China's Top Social Media Networks

Never fear, dear readers, I am still here! And I am back. :)

Boy have times changed.. when I first started this blog there were no smartphones, no ipads, no Whatsapp, no Pinterest, no Instagram and Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter were used by only a few and now look at us!

Did you know that the top social media networks are not all American? Many of them are Chinese. It's just that we've never heard about them because they are all in Chinese and we don't use them!

Weixin (WeChat) has almost as many users as Whatsapp and Qzone has about half as many users as Facebook.

Here's an interesting article in the Business Insider that discusses these new media.

Facebook (1.15 billion monthly active users (MAUs))

YouTube (1 billion MAUs)

Qzone (712 million total users)

Sina Weibo (500 million total users)

WhatsApp (350 million MAUs)

Google+ (327 million MAUs)

Tumblr (300 million MAUs)

LINE (275 million total active users)

Twitter (240 million MAUs)

WeChat (236 million MAUs)

Tencent Weibo (220 MAUs)

LinkedIn (184 MAUs)

and here's an interesting graphic from TechInAsia

Interesting, huh?

Calligraphy writing tricycle machine

How cool is this!
Some guy invented a tricycle that works in a similar fashion to those old Chinese men writing calligraphy with just water in large public parks, ...

Just Because: Tricycle Calligraphy 水书法器 from Jonah Kessel on Vimeo.

World Airport Awards 2009

World Airport Awards

The winners for 2009 are...

1. Incheon, Seoul, South Korea
2. Hong Kong, Hong Kong
3. Singapore Changi, Singapore
4. Zurich, Switzerland
5. Munich, Germany
6. Kansai, Osaka, Japan
7. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
8. Amsterdam, Netherlands
9. Centrair, Nagoya, New Zealand
10. Auckland, New Zealand

Economist Intelligent Survey (EIU) World's most liveable cities list

The results of the 'EIU's ten best cities in the world' chart have been released and they go as follows:

Rank City Country
1 Vancouver Canada
2 Vienna Austria
3 Melbourne Australia
4 Toronto Canada
=5 Perth Australia
=5 Calgary Canada
7 Helsinki Finland
8 Geneva Switzerland
=9 Sydney Australia
=9 Zurich Switzerland

Interesting! What do you think of this? Do you agree? Unfortunately I can't find more information about this and where other cities are ranked.

Link 1

Link 2

China's Fastest Changing Cities

Link from Forbes

China's fastest changing cities

1. Shenzhen, Guangdong
2. Guangzhou, Guangdong
3. Hong Kong
4. Shanghai
5. Beijing
6. Dalian, Liaoning
7. Nanjing, Jiangsu
8. Xiamen, Fujian
9. Tianjin
10. Chongqing

Legend of the Grass Mud Horse 草泥马

So, the latest craze sweeping the internet is the legend of the 草泥马 / cao ni ma ('grass mud horse'), an alpaca like creature, fighting censorship in China. I have been keeping myself amused reading all about Male and Gebi...

Growing up, I didn't hear my parents swear a great deal but even when they did I didn't know they were. I mean, I didn't know the literal meaning of the words they were saying and it wasn't till much much later that I did! so when I read this (Modern Chinese profanity) I was very shocked and surprised... (warning: not for the easily offended or prudish). It also explains why there is a Canon G7 and G9 (and now G10) camera but no G8.

Anyway back to the 草泥马 / cao ni ma (which sounds like another phrase I heard my father say when he was driving (but that's another story)) I think the plushies are adorable... pity it's not a real animal, but that's not the point, is it? Of course the YouTube videos/songs are much funnier if you understand Mandarin and the double meanings of the words but the China Digital Times site explains it well. I have re-posted the lyrics and video (second video here) from their site.

