Here is the first of a series of blogs on must-eat dishes in China. Below are some basic dishes you will see all over the country:
Xiaolong Bao- these soup dumplings are a famous Shanghai dish. The dumplings are served in a steamed bamboo basket. They are usually made of pork (though I've had crab), and contain soup inside as well. To eat, you should bite off a corner, sip the soup from the dumpling, then dip the dumpling in vinegar and ginger, and eat the rest. If you try to eat it all at once you will burn your tongue.
Noodle soups- similar to Vietnamese pho, but the noodles are thicker and the broth more flavorful. They are basically what the name implies. Cheap and delicious. Beware the chicken soup- it will probably contain the head and/or feet of the chicken. I've also seen chicken noodle soups in China that contain something resembling a Matzo ball, but I don't know exactly what that is and I'm afraid to try it.
Huo guo- Most commonly translated as "hot pot". The table has a large pot of boiling broth in the middle (which sometimes contains cow bones or pigs' feet for flavor). You can order the broth clear, spicy, or extra spicy. Order tofu, meat, seafood, and various vegetables to throw in- sort of like fondue. The Taiwanese version (which I prefer) has individual pots for everyone, and you make your own dipping sauce. Taiwanese usually call it by its Japanese name, Shabu Shabu.
Mapo Doufu- literally translated as "Pockmarked-face Old Lady Tofu," supposedly named after the inventor of the dish. The dish hails from Sichuan (formally spelled Szechuan) province, known for its spicy dishes. The dish contains boiled tofu in spicy chili sauce with minced pork or beef. The sauce also contains ma (้บป), a spice that I have only tasted in Chinese food that numbs your entire face.
Peking duck: a dish from Beijing. An entire duck is roasted until the skin is crisp. The duck is sliced in front of the diners, who then wrap it in a pancake with sauce. Traditionally, the duck should be mostly skin and little meat.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Xinjiang and Uighur independence
Last week, 17 Uyghurs were released from Guantanamo Bay. These men had been imprisoned there for six years after declared innocent. Only China wanted to take them in, but it was probable that they would torture and imprison the men upon return, since the government views these men as terrorists. Finally, after six years of unjust imprisonment, the men were sent to Bermuda and Palau.
So who are the Uyghurs, and what relation could they possibly have to the "War on Terror"?
Uyghurs make up one of the largest ethnic minorities in China. Most Uyghurs (pronounced "WEE-gurz", and also spelled "Uighurs") live in Xinjiang province, a huge, western province bordering several 'Stans. They speak their own language (Uyghur), historically written in Arabic script (now sometimes written in Cyrillic or Latin script). Uyghurs are Muslims (Sunni), but not very religious comparatively- many drink alcohol.
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Central Asia broke up into several countries representing the different ethnicities of the region- Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, etc. There was no Uyghurstan, as the Uyghurs are fully aware. Today, there are over half a dozen seperatist groups, many of them considered terrorist groups, fighting for a "Uyghurstan" or, more commonly, "East Turkestan". China claims that many of these groups are working with Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, though there is not much evidence of this publicly available. China has been conducting its own "War on Terror" in Xinjiang since 1999, trying to root out these organizations. In the weeks leading up to the Olympics, several terrorist attacks occurred in the region, most of them claimed by Uyghur separatist groups. While China must protect its own citizens, some outsiders claim that the threat is exaggerated in order keep the region quiet, so the government can have access to the mineral wealth throughout the province.
China, officially an atheist state, recognizes Islam as one of its five official religions. Mosques, however, must be "patriotic," and sermons are limited to half an hour. No public prayer is allowed, and children under 18 may not go to religious schools (this is true of all religions). Uyghurs also aren't allowed to entirely express themselves culturally. Xinjiang University, the largest and best university in the area, no longer teaches any courses in Uyghur, and even Uyghur literature courses must be taught using Chinese translations of texts. Only "Minzu" (ethnic) schools may teach in languages of ethnic minorities, and these are often poorly funded. This has created a dichotomy between the "Min kao Min" and "Min kao Han" Uyghurs- those who were brought up speaking Uyghur and those brought up speaking Mandarin, respectively. Those who speak Mandarin do far better than their Minkao Min counterparts.
It's not all bad. Uyghurs (and other minorities in China) are mostly exempt from the one-child policy. They benefit from affirmative action when applying to universities and government jobs. But the bad tends to outweigh the good, and there is much improvement needed in Xinjiang.
In many ways, the Uyghur situation is similar to the Tibetan one. Both are ethnic minorities in China that have clashed with the Han majority; both have historical claims to an independent nation; both are very religious; and both groups want more autonomy or even independence. But while the cause of the Tibetans has been taken up by many in the West, most have not even heard of Uyghurs. There are a few reasons for this. First of all, many Westerners are infatuated with Buddhism and consider it to be a "religion of peace." People have romanticized Tibet and imagine it to be a beautiful, peaceful, mystical kingdom in the Himalayas, a la "Lost Horizon." This isn't at all true of course-- the Tibetans have a brutal and bloody history (more on that to come). By contrast, Americans are much less likely to identify with the plight of a Muslim people. Secondly, the Dalai Lama has great recognition outside China and even won a Nobel prize. The Uyghurs don't have such a high-profile leader to make their case to the West.
