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Brush Strokes

Why do so many products feature Union Jacks in China?
Oct 26, 2018 (WiC 429)

I have lived in Hong Kong all my life and travelled to mainland China many times (in fact I’m spending this school year boarding in Hangzhou). I notice that among all the national flags in the world, there is one that is more prevalent than any ...

Spot the minister
Jun 9, 2017 (WiC 369)

In the early days of imperial China, iron and salt were the most profitable commodities. Iron could be forged into armour and weapons, then used to expand a ruler’s territory. Salt could be used to preserve food and give nutrition to a vast ...

Mountain fortress
May 27, 2016 (WiC 326)

Shanzhai translates literally as ‘mountain fortress’ – the name for a remote stronghold used by bandits to stockpile contraband and ill-gotten gains. Over time its usage has evolved. Retaining its connotation of illegality and ...

Grandson
May 10, 2013 (WiC 192)

On April 2, Deng Zhuodi, grandson of former Chinese Premier and reformer Deng Xiaoping, was appointed deputy magistrate of Pingguo County in Guangxi. Deng, a 28 year-old graduate of Duke University and of Beijing University Law School, soon ...

Corruption
Jun 8, 2012 (WiC 153)

Fubai is a two-character word for corruption. It is a cornucopia of meaning, having within it the character for ‘government’, for ‘meat’, and also of a hand breaking a ding, or ancient ceremonial pot, with a stick. Later, the object ...

The rich and powerful
Mar 9, 2012 (WiC 141)

Chinese netizens were shocked last week to read that the richest 70 members of their legislature, the National People’s Congress, were extremely ‘fu’ 富 or ‘wealthy’. They added more to their wealth last year than the total ...

'Control' is the word of 2011
Jan 6, 2012 (WiC 133)

No surprises, perhaps, that last year’s Chinese word of the year was ‘control’, or kong 控, according to the 2011 Chinese Word Inventory, an annual survey sponsored by the Commercial Press, as well as the China Linguistics Resource (a ...

Coward
Nov 25, 2011 (WiC 130)

When a drunken, uniformed security official burst into a Shenzhen home in October, the homeowner, Yang Wu, fled to the next room in terror. The official then raped Yang’s wife as he cowered nearby. For failing to even try to prevent the ...

Struggle
Nov 11, 2011 (WiC 128)

Life in China is a struggle – at least that’s what the government says, repeatedly. “Struggle” or fendou is a favourite word of officialdom, a verb rooted in revolution that colours the language, shaping people’s thinking ...

Character of the year
Jan 7, 2011 (WiC 90)

The Chinese character zhang (涨), which means ‘rise’, has been voted “Character of the Year” for 2010. In an internet poll published on Tianya.cn, a popular web portal, 40% of the 7,563 respondents voted for it, beating other ...

Brush Strokes

Spot the minister Jun 9, 2017 (WiC 369) In the early days of imperial China, iron and salt were the most profitable commodities. Iron could be forged into armour and weapons, then used to expand a ruler’s territory. Salt could be used to preserve food and give nutrition to a vast ...

Mountain fortress May 27, 2016 (WiC 326) Shanzhai translates literally as ‘mountain fortress’ – the name for a remote stronghold used by bandits to stockpile contraband and ill-gotten gains. Over time its usage has evolved. Retaining its connotation of illegality and ...

Grandson May 10, 2013 (WiC 192) On April 2, Deng Zhuodi, grandson of former Chinese Premier and reformer Deng Xiaoping, was appointed deputy magistrate of Pingguo County in Guangxi. Deng, a 28 year-old graduate of Duke University and of Beijing University Law School, soon ...

Corruption Jun 8, 2012 (WiC 153) Fubai is a two-character word for corruption. It is a cornucopia of meaning, having within it the character for ‘government’, for ‘meat’, and also of a hand breaking a ding, or ancient ceremonial pot, with a stick. Later, the object ...

The rich and powerful Mar 9, 2012 (WiC 141) Chinese netizens were shocked last week to read that the richest 70 members of their legislature, the National People’s Congress, were extremely ‘fu’ 富 or ‘wealthy’. They added more to their wealth last year than the total ...

'Control' is the word of 2011 Jan 6, 2012 (WiC 133) No surprises, perhaps, that last year’s Chinese word of the year was ‘control’, or kong 控, according to the 2011 Chinese Word Inventory, an annual survey sponsored by the Commercial Press, as well as the China Linguistics Resource (a ...

Coward Nov 25, 2011 (WiC 130) When a drunken, uniformed security official burst into a Shenzhen home in October, the homeowner, Yang Wu, fled to the next room in terror. The official then raped Yang’s wife as he cowered nearby. For failing to even try to prevent the ...

Struggle Nov 11, 2011 (WiC 128) Life in China is a struggle – at least that’s what the government says, repeatedly. “Struggle” or fendou is a favourite word of officialdom, a verb rooted in revolution that colours the language, shaping people’s thinking ...

Character of the year Jan 7, 2011 (WiC 90) The Chinese character zhang (涨), which means ‘rise’, has been voted “Character of the Year” for 2010. In an internet poll published on Tianya.cn, a popular web portal, 40% of the 7,563 respondents voted for it, beating other ...