Beijing Mysteries: Hutong Weasels

I know that at first glance stories about weasels thriving in Beijing's hutongs might not seem very plausible or interesting.  A breed of weasel adapting to Beijing's hallmark hutong alleyways?  Sounds like a bad joke.  Especially for those of us that experienced the right of passage "Snipe Hunting".  However, you know this one is true because the Chinese government officially doesn't acknowledge it.  The image of a fleeting weasel scurrying through the hutongs at night has taken on a cult mystic for many Beijingers.

Let me state on record that they do actually exist.  The real reason this topic is making an appearance in the Beijing Mysteries series is that most expats don't know they exist and the government officially doesn't recognize that they exist.  Most people have seen a hutong weasel, but many might not know it. This is due to the fact they look like long yellow cats.  Usually the pointed nose of the weasel is only difference.  They often live in downspouts and pipes, likely due to Beijing's scarce rainfall.  Most longtime Beijingers have a good weasel story or two.  Supposedly it isn't unusual for them to find their way into hutong houses, particularly if you live on the ground floor.

The elusive hutong weasel has had a lasting impact on Beijing's hutongs.....at least until they tear the rest of them down.  Many of the locals say seeing a weasel is good luck.  One travel agency even had a contest to see who could snap the best weasel picture.  This reputable news source wasn't able to secure a satisfactory photo of the creature.  Despite being unphotogenic, the weasel population has spawned its own subgenre of expat folk tales.  Beijing's most prominent ( and as far as I know only) square dance band takes the name Hutong Yellow Weasels in honor of the local mascot.  So the next time you're strolling through the hutongs at night and see a yellow cat run by, remember it might be one of the city's famous hutong weasels.          

For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls

The Bride on the big day

I attended a Chinese wedding over the October 1st holiday, and I must say, I found it interesting, surprising, and enjoyable.  Thoughts about the Chinese wedding traditions I might see during the wedding ceremony dominated my thoughts the day before the event.  I hoped for crazy and unique traditions that might perk up the tired formula of the old "here comes the bride" style wedding that I am used to back in Indiana.  The pre-wedding festivities certainly delivered the goods.  I tagged along with my girlfriend to the bride's hotel room at the terribly early time of 7 in the balmy Beijing morning.

Tang Qi having a bit of fun

We arrived to discover the bride sitting on her bed dressed in a western-style wedding dress.  In one hand rested her cell phone, in the other sat an apple.  After a volley of photos and congratulations, the door of the hotel room slammed shut and things became quieter.....though still loud by most standards.  The groom and his groomsmen showed up at the hotel room to claim the bride.  A symbolic bargaining session transpired with the groomsmen slipping "hongbaos", or traditional monetary gifts in red envelopes, under the door.  Eventually the goodnatured negotiations broke-down, and the groom and his groomsmen politely forced their way into the hotel room, handing out hongbaos to the bride's entourage with complementary smiles thrown in for good measure.

Getting ready for the reception

The groom carried the bride to the elevator and out to a waiting car, because the bride's feet aren't supposed to touch the ground before the wedding ceremony.  Both entourages filed to the ground floor where a fleet of black Audi's waited.  Note: A black Audi is the official car of party cadres and symbolizes power and status in China, so it was little surprise what kind of cars were waiting for us.

The Bride and Groom meeting in the aisle

Friends and family greeted our arrival at the groom's apartment at 8:30 in the morning.  Another wave of pictures followed after we made landfall at the groom's apartment, and the atmosphere was smoky as a honky-tonk, but very amicable and excited.  Again the bride sat cross-legged on a bed, clutching an apple.  Next we moved the party to the venue at the Hepingli Hotel.  Here is where the traditional Chinese wedding stopped being so traditional, and became more "western", or at least what passes for "western" in mainland China.  If you can't tell by my condescending tone, the way the term "western" is applied to everything in mainland China as a substitute for "new", "foreign", and "popular" has started to wear on my nerves.  The ceremony resembled an abbreviated version of an American wedding reception.  Speeches were made, food was eaten, toasts were made, and an MC (I don't know who the guy was) presided over the event.  The only traditional part was the food, and it was worth the price of admission.  I was a little worried by the cold, meat appetizers.  They are very common in China.  Despite a year here, I haven't adapted to them.  I just find it difficult to eat cold meat, but my fear were silenced by the great shichime and squirrel fish.  The menu boasted some great gastronomic surprises.  I didn't know the country of Georgia produced wine, but do yourself a favor and go pick up a bottle.

