| Earth's profilePELTONATOR'SPhotosBlogLists |  Tools  Help |
|
February 28 Singaporean Singer JJ LinJJ (Wayne) Lin
 Chinese Name: 林俊杰
Mandarin Name: Lin Jun Jie
(b. 1981 in Singapore)
JJ has followed in Stefanie Sun's footsteps to put Singapore on the map of popular singers. Though born there, he launched his musical career in Taiwan, the majority of whose inhabitants are of the same descent as he is—Fujian. He has steadily risen to superstardom and is now ranked Number 3 on Baidu.com's list of singers by number of downloads of their songs, after Jay Zhou and S.H.E. respectively.
Chinese appreciate him not only for his singing but also his gifted showmanship and performance abilities. He is also a successful composer, composing all the songs on his own albums (a rare accomplishment in the Chinese singing world) and has written songs for other artists.
His rise to fame began when Singapore used his early music in their TV dramas and he was increasingly asked to make public appearances. He released his debut album, Music Voyager, in 2003. He won Best New Act awards in both Singapore and Taiwan music award shows. His big break came with the release of his fourth album, Cao Cao, in 2006. It sold 1 million copies in less than a week. In July 2007, JJ Lin broke a Guinness Book World Record by signing 3,052 CDs in just 2 and a half hours.
Popular JJ Lin songs include "Little Dimple" (小酒窝) a duet with Charlene Choi (蔡卓妍) of Twins and "I Still Think of Her" (我还想她). Canada Represented at Baidu AwardsThe other night my Chinese wife Carolyn and I watched the Baidu.com awards show on TV. Baidu is a Chinese web search engine like Yahoo or Google. Awards were given out to those celebrities for which the most searches were conducted or whose photos were the most downloaded, singers whose songs were downloaded the most or whose music videos were viewed the most online, and so on. The show was held in the Water Cube, Beijing. Perhaps most were unaware that there was significant Canadian representation in the show.
Photo downloads were greatest for a Chinese-Canadian named Lin Zhi Ling (林志玲), a model and actress. She immigrated to Canada from Taiwan for her senior year of high school then studied at the University of Toronto. Carolyn told me that she is considered the most beautiful woman from Taiwan.
Another celebrity was Chinese-Canadian singer/actress Vivian Chow (周慧敏) who, after retiring from the entertainment industry in Hong Kong, immigrated to Canada to settle down with her beau. I learned that she was born the same year as me, but, unlike me, she still looks smashin'. Also present was Twins' Vancouver-born Charlene Choi (蔡卓妍). Her "colourful" counterpart, Gillian Chung (鍾欣桐), has retreated from the entertainment scene due to her involvement in the notorious Edison Chen photo scandal. Because of this, Choi has been flying solo but also performing duets with other singers, including Singaporean JJ Lin (林俊杰).
I learned that the aforementioned JJ has risen up to the third most downloaded artist (in terms of his songs) on Baidu. I've, therefore, decided to profile him as an addition to my series on Chinese Pop Stars.
 (Lin Zhi Ling 林志玲)
 (Vivian Chow 周慧敏 and JJ Lin 林俊杰)
 (JJ Lin 林俊杰 and Charlene Choi 蔡卓妍) February 26 Hero WorshipThe act of human beings worshipping fellow human beings is shameful, considering that we have all been created from the same dust. No matter what position we have in society, we are all equal. It's just that we have different roles to play. Some of them are glamorous, some productive, some inspiring, some vital to survival. Consider how vital the farmers are. They are among the poorest but, without them, we would all starve to death. It is a grievous personal injustice to think for a moment that certain human beings are more valuable than others, because they have loftier positions, higher paying jobs, or greater degrees of formal education, and deserve to be worshipped.
In a previous entry, I discussed the act of the populace worshipping politicians. Here I wish to continue the discussion by pointing out that politicians are not the only human beings that are the focus of misguided hopes and dreams of the masses. Religious leaders are another. These, without any appointment mentioned by the scriptures they profess to observe, have assumed authority over their congregations. Certainly nowhere near as influential today as they were a century ago, I mention them because of the increase in religious terrorism around the world.
