2018 Year of the EARTH DOG

[GeneChing]

Next year (2018) is the Year of the Earth Dog. CNY is observed on FEB 16 2018.

A good meal. (AP/Wong Maye-E)

PERSPECTIVE
IF YOU THINK THANKSGIVING IS STRESSFUL, YOU SHOULD TRY CHINESE NEW YEAR
By Youyou Zhou November 23, 2017
I spent the first 20 years of my life in China. Holidays in America always remind me of the ones I had there. Fourth of July is equivalent to October First as a day to celebrate the founding of the nation. Memorial Day is similar to Qing Ming, a day to remember the deceased. Qi Xi is the Chinese Valentine’s Day.

The closest Chinese holiday I can think of that’s like Thanksgiving, is the Lunar (Chinese) New Year. Families and relatives get together, cook a big meal, and express gratitude for the past year and best hopes for the future. And while both holidays are about family get-togethers, Chinese New Year is way more intense.

TRAVELING HOME

Americans complain about booking airline tickets around Thanksgiving and coping with traffic jams. But it’s really no comparison to the crowds flooding major train stations around Lunar New Year. For workers who are tight on money, this is the only time of year that many visit their family. Last year Chinese travelers made 3 billion trips in the 40 days before and after the holiday.

For Americans, the busiest travel time of the year doesn’t even fall on the day before Thanksgiving—Americans travel more for summer vacations.

FAMILY CONVERSATIONS

The American saying is, absence makes the heart grow fonder. It’s joyful to think about reconnecting with the ones we miss and those who love us, until reality kicks in. Americans may be arguing about politics and religion this year, but for Chinese, there will be stressful confrontations over personal matters.

When are you getting married? What’s the plan on having kids? How about purchasing properties? How much did you make last year? Chinese relatives and families are not afraid of asking difficult questions, because they all love you.

THE BIG MEAL

In the US, the most searched question on Google related to Thanksgiving is “How to cook a turkey.” Over 80% of American millennials this year worry that their turkey might be over-cooked.

Well, that’s just turkey. For the family dinners I helped prepare with my parents and grandparents, fish, chicken, pork… they all have to be there. It typically involves days of preparation with the fresh ingredients to make steamed whole fish, rice cakes, egg dumplings symbolizing luck and prosperity, and it takes us several days to eat them all.

COMMONALITIES

When I look at every aspect of Thanksgiving that creates stress, I think about the same thing for Chinese New Year and know how it can be worse. But all these years, I’ve never ceased to love and miss Chinese New Year, the chaotic travel to finally arrive at home. I’ve waited hours in the airport because of weather delays; woken up early in the morning to hunt for fresh, expensive produce in local markets; and years later I no longer remember the arguments we all had. Time has turned them into understanding of the differences among us.

The holiday is stressful but it creates shared memories—good and bad—which is something both cultures have in common as we head back home to celebrate with our families.

Thanksgiving versus CNY

[slumkeyhatch]

Chinese New year is really stressful!

[GeneChing]

YEAR OF THE TRUMPDOG
A mall in China is ringing in the year of the dog with a Trump-inspired dog statue


Meet #TrumpDog. (Weibo/FashionWalk)

WRITTEN BY
Echo Huang
7 hours ago

The Chinese mall best known for its statue of a rooster modeled after Donald Trump has done it again. Brace yourself for #TrumpDog.

To ring in the Lunar New Year in February, FashionWalk, a shopping mall in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, has erected a massive Trump-inspired dog statue at its entrance (link in Chinese). Aside from sporting the US president’s signature hairdo and golden eyebrows, the statue is depicted with its index finger (if dogs have fingers, that is) pointing upward—a “well-recognized pose” of Trump during the US presidential debates, reports Newsweek.

View image on TwitterView image on Twitter

People's Daily,China
✔
@PDChina
Welcome the #TrumpDog: A giant dog figure sporting Trump's hairdo and gesture is seen outside a shopping mall in downtown Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi Province, heralding the upcoming Year of the Dog. US President Trump was born in 1946 in the Year of the Dog.

6:30 PM - Dec 25, 2017
46 46 Replies 361 361 Retweets 586 586 likes
Twitter Ads info and privacy

No doubt, #TrumpDog is a ploy, just like #TrumpRooster before it, to draw international attention, but this year’s depiction is especially poignant since Trump was born in 1946, the year of the dog, according to the Chinese zodiac. But that’s no reason to celebrate.

