Dragon tent

The Chinese city of Qingdao set a Guinness World record today on 13 October 2012. During the annual Beach Camping Festival a set of 900 tents was set up to represent a Chinese dragon. So the largest tent mosaic ever was created!

Tibetan train and antelope photoshop

Above posted picture used to be an Chinese award-winning photograph in 2006, celebrating the symbiosis between the modernization of China and its focus on environmental protection. The setting is the vast Tibetan landscape where the Qinghai-Tibet train is cruising through the picture. In the front of the picture a herd of Tibetan chiru deer are seemingly captured by camera.   Of course this is old news, but I stumbled on this extraordinary news by doing some research on preservation and environmental protection in China. I thought it was such a bold and typical Chinese way of making the Chinese population proud of the enormous economical advances while keeping a tight grip of troublesome areas like Tibet. The chiru deer is an endangered species because it is and was hunted for its wool. In recent years the population has grown and China loves to use the chiru, which is actually a kind of antelope, for promoting the nation's preservation efforts. The Tibetan antelope was also used as a mascot, called Yingying during the Olympic Games of Beijing. While the Qinghai-Tibet railway is a one of the many super works the Chinese government realized in recent years. The whole project measures 1956 kilometers of railway tracks, from which 550 km over permafrost. With an elevation of 5072 above sea level it is the highest train in the world. It was long considered an impossible mission, especially constructing a track though the Himalayan mountains. But the Chinese engineers persisted and needed 675 tunnels to conquer this problem. Probably one of the most daring engineering feats of human history. But it was also a very controversial project for two reasons. Firstly because it tightened China's grip over Tibet. Starting from 2006 an influx of Chinese invaded Tibet and the Han Chinese population is nowadays greater than the Tibetan one. Hence the yearly problems of Tibetans burning themselves in protests, as everything is controlled by Chinese and all the jobs are give to Chinese instead of Tibetans. Secondly there were many points of criticism advocating the destruction of nature and habitat for several species. One of those species was of course the Tibetan chiru. The railway was specially designed with "corridors" to let the wildlife untouched by the railway. These corridors are the spaces between the pylons supporting the railway. Environmentalists claim the Tibetan chiru is too shy and would never come near the man-made railway, especially not when trains would be cruising through. And this is why photographer Liu Weiqing came to Tibet to prove that there can be perfect harmony between the mega project and the nature surrounding it. Mr Liu is working for Xinhua, the biggest state-owned news agency and he tells a story of waiting for 8 days in a pit near the railway to take this perfect shot. The picture was acclaimed by CCTV, the Chinese state media and was elected to one of the "10 pictures of the year". The picture was used as perfect propaganda and was even used to plaster the walls of the Beijing subway. Unbelievers opened up internet micro-blogs to contest the incredibility oh this picture. Biologist commented that it was strange that in the picture pregnant antelope were accompanying the herd, while there were no youngsters. The first train departed in July, just after the antelopes would have been given birth, so youngsters should be seen and pregnant antelopes would only be expected one year later. Photograph experts questioned the possibility to capture a fast moving train in the background with a slower galloping herd in the front. So finally it was detected that the picture was a fraud. Two pictures photoshopped together. Mr Liu had to publicly apologize and some media published an apology for circulating the photo. A piece of perfect propaganda was blown to smithers!

Government architecture in China

Upon reading an Chinese contemporary art article, I got fascinated by one Chinese photographer.

Bai Xiaoci has chosen the imposing architecture of government buidling as his subject. 

These buidling are vast, majestic and with enormous plazas in front of them. 

Bai Xiaoci has made trips all over China to photograph these wonders of China's urbanization. With his project he wants to show the Chinese growth, that even penetrates in the remote countryside. His works has also a lot of symbolism, like the power of the impersonal Communist Pary versus the small common people.

Party members often want to show of their status and start to organise huge building projects in the hope to be commemorated after their reign. The big market of real estate also wants a cut in the deal. Wherever the Party is building, new housing projects with mushroom out of the ground and pricees will soar up.

So if you want to enjoy more pictures of Chinese urbanization, check out Bai Xiaoci's website.