Perhaps a more innocent form of holding human beings as idols, and many of us were guilty of this when growing up, pertains to the "stars". Pop stars, movie stars, and other celebrities are featured in posters hanging on the bedroom walls of many a teenager. The youth see these glamorous, often physically gorgeous figures as their personal heroes and saviours and place all their hopes and dreams on these fellow human beings. I say that this is a more innocent form because when people worship those in positions of power and influence, it can prove a dangerous game. But these celebrities are there simply to shine and inspire, not to make decisions that will affect the populace.
I would say that there is nothing wrong with admiring or respecting a fellow human being. A politician who works hard to improve the conditions of the poor, a gifted singer who moves the heart helping her fans to overcome emotionally the burdens of life, a cleric who gives a moving speech that results in works of charity—these are all laudable acts deserving praise. But when we begin to worship a fellow human being by idolizing or deifying him or her, we have crossed the line. We are all equals and all play our part in moving the world forward. February 22 LeadershipWith the inspiring reception U.S. President Barack Obama received in Canada, I have been reflecting on the role that political leaders have played and are playing in solving problems and crises. It has been said that one of the signs of the maturity of the human race will be that no one will want to bear the burden of leadership.
Throughout history, regions of the world have found themselves in conditions swamped with seemingly insurmountable problems, and the people eagerly anticipated some kind of saviour to rescue them from drowning in a slough of woe. What often occurred was that well-meaning but incompetent people either seized or were handed the reigns of leadership only to aggravate the social ills that had confounded the masses. Look at what happened in the late 1970s to Cambodia, for example. It is estimated that, in just five years, twenty percent of the population was exterminated because the leaders of their Khmer Rouge regime were so convinced that their philosophy offered the panacea which their countrymen desperately needed.
In Germany, prior to the Second World War, despite a leader who showed increasing signs of derangement, the people overlooked the flagrantly unethical conduct and principles he espoused, perhaps because they had placed all their hopes and dreams in a redeemer who could offer them a way out of the humiliation the nation had suffered after the First World War.
In more recent times, we can reflect on what happened in the United States. Though the policies he made and actions he took were not as flagrantly deranged as in the previous two examples, the American people re-elected a leader who was clearly on the road to his eventually being called the worst President in their history, perhaps because the people placed all their faith in one who could deliver the country out of the anguish it suffered from the terrorist attacks of so-called 9-11.
It should have become clear to humanity, given a century of mounting blunders and abuses, that politicians, far from saving the people from distress, have, at best, merely prevented such miseries from worsening, or, at worst, led the country down a highway to ruin. Often, when one problem was overcome, several more popped up in its place.
This is certainly not to say that government has no place in human affairs, but it is to say that the role that leaders have is one that is far from all-encompassing. Stimulus packages can be given, law can be changed, constitutions can be amended, treaties can be signed, alliances can be made, funds can be shuffled, interest rates can be adjusted, but, at the grassroots, where crime, drunkenness, and barbarism are increasing, families are breaking up, schools are becoming breeding grounds of vices, materialism is spreading its cancerous tentacles around the globe, the corruption of the press is growing, art and literature are sinking further into degeneracy, workplaces are infected with dark politics and spite—here at the foundation of society, the government is wholly impotent.
Giving a structure whose foundation is rotten a new coat of paint is what can done at best by those at the helm. Or perhaps a better analogy would be that those who are steering a ship can decide in what direction to take it, but, if the ship is falling apart, this makes little difference, as all its passengers can expect is to become shark fodder. In short, leaders can help. But placing all one's hopes and dreams on a fellow human being, no matter how charming and intelligent he appears, is a placement that clearly is misplaced. We can encourage our leaders but let's remember that it is up to all of us to change ourselves and reconstruct society. February 21 Obama Visits CanadaOn Thursday, Air Force One, surely one of the world's most luxurious aircrafts, touched down on the first foreign country to be visited by The United States' new President. Barack Obama stepped off the plane onto the land of the United States' biggest trading partner. He was greeted by a file of R.C.M.P. officers decked out in their spiffy red ceremonial uniforms. Obama, who has been repeatedly dubbed as the United States' first black President, was then welcomed by Canada's first black Governor General, Michaelle Jean, vice-regal representative of Canada's Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II.
