How much is your wife (girlfriend) worth? Recently many Chinese websites and forums had the following viral post, calculating the worth of a woman as a marriage partner base on a series of questions. Some netizens posted scores as high as 9500, but some as low as negative scores, thus crated fights between husbands and wives. Most men found it entertaining and just for fun, but women think marriage is not a product, cannot put a price on it. The [...]]]>

How much is your wife (girlfriend) worth? Recently many Chinese websites and forums had the following viral post, calculating the worth of a woman as a marriage partner base on a series of questions. Some netizens posted scores as high as 9500, but some as low as negative scores, thus crated fights between husbands and wives. Most men found it entertaining and just for fun, but women think marriage is not a product, cannot put a price on it. The survey used the Chinese currency (yuan) as the measuring units which angered women who got negative scores even more. “Are you buying vegetables in the market? How can you calculate how much I am worth?”

Of course, love certainly is not to be measured by any data. The so-called calculation is just for entertainment.

Taller than 160 cm, for every 1cm +100

Shorter than 160 cm, for every 1 cm -100

Long hair +150

Can dance +100

Can sing +100

Weights over 110 Jin, for every 10 Jin -100

Weights under 100 Jin, for every 10 Jin -100

Near sighted, if more than 300 degrees, for each 100 degrees over –100

If had relationship before, for each time being dumped –100, each time dumped other +100

Never had a boyfriend before +100

Older than 23, for each year -100

Has medical history, for each one -100

Doesn’t know how to play Majiang +100

Doesn’t know how to drink +100

Heavy drinker -200

Smoker-200

Has pet(s) +100… Like pets +50

Can cook +300

Gentle and lovely +100

Childish and Stubborn -200

Always tells you she misses you +100

Likes to bring you to her classmate get-togethers +100

Knows how to care for you… don’t let you smoke and drink +100

Does not disturb your personal life +100

Always bugs you to go shopping -100

Puts up makeup the way you like it +100

Doesn’t know how to do laundry -200

Fights with you everyday -200

No matter whose fault it is, always contact you first after a fight +100

You talk her into asleep every night +100

Well-behaved +100… only well-behaved to you… and not good to other people +200

Will cry for you +100

Always makes you cry -100

Independent; does not always want you to buy things for her +200

Not being difficult in front of your friends +100

Knows how to put on make up +100

Does laundry for you +100

Mature +100

Does not like to laugh when being with you -200

Wants you to ditch school (work) to be with her -200

Fails exams, for each -100

Gives you things made by her +100

Always says you are ugly -200

Never took sticker pictures –200

—

1500 – 2500: normal

2500 – 3500: excellent

Over 3500: Your life is set… hurry up and marry her… before it’s too late.

Source: Sina Weibo

Recently, Netizens found another “floating photo” (photoshopped photo) on Zhenjiang province, Hangzhou City, Yuhang district government official website.  In this photo which describes, “Nanhu beach park’s landscape optimization project has been completed”, five men were obviously Photoshopped into the background.  Netizens made fun: “leaders are surely not ordinary people”, they “operate like gods.”

The photo is from an article on the Hangzhou City, Yuhang District government official website published on May 9, 2012. The article said, “May 8, Hangzhou Nanhu [...]]]>

From Sina:

Recently, Netizens found another “floating photo” (photoshopped photo) on Zhenjiang province, Hangzhou City, Yuhang district government official website.  In this photo which describes, “Nanhu beach park’s landscape optimization project has been completed”, five men were obviously Photoshopped into the background.  Netizens made fun: “leaders are surely not ordinary people”, they “operate like gods.”

The photo is from an article on the Hangzhou City, Yuhang District government official website published on May 9, 2012. The article said, “May 8, Hangzhou Nanhu Construction and Development Company invited the Beach Park optimization project construction company and its supervision unit, also forestry landscaping company and other units for handing off and transferring the construction project.”

The original photo

Many curious netizens found the photo: five men standing on the corridor, or on grass, but they looked like they are just floating on the background.  “The government website editor’s photoshop technique sucks so bad!” Netizens said angrily.

In fact, this is not the first time netizens found “floating photo”.  In June last year Sichuan Province, Liangshan Autonomous Huili county government website posted a report titled “High standard construction, Huili County highway through rural area”.  The photo for the article had three government officials “floating” on the highway, the caption said “several government leaders are inspecting the newly built highway.”

netizens then had their fun with this

Later Huili county propaganda department staff acknowledged that the photo is indeed photoshopped and also removed it from the website.

May 18, Yuhang District government website published a letter of apology, saying “improper operation” caused uploaded picture with serious error” and sincerely apologize to the netizens.

It was May 5, when Weibo user @HBG林舟 posted his medical examination report which said he had abnormal menstruation after a full physical exam in hospital of traditional Chinese medicine in Hainan Province.

Next morning, the hospital’s Safety Service Department Dean Tang explained that one of the doctors on duty made a mistake because he was too busy. Many patients went to hospital to have CT that day. Especially, the patient before Lin was also a female named Lin, who [...]]]>

From Yahoo:

It was May 5, when Weibo user @HBG林舟 posted his medical examination report which said he had abnormal menstruation after a full physical exam in hospital of traditional Chinese medicine in Hainan Province.

Next morning, the hospital’s Safety Service Department Dean Tang explained that one of the doctors on duty made a mistake because he was too busy. Many patients went to hospital to have CT that day. Especially, the patient before Lin was also a female named Lin, who was diagnosed with abnormal menstruation. The doctor hurried to draw the conclusion without noticing the item of clinical diagnosis. But the result of CT was not affected.

“We admit this mistake and apologize to Lin. We’ve suspended the doctor from his duty and deducted his bonuses.”

On May 8, 2012, around 11:20 pm a drunken bald foreigner was sexually assaulting a woman in public near Xuanwumen subway station across street from Sogo Department Store in Beijing. A video captured him being questioned and stopped by a couple of pedestrians passing by. In rage, Beijing pedestrians hit him and he passed out in the street until the police arrived to the sense. This video quickly spread on the Internet especially on Weibo and received much attention from [...]]]>

On May 8, 2012, around 11:20 pm a drunken bald foreigner was sexually assaulting a woman in public near Xuanwumen subway station across street from Sogo Department Store in Beijing. A video captured him being questioned and stopped by a couple of pedestrians passing by. In rage, Beijing pedestrians hit him and he passed out in the street until the police arrived to the sense. This video quickly spread on the Internet especially on Weibo and received much attention from the Netizens.

Netizen @烧完美好青春 also exposed photos of this same foreigner sexually harassing women on the Beijing subway many times.
He wrote:

I am at the subway station, fuck, this society is totally messed up.  These foreign bitches sexually harass women on the subway; pushing his erection against them, totally disregard others.  He just harassed 5 women, finally, he just directly stood in front of that little girl.

Beijing Public Security Bureau @平安北京 posted an announcement on Weibo,

Last night, a video on Sina Weibo showed a drunken man sexually assaulting a woman near Xuanwumen subway station, was stopped by pedestrians which attracted many attentions. People also have asked us for more information.

After investigation, on May 8, 2012, 11pm, a foreign man was sexually assaulting a woman in public after alcohol consumption.  Pedestrians reported it to the police, and the police arrived to the sense in time to capture the man.  The police detained the man until he was sober, and he is now in custody and under investigation. This man is British citizen with travel visa to China.  This case is currently under preceding in accordance to the law.

As the national college entrance examination is approaching, there are a bunch of students who seem to be the hardest working ones to prepare for it because they get intravenous (IV) drips while studying in class.

