The Labor Contract Law (I almost introduced it as new, but after more than a year, can it still be deemed as new?) was supposed to be the big 'un when it came to promoting worker's rights in China and keeping business behavior in line. There were lots of expectations and tons of blog posts written on the issue, but as can happen with Chinese law issues, things turned out very differently from what was originally expected.
Chinese law is a hell of a thing to deal with. Laws like the Labor Contract Law are written in an incredibly vague fashion, usually purposely, to allow for provincial and city governments to then interpret the law in a way that most fits their local situation. Basically, Chinese law serves as a US Republican states righters wet dream. Unfortunately, this often means that the local government is free to "interpret" the law in a way that completely removes it of any fangs (and usefulness) it may have had.
Dan Harris wrote a bit about how the economic crisis may have led to local governments ignoring much (or all) of the labor law as long as companies don't lay off workers and I've heard stories that confirm what he's stated. Over the Chinese New Year holiday, in the hinterlands of Beijing, I heard a number of tales that further confirms why any hope that the law would change things should go by the wayside.
Getting away from my friends who are all city folk white collar (often foreign owned) company employees, I heard countless stories from airport baggage handlers, factory workers, cooks, and other laborers about how the law is an afterthought. Out of about a dozen people, only two were not expected to work during the holiday and of those that had to work, none expected the trebled overtime pay that the law called for (though some did expect to receive some overtime pay). In many cases, the company's distribution of small gifts or food before the New Year was supposed to satisfy employees instead of their deserved overtime pay. All knew that this was against the law and that they could make claims, but all had seen what happened to others who made claims or were convinced the process was futile.
One year on, the "groundbreaking" law doesn't seem to be protecting the people who needed it the most.
2009/02/02
The Strange Story of Bonzi Wells
Two other sites have picked up the story of Shanxi Zhongyuan releasing Bonzi Wells, who returned to the US during the CBA's Spring Festival break. This move is a bit shocking considering Wells has been incredibly helpful to his Shanxi team, instantly dominating the league and breathing life in an otherwise mediocre team. Wells was near the top in points, rebounds, and steals per game, but only was able to help his team to a .500 record during his time in Taiyuan.
So why was he let go? Very little information has come out on the release, but that's not surprising as so few people care about the CBA. Despite Wells being a force for Shanxi, the team was 8-7 before he arrived and 7-7 while he was in China. Was the release inspired by the fact that despite the large sum of money they were paying him, Wells couldn't improve the supporting cast around him? Or, a more cynical (or sinister) thought, is it because of Wells' immediate impact on the league, exposing it for the joke that it is? The CBA is already dominated by foreigners, you'd have to go almost 20 names down to find the first Chinese players name on the points per game list, and the sudden appearance of an aging and out of shape mediocre NBA player suddenly becoming Michael Jordan might have been a little too much for league heads to take.
There's sure to be an interesting story behind Wells' release and I wouldn't expect his team to be very forthcoming, we'll just have to wait for someone to get a comment from him.
UPDATE: The story is simple, seems Wells just didn't want to return to China, less than 2 months was more than enough, and if you want to know why that might be the case, check out this interesting post by Gabe Muoneke, the CBA's leading scorer.
So why was he let go? Very little information has come out on the release, but that's not surprising as so few people care about the CBA. Despite Wells being a force for Shanxi, the team was 8-7 before he arrived and 7-7 while he was in China. Was the release inspired by the fact that despite the large sum of money they were paying him, Wells couldn't improve the supporting cast around him? Or, a more cynical (or sinister) thought, is it because of Wells' immediate impact on the league, exposing it for the joke that it is? The CBA is already dominated by foreigners, you'd have to go almost 20 names down to find the first Chinese players name on the points per game list, and the sudden appearance of an aging and out of shape mediocre NBA player suddenly becoming Michael Jordan might have been a little too much for league heads to take.
There's sure to be an interesting story behind Wells' release and I wouldn't expect his team to be very forthcoming, we'll just have to wait for someone to get a comment from him.