The two held a meeting wherein Jean talked with Obama about her native Haiti, considered the poorest country in the Americas, its new leader and its economic woes.
Canadians had been preparing for weeks to offer the American President the warmest welcome, part of which was in assiduous security sweeps. Manhole covers had been welded shut, mailboxes and garbage cans removed, heavy metal barriers installed. On Ottawa's Parliament Hill, despite being told there was next to no chance in seeing Barack Obama, despite the biting cold temperatures and slushy ground, 2,000 assembled to catch a glimpse of the President. When the motorcade arrived, the crowd cheered wildly. There wasn't a protester in sight—a sharp contrast to the arrival of George W. Bush in 2004.
Obama entered the Parliament buildings, greeted by Canada's Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, who said, "It's a great honour to have you here." The President told the Prime Minister to wait a minute. Obama went back outside to wave to the crowd through the armour-plated glass. Next, he signed Canada's official guestbook before disappearing behind closed doors to meet one-on-one with the Prime Minister. The meeting was supposed to last ten minutes; it lasted thirty.
 The two talked about trade, the global financial crisis, Afghanistan, border security, cross-border cooperation on environmental protection and energy security, and made a pledge to clean energy dialogue. "I came to Canada on my first trip as President to underscore the closeness and importance of the relationship between our two nations," Barack said.
The first question asked during the press conference was about the timetable for troop-withdrawal from Afghanistan. Obama showed insight when he suggested that there was probably a question behind the question and went on to state that he in no way had pressed Harper into making any further commitments; he was simply complimenting Canada on the work they have done.
Obama diverted from his official plan. He did not simply head directly back to the airport at the end of the day; instead, he did what tourists to Canada often do: dropped into the market to meet some of the locals and buy some souvenirs.
U.S. President Barack Obama's trip to Canada offered balm to a relationship that has been rocked by differences over the Iraq war and, more recently, worries over protectionist policies and buy-American appeals severly hurting trade.
In the 1980s, the close friendship between Brian Mulroney and Ronald Reagan led to the acid-rain accord and free trade agreement.
The relationship between the two nations soured when George W. Bush showed ignorance in an interview about the Prime Minister's name, wrote off the accidental bombing to death of Canadian soldiers by Americans in Afghanistan during a training exercise, failed to mention Canada in a list of "America's friends" in his address after the 9/11 incident, and impulsively banned the import of some Canadian goods like potatoes. Canadians were outraged by such actions and riot police had to keep back protesters during Bush's visits to Ottawa.
Many Canadians consider the United States of America as their 11th Province and are eager to re-ignite the love-affair. Barack Obama's visit offered hope that the relationship will see brighter days ahead. February 20 China's Most Populated Cities and ProvincesA number of people ask me the population of Shanghai. I'm expanding the response to include the top 10 most populated cities in China.
China's Ten Most Populated Provinces:
All figures are current (2009) estimates. Source: http://www.world-gazetteer.com. February 15 Attachment to the Kingdom of NamesWhen an individual uses his attainments to become famous and admired and feels gratified when he has made a name for himself, he is attached to the Kingdom of Names. Society exerts an insidious influence on the human heart. Instead of training the individual to lead a life of humble service, self-effacement, and sacrifice, it teaches him to pride himself on his achievements. He is taught practically from birth to develop his ego, endeavour to exalt himself above others, and is given the ultimate goal of reaching self-importance, success, and power.
There are those who waste their lives away striving with the frenzy of ambition to make a name for themselves and shine in their pomp and glory. They enter institutions of higher learning, attending the controversies of the learned, not to acquire skills needed to help advance civilization, but to obtain a paper permitting them to embellish their names with prestigious labels and titles. These individuals seek status and recognition, adorning themselves with so-called qualifications, scaling the ladder of commercial and professional accomplishment. And, once they have succeeded in mounting the throne of distinction, their task becomes obsessively focused on building and protecting their reputations, terrified lest the slightest discredit emasculate their authority or sully the pageantry of their majesty.
