The Nanfang / Blog

Chinese Toddler’s Crotchless Pants So Shocking in America That Woman Calls Police

Posted: 11/6/2014 9:05 am

A kid wearing open-seat pants on the street in China

Yes, a pair of crotchless pants, also known as ‘open-seat pants’ that have a split in the crotch for toddlers, has become a contentious issue in the United States.

The sight of a toddler wearing them in Monterey Park, California was so shocking to some American onlookers that one American woman reported the run-in to the local police.

When police arrived and learned that the onesie is mainly to used to enable kids to answer nature’s calls easier and faster, the newspaper wrote that “the police couldn’t just believe what they hear.” However, when reached by a Chinese media outlet, the local police authority said they have yet to confirm the authenticity of the report.

The pants, which are ubiquitous in China, remain contentious even here, Nanfang Net reported. The anti open-crotch pants camp argues that the exposure is unhygienic and makes the child vulnerable to accidents such as boiling water and sharp knives.

One commentator named Daniel wrote, “wearing open-seat pants will indulge the kids to do their business anytime and anywhere they want.” Others argued that this outfit might draw pedophiles. Another commenter said, “there are so many perverts out there. Once the kids get hurt, you won’t even have time to cry.”

Those who are defensive about the look link it to Chinese culture (though our own research can’t find any particular cultural connection) and threw barbs at “narrow-minded” Americans. A user called Eternal commented, “For those who run naked for some holidays, what grounds you have to criticise us? Open-seat pants are a part of Chinese culture. What the heck do you know?”

Others even argued from an environmental point of view. 知雨 wrote, “wearing open-seat pants spared the use of so many pampers. (Do you know) how much waste we managed to save? Support tradition.”

Photos: Chaos taipei, Zhihuimami

Haohao

Xinjiang Has Shunned Muslim Dress as “Not Normal” For Months

Posted: 08/7/2014 3:39 pm

muslim clothing ban xinjiang uighursThe ban on Muslim dress on public buses in Karamay City in Xinjiang was designed to help combat terrorism. But it turns out traditional clothes have been shunned for months.

The latest Karamay City ban, which we detailed yesterday, calls for an end to what it refers to as the “five types of people” who wear burqas, hijabs, face veils, any clothing that features the Muslim crescent moon and star, as well as long beards. And yet, this appears to be merely an extension of an existing policy.

As early as June 4 of this year, authorities in Xinjiang began pressuring the public to stop wearing traditional Muslim dress not just for reasons to combat terrorism, but also because it is “not normal”.

muslim clothing ban xinjiang uighurs

On June 19 of this year, the official website for the government of the Baijiantan District of Karamay announced that through a variety of measures, authorities will be initiating a crackdown on the ”five abnormal appearances”.

These “five abnormal appearances” are the same five banned from public buses in Karamay. Xinjiang authorities say the crackdown is necessary to preserve the safety of society, to facilitate better cooperation between ethnic groups, and to strengthen resistance against religious extremism. In addition to the Muslim dress ban, police are asking the public to resist the ‘three illegals’ (those who enter, work, or reside in China illegally), become civilized, and revere science.

muslim clothing ban xinjiang uighurs

Police engaged in a “stop and correct” inspection on June 12, in which they confronted citizens on the street for violating the ban. The next day the police substation in Sanping County met workers and residents of the Wuxin and Yucheng communities. There, they put up posters and informed residents that the five kinds of Muslim dress are not in fact tradition, but represent the “three illegals”.

The following is the poster that warns the public against the “five abnormal appearances”. A translation follows.

muslim clothing ban xinjiang uighurs

The Five Types of Abnormal Dress

Burqas
Note: It is forbidden for women of any age to wear burqas.

Hijab
Note: It is forbidden for youths, and young and middle-aged women to wear the hijab.

Face Veils
Note: It is forbidden for females of any age to wear a face veil.

Young Adults with Long Beards
Note: It is forbidden for young adults to grow long beards.

