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古人
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THE www.thenanjinger.com NOVEMBER 2019
Volume#10/Issue#2
#90Contributors
Nanjing Nomads
Editorial
Poem; Hollow Men
Lies Damned LiesFake Character is China’s Latest Big Business
World ReadyGlobale Perspectives Educate New Chinese Character
In the Name of MoralityKey Influencers of Chinese Character
The PhilosopherEpisode 2B; Confucius & the Mohists;A Challenge from Above (cont.)
Strainer Perfect Median; China’s Take on Earl Grey
A Player’s Heaven in Nanjing The Tennis Academy of China
For Art’s SakeGoing with the Float
Our Space
The Gavel The Role Played by Character in China’s Legal System
Metro Map
Contents
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THE www.thenanjinger.com NOVEMBER 2019
Introducing some of our contributors, editors & designers
Sponsor 办单位 SinoConnexion 贺福传媒
Publisher 编辑出版 The Nanjinger《南京人》杂志社
Operating Organization 运营机构 Nanjing Hefu Cultural Media Co., Ltd. 南京贺福文化传媒有限公司
Contributors 特约撰稿人 Maitiu BrallaghanShawn LiSteven Yeh
Columnists 专栏作家 Francesca LeiperCarlo D’AndreaEdmund Culham Matthew Stedman
Editor-in-chief 主编 Frank Hossack 贺福
Copy Editor/Marketing Assistant 文案编辑以及营销助理Josefa Meng 孟婷彧
Graphic Design and Layout 平面设计与布局 SinoConnexion 贺福传媒 Web: thenanjinger.com
Concept & Design 构想与设计 封面构想与设计 Roy Ingram
Client Liason Coordinator 客户联络协调员 Nancy Guo 郭蓓
Legal Consultant 法律顾问 Ma Haipeng 马海鹏
General Enquires & Advertising: +86 13851522275 Email: [email protected]
Volume 10 / Issue 2 / November 2019 “Character” Copyright 2019, SinoConnexion Ltd. Published in the United Kingdom ISSN 2051-9974
Our Editor-in-chief and Music Critic, Frank Hossack, has been a radio host and producer for the past 35 years, the past 26 of which working in media in China, in the process winning four New York Festivals awards for his work, in the categories Best Top 40 Format, Best Editing, Best Director and Best Culture & The Arts.贺福是我们杂志的编辑和音乐评论员，在过去的35年里一直从事电台主持和电台制片的工作。在中国有近26年的媒体工作经验。工作期间他曾经四次获得过纽约传媒艺术节大奖，分别是世界前40强节目奖，最佳编辑奖，最佳导演奖以及最佳文化艺术奖。
Josefa Meng studied Advertising in Nanjing Normal University, Zhongbei College. She specialises in advertisement planning and design, is keen to get in touch with new things, is willing to accept challenge and hopes to bring the world to a better understanding of China. 毕业于南京师范大学中北学院，广告学学士学位。她主要做文案编辑和广告设计，对新鲜事物充满好奇，乐于挑战，希望能让世界更了解中国。
Roy Ingram has over 25 years experience working as an artist and Creative Director. His early career was with agencies in London but for the past eight years he has lived and worked in Nanjing.Roy先生有着超过25年的创意总监和艺术家的工作经历。他早期的职业生涯是在伦敦的一家机构里开始的，但是在八年前他决定来到南京生活工作。
Matthew Stedman has spent years living and working in China. He has sold Chinese tea in the UK, and loves discussing the miraculous leaf with new (and suspicious) audiences. He however never feels happier than when researching the product here in beautiful South China.Matthew Stedman在中国生活工作了多年。多年在中英两国从事茶叶贸易的他，喜欢和新读者讨论神奇的东方树叶(虽然有时他的读者保持怀疑态度)。 没什么比在美丽的江南走访品尝各种茶叶更让他开心的事了。
Legal columnist Carlo D’Andrea came to China in 2005 and now heads up a boutique law firm which is a point of reference as a well-established entity in the international legal profession serving Chinese and foreign companies wishing to globalise themselves. He has been admitted to the Italian Bar Association and is Chairman of the EUCCC Shanghai Board.法律专栏作家Carlo D’Andrea于2005年来到中国，如今正领导着一家精品律师事务所，作为国际律师界的标杆和翘楚，向中国和外国公司提供服务以助其实现全球化。他不仅是意大利的执业律师，同时还是中国欧盟商会上海分会的主席。
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8
E ver heard the term, “moral abduction”? Neither had we. Now we know its meaning; to kidnap
another person’s morality by depriving them of their free will through persuasion under the supervision of public opinion as mental jury.
Quite a mouthful. And it turns out it’s a thing in China. Josefa Meng helps us to get our head around it on pages 16-17.
Elsewhere, this month’s guest contributor, Steven Yeh, investigates the rise of a World Ready view in the Nanjing populace and finds global perspectives in China’s rapidly
developing education system (p13-15).
Last but certainly not least, fakes. In China, we’ve really seen it all; fake designer bags, fake infant formula; the other day, even fake contact lenses.
But fake personalities? Internet Correspondent, Shawn Li, looks at the faking thereof for use on WeChat Moments (p10-12).
