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China's illegal, unethical & highly destructive fishing practices must stop before it's too late. China's bizarre food culture has pushed many many protected species to the verge of each. Charlie B Sharon/Trilingual 🇹🇼 🇯🇵 🇺🇲 Yael _Formosa 鹿島之風🧋🇺🇸🇮🇱🇯🇵 West Philippine Sea

Michael Turner

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118,256 просмотров • 8 месяцев назад •via X (Twitter)

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The South American countries have deployed their Navies to combat the menace of Chinese illegal fishing fleets in their Waters. Yet, the problem is far from getting over. As a result of China's Illegal Unreported and Unregulated fishing, nations like Argentina, Chile, Ecuador Peru etc are losing fishing resources worth hundreds of billions of dollars each year. Critical habitat zones that are also protected ecological sites like the Galapagos Marine Reserve are getting destroyed. China's greed of exotic meat has pushed many species to the verge of extinction. These nations are clearly unable to deal with the destruction & exploitation happening at an unimaginable scale, caused by the illegal Chinese fishing fleets. TonySanghoLee Bill Ackman Yael _Formosa 鹿島之風🧋⛩️ Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼

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Who says Colonialism is over! China is forcing debt ridden countries to give unlimited and unrestricted fishing rights in their Waters in exchange for debt repayment concessions! Burdened under Chinese debt, Senegal forced to give fishing licences to vessels of Chinese fishing companies involved in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activity in recent years. TonySanghoLee Yael _Formosa 鹿島之風🧋🇺🇸🇮🇱🇯🇵 Steven Greenstreet Jay T Charlie B

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Recently, the Philippines Coast Guard discovered heaps of crushed corals piled on the sea floor at the Escoda/Sabina Shoal. The continued swarming for an indiscriminate illegal and destructive fishing activities of the Chinese Maritime Militia in West Philippine Sea has caused unprecedented & irreversible damage to the marine environment. China has buried more than 4,600 acres (about 19 square kilometers) of coral reef in the South China Sea since 2013 through dredging & land filling for the construction of the so called "artificial Islands". The damage caused by the Chinese fishing militia is even worse. According to an AMTI report, Chinese vessels harvesting giant clams damaged 16,353 acres (66 square kilometers) of coral reef in South China Sea. It's so bizarre when China talks about protection of environment! Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 Yael _Formosa 鹿島之風🧋🇺🇸🇮🇱🇯🇵 TonySanghoLee Charlie B

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Chinese Fishing is the single largest threat to the global marine ecology & biodiversity. Chinese Fishermen are destroying the fishing resources of possibly every coastal country. The fishing stock in the waters of South Korean, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan & Malaysia in China neighbourhood, has drastically reduced. Chinese distant water fishing fleets are now posing survival threats to the small fishermen in the distant waters off Africa, Middle East, and South America. In South America, countries like Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Chile etc are facing imminent environmental & food crisis due to China's illegal unreported and unregulated fishing. In a welcoming move, Japan has now vowed to help the South American countries fight the menace of Chinese illegal fishing, by providing them with surveillance & patrolling equipments. Yael _Formosa 鹿島之風🧋🇺🇸🇮🇱🇯🇵 Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 Charlie B Eric CIAramella’s Dirty Whistle

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Chinese fishermen deliberately destroy the Coral Reefs in South China Sea, using the propellers of their fishing boats! Chinese fishers drag brass propellers of their fishing bots across the reef to dig up clams, leaving behind deep scars on the ocean floor. This destructive technique has devastated large areas of coral reefs, causing long-term damage to the ecosystem. China's illegal giant clam harvesting activities have destroyed over 16,500 acres of coral reef across the South China Sea, mostly inside Philippines's Exclusive Economic Zone. TonySanghoLee ToniSpeakeasy 🇵🇭 Rommel Lopez Jay T Yael _Formosa 鹿島之風🧋⛩️

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Almost all of the coastal nations in Asia, Africa and South America are witnessing a rapid surge in illegal fishing activities inside their territorial waters by the Chinese Distant Water Fishing Fleets. China's illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is affecting millions of lives and causing billions of dollars in economic losses all across the world. Many of the protected and ecologically sensitive regions like the Galapagos are are being destroyed by the Chinese fishing fleets. China's unethical fishing practices are pushing many endangered species on the verge of extinction. This has to stop! The world can no longer afford to put a blind eye on the economic, social and environmental destruction caused by the CCP funded Chinese Fishing Vessels!

Almost all of the coastal nations in Asia, Africa and South America are witnessing a rapid surge in illegal fishing activities inside their territorial waters by the Chinese Distant Water Fishing Fleets. China's illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is affecting millions of lives and causing billions of dollars in economic losses all across the world. Many of the protected and ecologically sensitive regions like the Galapagos are are being destroyed by the Chinese fishing fleets. China's unethical fishing practices are pushing many endangered species on the verge of extinction. This has to stop! The world can no longer afford to put a blind eye on the economic, social and environmental destruction caused by the CCP funded Chinese Fishing Vessels!

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Drone Footage Of Chinese Fishing Vessels Operating Illegally Inside Mozambique's Exclusive Economic Zone. Chinese distant water fishing fleets operating in Africa, pose serious, security, economic and ecological risks to African coastal nations. In many African countries, the illegally operating Chinese fishing vessels account for most of the fish catch. 90% of Industrial Trawlers operating in Ghana's waters are Chinese. The African crew on these Chinese boats are subjected to extreme working conditions, racial abuse and physical torture. TonySanghoLee Yael _Formosa 鹿島之風🧋⛩️ 鈴森はるか『haruka suzumori』 🇯🇵 Trent Telenko

Drone Footage Of Chinese Fishing Vessels Operating Illegally Inside Mozambique's Exclusive Economic Zone. Chinese distant water fishing fleets operating in Africa, pose serious, security, economic and ecological risks to African coastal nations. In many African countries, the illegally operating Chinese fishing vessels account for most of the fish catch. 90% of Industrial Trawlers operating in Ghana's waters are Chinese. The African crew on these Chinese boats are subjected to extreme working conditions, racial abuse and physical torture. TonySanghoLee Yael _Formosa 鹿島之風🧋⛩️ 鈴森はるか『haruka suzumori』 🇯🇵 Trent Telenko

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China has destroyed over 20000 acres of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, mostly inside the Philippines's waters. Inside the Philippines' waters, over 4000 acres of Coral Reefs have been destroyed by the illegal Chinese Giant Clam Poachers alone. Under the protection of the Chinese Navy & China Coast Guard, Chinese poaching boats would sail right up to the coast of the Philippines and start to do their destructive work. To get to the giant clams, the poachers would anchor small boats over the fragile reefs, stick their long screw shafts right into the soft coral, and then rev their engines hard, completely shredding the coral into pieces. This is being done on a large scale, and the effect on the coral reef has been devastating. Where miles of vibrant, fish-feeding coral used to be, there is now only miles of dead, grey nothingness. Informed PH Charlie B Yael _Formosa 鹿島之風🧋🇺🇸🇮🇱🇯🇵

China has destroyed over 20000 acres of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, mostly inside the Philippines's waters. Inside the Philippines' waters, over 4000 acres of Coral Reefs have been destroyed by the illegal Chinese Giant Clam Poachers alone. Under the protection of the Chinese Navy & China Coast Guard, Chinese poaching boats would sail right up to the coast of the Philippines and start to do their destructive work. To get to the giant clams, the poachers would anchor small boats over the fragile reefs, stick their long screw shafts right into the soft coral, and then rev their engines hard, completely shredding the coral into pieces. This is being done on a large scale, and the effect on the coral reef has been devastating. Where miles of vibrant, fish-feeding coral used to be, there is now only miles of dead, grey nothingness. Informed PH Charlie B Yael _Formosa 鹿島之風🧋🇺🇸🇮🇱🇯🇵

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An another video of Argentina Navy firing high caliber shots as Chinese fishing vessels operating illegally inside Argentina's territory! Hundreds of Chinese Fishing Vessels swarm inside Argentina's territory each day. The Chinese fishing boats hunt for giant squid, which are abundant along the Argentine coast and a vital food source in the marine ecosystem. At night, many of these fishing vessels turn on bright lights to lure squid to the surface, where they are harvested using a large net. The lights are so strong that they can be seen from space. As a result of China's illegal fishing activity in it's Waters, Argentina is loosing billions of dollars worth of marine resources each year. Having depleted their own domestic fishing resources, the Chinese fishing fleets are now destroying fishing resources all across the world! TonySanghoLee Euan Graham Natasha Chart 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 🇺🇦

An another video of Argentina Navy firing high caliber shots as Chinese fishing vessels operating illegally inside Argentina's territory! Hundreds of Chinese Fishing Vessels swarm inside Argentina's territory each day. The Chinese fishing boats hunt for giant squid, which are abundant along the Argentine coast and a vital food source in the marine ecosystem. At night, many of these fishing vessels turn on bright lights to lure squid to the surface, where they are harvested using a large net. The lights are so strong that they can be seen from space. As a result of China's illegal fishing activity in it's Waters, Argentina is loosing billions of dollars worth of marine resources each year. Having depleted their own domestic fishing resources, the Chinese fishing fleets are now destroying fishing resources all across the world! TonySanghoLee Euan Graham Natasha Chart 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 🇺🇦

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Well-done Philippines! That's how you do it! A single Philippines Coast Guard Ship, BRP Cabra, blocked three China Coast Guard ships, including the 134m long CCG 4305, from getting close to the Zambales coast. Coast Guard 4305 is a Type 301 Zhaokai-class cutter, built on a PLA Navy Type 054A (Jiangkai II) hull. It is equipped with a 76mm main gun, two 30mm close-in weapon systems & a helo deck. The much smaller Philippines Coast Guard ship BRP Cabra positioned itself against the China Coast Guard ships in the waters of Zambales. This intrusion of the China Coast Guard ships in Philippines's Waters near Zambales is a clear violation of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral ruling that struck down China's sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea. TonySanghoLee Rommel Lopez Yael _Formosa 鹿島之風🧋⛩️

Well-done Philippines! That's how you do it! A single Philippines Coast Guard Ship, BRP Cabra, blocked three China Coast Guard ships, including the 134m long CCG 4305, from getting close to the Zambales coast. Coast Guard 4305 is a Type 301 Zhaokai-class cutter, built on a PLA Navy Type 054A (Jiangkai II) hull. It is equipped with a 76mm main gun, two 30mm close-in weapon systems & a helo deck. The much smaller Philippines Coast Guard ship BRP Cabra positioned itself against the China Coast Guard ships in the waters of Zambales. This intrusion of the China Coast Guard ships in Philippines's Waters near Zambales is a clear violation of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral ruling that struck down China's sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea. TonySanghoLee Rommel Lopez Yael _Formosa 鹿島之風🧋⛩️