The pictures on internet are all from Hubei Xiaogan No. 1 Middle School. The school is saying that students received the amino acids for energy. One of the netizen “边云锦witHu” said the students are willing to do this. This happens every [...]]]>

From Wenxue City:

As the national college entrance examination is approaching, there are a bunch of students who seem to be the hardest working ones to prepare for it because they get intravenous (IV) drips while studying in class.

The pictures on internet are all from Hubei Xiaogan No. 1 Middle School. The school is saying that students received the amino acids for energy. One of the netizen “边云锦witHu” said the students are willing to do this. This happens every year and just for the sake of receiving energy.

In the pictures, the classroom is bright and desks are piled with books. Below the ceiling are many iron wires where hangs at least thirty bottles.

The dean of the middle school, Xia said that every year each student receives 10 RMB stipends for the preparation of the national college entrance examination. The stipend can be used in the clinic room in school in the means of receiving amino acids. “Recently the weather is not good here, so some students felt uncomfortable” said Xia.

According to her, school organized voluntary students to receive amino acids in the clinic room. But the students are so busy there that they used this method, saving them the energy and time to travel between the clinic rooms and classroom.

In the recent survey by Sina, 11163 votes were against this while 1248 supported. Majority of the netizens doubted the effect of receiving amino acids, saying that eating a piece of meat is more useful than that. But some netizens also think it is normal to do that.

Mr. Gao from Xiaogan No. 1 Middle School said students receiving amino acids has been its history for the school. Last month, lots of parents wanted school to have amino acids injection for their kids to strengthen their body and gain energy. At first school did not allow for this. But later they found that it usually took more than half a day for students to go out to receive this on their own. So finally they approved this in class.

The school also ruled that to inject for a 500 ml amino acids, students just pay 10 RMB and school pay for the difference in price. He also added that there are twenty classes in the third grade and nearly half of each class with fifty to sixty students received the injection.

He thinks that it is quite useful for students to inject amino acids because it gives them a hint effect. Students are all very nervous and under great pressure, so in a degree it can relief their pain. And the school is not going to stop this as long as students still need it.

Ministry of Education: never heard of injecting amino acids before

According to Ministry of Education of Hubei, they never heard of this before and government never gave any stipends to student to receive amino acids before. They learned about it and would pay much attention to investigate this incident.

Doubts

An expert from Beijing Li Jingren said that it is a trick to inject amino acids to receive energy. Improper use of amino acids can be very harmful to human body, causing imbalances of Negative nitrogen. The government cannot have stipend on this. He mentioned one bottle of 500 ml amino acids can be as expensive as hundreds of RMB. The school must have some profit relationship with some interest groups.
Experts

Injection in class is prone to infections

Professor Sun from State Food and Drug Administration said this injection is not only risky but also outrageous. He said the risk is in the process of injection in class, students are easily to get infections of diseases. Moreover, each student has his own health condition; some may be allergic to injection such as dizzy or nausea.

The best way to receive amino acids is through mouth and daily diet. And there is no certain results showing that amino acids can benefit people when taking examinations.

April 26, Sina Weibo verified account named “Second Artillery Liu Yuanyuan” exposed herself of drunk driving on micro-blog which attracted many Chinese netizens’ attention.  Claimed a member of Second Artillery Corps Art and Cultural Troupe she also “flaunted wealth” by sharing her personal photos.   People’s Liberation Army Second Artillery Corps Political Department and Propaganda Department News Director Chen Shoufu made a public statement that the Second Artillery Corps did not have such person named Liu Yuanyuan.  so-called “Second Artillery [...]]]>

From Netease:

April 26, Sina Weibo verified account named “Second Artillery Liu Yuanyuan” exposed herself of drunk driving on micro-blog which attracted many Chinese netizens’ attention.  Claimed a member of Second Artillery Corps Art and Cultural Troupe she also “flaunted wealth” by sharing her personal photos.   People’s Liberation Army Second Artillery Corps Political Department and Propaganda Department News Director Chen Shoufu made a public statement that the Second Artillery Corps did not have such person named Liu Yuanyuan.  so-called “Second Artillery Art and Cultural Troupe member Liu Yuanyan” flaunting wealth, exposing drunk driving were all publicity stunts.

On evening of April 29, Chen Shoufu stated on Weibo, this person Liu Yuanyuan has been located. She deeply regret that using fake identity registering micro-blog account and also published information that are damaging military’s image and social morality.  She realized the netizens’ criticisms are punishments she deserves; she is willing to cooperate with the investigation and accept any punishment.

On April 30, Chen Shoufu said, Second Artillery Corps Political Department, in accordance with the legal procedure is going to pursue legal action and punishment of the person(s) planning and abetting Liu Yuanyuan’s action of “flaunting wealth” on the Internet.

Tell everyone a secret! I am drunk driving!

Report on Wednesday said, the ambitious Starbucks is continuously expanding in China, but customers staying in Starbucks not leaving is a major obstacle of expanding in China – “Customers love these shops too much, they sit there for hour after hour, and sometimes without buying any coffee at all.”  In fact, although these multinational companies have amazing rate of expanding in China, looking at the sales numbers comparing with total global sales, China is still relatively a small market, [...]]]>

From Netease:

Report on Wednesday said, the ambitious Starbucks is continuously expanding in China, but customers staying in Starbucks not leaving is a major obstacle of expanding in China – “Customers love these shops too much, they sit there for hour after hour, and sometimes without buying any coffee at all.”  In fact, although these multinational companies have amazing rate of expanding in China, looking at the sales numbers comparing with total global sales, China is still relatively a small market, this probably has little to do with customers staying in the shop for too long.

As of 2010, Starbucks has 459 stores in China, but the average Chinese consumer drink coffee three times a year.  To buy a cup of 12 ounce caramel macchiato, consumers in Easter China need to work 1.3 hours, consumers in Western China and central parts of China need to work 1.6 and 1.9 hours.  Starbucks has 10.71 billion dollars in total revenues in 2010, but revenue in China is only 358 million, only 3.3% of the global revenues.

Just how dependent are multinational companies on the Chinese market?  Would they be brought to their knees without the Chinese market? We found many companies’ annual reports, the data may disappoint many people – in fact, Chinese market isn’t very important to the majority of multinational companies.   Carrefour supermarket which are now everywhere in China still has main revenue in France.  In 2011 the Chinese market revenue of 8.169 billion euros is less than 10 percent of its global revenue.  Even Coca-Cola can be seen almost anywhere in the world, it’s revenue in China only accounted for about 7% of its total revenue.  Amongst the most common multinational companies, perhaps only KFC under Yum! Brands would have a hard time leaving Chinese market – KFC’s revenue in China is 49.8% of its total, almost half of its share.

The Economist Intelligence Unite (EIU) released at the end of the investigation report also supports this conclusion.  The Economist’s report shows that the global financial crisis in multinational companies, especially large multinational companies are more dependent on the Chinese market in order to bring in more revenue.  But for most of the multinationals China is still a relatively small market.  This report is based on a survey of 328 non-Chinese multinational senior management, and in-depth interviews with large foreign multinational executives, business academics and market analysts.  In this survey, only 8% of respondents believe that China is their biggest market, 17 percent of companies expect China to become its biggest market within five years, and another 21% of the companies believe that this situation will occur within 5-10 years.

70 multinational companies surveyed, only 10 companies have more than 20 percent of its global revenue from China last year, including Mead Johnson, Cartier, BHP Billiton, Yum, Advanced Micro Devices, etc. and half of the above companies have less than 10% income coming from China.