Welcome to “Character” from The Nanjinger.
Ed.
Complicated
All of the above are owned and operated by HeFu Media, the Chinese subsidiary of SinoConnexion Ltd. www.sinoconnexion.com
Scan the QR Code to visit The Nanjinger on WeChat, from where you can download a free PDF of this issue, find a full list of distribution
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He sits opposing me; I, him
Cupping his right ear leaning in,
He scowls, hollow eyes misty, pained.
In this dark mess of silence, I struggle to tell
Even one of the many fragments that cram
Tight, inhabiting his brittle shell:
The young child bravely traversing
His raging torrent on adventures wild
To bring home tobacco for a father I never knew.
A lover stealing his not so first kiss
Under a lamppost beneath which,
Years later, I would unknowingly pass.
A husband impatiently waiting at an altar,
For his bride to arrive dressed in white and
A glamour that we, the unborn, would never appreciate.
A patient pedant teaching time’s changing classes,
Over decades and on into this new millennium…
These moments and more I do not see.
I do see, though, the potter at his wheel, silent, shaping,
Forming, moulding the crude belligerent clay,
That seems to care not what he has done.
And a father: distant and serious, so oft disappointed:
Frailly reflected each day in the glass and my shame,
Across a widening gulf, and over our torrent’s raging.
By M
aitiu Brallaghan ’19
10
By
Shaw
n Li
Lies, Damned Lies;Fake Character is China’s Latest Big Business
Many of our alert readers will know of the expression, “Me and my yacht”. They will also be aware of the limits to the actual truth contained therein. Turns out that in China, this is a concept that has not only been once again taken to extremes, but that the Chinese desire for “face” has also in due process created a multi-billion renminbi industry.
11
Four exquisite photos of an
astoundingly expensive villa,
accompanied by the words,
“Maybe I should redecorate my home”; or a carefully-filtered
photo of bread with the caption,
“Always feel that breakfast is more important”; or the best
for last, a photo of a first-class
aircraft cabin plus the snap line,
“Almost missed it”.
Fake, fake, fake.
We now live in a China in which
people have become actors,
portraying the character which
they themselves want others to
admire. Yes, this is an excellent
use of expensive, energy-
consuming and ecology-
damaging, internet bandwidth.
And sociologically, yes, there is the desire for face, but what are
even more powerful potents for
anyone, including the Chinese?
Money. Power.
At the end of the Chinese
National Day holiday, one of the
many topics to start trending on
China’s version of Twitter, Weibo,
was, “¥60 is enough to travel the world on WeChat Moments”.
Thanks to market demand, the
faking of people’s personalities
and characters by use of online
content has quietly become an
industrial chain.
For the ¥60, purchasers receive
a whole set of photos and
videos of travelling, for the
purpose of posting on WeChat
Moments. The really clever part,
however, is that an additional
fee makes it possible to modify
the posting location information.
Yes, that’s my yacht, and I’m on Tahaiti!
As most are aware, WeChat
Moments has in recent years
become one of the most
important platforms for self-
promotion. Through likes,
comments, etc., people receive
feedback on their shared
content very quickly, and such
feedback gradually becomes a
part of their self-awareness.
It’s all a far cry from real life, where our friends know much of the truth to our character, and do not hesitate to call us out from time to time.
Have you checked through your WeChat Moments and seen anything like this?
...and I’m on Tahiti!“
12
Search “朋友圈” (literally “Friends’ Circle”)
on e-commerce behemoth Taobao, and see
returned results such as “Friends’ Circle DIY”
and “Friends’ Circle Location Modification”.
The sheer depth of the issue is noticeable by
the fact that many of these merchants have
volumes exceeding 10,000 or even 100,000
transactions. During the recent holiday, when
the bulk of the country tries to do some
traveling, it was noted that there were many
more customers than usual purchasing Location Modifying services.
Then there are the videos of luxury cars and
piles of cash (I swear I am not making this up)
that can be purchased; a set of 50 goes for
just ¥6.60. An additional ¥8 per video shall be
charged to put the purchaser’s own voice on
the video; “Just back from the Ferrari dealer this morning”.
But what price love? Elsewhere, some
merchants also include strategies and tutorials
to teach boys and girls how to create WeChat
Moments that will attract the opposite sex.
For the really shrewd, some WeChat business
practitioners create a high-end looking
WeChat Moments, mainly to create a rags-
to-riches image, so that potential customers
identify with their lifestyle, thus generating
trust in products.
A darker twist then takes us into fake news territory. It has been reported that there was someone who claimed to be an editor of People’s Daily, Zhu Xiangyu, sharing articles from the People’s Daily on WeChat Moments, and using Location Modifying to often position himself at the People’s Daily Headquarters.
Ingenious. Why didn’t we think of that?
Thankfully, there is another side to the coin.
A growing movement believes that WeChat
Moments is not the whole picture of life,
refusing to accept such ideal characters
after careful modification. Shunning WeChat
Moments altogether, they devote their time
and energy to real life issues, such as family
happiness and progress at work.
That the final sentience above is necessary to this article is telling as to the depth and seriousness of the issue at hand. But after the
poster of fake WeChat Moments loses interest
in the character they have created, the bubble
is burst with all that remains one empty shell.