Isabella Anderson

102,705 просмотров • 8 месяцев назад

Before we get into that ingenious cooling stunt, let's first meet the star of the story: Yuncheng (运城), north China's Shanxi Province. This seemingly low-key city actually has a few remarkable identities that may completely change the way you see it. China's "No. 1 City of National Treasures" Yuncheng is home to 100+ cultural heritage sites under national-level protection, with an astonishing concentration of ancient architecture. Step into almost any county in the area, and you may come across a temple, pagoda, or mural that has survived a thousand years. East Asia's Oldest Paleolithic Site? It is home to one of the earliest known Paleolithic sites in East Asia, dating back approximately 1.8 million years. Some European studies even suggest that the site may be more than 2.4 million years old. Salt Lake City, meet your Chinese twin Yuncheng is home to a salt lake spanning roughly 154 square kilometers, with a salt-harvesting history stretching back some 4,000 years. Salt Lake City, meet China's Salt Lake City. Perhaps it's time to make this a sister-city relationship, Salt Lake City Government ? And its waters are actually saltier than those of the Dead Sea, buoyant enough to let a person float effortlessly on the surface. The only thing that doesn't float here is its fame. Hometown of Guan Yu (关羽) China's legendary warrior saint, Guan Yu, was born there more than 1,800 years ago. Celebrated for his unwavering loyalty and valor, and immortalized by the tragedy of a fatal misjudgment in his final years, he went on to influence Chinese culture for nearly two millennia. Even today, countless temples across China dedicated to him remain active, from Taiwan to Xinjiang. By all accounts, Yuncheng has no shortage of history and culture worthy of making headlines. Yet what recently propelled the city into the national spotlight was not its cultural heritage, though. It was the rooftop of an ordinary residential complex-where it suddenly began to "rain." This summer, a punishing heatwave has swept across Europe, while much of China has also been gripped by prolonged high temperatures. Against this backdrop, an unusual cooling system that sends a fine mist drifting down from above has captured nationwide attention. According to the property developer, the system was officially put into operation in August 2024. Each building, 100 meters tall, is equipped with more than 200 high-pressure misting nozzles installed along the rooftop. The fine droplets absorb heat as they evaporate, helping to lower the surrounding temperature. The system enters regular operation each June, with a single cycle lasting about 10 minutes. My colleagues took on-site measurements. Before the system kicked in, the ground temperature within the complex had climbed to 44 degrees Celsius. Once the system began operating, clouds of fine spray descended from above. Children opened umbrellas and played in the artificial "rain." After the spraying cycle ended, measurements showed that the ground temperature had fallen to around 33 degrees Celsius, while the temperature within the mist-covered area dropped significantly, turning a sweltering afternoon into something noticeably cooler and far more comfortable environment. According to the property management, the operating costs are fully covered by the community's shared property-management budget, meaning residents pay nothing extra. The system draws on ordinary tap water. Because the droplets are so fine, most of the water evaporates before it ever reaches the ground. Beyond cooling the air, it helps reduce dust and provides some irrigation for nearby greenery, allowing the same water to serve multiple purposes. This residential community is not the only place experimenting with creative ways to cope with extreme heat. As high temperatures continue, cities across China are introducing increasingly practical and locally adapted cooling measures. In Beijing, Turpan, and many other cities, air-conditioned service stations have opened their doors to sanitation workers, delivery riders, and other outdoor workers. These stations provide watermelon, chilled drinks, ready-to-eat food, and heatstroke-prevention supplies, all free of charge. In some locations, field workers have also been equipped with cooling vests and other protective gear designed for extreme heat. Kaifeng (开封), in central China's Henan Province, has taken an approach that carries a touch of romance all its own. About a thousand years ago, Kaifeng served as the capital of China, during a period when science and technology, urban civilization, and the visual arts flourished. Today, the city is home to several large theme parks and has become one of China's major cultural tourism destinations. Some have even dubbed it "China's Orlando." Kaifeng is also renowned for its watermelons. This year's bumper harvest, however, has left some local growers struggling to find enough buyers. In response, several theme parks have stepped in to purchase large quantities of local watermelons in bulk. The initiative helps farmers expand their sales channels, and allows the parks to hand out thousands of kilograms of free watermelon to visitors each day, offering a refreshing respite from the summer heat. From mist raining down on rooftops, to icy drinks pressed into the hands of delivery riders, to free watermelons handed out by the truckload-different cities, one shared answer. Fighting the heat doesn't always take billion-dollar mega-projects. Sometimes, it just takes a little imagination, and a lot of heart. It might be a shower of mist falling from a rooftop, a wearable cooling suit, or a slice of freshly cut, ice-cold watermelon. What's the coolest heat-relief idea in YOUR city? Drop it in the comments, let's see who wins summer. (And to our friends in the Southern Hemisphere and Alaska-tell us your winter survival tricks instead. We'll need them in December☕)

Before we get into that ingenious cooling stunt, let's first meet the star of the story: Yuncheng (运城), north China's Shanxi Province. This seemingly low-key city actually has a few remarkable identities that may completely change the way you see it. China's "No. 1 City of National Treasures" Yuncheng is home to 100+ cultural heritage sites under national-level protection, with an astonishing concentration of ancient architecture. Step into almost any county in the area, and you may come across a temple, pagoda, or mural that has survived a thousand years. East Asia's Oldest Paleolithic Site? It is home to one of the earliest known Paleolithic sites in East Asia, dating back approximately 1.8 million years. Some European studies even suggest that the site may be more than 2.4 million years old. Salt Lake City, meet your Chinese twin Yuncheng is home to a salt lake spanning roughly 154 square kilometers, with a salt-harvesting history stretching back some 4,000 years. Salt Lake City, meet China's Salt Lake City. Perhaps it's time to make this a sister-city relationship, Salt Lake City Government ? And its waters are actually saltier than those of the Dead Sea, buoyant enough to let a person float effortlessly on the surface. The only thing that doesn't float here is its fame. Hometown of Guan Yu (关羽) China's legendary warrior saint, Guan Yu, was born there more than 1,800 years ago. Celebrated for his unwavering loyalty and valor, and immortalized by the tragedy of a fatal misjudgment in his final years, he went on to influence Chinese culture for nearly two millennia. Even today, countless temples across China dedicated to him remain active, from Taiwan to Xinjiang. By all accounts, Yuncheng has no shortage of history and culture worthy of making headlines. Yet what recently propelled the city into the national spotlight was not its cultural heritage, though. It was the rooftop of an ordinary residential complex-where it suddenly began to "rain." This summer, a punishing heatwave has swept across Europe, while much of China has also been gripped by prolonged high temperatures. Against this backdrop, an unusual cooling system that sends a fine mist drifting down from above has captured nationwide attention. According to the property developer, the system was officially put into operation in August 2024. Each building, 100 meters tall, is equipped with more than 200 high-pressure misting nozzles installed along the rooftop. The fine droplets absorb heat as they evaporate, helping to lower the surrounding temperature. The system enters regular operation each June, with a single cycle lasting about 10 minutes. My colleagues took on-site measurements. Before the system kicked in, the ground temperature within the complex had climbed to 44 degrees Celsius. Once the system began operating, clouds of fine spray descended from above. Children opened umbrellas and played in the artificial "rain." After the spraying cycle ended, measurements showed that the ground temperature had fallen to around 33 degrees Celsius, while the temperature within the mist-covered area dropped significantly, turning a sweltering afternoon into something noticeably cooler and far more comfortable environment. According to the property management, the operating costs are fully covered by the community's shared property-management budget, meaning residents pay nothing extra. The system draws on ordinary tap water. Because the droplets are so fine, most of the water evaporates before it ever reaches the ground. Beyond cooling the air, it helps reduce dust and provides some irrigation for nearby greenery, allowing the same water to serve multiple purposes. This residential community is not the only place experimenting with creative ways to cope with extreme heat. As high temperatures continue, cities across China are introducing increasingly practical and locally adapted cooling measures. In Beijing, Turpan, and many other cities, air-conditioned service stations have opened their doors to sanitation workers, delivery riders, and other outdoor workers. These stations provide watermelon, chilled drinks, ready-to-eat food, and heatstroke-prevention supplies, all free of charge. In some locations, field workers have also been equipped with cooling vests and other protective gear designed for extreme heat. Kaifeng (开封), in central China's Henan Province, has taken an approach that carries a touch of romance all its own. About a thousand years ago, Kaifeng served as the capital of China, during a period when science and technology, urban civilization, and the visual arts flourished. Today, the city is home to several large theme parks and has become one of China's major cultural tourism destinations. Some have even dubbed it "China's Orlando." Kaifeng is also renowned for its watermelons. This year's bumper harvest, however, has left some local growers struggling to find enough buyers. In response, several theme parks have stepped in to purchase large quantities of local watermelons in bulk. The initiative helps farmers expand their sales channels, and allows the parks to hand out thousands of kilograms of free watermelon to visitors each day, offering a refreshing respite from the summer heat. From mist raining down on rooftops, to icy drinks pressed into the hands of delivery riders, to free watermelons handed out by the truckload-different cities, one shared answer. Fighting the heat doesn't always take billion-dollar mega-projects. Sometimes, it just takes a little imagination, and a lot of heart. It might be a shower of mist falling from a rooftop, a wearable cooling suit, or a slice of freshly cut, ice-cold watermelon. What's the coolest heat-relief idea in YOUR city? Drop it in the comments, let's see who wins summer. (And to our friends in the Southern Hemisphere and Alaska-tell us your winter survival tricks instead. We'll need them in December☕)

