Two tragic deaths of skiers in Beijing-area resorts over the past three days have called attention to safety on local slopes.

According to Chinese news reports, a 10-year-old Beijing boy died on Wednesday (January 18) afternoon at the Thaiwoo Ski Resort in Chongli, about a 4-hour drive drive from Beijing.

The boy was found by the Thaiwoo ski patrol but was pronounced dead on arrival at the emergency room, according to Renmin Hospital in Chongli. According to one witness at the hospital, the boy’s father said he has been skiing for three or four years and was familiar with the slope he was found on. The cause of the accident is unknown and the resort has asked anyone who may have witnessed the accident to contact the resort.

The accident comes less than 48 hours after another deadly accident on the slopes of Chongli.

On January 16, a Peking University graduate student was killed in an accident at Wanlong Ski Resort. Witnesses said the accident was severe, and a social media picture of the alleged scene of the accident seems to indicate the student veered off the slopes to hit a tree.

The accidents come at a time when many are considering trips to the slopes for the Chinese New Year holiday.

Skiing is witnessing a boom in Beijing and in China overall, where the number of resorts has increased dramatically over the past decade. Additionally, Beijing’s selection as host of the 2022 Winter Olympics has also sparked widespread interest in the sport.

However, safety sometimes takes a back seat to unbridled enthusiasm among skiers and profit among resorts, resulting in occasional overcrowding on the slopes.

A child at Thaiwoo gets ready for a lesson

“What worries me about a lot of these places is they get crowded, and oftentimes the skiers are under-skilled and over-ambitious,” said one former organizer of ski trips in Beijing. “Even if you don’t take risks yourself, you’re always at risk from an out-of-control skier who has ended up coming barreling down a slope they have no business coming down.”

Safety on the Slopes: How Can Taking Your Clothes Off Keep You Warm?
Safety on the Slopes: How to Check Your Rental Ski Equipment

Meanwhile Sam Goodman, a parent who frequently goes skiing with his family, said several precautions need to be taken on Beijing’s slopes such as always wearing a helmet, ensuring you use quality equipment, and sticking to the hills that are appropriate for your level.

Whenever Goodman hits the slopes with his daughter, who is also ten years old, he tries to snowboard behind her so that he can keep an eye on how she is doing and watch out for the other people navigating the hill around them. He said: “It’s like driving in a car. You can try to be as safe as you can, but if these idiots around you who can’t control themselves slam right into you from behind, then there’s only so much you can do. So I ask my daughter to not only watch where she’s going, but to also be aware of her surroundings.

Safety on the Slopes: Getting Out There
Safety on the Slopes: How to Fall Over and Get Back Up Again

Eyee Hsu, an expat parent and CCTV news anchor and host, is an avid snowboarder who had both her son and daughter on the slopes when they were mere toddlers. However, she and her husband are reconsidering whether to take family trips to local ski resorts this winter, explaining: “Even though our kids know how to control themselves, we’re worried about going because of the people around them. At Chinese resorts there are so many adults that go, rent equipment, and start skiing but never get the proper instruction. The only way they know how to stop is to fall, so it can be a total hazard out there.”

She recommended that parents have their kids wear helmets and that they use proper fitting equipment. But above all she stressed the need for formal lessons from a qualified instructor, so that children know how to stop and can maneuver safely.

Justin Downes, president of IMG Ski Resort Management & Axis Leisure Management, which was heavily involved in the planning and of development of Chongli’s Secret Garden resort and Thaiwoo’s resort, suggests:

• Be aware of the ‘Responsibility Code’ of the ski area – each resort will have it posted in the ski hall
• Ski within your ability level….if you are a beginner, stay in the beginner area
• It is always a good idea to get a ski lesson..learn from the experts
• Don’t ski too fast, especially in congested areas
• Wear a Helmet (many resorts now make it mandatory)
• Make sure that the rental technicians adjust your bindings to match your weight and ability level (it is a simple adjustment with a screwdriver)
• If snowboarding – you can also rent additional protective equipment (such as wrist guards, knee pads etc)
• Always watch what is happening in front of you – don’t worry about what is happening behind you (be aware and alert)
• It is helpful to be in some sort of reasonable physical condition
• Dress warmly to avoid muscle strains

Photo: Courtesy of Thaiwoo Ski Resort

One morning my daughter asked me, “mommy is the sky green today?” and I answered without thinking “no it is purple.” Neither of us batted an eye and continued with our days.

As I write this, the sky is blue and the little green man in my pollution APP AirVisual has shown himself, so we will HAVE to go outside today. No matter the temperature outside, I WILL open my windows. After arriving in Beijing last summer, I tried to ignore the air. But when the cold arrived, the pollution came with it. We fitted our home with a lazer egg and now we own ten air purifiers. I have sealed my home like fort Knox, and we own fancy masks that protect us. I admit, at one point I went a bit pollution crazy.

I am lucky that our shipment arrived from our move oversees (lots of toys!) I personally love pottering around the house, so no issue staying inside some days. I received great advice from a mother “if the pollution is too high, I rather transport my kids with protection through bad air, to a venue or friends house with clean air. Rather than staying at home miserable next to the air machine.” Mental health is as important as anything and having happy kids and parents is good for everyone’s mental health. In my experience over these past eight months, it has been hard to explain to my almost four year old daughter why some kids will come to play while other kids wont leave the house on heavily polluted days. Different families, different air policies. Here is a great website explaining air pollution for kids that are seven years old or older.

In a bid to make it easier for my daughter to understand our family’s pollution policy, I made a framed pollution chart. I found some coloring-book pages to put inside the frame and then made an arrow that we can move depending on the air outside. I got my inspiration from a weather chart on this website.

Pauline van Hasselt has been working for beijingkids since October 2016. Born in Wassenaar, The Netherlands, she moved with her husband and her 3 year-old daughter to Beijing in June of this year. Prior she lived in the Netherlands, Belgium, Paraguay, Texas, and London, studying and working as a chef. Pauline enjoys biking around Beijing, finding markets and new restaurants, reading crime and fantasy books in bed, and most importantly, turning her house into a home for her family.

Today is the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, and people from all across the world will be watching anxiously to see how his term in office unfolds. To get some idea of what lies ahead, we decided to find out what Chinese astrology has to say on the subject. Because, you know, it can’t be less accurate than the opinion polls.

I turned to my favorite online soothsayer, Master Tsai at www.chinesefortunecalendar.com, whose guidance I have sought before. “Donald Trump has a very special birth chart,” Master Tsai tells us. “His Five Elements are extremely out of balance. The birth chart has too much Fire and Earth, with almost no Water or Metal.”

