Paying to shovel poop!

Giant Panda

The scientific name means, "black and white cat-footed animal."

When we think of China we picture may things, maybe the Great Wall, or Tiannenan Square, The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven, the Terra Cotta Warriors, the “Bird Cage”, the sky lines of Shanghai or Beijing, but none capture the essence of China better than the Pandas!  Although the Pandas’ have existed for more than 2-3 million years, their habitat has dwindled and they are now found only in the high mountainous areas (8-11,000 feet) of Western China. Originally, panda territory included South and East China and parts of Myanmar (Burma) and Northern Vietnam. Fossil evidence shows that pandas lived almost as far north as Beijing. Today, pandas are found in six isolated forest areas in Sichuan, Gansu, and Shaanxi provinces in China. I am not sure exactly why the Panda has captured hearts all over the world, but through our recent encounter we too have been mesmerized by their character and beauty.

Our adventure started with a three hour plane ride from Shanghai to central portion of China, the Sichuan region and more particularly, the city of Chendu.  Here is located the Chen Du Panda Research and Breeding Center.  The aim of this center is to breed Pandas for Zoos around the world and to also release Pandas back into nature at the age of 6 years old.  There are currently 60 Pandas in this facility but they also take responsibility for all Pandas in captivity globally.  This brings their responsibility to more than 100 Pandas; this accounts for approximately 1/10 of all the Pandas on the planet.  Since the Pandas live in the remote mountain regions where it is either snowing of raining much of the time, and because the government wants to protect this dying spieses, it is virtually impossible to see the Pandas in the wild. 

The Pandas were virtually unknown until the 1950’s when China publicized them to the world.  Mom McCloskey remembers fondly this global introduction and even has an original Panda necklace to commemorate this event.

Rather than choosing to be a mere spectator, (like we are at the Zoo), Catharine and I decided to experience the Pandas’ first hand; we volunteered to be “Panda Keepers” for a day!!  Or as Catharine so affectionately puts it:  We paid to shovel Panda Poo! 

Our duties began with the feeding of the Pandas.  This entailed skewering an apple piece onto a long stick and offering it to the Pandas in their habitat.  The Pandas normally eat only young bamboo shoots but they really seemed to enjoy the diversion.  After this we prepared special “Panda Cakes” which were a combination of high fiber products and special nutrients and vitamins to keep them healthy.  They loved this high fiber treat and could be seen clambering over their colleagues to get the luscious treat.  Then it was on to the not so glamorous chores; cleaning their cages.  But not only did we have to shovel their poo but we had to bag it and weigh it to ensure that they were digesting and eating normally.  Although this sounds trivial, you need to know that a Panda will poop more than 80 pounds of poo per day!!  That’s a lot of shoveling!! Cath is seen here feeding the Pandas their favorite treats; apples and fiber cakes.

After completing our chores, we were off to the fun part of the day, holding a young Panda.  We each had the opportunity to cuddle a 7 month old Panda (approx.. 40 pounds) and watch her while she ate a “Honey dipped” piece of Bamboo.  Although we had to wear protective clothing, we could feel the softness and the tenderness of this Panda Bear.  Catharine’s bear even held hands with her.  It was quite a wonderful experience to be “Up-close and personal with a real Panda Bear”.  Unlike the “Koala “Bear”” (which isn’t really a bear at all, the Panda is a real bear but many years ago they adapted and they no longer ate meat but rather concentrated on bamboo shoots.  Perhaps it was due to the fierce competition for meat of the scarcity of its supply, but for whatever reason the Pandas evolved into vegetarians. The panda's digestive system is partially adapted for processing bamboo: they have a tough throat and a thick stomach lining. However, their short intestines are unable digest cellulose and, therefore, do not remove all of the nutrients from the bamboo. Pandas only digest about 20% of what they eat while in contrast, cattle digest 60%.  This means that they require more than 80 pounds of bamboo every day. 

For years, scientists have argued about whether the panda is more closely related to the bear or the raccoon. Bears, raccoons, and dogs all descended from the same common ancestor that lived over 24 million years ago.

The panda has some characteristics common to bears, but other characteristics are not like bears. For example, their head is larger than a bear's, they do not hibernate, and they do not walk on their hind legs like bears. They are also non aggressive, possibly derived from the fact that they have no predators when they are full grown.  Pandas are about the size of the American black bear. An adult panda is typically 4 - 5 feet and weighs about 265 to 350 pounds.  Pandas live between 18 to 25 years in the wild.

Pandas in the wild are most active at twilight and night , but in captivity they normally sleep at night get up and eat their breakfast (40 pounds of bamboo), then sleep through till evening when the eat again.  In the wild they spend more than 12 hours per day eating, 10 hours sleeping and 2 hours playing. Their forepaws have an enlarged wrist bone that works as an opposable thumb and are useful for handling bamboo. Pandas can climb trees, and we often saw the younger bears asleep in the tops of the trees.

