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The opening ceremonies of the 15th annual Kunming Import and Export Commodities Fair began yesterday morning at nine o'clock with a thundering performance by one hundred drummers. Paper dragons, men on stilts and a marching band in military dress added to the carnival atmosphere. However, it didn't take long before people got down to business. The Fair, which will last until Sunday, is divided into six pavilions, each focusing on different categories of commodities. The electronics and machinery pavilion, for instance, brings together laser wood drills, hot plates and ice cream machines. The Fair offers many examples of how diversified a growing number of Chinese businesses are becoming as the average consumer's disposable income continues to grow. There are telescopes, collapsible fishing rods, toy helicopters, a portable garage, tangerine tea, and model ships. In the International Pavillion, behind the Senegalese woodcarvings and Russian vodka, Katrina Tehan is promoting investment in her hometown of Echuca, located in Victoria, Australia. "We've opened so many doors for business. We're meeting so many people we could hardly imagine meeting before," Tehan said. "We'll have to have more people next year and continue to profile our products."
Tags: business, foreign trade, Kunming Import and Export Commodities Fair Kunming will host the 15th annual Kunming Import and Export Commodities Fair (昆交会) this June 6th-10th. The event, to be held downtown at the Kunming International Convention and Exhibition Center, is one of Asia's biggest trade fairs and attracts over 5,000 foreign buyers from 40 countries each year. This year thousands of international and domestic businesses have registered to set up exhibits hoping to attract investors and develop cross-border trading contacts.
The Hump International Volunteers are still recruiting foreign volunteers to help greet, offer general assistance and translate for visiting international companies. Volunteers who are able to speak any non-Chinese language will be dispatched throughout the fair on a need basis. Though some Chinese speaking ability is preferable, it's not required. The ever-growing international presence at the Kunming Fair prompted organizers to develop new strategies for welcoming foreign companies. "This is the first time in the Fair's history that volunteers from around the world are helping out," said Jian Nei, director of volunteers. After a short briefing, volunteers will also be able to offer tour packages to visitors looking to go sightseeing after the Fair. For any tour packages that volunteers sell, they'll receive a commission, Jian said. In addition to this commission and the possibility of making international business contacts, all volunteers will be receive a free daytrip outside of Kunming, a certificate of appreciation, a free t-shirt and free beer provided by The Hump Guesthouse. For more information on volunteering for the Fair call Ms Xu (Chinese and English) at 13099905364. Tags: business, Kunming Import and Export Commodities Fair
Xiao Rong, vocalist/guitarist of Beijing punk rock stalwarts Brain Failure (脑浊), has played punk music long enough to know what makes a great live show. For him, it's all about the communication and interaction between the band and the audience. "You see, we're playing punk rock and punk rock is very simple and popular. It's not only about your own personality, it's about making all the young people unite together and have fun. Our band and the people listening to us are entertaining each other. That's what's important: communication by music. And we're a band that wants to communicate. We're not going to go up there and say, 'Hey, this is me and you have to watch.'" The band, composed of vocalist/guitarist Xiao Rong, bassist Ma Jiliang, guitarist/vocalist Wang Jian and drummer Xu Lin, put on an energetic and tight show last night at Speakeasy Bar for a crowd of more than 300. The band tore through dozens of catchy, anthemic songs while sweaty local youth danced and moshed - a few even attempted to crowd surf. Brain Failure proved itself capable of getting the audience into the act, getting nearly everyone present clapping to the beat or yelling back in call-and-response sessions. His hair dyed in leopard spots, Xiao Rong was a blur on stage as he jumped around and switched places with the equally energetic Ma. More than half way through their nearly two-hour set, he yelled to the crowd several times: "Are you tired?" The crowd roared back louder each time.
