Everyone knows China is going through an industrial revolution right now. In developed countries such as the U.S., this took place in the late 19th century. The ratio between the number of rural and urban residents basically swapped because industrialization freed the bulk of the population from having to work in the fields to produce food for all. This phenomenon is occurring in China right now with her massive GDP growth in the last three decades. Despite the hundreds of millions of people having moved to urban areas, the number of Chinese citizens residing in the rural areas is still staggering – 750 million. If the final ratio is similar to other developed countries (which is likely), the scale of this population movement in the coming decades is mind-numbing. Imagine one billion people on the move in only a few decades!
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Nov 18
“Father’s Prairie, Mother’s River” – the feelings of one billion people on the move
Written by: dewang | Filed under:culture, General, music, video |
7 Comments » newest
Nov 17
minipost-Hu and Obama meeting, which issues are “core interests?”
Written by: dewang | Filed under:-mini-posts, General | Tags:U.S. China Relations
27 Comments » newest
27 Comments » newest
Both NPR and Xinhua covered the meeting of the U.S. President Obama and Chinese President Hu. I thought the coverage were actually decent in that the issues they list were basically identical. Obviously, NPR did not give equal weight to how the Chinese see the issues. Likewise, Xinhua did not give equal weight to how the U.S. see the issues. Naturally they both are biased. (A disappointment for me obviously is there are enough “free” media preferring to stupefy the “West”, as DJ’s prior article shows, even on an important occasion such as this. “Ah, that tricky Chinese propaganda machine, how devious it is to deceive the foreign media!“)
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Continue reading »
Nov 15
minipost-Chinese Copyright Protection in the Age of Digital Books, Creative Commons, Remixes, and Mashups
Written by: berlinf | Filed under:-mini-posts, General |
4 Comments » newest
This may sound like a Dilbert kind of approach, but some problems are solved if you wait long enough. Copyright protection is certainly a case in point.
The United States has been a patient critic of Chinese copyright protection, but according to Wei Gu, columnist for Reuters, such calls for action has fallen on deaf ears (see: Copyright protection battle in China). The hope is that Chinese government and individuals realize themselves the importance of protection for intellectual property.
That day may come sooner than expected. Continue reading »
Nov 10
The Fall of the Berlin Wall on our Mind…
Written by: Allen | Filed under:Analysis, General, News, politics | Tags:berlin wall, communism, ideologies, liberalism
54 Comments » newest
54 Comments » newest
The Fall of the Berlin some 20 years ago is again on the mind of many. According to the NYTimes, “[t]he historical legacy of 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell and the cold war thawed, is as political as the upheavals of that decisive year.”
For many in the West, the events of 1989 represents the ultimate triumph of the West over East – of democratic, capitalistic liberalism over communist authoritarianism. Many envisioned that we were entering an “End of History.” Writing in 1989, Francis Fukuyama (a professor of international political economy at Johns Hopkins University) wrote: Continue reading »
Oct 28
minipost-How to more effectively brainwash others with your ideas
Written by: dewang | Filed under:-mini-posts, General |
10 Comments » newest
Mark Rosenfelder over at zompist.com has a really good article about how to debate, titled, “HOW TO ARGUE WITH ZOMPIST or, Social Skills 101.” (This link came via courtesy of Wukailong.) The article is not about brainwashing others with your ideas, of course. It is about how to debate more effectively and points out all the common fallacies people make, especially in heated discussions. (Well, for some of us wanting to brainwash the world with our ideas, this will be helpful too, I think.)
I think I have been guilty in committing almost all of the sins he has warn us against. I bet you will learn a lot more about yourself if you take time to read this article. While I don’t want to repeat any of his points, I thought I simply share his take on “Why debate at all?”
Oct 24
Psst … is China a currency manipulator and cause of the world financial crisis?
Written by: Allen | Filed under:Analysis, General | Tags:currency manipulation, financial crisis, housing bubble, Paul Krugman
97 Comments » newest
97 Comments » newest
According to an op-ed by Paul Krugman in the NY Times today, China is not only a currency manipulator, but also a cause of the world financial crisis. I usually have some respect for Mr. Krugman, so I’ll try to take his op-ed seriously. Continue reading »
Oct 21
Lou Jing (娄婧) entered a competition reality show called “Let’s Go! Oriental Angels” (加油！东方天使) on Dragon TV. Though born and raised in Shanghai and a Chinese citizen all her life, her story is quite complicated. Her mother was married to a Chinese man but had an affair with an African American man and gave birth to Lou Jing. The African American man went back to the States before Lou Jing was born, the Chinese husband divorced his wife when he discovered she had an affair, so Lou Jing was raised by a single mother. She is considered a talented singer, speaks fluent Mandarin and Shanghainese and is Chinese in every way except for her looks and skin color.