The survey also shows that, although multinational companies are still optimistic about China, there are signs of global distribution of their investments, in order to balance their overall strategic layout.  Among all respondents, 37% think China is essential to their global strategy, however the 2004 survey showed 53%.  Another 33% of respondents believed that the Chinese market, though not to have crucial role, but also has important strategic significance.  This number also declined from 2004 survey’s 41%.

Recently, Taobao is setting up a delivery/logistics company with their “Tao Girls” (淘女郎) to delivery goods purchased off the Internet.  Currently hiring “Tao girls” all over the country whoever is interested in participating.  Choosing a Tao girl to delivery your purchase will cost ten yuan extra.  According to sources, Taobao had the idea of Tao Girls delivering goods for long time, consumers purchasing goods on Taobao have the option of choosing a Tao Girl in the same city personally [...]]]>

From QQ:

Recently, Taobao is setting up a delivery/logistics company with their “Tao Girls” (淘女郎) to delivery goods purchased off the Internet.  Currently hiring “Tao girls” all over the country whoever is interested in participating.  Choosing a Tao girl to delivery your purchase will cost ten yuan extra.  According to sources, Taobao had the idea of Tao Girls delivering goods for long time, consumers purchasing goods on Taobao have the option of choosing a Tao Girl in the same city personally delivering the goods.

Actually, as early as beginning of April, on April fools day, Alibaba Group vice president Tao Ran said in his Weibo, “Taobao department is working with a logistics company, to allow customers to choose Tao girls in the same city to deliver goods, delivery cost will be slightly higher.”   One day later, Tao Ran announced on Weibo, “Choose Tao girls to be the beautiful couriers, since everyone’s voices are so high, “Tao girl” has been taken into consideration.”

Tao Girls (淘女郎) platform under Taobo (mm.taobao.com) officially went online on March 23rd, 2010.  Tao Girls are girls who are active on Taobao since the yearly Tao Girl Competition started in 2007 to today’s Tao Girls Platform.  Tao Girls today has developed into a platform of Internet models where beautiful girls show off their beauty and outfits as well as posting their prices of Internet modeling and waiting to be hired. While creating stylish and influential Internet popular figures and talented people, it also let major brands on Taobao and media find their shops’ suitable spokesperson.

Currently “Tao Girl” platform has over 40,000 members, scattered in various cities across the country.  Large number of them is in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen etc. where e-commerce is highly developed, as a lot of Taobao merchants are also in these cities.

Interesting comment on Weibo:

@互联网的那点事
You all think too simply, Tao Girls, it is completely impossible for this service to make money.  The most profitable is the added service of the Tao girls.  After singing the order, “Dear, we do offer other services, don’t know if mister needs any?”

“Brother English”, by the name of Zhang Xu or Nick (weibo: @nickinthehouse) recently became popular on the Chinese Internet for his funny videos of imitating people of nine countries including India, South Korea, Japan etc. speaking English.  The video went viral and people are especially impressed by his foreign language skills and his ability to mimic accents.

Now Brother English has a new release, this time he speaks English with 10 different dialects in various parts of China, using different flavors [...]]]>

“Brother English”, by the name of Zhang Xu or Nick (weibo: @nickinthehouse) recently became popular on the Chinese Internet for his funny videos of imitating people of nine countries including India, South Korea, Japan etc. speaking English.  The video went viral and people are especially impressed by his foreign language skills and his ability to mimic accents.

Now Brother English has a new release, this time he speaks English with 10 different dialects in various parts of China, using different flavors of Chinglish to introduce characteristics of different regions of China.

Here is his earlier viral video of imitating 9 English Accents.

When hear the words “lose weight”, you probably never have thought of using cameras to monitor and record the entire weight loss process. From March 18 to April 18, sponsored by Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc., hosted by Yitel and Yi Hotel management Co., artist Wang Jun’s project “Keep Fit Deal – 15” is on display at the Yitel 798 Art Project in Beijing.

Performance art work “Keep Fit Deal – 15” by artist Wang Jun is based on [...]]]>

From IFeng:

When hear the words “lose weight”, you probably never have thought of using cameras to monitor and record the entire weight loss process. From March 18 to April 18, sponsored by Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc., hosted by Yitel and Yi Hotel management Co., artist Wang Jun’s project “Keep Fit Deal – 15” is on display at the Yitel 798 Art Project in Beijing.

Performance art work “Keep Fit Deal – 15” by artist Wang Jun is based on a electronic scale, and 24 hour camera monitoring and recording the whole weight loss process. He will record details of everyday weight loss as well as time, temperature, feelings and detailed data on his meals. He will never get off the electronic scale before he loses 15 jin. He will be available 24 hours a day on display and to communicate to the audiences. Project will end after the successful 15 jin weight loss.

“Keep Fit Deal -15” continued Wang Jun’s artistic creation style, using his body as media outlet, experiencing physical and psychological limits, connecting personal feelings with public space, in order to create sociological thinking and aesthetic perception between individual and society, between inherited concept and so called popular (trendy).

Wang Jun planned to lose 15 jin in one month on this electronic scale in the hotel. During this period he would not leave the scale for anything including eating, drinking and even going to the restroom. The reason he wanted to lose 15 jin is because his current weight is 15 jin over his previous standard weight. During this period, he will be tracked in full live video and broadcasting onto micro blog.

Wang Jun moved his private daily life into the hotel in public, displaying personal life to a large crowd, using artistic approach making the familiar daily life into something unfamiliar to the public. The psychological feelings of the audiences will play a key role in his performance art piece.

On one hand, artist’s “ascetic monk” like weight loss for anyone would be kind of a tough test; on the other hand, this kind of “self-destruction” will help artists to enter a kind of introspection state, maybe what the audiences see is just the “crazy” side, but the artist’s introspection is more real.

Wang Jun’s weight loss program is closely linked to the social reality, “In this materialistic age, in the era of pleasure-seeking and greed, all things are inflated infinitely, slowly lose the beautiful and clear origins.” Wang Jun told the reporter, his weight loss is also a metaphor of the current inflated era which should lose some weight.

Wang Jun’s weight loss program is a powerful sarcasm and criticism to this vulgar sociology. Then it rises to an unique so-called popular perception and understanding of self. Popular is not scary, what is scary is to lose yourself when blindly pursuit the “so-called popular”.

There is a huge gap between the post-80s generation and their parents’ generation in terms of what makes good occupation. Usually, the parents like it safe and prefer their precious only child to work for the government at best or state-owned enterprises at least they are considered as unbreakable iron bowl with good pay and well-above-average welfare program. Whereas the post-80s tend to want to get out there and pursuit their own life. Days ago Chongqing Morning Paper featured a [...]]]>

There is a huge gap between the post-80s generation and their parents’ generation in terms of what makes good occupation. Usually, the parents like it safe and prefer their precious only child to work for the government at best or state-owned enterprises at least they are considered as unbreakable iron bowl with good pay and well-above-average welfare program. Whereas the post-80s tend to want to get out there and pursuit their own life. Days ago Chongqing Morning Paper featured a story of the struggle between a mother and son that is exactly the living prove of the aforesaid perception gap.

Early in the morning on March 10, 57 years old Liu Xuemei woke up in her less than 7 sqm hotel room. She sat woodenly at the bedside and started to repeat the one motion she’s been doing for the past 18 days: took out her phone and dialed a number starting with 158xxx. It was connected, she could hear the “doo doo” ring tone, yet there was still no answer. That number belongs to her 27 years old son Ran Jiexi.