People take pictures with mobile phones of a sculpture of a rooster that local media say bears resemblance to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, outside a shopping mall in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, China December 30, 2016.


The Trump-inspired rooster statue. (Reuters/Jon Woo)

In Chinese culture, it’s generally believed to be bad luck if the zodiac animal of the current year is the same as the year you were born in, something that happens every 12 years. For example, if it’s the year of the dog, bad luck will befall all those who were born on prior years of the dog.

I can't remember a U.S. president ever being so mocked internationally. Maybe Nixon during his impeachment...

thread: 2018 Year of the EARTH DOG
thread: 2017 Year of the Fire Rooster

[GeneChing]

...here's what the upcoming year of the dog looks like (opens with a wolf moon, but it's not quite the year of the dog yet - nevertheless, we are going to the dogs):

SUPERMOONS, BLOOD MOONS, FULL MOONS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT 2018’S LUNAR CALENDAR
BY MEGHAN BARTELS ON 12/29/17 AT 5:10 AM

It’s hard to remember to look up from our smartphones every once in a while and take stock of the world—and sky—around us. So as 2018 approaches, try setting your phone to remind you to keep your eyes peeled for the full moon. There will be a total of 13 opportunities to admire our companion in all its splendor this year.

While weather can always be a challenge, a full moon is an easy target, since it sticks around, and even a day or two on either side of its peak will give you nearly the same viewing experience.


The full moon of August 2017 as seen from Indonesia. In 2018, there will be a total of 13 opportunities to admire our companion in all its splendor.
BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Here’s what you can look forward to next year. We’ve included some details where they’re relevant, but some of these moons don’t have anything particularly special about them—until you go outside and see their beauty for yourself.

January 1: The first moon of 2018, nicknamed the wolf moon, is perfectly timed to welcome in the new year—and even better, it will be a supermoon. That’s an informal term for a full moon as seen near the satellite’s perigee, when it is closest in its orbit to Earth. Near perigee, the moon looks just a tiny bit bigger than it normally does.

January 31: The second full moon of 2018 will also be a stunner. In addition to it also being a supermoon (the last of the year), it will be a blue moon (since it is the second full moon to occur during the month of January) and a blood moon. Nicknamed for the way Earth’s shadow appears to paint the moon red, a blood moon is actually a total lunar eclipse, during which the Earth falls between the sun and the moon.

March 1: Because of February’s brief length, it misses out on a full moon, which makes the third moon of the year the worm moon.

March 31: Like January’s second full moon, March’s second full moon is also nicknamed a blue moon. This particular moon, which is the first after the spring equinox, acts as the peg around which the date of Easter is calculated.

April 29: This so-called pink moon, unlike the blood moons, isn’t named for any visible change in color—it’s merely an homage to wildflowers bearing the same name.

May 29: This month’s flower moon marks the continuation of spring’s blossoms.

June 28: The strawberry moon is named for the fruit, which is harvested in this month.

July 27: This year’s buck moon, like January’s second blue moon, will also be dyed red as the result of a total lunar eclipse.

August 26: The sturgeon moon harkens back to Great Lakes tribes’ reliance on the fish, which were easiest to catch in August.

September 24: September’s harvest moon is a reminder of the flurry of fieldwork that comes each autumn.

October 24: Because of the importance of October as a month for stocking up meat before winter begins in earnest, its full moon is known as the hunter’s moon.

November 23: The beaver moon takes its name from the annual push to set beaver traps to gather fur before the temperatures drop.

December 22: This month’s full moon is known as the cold moon—and really, we can all get behind that one, right?

If looking back at a calendar isn’t your style, NASA will also walk you through making your own moon-phases calculator, which, with a little assembly, will tell you where to spot the moon in the sky and what phase it will be in each day.

[GeneChing]

Man, I'm already making uncontrollable dog puns.

Year of the dog: Everything you should know about the coming Lunar New Year


Dog-shaped gold figurines are displayed at Chow Tai Fook Jewellery store ahead of the Lunar Year of the Dog in Hong Kong, China December 14, 2017. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu - RC1E7722AEF0
The year is all yours. (Reuters/Tyrone Siu)
WRITTEN BY Echo Huang
December 29, 2017

Once the Western New Year comes and goes, another holiday immediately enters the minds of many Asians: Lunar New Year.