Zhai Xiang

13,477 просмотров • 27 дней назад

Canada's morality in question as mass killing looms Hundreds of ostriches' fate to be decided by Supreme Court on November 6. On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Canada will decide whether it will hear an appeal made by Universal Ostrich Farms, which is seeking to stop the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) from killing all of its ostriches. This critical story touches on every aspect of Canada's governance practices, and morality. This farm in BC raises ostriches, which are studied for purposes of advancing science, specifically natural immunity. These birds are not raised to be slaughtered like poultry; instead, their value comes from long-term study of the birds, alive, and their eggs. In comes the CFIA in December 2024, on an anonymous tip that some of the ostriches were sick. The agency reportedly used overly sensitive tests on two deceased birds to obtain a positive test for avian flu. Consequently, without testing any remaining ostriches, the CFIA decided all the ostriches must be killed. The CFIA has many powers at its disposal, from quarantining to isolation and disinfecting, to testing and monitoring, to mass culling and so on. It decided the mass kill option was the only option it would pursue despite national and international pushback. The agency referenced the stamping-out policy by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), which Canada is a treaty member of. This policy was designed to stop highly contagious diseases spreading in animals before it could have national livestock or global trade impacts. The WOAH is funded by treaty nation members, alongside vaccine immunity promoting NGOs like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Health of Animals Act, World Trade Organization Agreement Implementation Act, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act provide most of the legal framework allowing the CFIA to kill whatever it wants while referencing international policy agreements. The CFIA can provide exemptions to the mass culling policy, as was requested for the ostriches, but decided it would rather just kill them all. A year after this ‘deadly mutant avian flu’ passed through the herd, the agency persists. The CFIA disagrees with the animals being allowed to exist while having exposure to wildlife, and disputes the scientific approach presented by the farmers regarding the uniqueness of the herd. Those at the CFIA also refuse to do further testing of any kind. The CFIA appears to be taking issue with the farm's scientific approach under the guise of 'health risks' associated with the remaining birds. This is the same CFIA which arrested a small-time Alberta egg farmer for having too many hens and allegedly buried chickens alive under the carcasses of their deceased peers. Despite the CFIA's intentions, Universal Ostrich Farms brought the matter to court. The Federal Court ruled with the CFIA on the grounds that it is a federal body established by Parliament and thus should not be interfered with. The Federal Court of Appeal sided with that ruling. The fully-vaccinated Supreme Court of Canada is set to decide whether it will hear an appeal from the farm on November 6. If the Supreme Court refuses, the CFIA may proceed with the killings immediately, and if it approves then the matter will be brought before the court. Liberal Party Minister of Health, Marjorie Michel, is the authority over the CFIA and could intervene, but has remained silent on the subject. The birds have been legally protected from death as this has moved through the courts, thanks to stay orders requested by the farm's legal representation, lawyer Umar Sheikh. During legal proceedings the CFIA was granted control of the farm and other lands, and is using its power to enforce RCMP engagement. While the matter is before the courts, the agency has seized lands and properties of locals, had around half a dozen people arrested, and presided over a bird allegedly dying of neglect under its control. It's a bloodthirsty gang of bureaucrats on a literal killing spree, granted seemingly unlimited power from the federal Liberal Party, while the courts appear to be looking the other way. Previously to fighting for the ostrich farm, Mr. Sheikh represented Sheila Annette Lewis, of Alberta. Ms. Lewis was denied a lifesaving organ transplant in Canada because of her and her family’s vaccination status despite having natural immunity to COVID-19. Sheikh won her case and got her back on the transplant list, but because of Canada’s ‘the process is the punishment’ legal system, Sheila passed away before she could receive a transplant. There are stark parallels to this story. In both cases, the government ignored tried and true natural immunity, replacing the concept with financially-incentivized vaccine immunity claims. In both scenarios, whether it’s our common man, or the animals we tend to, the Canadian government’s first objective appears to be in line with the grim reaper. To sum it all up, the government wants the birds to die because that’s their policy, death. We'll see on November 6 what the Supreme Court says.

Canada's morality in question as mass killing looms Hundreds of ostriches' fate to be decided by Supreme Court on November 6. On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Canada will decide whether it will hear an appeal made by Universal Ostrich Farms, which is seeking to stop the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) from killing all of its ostriches. This critical story touches on every aspect of Canada's governance practices, and morality. This farm in BC raises ostriches, which are studied for purposes of advancing science, specifically natural immunity. These birds are not raised to be slaughtered like poultry; instead, their value comes from long-term study of the birds, alive, and their eggs. In comes the CFIA in December 2024, on an anonymous tip that some of the ostriches were sick. The agency reportedly used overly sensitive tests on two deceased birds to obtain a positive test for avian flu. Consequently, without testing any remaining ostriches, the CFIA decided all the ostriches must be killed. The CFIA has many powers at its disposal, from quarantining to isolation and disinfecting, to testing and monitoring, to mass culling and so on. It decided the mass kill option was the only option it would pursue despite national and international pushback. The agency referenced the stamping-out policy by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), which Canada is a treaty member of. This policy was designed to stop highly contagious diseases spreading in animals before it could have national livestock or global trade impacts. The WOAH is funded by treaty nation members, alongside vaccine immunity promoting NGOs like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Health of Animals Act, World Trade Organization Agreement Implementation Act, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act provide most of the legal framework allowing the CFIA to kill whatever it wants while referencing international policy agreements. The CFIA can provide exemptions to the mass culling policy, as was requested for the ostriches, but decided it would rather just kill them all. A year after this ‘deadly mutant avian flu’ passed through the herd, the agency persists. The CFIA disagrees with the animals being allowed to exist while having exposure to wildlife, and disputes the scientific approach presented by the farmers regarding the uniqueness of the herd. Those at the CFIA also refuse to do further testing of any kind. The CFIA appears to be taking issue with the farm's scientific approach under the guise of 'health risks' associated with the remaining birds. This is the same CFIA which arrested a small-time Alberta egg farmer for having too many hens and allegedly buried chickens alive under the carcasses of their deceased peers. Despite the CFIA's intentions, Universal Ostrich Farms brought the matter to court. The Federal Court ruled with the CFIA on the grounds that it is a federal body established by Parliament and thus should not be interfered with. The Federal Court of Appeal sided with that ruling. The fully-vaccinated Supreme Court of Canada is set to decide whether it will hear an appeal from the farm on November 6. If the Supreme Court refuses, the CFIA may proceed with the killings immediately, and if it approves then the matter will be brought before the court. Liberal Party Minister of Health, Marjorie Michel, is the authority over the CFIA and could intervene, but has remained silent on the subject. The birds have been legally protected from death as this has moved through the courts, thanks to stay orders requested by the farm's legal representation, lawyer Umar Sheikh. During legal proceedings the CFIA was granted control of the farm and other lands, and is using its power to enforce RCMP engagement. While the matter is before the courts, the agency has seized lands and properties of locals, had around half a dozen people arrested, and presided over a bird allegedly dying of neglect under its control. It's a bloodthirsty gang of bureaucrats on a literal killing spree, granted seemingly unlimited power from the federal Liberal Party, while the courts appear to be looking the other way. Previously to fighting for the ostrich farm, Mr. Sheikh represented Sheila Annette Lewis, of Alberta. Ms. Lewis was denied a lifesaving organ transplant in Canada because of her and her family’s vaccination status despite having natural immunity to COVID-19. Sheikh won her case and got her back on the transplant list, but because of Canada’s ‘the process is the punishment’ legal system, Sheila passed away before she could receive a transplant. There are stark parallels to this story. In both cases, the government ignored tried and true natural immunity, replacing the concept with financially-incentivized vaccine immunity claims. In both scenarios, whether it’s our common man, or the animals we tend to, the Canadian government’s first objective appears to be in line with the grim reaper. To sum it all up, the government wants the birds to die because that’s their policy, death. We'll see on November 6 what the Supreme Court says.

Rebel News

17,725 просмотров • 9 месяцев назад

President Trump: "Not only is the UN not solving the problems it should too often, it's actually creating new problems for us to solve. The best example is the number one political issue of our time, the crisis of uncontrolled migration. It's uncontrolled." "Your countries are being ruined. The United Nations is funding an assault on Western countries and their borders. In 2024, the UN budgeted $372 million in cash assistance to support an estimated 624,000 migrants journeying into the United States." "Think of that. The UN is supporting people that are illegally coming into the United States, and then we have to get them out. The UN also provided food, shelter, transportation, and debit cards to illegal aliens." "Can you believe that? On the way to infiltrate our southern border. Millions of people came through that southern border just a year ago. Millions and millions of people were pouring in, 25 million altogether over the four years of the incompetent Biden administration." "And now we have it stopped, totally stopped. In fact, they're not even coming anymore because they know they can't get through. But what took place is totally unacceptable." "The UN is supposed to stop invasions, not create them and not finance them. In the United States, we reject the idea that mass numbers of people from foreign lands can be permitted to travel halfway around the world, trample our borders, violate our sovereignty, cause unmitigated crime, and deplete our social safety net." "We have reasserted that America belongs to the American people, and I encourage all countries to take their own stand in defense of their citizens as well. You have to do that because I see it. I'm not mentioning names. I see it, and I can call every single one of them out." "You're destroying your countries. They're being destroyed. Europe is in serious trouble. They've been invaded by a force of illegal aliens like nobody's ever seen before. Illegal aliens are pouring into Europe. Nobody has ever — and nobody's doing anything to change it, to get them out." "It's not sustainable. And because they choose to be politically correct, they're doing just absolutely nothing about it. And I have to say, I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor — terrible, terrible mayor. And it's been so changed. So changed. Now they want to go to Sharia law." "But you're in a different country. You can't do that. Both the immigration and their suicidal energy ideas will be the death of Western Europe if something is not done immediately. They cannot — this cannot be sustained." "What makes the world so beautiful is that each country is unique. But to stay this way, every sovereign nation must have the right to control their own borders." "You have the right to control your borders, as we do now, and to limit the sheer numbers of migrants entering their countries and paid for by the people of that nation that were there and that built that particular nation at the time." "They put their blood, sweat, tears, money into that country, and now they're being ruined. Proud nations must be allowed to protect their communities and prevent their societies from being overwhelmed by people they have never seen before with different customs, religions, with different everything." "Where migrants have violated laws, lodged false asylum claims, or claimed refugee status for illegitimate reasons, they should, in many cases, be immediately sent home." "And while we will always have a big heart for places and people that are struggling and truly compassionate, answers will be given. We have to solve the problem, and we have to solve it in their countries, not create new problems in our countries." "And we are very helpful to a lot of countries that are just not able to send their people anymore."

