Dynasty. [Photo/Sina Weibo]

When former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York recently, a Chinese bronze mirror from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) caught his attention.

The electronic guide informed him the mirror featured the first written reference to the country as China.

But Rudd was sceptical and posted on his Weibo account, asking for verification. Chinese netizens were quick to correct the mistake and point out that the characters for the country's name were used earlier on a bronze piece called Hezun, which was unearthed in Northwest China's Shaanxi province in 1963.

Chen Liang, the curator of Baoji Bronze Museum which houses the treasure, confirmed on Tuesday that Hezun, which dates back more than 3,000 years, bears the first written form of "China", reported Xi'an newspaper Huashang Daily.

Hezun (zun is wine vessel) has a 122-word inscription on its base, detailing how the capital city of Luoyang was built by the order of King Chengwang of the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC) .

Among the characters are the words "zhai zi zhong guo", which means "live in the central area of the world". This is evidence that Chinese people were calling their country "zhongguo", meaning China, more than 3,000 years ago, said Chen.

He said either the Metropolitan Museum of Art was mistaken or Rudd had misunderstood its description.

The word 'China' is believed to have first appeared on this bronze ware Hezun. [Photo/Baoji Bronze Museum]

In response to Rudd's post, one netizen pointed out that the curator of the exhibition in New York said it only claimed the Han bronze mirror carried one of the earliest written forms of "China", rather than the earliest one.

Huashang Daily contacted Kevin Rudd for comment, but hadn't received a reply.

According to a Xinhua report in 2013, Hezun was unearthed accidentally by a farmer in Jiacun town of Baoji, Shaanxi province, in 1963. The man called Chen Dui, discovered the artifact at an earth cliff near his home. The next year, he gave the bronze piece to a man called Chen Hu.

Chen Hu then sold the artifact to a waste recycling station. Luckily, it was spotted by an employee of the local museum and was bought for 30 yuan ($4.40).

The inscription on Hezun, with the characters highlighted in red meaning zhongguo, or "China". [Photo/Baoji Bronze Museum]

A closer look at the word zhongguo.

 

[TaiShang]

Chinese crosstalk artists perform in Japan to mark anniversary of bilateral relations
(Xinhua) 10:17, June 25, 2017



Chinese crosstalk artists Guo Degang(L) and Yu Qian peform in Tokyo, Japan, June 24, 2017. A group of Chinese Xiangsheng or crosstalk artists gave a performance here on Saturday to mark the 45th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between China and Japan, receiving warm acclaim from some 5,000 spectators. (Xinhua/Hua Yi)

TOKYO, June 24 -- A group of Chinese Xiangsheng or crosstalk artists gave a performance here on Saturday to mark the 45th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between China and Japan, receiving warm acclaim from some 5,000 spectators.

The Chinese crosstalk star Guo Degang and his fellow artists gave their first major performance of 2017 in Tokyo, blending some Japanese elements into the traditional Chinese art and interacting with an enthusiastic audience to make the show spectacular.

Guo said that it was also the first time that the crosstalk group Deyun Society gave a performance in Japan, and that he hopes the performance could "make people happy" and "make what little contribution it could" to bilateral relations.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama sent a congratulation letter to the event, saying that the show provided a great opportunity for the audience to get a taste of Chinese contemporary art and entertainment culture.

He also said that he hopes all spectators, including overseas Chinese in Japan, could have an unforgettable experience at the show and that friendship between China and Japan could deepen and make contribution to peace in Asia and in the world.

Crosstalk is a traditional Chinese comedic performing art and is typically in the form of a dialogue between two performers. The crosstalk language, rich in puns and allusions, is delivered in a rapid, bantering style.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2017/0625/c90000-9232902-2.html

 

[TaiShang]

Confucian thinker applies 'Yijing' to international politics
By Zhang Lulu

​

Professor Chung-ying Cheng takes an interview from China.org.cn in Beijing on June 22. [Photo by Zhang Jiaqi/China.org.cn]


An eminent New Confucian philosopher has introduced the ancient Chinese book "Yijing" (otherwise known as "I-Ching," the Book of Changes) into the debate about the future direction of international politics.