UPDATE: The story is simple, seems Wells just didn't want to return to China, less than 2 months was more than enough, and if you want to know why that might be the case, check out this interesting post by Gabe Muoneke, the CBA's leading scorer.
2009/01/28
Hater in the House, Part 1*
During the run up to last summer's Olympics, we ran a series called Bylines at Customs made up of all the stupid pronouncements made by good (and not so good) journos who came to Beijing looking for the "real" story. Journalists come to Beijing, see a small example of something, and want to blow it up into something larger. Often these stories are about making the Chinese seem "more like us", ie they eat fast food, just like us, they listen to such and such music, just like us or are cliches about contradictions in modern China. Stories that are almost completely false or without any real backing, like this waste of space on George Bush remaining popular in China, get printed because to the editor back in the US, it sounds good. To borrow from a Chinese saying, its the case of "the mountains are high and the editors are far away."
Therefore, when the New York Times ran a story last week on Chinese hip hop, it was a "stop the presses" moment here at Modern Lei Feng, almost enough to bring us out of our hibernation. Lots of phone calls back and forth and disbelief, but nobody bothering to pick up the pen. Perhaps its because we thought we dreamed the article, the idea of a burgeoning hip hop scene in China just made us laugh. Then we found this generally on point snark filled blog post about the story and realized we could no longer stay quiet (though his hip hop vs. rap note shows where he's coming from).
Jimmy Wang is generally a good reporter on China, perhaps this article was a case of not having enough material or already being on mental vacation due to the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday. It has all the signs of a hack "they're just like us" story by a Chinese first timer.
The article discusses how Q-Tip and Eminem (first record release: 1999) have been popular in China "since the 90s". Interesting. I defy you to find me 5 Chinese "hip hoppers" who know that Q-Tip isn't one of those things you stick in your ear, or even know what group he belonged to. It talks about hip hop clubs that opened "across the country" and yet the "hip hop clubs" in Beijing or Shanghai cater musically more to the tastes of suburban teens than any real hip hop heads. The article spends so much time building up the idea of hip hop in China, only to end with the reality that its still nothing more than a tiny niche.
While we have a lot of problems with the way the author puts things in the beginning of the article, like: "Over the last decade many students and working-class Chinese have been writing rap as a form of self-expression. Rougher and more rebellious than the well-scrubbed pop that floods the airwaves here," which is just wrong on so many different levels, the big problem is that this story is more expat rag fodder (and something they've been writing since 2001 or so), not the kind of august journalism one (should) expect from the New York Times.
As the saying goes, a picture speaks a thousand words, the main picture that accompanies the article shows 3 "rappers" surrounded by an almost exclusively white crowd with nary a Chinese face to be seen, so much for Chinese hip hop.
*Part 2 is coming soon, our own look at the hip hop scene in China
Therefore, when the New York Times ran a story last week on Chinese hip hop, it was a "stop the presses" moment here at Modern Lei Feng, almost enough to bring us out of our hibernation. Lots of phone calls back and forth and disbelief, but nobody bothering to pick up the pen. Perhaps its because we thought we dreamed the article, the idea of a burgeoning hip hop scene in China just made us laugh. Then we found this generally on point snark filled blog post about the story and realized we could no longer stay quiet (though his hip hop vs. rap note shows where he's coming from).
Jimmy Wang is generally a good reporter on China, perhaps this article was a case of not having enough material or already being on mental vacation due to the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday. It has all the signs of a hack "they're just like us" story by a Chinese first timer.
The article discusses how Q-Tip and Eminem (first record release: 1999) have been popular in China "since the 90s". Interesting. I defy you to find me 5 Chinese "hip hoppers" who know that Q-Tip isn't one of those things you stick in your ear, or even know what group he belonged to. It talks about hip hop clubs that opened "across the country" and yet the "hip hop clubs" in Beijing or Shanghai cater musically more to the tastes of suburban teens than any real hip hop heads. The article spends so much time building up the idea of hip hop in China, only to end with the reality that its still nothing more than a tiny niche.