The panda's coat and is very thick, it is made up of two layers: a coarse outer layer and a dense, wooly under layer. Their fur is slightly oily which prevents water penetration in the cool, damp climate where the pandas live.  Although useful in their natural habitat, they have a hard time staying cool during the summer days in the middle of China, and therefore spend much of their time inside their air conditioned enclosures. Fortunately, when we were there, the day was cool and overcast and they were actively enjoying the great outdoors.  

  

           

As most of us know, Pandas are mostly white with black across their shoulders; on their arms, legs, and ears; and around their eyes. Some speculate that their coloration provides camouflage during the winter in their mountainous habitat but others feel that their conspicuous coat enables the solitary pandas to spot one another. This way, they can avoid each other during most of the year and for males and females can find one another during the breeding season.

 Pandas are generally thought to be solitary animals. They live in well-defined territories. Males' territories, 1.5 to 2.5 square miles, often overlap several females' territories, 1.8 square miles. 

During most of the year, pandas communicate by rubbing an acidic-smelling substance on tree trunks and stones. They also scratch on trees. Each panda's scent is unique and pandas use the scent to identify each other. Females leave scent to attract males, and males leave scent to mark their territory and to attract females. Pandas also communicate vocally and we did hear them make a variety of grunting type noises. They have up to 11 distinct calls. 

One of the reasons for the scarcity of Pandas is that their breeding season is very short.  Pandas breed once a year. Mating season is from March to May and individual females are in heat for only 2 to 7 days. Mothers deliver their babies during August to September. The Panda will produce one or two babies but the mother will often choose the strongest one to nurture as she is unable to care for more than one. Baby pandas weigh only 3.5 to 4 oz. at birth - about 1/900^th of its mother's weight. Cubs are born blind and open their eyes at about 45 days. Young cubs need to nurse as many as 12 times per day. At birth, pandas have white skin. Within 2 weeks, their skin turns gray where eventually the hair will be black. Cubs have panda fur coloration within one month after birth.

The cubs starts to crawl at 75 to 90 days and can start to eat bamboo at 5 months and are weaned at 6 months. The cub weighs 80 pounds at one year and lives with its mother until 18 months. Panda's reach sexually maturity when they are 4.5 to 6.5 years old.

Pandas are the second most threatened species in the world. Only about 1000- 1700 pandas are estimated to live in the wild.

Destruction of the panda's natural habitat is now the major threat to the survival of the species. However nature also plays a roll. At regular intervals, ranging from 10 to 100 years depending on the species, individual bamboo species flower, seed, and die. Although bamboo regenerates from seed within a year, it can take up to 20 years before the bamboo can support a panda population again. Often, only one species of bamboo grows in an area. When the bamboo species in one area flowers, pandas have to find other species of bamboo to eat. Often they must move to areas where there are other species of bamboo.

  

Panda conservation began in China during the 1940s. This effort was initially restricted to field research. In 1963, the Chinese government created this breeding center in Chendu which now houses approximately 65 Panda Bears.


More pictures on Picasa.

The Chinese - seeing is NOT believing - a follow up on the Brand Image Saga

The Chinese are becoming increasingly modern, but they are not becoming 'Western. In a recent conversation with a visiting European professor, I realized that seeing is not believing.  He mentioned to me that it must be easy to live in such a modern city in the midst of China.  I reassured him that of all the places in China to live, that Shanghai was probably the most like the part of the world from which they come (at least outwardly).  Therefore it is interesting and easy for the tourist to enjoy their experience in Shanghai.  But when you take a deeper look, the cultural nuisances are very strong, it is really “Mutton dressed up like Lamb” (to coin an Australia saying).

 

Don't be deceived by appearances. Consumers in China aren't becoming "Western." They are increasingly modern and international, but they remain distinctly Chinese. If I've learned anything, it is that successful Western brands craft their message here to be "global," not "foreign"—so that they can become part of Chinese culture.

While it is certainly true that the country's economy and society are evolving rapidly, the underlying culture has remained more or less constant for thousands of years. China is a Confucian society which combines top-down leadership with loyalty and respect. In Chinese society, individuals seem have no identity and really do not normally want to stand out in a crowd. The “squeaky wheel” really doesn’t get the grease.  Rather the “best employees” and society members are the ones that spend all their time trying to make the boss look good even if the boss does not have the best ideas.  Independent thought is left to those in charge. Self-expression is generally frowned upon, and societal acknowledgment is still tantamount to success.

Societal pressure is great and the best will fall into line.  Liberal arts majors are considered inferior to graduates with engineering or accounting degrees. Few dare to see a psychologist for fear of losing "face” or being branded sick. Failure to have a child is a grave disappointment.

The speed with which China's citizens have embraced the digital transition is one sign that things are in motion in the country. But e-commerce, which has changed the balance of power between retailers and consumers in the rest of the world, is almost nonexistent in China. Even when transactions are arranged online, most purchases are completed in person, with shoppers examining the product and handing over their cash offline.