In his recently published book "Philosophy of the Yijing: New thinking on International Politics," Chinese-American scholar Chung-ying Cheng, a professor of philosophy at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, has brought concepts first appearing during the Western Zhou Dynastic period (1,000-750 B.C.) into the thinking and understanding about modern politics and international affairs.

Yijing and international politics

In an interview with China.org.cn, Cheng said he sees the ancient book as a philosophical expression of change and transformation in the world rather than a divination text as it is usually interpreted, as the book contains conceptual thinking on the cosmos and its development. As it talks about nature, people and civilization, it can readily be used to illuminate politics even in the 21st Century.

He said Yijing contains most of the fundamental principles in the universe, including the relationship between "yin" and "yang," or two opposing forces, which themselves include polarities such as moving and static, weak and strong, hidden and visible, and false and true. When applied to human society, the relations between different countries are also in the network of such changes and interactions, and hence the book can shed light on international politics.

As the development of everything in the world follows the sequence of moving from weak to strong then onto the extreme, before reversing direction known in Chinese as "wujibifan," or "Things transform into their opposites when they reach the extreme," it can help understand the rise and fall of individual nations. This, Cheng said, could be seen in the rise and fall of some of the greatest civilizations and empires in history.

He went on to cite the example of the United States, which he believed has begun to show signs of decline during the accusation-filled presidential election last year. He said that the U.S. has grown from a resource-rich and prosperous country in the 1960s (around the time when the philosopher began attending American universities) to one that faces a dilemma of a slackening manufacturing industry (and a president vowing to restore its former glory) and a necessary piling-on of costs if the president and industries insist on following this route.

In addition, there are various conflicts running rampant in the U.S. today that keep undermining national security and prosperity.

In contrast, Professor Cheng argued, China has been on a path of awakening and a "great leap of its civilization" in the past three decades. The country has not only grown to be the second largest economy in the world, but has also profoundly refreshed itself in the wake of disasters in its modern history and is now on the right path of pursuing harmony not only for itself but also the entire human society.

He went on to argue that there is an ultimate value in the human society, which aims at gradually eliminating the failings of people and society and working towards the good of the people so that good will eventually prevail over evils of society. He said that any country that recognizes this fundamental value and works towards it can continue to prosper.

Professor Chung-ying Cheng's latest book "Philosophy of the Yijing: New thinking on international politics." [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

'Moral power'and 'natural power'

In his latest book, Professor Cheng also raised concepts stemming from ancient Confucian thinking into the discourse of international affairs.

He argues in the book that "hard power," coupled with "soft power" and "smart power" invented by American political scientist Joseph Nye, has been used by the U.S. to advance at the expense of other countries' development.

As the U.S. exerts the three powers, it grows more powerful but violates others' sovereignty and rights to develop. This goes against morality, Cheng said. He introduces the idea of "moral power," which in the book is defined as being "based on human virtues and working towards public interests and the natural realization of human rights." He said the development of such a moral power is necessary to create goodwill among different countries.

He also invented the idea of "ziranli," or roughly translates as natural power, which refers to the force of nature and and the innate capability that a country has in its hand.

Cheng argued that the various military actions taken by the U.S. are examples of it having gone beyond its natural capacity and is unlikely to be able to sustain.

Professor Cheng's book is written in Chinese and published in May by the People's Oriental Publishing & Media Co. Ltd.

http://www.china.org.cn/china/2017-06/25/content_41093321_2.htm

***

This book is worth buying and reading.


@Chinese-Dragon , @grey boy 2 , @AndrewJin , @+4vsgorillas-Apebane , @Daniel808 et al.

 

[TaiShang]

Traditional brands go global
By Chen Jin
China Today, June 20, 2017

Tourists try their hand at making roast duck at the Quanjude Peking Roast Duck Restaurant's Hepingmen branch.

China's sweeping internationalization of its industrial enterprises, e-commerce businesses, and technologies has infused the global consumer landscape with Chinese elements. Time-honored brands are proactive in the overarching innovation that characterizes the country's "going global" drive.

