Happy Halloween!

News

China's dying ethnic villages: Far from the glitz and glamour of China's booming cities, Guizhou province is home to many of the country's ethnic minorities.

Kite Culture Takes to the Air: A major exhibition of kite art and the art of kite flying from China's "kite capital," Weifang in Shandong Province, is now off the ground at Shanghai's Changfeng Park. More than 4,000 exquisite kites of various designs and shapes — including birds, ocean creatures, insects and cartoon characters — are on display.

Pizza Hut converts Chinese youth to western tastes, prices: Zhang Xianrong felt a little uneasy when she picked the fork and knife for her first-ever taste of pizza -- in celebration of her 25th birthday with her boyfriend Li Wenhua.

Anti-terror maneuver at the Three Gorges Dam: Armed policemen forcibly board a cargo ship when it, regardless of policemen's many times of warning moves into the Three Gorges Dam warning waters with dangerous articles on board.

Amazon.com

Thanks for all of those who clicked through the google ads. The blog gets a few cents for everyone who does that. I really appreciate it. I love doing the blog, since it keeps me focused on issues regarding China and China adoption.

I've also added another way to generate some small revenue for the blog. If I post an item that can be purchased from Amazon.com, I'll add a "Buy from Amazon" button that will add it to your shopping cart. (If you follow the hypertext link I add for the product, it will just take you to the product description.)

Anything you purchase from the "click-through" session link will give the China Adoption News blog a small percentage of the purchase.

Of course, the blog will go on regardless! I maintain the blog because I love it!! I'm just hoping to off-set some of the costs I've incurred maintaining the blog over the last year and a half.

Thanks!!

P.S. — I'd like your feedback. If you think the google ads or links to Amazon disctact from the blog, I'll take them off.

Mulan Special Edition!

The Mulan Special Edition DVD is a two disk set with extra content including commentary, deleted scenes, music videos, and a "six part look at the making of the film including story elements, early presentation reels, and a look at the production, design, and art of the film." In my opinion, the most exciting addition is an audio track in Mandarin!

Mulan a Disney Princess

Mulan is now an official Disney Princess. This website has games, activities, stories, etc. You can even schedule a call from one of the Disney Princesses!

(Thanks Kirby for the heads-up.)

Local Stories

Bliss family makes it an even dozen: With seven toothbrushes upstairs and five downstairs, the Blisses are officially a family of 12. . . . The Haitian children have joined the Bliss family, which consists of three birth children, ages 15, 11 and 4, and three adopted children ages 5, 4 and 2, who came from the United States, China and India.

Adopting a child of a different race, ethnicity is best faced head on: An increasing number of parents are adopting children of a different race or nationality and learning first to establish an atmosphere in their home that embraces differences of all kinds. Then the families must work to make sure their children are exposed to other people who look like they do.

News

Pandas benefit from wireless net: The world's dwindling panda population is getting a helping hand from a wireless internet network.

Eight dead from bubonic plague in China: At least eight people have died from an outbreak of bubonic plague in northwestern China but authorities said the disease has been brought under control. Nineteen cases were reported in four counties in Qinghai province this month and 11 people had recovered.

4,000-year-old Tombs Found in Fujian: Eastern China's Fujian Province has been suffering from an extended and severe drought. But the lack of water has brought one benefit: it has revealed 31 tombs dating back about 4,000 years that were long hidden under the waters of Dongzhang Reservoir in Fuqing.

Chinese living in 'fast lane': Many Chinese people simply do not think that there are enough hours in the day. That is the finding of an online survey which shows that people in China are working and studying longer than ever before.

News

Plans Advanced for Silk Road Revival: "We decided to help 're-weave' the Silk Road," said Wim Westerhuis, senior representative of the International Road Federation (IRF), during the Third International Silk Road Conference being held from Tuesday to Thursday in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.

Powell's China Comments Anger Taiwanese: Secretary of State Colin Powell has angered Taiwanese officials and lawmakers by making unusually strong comments denying that the island is an independent nation and suggesting Taiwan should unify with China.

Dissecting China's 'Middle Class': According to the academy's standard, families with assets valued from US$18,137 to US$36,275 can be classified as middle class.

Man jailed over China porn haul: A Chinese court has sentenced a man to 19 years in prison for trafficking millions of pornographic DVDs.