Self-expression needs to be safe and cloaked in anonymity. Social networking sites such as Sina Weibo (a Chinese version of Twitter), Renren and Kaixing Wang (Chinese versions of Facebook) have exploded. But users hide behind nicknames and fake profiles.It is interesting that most Americans believe that they are not really free to say and do anything they want on-line but the Chinese do (a reversal of the norm).

Chinese at every level try to "win"—that is, climb the ladder of success—while working within the system, not against it. In the Chinese consumer culture, there is a constant tension between self-protection and displaying status. On the one hand, we see very high savings rates, a need to “get a good deal” and an aversion to credit-card interest payments. On the other, there is the Chinese fixation with luxury goods and a willingness to pay as much as 120% of one's yearly income for a car, and another 20% just to register it for the streets of Shanghai.

Despite all the governmental controls, I find it very interesting that there is such a high rate of social issues:  High air pollution, trash thrown on the street instead of using the trash can which is never more than 50 feet away, peeing on the nearest wall and spitting on your neighbors shoes, contaminated food products and myriad other risks to home and health.

To win a following among Chinese buyers, brands have to follow three rules. First and most important, products that are consumed in public, directly or indirectly, command huge price premiums relative to goods used in private. The leading mobile phone brands are international. The leading household appliance brands, by contrast, are cheaply priced domestic makers.  The average middle-class Chinese spends only $15,000 to fit out a completely bare 1,000-square-foot apartment, but will buy a watch for $6000.

Luxury items are desired more as status investments than for their inherent beauty, functionality or craftsmanship. The Chinese are now the world's most avid luxury shoppers.  For Example, the Chinese account for 15% of all luxury items purchased in France but less than 2% of its visitors. Even for luxury goods, celebrating individualism—with familiar Western notions like "what I want" and "how I feel"—doesn't work in China.

As I mentioned in my previous blog entry, marketing establishes brand recognition.  For example,  kids aren't taken to Pizza Hut so that they can enjoy pizza; they are rewarded with academic "reward feasts." Beauty products must help a woman "move forward." And even beer is marketing as bringing people together. Men want to succeed without violating the rules of the game, which is why wealthier individuals prefer Audis or BMWs over flashy Maseratis.

With the now prevalent “one child culture” Chinese parents are totally focused on making their child successful.  Therefore many products and services are focused on "stealthy learning" for their children: intellectual development masked as fun. In Shanghai Disney has a learning institute which is becoming more of a success than its theme parks.  Here, McDonald's restaurants  have morphed into scholastic playgrounds in China: Happy Meals include collectible Snoopy figurines wearing costumes from around the world, while the McDonald's website, hosted by Professor Ronald, offers Happy Courses for multiplication. Skippy peanut butter combines "delicious peanut taste" and "intelligent sandwich preparation."

The American dream—wealth that culminates in freedom—is intoxicating for the Chinese. But whereas Americans dream of "independence," Chinese crave "control" of their own destiny and command over their daily life.

The Importance of Brand Image and its effect on the Nation’s economy

Here in China one thing is very clear, the brand of goods you buy is more important than what you buy or how many you have.  This is not only true for the upper class but for all classes and for all regions of the country.  Many foreign companies have spent a lot of time and money to develop their brand and now it is really paying off.  One interesting example is that of Starbucks vs.Costa coffee.  As you may know the Chinese are fanatical about their tea and will spend much time and money finding the perfect tea and then accessorize it with just the right brewing pots and tea cups in order to really enjoy the total experience.  So why discuss Costa coffee?  Well I am sure you are aware of the success story of Starbucks coffee in the USA but you may not be aware of it in China.  Starbucks spent a lot of time researching the potential for coffee sales in China before deciding to develop their brand here in China.  What they discovered is that the Chinese really do not like coffee but they really like to think of themselves as living part of the international lifestyle (particularly the American lifestyle).  So it is obvious that most Chinese will never be able to afford a large house on an acre of land or a vacation house or a boat and lavish vacations but what they can afford are the little lavish pleasures.  So what does this mean for Starbucks?  Well if they can convince the Chinese people that the American people enjoy the experience of the “coffee hour” where they sit in fancy cafes, sip overpriced fancy coffees made just the way they like, and enjoy chatting with their friends; then most likely the Chinese will want to do the same thing here in China.  Starbucks also discovered is that the Chinese do not have a lot of disposable income but they do enjoy indulging in luxury items when they can.  So, armed with this knowledge, Starbucks set out to make drinking fancy coffee in their cafes a luxury experience.  So they decided that rather than making the coffee affordable in Chinese standards they would keep the price the same as in the USA and make it a luxury purchase.  They targeted their marketing at the up and coming Chinese leaders and got the upper and middle class Chinese to start drinking fancy coffees in their restaurants.  The idea caught on, so even though the Chinese really prefer tea, they are flocking to Starbuck’s cafes to drink coffee.  The interesting part of this story comes when Costa coffee, a Starbucks look alike, decides that if there is a market for coffee sales in China then they want to be a part of it.  But rather than doing the extensive research that Starbucks did, they decide to move right in since there is obviously already a market for this product in China.  Their strategy was to undercut the cost of coffee at Starbucks and offer the same types of products at more affordable prices; in this way they can broaden the market to all Chinese.  What they overlooked is that the Chinese really do not like coffee, what they really like are luxury items that enable them to emulate the lifestyle of the US.  So although the coffee was more affordable, it really was no longer a luxury item and therefore if you are going to drink coffee, when you prefer tea, then it really needs to be a high priced luxury experience.  So after a disastrous start here in China, Costa realized the flaw in their logic, raised their prices and upgraded the atmosphere in their cafes and now are doing well here in China.  Moral to the story:  if you are going to sell something that people really don’t like then find another way to market it!