We talked with a soft-spoken, polite Xiao Rong prior to the show to ask him about the changing music scene in China and Brain Failure's experiences as the first Chinese punk band to tour extensively in the US. GoKunming: Is this your first time in Kunming? Xiao Rong: Actually, it's the second time I've been here with a band. The last time was about ten years ago. I love this city because of the weather. GK: It's changed a lot… Xiao Rong: Yeah. Coming here, I thought I would at least recognize Jianshe Lu and Wenlin Jie, but I couldn't even recognize it. GK: Now you're touring in China. How long will the tour be? Xiao Rong: This tour is happening in three rounds, each about two or three weeks. We're on the last round now. Shanghai, Nanchang, Changsha, Guiyang, Xi'an, and then we went back to Beijing for the Midi Music Festival on May first through the fourth. GK: How has it been touring this time? Do you think the music scenes have changed in these places? Xiao Rong: I feel many places have changed. For example, in Shanghai, now the market is getting bigger and the people are really choosing which bands they want to see. One or two years ago, it was like "Oh, there's something happening this weekend!" but now it's much more common. People are actually coming to see you, not just coming for something to do. GK: What are some of your favorite places to play in China? Xiao Rong: Basically all the big cities. Shanghai, Wuhan, Xi'an. With those places we can sell out the place, about 300 people per show. GK: How did you get the opportunity to tour outside of China, especially in the US? Xiao Rong: We got the opportunity because we were lucky. We worked hard and accepted all the opportunities that came to us. We've toured the whole U.S. about six or seven times now. We've played probably 500 shows. We were very lucky to get to know some people. For example, the Dropkick Murphys who then produced our record and took us on tour and introduced a lot of good bands to us. [Dropkick Murphys bassist] Ken Casey likes foreign cultures and Asian culture very much and we got a lot of help from him. GK: How did audiences receive you in the States? Xiao Rong: Actually, it all happened step by step. We played at South By Southwest and then CMJ [CMJ Music Marathon in New York City], these kinds of music industry promotions. At the beginning, [laughs] it was like a cultural exchange, called like Asian Night. And people would come wanting to listen to "Chinese music," but we weren't really playing that kind of music. We didn't want people coming to the show because they wanted to see some Chinese people. But, as we played more local venues it went really well. GK: Was touring in the US more challenging than touring in China? Xiao Rong: Compared to touring in China, I think it's much easier in the States because in the States or Europe or Japan there's already an industry, so everything's pretty professional. You have a booking agent and they're making money, the promoters are making money, the clubs are making money and finally the bands are making money. So I think that's a good circle to do business. GK: Do you think China's rock scene is going to develop in the same way? Xiao Rong: I believe one day it's going to happen, but it's going to take a lot of people working. In China, I think it would be great if there was a bigger rock music industry. It could give a lot of young people jobs. There are many things a person could do in the music industry besides just being a musician. GK: This February you and Big D and the Kids Table got together and released a split album called "Boston to Beijing", how did this come about? Xiao Rong: We met them in 2005 in Boston. We played a big Halloween show with them and we've know them ever since. On the album the first six tracks are us and the last six are them. Also, Dicky Barrett of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones sings on some songs. GK: Lastly, where are you going next? Xiao Rong: Chengdu. We're taking trains all the way. It's a little dangerous, you're always afraid you won't get to the show on time. Tags: arts and entertainment, Brain Failure, live music, punk, Xiao Rong Michael Sullivan, Fellow Emeritus at St Catherine's College, Oxford University, is in Kunming this week lecturing about art and Yunnan. Author of the book The Arts of China, Sullivan spoke yesterday at Yunnan University about art and art history. Sullivan will give a second lecture this Friday at the Yunnan Art Institute's Drama College in classroom 110. The lecture is scheduled for 3-5 pm and is entitled "Impression of Visiting Yunnan". The lecture is free and open to the public. Tags: art history, arts and entertainment, education, Michael Sullivan, Oxford University, Yunnan Art Institute
The National Disabled Games are underway in Kunming, featuring top disabled athletes from all of China's administrative regions. One of the more popular spectator events so far has been blind soccer, held all week at Yunnan Normal University from 3-6 pm.