There is a herd of Grass Mud Horses
In the wild and beautiful Ma Le Desert
They are lively and intelligent
they are fun-loving and nimble
They live freely in the Ma Le Desert
They are courageous, tenacious, and overcome the difficult environment

Oh lying down Grass Mud Horse
Oh running wild Grass Mud Horse
They defeated river crabs in order to protect their grass land
River crabs forever disappeared from Ma Le Desert

在那荒茫美丽马勒戈壁
有一群草泥马，
他们活泼又聪明，
他们调皮又灵敏，
他们自由自在生活在那草泥马戈壁，
他们顽强勇敢克服艰苦环境。

噢，卧槽的草泥马！
噢，狂槽的草泥马！
他们为了卧草不被吃掉 打败了河蟹，
河蟹从此消失草泥马戈壁

Read more about it here:

New York Times

International Herald Tribune

China Digital Times

Male and Gebi who happen to come from the desert called Malegebi 马勒和歌碧

Shanghaiist

DanWei

Dan Wei 2

Wikipedia entry about the 10 Mythical Chinese creatures, including the Fa Ke You, a squid.

Chinese Description of the cao ni ma

The Fresh Air Fund

Sara from The Fresh Air Fund has contacted me regarding her charity.

"We rely on donations to keep our programs strong, and helping children is a cause that I am sure your readers would be interested in.

Of course, we're always looking for hosts and any help would be fantastic. Together we can help make sure these children have everything they need!"

THE FRESH AIR FUND, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Nearly 10,000 New York City children enjoy free Fresh Air Fund programs annually. In 2008, close to 5,000 children visited volunteer host families in suburbs and small town communities across 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada. 3,000 children also attended five Fresh Air camps on a 2,300-acre site in Fishkill, New York. The Fund’s year-round camping program serves an additional 2,000 young people each year.

If you can help I am sure the "Fresh Air Fund" team would really appreciate it!

Chinese Hip-Hop Lyrics

Been a bit flat out and have not had time to add to my blog.. but one of my readers contacted me asking to be a 'guest blogger'. I've never had one of those before and there's a first time for everything so why not? :) here is her essay.. enjoy.

An essay on Chinese Hip-Hop by Rachel Wiggett

Discovering Chinese Culture through Chinese Hip Hop

One of the things I love most about travelling is getting the chance to learn about and experience living in a new culture. There are many things that set cultures apart from each other. Whether it’s their food, customs, traditions, or folklore, every culture has things that make them unique and special in their own ways.

I have travelled to many places throughout my lifetime, and one the best ways, I find, to get to know the people in a foreign land is by listening to their music. One of my favorite things to do when I’m visiting somewhere new is to go see live shows. It gives me the chance to mingle with locals, as well as observe and understand their culture through the music they are passionate about.

One of the experiences that stood out most for me though, occurred when I was visiting Beijing in the summer of 2005. I had met some locals my age and they decided to take me out to a hip hop show one night. “Chinese hip hop?” I thought to myself. I had never even heard or knew there was such a thing. Of course, I was very curious to see what it was all about, plus it would be a great way for me to further improve my Chinese after a period of self study through Chinese language learning software.

That show was certainly an eye-opening experience for me. My Chinese friends explained many things behind the history and meaning of Chinese hip hop, which differed greatly from that of the American hip hop I was used to. They told me that when hip hop first became popular in China, most rappers would only rap in English. But over the years, as Chinese hip hop began to evolve and develop its own style, the use of English began to fade and the Chinese language started to infiltrate.

What I found most interesting about Chinese hip hop was how different the meaning and lyrics of the songs were. I had been so accustomed to hearing about: money, violence, guns, and women, in western hip hop, that I was in near shock to find out that these Chinese hip hop artists were talking about their culture, about love, and even about food! Another thing I noticed was how difficult rapping in Chinese really was in terms of rhythm. Chinese is such a unique language, in that word’s meanings can change, simply depending on the pitch you use for each syllable.

Moreover, Chinese hip hop is far from being mainstream, so it doesn’t have the same fortune, fame and glamour stigma attached to it, as it does in American culture. However, I believe this is what makes the artists that do pursue hip hop careers, always stay true to their music.

Ever since I was young, I have always loved music. Rock and Roll, Jazz, Classical, Hip Hop, these are the sounds that have shaped my world, my identity. Learning about Chinese hip hop was a great way for me to learn something new and interesting about Chinese culture. My suggestion to anyone travelling is always learn about the music! It will give your great insight and of course, broaden your musical horizons, which is always a good thing.

I haven't listened to Chinese music much myself so that was very insightful. Thanks so much Rachel!

