That's Magazine November Issue

G re at er B ay A re a

I A

That’s Guide to the

FIFA

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NOVEMBER 2022

World Cup

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NOVEMBER 2022 | 01

Editor’s Note

NOVEMBER 2022

This month the world will be gripped with World Cup fever. Heroes will be crowned, villains will be made, underdogs will thrust themselves into the spotlight and superstars will be born. The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be very different from the ones that have preceded it. Firstly, it will be held in the State of Qatar, marking the first time a country in the Middle East has hosted the tournament. Secondly, it will be played in November, a change that had to be made as the tournament's regular June and July schedule would see players performing in unbearable heat. For this issue, we have gone World Cup mad. In The Nation, Alistair Baker-Brian interviews expats and locals as they share their memories of viewing the tournament in the Middle Kingdom. Our cover story also examines the World Cup, giving you a detailed rundown of the tournament and a brief introduction of every single team. If that’s not enough for you, we have World Cup-related gadgets in Business and Tech and even Chinese football vocabulary in Chinese Corner. Elsewhere in the mag, Li Bowen returns with an examination of China’s old-age influencers. The story looks at the growing number of people over 60 in China who have become social media savvy. Another growing China trend is yoga, as the centuries-old form of exercise has recently started taking on Western influences, as opposed to the traditional Indian style from which it originated. We’ll be back in December, with a detailed breakdown of the biggest news stories that happened in 2022. Stay safe.

Lars Hamer Editor-in-Chief

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Over 20 years the Most Glamorous Event of the Year Over 500 Well-Dressed Who-Is-Who of South China C-Suite Executives Over 1,000,000 RMB in Door Prizes Dozens of Senior Government Officials Over 40 Consuls General of Foreign Countries

All-Night Music, Fine Wines and Drinks, Great Food Fabulous Bands, DJ, Dance till you drop Showcase your business to those who count Be there, Be Seen, Be an Elite and Be a Superstar A few chances left

NOVEMBER 2022 | 03

THE WRAP

6 THE NATION

14 ARTS & LIFE

7 CHINA CURRENTS

15 STYLE RADAR

8 THE BUZZ

16 CITY SNAPSHOT

9 CHINESE CORNER

18 ‘GOOD GRIEF!’

10 A TRIP DOWN FOOTBALL MEMORY LANE

22 BUSINESS & TECH 23 BUSINESS NEWS 24 TECH NEWS 25 GALLEY GADGETS 26 OLD AGE, NEW CHAPTER

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40 FAMILY 41 LIVING ROOM 42 FLEXIBLE HOURS 46 BLOODLINE

32 COVER STORY

THAT’S GUIDE TO THE FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR 2022

48 HOTEL NEWS

50 SCHOOL NEWS NOVEMBER 2022 | 05

THE NATION THE BUZZ p08

Chinese Corner P09

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Feature P10

The World’s First Aerosolized Vaccine is Available in Shanghai By Lars Hamer

hanghai became the first city in China to offer the country’s aerosolized adenovirus type5 vector-based COVID-19 vaccine (Ad5-nCoV) booster shot on Tuesday, October 25, Global Times reports. The announcement was made via the Shanghai municipal government’s WeChat account, which stated the vaccination would be available for use from Wednesday, October 26, 2022. Reservations are open to all local adults who have already received two doses of China’s COVID-19 vaccine (Sinopharm and Sinovac Biotech) or one shot of CanSino Biologics (CanSinoBIO)’s intramuscular Ad5nCoV more than six months ago. In their announcement, the Shanghai government stated, “Receiving a booster shot is an effective method to enhance the effectiveness and prolong the duration of vaccine protection,“ as reported in Global Times. Twenty-three million people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in

Shanghai and more than half of them have had a booster shot. The aerosolized vaccine is jointly produced by CanSinoBIO and the Institute of Military Medicine under the Academy of Military Sciences and is the world’s first aerosolized COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine is inhaled through a device resembling a sippy cup. To use it, people only need to bite the lip of the cup and inhale the gas and hold their breath for five seconds. The vaccine will then be inhaled into the respiratory tract and the lungs. The National Health Commission of China states that almost 3.5 billion shots of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the country.

National media has also reported that more than 1.3 billion people (over 90% of the population) have been vaccinated against COVID-19. However, Gao Fu, the former head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that people should get booster shots as the mutations have weakened previous vaccines’ efficacy in preventing infection, disease and transmission. Health experts have also said that they believe that China will provide a second round of booster shots specifically made to tackle the Omicron strain before relaxing pandemic restrictions, as reported by Global Times.

[Image via Wikimedia]

NOVEMBER 2022 | 07

CHINA CURRENTS

China Creates Aerosolized Booster Shots for Mass Vaccination

STUNNING STAT

DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?

More Than 1 Million…

Wan Qiuwen

… that’s how many people visited a certain Beijing street during China’s National Week holiday. When it comes to the number of visits during public holidays, Wangfujing – located a stone’s throw from Tiananmen Square in central Beijing – usually tops the list among the capital’s main scenic spots. So, why is this shopping street so popular? Wangfujing sits close to some of the city’s biggest tourist attractions, including the Forbidden City, the National Museum, Jingshan Park, as well as Tiananmen Square. Moreover, there’s something for everyone, including a variety of cuisines, eclectic shopping and other sites like St. Joseph’s Wangfujing Cathedral. Don’t be surprised if Wangfujing gets another 1 million-plus visits during the next public holiday.

The 36-year-old from Shanghai is one of China’s first-ever female sea-rescue pilots. She joined the Donghai No. 1 Rescue Flying Service of the Ministry of Transport in 2008, after graduating from Shanghai Maritime University alongside the only other female pilot in her class, Song Yin. Wan told China Daily , “Being a search and rescue pilot is a high-risk job. It is a big commitment and requires personal sacrifices that not many are willing to make. But I feel lucky and proud to be a part of this elite force.” During her time, Wan has taken part in more than 300 rescue missions.

FEEL GOOD FACTOR

Shanxi Noodles in… Paris? In a country known for its high standards of gastronomy, you might have to be a little brave to offer customers something unfamiliar. You’d expect to find a whole host of French staples at one Paris street food market. Shanxi daoxiaomian (knife-pared noodles)? Perhaps, not. But one Chinese family is selling exactly that. A Weibo hashtag – which accumulated over 300,000 views – includes posts that show the family selling the noodles and getting a good reception from customers. On one day, the stall owners raked in the equivalent of around EUR1,000. Tasty and, it seems, profitable.

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CHINESE CORNER The World Cup is almost upon us! Let’s look at some keywords you can use to discuss the upcoming games with your friends, family and colleagues.

Football Words and Phrases 世界杯 shìjièbēi World Cup 球员 qiúyuán footballer A对B A duì B A vs B

进球 jìn qiú to score a goal 二比一 èr bǐ yī 2:1 (the score) 点球 diǎnqiú penalty

加时 jiā shí overtime/extra time

Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals & Finals 1/4决赛 sì fēn zhī yī juésài quarter-final(s) 半决赛 bàn juésài semi-final(s) 决赛 juésài final

大力神杯 dàlìshénbēi FIFA World Cup

Win, Lose, Draw

If you type “世界杯” into Baidu, it will show you the schedule of the upcoming games. If you click “排名” (páimíng, standings), you will see the results for each team:

Tournament Structure

胜 shèng to win

小组赛 xiǎozǔ sài group match(es)

平 píng to draw

小组 xiǎozǔ group(s)

负 fù to lose

出线 chū xiàn to proceed to the next stage

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T H E N AT I O N | F E A T U R E

A Trip Down Football Memory Lane Despite Rarely Happening for the Men’s National Team, Football Still Creates Beautiful Moments in China By Alistair Baker-Brian

t’s been 20 years since China’s men’s national football team participated in their first and, to date, only FIFA World Cup. The 2002 competition – hosted jointly by Japan and South Korea – saw the Middle Kingdom finish bottom of Group C without a single point. Perhaps, the men’s team could take a leaf out of China’s women’s football team, which beat South Korea 3-2 to win the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup. While China’s men’s team hasn’t performed on the pitch, enthusiasm for watching the competition hasn’t been dampened. According to FIFA, China contributed around 655.7 million views, including television viewers, out-of-home and digital-only viewers to the 2018 Russia World Cup’s total viewing numbers, around 18.4% of the global total. A number undoubtedly aided by the 5-hour time difference between some

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parts of Russia. Despite the usually awkward kick-off times for viewers in China, footy lovers all over the Middle Kingdom congregate to watch their favorite sport. Expats watching the game find themselves in a unique position; they often face family feuds and watch games with friends who support their nation’s opponents. Here are their stories.

The Long Haul Awkward kick-off times are something that the owner of Morgan’s Public House – who asked that we don’t publish his name – discusses when he thinks of the World Cup in China. He’s been in the Middle Kingdom since 2009 when he opened The Tavern sports bar (later renamed Morgan’s) in Guangzhou’s Central Business District, Zhujiang New Town.

“The 2010 World Cup in South Africa was crazy. We were open for 24 hours and would close the kitchen at 4 AM,” he recalls. “We’d still have people here at 6 AM when the games finished. At that time, we’d send for 80-90 Egg McMuffins from McDonald’s. “Everyone would stay and chat about the game until about 8 AM, and then people would just go off to work.” Braving unsocial hours to watch national teams play in the World Cup shows the loyalty and unwavering commitment that football can generate. However, such loyalty and commitment may need limits. China Daily reports that at least three individuals died while watching the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, including a 39-year-old in Shanghai who stayed up for three consecutive nights and collapsed on his couch during the Uruguay-Costa Rica game.

F E A T U R E | T H E N AT I O N

One would hope that this year, spectators find the time to get some rest after a long night of footy viewing – balancing football fever and well-being.

World Cup Competitions Through China’s Eyes From Harbin to Hainan, Shanghai to Xinjiang, it’s not difficult to find football fans among China’s population of 1.4 billion people. One of those is the appropriately named Messi Zhang in Beijing. A native of Langfang city, Hebei province, Zhang has worked in the Chinese capital for several years. He recalls when he first became interested in football at 10 years old: “That was back in 1996. It was the third season of the Chinese Professional Football League and we harbored high expectations for football in the country at the time. People were enthusiastic about the professional league when it was still new.” Zhang recalls how the World Cups of 1998 in France and 2006 in Germany were the ones that influenced him the most. “There were really a lot of stars that appealed to Chinese people at that time, such as Ronaldo, Batistuta and David Beckham. “I would normally stay up late to watch the World Cup with friends on TV during those years. Recently, I’ve kind of fallen out of love with football. Between spending time with my family and working, I don’t have that much time to watch it anymore.” Zhang is not the only one to fall out of love with domestic football and the county’s men’s international team. The domestic leagues have dwindled and repeated failure in international tournaments has led to widespread disengagement.