Wanglaoji goes global

On New Year's Day 2017, China Central Television broadcast a documentary on the highly-esteemed Wanglaoji brand of medicinal herbal tea. The program recalled how, 188 years ago, the company formulated the product which has since soothed the ailments of millions. Thanks to the brand's long tradition and consistent research and development, this refreshing and therapeutic remedy is a household staple both in China and abroad.

This national leading brand has grasped the opportunities the Belt and Road Initiative offers to explore foreign markets, establish international standards applicable to the drink, and popularize Chinese tea culture.

Wanglaoji commissioned Nobel Prize laureate Dr. Ferid Murad and joined hands with Swiss company SGS in a research project on formulating an international standard for Chinese herbal tea. This created a solid foundation for the internationalization of this Chinese drink.

On January 9, 2017, the National Science and Technology Awards Conference awarded the second prize for scientific and technological progress to Wang-laoji for its DNA barcoding of Chinese medicinal plants. This marked the first scientific award ever endowed on the Chinese herbal tea industry. Wanglaoji's innovative quality control consists in an international advanced DNA barcode verifying the beverage's raw materials and identifying its genetic ingredients. Applicable to the production line and the production process as a whole, it guarantees the high quality of Wanglaoji products, so promoting consumer confidence and satisfaction.

Wanglaoji representatives attended the Davos Forums in 2015 and 2016. And on New Year's Day of 2016, a Wang-laoji advertisement appeared on the Times Square big screen in New York. Its products are now available in more than 60 countries and regions worldwide.

Safeguarding intellectual property

Traditional Chinese brands are embedded in Chinese culture, but the road to internationalization does not run smooth. Li Qi, president of Beijing Yi-qing Food Group, believes that success overseas pivots on innovations that cater to local consumer preferences while simultaneously highlighting the Chinese essence of these products.

Food security is of universal concern, and a fundamental indicator of familial wellbeing. Talking about the counterfeit Arctic Ocean, a traditional Beijing soda brand, avaliable on the market, Li Qi observed: "All these well-established trademarks have passed the test of time, and their success is owed to the efforts of several generations. This is why it is so important to preserve hard-earned quality and stamp out counterfeiting."

A press conference held at Wangzhihe's Beijing headquarters to celebrate regaining its trademark after it was "squatted" in Europe.

In recent years, many traditional brands have "gone global," but few have engaged in international business without mishaps. Registration of intellectual property rights is a main stumbling block. Some firms – Wangzhihe fermented bean curd in Germany, Tsingtao Beer in the United States, Tong Ren Tang pharmaceuticals and Nü'erhong and Dukang alcoholic beverages in Japan – have fallen victim to the preemptive registration, or "cybersquatting" of their brand names.

"The development of the domestic market and the growing willingness of Chinese brands to go abroad make imperative the protection of their intellectual property and the capacity to take decisive actions should they become victims of piracy," Secretary General of the Traditional Trademarks Working Committee of the China General Chamber of Commerce Zhang Jian said.

Ma Yide, vice chairman of the Intellectual Property Law Association, advises well-established Chinese brands to cultivate higher awareness of intellectual property rights protection, and to register their trademarks in foreign markets. Only then will they have the capacity to institute legal proceedings in the event of preemptive registration of their brands. They can then defend their rights and interests and reclaim their trademarks.

Above all, brands seeking to internationalize must innovate in order to compete in these new markets.

Leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative

"The challenge is two-fold: satisfying the appetite of foreign customers on the one hand, and tempting them to sample Chinese food culture on the other," General Manager of Quanjude Xing Ying said, when explaining the foreign strategy of this venerable Peking roast duck brand.

The first Quanjude restaurant was founded in 1864, but the Quanjude Group was not established until 1993. It has since pursued a strategy of systematic overseas development, and opened five overseas franchises. Xing emphasized the importance of maintaining quality control, and hence the brand's reputation, in its bid to go global. Quanjude, he said, must ensure it can fulfill the three fundamental requirements of its overseas concerns: raw material supply, work visas for skilled employees, and supervision of its restaurant franchises. The company has considered various solutions, including local suppliers, training Peking roast duck chefs for its overseas partners, and sending Chinese staff to give pre-opening consultations.

