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It’s tiresome to be accused of ‘China bashing’ at the slightest deviation from genuflection towards, or superlative-laden compliments about, the Motherland. Still, lest there be any doubt concerning my affection for both the country and its people, here are ten things, in no particular order, that I love about living in China: 

1. The abundance, despite over a billion mouths to feed, of an amazing array of fresh, cheap fruit and vegetables.

2. The overwhelming hospitality of students, friends, and colleagues and the undying enthusiasm with which they insist I should eat more.

3. The ubiquitous scene of cyclists giving a lift to friends sitting on the saddle rack. In this regard, given that boys are usually expected to do the pedalling, small partners and friends are a bonus.

4. The staggering variety of inexpensive food available from street vendors. It’s an experience just to watch them prepare their offerings.  

5. The sheer scale and rate of development that is happening at every turn in the cities, and the contrasting lifestyles of those living in the countryside. Of course, I don’t ‘love’ the fact that hundreds of millions are still waiting for their slice of modern, prosperous China; but the contrast that a short bike ride can present to you is fascinating. 

6. The traffic. Again, I don’t ‘love’ the shocking casualty figures on the Chinese highway, but you have to be enthralled by the culturally distinct way that Chinese motorists, bus drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians conduct themselves on (and off) the road. The novice observer would be forgiven for frequent wincing at the number of near misses, and for describing the scene using the language of chaos. Once acclimatised, however, it really is compulsive viewing.

7. The incredible number of temples, monuments, ancient sites, and stunning natural beauty that can be found in a huge country with a long, long history.

8. The faces of young children, especially outside the big city, and their innocent curiosity at discovering that foreigners really do exist. Naturally, a few run screaming in panic to their mothers, who have no doubt told their offspring not to get too close in case the laowai bites them.

9. The strong exercise ethic that is evident each morning and evening everywhere in China. Young and old alike flood to the parks, playgrounds, and subways to dance, jog, stretch, practise tai chi, or engage in any number of other traditional activities and games. Many older residents subscribe to the health benefits of walking backwards; for the young and agile, basketball never stops. 

10. The opportunity to work in an extraordinary and diverse country during a period when China is redefining its role in the world.

There are many more reasons why living and working in China continues to be a rewarding experience for me; these are just a few items off the top of my head.  

One of the arguments I hear a lot from Chinese lately is that Tibet has been a part of China for hundreds of years. Although I don’t want to get into that particular debate here, I would like to know why on Earth the Chinese government has such a problem with the Tibetan flag.

Go here and you will read exactly how much Tibetan symbolism and culture is wrapped up in the flag’s design. It is no exaggeration to say that the flag is an integral part of Tibetan culture, the very thing that the CCP would have us believe they are committed to protecting.

The origins of the Tibetan flag, which adopted its present form in 1912, date back nearly 1200 years, longer than the Chinese claims that Tibet has been part of its territory. If anyone has more information about the history of the Tibetan flag, please let me know.

So why do these new CCP boys have such an issue with the Tibetan flag when previous dynasties just looked on admiringly at the lovely design (the PRC flag is very young by comparison).

Of course, the CCP’s jealous nature views the flag as a symbol of a Tibetan identity outside of their control, and Beijing has never displayed tolerance for anything or anyone that challenges them for popularity. Just ask the Falun Gong.

On a related note, I’ve been appalled at the weakness of foreign governments in bowing to Chinese pressure and harassing or arresting those protesters waving the Tibetan flag in countries that are supposedly defenders of free speech. Equally troubling to my mind have been the enraged reactions of overseas Chinese at the sight of the flag, often chasing down and fighting with those displaying it.

I have this message for all Chinese for whom this beautiful design induces hysteria: It’s a flag for Christ’s sake, and it’s been around for centuries longer than your own. It really is time to grow up on this issue. 

The flag will remain on this site as a symbol of the tolerance the world demands and expects (but is so often denied) of a powerful country. If Tibetan history is intertwined with that of China and its people, then the flag is a part of their cultural heritage too. And yet, anyone daring to display these colours risks certain arrest and imprisonment. 