The Expat View When it comes to World Cup memories in the eyes of China's expats, there’s perhaps no better person to speak to than Argentinian Maximiliano

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T H E N AT I O N | F E A T U R E

Postigo. His passion for football becomes apparent as soon as he starts speaking to That’s. The Buenos Aires native started coming to China around 20 years ago, and later settled permanently in Shanghai in 2004. His expertise in corporate finance has led him to work in many positions and start several business projects – the latest of which is WeWine, importing wines from abroad onto the Chinese mainland. When he’s not working, Postigo plays as a goalkeeper for a team in Shanghai – a position he’s played in since childhood. “Goalkeeping is a complex position. You can win or lose a game for your team in a matter of seconds.”

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Postigo recalls his first time watching the World Cup in China in 2006. He saw many of the games in Shanghai’s O’Malley’s Irish pub, where the beer garden would draw huge crowds. A standout positive memory of the tournament? It had to be the goal scored by Maxi Rodriguez in the 98th minute in extra time to give Argentina a 2-1 win against Mexico in the Round of 16. There were probably no World Cup games that could have prepared Postigo for the roller coaster ride of emotions he would experience during 2014. “In 2014, I was the founder of The Apartment (an American fusion bar in Shanghai that has since closed),” he tells us. “At the time, we also had The Geisha and other venues. In The Geisha, we opened a place called The Flamingo which had more than 40 screens on which to watch the World Cup.” In the semi-final, Argentina faced the Netherlands – a family affair for Postigo, given that his wife is Dutch. In a hard-fought game, Argentina beat the Dutch side on penalties to go through to the final. With Postigo’s son only seven months old at the time, he found himself watching the game at home while on parenting duties. “As the game finished, I was holding my son in my left arm. Argentina had won and everyone else was celebrating, but our house was silent. “I didn’t say a word. My wife was crying. Dutch people are very passionate about football, too. “I showed my son and told him, ‘Mum is very sad.’ My wife slept alone in my son’s room that night because she was too upset and we didn’t speak to each other.” Fortunately for Postigo, football rivalry hasn’t gotten in the way of a strong marriage. The couple had their second child – a daughter – in 2015 and remain happily married to this day. If anything, Postigo’s strong connection with Shanghai’s Dutch community shows how football can bring different nationalities together. He recalls watching the 2010 World Cup in O’Malley’s Irish Pub with a group of Dutch friends.

Pints, Penalties and Passionate Patrons An article about World Cup memories from China would not be complete without hearing from the venues which host so many patrons during the big games. The owner of Morgan’s recalls how the 2010 World Cup – when The Tavern sports bar was barely one year old – put the venue on the map. While the atmosphere might be comparable to a pub in England – from whence the owner comes – running a pub in Guangzhou is a little different. “The England games were particularly popular because we are kind of an English-style pub,” he explains. “But games between many other countries were also very popular. Colombia’s games always brought in a big crowd. Mexico and Brazil were the same. “It’s not like running a pub back in England where you’re just waiting for the England fans to come in and watch games. We had a following for each game. That means that each game had a particular sense of excitement because we would have loads of fans who were from those countries.” French expat, Mathieu is also familiar with running a busy venue. Having first arrived in Beijing in 2010, the Frenchman has been involved with Paddy O’Shea’s Irish Pub as a customer, shareholder and now owner. “I arrived in Beijing in early 2010, just a few days before the start of the World Cup,” Mathieu recalls. “I discovered Paddy’s by searching online. “The World Cup in South Africa

F E A T U R E | T H E N AT I O N

started on June 11, and it was very hot. The place was packed, and once the first tones of Shakira’s song – ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)' – were played, everyone just went crazy! I don’t remember that much about the game though.” He admits he’s not a huge football fan, stating that he prefers rugby. However, when it comes to the World Cup, he concedes that it is “something else.” “Paddy O’Shea’s is a place where World Cup passion comes to life. I remember in 2018, some customers had traveled to Russia to see live games; they reported back that they preferred the atmosphere at Paddy’s rather than in the stadium!” In 2019, the venue underwent renovations with a layout more conducive to watching the big games. Mathieu acknowledges that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be a little different; as the first ever World Cup to take place during winter, Paddy’s won’t have anything set up outside the pub (it’s a little chilly in Beijing at that time of year). The most important reminder from Mathieu to those planning to watch World Cup games at Paddy’s? “Come

early! Fashionably late won't work.” Anyone who’s experienced a big game in the venue will understand what he’s talking about.

Not Long till Kick-off As That’s goes to press, the Qatar 2022 World Cup is less than a month away. 2022 marks yet another World Cup year in which China will not be participating. However, that certainly won’t stop World Cup fever in the country amongst locals and expats alike. The kick-off times aren’t as favorable to China-based viewers as they were four years ago – with some games starting at 3AM (BJT). However, with some matches kicking off as early as 6PM, and the final starting at 11PM, viewing numbers will be high. Statistics aside, watching the World Cup in China is a great chance to make memories and bring people from all walks of life together – the kind of memories and togetherness that are forged in venues like Morgan’s, Paddy O’Shea’s and among passionate football fans.

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ARTS & LIFE ‘Good Grief!’ p18

Style Radar P15

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City Snapshot P16

ARTS & LIFE `

OVERHEARD

“We humans may really coexist with friends in outer space in the future,” said Ding Jie in an interview while describing her concept during Shanghai Fashion Week. Ding Jie released a new line under her brand D.Martina Queen which blends futuristic themes like astronauts and technology with traditional Chinese imagery and styles. She was among the designers for the Beijing Winter Olympics where one particular design caught the Chinese internet’s attention during the opening and closing ceremonies. A choir of 44 children donned white snowsuits with colorful lion heads inspired, according to Ding Jie, by traditional paper cuttings from the choir’s home province of Hebei.

COVET

Form Over Function After taking place online, Shanghai Fashion Week returned to the real world and made ripples around the fashion industry. In the spirit of avant-garde apparel, how about the ridiculous cuffs on this top from Korean designer Sun Woo? The brand has a whole line of gloves with similarly unconventional and inconvenient protrusions. Although the cooler months are approaching and we don’t know how one might put a jacket on with this shirt, it will certainly turn some heads. This and other shocking new age designs are available from the Simba Reborn shop on Taobao.

SPOTLIGHT

Shoot for the Stars

Image via @新浪时尚/Weibo

In mid-October, 18-year-old Pang Yuqian secured four gold medals in the 2022 Pistol Shooting World Championships. The young woman from Sichuan was selected for the national team just last year and is proving to be one of China’s many promising young athletes to watch out for in years to come. She joined the school shooting team at the age of 12 and trains nearly every day. The competition was held in Cairo, Egypt. Image via @如颖--随形/Weibo

NOVEMBER 2022 | 15

ARTS & LIFE

CITY SNAPSHOT

@nikolaykruzhilin.nn

ikolay Kruzhilin came to China 10 years ago to study. Soon after arriving, he and his girlfriend opted to drop out of university and get jobs. The couple moved from Dalian in China’s northeastern corner down to the rapidly growing city of Shenzhen and it was here that Kruzhilin uncovered a community of street photographers and his passion bloomed. Kruzhilin tells That’s , “I got into photography when I first got an iPhone. I thought it was amazing

16 |NOVEMBER 2022

that such a tiny device could produce images better than most digital cameras of the era. So I started taking random snaps from my daily life and trips. Stylistically inspired by photos I was seeing on Instagram, I wanted to upgrade to something that could blur the background of my portraits. This inquiry sent me down the rabbit hole of photo forums — learning about sensors, lenses, the basics of camera settings and composition.” “My true passion for

photography started about six years ago,” he continues, “when I joined ‘booze & shoots.’” Kruzhilin dispels any excitement conjured by the name, saying, “it was just a bunch of like-minded people sipping beers and taking street snaps. There were amateurs like myself, willing to learn, and there were also many professional photographers that I learned a lot from.” The ‘booze & shoots’ community has since evolved into an organized body of street photography knowledge and resources.

Now called Shenzhen International Foto Collective (SIFC), the group hosts lectures, holds competitions and curates photo exhibitions. Kruzhilin is currently entrenched in a ‘365’ project where he publishes at least one photo or series per day. This pushes him to take his camera exploring on a near-daily basis. “Staying inside means running out of content,” he tells That’s , lamenting about the excruciating temperatures that this past summer brought. “We had a terrible heat wave in Nanning. It was over 36°C for more than a week and when I finally found the time for a photo walk, I was seriously considering not going out at all.” Assuming his fellow citizens of Nanning would also be trying to beat the heat, Kruzhilin headed down to the waterfront. “I decided to go to the river bank expecting to find some people swimming there. I was in luck as the place was full of people. “A young man saw me on the promenade with a camera, swam to me, and asked if I wanted to take a photo of him jumping into the river. I agreed and he proceeded to do quite a few backflips. I believe he was a construction worker on his break. We chatted for a bit then he picked up his clothes, put on his yellow helmet and went on back to work. Absolute legend.”

F E AT URE | ARTS & LIFE

There are two devices that Kruzhilin puts to work. His main workhorse is a Sony a7iii which he favors for the endless range of lenses available, but he also opts to experiment with compatible vintage glass. A more recent acquisition, he adds, is a 17-year-old Ricoh GRD 1. “It’s got a flash, a snap focus function and, having just an 8-megapixel sensor, the grain on it looks amazing when you take black and white images — it never leaves my pocket.” Regardless of location, Kruzhilin has reached a point where he takes photos every day. “If I’m at home I take photos of my son and when I commute to and from work I often stop on my way to take some snaps of random people or things. Whenever I have some time, I explore gritty alleyways; hidden urban villages are full of character and kind people that never mind having their portraits taken. I’m afraid it’s a bit cliché, but lighting is the most important thing in photography. Whenever I see deep shadows or reflections of neon signs I almost instantly grab my camera, it’s like a reflex. Although street photography is my favorite genre, it taught me that there is the possibility of a photo absolutely anywhere. You can be at a mall, in my mind the dullest place of all, and you can still find unique scenes to capture. The key is to train yourself to see possibility in even the most mundane places.