According to a poll conducted by CCTV.com on Weibo, most of those questioned said it was nothing but vanity that brought about the “¥60 is enough to travel the world” phenomenon.
Those with such fake characters shall see their day of reckoning.
So shall we give it a go?
13
Some weeks ago, as part of a group of international school students, I went on a sports trip from Nanjing to Suzhou. Waiting outside the bus
at the service area on the highway, a group of Chinese people from the
bus beside ours started taking photos of the foreign students, examining
their faces from a distance, enjoying the view of the “Lao Wai”. One man even
shoved a professional camera in front of my friend’s face, while another person
tried to take a photo with a foreign teacher. He was too shy to ask, so his friend tried
to help him ask, saying in Chinese, “My friend, my friend”, showing their interest
and “friendliness”, while the teacher was waving no, a simple and common move
in western culture that might not look friendly to the Chinese people in this case.
This is a pretty typical recount of all of my school trips since 2012, where some Chinese amateur photographers play paparazzi and make us all feel famous for a day.
World Ready
Global Perspectives Educate New Chinese Character
By
Stev
en Y
eh
✸
14
T oday, China is flourishing with an evolving education which propels
the quality of the population and in turn, promotes social solidarity. Since arriving
in Nanjing at the age of 2, I have personally
felt the leaping social progress of the last
13 years.
Gone are the days of mass spitting or littering.
I also notice that more people are now
choosing to use Nanjing’s convenient public
transportation system instead of traveling
in their private cars, helping to make the
city more environmentally friendly than
ever. Most importantly, the combination of remindful, inspirational advertisements, plus educational PSAs in Chinese have greatly contributed to the population’s awareness as to the importance of making civic decisions.
Before China’s opening up and reform, the
chances of any ordinary person seeing a
foreigner were slim to none; now they are ten
a penny. However, colossal change in society
over the last 40 years aside, many Chinese people, especially the middle to older generations, still feel a certain fascination when encountering foreigners.
Y et, taking such photos of strangers in public can sometimes cause feelings of
confusion and hurt, making foreigners feel alienated and uncomfortable. Drifting back
in time, as far back as fourth grade, our class
went to a museum in Nanjing. After visiting all
the exhibition areas, we went to the souvenir
shop. We stepped inside and shortly after, an
older lady asked her granddaughter, “Can you stand beside this young foreigner?”.
Nodding her head, she walked and stood
beside my friend, who was baffled about what
they were about to do.
“Please move away”, the grandma politely
asked me, waving her hand. Predictably,
she took out her phone and snapped a
photo of them.
At that time, I felt mind blown, and a little
infuriated. I thought, “Why not me? I am his friend”. As a non-foreigner, she did not want
me in her souvenir picture.
Yes, the taking photos of people without
permission involves the right of portrait,
and the difference between Chinese and
Western property rights is an area ripe with
misunderstanding, although again, China has
made significant progress recently as to issues
surrounding “banqian” (版权); copyright.
✸
15
T he social phenomenon, on the other hand, is actually very understandable. After years
of insight, I’ve learned that such is the result of transitioning from a closed society to an open society (after the economic reform). Chinese adults
wanting to take photos of foreign people reflect the
tendencies that many Chinese still exhibit today; the
worship of all-things foreign and a binging on foreign
commodities. Over time, however, the Chinese
population will soon start treating foreigners in China
as common visitors and foreign residents, leading to
the Chinese displaying a new attitude and world view,
through education. Not only powerful in developing
knowledge, education also shapes people’s character
through the learning experience.
Becoming a mandatory part of the national curriculum in recent years are historical-text studies where students learn about Chinese morality and ethics, greatly benefitting students on character, one of the main elements that determine a person’s success.
Likewise, there has also been the introduction of
liberal-arts elements into education, resulting in a wide
range of subject choices, such as the arts and physical
education that improve people’s mental and physical
health. In addition, cultural and foreign languages, plus
history, social and political science, will all help students
to acknowledge that globalisation is a trend that also
expands the students world view in general.
Even though morality and ethics are taught in schools, there are always some events in life that are not taught by schoolteachers or parents, which leaves the question, how much do we know about right and wrong? I once witnessed a street fight
between two men, in front of a restaurant. Frenzied
and out of control, I was appalled to see the immense
amount of blood all over the ground at the scene.
Fresh red. Yet, more shockingly was the crowd of
bystanders who did not mind the bloodiness. Some
were using their phones, not to notify the hospital
and the police, but to take videos of the fight as a rare
and memorable experience. It was as if someone was
performing martial arts. Even grandparents took toddlers with them to ogle the fight scene.
It was a far cry from the traditional Chinese point of
view; “When you see violence, retreat as soon and as far as possible. Leave well alone; most of the time, it is better to be respectful by staying quiet”.
In many countries, citizens are expected to report crimes when witnessed. So too in China, as more people become educated at a global level, their character will change as their world view expands.
Despite the cultural differences in China due to its
historical background, ignited by the country’s rapidly
advancing education, as the local population becomes
more knowledgeable as to global trends, so too shall
their characters develop to be a model for centuries
to come. China’s advancing education system and a growing awareness amid the population, no matter differing social status, remind us everyone can eventually learn that as humans, we should contribute to society positively, through having a strong moral character.