While we have a lot of problems with the way the author puts things in the beginning of the article, like: "Over the last decade many students and working-class Chinese have been writing rap as a form of self-expression. Rougher and more rebellious than the well-scrubbed pop that floods the airwaves here," which is just wrong on so many different levels, the big problem is that this story is more expat rag fodder (and something they've been writing since 2001 or so), not the kind of august journalism one (should) expect from the New York Times.
As the saying goes, a picture speaks a thousand words, the main picture that accompanies the article shows 3 "rappers" surrounded by an almost exclusively white crowd with nary a Chinese face to be seen, so much for Chinese hip hop.
*Part 2 is coming soon, our own look at the hip hop scene in China
2009/01/23
$3 Million Down the Toilet
The Beijing city government recently declared it will be investing US$3 million in the city's soccer team, Beijing Guoan, to improve the quality of the capital's soccer squad. The money will be focused on funding youth development programs, but will also be spent on offsetting costs of the Manchester United visit this July. The government also declared that this isn't just a one time investment but a longterm cooperative program between the city and the team.
Will it work? In China, money has an "odd" way of going to the wrong things even when in the hands of government, but when in the hands of a private entity, corrupt usages of it wouldn't be surprising. As it is an investment in youth programs, it will be much harder for the average person to see if the money is being put to good use.
Since the team announced that they won't be playing in the Bird's Nest, there is still a question of where the team will play, returning to its traditional home at Worker's Stadium or remain in Fengtai. While the Bird's Nest would have required attendance figures above and beyond what the team usually got, the draw of the stadium would have been great (at least early on) and helped to promote the team.
The team's quality has been improving the past few seasons, will this investment in the future be enough to put the team over the top and deliver a first championship to Beijing or will it just get caught up in red tape and mishandled?
Will it work? In China, money has an "odd" way of going to the wrong things even when in the hands of government, but when in the hands of a private entity, corrupt usages of it wouldn't be surprising. As it is an investment in youth programs, it will be much harder for the average person to see if the money is being put to good use.
Since the team announced that they won't be playing in the Bird's Nest, there is still a question of where the team will play, returning to its traditional home at Worker's Stadium or remain in Fengtai. While the Bird's Nest would have required attendance figures above and beyond what the team usually got, the draw of the stadium would have been great (at least early on) and helped to promote the team.
The team's quality has been improving the past few seasons, will this investment in the future be enough to put the team over the top and deliver a first championship to Beijing or will it just get caught up in red tape and mishandled?
2009/01/20
China's Got (Shoe) Game
We here at A Modern Lei Feng love high end style and love stepping out in a fresh pair of John Lobbs (at least those of us who can afford them, the others just drool jealously), but we also like street style as well. For those who are shoe fiends (collectors) like us, 2008 was an awesome year to be in China. With Beijing hosting the Olympics, a lot of limited edition releases took place, some limited to China only.
While some collectors thought 2009 might be a major drop off, 2009 isn't even a month old and 2 major releases have hit Chinese shores. First was Nike's annual release for Chinese New Year, but the moment everyone was waiting for was the release of CLOT's offering to the Nike 1World Air Force One collection.
The CLOT Nike1World Air Force One has a red silk upper with a traditional Chinese pattern on it, perfect for Chinese New Year, but also features leather with the same pattern under the silk that can be exposed through wear or intentionally cutting or burning the silk away. It is an extremely limited release, sold only at Juice in Hong Kong and ACU in Shanghai (those in HK get the better deal as its sold for HK$2800 there and RMB2800 in Shanghai). The shoe was released on January 16, so if you didn't get yours, call ahead and make sure they still have pairs in your size. The Shanghai release party even made it to Hypebeast. ACU's located at 139 Changle Lu (by Maoming Lu).
Let's hope this recognition continues in 2009 and shoe collectors have more to brag about than access to releases of China only branded NBA kicks like the Li Ning Shaqs (and Baron Davis' if they ever come out) and Peak Jason Kidds.
2009/01/14
2009/01/05
Random Thoughts on Beijing Scene in 2009
Here are a few random thoughts I've been pondering over the past few days as we enter 2009, it will be interesting to see how all of this plays out:
Alright, there are some of the "big" ideas we've been discussing the past few weeks. The economy plays a major role in a lot of them and so it could go either way. We aren't going to make any wild predictions, but will try to provide the answers as we find them out over the course of the year.