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ARTS & LIFE | F E AT URE

Phuture Vulture & the Abolsute performing in Beijing. Image via 海淀阑尾

‘Good Grief!’ How One Beijing Band’s Album-making Process Took an Unusual Route By Mike Fox

ricket fans will know all about the T-20 World Cup that is currently underway in Australia. It’s a more fast-paced, dramatic and exciting take on the sport’s regular format. Purists would argue it’s a watered-down take on the more historic, thoughtful and traditional ways of a five-day test match and much like a greatest hits album, the storytelling and substance are missing. Admittedly, our chat with UK musician Dan Taylor doesn’t mention cricket but his approach to music is like that of a test cricketer. He has patience, consistency and a willingness to be in close confinement with his group for long periods. Taylor arrived in Beijing in 2013. He has gone on to be a mainstay in the city’s music scene after forming and acting as a singer-songwriter for

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The Harridans and more recently Phuture Vulture & the Absolute, the latter of which are in the process of recording their first album Good Grief. A charismatic character, to say the least, but Taylor's philosophy on music doesn’t match his quirky personality. “I'm sort of reserved and a little bit shy when it comes to music,” Taylor tells That’s. “Being a great player is not important to me. I think technicality is something that people sometimes get a little bit distracted by in music when the song should always come first.” The Harridans released their debut album Fuzzing the Muse in 2016. The record is an unapologetic layered melting pot of sounds stirred together with Taylor’s folk-inspired, spooky vocals. It incorporates disco and prog with a catchy singalong sensibility and

Drummer Jake Nimmer showcasing some of the fur he talked about. Image via 大熊

F E AT URE | ARTS & LIFE

hasn’t been matched at this local level since. However, that was six years ago and while praise for past endeavors is appreciated by the Yorkshireman, his conversational focus would much rather be on all things present. “I remember playing the first Harridans album to my family. My mum said, ‘Oh yeah, it's lovely, but can you make something nice and a bit romantic.’ I thought to myself, ‘Yeah, I can,’” the 34-year-old explains with excitement. “I want to embrace the idea of romance and make something sumptuous and not just sort of throwaway. “The first Harridans album was a little bit like throwing all the ingredients in a pot. For example, we would have a 14-second recorder solo followed by a metal drum breakdown. I want this new album to have a theme, be concise and have its own character so it can be a cohesive project. I also want it to be beautiful and melodic.” If The Harridans were about getting the crowd on their feet, then Phuture Vulture & the Absolute are about getting them back down again. The slow string-inspired songs carve out images of sorrow and regret but ultimately hope when performed in an intimate live setting, they create a mellow atmosphere that Taylor is trying to replicate for the upcoming record. “I feel that I'm more passionate about what I want the end project to be. I feel very strongly about it. I feel like it's not just something to toss away or something to only mess around with. When I listen back, I sometimes think it's the biggest pile of rubbish I've ever heard in my life. Sometimes I listen to it and think it's all right, but I never think it's great. It's taken a long time. I think partly because life gets in the way, but part of it is also because I really want it to be good.” To those who know him best, Taylor is laid back and has a silly side that doesn’t take much to come out. He cracks wise on stage while pulling off comical behavior in a genuine way. On the other hand, his lyrics from the new album explore a mix of themes that

range from personal experiences to tall tales inspired by unusual sources. It’s been this combination of foolish, yet fascinating that give his compositions a distinctive edge. “'The Wise, the Kind and the Eternal' is the first song we recorded for the album. The title comes from a phrase that my ex-girlfriend’s father, a painter, coined with regard to making art. We used these three tenets of 'The Wise, the Kind and the Eternal' as a kind of dogma for the album. They’re lovely,

The Harridans looking natural during a photo shoot. Image via 大宇 Sam.

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ARTS & LIFE | F E AT URE

Guitar player Jukka Ahonen taking a rather unusual pose during a photo shoot at Eric Ji's house. Image via Dan Taylor

grand principles for creating something. The Wise: to inform. The Kind: to express love. The Eternal: to invoke timelessness. Of course, we had to balance all this grandiosity with dirty puns and songs about spilling cream down your blouse.” Good Grief is a listening experience that acts as an exploration of art and identity that is not only expressed through its songs but also its process. It’s taken nearly two years to complete and has involved Taylor spending a lot of time at the home of Eric Ji, who is the album’s producer. Ji’s house is situated on the outskirts of Beijing and for large parts of 2021-22, the long-time friends have been living together and recording there. The rest of the band occasionally makes the trip to the capital’s suburbs, but for the most part, it’s just the two of them. Think Brad Pitt and Edward Norton in Fight Club. “It's not a studio where I'm paying by the hour. We can sit there, we can talk, we can try different things and we can experiment. We have time to try out different arrangements and different ideas. It definitely helped the album sound more interesting.” Having such a close ally to collaborate with has taken away the penny-pinching pressures that come with studio time. It also means Taylor can take one or two liberties, as Ji himself explains. “Taylor and I have spent a lot of time together over the past two years. He’s slept in my bed nearly as much as my girlfriend has. The plan was to record the album quickly, from the acoustic demos that he gave me. Of course, once he starts adding one thing, he wants to add it all. It was about 10% recording and 90% sitting around talking about the best way to mic an egg shaker.” Most recently, the group spent two days of the National Holiday filming a live performance of the album at Ji’s house, one song in one room at a time. It was 48 hours of elaborate costumes and liquid courage culminating in a very unique show. Percussionist Jake Nimer sums up the taping, which perhaps

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Taylor and his bandmates at his home in Beijing. Image via 大宇 Sam.pic

F E AT URE | ARTS & LIFE

should be referred to as ‘Top of the Alcopops.’ “It was two days spent at the bottom of a bottle with Taylor dressed in fur barking instructions at us. English renaissance at its best. We were trying our best not to freeze to death in a ludicrously cold room for the time of year. We persevered to get something half decent!” Although Taylor is the main songwriter for Phuture Vulture & the Absolute, he’s been fortunate to find the right people to bring into the group after laying down the foundations for the ambitious project. As well as fellow Brit Nimer, he’s joined by Finnish guitar player Jukka Ahonen, who was the subject of a That’s article in the August issue. Those who read it will know what a sought-after player he is. American brothers Shawn and Stanley Moore are on violin and cello duties with their compatriot David Bond on keys and

Iranian clarinet player Hadi Marvian. The secret to whatever success Good Grief goes on to have will be down to Taylor’s “sky’s the limit“ attitude. There is a beautiful structural simplicity to the tracks which can be performed with just the man himself and an acoustic guitar. But what he’s doing is accompanying the folk riffs with heartwarming touches to give it an overall epic feel. “I was listening to this interview with Brian Eno (Roxy Music keyboard player and U2 producer), and he was talking about one of his early albums. He realized there was a lot of ‘I’ in the lyrics, so he changed ‘I’ to ‘We.’ I tried it with this album, and it gives it this sort of almost cultish behavior. Instead of saying, ‘I love you’ and ‘I miss you,’ it was changed to ‘we love you’ and ‘we miss you.’ Then I realized if I’m singing ‘we’ I need to have group vocals, so I got loads of people down for backing vocals. So, we had strings and we had group vocals

and it just exploded into this project that is a little bit over the top.” Good Grief is set to come out in mid-December 2022, ending a twoyear recording process, which would rival even the most particular of artists. However, it’s not about the destination, it’s the journey that counts, and given Taylor’s tendencies to get carried away when it comes to music, the adventures for Phuture Vulture & the Absolute are only just beginning.

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BUSINESS & TECH OLD AGE, NEW CHAPTER P26

Tech News P24

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Galley Gadgets P25

BUSINESS NEWS

WeChat, Elon Musk and ‘the Everything App’

Could the West Get Its First Super App? By Lars James Hamer

lon Musk has completed the takeover of the social media platform Twitter for a staggering USD44 billion, reports the BBC. The move was completed on Friday, October 28, 2022, bringing an end to the saga that almost saw the two play it out in court. Could Musk’s acquisition of Twitter signal the beginning of the first ‘super app’ in the western world, akin to China’s WeChat? Life in China is made extraordinarily convenient with the use of WeChat. We use it to read the news, book taxis, make a doctor’s appointment, pay our bills and accomplish a plethora of other daily activities. Apps like WeChat, which has close to 1.3 billion active users, have been dubbed super apps because they are an all-encompassing platform for financial transactions, payments, commerce and communication. Despite super apps being common in Southeast Asia (Grab in Singapore, Alipay in China and Gojek in Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines), they are yet to significantly impact the Western market. However, Musk, the world’s richest man, hinted that before he finalized his deal to take over Twitter, he would turn

the app into a super app. On October 5, Musk tweeted, “Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app.” There is little information out there as to what X will actually do, however, many commentators have stated that China’s WeChat, the original Asian super app, was the inspiration behind the idea of X. Musk’s dreams of an everything app spawned from Twitter were birthed when he became the majority shareholder in April 2022. Shortly after, Musk was invited to join Twitter’s board, a move he accepted but later declined, instead saying he was going to buy the whole platform. Twitter initially tried to stop the move but when Musk offered USD44 billion for the takeover, investors became keen to make it happen. The takeover bid hit a wall when Musk claimed that the number of bots and spam accounts was more than Twitter claimed, therefore devaluing the platform. The issue was never resolved and Musk pulled out, leading the two parties to battle it out in court. Twitter continued to try to force the deal through and was predicted to win the court battle. The trial was originally set to start

on October 17, but Musk requested a delay in proceedings so the two parties could hammer out a deal. The judge agreed and gave them until October 28, otherwise, they would have gone to court. On the morning of October 28, Twitter announced the deal had been completed. Speculation in the industry claims that Musk wanted to ditch the takeover because he would have to finance it by selling shares in Tesla. However, in the run-up to the original court date, he sent several tweets suggesting that he was keen for the deal to go ahead. Commentators said that this could have been a ploy to give him a stronger leg to stand on in court. An apparent readiness to take over the company mixed with concerns about the number of users may have helped him lower the price in the courtroom. However, none of that matters anymore, as Musk purchased the social media giant for the price he originally stated. The billionaire will now move forward with his plans for the platform. Could we be about to see big changes to the Western social media landscape?

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TECH NEWS Hot Water

To Buy or Not to Buy

A Chinese food company landed itself in the middle of a social media storm in early October after netizens discovered that Haitian Flavoring and Food Co. Ltd. use fewer ingredients in the soy sauce they sell abroad. The company – based in Foshan, Guangdong province – only used natural ingredients in the condiment sold in Japan. The Chinese version, on the other hand, contains flavor enhancers, preservatives and sweeteners. Douyin, the Chinese version of Tik Tok, was flooded with videos of users checking their food ingredients under the hashtag “hex technology.” The term was originally used in the gaming industry to refer to the combination of magic and technology but is now used to describe the use of additives in food products in China. The hashtag “hex technology” has received over 3 billion views since the Haitian Flavoring and Food Co. Ltd scandal went viral. Although Haitian Flavoring and Food Co. Ltd didn’t break any rules, they haven’t been able to reassure consumers despite issuing two statements. The first statement reiterated that their products are safe to consume. The second said, “Food additives are widely used in food manufacturing in countries around the world, and each country has clear regulatory standards regarding food additives,” according to Sixth Tone.

A China Unicom mobile phone number went to auction for a staggering RMB13.66 million but despite 1,800 people setting a reminder for the auction on Monday, October 10, nobody actually committed to the purchase, as reported in Shanghai Daily . The auction ended the following day and racked up over 64,000 clicks. The phone number, 156 6666 666, was registered to a China Unicom branch in Shandong province, east China. However, even after forking out RMB13.66 million, costs could rise to RMB14.8 because of the RMB688,000 guarantee, a 5% commission and a 0.5-1% software service charge. The number 6 in China is believed to be a lucky number and the more 6s a number has, the luckier it is. The number 4 in China is said to be unlucky, as it shares the same phonetic sound as the word for death in Chinese. People in China have been known to avoid phone numbers that contain unlucky numbers and even pay to have their numbers changed. In 2006 the phone number 666 6666 sold for QAR10 million (Qatari Rial), equivalent to almost RMB20 million today, because of its connotations to the word Allah, meaning God in Arabic.