16
In the name of moralIty
Key Influencers of chInese character
By
Jos
efa
Men
g S ocial debate of so-called “moral abduction” has become
popular in recent years in China. In the name of morality,
people use excessive or even unrealistic standards to demand,
coerce or attack others, and to influence their behaviour.
17
Have you ever been kidnapped by morality?
If a soldier sees that someone is in danger, he must give up his life to save people, otherwise he will be condemned. If someone participates in a competition on behalf of a group and does not obtain the desired results, she will be condemned. You better believe it.
Scenario 1; “With Great Difficulty”
Online food deliveries are often late for many reasons. With the arrival time imminent, the “waimai guy” (外卖小哥; delivery boy) always chooses to call you to say he is already downstairs and would you please confirm the delivery and pay first. You will likely agree to do so, feeling that it does not matter and may be a little rude to deny the request.
However, an hour passes and your food has still not shown up. Feeling angry and hungry, you call back to cancel and request a refund. The delivery staff then blame you, saying you couldn’t understand them. Colleagues come to comfort you and this is when you will hear the phrase, “都不容易” (Since life is a struggle); your actions will get them fined, why bother?”
Scenario 2; “The Rich are Deserving”
While driving home from work, an electric tricycle on the wrong side of the road unexpectedly appears. You step on the brakes as quickly as possible but still hit a nearby object. Everything is fine except your car. The tricycle owner is about to leave when you ask for compensation. Their reaction? “Money is not an object for you; why do I have to pay?”
Such cases of moral abduction are even more serious for celebrities.
Not long after the 2017 Jiuzhaigou (九寨沟) earthquake, a Chinese actor
was forced to donate ¥100 million. Someone said to him, “Your movie was so successful, you should donate ¥100 million for the earthquake!” This is obviously a case of moral abduction. The irony is though, the actor had in fact quietly donated 1 million prior, in the aftermath of the quake to help victims.
Scenario 3; “The Weaker is in the Right”
A blind candidate was enrolled in university with honours. Considering potential safety issues, the school agreed with the parents’ requirements, renting a house with water heaters and air conditioners for the family, all prepaid for half a year. The school even arranged a special teaching team for the blind student. This did not satisfy the father; next he wanted a guide dog and nurses. There are few guide dogs in China and a fully trained one costs as much as ¥200,000.
The school said that there was nothing more it could do, but the father took to the media to voice his grievances.
Scenario 4; “Not Helping When Ignorant of the Need”
An television anchor took to Weibo to complain that she had “tried hard to remove the suitcase” on the plane, but that among people around her, especially the men, no one helped and few even looked up. She called them, “Ugly and without any love”.
Scenario 5; “He is Just a Child”
A 50-year-old woman was shopping with her grandson in a supermarket; while walking around the snacks area, her hands constantly cracked open pistachios taken from the shelves and fed the grandson. A member of staff approached to remind her that items for sale could not be tasted, unless offered as part of a promotion.
The old lady said in disapproval, “I didn't taste it, can’t the kid taste one or two?”, while putting another one
into the child's mouth. The shop employee then pointed out that her grandson had eaten 20 to 30, which cannot be called a taste. At this point, the grandson sitting in the shopping cart became shocked by the scene unfolding and suddenly burst into tears.
The grandmother was on a roll; “We have to make sure the goods are of good quality, so just had to have a taste. And what do you do; make my grandson cry just for one pistachio? He is just a child; how bad is one child eating these two pistachios?”
The sound of the quarrel had attracted a large group of people. With no regard for the truth, they automatically took the side of the old lady and blamed the shop employee.
Scenario 6; “What I Have Done is Good for You”
There is a kind of parent (mother or dad) who really does their best for you (as they see it). They wake you up every day, they make breakfast for you, wash clothes for you; when you go to primary school, they will urge you to do your homework on time and take you to various tutoring classes. In middle school, they will help you organise your schoolbags, help you clean your room and manage everything that you do not want to do. Their "sacrifice" and "help" is not what you want, as illustrated by the saying, “我不要你觉得，我要我觉得!” (I don't want you to think; I want me to think).
The inextricable goodness in human nature should never become a moral abduction. Weakness is not terrible. It is terrible to use it as an excuse to ask for benefits to which you are not entitled. Lying behind these six real-world examples of moral abduction is a confusion of logic.
Why use your moral standards to kidnap my interests? As the saying goes, either way, you can’t win. China’s no different there.
THEPHILOSOPHER {EPISODE_2B}with Edmund Culham
18
To be continued in the December issue of The Nanjinger
Previously: “My poor cherries,” Kongzi moaned, then hesitating a moment. “And why
would the neighbours want to see the lake, they have nothing to contemplate. ‘Tian-a’,
they couldn’t even see the Dao if it was before their noses.”
While it was thought following a master could help people seek and find the true Dao, it was accepted that they most likely would not have the ability to ascend to the level of their teacher. Instead, those of lesser ability were to find and fulfill their societal role. In this sense, Confucianism preserved a hierarchy of sages, those enlightened few who passed on their rule-bound teachings without regard for another’s abilities. Conversely, the Mohist contrasting of actions with that of a model morality necessarily implies a self-reflective approach, which can be individually advanced.
