I’ve been finding a lot of useful links on twitter lately – this is a little roundup of some interesting stories that stuck out for me. Good advice for those of you out there looking to get a Chinese partner too. Live and learn.
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With thanks to my dearest friend Sha for inspiring this post – couldn’t have done it without you – you’ve inspired me to learn more about China than anyone!

When I was a young lad, I have to admit I didn’t know an awfully large amount about China. It always seemed like this big, mysterious place, a million miles away – in terms of distance, culture, and language.

One of my early exposures to China however was through Chinese Propaganda posters – I remember seeing images of them in National Geographic magazines, and in ‘poster books’ at the local library. Of course, I didn’t understand what they really meant, or what those slogans were about, but those images really captured my imagination – and they are probably one of the reasons I have a strong interest in design these days.

They also piqued my interest in China, and having had a passion for them, I think it’s given me a slight insight into what China might have been like in the past, and how it has evolved over the years – as can be seen in the evolution of the posters.

I recently discovered an awesome site called ChinesePosters.net, and on their site they have a really large collection of awesome poster art available. You should all go check it out. The text and images here are reproduced with their permission.

Today I’d just like to show of a brief evolution of the design of these posters, so you can see how China has developed over the years. It’s quite an interesting view:

Japanese occupation, 1937-1945

Attracted by the cheap labour force and vast resources, Japan invades China in 1937. China must become part of the ‘East Asian Economic Co-Prosperity Sphere’. The bulk of China is controlled by the Nationalist Party (Guomindang), which is especially strong in the urban areas. The Communists entrench themselves in the countryside. Both parties use posters to try and mobilize the population to resist the common enemy, Japan. The Japanese also use posters to justify their military presence and to make it clear to the population that any resistance is useless.

Look! Look! The cruel injustice of the Communist Party | Kan! Kan! Gongchandang zhi canhai

This first poster is from the time of the Japanese invasion of China, and also when the war between the Nationalist and Communists were just going on. I’m pretty sure you can guess which side published this poster. It was published in 1937, and well before the foundation of the ‘New China’.

As you can see, it’s a very interesting use of imagery to play on peoples fears – obviously you can imagine what changes will come in the future.

Building the People’s Republic, 1949-1956

The proclamation of the People’s Republic of China brings an end to decades of (civil) war. The Communist Party rules, the Nationalists flee to Taiwan. Two themes are prominent on the posters of this period: the proclamation of the Republic itself, and the reconstruction of agriculture and industry, bringing abundance and prosperity. The Soviet Union supports China. But there are also problems to be solved, such as dealing with opponents of the Party. The first wave of Mao posters appear, a prelude to his later glorification.

Celebrating China's National Day | Qingzhu Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo Guoqingjie

This poster was published in 1950, to celebrate the first anniversary of the founding of the PRC – I’m sure most of you can recognize Mao Ze Dong (毛泽东) in this image, and the other one is Sun Yat-Sen (孙中山). Actually, I didn’t know Sun Yat-Sen called 孙中山 for a very long time – when I finally put two and two together it made a lot more sense why there are so many parks and such in China with the name 中山!

The life of the peasants is good after Land Reform | Tugai wancheng nongmin shenghuo hao

This poster was published in 1951, around the time when communist land reform was really taking hold, and land holdings from around the country were being widely redistributed. Edgar Snow talks a little about this in ‘Red Star Over China’, a book you should add to your reading list if you are interested in learning more about this period in Chinese history.

The Korean War, 1950-1953

The Korean War starts in 1950. South Korea is supported by the USA, the North by the Soviet Union and China. The Russians mainly provide material support, the Chinese also send in soldiers. Until the armistice in 1953, an estimated one million Chinese die in battle.

Long live the victory of the Korean People's Army and the Chinese People's Volunteers Army!  Chaoxian renminjun zhongguo renmin zhiyuanjun shengli wansui!

Another one from 1951 as well, obviously quite a different image. This area kind of helps me to understand the relationship between North Korea and China that still exists to this day. Not perfectly understand, but at least I have an idea of where it came from.

Interestingly enough, a good number of Chinese people have confidently told me that America/South Korea started the war, although I understand that China has recently changed its stance on this. It probably helps put the images into context though.

The Great Leap Forward, 1956 – 1960

After the successful economic reconstruction of the early 1950s, the Party leadership headed by Mao Zedong considers the conditions ripe for a Great Leap Forward in early 1958. The Chinese people are to go all out in an effort to surpass England in 15 (or even fewer) years and to make the transition from socialism to communism at the same time. The production of steel is considered of the highest importance. All over the country, small furnaces are built. In the countryside, huge people’s communes are formed. Life there is completely collectivized, including mess halls serving free food. By early 1959, it becomes clear that the campaign is a failure and that a catastrophe is at hand. In the famine of following years, thirty to forty million people die.

