Below are the most viewed blogs from our blog over September and October. Of course, you can find even more content like this over on our Blog page, which is updated throughout the day, every day.
1. End of an Era for Didi, Uber? New Car-Hailing Service Regs May Cut Out Half of Drivers
Ride-sharing services such as Didi, Yidao, and Uber, which liberated so many of us from the tyranny of terrible taxi service in Beijing, may be dealt a severe blow if new regulations released this past fall go into effect. The new policies place strict restrictions on both cars and drivers. Only holders of a Beijing hukou will be allowed to drive for private ride-share companies in the capital. The new policies will also enforce a minimum size requirement for vehicles used by the car-hailing apps.
2. Cyberspace Official Says Facebook, Twitter Welcome in China, Under Local Rules
Don’t renew your VPN subscription just yet. There may be no need for such Great Firewall of China software, because one high ranking official has said that the long contentious censorship of western social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, along with Google services, could be lifted in the near future, but only if these companies bend to the government’s requirements.
3. Dip it Low: How Mastering the Squat Toilet Will Improve Your Life
Take away the negative publicity the Chinese squat toilet is constantly marred with and, for now, instead of calling it the squat toilet, let’s call it by its other name, the “Natural Position Toilet.” There’s actually a reason why this type of toilet is still being used all over the world, and today, its positive attributes are slowly but surely being recognized.
4. Food Writer Carolyn Philips Serves up a Recipe for that Beijing Classic, Zhajiang Noodles (pictured at top)
Last fall we posted an interview with food writer, academic, and illustrator Carolyn Phillips, who has just published All Under Heaven, a detailed compendium of stories and recipes from China’s many cuisines. Carolyn was kind enough to also allow us to publish one of her recipes and since we are after all a Beijing publication, it seemed only right to choose a classic Beijing dish: zhajiang noodles.
5. Will Chinese Travel Accommodation Platform Tujia Butt Airbnb Out of House and Home?
Though Airbnb has proven to be wildly popular in the international travel industry, one market with massive potential is proving a little lukewarm to the home rental platform: China. That’s because a domestic service has been hogging all the buzz among Chinese travelers, accommodating their unique tastes and preferences. Dubbed Tujia (roughly translated as “home while travelling”), the Chinese platform differs from Airbnb in many ways, and therein lies the secret of its success.
6. Survivors of Fatal July Badaling Tiger Attack Demand RMB 2 Million in Compensation
Nearly three months after their 57-year-old relative was fatally mauled by a Badaling Wildlife Park tiger in a tragic incident, the surviving relatives have gone public with their demands for RMB 2 million in compensation. The SCMP reported that a family member surnamed Zhao, who was also attacked by the tiger and suffered major injuries after exiting the car that they were all riding in at the park, told a reporter from the Beijing Times that the July 23 incident caused “irreversible” damage to all involved. She also denied earlier reports that said she recklessly left the vehicle because she was arguing with her husband, insisting instead that she merely stepped out to replace her husband behind the wheel, because he was an inexperienced driver.
7. Biggest Ever Maovember Event Aimed to Fund Library Project, Kicks Off October 14
It wasn’t November yet but the proverbial stubble was already starting to grow for Maovember, the Beijing-based, month-long charity event that aims to raise money via a full schedule of events at local bars (not to mention a lip full of facial hair, of course, for the participants). Spearheaded by Jim Boyce of Beijing Boyce and Grape Wall of Chinafame, the event has grown bushier and bushier each year, both in terms of venue participation and money raised. “Maovember’s a good cause because it believes in the power of the community and the idea that many small donations can lead to big results,” Boyce says, adding that its other key attribute is transparency, allowing people to see how much money was raised at each event and how it will be used by checking the event’s website.
8. Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans: An Adaptable Dish for Veggies and Non-Veggies
No meal at a Sichuan restaurant (or most homestyle Chinese restaurants for that matter) would be complete without a plate of dry-fried green beans (ganbiansijidou, 干煸四季豆). A classic trap for vegetarians, the beans are usually seasoned with a small amount of ground pork. However, the pork is easily left out (or even substituted for beef if you eat meat but not pork), making this adaptable dish a great one to have in your repertoire.
This article first appeared in our November/December magazine. To read the entire issue online, please click here.
More stories by this author here.
Email: margauxschreurs@truerun.com
Instagram: s.xuagram
Images: Baike, Monkey Abroad, Robynne Tindall, Wikimedia Commons, Maovember, SCMP