President Trump: "Not only is the UN not solving the problems it should too often, it's actually creating new problems for us to solve. The best example is the number one political issue of our time, the crisis of uncontrolled migration. It's uncontrolled." "Your countries are being ruined. The United Nations is funding an assault on Western countries and their borders. In 2024, the UN budgeted $372 million in cash assistance to support an estimated 624,000 migrants journeying into the United States." "Think of that. The UN is supporting people that are illegally coming into the United States, and then we have to get them out. The UN also provided food, shelter, transportation, and debit cards to illegal aliens." "Can you believe that? On the way to infiltrate our southern border. Millions of people came through that southern border just a year ago. Millions and millions of people were pouring in, 25 million altogether over the four years of the incompetent Biden administration." "And now we have it stopped, totally stopped. In fact, they're not even coming anymore because they know they can't get through. But what took place is totally unacceptable." "The UN is supposed to stop invasions, not create them and not finance them. In the United States, we reject the idea that mass numbers of people from foreign lands can be permitted to travel halfway around the world, trample our borders, violate our sovereignty, cause unmitigated crime, and deplete our social safety net." "We have reasserted that America belongs to the American people, and I encourage all countries to take their own stand in defense of their citizens as well. You have to do that because I see it. I'm not mentioning names. I see it, and I can call every single one of them out." "You're destroying your countries. They're being destroyed. Europe is in serious trouble. They've been invaded by a force of illegal aliens like nobody's ever seen before. Illegal aliens are pouring into Europe. Nobody has ever — and nobody's doing anything to change it, to get them out." "It's not sustainable. And because they choose to be politically correct, they're doing just absolutely nothing about it. And I have to say, I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor — terrible, terrible mayor. And it's been so changed. So changed. Now they want to go to Sharia law." "But you're in a different country. You can't do that. Both the immigration and their suicidal energy ideas will be the death of Western Europe if something is not done immediately. They cannot — this cannot be sustained." "What makes the world so beautiful is that each country is unique. But to stay this way, every sovereign nation must have the right to control their own borders." "You have the right to control your borders, as we do now, and to limit the sheer numbers of migrants entering their countries and paid for by the people of that nation that were there and that built that particular nation at the time." "They put their blood, sweat, tears, money into that country, and now they're being ruined. Proud nations must be allowed to protect their communities and prevent their societies from being overwhelmed by people they have never seen before with different customs, religions, with different everything." "Where migrants have violated laws, lodged false asylum claims, or claimed refugee status for illegitimate reasons, they should, in many cases, be immediately sent home." "And while we will always have a big heart for places and people that are struggling and truly compassionate, answers will be given. We have to solve the problem, and we have to solve it in their countries, not create new problems in our countries." "And we are very helpful to a lot of countries that are just not able to send their people anymore."

Camus

23,749 просмотров • 10 месяцев назад

RETWEET Watching Dimakatso Makoena saying that “I Hate Foreigners” with such raw emotion and painfully crying in this attached BBC documentary film makes you realise how evil and manipulative failed politicians can be towards unsuspecting citizens who are victims of their failures. South Africa has an immigration crisis that can’t be wished away, but it is also a complex problem that can’t be explained in simplistic terms as many try to do, especially the authors of the crisis, politicians. South Africans were not born hating foreign nationals, like racism, they were taught to hate and to believe that all their problems were authored by African foreign nationals, both legal and illegal immigrants. The explanation for every political and economic failure in South Africa is now on foreigners, even someone who can’t get an erection at home will soon probably blame foreigners too. It is true that South Africa has attracted more foreigners than any other country on the continent because of its historic successful and big economy, and how the apartheid economic architecture attracted cheap migrant labour from surrounding countries to maximise on its profits. Apartheid was a racist business model run by politicians and businesspeople, today’s South Africa is also run by one of the richest businesspeople in Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, whose many businesses have benefited from migrant labour. Unlike in the past where mass immigration was triggered mainly by weak economies coming out of colonial rule that surrounded the apartheid regime, the bulk of illegal immigration today is now triggered by failed economies around South Africa particularly Zimbabwe, which has failed due to grand incompetence and political repressive corrupt rule. Why is it like this, and who is responsible for this immigration crisis, and how can this be changed to bring a healthy balance of immigration/migration which is not only one way? This has been caused by a dead economy in Zimbabwe which was killed by corrupt rule and the plunder of that country’s natural resources. Zimbabweans used to find work in Zimbabwe and had working public services like hospitals after that country's independence in 1980, and only went to South Africa to buy things to come and sell back home, it was business from top to bottom. Of course, as I said earlier, there was an earlier flow of migrants from Zimbabwe and other African countries during the colonial days of the famed WNLA which stood for Witwatersrand Native Labour Association (WNLA), more popularly known as WENELA. It was set up by the gold mines in South Africa as a recruiting agency for migrant workers. Before that people were always moving around the region looking for better pastures and a better standard of living, Africa was a village. That is how you ended up with the Ray Phiris, Hugh Masekelas (whose real surname was Munyepawu from Zimbabwe) and Herman Mashabas of this world. Their parents, grandparents and great grand parents came to South Africa to seek better lives and also to seek work mostly in mines after the nineteenth century, they were born in South Africa to migrant workers or children of migrant workers. Today’s illegal immigration crisis is driven by old factors of cheap labour on the part of South African businesses, and it is accentuated by new political players, the failed regional ruling parties like ZANUPF. In normal countries this is easily resolved by an election where the citizens can choose a different government and remove the crooks and incompetent parties from power. But Zimbabwe is not normal, it has a ruling party which came into power with its own military wings, ZANLA/ZIPRA which became the national army. Elections are routinely rigged, and citizens beaten to pulp or killed for resisting the failed political and economic status quo which is anchored by corruption and incompetence. The only organization that can stop this is SADC, which is a regional grouping of 16 countries with election protocols that all member states must follow and adhere to. However, ZANUPF has been able to repeatedly violate these protocols for 23 years with the support of South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress. ANC is powerful because it runs the most diverse and sophisticated economy on the African continent, so what it says in SADC matters, and what it doesn’t say matters too. Recently the ANC endorsed the shambolic Zimbabwean elections as democratic, ignoring the mountain of evidence to the contrary. It called the Zimbabwean opposition leader a puppet of the West, and it said it will support ZANUPF regardless. Indirectly it called the millions that voted for the opposition puppets of the West too, what motivates the ANC to say such scurrilous stuff if not bungs? So, the ANC literally endorses the causes and drivers of illegal immigration in South Africa, possibly for corrupt reasons, yet when back home it insults Zimbabweans asking them to leave South Africa and go back to Zimbabwe. The ANC is also riding on the xenophobic/anti-foreign nationals’ campaign as seen recently when South Africa's Minister for Police, Bheki Cele took to the highways to personally inspect public transport and remove Zimbabweans without proof on residence on them. This of course is done for politicking reasons, it is an empty explanation to why the economy in South Africa has terribly tanked. ZANUPF blames sanctions for all its failures with the help of Ramaphosa who trumpets the sanctions propaganda everywhere he goes, yet he knows that Zimbabwe has failed due to corrupt rule, incompetence and economic mismanagement. The ANC has now joined the scapegoating bandwagon of blaming foreigners for its failures to govern. It surreptitiously supports Dudula, which is a vigilante group agitating for foreign nationals to leave South Africa regardless of whether they are legal or illegal using the lie that South Africa has collapsed economically due to foreign nationals. Citizens are easy to deceive especially in poor townships, but why are they easily deceived. It is however true that illegal foreign nationals access social and health delivery services in South Africa, creating flash points with locals who complain that they are squeezed out because of the competitive unbudgeted use of public services by illegal foreign nationals. Seventy-five percent of women who give birth at Musina hospital in South Africa’s Limpopo province are Zimbabwean according to the South African Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi. This is because Zimbabwe’s biggest hospital only has one working maternity theatre built in 1977 by Ian Smith’s colonial government. 2500 Zimbabwean woman die every year giving birth and as a result, many run away to South Africa to avoid dying when giving birth. This could be easily fixed because a maternity theatre costs only US$37,000 (R666,000) to build, but the Zimbabwean government has failed to do this for its citizens. In a normal society, and in normal times, you simply vote out such an uncaring government, but Zimbabweans have repeatedly tried to do so, but failed due to repression and the failure by SADC to force Zimbabwe to adhere to its constitutional commitments and regional election protocols. The ZANUPF regime has also been repeatdly supported by the ANC and the South African Government on many times to evade this SADC scrutiny as has happened in the recently held shambolic and rigged election, where citizens spent more than 12 hours waiting for ballot papers in opposition strongholds which were 5 minutes away from the election commission offices. It means that South Africa will receive more undocumented Zimbabweans looking for health and social services, and more importantly looking for jobs. South African ANC elites don’t care about this because they don’t use public hospitals, and they don’t live in the townships where there is a shortage of public service amenities. They only care when it is election time, they only care for votes. As South Africa heads towards the 2024 general election, spare a thought for immigrants regardless of whether they are legal or not, particularly African foreign nationals because they will be scapegoated by both the ruling ANC party, and the many fringe one-issue parties that have all congregated around the immigration issue for easy pickings of votes. Immigration is a real crisis in South Africa that has ceased to be a foreign policy issue anymore, it is now a domestic policy issue because it now has the real potential of stopping the ANC from crossing the fifty percent mark in the 2024 elections, forcing the possibility of a coalition government of sorts not out of choice, but out of necessity, a first since 1994. I said the immigration crisis is complex, it has created social pressures in poor communities, but it is not the reason why the South African economy has tanked. Illegal immigration can be fixed by allowing citizens to have free, fair and credible elections particularly in Zimbabwe so that they don’t flock into South Africa, but how can this be possible when the ANC sanitises stolen and shambolic elections? Nobody wants to leave their own home to go to a place where they are not wanted, but they do it because at times it is the difference between living and death. Both South Africa and Zimbabwe require leadership scrutiny, the leaders on both sides of Limpopo are responsible for the immigration crisis, yet it is the poor people that batter each other whilst the politicians are locked away in their mansions. Something must give, the citizens must wake up to the realities of corrupt and incompetent rule and not allow scapegoating to be used as a deceptive tool to explain failed governance. Sadly, it might be too late for 2024, but perhaps the 2024 election result might force the ANC to have a change of heart and for once do the right thing on the Zimbabwe political crisis that has staggered on since 2023.