The popularity of its franchises in Tokyo and Melbourne proves that Chinese cuisine appeals to both native citizens and overseas Chinese residents of these countries. From a broader perspective, overseas opportunities exist for all famous Chinese cooking brands due to growing international exchanges and the broader acquaintance overseas with Chinese food culture.

"Our company has targeted certain priority countries, and is stepping up its internationalization," Xing said. "We launched this year a franchise development plan by sending company representatives to North America to carry out market research and seek out partners. Our company has also made contacts with potential partners in Europe."

Consolidation of its domestic market also spurs the company's internationalization. From going public to its progression from catering and agri-food chains to professional operations, the company is experiencing a new lease of life as its longstanding tradition embraces innovation. "Quanjude's goal is to upgrade its image from a traditional enterprise to a modern commercial brand that carries considerable clout on the market," Xing said.

With the support of the Beijing Municipal Trade Commission, the Beijing Time-honored Brand Association supports traditional brand companies' implementation of the "Internet Plus" plan to promote marketing capacity. Sixty-nine different companies are involved in the plan.

The Baihua Honey brand, founded in 1919, exemplifies the success of the innovative approach. The Ministry of Commerce named Baihua a China time-honored brand in 2006. The company teamed up with an e-marketing specialist to sell its products online, and the two entities cooperated towards innovation and developing new mechanisms. Baihua honey is now the sole time-honored brand to have won the Ministry of Commerce national model e-commerce enterprise award.

China launched the Belt and Road Initiative to promote international cooperation. This is an opportunity that General Manager of Beijing Ershang Food Group Wang Jiahuai believes must be seized. Over the past two decades, the group has focused on promoting such traditional brands as Wangzhihe fermented bean curd. This imperial dish, which originated in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), has become an essential feature of Chinese cuisine. In 2000, Wangzhihe went global, first launching in the United States and then in other countries. Today, this brand has been registered in 43 countries and regions globally.

Mr. Wang confirmed that exports of the brand are mainly geared to the overseas Chinese market. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, and the subsequent increase in Chinese people venturing abroad, the potential of these traditional Chinese brands is expected to surge. Now available in about 20 countries, overseas sales of Wangzhihe fermented bean curd increase yearly.

Mr. Wang is nevertheless emphatic about the need to improve these brands. One upcoming innovation is the launch of a low-salt line, with a six percent to 10 percent salt content, and also a disposable container. "We cannot rely solely on our seniority to succeed. To expand our foreign markets we must innovate in order to adapt to diversified needs."

 

[Shotgunner51]

Traditional brands

Good! Brands are one kind of cultural heritage - commerce sector - that needs to be preserved. I wish to see more marketing of decades old brands, even century old ones.

 

[JSCh]

Free 'filial' parking spots created to encourage weekend parent visits
2017/07/20
Han Jing

A residential complex in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, has set up special discounted parking spaces for those who visit their parents during weekends, in a bid to encourage children to see their folks more often, chinanews.com reported on July 18.

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The 18 so-called “parking spaces for filial piety” will be put into use by the end of this month.

Those who come to visit parents aged 60 years and over can enjoy free parking for five and a half hours, provided they reserve a spot with the property manager in advance.

The parking spaces — painted with cartoon images of families — will operate from 8am to 7pm every Saturday and Sunday in the residential complex of Cuiyuan Neighborhood, West Lake Area.

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Car owners first need to apply to the community management company with registration information including their residential address, car plate number and contact details, as well as their parents’ ages.

There are currently about 600 parking spaces in the complex, however the number of cars owned by tenants numbers around 800, according to the community staff.

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Online opinions were mixed towards the policy — some netizens said it was a kind-hearted plan, while others expressed their disappointment that even a simple visit to parents needs some kind of incentive nowadays. Others expressed concern that some may lie about visiting their parents simply to enjoy free parking.

 

[Keel]

China Focus: Gulangyu island joins UNESCO world heritage list
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-08 23:43:29|Editor: ZD

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-07/08/c_136428637.htm

Photo taken on July 8, 2017 shows the session of the World Heritage Committee in Krakow, Poland. The 41st session of the World Heritage Committee on Saturday decided to put China's Gulangyu historic international settlement on the prestigious World Heritage List as a cultural site. So far, China has 52 sites inscribed to the List. (Xinhua/Chen Xu)

XIAMEN, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Gulangyu island in east China's Fujian Province, famous for its varied architecture and multicultural history, was included on the UNESCO World Heritage list Saturday.