Widely celebrated widely throughout Asia, the holiday is also known as Chinese New Year or the spring festival. There’s much symbolism attached to each new year on the lunar calendar, and many traditions are followed in hopes of an auspicious start.

Each year is represented by one of 12 zodiac animals that reflect traditional Chinese culture, including how people see themselves and their relationship with the world. Here’s what you should know about the upcoming new year:

When is Lunar New Year in 2018?
The Lunar New Year will start on Feb. 16 and last until early March. In China, people get a week off (link in Chinese), though celebrations can last much longer than that.

What is the zodiac animal associated with 2018?
According to the Chinese zodiac, Feb. 16 will mark the start of the year of dog. It’s still the year of the rooster before that date, something to keep in mind when figuring out the zodiac sign of babies born around the cutoff.

What are the Chinese zodiac animals?
Using the lunar calendar, which originated around 3,500 years ago, the ancients developed the Chinese zodiac to track time. There are 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, and they appear in the following sequence: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

When were prior years of the dog?
There’s a 12-year cycle before an animal makes a repeat appearance on the calendar. Aside from 2018, prior dog years include 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006.

What is special about the dog?
The dog became one of the zodiac animals because of its close relationship with people (link in Chinese). China is one of the earliest countries to have domesticated dogs from grey wolves. China’s Hemudu culture, which existed from 5500 to 3300 BC, was one of the first to domestic dogs, according to fossils unearthed by researchers.

In Chinese folklore, the Jade Emperor, the ruler of heaven, also selected the dog as one of the 12 zodiacs for its wisdom (link in Chinese).

What are the characteristics of someone born on dog years?
In Chinese culture, people born during the year of dog are believed to inherit some of the animal’s characteristics, such as loyalty, patience, and reliability.

Zodiac theory also relates to Chinese elemental theory, which associates the 12 animals with one of five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The five elements combined with the 12 zodiac signs produce a 60-year cycle.


Zodiac animals have both fixed and non-fixed elements attached to them. For example, the dog (as well as the dragon, ox, and goat) is always associated with the earth element. Since 2018 is considered an earth year according to the Chinese solar calendar, those born in the coming Lunar New Year will be considered earth dogs, which carry characteristics like being communicative and responsible at work.

However, the last dog year, in 2006, was considered a metal year. Though dogs are inherently associated with earth, those born during the metal dog year are believed to be conservative and cautious in nature.

What zodiac animals are compatible with dogs?
In Chinese

[GeneChing]

That's a seriously ugly shoe...

"Chinese New Year" Air Jordan 6 To Release In January
Kyle Rooney
By Kyle Rooney
December 08, 2017 17:02








Chinese New Year 6s are in the works.

A "Chinese New Year" Air Jordan 6 is in the works and today we have our best look yet at the kicks which will reportedly hit retailers sometime in January. Note: images in the gallery are of the 'GS' version.

The CNY 6s, built on a combination of leather and nubuck, come in a black, multi-color, summit white and metallic gold color scheme, complete with floral embroideries that make them unlike any Air Jordan 6s that have ever released.

At the start of 2017, Jordan Brand released celebratory "Chinese New Year" Air Jordan 12s, as well as a special edition Air Jordan 31, but both featured much more subtle designs than this upcoming Air Jordan 6.

It's unclear exactly when these unreleased 6s will be hitting retailers, but word on the street is they'll cost $250. You can also be sure that the Chinese New Year 6s will be a limited release, similar to last year's Air Jordan 12 and Air Jordan 31.

While we await official images and release details from Jordan Brand, check out the leaked images in the gallery above, as well as in the IG posts below.

[GeneChing]

NEW for 2018! Year of the DOG T-shirts & Hoodies!

[GeneChing]

Enter to win KungFuMagazine.com's contest for a 2018 YEAR OF THE DOG T-SHIRT! Contest ends 5:30 p.m. PST on 2/01/2018.

[GeneChing]

I'm posting this on the Qigong Challenges & Stunts thread because it's the only reference to Taierzhuang on the forum. What is it about this place that there's such a focus on qigong?

Also copying it to the 2018 Year of the EARTH DOG thread because it's a CNY thing.

Actually, I just like the clunky translation.

The Sixth Grand Temple Fair of Taierzhuang Ancient Town Was Grandly Held.