Now Mozi moves his wiry frame closer, balancing nimbly on the ridged corner of the pavilion. “How can they [Kongzi’s neighbours] be expected to find the path to the Dao if it is obscured from them? If your rules, your trees, leave them forever in the shadows?”, he muses. “I’ve thought it through all quite clearly; they’re much more likely to accept your teachings if you allow them a little more light to read your books.”
“Oh, spare me, won’t you come down and show me some respect, man”, Kongzi, surprisingly animated, shifts from foot to foot in agitation, as you both crane your necks upwards. “I teach them as much as they can learn and they show me due respect. Come to think of it, a little more would be nice. It’s a hopeless task.”
Jianai necessarily meant extending your “love” or “care” to your family, but also crucially to your neighbours, to other families and to all those you encounter in life. A basis for this principle was the concept of the “inclusive”, to include others in your thoughts so as to instruct your actions, bringing about beneficial behaviour and thus being a source for good. The “exclusive”, on the other hand, i.e. self-interest, putting your family before others etc., was believed to bring about bad consequences. In this way, the Confucian devices of attaining self-enlightenment (which few could achieve), reverence to a master, their rules and the foundational belief in filial piety, and of putting one’s family first, have nothing of the inclusivity for which the Mohists strove.
But what was this great arbiter or standard that Mohists proclaimed, which allowed individuals a model to judge their actions upon? Simply put, they saw the “intention” of Heaven as providing for an objective moral standard.
Mozi wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, an elaborate gesture, “The problem with you, Kongzi, is you’re too into this sagehood crap. I mean, look at you sitting all day in that chair of yours, thinking you’ve solved it all and fobbing everyone else off with a few half baked rules”. Then, in a single motion, he swung himself over the edge of the pavilion landing not far from where Kongzi and you stand. The great master looks as though he has been slapped in the face, it being ashen, his lips pursed. Mozi stands motionless, then with a jaunty laugh says, “Why do they need you anyway, your followers?”. And turning on his heal uttered, “Remember old chum, we’re all one under Heaven”, before disappearing into the nearby bushes.
Inclusivity is paramount in Mohist thought; their ideal of “jianai” (impartial love; 兼爱) for others evidences radical differences to the Confucian ethic.
ConfuciusA C h a l l e n g e f ro m A b ove ( c o n t . )
and the Mohists:
By Matthew Stedman
21
E ven if you don’t know its (obscure) English name, you know the fruit. It hangs, moon-like, from trees in parks and campuses everywhere. You can eat the
windfalls, but they’re a little too sour. Thankfully, bigger, more-user-friendly versions of these yellow globes appear in stores. Open them up to find segments each as big and tactile as a Nokia phone. These segments are red (slightly more expensive) or “yellow” (cheaper and just as good), partitioned by a tough white pith. Unlike, say, a clementine, you can easily remove the pith without damaging the fruit or getting your hands sticky-wet! Crescent clusters of capsule happiness.
I’m a citrus fan. But I’ll admit that grapefruit is a little sour for me. So I adore the pomelo as a perfect median between the grapefruit and the orange. It’s simply the favourite fruit of this fan.
Yet part of me has always wondered whether this “perfect median” is a bit of a contrivance. Even the spectre of genetic modification has troubled me. Are these just grapefruits tamed for wimps, I wondered.
Well, further research into this citrus spectrum quickly revealed a number of surprises; firstly that the grapefruit is itself a hybrid. So, too, are lemons, limes and oranges, apparently. Who’d have thought it!
But it’s not the result of some shady CRISPR gene-editing sorcery; it’s just the way that humans have cross bred and selectively bred different variants for different purposes; some for munching, some for “spice”, some for perching on a Martini.
And the pomelo, it turns out, is not a hybrid; it’s an elemental citrus totem. So, too, is the bergamot. And the bergamot is partly the point of today’s Strainer.
You may well be a big fan of this flavour. It’s increasingly appearing in milk tea stores and even bottled tea drinks in
China. Though used in winter desserts in Italy and other Mediterranean countries, this citrus fruit is best known internationally as the “Earl Grey” flavour. I understand there is no pleasure at all in eating a bergamot.
China has no native bergamots. It’s not part of the culinary tradition here, never mind the tea culture. Perhaps in China, jasmine occupies the same place as the default non-tea ingredient used in tea production. Both of these strong-smelling substances are stored with the tea leaves, rather than included in the final teabag / loose selection (Lady Grey tea, incidentally, combines both jasmine and bergamot).
China also doesn’t have much of a tradition of pairing black tea with lemon, a la Russian samovar.
But there is a citrus tea with a real following in China; the pu’er tangerine.
The wet fruit is somehow channeled away, Houdini-style, without damaging the spherical form of the skin. Loose pu’er tea is stuffed, ship-in-a-bottle style, into the cavity. Aging happens (somewhere in West or North China, probably) and the peel becomes leathery and far less orange.