So although this is an interesting story and you marketing and economics people can probably enjoy the case study; I really mention it here because it is relevant  to an interesting phenomena here in China;  the importance of brand image.  Now you may say that this is important all over the world but I believe that the importance here in China is far greater.  Americans tend to buy the best value not necessarily the one with the highest image. There are of course exceptions but, by in large, the American will opt for more things rather than the “Designer Brands”.  This creates an opportunity for the Entrepreneur in the US to offer goods at reasonable prices and to bolster the American economy. 

One of the interesting times in American History took place in the mid 80’s; when we saw two emerging movements.  The first is the sudden interest in “Generic” goods.  For maybe the first time in history, the price of the item means more than the brand name or the quality of the product.  This was greatly influenced by the lack luster performance of the economy at the time and the desire of the American people to have more not better. So the national brands had to be players in this game or risk going out of business.  They would sell their product to second tier packagers who would change the name and exploit the low price and the generic nature of the goods.  This generic craze lasted almost 20 years before the resurgence of the economy enabled Americans to once again “afford the good stuff” (the more expensive alternative).    So to Americans, brand seems important when they have enough money to buy the good stuff; otherwise generic is better because it enables them to afford more “Stuff”.  This does not seem to be the case in China.  Where there is a strongly branded product, the Chinese are willing to have less but “better” products. 

I will venture my explanation for this phenomena:  The typical Chinese person has little disposable income because the cost of goods here seems close to those typical prices in Michigan and the income is about ¼ of the typical salaries in Michigan.  This forces the Chinese to live in family groups where the parents live with the married couple and their one child.  This coupled with the fact that housing prices here are also similar to or more expensive to those in Michigan, results in a family unit normally living in a less than 1000 square foot apartment.  And unlike a typical American, they do not have multiple storage units for their junk.  Hence the Chinese are very limited in how many things they can buy and therefore they put a high importance on having  very few things but making sure that they are the best things that they can buy.  So, since the Chinese are always looking for the very best, it has been easy for the luxury brands to really gain a substantial foothold here.  The downtown areas of all big cities are filled with designer stores and these stores are always very crowded. 

Another interesting observation is that we come to China to buy “fakes” and the Chinese go abroad to buy the “real thing”.  Recently on a trip to German my colleagues decided to forego the sightseeing opportunity and went shopping.  Much to my surprise they all bought $5000 - $7000 dollar Rolex watches and ipad 3s. The reason they bought these goods overseas is twofold. The first reason is that in this way they could guarantee that the goods were really authentic.  The second is that everything is better if it is made overseas.  So what potential effect will this have on the economy of China?

So getting back to the movements in the 80’s in the USA, the second is the “Buy American” movement. So when the economy began to suffer due to foreign imports and foreign brands, the Americans responded by creating the “Buy American” campaign rather than imposing trade restrictions.  This type of thinking really does not exist here in China, quite on the contrary; anytime the government feels threatened, they simply impose another law to prohibit the action.  In the USA however, Americans will limit their purchasing of imported products voluntarily if they believe there is a real threat to the American economy.  According to a recent poll, 80% of Americans think it their patriotic duty to give preference to American-made products.

America's distinction among all the nations of the world is that it enshrined political and economic freedom. Although we have departed greatly from our original laissez-faire principles, to the whole world America still symbolizes capitalism. Americanism means understanding that a free market, domestically and internationally, is the only path to general prosperity.

International trade is not mortal combat but a form of cooperation, a means of expanding worldwide production. The benefits of international trade flow to both trading partners, even when one of the countries is more efficient across the board.

In purchasing goods, we are expected to view ourselves and the sellers not as individuals, but as part of a nation. We are expected to accept lower quality or more expensive goods in the name of alleged benefits to the national collective.  Interestingly enough, the Chinese have no such feelings and in fact have no confidence in anything that is branded as a China product.   So whether or not we subscribe to the “Buy American”  as a conflict to our free market ideals or not, at the end of the day, Americans will change their habits to protect the economy that we have so long and hard struggled to create. We can however learn from the imbalance of the value of products from outside our borders.

