Magna Kaser posted:

What Chinese muslim group are they talking about? I have never heard a bad stereotype about the Hui, and their restaurants are always packed. In fact the Hui are like the model minority group in China, if one exists.

Now if you're talking about Uighur yeah that's a total thing here. The bad stereotypes are usually about Uighurs and (not Muslim but also explicitly not Han Chinese) Tibetans and Mongolians, but not Hui. My city has Tibetan and Uighur districts that always have increased police presence and uncomfortable looking Han people clutching their bags and crossing the street if they see an obviously Uighur or Tibetan person coming up in front of them.

Uighur food is super awesome, Tibetan food not so much.

Sheep-Goats posted:

My time in both places leads me to believe that while Thais are definitely not big readers at least some of them read and some of them give a poo poo about reading. In China it was like you were an idiot to waste time with anything that wasn't running some shitass business.

Sheep-Goats posted:

No learning is ever bad, but some of it is still a waste of time.

I originally went to China largely out of an interest for Tang era poetry. There are a few problems with learning Chinese and Tang poets though. The first is that no one in Mainland China gives a poo poo about them beyond giving some forced clannish nod in their direction. The second is that classical Chinese poetry is apparently so different from spoken Chinese (even in its time, the centuries have only made things worse) that it's basically like learning a dialect with very difficult grammar rules to even begin to read it. Third is that despite China's massive population it's modern cultural output is a loving joke -- this is due in part to the living human rear end that functions as their government but largely because nobody gives a poo poo about actual culture in the Mainland, everybody just wants to be a businessman.

On the other hand you could learn something like Thai. Thai has basically nothing as far as a literary canon goes compared to English or Chinese but Thai people actually like Thai books and poems, you see them for sale in 7-11s sometimes, Bangkok makes a large number of movies many of which are actually very good, etc. Plus if you speak Thai to a Thai person the reaction isn't to stare at them like a dog stares at someone who has just done a card trick and then to turn to your friend and yell at them "HEY THE FOREIGNER SPEAKS CHINESE!"

If you learned German you'd have Rilke and operas to listen to and some research and math documentation that you could access even though you'd probably never need German to talk to a German person in 2017 since their English is usually so good. Spanish gives you libraries of literature and three different continents to use the language on.

Chinese is just such a busted, decrepit choice that if we didn't know they had a billion people no one would ever bother with it.

Deadly Ham Sandwich posted:

Can confirm that many Germans speak decent English. Not all, but many. Although they are usually impressed if you can speak their language. And apparently German with an American accent is kind of cool.

hakimashou posted:

One of these days I'm going to figure out how to make chuanr right, it can't be that hard.

Haier posted:

TYPICAL ANECDOTAL FOREIGNER EXPERIENCE:
A lot of people here read books on their phones because it's easier to download an ePub instead of buying a physical book (and free, the main reason). However, the majority I've asked are reading something related to a work exam, or something for a promotion, etc. It's all related to "how can I improve my work/job prospects," rather than for pleasure or learning something not-money-related. Women tend to read health books, but it's hocus pocus TCM advice thing about how drinking water is the reason they are getting fat, so they need to quit drinking water, etc.
There was that news story about the industry of IP-knock-offs (domestic fan fiction) becoming very popular, but that's LOL and also read on the phone.

I have had countless people, who use their phones to read books, tell me that my actual ebook reader is bad for my eyes and I shouldn't be using it because I will go blind from the screen. I used to try to explain what e-paper is and refresh rates on screens, but I was always told the usual "Maybe... I don't know," Face bullshit that doesn't allow them to admit they don't know about something. Now I just say "No, you're wrong," and leave it at that.

Magna Kaser posted:

My experience is kinda the opposite. I see e-readers quite often at cafes and stuff, but really who cares if people read on their phone? That's a weirdly specific and not at all unique to China thing to nitpick. Even though I have a Kindle I still read books on my phone on the bus or subway cuz it's about 100x easier to take out on crowded public transport.

e: whoops misread you a bit, missed that they were telling you it's better than eink. that's silly.

Also Chinese fiction does have some good stuff, though, yeah, it isn't huge in number. One recent example is Three Body Problem is pretty good & also won the Hugo last year. The fact both Taiwan and the PRC had an iron grip on the media until the 1980s coming off of WW2 and a civil war or kind of slowed output of decent fiction, though.

DookieSandwich posted:

As a Lao, I resent this remark. Thai is a dialect of Lao.