The tangerine peel is much more than just neat packaging; the two elements infuse together tastily and consistently. As I write, I’m drinking a lime variant of this formula. It works well, the sprightly oils in the peel complementing the old-book wisdom of the pu’er.
Even before discovering this, I knew about peel. Since marrying a Beijinger, I have laid out my tangerine skins on the radiator, occasionally making a hot drink from them. But I never spontaneously thought of pairing them with pu’er. It’s easy to do, and well worth trying, especially if your local tea seller doesn’t sell the wonderful tea balls themselves.
Winter is coming. And there’s a tea for that, too.
It’s pomelo season in Jiangnan. That pleases me.
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China’s Take on Earl GreyPerfect Median;
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By
Jos
efa
Men
g
Nanjing is home to the only national-level special tennis academy,
the Tennis Academy of China, located in the Sun Yat-sen
Mausoleum Scenic Area on Purple Mountain and built on the
former site of the nation’s Central Stadium in Republican times.
A Player’s Heaven in NanjingThE TENNIS ACADEMY Of ChINA
21
T hat such a facility exists in Nanjing comes to most as a surprise, especially
when the Academy’s credentials become apparent; the only facility in China with four Grand-Slam-standard courts, second to none worldwide and also home to an Academia Sánchez-Casal, one of the most famous tennis academies in the world that has helped to train the likes of Andy Murray, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Daniela Hantuchova, among others.
Divided into a training competition area and
a living/teaching area, the Academy comes
under the remit of the National Sports
General Administration Tennis Sports
Management Centre, Jiangsu Provincial
Sports Bureau and the Nanjing Sports
Institute. Construction began in 2013 and
was completed in 2014, at a cost of nearly
¥200 million.
The Academy offers a total of 40 tennis courts, among which are all the Grand Slams’ standard courts, again making the Chinese tennis academy unique in China. The total breakdown comprises seven clay
courts, four grass courts (Wimbledon), four
medium-paced hard courts (Australian
Open), 17 fast-paced hard court (US Open)
and 8 indoor courts. Among the clay courts,
two are traditional red (French Open);
five compound red. All four grass courts comply with Wimbledon specifications, while the Academy has been the venue for the “Wimbledon Road” China Division competition for 4 consecutive years.
Upon our visit, The Nanjinger spoke with
Chen Jiahui, a player for the Jiangsu
Women’s tennis singles team, who
commented on the facility’s grass courts,
saying, “There has not been any related competition recently, so the grass courts just looked like lawns. Today we are lucky to see the staff going on to the grass to paint lines and install the net”.
As for the Academia Sánchez-Casal, their
cooperation with the Tennis Academy
of China makes full use of the superior
conditions of the facility and adopts the
teaching modes of the Spanish school. ASC
Nanjing began operations on 23 April, 2016,
as the third Tennis Academy of Academia
Sánchez-Casal around the world.
As for the answer to the question on
everyone’s minds, yes, the Tennis Academy
of China courts are available for hire, at
times when there is no competition.
The Tennis Academy of China can be contacted on 84755905/18260032574/15895982478 asnd accessed via Zhong Lingjie Station (钟灵街) on Metro Line 2.
A Player’s Heaven in Nanjing
FOR ARTS SAKEwith Francesca Leiper
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Twenty days was all they had between receiving the order and presenting an initial proposal. That’s not all that long when you’ve just been asked to design the Jiangsu float that will be
a part of the Tiananmen parade to mark 70 years of vcommunist rule in China.
The task fell to Nanjing University of the Arts who quickly
gathered a team of around 20 teachers and students
who got to work scratching their heads. The finished
piece would eventually pass the main gate of Tiananmen
on 1 October, taking all of about 20 seconds or so, but
not until the designs had successfully jumped through a
number of hoops.
So how do you represent a province spanning 100 thousand square kilometres and home to around 80 million people, all within a 15-metre long colourful parade cart?
Let’s take a look, from bottom up. At the base you’ve got
Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade swirling around in gold,
blue and turquoise to represent Jiangsu’s three main
waterways; the Yangtze River, the Huaihe River and the
Grand Canal. It’s a sympathetic nod to nature and culture,
although there’s not much more of that. From here on up
it’s all about technology and the future.
At the centre of the float is an “invincible super computer” (I quote here from the design explanation); a
large screen essentially, with a clear message. Just as the
float rolled onto CCTV’s live stream the words, “strong
economy”, lit up on the screen, like the ubiquitous red
and white slogan banner.
In prime position up front is a bathyscape; which I am
sure you know is a kind of deep-water vessel which
takes people to the depths of the ocean for scientific,
and perhaps other, pursuits. This one comes with a robot
popping out the top to say hello. To balance it out at
the rear of the float is a real person suspended within
a compass-like ring. Does her air-born performance represent Jiangsu’s achievements in space too? I’ll let you decide.
To top it off is a slanted multi-lane running machine
which sports five men and women who stand for the
courageous and innovative people of Jiangsu, so we
are told. Clad in tight-fitting silver suits that look like something out of Austin Powers, they run together to a never-ending finish line.
