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May 2006
"In the last days of the Qing Dynasty, Manchu was no longer the official language. The Manchu-speaking territory had shrunk to Northeast China. In North China, even the imperial aristocrats had nearly abandoned the learning of Manchu.

Although the current population of Manchu in China is nearly 10 million, fewer than 100 people can speak Manchu, according to scholars. At present, less than 50 people are engaged in translating the Manchu written"

http://english.hanban.edu.cn/english/culture/167537.htm

"Taiwanese is a dialect of Mĭn Nán (Southern Min) spoken in Taiwan. The ancestors of the majority of Taiwanese people came from the southern part of Fùjiàn province and their language is very similar to the language of that region, particular to the dialect of Xiàmén.

Today about 70% of the population of Taiwan (15 million people) speak Taiwanese and most also speak Mandarin. Outside Taipei most people prefer to speak Taiwanese, though will speak Mandarin if they have to. Mandarin tends to be used in formal situations while Taiwanese tends to be used in informal situtations."

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/taiwanese.htm

Is managing a bank in China complicated? No more so than executing a fine work of calligraphy.

That, at least, is the opinion of Tang Shuangning, president of Everbright Bank, a fast-growing lender that recently applied for a stock market listing.

"Approaching a piece of white paper to write calligraphy is like mapping out a strategy in China's economy," Tang said in an interview. "The lines of your writing are where you want to lead the money flow. And it all depends on how you make use of your potential power."

Tang is not the only elite Chinese financier to have a passion for the arts.

http://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSTON90255720080729

WHAT THE FU.CK?!!!

在西方﹐中國的邪惡已成皇帝的新衣。

China's evil has become The Emperor's New Clothes in the west. It is an indicator of western people's level of honesty and intelligence.

在西方﹐中國的邪惡已成皇帝的新衣。

China's evil has become The Emperor's New Clothes in the west. It is an
indicator of western people's level of honesty and intelligence.

China Monday objected to U.S. Republican presidential contender John McCain's meeting with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said "relevant people" in the United States should stop "supporting and conniving" with the Dalai Lama and separatist forces for "Tibet independence," Xinhua news agency reported.

Referring to McCain's reported meeting last Friday with the Dalai Lama, Liu said, "China is seriously concerned about the report," adding the Tibet issue is China's domestic affair.

He said China's opposition to the Dalai Lama conducting separatist activities in any country with any individual and opposition to anyone making use of the Dalai Lama issue to interfere in China's domestic affairs should be clear.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/07/28/China_tells_US_to_not_support_Dalai/UPI-74961217241393/

China unveils large Olympic delegation

Beijing July 25 - "China's delegation for next month's Olympics will be the largest for any Games with 639 athletes representing the host nation in Beijing, sports minister Liu Peng said on Friday.

The team, featuring world sprint hurdles champion Liu Xiang and NBA All Star Yao Ming, includes entrants for 38 disciplines in all 28 sports at the August 8-24 Games."

To the touchy, tense relationship between global superpowers, add this gritty irritant: As Washington's unemployment rate rose, China brought over hundreds of laborers to build its U.S. embassy.

China has been using an aging motel in Washington for three years to house the army of workers who built the $250 million granite and glass embassy, which at 345,500 square feet is one of the city's largest. Now, with the embassy scheduled to open tomorrow, some labor officials and lawmakers are being less than diplomatic in their criticism.

``This is outrageous,'' says Mark Levinson, chief economist at Unite Here!, a union representing 450,000 industrial, textile and hotel employees nationwide. ``When the U.S. is in a recession and Chinese imports are flooding into the U.S., the Chinese should be using American workers.''

China's tight control over the construction of its embassy, about four miles from the White House, may be spurred by a history of espionage between geopolitical rivals, says Ashton Carter, a former U.S. assistant defense secretary.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=axwuvvbl4u5g&refer=us

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http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gcKBxOcjlqyv9DnYd53y7lOTvOIAD9267QRO0

soooo.. Chinese are breeding with Pandas..

FUZHOU, July 28 -- Ferry service linking China's mainland with Taiwan was suspended with the arrival of a powerful typhoon that hit Taiwan early on Monday morning and was heading to east China's Fujian Province for another landfall.

BEIJING Olympic Games organisers bore the brunt of international media frustration yesterday as key global internet sites were shut down and the speed of the internet connections reduced to levels not seen for a decade.

In a double-barrelled attack, the BOCOG officials were also quizzed about the ongoing thick pollution that has enveloped Beijing. Games organisers had based their entire Games strategy on Green Olympics, Hi-tech Olympics and Peoples' Olympics, but two out of three elements were failing, the reporters claimed.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/beijing2008/reporters-vent-fury-at-great-firewall-of-china/2008/07/27/1217097058479.html

AP: Taiwan tribe struggles to keep traditional culture

"For decades the Tao aborigines of Taiwan's Orchid Island have used colorful canoe-like boats to net flying fish in the warm waters of the Pacific. But now more and more Tao men are migrating to Taiwan's cities to look for work, leaving fewer to learn how to build the 23-foot boats. The tribe is also under siege from Taiwan's majority Chinese culture."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/20/AR2008072000825.html

Beijing-bound German athletes were yesterday presented with T-shirts highlighting human rights issues to take with them to the Olympics. A group of former competitors, including Dieter Baumann, who won the 5,000 metres at the Barcelona Games in 1992, former East German shot putter Andreas Krieger as well as ex-DDR sprinter Ines Geipel, were among those who handed over the shirts to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). The T-shirts, bearing the slogans "Fair Games," "Sport for Human Rights," "Celebrate Humanity," "Free Tibet" and "Free China," were presented to a representative of the team. They will be available for athletes to wear at the German House, which has been set up in the Chinese capital for the team. "We do not want to tell athletes how to behave, but perhaps some of them will wear them in the German House, which has ex-territorial status, to show how they feel," said Geipel.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/sports/story.html?id=e3e9701f-2ca7-44f5-91bb-d850835267d5

"The Chinese smelters have no regard for the health and safety of their workers or the children who dig the ore," says Feeney, the executive director of UK-based Rights and Accountability in Development.

In Tongxiang, Zhejiang Huayou's home base near Shanghai, marketing manager Zhai Yang says his company sells processed cobalt via intermediaries, who he declines to name, to companies such as Sony, Nokia and Samsung Electronics.

Nokia spokesperson Susan Allsopp says the Finnish cellphone giant is researching whether Zhejiang Huayou is an indirect supplier.

"We have no evidence to suggest they are supplying any of our suppliers," she says. "We take any accusations of this nature seriously and do not accept the use of child labour or abuses of human rights. We will continue to monitor this, and if we find any breaches of our standards, we will take swift action."

Samsung spokesperson Hae Won Choi says the South Korean firm is investigating and so far, 70 percent of its suppliers say they don't buy cobalt from Zhejiang Huayou.

George Boyd of Tokyo-based Sony declined to comment.

Zhai says he doesn't know if Zhejiang Huayou buys minerals that originated with child labour.

"I've never been to the DRC, so I don't know the mines," he says. Zhai says his firm has a policy against child labour and will investigate. It will stop purchasing ore if it was dug by children, he says.

The Chinese government says the DRC's law must be respected.

"Chinese companies need to observe local labour laws and regulations and fulfil their social commitments," says Chen Rongkai, a spokesperson for the ministry of commerce in Beijing.

http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4525978&fSectionId=552&fSetId=662

July 26 (Xinhua) --
Canadian Mark Rowswell, well known in China by his local monicker "Dashan," said on Saturday that he felt he had found his "roots" in Kaifeng, a city in the central Henan Province which was illuminated by the Beijing Olympic sacred flame.

"I have chosen to take part in the torch relay in Henan, rather than Beijing, where I am living, because I feel I have my roots here," the Dashan said in fluent Chinese.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/26/content_8773430.htm

There are really two events starting next month, according to Wade. They are the Olympics, itself, and China’s “enormous political statement.”

He explained, “China would never have taken this event on were it simply a sporting event. This is also a statement China wants to make about itself, about its place in the 21st century.”

“This is not North Korea,” Wade reminded the reporters. “This is not as repressive a place, but it is a police state. It is an authoritarian state, and the controls are much more subtle so you have to be more savvy and understanding how they try to work and manipulate you.”

Many foreigners in Beijing have reported recently of visas being revoked and residency status being changed without explanation. Pete DeMola, a freelance writer for the Northwest Asian Weekly who has reported on the music scene in Beijing and the volunteer force for the Olympics, recently had to leave China sooner than expected when he could not renew his work visa. He said in an e-mail, “The majority of Beijing’s foreign residents will also be given the boot for the two months preceding the Games. (Apparently, the removal of the city’s 110,000 foreign residents is a form of damage control in the event that things turn sour at the Games.)”

http://www.nwasianweekly.com/2008270031/press20082731.htm

4 Haiku - Proud for our government

Proud for our government
Who disallows free speech of haters and democracy of mob
To ruin the whole public.

Proud for our government
Who expels the separatists
Away from One China belief.

Proud for our government,
that you may spread love in China,
but no one is allowed to hate.

Proud for our government!
China protects majority;
US worships individuality.

A Chinese newspaper faces punishment after running a photograph of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

The Beijing News has published a photo from 1989 showing victims of the crackdown on protesters in Tiananmen Square.

In the photo two men who appear to have been shot are being rushed away on the back of a pushbike.

The accompanying story is about the photographer who took it and the article does not mention the photo.

Stories about the 1989 Tiananmen massacre are effectively prohibited in China.

The newspaper now faces disciplinary action.

Some commentators have suggested that senior editors might be sacked.

Nobody at the newspaper was available for comment.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/26/2315237.htm?section=world

My fellow Chinese!
Let’s walk through their shouts and rocks,
Because, this is our baptism.

Haiku – Praise the Chinese Wintersweet

Oh, see that wintersweet!
How it stands and blooms
In the wild blizzard storms.

As Chinese,
We all should be proud,
Let's forgive those who hate us.

Haiku

The name of liberty
They marched in a mushroom cloud,
Then dispersed into wind.

The blog of John Pomfret
Is a heaven of haters,
That no one wants to post.

Freedom of speech
Is the best way for them
To spread their hatred.

Over his heart, Toronto shopkeeper Yong Ping Yu still wears a pin in support of the Communist Party of China, despite the fact he left the country more than 20 years ago.

The pin, tarnished by age, was given to him as a reward from a government official but he won't talk about why.

That's ancient history, he says, there's no point focusing on it.

For Yu, 75, the country he left behind is not the one the world will see when the Beijing Olympic Games open - and he can't wait.

"It is a glorious event," he said through a translator.
"It is supported not only by all the Chinese people in China but all the overseas Chinese people all over the world."

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ivVxTMUjBTnoUfFsjZn3LUqcp8iw

for better understanding: he is a citizen of Canada. He was running away because of communist rule. he is 20 fu_cking years in Canada now! and he needs a translator.. just a question but does Canada have a chinese colony?

發現您還在﹐忍不住再說幾句。溝通只對真誠和尊重的人才有意義。二百年來西方人血債累累﹐不羞恥﹐不懺悔﹐反而繼續以謊言和戰爭把這個世界弄得愈來愈烏煙瘴氣。您覺得這樣的人是真誠的人嗎。漢語還未學全﹐先學會用漢語捉弄中國網友﹐您覺得他們是有尊重心的人嗎。Pomfret 與那幾個會說漢語的大多語氣輕佻﹐他們連自己也不尊重﹐能尊重別人嗎。他們的問題不在於愚蠢而在於虛偽﹐雖有出於無知﹐但更因為冷漠。阿富汗人與伊拉克人水深火熱﹐他們卻滿口自由人權﹐忙於抹黑打擊別國。說白了﹐這些人不過就是些假仁假義的偽君子﹐口蜜腹劍的冷血動物﹐人面獸心的畜生。我說得過份了嗎。

有人告訴過我一個故事。印度有些壞人看見人們往往同情殘障兒童﹐便想出一條毒計﹐把健康小孩拐走後弄殘廢﹐再放到街上為他們討錢。善良的人不知內情﹐結果越給錢﹐受害的小孩越多。我覺得我們在這類媒體上為中國辯護或解釋﹐又或希望去改變這些類似Pomfret的人﹐就象那些給錢小孩的人。壞人們只會越發覺得在偽道德﹐真政治上有利可圖﹐去誤導和欺騙更多的人。他們的生意會在我們的幫助下越做越大。

中國人來這裡辯論﹐開始其實是由于尊重或重視這些西方人的看法。但是發現了對方原來不過是一群無賴﹐我們還來助興﹐那便是我們的錯了。您既然是美籍華人﹐就可以以美國人的身份教這些美國人基本倫理﹐卻完全不必為中國辯解。縱使提到中國﹐也是為了把美國的問題說清楚。

您也不必把我這段話譯成英語。我的話主要是對您說的。

謝謝您上星期為我譯了那首詩。

xenophobe trying to make a point..

Thanks Sir,

I understand now.

I am leaving this site to those feel very happy about doing others no good.

Dear Anonymous and Mr. Pomfret,

Your stage, your light, your speaker, and your show,
keep playing,
until God rings your bell.

So long!

Anti-Anonymous:

You are still a racist, nazist and a shauvenist.
You are offtopic and i still do not understand what you want to tell me here.