Outrail posted:

Is there a China bingo card? And Haier can you take one with you and report back how long it takes to hit a win?

angel opportunity posted:

Xiao Gua Gua of house Bo raised his banner with the help of his parents, as he was too weak to do anything himself. The great banner depicted a steaming hot pot encircling a cyanide pill. The matronly Lady Kai Lai stood behind him, planning dastardly. Behind them stood house Diaoyu, their banner proudly displayed the Middle Kingdom's greatest island and its abundant bounty of rocks and small bugs. The island was painted crimson, and the indigo waters were full of mercury-laden fish and deformed crabs painted a pale orange. In the retinue of these great houses were three prestigious guilds: The street shitters, the day nappers, and the gawkers.

Kai Lai raised her looking glass and saw a car approaching. "Our scouts are returning," she said. The car came into honking distance, honking loudly as it drove through the zebra crossing without yielding. The driver jumped out and spat onto the street without looking where he was aiming, "M'lady, there are three Japanese walking through Jiefangbei, they are being comically polite in a way I have never before seen: They are raising and re-angling their umbrellas so that they do not hit passers-by in the head as they walk by."

Kai Lai shrieked. "Such condescension, do you know what happened in Nanjing? They are rubbing it in our faces." Behind her, one of the street shitters shat onto the street. "Gua Gua, mount your black Audi. Show these Gui Zi what happens when you hurt the feelings of the Chinese people."

Gua Gua, with the help of his Father, got into his black Audi, and with the help of his mother fastened his seat belt. His Mom started the car for him and made sure the horn was working; it was raining after all. His steed ready, Gua Gua blasted through the zebra crossing, grazing several pedestrians, which the gawkers took a good look at, their hands clasped behind the backs.

In the distance, among the Chinese chaotically bumping into each other and ramming umbrellas into each others' heads, Gua Gua spotted three figures. Rather than walking how they wanted and hitting whoever so happened to walk into their path, these figures were predicting the course of incoming obstacles and moving out of the way in order to avoid collisions. Gua Gua seethed at the insult to his country's rich and ancient culture.

In order to approach more stealthily, Gua Gua cut his horn beeps down to one beep per second. He wanted these Gui Zi to be caught off guard. He saw the Japanese approach a zebra crossing, so Gua Gua built up speed, preparing to clash. The targets were less than a meter from the crossing; Gua Gua swerved right, predicting their path. His timing was perfect, he would be at the crossing just as the Japanese stepped onto the street, they would all be crushed and their corrupt blood would spill across the city, as it should have in Nanjing.

But then it went all wrong: Just as the Japanese were supposed to cross, they instead looked both ways, and seeing Gua Gua's Audi, they didn't cross. Gua Gua swerved right in an attempt to clip them into the shops opposite the sidewalk, but he was going too fast and turned too late. He rammed directly into the guard rail.

Gua Gua felt himself pulled from the car. The gawkers formed a circle around him, they stared and did nothing as he bled out. Someone was helping him though, it must be his mother or father, he realized. But then he heard their voices, speaking Mandarin with too many syllables. It was the Japanese, they were going to rape him as they had done to his relatives in Nanjing, or perhaps they would hold him hostage and demand lands which had always belonged to China in exchange for Gua Gua's return.

"Herro? Man is hur-u-tu, car-u cras-shu, we need ambu-ran-su, xie xie."

The Japanese were helping him? It was a propaganda stunt, they would lord this over China for the next hundred years. "Three retards save Prince of prominent Chinese house," the headlines would read in their newspaper, in bold squiggles and stolen Chinese characters.

日本SQUIGGLE SQUIGGLE STUPID loving CIRCLE王DOT DOT CRAZY JAGGED LINE救STOLEN ENGLISH WORD STOLEN GERMAN WORD -- 英雄

He had to stop this from happening. His mother had given him one of the cyanide pills in case he ever needed to kill a close friend of his, but now he needed to end his own life. The cyanide pill was part of his house's banner, and Gua Gua knew this would bring honor to his house. He bit down on the pill, but usually his mom cut pills up for him so he could swallow them easily with water, and he had no water here. The pill was really hard, so he couldn't bite on it very well. It fell out of his mouth and rolled into a gutter.

The Japanese had stopped the bleeding, and an ambulance was close now, it was only blocked by a dozen or so cars stopped in the middle of the road. It would be here any minute, and with it would come shame and dishonor. Gua gua's body was almost fatally injured, but worse, his feelings were hurt.

Stringent posted:

I would blow Dane Cook posted:

I believe an honest panel discussion on life in China from the perspective of a native Chinese citizen, a non-white expat, and non-male participant would be most beneficial.

BCR posted:

One of the china bingo cards.

DookieSandwich posted:

As a Lao, I resent this remark. Thai is a dialect of Lao.

Haier posted:

I tried googling this but I can't find it. I can't tell if it is sarcastic or honest. I don't even believe this person can be in China and still feel this way. LMAO at apology culture these people are creating.

