Visual
Video: Beijing-based comic collective Cult Youth
Here’s an interesting short documentary by DAZED & CONFUSED x DIESEL about the Beijing-based comic collective Cult Youth:
More information about the video after the jump.Read More
Fiction
The 7 Year Laowai: Part 8 – The Graveyard of all Ambition
… He died an old man in a cold Chinese hospital an entire hemisphere removed from everyone and everything he had ever known. Surrounded by strangers, he couldn’t even have read his own obituary.Read More
Movies
Shangdown — Interview with Shanghai spaghetti western director Jakob Montrasio
When Shanghai-based expat Jakob Montrasio first told me he was directing a spaghetti western set in his adopted city, I’m sure I blinked uncomprehendingly. The movie, Shangdown: The Way of the Spur is an east-meets-west kung fu cowboy mashup. This Bruce with boots (or Clint with a kick) premise for a film seemed strange and …Read More
Movies
‘Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry’ Teaser Trailer
Later this year Alison Klayman’s feature-length documentary on the infamous Ai Weiwei will be released. Out now is a teaser trailer that does it’s job well, and has whet my appetite to see more. Unfortunately due to its hosting on the blocked Vimeo video sharing site, you’ll need a VPN to watch it (note to …Read More
Fiction
The 7 Year Laowai: Part 7 – Safety
I had an English class once where this girl interrupted me to ask what I thought of Japan, and without waiting for an answer, proceeded to tell me that Japan had killed many Chinese people, that they hated China, they were jealous of China. Then she went into Korea. Korea “stole our culture”. You’d think imitation the sincerest form of flattery, but not this girl.
I didn’t know what to say. On one hand, listening to this recorded message, it dawned on me that I was 12,000 miles away from everyone and everything I had ever known…and that according to some people, this, this, blind allegiance, blatant censorship, and self-checking all in the name of “harmony”…this is the next superpower.
On the other hand, she was speaking. I take what I can get.Read More
Arts & Entertainment
Weird Wednesday in China #3
Welcome to the third edition of “Weird Wednesdays in China“, a wacky bi-weekly roundup of strange news in China. Wait, “Weird Wednesdays in China” on a Thursday? I know, how weird is that!? My bad for not getting this out yesterday, the launch of the China Blog Network and the lead up to the holidays …Read More
Fiction
The 7 Year Laowai: Part 6 – Concentration Camp
“How can someone who exists on the fringes of a society understand that society?” Jack said. “You’re a laowai, a wai guo ren, an outsider. You can’t understand pigs without shoveling pig shit, you shouldn’t even fucking eat bacon. How can you be an expert on death without taking the occasional life?”Read More
Featured Photos
Photo: Marketing with Teeth
I found this shot equal parts interesting and disturbing. The teeth are displayed in the storefront of a small dentist in Lianzhou, Guangdong, for what I can only assume is to illustrate how many successful teeth pullings the dentist has undertaken. The black and white treatment and lack of context gives the photo an eerie …Read More
Fiction
The 7-Year Laowai: Part 5 – Lego Blocks
…that look came upon his face. It stuck there as he went over and bashed the usurper right in the eye with a Lego block.
A black look grotesque enough on a five year old’s face, when seen on the face of a sixty-four year old man…I think Matt noticed too. Or maybe he was just hitting his stride. He took Xia Yu’s hands and started dancing with her.
He was fired a month later.Read More
Arts & Entertainment
Weird Wednesday in China #2
Welcome to the second edition of “Weird Wednesdays in China“, a wacky bi-weekly roundup of strange news in China. For those of you paying attention — sorry about missing last week. This week we deal with panda proxies, panda poop, Grimm porn and boy stuck in a tough spot.Read More
China Geeks helping Chinese children find home
Our friends at ChinaGeeks.org have recently started an ambitious new project that I have been meaning to find the time to write about for a couple weeks now. Check out this video for an introduction to “Finding Home”, a documentary that will explore on a personal level the terrible practice of kidnapping and selling children …Read More
Arts & Entertainment
Weird Wednesday in China #1
So here is the inaugural edition of of “Weird Wednesdays in China“, a wacky bi-weekly roundup of strange news in China. Some of it will be timely, all of it will be timeless. On order this week, crabs, pigs, chains embedded in arms and helpful directions from Google maps.Read More