Recommended reading:
Under the Heel of the Dragon: Islam, Racism, Crime, and the Uighur in China by Blaine Kaltman. A political history of modern Xinjiang.
Dragon Fighter: One Woman's Epic Struggle for Peace with China, by Rebiya Kadeer. Xinjiang's most prominent dissident tells of her life and struggles for Independence.
So who are the Uyghurs, and what relation could they possibly have to the "War on Terror"?
Uyghurs make up one of the largest ethnic minorities in China. Most Uyghurs (pronounced "WEE-gurz", and also spelled "Uighurs") live in Xinjiang province, a huge, western province bordering several 'Stans. They speak their own language (Uyghur), historically written in Arabic script (now sometimes written in Cyrillic or Latin script). Uyghurs are Muslims (Sunni), but not very religious comparatively- many drink alcohol.
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Central Asia broke up into several countries representing the different ethnicities of the region- Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, etc. There was no Uyghurstan, as the Uyghurs are fully aware. Today, there are over half a dozen seperatist groups, many of them considered terrorist groups, fighting for a "Uyghurstan" or, more commonly, "East Turkestan". China claims that many of these groups are working with Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, though there is not much evidence of this publicly available. China has been conducting its own "War on Terror" in Xinjiang since 1999, trying to root out these organizations. In the weeks leading up to the Olympics, several terrorist attacks occurred in the region, most of them claimed by Uyghur separatist groups. While China must protect its own citizens, some outsiders claim that the threat is exaggerated in order keep the region quiet, so the government can have access to the mineral wealth throughout the province.
China, officially an atheist state, recognizes Islam as one of its five official religions. Mosques, however, must be "patriotic," and sermons are limited to half an hour. No public prayer is allowed, and children under 18 may not go to religious schools (this is true of all religions). Uyghurs also aren't allowed to entirely express themselves culturally. Xinjiang University, the largest and best university in the area, no longer teaches any courses in Uyghur, and even Uyghur literature courses must be taught using Chinese translations of texts. Only "Minzu" (ethnic) schools may teach in languages of ethnic minorities, and these are often poorly funded. This has created a dichotomy between the "Min kao Min" and "Min kao Han" Uyghurs- those who were brought up speaking Uyghur and those brought up speaking Mandarin, respectively. Those who speak Mandarin do far better than their Minkao Min counterparts.
It's not all bad. Uyghurs (and other minorities in China) are mostly exempt from the one-child policy. They benefit from affirmative action when applying to universities and government jobs. But the bad tends to outweigh the good, and there is much improvement needed in Xinjiang.
In many ways, the Uyghur situation is similar to the Tibetan one. Both are ethnic minorities in China that have clashed with the Han majority; both have historical claims to an independent nation; both are very religious; and both groups want more autonomy or even independence. But while the cause of the Tibetans has been taken up by many in the West, most have not even heard of Uyghurs. There are a few reasons for this. First of all, many Westerners are infatuated with Buddhism and consider it to be a "religion of peace." People have romanticized Tibet and imagine it to be a beautiful, peaceful, mystical kingdom in the Himalayas, a la "Lost Horizon." This isn't at all true of course-- the Tibetans have a brutal and bloody history (more on that to come). By contrast, Americans are much less likely to identify with the plight of a Muslim people. Secondly, the Dalai Lama has great recognition outside China and even won a Nobel prize. The Uyghurs don't have such a high-profile leader to make their case to the West.
Recommended reading:
Under the Heel of the Dragon: Islam, Racism, Crime, and the Uighur in China by Blaine Kaltman. A political history of modern Xinjiang.
Dragon Fighter: One Woman's Epic Struggle for Peace with China, by Rebiya Kadeer. Xinjiang's most prominent dissident tells of her life and struggles for Independence.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Taiwan-China Conflict
One of the biggest conflicts between the US and China is the issue of Taiwan. Though the US officially recognizes the "One China Policy," it also has promised Taiwan protection in the event of a military attack by China. Between 1998 and 2005, the US sold Taiwan over $10 billion in weapons. However, the US does not in any way recognize Taiwan as a country. During Hillary Clinton's Asia tour, she completely ignored Taiwan.
History
The Taiwan Strait conflict truly began in 1949. The Communists, led by Mao Zedong, had just won the civil war against the Nationalists (Kuomintang, or KMT) under Chiang Kai-shek. Over 2 million members of the KMT fled to Taiwan, and declared the island the Republic of China. Taiwan had been a Japanese colony since 1895, when China seceded it after it lost the First Sino-Japanese War. Japan formally relinquished its claim to the island in 1952. Rather than form a new nation, Chiang claimed that Taipei was in fact the capital of all of China (and Mongolia). The US, UN, and most other countries agreed, recognizing Taipei rather than Beijing. It was not until 1971 that the UN recognized Beijing. The US switched recognition in 1979 under Nixon.
