A Crazy Star Fan

A 68 year old man from LanZhou China committed suicide in Hong Kong simply because his daughter, a groupie of Andy Lau, did not receive a special and personal interview from Andy Lau than other Andy's fans on Andy's birthday party on 25th, March. The family sold everything they had to support the girl's star following activities dozens of year ago. The father even had offered to sell his kidney to raise money for her daughter's enthusiasm. His offer was denied because selling human organs were illegal in China. However, the girl and her mother blame Andy to the old man's death and show no regret! The girl is criticized by all the web surffers.

疯狂 fēng kuáng Crazy
追星女 zhuī xīng nǚ Famale star fan; female groupie

二十四节气歌

春雨惊春清谷天, 夏满芒夏暑相连,
秋处露秋寒霜降, 冬雪雪冬小大寒.
每月两节不变更, 最多相差一两天,
上半年来六、廿一，下半年是八、廿三。

史上最牛钉子户

These days a family in Chongqing is quite famous on the web in China. The family is called the "Toughest Nail Household" in the history. The family confronts the local government and a local real estate company to protect their house, because the compensation the real estate company offering is very much below the market price. The real estate has isolated their house which can be seen in the picture under the support the loca government.

最牛 zuì niú (Toughest, Coolest)
钉子户 dìng zǐ hù (Nail Household)

Chinese Valentine's Day - 七夕节

Today's Double Seven Festival, Chinese Valentine's Day. The tradition of celebrating this event origins from the love story of Cow Boy and Weaver Girl, who fall in love with each other and was forced to seperate by The Heavenly Queen. They were only allowed to meet each other once every year on July 7th in Chinese calender. People will look into the heaven and try to evestrop their converstion under grape vine. This year has two Chinese Valentine's days because it has two Julys this year according to Chinese calendar, which happens once every 38 years. The first falls on July 31th and while the second on August 30th.

七夕节 Double Seven Festival, Chinese Valentine's Day
牛郎 Cow Boy
织女 Weaver Girl
情人节 Valentine's Day

Below is a famous poem about this festival by a famous poeist Qin Guan.

鹊桥仙 秦观
纤云弄巧，飞星传恨，银汉迢迢暗渡。金风玉露一相逢，便胜却人间无数。　　　　
柔情似水，佳期如梦，忍顾鹊桥归路！两情若是久长时，又岂在朝朝暮暮？　

Burning Straw Is Strictly Prohibited

Now it's time to harvest wheat. Usually farmers will burn the straws after the harvesting, which pollutes the air severely and is a waste of resouces. The local goverment tries to stop this. This is a propaganda truck with a slogan which reads "Burning straw is strictly prohibited".

严禁焚烧麦茬: yán jìn fén shāo mài chá Burning straw is strictly prohibited.

Family Planning, Birth Control & Contraception in China

Family Planning policy in China is a controversial topic. But the policy is a policy which must be implemented in China. China has to control the birth rate because of limited resouces. Sex was and still is an embarassing topic in China. Although it's gradually changing, few people will talk about sex in public.

The picture is a store selling birth control devices and agents, drugs to enhance sexual life and breast enlargement products. Many of these stores do not have clients at day time, partly because of embarassment.

计生 jì shēng family planning

Chinese Twins - Shuang Bao Tai

This mother is very happy when I took a picture of her twin boys, who are sitting in a traditional Chinese cart made of bamboo.



双胞胎 - shuāng bāo tāi Twin

Today is Duanwu - The Dragon Boat Festival

The dragon boat festival is here! Everyone is talking about Zongzi. My neighbours are asking each other via IM: "Did you eat Zongzi? What Zongzi did you eat? Does it taste good?". People are sending short messages to friends. Search query for the Dragon Boat Festival short messages (端午短信 duān wǔ duǎn xìn ) is ranked No1 in Chinese search eninge Baidu. Other traditional celebrations like wearing fragnant bag (香囊 xiāng náng ) and dragon boat racing （赛龙舟 sài lóng zhōu）are not usually for people nowadays. Many people even don't know Qu Yuan （屈原 qū yuán）, who is the person the festival was for.

Pictures of a group of young people are celebrating the festival in traditional way.

Money to Spent in Nether Regions

I took this phpto in the Qingming festival. Chinese people believe that their relatives who passed away live in another world, the Nether Regions. In order to let them have a wealthy life there, the Chinese burn Mingchao, money in the Nether Regions. In the old times, special paper in the background was used. Nowadays, paper notes quite like real money are used. Notice the US notes in the middle.

冥钞 mínɡ chāo The Nether Regions money
纸币 zhǐ bì note

Playing Majiang/Mahjong

My neighbours paying Majiang/Mahjong in the couryard. Many young people play Majiang/Mahjong to gamble. The senior people usually gamble with a very small wager however.

麻将 má jiānɡ Mahjong

Pants for Chinese Kids

Notice the kid's pants! He is wearing Open-crotch pants, called Kaidangku in China. It's very convenient for kids to pee or poop. You don't need to train them!

开档裤 kāi dàng kù Chinese pants for kids with an opening in the crotch.