Between the New Year’s Day and the Lantern Festival, fantastic performances of various kinds will be held in Taierzhuang Ancient Town, including ten-thousand-lantern display, fire dragon and steel sparkle dance, folklore show parade, spring festival flash mobs, overpass busking, stunts performed by rare talent, Shaolin Kungfu and many other eye-catching shows. All of these festive events will definitely provide you with a pleasant sense of the Chinese New Year atmosphere!



Throughout the festival, tourists may enjoy the dazzling and glorious fire dragon and steel sparkle performances at the Fu Xing Square—steel sparkles are splashed into the sky and instantly rain down like meteor showers; shirtless dragon dancers perform wildly with all kinds of skillful twists and turns, both brilliant to the mind and pleasant to the eye. In addition, visitors will undoubtedly feast their eyes with various kungfu performances like Shaolin 8-part Internal Kungfu, Praying Mantis, Kids Kung Fu (Tong Zi Gong), traditional Shaolin Boxing, hard Qigong, pictographic boxing, Shaolin Eighteen Weapons Grand Contest. Besides, folk tourism teams consisting of stilts, Bei Ge dance (a form of Chinese folk dance in which an adult carries a kid on the shoulder), bamboo horse dance and dragon dance thread their way through streets and lanes, presenting one fire festive parade after another. The Spring Festival flash mobs at both the West and East Gate of the ancient town will give the tourists a great impression as well



From the second to the fourteenth day of the Chinese lunar January, our ancient town will be star-studded, inviting a dozen of figures including Liu Lanfang, Hou Yaohua, Li Jindou, Chen Hanbai, Fang Qingping, HeYunwei, Liu Ji and so on. They will present the audiences with a special performance for thirteen consecutive days, with a special show thrown by a star each day, accompanying you with joy and happiness throughout the holiday.



Between February 8 to March 2, awesome performances will delight you at the Temple of Emperor Guan: sideshows, martial arts, acrobatics and Qi Gong are performed by experienced artists on the Buyun Bridge; traditional folk exclusive skills include Golden Bell cocoon, steel bar neck-wrapping, blade-mountain lying, stone-breaking on the chest, human pyramid, fire eating and fire breathing, contortion, Diabolo juggling and acrobatic flips. All these breathtaking performances will surely be mind-blowing and enjoyable to our guests.

During the legal holidays, the whole street is covered with man-made snow along the river from Leisure Inn to Lan Ting *****house Musem. The mix of the antique, classic buildings and the beautiful snow is bound to impress any visitor with the fortune to enjoy the scenery. No other place is more suitable for the tourists to take photos.



When the night descends, visitors have the privilege of appreciating the colorful, gorgeous lanterns of different shapes and styles. On this year’s lantern show, we have themes related to the coming dog year like “Celebrating the Auspicious Dog Year” and “Fortune Dog Greeting”; as well as the combination of both fashion and traditional folklores as “Coral Sea” and “Best Wishes”. The multi-colored, glamorous lanterns will be a feast to your eye when lit up.

We look forward to your staying here at the Taierzhuang Ancient Town from the New Year’s Day to the Lantern Festival, welcome!

Media Contact
Company Name: Laixi trip
Contact Person: Jiuxiao Chen
Email: 1241305096@qq.com
Phone: 18085192252
Country: China
Website: http://sd.sina.com.cn/news/2018-01-0...q6679800.shtml

Hold the phone...Lan Ting *****house Musem?

[GeneChing]

If I came across this in a casino, I would not be able to resist playing it.

Jackie Chan to the Rescue in New Fantasy Mission Force Slot Now at Slotastic – 50 Free Spins Available Until Valentines
As Chinese New Year approaches, Slotastic is launching another exciting Chinese-themed slot game. The new Fantasy Mission slot from Realtime Gaming is inspired by Chinese film legend, Jackie Chan. Until Valentines Day, the casino is giving players 50 free spins on the new game.

Road Town, BVI – WEBWIRE – Wednesday, January 31, 2018



As Chinese New Year approaches, Slotastic is launching another exciting Chinese-themed slot game. The new Fantasy Mission slot from Realtime Gaming is inspired by Chinese film legend, Jackie Chan. Until Valentines Day, the casino is giving players 50 free spins on the new game.



