Remaining in Beijing during the Spring Festival holidays may be something to consider next year now that local authorities are proposing a ban on all fireworks within the city's Fifth Ring Road.

The draft resolution was introduced last Friday and is now accepting public opinions, said the Legislative Affairs Office of the Beijing Municipal People's Government.

The proposed law coincides with fireworks fallingout of favor with the Beijing public, falling victim to increased regulations, dropping sales and a greater awareness over their impact to the environment. 

Last year, firecracker sales experienced a 31 percent year-on-year drop in sales, signifying a 74 percent decrease from 12 years ago. Local firework retailers dropped from 2,418 in 2010 to just 511 in 2017, while customers were forced to provide registration when buying large quanities.

Meanwhile, a spokespereson from the municipal department of environmental protection said firecracker use during Chinese New Year is responsible for 2-4 days of severe pollution, an amount specified by a spokesperson from legislative office as being PM 2.5 levels averaging between 74-118 micrograms per cubic meter.

In 2015, PM 2.5 levels recorded in Xizhimen on the fifth day of the Lunar calendar exceeded 1,000 particles per square meter.

Despite acknowleging their role in annual traditions, Beijingers are turning their backs on fireworks. This past spring, a poll showed that 82.9 percent of Beijingers have no intention of setting off fireworks this year, a rise from 76.5 percent when the same question was asked a year before.

For everyone else, there's still a way to get the most bang for your buck. The proposed law would allow fireworks outside Beijing's Fifth Ring Road, but subject their use to restrictions imposed by local municipalities.

The Beijing government overturned a 13-year ban on fireworks in 2005, allowing city residents to use them under certain time and location restrictions. Beijing residents were only allowed to set off fireworks if air pollution conditions allowed for it, and even then were restricted to tightly-regulated opportunities.

READ: Throwback Thursday: Feb 9, 2009, the CCTV Tower Hotel Burns, Still No Opening in Sight

Local firework use came under heavy scrutiny in 2009 when an illegal fireworks display caused the CCTV Hotel Tower to catch on fire, killing one firefighter, but did not lead to any sale restrictions the following year.

More stories from this author here.

Twitter: @Sinopath
E-mail: charlesliu1@qq.com

Images: Nanrenwo, fwwall, 51danei

It's a common problem: you've just hopped off your bike after a long ride, just summited a mountain after a hard morning's hiking or just finished a sweaty workout at the gym and you want to reward yourself without undoing all of your hard work. While we can't stop you (nor would we blame you) from immediately heading to Great Leap for a double cheeseburger, now there is at least one more healthy option to steer you away from temptation following the Beijing launch of Kunming-based natural energy bar brand Dali Bars. 

Dali Bars are the brainchild of long-term Yunnan residents Colin Flahive (if you've ever spent time in Kunming you might have visited his popular coffee shop and restaurant, Salvador's) and Kris Ariel, who met in Dali in 2002. The pair were disappointed with the types of snacks available on the market, and found few were tasty, convenient, nutritious and all-natural. They began making experimental batches of Dali Bars in the kitchen of their café in Kunming, gradually perfecting their recipes and eventually being approached by a factory interested in helping them take production to the next level.

The Chinese characters in Dali Bar’s name mean “enhance power”. Colin and Kris chose the name as a pun on the city of Dali in Yunnan, where they had originally opened Salvador's. The brand's philosophy is that nature provides the best energy to power your body and as such the bars are made with only whole nuts, seeds, and dried fruits with no added sugar in order to provide a stable source of energy that doesn't cause spikes in blood sugar.

Most of the ingredients they use are imported, such as almonds and cranberries from the US and dates from the UAE. However, in order to be more sustainable, they are looking to source more ingredients from China and have already started using organic hemp seeds from Shilin County in eastern Yunnan and organic flax seeds from Dalian. 

The bars come in five flavors – fig-hempseed, cacao-almond, ginger-cashew, apple pie, and cranberry-coconut – all of which are available to purchase from branches of Jenny Lou's, Jenny Wang's, and April Gourmet across Beijing. Alternatively, if the general ease of delivery in China has made you too lazy to leave the house, the bars can also be purchased via Dali Bars' official Taobao store or their Weidian (RMB 13.5 for an individual bar, RMB 78 for a pack of six). 

I tried all the bars (I know, I know, the sacrifices we make for our readers ...) and my favorites are definitely the ginger-cashew, which has a fairly strong, spicy ginger flavor, and the apple pie, which is one of the sweeter ones thanks to the addition of apple alongside the dates that appear in all of the bars.

Asked about what motivates the team to keep pushing forward with Dali Bars and how they picture the future of the company, partner and marketing manager Dan Siekman says: “I think China is just at the front end of the sort of lifestyle-induced public health nightmare that has been afflicting other countries to various extents for many decades. Given how fast everything happens here, maybe there’s some hope that in five years, the nation will already be starting to collectively come out the other side and start spending more time and effort on cultivating healthy habits and reducing mental and physical stresses. Hopefully, by giving people some tools to support habits of physical activity and balanced nutrition we can be a part of that.”

However, the company's vision goes beyond simple healthy eating, as Colin explains in a video on the Dali Bars website. "My hope is that Dali Bar can become something more than just a sustainable business. We want to empower our customers with the ability to help better our planet in their small way, so we have partnered with One Percent for the Planet, which means that one percent of our sales go to conservation projects throughout Yunnan.”

More stories by this author here.

Instagram: @gongbaobeijing
Twitter: @gongbaobeijing
Weibo: @宫保北京

Photos courtesy of Dali Bars, Robynne Tindall

Hiking on the Great Wall may just be one of the most life-affirming activities you can do in Beijing. Up on the Wall, the sheer scale and majesty of the twists and turns it takes through Beijing's northern bucolic hills will take your breath away in more ways than one. What can be particularly exciting is getting completely lost, running out of water, and begging the only people you've seen for kilometers for a little sip of their water to quench the thirst that will surely be the end of you (no comment).

To save you from the embarrassment and deep-seated stupidity one might feel after such an incident (again, no comment), Beijing Hikers have organized their fourth annual Hiking Festival, to take place on Saturday, September 9. The day-long event is divided into two options: the first is your run-of-the-mill Hike for Fun (also suitable for kids 7 years and up) dawdle through scenic flats, admiring the abundant birds and smelling the sweet pollen of flowers along the way.

The second, however, is a walk simply deemed "The Challenge." As if it couldn't sound any more ominous, but ominous it should be. This little lesson in backbreaking, knee-stomping, sweat-showering is just a little half-marathon up the Wall with over 1,000 meters of that uphill. If that's not enough, you can extend it to 30km if you're willing to scrabble your aching carcass up and over mountains using only the bloody nubs you used to call fingers.

All joking aside, the Hiking Festival is a safe chance to get out of the city, do some exercise, and enjoy the Wall in completely different light through the help of knowledgeable guides that have been in the excursion business for over 15 years. It's also a great chance to meet like-minded people who revel in the great outdoors, setting you up with travel buddies for whenever you feel the sudden an inescapable need to flee Beijing's cold, gray (but super-fun!) heart.

All you need to do is sign up for the festival before September 1 and Beijing Hikers will take care of all the rest, including transport to and from the wall from the Beijing Agricultural Center, water, assigned support staff, and snacks to replenish your energy. The Hike for Fun costs RMB 500 whereas The Challenge is RMB 700.

Best yet, the Beijinger is the media sponsor for the event and we have six individual tickets to give away to you lucky readers. For your chance to win, simply answer this question: When did Beijing Hikers begin organizing hikes and expeditions around China?

Simply send your answer to win@truerun.com before Sunday, September 6, along with your name and phone number. We look forward to seeing you clambering up the Wall. Just please don't get upset if we lunge for your water.

More stories by this author here.

Email: tomarnstein@thebeijinger.com
WeChat: tenglish_
Instagram: @tenglish__

Images courtesy of Beijing Hikers

Throwback Thursday takes a look back into Beijing's past, using our nine-year-strong blog archives as the source for a glance at the weird and wonderful of yesteryear.