But what does this mean, Master Tsai?

“That means Donald Trump’s Wet Soil is full of energy.” Careful now. “Earth is also connected to land. In Trump’s case: real estate. Any business related to Earth will bring him money.”

Well, yes. Although not necessarily those who work for him. What else?

“Since Water is the unlucky element to him, women can bring him trouble.”

Enough of that! Moving swiftly on…

“Earth and Fire are his lucky elements. Earth is related to soil, center, or brown. Fire is related to heat, summer, south, or red. Therefore, red, ruby and brown can bring him good luck. The center and southern areas are favorable to him.”

You don’t say.

And what does 2017 have in store, Master Tsai?

“Chicken is Female Metal. Female Metal related to his children or subordinates. They will spend more time with Trump, and the people supporting Trump will expect certain achievements from him. Trump will enjoy his life.”

He’s certainly going to be spending more time with his children. Master Tsai predicts more good fortune for Trump in 2018, but by 2019, Water Pig is making the land muddy, which “indicates slow progress in money related projects.” By 2020, election year, Trump is running into difficulties: “He will have money management issues.”

In fairness to Master Tsai, most of his predictions were put on record well in advance of the election, although it wouldn’t take a mystic to foresee that the center and south would be favorable to Trump, or that “he has a good chance to become president, unless his opponent has better luck than him.”

The fact remains though that most of the experts called the election wrong, while Geda the Mystical Monkey correctly picked Trump, and even gave him a big kiss. Perhaps we really are in an age where nobody knows anything. I’m off to see what next door’s cat has to say about the Shanghai stockmarket.

Images: elloxx.com, inquisitr.com

Ms. Uptown, which officially opened in Beijing in October 2016, aims to be a new female-only fitness haven. The staff is bilingual (with Chinese and English being the dominant languages) and members of the fitness center can enjoy a variety of classes including Zumba, yoga, and hip hop dance among others. The gym also has a smaller workout area for cardio exercises, free clothing to use for the duration of each workout session, a changing room, and also sells drinks. While the gym does not have a specific age requirement, members must be old enough to use exercise equipment and machinery.

Judyanna Chen, the founder of Ms. Uptown, sees her organization as one for women of all ages and backgrounds to find a place of peace, a supportive community, and somewhere to build their own self-image. She sees her studio as a place for women “to be confident, determined, and strong so they can be independent, influential, and extraordinary.”

Judyanna Chen speaking at a Ms. Uptown event.

Ms. Uptown is one of several businesses that has opened up in China in recent years marketed solely towards women. As early as 2012 Lady Book Salon, a bookstore in Beijing, joined several bookstores geared towards women. In addition to businesses, female students as young as high school age have also recently begun to create their own female-oriented spaces such as a feminist club at Dalton Academy, which was started by two Dalton Academy students in 2014.

In the larger scheme of feminism and Chinese society and without proscribing to either, Chen says that above all Ms. Uptown is a place for women to learn new skills and have fun. In addition to the dance, yoga, and fitness classes it offers, Ms. Uptown also hosts workshops and events. While the workshops and events have thus far been open to men, Chen says that which events are open to in the near future will depend on the specifics of each activity.

Since the studio opened, some of its activities have included a K-pop dance session, Charity for Dogs, and a vegan lunch and yoga event. On February 18, Ms. Uptown will also be hosting a Yoga Foundation workshop that will be open to all genders. In terms of events more tailored to specific clientele, in mid-February the studio will begin offering a weekly mommy and baby bootcamp.

Prior to moving to Beijing, Chen worked as the CFO for several public companies. Chen, a Canadian born Chinese woman who’s also a licensed Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), says she drew inspiration for Ms. Uptown from her past experiences working at gym in Toronto that featured a female-only section. Chen believes that a female-only gym eliminates most of the insecurities, anxieties, or other discomforts that women might feel when going to other gyms where women might feel more pressure to maintain a certain appearance while working out.

In her own life, Chen prefers to squeeze in her workouts in the early morning and often finds that going to the gym can mean great forethought. “I’m a planner and a perfectionist so going to the gym requires much more planning than it should. For example what workout clothes would draw less attention from the male population, yet still be fashionably approved for your ego.”

Chen believes that fitness classes provide members with a unique experience that otherwise is not present in traditional gym exercise. Classes allow individuals the opportunity to learn new skills, a chance for mutual inspiration, and a platform for motivation from teachers and classmates alike.

Women working hard at a Ms. Uptown fitness class.

From hosting a plethora of events to starting a WeChat group specifically for daily life communication among studio members, Chen has worked hard to build this sense of inspiration and community for all at Ms. Uptown. Chen also credits her staff, who refer to themselves as The Awesome Team, for helping in beginning to realize Ms. Uptown’s potential and make the studio a warm, welcoming, and vibrant place.

The Ms. Uptown team occasionally breaks open a bottle of wine and snacks to relax from busy days. Chen also had much to say about the studio’s instructors who she described as “top notch in the city” and as spending hours meticulously planning out each class.

Ultimately, Ms. Uptown focuses on empowerment and whether you’re a woman working those calves, taking on roudy children, or working towards professional ideals, empowerment seems to be just what everyone needs.

For those interested in contacting the studio, they can do so through the Ms. Uptown WeChat: uptownyoga.

There are hundreds of animals hoping to find loving homes in Beijing. If you are considering adopting a pet, Doggy/Moggy of the Week will feature animals from volunteer shelters, animal rescue groups, foster care providers, and pet owners needing to rehome animals. This week’s puppy, Hua Hua, is from ICVS’ Adoptable Pets.

Introduction: Hi everyone, our name are Snowy, Baboshi, and Bani.

Background: We are rescued puppies from a vacant lot. Our kind rescuer took us home, fed us then brought us to ICVS for our check ups. We are now healthy, beautiful puppies, and ready for our forever homes.

Bani

Personality: we are fun, curious, playful, energetic puppies. We are exploring the world and every one of us has a unique personality. Snowy loves to be near you and know what you are doing. He loves to sit in a corner and watch the world go by while slathering you with kisses. Bani loves to play with you and enjoys spending time with her favorite people, learning new tricks, and eating delicious treats. She loves chasing balls. Baboshi loves snuggling at your feet and makes a great foot warmer! He is easygoing, independent and eager to please. All of these wonderful puppies would make a great life-long companion!

Ideal home: The puppies would be happy with an individual, a couple, or a family with children and with or without other pets. The families must be ready for the responsibilities of adopting a young puppy, with toilet training and obedience training essential to help the puppies become housebroken and socialized. Everyone in the household must agree on having a young puppy as a new family member. The puppies must be neutered/spayed after they complete all of their puppy vaccinations and must relocate with families when departing China.