Google Ads

To help pay the modest maintenance fees I've incurred for this blog, I've decided to include some Google ads. Free free to visit a sponsor!

(Sorry if the ads are distracting from the presentation of the page. As time permits, I'll see if I can't put them in a little less pronounced area.)

News

President Hu meets with Powell: Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Monday that the regular contact and dialogue between China and the United States on bilateral relations and issues of common concern are of great significance to the development of Sino-US constructive cooperative relations.

1.46 billion people by 2030s may hinder development: China has a huge population base, which means the country's population will grow by about 10 million every year over the next two decades to reach a peak of 1.46 billion by the mid 2030s. That peak will bring with it great employment and social welfare challenges.

Population Control Helps Improve People's Life Quality: China has made significant progress in controlling population growth while raising the overall quality of its people's health, education and culture.

China Related TV

China Sprout posts a much-appreciated weekly guide for China Related TV listings.

Lost In Translation?

Bill Clinton's Fake Chinese Life: The pirated translations of Mr. Clinton's book delete any references to the lack of freedom in China. . . . The first sentence in the pirated Chinese version says: "The town of Hope, where I was born, has very good feng shui." [NYT, free reg. req.]

News

Double Ninth Festival: With a bunch of flowers in hand, 102-year-old woman Ms. Liuhanshi celebrates the holiday with children and dozens of aged people on the Double Ninth Festival (the 9th day of the 9th lunar month) in a community recreation room for the aged people in Shenyang City, northeast China's Liaoning Province. The Double Ninth Festival also named Festival for the Elderly.

Elderly's Day—our seniors want more care: As Chinese senior citizens celebrated the Double Ninth Festival, or "Elderly's Day," Friday, there is growing appeal that the elderly should be better taken care of.

Aging population in China is not fearful: The aging speed of China has been ranked the first in the world. Therewith, how do the old people, the society and the government cope with this situation?

'Bicycle Kingdom' Abolishes Bike Registration System: China's more than 1.3 billion people may directly ride their new bicycles from the store to the roads without first going to the police for registration.

Beautiful China

Slight Modification

I made a few tweaks to the blog template today. Please let me know if it causes troubles with the browser you are using!

Ladybug Sisters

LadybugSisters.com sells T-shirts, portraits, hand-knitted sweaters, hats, and blankies.

We are a family on our second China adoption adventure. We hope you will enjoy our site and our products. We provide quality items and excellent customer service. Thank you for visiting! Please come back often and see what's new!

News

Temple of Heaven under repair: Repair has started with the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest and its adjacent complex with the Temple of Heaven, or Tian Tan, a famous landmark in southern Beijing. [Another article here.]

China Formally Arrests NYT Researcher for Secrets: China has formally arrested a New York Times researcher detained last month for passing state secrets to foreigners, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of death.

New Course for Elite Women in Workforce: Fudan University will launch a training course for elite working females in Shanghai next month, adding to the emerging trend in education of successful female professionals.

Local Story

Adapting to adoptees: The Bueschers are part of a growing population of adoptive parents nationwide, especially in rural, almost entirely white communities, taking a new approach to raising their Asian children. Rather than downplaying their children's differences as was so often done in the past, parents now are embracing them in hopes that greater understanding will lead to greater acceptance.

News

Crackdown on Shrek 2 Piracy: China's National Copyright Administration (NCA) has called for a campaign to crackdown on pirated copies of one of the latest animated movie hits, Shrek 2.

How does the rumor that Bin Laden is in China come out?: On October 13 Spanish newspaper El Mundo carried a sensational report claiming that Bin Laden, head of al-Qaeda group, is hiding in China.

China has the fastest aging population in the world: As learned from the 16th conference of the International Federation of Senior Citizen Associations China has become the country with the fastest aging process in the world. By the middle of this century senior citizens in China will have exceeded 400 million making up one forth of the total population.

China mine blast leaves 60 dead: A gas explosion at a coal mine in central China has killed at least 60 people and left 88 others missing.

Local Story

Our Neighbors....The Benson Family: Qui Wang, Chinese for "autumn hope," is a charming name in and of itself, but the sentiment it embraces also marks the real-life fairy tale of one tiny little girl—and the Cloquet family she has come to call her own.