In the mean time, Taiwan was ruled under brutal martial law (though nowhere as brutal as Communist China). Press was censored and political dissidents thrown in jail. Discriminatory laws favored mainland Chinese over the native Taiwanese, Hakka, and aboriginal populations. Mandarin was made the official language and children were not allowed to speak Taiwanese and other dialects in schools. Martial law was finally lifted in 1987, and opposition parties began to form. Most important of these parties is the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), whose main platform is Taiwanese independence. The party's main support base is native Taiwanese voters. Taiwan held its first direct presidential election in 1996- and China fired missiles over the Strait in an attempt to coerce Taiwanese voters to vote for the pro-unification candidates. In 2000, DPP candidate Chen Shui-bian won the presidential election, ending decades of KMT rule.
Today
Chen was reelected in 2004, after he was "shot" the day before elections (most believe that he staged this for more votes). Chen was radically pro-independence, and often angered the PRC (as well as the US). Chen and his family also faced many corruption charges throughout his presidency, and he was sent to jail.
In 2008, Taipei Mayor and Chair of the KMT Ma Ying-jeou beat DPP chair Frank Hsieh in a landslide election. The DPP did not stand a chance because of the corruption charges against Chen and many other officials. Of course, Ma's good looks and charm didn't hurt him either.
Thousands of missiles are deployed on both sides of the Strait, and military spending continues to rise. However, cross-Strait relations have in fact thawed since Ma's win. In late 2008, direct flights between mainland China and Taiwan began. In May, the KMT party leader met with Hu Jintao in Beijing, and a high-level DPP official visited the mainland as well. China also reached out-- it allowed Taiwan to participate as an observer at the WHO during the swine flu outbrake. This was huge for Taiwan, which in 2003 suffered from a major SARS outbreak and recieved no help from the WHO.
It is absolutely within Taiwan's interest to keep the status quo with China. Taiwan become a part of China-- it is a strong democratic nation, with universal suffrage, an independent judiciary, and a strong economy (with its own currency). Under China, it would likely lose much of the democratic progress it has made (like Hong Kong). However, if the conflict heats up, Taiwan has no way of truly standing up for itself. Only 23 countries have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and most of them tiny island nations.
History
The Taiwan Strait conflict truly began in 1949. The Communists, led by Mao Zedong, had just won the civil war against the Nationalists (Kuomintang, or KMT) under Chiang Kai-shek. Over 2 million members of the KMT fled to Taiwan, and declared the island the Republic of China. Taiwan had been a Japanese colony since 1895, when China seceded it after it lost the First Sino-Japanese War. Japan formally relinquished its claim to the island in 1952. Rather than form a new nation, Chiang claimed that Taipei was in fact the capital of all of China (and Mongolia). The US, UN, and most other countries agreed, recognizing Taipei rather than Beijing. It was not until 1971 that the UN recognized Beijing. The US switched recognition in 1979 under Nixon.
In the mean time, Taiwan was ruled under brutal martial law (though nowhere as brutal as Communist China). Press was censored and political dissidents thrown in jail. Discriminatory laws favored mainland Chinese over the native Taiwanese, Hakka, and aboriginal populations. Mandarin was made the official language and children were not allowed to speak Taiwanese and other dialects in schools. Martial law was finally lifted in 1987, and opposition parties began to form. Most important of these parties is the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), whose main platform is Taiwanese independence. The party's main support base is native Taiwanese voters. Taiwan held its first direct presidential election in 1996- and China fired missiles over the Strait in an attempt to coerce Taiwanese voters to vote for the pro-unification candidates. In 2000, DPP candidate Chen Shui-bian won the presidential election, ending decades of KMT rule.
Today
Chen was reelected in 2004, after he was "shot" the day before elections (most believe that he staged this for more votes). Chen was radically pro-independence, and often angered the PRC (as well as the US). Chen and his family also faced many corruption charges throughout his presidency, and he was sent to jail.
In 2008, Taipei Mayor and Chair of the KMT Ma Ying-jeou beat DPP chair Frank Hsieh in a landslide election. The DPP did not stand a chance because of the corruption charges against Chen and many other officials. Of course, Ma's good looks and charm didn't hurt him either.
Thousands of missiles are deployed on both sides of the Strait, and military spending continues to rise. However, cross-Strait relations have in fact thawed since Ma's win. In late 2008, direct flights between mainland China and Taiwan began. In May, the KMT party leader met with Hu Jintao in Beijing, and a high-level DPP official visited the mainland as well. China also reached out-- it allowed Taiwan to participate as an observer at the WHO during the swine flu outbrake. This was huge for Taiwan, which in 2003 suffered from a major SARS outbreak and recieved no help from the WHO.
It is absolutely within Taiwan's interest to keep the status quo with China. Taiwan become a part of China-- it is a strong democratic nation, with universal suffrage, an independent judiciary, and a strong economy (with its own currency). Under China, it would likely lose much of the democratic progress it has made (like Hong Kong). However, if the conflict heats up, Taiwan has no way of truly standing up for itself. Only 23 countries have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and most of them tiny island nations.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
China in New York
For those readers who can't make it to China, there's plenty to do in the States as well. Manhattan contains America's second largest Chinatown (after San Francisco), and Flushing, Queens is catching up. Below is a list of things to do- which is pretty much entirely comprised of places to eat, because what else do you do in Chinatown?