However, upon entering this competition, she was shocked to find rude racial epithets hurled against her on the Chinese blogosphere. Was she really Chinese? Quite a few people felt she was not. They condemned her for her skin color and her mother’s infidelity. Many comments were blatantly racist.
I first became aware of this story when James Fallows mentioned it in his Atlantic blog. He wrote, “To be clear about the context: this is not a “blame China” episode but rather one of many illustrations of the differences in day by day social realities and perceived versus ignored sources of tension in particular societies. That’s all to say about it for now.” I want to explore those tensions further.
Oct 14
minipost-[Translation] The Chairman’s Clothes Can Not Be Patched?
Written by: Charles Liu | Filed under:-chinese-posts, -guest-posts, -mini-posts, General | Tags:history, Mao
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No Comments » newest
A friend recently visited Mao Zedong’s hometown, Shaoshan, during China’s national holiday week. One of the photo he took was a recount of conversation with Mao about his shabby pajama:
A day in the Summer of 1963, I went to Zhongnanhai’s laundry to fetch the Chairman’s clothes. The comrad at the laundry said the Chairman’s pajama is too old, can’t be washed, and is it time for new one? Few days later, I was eating with the Chairman. He was wearing the very pajama.
I said: “Chairman, time to change your pajama this year?”
The Chairman casually said: “The nation is going thru some difficulties, patching will do!”
I hushed a complaint: “But you’re the Chairman.”
“Oh, I’m the Chairman, Chairman’s closthes can’t be patched? Aren’t you wearing patched clothes?”
“Chairman, you and I are different.” I explained.
“How are we different, because I’m the Chairman? Aren’t I but one among the People?”
Oct 09
minipost-[Translation] Carbon Trading Prelude To Low Carbon Economy
Written by: Charles Liu | Filed under:-guest-posts, -mini-posts, Environment, General | Tags:carbon trading, CDM, kyoto protocol
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No Comments » newest
Below is a short article on China’s state of Clean Development Mechanism(CDM) under Kyoto Protocol, and future of China’s low carbon, green development:
http://www.epciu.com/Html/0908/17/3471B33FF1937070.html
Carbon Trading Prelude To Low Carbon Economy
Environmental China, 8/17/2009
(Carbon trading market is a hopeful prelude to “low carbon economy”. Beijing Environmental Exchange CEO Mei Dewen says China, being the nation with largest carbon resource, has tremendous development potential in carbon trading. Thru Clean Development Mechanism, in 2012 China may receive 1.8 billion tons of carbon trading credit, as much as several hundred million USD.)
China’s carbon-based economy is a must, says Mei Dewen. Establishing exchange, develop products, speedy connection with international channels, Mei believes, developing market and pricing mechanism, attracting qualified financial institution and enterprises, is central to the future of carbon-based economy.
As 2005 Kyoto Protocol framework relates to China, in recent years, global carbon trading and marketplace had exponential growth, From 377 million Euro in 2004 to 91 billion Euro in 2008, with expert projection of 140 billion Euro in 2012, surpassing oil market as largest marketplace.
Carbon trading and derived financial market is on the horizon. According to World Bank’s estimate, half of the 5 billion ton emission reduction target by developed nations will be realized from CDM, and China have the potential for 35% to 40% of the global CDM.
However, financial development area is lacking, Mei Dewen says. Although China has the largest carbon capital, carbon economy and carbon trading are left and rigt legs, without support from carbon economy, China will lose out on carbon trading like pricing mechanism, and lose out on opportunity in development of new financial sector.
Currently, carbon trading is mostly monopolized by developed nations, such as ETS in EU, ETG in UK, and CCX in US. Although China has established environmental exchanges in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjing, these 3 exchanges are limited to conservation and environmental protection technology transfer transactions, and still far from monetizing on carbon trading. China’s carbon marketplace development not only far behind developed nation, it’s even behind India.
In concrete terms, China’s carbon trading is akin to farm commodity market, while India’s carbon trading has elevated to level of currency market. Mei says, India’s carbon marketplace development is more advanced than China, in terms of trading platform or CDM capability. India’s carbon credit is 2-3 Euros more per ton than China.