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Digital Developments Huawei is reportedly planning to relaunch 5G phones next year to regain lost market share. The company is currently under sanctions from the US government that bars them from conducting business with American firms. This not only stops them from accessing Google services but also trading with Qualcomm (a company that designs semiconductors and wireless technology), effectively cutting off access to 5G technology. However, a Financial Times report says that Huawei might redesign its smartphone to use “less advanced” chips made by Chinese companies to enable 5G. The report also states that Huawei may create phone cases with built-in modules that allow for 5G access. Huawei’s revenue dropped by 50% in 2021 for smartphone-led consumer business. Since sanctions were imposed, they have fallen far behind rivals Google and Apple in the market. Even if the company can find a way to access 5G, they will face a tougher battle trying to make apps created by Google, such as the Google Play Store and Gmail, compatible.

Galley Gadgets

he World Cup is almost upon us and although the tournament in China is synonymous with failure to qualify, there is one other thing that always goes hand in hand with the beautiful game… beer. Chinese drinking culture tends to favor bottles or towers when parked up at a roadside BBQ joint or hotpot restaurant. The number of bottles lined up at the feet of hungry customers is often a good measure of how much sauce they can put away in a single sitting. Those of you enjoying bottles of beer at home while watching the World Cup might be looking for a way to brag about the structural integrity (or lack thereof) of your liver. Piling bottles into a pyramid on the windowsill of your high-rise is not only dangerous and a potential manslaughter charge waiting to happen, but most likely won’t be seen by the admiring fans below. Well, as always, when in doubt turn to Taobao. This map of the world can be filled with your empty bottle tops and gives you another excuse to spunk your salary on imported beers from around the world. Set yourself a challenge to drink a beer of the team you’re watching and slowly fill up your new map. Also, why not purchase this beer cap gun and try filling in the wall-hanging map from a distance? Better yet, fire bottle tops at your TV when your nation inevitably gets knocked out or shoot at that one friend who always passes out after a couple of cold ones. The cap gun is available for RMB16 and the wall map starts at RMB138. Scan the QR codes using the Taobao app to purchase.

NOVEMBER 2022 | 25

BUSINESS & TECH | F E AT URE

Old Age, New Chapter Chinese Silver Surfers on Social Media By Li Bowen

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F E AT URE | BUSINESS & TECH

hen a temporary lockdown happened a year ago, 65-yearold Jenny (@Jenny奶奶) had to stay at home. Her son suggested she create an account on Xiaohongshu, China’s Instagram-like social media platform to avoid boredom. Now, she’s an influencer with more than 51,000 followers. As China and the world’s population continue to age, social media platforms are adapting to make their sites more accessible. Now, we are seeing more elderly influencers infiltrating social media but for some, there is still a stigma and embarrassment around being an old age influencer. Jenny, who requested we refer to her by her English name, is one of the growing number of people over 60 years old stepping into the influencer market. Jenny stands out from her peers with her “easy for beginners” fitness tutorials that don’t “put an extra burden on joints.” It’s a deliberate design so elderly people find it easier to use. One of her

pinned posts, which shares how she lost 15 kilograms, has received over 12,000 likes. Nowadays, it’s common for influencers to earn commission from sponsored posts, and Jenny is no exception. However, she doesn’t collaborate with supplement and makeup brands. “I never wear make-up so I can’t recommend beauty products to my followers,” she says. Jenny doesn’t view her social media account as a money tree. However, she won’t say no to business requests from clothing brands at an affordable price. “Women never think their wardrobe is full,” she says. “I can use the commission I earned from those collabs to buy more clothes and those posts tend to be more popular anyway.” Jenny lives in Suzhou, east China’s Jiangsu province, with her husband of 41 years, an introverted amateur photographer. Her influencer experience on Xiaohongshu is relatively new,

A photo of Jenny, an elderly influencer on Xiaohongshu. Image via Jenny.

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BUSINESS & TECH | F E AT URE

unlike beauty influencer @奶奶也爱护肤 (Grandma Also Loves Skincare), who is also in her sixties. Ms. Liu says she has always been interested in skincare and high fashion, specifically Hermes. She began sharing her knowledge in beauty and fashion on Xiaohongshu five years ago. Ms. Liu doesn’t work in the beauty industry, but she weaves an extensive amount of beauty tips, analyses of ingredients, and the history of skincare brands into her posts, all of which are derived from decades of self-learning. What originally motivated her to post on the platform was simple and remains the same today – sharing useful beauty knowledge with young people. As her posts were liked by more people, she also receives collaboration requests from many luxury skincare brands. There was a time when Ms. Liu felt embarrassed to use Xiaohongshu. At first, she didn’t even tell her daughter she was an influencer. “You can’t imagine how hard it can be for elderly people to get used to the idea of using Xiaohongshu,” she says. Part of the embarrassment is caused by the underrepresentation of older people on social media. According to official data from Xiaohongshu, 72% of its total 2 billion monthly active users are from the post-90s generation. However, it is primarily linked to her upbringing -- to get paid for sharing knowledge on social media sounds alien to Ms. Liu’s father, a retired university professor who believes in old-fashioned altruistic values. “My father kept asking me why I would get paid for sharing knowledge,” Liu says. “I would ask him back why he gets paid for teaching students.” But the support of her followers gradually changed her mindset. “Now I don’t think it’s embarrassing to be an elderly influencer. Instead, my followers let me know it’s something to be proud of. “Elderly people have a lot of experience to share on homelife, cooking and relationships, all of which can help young people,” she says. “And most young people are willing to learn.” In their conversations with That’s, both Ms. Liu and Jenny call on more people their age to make better use of social

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F E AT URE | BUSINESS & TECH

A group photo of 66-year-old influencer Jenny and her friends taken after their morning exercise. Image via Jenny

media platforms, stating that becoming an influencer does not seem that out of reach for older users. Ms. Liu hails Xiaohongshu for its abundance of resources and tools to learn how to create multimedia posts and even live streams. For Jenny, the app has replaced search engines to answer most questions that come into her head. China has an aging population. There are over 262 million people aged 60 and over, accounting for 18.7% of the total population, data from the seventh national population census shows. According to the World Health Organization, the population of people over 60 years old in the country is projected to reach 28% by 2040. The number of internet users in China has exceeded 1.05 billion, and 99.6% access the internet via cell phones, Xinhua reported. However, it’s too early to say all elderly people are social media savvy. A report conducted

by Qutoutiao and Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2021 shows that 68.1% of elderly people surveyed spend less than four hours online on their smartphones every day. However, the government is stepping in. Last year, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology introduced a guideline requiring 43 apps and 115 websites to make their sites more “elderly-friendly” by the end of the year. The dark side of social media on the mental health of teenagers has been a big part of the conversation surrounding today’s youth. But the table has turned for the elderly – a study surveying elderly Chinese people shows a positive relationship between the mental health of participants and using social media. Jenny describes her experience of using social media with a Chinese idiom: 独乐乐不如众乐乐, which means it’s better to share happinness rather than be happy alone.

“It’s a lot of fun to share my daily experience with people,” she says. “I hope everyone surrounding me is happy, and I’ll be happy.” Old people are more capable and influential than they thought on social media and moves are being made to help them better understand the platforms. Furthermore, as the population gets older, it’s impossible to think that people will just stop using social media. Therefore, the market for elderly influencers may increase. Ms. Liu says she hopes more elderly people will know that they can also have fun using the internet and even become a blogger. “Do not get drowned in the feeling that elderly people are useless,” she says. As elderly people approach their twilight years, social media can act as a tool to curb loneliness, improve mental health and keep the brain active. And anyway, a successful platform, as Liu and Jenny have proven, can also be a way to bring in some extra pocket money. One thing the stories of elderly influencers can teach us is it’s never too late to try new things. Old age can be a new chapter as long as you are willing to turn the page.

NOVEMBER 2022 | 29

Sinoviniculture

Uncorking China’s Winemaking Potential By Joshua Cawthorpe

ften deemed the world’s most influential wine competition, the Decanter World Wine Awards are entering their 20th year. Originally running as wine columns in newspapers around the United Kingdom, Decanter began publishing as a magazine for wine consumers in London in 1975. Today, the magazine is a trusted standard for wine buyers and the DWWAs remain among the most prestigious awards in the world of wine. Therefore, one can imagine the elation when, at the 2011 DWWAs, the first Chinese wine won not only an award but a gold medal. Even more shocking was that the wine that won was not one of China’s storied leviathans but rather a remarkably young winery from a previously unknown region. According to Decanter, the Ningxia region had to be added for the wine to be submitted to the competition. The victorious wine was the 2009 vintage of Jia Bei Lan, grown on cloned vines from Hebei province that were planted just nine years before. This month, Zhang shares her unlikely introduction to winemaking and a glimpse at the passion and expertise that makes her one of China’s most revered winemakers. Zhang graduated from university in 1998 and, although she majored in forestry, one class on viticulture landed her a job. Her parents didn’t drink wine and she wasn’t particularly fond of it herself at the time. She recalls the first red wine she tried was from Xixia King which remains to this day Ningxia’s largest winemaking company. We interrupt Zhang’s story to ask

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what we believe to be a very pertinent question. She chuckles when we inquire if she thinks she would have enjoyed her first sip of wine had it been the 2009 Jia Bei Lan. “At that time, I don’t think I would have liked the taste,” she admits. “As I learned more about wine culture, winemaking and proper wine tasting then I began to love wine. I had really good opportunities to connect with experts from France. They could simply smell a wine and tell, for example, that the temperature of fermentation was too high.”

She jokes that their noses were bigger than hers but also points to a fascination and inspiration derived from their expertise. They had an ability to recognize the aromas of strawberry and cherry, as well as problems within the fermentation process — true masters. When Zhang landed her first job after graduation, the Ningxia wine industry was just starting. At that time there were only six or seven wineries, mostly engaged in producing bulk

wines to be bought and sold under different brand names. The first job that would lead Zhang to become the godmother of Ningxia wine was, itself, fairly innocuous. It was a position in a government office tasked with connecting wineries with grape growers. It was at this first job that Zhang would meet some extremely influential figures in the story of Ningxia wine. Professor Li Hua established what is often called the Wine College at Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (西北农林科技大学葡萄酒学院). After getting his Ph.D. in winemaking in France, he returned to China to set up the Wine College. The first step was to travel around China and identify the regions that would be suitable for growing good wine grapes. Zhang credits Dr. Li Hua with convincing the Ningxia government to focus on wine. In 1996, the government sent delegations of agriculture ministers, local Ningxia winemakers and university professors to France so that they could return with the required knowledge. At that point, the government had a very narrow view that wine would be a popular product. They never envisioned the surrounding culture of food and wine tourism that would shape Ningxia in the following decades. Li Demei was Chief Winemaker in a Sino-French viniculture demonstration zone in Hebei province. In 2000, Li planted some cloned vines of Bordeaux grape varieties on a small farm in the foothills of the Helan Mountain range. Over the next few years, Zhang would travel to France, Australia and America to expand her knowledge of winemaking. In 2005, Zhang and her partners created Helan Qingxue (named