The new game is based on the 1983 Hong Kong horror action film starring Jackie Chan. It has explosive bonus features to maximize players’ wins. A Scatter on the first reel with a Wild on the last reel triggers seven free spins. Prizes are tripled during the free games. Also during free spins, the Kaboom! feature adds a Bickford Fuse to some symbols. Three or more of these trigger up to three extra free spins per fuse and can even blow the seven free spins into unlimited free spins.

An introductory casino bonus on this action-packed game is available until Valentines Day.

FANTASY MISSION FORCE CASINO BONUS
Available January 31st – February 14th 2018

50 Free Spins on Fantasy Mission Force
with minimum $25 deposit
Coupon Code: MISSIONFORCE50
Play-through: 30x. No maximum cash-out.

Slotastic launched the new Fu Chi slot earlier this month and will introduce another Asian-themed game in February. Celebrating the upcoming Year of the Dog, Fu Chi’s Lucky Dog wild symbol doubles any win its party of. Scatters trigger up to 50 free spins where wins can be tripled.

The next Chinese slot game, Shanghai Nights, is expected next week. With an expanding Wild and a free spins feature with doubled wins, the sleek new game celebrates the glamour of China’s busy port city.

Another Jackie Chan game, Eagle Shadow Fist, is also in the works at RTG. All of these new games will be in the mobile casino for smartphones and tablets as well as in the download and instant play online casinos for desktop and laptop players.

Thread: Classic Jackie Chan
Thread: 2018 Year of the EARTH DOG

[GeneChing]

Most of you probably already know all of this, but for those who don't...

10 “Why”s of Chinese New Year You Must Want to Know
Chinese New Year - Traditions, Activities, Day-By-Day Guide

Chinese New Year (CNY) is China's most important traditional festival, with many interesting customs. You must be very curious about why the Chinese do what they do...

1. Why Don't the Chinese Just Celebrate New Year on January 1?



Chinese New Year is never on January 1. Chinese have a different traditional date for New Year.

Though China has a day off on January 1, and some fireworks are let off then, most attention is focused on the traditional date of New Year, according to China's lunar calendar. Chinese New Year falls in the period from January 21 to February 20.

The Chinese get no time off for Christmas (except those in HK, Macau, and Taiwan). Instead of earlier in winter, the Chinese have their much-needed winter break in mid to late winter.

The holiday time was chosen for farmers. It's a good time for them to get together, relax, and pray for the next year of farming, as it's the slack time before spring ploughing etc. begins.

2. Why Does the Date for Chinese New Year Change Every Year?
Firstly, China's lunar calendar is according to the moon. New Year always starts with a new moon for the Chinese. Secondly, it is according to the sun. Chinese New Year is always 1 to 2 months after China's shortest day of the year (the winter solstice, December 21 or 22).

(Like Easter's varying date, on the Sunday after the full moon after the March equinox, CNY is on the second new moon before the March equinox, or the second new moon after the December solstice.)

So the Chinese lunar date is always 21–51 days behind the corresponding Gregorian (international) calendar date… except when they add a month. Learn more about the Chinese Calendar.

3. Why Do the Chinese Call Chinese New Year 'Spring Festival'?
Chinese New Year always falls within half a month of 'Start of Spring' (beginning February 4), the first of the 24 solar terms of China's traditional solar calendar. As 'Start of Spring' begins the 'farming calendar' it is logical that New Year should be celebrated then, with a "spring" festival.

'Start of Spring' is an oddly named solar term, because spring is still a month or more away in China's cold north, and wintry weather still lingers in temperate south China. However, Chinese still celebrate (the coming) spring with the Spring Festival.

To distinguish between "international" New Year (January 1) and Chinese New Year, instead of using 'New Year' (新年, usually meaning CNY in China), Chinese call January 1 'first dawn' (元旦) and Chinese New Year 'Spring Festival' (春节).

4. Why Is Each Chinese New Year Associated with a Different Animal?



Since ancient times, Chinese people have been using the Chinese Zodiac animals to represent the years. Each lunar year is related to a zodiac animal, beginning at Chinese New Year. The 12 zodiac animals recur on a 12-year cycle.

For example, 2018 is a year of the Dog, as was 2006...

5. Why Are There Not Enough Trains at Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year is the most important time for family reunions. No matter how far Chinese are from their homes, they do whatever they can to get back for a family reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, which results in the world's biggest annual migration of people (over 200 million in China).

