See China

Upon publication of her new book, Burying the Bones: Pearl Buck’s Life in China, which was discussed at The Asia House Festival of Asian Literature on 11 May, British Biographer Hilary Spurling picked out ten of her most favorite books on China, from painting and poetry to picture books and Pearl Buck.

Any urban children growing up in today’s China would be familiar with the Big Big Wolf and the Pleasant Goat (喜羊羊与灰太狼), an animation series broadcast, merchandized and publicized almost anytime, everywhere. The 7-year-old son of the protagnist is no exception.

In a recent interview of Opera News, DAVID HSIEH talked with two Chinese artists who established their names in the world opera scene — bass Hao Jiang Tian (田浩江, literally meaning big river) and bass-baritone Shenyang (沈洋, somehow also literally meaning big ocean, and the English spelling of two names are not even coherent, with the former being “westernized” and the latter in natural Chinese order).

The first really wellknown Chinese novel on migrant workers was finally written by the migrant worker himself. Zhou Shuheng (周述恒), 31-year-old migrant worker who bent himself on nightly writings after backbreaking work in the daytime from different jobs, hopes that this 450,000-word novel will help more people to respect and protect the full rights and interests of 280 million Chinese people who have silently contributed to the economic boom of 1/5 of the world in blood and sweat.

Over the past two weekends, Beijing played host to three major music festivals, showing the breadth of the Chinese music scene. Local independent music label Modern Sky put on the Strawberry Music Festival, which has an indie-rock bent featuring Chinese acts and a smattering of international bands. The Midi Festival, organized by Beijing’s Midi School of Music, has a more rock ‘n’ roll vibe, a punk- and metal-heavy lineup, and an eleven-year history. And the smaller Ditan Park Folk Festival was launched just last year by an independent promoter who also owns a guitar shop in Beijing.

The bestseller book (on which the film is based) describes the professional ascent of a girl who works for a global company, DB. She is often cited as being quick and clever, knowing how to get promotions and please her superiors. The book has since then become a bit of a handbook for aspiring Office Ladys all across China.

At the Panjiayuan market, finding a true treasure still requires a trained eye, but your chances are better on the weekends.

The First See China Club Advisors’ Meeting on Cultural Industries will be held on April 23 (Friday) to analyse the international market demand and audience expectation of Chinese cultural products. Participants (around 20) include senior executives from prominent PR companies, publishing houses, cultural agencies and magazines from both China and across the world. Please contact seechina10@gmail.com for details or registration.

An original photographic exhibition composed of 62 pictures is open for bid for international tour. The theme of the exhibition: portrait of a Chinese for 62 years, faithfully records the life of a Chinese businessman named Ye Jinglv (叶景吕) from 1907 to 1968, spanning three historical eras (Qing Dynasty, Republic of China, the People’s Republic of China) and two World Wars.

The National Library of China, the world’s largest archive of Chinese books and manuscripts, is now soliciting old pictures about the life and history of global Chinese descendents. Donars of pictures eligible to be permanently collected by NLC will be conferred with an official certificate. Please contact nlcoldphoto@yahoo.cn for details.