I doubt there will ever be a time when someone will look at their childhood pictures and not cover their mouth in embarrassment over their hair/pants/makeup/general lack of fashion cred. Well, it appears that the Beijinger is also not immune to such severe failings in taste, apparently suggesting that everyone should wear these, what were eight years ago the "hottest swimsuits on the market," and without nary a hint of sarcasm (sorry y'all). Let us heap scorn on our past selves with a closer look at what passed for beach wear in 2009.

Or so we thought. Seriously, we apologize to anyone who actually followed our advice and spent ridiculous sums of money (well, only RMB 5,270 for the shiny beauty above) on these incredibly noughties swimming garments. This little number was supposed to "turn heads." We can't imagine it would have helped when trying to score with a poolside crush. 

This dreamy turquoise combo was undoubtedly "hip" back in 2009, as was almost anything Billabong and Rip Curl. Unfortunately the word hip itself has even fallen out of favor in that very same amount of time. Ah, we are such fickle beings, us humans. I bet the girl wearing this was "the most popular girl in school." Would go well complimented with some clip-on, bright pink braids. 

This blue prize is exactly what "seductive from every angle" was. Oh, the simpler times of 2009! 

You may be holding on to your swimsuit from the last year of high school, comparing it to these pictures and trying to decide if it's still appropriate to wear – sorry, it probably isn't. Bin that. But look at what's in stores to pamper you and your wallet for the rest of the summer. Seems like fashion has moved on to slightly safer spaces and ditched the Technicolor dream for the seasons. Take our advice with caution though.

Monstera and other tropical leaves are in complete control of clothes, household items, stationery and accessories this summer. Why not look like one yourself with this piece from ZARA (RMB 229).

If summer came a tad too quickly and that beach body is still in the making, opt for one of these to keep all the extras out of sight and mind. If you are looking for even less visibility, look for a black one at H&M (RMB 299).

Remember what I said about tropical patterns? Ding ding ding, here they come. Even if we don't see palm trees through our windows and thick jungle air does not caress our foreheads in Beijing, we can still wear it. Forever 21 is having a sale (you can be a jungle babe for RMB 104.30 as of today) so you might as well grab two and go to the pool with your matching friend. Look at you, cuties. 

While it seems like this heatwave (can we just officially call it 'summer'. This heatwave has lasted for the past two months) will still torture our poor souls and sweat glands for a while, why not put some more layers on and ride the full-on Chinese beach wave with a Facekini. It's hot as hell anyway, how much worse can it get? With a slightly limited selection of natural (and not eat-your-skin toxic) bodies of water, there is always the worshiped Beijing pools. You might need to down a Margarita or two before dipping your toes in, either to build up immunity or so you won’t care about the unidentifiable, general grossness in the water. Splash away, you fabulous pool snowflakes!

Images: IB Times, WGSN

Bad news for Beijing: yet another international list of travel destinations has been announced, and Beijing is nowhere near it. Not only was Beijing not included among Travel + Leisure magazine's top 15 cities in the world, but it didn't even make the Top 10 cities in Asia. If it's any consolation, no Chinese city was included on either list. How long ago was the Olympics, and how long until they're held here again?

Not wanting to miss out on likely advertising revenue, T+L created a separate list of the top five hotels in Beijing, and we were a little surprised at the results.

The US travel rag explained the process by which this list was created: "Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe – to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities."

Coming in at number five is The Fairmont Beijing, with a total score of 91.74. Next is the Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial Street, a venue perhaps best known for its Sunday brunch at Senses. It scored 92.13. In third place is the newly-renovated Peninsula Hotel, which has received copious press for its USD 123-million makeover, with 93.67 points.

In second place came Sanlitun favorite The Opposite House, with 94.52. And with just 0.09 points more, the winner was Waldorf Astoria Beijing.

"In sprawling Beijing, location is everything, and the top-rated Waldorf Astoria’s central position alone makes it top choice. The hotel is just a few minutes’ walk to both the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, in the Wangfujing neighborhood. Plus, there are only 176 rooms, giving it a more intimate atmosphere that feels decidedly boutique – especially if you spring for the villa, which surrounds a garden courtyard and is inspired by traditional Chinese hutong neighborhoods. Readers also noted the exemplary staff, who are quick to suggest restaurants and shops that are off the beaten path,"T+L wrote.

We heart these hotels also, but we're a bit surprised not to find one name on this list: the Rosewood Hotel Beijing. Rosewood's location and relative newness have helped it place well on such lists in recent years. That it didn't appear at all in the top five is, like we said, a surprise.

Despite outpacing other local competitors, none of the five made the magazine's main list of the top 100 hotels in the world, which this year required a minimum score of 95.20 to be included. Again, no hotels from anywhere in China were included, which is also a surprise, considering that Hong Kong-based hotels almost always make such lists.

Photo: Waldorf Astoria Beijing/Travel+Leisure

Most of us are constantly battling the desire to shop online more. Check your office's front desk, and tell us: is there a single day when no parcel is delivered? It isn't just on 11.11 or Black Friday, Taobao and other shopping websites are really becoming an intrinsic part of our daily shopping habits. We know that Taobao and Tmall can be a tad difficult if you don't have your Alipay set up (click here to see how to set it up easily), and if you're too embarrassed to beg your friends to order for you, here’s a roundup of some alternative retail portals.

Or, if you've already seen everything on Taobao, there's always more shopping to be done on these platforms!

JD 京东
For: Everything

Maybe this is a bit of a controversial statement, but JD sometimes surpasses Taobao as our go-to online shopping website, thanks to its on-time delivery (sometimes too fast), trustworthy and high-quality products, and good value. You can get most of your daily necessities here – mineral water, snacks, soap, toilet paper, electronics (a new fridge, a new TV, phones, an Xbox; you name it, JD has it), and books. JD also has some pretty amazing deals. Normally, if you put your order in by 3pm, you can get the delivery on the same day, and there's a cash-on-delivery option.

READ: How to JD.com: Create an Account, Order a Fan (etc.), and Pay Cash On Delivery

Amazon 亚马逊 
For: Everything

Founded in 2000, Joyo was one of the earliest online shopping websites in China before it was bought by Amazon. It has a huge selection of books, software, food, clothing, cosmetics, and gifts, and is still your best bet for getting official ebooks for your Kindle. When some goods are out of stock on JD, Amazon is a good alternative at the same price. Since 2014, it has also offered the option of delivering goods from foreign Amazon websites directly to your doorstep in China. And as is the case in America, there's a Prime delivery service (RMB 188 per year) for unlimited free delivery and other privileges. Foreign credit cards are accepted, and you can also pay cash on delivery.

YHD 1号店
For: Groceries

If you consider Amazon your go-to source for all things entertainment, then YHD, or Yihaodian, is your online grocery store. Based in Shanghai, YHD has been around since 2008 when it was bought by Walmart, and has since 2016 it has belonged to JD. The things they sell are similar to the selection at Walmart, Carrefour, or your local neighborhood Jingkelong, and there’s no delivery fee if your purchase is over RMB 99. There are also cosmetics, clothing, and electronics, but the main reason we come here is for food.

Dangdang 当当
For: Books

Think of it as the alternative to Amazon for books. Before JD became popular, Dangdang was a head-to-head rival of Amazon when it came to online book shopping. Dangdang, which has been around since 1999, focuses on books and was the first B2C online shopping website to go public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2010, but due to poor sales after branching out to cover more categories, it was delisted in 2016.

Gome 国美/Suning 苏宁
For: Electronics

Started in 1981 (offline, of course) Gome was the first shop to sell domestic electronics in Beijing. It now has more than 1,600 stores operating in 256 of China's cities. Their online store opened in 2011, and mainly specializes in electronics such as phones, fridges, cameras, computers, TVs, and air conditioners.

Suning, somewhat similar to Gome, was first opened in Nanjing as a store selling air conditioning units. It now has over 1,600 stores in China. Both Suning and Gomes provide the order-online-and-pick-up service, as well as delivery with the option to pay upon receipt. These last two are really struggling under the successes of Taobao and JD, but they are alternatives for those who want to see and feel the product and then decide.