Anti-Anonymous,

發現您還在﹐忍不住再說幾句。溝通只對真誠和尊重的人才有意義。二百年來西方人血債累累﹐不羞恥﹐不懺悔﹐反而繼續以謊言和戰爭把這個世界弄得愈來愈烏煙瘴氣。您覺得這樣的人是真誠的人嗎。漢語還未學全﹐先學會用漢語捉弄中國網友﹐您覺得他們是有尊重心的人嗎。Pomfret 與那幾個會說漢語的大多語氣輕佻﹐他們連自己也不尊重﹐能尊重別人嗎。他們的問題不在於愚蠢而在於虛偽﹐雖有出於無知﹐但更因為冷漠。阿富汗人與伊拉克人水深火熱﹐他們卻滿口自由人權﹐忙於抹黑打擊別國。說白了﹐這些人不過就是些假仁假義的偽君子﹐口蜜腹劍的冷血動物﹐人面獸心的畜生。我說得過份了嗎。

有人告訴過我一個故事。印度有些壞人看見人們往往同情殘障兒童﹐便想出一條毒計﹐把健康小孩拐走後弄殘廢﹐再放到街上為他們討錢。善良的人不知內情﹐結果越給錢﹐受害的小孩越多。我覺得我們在這類媒體上為中國辯護或解釋﹐又或希望去改變這些類似Pomfret的人﹐就象那些給錢小孩的人。壞人們只會越發覺得在偽道德﹐真政治上有利可圖﹐去誤導和欺騙更多的人。他們的生意會在我們的幫助下越做越大。

中國人來這裡辯論﹐開始其實是由于尊重或重視這些西方人的看法。但是發現了對方原來不過是一群無賴﹐我們還來助興﹐那便是我們的錯了。您既然是美籍華人﹐就可以以美國人的身份教這些美國人基本倫理﹐卻完全不必為中國辯解。縱使提到中國﹐也是為了把美國的問題說清楚。

您也不必把我這段話譯成英語。我的話主要是對您說的。

謝謝您上星期為我譯了那首詩。

To Anonymous:

---what are you trying to say?---

All I am saying is that if you want to condemn Chinese government, then you call it in full name, as Chinese Government. Not 'Chinese'! Chinese are not responsible for their government's deed, nor George Bush's decision represents American people, even though he was voted to be American president. I would not call out 'Disgusting American pigs' for George Bush's bad decision.

But if you use 'disgusting Chinese' or 'chinese pigs', then you sort every Chinese in one group for discriminating. That proves you are a racist.

I hate US Government, but I love American people.
I dislike many Chinese and current Chinese government, but I am very careful with name calling, I may call someone a pig, but I will never call a nation or a race or a culture a pig and disgusting, because I am not racist like you.

I believe there are good people and bad people from every country or place, but I don't post online that like you did many times, calling 'chinese pig' and 'disgusting chinese', these are racist terms, not political terms.

But I would call Mr. dick cheney, Hu Jintao, Sharon Stone, Dalai Lama and you are all pigs, that I only offend individuals, not a group of people; but if I were like you call 'American pigs' or 'Disgusting Chinese' or 'Proud white people' that means I am racist.

But you Anonymous called so many times on this website using such racist terms.

I don't mind if anyone verbally assault me or other individual, but if I see someone like you assault a group of people like a typical racist, then I have to stand up and say something and yell out, you are lucky you don't call such name in front me, otherwise I tear up your mouth.

Even I wrote my Chinese poems only abuses Mr. John Pomfret, only him, his last name; but I don't call him say, 'You disgusting American pigs' like you called me and my fellow Chinese on this site.

Anonymous, you are so racist, that you don't even know that you are racist.

Why don't you stab yourself to death with a calligraphy brush?

And Mr. John Pomfret, you did not build a good culture bridge for both countries, you know that? Now, do me a favor, don't go to your Chinese wife's bed tonight, you don't deserve it; instead, you stay in the living on your sofa and learn from CNN see how they discriminating Chinese boldly, and meditate what you should do for your next blog, jeez, I can't wait to read it. it is better than my cable!

Anti-Anonymous

what are you trying to say?

To Mr. Will Lewis,

I do respect people who respect me and others.

You may find my posting hurting others which is just return to those who hurt me and other people.

_______________________________
Like Anonymous constantly calls name 'disgusting chinese pigs', then I yell back at him.
_______________________________________
Marcel:
---'pity chinese'. i will bet they will make a big drama when africans will start to crash their business and bloody riots with 'killing of chinese' immigrants. maybe then it will became "chinese problem".---

I assume his is very proud about his country, then I return my letter to him:

Pity you Marcel,

Only your government would consider other people's affair as theirs, and using your country made weapons to help other to kill or to be killed, and later, get your pumping heads into them for cheaper oil. ... and the rest.
___________________________________

Mr. John Pomfret's 'Two Nations' violated one china belief.

I think not only me is angry with US foreign and federal policy, and many American are angry with US government policy, just like many Chinese are angry with their government too. But I separate American people and US government, for what US government does that not represent many American people, but I do not hold American people for US government's failure.

But this site does not clearly tell readers that it is about Chinese government, so many readers read this site would think all Chinese are bad, disgusting... like the response of Anonymous.
________________________________

Now you talk about observation.
People go to church to observe the Holy service, do they set blog say that those Christians are so disgusting that they drink from a same cup? They kneel to the cross?
People go to zoo to observe animal, for the cuteness of creature, do they say they are disgusting that they pee wherever place.
_______________________________________

I understand there are many Chinese people that lack of education like me, whether we elbow people for the sit on bus, or speak aloud, eat in public... but I am sure there are many good things about Chinese, can you find anything on this site?

As a Chinese and American, I am happy about both cultures and I am embarrassed about the weakness of both culture, but I prefer not to be call Chinese pigs or fat American.

All people have weakness, but it does not give other people's rights to criticize a whole group. there must be a reason.

As chinese bad public behavior that causes by over-populated cities, they talk loud so the listener could hear them clearly. Like in Japan, morning train are packed, but they are not animal.
there is reason Chinese government gives not democracy, their first subway was build in 1990s, when NY metro was built, 1890? that time women could not vote, black were segregated in US. Did I say your grandpa generation were disgusting American pigs? so you are the seed of them?

Did any Chinese laugh at you westerners that English was not yet a language before 10th century? that westerners eat with forks so you are uncivilized?

Can you guys give a chance to others to let them walk on their own?

Why could not you be fair and observe both good and bad of others?

If you think Chinese government is not good, I agree with you; but please stop call disgusting Chinese, Chinese is name of group of people, a culture; government does not represent them, not whole of them, not any individual.

To Anti-Anonymous,

You wrote:
"This topic is untouchable to Chinese, it is not soccer or baseball or football,

Politics, people died, or may die from it. I don't think anyone should talk about other people's belief very lightly, but you westerner do understand, you call it human right, democracy.

"'Two nations' 'divided' by one language"

This kind of title is like burning my national flag, what if I burn your nation's flag right in front of you, how would you feel?"

Though I think that 'culture' is a strong word when referring to anything American, I'd say that this highlights one of the differences between America and China. In the US, burning the flag is an extreme method of demonstrating dissatisfaction with the policies of the government. If you burned the US flag right in front of me I'd be lying if I told you I wouldn't be angry. But, my curiosity in your dissatisfaction with US policy would greatly overshadow any anger I felt toward you. I certainly would not yell at you or look angry, but I would ask you about your problems with the US and hopefully end up in a meaningful discussion about how we each view the situation.

Unfortunately, blogging without comment moderation allows vitriol to be written which obscures any meaningful discussion taking place between the accusations of racism and ignorance.

Wow, the comments in this thread really do back up the authors article. Obnoxious comments from Mainland Chinese. I'm sure that they'd be screaming if they could be heard, and not making much sense at the same time.

It was an observation in the article, and a correct observation. I've seen the same attitude from Mainland Chinese time and time again. It's common. It's not racist, it's an observation. Just like older Taiwanese have this habit of queue jumping and elbowing their way to the front. But they tend to do it quietly.

There's a lot of similarity between Taiwanese and Chinese Mainland people, but a HUGE number of things that are different too.

Also, I most certainly don't find Taiwan Mandarin more refined. It's lazy Mandarin.

--Why don't you just tell what is your real thought directly! Do you dare? Just tell we Chinese are pigs, and should not even exist! ---

gosh discusting chinese pig is trying to get an affirmation of his paranoia. hahaha... pity loser you are.

--Your country has enough a-bombs, come on, sho
ot them over! Be a man!---

what are you trying to tell me? whats the matter?

--Tell your true thoughts!---

i am not you, i told my tru toughts already whole time, you idiot.

--You dare to say it, not even to do it? Where is your manhood?---

what are you trying to say? is it a try to insult me, isnt it?

---Stop playing your racist games of gentlemen for your post,---

the only racist here is you..

--why Mr. John Pomfret and your faithful start a better straight forward topic like 'Let's kill the f king chinese yellow pigs!'----

What are you trying to say? why should i follow your racism?

---Come one! We can take that!--

you are not even teenager..

--This line is for you, coward. ---

get lost, you arrogant arsehole.

--You should say that to you, and who the hack you think you are? God? --

what are you trying to say?

---Why don't you clean up your behind and then look at others!--

can you please tell me what you want?

--Say it to yourself and Mr. John Pomfret.--

again you butthurt idiot; leave this blog and sto to post your paranoide sh_it here!

To Anonymous,

--you cant take critics and truth? go away.--

This line is for you, coward. You should say that to you, and who the hack you think you are? God? Why don't you clean up your behind and then look at others!

---you have no right to tell us what we deserve and what not. aside that you are a bigger, arrogant and respeckless ---

Say it to yourself and Mr. John Pomfret.

----gosh.. discusting chinese pig trying to insult the whole world outside of chinese colonies..---

Why don't you just tell what is your real thought directly! Do you dare? Just tell we Chinese are pigs, and should not even exist! Your country has enough a-bombs, come on, shoot them over! Be a man! Tell your true thoughts! You dare to say it, not even to do it? Where is your manhood?

Stop playing your racist games of gentlemen for your post, why Mr. John Pomfret and your faithful start a better straight forward topic like

'Let's kill the f king chinese yellow pigs!'

Come one! We can take that! Be a real man.

--you and people like you ever respect others, then others will also respect you.---

what does it mean?

--Don't think you can squeeze some soft people, then you won't get your own embarrassment--

what do you want to say?

--No one in this world walks with clean butts, all you people just want an embarrassment.---

can you please tell me what you want to tell?

--And now my words make you feel so satisfied.--

why?

--You people just don't want to be in a eased situation, you must provoke others to slap your face so you can feel better.--

you cant take critics and truth? go away.

--You people don't ever deserve human rights and freedom of speech, you are just a bunch of animals that must need others to whip you to live.--

you have no right to tell us what we deserve and what not. aside that you are a bigger, arrogant and respeckless animal.

--Pity you! Pity the majority good western people endure you. For you guys just need animal rights.--

gosh.. discusting chinese pig trying to insult the whole world outside of chinese colonies..

To Anonymous,

If you and people like you ever respect others, then others will also respect you.

Don't think you can squeeze some soft people, then you won't get your own embarrassment.

No one in this world walks with clean butts, all you people just want an embarrassment.

And now my words make you feel so satisfied. You people just don't want to be in a eased situation, you must provoke others to slap your face so you can feel better.

You people don't ever deserve human rights and freedom of speech, you are just a bunch of animals that must need others to whip you to live.

Pity you! Pity the majority good western people endure you. For you guys just need animal rights.

Pity anti-anonymous.. so much butthurt is in him.

To Marcel,

-----"This is an African problem,'' says Liu Zhenmin, China's deputy ambassador to the United Nations. The Chinese ambassador to the Congo, Wu Zexian, says his country doesn't interfere in the internal affairs of countries in which its citizens and companies perform work.---

pity chinese. i will bet they will make a big drama when africans will start to crash their business and bloody riots with killing of chinese immigrants. maybe then it will became "chinese problem".----

Pity you Marcel,

Only your government would consider other people's affair as theirs, and using your country made weapons to help other to kill or to be killed, and later, get your pumping heads into them for cheaper oil. Chinese are welcome in other part of world; but you and your people? stay where you are, no people like you in the world, pity you and your people, too bad the world stops to provide you cheap oil for your 4x4 huh? maybe you should look into your mirror, and you will surely find some rich fatty oil on you, why don't you just burn some yourself and for the world? Pity you!:)

--"This is an African problem,'' says Liu Zhenmin, China's deputy ambassador to the United Nations. The Chinese ambassador to the Congo, Wu Zexian, says his country doesn't interfere in the internal affairs of countries in which its citizens and companies perform work.---

pity chinese. i will bet they will make a big drama when africans will start to crash their business and bloody riots with killing of chinese immigrants. maybe then it will became "chinese problem".

--Otherwise how you convince the readers with your expertise on Chinese affair here.--

Whatever you are smoking is your own problem, but please stop to post here when you are on drugs.

To Hu Min and James, and any other Chinese Expert,

This question for you:

What is the original name of Shang Shu?

If you think you could answer that then maybe you know something about China.

Mr. Pomfret can also join the hunt.

I thought you guys are Chinese expert, and often give your stupid comment about Chinese, and I guess you guys read Chinese too.

come on guys, go back to your school library and find it out.

What is the original name of Shang Shu?

Otherwise how you convince the readers with your expertise on Chinese affair here.

--You big China and Taiwan expert!--

I never saw him claiming on being an expert. You, from other side, are claiming all time that. Maybe you should get a troll-test?

--Since you are so smart and know google, then please tell me the original name of "Shang Shu".

A hint what did Mencius comment about reading this book?

You big China and Taiwan expert! --

Are you on drugs?

From Anonymous:

--What is the book name?--

What a book?! a book where was used a chinese word "middle kingdom"(Zhongguo)? Here is a first book where it was writed in;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_of_History

To Anonymous:

Since you are so smart and know google, then please tell me the original name of "Shang Shu".

Let's see the wikipedia tells you that. Not even Mr. John Pomfret could tell you.

What is the original name of Shang Shu?

A hint what did Mencius comment about reading this book?

You big China and Taiwan expert!

Those who attend the Summer Olympics in Beijing this year could unknowingly be benefiting from child labor in the Congo.

That's where boys like Adon Kalenga, 13, work as independent contractors for middlemen who sell the ore they mine with their bare hands to Chinese-operated smelters, at a going rate of around $3 a day, reports Bloomberg.

One sweltering day in March, Kalenga has been carrying 40-pound bags of ore to the river to wash them. Bits of rock are embedded under his fingernails, and he says every part of his body hurts. Working nearby in an unventilated 50-foot mine pit without bracing or other support to prevent cave-ins, another boy, 15-year-old Carlito Muamba, is digging for ore, the news agency reports in a lengthy article.

Although there are some laws against such practices, they are little-enforced. Meanwhile, China takes the position that such child labor practices are not its responsibility:

"This is an African problem,'' says Liu Zhenmin, China's deputy ambassador to the United Nations. The Chinese ambassador to the Congo, Wu Zexian, says his country doesn't interfere in the internal affairs of countries in which its citizens and companies perform work.

