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Ask Mei

Questions about Chinese culture

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Female billionaires

What accounts for the rise of Chinese women in the business world?
Apr 3, 2020 (WiC 489)

In one of my earlier columns (see WiC375), I lauded Chinese women in general as being “intelligent, resilient, hard-working and resourceful”. I also quoted data showing the strong participation of women in the private sector of the Chinese ...

Fang Fang, a voice from Wuhan

Lockdown tales attract 62 million netizens despite censorship
Mar 20, 2020 (WiC 487)

I first came across Fang Fang, a Wuhan-based writer, two years ago for her novel Soft Burial, which had been banned in China but which was circulating online. It is a captivating and heart-wrenching story about a landlord family in rural Shanxi ...

Three telling phrases

Ancient wisdom and the Chinese reaction to Covid-19
Feb 28, 2020 (WiC 484)

Since the lockdown of Hubei province, the epicentre of the Covid-19 crisis, I have been following the spread of the epidemic closely and exchanging information with friends and relatives across mainland China.

My views on Japan, part two

Takeaways from a recent trip to the land of the rising sun
Nov 29, 2019 (WiC 476)

Four years ago in this column I explained the love-hate relationship between China and Japan (see WiC288). During my recent trip to Nara and Tokyo – the ancient and current capitals of Japan – I found that Chinese appreciation of all things ...

Why I argue with my mother

Two different views on being outspoken in China
May 31, 2019 (WiC 454)

As the youngest and sweetest of three siblings (my brother and sister may disagree on the latter adjective), I have always been my mother’s favourite. Growing up in the shadows of my confident and bossy sister, I was lucky to have a mother who ...

When men mess up, blame the women

Chauvinism in China
May 3, 2019 (WiC 450)

As an ancient civilisation with a strong Confucian influence, China has not been very fair to women through its history. Hong Yan Huo Shui (红颜祸水) or “Women are like disastrous water” was a popular idiom through the ages and numerous ...

Beauty in China

Why do Zara's and Vogue's models spark controversy in China?
Mar 15, 2019 (WiC 444)

The recent controversy over Zara’s cosmetic ads and Vogue’s choice of a ‘unique-looking’ model has rekindled the debate on what is considered beautiful in China. Many netizens alleged that the Spanish brand’s choice of a heavily ...

Farewell to a China expert

Roderick MacFarquhar passed away at 88
Feb 22, 2019 (WiC 441)

When I got the news that Roderick MacFarquhar, Professor of History and Political Science, and formerly Director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University, had passed away at 88 during the Lunar New Year holiday, my first ...

Trump’s wall of Chinese supporters

Takeaways from a survey of Chinese in America
Jan 18, 2019 (WiC 437)

As the US federal government suffers the longest shutdown in its history, I did a survey among my Chinese friends on their views on the reason for the current stalemate: Trump’s Wall.

Deciphering CCTV’s evening news
Aug 31, 2018 (WiC 422)

While preparing for a talk at the local Italian Chamber of Commerce on China’s media landscape, I came across a slide introducing tier-one national media outlets, which includes CCTV (China Central Television). One of the interesting features ...

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