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure

Photos: instructables.com, JD, Dangdang, YHD, Gome, Suning, Giphy (1)

Beijing Beats brings you the best in Beijing nightlife each weekend. Its aim: to help you soothe the woes of a long and stressful week with some out-of-body gyrating and some experiences you'd rather forget come Monday. Check the weekend's full list of nightlife events here.

Friday, August 4

Shogun
This hotly buzzed trance and progressive DJ was ranked among the world's best turn table stars on DJ Mag's annual poll. Born and raised in America, Shogun Taiwanese heritage and has played at many of the top clubs around the world. Aside from his DJing prowess, fans also enjoy Shogun's numerous remixes for Armin Van Buuren. 10pm. Elements

Saturday, August 5

Club Paradise
Get properly sauced with Club Paradise DJs Saucy, Chloe and Mooke-She for a night of open bar boozin and disco groovin at Blue Marlin. Open bar is just RMB 88 all night! 10pm. Blue Marlin

Renowned German experimental techno label Raster-Noton brings two great live acts from Japan 
Kyoka, a musician/composer in Berlin and Tokyo is known for her chaotic yet direct musical approach and a heavy, rough sound. She'll be at Dad along with Ueno Masaaki, who creates sound installations as part of the »p±h« collective and also works as an electronic composer and producer. Price TBA. 10pm. Dada

Sanlitun Vice
Imagine Miami in ‘85. Palm trees, bikinis, neon light-up flamingos, pastel shirts and gold chains. This is the setting for Sanlitun Vice. Fully loaded with synthy disco jams and laser boogie anthems, the DJs of Sanlitun Vice have the sounds to make you get down. Price TBA. 10pm. The Bar at Migas

TOKiMONSTA
Born Jennifer Lee, this a classically trained musician who creates a unique blend of electronica and hip-hop in performances that also make inventive use of multi-media imagery. LA Weekly magazine named her "LA’s best female DJ" and especially praised her versatility as a producer. RMB 120 (RMB 100 in advance). 10pm. Yugong Yishan

Sunday, August 6

Disco 2000
Whether you work in F&B, events or education there is always a chance you may have Mondays off. Just imagine making Sunday the start of your 'weekend' when the majority of people are in bed early, awaiting the start of the working week. Thankfully, the folks at 8-Bit are the same boat as we also have Mondays off. RMB 20. 10pm. 8-Bit
 

Images courtesy of the organizers

Chances are you may have missed Sunday's celebration for the 90th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army of China, held in the far-off deserts of Inner Mongolia without any disruption to local traffic or airports.

But should your Chinese patriotic tendencies get the better of you, there's still a way for you to celebrate China's military.

Under the hashtag "Dream to build a stronger army together," China News Network has released a video game that "salutes China's military." However, the strange thing about this video game is that its purpose happens to be at odds with its own existence.

Featuring a sadistically-punishing level of difficulty, players are given just one life to complete all the objectives of the PLA video game in which a Chinese soldier must dodge grenades, hop over bonfires and mines, parachute and pilot a boat. Upon making it to the final destination, players are tasked with the unenviable goal of memorizing a 16-digit code in order to defuse a ticking time bomb.

Should the player ever manage to bypass all obstacles and the generic bad guy soldiers dressed in non-descript grey, this is the reward they will get:

Successfully passed the level!
For you, this is just a simple game, but for us military personnel, we must face the smoke of gunfire. We live in a safe era, but we shouldn't forget the green sihouettes that pay the price of defending peace. 

Upon failing a level (which will happen a lot), players will receive the following message:

This is just a game. After losing, you can try again; but for soldiers, there is only one life to spare on the battlefield.

Yup: No matter the outcome, all players will be told that this is "just a game" – one that was promised to us with the question: "Would you like to satisfy your own cravings by personally going to the front lines?" As difficult as this game is, there's no satisfaction to be had when this game chastises you for ever agreeing to play.

PLA video games have been previously available to the public, each with its own specific set of messages.

In 2013, the PLA responded to a maritime territorial dispute with Japan by helping make a first-person shooter in which players do their part to "defend the motherland." Previously featuring US soldiers as enemies, the new dowloadable content for the Glorious Mission video game had players "fight alongside Chinese armed forces and use their weapons to tell the Japanese that 'Japan must return our stolen territory!'" (Watch an advertisement for the game here.)

The same year saw the Global Times release a web browser video game that also tasked the player with repelling foreign invaders. Called Defence of the Diaoyu Islands, the game is a top-down 2D "bullet hell" shooter in which players must guide a single, upgradable Chinese attack boat against massive swarms of Japanese naval boats armed with lasers and missles.

Can't satisfy your own cravings? Accessible to both cellphones and personal computers, the China News Net PLA video game is playable here. Swipe up (or hold the mouse button and move up) to jump, swipe down to drop from a parachute, and tap at grenades and enemies to destroy them. Also, be sure to have a writing utensil handy for when the game throws a 16-digit code for you to memorize.

More stories from this author here.

Twitter: @Sinopath
E-mail: charlesliu1@qq.com

Images: China News Network

The southwestern Beijing suburb of Fangshan was hammered by last night's heavy rainfall, flooding city streets and prompting authorities to deploy crisis contingency plans.

A red alert for rainfall was issued for Fangshan at 8:20pm yesterday after 110 millimeters of rain was recorded in its Junliuzhuang area in just one hour.

Compared to the city average of 35.9 millimeters, Fangshan bore the brunt of last night's downpour, receiving total precipitation of 182.8 millimeters.

Photographs from the scene show flooding in Fangshan's streets reaching above knee-level, while other photographs show they had risen so high that car tires were completely submerged; reports from the Beijing News quote witnesses who say the flood waters reached their waist and nearly reached car windows.

The flooding caused some drivers in the area to abandon their cars, while commuters returning home at the end of the evening rush hour were trapped at subway stations. Widespread flooding was reported inside Daotian Station on the Fangshan Line, located 75 minutes away from Hujialou Station near Sanlitun. Video of last night's flooding can be seen here (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Also hit hard by the rains was Daxing District, which raised an orange alert for rain at 9:50pm after 100 millimeters of rain was recorded falling on its Beicangcun area.

Many areas of the city experienced precipitation of 30 millimeters within an hour's time, but it was the Beijing districts of Changping, Haidian, Fengtai, Shijingshan and the aforementioned Fangshan and Daxing that received the most rain, as well as where category III emergency flood procedures were initiated. 

The most dramatic incident from last night may have been when a group of people formed a human chain on a lightless Changze South Street in order to warn drivers against a flooded area (shown below).

The Fangshan red alert was lifted before midnight yesterday, and the rainstorm ended afterwards, before 3am.

Weather reports made in advance of last night's downpour only mentioned "heavy showers," a warning that pales in comparison to this past June's inaccurately-predicted "worst storm in six years" that still managed to cause flooding. All the same, last night's storm was the second red alert issued for rain in recent months. 

A red alert was issued for the northeastern Beijing suburb of Miyun at the beginning of last month after heavy rains reaching 150 millimeters flooded local streets.

In 2012, 77 people died in Beijing after heavy rainfall caused flash floods throughout the city.

More stories from this author here.

Twitter: @Sinopath
E-mail: charlesliu1@qq.com

Images: Weibo (1, 2, 3), Beijing Youth Report

The breakneck pace of the adoption of online payment systems has led to the capital of China and its 21 million residents becoming its leading cashless society.

Beijing has been named the country's "smartest" city when it comes to making transactions through online payment systems, leading a list of first-tier cities that include Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Shanghai.

The report was jointly made by the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, French market research firm Ipsos, and Chinese tech giant Tencent, whose massively popular WeChat social media platform now features online payment.

READ: Tech Check: Beijing is Quickly Becoming a Cashless City

The report was determined by ranking 324 Chinese cities based upon indexes including transportation, education, shopping, and food delivery. The report also factored in the responses of more than 6,500 residents in a poll about mobile payments.

Beijing jumps to the front of a line of Chinese cities that have long been pioneering cashless transactions, such as Hangzhou and Shanghai.