But "in countries where human rights aren't respected and where people can't hold their governments accountable, it's vital for foreign governments and investors to impose conditions,'' says Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmentalist and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner.

In the end, much of the work being done in Africa by child laborers reportedly benefits individual consumers in the United States, Europe and Japan.

http://www.abajournal.com/news/child_labor_in_congo_benefits_chinese_companies_and_us_consumers/

---Where you learned Chinese? If I were you, I would go get a refund.---

Dear dumb nut,

if you do not write a word into "NAME:-field" then you will be named "Anonymous:"

therefore my dear Shawn, papertiger (or whatever you call yourself at moment)it is very possible that you are insulting yourself.

aisde that your chinese is worse than my taiwanese. you should find another translator software. and please stop to stalk my computer.

From Anonymous to Mr John Pomfret
我觉的您不是一个很勤奋的作家,在最近一个月的时间里,您只写了5,6篇文章.我觉得这样慢的更新频率从长远来讲会对您的博客的人气产生负面影响. 另外,您为什么不在您的播客里发布一些照片呢?是您的老板不允许还是技术上不可行?

Those who read Chinese may have a good laugh on the Anonymous' previous post to Mr. John Pomfret.

My Dear Anonymous,

Where you learned Chinese? If I were you, I would go get a refund.

"Lao Ban, please return Lao Wai Anonymoyus' money."

I think your Taiwanese teacher screwed you, huh, huh.

I am not sure John understands your Chinese:)

---and I won't reply to you for anything.---

again, YOU ARE WELCOME TO LEAVE THIS BLOG EVERYTIME?!! I AM NOT REALY INTERESSTING IN A TALK WITH YOU! YOU LACK OF EDUCATION AND RESPECT!
aside that even american jobless knows more than you.

--I give all the time to you to answer it.--

AS IF I CARE!!

--Stop acting like you know something.--

WHAT?!!!

--If you don't answer it right, then you don't even have right to talk about Chinese matter,--

WHAT?!! W_T_F I_S T_H_I_S S_H_I_T?!! WHERE ARE WE? IN KINDERGARTEN?!!

--What is the book name?--

What a book?! a book where was used a chinese word "middle kingdom"(Zhongguo)? Here is a first book where it was writed in;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_of_History

--Anonymous, don't dream like you know Chinese, you don't even know the first line of my history line, you probably just some jobless American that has nothing to do, do you want me list your nation's history? I know more American history than you and your president.--

WHAT IS THIS?!!

--since you acting like expert of Chinese historian,--

i NEVER WAS ACTING LIKE EXPERT OF CHINESE "HISTORIAN".

--tell me who was the person wrote first Chinese history?--

NOONE WROTE "FIRST CHINESE HISTORY", YOU LO OSER. There is no book with that name.

--since Huang Di, Da Yu, to Zhuo Dynasty,
then spring and autumn to warring period,
to nine years of Qin, 800 years Han,
to five dynasty and 10 kingdoms,
to 800 years Tang and 400 years Song,
and Yuan, Ming and Qing to the 1949.
--

all not "chinese history". all histories of diferent empires.

btw; Yuan-, Ming- and Qing Empires were not to the 1949. again, GO BACK TO THE SHOOL YOU DA,MN UNEDUCATED ID,IOT!

---then spring and autumn to warring period,---

In English we call it "The begin and the end of warring period"

--Taiwanese do not have any history, only Chinese do have.--

you are an arr_ogant ar seho_le. GO BACK TO THE SHOOL AND LEARN ABOUT TAIWANESE HISTORY YOU DA_MN ID,IOT!

--go back to the shool kid and learn 'taiwanese history' again.--Anonymous

Taiwanese do not have any history, only Chinese do have.

And Chinese in Taiwan study the same history books,

since Huang Di, Da Yu, to Zhuo Dynasty,
then spring and autumn to warring period,
to nine years of Qin, 800 years Han,
to five dynasty and 10 kingdoms,
to 800 years Tang and 400 years Song,
and Yuan, Ming and Qing to the 1949.

Anonymous, don't dream like you know Chinese, you don't even know the first line of my history line, you probably just some jobless American that has nothing to do, do you want me list your nation's history? I know more American history than you and your president.

since you acting like expert of Chinese historian, tell me who was the person wrote first Chinese history? What is the book name? If you don't answer it right, then you don't even have right to talk about Chinese matter, and I won't reply to you for anything. I give all the time to you to answer it. Stop acting like you know something.

China "invades" Africa on Al-Jazeera English

http://shanghaiist.com/2008/07/03/china_invades_africa_on_al_jazeera.php

Aiyar's young students at the Beijing Broadcasting Institute had to undergo compulsory Maoism courses but "fantasized of little but money" (p 16). They reviled American foreign policy even while patronizing McDonalds and chasing admissions to US universities. Coming from a class of society that benefited from the economic boom, they were optimistic and ambitious but also apolitical and ignorant of knowledge deemed "unsuitable". They willfully ignored human rights problems and held a "bright, nationalistic worldview in which China was getting stronger and everything was getting better". (p 17)

Parroting official propaganda with sincerity, none of Aiyar's students knew that Tibetan spiritual leader in exile the Dalai Lama was a Nobel laureate. The "zero anti-establishment feeling" and enforced homogeneity of thinking among the brightest minds of the country dampened Aiyar's liberal Indian mind, but also reminded that control of information was the key to government legitimacy in China. Muzzling of the media by the state seemed perfectly normal to the author's students, who held that "concepts like freedom of the press were fundamentally unsuitable to the 'volatile' nature of the Chinese people" (p 22). It was only after the full extent of the SARS epidemic coverup became evident in 2003 that Aiyar's pupils reacted with shock and resentment towards their government.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/JG12Ad01.html

---And the current situation and development goes favorablely for Taiwan and Mainland, There is no any culture difference between Taiwan or Mainland, all speak Mandarin, share the same history book since time of creation to 1949. economically, many Taiwan people do have their business setup in Mainland, there will be more; and future is that, if Taiwan allow Mainlanders to dwell in Taiwan, then the ballot box of Taiwan would never favor any Independence vote, not even now, and the fact is, many people consider themselves by birth place, so they call themselves Taiwanese, that they mean they are from the island Taiwan, just like Cantonese, they call themselves Cantonese that they mean they are from Canton province. In China, people travel in a vast land, no person calls himself a Chinese, they all sort and call themselves by their hometown or home province.---

go back to the shool kid and learn taiwanese history again.

--Taiwan had been pacified,--

What does it mean exsactly?

--they will lose any meaningful power and making fun of mainlanders will be the last few things they have to fend off insecurity.---

what does it mean?

--Its one thing to keep your economy stagnating, ts quite another to create a recession.--

Can someone please translate this one?

---Some people of Taiwan need to understand that if they accept their own history and reality, then they have no enemy in the political world, they are Chinese, but they have their rights to name themselves as long as they quit to heading to a dead end.--

Taiwan = former japanese island.
Taiwanese = mixture of native taiwanese and immigrated chinese illigals who took control and goverment over island.

lets see what a idnetity taiwanese should have. it is only taiwanese native identity. immigrants have no right to force tghis island into own former homeland. immigrants have to go home or became taiwanese. So Taiwanese are not chinese and they identity themselfes not as chinese. You should stop to swallow chinese nazi propaganda and start to respect forign ezthnics and nations.

To iewgnem,

You said fairly.

Some people of Taiwan need to understand that if they accept their own history and reality, then they have no enemy in the political world, they are Chinese, but they have their rights to name themselves as long as they quit to heading to a dead end.

The current situation is they can continue be an American dog who wishfully dream for 'Independence', or be Chinese as their DNA says to enjoy their political, economical and even militarily freedom through their democratic system.

There is no defacto unification if Taiwan and Mainland peacefully 'unified' or in the process of unification as current. Taiwan will still be Taiwan, Mainland is still Mainland, and the name of China includes both. This way Taiwan will surely take away all reasons and possibilities and rights from Mainland to seek a militarily unification, which will be defacto unification. Or Taiwan still sleep an 'Independent' dream that one day until wake, then Taiwan need not to be another party's dog.

And the current situation and development goes favorablely for Taiwan and Mainland, There is no any culture difference between Taiwan or Mainland, all speak Mandarin, share the same history book since time of creation to 1949. economically, many Taiwan people do have their business setup in Mainland, there will be more; and future is that, if Taiwan allow Mainlanders to dwell in Taiwan, then the ballot box of Taiwan would never favor any Independence vote, not even now, and the fact is, many people consider themselves by birth place, so they call themselves Taiwanese, that they mean they are from the island Taiwan, just like Cantonese, they call themselves Cantonese that they mean they are from Canton province. In China, people travel in a vast land, no person calls himself a Chinese, they all sort and call themselves by their hometown or home province.

For Mr. John Pomfret, that is very difficult to read Chinese clearly through American glasses and western eye and mind... not to mention that, he must write not only for public but also for American paper, that stands by a political side of US.

But I can only trust Western media who report about giant panda, that is 100 percent truth.

Even Dalai Lama eventually realizes that his own belief is used by the western politicians all these years, and he does not even have good comment about western culture and government, and now he just wants to go back Tibet, China to rest his life in a remote place.

I pray China government would forgive him and allow him to go back to finish what he supposes to do, be a true religious leader, not a politician.

And I pray the western politicians could let go their churches, stop robbing the true faithful people and making the house of God a den of robbers or theirs.

Democracy was Greek invention, before they started a war to raze their neighbors, they voted to do it. The mob of democracy put Christ on cross.

Human Rights is given by God, not by struggle of missiles and Aircraft carriers, not by vicious political schemes, not by your loud speaker and your giant cardboard, not by one-sided-story of truth, which 60% or 70% of truth is not whole truth but a lie.

To those who fall on the street of June 4th and desert sand of Iraq, their soul regret that their life were another unnecessary sacrifice of vain name, whether they carried the flag of stars or red, only their agonizing families know that life is better than anything, and I wonder who are those to blame for others' death of fighting a good fight? Only Chinese Communist Party? Only the Chinese? Then who lured my children to be on the street to die for freedom and human rights, or step into a strange land to kill to be killed in the name of liberation?

What about those immature cowards who wage young people into a rolling tank for an unthoughtful incomplete unreal ideal, and frame their own concept and interpretation to other people's mind, and cause others to fight for a death fight? what about those dumb listeners' human rights and freedom of thinking, did anyone think about that? If my speech or report or message causes anyone's death, then how can I sleep at night, but who cares, just push all the dirts to the bad people, and I still have clean hands and be a good model. Through other's death I gain my experiences.

I laugh at Communist propaganda, but I hate western ones even more, their word trick could be easily missed by ordinary readers.

Just like comparing Hollywood drama and Chinese soap opera, me and my friends like Hollywood better, better acting, thoughtful drama, so real that draws real tear; but we don't watch Chinese soap opera, very unprofessional, the Chinese need to learn from American, especially on the part of brainwashing, the unskilled teacher only disciplines his students, but the wise teacher influence.

Besides, in this world, only God gives true freedom and human rights, not even St. Paul.

To anti-communist,

I don't think you should be an anti-communist in this world, because God said clearly that He gave this world to me.

If you think you are a good person or pro-good, or anti-bad, then you should not do a good thing in this world, otherwise you throw the words of God in vain.

Don't you know that good people are pressed and should be pressed in this world? God allowed. It is a test.

If you think Falung Gong, Tibetan are good, then they should be pressed in China or other places, otherwise God is wrong, you don't want that happen, right?

look, even Jesus was hung in this world, why other good people should not be pressed?

Don't fight against your enemy, unless you want to follow me.

If you think you are a good person, and trying to do work, then don't give your speech like you just did. In fact, you should put on a happy face and give your other side cheek to receive a good slap from me.

Did not your God tell you to love your enemy?
Then why you still disobey Him and fight?

Unless you want to join my party, then take off your goody sheep cloth, and enjoy my good fight club like other peoples posting here, they are my guests down below, you want to come?

Who you think you are? that doing the good work?

The British had made fun of American behavior forever, its because it make them feel better about their otherwise pathetic status when standing next to it.

Taiwan isn't even British, sorry Mr. Pomfret but you have not much authority on the subject, but any real Chinese could tell how Taiwan's mandarin is like American English next to British, maybe not even (eg. Taiwan politicians useing words comparable to 'daddy' in parliamentary speech make you look rather childish), their only sense of superiority was a wealth that no longer exist, and like any who have fallen from grace, they resort to making fun of trivial things.

Its the same with the west, having lived in Canada for so many years I can tell you superficial behavior is so entrenched in western culture they are no longer aware of it. Its hard to notice when they were king of the hill, but it really start to show when they too are losing their status. Unlike Taiwan, they resort to ideology to make their near death struggle, using words like "human rights" and "freedom" so much its almost religious. Once graceful locals are more and more resorting to desperate attacks, comparing China to Nazi Germany, picking on Olympic mascots, having had a high regard for them in the past, I find this fall from grace quite sad.

Taiwan had been pacified, they will lose any meaningful power and making fun of mainlanders will be the last few things they have to fend off insecurity. Its one thing to keep your economy stagnating, its quite another to create a recession. Once direct trade pick up it creates an unseperable bond between the two sides, a bond in which Taiwan is ultimately subject to China's moods due to its sheer size. Chinese authorities does not need establish an office to reunify the island, having an overwhelming influence on the island's politics is sufficient, instead of defacto independence, it is defacto unification.

Welcome to the new world order.

Why do people keep glamorizing Communist China?

This is a country that has no free elected government and punishes free speech.

The bloggers and China Sycophants only encourage Communist China's propaganda machine.

It is senseless and naive to promote Communist China in a positive light.

Communist China is a nuclear enemy of the free democratic world. It is wrong to interact with the Chinese.

The act of visiting Communist China or going there to do business or even attending the Olympics is tantamount to treason.

My comments are not against the Chinese people; all countries are generally made up of good-natured, peace-loving people. I personally am an enthusiast of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The Communist Chinese want us to believe that they are socially, economically and commercially an "equal member" of the global community. They are in no way similar to free industrialized states.