Crescent Moon and Stars
Note: It is forbidden for anyone to wear clothing featuring the crescent moon and stars.

[h/t reddit]

Photo: e23.cn, bjtq.gov.cn, tieba

Haohao

Guangdong Teenager’s Testicle Pops Out in Tragic Bicycle Accident

Posted: 06/19/2014 8:38 am

Xiao Pan is in recovery now after surgery.

A 19 year-old boy from Huadu, Guangdong may be reproductively-challenged for the rest of his life after one of his testicles fell out during a bicycle accident.

accident scene

Even doctors from a nearby county-level hospital were aghast at what they saw. After preliminary medical procedures, they immediately transferred Xiao Pan to a paramilitary hospital. The doctors there had to stitch up ruptured and damaged blood vessels before putting the testicle back in the scrotum, his doctor told the newspaper.

The injury won’t affect Xiao Pan’s sex life, but will “cause unidentified damages” to reproduction, the doctor said.

This is a huge blow to Xiao Pan’s family, a traditional rural household in Guangdong, where many still believe that the eldest son’s prime filial duty is to continue the family bloodline. Xiao Pan’s mother was concerned if anything were to happen to the eldest son of the family, her whole family would have no dignity or “face” to live any longer, she said.

While that may seem selfish since it’s Xiao Pan who is personally suffering at the moment, the matriarch of the family in China is able to say whatever she’d like since the ball is now in her court.

Photos: Guangdong TV

Haohao

Guangzhou Customers Reject Frozen Chickens

Posted: 05/7/2014 7:37 pm

The initiative to supply Guangzhou consumers with frozen chicken instead of operating live poultry markets has encountered resistance in just its second day of operation.

Chickens were only available in 22 percent of the markets, while no ducks or geese were on sale at all. 

Liwan District, one of the trial areas, was reported to have few markets to offer any chicken for sale at all amid customer complaints.

A seller named Mr Huang stated that he wanted more stock of frozen chickens at better quality so that he can offer a range of prices, while another seller said:

“The market is dependent upon the customer. Yesterday, we had customers come try out the frozen chicken, but today we don’t have any repeat customers. I’m really worried if I’m able to continue to sell anymore chickens.”

As if to punctuate the demand for the now prohibited live chickens, a black market poultry market is rumored to be in operation.

Planned as a contingency to reduce the risk of spreading the H7N9 virus, consumers are still skeptical at the decision to ban poultry markets if but just for the difference in taste. A recent survey revealed 38 percent of residents are not in favor of closing the live poultry markets, while 66 percent of residents believe that frozen chicken will compromise the taste and flavor of cooked chicken dishes.

Despite this preference to keeping live poultry markets open, the most recent case of avian flu in Guangdong Province occurred on May 1. A Shenzhen 53 year-old woman named Zhong was positively identified with the H7N9 virus.

Sellers are not able to sell chickens to customers that won’t buy, and customers not able to buy chickens from sellers who don’t have any in stock. While we know this as “chicken and the egg”, it seems that not being able to buy chicken 买鸡 is a problem that Guangzhou residents now share with residents in Dongguan.

Haohao

Second Season of “A Bite of China” Hits the Airwaves

Posted: 04/21/2014 4:47 pm

a bite of china season two food foodie chinese cuisine documentaryOurs is a golden age of television: we are for lack of want from excellent television programming that has long supplanted films as the best artistic medium enjoyed by a mass audience.

However, unless you’re covered by the Emancipation Proclamation and Abraham Linked-into internet TV, we Chinese expats have been stuck with watching the same television shows: dating shows, Japanese resistance shows, and variety shows. Honestly though, there’s only so many sound effects we can handle before we reach for the remote.

That’s why it’s with great relief that the second season of A Bite of China has finally made it to public television. A breakout hit that appeals to Chinese and Western audiences, A Bite of China is a suave documentary that tells not only the story of Chinese cuisine, but the people who make it.