after the sunshine glimmering off the snow atop the Helan Mountains) and made the first vintage with the Bordeaux grapes from Li Demei’s plot of land. This part of Zhang’s story catches us off guard as we are constantly hearing wine salespeople boast about the 40year or 100-year-old vines from which their wines are made. “I’ve visited many 100-year vineyards and they actually have very small production,” Zhang tells us. “The age of the vines is just a marketing tool as old vines produce very little fruit. The most important thing is the vineyard management and that the vines are healthy.” Zhang’s award-winning vines were planted in 2000, just nine years before they would make Chinese wine history. Transplanted nursery grapevines consist mainly of a trunk and root bundle. “In the first year, the vine expands its roots,” Zhang continues, “and in the second year, it grows the canes. In the third year, you can just get some small fruits so the first time you harvest grapes is in the fourth year.” The grapes that won the gold medal were a blend of 80% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot and 5% cabernet gernischt. The production at that time was a modest 20,000 bottles. A decade on, we were able to purchase a 2017 Jia Bei Lan Reserve for RMB698 on JD. For RMB398, one can acquire the Jia Bei Lan Estate wine. Wondering how a ’reserve wine’ is selected, we ask Zhang if it’s a scientific process, taking advantage of the advanced technology available for winemakers in Ningxia. We recall how Muti Mo lab tests sugar content and pH for his pétillant naturel. “In the vineyard, we have many different blocks and, after so many years, we have a lot of experience. We know which blocks produce grapes with thick skins, smooth tannins and

deeper aromas. These blocks will be harvested and fermented separately in different tanks. Once the wines are barrelled then we taste and rank the barrels. Lastly, we taste the wines when they have been aged in oak and do the final blending to produce the Grand Reserve, Reserve and Estate wines.” This process is done entirely by the winemakers and their masterful noses and palates. Zhang tells us that they don’t do any lab testing for the barrel ranking and the differences in winemaker preference shine through in the personality of each vintage. Jia Bei Lan has expanded its production capacity to between 60,000 to 70,000 bottles per year. There are 23 hectares of vineyard and they have begun experimenting with new methods and varietals. They now grow malbec, marselan and pinot noir as well as chardonnay. Where traditionally they used packaged French yeast, they produced chardonnay and merlot with natural yeast from the terroir of their vineyard. They have even explored carbonic maceration, a modern process where the initial fermentation occurs by placing whole bunches of intact grapes in a tank that is then filled with CO2 gas. This causes the grapes to begin fermenting intracellularly without breaking the skins. Imagine each grape becomes its own tiny barrel, naturally fermenting from the enzymes trapped within its tissue when it was removed from the vine. Zhang’s passion for winemaking gives rise to some of this experimentation, but change is also a necessity. “In 2019, the last time I traveled outside the country, I visited Piedmont, Italy. I had a chance to attend a small seminar among winemakers at Gaia, one of Italy’s most famous wineries. The subject of the talk was how Gaia is adapting their wines in the face of global warming.

Gaia is always leading the wine industry of their region and their insight extends well into the future.” Rising temperatures have a massive impact on the consistency of winemaking. Zhang explains that, in 2005, the alcohol by volume of their flagship wine was 12.5%. By 2009, the gold medal wine was up to 13.5%. Despite being made from the same method, the same grapes and the same plots of land, the alcohol content has been steadily rising. The bottle we bought of 2017 Reserve sits at 14.5% abv. “I like elegant wines,” Zhang laments, “and some wineries in Ningxia are reaching 16%.” Climate change poses new challenges and Zhang has to experiment with different ways to beat the heat. As hotter vines produce higher sugar content and thus higher alcohol, keeping the grapes just slightly cooler can make a huge difference. “Canopy management is very complicated. Before we would remove leaves to fully expose all the fruits to the sunlight. Canopy management has become crucial to improve the cluster environment by leaving some canopy to shade the grapes while still providing airflow to reduce humidity.” Given the critical acclaim, our expectations for the Jia Bei Lan Reserve were high — and we were not disappointed. It is a voluptuous yet perfectly balanced cabernet blend with velvety tannins and a deep cherry aroma. On the nose is an elegant smokiness that reminds us of Amomum tsao-ko, a variety of black cardomom grown at high altitudes of Yunnan and dried over a fire. Not often is every sip of wine followed by a gasp of adulation. Any opportunity to impress a wine aficionado, Chinese or otherwise, would be an ideal occasion for this wine. Scan the QR code for more information

NOVEMBER 2022 | 31

That’s Guide to the

FIFA World Cup

COVER STORY

Qatar 2022 The World Cup is football’s most prestigious tournament, not only has it birthed some of the world’s great sporting moments, like Maradona’s ‘the hand of god’ goal, but it is also the mostwatched international sporting event on earth. World Cups bring excitement, heartbreak, underdog stories and spectacular failures. Want to be in the know ahead of the tournament or impress your friends with some world cup stats? Well, look no further. Here is the ‘That’s Guide to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.’

? e r e h W This year’s World Cup will be held in the State of Qatar, the first time a country in the Middle East has hosted the competition. However, the decision to allow Qatar to host the tournament is one steeped in controversy. Firstly, there was the decision itself. From as early as May 2011, allegations that Qatar ‘bought’ the tournament through bribes to FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation were spreading. Secondly, Qatar is an Islamist nation, and homosexuality and the consumption of alcohol are illegal and can be punished with imprisonment. In compliance with FIFA rules, Qatar has declared that they would allow rainbow flags (a symbol of LGBTQ support) to be hung by fans in stadiums and that homosexual fans will not be prosecuted. Furthermore, although public drinking is prohibited, the consumption of alcohol will be allowed in stadiums during the event. Despite this, many LGBTQ fans, including England’s Three Lions Pride have said that they will not go to the tournament as they still believe it is not safe to do so. Undoubtedly the biggest controversy during the buildup to this year’s World Cup is the issue of migrant workers. There have been reports of appalling working conditions, withholding of passports and work permits and abuse and exploitation towards those tasked with building stadiums, roads, hotels and the new airport and metro lines. In February 2021, The Guardian reported that 6,500 migrant workers died in Qatar since they were chosen to host the World Cup. The Qatari government refutes this claim, saying that not all of these people were working on World Cup-related infrastructure. The tournament will be played in eight stadiums across five different cities. The final will be played in the 80,000seat Lusail Iconic Stadium in Lusail.

COVER STORY

t a m r o F The Thirty-two teams will play a total of 64 games to decide who will be crowned World Cup champions. The 32 nations are divided into eight groups of four. Teams in each group will play each other once. The top two teams will progress to the knockout stages. The winners of Group A play the second-placed team in Group B, and the winners of Group B play the second-placed team in Group A, and so on. If scores in knockout games are still level after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time will be played. If scores are still level after the additional 30 minutes, games will be decided by a penalty shootout.

When The World Cup is usually hosted during the months of June and July. However, the Qatari summer is too hot to host a sporting competition, hence why the competition will start in November. The opening game, Qatar versus Ecuador will kick off at midnight on November 21, Beijing time. From November 22 to 29, group stage games will be played at 6 PM, 9 PM, 12 AM and 3 AM. The third and final round of group-stage fixtures will be played at 11 PM and 3 AM. Each group's games will kick off simultaneously to avoid match-fixing. Once the tournament enters the knockout stages all games will be played at either 11 PM or 3 AM. Most notably, the semifinals will both start at 3 AM on December 14 and 15. The thirdplace play-off and the final will kick off at 11 PM on December 17 and 18, respectively.

Who GROUP

GROUP

Qatar

Ecuador

This is Qatar’s first-ever World Cup and they only qualified because they are the host nation, which probably says enough about their footballing prowess. A host nation has only won the World Cup six times but given the size of the nation of Qatar and the other teams in their group, simply getting a win will be a huge achievement.

Ecuador first appeared at a World Cup in 2002, when the tournament was hosted by Japan and South Korea. They qualified again in 2006, making it to the Round of 16 in the tournament proper, their best-ever finish. They returned in 2014 but never made it past the group stage. Both Ecuador and Qatar will be eyeing each other up as the opponent they need to beat if they stand any chance of making it out of the group.

COVER STORY

England

Iran

England made it to the semifinal of the 2018 World Cup in Russia and finished as runnersup in the 2020 European Championships that were played last year due to the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. With this in mind, England goes into the tournament as one of the favorites to lift the trophy. However, poor results in the Nations League, injuries and below-par performance by players at the club level mean England goes into the tournament weaker and lacking confidence.

Having qualified for a total of six World Cups, Iran has one of the worst tournament records out there, having won two, drawn four and lost 12. However, they have won the Asian Cup and Asian Games three times each. Despite this, they are heavily tipped to finish bottom of Group B and any positive result may depend on the performance of the forward Sardar Azmoun, who plays for German side Bayern Leverkusen. Group B has been dubbed this tournament’s ‘group of death,’ as it is statistically the most difficult (despite only England being ranked in the top ten).

The Netherlands Despite being a great footballing nation and producing some of the greatest players the game has ever seen (Robin van Persie, Johan Cruyff, Dennis Bergkamp and more), the Netherlands has never won the World Cup. Renowned for using a 4-3-3 system for generations, the fans won’t accept any other style of play. Before the Netherlands’ opening game of Euro 2020, a small plane flew over the training ground pulling a banner that read: “Frank [the team’s head coach]. Just 4-3-3! ” Coach Frank De Boer persisted with his 3-5-2 formation, went out in the Round of 16 and was subsequently replaced by Louis van Gaal.

Wales Senegal Also known as the Lions of Teranga, Senegal is the current champion of the Africa Cup of Nations and sits 18th in the world rankings, their highestever position. The national squad consists of players plying their trade in the English Premier League, France’s Ligue 1, the German Bundesliga, Spain’s La Liga and Italy’s Serie A. By far and away their best player is non-other than former Premier League champion and Champions League winner Sadio Mane, who moved to Bayern Munich from Liverpool earlier this year.

This year will be Wales's second-ever appearance at a World Cup, having last qualified in 1958. However, they stole the hearts of everyone when they made it to the semi-final of the 2016 European Championships, beating favorites Belgium along the way before eventually losing to Portugal. This will most likely be the last international tournament for superstar forward Gareth Bale and the last World Cup for midfielder Aaron Ramsey, as both are deep into their 30s. Expect lively fans singing great songs and nothing but pure passion from the golden generation of players that take to the pitch.

USA You can’t expect too much from a nation that can’t even be bothered to call the sport by its real name; the USA didn’t qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia but automatically qualifies for the 2026 World Cup as co-hosts alongside Canada and Mexico. Despite a string of poor results in recent matches (drawing to Saudi Arabia and El Salvador), the USA does have one worldclass player. Christian Pulisic, 24, currently plays for Chelsea where he won the Champions League and became the first American to do so.

GROUP

Argentina

Saudi Arabia

Australia

Another player likely to be playing his last World Cup this year is none other than Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer to have ever lived. As both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo reach the end of their career, the debate as to who is best will surely be settled if one wins the World Cup. Argentina goes into the tournament as one of the favorites having won the COPA America in 2021 and they proudly sit third in the world rankings. They have world-class talent all over the pitch, so don’t be surprised if they progress to the latter stages.