She used to enjoy a good mother and son relationship with Ran until 2009 when Ran Jiexi graduated from Xinan Normal University. There had been 3 years of war between them. In order to persuade Ran to come back to hometown Hebei Province to work in a state-owned enterprise, Liu has come out to Chongqing 10 times during the past 3 years looking for her son. At first, she tried to advise him to no avail, then she went through scolding, beating and making a fuss with no result other than driving her son further away. To avoid his mother, Ran has moved 3 times, lost his girlfriend, quit his job. And now he didn’t even want to see his mother.

Feb 23, Liu Ximei reappeared in Chongqing North Station carrying her big black suitcase. This is the 10th time Liu came all the way to Chongqing with one single purpose – to find her son and bring him back to work in a state-owned enterprise. “I won’t go home without him.” She also wanted to solve her son’s issue inside if possible. “It is stable to work in a state-owned enterprise, why can’t my son just understand my intention?”

She has been living in the hotel for 18 days without hearing a thing from her son after over 100 calls. She started to panic when she realized that after several rounds of fights she may never see her son again. Yesterday morning, Liu gathered herself after crying straight and destructively. She decided to write him a text with the thought that her son will see the text even if he refuses to pick up the phone. However, she gave up in a seconds, “he hates me so much now, nothing I say will work.”

“He has moved, quit his job. I have tried everything I can’t find him.” Liu covered her forehead in pain, “Now my only wish is that I can untie the knot between us and go back to where we used to be as normal mother and son.” She has been doing some self reflecting in the past 18 days.

Liu is from Hebei Province and gave birth to her son in 1985. “When I was young, I carried my 3 children everywhere following their father. The kids are very clingy to me.” Ran as her second child was her favorite.

“He did well in school and got into a prestigious university in Chongqing at the age of 18. When he was still in college, his bigger brother got into the same railway construction company as their father which is a state-owned enterprise.” Liu was very happy about her oldest son’s job with its stability and good welfare system. She was very confident that her second son will follow his brother’s footstep into the state-owned company too. After all, entering state-owned enterprise and enjoying the iron bowl are the ideal plan she and her husband had in mind for their 3 children. Yet much to her surprise, the ideal became the fuse of her troubles with the second son.

“Look at me, do I look like a woman at 50 years old only?” Liu asked reporter while pointing at the wrinkles on the forehead. “It felt like I have aged 10 years in the past 3 years.” She remembered one thing her son said to her during a fierce fight – “You are pathetic, I hate you.”

“I am really pathetic, my good intention was misunderstood by my son. But do I worth that much of hatred?” There was a fight going on inside Liu’s head, she kept asking herself what has gone wrong. She has thought about giving up because she began to realize that if not she may lose her son forever. However, another thought always followed closely “If I give up now, what about my son’s future?”

Liu said she was tired of the fighting in the past 3 years. “In our hometown, people my age are enjoying simple happiness with their grandchild. But I can’t give up, one day I will convince him to go back home and work for state-owned enterprise.”

In the night of March 12, her husband also arrived at the hotel with the wish to settle the war between wife and son. He said: “3 whole years of fighting has ruined our family life.”

When Ran was graduating in 2009, his phone became the hotline for his parents. Liu recalled: “We constantly remind him to find a formal, stable job. And it is easy to get into the railway construction enterprise because his father was working there. However there was no vacancy at the time.” That is when Ran started to resent his parents’ value in occupation. Ran decided to stay in Chongqing and worked for a foreign trade company, despite parents’ concern about stability. “We have been asking around and building relationship with the mere hope that our kid can settle down soon.”

Not long after graduation Ran’s father found him a post in a China Railway division in Chongqing. Ran went to interview and actually passed. However he ran away when he heard that the post required rotation first in rural area. Liu immediately rushed to Chongqing to reason with Ran: “It is ok to start from lower level, it is a state-owned enterprise after all, you don’t need to worry about earning a living for the rest of your life.” But Ran wouldn’t listen.

In September 2010, another chance came around. Employees in state-owned enterprise can recommend their children for working in the same enterprise. Liu was very grateful about this second chance. “Though my son graduated a year ago, his dad and I managed to lobby the enterprise into taking him back with the condition that he needs to study in the railway training school for two years before going onboard.” Liu was overjoyed at the good news only to find her son not in the slightest bit of interest. Her effort was not appreciated but she swallowed it in and went on nagging Ran to take the offer. Ran stopped answering their calls. So Liu and husband went to Chongqing for the second time to drag him back.

This time, Liu couldn’t hold it anymore. “I scolded at him using all kinds of words, I just want to shake him up to look at the good opportunity.” Liu told reporter. After half month of quarrel, Ran finally agreed to go back home in October. Liu succeed yet with the feeling that her son wasn’t willing to talk to her anymore.

At the day before paying the enrollment fee, Ran called his father: “Can we not pay for this?” His father asserted “No”. Ran then gave the 5000 yuan enrollment fee to the training school, only to drop out a few days later.

The reporter got in touch with Ran to hear his side of the story.

He said it was hard on him as well to not answering his mother’s calls for the past 18 days, but he was fed up with the fighting. “I only want to live my own life, why can’t she just let go?” Ran was aware of his mother’s arrival in Chongqing but he dared not to meet her.

Ran used to be close to his mother, “I had long distance call with her every week asking about her and my father. She wanted me to go to state-owned enterprise, but I want to live the life I like instead of holding an iron bowl for a boring life.”

At first, the two were able to discuss the matter with each other, but Ran gave up after his mother sold his stuffs in Chongqing trying to force him back home. “Every time she came to Chongqing, she started a fight and even made a scene at my workplace. I couldn’t stand it but she is my mother, what I can do is to avoid.” Ran was working for a magazine at that time receiving 5000 yuan per month pay check. He planned to start mortgage on housing and settle down step by step. But none of these were sign of stable life to his mother simply because it was not with a state-owned enterprise. Another factor holding her son back, Liu thought, was his girlfriend. So Liu went to his girlfriend’s workplace and begged for release of her son. Liu realized that she crossed the line, but she was convinced that one day her son will thank her for this, “he was just too young to realize the importance of a stable job.”

Ran quit the job and soon broke up with his girlfriend too, as Ran put it: “I couldn’t lead a normal life anymore but I want her to have one.”

Liu came to Chongqing even more often, almost every second month with a clear goal – to bring her son back to Hebei Province. However, they could never reach an agreement. Liu then sold her son’s computer, clothes and beddings to force him home. 20 days later, Ran went back home for cousin’s wedding without knowing that he would be ambushed by the talking, lobbying, blaming and educating from all relatives. He even got into a fight with his elder brother.

Ran left Hebei Province soon after this. This time, he moved and turned off his phone. Liu tried many times to contact Ran in vain, then she called his girlfriend only to find out that they have already split.

Born in the 1960s, the mother Liu Ximei couldn’t understand her son’s career aspiration while her son didn’t manage to get her appreciation, resulting in escalating contradiction. “I was forced to quit my job, I moved, I broke up with my girlfriend, yet none of these can stop the fighting.” Ran said he appreciated Liu’s love, but it was too much to bear. Ran felt sorry about not going to see mother or picking up the phone, “It is not that I don’t want to see her, I dare not to see her because every meeting with her ends in fighting. I don’t want to repeat, I don’t want to upset her any more than I already have.”

Ran said the last time he saw Liu off, Liu bit him on the arm. “I know she hated me.”