People’s Government, Yingquan County, Fuyang, Anhui Province

City Government, Shenzhen

People’s Government, Changxing, Zhejiang Province

Chengdu city government building, Sichuan-province

Ordos city government building, Inner mongolia

Hohhot city government building, Inner mongolia

Ningxiang county government building, Zhejiang-province

Shanghai city government building. pudong district

Panda taxis

2008 was the year China showed the world their impressive skills in organising the Olympic Games.
These year London has taken over the flame and is ready to welcome all nations in this sportive sportfest.

During the Olympic period the typical London taxis will have to transports lots of international guests.

Some of these taxis will be decorated and the Chinese city of Chengdu is one of the several investors. Advertising with Chengdu's most iconic creature: the Giant Panda.

Panda coulour taxis will be roaming London's streets during London Olympics.

Does Superman come from Korea?

We all have been indoctrinated that Superman is a comic hero developed by American writer Jerry Siegel. And it is also clear that superman is coming from the planet Krypton. His parents send him as an infant to earth, just before the destruction of his home planet. And on earth he grew up, got himself the nickname Clark Kent en saved the planet from several catastrophes and malicious evil plans.


But what if the creation of superman was based on an old Korean sign?


We all know the South-Korean flag, called Taegeukgi. In the flag we find in the middle, the ancient Yin-Yang sign. Not as we usually know it in black and white, but in red and blue.
Yin and Yang symbolise in the old Chinese philosophy all the opposites in the world like: negative and positive, woman and man, moon and sun, ...
And so in the Korean flag blue is Yin and red is Yang.


Next to the Yin Yang sign you will find 4 trigrams taken from the Yi Ching, which is the very old Chinese Book of Changes. This book was and still is used for divination practises.
Upper row from left to right are the trigrams for heaven and moon. While the two lower ones from left to right are sun and earth.
Interesting flag isn't it!

Another sign seen very often in Korea, especially on historical buildings is the Sam-Taegeukgi.
So we still find the round Yin Yang shape but no duality between 2 colours, here a third colour is present. As seen above, here blue represent Yin and so represents Heaven. Red was seen for Yang en represent Earth.

The new colour is yellow, which stands for the middle and Humanity. Even in ancient China the Yellow emperor was the only one allowed to wear yellow as he was the connection between heaven and earth. 


So in this Korean sign it is clear that the duality between Heaven and Earth, Negative and Positive, and all other dualities in the world effects humans. But as the yellow colour also spins around equaly as red and blue it can influence Heaven and Earth as well. All three are connected and influence each other.


So going back to superman. When we inspect his attire these three colours are coming back. His cape and boots are red, his suit is mostly blue and his belt is yellow. The Superman logo is a yellow and red sign on a blue background, normally visible on our hero's chest.  Superman forms the human connection (yellow) between heaven (blue), his former planet Krypton, and earth (red), where he is Clark Kent and changes in Superman to kick some serious butt in name of goodness. Would it be pure coincidence that blue, red and yellow were used to depict superman?

 

Year of Dragon

One of the most auspicious Chinese signs will be celebrated today, today is Chinese New Year! 

May the Dragon bring you strength, good healthy, good fortune and may all your wishes come true.

The Porsche street vendor

In Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, a street vendor selling fashionable sneakers arrived in his white Porsche and started to unload his wares from his car's trunk. China is doing economically well and it shows!



Belgian chocolate mooncake

Tomorrow is the Chinese festival of Mid-Autumn festival. Traditionally people from Chinese origin will watch the full moon and will remember the legend of Houyi and Chang'e while eating mooncakes. These mooncakes have become favourite family and business gifts months before the full moon of the festival. So it's not unusual to see different companies create their own mooncake, packed in a nice box. So do the Belgian chocolate companies Leonidas and Godiva. Clever marketing move!



Lotus flowers

Last month the Lotus flowers were blooming some wonderfully. So I uploaded some shots taken @ Yuanmingyuan in Beijing, China and @ Anapji pond, Gyeongju, Soutjh-Korea.



Female businesscards

Chinese hotels are always a big adventure. Is my booking made?, Will I get the room I booked?, Will there be a person speaking some English?, ...