RETWEET Watching Dimakatso Makoena saying that “I Hate Foreigners” with such raw emotion and painfully crying in this attached BBC documentary film makes you realise how evil and manipulative failed politicians can be towards unsuspecting citizens who are victims of their failures. South Africa has an immigration crisis that can’t be wished away, but it is also a complex problem that can’t be explained in simplistic terms as many try to do, especially the authors of the crisis, politicians. South Africans were not born hating foreign nationals, like racism, they were taught to hate and to believe that all their problems were authored by African foreign nationals, both legal and illegal immigrants. The explanation for every political and economic failure in South Africa is now on foreigners, even someone who can’t get an erection at home will soon probably blame foreigners too. It is true that South Africa has attracted more foreigners than any other country on the continent because of its historic successful and big economy, and how the apartheid economic architecture attracted cheap migrant labour from surrounding countries to maximise on its profits. Apartheid was a racist business model run by politicians and businesspeople, today’s South Africa is also run by one of the richest businesspeople in Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, whose many businesses have benefited from migrant labour. Unlike in the past where mass immigration was triggered mainly by weak economies coming out of colonial rule that surrounded the apartheid regime, the bulk of illegal immigration today is now triggered by failed economies around South Africa particularly Zimbabwe, which has failed due to grand incompetence and political repressive corrupt rule. Why is it like this, and who is responsible for this immigration crisis, and how can this be changed to bring a healthy balance of immigration/migration which is not only one way? This has been caused by a dead economy in Zimbabwe which was killed by corrupt rule and the plunder of that country’s natural resources. Zimbabweans used to find work in Zimbabwe and had working public services like hospitals after that country's independence in 1980, and only went to South Africa to buy things to come and sell back home, it was business from top to bottom. Of course, as I said earlier, there was an earlier flow of migrants from Zimbabwe and other African countries during the colonial days of the famed WNLA which stood for Witwatersrand Native Labour Association (WNLA), more popularly known as WENELA. It was set up by the gold mines in South Africa as a recruiting agency for migrant workers. Before that people were always moving around the region looking for better pastures and a better standard of living, Africa was a village. That is how you ended up with the Ray Phiris, Hugh Masekelas (whose real surname was Munyepawu from Zimbabwe) and Herman Mashabas of this world. Their parents, grandparents and great grand parents came to South Africa to seek better lives and also to seek work mostly in mines after the nineteenth century, they were born in South Africa to migrant workers or children of migrant workers. Today’s illegal immigration crisis is driven by old factors of cheap labour on the part of South African businesses, and it is accentuated by new political players, the failed regional ruling parties like ZANUPF. In normal countries this is easily resolved by an election where the citizens can choose a different government and remove the crooks and incompetent parties from power. But Zimbabwe is not normal, it has a ruling party which came into power with its own military wings, ZANLA/ZIPRA which became the national army. Elections are routinely rigged, and citizens beaten to pulp or killed for resisting the failed political and economic status quo which is anchored by corruption and incompetence. The only organization that can stop this is SADC, which is a regional grouping of 16 countries with election protocols that all member states must follow and adhere to. However, ZANUPF has been able to repeatedly violate these protocols for 23 years with the support of South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress. ANC is powerful because it runs the most diverse and sophisticated economy on the African continent, so what it says in SADC matters, and what it doesn’t say matters too. Recently the ANC endorsed the shambolic Zimbabwean elections as democratic, ignoring the mountain of evidence to the contrary. It called the Zimbabwean opposition leader a puppet of the West, and it said it will support ZANUPF regardless. Indirectly it called the millions that voted for the opposition puppets of the West too, what motivates the ANC to say such scurrilous stuff if not bungs? So, the ANC literally endorses the causes and drivers of illegal immigration in South Africa, possibly for corrupt reasons, yet when back home it insults Zimbabweans asking them to leave South Africa and go back to Zimbabwe. The ANC is also riding on the xenophobic/anti-foreign nationals’ campaign as seen recently when South Africa's Minister for Police, Bheki Cele took to the highways to personally inspect public transport and remove Zimbabweans without proof on residence on them. This of course is done for politicking reasons, it is an empty explanation to why the economy in South Africa has terribly tanked. ZANUPF blames sanctions for all its failures with the help of Ramaphosa who trumpets the sanctions propaganda everywhere he goes, yet he knows that Zimbabwe has failed due to corrupt rule, incompetence and economic mismanagement. The ANC has now joined the scapegoating bandwagon of blaming foreigners for its failures to govern. It surreptitiously supports Dudula, which is a vigilante group agitating for foreign nationals to leave South Africa regardless of whether they are legal or illegal using the lie that South Africa has collapsed economically due to foreign nationals. Citizens are easy to deceive especially in poor townships, but why are they easily deceived. It is however true that illegal foreign nationals access social and health delivery services in South Africa, creating flash points with locals who complain that they are squeezed out because of the competitive unbudgeted use of public services by illegal foreign nationals. Seventy-five percent of women who give birth at Musina hospital in South Africa’s Limpopo province are Zimbabwean according to the South African Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi. This is because Zimbabwe’s biggest hospital only has one working maternity theatre built in 1977 by Ian Smith’s colonial government. 2500 Zimbabwean woman die every year giving birth and as a result, many run away to South Africa to avoid dying when giving birth. This could be easily fixed because a maternity theatre costs only US$37,000 (R666,000) to build, but the Zimbabwean government has failed to do this for its citizens. In a normal society, and in normal times, you simply vote out such an uncaring government, but Zimbabweans have repeatedly tried to do so, but failed due to repression and the failure by SADC to force Zimbabwe to adhere to its constitutional commitments and regional election protocols. The ZANUPF regime has also been repeatdly supported by the ANC and the South African Government on many times to evade this SADC scrutiny as has happened in the recently held shambolic and rigged election, where citizens spent more than 12 hours waiting for ballot papers in opposition strongholds which were 5 minutes away from the election commission offices. It means that South Africa will receive more undocumented Zimbabweans looking for health and social services, and more importantly looking for jobs. South African ANC elites don’t care about this because they don’t use public hospitals, and they don’t live in the townships where there is a shortage of public service amenities. They only care when it is election time, they only care for votes. As South Africa heads towards the 2024 general election, spare a thought for immigrants regardless of whether they are legal or not, particularly African foreign nationals because they will be scapegoated by both the ruling ANC party, and the many fringe one-issue parties that have all congregated around the immigration issue for easy pickings of votes. Immigration is a real crisis in South Africa that has ceased to be a foreign policy issue anymore, it is now a domestic policy issue because it now has the real potential of stopping the ANC from crossing the fifty percent mark in the 2024 elections, forcing the possibility of a coalition government of sorts not out of choice, but out of necessity, a first since 1994. I said the immigration crisis is complex, it has created social pressures in poor communities, but it is not the reason why the South African economy has tanked. Illegal immigration can be fixed by allowing citizens to have free, fair and credible elections particularly in Zimbabwe so that they don’t flock into South Africa, but how can this be possible when the ANC sanitises stolen and shambolic elections? Nobody wants to leave their own home to go to a place where they are not wanted, but they do it because at times it is the difference between living and death. Both South Africa and Zimbabwe require leadership scrutiny, the leaders on both sides of Limpopo are responsible for the immigration crisis, yet it is the poor people that batter each other whilst the politicians are locked away in their mansions. Something must give, the citizens must wake up to the realities of corrupt and incompetent rule and not allow scapegoating to be used as a deceptive tool to explain failed governance. Sadly, it might be too late for 2024, but perhaps the 2024 election result might force the ANC to have a change of heart and for once do the right thing on the Zimbabwe political crisis that has staggered on since 2023.

Hopewell Chin’ono

179,271 просмотров • 2 лет назад

EVERYTHING JAPANESE IS REALLY CHINESE. Seriously? Well, yes. I mean, this title is clearly a generalization, so what it means is that the main cultural items that are widely assumed across the world to be Japanese actually come from China. . 1. Ramen Raman is a Chinese noodle dish, not Japanese. It was brought to Japan by Chinese travellers in the late 1800s. The original Japanese name for it was “shina soba” meaning Chinese noodles. . 2. Japanese writing The Japanese writing system known as Kanji has a name formed of two elements. Kanji literally means Han Writing. Han is the biggest ethnic group in China. . 3. The Kimono This was an adaptation of the type of draped silk clothing from China known as Hanfu. After the start of the Heian period in Japan in 794 AD, it became popular in Japan and started to acquire unique Japanese elements. . 4. Blossom trees Japan’s famous cherry blossoms actually come a tree indigenous not to Japan, but to the Himalayas, which border southwest China—in fact a long way from Japan. The practice of celebrating the annual blossoming of beautiful trees such as the cherry blossom and the plum blossom spread from southwest China to Korea and Japan, taking several centuries to make that journey. . 5. Sushi Sushi is fish with vinegared rice. It is vinegared to give it a pickled taste which is a clue towards its origins: a Chinese pickled dish in which salted fish was wrapped in fermented rice. Even today in Japan, a sushi kitchen is called a tsuke-ba, which means ‘pickling place’. . 6. The Japanese language Japan has its own language, sure – but statisticians say that at least 60 per cent of Japanese vocabulary comes from Chinese origins. . 7. Being ruled by an Emperor In the early 7th century, the Japanese adopted the title of Emperor from China for their own leaders. They used the same Chinese characters, and the same concept that the leader, by definition, was the Son of Heaven. This new rank was then retroactively applied to all past Japanese rulers, who all become emperors and sons of heaven. . 8. Bonsai. The practice of growing miniature trees and creating tiny landscapes developed in China, more than 1,500 years ago. It was known as penjing. The technique was introduced to Japan in the 7th century. . 9. Sashimi It was the Chinese rather than the Japanese who realized more than 1800 years ago that the flesh of certain fish was delicious eaten raw – no cooking necessary. Food historian Jacqueline Newman says that raw fish consumption began in southern China before 200 AD. It came to Japan about 11 hundred years later. . 10. The tea ceremony The tea ceremony originated in China during the Tang Dynasty, which is 600 to 900 AD, as a meditative health practice, before evolving into artistic ritual by the time of the Song Dynasty, which started in 960 AD. It was then taken to Japan by monks, like many Chinese cultural practices. . 11. The board game called GO In western culture, Go is a game associated with Japan. In reality, it is the world’s oldest known board game, originating in China about 4,000 years ago, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. The game was taken from China to Japan in 500 AD, which is “comparatively recently” in Chinese terms. . 12. Green tea Green tea, or matcha, comes from China and has been consumed for probably 4,000 years. It was brought to Japan by monks during the 8th and 9th centuries—very recently by Chinese standards! Two holy men, Saichō and Kukai, are credited with bringing it over the waters to Japan. . 13. Architecture The Japanese admired China’s extraordinarily long-lasting structures made of interlocking wooden elements and there was a lot of temple-building based on Chinese innovations in sixth century Japan. The Japanese capital, Nara, copied the checkerboard street layout of the Chinese capital, Chang’an. But, it must be said, the Japanese afterwards developed many of their own unique architectural elements. . 14. The Asian super-sword It was actually Tang dynasty scientists in China who revolutionized sword-making in the 7th century with a blade called the baogangfa – they fused high carbon steel (which enable sharpness) with low-carbon iron (which provided strength). The result was a blade that could slice through samurai armor. Japanese envoys brought Chinese swords back to Japan in the 700s. To give them due credit, the Japanese improved both the recipe and the design, to eventually come up with the curved katana sword. . 15. Cultural figures One of the most famous pop culture items from Japan is Dragonball. The creator of Dragonball fully admitted that his story was simply a retelling of the Chinese classic Journey to the West. Pokemon, another Japanese modern classic, has many ancient Chinese elements, too – research the nine-tailed fox for example. . 16. Zen An Indian monk named Bodhidharma came to China around 520 AD. His teachings became combined with Chinese philosophies such as Daoism. That led to the development of a practice called Chan, which is how the word Zen was originally pronounced. Records indicate that Chinese Chan Buddhism reached Japan in the 7th century but was not firmly established in that country until the 12th century. . CONCLUSIONS? Okay, there are 16 items – things assumed to be Japanese by many people, but which are rooted in Chinese culture. But there are others. So feel free to add more. Or shoot down the ones I have listed, if you prefer. Why do so many Japanese items come from China? Well, for much of history, China was the cool place, the happening place, the creative place, the dominant cultural center of the most highly populated part of the world. So naturally people wanted to visit it. One ancient record show that between AD 603 and AD 839, the Japanese alone sent at least 17 diplomatic missions to the Tang Dynasty royal courts in China. And I am going to add one more item to my list. Do the Japanese people themselves come from China? A short discussion of that somewhat controversial question comes at the end of the video. Read widely. Peace.

