Why Is The Beijinger So Callous Toward Sanlitun Drug Dealers?

Foreigners arrested in Beijing Sanlitun drug bust 2
Because it's politically expedient to do so -- proven by Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, etc., to work -- Beijing conducted a drug investigation that recently culminated in a bust of street-level slingers in Sanlitun. This news doesn't affect the vast majority of Beijingers, foreign or local, which is to say, there's little reason any of us should cheer. If anything, we should cringe, knowing these "crackdowns" almost always disproportionately affect those on society's fringes who are most powerless to defend themselves.

The Beijinger’s 10th Annual Reader Restaurant Awards: Basically Unnoteworthy, But Thanks For The Free Beer!

The Beijinger 10th Annual Reader Restaurant Awards
One thing I learned about getting invited to a the Beijinger awards ceremony is you first have to leave Beijing. During my four-year tenure here, I never received an invite. Just three months after I made the move to Hangzhou, I was chosen to be an official nominator. Sure, why not. Months later, as an... Read more »

Another Case Of Satire Lost In Translation… Or Is It? Netizens Slam The Beijinger Columnist George Ding

George Ding
George Ding, the Beijinger’s backpage columnist, has provided us the latest example of why humor articles should never be translated. His recent column, “Why I’m Coming Back To China,” is an attempt at satire, and it wasn’t exactly well received by the Beijinger’s readers, some who didn’t get it (“Is George Ding thebeijinger’s racist-in-residence?”) and... Read more »

Brains And Beer Chug-Offs At The Beijinger Super Quiz

the Beijinger Super Quiz winners
Thanks to everyone who came out tonight for the Beijinger’s Super Quiz to benefit Ping An Medical Foster Home. The event raised 28,000 yuan last year, and I’m sure the Beijinger will be around soon to tell you how we did this time around. Congratulations to the winners, Girls with Low Self-Esteem, pictured above (host Jonathan White... Read more »

Test Your Trivia Prowess At The Beijinger’s Charity Super Quiz This Sunday

the Beijinger's Super Quiz
If you’re in Beijing and like pub quizzes, the place to be this Sunday is the Hilton for the Beijinger’s 4th annual Super Quiz. (Disclosure: I run a quiz in Beijing, and will be presenting questions on Sunday for the third straight year.) Event organizers are asking interested parties to email or call ahead of time to reserve... Read more »

Some Asshole Poured Beer On Residence A’s Lead Singer In The Middle Of An Awesome Performance At 2 Kolegas On Saturday

Residence A beer poured on him featured image
The Beijinger's New Festival Showcase at 2 Kolegas on Saturday mostly proved to be your standard gathering of drunken expats, except it produced one hell of a musical highlight: Residence A, a Beijing staple we featured in an Outro earlier this month, giving what I thought was the performance of the night around 8:30 pm. Reasonable music fans will disagree, and I admit I didn't catch every act, but the energy was noticeably different with these guys on stage, to say nothing of musical phrasing and general ability.

The Only Review Of The Beijinger Awards Party You’re Ever Likely To Read

At the Beijinger awards party 2012
Holding the party in the open air of Sanlitun Soho and suggesting “beachwear” as a dress code was clearly pivotal: the signal for Beijing’s really quite impressively large douchebag population to give full vent to their oeuvre of tics and mores. “Dress code? Dude… I was wearing this Hawaiian shirt with oversized aviators, four days’ beard growth and a jaunty pork-pie hat when I woke up!” We arrive just after four. Upon entering the “gate,” there was a kind, red reminder for all foreigners that there is a crackdown going on for the next 100 years, that undercover police would be among the crowd and that the magazine would not be held responsible for any problems that ensued. Always the best way to get the party started.