Hao Hao ReportThe best China news and blog posts

The Great Wall is in danger of being an "also ran" among the "New 7 Wonders" being decided by an online poll. One might think that would lead to a call-to-arms, a rallying cry for China's 144 million netizens to punch in and drive their heritage site to the top.

But doing so, Beijing Newspeak says, would imply that the Wall is losing, and that might make China look bad.

The Great Wall was first built during the War States Period (475-221 BC) in various sections so that China might defend itself from northern invasions.

It has been added on and added on and

TPD discusses China sharing more than their holiday spirit with the US. With ever-increasing need for coal, massive toxic clouds are on the fast winds across the Pacific - and unlike the Great Wall, can be seen from space.

The Duck brings up an interesting point about how environmental problems are quickly reaching the breaking point when people are going to stand up and say "I'm mad as hell and I ain't going to take it anymore!"

Dezza at Mask of China explains how the town of Huairou outside Beijing conspired to cheat his Laowai-ass by sending him up to a section of the Great Wall - BUT NEGLECTING TO TELL HIM THAT IT WAS CLOSED FOR REPAIRS!

Can you spell BOYCOTT, boys and girls?

One of my favorite activities in Chengdu was sitting out and eating street food. Six years later I still love the food, but try to avoid the dirtiest spots. Hole in the wall restaurants and snack stands used to be a badge of honor for me.

The origin of tattoo art in China dates to the Song Dynasty when criminal groups were tattooed to show their status. Like Japan, we have a long history of tattooing, but Japan does a better job of protecting its traditions. Right now, about 300,000 people make tattoos in China, but only about 10 percent of them are real artists.

From PRI: China is on the rise. And that's fueled nationalistic pride at home. It's also fueled a new pastime among some young Chinese. They've taken to strolling in the park in Han Dynasty-style clothing. The Han Dynasty lasted from about 200 BC to 220 AD. Some romanticize it as a time of superior morals, values, and philosophy. They say China today would do well to learn from it.

In December 1997 Lijiang in Yunnan Province and Pingyao in Shanxi Province were both designated as World Culture Heritage sites by UNESCO. They became world heritage sites at the same time but they both have their own unique charm.
Lijiang is an old town which was built about 800 years ago in the northwestern part of Yunnan Province. Local Naxi people have kept their culture and traditions. In 2003, Naxi Dongba Literature Manuscript was recommended for inclusion in the Memory of the World Register in 2003.

Direct from Grape Wall of China: "We ate and drank, ate and drank, ate and drank, then ate and drank some more - all in the name of research. The inaugural International Congress of Chinese Cuisine & Wine met in Beijing in May and put the livers and stomachs of some 100 participants to the test.