Communist countries cannot be on the same stance economically and politically as free and independent states. This is a huge mistake in our thinking... to accept China on the terms which China wants us to accept them.

Communist China does not get to set its own world opinion.

This summer's Olympics is a huge propaganda opportunity for the Communist Regime. They can now tout that a Communist Autocracy can operate in commercial and global spheres such as international sports and business all while suppressing free-speech, religious freedoms and other civil liberties.

Just because we lent a sympathetic pause to our criticism of Communist China after the Sichuan Earthquake we should not forget about the treatment of the Falun Gong, the plight of the Tibetan state and countless other acts of oppression.

Even Islam suffers in Communist China.
Communist China is an "Equal Opportunity Destroyer"

"The Chinese are coming, the Chinese are coming!"

Are you kidding me? Someone who wrote this article should take some time off.

I can't even believe that this is real. The entire text is biased and prejudiced and not even logically coherent.

"The United Nations made a decision that it would use simplified Chinese as the only Chinese characters after 2008. Nowadays the UN accepts two versions of Chinese characters, namely the traditional Chinese and the simplified Chinese."

http://zonaeuropa.com/20060413_1.htm
http://www.gopetition.com/region/237/8314.html

Fears of terrorism during the Games were heightened Monday after explosions on buses in the southwestern city of Kunming. No suspects have been named in the attacks that killed two people and injured at least 14.

In May, three people were killed in a bus explosion in Shanghai and in March authorities said the crew of a China Southern airliner had foiled a plot to blow up the plane flying from Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang province, to Beijing.

But Chinese authorities have released little information about the incidents. The secrecy has led some critics to speculate whether the government has hyped the terrorism threat to justify its repression on dissent, particularly by Tibetans or Uighurs, a Muslim minority of Turkic ethnicity based in Xinjiang, in northwestern China.

"This is the oldest trick in all authoritarian regimes. They create a narrative of about how unidentified enemies are plotting against them to legitimize strong-arm policies," Nicholas Bequelin, a Hong Kong-based researcher for Human Rights Watch, said Monday. "Now they are really stretching themselves to claim there is a connection with the Olympics in order to win international sympathy."

Human Rights Watch is due to release a report later this week criticizing China's claims about terrorism threats.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-terror22-2008jul22,0,5374111.story

This topic is untouchable to Chinese, it is not soccer or baseball or football,

Politics, people died, or may die from it. I don't think anyone should talk about other people's belief very lightly, but you westerner do understand, you call it human right, democracy.

"'Two nations' 'divided' by one language"

This kind of title is like burning my national flag, what if I burn your nation's flag right in front of you, how would you feel?
-------------------------------------------
BLABLABLA.. chinese mainland propaganda again. are you trying to claim a same feelings like americans now? just how much do you know about patriotic feelings, man? you saw some sh_it with "happy waving a flag on st.patric day", and now you think you can touch a soul of forigners by telling them you can became furrious and into rage when some burns your flag? what a pitty man you are..

but my best, noone is burning a PRC flag here and noone is feeling patriotic hurt here. include yourself. you just are trying to kill a conversation by switching of the topic into "i'm feeling bad about my feelings" BS.

Anti-Anonymous = whiny oversea parasite.

Chinese from mainland = i dont care so long they dont touch my one.

To Mr. Will Lewis,

I agree with you and Shawn, but we have to understand these things are politics, not sports or other things,

many people died on these issues, includes Chinese and Americans and many people from other places in the world,

We just cannot still be very calm when some people talk about such important topic with leisure, and one sided stories,

And I apologize to Mr. John Pomfret that I attacked him with my disrespectful words.

But you as westerner do know much about Chinese politics, especially about our belief of One China and Independence, sometimes son and daughter cannot forgive their own parents for they hold different views.

This topic is untouchable to Chinese, it is not soccer or baseball or football,

Politics, people died, or may die from it. I don't think anyone should talk about other people's belief very lightly, but you westerner do understand, you call it human right, democracy.

"'Two nations' 'divided' by one language"

This kind of title is like burning my national flag, what if I burn your nation's flag right in front of you, how would you feel?

I believe Mr. John Pomfret is a professional journalist, not Anonymous, this kind of title just creates all kind of different reaction to Chinese.

You guys want to learn about China, true Chinese?

You are getting the lesson right now!

I agree with Shawn. This blog would be a lot more readable without the comments. There is no productive discussion happening in these comments, and the draw is and should be John Pomfret's writing and insights.

Ma praises Japanese oil pact with China

"President Ma Ying-jeou praised Japan and China's recent decision to jointly develop gas fields in the East China Sea.

Ma said Japan's recent agreement with China has helped bring more stability to the region."

http://english.rti.org.tw/Content/GetSingleNews.aspx?ContentID=61798

Deliberate explosions on three) Chinese buses killed at least three people and injured 14 in the southwestern city of Kunming on Monday, media said, amid a security clampdown ahead of next month’s Beijing Olympics.

The official Xinhua news agency blamed the blasts on ”sabotage” and said police had started roadside checks in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, to try to find the person or persons responsible. It did not elaborate.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/90377b26-5706-11dd-916c-000077b07658.html

China, Russia sign border agreement

"(AP) — China and Russia signed an agreement Monday to end a long-running dispute over the demarcation of their eastern border

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov signed the agreement with his Chinese counterpart"

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iPRy_MzlZKYu9084mAK94ZxBFANgD9226AFG0

Anti Anonymous: "Anonymous, before you shut your eyes eternally, please think how many bad things you did to others, and ask yourself, can God forgive you?---"

---God will forgive Anonymous, but only when Anonymous knows there's God and wants to know Him.

Police have killed two people in a clash with villagers in southwestern China in the latest outburst of social unrest in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics, an activist group and state media said on Sunday.

The clash occurred Saturday morning in remote Yunnan province when more than 1,000 local rubber growers protested in a dispute over the sale of their crops, the Hong Kong Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said.

Police called in to quell the protest in Menglian county then battled with the rubber planters, shooting two dead and seriously injuring a third, said the centre, which frequently issues reports about unrest in China.

It said about 20 people had been arrested.

Local police declined comment when contacted by AFP by phone.

China's government has expressed increasing concern about mounting social tension that could mar the country's hosting of the August 8-24 Olympics, which Communist leaders are using to project an image of national unity and harmony.

More than 200 people, mostly rubber farmers, continued to gather at the site in the pre-dawn hours on Sunday morning, state-run Xinhua news agency said.

The Hong Kong rights centre said the farmers were angry about being forced to sell all their rubber plant crop to local government departments at prices 40 percent lower than they could obtain on the open market.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jziAmp3y0M0YXqlWeFzCkruVdESQ

Bike Zhang had no sooner waved good-bye to his visitors when government thugs showed up and forced the couple out of their house. When the couple tried to move in with friends, the police hauled them out. When they tried to stay in hotels, police told the hotel owners to evict the pastor and his wife or risk getting the hotel burned down. Then they had Bike Zhang and his wife in all night for questioning. When these poor folks merely tried to go somewhere to get some sleep, the police came after them, literally forcing them out of peoples' homes.

The last word is that the pastoral couple is literally living on the street, as they can stay nowhere else. When the police were asked why they were doing this, they replied that by meeting with Americans, Bike Zhang had "destroyed the harmony of the Beijing Olympic games."

http://washingtontimes.com/weblogs/belief-blog/2008/Jul/19/chinese-are-it-again/

my family will not see those perverted olympics.

Chinese police killed two people during a fight Saturday with rubber farmers in the country's southwest, a government news agency said.

About 400 people fought with police in Menglian county in Yunnan province, the Xinhua News Agency said. It said some of those involved were rubber farmers who had protested against a local rubber company but gave no details about the source of Saturday's violence.

Police used guns and clubs, killing two people and injuring a third, the report said. It said 13 police officers were injured. The area has residents from the Dai, Lagu and Wa ethnic minorities, Xinhua said.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/19/asia/AS-China-Protest-Deaths.php

---Japan then you should understand that Chinese and Japanese culture are closely related since Tang Dynasty--

LOL.you are another uneducated idiot who call Tang Empire "chinese"..

--How many posts Anonymous (who is westerner) wrote on this page? he is doing propaganda too, aren't we all doing the propaganda? includes Mr. John Pomfret. and NY Times paper?--

whahahaha.. go and get some test for being paranoide. realy. where at the hell did i propaganda?

--I guarantee there is no Chinese Propaganda officials posting here, they don't have time. According to their Chinese poetry and English writing, I guess they are Americans, or people who live in US for a long time.--

you know that much about.. are you working with them together?

--Maybe you think that I am Chinese official, you are wrong.--

i dont think so..

--I am American. I love US more than China.--

gosh.. oversea XXXXX..

--I hate Chinese government and I also hate US politicians, some the priests too, there is one room prepare for all of them in hell.--

this s_hit is just childish.. no need to hate it. do change it.

--Because there is Anti-war protest, I go for the march; after 911, I donated my blood; In giant stadium, I raise my American flag; And if there is some low class Anonymous use our freedom of speech to do his vile scheme, you bet I'll stand up and fight like American. Don't you trying your idiotic thought to divide all the good people into groups, otherwise you are the same class.---+

blablabla..

--one last thing for Mr. John Pomfret, before you get into bed to be with your Chinese wife, meditate that have you done some unfair message against her home country;--

and here we are. back to atack on critics, threats, insults and good old chinese goverment propaganda

--that is how I go to American bed every night, but I fall in a sweet dream quickly, because I would never cheat against my wife by breaking her country into pieces.--

as if someone cares about your stupid before sleeptraditions

-Anonymous, before you shut your eyes eternally, please think how many bad things you did to others, and ask yourself, can God forgive you?---

how about you start to care about yourself and stop being an arrogant ars_ehole?

To Dear mtlyorel,

Chinese blame Japanese government for the world war 2, not Japanese people, not their language or culture, if you really know something about Japan then you should understand that Chinese and Japanese culture are closely related since Tang Dynasty.

Why would a Chinese do that?

Secondly, if Mr. John Pomfret did some fair job to report some truth about China or Chinese people, then there would not be many Chinese posters felt violated and stood up against ANONYMOUS, and sort of these people. Have you read every racist post he or she put on there, and what did Mr. Pomfret do?

Don't blame on 'the amount of shrill and infantile discussion', you call this freedom of speech, don't you?

How many posts Anonymous (who is westerner) wrote on this page? he is doing propaganda too, aren't we all doing the propaganda? includes Mr. John Pomfret. and NY Times paper?

I guarantee there is no Chinese Propaganda officials posting here, they don't have time. According to their Chinese poetry and English writing, I guess they are Americans, or people who live in US for a long time.

Maybe you think that I am Chinese official, you are wrong. I am American. I love US more than China. I hate Chinese government and I also hate US politicians, some the priests too, there is one room prepare for all of them in hell.

Because there is Anti-war protest, I go for the march; after 911, I donated my blood; In giant stadium, I raise my American flag; And if there is some low class Anonymous use our freedom of speech to do his vile scheme, you bet I'll stand up and fight like American. Don't you trying your idiotic thought to divide all the good people into groups, otherwise you are the same class.

one last thing for Mr. John Pomfret, before you get into bed to be with your Chinese wife, meditate that have you done some unfair message against her home country; that is how I go to American bed every night, but I fall in a sweet dream quickly, because I would never cheat against my wife by breaking her country into pieces.

Ps.
Anonymous, before you shut your eyes eternally, please think how many bad things you did to others, and ask yourself, can God forgive you?

It took me a while to find Pomfret's blog since it is no longer on the front page of the website and not found under the post global tab - unless you look harder.

I think that is a wise decision judging from the amount of shrill and infantile discussion in this blog. There is truth in the saying, garbage in garbage out.

Most of the bloggers are no doubt Chinese propaganda officials - judging from the amount of simplified Chinese and particular vile syntax written here. And the incomprehensible gibberish Japanese phrases left by a blogger? The mind boggles. Why do some people are always intent on getting the Japanese involved to paint them in an unfair light? I'm sure no Japanese would be interested in a China-centric blog. They have better Japanese blogs in the Yomiuri.

This blog is on it's last dying drop of IV...most deservingly.

Two monks at a monastery in western China were killed in a clash with paramilitary police last weekend, three Tibetan sources have told The Times.

The monks, at a monastery in western Sichuan province, which borders Tibet, were killed in a clash on July 12. For monks of what are popularly known as the “red hat” sects, the date marks one of the most auspicious festivals of the year.

It is the first report of the lethal use of gunfire against Tibetan protesters demanding the return of the exiled Dalai Lama and independence since the fatal shootings on April 2 at the Tongkor monastery. The reports come despite a news blackout imposed by the Chinese authorities on reports of continuing deadly unrest in Tibetan parts of the country. A month before the Olympics, Beijing is determined to present a trouble-free image to the world.

Tibetan sources said that the trouble erupted when monks at the Gonchen monastery, one of the most prominent in the region and renowned as a centre for printing Buddhist sutras, or scriptures, attempted to mark a festival that fell on the tenth day of the sixth month of the Tibetan calendar.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4352651.ece

For "reasons of safety", bars are forbidden to serve "blacks"" and Mongolians or place tables in the street. Street musicians are being banned, and so is buying medicines containing "stimulants" without a prescription. Prohibitions are on the rise for the Olympic capital, while the first leaks reveal a grandiose fireworks display for the inauguration.

Bar owners around the Workers' Stadium in downtown Beijing say that public security officials are telling them not to let in "blacks" and Mongolians, and many of them have even had to sign a pledge. The official reason is the fight against drugs and prostitution, dominated in the past by Mongolians and persons of colour. Moreover, public places must close by 2 a.m., for security reasons, and the bar owners are being asked to remind their clients that they must always have an identification document with them. There is even doubt over whether the bars within a radius of two kilometres from the Olympic buildings will be able operate, or whether they will have to shut down for the entire period. In some areas, tables are not permitted outside, because "the presence of too many foreigners gathered outside could create problems". There is also an attempt to shut down outdoor musical concerts, to prevent disorder.

http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=12796&size=A

A CHINESE ARTIST is suing Dreamworks in a Beijing court, demanding an apology from the Hollywood studio for the cartoon film Kung Fu Panda 's depiction of China's national symbol.