And all this for what? All this pomp and glory will one day be folded up and taken to the grave.
I remember reading a story about a man who was very detached from the Kingdom of Names. It went something like this…
One evening, throngs of people were excitedly flocking from the home of an elderly gentleman, who had entertained them for the evening. A traveller decided to go to the man's home to see who he was, as the crowd was in such high spirits. The older man was radiant. The traveller, thinking he must be someone of high rank and accomplishment, asked him, "Who are you?" The elderly gentleman replied, "Well, who do you think I am?" The traveller thought a moment and asked, "A professor?" The elderly man asked a question in return, "What's higher than a professor?" "The mayor?" the traveller asked. "What's higher than a mayor?" was the man's reply. The traveller said, "A prince!" The man asked, "What's higher than a prince?" "The prime minister," replied the traveller. "What's higher than the prime minister?" asked the man. "A king!" said the traveller. "What's higher than a king?" asked the elderly man politely. "An emperor" was the traveller's reply. "What's higher than an emperor?" asked the man. The traveller thought for a moment, then concluded, "Nothing. Nothing is higher than an emperor." The elderly gentleman replied, "And that's me—I'm nothing."
February 03 Five Nights in Beijing, Part 5: The Last Two DaysThursday, 29 January 2009: Summer Palace
This is located in the Northwest corner of the city and is accessible by subway. The kings spent their summers here. It is a large lake surrounded by terraces, walkways, temples, and palaces. The lake was frozen over and many Chinese walked on it. There is a small island in the middle of the lake and a pedestrian bridge connecting it to the edge of the lake. The attractions in Beijing are so vast that you really need an extra pair of legs. But they are so spectacular that it's well worth the exhaustion. The main palace reminded me of the Hearst Castle in the U.S.. It is built on the slopes of a mountain.
Friday, 30 January 2009 (Morning): The Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven was my second favourite site in Beijing and Carolyn's favourite. It is one of the most beautiful temples I've ever seen. Apparently, in preparation for the Olympics, they gave it a new paint job, as the paint had faded. The grounds of the temple are very large. There was a ceremony conducted the way it was when the king used to visit the temple. A man dressed up as the king and his men performed the rituals for the public to see. We weren't allowed to go inside the temple, but it was quite barren inside—just a throne I believe. Apparently, the Chinese believed that the earth was square and heaven was round; the site was built accordingly. The temple itself is very round and the grounds surrounding the temple are square.
Friday, 30 January 2009 (Afternoon): Houhai
Houhai is a small lake around which are a vast number of alleys with old tract houses called hutong. There are a huge number of bars and as many shops selling handicrafts. Shanghai has a similar place near Yu Yuan Garden. Amongst this very large neighbourhood is the house (more like collection of houses) known as Gong Wang Fu. Carolyn says they belonged to a "bad man" who extorted loads of money from the king. The compound was really beautiful though. And at the back was a small cave, inside of which the king, with his own hand, wrote the character "Fu" meaning happiness. The tour guide who took us to the Great Wall had commented that you can't say you've been to Beijing unless you've seen this character in the cave. There was a very long line-up to get into the cave but it went fairly quickly.
Conclusion
Carolyn and I both loved Beijing. It is a must-see city—highly recommended. A warning to those who visit, though—you will do a tremendous amount of walking, so be prepared. I recommend spending at least a week. That way, you can take your time and have some rests in-between the site-visits. We did miss seeing Beihai park. We were too tired to go there after visiting the Forbidden City and had planned to go the last day but ran out of time. I'm guessing, though, that, like the Summer Palace, winter is not the best time to see the park. Five Nights in Beijing, Part 4: Entering into AdulthoodWednesday, 28 January 2009: Becoming a Man
It's official. I am now a man. And … Carolyn is now a woman.