By western standards, Chinese weddings are short affairs, and this was no exception.  The entire thing, ceremony and reception, lasted about an hour and a half.  On a personal note, I had a great time, and it was interesting to see the melding of Chinese wedding traditions and western television weddings.  The bride and groom looked happy, and there isn't much else you can ask for.



          

            

Average "Jiu": Navigating the Complicated World of Chinese Baijiu

Moutai Baijiu on the shelves

Chinese baijiu doesn't have the fame of its close cousins Japanese sake and Korean soju.  This is probably due in large part to the fact that it is usually unpalatable.  You might ask why I'd chose to write an article about it then.  The simple answers are that its the world's most consumed spirit and a huge part of Chinese culture.  No trip to China would be complete without sampling some of this crazy liquor that the locals love.

The Chinese relationship with baijiu and foreigners goes hand-in-hand.  As a foreigner they will constantly pressure you to drink it, while simultaneously telling you how terrible it tastes.  After you drink it, they will usually think both less and more of you as a person.  The love affair with the spirit means you'll likely be forced to drink it at some point during a dinner.  While I wouldn't say any baijiu is good, even the expensive Maotai brand, some brands are worse than others.  I recommend putting your bottle of baijiu in the fridge before you drink it.  This will make it more drinkable.

Baijiu making an appearance in the contemporary
classic Cocktail

People often drink the spirit out of tiny baijiu goblets that have the added bonus of making me feel like a giant when I drink from them.  A round of drinking includes lots of people saying"Ganbei".  Ganbei is the Chinese word of cheers, and no meal is complete until it is said at least 50 times.  The Chinese love their baijiu, so make learning about it a priority.  Tucked away in one of Beijing's quickly disappearing hutongs sits a entire museum dedicated to the liquid.  Make sure to check it out before it gets "restored" in a few weeks.  

Bad baijiu usually exudes a smell like finger nail polish remover.  The statement you just read is not a joke....finger nail polish remover.  It is very distinct to put it lightly

.  So maybe baijiu deserves its bad reputation, but I still strongly recommend you try it.  Just warn others about it before they pop their bottles of souvenir "Chinese sake".           

Epilogue to Empire: Scottish Referendum

Millions go to the polls today in Scotland.  Voters will be asked a Yes/No question to decide if Scotland will become an independent country.  The media circus surrounding the event blew its top last week after a poll showed a lead for the Yes Campaign.  So what does this referendum mean for Scotland, the United Kingdom, and the rest of the world?  The answer is "it means a Hell of a lot" particularly to nations with active separatists campaign (both peaceful and violent) such as Spain and China.

I for one don't buy the Scottish National Party's argument for independence, especially the economic arguments that serve as the cornerstones of the Yes campaign.  Let's begin by focusing on the currency union the SNP hopes to continue with the United Kingdom if Scotland votes for independence.  The plan is eerily similar to the Republic of Ireland's position until it joined the Euro Zone.  Under the SNP plan, Scotland would keep the pound as its currency with interest rates and monetary policy set by the Bank of England across the border.  Basically keeping the status quo intact, but with a newly independent Scotland using the pound, and no central authority over taxation and public spending, the value of the pound is likely to fall due to economic uncertainty north of any newly created international border.  The uncertainty has already caused the value of the pound to take a dive.