Heavily comprised of quick edits and close-ups that will have even the most jaded foodie salivating, A Bite of China deftly interweaves its themes with the many subjects of the shows into a unifying narrative that offers compelling television.

a bite of china season two food foodie chinese cuisine documentary

It’s with no short supply of praise that we commend A Bite of China as China’s best modern-day cultural export (yes, even better than 12 Girls Band or Donnie Yen). Called “舌尖上的中国” in Chinese, A Bite of China showcases China’s most assessible cultural component—its cuisine—and displays it without any political overtones. While there are many topics the show won’t touch upon, the show is able to transcend borders by telling stories that are about individuals, not an entire country.

The majority of the characters detailed in A Bite of China are rural residents who take great pains to preserve their way of life, and yet are barely managing to get by. The pride felt when the documentary finally focuses in upon one’s region rivals the guilt of knowing these people have it much worse in the real world.

If the show has a bias, it’s that young people from the cities aren’t familiar with Chinese culture and can’t cook. Weirdly, this may also explain why there is such a huge audience for this well-hyped show in China.

If you’ve missed out on season one of A Bite of China, have a watch on Youtube below (English dub here). The current season is not yet provided with English subtitles, or available for online viewing.

A Bite of China airs tonight at 6pm on CCTV-2, and will be shown on many consecutive rebroadcasts.

UPDATE April 22, 2014: The second season of A Bite of China is available to watch online! Here is the first episode, but without English subtitles:


Photo: Baidushm.com.cn

Haohao

Rent-a-mourner: Hiring Filial Substitutes for Qingming Festival

Posted: 04/8/2014 1:13 pm

qingming replacement filial piety

To be a good Chinese, you must be filial towards your elders. While this means providing parents with grandchildren so they still feel relevant, this also means worshiping and remembering your deceased relatives and ancestors on the annual festival specific to filial piety, Qingming (清明节).

But Qingming isn’t just about reminiscing about your extended family like a feel-good recap of a Chinese “Family Ties” (80′s entrepreneur Alex P. Keaton FTW). It’s hard work. Memorials for Tomb Sweeping Festival are held at graves which can be located at the tops of hills; while you compete for position among throngs of other Qingmingers, you’re out there in the pouring rain while stuck in huge traffic jams like the one we had this year that included 80,000 cars and 18 clogged highways.

*SPEAKS DIRECTLY INTO CAMERA* “If only there was an easier way!”

If the enterprising spirit found on Taobao is any indication, you can now comfortably worship your ancestors from the leisure of your own home, catamaran, or jacuzzi. All it takes is for you to hire someone to perform all of your Qingming duties for you.

What only served as a wacky plot device from the Ge You vehicle “Personal Tailor” (2013) is now a service for hire on Taobao. Competing outlets will offer to perform for you such Qingming duties such as tomb sweeping the, lighting of incense, bowing, the reading of a memorial speech, tomb decoration, and picture taking. Nandu reported that there are 58 such online services at varying prices to be found on Taobao in areas covering the entire country.

The proprietor of one such online shop, a Mr Lei, says that his line of work is often misunderstood to the point that a former girlfriend once left him due to these circumstances. Mr Let said he has been doing this job for four years and fondly recalls once helping a family that were located overseas:

The entire family knelt in front of the computer (on Skype) and cried towards the grave marker for a long time. At that time, I cried as well… We don’t do this purely to make money, but instead do this to help those friends who are inconvenienced and are not able to return home.

Here at the Nanfang, we’re always interested in being the most filial we can be, so a brief search for “tomb sweeping replacement services” on Taobao turned up the following results:

For 500 yuan, you can get this guy to bow at your ancestor’s grave:qingming replacement filial piety

This guy will show up in a suit:qingming replacement filial piety

Or you can opt for this service, strangely promoted by using a picture of Rosa and Karen Peralta mourning at the grave of Marine Corps Sgt. Rafael Peralta at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetary in San Diego, California:qingming replacement filial piety

You can still be that filial son you’ve always meant to be as you tee off on the golf range, or that doting daughter as you go browsing for luxury goods. And to prove that you’re extra filial, you can always buy your ancestors a trending paper Phone or tablet to burn instead of the traditional “hell money”.