Upper-class hotels (4 or 5 stars) will not have a lot of problems as the management is competent and the staff is well-trained. But staying in a 3-star Chinese hotel might give you some surprises. For example you are woken at night by the telephone and when you pick up some sweet voice asks you if you would like a massage. This is common procedure in those hotels as the staff tries to make some extra money and sells the information to which rooms single man are spending the night. Quite annoying if you came to a hotel to actually get some sleep.

In those hotels you will also find a lot of female business cards shoved under your door, for the same purpose as well. I took some pictures of them and I really wonder what does "Massge temnder care lighting your booy"?

Chinese Communist posters

Over the years The Communist Party of China has showed their love for the patriotic posters.

Here are some of my favourites, you can find some more on Chineseposters.

Advance victoriously while following Chairman Mao's revolutionary line in literature and the arts, 1968

Chairman Hua is our intimate friend, 1978

Building the People's Republic, 1953

Defeat Japanese imperialism, 1937

In celebration of the successful opening of the Qinghai & Xizang railway, 2006

Chairman Mao goes to Anyuan, 1968

Everybody must take precautions against epidemics to smash the germ warfare of American imperialism!, 1952

Long live the great unity of all the peoples of the whole nation, 1957

The commune is like a gigantic dragon, production is noticeable awe-inspiring, 1959

Party oh party, beloved party, 1991

My modeling Career

Generally people think that when working in tourism you get a lot of advantages like free hotel rooms and flight tickets.  Actually these benefits are almost non-existing, although you might get some reductions on hotel rooms. But the great thing in tourism is that you get to meet a bunch of people from all over the world.

Chinese people, especially those who haven't seen a lot of foreigners, are very curious about our different lifestyle. Mouth-dropped starring is quite common, especially if you would be tall and blond.

This Chinese curiousness can be very annoying, as when you get stalked to see where you're heading. Or as people check the groceries you bought in your supermarket trolley.
On other occasions it can be very charming in interesting. Being a foreigner in China can bring you to stardom in this Communist country.

So far I have acted on local TV and did two commercials.
A few years back I got a teacher's job in Hong'An county, Hubei province. For the annual Christmas show in the local TV studio I was one of the three TV hosts. This was broad casted in Hong'An TV.

One day I needed some call credit for my Chinese telephone. At that time I was guiding in Chengdu, Hebei province. I couldn't get any prepaid card at several kiosks. So I decided to go to the local China telecom shop. Upon entering the shop on man was acting very exited. After I got my credit he tried to explain me they had a promotion period for a new phone and he wanted my help for this promotion. I had to hold the phone and smile while he was taking some pictures. I guess he made some posters out of it, foreign models are very sought after in China, so he immediately saw an opportunity.

I played model one more time, advertising a new hotel. For my guiding job I was inspecting some hotels in Shanghai. After visiting some fancy places the Millenium Hongqiao hotel was next. This hotel held its "soft" opening, which means the hotel receives guests and tries to invite travel agencies for inspection, but is not 100 % operational yet. I was very well received and got the whole tour, including spa, swimming pool, all type of rooms and restaurants.  In the lovely restaurant one of the assistant managers and I were having lunch, when suddenly she got a phone call. She ended the call and asked me if I had time to come back in the evening. That day the Millenium hotel held the photo shoot for its website and catalogue, but their international model had just cancelled. The high-payed British photographer could not be cancelled and I was asked if I could help out. Of course, no problem. So I got back in the evening. I dressed up in a neat seat and got my instructions. I had to stand at the front desk, pretending to check in and keep looking in the eyes of the girls at the desk. Standing there half an hour, gibbering with those girls, wasn't an easy task.
The Millenium Hongqiao hotel used following picture for nearly 2 years on there website, but nowadays new pictures have replaced my glorious picture. So my modeling career is silently getting to an end.

Maybe I will encounter some new opportunities in China!

Invisible man from China

Liu Bolin is a Chinese Photographer-artist. He specialised himself in the art of invisibility and is now famous for his special art form. He will study a place and then paint himself so as to melt away in the picture. Every pictures takes him more than 10 hours of work.
Some of his works have a political undertone and in 2005 the Chinese government closed down his art studio. This didn't stop him and he now has a International reputation.

He work is sometimes compared to the children books "Where's Waldo?"