Food
Quickly (Grand and Bowery): my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. Quickly serves Shabu Shabu, or hot pot- you get a pot of boiling broth, a plate a veggies, noodles, meat of your choice, and make your own soup. The meal comes with a drink of your choice- I'd recommend the tapioca milk tea, a classic, or taro milk tea, for something more interesting. It's expensive by Chinatown standards (about $15 per meal) but well worth it. Make sure to finish up with cream cakes- sort of a soft, squishy fortune cookie- sold right outside the restaurant. They also have a store just for tapioca tea and cream cakes (Pell between Mott and Bowery).
House of Vegetarian (Mott near Canal): the menu looks like any other Chinese menu- General Tso's chicken, beef and broccoli, sweet and sour pork. The difference is that it's all made out of tofu. The mock meat doesn't taste like meat at all- but it's still delicious. Don't let the fact that everything is vegetarian make you think it's healthy, though- everything is covered with MSG and a tons of sauce. Stick to the mock meat dishes, and stay away from fried rice or noodles. You will be able to stuff yourself for under $10. An alternative is Boddhai Buddha (Mott and Chatham), which is Kosher. I don't think it's as good, but many people swear by it.
Lanzhou Hand-pulled Noodles: another hole-in-the-wall worth going to. For $4-$6, you will get a massive bowl of noodle soup that will fill you up for the rest of the day. Warning: the "vegetarian noodles" still have meat broth. Get a seat facing the kitchen, and you can see the cook pulling the noodles.
Fried Dumplings (Mosco, between Mulberry and Mott)- a tiny whole in the wall in a part of Chinatown where no tourists go. There is no menu- just fried dumplings (guo tie), $1 for a plate of five. The manager doesn't speak much English, but all you need to say is how many you want.
Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (Bayard, between Mott and Bowery): has interesting flavors like sesame, lychee, dan tat (egg custard), and red bean. Pretty expensive though- $3.25 for a scoop.
Peking Duck (Mott and Mosco): for $40, you get an entire duck. That's your only option, actually. Make sure to bring three to five people per duck! Open later than most places in Chinatown.
Pongsri Thai (Bayard and Baxter): A bit more expensive than the other restaurants ($10-12 an entree), but the best Thai I've ever had in the city. Get any of the curries. For vegetarians (and meat eaters!), I highly recommend the vegetarian duck curry- spicy, and actually tastes like duck. Delicious.
Update: Just tried a great restaurant, Joe's Shanghai. Without doubt the best place to get xiaolong bao. On weekends, the wait can be up to an hour, so make sure to leave a lot of time.
Cream cakes- sold by street vendors all over the neighborhood. About $1 for 15 or 20. If you're hungry, get 30 or 40- they're small.
Bakeries- also located all over Chinatown. Chinese bakeries are surprisingly great. Everything is much sweeter (and greasier) than Western bakeries, so buy small quantities. I recommend egg custard ($1 each) and sesame balls (greasy, gooey goodness for 50 cents to $1).
Queens: the New York Times has a great interactive map of the best Chinese food in Flushing. It's pretty extensive, so I don't have much to add, except- make sure you try the Xinjiang kebabs from street vendors. Amazing. I recommend the chicken hearts- and get them spicy.
Not Food
Massage- massages in Chinatown are cheap. Make sure, though, that you're actually going to a massage parlor and not a brothel! I still haven't discovered how you can tell the difference before going in- I guess the best way is to just ask?
Columbus Park- go before 10 am and you'll see old ladies doing their morning Tai Chi. If they're nice, you can join. In the afternoons, elderly neighbors gather together with traditional Chinese instruments and jam. Sometimes you can see people practicing martial arts. And of course, there's a basketball court and tons of skaters.
Food
Quickly (Grand and Bowery): my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. Quickly serves Shabu Shabu, or hot pot- you get a pot of boiling broth, a plate a veggies, noodles, meat of your choice, and make your own soup. The meal comes with a drink of your choice- I'd recommend the tapioca milk tea, a classic, or taro milk tea, for something more interesting. It's expensive by Chinatown standards (about $15 per meal) but well worth it. Make sure to finish up with cream cakes- sort of a soft, squishy fortune cookie- sold right outside the restaurant. They also have a store just for tapioca tea and cream cakes (Pell between Mott and Bowery).
House of Vegetarian (Mott near Canal): the menu looks like any other Chinese menu- General Tso's chicken, beef and broccoli, sweet and sour pork. The difference is that it's all made out of tofu. The mock meat doesn't taste like meat at all- but it's still delicious. Don't let the fact that everything is vegetarian make you think it's healthy, though- everything is covered with MSG and a tons of sauce. Stick to the mock meat dishes, and stay away from fried rice or noodles. You will be able to stuff yourself for under $10. An alternative is Boddhai Buddha (Mott and Chatham), which is Kosher. I don't think it's as good, but many people swear by it.
Lanzhou Hand-pulled Noodles: another hole-in-the-wall worth going to. For $4-$6, you will get a massive bowl of noodle soup that will fill you up for the rest of the day. Warning: the "vegetarian noodles" still have meat broth. Get a seat facing the kitchen, and you can see the cook pulling the noodles.