Oct 08
美国博客抗议纽约帝国大厦庆祝中国60周年
Written by: Charles Liu | Filed under:-chinese-posts, -guest-posts, General | Tags:China, hate
No Comments » newest
No Comments » newest
美国帝国大厦为了中国国庆亮红黄楼顶灯. 这消息在中国受到欢迎, 但在美国是完全相反.
根据纽约村庄之声博客 Roy Edroso, 红黄楼灯引起了美国博客们的义愤:
“帝国大厦腥血浸渗” – “Empire State Building, Drenched in Blood”
“先, 2/20/09 中共马克思主义标志飞在白宫…现在帝国大厦加入共产党…” – “First, we had the Red Chinese COMMUNIST government Flag flying at the Marxist House on 2.20.09…Now we have the Empire State building in NYC going all communist…”
“以后马克思、列宁、托洛茨基生日也要庆祝?” – “What’s next, Marx, Lenin and Trotsky’s birthday’s too?”
“令人作呕.” – “This is disgusting.”
“我们应该庆祝美国的共产革命, 庆祝有一天将拥有我们的中国 – “It’s only fitting we celebrate America’s own recent communist revolution by honoring the Chinese who will someday be our overlords”
“纪念现代邪恶帝国中国的谋杀犯和强奸犯令人作呕” – “Disgusting to honor the mudders and rapests of mordern evil empire China.”
Oct 06
minipost-China’s sustainable forestry, biomass industry, green development efforts
Written by: Charles Liu | Filed under:-guest-posts, -mini-posts, Environment, General |
13 Comments » newest
Recently there have been some discussion on China’s rapid development, industrialization, increased pollution and destruction of environment such as deforestation. Not being knowledgeable or ever being interested in the subject, I decided to look for answer to the question – Is China recklessly polluting the planet? Continue reading »
Oct 05
minipost-【风华国乐】:阿里山的姑娘 (Girls of Ali Mountain)
Written by: dewang | Filed under:-mini-posts, culture, General, media, music, video | Tags:Folk Music, taiwan
1 Comment » newest
1 Comment » newest
Oct 02
Interview with Dr. Edwina Pendarvis (II): Chinese vs. US Education
Written by: berlinf | Filed under:education, General |
13 Comments » newest
Question: If you can comment on the differences between the Chinese and US educational systems that would be great. If not, from your experience working with US students and Chinese students, what are some of the things that stand out to you as being very different? What could Chinese students learn from their US counterparts and what could American students learn from their Chinese counterparts?
Dr. Pendarvis: Lucky for you I know very little about the Chinese educational system, and so I won’t go on so long in answering this question! I can only talk about the few Chinese students I’ve worked with. They were ALL more intellectual and interested in ideas than most American students I’ve taught. They were also more respectful of others’ ideas, including the professors. Whatever their private thoughts, they consistently asked questions rather than dismissing others’ ideas without giving them much thought. Continue reading »
Oct 01
Nitpicking Media’s Coverage of PRC’s 60th Anniversary Parade
Written by: DJ | Filed under:General | Tags:China, media, military parade, national day
317 Comments » newest
317 Comments » newest
I watched the national day parade on TV with my family, and liked it. As expected, the Chinese government managed to put out an impressive show. Then I read some media’s coverage of the parade. Well, let’s just say that those writings were as expected too. Anyway, there are a number of memes and other little oddities, in no particular order, that I want point out. As the title of this post says, this is just an excise of nitpicking.
[Update] I gotta share this photo that I just found with you. When the kids released the balloons at the end of the parade, somehow the these balloons formed a shape that looked like China’s map. Please don’t tell me that this was not a coincidence but a carefully choreographed act.
Sep 29
I would like to thank btbr403 for translating Zhang’s article that was recently posted on to Fools Mountain. In it he said that he had never found an example of a developing country that had “realized its modernization through democratization”. He then proceeded to refute examples cited that could apply and called for a non-western form of democracy for China.
