Maybe the more internet connected know about this, but I’ve just been introduced to a bit of Chinese internet culture… the use of a Chinese character as an emoticon: Jiong(3) 囧 Do you see the face in the character? The character for “Jiong” is nowadays more widely used on the Internet as an ideographic emoticon representing […]
Can you tell which is which?? Name brand Q-tip versus the local cotton swab:
Literally. Sooo… this IS a natural pattern! VERY COOL.
via TimeOut
I thought my room was small; this is a very different lifestyle…! With space pressures increasing in Beijing, the first “capsule apartment” complex has now opened in China’s capital – and according to China Hush it’s found at least one tenant. China Hush reported the opening of the capsule complex in Liulangzhuang, Haidian, earlier this month. According to […]
A bit of history is peeping up under the pavement. I’m not sure what this metal tube is/was used for though. At first glance it looks like a trolly line or something, but of course the tracks would not look like this. Some sort of casing for wires..? I have no clue! Somehow it’s lovely […]
So smart to orient the map the same way the street is laid out! Proof that community living and communal bath houses and toilets are still used and needed, even in a ‘developed’ city like Beijing: I do wonder if this map is for locals or tourists, since it’s placed on a main street that currently […]
3RMB for a haircut in the park! Outside of YuYuanTan Park (玉渊潭公园) there are barbers-on-bikes giving haircuts and shaves:
Finally, I’ve taken some time to see a real, not yet reconstructed, about to be demolished Hutong. More photos to come! I just had to post this one first: Broken glass is used as an inventive way to scare off intruders from trying to gain access into this home. I’m also imagining colored glass and the […]
A tour guide with her flag and umbrella.. clever and inventive way of combining the use and function of 2 products:
Is it really necessary to have an additional third door on the side. It seems like this would create more problem with traffic flow than to reduce it (at least on the way in..) Awkward. I wonder if there was a reason for this, like saving in materials..? Was there an extra door laying around […]
Each and every court is filled everyday in the afternoon! Even in the cold winter weather.
Nope. It’s definitely Wu-Mart. China has it’s own version of everything! Sale prices! Bulk buy! A few more photos to follow:
I don’t believe it! This cold winter day was filled with gorgeous blue skies. I wonder if yesterday’s snow somehow cleared some of the smog and pollution. Yesterday: Today:
I pushed myself to go to the first Ignite Event in Beijing, a few days ago, even though it was all in Chinese and only 1 of the presentations was in English. I can get around with directions and my minimal knowledge of the language, but attempting to listen to the speakers, it’s confirmed that I […]
Crowds of people rush on and off the bus… Once they’re gone, more people line up at the designated spots.. Such a self-explanatory, simple way of organizing and coordinating.
I recently posted an image of the many options for bottled water in China. This 4.5Liter bottle is interesting for a completely different reason. There are many bottles, or jugs, blow-molded with the handle as part of the mold, for example: WatsonsWater, on the other-hand, has decided to make the handle from a completely separate piece of plastic, […]
Consumerism at its best with a multitude of choices…
Signifying the end of Chinese New Year celebrations, the Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the new year. I headed over to Qianmen Street, south of Tienamen Square, to see crowds and crowds of people along with beautiful handmade lanterns and not so distant fireworks. See a few more of my photos on Flickr.
Interesting article with growth of Chinese design and moving from OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to ODM (original design manufacturers) to more importantly, OBM (original brand manufacturers). China’s design industry experts are calling for greater government support in order to help the country’s manufacturers raise the competitiveness with innovation. Zhu Tao, president of China Industrial Design […]