Haier posted:

There was one from r/China I think. Google doesn't have it in images. If someone can post it or find it, I will put it on my phone and see how many squares I can check on Saturday or Sunday.

Stringent posted:

Lady Galaga posted:

looks like this one was filled in



ALso found a sexpat bingo on ccj2 http://thickmanbangkok.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/sex-tourist-bingo.pdf

Deadly Ham Sandwich posted:

Can confirm that many Germans speak decent English. Not all, but many. Although they are usually impressed if you can speak their language. And apparently German with an American accent is kind of cool.

Deceitful Penguin posted:

I dunno, even then, isn't it better to have loved and lost then not have loved at all?

Lady Galaga posted:

why dont you come to hong kong, or at least join the wechat to share pics of poop girl

BCR posted:

https://bingobaker.com/

Feel free to make your own bingos.

Glorius Chinar has a long history of copys

Real talk, I've started reading romance of the three kingdoms. About 150 pages in, yet to see cao cao be this bad rear end of bad asses yet.

Edit: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/lazy-and-white-go-teach-in-china

The Vice article.

quote:

As the industry matures and more westerners move to China, the English education industry may be more heavily pressured to enforce higher standards for their instructors. But until that happens, a foreign instructor does not necessarily guarantee quality lessons. While some are undoubtedly committed and great at what they do, many see these teaching jobs as an opportunity to live an easy life abroad while working only 20 hours a week

quote:

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/02/01/asia/china-hong-kong-billionaire-xiao-jianhua/index.html
(CNN)A Chinese billionaire with Canadian citizenship has been seized from his apartment at the Four Seasons hotel in Hong Kong and taken to mainland China, a source familiar with the situation told CNN Wednesday.

Hong Kong police said they were investigating the disappearance of Xiao Jianhua, who was reported missing Friday. Police added that they had received a request Saturday from a family member to drop the case.
"We are still investigating and have reached out to the mainland authorities concerned," the statement sent to CNN Tuesday said.
Xiao is one of China's richest men and controls the Tomorrow Group, a massive holding company with stakes in banks, insurers and property developers. According to Hurun, which analyzes Chinese wealth, Xiao is 46 and has a net worth of $6 billion.


Xiao's disappearance adds to fears that freedoms guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" policy agreed to as part of Britain's 1997 handover of Hong Kong are being eroded as Beijing asserts more control over the city.
His case has drawn comparisons with Lee Bo, a bookseller and British passport holder that disappeared from Hong Kong in late 2015 and later turned up in Chinese custody.
Lee's removal, which came after the disappearance of four of his colleagues, sparked outrage in Hong Kong and internationally over fears he was taken against his will by Chinese law enforcement agents, who aren't permitted to act in the self-governing city.

quote:

A front-page ad published in a Hong Kong newspaper Wednesday with Xiao Jianhua's name printed at the bottom denied he'd been kidnapped.
Mingpao said they couldn't disclose who bought the unusual ad, which according to the newspaper's advertising rate card would have cost $36,500.
Other high-profile businesspeople detained in China have been pressed to release messages insisting that everything is fine.

The Great Autismo! posted:

yo deceitful penguin i didn't mean to call you out or anything, just that i remember one post very vividly of someone saying "shut up deceitful penguin" and i lol'd and i had one empty space so i just put you in there. hope there's no hard feelings

Haier posted:

Dox he ownself with goons?
I do go to HK, but not often. I would definitely not meet any online personalities from this website regardless.

"The Good" China Post posted:

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Uber Taiwan, facing mounting government pressure and fines, announced Thursday that it was temporarily suspending operations in Taiwan starting Feb. 10.
In a company statement, Uber says it was temporarily ceasing operations and hoped to return to negotiations with the government to "innovate transportation technology" on the island.

"This is a difficult decision," the statement indicated, adding that the service had helped make 15 million trips possible in its four years of operation in Taiwan.

The announcement came after the ride-share service was fined by Taiwan's government repeatedly, amassing fines of up to NT$1.1 billion (approximately US$35 million) since Jan. 6.

The Transportation Ministry ordered Uber Taiwan to cease operations and said that the service ban would continue until the company abided by local laws.

The Great Autismo! posted:

here ya go guys, pick a random two page sample and go crazy

basic hitler posted:

i once made the mistake of talking about my job on here too openly and a goon showed up saying he was from the internet with his camera app out asking for a picture. imagine that, but you're in china instead, and the goon you're meeting is a deep cover PLA operative

basic hitler posted:

i once made the mistake of talking about my job on here too openly and a goon showed up saying he was from the internet with his camera app out asking for a picture. imagine that, but you're in china instead, and the goon you're meeting is a deep cover PLA operative