Zhao Bandi is best known for using panda images in his art, including racy black-and-white clothes designs. The film, a tale about an overweight panda-cum-noodle-chef called Po who aspires to be a kung fu master, has broken box office records in China since it was first screened on June 20th.

The Chinese are hugely proud of kung fu and they also love their national symbol, the giant panda.

Dreamworks Animation has been widely praised for addressing these two big issues sensitively in Kung Fu Panda . Zhao, who likes to carry a stuffed toy panda around with him, says the fact that Po's father in the film is a duck is an insult to all Chinese, and also the panda's eyes are green, which is an evil colour.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2008/0718/1216331000005.html

lol. discusting chinese are trying to dictate forign people what they have to do. i will lol my ar_se off when real pandas will take kungfu lessons.

This is the second installment in Part 3 of our series focusing on China's efforts in the homestretch to make the upcoming Olympic Games a success.

"When I Googled my name in Chinese, I got 368,000 hits, most of them referring to me as a 'traitor who sold out on our country' or a 'double-crosser,'" Wang Qiangyuan, a Chinese student at Duke University, a prestigious U.S. university in Durham, N.C., told The Yomiuri Shimbun over the telephone in early July.

When the torch relay for the Beijing Olympics was held in San Francisco on April 9, pro-Tibet American students and pro-Beijing Chinese students squared off on the university's campus.

Wang attempted to prod the two groups into having dialogue by cutting in front of them and shouting out, "Let's talk!"

While the freshman was by no means a supporter of the pro-independence movement for Tibet, she wanted both sides to act calmly and discuss their differences.

However, other Chinese on the campus did not take her side. Many of them surrounded her, and she was asked, "Are you really Chinese?"

The incident triggered personal attacks on her on the Internet. Her personal information, including the name of her hometown in China and her parents' names, were disclosed on the Net.

A threatening message, "Kill 'em all," was then found daubed on the door of her parents' home in Shangdong Province, after which her parents were forced to go into hiding.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/world/20080719TDY01303.htm

To Anti-Anonymous

此處我輩莫久駐
不誠不真仇恨傾
月前尚覺人易轉
今嗟真偽難同行
我輩年淺心自白
由他老類唱鬼經
如今我去不再返
君心長如山水清

Parents whose children were killed when school buildings collapsed during the May 12 earthquake in China's southwestern province of Sichuan said they were accepting a revised compensation deal offered by officials, although some vowed to pursue an enquiry into allegations of shoddy construction in the collapsed schools.

In Shifang city, a bereaved parent surnamed Lei said he and many other parents had ended up signing a revised compensation deal offered by city officials which promised each parent an income of 100 yuan ($14.60) a month for life, on top of an existing lump sum of nearly 100,000 yuan (U.S.$14,600) already on the table.

"An additional 2,400 yuan a year will be paid out to both parents, until we die," said Lei, who was among hundreds of parents protesting at the government's refusal to publish the results of an official investigation into construction standards in the collapsed schools this week.

http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/quakeparents-07152008153800.html?searchterm=None

After a botched response to bloody riots in Tibet in March, the Chinese authorities have ruthlessly restored order. But anti-Chinese resentment is deep-seated

http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11706247

To Panda Poet and Anonymous

謂人根底淺
洋夷偏見殊
西風不識字
何故亂翻書

自古西風烈如火,
狂卷遍地急屠毒.
無名囂小家人棄,
東風拾來當兒育.

Shawn:

ohh hi papertiger are you back again?

To Anti-Anonymous

Thanks, good job!

//I Don't read Russian, don't get what you said in it.

russian, what a russian?

you are realy deeeep educated. you have to take some lessons how to read and you should stop to blame yourself//

谓人根底浅
洋夷偏见殊
西风不识字
何故乱翻书

An uneducated translation:

Those who call others uneducated
Are the un-cultured men loaded with prejudices
Just like a Wind from the WEST that does not know how to read
And yet, why is it flipping through my book?

To Poet Panda:

Dear poet Panda, I must translate your poem for every one, this is good and truthful piece, and still holds your respectfulness for all of us.

Thanks!

羅馬鬥獸場有感
Thinking of Rome Coliseum

殺人為業征疆土
See those who wrought their slaughter of kingdom gains,
鬥獸為娛誤子孫
Misled their generations in the amusement of warring beasts.
伊拉克土今侵血
Today, the blood is still shed in the soil of the Iraqis
好萊塢頌殺人篇
to compose more killing dramas for their Hollywood.
民主旗牽鐵騎入
Their democracy flag guides and their iron horses dash,
自由言謠可瞞天
In their vain name of liberty they cheat the high Heaven.
雙塔悲歌猶未醒
Sleeping in their trauma and the lament of twin tower still sings,
校園慘案父母憐
and the tragic cases of their school yard tear their poor parents.
不省自心求解脫
For they never repent their heart to seek their bondage to loose,
卻向全球狀聖賢
Only in their loud cry that they claim our globe they are the wise.
喇嘛從政耶穌死
The monks of Dalai joined their political games, only Christ died;
問誰能救苦無邊
To whom people shall ask for help in the limitless suffering land?

To Anti-Anonmyous

绑匪一名真妙
音义想来好笑
阿John向谁出气？
中国老婆快逃！

某印加战士

开天辟地本可敬
亡国灭种我犹怜
可叹不识元凶在
张冠李戴乱伤人

My clumsy translation:

To an Inca Warrior

A Civilization born between Heaven and Earth, I respect
A Fate victimized to genocides and slavery, I sympathize
A Survivor not knowing the origin of the above, I sigh, I sigh
I sigh for his impatience in projecting his own stories onto a foreign land
And hurting a people that he does not know

羅馬鬥獸場有感

殺人為業征疆土
鬥獸為娛誤子孫
伊拉克土今侵血
好萊塢頌殺人篇
民主旗牽鐵騎入
自由言謠可瞞天
雙塔悲歌猶未醒
校園慘案父母憐
不省自心求解脫
卻向全球狀聖賢
喇嘛從政耶穌死
問誰能救苦無邊

I hate to read the comments left here!

---It is a fool that looks for a heart in stone,
yet is blind to the life given it by it's creator.
Only a blind man cannot see the heart transposed by the creator to the creation. Therefore, something like The Venus de Milo to them is merely a piece of marble.
To those who see with spirit's eyes, the work is filled by the wonder of the artitst as he pondered every inch of the piece. Chiseling away the imperfections as he tries to strive for a perfect representation of his vision.
Like most humans striken by the blindness, they are capable of seeing the expression, but are oblivious to the inspiration.
Fortunately, when the creator arrives to complete his piece, those blinded will be the pieces taken away by the chisel in order to leave behind those who strive for a more perfect creation.---
-From Jed Clampett

I Say:

Oh, my love-
how should I describe
the way I see from a marble that's a spirit of artist,
but to commons, just another form for worship,
as their idea and system binds in their mind and folded their vision.
Blind are we all, no one walks in light.
Yes, we all are long for the one
that is coming to give us light, not separation
of any part that's already perfectly designed to shine, without any chiseling,
and that Venus de Milo does not bring the light,
but it can only reflect when the sun rises from east.
Yet, the night is still dark,
it stands in a gorgeous dead shape,
but only a few see it in a true form,
and many stand, kneel and worship 'her',
for that but a marble stone in a 'living' form,
only leads our blind sight to another world of vanity...
why not then, hold up the hammer
and break it into pieces,
tear the beautiful illusion,
so the true rock shall be revealed to all,
as our ideal dream of a better conceptual life
breathes daily in a perfect human form,
only truth tears up all the magnificent cloth,
for we are the Venus de Milo
that stands in perfection of a dusty form,
only a few sit and wait
for the coming light, with hammer truth,
to break our 'perfect' body,
then our spirit is let go,
and loose and free, to be a true living form.
A few know and dream for the light in darkness,
but all will see and know when the sun rises from the east where is our home.

I Don't read Russian, don't get what you said in it.

russian, what a russian?

you are realy deeeep educated. you have to take some lessons how to read and you should stop to blame yourself

--Edvidently, you feel hurt much by me.

why should i be hurt by such mo,ron, like you?

It is a fool that looks for a heart in stone,
yet is blind to the life given it by it's creator.
Only a blind man cannot see the heart transposed by the creator to the creation. Therefore, something like The Venus de Milo to them is merely a piece of marble.
To those who see with spirit's eyes, the work is filled by the wonder of the artitst as he pondered every inch of the piece. Chiseling away the imperfections as he tries to strive for a perfect representation of his vision.
Like most humans striken by the blindness, they are capable of seeing the expression, but are oblivious to the inspiration.
Fortunately, when the creator arrives to complete his piece, those blinded will be the pieces taken away by the chisel in order to leave behind those who strive for a more perfect creation.

Peace!!

Mr. Anonymous

//you are still welcome to leave everytime//

Edvidently, you feel hurt much by me. Then you should by now know how those who are hurt by you should feel. Like I said, I am only a mirror and create no new fires, I am only reflecting your fires.

I Don't read Russian, don't get what you said in it.

悪の勢力は、あほの悪夢
のすべての音楽を禁止すると偽のガス室
イタチとするため、 つのは、他の旗を持っ
つの上の極になれば、他のバッグ
コカインの再放送の番組や鼻-仕事
ずぼらな人は昼間のcrap 、民謡歌手
彼は自分自身にはギターを持たずにハングアップ文字列
トルコ、スラブの首からつりと鳩の翼
することはできませんもしここに関係することはできません。
貿易の支払いのための現金を、からだのための産牛肉を憎む
と私の時間は、作品のワックスの下落は、シロアリ
は息を詰まらせる上の破片

قوى الشر على كابوس bozo
فرض حظر على جميع الموسيقى مع المزيف غرفة الغاز
'Cuz المرء ما حصلت عليه ابن عرس والآخر حصلت على العلم
المرء على قطب ، ودفعة اخرى في حقيبة
مع اعادة والكوكايين وتبين من الانف وظيفة
النهار فضلات من folksinger الساذج
وقال انه علقت نفسه مع قيثارة الخيط
أ - الكتلة من تركيا والعنق وانه hangin 'من جناح الحمام
لا يمكنك ان تكتب اذا كنت لا تستطيع وتتصل
التجارة النقدية لحوم البقر للهيئة لالكراهية
ووقتي هو قطعة من الشمع fallin 'على النمل الابيض
من 'sالخنق على شظايا

---Mr. Anonymous, I may know who you are. You defended that stupid title twice.--

you are still welcome to leave everytime.

papertiger
му пчелояд
кон дух
нечовешко губещ

---Mr. Anonymous, I may know who you are. You defended that stupid title twice.--

you are still welcome to leave everytime.

papertiger
똥 먹는 사람
목마의 연인
잔인한 패배

For Mr. John Pomfret / 約翰綁匪先生

民主為旗掠世間,
沙翁臺上梟奴跳.
奸滑為利人不美,
約翰綁匪打頭砲.

無名鼠輩膽氣毫,
網上胡言惹人笑.
生來自知身下賤,
至今不敢把名報.

Another poem for Mr. Pomfret and Mr. "European in Taiwan":

罗马雕塑

斯物爱作英雄状
立在人前气昂昂
我今将汝来打破
通身不见有心肝

Here my clumsy English translation:

ROMAN SCULPTURE

This thing loves to assume heroic poses,
And looks righteous and proud before others.
Yet I now hammer it into pieces:
Among the pieces of broken stones I can not find that it has a heart.

// ... you are welcome to leave everytime. //

不是周瑜才
却是周瑜命
三气还不死
小心气出病

Mr. Anonymous, I may know who you are. You defended that stupid title twice.

Another poem for Mr. Pomfret and Mr. "European in Taiwan"

罗马雕塑

斯物爱作英雄状
立在人前气昂昂
我今将汝来打破
通身不见有心肝

Here my clumsy English translation:

ROMAN SCULPTURE

This thing loves to assume heroic poses,
And looks righteous and proud before others.
Yet I now hammer it into pieces:
Among the pieces of broken stones I can not find that it has a heart.

世事荒謬我絕倒,
老外品評華夏言.
鬼佬語法套汗字,
猢猻戴著人權帽.

凱撒精兵六千騎,
東徵入汗墜塵沙.
幸遇文帝邊守救,
才知神洲威無敵.

胡尘一入哥特西
罗马万金拜单于
须知全欧皇太岁
却是汉关夜遁骑

by gu cheng

CHINA expressed "grave concern" yesterday over the decision by the International Criminal Court's prosecutor to charge Sudan's president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, with genocide in Darfur.

China, a big investor in Sudan's oil industry and Khartoum's biggest arms supplier, said it would consult other members of the UN Security Council.

http://news.scotsman.com/world/Chinese-concern-over-Darfur-move.4291269.jp

Two months after China's devastating earthquake, where do Chinese unofficial nongovernmental organizations stand?

Two months after such volunteer groups won widespread praise for delivering urgent quake relief, the government has not adjusted its restrictive policies toward them, as people in the field had hoped.

Many groups are continuing quake aid in Sichuan Province anyway. They're setting up offices in Chengdu, the provincial capital.

But some of them say NGOs' main challenge now isn't that the government won't let them grow. It's that they don't know how to grow.

"The biggest problems for NGOs are from inside the field.... They lack abilities and methods," says Zhai Yan, director of the Huizeren Volunteer Development Center, based in Beijing. "People who work in this field are not professionals."

During quake relief efforts, volunteers' work often overlapped or conflicted – coordinating was tough, given the scale of the tragedy, but also, many people just didn't know how to help.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0717/p04s03-woap.html

---papertiger:
Man! I already promised Jing Zhong Bao Guo that I would leave this place. Yet it is getting funny! I guess I stay a bit longer, since I can't help---

you are welcome to leave everytime.

--I suggest other readers that we should ignore a none-human and even none-living crap.--

Why should we ignore such thing like YOYO?

--Humans only talk to humans.--

well, my dear discuting chinese.. i see you are not only an idiot, you are a middle age racist too.

lol.. the truth discovered another face of discusting chinese..