Breed, Sex, and Age: The puppies are about 2.5 months old. All of them are small mixed breed dogs. Baboshi is a male puppy with long brown hair and two brown ears. Bani is a female puppy with long brown hair and two white feet. Snowy is a male puppy with long, pure white hair.

Medical notes: The puppies are healthy, dewormed, and have already started their vaccinations at ICVS.

Snowy

Post-adoption care: The International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) has enrolled me into their Rescued/Stray/Rehomed Pet Adoption Benefits Program. ICVS will provide my new family with significant discounts (up to 50%) on my vaccinations, accompanying examinations, and spay surgery during my first year of life with my new family.

Official Vaccination Certificate: With my rabies vaccination, ICVS will issue my new family the official Beijing Animal Health and Immunity Certificate (e.g., vaccination red book) at no charge. I need the official vaccination red book to prove I have been legally and properly vaccinated for rabies in order to move to another city or leave China with my family.

Official Spay/Neuter Certificate for Dogs: After my spay surgery, ICVS will issue my new family the official Spay/Neuter Certificate that will provide my owner with a 50% discount (e.g., up to RMB 500 savings) on the dog license registration fee at the Public Security Bureau.

Puppy and Adult Dog Obedience Training Programs at ICVS: ICVS has introduced new puppy and adult dog obedience training programs. The dog training classes will help my family and I live a more harmonious life together. All profits from the puppy and adult dog training programs will be donated to the ICVS Non-Profit Humane Animal Welfare Programs.

ICVS Non-Profit Humane Animal Welfare Programs:
Please support and donate to the ICVS Non-Profit Humane Animal Welfare Programs. Your donations support ICVS in helping the many pets like Bubi as well as the many stray/rescued/abandoned and shelter animals in our community. The pets receive medical care, treatment, good nutrition, and socialization with love and compassion that allows them to become healthy adoptable pets.

Please also contact ICVS for more information about beautiful adoptable pets:
Tel: (010) 8456-1939/1940
Email: ICVS_CHINA@yahoo.com

Photo: ICVS

Did you know there’s Color of the Year 2017? It’s greenery as declared by Pantone Color Institute, whose forecasters had said in December that the hue was “symbolic of new beginnings.” When I called my parents back home on New Year’s Eve, I was kind of surprised to see my mother sporting a green shirt, or at least the closest color she had to the greenery color. In actuality, she has done the same thing every January 1st — wear the color said to trend and define the year. I started to follow her lead two or three years ago.

2017 is the Year of the (Fire) Rooster, and online soothsayers said those born under this animal year won’t be seeing the greenery pastures Pantone had declared in December. But US President Donald Trump, born in the Year of the (Fire) Dog, not surprisingly will have an interesting but unbalanced 2017.

The Chinese zodiac has specific characteristics for each of its 12 animals. Roosters are said to be loyal and punctual, owing to the nature of roosters as “alarm clocks” of farmers, and observant, communicative, and somewhat ambitious. Monkeys, who took center stage last year, are “wise, intelligent, loyal” even to the point that Geda the Mystical Monkey predicted Trump’s election.

In places where Chinese cultural influences are strong, it will not be surprising to see people lining up to fortune teller stalls to hear predictions of the future. Aside from the Chinese zodiac, there’s feng shui, a system based on the harmony of everyone and the environment. People I spoke to that have less knowledge of these Chinese beliefs find them amusing.

“It’s interesting,” said Ron Drisner, a student counselor from Canada, “[and]let’s just say I’m not gonna go to Vegas and like put any bets based on Chinese horoscope.” He didn’t realize he’s a Rooster until just several days ago. When I asked him if he has those Rooster characteristics, he said he probably hitting 50 percent of those. “Punctuality? I think my alarm clock and my [smart device]notifications take credit for punctuality, not my Chinese zodiac,” Drisner said.

When 11-year-old Jas Arora arrived in China 3 years ago to study, she found the Chinese tag every year with an animal. “It’s so surprising, because in India we don’t have years like that,” she said. I interviewed her at the YCIS Annual Temple Fair, where most expat children and staff were clad in traditional Chinese dresses called qipao. Just the day before the event, Arora’s teacher asked them to wear red to celebrate — and also informed students that Rooster’s won’t be so lucky this year. “It made me surprised and worried because I never knew that whenever it’s your year, it’s not gonna be a good year,” she said. But she was firm to say she doesn’t believe in Chinese zodiac and told me “[We] don’t know what will happen next. [We] don’t know the future.”

It’s true that we don’t know the future, but for my Chinese friends, one loses nothing by taking heed of the Chinese zodiac. Cindy Li told me these traditions have been in place for thousands of years, although she finds them somewhat “intriguing but boring.” She said she believes these cultural beliefs can somehow enlighten and help people interact with others and the environment.

Drisner said predictions shouldn’t make a “Year to Do This,” as there are many other things that would make your year fulfilling. “I guess it’s a belief in relationship [that matters]. Spend time with your family, hang out with other people,” he said, adding that just like unsustainable new years resolutions, forgetting what predictions tell you to do can be disempowering. Arora, on the other hand, said her future relies on her and not on any fortune tellers. “I should study hard to get good grades and I should be nice to everyone so that they’ll be nice to me too,” she said.

If the cold never bothers you (anyway), then have some frozen delights at the iced waterfall attraction in Taoyuan Xiangu scenic area (桃源仙谷冰瀑) in Miyun District.

After breathing in bad air for several days, I thought it’s proper to go out and explore the city. Foreigner China Network (WeChat: foreignerandchina) organized a trip to the scenic area on January 21. For a cheap price of RMB 100, I got a round trip bus ride, a bottle of water, and insurance for the one-day travel. Lunch wasn’t included so it was a good thing I brought bread and snacks, though FCN gave us some chocolates on the way to Taoyuan.

The trip to the area lasted more than 1.5 hours, with some 20 minutes at a petrol station for a quick stop to get goodies or go to toilets. It’s not a long drive though, and while on the way you can see how Beijing infrastructure (paved roads, long bridges, and expressways) mix with stunning yellow mountains, leafless forests, and humble abodes of locals.

A huge slab adorned with Chinese scriptures and a landmark will greet visitors near the entrance of Taoyuan Xiangu scenic area. Along the way to the main attraction is a small food stall where tourists can buy instant noodles and get hot water. There are also public toilets scattered along the main route. The first attraction to see is the frozen walkway near one of the three icefalls. The frozen walkway looks like a small part of the ice castle in Frozen. Inside, it’s quite narrow but you’ll see smooth icicles against hanging roots.