Fried Dumplings (Mosco, between Mulberry and Mott)- a tiny whole in the wall in a part of Chinatown where no tourists go. There is no menu- just fried dumplings (guo tie), $1 for a plate of five. The manager doesn't speak much English, but all you need to say is how many you want.
Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (Bayard, between Mott and Bowery): has interesting flavors like sesame, lychee, dan tat (egg custard), and red bean. Pretty expensive though- $3.25 for a scoop.
Peking Duck (Mott and Mosco): for $40, you get an entire duck. That's your only option, actually. Make sure to bring three to five people per duck! Open later than most places in Chinatown.
Pongsri Thai (Bayard and Baxter): A bit more expensive than the other restaurants ($10-12 an entree), but the best Thai I've ever had in the city. Get any of the curries. For vegetarians (and meat eaters!), I highly recommend the vegetarian duck curry- spicy, and actually tastes like duck. Delicious.
Update: Just tried a great restaurant, Joe's Shanghai. Without doubt the best place to get xiaolong bao. On weekends, the wait can be up to an hour, so make sure to leave a lot of time.
Cream cakes- sold by street vendors all over the neighborhood. About $1 for 15 or 20. If you're hungry, get 30 or 40- they're small.
Bakeries- also located all over Chinatown. Chinese bakeries are surprisingly great. Everything is much sweeter (and greasier) than Western bakeries, so buy small quantities. I recommend egg custard ($1 each) and sesame balls (greasy, gooey goodness for 50 cents to $1).
Queens: the New York Times has a great interactive map of the best Chinese food in Flushing. It's pretty extensive, so I don't have much to add, except- make sure you try the Xinjiang kebabs from street vendors. Amazing. I recommend the chicken hearts- and get them spicy.
Not Food
Massage- massages in Chinatown are cheap. Make sure, though, that you're actually going to a massage parlor and not a brothel! I still haven't discovered how you can tell the difference before going in- I guess the best way is to just ask?
Columbus Park- go before 10 am and you'll see old ladies doing their morning Tai Chi. If they're nice, you can join. In the afternoons, elderly neighbors gather together with traditional Chinese instruments and jam. Sometimes you can see people practicing martial arts. And of course, there's a basketball court and tons of skaters.
Studying abroad in China
More and more Americans are studying Chinese at the university and even primary school level. And of course, that means more are studying abroad. What are the best options out there?
High School
Yes, you can study abroad in high school- and as a former high school exchange student, I highly recommend it! There are two major organizations to look out for in China and Taiwan:
Rotary International: Rotary's Youth Exchange Program (YEP) extends all over the world. Unfortunately, exchanges are not yet available in mainland China, but the organization has been strong in Taiwan for decades. Over half of the students are placed in Taipei. Rotary is a non-profit organization, and the exchange is almost free: there is a $3,500 fee, which includes airfare and a monthly stipend of $100 for students while abroad. Since housing and meals are included, that is quite a deal. Exchanges are available for either a summer or an academic year, but not a semester. Students live with homestays, and unlike other programs, must switch families every three to four months. In some ways, this is great- students get to know their city and country much better, and only have to deal with a bad family for a short amount of time. In other ways, it makes life abroad even more difficult, and many students hate leaving families they've grown close to.
Rotary in Taiwan (or Fulun She in Mandarin) is an extremely prestigious organization, and only the elite of Taiwan are members (including former President Cheng Shui-bian). This means that students usually live with wealthy families. It also means that if there is a conflict between student and family, the family is given the benefit of the doubt.
AFS: AFS is the largest high school exchange organization in the world. Unlike Rotary, all students are placed in mainland China or Hong Kong, and none in Taiwan. Since AFS is a for-profit organization, fees are much higher (about $10,000 for the year). However, students get much more say in what kind of exchange they want: urban or rural homestays, specific types of high schools, families that will accept vegetarians, etc. AFS, in China at least, is more hands-off than Rotary Taiwan is, but the organization also provides language and culture classes, as well as a trip for students.
University
Critical Language Scholarships: these scholarships are offered by the State Department for American citizens studying critical languages. The scholarships cover every aspect of the 10-week language program (June to August) plus a small stipend. Recently, the Mandarin programs have been in Harbin and Suzhou. State does not organize the programs, only grants scholarships for students to attend. Both programs are very new and therefore disorganized. But they're free! Applications deadlines are in September, so make sure to plan very early.
Columbia-in-Beijing at Tsinghua University: Columbia has partnered with Tsinghua University, one of the most prestigious universities in China, to offer summer, semester, and year programs. The summer program is ten weeks, and for $5,000 (airfare not included), covers a year's worth of Chinese language (from levels 1 to 5). Extremely intense but alums say it's worth it. The semester and year programs have few participants due to the requirement that students have three years of college Chinese. Students take courses in Chinese with Tsinghua students, plus a language course. They also provide tutors for each course you take.
CIEE: a large and well-respected study abroad organization, with programs in Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Taipei. There is something for everyone- intensive language study, business, and "advanced Chinese studies," where students take their courses in Chinese.