- Will the new higher end bars/clubs/restaurants that opened in the run up to the Olympics (or worse, after) be able to survive long enough to see their 1 year anniversary?
- Will there finally be a good English blog written about the Chinese art scene? There are enough foreigners involved in it, but nobody is blogging from an insider's point of view.
- Will Red Cliff be a total dud overseas (as I suspect)? Will the 2nd part match the first in its success in China?
- Will this be the year Chinese soccer finally pulls itself out of the malaise? With no international competition for the national team its going to be hard, but perhaps a run in the newly expanded Asian Champions League by a Chinese club side will make the difference.
- Will Beijing Guoan finally move back to Worker's Stadium this year?
- Will the Bird's Nest actually be used for something? What will be the first big event in the Bird's Nest this year?
- Who will be the first major foreign band/singer to rock Beijing this year?
- With the economy in the tank and all the new openings, will we see far fewer new restaurants and bars this year?
- Will Crobar Beijing ever open? (Or at least update its webpage, which still has it as coming soon)
- Will China finally take the step and promote tourism outside the country to avoid taking major hit in tourism due to economy?
- If it does take a hit, how will all the new 5 star hotels in Beijing be able to survive?
- Will Liu Xiang be able to come back?
- What will be the new food craze in Beijing? Will organic finally garner wider acceptance?
- What kind of limitations/security will take place for 60th anniversary of the People's Republic and will the new policies have any effect on the nightlife scene?
Alright, there are some of the "big" ideas we've been discussing the past few weeks. The economy plays a major role in a lot of them and so it could go either way. We aren't going to make any wild predictions, but will try to provide the answers as we find them out over the course of the year.
2009/01/04
Thank You Readers!
Thank you to all our readers who helped us finish 2nd in the Chinalyst Blog Awards, General Category this year. There are a lot of problems with the award system and voting, but, oh well, we're always glad for a tad bit of recognition. In 2009, we won't let you down!
2009: New Year, Same Old Blog
I wanted this to be the final post of 2008, but it was a very flustered and busy final few days of the year, especially due to the Winter Classic, so here it is as the first post of 2009. Hope everyone else had a fun, safe New Year's Eve and, unlike I, have already gotten over their hangovers...
2008/12/30
2008
I've been given the honor of writing our last post of 2008 and have been thinking a lot of what to say and finding am image that best says it. Going through our large photo archive, I've found this shot, from the Paralympics Opening Ceremony and feel its the best choice (though our photo is pretty crappy, its the idea behind it).
More than any moment during the Olympics, it was this moment, Hou Bin pulling himself up to the roof of the Bird's Nest while sitting in his wheelchair, that for my money was the greatest athletic feat of 2008. It offers both the necessary pride and hope that was (and is) needed as 2008 comes to an end and we enter 2009.
Look at how China pulled itself up and prepared for the Olympics, hosting one of the greatest ever Summer Games. Look to the people of Sichuan as they try to pull themselves up from the ruble of the massive quake that struck on 5/12. As you face the current economic crisis, be brave and know that no matter what, you can always pull yourself up from it.
Pull yourself up. Hou Bin did it, we can all do it too. Look back at all the joy that 2008 brought, honor those who left us during the year, and plan on how we can all work to make 2009 an even better year.
My colleagues here aren't known for their optimism and are far more cynical (probably why I was chosen for this?), but a new year means a new start and is the time optimism is required. Look at that picture (or watch the video) and remember, you can do it, pull yourself up!
Why Are Chinese Lacking Style?
A few weeks ago a discussion was started by a friend (and popular blogger) regarding style in China. We here a lot of critical comments about Chinese (especially the men), some deserving, some not so. Even in white collar work settings in Beijing and Shanghai, you often see a lot of questionable choices among Chinese coworkers and it only gets worse when you go into 2nd, 3rd (and on) tier cities. So what's the problem?