The enclosed field is about one-quarter the size of a full-size soccer field. Lightly padded blue walls along the sidelines help keep the ball in play and give the players a sense of boundaries. When the ball is in play, players shout "Wei! Wei!" to let their teammates know where they are. They dribble the ball carefully and cover ground surprisingly fast.The constant contact between the players combined with their competitive spirits make the game fast-paced and gritty. The spectators surrounding the field appeared to be impressed by the players' performances. The crowd whistled and applauded loudly when a player from Heilongjiang broke through three Tianjin defenders to score his second goal of the half. "It's much more fast-paced than I thought it would be," said Ren Yinyun, a spectator watching the Heilongjiang vs Tianjin match. "It looks a little strange at first, but some of the players are great." Yunnan Normal University will host 16 more matches - four each afternoon from now until Saturday. Teams competing include Chongqing, Fujian, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Tianjin and hometown favorites Yunnan. The Yunnan Normal University soccer fields are located at the main campus' north end. From the main entrance on Yieryi Dajie, walk straight toward the back of campus. After crossing the train tracks the fields can be found on the left. Admission is free. Today Field One: 3:00 Hebei vs Fujian 4:30 Heilongjiang vs Jiangsu Field Two 3: 00 Tianjin vs Liaoning 4:30 Chongqing vs Yunnan
Field One 3:00 Hebei vs Yunnan 4:30 Tianjin vs Chongqing Field Two 3:00 Jiangsu vs Fujian 4:30 Heilongjiang vs Liaoning Friday Field One 3:00 Liaoning vs Jiangsu 4:30 Fujian vs Yunnan Field Two 3:00 Heilongjiang vs Chongqing 4:30 Hebei vs Tianjin Saturday Field One 3:00 Fujian vs Tianjin 4:30 Heilongjiang vs Hebei Field Two 3:00 Jiangsu vs Yunnan 4:30 Liaoning vs Chongqing Tags: Sports
Just 65 kilometers south of Kunming, Fuxian Lake (抚仙湖) is China's second-deepest lake and Yunnan's deepest, reaching more than 150 meters below the surface. This depth gives the water a striking cobalt color. We arrived at Fuxian Lake's windy north shore, the vast body of water feeling more like a sea than a lake. Fuxian Lake officially opened for tourism in 1988. Development was slow and steady during the early years, but as more and more Chinese have the time and resources for vacations, activity around the lake is picking up. One of the developments, Luchong, is a small half-built resort town. Bulky and brightly colored pedal boats line the beach. Along the boardwalk, there are four-wheelers for rent while gangs of local men stroll along the boardwalk, cigarettes dangling from their lips. Dissonant Karaoke sounds blare out from lakeside tents. Snack vendors selling shrimp on a stick are lit from the glow of carnival lights. In the restaurants of Luchong, there are dozens of kinds of fish on offer. Perhaps the most unique is the kanglang fish (抗浪鱼), aka Schizothorax taliensis, a once-plentiful fish found exclusively in Fuxian Lake. The fish are only 10 centimeters long - it would take at least a dozen or so to make a meal. Despite its status as a second-level protected animal locals stew kanglang in copper pots and serve it with chili pepper.
In recent years Fuxian Lake's kanglang population has dwindled drastically, a trend reflected on local restaurant menus in which the fish go for as much as 2,000-3,000 yuan per jin - roughly half a kilogram. The price of Kanglang Fish has risen 125,000% in the last ten years. In the mid-nineties a pair of kanglang cost eight fen, or one-one hundredth of a yuan. Today they cost around 100 yuan. Every May until 1998 Fuxian's kanglang would hatch in such massive numbers that they would change the usual deep blue water to the fish's silvery-white color. Area resident Yang Lan, explained what May was once like on Fuxian Lake. "We didn't even usually eat kanglang back then. I personally preferred shrimp," she said. "We'd all go out in wooden boats to watch the kanglang and take pictures. They were everywhere - we used to catch them with our bare hands."
