Featured Photos
Photo: Shijiazhuang
This photo, by Beijing-based Christopher Cherry, reminded me of Manufactured Landscapes, an excellent documentary I watched recently on famed Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky.Read More
Reviews
Review: The New Lonely Planet China. Is it Worth it?
If you’re planning a trip, or living in China, chances are you own a Lonely Planet guidebook. In the past, using LP showed the world you were young and crazy, and would rather stick toothpicks in your eyes than hit up the main tourists spots with all the other blue-hairs. (Or as others saw you: …Read More
Reviews
Review: River Town — Two Years on the Yangtze
I realize I’m about a decade late posting a review of Peter Hessler’s River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze, but it was only recently that I finally took the time to read it. I can’t be certain why it took me so long to pick up Hessler’s seminal work, but I think it was …Read More
Fiction
The Outdoors Poetry Exercise
Keith, already suspicious of John, is doubly suspicious now that John missed their dinner appointment. On a rainy Friday, he wonders about John’s motives for being in China, as he implements a fresh idea into the classroom: a poetry exercise, where the students go outside, and use English to write a poem about what they …Read More
Featured Photos
Photo: Rock This
From the always amazing photostream of Michael Steverson. In his words: “Sugar Rush performs at The Terrace in Shenzhen, China. First image of a photo documentary on rock music in China. I’ve been working on the project for a while now and I’m hoping to wrap it up by the fall. I’ll be dropping some …Read More
Fiction
Keep It Simple and Stupid
Our hero is John, who is wandering through life without purpose. This wandering led him to a humanities degree, then to unemployment, and finally, to the great refuge of unemployed humanities majors: ESL in China. Though Wuhan later becomes an existential swamp for John, here at the beginning, everything is new and exciting. This is …Read More
Chinese Politics & News
Xinhua featuring weird science, poor grammar and hybrid boobs
It’s tough being a Chinese press agency. It’s even tougher being the Chinese press agency. Everyone’s just waiting for you to stumble, people label you as a “mouthpiece”, call you “unethical” and “biased”, and dub you “pseudo-journalists”; but through it all you staunchly hold your head high and publish this:Read More
China Videos
History of China in 3½ Minutes
This is just all sorts of awesome. Created by the 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors (bio below), the video delivers what’s on the box — the (abridged) history of China in 3 1/2 minutes.
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Featured Photos
Photo: Princess No Name
This stunning image was taken by Tyler Kroh, a Canadian living in Chengdu. Check out his flickr stream for more fantastic captures, and read about Tyler on ChinaTravel.net.Read More
China Videos
Canuck expat loses it at train ticket office
Some Gems: “Chinese people need to learn brains.” “It’s 2011. Chairman Mao is dead.” And the kicker: “See, I’m Canadian, I don’t have to shut up. Chinese people have to shut up. Canada people [sic] don’t have to shut up.”Read More
Fiction
Jack at McDonald’s
Jack finished his last class and coming out the door he lit his first cigarette of the day. At his apartment door, Jack crushed his fourth cigarette and took the fifth inside. He checked his phone messages. Then he stepped back out and lit number six and headed to McDonald’s.Read More
China Expat Advice
How-to: Setup an HTPC for better TV in China (Part II – My Gear)
In my last post I explained how to get your computer connected to your TV and where to get some good media centre software. Before I share a few resources for getting content for your newly configured media centre, I thought I would talk a bit about my home setup and some of the more …Read More