To Mr. Pomfret and Mr. "European" in Taiwan

民主主义好
庸人出头天
言论自由妙
鬼话可连篇
妻比豆腐臭
文似狗屎甜
pom-f-ret
eu-ro-pean
一双活宝现人前

To Anonymous

生為老外心在漢﹐
無名無姓網上談。
心愚智蠢閒事管﹐
台灣又來一混蛋。

Man! I already promised Jing Zhong Bao Guo that I would leave this place. Yet it is getting funny! I guess I stay a bit longer, since I can't help 诗兴大发! Here is my contribution to "European in Taiwan":

罗马骑士到宝岛
平生就爱"吃豆腐"
不爱香来偏爱臭
津津有味耀人前

More to come when I have time!

--"For idiot Yoy:

This ban was done by Mao and was used by mainland goverment until now. (maybe your stupid head will find some not so old information how chinese dissidents and job seekers were swiming to Taiwan when chinese tryed to kill them.)

Aside that why should Taiwanese welcome chinese bastards who are trying to enslave them and to force them back into "Chinesiness"? "

WAHT CAN I SAY TO YOU Anonymous? Understand what I mean by low class stuffs(NOT even low class animals?) now?

Oh well,just forget it. Keep humiliating yourself by using these dirty words.

I suggest other readers that we should ignore a none-human and even none-living crap.

Humans only talk to humans.

-"Now go apply for a tourist visa and get eating some stinky dofu and take a hot spring, take a deep breath and figure out why you are getting angry?"

Thanks for your invitation Anonymous.

I am sorry that I don't have time to go to that filthy island abounded in low class stuffs. I will have my vacation in Europe.

詩名:
鳥啄匿名口
讀匿名文有感

禽糞坐家五六章,
慢慢抽送頻率長.
臊氣嫖客負淫想,
發布照片雞巴上.

歐洲鬼鳥不知名,
淪落中國成臊客.
嘴比台灣豆腐臭,
只嘆其妻嫁錯人.

The Tibetan Dalai Lama's special envoy said Tuesday that Tibetans had told China that they see no point in the dialogue with Beijing, begun in 2002, because Beijing is not serious about the talks.

"We do not see any useful purpose in continuing the dialogue, since there is obviously a lack of political will from the Chinese leadership to seriously address the issue of Tibet," said the envoy, Kelsang Gyaltsen.

"However (our) Chinese counterparts felt the dialogue we had begun in 2002 has been useful for both sides to understand each other better," he told reporters at the European Parliament in Brussels.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gUzfGZ2xcCggo0u_1gWNq8QM5zWg

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, after much hesitation and deliberation, has finally pledged to attend the opening ceremony. He initially aroused general indignation among the Chinese people, as he used his attendance at the Olympic ceremony as a bargaining chip for political gain, speaking and behaving in ways unbefitting of a leader. He has now turned to believe any boycott against Beijing Olympic Games would be irrational and irresponsible; and would ultimately fail. The Chinese, a time-honored friendly people, always show hospitality to anyone with integrity and sincerity; and meanwhile, will warmly welcome to all those who come to Beijing to compete in the spitir of the Olympics.
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90780/91345/6451482.html

-----------------------------------

French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday defended his decision to attend the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing, saying it would be wrong to "humiliate" China with a boycott.

But he also insisted he would raise human rights concerns with the Chinese leadership and chastised Beijing for pressure aimed at persuading him to drop plans to meet with exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama.

"I happen to think that humiliating China is not the best way to respect human rights," Sarkozy told critics in the European Parliament. "I don't think you can boycott 1.3 billion people, a quarter of the world's population."

Despite Sarkozy's decision, French relations which China were strained this week when China's ambassador to Paris, Kong Quan, said a possible meeting between Sarkozy and the Dalai Lama this year would have "serious consequences."

"There are things I will not say because China deserves respect, but there are things that China must not tell European countries," Sarkozy told the Parliament. "It's not for China to set my agenda, to say who I will meet."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5icEH-rKJP-V4rAApyk7arUSHiOMQD91R2MD81

A family in central Beijing has plastered the outside of their home with portraits of China's top communist leaders and raised an Olympic flag in a rare show of defiance to fight an eviction order.

The family's campaign to remain on some of Beijing's hottest real estate has attracted much foreign media attention ahead of the Games, as it is seen as a symbol of a nationwide struggle by China's marginalised against the powerful.

"This is the only thing we can do at this stage. We are asking China's good leaders to protect our rights," said Yu Pingju, one of an extended family of 14 living in the ramshackle home in the trendy Houhai district.

Yu's family has put up posters featuring images of communist revolutionary hero Mao Zedong and current President Hu Jintao as part of their protest to fight eviction, a move that risks angering the government.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jIZVQhwmJkBrTwiowNJsOFGAP9Vg

大家的火气都很大.

European in Taiwan

Lucky I can't read simplified Chinese :) Pity you guys can't read your own original language, traditional Chinese!

Lucky I can't read simplified Chinese :)

欧洲鬼鸟不知名,
沦落中国成猋客.
嘴比台湾豆腐臭,
只叹其妻嫁错人.

Edited by Me
诗名:鸟啄匿名口
读匿名文有感

禽粪坐家五六章,
慢慢抽送频率长.
臊气嫖客负淫想,
发布照片鸡巴上.

This one is just for Racist Anonymous.

European in Taiwan

我不知道為什麼我們大陸朋友門一直都很生氣 :) , 是因為你們還沒有吃台灣臭豆腐嗎?
不 要太激烈反對你不喜歡 聽的事情.. 要長大一點...
我住在台灣八年多, 而且我 有 台灣的 老婆, 我很喜歡這個小島. 大陸內部還有很多不公平的事, 為什麼你那麼關心台灣獨立 還是不獨立. 台灣人住在台灣, 他們自己有權利選擇怎麼進一步, 這裡是一個民主主義的國家.
你要中國統一包括台灣, 那你最好先尊重台灣人. 而且, 不 要忘記, 台灣有很多不同的移民人, 原住民, 客家人, 福建人, 外省人, 東南亞人, 還有一些百人, 黑人, 都有!
POMFRET 文章寫的不好, 我同意, 可是, 民主主義就是這樣, 大家都有權利宣布自己的想法.

Holy Crap, I am so happy someone gave Anonymous a good kick.

Whoever you are, so talented, especially
"慢慢抽送频率长."

大家! 如李杜!

Yeah! Anonymous got kicked:)

我觉的您不是一个很禽粪的坐家,在最近一个月的时间里,您只写了5,6篇文脏.
我觉得这样慢的抽送频率从长远来讲会对您的嫖客的臊气产生负面淫想.
另外,您为什么不在您的嫖客里发布一些照片呢?是您的老板不允许还是'技术'上不行?

禽粪坐家五六脏,
慢慢抽送频率长.
臊气嫖客负淫想,
发布照片技不上.
BY Anonymous

我觉的您不是一个很禽奋的坐家,在最近一个月的时间里,您只写了5,6篇文脏.我觉得这样慢的抽送频率从长远来讲会对您的嫖客的人臊气产生负面淫想. 另外,您为什么不在您的嫖客里发布一些照片呢?是您的老板不允许还是'技术'上不可行?

Sichuan native Darfur bound

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-07/16/content_6849931.htm

Taiwan will go ahead with its annual war games to prepare for a possible Chinese attack, the military said Tuesday, despite the recent warming in relations with Beijing.

The military drill will feature live-fire air and navy interception and anti-landing maneuvers, the Defense Ministry announced.

"Even if relations are warming, we will not relax in our war preparedness," Lt. Gen. Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters.

He said troops will practice how to increase their effectiveness at the Sept. 22-26 war games.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jc1RpL4e96Dk-sIxxV0XAWTjEo5gD91U3H000

"Hundreds of migrant workers attacked a police station in eastern China after one was allegedly beaten while trying to get a residence permit, highlighting enduring tensions between temporary workers and authorities."

"united Chinese mainland" FTW. If China is united they why do they need a permit to travel and work inside of own land?

For idiot Yoy:

--Don't you know mainland Chinese were banned to visit Taiwan by the democratic and more cilivlized government in Taipei not until very recently?(last week?????)--

This ban was done by Mao and was used by mainland goverment until now. (maybe your stupid head will find some not so old information how chinese dissidents and job seekers were swiming to Taiwan when chinese tryed to kill them.)

Aside that why should Taiwanese welcome chinese bastards who are trying to enslave them and to force them back into "Chinesiness"?

For du_mb nut papertiger:

You have still zero points. your education is very low, you are a racist. You can write long propaganda sh_it here. (we have pluralism here at all.) but you will be still a low educated racist who lacks of knwoledge.

To loser Jing Zhong Bao Guo:

all what you said is "blablabla".. because your defiant nazi-s_hit about "glory ancestors"(hell, i will lol my ar_se off, when mongols, tibetans, uighurs or manchurians will start to talk that way!) is now popular inbetween China's masters. ou think you can blame everyone, who is not a same oponion like yours, because you are not capable to acsept your own failture and therefore you encapsulate yourself in "glory ancestors-evil forigners" paranoia idiology..

aside that i will bet you are a long time outside of China claiming on your chinesiness because your chinese-Homeland is swiming in a big morass full with corruption, wild capitalism, impiralism, one party dictature, paranoia, ethnical racism and nazism.

about your bulls_hit internet quote:

That sh_it was a propaganda and wrote about General Yue Fei of Song Dynasty, who died of his Emperor’s poison wine.

well then, Bon Appétit you suc_ker!

岳王爷, you are right!

Good Bye! Mr. Pomfret!

//我觉的您不是一个很勤奋的作家,在最近一个月的时间里,您只写了5,6篇文章.我觉得这样慢的更新频率从长远来讲会对您的博客的人气产生负面影响. 另外,您为什么不在您的播客里发布一些照片呢?是您的老板不允许还是技术上不可行?//

Typical dumb modern westernized Chinese writing. It could have much transparent without those unnecessary formal words, and repetitive phrases:

我觉得您不是一个很勤奋的作家,最近一个月,您只写了5,6篇文章, 这样慢从长远来讲会影响您的人气.另外,为什么不发些照片呢?是老板不允许还是技术问题?

I have noticed that Chinese who have gone to Harvard or Cambridge mostly talk like this fellow.

Hi Papertiger,

Do you really feel anything interesting by viewing this untruthful Webpage, and mingle with these unreasonable people?

I think Mr. Pomfret even often feels that his message and space could only feed those who want to vent online by spreading hatred about one nation, one race and one culture.

I hope we could all go back to our books, and immerse into any literatures, than spending time to help out these hopeless people such as Anonymous etc.

We are Chinese, we have the pride of our culture from Ancestors, let's not to waste our time and energy with a few these unloving people.

I wish you the best. Please remember, only God can change a person, let's give them up to God, that includes Mr. John Pomfret.

Bye.

Here is a poem for you, written by our national hero:

My wrath bristles pierce thru my helmet,
By the rail I stand
To watch the whistling rain stopped.
I look up,
Facing the sky to give a long roar,
And strong passion surges in my chest.
Thirty years my triumph and fame are nothing but dust and dirt,
Eight thousands mile road I’ve traveled under the cloud and moon.
Oh, Do not wait
For our young hair turn gray,
So we can only give vain grief.
Shame of Jing Kang,
Is not yet revenged;
Regret of servants,
When shall all disperse?
Let’s drive our long chariots to raze
The Ridge of Helan Mountain!
With our brave will to feed our hunger on the flesh of foes,
Thru our chat and jest we drink traitors' blood for our thirst.
Let’s start anew
To retake our lost mountains and rivers
Before the court of Heavens!

To Anonymous,

I guess you have missed my response since it has been burried among others below. So let me put it up again:

A) It is embarrassing even just to read through your comments. Very bad English, the least to say.

//you know nothing about slave trade history in USA.//
//you are racist and an idiot who knows nothing about colonisation of America. You are low educated. very low..//

OK. Then, why don't you teach us the slave trade history in USA and colonisation of America? The whole world should know about it while USA is selling freedom and human rights along with wars and wapons. We would be very interested in knowing more about the truth of USA from a "highly" "educated" individual. We are all ears.

B)
//first: your are a dumb racist//
//not even close my little racist.//
//ATENTION, WE SEE HERE A RACIST WHO IS TRYING TO TALK!//
//nope you are a low educated racist and idiot who knows nothing ...//

It must be one of the oddest things in today's world that a white man calls someone else a "racist" obessively whenever anything related to race is mentioned. It is like a rapist prohibiting others talking about sex since: (1) to him, sex automatically means sex crime. (2) Sex alone reminds him his own criminal history. This attitude only shows how unconfessing and insincere he is.

To An European in Taiwan,

//To the Chinese people, you must try to open your mind to the different viewpoints in the world...//

Certainly. In return, I think westerners must try to open your mind to different worlds.
You have robbed and controled the worlds and packed them into one but that doesn't mean you have experienced them.

//I know Taiwan a 1000X better than you do. You can't even read half the publications from Taiwan because they get censored.//

Yes, politically but not ethically. Ethically, a Chinese understands a Chinese iusse better than "an European in Taiwan".

//Since 99.999% of you have never been to Taiwan I can't see how you can understand Taiwan, you are welcome to come over for a visit and see the beauty and the warmth of Taiwanese people yourselves.//

"Beauty and warmth of Taiwanese people": Most definitely!! They are Chinese!

//Now go apply for a tourist visa and get eating some stinky dofu and take a hot spring, take a deep breath and figure out why you are getting angry?//

A very rude "European in Taiwan". Bad manner.

European in Taiwan

To the last poster, I know Taiwan a 1000X better than you do. You can't even read half the publications from Taiwan because they get censored.
Now go apply for a tourist visa and get eating some stinky dofu and take a hot spring, take a deep breath and figure out why you are getting angry?

"Since 99.999% of you have never been to Taiwan I can't see how you can understand Taiwan, you are welcome to come over for a visit and see the beauty and the warmth of Taiwanese people yourselves."

Don't you know mainland Chinese were banned to visit Taiwan by the democratic and more cilivlized government in Taipei not until very recently?(last week?????)

So you are telling us they have beauty and warmth?