In the old fishing villages along the lake, you can still see the remains of what some locals jokingly call, "The Fish Festival". Large wicker containers roughly two meters in height once used for catching thousands of kanglang at a time now stand in the doorways of houses and temples, dry and brittle from disuse. Today, they are mere porch decoration. On the streets of Luchong, there are a few theories about the disappearance of the kanglang, ranging from over-fishing to water pollution. However, the most interesting theory for the disappearance of the kanglang is the appearance of the silver fish (银鱼). The story goes that in the late 1990s, a new species of fish, silver fish were introduced to the waters of Fuxian Lake. How they arrived and propagated so quickly is lost in legend. But some say the silver fish promptly began eating the eggs of the kanglang, decimating the fish's next generation. Regardless of the accuracy of this theory, these silver invaders are thriving in their new habitat. Above Fuxian's deep waters, a world away from the kanglang's plight, life on the lake continues as it has for as long as anyone can remember. Fishermen lean back on the seawall, their poles bending forward toward the water. Children play in the choppy waves on the lake's edge. Fuxian Lake (抚仙湖) is 65 kilometers south of Kunming and can be reached by bus in an hour and fifteen minutes. Buses leave from the East Long-Distance Bus Station (东部客运站) to Chengjiang (澄江) frequently and cost 15 yuan. Chengjiang is a town on the north end of Fuxian Lake. From there, you can hire a motorbike taxi for a few yuan to take you to the lakeside a few kilometers away. Tags: environment, Fuxian Lake, kanglang fish Rock climbing in the area around Kunming is a relatively recent phenomenon. In 1999-2000, climbing surveyors began at Stone Forest and established four routes there. By 2002 Xishan and Fumin County, 15 km southwest of Kunming and 30 km northwest of Kunming respectively, had replaced Stone Forest as the top rock climbing destinations in the area. Today, the two locations are home to more than 100 climbing routes. Kunming boasts indoor facilities as well, namely Redpoint Climbing (红点攀岩), an indoor climbing center located downtown, not far from the Camellia Hotel and Tuodong Lu. This Friday, Redpoint will hold its first city-wide bouldering competition and party at its climbing center on East Ring Road (东环城路). Bouldering is a type of climbing done without a rope in which climbers ascend a few meters up a wall. It typically focuses on the difficulty of individual moves rather than overall endurance. A spokesman for Redpoint said he expected a good contingency of foreign climbers at the competition. The competition starts at 7:30 and will be accompanied by a party with beer and DJ. There is a 20 yuan registration fee for climbers and free admission for non-climbers. Redpoint Climbing 红点攀岩 No1, Building 49, Dongjia Wan, Sujia Cun 董家湾苏家村49栋1号 Tel: 3372350 www.climbingkunming.com Getting there: Take No 5 bus to Dongjia Wan (董家湾), the facility is on the West side of Huancheng Dong Lu (东环城路) Tags: bouldering, Redpoint Climbing, rock climbing, sports This month in Kunming has been a good one for going out and catching live music of all kinds. This week Italian band Jennifer Gentle are playing two shows in Kunming, bringing the city one of its first looks at an international rock act. The touring band, consisting of Marco Fasolo, Liviano Mos, Francesco Candura, Andrea Garbo and Paolo Mongardi, gets its name and a good deal of inspiration from Syd Barrett and early Pink Floyd, but their blend of psych-rock is clearly heading in its own direction.