News

All type, no write makes Xiao Xu dull boy: An online survey, jointly conducted by the Beijing-based China Youth Daily and Chinese news portal Sina.com, shows that 67 per cent of participants admit they occasionally forget how to write certain Chinese characters.

Looking for China's culture: While a lot of foreigners like the occasional Chinese meal, the only Chinese arts we are likely to have heard of are martial ones, and there is no sign of many of us showing any aptitude or appreciation for the glories of China's traditional culture. The trouble is, not many Chinese are these days either.

Cave art reveals ancient Chinese science thrived: Historians and relics experts claim they have discovered pictorial evidence for the study of ancient Chinese sciences and technologies from the frescoes inside the world-renowned Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang, in Northwest China's Gansu Province.

Adoption T-Shirts

Keller's Adoption Wares — This store contains merchandise for those individuals with an interest in International Adoption.

Clothes

Meili & Me — Girls Clothing Blending the Grace of Asian Design With the Whimsy of American Denim. Our unique girls clothing runs from size 3 to size 12.

News

Space Satellite Lands in Sichuan Apartment: A section of a Chinese scientific satellite that was returning from orbit crashed into an apartment building on Friday, wrecking the top floor but causing no injuries.

Publisher Suspends 'Rape of Nanjing' Comic: A Japanese publisher will suspend a comic series in its popular weekly magazine after receiving angry protests over its characterization of the 1937 "Rape of Nanjing," in which Japanese soldiers brutally massacred Chinese civilians.

China faces sperm donor shortage: China does not have enough sperm donations to fulfil demand. One of the country's five sperm banks, in southern Guangdong province, says that in the last 18 months more than 50 couples a month have sought help.

Chinese Character Pumpkin Pattern

The Fu Jack O' Lantern Pattern, by Kirby. (Fu means "Good Fortune" in Chinese.)

China Related TV

China Sprout posts a much-appreciated weekly guide for China Related TV listings.

Referral and Age Statistics

Ralph Stirling provides tables and graphs of referral waiting time and child's age at referral statistics.

Local Stories

Blanketing the world with hope, help: Kari Fillmore said many of the great ideas she comes up with usually start out as a joke. She's being modest — and honest — when she says she has no idea how her nonprofit company became so successful. What she does know is that Angel Covers, the business she started in her home, has grown to an international organization that helps orphanages around the globe and has individuals from all over the country donating time, money and services.

Thicker than blood: When you wish upon a star, does it matter where you are? Not if your wish is for a family and you are connected to your destiny by an invisible thread, it doesn't. The ancient Chinese proverb about invisible red threads that seal fates and unite couples is the thread that binds the story of a local woman and her Chinese-born daughter.

Beautiful China

Local Story

Interracial adoptions come with unique challenges:

An increasing number of parents are adopting children of a different race or nationality and learning first to establish an atmosphere in their home that embraces differences of all kinds. Then the families must work to make sure their children are exposed to other people who look like they do.

"In the Boston and Cambridge areas, it's not uncommon to see many families with white parents and an Asian child."

Dolls

Target.com is selling National Geographic Dolls of the World at a clearance price.

Since its very first issue (October, 1888), National Geographic has brought readers face-to-face with people all over the planet. These wonderful dolls encourage children to learn about the world beyond their own neighborhoods and nations. Each 9" doll arrives in a colorful tin with a story about her country. Ages 3 and up.

(Thanks Amie from APC!)

News

Forbidden City reopens Treasure Museum: The Treasure Museum in the Forbidden City in Beijing, boasting 400-plus precious cultural relics, was reopened to the public on Sept. 24 after being re-arranged.

Dealer Gets Death for Trafficking 12.4 Tons of 'Ice': One man was sentenced to death and nine others to terms of up to life imprisonment for trafficking 12.4 tons of crystal methamphetamine, or "ice," the largest amount of the drug ever seized by law enforcement officials in the world.

Welfare Plan Benefits Elderly in Shanghai: Investment has been increased in taking care of the elderly in Shanghai, likely to become the first city in the country with an ageing population.

PAF displays aerial charm in Beijing: "Patrouille de France" (PAF), the famous aerobatics team with the French Air Force, presents an aerobatics show over Nanyuan Airport in Beijing, China, Oct. 11, 2004. [great pictures!]

Obesity in China

Chinese concern at obesity surge: The rate of obesity in China has increased by 97% in 10 years, according to a government report.