More and better production is good for everyone, everywhere. What's good for Toyota is good for America. That's individualism, and that's Americanism.
Government interference with free trade is un-American. Sacrificing one's standard of living in order to subsidize inefficient domestic producers is un-American but has proven to be necessary when we forget that it is a global economy and that we must produce world class products.

But what do you do when the country’s people have no confidence in locally made and designed products; such is the case in China.  So far China has survived by getting the rest of the world to buy their products but I believe that for China to continue to thrive, they will need to create a middle class which will fuel its economy.  This is because China is no longer the lowest cost producer and their quality is not significantly higher than the lower cost alternatives.  But as I am sure is the case, once someone is able to be part of the middle class, he/she will quickly aspire to have the leading brand which undoubtedly will come from abroad. 

I recently attended an automotive conference where I was fortunate to be introduced to the CEO of Chery automotive company.  Chery is one of the leading brands of China automakers and continues to lead the more than 20 other China auto brands.  I asked him what he thought of the future of the China automakers.  His reply was interesting and insightful.  He said that the near term outlook is bright as the population places high value on auto ownership and Chery is able to offer low cost entry level vehicles for the masses.  But the long term outlook is questionable. 

As many of you know, my biggest challenge here in China is to help the Chinese convert from a copy to an invent society; but without the educational system support and the encouragement from the upper management, the task is daunting.  So I was in a quandary as to how to stimulate the creative spirit and encourage these people to dream.  So one day during  a trip to one of our suppliers I asked my colleague if he has dreams and aspirations for the future.  Here the focus is on technical achievement and loyalty and support for the boss so I didn’t think I would get very far with this approach but it was worth a try.  He related to me a boyhood dream that he once had.  He came from a small village in the north of China where opportunities were scarce and the work was long and hard.  One day one of the villagers bought a car, something that he had been saving for his entire life but saving for such a thing meant a lot of personal sacrifice.  My colleague, at the age of 9, decided that his goal was one day to have a ride in that automobile. A mere 20 years later he not only rides in a car everyday but he owns that car; something he could have never imagined.  But now as he moves into the middle class, he is now setting his eyes on owning not just a car but a Global branded car; a Buick or a Volkswagen, and to one day own a BMW.  So I mention this here to say that this is the issue which the CEO eluded to, the middle class wanting not just a car but a status symbol.

So if indeed China needs a middle class in order to continue to advance, and the middle class has no confidence in local products or wants the status of a globally recognized brand, where will Chery be?  Chery is working now to strengthen their brand by offering higher class vehicles but no matter how great they are, they are still viewed as a low class alternative.  If this is worrisome for the auto industry then what does this mean for the Chinese economy.  With little nationalistic pride and a desire to have an international lifestyle, there may not be much room for local products.  As is typical of government intervention here in China, the government is forcing the international companies to offer locally branded products made by the international companies.  So far the demand for these products is lacking and only the future will decide if this strategy can save the future of the Chinese brands.  Maybe this is part of the natural evolution of a society and soon we will see the “Buy Chinese” movement, but for now the battle of the brands continues and the global players are winning. 

Bangkok Thailand

Bangkok January 2012

Do you know the best way to spend the Chinese New Year?????  Leave China!!  And I am not kidding.  As the end of 2011 was drawing near I was asked what we would be doing during the Chinese New Year; not having given it much thought, I replied that we were looking forward to seeing the New Year celebrations!  WRONG was the unanimous answer from all my work colleagues.  They went on to explain that the Chinese New Year is a time for the Chinese to go home and celebrate the new year with their relatives, hence we would be left out of any celebration parties and would be annoyed by the almost nonstop fireworks celebration.  Now as we all know, fireworks are kind of exciting and can be a fun thing to watch; but I must have to agree with them that when the majority of the fireworks only make load and hideous noise and now beautiful patterns in the sky, that the novelty soon wears off.

So taking the advice of my colleagues I started to once again long at the quickly vanishing “Bucket list” for new ideas.  It wasn’t long before I was on the telephone with my long term friend Jeff now living in Bangkok asking if he was really serious about having the welcome mat out.  Well indeed it was out and it wasn’t long before Jeff had convinced me that Bangkok was the single most beautiful place on earth to visit.  So after finding out that the Chinese airlines make ALL! Their money during the Chinese New Year, we went ahead and booked the overly expensive flights from Shanghai to Bangkok for a week’s worth of history chasing and sun basking.  It was to be one of the best decisions in recent history (since we got back from Cambodia). 

The adventure started in the city of Bangkok with my friends Jeff and Dream Kinane.  Surprisingly Dream was 6 months pregnant with what will soon be their first baby (a boy), but her enthusiasm for the city and her country made her an excellent tour director.  We soon came to find out that it was a good thing that we were not relying on Jeff’s tour guide experience since although he had been living in Thailand for over 4 years, he had not seen any of the sites we were planning to visit.  This really made it exciting for all of us!  I did a very un-Mark Like thing and decide that we really needed an R&R trip so we lavished in the luxury of the Renaissance hotel for 4 days; it was to be a great decision and we had earned it! 