Shanghai tourism souvenirs design competition winners

Shanghai tourism souvenir design competition wrapped up

I love these souvenirs. How cool do they look? Watch the video and check out the Shikumen door pendant, or Maglev train pen! and course I love the xiaolongbao ( 小笼包 / 小籠包 / soup dumplings) boxes!

Watch the CCTV news report video here.

China Makes Internet Addiction an Official Disorder

Link here

China could become first nation to make Internet addiction a medical disorder

China is expected to become the first country in the world to officially classify internet addiction as a mental disorder. Chinese government officials would be required to register the term with the World Health Organization, which has seen an increased interest in internet- and game-related addiction.

Around 253 million of China's 1.2 billion population use the internet, with the number expected to grow as remote parts of the country build necessary infrastructure to support the internet.

Dr. Tao Ran studied at least 3,000 patients over a four-year period to help him classify internet addiction, which will be a condition similar to alcoholism or compulsive gambling.

A person who spends at least 6.13 hours online each day can be considered an addict. InterActiveCorp research indicates 42 percent of young internet users feel they are addicted to the internet, while only 18 percent of American youth feel they are addicted.

Around 50 percent of internet users in China are between the ages of 18 and 30.....

Read more at the site.

Mystery Chinese iPhone girl

Mystery iPhone girl

Dressed in a pink striped outfit and hat and wearing white gloves with yellow fingertips, the young woman now known on the Web as the "iPhone Girl" is shown smiling and making victory signs as she poses next to an iPhone.

The MacRumors.com user who posted the photos last week, identified as only "markm49uk" from Kingston-upon-Hull, England, said in a posting that one of the pictures showed up on a new 3G iPhone when the iTunes program was launched.

"It would appear that someone on the production line was having a bit of fun. Has anyone else found this?" the posting said.

The posting received more than 360 responses on MacRumors.com, with readers commenting and speculating about the woman's age, looks and working conditions — and whether the pictures had gotten her into trouble with her managers.

"She is so fired," a reader identified as "PredatoryWasp86" said.

"That's nice that at least they have some fun in the drab of assembling technology," another reader, "BrownManUPS," said.

"She looks about 12 or 13 to me! I don't think Stevo is going to be impressed at all. It looks a little bit too much like child labor," "sibruk" wrote, referring to Apple Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs.

News reports say the woman may work at a factory run by an Apple contractor, Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group, in the southern Chinese boomtown of Shenzhen.

Calls to Foxconn spokesman Edmund Ding went unanswered Wednesday. Ding also didn't immediately respond to an e-mail from The Associated Press seeking comment.

But the South China Morning Post on Wednesday quoted another Foxconn spokesman, Liu Kun, as confirming that the young woman in the pictures works for Foxconn.

World's best countries to be an Expat

Article by Forbes

... Overall, it's good news for those who get the opportunity to be posted abroad. More than half of expatriates are not only able to invest and save more, they can also spend more on shopping and socializing while abroad.

The global expat population has continued to boom--according to the World Bank's Global Links Report 2007, the number of people living outside their home country has more than doubled since 1980 to 190 million--despite the weakening global economic climate, with companies continuing to bear the higher costs of foreign postings.

"As the world becomes increasingly globalized, companies want their managers to get a diversity of experience across the world, while employees want an opportunity to experience a lifestyle and culture different [from] their own," says Cornu.

"Particularly in financial hot spots, there is the potential to earn more and have a better quality of life."

No. 1: Singapore
Longevity: No. 6
Earn And Save: No. 2
Luxurious: No. 2
Accommodation: No. 1
The sweltering heat and sometimes baffling laws are more than offset by high-quality accommodations and the affordability of good private education, health care, and home help.

No. 2 (Tie): United Arab Emirates
Longevity: No. 7
Earn And Save: No. 4
Luxurious: No. 1
Accommodation: No. 4
With no income tax to pay, the largely young expat population is left with plenty to spend on the opulent lifestyle available.

No. 2 (Tie): U.S.
Longevity: No. 3
Earn And Save: No. 5
Luxurious: No. 6
Accommodation: No. 2
Expats often get posted to corporate headquarters and command high salaries. Especially for Europeans, who are used to the high cost of living within the euro zone, life can get a lot more luxurious in the U.S.

