Book review: Chinese Folk Tales, Volume 1; adapted by Zhao Jie

Our daughter is now attending a Mandarin immersion school here in the Twin Cities, and each Friday is a library day. For this past week’s reading she chose this compilation of 8 short stories, printed in both Chinese characters and English. Published in 2005 in Beijing by Dolphin Press, this softbound book features full-color traditional illustrations on every page (which is why our sweet kindergartner chose it.)

These are legitimate and old folktales, although we aren’t told from when, what part of the country, or what religious/political order. They aren’t arranged with any particular theme or arc; each story is self-contained, and there’s no discussion by the translator or publisher to help non-native readers understand the context and “moral” of any story. Having read *some* Chinese history I can identify a few characters, but these stories just raise questions and leave me with nowhere to go to learn more.

The second issue is with the quality of the translation; this was clearly done in Beijing, in an academic setting, quickly, by someone (or a team of someones) who hadn’t spoken English conversationally with Westerners. The vocabulary swings from college-level to preschool-level without warning, phrases are awkwardly stuck together, and dialogue sounds like it came from the 1960’s. Characters are not clearly identified, and titles are not explained. Word choices are often dull: several stories refer to “devils” when we would use more-precise words to describe monsters, like demon, phantom, or satyr. Another story tries to explain how the Jade Emperor severely and negligently fouled setting up how the rain would fall, causing extreme flooding, but the words used literally make it sound as if he made a .03% accounting mistake.

The third issue with several stories is the almost random inclusion of implied or outright violence - political retribution, attempted assassination, and choking death. And let’s not forget the story of Yan Song, who basically prostituted his daughter to the Emperor’s court in order to gain political power (although that word isn’t used, the meaning is still there.) While I know Chinese society has adapted differently and is used to a different level of behavior - and that we can’t judge the past through today’s morals - the book is clearly intended for a Western audience.

Parents will need to pre-read each story before telling it with children - to use age-appropriate words, think up explanations and questions to get their child’s response, and to decide how they’ll phrase what goes on in certain scenes to still convey the main idea without getting dragged into explanations they don’t necessarily want to have at that time / age.

Was the book interesting? Yes, I learned more about a few New Year’s traditions, and heard a story about one of Taoism’s Eight Immortals that I found quite funny. But is this a book I’d recommend? No; for a casual read with kids, or to try to learn more about Chinese stories and customs, there’s just too much work for not enough insight.

For more reviews of media and products to help you learn more about Asian culture, click on http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Reviews.html

Book Review: Dreaming in Chinese by Deborah Fallows

Deborah Fallows is the wife of Atlantic Magazine columnist James Fallows, and this pair, most notably for our readers, lived in China (Shanghai and Beijing) for three years. They traveled to many places in the country and interviewed many leaders, expatriates, and regular Chinese citizens, while also keeping house, shopping for groceries, and doing everything else normal people do.

Deborah’s PhD is in linguistics, so she was naturally inclined to pay attention to not just what people were saying, but how they were saying it. As she struggled to learn Mandarin (not enough preparation time in the States before moving to China; had to dive into the deep end of the pool when she got there) her observational skills were sharpened even more just to function in society at a basic level.

As she eventually got her head around the language she noticed how the language itself was affecting how people interacted with each other. By immersing herself in a different society, learn Mandarin, and talk with all kinds of people, she was able to test the question, “do our thoughts drive our words, or do our words drive how we think?”

After about a year of living in China, she started drafting essays to explain what she’d learned, using a particular word or phrase to illustrate a broader concept about Chinese society. This book is a compilation of those essays, 14 chapters in all, plus a question-and-answer section and pronunciation guide at the end.

Don’t mistake this for an instructional textbook; it’s much more a meditation on how everyday people get along in China, and how a Western stranger can start to make sense of all their different voices. Having said that, the book is an excellent complement to any language-learning you may want to do. She has chapters that explain tones, pronouns, and homonyms more clearly than almost any other source I’ve read, and the guide at the back of the book helps you clearly say nearly 200 common words and expressions. And the information and references are extremely current (hardcover was published in 2010; the paperback edition which just came out has updated web links for further reading.)

Each chapter is a quick read of 10-12 pages, and her writing style is relaxed and conversational. Spending time with this book is like having a cup of coffee with a good friend who’s just returned from Asia with a bag of little gifts just for you.

For other media and product reviews about Chinese culture and travel, visit http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Reviews.html

Milk Contamination Update - September 2011

Articles in the September 2011 editions of China Today and NewsChina magazines (neither available on their English-language websites) both address recent food safety scandals.

So far in 2011, per these sources and other news outlets, Chinese consumers have put up with contaminated pork, dyed steamed buns (made with cardboard), recycled bread, recycled cooking oil, contaminated duck, poisoned bean sprouts, noodles, and peppers, seen watermelons explode in their fields due to applications of artificial growth hormones, and pork cuts that glow in the dark.

And as we’ve linked on the weninchina.com Formula Concerns page, tampering with China’s milk supply continued well after the 2008 tragedies became common knowledge.

