Fight Breaks Out On Shanghai Subway Over Seat

Shanghai subway fight
Shanghai subway, Line 8. These women's Shanghainese accents are much too thick for me to understand, but the younger lady, who appears to be the daughter of the woman in red, seems to accuse the woman in black of trying to squeeze into her mom's seat. A loud argument ensues, during which the woman in black shakes a wallet. Read more »

Announcing: Chug-Off For Charity Raffle Sponsored By That’s Beijing

That's Beijing raffle
Our good friends at That's Beijing are giving us not one, not two, but five prizes to raffle away at Saturday's Chug-Off for Charity. As with the contestant fees, all proceeds are headed to Magic Hospital. Tickets will be priced at 10 yuan, though if you buy five, we'll throw in an extra one for free. What can you win, you ask? Read more »

Dispatches From Xinjiang: Aspirational Desire, Migrant Masculinity And “Dao Lang”

Dao Lang pt 2 - Lover
Luo Lin’s voice and melodies are extremely catchy. In a true sense of the term, he catalyzes -- that is, he channels energy toward, and thereby accelerates -- an aspirational ethos for many migrant workers in Northwest China. Last week I wrote about those who resist his catalytic charge by jealously guarding their indigenous cultural heritage. Yet, clearly, critiquing Luo Lin’s “Dao Lang” persona does not deny the very real force of his voice. He is an immensely talented performer; he has proved himself to be very adept at tuning in to desires particular to a Chinese rendering of an alien environment inhabited by displaced people. Read more »