Six in 10 Adult Beijingers Are Overweight: About 60 percent of adults in Beijing are overweight, and obesity, once the preserve of the West, is becoming more and more common among children, a city survey shows.

China's obesity rate doubles in 10 years to 60 million people: The number of obese people in China doubled to 60 million people in the 10 years to 2002 with diseases related to an unhealthy diet and lifestyle also on the rise, the government said.

China Waistlines Expanding As Incomes Rise: Nearly 200 million Chinese are overweight, the Health Ministry said Tuesday in a report that reflected the swelling waistlines that have accompanied rising incomes.

China Related TV

China Sprout posts a much-appreciated weekly guide for China Related TV listings.

News

Chinese, French presidents hold talks: Chinese President Hu Jintao and French President Jacques Chirac held talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Saturday afternoon, exchanging views on bilateral ties and international and regional issues of common concern.

French Culture Center unveiled in Beijing: A French Culture Center was unveiled in Beijing Sunday in a bid to provide Chinese with the panoramic culture of the country, marking a new wave of Sino-French culture exchanges.

Lawmakers Call for Protection of Drivers: Beijing legislators on Saturday called for more protection for drivers involved in collisions with pedestrians and non-motor vehicles.

Beijing installs condom machines: The authorities in China's capital Beijing have announced plans to install 1,000 new condom vending machines to fight the spread of HIV and Aids.

McDonald's Commercial

See the McDonald's commercial that has caused quite a stir on APC.

Beautiful China

New Book

Taiwan's Imagined Geography: Chinese Colonial Travel Writing and Pictures, 1683-1895

Until 300 years ago, the Chinese considered Taiwan a "land beyond the seas," a "ball of mud" inhabited by "naked and tattooed savages." The incorporation of this island into the Qing empire in the seventeenth century and its evolution into a province by the late nineteenth century involved not only a reconsideration of imperial geography but also a reconceptualization of the Chinese domain. The annexation of Taiwan was only one incident in the much larger phenomenon of Qing expansionism into frontier areas that resulted in a doubling of the area controlled from Beijing and the creation of a multi-ethnic polity. The author argues that travelers' accounts and pictures of frontiers such as Taiwan led to a change in the imagined geography of the empire. In representing distant lands and ethnically diverse peoples of the frontiers to audiences in China proper, these works transformed places once considered non-Chinese into familiar parts of the empire and thereby helped to naturalize Qing expansionism.

By viewing Taiwan-China relations as a product of the history of Qing expansionism, the author contributes to our understanding of current political events in the region.

Local Stories

Serendipity, the Internet unite probable twins: At 3 years old, XiMei and TaoTao are too young to understand the gift they received at the end of last month.

Both were abandoned as babies in China and adopted by American families. A Tucson couple adopted XiMei (pronounced shee-may), and an Alabama family adopted TaoTao. In such cases, it's often next to impossible to obtain information about their biological families.

But then came a serendipitous little miracle - with a bit of help from technology.

News

China's capital smothered in smog, old and weak urged to stay indoors: Air pollution in Beijing thickened shrouding the capital in a nasty haze, while the sick and elderly were warned to stay indoors. The capital's air quality index was listed at five for the second day running, which is the lowest ranking on a five-point scale, signifying hazardous air quality.

Yao excited about Chinese homecoming: Chinese star center Yao Ming is excited about making a homecoming with his National Basketball Association (NBA) teammates next week when he and the Houston Rockets play two exhibitions against Sacramento. The NBA clubs are set to arrive Tuesday in China and play October 14 in Shanghai and October 17 in Beijing.

Psychological Problems on the Rise: Working at least 13 hours a day, seven days a week, Beijing taxi driver Bai Fengshan finds life is too heavy a burden to bear. Bai, 43, father of a middle school boy, has to work hard to support a whole family. His wife got laid off last year. "I would have committed suicide if I had no children," Bai said.

News

China holds 110 'baby smugglers': Chinese police say they have rescued 53 baby boys who were in line to be sold by a trafficking ring.

When Less Means More: China's newest approach to family planning is to financially reward farmers over 60 who have kept their families small.

Beijingers Go on Golden Week Spending Spree: Urban Chinese were busy spending money during the "Golden Week" National Day holiday, which came to an end on Thursday.