Scotland's uncertain future in the European Union and the issue of trade deals also muddies the water.  Though an independent Scotland would likely become a European Union member following a vote by European Union member states, don't expect countries with separatist groups and sharp ethnic devisions to welcome Scotland with open arms.  It should come as little surprise that Spain continues to reiterate the fact that Scotland will need to apply to become a European Union state rather than just grandfathering in like the SNP originally hoped.  Alex Salmond's response to statements made by the Spanish government earlier in the week was simply to quote figures about Scotland's share of Europe's fishing and oil industries.

Outside the common market, Scotland's position is even more uncertain and confusing.  Will British bilateral trade agreements still stand apply to an independent Scotland?  No one seems to have an answer.  It's also important to remember that any agreement must be consensual anyway.  Again, don't expect countries with their contrary political agendas to cut Scotland any slack, particularly China.  Only a few weeks ago, the Chinese government expressed support for the rejection of independence.  This should come as little surprise considering the increasing unrest in Xinjiang and its monolithic white elephant Tibet.

Watching the situation unfold from Beijing has proven quite entertaining.  Six months ago, few people, least of which the Chinese media, would have predicted the surge in support for the Yes Campaign.  Initially Chinese media printed stories about the referendum in a sly effort to mock the once all powerful British Empire.  The same Empire that "lost" Hong Kong and fought two opium wars against a rotting Qing Dynasty.  Most of the stories read like a bad Mad Magazine article.  The main idea was usually "the British can't even hold Britain together anymore".  A few weeks ago media stories over the issue dried up faster than spilt Artic Ocean (Beijing's favorite orange soda) on a hot summer day.  The very nature of the vote shakes current Chinese politics to the core.  A nation that is part of a union is voting whether to leave that union.  Crazy notions for a country where any talk of independence is labelled separatism, and the offender usually disappears.  Just ask prominent Uighur academic Mr. Tohti who was jailed earlier this week.  Usually the entire democratic nature of the issue gets brushed aside likely because you need to live in Hong Kong or Macao to vote in China, and even then, you can only vote for "Patriotic" CPC approved candidates.  

I am not Scottish, and I don't live in Scotland.  From the perspective of the outsider looking in, the whole Yes campaign seems jingoistically nationalistic.  Kilts and Saltires for everyone.  As immigrants continue to come to England from Europe and elsewhere, I am not surprised that the demographically stagnate Scotland is facing an identity crisis.  But no one has done a very good job of convincing me that independence will fix any of Scotland's problems.  The nation would likely just have to face the harsh truth that they held their future in their hands the whole time.  Wether they fly the Union Flag or the Saltire over Holyrood or not.         

        

Burger Counter

I just finished my first week of Chinese classes, and I am enjoying the mooncakes from Mid-Autumn Festival probably a little too much.  The classes are pretty much exactly what I expected them to be.  You sit in a room with a teacher and some other students and repeat after the teacher while writing notes.  It's standard stuff.

The classes have started to affect my ability to operate in everyday life here in Beijing for the better.  Although I am still reluctant to let the locals knows that I speak Chinese.  Contrary to popular belief, not knowing the language will usually get you farther here in China.  My newest endeavor to adapt to Chinese culture has shifted my dietary tastes.  After class Tuesday, I couldn't stop myself from visiting Beijing's best kept secret for western cuisine.  Burger Counter is exactly what the name implies, a counter where you eat burgers.  As opposed to what it explicitly states....a counter made of burgers.  The tiny one-room establishment probably couldn't hold 10 people on a rainy day, but what he place lacks in size, it makes up for with great burgers at reasonable prices.


You might be wondering why I have chosen to highlight Burger Counter instead of one of Beijing's great Chinese restaurants or one of the super-deluxe western places that continue to proliferate like rabbits.  Burger Counter deserves notice because the lady behind the counter fixing the burgers doesn't speak English, making this place a welcome addition to my restaurant rotation.  At a time when every American place in town is owned by some overly charismatic 40-something expat, Burger Counter cuts through the blandness with original burger creations.  Do yourself a favor and try the Chili Con Carne Burger.

Visiting Burger Counter is always a pleasure, and its great selections of beers and sodas makes it a must stop for anyone homesick and visiting Beijing.  Just make sure you don't invite too many people to eat with you, because they won't be able to fit in the restaurant.              