No. 4: Belgium
Longevity: No. 4
Earn And Save: No. 7
Luxurious: No. 5
Accommodation: No. 3
Capital city Brussels, home of the European Union headquarters, tends to attract expats for long periods of time, while decent accommodations just a few metro stops from the city center is available and affordable

No. 5: Hong Kong
Longevity: No. 5
Earn And Save: No. 2
Luxurious: No. 4
Accommodation: No. 12
Hong Kong attracts the best-paid expats, with just under 50% earning more than 200,000 U.S. dollars a year. This allows them to save, despite the London-like cost of accommodation.

No. 6 (Tie): Germany
Longevity: No. 2
Earn And Save: No. 13
Luxurious: No. 4
Accommodation: No. 12
Expats in Germany often spent several years in their postings to corporate headquarters, but the high cost of living within the euro zone makes it a tough place to save.

No. 6 (Tie) Netherlands
Longevity: No. 1
Earn And Save: No. 5
Luxurious: No. 13
Accommodation: No. 11
Like the rest of Europe, expats in the Netherlands typically spend longer at their postings, as they tend to go to corporate headquarters.

No. 6 (Tie): Canada
Longevity: No. 8
Earn And Save: No. 7
Luxurious: No. 10
Accommodation: No. 6
When it comes to accommodations, Canada can be very affordable, with the cost of a luxurious, two-bedroom apartment in the heart of Vancouver costing $1,796 a month on average, according to Mercer.

No. 9: India
Longevity: No. 15
Earn And Save: No. 1
Luxurious: No. 3
Accommodation: No. 15
Expats in India can command high salaries while still saving, but the standard of accommodation falls short of other popular destinations.

No. 10 (Tie) Australia
Longevity: No. 14
Earn And Save: No. 7
Luxurious: No. 9
Accommodation: No. 6
Expats tend to have short stints in Australia, though it's a good place to save.

No. 10 (Tie): China
Longevity: No. 13
Earn And Save: No. 7
Luxurious: No. 7
Accommodation: No. 10
Expats spend little time in China, though the relatively low cost of living and eating and drinking out still make it a good place to save.

No. 12 (Tie): Spain
Longevity: No. 12
Earn And Save: No. 15
Luxurious: No. 8
Accommodation: No. 8
The Spanish property market may be cooling, but the high cost of accommodation and tax rates makes the country the worst place when it comes to earning more and saving.

No. 12 (Tie): France
Longevity: No. 11
Earn And Save: No. 14
Luxurious: No. 12
Accommodation: No. 9
Having the whole of continental Europe at your doorstep is little compensation for extortionate rent and costs of living, reasons expats tend to spend a limited time in France.

No. 14: U.K.
Longevity: No. 10
Earn And Save: No. 6
Luxurious: No. 15
Accommodation: No. 13
High labor and accommodation costs make having home help--or luxuries such as a swimming pool--unaffordable. All in all, it's the worst place to go if you're looking for a more luxurious life.

IOC's internet censorship deal with China

The international Olympic committee (IOC)'s not-so-secret deal with China about internet censorship. Read all about it here.

New theme parks in Asia

New theme parks in Asia

include...

- Joy Valley Theme Park in Shanghai will be the biggest amusement park in China. The 87-hectare Joy Valley Theme Park, expected to open in 2010, includes a hotel, a conference center, and theatre, and is expected to receive five to seven million visitors every year.

- Shanghai’s Chongming Island will build the country’s first theme park for bicycles that will include bike paths, competitions, and entertainment. Three cycling stadiums are planned, including one for motocross. The park will also include a training school, a gallery, and a bicycle museum.

- Overseas Chinese Town, a new park in Sheshan, will add the country’s first wooden coaster, “Fireball,” in 2009. The coaster will stand 108.25 feet tall with a first drop of 103 feet. It will feature 3,819 feet of twisted track and reach a top speed of 56 mph.

- Kids City in Hangzhou allows children ages 5 to 10 to experience adult professions. The indoor entertainment and education park offers more than 50 professions, including pilot, doctor, police officer, and lawyer.

- Outside of Shanghai in the neighboring city of Zhouzhuang, a $40 million park will open to celebrate the theme “5,000 Years of Chinese Culture.”


Well, with the plans of Disneyland on the way there will be no shortage of things for tourists to do when they come to Shanghai. The fast rate of development of China and the whole northern Asia region is kinda scary thing!