EVERYTHING JAPANESE IS REALLY CHINESE. Seriously? Well, yes. I mean, this title is clearly a generalization, so what it means is that the main cultural items that are widely assumed across the world to be Japanese actually come from China. . 1. Ramen Raman is a Chinese noodle dish, not Japanese. It was brought to Japan by Chinese travellers in the late 1800s. The original Japanese name for it was “shina soba” meaning Chinese noodles. . 2. Japanese writing The Japanese writing system known as Kanji has a name formed of two elements. Kanji literally means Han Writing. Han is the biggest ethnic group in China. . 3. The Kimono This was an adaptation of the type of draped silk clothing from China known as Hanfu. After the start of the Heian period in Japan in 794 AD, it became popular in Japan and started to acquire unique Japanese elements. . 4. Blossom trees Japan’s famous cherry blossoms actually come a tree indigenous not to Japan, but to the Himalayas, which border southwest China—in fact a long way from Japan. The practice of celebrating the annual blossoming of beautiful trees such as the cherry blossom and the plum blossom spread from southwest China to Korea and Japan, taking several centuries to make that journey. . 5. Sushi Sushi is fish with vinegared rice. It is vinegared to give it a pickled taste which is a clue towards its origins: a Chinese pickled dish in which salted fish was wrapped in fermented rice. Even today in Japan, a sushi kitchen is called a tsuke-ba, which means ‘pickling place’. . 6. The Japanese language Japan has its own language, sure – but statisticians say that at least 60 per cent of Japanese vocabulary comes from Chinese origins. . 7. Being ruled by an Emperor In the early 7th century, the Japanese adopted the title of Emperor from China for their own leaders. They used the same Chinese characters, and the same concept that the leader, by definition, was the Son of Heaven. This new rank was then retroactively applied to all past Japanese rulers, who all become emperors and sons of heaven. . 8. Bonsai. The practice of growing miniature trees and creating tiny landscapes developed in China, more than 1,500 years ago. It was known as penjing. The technique was introduced to Japan in the 7th century. . 9. Sashimi It was the Chinese rather than the Japanese who realized more than 1800 years ago that the flesh of certain fish was delicious eaten raw – no cooking necessary. Food historian Jacqueline Newman says that raw fish consumption began in southern China before 200 AD. It came to Japan about 11 hundred years later. . 10. The tea ceremony The tea ceremony originated in China during the Tang Dynasty, which is 600 to 900 AD, as a meditative health practice, before evolving into artistic ritual by the time of the Song Dynasty, which started in 960 AD. It was then taken to Japan by monks, like many Chinese cultural practices. . 11. The board game called GO In western culture, Go is a game associated with Japan. In reality, it is the world’s oldest known board game, originating in China about 4,000 years ago, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. The game was taken from China to Japan in 500 AD, which is “comparatively recently” in Chinese terms. . 12. Green tea Green tea, or matcha, comes from China and has been consumed for probably 4,000 years. It was brought to Japan by monks during the 8th and 9th centuries—very recently by Chinese standards! Two holy men, Saichō and Kukai, are credited with bringing it over the waters to Japan. . 13. Architecture The Japanese admired China’s extraordinarily long-lasting structures made of interlocking wooden elements and there was a lot of temple-building based on Chinese innovations in sixth century Japan. The Japanese capital, Nara, copied the checkerboard street layout of the Chinese capital, Chang’an. But, it must be said, the Japanese afterwards developed many of their own unique architectural elements. . 14. The Asian super-sword It was actually Tang dynasty scientists in China who revolutionized sword-making in the 7th century with a blade called the baogangfa – they fused high carbon steel (which enable sharpness) with low-carbon iron (which provided strength). The result was a blade that could slice through samurai armor. Japanese envoys brought Chinese swords back to Japan in the 700s. To give them due credit, the Japanese improved both the recipe and the design, to eventually come up with the curved katana sword. . 15. Cultural figures One of the most famous pop culture items from Japan is Dragonball. The creator of Dragonball fully admitted that his story was simply a retelling of the Chinese classic Journey to the West. Pokemon, another Japanese modern classic, has many ancient Chinese elements, too – research the nine-tailed fox for example. . 16. Zen An Indian monk named Bodhidharma came to China around 520 AD. His teachings became combined with Chinese philosophies such as Daoism. That led to the development of a practice called Chan, which is how the word Zen was originally pronounced. Records indicate that Chinese Chan Buddhism reached Japan in the 7th century but was not firmly established in that country until the 12th century. . CONCLUSIONS? Okay, there are 16 items – things assumed to be Japanese by many people, but which are rooted in Chinese culture. But there are others. So feel free to add more. Or shoot down the ones I have listed, if you prefer. Why do so many Japanese items come from China? Well, for much of history, China was the cool place, the happening place, the creative place, the dominant cultural center of the most highly populated part of the world. So naturally people wanted to visit it. One ancient record show that between AD 603 and AD 839, the Japanese alone sent at least 17 diplomatic missions to the Tang Dynasty royal courts in China. And I am going to add one more item to my list. Do the Japanese people themselves come from China? A short discussion of that somewhat controversial question comes at the end of the video. Read widely. Peace.

Nury Vittachi

1,198,754 просмотров • 8 месяцев назад

Xinjiang, where over 90% of China's cotton is grown, has kicked off this year's planting season. It is also one of the largest cotton-producing regions in the world, with approximately 5.69 million tonnes of cotton harvested in 2024 alone. Last year, I visited Xinjiang twice for work, though both trips focused on pastoral communities and archaeological sites. However, I've been curious about the lives of local farmers, especially those who grow cotton, naturally due to some noises and debates concerning this topic over the years. So I reached out to colleagues familiar with the field-and their insights offered some perspectives I hadn't delved into before. Today, cotton planting in Xinjiang is not even labor-intensive. It has been replaced by highly mechanized and intelligent farming practices. Take Xayar County (沙雅县) in southern Xinjiang's Aksu (阿克苏) for example-one of the first places in Xinjiang to start planting cotton each year (Incidentally, over 50 years ago, my father, then just a primary school student, moved from Beijing to Aksu with my grandparents. Life there was much tougher than in the capital, but he still recalls it as one of the happiest and most unforgettable periods of his life. He witnessed firsthand the harmonious ties between different ethnic groups and made several Uygur friends. The ties are so profound that he has returned several times to visit his old buddies). According to 2024 data, Xayar has a population of 261,257, with 225,938 Uygurs, accounting for 86.48% of the total. Uygur farmers make up about 80% of all cotton growers in the county. One of them is Ababekri, who farms alongside his father and four brothers. They use a driverless cotton planter equipped with BeiDou satellite positioning technology. While one person usually remains in the cabin as a precaution, the machine moves in perfectly straight lines according to its programmed route, performing sowing, laying drip irrigation tubing, and applying plastic mulch-all in one go. The efficiency of driverless planter is 30% to 40% higher than manual seeding machines and can even operate at night. For the Ababekri family, they manage 320 hectares of cotton fields (equal to over four times of the Forbidden City), and it takes just over 10 days to complete the entire planting process. "We chose to grow cotton to live a better life-and we're getting there." The 37-year-old farmer told my colleague. That choice, however, didn't start with him. Ababekri's father made the switch to cotton around 2003, replacing about 1.33 hectares of wheat after observing neighbors earned strong profits from the cash crop. At the time, Ababekri was still a teenager and didn't appreciate the decision at all. He found cotton-planting exhausting, especially during harvest season when the entire family had to manually pick cotton in the fields (Yes! Before automation, aside from melons, cotton was probably the most labor-intensive crop in Xinjiang. During harvest season, large numbers of temporary workers had to be even recruited from other provinces across China to help pick cotton up). Yet, that very first year, their household income exceeded 20,000 yuan-a considerable sum even in Beijing at the time, let alone in Xinjiang. He quickly realized that cotton offered a path to a better life, with returns several times higher than any other crops. Over the years, the family steadily grew their cotton operation into a thriving business. Not only has planting become automated, but cotton harvesting in Xinjiang has also largely moved away from manual labor. According to the Xinjiang Cotton Association, as of 2024: ✅100% of cotton planting in Xinjiang is mechanized ✅Approximately 90% of harvesting is also done by machine Ababekri has, for the past three years, hired a Han Chinese driver, around the same age as him, to operate a cotton harvester during the autumn season. The machine can pick about 33 hectares per day, and it takes also only 10 days to complete the entire harvest on his land. In a place where western media headlines often dwell on "ethnic tension," the quiet, seamless cooperation between farmers like Ababekri and his team speaks to a different truth. He employs dozens of workers, several of whom are Han Chinese. Being asked if he had heard about the portrayed division, he replied simply: "I don't care what ethnicity someone is. I only care who can help me grow better cotton." A few statistics help paint a clearer picture of cotton production in Xinjiang: ✅In 2024, Xinjiang's cotton planting area reached 36.72 million mu, accounting for 86.2% of the national total ✅Total production reached 5.686 million tonnes, or 92.2% of China's total output ✅There are 327,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the region, over 70% of whom are ethnic minorities ✅The industry provides employment and livelihoods for over 2 million people from all ethnic backgrounds For many families, cotton farming is the main source of income. However, many export-oriented enterprises have faced serious challenges due to America-led sanctions. Dozens of companies in Xinjiang have been blacklisted over labor allegations. Some companies had to cut production, lay off workers, or even shut down entirely, leaving many employees jobless. A lost job is never just a number-for me it's how they put decent food on the table, send their children to better education, and build a future. The irony is stark: Xinjiang's cotton industry has been fundamentally transformed by modernization. Accusations of "forced labor" are not only baseless, but also deeply disrespectful to the people whose lives depend on this honest work-people like Ababekri and his family, who work hard make the life better. There has been no shortage of headlines and discourse surrounding Xinjiang cotton. But to truly understand this land, we need to look beyond the noise-to the fields, the machines, and the hands who guide them. Their stories aren't about politics. They're about dignity. Not about labels, but about livelihoods. Not ideology, but about effort. Let facts be louder than prejudice, and let truth travel farther than rumors.