The frozen walkway

The first icefall by the frozen dam

A 5-minute walk after it will bring you to the next attraction: the biggest icefall in the area where mountaineers climb. Its base is littered with huge chunks of ice which seem to have fallen from the icefall itself. When the sun doesn’t directly light the base, the icefall looks dreamlike with deep blue hues.

The second and massive icefall in the scenic area

On the right side of the base is a two-way entry to the mountain top. The difficult entrance covers more than 300 uneven steps while the not-so-easy one is a metal stairway connected to the side of the mountain. Once tourists are up, they can rest, enjoy clear skies, or even do a small picnic.

The main tourist attraction – the mystical icefall full of icicles

The main attraction is about 1.5km away from the mountain top. On the way there, we saw a small hut with an archery range, whose owner offered us a bow with 10 arrows for RMB 20. It’s quite fun though it’s so difficult to stretch the bowstring. Kids aged 12 above can try archery there. The way to the main attraction is not that difficult to hike, and it’s enjoyable especially the mountainside is really gorgeous. At the entrance of the icefall are a frozen spa-sized pond and mountainside stonework. The main part of this icefall is directly away from the sun, so it looks amazingly mystical. The way back is the same, and this time, tourists can try descending through the metal stairway near the top of the second icefall.

The whole hike is about 3.5km and it’s easy to do (with extra caution needed when climbing and descending the mountain near the second icefall) that kids will surely enjoy the fascinating scenery. FCN will conduct another outing to Taoyuan Xiangu scenic area on January 26 (Thursday).

Travel essentials and notes:

• Wear warm clothes and bring gloves as the way to the attractions can be really cold.
• Bring packed lunch and/or instant noodles (you can get hot water from the small food stall).
• Mobile signal on the way to the main icefall can get spotty.
• Entrance ticket is RMB 45 for adults and RMB 23 for students/children.
• The travel information center was closed during my trip. Expect that it will still be closed for the CNY holiday.

How to go?

• It’s possible to bring a car to the scenic area, but we suggest contacting FCN for travel group trips. FCN will specify the meeting place on a group chat.
• It’s also possible to take the bus to the area, but I have not directly seen buses on the route. We’ll update the article once we get the full transport information.

All photos courtesy of Andy Penafuerte

While my Chinese friend and I were waiting in line at a chuan’r restaurant, I had jokingly told her that we should give each other hongbaos via WeChat. She agreed, saying that that night was the eve of the little Chinese new year (or the week before the Spring Festival).

Counting 3… 2… 1…, I received RMB 8.80 from her. When she opened the e-hongbao, she was surprised I gave her RMB 100 and quickly sent me another e-hongbao worth RMB 118. “Those numbers are lucky, Andy,” she told me, saying that 8.80 is an extremely auspicious number while 118 (yi yi ba) in Chinese folklore means I will have more money coming in this year.

In the office earlier that day, we had a session of WeChat Lucky Money exchange that became so crazy and funny we had to hold our mobile phones and wait for new digital red packets to be given by random colleagues.

This WeChat function called 微信红包 (WeChat hongbao) was introduced in 2014, and since then it has become a viral hit. In 2016 during the Chinese New Year holiday, it was reported that more than 8.08 billion red packets were sent on WeChat, with more than 420 million sent on the Lunar New Year Eve alone. The feature helped Tencent, the mother company of WeChat, to solidify its traction in China’s digital landscape. Alibaba followed suit and gave Tencent a run for its hongbao boom with fu cards (福 or “good fortune”). This competition, I must say, has given the CNY tradition a digital makeover.

But in a surprising turn of events, a WeChat official said there won’t be any promotions for the feature this holiday season. Technode.com cited Zhang Xiaolong, head of WeChat, as saying “Red envelope has completed its historical task. There would be no red envelope promotions on WeChat for the coming Spring Festival,” as he addressed the WeChat Open Class 2017. It remains to be seen if this announcement would have an effect on the number of Lucky Money exchanges in the app this CNY holiday.

Well, I actually don’t care that much if Tencent or Alibaba won’t give any promotions as long as we ring in the second new year healthy and full of optimism. The fact that our friends and bosses give us these red envelopes is just thoughtful and lovely — and lucky too! But don’t indulge too much in red packets because they might become so addicting, just like some kids who refused to go to school without hongbaos.

Did you know we have a family events WeChat group? Join two hundred other internationally-minded families for the latest information on what’s going on in Beijing. Send an email to editor@beijing-kids.com with your WeChat id or add vanessajencks on WeChat. Please note that readers should confirm with each organizer if events are cancelled or scheduled as planned.

Free
Fashion and Cosmetic Workshop, Jan 29
Females Ages 10+. Enjoy a day with some of Beijing’s top makeup instructors and stylists, and learn about how to dress for different occasions, do hair, and do your own make up. Free. 9am-until. Beijing Broadcasting Tower. (https://www.douban.com/event/27865976/).

Unique
Rice Cakes and Chinese New Year Hampers, Jan 23 to Feb 11
Ages 8+. Celebrate the Year of the rooster this festive season with our Chinese Rice Cakes and Chinese New Year Hamper to pamper your friends and family. Executive Chef Chan Yuen Lung has created authentic delightful Chinese Celebration Rice Cakes, including Rice Cake Hamper and Turnip Cake Hamper to helping share your wishes to your beloved family and friends. RMB 168 (Rice Cake Hamper), RMB 58 (Turnip Cake Hamper). 9am-10pm. Langham Place. (010-64575555).

World Treasure Acrobatic Show, Jan 23-31
All ages. A great event for kids, World Treasure uses traditional acrobatic maneuvers to tell the story of a clown looking for treasure. Funny and thrilling, this event by the Chinese National Acrobatic Troupe is a good time for the whole family, with a fun story for the kids and thrilling acrobatic feats to keep mom and dad entertained. RMB 180, RMB 280, RMB 380. 7.30pm-9.30pm. The China National Children’s Center. (https://www.douban.com/event/28055282/).

3R Workshop for Ayi, Jan 22 to February 26
Adults. Based on Chinese culture and mindset, Little Parkwill will provide your Ayi the easiest way to understand child development and the basic principles of RIE® approach. After 3 sessions, an assessment, and post-assistance will fully support for a better educational environment at home. RMB 600 (Whole workshop, Discount applies to Little Park Families); RMB 260 (one session if you prefer to try first). 2pm-4pm. Little Park Children.