The Saudi Arabia national football team, AKA Al-Saqour, which means 'The Falcons,' is one of the most successful football teams in Asia, winning the Asian Championship three times and qualifying for the World Cup six times (1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, and 2022). However, that doesn’t mean they are any good. They last won the Asian Cup in 1996, after back-to-back wins in 1984 and 1988. In terms of World Cup performances, it would be harsh to say they just make up the numbers (there are worse teams) but having only won three out of a possible 16 World Cup games, don’t expect them to pull any trees in this difficult group.

2022 marks the sixth time the Socceroos have qualified for the World Cup. They’ve come a long way since their first attempt at qualification for the 1966 World Cup; the Aussies were defeated by North Korea in a game played on neutral soil in Cambodia. Having only gained a point at World Cup Russia 2018, they’ll be hoping for some improvement in Qatar. However, qualifying from the group won’t be easy, especially with Denmark and current World Cup champions France to compete with.

Mexico

Poland

Denmark

In the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Mexico fans came under fire after the repeated use of a homophobic chant. When the opposition goalkeeper is about to take a goal kick, Mexico fans shout "¡eeeh puto!" The word puto is a vulgar Mexican Spanish word for a male prostitute. Mexico fans continued using the slur and FIFA ultimately dropped their investigation into the matter saying that it was “not insulting given the context.” Mexico has an exciting team of players on the pitch and plays quick attacking football, but they have only progressed past the Round of 16 on two occasions.

After enjoying a golden era of Polish football in the 1970s and 1980s, Poland failed to qualify for any of the three World Cups or two European Championships in the 1990s. Things slowly began to improve in the early 2000s; Poland qualified for the 2002 and 2006 tournaments but didn’t make it past the group stages. In 2008 they qualified for their first-ever European Championships and have been ever present ever since. This year, Poland will be hoping to progress past the group stages and victories against Mexico and Saudi Arabia should be enough to do so.

Denmark’s best-ever performance in a World Cup was back in France ’98; they reached the quarter-final before losing 3-2 to Brazil. The fact that star midfielder Christian Eriksen is in the 2022 World Cup squad would have been unthinkable not so long ago. The Manchester United player suffered a heart attack on the pitch during Denmark’s group game against Finland at Euro 2020. With Eriksen recovered and ready to represent his country in Qatar, could Denmark cause an upset at this year’s tournament?

COVER STORY

GROUP

COVER STORY

France

Costa Rica

Germany

Could France fall victim to the World Cup champion’s curse? In 2018 Germany became the fourth World Cup winner in a row to fail to progress past the tournament’s group stages. At the end of September, striker Kylian Mbappe refused to take part in a team photoshoot due to a dispute over image rights. He later backed down and did take part. A few weeks later Mbappe reiterated his summer claim that he wanted to leave Paris Saint Germain (PSG). The announcement came as a shock; PSG thought the issue was resolved after they gave him a contract worth RMB32.3 million per year and France's president Emmanuel Macron even met with the 23-year-old to dissuade him from leaving. With the weight of the nation on their shoulders, will France crumble?

Sitting 31st in the official FIFA world rankings, the Central American nation is by no means a footballing powerhouse. However, it wasn’t so long ago that Costa Rica outperformed themselves on the world stage. The team took many by surprise when they finished first in Group D in 2014 above Uruguay, Italy and England. They made it to the quarter-final of the tournament before they were knocked out by the Netherlands in a penalty shootout. Rivals in Group E – Germany, Japan and Spain – are all ranked above Costa Rica. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t spoil a few parties.

This European footballing powerhouse has four World Cup trophies to its name (1954, 1974 and 1990 as West Germany, and again in 2014 as Germany). Perhaps, one of the more memorable World Cup wins was that of the 2014 semi-final against Brazil. Their crushing 7-1 victory shattered the dreams of a hopeful Brazilian home crowd. Germany went on to defeat Argentina in the final. With a team made up of stars from the Premier League and Bundesliga, as well as other top league clubs, could 2022 be Germany’s year?

Japan

Spain

2022 marks Japan’s seventh World Cup appearance, including in 2002 when the East Asian nation co-hosted the tournament with South Korea. Their modest World Cup record includes five wins, one of which was a 2-1 victory against Colombia in 2018 – the first time that an Asian nation beat a team from South America. In the same tournament, Japan went out to Belgium in the Round of 16. Japan was up 2-0 after two goals early in the second half, but still went on to lose the game 3-2, with the European side scoring the winner in the 94th minute of normal time.

The Spanish team will hope to replicate their performance in the 2010 World Cup when they were crowned champions. Before that tournament, the side had an unbeaten streak of 35 matches which lasted between 2007-2009 and even saw them win Euro 2008. Group E certainly won’t be a walk in the park, but with a team that includes the likes of Eric Garcia, Jordi Alba, Rodri and others, Spain might fancy their chances. Fun fact – along with Iberian neighbor Portugal, as well as Ukraine, Spain is bidding to co-host the 2030 World Cup.

Tunisia This year’s tournament marks the sixth time that the North African nation has qualified for the World Cup. There hasn’t been too much success on the field for Tunisia to celebrate, as the country has never made it past the group stage of the tournament. Their first World Cup win came against Mexico in 1978. They would then have to wait another 40 years for their next victory, having beaten Panama in 2018. Don’t expect too much from these guys.

GROUP

Belgium

Canada

Brazil

Years of disappointing results led to a detailed overhaul of Belgium’s entire footballing system. Every detail – from what time weekly youth matches should take place to formations on the pitch – was scrutinized. The overhaul has largely paid off. Belgium goes into Qatar 2022 as the no. 2 ranked side in the world, behind only Brazil at no. 1. With superstars like Eden Hazard (31), Kevin De Bruyne (31) and Romelu Lukaku (29), the Belgium squad is likely to be the oldest team in the tournament on average. Therefore, this could be the last chance for Belgium’s golden generation to win a tournament.

Canada’s first World Cup appearance was in 1986. And it turns out that would be their only appearance… until now. Some memorable moments were created during Canada’s qualifying matches for this tournament. In front of a home crowd against Panama, Bayern Munich full-back Alphonso Davies put one in the back of the net after sprinting 80 yards up the pitch to snatch the ball from a Panamanian defender caught off guard.Canada won the game 4-1. Will they be able to cause an upset in Qatar? Group F – with no. 2-ranked Belgium and 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia – will not be an easy ride.

Surely the Seleção need no introduction? As five-time champions (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002), Brazil is the most successful team in FIFA World Cup history. From Pele to Zico, Socrates to Ronaldo (the original and the best), the Samba Boys are known for their flamboyant style of play and are always among the favorites. This year is no exception, in fact, they are the favorites. Finishing top of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) World Cup qualifying group, and with Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar, Tottenham Hotspur’s Richarlison and Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus all available for selection, anything less than lifting the trophy will be seen as a disappointment.

Croatia

Morocco

Serbia

Despite making it to the final of the 2018 World Cup, where they lost 4-2 to France, Croatia has been on a somewhat downward trajectory since then. In 2021 they scraped through the group stage of Euro 2020 (played a year later due to COVID-19) on goals scored before being spanked 5-3 by Spain in the first knockout round. Croatia’s performance in the tournament will largely be pinned on whether they can get a good result against Canada and Belgium. Regardless, progression to the knockout rounds means they’ll probably play Germany or Spain, which is always a tough game. We can only wish them good luck.

2022 marks Morocco’s sixth World Cup since 1970. Their best performance was in 1986 when they made it into the second round, the only time they’ve made it past the group stage. Fun fact – Morocco was the first African nation to draw a match at the World Cup, having drawn 1-1 against Bulgaria in 1970. Can the North African nation cause an upset in Qatar? Probably not. This is a tough group and we’d be surprised if they even got a point, but the beautiful game is always full of surprises.

A relative newcomer to the World Cup (compared to Brazil, at least) Serbia made their debut in 1998 (with Montenegro as FR Yugoslavia), losing to the Netherlands in the Round of 16. Since then they’ve qualified in 2006, 2010 and 2018 but have failed to progress past the group stage on each occasion. Interestingly, in 2018 they were also in the same group as Brazil and Switzerland, losing to them both – and to Switzerland by a 90th-minute heartbreaker. With Serbia’s Aleksandar Mitrović banging in goals for fun for Fulham, the stage might just be set for revenge.

COVER STORY

GROUP

COVER STORY

Switzerland

Portugal

Ghana

You’d have to be as old as the Alpine hills to hark back to Switzerland's glory days. Their best performances at the FIFA World Cup were three quarter-final appearances in 1934, 1938 and 1954. More recently, at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Switzerland earned the dubious honor of being the first team to be eliminated from a FIFA World Cup without conceding a single goal. They were eliminated by Ukraine in a penalty kick shootout in the Round of 16. That said, Switzerland finished above Italy in qualifying, consigning the Azzurri to their doomed playoff campaign. And their top scorer in qualification, Monaco’s Breel Embolo, was born in Cameroon, which could get interesting…

For Portugal, it’s all about the captain, most capped player (191), top scorer (117) and the first footballer to earn USD1 billion, Cristiano Ronaldo, who at 37 years old is surely playing at his last FIFA World Cup. As runner-up to Serbia in their qualification group, Portugal qualified through the playoffs, beating Turkey and North Macedonia to claim one of the final available spots. Both of whom have won the European Championship (2016) and Nations League Finals (2019) in recent years. Will C7 go out with a bang?

It was Partey time for the Black Stars back in March – a goal from Arsenal’s Thomas Partey was enough to see off West African rivals Nigeria and take them to their fourth FIFA World Cup. Two players to watch are the Ayew brothers, Jordan and André, who play for Crystal Palace and in the Premier League and Al Sadd in Qatar Stars League, respectively. At the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Ghana became only the third African team to reach the World Cup quarter-finals. On that occasion, they were cruelly denied a last-minute winner by a cynical handball on the line by serial biter Luis Suarez of Uruguay. And guess who they’ve got in their group this time…

Cameroon

Uruguay

South Korea

That’s right, it’s the Indomitable Lions who round out Group G. Cameroon has qualified for the FIFA World Cup eight times, more than any other African team, and was the first African team to reach the quarter-final of the FIFA World Cup in 1990, when the swinging hips of Roger Milla were only stayed by the narrowest of defeats to England in quarter-final extra time. Cameroon will do well to defy their 300/1 odds at this World Cup, but if they select Christian Bassogog, who plies his trade at footballing powerhouse Shanghai Shenhua, well then you never know…

Uruguay has won the FIFA World Cup twice, including the first World Cup in 1930 as hosts, and breaking hosts Brazil’s hearts in 1950 in front of the highest attendance at a football match ever. All eyes will be on all-time top scorer and veteran vampire Luis Suárez, who will be hoping Ghana doesn’t kick him off the park for his past indiscretions. Uruguay qualified third in the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) World Cup qualifying group, behind only Brazil and Argentina, which is no mean feat.

A major football power in Asia since the 1980s, South Korea will be participating in their tenth consecutive FIFA World Cup tournament in Qatar, and eleventh overall, the most of any Asian country. They are also the most successful Asian football team, having come fourth as host in 2002, knocking out Portugal, Italy and Spain along the way. Comfortably qualifying again this time, and with their fervent Red Devil supporters behind them and superstar Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur spearheading their attack, more acts of giant killing could well be on the cards.