SIT: currently offers two programs in China- Chinese Cultural and Ethnic Minority Studies (located mostly in Yunnan province), and Community Health and Traditional Chinese Medicine (summer only). SIT is the best way to go for brand new students of China- the programs offer beginning and intermediate Mandarin classes. Most of the program is travel- a great introduction to the country. Students who have been to China before might find it too basic.
Middlebury: without a doubt the best way to learn a language. Middlebury is famous for its language pledge- students pledge not to speak any other language but Mandarin for the entire duration of the program. And students take it very seriously. The summer programs are at Middlebury's campus in Vermont; semester and year programs are at the China campuses, including Hangzhou and new campuses in Beijing and Kunming. Middlebury is hard, and the program is only for those absolutely committed to learning the language (at the expense of learning about the culture, some would argue). Semester and year programs require two years of college-level Mandarin.
Where to study?
Taiwan: I always recommend Taiwan for anyone wanting to study Chinese (but I'm pretty biased since that was the first place I studied). Taiwanese schools have been teaching Chinese as a foreign language long before China opened up to American students in the 80's. The language programs, especially at National Taiwan University and Taiwan Normal University, are excellent. Taiwanese Mandarin is also richer, arguably because the Nationalists who came to Taiwan in 1949 were more educated than the average Chinese citizens. And of course, Taiwan has a lot less pollution and a lot more freedom. Word of advice: Taipei is absolutely the best city in Taiwan to learn Mandarin. Taiwanese is the more commonly used language in most other cities.
Mainland China: Mainland China is better for many other reasons, though. As far as language study, you'll learn the accent and vocabulary used by many more people (if you are in the north). Also, mainland China uses simplified characters, which are easier to learn that the traditional ones in Taiwan (and more useful). Beijing is the city to be if you are interested in politics or modern history; Xi'an, if ancient history is your thing; Kunming, to learn about China's ethnic minorities; and Shanghai for business- or if you want to experience a true 21st century city. Tip: Harbin dialect is considered to be the purest- sort of the Midwestern accent of China. The farther south you go, the more important dialects become. In Shanghai, for example, you will hear a lot more Shanghainese in the streets than Mandarin. And stay far away from Hong Kong- Mandarin is barely spoken there.
High School
Yes, you can study abroad in high school- and as a former high school exchange student, I highly recommend it! There are two major organizations to look out for in China and Taiwan:
Rotary International: Rotary's Youth Exchange Program (YEP) extends all over the world. Unfortunately, exchanges are not yet available in mainland China, but the organization has been strong in Taiwan for decades. Over half of the students are placed in Taipei. Rotary is a non-profit organization, and the exchange is almost free: there is a $3,500 fee, which includes airfare and a monthly stipend of $100 for students while abroad. Since housing and meals are included, that is quite a deal. Exchanges are available for either a summer or an academic year, but not a semester. Students live with homestays, and unlike other programs, must switch families every three to four months. In some ways, this is great- students get to know their city and country much better, and only have to deal with a bad family for a short amount of time. In other ways, it makes life abroad even more difficult, and many students hate leaving families they've grown close to.
Rotary in Taiwan (or Fulun She in Mandarin) is an extremely prestigious organization, and only the elite of Taiwan are members (including former President Cheng Shui-bian). This means that students usually live with wealthy families. It also means that if there is a conflict between student and family, the family is given the benefit of the doubt.
AFS: AFS is the largest high school exchange organization in the world. Unlike Rotary, all students are placed in mainland China or Hong Kong, and none in Taiwan. Since AFS is a for-profit organization, fees are much higher (about $10,000 for the year). However, students get much more say in what kind of exchange they want: urban or rural homestays, specific types of high schools, families that will accept vegetarians, etc. AFS, in China at least, is more hands-off than Rotary Taiwan is, but the organization also provides language and culture classes, as well as a trip for students.
University
Critical Language Scholarships: these scholarships are offered by the State Department for American citizens studying critical languages. The scholarships cover every aspect of the 10-week language program (June to August) plus a small stipend. Recently, the Mandarin programs have been in Harbin and Suzhou. State does not organize the programs, only grants scholarships for students to attend. Both programs are very new and therefore disorganized. But they're free! Applications deadlines are in September, so make sure to plan very early.
Columbia-in-Beijing at Tsinghua University: Columbia has partnered with Tsinghua University, one of the most prestigious universities in China, to offer summer, semester, and year programs. The summer program is ten weeks, and for $5,000 (airfare not included), covers a year's worth of Chinese language (from levels 1 to 5). Extremely intense but alums say it's worth it. The semester and year programs have few participants due to the requirement that students have three years of college Chinese. Students take courses in Chinese with Tsinghua students, plus a language course. They also provide tutors for each course you take.
CIEE: a large and well-respected study abroad organization, with programs in Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Taipei. There is something for everyone- intensive language study, business, and "advanced Chinese studies," where students take their courses in Chinese.
SIT: currently offers two programs in China- Chinese Cultural and Ethnic Minority Studies (located mostly in Yunnan province), and Community Health and Traditional Chinese Medicine (summer only). SIT is the best way to go for brand new students of China- the programs offer beginning and intermediate Mandarin classes. Most of the program is travel- a great introduction to the country. Students who have been to China before might find it too basic.