The tour started off ,as most of them do, with a trip to McDonalds and Starbucks for breakfast!  Next we boarded the sky train for the temples in the heart of the city.  As a backdrop; Bangkok is a small city when compared to Shanghai (only 12 million people)  and it really felt a lot less crowded which was a good thing because it was hot for the entire week we were there.  Bangkok was founded in the early fifteenth century, when it was under the rule of Ayutthaya. It is located on the Chao Phraya River along which the beautiful temples of Wat Arun and the Grand Palace are built.  After disembarking from our river boat, we entered the beautiful temple grounds of Wat Arun.  Fortunately the majority of the areas in the city were unaffected by the terrible floods but we did see evidence of the sand bags that had been used to protect some of the areas. 

Wat Arun Rajwararam, "Temple of the Dawn") is a Buddhist temple west bank of the Chao Phraya River. It was named after Aruna, the Indian God of Dawn, the Wat Arun is considered one of the most well known of Thailand's many landmarks. The temple is  named because the first light of the morning reflects off the surface of the temple with incredible beauty. (we saw it in the full light of morning and it was truly beautiful). 

Believe it or not the sky was really this blue and the roofs of the temples we an amazing cocoufiny of beautiful bright colors.  The large vertical temples (built in the Khmer-style much like those at Angkor WAT) also took on a charm of their own as they were completely covered with small porcelain tiles and sea shells, a really awesome sight.  The outer four temples are dedicated to the wind god, Phra Phai.  The halls that surround the temple complex are beautifully adorned by Buddha statues like the ones seen here. 

The entry way to the Coronation Hall is beautiful with its guardian statues on each side to protect the king from intruders.

The Thai architecture is amazing and unique.  The predominate feature is the bright colors and the covering of the surface with brightly colored tile pieces or shells.  This gives the buildings a unique look which distinguishes it as being from the Thai culture. 

The first day ended with dinner with our friends the Kinane’s in a great Italian restaurant; I know, we are in Thailand and we had Italian, but actually you can get too much of a great thing.

The next day we once again ventured onto the banks of the river to visit the Grand Palace. The Grand Palace really is a must city in the city of Bangkok. The temple complex was built in 1782 - and for 150 years it was the home of the Thai King, the Royal court and the administrative seat of government - the Grand Palace of Bangkok is an amazingly ornate temple complex which has been exquisitely restored to the Grandeur days. Thai craftsmanship is well worth seeing an is unique in all the world.  With is blend of bright colors and intricate detail, it is a fascinating to spend many hours. Today, the complex remains the spiritual heart of the Thai Kingdom.

Also inside this complex are temples, the most famous being Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), which contains the small, very famous and greatly revered Emerald Buddha that dates back to the 14th century. Although the emerald Buddha is very impressive the most memorable event was the “loosing of the shoes”.  So it is typical before entering the temple that everyone removes their shoes and leaves them outside the temple in a well organized shelf system.  So after the interesting visit  to pay homage to the Buddha, we returned to put on our shoes as the day was very hot and the pavement was heating up quickly.  After searching in vain, Cath was unable to find her’s and rather than just finding something that fit and potentially starting a chain reaction of missing shoes, she sucked it up and ventured on with them.  It was interesting to see her darting from grass patch to grass patch and from shadows on the pavement.  The day was probably 90+ degrees and the pavement was certainly oer 100.  She was a real trooper and we were able to finish our visit and upon leaving the complex, she was able to find a vendor outside that was more than willing to help her out.  So back to the visit: The robes on the Buddha are changed with the seasons by HM The King of Thailand, and forms an important ritual in the Buddhist calendar. Thai Kings stopped living in the palace around the turn of the twentieth century, but the palace complex is still used to mark all kinds of other ceremonial and auspicious happenings.

The other famous temple inside the grounds of the Grand Palace is

Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha). It is located behind the splendid Temple of the Emerald Buddha and is the largest temple in Bangkok and famed for its huge and majestic reclining Buddha measured 46 metres long and covered in gold leaf. The Buddha's feet are 3 metres long and exquisitely decorated in mother-of-pearl illustrations of auspicious 'laksanas' (characteristics) of the Buddha.

Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya was by far the most surprising settlement that we visited in Thailand.  This once-prosperous Siamese trade and political capital goes down as the most glorious as well as the most devastated city in Thai history. Although Ayutthaya is a 1 ½ hour drive from the city of Bangkok, the city is a haven for history seekers and the city is bursting with stories to tell. As we wandered through the seemingly endless ancient ruin sites, we couldn’t  help but feel humbled by the ingenuity of the Ayodha craftsmen and their powerful spiritual beliefs.