Long live the bicycle!

I love watching the bicycles cruising down in their own lanes, whilst the rest of us are stuck in traffic on a bus or a taxi. I dread to think of the day when there are no more bicycles being ridden in China.. that would be a sad day indeed.

It's funny how the West is only just realizing the benefits of bike riding whilst China has always known about this little 'secret' - it's fast, it's cheap, it's good for you and for the environment...

Read the news story here

First China <--> Taiwan flight in almost 60 years

Woohoo! About freakin' time...

Direct China flight lands in Taiwan

July 4, 2008 - 10:27AM

The inaugural flight of the first regular direct service between mainland China and Taiwan in almost six decades has landed at Taoyuan international airport, outside Taipei.

The China Southern Airlines Airbus A330, piloted by airline president Liu Shao-yong, touched down at 8.05am (10.05am AEST) with 100 mainland tourists among 258 passengers after a 100-minute flight from Guangzhou.

"This is a sacred moment. The two sides of the strait are like members in one family. Flying over the strait to Taiwan is like coming home. It feels good," Liu said after landing.

Several fire engines splashed water over the aircraft when it was on the tarmac in a welcome gesture.

"We were lucky to be on the plane since many people were fighting for seats on the inaugural flight," said Wang Yu, a Chinese businessman from Zhuhai in southern China.

Wang, in his 40s, said he would take his wife to noted scenic spots like the National Palace Museum, Mountain Ali and Sun Moon Lake.

Taiwanese businessman Tsai Chang-lung and his wife also took the flight.

"It is my wife's gift for me for my 50th birthday. We are happy to enjoy this historic moment together," Tsai said.

There will be a total of 36 round-trip flights across the Taiwan Strait weekly, operating from Friday to Monday. They will fly between six Taiwanese airports and five mainland ones.

On Friday alone, there will be 18 round-trip flights.

The deal will increase the number of tourists making the trip from both sides to 3,000, which is expected to give a much-needed boost to Taiwan's sluggish economy.

China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary. But ties between Beijing and Taipei have improved markedly in recent months.

Taiwan banks can now exchange Chinese currency, limits on Taiwanese investment on the mainland have been eased, and some Chinese media outlets which had been banned on the island now have clearance to work.

AFP

China's tallest building... is a dragon?

Link

CHINA'S tallest building, to be built in Shanghai, will look like a coiled dragon, according to its designer.

The US firm Gensler and the Shanghai-based Architectural Design & Research Institute of Tongji University will soon deliver more details about the skyscraper, whose construction is planned to start this year, the Oriental Morning Post reported yesterday.

A dozen overseas and domestic firms offered designs for the building from April 2005 but Gensler's "Dragon" finally defeated the "Bamboo Shoot" from Britain's Foster & Partners.

The top of the new skyscraper will look either like a turned up dragon tail or an inverted Olympic torch, according to the report.

The 580-meter-high Shanghai Center will top the city's skyline and form an impressive triangle with the 420-meter-high Jin Mao Tower and the 492-meter-high Shanghai World Financial Center in Lujiazui finance and trade zone in Pudong New Area.

A project company with 5.4 billion yuan (US$786 million) in capital has been registered in the city. The Shanghai Chengtou Co, the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone Development Co and the Shanghai Construction Group are the shareholders.

Once it is completed, the super highrise will have 118 stories and exceed Taiwan's 501-meter Taipei 101 to become the country's tallest building.

It will also be taller than the 555-meter-high Burj Dubai, which is still under construction.

Apple stores

An Apple store will open in my hometown of Sydney in just 2 days and Apple plans to increase their presence in China by building their first store there (in Beijing, not Shanghai) though).

Donate to the earthquake appeal just by changing your MSN chat username

OK so this is oldish news and I can't remember where I read it from... But basically if you change your username then 0.2 RMB will be donated to the earthquake appeal.

The original website is here with a rough translation in English here

So far... 6,216,469 people x 0.20 = 1,243,293.80元 人民币 (RMB).

Test your vocab and donate rice!

Link

Hope this is true.. apparently the UN will donate rice for every word you get correct. I was doing pretty well... got 5/5 then I stuffed up on the 6th word.