FAMILY BLOODLINE P46

Living Room P41

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Horoscopes P52

READING CORNER

CLASS CLOWN

Book recommendations from That’s editorial team.

Tables Have Turned

Iron Widow

Roles were reversed at Hebei Hengshui No.1 High School when teachers had to sit for an exam invigilated by the students. The exam itself consisted of remembering the names of all of their students, but the atmosphere was just as serious and oppressive as a regular high school test. As of press time the hashtag related to the activity has been viewed about a million times with netizens praising the creative method of improving the student-teacher relationship.

By Xiran Jay Zhao Ages 14 and up Xiran Jay Zhao is a Chinese Canadian of Hui descent who is not only a New York Times bestselling sci-fi author but also a YouTuber and cosplayer with a vast following. Iron Widow has been described as Pacific Rim meets Handmaid’s Tale ” “ due to the elegant and uncompromising characters mixed with futuristic ‘mechas.’ Despite being set in post-apocalyptic China, the book is available on Taobao.

Allergic By Megan Wagner Lloyd Ages 8 to 12 This coming-of-age novel follows a young girl who feels somewhat overlooked within her family dynamic. As an animal lover, she decides that a pet dog is a solution to her problems. When she goes to adopt one, however, she realizes that an allergy is going to make it that much harder than she anticipated. Megan Wagner Lloyd offers realistic and relatable characters for a young reader to engage with while overcoming an obstacle that is no fault of the protagonists.

ECO HOME

Age-Related Chillness

The term ‘ergonomics’ appeared in 1857 in a book about the science of work. However, the type of work being done wouldn’t shift to sitting at a desk all day for nearly a hundred years. In 1968, Wilfred Dauphin, a german engineer, was tasked with conceptualizing the future impact of the computer on the modern office. The first ergonomic chair was the result of his investigation. Just over a decade later, Hans Christian Mengshoel developed the kneeling chair which spreads the weight between the buttocks and the shins while opening the pelvic angle and relieving pressure on the spine. Anyone born in the 90s had that one family friend who was either an artist or a scientist and had one of these chairs. Now you can become that weirdo yourself for only RMB380. NOVEMBER 2022 | 41

F A M I LY

Flexible Hours Balancing Mind, Body and Business in China’s Booming Yoga Community By Joshua Cawthorpe

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F A M I LY

tate media asserts that yoga was introduced to China by way of the daily CCTV broadcasts of Wai Lana. However, the generation that fuels China’s yoga craze today would probably snicker at the quintessential 1980s fitness videos with soothing guitar melodies playing as the Hong Kongnese yogi guides viewers in her flowing technicolor jumpers and flower crowns. Although Wai Lana might technically be the world’s most-watched yoga teacher (according to her own website), China’s growing yoga culture is comprised mainly of Millenials. One key driver for the predominantly female customer base is the desire for sculpted physiques in line with ever-evolving beauty standards. The elements of meditation and spirituality don’t seem to be what sparks the interest of Chinese fitness consumers but, in the age of hectic overtime and six-day work weeks, they might be what make people stay. This month That’s sits down with Shen Yan to discuss how this ancient art is amassing followers in the modern age. Shen discovered yoga in university back in 2014. When you see him practicing yoga it becomes immediately evident that he has a special kind of dedication and discipline that most people simply don’t possess.

We meet Shen in the Starbucks, 13 floors below his studio: Yan Yoga. Shen tells us that he began practicing almost every day from early on in his yoga journey. When he graduated in 2016, he got a ‘proper’ job at a good company but he immediately felt uneasy about sitting at a computer all day. “I felt discomfort,” he tells That’s, “and I could see that my bosses were in bad shape too. They were

very rich but I knew immediately that it wasn’t worth the sacrifice for me.” Shen decided to quit his job and progress into teaching yoga. Around that time he claims to have seen a shift in the demographic of yoga practitioners. “Yoga was already well-known in 2016 but it had a stigma of being slow, boring and mostly suitable for the elderly. The yoga that China’s older yogi generation practices is a slower Indian style. However, around 2016 we saw more American and European influences on yoga being practiced in China. More upbeat music, a faster pace and more fitness-oriented movements draw in younger people.”

NOVEMBER 2022 | 43

F A M I LY

Shen has watched yoga explode and he has friends that have ridden the swell. Not wanting to replicate the stressful lifestyle of an office job, he chose a more conservative approach to entering the yoga business. “I have friends who have opened yoga studios all around the country — Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu,” says Shen. “They opened big studios in malls and they can tell me firsthand how the business is going. Their costs are too high and they are consistently losing money. Like me, they got into the business to master their own yoga and teach others. But now they are always stressed out and glued to their phones.” These friends will ultimately downsize, and they imparted the following wisdom to Shen. Do not exceed three locations and each one should be no larger than 400 to 500 square meters. Three locations are reasonable to manage as you can visit them and teach in a single day. Despite yoga being the passion that brought Shen into the business, he still intends to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

44 |NOVEMBER 2022

The yoga business is booming in China but the per-customer spending remains relatively low. “No matter how much we love yoga, the industry still needs to keep us alive. The rent and the fixed monthly expenses must be carefully considered when choosing a space and designing a course schedule.” Shen explains that the biggest shift he has witnessed in the yoga business has been in the membership and payment structure. In the beginning, it was always annual and monthly memberships to the studios. This

F A M I LY

discourages people from trying out yoga and it’s not realistic for young professionals with busy schedules. Thus, the industry shifted to multiple class passes. A 10-class pass at Yan Yoga costs RMB1500 but doesn’t expire. This makes it more approachable to customers as well as maintaining the value of each class for the business. Yan Yoga opened in 2020 at a time when many businesses that require in-person gatherings were struggling. Nonetheless, Shen says that they built it slowly and were able to sustain it because of the studio’s modest size. “In the beginning, we would only have five or six people join a class but this would cover the fee for the teacher and it grew from there.” Shen hints that he’s looking to expand into a larger space but he quickly reminds us of his raison d’être. “The original choice was to open a yoga studio so that I could live a life of balance. If it turns into a high-pressure job then it becomes a contradiction. I chose this lifestyle because I looked at my future self and at those who walked this path before me. I decided this is the kind of life I want.”

NOVEMBER 2022 | 45

F A M I LY

Bloodline

Giving Blood Saves Lives Interview by Ned Kelly

loodline is a group of likeminded people dedicated to the cause of blood donations, with a presence in 14 cities – including Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou, Dalian and Guangzhou in China. With the Guardian Angels Community blood donation event coming up in Shanghai this month, we reached out to them to find out more.

How long has Bloodline been around? Bloodline was founded in 2017 by Dr. Ashish Maskay, a Nepalese doctor who has been working at Shanghai United Family Hospital since 2007 and living in Shanghai since 2003. Bloodline is a Shanghai-based non-profit advocacy group for blood donations whose mission is to actively organize blood donation drives at the Shanghai community level and try to 46 |NOVEMBER 2022

educate the public about the importance of building a mutual support system based on voluntary blood donations. Bloodline also responds to urgent appeals for blood needs for locals or expats by connecting Bloodline donors with recipients to help those in need. Why did you decide to set up Bloodline? Dr. Maskay was inspired to establish Bloodline by an incident that occurred several years ago. It started with a French woman who was in Shanghai visiting her boyfriend. The couple was involved in a scooter accident and the woman was sent to Shanghai United Family Hospital. She needed surgery on a bleeding liver. The woman’s blood type was Rhnegative, a rare blood type worldwide, and extremely rare among Asians. Dr. Maskay sent out a call for blood donations. Over 80 people responded. The incident made him realize the power that people have, and that we

need to do something to tap into that power. In general, the issue is that many people don’t realize the importance of blood donations until they need a transfusion themselves. We want to change that concept and make people realize that donations are not just for others but perhaps also for yourself. Why is it so important for people to donate blood? Donating blood saves lives. Blood cannot be manufactured; it only comes from the generosity of donors. Focusing on China, more than 99% of the population in China has Rh-positive

F A M I LY

blood. Rh negative blood types are incredibly rare and only 3-5 in a 1000 Chinese have Rh negative type blood. Moreover, in China, there is no long-term, established tradition of giving blood Who is eligible to donate blood?

Donating blood is completely safe. Only sterile and disposable kits are used. Shanghai Blood Center is committed to the safety and comfort of blood donors. It is the only institution in Shanghai licensed to collect and distribute blood and has been operating for more than 50 years now. Tell us about the Guardian Angels ‘Blood Party.’

How often can the donor donate?

Who cannot donate blood?

The Guardian Angels Community blood donation event is held in the form of a communal gathering likened to a carnival. Donors and participants come dressed as angels, superheroes and in other costumes. While the adults participate in blood donations, the little ones can engage in merriments, games, songs, dances, face painting and traditional Chinese art forms. What is the philosophy behind getting children involved in the events?

Who cannot donate blood?

Donors should wait...

Can people give blood at any time or only during these special events? Yes, people can give blood at any time, not only during events organized by Bloodline. Simply show up with your ID card or passport and tell the staff at the blood center you are from Bloodline. Shanghai Blood Center is open seven days a week, from 8 AM to 4 PM. Were there any issue with blood donation thoughout the pandemic? The COVID-19 outbreak meant very low blood reserves as most people were stuck at home and unable to donate blood. Any final message for potential donors? Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. The gift of blood is the gift of life. Bloodline is dedicated to #KeepingDreamsAlive. And lastly, Bloodline is you, me, us… the whole community. And only together we are Bloodline… so…#GotBlood?

To teach them, with deeds and love, how our actions can save the lives of others, and consequently also our own. By sitting on their parents’ laps during the donation drive, children learn that donating blood is natural, common and nothing to be afraid of. It is something you do not do for compensation or rewards, but rather for a feeling of self-fulfillment and out of the sense that you are giving back to society and saving the lives of those in need. Tell us about the blood donation center tours for kids. Children will get to tour blood donation centers and witness how blood is processed, who the end users are and the difference that they can make to the lives of those in need of blood. We want them to have an emotional attachment to the cause and know why they should donate blood.