The people's communes are good | Renmin gongshe hao

This image was published in 1958, when things were starting to get a little heated. I highly recommend the movie 活着 from Zhang Yi Mou if you are interested in this period of history.

The smokestacks in the rear are likely furnaces for making steal. I guess that was a sign of things to come.

Chairman Mao loves children | Mao zhuxi ai ertong

This imaged was published in 1960, when the issues caused by the great leap forward were coming to a head. The images seem to try and focus on Maos personality cult, rather than anything overtly political. Not sure if ‘loves children’ would be a slogan I’d run with though.

The Cultural Revolution, 1966-1968

The Cultural Revolution is a series of campaigns, initiated by Mao, intended to transform China into a truly revolutionary country. Big-character posters are used to denounce people as opponents of the Revolution. Red Guards (pupils and students who swear loyalty to Mao and his Little Red Book) destroy anything that is branded ‘old’ and eliminate people considered ‘rightists’. The campaigns result effectively in a civil war. The country is in chaos, but the posters only show enthusiasm.

Oppose economism | Fandui jing ji zhu yi

This image was published in 1967, and apparently has to do with the conflict between the left and the right of the party. Obviously we can see which route China has followed, but it’s certainly interesting to imagine that this is what life was like just one or two generations earlier – this is the generation most of my friends parents belong to – and it makes me realise just how much things have changed.

China as Paradise, 1972-1976

The chaos of the civil war is hidden behind the optimistic images of the early 1970s. They create the impression that China is a paradise, where abundance reigns and everyone is happy. Behind the scenes, the struggle for political power continues. But – with a few exceptions – the mass campaigns are over. Cautiously, the first luxury consumer goods are introduced. The first televisions appear on the Chinese market.

After the bumper harvest | Fengshou zhi hou

This poster published in 1974 seems to me a bit of a turning point in the message the posters portray, and I think it points a little towards what China will become in the future.

The construction of the bridge over the Long River at Nanjing is a great victory of Mao Zedong Thought! | Nanjing Changjiang daqiaode jiancheng shi Mao Zedong sixiangde weida shengli!

This poster published in 1975 also seems to point to the development path. Although the references to Mao Zedong thought are still there. Still, I think this points towards where China is heading.

Modernization and New Leaders, 1976-1988

Following the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, and the brief reign of Hua Guofeng, Deng Xiaoping comes to power in 1978. Under Deng, the reform and opening up of the economy starts that has made China the economic power that it is today. No more stress on revolution but on material wellbeing instead. No more politics but the freedom to have fun instead. People try to forget the Cultural Revolution. The struggle against crime and corruption now become important themes. Private entrepreneurs slowly start to become active. The posters fantasize about the great future that lies ahead: space craft, high-speed bullet trains, high-rise buildings and freeways filled with cars. All these fantasies have become reality today.

Selling the fruits of a bumper harvest in a friendly way | Xishou fengshou guo

And in 1978, the corner is turned. To me this is the birth of modern China and the free market.

Pop star | Nü gexing

And here we are in 1987, the corner well and truly turned, and the doors wide open – China is letting in the outside world, and pop stars and pop music come with it.

China opens up, 1989-

China has opened itself completely to the outside world. Politics have largely disappeared from the poster. China’s leaders (Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin) are now seen as ordinary people and even Mao increasingly looks like a movie star. The struggle against SARS and the preparations for the Beijing Olympics 2008 receive a lot of attention. The world is a new place.

Sweethearts | Qinglu

1990, and here we can really see how the world has changed. Western outfits, and even some of the people in the picture look like foreigners to me. In just 40 years, it really is a different world.

Build a prosperous and cultured new socialist countryside | Jianshe fuyu wenmingde shehui zhuyi xin nongcun

And one more to finish off with from 1997 – I find the message of this one a little contradictory – you can see it is the new China, little emperor and all. But still clinging on the bastions of socialism.

I guess that kind of sums up China today, and hopefully it gives you all some idea of why China is like it is now, and how much has changed in such a short period of time.

I know sometimes people can get frustrated with China, or complain about China, but the rate at which it’s evolving is truly amazing. Who knows where it will be in 50 years from now? Anyone want to draw a poster for that?

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed this post – if you have any thoughts on it, please leave them below in the comments. Oh, and if I’ve made any silly mistakes be sure to let me know. Thanks a lot for dropping by.

There’s been some pretty funny links floating around lately, and a few good’uns to share today – be sure to read on if you like a good laugh. The first video is absolute gold:
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It seems these days there are a million and one different channels for learning Chinese, and each has their own pros and cons. The problem I find with sifting through a lot of different sites though, is that inevitably you will also come across a lot of information that is either junk, irrelevant, or just plain spam.

For a while now I’ve been using twitter as part of my day to day work, but I didn’t quite see the relevance for my personal life, or how it could help me. What I have now discovered though is that it really is a great way to find useful resources, get interesting information, and to help you sort through all the junk that is out there.