The China Today article lists various regional and local law-enforcement initiatives put forth to encourage the public to report tampering and punish producers who violate the law, inferring that food safety standards in the People’s Republic are similar or better than international and US regulations.

In contrast, the NewsChina article cites a domestic expert saying Chinese dairy products “some of the worst in the world” and the majority of milk available “is no better than ordinary water.”

This article reports the regulations on bacterial density in raw milk were changed in 2010 to allow up to 2 million microorganisms per milliliter – 20 times more than the American standard, and 70 times higher than the Danish regulation. The minimum requirements for protein content were also relaxed and are now well below international standards.

NewsChina claims in the article these changes were in the interest of the two largest dairy companies, Mengniu and Yili (who together control over half the Chinese market), to allow them to use lower-quality, lower-priced raw milk supplies which can be processed at high temperatures, as opposed to traditional pasteurization. The high-temperature method allows the milk product to be shelf-stable for up to 3 months so it can be distributed nationally, but it also requires adding protein and thickening agents. (The melamine added to raw milk in the 2008 scandals was to make the milk appear to pass the protein-standard tests.)

The article notes disagreement among Chinese dairy-industry experts – milk processors cite the low quality of raw milk coming from independent farmers as the reason for needing lower standards, but others say the low prices being paid by the processors are keeping farmers from improving farm conditions and equipment that would create better-quality supply. NewsChina notes Mengniu and Yili have greater spending on advertising and distribution than on efforts to improve their supply chain quality.

Until this market imbalance significantly changes – as it did in Western countries over the 20^th Century – to include dairy price supports, farmer-led co-operative production organizations, and independent and rigorous public health authorities, the presence of stiff laws will not prevent further scandals. The China Today article acknowledges this, quoting Xu Hu, deputy director of Public Order Administration of the Ministry of Public Security: “…the cost of lawbreaking is perceived as low, and the law will not really protect consumers and potential victims.”

For families traveling to China for adoption, it is still recommended to heed the 2008 milk powder / infant formula warnings, and bring formula from home or international brands picked up in Hong Kong. For adults and older children just visiting, don’t avoid milk products (like ice cream) outright, but as with any food, pay attention to your senses – if something seems not right, eat something else.

More Milk Coffee Reviews!

With tonight's milk coffee reviews, we try the original canned coffee - UCC, from Kobe, Japan; a brand we know nothing about - Mocca, from Suzhou, China; and another big brand from Japan, Sangaria, from Osaka.

The UCC and Sangaria products defined what canned milk coffee should taste like back in the early 1970s as they built distribution and became strong brands. The Mocca-brand product, however, is what we'll call shanzai coffee - in fact, I can't really determine just what they were trying to make it taste like.

For the full review, click to http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Entries/2011/9/12_Milk_Coffee_Quest%2C_Part_2.html, and to see our other product and media reviews, go to http://www.weninchina.com/Reviews/Reviews/Reviews.html

Do you have your mooncakes yet?

The Mid-Autumn Festival takes place Monday, September 12 here in North America. Check out the fun selection of different fillings, brands, and packaging at your local Asian supermarket!

Our decorative metal box here has a drawing of Chang'e, the Goddess of the Moon. Our background info about the Mid-Autumn Festival, explaining why Chang'e is so important, is at http://www.weninchina.com/People/Mid_Autumn_Festival.html.

Meanwhile, back in China, Beijing authorities have imposed a Mooncake Tax for when employers give their staff or clients any of these tasty pastries - that the recipient has to pay! They're calling it "unearned income"...

Family-friendly airport guide: Copenhagen

Our second new airport guide released this week is for Copenhagen's Kastrup Airport (CPH). This sleek yet very comfortable facility will be seeing an increase in flights to China; Shanghai service will begin in the spring of 2012, and Beijing is already served daily.

CPH is very easy-to-use for traveling families. Retail and food options have plenty of child-appropriate choices, restrooms are convenient, and there are several play areas for burning off energy. (There are also several great places for relaxing-time, too.) Long-range and short-haul flights are only minutes apart and transfer procedures are efficient and quick.

Whether you're a Scandinavian family heading to Asia, or a North American family visiting Europe, this guide will familiarize you with the layout of CPH, its food and shopping, and security.

Our Copenhagen guide is at: http://www.weninchina.com/Airports/Copenhagen.html

Family-friendly airport guide: Seoul - Incheon

Our third airport guide released this week is for Incheon Airport, near Seoul, South Korea (ICN).

There may not be another large airport quite so purpose-designed to make the connecting experience for families as smooth as at ICN. Play areas and nurseries are generously-sized and located throughout the facility. An astonishing number of food choices will satisfy any picky eater. There are TV lounges to zone out and Korean-culture activity centers for hands-on creative fun.

Flight transfers are simple, with a simple security check and close-by gates. Stopovers in Korea are also easy in either direction, as visas are not needed for kids with an onward flight. And Seoul has nonstop service to more places in China than any other foreign airport.

Our Incheon guide can be found at: http://www.weninchina.com/Airports/Seoul_ICN.html