Photo: Taobao, (1, 2, 3)

Haohao

Guangzhou school principal wants his female students to wear qipao

Posted: 03/27/2013 10:00 am

The principal of the 81 year-old True Light Middle School in Guangzhou has proposed a new rule saying girls must wear qipao, a traditional Chinese skin-tight dress, in class. The principal, Xun Wanxiang, said the move would help the school produce more elegant female graduates, Guangzhou Daily reported on its microblog.

Qipao, courtesy of Baidu images

Some netizens support the move. One said: “In the future, people can send their daughters there to be educated and send their sons there to chase girls.” But certain others questioned the connection between having class and wearing a qipao.

The qipao, also known as the cheongsam, was popularized in Shanghai in the 1920s when the elegant socialites of the day took to wearing it.

There are four True Light Schools in Hong Kong. Last year, a trip was organized for students from the SAR schools to retrace their schools’ roots in Liwan District.

Haohao

Everybody get wet! Dongguan set for annual water fight on March 13

Posted: 03/6/2013 7:00 am

If you’re going out in Dongguan’s Dongkeng Village on March 13 make sure your electronic devices are stored away and whatever you do, don’t wear white. On the second day of the second month of every lunar year, the city marks Body Selling Day (not what you think it is), of which the water fights are now the main part.

According to Baidu Baike, in ancient times peasants in what is now Dongguan would present themselves in the town square on this day to meet the gods. By the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), a custom had developed in which those who did not own land would appear in the public square and bow down wearing bamboo hats. Those who owned land would come along and select who to employ for a year, hence the name Body Selling Day.

For reasons that this author cannot quite fathom, the main feature of the modern manifestation of Body Selling Day is a massive water fight in Dongkeng Village. The locals will make a killing from selling water pistols and water balloons, Dongguan Deputy Culture Minister Liu Cheng told Southern Metropolis Daily.

Remember what colour not to wear

Apparently it is good luck to both soak others and to be soaked. People form teams and it gets quite strategic. For obvious reasons, people wearing white are particularly popular targets.

Join a team if you don’t want to end up on the receiving end of this kind of treatment

The tradition is part of Guangdong Province’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, so if you soak an expat on that day, just tell them you are providing them with a free cultural experience.

Haohao

Qingming goes hi-tech with iPhones and online tomb sweeping

Posted: 04/2/2012 6:54 pm


Two more days until Qingming Festival, and have you seen some of the new divine swag being sold for the burning this year?

Apparently iPads are now so popular in China that even people’s ancestors want some—in paper, at least; Shenzhen Special Zone Daily (SSZD) is just one of many media outlets that have reported on this new spiritual trend, noting that ‘Qingming sections’ carrying the faux gadgets and other fashionable worshipping supplies have started popping up through the PRD in supermarkets, street markets and even shops dealing in Buddhist goods.

It’s also worth noting that one explanation for these advancements in “technology” are driven in part by a growing awareness of China’s cultural heritage in recent years. People now pay more attention to their ancestors than was given up until just a few years ago, with the result that novel paper items for burning during Qingming appear constantly.

More traditional offering items include paper money, paper designer clothes, well-known brands printed on high-quality paper, even miniature paper posh villas, dim sum desserts and mah jong sets meant for use in the afterlife.

The iPhone 4S, SMD writes is one of the most popular items this year and quickly disappeared off shelves. Not only do they look convincing with the amount of detail put in to crafting them, but the devices also include authentic looking packaging, with chargers, headphones, USB cables and Apple-style wireless keyboards included.

Buying/burning these kinds of fashionable paper electronics for ancestors, people say, is a way to let them stay up to date with advancements in society.

Also new is the practice of tomb sweeping online—just as effective without all the carbon emissions. No word though if your ancestors will receive a notification on their new handheld device once you finish paying your virtual respects.

Haohao
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