Author Archives: Barry van Wyk

Shanghai nonagenarian writes comic book memoir commemorating love of his life

Posted on 2013-02-27 by Barry van Wyk

Rao Pingru (饶平如) has lived a long life marked by great hardship and perseverance. Yet Rao survived war, famine, incarceration, separation and illness, and lived his entire life with undying love for one woman. Now aged 91, Rao’s long life … Continue reading →

Posted in Front Page of the Day, Health and Medicine | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Shanghai nonagenarian writes comic book memoir commemorating love of his life

Welcome to Black Dragon River (a.k.a the Stinking Sewer)

Posted on 2013-02-25 by Barry van Wyk

There is a little stretch of river in the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong province where black water meets an endless stream of human filth. The place apparently doesn’t have a name, but some online commentators have referred to it … Continue reading →

Posted in Front Page of the Day, Health and Medicine, Internet and Media, Wildlife, Nature and the Environment | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Welcome to Black Dragon River (a.k.a the Stinking Sewer)

Shenyang anti-spitting campaign, take two

Posted on 2013-02-19 by Barry van Wyk

The city of Shenyang is getting tough (or tougher) on spitting and other such unhygienic habits. The Shenyang Evening News front page reports today that 200 specialist hygiene supervisors have been appointed, and they will be able to dish out fines of … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Corruption, Front Page of the Day, Traditions, Urban Culture and Cities | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Shenyang anti-spitting campaign, take two

The groundwater of 90% of Chinese cities is polluted

Posted on 2013-02-18 by Barry van Wyk

The holiday is over, and here’s some news to bring you right back to down to earth. Or even further down underneath the earth where its apparently pretty smelly. The front page of the Strait Times (海峡都市报) from Fujian province today reports that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Front Page of the Day, Health and Medicine | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The groundwater of 90% of Chinese cities is polluted

Nanyang outlaws “eating and drinking big”

Posted on 2013-01-31 by Barry van Wyk

The city government of Nanyang (南阳), Henan province, is taking corruption and extravagance very seriously. The front page of the Nanyang Evening Post (南阳晚报) today proclaims in a very large headline: “Saying ‘no’ to tip of the tongue waste”. The phrase “on the tip … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumer Culture, Crime and Corruption, Front Page of the Day | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Nanyang outlaws “eating and drinking big”

Survey of China’s 24 most corrupt officials in 2012

Posted on 2013-01-29 by Barry van Wyk

2012 was the annus horribilis of the “trial by Weibo” of government officials, their public humiliation and ultimate sacking in disgrace. More than ever before, last year witnessed multiple cases where government officials were implicated in sex videos and other corruption … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Corruption, Front Page of the Day, Sex, Drugs and Vice | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Survey of China’s 24 most corrupt officials in 2012

How to have a “convenient” Spring Festival transport rush

Posted on 2013-01-21 by Barry van Wyk

“It must be said, says Shenzhen Evening News today, “that going home for Spring Festival is a deeply ingrained desire of all Chinese people.” That’s to say, all of 1.3 billion Chinese people. Hence the annual Spring Festival rush is a migration … Continue reading →

Posted in Front Page of the Day, Traditions, Urban Culture and Cities | Tagged , | Comments Off on How to have a “convenient” Spring Festival transport rush

The “tower stands empty”: Q Park as a microcosm of China’s faltering animation industry

Posted on 2013-01-18 by Barry van Wyk

Q Park in Qingdao,  Shandong province was meant to be a flashy new shot-in-the-arm industrial hub for the animation industry in China. But today the front page of the Qingdao Daily laments the sorry state of Q Park with a reference to a line from an … Continue reading →

Posted in Business and the Economy, Front Page of the Day | Tagged , | Comments Off on The “tower stands empty”: Q Park as a microcosm of China’s faltering animation industry

“A city besieged” with pollution, but life goes on

Posted on 2013-01-14 by Barry van Wyk

The main theme on the front pages of China’s newspapers today is the record levels of pollution that convulsed China over the weekend and into this week. The front page of the Henan Business Times (河南商报) today displays the smog horizon over the city … Continue reading →

Posted in Front Page of the Day, Health and Medicine, Urban Culture and Cities | Tagged , , | Comments Off on “A city besieged” with pollution, but life goes on

China’s ten ugliest statues (and the ugly goddess that started it all)

Posted on 2013-01-10 by Barry van Wyk

In August 2012, a huge statue of a Buddhist goddess went up in Urumqi, Xinjiang. Without consulting anyone, the local government had erected it right on a busy intersection. 11 days later, however, the statue had disappeared. Again without consulting … Continue reading →

Posted in Urban Culture and Cities | Tagged , , | Comments Off on China’s ten ugliest statues (and the ugly goddess that started it all)