1. "Style" in Communist China has only been around for 25 years. Before that, everyone was basically dressing the same way and touches of style that made you stand out were a negative. But look at the recently released Life photos or images from the pre-Communist era, those people had style and they were Chinese, there is definitely hope.
2. Asian business people in general tend to dress very badly.
3. "Style" is usually not cheap, especially without any second hand stores around the city. Guys in China have a lot of pressure on them, if they want to get married, they basically must be able to buy an apartment and often aren't from rich families or even the big city to begin with. The people around us and many that we know work insane hours and don't have much time for shopping. Even if they did, the majority of money is either saved or sent to their parents.
4. Nobody wants to stand out in the workplace for anything other than his work and when the boss(es) rarely wears a suit, its hard for his underlings to do so. The casual nature of the Chinese workplace makes it hard for someone who wants to be stylish to fit in with the overall office aesthetic. Even in the US or UK, if you go to a major international law firm or i-bank, the style is very conservative and a lot of people would fall short of "stylish", perhaps expectations are too high.
5. Street style is extremely diverse and relatively fashion forward here, because people who are in fields that allow them to wear street wear to work aren't usually faced with the limiting issues 3 and 4 mentioned above.
So be a little more gentle and encouraging towards Chinese style. And by the way, with the example many expats in China set, can you blame the Chinese?!? We're fighting the good fight, though, in our Thom and Tom suits, Churchs shoes, and oxford cloth button downs.
1. "Style" in Communist China has only been around for 25 years. Before that, everyone was basically dressing the same way and touches of style that made you stand out were a negative. But look at the recently released Life photos or images from the pre-Communist era, those people had style and they were Chinese, there is definitely hope.
2. Asian business people in general tend to dress very badly.
3. "Style" is usually not cheap, especially without any second hand stores around the city. Guys in China have a lot of pressure on them, if they want to get married, they basically must be able to buy an apartment and often aren't from rich families or even the big city to begin with. The people around us and many that we know work insane hours and don't have much time for shopping. Even if they did, the majority of money is either saved or sent to their parents.
4. Nobody wants to stand out in the workplace for anything other than his work and when the boss(es) rarely wears a suit, its hard for his underlings to do so. The casual nature of the Chinese workplace makes it hard for someone who wants to be stylish to fit in with the overall office aesthetic. Even in the US or UK, if you go to a major international law firm or i-bank, the style is very conservative and a lot of people would fall short of "stylish", perhaps expectations are too high.
5. Street style is extremely diverse and relatively fashion forward here, because people who are in fields that allow them to wear street wear to work aren't usually faced with the limiting issues 3 and 4 mentioned above.
So be a little more gentle and encouraging towards Chinese style. And by the way, with the example many expats in China set, can you blame the Chinese?!? We're fighting the good fight, though, in our Thom and Tom suits, Churchs shoes, and oxford cloth button downs.
Stuff Laowai Like 3 - Great Wall (Simatai)
Which one is Badaling and which is Simatai?*After a long hiatus, we're back on the laowai watching track, and what better to talk about than the Great Wall? The Great Wall is one of the wonders of the world, it is an absolutely amazing place to see that is a must for every visitor to Beijing. Laowai make it a point to visit the Wall, but in typical laowai fashion, just seeing the Wall isn't enough for them.
The Badaling section of the Great Wall is packed with tourists all times of the year, often including those "evil" groups of Chinese tourists in colored baseball hats. This is because Badaling is the closest part of the Wall to the city and the most accessible. Much of it has been rebuilt/renovated to make the climb a little easier and trams and rides make it even more touristy. You don't even need to be part of a tour, a city bus will take you from Dongzhimen to the foot of the wall in an under an hour for less than RMB20.
This is too easy for laowai, who deride Badaling (crowded, but still beautiful) as "inauthentic" and "boring" in comparison with the Simatai section in Miyun. To laowai, Simatai is the authentic and "genuine" Great Wall, all other sections are imposters. To get to Simatai, its an over 4 hour trip independently, but most laowai organize a tour through one of the many Nanluoguxiang hostels (as laowai love staying in hutongs). Further, they often do it as a hike from Jinshanling to Simatai, as laowai love to pretend to enjoy the outdoors. Plus, it gives them the chance to insult Beijing's air (as in "wow, it feels so good to see blue skies and breathe fresh air") making it an optimal choice.