In the morning on March 9, Xiao Liu, accompanied by a friend got ready to participate in a job fair interview in Zhanjiang city.  When they got off the bus, suddenly a man riding a motorcycle snatched her handbag.  She tried to catch up to him, but only to see the robber riding an unlicensed motorcycle and disappearing in the rain.

Frightened, Liu had tears in her eyes.  After graduated from college, she traveled alone to Zhanjiang looking a job.  [...]]]>

From Netease:

In the morning on March 9, Xiao Liu, accompanied by a friend got ready to participate in a job fair interview in Zhanjiang city.  When they got off the bus, suddenly a man riding a motorcycle snatched her handbag.  She tried to catch up to him, but only to see the robber riding an unlicensed motorcycle and disappearing in the rain.

Frightened, Liu had tears in her eyes.  After graduated from college, she traveled alone to Zhanjiang looking a job.  Her cell phone and wallet were in her handbag, but more importantly, her and several other students’ diplomas were in there too.

Xiao Liu borrowed a cell phone from a friend and called her own phone over and over again, but always heard the message, “your call can not be completed.”  In despair, she unexpectedly received a text message from her own cell phone, “I placed your diploma over here, come and get it, I do not want to affect your future.”  She replied in a hurry, “Thank you! I am a student came out to look for a job, diploma is really important to me.”  Soon she received another message, “Do not report to the police, I will message you when I place it.  Please forgive a person without a home.”

The robber communicated with her via text message and agreed to place the handbag in a trash can in front of Zhanjiang Eighteen middle school and let Xiao Liu to take back her and her classmates’ diplomas.  With doubts, Xiao Liu went to the address accordingly and found her handbag behind a transformer box near the middle school.  Robber had taken her cellphone and cash in the wallet, the rest of things were returned back to her.

After Xiao Liu got her bag back the robber even called her and ask, “Do you want your cell phone back?”  Xiao Liu was surprised to see all diplomas back and intact and felt fortunate even though the whole thing was unfortunate, so she told the robber generously, “forget about the cell phone, its yours now.”

After Liu hang up the phone, the persistent robber called again and asked her location, “I feel bad for you, college student looking for a job, I will give the phone back to you!”  Not long after Xiao Liu and her friend gave away their location, she heard a “Hello” from behind; a man riding a motorcycle dropped her phone on the floor.  Before they could even react, the man stepped on gas and quickly drove away.

In the vicinity, a company manager Wang said the local police had arrested a group of gang called “flying motorcycle party”, but did not know they are back again.

Xiao Liu hopes that “man without a home” can turn over a new leaf, find a job and live a normal life.

“I thought it’s called iPad 3, we always call it that before.”  Li Qi (not his real name) looked at the news about release of the new iPad on the Internet, felt proud and somewhat worried.  As a Shenzhen Longhua Foxconn factory worker, he was involved in the production of the iPad 2 and the new iPad.

He is worried about the iPad sales, if sales do not increase, he might be sent to help the iPhone production.  He said [...]]]>

From Sina:

“I thought it’s called iPad 3, we always call it that before.”  Li Qi (not his real name) looked at the news about release of the new iPad on the Internet, felt proud and somewhat worried.  As a Shenzhen Longhua Foxconn factory worker, he was involved in the production of the iPad 2 and the new iPad.

He is worried about the iPad sales, if sales do not increase, he might be sent to help the iPhone production.  He said in an interview with First Financial Daily, right before announcement of the new release, their production line can produce 150 units of the new iPad in an hour.  Currently, he takes one day off per week.  When he worked on iPhone 4S, he only took 1 to 2 days off in a month and often worked overtime until 8 pm.  Ever since March he and his workmates already took three days off.  Which he felt a little uneasy about it.

In Foxconn, Longhua site, where Li Qi worked at has the iPad assembly section and test section.  His daily job is to assemble the keys and cables into the new iPad. “Other than this level, there are several other buildings are also in production of the new iPad, workers on each level have somewhat different jobs. Some are responsible for assembling, packaging and some are responsible for the warehouse.”

“The new iPad” was in mass production starting the beginning of this year.  Initially, each assembly line took one class (of workers), that is, production of 1000 units within every 10 hours.  However after the Spring Festival production gradually increased to 150 units per hour.  Li Qi works 6 days a week and takes only one day off.  Recently he worked 80 hours of overtime each month.  His base monthly salary was already adjusted from 900 yuan to 2350 yuan, plus the overtime money, now he can get 3500 yuan after tax.

From Li Qi’s point of view, the new iPad is similar to iPad 2 which he worked on before, at least the outside look similar, but the new iPad has more powerful features and functions.  “Comparing these two generation products’ pipeline work station setup, now there are over 30 of them.  There were not that many for iPad 2.”  Typically, in each workstation one given action is performed – for example assembling particular connectors or gears.

He told the reporter, iPad production lines are strictly managed.  He has to wear anti-static clothing, and walk through security doors. Inspection procedures are more than any other division.  They are not allowed to talk during work, and definitely no slacking off.  “But compare to iPhone 4S production, it is much easier.”

In May last year, Li Qi and his workmates participated in the Conference to support iDPBG held by the Office of Human Resources.  iDPBG is the place of Apple iPhone production.  They were told, from September 13 to December 31 to help support the latest generation of Apple iPhone, which was the iPhone 4S production.  Foxconn Technology Group Vice President Zhao Shanping said on behalf of CEO Terry Guo, “Due to mass production of mobile phones, the company need to drawn from iPad production line to support it.”

Before going, Li Qi was very excited to enjoy the benefits of free accommodation and salary increase etc.  and also get to see the Apple iPhone.  “Apple iPhone was already very well-known at that time.”  This is his first time in contact with other cell phone production line other than Nokia.  He wrote in his dairy, “First time work closely on iPhone 4S, it is really the best smart phone of the world, both hardware and software are great.”

“We basically worked on Apple’s Tablet PC but never on iPhone before.  As a newbie, we learned by doing.  Already afternoon, the production line I worked at only made over 100 phones.”  After a week, Li Qi fond that the production of cell phones is much more tiring than production of Tablet PCs, the dormitory environment was also worse than before.

“Start working at 7 am, have to get up before 6 am everyday.  Not even 10 minutes of break during a day’s work, 3 hours in the morning and 4-6 hours afternoon.”  Li Qi said, at the iPad production line, there are 2 to 3 10 minute breaks other than lunch time.

Another factory worker Wang Hua (not his real name) at Guanlan district working long term on assembling iPhones told the reporter, each production line will produce more than 3500 phones in a day.  No days off at the factory plant is already the norm.

Transferred back to Longhua iPad production line, Li Qi still recalled in his memory of that period (working on iPhone 4S) as “extremely hard.”  However, he also made the highest wage ever since he worked at Foxconn in the past two years – 5000 yuan after tax.  Considering Li had just bought a house in his hometown in Hubei, it is actually quite a gratifying thing.

Li Qi does not want his life to change too much.  According to his observation, in recent weeks, another 100 workers left the Shenzhen iPad production line, going to Chengdu factory district.  “This is a signal, if we continue to take days off, our division will for sure be transferred to other departments or leave Shenzhen.”  This is obviously not something he can control.

Are you ready for thousand yuan bills? Member of CPPCC National Committee, vice chairman of the Shangdong Federation of Industry and Commerce Zong Licheng suggested in a proposal, issuing 500 yuan or 1000 yuan denomination bills, in order to meet the economic and social development needs and to reduce the cost of currency in circulation. This message immediately triggered heated debate once appeared on the Internet.