Beijing recently debuted its first staffless convenience store while also introducing a new policy that would allow subway commuters to pay their fare with their phones. Additionally, Beijing residents can use their mobile wallets to buy everything from train tickets and movie tickets, to admission into the Forbidden City, 

And it's not just Beijing. Transactions in rural areas and small towns make up half of all mobile payment users in China, said a report made by the Payment and Clearing Association of China.

According to the report, 84 percent of respondents said they were "comfortable" going out without cash in hand, while 70 percent said they could last an entire week with just 100 yuan cash. 

READ: How to Use the Newly Bilingual Alipay as a Laowai

Compared to other countries, China is way ahead of the curve when it comes to cashless payments. According to the Bank of China, payments totalling RMB 157 trillion were made on mobile devices last year, more than 200 times the amount made in the USA.

At this rate, China may soon distinguish itself as one of the first countries to adopt paper money while also being one of the first to abandon it.

"I think it’s really very possible that China becomes the first or one of the first cashless societies in the next decade,” said Ben Cavender, a director at China Market Research Group.

Electronic payments occupy a niche left vacant by the inaccessibility of bank debit and credit cards to Chinese consumers, but there's one big reason behind the proliferation of mobile wallets.

"The government doesn’t want to slow down adoption ... that’s why they have kept their hands off," said Cavender.

Mobile payment systems have been touted by Chinese authorities as being one of China's "Four New Great Inventions," completing a list that includes high-speed rails, bike-sharing, and the country's 4G network.

More stories from this author here.

Twitter: @Sinopath
E-mail: charlesliu1@qq.com

Images: Hexun, Sohu

We've been listening to the emotional, sometimes dreamy and strangely alienating electronic tracks from Anxt for a while now. The Beijing-based producer's pieces not only leave you moving your head in a wave-like pattern but take you on a trip, ideally complemented with areal shots of the endless spaces of his homeland of South Africa or dense grayness of a fractal metropolis. Anxt (Gerald van Wyk) is also part of electronic post-rock band Macondo. He has previously collaborated with poets in the Spittoon-led project 'Spit-tunes' in creating a fusion of media and art disciplines.

This time, Anxt has teamed up with videographer Hannes Knutsson-Hall to make a video for the Beijing-inspired track "106." The piece weaves in sounds sampled from the daily buzz of Beijing streets. He named the track after the number 106 bus that he'd take to practice which, as he says, definitely brought a substantial amount of frustration to his routine. The video follows an unnamed man wearing an oversized head-mask as he walks the streets of Beijing, passively observing situations around him. In this sequence, Beijing is not portrayed as a happy-go-lucky place, but rather as an isolating and suffocating city. 

Camera Stylo is hosting a screening of the video and a Q&A with Anxt this Saturday and we checked in before to ask a few questions about his music, current collaboration and the video "106."

You have previously collaborated with poets for the Spit-tunes project creating word and sound fusion. Tell us about this collaboration. How did the idea come about and how did you and Hannes Knutsson-Hall come together?

Anxt: Spit-Tunes was conceptualized by Matthew Byrne from the Spittoon collective, and it was an idea he has been carrying with him for a while. When it finally materialized, Matthew asked me if I would consider collaborating with one of the Spittoon poets. I was intrigued and excited about the opportunity and ended up collaborating with a poet called Matias Ruiz-Tagle. The process was completely different to my normal production method but we made something that worked quite well. I created a track that would fit the mood and rhythm of the poem, which was called “A Song for Rosetta”.  It was about this space probe (Rosetta) that they built to land on this comet.

As for Hannes Knutsson-Hall, we were introduced to each other by a mutual friend, Ting Ting Alice (my booking agent) the founder of Borderless. She gave him the track "106," which we chose as the first single, and asked him if he would be interested in creating a music video for it. Pardon my clichè collection, but the rest is history. 

The character in the music video seems to be suffocated by the city and more of an observer than in control of his own day. How was he created? Are the places in the video spots that you (or your colleague) frequent or did you seek out the location looking for a specific vibe for the video? 

I personally feel anxious when I have to use the subway or any public transport system for that matter, just because of the sheer amount of people that you have to negotiate. It can indeed feel suffocating.

Hannes suggested we get the mask, and that’s about the only idea we had for the initial concept. I know that China has a history with masks, but I don’t know that much about the cultural significance of it. The mask lends an anonymity to the character and represents the normal everyday man and woman living in Beijing. It could make the story more relatable in this way.

Most of the footage was shot in my local neighborhood (Dongzhimen) where I reside. It was the spaces that we were most familiar with and because we didn’t really have the time or budget to scout areas we just ended up shooting around Dongzhimen.

What was the preparation for the shooting and how long did the production take? Did you have time to work on the script or was it improvised as you went? 

We didn’t really have the time to write or storyboard anything, we just ended up talking about ideas we had. For sure, we had a clear vision of what we wanted to achieve, but nothing was set in stone. We ended up improvising some shots as some things just weren't feasible without having a proper cast or mock-up of the real-world scenario. Also learning to trust Hannes while walking backwards into oncoming traffic took a while. Especially while wearing a mask which makes you much less aware of your new bodily dimensions.

It took us about three to four weeks to finish all the shots. There were some breaks in between as I also have other projects that I’m working on. Hannes and I also have full-time jobs. 

You have mentioned that your music is inspired by nature. Coming from South Africa, do you think that the urban Beijing landscape is taking charge and influencing your pieces? Or are you looking into the natural environment for ideas?

In the beginning, I was always trying to find parks or natural environments to sample sounds, but in a city like Beijing, it’s basically impossible. So, you will find a lot of urban soundscapes in my productions. I’m still trying to merge those two concepts, as I find nature always reclaims what has been urbanized or taken from it. That’s one thing I do miss about South Africa, big open natural spaces. 

Under what circumstances was the track "106," created?

I used to always have to take the 106 buses to Dongzhimen, as “Macondo” (the other musical project I am a part of) has their practices there. It was during winter and we used to finish practice quite late, and I always ended up standing around waiting for the bus at 11:30pm in sub-zero temperatures. 

I ended up resenting that damn bus as it was the only bus on my route home, and it was never on time or it just never arrived. I ended up sampling it and decided to make a track out of it so I could pass the time listening to it while I’m waiting for the bus, or walking home.

Do you have specific places in Beijing that you find interesting or inspiring? 

Beijing is inspiring, it’s really a place where people from different backgrounds come together and they just start things … poetry nights, art exhibitions, bands … It’s a creative hub for artists!

Also, the fact that venues are so accommodating and willing to host new artists on their stages makes it something truly special. I was only planning on coming here for one year, but I have rooted myself deeply into this city and its people. It’s the people that make Beijing something special.

Watch the full music video here.

Check out the screening of "106" and a Q&A with Anxt and Camera Stylo on Saturday, Aug 5 at 8pm. For more information, click here.

Images: Paul Peng, QQvideo

With August here and summer on its last legs, the music scene here in Beijing looks to take its slow and easy. Good on them – everyone needs a break once in a while. So while you may not be spoiled by the onslaught of gigging we’ve grown accustomed to, there’s nevertheless still plenty to chew on, whether it be Spit-Tunes’ latest poetry jam mashup, or School (football) hooliganism at its finest. So venture forth and take what you can get.

