The Confusion that is Chinese Money.

I know, it makes no sense but here it is- the breakdown of what is what in Chinese money (and their US equivalents):


Renminbi (RMB)- the System of currency. (Equivalent term: USD.)
Yuan- Unit of the RMB (Equivalent term: Dollar.)
Kuai- The same as Yuan, only spoken. (Equivalent term: Buck.)
Jiao- United of RMB, 10 jiao= 1 yuan. (Equivalent term: Dime.)
Mao- The same as Jiao, only spoken. (Equivalent term: Dime.)
Fen- Unit of RMB, 10 fen= 1 jiao. (Equivalent term: Penny.)


It gets confusing since all most all of these units come in both coins and bills. And even more confusing when the clerk says “shi kuai wu” which means “10 kuai 5” so…5 what? ...Fen? …Mao? …Jiao? …Jiao is a small bill with a number 1 on it, …but so is the fen- but the jiao is worth 10 fen!... but no one ever uses fen so why do they have them!? And I suddenly am not sure if my Chinese buns are worth the hassle.


For more details check out this great article explaining it all better than I ever could on BBC… Why All the Names?

Why Bother Traveling?

Traveling is a pain- it really is. It is a process that can easily consume days as we shift from crammed cars to long lines to shrinking airplane seats to mini-bathrooms back to even less leg room and into dim hotels. The entire event sounds horrible.
I recently read a blog post that explained, better than I ever could, the benefits of traveling. It goes beyond the thrill of the unkonwn and explanis how travel can be an asset for your everyday life.

"...When we escape from the place we spend most of our time, the mind is suddenly made aware of all those errant ideas we'd previously suppressed. We start thinking about obscure possibilities that never would have occurred to us. Furthermore, this more relaxed sort of cognition comes with practical advantages, especially when we're trying to solve difficult problems.
...Our thoughts are shackled by the familiar. The brain is a neural tangle of near infinite possibility, which means that it spends alot of time and energy choosing what not to notice. As a result, creativity is traded away for efficiency; we think in literal prose, not symbolist poetry. A bit of distance, however, helps loosen the chains of cognition, making it easier to see something new in the old; the mundane is grasped from a slightly more abstract perspective.
Accordingto the researchers, the experience of another culture endows us with a valuable open-mindedness, making it easier to realize that a single thing can have multiple meanings. Consider the act of leaving food on the plate: in China, this is often seen as a compliment, a signal that the host has provided enough to eat. But in America the same act is a subtle insult, an indication that the food wasn't good enough to finish.
Such cultural contrasts mean that seasoned travelers are alive to ambiguity, more willing to realize that there are different (and equally valid) ways of interpreting the world...This increased creativity appears to be a side-effect of difference: we need to change cultures, to experience the disorienting diversity of human traditions. The same details that make foreign travel so confusing--Do I tip the waiter? Where is this train taking me?--turn out to have a lasting impact, making us more creative because we're less insular. We're reminded of all that we don't know, which is nearly everything; we're surprised by the constant stream of surprises.
So let's not pretend that travel is always fun, or that we endure the jet lag for pleasure. We don't spend ten hours lost in the Louvre because we like it, and the view from the top of Machu Picchu probably doesn't make up for the hassle of lostluggage. (More often than not, I need a vacation after my vacation.) We travel because we need to, because distance and difference are the secret tonic of creativity. When we get home, home is still the same. But something in our mind has been changed, and that changes everything."

You can find the entire post here, it is actually an awesome science/psychology blog: "Why We Travel" By Jonah Lehrer

Dragon Boat Festival: Tradition.

I have been doing a lot of research about the upcoming Dragon boat festival and have learned, through a combination of my Chinese colleagues and the internet, quite a few things about what I should expect. Thought I would share some of the broader traditions and keep you updated on my personal experience after the festival next week...

EAT: The traditional food for the Dragon Boat Festival is the Zong zi- 粽子. This is a rice ball, with various fillings, that is wrapped in corn, bamboo or reed leaves. The fillings can be egg, bean paste, dates, fruits, sweet potato, walnuts, mushrooms, meat, or a combination of them. They are generally steamed, mixed with rice and wrapped in the green bamboo leaves in a triangular shape, then tied with bright colored string.

PLAY: Dragon Boat races are the most exciting part of the festival, drawing entire towns of spectators. Dragon Boats are generally brightly painted and decorated canoes. Ranging anywhere from 40 to 100 feet in length, their bows are shaped like open-mouthed dragons. Depending on the length, up to 80 rowers can power the boat. A drummer and flag-catcher stand at the front of the boat. Before a dragon boat enters competition, it must be "Brought to Life" by painting the eyes in a sacred ceremony. Races can have any number of boats competing, but the winner is the first team to grab a flag at the end of the course.