As early as 2004 Lianghui (Two Meetings – National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s [...]]]>

From CNR.CN:

Are you ready for thousand yuan bills? Member of CPPCC National Committee, vice chairman of the Shangdong Federation of Industry and Commerce Zong Licheng suggested in a proposal, issuing 500 yuan or 1000 yuan denomination bills, in order to meet the economic and social development needs and to reduce the cost of currency in circulation. This message immediately triggered heated debate once appeared on the Internet.

As early as 2004 Lianghui (Two Meetings – National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference), member Zong Licheng has made recommendations to issue the 500 yuan and 1000 yuan denomination bills. However the reply given by the central bank officials was “still premature to issue large bills.”

During this year’s Lianghui, member Zong Licheng believes that time is right for issuing 500 yuan or 1000 yuan large bills, large-denomination RMB has a variety of advantages and benefits. Easy to carry, reduces the circulation time, increases efficiency and saves paper. Currently the largest denomination of RMB is too small, can no longer meet the rapid growth of total economic output.

“Credit card payment has become increasingly common, no need to issue large bills”, Zong Licheng believes this view lacks of real world experience and practice. His home town sells vegetables, a car load is more than hundred thousand yuan, “how do you use credit card when going to farmer’s home?” He also used the bank ATM as an example, “Each machine can only hold hundreds of largest denomination banknotes, there are on average 50 – 60 withdrawals a day, the money in an ATM can only supply half a day. If the bank has to refill the machine twice in a day, that essentially increases human and material resources.

Zong’s recommendations were supported by many netizens, “save paper, easy to use, it’s a good idea.”

@卑鄙的谁的谁: “So many years, we did not develop personal checks but pushing for 1000 yuan RMB. HK has it, why can’t RMB? Couple tens of thousands, you can just stuff it into your butt so you don’t have to worry about it being stolen.”

@缘来有机866: “miserable! Many people work hard for a month, to only get one bill.”

There are also netizens pointing out that the large banknotes are not safe.

@EJ矿工阿呆: “This is more convenient for the rich, but for those of us migrant workers, it is really a tragedy. One day, you go to the bank to withdraw 10,000 yuan, ATM spits out 10 1000 yuan bills. If two of them are counterfeits then you are doomed.”

@韬SIR：”People want money in their wallet to improve their quality of life, nominal value of the money is not important. What is more important are common people can become rich and happy!”

Netizens also commented on Zong’s example of farmers selling vegetables.

@名字常变: “According to the example, I feel he should promote to popularize POS terminals instead, let the farmers in the fields can use them, if not able to afford them then rent them. One counterfeit banknote less can earn back the cost. After all digital money is the future trend of development. In addition he should also mention the protection of personal bank accounts, there are too many “clone card” cases, even the bank card is not safe.”

@头大: “The issue of large bills only facilitates those who do not want the money in the bank, such as underground banking, corrupt officials, and tax evaders. Ordinary people really do not need it.”

(From Jinghua.cn) 20 years old porter Ma Jingku chopped his boss’s daughter-in-law and her 2-year-old son to death with an axe after being asked by the woman to help look after the kid. Ma’s case open for trial on Mar 1st. When confronted by his victims’ devastated family, Ma shrugged his shoulders and even worn a smile on his face. He bowed to the court and pleaded for immediate death penalty.

Born 1991 in Heilongjiang Province, Ma is a porter [...]]]>

(From Jinghua.cn) 20 years old porter Ma Jingku chopped his boss’s daughter-in-law and her 2-year-old son to death with an axe after being asked by the woman to help look after the kid. Ma’s case open for trial on Mar 1st. When confronted by his victims’ devastated family, Ma shrugged his shoulders and even worn a smile on his face. He bowed to the court and pleaded for immediate death penalty.

Born 1991 in Heilongjiang Province, Ma is a porter for a trading company in Beijing. Ms Yun is the accountant as well as daughter-in-law for the head of company. According to Ma, they don’t any hold grudge against each whatsoever. It was May 22nd last year, a Sunday when he planned to sleep yet was woken up to unload goods at 6am.

“I am not an angry person usually, but that day out of nowhere I was a little grumpy.” Ma said. 2 hours later he finished unloading and went into the kitchen of the company, dropped 20-some sleeping pills into the porridge pot, thinking there would be no more work if everybody wants to sleep. An hour later, the boss and a few other employees showed symptoms of dizziness and nausea and went to the hospital.

When the night fell, Ma wanted to go to bed when Ms Yun who was busy doing her laundry asked Ma to fix the light bulb and look after her son. “I was pissed at that time and refused it. She then commanded that as an employee I should do whatever she said.” Ma recalled. The two then got into a fight during which Ma picked up an axe in the corner and smashed it into Ms Yun’s head. “I just wanted to give her a lesson, but she screamed ‘help, somebody’s killing’ when holding her crying son. I panicked, and finished them.”

According to Ma, it was dark inside the room. He smashed the two for about 20 times with his eyes closed until there was no more sound and the axe was broken. Scared of getting caught by colleagues, he dragged Ms Yun to another yard during which he heard the woman repeating “why”. Ma said on the court: “How should I know why? My legs are trembling, my life is over.”

Ma put Ms Yun under a truck and planned to start the truck to run over her body. He gave up since he didn’t know how to drive a truck. On his way back to the dorm, he noticed that Ms Yun’s son was still there. He picked it up and threw the body into a warehouse. Afterwards, Ma got changed and went to the office as well as his boss and Ms Yun’s room to steal 3000 yuan, mobile and some bank cards before fleeing the scene driving his boss’s car.

“I don’t know how to drive, but I figured it out right there.” Ma drove in the direction of his hometown and tried to race other cars on the highway. “I didn’t know how to do it, so the car hit the guardrail.” Ma abandoned the car and spent 2000 yuan to hire an illegal car back to Wuchang City, Heilongjiang Province. He planned to visit some friends and relatives before committing suicide, never expected to be arrested by the police  next day.

In the  courtroom, the victims’ husband and her parents filed for civil claims of 1.39 m yuan and 870,000 yuan respectively. Ms Yun’s husband kneeled at the judge and requested an immediate death penalty on Ma.

Ma’s defense lawyer explained that Ma’s parents divorced when he was still young, he lived with his father who was sentenced to death for murder when he was 4 years old, after which he was abused by step mother. It was all these difficult experience in his childhood that resulted in Ma’s extreme and defective personality as well as twisted view of life. Ma’s lawyer pleaded for light sentence for the young man. However, Ma gave up self defense and was reluctant to talk more about his childhood other than the fact that his early experience had resulted in frequent insomnia. He said that he has the thought of committing suicide since little.

Throughout the trial, Ma didn’t show any sign of regret or apology towards the victims and their family. At his closing statement, he bowed to the judge and said: “I hope the judge can grant me death penalty as soon as possible, and execute it immediately, thanks.”

The trial closed without judgment announcement in court.

February 28, at noon, a murder happened near the 27 Plaza in Zhengzhou city.  Two hours later, the police arrested the suspect Mr. Feng.  Reporter learned from the police station, 29-year-old Feng had bought a fake Apple IPhone from a dealer in the street.  When he found out that the IPhone was fake he carried a kitchen knife with him to the plaza, and was looking for the crook seller in the 27 Plaza for several days. In the [...]]]>

From QQ:

February 28, at noon, a murder happened near the 27 Plaza in Zhengzhou city.  Two hours later, the police arrested the suspect Mr. Feng.  Reporter learned from the police station, 29-year-old Feng had bought a fake Apple IPhone from a dealer in the street.  When he found out that the IPhone was fake he carried a kitchen knife with him to the plaza, and was looking for the crook seller in the 27 Plaza for several days. In the process of looking for the person sold him the phone, he bumped into another group of fake cellphone dealers and started a dispute with them.  In rage, Feng stabbed one of them to death with his kitchen knife.