GoKunming sat down with Jennifer Gentle founder/singer/songwriter Marco Fasolo to find out more about this unlikely band on an unlikely tour. GoKunming: How did the PSI commercial and the west China mini-tour come about? Marco Fasolo: Well, [CinaOggi founder] Matteo Damiani set up the commercial to promote the use of condoms against AIDS and HIV and they put our song on the video. And then they found some gigs around China. GK: Did you have any interest in AIDS prevention or contraception beforehand or was this more of an opportunity to seize once it came up? Marco: Yeah, I'm not so into social issues, but it's a very noble cause. Anyway, it's an opportunity to play around the world and see what happens. GK: What's your impression of China? How did the Chengdu shows go? Marco: It's been very good. I mean, people seem very interested in the music and they're having fun. You can feel that it's kind of a virgin place to play, you know what I mean? People aren't overloaded by music and bands and technology. It's pretty exciting. The venue was crowded. We had a lot of fun and the people wanted to talk to us and meet us. They're excited about what we're doing. GK: How about any other impressions of China in general? Marco: I didn't think China was so Westernized. The Chinese seem obsessed with the West. It's a bit sad, because they're missing out on a lot of Chinese things… maybe. The historical culture of China seems a bit lost, a bit faded. But, I was impressed with the people on the street: eating and shopping. So many people, it's incredible. GK: After this mini-tour you're heading back to Italy - do you have any other touring plans? Marco: We'll do a bunch of gigs in Italy, but the new album will be released by the end of June, so until then we don't have a proper tour. The first week of May, we're going to the UK for a week and then we're going to play in the States obviously. As Sub Pop will put out the record, we'll start in the States in June, I think. Usually, there're a lot of shows when the record comes out. GK: The new record, The Midnight Room, is the first one without [drummer] Alessio [Gastaledllo]. It was all written and performed and produced by yourself. How was the process of making this album by yourself rather than collaboration? Marco: I built a brand new studio in the countryside - very isolated. Up in the hills, very far from the cities. Yeah, I worked on the production for an entire year, writing the lyrics and recording sketches. The album as it exists also exists as a demo version. Then, I recorded the proper version in the studio. I've also written by myself. But yeah, obviously it's different than before. It's hard to explain. I love to focus on my music very deeply. It was very hard and intense, but I'm really happy about the result. GK: With this album, was there a different sound or goal you were after or was it more of a natural progression from Valende? Marco: Both. It's a natural progression from Valendeand previous albums. This time I focused more on it being cohesive, more fluid. I worked a lot on making it a proper album. There are ten songs and I tried to make them work as an album. Valende is more of a collection: there's an acoustic song, then an instrumental, a jam, a pop song. This record is more of a record. There's a beginning and an end and through it, you can have a more cohesive experience. GK: I was reading a description of The Midnight Room and some of the words used to describe it were "nocturnal", "personal" and "darker" than before. Are these accurate descriptions? Marco: Yeah, yeah. It's like being in a very old house at night and you don't know what's going on behind the door, something like that. Very dark, in a way. GK: What music are you listening to these days? Marco: Not much music. But mostly I like 50s rock n' roll, some psychedelic rock bands, obviously Pink Floyd, 13th Floor Elevators, Captain Beefheart. I like everything that is very, you know…blood-driven. Anything that is genuine. When I listen to a rock n' roll classic like The [Johnny] Burnett Trio or Carl Perkins or Elvis, I feel so excited every time. I like this kind of vibration. And then I listen to a lot of classical music. I like so many different records. I like everything. GK: How about any new bands? Marco: Really, I listen to the same records I did as a child. I'm not so into today's music. GK: And, finally, do you have any plans to take home any Chinese instruments? Marco: Yeah, our drummer Paolo bought a gorgeous cymbal. I'd like to find some really cheap effects or something. There are some really amazing instruments from Chinese culture, but I haven't had enough time to take a look around. Jennifer Gentle will perform tomorrow, 8pm in the Yunnan Art Institute's Performance Hall. Entrance is free of charge. Tags: arts and entertainment, CinaOggi, HIV/AIDS, Jennifer Gentle, live music, Marco Fasolo, Population Services International Next 1 2 |
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