In the bus on the way to BISU- Wendy gave us some information on modern China as we were taking a look out the window at our new surroundings. Noticed lots of new high-rise buildings a lots of traffic. Many nice new sudans on the road including Mercedes, BMW, toyotas and hondas. In China, common greeting in addition to Ni Hao( hello) is Chi la ma? (have you eaten?) This goes back to the days of starvation and shows concern for your neighbor by asking, "Have you eaten?" Only 15% of China's land is ariable, so food production has always been a problem. 1.3 billion people live in China. 90% of population is Mandarin Chinese with 10% other minority groups.
"Have you gotten your personal problem solved?" Means- "Have you gotten married?"
4 things a Chinese man needs to get married:
1. - good income
2. - 2 languages spoken
3. - 3 bedrooms
4. - 4 wheels (car)
Chinese can not own the land, but can buy right to use land for up to 70 years. Cost of real estate in Beijing has gone up 3-4X in past 5 years. Chinese are investing in real estate and flipping. Definite sign of bubble. Cost of apartment is 40,000 yuan / meter or about $4 million yuan for a house. This is about $666,666. Must put 25% down. Housing is becoming unaffordable to all but the wealthiest Chinese.
20,000 licenseplates released each year. Rotate which day of the week you are not allowed to drive to cut down on traffic.
1949 PRC founded-
1949- 1997- 1 million cars on the roads
1997-2003- 2 million cars on the roads
2003-2007- 3 million cars on the roads
2007- 2009- 4 million cars on the roads
2009 - 2010- 5 million cars on the roads
1 child policy: During the Chinese revloution, Chairman Mao encouraged as many children as possible. 1976- 1 child policy introduced. Chinese prefer to have son. Now young children are all only children and are spoiled. Overall population 106 men / 100 women. Young population 117 men / 100 women.
This will become a problem.
Schooling in China:
Elementary School- 6 years
Intermediary School- 3 years
Students can go to assigned government school or pay 20,000 yuan - volunteer pay for another school
Entrance exam for middle school
High School- common high shool for university- 1/2 go to technical school- no univeristy
only 1/2 middle school grads will go to high school
Entrance to university now 69%- was 5% that passed 20 years ago
high school- 8,000 yuan per year
vocational school- about 8,000 yuan / year
college- 20,000 yuan per year
evening school for adults
Arrived at Beijing International Studies Univeristy- Lecture with Professor Wang Lei
Warm welcome for the Americans
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| BISU- Lecture with Wang Lei |
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| Lex with Lily and Icy- Students at BISU
Lecture at BISU by Wang Lei covered aspects of Chinese history which dates back 5,000 years
Spring Festival the most important in China- January or February, 15 day celebration, most Chinese return home during this time, fireworks
Beijing opera- Singing, dancing, Sheng- main character, masks
Wushu- exercise and philisophy
Architecture- balance and symmetry, 2 wings to every building
Great Wall- built to protect from invaders- Mongolians, 1,500 miles
Cuisine- 8 regional cuisines
Religions- Buddhism, 166 AD- Indian- dominant
Taoism- cooperation and natural forces
Confuscism
Daoism- to be moral- those who know are silent
dao- first cause of universe, goal to be one with nature
We Wei- let nature take its course, art of doing nothing, go with the flow
Man is unhappy because he lives with man-made laws
To escape: reject formal knowledge and learning, rely on senses and instincts, discover rhythm of the universe, yin-yang balance
Confucianism- philosophy of Confucious, Stable society
1. Li- Rite, rituals, rules, be polite
2. Ren- benevolence, humility
3. Shu- empathy, do unto others what you want others to do to you
4. Yi- righteousness
Principal relationships in China:
1. Ruler/ Subject
2. Father/ Son
3. husband/ Wife
Legalism- Use of Law, Law reflected way of Emperor
Chinese care more about social relationships than legal relationships
Patience and persisitance, friendly, sense of humor and honesty
Giving face important- social image
Chinese do not like confrontation
Modesty and humility still main values
hierarchy- respect for elders important
Clocks- associated with death
Knives- associated with severing relationship
4- number of death
Green hat- symbol of adultery
Give preactical gifts
Dining Etiquette- wiat to be seated, host starts with a drink
Issues: Gap between rich and poor
Chinese Communist Party- corruption a big problem
Pension- State employees receive pension, but farmers do not
Housing reform- limited to 2 apartments - permits required
housing seen as a good investment
If buy a house, can use for 70 years, what happens after that? no one knows, governement owns land
Lunch with students at BISU:
Very nice Chinese meal. Students were very anxious to talk with us. I sat with Lily. She is from Wu Han Pe in Sezhuan province. mountains there and small towns. she is in Beijing to study English as BISU.
Games after lunch with students. Ice breaker kinds of games. Chinese students were very good singing and playing games in english. very impressive.
We were late finishing lunch, so did a quick trip in the bus to Olympic Village. Got out of the bus and it was VERY cold and Windy. Walked to the Bird's Nest and saw Water Cube Swim Center.
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| Water Cube Swim Center at Olympic Village |
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| Lex in front of Bird's Nest at Olympic Village |
Stopped by the Pearl Market that evening. Upstairs was mostly jewlery and pearls. Required much negotiating. We liked the basement area and purchased several Buddhas and jade Buddha necklaces.
Back to Sunworld hotel. Wandered around downtown Beijing to food market. Lots of interesting foods there like eels and donkey somethings ??? Ate dinner in Chinese restaurant next to hotel.
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| Evening group exercises in Beijing |
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| Fish market |
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