Many people will be taking this flag to Beijing. How China chooses to deal with its display will say more to the watching world about China’s progress as a nation than gold medals or large buildings. If you’re in China, of course, delayed coverage and censorship will certainly deny people the right to see such images. 

The Tibetan flag is full of meaning; it is a rich tapestry of history and culture dating back centuries. In the name of peace, harmony, and tolerance, let it fly.    

Jeremiah is once again doing a great job of advancing the understanding of current events in a historical context. I recommend the whole piece, but here’s a taster:

The Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) is a good place to start as the Manchus did maintain garrisons on the ?ibetan plateau while administering the region through local elites. The Qing rulers, great patrons of Lamamism, consolidated their rule by maintaining cultural and religious ties with ?ibet beyond mere military occupation. They also–generally but not always–ruled with a light touch, allowing relative autonomy in religious and cultural matters, which suited the situation quite well. The Qing Dynasty was, after all, a large, multi-ethnic empire, and maintaining order and peace in outlying territories was the utmost concern.

The problem is that the PRC is a nation-state, and the demands a nation-state places on its people are different than those of an empire. It is not enough that Tibetans merely pay taxes and not revolt, they must also identify with the nation-state first and foremost, with other cultural and religious aspects secondary to the demands of modern state building. Empires want to be respected, nation-states want to be loved. That’s a sticky wicket the Qing never had to face.

This is a telling point. The CCP have always demanded allegiance and have often demonstrated brutality when they don’t get it. Intolerance towards the true feelings of Tibetans with regard to their cultural and spiritual leanings is one example. The latest evidence of this has been the petulant demonisation of the Dalai Lama by China’s leaders, and the requirement of Tibetan students in Beijing to denounce His Holiness:

They are required to provide four answers, Tibetan sources told The Times. First, they must write a reply to the question “What position does the Dalai Lama occupy in your heart?” Second, they must provide the address and place of work of their parents. Third, they must give details of their own identity card. Finally, they must guarantee not to take part in any political activities.

The recent violence should be condemned, as should some of the actions and policies in the last 50 years of Tibetan history that lie at the heart of the current problems. But forcing citizens to swear ‘loyalty to the emperor’ can only be seen as a backward step in a progressive society. This move would be embarrassing even if it was a joke. We know that it’s not a joke because the CCP don’t have a sense of humour, much less respect for free thought.

Whatever the geopolitical reality is for the Tibetan region, its marginalised indigenous population regard their land as being occupied by unwanted forces. There are two alternatives open to the Chinese government. One is to enter into a meaningful dialogue that will produce a framework acceptable to both Beijing and the Tibetan people, a dialogue that must include the Dalai Lama. The other is to drive every last vestige of cultural identity from the hearts and minds of the Tibetan people. Indications so far are that Beijing favours the latter approach. 

China’s petty film authorities have done it again. Timesonline today reports that Lust, Caution star Tang Wei has been blacklisted (unofficially, of course) because Ang Lee’s film is considered to “glorify unpatriotic behaviour.”

This action has been taken despite - or possibly because of - the films popularity in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Ang Lee is widely celebrated in China for the many international honours bestowed on his films and their actors: ‘This is our boy’, they cry, ’And we Chinese can show you western types a thing or two about film-making.’

Beijing clearly don’t mind Ang Lee collecting a few gongs and statues on their behalf, but have no inclination to allow the Chinese public to judge his award-winning films on their artistic merit. Instead, they censor, ban, and blacklist their home-grown talent in the great tradition of petulant state interference. 

Thanks to the internet and widespread piracy, banning a film has little or no effect on who gets to see it in China these days. They’ve tried many times before, as in the recent cases of Lost in Beijing  and Brokeback Mountain. Keep up the good work, boys.

The targeting of actors strikes me as being especially nonsensical and childish. I confidently predict more success for Tang Wei, at which point I hope she gives a defiant finger to the clowns who are compromising artistic expression by telling people what they should be watching.  