From a European living in Taiwan.

People in Taiwan speak Taiwan GuoYu, which is the local dialect of Mandarin mixed in with some Taiwanese (Hokkien) words and influences. It is just a regional accent of Chinese. It doesn't sound so guttaral as Cantonese and doesn't have the rolling Rs of Beijing PutongHua. It would not neccessarily be classed as a better accent though, it is just a localised Chinese such as Irish English, Australian English etc. Take your pick as to which sounds better.

In general Taiwanese have more 'manners' than many mainlanders but this is a generalisation aswell of course. Many mainlanders can be very loud and boisterous even at famous natural sites such as Alishan, it has to be heard to be believed. Taiwanese can be a bit 'rude' just a little bit more toned down in noise.

To the Chinese people, you must try to open your mind to the different viewpoints in the world, including the fact that many Taiwanese feel Taiwan is an independent nation. Just because you want it to be different doesn't mean it is a lie. Taiwan and China share many common aspects and history, surely if you respect Taiwanese more (history, acheivements, independent culture) you will gain their friendship and a genuine chance for some economic union at least in future. Taiwanese have been through many shared hardships and struggled together to create a vibrant and successful country. In many ways it outshines mainland China, it has a depth of civil society that will take 30 more years for mainland China to gain. When mainland China has more to offer (human rights, democracy, open culture, friendship) Taiwanese will be more open to working a political/economic solution with mainland China. You should understand, people here sometimes feel depressed they are pushed down by China and yet they are very proud of their own little island and rightly so.
Since 99.999% of you have never been to Taiwan I can't see how you can understand Taiwan, you are welcome to come over for a visit and see the beauty and the warmth of Taiwanese people yourselves.

From a European living in Taiwan.

People in Taiwan speak Taiwan GuoYu, which is the local dialect of Mandarin mixed in with some Taiwanese (Hokkien) words and influences. It is just a regional accent of Chinese. It doesn't sound so guttaral as Cantonese and doesn't have the rolling Rs of Beijing PutongHua. It would not neccessarily be classed as a better accent though, it is just a localised Chinese such as Irish English, Australian English etc. Take your pick as to which sounds better.

In general Taiwanese have more 'manners' than many mainlanders but this is a generalisation aswell of course. Many mainlanders can be very loud and boisterous even at famous natural sites such as Alishan, it has to be heard to be believed. Taiwanese can be a bit 'rude' just a little bit more toned down in noise.

To the Chinese people, you must try to open your mind to the different viewpoints in the world, including the fact that many Taiwanese feel Taiwan is an independent nation. Just because you want it to be different doesn't mean it is a lie. Taiwan and China share many common aspects and history, surely if you respect Taiwanese more (history, acheivements, independent culture) you will gain their friendship and a genuine chance for some economic union at least in future. Taiwanese have been through many shared hardships and struggled together to create a vibrant and successful country. In many ways it outshines mainland China, it has a depth of civil society that will take 30 more years for mainland China to gain. When mainland China has more to offer (human rights, democracy, open culture, friendship) Taiwanese will be more open to working a political/economic solution with mainland China. You should understand, people here sometimes feel depressed they are pushed down by China and yet they are very proud of their own little island and rightly so.
Since 99.999% of you have never been to Taiwan I can't see how you can understand Taiwan, you are welcome to come over for a visit and see the beauty and the warmth of Taiwanese people yourselves.

From a European living in Taiwan.

People in Taiwan speak Taiwan GuoYu, which is the local dialect of Mandarin mixed in with some Taiwanese (Hokkien) words and influences. It is just a regional accent of Chinese. It doesn't sound so guttaral as Cantonese and doesn't have the rolling Rs of Beijing PutongHua. It would not neccessarily be classed as a better accent though, it is just a localised Chinese such as Irish English, Australian English etc. Take your pick as to which sounds better.

In general Taiwanese have more 'manners' than many mainlanders but this is a generalisation aswell of course. Many mainlanders can be very loud and boisterous even at famous natural sites such as Alishan, it has to be heard to be believed. Taiwanese can be a bit 'rude' just a little bit more toned down in noise.

To the Chinese people, you must try to open your mind to the different viewpoints in the world, including the fact that many Taiwanese feel Taiwan is an independent nation. Just because you want it to be different doesn't mean it is a lie. Taiwan and China share many common aspects and history, surely if you respect Taiwanese more (history, acheivements, independent culture) you will gain their friendship and a genuine chance for some economic union at least in future. Taiwanese have been through many shared hardships and struggled together to create a vibrant and successful country. In many ways it outshines mainland China, it has a depth of civil society that will take 30 more years for mainland China to gain. When mainland China has more to offer (human rights, democracy, open culture, friendship) Taiwanese will be more open to working a political/economic solution with mainland China. You should understand, people here sometimes feel depressed they are pushed down by China and yet they are very proud of their own little island and rightly so.
Since 99.999% of you have never been to Taiwan I can't see how you can understand Taiwan, you are welcome to come over for a visit and see the beauty and the warmth of Taiwanese people yourselves.

to Mr John Pomfret
我觉的您不是一个很勤奋的作家,在最近一个月的时间里,您只写了5,6篇文章.我觉得这样慢的更新频率从长远来讲会对您的博客的人气产生负面影响. 另外,您为什么不在您的播客里发布一些照片呢?是您的老板不允许还是技术上不可行?

//first: your are a dumb racist//
//not even close my little racist.//
//ATENTION, WE SEE HERE A RACIST WHO IS TRYING TO TALK!//
//nope you are a low educated racist and idiot who knows nothing ...//

It must be one of the oddest thing in today's world that a white man calls someone else a "racist" whenever that unpleasant history of his own is reminded. It is like a rapist prohibiting others talking about sex since: (1) to him, sex automatically means sex crime. (2) Sexuality alone reminds him his own crime. That only shows how unconfessing and insincere he is.

It must be one of the oddest thing in today's world that a white man calls someone else a "racist" whenever that unpleasant history of his own is reminded. It is like a rapist prohibiting others talking about sex... That only shows how unconfessing and insincere he is.

To Anonymous

It is embarrassing even just to read through your comments. Very bad English, the least to say.

//you know nothing about slave trade history in USA.//
//you are racist and an idiot who knows nothing about colonisation of America. You are low educated. very low..//

OK. Then, why don't you teach us the slave trade history in USA and colonisation of America? The whole world should know about it while USA is selling freedom and human rights along with wars and wapons. We would be very interested in knowing more about the truth of USA from a "highly" "educated" individual. We are all ears.

Awaiting enlightenment.

--Blacks are pround of their invented language and in fact gave it a name (Ebonics?). You should not throw this seudo-universalism of white people's in their post-slavery era at others. And your death threat makes you sound like a terrorist too--

first: your are a dumb racist
second: kill your self
third: you know nothing about slave trade history in USA.

--That definitely makes you a colonialist and even a racist--

not even close my little racist.

--So you think "Two nations divided by the same tongue" sounds better English than "Two nationalities divided by the same tongue"? Maybe, yet the first is clumsy enough, don't you think?--

again my dear russian idiot: see diference between nation and nationality.

--I dare you say that to white people (should be sent back to Europe by your logic). And I dare you say that to black people.--

ATENTION, WE SEE HERE A RACIST WHO IS TRYING TO TALK!

---You will recieve much a punch from a pround fist! And if you do accept the legitimacy of USA as nation consequential to Europeans' colonization of native Americans and their land, then your comment sounds racist. Don't you think?--

you are racist and an idiot who knows nothing about colonisation of America. You are low educated. very low..

--Don't blame me for deflecting the fire back to western-US issues. ---

already done ars_ehole, already done.

--Westerners like this Pomfret like to set up fires and throw them at others.---

thats BIG BULLSH_IT and you know it.

--I am only returning the fires to your own camp. I never created new fires. I am only a mirror.
--

nope you are a low educated racist and idiot who knows nothing about american and european history. aside that you know nothing about China.

To Anonymous

//soo. you invented new language.. aside that you are racist and should be dead.//

Blacks are pround of their invented language and in fact gave it a name (Ebonics?). You should not throw this seudo-universalism of white people's in their post-slavery era at others. And your death threat makes you sound like a terrorist too.

//I am for bringing back dutch laguage to Taiwanese people. they deserve better choice than overcomplicated writing system with hunderst of languges wich are only dialects.//

That definitely makes you a colonialist and even a racist.

//well. nation =/= Nationality. learn a diference and you will nderstand.//

So you think "Two nations divided by the same tongue" sounds better English than "Two nationalities divided by the same tongue"? Maybe, yet the first is clumsy enough, don't you think?

//aside that: chinese immigrants should be send home to China. Taiwan for Taiwanese!//

I dare you say that to white people (should be sent back to Europe by your logic). And I dare you say that to black people. You will recieve much a punch from a pround fist! And if you do accept the legitimacy of USA as nation consequential to Europeans' colonization of native Americans and their land, then your comment sounds racist. Don't you think?

Don't blame me for deflecting the fire back to western-US issues. Westerners like this Pomfret like to set up fires and throw them at others. I am only returning the fires to your own camp. I never created new fires. I am only a mirror.

Hundreds of migrant workers attacked a police station in eastern China after one was allegedly beaten while trying to get a residence permit, highlighting enduring tensions between temporary workers and authorities.

The three days of unrest in coastal Zhejiang province began Thursday when a crowd gathered in front of the Kanmen town police station to protest the treatment of the beaten worker, with some demonstrators throwing rocks at officers, the official Xinhua News Agency said Monday.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ifaEDXmXcN8Kr6IvLs830cI_1BWwD91TP3S02

Origin of Tibetan script
"During the 7th Century AD Songstem Gampo (569-649AD), the 33rd king of the Yarlung Dynasty of southern Tibet and the first Emperor of Tibet, sent Thonmi Sambhota, one of his ministers, to India to gather information on Buddhism. The minister then reputedly devised a script for Tibetan based on the Devanagari model and also wrote a grammar of Tibetan based on Sanskrit grammars.

The new Tibetan alphabet was used to write Tibetan translations of Buddhists texts. The first Sanskrit-Tibetan dictionary, Mahavyutpatti, appeared in the 9th century.

The Tibetan alphabet is syllabic, like many of the alphabets of India and South East Asia. Each letter has an inherent vowel /a/. Other vowels can be indicated using a variety of diacritics which appear above or below the main letter."

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/tibetan.htm

--7. Sichuanhua is a major dialect, spoken by 120 million people, which is more people than speak Korean, Dutch, Norwegian, or any number of other languages.--

Korean, Dutch and Norwegian are not dialects you idiot.

Aside that Chinese writed language is not chinese spoken language. (and thats why chinese language need to change or it will became dead in the next 200 years)

---1) They are "two nations", they are already divided. It is only logical to state "One nation divided (into two nations)". "The ex-husband and the ex-wife are filing a divoce", doesn't that sound odd?--

well. nation =/= Nationality. learn a diference and you will nderstand. aside that: chinese immigrants should be send home to China. Taiwan for Taiwanese!

--But what I like is black English since it is bolder and more expressive and it reflects the will of African descendants to hold on their own identity. Unfortunately so-called Asain-Americans don't have this dignity.--

soo. you invented new language.. aside that you are racist and should be dead.

---Cantonese Is Losing Its Voice
"Cantonese, a sharp, cackling dialect full of slang and exaggerated expressions, was never the dominant language of China. But it came to dominate the Chinatowns of North America because the first immigrants came from the Cantonese-speaking southern province..--

Until 2000 Han people was many different ethnics such like Cantonese (or Tang people) so now China does new genozide of this ethnic by forcing them to forget own language. Welcome to China.

--OK, I saw your line "It's actually a turn of phrase". So my point 1) doesn't hold any more. But 2) still holds.---

I am for bringing back dutch laguage to Taiwanese people. they deserve better choice than overcomplicated writing system with hunderst of languges wich are only dialects.

To Pomfret

OK, I saw your line "It's actually a turn of phrase". So my point 1) doesn't hold any more. But 2) still holds.

Perhaps the title could be "The Same Tongue Divided by Two Nations"? That way your China dividing desire is still fulfilled. Besides, I still don't see how the tongue has become a dividing agent even in your UK-US analogy. It seems to me that it is the nations deviding the tongue.

Or am I missing any deeper logic and humor in your original phrasing?

Cantonese Is Losing Its Voice
"Cantonese, a sharp, cackling dialect full of slang and exaggerated expressions, was never the dominant language of China. But it came to dominate the Chinatowns of North America because the first immigrants came from the Cantonese-speaking southern province of Guangdong, where China first opened its ports to foreigners centuries ago.

It is also the chief language of Hong Kong, the vital trading and financial center that became China’s link to the West.

But over the last three decades, waves of Mandarin-speaking mainland Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants have diluted the influence of both the Cantonese language and the pioneering Cantonese families who ran Chinatowns for years.

The surging Chinese economy today has challenged Cantonese further. Because Mandarin is China’s official language, entrepreneurs like Hom have been forced to adapt, often learning the hard way that business can’t be done with Cantonese alone.

Although Cantonese and Mandarin share the same written language, they are spoken as differently as English and French.

Cantonese is said to be closer than Mandarin to ancient Chinese. It is also more complicated. Mandarin has four tones, so a character can be intonated four ways with four meanings. Cantonese has nine tones.

Beginning in the 1950s, the Chinese government tried to make Mandarin the national language in an effort to bridge the myriad dialects across the country. Since then, the government has been working to simplify the language, renamed Putonghua, and give it a proletarian spin. To die-hard Cantonese, no fans of the Communist government, this is one more reason to look down on Mandarin.

Many say it is far more difficult to learn Cantonese than Mandarin because the former does not always adhere to rules and formulas."

from
http://articles.latimes.com/2006/jan/03/local/me-cantonese3

A) To Mr. Pomfret:

Though my experience with English is limited (so, be forgiving with my writing below), but I think you have some problems with English. Let's look at the title of your article:

"Two Nations Divided by the Same Tongue"

1) They are "two nations", they are already divided. It is only logical to state "One nation divided (into two nations)". "The ex-husband and the ex-wife are filing a divoce", doesn't that sound odd?