Though any section of the Great Wall is sure to impress and amaze visitors and friends, if you want to become friends with a laowai, definitely propose a trip to Simatai.
*For those wondering, the first is Badaling and second is Simatai
2008/12/29
2008 Olympics Retrospective: Beach Volleyball
While at first it seemed like beach volleyball would be largely ignored, despite the general love of volleyball among Chinese, it quickly became a very popular event, where even middle aged (and older) women let loose and followed the raucous MC, the DJ's strong backbeat, and the dancing girls who showed everyone how to do it. On the men's side, the Brazilians were dominant, while on the women's side, the amazing undefeated streak of Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor was continued. The big story among Chinese, however, was the impressive performance of their women, who surprisingly took both silver and bronze in the competition, providing the new fans a lot to cheer about. Despite those who would claim these to be the "no fun" Olympics, everyone who set foot at the temporary Chaoyang Park venue was certain to have a great time.
Getting Harder to Get to China
Northwest Airlines recently requested the FAA to delay 2 of its direct routes to China that were supposed to begin in early 2009, adding its name to a long list that already includes a number of its competitors, all due to the economic crisis.
Northwest's request was to delay the startup dates for its 2 routes up to a year, the routes in question are Detroit-Shanghai and Seattle-Beijing. The other airlines have all been given deferments of these routes already, and these will affect the following:
American: Chicago-Beijing
US Airways: Philadelphia-Beijing
United: San Francisco-Guangzhou
Continental: Newark-Beijing, Newark-Shanghai
Delta: Atlanta-Shanghai
Some of these are deferments and others are changes from daily service to seasonal service. All of these are consequences of the current economic crisis and the desire of the airlines to save fuel costs (this is, of course, despite the fact fuel costs have largely fallen to the cheapest its been in years). Airline penny pinching has travelers frustrated as the planes have been downsized as much as is safely possible (now 777's doing international service) and cutbacks have been taking place (charging for alcohol).
So much for flying the friendly skies.
Northwest's request was to delay the startup dates for its 2 routes up to a year, the routes in question are Detroit-Shanghai and Seattle-Beijing. The other airlines have all been given deferments of these routes already, and these will affect the following:
American: Chicago-Beijing
US Airways: Philadelphia-Beijing
United: San Francisco-Guangzhou
Continental: Newark-Beijing, Newark-Shanghai
Delta: Atlanta-Shanghai
Some of these are deferments and others are changes from daily service to seasonal service. All of these are consequences of the current economic crisis and the desire of the airlines to save fuel costs (this is, of course, despite the fact fuel costs have largely fallen to the cheapest its been in years). Airline penny pinching has travelers frustrated as the planes have been downsized as much as is safely possible (now 777's doing international service) and cutbacks have been taking place (charging for alcohol).
So much for flying the friendly skies.
2008/12/26
2008/12/17
Riding the Rails for Crazy Prices
File this under crazy (h/t to Zhongnanhai). A couple weeks back we blogged about the announcement of the new overnight high speed D trains connecting Beijing and Shanghai and speculated that the price would remain similar to what it is now (or only be raised slightly). Well, today the price list came out and we're shocked, shocked I tell you.
Our guess on the times of the train were almost right on (the trains will all leave slightly before 10 pm and arrive slightly before 8 am). The price? As we mentioned, the Z trains (11 hours, 30 minutes) and T trains (13 hours) currently charge RMB499 (lower) and RMB478 (upper) for soft sleeper tickets. The new trains, like the Z trains, will be all soft sleeper, but will charge RMB655 and RMB730.
What?!? RMB730? A difference of RMB75 for upper or lower sleeper?!? Wow! This is truly stupid and has already met with complaints from travelers. And if you want to go between Beijing and Hangzhou, its RMB820! Flights (pre-tax) between Beijing and Shanghai would currently run you RMB450 on qunar. It doesn't make sense that adding the D overnight train has taken this long, but for these prices, though at these prices, its doesn't make sense to take it.