Even with the rail network at capacity, train tickets are the first to sell out. Learn more about the Chinese New Year Travel Rush.

6. Why Do the Chinese Eat Dumplings on New Year's Eve?



Dumplings are a traditional Chinese New Year food, especially in North China. As they are the shape of old silver and gold ingots (an old form of currency), Chinese believe that eating dumplings will bring prosperity in the coming year. More on symbolic Chinese New Year Foods>>

7. Why Do the Chinese Set Off So Many Firecrackers?
For the right vibe: Chinese New Year is a happy and lively festival, so for Chinese people lots of noise is a must to heighten the festival atmosphere, and firecrackers (and fireworks) are the cultural way to do it.

In ancient times, it was believed that the explosive sound of firecrackers scared away evil spirits, who might otherwise bring bad luck.

In modern China, people set off firecrackers and fireworks during festivals to express their happiness, and invite good luck (all firecrackers are the lucky color red).

Learn more about Why Chinese New Year Must Have Firecrackers?

8. Why Do the Chinese Hand Out Red Envelopes at Chinese New Year?



For luck: In Chinese culture, red is a lucky color, so giving money in a red envelope is a way of giving best wishes, as well as a financial present. It's like sending a greetings card with money inside in the West. Red envelope money is called "lucky money", though it's really the red envelope that's lucky.

Demon suppression: Traditionally red envelope money is called 'suppressing years money' (压岁钱 yāsuìqián /yaa-sway-chyen/). According to many New Year legends, evil spirits are scared of red, so red envelopes were originally used to suppress or ward off demons while giving money.

Chinese New Year, like Christmas in the West, is "the season of good will" in China, so most people receive a red envelope from someone, whether employer or family. There are lots of customs about who gives who how much in a red envelope. See How to Give Chinese New Year Lucky Money.

9. Why Do Chinese Wear New Red or Colorful Clothes at CNY?



It is believed that wearing new clothes from head to toe symbolizes a new start and fresh hopes for the New Year. Chinese believe that New Year's Day sets the tone for the rest of the year, so everyone tries to dress well.

As mentioned repeatedly here, red is China's good luck color, believed to scare away spirits of bad fortune.

Chinese usually wear red or other brightly-colored clothes on New Year's Day, to go with the festive and upbeat mood. Black or white, symbolic of mourning and death would not be appropriate. Learn more about Lucky Colors in Chinese Culture.

10. Why Do Chinese Do Dragon and Lion Dances at Chinese New Year?



Dragon dances and lion dances are traditional performances for joyous festivals and big occasions to enhance festive atmosphere.

It is traditionally believed that performing dragon or lion dances (during the Spring Festival) is a way to pray for good luck and drive away evil spirits.

[GeneChing]

Here’s a look at some (real) Lunar New Year travel horror stories
Combination of bad weather and millions on the move can lead to tragedy

PUBLISHED : Saturday, 27 January, 2018, 10:33am
UPDATED : Saturday, 27 January, 2018, 10:47am
Celia Chen



Technology is playing a part to ease the travel crush during Lunar New Year. An estimated 3 billion trips will be made in a six-week period starting next week as hundreds of millions of Chinese make their way back to their hometowns.

China’s annual Spring Festival is a time when families reunite and usher in a new year. But it’s also a time when bad weather conspires with hundreds of millions of people on the move to create some really unpleasant, sometimes tragic, incidents. Here’s a look at some of them:


Serious traffic jam in Central China on frozen roads in 2017's Spring Festival. Photo / Handout

2017: Many highways in central China were iced over from a severe cold spell, and the frozen roads caused severe traffic jams.

In Henan, a central Chinese province with more than 100 million residents, some parts of major highways were also closed due to heavy fog. In Guangzhou, southern China, traffic jams began to form for outbound traffic four days before the Lunar New Year eve.


About 100,000 passengers were trapped in Guangzhou stations in 2016's Spring Festival because of heavy rain and wind. Photo / Handout

2016: Five days before Chinese New Year’s eve, about 100,000 passengers were trapped in Guangzhou’s railway stations because of heavy rain and wind in China’s southern areas.

Some travellers came to the station one day early to queue up and wait to enter.

Guangdong province is one of China’s major manufacturing hubs and has the highest number of migrant workers, about 30 per cent of its 108 million people are from elsewhere. Its capital city, Guangzhou, is the toughest city to China to get a train ticket during the holiday period.

