I love etymology. I’m not sure what about knowing “why” a word is what it is that steams my baozi, but I just dig it. I confess, I’m not hardcore about it, but do frequently visit www.etymonline.com for casual reading. For armchair etymologists like myself, the Chinese language is a fantastic source of wonders. Learning [...]
Chinese History Posts
What if the Chinese ruled the world?
I think it is a fairly common phenomenon in China for foreigners to get angry and make snide remarks when we hear the government make comments about how they will have a peaceful rise to world power or how they will be number one by 2050. I must admit something in me shutters when I [...]
Review: War Trash
One of the (few) benefits of moving into an apartment inherited from a fellow expat is that occasionally they leave books behind. English-language reading material is not difficult to find in China, but stories that delve into the Chinese condition more than the State-approved classics are absent in the bookstores and often guarded by their [...]
Coffee Talk: Rui Chenggang
A couple days ago Danwei and Imagethief both had good posts that gave a couple varying opinions on the recent increase in attention to the Starbucks in the Forbidden City. The issue has been recently stirred up by CCTV anchorman Rui Chenggang and his call for Starbucks to get out and stay out of one [...]
National Day: From Mao ‘Til Now
The barrage of fireworks-caused explosions rattling my windows shook me from my DVD-induced daze and reminded me that today is Chinese National Day. 57 years ago today the Central People’s Government announced the official creation of the People’s Republic of China. China’s continually in the news regarding their “troubles” with environmental issues, social unrest, and [...]