Friday, August 4

Spit-Tunes w/ The Harridans, A.Borelis, Wen Liang at DDC
Spittoon hosts its latest Spit-Tunes poetry-music collaboration jam bringing together artists and bands from different genres with writers and poets for a special one-off performance. Participating bands will include art rock outfit The Harridans, singer-songwriter A. Borealis (of The Plum Trees), electronic artist Wen Liang, and guitar slayer Jukka Ahonen who’ll join poets and writers J. Penn, Lethokuhle Msimang, Jady, and Artur Witkowski for what will surely be a special night. 50 RMB

Shave 'N' Shut, Human Centipede, Labor Glory, Early Bus, The Last Resort at School
Hooliganism is what School excels at already so when they say they’re gonna ratchet it up even more in celebration of ‘rock n’ roll, beer, and football’ you best believe it’s gonna be a night to (not) remember with an explosive lineup featuring oi punk rockers Shave N’ Shut, house band and hardcore renegades Dr. Liu and the Human Centipede, ska punk veterans Early Bus (with a fresh new lineup), metalcore ruffians The Last Resort, and China’s only ultra-punk outfit Labor Glory. Bring your football jersey and first beer’s on the house. 80 RMB

Wu & The Side Effects, The Sino Hearts at Temple
Psych blues and power pop bring that classic appeal to rock and roll as Temple looks to shake loose this weekend with staple blues outfit Wu & The Side Effects, and The Sino Hearts, who have been having one of the busiest years ever for a band. Expect good old-fashioned fun to keep the mood lively. FREE

Boss Cuts, Endless Square at Soi Baochao
Surf rock faces off against art punk as Boss Cuts and Endless Square take refuge at the laid back Baochao bar which continues hosting gigs at their homey digs away from the hustle and bustle of Guluo Dong Dajie. Really digging the new addition to the scene. FREE 

Vinicius Cantuaria (Brazil) at Blue Note
Neo-Brazilian music pioneer and prominent jazz figure in New York City in the 90s, singer, guitarist, composer, drummer, and percussionist, Vinicius Cantuaria is a well-known Brazilian musician in the sphere of Bossa Nova and Jazz. 200-400 RMB

Need a Name, Wicked Bones, Beixianying Yaogun at EA Livehouse
Credit where credit is due: EA Livehouse, the venue that looks straight out of a high school prom dance and has the unfortunate location of being located under Temple, continues to throw down with a slew of young and scrappy rock events. Color me intrigued. 40 RMB

Qi Ming, Nick Parsons at ROCKLAND
Refusing to let a good thing get away, 69 Café’s owner has been recently throwing showcases at the tiny distro and record store Rockland in Houhai with a slew of folk scene regulars taking the stage – tonight hosts singer-songwriter Qi Ming. 90 RMB

Mark Luzhou at Mogu Space
Mark Luzhou, graduate of Peking University and Duke University, as well as a poet, writer, avant-garde folk rock-and-roller brings his eclectic and rebellious set of skills to the Xizhimen joint. 60 RMB

Saturday, August 5

Dirty Fingers, The Flyx, The Sino Hearts, Laisee at School
The new school of punk gets its day to shine tonight as School Bar welcomes Shanghai’s Dirty Fingers back to Beijing. The band, who have already become a hot ticket, recently recorded their debut with Maybe Mars and are ready to unleash all hell upon audiences. They’ll be joined by the aerobatic ‘free hardcore’ outfit Laisee, as well as power-pop trio The Sino Hearts (another one of this year’s breakout successes) and veteran (and underrated) punks The Flyx. Come get some. 80 RMB

Sound Sculpture, Wusuozai, Bu Liu Xing at DDC
Mischievous and alluring sounds transpire over at DDC this evening as ambient psychedelic outfit Sound Sculpture joins ethereal alternative rock band with dense flourishes of psychedelic trip-hop, Wusuozai, and atmospheric indie rockers Bu Ling Xing take the stage. 60 RMB

Anxt at Camera Stylo
Head to art house film theater Camera Stylo where local electronic artist anxt, who creates ‘moody electronic soundscapes set to the backdrops of urban field recordings with hip-hop carved beats’ will perform as well as screen the music video for his single ‘106’. Cool vibes in a cozy filmhouse – sounds like a chill Friday evening. FREE

Jiang Ming & Hollow Mountain at Yue Space
Formed in 2012, Jiang Ming & Hollow Mountain has become one of the most sought-after folk bands in China. With Chinese flute, tambourine, guitar and harmonica, their music is soothing and full of ethnic essences. They’re currently on the road in support of their newest release Hello Stranger. 100 RMB

Bye Bye Kitty, mystery band at Temple
Cover band Bye Bye Kitty who play all the classics, from Blink 182 to No Doubt, bring the simple joys of life to Temple alongside a mystery guest. FREE

The Voodoo Brothers at Soi Baochao
The Voodoo Brothers is a power-trio strongly influenced by 60s and 70s rock and the Blues. From Muddy Waters to Jimi Hendrix, they will bring you back to the genres' musical roots at the Baochao dark horse. FREE 

Wu Gui, Nick Parsons, KO, Yan Baizhou at Mogu Space
Southern China folk singer-songwriter Wu Gui brings his poetic work, full of bite and ridicule, to Mogu Space alongside regular Nick Parons, KO, and Yan Baizhou. 60 RMB

Vinicius Cantuaria (Brazil) at Blue Note
Neo-Brazilian music pioneer and prominent jazz figure in New York City in the 90s, singer, guitarist, composer, drummer, and percussionist, Vinicius Cantuaria is a well-known Brazilian musician in the sphere of Bossa Nova and Jazz. 200-400 RMB

Templo del Samba at Live Lounge
Templo de Samba will be on hand to infuse the evening with the enchanting sounds of a Pagode, making us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Bossaboca, Samba, and Latin flavors all at the new-ish Sanlitun venue Live Lounge. 80 RMB

Sunday, August 6

Empty Eyes, Purgatory, Skyfire, Ancestor, Death Penalty at Modern Sky Lab
Get your thrash on this Sunday as the Jam Metal Music Festival lays waste to Modern Sky Lab with a lineup that includes all your favorites including Empty Eyes, Purgatory, Skyfire, Ancestor and Death Penalty, who’ll play every sub-genre of metal from death metal to nu-thrash. 120 RMB

Anti-Tune, Windsor Forest at School
Shijiazhuang britpop outfit Anti-Tune swing through Beijing as apart of their nationwide tour to support their latest release Everything Will Not Change. The four-piece band has gone through many changes throughout their career, so give them a pat on the back. Support from Beijing's own indie-pop rockers Windsor Forest, also fresh off a release. 80 RMB

Gnash at Yugong Yishan
Genre-defying music persona Gnash – a singer, songwriter, producer, dj, rapper, model, and nap enthusiast – does it all. With 3 highly acclaimed EP’s under his belt, he has developed a devoted fan base for his eclectic tracks. Catch him give an intimate performance at Yugong Yishan. 220 RMB

Stefan Karlsson Trio (US) at DDC
With over 73 recordings over eight projects under his belt, and performances held all across the world, acclaimed jazz pianist Stefan Karlsson joins top-notch percussionist and triple threat bass man Mike Pope for a world-class evening of jazz. 100 RMB

Vintage Qipao Jazz Party at Yue Space
An array of brilliant jazz musicians look to revive the old Shanghai of the twenties and thirties, and bring you back to the time of extravagant feasting and revelry. So throw on your qipao and hit up Yue Space to be transported back in time. 70 RMB

Rambin Roze at Temple
Tight jeans-sporting hard rockers Rambln’ Roze follow the latest installment of ‘Gear Slutz’ – Temple’s rock and roll flea market where everything from pedals to instruments will be up for grabs from six o'clock onwards. FREE

Zhang Yifan, Su Yu at Snail Hostel
The cozy Gulou acoustic safe haven hosts pristine-voiced Zhang Yifan for a quiet midsummer evening of folk tunes. 70 RMB

Phew! Still hungry for more? Check out all of our live music listings here.

Images: Live Beijing Music, courtesy of the organizers

Beijing can be overstimulating to say the least. Let’s be real, sometimes even our sixth sense gets a decent workout, the one where you know that stick of chuan'r will get you sick for the next two days (but you gobble it up anyway). With such a wide variety of events, restaurants, and gigs to attend, we suggest bathing each of your five senses into one, if not all, of the nourishing goings on below.

Taste

Ah, beer ... Where would we all be without beer? The only stories that started with a glass of milk are of those who are lactose intolerant. They are usually not that comfortable stories to listen to anyway. Yes, hi, it is still too hot to walk. Even if it's just bar hopping. The only hopping you should be doing is in and out of the tuk tuk when you take a Boozy Brewery Tour while they drive you around the microbreweries of Beijing. Craft beer is not a nichè anymore and we all need to step up our game if we want to say "I did that before it was cool." Not that anyone should ever actually say that. Tour the microbreweries of Beijing and test the content of their pints. Call them up early, because the tour can only take 10 people and time slots are limited. RMB 450 per person, Monday (7 pm), Thursday (5 pm), and Saturday (3 pm). Find more information on lostplate.com or email info@lostplate.com.