Middlebury: without a doubt the best way to learn a language. Middlebury is famous for its language pledge- students pledge not to speak any other language but Mandarin for the entire duration of the program. And students take it very seriously. The summer programs are at Middlebury's campus in Vermont; semester and year programs are at the China campuses, including Hangzhou and new campuses in Beijing and Kunming. Middlebury is hard, and the program is only for those absolutely committed to learning the language (at the expense of learning about the culture, some would argue). Semester and year programs require two years of college-level Mandarin.
Where to study?
Taiwan: I always recommend Taiwan for anyone wanting to study Chinese (but I'm pretty biased since that was the first place I studied). Taiwanese schools have been teaching Chinese as a foreign language long before China opened up to American students in the 80's. The language programs, especially at National Taiwan University and Taiwan Normal University, are excellent. Taiwanese Mandarin is also richer, arguably because the Nationalists who came to Taiwan in 1949 were more educated than the average Chinese citizens. And of course, Taiwan has a lot less pollution and a lot more freedom. Word of advice: Taipei is absolutely the best city in Taiwan to learn Mandarin. Taiwanese is the more commonly used language in most other cities.
Mainland China: Mainland China is better for many other reasons, though. As far as language study, you'll learn the accent and vocabulary used by many more people (if you are in the north). Also, mainland China uses simplified characters, which are easier to learn that the traditional ones in Taiwan (and more useful). Beijing is the city to be if you are interested in politics or modern history; Xi'an, if ancient history is your thing; Kunming, to learn about China's ethnic minorities; and Shanghai for business- or if you want to experience a true 21st century city. Tip: Harbin dialect is considered to be the purest- sort of the Midwestern accent of China. The farther south you go, the more important dialects become. In Shanghai, for example, you will hear a lot more Shanghainese in the streets than Mandarin. And stay far away from Hong Kong- Mandarin is barely spoken there.
A brief history of Tiananmen Square 1989
This week (June 4) marks the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre- or Tiananmen "incident", depending on who you ask. The event is a major story in Western newspapers, but has passed unnoticed in China. The word "Tiananmen" in the West brings images of tanks, soldiers, and brutal repression. In China, the word has the opposite effect: it is a patriotic word. It is the site where the May Fourth protests were held and Mao Zedong declared the People's Republic of China. For Chinese in their teens and twenties, who were infants or not yet born during the event, the protests of 1989 mean nothing.
Background
The 80's in China were a time of exploration and experimentation with freedom. Mao died in 1976, which ended an era of terror, starvation, and radicalism. Deng Xiaoping became the dominant figure by 1977, and ushered in a new era of economic development and cooperation. Deng, in an effort to overthrow then-Premier Hua Guofeng, sponsored a "Democracy Wall" in central Beijing. It was a wall in which intellectuals and students could post their grievances against the government. It did the job- Hua was forced to step down in 1980. Shortly after, Deng crushed the nascent democratic movement so as to not share Hua's fate.
The Chinese people were not satisfied. Many continued to argue that the economic reform Deng promoted was not enough- political reform was needed as well. The most prominent pro-democracy advocate was Hu Yaobang, General Secretary of the Communist Party. He famously advocated for rehabilitation of people persecuted during the Cultural Revolution, greater autonomy for Tibet, and freedom of speech and press. When Hu died of a heart attack in April 1989, tens of thousands gathered in Tiananmen Square for his funeral.
The Protests
On April 17, three thousand students from Peking University marched to Tiananmen Square to commemorate Hu, and were soon joined by 1,000 from Tsinghua University. On April 21, over 100,000 were camping out in the square.
The students ultimately decided that hunger strikes were necessary, and over 1,000 participated. Premier Li Peng agreed to speak with student leaders, and it was aired live (Chinese press was more free then than now, and the media was allowed to cover the protests uncensored). These talks didn't help, though, and the hunger strike continued. Three weeks in, Li declared martial law and ordered all protesters to evacuate.
The rest is well known. On June 3, Li sent in armed forces and tanks to clear the square. No one knows how many died. The official Chinese number is 241 (including soldiers), while Western sources place the number anywhere between 300 and 7,000.
20 Years Later
This year's anniversary passed mostly without incident in mainland China, and the government made sure of that. Days beforehand, Twitter and other networking sites were blocked. The Square was officially closed off to journalists on June 4, and full of more uniformed and plain-clothes officers than usual. Perhaps most effectively, Chinese officials scheduled the "Gao Kao", China's grueling college entrance exam, a week after the anniversary- making sure no student in his right mind would stop studying to protest. Interestingly, though, a Chinese English-language newspaper broke the taboo of reporting on the incident. The article barely mentions the violence that occurred, but it's definitely a start. Another interesting story: China's No. 2 most wanted "criminal" involved in the protests, Wu'er Kaixi, tried to turn himself in last week so that he could see his parents after 20 years. He was denied entry and sent back to Taiwan, where he has lived in exile since 1989.
In Hong Kong, which enjoys much more freedom than the mainland, 150,000 gathered to commemorate the anniversary. President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan called on China to face its past, saying, “[The rule of law and human rights] are universal values that should become the common language of the people on both sides.”