Chinese New Year Workshops: Surrealism, Jan 23 to Jan 30
Ages 5-12. Through exploring surrealist techniques such as collages, exquisite corpses, 3D works, etching, automatic writing and drawing students will discover new artists such as Magritte, Dali, De Chirico, Escher, Ernst and their impressive and imaginative art works. RMB 1800 (RMB 1500 for both atelier’s students and who registered before the 10th of January). 10am-12am (5-8 years old), 1:30pm-4:00pm (8-12 years old). Atelier Art School.

Chinese New Year Cuisine at The Hutong, Jan 25
All ages. Get ready for the New Year Hutong-style! The Hutong’s chefs will share the culinary traditions and dishes of the Spring Festival. RMB 300 (non-members), RMB 260 (members). 10.30am-1pm. The Hutong. (http://thehutong.com/chinese-new-year-cuisine/).

Stone Valley Great Wall Loop Hike, Jan 27
All ages. On this hike the Beijing Hikers will make a loop out of Stone Valley Village and hike the same line of wall as the Middle Route of the Switchback Great Wall hike. Bring good footwear because this hike is not for amateurs. RMB 420 (non-members), RMB 380 (members). The Great Wall (Stone Valley).

Moyashike Valley and Jiankou’s ‘Big West’ Great Wall, Jan 29
All ages. Join Beijing Hikers on this reasonably tough hike where they will follow hills trails and climb up and down valleys on the way to the Great Wall on the west side of the Jiankou basin. They will also also hike towards Nine-Eyes Tower, and then follow hill trails to finish with snacks and drinks at Xizhazi Village at Jiankou. RMB 420 (non-members), RMB 380 (members). 8.30am-6pm. The Great Wall (Moyashike Valley & Jiankou).

White River Ice Hike, Jan 29
All ages. Follow a trail that crosses a frozen river in Miyun District, walking down a long canyon and passing below cliffs on the way to the end. We’ll cross the river about eight times, and when not slipping and sliding on the ice we’ll be admiring the excellent scenery. RMB 400 (non-member adults), RMB 360 (members, RMB 200 (under 12’s). 9am-6pm. Beijing Hikers. (info@beijinghikers.com, +86 (10) 6432-2876).

Best of Next Week
Sunny Spring Camp, Jan 30 to Feb 3
Ages 6+. Sunny days are here again and it’s the perfect time to spring ahead with learning new skills and games at Adventure Zone’s Sunny Spring Camp! Revitalize your plans with fun sports such gymnastics, martial arts, swimming and sword choreo guided by expert coaches. RMB 3200 (1 week, half day), RMB 6188 (2 weeks, half day), RMB 4500 (1 week, full day), RMB 8888 (2 weeks, full day). 9am-2.30pm. Kerry Adventure Zone. (hbkc@thekerryhotels.com, wechat: kerryhotelbeijing, 8565 2460).

Lunar New Year Overnight, Jan 30
Ages 8+. On this two-day trip to the area you’ll walk the streets of well-preserved Yuxian Ancient City, visiting the pavilions and pagodas, as well as visiting Jimingyi, the remnants of a Ming Dynasty postal relay center. RMB 1,800 (RMB 1,620 for members, RMB 1,200 for under 12\’s). 8.30am-8pm. Beijing Hikers.

Walled Village to Huanghuacheng Great Wall Hike, Feb 1
Ages 8+. Hike the Huanghuacheng Great Wall in Beijing’s Huairou District, starting off on an unrestored stretch and following it over the hills to a restored section and then up, over, and down a mountain to finish at a countryside restaurant near a scenic reservoir. RMB 400 (RMB 360 for members, RMB 200 for under 12’s). 9am-6pm. Beijing Hikers.

Longqingxia Ice Festival and Tang Dynasty Caves, Feb 1
Ages 8+. The Beijing Hikers will travel to Yanqing County to visit a valley and find an ancient interconnected series of cave dwellings. This trip is suitable for children (no pushchairs, though) – it’s very easy, and the sight of the cave dwellings is sure to spark the imagination. After visiting the caves there will be an early dinner out in the country before heading for the Longqingxia Ice Festival. RMB 500 (RMB 450 for members, RMB 250 for under 12s). 12pm-10pm. Beijing Hikers.

“MY” Jiaozi Party, Feb 1
All ages. Join Café Zarah on February 1st for their annual “MY”-Jiaozi Party and celebrate the New Year. Zarah will be organizing a big reunion dinner with communal cooking tables where they will teach you the art of dumpling making! RMB 88/per person includes all-you-can-eat-dumplings and one drink. Complimentary for kids aged below 6. 6pm-until. Café Zarah.

Spring Festival Taichi Workshop, Feb 5
Embrace the refreshing spring air for 2 hours instruction in Yang Style Taichi, learning the beginners 8 Step Form. Instruction will be from a native-English speaking taichi coach from the UK, and will cover warmups, dynamic stretching, taichi form, applications and qigong cool down exercises. RMB 200. 2pm-4pm. CK Martial Hearts Kung Fu Boutique. (train@ckmartialhearts.com)

China National Theater for Children’s Drama Malan Flower, Feb 6
All ages. The establishment of the Holiday Classic Theater is not only a new exploration in the field of artistic creation, but also a whole new attempt in performing and business philosophy. The large and little theaters add radiance and beauty to each other each other and are bound to create a top art gallery for contemporary Chinese children’s drama. RMB 80-400. 7.30am-9.30am. National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA). (for more info call the hotline at 400-610-3721 or 10103721 or send E-mail to ponypiao@damai.cn)

Editor’s Corrections: The original article in the 2017 School Choice Guide (pg 96) was printed with two errors: 1) The pictures of Escelle of LFIP and Victorious of Daystar Academy were switched, and 2) Kirsten of YCIS’s quote had an accidental phrase “from my mother-in-law.” The correct rendering of the article is below. 

“I like leaning French, English with “Teddy Bear,” eating at the canteen, and playing at the playground with my friends.”

Escelle, 6, Canada, French International School of Beijing (LFIP)

After I wrote about two popular flower markets, it was brought to my attention that the Lai Tai market was closed. I had just been there at Christmas and was very surprised to hear the news. Things move fast in Beijing and gossip is quick. It is true that all the whole sale markets will close because of a new city policy, but this will happen very slowly. The government will tell vendors that the market will close one or two years in advance so they can relocate themselves. This post is meant to be a list of remaining markets in Beijing. Start  making your rounds and get name cards from your favorite vendors so when they disappear you have their information. Due to Chinese New Year a lot of markets look closed but will be back after the holidays.

Lai Tai Flower Market is closed for renovations and will open back up in April. Some of the vendors have moved to the 3rd floor of the building and to lady street. Not a trip worthy but if you live local a good chance to support the vendors.

Liang Ma Flower Market is up and shows no signs of closing or renovating.