2) Only in two or more dividing acts we can state the divider being the "same" one. Yet in the case in your article, there has been only one dividing act. There is no need to state the divider being the same one. "I saw the same person once", doesn't that sound odd too? A logicaly correct title could be "Two Nations though the Same Tongue" or "The Same Tongue Can't Bring Two Nations Together". Of course, the second title suggests unification which isn't what you like to see.

Since you speak Chinese as well, I am guessing your Chinese must be better than your English.

B) It is hard to believe USA has the Queen's English since American English sounds very vulgar to me if what I hear in Hollywood movies is typical. However, that doesn't mean British English is better since the British accent sounds a bit pretentious to me though it does sound more refined than the coarser American accent. I don't understand why higher characters in Hollywood movies speak in British accent (such as the authority characters in "Star Wars") rather than their own American accent. Lack of cultural confidence, perhaps. I prefer American accent since it is at least more natural.

But what I like is black English since it is bolder and more expressive and it reflects the will of African descendants to hold on their own identity. Unfortunately so-called Asain-Americans don't have this dignity.

But white people in USA should feel safe since black English won't divide USA like Mandarin in mainland and Taiwan.

To Mr. Pomfret:

Though my experience with English is limited (so, be forgiving with my writing below), but I think you have some problems with English. Let's look at the title of your article:

"Two Nations Divided by the Same Tongue"

1) They are "two nations", they are already divided. It is only logical to state "One nation divided (into two nations)". "The ex-husband and the ex-wife are filing a divoce", doesn't that sound odd?

2) Only in two or more dividing acts we can state the divider being the "same" one. Yet in the case in your article, there has been only one dividing act. There is no need to state the divider being the same one. "I saw the same person once", doesn't that sound odd too? A logicaly correct title could be "Two Nations though the Same Tongue" or "The Same Tongue Can't Bring Two Nations Together". Of course, the second title suggests unification which isn't what you like to see.

Since you speak Chinese as well, I am guessing your Chinese must be better than your English.

"Sichuanhua, also known as Sichuanese, comprises the major Mandarin dialect group of Southwestern China, spreading from Sichuan east to Chongqing, south-east to Guizhou, and south to Yunnan.

Here are some other reasons why one might want to learn Sichuanhua:

1. Because you are living in Sichuan.

If that’s not the case, here are some other reasons:

2. Most places outside of the northeast do not speak putonghua.

3. You ever intend to travel in southern China

4. Understanding one dialect helps you more quickly adapt to others.

5. As follows from #4, any serious student of Chinese should be familiar with at least one dialect, and that does not included northern dialects.

6. Beijinghua and erhua in general contain some of the ugliest sounds capable of being gurgled and spit out of the human larynx and it’s a tragedy many students only study these dialects.

7. Sichuanhua is a major dialect, spoken by 120 million people, which is more people than speak Korean, Dutch, Norwegian, or any number of other languages.

8. It is the key to unlocking all the han Chinese portions of southwestern China (also, minorities in these areas often speak mandarin with a thick sichuanhua accent)

9. You want to swear in Chinese but just don’t feel satisfied by the other dialects.

10. You want to be as much like a hard-drinking, tea guzzling, mahjong addicted native as possible.

11. Some Sichuan guy stole your bicycle, and you need to find him ASAP."

http://www.barking-at-the-sun.net/language/?page_id=4

Canton to gift rare tigers to Taiwanese city

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/07/14/2003417452

OK, under request, "Papertiger" will leave. I stay.

It is hard to believe USA has the Queen's English since American English sounds very vulgar to me if what I hear in Hollywood movies is typical. However, that doesn't mean British English is better since the British accent sounds a bit pretentious to me though it does sound more refined than the coarser American accent. I don't understand why higher characters in Hollywood movies speak in British accent (such as the authority characters in "Star Wars") rather than their own American accent. Lack of cultural confidence, perhaps. I prefer American accent since it is at least more natural.

But what I like is black English since it is bolder and more expressive and it reflects the will of African descendants to hold on their own identity. Unfortunately so-called Asain-Americans don't have this dignity.

But white people in USA should feel safe since black English won't divide USA like Mandarin in mainland and Taiwan.

This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen

Hey, you dont say something like that to offend some chinese from mainland. What about " refined" vs "roughened". I dont know how you got that kind of impression, or maybe you didnt come across well educated people in mainland when you were in China.

@ Tom:

Fascinating stuff. But Americans still can't claim to have the Queen's English, can they? Well, at least not the current Queen's...and maybe that's all that matters as far as the haughty British are concerned, right? ;)

@ Realist:

Regional dialects have plagued mankind for years. You're always going to get some people laughing at other people. I'm partial to southern dialects and intonations than northern ones but that's just me. I know plenty who prefer vice versa. The more interesting thing is recognizing when your own speech begins changing in accordance to where you live and who you interact with...and then get called out on it by those whom you identified with.

@ Jing Zhong Bao Guo & Paper Tiger:

Here, take this: http://tinyurl.com/5dpzky. Now, please go away.

@ Babel:

Wait...I thought Canada was the 51st state of the union...?

Though USAers are the most ignorant people I have ever met or even imagined, they still think they know more about others than others know themselves. Very strange phenonmenon.

If unification between China and Taiwan is such a great thing, why don't U.S.A and Canada unify then?

Agreed John =) One of the benefits of being a chinese citizen is that you are not allowed to vote. Hey, the government is protecting you from yourself! They know best, you know nothing. I'm not sure if there is even a chinese character for "vote." I guess you have to ask somebody from Taiwan.

"Taiwan is a different thing, is currently divided but in near future to be unified though whatever the method Chinese vote for."

Ummm... I still don't know one chinese person that can "vote" in China. If you consider Taiwanese "Chinese" which, by the way, I don't, then I guess you can say that only chinese in taiwan can "vote." Isn't it beautiful when the government actually has to listen to it's people? If they don't guess what? They get voted out! I guess it's convenient though to follow the same leader for the next 50-60 years. Hope he is good!

I wouldn't say Taiwan's mandarin is more refined. It's softer than that in the Mainland, true, but it's not standard mandarin. This is not saying that most mainland people speak standard mandarin; but I am saying that Taiwanese people's mandarin comes with strong accent, like that of most mainland people. I do personally know, however, a couple of Taiwanese who speak very standard mandarin.

I wouldn't say Taiwan's mandarin is more refined. It's softer than that in the Mainland, true, but it's not standard mandarin. This is not saying that most mainland people speak standard mandarin; but I am saying that Taiwanese people's mandarin comes with strong accent, like that of most mainland people.

It's not two nations divided by politics, rather than by one language.

You may not know when Ma Ying-jeou was Mayor of Taipei, he adopted the Mainland's Hanyu Pinyin as the romanization system in his city, aganst the Chen Shuibian government's promotion of Tongying Pinyin. He was right that Mainland's pinyin is and will continue to be the standard, including simplified characters.

Now Chinese visits are coming to Taiwan in order to grow the island's economy. Like it or not, Without the Mainland, Taiwan is doomed.

Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong are still using traditional Chinese characters in their written language, while mainland China has long adopted simplified Chinese characters.

Chinese as a foreign language
"Most universities on the west coast of the United States teach the traditional character set, most likely due to the large population of Chinese Americans who continue to use the traditional forms. The largest Mandarin Chinese program in North America, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, switched to simplified characters at least a decade ago, although the majority of the surrounding Chinese Canadian population, who are non-Mandarin speaking, at that time were users of traditional characters. In places where a particular set is not locally entrenched, e.g., Europe and some of the east coast and midwest of the United States, instruction is in or is swinging towards simplified, as the economic importance of mainland China increases, and also because of the availability of inexpensive decent quality textbooks printed in mainland China. Teachers of international students often recommend learning both systems."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplified_Chinese_character

The description of Taiwan Mandarin as "refined" and Chinese Mandarin as "coarse" is simple nonsense.

I live in Taiwan and far prefer the local accent, and I often have trouble understanding Mandarin speakers from China, but that's just because of my environment.

To bring in claims of dialectical superiority is laughable. Taiwanese Mandarin can grate on the ear of a Chinese Northerner just as easily as Beijing dialect can grate on the ears of a Taiwanese.

And also -- why constantly apologize and kowtow to the unificationists, but not the Taiwanese self-determination crowd?

Correction in my last post below:

Not "protecting and insulting" but "protesting and insulting".

To "Jing Zhong Bao Guo"

But please read my below message to you first.

OK, here I go again.
Regarding the non-seriousness and disrespectfulness in western meida as already typical in this site (or even in modern western culture in general):

It comes hand in hand with Freedom of Speech and Democracy for they represent the majority. Do you expect average people care about the world or "China" or "Tibet"? They hardly care about their neighbors, sometimes not even their parents and children in modern western societies, especially in USA. They only CARE TO SHOW THAT THEY CARE. If they truely care, they would be more honest (say, with BBC, CNN in the Tibetan case), and should communicate by respectful talking but protecting and insulting. Only rude, un-cultured and at best childish people would think protesting and insulting to a foreign people are proper and effective in bringing good results - Here comes the intrinsic disrespecfulness in modern western culture. We Chinese should take this as a peeking opportunity into modern western civilization. It is a good moment to see it more truthfully since its idealized image passed down from the May 4th movement in 1919. Not that we should view modern western civilization as all bad, but that we had never seen it truthfully since the fall of Qing dynasty.

Since China has been being westernized (remember, even Communism is still western), it is important to see the other side of values such as Freedom, Democracy, Human Rights etc. so that we won't again mislead the our country into a delusion (mad capitalism has this danger in China now). Therefore I am thankful to those westerners who went out and shouted "Free Tibet" and Journalists like Pomfret.

And besides, disrespectfulness has a good side. You can almost say anything here. My terms like "Roman barbarians" were not deletted, and some China basher called me a "stupid ass", "Litte Mongol in the village" etc., it is all OK here. Can you do that in our country's formal media? Our formalism (Confucianist or Communist)sometimes generate a different kind of hypocricy. So, my friend! Enjoy the western stlye disrespectfulness here and have a good time!!

To "Jing Zhong Bao Guo"

I think you are taking western media and westerners too seriously. The sequence of events of the last few months has proven that they are neither sincere (not even honest) nor respecful. Not that you are wrong with being serious, it is a good tradition in our culture. But here you could just relaxe and have a good time. Can you see that I am having a good time and even learning things? (for example, I just learnt that Maya calendar has a pre-fixed end-point from an obssessive China basher.)

The western media has just done a reverse service to themselves by demostrating that they can be non-serious sometimes.

Pomfret is not hurting us since he can't. We have been hurting ourselves: May 4th, 1966-1976, and certainly the division between mainland and Taiwan. I am lucky that an older friend has benifitted me by letting me see all these.

Speaking of language, I am finding English a dry language, or is it just consequential to my lack of familarity of it (Admitting my limitation with English)? English seems like a rather impersoanl language, even private dialogues sound like puplic speeches. Its words are usually opaque and its structure lacks fluidity. Chinese has no grammar, at least no rigid grammar. A Primary language (or "primative" if you are hostile to this quality of it). Chinese is an old language but it feels young (and seemingly forever so). English is a young language but it feels old.

But I do find English better for mathematical writtings (perhaps in all kinds of scientific writings) like good gloves fitting into hands. But some argue that when China's modern mathematic matures its language will gain fluency with it too. Was this not how Chinese gain fluency with Buddhism that had been linguistically Indian?

If all languages are ultimately the same in nature like many westerners blieve, I think Chinese is more like warm water and English frozen ice. Ultimately they are both H2O.

--Taiwan and China, like the UK and the United States, are indeed two nations divided by a the same language. (OK, to all you unification activists, sorry, I used the term two nations which implies that I don't accept the one-China principle. It's actually a turn of phrase. Nonetheless shame on me! Multiple prostrations and kow-towing...)--Mr. Pomfret

First, you are an American, you may believe whatever you want to about Chinese belief of One-China.

Sceondly, why you keep hurting the majority of Chinese with your one-sided-western view and provoking speech and then offer us your 'Multiple prostrations and kow-towing'? Even God only forgives those who repent, why we Chinese should take your multiple apologies when you keep hurting us and breaking us apart?

Do you realize what are you doing?

--Two Nations Divided by the Same Tongue--

First, 'Two Nations' are two complete entity. Like UK and US or NK and SK. All all have seats at UN.

Taiwan is a different thing, is currently divided but in near future to be unified though whatever the method Chinese vote for.

I hope Mr. John Pomfret don't use these unlike comparisons to purposely mislead your readers about the truth.

"Taiwan's mandarin is more refined, less coarse than the language used on the mainland, which has been roughened by decades of supposed proletarian solidarity and, most recently, years of nihilistic materialism."

What makes one language or dialect more "refined" than another?

And please explain how "proletarian solidarity" and "nihilistic materialism" have affected mainland putonghua. What exactly is the causal mechanism here?

John, I enjoy some of your posts, but you're out of your depth here (unless you have some kind of linguistic explanation for your claims).

I'm not a big fan of the regime in Beijing either, but I don't see what your opinions on their dialect have to do with anything. Having learned putonghua on the mainland, I find Taiwan's dialect to sound lazy. (Instead of "zheme" they say "zeme"; instead of "shenme" they say "senme".) But since I'm not a linguist by training, I can't really make claims about their relative refinement.

You do realize that you've got the analogy backwards, right?

In fact, it is *American* English which has remained largely unchanged since the eighteenth century, while *British* English has undergone significant changes. This is not just a matter of vocabulary, but also of pronunciation -- the posh British Received Pronunciation is actually a nineteenth-century innovation, while the current Appalachian accent is considered to be closest to how English sounded back in George III's day.

This phenomenon is frequently seen in cases of separation -- the colonials are more traditional than the mother country, because that tie to tradition is such a key part of their identity. The mother country, in contrast, is more willing to innovate in areas of language. So Quebec French is more traditional than metropolitan French, American Spanish is more traditional than peninsular Spanish, American English is more traditional than British English and Taiwan Mandarin is more traditional than mainland Mandarin. And let's not get started on character simplification.

People in Taiwan and Hong Kong love to make fun of Mainland tourists. This propensity will lead to more stories about Mainland tourists in Taiwan.