At the center of Ayutthaya City is Ayutthaya Historical Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the most visited site in the area. Here, the four spectacular temples of the early Ayutthaya period (1350 – 1529) stand amongst a dense canopy of ancient trees. West of it is the site of the Royal Palace and Royal Chapel (Wat Phra Si Sanphet) – the political and spiritual heart of the lost kingdom.

In many ways, Ayutthaya reminded us of the temples of Ankor Wat.  The architecture of the domed monuments is reminiscent of of the domed towers of the temples in Siem Reep.  Ayutthaya has become synonymous with temple ruins and historical sites. Most visitors head over to Ayutthaya Historical Park located in the center of the inner city for a comprehensive overview of its history and past glory. When surrounded by these ruins, it’s not difficult to imagine the grandeur that once was the kingdom of Ayutthaya.

Ayutthaya Historical Park comprises four temples – Wat Phra Ram, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Mahathat, Wat Ratchaburana – the Royal Palace and Wiharn Phra Mongkol Bophit. Outside of the historical park, the sites are randomly peppered along the west, south and eastern parts of the outer island.

Ayutthaya History

The rise of Ayutthaya followed a period of power consolidation and economic hegemony across the central plain. Legend has it that the original site of Ayutthaya was actually across the river to the east, in the area spanning Wat Ayodhya and Wat Phanan Choeng collectively called Ayodhya. It was already a thriving political and economic centre, with magnificent temples and palaces as well as warm trade relationships with Lopburi and Supannabhumi (Suphanburi).

When an epidemic broke out and threatened to wipe out the entire civilisation, King U-Thong – the first Ayutthaya King – relocated the capital across the river to where it is today. Ayutthaya’s wealth attracted traders and emissaries from across the continent as well as Europe. At its height of prosperity, Ayutthaya maintained close diplomatic and trade ties with Louis XIV’s court in France, Portugal, Holland, Persia, China and Japan, until it was felled in the last battle of the Siamese-Burmese Wars, which lasted 224 years (from 1539 to 1767). This final battle sealed the fate of the kingdom forever, as it was ransacked and burned completely to the ground.

From Ayutthaya we journeyed about 3 hours by car to the town of Pattaya.  Pattaya is a coastal city known for its “wild Life” and I don’t mean the abundance of animals. This area attracts many people from China and surrounding countries that are looking for a beach vacation “with benefits” .  By benefits I am referring the varied type of Thai massages, the abundance of fresh seafood and the tropical climate.  Combine this with a low cost and living and you discover why so many Europeans have made Pattaya their retirement home. Pattaya is the home of my colleague and his wife; tough assignment!! 

Below is the view from their balcony overlooking the ocean.  The sunset can simply be described as stunning. We really enjoyed the couple of days that we spent there but this is not the type of life that we actually long for.  While there we were treated to the Thai hospitality by Dream Kinane and also to her extraordinary Thai cooking skills.  The Thai like to cook with many really hot spices and I really enjoyed the drastic departure from the food in Shanghai (Which Cath prefers because it is predominately Sweet based). 

 

One of the more surprising attractions in Pattaya was the Sanctuary of truth.  The Sanctuary of Truth was a wooden structure built primarily of teach wood from the forests of Thailaind and Cambodia. The temple is a very ornate hand carved temple with many Buddha images.  The temple has been under construction for the part 40 years and will be for at least another 20 years.  The building was constructed according to ancient Thai ingenuity and every square inch of the building is covered with wooden carve sculptures. The purposes of decoration with wooden carve sculptures are to use art and culture as the reflection of Ancient Vision of Earth, Ancient  Knowledge,  and  Eastern Philosophy. With in this complex we get a glimpse of Ancient  Life,  Human  Responsibility, Basic Thought, Cycle of living, Life Relationship with Universe and Common Goal of Life toward Utopia.  The temple is truly a work of art and more than 200 Cambodia carvers are currently working on the temple structure. 

A big thank you goes out to the Kinane’s for their hospitality and especially to Dream for sharing her Thai heritage and the local culture.  We had an outstanding visit and can highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in history, culture, beautiful temples and great Thai cuisine. More pictures on Picasa.   

“Freedom”?

Recently, a good friend of mine from college posed a number of interesting and insightful questions about life in China;  so over the course of the next few months I will try to give my view on these issues; this is the first in the series. I hope you will enjoy these one sided dialogs, if you care to comment please respond on the blog so that all can benefit from your perspective and experiences.

Ever since 1978 when Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping laid out a vision of economic reform, China has been on a growth spurt of massive proportion. However, that growth comes with a huge price in the form of limited freedom. Last week, Chinese leaders clamped down again on freedom of speech in an effort to control the spread of social unrest.

In China, the government blocks access to the microblog service “Twitter” and, instead, a Chinese version called “Weibo” has become popular. In total, more than 300 million Chinese people use microblogs.