Beijing Mysteries: The Underground City

The entrance when it was open to tourists

Despite a brief period as a tourist attraction in the late 00's, Beijing's system of underground tunnels remains as secret as it did during the days of the Sino-Soviet border skirmishes.  Few tourist strolling through the Qian'men neighborhood even know the series of underground tunnels and vast rooms lays just below street level, and many locals seem to know even less about this wonder of Beijing.  

The entrance now

The government opened a large section of the former shelter to tourists about the time of the Beijing Olympics in 2008.  Since then the cavernous tunnels have again become something of a mystery.  I traveled with Beijing's favorite tour guide to try to get to the bottom, both literally and figuratively, of this Beijing mystery.  We found a nondescript door that once served as the tourist entrance to Beijing's underground maze in a quiet Beijing ally.  A spooky staircase was visible through a broken window leading to a cool, dark basement-like entryway, but other than this fleeting glimpse of Beijing's mythic underworld, we were unable to see anything else.

The larger bricks on top came
from the city wall

The history of the tunnels is quite interesting, but I spare you the details.  It's basically a giant bomb shelter.  You can find out more by just googling it.  Yes this is half-ass journalism, but I have places to be so there.  One of the coolest things though is that many bricks from the original Ming Dynasty city wall were used during the construction of the tunnels.  (see the top part of picture left)  

Knowing no good mystery is ever easy to solve, we asked some of the locals wondering around the area about the tunnels and the locked entrance.  We got a good number of conflicting and outlandish statements from the neighbors about the status of the tunnels, including they'd collapsed, been taken over by the government again, flooded, and closed because the tours didn't make enough money.  The truth is.....in true China fashion.....no one seems to know anything about why they really closed.  Officially they closed following a safety inspection, but if I had to guess, they closed for the extension of Line 8 through Wangfujing and the southern portion of Beijing.

So maybe I wouldn't hack it as an investigative journalist, but getting straight answers here is next to impossible.  I am going to do some long-term research and work on solving this mystery soon.


       

Beijing Mysteries: Ghost Skyscrapers of Dongzhimen

Ghost Towers seen from other building

China is renowned for its shadiness the world over.  From counterfeit nikes to expired meat, the middle kingdom's got it all folks.  My first entry in the Beijing Mysteries series seeks to highlight one of the city's more charming and mysterious shady wonders.  So if you're like my mother and still smarting about being ripped of by vendors while buying a mahjong set, sit back, relax, and learn that sometimes China's shadyiness isn't all bad and usually only mildly hazardous to your health.

Ghost Towers at the end of the airport
expressway 

Dongzhimen is one of Beijing's most important places and the largest transport hub in Asia (title disputed).  Across the Second Ring Road from the colossal China Petrol Headquerters stands a monumental mall and twin-tower complex.  Towering 35 stories in height, the buildings lords over almost every other structure in Beijing (Beijing isn't that tall on average.  Sort of a forest of 10-15 story structures).  Through some impressive detective work, I learned the complex has been vacant for seven years.  The structures stands topped out with the highest five floors completely open.  From ground level, it's easy to see the large number of missing windows that have either been broken or fallen out.

Ground level

Countless buses and the chaotic Beijing subway rumble underneath the unfinished structure, but few commuters seem to wonder about the giant white elephant at street level.  Occasionally I'll catch the curious foreigner snapping photos of the building, but on average almost know one seems to know any details about the structure.  This is insane considering the prominence of the thing.  The structure stands at the terminus of Beijing's airport expressway and is literally the first major thing that most visitors to the city see when they arrive in central Beijing.       

Built but never used

Beijing's largest movie set lets foreigners and native Beijingers get that oh-so-missing taste of North Korea-eque showmanship that China's economic modernization continues to stamp out.  With the ongoing political purge, it's little wonder most in Beijing don't stop to ask why a 600,000 square meter building that was supposed to be finished for the 2008 olympics still stands partially completed.  At least you can still shop at one of the intersections two completed mega-malls for all your needs.