The 41st session of the World Heritage Committee on Saturday decided to put China's Gulangyu historic international settlement on the prestigious World Heritage List as a cultural site. So far, China has 52 sites inscribed to the List.

Only a six-minute ferry ride from Xiamen, Fujian's dynamic economic and culture hub, Gulangyu has an area of about two square kilometers and is home to 20,000 residents.

A former international settlement, the island features 13 consulates, churches, hospitals, schools, and police stations, built by foreign communities from the middle to late 19th century.

In the early 20th century, the island attracted overseas Chinese elites, who returned and built private residences on the island, often with a mixture of eastern and western architectural styles.

Gulangyu has more than 2,000 intact historical buildings, making it one of the best-preserved international settlements in China.

Wu Yongqi, a historian on Gulangyu, said the styles developed here affected the architecture in southern Fujian and were brought to east and southeast Asia by Chinese immigrants.

"The island was home to an international community made up of local people, overseas Chinese and foreigners," Wu said. "It was a distinct combination and the integration of their cultures made the island unique."

A popular tourist destination, the island receives more than 10 million visitors per year.

"People often come to the island for its beautiful gardens, winding alleyways, pristine beaches and quiet lifestyle," Wu said. "However, the island's status as a world cultural heritage tells another story."

In its bid, Gulangyu listed 53 groups of representative historical buildings, four historical roads and seven representative natural landscapes.

"Better protection is what we want to achieve through the world heritage inscription," said Zheng Yilin, director of Gulangyu island management committee.

According to UNESCO, the inscription serves as a "magnet for international cooperation" and financial assistance for heritage conservation projects.

In preparation for the bid, Xiamen municipal government rolled out protection laws and regulations for Gulangyu, repaired damaged historic buildings, opened more cultural museums, and limited tourist numbers to the island.

"With the successful inscription, we are going to keep up with these efforts," Zheng said.

ISLAND OF MUSIC

Gulangyu has one of the highest pianos ownership ratios in China, with nearly 600 pianos on an island that is less than two square kilometers.

Many of China's most celebrated musicians have come from Gulangyu, and the island is nicknamed "piano island."

"When I was a child, the sound of piano could be heard everywhere on the island," said Fang Site, a 34-year-old local pianist. Her family was among the overseas Chinese who moved to the island in the early 1900s.

Fang said she grew up in a place with strong music traditions. At about six years old, she and many of her peers were sent to music schools on the island.

Her family, like many others on Gulangyu, gather weekly to hold a family concert, a tradition that persists to this day.

"The concert is a part of our lives, through which we connect with our families and express our love for music and life," Fang said.

Gulangyu has the first piano museum and only organ museum in China, both established by Hu Youyi, an Australian Chinese pianist and collector. The museums host important music festivals and contests regularly.

Fang is the curator of the organ museum and has received UNESCO inspectors to the museum, a landmark on Gulangyu and one of the 53 historical buildings.

"Music is an important part of Gulangyu's culture and my life. With the inscription, our music has a wider audience," she said. "Gulangyu's inscription provides a great opportunity for the preservation and promotion of music culture," Fang said.

Chinese delegates celebrate after Gulangyu was declared World Heritage Site during the session of the World Heritage Committee in Krakow, Poland, July 8, 2017. The 41st session of the World Heritage Committee on Saturday decided to put China's Gulangyu historic international settlement on the prestigious World Heritage List as a cultural site. So far, China has 52 sites inscribed to the List. (Xinhua/Chen Xu)

Photo taken on July 8, 2017 shows the session of the World Heritage Committee in Krakow, Poland. The 41st session of the World Heritage Committee on Saturday decided to put China's Gulangyu historic international settlement on the prestigious World Heritage List as a cultural site. So far, China has 52 sites inscribed to the List. (Xinhua/Chen Xu)

Congratulations!