Where does the blood donation take place, and how do you assure safety? It takes place at Shanghai Blood Center, and also in mobile unit buses scattered across the city. NOVEMBER 2022 | 47

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GTC RESIDENCE BEIJING

One of the top residences in Beijing, GTC Residence is located beside the third ring road within a 5 minute walk to subway line 5 and a 10 minute drive to Hou Hai . It is also within reach of the CBD, embassy area, Financial Street and other urban commercial, shopping and recreation areas. Fully equipped apartments with impeccable quality offer you a cozy living space and will meet all of your requirements in terms of room decoration, furniture, electric appliances and more. A unique sky garden with a practice golf course and barbecue area is a unique symbol of GTC Residence. > sales@gtcresidence.com, website: www. gtcresidence.com Tel:56756666

Oak Chateau Beijing

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HOTEL NEWS SHANGHAI The 1515 West Chophouse & Bar Unveils New À-la-carte Menu Situated on the fourth floor of Jing An Shangri-La, Shanghai, the 1515 West Chophouse & Bar unveils its new à-la-carte menu, crafted by the hotel’s Executive Sous Chef, Peter Lin. Sourcing local and seasonal ingredients, Chef Lin continues the 1515 West Chophouse authentic American cooking style, featuring a series of unique specialties including Bouquet of Asparagus Salad, Poached Egg with Caviar, Spicy Beef Tongue, Oxtail Consommé, Lamb Shoulder, Roasted Lemongrass Chicken, Turbot, Ice Cream Buckets, Violet Crumble and more. Guests are invited to start a feast for all the senses, immersing in the vintage American dining environment in the heart of the city. Meanwhile, the steak menu adds high-quality Wagyu beef from the Australian Rangers Valley - Infinite M7+ Full Blood Wagyu. Compared with 350 to 400 days’ grain-fed Wagyu, where more than 500 days’ grain feeding makes the cattle grow plumper at a natural rate, achieving fine meat texture and rich marbling. Guests can choose different cuts such as tenderloin, striploin or rib-eye. 48 |NOVEMBER 2022

BEIJING Beijing-based Sichuan Hangout, SUPERFLY, Celebrated in New Adidas Campaign The Opposite House in Beijing announces SUPERFLY’s selection as one of only 11 restaurants for global sports behemoth Adidas Originals’ ‘adilicious’ campaign. Celebrating SUPERFLY’s cult status amongs Beijing’s youth scene, the collaboration sees Adidas Originals and SUPERFLY work together to reimagine one of the brand’s iconic sneakers, with a limited-edition run of 880 pairs to be released on 23 September. Central to the partnership is the limited-edition sneaker drop, which draws on the style concept of SUPERFLY; creatively combining retro elements with future ideas. As a restaurant known for its bold design, the blue and white squares patterned on the shoe nod to SUPERFLY’s tiling, while splashes of orange-red mimic the terrazzo dining tables. Available in Beijing via select retail stores as well as Adidas’ dedicated app – CONFIRMED. Through the CONFIRMED app the limited-edition Forum Low SUPERFLY will be available for the Chinese Mainland market starting Friday, 23 September and ending on Tuesday, 27 September. For the global market, pre-order opens on Wednesday, 28 September. On the launch day of 23 September, visitors to SUPERFLY will also be experiencing a full venue takeover, with Adidas installations to discover both inside and out, and a short menu of reimagined basketball snacks in tribute to the original concept of Adidas Forum.

The Peninsula Beijing Welcomes Cameron Cundle As GM Mr. Cundle joins the hotel from The Peninsula Bangkok, where he has been Hotel Manager since October 2018. Born in Australia, Mr. Cundle received a Masters in International Business from Macquarie University in Sydney, in conjunction with the Cesar Ritz Hotel School where he earned a Bachelor of Business Hotel & Tourism Management and Diploma of Hospitality. Upon graduation, Mr. Cundle embarked on his hospitality management career at Sheraton on the Park in Sydney. In 2011, he joined The St. Regis Singapore, where he spent three years as Director of Front Office before being promoted to Director of Rooms. He subsequently spent two years at the St. Regis Bangkok, where he was Hotel Manager. “I am excited to be joining The Peninsula Beijing at this exciting point in its storied history,” Mr. Cundle said. “It is an honour and a pleasure to be a part of this magnificent premier all-suite hotel, which is a vibrant centre of luxury hospitality, cuisine, arts and culture in the Chinese capital.”

GBA

Guangzhou Marriott Hotel Tianhe Presents Star-rated Autumn Dishes The fishing season is coming! Chef Chen Zhenyuan of Man Ho Restaurant at Guangzhou Marriott Hotel Tianhe has become a master fish hunter. He will search for the seasonal seafood for you. Whether it is a classic recipe combined with traditional flavor or a new creative cooking art, you can make your taste buds explode with these golden autumn “fishing” treasures. With local fish sourced from Nansha, to Dalian Abalone and red sturgeon crab from Fujian, classic and fragrant Chinese preparations will warm your soul as we welcome the cooler months. NOVEMBER 2022 | 49

SCHOOL NEWS SHANGHAI

SSIS Senior School Student Councilors & House Captains Announced Dulwich Pudong One Voice Summit Dulwich Pudong are thrilled to announce that its annual student-led One Voice Summit has been recognized in the 2023 International School Awards, shortlisted in the top three in the category of Ethical Values Education! It’s a great honor to be recognized by the International School Awards. This year there were 291 applications received from international schools in 61 countries; many fantastic schools around the world which made the shortlist. One Voice Summit is one of Dulwich Pudong’s flagship Global Citizenship events. It originated several years ago with Senior School students who wanted to find new ways to collaborate with other students in Shanghai. They saw that many inter-school activities were based on competition (sports, Model United Nations, etc.), and rarely focused on unity and working together.

At SSIS, they believe that every student is a leader. They provide various opportunities for students to apply leadership values and skills from an early age. This includes formal leadership roles or informal options within the classroom settings. SSIS was excited to announce its Senior School Student Council and House Captains 2022-2023. These students went through a rigorous application, election and interview process. They are role models to their peers and juniors and will serve as leaders of the school community. Everyone looks forward to seeing the fruits of their labors in the school year and embodying the SSIS attributes. There is no limit to what they can achieve.

BISS Puxi Holds Fun and Fit Sports Day

Exploring the Wide World of Career Choices: A Visit from SCAD

BISS Puxi Sports Day for Years 4 to 6 was a remarkable success with amazing achievements and much fun shared by all. There were too many standout performances to mention, but suffice to say the children gave it their all and were suitably exhausted at the end!

Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi was honored to welcome Ms. Vivyan Lam from The Savannah College of Arts and Design. It was a great opportunity for students to engage with a university representative in person, and learn different facets of the university application process from her unique perspective. Dulwich look forward to providing even more similar opportunities as just one key element of its robust University and Careers Counseling program.

Away from the sporting achievements, it was pleasing to see group camaraderie and support within the houses and year groups and even students passing on tips for success. Well done to all staff who made the event possible, the Sports Leaders from Secondary for their amazing assistance, and the parents who were able to attend and cheer on the children.

50 |NOVEMBER 2022

GBA

Top Tier Drama Packs a Punch On September 29, the A2 Drama students at Shenzhen College of International Education presented the initial performances of their devised theatre work. The plays, BAT and MisReed, were based on Ibsen’s play “A Doll’s House” and infused with the ideas of German theatre practitioner and playwright Bertolt Brecht. The plays will be refined and presented again before the final exam.

Britannia Students Put On Puppet Performance

Experiential Learning for AISG Students Secondary students went on their legendary China Trips, experiencing the local culture and natural environment of their host country in unique places such as Qingyuan, Huizhou, Wanlü Lake, and Kaiping. Trips ranged from three to five days, allowing students to fully immerse themselves and engage in a different style of learning. AISG provides students with creative and differentiated learning experiences such as China Trips to give students a chance to develop friendly and cooperative relationships, demonstrate their learning in relation to their Approaches to Learning (self-management, social skills, thinking skills, and communication skills), and widen their global perspective.

Year 5 finished their fable unit this week. The students worked really hard writing their fables. They used dictionaries and thesauruses to help them to expand their writing - looking for adjectives and words that might not be commonly used. The students then edited their fables and practiced to be ready for their performance. Finally, they performed to our EYFS students who laughed and appreciated their creativity and enthusiasm. The students tried to include more dialogue, animal noises and gestures so that the EYFS students could enjoy their performance even more.

FEIS International Coffee Morning Chips In to Charity 30th of September FEIS International Coffee Morning! A HUGE thank you to the Parent Link Group and a big thank you to every parent who supported them. They are pleased to announce that they raised over 12,000 RMB for charity! The money raised from this event will be donated to a local charity, Star SEN Education. They have worked closely with this charity for several years now, even sending the Upper School students to teach there as part of their volunteer experience.

Defining Courage: The Terry Fox Story This year, Zhuhai International School hosted its first Terry Fox Run to raise money for cancer research. So, who was Terry Fox? Terry was a young Canadian who, at the age of 18, lost his right leg to bone cancer. Instead of becoming despondent, Terry decided to make a difference. He challenged himself to run across Canada and raise 1,000,000 dollars. After training on his new prosthetic leg Terry started his run on the east coast of Canada on April 12, 1980; he called it the Marathon of Hope. He ran almost a marathon a day (that’s 42 km) for 143 days before the cancer spread to his lungs. He ran 5,373km, just over 3/4 of of the 6,800km, and raised more than the million dollars. Every year, schools in Canada and around the world host a Terry Fox Run to keep his dream alive. Talk about a modern-day hero! Our Terry Fox Run was a fantastic success thanks to incredible community support. It provided our students with a chance to take action and reflect on what it means to be courageous and take a stand. All our proceeds went to 广州市风马扶贫济困促进会 , a charity based in Guangzhou that mainly focuses on children. It’s so exciting to know that we can make a difference through them.

NOVEMBER 2022 | 51

That’s

NOVEMBER

Horoscopes

Finally, a horoscope that understands your life in China. By Felizabeth Chan

10.24~11.22

11.23~12.21

12.22~1.20

Capricorn

Aquarius

Scorpio season has arrived and, as always, just in time for Halloween. Crack out that ouija board and slide into the DMs of the ghosts in your building. The occult awaits you.

Your optimism has guided you through the challenges of the last few months. The ninth phase has nearly arrived. Be patient and maintain a positive outlook and you will reap the rewards in December.

Prioritize your solitude in the coming month. Your creativity has been stifled and you need to allow yourself space to daydream and reinvigorate the inspiring energy within you.

Catch up with old friends and connections this November. Someone from your past will prove crucial to a step forward in the near future.

Scorpio

Pisces

Sagittarius

Aries

Taurus

1.21~2.19

Gemini

2.20~3.20

3.21~4.20

4.21~5.21

5.22~6.21

Jupiter, that bright yellow light in the sky this past month, will slide into Pisces in the end of November. All that gravity is sure to bring both opportunity and turmoil. Expect the unexpected.

The rug might be pulled out at any moment so it’s important to assess how much money you’re saving or investing in contrast to your quality of life here in China. Some small sacrifices now will mean that the nest egg will be mature in case of an emergency.

Prepare for a total lunar eclipse in the house of Taurus on November 8. This eclipse will reveal what was previously obscured — the clouds will part and you should expect an epiphany of some kind.

Focus on the way that other people are perceiving your behaviour. It’s important to maintain a balanced perspective. Your narcissism is getting a little bit unkempt.

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Libra

6.22~7.22

7.23~8.23

8.24~9.23

9.24~10.23

Downsize your responsibilities in the month of November. Always remember that, even if you are meeting all your deadlines and demands, it’s better to do a few things well than to do everything with mediocrity.

Squeeze all the enjoyment you can out of life. Slow down and bask in your surroundings. A certain amount of childishness is the key to longevity.

You have been feeling homesick this autumn but, although hopefully just around the corner, international travel is still a distant yearning. See what creature comforts you can replicate to tide you over for the final leg of this confinement.

Expect your circle of friends to evolve during this month. And by evolve we mean shrink. Change is always good as it opens the door for new opportunities and relationships. Don’t dwell on what you are losing but rather what you have to gain.

52 |NOVEMBER 2022

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