Xinjiang, where over 90% of China's cotton is grown, has kicked off this year's planting season. It is also one of the largest cotton-producing regions in the world, with approximately 5.69 million tonnes of cotton harvested in 2024 alone. Last year, I visited Xinjiang twice for work, though both trips focused on pastoral communities and archaeological sites. However, I've been curious about the lives of local farmers, especially those who grow cotton, naturally due to some noises and debates concerning this topic over the years. So I reached out to colleagues familiar with the field-and their insights offered some perspectives I hadn't delved into before. Today, cotton planting in Xinjiang is not even labor-intensive. It has been replaced by highly mechanized and intelligent farming practices. Take Xayar County (沙雅县) in southern Xinjiang's Aksu (阿克苏) for example-one of the first places in Xinjiang to start planting cotton each year (Incidentally, over 50 years ago, my father, then just a primary school student, moved from Beijing to Aksu with my grandparents. Life there was much tougher than in the capital, but he still recalls it as one of the happiest and most unforgettable periods of his life. He witnessed firsthand the harmonious ties between different ethnic groups and made several Uygur friends. The ties are so profound that he has returned several times to visit his old buddies). According to 2024 data, Xayar has a population of 261,257, with 225,938 Uygurs, accounting for 86.48% of the total. Uygur farmers make up about 80% of all cotton growers in the county. One of them is Ababekri, who farms alongside his father and four brothers. They use a driverless cotton planter equipped with BeiDou satellite positioning technology. While one person usually remains in the cabin as a precaution, the machine moves in perfectly straight lines according to its programmed route, performing sowing, laying drip irrigation tubing, and applying plastic mulch-all in one go. The efficiency of driverless planter is 30% to 40% higher than manual seeding machines and can even operate at night. For the Ababekri family, they manage 320 hectares of cotton fields (equal to over four times of the Forbidden City), and it takes just over 10 days to complete the entire planting process. "We chose to grow cotton to live a better life-and we're getting there." The 37-year-old farmer told my colleague. That choice, however, didn't start with him. Ababekri's father made the switch to cotton around 2003, replacing about 1.33 hectares of wheat after observing neighbors earned strong profits from the cash crop. At the time, Ababekri was still a teenager and didn't appreciate the decision at all. He found cotton-planting exhausting, especially during harvest season when the entire family had to manually pick cotton in the fields (Yes! Before automation, aside from melons, cotton was probably the most labor-intensive crop in Xinjiang. During harvest season, large numbers of temporary workers had to be even recruited from other provinces across China to help pick cotton up). Yet, that very first year, their household income exceeded 20,000 yuan-a considerable sum even in Beijing at the time, let alone in Xinjiang. He quickly realized that cotton offered a path to a better life, with returns several times higher than any other crops. Over the years, the family steadily grew their cotton operation into a thriving business. Not only has planting become automated, but cotton harvesting in Xinjiang has also largely moved away from manual labor. According to the Xinjiang Cotton Association, as of 2024: ✅100% of cotton planting in Xinjiang is mechanized ✅Approximately 90% of harvesting is also done by machine Ababekri has, for the past three years, hired a Han Chinese driver, around the same age as him, to operate a cotton harvester during the autumn season. The machine can pick about 33 hectares per day, and it takes also only 10 days to complete the entire harvest on his land. In a place where western media headlines often dwell on "ethnic tension," the quiet, seamless cooperation between farmers like Ababekri and his team speaks to a different truth. He employs dozens of workers, several of whom are Han Chinese. Being asked if he had heard about the portrayed division, he replied simply: "I don't care what ethnicity someone is. I only care who can help me grow better cotton." A few statistics help paint a clearer picture of cotton production in Xinjiang: ✅In 2024, Xinjiang's cotton planting area reached 36.72 million mu, accounting for 86.2% of the national total ✅Total production reached 5.686 million tonnes, or 92.2% of China's total output ✅There are 327,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the region, over 70% of whom are ethnic minorities ✅The industry provides employment and livelihoods for over 2 million people from all ethnic backgrounds For many families, cotton farming is the main source of income. However, many export-oriented enterprises have faced serious challenges due to America-led sanctions. Dozens of companies in Xinjiang have been blacklisted over labor allegations. Some companies had to cut production, lay off workers, or even shut down entirely, leaving many employees jobless. A lost job is never just a number-for me it's how they put decent food on the table, send their children to better education, and build a future. The irony is stark: Xinjiang's cotton industry has been fundamentally transformed by modernization. Accusations of "forced labor" are not only baseless, but also deeply disrespectful to the people whose lives depend on this honest work-people like Ababekri and his family, who work hard make the life better. There has been no shortage of headlines and discourse surrounding Xinjiang cotton. But to truly understand this land, we need to look beyond the noise-to the fields, the machines, and the hands who guide them. Their stories aren't about politics. They're about dignity. Not about labels, but about livelihoods. Not ideology, but about effort. Let facts be louder than prejudice, and let truth travel farther than rumors.

Zhai Xiang

84,185 просмотров • 1 год назад

I once thought of Jingdezhen (景德镇) merely as an historic porcelain-producing town, quietly tucked away in the margins of history books. To my surprise, it's not only alive but also thriving with modern flair: A friend of mine recently returned from Jingdezhen, brimming with stories-about a little duck made of broken shards, lovingly restored porcelain factories now taken over by young artists from around the world, and some sixty thousand hand-painting workshops. Listening to these tales, I couldn't help but feel: this city is so worth writing about, even though I've rarely delved into ceramics and seldom write about places I haven't yet seen for myself. Before it became the renowned "Porcelain Capital," Jingdezhen was not particularly noteworthy. Prior to the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), the region remained rather obscure, as the most advanced ceramic workshops were concentrated in China's central plains. That changed dramatically in 1127, when the Northern Song fell to the Jurchens from the north. Waves of skilled artisans migrated southward, bringing Jingdezhen an unprecedented historical opportunity. By the Southern Song (1127–1279), the town was already producing porcelain for the imperial court, and large quantities of its wares have been found in shipwrecks in the South China Sea from this era. Under Mongol rule (1279–1368), mature blue-and-white porcelain (青花瓷) was born here. Beyond breakthroughs in painting techniques, Jingdezhen's abundant kaolin clay resources allowed artisans to create larger, thinner porcelain bodies-a true leap in craftsmanship. From then on, Jingdezhen established itself as the very heart of Chinese porcelain. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the imperial court even established official kilns in Jingdezhen dedicated to producing porcelain exclusively for royal use. After the founding of the PRC in 1949, several large porcelain factories were set up here. Astonishingly, half a century ago, one-third of China's foreign exchange earnings came from Jingdezhen porcelain. That number alone shocked me, but what I learned next surprised me even more. In my mind, an industrial city like Jingdezhen would be turning out ceramics that were rigid in design, lacking creativity, and largely mass-produced with printed patterns rather than hand-painted ones-something without sufficient artistic value. But my colleague told me otherwise: today Jingdezhen has more than 60,000 workshops, and over 90 percent of porcelain designs are still hand-painted: Machines may guarantee standardized mass production, but Jingdezhen's true strength lies in its culture of handcrafted customization. While many former industrial hubs shifted entirely toward the service sector in the post-industrial era, Jingdezhen has remained firmly rooted in porcelain. Last year alone, the city's ceramic industry reached an output value of over 93 billion yuan, exporting to more than 80 countries and regions. Even more impressive, the city has embraced bold innovations-reimagining what porcelain can be in the 21st century. Let's take a look at a few examples. Top left: You might not expect it, but ceramic materials can be transformed into musical instruments-flutes, chimes, even stringed instruments. And not just for show-they can really play. Hit play and listen for yourself. Can you believe this sound comes from clay? Top right: Shown here are the work of a Jingdezhen artist's daughter, who returned after studying in the UK: a ceramic speaker and a beautifully engineered teacup. Ingeniously designed with clever mechanics, this teacup will not topple no matter which angle the tea is poured from. With its simple form and distinctive texture, it carries both an Oriental heritage and a modern sensibility. She shared that her daily work involves constantly negotiating the space between tradition and innovation-often engaging in passionate, sometimes stubborn, debates with elder craftsmen. But she said it's exactly in those moments of tension that the most unexpected ideas are born. At one point, Jingdezhen stood in the brink of becoming China's Detroit. Once a glorious industrial powerhouse, prosperous for centuries longer than Detroit ever was, the city began to decline in the late 1990s. Large state-owned porcelain factories shut down one after another, tens of thousands of workers were laid off, and aging dormitories fell into disrepair, some crumbling into near slums. Meanwhile, Western ceramics companies, armed with more advanced industrial techniques, took over the mass-production market, and Jingdezhen's traditional advantages steadily eroded. As the city declined, a question loomed: What should be done with the husks of its abandoned factories? Some pushed to level them for new real estate projects, while others argued for preserving the industrial heritage. In the end, the preservationists won. Many of the old facilities were restored, repurposed, and left largely intact: transformed into artists' studios, small shops, and homes for young craftspeople. The porcelain fires no longer burn only in the kilns. They now fuel the city's way of life. It is precisely this unique blend of cultural atmosphere and youthful vitality that has brought Jingdezhen back to life. Over the past decade, the city has welcomed a net population inflow of 136,000 people, more than 80 percent of them young. In their twenties and thirties, ceramic artists have set up studios in alleys and courtyards, while young visitors wander through the streets, making it feel as though every lane holds a hidden story. What's equally surprising is that Jingdezhen's charm has crossed borders. Today, a growing number of young people from the United States, Japan, France, Turkey, and beyond have chosen to live here long-term, immersing themselves in the art of ceramics. They call this ancient-yet-youthful city "China within China." At the lower left and lower right are the Imperial Kiln Museum (yes, its architecture itself resembles a kiln) and its most popular artifact. Surprisingly, this piece is actually a "reject." Made in the mid-Ming dynasty for the emperor, it is a porcelain incense burner in the form of a duck. To date, the Palace Museum in Beijing has not discovered another example like it. As for its status as a flawed piece, there are a few theories: one suggests that the designer originally intended for smoke to spout from the duck's beak, but the effect proved unsatisfactory, and the craftsmen abandoned what was, perhaps, a rather avant-garde idea; another possibility is that a more perfect version was eventually produced, but those pieces did not survive through history. In Jingdezhen, porcelain rejects from the imperial kilns of the Ming and Qing dynasties were always smashed and discarded. Over time, they formed a mountain of shards. Archaeological work on this "porcelain mountain" continues to this day, with archaeologists patiently piecing fragments back together, like working with Lego bricks. The colleague told me that among this mountain, they even found some flawless porcelain pieces. When I asked why such perfect works would also be smashed, he explained one theory: certain pieces were so difficult to fire that, had the emperor seen them, he might have happily ordered, "Make ten more!" To spare themselves endless trouble, the craftsmen may have deliberately destroyed them, pretending nothing had ever succeeded in the first place. After the duck-shaped incense burner was pieced back together and put on display, its charming form earned it the nickname Suisuiya (碎碎鸭/Broken Duck) from Chinese netizens. Quite unexpectedly, it became something of a cultural phenomenon: quirky, creative, once a "failure," now rediscovered. Many young people see themselves in "Broken Duck": imperfect, but interesting; not yet celebrated, yet deserving to be seen. Artists, too, have embraced its odd yet endearing beauty, creating popular cartoon characters. Since the beginning of this year, merchandise and spin-off IP related to the Broken Duck have already generated more than 10 million RMB in revenue. In September, Khaby Lame, the most-followed creator on TikTok, visited the Imperial Kiln Museum and posed with the duck, pulling his signature expression (Though I must admit, I still don't quite get Lame's appeal…The duck, on the other hand, I find utterly delightful). Across China, Jingdezhen has emerged as a new model for urban renewal: one that does not blindly chase GDP growth or uncritical modernization, but instead draws from its own cultural roots to find common ground between tradition and the future. Sometimes, the hope of a city is hidden in the secret of a "Broken Duck." Not because it is flawless, but because it was once overlooked, and then reappreciated. Like Jingdezhen itself, true revival is not about rebuilding, but about learning to understand who you are, and learning to see it with new eyes.