Our guess on the times of the train were almost right on (the trains will all leave slightly before 10 pm and arrive slightly before 8 am). The price? As we mentioned, the Z trains (11 hours, 30 minutes) and T trains (13 hours) currently charge RMB499 (lower) and RMB478 (upper) for soft sleeper tickets. The new trains, like the Z trains, will be all soft sleeper, but will charge RMB655 and RMB730.
What?!? RMB730? A difference of RMB75 for upper or lower sleeper?!? Wow! This is truly stupid and has already met with complaints from travelers. And if you want to go between Beijing and Hangzhou, its RMB820! Flights (pre-tax) between Beijing and Shanghai would currently run you RMB450 on qunar. It doesn't make sense that adding the D overnight train has taken this long, but for these prices, though at these prices, its doesn't make sense to take it.
2008/12/16
Let's Talk About Sex, Bei--jing!
News out of Beijing today is that next year condom machines that are currently set up (or will be soon) in bars, restaurants, clubs, and public baths around the city will allow you to purchase condoms using your transport card (一卡通). Just one more reason to make sure you have your card with you at all times and promoting safe sex all over the city.
2008/12/11
China's Lack of Biopics
Yesterday I referred to Mei Lanfang ("Forever Enthralled") as China's first non-Party biopic, at the very least, its certainly the first ever multimillion dollar major biopic movie. While there have been a number of biographical tv shows, they typically focus on Party members (popular subjects are Chairman Mao, Zhou Enlai, Lei Feng, etc). Even now, two of the nightly tv shows on Chinese tv are a popular series about Bruce Lee (who many Chinese barely know anything about) and one about Liu Shaoqi.
Is it fair to talk about China's love of biographical shows about Party members? Aren't a large number of US biopics about politicians as well? If its not about politicians, its typically about actors/actresses or musicians who've lived the sex, drugs, rock n' roll lifestyle to the extreme and thus make interesting subjects. However, China didn't really have "celebrities" per se before 30 years ago and too many of the ones that do exist lead very boring lives (at least by comparison to US standards). Can you imagine a Yao Ming biopic? Or Gong Li?
So if Mei Lanfang was China's first major biopic, who will be the second? I think a decent biopic could be made about Wang Zhizhi, especially his battle to go to the NBA and then his years left in the cold as a "traitor". It would be made a lot better if he develops a drug habit or fades away into obscurity (or gets into another road rage incident). But my top candidate? Wang Fei!
It has everything! Cultural Revolution repression, a family's move from Beijing to Hong Kong, a difficult road to stardom, a sudden rise, an attempt to take over the mainland after HK success, her successful return to Beijing and falling in love with a Beijing boy, and finally her 2 horrible romantic betrayals before finally finding true love.
This would make a hell of a movie, I'm starting work on the script now, expect it out around 2020 or so...
Is it fair to talk about China's love of biographical shows about Party members? Aren't a large number of US biopics about politicians as well? If its not about politicians, its typically about actors/actresses or musicians who've lived the sex, drugs, rock n' roll lifestyle to the extreme and thus make interesting subjects. However, China didn't really have "celebrities" per se before 30 years ago and too many of the ones that do exist lead very boring lives (at least by comparison to US standards). Can you imagine a Yao Ming biopic? Or Gong Li?
So if Mei Lanfang was China's first major biopic, who will be the second? I think a decent biopic could be made about Wang Zhizhi, especially his battle to go to the NBA and then his years left in the cold as a "traitor". It would be made a lot better if he develops a drug habit or fades away into obscurity (or gets into another road rage incident). But my top candidate? Wang Fei!
It has everything! Cultural Revolution repression, a family's move from Beijing to Hong Kong, a difficult road to stardom, a sudden rise, an attempt to take over the mainland after HK success, her successful return to Beijing and falling in love with a Beijing boy, and finally her 2 horrible romantic betrayals before finally finding true love.
This would make a hell of a movie, I'm starting work on the script now, expect it out around 2020 or so...
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