Netizen first posted an entry on Weibo, “12:50 pm, murder near the 27 Plaza” and a picture, one man lying on the floor covered with blood. At 1:07 another entry “Life is too fragile and short, when 120 and the police came it was too late.”

Reporter learned from the police station, major artery was cut on victim Li’s right leg, Li died of excessive bleeding.  Another victim named Zhang Guofeng was sent to the hospital. 

On February 25, when Feng was looking at cell phones at a mobile phone shop in the 27 Plaza, a man approached him with an Apple IPhone.  He said it was a genuine Apple IPhone, he could take it too the Apple retailer for verification if Feng doubted him.  Feng took a look at the phone; it looked exactly the same as the IPhone.  After some bargaining, the two agreed on the price of 2000 yuan.

The man then asked Feng to wait there and he would go get a new phone for him. A few minutes later, the man handed over Feng a “new Apple iPhone” to Feng with a cell phone cover on it.  Feng was very satisfied that the seller even gave him a sell phone cover for free.  The seller took the money and left in a hurry.

After the man was gone, Feng opened his new phone and noticed it was very different from a real IPhone, and then he realized that he was deceived, but that man had disappeared without a trace.

In the police station interrogation room, the reporter met with the suspect Feng, he did not yet know that the guy he stabbed on the right leg was already dead.

Feng said, he was very upset after being cheated and became more and more raged, so he decided to take justice into his own hands.   On the same day, he took the fake IPhone with him and went back to the place where the man sold him the phone.  When he walked in front of a Tianran mall the saw a group of people surrounding a young man and they appeared to be doing a business transaction.  He walked closer and saw this young man was sold of an Apple IPhone and he also paid 2000 yuan.  The group people swiftly disappeared after the transaction.

Feng saw the young man’s cell phone had the same color and style as the fake cell phone he bought.  So he determined that this group was the associates of the same guy who sold him the fake phone.  Feng then went look for this group of people together with this young man

Finally, Feng found the group of dealers, but the man who sold him the fake phone was not in this group. Feng took out the kitchen knife and yelled to one of them, “Give us back the money, or else I will stab you to death!”  The man saw the knife so he gave back the 2000 yuan to the young man. The young man got the money and left.

Ever since he was sold the fake phone, Feng would go to the 27 Plaza everyday, hoping to find that one crook. 

February 28, Feng came near Tianran Mall again and bumped into the same group of people who sold the phone to the young man on the 25th.  This group of people said provokingly “Man, still haven’t found your phone yet?”.  “I must find (him)!”  Feng answered stubbornly.  However the answer angered this group of people.  They surrounded Feng and began to beat him up.  Angry Feng took out his kitchen knife and waved at these people.  He stabbed one of them (Zhang Guofeng) in the chest and abdomen in panic, then the others started to run away.  Infuriated Feng caught up to one of them (Li) and stabbed him in the legs several times then fled the scene.

According to Feng, he has never seen the man that he stabbed in the leg before that day but he was sure that he also attacked him. Due to so many people were beating him, he could not remember the situation clearly at the time.

The police said the case is under further investigation.

Fake IPhone that lead to murder and the murder weapon kitchen knife

There is an oil well on the west side of Yellow River 12 Road in Binzhou City, Shandong Province.  Many villagers of nearby villages often come here to take gas home by filling a giant plastic bag with nature gas, which really make people sweat for them.  On February 20, oil field staff said, what villagers are doing are really dangerous, however the villagers never stopped when discouraged many times.

February 20 morning, reporter came here. The oil extraction machines [...]]]>

From Mop:

There is an oil well on the west side of Yellow River 12 Road in Binzhou City, Shandong Province.  Many villagers of nearby villages often come here to take gas home by filling a giant plastic bag with nature gas, which really make people sweat for them.  On February 20, oil field staff said, what villagers are doing are really dangerous, however the villagers never stopped when discouraged many times.

February 20 morning, reporter came here. The oil extraction machines were under normal operation; an oil tank and a large gas furnace were placed on both sides of the oil extraction machine, and there was no one guarding.   10 am in the morning, a middle-aged woman came to the extraction machine with a large plastic bag.  This woman skillfully unscrewed the gas valve, and then she connected it to her bag she was carrying.  The plastic bag quickly expanded, and soon formed into a huge air balloon, 6 meters long and 1 meter in diameter.  About after 4 minutes, the air bag was full. 

There is more than just this one oil well in Binzhou, all the other wells near village are all extracted by other villagers as well.  “Some villages even connected a natural gas pipeline directly from the well to the villages.  Each household then connects to it to use as a power source.  Once there was an electricity outage with the gas pipeline, villagers unknowingly still had the natural gas stove turned on, when the electricity came again, huge among of the natural gas came in contact with the open flame, resulted in an explosion.”  One oil production plant staff said.

(From Jinghua.com) On Feb 24th, an weibo entry accusing son of an official set a girl on fire with lighter fluid after being turned down went viral in the Internet. According to  “安徽呱蛋合肥” who made the post, the accident happened on Sept 17th, 2011. 17-year-old boy Tao Rukun (陶汝坤), whose father is a government official in the Audit Office of Hefei City, forced into 16-year-old girl Zhou Yan’s(周岩) house, and poured lighter fluid over Zhou Yan’s head then lit it [...]]]>

(From Jinghua.com) On Feb 24th, an weibo entry accusing son of an official set a girl on fire with lighter fluid after being turned down went viral in the Internet. According to  “安徽呱蛋合肥” who made the post, the accident happened on Sept 17th, 2011. 17-year-old boy Tao Rukun (陶汝坤), whose father is a government official in the Audit Office of Hefei City, forced into 16-year-old girl Zhou Yan’s(周岩) house, and poured lighter fluid over Zhou Yan’s head then lit it on fire, resulting in over 30% burned area and disfigured face, neck and chest. Almost 6 months later, the boy’s father apologized for the first time on his verified weibo, only to trigger more fierce condemnation from the netizens.

Tao Rukun’s father wrote on his weibo on Feb 25th –

I am an employee of the Audit Office of Hefei City. Due to my inadequate educational methods, my son Tao Rukun has resulted in an irreversible damage and tragedy to Zhou Yan and her family, I am deeply sorry about this and my apology to all netizens. I will try my best to support Zhou Yan’s recovery treatment. Tao Rukun has been under detention, the case is in law procedure, I will accept lawful judgment and never avoid my due responsibility.

According to the girl’s mother Ms Li, Zhou Yan has just passed her 16 birthday when it happened. She said: “Tao Rukun and my daughter are from the same middle school but in different class. He was chasing after my daughter. To avoid his harassment, I transferred my daughter to another school but he just wouldn’t leave her alone. At last my daughter had discontinue her study and stayed at home.” In September 2011, Zhou Yan returned to school, and the tragedy happened on Sept 17th.

“At that day, only my daughter and her aunt were at home. Tao Rukun ran into our house, poured lighter fluid onto my daughter’s head and set her on fire.”

The aunt recalled: “I came running after I heard a scream, only to find the kid in fire and Tao Rukun was yelling  ‘die die die’ on the side. I quickly use sheet to put out the fire and dialed 120. Tao stood there and did nothing during the whole time.

Zhou Yan was sent into the hospital and went through 7 days and nights of surgery to get out of danger. However, her head, face, neck and chest were severely burned, one of the ears was destroyed and the overall burnt area up to 30%. She was disfigured.