Smell

The daily routines of the regular Beijinger are not the most relaxed. Crowded public transport, the bells of the cyclists and clusters where there should be queues can make even the most zen of us irate. Yoga Yard invites you to brush up or learn the basics of yoga in their 'Intro to Yoga' weekend. The two-day course is designed to not only stretch the muscles we didn't know we had, but also to guide discussions about yoga as a philosophy and breathing techniques. Inhale the mix of sweat and soothing essential oils and exhale your annoyances and stress. Join Yoga Yard for a little bit of peace on August 5-6. RMB 360. More information and a sign-up link are on their website. 

Touch

If there is one thing Beijing does not spoil us with it is cute housing options. We've heard people say apartments in Japan are ridiculously tiny, London's council housing is simply gross but Beijing's accommodation style is simply too plain to be even noticed. The "decorations" present in most available (and affordable) apartments could often be more accurately be described as "quirks" or, if we're really being honest, "things that should be replaced." Inspired by the power of redecoration, turn to the one-stop life help of Taobao. We have been obsessing over this chair (from RMB 235) for a few weeks now and having seen similar shapes featured in the apartment of architect Aurélien Chen, I am ordering mine today. Not only would you want to check the sturdiness of its construction with your full weight, but also play with the wired construction while talking on the phone. Still better than fidget spinners. 

Hear

When do you start treating your new house like a home? Maybe when you finally get one of the Nordic-looking chairs, maybe after having a successful date or maybe when you have to take the bus of the same number so many times that you decided to make a song about it. Beijing-based electronic music producer Anxt (Gerald van Wyk) has done the latter, and he is sharing his newest collaboration product at Camera Stylo this Saturday, Aug 3. The music video for his track "106," was created together with videographer Hannes Knutsson-Hall. The piece "106," was inspired by the frustrating experience of riding bus 106 that musician would take to attend band practice. Two senses with one stone, really: see the music video, painting Beijing with darker-than-usual colors and listen to other creations from Anxt. Camera Stylo, 8.00pm. Contribution based. Check out our short interview with Anxt here.

See

Unfortunately for all of us, we may just be living in the stormy eye of a Minion-fever hurricane. While dogs and poorly behaved children chase Minion-themed Ofo bikes, and it seems to be getting increasingly complicated to get a fast food meal without being reminded of Despicable Me, exhale and head to the cinemas to see Paths of  the Soul. While the movie had been released world-wide way back in 2015, China only opened it for the public a month ago. The documentary follows a group of Tibetans on their devoted pilgrimage to Lhasa. The journey is paved with repetitive bowing and prostrating to the ground in prayer. Feast your eyes on the outlandish and horizonless landscapes of Tibet. See it in Beijing cinemas. From RMB 30.

Images: Courtesy of the organizers, Taobao, StockSnap

Ladies and gentlemen, the weekend is going to be hot. Like 36 Celsius degrees hot. But we don't let that stop us – nay, the extreme temperatures mean this weekend, cold brews are basically a medical necessity. For your health, we have boozy news as always, including some great news from Jing-A.

Jing-A will release part two of their collaboration with No. 18 Brewing in Wuhan on Friday (Aug 4), following the Guo Zao Breakfast Stout that was released last month. This one is called Hop into Houhai, a Beijing riff on No. 18’s signature Tiao Donghu IPA. This IPA is brewed with Australian and New Zealand hops and soured for tartness and hop bitterness. It's juicy with aromas of tropical fruit, citrus, and black pepper with 6.2 percent ABV.

Great Leap Brewing (GLB) has guest beers on tap from the “close friends” that collaborated with them before, Wabi-Sabi Japan Pale Ale and Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale from Baird Beer in Japan. The former is a hybrid of pale ale and IPA, and is brewed with local Japanese wasabi and green tea, combined with various herbal-character hops and 6 percent ABV. The latter is an American pale ale with a zesty and tart fruity character from the local natsumikan fruit (a yellowish-orange citrus) with 5.5 percent ABV. Both beers represent Baird’s brewing philosophy well.

Also at GLB, try Beer Hop Breakfast, Spontanberliner Yuzu, and Ich Bin Berliner Weisse Apricot from popular Danish brewery Mikkeller, which is famous for its use of varied ingredients like civet coffee and yuzu fruit (a Japanese citrus fruit that's quite sour). They brewed over 100 unique beers just in 2015. And Moon Dog from Australia (yes, the one that collaborated with GLB to brew our favorite Leaping the Dog series) has Love Tap and Beer Can Lager on tap. All of the aforementioned beers will be on tap for the next little while at all three GLB locations.

Slow Boat now has Monkey's Fist IPA’s older brother, Monkey's Fist Imperial IPA, on tap, which is a boozy and hefty beer with 10.4 percent ABV. You may have had the bottled version during the Chinese New Year in 2016, but now the draught version is waiting for you in the “gold-plated, jewel-encrusted chalice” at the Sanlitun brewpub. You can also take it away in a 500ml can.

The following news will be Jing-A heavy, so take a breath. Ready? Let’s go! Releasing the bottled version of one of their original brews, Worker’s Pale Ale on Aug 3, Jing-A will host a series of promotional events. As you know, this popular American pale ale is perfect to wash away the fatigue of a long work day, with notes of grapefruit, pine resin, hoppy bitterness, and a backbone of pale and specialty malts. Jing-A Taproom will have a Pallet-Cleansing Party on Aug 3, during which you can get a case of 24 bottles to go only for RMB 188 (one case per person, and 50 cases in total). The price will be RMB 480 for a case in the future. Feel free to send an email to book at john@jingabrewing.com.

MoxiMoxi will throw a party on Aug 4 starting at 6pm. All guests can enjoy buy-one-Jing-A-draught-beer-get-one-free. And a combo of falafel pita and a beer will be RMB 55. There will also be live music performed by Zhege.

Also, the first 24 people who show up at the following places on Friday (Aug 4) after work will get a bottle each for free:

• MoxiMoxi, 22 Beixinqiao Santiao
• The Craft Container, East Hotel, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu
• North Capital, 34 Xintaicang Hutong
• White Tiger Village, 84 Xiang’er Hutong
• Yu Bar, The Crib, 1-1 Gongti Beilu
• Beyond Yakitori, 3-5, 3/F, Topwin Center, 1 Nansanlitun Lu
• Ron Mexico, 113-02 Jiaodaokou Dongdajie
• Queenie's Sandwiches & Bar (QS), 181 Yonghegong Dajie
• Baochao Bottle Shop, 95 Baochao Hutong

But that’s not all! Home Plate will team up with Jing-A to offer a special on the Worker’s Pail of Ale on Aug 5. An ice bucket filled with five bottles of Worker’s Pale Ale will be RMB 125. From 6-9pm, they will hold a bottle cap lucky draw to win T-shirts, buckets of beer, or a pass to the 8x8 Brewing Project beer festival. DJ Jay 1,2 will take over the stage after 9pm. If you’ve quit or been fired from a job in the last week, they will give you a bottle of the pale ale on the house.

Last but not least, Out of Step is having a promotion: if you order any beer or food, you can enjoy French fries for RMB 1 (one portion per table). Also, if you follow their WeChat (id: ooschina) and get the RMB 30 coupon, then you can use it on the burgers (RMB 55-66) made with Australian beef.

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure

Photos courtesy of venues

A show depicting ancient Greece's most enduring myth through the use of horses and state-of-the-art special effects begins a half-year residency at the Bird's Nest beginning today, Friday, August 4.

Troy: An Epic Horse Show is a large-scale theater production set to thrill Beijing audiences with a combination of equestrian performances, drama, acrobatics, dance and eight IMAX screens.

A $45 million production that has been three years in the making, Troy will feature a stable of 72 horses that have been shipped in from Europe after a year's worth of training. The horses range from miniature-sized all the way up to the world's largest, the Shire.