Recently, dragon boat racing has developed into an aquatic sport in both Chinese tradition and the modern sporting world. In 1980, it was listed into the state sports competition programs and has been held every year since. (The award is called "Qu Yuan Cup.") Annual races take place all over China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and other overseas Chinese communities- Including Denver, CO!

WORK: The day of the week that the festival is held on varies every year. This year (2010) it is a Wednesday.

The day of the festival is a National Holiday and all businesses are closed, but only for the one day of the festival. So if it is in the middle of the week, like this year, then people would not be able to go home for the festival because they would be working the day before and the day after. To solve this, the Government literally “moves the weekend” so that you have Monday and Tuesday off and are able to travel home, pumping more money into the economy. As a result of the “moved weekend” the 2 work days that you have off (Monday and Tuesday) are moved to Saturday and Sunday. So in short, we work on Saturday and Sunday to earn out Monday-Wednesday off. Crazy…

WEAR: During the Festival, parents dress their children with a perfume pouch for luck. They first sew little bags made with colorful silk cloth, then fill the bags with perfumes or herbal medicines, and string them with silk threads. The perfume pouch is hung around the neck or tied to the front of the child’s clothes as an ornament. They are said to be able to ward off evil and bring luck for the coming year. The markets around Beijing have been popping with bright colors from these little bags that are for sale on every street corner- along with zong zi.

Dragon Boat Festival: The Ledgend.

TALE:

At the end of the Zhou Dynasty (221BC - 206BC) there was a wise man from a humble family who had risen to be respected by local leaders. His name was Qu Yuan and he was loved by the people of China.

His Dynasty was challenged by the powerful state of Qin. His King was offered a deal with the large Qin State in exchange for their support and cooperation. Qu Yuan advised against this, saying that their people would be overtaken. Yet the King chose to sign a treaty with the the Qin State. Because of his lack of support for his king, Qu was sent into exile.
While in exile, the Qin State overthrew Qu’s State. He felt so helpless and responsible for the downfall of his people that he killed himself. This was on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in 278 B.C., when he grasped a large rock and threw himself into the Miluo River.
Local fisherman raced to their boats to recover his body, beating drums and splashing their paddles on the water to scare away the fish and evil spirits. Locals began throwing rice in the water in an effort to keep the fish from devouring Qu Yuan's body.
Many nights later the spirit of Qu Yuan appeared before his friends. He asked his people to wrap their rice into three-cornered silk packages to ward off the dragon, the controller of all water, that lived in the river. These packages became a traditional food of the festival known as Zong zi.
Every year people remember Qu Yuan and his love of his country by holding Dragon boat races and eating Zong zi.

OTHER FUN TIDBITS:

• In order to show his love and passion for his country, while in exile Qu began writing poems about his country and people and is now regarded as a famous poet in Chinese history.He is said to have inspired much of the Romantic movement of Chinese art, including the Sao style of verse.
• In Chinese the Dragon Boat Festival is called the Duanwu Festival- 端午节/端午節. Since it is held on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, many refer to it as the “Double fifth.”
• Though the original Zong zi were wrapped in silk, they are now wrapped in reed leaves.
• The festival is held during summer when diseases can be prevalent, so people clean their houses and put mugwort leaves and calamus on the top of the doors to help prevent disease spreading. It is said that the stem and the leaves of these plants give off a special aroma which can repel mosquitoes and flies and help purify the air.

A Faded Memory

The Great Wall winding down the ridges of Simatai.

The steps to the peak of Jinshanling.

The crumbling path.

The World’s Most Dangerous Place: Our Own Imagination?

I recently read an article about misconceptions. It was about how they can be broadly cast over vast geographical areas tainting our view and desire, or lack there of, to travel and learn more about a people/religion/culture/location. I found this very interesting...
"The World’s Most Dangerous Place: Our Own Imagination?"

TGIF!

Just like working in America, you bond with your colleagues. So what better way to welcome new coworkers and celebrate the weekend than with a Friday afternoon party!

This is my office and some coworkers. On the right hand side with the microphone is Vicky, our HR manager who is introducing our new staff.

Note the food on the table: pistachios, apples, tofu, green beans, and beer. With all the Chinese beer choices they pick Corona. I must admit, we are flattered, Corona is a bit of a luxury here, thanks boss!

Nooks & Crannies.

A broken path to a, at one time, watch tower in Simatai.

A cup of tea waiting on the wall.

An aged section of a guard tower with a mountain view out the window.