Muxiyuan Fabric Market is open and a lot of stalls are still there – definitely worth a trip.

Tianyi Market has been notified that they are closing, but are not yet closed.

The Zoo Market, an area of markets near the zoo has been closing for 3 years. Of the 13 markets eight markets have been cleared and five markets are left.

Bainaohui Computer Market has two markets one has been closed but the other part across the street is still there.

Lady Street Clothing Market is partially closed for renovations.

Hongqiao Pearl Market is still open but some parts are closed.

Panjiayuan Antique Market is still open every Saturday and Sunday.

Xiushui Silk Market is open as usual

Sanlitun Yashou Market has been closed.

Pauline van Hasselt has been working for beijingkids since October 2016. Born in Wassenaar, The Netherlands, she moved with her husband and her 3 year-old daughter to Beijing in June of this year. Prior she lived in the Netherlands, Belgium, Paraguay, Texas, and London, studying and working as a chef. Pauline enjoys biking around Beijing, finding markets and new restaurants, reading crime and fantasy books in bed, and most importantly, turning her house into a home for her family.

Kids self-help books are my answer to almost every difficult parenting situation I find myself in. Our family took plenty of kids books to Beijing. Looking through them made me realize how many difficult times we had as parents and how much this literature has helped us. I compiled a list of books and where to find them online.

Everybody Poos – Taro Gomi

I never thought this would happen to our daughter. When she saw her poop in a potty for the first time, she got very scared to poop. After research I found out that this is a very common problem and this book helped us so much. I have read it about 300 times. Lucky for parents there is a easy way to buy it in China.

Brush, Brush, Brush!

A classic problem is the twice a day struggle of brushing teeth. This book is actually a song and we know it by heart in our family.

People Who Help Us, Chef – Amanda Askew, Andrew Crowson

My husband magically disappears for long periods of time during the day (work!). This book did a great job of explaining to my daughter were he goes, and what he does there.

Maisy Goes to the Hospital – Lucy Cousins

Never knowing when disaster would hit, I had bought this book for my daughter. It came in quite handy when I had to stay in the hospital overnight after surgery.

First Experiences Going on a Plane – Anna Civardi, Stephen Cartwright

First experiences from Usborne are great books for a whole array of occasions for kids. This book always comes back out when we travel.

When I’m feeling – Tracey Moroney’s

A series of eight books about feelings, a great addition to our library. Extremely helpful for children (and adults!) who struggle with their feelings.

Pauline van Hasselt has been working for beijingkids since October 2016. Born in Wassenaar, The Netherlands, she moved with her husband and her 3 year-old daughter to Beijing in June of this year. Prior she lived in the Netherlands, Belgium, Paraguay, Texas, and London, studying and working as a chef. Pauline enjoys biking around Beijing, finding markets and new restaurants, reading crime and fantasy books in bed, and most importantly, turning her house into a home for her family.

Huanghuacheng Lakeside Great Wall (北京黄花城水长城) isn’t an ordinary hike of the world-famous attraction. It’s a retreat to the hustle and bustle of crowded and polluted Beijing. And for those who have already gone to the more “touristy” Great Wall sections like Mutianyu and Badaling, Huanghuacheng is an amazing sight without the usual crowds.

The Great Wall in Huanghuacheng

Last weekend, Foreigner China Network (WeChat: foreignerandchina) organized a trip to Huanghuacheng, in the northern Beijing district of Huairou. The journey took almost 1hr and 45min from our rendezvous at Huixinxijie subway Line 10 station, with about 20 minutes at a petrol station for a quick stop.

When we got off the bus, we entered a small village with some convenience stores and restaurants (closed when we arrived) to the main entrance. Not surprisingly, our group of about 30 people was among the few that visited the area.

Birds-eye view of the small village near Huanghuacheng Great Wall

We started climbing the western side of the wall, near the broken end by the dam. From thereon, the trek was full of high steps and steep descents, but it was enjoyable as we were the only people there. Our group was composed of people from different nations; there was a Cuban couple who visited their daughter in Beijing. Some hikers I met were from Mongolia, Egypt, Nepal, and Pakistan.

The hike, I must say, is quite difficult but rewarding. One of the must-see spots is the “submerged” part of the wall near the lake (which was probably caused by the dam). The lake was so frozen that in some parts you could see how thick the ice was. It was not possible, however, to see the bricks beneath the ice. After indulging in that spot, we went to the “sand beach” or the lake coastline through a bridge, The beach is the entry to a forest at the feet of one of the mountains. The flat plains from the beach to the forest are in many ways an area where one can relax, but be prepared as the way up to one of the highest Great Wall towers is very hard to climb.

The “submerged” part of the Great Wall, which was actually a broken section.

Once we got from one of the highest wall towers, this what we saw:

We took a 30-minute break at the top and ate our snacks. The way down back to the beach is equally difficult. But instead of taking the bridge route, we went to the frozen dam through the mountainside. This way is much easier and I recommend taking it for those bringing kids.

The whole hike lasted for a good 3 hours. As I said, it’s rewarding since you have the chance to talk with other hikers during the climb. The trip can be a short weekend escape and also an alternative to temple fairs this Lunar New Year. FCN regularly posts announcements of trips to Huanghuacheng via their WeChat (foreignerandchina).

Travel essentials/notes

• An entrance ticket costs RMB 45 for adults and RMB 23 for students/children
• Bring packed lunch and water as there are no open restaurants along the route.
• Wear warm clothes and gloves
• Mobile signal is pretty strong but low temperatures tend to drain mobile batteries fast

How to get there

• By bus: From Ditie Shaoyaoujuzhan stop, aboard Bus 942 Rapido towards Chawu Huochezhan. Get off at Qiaozi station (after 25 stops, approximately 1hr 7min ride) then ride on Line H21 bus toward Xishuiyu for 1hr 35min. The terminus is Xishuiyu village and from there, walk about 800m to the entrance.
• By car/driving: It is highly recommended to take a group trip to Huanghuacheng. FCN offers a day trip worth RMB 100 which covers the ride, a bottle of water, and an insurance for the one-day trip.

My first mission when we moved to Beijing was to find a grocery store where I could do my weekly shopping. It has been quite a roller coaster eight months since we have arrived in Beijing. I have found normal markets, big supermarkets, small supermarkets, international supermarkets, and Chinese supermarkets. I have tried online grocery services, but something always went wrong. I had heard of METRO supermarkets but the idea of needing a membership card was just a bit daunting. I tried to get the METRO membership card online but it did not work so I continued to shop at Carrefour, Jinkelong, Jenny Lou’s, and the Sanyuanli market. However, shopping regularly at these spots can be bit of a hassle with a toddler.