To showcase the horses, a special stage has been built at the Olympic stadium. Requiring three months to build, the stage allows audiences an unobstructed 270-degree field of view to the spectacle, occupying a total space of 27,000 square meters.

Featuring an international cast from 12 different countries that include Camille Pless as the titular Helen of Troy, the show also features the talents of Italian costumer Simona Morresi who has designed for the Estonian National Opera.

Despite the familiarity of its source material, Troy's Chinese producers want its audience to know that they will be watching something completely new. 

"The most important thing is that the show is original, not imported,"said producer Xu Yan. "Although the story is foreign, the whole show is original."

Featuring a dressage performance that will see horses dance, kneel, and rear on two legs, Xu said Troy is a coming together of two different worlds. "This is neither a horse performance nor a mere human performance. It is a performance of the unity of man and horse."

What will Troy actually look like? Behind the scenes footage show trainers practicing horse choreography while this one portrays how audiences will see the show.

Here's some some concept art:

And here's how training has been going at the Shunyi transway International Equestrian Club:

Troy's producers say the show provides an unparalleled experience. Director Liu Xiao promised audiences a "vicarious experience" while Xu said the show is "the ultimate piece of art." 

Even if the show is as good as they say, it won't come cheap. VIP tickets to Troy cost RMB 1,280, while the least expensive come in at RMB 180. Large viewing rooms are available for RMB 38,880 per performance. 

More stories from this author here.

Twitter: @Sinopath
E-mail: charlesliu1@qq.com

Images: Weibo (1, 2), China, Sohu

In a shining display of solidarity, over a hundred Beijingers were able to rescue a man caught in the gap between a subway and the platform at Dongzhimen Station by physically pushing a subway off him.

As depicted in a video taken at the scene, dozens of people coordinated their efforts to widen the gap between the train and the platform. With their hands pushing against the side of the subway, the volunteers repeatedly shout "1, 2, 3!" as onlookers cheer them on with cries of "Jiayou!" ("Let'g go!").

At the end of the video, the good samaritans stop pushing and spontaneously erupt into applause, their hands held over their head in triumph as someone signaled the trapped victim had been successfully freed.

Among the rescurers were a contingent of soldiers who were first to inadvertently arrive at the scene around 8pm yesterday evening. Upon hearing that someone had become stuck in the gap between the subway and the platform, Captain Zhu Xiaoyong said he and 17 other soliders offered their services to the Dongzhimen Station staff.

However, no matter how hard they pushed, they were unable to have any effect. That's when he heard something surprising. "I was using all my strength to push the train when I faintly heard someone call out if we wanted the masses to help out," said Zhu. 

READ: Beijing Subway Now Staffed With Safety Stewards for Your Own Protection

Wang Dong was just a bystander before he was roused into action by the same cry.

"Dozens of soldiers were strenuously trying to push the train when, all of a sudden, someone in the crowd said, 'Do you want the masses to help out?'" said Wang.

Captain Zhu said the entire experience was a moving one for him. "Saving people is our job. I never thought I would see so many ordinary people voluntarily helping out," said Zhu. "It was very moving." 

Wang was likewise affected, simply saying: "It was such a positive experience!"

But as much of a tremendous display of civic pride and altruism as this is, there is a darker side to this story.

READ: Beijing Commuter Who Had His Back Broken by Subway Rush Hour Crowds
Is Compensated RMB 260K

Later yesterday night, the Beijing Metro released a surveillance video that showed what happened before the rescue. As the video shows, a man waiting for on the Dongzhimen Station platform suddenly leapt over the newly-installed platform safety barrier as the subway rolled into the station. Giving no visual indication of what he was about to do, the unidentified man was not able to traverse the safety barrier ahead of the oncoming train, and became stuck in the barrier in-between as the subway continued to roll forward.

Even though the man was successfully rescued by the good samaritans, his current condition is unknown. The man, described as being in his 30s, was transferred to the head trauma unit of the the Military General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army with unspecified head injuries.

The man's motives, or any other details, have not been made clear aside from his mother's admission that he suffered from chronic insomnia.

Due to their design and decade of use, the subway platforms along Lines 1 and 2 were among the last in China to be installed with safety barriers this past June. Mandatory for new subway stations, the barriers are supposed to deter people from making suicide attempts. 

Subway platform safety barriers were involved in the death of a 33-year-old Beijing woman in 2014 when she was crushed to death as a subway departed Huixinxijie Nankou Station while she was caught in the space in-between. Another similar fatal accident occurred on the Shanghai Metro in 2007.

More stories from this author here.

Twitter: @Sinopath
E-mail: charlesliu1@qq.com

Images: China Youth Daily, Weibo

Party people, try not to despair. There's bad- but also good- news coming by way of Kokomo.

Let's get the bad out of the way: Kokomo's rooftop – which has long been a hotspot for debaucherous Beijingers to booze and dance the night away – is at risk of being closed.

Co-owner El-Mar Bengal tells the Beijinger that the club (located on the roof of Tongli Studios on Sanlitun Houjie, commonly referred to as "dirty bar street") was recently inspected by the chengguan, and they told him major, yet-to-be-determined changes will be needed to bring the venue up to par with safety and zoning standards, the same regulations that have lead to venue closures across Beijing as of late.

While Bengal is not yet sure whether officials will order him to permanently close the rooftop right away, or just renovate at some point soon, he worries this might be the last weekend that it can stay open as is. He'd be happy to – and is still holding out hope that he can – keep the rooftop open without any major interruptions, but he says the venue's future is still up in the air until the officials notify him of their final decision.
But even if they crack down and the rooftop is promptly closed after this weekend, Kokomo fans can at least take solace in a more reassuring development: Bengal and his team have taken over the neighboring space indoors that was known as Rec Room. Though Bengal planned to open that new neighboring indoor venue later, he and his cohorts have now pushed the debut up and will throw the doors open tonight (Aug 4), as consolation for the shaky status of their rooftop. This newly revamped indoor space will essentially be an extension of the Kokomo terrace: a surf-style beach bar, with loads of cheap drinks and tunes that'll appeal to the masses.

Partiers with more refined tastes will likely be sad to see Rec Room go. After all, a Beijinger reviewer compared Rec Room, upon its opening, to Gulou hotspot Dada and heralded it as a house and techno oasis in a "building known for the most detestable EDM music imaginable." Such a dig, however, surely irked the broader masses of more casual patrons, who will no doubt be glad to have a convenient location on the dirty bar street to shake their booties to mainstream music, regardless of whether it's indoors or on the terrace. What's more: Bengal was also involved in the Rec Room project from its inception, which should render any rivalry moot (after all, can one not enjoy fun, surf bar clubbing once and while, and also frequent more cutting-edge techno joints?) And while his cohorts from Rec Room have now moved on to other things, Bengal is happy to make the neighboring indoor venue an extension of the Kokomo rooftop, so that people can enjoy the surf-style vibes even if the terrace is closed.
Bengal has long been a DJ and bar owner in Beijing and has opened numerous clubs across town. You can read more about him in an earlier China Daily profile. And though Kokomo has its detractors among fans of more critically acclaimed dance music, it's tough to deny its popularity, drawing throngs to its rooftop week after week. It was voted “Best Outdoor Terrace” in the Beijinger's 2007 Reader Bar and Club Awards

Those fans were likely relieved when the bar survived a spate of dirty bar street chai-ing back in April that, in the end, only lead to closures on the opposite side of the street. But now Bengal says the authorities are setting their sites on the Kokomo side of that drag, and he's heard rumblings about Nali Patio soon being hit as well. Considering all that, he feels fortunate to at least have the former Rec Room space secured, so those remnants of dirty bar street's soon-to-be-bygone debaucherous days remain.

More stories by this author here.
Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
Twitter: @MulKyle

Photos: the beijinger, Kokomo, China Daily

Thailand’s Ko Tao, also known as Turtle Island, has the best of both tropical worlds: incredible beaches made to lounge on and deep blue waters perfect for snorkeling and diving. The island gets its name from the fact that it is an important breeding ground for hawksbill and green turtles, both of which you can see while out in the water.