However, Zhang’s conclusions and the method he used to reach them are fundamentally flawed. It starts with a serious lack of understanding of what democracy means these days. As I discussed in a previous post, democracy is not just having elections. It is about an entire system that crosses the country, in regards to not just elections but also the media, judiciary, rule of law and civil rights. If one does not recognise how they are all linked and that if any particular aspect is attacked the rest can be equally compromised, the entire discussion becomes pointless. It also doesn’t help that he gives no definition of “modernization”. Continue reading »
Sep 29
minipost-Xinhua: “China, Japan, ROK pledge to advance all-round partnership”
Written by: dewang | Filed under:-mini-posts, Asian Union, economy, General, politics | Tags:Asia, japan, Korea
12 Comments » newest
12 Comments » newest
In my prior post about Japan’s new Prime Minister, Yukio Hatoyama’s opinion piece on the NYT, I was encouraged by Hatoyama’s view of an Asian Union. This is an interesting trend I encourage our readers to follow. Xinhua reported Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and ROK Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Yu Myung Hwan has met in Shanghai on September 28, 2009 to “deepen their all-round cooperative partnership.” This is in preparation for the three countries top leaders to meet in October in Beijing. It will be interesting to see what new trilateral agreements they reach by then, at which time the top leaders will endorse and announce.
Sep 25
minipost-Mmm, mmm, mm … Barack Hussein Obama!
Written by: Allen | Filed under:-mini-posts, aside, culture, General, News, politics | Tags:education, history, hope, ideals, ideology, propaganda
53 Comments » newest
53 Comments » newest
Here is something interesting I found on Youtube. For all the talk about China spreading propaganda and indoctrinating their children – you know teaching children about the greatness of their nation, their leader, their history … about the importance of social harmony … instilling hope for a better future – does the U.S. really look that different?
Sep 24
minipost-Sustaining Fools Mountain
Written by: dewang | Filed under:-mini-posts, General | Tags:donate, store, sustaining
8 Comments » newest
8 Comments » newest
Dear Readers and Contributors,
Many of you know, Fools Mountain is a very unique blog and is one that is widely recognized in the China blogsphere. To date, all the costs associated with hosting and bandwidth have been paid privately by admin. We would like to make FM more self sustaining. Our first step is to make hosting and bandwidth costs community sponsored. Following that, we hope to use additional funds to license new contents or procure services to further enhance the blog for the benefit of the FM community.
Continue reading »
Sep 21
Part 3: Robert Compton talks to Fools Mountain about business climate in China
Written by: dewang | Filed under:Analysis, economy, General, technology |
2 Comments » newest
In this installment, Compton talks to Fools Mountain about the business climate in China. As a venture capitalist and a business executive, Compton brings a very unique perspective on “where China is at” in her development. In producing the documentary film, “Win in China,” he has had chance to interact with many business leaders in China.
Continue reading »
Continue reading »
Sep 20
Translation:Can you provide an example to refute this senior fellow?
Written by: btbr403 | Filed under:Analysis, culture, General, media, politics | Tags:democracy, development, goverment
212 Comments » newest
212 Comments » newest
admin’s note. The following is a blog post from 多维博客(h/t to Snow). Besides re-posting an article originally published on the Study Times (a weekly publication of the CCP’s Central Party School) in 2008, it drew a vigorous debate among Chinese with nearly 300 comments (I hope that someone could translate them too), many of them are interesting. Although we posted the Chinese version last year and A-gu commented on that, it was until recently that btbr403 volunteered to translate it. DeWang and Allen helped with the translation.
Following is the translation of the original post:
The Study Times of The Central Party School published an article by Zhang Weiwei (he was Deng XiaoPing’s interpreter, and he wrote an opinion piece The allure of the Chinese model ), a senior research fellow at the Modern Asia Research Centre, University of Geneva, Switzerland. He showed his excellent eloquence in the invitation only Marshall Forum on Transatlantic Affairs, saying that he had visited more than 100 countries, but couldn’t find one that achieved modernization via democratization. The European and American scholars present couldn’t find any examples to refute him.
Continue reading »
Sep 15
Video: The Zhao vs. Compton Debate
It’s surreal to hear Dr. Zhao from China working in the US defending the US educational system while Mr. Compton advocating that the US learn from China’s system. One thing is for sure: the world is getting flat.
The rest are open to debate.
As I watched this debate, a story that came to mind was the meteorologist forecasting a severely cold winter after seeing Indians hording chopped wood, while the Indian got the idea from the meteorologist who had suggested earlier that the winter would probably be cold. This happens when you make comparisons between two moving targets. In recent years, China is learning from “developed countries” such as US itself, ways to move away from the test-driven education system toward more “rounded education”. I am a reviewer of an educational journal in China and I constantly find papers describing “US experiences” and their implication for China. In the meantime, school curriculum is including an increasing number of subjects that Mr. Compton might be laughing at, such as life skills training. And here we are: Mr. Compton told us that the US should learn from China. Now what? Continue reading »
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