In October last year when Zhou Yan was still in ICU, Tao Rukun’s parent presented a document to Ms Li and threatened to cut the payment for Zhou’s recovery unless they signed the paper. The document stated that Tao Rukun was actively helping to rescue Zhou Yan and he turned himself in to the police. “We refused to sign, and they stopped paying for the treatment.”

Ms Li said: “The medical cost and treatment for my daughter has amounted to over 400,000 yuan, they paid 330,000 of it, we still owed the hospital over 100,000 yuan. And there is more than 300 yuan medicine cost everyday.” Without choice, Ms Li has to discharge her daughter from the hospital.

“We are from working class. I work in the supermarket, earning 1000 yuan each month. I don’t know how to continue her treatment. We don’t have money for a plastic surgery for her, nor can we pay for lawsuit. The whole family is in despair.” Ms Li hoped that relative department can speed up the procedure and do her daughter justice.

As to why the case was taking so long, Ms Li’s lawyer said: “the wound evaluation department explained that the girl’s neck is severely damage, they have to wait until after skin grafting to do the evaluation. In that case, it won’t happen until 3 months later, which is unacceptable for our victim. While in the procedure point of view, the court won’t step in without a wound evaluation.”

According to the police department of Hefei City, the victim was receiving treatment for a long time and her condition is not stable enough to conduct a wound evaluation. Pressured by the public outcry over the Internet, the police has carried out the wound evaluation and promised to publicize it when it finishes.

“Before the accident, we have contacted Tao’s family many times, asking them to keep an eye on their son and stop harassing my daughter. I even kneeled to Tao Rukun to beg him leave my daughter alone, but nothing worked.” Ms Li said the half year long draw of the case has given her daughter more pressure both physically and psychologically. "Now my daughter is suffering from mental disorder too.”

Photos from ifeng.com

Zhou Yan, before the accident.

Bride and groom born in 1980s are facing astoundingly high bill for their wedding.

Recently, an investigation report on Chinese marriage in 2011 caused a lively debate in society. In the report, nearly 80 percent of single women considered that a man was not suitable for having a relationship or getting married unless he could earn at least ￥4000 per month.

Mrs. Luo from Wuhan complained that her son’s wedding used up all her savings and the cost of the wedding [...]]]>

Source: MSN

Bride and groom born in 1980s are facing astoundingly high bill for their wedding.

Recently, an investigation report on Chinese marriage in 2011 caused a lively debate in society. In the report, nearly 80 percent of single women considered that a man was not suitable for having a relationship or getting married unless he could earn at least ￥4000 per month.

Mrs. Luo from Wuhan complained that her son’s wedding used up all her savings and the cost of the wedding was ten thousand times higher than her own wedding in 1970s. “At that time, we only bought a bicycle and took a picture in the Department of Civil Affairs. My husband was born in a relatively prosperous family, so we invited some relatives to have dinner. We had three tables and it cost us less than ￥100. ”

In 1980s, wedding photography and wedding banquet became popular. New couples also need to buy new set of furniture. All these caused a higher wedding budget, about ￥3000. “One of my colleagues got married in 1983.” Mrs. Luo recalled, “They rented cars to welcome the bride, ￥30 for each car. But in order to rent a good car, they sent about ￥100 to the rent-a-car company because too many people wanted to rent good cars. They spent ￥500 on appliances. But they made the furniture themselves to save money. Overall, their wedding cost around￥3000. ”

At the beginning of the new century, Mrs. Luo’s elder son got married. “It was in 2000 and we spent ￥50,000 for the wedding. We didn’t need to buy a new apartment at that time and just decorated our old house, which cost ￥20,000. ” Then it took them ￥10,000 to buy furniture and appliance, ￥15,000 for wedding banquet and ￥5000 for wedding photography. Mrs. Luo thought this was within their “power”.

Next month, Mrs. Luo’s younger son will get married. This time, Mrs. Luo has a big headache. The girl’s family asked for ￥2000 as presentation, then ￥3000 for wedding photography,￥5000 for wedding banquet,￥10,000 for honeymoon (the bride has chosen Bali Island as the destination), and￥20,000 for diamond ring. But compared to the cost of buying a new apartment, all the above was just a trifling amount. “It took us ￥700，000 to buy the new apartment and ￥200，000 to decorate. My daughter-in-law said she also wanted a car, which would cost around ￥200,000.”

In sum, Mrs. Luo will spend ￥1,000,000 on her younger son’s wedding in 2012. It is as ten thousand times high as her weddings forty years ago.

On Feb. 17th, a Japanese young man lost his bicycle in Wuhan, China. He has a dream to travel around the world on his bicycle and has been to more than dozen countries. Two days ago, he came to Wuhan, China. But, unexpected thing happened. His bicycle got stolen.  He felt very depressed and then asked for help on Weibo.com. He posted：“This bicycle is like my girlfriend. I’m so sad for losing her. Hope Chinese friends here could help me [...]]]>

On Feb. 17th, a Japanese young man lost his bicycle in Wuhan, China. He has a dream to travel around the world on his bicycle and has been to more than dozen countries. Two days ago, he came to Wuhan, China. But, unexpected thing happened. His bicycle got stolen.  He felt very depressed and then asked for help on Weibo.com. He posted：“This bicycle is like my girlfriend. I’m so sad for losing her. Hope Chinese friends here could help me to find her back.”

His post made a big splash on Sina Weibo. Tens of thousands of Chinese netizens forwarded his story and tried to help him find back his bicycle. Meanwhile, most people made serious self-blame, like “why such things only happen in China”, and “One Japanese lost a bicycle, but we Chinese lost out faces”. A netizens in Wuhan commented：“I feel really bad. After such thing happened, what would people think of Wuhan? What would international people think of my hometown? I feel shameful.”

Luckily, two days after, with help from thousands of common people, Wuhan policemen found the bicycle on black market and returned it back to its owner. The local media put this news on headline.

Thief A: “Did you find out owner’s information?”

Thief B: “No yet, but this bicycle is so awesome, let’s steal it first, don’t think too much!”

Thief A: “Are you crazy?!! What is it belongs to a foreigner, we will be caught very soon!”

However, this accident didn’t thus have a happy ending. Fiercer arguments have arisen on the Internet. People began to ask why Chinese need to feel ashamed about it. One post on Weibo claimed: “Every country has thieves. It’s just a minor accident which could happen everywhere in the world. Why should we Chinese look down on ourselves? We are always afraid of others to think less of us. When can we overcome our inferiority? We really need to be more confident!”

But more people swung their fury to Chinese government. Many netizens questioned：“why the policemen became so efficient when an international friend lost his bicycle? What were they doing when so many Chinese people lost their bicycles?” A netizen named “absolutely anonymous” posted on Tianya, “I lost three bicycles, a motorcycle and a scooter in last four years. The surveillance camera even caught the thief stealing my scooter. I went to the police station, reported the crime and went back home waiting for news. But, news never came.” This post attracted more attentions and was soon put on the front page.

Some Other condemnations were even harsher, such as this cartoon. They compared Japanese bicycle with Chinese life and their implication was very clear. This cartoon was forwarded widely on Sina Weibo. In order to avoid being deleted, netizens made no comments on it but only a label: “an automatic forwarding by the system”.

The Japanese young man will never expect his minor accident to cause such a storm in China.

Title: In China

First picture: “After a foreigner lost his bicycle…”

Second picture: “After a group of Chinese people lost their lives….”