Compared to Ko Phi Phi, Ko Tao is much calmer and a little more luxurious (i.e. there are fewer drunken backpackers), and doesn’t get quite as much foot traffic as neighboring Ko Samui. However, if you’re looking for a holiday far removed from any semblance of noise whatsoever, we would recommend Ko Lanta over Ko Tao.

How to Get There
Fly into Ko Samui Airport or Chumphon Airport from Beijing and then catch a high-speed ferry to Ko Tao. Most people get the boat with Lomprayah, which is deemed the quickest, most reliable, and safest option. Make sure to bring headphones as the boat’s TV screens play two terrible songs on loop tempting even the calmest person to start losing their mind. Tickets for the ferry need to be booked in advance as there are only three ferries per day (both inbound and outbound).

What to Do
If you don’t know what to do on a tropical island, well, then perhaps you need to find another holiday destination. In all seriousness though, Ko Tao is one of the best spots in Asia to scuba dive, and also has lots of incredible snorkeling. Head over to Shark Bay to see the, thankfully, small sharks, and plenty of other sea life.

For a great sunset view, go to Mae Haad. If you’re willing to walk somewhere inaccessible to motorists, hike out to John Suwan Mountain Viewpoint on the south of the island or Fraggle Rock in the north.

Where to Eat and Drink
For affordable, tasty Thai food try Su Chilli on the main road in Sairee, which is always busy. They also make good raspberry and strawberry daiquiris. If you’re looking to be near the beach, head to Fizz Beach Lounge just off the main road on Sairee beach, where you can get good value Western food (they have some Thai dishes too), cocktails, and hang out on a beanbag enjoying Ko Tao’s favorite pastime: fire shows.

How to Get Around
Rent a scooter for approximately THB 250 a day (in addition to a THB 3,000 deposit or give them your passport instead) to get around the island (at time of print THB 100 is equivalent to approximately RMB 20). Otherwise there are pickup trucks that serve as the main mode of transportation on the island, with prices starting at THB 400-500 per car to get anywhere (depending on the time of day and supply of trucks – bargain hard!).

A word of caution: It can be dangerous once you leave the main beaches, as many eroded dirt roads boast a 45 degree incline and thus should really only be attempted by skilled off-road motorbike riders. Lulled into a safe sense of security abroad, most people give it a go anyway, regardless of the quality of roads and blood alcohol levels, as evidenced by the amount of bandages you’ll see.

This article first appeared in the July/August issue of the Beijinger.

More stories by this author here.

Email: margauxschreurs@truerun.com
Instagram: s.xuagram

Photos: Wikimedia Commons

Summer is here! Who wants to spend Beijing's sunniest days locked up in a boring, dead-end job, with horrible colleagues you'd rather never see again? As our beloved reader, you should know that you don't have to submit yourself to such an unbearable situation. Instead, take a look below at the best of our job Classifieds.

Voice Acting at an AI company
Speechocean is an an artificial intelligence data company looking for applicants who can voice various facets of its software. This is a part-time job that can be done remotely, though they want applicants in Beijing.

Pro Football Tryouts
A recruiter enthusiastically said in its classified post: "Several Chinese football clubs will be conducting a football tryout and we are inviting young and talented upcoming footballers to attend the upcoming trials." They are looking for applicants between the ages of 17-30, and both males and females of any nationality are welcome.

Test Automation Engineer
Tired of wading through endless lists of job want ads for English teachers? Symbio (a global software engineering and R&D services company) is looking for applicants with a more specialized skillset. Specifically: a senior test automation engineer. The successful applicant will be a computer-related professional with a familiarity with software testing processes, the ability to use tools like Selenium web browser automation, QTP, Robot Framework, along with numerous other requirements.

Video Editor/Camera Operator
The G2 Studio is looking for applicants with good eyes and steady hands to shoot cinematic content for clients. The studio describes itself as "a boutique creative agency based in Beijing and Shanghai, operating in China and all over the world. We’ve been creating and producing for clients for nearly a decade ... We actively avoid setting boundaries for our team’s roles and encourage all to contribute according to their creative instincts." They're looking for an applicant with knowledge of Final Cut Pro, Premiere or other software; knowledge of the Apple environment; basic knowledge of the Adobe suite, along with other skills.

Content Marketing Manager at the Beijinger/TrueRun Media
Are you a great storyteller? Do you like managing projects? Are you execution-oriented? Then you might be our next Content Marketing Manager! The job gives you the opportunity to lead a team of writers, and at the same time coordinate with other departments for successful execution of the campaign. Other tasks include:
- Create client campaigns from initial copy development to production
- Manage campaign schedule
- Manage and lead a team of content marketing writers
- Liaise with the Sales Team for leads; train them as needed
- Copy edit all content and ensure all content is on-brand, consistent in terms of style, quality and tone of voice, and optimized for search and social promotion

This is a fast-paced and exciting position that will help you build a vast network of contacts, and develop an eclectic array of skills.

As always, there's a neverending supply of jobs waiting for you to apply over in our Classifieds section. Good luck!

Photo: Shuttershock

Chinese organizers are confident that the country's most popular traditional table game meets the gold standard as a submission has been made to include mahjong as a demonstration event at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

In a recent interview with the Paper, International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) president Chen Zelan said his organization is conducting talks with the International Olympic Committee to feature mahjong as one of its demonstration sports.

As a table game, mahjong is usually played indoors, but Chen did not foresee any difficulty with the application.

"The IOC always thinks to expand participation in the Winter Olympics to countries without conditions to develop winter sports, so indoor demonstration events like mahjong are conducive to get more countries involved," said Chen before adding, "Beijing, as the host city of the 2022 Winter Olympics, is able to propose new events."

This past April, mahjong was welcomed by the IMSA as the sixth international mind sport, joining the likes of chess, contract bridge, checkers, Go, and Chinese chess. 

Chen admits that chess and bridge are more likely to be admitted to the Olympics since they have already been approved. All the same, IMSA equally promotes all of its minds sports through international competitions held using Olympic facilities and personnel once they have fulfilled their original purpose.

Having originated and popularized it, China enjoys a massive advantage, one they enjoy holding over their competitors.

At last month's Euro-Asian Mahjong Masters Invitational Tournament held in Beijing, Chinese players praised their foreign counterparts, but still described them as "lacking." And when confronted with the superiority of the AlphaGo that was able to win at the ancient Chinese game of Go, the Chinese public countered by challenging the artificial intelligence to play mahjong instead.

READ: Introducing Beijing's Newest Olympic Facility for the First Time, Again:
The National Speed Skating Arena

In fact, Chinese identify so closely with mahjong that the Global Times described the game's growing global popularity as "proof of China's soft power."

However, China's dominance in mahjong is not assured, as past competitions have shown.

At the fifth Open Mahjong Championship in 2014, the Chinese team suffered the indignity of losing to a team from Japan, coming in 37th place out of 51 teams. Out of its ten competitors, the highest rank a Chinese player attained that year was 31.

And that's not all. The year before, China was edged out of championship contention at the European Mahjong Association's French MCR Championship. France won the top three spots (shown above) while China was only able to place two of its players in the top 13.

All kinds of excuses were provided for the poor showings. College of Sports associate professor Zhao Jisheng at Beijing Normal University explained that it's not cool to exert yourself at mahjong in China, saying: "Anyone trying to excel at mahjong will be regarded as an idler in China, which makes it difficult to organize a professional mahjong team." 

Meanwhile, the Beijing News said the 2013 failure was due to a talent drain syphoned off by square dancing, a lack of monetary incentive, and the fact that mahjong training isn't part of an official Chinese education. As CCTV sports commentator Huang Jianxiang wrote on Weibo: "Mahjong should be included in the Gaokao."

READ: OlymPicks: Asia's Hockey Saga Goes Overtime While Sneaker Freaks Lace Up Olympic Kicks

If China does have an advatage, it should take it. After all, if mahjong does become a demonstration event at the 2022 Olympics, it will represent a better chance of winning than lacing up a pair of skates and chasing after a puck.

More stories from this author here.

Twitter: @Sinopath
E-mail: charlesliu1@qq.com

Images: SCMP, China Daily, Global Times