 Regarding last week’s clampdown, Chinese officials announced that users of Weibo in Beijing will have to register their real names and be verified by government authorities before posting on the service. In addition, users are banned from posting anything that could lead to disrupting the social order.

This isn’t the first government crackdown on freedom of speech. Earlier in the year, the government blocked citizens’ access to searches on the “Arab Spring” that was rumbling through the Middle East. Prior to that, the government blocked access to Facebook, YouTube, and Google.  Occasionally, we will be watching a global news report on CNN and the screen will go blank; obviously the content was not in keeping with the government’s version of world events.

What’s the government’s problem with freedom of speech?

As the “Arab Spring” uprising in the Middle East demonstrated, social media can enable millions of people to communicate and mobilize in short order. China seems to be very afraid of letting its citizens have this capability for fear that a popular uprising could lead to chaos in a sprawling country of 1.3 billion people.

So why is it important that the government keep the people in line? Well, if the government clamps down too hard and its citizens rise up, it could quickly morph from a social/political movement to one that has major worldwide economic implications. On top of that, China is gearing up for a once in a decade leadership change in 2012 and, given the country’s history, a smooth transition is not guaranteed. In fact the people do have free and open elections and are able to vote for any of the candidates on the ballot (which I am speculating has already been subject to the government’s intervention).  In addition, these elections are limited to certain regions of the country and are for only certain low level elected officials.  Any of the positions of power are still appointed by the government; but maybe it is a start! 

“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” --George Washington, U.S. President.   But fortunately the rest of the world is monitoring the China situation closely and will most likely intervene if the government heads in the wrong direction. 

Actually I have asked my colleagues about this issue many times and they truly believe that the government is protecting the people and has the peoples’ best interests in mind.  As far as the “man on the street” is concerned, life here has the right amount of freedom.  Many of the people in China are still uneducated and are really not able to make the best decisions and I believe that the people in the big cities, who would be most affected by a change in direction, want to protect their new-found lifestyle and not be adversely influenced by the majority who still live in rural communities.

So, if your definition of freedom is that of the US model, then no, the people of China are not free, but day to day life here seems pretty normal.  Sure they cannot practice western religion, or go on strike, or say anything bad about the government including demonstrations, or have more than 1 child or more than 1 dog (in Shanghai), or visit some social networking internet sites;  but they are now free to: choose their own spouse, choose their own job, go to college if they choose (the cost is actually very low), start their own business, and to travel abroad (with some government restrictions from both the Chinese government and the foreign governments).  The amount of freedom continues to improve but the government continues to enact new laws when things are getting out of balance.  

Or as the song puts it:  Freedom is just another word for nothing left to loose. 

Lost in Translation

Like so many things here in China, a lot gets lost in translation but never more so obvious than at Christmas time.  Although we have seen it happening around the world, here it doesn’t seem to be a transition away from the emphasis on Christ in Christmas, it started that way.  I guess it should be obvious that this would be the case because this is not a Christian country and the government wants to keep it that way.  But the problem is that celebration is not a part of the Buddha religion and everybody likes a party, so why not borrow Christmas. 

Yes it is evident that it is Christmas time here in Shanghai.  In most buildings you will see a Christmas tree and some sort of a Santa representation, so in many ways it feels like Christmas.  It is inspiring to see the Christmas lights and the frivolity in the streets and it makes this time of year a festive time.  There actually seems to be more emphasis on the moon than on anything else.  This also should not be surprising as the moon plays a prominate role in the history of China and the life of the Chinese people.  Remember that the Chinese New Year’s celebration is actually a celebration of the new lunar year; and throughout history many temples were built for the sole purpose of honoring the Moon.

 One might think that you would see signs of preparation for the Chinese New Year but all focus is on the spirit of Christmas. 

                                                               Our Apartment

Like so many places in the world, the commercial side of Christmas gets the spotlight.  But the strange thing here is that Christmas in China is not a time for gift giving, and it is not a time for family get togethers, and it’s not a time to stuff yourself until you can’t do anything but sit on the couch and watch TV.  Actually it is not a time of celebration at all!  If Christmas day falls on a work day then people work, no greeting includes “Merry Christmas” unless a westerner is involved, and no plans are being made for travel to see your relatives.  All of this type of activity actually happens during the Chinese New Year.  At  the Chinese New Year, most people return to their home towns and enjoy time with friends and relatives much like we do at Christmas. 

So; no gifts, no special meals, no time with relatives, no thanks to Christ, only a superficial representation of the “Christmas Celebration”.  I must say that we do enjoy the lights, the Weinachts markets, the Christmas trees and the artificial snow.  What we will enjoy much more will be the visit of Tommy, Allison, Zack and Beckey; this is the true celebration of Christmas, the spirit of love and family!  We have been fortunate to have celebrated Christmas in many places in the world but there is nothing like being “Home” for Christmas.  It has been interesting to see the unique traditions of this time of year in places like London, Germany, Botswana, and Australia but the feeling here is much different; without Christ in the celebration it is only a party!