Just before 2PM on 28 January 2009, Carolyn and I entered into adulthood. How did I become a man (and Carolyn a woman)? Well, it involved something very long. It was hard. I climbed on top and, by the time I was finished, I was very tired. It took us a while to get there but we finally got there. You know what I'm talking about, right? The saying in China goes that you are not a man until you have visited the Great Wall. And this we did. We took a bus from a station near Tiananmen Square. It stopped midway for a lunch break. I wouldn't recommend eating the food at the place—better pack a few sandwiches. Then we got there. The Great Wall, supposedly the only man-made object that can be seen from space, stretches across the country. The section closest to Beijing is called Badaling. We walked along the magnificent structure for a couple of hours. Then we returned with the tour bus. Five Nights in Beijing, Part 3: Blessed is the Cube, Nest, Square, City, TeahouseBelieve it or not, this was the first time both Carolyn and myself were to step foot in the nation's capital. It was well worth the wait and a good time to go. The Olympics were over and many migrants had left the city. The news reported that, in just one day, 400,000 people left Beijing to return to be with their families, outside the city, for Chinese New Year. This is a new world record.
Monday, 26 January 2009: Olympic Venues
After arrival in the city and checking into the hotel, Carolyn and I went to the site of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. We snapped some photos of the "Water Cube" and "Bird's Nest".
Tuesday, 27 January 2009 (Morning): Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City
I've heard it's the world's largest public square. It certainly is big. We entered the former palace of the kings (Ming and Qing Dynasties). It is said there are 999 rooms within. We walked and walked and walked. The kings certainly didn't need a gym; they got their exercise just from walking through their palace courtyards among the different buildings. We had planned to go to Beihai park (across the street from the exit gate of the Forbidden City) but were so exhausted and hungry from all the walking that we took a taxi to Wang Fu Jing Avenue (I think it's called). It's kind of the equivalent to Shanghai's East Nanjing Road. We ate and shopped a bit.
Tuesday, 27 January 2009 (Evening): Laoshe Teahouse
CCTV International has annual English-speaking competitions. I watched the last one. During one part, each competitor had to argue for or against a particular Beijing site or attraction for its best representing the spirit of the city. It was during my viewing of this that I first heard about this famous teahouse. This was definitely my favourite highlight of Beijing. It is an old teahouse but fixed up to look incredibly beautiful with detailed decorations and ornamentations. It is pricey (180 RMB per person). But you are served what I found to be the best-tasting green tea ever. And they continually refill your cup with hot water. They also serve a few snacks. You sit and relax, drinking tea, and … watch a show. The teahouse has a 90-minute collection of performances combining traditional and modern Chinese culture. There are screens displaying English translations / explanations. There is singing, comedy, acrobatics, kung fu, magic, oral mimicry (vocal sound effects), and much more. It was wonderful. They gave out tickets and three numbers were called out and prizes given to the winners. Yours truly was lucky enough to be one of the three winners!
February 02 Five Nights in Beijing, Part 2: Better Hospitality, Less Competent ServiceShanghai is the most populated city in China and the richest in Mainland China. A published report a couple of years ago stated that white collar (or middle class) status for Shanghai was a monthly income of RMB 5350 compared with 5020 for Beijing. The Chinese refer to Shanghai as China's business and commercial center and Beijing as China's political and cultural center. Beijing has much more history than Shanghai, which is a relatively new city. Because of this, there are many more tourist attractions in Beijing than in Shanghai.
Mandarin Chinese, referred to by the Chinese as putonghua (meaning "common language") was based on the Beijing dialect. Mandarin is actually an artificial language, created as an auxiliary language enabling all Chinese to communicate with one another. Though it was based on the local Beijing dialect, it differs quite a bit in accent. But it is infinitely closer to Mandarin than Shanghainese.
Though being in Beijing for only six days makes it unfair to generalize, I will go ahead and say that Carolyn and I found Beijing to house more hospitality but less competent service than Shanghai. Most Beijingers we met were eager to help us out, especially the taxi drivers. In Shanghai, you often ask a cabbie some advice about what to see or how to get to a place, and he'll play ignorant. He just wants to make some dough and not go out of his way to help out. But in Beijing, the cabbies were very talkative and gave us some tips about what to see and how to get there. Service-wise though, the Beijingers weren't as professional as Shanghainese, often making mistakes on orders. I'll cite a couple of examples.