While the university was tasked with producing the final design,
hundreds of other people were involved in the process. One
of the main design features to be rejected was the S-shaped
structure that puts the “su” in Jiangsu. Several initial designs also
incorporated the Yangtze River Bridge (see above), an obvious
choice, as it was the first heavy bridge designed and constructed
using only Chinese expertise in the 1960s that became an iconic
symbol of Communist China. The bridge designs get my vote, but their rejection sends a clear message that the 70th anniversary was not about nostalgia and memory, but about pushing forth and racing towards the future.
Herein, the cosy environment of the restaurant has only a few private dining “booths”, which are in fact pitted, enabling the Japanese tradition of sitting on the floor while eating, and also avoiding the cramp/aching joints from legs crossed for an entire meal. For the elder diners, that’s almost reason enough to go in itself.
Japanese restaurants “abroad” offer the same kinds of dishes in the same way that every Italian has a carbonara on their menu. Hence Jiu Shang serves up those delightful breaded pork or chicken cutlets (¥32). The Nanjinger’s two visits presented the opportunity to sample both; the pork pips the chicken to the post by a hair’s breadth.
Then came another Japanese staple; the kimchi flavoured pancake (¥48) that just gets better when barbecued by yours truly and dipped in one (or all three) of the special sauces designed for purpose. Seafood and chive versions thereof (¥48 and ¥28, respectively) also available.
But it was the meat platter that attracted us back. Upon our first visit, we must have had serious protein deprivation, for it took us a full 5 seconds to order a ¥388 platter of beef, lamb and pork. And it was worth every fen.
Except perhaps for the pork slices, marginally more chewy than the staple for which China is famed. Ordering a smaller, but not necessarily in-proportionately cheaper option would be the better choice.
In addition to the predictable sushi options, which, this correspondent was told, are top notch too, special place of mention should be reserved for the “sausages on a bone” (three for ¥38). Second-tier Nanjing is all but evident in the sausage offerings from local supermarkets or delis; its Chinese or German, take it or leave it. Jiu Shang’s ready-to-bbq option, on the other hand, is the absolute perfect antidote to those sausage woes; succulent pork with an irresistible fat-meat ratio.
Speaking of BBQ, the charcoal-fired version thereof is sufficiently generous that diners need not be put off, or petrified, by the exchanging of the coals that all too often sees the morsels you’ve had your eye on for ages disappear into
GASTRONOMY By Frank Hossack
Rotisserie, Japanese Style; Nanjing has a Winner
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J apanese restaurants in Nanjing number in the hundreds, and The Nanjinger has indulged in its fair share. Yet, one
Sunday, with a hunger-fueled argument lingering in the air over the various lunch options in the Baijia Lake 1912 leisure area, we stumbled across the hitherto unknown, Jiu Shang Japanese Rotisserie.
Even with an enticing name like that, this is the kind of place that’s easy to walk past, especially for those more intent on the escalator that leads to the queue for likely the cheapest all-you-can-eat buffet in Nanjing (it’s not bad, actually).
Beside the escalator, therefore, sits Jiu Shang, and from the outside, many would argue there is little to recommend it. Heard the expression, “Mutton dressed as lamb”? All the more reason to step inside.
Where, by the way, BBQ heaven awaits.
Additional info, map, online version or WeChat contact via the QR code that follows each review
inBest
Class
THE NANJINGER
red hot coals, while fellow diners gasp at the proximity to that which created their own earth.
That Jiu Shang be the best Japanese restaurant in Nanjing is a tough call to make, but it can’t be far off.
Jiu Shang Japanese Rotisserie 久上日式烤肉店 is located in the 1912 Leisure Area in Jiangning 江宁区百家湖1912. Tel 02552117685/18068815755.
people walking on it very, very slowly), the deck of which The Nanjinger estimates to be 50 metres high.
Not wishing to venture therein, The Nanjinger was content to watch the park’s evening firework show (it was National Day and so it was a good one) from the comfort of our hut’s balcony.
Technically a Bed & Breakfast, whereby the latter is a pleasantly large spread, The Nanjinger’s only complaint would be that something resembling dinner would have been nice, to avoid driving to the nearest hotel. Again, the balcony of our hut would have been the other option, for something of a picnic; given the amount of trees around, BBQs are out.
Just remember one thing, before attempting to order online, the location puts the delivery fee through the roof. Just as important, don’t forget the Esky. And a good book.
Yunxilinshe is located off the west end of Yanshan Avenue (沿山大道), accessible from Longhua Lu metro station, exit 2, and the 686 bus. Tel 85288888.
Given that it is possible to count the “Nice Things to do in Pukou” on the fingers of both hands, any addition to the list
is a welcome one. So it came to be that The Nanjinger found itself camped out in one of the many “huts” that comprise the rural, but decidedly civilised and newly-opened, Yunxilinshe (云栖林舍), English name Pinecone Residential Village.
A retreat that is perfect for an overnight away from the city, but close enough to home, Yunxilinshe would also be ideal as a romantic escape or an opportunity to give urban youngsters a little taste of country life, Chinese-style, i.e. with all the mod cons.
Hut, therefore, may not be quite the right word (but neither does “villa” qualify). Each is tastefully decorated and well appointed with almost everything one would expect from a five-star hotel room. Up to 100 such huts are divided into four sections, with the appropriate architecture to match; the Chinese, Japanese, Post-Modern and Zen areas. As usual, The Nanjinger chose to be… Zen, taking the two-bedroom option that went for just ¥300 for 1 night, as part of an opening promotion. At time of writing, same are going for ¥550-770.