2014: More than 2,000 passengers were left stranded after heavy snow grounded flights at Xinzheng International Airport in Zhengzhou, central Henan province. Irate passengers were seen “smashing computers and chairs” the Global Times newspaper reported then. The disturbance happened on the last day of the seven-day holiday period, when millions return to work in other cities.


A girl sobbed and was lifted up by passengers in Guangzhou Railway station in 2008's Spring Festival. Photo / Handout

2008: China suffered serious snowstorms that resulted in economic losses of up to US$3 billion. More than 67 million people were affected and the cold weather hampered most travel plans that year. In Hunan province in central China, more than 60,000 bus passengers were trapped in sub-zero weather on highways due to frozen roads. A power failure in Hunan also crippled the train service, resulting in 500,000 passengers being stranded in neighbour province Guizhou in southwestern China.

2004: China’s public security authority called for more caution after a spate of traffic accidents took place around the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year holiday. On January 18, a car collided with a minibus in China’s northeastern province of Liaoning, leaving six dead and 27 others injured. A tractor carrying 25 people overturned on January 25 due to brake failure in east China’s Shandong Province, killing 18 and leaving seven injured.

I'm so glad I've never had to travel in China for Spring Festival...

[GeneChing]

Russian, Chinese smugglers arrested with ton of bear paws, animal parts—NGO
Agence France-Presse / 04:18 PM January 31, 2018


The Siberian tiger, seen here in a reserve in northeastern China, is an endangered species, hunted for use in traditional Chinese medicine. Image: AFP

A group of Russian and Chinese smugglers has been arrested near the border between the two countries in possession of a ton of bear paws as well as tiger, deer and frog parts, an animal protection group said Tuesday.

The smugglers were arrested at the weekend by Russian customs officers in the far east of the country with 870 of the bear paws “and the remains of at least four Siberian tigers” in their three vehicles, said the Russian tiger protection NGO.

The Russian and Chinese nationals were also caught with bear teeth, deer tails and *****es and other animal parts as well as arms and ammunition and an amount of amber, the Amur Tiger Center said.

According to the tiger protection group, the smugglers were headed for China when they were apprehended and were preparing to cross the frozen Lake Khanka on the border.

China is a big market for animals parts from endangered or protected species including tigers, bears, elephants, rhino and pangolins.

The parts are used in the traditional medicine market which flourishes despite the total lack of scientific evidence as to their efficacy and Chinese government campaigns to end the trade.

“The animal body parts are often transported close to Chinese New Year,” which this year falls on February 16, the NGO’s head Sergey Aramilev said.

The Siberian tiger, also known as the Amur tiger, is the largest of the big cats. There remain only around 350 of the animals in the wild, in China, Russia and North Korea. NVG

Wonder what the penalty is? Hope it's harsh.

Thread: Endangered Species in TCM
Thread: 2018 Year of the EARTH DOG

[GeneChing]

With all the weird fakes on this thread lately, it's nice to see a classic resurface...

Haul of 6,000 fake designer handbags found in shipping container in Hong Kong
Stash, which arrived from mainland China en route to Chile, had an estimated value of HK$850,000
PUBLISHED : Friday, 02 February, 2018, 8:34pm
UPDATED : Friday, 02 February, 2018, 8:34pm
Clifford Lo



Customs officers in Hong Kong confiscated about 6,000 fake designer handbags and wallets hidden in a shipping container that arrived from mainland China destined for Chile, they announced on Friday.

They searched the container after it arrived from Huangpu, Guangdong province, on Monday.

During the inspection at the Customs Cargo Examination Compound in Tuen Mun, officers found 5,000 suspected counterfeit handbags and 1,000 suspected counterfeit wallets, according to the Customs and Excise Department. The haul had an estimated market value of HK$850,000 (US$110,000).

In Hong Kong importing or exporting any goods with a forged trademark carries a maximum penalty of a five-year jail term and a HK$500,000 fine.

In a separate incident on Thursday night, customs officers arrested four men aged between 31 and 59, seizing about 32,000 pirated DVDs and pornographic DVDs from four shops during an anti-piracy operation in Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok.

“Customs has been carrying out stringent enforcement actions against the sales of infringing goods and will continue to step up patrols and enforcement actions against piracy activities during the Lunar New Year holidays,” a spokesman for the department said.