As with loads of difficult situations as an expat, conquering these hurdles was just a matter of putting on my brave adult boots and trying to find a solution to my grocery woes. I sent an email to customer service at METRO asking if I could get a membership card in the store. The service representatives informed me that I could. My ayi wrote down the address for the closest METRO in my taxi book and off me and my daughter went to the location.

When my daughter and I arrived we found enormous shopping trolleys, unfortunately with no children’s seats, but since my daughter is almost four she just sat in the trolley and occasionally walked herself. They do have a public toilet and seating area by the entrance of the store.

I took my passport, address, and phone number to customer service and filled out the majority of the form, after which a nice gentleman filled out my address in Chinese. The employees at the service desk were very friendly and helpful even if they did not speak English. After filling out the form, the lady put all the information in the computer and printed my free membership card. I then had to scan two QR codes so that if I forgot the card at home I could still use the digital WeChat membership code.

We entered the Aladdin’s cave of grocery stores. One has the option to buy in bulk or simply buy regular portions of items. They have everything Carrefourour has and more. The cleaning supplies, personal care, and canned goods are all cheaper than anywhere I have been thus far. I have found several hard to find products like: pizza bases, frozen peas, and sugar-free yogurt.

The grocery store is surprisingly clean and devoid of ladies screaming through microphones. METRO has home delivery service and if you spend RMB 2000 they will deliver all the groceries for free, in the area, on the same day. If you want to get home delivery but not spend this amount separate your groceries and take the fresh supplies home with you, as they don’t guarantee same day delivery. Make sure to inform the cashier that you want home delivery before they start scanning your groceries.

This place is great for a monthly grocery trip, for the needs of big families, and batch cooking. I felt so happy after this grocery shop experience that I felt compelled to share this information with my fellow expat shoppers. My experience at METRO was as easy and relaxing as a grocery store experience can be with a toddler in tow.

Pauline van Hasselt has been working for beijingkids since October 2016. Born in Wassenaar, The Netherlands, she moved with her husband and her 3 year-old daughter to Beijing in June of last year. Prior she lived in the Netherlands, Belgium, Paraguay, Texas, and London, studying and working as a chef. Pauline enjoys biking around Beijing, finding markets and new restaurants, reading crime and fantasy books in bed, and most importantly, turning her house into a home for her family.

SPRING festival

To me, celebrating the arrival of spring sounds like one of the best reasons to celebrate. This is particularly true up here in my husband’s hometown in Northeast China, a most barren land in winter. I vividly remember when my brother visited us in May 2015. We drove all the way to the North Korean border near Ji’an, a mere 5-hour drive through plains and mountain roads. Driving down a road next to the Yalu River, we could see North Koreans on the other side of the bank, some washing clothes, some taking a bath, others walking home. The trees had barely grown new leaves yet. Snow had melted, but it was still cold and the pictures we took all looked grey.

Spring in Northeast China

Spring in Northeast China is short and starts late. I still remember the excitement I felt when my husband exclaimed that with the celebration of Spring Festival, winter was now officially over and spring about to start. I imagined changing into fewer layers in the morning, spending the days outside, and taking my son for walks, marveling at the revival of nature. Only later did I realize that for my Northeastern Chinese husband, the beginning of spring does not have the same connotations it does for me. To him, the start of spring means that the coldest three weeks of the year are over. His version of the start of spring is slower and more subtle than what I have grown up knowing of the Austrian springs. It might mean that the earth starts to defrost, not necessarily that the trees will start carrying green leaves and blossoms. We’ll usually have to wear winter clothes for a few more months.

Celebrating Spring Festival with my in-laws

I still do like the connotation of spring being just around the corner. Tomorrow, I’ll try to coax my toddler son into wearing layer upon layer of winter clothing and will bundle up my 4-month-old baby to do the unheard of –take him out in the midst of winter. Together we will travel to visit my in-laws. Since we have two small children we don’t have a massive celebration. When visiting relatives we don’t partake in drinking copious amounts of baijiu or watching the men smoke and play Mahjongg. We’ll stuff jiaozi and hang up New Year’s decorations instead and will enjoy a sumptuous New Year’s dinner. And that’s about it. I see myself lying in bed early, trying to comfort my sons as we listen to the boisterous echo of firecrackers exploding on the cement ground just outside the flat, a warning sign to the Nian beast to never put its feet on this earth again. We’ll probably also have our air purifier on full blast to counteract the pollution caused by the fireworks. My father-in-law has already cut my toddler son’s hair. People here say you can’t cut hair in the month after Chinese New Year, or a maternal uncle is going to die. Since I have four brothers, we don’t want to take any chances.

Wearing Red in the Year of the Rooster

This spring festival is special in that it ushers in my husband’s benmingnian, his zodiac year. My husband was born in the year of the rooster. He’ll have to wear red to ward off bad luck every single day of the upcoming year. Red underwear, red socks, or some other red clothes are all supposed to help ward off bad luck incurred upon people in their zodiac year by taisui, the God of Age.

Being married to China and having children whose cultural heritage is partly Chinese does not mean I need to believe in every single Feng Shui principle or Taoist tradition, but it does mean I need to respect local traditions and superstitions–as long as they are not harmful.

Ruth Silbermayr-Song is an Austrian illustrator, German teacher and mother of two. She writes about life in China as a foreign woman, her cross-cultural marriage to a Chinese man, and child rearing bridging cultures and languages on her blog China Elevator Stories. Her story of pregnancy and parenting in China has appeared in the anthology “Knocked Up Abroad Again”.

Photos courtesy of Ruth Silbermayr-Song

I had the great pleasure of visiting V-etiquette on a night when a clothes auction was organized at V-ettiqette in Shunyi. Captivated by the amazing space Vida Zhang, the owner of V-etiquette, has created around her. I was in awe of all the bouquets of dried flowers, cute home decor, cozy fabrics, woven baskets, vibrant posters, and fragrant herbs.

I am a mother obsessed with homemaking, I love anything that will make our family home a more cozy place to be in, kids arts and crafts, paintings, fresh flowers and cute pillows all those things my husband deems unnecessary. So finding Zhang in her magical world of homemaking was a like a dream come true. I thought the art of etiquette and homemaking was a lost. But Vida has proved that it is nothing but lost, etiquette and homemaking are so much alive.

Zhang explained to me that she started her bilingual home management school about a year and half ago; Zhang has a  passion for etiquette and home making. She provides classes for girls and their mothers from six years old. Zhang teaches mothers and daughters to cook, make flower arrangements, decorate napkins, mix drinks, make candles and the lost art of being a great hostess.