“T1bet, T1bet.” There! I said it. And so, more infamously, did Bjork during the performance of her song Declare Independence at a concert in Shanghai last week. I’ve been waiting for the dust to settle before writing anything on the subject, being of the opinion that there really shouldn’t have been any dust at all. If you think your sensitivities can withstand the offence, you can listen to this grave insult here .

The rather stereotypical online outrage contrasted nicely with the silence of the Chinese media, leaving it to the western press and some of the more intelligent Sino-bloggers to discuss the issue with a modicum of objectivity and common sense. Danwei’s blog on the issue drew many interesting comments and a few stupid ones.

Needless to say the dust was created by the predictable foot-stamping and petulance from Beijing. Was there really any need for an official response to this tiny piece of artistic anarchy? Bono used to call The White House to diss the president during concerts; Bjork cries T1bet. So what? Surely there was no need for condemnation and reprisals.

Alas, the Ministry of Culture (acting under orders, no doubt) showed us the way of the tantrum by promising to tighten controls on future visitors’ artistic expression. Although China’s official media didn’t mention Bjork’s performance, this broadside appeared in the state mouthpiece China Daily. Here’s a snippet:

The Dalai Lama has never stopped plotting to separate T1bet from China since he betrayed the country, Zhang, secretary of the T1bet Autonomous Region Committee of the Communist Party of China, said on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the National People’s Congress, the top legislature.

“I have never heard that the Dalai Lama has refrained from wanting to split T1bet from China … We will never tolerate those who are set on such activities”

So now it seems that Bjork has been identified as an agent acting on behalf of that epitome of cosmic evil, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. And Secretary Zhang appears very comfortable using the word T1bet without fear of trampling on the sensibilities of 1.3 billion people. Yes, alright, there’s the context surrounding Bjork’s utterance to consider - and she’s a foreigner - but for pity’s sake; will China’s top brass please grow up!

In the spirit of maturity, might I also suggest that Beijing seriously reconsiders using the phrase hurt the feelings of the Chinese people whenever a foreigner expresses an opinion that differs from the party line. Sure, it once provided light entertainment on quiet afternoons in the office, but this pathetic line of text has a fun curve that leveled off two decades ago. More importantly, perhaps, it’s simply not true.

Let’s take a trek into the foothills on the outskirts of Lhasa and ask those living there if their feelings have been hurt by this shameful outburst. Then let’s pop over to Urumqi and interview the locals about how terribly upset they must be with Bjork. Finally, choose any province at random, ride out into the sticks and ask the villagers and farmers how they can live with the pain and anguish caused by Icelandic insensitivity.

It’s testament to Chinese stoicism that anyone in the Middle Kingdom has been able to complete a day’s work since Bjork’s shocking verbal insult. A nation convalesces. If I had any of her albums I’d burn them in the name of solidarity. I’m beginning to get upset just thinking about it. Really, my feelings are hurt. Life will never be the same again.

As for T1betan independence, only the dreamers and those under the influence of mind altering substances can visualize that as a reality. I’m not sure whether or not His Holiness draws on a spliff in the evening, but I’m certain he’s smart enough to know that T1bet is firmly in Beijing’s grip, whether the T1betans (or anyone else) likes it or not. This is why he has himself acknowledged as much and sought dialogue with Beijing over the degree of autonomy that T1bet should enjoy as part of China.

Sadly, I can’t see a homecoming for the great man being allowed anytime soon. The fiercely jealous CCP couldn’t tolerate the outpouring of love, respect, and attention that would be waiting for His Holiness when he touched T1betan soil for the first time in half a century. For the same reason, any citizen caught displaying an image of this Noble Peace Prize winner in T1bet can be certain of suffering punitive consequences.

The solution? Adorn your monastery walls, your prayer flags, and your living room tables with images of the Dalai Lama’s singing disciple. After all, who in their right mind could possibly take offence at Bjork?

Update

Hundreds of monks have taken part in demonstrations to commemorate the anniversary of the 1959 uprising against Chinese occupation. There were some clashes with police and many arrests. Read more here. Where was Bjork when they needed her?