When I first went to China in the mid-1980’s the rural/urban population ratio was 80/20. Today, after three decades of urbanization, that ratio is roughly 50/50. Urbanization in China comes in two forms, either by peasants moving from the countryside into the cities or the cities expanding to swallow up the countryside. One of the […]
Happy Birthday, Big Red!
One of the things I missed the most when I was living in China was driving. So the first thing I did when I moved back to the States a year ago was to buy a car. In fact, one year ago today I bought this car, and promptly christened her “Big Red.” She’s […]
Pearl Buck Makes a Comeback, Sort of…
Like thousands of other Americans, my first introduction to China was through reading Pearl Buck’s The Good Earth. Of course, when I read it in school, I never imagined that China would one day become such a big part of my life. China File recently ran an interesting article about her titled “The Rehabilitation of […]
50 Years Ago
I have been studiously avoiding all of the hoopla surrounding the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. I have an aversion to American media hype, and since I was only 3 1/2 at the time I don’t have any personal memories of the event. I do know that my family were living in […]
Shanghai — From a Construction Crane
The website Shanghaiist has posted some amazing photos of Shanghai taken from atop one of the city’s numerous construction cranes. They certainly offer a unique perspective. Click here to see more photos of this amazing city.
Another Great Reason to Learn Chinese
Last month I hosted a couple of friends from China for two weeks. It was great having them here, but since they don’t speak English I and a mutual Chinese friend traded translation shifts. Wherever we went and whatever we did, one of us had to be ‘on duty.’ Needless to say it was exhausting. […]