Of course, the best way to do this is by following interesting people, and so I’ve gone through and had a good look around to find some sources that I think are really useful for people interested in China and learning Chinese. If there is a good source I’ve left out from this list, please let me know and I’ll update it.

Without further ado – here are some really useful sources for learning more about China and Chinese on Twitter:

@socialmandarin is the official twitter feed of socialmandarin.com – a really useful site for language learners. The twitter feed keeps you in the loop for what’s popular on the site.

@nciku is the official twitter feed of nciku.com – probably the best online dictionary site I’ve found for English<-->Chinese translations. They post a word of the day sort of thing, and other useful info too.

@ChineseHacks is Dave of ChineseHacks.com fame. He posts links to all his blog articles, interesting retweets, and other random information about China/Taiwan. Very interesting.

@HaoHaoReport is a great source of all kinds of articles related to China based on popular stories from their site HaoHaoReport.com. They have a wide array of articles – more for China watchers than learners.

@ChineseADay is a reposting of bilingual sentences from tatoeba.org. It’s a really good feed to follow to get some useful Chinese words into your daily social media diet.

@chinaSMACK are all of the popular posts from chinaSMACK.com. They translate popular articles from the Chinese web into English, and have loads of funny stuff on their site. A good way to see life in China flow by.

@ChineseTeachers post all sorts of new words and sentences on a fairly regular basis. Another useful one to follow just to get a few extra words into your daily diet.

@ChinaTweep posts news and information about China, and it’s happenings. I think it’s written a Chinese person, so a slightly different perspective on things too.

@SinoSplice is a combination of reposts from SinoSplice.com and ramblings from John (the author of that site) – there is a whole combination of stuff, from info for learners to life in China. Great stuff.

@ChinesePod posts a word of the day, and other links – mainly from their site at ChinesePod.com – a very useful site for language learners. Another good one to follow to keep your mind ticking over.

@ciaocibai – OK, it’s actually my twitter feed – I post the occasional interesting article I find, and talk about geeky things and politics with friends. Worth a follow? Yup, according to my highly biased opinion at least.

This is just a selection of useful sources I’ve found on Twitter – I’ve actually created a list over on twitter at http://twitter.com/#/list/ciaocibai/chinese with a few more in it that I plan to regularly update, so be sure to check that out as well.

Are there any great Twitter-ers that I forgot? Who else would you like to see on this list? Be sure to let me know in the comments, and if there are some good ones I’ll definitely update it.

Thanks for dropping by!

Another few juicy links this time round, some really cool vocab lists and ways to join your conversations, a new TV show and more. Sounds great, right? Well, it’s even better than it sounds!
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This time I have another great collection of resources, with study tips, vocab lists, an interesting movie and more. Sounds exciting right? Make sure to scroll down to the movie preview – it’s well worth it: Continue Reading

Are you always on the search for useful Chinese study resources? Want some motivation on how to get started? Or a community to help join you on your adventure? Boy, have I got the site for you! Continue Reading

I always enjoy listening to good music, and ever since I became interested in China I’ve been searching for some music that could really get me going. However, and as I’m sure you are aware, while there is a great abundance of pop music in China (I love you, you love me, why don’t you love me, that kind of thing), I always found it really hard to find anything with my kind of style, anything with a bit more character, or anything without that suggary sachrine style which seems to define a lot of Chinese music.

When it comes to English music I listen to quite a variety, from Elliot Smith to Jack Johnson, RJD2, Gorillaz, The Rolling Stones and more (I’m also a big bluegrass fan). If you are interested you can check out my profile on last.fm to see what kind of stuff I listen to. Finding the Chinese equivilent of these kind of music isn’t always that easy, and in fact I guess I had to learn to appreciate Chinese music in different ways before I could find some more enjoyable music.

I’ve now stumbled across a few good songs which have managed to make it into my regular listening cycle. I’ve come across these songs in a number of different ways – going to karaoke with friends is certainly a big one (and hence I can actually sing some of these songs in Chinese), my friends ringtones/dialtones (it plays songs when you call their phones), the occasional recomendation (although this hasn’t been very successful to the different tastes I have from most of my friends), and through assorted things that I listen to across the Chinese internet.

And so, here is a selection of a few songs that I’ve really got into (sorry about some of the videos – quality isn’t too great) with videos and MP3′s (via Baidu – not me!) – hope you like them!:
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This week I have some really great resources to share with you. There are a lot of really helpful sites which well help you improve you Chinese vocabulary, and especially helpful to the more technically oriented among you. Great podcasts and TV shows for you to choose from too: Continue Reading

A pretty useful link to share with you today: ChineseHacks.com – this site is full of really useful information on studying Chinese, language learning resources, news, translations and more. Continue Reading