Some interesting reads on the incident:
Zhao Ziyang's memoirs: Zhao Ziyang was the Premier of China from 1983-1987, and the General Secretary during the protests. He was strongly in favor of a soft approach to the protesters, and was later put under house arrest until his death for that stance. His journal just has been posthumously published in English. I haven't had a chance to read it since it was published three weeks ago, but you can read a review from the Economist here.
Beijing Coma by Ma Jian. Ma's books are banned from China because of their political messages and "racism". The book tells the story of the Tiananmen Square massacre from the point of view of Dai Wei, a participant in the events left in a coma. Overall, the book is entertaining, educational and an easy read. However, it is too long- it could easily have been 300 pages instead of 700. It is also obvious from the writing style and extreme anti-government bias that the book was intended for Western audiences.
The Tiananmen Papers compiled by Andrew Nathan and Perry Link. A Chinese government official by the pseudonym of Zhang Liang provided Nathan and Link with a huge amount of transcripts and classified documents, detailing exactly what went on that day. The documents, unsurprisingly, are considered "fabrications" by the Chinese government. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the massacre.
The Search for Modern China by Jonathan Spence. This book covers modern China from the Qing dynasty until Tiananmen. It's a must for any topic in modern Chinese history.
Background
The 80's in China were a time of exploration and experimentation with freedom. Mao died in 1976, which ended an era of terror, starvation, and radicalism. Deng Xiaoping became the dominant figure by 1977, and ushered in a new era of economic development and cooperation. Deng, in an effort to overthrow then-Premier Hua Guofeng, sponsored a "Democracy Wall" in central Beijing. It was a wall in which intellectuals and students could post their grievances against the government. It did the job- Hua was forced to step down in 1980. Shortly after, Deng crushed the nascent democratic movement so as to not share Hua's fate.
The Chinese people were not satisfied. Many continued to argue that the economic reform Deng promoted was not enough- political reform was needed as well. The most prominent pro-democracy advocate was Hu Yaobang, General Secretary of the Communist Party. He famously advocated for rehabilitation of people persecuted during the Cultural Revolution, greater autonomy for Tibet, and freedom of speech and press. When Hu died of a heart attack in April 1989, tens of thousands gathered in Tiananmen Square for his funeral.
The Protests
On April 17, three thousand students from Peking University marched to Tiananmen Square to commemorate Hu, and were soon joined by 1,000 from Tsinghua University. On April 21, over 100,000 were camping out in the square.
The students ultimately decided that hunger strikes were necessary, and over 1,000 participated. Premier Li Peng agreed to speak with student leaders, and it was aired live (Chinese press was more free then than now, and the media was allowed to cover the protests uncensored). These talks didn't help, though, and the hunger strike continued. Three weeks in, Li declared martial law and ordered all protesters to evacuate.
The rest is well known. On June 3, Li sent in armed forces and tanks to clear the square. No one knows how many died. The official Chinese number is 241 (including soldiers), while Western sources place the number anywhere between 300 and 7,000.
20 Years Later
This year's anniversary passed mostly without incident in mainland China, and the government made sure of that. Days beforehand, Twitter and other networking sites were blocked. The Square was officially closed off to journalists on June 4, and full of more uniformed and plain-clothes officers than usual. Perhaps most effectively, Chinese officials scheduled the "Gao Kao", China's grueling college entrance exam, a week after the anniversary- making sure no student in his right mind would stop studying to protest. Interestingly, though, a Chinese English-language newspaper broke the taboo of reporting on the incident. The article barely mentions the violence that occurred, but it's definitely a start. Another interesting story: China's No. 2 most wanted "criminal" involved in the protests, Wu'er Kaixi, tried to turn himself in last week so that he could see his parents after 20 years. He was denied entry and sent back to Taiwan, where he has lived in exile since 1989.
In Hong Kong, which enjoys much more freedom than the mainland, 150,000 gathered to commemorate the anniversary. President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan called on China to face its past, saying, “[The rule of law and human rights] are universal values that should become the common language of the people on both sides.”
Some interesting reads on the incident:
Zhao Ziyang's memoirs: Zhao Ziyang was the Premier of China from 1983-1987, and the General Secretary during the protests. He was strongly in favor of a soft approach to the protesters, and was later put under house arrest until his death for that stance. His journal just has been posthumously published in English. I haven't had a chance to read it since it was published three weeks ago, but you can read a review from the Economist here.
Beijing Coma by Ma Jian. Ma's books are banned from China because of their political messages and "racism". The book tells the story of the Tiananmen Square massacre from the point of view of Dai Wei, a participant in the events left in a coma. Overall, the book is entertaining, educational and an easy read. However, it is too long- it could easily have been 300 pages instead of 700. It is also obvious from the writing style and extreme anti-government bias that the book was intended for Western audiences.
The Tiananmen Papers compiled by Andrew Nathan and Perry Link. A Chinese government official by the pseudonym of Zhang Liang provided Nathan and Link with a huge amount of transcripts and classified documents, detailing exactly what went on that day. The documents, unsurprisingly, are considered "fabrications" by the Chinese government. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the massacre.
The Search for Modern China by Jonathan Spence. This book covers modern China from the Qing dynasty until Tiananmen. It's a must for any topic in modern Chinese history.
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