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China does not have any direct equivalent to the UK’s Advertising Standards Agency or similar organisations in other countries. That is not to say that that there are no regulations. There are. For example, the more ridiculous advertisements on nati
Last night was the Lantern Festival which is held on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar and which marks the end of the Spring Festival. I took myself off out in the evening.
A few weeks ago, the locals erected this obelisk in the least visited part of Liuzhou's pedestrian street. It depicts various scenes from what is meant to be the city's history.
It's New Year's Eve. My neighbours are busy cleaning and preparing food. Or hanging up their red good luck door decorations. Either that or having showers. It is forbidden to wash tomorrow. You would be washing away your good luck.
Here we are a couple of days away from the Year of the Rat. My friends and neighbours are busy cleaning their houses and hanging up good luck stuff.
In the meantime, the crazies are coming out.
Last night, Liuzhou government held a reception to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year - The Year of the Rat. I managed to infiltrate the proceedings.
The whole country is paralysed by the worst weather in 50+ years. Half a million people trapped in one railway station. Millions more elsewhere.
But don't worry. The Premier, Wen Jiabao has it all sorted.
I’m sorry to go on about this, but it is cold. I’m told that this is Guangxi’s coldest winter since 1951. I wasn’t around then. I didn’t exist. So I have to believe them.
"It must be a holiday, there's nobody around," sings Dylan in "Highlands". He clearly wasn't thinking about China. Here holidays mean everyone is around. The whole place is chaos. It is best to hide away at home.
But it looks like we are having a
There are many favourite local duck recipes and dishes. Beer duck is a local favourite, for example. And duck hotpot is popular in the winter. I have even been known to make the occasional duck dish myself.
The local cops have been impressing the citizens. At least, that's what they say. A couple of days ago, on the first day of the holiday, to celebrate, they proudly rode their shiny new motorcycles around the main shopping area while looking suitably
We are at the beginning of a week long holiday to celebrate China's National Day and, of course, it is necessary to wish all your friends a good holiday and to contact them to arrange to meet up for some shopping trips.
Happy Birthday China.Today is the 58th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples' Republic when Mao stood on the wall of Tiananmen and declared the republic.To celebrate, as they do every year, the local government held a banquet.
I'm keeping a low profile today. Staying at home. It's Children';s Day.I have nothing against children. With a bit of garlic and chilli, they can be quite tasty, although I couldn't eat a whole one.
You may be surprised to learn that today is the 30th day of the 12th month of the year 4603. This means that tomorrow will be 1/1/4604. So everyone except me is very busy. Chinese New Year is upon us again. The Year of the Pig.