2/24/09

What China Wants from Obama

This is a really interesting group of folks, mostly professors and analysts, discussing their perceptions of Chinese expectations of Obama. Some excerpts below.

Chinese + Democracy= We do not know yet...
Daniel A. Bell, political scientist
Most students recognize that change must come, but democracy is now more often blamed for political instability and economic inefficiency. Hence, they and many intellectuals are turning to China’s own traditions for inspiration. Democracy with Chinese characteristics is still the slogan, with more debates centering on the Chinese characteristics.
China and The US are in the same boat, kind of.
Andy Xie, economist
What happens in Florida and Arizona can have a significant and immediate effect on jobs in Guangdong. For example, when 70 percent of the furniture sold in the United States is made in China, any downturn in the housing market (fewer buyers of new furniture) means layoffs in China. The United States lost three million jobs since the subprime-mortgage debacle. China has lost 20 million.

Respect, Save, and Modernize Traditional Dwellings
Michael Meyer, preservationist and writer
If Hillary Clinton were to step away from photo-ops at the Great Hall of the People and walk 200 yards south past the edge of Tiananmen Square, she would enter Dazhalan — a half-square mile of 114 hutong, or lanes. Home to 57,000 people, this 800-year-old neighborhood exemplifies the sort of urban planning that many American cities seek to recreate, featuring narrow, car-free streets enlivened by a tight-knit community. Mrs. Clinton should visit the area while it’s still there; wide roads are slated to pierce through the heart of this historical center, where a new boutique mall and a Wal-Mart already shadow its edges.

AND another story about imminent destruction of Qing Dynasty dwellings in Shanghai, ironically perilously located in the recreated Qibao district that showcases a (new) "old-style" neighborhood. This story also has some good links to other WSJ articles about demolition of historic properties, a video of the Liu house in Shanghai, and general dissatisfaction among property owners bought out by encroaching construction.
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Why Lotus? Why Pine?

The lotus signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience, and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment.

The pine signifies longevity and endurance because of its green foliage year round. In both good and bad weather, the pine thrives year after year thus it also represents pure life and constancy in the face of adversity.

Yunnan Province is a mountain landscape created when the Indian Sub-continent crashed into the tropical lowlands of Burma. It is a place with hundreds of unique species and dozens of amazing topographies. When I walk the mountains of Yunnan, I breathe fresh pine air and marvel at the indigenous wildflowers. Yunnan is also the conduit through which Buddhism came to China, along the caravan trails from India. The lotus is a Buddhist symbol of purity and perfection. When I photograph these flowers, I am always captivated by their geometry and peace-inspiring colors.

my motto

Look well to this day For it is life The very best of life.
In its brief course lie all The realities and truths of existence,
The joy of growth, the splendor of action, The glory of power.
For yesterday is but a memory. And tomorrow is only a vision.
But today well lived Makes every yesterday a memory of happiness And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore to this day.

--from the Sanskrit