Zhang has lived for 20 years in America and has attended etiquette school and flower arranging classes. She has a flair for making you feel warm and welcome in her loft style home management school. The space is more like a cozy home with nick knacks to find in every corner. I leave Zhang’s magical space feeling renewed and filled with new ideas to add to my own home.

Zhang has Chinese tutorial videos online explaining simple western etiquette rules, like why and how to push in your chair, and how and why you should use a coaster for your drink. She is elegant explaining in her videos how to mix drinks and how to enjoy them. My parents will be surprised that I almost completely understood what Zhang was explaining in her tutorial video “how to push in a chair”. I have secretly listened and learned from my parents etiquette lessons. But I will send my daughter to Vida Zhang when she is old enough, so she can learn some manners from the Chinese Martha Stewart in Shunyi.

V-Etiquette Home DIY                                                                                                                    Vetiquette@163.com
北京市顺义区裕丰路16号院会展誉景临街2-104
#104, Building 2, Central Park, No.16 Road Yufeng, Shunyi District, Beijing

Semesters range from RMB 3000 to RMB 10000

Pauline van Hasselt has been working for beijingkids since October 2016. Born in Wassenaar, The Netherlands, she moved with her husband and her 3 year-old daughter to Beijing in June of last year. Prior she lived in the Netherlands, Belgium, Paraguay, Texas, and London, studying and working as a chef. Pauline enjoys biking around Beijing, finding markets and new restaurants, reading crime and fantasy books in bed, and most importantly, turning her house into a home for her family.

How valuable is it to visit a school during the application process? Invaluable! While I have always know this and definitely want all my students to visit the schools that they are apply to, most are reluctant to spend the time necessary to actually get on a plane and drive around from one school to another. Though in the short term the time and money spent traveling to schools may seem too costly, ultimately the positive long-term benefits of these visits outweigh the perceived costs.

These ideas hit home for me today while visiting a school in the Northeast. Each school (to remain nameless) offers equally challenging curricula and both are in lovely settings. One school was in a more remote location, comparatively. One school however was more experiential in its approach to education than the other. The opportunities at the latter school seemed more impressive when compared to the opportunities at the more traditional school.

During a conversation over lunch the question of ranking came up. I love this question and based on the schools we visited it was easy to point out the problems with ranking.  Each of these schools are in the business of education but when it comes to ranking there is no possible way to quantify the value of what one individual student may experience at one campus versus the other.

Sure, one can ponder over the average SAT scores, college acceptances, and other quantifiable data to make a claim that one school outranks the other.  But there is more to education than grades and test scores. This is the one stumbling block that most parents miss. The personal growth that a student can undergo through interacting with an inspirational teacher, participating in an educationally challenging program, or joining a sports team, while not easily quantifiable, can have lasting, positive impacts on one’s child.

One of the other questions that we discussed over lunch was how and if experiential learning opportunities can affect college admissions. Absolutely! While many parents may squawk at learning how to make maple syrup or go camping through the California Sierra Mountains, the combination of academic components in each of the activities brings the science and math one learns in a classroom to life. Let’s take making maple syrup as an example: students learn about the effects of weather, climate, and soil in how and when trees produce the sap of the syrup. The math and chemistry behind cooking the sap to make the syrup helps a student make greater academic connections through real world application. Its also much more fun and memorable to make maple syrup than it is to sit in a classroom.

Visiting a school is a must. It is invaluable to see students walking around the campus and to observe the rapport between peers and faculty. Our two tour guides were well known and obviously well liked. One could sense the community of each school, the growth the students had gone through at each school and the love each had for their soon to be alma mater. Both students were Chinese speakers and offered their experiences – both the positive and challenging experiences each had had on their campuses. More importantly, one could feel the distinct differences between the two places and people – feelings that one cannot experience through just perusing a schools’ website.

So my advice – spend the money, take the time and go, go, go! Go see why ranking is not the only important factor when choosing a school. Go see what makes a school special, go experience the value of community and the excitement students and faculty feel on a day to day basis. It is time and money worth spending.

Photo: sylvanpa.com

Tomorrow sees the arrival of the Year of the Rooster. The Chinese zodiac sign is usually called “Rooster” in English, although the word in Mandarin (鸡, jī) is the same word used for chicken. The Rooster is associated with punctuality because it greets the dawn every day. As anyone who’s ever lived near one will know, real roosters also crow all day long. However recent research has established that they do indeed have an internal body clock which triggers them to crow at sunrise, even if they can’t actually see the sun.

Roosters are also considered to be brave, with their call popularly believed to banish ghosts. Children were once taught to imitate a cockcrow if they encountered a ghost at night. It’s also interesting to note that in the west, vampires were also believed to fear the sound of a rooster. Again, this association has a basis in reality. Cocks are naturally aggressive, and will fight for hours, often to the death. Cockfighting as a bloodsport is banned in most parts of the world, but a city in Xinjiang controversially announced last year that it was building its tourism strategy around the tradition.

Understandably, for an animal historically so important as a food source, there are many Chinese folktales about the Rooster. One tells of how the bird was originally considered too lowly and was left out of the zodiac. However, he demonstrated his worth by waking all the animals at dawn, and was rewarded for his hard work by being included in the pantheon. (Industriousness is another quality associated with the sign.)

According to another source, the Rooster once had a fine pair of horns. The Dragon, then an undistinguished beast, asked to borrow them. The Rooster was initially reluctant, as he didn’t know the Dragon, but the Dragon’s cousin Centipede promised his relative would return them. Once the Dragon had the horns though he flew away rejoicing, and has kept them ever since. The Rooster was furious with the Centipede, and to this day can be seen scratching in the earth and trying to catch him.

Sometimes the Rooster is responsible for his own downfall. Another story concerns King Rooster, who tried to lead all his flock away from the farmyard into the wilderness in search of better food. Only his secretary would accompany him, and when the secretary caught a beetle the Rooster insisted it was handed over to him, so the secretary went home in dudgeon. When the King returned to the farm, he was furious with his flock for not following him, and began attacking them. The farmer tried to make peace, but the Rooster flew up into a tree crying “I don’t care about you! I don’t care about you!” – and then was carried off by an eagle who’d been attracted by the noise.

The moral of this story, as recounted by Mary Hayes Davis and Chow Leung in the 1908 book Chinese Fables and Folk Stories, is that “No position in life is so high that it gives the right to be proud and quarrelsome.” Following the unpredictable year of the mischievous Monkey, which brought a spate of deaths of much-loved celebrities and tumultuous political events in the US and the UK, we can only hope this is a lesson our leaders have learned.

Image: inkdancechinesepaintings.com