Across the road is the draw for most locals, a theme park made not-particularly attractive by the fact that its standout feature is one of those terrifying glass-bottomed bridges (witness
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RETREAT By Frank Hossack
One Night with the Pinecones in Pukou
Beautiful Nanjing weather greeted EtonHouse Nanjing’s maiden school Fun Run, held in Hexi Ecological Park. All students, Early
Years through Year 10 enjoyed a picnic lunch and fun activities that created a wonderful family atmosphere. Students had also gathered
sponsors, whose donations went to a student-council nominated
local charity.
B a n d o n t h e R u n25 October, 2019
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You’re the Voice
18-20 October, 2019
At the Learning2 Asia conference, proudly hosted by Nanjing International School, over 40 teachers participated, with many facilitating teacher-led workshops and giving L2 talks, while another 60 staff, students and parents, along with our amazing facilities team, worked to make sure the conference ran to the school’s usual world-class standard. Highlights were the 20 students leading workshops for teachers, delivering amazing speeches and inspiring participants throughout.
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R u n t o t h e H i l l s27 October, 2019
Around 30 runners and walkers, some from as far a field as Shanghai and Suzhou, joined Nanjing’s Hash House Harriers for its first Oktoberfest-themed run, with rather fine costumes, including the Bavarian Dirndl, Lederhosen and equally-good German beers. Games such as Masskrugstemmen were enjoyed by all, before dinner at a local restaurant.
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One World25 October, 2019
Students, staff, parents and friends of The British School of Nanjing celebrated the 71st birthday of the United
Nations with an international festival in the gym, some fantastic presentations from students
and families, plus a first public performance from the school’s
own Orchestra of United Nations in the theatre.
THE D’Andrea & Partners Law Firm
Legal notes from The Nanjinger in association with:
The Role Played by Character in China’s Legal System
DISCLAIMER
This article is intended solely for informational purposes and does not constitute
legal advice. Although the information in this article was obtained from reliable of-
ficial sources, no guarantee is made with regard to its accuracy and completeness.
For more information please visit dandreapartners.com or WeChat: dandreapartners
ost people associate character with moral qualities but the definition also includes non-moral characteristics, behavioural tendencies and patterns of life, things with nothing to do with morality; being mindful of others, shyness or a fondness for cats, etc. Is a man honest, is he of a violent temper, is he modest and retiring or imprudently forward? These all constitute traits of character. The definition is also tricky because we must distinguish persistent behaviour from a tendency to behave in certain ways. The opinion of a person generally derives from the knowledge of the people who are best acquainted with him/her.
The reference to “character” includes both reputation and a person’s disposition. In court, if a reputation is truly bad, or can be deemed poor in other respects affecting moral character, a jury may infer that the witness is unreliable.
Generally speaking, in civil proceedings, the good character of a party is inadmissible, unlike defendants in criminal cases. However, there are a few exceptions. A defendant’s character can be attacked in civil proceedings to undermine their credibility. Of course, if a party in litigation has their credibility argued, they can call evidence of good character to rebut the allegation.
Evidence of character may be a means to suggest that a person acted on the occasion in question in a manner consistent with his/her character. This use of character is often described as “circumstantial”. Evidence of good character is not permitted for the purpose of arguing that the defendant committed a crime but it is admssible to show that the defendant is unlikely to have committed an alleged crime.
Prosecutors also sometimes use the concept of modus operandi (MO) to present evidence of a defendant’s
past misdeeds, in which the prosecutor offers evidence that the method a defendant used to commit past misdeeds is unique and nearly identical to the method allegedly used to commit the charged crime. Evidence is then admissible, not to address the bad character, but to show that the common MO points to the defendant as the perpetrator of the charged crime. For whatever it’s worth, a judge might give a limiting instruction to disregard the evidence as it relates to the defendant’s character.
There are fundamental distinctions on evidence and judicial proof between the Chinese system and Anglo-American law (Common law). In civil law systems, the judge calls and questions witnesses, while the trial relies upon written evidence and minimal use of precedent. Common law systems however, grant attorneys great control over the trial; there are intricate rules as to evidence and they rely heavily upon precedent. However, with recent judicial reforms in both civil and common law jurisdictions, the distinctions between the two systems have diminished significantly.
In many civil-law countries, such as China, attorneys are taking a leading role in calling and questioning witnesses. For instance, there are now almost no exclusionary restrictions against hearsay and character evidence in the Chinese evidence system. Usually, character evidence can only be used as the basis for impeaching the defendant’s statements, rather than the basis for convicting him/her of a crime. Hearsay, character and propensity, as well as other certain areas of evidence are excluded when offered to show fault and liability. Nowadays, when the judge encounters a witness in court reporting another’s statement, they usually call the author of the text to the stand; hearsay evidence may then be transformed into witness testimony via these means.
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To assist with journey planning, The Nanjinger’s Metro Map includes first and last train times for every station.
Download this map to your smartphone by scanning the QR code above.
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