I once thought of Jingdezhen (景德镇) merely as an historic porcelain-producing town, quietly tucked away in the margins of history books. To my surprise, it's not only alive but also thriving with modern flair: A friend of mine recently returned from Jingdezhen, brimming with stories-about a little duck made of broken shards, lovingly restored porcelain factories now taken over by young artists from around the world, and some sixty thousand hand-painting workshops. Listening to these tales, I couldn't help but feel: this city is so worth writing about, even though I've rarely delved into ceramics and seldom write about places I haven't yet seen for myself. Before it became the renowned "Porcelain Capital," Jingdezhen was not particularly noteworthy. Prior to the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), the region remained rather obscure, as the most advanced ceramic workshops were concentrated in China's central plains. That changed dramatically in 1127, when the Northern Song fell to the Jurchens from the north. Waves of skilled artisans migrated southward, bringing Jingdezhen an unprecedented historical opportunity. By the Southern Song (1127–1279), the town was already producing porcelain for the imperial court, and large quantities of its wares have been found in shipwrecks in the South China Sea from this era. Under Mongol rule (1279–1368), mature blue-and-white porcelain (青花瓷) was born here. Beyond breakthroughs in painting techniques, Jingdezhen's abundant kaolin clay resources allowed artisans to create larger, thinner porcelain bodies-a true leap in craftsmanship. From then on, Jingdezhen established itself as the very heart of Chinese porcelain. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the imperial court even established official kilns in Jingdezhen dedicated to producing porcelain exclusively for royal use. After the founding of the PRC in 1949, several large porcelain factories were set up here. Astonishingly, half a century ago, one-third of China's foreign exchange earnings came from Jingdezhen porcelain. That number alone shocked me, but what I learned next surprised me even more. In my mind, an industrial city like Jingdezhen would be turning out ceramics that were rigid in design, lacking creativity, and largely mass-produced with printed patterns rather than hand-painted ones-something without sufficient artistic value. But my colleague told me otherwise: today Jingdezhen has more than 60,000 workshops, and over 90 percent of porcelain designs are still hand-painted: Machines may guarantee standardized mass production, but Jingdezhen's true strength lies in its culture of handcrafted customization. While many former industrial hubs shifted entirely toward the service sector in the post-industrial era, Jingdezhen has remained firmly rooted in porcelain. Last year alone, the city's ceramic industry reached an output value of over 93 billion yuan, exporting to more than 80 countries and regions. Even more impressive, the city has embraced bold innovations-reimagining what porcelain can be in the 21st century. Let's take a look at a few examples. Top left: You might not expect it, but ceramic materials can be transformed into musical instruments-flutes, chimes, even stringed instruments. And not just for show-they can really play. Hit play and listen for yourself. Can you believe this sound comes from clay? Top right: Shown here are the work of a Jingdezhen artist's daughter, who returned after studying in the UK: a ceramic speaker and a beautifully engineered teacup. Ingeniously designed with clever mechanics, this teacup will not topple no matter which angle the tea is poured from. With its simple form and distinctive texture, it carries both an Oriental heritage and a modern sensibility. She shared that her daily work involves constantly negotiating the space between tradition and innovation-often engaging in passionate, sometimes stubborn, debates with elder craftsmen. But she said it's exactly in those moments of tension that the most unexpected ideas are born. At one point, Jingdezhen stood in the brink of becoming China's Detroit. Once a glorious industrial powerhouse, prosperous for centuries longer than Detroit ever was, the city began to decline in the late 1990s. Large state-owned porcelain factories shut down one after another, tens of thousands of workers were laid off, and aging dormitories fell into disrepair, some crumbling into near slums. Meanwhile, Western ceramics companies, armed with more advanced industrial techniques, took over the mass-production market, and Jingdezhen's traditional advantages steadily eroded. As the city declined, a question loomed: What should be done with the husks of its abandoned factories? Some pushed to level them for new real estate projects, while others argued for preserving the industrial heritage. In the end, the preservationists won. Many of the old facilities were restored, repurposed, and left largely intact: transformed into artists' studios, small shops, and homes for young craftspeople. The porcelain fires no longer burn only in the kilns. They now fuel the city's way of life. It is precisely this unique blend of cultural atmosphere and youthful vitality that has brought Jingdezhen back to life. Over the past decade, the city has welcomed a net population inflow of 136,000 people, more than 80 percent of them young. In their twenties and thirties, ceramic artists have set up studios in alleys and courtyards, while young visitors wander through the streets, making it feel as though every lane holds a hidden story. What's equally surprising is that Jingdezhen's charm has crossed borders. Today, a growing number of young people from the United States, Japan, France, Turkey, and beyond have chosen to live here long-term, immersing themselves in the art of ceramics. They call this ancient-yet-youthful city "China within China." At the lower left and lower right are the Imperial Kiln Museum (yes, its architecture itself resembles a kiln) and its most popular artifact. Surprisingly, this piece is actually a "reject." Made in the mid-Ming dynasty for the emperor, it is a porcelain incense burner in the form of a duck. To date, the Palace Museum in Beijing has not discovered another example like it. As for its status as a flawed piece, there are a few theories: one suggests that the designer originally intended for smoke to spout from the duck's beak, but the effect proved unsatisfactory, and the craftsmen abandoned what was, perhaps, a rather avant-garde idea; another possibility is that a more perfect version was eventually produced, but those pieces did not survive through history. In Jingdezhen, porcelain rejects from the imperial kilns of the Ming and Qing dynasties were always smashed and discarded. Over time, they formed a mountain of shards. Archaeological work on this "porcelain mountain" continues to this day, with archaeologists patiently piecing fragments back together, like working with Lego bricks. The colleague told me that among this mountain, they even found some flawless porcelain pieces. When I asked why such perfect works would also be smashed, he explained one theory: certain pieces were so difficult to fire that, had the emperor seen them, he might have happily ordered, "Make ten more!" To spare themselves endless trouble, the craftsmen may have deliberately destroyed them, pretending nothing had ever succeeded in the first place. After the duck-shaped incense burner was pieced back together and put on display, its charming form earned it the nickname Suisuiya (碎碎鸭/Broken Duck) from Chinese netizens. Quite unexpectedly, it became something of a cultural phenomenon: quirky, creative, once a "failure," now rediscovered. Many young people see themselves in "Broken Duck": imperfect, but interesting; not yet celebrated, yet deserving to be seen. Artists, too, have embraced its odd yet endearing beauty, creating popular cartoon characters. Since the beginning of this year, merchandise and spin-off IP related to the Broken Duck have already generated more than 10 million RMB in revenue. In September, Khaby Lame, the most-followed creator on TikTok, visited the Imperial Kiln Museum and posed with the duck, pulling his signature expression (Though I must admit, I still don't quite get Lame's appeal…The duck, on the other hand, I find utterly delightful). Across China, Jingdezhen has emerged as a new model for urban renewal: one that does not blindly chase GDP growth or uncritical modernization, but instead draws from its own cultural roots to find common ground between tradition and the future. Sometimes, the hope of a city is hidden in the secret of a "Broken Duck." Not because it is flawless, but because it was once overlooked, and then reappreciated. Like Jingdezhen itself, true revival is not about rebuilding, but about learning to understand who you are, and learning to see it with new eyes.

Zhai Xiang

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