Thread: Chinese Counterfeits, Fakes & Knock-Offs
Thread: 2018 Year of the EARTH DOG

[GeneChing]

Chinese New Year Box Office Preview: 'Monster Hunt 2' Hits $11M in Presales
11:31 PM PST 2/1/2018 by Patrick Brzeski


Courtesy of Edko Films
Chris Lee in 'Monster Hunt 2'

THR takes a sneak-peak at the coming wave of Chinese blockbusters, which are already raking in major revenue.
The world's biggest box-office season — Chinese New Year, in China — is still two weeks away, but the country's unreleased blockbusters are already sucking up revenue before liftoff.

Fantasy sequel Monster Hunt 2, directed by DreamWorks Animation veteran Raman Hui, had reached $11.3 million (70.6 million RMB) in ticket presales by midday Friday. With a full 14 days before its opening on Feb. 16, the film should easily surpass the $16 million (101 million RMB) in presales raked in by Chen Kaige's Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back, last year's CNY opening-weekend winner.

In February 2016, China set a new record for the biggest box-office week ever for a single market, totaling $548 million in ticket sales over seven days. That tally cleanly eclipsed the record set in North America just weeks prior by Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($529.6 million from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, 2016).

Whether the market can match those heights this year remains an open question. What's certain is that the field will be very crowded, with fantasy monsters, prat-falling detectives, animated bears and military propaganda all vying for a slice of the enormous pie.

The first Monster Hunt movie grossed $382 million in 2015, an all-time record at the time. Production company Edko Films has pulled out all of the stops for the sequel, more than doubling the number of visual effects shots, boosting merchandising output and marketing alliances, and adding veteran star Tony Leung to the cast. Hui's touch for family-friendly entertainment — an essential ingredient for success during the very family-focused holiday, when grandparents to kids all decamp for the multiplex — would seem the key to the film's clear frontrunner status (during his Hollywood days, Hui co-directed DWA hits like Shrek the Third).

Currently sitting in second place for holiday presales is Wanda Pictures' action comedy Detective Chinatown 2, with $6.7 million (42.3 million RMB). The first film, set in the Chinatown district of Bangkok, Thailand, earned $125 million in 2015. The sequel is again written and directed by Chen Sicheng, and stars returning leads Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran. But this time the action has been transplanted to Chinatown in New York City, and the cast is joined by American actor Michael Pitt.

Chinese New Year wouldn't be complete without a Monkey King movie or two, and 2018 will welcome the third of its kind from director Cheang Pou-soi. Aaron Kwok is back as the eponymous simian hero of the beloved Chinese literary classic. The film will attempt to best the $167.8 million and $185.4 million earned by The Monkey King (2014) and Monkey King 2 (2016), respectively. Thus far, the movie has brought in $5.7 million (36.2 million RMB) in advance sales.

Boonie Bears: The Big Shrink, the fifth film in China's most successful homegrown animation franchise, currently sits in fourth place with $2.9 million (18.4 million RMB). Based on a long-running China Central Television animated series of the same name, the first four Boonie Bears films have totaled an estimated $221.5 million. The new film can be expected to carve out a healthy chuck of the holiday kids market.

The final major title opening on Feb. 16, head-to-head against the other market leaders, is Hong Kong director Dante Lam's Operation Red Sea, which was designed to tap into the same upswell of Chinese patriotism that lifted Wu Jing's Wolf Warrior 2 to previously unimaginable heights last summer ($874 million from the China market alone).

The film stars Zhang Yi and Huang Jingyu, and is loosely based on the Chinese navy evacuation of 225 foreign nationals and some 600 Chinese citizens from Yemen's port of Aden during the 2015 Yemeni Civil War last March. Continuing the growing industry trend of blending propaganda with commercial filmmaking polish, Operation Red Sea is being presented as a special tribute to the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People Liberation Army (August, 1927). The film has tallied $1.4 million (9 million RMB) in presales so far.

Thread: 2018 Year of the EARTH DOG
Thread: Monster Hunt
Thread: Detective Chinatown 2 (唐人街探案2)
Thread: Monkey King 3

I gotta go with MK3. I doubt that will win the box office - MH2 probably will - but that's my fav of these two franchises. I haven't seen DC yet so maybe that's a premature assumption, but I've got a soft spot for anything Monkey King related, a veritable monkey on my back.