I often go to Starbucks for coffee and usually order their "coffee of the week" (cheaper and more flavourful than an Americano). A few times in Shanghai, their coffee of the week was sold out or their machine was out of order. They would give me an Americano but charge me the cheaper coffee of the week price. In Beijing, I went to Starbucks, ordering a coffee of the week. The barista said the machine had broken down and suggested I get an Americano. He charged me the Americano price. Carolyn and I went to a restaurant. We ordered several dishes, including a beef one. The service was very slow, so Carolyn, to relieve her boredom, checked the ordering notepad. The waitress had written the mutton dish instead of the beef. She called over a waiter telling him our waitress had made a mistake. We had asked for the beef, not the mutton. He took the pad to the kitchen then returned saying it had been corrected. Carolyn looked at the pad again. The man had simply added the beef dish to the order, not cancelling the mutton. We told them. They had the mutton cancelled. But several minutes later, a waitress brought us the mutton dish. Mistakes happen in Shanghai too but not to this extent.
We definitely noticed that Beijing was not as rich a city as Shanghai simply by the lack of restaurants and convenience stores. In Shanghai there's a convenience shop on every block of every street (or so it seems)—Lawson, All Days, Q-store, C-Store, Quik—you name it. But we couldn't find any in Beijing. Taking taxis all over town I saw only two the six days we were there. Because Beijing is very dry, the 2 small bottles of free water the hotel provided us daily weren't enough. Just to find a shop that sold bottled water was difficult. We had to find a grocery store.
Chinese often say that Beijingers never greet each other with "Ni hao" (Hello); they prefer instead to ask, "Ni chi le ma?" (Have you eaten?). We found out why. Like the convenience shops, the same can be said, in comparing the two cities, for availability of restaurants. Yes, Shanghai has restaurants on every block of every street. But eateries in Beijing seemed few and far-between. As a result, they were very crowded and there were long line-ups waiting to get in. When finally getting a table, there was a long wait to be served the food. Though the quality of service is lower, the hospitality shone through. I went into KFC struggling to find a seat. One of the staff noticed I was having trouble and went out of her way to show me to a vacant spot. This has never happened to me in Shanghai.
Where Beijing really rocks is in its subway. Currently you pay just 2 yuan for any number of stops and transfers among subway lines. In Shanghai depending on how many stations you pass and transfers, you can pay up to several yuan. Some of the Beijing subway trains even had padded seats!
The most peculiar difference between the two cities in terms of everyday living was in the money, specifically bills versus coinage. Whenever you get change of 1 yuan or 5 jiao (1/2 yuan) in Shanghai, it is almost always in coin form. But in Beijing we were constantly handed paper 1's and 1/2s, never coins!
Beijing has Shanghai beat in transportation both in terms of taxis and the subway. It has Shanghai beat in its welcoming hospitality. It has Shanghai beat in its tourist attractions. Shanghai wins out in availability of corner stores and restaurants and quality of service. February 01 Five Nights in Beijing, Part 1: The PlanIt's been awhile since Carolyn and I took a trip together. It is rare that we get a stretch of holidays together due to our different careers. Last summer, for example, I went to Canada alone for a month and she visited Thailand with her mom for a week. In the past, we have visited:
China
l Hangzhou
l Nanjing
l Wuxi
l Suzhou
l Hong Kong
l Putuo Shan
Greater Shanghai Area
l Chong Ming Island
l Xi Tang
Canada
l Vancouver / Sunshine Coast
l Calgary
We finally got a stretch of holidays together (Chinese New Year). On our list of places to see (within China) were Hainan Island, Yunnan, and Beijing. We opted for the latter. Carolyn wasn't too enthusiastic to see Beijing but her dad, who's been there, encouraged her saying that there were many attractions. We got fairly cheap air tickets and found a good deal with Novotel: five nights for the price of four. The hotel—a decent one—is located at the center of town, near the subway and large shopping centres.
I've already added some photos (we took many) from our trip. Before getting into the sights, I'm going to write a bit in general about Beijing and compare it as a city to Shanghai. |
|
|