Chinese teachers in high demand abroad: There is a shortage of Chinese teachers in all five continents. Some countries, such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Egypt, South Africa, and countries in Europe and North and South America, have asked China to send more Chinese teachers.

Can You Tell The Difference?

Try this short test called All Look Same? The point is to view 18 portraits, and try to determine if the person is Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. I did miserably bad.

(Thanks J-Walk Blog)

News

Tiger smuggling 'out of control': The future of the wild tiger is under grave threat unless China and India crack down on the growing trade in its skin, a lobby group has warned.

Car Society Replacing Bike Kingdom: The auto industry in China has great potential to increase in the next two decades alongside the nation's steady economic growth, but huge challenges exist. China's vehicle output is expected to grow on average by 10 to 15 percent during the next 20 years.

China erects monument for SARS monkeys: Thirty-eight Chinese rhesus monkeys that died in SARS research have had a monument erected in their honor, state media said.

T-Shirts

LilyWear has a number of have Jiangxi t-shirts, bibs, and onesees.

Local Story

Rochester couple officially adopts ailing Chinese boy: Carol and Rob Nassif are now the legal parents of Luke Louis Fu Guang, 4, who was found abandoned in a Chinese train station bathroom at 8 months old.

Kerry's Niece

Regardless of who you are voting for in the heated presidential race, you many be interested to know that John Kerry has a niece who was adopted from China. You can seen pictures and other information here and here.

Local Story

Adoption brings joy to family: The Chinese government sent the Attenboroughs photos of four children, three girls and a boy. One would leave the orphanage for a life in Newfields. Only Diane and Peter Attenborough could decide whom. The girls had cleft palates, the boy other physical deformities.

China Related TV

China Sprout posts a much-appreciated weekly guide for China Related TV listings.

News

China Holds First Festival for Twins: Beijing saw double on Saturday as the Chinese capital opened its first festival for twins, attracting hundreds of lookalike siblings—a rare sight in a society where birth control rules limit most urban families to one child. [more pictures here]

Human Traffickers Given Death Sentence: A 36-member gang of human traffickers were given sentences ranging from death to two years in jails in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Foreigners Enjoy Living, Traveling in China: Foreigners in China have enjoyed more freedom in traveling, shopping, accommodation and especially in entry and exit, since the country's own "green card" system was put into effect this August.

Local Story

And Zoe Makes Three: When the author and her husband felt ready for children, nature stood in their way. Their road to adoption would end four years later and 8,000 miles away in the most surprising five-star hotel.

Beautiful China

New Book

Lilla's Feast: A True Story of Food, Love, and War in the Orient

Osborne is amazed by her great-grandmother Lilla, whose remarkable life took her from her birth in 1882 in Chefoo, China, to a "not quite prudent" marriage in India, a WWII Japanese internment camp and the end of her life in an England that didn't want her. Regardless of her surroundings, Lilla created a cozy home for her family, excelling in culinary delights.

News

National Day celebrated across China: Across the country, Chinese from all walks of life celebrated the 55th anniversary of founding of the People's Republic of China.

National Day fireworks display in HK: A 23-minute fireworks display lighted up Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor Friday in a celebration of the 55th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

China Police Shoot Tibetan Monk After Complaint: The head of a Tibetan monastery has been shot dead by a policeman in western China after he and other monks demanded payment for medical treatment after they said they were beaten in custody. [NYT, free reg. req.]

News

Paralympians return in golden glory: Members of the Chinese Paralympic Delegation wave to people welcoming them home at the Capital Airport yesterday. The athletes won 63 golds, 46 silvers and 32 bronzes, placing them at the top of the medal charts for the games in Athens.

Peking Man Skull on Display: The 500,000 year-old Peking Man skull went on display Thursday at the Zhoukoudian Peking Man Museum, southwest of Beijing.

China's thirst for oil gets into top gear: China is not the biggest oil consumer in the world, that prize goes to America, nor is it the biggest importer — which is also the USA. What China outdoes the rest of the world at is the growth of its appetite.

Special Issue

The October 4, 2004 Fortune Magazine is a special issue all about China . . . and it has a lot of photos!

(Thanks Chantal from APC!)

Diaper Bag

If you are in the market for a high-end diaper bag, look no further!

(Thanks Kathleen from APC!)