May 2011
22 posts
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NYTimes // China’s Interest in Farmland Makes... →
[Thanks to M Pritchett for the find.]
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Hail to the Victors: “From The Great Lakes to The...
Several of us had the opportunity to serve as ambassadors for the University of Michigan as part of an alumni outreach trip to China. I can’t take credit for this post headline since it was the name of the event itself, but I feel it is indicative of the University’s recent emphasis on developing a strong relationship with this nation. At one level this feels ridiculous that a University in the...
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Pearl Market: A Test in Competitive Consumerism
In anticipation of the University of Michigan Alumni Event [more on that next] we realized a need to go shopping here as none of us had appropriate attire. We decided to venture to the Pearl Market – a venerable tourist attraction for Westerners – as it is the location of floor upon floor of designer goods of questionable origin. Shoes, wallets, sunglasses, belts, coats, jeans, luggage,...
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Learning to be Chinese No. 2 // Bike Riding: The...
China has a lot of people, a lot of cars and thus a lot of traffic. I have yet to truly understand how this works, but all forms of traffic: pedestrians, bicycles, and cars, seem to coexist as equals. At the same time, there is absolutely no order to driving, riding, and walking in China. Stop signs don’t even exist! Given these conditions, I am already impressed from my first few days biking...
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China: Skipping a Stage of Development?
Last week we took a trip to a rural Chinese village north of Beijing in the Pearl Spring River Township [which included a stop at the Great Wall]. Over the past two decades, there have been significant migration pressures to urban areas as rural Chinese seek jobs and education. Typically, younger adults leave to make money in the cities and school aged children leave to attend school...
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Newsweek // High-Quality DNA →
A look at the development of the Chinese research for DNA genome sequencing. True to form, the Chinese intend to do the most research in this field and to do it the fastest. The movement toward bringing this work and these jobs to China is very interesting to consider in light of our research this past semester in Landscape Infrastructure. What role does research play in the development of new...
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Nationalism // At Home and Abroad: The Case of...
We’ve been fortunate to befriend a group of Norwegian students also studying in Caochangdi. They are here for a semester abroad working with their own faculty on the research for an exhibit with Ai Weiwei at the 2011 Gwangju Design Biennale. We were honored for them to ask us to join them for the Seventeenth of May celebration, which is the Norwegian National Day.
As much as we think of the...
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Eating My Way Through China No.3 // Street Food
Dinner / 5.17.2011 / Caochangdi “Times Square”
Noodles [in a bag]
Cold Noodles + Julienne-d Cucumber + Cilantro + Tofu in Soy / Sesame / Peanut / Chili Paste Concoction
Breakfast / 5.19.2011 / Caochangdi Village South Road
The “Chinese Egg McMuffin”
Toasted Sesame Bun + Fried Egg + Lettuce with Hoisin
Dinner / 5.20.2011 / Nangao North Entrance Bridge Road
Snails in Chili Oil
It was a pleasant...
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Eating My Way Through China No.2 // Street Food
Breakfast / 5.9.2011 / In Base Studio
Baozi – Very Fluffy Dumplings filled with Pork
Dinner / 5.13.2011 / South of Caochangdi “Times Square”
Chinese “Burrito”
“Naan” wrap with Peppers + Onions + Pork
Lunch / 5.13.2011 / Caochangdi “Times Square”
Crepe with Scrambled Egg + Crunchy Chip
Sprinkled with Sesame Seeds + Onions
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China: America's Alter Ego?
China loves the US and the US [grudgingly] loves China. This relationship may seem to exist as a need for economic symbiosis, but it is much more a result of the fact that Americans really aren’t that different than Chinese. America has always been king of the superlative until recently when the Chinese took this over. China is currently racing to be the best at everything. It needs the biggest...
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Eating My Way Through China No.1
Dinner / 5.7.2011 / “Hot Pot” Restaurant / Next to 7 Days Inn
Braised “Sheep’s Neck”
Fried Pork
Yanjing [chinese “draft” beer]
Lunch / 5.8.2011 / “Dumpling” Restaurant / Liufang Area near Linked Hybrid
Pork Onion Dumpling
Donkey Tempeh Dumpling
Beef Shepard’s Purse Dumpling
Lamb Fennel Dumpling
Tsingtao
Lunch / 5.9.2011 / Sichuan “Family” Restaurant / Times Square - Caochangdi
Pig...
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Observing China No.1
1. Chinese Life is [Not] Oppressive [?]
Life for the average Beijinger is not as oppressive as I would have imagined. There are signs of people living their lives as if they were anywhere else in the [free] world. Citizens have been regularly protesting the demolition and land clearance of areas around the metropolis. We’ve heard stories of Christian Churches organizing and practicing. The...
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Learning to be Chinese No.1: Figure out Public... →
A fun article about what it means to get around this Chinese City that is currently my home.
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Hitting the Ground Running
We were able to accomplish a lot in the first few days after arrival. We saw a number of the expected tourists sights [Jingshan Park, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square]. Tiananmen Square was an overly stimulating sensory experience. This was in part due to the cultural weight of the space, but also the large LCD video screens playing propaganda films complete with uplifting music. We also took...
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