Jottings from the Granite Studio

We are still in Beijing and I would describe today’s weather as “ashen grey.”

• Laowiseass presents an interesting ethical dilemma that won’t be unfamiliar to foreigners living in China. Read about his night out on the town with the local taxation official and his internal debate over the exact ethics and etiquette of such a situation.

• Danwei posts a link to an animated map showing the ebb and flow of empires across the Middle East from 1405 BC to 2003. Jeremy Goldkorn of Danwei writes of the different powers: “If you switch out Mongol Empire for China and Persian Empire for Iran etc., the list seems eerily contemporary: Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel, China, Turkey, Europe.” I suppose that’s true to an extent, though I wouldn’t be so quick to conflate the modern states of “China,” “Iran,” and “Turkey” with past historical empires. The Mongols, for example, were foreign conquerors of both China and the Middle East. It’s true that some Chinese like to claim the Mongols were a “part of China” because the Mongols were later Incorporated into the multi-ethnic Qing empire and contemporary China has inherited much of its territory from the Qing. But it just wasn’t that simple. It should also be noted that by the time the Mongols got to the Middle East, their empire was already beginning to split into several different Khanates, with China and Babylon ultimately under separate rulers.

• CDT reports on a survey by professors at East China Normal University that suggests China has three times more religious believers than previously thought–nearly 300 million believers of Buddhism, Chinese folk religion, Daoism, Islam, and/or Christianity. It’s a fascinating story and one definitely worth watching.

• Finally, those of you who remember the old Sanlitun’r nanjie will of course know the name Pure Girl: the infamous hole-in-a-wall (run by the world’s greatest host, the improbably named Jackie Chen) with the 5 kuai shots, 10 kuai beers, dancing on the tables, and graffiti over every available surface. One of the great hang outs where everyone, locals, foreigners, guys and women could just chill and not pay a lot for drinks. (Long time Pure Girl vet Brett once taught me that the measure word for shots is pronounced “tray.” As in, “I would like a tray of shots please.”) Sadly, Pure Girl was chai’led along with the rest of nanjie but I am happy to report that last night, out for dinner with some friends, I saw a familiar sign. Jackie had reopened Pure Girl with the same tables and the same prices (including a Monday-Thursday 40 kuai all you can drink well drinks). Good news: real bathrooms rather than the old single converted shower stall with the door that wouldn’t close right next to the dance floor so…bonus! Go say hello to Jackie. Pure Girl Bar’s (清纯女孩酒吧) new location is at Number 41 North Sanlitun.